Pakistan Link - June 19, 2015

Pakistan Link

VOL. 25/25 - 2 Ramadan 1436 H PAGE 9

Why Right-Wing Europeans Are Wrong Nawaz Calls off Meeting with Zardari Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday called off a meeting with former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) CoChairman Asif Ali Zardari after the latter faced outcry following his criticism of the army.

Both the leaders were scheduled to hold a meeting at PM House in Islamabad on Wednesday. PPP sources confirmed that the prime minister called off the meeting, while PM House spokesperson refused to issue a comment over why the meeting had been cancelled.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while reacting to the statement of Asif Zardari, said that criticism of the army was inappropriate.

“Armed forces are playing a crucial role in the operation Zarb-e-Azb and implementation of the National Action Plan. The whole nation is supporting the armed forces,” he added.

The development comes a day after the former president threatened the country’s war machine with MEETING, P26

Nawaz & Modi Make Gestures to Calm Tensions

Islamabad: After weeks of tension between Pakistan and India, the leaders of the two nuclear-armed nations took steps Tuesday to reset a relationship that is once again making US officials nervous.

In a series of phone calls to the leaders of Muslim countries, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his counterpart in Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, to wish him a happy Ramadan. Modi, who made Pakistani leaders furious last week when he accused the country of harboring terrorists, told Sharif he hoped they could work together to overcome historical grievances between GESTURE, P29

The Largest Circulated Pakistani-American Newspaper in North America

Friday, June 19, 2015

US & Canada $1.00

PAGE 19

PAGE 13

US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies

Opposition Issues Charge-sheet against Punjab

Zardari Cautions Military Establishment

For news, updated round the clock, visit

www.PakistanLink.com

Sindh Chief Minister Warns Rangers Karachi: A letter issued from the

Former President Asif Ali Zardari addresses party workers

Islamabad: In a surpris-

ing outburst ostensibly against the powerful security establishment, Paki-

stan Peoples Party CoChairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that politicians were better suited

to running the affairs of the country. “You are here for only three years,” he said in an apparent jab at

the army chief.

In his hard-hitting speech, he lashed out at ZARDARI, P29

Pakistan Wins First Jet Order at Paris Air Show

Pakistan is hoping the updated JF-17, along with Pakistani-made tanks and surveillance drones, would help increase military exports

Paris: Pakistan has won the first-ever order for its JF-17 Thunder jet fighter, an air force spokesman

said Monday, as the revamped plane dazzled crowds at the Paris Air Show.

Commodore Syed Muhammad Ali, spokesman for the Pakistan Air Force, confirmed an order

for the plane had been finalized. However, he declined to give any details, citing sensitivities for not naming the client, the number of aircraft or the date of delivery.

The latest model, which is capable of Mach 2.0 (twice the speed of sound) with an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet, roared over the crowds on the first day of the Paris Air Show soon after the confirmation.

A report on the aviation website Flightglobal. com quoted another senior officer, Air Commodore Khalid Mahmood, as saying the sale had been made to an “Asian country” and the delivery would take place in 2017.

Pakistan is hoping the updated JF-17, along with Pakistani-made tanks ORDER, P20

Periodical postage paid at Newport Beach, CA and additional mailing offices

office of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Wednesday accused Pakistan Rangers Sindh of acting beyond their mandate and termed the paramilitary force’s current role as “unacceptable”.

In the letter addressed to DG Rangers, a copy of which was available with Dawn, the Sindh CM House alleged that officials of the Karachi Building Control Authority and Lines Area Development Project were harassed and manhandled when Rangers reportedly raided their offices on Monday, June 15, 2015.

Citing the above-mentioned incident, the handout claimed that “Pakistan Rangers is acting beyond their authorities and mandate given to them by the Sindh Home department”.

“It is therefore advised to cease such unacceptable roles beyond the notified mandate, requiring you to limit your movement in

CM, P26

K-P Assembly Outshines Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan Karachi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly outperformed other provincial assemblies in the country during parliamentary year 201415, scoring 44 per cent for its overall performance on a Comparative Score Card compiled by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT).

The report did not include performance of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly.

The K-P assembly was closely followed by the provincial assemblies of Sindh and Punjab, who share second spot with a score of 42% each. Balochistan was the weakest, as it scored just 39%.

In terms of number of government bills passed, Sindh outdid the other three provincial assemblies with 41 bills passed this year. Even so, this number was down by 14% from that of the previous year.

K-P Assembly, however, showed the greatest improvement for year-on-year it government KPASSEMBLY, P29

ADVERTISEMENT

P2 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P3

www.PakistanLink.com

P4 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Pakistan Link President

Arif Zaffar Mansuri

ArifMansuri@PLpublications.org Editor

Akhtar Mahmud Faruqui afaruqui@pakistanlink.com

Editor Urdu Link & Bureau Chief (Pakistan)

Shabbir Ghori

urdulink@yahoo.com Resident Editor Urdu Link & Director Video Operations

Anwar Khawaja

akhawaja@pakistanlink.com Director Advertising & Sales

Dr Hawa Vahed

sales@pakistanlink.com

Regional Offices YKKB ykkb03@gmail.com Sacramento, CA

Shahid Hussain 530-933-8181

San Fransisco/Bay Area, CA

M. Akhtar Shah 415-756-3664 New York, NY

Jahangir Lodhi 646-696-7126

Jlodhi@pakistanlink.com Houston, TX Houston@Plpublications.org Phoenix, AZ Phoenix@Plpublications.org Ontario, Canada Ontario@Plpublications.org

Letters to the Editor Readers are welcome to express their opinion in these columns. Please keep your letters

brief and to the point. Letters without full name, complete address, and a daytime phone number will not be published.

Also, copies of letters sent to other newspapers are not encouraged. Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the Editor at the Pakistan Link Headquarters address listed below.

Pakistan Link (ISSN 1074-0406) is published weekly for $65 a year by JAZ LLC, DBA PL Publications, LLC, 1501 North Raymond Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92801.

Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA and additional mailing offices.

POST MASTER: Send address changes to Pakistan Link, P O Box 1238, Anaheim, CA 92815 The management has the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news, article, letter or any other material. In case of any errors in advertisement the management will not be liable for more than the amount paid for the advertisement to the Link.

Advertisements in Pakistan Link are placed in good faith. The newspaper is not responsible nor endorses the contents of any advertisement. In case of a frivolous lawsuit, the plaintiff will bear the total cost of the suit, including but not limited to the Link’s costs and the attorney’s fees.

Information for Subscribers The printing of Pakistan Link is unfailingly completed by Wednesday every week and its copies are handed over to the mailing house for prompt dispatch to the subscribers. The Link should reach its destination on time if there is no delay at the post office. If a delay is occasioned it is in no way attributable to the performance of Link’s management. In case of delayed receipt of Pakistan Link or missing issues, please contact your local Post Office and submit a “Publication Watch” form.

PAKISTAN LINK Headquarters

P O Box 1238, Anaheim, CA 92815

Tel: 714-400-3400 Fax: 714-400-3404 E-Mail: Editor@PakistanLink.com

Pakistan Office

42 Rehman Court Plaza Square, Off M. A. Jinnah Road Karachi-74400, Pakistan

n By Karamatullah K. Ghori Toronto, Canada

Opposing for Opposition’s Sake

Q

uestion: What’s the principal dilemma of Pakistan?

Answer: It isn’t so much the current scourge of terrorism as is its ageold, morbid, psyche best illustrated by that vintage Punjabi phrase: Na khelange na khelan dengey (Will neither play nor let anyone else play!)

The new budget of Pakistan, unveiled by Nawaz Sharif ’s alterego, the accountant-turned-economist Ishaq Dar, has evoked exactly the sentiments expected by any Pakistan- watcher, jaded or freshman.

It has been the vogue—for years on end—that any new budget must be welcomed by votaries and partisans of the government-inpower as pro-common man. By the same token, those occupying the Nay isles, on the other side of the floor, must denounce it as peopleenemy. The poor ‘common man’ remains as askance and befuddled by the heavy-weight politicos’ misappropriation of his name as ever.

What else could he do?

Opposing for opposition’s sake is a disease rampant among our politicos. Of course most of them don’t have the ability—that comes from schooling and self-training— to understand the basics of a national budget. I can bet that hardly any of them may have studied the budget outlines, much less its details, before they mount the podium, or stand smug in front of TV cameras, to denounce and castigate its provisions.

