Ep14june2014

Rs1044.9b Punjab budget Foreign fighters

Army chief briefs Modi on security Resolve to fully activate public, private sectors Province to have Punjab healthcare preparedness commission Southern Punjab gets 36pc development resources 4m new job NEW DELHI—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by Army chief Gen Bikram Singh on the prevailing security situation and operational readiness of troops in a meeting which lasted for close to three hours.

This was the Army chief’s first substantial meeting with the Prime Minister and it came on a day when there were ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in J&K. Defence minister Arun Jaitley, who was also present in the meeting, is to visit the state tomorrow to review the security situation. “The briefing was broad-based. It was a detailed review of the security situation, including the internal security situation.

The status of operational readiness was also discussed besides the future challenges that need to be attended,” a defence spokesperson said.

National security adviser Ajit Doval and minister of state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh and Army chief-designate Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, who is presently the vice-chief, were also present in the meeting.—INP

Afghans go to polls again today KABUL—Afghans head to the polls on Saturday for the second time in 10 weeks to elect a president who will take office as most foreign forces prepare to leave after nearly 13 years of inconclusive war.

None of the eight candidates who contested the first round of the election on April 5 won more than 50 percent of the vote meaning the top two contenders have to face off on Saturday.

The two men aiming to succeed President Hamid Karzai, who is constitutionally barred from a third term, are a former foreign minister, Abdullah Abdullah, and an ex-World Bank economist and former finance minister, Ashraf Ghani.

The winner will inherit an Continued on Page 7

Tribunal disqualifies JUI-F MPA OUR CORRESPONDENT ABBOTTABAD—An election tribunal on Friday disqualified Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F provincial lawmaker Zareen Gul Khan after it declared that polls had been rigged at his PK-58 Mansehra constituency in the May 2013 elections.

The tribunal declared null and void the election results in the provincial constituency, and ordered re-polling at all polling stations.

The petition had been taken up by the tribunal on the complaint of the Nimroz Khan of the Awami National Party.

ANP’s Nimroz Khan was the runner-up with 6,220 votes at the PK-58 constituency, where Zareen Gul Khan of the JUI-F had returned successful with 8,471 votes in the May 2013 polls.

Nimroz Khan had filed a petition with the election tribunal at Abbottabad arguing

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opportunities on cards Multan-Lodhran-Khanewal to have metro bus facility SALIM AHMED

Muzaffargarh with the cooperation of Turkey.

Amid protest from the LAHORE—Punjab Governopposition benches, the ment Friday presented a Finance Minister progrowth-oriented and peopleposed 10 percent increase friendly budget for 2014-15 in the salaries and penwith a total outlay of Rs sions of government em1044.9 billion. ployees. The Punjab govPresenting the budget for ernment has proposed to the fiscal year 2014-15 at the allocate an amount of Rs Punjab Assembly on Friday, 345 billion for the Annual Punjab Finance Minister Development Programme Mujtaba Shuja- ur-Rehman 2014-15 that includes Rs said the existing growth rate 290 billion for regular deis five percent that will be velopment programme raised to eight percent. and Rs 40 billion for other He said two million development initiatives people will be imparted trainwith Rs.15 billion for speing in various skills in two cial initiatives. years and six billion rupees The main objectives have been allocated for this LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif giving some water for drinking to Finance Minister Mujtaba of the Annual Developpurpose. ment Programme 2014-15 He said four million new Shuja-ur-Rehman after concluding the budget speech. would be; overcoming enemployment opportunities will be completed. He said the longest will be generated during the next four metro bus service will be started in ergy shortage, export-oriented indusyears. He said 36 percent of the budget Multan and Khanewal to Lodhran two- trial-cum-agricultural growth, enhance will be spent in southern Punjab under way road will also be constructed. He productivity and competitiveness in the which projects worth 263 billion rupees said a modern hospital will be set up in production sector, development of hu-

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Another incident of stoning, this time in Haripur ................................................

Lyari is a mini Brazil

See Page 04

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MIRAMSHAH—Some of the world’s most feared militants are quietly slipping away from the North Waziristan tribal region in anticipation of a longrumoured military operation, raising questions about the effectiveness of such intervention.

The exodus from the mountainous district on the Afghan border began in late May following air strikes by the Pakistani military, locals said.

But it has been hastened by the Taliban’s all-night siege of Karachi airport this week, which all but destroyed a tentative peace process.

On Wednesday night two US drone strikes hit the region killing at least 16 in the first such attack this year, fueling suspicion of coordination between the two countries, with Islamabad’s patience for talks seemingly exhausted.

But as pressure builds for a fuller response to the airport assault, which was joined by militants from Uzbekistan, residents and officials in North Waziristan’s main town of Miramshah said the majority of foreign and local fighters had already left.

“Most of them have gone deep into the mountains towards the Afghan border,” a senior security official said.

The locals said militant groups were also seen escaping from villages that are a known hub of the dreaded Haqqani network, an Al-Qaeda affiliate known for its spectacular attacks against US forces in Afghanistan.

Rumours of a ground offensive in North Waziristan, one of seven tribal regions along the border, have abounded for years.

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Qaim announces Rs686b Sindh budget 40,000 jobs to be created, Govt employees to get 10 pc increase in salary, Medical and conveyance allowances also increased STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah on Friday presented budget proposals for the fiscal year 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs686 billion.

He announced to create 40,000 job opportunities in financial year 2014-15, adding that Pakistan People’s Party government had created 200,000 jobs in last 6 years.

He said that in the new budget more jobs would be created for poor and jobless citizens of the province as it is the priority of PPP to provide maximum number of jobs to people.

The chief minister said that Sindh didn’t get its share of royality on account of gas infrastructure. He said that salaries of the Sindh government employees had been increased by 10 percent in the budget. The assembly session was chaired by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.

Earlier on Friday, the provincial cabinet approved the proposals under the chairmanship

of Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.

The chief minister, who also holds the additional portfolio of finance minister, said a 10 per cent increase in salaries is proposed for government employees. From July 1, 2014, government employees will be provided ad hoc relief of 10 per cent.

For Grade 1 to 15 employees, 10 per cent increase in medical allowances and 15 per cent increase in conveyance allowance has also proposed. A Rs1,000-increase has also been proposed in pensions, with minimum pension now fixed at Rs6,000. Minimum labour wage has now been set at Rs11,000, said the chief minister.

Shah also announced that the BAGHDAD: Thousands of men turned up on Friday at an army recruiting center in the city to volunteer for military provincial government has allo- service in a bid to stop the Baghdad falling to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. cated Rs5bn for universities in Sindh.

Shah said that the provincial government was taking special measures to increase access to quality education in Sindh. He said that new public schools will be established in 10 remote cities and towns, while 8 towns will get new cadet colleges. Two special women’s

UN vehicle snatched in Karachi

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One-year PML-N govt performance

PM’s discretionary fund under PWP-II abolished ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister’s discretionary fund under the People’s Works Programme-II (PWP), which was Rs 42 billion against the budgeted figure of Rs. 22 billion during the last financial year ending June 30, 2013, has been abolished.

According to an official document highlighting one year performance of the PML-N government, the expenditures of the Prime Minister’s Office have been slashed by 40 per cent.

Meanwhile, the official data available from the Ministry of Finance speaks of a gradual decline in the annual budget of the Prime Minister Office (Internal) over the last two years.

The figures show a decline of around Rs

70,614,000, less from the amount allocated in the financial year 2012-13.

According to the data, the budget for the PM Office (Internal) for the year 2012-13 was Rs 438,256,000. It was slashed by the PML- N government soon after coming into power last year to Rs 387,910,000 in fiscal year 2013-14.

The government has now proposed to further slash it by Rs 20,268,000 in the 2014-15 budget this year and sought only Rs 367,642,000 for the next financial year.

The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif since coming into power and as part of its austerity drive has taken several measures.

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STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—A double cabin vehicle of the United Nations was snatched in Karachi on Friday, whereas four people were reported injured in a separate incident in the city. Moreover, two alleged members of a banned group were also taken into custody here by law enforcement personnel.

Unidentified men snatched the vehicle from Karachi’s Ayesha Manzil area. Viewing the snatching as an alarming development, law enforcement agencies boosted security across the city.

Meanwhile, Rangers claimed to have arrested two alleged members of a banned outfit. The arrests were made during a raid carried out in Mujahid Colony in Karachi’s Liaquatabad Town.

Separately, four people, Continued on Page 7

Obama rules out US troops ‘back into combat’ in Iraq Top Shiite cleric issues call to stop ISIL advances; Iran sends units to Iraq

WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD/TEHRAN—President Obama on Friday ruled out sending American troops “back into combat” in Iraq despite the threat from a surging army of Islamic militants.

The president appeared on the South Lawn of the White House after consulting with his top advisers. The White House has been considering its options in Iraq as the country has come under siege by the Islamic militant army known as ISIS. Obama said ISIS, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, poses a threat to Iraq, but because of its ideology and penchant for violence it “could pose a threat to American interests.”

The president said he has asked his National Security Council for a “range of options,” but he said, “We will not be sending us troops back into combat in Iraq.” Obama said that “Ultimately it’s up to Iraqis to solve their problems.”

He added, “The U.S. simply is not going to get involved in a military action without assur-

IMU springs up in realm of terrorism LIAQAT TOOR

Perception of Govt-Army misunderstanding

man capital and skills, equitable regional development, institutional reforms and governance, encourage public private partnership, gender mainstreaming, effective security through better law & orders.

The important features and new initiatives included in ADP 2014-15 are: focus on completion of ongoing schemes with an allocation of Rs.155 billion, regional balance in allocation of resources with extra weight (36 percent) for 11 districts of Southern Punjab, adequate funding for foreign aided and mega projects, continued focus on undertaking projects that can be completed within one / two years to control throw-forward, allocation of Rs.119 billion for social sectors investments with major focus on education (Rs.48 billion) and health (Rs.31 billion), continued strategic interventions in large cities to realize their potential as engines of growth.

Allocation of Rs.40.4 billion for Urban Development Sector including allocation of Rs.10 billion each for Mass Transit System for Rawalpindi and

fleeing North Waziristan

ISLAMABAD—The Karachi airport terror strike on June 8 has seen a significant shift in realm of terrorism in Pakistan as Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a terrorist organisation allied with Taliban and Al-Qaeda in North Waziristan, has come in forefront to make an impact.

IMU has claimed responsibility for the attack and released photographs of its fighters.

The IMU factor is not new in the region but it has gained strength again by foreign funding and armaments, an analyst on dynamics of terror organizations said.

IMU- based on ethnic Uzbeks was formed in 1991 by Islamic radical Tahir Yuldashev and former Soviet paratrooper Juma Namangani. But after defeated by the authority led by President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, they fled to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Afghanistan. However, they were mostly killed along with their leader Namangani while fighting against US-NATO forces in early 2000 along with Taliban in Afghanistan and rest of them slipped into Waziristan and made an alliance with local Taliban to carry out raids in Pakistan.

Initially, they were not so active as they married local women and settled down.

But with the passage of time with foreign fund-

ing and armaments, they trained their children to conduct terror strikes in Pakistan. Taliban used them in high profile strikes as they are considered to be ferocious fighters. They are also involved in incidents of kidnapping for ransom.

Some experts on FATA said former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son is also in the custody of Uzbek fighters demanding huge ransom.

The inquiries conducted in the previous attacks on Mehran Naval Base, Peshawar Airport and Kamra Complex also pointed towards their massive involvement. Analysts said IMU factor has posed a great threat to Pakistan’s vital national interests and security.

ances” that the Iraqi government will take actions to unify the country and reduce sectarian tensions.

The Obama administration has been alarmed by capturing the city of Fallujah, Iraq, earlier this year and then seeing ISIS sweep north this week to chase the Iraqi army out of Mosul, Tikrit, Baji and surrounding towns.

The militants vow to march on Baghdad and so far the Iraqi army has shown little willingness to confront them. The government of President Nouri al-Maliki has appealed for help, including a request for U.S. air power to pummel the insurgents.

ISIS controls a huge swath of territory that is bigger than many countries and extends from the edge of Aleppo in western Syria across the Iraqi border to Falluja in the south and Mosul in the north. The group is known for its radical Islam, a form so violent that it has been disowned by al Qaeda.

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Modi condemns Karachi airport attack in letter to Nawaz OBSERVER REPORT ISLAMABAD—Replying to a letter written by his Pakistani counterpart, Indian premier Narendra Modi on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Karachi airport.

He expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent lives in the senseless and barbaric attack.

Modi said the relationship between India and Pakistan defined by peace, friendship and

cooperation would unleash enormous opportunities for the youth, secure a more prosperous future for people and accelerate progress across the region.

“I was also encouraged by our discussions on our bilateral relations and the convergence in our views,” he wrote.

“I was particularly delighted and honoured by your participation in the ceremony for the swearing in of the new

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7 killed, 5 injured in incidents of target killing, clashes in Peshawar, Bajaur PESHAWAR—At least seven people includ- policemen. Similarly in Mathra and ing one policeman and a woman were killed and five others were injured in different incidents of targeted killing, firing and armed clash between rival groups in provincial capital and Bajaur agency on Friday.

According to details, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate firing in Sawkano area killing a policeman deployed on the security of a mosque. The deceased was identified as Farooq.

The incident was said to be a targeted killing. In another incident in Gulbahar area, a man identified as Jamshed was shot dead in front of a mosque. Similarly in Faqir Abad area, unknown armed men shot dead a shopkeeper.

In Badhaber area unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate firing injuring two

Pishtakhara areas three people injured in incidents of firing. Police have registered cases and started search for the culprits. At least four persons including a woman were killed as a clash broke out between two rival groups over a land dispute in Gabri area of Bajaur Agency on Friday, political authorities said.

According to details, two groups clashed and resorted to firing over a land dispute in the Gabri area of Bajaur leaving four people dead whereas several injured.

The culprits after committing the crime fled away from the scene. The dead bodies were shifted to the nearby hospital for medico legal formalities. Security forces has cordoned off the area and started search for the culprits.—APP

Consul General of Iran calls on Mehtab P ESHAWAR —Peshawar-based Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hassan Darvishvand called on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan at Governor’s House, here on Friday.

He remained with the Governor for some time and discussed various matters pertaining to his diplomatic responsibilities especially towards promoting more productive role of the trading community of this province toDERA ISMAIL KHAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Sardar Ali Ameen Khan Gandapur offering dua, after inaugurating newly reno- wards strengthening existing strong bonds of brotherly vated Medical Ward in District Headquarters Teaching Hospital on Friday. relationships amongst the people of both the brotherly countries.—APP

Over 45pc Lowari tunnel widening work completed ISLAMABAD—Work on Lowari Tunnel project on and so far over 45 percent work on tunnel widenNowshera-Dir-Chitral Road (N-45) was going on

ing has been completed,while over 40 per cent

work on civil works has been completed so far.

An official in Ministry of Communications told APP Friday that over all progress of the project was about 33 percent. —APP

BZU announces MA Persian, Philosophy results M U LTA N — B a h a u d d i n

Jails security beefed up in Balochistan Q UETTA —Security of the Balochistan’s jails have been beefed up to avoid any untoward incident.

Inspector General of Balochistan Prisons Bashir Bangulzai said additional personnel of law enforcement agencies have been deployed at and around all six jails of the province. “ On the directives of the Home department, new security plan has been chalked out for the jails,” he said.

He noted that Central Jail Mach, District Jail Quetta, Central Jail Gadani and Central Jail Khuzdar have been declared sensitive where security men equipped with latest weapons are on high alert. “ We have requested the deployment of Frontier Corps outside the Mach jail from the provincial government,” he said adding response from the home department is awaited in this connection.

About the number of prisoners in Balochistan, the IG said that there are over 300 hardened criminals in the jails while the other inmates numbered over 3,000.

He said that there were no loopholes in the fresh security plan evolved in the wake of terror attacks in Karachi and Taftan.—APP

Zakariya University (BZU) announced result of M.A Persian part-I supplementary examination 2012 and annual 2013 held in Feb-March 2014.

According to gazette notification issued here on Friday, a total of seven candidates including two male and five female appeared in the examination, of whom five were declared successful, thus pass percentage stood at 71.43 per cent.

Similarly, in MA Philosophy Part-II, supplementary examination 2012 and annual 2013 held in Feb-March 2014, eight candidates including three male and five female apOBSERVER REPORT peared in the examination, of whom five were declared successful, showing pass K ARACHI —Moderates Chairman Syed percentage at 62.50.—APP Jawaid Iqbal has welcomed the order by the Sindh High Court pertaining to removal of the name of former President of Pakistan, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, from the Exit Control List (ECL).

Jawaid Iqbal severely slammed the restriction that had been placed on Musharraf’s foreign travel. He said a ruling M U LTA N —A suspected in this regard was long overdue as an uncase of Crimean Congo Hem- necessary and uncalled for restraint had orrhagic Fever (CCFH) was been placed on the former President’s moveadmitted to Nishtar Medical ment outside the country.

Institute (NMI) here on The Sindh High Court bench has stated Monday noon. that parties opposing the ruling could apAn official source in the proach the Supreme Court during the next Health Department told APP 15 days since Musharraf cannot leave the that Abdul Jabbar (23) of country during that period.

Rajanpur was admitted to Syed Jawaid Iqbal said Gen. Pervez Ward No 27 of NMI after he Musharraf is a former army chief and a man had been suffering from fe- of great courage. It was ridiculous to bever for the last 10 days. lieve that he would not return to Pakistan He has also been bleed- once he left the country after his name was ing from the nose and mouth removed from the ECL, as was being sugfor five days, the source added.

Meanwhile, an 8-dayold Shaista of Khangarh, has been admitted to Children Complex with Neonatal Tetanus (NNT) with tetanus on Friday.—APP

225 wheelie doers held M U LTA N —Traffic police chief Mahr Javed Iqbal has said that 225 youths were held last year on charges of doing a wheelie.

Addressing a gathering of industrialists at the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Javed Iqbal said that society must play its role in honouring the traffic laws and rules. P a r e n t s must keep an eye on their children and advise them to avoid traffic violations, he said, adding that many youngsters had lost their lives during risky one-wheeling on roads.

He said that scores of influentials including officials, politicians and community leaders had contacted traffic police to let violators go after traffic police apprehended 225 wheelie doers last year and impounded 1500 motorcycles without registration plates during the last two months.

The practice must be avoided, he added. He said that a campaign against black window glasses of cars, blue lights and green number plates was in progress and all cases of violators would be treated as per law.

About parking of vehicles beneath the flyover near Katchery, he said that it was a complicated issue, adding that lawyers were not ready to listen to their suggestions despite the fact that parking was hindering traffic.—APP

Moderates welcome removal of Musharraf’s name from ECL

Suspected Congo fever patient hospitalized

Four injured in Lyari firing K ARACHI —As many as four persons, including a child and a woman, were reportedly injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on Friday. According to reports, the firing incident took place in Chakewara area of Lyari. The injured persons were shifted to nearby hospital. In another incident of firing that occurred near Nazimabad Petrol Pump two people sustained injuries.— NNI

gested by certain irresponsible quarters.

The Moderates Chairman said that Pervez Musharraf would only go abroad to see his ailing mother and would return to Pakistan whenever called upon by the courts as it was his intention too to get his name cleared from the various unfounded allegations that had been leveled against him.

It must be remembered that Pervez Musharraf returned to Pakistan in March 2013 entirely on his own volition as there was no compulsion for him to do so, Jawaid Iqbal said.

Mega Peshawar uplift, beautification project ready for launching: Khattak P ESHAWAR —The new financial year

CHAMAN: Pakistani paramilitary soldiers searching a man before he enters Pakistan from Afghanistan through Friendship Gate on Pak-Afghan border on Friday.

World Blood Donors Day today P E S H AWA R —Like others parts of the world, the international blood donors day would also be celebrated in the country on June 14 (today) with an objective to highlight the selfless services of blood donations by voluntary blood donors.

To emphasize, the importance of well coordinated system for blood transfusion services, the speakers will focus on importance of ensuring availability of safe blood and blood products for all needy patients easily.

The government of KPK in coordination with government of Germany launched a Project of Establishment of Safe Blood Transfusion centers, says a press release here on Friday.

In the 1st Phase Regional Blood Center is under construction in Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.

Six Hospital Based Blood Banks i.e. HMC, IKD, KTH, LRH, Maternity, Naseerullah Baber Hospital Kohat road are attached to this centre.

The project will be completed by December this year thereby it will start providing blood transfusion services of international standards to the public.

These services will be well organized and well coordinated on provincial, national and international levels. This is a good leap forward in the right direction for public service by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this connection, an advocacy seminar on the subject of blood donations, arranged by the SBTP-KPK at HMC Auditorium on June 14, 2014.— APP

School built by IRC, funded by SSGC opens STAFF REPORTER K HAIRPUR —A Sui Southern Gas Company funded school built by Indus Resource Centre (IRC) was inaugurated today at village Din Mohammad Rind, Khairpur by Shahbaz Islam, Dy. General Manager (Corporate Communications/ OD) SSGC. The utility contributed an amount of Rs. 3.6 million in building a new block comprising of nine classrooms including a science and a computer laboratory.

Through the addition of this new block the school attained the level of a secondary institution, from a primary one. The guests were taken to a guided tour of the newly constructed block.

While presenting the welcome address Sadiqa Salahuddin, Executive Director IRC, stated that IRC operates with a network of 56 schools in Sindh province having 8,500 students in its folds as a community based service for the

needy. She thanked SSGC for always supporting IRC in promoting the cause of education in deprived areas of Sindh province.

Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz Islam showed his delight on the high levels of academic management IRC has demonstrated over the period of time. He said that it was the very reason that SSGC partnered with IRC second time after contributing in the construction of a school in Khanot, Jamshoro district.

He said that he was highly impressed to note that IRC was able to convince the parents mostly illiterate to send their daughters to the schools.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Salman A. Siddiqui (Chief Manager SSGC), Muhammad Ali Gohar (DCM, SSGC) and Ehsan Ali Soomro, (District Officer Education, Khairpur). Liaquat Khaskheli (DO, Elementary) and Abdul Jabbar Mari (DO Education SEMIS) also attended the inaugural ceremony along with other notables of the village.

KHAIRPUR: Shahbaz Islam (2nd from L) Deputy General Manager, SSGC exchanging documents with Sadiqa Salahuddin (3rd from L), Executive Director of Indus resource Centre (IRC) after inking the agreement for construction of a new block in a girls school in village Din Muhammad Rind, Khairpur district with a cost of Rs. 3.6 million.

Also seen in the picture are: Muhammad Ali Gohar (1st from L), Salman A Siddiqui (4th) and Ehsan Ali Soomro (5th), District Education Officer Khairpur.

will see implementation on a number of mega projects in provincial metropolis under Peshawar uplift and beautification plan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was told this at a high level meeting called to review the Peshawar beautification plan.

It includes start of work on corridor one of mass transit with launching of bus service costing Rs 7bn, beautification and widening of the main roads of the city on the pattern of Islamabad and Lahore and other mega projects for the development of the historical city.

Similarly, a number of related projects for the construction of roads, bridges, parks, picnic spots, supply of clean drinking water, drainage, streamlining the traffic system, plantation and rehabilitation of the cultural heritage of the city costing trillion of rupees are in pipeline under the Peshawar Urban Planning Program.

Widening of the main roads of the city with green belts on both sides, construction of parks, water parks, walking tracks, multipurpose sports stadiums and cycling tracks in the city are the other main components of the program.

The meeting reviewed threadbare the pace and quality of work on the ongoing projects under the program and its various aspects wherein a number of important decisions were made.

ANF starts awareness drive against drugs

stan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Chaudhry Kabir Ahmad Khan said Friday that a comprehensive security plan has been made to promote the sense of protection among the domestic and foreign tourists.

In an exclusive interview to APP, the Managing Director(MD) PMDC said that on the directions of the Prime Minister, PTDC has decided to initiate certain steps to facilitate tourists and enhance the revenue generation of the Corporation by taking initiatives of security provision.

“The step will help make the PTDC a selfsustaining organisation” he added.

Ch Kabir Ahmad Khan said that despite the unfortunate attack at Nanga Parbat base camp, more than 25 per cent increase in tourism was witnessed.

He also stated that PTDC has re-launched its summer tour packages and announced special rates for hotels, motels and resorts situated in the most tourist-attractive places in the country.

He added that PTDC has also started bus services, escorted with armed guards, to Naran.

“Despite the negative media projection by the international media, PTDC achieved its targets to promote domestic tourism from March to June”, Kabir added.

He said that PTDC has increased security at all resorts including Murree, Galiyat, Ayubia, Kaghan, Swat Chitral,Kalash, Shandur.

“Elaborate measures were being taken to provide security to the foreign tourists visiting different parts of the country” he added.

Kabir Ahmed Khan further informed that current government was making earnest efforts to promote tourism sector and to reinstate the soft image of the country across the globe.

Provincial governments and concerned district management was in a close contact to PTDC to ensure the security to the tourists, he said. The MD said in first step PTDC will introduce in near future Tourism Friends Club Card for Overseas Pakistani Tourists. Through this card, PTDC would provide incentives like discount on room rent of PTDC motels and hotels, tour packages and transport services to tourists, he said.

About Tourism Friends Club Card, he said, its purpose is to promote tourism activities and provide better facilities to the public as well as national and international tourists, he informed.

Kabir further said the purpose of the club is to promote tourism activities and provide better tourist facilities at affordable rates to its members, to upkeep and maintain better standard in motels and hotels of PTDC throughout the country.

“A bona fide national or international citizen who could prove his or her identity would be entitled to apply for membership, subject to the conditions determined by the PTDC from time to time” he added.

The card-holder, he said, would also be

banks of canals to turn them into recreation spots for the locals and to this effect design has been prepared in collaboration with the irrigation department.

Similarly, food courts will be set up in various places of the city especially on canal banks while spots have been identified for the purpose. In order to improve the municipal services in the city, sanitary vehicles, machines and other equipment will be provided to 25 urban union councils of Peshawar.

The supply of clean drinking water to Peshwarites will be ensured while public toilets will be constructed at various places of the city. Race track would also be built in Hayatabad for youth. Similarly, ladies clubs with gym, indoor games, covered swimming pool, movie theatre hall and sitting spots would also be set up for women folk.

With the view to streamline the traffic system of the city, separate Transport Engineering and Planning Unit will be set up. In addition Bus Terminal, General Bus Stand, Charsadda Bus stand and Kohat Bus Stand would be upgraded to provide modern facilities of transport to the masses.

The authorities assured the Chief Minister that all the process of feasibilities as well as timely and quality completion of these mega projects would be ensured with a missionary zeal.—APP

Pre-Monsoon rain predicted next week

ISLAMABAD—Giving a sigh of relief to masses in extreme ISLAMABAD —Anti Narcot- hot weather conditions, Pakistan Meteorological Departics Force (ANF) IslamabadRawalpindi region has launched an awareness campaign against drug abuse in connection with the World Anti Narcotics Day to be observed on June 26.

During awareness drive a series of lectures for the students of various educational institutions in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi would be organized till June 26.

In this connection, the ANF has chalked out a comprehensive programme for creating awareness among youth, especially among students of colleges and universities, said a press release.

The awareness drive first lecture was organized at Government Girls Degree College Satellite Town Rawalpindi in which more than 100 students and teachers participated.

ANF Rawalpindi Project officer briefed the youth about the disadvantages of using drugs saying that it not only destroys one person but damages the structure of a whole family.

He also highlighted the achievements by the ANF and said that the ANF was not only controlling the drugs in the society but also focusing on the treatment of drug addicts.

The principal of the college thanked the ANF for arranging awareness programme for the youth that aims to exterminate this menace from the society.— APP

PTDC ensures comprehensive security plan for domestic, foreign tourists I SLAMABAD —Managing Director (MD) Paki-

Pervez Khattak asked for making the plan comprehensive and ensuring quality work on it. He said all departments have to fix development targets and show results then. He assured that funds for all mega schemes are available and hence scarcity of resources anyway must not be hurdle in this regard. He said Peshawar remained city of flowers and gardens and we had to revive its historical glory at all costs.

