Ep17january2014

Pakistan still in state of war: Nisar World fails to acknowledge our sacrifices, Security policy to be presented in Cabinet tomorrow ISLAMABAD—Federal Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said Pakistan is in state of war and passing through the most difficult times challenging its existence.

He complained that the world has not acknowledged sacrifices of Pakistan made in war against terrorism.

Addressing police officials passing out parade here, the minister said that Pakistan had no role in 9/11 incident in United States but Pakistan has suffered NEW DELHI: Indian and Pakistani Ministers for Commerce Shri Anand Sharma and Khurram Dastagir Khan meeting more than any country in the world in post 9/11 scenario. on Saturday.

SALIM AHMED “The rest of world became safer after 9/11 incident that took LAHORE—Taking notice, place in New York but Paki-stan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which had no role in the incihas constituted a two-member dent became most unsafe place committee for establishing on the planet”, Ch. Nisar said. contacts with Media Houses to “Pakistan has been suffering counter threats. more than any country in the The committee is comprised of Federal Ministers Pervaiz Rashid and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. It will take stock of threats to media men.

The Prime Minister NEW DELHI—India and Paki- retaries of commerce on matters giant economy would help lay little movement on trade bedirected the committee to stan agreed on Saturday to ex- related to economic and trade the ground for a lowering of cause of a series of incidents immediately give practical political tensions between them. over military control of the line pand movement of trucks and relations.

OBSERVER REPORT proposals for the protection of Trade ministers of the two “We have agreed that we dividing Kashmir between the containers through their main media. countries meeting in New Delhi will open Wagah-Attari border two countries.

I SLAMABAD —The Sessions Information Minister border crossing to round-the- also approved a liberalised visa 24/7 for trade,” Anand Sharma, Two years ago, the two clock, signalling a thaw in relaCourt on Saturday here granted Pervaiz Rashid has said that killpolicy for businessmen to help India’s trade minister told recountries set a goal of taking ing of innocent people in terror- tions after a year of tensions expand two-way trade, which porters, referring to the main bilateral trade to $6 billion by one-day exemption for ist incidents was beyond rea- along the disputed border.

2014, which now seems difficult Musharraf from appearance on The meeting between Com- was barely $2.5 billion in 2012- border crossing in Punjab. son and such attacks should be 13 fiscal year against a potenThe border gates at the moto attain. Pakistan’s Commerce medical ground and called for merce and Textile Industry Mincondemned by everybody. tial $10 billion. ment are open only from dawn Minister Khurram Dastagir the medical certificate for subContinued on Page 7 ister Khurram Dastagir Khan They decided to implement to dusk. Pakistan also agreed to Khan said the country’s central mission on next hearing. and his Indian counterpart Shri Additional Session Judge, Anand Sharma on the margins the measures agreed upon before provide non-discriminatory bank had proposed its Indian Wajid Ali was hearing the Abdul market access (NDMA) to In- counterpart grant banking liof 5th SAARC Business Lead- the end of next month. cences to three Pakistani banks, Rasheed Ghazi murder case Both sides hope closer inte- dian companies. ers Conclave was preceded by here.

Over the last year there was consultations between the sec- gration of Pakistan with India’s Continued on Page 7 The defence lawyer Ilyas Siddiqui told the court that his client was sick and admitted into the hospital for which he was unable to appear in the court.

OBSERVER REPORT The court, while ordering for submission of Pervez RAWALPINDI—The special Musharraf’s medical report, adjourned the hearing until Februanti-terrorist court in discharged with hard work, de- government was working round STAFF REPORTER ary 1.

Rawalpindi on Saturday issued votion and dedication for com- the clock for the welfare of the summons to 10 witnesses in LAHORE—Punjab Chief Min- ing up to the expectations of the people and providing relief to OBSERVER REPORT the Benazir Bhutto murder them. He said that the splendid ister Muhammad Shahbaz people. case.

The Chief Minister said that project of land record comput- I SLAMABAD—Former PresiSharif has said that PML-N govThe case was heard by Pakistan is rich in natural re- erization is being completed ex- dent, Asif Ali Zardari has been ernment will take public welfare special ATC judge Pervaiz sources and capable manpower. peditiously for ridding the granted permanent exemption Rasool Joya in the premises of steps more than its previous ten- He said that government has people of obsolete and corrupt from appearing before the acure and make Punjab an exemAdiyala jail. plary province by setting new taken tough decisions for setting patwar culture. He said that this countability court hearing the Moreover, the judge also the economy on right path dur- project will be completed dur- references against him. issued a notice to prosecution records of hard work, honesty ing initial six months which are ing the current year through The former president’s ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister and service. on the bail applications filed yielding positive results. He said which citizens will get owner- counsel, Farooq H. Naek said for Finance, Senator Ishaq Dar He expressed these views by arrested accused that glorious example of good ship deed (Fard Malkiat) within his client would appear before Saturday expressed hope that the Mohammad Rafaqat, Hasnain while talking to Members of governance has been set up by thirty minutes. the court whenever summoned. United States would fast track National and Provincial AssemGul and Aitzaz Shah.

During Saturday’s proceed- process of clearing outstanding promoting merit and transparThe Chief Minister said that bly of various districts who The judge subsequently ency in the province. He ex- special attention is being paid to ings, Zardari had submitted pe- amount on account of Coalition called on him, here on Saturday adjourned the hearing to Jan Assembly Members apprised pressed the hope that PML(N) the provision of potable water titions in the court seeking ac- Support Fund (CSF).

25.

He was speaking to Ambasgovernment will steer the coun- for protecting the people from quittal in all five references Benazir Bhutto was assa- the Chief Minister about the try out of quagmire of problems diseases and a huge amount of against him. sador Robin Raphel, who called progress of the development ssinated in a gun-and-bomb Farooq H. Naek filed the on him at the Finance Ministry work in their respective con- and put it on the road to progress Rs.10.0 billion has been alloattack outside Rawalpindi’s and prosperity through common cated for installation of filtration petitions for acquittal of his cli- here. stituencies.

Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27, 2007 During the meeting they He said that national obliga- approach and collective efforts. plants. He said that energy cri- ent in the references that inwhile Musharraf was presiheld discussion on bilateral ecoShahbaz Sharif said that cluded polo ground, SGS, tion of public service will be Continued on Page 7 dent. She was killed after Continued on Page 7 nomic issues and cooperation

PM directs steps for protection of media

Pak, India to allow greater trade through Wagah 1-day exemption  Liberalised visa policy for businessmen approved

ATC summons 10 witnesses in BB murder case

Shahbaz: PML-N to steer country out of quagmire of problems

to Musharraf in Ghazi case

Zardari gets exemption from appearing before court

world in post 9/11 scenario, with Pakistan army.

“Police should play its role for a country with no terrorism, sectarian violence, crimes and to maintain rule of law”, Nisar said.

He said terrorists are not only targeting security forces but innocent people of this country.

Nisar Ali Khan said Pakistan’s security situation had become more perilous, adding that while the country was in a state of war, the international community showed no considthousands of Pakistanis security eration for the issues confrontforces personnel, innocent men, ing it. women and children have lost The interior minister said their lives in this war against the government had formulated terror but even after no one in the country’s internal security the world acknowledged our policy, adding that it would be sacrifices”, the minister added. tabled for approval at a special The minister urged the po- session of the federal cabinet on lice force to fight with terrorists Monday. standing shoulder by shoulder Continued on Page 7

13 foreigners among 21 killed in Kabul attack Four UN staff among dead: Ban KABUL—A total of 21 people, including 13 foreigners, died in a Taliban suicide assault on a popular restaurant in Kabul, police said Saturday, as witnesses gave horrific accounts of the carnage.

Desperate customers tried to hide under tables as one attacker detonated his suicide vest at the fortified entrance to the Taverna du Liban and two other militants stormed inside and opened fire.

Among the dead were two British citizens, two Canadians, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative from Lebanon, and the restaurant´s Lebanese owner, who reportedly died after he tried to fire back at the attackers.

Four United Nations´ staff were killed in the massacre on Friday evening, though their nationalities was not confirmed.

“We were in the kitchen, and suddenly we heard a big bang and everywhere was dark,” Atiqullah, 27, an assistant chef, told by telephone as he attended a funeral for three colleagues.

“We used a backdoor to go to the second floor. Our manager went downstairs to see what was happening. We heard some gunshots and later found out that he had been shot dead.”

“Afterwards, the police took us back into the restaurant to identify victims. We identified three guards who were killed.”

Continued on Page 7

Dar wants clearing process for CSF payments fast tracked

Continued on Page 7

between the two countries to encourage trade and investment in the region.

They also discussed agenda of the forthcoming meeting of Economic Working Group expected to be held in Washington in April.

A total of $9.9 billion has been received by Pakistan between 2002 and 2012 by a fund which is designed to reimburse Pakistan for the cost of counterinsurgency operations.

There have been gaps in the payment flow due to ups and downs in the diplomatic ties between Pakistan and US ever since al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed in a US raid in 2011.

On the occasion, Ishaq Dar reiterated that energy remains one of the highest priorities of the present government.

In this connection, he added, the government had not only

Continued on Page 7

Herath triple strike leaves Pak at 291-6

China to host FMs’ PPPP to unite all parties against privatization: Rabbani moot on Afghanistan

Ahmed Shehzad cashed in on a very flat pitch to hit a maiden test century but Sri Lanka hit back through Rangana Herath´s triple strike to restrict Pakistan to 291-6 in the decisive third test on Saturday.

Shehzad made 147 off 275 balls with 12 fours and a six in just over five-and-a-half hours before he became one of Herath´s three victims in the last session on the third day.

Captain Misbah-ul-Haq was unbeaten on 36 as Herath (3-88) also had Sarfraz Ahmed caught behind in the last over of the day.

Pakistan remained 137 runs adrift of Sri Lanka, after The Lions declared their first innings at 428-9.—AFP

constructive role in the reconstruction and reconciliation process of Afghanistan and this year Beijing will host the fourth Foreign Ministers’ Conference of the Istanbul Process, said a Chinese foreign ministry official here.

The foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei has made these remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on trilateral meeting held between ChinaRussia-India on Afghanistan in Beijing. China also has similar dialogues with relevant countries such as Russia and Pakistan on the Afghan issue. Hong said that relevant meetings with parties concerned are held with the

IRFAN ALIGI

B EIJING —China will conSHARJAH—Opening batsman tinue to play a positive and

purpose of jointly maintaining regional peace and stability.

Since situation and stability of Afghanistan has a bearing on regional peace and security, we always respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, he observed.

He continued to say that China respects the development path chosen by the Afghan people based on their own national conditions and support Afghanistan in realizing steady transition and improving and growing relations with other countries in the region.

He expressed the hope that substantive progress could be made in the Afghanled and Afghan-owned recon-

Continued on Page 7

KARACHI.—Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) senior central leader Senator Mian Raza Rabbani has said that the federal government was treading the path that had a direction of ruining the working class of the society and the policies thus being adopted were a sheer manifest of enmity to the labourers.

He said this while addressing a press conference at the Qasr-e-Naz in Karachi.

Member national assembly Nafeesa Shah, PPPP Karachi Secretary Information Lateef Mughal, Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister Waqar Mehdi, Rashid Rabbani and Shamshad Qureshi were

present.

The PPPP would unite all political parties under one banner against the federal government against its policies of privatisation. The PPPP had made a mistake by not releasing a bail-out package for the Pakistan Steel Mills. It was the PPPP that had laid its demand for taking back the Karachi Electric Supply Company in state’s custody but the demands were not accepted.

He said that it should be the Council for the Common Interest to decide about privatisation of national institutions, not the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The federal government should restore the constitutional status of the quota system in the country.

He said that the federal

government should convene a meeting of the CCI failing which the Sindh provincial government would be approached to lay its demand for the same and if the federal government would choose to privatise the national institutions, then the entire process would be equal to contempt to court and would solely be in violation to the provisions of the constitution. There would be no need to privatise any national institution provided that they should be run with dedication and honesty.

Senator Rabbani said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the CCIO and the 18th constitutional amendment were important pillars of the constitution and the SCP had in one of its ruling also declared these two as important

pillars of the federation.

He said that the federal government had convened just one meeting of the CCI while it was obligatory to convene a meeting of the CCI every 90 days and the last session was held in July 2013 after which a period of 210 days had passed and delay in convening the CCI meeting was a violation of the constitution. However, in case the federal government failed to convene the meeting of CCI, then under Article 154 (3) of the constitution, any provincial Chief executive could write to the federal government for the same.

He said that the Sindh provincial government had already finalized its agenda for the CCI meeting and the agenda included certain issues such as privatisation, less supply of gas to Sindh province

and quota system, etc; the quota system had expired in the country on Aug 31, 2013 and hence there was no constitutional value of the quota system. The federal government had to table the Bill on Quota system in Parliament but it was yet pending with the standing committee.

The privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, Pakistan Steel Mills, Sui Southern Gas Company, and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline could only be legitimate if the CCI would approve it and it was mandatory to the federal government under the Article 154 (1) to bring all such matters to the CCI or else any act of privatisation would be unlawful and unconstitutional.

He said that the CCI was

Continued on Page 7

Loan scheme extended to FATA KHYBER A GENCY—Chief Coordinator of Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans Marvi Memon said the loan scheme has been extended to FATA for the economic development and welfare of the area. She stated this while talking to the officials of National Bank of Pakistan and tribal elders during her visit to Khyber Agency on Saturday. Marvi Memon said the Prime Minister desired that the FATA youth should also take full advantage from the loan scheme. She said the people of FATA are protectors of Pakistan and all out efforts will be made to address the problems faced by them. She said youth of Fata and backwards areas of KP would be largely benefited from this scheme, urging tribal youth to get full advantage of it as such opportunities rarely comes and support their families on financial fronts. Also, she expressed the hope that disabled youth would take full advantage from this scheme. She said five percent quota of the loan was allocated for disabled persons to help minimize their sufferings. Marvi Memon said 50 percent of the total funds allocated for PM Youth Business Loan Programme would be given to women to launch their own business, adding that women of Fata and KP could also take benefit of it. She urged women of KP and Fata to take full advantage of the scheme and play their role in economic development of the country. Marvi Memon said youth would establish their own enterprises for their own benefit after obtaining the loans and will use it for welfare of the community. Before general election 2013, she said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has promised with youth that he would take solid measures to resolve the issue of unemployment. She said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has fulfilled the promise and now it was the responsibility of the youth to use this money not only for their benefits but also in development of Pakistan.—APP

Karachi operation successful: Qaim

Governor urges modern-day education to FATA youth P E S H AWA R — G o v e r n o r Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Engineer Shaukatullah said Saturday that youth is the future of nation and being a developing country it is must to educate our youth in line with present day needs and nourish them in accordance with our national and cultural values and traditions.

In this age of highly competitiveness, he added, it is also equally important to abreast the new generation with the ornament of modern knowledge in every field of life.

He was addressing a luncheon hosted in the honour of the students of Cadet College Razmak at Governor’s House here on Saturday. The Governor announced that the number of seats in Cadet College Razmak has been increased from 50 to 100.

He said that our youth have the required potential PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Eng. Shaukatullah Khan talking to media during his visit to Tableeghi and capability to bring about Markaz. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf also seen in the picture. constructive change in the

Tableeghi Jamaat working for betterment of humanity: Yousuf

humanity and peace.

Islam forces. He assured that accompanied by Governor N OUSHEHRO F EROZ —Chief Minister P ESHAWAR—Federal Minis- withSardar Yousuf maintained all possible means would be

Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has claimed that on going operation in Karachi has proved successful as crime rate there has declined to 30 percent while further contraction in incidents of target killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion is expected. He was talking to media persons here at Bhirya town after offering condolence to Member Sindh Assembly Syed Murad Ali Shah on demise of his sister, at his residence. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that criminal elements are targeting members of police and law enforcing agencies to divert their attention from the operation but they would fail in their heinous designs. The provincial government is providing bullet proof jackets, helmets and vehicles to police in a bid to build up their capacity, he added. He vowed, while responding a question, that culprits involved in assassination of journalist Shan Dahar would be brought to justice while government has already paid compensation to heirs of slain journalist. Son of Shan Dahar would be provided employment, he further said. Replying to another question the chief minister said that 40 basic health centers and civil hospitals were being upgraded to Taluka and District Hospitals and required funds were also made available in this regard. Funds were also being provided for development schemes of drainage, water supply and roads in all districts of Sindh, he added. Former member Sindh Assembly Syed Noor Muhammad Shah, former Naib Nazim Noushehro Feroz, Syed Hassan Ali Shah, Zafar Ali Rajpar, District officials and notables of the area were also present at the occasion.—APP

ter for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf Saturday visited the Tablighi Markaz here and expressed great sense of grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in a bomb blast that took place last Thursday during Maghrib prayer.

Talking to journalists after visiting the site, the Federal Minister said perpetrators involved in such inhuman crimes were not humans.

Shedding the blood of innocent people, he said was in fact a display of rivalry

that people associated with Tablighi Jamaat have no affiliation with any group and they just work for the betterment of the humanity adding that killing such precious people was tantamount to enmity with Islam.

The federal minister further said that elements involved in such crimes were defaming the religion of peace and Muslims, but added that our resolve was unbreakable and as a nation we all were against such anti-

utilized to cope with such elements. Islam, he said was the religion of peace and tranquillity which taught us that killing a human was equal to killing the whole humanity.

The Minster was of the view that the nation was passing through a critical phase and in such circumstances we have to show patience and tolerance and stand shoulder to shoulder with the government for maintenance of peace.

The minister who was

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Engineer Shaukat Ullah Khan thoroughly inspected site of the blast and assured all possible assistance on part of the government for rehabilitation of the Markaz.

Later, he visited Lady Reading Hospital where he enquired after the health of the injured of the blast and directed the hospital administration to provide best possible healthcare facilities to the injured. He also prayed for early recovery of the injured.—APP

society and added that this great potential needs to be channelized and tapped in a proper manner.

He said that the youth should be groomed in such a way so that they could become the most productive asset for the society and this is only possible through both qualitative and quantitative education.

He lauded the performance of the students of Cadet College Razmak and showed his gratification and satisfaction over collective performances both in educational and extracurricular activities.

Principal of the College, Col. Tahir Qayyum, was also present on the occasion and said that he was very much encouraged by the interest shown by Governor for the betterment of students and appreciated the efforts of Governor for the promotion of education especially in FATA.—APP

Continental air to prevail ISLAMABAD—Continental air However, light rain (with light is prevailing over most parts of the country. A fresh shallow westerly wave is expected to approach southwestern parts of Balochistan on Sunday (night)/Monday. Additionally, mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. Moreover, Foggy conditions are expected to prevail at scattered places in plains of Punjab (Gujranwala, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Multan divisions) during night/morning hours.

Furthermore, Mainly cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country.

snowfall over the hills) is expected at isolated places of

Makran Kalat and Quetta divisions during Sunday (night)/Monday. Foggy conditions are expected to prevail at scattered places in plains of Punjab during night/morning hours.

In addition, weather remained cold and dry in most parts of the country.—APP

‘We can get success by FCF demands transformation of DPCC following teachings of Islam’

W AH C ANTT —A Seerat lam is a universal religion in our survival lies in it. In the

F A I S A L A B A D —Faisalabad Citizen Forum (FCF) has demanded to transform District Price Control Commit-

tee (DPCC) by revisiting the members list to add members from academia, heads of Mass Communication

Science classes of local universities, preferably the experts of agricultural marketing.

In a press statement issued by Hamid Sultan Dawoodi Convener FCF here, said that information technology needs to be extensively promoted in the Price Control Committee working to generate useful databases and information packages for collection of production data of various products in comparison with demand and supply chain.

Convener FCF proposed online information on demand and availability of different products; product specifications with regard to price, quality, pack size, packaging material, quantity and the time frame of supply need to be collected by the Secretary of Committee.

Commenting on the present role of Price Control Committee, he said the sixty years old practice to control prices by verbal discussions is not the science of new age era.

He said for transparent working of committee complaints need to be collected online by customers which will work as resource data of markets, instead of depending on the official reports.

He said whole the market mechanism has been hijacked by the trade bodies for profiteering those are representing the Price Control Committee as large as there is no vision, mission, before the members to work under a strategic geographic mapping based on productivity nature.

He said at present vegetables, fruits, are warehoused in cold storages to fetch high profits and there is lack of data at district government end that how much quantity of these items has been stored in the cold storages. He said Price Control Committee should be the modal agency for implementation of training, extension and research programs, to acquaint with the green products distribution system for the state regulators.—APP

44 POs arrested MULTAN—Police claimed on Saturday to have arrested 44 proclaimed offenders involved in dacoity and other heinous crimes in a drive against anti-social elements across the district.—APP

Conference titled “Religious toleration in the light of Seerat-un-Nabi” held at POF Welfare Club, Wah Cantt under the auspices of POF Administration and Central Seerat Committee Wah Cantt in which prominent religious scholars of the country including Mufti Syed Adnan Kakakhel and Dr. Sahibzada Sajid ur Rehman participated.

Lt Gen Muhammad Ahsan Mahmood, HI (M) Chairman POF Board was the Chief Guest of the Seerat Conference.

Addressing on this occasion Mufti Syed Adnan Kakakhel remarked that the subject of today’s Seerat Conference deeply related with our prevailing circumstances and being a Muslim we would have to analyze that how much we are following the Seerat un Nabi.

Today we will have to examine that at what extent Seerat un Nabi reflect in our practical life. Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad PBUH gave us the teaching that Is-

which there is no preference to Arabic over Ajami and best among you is he who excelled in faith.

He further remarked that we have fallen a prey to sectarianism that is why our enemy is busy to get us fighting with each other. Islam is a complete code of life and we can get success in this world and after this world by following Islam in true letter and spirit.

Sahibzada Sajid ur Rehman while addressing on this occasion said that the opponents of Islam are striving hard that the love with Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. be eliminated from the hearts of the Muslims as they know if the muslims keep loving with Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. it is impossible to eliminate them.

Pakistan came into being according to the theory of Kalma Tayyaba and we have forgotten this theory that is why we are being punished.

It is the need of hour that we should follow the teaching of our Holy Prophet and

concluding remarks Lt Gen Muhammad Ahsan Mahmood, HI(M) Chairman POF Board remarked that prominent religious scholars threw light upon the various aspects of life of Hazrat Muhammad P.B.U.H. and no doubt the audience have benefited it.

He further said that the religious extremism has put the law and order situation of the country into mess and we should pledge on this occasion that by forgetting the mistakes of the past we should create brotherhood and love among us as there is no place of hatred, prejudice, oppression and terrorist activities in Islam and we should have to foil the desires of extremists and give the message of peace.

Chief Guest congratulated the administration of Seerat Conference by holding the conference in a magnificent manner. Comparing of this Seerat Conference was done by prominent anchor Mr. Junaid Iqbal.

Mufti Syed Adnan Kakakhel, Dr. Sahibzada Sajid ur Rehman and Lt Gen Muhammad Ahsan Mahmood, HI(M) Chairman POF Board sitting on a stage during Seerat Conference held at POF Welfare Club, Wah Cantt.

Cleanliness week in Naushero Feroze NAUSHARO FEROZE—Cleanliness week will be observed in District Noushehro Feroz from January 20 to 26 on the directives of Commissioner Sukkur Division, Niaz Ali Abbasi.

According to a statement issued here, Deputy Commissioner Naushahro Feroze Syed Mehdhi Ali Shah, District Health Officer and all concerned Assistant Commoners and Taluka Municipal officials were directed by

Commissioner Sukkur to make arrangements in this regard.They were further directed to improve drainage and sewerage systems of all cities and towns of the district and eradicate stray dogs.Commissioner Sukkur would visit Mehrabpur Taluka on January 22 to personally review the cleanliness condition and drive for eradication of stray dogs in the town.

Deputy Commissioner

Noushehro Feroz has asked all Assistant commissioner of the district to monitor the cleanliness drive while District social welfare officer was directed to seek services of volunteers in this regard.

Commissioner Sukkur Division Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi has directed the authorities to launch cleanliness drive (Hafta-ESafai) from Jan 20 to Jan 26 in entire division.—APP

No point scoring on Taliban, Mr Imran!

MEDIA WATCH

Geneva talks may not yield results

P

TI Chairman Imran Khan has come out with a queer logic to justify inability of his party and the KPK Government to extend any coop eration in furthering the objective of peace talks with Taliban. Talking to media at his sprawling residence in Islamabad on Friday, he claimed as to how PTI or its Government can hold talks with Taliban when the Army was not under their control. He also termed dialogue with Taliban as fixed match in which PTI was being criticized and targeted.

With the passage of time, Imran Khan has assumed status of a national leader and he is legitimately aspiring to become next Prime Minister of the country but regrettably his approach to national issues is highly flawed and his loud-thinking conveys a clear cut impression that he is somewhat directionless. In the first instance, he needs to explain what does he mean when he says the Army was not under ‘our control’ and how can we talk to Taliban, as this could, among other things, cast aspersions on the role of the Army. Does he mean that the Army was obstructing the peace process despite comprehensive briefing given by the Army leadership to political leaders on the occasion of APC and firm declaration by its leadership to support peace moves? Secondly, you need not to be commanderin-chief of the Armed forces to play some role in tackling one of the most serious issues that has direct bearing on security and defence of the country. Thirdly, your remarks that FATA was under the control of the Federal Government and not PTI’s Provincial Government is simplistic view of a highly complicated situation. How can you absolve yourself of the responsibility when there are no distinctions or boundaries between FATA and KPK as far as the menace of terrorism is concerned? Again, no doubt, the APC mandated the Federal Government to hold talks with Taliban but this, in no way, meant that other political parties, Provincial governments and institutions would not play their role or are barred from facilitating the process of dialogue. Terrorism is not an issue that concerns only PML(N) or Federal Government in Islamabad but is affecting the whole country and the entire nation and that is why an APC was convened. You either admit that you are irrelevant and have no role to play or extend whole-hearted cooperation to the Government in this national endeavour of tackling the menace of terrorism and restore peace and stability. You have been leading caravans to Waziristan and your party is blocking NATO supply routes but you are not willing to play any role for peace. The policy of point scoring must come to an end.

Indictment of Raja brings shame to all A

CCOUNTABILITY Court on Friday indicted former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and nine others accused in Naudero-II Rental Power Plant (RPP) corruption reference. The former PM is accused of misusing his authority as Minister for Water and Power to award RPP contracts to some selected parties.

The cases against the former Prime Minister and other officials have two dimensions. It is laudable that all those who misused their powers and were involved in corruption were being held accountable but at the same time it is unfortunate that hands of even our top leadership are polluted.

Though Pervez Ashraf might claim, as is routine in this country, that he was being politically victimized but it is an open secret that the former chief executive of the country played a dirty role in RPP scandal. The issue surfaced during tenure of the PPP but was suppressed through different machinations and therefore, could not be taken to its logical conclusion. It is painful that Pervez Ashraf could not contribute towards mitigation of the problem of load-shedding but earned the notorious title of Raja Rental for burdening the nation with RPPs that produced very little and devoured heavily from the resource-starved national kitty. Leaders are supposed to be role model and lead from the front but unfortunately most of our leaders exploited their position for petty personal or party gains at the cost of the nation and the country. Leaders should inspire others but they are instead bringing shame to people of Pakistan. Isn’t it a pity that those who were responsible to project and promote soft image of the country ended up disfiguring the image further by indulging in corrupt practices themselves?

SBP has capacity to do more T

HE State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in its new Monetary Policy State ment has kept the policy rate unchanged at 10% though there were expectations among the investors that things will start turning around from the start of the New Year. The Report of the Central Bank is a routine and almost a run-run of the previous Statements.

At this point of time when Pakistan’s economy is suffering from various ailments, the SBP should have come out with some innovative and out of box road map to give a push to the rusty wheel of the economy.

Governor State Bank, we are certain, has all the knowledge, commitment and capacity to implement his vision to put the economy on the move.