The Pakistani politicos, without exception, have arrogated to themselves the right to speak on behalf of the ‘common man’ irrespective of it that the poor common man doesn’t want them to speak on his behalf. Why he doesn’t want it?

Because hardly any of the self-styled champions of the people have any inkling of what the common man’s problems are and how he perceives to shoot his way out of them.

How many budgets of Pakistan have been people-friendly? Or, for that matter, how many budgets were ever crafted with the ‘common man’ or their welfare figuring anywhere on the priority list of the makers of budget?

The present rulers—or the minions executing their orders and acting according to their agenda— are no exception to the rule established long ago in Pakistan. The rule is that priority must, invariably, belong to the special interest groups at the hard core of their power. In simple words, they cater to their partisans’ interest, first and foremost.

Standing in the vanguard of the ‘people’s interest’ is a good slogan. It catches attraction, makes good copy in the press, brings out TV cameras and throngs of eager-beaver reporters and hacks. It’s good stuff to make glowing headlines and dominate the mini-screen. It’s a panacea to cover up for a lot of ills. Hence it’s the one that every ruler makes full use of. What has Nawaz Sharif done so terribly wrong or outrageous using it to garnish his budget? Why should the Sharif clan and its acolytes and cohorts be condemned so vociferously, if not ferociously, for

dishing out the same old menu on this occasion, too?

I should personally be unhappy with Dar’s niggardly increase of only 7.5 % in my pension. I was expecting a 10 % increase, at the very least. But I’d lump it because my 2.5 % loss may add up to the nation’s defense capability.

Eye-brows are being raised— in particular among our self-styled champions of civic interests, although these champions are mostly arm-chair breed used to throwing darts from the safety of their plush refuges abroad—about the 11 % increase in the defence budget. But is 11 % hike really too much and intolerable in times like this when the army is fighting the Battle of Pakistan? Keep inflation in mind and the increase wouldn’t look so alarming. In dollar terms the new

acolytes and minions—this primordial civic amenity has been nothing more than a political football. None of these smart alecks was ever serious about solving Karachi’s most distressing problem of a workable transit system. So shameless have been these bumbling political actors that since a long time ago they even stopped pretending about doing something to bail out Karachi’s harassed commuters from the trauma of their daily grind.

Why there was no serious effort to rescue Karachi’s commuters from the jaws of private bus owners who set their own rules—and fares—and lorded over the commuters as if the hapless lot was made up of slaves? Because most of these operators, if not all of them, owed allegiance o this or that political mafia and shared their take,

The Karachi-walas should be grateful to Nawaz that he has thought of doing something concrete and viable for them. Yes, he may be seeking political windfall from it at the next polls. But why shouldn’t he? Isn’t every politician, anywhere in the world, into the arcane world of politics for that goal only?

Have a heart, folks, Nawaz is not being a devil to be scared of for getting his sights set on Karachi defense budget is around $ 7.5 billion which looks peanuts compared to a whopping $ 40 billion for the Indian armed forces next door.

And, on top of it, India isn’t engaged in the kind of life-or-death internal struggle as is the Pakistan army.

To me the proposal to build a Metro bus system in Karachi is the most edifying feature of the new budget. Dar has let it be known that every rupee for this costly project will be a gift from the federal government to the people of Karachi.

Dar and his boss couldn’t be more charitable to the people of Karachi.

For decades, a mass transit system for millions of Karachi’s harried and bewildered commuters has been a matter of utmost concern to the denizens of the mega-city. Karachi is, perhaps, the only mega-polis in the world without a mass-transit system, or anything even remotely akin to it.

However, for those who have been Karachi’s political masters— from PPP Waderas to that upstart commando Musharraf to his MQM

www.PakistanLink.com

from the commuters’ pockets, with their politician patrons.

The two Sharif Brothers— Nawaz and Shahbaz—have been regularly sniped at by both PPP and MQM for their alleged loot of resources, for their apparently insatiable lust for pelf and power. Fine; they may be all these things and more. But they have, nevertheless, worked for the welfare of the common man, if not all over Pakistan, if not all over Punjab—their bastion of power—then certainly in big cities, like Lahore and RawalpindiIslamabad.

The two, allegedly thieving, Sharif brothers have delivered mass transit systems to Lahore and, lately, the twin cities of RawalpindiIslamabad in less than three years.

What they’ve delivered is there, for envious eyes to see, if not admire.

It’s a civic welfare thing to benefit millions of people living in and around these three cities. The benefits of these projects will be accruing to the people for generations to come—if some vengeful successor to the duo doesn’t uproot the sys-

OPINION tem in the years ahead.

Compare this to the thieves who have been lording over Karachi for the past so many years. What has the Zardari-Altaf pair of highway robbers given to the people of Karachi except blood and tears. Karachi, in particular, has been picked clean by these rascals, so much so that it has earned the reputation on their watch of being one of the deadliest—if not the deadliest—cities of the world.

What has that doddering buffoon, Qaim Ali Shah, done for Karachi other than disgracing the position of Sindh’s Chief Minister for the past eight years as an accomplice in the wholesale loot of Karachi’s resources as Zardari’s agent?

It’s an insult to the collective intelligence of Pakistan’s most enlightened city to have a poltroon like Qaim Ali Shah as the city’s chief executive; he doesn’t have the ability to run a cattle-farm let alone a city of 20 million people with a plethora of civic problems.

But sniping at the ‘intentions’ of Nawaz was kicked off the moment after Dar’s announcement of the PM’s gift to Karachi. They are caviling that Islamabad has launched the project off its own bat without consulting, or taking on-board, Karachi’s stake-holders.

What stake-holders? Zardari and Altaf who’d first demand their ‘cut’ into the project before doing anything for it!

This metro bus system for Karachi will see the light of the day only if it’s completed by the federal government as proposed. The Sindh government is all poison and any touch of it would be lethal for the completion of it. Let there be no fancy notion that the thieves and robbers presiding over Sindh could be expected of anything good. The people of Karachi should know it better because they are the ones at the receiving end of a brutal exploitation of their city’s resources by the mafias run under the patronage of Zardari and Altaf.

The Karachi-walas should be grateful to Nawaz that he has thought of doing something concrete and viable for them. Yes, he may be seeking political windfall from it at the next polls. But why shouldn’t he? Isn’t every politician, anywhere in the world, into the arcane world of politics for that goal only? Have a heart, folks, Nawaz is not being a devil to be scared of for getting his sights set on Karachi.

And come to think of it, wouldn’t it be a blessing in disguise for the denizens of Karachi hobbled for so long by Zardari and Altaf?

(The writer is a former ambassador and career diplomat) K_K_ghori@hotmail.com

Vi e w s and opinions expressed by authors and contributors in articles, letters, opinion pieces, reports, advertisements, etc appearing in Pakistan Link and Urdu Link are their own.

The paper neither shares nor endorses them and thus should not be held responsible for the views/opinions of the writers & advertisers.

ADVERTISEMENT

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P5

www.PakistanLink.com

OPINION

P6 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015 n By Syed Kamran Hashmi

A

Westfield, IN

s if the whole world has changed in the last eight years: the financial crises shook the US economy and almost sank the whole system. So forceful was its blow that it could only be rescued by pumping trillions of dollars in the markets. Besides that, Barrack Obama won the Presidential elections and moved into the White House as its only nonWhite resident ever, a miracle almost as surprising as Moses converting his rod into a serpent.

A couple of years later, starting from Tunisia, a massive wave of public protests - the Arab spring - swept the Middle East and North Africa, overthrowing some of the most powerful and stubborn dictators of the region: Muammar Qaddaffi of Libya (killed), Husni Mubarak of Egypt (incarcerated), Zain-ul-Abideen Ibn-e-Ali of Tunisia (resigned) and Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen (exiled).

Then a mysterious yet a formidable force, Islamic State (IS) rose from nowhere and took over half of Iraq and Syria unleashing its own version of violent and abrasive Islam, a version that is much harsher and inhuman than what is practiced and promoted

by Saudi Arabia and the Taliban.

Pakistan too experienced its fair share of turmoil. In March

Punjab Police: A Forsaken Organization of 2007, former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry got suspended illegally by the military dictator enraging the whole nation who poured into the streets till the CJP was restored.

Few months later, he was thrown into a house arrest along with his family for months, only to be set free and reinstated by the civilian government. After he returned back to power the second time, he finished his tenure without any interruption as the strongest ,and may be, the most controversial person in Pakistan.