On this occasion the participants were briefed about the programs chalked out for the beautification and development of the capital city.

It was told that in connection with widening the highways of the city, the Jamrud Road would be widened to four lanes with mixing the service roads on each side as well right from Karkhano to phase-III Hayatabad, Rehmanbaba squire G.T Road to Nasirpur.

Likewise BoIT has started work on laying carpet road for rapid bus service from Nasirpur GT Road to Karkhano Hayatabad that will be completed in one year with estimated cost of Rs 7 billion. About 81 rapid buses will ply every 5 minutes on this route that will reach end points in 45 minutes only while ambulances and firebrigade vehicles will be also allowed on it. Regarding the measures for the beautification of canals passing through the city, it was informed that foot-paths and walk ways would be constructed and benches fixed on the

given representation in the advisory committee-management committee constituted by the PTDC to invite proposals- suggestions to improve service conditions of hotels-motels and food quality.

The PTDC MD would be empowered to nominate five card-holders as members of the advisory committee in view of their efforts in connection with promoting tourism, he said.

“Other members of the committee will include managing director, deputy managing director, finance director, GM hotels, GM motels, GM PTL and controller finance & accounts (motels)” he added. Ch Kabir Ahmad Khan also announced a special Ramazan package according to which 50% discount would be given to tourists in Northern Areas, while 30% concession would be provided at Naran and Ayubia.

The PTDC land at Gaddani Beach in Balochistan would be utilised for launching projects including Beach Resort, outdoor and indoor games, water-sports for couples, which would help Corporation to generate huge income, the MD added.

To a query, the PTDC MD regretted that the previous administrator had illegally recruited 706 persons in PTDC against all rules and regulations which caused huge loss to the PTDC. To another question, Ch Kabir clearly stated that PTDC has not been affected by the 18th Amendment. Only tourism ministries were handed over to the provinces, he added.—APP

ment has predicted Pre-Monsoon rain in next week.

However, the current intense spell of heat would continue for another two to three days in most parts of the country.

According to the Met office, the prevailing intense heat is likely to subside after pre-monsoon rain/thundershowers accompanied by dust-storms over Islamabad, Upper Punjab, Upper KP & Kashmir on Monday/Tuesday.

The Met-office further informed that a Tropical Cyclone was developing in eastern parts of Arabian Sea that was likely to move in north-westerly direction (towards Oman coast) due to which the current intense heat-wave over Pakistan is likely to further intensify and would extend northward (Islamabad, KP and Upper Punjab) during the weekend (Friday/Saturday).The heat wave will also envelop northern areas (Gilgit-Baltistan & Kashmir) during the weekend, triggering large scale snow-melting from Friday to Monday.

The inflows in all hilly rivers of Upper KP & GB-Kashmir and Tarbela Dam may also increase.

Meanwhile, during the past 24 hours, weather remained hot and dry in most parts of the country, however, light rain-thunderstorm associated with gusty winds occurred at one or two places in Giglit-Baltistan, Faisalabad, Multan, D.G. Khan and Karachi divisions.—APP

Girl injured in rocket attack PESHAWAR—A girl sustained minor injuries when unknown fired three rockets on different areas of Peshawar on late Thursday night.

According to City Police, the rockets landed near Said Anwar Medical Centre at Dabagri Garden, Nothia and Railways Quarters about 1 am last night. One of the rockets exploded after hitting the residential compound of Muhammad Shafiq, resident of Mardan at Railways Quarters, injured his daughter.—APP

Two labourers die of suffocation ABBOTABAD—At least two labourers were died due to suffocation while digging a well at Almerah here on Friday. According to police sources, Noor Rahim r/o Battagram and Qamar r/o Alai were digging a well in the fields of Riaz, where due to leakage of poisonous gas they died on the spot.—APP

Ahsan Iqbal’s son remarks against Pak Army poisonous, nonsense MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE —Taking it as another verbal assault on the prestigious repute of the armed forces of the country, social media again started spitting venom out against the PML-N government for spreading a narrative that the causes of all the evil in the country is the army.

This anti-PML-N campaign again started on social media when federal minister Ahsan Iqbal’s son Ahmed Iqbal Chaudhary in his facebook page alleged that the responsibility of all the terrorist attacks falls squarely on the armed forces and intelligence agencies.

It is pertinent to mention here that this controversy emerged at that time when PML-N government is striving to dissipate the impression of civil-military rift besides giving strict instructions to all the federal ministers including party leaders to adopt cautious and prudent approach towards the armed forces of the country.

Ahmed Iqbal Chaudhar further alleged that there would be no war, no Taliban, no external threat if they (the army) would have

done their job. “High time to not only hit back at terrorists but to secure Pakistan’s future by dealing with this menace,” he added.

Giving his reaction on this statement, Pakistan Muslim League-Qauid-e-Azam (PML-Q) President and former Prime Minister Senator Ch Shujat Hussain has said that statement of son of Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal against the Pak Army on the facebook was very poisonous, stupid and nonsensical.

Senior political analyst and anchor at a private channel Moeed Pirzada, giving his response on Ahmed Iqbal’s comment, said like many other areas of our public discourse on terrorism, media and democracy this whole argument given by young Ahmad Iqbal Chaudhary is part of the bogus narratives shaped by politicians and several other “vested interests” who have other designs. “Ahmad is young and impressionable - only a college student - his mind has absorbed all that nonsense from the propaganda around and the “nature of this propaganda” is something we need to examine carefully,” he added.

BANNU: Salman Ahmad who stood first in Bannu Education Board Exam in Science Group receiving award from BISE Controller Examination Prof Zahoor Ullah Khan during a ceremony on Friday.

Perception of Govt-Army misunderstanding

MEDIA WATCH

The fall of Mosul threatens civil war in Iraq

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HE warning of the outspoken leader of Pakhtunkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMA) Mahmood Khan Achakzai during his speech in the National Assembly on Thursday was instantly flashed by local and world media and became a topic of heated discussion everywhere and especially among those who have political awareness. Achakzai believed that ominous clouds were hovering over democracy and that the political parties should immediately form a pro-democracy front to fight the perceived danger.

The veteran leader from Balochistan is a knowledgeable personality and his party being an ally of the Government, his words must be taken seriously by all concerned. According to him, there is misunderstanding between the Government and the Army and that in view of the peculiar situation of the country they should remove this and be on the same page to address the challenges. His statement is also reflective of the general tendency in the third world countries, where democratic norms have not taken roots, as rumours, speculations, conjectures and conspiracy theories circulate almost on daily basis. This is also true of Pakistan and we saw this during tenure of the PPP when even repeated timeline was given for removal of the democratically elected Government but the ruling party completed the mandated period successfully by pursuing the policy of accommodation and reconciliation. One may recall that Achakzai had come out with a similar stern warning in Lahore when rumours were rife about threat to the democratic system by declaring that the Federation would not remain intact in case of such a misadventure. It is unfortunate that similar reports are again circulating and the topic is under discussion by media and coffee houses because of questionable moves by some political parties. The way Maulana Tahirul Qadri of PAT has dramatized his planned arrival in Islamabad on June 23 by seeking protection from Army and questioning intentions and motives of the rulers has also raised many questions. It is really sad that the talk about threats to the democratic system and undermining of the Government should be there so soon when the Government is pursuing an ambitious economic agenda and the country is visible on the path of progress. It seems the Government is not being allowed to work with concentration on complex economic and other issues and is being destabilized for un-understandable reasons. It is all the more regrettable that such conspiracies are being hatched at a time when Pakistan is in a state of war and is, to some extent, under siege from enemies of different sorts. There is dire need for national cohesion and reconciliation at this particular moment and we expect from the Government to show magnanimity and sense of responsibility by initiating measures to promote national harmony and solidarity.

Another incident of stoning, this time in Haripur T

WO women were allegedly disrobed in public and stoned over a prop erty dispute in a remote village located in union council Rehana of Haripur. The victims said they were undressed, dragged on ground, kicked and punched.

The woman, stoned in Lahore recently, lost her life but the two disgraced in Haripur are there to face humiliation throughout their life. One must also listen to what they complained “We have lost faith in the law after going through the degrading episode”. These are not isolated incidents as reports appear frequently about dishonouring of women in one part of the country or the other on flimsy grounds but hardly any culprit received punishment and this has encouraged others to persist in deranged and perverted attitude towards women. But it is of no use to complain of non-action by KPK Government of PTI, which stands for justice, or everactive and vibrant administration of Punjab or lethargic Sindh Government where such incidents take place with immunity. This is because for the last several weeks there have been reported and unreported incidents of abduction of small girls and women from different areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The victims were allegedly raped and then killed but police authorities of the twin cities are unconcerned. It is a pity that on the one hand we are talking about economic progress and development and on the other hand we are paying least attention towards elimination of the crime. It is understood that there can’t be development without peace and security and sense of protection among citizens. We hope that culprits involved in Haripur incident would be given exemplary punishment and Provincial and Federal governments would take steps to address growing incidents of violence against women.

Lyari is a mini Brazil T

HE 2014 FIFA World Cup has opened with a colourful inaugural cer emony in Sao Paulo highlighting the Brazilian culture. Prominent world personalities including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, former US President Bill Clinton, present Vice President Joe Biden and several heads of states were present at the inaugural ceremony of what is being dubbed as the football tournament with the heaviest budget.

Brazilians have invested a lot of money, hard work, and energy in the tournament and they would hopefully reap social and economic benefits besides promotion of soft image of the country. It is understood that hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe would visit the venue and interact with local people, learning a lot about Brazil and its culture.

According to a report, the footballs that will be used by 32 teams participating in the FIFA world Cup are Made-in-Pakistan, which is indeed an honour for the country but it is also regrettable that Pakistan stands nowhere in the internationally acclaimed event. This is despite the fact that Pakistan has produced world class teams in other sports like hockey and cricket and its squash players brought laurels for the country. This shows that the country has the necessary potential but unfortunately it is not being exploited or tapped. Only recently, the street children of Pakistan earned name for the country by their remarkable performance in Street Children Football World Cup 2014. They were honoured by Bilawal, former President Asif Zardari and the Sindh Government for their enviable play. We hope that steps would be taken on scientific lines to promote football in the country so that it enters into World Cup as well.

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Hillary Clinton’s ‘Hard Choices’ dren had died in Iraq because of lack of medicines during the occupation. And many more were killed in bombings Mohammad Jamil by the forces of Coalition of the Willing, suicide Email: mjamil1938@hotmail.com bombings and civil war.

Even today, the situation in Iraq is dismal. Only N her new book titled ‘Hard two days ago, at least 60 people were Choices’, Hillary Clinton killed after seven car bombs ripped stated: “America decided not to through the Iraqi capital Baghdad. inform Pakistan about the operation The deadliest blast late on Saturday against Osama bin Ladin, because took place in the Bayaa district, there are some elements in ISI, which killed 23 people, many of which could inform Osama about them young people playing billiards. the expected operation”. But it is a Several bombs went off within the wrong perception in American Ad- following hour, mostly targeting ministration about the ISI, which commercial streets in Shia Muslim is one of the best intelligence neighborhood. More than 110 people agencies in the world, and its sac- were wounded. During the last rifices for war against terror are month, more than 900 people were unforgettable. It was the ISI which killed across Iraq. arrested the largest number of terAnyhow, Hillary Clinton has rorists during this war against ter- been prevaricating and changing rorism. In her memoir ‘Hard goalposts. In May 2009, talking to Choices’, which hit the book reporters at the Foreign Press Censtores the other day, former secre- tre and the White House, US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton said tary of State Hillary Clinton was that top US officials, including once candid when she said: “It is fair President Barack Obama and the to say that our policy towards Pakithen Defense Secretary Robert stan over the last 30 years has been Gates, had detailed discussions on incoherent. I don’t know any other the issue. In the same book, she word”. Looking for the meanings in admitted that supporting the war between the lines, it becomes obviin Iraq was her biggest mistake. It ous the US has wronged Pakistan for appears that since she has decided three decades. The secretary reto contest the next presidential called that in the 1980s, the US election, she is trying to capital- partnered with Pakistan to help ize on unpopular war former presi- train the Mujahideen. “Their secudent Bush started. rity service and the military were She wrote: “I thought I had encouraged to go after the Soviets acted in good faith and made the in Afghanistan, and when they best decisions. I got it wrong, plain withdrew in 1989, we said thank and simple when I voted as a U.S. you very much”. She went to say: senator to authorize the war in “While it was fair to apportion reIraq”. But it was a belated sponsibility to Pakistan, but the US acknowledgement of her mistake, also had to share the responsibility as hundreds of thousands of chil- for what happened during and after

News & Views

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the Afghan war”. Earlier she had said that the United States had a share in creating terrorist groups such as the Taliban. That was perhaps the first time that a high-ranking US official admitted about America’s share of responsibility.

In a congressional hearing, she explained how the militancy in Pakistan was linked to the US-backed proxy war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. “Let’s remember here.

The people we are fighting today, we funded them twenty years ago. And we did it because we were locked in a struggle with the Soviet Union,” she said. It is too well known that the US along with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had joined hands in 1980’s to counter the Soviets’ influence in the volatile region at that time. There is no denying that in 1979 after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the CIA and ISI launched the largest covert operation in the history of the CIA. The objective of the US was to harness the Afghan resistance to the Soviets and expand it into a holy war - an Islamic jihad - which would turn Muslim states within the then Soviet Union against the Communist regime and eventually destabilize it.

Over the years, the CIA had funded and recruited almost 100,000 radical mujahedin from around 40 Muslim countries as soldiers for America’s proxy war.

After Soviet withdrawal, America left the region in state of turmoil; civil war in Afghanistan raged on and jihadis tried to export their version of Islamic revolution to other countries. It slapped nuclear-related sanctions on Pakistan In fact, a lot of confusion had been created by the statements from members of the Obama administration, and of course by President

Obama himself giving rise to suspicions. American media especially print media had been carrying reports regarding plans to take control of Pakistan nukes, should the government fail or terrorists take over Islamabad. There was a perception that after having given some equipment for the security of the nukes Americans wanted from Pakistan to disclose its nuclear sites but Pakistani government had been reluctant to show American officials how or where the gear was actually used, because Pakistanis did not want to reveal locations of their weapons, or type of new bomb-grade fuel the country was producing.

Some American experts were of the view that they have less ability to look into the nuclear laboratories where highly enriched uranium is produced. However, Pakistan was suspicious of the goal of the United States under the guise of protecting Pakistani nukes was to gather intelligence about how and where these were located, and, if necessary, disable Pakistan’s arsenal. Analysts were of the view that the US was playing a very dangerous game to destabilize Pakistan, which could set the ball rolling for destabilization of the region. The strategy was dividing the nation, creating doubts about the ability of the armed forces and bringing the ISI into disrepute. But the nation stands united today; both political and military leadership have complete agreement on how to fight terror internally and how to deal with the external threat. Of course, Pakistan’s armed forces have the capacity and capability to meet challenges to its internal and external security.

—The writer is Lahore-based senior journalist.

The tale about iron hand way not very strong and efficient Pakistani state. Due to rising malperformance of Ali Ashraf Khan the the state the system of govEmail:balti1551@gmail.com ernment has become a bone of contention that is only going to weaken the federation HE political and security situ further. There are differences of ation in the country is taking opinion about how to run a state and an unfortunate turn. After the about complaints how the current government had raised multiple state is run by the political and milihopes for improvement of the situ- tary powers. Hence the alternatives ation through peace talks with the offered by the militants – the Islamic Taliban the talks never took place state run by Shariah, seems to many and got stalled in the indecision of a better choice and thus gives milithe government and the ambiguous tant ideas support in the population. attitude of the military. After the end Fighting against this militarily will of the cease fire the Taliban have not help; such a war cannot be won taken up their attacks on government by use of force only, the conflict has and military targets again and – as to be solved politically. We must adthe previous years had already mit our rulers’ failures in forestallshown - it turns out to be impossible ing this eventuality, their misrule, to prevent all such attacks. Some exploitation and making hostage of perpetrators might be caught before the entire political system has crethey can launch their attack, but then ated this chaos in which people have it’s impossible to stop all. lost hope and many Nero-like charThis is a war that has to be acters are playing the fiddle while fought against our own population Rome is burning.

– and against those ‘foreigners’ who Such a war against insurgency were abundant in Pakistan since the cannot be won because nobody can time after USSR forces vacated Af- be vigilant 24/7 and because human ghanistan and these foreigners mind will always find new tricks crossed into our tribal areas as a gift to avoid the security measures inof our great ally the US perhaps stalled. Pakistanis especially are knowingly for an emerging situa- specialists in this; there is no new tion that our rulers are unable to law or regulation or any other measure that they could not subvert – comprehend.

US and Russia are getting be it kunda hooks, smuggling or logged into another cold war sce- else. Why would the Taliban not be nario after failing in Ukraine and able to do the same in the field of Middle East. While for years this outsmarting security checks? The was not a problem and they lived latest Karachi airport attack is an with their families for many years example in case. Security in the now they are called ‘Foreigners’ as passenger part has always been there is a law for naturalization. The strong and that must be one of the war against terror has not only reasons why the attack came from spread terrorism over all of Paki- another, weaker side. And any tarstan it has also weakened the any- get of a terrorist attack has many

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sides and one of them is bound to be weaker. The security forces and specially the Airport Security Force did an amazing job in fighting back and preventing an escalation of the attack, but at what price! And the bad news is whatever new measures are taken such attacks can happen again – of course in a different place and a different strategy. There are millions of possibilities and all the politicians in such a serious emergency would do was to start a blame game to wriggle out of their responsibility as was seen between the Federal and Sindh provincial government.

That means there is no military solution to the problem. But that is what the government and the military have decided again the other day during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on National Security (CCNS) chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif: ‘Crush the militants and terrorism with iron hand’! That sounds good but what does it mean? Can terrorists be weeded out? No, not as long as the root cause for terrorism is not found, properly addressed and finished. Until that for each killed terrorist two new ones will get into line and this is what we had written in these columns when George W. Bush coined this terminology of “Pre-emptive attack” that has created security threat world over and people are victims for no fault of theirs.

That is so when US drones bomb and kill our population and it is exactly the same when the Pakistani army is doing it. The lines between ‘civilians’ and ‘militants’ are blurred as we know all militants are irregular, have no army and live in villages among civilians within

their families. It is impossible not to kill civilians. And killing civilians will damage the fabric of our nation further. Pashtuns will be pitched against other ethnicities, and that will result in more hatred and shahadats.

On the matter of our security concerns we should also not budge an inch as other counties don’t when it is threatening the Sovereignty of State. That is why the ‘iron hand’ decision is not wrong when dialogue fails. But in Pakistan it didn’t fail, it never took place. Why then since 2007 any resolution of the crises hasn’t worked because of lack of sincerity of purpose and our submission to foreign pressure. Pakistan needs to be vigilant in protecting our national interest first and not allow things to go beyond repairable limits otherwise the ongoing story of Iraq may repeat in this region also under the scheme of things not visible to our naked eyes.

Of course security has to be improved where possible in order to prevent as many attacks as possible, but the better way is to resume talking to the factions of the TTP and start operations as a last resort. It is high time to finally learn the lesson of a so-called ‘war against terror’ that has resulted in creating more terror and terrorists and in spreading them out all over the world. It is high time to learn the lesson of our own dealing with the Taliban since 2007 that has also resulted in more terror instead of conflict resolution. There is no alternative to political efforts; this is the message. God bless Pakistan & humanity.

—The writer is Karachi-based senior columnist.

HE seizure of Mosul is a devastating blow, not only to any hopes that the enfeebled Iraqi state could recover its balance, but also to prospects for inclusive and stable governments across the entire region. It represents a triumph for sectarianism, both in the sense that it is a victory for a Sunni extremist movement and in the sense that a narrowly sectarian government in Baghdad prepared the ground for that victory. It may lead to full scale civil war in Iraq, and it will deepen the Sunni-Shia split that is dividing the countries of the Middle East as well as setting them against each other.

The Iraqi government, under the unenlightened rule of Nouri alMaliki, a man as shortsighted as he is narrow minded, has been the author of its own misfortunes. Ever since taking office in 2006, Mr Maliki has failed to be the national leader he should have been and, instead, has devoted himself to propping up his own Shia base, outmanoeuvring or subordinating rivals, and, increasingly, to excluding Sunnis from political power.

After the 2010 election, this tendency intensified and Sunnis, who had gone to the polls in large numbers and elected a substantial contingent of representatives, found that this apparently entitled them to no voice in government. A coalition has yet to emerge after the most recent elections in April, but Sunnis had no reason to believe that the same pattern of exclusion would not continue. They had already seen some senior Sunni politicians pushed out of politics on what are widely believed to be trumped up charges of aiding terrorism. The resulting bitterness and disillusion, particularly in Anwar and Nineveh provinces, led to protests which were either ignored or suppressed. It also opened the doors even wider to Isil, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a movement that has replaced al-Qaida, of which it was originally an offshoot, as the world’s most effective jihadist force. Isil operates without much opposition in a broad swathe of territory in western Iraq and eastern Syria, and took over the towns of Fallujah and Ramadi in January. It has had a great deal of covert influence over Mosul for a long time, asassinating local figures who oppose it and taxing and extorting on a large scale.

The swift collapse of security forces in the city suggests the appearance of government control was largely a sham, probably the result of an informal pact between them and the insurgents to leave one another alone. The transition from covert control to overt control is nevertheless very important, because it represents a huge public challenge to the Baghdad authorities. For a start, Isil has seized large quantities of arms, equipment and fuel, including helicopters, as well as millions of dinars from banks. It is ready for a big fight, but may not get it for a while. Mr Maliki, tactically shrewd but strategically obtuse, is likely to use the crisis to project his claim to be the tough man of the hour and in this way to secure the premiership, which is in his grasp but not yet quite in the bag. Sooner or later, however, the Baghdad government will have to try to take Mosul back by force. Iraq has large armed forces but, like almost every other instrument of state in a corrupt and incompetent administration, they are far less effective than they should be. On top of that, a campaign to retake the north will pit largely Shia soldiers against Sunni fighters and, if air power and artillery are used in civilian areas, will risk further alienating the population. Ultimately, the only way for Baghdad to win is to change the sectarian way Iraq has been governed in recent years. But whether Mr Maliki can be brought to understand that is another matter.

— The Guardian

Perjury is often bold and open. It is truth that is shamefaced — as, indeed, in many cases is no more than decent.

— Lord Darling British judge

Pakistan in quest of political change Voice of the People Dr Mahboob A Khwaja Email:kmaboob@yahoo.com

K

ARACHI is on flame again.

The raging smoke from the Karachi Jinnah International Airport tells a lot about the people, political governance and its future under the constant guns of a renegade group. Within a short span of 48 hrs, there were twice large scales running gun battles at the nation’s most vital and busiest airport. The news media reports 29 deaths in the first encounter and close to 100 or so wounded. The dark clouds of smoke and fires could well be interpreted as if there is no responsible political governance to ensure the safety, security and integrity of the innocent people - the net fatalities of the Taherk-e-Taliban PakistanTTP brutal attack on the biggest civilian airport.

Why this senseless killing spree on the people of Pakistan? Pakistani nation is fast becoming degenerational in a culture of continuing violence, killing of the innocents and lost sense of national security. These were not unexpected and unknown attacks where deaths and destruction are a common place in minds and sensitivities of the masses. The only people who did not care or lacked advanced knowledge of the insane attacks are the politicians and the nation’s security and intelligence apparatus.

Analyzing critically, you may assume varied scenarios for these brutal attacks on human rights and dignity and safety of the masses.

(1) The masses and their security is left open to political conjecture and in-house rivalries between the politicians and the intelligence establishments. (2) The civilian administration responsible for protection of the vital national infrastructures are incapacitated by continuous challenges and the use of limited resources lacking advanced know-how and sophisticated sys-

tematic mechanism to ensure effective security framework. (3) O b sessed indifference and incompetence raging across the local-regional and national security establishments to plan and organize coherent and unified resolve and practices to deal with situations of unusual events and emergencies calling for swift actions. (4) A prevalent culture of corruption and tyranny appears to persist across all the major walks of social, administrative, political and economic life that needs to be changed and remodeled to serve the best interests of the nation.

Against this background, the continuing attacks by the TTP and other splinter groups should not go unchallenged for short-long terms consequences of their triviality and viciousness. But such challenging discourse could only come from people of political vision, leadership and integrity who are not part of the political gangsterism. But for too long, Pakistani politics failed to produce any leaders of moral, spiritual and political force demonstrating intellectual vigor and political prowess. The filthy politics breeds and brings forth thugs, known criminals and most incompetent people proven shameful to the honor of the nation.

Pakistan’s problem rests with power politics. Those who grab the power through intrigues, political conspiracies, military coups, sectarian killings and large social-economic disruptions do not foresee any exit to their hegemonic control.

These are household names of hatred and disgrace to thinking Pakistanis. The Nation that allows criminally indicted and most corrupt people to hold offices of national governance and responsibility cannot be viewed as a nation of moral values and honor. This is how East Pakistan was lost. The political curse and disintegration of the social, moral and intellectual culture goes on for ages without an end in view.

The TTP groups seem to be exploit-

ing these inherent weaknesses across the Pakistani political culture.D i s illusioned and disconnected with its roots, Pakistan continues to move forward - not towards change, normalcy and progress - but towards tragic events fomenting planned deaths of the citizenry, destruction of the social, economic and political infrastructures, incapacitated and broken lifelines and ultimately to become a battle ground for mindless ethnic and regional divides and national collapse.

TTP is one of the factors in these imposed cruelties on the masses. If these trends resulting from the inhuman and barbaric policies and practices of the ruling elite remain in the pipeline, the nation could end-up losing its freedom and integrity. You might wonder, “Is the problem insolvable?” The Taliban appear to be a collection of rogue and lose groupings of many associations and liabilities. Some could well be doing the proxy wars on behalf of the foreign master chipping-in cash dollars and obsolete weapons left-over across the old Afghan graveyards. Mr. Sharif and the Pakistani intelligence networks are not competent enough and have no foresight how to manage the hidden conspiracies of the few against many impinging on the public nerve for a decade.

In situations of emergencies, competent leaders offer hope and build trust of the nation to articulate workable remedies. But Pakistani politicians are used to blame game, often pointing fingers at India and others for their failure. Pakistan is being destabilized and dehumanized by its own wicked so called leaders who lack understanding of the ideology of the Muslim nation.

Pakistan’s future is not linked to Nawaz Sharif or peace talks with the TTP. The Government and the Taliban are buying time and opportunities to readjust to the changing geo-political climate of the region.

America is set to withdraw its NATO led forces in few months. Pakistani

officials and the TTP would hurry to fill-in the gap and to acquire upper hand in future strategic priorities. Pakistan security forces are relentlessly watching which way to turn the table and to counteract the tide of bloody insurgency dipping into the political psyche of Pakistani culture.

How can there be a change in the political cruelty and tyranny of the few into a new value-based political system of institutions, responsible leadership and governance? Was this attack planned by somebody to overshadow the continuing failure and irrational policies and practices of the Sharif regime? Western analysts claim Pakistan to be a ‘failing state’ as it is run by dubious political-military elite. Pakistani leaders exhibit deafening silence to respond to the USEuropean accusations. Often when sadistic politicians cannot solve one set of problems, they could come up with smart but naïve ideas to create more critical problems to distract the masses. What is the solution to the morally and intellectually sickening political culture of Pakistani politics?

In view of the obvious failure of the current regime under Nawaz Sharif, the National Assembly should initiate immediate action to set up a new Government of National Unity replacing Nawaz Sharif with a nonpartisan, intelligent and honest leadership. This appears to be the urgent political shift to restore normalcy and sustainable political governance. If the Assembly fails to act and shows indifference to the national interests, it will reaffirm its irrelevance and incompetence being a stooge of the rulers and unable to provide workable democratic option under the circumstances - when facts of life warrant a change, the responsible institutions must respond to facilitate change to safeguard the national interests, freedom and integrity.

—The writer specialises in global security, peace and conflict resolution and is author of several publications.

Views From Abroad

Will host Brazil win the World Cup? Cesar Chelala

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HEN Diego Maradona was asked in 1998 who would win that year’s soccer World Cup being played in France, he said, “Countries organize the World Cup to win it,” thus suggesting that France would be the winner.