Otherwise too he is known for being a doer and at this critical juncture he should have come up with policies of giving a thrust to the economy including even a nominal reduction in mark up rate to signal the intention of the central bank that it was alive to the demands of the business community and country’s economy woes. Though the IMF had been pressing for increase in the policy rate to stem inflation but our policy makers are second to none when it comes to analyzing the ground situation on which the decisions are taken about the future course of action. By keeping in view the recent successes of the government like the 6.8 %growth in large scale manufacturing, reduction in energy shortages, 20% growth in tax revenues and cut in fiscal deficit in the first five months of this fiscal year, one had expected the SBP to take decisions to signal that it was prepared to take risk, at least for a short period, to stimulate the economy.

Some of the economists are of the firm opinion that the government must take steps to cut the price of credit and bring it down to the regional average as that would encourage the business community to increase their production particularly in the textile sector and take full advantage from the trade concessions given by the European Union. We strongly believe that ingredients are there; only an enabling atmosphere is needed and we expect that the State Bank Governor would start loud thinking right now for the next policy that should put economy on a high growth path.

HURMAT GROUP OF PUBLICATIONS Zahid Malik President & Editor-in-Chief Ph: 051-2256006 Faisal Zahid Malik Gauhar Zahid Malik Editor Ph: 021-32631102

Executive Editor Ph: 051-2853818

Islamabad Ph Exchange: 051-2852027 Reporting Desk: 051-2852028, News Desk: 051-5879329 Marketing: 051-2262254, 2852029 Fax: 051-2262258 Email: observer@pakobserver.net Website: www.pakobserver.net

Lahore

Karachi Faisal Zahid Malik Editor Ph: 021-32211777, 32635403 Fax: 021-32626902 Email: obskhi@pakobserver.net

Khalid Butt Resident Editor Ph: 042-37593341, 37566702 Marketing Ph: 37597364 Fax: 042-36300043 Email: obslhr@pakobserver.net

Quetta

Peshawar

Ghulam Tahir

Tariq Saeed

Resident Editor Mobile: 0333-7944760 E-mail:obsqta@pakobserver.net

Resident Editor Mobile: 0321-9001476 E-mail:obspwr@pakobserver.net

Sadia Zahid Malik Editor Sunday Magazine

Ph: 2852027-8, Ext: 116 Email: magazinesocialdiary@hotmail.com

B

The difficulties of governance So in disaggregating look at the area that is causing the number of deaths Dr Zafar Altaf maximum on the roads. The drivers that Email: dr_altaf@hotmail.com are on the roads are driving as if they would like to conquer the world by their rash and AKISTAN has to make up its fast driving. The reason that I can mind as to the way forward find is none other than the licensing for this country. The policy- system has to be made tougher. At makers are at odds with the system. the moment a small consideration That is indicated by the right to self is enough to complete the formalidenial of any policy that is articu- ties. We will ptrobably have to be lated by the Government in power. more innovative and ensure that This is true across the country with- only those get a licence that have out the colour of the political sys- the skills. This is at the most ruditem. The Chinese have done things mentary level and should never have their way. They have not depended been a subject of analysis.

Just a small referece to the poon the West for their governance system. When they were known as licing system. The other day there the opium eaters, the West took was a land mafia operation in Bhara charge and exploited them. Kau where the mafia had with them Pakistan’s policy-makers are suf- six Kalashnikov weapons standing fering from inferiority complex and guard and terrorizing the local resiare unable to follow basic prin- dents. When the local police were ciples of management. Neither asked to intervene they simply have they followed any principles turned a blind eye and their supethat they may have enunciated rior had to be contacted. Can a citizen openly tout such automatic themselves.

The management system has to weapons? Can they take part in be disaggregated into its many such activities? What if some resicomponents. The financial area one dents had been killed in the set up was sure would be well looked af- encounter?

Why cry over Karachi and later by Ishaq Dar and supported ably

by Sartaj Aziz and the other Cabi- ment for one of the basic principles net Ministers. The spirit of enquiry of management is to handle a situais required and not a loyal mode. tion before it becomes more comOne can be loyal to a party man- plex. That a blind eye and Allah ki date and not to an individual but Marzi contention is not worthwhile. that requires a degree of maturity What to talk of serious matters, the in the political system. One cannot country is unable to manage any tout democracy and its realizations sports activities. Why is that SO.? if the basics are missing. Sooner or The fight is on cricket management later other systems will catch up and the PCB has now two heads one with us and then we will look for appointed by the Government and holes in our socks because I am the other reinstated by the Courts. sure that we as Pakistanis never We are going to be a laughing stock for the international agencies. So would like to accept our fault[s].

P

why is Cricket such a choice organization to be in? Well it allows what probably only the Atom makers have-no audit and a freedom today with the finances that have been earned by the players. God help us.

I agree that the rights of the one PCB Chairman should be safeguarded but then what about the rest of the country where there are no safeguards what so ever. In India two judges of the SC have been taken to task for harassment of lady interns.

Why are we in the subcontinent so deprived and depraved? Economists cannot deliver any value judgment on this and one thanks the Almighty for this. Are there any social engineers in this country or are we running barren. We probably are barren in many other areas. One Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission had the cheek to suggest options but did not take the very same decisions although he had been in the said appointment for three years plus. During that period nothing went wrong and as soon as he away to greener pastures things in Pakistan is stinking. That is a great way to show one’s ability. What was wrong with him in not pointing out the weaknesses of the political system?

Of late I have started comparing Pakistan’s anchors with the Indians. Mubashar Luqman and Hamid Mir will compare with any one round the world and would be favorably analyzed for their scholarship and research and their abilities to put their thesis before the public. Indians are on a different plane altogether for they re now discussing concepts and the ordinary corruption is not part of the game. They have in the process not spared their PM’s and top political leaders. We

have yet to reach that level of confrontational maturity. Our political leaders are more intolerant than the Indians for a Indians have developed institutional strengths.

It’s a long haul for Pakistan in as much as there is no way that things will be corrected by itself.

The leaders have to take charge and not play turkey with the social systems of this country. Of late in the Bhara Kau area the land mafia is busy and their protectors are all laced with Kalashnikov. Is it legal to tout a weapon of this lethal ability in public? There is no reason for the citizen to show these weapons unless he is about to commit a crime. The role of the police is to support any mafia and there is no way that they will go into a correct situation that is potentially explosive.

The leaders have to be better than Caesar’s wife so far as their conduct is concerned. Do we have the people; do we have the potential to determine who is better and who is a vagabond? I put it to you that the social system has been so perverted that the powerful can do anything that they want. Any one for looking at the political economy and the junks that we have collected over there. Economics is not about sitting in drawing rooms and throwing all kinds of stink to the public and to the peoples of this country. A level of responsibility is wanted and warranted. No way can we get out of this morass unless we get down to it and do it ourselves.

It was a longtime ago that as public servants one took the view as to why the world should develop Pakistan? We are vassals of the west.

—The writer is a retired Federal Secretary.

Anchors or self-proclaimed jury seems to have lost every connection with ideals of ‘civilimannerisms’, ‘decoSirajuddin Aziz zation’, rum’ or ‘grace’. It’s like a Email:balti@super.net.pk Punch and Judy show, which used to be the butt of all jokes for kids. In a recent show, a OHL Dahl a celebrated au guest referred to an ex-President as a thor and poet, has very suc ‘lunatic’. Rendering the same in Encinctly put across about the glish enhances its respectability but idiot box, ‘we beg, we pray, throw when said in the local parlance, it your TV set away, and in its place sounds pretty demeaning. If we look you can install, a lovely bookcase at the USA as an example, they show on the wall.’ Groucho Marx so aptly some reverence to the office of Presistates, that he finds television very dency at least. They still refer to Bill educating, every time someone turns Clinton as President Clinton, even on the set, he goes into the other though he is not serving the office anyroom to read a book. Such profound more. At least we can learn something thoughts were expressed by these good from these nations. visionaries ages ago. One wonders It’s a pity that there are so many if they are to catch a glimpse of our channels competing for airtime and local talk shows today, where the viewership but not one of them is anchor is grilling the political guest, producing programmes which are on how to boil an egg while the useful and educative in content. The guests are resorting to verbal fire- common thread running amongst works, how would they react! them all is mudslinging. Each chanThe more expensive and hi-tech nel wants to produce a show to outdo our television sets are becoming the the other in the innovative barrage of more cheap, crass and disgraceful is tirade they can hurl at each other or the quality of programmes being political scandals that they can unaired on them. It is a spectacle watch- earth to sensitize issues for cheap ing the circus which goes on in each public attention. Alarmingly during of the talk shows where ‘holier than elections, these anchors hosts are takthe Pope’ programme hosts consider ing upon themselves the role of fate it their moral obligation to reveal the sealers or soothsayers. They were parfilth that each party is rolling into. The ticipating in predicting games of hosts have to add their two cents of which party stood a chance to ‘win’ spice in it, throw in a few loaded state- or ‘lose’. They are putting on the garb ments and open the floor to a repul- of umpire and referee both by declarsive verbal assault between the ing who would be ‘in’ and who would guests. Tempers fly high, volumes be ‘out’. They are also quite active in shriek through the eardrums literally making one party bad mouth the other exploding them and substance hits through insidious remarks and then rock bottom! That’s the essence of leave two to battle it out in the ring. all the talk shows being aired on all These anchors are plaintiff, channels these days. Someone needs pleaders, prosecutors, jury and judge to tell these smart Alecs that raising all rolled into one making them a salethe decibel levels, doesn’t transform able anchor or earning popularity falsehood into truth. The choice of points for the show as they may think! words and language is abhorring. It It doesn’t require too much common appears that everyone on the show sense to fathom, that the job of the

R

program host is to act as a mediator; an impartial resource who states facts instead of making judgment calls or issuing provocative statements. They are simply required to moderate dialogue between intelligent people for which they need average intelligence!

Seems like quite a mean feat apparently! The guests invited to the show are no less. They like to score up on the anchor and then the diatribe between them is a mouthful to watch and hear. Guests tend to forget that they are placed in a studio and not holding a public meeting at Liaqat Bagh or Gaddafi stadium. Some are even fixed assets for certain shows and are the favourites for some anchors. They are always available to comment on anything under the sun.

From predicting as to what the next party move would be, to where the opposition leader’s next holiday destination, the weather report of Hawaii, including but not limited to nuclear physics, of course not withstanding their ‘fake degrees’!

The misery of decaying behaviour is one plaguing factor, what is further lamentable is that the topics of discussions at these forums suffer from acute poverty of intellect.

It is a shame to witness the terrible lack of meaning these programs elicit.

Subjects like ‘fake degrees’, ‘tax evaders’, ‘extortionists’ are some common terms which are used bluntly and without abandon in conversations in the process of blame game. It is sickening to note the levels these anchors have stooped to in terms of not being able to provide mentally stimulating and progressive thoughts. They are abusing such a powerful forum for below average dialogue. Instead, these platforms can be used to discuss productive issues such as reducing the national debt, controlling inflationary trends, building foreign exchange reserves, dealing with menace of population, eradi-

cating infant mortality, enhancing literacy rate in the country and an array of constructive issues to encourage debate on. Not petty matters as to which branded outlet does party’s chairman, shops his neckties and handkerchiefs at! Female anchors have carved their own unprecedented niche in arena of verbal gymnastics. Their inimitable style of yelling, pulling their hair out and thumping is a regaling sight. One just needs to mute show and watch what a classic comedy it would make for.

There should be a Code of Conduct for these anchors. Some dictates of decency to align themselves to. If they are not professionally trained in the field of journalism, and the government and media regulators are operating with a stiff upper lip, then at least familiarize them with a manual of etiquettes of a talk show or better yet self impose some tenets of basic protocol in such settings.

Anchors are influential people. They have the power to reach out to the masses. They must utilize this medium and educate the people on the significance of their vote. Their ability to usher in a healthy change. These hosts need to engage themselves in awakening country folk to their responsibility of duty towards the State.

Having stated this, anchors don’t need to be on a death wish to climb the popularity charts by inviting trouble. Neither do they need to embrace martyrdom through this route. Sultan Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi belong to the film industry arena, some anchors may try to look or behave like them but can’t replicate the silver screen magic. They must humble themselves to the talk shows as mediators! The need of the hour is not macho-ism in the anchor culture but neutrality and quintessence in dialogue.

—The author is a freelance contributor.

ASHAR Assad may be be sieged in his own capital and key parts of his country are out of his control, but he begins 2014 in the sort of political position of which, a year ago, even he and his faithful Russian allies would hardly have dreamed of. It is not simply that he is still in power, even though, according to United Nations estimates, at least nine million of his fellow countrymen are in desperate need of food and shelter.

Freshly supplied with weaponry from Moscow and Tehran and his war-weary troops boosted by Hezbollah fighters and Iranian revolutionary guards, Assad’s military position is arguably stronger than 12 months ago.

Of course the fissiparous opposition forces have done their best to assist him. Still incapable of speaking with a single voice, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, is proving itself as absurd and long-winded as its name. By failing to provide a united front, against which Assad’s half-truths and double-dealing could be pinned, for all the world to see, the National Coalition has failed lamentably. The mainstream Free Syrian Army has become increasingly contemptuous of the shenanigans of opposition politicians.

Its Herculean efforts to smash Assad’s armies have not yet succeeded. Yet without a unified opposition, the chance of a political settlement are diminished to vanishing point. Thus the fighting will go on, and not just against Assad’s men and Iranian and Hezbollah fighters, but also against members of Al-Qaeda-linked groups, operating in the country, whose ranks have few Syrians but are dominated by foreign fighters.

How Assad must be chortling in his war situation room, as he sees the Free Syrian Army engaged in vicious fighting with the bigoted thugs who have infiltrated the opposition ranks. A year ago, Assad would never have expected to have been hailed a hero for giving up these terrible devices. Yet that is what has happened. Obama promised that if chemical warfare was used, he would attack. They were used. His bluff called, Obama grabbed the straw offered by Russians and celebrated Assad’s sudden willingness to give up his poison gas stockpiles.

There was no military retribution but muted praise for Assad’s “statesmanlike” decision.

Now the removal of the chemical weapons under UN supervision is being held up over security concerns. Trucks containing their deadly cargoes cannot be moved safely through certain areas, to the coast, where they are being embarked on international vessels.

Given his past record, it is more than likely that Assad’s own people have organized the insecurity, to refocus international attention on what the Syrian leader will once again say is a very difficult, if not impossible situation, thanks to massive presence of foreign terrorists. And now Assad has apparently gained the cherry on the icing on the cake.

According to Foreign Ministry sources in Damascus, not yet denied in North America or Europe, senior intelligence officials and teams of their officers, have been in the Syrian capital discussing the role of ISIS and Nusra Front with Assad’s own intelligence people.

The British government was quick to deny any such contacts, but then they would, wouldn’t they?

The cooling of US-European support for the Syrian opposition has come about, just because of the rising Al-Qaeda’s presence among the insurgents. By talking to Assad’s intelligence chiefs, European and American spies will be hoping to gain an inside track against the terrorists. And Assad of course, will be doing everything he can to promote this new intelligence cooperation, even though it is in his longterm interests to have ISIS and AlNusra Front continue to flourish within Syria, for the time being. The National Coalition is yet to decide on whether it will attend next week’s peace talks in Geneva. If they decide against, both Washington and London have indicated that they may withdraw their support.

This is in stark contrast to the disarray of the wider opposition. The horror is that the Geneva talks could turn out to be a further political triumph for Assad, and cause uniformed world opinion to imagine that maybe he is really not such a bad chap after all.—Arab News Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open.

—Proverb

Gen Raheel Sharif’s challenges in 2014 Voice of the People flaws are remedied. Trial of former Army Chief Gen is another matter Asif Haroon Raja Musharraf which the media and vested Email: asifharoon7751@yahoo.com groups are trying to exploit and to spoil civil-military relations.

It is good that ISPR has reEARNING from his folly of frained from expressing Army’s sidelining most deserving and stance on his trial. Secretary Defence senior most Lt Gen Ali Kuli has to a large extent put to rest the Khan and appointing Gen Pervez circulating rumors about the ‘Army Musharraf as COAS in October being upset and standing behind 1998, PM Nawaz Sharif this time Musharraf’ by stating that the Army acted sensibly. Hullabaloo made by has nothing to do with the trial. The the media over delay in announcing ball is in the court of the judiciary the names of new CJCSC and COAS and not in Army or government’s and then the supersession of Lt Gen courts. The law should take its own Haroon Aslam was soon drowned course. after he appointed second and third On the external front, senior most officers Gen Rashad Afghanistan’s abrasive attitude deMahmood and Gen Raheel Sharif as spite government’s policy of apCJCSC and COAS respectively peasement is upsetting. It has so far strictly on merit. Both are profes- not closed down TTP’s bases in sionally sound with sterling quali- Kunar and Nuristan nor handed over ties of head and heart and enjoy Fazlullah and other runaway TTP clean reputation. Gen Rashad is a militants. Neither RAW and NDS go-getter and is likely to infuse more have been restrained from meddling life in his huge organization. Be- in internal affairs of Pakistan. It is longing to a martial family and to be seen whether elections would brother of Maj Shabbir Sharif take place in Afghanistan in next Shaheed Nishan-e-Haider, Gen April and whether the change in govRaheel is fully qualified to take for- ernment would be for the good or ward the good work done by his pre- bad for Pakistan. decessor Gen Kayani. He has taken Although recent meeting beno time to settle down and make his tween India-Pakistan DGMOs has presence felt. He knows that 2014 for the time being defused the tenwill be a highly challenging year. sion along the LoC, however, unThe agenda before him for this resolved Kashmir, Siachin, Sir year is the ongoing war on terror Creek and water issues will keep which has taken its toll on the Army. the two neighbours on a warpath.

Proposed peace talks which have so Besides a very heavy financial drain far have made no headway and about to maintain troops on the highest which the nation stands divided is battlefield of the world, most casuanother weighty problem. Possibil- alties suffered by troops in Siachin ity of launching a major military op- Glacier are from inclement weather eration in North Waziristan (NW) and treacherous terrain. Yet India cannot be ruled out in case the talks stubbornly refuses to withdraw fail. Missing persons issue in from its illegal occupation since Balochistan which has been hyped April 1984. by vested groups to malign Frontier The US overbearing attitude toCorps, MI and ISI is another matter gether with presence of CIA network of unease. Restive Karachi which is in Pakistan, its refusal to stop drone not getting stabilized despite Rang- attacks, its disinclination to release ers-Police targeted operation is a close support fund to the Army for cause of worry for all. the services it had availed and its Another irksome problem is in- continued proclivity towards India ability of the law courts to convict would not help in improving Pakterrorists nabbed with great diffi- US military ties. It is yet not known culty because of faulty investigative whether the US would leave behind and judicial systems and most get- residual force in Afghanistan or exting released. Terrorism cannot be ercise ‘zero option’. It is difficult to defeated by the Army unless these predict whether Afghanistan would

L

become peaceful or more violent once the ISAF departs. In case the US and Taliban fail to arrive at a political settlement with the help of guarantors, possibility of civil war in Afghanistan seems imminent, thereby making the western border more turbulent.

Cognizant of the challenges ahead, at the outset, Gen Raheel promoted and appointed right officers for the important posts of CGS, Strategic Force Command, SPD, IGT&E, DGMO and some Corps Commanders. Besides chairing two Corps Commanders conferences to take stock of the current internal and external security situation, he has undertaken several visits to FATA, Azad Kashmir and military cantonments to interact with the troops and to view Army’s operational preparedness and ongoing reconstruction works in FATA. He also spent considerable time in Fauji Foundation, which unlike all the State corporations, is magically in profit and has now embarked upon windmill projects in Karachi and Muzaffarabad to produce energy. It was thoughtful of him to pay a visit to Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation where he paid rich tributes to the sacrifices and valor of soldiers fighting the war on terror with determination.

He described the injured soldiers as national heroes. They were assured that the Army would do everything to make their lives comfortable.

During his visit to Peshawar, he offered Fateha at the graves of Army Shuhada to remind those who had passed unethical judgment over their Shahadat, how dearly the Army holds the Shaheeds who had sacrificed their lives to preserve the integrity of Pakistan.

Having recaptured 17 out of 18 administrative units from the militants’ possession in 2009, the Army is in holding role since then. The sole stronghold of the TTP is in NW where owing to multiple constraining factors no major operation has been launched. The militants rather than reciprocating have arrogantly rejected government’s unconditional offer of peace talks and are continuing with their militant activities. The TTP along with its over 50 affiliated terrorist groups including foreign

groups have taken advantage of government’s softness and Army’s inaction in NW and since 2013 stepped up terrorist attacks so as to put added pressure on the government and to hold talks from a position of strength.

In deference to government’s policy of holding peace talks with militants at all costs, the deployed troops in FATA and in restive parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are operating with one hand tied and at best are reacting to direct assault on their positions. In other words, Army has been put in a reactive mode which has allowed the initiative to slip into the hands of the militants. They are free to plan, organize and launch attacks at selected targets at will.

The TTP under absconder Fazlullah heated up NW by attacking Khajuri military check post near Mir Ali on December 19, 2013, killing five soldiers and injuring some.

Counter action by security forces which resulted in some civilian casualties was resented by Maulana Fazlur Rahman and segment of media. Rather than criticizing the counter action and terming it as gruesome, the critics should divert their energies towards peace process. The ones sheltering anti-Pakistan militants, both locals and foreigners, who are using civilians as human shields, need to be told to stop protecting them for their own good. The sympathizers should inform the security forces of their whereabouts rather than getting aligned with them.

While reiterating full support to government-led ongoing peace process, Gen Raheel emphasized that terrorist attacks will not be tolerated and there will be an effective response by the armed forces. PM Nawaz Sharif corroborated Gen Raheel’s stance by saying that attacks of terrorists were intolerable and the government and the military were on same page about tackling the menace of terrorism. It is hoped that government and Maulana Samiul Haq’s efforts succeed in achieving a breakthrough in peace talks with TTP. Unless internal peace is restored, the fragile economy cannot be revived.

—The writer is a retired Brig and a defence analyst.

Views From Abroad

Israel: A wandering state in search of a nationality As’ad Abdul Rehman

I

SRAEL is the only country in the world that absolutely refuses to give its name as a nationality to its citizens. According to a report in the Israeli news media, the Supreme Court has rejected Israeli nationality in a recent ruling saying “it could undermine the Jewish character of the state”. The ruling came after a group of Israelis petitioned to designate the Israeli nationality as the national identity of Israel, arguing that “without a secular Israeli identity, Israeli policies will have to favour Jews and discriminate against non-Jewish minorities”.

These Israelis were trying to stop the steady slide of the Zionist state toward the pit of apartheid and racism and to protect democracy in a state heading to be a Jewish theocracy.

To those civil-minded Israelis, a Jewish state means a religious state that is ruled by the rabbis/priesthood whose religious authority determines these days in Israel who the faithful believer, a blasphemer, a true or not a true Jew are. Indeed, the ruling of the court confirmed the fear of secular Israelis when it says: “rejecting the Israeli nationality is to protect Israel’s founding [Zionist] principle to be a Jewish state [only] for the Jewish people”, thus, negating equal rights for non-Jews. The Judaism practised today in Israel is a Judaism that is being ruled by the Western Talmud, the very book rejected by the American reform Jews and every

secular-minded Jew of conscience in our world, because it is a racist book written by Ashkenazi rabbis that is now considered as holy as Torah or more! Talmudist Judaism and democracy can never coexist as two powers ruling the same state which is the very reason that civilised countries separated the church from the political authority of the democratic state.

Tribe that survived Until now, the Israelis have failed to agree on a nationality from among the three available choices; the Israeli, the Jewish and the Hebrew nationalities. Major historical, anthropological, theological and recently scientific obstacles rule out the possibility to adopt any of the three nationalities/identities.

The original meaning of Israel, according to the Torah, is at the centre of the theological notion. When Prophet Jacob, in his inner struggle, overcame his materialistic self/ mind, his name became ‘Israel’, a combination of two syllables; “Isra” which means “walking in the darkness” and “El” which means the “Lord”. Thus, ‘Israel’ means the one who walks in the darkness of the material world with his Lord. The state of Israel is Prophet Jacob’s spiritual state and is not one of a political/ material core. There has never been a mention of a ‘kingdom of Israel’ in Torah or in history. Therefore, the Israeli state of higher consciousness is that of Prophet Jacob.

The biblical meaning of a Jew is a person from the tribe of Judah (the only tribe of the twelve sons of Jacob) that survived, while the rest of the eleven tribes were “lost”. In other

words, the tribe of Judah, the brother who conspired with his other ten brothers to kill their brother Joseph, the righteous, was the only tribe that kept the monotheistic principle intact and the other eleven tribes were dissolved in the melting pot of paganism after the Exodus from Egypt.

Judaism simply means the religion of the tribe of Judah and its monotheistic message was not given the name of Abraham who received it, or the name of Moses who received the Torah. Therefore, a Jew must be a descendent of the Semitic Hebrew tribe of Judah, a tribal identity and not a nationality, because for the tribe of Judah is the Hebrew nationality.

The second reason that invalidates the Jewish nationality is the scientific discovery that shocked all the Ashkenazis. A recent genetic analysis of the Ashkenazi Jews, the European Jews who converted to Judaism in the 7th century, provided the evidence that specified their origin from the maternal root that is not Semitic and has no connection, whatsoever, to the lineage of Abraham nor to Jacob who became Israel. The Western Talmud written by the Ashkenazi Rabbis specifically defines a Jew as the one who must have a Jewish mother with a Semitic lineage to Abraham and Jacob/Israel, but the genetic analysis ruled out this Talmudist condition, thus making the vast majority of the Ashkenazis as non-Jews. That also eliminates the Jewish nationality as the national identity in the Zionist state. Hebrews are “the ones who crossed over from

the desert of Arabia”. Prophet Abraham made three crossings with his band, “the Hebaros”, Al Abiroon in Arabic. The first was from Arabia to Acadia in Iraq, the second was crossing over “the two rivers” in Iraq, and the third was crossing the River Jordan to enter the land of Canaan which also was known in the Torah as the land of the Philistines.

As a matter of fact, Philistine, the land of Canaan became Palestine in Latin, but it is still Philistine in Arabic to this very day! Therefore, the only true Hebrews in the Zionist state now are the Arab Jews, who with the Arabs, Christians and Muslims have one father, Prophet Abraham, a historical fact that makes the Hebrew nationality invalid because it excludes the Ashkenazis. This means that Zionism which was founded to establish “a Jewish state for the Jews” is null and void, religiously, anthropologically and even scientifically.

Indeed, the Eastern Talmud of the Arab Jews who converted the Ashkenazis into Judaism is called “the Palestine Talmud of Jerusalem” which was written in “the Jewish old Palestinian Aramaic language” thousands of years ago. The Jerusalem Post used to be called from 1932 to 1948 “the Palestine Post”. It is the same with “the British mandate on Palestine” as proclaimed by the League of Nations and endured later at the UN. —The writer is the chairman of the Palestinian Encyclopaedia.

—Courtesy: Gulf News

Strange thank you reasons..!

O

H Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!” ….William Shakespeare It was one of those awful days!

The girl at my office decided to take the day off and according to my maid could have even found another job, I couldn’t find telephone numbers or files or whether I had paid my mobile bill! It was

just as I was cursing and cussing to all and no one in particular that I chanced upon these delightful lines.

I read them and slowly a grin spread across my sullen face, then I looked up and said a big, big thank you: I am thankful for all the things that go bad to show there is reason to give thanks! For the wife who takes over my whole bed, because I know she is at home asleep with me and not with someone else. For my teenage daughter who is complaining about doing dishes, because that means she is at home and not on the streets. For the taxes that I pay because it means that I am employed.

For the mess to clean after a party

because it means that I have been surrounded by friends. For my shadow that watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.

For a floor that needs mopping and windows that need cleaning because it means I have a home.

For all the complaining I hear about the government because it means that we have freedom of speech. For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation. For the noise I have to bear from my neighbors because it means that I can hear. For the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes

to wear.For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard. For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it eans that I am still alive.

“Oh God,” I said, “it’s so easy to grumble when we should really be looking up and saying thank you!”

“Thankyou Lord..!” For all that God in mercy sends. For health and children, home and friends; For comfort in the time of need, For every kindly word and deed, For holy thought and happy talk, For guidance in our daily walk— For everything give thanks..!

—Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com

A plea to CJ Sindh High Court SALAR LATEEF

T

his would be definitely the aching scenario for every human-loving individual to even think at the road accident, which took place in outskirts of Nawabshah few days back. According to the news reports, 24 people were killed including 21 school-going children between 10 to 15 and 13 others were injured. Nawabshah is the city, which is known as the seat of Zardari family, which ruled the country for five consecutive years. This incident has raised many questions on the affairs of Sindh government, which is being governed by PPP for last almost six years. The traffic accident, which, according to the news reports, claimed 24 precious lives, took place on the Nawabshah-Qazi Ahmed link road. In such scenario, this fact is notable; why the van was overloaded? Why Sindh government failed to impose the strict checks and balance in traffic system across Sindh? Why Sindh government deploys the traffic cops only on the routes of VIP movement? Not only in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana but the traffic wardens seem alert on the link roads always when there is movement of any VIP even in the remote areas of the Province. This irresponsible attitude of Sindh government shows the non-seriousness of PPP with their innocent “vote-bank”. To chase the driver of dumper amounts to running behind a black cat in a dark room. Instead of wasting time on such act, the court is requested to take action against those, who are the “elected” drivers, who drive the government. The past experiences show that, very soon the government will be the contented after only announcing the compensation for affected families. I request the CJ, Sindh High court to take suo moto action against such heart aching incident so that the affected families can get justice in real terms.

—Via email

Road accidents and first aid HASHIM ABRO Road accidents have become a common feature in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh. Whenever the victims of road accidents arrive at various hospitals, they do not receive First Aid services because of two simple reasons: First, these doctors and paramedical staff who are, indeed, short in number, are either found absent from their duties as they are running their private clinics in the vicinity or attending political meetings or official meetings, most probably with the Chief Secretary or the Provincial Health Secretary, where they explore different ways and means how to gobble up and embezzle state resources. It is also reported that ambulances are seen either in the private use or they stand out of order in the garages.

Second, more or less, all government hospitals, clinics, dispensaries and health units do not have even simple drugs and medicines what to speak of life-saving drugs and medicines. The victims usually die in the so-called Emergency Wards without receiving first aid services, means after they have lost a lot of blood, as it happened in the case of Road accident in Daulatpur , Nawab Shah ( Benazir abad district), home district of former President and PPP co chairperson , Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, where 21 ill-fated innocent students died without receiving first aid services because many politically–motivated appointees are not properly trained in the first aid services and other lifesaving skills of the road accidents victims. That’s why, one can witness that the emergency rooms of hospitals in the Province are always cramming with such routine and terrifying accidents.

Our ruling elite is therefore requested to take stern action against the doctors and paramedics for their apathy, inefficiency and callousness which resulted in the death of many road accident victims at Nawab Shah Peoples Medical Hospital while battling for life.

—Islamabad

A cry for help AMNA BILLOO This is with regards to the many instances of abuse that have been surfacing in the media recently, particularly those faced by women. Ranging from the age of 40 to as low as 6 years of age, females have long been the subject of abuse, be it sexual (work-place as well as domestic) physical or emotional.

While eve-teasing which has nothing to do with the way a woman is dressed as even burkah clad woman are subjected to this menace, it’s still something that women have long been using and usually a blind ear is just turned towards such comments. Yet the admittance of being abused is still a taboo topic in our society where the victim is often subjected to further humiliation while the predator walks off free, as despite all the modernism and liberation that our society readily accepts, we still believe it’s the victim that’s always to be blamed.

Unfortunately groping, eveteasing, rape, unwanted advances cannot be blamed entirely on the lack of education and literacy for that matter. It’s the general belief that the perpetrator will get off scot-free that allows such incidences to occur. Whilst the work of organizations like WAR(War against rape), Aurat Foundation and many other NGOs dedicated towards educating women on unacceptable practices is commendable the cry for help is still being subdued in the echoes of shame, helplessness and fear.

It’s my heartfelt appeal to three institutions to take steps to provide help wherever needed. Firstly, the government should ensure safety for females of all ages particularly in

crowded malls and streets where such perpetrators are likely to hunt. Secondly, school administrations (for both genders) need to include counseling and guidance on the subject of abuse and lastly but most importantly parents to ensure more vigilance especially when patterns in child behaviour are observed and to teach their children to take necessary precautions and measures like staying away from strangers, avoid talking to strangers and reporting any suspicious activity so that our future generations can at least have the assurance that their cry for help will not go unheard and unanswered unlike those of many before them.

—Karachi

Halal soap M ZUBAIR MUGHAL The relation between soap and human is as old as the history of culture. Soap has always been the part of civilized society in different shapes either in the shape of Soil collection or mixture of tree leaves and vegetables or mixture of ash and oils while, presently, it comes up with the unique blend of various chemical components, as it is known as liquid soap, beauty soap, toilet soap and antibacterial soap etc. which is the dire need of each household.

As per careful estimates, about 6 billion people of the world use soap daily and this number is prominently increasing day by day.

But current chemical components and scientific developments have raised different questions about the Halal authenticity of soap and have evidently proved the involvement of non Halal ingredients i.e. Tallow extracted from the fat of swine, chemical from the haram animals’ flow “Satiric Acid” which is obtained from Lards and all this mixture and blending distinguishes between the division of Halal and haram.

While in Islam the matter of Halal and Haram is not only confined to foods rather it is also applied on services (Islamic Banking, Islamic mode of businesses and Islamic Finance etc), clothes and tangible items such as Cosmetics, Soap and Paint etc. When man enters in the category of impurity by touching some haram animals and it becomes mandatory to have shower (Ghusal), then how would it be justified to take bath while using the soaps which is produced with chemicals from the ingredients obtained from same animals? Will his worship be accepted after using that soap?

Hence, it is needed that we should discriminate Halal and Haram in tangible (consumable) items along with food and services. We buy and use with pleasure, the leather made imported items such as shoes and hand bags imported from Italy and other countries but do we ever think of the ingredients used in those products and the skin of which animal was used in those products? Whether the Halal animals are utilized in those countries? If “No” then which animal’s skin was used as leather?

Which chemicals are used in dying processing of towel that we use to clean the face.

Is it obtained from swine’s Fat? Which chemicals are used in our paint industry etc? These are the matters of deep concern that I leave on the readers who need to make the efforts to avoid haram as a part of our life.

The prime objective of this piece of writing is not to put the Muslims into the fear rather to highlight the issues caused by latest chemical evolutions.

If we analyze the current volume of cosmetics industry globally which is about US $ 335 billion but share of Halal cosmetics is US $ 13 billion while our, Muslim, population is about 1.6 billion which is the 26% of whole world population, so, as per these figures, non-Halal cosmetics have more consumption in Muslim countries and the main reason behind it is the lack of awareness about the Halal and haram material used in these items. May Allah (Subhana wa’a Taala’a) forgive us for the sins caused by lack of awareness and give us enough strength to avoid them in

future (Aameen).

Halal Research Council (HRC), keeping in view the social, religious and professional responsibilities, inaugurated a specialized department for state of the art research in Soaps, Cosmetics, Dyeing and Paint Chemical to resolve the problems in these industries through in-depth research to give a clean and purified society to the Muslim world.

—Via email

Expand cyber security knowledge PROFESSOR ALYA ALVI It was back in 2001 when I was in Germany’s prestigious Tubingen University where I met, among other nationals, a large number of Indian students who were also employed as Computer Experts by German companies. Why didn’t they hire people from Pakistan had a simple answer that the Indians had started acquiring know-how much before the Pakistanis did. None of the asylum seekers was found a Hindu, but of course people from Sikh community who have been facing discrimination at the hands of Hindus back home.

Their confidence level spoke of the Hindu students’ pride and performance alike. Credit goes to Indian policymakers for early introducing Cyber Policy and entering the 21st Century computer age with a national objective in mind.

India has now computerized almost all its departments, especially those related to security and war. It has introduced Cyber Crime Policy that is being followed by its intelligence agencies for surveillance, counterintelligence etc. The reports of Edward Snowden’s secret visit to India nearly three years before where he spent days taking courses in computer and ethical hacking and programming at a local professional school, where he learned advance techniques for breaking into computer systems and exploiting flaws in software are not of a big surprise.

Snowden also inquired about methods to reverse-engineer the world’s most popular kits for committing widespread online crime.

This shows how India has advanced itself in this field. Unlike them, we in Pakistan are hitherto trying to familiarize ourselves with laptops and other electronic gadgets.

This ineligibility and lack of interest on our part has made us prone to cyber attacks, media onslaughts and internet intrusions. Over a decade before, the US had installed a Major-General as the head of Cyber Warfare branch of its Army, followed by India. Pakistan Army seems to have not followed the course as yet, which is a serious cause of concern. Our Armed forces need to be upgraded, modernized, sophisticated and well equipped to cope with the emerging challenges.

Acquiring latest technology and its know-how is a must. Although I do not underestimate our people in the computers and IT field, as our many organizations and individuals have excelled in this field and have made wonderful accomplishments, yet there is a great scope to enhance this knowledge and expand it to all areas of national mainstream. The cyber security domain is limited yet watertight. It has to expand. I am afraid most of our officers at the top, both in civil and military ranks, are not fully familiar to the cyber knowledge, therefore are less responsive to its significance and sensitivity.

—Rawalpindi

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

Indonesian floods kill China urges Syrians to ‘sit down’ Obama curbs spying on foreign nationals overseas 23, displace thousands B EIJING —Chinese Foreign negotiating table to end their the direction that parties should peded access for all victims of

JAKARTA—The death toll in rose to 18 late Friday in the days of floods and landslides in Indonesia has climbed to 23, an official said Saturday, as torrential rain pounded the capital.

Families in Jakarta neighbourhoods waded through murky chest-high flood waters, clutching their belongings, while others were ferried to safety in rubber dinghies, local TV stations showed.

“Five people have died in Jakarta so far from drowning or electrocution in the floods,” National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nurgoho told AFP. More than 4,300 people in the capital have been displaced by the floods, which also worsened the city’s notorious traffic jams.

Meanwhile the death toll

northern part of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, which has suffered flash floods and landslides.

Two people there are still missing, Nugroho said.

The Sulawesi deluge, which ripped more than 100 homes from their foundations, is receding as the downpour there eases, Nugroho said, adding that three-quarters of the 40,000 people initially displaced there have returned to their homes.

Indonesia is regularly hit with deadly floods and landslides during its wet season, which lasts for around six months. Environmentalists blame logging and a failure to reforest denuded land for exacerbating the floods.—AFP

Minister Wang Yi on Saturday called on the Syrian government and opposition to start talks to find solutions.

“No matter how big the issue is, how deep the discrepancy is and how hard the difficulties are, as long as Syria’s two sides sit down, start a conversation and talk on, with the joint efforts of international community, a solution acceptable to all sides will come up,” Wang told a media briefing on Saturday afternoon.

Wang’s comments came ahead of the Geneva II conference on Syria, which is scheduled to start next Wednesday.

The conference aims to bring delegations of the Syrian government and opposition to a

conflict and start a political transition through the full implementation of the Geneva communique from June, 2012.

“Whether the Geneva II conference will take place as scheduled is an issue of major concern for the international community,” Wang said.

“For both sides, starting talks is a major achievement in itself and a major threshold,” Wang said.

Wang reviewed the threeyear conflict in Syria, stressing the situation is very complicated and the reality showed military means can’t resolve it.

“Political solutions through dialogue is the only correct path and the consensus of the international community. It is also

stick to,” Wang said.

He stressed China will continue to positive and constructive efforts towards a solution acceptable to all sides.

Furthermore, ahead of the upcoming Geneva II peace conference, representatives of Syria’s neighboring countries along with the UN refugee agency called on the international community to pay attention to the growing humanitarian plight in the conflict-torn country.

“Geneva II cannot be indifferent to the humanitarian dimension of the Syrian conflict and dramatic suffering of the Syrian people. Conditions must be created for humanitarian agencies to grant unim-

the conflict, no matter where they are in Syria,” a final declaration of the second round of the Ministerial Meeting of Countries Bordering Syria said on Friday.

The meeting, which was held at a refugee camp in Harran town in Turkey’s southern province of Sanliurfa, was attended by ministers from Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt’s deputy foreign minister in order to discuss aid efforts for the large influx of Syrian refugees.

The UN refugee agency chief Antonio Guterres appealed to all countries to maintain an open door policy for fleeing Syrian refugees despite difficulties and financial hardship.— Xinhua

South Sudan regains key town from rebels JUBA—South Sudanese gov- Machar’s Nuer. Bor was the ernment forces said they seized the flashpoint town of Bor back from rebels and Uganda’s army claimed credit for the operation, highlighting the depth of its involvement in the conflict.

A rebel spokesman in Addis Ababa, where talks aimed an securing a ceasefire have been grinding on, said he could not yet confirm the status of Bor, which has been heavily fought over since the conflict erupted in mid-December.

“The SPLA gallant forces finalized the operation to capture Bor from the forces of rebellion by entering Bor town today,” Philip Aguer, spokesman for the government SPLA forces, told reporters in the capital Juba.

The United Nations says thousands of people have been killed and more than half a million driven from their homes in the fighting in the world’s newest nation.

It has pitted troops loyal to President Salva Kiir against rebels backing Riek Machar, who was sacked as vice president in July.

“The SPLA has defeated more than 15,000 forces of Riek Machar,” Aguer said. “The SPLA has frustrated Riek Machar’s plan to advance and attack Juba, and install himself as the ruler of South Sudan.”

Initially triggered by a political row, battle lines have increasingly followed ethnic lines with Kiir’s Dinka battling

scene of a massacre of Dinka by Nuer troops loyal to Machar, during an earlier conflict in 1991.

Uganda, which for years backed the SPLA in its conflict against Sudan’s government before the south declared independence in 2011, has sent its troops to support Kiir. A spokesman said the Ugandan People’s Defence Force was behind the success at Bor, the capital of restive Jonglei state.

“It’s UPDF that captured Bor,” Ugandan army spokesman Paddy Ankunda told Reuters after first announcing the UPDF’s role on Twitter. “There was a lot of resistance but our force was overwhelming.”

Uganda deployed its troops to South Sudan shortly after the fighting began. At first, Uganda said it troops were there to help stranded Ugandans and protect key facilities. But it has since declared its role in combat.

Machar and rebel officials have demanded Ugandan forces withdraw before they agree a ceasefire at the talks in Addis Ababa that are sponsored by the regional African body IGAD. Simonovic, speaking after a four-day trip to South Sudan, said “mass atrocities” had been committed by both sides. New York-based Human Rights Watch has also reported crimes against civilians, such as targeted attacks based on ethnicity.—Reuters

Family members run away from teargas during clashes between Egypt’s security forces and supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo.

Thai PM struggles to stay in power toTurkmenistan make people

B ANGKOK —From inside her threat: The country’s anti-cor- the Defense Ministry this past

“war room” in a temporary office at the Defense Ministry, Thailand’s beleaguered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is watching television feeds of flag-waving protesters trying to bring down her government.

The demonstrators have taken over key pockets of central Bangkok, blocking off their territory with sandbag walls guarded by supporters. They refuse to negotiate, and they’re trampling campaign billboards bearing Yingluck’s image amid increasing doubt that the election she called for next month can be held.

Yingluck can’t order a poare gaining ground against the lice crackdown for fear of trigruling conservative People’s gering a military coup. And she Party (PP) as Spaniards tire of is now facing a serious legal spending cuts to meet strict Europe-imposed budget targets during a five-year economic downturn, a recent poll showed.

Corruption scandals and an unpopular move to restrict abortion have also taken their toll.

The PP would win 32 percent of the vote if elections were held now against 33.5 percent for the BEIRUT—A team of inspectors Socialists, the January 12 poll from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived showed.

No PSOE members have yet in Tehran, another step towards officially announced their inten- implementing a landmark tion to stand for election, al- nuclear deal between Iran and though a number of prominent six world powers which was fiSocialists are positioning them- nalized last week, according to selves to run in the primaries. the semi-official Fars News Potential challengers to in- agency.

The team, led by nuclear cumbent Rubalcaba, who lost 2011 elections to Prime Minister engineer Massimo Aparo, will Mariano Rajoy, are Carme begin reporting to the IAEA on Chacon, a Catalan former defense Monday, marking the official minister, Patxi Lopez, former head start of the deal, according to the of the Basque regional govern- Islamic Republic News Agency.

Under the terms of the ment, and Eduardo Madina, anagreement with the United other Basque.— Reuters

Spain’s socialists to select party leader in November MADRID—Spain’s opposition Socialist party announced on Saturday that it would select a leader in November to run against the ruling center-right People’s Party in 2015 parliamentary elections.

The contest will be Spain’s first open-door primary by a major party, meaning that any citizen will be able to vote. That marks a shift from the past when the Socialist party alone chose its leader.

“We are opening a new chapter in Spanish politics,” said Socialist leader Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, 62, at a party event on Saturday. “We will celebrate an open primary where all citizens can choose our candidate for the 2015 elections.”

Rubalcaba did not say exactly how the voting would work. France’s Socialists let any voter who paid a euro and signed a document of support for leftwing principles to participate in its 2011 candidate selection.

Spain’s Socialists (PSOE)

ruption commission has announced that it will probe her handling of a controversial rice policy, an investigation that could force her from office if she is found guilty.

What’s the best way to deal with it all?

“Keep calm. And stay cool,” Yingluck said, flashing a brief smile as she rode an elevator at

week, headed for a meeting to monitor the crisis and discuss strategy with top advisers.

Thailand has been plagued by sometimes bloody bouts of unrest ever since then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Yingluck’s older brother was overthrown by the army in 2006 amid charges of corruption and alleged disrespect for the monarchy, which he denies.

The coup touched off a societal schism that in broad terms pits the majority rural poor who back the Shinawatras against an urban-based elite establishment supported by the army and staunch royalists who see Yingluck’s family as a corrupt threat to the traditional structures of power.—AP

IAEA team arrives in Tehran for nuclear visits States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, Iran will stop work on some portions of its nuclear program in exchange for relief from some international sanctions which have damaged the country’s economy.

The IAEA team will visit the Natanz and Fordow nuclear facilities to ensure that Iran will stop enriching uranium to 20 percent and that its stockpile of enriched uranium is diluted, according to Fars News.

Last month, a number of hardline lawmakers introduced a bill in the Iranian parliament

pushing for an increase of uranium enrichment up to 60 percent, ostensibly for use in nuclear submarines.

The bill was seen as a counter to a U.S. Senate bill to increase sanctions on Iran but has yet to be voted on in the Iranian parliament. If the bill passes it would likely sink the deal between Iran and six world powers.

Officials from Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization met the IAEA team at the airport, and the two groups are scheduled to have meetings on Saturday, IRNA reported.—Reuters

pay for gas ASHGABAT—The president of Turkmenistan says his government will begin installing gas meters in households, ending the unlimited supply of free gas to citizens in this energy-rich Central Asian nation.

President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov said during a televised address on Saturday that the government hoped the meters would encourage people to consume energy in a more “economical” way.

When Berdymukhamedov became president in 2006, he pledged to extend that policy until 2030. He has ruled with an iron fist, allowing no dissent or independent media in the predominantly Muslim nation of five million.—AP

3 soldiers killed in southern Libya TRIPOLI—A military official in Libya says three soldiers have been killed in clashes in the restive southern city of Sabha, a stronghold for former loyalists of late dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

The official said four soldiers were wounded in the clashes that continued for the second day Saturday after an earlier truce failed.

The clashes were sparked by revenge attacks between the Africanorigin Tabu tribe and the Arab-origin Awlad Soliman. Earlier this week, fighting in Sabha killed 31 people. The city was one of the last to fall under rebel control during Libya’s 2011 civil war.—AP

The West’s catastrophic defeat in the Middle East DOMINIQUE MOÏSI

B

ashar al-Assad is still in power in Damascus and Al Qaeda’s black flag was recently waving above Fallujah and Ramadi in Iraq.

Not only has the process of fragmentation in Syria now spilled over into Iraq, but these two realities also share a common cause that could be summarised with a simple phrase: the failure of the West.

The capture, even though temporary, of the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi by militias claiming links to Al Qaeda, is a strong and even humiliating symbol of the failure of the policies that the US carried out in Iraq.

A little more than a decade after the overthrow of Saddam Husssin’s regime - and after hundreds of thousands of

deaths on the Iraqi side and more than 5,000 on the American side - we can only lament a sad conclusion: All that for this!

In Syria, the same admission of failure is emerging. Assad and his loyal allies - Russia and Iran - have actually emerged stronger from their confrontation with the West. Civilian massacres, including with chemical weapons, did not change anything.

The Assad regime is holding tight, despite losing control of important parts of its territory, thanks to its allies’ support and, most importantly, the weakness of its opponents and those who support them.

In reality, from the Middle East to Africa, the entire idea of outside intervention is being challenged in a widely postAmerican region. How and when can one intervene appropriately? At which point does

not intervening become, to quote the French diplomat Talleyrand following the assassination of the Duke of Enghien in 1804, “worse than a crime, a mistake?”

When is intervention necessary? “Humanitarian emergency” is a very elastic concept.

Is the fate of Syrian civilians less tragic than that of Libyans? The decision to intervene reveals, in part, selective emotions that can also correspond to certain sensitivities or, in a more mundane way, to certain best interests of the moment.

Intervention becomes more probable when it follows the success of some other action; or, on the contrary, a decision to abstain that led to massacre and remorse.

The tragedy of the African Great Lakes in 1994 - not to mention the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia in 1995 - certainly contributed to the West’s decision to

intervene in Kosovo in 1999.

In reality, the intervention of a given country at a given time is typically driven by multiple factors: the existence of an interventionist culture, a sense of urgency, a minimum of empathy toward the country or the cause justifying the intervention, and, of course, the existence of resources that are considered, rightly or wrongly, sufficient and well adapted.

But more than “when,” it is a question of “how” - the two being often inextricably linked.

Intervening alone can have many benefits, including the rapidity of execution, which often leads to efficient operations. The French army was not unhappy to end up alone in Mali.

On the other hand, although it can slow down the operations schedule, forming a coalition gives the intervention more legitimacy, and helps share the

costs and risks between the various operators.

It is likely that France, which after the Mali operation has intervened in the Central African Republic in a much more uncertain conflict, would now prefer having some support - for reasons related to costs and resources as well as geopolitics.

No one wants to share success, but no one wants to end up alone in a potential deadlock either.

America’s failure - in Iraq and in Syria - should be considered the West’s failure as a whole, even though Washington’s share of responsibility is unquestionably the largest.

Failure is generally the result of the interaction between three main factors that are almost always the same: arrogance, ignorance and indifference. Arrogance leads to overestimating one’s capacities and

to underestimating the enemy’s capacity for resistance. It is all too easy to win the war but lose the peace.

Arrogance is almost always the result of ignorance.

What do we know about the cultures and histories of the populations we want to save from chaos and dictators?

Yesterday’s colonial officers, who drew lines in the sand to create the borders of the new empires and states, turned their nose up at the local religious and tribal complexities. Today, the situation may be worse still.

Sheer ignorance prevails.

The result is clear: a double defeat, strategic and ethical, for the West. Washington has brought a resounding diplomatic victory to Moscow and has allowed Bashar Assad to stay in power.

—Courtesy Gulf Times

RAMY SROUR

I

n a highly anticipated speech on Friday, President Barack Obama introduced a series of reforms that will place new lim its and safeguards on U.S. intelligence gathering, including additional protections for foreign nationals overseas. After weathering months of new disclosures and increasingly strident public criticism about the extent of U.S. spying, Obama on Friday recognized that the country’s National Security Agency (NSA) and other intelligence agencies may have overreached in the aftermath of the Sep. 11, 2001 attacks and the ongoing “war on terror”.

At the same time, Obama also stated that the particularly controversial bulk gathering of Internet and phone records would remain in place. “We have to make some important decisions about how to protect ourselves and sustain our leadership in the world, while upholding the civil liberties and privacy protections that our ideals and our Constitution require,” Obama said Friday. The new directive will “strengthen executive branch oversight of intelligence activities … reform programmes and procedures in place to provide greater transparency to our surveillance activities, and fortify the safeguards that protect the privacy of U.S. persons.”

In an unanticipated attempt to quell loud criticism from foreign governments and U.S. allies, Obama also introduced a series of changes aimed at protecting non-U.S. citizens abroad – the first time that a U.S. president has taken such steps. “People around the world, regardless of their nationality, should know that the United States is not spying on ordinary people who don’t threaten our national security, and that we take their privacy concerns into account in our policies and procedures,” the president said. “In this directive, I have taken the unprecedented step of extending certain protections that we have for the American people to people overseas safeguards will limit the duration that we can hold personal information, while also restricting the use of this information.”

In particular, the new directive seeks to ensure that “information about persons whose activities are not of foreign intelligence or counterintelligence value” will not be collected, “whatever their nationality and regardless of where they might reside.” It is still unclear how exactly these protections will be implemented, but for now, the directive states that the United States will collect data only for the purposes of detecting espionage, cyber crime, threats to U.S. or allied armed forces, and threats from terrorism, weapons proliferation and sanctions evasion. Yet there remains wide disagreement about the soundness of extending constitutional protections to foreign nationals.

“Although I agree that we should be sensitive to foreign nationals, the question is whether they have equal protection under the Constitution,” Brian Michael Jenkins, a senior adviser at the RAND Corporation, a think tank here, told IPS. “And the answer is that they really don’t.” Others note that although foreign nationals may not be protected under the U.S. Constitution, their privacy still needs to be respected as a broader human rights issue. “It may be the case that foreigners overseas do not enjoy constitutional protections, but they do enjoy basic human rights,” Elizabeth Goitein, the co-director of the Liberty & National Security Programme at the Brennan Centre for Justice at the New York University School of Law, told IPS. “And privacy is one of them.”

The president’s announcements comes in the midst of a historic public debate that first broke out in June when a former NSA contractor, Edward J. Snowden, publicised documents revealing the intrusiveness of U.S. intelligence gathering. And while many have welcomed Friday’s speech, the new reforms did little to quell all calls for action. “The president took several steps toward reforming NSA surveillance, but there’s still a long way to go,” Cindy Cohn, the legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital-rights advocacy group, said following the president’s speech. “Other necessary reforms include requiring prior judicial review of national security letters and ensuring the security and encryption of our digital tools, but the president’s speech made no mention of these.”

Others expressed disappointment at the president’s decision to simply reform, but not eliminate, the government’s bulk collection of telephone records, also known as metadata. “The president should stop bulk collection, approach Congress and support the USA Freedom ACT,” the Brennan Center’s Goitein says, referring to a legislative proposal that, if approved, would substantially rein in the NSA’s activities through an official act of Congress. The president did note on Friday that he would include Congress in the new overhaul, either by asking legislators to codify the new changes or by ensuring that lawmakers were part of a rigorous oversight mechanism.

—Courtesy Inter Press Service

Addis Ababa: Budding flower of Africa FAROUK LUQMAN

D

espite many years of civil war following the army coup and a harsh Marxist regime, Addis Ababa, capital of Ethio pia, is one of the most pleasant cities in Africa. Given its altitude, 2,350 meters, its bracing climate all year round, its population, about three and a half million which is just about right, Addis Ababa is certainly worth a visit being close to the Arabian peninsula and is fairly cheap to spend a holiday in. I know people who go there more than once every two or three years. I liked it since my first visit to interview the old emperor Haile Sellassie who was later arrested and left to die in prison although he was a fairly moderate ruler, helped found the Union of Africa and was instrumental in building its headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Only the coup and the brutality of the regime that followed it under the extreme communist label prevented its tourism from flowering and turning it into a full-fledged year round resort. Its long civil war with its erstwhile occupied territory of Eritrea cost it dearly in men and resources as it dragged on for decades following the Italian withdrawal from its colony by the Red Sea. Ethiopia adhered to it and refused to decolonize it as it needed the Red Sea ports of Assab and Mussawa.

Eventually Eritrea which had been an Italian colony since before the World War II was liberated by the emperor with massive British military aid which invaded it and handed it over to the emperor. But the Eritreans did not reconcile to that and continued to fight for independence until the eighties. Addis had to accept the harsh realities on the ground and turned to nearby Djibouti, a French colony now independent, whose port was nearby and based on the Red Sea which is crucial for the Ethiopian economy.