Along with that the PPP-led coalition completed its five-year tenure, and transferred power to the PMLN after the general elections of 2013 peacefully, a miracle for Pakistanis more astonishing than the victory of a Black President for the Americans.

Then, with the consent of all political parties, just under a couple of years ago, the long overdue operation against terrorists in the North Waziristan finally commenced with jets roaring over Miran Shah like thunderstorms, their belly spewing out bombs.

We can appreciate the results today. Above all, Peshawar massacre has jolted the national spirit compelling us to unite as one nation and crush the menace once for all.

In short, everything changed from one pole to another, even our wishy-washy stance on sectarianism is shaping up and very soon, I am confident, Pakistanis would step forward to protect

their minorities like a mother shields her newborn child. However, what has not changed are the universal laws of motion, the gravitational pull, the Divine Scripture, the innate ability of fire to burn or water to extinguish it, and the dismal performance of Punjab police. Nor does it seem that it would improve any time soon. At least we know from our experience under the authoritative rule of Mian Shahbaz Sharif who thinks the most important job of police is to serve him and his family, that an independent law enforcing agency does not fall in the list of his priorities, not even at the bottom.

No, I do not hold him personally responsible for the Model Town Massacre of 2014 when police mowed down more than a dozen workers of Pakistan Awa-

www.PakistanLink.com

mi Tehreek. To be clear, I do not think it was a planned operation with an intention to kill as many have tried to portray. Nonetheless, I believe it was the inability of the police to handle any tense situation that led to the unnecessary use of power.

Following the same trail, it was exposed again: a few weeks ago, SHO Shahzad Waraich in Daska, Sialkot shot down Tehseel Bar President Rana Khalid Abbas and his colleague Irfan Chohan during a brawl. True, the lawyers were violently protesting and provoking the officer, even calling him out to show his strength.

However, a well trained officer in that situation would have kept himself calm. But, the ill-prepared policeman, did not know how to get out of the conflict once he had jumped in; instead the

higher the tone of the lawyers got, the deeper the police officer dug his feet, aggravating the dispute, till one of them died. After Lahore and Sialkot, we know very well that it will happen somewhere else, followed by somewhere else and again someplace else. The question is when and how will it stop. What will it take for Shahbaz Sharif to understand the importance of the fundamental reforms in the forsaken department? How many people will have to lose their lives before he gets it? Hundreds? More?

Does he not know that ignoring them is hurting his reputation and challenging his claim of being a good administrator? That Police has become so corrupt and incompetent that ordinary people when robbed or abducted negotiate with the criminals themselves and cut a deal directly with the perpetrators instead of involving the police. That they feel if they followed the rules they would have to settle the issue with two adversaries instead of just one!

We do not know the answer to all these questions, but a Chief Minister who instead of human development is focusing on road works; instead of promoting education in the province is busy running the foreign policy; instead of improving law and order is more concerned about the electricity crisis can be called anything except a good executive. Do we not deserve a person who can take the bull by the horn or we just have to live with a Chief Minister who disregards the safety of his people?

OPINION

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7

n By Dr Mohammad Taqi

T

Florida

Murder and Mayhem in Balochistan

here simply is no reprieve for the starcrossed people of Balochistan. After the carnage in Mastung just over a week ago, this past weekend saw the usual suspects shooting and killing the usual victims — the Hazara Shias of Quetta — at one of the busiest intersections of the city, within an earshot of the law enforcement agencies’ pickets.

The security agencies did not lift even a finger and the jihadist terrorists fled comfortably. Usual condemnations poured in and then Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif “took notice of yet another incident of targeted killing against the Hazara community and ordered the swift arrest of the culprits behind the incident”. Really, Mian Sahib? Were you just not in Quetta taking similar notice of the Mastung massacre of Pashtuns? What became of that, sir? Do you seriously think that your words carry an inkling of meaning for the devastated families, let alone assuage the deluge of grief that has submerged them? Your mega projects in Punjab are all fine and dandy, and indeed much needed, honorable PM, but an old adage in Farsi — the mother tongue of those five slaughtered Hazaras — goes: “Aalam pas e marg e maa cheh darya o cheh saraab?” (Would it matter to me whether the world were a sandy mirage or a lush oasis with flowing water after my death?)

To add insult to injury, the 25-year-old son of the veteran progressive Hazara politician and human rights activist Tahir Khan Hazara was, according to him, taken away illegally on June 9, 2015.

Tahir Hazara had made a speech at the protest organized by the Hazara mourners the day before in which he targeted sectarian jihadists like Ramzan Mengal and Rafique Mengal who were attempting to neutralize the secular Baloch struggle and in the process slaughtering the Hazaras to ignite a sectarian war. Tahir Hazara told me over the phone that some men came to his place at Spin Karez, an hour’s drive west of Quetta, and asked for him but since he

was not there they forcibly took his only son, Athar Hazara, with them. As we go to press there has been no word from the government about the young Athar Hazara despite a nightlong physical protest by the Hazara men and women as well as outrage on social media. One does not wish for yet another youth to be added to the thousands of Balochistan’s missing persons. Hopefully, Tahir Hazara’s son will return home safe and soon. Tragically, Tahir Khan Hazara was once a political assistant to the late and much revered Mir Ghaus Bux Bizenjo whose lackluster son, Hasil Khan Bizenjo, presides over the National Party (NP) that leads Balochistan’s toothless coalition government today.

If the NP-led government was just powerless there could potentially be a flimsy excuse for sordid incidents like forced disappearances, dumping of mutilated bodies of Baloch nationalists and the massacre of Pashtuns like in Mastung. But, sadly, the Balochistan Chief Minister (CM), Abdul Malik Baloch, and his party leader, Hasil Bizenjo, have been actively peddling conspiracy theories that blame the Indian secret service, RAW, for everything that ails Balochistan. Hasil Bizenjo recently alleged on a television talk show that the late Nawab

Khair Bux Marri’s son, Nawabzada Mehran Marri, who purportedly oversees the United Baloch Army (UBA), had accepted responsibility for the massacre of Pashtuns in Mastung, which simply is not true.

Nawabzada Mehran Marri has vehemently denied any involvement in the Mastung bloodbath.

Quite curiously, a certain Haji Wali Muhammad Qalati, claiming to be the leader of the UBA, surrendered to the government last week. Accepting Wali Qalati’s surrender was none other than the estranged brother of Nawabzada Mehran Marri, Changez Marri, who has sided with Islamabad against his brothers, his late father and the Baloch at large. No questions were asked as to how Wali Qalati — an ostensible militant — after killing 22 Pashtuns, had a sudden change of heart overnight and gave up his arms. No information was given by the NP-led government about Qalati’s direct involvement in the butchery at Mastung and whether he would be brought to justice. The UBA’s alleged claim and then the convenient surrender of its supposed leader, Wali Qalati, simply do not pass the whiff test but, unfortunately, that is what Hasil Bizenjo’s faux nationalist government is trying to sell.

In the same interview, Hasil Bizenjo also said

www.PakistanLink.com

that in the event the liberation struggle succeeded, a sovereign Baloch state would be weak and fall prey to Afghanistan or Iran. One is compelled first to ask Hasil Khan Bizenjo if there was any foreign power that orchestrated the December 14, 1947 speech delivered by his illustrious father, Mir Ghaus Bux Bizenjo, to the Kalat National Assembly, which went on to become the ideological backbone of modern Baloch nationalism and liberation struggles. The late Bizenjo sahib had said: “We have a distinct culture like Afghanistan and Iran, and if the mere fact that we are Muslims requires us to amalgamate with Pakistan, then Afghanistan and Iran should also be amalgamated with Pakistan. They say we Baloch cannot defend ourselves in the atomic age. Well, are Afghanistan and even Iran capable of defending themselves against the superpowers? If we cannot defend ourselves, a lot of others cannot do so either.

They say we must join Pakistan for economic reasons. Yet we have minerals, we have petroleum and we have ports. The question is: what would Pakistan be without us?”

It seems that the venerable Ghaus Bux Bizenjo was virtually quashing then the very aspersions that Hasil Bizenjo is casting today on the Baloch national movement. The fact is that the NP-led government has failed to conceive even a roadmap for resolving the myriad problems Balochistan is faced with. The Hasil Bizenjo-Malik Baloch duo claims to have initiated dialogue with the insurgents but not only that such parleys do not even exist, the insurgents are loathe to talk to them for they are deemed Islamabad’s fellow travelers. On the Shia/Hazara massacres issue, the duo consistently harps on about the security establishment’s line that it is ostensibly an ‘Iran-Saudi proxy war’ without ever showing how many — if any at all — the Hazaras have ever killed.