And it was. The same thing could be said for this year’s World Cup in Brazil. For most people, Brazil is favoured to win the competition. History, however, may foreshadow a different outcome.

The year is 1950, when the fourth FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) World Cup was held in Brazil from June 24 to July 16. Before qualifying for the final game Brazil had extraordinary performances: it beat Mexico 4-0, thrashed Sweden 7-1, and defeated Spain 6-1, to become finalist for its group.

Uruguay had a difficult match with Spain, finally ending in a 2-2 draw after lagging 2 to 1. Afterward Uruguay beat Sweden 3-2, the winning goal coming just minutes before the end of the match. The match between a splendidly performing Brazil and an unconvincing Uruguay would decide the world title. The latter, one point behind Brazil, had to win to become world champion, while its rival only needed a draw to claim the title. There was enormous interest in the game despite the consensus from sports journalists and the public that Brazil would be the champion.

After all, the Brazilian team had won its previous games easily while

Uruguay merely reached a draw with Spain and won an agonizing match against Sweden. A comparison of their previous performances left little doubt of the final result. Rio de Janeiro was a beehive on July 16, 1950. An improvised carnival was ready to celebrate Brazil’s triumph over Uruguay. Brazilians filled the newly built Maracanã stadium to capacity. Although the official count was a world-record 173,850, unofficial estimates were close to 210,000.

Only 100 Uruguayans were present at the game.

The daily newspaper O Mundo printed a special edition with a photograph of the Brazil team captioned, “These are the world champions.”

Jules Rimet, former FIFA president and originator of the World Cup, had prepared a speech in Portuguese to congratulate the winners, expected to be the Brazilians. The Brazilian Football Confederation had imprinted 22 gold medals with the names of its players. A song titled “Brasil os vencedores” (“Brazil the Victors”) was composed days before the final game.

Before the game, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Ângelo Mendes de Moraes, addressed the crowd with words intended for the Brazilian players, “You, players, who in less than a few hours will be hailed as champions by millions of compatriots! You have no rivals in the entire hemisphere! You who will overcome any other competitor! You, I already salute as conquerors!”

With the Brazilian teammates and public anticipating victory, Uruguay’s coach Juan Lopez told his players that the best way to play against the powerful Brazilian team

was to play defensively and try not to let them score too many goals.

Outside the locker room, Uruguayan captain Obdulio Varela, nicknamed “El Negro Jefe” (The Black Chief”), told his players, “Juan is a good man, but he is dead wrong,” adding, “Boys, outsiders don’t play.

Let the show begin.” And with these memorable last words the players went into the field.

The first half of the game ended 0-0. Two minutes after the start of the second half Brazil scored the first goal. Brazilians were delirious and the Maracanã stadium shook as people jumped and shouted at the top of their lungs. Brazil was a feast.

After the goal, Varela took the ball and slowly, very slowly, walked toward George Reader, the British referee and, speaking to him in Spanish, questioned the validity of the goal. He spoke at length, forcing the referee to bring out an interpreter. The game was suspended while the talk was taking place. The Brazilian spectators were furious. This was supposed to be a party! Why was this guy talking so long to the referee! One Brazilian player spat on Varela but he remained undaunted.

Afterward Varela would declare that his was a carefully thought-out strategy aimed at cooling down the crowd. Mission accomplished, he addressed his teammates: “Let’s go, boys, now is the time to win.” The Uruguayan players, suddenly energized by Varela’s words, felt they could deal with the Brazilian Goliath.

Twenty-one minutes into the second half Uruguay evened the score.

Speeding on the right, Alcides Ghiggia crossed a low pass for Juan Schiaffino to score. Maracanã, which

until then had been a party became silent, a silence “which terrified our players,” Flavio Costa, the Brazilian coach, declared later.

A draw would have crowned the Brazilians, but there was another surprise in store for them. Ghiggia exchanged passes with Julio Perez, continued running and sent a deadly shot scoring the second goal with only 11 minutes to end the game.

Without any team scoring any more goals the inconceivable had happened. Brazil had lost the game and Uruguay became the world champion. The loss of the World Cup had a devastating effect on Brazilians.

There were dozens of suicides and many nervous breakdowns. Rio de Janeiro, which was all samba before the game, became as silent as an abandoned country church.

Years later Varela would recall, “There was such sadness among the fans that I decided to go and have drinks with them. I thought the Brazilians were going to kill me when they realized who I was. But I figured that if I had to die that evening it would be my fate. Fortunately I couldn’t have been more wrong.

They congratulated me and we had quite a few drinks together.” The following day Varela did not allow any photos of him and refused to join in the celebrations saying, “My heart goes to people who suffer.”

Upon their return, the Uruguayans were met by an ecstatic country.

Everybody was exultant except one person: Obdulio Varela, the man who made the Brazilians sad. The writer, MD and PhD, from Argentina, is a cowinner of the Overseas Press Club of America award.

— Courtesy: The Japan Times

The ship is back..!

I

may be doing a stopover in London soon and I hope the old ship has been put back again: It was ten years or so ago, I called Philip, tears in my eyes. He was an Admiral now, “She’s gone!” I said, “The Cutty Sark’s burning!”

“I know,” he said quietly, “I got the news this morning!”

It was nearly twenty years ago in England I had visited the place where the Cutty Sark had been dry birthed. Philip was a naval officer under training at the Greenwich Naval Academy and I was staying with him to visit London. Very often to go back home we took the

ferry down the Thames and passed the Cutty Sark, standing in regal splendour. The clipper fascinated me.

To me there was no ship like the Cutty Sark, she was the last beautiful remaining product of the golden age of sailing ships when Britain had the world’s greatest navy and had perfected the art of making some of the most elegant cargo ships in history.

I used to stop and breathlessly look at its sides, finely polished so it could clip through the waters and be the first ship to bring tea from China.

The first lot of tea got the best price and the clipper sped through the waves and made the journey in 72 days, not through the Suez, oh no, but all round the tempestuous Cape of Good Hope. I imagined it entering the English harbour all flushed with victory after a good race leaving all

its competitors behind, its crew grinning from the deck as they proudly pulled down the sails from mast standing 152 feet tall!

Ah! The Cutty Sark was my hero.

I believe that once sailing through Java’s Sunda Strait, it lost its rudder but still made it back home with an improvised one, just a little behind schedule. On another occasion her captain, found he had no cargo to take home as steam ships were now using the Suez and merchants preferred these ships, The captain was so distraught he died of grief and a little later the first mate James Wallace who took over as captain threw himself overboard!

But the ship fought back and made a new record carrying wool from Australia to England. I smiled with admiration as I looked at the

spunky ship. I believe there’s two ways to look at the loss of this piece of history, one as Robert Burn’s says in ‘Tam o’ Shanter,’ from which poem the ship got it’s name: “Pleasures are like poppies spread: You seize the flower, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow fall on the river, A moment white - then melts forever, Do I accept the Cutty Sark as gone forever? Or would I like to believe what Eric Kentley, Curator of the Cutty Sark Trust said even as the ship was burning a few days back, “Whatever the cost, and however long it takes, we will put her back together!” Bravo Mr Kentley, I know on my next trip to Greenwich I’ll find her back in her dry dock, telling the world she’s invincible. Some spirits never die..!

—Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com

Child labour in Pakistan SYED SHEHRIYAR God has given human beings the boon of wisdom and discretion to think upon the signs of the universe and to draw conclusions. That is the reason why they disclose the hidden facts of it and its structure and have made remarkable progress in many walks of life. Children are the flowers of heaven. They are the most beautiful and purest creation of God. They are innocent both inwardly and outwardly. No doubt, they are the beauty of this world.

Early in the morning when the children put on different kinds of clothes and go to schools to seek knowledge, we feel a specific kind of joy through their innocence But there are also other children, those who cannot go to schools due to financial problems, they only watch others go to schools and can merely wish to seek knowledge.

It is due to many hardships and difficulties and the desperate conditions that they face in life. Having been forced to kill their aspirations, dreams and other wishes, they are pressed to earn a living for themselves and for their families. It is also a fact that there are many children who play a key role in sustaining the economic life of their families without which, their families would not be able to make ends meet.

These are also part of our society but have forgotten the pleasures of their childhood. When a child in addition to getting education, earns his livelihood, this act of earning a livelihood is called as child Labour. The concept of child Labour got much attention during the 1990s when European countries announced a ban on the goods of the less-developed countries because of child Labour.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) terms it child Labour when a child works during early age, overworks or gives over time to Labour, works due to the psychologically, socially, and materialistic pressure or is ready to work on very low wages.

—Via email

Let polio eradication be top priority M FAZAL ELAHI The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) for Polio, in its latest report, has stated in clear terms that Pakistan has ‘broken a promise made to its children’. It has stated that at present four out of five children suffering from polio are from Pakistan.

Pakistan’s fight against polio is lagging far behind other polio affected countries, the report emphatically states. It has termed the Prime Minister’s Polio Cell a “shadow boxing entity” and recommended establishment of a body to eradicate the crippling disease from the country on the patterns of efforts by the successful countries to cope with a natural disaster.

The IMB that meets twice a year, and consists of nine members who are international experts, reports that the situation in Pakistan, vis-à-vis polio eradication, is really serious. It holds Pakistan responsible for significantly slowing down the global march towards eradicating polio. “Pakistan’s polio virus has spread to Syria, causing a major outbreak amidst the country’s civil war.

Pakistan’s polio virus has also spread to Israel, West Bank and Gaza and Iraq,” the report states, saying “each outbreak overstretched the global programme’s resources and credibility”.

The picture depicted by IMB regarding Pakistan’s polio eradication programme vis-a-vis the spread of the disease to other countries might be exaggerating, but the situation inside is indeed alarming. All efforts made by successive governments and resources, both national and international efforts over decades to eradicate polio in Pakistan seem to have been marginalized due to lack of effective implementation of the polio eradication programme in the country.

Pakistan’s failure to completely eradicate the menacing disease of polio has now acquired global dimensions. Lately, the World Health Organization (WHO) slapped international travel restrictions on Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria over the countries’ failure to control the spread of the deadly polio virus.

According to the World Health Organization’s restrictions, it will be mandatory for all residents and longterm visitors (over 4 weeks) from Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria to receive a dose of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) or Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) between 4 weeks and 12 months prior to international travel. Recommendations for the travel restrictions were put forward by a 21-member International

The heroic ASF sacrifices SYED NAYYARUDDIN AHMAD

A

s reported by media, there was no government representative, present at the Namaz-e-Janaza (offered in Lahore) of Shaheed ASF Inspector, Mr. Muhammad Sarwar. If this news is true, then government must investigate the reasons for this callousness of all the concerned. Government must realise and recognise that such small gestures in our culture and society, are much appreciated by the officers and men of the services, even more than offering of monetary rewards, to the families of the Shaheeds. Now, the entire nation has realised that the monumental supreme sacrifices offered by our 11 ASF men (during the terrorists attack at the Karachi airport) have saved the country from an unimaginable loss of men and material. Moreover, their Martyrdom has also saved Pakistan from a huge loss of image and reputation, as well. As such, these ASF men, deserve to be awarded highest bravery award, to acknowledge their immortal services to the nation. No Pakistani should and must not forget that today we and our children are alive and happy, because of the blood, shed by our Martyrs, for our better tomorrow.

—Lahore

Health Regulations Emergency Committee which was formed on the directive of WHO board members in Geneva. The Government of Pakistan will have to put its efforts together to quickly and effectively address this issue of vital national and international concern.

It needs to be appreciated that the ramifications of any slackness in dealing with this grave issue could be beyond its comprehension. The statement of Pakistan’s Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination that Pakistan highly regards IMB and fully respects the recommendations of its technical advisers could not be more timely and appropriate. Expressing Pakistan Government’s willingness to establish a new body to deal with polio eradication, if asked by IMB, is also very positive and noteworthy. All this may, however, sound very good for self-satisfaction, but the matter we are talking about is very serious and can be effectively addressed only if the Government of Pakistan sincerely realizes the gravity of the situation and takes tangible and immediate measures to resolve it.

—Via email

Rise up to honour JAVAID BASHIR The USA has got what it wanted from Pakistan on its own terms and conditions. Pakistan has become subservient after 9/11 and watches American interests in the region The NATO supply has been restored and reluctant apology of American administration that was the only hitch and bone of contention in the restoration of the supply.

After the unprovoked attack on the Silala Post, the NATO containers’ movement remained suspended for months. It was for the first time that Pakistan took a strong stand on this important national issue, we did not kneel down under tremendous pressure and the carrot and stick policy of the Americans. Our opposition and resistance paid off; we must rise to honour for our national cause, interest, integrity and sovereignty.

—Via email

Social problems of Pakistan AYAZ ASLAM Social problems are societal induced conditions that harm any segment of the population. Social problems are also related to acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society. Some problems are of serious magnitude and result in disintegration. Some problems are not very serious, but if ignored can result in further seriousness. According to an analysis conducted by the government of Pakistan shows that the poverty has increased roughly from 30% to 40% during the past decade. Pakistan remains a feudal society where 90% of its wealth is owned by 10% of people. Industrialization has suffered because of the unpredictable economy and politics.

Mismanagement in educational discipline and planning, corruption engulfing all walks of life, political instability as well as terrorism are giving way to multifaceted social problems in Pakistan. Terrorism in Pakistan has become a major and highly destructive phenomenon in recent years.

The whole world looks at Pakistan, as a land of terrorists. Misinterpretation of religion, exploitation of the poor, injustice, unemployment, lack of education, corrupt and incapable ruling elite, vested interests politicaaalll culture, nepotism, irresponsible media, unethical content on TV screens, onslaught of foreign culture through media outlets and dearth of moral and social training and education are the main reasons of our problems in Pakistan. We will have to address all these factors through the promotion of social justice and quality education to resolve these problems, otherwise we would stand

nowhere in our own affairs as well as for the world around.

—Via email

Brainless media persons HIRA BASHIR The unwise and unethical behaviour of media reporters during the live coverage of Karachi airport attack was not only helping the terrorists but also diverting the attention of security personnel while retaliating to enemy’s fire. When the security personnel were taking their positions, the TV reporters were trying to engage them in pointless and silly questions and thus interfering in the smooth operation by the security people. It is nothing but a careless and unethical behaviour of journalists and the reason behind this irresponsible behaviour is just ‘rating’. And this live coverage provides ample opportunity to the perpetrators to flee away without any resistance.

Another irresponsibility of media is claiming for being the first to break the news. Media reporters should understand their responsibility and should understand that instead of claiming to be the first to report they should collect the correct and verified information before showing the news on TV. Showing unnecessary and incorrect information in haphazard way just creates panic among people. It is better to inform late with correct information.

—Karachi

Pre-emptive measures required ARSHAD ALI The coward attack carried out by TTP on Karachi Airport on Sunday has badly failed to cast any negative impact on the morale of the nation; rather it has proved the professionalism of our Armed forces and srcurity agencies in handling terroristic crisis situations. In their open war against the state of Pakistan, the terrorists, who ignorantly claim for working for the imposition of Shariah, can never succeeded. There is an obvious reason of this. In the efforts for changing the system, you need the support of local people. But in the situation like this where TTP, by misinterpreting the religion are indulging in killing the Muslims, is bent upon defaming Pakistan, hence no Muslim or a patriotic Pakistani can be sympathic to them.

It is said that TTP’s activities are the reaction of drone strikes. But now the drones have stopped targeting them. What plea do they have now for their terrorist activities? I request the government not to beg anymore for peace. The nation can understand that the government wanted to minimize the collateral damage that was why it always talked of resolving the issue in the peaceful manner. But it seems as if the TTP perceives that the government has succumbed to them.

We need to act like the US and the Israeli do, at least on domestic level. Let’s not wait for their attack, rather let’s attack them and crush their power. They will always be the potential threat for the country if issues are settled in a peaceful way.

We should not leave any future doubts for ourselves. We will have to be pre-emptive as this defensive or reactive attitude has not worked, rather this leniency and peace initiative of the government has further aggravated the situation.

—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

Interim Thai govt by August: Gen Prayuth BANGKOK—The head of the junta that seized power in Thailand last month said on Friday that an interim government would be set up by August, the first time he has given a clear date on delegating any sort of power in the country.

General Prayuth Chan-ocha, in an address to senior military officials, announced the date as part of a three-phase plan of reconciliation, formation of a government and elections to be rolled out by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order.

“A government will be set up by August, or at the very latest September,” Prayuth told a meeting devoted to the 2015 national budget.

He did not say whether the government would

be comprised of civilian or military types.

The army took power on May 22 in a bloodless coup after six months of sometimes violent street protests pitting mainly rural supporters of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against her Bangkok-based, royalist opponents.

Prayuth repeated in his address that a temporary constitution would be drafted within three months. It would take at least a year until a new general election could take place.

“In the next three months we must do everything properly, whether it is the constitution or other matters. Everything for the first phase should be complete by August,” Prayuth said.

Most Bangkok residents have taken the

coup in stride. Business has gone on more or less as usual in the capital’s offices and restaurants and public transport remain packed, though a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew is still in place.

The military has lifted the curfew in 30 provinces, including resort destinations, to entice back tourists - a mainstay accounting for 10 percent of economic activity.

A general said military leaders could well ease the curfew further to enable soccer fans to watch the World Cup in bars. The junta this week ordered broadcasting authorities to ensure all World Cup games were broadcast on free-to-air channels. “We may lift the

curfew in more provinces ... We understand the wishes of Thai people during the World Cup competition,” Lt. General Teerachai Nakvanich, Commander of the First Army Region, told reporters. But the junta has acted firmly to curb dissent. Soldiers, barely visible in most districts, have been quickly mobilized to snuff out any bid to stage protests.

The military has rounded up at least 300 politicians, activists and journalists. Many are linked to exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, alleged by opponents to have directed from abroad the government led by his sister Yingluck.— Reuters.

Fear, sectarianism behind Iraq army collapse

US condemns Sudan over Christian woman’s death penalty W ASHINGTON —US Secre-

C AIRO —The video, set to sweetly lilting religious hymns, is chilling. Islamic militants are shown knocking on the door of a Sunni police major in the dead of night in an Iraqi city.

When he answers, they blindfold and cuff him. Then they carve off his head with a knife in his own bedroom.

The 61-minute video was recently posted online by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an al-Qaida splinter group of Sunni extremists. The intent was to terrorize Sunnis in Iraq’s army and police forces and deepen their already low morale.

That fear is one factor behind the stunning collapse of Iraqi security forces when fighters led by the Islamic State overran the cities of Mosul and Tikrit this week, sweeping over a swath of Sunni-majority territory. In most cases, police and soldiers simply ran, sometimes shedding their uniforms, and abandoned arsenals of heavy weapons. Even after the United States spent billions of dollars training the armed forces during its 2003-2011 military presence in Iraq, the 1 millionmember army and police remain riven by sectarian discontents, corruption and a lack of professionalism.

Many Sunnis in the armed forces are unprepared to die fighting on behalf of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiite-led government, which many in their minority community accuse of sharp bias against them. The Islamic State has exploited this by touting itself as the Sunnis’ champion against Shiites.

Shiites in the armed forces, in turn, feel isolated and deeply vulnerable trying to hold on to Sunni-majority areas.

Desertion has been heavy the past six months among forces in the western province of Anbar, Iraq’s Sunni heartland, where troops have been fighting in vain to uproot Islamic State fighters who took over the city of Fallujah, said two high officials — one in the government and the other in the intelligence services.

The militants who early this week swept into the northern city of Mosul included former Sunni army officers who had deserted out of frustration with al-Maliki’s government, the two officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence reports. As the militants approached, the two officials said, many of the top army commanders in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, fled to the autonomous Kurdish region. With their generals gone, the ranks saw no reason to stay.

“We were fighting, but our leaders betrayed us,” one soldier who escaped from Mosul told the AP in Irbil, capital of the Kurdish region. “When we woke up, all the leaders had left.—AP.

A Ukrainian soldier aims his rifle at an army checkpoint in the southeastern port city of Mariupol: Reuters/ Marko

Ukrainian forces surround rebel-held port city

tary of State John Kerry criticized Sudan for sentencing a Christian woman to hang for apostasy, urging Khartoum to repeal its laws banning Muslims from converting.

Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, who was born to a Muslim father, was sentenced to death on May 15 under Islamic sharia law that has been in place since 1983 and outlaws conversions under pain of death. “The United States remains deeply concerned about the conviction and continued imprisonment of Ms Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag,” Kerry said in a statement. The top US diplomat said he was “deeply committed” to a better future for Sudan and its people. “That is one of the reasons we are all so concerned about the travails of Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag,” he added—AFP.

Banker becomes Islamic monarch in Nigeria

AGOS , (Nigeria)—An out- the only solution is to follow KIEV—Ukrainian forces surrounded the stra- trol,” Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on L spoken former central bank its strict form of Islamic law.

Facebook.

tegic rebel-held port city of Mariupol on Friday in a dawn attack launched as part of a broader military operation to reclaim control of eastern Ukraine.

The rebel forces, who oppose the pro-European leadership in the capital Kiev and want to be part of Russia, said five of their fighters had been killed in the battle for Mariupol, Ukraine’s largest Azov Sea port.

Mariupol, which has changed hands several times in weeks of conflict, is strategically important because steel is exported through the port and the city lies on major roads from the southeastern border with Russia into the rest of Ukraine.

“The operation began at 4.50 a.m. (0150 GMT). It’s proceeding according to plan and has been successful. All key strongholds held by the terrorists are being brought under con-

governor who advocates education and economic opportunities for Nigeria’s majority poor has become a key religious and traditional leader of the country’s Muslims, a counterpoint to Islamic extremists who aim to destroy the Western system of education and who have slaughtered and kidnapped students.

Lamido Sanusi was appointed on Sunday as the new emir of Kano, replacing Emir Ado Bayero who died at age 83 and who had survived an assassination attempt by the Islamic militants in January 2013. On Tuesday, the white-robed Sanusi received royal swords and traditional insignia in a palace to mark his ascendancy, according to a local media report.

Boko Haram, the Islamic insurgent group, sees northern traditional religious leaders as false Muslims who don’t fully ernment talks, in China, a big step towards ex- implement Islamic law. For panding cross-strait dialogue beyond trade. their part, the traditional monYet booming trade has not brought progress archs have declared Boko on political reconciliation or reduced military Haram’s violent activities as readiness on either side. Many in Taiwan fear being non-Islamic. autocratic China’s designs for their free-wheelAs a central bank governor, ing island.

Sanusi spoke out against corProtesters occupied Taiwan’s parliament ruption and for gender equaland mounted mass protests over a three-week ity, girls’ education and period starting in March in anger at a trade pact women’s access to finance. He between China and Taiwan, which they fear will criticized Nigeria’s high illitbenefit wealthy companies with Chinese links eracy rate and lack of opportuand undermine Taiwan’s cherished democratic nity, particularly in the Muslim institutions. It was the largest anti-Beijing pro- north which is much less detest in years on the island, where Nationalist veloped than the south, where forces fled in 1949 after losing to the Commu- the commercial center of Lagos nists in a civil war. lays. But Boko Haram, which The trade pact remains stalled in Taiwan’s gained worldwide notoriety parliament and legislators are set to discuss it when it kidnapped hundreds of during a session which overlaps with Zhang’s school girls on April 15, says visit, Taiwanese local media reported.

Western influences and educaZhang will meet his Taiwan counterpart tion have created corruption Wang Yu-chi, head of Taiwan’s Mainland Af- that enriches a few while most fairs Council, and “exchange views about cross- people in this oil-rich nation Strait relations”, Xinhua said.—Reuters. remain impoverished, and says

“The area where the operation is being carried out in the center of Mariupol has been cordoned off.” He said National Guard and Interior Ministry units were involved, as well as special armed forces.

One National Guard field commander said the rebels had destroyed an armored personnel carrier during the fighting. Another said four members of the National Guard had been wounded in the fighting but none had been killed.

President Petro Poroshenko intensified the military operation against the separatists after he was elected on May 25. The rebels took several cities and towns in east and southeast Ukraine after Russia annexed Crimea in March following the overthrow of Poroshenko’s Moscowleaning predecessor.—Reuters.

Top China official to make first visit to Taiwan soon BEIJING—China’s top official in charge of relations with Taiwan will make his first visit to the island later this month, state media said, following large-scale protests there against a controversial trade pact.

Zhang Zhijun, director of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, will become the first head of the body ever to visit the self-ruled island, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Thursday.

He will spend four days in Taiwan, Xinhua said, and apart from visiting capital Taipei will also go to three other places, including Kaohsiung in the heavily pro-independence south of the island. China says it will not countenance an independent Taiwan.

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since Nationalist forces, defeated by the Communists, fled to the island at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has never ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.

But in recent years the two sides have built up extensive economic ties, and in February they held their first direct government-to-gov-

Few pupils and teachers are willing to attend school amid attacks by Boko Haram on schools in its home turf in Nigeria’s northeast, said Obong Obong, the secretary general of the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

While the 52-year-old Sanusi won’t be able to make government policy, as the second-most influential traditional and Islamic monarch in northern Nigeria he will influence Muslims, who comprise roughly half of Nigeria’s population of more than 170 million and who mostly live in the north. The Sultan of Sokoto is seen as the top spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims. Christians largely populate the southern, and more prosperous, half of Africa’s most populous country.

Sanusi “is very interested in girls’ education and I’m sure he’s going to try to bring his influence to promote girl child education and equality of women in general,” said Jibrin Ibrahim, a fellow at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

It will be a difficult task.

Even before Boko Haram started its attacks five years ago, education levels were already low in the north, with 60 percent of northern women being illiterate compared with 29 percent in the south, according to the national statistics bureau.

In a July 2012 speech as central bank governor, Sanusi lamented traditions that stand in the way of women’s equality. “Women face peculiar exclusion as a result of cultural, religious and social biases that hinder their access to financial services,” Sanusi said in the speech, according to the central bank’s website—AP.

Vietnam’s claims go against historical facts GONG YINGCHUN

C

ONTINUOUS actions taken by Viet nam since early May which disturbed the normal drilling of a Chinese oil rig in the waters off Zhongjian Island, one of China’s Xisha Islands, have compromised China’s sovereign rights, right of jurisdiction and the safety of the operating platform.

Given that its adventures have received support from the US, Japan and the Philippines, and also drew the attention of other countries, Hanoi has thus tried to play up the so-called Xisha Islands dispute by holding press conferences and listing specious historical and legal assertions to boost its groundless claims.

How wildly big an appetite does Vietnam have for the islands, reefs and natural resources in the South China Sea? How self-contradictory are the details of Vietnam’s fabricated pieces of “evidence?” Vietnam has presented to international society an image of being weak while its vessels intentionally crashed into China’s vessels near the site of the Chinese oil rig. But those Hanoi sympathizers may have

been blinded to the fact that Vietnam has claimed sovereignty over almost all the islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The 215 oil and gas blocks claimed by the Vietnamese government in the South China Sea are sufficient to expose Hanoi’s ambitions for exclusive occupation of South China Sea resources and its impulse to turn the waters into the “sea of Vietnam.”

The Xisha Islands were already included into the scope of China’s sovereign jurisdiction back in the 10th century. Even during the 1930s, a time of China’s national strength falling into an unprecedented weak position and during which China suffered from Japan’s large-scale invasions, the Chinese government still filed protests against the illegal occupation of some of its South China Sea islands by the French colonial authorities.

From 1934 to 1935, a committee was coestablished by the then ministries of foreign affairs and internal affairs and the naval headquarters. The committee made a special examination of various islands in the South China Sea, renamed the islands and reefs, and published an official map on which the Dongsha,

Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha islands were explicitly marked as China’s territory.

Japan usurped from China the Xisha Islands in 1939, but after Tokyo’s surrender in 1945, in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and other binding international documents, the Chinese government had recovered its sovereignty over a series of China’s territories including the Xisha and Nansha islands “stolen” by Japan.

The Chinese government sent a flotilla of warships to the Xisha and Nansha islands respectively in November and December 1946 to assert the sovereignty over the Xisha and Nansha islands and erected some monuments on them. Some Chinese soldiers were also left on these islands for defense.