Addis Ababa is an Amharic name which is linguistically akin to Arabic. Ababa is Amharic meaning flower. It was invaded by the Italians in 1936 from their bases in Eritrea which they had seized during the European scramble for Africa whose history is still being unraveled, uncovering horrendous brutalities and exploitation specially in the Belgian colonies of Congo as Belgian books are gradually revealing. One of the most suitable hotels for families was Ganet, not far from the city center as it consisted of rooms and flats plus its own restaurant, children’s games, swimming pools and an easy access to some of the main roads and taxis. At that time the city was peaceful and safe to visit and stay in, that is before the ouster of the emperor. So we could travel by taxi far into the countryside, like Sogaree, a beautiful resort popular with families as it offered everything they wanted. At night, there were plenty of options for entertainment and the five star hotels like the Sheraton and Radisson lead the pack of several first class accommodations.

The Italians spent only five years in Addis but were quite determined to build it and succeeded in developing much of it, specially the roads in the city and the highways as if to make them ready for any invasion or native uprising under the Haile Sellassi, who was gathering foreign support to regain his land and he did eventually defeat them with British aid. I often wondered how the Italians were able to develop so much of Addis and other cities within five years but they did apparently because they had not expected to leave so soon or to fight the British for the country shortly after capturing it.

—Courtesy Arab News

PM directs From Page 1 He said terrorism was an issue for all Pakistanis and not just for media as even today educational institutions and places of religious worship were not safe.

The minister said the attack on the staff of a television channel was a tragic incident and nobody could tell, what was the fault of three individuals, who had lost their lives leaving behind families in mourning for the rest of their lives, he said.

These people were performing their professional duties and were not among those who are policy makers or were responsible for drone attacks in Pakistan, he added.

The minister said the government has been doing its best to tackle the problem of terrorism. He said the government measures have led to arrest of many terrorists and seizure of explosives in a huge quantity. He said laws have also been further strengthened to prosecute the people involved in terrorism.

ATC summons From Page 1 addressing an election campaign rally in the city.

Last year in August, former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was indicted on three counts over Benazir’s murder.

Other accused in the case include former City Police Officer of Rawalpindi Saud Aziz, the then SP Khurram Shahzad, Sher Zaman and Abdul Rasheed.

China to host FMs’ From Page 1 ciliation process at an early date.

Hong emphasized that relevant parties should honour their commitment to the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan, respect and accommodate the legitimate concerns of countries in the region on relevant issues.

Kazakhstan hosted the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan in 2013.—APP

Zardari From Page 1 Cotecna, ARY and Ursus tractors and, thereby, the indictment in the two references was put off.

The court issuing notice to NAB, fixed the hearing of the petitions on February 3.

Vatican defrocked 400 priests in two years for abuse scandals VATICAN—The Vatican revealed on Saturday that some 400 priests were defrocked during two years of the pontificate of now pope emeritus Benedict XVI for child sex abuse crimes, following an explosion in reported cases.

“In 2012 there were around 100, while in 2011 there were around 300. Some were as a result of a disciplinary procedures, others made a request,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. Scores more were defrocked in the preceding years, after Benedict XVI, the Vatican’s former chief doctrine enforcer, was elected in 2005 to replace John Paul II.—AFP

Pak, India to allow a move which would be reciprocated by his side.

“In the banking sector we are hoping to have some progress, very rapid progress,” he said.

The ministers emphasised the importance of trade facilitation measures and directed their respective ministries to work out modalities for containerisation of cargo; allowing all tradeable items by land route at Wagah; liberalization of business visa regime; enhancing operational hours at Wagah and Attari and consider

From Page 1 other such measures as deemed necessary by the business communities of the two countries.

They agreed that both sides would convene the meetings of technical working groups of customs, railways, banking, standards organizations and energy to devise the modalities for effective implementation of all requisite measures.

With the objective of enhancing bilateral trade opportunities, FICCI and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan are also coordinating an ‘India Show”

in Lahore in mid-February.

A Joint Business Forum of Chief Executive Officers indifferent sectors have also met twice after the formation of the present Pakistan Government.

Several sub-groups have been formed by this Joint Business Forum to enhance trade cooperation in diverse sector such as textiles, tourism, energy, light engineering, Pharmaceutical and others.

The third meeting of this Joint Business Forum is scheduled in Pakistan for mid-February.—APP

Shahbaz Sharif From Page 1 sis has badly affected national economy, industry, agriculture, education, health and other social sectors. Shahbaz Sharif said that elimination of energy crisis is a big challenge.

He said that former rulers did not pay any attention to overcoming energy problem during their tenure. However, he said, PML(N) government is taking steps on war-footing for coping with energy crisis.

He said that poverty will be changed into prosperity and grief into joys. He said that the course of history can be changed by making simplicity,

trust, honesty and hard-work as our motto. The Chief Minister said that we have started the culture of savings and simplicity by curtailing the expenditures of Chief Minister’s Office and observing ban on purchase of new vehicles.

He said that every moment is precious; we have to march forward without any loss of time and discharge our responsibilities for the betterment of the country and the nation. He said that the defeated nations have achieved tremendous economic power through education, hard work and determination. He said

that we can also become politically and economically strong by making hard work, trust and honesty our motto.

While mentioning the decrease in prices of essential items, the Chief Minister said that due to cooperation of assembly members, government efforts and concrete measures, the prices of daily use items have reduced considerably and relief has been provided to the people.

He said that we have to march forward with the same spirit of service in future as well and take further steps for providing relief to the masses.

Pakistan still in state From Page 1 The minister said the government’s package would aim at strengthening the country by arming law enforcement agencies with the latest technology and equipment.

He said the government would take the Parliament and all political parties into confidence over holding talks with the Taliban.

Nisar added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s objective was to ensure that everyone should be able to contribute as they wanted and do their bit to establish peace in the country.

He said the government would get in touch with political leaders today and the day after in this regard.

The minister said it was the provincial governments’ mandate to control the law and order situation in their respective domains.

He lamented that little had been done to strengthen law enforcement and security agencies in the past 13 years, adding that countless had died in the line of duty.

Nisar pledged that the government would assist law enforcement agencies by arming them with new bomb disposal cars, robots and other latest equipment to combat security challenges.

Nisar further said the new leadership of the Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan (TTP) refused to hold talks with the government following drone attacks.

He added that talks will be held in line with the constitution and writ of the country. “The government will welcome those who want to take part in the dialogue process.”

He said the timeframe for the policy will be one year and Rs. 28 billion will be spent to further strengthen law-enforce-

ment agencies.

To a question about talks with Taliban, the Minister said the government will welcome and support political leaders, if they are willing to take lead role in talks with Taliban or want to use their good offices in support of government efforts. He said the government will hold talks with Taliban as mandated by the All Parties Conference and will also take the Parliament into confidence at some stage.

Those criticising the government, which is in power for only six months, did not take any initiative to hold talks with Taliban or carry out an operation to end militancy during the last 13 years, he noted.

The Minister said the government is taking practical steps to enhance security for people and build capacity of the lawenforcement agencies. The government has given a sense of direction and its policiesare meant for betterment of people and in the larger interest of the nation, he added The Minister said due to wrong policies of the previous governments in the past decade, a foreign war was imposed on Pakistan, making the country an unsafe place.

Earlier, speaking at passing out parade of police officers, the Minister hoped that the officers will carry forward their distinction while performing duties in service of the state.

He said they should be conscious of the serious challenges facing the country, which is going through a critical phase. The Minister said the police officers will be expected to go beyond their call of duty as the country is in a state of war.

“It is not an open and transparent war. It is war with an enemy which is playing hide and seek with the people and the law-enforcement agencies.”

The police officers must be part of efforts to restore sanity in the country, he said. He reminded the international community that after the vicious incident inNew York in 2001, now most of the world is a safe place.

Despite the fact, that none

of the alleged perpetrators originated from Pakistan, the country bore brunt of this war waged by foreign powers, he added. He said the international community failed to understand the dire straits in which Pakistan was due to war in the region.

Imran directs KP Govt to launch drive against Polio From Back Page nine diseases and that includes polio eradication.

The Chief Minister also told Imran Khan that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was in close collaboration with the quarters querters and the PTI Policy Reform Unit was already working on a special program to improve overall child health in Peshawar and will present the complete plan to the Chairman within two days and this would be shared with the media.

Imran Khan made it clear that we cannot continue to play with the lives of our future generations when prevention of childhood diseases is readily available. “The neglect of previous governments towards immunization of children including against polio is criminal and today this has endangered our children’s welfare and Pakistan’s international standing”, he maintained.

Imran said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government must act on an emergency basis to immunize all children against polio adding it must also communicate to parents that immunization can make the difference between a healthy child and a crippled one. “The battle must be fought on all fronts to make Pakistan free of all preventable diseases, including polio as we cannot afford failure”, the PTI chairman warned.

13 foreigners From Page 1 “There was blood everywhere, on tables, on chairs, apparently the attackers had shot people from a very close range.”

Popular with both Afghans and expats The Taverna has been a regular dining spot for foreign diplomats, aid workers and Afghan officials and businessmen for several years, and was busy with customers on Friday, the weekly holiday in Afghanistan.

Like many restaurants in Kabul, it ran strict security checks with diners patted down by armed guards and passing through at least two steel doors before gaining entry. On Saturday morning, the Taverna´s battered sign was still in place, hanging over the ruined remains of the entrance door. Several badly damaged cars also remained at the scene. “Our latest figure is 21 killed, including 13 foreigners and eight Afghans,” Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir told. “Five women were among the dead and about five people were injured.”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killings, saying that “such targeted attacks against civilians are completely unacceptable and are in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law”.

The assault was quickly claimed by Taliban militants fighting against the Afghan government and US-led foreign forces in the country.—AFP

Dar From Page 1 announced an Energy Policy, but is also working on fast track to bring out a Hydro Carbon Policy so that indigenous resources can be exploited to reduce the dependence on imported resources.

The finance minister urged on the need to increase technical and technological cooperation between the two countries to help Pakistan exploit its proven hydro carbon resources dilating on the need to work more closely in the field.

He said that addition of 1700 MW in the national grid due to clearance of circular debt had increased industrial growth by five per cent against an average of three per cent during the last five years.

This underscored the need and significance of emphasizing more on the energy sector as it would further accelerate growth in the economy, he added.

Robin Raphel offered United States’ assistance for improving infrastructure and facilities at all borders of the country.

The meeting was also attended by the secretary finance and senior officials of the ministry.—APP

Iran has $100b abroad, can draw $4.2b VIENNA—Iran has about $100 billion in foreign exchange assets around the world, of which it will be able to draw $4.2 billion under last year’s nuclear agreement with six world powers, a senior U.S. administration official said on Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the money and assets were held in various countries and that a significant proportion was Iran’s oil revenue. Financial and other sanctions have meant that Tehran has not had free access to spend it.

Under the Nov. 24, sixmonth accord between Iran and the major powers, Tehran will receive limited sanctions relief, which the U.S. estimates to be worth about $7 billion, in return for curbing its disputed nuclear programme.

Of this amount, $4.2 billion is in the form of access to currently blocked Iranian revenue held abroad.

The U.S. official said Iran would identify from where it wants to take the funds and that the Western authorities would facilitate their transfer in a series of instalments during the next half year, depending on the Islamic Republic carrying out its part of the deal.

The interim accord - meant to buy time for negotiations on a final settlement of the decadeold nuclear dispute - also pauses Western efforts to further cut

PPPP to unite From Page 1 a constitutional forum to decide about privatisation of national institutions and if the federal government had reached any secret accord with the IMF, no province was legally bound to respect that secret accord.

He said that PPPP was against the privatisation because the working atmosphere in any privatised institution had been devastating for the working class of people. The PPPP had also laid its demand for cancelling the privatisation of the KESC but it was not accepted by the previous government of the PPPP. Pakistan Steel Mills needed a bail-out package of Rs 28 billion but the federal government was not considering the demand and need of the bail-out package. The federal government had spent Rs 100 billion on laptop and Rs 500 billion on independent power producers (IPP) but Pakistan Steel Mills workers were not paid for their past three months salaries.

Iran’s oil exports, which Washington says have plunged by around 60 percent to 1 million barrels per day since early 2012.

The U.S. official made clear that the volume would not increase if the oil price were to fall during the six-month agreement, the implementation of which is due to start on Monday.

Japan, South Korea, China, India, Taiwan, and Turkey are still importing Iranian oil, and the official said that if another country started purchasing crude from Tehran it would likely violate U.S. law.

The official reiterated U.S. concerns about a recent Reuters report that Iran and Russia are negotiating an oil-for-goods swap worth $1.5 billion a month. Such a deal would sig-

nificantly boost Iran’s oil exports.

The administration official also underlined the U.S. view that businesses should not rush to return to Iran, saying the sanctions relief under the Geneva agreement was both limited and reversible.

European companies are sizing up the potential of an end to the economic isolation of Iran, attracted by an urgent need to overhaul its creaking infrastructure, a young population of 76 million and major oil and gas reserves.

Reuters reported this week that Belgian chemical firm Tessenderlo will ship fertiliser to Iran within weeks as the easing of Western financial sanctions has helped Tehran complete its first potash tender purchase in two years.—Reuters

Obama creates Afghan, Pak Strategic Partnership Office W A S H I N G T O N —President Barack Obama has ordered establishment of a temporary organization to be known as Afghanistan and Pakistan Strategic Partnership Office that would help promote further security and stabilization and transitioning to a normalized U.S. diplomatic presence in the two countries.

The organization has been established within the U.S. State Department and will coordinate the final drawdown of the Department of State’s civilian field operations and staff in Afghanistan. The creation of the organization under President Obama’s executive order comes as the U.S. and its

Balochistan By-polls today Q UETTA —All arrangements have been finalized for conducting of local bodies’ bypolls for vacant seats in different areas of Balochistan, on Sunday (Jan 19). According to a handout issued by the Provincial Election Commission Office in Quetta, here on Saturday, a meeting held with Provincial Election Commissioner Balochistan, Syed Sultan Bayazeed in chair, reviewed the arrangements made for holding local government’s by-polls in different areas of the province including the entire district of Harnai. The polling staff and law enforcement personnel have reached their respective polling stations.—APP

4 of Shahzain’s cavalcade killed JACOBABAD —At least four people were killed and three others wounded in an overnight roadside accident, when some vehicles bumped into each others. Shah Zain Bugti was en route to Kashmore from Balochistan moments after midnight when some vehicles of his cavalcade collided with each other, police sources said. According to police sources, Zain Bugti’s vehicle remained safe in the accident. Shah Zain Bugti is the grandson of late Baloch leader Nawab Mohammed Akbar Khan Bugti and provincial chief of Jamhoori Watan Party.—Online

Four of family burnt to death KARACHI—Four members of a family including a couple and their two children were burnt to death when fire broke out in a house here during night falling between Friday and Saturday. Police said that fire started due to an electric short circuit in a house located in Block 15 of Federal B area, Karachi. Two fire tenders and rescue personnel reached the scene and extinguished the blaze after hectic efforts of more than one hour and rescued four injured family members from the gutted house. —INP

Mr. Zahid Malik, Editor-in-Chief, Pakistan Observer, called on Mujahid-e-Awwal, Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan and inquired about his health on Saturday. Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan, former Prime Minister of AJK was also present.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir

Zahid Malik visits Sardar Qayyum

Imran directs KP Govt to launch drive against Polio

the crippling disease remains TARIQ SAEED endemic, 80% cases belong to R AWALPINDI —Mr Zahid PESHAWAR—Expressing se- Pakistan. The statistics of the

HAMEED SHAHEEN

rious concern over the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring Peshawar as the world’s largest polio virus reservoir, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Imran Khan has directed the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak and provincial Minister for Health to immediately commence a crash course against not only polio but child care comprehensively.

The WHO, it may be recalled, on Friday declared Peshawar as the largest polio virus reservoir in the world and had called on the provincial government to take concrete steps to eradicate the polio virus from the city and the adjoining tribal belt. The world body had also warned that of the three countries in the world i.e. Pakistan, AfSANAA—An Iranian diplomat ghanistan and Nigeria where was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting outside the ambassador’s residence in the Yemeni capital Saturday, the third attack on embassy personnel in recent months, a NEW DELHI—The mortal remedic said.

The medic at Sanaa’s mains of Sunanda Pushkar, Modern German Hospital told wife of union Minister AFP that diplomat, Ali Asghar Shashi Tharoor, were conAssadi, had been “hit in the signed to flames in New shoulder, abdomen and Delhi on Saturday evening.

The cremation took stomach.”“He was taken to the operating theatre then place at the Lodhi crematotransferred to intensive care rium in south Delhi, near the but died after an hour and couple’s residence in Lodhi half.” Iran swiftly condemned Estate.

Sunanda Pushkar, who what it said was a new kidnap attempt against one of its dip- died on Friday night, had ‘inlomats in Sanaa, after em- jury marks’ on her body and bassy staffer Nour-Ahmad it is a ‘case of unnatural, Nikbakht was abducted by sudden death’, one of the suspected Al-Qaeda militants doctors who conducted the autopsy said. in July. —AP

Malik, Editor-in-Chief, daily Pakistan Observer and Chairman Nazriya-e-Pakistan Council (Trust), on Saturday afternoon, visited Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyun Khan, veteran Kashmiri leader, former AJK President/ Prime Minister and enquired about his health, at his residence.

Sardar Sahib ailing for past some months, remained under treatment at a private hospital. He was discharged on Monday from hospital.

His health is improving.

Mr Zahid Malik remained there for quite some time and exchanged pleasant bits of talk with Sardar Sahib.

Iranian diplomat killed in Yemen

WHO also disclosed that almost every polio case in 2013 in Pakistan, one of only three countries where Polio still remains endemic, could be linked genetically to strains of the virus circulating in Peshawar.

Chairman PTI contacted the Chief Minister and Health Minister KP on telephone on Saturday and directed them to embark upon an emergent program to stamp out all the nine diseases that fall under the umbrella of the provincial Expanded Programme on Immunization of which polio is one part. The Chief Minister informed the Chairman that according to the international health standards, it is important that the quality of routine immunization is improved to help children strive against

Continued on Page 7

Sunanda Pushkar cremated; had ‘unnatural’ death The wife of Indian minister Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in a luxury hotel after accusing her husband of being unfaithful, suffered an “unnatural, sudden death”, a doctor who performed an autopsy on her body said Saturday.

“More tests” are needed to determine the cause of Sunanda Pushkar ’s death and the final results will not be known for two to three days, Sudhir Gupta, one of three doctors who performed the autopsy, told reporters.—AFP

Stampede kills 18 mourners of Bohra spiritual leader M UMBAI —A stampede killed at least 18 people in India’s financial hub Mumbai as a large crowd gathered to pay their last respects to a Muslim spiritual leader, police said.

More than 40 were also injured in the chaos that erupted shortly after midnight local time when the gates were shut to the residence of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, who died aged 102 Friday.

Burhanuddin, who was due to celebrate his 103rd birthday in a few weeks, died of a heart attack at his home, a spokesman said.

He was a leader of the

Dawoodi Bohra community, a sect of Shia Islam.

“Organisers had closed the gates. The crowd was so huge that people started suffocating, some fainted and then people began running and falling on each other in a panic,” Mumbai police chief Satyapal Singh told reporters.

In reply to a question, Singh confirmed that 18 people died and admitted there was a lapse in crowd control as police and organisers had failed to anticipate the huge turnout of devotees.

Singh added that he had ordered a thorough investi-

gation into what led to the pre-dawn disorder.

Stampedes at public events in India are common as large numbers of people pack into congested areas.

Panic can spread quickly and, with few safety regulations in place, the result is often lethal.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters: “I feel very sorry about the tragic incident”, and expressed his condolences for the 18 deaths.

Thousands adorned in white scarves and skullcaps gathered Saturday on the streets of Mumbai for the funeral procession of

Burhanuddin, TV footage showed.

Narendra Modi, leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party who has been vilified for deadly anti-Muslim riots in his Gujarat state in 2002, called the incident “unfortunate” on Twitter.

“Stampede near Syedna Sahib’s residence is very unfortunate. Condolences to families of those who lost their lives & prayers with the injured,” Modi tweeted.

The spiritual leader, succeeded by his 70-year-old son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, led the Dawoodi Bohra community for nearly five decades.—AFP

NATO allies move to a major transition in Afghanistan with the conclusion of combat operations and drawdown of most of their troops by the end of the current year.

The APSPO shall be headed by a director appointed by the Secretary of State. The temporary organization shall be based in Washington, D.C., Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The White House executive order states that the “purposes of the APSPO shall be to perform the specific project of supporting executive departments and agencies in facilitating a strategic partnership between the U.S. Government and the govern-

ments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, promoting further security and stabilization, and transitioning to a normalized diplomatic presence in both countries.”

The APSPO shall “support agencies in transitioning to a strategic partnership with the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan in the economic, diplomatic, cultural, technology, and security fields, particularly in the areas of programme management, rule of law, and programme oversight.”

It will “coordinate the final drawdown of the Department of State’s civilian field operations and staff in Afghanistan.”—APP

ASWJ Dy Punjab chief among 3 killed S A R G O D H A —Three persons were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a car carrying Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) leader in Sargodha on Sat-

urday morning.

According to police, the incident occurred at Noori Gate in Sargodha when ASWJ Deputy Chief of Punjab chapter Maulana

Abdul Hameed Khalid along with others was on his way from Bhakkar to attend the hearing at an anti-terrorism court in Sargodha. —INP

Smoking to kill 5.6 million US kids if not stubbed out: report

A

NOTHER 5.6 million American chil dren may die prematurely unless smoking rates fall in the United States, according to a report by the U.S. surgeon general which links a range of new illnesses to the habit. Fifty years after the first surgeon general’s report declared smoking a hazard to human health, the new study adds conditions ranging from colon cancer to diabetes and arthritis to the tally of tobacco-related diseases.

The report, the first in more than a decade, found that smoking has killed more than 20 million Americans prematurely in the last half century. Although adult smoking rates have fallen to the current 18 percent from 43 percent of Americans in 1965, each day, more than 3,200 youths under the age 18 try their first cigarette, according to the report published on Friday.

“Enough is enough,” acting Surgeon General Dr Boris Lushniak said in a telephone interview. “We need to eliminate the use of cigarettes and create a tobacco-free generation.”

Federal health officials are calling on businesses, state and local governments, and society as a whole, to end smoking within a generation through hard-hitting media campaigns, smokefree air policies, tobacco taxes, unhindered access to cessation treatment and more spending by state and local governments on tobacco control.

“It’s not just the federal lead on this anymore,” said Lushniak. “To get this done, we have to go to industry. We have to go to healthcare

providers and remind them that this problem is not yet solved.” The report, dubbed The Health Consequences of Smoking, 50 Years of Progress, details the growing science showing the diseases and health conditions caused by smoking since Dr Luther Terry issued the landmark report on January 11, 1964, that first confirmed smoking tobacco caused lung cancer.

In that first report, only lung cancer was associated with smoking. Now there are 13.

“We’re still a country very much addicted to tobacco,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a White House event to mark the anniversary.

The new report adds liver and colorectal cancer to that list, but it also details several other conditions caused by smoking, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and impaired immune function, and cleft palate in infants. And in a startling statistic, the report found that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of stroke by 20 to 30 percent.

“It really is astonishing that even 50 years in, we are finding new ways that tobacco maims and kills people,” Dr Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a telephone interview. He said the report found that smoking costs the nation $130 billion in direct medical expenses each year. Frieden reiterated that tobacco control efforts have saved as many as 8 million lives in the past five decades, but stressed that much more needs to be done to eliminate smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan giving sword of honour to the best performing ASP on the occasion of passing out parade of specialized training programme.

Clash over property dispute claims two lives CITY REPORTER RAWALPINDI—Two persons

were killed and one critically injured when the rival party opened indiscriminate fire on them at Village Dagal on Adialya Road on Saturday, police said. According to detail, there was a property dispute between the two parties, they were going back after attending the court proceedings here today.

The opponent party opened indiscriminate firing on their rival namely Saeed and Hameed while Abdul Waheed was critiMaryam Nawaz, Chairperson PM’s Youth Loan Scheme presiding over a follow up meet- cally injured. The killers managed to escape from the scene. ing regarding Islamizatoin of the youth loan Scheme.

Saddar Barooni police have registered the case and started investigation. No arrest has been made yet.

Meanwhile, a large number of villagers blocked the road for many hours by placing dead bodies on the road, which created problems for the commuters. The protesters demanded the early arrest of the killers.

Islamabad bus service

Committee formed to expedite Project CITY REPORTER

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has constituted a sixmember committee to expedite process and for early completion of Islamabad Bus Service Project.

The committee will prepare docu-

ments for pre-qualification of the interested companies and set technical and financial standards, besides devising plan and schedule of work for the implementation of the project. The committee is headed by Member Admin Amir Ali Ahmed and the members in-

clude Director Construction Ejaz Ahmed Siddique, Director Accounts Saeed Ahmed, Director Markets and Roads Maintenance Asad Mehmood Kiani, Director Traffic Engineering Azam Khan CITY REPORTER Lodhi and Project Director BRT ISLAMABAD—Rubab Hassan Qazi Umer. has undergone liver transplant operation at a hospital here and now needs about 30 bottles of blood to save her life. Her husband Syed Hassan Abbas, in a statement has appealed for blood donation. He can be approached Ambassador Peter Claes said Bel- at phone numbers 0301gium played a pivotal role in 2262518 and 0332-2595796.

His brother Alamdar Naqvi granting the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Plus Status (0342-5161630) and nephew to Pakistan by the European Fida Mahdi (0346-5080586) can also be contacted in this regard.

Union.—Online

Belgium hails Pakistan’s role in war on terror ISLAMABAD—Belgian Ambassa- ated Pakistan’s frontline role in the dor Peter Claes called on Chairman Pakistan Council for Social Welfare and Human Rights Muhammad Ijaz Noori in Islamabad. Belgium has appreci-

war against terrorism.

Talking to Chairman Pakistan Council for Social Welfare and Human Rights Muhammad Ijaz Noori in Islamabad, the Belgian

Appeal for blood donation

Ex-servicemen society approves new charter

Two million retired personnel ready to defend country ZUBAIR QURESHI RAWALPINDI —Pakistan ExServicemen Society (PESS) has expressed serious concerns over attempts by anti-Pakistan elements to estrange the nation with the armed forces.

Patriotic forces of Pakistan—all the retired navy, military and air force personnel— would foil all such negative designs, said the society members in a meeting held Saturday. Gen (Retd) Hamid Gul President of the society, was chairing the PESS Central Executive Committee meeting.

Gen Gul was of the view the retired army personnel were integral part of the country’s defence. At present more than 2 million retired army personnel across Pakistan are ready to lay

down their lives for the defence of the Motherland.

Today, Pakistan is facing a number of external and internal threats and the anti-state elements want to take advantage of this fragile situation, he said, however, he expressed confidence such negative forces would never succeed in their evil designs.

The meeting also approved the society’s new charter according to which Pakistan ExServicemen Society in collaboration with various non-government organizations (NGOs) will contribute in the field of education, health, science and technology. The society will also help the victims of natural disasters.

The society also vowed to resolve the problems of the re-

tired army personnel. “The retired army personnel who have defended the country at the cost of their lives are facing scores of problems,” said Gen Hamid Gul. “Our basic mission would be to serve the retired army personnel besides playing the role of bridge between people and the armed forces.”

The meeting constituted a committee under the leadership of Col (Retd) Mumtaz Malik that will supervise the welfare projects of the families of the retired army personnel and those soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Brig (Retd) Maqsood-ul-Hassan who has served as DG Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) was made the head of education committee. The participants of the meeting were asked to sub-

RBISE issues date sheet for exams

Mother of Sharafat Kazmi passes away

R AWALPINDI —Rawalpindi March 10, Physics on March 12,

CITY REPORTER

Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (RBISE) has issued date sheet of annual examinations of Ninth and Tenth grades.

According to the date sheet, examinations of Tenth grade will start from March 03 and those of Ninth grade will start from March 19. Under examination of Tenth standard, English paper will be held on March 03, Chemistry on March 06, Biology and Computer on March 08, Mathematics on

Islamiat on March 13, Urdu on March 15 and paper of Pak Studies will be held on March 17.