On the other hand, in its two years’ stint, the sham nationalist dispensation of the NP has failed to apprehend and punish even a single killer of the Hazaras. With the federal government’s naivety and the provincial government’s inept plans to stem them, murders and mayhem in Balochistan are bound to increase in the foreseeable future.

(The writer can be reached at mazdaki@ me.com and he tweets @mazdaki)

OPINION

P8 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015 n By Mohammad Ashraf Chaudhry Pittsburg, CA

“

He taunts you with bills you can’t pay, people you can’t please, habits you can’t break, failures you can’t forget, and a future you can’t face. But just like David, you can face your giant-Goliath even if you aren’t strongest, the smartest, the best equipped, or the holiest.” - Max Lucado (Facing Your Giants).

A linchpin is perhaps the most inexpensive thing, a mere 10C stuff, a locking device inserted crosswise at the end of an axle or a shaft, with the sole purpose to keep and hold together the parts/elements that exist or function as a unit. But it is so important and instrumental in the sublime task it performs that a good writer like Seth Godin chose to write a wonderful book on it. Countries and families, too, have their linchpins.

According to him, there are two kinds of teams, two kinds of people in a playfield or in a work place or at a home, i.e., those who lead, and those who follow. But there is a third kind of people as well - the linchpins - who act as a glue, as a lubricant people who keep things together, and keep them running efficiently, who invent solutions, who lead and perform such tasks, regardless of position and title, who connect others when they are at loggerheads; who make things happen when the most brilliant minds are clueless, who translate dreams into realities. These are the people who prevent disasters, and avert dooms because they are the one who figure out what to do when others are at their wit’s end; they are the people who lead out others when they are embroiled in panic and chaos. And the most amazing thing about such linchpin-people is that they do all this willingly and smilingly and creatively, and they

Where Is Pakistan’s Linchpin? - 1 do it often when there are no rule-books for guidance either. They love their work, and they put in their extra best in it. And how amazing that they turn each day into a kind of art. Alas! Pakistan could also have a good stock of them, but unfortunately Pakistan is abysmally getting deficit in the supply of such linchpin people.

The cynical Hasan Nisar may often sound bitter and negative, but what he sometimes says often makes sense. He asks a bold question, “Why are we in such a state of chaos and disorder which almost borders on destruction?” He answers the question himself by asking many a more rhetoric question. “Are we born with one eye? Has God now begun giving Muslims a comparatively smaller brain than what He gives to the people of the West in routine?

Certainly not. Our problem is centered not in the brain as much as it is couched in our digestive system. Somehow we are not able to digest three blessings of God, namely, ”Fame”, “Money and “Power”. The combination of these three becomes a deadly mix for us… it is a common sight to spot a “Do takay ka shakhsh driving a two-million dollar car”. (A two-penny worth man driving a two crore car.)

“Maang-ni-wala Gada hai- sadqa mangay ya kharaj… Koi mani na mani, mero sultan sub gada” Iqbal. “The one who gets addicted to begging is a beggar; whether he gets charity or ransome… One may believe it or not, the fact is , that all the rich and the sultans are beggars”.

In the Solomon Island people do not cut a sick tree. They just get around it and begin to curse it together incessantly. In a few days, the tree dies automatically. Yes. Negative thinking is toxic, and its lethal impact is that it retards growth - spiritual as well as physical and economic. It removes

the linchpin and it lets the huge whirling wheel of the country or institutions come off the axle of the nation, and lets it ruin all that had been built. Often the blame gets fixed on a few clichés; it is all due to lack of vision; loss of purpose; abuse of power; corruption, poverty; misrepresentation and interpretation of religion; lack of education and then finally due to years of military rule and clueless and rudderless leadership. But the big question often remains un-asked, “Did it happen overnight?” Was it that one fine morning in Pakistan the people woke up from their deep slumber, and found these evils, lying in waiting to enwrap them, and engulf them? The multiple evils that have afflicted the people, and that have furnished a very apt themesubject to the politicians’ rhetoric, did not take place overnight. It is the earning of our own hands. Psychologists classify it as “laziness”. Evils never got curbed on time and in a prompt manner.

Debbie Ford in her book, “The Right Questions”, underpins another answer to such a state. “Our todays are based on the choices we made yesterday, and the ones we

www.PakistanLink.com

made three days ago, three months ago and three years ago. We don’t wind up fifty thousand dollars in debt because of one choice. We don’t put on thirty unwanted pounds as a result of a couple of poor choices, and our relationships, especially with spouses, usually don’t fall apart overnight because of one hectic argument. We are where we are because of repeated unconscious or unhealthy choices that we’ve made day after day after day that add up to the reality we find ourselves in.”

Sir, our biggest problem is that we never make good choices - be it the selection of subjects in college or the life partner; or the job; or the business; or the company of friends; or the healthy habits; even the clothes and their color; the political parties we vote for and their leaders. We have been unjust to ourselves throughout our lives in small and big matters; how can, then, the result be different. Why do we keep doing so for years and years? Partially the answer has been supplied above, our basic trait of laziness. And add to it the element of fear.

One begins to supplement the other, resulting in the state we are in as a people, and as a nation.

That billions of dollars of loan that Pakistan has accrued to the World Bank and to the IMF did not accumulate in one day; that level of rampant corruption in which Pakistan is entrenched did not take place in a week; that level of violence and terrorism that has taken out the very soul of people did not visit Pakistan like a wind storm at some particular night; that institutional failure witnessed by the world in which it is a common sight to see the patients kicking and killing the doctors; the attorneys thrashing the judges in the courts; the criminals butchering the policemen (three DSPs killed in six weeks in Karachi); the students manhandling the teachers in the class rooms; all this did LINCHPIN, P29

OPINION

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9

Some Right-Wing Europeans Say Islam Hasn’t Contributed to Western Culture: Here’s Why They’re Wrong n By Dr Akbar Ahmed

Chair of Islamic Studies at American University Washington, DC

O

ne of the right-wing tropes about Islam in Europe, which is making alarming inroads into the mainstream, is that it represents a “culture of backwardness, of retardedness, of barbarism” and has made no contribution to Western civilization. Islam provides an easy target considering that some 3,000 or more Europeans are estimated to have left for the Middle East in order to fight alongside the Islamic State.

The savage beheadings and disgusting treatment of women and minorities confirm in the minds of many that Islam is incompatible with Western civilization. This has become a widely known, and even unthinkingly accepted, proposition. But is it correct?

Let us look at European history for answers. At least 10 things will surprise you: 1. Contrary to common belief, Muslims did not first arrive in Europe with the intention of conquering it.

A small military contingent landed on the southern coast of Spain in 711 in response to the pleadings of the Jewish community, which faced harsh persecution under the Visigoth rulers. The arrival of the Muslims and their victory prevented what New York University Professor David Levering Lewis terms “the final solution.” Christian leaders like Count Julian, whose daughter had been dishonored at court, had also been requesting Muslim intervention. It is precisely this reason, the support of large sections of local society, that allowed the Muslims to so easily establish their domination over Al-Andalus.

2. By describing Muslims as “backward”, “retarded” and “barbaric,” it is suggested that they are not capable of balancing their religion with rational thought. Yet Muslims had already attained a balance between the two positions centuries before other European societies.

The debate between faith and reason that had been agitating Muslim philosophers and had begun since the birth of Islam and its first encounters with Greek philosophy found one of its most sophisticated votaries in Ibn Rushd, or Averroës, in 12th century Andalusia. Averroës’ translations and commentaries on Aristotle and Plato so influenced scholars like Thomas Aquinas that he and others across Europe, assuming his name needed no elaboration, referred to Ibn Rushd simply as “The Commentator.”

3. The first man ever to fly was the scholar Ibn Firnas near Cordoba in the 9th century.

An inventor, engineer and poet, he is credited for designing a water-clock, manufacturing colorless glass and making magnifying corrective lenses or “reading stones.” One of the main bridges of Cordoba -- constructed in the form of gigantic wings -- is named in honor of his flight, as is an airport in Baghdad and a crater on the moon.

4. Cordoba, in Andalusia, was the most populous and glittering city of Europe in the 10th century.

Its streets were lit and there were baths, gardens and libraries everywhere. The main library was estimated to have 400,000 books when the largest library in Europe, in Switzerland, had 800 volumes. Visitors came from all over the continent to marvel at Andalusian civilization, and a nun in Saxony called Hroswitha described it as ‘’the ornament of the world.’’