The so-called dispute over Xisha Islands is completely concocted by Vietnam in the otherwise peaceful South China Sea. In recent years, the Vietnamese government has repeatedly claimed that “China occupied the Xisha Islands by force in 1974, which was an act of aggression and a violation of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international law.”

But in fact, people deserve to know the

truth about China’s self-defense against South Vietnam over the Xisha Islands in 1974. Modern international law prohibits the unlawful use of force in resolving international disputes, but according to Article 51 of the UN Charter, a sovereign state has the right to self-defense to maintain its territorial integrity. China’s selfdefense against South Vietnam in 1974 came after its illegal occupation of China’s Xisha Islands. The truth of this fact allows no distortion.

The Vietnamese government should not go back on its commitments on such big issues as territorial sovereignty. Otherwise, how can it build its national reputation on international society? It is now also time for Vietnam to explain to China and international society its armed occupation of 29 islands and reefs affiliated to China’s Nansha Islands successively since the 1970s, and how it has clearly reneged on its own recognition of Nansha Islands as a part of China’s territory.Courtesy: Global Times.

[The author is an associate professor of international law at China Foreign Affairs University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn]

Liberal democracy is the way for Muslim majority ENDY BAYUNI

I

NDONESIA and Pakistan, the two largest Muslim-majority countries in the world, have been struggling to define the role of religion, or more specifically Islam, since they became independent states in the late 1940s.

The battle is in determining the extent to which the government has the power to interfere in matters of the faith of its citizens, or more specifically, the extent to which religion is considered a public as against a private matter.

This is a challenge not exclusive to Muslim-majority nations.

But in much of the Western world, the issue has practically been resolved. Secularism prevails with the separation between state and church almost complete.

Secularism, as the term is widely understood, is not necessarily the right answer for Indonesia, Pakistan or other Muslimmajority nations. In societies where the majority of the people build their lives around their religion, trying to live up to the values and principles of their faith through the observance of religious rituals, secularism has become something of an anathema, a dirty word.

Advocating secularism in the Muslim world would only invite an unwarranted backlash and extensive debates without leading to any solution.

While secularism is not the way forward, these nations still need to define the precise relationship between religion and the state. The way Pakistan and Indonesia have been struggling to answer this perennial question provides an interesting study of contrasts.

In Pakistan, the state plays a much stronger role in managing religion than in Indonesia, and this has been true under democratically elected governments and military dictatorships. Pakistan is an Islamic state by definition and by the history of its inception, but unlike in the Islamic Republic of Iran, it is not a country governed by the mullahs.

The debate has been on how much authority the government has in matters of faith. One Pakistan commentator, obviously not happy with the present trajectory of a greater government role in religion, asks: “How much more Muslim can Pakistanis get?”

Indonesia has never been an Islamic state. This was the national consensus reached by its founding fathers at the start of independence, in spite of strong demands from Muslim quarters to proclaim the new independent state an Islamic republic. The compromise was necessary as the only way to convince predominantly Hindu Bali and other territories in the eastern part of the former Dutch East Indies colony, where Muslims are not the majority, to join the republic.

An Islamic republic of Indonesia would have been considerably smaller than the present-day Indonesia.

Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, and no one religion, not even Islam as the dominant faith, gets special treatment. That’s the national consensus.

As another compromise, the Religious Affairs Ministry was created with the chief task of administering public services for the different major religious communities on issues such as marriage and inheritance. It is also tasked with ensuring peaceful coexistence between people of different faiths.

[The writer is senior editor of The Jakarta Post. He took part in the recent series of lectures, co-organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad and the Heinrich Boll Foundation Pakistan, entitled “Governance, Community and Religion” at universities in Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi].

Iraq, the Taliban 5 and Hillary Clinton TAMMY BRUCE

H

ILLARY Clinton’s book tour, which launched this week, has provided journalists, pundits and commentators with plenty to talk about, yet it is her comments about Benghazi and foreign policy that deserve the attention. Most alarming is her statement to “Today” show correspondent Cynthia McFadden that the five Taliban released in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl are “not a threat to the United States.”

On its face, that declaration is ridiculous, and is contradicted by many, including President Obama himself. But she went further, stating: “These five guys are not a threat to the United States.

They are a threat to the safety and security of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is up to those two countries to make the decision once and for all that these are threats to them .”

What makes her attitude so dangerous is it reflects the preSept. 11, 2001, world of American political leadership, under the Clintons, which simply did not see (or refused to acknowledge) the mortal threat to the United States posed by Islamist beasts organizing overseas.

If there was anyone who should have learned that you take seriously the impact terrorists can have on this nation, no matter their location, it should be the Clintons. Instead, she insists the Taliban leadership we released are only a local threat to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As if that weren’t enough. Any serious person would grasp at the very least the horrific worldwide consequences of al Qaeda and its supporters capturing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. As Mrs. Clinton is alighting around the United States imparting her banal and patronizing platitudes about “leadership” to reporters and other liberals, the world she had been in charge of for four years is unraveling and on fire.

In the past few days, ISIS, a group of psychopathic Islamists aligned with al Qaeda (like her harmless Taliban 5) have swept through Iraq, gaining large swaths of the country. They captured Fallujah in January, and then this last week were suddenly confident enough to take Mosul and then Tikrit.

Their goal? The creation of a new country, an Islamic emirate spanning both sides of the Iraq-Syria border. Observers could hazard an assessment that the action of ISIS, with its sudden zeal, is a reflection of how Islamists everywhere have been inspired and motivated by the capitulation of Mr. Obama to the Taliban and his effective neutering of the United States.

How bad is the current situation? A headline from this newspaper reads, “Gains by al Qaeda group in Iraq spark fears of a decade’s progress lost; Obama admits situation is ‘grave.’” A CNN headline warns us: “How ISIS and Iraq upheaval threatens the wider world.”

That story must have hit at a moment when Mrs. Clinton was distracted with a book-signing.

Blogsofwar.com has issued a primer on ISIS and delivers startling news that ISIS has “seized an untold, but undoubtedly significant, amount of operations-fueling cash from Iraqi banks. [They have] captured vast amounts of military hardware and weapons from Iraqi forces — much of it supplied by the United States. [And] controls a significant portion of Iraq’s oil-production facilities and will likely control more soon .”

Already, the Islamists have taken hundreds of hostages.

The Times of Israel reports the capture of the Turkish Consulate in Mosul and the taking of 24 Turkish diplomats hostage. The New York Times is reporting that the Iraqi government has asked the United States to strike the terrorists’ positions, but Mr. Obama has refused. With nothing standing in its way, Baghdad is ISIS‘ likely next target.

[Tammy Bruce, an Independent Conservative, is a radio talk-show host, New York Times bestselling author, blogger, Fox News political contributor and a columnist at The Washington Times].

Rs1044.9b Punjab budget

Tribunal

From Page 1

that the polls had been rigged.

He had pleaded to the tribunal to void the results and conduct re-polling at all stations.

The tribunal had ordered Nadra to verify the votes on the complainants request.

After Nadra confirmed on Friday that rigging took place at 22 women’s polling stations in the constituency, the tribunal disqualified JUI-F’s Zareen Gul Khan and ordered re-polling.

Multan. Besides, enhanced allocation of Rs.35.5 billion for Irrigation Sector as compared to Rs.22 billion during 2013-14, allocation of Rs.31 billion for investment in the energy sector to overcome power shortages in the province, allocation of Rs.30 billion for women empowerment initiatives over and above the combined expenditure as both male & females are also part of the objectives.

Resources allocated for ADP are divided among different sectors on the basis of their importance in the light of policies of the government. In this way, ADP is an important instrument to expand provision of service delivery and to accelerate economic growth in the province.

Rs 13,160 million collectively allocated for the agriculture and livestock and dairy development sectors for the year 2014-15 against the allocation of Rs 7,974 million in 2013-14.

The allocation for agriculture is Rs 7,960 million while for the Livestock and Dairy Development it has been proposed to allocate a sum of Rs. 5, 200 million for the year 2014-15. An

amount of Rs 53,745.852 million has been set aside for health sector representing an increase of 20.43-percent over the budget estimates of Rs 44,629.627 million in FY 2013-14. The government has also taken initiative to establish state-of-the-art hospitals like Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Cancer Hospital at Lahore during 2014-15. Moreover, purchase of Mobile Health Units has also been proposed in 2014-15 to provide health care facilities in far flung areas of Punjab. In order to ensure quality of health care delivery in public and private sector, Punjab Health Care Commission has been established. Detailed technical spadework has been completed with technical assistance from DFID. Minimum service delivery standards for Tertiary Care Hospitals, licensing protocols and governance mechanism have been developed.

Health Care Commission has hired its management team for starting the actual work of licensing and regulating public and private health facilities in the province.

Obama rules out sending US troops

From Page 1

Afghans prepare From Page 1

unfinished war and an economy in the doldrums.

The Taliban are still strong and Afghanistan’s foreigntrained army has never put to rest questions about its effectiveness, especially in the absence of foreign troops, the bulk of whom will leave by the end of the year.

Afghanistan’s economy is slowing rapidly and faces the prospect of an international blacklist later this month because of a failure to stem money military. Government represen- laundering and terror financtatives also began holding talks ing.—Reuters two weeks ago with a grand Jira, or council of elders, warning them to hand over foreigners in the area or face severe From Page 1 consequences.

“Tribesmen are against including a woman and a child, war, they want to solve this were injured in Lyari Town’s conflict with talks and accord- Chakiwara area.

The casualties occurred ing to tribal traditions and that’s why we have formed a peace when unknown gunmen opened Jirga,” Jirga chief Sher indiscriminate firing in the area, Mohammed said. Residents said with the four injured receiving some Jirga members last week multiple bullet wounds.

Subsequently, Rangers and made announcements from mosque loudspeakers in several police personnel rushed to the villages asking foreign fighters scene and shifted the injured to a hospital for treatment. to leave the area.

They also made those under their command hoist Pakistani flags to demonstrate their loyalty and ward off aerial attacks. Most areas along the border are not well demarcated, which allows militants to escape into Afghanistan. “They have OBSERVER REPORT moved towards Shawal and Birmal,” an intelligence official QUETTA —Haji Muhammad said, referring to remote villages Alam Jattak, president of the on the Afghan border.

Khuzdar city chapter of PakiA second security official stan Muslim Leagu-N, was said: “It is good that they [fight- shot dead in the early hours of ers] are leaving. We hope that Friday when unidentified guntribesmen will not allow them men riding a motorbike opened to come and settle here again. fire at him in Khuzdar district.

“In case of any military operaA police official in tion, we will face less resis- Khuzdar told media that two tance,” he added. motorcycle-riding assailants Residents said they have attacked Jattak near Civil Hosseen less activity of the feared pital, Khuzdar. “Jattak died on Haqqani fighters in recent the spot,” the official said, weeks. “They are also disap- adding that the attackers manpearing, probably they have aged to escape. Police persongone to Khost, Paktia or nel and rescue teams immediPaktika,” one resident in ately reached the location and Miramshah said, naming Af- shifted Jattak’s body to Civil ghan border provinces.—AFP Hospital, Khuzdar.

Foreign fighters fleeing From Page 1 But authorities have held back from a final push — possibly fearing the blow-back in Pakistan’s major cities such as Karachi, where 38 people including 10 militants were killed at the airport.

However, the sheer numbers of people leaving — some 60,000, according to official estimates, since late May — suggest that this time might be different. Residents saw foreign militants leaving the Machis Camp and Dattakhel village near Miramshah, as well as the villages of Musaki, Hurmaz, Hessokhel and Api. The fighters included Chechens, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Tajiks and Uighurs, residents and officials said.

They arrived during the early 2000s, lured by the fiery rhetoric of Osama bin Laden and the chance to fight “infidel” forces in Afghanistan.

Married into the local population, some have erected mud houses in small villages among the area’s rugged mountains.

Others “have rented houses and rooms here but they have now left towards the Afghan border”, a grocery shop owner in Miramshah bazaar said. Another resident in Miramshah estimated that more than 80 per cent of local and foreign fighters have left North Waziristan.

The migrations began on May 22 when Pakistani F-16s pounded suspected targets, killing at least 75 according to the

UN vehicle

PML-N Khuzdar city President gunned down

From Page 1 Meanwhile, Iraq’s most senior Shi’ite cleric urged his followers to take up arms to defend themselves against a relentless advance by Sunni militants, in a sharp escalation of a conflict which is threatening civil war and the potential break-up of the country.

In a rare intervention at Friday prayers in the holy city of Kerbala, a message from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is the highest religious authority for the Shi’ites in Iraq, said people should unite to fight back against advancing militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Fighters under the black flag of ISIL captured two more Iraqi towns overnight in a lightning sweep south towards the capital Baghdad in a campaign to recreate a mediaeval caliphate carved out of fragmenting Iraq and Syria.

“People who are capable of carrying arms and fighting the terrorists in defense of their country ... should volunteer to join the security forces to achieve this sacred goal,” said Sheikh Abdulmehdi alKarbalai, delivering Sistani’s message to the faithful.

Those killed fighting ISIL militants would be martyrs, he said as worshippers chanted in acknowledgement.

Thrusting further to the southeast after their seizure of the major Iraqi city of Mosul in the far north and the late dictator Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, ISIL entered two towns in Diyala province bordering Iran.

Saadiyah and Jalawla had fallen to the Sunnis after government troops fled their positions, along with several villages around the Himreen mountains that have long been a hideout for militants, security sources said.

The Iraqi army fired artillery shells at Saadiyah and Jalawla from the nearby town of Muqdadiya, sending dozens of families fleeing towards Khaniqin near the Iranian border.

Fears of jihadist violence spreading may increase pressure for robust international action. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius saiAFPd international powers “must deal with the situation”.

ISIL militants were reported to have executed soldiers and policemen after their seizure of some towns.

On Friday, ISIL said it was giving soldiers and policemen a “chance to repent ... For those asking who we are, we are the soldiers of Islam and have shouldered the responsibility to restore the glory of the Islamic Caliphate”.

Meanwile, the UN Security Council on Thursday demanded urgent inclusive dialogue in Iraq and condemned “terrorist” activities, but stopped short of mulling action against militants advancing on Baghdad.

The Council met for two hours behind closed doors as Kurds captured the contested oil city of Kirkuk and the United States contemplated air strikes to bolster Iraq’s collapsing army.

The 15 members expressed unanimous support for the government and people of Iraq in their fight against terrorism and called for broad-based dialogue, said rotating president Russia.

“This is a great opportunity for a fresh start in having an all-inclusive political dialogue and also in resolving the multitude of issues,” Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin said.

“There must be a strong and intensified effort to start this dialogue,” he added, after Iraqi MPs failed to show up to authorize the prime minister’s request for a state of emergency.

Security Council members urged the Iraqi government and the international community to support the UN mission on the ground, especially in response to the humanitarian crisis, Churkin said.

At least three battalions of the Quds Forces, the elite overseas branch of the Guards, were deployed to support the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and alSham, an offshoot of al Qaeda that is swiftly conquering territory across Iraq, they said.

One Guards unit that was already in Iraq fought alongside the Iraqi army, offering guerrilla warfare advice and tactics that helped reclaim most of the city of Tikrit on Thursday. Two Guards’ units, deployed from Iran’s western border prov-

From Page 1

Qaim announces

government. Your presence and that of other leaders from our region not only added a special sheen to the event, but also a celebration of the strength of democracy in our region and a reflection of our collective hopes and shared destinies,” Modi said.

“I look forward to working closely with you and your government in an atmosphere free from confrontation and violence in order to chart a new course in our bilateral relations,” the Indian PM said.

“I thank you once again for the sari that you sent for my mother, a gesture that she has deeply appreciated,” the Indian PM said.

From Page 1 cadet colleges will be established at Benazirabad and Garhi Khuda Bux. Through a special programme, 65,000 youth of Sindh will be taught different skills to improve their chances of employment, he said.

Among other heads, the chief minister announced an allocation of Rs20bn for energy, excluding Rs13.5bn set aside for the Tharcoal power project.

As the chief minister was in the process of presenting the budget proposals, the Sindh Assembly faced a power outage, leaving lawmakers confused. Power was soon restored through a backup generator.

Modi condemns

PM’s discretionary fund under PWP-II abolished Taking part in the discussion, Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar said that the current government of PML-N has taken the economy of the country out of crisis within one year and presented the best ever Budget.

He said that China has promised to invest over $32 billion in Pakistan which is a proof of Chinese trust on the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said that the Prime Minster immediately after taking over the charge, started several power projects of over 20,000 MW in a bid to overcome power shortage.

Sardar Mansab was of the view that the government was focussing on textile sector and extra gas and electricity was being provided to this sector so that exports of textile could be increased.

Sahibzada Yaqoob said that interestbased system in the country should be rooted out from economic system because it is totally against the teaching of Islam.

He said instead of depending upon IMF, we should try to depend upon our domestic resources and utilize the domestic resources.

He said all provinces should be dealt equally and KPK and FATA should also

From Page 1 be given development projects by announcing special packages.

Mir Munawar Ali Talpur rejected the government’s claim that the GDP growth has reached to 4.1 but instead he said that it was in fact 3.5 percent which was still the same as was before 6 years.

He said the prime minister promised to give an amount of Rs one billion for the people of Tharparkar which is yet to be received.

He said that agriculture was the country’s back bone and if special focus on agriculture sector is given then the country could get out of economic crisis.

Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, congratulating Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for presenting a balanced budget,said that international institutions are accepting the fact that Pakistan was progressing in real term, therefore they are now funding for mega projects in the country like Dasu and other projects.

He was of the view that PML-N will also win the next general elections due to

its policies and steps.

Rana Ishaq said that the government has introduced a number of relieves for agriculturists including crop insurance scheme, Livestock insurance scheme and subsidy on tractors.

He was of the view that Kala Bagh Dam should be re-considered with a new name Pakistan Dam and for this the government should constitute a committee comprising of members from all provinces of the country.

Qari Muhammad Yousuf also took part in the discussion and suggested that instead of discussing on budget after its presentation, the discussion should be held before presenting the budget and then in view of all those suggestions the budget should be prepared.

Dr. Nighat Shakeel said that in Karachi no major development projects have been announced by the government, adding that in Karachi a reasonable allocation should be made for the construction of new hospitals as the already hospitals are over burdened, therefore it is suggested that at least 8 to 10 hospitals should be established in all bi cities for the relief of the people.—APP

Launch of Eurobond, Sukuk, UBL privatization to boost foreign reserves AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—Yet another launch of Euro Bond &, SUKUK worth $500 million each and sale proceeds of government stakes in UBL are bound to boost foreign exchange reserves which are currently around $13.5 billion.

These developments on the financial front positively substantiate the stance of the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who recently commented that foreign exchange reserves are likely to cross US$14billion by end of June 2014.

According to latest position of FX reserves stands at US$13.4billion as of 6 June) Where reserves held by SBP and banks are at US$8.6bn and US$4.8bn respectively.

Informed sources told Pakistan Observer that the government has planned to launch another Eurobond US$500million and Sukuk bond of US$500 million in the current financial year 2015. Given successful Eurobonds launch worth US$2billion earlier this year and currently trading at a significant premium, this target ap-

pears achievable and another issue can be launched at a lower yield.

Based on government’s projections for external loans, grants and repayment it is believed that foreign exchange reserves are likely to reach US$17billion in 2015.

Meanwhile the increase in import cover is likely to lead to SBP to becoming more inclined to cut discount rate which is currently 10 percent.

At the same time, it reinforces assumption for a stable exchange rate outlook as well as cut in interest rate when the State Bank of Pakistan goes to review its Monetary Policy.

It will not be out of place to mention that the recent UBL secondary public offering which could provisionally lead to foreign investment worth US$311million and US$550million as fourth tranche post-IMF Board’s approval in late June.

A gradual increase in import cover to 3 months at level of US$11.2billion SBP reserves, could also lead to discount rate cut by the central bank.

inces on Wednesday, were tasked with protecting Baghdad and the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, these security sources said.

Iran has deployed Revolutionary Guards units to Iraq in order to fight the Islamists who have taken over cities there, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing Iranian security sources.

The sources said that at least three battalions of the Quds Forces, the elite overseas branch of the Guards, were dispatched to aid in the battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), an offshoot of Al-Qaeda rapidly gaining territory across Iraq.

One Guards unit that was already in Iraq fought alongside the Iraqi army, offering guerrilla warfare advice and tactics and helped reclaim most of the city of Tikrit on Thursday, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Two Guards’ units, dispatched from Iran’s western border provinces on Wednesday, were tasked with protecting Baghdad and the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf, these security sources said.

General Qasem Sulaimani, the commander of the Quds Forces and one of the region’s most powerful military figures, traveled to Baghdad this week to help manage the swelling crisis, said a member of the Revolutionary Guards, according to The Wall Street Journal.

If the report is true, it would make the second time that Iran has gotten involved in fighting in a nearby country.

Iran is already involved in Syria’s civil war, where it has provided Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad with military support during his fight against the rebels.

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad personally sanctioned the dispatch of officers from the Revolutionary Guards to Syria to fight alongside Assad’s troops.

Two weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has been recruiting thousands of Afghan refugees to fight in Syria, offering them $500 a month and Iranian residency.—Agencies

Dar, Olson discuss financing of Diamir Bhasha dam, CASA-1000 Project I SLAMABAD —Mr. Richard G. Olson US dor. The Ambassador congratulated the Fi-

Saad: Some people trying to derail democracy ISLAMABAD— Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique criticized those individuals who had been organizing and calling for antigovernment protests.

Speaking to reporters, Rafique said Imran Khan, Tahirul Qadri, Sheikh Rasheed and the Chaudhry brothers were trying to derail democracy.

Ride bikes to save fuel: El-Sisi C AIRO — Wearing sporting gear including cycling gloves, President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi asked Egyptians on Friday to cycle and walk more to help the cash-strapped government that spends tens of billions of dollars a year on fuel subsidies. The former army chief gave one of his first speeches since last Sunday’s inauguration to several hundred Egyptians on bicycles at a military college in the capital Cairo before taking part in a cycling marathon.

Cyclists are rarely seen in Cairo where chaotic traffic regularly clogs up large parts of the city.

Curfew lifted in Thailand B ANGKOK — Thailand’s military government announced Friday that it has fully lifted a nationwide curfew it imposed after seizing power last month, saying there is no threat of violence and that tourism needs to be revived. Political protests and criticism of the coup, however, remain banned by the junta, which said a return to elected civilian rule cannot be expected for at least 15 months.—AP

Park replaces finance minister S EOUL — South Korean President Park Geun-hye replaced her finance minister with a three-term member of parliament and close policy confidant in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday in the aftermath of a ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people. Choi Kyung-hwan, 59, has previously served as industry and energy minister and ruling party parliamentary floor leader and is seen as having extensive experience in both national politics and the bureaucracy.—AP

Ambassador to Pakistan called on the Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Finance Friday to discuss bilateral economic issues and cooperation between the two countries.

The Finance Minister thanked the Ambassador for US support to Dasu Hydro Power Project at World Bank Board meeting. He said that energy remains one of the highest priorities of the present government.

In this connection the government is working on fast track to utilize indigenous sources to reduce the dependence on imported and expensive sources, he added.

The Finance Minister also discussed CASA-1000 Power Transmission Project and Diamir Basha Dam with the Ambassa-

Musharraf seeks immediate lifting of travel ban

ISLAMABAD: A delegation from China State Engineering Corporation called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday

PM assures Chinese investors foolproof security ISLAMABAD —Prime Minister Muhammad by the Chinese State Engineering CorporaNawaz Sharif has assured full security and cooperation to Chinese companies investing in various projects in Pakistan.

He was talking to delegations from Chinese State Engineering Corporation and China Power Company, which called on him at Prime Minister House in Islamabad on Friday.

The delegation from Chinese State Engineering Corporation apprised the Prime Minister of its interest in different infrastructure projects in Pakistan.

Prime Minister lauded the role played

tion in building of infrastructure and said development of infrastructure is part and parcel for a vibrant economy.

Delegation from China Power highlighted different ventures undertaken by the company in infrastructure and other development projects in Pakistan.

Prime Minister was told that Power China is playing an active part in the energy aspect of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor besides setting up two 660 megawatt power plants at Port Qasim and Gadani. —NNI

Ukrainian government forces reclaim port city from rebels K IEV —Ukrainian government forces reclaimed the port city of Mariupol from proRussian separatists in heavy fighting on Friday and said they had regained control of a long stretch of the border with Russia.

The advances are significant victories for the pro-European leadership in a military operation to crush the armed separatist rebellion that began in east Ukraine in April and hold the former Soviet republic of 45 million together.

“At 10:34 a.m. (0734 GMT) the Ukrainian flag was raised over City Hall in Mariupol,” Interior Minister Arsen Avakov wrote on Facebook, less than six hours after the attack began on the city of 500,000, Ukraine’s biggest Azov Sea port.

A ministry aide said the government forces stormed the rebels after they were surrounded and given 10 minutes to surrender.

At least five separatists and two servicemen were killed in the battle before many of the rebels fled.

Mariupol, which has changed hands several times in weeks of conflict, is strategically important because it lies on major roads from the southeastern border with

Russia into the rest of Ukraine and steel is exported through the port.

Regaining control of the long and winding frontier is also vital for the government because it accuses Moscow of allowing the rebels to bring tanks, other armoured vehicles and guns across the porous border.

Avakov said the government forces had won back control of a 120-km (75-mile) stretch of the border that had fallen to the rebels, but it is not clear who controls other parts of the about 2,000-km frontier.

The rebels, who have taken over several towns and cities and want east Ukraine to become part of Russia, confirmed five of their fighters were killed in the fighting for Mariupol.

Avakov said National Guard and Interior Ministry units were involved in the battle, as well as special forces.

A Ukrainian defence analyst, Dmytro Tymchuk, said four Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 31 wounded in fighting in other parts of east Ukraine in the past 24 hours. The death toll is not known but several hundred people have been reported killed in clashes this year in Kiev and the east of the country.—Reuters

Govt fails to provide relief in budget

Court rejects plea seeking documents on emergency

STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD—

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl Senator Haji Ghulam Ali said that the government had failed to provide relief to common people in the recent budget, adding that the federal government should allocate funds for the education and health sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

“The provincial government of KP is in the hands of juvenile people who are unable to work for the betterment of the common man,” he said during a session of the Senate.

ANP Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash said that Pakistan was fighting against terrorism while KP was playing a frontline role in the war against terror. “The suicide bombers are sitting in different ranks of the Pakistan Muslim League-N,” he alleged.

PML-N Senator M Hamza said that the government had focused on industries in the recent budget while it negated agriculture which was the back bone of Pakistan’s economy.

He said that the government should reduce the prices of fertilizers which were very high.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party Senator Afrasiab Khattak alleged that the establishment was involved in pushing forward test-tube politicians in Pakistan. “It is very common in Pakistan that the establishment gives birth to testtube politicians as per its requirements,” he said.

nance Minister on getting unanimous support of the World Bank for Dasu Hydro Power Project.

He assured the Finance Minister that the US would continue to maintain partnership with Pakistan and will work for peace and stability in the region.

He said that we are looking forward to enhance our existing relations in all areas of mutual interest.

He informed the Finance Minister that the reimbursements to Pakistan on account of Coalition Support Fund are on track.

The meeting was also attended by Shahid Mahmood Special Assistance to Finance Minister and senior officials of the Ministry. —INP

OBSERVER REPORT KARACHI–Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf filed a petition in the Sindh High Court requesting permission to leave the country at the earliest on Friday.

On June 12, the Sindh High Court had ordered the removal of Musharraf’s name from the Exit Control List but had suspended this order for around two weeks giving the federal government time to appeal against the decision before the Supreme Court.

The order will be enforced in 15 days in case the government fails to make an appeal by then.

Musharraf’s lawyer Farogh Naseem appealed to the court on Fiday to allow the former president to leave the country at the earliest to visit his ailing mother.

Naseem, while speaking to the media, said that he hopes SHC makes the decision regarding Musharraf’s early departure by today as his mother’s health is deteriorating.

He further ensured that the former presi-

dent is not running away from the country and will return.