Similarly, in Ninth grade exams, English paper will be held on March 19, Biology and Computer on March 22, Mathematics on March 24, Chemistry on 26, Pak Studies on March 28, Islamiat on March 29, Physics on March 31, paper of Urdu will be held on April 02. Date sheet of the practical examinations will be issued after the written papers.—INP

mit suggestions for health committee. The same meeting approved the name of Lt Gen (Retd) Mumtaz Gul as President of the Society chapter in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata. In other provinces, the society would soon nominate heads of the respective chapters, it was decided.

Besides Gen Hamid Gul, Gen Mumtaz Gul and Brig Maqsood-ul-Hassan, the meeting was also attended by Air Marshal (Retd) Khalid Chaudhry, Brig (Retd) Jafar Khan, Air Marshal (Retd) Khudadad Khan, Commodore (Retd) Farooq Mirza, Brig (Retd) Sagheer, Subedar (Retd) Akram, Naib Subedar (Retd) Ali Haider, Corporal (Retd) Haji Fazal Karim, Naik (Retd) Iqbal, JCOs, MCOs and others.

ISLAMABAD—The mother of Mr. Sharafat Kazmi, Senior Correspondent, Pakistan Observer, passed away here on Saturday night after a prolonged illness.

The funeral prayers will be held at 2.pm at F. 11 Markaz opposite telephone exchange. Contact Mr. Sharafat Kazmi cell No. 0333.5106745.

64 absconders arrested

US Embassy, HEC sign letter of commemoration CITY REPORTER I SLAMABAD —A letter of commemoration was signed between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the US Embassy to memorialize the joint ventures of HEC’s English Language Teaching Reforms (ELTR) Project and the US Embassy.

The ceremony was held at HEC Secretariat, Islamabad.

Engr. Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, Chairperson HEC and Mr. Peter M. Brennan, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy signed the letter as signatories.

As co signatories, Ms. Noor Amna Malik, Director General (Learning Innovation) HEC and Mr. FiFe MacDuff, Regional English Language Officer signed the letter of

commemoration.

ELTR Project of HEC in its Phase-II, launched in April 2010, took an initiative to join hands with the US Embassy to organize International Resource Person (IRP) trainings for indigenous English faculty.

In this series, six IRP trainings were organized across the country. These trainings benefitted 139 English teachers to public sector universities and colleges.

Two more trainings are planned for February 2014.

The objective of these trainings is to upgrade knowledge of English teachers of ELT trends and techniques and to provide international exposure to indigenous English Faculty by sitting here in Pakistan.

The participants are jointly Engr. Imtiaz Gilani, Chairperson, Higher Education Commission and peter M. Brennan, certified by HEC and the US Minister Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy exchange documents after signing the Embassy after completion of letter of commemoration at a ceremony held at HEC.

training. Engr. Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, emphasized the need to expand scope of such trainings so as to involve more teachers and to address need of language reforms at a larger scale.“In the rapidly changing world, it becomes mandatory to focus on professional enhancement and to improvise teaching techniques.

The efforts of ELTR and US Embassy to take initiatives for professional growth of teachers must be appreciated.”

Mr. Peter Brenan said that such workshops provide great opportunity to the teachers to hone their skills and review methods and techniques of teaching so that they remain in tune with new teaching trends.

He said that US Embassy will continue to support HEC in future too with more initiatives.

Special crackdown on outlaws CITY REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Islamabad police have nabbed 64 absconders involved in crime of heinous nature during last two weeks in its special crackdown against outlaws, a police spokesman said.

Inspector General of Police Islamabad Sikandar Hayat has assigned the task to all police officials to ensure arrest of proclaimed offenders and inform his office on the daily basis about success in this special crackdown.

He also directed all SDPOs and SHOs to launch massive crackdown against proclaimed offenders and court absconders.

SSP Islamabad Muhammad Rizwan also directed all heads of police stations of Islamabad to start their renewed efforts to arrest outlaws. A total of 64

absconders including 19 proclaimed offenders and 45 court absconders have been apprehended during last two weeks.

IGP Islamabad Sikandar Hayat has issued directions to make this campaign further effective as the performance of police stations in-charges would be further reviewed soon in this regard.

He said that no one is above the law and arrest of those being at large after their involvement in crime of heinous nature should be ensured for the safety to the lives and property of the citizens.

He warned the police officials that sluggish attitude in this regard would not be tolerated.

The IGP Islamabad Sikandar Hayat vowed to continue efforts for effective policing and make police department service-oriented in real manner.

Pakistan Post distributes 267 motorcycles in Islamabad Circle

Motorists protest parking fee overcharging Zohr

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

Brothers in Islam establish regular prayers and charity

January 20 FEDERAL Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain, will be the Chief Guest of “Markazi Imam Hussain Council”, on 20.01.2014, at 1430hrs, in PC Hotel, Mall Road, Saddr, Rawalpindi.

January 21 SHARIAH Academy, International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) would hold a three-day International Conference on ‘Moderation’ from January 21. The conference will be arranged in coordination with Higher Education Commission Pakistan (HEC) and Frogh-eRawadari Jordon at Allama Iqbal Auditorium, Faisal Masjid Campus of the university.

Admission into Shahbaz Sharif degree college CTIY REPORTER R AWALPINDI —Decision has been taken to start admission into newly constructed Shahbaz Sharif Boys Degree College Khayban-e- Sirsyed from September, 1.

The decision has been taken to address the increasing problem of admission for boys in Rawalpindi city.

Government Shahbaz Sharif Boys Degree College has been completed and tenders have been invited for purchasing furniture and other equipment.

Furniture and other equipment is also being acquired for other three newly built colleges including Government Girls Degree College B Block Satellite town Rawalpindi, Government Girls Degree college Murree an d Government Boys Degree college Chakwal.

The process of enrolment of teachers and non teaching staff for this college will be completed ahead of September, 1, 2014.

Water supply from Indus River System CTIY REPORTER R AWALPINDI —The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has termed supply of water from Indus River System to twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi inevitable to control worsening water shortage.

The Managing Director WASA informed the Punjab government through Commissioner Rawalpindi that the shortage of water in the twin cities might further aggravate.

In a letter to the Secretary Housing Punjab, the MD WASA stated that Rawalpindi city is being supplied 49 million gallons water daily from Rawal Dam, Khanpur Dam and 323 tube wells.

Rawal Dam is providing 12 million gallons, Khanpur Dam six million gallons and the tube wells are supplying 33 million gallons water to the garrison cities.

The water supply situation in the federal capital and cantonment areas is alarming, as those are completely relying on Simly and Khanpur dams.

Therefore, the MD WASA proposed, water supply from Indus River is imperative to fulfill current and future demand of the twin cities.

The MD recommended discussing the matter with the federal government for a permanent solution of the problem.

RAWALPINDI—The motorists have protested the fleecing of extra fee for parking of vehicles and motorcycles at Rawalpindi Railway Station.

The motorists said that they have to face inappropriate behavior and overcharging at the hands of the contractors and their employees but the concerned government officials are not taking any action against them.

They said that the contractors were charging Rs100 instead of Rs10 on parking motorcycle and car for 24 hours.

When contacted, the employees said that they have taken the contract of parking fee collection from the government contractor. They said that parking fee for one hour is Rs10 and Rs100 are being received on parking of vehicles for more than 24 hours.

The motorists demanded of the high officials of Pakistan Railways to keep the contracJournalists hold a protest against killing of media parsons in Karachi, outside National Press Club. tors within bounds.—INP

AIOU announces results of FA programme CTIY REPORTER I SLAMABAD —Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced the final results of its FA programme for the Semester Spring, 2013 and placed the results on its website www.aiou.edu.pk.

Vice-Chancellor, AIOU Prof.

Dr. Nazir Ahmed Sangi pushed the computer button and declared the results of FA programme.

On the occasion, Controller of Exams (CE), Dr. Hamid Khan Niazi, Incharge, Computer Section, Shabnum N Shahid, Senior officers of exams, Haji Abdul Shakoor and Muhammad Shabbir Shahid were also present.

After announcement of results, the Vice-Chancellor instructed the CE to prepare a wide-ranging plan to set-up

exams centers at the country’s far-flung and remote regions in order to ensure availability of academic facilities at the nearest places of students.

In this connection, he said that he will hold a meeting with CE and senior officers of the exams’ department by next week to finalize the plan of setting up exams centers in every nook and corner of the country before next exams. CE said, results cards of FA programme are being sent by post to all the candidates, the students who do not receive their result cards till 30th January, should contact the Superintendent Exams personally or at his Phone Number 051-9057323.

The students can also download their results from website www.aiou.edu.pk of

the University.

While briefing the ViceChancellor, CE said that 1,63,899 students appeared across the country in FA exams and various exams centers were set-up around the country.

He further said that assignments marks of all the students enrolled in BA Programme for the Semester Spring, 2013 have also been provided on the University’s website www.aiou.edu.pk.

He advised the students to check their assignments marks, if there is any error or complaint then bring it to the notice of BA section of examination department, AIOU immediately for its rectification. He said that final result of BA programme will be declared within two weeks.

Revised schedule for payment of PEHS installments ISLAMABAD—Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board has approved revised schedule for payment of installments by the allottees in respect of its Park Enclave Housing Scheme (PEHS).

CDA state directorate has issued revised schedule in the light of CDA Board decision.

The schedule has been revised to facilitate the allottees in making payment of installments.

As per revised schedule of payment, the allottees can make payment of first installment till February, 28, 2014, second installment till April, 30, 2014, third installment till June, 30, 2014, fourth installment till August, 31, 2014, fifth installment till October , 31, 2014 and 6th installment till December, 31, 2014.—Online

I SLAMABAD —Pakistan Post has distributed 267 motorcycles in Islamabad Circle ampng low-paid postal employees on easy installments and without any down-payment.

An official of Pakistan Post told APP that 442 motorcycle were also distributed in Rawalpindi Circle, 105 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Circle, 20 in Lahore Circle and 46 motorcycles in the Directorate General Islamabad.

He said that more motorcycle will be distributed in all the remaining Circles of Pakistan Post.

He said that motorcycle scheme has particularly been initiated for the low-paid postal employees.

He said that the ongoing motorcycles distribution scheme has been launched by the Postal Authorities in collaboration with Bank of Khyber and the Atlas Honda.—APP

Poetry, milli songs competitions at PAC CITY REPORTER R AWALPINDI —Rawalpindi Arts Council organized poetry and milli songs competitions of Tehsil level in Kallar Syedan in connection with Punjab Youth Festival here on Saturday.

Member Punjab Assembly Engineer Raja Qamar ul Islam was chief guest.

Addressing on the occasion, he said that Punjab Youth Festival helped in exploring talent adding that

youth were participating in the competitions with open hearts.

He said the chief minister Punjab is making all out efforts for the promotion of sports activities and huge funds had been allocated to discover the hidden talent.

The competitions of male category were held at Government College for Boys while the competitions of female category were held at Government College for Girls.

In female category of milli

songs, Uzma Kalsoon bagged first, Saiqa Nadeem Second and Maryam Javed secured third position.

In poetry, Anam got first, Ayesha Javed second and Saba Naseer remained third.

In male category of milli songs, Abdullah Ashiq got fisrt, Hammad second and Suleman Saeed remained third.

In poetry, Salman Saeed first, Muhammad Muneer second and Abdullah Ashiq secured third position.

Reconstruction of Madina Market, seminary

R AWALPINDI —The reconstruction of Darul Uloom Taleemul Quran, adjacent mosque and Madina Market, which were gutted in Rawalpindi mayhem, will start on February 15. The seminary, mosque and market will be rebuilt on the previous pattern as agreed upon by the Darul Uloom administration and traders. The seminary and mosque will be three storied and will contain classrooms and residential rooms A sparrow has made its nest for the students.

The construction of 105 shops in Madina Market will be completed and handed over to the traders within Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University Dr. Nazir Ahmed Sangi and Controller three months. The mosque of Excams, Dr. Hamid Khan Nizair, during announcement of Final results of FA and seminary will be built afProgramme for the Semester Spring, 2013. ter the completion of the RAWALPINDI—Police during market.—INP an ongoing campaign against anti-social elements have nabbed 15 outlaws, including drug peddlers, illegal arms holders, bootleggers and a drunkard from different localities of the district.

According to a police the need of hour to follow the R AWALPINDI —The enemies society.”

Justice Saeed said Mus- Holy Prophet (PBUH)’s ISLAMABAD—The Capital De- spokesman on Saturday, of peace wanted to destabiSaddar Wah police held lize Pakistan through their lims were devided in groups teachings of unity and love, velopment Authority (CDA) Dilawar for havaing 1200 has decided to auction 13 bill- grams charras. Another acdespicable activities but despite having belief in one he added.

He said that the western board sites in different sectors people could foil their nefari- God, one Holy Prophet and cused namely Faisal was ous designs through unity, one Holy Book. This was the world had made tremendous of the federal capital. The open rounded up with 1200 grams said Justice Raja Saeed main reason that Pakistan progress by utilizing science, auction will be organized by charras. Kalar Syedan police Akram Khan, judge Supreme was facing a number of prob- technology and knowledge. Directorate of Municipal Ad- arrested Jameel and recovered Court of Azad Jammu and lems despite being an atomic But despite availability of re- ministration of the civic author- 570 grams charras. power. “We will have to forge sources and capabilities, the ity during second week of the Kashmir, Saturday.

Gujar Khan police Addressing as the chief unity and harmony in our Muslims were far behind in next month which will be ad- nabbed Abdul Waheed for guest at a function held here ranks by ignoring sectarian development. If Muslims vertised in newspapers. possessing two bottles of liwanted to make progress, The CDA officials are ex- quor. Jatli police sent behind under the aegis of Anjuman differences,” he added.

He said the country was they would have to achieve pecting to generate more revFaizul Islam, he said,”We will have to act upon the Islamic facing the menace terrorism expertise in science and tech- enue from the auction as compared to last years. The CDA teachings in letter and spirit and extremism. Conspiracies nology, he added.

Other speakers high- earned Rs8 million from the for making Pakistan an Is- were being hatched to destalamic welfare state and will bilize, he said and urged lighted various aspects of auction of the 13 signboard (PBUH). sites last time but this year, the have to promote the senti- Ulema and Mahsaikh to play Seerat-un-Nabi ments of brotherhood, mu- their role for forging unity Later, the winners of speech authority is expecting to make tual unity and harmony in the among the Muslims. It was competition were given Rs11-12 million—INP prizes.—APP

in the broken light pole at Fatima Jinnah Park.

15 outlaws including drug peddlers arrested

People can foil enemies’ designs through unity

CDA to auction 13 billboard sites

Prof Ghulam appointed Chairman Board the bars Altaf for carrying 10 liter wine.

Meanwhile, Civil Line police arrested a person namely Ali for allegedly being drunkard. Other accused were apprehended with five 30-bore pistols and 20 bullets, one 12-bore rifle and four rounds and a 25-bore pistol.

Ganjmandi police have arrested five gamblers with cash stake money amounting to Rs 6000 and four mobile phones from their possession.

The police acting on a tipoff raided Sagri Scheme area and arrested Ijaz, Farhan, Ishtiaq, Majid and Ghulam Mustafa, who were allegedly involved in betting while playing cards.—APP

R AWALPINDI —Punjab Govt has appointed Prof Ghulam Mohammad as chairman of Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. While Dr Omar Farooq has been made Controller examination.

The post of chairman had been lying vacant since Sept 6 after retirement of Dr Mohammad Ashraf while the post of controller had been vacant since November.

These posts had been run by various officers on additional charge.

Ghulam Mohammad was working as a geography professor on grade 20 at a college in Faisalabad.—Online

Legendary singer Mehnaz Begum sang over 2,500 songs I SLAMABAD —Death anni- 1958 and received initial train- among music composers and Aina” and some of her faversary of renowned singer Mehnaz Begum will be observed today.

Mehnaz sang over 2,500 songs for radio, television, and films in a variety of genres like ghazal, thumri and dadra.

Mehnaz was born in

ing in music from her mother Kajjan Begum, a distinguished singer.

Mehnaz began her career as a playback singer in the early ’70s.

Her mellifluous voice and control over the sur instantly made her popular

film audiences.

She sang for a number of films a majority of which became popular.

Some of the films in which her playback singing was widely appreciated were Haider Ali, “Paristish”, “Bandish”, “Zindagi and

mous songs were `Mujhe dil se na bhulana’ (Aina), `Do piyasey dil aik huay’ (Bandish), `Kion roey shehnai’ (Haider Ali) and `Ja ja ri koyalia’ (Haider Ali).

She had lent her voice to a number of films as a playback singer.—APP

An artisan is busy in teaching pottery making to the students during a Fundraiser for St Joseph’s Hospice, at Nomad Gallery.— PO Photo by Sultan Bashir

Bifurcation in Hurriyat Conference not an issue: Geelani Pakistan should protect its people no matter to which sect they belong to S R I N A G A R — C h a i r m a n been formed but one needs to approach.

Indian security man checking bag of a woman who was heading home at downtown Srinagar.

Er Rashid says coalition partners used bribery for buying votes

Kashmiris to have ‘None of the Above’ voting option

MLA Langate Er. Rashid has castigated the BJP for revoking suspension of its five legislators accused of resorting to crossvoting in the Legislative Council elections in 2011.

“On one hand when BJP is talking of eradicating corruption and holding high moral values, how did they revoke order of suspension of the legislators who had taken crores of rupees from National Conference-Congress coalition in 2011 to vote for them in the council elections,” Er Rashid said in a statement.

“It is clear that all the three parties including NC, Congress and BJP stand exposed and are duty bound to tell people of the state that who had paid the huge money to BJP legislators, how much amount was paid and why NC and Congress didn’t explain their position over the serious issue?,” he asked.

“Chief Minister must ask that why the issue, in which his own coalition partners have bribed crores for buying votes, has not been investigated by any credible agency till date. Does it not expose the corrupt political system of the state and are politicians like other issues not standing at a very weak wicket when it comes to corruption,” he added.—NNI

Congress, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to go ahead with introduction of the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) voting option in the State during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“There is no question of considering the opposition as introducing NOTA option in Lok Sabha elections is mandatory as per the Supreme Court ruling on the issue,” Deputy Election Commissioner, Vinod Zutshi said.

Zutshi, who is also incharge of the ECI for Jammu and Kashmir, is on his two-day tour to the State to discuss the poll arrangements for upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He held a detailed meeting here with representatives of various political parties and chaired a high-level meeting with officials of the State’s Election department to review the poll preparedness.

In an informal interaction with Greater Kashmir, Zutshi said as per the Supreme Court judgment, it is mandatory for the Election department to provide ‘None Of The Above’ (NOTA) option in all upcoming elections.

“This option was successfully used during assembly elections

Hurriyat Conference (G) and veteran pro-freedom Kashmir leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has clarified that any bifurcation in Hurriyat Conference is not an issue for pro-freedom leaders because the cause of right of self-determination is same among all groups.

“The split of Hurriyat Conference is no issue for us.

Hurriyat Conference has split before and in recently as well.

The only real issue is people of Jammu and Kashmir are under repression of India. The main issue and our aim are to see people free. These break ups are in no way hurdle of the main objective which is to achieve Azadi, Syed Ali Geelani told a Srinagar based daily in an exclusive interview.

To a question about the recent split of Hurriyat, Geelani said: ”Firstly, there were two Hurriyat’s now the third one has

KTK pays tributes to JAMMU—Despite opposition in five states held last year, and and the Congress High ComSRINAGAR—The President of from some political parties in the Commission has already mand, requesting them to ex- Gowkadal martyrs Awami Ittihaad party (AIP) and Jammu and Kashmir including added this particular button in all clude Jammu and Kashmir from

Cold conditions persist in Held Kashmir SRINAGAR—Cold conditions remained unabated in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh division as the mercury in most parts stayed below freezing point, MeT department said.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of 1 degrees Celsius, slightly lower than previous night’s minimum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, a MeT Department official said.

The mercury settled at minus 0.1 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, the gateway town to the Kashmir Valley, almost same as previous night’s 0.0 degrees Celsius.

Kupwara, in north Kashmir, registered a low of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius, over two degrees down from the previous night’s 1.5 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The night temperature in south Kashmir’s Kokernag rose from minus 0.6 degrees Celsius the previous night to settle at 0.4 degrees Celsius.

However, Pahalgam hill resort, in south Kashmir, saw the mercury plunging by four degrees to settle at a low of minus 10.4 degrees Celsius last night.

The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius last night as compared to minus 7.6 degrees Celsius previous night.

The mercury in Leh, in the frontier region of Ladakh, dipped slightly to settle at a low of minus 13.6 degrees Celsius as compared to the previous night’s minus 12.8 degrees Celsius.

Nearby Kargil town recorded a low of minus 12.8 degrees Celsius as against the previous night’s minus 13.0 degrees Celsius, the official said.—NNI

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in 2014 Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Laying speculations to rest, he said the option will be available to voters of Jammu and Kashmir like voters all other states in India.

However, Zutshi avoided a query when specifically asked about the same option being introduced for the assembly polls in the State. “We are presently focusing on the LS polls and the decision on implementation of NOTA for state assembly election will be taken only when its time comes,” he said.

A number of political leaders, including those from Congress and National Conference, had expressed reservations over the use of NOTA in Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that it may “strengthen separatists involved in the anti-poll campaigns.”

When contacted, senior Congress leader and Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohiud-Din, who had vociferously opposed the idea, said: “I am firm on my stand that introduction of such an option will not be in the interest of the State.”

He had written to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister

NOTA option, fearing that it would be used by “separatists as weapon for their anti-election campaign.”

“Ball is now in the court of Government of India which has to take the final call,” Taj said.

In a step towards electoral reforms, the Apex Court had directed the Election Commission of India to have the option of ‘None Of The Above’ (NOTA) on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers, which can be used by voters to reject candidates contesting the polls. The court had said that negative voting would encourage even people who are not satisfied with any of the candidates to turn up to express their opinion and reject all contestants.

According to the EC, the NOTA option will be placed at the end of EVMs and ballot papers following the name and symbol of the last candidate.

“These words shall be written in the same language or languages as used in the case of names of candidates. The size of the panel for ‘None of the Above’ shall be the same as for the candidates,” EC officials said.—NNI

Sarpanch, policemen held with drugs PULWAMA—Police has arrested four people, including a Sarpanch and a police constable in Kakapora area of Pulwama after the latter was allegedly found supplying drugs to the Sarpanch from police station itself.

According to sources, a police officer caught a civilian coming out of Police Station Kakapora with banned codeine syrups wrapped in a newspaper.

The man disclosed that a police constable, Sayeed Ahmad, handed over these drugs to a Sarpanch of the area Fayaz Ahmed Dar. Initial Investigations revealed that the constable used to supply and sell drugs, seized by police from drug peddlers, to the Sarpanch.

Kakapora police had seized at least 1250 Codeine syrups in 2012 from drug peddlers. This seized drug was placed in a store room of the police station and the accused police constable used to supply the same codeine bottles to the National Conference Sarpanch of Ward 19 A

Kakapora.

Sources said that the Sarpanch’s aide had entered police station Kakapora empty handed, and when he was coming out, a guard commander stopped him at the gate and asked him to show what he was carrying.

Sources added that the man was immediately put behind bars along with the accused policeman. The Sarpanch was called to police station and arrested after questioning. Another aide of Sarpanch was also arrested.

Using drugs in the vally is now becoming a common crime which Indian Army and Police personnels practice quite regularly, in recent incident it has been found that approximately all people of govt or civilians departments involved in malpractices.

Sources added that some objectionable clips were also found in the cellphone of the Sarpanch raising apprehensions that he might also be involved in blackmailing some women.

Dy SP Headquarters Sajad Ahmed confirmed the arrests of the Sarpanch, his associates and police constable Syed Ahmed. Using drugs in the vally is now becoming a common crime which Indian Army and Police personnels practice quite regularly, in recent incident it has been found that approximately all people of govt or civilians departments involved in malpractices.

“Police had seized some 1250 codeine syrups in 2012 and a case vide FIR number 140/2012 was registered that time. One of our Guard Commanders apprehended police constable red handed while he was trying to take out 10 codeine bottles from police station and during questioning the said constable confessed that these codeine bottles were meant for Sarpanch Fayaz Ahmed Dar,” Ahmed said.

He disclosed that the accused constable has admitted to have supplied 306 codeine bottles to the Sarpanch so far.— Agencies

Thousands throng Hazratbal to have glimpse of holy relic S RINAGAR —Thousands of devotees from across the territory visited Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar to have glimpse of the relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).A large number of devotees including men, women and children visited the shrine throughout the day on Friday following the Eid Milad-unNabi (SAW) to offer prayers and have glimpse of the holy relic which was displayed after every congregational prayer.

As the holy relic was dis-

played, the devotees were seen in tears seeking blessings from Allah. The devotees recited Durud and Quranic verses.

A group of devotees from Shopian district said they visit Hazratbal every year on Eid Milad and following Friday.

Various roads and streets leading to the shrine were decorated and markets in Hazratbal wore a festive look.As the holy relic was displayed, the devotees were seen in tears seeking blessings from Allah. The devotees recited Durud

and Quranic verses.

Meanwhile, Eid Milad processions were taken out in Safa Kadal, Theed, Shalimar and other areas of Srinagar. A group of devotees from Shopian district said they visit Hazratbal every year on Eid Milad and following Friday.

Thousands of people took out a Milad procession in Gund Hassi Bhat. A similar procession was taken out at Achabal in Islamabad to observe Friday following Eid Milad. It was lead by noted scholar, Qazi Yasir.—KMS

understand that every sister party of ours has only cause that is to achieve Azadi. Only our paths are different but the goal is same. Split from one another is no worry for us. Common people also know about such things that Hurriyat Conference is people’s movement and Hurriyat is with people till the very last. Hurriyat has played very important part beforehand and is doing it presently and will do it in future as well.”

Geelani, a frail man in mid 80s, has strapping will-power that goes unparalleled.

To a question Geelani said the thing here is that the youth of Kashmir should understand that they should desist from joining any political mainstream party and should not help anyone who support the Indian State. He said Hurriyat (G) youth wing was not formed because one has to take a realistic

“Authorities don’t allow me to offer Friday prayers, how would they allow our parties cadre to interact with student.

They don’t allow our cadre to go to anywhere is Kashmir for any political activities. Our almost entire leadership has been put behind bars. In such circumstances how can we form a youth wing of our party. And our recruiting policy is not limited to universities only but we are trying that whole of Kashmir youth join Hurriyat,” the Hurriyat Conference leader said.

Being an intrepid critic of India’s policies in Kashmir and known for his fierce speeches against the state, Geelani was interview about the latest break up in Hurriyat and other issues involving Kashmir politics.

“I want to convey that anyone voting in parliament election or assembly election goes against the sacrifices of the

people. Casting votes goes in favour of India who then exploit world community on Kashmir.

Examples of such incidents can be seen in a speech by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 15 August 2012, when he spoke only one sentence about Kashmir and said that people of Kashmir have voted in Panchayat elections. And the people who commit themselves and run for Indian election they are the pillars of Indian state in Kashmir,” Geelani said while replying to a question regarding boycott call of forthcoming elections in Held Kashmir.

He said the leaders of such people are from the Unified Command. It’s under their knowledge human rights violation takes places in Kashmir on huge scale. People should desist from casting votes to such people whose hands are drenched with blood of innocent people. —NNI

DAK: Govt fails to control infant mortality

SRINAGAR—The Chairperson SRINAGAR—Holding Govern- ies there is mushrooming of un- tal is another major cause of neoof Kashmir Tehreek-eKhawateen (KTK), Zamruda Habib, has paid rich tributes to the Gow Kadal martyrs and extended support to the strike call given by the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, on the anniversary of the incident on January 21.Zamruda Habib in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the Kashmiri people would not allow the sacrifices of their martyrs go waste.

It is to mention here that on the intervening night of January 20 and 21, 1990, Indian troops during house-to-house searches in Chota Bazar area of Srinagar dragged out people from their homes, arrested hundreds and molested several women. The incident took place immediately after Jagmohan Malhotra took over as Governor of the occupied territory on 19th January, 1990, and announced to deal sternly with those who would demand freedom from India.