5. Islam is frequently accused of being intolerant and rejecting harmony with other cultures and religions. Yet Muslim Spain or Andalusian civilization offers one of the most shining examples of harmony, peace and prosperity between different religions in the history of Europe.

At one point the capacity of people of different faiths to live and work together in Andalusia was illustrated by its ruler Abd Al-Rahman III in the 10th century. His chief minister was Jewish and his ambassador to the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I was the Catholic Bishop Racemundo. The Spanish term La Convivencia or Coexistence describes that time in Al-Andalus. Harmony at the political level engendered creativity and prosperity.

Others saw it differently. Muslim tribes fresh from the deserts and mountains of North Africa looked on Andalusian society as decadent and corrupt. They destroyed Madina-at-Zahra, the beautiful royal town built in the hills near Cordoba considered the gem of Andalusian architecture. Scholars like the great Rabbi Maimonides and Averroës were forced into exile from their beloved Cordoba.

6. Two of the greatest novels of Western literature directly or indirectly bear the mark of Islamic culture. “Don Quixote” and “Robinson Crusoe” were selected by experts and critics as the number one and three respectively on the Guardian’s list of “The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time.”

In the first, Cervantes began his novel by disclosing, with tongue in cheek, that it was a manuscript written by an Arab called Cide Hamete Benengeli or Sir Hamid Aubergine. The theme and structure of the 12th century novel “Hayy ibn Yaqdhan” (English translations were published from a Latin version

Monument of Averroës, Manolo Blanco/Flickr

The Ibn Firnas bridge, Landahlauts/Flickr

An 1824 children’s chapbook of “Robinson Crusoe.” AP/Chitose Suzuki

Doris Graber converted to Islam. MICHAEL LATZ/AFP/Getty Images

in 1686 and the original Arabic in 1708) by the Andalusian philosopher Ibn Tufail about a man stranded on a desert island with a companion, no female company and engaged in raising philosophical questions about the nature of society, foreshadowed Daniel Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” (first published in 1719). In fact, the influence of “Hayy ibn Yaqdhan” on Europe was so great it “could be considered one of the most important books that heralded the Scientific Revolution.”

www.PakistanLink.com

7. Two of the most celebrated European rulers, Roger II, the king of Sicily, and Frederick II, the holy Roman emperor, were so influenced by Islamic culture that they spoke Arabic, had Muslim bodyguards and inscriptions in Arabic were written on their royal ceremonial mantle, which was worn by the holy Roman emperors at their coronations until the late 18th century.

Roger used Islamic designs and calligraphy to decorate his greatest project, the Palatine chapel in Palermo, which can be seen today. Frederick II admired Averroës so much that he sent translations of Averroës’ work to European universities so that they could be studied and taught. Frederick II illustrated how a spectacular geopolitical victory can be gained without warfare and bloodshed when he was handed over Jerusalem peacefully during the Sixth Crusade by the sultan of Egypt due to the mutual respect they had for one another. In the case of Roger and Frederick, we see the Andalusian La Convivencia in reverse: Christian rulers accepting and appreciating their Jewish and Muslim subjects.

8. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, considered the greatest of poets in the German language, wrote a powerful poem dedicated to the prophet of Islam.

He made the enigmatic comment that expressed his admiration for Islam: “In Islam, we all live and die.”

9. Napoleon in Egypt wore Arab dress, emphasized his respect for Islam and declared that he and the French were Muslim.

Queen Victoria called her personal assistant, Muhamma Abdul Karim, an Indian Muslim, her munshi, a term meaning teacher. Abdul Karim was so close to her that the relationship roused the envy of the royal household. The last German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, prided himself on the title “Hajji,” and declared he would be the protector of the world’s Muslims against European imperialism.

10. More European women than men are converting to Islam in spite of the widespread antagonism to the religion.

Despite the perceived mistreatment of women in Muslim

As the debate around Islam continues to create controversy, anger and even violence, the “surprises” presented here may help to put the nature of Islamic civilization in its proper context.

These are facts that would benefit not only nonMuslims but also Muslims. The critics of Islam, as much as those who advocate violence on its behalf, need to appreciate the cultural and intellectual sophistication of Muslim civilization when it was widely acknowledged as the most advanced in Europe communities and the rising tide of aggressive secularism, they are finding solace and peace in Islam. *** Today, too, Muslims are also making an impact -- and it is not all about the violence of the Islamic State and the thousands who have left to join them. Thirteen Muslim members of parliament have been elected in the recent elections in the UK. Eight of them are women. Muslims are currently serving as government ministers in the UK. There has been a captain with a Muslim background of the English cricket team, and there are many Muslims in the top European football clubs and on European national teams. Malala Yousafzai, who is originally from Pakistan, won the Nobel Peace Prize and now lives in the UK. She is an internationally known activist for female education, now challenging Boko Haram for its attitude towards girls and pleading with the United Nations for more support for women.

In the discussions of Islam that focus on acts of Muslim violence, such as those associated with the Islamic State, and provide fuel against Muslim immigrants from Africa and Asia, it is often overlooked that there are millions of indigenous Europeans such as Bosniaks, Albanians and Pomaks who are also Muslims. These indigenous Muslims form the majority population in Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Europe, therefore, has its own native population, which happens to be Muslim. These Balkan Muslims, like other Europeans, are committed to democracy, prosperity, education and the ability to live with people of different cultures and religions.

As the debate around Islam continues to create controversy, anger and even violence, the “surprises” presented here may help to put the nature of Islamic civilization in its proper context. These are facts that would benefit not only non-Muslims but also Muslims. The critics of Islam, as much as those who advocate violence on its behalf -- groups like Islamic State, for example -- need to appreciate the cultural and intellectual sophistication of Muslim civilization when it was widely acknowledged as the most advanced in Europe. The CONTRIBUTION, P29

ADVERTISEMENT

P10 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com

PAKISTAN PAKISTAN

JUNE 19,19, 2015 - PAKISTAN JUNE 2015 – PAKISTANLINK LINK- –P11 P11

International NGOs to Continue Functioning in Pakistan for 6 Months: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that all international non-government organisations (INGOs) in the country would be allowed to function for a period of six months within specified areas of operation decided by concerned authorities.

The premier announced the decision while chairing a high-level meeting at the PM House to discuss matter related to INGOs present in the country.

Further, the meeting also decided that all INGOs were required to complete the process of fresh registration with the government within three months.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee, headed by Tariq Fatemi, would provide the guidelines including rules, processes and draft legislation for streamlining the work of the INGOs in Pakistan in the future.

This committee will also suggest a

monitoring and oversight mechanism to ensure compliance with legislation rules in future.

The decision comes three days after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said a committee constituted

by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was working on drafting new laws to set a mechanism for operations of all such organisations.

He added that no non-governmental organisation (NGO) working against the country's national interest would be allowed to continue working in Pakistan. "We just want to regulate the system. We do not want to shut down NGOs that follow our laws."

Earlier last week, authorities in the federal capital sealed the offices of international non-governmental organisation Save the Children.

Save the Children has previously been accused of involvement with the Central Intelligence Agency and Dr Shakeel Afridi in tracking down the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

The decision was taken on the directive of the interior ministry for its alleged involvement in some anti-state activities, said the official of the administration. The notification was issued by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD). J

Minor Girl Among Three Killed in Roof Collapse

LAHORE: Three people, including a minor girl, were killed and four others injured when the roof of a house caved in at neighbourhood Jalotiyan inside Bhati Gate..

Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation ambulance workers launched the rescue operation and retrieved the people from the debris.

Of them, Fiza Saleem, 2, Maryiam Ijaz, 27, and Khalid, 35, were found dead while Tufail, 60, Naureen Ijaz, 45, Mubeen, 24, and Saleem, 28, were retrieved injured.

The house belongs to Ijaz, a reader of an additional district and sessions judge.

He told reporters that he was

offering prayers in a nearby mosque when the roof of his three-storey house caved in. He said he had called labourers to fix the leaking roof.

Of those killed in the tragedy, Fiza is Ijaz's granddaughter, and Maryiam is daughter while Khalid was a labourer.

The injured were shifted to Mayo Hospital where their condition was said to be out of danger.

A rescue official said some labourers were fixing leakage on the roof of the third floor of the house when it caved in onto the second floor which collapsed with a bang.

The family was on the second floor at the time of the incident.