Meanwhile, the special court conducting treason trial against former military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf on Friday rejected his plea, seeking documents containing details of personalities who met him before proclamation of November 2007 emergency.

Special court registrar Abdul Ghani Soomro read out the detailed verdict which was reserved some days ago.

Rejecting the plea, the court ruled that though it was right of the accused to seek the evidence, Musharraf ’s plea was premature.

The court said that the accused himself could get the verified copies of the documents from the departments concerned.

The court will consider the accused application during the course of hearing if he needed evidence.

The special court said that the documents were public property.

Security of govt offices beefed up in Karachi STAFF REPORTER KARACHI —As the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has announced to carry out attacks on the government installations, the provincial government has beefed up security of public offices to avoid any untoward incident, it is reliably learnt.

As per reports, the security of government offices in the metropolitan city has been beefed up due to threats of terror attacks from Taliban. Barriers have been installed at the entry gates of the government offices and cameras were fixed at various important public places.

Not only this, the sign boards and bill boards that were installed on gates of some public offices located in troubled areas of

the metropolis were also removed. The security of offices which was enhanced includes courts, Sindh Secretariat, police stations and local government offices.

On early Friday morning, the barricades were installed at entry and exit points of Sindh Secretariat due to threats of terror attacks.

The policemen have been deployed along with barricades and the visitors were allowed to enter in the secretariat area after thorough checking.

Moreover, the work to install barriers at entry points of police stations has also been paced up.

The complainants were checked thoroughly before entering into the police stations.

Massive underground reservoir of water, ‘three times’ the size of Earth’s oceans, located LONDON—A massive reservoir of wa- cist Steve Jacobsen and University of depths between 250 miles and 410 miles. ter three times the size of Earth’s oceans have for the first time been located hundreds of miles underneath the surface of the planet. Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of New Mexico provided the first ever evidence for potentially oceans worth of water deep beneath the United States.

Though not in the familiar liquid form — the ingredients for water are bound up in rock deep in the Earth’s mantle — the discovery may represent the planet’s largest water reservoir.

The presence of liquid water on the surface is what makes our “blue planet” habitable, and scientists have long been trying to figure out just how much water may be cycling between Earth’s surface and interior reservoirs through plate tectonics.

Northwestern University geophysi-

New Mexico seismologist Brandon Schmandt have found deep pockets of magma located about 400 miles beneath North America, a likely signature of the presence of water at these depths.

The discovery suggests water from the Earth’s surface can be driven to such great depths by plate tectonics, eventually causing partial melting of the rocks found deep in the mantle.

Jacobsen said, “I think we are finally seeing evidence for a whole-Earth water cycle, which may help explain the vast amount of liquid water on the surface of our habitable planet. Scientists have been looking for this missing deep water for decades.”

Scientists have long speculated that water is trapped in a rocky layer of the Earth’s mantle located between the lower mantle and upper mantle, at

Jacobsen and Schmandt are the first to provide direct evidence that there may be water in this area of the mantle, known as the “transition zone”, on a regional scale.

The study combined Jacobsen’s lab experiments in which he studies mantle rock under the simulated high pressures of 400 miles below the Earth’s surface with Schmandt’s observations using vast amounts of seismic data from the USArray, a dense network of more than 2,000 seismometers across the United States.

Jacobsen’s and Schmandt’s findings converged to produce evidence that melting may occur about 400 miles deep in the Earth. H2O stored in mantle rocks, such as those containing the mineral ringwoodite, likely is the key to the process.

“Melting of rock at this depth is remarkable because most melting in the mantle occurs much shallower, in the upper 50 miles,” said Schmandt. “If there is a substantial amount of H2O in the transition zone, then some melting should take place in areas where there is flow into the lower mantle, and that is consistent with what we found.”

If just one percent of the weight of mantle rock located in the transition zone is H2O, that would be equivalent to nearly three times the amount of water in our oceans.

This water is not in a form familiar to us — it is not liquid, ice or vapour. This fourth form is water trapped inside the molecular structure of the minerals in the mantle rock. The weight of 250 miles of solid rock creates such high pressure, along with temperatures above 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, that a water

molecule splits to form a hydroxyl radical (OH), which can be bound into a mineral’s crystal structure.

Schmandt and Jacobsen’s findings build on a discovery in which scientists found a piece of the mineral ringwoodite inside a diamond brought up from a depth of 400 miles by a volcano in Brazil.

That tiny piece of ringwoodite — the only sample in existence from within the Earth — contained a surprising amount of water bound in solid form in the mineral.

“The ringwoodite is like a sponge, soaking up water,” Jacobsen said.

“There is something very special about the crystal structure of ringwoodite that allows it to attract hydrogen and trap water. This mineral can contain a lot of water under conditions of the deep mantle.”—TNN

Public knows little about head and neck cancers: study

F

EW Americans know the signs and symp toms of head and neck cancers, a new study shows. What’s more, only about one in eight is aware that some of the cancers can be linked to human papillomavirus, or HPV. The sexually transmitted infection is better known for causing cervical cancer in women, but is also behind an increase in the rate of throat cancer, particularly among men.

“Public awareness of head and neck cancer is really, really low, and that is probably harming people because they’re not aware of the risk factors and symptoms,” senior author Dr. Benjamin Judson, from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut told Reuters Health. Head and neck cancers include cancer of the throat, voice box, mouth and tongue. Smoking causes more than 75 percent of the cases in the United States, the authors write in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

The cancers have been declining overall, the researchers note. But studies show that rates of throat cancer tied to HPV, which can be transmitted through oral sex, tripled between 1988 and 2004. “It’s an epidemic,” Judson said.

Head and neck cancers account for about three percent of all cancers in U.S. adults.

Head and neck cancer patients, including actor Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed in 2010 with late-stage throat cancer that he attributed to oral sex, tend to seek care after the disease has progressed to advanced stages. In

those cases, treatment is more challenging and survival less likely. “Head and neck cancer is about as common as thyroid cancer and melanoma, but it causes more deaths than the two cancers combined,” Judson said.

“If people are aware of the risks and the signs and symptoms, they could be diagnosed earlier.”

He and his colleagues surveyed 2,126 adults to gauge their knowledge of head and neck cancers. The vast majority who completed an online questionnaire knew little or nothing about the tumors or their causes and symptoms, the study found.

Less than one percent of respondents identified HPV as a risk factor for mouth and throat cancer, though in specific questions about 13 percent said they knew of an association between HPV and throat cancer.

Respondents with a college degree were more likely to associate HPV infection with throat cancer; still, less than 15 percent made the connection.

Less than 15 percent of respondents recognized sores that never heal as a symptom of the diseases. Only five percent recognized a sore throat as a symptom and just half a percent saw mouth or throat bleeding as a sign of cancer. The most common symptoms of throat cancer are voice changes, difficulty swallowing, mouth lesions that don’t heal, neck lumps and mouth sores, speech pathologist Edie Hapner told Reuters Health. Hapner, from Emory University in Atlanta, was not involved in the current research but has studied public awareness of head and neck cancers.

Federal Minister for Defence, Water & Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Ambassador of Russian Federation Alexey Dedov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Bakhytbek Shahbarbayev, Ambassador of Argentine Rodolfo Martin Saravia and others, cutting cake to mark the National Day of Russia, at a local hotel.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir

President IIU’s appointment challenged in IHC ZUBAIR QURESHI ISLAMABAD—A former Assis-

Anti Terrorist Squad and Rangers standing alert outside Lal Masjid on Friday to meet any untoward situation.

Literature binds Pak, Azerbaijan in centuries old relations STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Azerbaijan and Pakistan share centuries-old culture and traditions, based on long history of values and heritage.

This was stated by Chief Mission of Embassy of Azerbaijan, Illham Mamadov, during his visit to National Book Foundation (NBF) here Friday.

Durind the meeting with Prof. Dr Inam ul Haq Javeid, Managing Director, NBF, various opportunities of mutual cooperation were discussed.

Illham said that there was an Institute of

Manuscript in Baku and various other organizations that can be linked with NBF so that deep-rooted links within avenues of literature and education could be enhanced.

Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the great East poet, was being taught in Urdu Department of Baku State University and various scholars had prolific research on the poet and his works had been translated for wider readership. It was discussed that the life and letters of National Poet of Azerbaijan Nizami Ghanjivi, the great Persian poet of 12th Century, would be translated in Urdu for the wider wider readership.

tant Professor of International Islamic University (IIU) has challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) the 2012 notification by the then President Asif Ali Zardari appointing Prof Dr Ahmed Yousif A Al-Draiweesh as president of the varsity.

IHC will hear the petition on Monday. Earlier, the registrar office had raised an objection as the notification of appointment was not included in the writ petition, on Friday however the counsel for the petitioner submitted the required document before the court.

Dr Inam Ullah Khan exAssistant Professor through his counsel Muhammad Jehangir Wains has claimed that the appointment of Dr Draiweesh as President of IIU has been made without adopting the due process. It is submitted in the petition that according to the International Islamic University Ordinance 1985, Article 13 (1) “The President (of IIU) shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees out of a panel to be recommended by the Rector,” while in the present matter Mr Asif Ali Zardari notified Mr Ahmed Yousif A Al-Draiweesh as president of the university which is, according to the petition the worst example of “nepotism, favouritism and political appointment.”

ISLAMABAD—Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to increase supply of water from Simly Dam to Federal Capital during the Holy month of Ramzan to facilitate residents.

The Chairman CDA Maroof Afzal, directed that generators should be arranged to provide uninterrupted supply of water to the people during the month of Ramazan.

This was decided during a meeting chaired

IHC dismisses probe into death of ex-APP boss Z UBAIR Q URESI I SLAMABAD —Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed the writ petition filed by a reporter of the stateowned news agency Associated Press of Pakistan seeking inquiry into the “mysterious” death of the Managing Director of the news agency Khalid Sarwar last month.

Rehan Iqbal the reporter of the agency and petitioner in the case through his counsel Tariq Assad alleged that the late MD had succumbed to stress because of unfair demands of the APP union leaders.

On June 8, while hearing the petition the court had summoned the SHO Aabpara Police Station and FIA offi-

Two extortionists arrested ISLAMABAD—Sabzi Mandi Police have arrested two extortionists from its area, a police spokesman said on Friday. Ghulam Farid, resident of Bangash Colony, Rawalpindi, lodged an application with Sabzi Mandi Police that unknown extortionists were demanding Rs 300,000 from him and in case of noncompliance threatened to kill him and his family.

A special police team was constituted, which traced the accused Qari Shafique and Sana Ullah and arrested them.—APP

Farooq hands over cheque to journalist

Water supply from Simly Dam to be increased STAFF REPORTER

Let the gentleman rest in peace

ISLAMABAD—Central Coordinator Pakistan Muslim League(N) Siddiqul Farooq Friday handed over a cheque of Rs. 100,000 to veteran journalist Irfan Ahmed Khan for medical treatment. According to a message received, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has approved the amount for medical treatment of Irfan Ahmed Khan.—APP

by Chairman CDA, Maroof Afzal here at CDA Headquarters on Thursday.

On this occasion Director General Water Management, CDA and officers of Water Supply Directorate were also present.

The Chairman CDA directed the Water Management Wing to initiate repair/maintenance work on 12 pumping stations, installed at various locations in the city on war-footing, which were non-functional since long so that supply of water could be restored from these pumps.

Sasta Bazaars, fair shops to be established in Ramazan STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA) will establish Sasta Bazaars and fair price shops at different places of the Federal Capital in the Holy month of Ramzan to provide people with essential food items at lower rates. ICTA will set up 4 Sasta Bazaars and 40 fair price shops in the city and rural areas during Ramazan.

In this regard, district food department has started necessary preparations and arrangements to provide maximum relief to the consumers during this holy month, says a press release.

Sasta Bazaars would be established at Sector G-7, Bhara Kahu, Koral and Rawat.

Food items including ghee, pulses and flour will be available at 10 to 15 per cent discount rates as compared to market rates at bazaars and fair

price shops.

The quality of food items would be ensured in the markets and Bazaars. The administration will also maintain complain register at the Bazaars about the rates and quality of food items.

The magistrate deputed at the bazaars will take immediate action on these complaints and redress the grievances of consumers on the spot. A total of 18 price control committees headed by the magistrates

will be activated to carry out daily price checking in the markets and sasta bazaars.

Profiteers will be imposed heavy fines for overcharging and not displaying the rate list of food items. The district administration will also be holding meetings with the representatives of traders associations of Sabzi Mandi, Islamabad to ensure smooth and abundance supply of food items fruits and vegetables coming from other cities during Ramazan.

Food Department Islamabad is fixing the retail rates of fruits and vegetables on daily basis at the time of auction in Sabzi Mandi, Islamabad and rate list is being provided to the shopkeepers for display at the shops.

A complaint cell about the rates and quality of food items will also be established in the administration and immediate action will be taken by the magistrates on these complaints.

cials for reply on June 13 (Friday).

However on Friday SHO Aabpara submitted before the court that none of the late APP chief executive’s family members had lodged any such complaint whether he died under mysterious circumstance or he was facing any pressure/threat from any side. “Police would definitely move into action if such a complaint was lodged with us,” said the station house officer of the Aabpara Police. SHO Aabpara further submitted before the court that the petitioner should have first approached the police instead of filing writ petition in the Islamabad High Court.

When Justice Siddiqui asked the petitioner’s counsel to respond to the SHO statement, the counsel insisted the court should at least direct some probe

into the case.

The petitioner also requested the court to issue inquiry order. On one occasion, the court in its remarks held if he (the petitioner) had any grudge with his colleagues, some union politics or fake degree issue he come with fresh petition in that regard, however he must refrain from “digging a gentleman’s grave.”

Justice Siddiqui reminded him (the petitioner) of the much-trumpeted case of Assistant Director of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Kamran Faisal’s death. After a lot of hue and cry and stories in media regarding mysterious death of the NAB official what came out is known to everyone and the court needs not repeat it. Giving these remarks, the judge dismissed the writ petition.

30 per cent work on Metro Bus project has been completed Fajar Zohr Asr

04:30 01:30 05:30

Meghrab at Sunset Isha 09:15 Brothers in Islam establish regular prayers & charity

A new literature festival of AfroAsian writers STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The Afro-Asian Writers Union (AAWU) Pakistan Chapter is organising 3-day debut conference starting from June 16 (Monday). The three day conference with major theme “Designs of Global Cultural Hegemony and Writers Role in Defense of Heritage, Culture and Peace” will be attended by national and international writers, scholars and intellectuals.

Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage will inaugurate the conference.

The Afro-Asian Writers Union was established in 1956 and Pakistan’s iconic poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz was one of its founding members along with the Nobel Laureate Chilean writer Pablo Neruda and other luminaries. Faiz was also the founding editor of the Union’s premier publication “Lotus” and remained at the position till his return to Pakistan from Beirut, Lebanon.

Dr Helmi Al Hadidi (Egypt), President of the Afro Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) while Dr.Ali Javed (India), Chairman and Mohammad Salmawy (Egypt), Secretary General of the AAWU will be the delegates of the conference.

Prominent writers, poets and intellectuals from Egypt, India, Russia, Vietnam, Nepal, China and Pakistan besides local writers, official dignitaries and diplomats, based at Islamabad will also attend the conference.

STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Work on Metro Bus project is in full swing as authorities say that 30 per cent work has already been completed.

The construction of the Metro Bus track in Rawalpindi started on March 18. However, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif formally launched the project on March 23, which is scheduled to be completed in January 2015.

“The construction work is going on at a good pace and three companies have so far completed 30 per cent work at their respective sites while the erection of pillars for 8.6 kilometre elevated track from Flashman Hotel Chowk up to Faizabad is expected to be completed June 30,” Haroon Ali, a senior site engineer, told reporters.

Former member of the National Assembly, Hanif Abbasi said the project, being executed at a cost of Rs 43 billion, would be completed in 10 months to provide a speedy and decent transport service to the residents of twin cities.

According to RDA sources, progress of work on package 1 and 3 is excellent as 36 per cent work on these packages has been completed.

The RDA officials said work on extension of bridge on Leh Nullah near Ryalto Chowk

As 30 per cent work on the construction of Metro Bus Project has been completed, further work is underway in various areas including 9th Avenue.

US Embassy to provide IT equipments to FJA STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The Federal Judicial Academy, now converted into a Center of Excellence for Law and Judicial Education, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US Embassy singed the Project Implementation Letter (PIL) on Friday under which some assistance in the form of provision of Information Technology (IT) equipment/ furniture etc. would be provided to the Center to enhance the capacity and performance of the Center.

Mr. Khalid Ameen Tareen, Director Administration, CoE/FJA and INL Director John Hennessey Niland signed the Project Implementation Letter (PIL) in a signing ceremony held in the Center on Friday. INL Director John Hennessey Niland exchanged the document with Dr. Faqir Hussain, Director General, CoE in the ceremony. Welcoming the guests, Dr. Faqir Hussain shed light on the extensive and expansive role of the center in the areas of legal education and judicial training in the wake

of its conversion into a Center of Excellence for Law and Judicial education.

Regarding the operational strategy of the Center of Excellence he said, “Civil works and infrastructure has been completed but still lot of homework is needed to make this Center of Excellence fully operational. Assistance including technical assistance from the developed countries especially from the US in line with the aims and objects of the Center would be highly appreciated.”

Acknowledging the good relations with the Academy, INL Director John Hennessey made some brief remarks about the nature of the project and the future of the Academy as it becomes a Center of Excellence for Law and Judicial Education. Reiterating his vow John Hennessey said that they were focusing on the professional development and training in the areas of justice and law enforcement sector mainly s on building, equipping and training of all stakeholders of legal and judicial system and that whole cycle helps to strengthen the rule of law.

would be started next week.

The officials said acquisition of land for setting up bus terminals at 10 points, including Flashman, Mareer, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk, Waris Khan, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rehmanabad, and Sixth Road, was also underway.

Zahoor Abbasi, a resident of Rawalpindi, said the pace of work on the project so far was appreciable as it was continuing round the clock.

It may be mentioned that the provincial government has set the deadline of January 2015 for the completion of the project.

“Keeping in view the utility of Metro Bus service in Lahore, I think it will be a good addition to the twin cities”, said Raja Waris, a federal government employee. Waris, who has to travel daily from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, said the project once completed would facilitate thousands of commuters of the two cities.

A senior CDA official said work on the Islamabad segment of the project was satisfactory and hoped that it would be completed well in time. The track would be fenced from both sides to restrict movement of people, he added.

Meanwhile, construction of an overhead bridge for Metro Bus project on Jinnah Avenue at 7th Avenue crossing has been shelved. Instead a two-lane track will be constructed, said an official of NESPAK.

PBM to assist Govt hospitals’ patients on priority: MD STAFF R EPORTER RAWALPINDI—Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (PBM) Barrister Abid Waheed Sheikh on Friday assured patients, suffering from chronic diseases and getting treatment from public sector hospitals, that their cases regarding financial assistance would be approved on priority.

Addressing the annual meeting of “Anjuman Behbood-e-Mareezan” (Patients Welfare Organization) of Holy Family Hospital (HFH) here, he said serving ailing humanity was the ‘onepoint agenda’ of PBM. He said PBM was always ready to help needy seg-

ments of the society.

He appreciated social and welfare services of the Anjuman, saying that charity organizations were playing an important role to mitigate the sufferings of patients facing chronic diseases like Hepatitis and Cancer by extending medical as well as financial assistance.

President Anjuman Behbood-eMareezan Sharjeel Mir, Principal Allied Hospitals Dr Muhammad Umer, President Anjuman Tajran Sheikh Muhammad Sidddique, notables including Tahir Taj Bhatti, Sheikh Saleem, and Dr Sheikh Muhammad Riaz were also present on the occasion.

The Anjuman Mareezan, Mir

claimed, was the only charity organization operating in Punjab for last 10 years consistently and has spent more than Rs 350 million for providing treatment to deserving patients from its own resources. He said it was a non-political platform where funds were collected from traders and judiciously spent for the welfare of needy patients.

The PBM MD was of the view that such charity organizations must be operative in all public sector hospitals for remedy to the patients. He said since he took charge of PBM, special attention was being given to cases seeking financial assistance for treatment of lethal diseases.

Shab-e-Barat observed with religious zeal STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Shab-e-Barat, the night of reverence, fervour and divine blessings for the Muslims, was celebrated across the country tonight (Friday night) with religious zeal.

The Shab-e-Barat is the night of blessings and worship of the Allah, the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calen-

dar, is known as Shab-e-Barat while it is known as Laylatul Bara’ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha’ban in the Arab world.

Muslims gathered at mosques to mark Shab-e-Barat and sought forgiveness from Allah Almighty.

There were big congregations at major mosques in all the major cities of the country and the devotees passed the night through prayer, recitation

from the Holy Quran, and seeking blessings from Allah Almighty, for peace and progress of their families and relatives.

People visited the graves of their relatives and Muslim saints and offered special munajat on this night of fortune.

On this night, Allah Almighty decides the fate of all human beings for the coming year.

Govt releases Rs 393.735b for PSDP projects STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—The government has so far re-

Senior Vice Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Shah Mehmood Qureshi Saifullah Niazi Additional Secretary General PTI, senior PTI leaders Dr Shahzad Waseem and Sadaqat Abbasi leading the rally against alleged rigging in elections on Friday.

ANF starts awareness drive against drugs STAFF REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Islamabad-Rawalpindi region has launched an awareness campaign against drug abuse in connection with the World Anti Narcotics Day to be observed on June 26.

During awareness drive a series of lectures for the students of various educational institutions in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi would be or-

ganized till June 26.

In this connection, the ANF has chalked out a comprehensive programme for creating awareness among youth, especially among students of colleges and universities, said a press release.

The awareness drive first lecture was organized at Government Girls Degree College Satellite Town Rawalpindi in which more than 100 students and teachers participated.

ANF Rawalpindi Project officer

briefed the youth about the disadvantages of using drugs saying that it not only destroys one person but damages the structure of a whole family.

He also highlighted the achievements by the ANF and said that the ANF was not only controlling the drugs in the society but also focusing on the treatment of drug addicts. The principal of the college thanked the ANF for arranging awareness programme for the youth that aims to exterminate this menace from the society.

leased Rs 393.735 billion on 30 May, 2014 under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for various projects against total allocations of Rs 425 billion for the fiscal year 201314.

The government is giving top priority to strengthen economy and develop the country through Public Sector Development Programme.

According to a document released by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, an amount of Rs 48,575.398 million has been released by Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform for various projects of Pakistan Energy Commission, out of its total allocations of Rs52,300 million earmarked under PSDP for financial year 2013-14.

A sum of Rs 79,777.862 million has been released to National Highway Authority out of total allocation of Rs 87,397.223 million for the current fiscal year for different projects.

Out of the total funds of Rs 25,621.671 million allocated for the National Health Service Regulations and Coordination Division for the current year, the government released Rs 24,098.452 million so far.

The Commission also released Rs 23,103.225 million for Railway Division out of its total allocations of Rs 26,569.894 million.

Rs 750 million have been released for National Food Security and Research Division, out of its total allocations of Rs 750 million for the year.

Funds of Rs 14,863.868 million have been released for Higher Education Commission out of its total allocation of Rs 14,962 million for the year 2013-14 whereas out of total allocations of Rs 12,048.664 million earmarked for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Rs 1248.664 million have been released so far.

The Commission released Rs 73,564.624 million for WAPDA(Power) out of its total allocations of Rs 79,413.624 million whereas Rs 32,667.353 million has been provided to

WAPDA (Water sector) out of its total allocations of Rs 34,957.285 million.

So far Rs 9,295 million has been released for Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), out of its total allocations of Rs 7,750 million for the current year.ent year.

The commission also released Rs 23,298,726 million for Cabinet Division, Rs 45.964 million for Climate Change Division and Rs 791 million for Commerce Division.

In addition, Rs 211.034 million has been released for Education and Training Division, Rs 7044.966 million for Finance Division, Rs 659.654 million for Industries Division, Rs 4855.44 million for Interior Division and Rs 106.75 million for Narcotics Control Division.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service will be the second of its kind in Pakistan after the Lahore Metro Bus Service. The 23 kilometer long Metro Bus Service is costing near Rs 44.3 billion which will be shared by the Federal and Punjab governments.

RCCI for exploring non-traditional items for enhancing exports STAFF REPORTER RAWALPINDI—Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday highlighted need for exploring non-traditional items to help boost the country’s exports besides reactivating the role of commercial councilors at missions abroad.

“There exists a potential of about US $ 35 billion of country’s exports but this could only be achieved through exploring new vistas and reactivation of commercial councilors posted abroad,” President RCCI

Dr Shimail Daud Arain said while addressing meeting of Chamber’s committee on Export.

He said that economy of a country cannot flourish sans boosting exports therefore those getting perks in foreign exchange should be reactivated to fetch maximum share of Pakistani products in the international market.

Asad Mashahdi, Member of the RCCI’s Export Committee, on the occasion stressed that there was a dire need to explore the markets of SAARC countries

which have tremendous potential for the Pakistani products.

He said that RCCI with the cooperation of USAID and Ministry of Commerce had arranged a conference to explore market of the Central Asian States, which would soon start bearing fruits in the export sector. The meeting was attended among others by Senior Vice President Mailk Shahid Salim, Vice President Muhammad alam Chughtai and other members of the Export Committee.

A volunteer is distributing free traditional summer drink to people to quench their thirst during scorching hot weather.

UK House to raise disappeared Kashmiris issue: Ahangar S RINAGAR —British Parliament will

Indian police clash with protesters during recent unrest in Kashmir.

JKPFL concerned over detainees’ plight in jails K OTBHALWAN — In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League (JKPFL) has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating health of political detainees languishing in different jails of India and the territory.

The JKPFL spokesman in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the Kashmiri detainees were not provided with proper medical care in jails due to which their health was declining with each passing day. He said that despite court orders, ailing detainees had not been shifted to hospitals for treatment.

The spokesman said that a delegation of the relatives of some prisoners lodged at Kot Bhalwal Jail Jammu met the party leaders at its office complaining about deliberate disconnection of electricity to the rooms of the inmates in this scorching heat.

He appealed to the UN Human Rights Council and other international rights watchdogs to send their teams to visit the jails of the occupied territory and play their role in release of Kashmiri political prisoners.—KMS

Mirwaiz to present road map for Kashmir on June 20 RAJBAGH—Chairman Huriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that his amalgam will present a detailed road map on Kashmir resolution on June 20 at Srinagar.

Mirwaiz said that his faction of Huriyat will present a detailed road map of Kashmir resolution and also a policy statement about the stand of his amalgam will be presented before the masses on June 20 at Municipal park of Srinagar.

Huriyat (M) already had announced a mega rally on June 20 over the completion of 50 years of Awami Action Committee (AAC).

A party established by Huriyat chief’s father during the agitation of Moi-eMuqadas in 1964. Mirwaiz while demanding the restoration of pre-1947 status of Jammu and Kashmir stated that all the region of both the sides of the divided line are disputed and need to be resolved in accordance to the wishes and aspirations of the people of the region.—NNI

Kashmir militancy may erupt after U.S. withdrawal: Report SRINAGAR—A handful of journalists, lawyers and peace activists from both Indian and Pakistani parts of Kashmir have feared resurgence of “international militancy” in Kashmir if American troops leave Afghanistan without a politico-military settlement in the war-ravaged country.

The eight-page report, written under the aegis of “Kashmir Initiative Group” is duly signed by several Kashmiri journalists and thinkers including Asma Khan Lone who happens to be daughter of the nationalist Kashmiri leader Amanullah Khan.

Drawing up a disturbing scenario in Kashmir, the report suggests compared to 2012 Kashmir witnessed eighty percent increase in militancy related incidents in 2013.

“These incidents triggered the deepening of diplomatic stalemate between India and Pakistan,” the report states adding that there were 103 casualties during the first nine months of 2013 compared to 57 in the same period in 2012.

The report recalls the military confrontation along the Line of Control that had clouded the otherwise expected meeting between former Indian premier Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in September last.

“Although the incident was subsequently downplayed in the national Indian media it was demonstrative of the complex interests in continued violence in Kashmir.”