As the word about the molestation of the women spread in the morning, thousands of people took to the streets in the city to protest against the brutal action of the troops. The occupation forces resorted to indiscriminate firing on the protesters in Gaw Kadal area of the city, killing over 50 people and injuring hundreds of others.—KMS

ment responsible for the recent infant deaths, President Doctors Association of Kashmir Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan has said that recent deaths of 131 newborns in 44 days is alarming.

“This is shocking and infuriating that despite public uproar over infant deaths in 2010, government has failed to control infant mortality. This huge increase in infant deaths is beyond doubt because of poor health care delivery system,” he said.

In a statement, Dr Nisar-ulHassan said that the commonest cause of infant mortality in our set up is birth asphyxia and neonatal sepsis. “These are because of unhygienic deliveries by unqualified persons at peripheral health centers.

The deliveries are conducted by ‘Dais’ and sweepers in peripheral health centers which is criminal. In peripher-

registered private clinics run by quakes who conduct deliveries in extremely inhuman conditions. Even in this modern era most of the deliveries are conducted at home resulting in infant deaths,” he said.

“The established “Sick Neonatal Care Units”(SNCU’s) in district hospitals is an eye wash because they lack infrastructure like proper oxygen delivery system ,proper heating and ventilators. These SNCU’s are run by unqualified doctors so putting fragile neonates to risk. The” Neonatal Intensive Care Unit”(NICU) of ld hospital the sole tertiary care maternity center lacks gadgetry and skilled doctors which is the cause of increase in mortality of neonates at ld hospital.”

He said that delay in transportation of sick neonates from peripheries to GB panth hospi-

natal deaths .It is the timely intervention of these sick neonates that can save their lives and with delayed transportation the golden time is wasted resulting in infant deaths.

“The historical blunder of politicians and policymakers to keep ld hospital and GB panth hospital at a distance has resulted in huge number of infant deaths while in transit.”

He said that in 2010, infant deaths were because of substandard medicine supply in GB panth hospital by government functionaries and it was shameful that government to cover up their wrong doings projected doctors as villains.

“Infant deaths in Kashmir are iatrogenic and government should be hold responsible and accountable for not improving the health care delivery system,” he said.—NNI

Sham polls cannot affect disputed nature of Kashmir: JKPM J AMMU —The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM), a constituent of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC), has said that sham elections in the territory cannot affect disputed nature of Jammu and Kashmir.APHC leader and the Senior Vice Chairman of JKPM, Mir Shahid Saleem, addressing party meeting in Jammu said that the false elections were not an alternative to right to self-determination guaranteed to the people of Kashmir by the world community through several resolutions passed by the United Nations.

He said that the pro-India political parties in Kashmir had once again started talking about the political and human rights of Kashmiris to reach to the corridors of power but once they assume power they become deaf and dumb to the sufferings and pain of the common people subjected to the worst kinds of oppression and suppression by the occupation forces.

The APHC leader said that the sham exercise stage managed by India with the help of its seven hundred thousand troop in the territory had already been rejected by the UN resolutions as an alternative to the right to self-determination.

He said that India was using its military might and committing the worst kinds of human rights violations on the innocent people of Kashmir but despite that it miserably failed to break their resolve and commitment. The party General Secretary, Muhammad Shafi, Abdul Hameed Khan, Ghulam Hassan Mir and Muhammad Shafi Rafiqui also addressed the meeting.—KMS

MUZAFFARABAD: AJK PML (N) youth wing leader Raja Farrukh Mumtaz talking to Student leader Raja Shahbaz.

Struggle for right of self-determination to continue: Shah

DGP fears more violence after US forces pull out in Afghanistan JAMMU—Apprehending escalation in violence after withdrawal

SRINAGAR —The leaders of dian Army’s brutalities since the of US forces from the AfghaniHurriyat Conference’s parallel splinter group have vowed to take the ongoing struggle for right of self-determination to its logical conclusion.

“We announce formation of Hurriyat Conference Jammu Kashmir (HCJK) which is the real Hurriyat and the representative of the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” President of Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah said.

Shah along with National Front Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mahaz-e-Azadi chief patron Azam Inqilabi and Chairman Islamic Political Party Mohammad Yousuf Naqash came out in the open against the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat after he (the Mirwaiz) wrote a letter to the amalgam’s convener in Azad Kashmir asking him not to entertain the leaders and representatives who decide to “tread a separate path and have left Hurriyat on their own”.

Shah said his Hurriyat is holding consultations with other like-minded parties and appealed them to join their group for taking the “freedom movement” to its logical conclusion because people of Kashmir vally have been facing In-

day when it become major disputed land and it must be eradicated and people should allow to live in peace.

He said the time will prove that they were the real representatives of the aspirations of the people of the state. “We are the real Hurriyat. They (Mirwaiz group) violated the preamble of the Hurriyat’s constitution time and again,” he said, adding, “We expect more pro-freedom leaders to join us shortly.”

He said the next course of action will be decided in due course. “We are going to shun our individual identities and will work under the banner of HCJK,” he said.

Shah said his group would maintain close coordination with Hurriyat Conference led

by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Geelani had parted ways with the erstwhile undivided Hurriyat Conference in 2003 to form a parallel group after he raised a rebellion against the leadership accusing them of failure to take action against the constituents which violated the Hurriyat constitution and fielded proxy candidates in the 2002 assembly elections when most of the leaders including Geelani were in jail.—NNI

stan, Director General of Police Ashok Prasad has said that security forces alongwith police is ready to thwart nefarious designs of anti-national elements.

Prasad claimed that as militants have shifted their strategy to attack security forces to disrupt peace and provoke them to react, a well planned strategy has also been chalked out to foil all their attempts.

“Their (militants) attacks are no longer affecting the public as they have changed their strategy and are now targeting police and security forces,” DG told reporters at the sidelines of a function here this afternoon.

He said that the graph of militancy has come down considerably as police and security forces have neutralized many of the top militant commanders.

On recent spurt in violence, he said that militants are trying to “Instigate violence in Kashmir and they are adopting different tactics”.

He, however, said that the security forces, army and the police are prepared to take on them (militants) any time amid the apprehensions of escalations of violence after the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.—NNI

Shipping activity at Port Qasim KARACHI —Five ships arrived at port to load/ offload containers at QICT palm oil at LCT, furnace oil at FOTCO, chemical at EVTL on Friday. Berth occupancy was maintained at 64% at the port on Friday where a nine ships namely M.V KPS-I Alican Bey Powership, M.V MSC Levina, M.V Kerstin-S, M.V Er-Denmark, M.T Bunga Allium, M.T Arietis, M.T Intrapid Republic, M.V Inlaco Brave, M.V Gemini Pioneer are currently occupying berths to load/ offload, containers, palm oil, furnace oil, MEG, paraxylene, wheat, fertilizer.

Cargo handling operations were carried out smoothly at the port where a cargo volume 72829 tonnes comprising 63829 tonnes import, 9000 tonnes export and (1924) Tues was handled at the pot during last 24 hours. M.V KerstinS sailed on Friday afternoon. M.T Intrapid Republic, M.V Er-Denmark sailed on Saturday morning.

M.V MSC Anahta at QICT, M.T Chemroad Lily at EVTL arrival on Saturday.—APP

Bullish trend continuing at KSE KARACHI—Bullish trend continued in the Karachi Stock Exchange, as KSE-100 Index gained another 425 points during the foursession week to close at 26,913 points on Friday. On Friday, the KSE-100 Index crossed the psychological barrier of 26,900 points and closed at 26,913.85 points after a gain of 183.61 points.

While KSE-30 Index also closed up at 19,697.62 points with an increase of 119.16 points. Similarly, KSE-All Share Index recorded an increase of 59.78 points. The shares of 400 companies traded with the shares of 233 companies recorded upward trend, while the shares of 152 companies shaded value, which the shares of 15 firms remained unchanged.—APP

S&P, Nasdaq end lower on Intel, GE NEW YORK—The S&P 500 and Nasdaq declined on Friday, led by losses in Intel and General Electric after disappointing results. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 41.55 points, or 0.25 percent, to end unofficially at 16,458.56.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 7.19 points, or 0.39 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,838.70. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 21.11 points.—AFP

To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart.

—Thomas Watson, Sr.

President for boosting Pak-Sri Lanka trade to $1.5 billion by 2015 STAFF REPORTER ISLAMABAD—President Mamnoon Hussain Saturday said that both Pakistan and Sri Lanka should work to increase the existing bilateral trade volume to US$ 1.5 billion by 2015. In a meeting with Sri Lankan Minister for Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala De Silva who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said a huge potential existed, especially in economic sectors that needed to be fully tapped. He said that concerted efforts were required to avail the existing economic opportunities for enhancing mutual cooperation.

The President underscored the need to make Free Trade Agreement between the two countries

more conducive by increas- the President of Sri Lanka in New York in September 2013 and in Colombo in November ing the volume of trade. He said mutual exchange of business delegations and greater interaction among the business communities of the two countries would provide impetus to these efforts. The meeting also discussed Pak-Sri Lanka bilateral relations and the way forward to further strengthening the existing equation.

President Mamnoon Hussain, while expressing satisfaction over the existing ties of the two countries, observed that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Sri Lanka and noted that a strong political will existed in Pakistan to further develop and promote its bilateral relations with Sri Lanka.

Referring to the meetings between the Prime Minister ISLAMABAD: Nimal Siripala De Silva, Minister for Irrigation and Water Resources Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and Management of Sri Lanka called on President Mamnoon Hussain at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

LADIESFUND joins British Mission to host Pak First Speed Networking

Sri Lanka wants business with Pakistan

KARACHI—Dawood Global from the luncheon will be uti- come an important driver for Foundation (DGF) and the British Deputy High Commission in the city partnered to host Pakistan’s premier women professionals “Speed Networking Luncheon 2014” here at the Commission on Saturday.

More than 100 women professionals and entrepreneurs from leading multi-nationals, retail, medical, accountancy, legal sectors, NGOs and youth programs gathered to form professional friendships, meet potential clients and build/ strengthen their network for career advancement purposes, said a statement.

The Speed Networking Luncheon was the first of its kind in Pakistan which replicated the Harvard-style speed networking where more than 100 guests were seated face-to-face to network with each other; with a ringer every five minutes for the participants to rotate to the next conversation. The funds that were generated

lized towards the charitable efforts of Dawood Global foundation for women advancement. President of Dawood Global Foundation, Tara Uzra Dawood quoted the marketing guru Seth Godin saying, “ trust is the key to success in business.”

Trust is perhaps the key to success in all relationships and the Speed Networker will teach and train women how to build trust into professional relationships from the start and give them a supervised and structured opportunity to start the process, he said. Acting British Deputy High Commissioner, Gillian Atkinson said, “ we are delighted to partner with LADIESFUND to host the Speed Networking Luncheon and look forward to many such partnerships in the future.” The importance of women as a largely untapped pool of entrepreneurial talent has been globally recognized.

Women entrepreneurs can be-

economic growth and job creation within Pakistan. He congratulated the successful, talented and dynamic women of Pakistan for not only enhancing their lives but helping in making Pakistan very progressive and prosperous state.

The event was also an opportunity for young women entrepreneurs to showcase their initiatives. Hair and makeup stall was displayed by Allenora by Annie, a clothing stall by U & I, a stall of traditional Nawabshah goods by MS Collections and ethnic fabric by Humna Nadeem, a paper product stall by Sunflowers by Special Children’s Educational Institute, a cosmetics stall by Isabel Beauty Products and a jewelry for the working woman stall by Taneez.

There was also an Educate a Girl booth where guests could donate toward LADIESFUND vocational scholarships in media studies for girls in need.—APP

AMANULLAH KHAN

that enjoy very close and cordial relations in South Asia but these close brotherly ties can be further strengthened by increasing the trade volume between the two countries. Recently arrived Sri Lankan Consul General Mr H.M.B. Herath said this at a media reception at his residence. Two way trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka increased by 13 percent in 2013 compared to the previous year and stood at $438 million. He added it was his sincere wish to further expand trade relations and he would work tirelessly in this respect.

Giving details about Pakistan, Sri Lanka trade Mr Herath said that the balance of trade was heavily in Pakistan’s favour with Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka being $361 million and imports from Sri Lanka being $77 million for 2013. He added that cement, sugar, cotton and basmati rice were the main Pakistani exports to Sri Lanka while Sri Lanka exported spices particularly black pepper, betel leaf, coconut and coconut byproducts, lentils and rubber to Pakistan.

The Sri Lankan Consul General invited Pakistani entrepreneurs and investors to invest in his country saying Sri Lanka was one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world due to its strategic location and constitutional guarantees for foreign investment, with Colombo being one of the most modern and important ports in this part of Asia. He urged Pakistani entrepreneurs that the agriculture, textile and inSIALKOT: Chairman Sialkot International Airport Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob, Senior formation technology sectors Manager Gulf Airline Yahya Ali Boo Ali and Staff upon arrival of the first Gulf Air Flight in Sri Lanka which offered atto Sialkot International Airport. tractive opportunities.

L AHORE —Demanding the restoration of zero-rating regime for export oriented value-added textile sector, Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) senior vice chairman Jawwad Ahmad Chaudhry has said that decision of zero-rating withdrawal has adversely affected exports at a time when huge amount of Sales Tax Refunds are already stuck up with the FBR and exporters are facing liquidity crunch.

In a letter sent to Federal Secretary Textile Industry Rukhsana Shah, the PRGMEA chief said that the government might study ex-

port policies of India, China and Bangladesh where exporters are facilitated through export-friendly policies, saying that FBR should announce export friendly policies instead of creating difficulties for the industry.

“Due to energy shortfall, major chunk of finance is diverted to develop energy infrastructure like wood and coal boilers that squeezed financial streams breading cash flow jerks. This has been even more intensified by delaying refund of sales tax and suspension of RND payments.

There are several cases in manual system of refund that are yet to be refunded and in CREST it takes around 4-5 months for refund. With-

drawal of Zero-rating the material used in apparel and made-ups has mitigated this liquidity crunch.” Jawwad Ch said that Pakistan apparel products export volume can be escalated from existing worth of about $8 billion if government takes all stakeholders on board and finalise export policies with their consultations. He asked the authorities to take representatives of export-oriented industries on board for evolving an effective and resultoriented trade and export policies that could help achieve desire goal of increasing exports.

He condemned revision of zero-rating scheme, at a time of huge trade gap of $21.27 billion, as during last

fiscal year total exports of Pakistan were $23.641billion against total imports of $44.92 billion. “This huge trade gap has resulted into inflation and devaluation of Pak Rupee. Withdrawal of zero-rating from five sectors i.e. textile, leather, carpets, sports, and surgical will adversely affect our exports,” he said.

Mr. Jawwad further added that huge amount of sales tax refunds are stuck up with FBR and exporters are already in liquidity crunch.

Withdrawal of zero-rating will further add insult into the injury, he observed. He stressed for export friendly policies to stop flight of Capital and to save the industry.

The letter further said that energy crises have terribly

FAISALABAD—University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) has inked a Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Sukker to produce experts of business management and agriculture jointly.

The MoU was duly inked

by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Director IBA Sukker Prof Dr Nisar Ahmed Siddique. The vice chancellor said a joint four-year BS programme would be kicked off between the both institutes as feasibility was being carried out.

The programme was aimed at providing management skills to agriculture graduates, he said, adding that a committee had been formed of four faculty members from each institution and representatives from industry for this purpose. Prof Dr Nisar Ahmed Siddique said quality manpower was the guarantee of the bright future.—APP

Biotechnology in agriculture has great potential: Chairman PARC

SLAMABAD—Application of man PARC while addressing ogy Information Centre K ARACHI —Sri Lanika and Ibiotechnology in agriculture as Chief Guest at the conclud- (PABIC), Pakistan Academy Pakistan are two countries

Zero-rating withdrawal a hindrance to benefit from GSP Plus MUZAFFAR ALI

2013, the President observed that such high level interactions would serve to boost the bilateral relations.

It would also provide momentum to the efforts, aimed at further promoting cooperation in various areas of the mutual benefits of the peoples of both countries, he added. Discussing mutual cooperation and support of the country to Sri Lanka in overcoming various challenges including threat from terrorism, the President appreciated the valiant struggle, waged by the government and the people of Sri Lanka against the menace of terrorism. He assured the visiting Sri Lankan Minister that Pakistan would continue providing support to Sri Lanka at all foras including the international forums.

UAF, IBA to produce agribusiness experts

hampered the industrial growth, which has generated several implications.

This has slowed down the GDP and relocation of this industry ultimately contributing towards massive unemployment, disparities and industrial default rate. The energy deficiencies have diverted foreign investment that is one of the major indicators and factor in economic development of a country.

To emancipate from this quagmire generated by energy shortfall, the government has to take concrete measures for un-interrupted supply of electricity and gas to apparel industry and to all its supporting sectors, the letter concluded.

has great potential for promoting the efficiency of crop improvement, food production and food security for poverty reduction. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has taken initiatives to facilitate private sectors to conduct bio-safety trials for corn at its National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC).

PARC also extends all possible cooperation to other private companies in the country. A national common manual must be designed by Pakistan Biotechnology Information Centre (PABIC) for understanding of bio-safety rules and guidelines especially for initiatives who are new player in this field of biotechnology. This was stated

by Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad, Chair-

ing session of a two day Workshop on “National Dialogue on Agri. Biotechnology Applications in Pakistan and Capacity Building for Institutional Bio-Safety Committees and Media Personnel” here in Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad.

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad highlighted the importance of the workshop to promote the multidisciplinary research and enhance the awareness and appreciation of biotechnology at the local and international level. He said there is need to highlight the benefits of biotechnology and develop understanding among farmers about biotech crops. The event was jointly organized by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Pakistan Biotechnol-

of Sciences (PAS), Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) Lahore, Crop Life Pakistan, United Sates Departments of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Services US Embassy, Islamabad and other national and international partners.

The participants of the workshop including leading national and international biotech scientists from local public and private research institutes, biotech regulators, students, farmers, food and agricultural researchers and journalists highlighted that food is the basic need of common man and as such food security is vital for the health of a nation. The Workshop recommended prompt application of agriculture biotechnology in the country.—INP

Currency

Selling

Buying

USA

105.30

105.10

UK

172.40

172.07

Euro

143.41

143.14

Canada

96.31

96.12

Switzerland

115.89

115.67

Australia

92.29

92.62

Sweden

16.29

16.26

Japan

1.0042

1.0023

Norway

17.18

17.15

Singapore

86.68

85.52

Denmark

19.22

19.18

Saudi Arabia

28.08

28.02

Hong Kong

13.58

13.55

Kuwait

372.14

372.43

Malaysia

31.95

31.89

Newzealand

87.70

88.53

Qatar

28.67

29.61

UAE

28.67

28.61

KR. WON

0.0990

0.0988

Thailand

3.202

3.187

Bullion Rates KARACHI—Following were the bullion rates in major cities yesterday.

RS PER 10 GRAMS KARACHI: Gold Tezabi Silver Tezabi

44,485.00 702.85

MULTAN: Gold Tezabi (24-Ct) 44580.00 Gold 22 Ct 40750.00 SilverTezabi s695.00 Silver Thobi 635.00

Morgan Stanley bets on smaller bond unit, defying sceptics NEW YORK—In early 2011, Morgan Stanley Chief Executive James Gorman thought he had finally figured out how to rebuild the bank’s depleted bond trading business without taking too much risk. He hired traders from rivals in areas where the bank was relatively weak, such as trading government debt, and exhorted his sales staff to gain new clients and win more trades from existing customers. On Friday, after three years of spotty results, Gorman flipped the script, announcing a new strategy for fixing the operation: shrinking and taking less risk. It is at least the fourth time the bank has tried to retool the business since the financial crisis. Rivals and some analysts are skeptical that Gorman has it right this time.

“Whether banks can really compete and be profitable on a smaller scale that’s the million dollar question,” said Lisa Kwasnowski, an analyst at the bond ratings firm DBRS who is supportive of Gorman’s plan. Bond trading - including fixed income, currencies, and commodities - has historically been a profit driver for banks such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc, but new capital and trading rules from regulators in the aftermath of the financial crisis have squeezed profits.

Morgan Stanley saw its bond trading revenue fall 14 percent, excluding an accounting adjustment, in the fourth quarter. Revenue from the business also fell for Goldman and Citigroup Inc. Nearly every major global bank is examining what to do with their fixed income businesses in light of new regulations. Bond trading has been critical for banks for more than a decade, both as a source of profits and as a way to win lucrative underwriting and merger advisory assignments. If it is too small, those benefits can disappear fast. For example, a company looking to issue bonds may not be confident that the underwriting bank will continue to trade them after the deal is initially sold.

But Gorman has said he thinks that Morgan Stanley can continue to meet client needs even after it shrinks the business. His latest plan includes a new, more centralized management team, and “a particular focus on expenses, technology, capital, and balance sheet,” he said on a conference call with analysts on Friday. He is meeting some resistance from traders. Glenn Hadden, global head of interestrates trading, was so vocal in his opposition to the changes that he was eventually asked to resign, said two people familiar with the matter.—Reuters

Pakistan-Greece possess potential to promote trade, investment SALIM AHMED L AHORE —Ambassador of Greece to Pakistan Mr Petros Mavroidis has said that Pakistan and Greece need to improve their commercial and economic relations to promote bilateral trade and investment by taking advantage of new business opportunities.

The Ambassador was talking to LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari during a visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday.

LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar, former Senior Vice President Malik Tahir Javaid and Executive Committee members Muhammad

Aslam Chaudhry, Talha Tayyab Butt, Raja Hamid Riaz, Mian Zahid Javaid, Muhammad Akram, Iftikhar Bashir Chaudhry, Nasir Hameed, and Khawaja Khawar Rashid were also present in the meeting. Petros Mavroidis said that cooperation in solar energy, LNG, Tourism, Agriculture and Infrastructure could help strengthen economic relations between the two countries as current annual bilateral trade between Greece and Pakistan was very low that needs to be enhanced by exploring the areas of common interest.

He said that the Greece enjoys great experience in the tourism sector therefore

Pakistani businessmen should avail this opportunity to create win-win situation for the two countries in shortest possible time. The Ambassador said that geographically and strategically, Greece is situated at very important place and any investment made there could help open up countless business avenues.

Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari said that this was the right time to focus on non-traditional markets, adding that frequent exchange of business delegations and establishing direct B2B contacts are the options, which should be used to exploit untapped

Moody’s raises Ireland rating to investment grade D UBLIN —Moody’s raised Ireland’s sovereign debt rating on Friday, pulling it out of junk territory to an investment-grade Baa3 in recognition of the eurozone country’s exit from a huge EU-IMF rescue programme.

One month after Ireland reclaimed its economic independence, the ratings agency also placed the country on a positive outlook, citing the economy’s growth potential and improved debt outlook.

The one-notch ratings in-

crease from Ba1, which had weighed on Ireland’s ability to raise funds on capital markets, was tied to a recent rise in economic growth. Moody’s lead analyst for Ireland, Kristin Lindow, said the positive outlook suggested improved sentiment for the cash-strapped eurozone nation.

“The upgrade reflects the growth potential of the Irish economy which together with the fiscal consolidation, expected to continue over the next few

years, will help bring down the very high debt levels,” Lindow told AFP. Moody’s noted that Ireland exited its programme of support from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund on December 15 “on schedule, with improved solvency and restored market access.” “Its ability to do so without a precautionary credit line reflects that the government’s reform agenda stayed largely on track”.—AFP

Top labour exporter Philippines may use foreign workers to plug shortfall M ANILA —The Philippines, local supply,” President assembly technicians. one of the world’s top labourexporting nations, is suffering shortages in more than one hundred occupations and is considering proposals to hire skilled foreign workers, officials said. Large numbers of Filipinos are leaving the country in search of work abroad, but there is now such a skills serious shortage in some professions at home — including architecture, aviation, and chemical engineering — that the government may have to bring in outsiders.

“There is a request from industry recommending... opening 15 categories of highly skilled occupations to possible foreign employment on account of shortages in

Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma said.

Labour Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said its most recent survey, which projected labour demand for the next seven years, found overall there were 272 “in-demand” occupations, such as nursing and teaching and 110 “hard-to-fill” occupations.

In the category of skilled labour, employers said there were 40 “hard-to-fill” jobs, and asked the government to allow 15 professions to be filled by foreign hires, she said in a statement. Other roles in the list of 15 that could be filled by immigrants include chemists, environmental planners, guidance counsellors, librarians, and

“By ensuring the continued availability of qualified workers, we are making our industries competitive,” Baldoz added, while stressing that the needs are temporary. The list was released to the public as the country’s jobless ranks remained stubbornly high even amid accelerating economic growth.

The unemployment rate stood at 6.5 percent in October last year and the underemployment rate at 17.9 percent, even though 10 million Filipinos, or a tenth of the population, live and work abroad. Coloma stressed the government has yet to decide on the proposal to hire foreign workers.—AFP

LAHORE: A farmer busy in trimming dry leaves at his vegetable farm.

bilateral trade and investment potential in both countries.

The LCCI President was of the view that investment cooperation was another area in which both countries could collaborate for mutual benefits.

Information technology, telecommunication, construction, automobile parts, food processing, fisheries, agriculture, hotel industry and real estate offer tremendous opportunities and potential for cooperation, he added.

He said that organizing of joint cultural shows and frequent exchange of business delegations are the options which can bring people of

both the countries closer to each other that would eventually enhance the mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Greece.

The LCCI President said that the mutual trade in terms of value between Greece and Pakistan meagerly averages around USD73 million having no significant impact on the volume of trade of the two countries.

Currently, Pakistan is in positive balance of trade with its exports to Greece averaging around US56 million and imports from Greece averaging around US18 million. It is required to make concerted efforts to exploit the untapped potential of each other’s markets.

KARACHI —Pakistan’s

energy deficit will expand to 110.8 million TOEs in the next 15 years as its demand is projected to grow to 147.78 million TOEs by 202728 against the domestic resources of 36.90 million TOEs in the same year, if the average GDP remains around 4.5%. This forecast has been made by the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP) in the Pakistan Energy Outlook (PEO) 2013-2028 which was launched on Friday. PIP is a representative body of the oil and gas sectors in the country.

PIP Chairman Dr. Asim Hussain said: “Pakistan Energy Outlook (PEO)” is a

flagship document of the PIP as it is prepared with the help of independent consultants taking into account energy demand/supply models based on the economic realities of Pakistan. “The set of recommendations identified in this document provides the long term energy solutions for Pakistan for securing higher GDP growth and economic development on sustainable basis,” Mr. Hussain explained.

Mr. Hussain maintained in the PEO that mobilizing and generating affordable and environment-friendly energy resources are one of the key challenges for the government hence it is important that it works together with the petroleum industry in framing

the policies. Presenting the outline of the PEO Mr. Akhtar Raza of ENAR Petro-tech, who is a consultant to PIP, said that the energy deficit will have to be met through the import of coal, oil and gas as domestic production is likely to be insufficient.

To streamline and meet the energy deficit PIP made the following key recommendations in the Energy Outlook: That de-regulation of the energy sector and market based prices should be allowed with subsidy only to life-line consumers. That efficient utilization of natural gas needs to be mandated for industry, power and petro-chemical sectors. That strengthening of regulatory institutions combined with competitive

SALIM AHMED LAHORE—The Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) has decided to delist JS Aggressive Income Fund w.e.f. January 20, 2014 from the Ready Board Quotation of LSE. JS Aggressive Income Fund- Open end Fund managed by JS Investments Limited was listed at LSE on February 19, 2008.

The duration of the Fund was perpetual. The Management Company has revoked the fund because fund’s net assets have been fall below the minimum prescribed limit as specified under the NBFC & NE Regulations, 2008. SECP has also issued NOC for revocation of the fund.

All the units of the fund have been fully redeemed as reported by the Management Company, which has also been duly certified by Cen-

tral Depository Company of Pakistan Ltd. (the Trustee).

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lahore Stock Exchange Mr. Aftab Ahmed Chaudhry congratulated the management and stakeholders of JS Aggressive Income Fund for successfully completing the process of redemption by the management of the Fund.

MD also highlighted the steps taken by the LSE contributing to build a mechanism that has produced more transparency in the trading of the shares as well as to secure the investment of the investors. Lahore Stock Exchange is a fully electronic and completely automated stock exchange of Pakistan that is the only domestic exchange to have more than one trading floors in the region.