Better security

Committee on Cards for a 'Business-Friendly Capital'

Sopore Killings Handiwork of Breakaway Hizbul Faction: Police

SRINAGAR: A breakaway faction of the Hizbul Mujahideen separatist guerrilla group is responsible for the recent killings in north Kashmir's Sopore town, a police officer said on Tuesday.

"It is the same group that had tried to disrupt telecom operations in and around Sopore area earlier," Deputy Inspector General of Police (North Kashmir) Gareeb Das told IANS. "Lashkar-e-Islam is a split group of Hizbul Mujahideen and we have vital clues that the killings of former militants in Sopore have been carried out by this group." He added: "These are reprisal killings."

The north Kashmir police chief said they were hot on the heels of those responsible for these killings.

He said the police has successfully neutralized the threat to telecom operations posed by the Lashkar-eIslam and now it is proceeding to arrest and expose those behind recent killings of former militants in Sopore town.

With the killing of Aijay Ahmad Reshi by unidentified gunmen in Mundji area of Sopore town on Monday, the number of mysterious murders of former militants in the town has gone up to four. Reshi was a former militant of Harkat-ulMujahideen group.

Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has given orders to the security forces to nab those responsible for the killings so that the fear among the people in Sopore

town is removed. Mysterious killings of former militants have brought senior separatist leaders close to each other after nearly 12 years.

Leaders of hardline Hurriyat group headed by Syed Ali Geelani, moderate group headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) headed by Muhammad Yasin Malik and Democratic Freedom Party headed

by Shabir Shah met inside Jamia Mosque in old city Srinagar late on Monday to express concern over the killings and chalk out a joint strategy.

These leaders have called for a protest shutdown on Wednesday and a march to Sopore town on Friday.

Eight Injured as Breach in Dadu Canal Causes Bolan Mail to Derail

ISLAMABAD: The capital's police chief recently announced formation of a committee to resolve problems being faced by the business community, said a press release issued by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce Islamabad (ICCI). The announcement came during a meeting of Islamabad IGP with ICCI President Muzzamil Hussain Sabri. The committee will comprise police and ICCI officials.

IGP Tahir Alam Khan has nominated SSP Jamil Hashmi as head of the committee whereas 15 other police officials will also be part of it. The police chief asked the chamber to nominate its members so the committee could start working.

Earlier, Sabri highlighted various security-related issues being faced by traders. He said security threats have increased for business centres, includ-

ing Centaurus Mall, and police should ensure better security arrangements there. He also called for revival of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee in Islamabad and reshuffling of the reconciliation committee with proper representation of the business community.

The IGP also announced the launch of Safe City Project in September and informed that1,890 security cameras will be installed in the capital as part of the project. The project will have a computer-aided dispatch system, facial recognition software and a vehicle management system to help police intercept suspects. Besides, a control room will be operated by police officers for which they will receive training from UK. "After installation of the project, check-posts will be removed from the city," he added.

Pakistan to Raise Modi's Statement at UN

SUKKUR: At least eight passengers were injured after six coaches of the Quetta-bound Bolan Mail derailed between Madeji and Ruk railway stations in Shikarpur district .

Divisional Superintendent Railways Sukkur Farukh Taimur told The Express Tribune that the foundation of the railway track eroded due to strong currents of the water flowing from the Dadu canal breach near Allah

Dadani railway station, which led to the accident. He added that 550 passengers were on board the Bolan Mail and that all of them are safe except the eight who sustained injuries.

The police, along with irrigation and railway authorities, reached the site and began a rescue operation. The injured were first taken to the Madeji hospital for first aid and were eventually moved to Civil Hospital in

Shikarpur. Taimur explained that only two trains, Bolan Mail and Khushal Khan Khatak Express use this route and that railway authorities had rerouted rail traffic between Quetta and other parts through Jacobabad and Sukkur. He added that irrigation officials will first fill the earth under the tracks, and then start restoring the 200 to 300 feet portion of the tracks that has been damaged.

www.PakistanLink.com www.PakistanLink.com

ISLAMABAD: The prime minister's adviser on national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, on Monday said Pakistan had decided to bring the Indian prime minister's statement to the notice of the UN. In his statement, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had admitted that they played a part in the break-up of Pakistan in 1971.

"We will move the UN," said Sartaj Aziz while talking to mediapersons at the inaugural session of 10th meeting of Heads of University Grant Commission/Higher Education of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc). He

ruled out talks with India on its terms.

"Dialogue with India would be of no use if it does not cover Kashmir and water issues," he added. Following Modi's statement, Islamabad has been urging the international community to take notice of India's admission to interfering in former East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh in 1971.

"We want a tension-free relationship," Mr Aziz said, adding but India opted for anti-Pakistan, hawkish and hostile approach.

"They fight elections on the basis of anti-Pakistan statements," he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

P12 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Friends of Humanity 501(c) (3), Tax ID # 20-49832880 Imam

care@fohamerica.com

www.PakistanLink.com

PAKISTAN

PAKISTAN

JUNE 19, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK - P13

Opposition Issues 'Charge-Sheet' Against Punjab Govt

LAHORE: Leader of Opposition PTI MPA Mian Mehmood-urRasheed recently in Punjab Assembly issued a charge-sheet against the Punjab government on account of corruption, poor law and order, low prioritising of healthcare and education in the Budget 201516, and for failing to honour the promises of good governance in the province.

The post-budget session which follows the presentation of the Punjab Annual Budget 2015-16 last Friday began an hour late Monday with less than 40 MPAs present and only Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha from the cabinet in attendance. The discussion on Punjab Budget 2015-16 was opened by the fiery Leader of Opposition as per rules and procedure of the House.

The PTI MPA started his two-hour speech with levelling allegations at the newly-appointed Finance Minister and the Punjab government for leaving important decisions for bureaucrats and section officers to make. The entire budget was prepared by bureaucrats, whereas the elected representatives' recommendations on behalf of the poor were ignored, he claimed. He said the economically-marginalised and the unemployed could only get relief if their concerns vis-à-vis MPAs were included in the preparation of annual budget. He said many members of the House were not aware of the financing of the budget due to heavy dependence on bureaucrats and it was shameful that Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha took charge of the Ministry two weeks before the budget was presented to the House.

The Opposition Leader lamented that parliamentary standing committees empowered to carry out their duties under the PA Rules and Procedure only met two to three times every year and gave no input on the performance of their assigned departments. He proceeded to draw the attention of the House to short-

falls in revenue collection due to lack of funds received from luxury taxes on farmhouses, cars, and agriculture lands. He said only Rs114 billion had been received in total revenue, which was only 35 percent of last year's target. He noted that only Rs8 billion from last year's Annual Development Budget were utilised and poor peasants were being disproportionately taxed with a 16 percent tax on transportation to markets.

Dismissing the increase in the education budget this year, the Opposition Leader pointed out that 52 percent of last year's allocation was not utilised and only 20 percent of the environment budget was spent despite growing problems in the

Rs68 Bln Deficit Budget for AJK MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Chaudhry Latif Akbar presented a Rs68 billion deficit but tax-free budget in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

The budget proposes Rs56.5bn for non-developmental or recurring expenditures and Rs11.5bn, including foreign aid of Rs500 million, for development during the financial year 201516.

The government expects an income of Rs47bn - Rs16.567bn from AJK's internal resources, Rs780m from water use charges of Mangla, Rs13bn from the AJK Council as 80 per cent share of taxes generated from the Azad Kashmir territory and Rs16.75bn from its share in federal taxes. The gap between income and expenditures of Rs9.402bn will be bridged by the federal government.

In his about 90-minute speech, which he delivered amid constant desk-thumping by the opposition, the finance minister asserted that the budget would lay the basis of a "new Kashmir and translate the dreams of the masses into reality".

He pointed out that under the settled policy of 1992, the development budget of AJK should have been increased by 14pc every year in accordance with the inflation rate, but it had

not happened since 2009.

He informed the house that allocations for productive, infrastructure and social sectors had been increased by 7, 8 and 19pc, respectively.

He said 81pc of development funds had been reserved for the ongoing works and 19pc for new projects. The government aimed to complete 125 projects during the next fiscal and initiate 169 projects, he said.