The report cautions, “The withdrawal of the bulk of ISAF forces from Afghanistan could be seen as an ideological victory for political and religious militancy in the region. It could also lead to a diminishing ideological premise for conflict within Afghanistan, especially for foreign fighters, even if the internal power struggle rages on. Foreign fighters may then seek new ideological frontlines and causes elsewhere, spurred on by a sense of triumph over unwanted ‘colonizing’

forces. Kashmir is often evoked as one alternative option for fighters currently in Afghanistan – the other being the larger conflict-theatres in the Middle East.” Quoting from a variety of sources, the report suggest Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP) might bait for military missions inside Indian Kashmir and the region’s largest indigenous militant group Hizbul Mujahideen may facilitate entry of militants from foreign lands including Afghanistan.

Hafiz Saeed, head of Jammat-udDawaah – the political wing of Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) – publicly declared that “just as foreign forces had to withdraw from Afghanistan, India will have to withdraw from Kashmir.”

The report while interpreting bulk of reportage on Kashmir, says the inter-linkages between various Afghan and Pakistani militant organizations are already well established. Cooperation, the report quotes Indian analysts as said, has taken place for many years, with Kashmir-centric organizations such as the LeT targeting Indian assets in cooperation with various Afghanistan-centric outfits. The bombing of the Indian consulate in Jalalabad in August 2013, the Indian Embassy in Kabul in 2008, and the targeting of various other Indian assets are cited as evidence of this collaboration.

“The growing presence of LeT in the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan is also highlighted as further indication of cooperation. Renewed violence in Kashmir will provide militants added ideological impetus and credibility within Kashmir, heightened by the political stalemate of 2003-2013 (also termed the ‘Lost Decade’), when despite numerous windows of opportunities there was no substantive forward movement towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue.”

—Courtesy: Kashmir Observer.

UJC chief slams govt for seminar foiling bid SRINAGAR—Slamming the state authorities seminar over 2010 killings reveals the very over foiling the seminar of Huriyat (G) led

by Syed Ali Geelani in the memory of the people killed in the year 2010, UJC supremo and Hizb chief Syed Sallahu-din hailed the efforts of Geelani, Shah, Nayeem and others who despite curbs made seminar a ‘success’.

In a statement issued to KNS, Sallahudin stated that the curbs imposed upon the

Hurriyat (G) terms Farooq’s remark as political gimmick SRINAGAR—After National Conference president and former chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said concerted attempt is under process to change the demographic character of the state, the Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani termed his remarks a ‘political gimmick’.

“Due to defeat in recent parliamentary polls, they are out of frustration.

They want to avoid defeat in Assembly elections. It is nothing but a political gimmick of Farooq Abdullah,” the Hurriyat spokesman, Ayaz Akbar said.

Interestingly, Geelani had made similar remarks while addressing the people after breaking police cordon at his Hyderpora residence the other day. Akbar said Farooq Abdullah is a ‘non-serious on every issue and he ‘can’t be trusted’. “He is the same person who once said ‘Azad Kashmir’ should be bombed. He is a joker rather than a politician,” he said, adding none of his remark is trustworthy or credible before us.

“From the day one we have been saying that India wants to change the demography of Kashmir. India is on a long term agenda of changing majority into minority. We will oppose by tooth and nail,” he said, adding we will try to create a national consensus over this issue and we will also try to create a consensus with all the pro-freedom parties over the issue. On unity, he said Geelani wants ‘cordial atmosphere between pro-freedom leaders’.

‘frustration’ of the state authorities. “We will not allow the sacred blood of martyrs to go waste and the mission of the martyrs will be perused in letter and spirit.”

Sallahu-din also stated that the killing of the LET militants in the recent past has strengthened the ongoing movement in “There would be no unity or Kashmir and the same shall gain momen- merger with anyone but we tum in the coming time— KW. want an end to the notion that

Militants hurl grenade on Sopore police S OPORE —Suspected militants on late Qayoom told GNS over phone that a poThursday evening hurled a grenade on a police party in north Kashmir’s Sopore town in Baramulla district, officials said.

They said a grenade was hurled on a police party near Kupwara crossing adjacent to Dak Bungalow in the town. However, no one was injured in the attack.

While confirming the attack, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Sopore Abdul

raise the issue of enforced disappearances in Indian occupied Kashmir and pressurise Indian government to investigate whereabouts of around 10,000 persons who, according to rights organisations, vanished in the custody of government forces since 1990, a Srinagar-based non-governmental organisation said.

Parveena Ahangar, Chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), who met Labor MP Simon Danczuk last week in London, said she was assured by the MP that the issue would be raised in the Parliament and that pressure would be put upon those responsible in New Delhi.

“I am hopeful that the issue is raised there,” Parveena told GKNS during a monthly protest sit-in of the organisation at Pratap Park here.

The sit-in sees dozens of parents coming in from across Held Kashmir to seek whereabouts of their loved ones.

They have lost their fathers, brothers, husbands, uncles and sons.

I informed the MP about what happens in Held Kashmir,” Parveena said.

lice party was attacked by militants with a grenade.

“There was complete dark when the attack took place near Dak Bungalow but thankfully no one is injured or dead,” he said.

Soon after the attack, police’s Special Operation Group, army and paramilitary forces started massive searches in the area— KW.

there is infighting between pro-freedom leaders,” he said.

“We have however reservation about certain people and barring them our organization is serious in creating friendly atmosphere with all the pro-freedom leaders,” Ayaz Akbar said adding that to invite the Shabir Shah, Nayeem Khan and Muhammad Yousuf Naqash and others for the seminar on Wednesday was part of this process that Hurriyat G has started. —NNI

“I told him stories of those mothers who died without seeing their sons. I also told him about human rights violations.”

On June 2, Parveena delivered a lecture at the University of Westminster in London on Held Kashmir disappearances. On June 4, she met Simon Danczuk.

In the lecture, Parveena called on international human rights organisations to come forward in stopping human rights violations in Held Kashmir.

On 10th of every month, parents of victims of enforced disappearance have been assembling for years now.

They want an independent commission to probe the phenomenon of disappearances.

“I want to see the face of my sons one last time before I die,” Hajira, an octogenarian woman from North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, said.

“How many years do I have to still wait for their return?.”

Hajira has become a popular face in the fight for justice for parents of disappeared persons. Her photographs and heart-wrenching quotations have appeared in international magazines and newspapers.

She comes every month to join the sit-in. The sit-in has become a ritual for these people in the hope to see their loved ones.

But this desire of theirs has remained elusive throughout with some cases not even registered in police stations. Like Hajira, dozens of persons - their lives torn between poverty and hopelessness- share their grief every month.

Every month, they have to narrate the incident, in which they have lost their relatives, to media persons and activists. So they have made a template: They hang pictures of those disappeared around their necks with white thick thread so that the photographs come prominent.

In one of the photographs, a muscular young man is wearing blue sweater and jacket. He has a thin moustache and is smiling.

His name is Nissar Ahmad Bhat, said his mother, Aisha. “He went out but didn’t return,” she said. “It was 1995. After he disappeared, his father died of cardiac arrest. His sister also left this world after years of wait for her brother.” Aisha added, “What will become of me?.—KW

Gilani demands release of Hurriyet leaders, activists KUPWARA—In occupied Kashmir, the vet- ping of draconian law, Public Safety Act, eran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, has demanded immediate release of all illegally detained Hurriyet leaders and activists.

Syed Ali Gilani in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the detainees including Masarrat Aalam Butt, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Amir Hamza, Muhammad Altaf Khan and Nasir Abdullah were all political leaders and their continued detention was undemocratic and uncalled for.

The veteran leader condemned the slap-

on Hurriyet leader, Muhammad Altaf Khan, and his shifting to Kupwara sub-jail from Srinagar’s Parimpora Police Station. He pointed out that the misuse of this law had happened in Omar Abdullah’s rule and in last 6 years, hundreds of innocent people and students were detained under PSA. Syed Ali Gilani appealed to the international human rights organizations to take notice of the application of this cruel law and impress upon New Delhi to repeal it.—KMS.

Low quality food to IOK schools under probe QAMARWARI—In occupied Kashmir, an inquiry has been ordered to investigate supply of substandard rice to a primary school in the territory under Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

The inquiry has been ordered two days after a local English daily Greater Kashmir published a photograph on social media in which a teacher of Government Primary School Hilalabad Qamarwari in Srinagar displayed soiled rice on a plate which, if not made public, would have gone into the stomachs of hundreds of school children. The photograph evoked widespread public response.

Munshi Muhammad Javaid, Chief Education Officer Srinagar, told the daily that Zonal Education Officer, Batamaloo, Muhammad Akbar Parray, would inquire the matter. “The ZEO will investigate the issue and submit a report soon,” he said.

Munshi Javaid said that he took note of the issue through social media site Facebook.

“The matter no doubt is serious,” he said, “but teachers too have to shoulder responsibility while receiving the supply. Orders are that don’t take the substandard items.”

On June 10, the Greater Kashmir photo post on social networking site saw about 1500 ‘likes’ and 150 comments. More than 100 people shared the post on their walls. A few took the photograph as a reference point and said that this kind of situation was prevalent in schools across Kashmir and that authorities had largely remained indifferent to the grave issue.

“Actually they are enemy of our future generation,” wrote a Facebook user, Syed Owais Shah Hassani. Another user, Sahil Hussain, wrote, “It shows how much concerned our govt is about our future generation. Shame, shame, shame.—KMS.

MUZAFFARABAD: Forest Minister of AJK Sardar Javed Ayub presiding over departmental meeting on reforestation in AJK.

Modi govt begins ‘Mission Kashmir’ S

RINAGAR Top Indian officials are ar riving here to review cross-LoC trade be tween divided parts of Kashmir which has hit a low owing to non-implementation of some key measures. On the agenda for the meeting, to be chaired by Joint Secretary MHA (Kashmir), would be setting up of telephone links (ISD facility), re-starting the meeting of the traders at “zero-point”, enhancing security measures and visit of trade delegations from Kashmir to other side of LoC. A senior official said setting up of communication (ISD) facilities at Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch, Salamabad in Uri and Srinagar and providing communication lines (ISD facility) up to the Kaman post (Chakothi) from here to allow traders from this part of Kashmir to interact with their counterparts on other side would be deliberated upon in the meeting.

“The proposal would be later sent to the Ministry of Telecommunications (for further follow up action),” sources said.

The cross LoC trade which was presently carried as barter system has suffered owning to lack of communication and banking facility and restrictions on number of trading

items.

The meeting would be held in the backdrop of deliberations by India and Pakistan in New Delhi in March this year during which ways and mechanism for increasing peopleto-people contact, trade volume and improving infrastructure at trading points were discussed.

While the cross-LoC bus service between the two parts of Kashmir was started in 2005, the trade activity was started after 60 years in 2008. Both the services were started with much fanfare and termed as a major CBM between India and Pakistan. But lack of facilities and government’s indifference towards easing restrictions have let the people down.

A source said the meeting was scheduled today at Salamabad in Uri but it was postponed at the last minute. The fresh dates would be communicated to the State Government soon, he said. From the State Government side the meeting would be attended by IGP (CID), senior officials from Home Department, and authorities from industries & Commerce and Customs departments.

The J&K Joint Chamber of Commerce and

Industries from two parts of Kashmir had proposed setting up of free communication facilities on both sides and facility for direct couriers and postal mails. “It will also come up for discussion,” sources said.

The traders from this side have been demanding they should be allowed to travel across the LoC for interaction with their counterparts and sorting out of some pending issues. “It may come up for the discussion. The Government of India will examine the proposal apart from grant of multi-entry permits to traders,” the source said. The official said though the state had taken up with New Delhi a proposal for setting up of a Banking Model for facilitating banking service for cross LoC trade without involvement of the Central Banks apart from expanding the list of trading items, there was no progress on the proposal.

The meeting would discuss expanding list of trading items and lifting ban on export of coconuts to Pakistan administered Kashmir, a proposal put forth by the traders.

Though 21 items had been listed for trade from either side, the number has gone down over the years, owing to ban on some items,

said General Secretary Traders Association, Salamabad, Hilal Turki. From Kashmir side the traders export fresh fruits, spices, embroidery items and vegetables while as dry and fresh fruits, carpet and medicinal herbs are imported from across LoC. “Items like garlic, ginger, ajwan, coconut and groundnut have been banned for export while as we can’t import Moong Dal,” he said. The meeting would discuss the proposal by the State Government for lifting ban on import of Moong Dal, Ajwan and Garlic from PaK. From 2008 till January this year, goods worth Rs 1350 crore have been exported from J&K to PaK while as goods worth Rs 2300 crore have been imported.

There has been demand from trading federations from the State for expanding the list and number of trading days which is limited to four days a week at present.

The security related matters would also be part of the meeting. “To ensure that the route was not misused for anti-state activities the antecedents of traders, transporters and other people associated with the trade would be verified and they would be issued specific iden-

tity cards. The step is being taken to make it sure that the trade is not misused to smuggle arms, ammunitions, Hawala transactions and other illegal funding,” sources said.

On January 17 this year a driver from PaK was arrested by police at Salamabad, Uri in North Kashmir for allegedly smuggling brown sugar worth Rs 100 crore.

The meeting would also discuss maintaining biometric records of the traders and installations of the CCTVs at the Trade Facilitation Centers at Salamabad and Chakan-daBagh and use of additional metal/explosive detectors. During the meeting the State Government would pitch for development of software for maintaining data related to cross LoC trade. A system of valuation of items of trade would be finalized during the meeting. “The balance sheet of every trader will be checked quarterly and if it is found that a trader is running a surplus balance he will be asked to clarify,” the official said. “The trader will be investigated and dealt in accordance with the law in case the clarification is not given or it is found to be factually incorrect.”

—Courtesy: Greater Kashmir

Port Qasim shipping activity KARACHI—Six ships carrying containers, vehicles, chemical, furnace oil and edible oil were berthed at Qasim international Containers Terminal, Engro Vopak Terminal, FOTCL Terminal and Liquid Cargo Terminal respectively. Meanwhile three more ships carrying containers and met coak also arrived at outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours. Berth occupancy was 75% at the port on Friday where eight ships namely OOCL Kobe, Express Makali, Amazonit, Alliance ST Louis, Norgas Sonoma, Mukarnas, MT Brizo and Maritime Dinar are currently occupying berths to load/offload containers, cement, vehicles, chemical, iron ore, furnace oil and edible oil respectively during last 24 hours.—APP

Proactive policies afoot to overcome energy crisis: Ahsan KARACHI—Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has said that present government was pursuing proactive policies to overcome energy crisis and security challenges. Speaking at the inaugural session of Middle East South Asia CEO Summit, here on Friday, he said that Pakistan would get rid of energy crisis and load shedding in coming six to seven years.

The Minister said that Pakistan was jointly working with China on various power projects and in next five years 22000 mega watts are expected to be added to national power grid. Pakistan was utilizing every option available for power generation including enhancing hydropower production, expediting Thar Coal project and exploring renewable resources while negotiations are also underway with US, European Union and

other friendly countries in this regard, he said.

Foreign investors were reluctant to invest in Pakistan just a year ago, but thanks to positive and lucrative investment policies of the present government foreign investment has started coming in, he said.

The minister said that some recent unpleasant incidents took place in Karachi and media did not acknowledge and highlight the way the security forces met with this challenge.

In Karachi airport attack four personnel of Airport Security Force valiantly restrained the terrorists from storming the airport and kept them engaged till arrival of the Army and Rangers, he said and added that this glorious act of valour should have been acknowledged by media.—APP

Conversion rates KARACHI—The following rates will be applicable for conversion into rupees of Foreign Currency Deposits, Dollar Bearer Certificates, Foreign Currency Bearer Certificates, Special U.S. Dollar Bonds and profits thereon by all banks and for providing Forward Cover on Foreign Currency Deposits (excluding F.E25 deposits) by the State Bank on June 16, 2014.— APP

PTEA urges cost reduction for businesses FAISALABAD—Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) has called for reducing cost of doing business to attain the competitive edge. In a press statement issued here on Friday, PTEA Chairman Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood said that the cost of doing business in Pakistan has increased due to intermittent raise in the prices of raw material and production inputs rendering exports uncompetitive in international market.—APP

Small businesses provide 75 percent of new U.S. jobs and are the backbone of our economy, and no outdated ban should be keeping small business owners from collecting the same interest their money could earn if it were held by an individual.

—Sue Kelly

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Jotoi in a meeting with CEO National Industrial Parks.

PM to be chief guest in LCCI awards in August STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will be the Chief Guest at LCCI Achievement Awards 2014 scheduled to be held in the last week of August. This was stated by LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari while addressing a Press Conference here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.

The LCCI Senior Vice President Mian Tariq Misbah, Vice President Kashif Anwar, Chairman of LCCI Achievement Awards Committee Aftab Ahmad Vohra also spoke on the occasion.

Briefing the newsmen about the upcoming event and its background, the LCCI President said that in the year 2005, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry took the initiative to recognize the services of the businessmen of this great City of Lahore who are contributing to the national exchequer in a big way. He said that this was the beginning of LCCI Achievement Awards and the response was marvelous as not only the business community but the government circles also lauded the LCCI for giving due recognition to the business community of Lahore.

Engineer Sohail Lashari said that LCCI Achievement Awards 2014 is the 9th function. Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI Achievement Awards Committee Chairman Aftab Ahmad Vohra informed the journalists about the criterion set for the selection

of the award winners. He said that the methodology is very transparent so the right businessmen could be able to win the award.

Unveiling the criterion for the applicants is: Investment during the financial year 201213, turnover during financial year 2012-13, establishment of new units during financial year 2012-13, percentage increase in export/ trade turnover during the last three years, tax paid by the company or group of companies, dividend declared to share holders during financial year 2012-13 and research & Development during financial year 201213.

He said that the sectors selected for the Award are: Agricultural Pesticides, Artificial Leather, Assemblers, Auto Parts, Banking & Modaraba, Canvas & Tents Industry, Carpets, Cement, Chemicals, Construction, Electric Engineering, Energy, Engineering, Fashion & Clothing, Food, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Gelatin, Gem & Jewellery, Home Appliances, Hosiery & Garments, Housing & Innovation, Information Technology, Leather, Leather Footwear, Leather Garments, Man Made Fiber, Milk & Dairy, Mining & Mineral, Edible Oil & Ghee, Outdoor Advertisement, Paints, Paper Industry, Pharmaceutical, Photo Goods & Graphic Arts, Plastics, Poultry Industry, Private Hospital, Processing & Packaging, Rice, Safety Equipment, Services, Social Welfare, Spices, Steel, Sugar, Telecom Industry, Textile, Tyres & Tubes and Young Entrepreneur.

KARACHI: Porf Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms addressing the Middle East South Asia CEO Summit.

Good agronomic practices essential to increase productivity

SME exporters need sustainable growth facilitation

SALIM AHMED

AMANULLAH KHAN

LAHORE—Innovations in agriculture, increased awareness and adoption of good agronomic practices by farmers can help increase agricultural productivity. Agricultural experts stated this at a farmers field day arranged by Monsanto Pakistan at their research centre in Manga Madi near here on Friday. Around 200 farmers from different areas of Punjab were provided with an opportunity to learn from researchers/experts how to get optimum corn yield while reducing losses.

The experts said that some farmers in the country failed to get optimum yields due to various factors, especially because of ignoring the advice of experts and using substandard seeds. The event focused on imparting education right from seed selection to the best agronomic practices for corn, sustainable agriculture and needs for innovations to boost crop productivity, thus increasing yields per acre for farmers.

Speaking on the occasion, Monsanto Pakistan Breeding and Technology Development teams informed the media that at least 6 to 8 years were needed to develop a corn hybrid and Monsanto, after rigorous testing, brings only those products to Pakistan that fit in its conditions and benefit the farmers.

The farmers, who also visited demonstration plots of different maize hybrids, commended the field day, pointing out that they had learned new things, and requested Monsanto to organize more field days that would serve as a learning platform for them.

Muhammad Naeem Ashraf, a corn grower from Gojra, said, he would apply knowledge gained from the event to the field and hopefully get the optimum yield.

KARACHI—Proper facilitation to SME exporters is crucial for sustainable growth in export regime as the discrimination between small and big exporters may hurt the momentum of export growth. The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) invited the attention of Ghulam Murtuza Jatoi federal minister for Industries & Production (MoI&P) to the urgent need to set up a SME liaison committee at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) for the redress of SME issues with other ministries as per mandate given in ordinance.

He pointed out that when UNISAME raised the issue of setting up the SME export house, SMEDA was restrained because it came under the domain of the ministry of commerce and it comes under their hierarchy even though it is a matter of the SME exporter who is given step motherly treatment as compared to the big exporters. The SME exporters need to be facilitated and certainly need their own export house.

Secondly when UNISAME points out tax anomalies SMEDA is shy to talk to the ministry of finance. Likewise when the issue of law and order is raised and protection squads are needed SMEDA is reluctant to talk to the Inspector General (IG) of Police. When the issue of excessive load shedding is raised SMEDA is again shy to speak with the concerned min-

istry. There is no need for SMEDA to remain passive. UNISAME is proactive and expects SMEDA to join hands for the comfort of the sector. Matters relating to law and order, energy, logistics, science and technology, quality control and standardization require the intervention of SMEDA and SMEDA should not hesitate to take up the matter with the concerned ministries. UNISAME always voices the concerns of the SMEs but certainly expects SMEDA to join in, as a word from SMEDA carries weight and reinforces the complaint and the concerned department would take it seriously if it comes from SMEDA. Thaver said the articles of association and memorandum permit SMEDA to advocate the cause of the SMEs. The aim and objective clause of SMEDA ordinance also empowers SMEDA to speak for the sector and remove hurdles. He said SMEDA means a lot to the SMEs and they always believe that SMEDA will speak about the concerns of the sector. UNISAME asserted that any issue that concerns SMEs comes under the authority and SMEDA is empowered by virtue of the ordinance to plead for the cause of the sector. President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver whilst appreciating the SME promotion and development work of SMEDA since its inception said there is no cell in SMEDA to take up SME issues and it is not inclined to take up the SME issues so as not to interfere with matters relating to other ministries.

LARKANA: A farmer collecting the seeding of rice crop in his field near Wada Mahar Village.

Mobile Banking: The Fingertip Solution MAJYD AZIZ

M

OBILE banking, also referred to as seamless banking or branchless bank ing, is fast becoming the source of financial empowerment for customers in Pakistan. The game changer has been the blend of universal and affordable availability of cell phones, userfriendly technology and preferential consumer behavior that has enabled people to make fast track and easy access financial transactions at a lower cost. According to a McKinsey Report, the usage of internet banking has risen over 30% while mobile banking has shot up by 85% across the Asia Pacific region.

Some relevant information about seamless banking in Pakistan: In first quarter of 2014, value of branchless banking transaction was Rs 225 billion

while volume was 55 million compared to Rs 52 billion and 12 million in first quarter 2012 respectively. In first quarter of 2014, the number of retail agents involved in branchless banking transaction was over 115,000 compared to less than 20,000 in first quarter 2012 In first quarter of 2014, the number of accounts involved in branchless banking transaction was over 3 million compared to less than 0.75 million in first quarter 2012 Adults with an account at a formal financial institution (percentage-wise) in Pakistan, India, South Asia and among lower middle income are 7%, 33%, 31% and 26% respectively in rural areas and 15%, 41%, 38% and 34% respectively in urban areas Adults with an account at a formal financial institution (percentage-wise) in Pakistan, India, South Asia and among lower middle income are 17%, 44%, 41% and 34% respectively among men and 03%, 25%, 25% and 23% respectively among women Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Youth Development Program is a visionary initiative to impart vocational training and skills development to the underprivileged youth in the province of Sindh. As a Founding Member of BBSYDP, it was my endeavor to introduce transparency in disbursement of stipend payments to the trainees who were based all over the province. Initially, the pri-

marily government-owned bank, National Bank of Pakistan, was requested by me to open individual accounts for trainees without any penalty or surcharge for zero balance. However, with only 180 branches in Sindh and due to lot of bureaucratic paperwork, the facility developed many hitches and created logistical difficulties for the trainees. Moreover, since the training period was only of six-month duration, NBP was reluctant to pragmatically support and continue this service.

Recently, it was decided to consider mobile banking as an alternative. Tameer Microfinance Bank in partnership with Telenor, a mobile service provider, introduced seamless banking in Pakistan in 2005. It brought an innovative service for the unbanked through a product known as “Easypaisa”. Easypaisa does more than 200,000 transactions daily through 32,000 outlets in 700 cities. It claims to move 1% of Pakistan’s GDP and was recognized as the 3rd Largest Mobile Money Service in the World in 2013. In Pakistan only 15 million people have an account in a formalized financial institution whereas there are 130 million cell phone SIM users in the country.

Easypaisa came up with a solution for BBSYDP to provide stress-free, uncomplicated and fast track accessibility to stipend payments through its retailer network. The Over-the-

Counter solution works through the CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card) number of the trainee. The amount would be disbursed at once to all trainees, and withdrawals could be made at any of the State Bank of Pakistan Licensed Easypaisa Agents in Pakistan. At the same time, the MIS Report would be immediately generated for BBSYDP for record and monitoring. The uncollected amount would be returned to BBSYDP within fifteen days. The Agreement also provides a dispute resolution mechanism, full transparency, strong outreach in far-flung and remote areas, and effortless accessibility through licensed Easypaisa agents.

There are 772 training institutes in Sindh that are registered under BBSYDP. The total Easypaisa agents in Sindh are in excess of 8300. As examples, there are 40 institutes in Ghotki while Easypaisa has 152 agents corresponding to 380% coverage. In Umarkot, there are 16 institutes while agents are 148, thus over 925% coverage. Similarly, in Hyderabad and Karachi there are 29 and 105 institutes while Easypaisa agents are 575 and 5036, representing nearly 2000% and 4800% access facility. The example of the Easypaisa-BBSYDP arrangement is given to highlight the growing confidence in mobile banking sector by people who would normally not have an account or are unable to travel to branches or outlets to

collect or remit money.

The favorable attitude towards mobile banking is a manifestation of consumer financial empowerment. The customers are getting hassle-free service and in close proximity to their home or place of work. The guiding line for service providers is, and should be, that customer behavior is re-defining the ways of conventional banking and that customers are less interested in visiting branches and wasting precious time. Ergo, it is imperative for banks to quickly and continuously recognize and respond to rapidly changing customer thinking. Banks also have to strongly focus on customer loyalty like never before since choices for banking transactions are rapidly increasing due to highly-charged, innovative, and enterprising solutions among the banks that are competing for their share of the customer pie. The future bodes well even for business-to-business transactions via mobile banking. The high point, of course, would be when mobile banking becomes, in the first phase, a SAARC connectivity rather than just a domestic affair. Global mobile banking transactions would then gradually become an everyday reality.

(The writer is Former President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Email: majydaziz@gmail.com

Currency

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UK

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Euro

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133.04

Canada

90.53

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Australia

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Sweden

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Japan

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Norway

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Singapore

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Denmark

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Saudi Arabia 26.21

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Malaysia

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UAE

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Kr. Won

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Thailand

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KE installs 143 new low-cost connections in deprived areas STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—K-Electric (KE) through its press statement was pleased to announce that the company has successfully installed new low-cost meters in the area of Baldia. Both Mianwali Colony and Pakhtoon Para were kunda infested areas where this low cost installation drive was conducted by the power utility. The concept of a ‘One Stop Shop’ was executed by KElectric where residents and shop owners could fill the application forms and get on-spot approval of the low-cost meters for an upfront cost of Rs.2, 600.

Prior to this drive these kunda infested areas were causing severe losses to the company, but KE conducted an aggressive prelaunch campaign, which included awareness sessions for the residents, distribution of pamphlets, formation of a camp office and announcements in nearby mosques. Residents were encouraged before this drive took place to take responsibility and get the new low-cost meters installed instead of using illegal hook connections. Giving details the press statement added that the company installed 143 low cost connections and the execution shall continue in the following days as well.