FPCCI condemns deadly attack on media ISLAMABAD—The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Saturday condemned deadly targeted attack on workers of a media outlet in Karachi. Expressing solidarity with the media, it demanded immediate compensation, enhanced security for media workers and bringing criminals involved in this heinous crime to the book.

Acting president FPCCI Muhammad Zafar Jalil Khan Mastikhel, Vice Presidents FPCCI Gulzar Feroz, Shaheen Ilyas Sarwana, Muhammad Ali and others said that Pakistan has become one of the world’s five most deadliest countries for the media which is unacceptable. They said that killing of three Express News staffers has raised questions about ongoing joint operation against criminals in Karachi, a city of over 18 million contributing around 42 per cent of the national GDP. —INP

Germany’s Talanx expects rise in car insurance prices F R A N K F U R T —German insurer Talanx expects car insurance premiums to rise this year, after summer hail storms hit results in 2013, its chief executive told a newspaper. “The damages claims were especially strong in 2013. Thousands of cars were damaged by hail,” Herbert Haas was quoted as saying by Welt am Sonntag in an advance copy of an article to be published on Sunday.

Car insurance is one of the biggest insurance markets in Germany. Market leader HUK-Coburg said this week that it had increased prices only slightly for new customers. Hass reiterated that Talanx expected to report a net profit of around 700 million euros for last year. The company had said in November that it was cautiously optimistic of reaching the target after it posted lower than expected results due to claims from the storms.

“We are confident that we will be able to increase our net profit for the financial year to around 700 million euros ($949 million),” Haas told the paper.—AFP

RAWALPINDI: Isa Abdullahi Shehu, Air Vice Marshal of the Nigerian army and others inaugurateing Chinese food festival at the Pearl Continental Hotel.

HSBC, Citi suspend traders as FX probe deepens L ONDON — HSBC

and Citigroup both suspended foreign exchange traders on Friday as a global probe into possible currency market manipulation intensified. Regulators from the United States arrived in London this week, stepping up an investigation in which they are working with Britain’s financial watchdog to determine whether traders at some of the world’s biggest banks colluded to manipulate the $5.3 trillion-a-day foreign exchange market.

The investigations centre on senior traders’ communication of client positions via electronic chatrooms, which featured prominently also in a probe into the rigging of a key interest rate known as the London interbank offered rate, or Libor. As the currency investigation ramps up, the banks themselves are scrutinising their employees more closely and most are now carrying out internal investigations.

Sources told Reuters that Deutsche Bank suspended several traders in New York this week, while U.S. regulators descended on Citigroup’s London offices. A spokesman for HSBC confirmed the bank had suspended two FX traders in London, but declined further comment. The two HSBC traders suspended are Edward Pinto and Serge Sarramegna, said a person with direct knowledge of the situation.

Their positions were not known, but Sarramegna has in the past been head of the G10 spot FX desk, according to

Measures needed to meet energy shortages AMANULLAH KHAN

LSE to delist JS Aggressive Income Fund from 20th

market environment is needed to facilitate private-public sector partnership. That aggressive Exploration & Production (E&P) policy is needed to incentivise exploration of on-shore and offshore oil, gas, tight gas and shale gas. That the country needs fast-tracking of its indigenous coal projects, import of LNG and cross border gas pipeline projects to improve its energy mix.

That the country should aggressively pursue exploitation of its renewable energy resources. That there is an urgent need to bring down power sector transmission and distribution losses and the unaccounted for gas percentage. That a competitive market should be devel-

oped to remove pricing distortions in the energy sector. The Petroleum Institute of Pakistan (PIP) is a professional, non-government body established in 1963 by the oil & gas industry with a vision to establish itself as a credible energy advisory body relied upon by the Government of Pakistan, industry and academic institutions in service of national development objectives.

PIP currently has a membership of 27 major oil & gas companies operating in Pakistan. The Institute is the country representative of important international bodies such as the World Petroleum Council (WPC) and the International Gas Union (IGU).

numerous reports. Both men are listed as active on the UK regulator’s register of financial industry professionals. The two men could not immediately be reached at their office phones or company email addresses. Sarramegna could not be reached at his home in Essex, 28 miles (45km) east of London.

A Citigroup spokesman said two FX traders had been sent “on leave”. The Citi trad-

ers are London-based Anthony John and Andrew Amantia, who works in New York, a source with knowledge of the matter said. Both are G10 spot currency traders at the U.S. bank. The source said the men were suspended on Thursday as a result of investigations into chatroom communications. Neither man could be reached at their office telephone numbers.

Several traders at several banks have been suspended or sent on leave. Citi last week fired its head of European spot foreign exchange trading, Rohan Ramchandani, following a prolonged period on leave, one source with knowledge of the matter said.

Deutsche Bank, Citi and HSBC are three of the biggest players in the FX market.—Reuters

Royal Dutch Shell issues profit warning L ONDON —Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has issued a profit warning after it made less money than expected in the final quarter of 2013.

“Fourth-quarter 2013 figures... are expected to be significantly lower than recent levels of profitability,” the company said in a statement.

It now expects profits for the quarter to be about $2.2bn (£1.3bn) and profits for 2013 as a whole to be $16.8bn.

Shell’s shares fell more than 4% at the beginning of trading in London. Profits for 2013 are expected to be down significantly on 2012, when it made $27.2bn. “Our 2013 performance was not what I expect from Shell,” Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said in a statement. “Our focus will be on improving Shell’s financial results, achieving better capital efficiency and on continuing to strengthen our operational performance and project delivery.”

Mr van Beurden became chief executive at the beginning of this year, taking over from Peter Voser. Shell said its profits in the fourth quarter were hurt by a range of factors, including higher exploration costs, security problems in oil-rich Nigeria, and maintenance work that hit oil and gas production. It said the weakening of the Australian dollar also had an effect.

Expected profits of $2.2bn for the quarter include impairments of $700m. When these are discounted, the expected profits are $2.9bn.—Agencies

US industry shows muscle in late 2013 W ASHINGTON —US industrial output rose at its fastest clip in 3-1/2 years in the fourth quarter as factory activity closed out the year on a strong note, a sign of the economy’s brightening prospects. Manufacturing production rose a stronger-thanexpected 0.4 percent in December after an out-sized 1.0 percent increase the prior month, a Federal Reserve report on Friday showed.

That helped push overall output at the nation’s factories, mines and utilities up 0.3 percent last month. Economists polled by Reuters had expected factory output to rise 0.3 percent, while the gain in overall industrial production matched forecasts. “It

adds to the evidence that the fourth quarter was a good one,” Gus Faucher, a senior economist at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh. “It also provides further evidence that the slowdown in employment growth in December was a fluke.”

For the fourth quarter as a whole, industrial production advanced at a 6.8 percent pace, the largest quarterly increase since the second quarter of 2010. Fourthquarter growth is shaping up to be far stronger than economists had anticipated, with estimates ranging as high as a 3.9 percent annual rate. But that does not seem to have inspired U.S. households.—AFP

West Indies name provisional squad for World T20 S T J O H N ’ S —Antigua and Barbuda: Defending champions the West Indies on Saturday announced a provisional 30-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20, which will take place in Bangladesh in March and April.

The Windies, who won the 2012 title with victory against hosts Sri Lanka in the final, will play all of their preliminary round matches at the Sher-eBangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Their campaign begins against India on March 23 and two days later they take on one of the ICC qualifiers.

Their third match will be against Australia on March 28 followed by a clash against Pakistan on April 1.

The semi-finals are slated for April 3 and 4, with thefinal on April 6.

Provisional West Indies squad: Christopher Barnwell, Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Kevon Cooper, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Rayad Emrit, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Delorn Johnson, Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Veerasammy Permaul, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Chadwick Walton.— AFP

County club advance in STC Governor KP T-20 Cup

Quaid-i-Azam Cricket Trophy

Fiery Malik, Shera put Karachi Blues in sight of victory K ARACHI —Karachi Blues Opener Fakhar Zaman went af- with four hits to the ropes. bounced back after conceding the first innings lead to Peshawar to put themselves in a winning position in their fourday Super Eight round match of Quaid-e-Azam Cricket Trophy at National Stadium on Saturday thanks to a fiery bowling by pace duo of Adeel Malik and Zohaib Shera.

Set 190 for victory, Karachi Blues was 95 for the loss of three wickets in their second innings at draw of stumps on day three.

Yasir Hussain with 30 studded with three boundaries and Babar Agha with eight were at the crease at draw at close.

ter making a fine 46 laced six boundaries. Karachi Blues needed another 95 runs with seven wickets intact.

Earlier in the day, Adeel snapped-up three wickets for 54 runs in 19.5 overs, Shera claimed three wickets for 62 runs in 22 overs while Rajesh and Faraz took two wickets apiece to trigger the collapse in Peshawar’s second outing.

Peshawar was bowled out for 134 in their second innings in 47th over after starting the day at 19-0. Gohar Ali top-scored with 33 including four boundaries and SajjadAmade 32 also

Summarized scores: Peshawar 274 (Muhammad Idrees 63, Iftikhar Ahmed 56, Gohar Ali 34, Sajjad Ahmed 29 not out, Adeel Malik 4-77 & 134 in 46.1 overs (Gohar Ali 33, Sajjad Ahmed 32, Jamaluddin 28, Zohaib Shera 362, Adeel Malik 3-54, Rajesh Ramesh 2-14, Faraz Ahmed 20) Karachi Blues (First Innings); 219 (Naveed Khan 88, Javed Mansoor 34, Afaq Ahmed 4-45, Taj Wali 3-82, Dilawar Khan 2-38) & 95-3 in 32 overs (Fakhar Zaman 45, Yasir Hussain 30 not out, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-38).—APP

Australia seek another series win SYDNEY—What more can En- Perth Test, Ian Bell looked in gland do? Well, perhaps not bowl half-volleys in the dying stages of a run chase, but apart from that they played as well in the Brisbane ODI as they have on this whole tour of Australia. Still, they lost. They were effectively ‘Faulknered’.

It will be difficult for England not to slump after getting their hopes up only to have them dashed, but they should take confidence from the Gabba match.

They scored 300, Eoin Morgan became their first centurymaker since Ben Stokes in the

good touch until he was run out, their fielding was good - a lot went right for England. They can enter the third match in Sydney with belief, if they can convince themselves to do so. They must avoid telling themselves that the Gabba heist proves Australia are unbeatable.

For Australia, this is a chance to secure the five-match series after three games. It would be the first time in five campaigns that a team followed an Ashes win with an accompanying victory in the one-dayers.

The road to No.1 in the world would become that little bit shorter. Their challenge is to avoid complacency. Faulkner got them out of jail - Michael Clarke’s disbelieving smile after the match showed that he knew it. The rest of the players must not take the win for granted.

England can beat them.

Much of Australia’s pace bowling was off the mark in Brisbane; they need to find their line once again. And if they can extend England’s pain one more match, they will celebrate another series win in Sydney. —Online

PESHAWAR—County club advance to the next round after recording victory against Frontier Foundation club in the ongoing STC Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Twenty20 Cricket Cup being played here at Gymkhana ground on Saturday.

County club won the toss and elected to bat first by setting up 123 runs target for the loss of nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs wherein Hashmat Ullah smashed a cracking knock of 39 runs including five boundaries and one six, Tanveer made 18 runs and Fazal scored 17 runs.

For Frontier Foundation, right-arm medium fast bowler LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Zaka Ashraf presiding Board of Governors Fayyaz claimed five wickets. meeting at National Cricket Academy.

Kareem and Muntazir took two wickets each.

In reply, to 123 runs target, Frontier Foundation bowled out for 86 runs in which Muntazir scored 21 runs with two boundaries and one six and Karim Ullah scored 19 runs. —APP

PCB chief Zaka suspends legal advisor

BoP defeat ABL in Twenty20 MULTAN—Bank of Punjab defeated Allied Bank Limited in a T20 match of 10th SBP Governors’ Cup Inter Banks regional cricket tournament by one run.

ABL won the toss and decided to field first. Bank of Punjab made 153 runs by losing eight wickets. Chasing the target, ABL made 152 runs.

Ghulam Rehman was man of match for 34 runs and three wickets.—APP

L AHORE —Pakistan Cricket board chief by the Islamabad Bangladesh. “There are a lot of Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has suspended the board’s Legal Advisor Tafazzul Rizvi, Geo news reported.

Tafazzul Rizvi had dispatched a letter to Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed, contending that there were some legal complications in reinstating Zaka Ashraf as the board chairman. The letter had advised the PCB to seek explanation from the prime minister’s office over the issue. It is pertinent to mention here that a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court had reinstated Zaka Ashraf as PCB chairman on Jan 15. Meanwhile, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has stated his reinstatement as the

High Court was a “historic decision” calling it a “victory of justice”. Ashraf replaced Najam Sethi after a long and complicated legal process.

“It is a historic decision for Pakistan cricket that a court restored a PCB chief,” Ashraf said in Lahore. “My reinstatement is a victory of justice and a result of prayers of several PCB employees.” Ashraf, who was suspended from the post in May last year by the same court, said he will now work towards the improvement of the state of affairs of cricket in Pakistan, and seek guidance from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on security issues for the team’s participation in the Asia Cup in

challenges Pakistan cricket has been facing and my top-most priority will be to work collectively for its betterment,” he said. “Being a chairman, I am under heavy load of responsibility to take on all the challenges in a decent manner and to resolve all cricket-related problems in a befitting manner. We should work for development of the game without taking into consideration and political affiliation.

“It is my desire to brief PCB patron Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on cricket-related affairs and to seek his guidance on the team’s participation in the Asia Cup in the back drop of security issues in the host country Bangladesh.”—Agencies

RAWALPINDI: Students of Joint Staff College Chaklala with Rear Admiral Farukh Ahmed and others on the eve of annual sports day.

Elections of Table Tennis Association held HYDERABAD—Elections were held by District Table-Tennis Association, Hyderabad to elect new body on Saturday under the supervision of General Secretary, Sindh Table-Tennis Association, Abdul Aziz. Javed Nisar Channa and Qaseem Qureshi were elected un-opposed as President and General Secretary for the association respectively.

Other office-bears were also elected un-opposed as Saleem Ahmed and Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Vice-Presidents of the association. Ms Afshan Rauf and Sikandar Ali as vice Presidents, Kazi Shakeel as Joint Secretary and Adnan Hakeem as Treasurer were elected in the elections.

Besides, Shahzada Mujeed, Asiya Adnan, Irfan Chaudry, Furqan Rajput, Mirza Khan, Faheem Babar and Aftaz Zia have also been elected un-opposed as Members Executive Committee of District Table-Tennis Association, Hyderabad.

Speaking on the occasion, newly-elected President of Association, Javed Nisar Chana announced Sindh ranking and open Table-Tennis Championship with price money of Rs.0.1m.—APP

Big three could control revamped ICC DUBAI—The ICC is to consider room and on the field. It also sponsorship cycle. The proposal a comprehensive structural overhaul of world cricket administration that will effectively cede most executive decision-making to the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. A draft proposal on these lines will be presented to the ICC Executive Board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

The proposal, drafted by a “working group” of the ICC’s Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee - in which the BCCI, CA and ECB are key members - recommends wideranging changes in the ICC’s revenue distribution model, administrative structures and the Future Tours Programme (FTP), questions the relevance of Test rankings and suggests the reinstatement of the Champions Trophy over the World Test Championship.

And almost every recommendation of the “position paper” gives a larger share of control over world cricket to the Australian, English and Indian cricket boards - both in the board-

gives them a larger share of revenues, in a ratio that is linked to the ICC’s revenue growth.

The ICC says these radical proposals await response from and the approval of member boards. The document does, however, contain an April deadline for the formation of the ICC

Business Co (IBC) - a newly formed business arm which will be set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development International) - in order to take over the task of issuing tenders for the ICC’s next media rights and

recommends creating a fourmember group called the Executive Committee (ExCo) between ICC committees and the Executive Board, which consists of the heads of national boards.

The ExCo, the proposal recommends, will include three permanent representatives from CA, ECB and BCCI, who will share an annual rotating chairmanship. A fourth member of the ExCo will be nominated by the ICC’s Executive Board and come from the seven other Full Member nations. The ExCo, if created according to the draft, will become “the sole recommendation committee . on all constitutional, personnel, integrity, ethics, development and nominations matters.”

When detailing Test match promotion and relegation, the document states that “relegation exceptions” will apply to India, England and Australia.

This is “solely in order to protect ICC income due to the importance of those markets and teams to prospective ICC media rights buyers.”—Online

Riaz stars in big NB win R AWALINDI —Wahab Riaz’s maiden List A fifty helped National Bank of Pakistan to a comprehensive 86-run win over Pakistan Television at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Put in to bat, National Bank lost Kamran Akmal in the second over and continued losing regular wickets to slump to 125 for 7 in the 28th over. Riaz, however, led a counterattack by smashing 77 off just 67 balls with six fours and four sixes, and added 87 for the eighth wicket with Raza Hasan to take the team to 228.

PTV, in reply, lost wickets right from the start and barring a 55 from Nawaz Ahmed, none of the other batsmen could make more than 27, as Hammad Azam and Hasan picked up three wickets each to bundle the team out RAWALPINDI: Players in action during Arm Wrestling Championship match in connection with Punjab Youth Festival. for 142 inside 40 overs.

New Zealand ‘leaning’ towards four-pacer attack: McCullum NAPIER—Brendon McCullum coming up against. India have ob- Africa. “Dale Steyn is a world- treme pace, upwards of 150

TAXILA: A horse rider showing his skills during a tent-pegging competition in connection with Punjab Youth Festival.

is considering playing four fast bowlers in the ODI series opener against India in Napier.

The New Zealand captain expects the McLean Park pitch to be fast and bouncy, and said he wanted to “unleash a bit of pace” early at the visitors, who were dismissed for 217 and 146 in Johannesburg and Durban by Dale Steyn and Co recently.

“I guess we are leaning towards it [playing four quicks] at this stage,” McCullum said.

“Obviously we’ll see how everyone pulls up through training as well, but I think it will be quite nice to unleash a bit of pace in this opening game and then try and be aggressive and as hostile as we can with ball in hand.”

When asked if New Zealand were keen to “get in the face” of the Indians, McCullum was quick to clarify that he was keen to restrict the aggression to only with the ball. “We are incredibly respectful of how good this team is that we are

viously performed well for a long period of time and they have got an outstanding batting line-up in particular. We know it’s a huge challenge for us.

“The good thing from our point of view is we are playing at home and in conditions that we are familiar with and we think we are starting to play some decent cricket as well as a side. There certainly is no directive in terms of trying to take these guys on from a verbal point of view. It’s more about making sure we play good cricket and try and expose some weaknesses, if there are any, in their batting line-up, and obviously try and build some momentum early in this series five games in 12 days, if you can get early momentum, it is certainly going to help.”

When asked about India’s problems against Steyn, McCullum, while acknowledging the fast bowler’s prowess, pointed out that it hadn’t been all gloom for the visitors in South

class bowler and has been for a number of years. He has been successful against pretty much everyone in world cricket. We haven’t got the bowlers at that level yet - who knows what will happen in a couple of years if we keep developing them - but at this stage, we are still learning a little bit about some of our bowlers.

“In terms of the Indians and how they responded in South Africa, I think they still played pretty good cricket at times. They are not ranked where they are for no reason. They are obviously successful and excellent players.

We are very respectful of them.

It doesn’t mean we don’t think we have not got areas where we can attack them but we are very respectful of how good these guys are and know that for us to win this series, we have to play our best cricket of the summer.”

New Zealand have included young fast bowler Adam Milne in the squad, and while he’s still developing, he can generate ex-

kph. McCullum said New Zealand would go for Milne on quicker surfaces, and would not mind playing him alongside the aggressive Mitchell McClenaghan, despite the possibility of conceding additional runs in the quest for pace and wickets.

“If we get a fast wicket, Milne will play. Still mindful of the fact that he is young in terms of the experience that he has got and obviously bowling at the pace at which he does as well, that can bring about injuries. We have to make sure we use him when the conditions suit him best. “We have got other options as well. We have got [Kyle] Mills and [Tim] Southee who are more than capable of bowling with the new ball and obviously Milne can bounce between the new ball and first change. We just have to work out the right balance and play to the strengths of those guys.—Online

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 3rd Test

Shehzad hits hundred but Pakistan toil for runs SHARJAH—Ahmed Shehzad scored his maiden Test hundred but Pakistan’s progress on the third day in Sharjah, despite a century opening partnership and 122 runs in the final session, was not swift enough to weaken Sri Lanka’s grip on their 1-0 lead in the series. At their current pace the best Pakistan can hope for is to draw a Test they need to win, but with their middle order falling away alarmingly, they were far from certain of avoiding a first-innings deficit.

Pakistan’s approach was curious. The surface, despite its crumbling appearance, had little seam, swing or spin for the bowlers but the batsmen did not attempt to force the pace for

Sri Lanka 1st innings 428-9 dec Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 19-0) Khurramb Eranga ............ 52 Shehzad b Herath ........... 147 Azhar c Mathews b Perera . 8 Younis b Herath ............... 17 Misbah not out ................. 36 Asad lbw b Eranga ........... 18 Sarfraz b Herath ................. 5 Extras: (b1, lb6, nb1) ......... 8 Total: (for six wkts) ....... 291 Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-149, 3-189, 4-245, 5-274, 6-291 Bowling ............. O-M-R-W Herath ............... 31.3-8-88-3 Lakmal ................. 21-4-57-0 Perera ................... 17-1-71-1 Eranga .................. 19-5-53-2 Mathews ............... 7-3-15-0.

Cycling: Bushfire may threaten Tour Down Under

most of the day. Pakistan lost no wickets in the first session but their openers added only 66 runs in 29 overs. They then lost two in the second while scoring only 84 in 29 overs. Shehzad led the acceleration after tea, forcing Angelo Mathews on the defensive, but he was one of four wickets to fall in the session, which meant it was Sri Lanka who won the day.

The go-slow had begun after Pakistan got to 30 for 0 after nine overs; they scored only 12 runs off the next 13. The lack of pace off the pitch and the slow outfield hindered shot making and most of the early boundaries came via glances from Shehzad when the fast bowlers strayed on to the pads.

To try and make something happen for Sri Lanka, Shaminda Eranga bowled cross seam to rough up one side of the ball, and a few deliveries did tail in to the right-hand batsmen through the day. Herath operated from over the wicket, pitching outside leg stump, a line of attack he used for most of the day. Towards the end of the first session, Mathews placed six fielders on the leg side and Suranga Lakmal bowled very straight, making the batsmen play, often across the line.

Manzoor and Shehzad picked up the pace shortly before lunch but slowed down again after the break, when they played four maidens in the first five overs. Mathews brought himself on and conceded his first run only off the last delivery of his fourth over. Things began to

happen in the 42nd over, with Manzoor and Shehzad sweeping Herath for a three and a four, and Shehzad being dropped on 43 by Dimuth Karunaratne at midwicket. That over of excitement, however, was not a sign of things to come. Pakistan’s century opening stand came up in 43.3 overs, and Shehzad got to his fifty off 150 balls, and Manzoor reached his off 120.

Eranga’s reintroduction 12 overs into the second session brought Sri Lanka the breakthrough. He began to reverse-swing deliveries into the right-hander and Manzoor edged one that strayed down leg side to the keeper. He reviewed the umpire’s decision in vain and the opening stand ended on 114.

Pakistan have made some horrible reviews in this series but none was worse than Azhar Ali’s decision to challenge his edge to slip. It merely delayed the confirmation of Dilruwan Perera’s maiden Test wicket, after the offspinner had to wait 42 overs on the second day to get a bowl. Eranga and Lakmal then began to reverse the ball significantly - they had a 7-2 leg side field at times - but the movement was appreciable only in the air. The balls that hit the pitch were not as potent.

Shehzad brought up his century shortly after tea - his second 50 had taken only 80 balls and accelerated after the landmark. He square drove Perera for four, drove Eranga on the up through cover, lofted the fast bowler over long-on for six, and

carted the offspinner over his head to the straight boundary.

During Shehzad’s acceleration, however, Younis Khan, who had been rotating strike busily, was caught superbly down the leg side by Prasanna Jayawardene off Herath. He walked, leaving Pakistan 189 for 3. In the company of Misbah-ul-Haq, Shehzad continued to raise his strike-rate, sweeping Herath and slog-sweeping Perera. The 50run stand for the fourth wicket took 63 balls. Misbah’s contribution was 11. And then Shehzad chose wrong, attempting to reverse-sweep a Herath delivery from a few feet outside leg stump. He was so shocked that the ball had gone on to bowl him off the bottom edge that he took ages to leave the pitch.

Shehzad’s last 47 runs had come off only 45 balls.

There was more pain for Pakistan, though. Having been denied numerous marginal decisions while bowling, Pakistan lost Asad Shafiq to an lbw appeal that umpire Richard Kettleborough upheld, but replays indicated the ball from Eranga would have only clipped leg stump. Shafiq reviewed and lost out to the umpire’s call, which is fast becoming Pakistan’s bane in this series.

And in the final over of the day, Herath got one to spin and bounce away from Sarfraz Ahmed, and Prasanna moved swiftly to his right to catch the thick edge. Misbah, unbeaten on 36 at the other end, was left with SHARJAH: Ahmed Shehzad raises his bat after scoring his maiden hundred against Sri Lanka in 3rd Test on Saturday. only the tail.—Agencies

Nadal awesome as title contenders fire

Boxing: Alvarez comeback, three title bouts set for March

SYDNEY—Bushfires may force MELBOURNE—Rafael Nadal early at Wimbledon and the US but inconsistent Monfils, win- LAS VEGAS—Former world the cancellation of the first stage Open, were past him as he dis- ning in just over two hours. Nadal light middleweight champion put on an awesome performance of the Tour Down Under cycling to reach the Australian Open last mantled Russia’s Gabashvili, the event, officials in South Austra- 16 on Saturday and Roger world number 79. lia said Saturday.

“It was a tough year last year Federer and Andy Murray also After a street race in Adelaide on Sunday, the Tour begins on Tuesday with a 135 kilometre race from Nuriootpa to Angaston in the Barossa region—an area currently under threat of fire.

“From a race point of view, we’re taking regular updates from authorities in terms of what’s happening there,” said race director Mike Turtur.

“If it’s a no-go zone for the Barossa, it’s a no-go zone— simple as that. (It’s) possibly the cancellation of the stage, depending on the advice from the correct people.

“Any activity in the region that’s deemed to be dangerous to the public, then obviously you can’t ask people to go into the area. It would be crazy to do that.” If cancelled, it would be the first time in the event’s 15year history that organisers have had to change a part of the race due to weather.—AFP

Ski jumping: Japan’s Takanashi lifts 7th World Cup ZAO—Japan’s Olympic gold medal hope Sara Takanashi soared to her seventh ski jumping World Cup victory of the season Saturday, despite sustaining a pratfall after a giant leap.

The 17-year-old jumped 104 metres (341 feet) to outdistance her rivals but fell after an erratic

MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a return to Gael Monfils of France during their men’s singles match at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament.

hit top gear as the titlerace began to narrow.

With Victoria Azarenka a class apart in her third-round win, Nadal stormed past France’s Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 to underline his challenge to Novak Djokovic’s three-year Melbourne reign. Federer was typically fluent in his 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win against Teymuraz Gabashvili and Murray, continuing his strong recovery from back surgery, was a convincing winner over Feliciano Lopez.

With sharply cooling temperatures bringing an abrupt end to four days of 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), there was a busilanding in the first round on the nesslike feel as the men’s and women’s contenders set about Zao hill in Japan.

She lost points for style be- reaching week two.

Federer said his Grand Slam cause of the fall, but made up the marks with her distance.—AFP struggles last year, when he fell

and it took some time to figure out what I needed to do to feel better and to get my confidence back, because that’s what I thought it was mostly,” said Federer, seeded six.

“For the last four to five months I feel that I’m back to normal again and at least I feel I’ve done the work to catch up and haven’t had any setbacks, so it’s very positive.”

Murray gave a brief scare when he clutched his back in the first set but he moved unhindered thereafter to win 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-2 and move into the round of 16 without dropping a set.

“Today was a big step up for me. Feliciano is a top-30 player.

He’s a tricky opponent to play,” Murray said. In the evening session, Nadal was superior in all departments to the entertaining

will next face Japanese number one Kei Nishikori, who reeled off the last 10 games against Donald Young to end American interest in the men’s competition.

Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov weathered Milos Raonic’s powerful serve to reach his first Grand Slam last 16, where he will face Roberto Bautista Agut, the Spanish surprise package who ousted Benoit Paire.

France’s Stephane Robert became the first “lucky loser” to reach the Australian Open fourth round when he beat Slovakia’s Martin Klizan. His prize is a match with Wimbledon champion Murray. And in an allFrench clash, 2008 finalist JoWilfried Tsonga ended the injurydefying run of Gilles Simon, who hobbled out of last week’s Kooyong Classic, to go into a clash with Federer.

Meanwhile in the women’s draw, Azarenka destroyed hapless Austrian Yvonne Meusburger for the loss of just one game, winning 6-1, 6-0 to set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal with Sloane Stephens.

Stephens beat Elina Svitolina to progress and she said last year’s controversy, when Azarenka was accused of using a medical timeout to calm her nerves at a critical moment, would have no bearing. “That has nothing to do with this year. I don’t even remember half the stuff that happened. It’s okay,” said the 20-year-old American.

Former champion Maria Sharapova, returning from a shoulder injury, faced down a challenge for a second successive match before beating France’s Alize Cornet 6-1, 7-6 (8/6).

Sharapova will next play Slovakian seed Dominika Cibulkova, who beat Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro. Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic won against Kurumi Nara to set up a meeting with Romanian Simona Halep.

But former world number one Caroline Wozniacki took a tumble when she was shocked by the unheralded Garbine Muzuruga, 20, who extended her best ever Grand Slam run.

Next up for the emerging Spanish star is Polish fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who came from a set down to oust Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.—APP

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will make his return to the ring after a loss to Floyd Mayweather on a March 8 card with three world title bouts, promoters said.

Mexico’s Alvarez, 42-1-1 with 30 knockouts, dropped a majority decision to the unbeaten American last September to lose the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council crowns. Alvarez, a 23-year-old

whose nickname is Spanish for Cinnamon, will face compatriot Alfredo Angulo, 22-3 with 18 knockouts. Also on the card will be Mexico’s unbeaten Leo Santa Cruz, 27-0 with one draw and 15 knockouts, defending the WBC super bantamweight title against Mexican southpaw and former world champion Cristian Mijares, 49-7 with two drawn and 24 knockouts.

Mexico’s Carlos Molina, 225 with two drawn and six knockouts, makes the first defense of his International Boxing Federation junior middleweight title against unbeaten American Jermall Charlo, 17-0 with 13 knockouts.— AFP

Lee on course for Malaysian victory KUALA LUMPUR—World num- took offence, even though former world champion Wang ber one Lee Chong Wei was a match away from the men’s singles crown at the Malaysia Open after Jan O Jorgensen pulled out of the semi-finals with an injury on Saturday.

The Danish shuttler suffered a muscle injury midway through the first game, aggravating an earlier injury sustained last month after the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Superseries Finals.

He called for the on-court doctor at the end of the game and tried to continue playing, but was forced to retire when 3-0 down in the second due to the pain.

“I only had 14 days of training before flying off to the Korea Open last week. It’s a muscle injury and it has been acting up the last couple of days,” said the world number three.

“I tried to carry on, but the pain was too much.”

Lee said he initially thought Jorgensen was pulling a fast one when he called for the doctor.

“I didn’t expect him to retire and thought he was trying to play mind tricks,” said the Malaysian ace, who will meet Indonesia’s Tommy Sugiarto in Sunday’s final in front of his home crowd.

“I don’t feel any extra pressure going for my 10th title. I will not underestimate Tommy even though I have never lost to him.”

The final will be a rematch of the BWF World Superseries Finals men’s singles gold medal match which Lee won 21-12, 2110. Tommy had a surprisingly easy victory over Japan’s Kenichi Tago, winning 21-13, 21-18.

The turning point came when Tommy’s return at the net hit Tago in the face and the fifth seed

Tommy immediately apologised.

“I don’t know why he reacted the way he did. We are good friends off the court and I didn’t mean to hit him. He lost his cool and I took advantage to win,” explained Tommy. Meanwhile,

Shixian for the women’s singles title after brushing aide teammate Yao Xue 21-17, 21-8.

Wang Shixian, the winner in Malaysia two years ago, crushed South Korean Bae Yeon-Ju 219, 21-16. The other Chinese

KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in action during Malaysia Open men’s semi-final against Jan O Jorgensen.

China are assured of winning the women’s singles crown and are also in with the chance to win three other crowns. O l y m p i c champion Li Xuerui will take on

shuttlers in finals are Chai BiaoHong Wei (men’s doubles), Bao Yixin-Tang Jinhua (women’s doubles) and Xu Chen-Ma Jin (mixed doubles).—AFP

Jordan replaces Finn in England T20 squad SYDNEY—Sussex seamer Chris originally selected Ashes squad Board (ECB) statement which Jordan was called into England’s Twenty20 squad to play Australia on Saturday following the early exit of Steven Finn.

Jordan is already in Australia with the one-day international squad where he has shown signs of promise despite England going 2-0 down in the five-match series.

Middlesex quick Finn was the only member of England’s

who didn’t play an international match on a tour where his side were routed 5-0 by Australia in the Test series.

He returned home early in a bid to iron out problems with his bowling action which England limited overs coach Ashley Giles said had made him “not selectable”. Jordan’s call-up for Twenty20 duty was confirmed by an England and Wales Cricket

said: “Sussex pace bowler Chris Jordan has been called into England’s Twenty20 squad for the three-match series against Australia beginning in Hobart on January 29.”

Finn’s problems mean he is unlikely to make it into England’s squad for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in March, even though he was named this week in the provisional 30-man party.

Jordan, yet to play a Twenty20 international, was also selected in that provisional squad but will now have a chance to show what he can do in cricket’s shortest format.

The 25-year-old Barbadosborn paceman had been due to join the England Lions squad in Sri Lanka but his place in the national A side’s tour party has been taken by Yorkshire’s Liam Plunkett.—APP

Smoking to kill 5.6m US kids if not stubbed out

A

NOTHER 5.6 million American chil dren may die prematurely unless smok ing rates fall in the United States, according to a report by the U.S. surgeon general which links a range of new illnesses to the habit.

Fifty years after the first surgeon general’s report declared smoking a hazard to human health, the new study adds conditions ranging from colon cancer to diabetes and arthritis to the tally of tobacco-related diseases.

The report, the first in more than a decade, found that smoking has killed more than 20 million Americans prematurely in the last half century.

Although adult smoking rates have fallen to the current 18 percent from 43 percent of Americans in 1965, each day, more than 3,200 youths under the age 18 try their first cigarette, according to the report published on Friday.

“Enough is enough,” acting Surgeon General Dr Boris Lushniak said in a telephone interview. “We need to eliminate the use of cigarettes and create a tobacco-free generation.” Federal health officials are calling on businesses, state and local governments, and society as a whole, to end smoking within a generation through hard-hitting media campaigns, smoke-free air policies, tobacco taxes, unhindered access to cessation treatment and more spending by state and local govts on tobacco control. “It’s not just the federal lead on this anymore,” said Lushniak. “To get this done, we have to go to industry. We have to go to healthcare providers and remind them that this

problem is not yet solved.” The report, dubbed The Health Consequences of Smoking, 50 Years of Progress, details the growing science showing the diseases and health conditions caused by smoking since Dr Luther Terry issued the landmark report on January 11, 1964, that first confirmed smoking tobacco caused lung cancer.

In that first report, only lung cancer was associated with smoking. Now there are 13.

“We’re still a country very much addicted to tobacco,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a White House event to mark the anniversary.

The new report adds liver and colorectal cancer to that list, but it also details several other conditions caused by smoking, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and impaired immune function, and cleft palate in infants. And in a startling statistic, the report found that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of stroke by 20 to 30 percent.

“It really is astonishing that even 50 years in, we are finding new ways that tobacco maims and kills people,” Dr Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a telephone interview.

Frieden reiterated that tobacco control efforts have saved as many as 8 million lives in the past five decades, but stressed that much more needs to be done to eliminate smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan speaking on the occasion of Dow University of Health Sciences on 10th Anniversary.—PO photo Sultan Chaki

Imtiaz lambastes Govt over failure to curb lawlessness STAFF REPORTER

Municipal officers given 48 hours for cleanliness IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—Sindh Minister for KARACHI—Pakistan Muslim information, archives and local

Journalists protest against assassination of three staffers of Express News Channel in DSNG on call of PFUJ, KUJ, PAPP and KPC outside Press Club.

MQM concerned on polio in Peshawar STAFF REPORTER

PFUJ protests over killings of media persons STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—In condemnation to

KARACHI—The Co-ordination the brutal killing of 3 media

Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) expressed grave concerns on the report of the World Health Organization identifying Peshawar as the centre of Polio virus and urged on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take steps for eliminating polio from the province.

The committee said that the failure of Pakistan to eliminate polio towards to healthy and polio-free world was being regarded with concern at the international level. The committee said that Pakistanis travelling abroad could face problems if urgent steps were not taken to stamp out polio from country.

workers and technicians belonging to a local private television, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) observed countrywide protest on Saturday.

In a joint statement issued Friday, PFUJ’s President, Secretary General and Vice President, Rana Azim, Amin Yousuf and Azizullah Sharif, respectively, appealed to the media houses, including print and electronic media, to hoist black flags at their offices to voice their anger over continuous killing of newsmen and media workers across the country. The PFUJ leaders deplored that the government was playing a role of silent spectator despite the fact killings of jour-

nalists and other media workers were continuing unabated in Pakistan. They also demanded of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association and TV channels to blacken their logos so as to denounce the heinous crime of killing of the three media workers and technicians of the TV channel.

The PFUJ office-bearers also urged the electronic media not to station their DSNGs at public places and thoroughfares, besides taking effective safety measures for the protection of their employees. They also demanded of the international journalists’ associations and human rights organizations to voice their concern over continuous killing of journalists in Pakistan and raise the issue with the government to help curb such heinous crimes.

League-Functional (PMLF) Sindh chapter Secretary general and adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said that the Sindh provincial government had on the basis of ‘like and dislike’ sabotaged the sincere efforts of the PM to eliminate the terrorism and criminals from the metropolis.

The escalating crime rate was a manifest of utter failure of the Sindh provincial government for curbing the crime and terrorism, targeted killings of civilians and religious scholars, clerics and personnel of law enforcement agencies. He said this while talking to the newsmen at a local private hospital in the city where the injured students of School Bus tragedy were being admitted.

Shaikh had reached the hospital to attend the injured children there. He offered bouquets to the ailing students and conveyed PM’s message to their parents regarding free medical treatment to the injured children.

While lamenting on lack of appropriate healthcare facilities in home town of the former President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari he said that it was a misery to lack the required hospitals and owing to that flaw, the children were shifted to Karachi.

He criticised the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah for possessing many portfolios including the health ministry and home ministry while handing the reaming to a group of his selected blue-eyed ministers, which was a candid manifest of the reality that the Sindh provincial government seriously lacked qualified elected representative to hold any portfolio.

government Sharjeel Innam Memon had warned the officials of the municipal departments that they should complete the process of cleaning the garbage from corners of streets; remove accumulated sewage and de-silting of the choked sewage drains due to which the sewage was being silt on streets.

The Minister directed the municipal commissioner of the city and municipal officers of district municipal corporations to ensure completion of the task of making the city clean in 48 hours failing which the officials of affected area would be suspended of his services.

While taking serious notice of dead or our of order close circuit TV cameras, issued stern directives to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s Administrator to

get the dead or out of order CCTV Cameras in perfect working conditions as the CCTV cameras were inevitable for monitoring the street criminals.

He issued these directives in a meeting he had chaired with the municipal commissioners of Karachi all districts and KMC’s municipal commissioner.

He told the meeting he would pay surprise visits to different areas of the metropolis to oversee the implementation of his orders and maintenance of cleanliness in the city. Any area found affected with scattered litter and spilt-over sewage on streets then the official concerned would be suspended and departmental enquiry would be initiated against him, as well.

The Minister while directing the KMC’s Administrator for keeping the CCTV cameras in order further asked him to repair and replace out of order and dead street lights.

All the administrators of DMCs and KMC should submit a detailed report about ghost employees in their respective departments and an additional report should also be submitted about the absentees so that they should be dealt with in accordance to law.

The Minister appreciated the officials of municipal departments for maintaining cleanliness during Rabi Ul Awwal, the sacred month in Islamic calendar.

The meeting informed the Minister about their problems regarding maintenance of cleanliness and impediments from Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and requested the Minister to also take notice of the situation.

The Minister had thus directed the officials for maintaining close coordination with the STAFF REPORTER KWSB managing director and other officials concerned for smooth operations on civic scene. KARACHI—Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that the provincial government wants to continue the ongoing targeted operation against criminals.

This he said at a meeting with former Interior Minister Rehman Malik who called on retary while Ali Rizvi, Zohaib him at CM house here on SaturHaider, Shahzad Khan, Sajjad day.

Rashidi, Muhammad Akram During the meeting both Arain were in the delegation. leaders exchanged their views The Secretary said that the on over all political and law and Sindh government was fully order situation in Sindh provaware of issues and threats of the ince. journalists and was taking coerThe chief minister excive measures to protect lives of pressed firm resolve to take each working journalists. and every step towards improveHe said that he had been ment of law and order in Karachi among the working journalists on and entire Sindh province. directives from the Sindh inforHe said that PPP would mation Minister and the Chief continue its reconciliation policy Minister and was also personally for strengthening democracy inspired with the devotion of and democratic institutions. journalist to their duty.

Govt wants operation against criminals to continue

No compromise on journalists’ security, welfare STAFF REPORTER KARACHI—Sindh information Secretary Dr Zulfiquar Ali Shalwani said that the Sindh provincial government had not only believed and supported the freedom of expression but had always kept the press and media side by side believing that the democracy could never be strengthened unless the press and media were not independent.

The Sindh government had taken issues of journalists quite seriously in past and even today and had while believing in con-

crete steps rather than voicing sheer slogans diligently worked for the welfare of the journalist fraternity of which the residential project was worth mentioning, which had no precedence in the history of Pakistan.

Dr Shalwani expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Journalists Welfare Association Karachi led by Muhammad Ismail Rajput at his office Saturday.

Sindh Press Information Director Muhammad Yousif Kabooro had flanked the Sec-

Forces frightened of dialogue with Taliban are behind terrorism IRFAN ALIGI KARACHI—Jamiat Ulema-e

Islam (Sami Ul Haq) patronin-chief Maulana Sami Ul Haq said that operation was not a solution to any problem.

Terrorism was a very sensitive issue and it looked as if all cities in the country would take the pattern of Karachi city.

He was talking to the newsmen after funeral prayers of slain JUI-S leader Mufti Usman Yar Khan at Jamia Dar Ul Khair in Gulistan-e Jauhar Saturday noon.

Maulana Haq said that his companions had inherited the passion for martyrdom and it was an honour for them but the A large number of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Samiul Haq) supporters offering Namaz-e-Janaza of Mufti Usman Yar, the Secretary General of JUI-S at Johar Morr Madressah Dalur Khair. rulers had left the people at the

mercy of terrorist. The rulers should carve out ways to rid the terrorism.

He said that there were forces that had sabotaged the process of peace dialogue with Taliban and whoever sowed serious inclination toward finding a peaceful solution in that regard was eliminated. No matter if it was Hakeem Ullah Mehsood, Waliur Rehman or Mufti Usman Yar Khan, there assassination was part of a similar chain.

Maulana Haq demanded of the Sindh provincial government to arrest the killers of Mufti Usman Yar Khan and quit the government for failing to protect people’s lives.

He said that a meeting of

eminent clerics and religious scholars had been convened on Sunday (today) at the Jamia Dar Ul Khair to prepare future strategy.

Mufti Asfand Yar Khan, father of slain Mufti Usman Yar Khan on the occasion said that the targeted operation was in its full swing and still the Police personnel and civilians were not safe.

The Sindh provincial government was helpless before the terrorists.

Jamaat-e Islami Karachi Chief Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman while condemning the brutal murder of Mufti Usman Yar Khan said that the Sindh provincial government had utterly failed in executing

its obligations for protecting the civilians, Ulemas and the terrorists had felt no obstacle in carrying out their vested activities. The ongoing targeted operation had thus become a question and the due investigations should be initiated to find out the reason behind those killings.

Jamia Binnoria Aalmia Administrator Mufti Naeem while condemning the brutal assassination of Mufti Usman Yar Khan said that the Sindh provincial government had failed in protecting the lives of people.

It was no secret as all knew as who was behind that wave of killings. They were the forces behind that did not want

to see peace dialogues with Taliban to happen.

Pakistan Ulema Council and International Khatm-e Nabuwwat Movement central Secretary General Sahibzada Zahid Mehmood Qasmi said that attacks on Ulema and their killings in Sargodha and Karachi were part of a conspiracy to throw the country into the fire of civil war. Foreign forces had been behind those killings in the country.

Ahl-e Sunnat Wa Jamaat central leader Allama Aurangzeb Farooqui said that an Islamic country in Pakistan’s neighbourhood was involved in Ulemas’ killing and wanted to ignite the fire of sectarian violence.

Smoking to kill 5.6m US kids if not stubbed out

A

NOTHER 5.6 million American chil dren may die prematurely unless smok ing rates fall in the United States, according to a report by the U.S. surgeon general which links a range of new illnesses to the habit.

Fifty years after the first surgeon general’s report declared smoking a hazard to human health, the new study adds conditions ranging from colon cancer to diabetes and arthritis to the tally of tobacco-related diseases.

The report, the first in more than a decade, found that smoking has killed more than 20 million Americans prematurely in the last half century.

Although adult smoking rates have fallen to the current 18 percent from 43 percent of Americans in 1965, each day, more than 3,200 youths under the age 18 try their first cigarette, according to the report published on Friday.

“Enough is enough,” acting Surgeon General Dr Boris Lushniak said in a telephone interview. “We need to eliminate the use of cigarettes and create a tobacco-free generation.”

Federal health officials are calling on businesses, state and local governments, and society as a whole, to end smoking within a generation through hard-hitting media campaigns, smokefree air policies, tobacco taxes, unhindered access to cessation treatment and more spending by state and local govts on tobacco control.

“It’s not just the federal lead on this anymore,” said Lushniak. “To get this done, we have to go to industry. We have to go to healthcare providers and remind them that this

problem is not yet solved.” The report, dubbed The Health Consequences of Smoking, 50 Years of Progress, details the growing science showing the diseases and health conditions caused by smoking since Dr Luther Terry issued the landmark report on January 11, 1964, that first confirmed smoking tobacco caused lung cancer.

In that first report, only lung cancer was associated with smoking. Now there are 13.

“We’re still a country very much addicted to tobacco,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a White House event to mark the anniversary.

The new report adds liver and colorectal cancer to that list, but it also details several other conditions caused by smoking, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and impaired immune function, and cleft palate in infants. And in a startling statistic, the report found that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of stroke by 20 to 30 percent.

“It really is astonishing that even 50 years in, we are finding new ways that tobacco maims and kills people,” Dr Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a telephone interview.

Frieden reiterated that tobacco control efforts have saved as many as 8 million lives in the past five decades, but stressed that much more needs to be done to eliminate smoking, which remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers protesting against killing of newsmen in Karachi.

PU Syndicate approves lease of land STAFF REPORTER

Newly enrolled advocates

CJ distributes certificates MUZAFFAR ALI LAHORE—Chief Justice of Pa-

Mr. Tassaduq Hussain LAHORE—Punjab University kistan Jillani awarded enrolment CerSyndicate on Saturday gave approval to lease 50 kanals of its land for a period of 30 years to a private bus company for establishing state-of-the-art multipurpose complex.

The 1704th meeting of the Syndicate was held at Committee Room of the Vice Chancellor’s office with PU VC Dr Mujahid Kamran in chair. As many as 9 members of the Syndicate strongly supported the lease agreement while on the suggestion of government representatives, the Syndicate decided that approval will be taken from the Chancellor before signing the agreement.

tificates among newly enrolled Advocates of the Supreme Court.

The 32nd Roll Signing Ceremony was held at Supreme Court Registry Branch on Saturday in which 75 Senior Lawyers hailing from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Karachi, Rahimyar Khan and Islamabad, signed Roll of Advocates of Supreme Court of Pakistan. Enrollment Committee after interview recommended their names to be included in the Roll which entitles them to practice law in the Apex Court.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani congratulated the lawyers on

their enrollment in the Apex Court. Chief Justice termed their professional achievement as a new responsibility to serve the cause of Rule of Law and Justice with full vigor.

The Chief Justice urged the newly enrolled Supreme Court Lawyers to work hard and prepare well to assist the Apex Court in articulation of Legal and Constitutional matters. He also directed the lawyers to sincerely serve their client’s interests to ease down the hardships the masses face in the process of legal intricacies the Chief Justice reminded the audience the struggle which legal fraternity and civil society underwent to restore the judiciary and uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and he termed it “a Classic Example” of people faith in constitution.

A view of thick fog that engulfed whole Provincial Capital city during morning time on Saturday.

Fog disrupts land, air traffic LAHORE—A man was killed and four others injured when two vehicles collided due to fog here on Friday. Thick layer of fog which blanketed parts of Punjab disrupted the road traffic and flights.

Police said that the accident took place at Raiwind road where two vehicles collided head-on due to zero-visibility caused by fog. One person was killed on the spot in the accident while four others sustained wounds who were rushed to hospital by rescue personnel.

Meanwhile, fog disrupted flow of traffic at GT Road and Motorways as its various sections were closed for vehicular traffic for several hours creating difficulties for motorists.

Allama Iqbal International Airport was also closed for domestic and international flights and several flights were diverted to other cities. Traffic official issuing advisory said that the travelers must put on fog lights while driving and maintain distance with other vehicles..—INP

Shahbaz condoles death of Imam-eKaaba’s father STAFF REPORTER LAHORE—Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the death of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais, father of Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, Head of Haramain Sharifain Presidency and Imame-Kaaba.

In a condolence message, the Chief Minister prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the members of bereaved family to bear irreparable loss with fortitude.

SALIM AHMED LAHORE—Punjab Minister for Finance, Excise & Taxation Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman has said that 70-percent population live in rural areas which are closely linked with the basic health centers, therefore, the government is upgrading the infrastructure of basic health centers for providing modern health facilities to the masses at grass root level.

He said that huge amount of 7.5billon is being spent on provision of free treatment and medicines to the poor and destitute in public sector hospitals of the province. He said that health insurance scheme will be launched in the province and funds of Rs.4 billion have been reserved for this purpose.

He said that initially this scheme is being setting up in four remote districts of the province.

He said that government will ensure supply of standardized medicines to the people and the

relevant laws will strictly be implemented whereas three Drug Testing Laboratories(DTL) are being established at Multan, Rawalpindi and Lahore besides two Food Testing Laboratories will be setup at Faisalabad and Rawalpindi and Punjab government has provided Rs. 15 crore for this purpose.

While talking to various delegations of party workers, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that Punjab government has provided 19 percent additional budget for the provision of health services in Punjab. He said that by increasing the health budget up to 102 billion rupees, the present government has ensured modern health facilities and free medicines as well as air-conditioning in general wards to poor and resourceless people.

Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman told that government has focused on the health of infants and mothers and for this pur-

pose Rs.2 billion has been provided in the budget and integrated Reproductive Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition Programme is shortly launched in all district of the province whereas, Punjab Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Authority is being established for which legislation is underway.

Mian Mujtaba Shuja-urRehman told that the specific objectives of the health sector programmes launched by the provincial and federal government are to reduce the under five of age mortality rate to less than 45 per thousand live births by the year 2015, to reduce the newborn mortality rate to less than 40 per thousand live births target 40/1000, to reduce maternal mortality ratio up to 140 per ten thousand live births by the year 2015 and to increase the proportion of deliveries attended by the skilled birth attendants at home or in health facilities to 90 percent by 2015, he concluded.

Constable shot dead

Awareness campaign about cleanliness STAFF REPORTER L AHORE —A campaign launched by Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) at Shalimar Town successfully came to an end which resulted in clearance of 400 tons of waste from 30 open plots, mechanical sweeping and washing of tertiary streets and roads and awareness on proper disposal of waste to local residents.

MNA Shaista Pervaiz and MPA Bao Akhter joined the con-

cluding activity and led an awareness walk at main GT road.

Along with LWMC’s manager operation Asif Iqbal, deputy manager communication Shafqat Rasool, assistant managers M Umair Khan, Asad Ahmed and other officials, chief gusts sensitised massess on SWM during a door stepping.

Awareness teams briefed local residents about the proper disposal of waste and tried to convince them not to openly dispose of waste.

L AHORE —A constable was gunned down by unidentified persons at Shalimar area on Saturday.

The motive behind the killing could not be ascertained yet.

Police said constable Muhammad Sarwar of Shalimar was deputed at Iqbal Town in Mujahid Squad.

Today, he was going to office when the accused opened firing on him. As a result, he died instantly.

On information, police reached the spot and took the body into custody and removed it to morgue for autopsy.

Police have registered a case against the accused and started investigations.—APP

LHC takes notice of rising incidents of crime STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Lahore High Court today took notice on a press report highlighting five crime incidents in the provincial metropolis. District & Sessions Judge, Lahore has been directed to look into the matters and submit a detailed report regarding steps taken by the local police along with his own comments.

According to details, 65year-old Muhammad Yousaf of Mohalla Tariqabad was on his duty at the farm of Maj (retired) Rashid when six robbers entered the premises around 2:30am.

They tied up the watchman, a father of five, with ropes and tried to catch pheasants and other costly birds. As the birds made a noise, the suspects ran away with some pheasants and fancy parrots worth over Rs.800,000. Yousaf was tied so tightly that he started bleeding from his mouth and died from suffocation.

In an other incident of Nishtar Colony a 36-year-old woman, Styla Faiz, was found strangled at her house in Haji Di Khoi, Umer Town. Police said Styla’s husband Arif Masih reported to them that he found her wife murdered when he returned home from his workplace.

Paeds Organs Transplant Centre to be functional this year STAFF REPORTER

People sitting around fire to keep themselves warm during the chilly weather in the city.

Infrastructure of basic health centres: Mujtaba

LAHORE—Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique has said that on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Paeds Organs Transplant Centre is being set up at Children Hospital & Institute of Child Health where operations of liver transplantation of the children will be started at the end of current year.

He disclosed this while presiding over a meeting in connection with setting up Paeds Organs Transplantation Centre at Children Hospital here today.

Special Secretary Health Punjab Babar Hayat Tarar, Dean Children Hospital Prof. Dr. Masood Sadiq, Medical Director Prof.

Ahsen Waheed Rathor, Prof.

Huma Arshad Cheema and other medical experts attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the progress of setting up Paeds Organs Transplant Centre. Prof.

Masood Sadiq gave a presentation about the programme. He told that infrastructure and other supportive services already exist for setting up Paeds Organs Transplant Centre at Children Hospital whereas remaining work is continuing.

He told that we are in touch with the Birmingham Hospital UK for imparting training to the doctors and specialized nurses for paeds liver transplantation and post operative care which will provide technical training to the doctors and other staff of Children Hospital.

The meeting proposed that the donor site for adult donors donating liver for the children should be set up at Sheikh Zayed Hospital and later services of concerned department at Mayo Hospital should be acquired. Prof. Ahsen Waheed Rathor told that the training of doctors and nurses for organs

transplantation will be completed within six months at Birmingham Hospital UK. He further said that this centre will start functioning at the end of this year and hopefully 30 to 50 liver transplantation operations will be carried out annually. Dean Children Hospital said that the patient of liver transplantation has to take medicines whole life after operation, however, the dose of medicine is reduced with the passage of time.

Kh. Salman Rafique said on the occasion that the facility of paeds liver transplantation at Children Hospital Lahore will

be a revolutionary step, the credit of which goes to the Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.

He said that after this facility parents will not have to go abroad for the treatment of their children, rather this facility will be available within the country at low expense. He said that the facility of paeds kidney transplant will also be provided at this centre. Special Secretary Health Babar Hayat Tarar assured that all necessary steps would be taken for the timely completion of Paeds Organs Transplant Centre at Children Hospital.