The minister said Rs4,699m had been proposed for communication and works; Rs1,310m for power; Rs1,050m for education; Rs800m for local government and rural development; Rs780m for physical planning and housing; Rs600m for foreign-aided projects; Rs400m for forestry, fisheries and wildlife; Rs340m for health; Rs262m for agriculture; Rs179m for industries and minerals; Rs150m for development authorities and as many for research and development; Rs140m for sports, youth and culture and as many for tourism; Rs125m for information technology; Rs110m for rehabilitation and settlement; Rs50m each for civil defence and environment; Rs40m for social welfare and women development; Rs35m for the State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency; Rs25m for transport and Rs10m for information and media development.

province. He claimed that 1.84 percent of last year's information technology budget was spent. After pointing out lack of spending social welfare and women development departments due to poor institutional capacity, he said 11 percent of the allocation for energy was spent.

Talking about the state of education in the province, he noted that 12 million children of school going age in Punjab were out-of-school despite numerous efforts of the government.

Schools in the province have missing facilities including boundary walls, water supply, and poor student to teacher ratio with budget utilisation of only 11 percent.

He challenged that the govern-

ment had not constructed a single school in the province in the last year due to powerful monopoly of big private education groups and no funds had been set this year for training of teachers. He criticised the increase in the spending for CM Secretariat in this year's budget which he claimed amounted to Rs1.3 million per day.

Launching into a tirade against the chief minister, Mehmood-urRasheed questioned how the Khadim-e-Ala could be concerned with the welfare of the province's 100 million impoverished people and clerks who benefited from only a 7.5 percent increase in their salaries when he spent a huge amount on his office. J

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13

ECP Withdraws By-Election Schedule for PK-95 ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday withdrew the by-election schedule for PK-95 (Lower DirII).

The schedule was withdrawn after the Peshawar High Court (PHC) stayed the ECP decision for re-polling on PK-95.

Acting on complaints of disenfranchised women voters, the ECP had ordered re-election on the constituency.

By-election was held in the constituency in May this year after the seat was vacated by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq after his election as a Senator.

JI candidate Izazul Mulk succeeded in the by-polls in May following a close contest with the Awami National Party (ANP) candidate.

But the election was marred by reports of a tribal jirga barring women from voting, resulting in a low turnout of women in the bypolls.

Five Terrorists Killed in Police Encounter

KARACHI: Police claimed to have shot dead five terrorists in alleged encounters and arrested over 40 suspects, in different areas of Karachi.

Two suspects were killed in an alleged encounter on Super Highway near New Sabzi Mandi area, while arms and a motorbike were also recovered from their possession.

Police said three suspects were killed in an exchange of fire near Maula Madad graveyard in Quaidabad.

Gulshan Iqbal Town SP Aabid Qaim Khani said, over 40 suspects were taken into custody during an operation in PIB Colony and Gulistan-e-Johr.

Pro Snooker World Cup: Pakistan Open Account With 5-0 Loss

KARACHI: Pakistan opened their Professional Snooker World Cup campaign with a 5-0 loss as Mohammad Sajjad and Hamza Akbar failed to fire against Wales in Wuxi, China on Monday.

The presence of top cueists from around the world at the prestigious event meant that Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh was hardly keeping high expectations from the duo.

"It's a good exposure for both Sajjad and Hamza, but honestly I don't have high hopes from them," Sheikh told The Express Tribune. "It would be enough if they qualify for the second round after competing with such experienced professionals."

Pakistan are pitted against Wales, Australia, Poland, Qatar and Northern Ireland and need to finish in the top two to qualify for the next round.

The rules for the round-robin stage states that each team will play one five-frame match against each team in the group.

In a match, each player will play a single frame against the opposing

www.PakistanLink.com www.PakistanLink.com

players; frames 1, 2, 4 and 5. The third frame will involve cueists in both teams playing a doubles frame with each player taking alternate turns.

All teams must take part in the round-robin matches, as one point will be awarded for each frame won and any missed matches would mean a loss of points.

ADVERTISEMENT

P14 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

WHAT’S FOR IFTAR?

PAKISTANI ORPHAN

DONATE NOW!

IRUSA.ORG • 1.855.447.1001

3655 WHEELER AVE., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22304

RAMADAN 2015 One Month. One Challenge.

One Community.

Help us meet the challenge to raise $150,000 so that we can continue to protect the civil rights of American Muslims and promote the accurate image of Islam.

Donate your zakat and sadaqa to CAIR-LA today!

Council on American- Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area 2180 W Crescent Ave., Suite F, Anaheim CA, 92801 ca.cair.com/losangeles l 714.776.1847 www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P15

Chicken Biryani (Hyderabadi), Haleem, Paya, Chicken Tikka, Goat Karahi and Much Much More!

www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

P16 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P17

www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

P18 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com

COMMUNITY

Community Link

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19

Friday, June 19, 2015

VOL. 25/25 PAGE 20

egum PAGE 21

Los Angeles Hosts Scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi

2 Ramadan 1436 H

PAGE 24

Chowchilla Mayor Meets California Governor

Pakistani Women Look Pretty in Any Dress: Vidya

For news, updated round the clock, visit

www.PakistanLink.com

US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies Launched

The launching of a major multi-year agreement to boost academic cooperation between universities in the two countries will boost innovation in Pakistan

“

n By Ras H. Siddiqui

US Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy Richard Stengel and US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G. Olson, along with Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, officially launched the US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS), a $127 million investment from the United States building partnerships in higher education and research, at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). More than 300 students, faculty, and administrators attended the event,” says a press release

issued by the Embassy of the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan.

US-Pakistan relations have not been predictable in recent years but there is a silver lining if one cares to look deeper than some media-driven negatives. Over several decades the relationship between the two countries has certainly been led by the militarysecurity angle; whether it was the joint fight against totalitarianism of the past to the battle against fanatical extremism of the present. But the quiet work of academics, bureaucrats, other wellmeaning individuals and groups has not often made it to the headlines, and it is time to change that. Here we have one fruit of their joint effort, one which can only be described extremely positive news for friends of both countries and a good reason for the celebrations recently held in both

the United States and in Pakistan. The launching of this major multi-year agreement to boost academic cooperation between universities in the two countries will boost innovation in Pakistan and enhance people-topeople contacts.

Quoting further from the same Embassy press release, “Both the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar will partner with Arizona State University to create two centers for energy research; the University of Jamshoro and University of Utah will partner to create the center for water; and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and the University of California at Davis will partner to create the center for agriculture and food security.”

The United States, according to the press release, “will provide graduatelevel scholarships through exchange programs and support construction of world-class libraries, laboratories, and additional research facilities. Since 2009, the United States Government has built or rehabilitated about 1,000 Pakistani schools, provided over 5,000 scholarships for Pakistani students to study English and awarded scholarships to more than 12,000 Pakistani students to study at Pakistani higher education institutions through various USAID educational programs.

The United States also currently supports nineteen partnerships between Pakistani and US-based universities.”

According to a USAID press release on the same topic dated June 4,

2015, “This initiative is a set of partnerships between world-class US and Pakistani universities that will harness applied research to find innovative and practical solutions for Pakistan’s energy, water, agriculture, and food security challenges.” And through

more details made available from USAID, “Key components of the US Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies Program include developing: new disciplines, Pakistan centric, industry specific courses, provision of CENTERS, P26

Hillary Rodham Clinton with Dr Asif Mahmood Chaudhary

A

recent photograph of Hillary Clinton, the former United States Secretary of State and a candidate for the Democratic nomina-

www.PakistanLink.com

tion in the 2016 presidential election, with Dr Chaudhry a prominent Pulmonology specialist and a community activist who is a prominent member

of the Democratic National Committee and the President of the Southern California Chapter of APPNA.

COMMUNITY

P20 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Los Angeles Hosts Scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi

Islamic Shura Council of Southern California Welcomes Ramadan

A

ssalam ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatahu.

n By Amjad Khokhar

A

Fullerton, CA

ll US visits are not created equal. Definitely, not the most recent one, that we were fortunate enough to be a part of. This visit was incomparable and quite historic. Like all charismatic figures, his presence crystallized scattered Muslim Angelinos of Indo/Pak descent and attracted an impressive crowd well over 400 participants to a beautiful venue in Orange County. More could have shown up if word had gotten out sooner and farther with more media projection, but nevertheless a good size majority did show up to listen directly from the worldrenowned scholar, Ustaz Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, on his maiden North American tour of Canada and USA. Los Angeles city was the last venue at the end of the monthlong tour of cities, such as Toronto, NYC, DC, Miami, Dallas, and San Francisco, climaxing in Los Angeles.