Nutshell Forum signs MoU OBSERVER REPORT LAHORE—Pakistan’s leading conference management organization Nutshell Forum today announced it has signed on Lahore-based Latitude Corporate Relationship Solutions for the provision of public relations services. Latitude is a boutique public relations and relationship management consultancy that offers a range of services in the fields of public and corporate relations and media management.

Latitude team will demonstrate its ability to build the strategic relationships and communications necessary for informing the public and other interest groups about the latest developments in Nutshell’s offerings and corporate standing. Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, CEO Nutshell Forum, said, “With so many event managing companies blooming in Pakistan, it’s important to bring on board a PR agency that understands the importance of brand building and developing a unique image on industry perspectives.

We felt the team at Latitude understands the need for wider communications campaigns that encompass more than just broadcasting news, including promoting events in an exclusive way.” Omar Jamil, CEO Latitude, added, “We share Nutshell Forum’s vision of a company that will give a new shape to the whole idea of event management and Nutshell Forum has all the tools and expertise required to do that.

Khurram chairs Treaty Implementation Cell meeting ISLAMABAD —The government is coordinating with rep- department, which will oversee and ensure effective impleresentatives of all federating units to appoint focal persons for implementation of treaties amending existing laws and promulgate new ones to bring them in accordance with the international conventions Pakistan has to comply under GSP Plus. This was stated by Federal Minister for Commerce Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan while chairing a meeting of Treaty Implementation Cell (TIC) here on Friday.

The TIC was established on the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif after the grant of GSP Plus to Pakistan by the European Union to ensure compliance with the international conventions. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to PM Khawaja Zaheer, Secretary Commerce Arbab Shahzad, Secretary Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Barrister ZafarUllah Khan, representatives of the law departments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber PakhtunKhwa, Baluchistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The provincial representatives informed the chair about the progress they made to promulgate laws regarding women, children, labour and minorities’ rights, torture against the weak, elimination of racial discrimination and civil, political and economic rights. In most cases, local Human Rights directorate is established with the local law

mentation of these laws.

It was informed in the meeting that TIC was conceived as a monitoring, oversight and coordinating body to ensure timely provision of the relevant data information from the corresponding provincial departments etc. required by the federal ministries on the specified format. The meeting confirmed that the Law Ministry had forwarded the templates on which provinces are expected to provide requisite information to federal ministries for preparation of consolidated reports for onward transmission to the UN monitoring bodies.

The Ministry of Commerce has set up a link on its website for all the relevant documents pertaining to UN Conventions, guidelines of the relevant UN monitoring bodies, templates of the reports, reservations by the Government of Pakistan as well as copies of previous reports sent to UN bodies. It was decided in the meeting that the Ministry of Commerce would also conduct seminars in consultation with other federal ministries and provincial departments concerned for raising awareness about the need for compliance with the international conventions.

In this regard, federal ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Narcotics Control and National Health Services and Regulations would also be taken on board. —APP

Punjab cabinet approves 2014-15 budget SALIM AHMED L AHORE —Punjab

Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over the meeting of Punjab Cabinet at Chief Minister’s office, here today. Provincial Ministers, Special Assistants, Advisors, Chief Secretary and concerned secretaries attended the meeting. The meeting gave formal approval to provincial budget for the fiscal year 2014-15. It also approved financial bill and revised estimates for the provincial budget for the year 2013-14. The Punjab cabinet also granted approval to developmental expenditures for the fiscal year 2014-15 and revised development budget for 2013-14. Secretary Finance Jehanzeb Khan apprised the meeting of the prominent features of provincial budget 2014-15.

Addressing the meeting the Chief Minister said that Punjab budget for the fiscal year 2014-15 will play an important role in the progress and prosperity of the people of the province and a new era of development will usher in the province. The Chief Minister appreciated the performance of Provincial Ministers especially Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, political colleagues, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretary Finance and concerned officers and staff who worked day and night for the preparation of the new budget and said that the entire political and administrative team deserves all out credit for its efforts. The meeting observed one minute’s silence to condole the death of the father of Provincial Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu.

Motorcycle parts import duty remains at 35 percent AMANULLAH KHAN KARACHI—Although the maximum import duty of 25 per cent announced in the federal budget 2014-15 yet the duty on import of motorcycle parts is still 35 percent, the industry is confused whether if it is an anomaly and if it is so it should be rectified!

All Pakistan Motorcycle Spare Parts Importers and Dealers Association (APMSPIDA) urges Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to reduce duty on import of motorcycle spare parts and bring it in line with maximum 25 percent import duty announced in Federal Budget 2014-15.

APMSPIDA Senior Vice Chairman, Khuram Riaz said the Finance Minister announced 25 percent maximum duty on imports whereas duty on import of motorcycle spare parts is kept at 35 percent. He said at present

motorcycle spare parts’ dealers paying around 85 percent taxes including 35 percent customs duty, 15 additional taxes, 17 percent sales tax, 5 percent income tax. He said motorcycle is not a luxury it is a transport of students, people in lower and middle-income group or poor segment of the society.

He demanded waver of 15 percent addition tax and bring down import duty on motorcycle spare parts to 25 percent from 35 percent. Former President of the association, Faisal Khalil said higher import duty on motorcycle spare parts encourages its smuggling and deprives the government of import revenue. Former Chairman APMSPIDA M Rehan Hanif further pointed out towards serious and alarmingly growing problem of smuggling of motorcycle spare parts on massive scale from China through Sust Border and Afghan Transit Trade; this is because of the high rate of duty.

Zong Telecom officially starts ‘Super 3G’ services ZUBAIR QURESHI ISLAMABAD—Zong Telecom, a China mobile phone company has announced the official start of its exciting ‘Super 3G’ service for consumers in major cities of Pakistan at a press conference here on Friday. ‘Super 3G’ will help consumers experience lightening fast internet, through which they will be able to stream songs and videos within seconds. Zong ‘Super 3G’ will offer best in class technology HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access) which will offer maximum speeds of up to 42 Mbps (twice as fast as normal 3G available in Pakistan).

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Super 3G’ service, Dr. Fan Yunjun, chairman and chief executive, Zong said, “Superior customer service is an integral part of our business and cannot be ignored. Through our infrastructure - our people and processes are aligned to provide a differentiated customer experience as we keep the customer first in all that we do. Our ‘Super 3G’ service is just another example of our commitment towards providing the best data solutions to our tech-savvy customers.

Our service shall offer speeds of up to 42 Mbps while normal 3G offers speeds of up to 21 Mbps. So Zong ‘Super 3G’ is twice

as fast as normal 3G available in Pakistan today.

The initial launch targets the two major cities of Pakistan i.e. Karachi and Lahore where we have the vastest coverage and will ensure the fastest data speed available.

The second stage shall see us expand our services to other major cities”. He added “Customers should look forward to superior 4G services in the months to come.” All existing Zong SIMs are ‘Super 3G’ enabled so customers will not have to go through any inconvenience to get a new SIM, the tariff for 2G & 3G customers are essentially the same so customers can start using Super 3G and enjoy fast data speeds at the same exciting rates as before. Services will be available simply by changing ones network settings.

The unmatched speeds will give customers the freedom of uninterrupted streaming of their favorite movies, videos and more, lightning fast downloads, indulging in fun and entertaining games with friends, and connecting to their loved ones. Zong has the fastest growth in subscriber base in the industry and is now geared to provide the benefits of Super 3G connectivity across Pakistan to make a greater difference in the industry as a leading telecom player.

AIL establishes Agriauto stamping company STAFF REPORTER K ARACHI —Agriauto Industries Limited (AIL) has established Agriauto Stamping Company which would pave the way for die making and developing high tensile sheet metal parts for the auto industry in Pakistan.

The inauguration ceremony of the company at Port Qasim was attended by auto industry stakeholders, officials from OEMs, members of the auto parts makers association, customers, representatives from House of Habib and Agriauto family.

The company has been established with the technical collaboration of

Ogihara Thailand Company, one of the largest makers of dies and sheet metal parts for the automotive industry.

‘This facility will be a benchmark for the auto part makers in Pakistan as the company has a modern, custom made plant which houses state of the art equipment and facilities,’ said a spokesman of the company.

‘The company will provide direct employment to 120 skilled members. Moreover, ten of the company’s engineers and technicians have received specialized training in Thailand for three to six months to match the parts quality as of the imports,’ he added.

ISLAMABAD: Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Commerce attending a meeting of Treaty Implementation Cell along with Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed, Special Assistant to PM.

WMBL launches ATM/Debit card facility STAFF REPORTER K A R A C H I — Wa s e e l a Microfinance Bank Ltd (WMBL) has launched ATM /Debit Card as a means to address the banking needs of growing customer base. The ATM /Debit Card launch was jointly announced by Rashid Khan, Chairman WMBLand President and CEO Mobilink and Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEOWMBL in a ceremony held in Islamabad.

With the launch of this facility, Waseela Microfinance Bank is one of a few Microfinance Banks that facilitate their customers for banking transactions through ATM machines across the country. Rashid Khan, Chairman WMBL and President & CEO Mobilink, speaking on the occasion said, “Waseela Bank believes in empowering its Customers with facilities that bring convenience and ease to their lives. I am confident that with this service along with many to come, the Bank will continue to bring innovation to the palms of our customers”.

Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO Waseela Microfinance Bank commenting on the product said, “ATM / Debit Card is an essential device for migrating Consumer Cash to safer electronic mode of transactions. The service will specially add value to our customers who can now use over 7600 ATMs across Pakistan for making financial transactions and withdrawing cash”.

Waseela Microfinance Bank’s ATM /Debit Card can be used for withdrawal of cash, transfer of money, account information and other corporate solutions like disbursement of salary and social disbursements. It can be operated at any 1- Link or MNET ATMs across the country.

Mian Tariq Misbah as LCCI acting president STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—The LCCI Senior Vice President Mian Tariq Misbah will perform as acting President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) ne 13 to 29 in the absence of the LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari, who has left for a business visit along with a trade delegation.

Mian Tariq Misbah is an Old Aitchisonian and Ravian. He completed his BBA from USA. He has a rich family business history in the field of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Distribution of over 50 years.

Presently, he is Director of Pharmasales International (Pvt) Ltd., involved in Distribution and Marketing of Medicines.

He is also Director of Popular Chemical Works (Pvt) Ltd., a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Unit. Popular Chemical Works (Pvt) Ltd. has business collaborations with RottaPharma, Milan, Italy and Servier Reserch and Pharmaceuticals, Gidy, France. Other business concerns include Crystalling Ampoule Works (Pvt) Ltd. A fully automated Glass Ampoule Manufacturing Unit and Nazir Zarai Farms-involved in Farming & Orchards.

Managing Director PIA, Muhammad Junaid Yunus with Mr. Nabil Habayeb, President & CEO of GE Capital Aviation Services(GECAS) ME & North Africa region after signing an agreement at Dubai for three A320 aircraft with deliveries commencing from July 2014.

Dr Fan Yunjun Chairman and CEO Zong alongwith Dr Ismail Shah Chairman PTA and their executive teams at the ‘Zong Super 3G’ Launching.

Skilled manpower key for industrial development STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) President Engr.

Sohail bin Rashid said that availability of skilled manpower is not only a key to success for industrial development of Pakistan but also for individual socio-economic prosperity and poverty alleviation in the society. Close and effective liaison with the industry can help TEVTA for training the youth in demand driven and employable trades.

He was addressing a seminar regarding sensitization & TVET Networking event with the selected Chambers of Commerce & Industries across the Province of the Punjab organized by Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) in collaboration with a German NGO, GIZ. Vice President Faisalabad Chaudhary Muhammad Asghar, Members of Executive Committee of Chamber of Com-

merce and Industry, TEVTA District Board of Management, renowned industrialists, TEVTA management was also present on the occasion. He also said that Pakistan has plenty of natural and human resource for economic development. With clear vision and sustained & organized efforts to implement it, TVET sector can revolutionize socio-economic landscape in Pakistan.

TEVTA can play its vital role in the national development process by providing trained workforce for local industry and also for export to the global set-up. Ends ty General Manager (Coordination and Communication) TEVTA while addressing the participants said that Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) is doing its full efforts to provide trained manpower according to the requirement of the industry. During the last five years, TEVTA has established 72 new Technical and Vocational Institutes across the province of the Punjab.

Daily opening & closing rates PMEX Index Total Volume (Lots): Traded Value (Rs):

3,021 13,292 3,743,486,696

Commodity .............................. Price Quotation .................... Open ............. Close CRUDE OIL ............................. $ Per Barrel ............................. 105.94 ............ 107.04 SILVER ..................................... $ Per Ounce ........................... 19.325 ............ 19.508 GOLD ....................................... $ Per Ounce ........................... 1,265.4 ........... 1,272.4 GOLD ....................................... Rs Per 10 gms ........................ 40,634 ............ 40,834 MTOLAGOLD ........................ Rs Per Tola ............................. 48,610 ............ 48,982 GOLD ....................................... Rs Per Tola ............................. 48,610 ............ 48,982 RICEIRRI6 ............................... Rs Per 100 kg ......................... 3,554 .............. 3,553 PALMOLEIN .......................... Rs Per Maund ....................... 4,345 .............. 4,353 SUGAR .................................... Rs Per kg ................................ 46.51 .............. 46.50 ICOTTON ................................ US Cents per pound ............. 85.45 .............. 85.90 WHEAT ................................... Rs Per 100 kg ......................... 3,330 .............. 3,329 The total value traded was up by 20.79 percent to PKR 3,743m from PKR 3,099m.

Number of lots traded were reported at 13,292 and PMEX Commodity Index closed at 3,021. Major business was contributed by gold amounting to PKR 1,880m, followed by crude oil (PKR 1,727m) and silver (PKR 134m). While there was 62 percent increase in gold volume to PKR 1,880m from PKR 1,161m, there was also 279 percent increase in silver volume to PKR 134m from PKR 35m.

PHF to bid for 2020 Champions Trophy: Akhtar ROTTERDAM—Pakistan has decided to bid spect from FIH and world hockey commufor 2020 Champions Trophy, chief of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Chaudhary Akhtar Rasool said on Friday.

“We will be submitting our written bid and security plans to FIH within the next few weeks,” he told APP Sports Correspondent Ehsan Qureshi in an exclusive interview.

He expressed his confidence that international hockey will be returning to Pakistan with support of International Hockey Federation.

Olympian Akhtar Rasool, thanked FIH chief Leandro Negre for his strong support in helping in the revival of international hockey in Pakistan. “FIH have assured us their best support and assistance in perusing international teams for take part in Prime Minister’s Gold Cup hockey,” he said.

“FIH’s approval for PM Gold Cup is major breakthrough and good news for Pakistan hockey,” he said.

He said Pakistan is getting good re-

nity because of their grand contribution in the field hockey and introducing and launching of World Cup and Champions Trophy.

He told, he, with former PHF President Qasim Zia and Secretary General Rana Mujahid Ali holding meetings and establishing liaison with other hockey nations.

Akhtar Rasool admitted that security is an issue but added that they are convincing different teams to come to Pakistan, 6-8 nations, for the PM Gold Cup. He was quite confident that they will be able to attract teams to feature in PM Gold Cup which will be staged in Lahore between November 2014 to January 2015.

He expressed his optimism that the standard of hockey will improve with return of international hockey back to Pakistan.

“We are making strenuous effort for the international hockey and Inshallah our efforts will bore fruits,” he said.—APP

Inter-Club Kabaddi Championship begins on Saturday PESHAWAR—Peshawar District Inter-Club Kabaddi Championship, carrying eight different teams from eight different villages, will commence Saturday at Wapda Colony Ground here. This was stated by Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Kabaddi Association Arbab Naseer while talking to APP here on Friday. He said all the registered clubs will take part.

The Championship will continue for three days.

Meanwhile, the second phase of talent hunt programme of the Malik Cricket Academy will be organized soon after Ramzan wherein Under-17 players of Chitral will be imparted.

Talking to APP, Managing Director Malik Cricket Academy Malik Farman Ali said that a programme regarding training and coaching would be launched soon after Ramazan wherein Under17 players would be eligible.

He said the second phase will start from District Chitral.

He said in the first sixday camp trials would be conducted.

He said after the trials the players would be shortlisted and would be put under rigorous training.—APP

Girls, boys TT Championship begins

PESHAWAR: Players in action during District Inter-Club Girls and Boys Table Tennis Championship on Friday.

Peshawar Orange reach Challenge Hockey Cup final PESHAWAR—Peshawar Orange team moved into the final after defeating Peshawar Red in the semi-finals of the Peshawar District Challenge Hockey Cup being played here at Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium on Friday.

Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association and member of the Executive Board of Pakistan Hockey Federation Syed Zahir Shah was the chief guest on this occasion and before the start of the semi-final were introduced to the players. President Peshawar District Hockey Association Haji Hidayat Ullah Khan, officials and players were also present.

In the first semi-final match both Peshawar Orange and Peshawar Red have played very attacking hockey. Right-half Ziaur-Rehman opened the account for Peshawar Red in the very 5th minute and while international hockey player Yasir Islam netted another goal in the 12th minute to make the tally 2-0. On the other hands, Peshawar Orange after conceding two goals managed their position and played with determination by making some good attacking moves as a result in the 20th and 22nd minute Irfan and Sadam slammed in one goal each to make the tally 2-2. —APP

PESHAWAR—Peshawar District Girls and Boys Table Tennis Championship got under way here at Qayyum Sports Complex under the aegis of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Badminton and Table Tennis Association on Friday.

Director Sports PSB Coaching Center and former World No. 2 Mohib Khan was the chief guest on this occasion. The office-bearers of the table tennis association were also present. A total of 8 girls are taking part in the event.

In the opening day matches of the table tennis Qainat, Amna, Nimra and Iqra took part in the semi-finals after registering victories.

Qainat defeated Aysha by 20, the score was 11-6 and 117, Amina beat Fatima by 2-0, the score was 11-5 and 11-3, Nimra beat Sana by 11-8 and 11-4 while Iqra outclassed Sana Aamir by 11-6 and 118.—APP

Aqil foresees end of Tug-of-war of sports in Pakistan PESHAWAR—Former Sports Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Syed Aqil Shah has expressed the hope that the tussle between IOC backed Pakistan Olympic Association of Lt. Gen (Retd) Arif Hassan and PSB led POA of Maj. Gen (Retd) Akram Shahi would come to an end soon.

This he said while addressing in a reception hosted by former Town Nazim Haroon Bilour at his residence with members of Aqil Shah led associations attended. Aqil Shah, who is supporting IOC backed POA of Arif Hassan, claimed that the tussle between the two generals would come to end after the schedule meeting of the two parties with President IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland on June 19, 2014.

He claimed that the IOC has so many times made it clear that Lt. Gen.

(Retd) Arif Hassan is the President of NOC Pakistan but parallel bodies formed by Akram Sahi did not accept the decision. He said NOC Pakistan led by Lt.Gen (Retd) Arif is genuine and no other body recognized by OCA or IOC. Aqil Shah said that he has taken the matter with Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sports Amjad Afridi of not issuing the annual grant to the associations by the provincial government and hopefully it would be resolved soon after the said meeting.

“I told him that the matter would be resolved after the meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Amjad Afridi promised me that the issue of annual grant to the associations would be resolved in the light of the decision of IOC,” Aqil Shah added.

“We don’t want to lapse the funds meant only as an annual grant for the associations,” Aqil Shah said. He said now it is up to the IOC to take the decision either in favour of Lt. Gen (Retd) Arif Hassan or Maj. Gen (Retd) Akram Shahi.

He expressed grave concerned over the poor attitude of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for not recognizing the performance shown by Kishwar Ali, winner of Mr. Pakistan title. He urged upon the government to come forward and encourage those who won medals at national level with cash incentives.

He promised to hold a reception in the honour of all those who won medals at national and international levels for the province wherein they would also be awarded cash prizes.— APP

PESHAWAR: Director Sports PSB Coaching Center Mohibullah Khan with the players of District Inter-Club Girls and Boys Table Tennis Championship.

Root double-ton exhausts Sri Lanka L ORD ’ S —Dip your bread, Joe Root will have been told since childhood on days like this. Like Oliver Twist, he dipped his bread and then asked to dip it some more. Sri Lanka did not possess a bowler with the capability to scold him. The outcome was that he became the fourth-youngest England batsman to hit a Test doublecentury, a poster boy for a new generation.

This was a bountiful Lord’s batting surface and the Sri Lanka attack had serious limitations, but Root’s response over eight-and-a-half hours was impeccable.

There was a uniformity in his progress. He reached his hundred just before the close on the first day. His 150 followed from the last ball before lunch on the second day, another clip through midwicket, an area where he was highly productive, this time off the left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

Herath, too, was lapped for the runs that in turn brought up his 200, an immediate declaration, and an infectious grin.

“Grin away,” Bill Sikes told Oliver Twist. “Grin away.” But Sikes was menacingly brandishing a poker.

Sri Lanka’s fielders bore only warm congratulations.

Sri Lanka looked so disconsolate they might have turned Lord’s, with all its trappings, into a day in the workhouse. Their over rate was criminal - 12 overs an hour on the second day as they stretched the game out wherever possible to spare their pace bowlers and generally failed to get on with the job. Test cricket cannot afford such liberties, and Sri Lanka’s captain, Angelo Mathews, should reflect on it.

Root likes Lord’s. Last summer, against Australia, he made 180 before missing out on a double century as he attempted a Dilscoop.

England, who would surely have declared with nine down in normal circumstances, kept the game running to give him a chance to make amends.

England’s 575 for 9 dec was their highest Test score since they made 591 for 6 declared against India at The Oval three years ago. Sri Lanka’s will have strong hopes that a draw is achievable and that the Lord’s pitch will remain a featherbed to Joe Root the end but, after a run of Test. successive draws between 2006 and 2008, there have been ten positive results in the last 11.

England earlier rid themselves of an unwelcome batting statistic when they reached 400 for the first time in 27 innings. As Jonathan Trott and Nick Compton struck hundreds in Wellington only 15 months ago, few would have imagined the canker that would take hold of their batting and the conflicts and personal trauma that

would unfold. Back-to-back series against Australia can have that effect.

The jollity of the second day at Lord’s had an entirely different feel.

England made 129 in the session, rattling along at five an over. In no rush to leave the pleasuredome, they piled up a further 102 after lunch.

The new ball was only nine overs old when play resumed on the second morning. But the day was warm and sunny, the pitch sedate and Root’s sixth-wicket stand with Matt Prior was already worth 149. The Middlesex flag flew at half mast in memory of their former coach, Don Bennett; many Sri Lanka players wore black armbands to mourn the death of the wife of their former bowling coach, Champika Ramanayake.

of England celebrating his double-hundred against Sri Lanka in the Lord’s

It was not long before Sri Lanka changed tack and started banging the ball halfway down the pitch in the hope of discovering some indifferent bounce and reminding England of their frailties against the short ball in Australia. All they lacked was a Mitchell Johnson. And a quick, bouncy pitch.

And a hostile crowd. In fact, come to think of it, they lacked quite a lot.

Shaminda Eranga, short of match practice, had looked out of synch on the first day, but he carried the short-ball fight with resolve. Prior Bowling: ............ O-M-R-W and Chris Jordan Kulasekara .......... 22-3-83-1 both fell to short Pradeep .............. 29-2-123-4 balls into the Eranga ................ 30-3-163-3 body from Mathews ............. 11-2-39-0 around the Herath ............. 37.3-2-136-1 wicket, Prior anThirimanne .............. 1-0-7-0 gry with himself SRI LANKA 1st innings: as he fended to Karunaratne c Prior short leg, still 14 b Jordan 38 runs short of a Silva not out ................... 27 potential century, KC Sangakkara not out . 12 Jordan looking Total: (1 wicket) .............. 77 more mystified as Fall of wickets: 1-54 he shot in selfBowling: ............ O-M-R-W protection arced Anderson .............. 6-0-28-0 gently to the Broad ..................... 7-1-32-0 wicketkeeper.

CJ Jordan ............ 2.5-0-17-1 That keeper Plunkett ................... 1-1-0-0 was Prasanna Jayawardene, al-

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND 1st innings: Cook b Kulasekara ......... 17 Robson b Pradeep ........... 1 Balance c Jayawardene b Pradeep ............................ 23 IR Bell lbw b Eranga ...... 56 Root not out ................. 200 Ali c Jayawardene b Herath ........................... 48 Prior c Silva b Eranga .... 86 Jordan c b Eranga .......... 19 Broad b Pradeep ............. 47 Plunkett c Silva b Pradeep39 Anderson not out ............ 9 Extras: (b 12, lb 12, nb 6) 30 Total: (9 wickets) .......... 575 Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-22, 374, 4-120, 5-209, 6-380, 7-402, 8-466, 9-547

Mohsin wins Inter-Club Snooker Championship P ESHAWA R —Mohsin Ali lifted the trophy of the Peshawar District Inter-Club Snooker Championship played at Tey Tey Club, Gulbahar here on Friday.

Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Billiard and Snooker Association Zulfiqar Butt was the chief guest on this occasion.

Organizing Secretary Ali, officials and players were also present.

Mohsin Ali defeated Muhammad Amir in a five frame battle, the score was 43-27, 28-53, 18-58, 62-23 and 42-41. A total of 12 players took part in the Championship. At the end, the chief guest gave away trophies and cash prizes.— APP

though he had not taken the field at the start of the day after injuring a hand in the warm-up. While Jayawardene had a scan - which showed no real damage - Kaushal Silva, a regular wicketkeeper, deputised.

Prior and Root’s stand of 171 in 39 was an England sixth-wicket record against Sri Lanka and Root, apart from one gloved pull shot against Eranga which flew close to Kaushal, the stand-in wicketkeeper, pottered along amiably, his appetite for batting far from sated.

Sri Lanka were content to encourage him off the strike, but when they did so they met a barrage of blows from the lower order, briefly from Jordan and latterly from Broad and Plunkett. Root’s

second hundred, until the last man James Anderson came to the crease, was understated as a consequence.

Stuart Broad’s relaxed 47 from 38 balls, assisted by some poorly directed Sri Lanka bowling, confirmed England’s position of authority on a bountiful morning for batting, He was fortunate not to be stumped - the third umpire reprieving him on a marginal call, also when he was 47 - when Herath beat his defensive stretch, but he slapped Nuwan Pradeep to deep midwicket in the following over without adding to his score.

Sri Lanka’s fielding was not short of lapses. Pradeep ran the wrong way at long leg as Jordan’s pull at Eranga flew over his head; Eranga dropped a sitter off Pradeep in the penultimate over before lunch as Liam Plunkett, on 2, pulled in front of square. The Fast Bowlers’ Union is clearly not what it was. Not many are.

Plunkett can bat. Not many Test No. 10s, though, have been able to observe bowling tactics so quizzically.

After lunch Sri Lanka set five fielders for the pull - fine leg, long leg, deep square leg, square leg, short leg.

Plunkett pulled three boundaries in an over. Until he also fell to a pull, lobbing Pradeep to midwicket, it was the easiest return to Test cricket imaginable. There again, he had to bowl on it yet.—AFP

Junior Hockey World Cup in Canberra in 2016 ROTTERDAM —The 11th edition of Junior Hockey World Cup will be held at Australian capital city of Canberra in May 2016, International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Friday.

“Dates of the events will be finalized in consultations with Hockey Australia”, a spokesman of FIH said. We are working on it and the dates will be finalized in the next few months.

Pakistan finished 9th in the previous edition of the Junior World Cup held in New Delhi. But Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) have launched plan to prepare Pakistan team, writes APP Senior Sports Correspondent Ehsan Qureshi.

As compared to 12 teams in the seniors Hockey World Cup, overall 16 teams from across the globe will be featuring in Junior World Cup. Germany will be defending their title.

“Junior World Hockey Cup is an important event of FIH calendar because it is base of grooming young players for the futures,”

he said.

In the meantime, PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid Ali said a massive effort is on afoot to groom, train and prepare the junior lot of players for upcoming junior mega event.

He said process to select the players of Under-16 age group was launched and selection committee headed by Islahuddin Siddiqui has picked 52 boys who are undergoing training at Karachi’s Hockey Club of Pakistan.

Olympians Manzoor-ul-Hasan, Qamar Ibrahim, Kamran Ashraf and Muhammad Irfan are supervising the training camp.

Rana Mujahid said as part of preparations of the junior team, Pakistan will take part in the Sultan Johar Junior International Tournament to be held October later this year.

He expressed the hope this junior lot of players will undergo through rigorous training and workout to be in top shape to achieve good results in Australia.—APP

Host Brazil makes perfect start to World Cup campaign S A O P AULO —Brazil launched the emony which included the appearance to quell protests.

World Cup with an emotion-fuelled 31 victory over Croatia on Thursday as an opening day which began with violent clashes gave way to an outpouring of joyful celebrations.

Barcelona superstar Neymar scored in each half as Brazil recovered from conceding an early Marcelo own goal to set up a win before hordes of golden-shirted fans at the 61,600 Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo.

Chelsea midfielder Oscar put the seal on the win with a late strike from distance to trigger delirium.

The host nation´s Group A victory was greeted by an explosion of fireworks across Sao Paulo, a sharp contrast to several hours earlier when riot police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse angry protests.

But a largely free-flowing tournament-opener was shrouded in controversy, with Brazil´s second coming courtesy of a dubious penalty when Croatia defender Dejan Lovren was harshly adjudged to have shoved Fred over.

The hosts, chasing a record sixth World Cup, had also enjoyed a degree of good fortune in the first half when Neymar received only a yellow card for elbowing Croatia´s playmaker Luka Modric.

Moments later Neymar scored Brazil´s equaliser to settle home nerves after Marcelo´s 11th-minute own goal.

Lovren was furious with the performance of Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura, branding his display a “scandal.” “Two billion people I think saw that it was not a penalty. I didn´t touch him,” Lovren said. “It wasn´t a mistake, it was a scandal.”

Pop superstars Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull headlined a lavish opening cer-

FIFA World Cup mania grips fans in Pakistan

of a paraplegic wearing a robotic bodysuit controlled by brain signals who performed a ceremonial kick-off.

The match began after a hearty rendition of Brazil´s national anthem with fans — exhorted to unite behind the team by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari — roaring their support for the “Selecao.”

Even after the music stopped, fans and players belted out one more verse.

Brazil captain Thiago Silva epitomised the mood, bellowing a rallying cry to his team-mates as they embarked on their quest to earn a first title on home soil. The victory provided a euphoric counterpoint to scenes earlier in the day when violent protests in Sao Paulo had threatened a stormy start to the month-long football extravaganza.

It had been a torrid seven-year build-up bedevilled by delays and public anger at the tournament´s $11 billion cost, and scattered protests took place Thursday in several of the cities which will host World Cup games.

The worst violence took place just a few kilometres from the opening match, as anarchist demonstrators in black shirts and masks lit bonfires of rubbish after armoured police sought

But Sao Paulo and other cities largely went quiet as the game started.

Yellow and green flags hung from many buildings.

After the victory some fans expressed hope Brazil could rally behind the team´s campaign. “This joy will be a contagion that will spread to all Brazilians,” said Jonathan de Jesus Silva, 21, a nursing student. “This happiness will help bring a better climate.”

Protesters who last year brought chaos to the Confederations Cup rehearsal tournament had vowed to march on the Sao Paulo stadium. But riot police responded forcefully, chasing protesters up a main avenue and firing tear gas in the middle of oncoming traffic, forcing cars decorated with the Brazilian flag to weave their way through the chaos.

A cannister fired by police hit and injured a CNN journalist and an AFP correspondent saw one woman in tears clutching her arm.

In Rio de Janeiro, striking ground staff briefly blocked a road leading to the city´s international airport.

Around 1,000 protesters also gathered in the city centre, a small group of them scuffling with police, who arrested four people.

A total of 64 games will culminate with the July 13 final in Rio de Janeiro´s Maracana Stadium next month.

Friday´s action promises more drama, with world champions Spain facing the Netherlands in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup final in the northern city of Salvador in Group B. Group B´s other encounter sees dark horses Chile take on Australia. In the day´s other remaining game, Mexico play Cameroon in Group A. —AFP

Croatia coach slams referee after opening game defeat

SAO PAULO: David Luiz shows his joy after Oscar sealed 3-1 win for Brazil over Croatia in the opening match of World Cup.

No Suarez, but Uruguay still pack a punch in attack

R IO D E J ANEIRO —The big rematch be- announcing he is leaving Barcelona to reFORTALEZA (Brazil)—Luis tween Spain and Netherlands has come turn to Chelsea on a five-year deal.

Suarez looks certain to sit out Uruguay’s World Cup Group D opener against Costa Rica on Saturday but in Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan the South Americans still boast a formidable attacking partenership.

Suarez had keyhole sur-

SAO PAULO—Furious Croatia coach Niko at least a draw from a match played at a I SLAMABAD —Like other Kovac blamed “out of his depth” referee packed Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo, also parts of the world, FIFA World Cup fever has gripped fans in Pakistan as they have left no stone unturned to show their love and passion for the game.

Though Pakistan is 164th ranked soccer team, fans here are as enthusiastic as in any other part of the world. Enthusiasts in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad too are much excited about their favourite teams and players and its reflection can be seen anywhere.

The Embassy of Brazil in collaboration with the Islamabad Marriott Hotel has brought the energy and excitement of the Football World Cup to the Capital.

Mega projectors have been set up for the entire duration of the Football World Cup at the Nadia Coffee Shop and a dedicated Sports Lounge.—APP

Yuichi Nishimura and warned the World Cup could turn into a circus after a contentious penalty decision effectively cost his team the opening game of the tournament against Brazil.

Japanese ref Nishimura ruled that Croatia’s Dejan Lovren had fouled Fred when the Brazilian fell to the floor with 20 minutes remaining and the score at 1-1. Neymar converted the penalty for his second goal of the game and they went on to win 3-1 in Thursday’s Group A match.

“This was ridiculous today, and if we continue in this way we will have a circus,” Kovac told a news conference dominated by questions about the penalty. “If that’s a penalty, we don’t need to play football any more. Let’s play basketball instead.

The lads played their hearts out but that was outright thuggery by a referee who was just out of his depth for a game of this magnitude.” Kovac, who said his team deserved

felt Oscar’s third goal near the end of the game should not have been allowed due to a foul earlier in the move.

“Was there a foul on my player? Yes. It was a foul. But that’s life. We will march on.

We will not be swayed.”

Kovac, stony-faced yet calm, praised his team, which took the lead in the 11th minute after an own goal by Marcelo, and had several scoring chances during the rest of the match.

“My lads have fought for two years to reach the World Cup. They worked hard, prepared, and then they were faced with such a penalty decision here. You can imagine walking into our dressing room - what kind of mood my lads are in.” Kovac said he did not blame Fred for his theatrical fall.

“The referee was well-placed, he was not unsighted, he saw everything and he took that decision,” he said. “I don’t blame Fred at all.”—APP

THE HAGUE: Ashleigh Nelson of Australia vies for the ball Katie O´Donnell of the US during a stage match between the United States and Australia in the women´s tournament of the Field Hockey World Cup.

Spain vs Netherlands, the rematch

gery on his left knee just three weeks ago and although he appears to be recovering well, coach Oscar Tabarez is unlikely to risk him against what promises to be the weakest team in the group.

The Liverpool striker was sensational in the English Premier League last season, scoring 31 goals in 33 appearances, way more than any other player.

But although his absence is a concern for the Uruguayans, they are blessed with an abundance of attacking riches.

Cavani comes to Brazil after a successful first season at Paris St Germain and while Forlan’s star has faded somewhat since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he still has the intelligence and dead-ball expertise to unlock any defence. He will need it because if there is one thing that Costa Rica do well it is defending.

The Ticos conceded fewer goals than any other team in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, averaging well under one goal a game to finish as runnersup to the United States.

In Keylor Navas, they boast one of the best goalkeepers in the competition.

He was instrumental in securing a mid-table finish for his modest Spanish club side Levante last season.

So much so that the official La Liga website hailed him as “the league’s best” goalkeeper ahead of more illustrious peers at Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

But the Costa Ricans have been hit hard by injuries on the road to Brazil 2014.—AFP

around quickly. The teams that played in the final of the last World Cup meet again on Day 2 in Brazil.

The 2014 tournament kicked off with host nation Brazil beating Croatia 3-1 after conceding an early own goal on Thursday. The Group B clash between defending champion Spain and Netherlands is one of three games set for Friday.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben has consigned his team’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2010 final to history, saying he doesn’t believe in revenge and there’s no way to compare a group game with a title decider.

That doesn’t mean there’ll be any less ferocity in the tackles.

On the eve of the rematch, coach Louis van Gaal defended the tough tackling in the 2010 final that resulted in a total of 13 yellow cards, one red card and wide criticism for his predecessor. That sounds like a cue for more of the same.

Van Gaal signaled he’s considering playing five defenders to stifle Spain’s slick-passing forwards in a further sign that the attacking ‘’total football’’ style of the Dutch teams of the 1970s and ’80s has been supplanted by a tough, uncompromising focus on defense.

And they train as they intend to play Robben was floored twice in tackles in practice this week and midfield playmaker Wesley Sneijder was left wincing in pain after a tackle from behind by Nigel de Jong.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque believes his team is in its prime and determined to continue a winning run in major events that started at Euro 2008.

Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa is expected to start up front for a Spain, which will likely be relying on a midfield containing David Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Busquets to help the team dominate possession.

Fabregas will be playing a day after

Jose Mourinho’s exclusive World Cup analysis Venue: Salvador. Kickoff: 4 p.m. local time (3 p.m. in New York, 8 p.m. in London, 4 a.m. in Tokyo).

Midfield playmaker Arturo Vidal could make an earlier than expected comeback from injury to play in Chile’s World Cup

opener against Australia.

Vidal, who had knee surgery last month, practiced well this week, leading coach Jorge Sampaoli to say it was ‘’highly likely’’ the Juventus star would be fit before Chile’s game against the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

Most of the pre-tournament attention in Group B has focused on the 2010 finalists Spain and Netherlands, but the way the Chileans have risen steadily in the rankings has many pundits - even Brazil great Pele - picking them to progress out of the group.

If Vidal doesn’t play, the attacking thrust will fall mostly on speedy Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez, who is among the players who’ve benefited from Sampaoli’s expansive and hightempo tactics and is more than capable of exploiting any weaknesses in the inexperienced Australian defense.—AP

Saurav Ganguly likely to be shown the recordings of few IPL matches BIPIN DANI OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT M UMBAI —Former India captain Saurav Ganguly’s first official interaction with other members of the Mudgal panel is scheduled on June 18 in Delhi.

In fact Ganguly’s inputs were earlier sought by Mudgal panel when he was invited during the fact-fixing mission conducted by the same members.

Now, being himself in the panel, Saurav Ganguly, in the presence of police officials from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, is likely to be shown the recordings of few IPL matches and his expert opinion on on shots played by suspectful batsmen and actions of few bowlers while delivering the balls will be sought.

Interestingly, Rakesh Maria, the

Mumbai Police commissioner is now taking personal interest in the investigation.

He, along with his colleagues, met the IPL members on Sunday in Mumbai.

Maria is believed to have formed a special team, who will secretly investigate the betting and fixing allegations.

No high opinion about Mumbai Police was formed by Mudgal panel in its original probe committee report. “The approach of the Mumbai police appears very curious and more so keeping in mind the abrupt voluntary statement of the Mumbai Police before the Committee that their focus in the said investigation was Gurunath Meiyappan”, the original report says.

However, Maria’s recent meeting with the Mudgal probe panel was believed to be very impressive.

Public knows little about head, neck cancers

F

EW Americans know the signs and symp toms of head and neck cancers, a new study shows. What’s more, only about one in eight is aware that some of the cancers can be linked to human papillomavirus, or HPV. The sexually transmitted infection is better known for causing cervical cancer in women, but is also behind an increase in the rate of throat cancer, particularly among men.

“Public awareness of head and neck cancer is really, really low, and that is probably harming people because they’re not aware of the risk factors and symptoms,” senior author Dr. Benjamin Judson, from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut told Reuters Health. Head and neck cancers include cancer of the throat, voice box, mouth and tongue.

Smoking causes more than 75 percent of the cases in the United States, the authors write in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

The cancers have been declining overall, the researchers note. But studies show that rates of throat cancer tied to HPV, which can be transmitted through oral sex, tripled between 1988 and 2004. “It’s an epidemic,” Judson said. Head and neck cancers account for about three percent of all cancers in U.S. adults.

Head and neck cancer patients, including actor Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed in 2010 with late-stage throat cancer that he attributed to oral sex, tend to seek care after the disease has progressed to advanced stages. In those cases, treatment is more challenging and sur-

vival less likely. “Head and neck cancer is about as common as thyroid cancer and melanoma, but it causes more deaths than the two cancers combined,” Judson said. “If people are aware of the risks and the signs and symptoms, they could be diagnosed earlier.”

He and his colleagues surveyed 2,126 adults to gauge their knowledge of head and neck cancers. The vast majority who completed an online questionnaire knew little or nothing about the tumors or their causes and symptoms, the study found.

Less than one percent of respondents identified HPV as a risk factor for mouth and throat cancer, though in specific questions about 13 percent said they knew of an association between HPV and throat cancer.

Respondents with a college degree were more likely to associate HPV infection with throat cancer; still, less than 15 percent made the connection.

Less than 15 percent of respondents recognized sores that never heal as a symptom of the diseases. Only five percent recognized a sore throat as a symptom and just half a percent saw mouth or throat bleeding as a sign of cancer.

The most common symptoms of throat cancer are voice changes, difficulty swallowing, mouth lesions that don’t heal, neck lumps and mouth sores, speech pathologist Edie Hapner told Reuters Health. Hapner, from Emory University in Atlanta, was not involved in the current research but has studied public awareness of head and neck cancers.

The lack of public knowledge about the diseases came as no surprise to Hapner.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah presenting budget for fiscal year 2014-15 estimated around Rs 680 billion in the Assembly on Friday.

Nation to take a united stand against terrorism: Altaf KARACHI—MQM chief Altaf

Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhru distributes teacher appointments letters at a distribution ceremony held at Art Council.—PO photo Sultan Chaki

Provincial Govt to use branchless banking for scholarships distribution CITY REPORTER KARACHI—Sindh Education department inked an agreement with Tameer Bank and Telenor Easy Paisa for distribution of scholarships among 0.45 million girl students of the province.

The agreement was signed here on Friday

by Sindh Senior Minister of Education, Nisar Ahmed Khohru, President Tameer Bank, Nadeem Hussain and representative of Telenor.

Chief Programme Manager Reform Support Unit Saba Mehmood was also present.

Addressing the event, Nisar Khuhru said that an amount of Rs. 1.2 billion was allocated to distribute among 0.45 million girls students

Hussain has said that the nation will have to take a united stand against terrorism and it was not possible for a single party to combat the menace.

He expressed these views while talking to Head of Pakistan Ulema Council, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, at the International Secretariat, said a statement issued by MQM here on Friday.

Secretary General Pakistan Ulema Council Shahibzada Mahmood Qasmi was also present.

Altaf said that the attacks on Karachi Airport and defence installations was a cause of concern for the whole nation.

The situation called for eliminating terrorists, he added.

Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said that Altaf was not a leader of a community but a leader of the nation. He has struggled for harmony among people belonging to different schools of thought, he added.

Altaf said that he was happy that his workers and supporters remained peaceful.

Altaf Hussain praised Hafiz Ashrafi and Pakistan Ulema Council’s efforts for promoting inter-faith harmony.—APP

of class six to ten for their financial assistance and also to encourage and promote girls’ education in the province.

Students from rural areas would get Rs.3500 each while urban students would be given Rs.2500 each, he said and added that distribution of scholarship amount through easy paisa would start in August 2014.

He said that the agreement has been inked to make process of money distribution more transparent as there were some complaints that students were not getting total amount through Post office. The minister said a proposal of giving scholarships to primary school girl students was under consideration to enhance the enrollment ratio of schools.

IGP for revisiting security arrangements at airports CITY REPORTER K ARACHI —Inspector General of Sindh Police Iqbal Mehmood has directed the police officials to revisit the security arrangements at airports, railway stations, prisons, sensitive installations, important buildings, commercial centers and important personalities.

He directed that all matters should be finalized in this regard and implementation should be ensured.

He said this while reviewing the security arrangements at Crime Branch Building - Keamari, new CCPO Building - Saddar, Garden Police Lines and Risala Police Lines here, said a statement on Friday. He reviewed the security arrangements in the surroundings and inside the buildings

as well as facilities provided in the family quarters of the police lines.

He also directed Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Theebo, the DIG Headquarters Sindh, the DIG South, the DIG Finance, the Project Director CPO, SSPs to make appropriate arrangements in this regard. The IG Sindh directed to revamp the sewerage network in the Garden police line.

He also directed to take all possible measures for construction of ground-plus-four signals towers in Risala police line.

He directed that the new CCPO building should be made operational within next 20 days and extra-ordinary security arrangements be made in the building.

Administrations of coastal areas asked to remain on alert Fishermen advised not to venture in open sea CITY REPORTER KARACHI—The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh has asked Deputy Commissioners of coastal areas in Sindh to take all preemptive measures to respond quickly to any situation.

The PDMA has issued the advice in the wake of the tropical cyclone advisory issued by Pakistan Meteorological Department, said a statement on Friday.

It said the pre-emptive measures including issuance of early warning, preparation for evacuation (if required) of vulnerable communities specially in the coastal areas, mobilization of resources and all the equipment as well as manpower be kept on high alert and ready to respond quickly.

101 profiteers fined K ARACHI —The divisional and district administration Karachi has fined 101 shopkeepers for profiteering while two shopkeepers were arrested for continuous violation.

According to a statement issued here on Friday, the action against profiteers were taken in Garden, Ferouzabad, Jamshed Quarters, Gulshan Iqbal, Gulzar Hijri, Orangi, Liaquat Abad, Gulberg, Nazimabad, New Karachi, Landhi, Korangi, Airport, Model Colony and Bin Qasim areas. In total, fine of one lac 11 thousand rupees were imposed on profiteers on account of violating officially approved price list.

During crackdown, the administration fined 63 milk sellers, 19 food items grocers, 17 chicken sellers, a fruit seller and one vegetable vendor.

Commissioner Karachi, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui has said that the crackdown against profiteers will continue until and unless people would be able to get food and other items of daily use on prescribed prices.—APP

Four injured in Lyari firing KARACHI—As many as four persons, including a child and a woman, were reportedly injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on Friday. According to reports, the firing incident took place in Chakewara area of Lyari.

The injured persons were shifted to nearby hospital. In another incident of firing that occurred near Nazimabad Petrol Pump two people sustained injuries.—NNI

The Deputy Commissioners also asked to ensure that the District Emergency Operations Centers are operating round-the-clock in case of any adverse situation.

The fisherman are warned not to venture in open seas as it may get rough resulting in difficulty for them to return.

During this phase, the PEOC at PDMA headquarters shall remain operational round-the-clock. PEOC contact numbers are 021- 99251458-9, it added.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has said that the sea conditions along Pakistan coast are already rough due to tropical cyclone, therefore, the fishermen of Sindh and Balochistan have been advised not to venture in open sea from Friday evening to Sunday night. None of the area of Pakistan is under threat however some

isolated rain/thundershowers expected in lower Sindh in next couple of days, the Weather Advisory of the Met Office said on Friday.

The Thursday’s Tropical Cyclone 02A (Nanauk) remained almost stationary in last six hours over a location at latitude 20.5 North and longitude 63.5 East about 620 kilo meters Southwest of Karachi, it added.

The Tropical Cyclone is now likely to move in north-easterly direction during next 24 hours with maximum sustained wind speed of 30-40 knots gusting up to 50 knots.

The Tropical Cyclone is expected to weaken further in next 24 hours and there is high probability of its dissipation over the water of north Arabian Sea in next couple of days.

Public knows little about head, neck cancers

F

EW Americans know the signs and symp toms of head and neck cancers, a new study shows. What’s more, only about one in eight is aware that some of the cancers can be linked to human papillomavirus, or HPV. The sexually transmitted infection is better known for causing cervical cancer in women, but is also behind an increase in the rate of throat cancer, particularly among men.

“Public awareness of head and neck cancer is really, really low, and that is probably harming people because they’re not aware of the risk factors and symptoms,” senior author Dr. Benjamin Judson, from the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut told Reuters Health. Head and neck cancers include cancer of the throat, voice box, mouth and tongue.

Smoking causes more than 75 percent of the cases in the United States, the authors write in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

The cancers have been declining overall, the researchers note. But studies show that rates of throat cancer tied to HPV, which can be transmitted through oral sex, tripled between 1988 and 2004. “It’s an epidemic,” Judson said. Head and neck cancers account for about three percent of all cancers in U.S. adults.

Head and neck cancer patients, including actor Michael Douglas, who was diagnosed in 2010 with late-stage throat cancer that he attributed to oral sex, tend to seek care after the disease has progressed to advanced stages. In those cases, treatment is more challenging and sur-

vival less likely. “Head and neck cancer is about as common as thyroid cancer and melanoma, but it causes more deaths than the two cancers combined,” Judson said. “If people are aware of the risks and the signs and symptoms, they could be diagnosed earlier.”

He and his colleagues surveyed 2,126 adults to gauge their knowledge of head and neck cancers. The vast majority who completed an online questionnaire knew little or nothing about the tumors or their causes and symptoms, the study found.

Less than one percent of respondents identified HPV as a risk factor for mouth and throat cancer, though in specific questions about 13 percent said they knew of an association between HPV and throat cancer.

Respondents with a college degree were more likely to associate HPV infection with throat cancer; still, less than 15 percent made the connection.

Less than 15 percent of respondents recognized sores that never heal as a symptom of the diseases. Only five percent recognized a sore throat as a symptom and just half a percent saw mouth or throat bleeding as a sign of cancer.

The most common symptoms of throat cancer are voice changes, difficulty swallowing, mouth lesions that don’t heal, neck lumps and mouth sores, speech pathologist Edie Hapner told Reuters Health. Hapner, from Emory University in Atlanta, was not involved in the current research but has studied public awareness of head and neck cancers.

The lack of public knowledge about the diseases came as no surprise to Hapner.

Labourers busy in construction work at Ferozepur Road in the Provincial Capital.

Accused sent behind bars for assaulting minor girl MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Lahore High Court (LHC) Complaint Cell on Friday has disposed of a notice regarding assault on a 2-year-old girl, as the accused has been arrested and police report against him has been submitted in the Court of Additional District & Sessions Judge, Ferozwala.

According to details, a minor daughter of a labourer Muhammad Abbas, resident of Ameerpur Bangla was playing outside the house accused Zeeshan abducted her. He took ill-fated girl to an unknown place where he molested and then dumped her in the fields, 2 kilo meter far from the village.

Designated Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmad presenting bouquet to Justice Umar Ata Bandial as he elevated to rank of Supreme Court Judge on Friday.

Advocate Ch Amir’s licence suspended MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Punjab Bar Council Tribunal suspends license to practice of advocate Ch. Amir Ali of Faisalabad on account of misconduct till 26th June, the next date of hearing.

The Tribunal is headed by its Chairman Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court while Muhammad Lehrasaib Khan Gondal and Nauman Qureshi are other members of Tribunal.

Another advocate Ch Abdul Jabbar from Faisalabad had complained against Ch. Amir with the Punjab Bar Council and the Bar Council had moved the Tribunal in 2006 for initiating necessary proceedings under the law.

According to details, Ch Amir had been allotted a vacant plot and is accused of occupying veranda adjacent to the chamber of Ch. Jabbar.

District Bar Association, Faisalabad had also struck a compromise between both the lawyers but Ch Amir backed out and did not turn up for signing document. Ch Amir is also accused of not paying heed to directions of Punjab Bar Council. The Tribunal will resume its hearing on June 26.

On a press report LHC Complaint Cell had taken cognizance of the issue and directed District & Sessions Judge Sheikhpura to probe into the incident and submit a detailed report within a week as to the steps taken by the police along with his own comments.

The Sessions Judge reported that Sharaqpur police registered a case against accused Zeeshan and arrested him. After completion of investigation the accused sent to judicial lock up and police report u/s 173 Cr.P.C. against him had also been submitted in the Court of Additional District & Session Judge, Ferozwala, where the case is under trial.

Sufficient arrangements in all hospitals for treatment of gastro OBSERVER REPORT LAHORE—Secretary Health Punjab, Dr. Ijaz Munir has directed Director General Health, Executive District Officers Health and medical superintendents of all government hospitals to ensure complete implementation of SOPs and instructions issued by Health Department for the treatment of seasonal diarrhea and gastroenteritis.

He was presiding over a meeting to review seasonal diarrhea and gastro situation in the province.

Additional Secretary Health (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, Acting DG Health Dr. Jamil Ch, Medical superintendents of all the hospitals of Lahore, Dean Institute of Public Health Prof Muaz Ahmed and Prof. of Epidemiology Dr Farkhanda Kokab were present. The comparison of sea-

sonal diarrhea and gastro situation of 2013 and 2014 was presented in the meeting. The experts informed that diarrhea and gastro cases among children are common in summer season and there is no extra ordinary situation this year.

It was told that sufficient arrangements are available in all government hospitals for the treatment of gastro and seasonal diarrhea patients while necessary medicines, ORS and drips are also available in abundance. It was informed that the patients of gastro and seasonal diarrhea coming to hospitals are being provided necessary medical facilities.

Secretary Health directed that coordination with all districts be maintained and data of patients visiting hospitals be collected on daily basis. He directed officers to pay field visits to gain knowledge about the situation so that timely and proper planning could be made in this regard.

37pc increase in health budget 2014-15 All DHQ, THQ hospitals would be upgraded OBSERVER REPORT LAHORE—Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health, Kh Salman Rafique has said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has proved himself as poor-friendly Chief Minister by allocating Rs.8.75 billion for provision of free medicines to the poor patients in government hospitals in next fiscal year budget.

He said that 37 per cent increase in the allocation for health sector in provincial budget 2014-15 reflects healthy Punjab.

Commenting on the next fiscal year budget, Kh Salman Rafique further said that total proportion of Punjab Development Fund is Rs.345 billion out of

Pakistani student honoured as youngest accountant STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Rana Muhammad Qasim has made a new record by passing with highest marks in an examination held by British Council. He was a registered student of British council with age 19 who achieved honour to be a youngest accountant.

According to Institute of Business and Finance, he has not only been nominated as youngest accountant in history but also have made itself a record by passing more then 60 units consecutively under British council examination system.

On the same instance last year 2013 he was one of the youngest students listed who got admission in master in Australia with age of 18.

But also this year 2014 according to student blog of international qualification network on completion of postgraduate level units, he has been honoured to be eligible for PhD program in his current age of 19.

Rescue 1122’s performance LAHORE—The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) provided services to eight dead persons and 517 victims of 570 road accidents in all 36 districts of the province during the last 24 hours. Over 102 accidents were reported in Lahore with 109 victims, 61 in Faisalabad with 69 injured and 38 in Gujranwala with 45 victims.

According to data, 454 motorbikes, 57 rickshaws, 61 cars, 33 vans, four buses, 18 trucks and 62 other types of auto vehicles and slow moving carts were involved in the accidents.—APP

which RS.119 billion would be spent on the development projects of Southern Punjab which is 36 percent of total development budget.

Kh Salman Rafique said that government would spend Rs.121.80 billion on health sector in the next year’s budget.

He further said that Chief Minister while keeping in view the difficulties and miseries of kidney patients, has enhanced the funds for free dialysis facility to the kidney patients from Rs.300 million to Rs.600 million which is a new record.

Kh Salman Rafique further said that Rs. 36.44 crore would be spent for purchase of ambulances for district and tehsil headquarter hospitals for imme-

diate transportation of serious patients.

He disclosed that government has planned to upgrade all DHQ and THQ hospitals within four years in phases.

He said that on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab, more mobile health units would be provided to backward districts for which one billion rupees have been allocated in the next year’s budget.

Moreover, Rs.1.8 billion have been allocated for mother & child health, Rs.8.15 billion for teaching hospitals whereas Rs.2 billion have been allocated for achieving targets of MDGs. Kh Salman Rafique while summing up his views said that the next fiscal year’s budget will open new avenues of development and prosperity in Punjab.