Al-Mawrid USA, a new organization, based in Orlando, Florida organized this tour. It is a foundation for Islamic Research and Education. As a legatee of the rich intellectual tradition in Muslim history, al-Mawrid is a unique institution of learning. A deep concern over the dearth of suitable approaches to Islamic learning in our times gave birth to this institution. Lost in the maze of sectarian prejudices and political wrangling, the true message of Islam, based on the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, has become alien to the Muslims.

One of the trustees and an organizer is based here in California –

Mohammad Arif Munif, who along with other local volunteers (Idris Mohsin, Jawad Hafeez, Salman Siddiqi, and Amjad Khokhar, among others) made arrangements for the Sunday – June 14th event in the elegant Titan Student pavilion, that is a part of California State University Fullerton, a central city of beautiful Orange County in Southern California. The Muslim and Pakistani students and alumni of CSUF had a tradition of hosting and arranging remarkable events, and this one added to that long list.

The evening started promptly at 6 pm as advertised, which has been a lifelong practice of Ustaz Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, to be extremely punctual with all activities associated with his name, a definite lesson for every practicing Muslim living here in southern California and everywhere.

With brief introductory remarks

by California organizer Mr Arif Munif, he quickly handed the proceedings to Dr.Aamer Abdullah, who was the co-host at the stage sitting next to Mr Ghamidi. Without going into any other lengthy remarks, Dr Abdullah started with the first question posed by the audience, handed

to him by the volunteers working the crowd, Ustaz Javed Ahmad Ghamidi with his trademark soft eloquence started speaking, and the whole auditorium started feeling the energy and the confidence in his voice that only comes after a life spent doing research of the Holy Qur’an and other Islamic principles. The evening went on with the remarkable Q&A session, punctuated with occasional smiles and laughters from the audience to the quick wit of Mr Ghamidi.

The questions ranged from monthly mortgage payments made to the US banks, to Halal foods here in US, to Zakat and Taxes collected here, to raising our children in the US, and the matrimony affairs between a husband and a wife. A professional audio video team was capturing every moment of the evening, and a big part of the entire video of the Los Angles event will be made public at the website page of http://almawridus.org and also on http://www. javedahmadghamidi.com/videos/ category/cat/english-videos At the break of Maghrib prayer, the formal event ended. After the Maghrib payer, the participants gathered around Mr Ghamidi and to the

Pakistani-American Brothers Jailed for Planning New York Bombing, Assaulting Federal Agents New York: Two Pakistani-American brothers were handed hefty jail terms in Florida on Thursday for terrorism and for assaulting two federal agents while in custody.

Raees Qazi, 22, and Sheheryar Qazi, 32, both naturalized US citizens from Pakistan, were sentenced to 35 years and 20 years respectively by Judge Beth Bloom in the southern district of Florida.

They pleaded guilty in Miami last March to terrorism charges after being accused of planning to bomb New York.

Although the attack never got past the planning stages, police said they found material in their Florida apartment that could be used to make a bomb.

The pair also pleaded guilty to attacking two federal employees while being escorted to court in 2014.

Raees confessed to wanting to carry out an attack in New York, and was encouraged by his older brother to travel to Afghanistan and then by al Qaeda’s Yemen offshoot to attack within the United

States.

He never made it to Afghanistan, but admitted to consulting al Qaeda’s online English-language magazine on how to build a bomb using Christmas tree lights.

Raees went to New York in November 2012 with the intention to carry out the attack, while his older brother lied to friends and family about his intentions and whereabouts, prosecutors said.

When he called from New York to say the attack had not happened, Sheheryar told him to come

www.PakistanLink.com

surprise of everyone present, with his great humbleness and peoplefriendly demeanour, he obliged to everyone’s request for the autographs and group pictures taken with him.

All I could see around me was smartphone cameras flashing and smiles so wide on everyone’s face that I haven’t seen for a long, long time. True happiness and genuine respect and admiration was all too evident in and around that circle of tremendous activity, and I kept hearing around me about how far people had travelled today just to be here to listen to him live, and just maybe get close enough to him and shake his hand. Families drove from as far as Las Vegas, Nevada, and Modesto, California, easily a five-hour drive one-way.

I don’t know about you, but I am not sure if any other popular figure today commands that much widespread respect for a 68-yearold religious scholar from a land where there are thousands of other religious scholars, that can attract people from that far, willingly drive long distances, for an evening of a short two-hour session. Quite charismatic, I must confess.

ORDER FROM P1

and surveillance drones, will help increase military exports and bring in much-needed foreign exchange.

Analysts say the plane’s design and construction has generally been a success, and it has been promoted primarily on cost, which is likely to be substantially less than the $1618 million price tag of a US-made F-16.

Air Vice Marshal Arshad Malik told reporters “the JF-17 is an affordable product based on cutting edge technology.”

However, a number of factors have prevented it from finding buyers.

“Any country entering the defense market will find it’s very, very

On behalf of myself, the Majis, General Body and Staff of the Islamic Shura Council, I join you in welcoming the blessed month of Ramadan.

We thank Allah for giving us the opportunity and ability to enjoy Ramadan once more. We ask Allah to accept all our prayers and bless us to become better than we were before Ramadan,

by His mercy and grace.

I am very pleased to share the following resources that the Islamic Shura Council has developed for you, your family and for your community: 1. Statement about the start and end of the month of Ramadan.

2. Ramadan Planning Guide 3. Comprehensive plan for the month of Ramadan 4. Individual weekly planner 5. Make your Ramadan Green 6. Other ideas for Ramadan 7. Where to buy best California Dates 8. Your health in Ramadan 9.

Invitation to share your Sadaqa/Zakat 10. Sponsor an iftar at a prison.

We recommend a standardized Imsak and Salat al-Fajr schedule to make things easier for the community by using the 15 degree method for calculating Imsak, Salat al-Fajr and ‘Isha timings, as follows: • Imsak (beginning of the fast) should be observed 10 minutes before the 15 degree time, and • Salat al-Fajr should not be performed before the 15 degree time.

• Salat al-’Isha can also be performed immediately after 15 degree time.

This standardization process is a result of research, observations of Subh Sadiq (morning twilight) in the local area by a team of Muslims as well as discussions with area Imams. It is also verified astronomically with Dr Khalid Shaukat of moonsighting.com and Dr Ahmed Salama of NASA. Once again, I invite you to join me in welcoming the blessed month of Ramadan and also invite you and your family to prepare and plan to receive this blessed month with love and enthusiasm. Please visit our website ShuraCouncil.org to keep yourself abreast of community news and events and share any ideas that you may have to make everyone’s Ramadan most spiritually enjoyable.

Jazakum Allahu Khayran.

Wassalam, Dr Muzammil Siddiqi Chairman crowded,” said James Hardy, AsiaPacific editor for IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly in London. “No one has a bad word to say about the JF-17. It’s very good at what it’s designed to do -- as a low-cost, multi-role aircraft.

But there are obstacles.” Some of those are political and logistical.

NATO countries are not keen to buy a plane that won’t work easily alongside jets from its US and European allies. That may be why a mooted deal with Bulgaria has failed to make progress.

Myanmar was considering a purchase, but may have backed away as its relations with China turned frosty in recent months.

Pakistan also faces tough financial realities, Hardy added.

COMMUNITY

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P21

Power of Prayer: An All-Women Mosque in America

n By Saher Baloch

M

uslims praying in a synagogue is as rare to hear about as the concept of an all-women mosque. But both have a long history, organizers of the Women’s Mosques of America insist, and that it needs to be invoked more often. Every Friday, women from the Muslim faith gather to not only pray but speak about what matters to them the most in Pico-Union’s oldest synagogue in central Los Angeles.

It is noon when one of the organizers and leading lights of the project, Craig Taubman, meets me in the historic building. In the main hall, the pews have been replaced by white sheets, the Torah has been replaced by the Qur’an, and prayer mats of all colors and sizes are spread on the white sheets. Women start filing in for Friday prayer. Ordinarily photography is not allowed, one of the organizers informs me.

This became the rule when some women objected to being photographed in the media frenzy after the news of a women’s mosque first Photo taken with special permission shows prayers underway at the women-only mosque housed in the oldest synagogue in Los came out a few months ago.

Angeles, United States Within a few minutes, there’s silence, and one of the women goes we are on our way out, Craig speaks be done,” he says. Craig opened the Change, says the organizers were up to the stage and makes a call for about how the building came to be a place up for people from all faiths; looking for a space to pray and prayer. There’s no dress code in this congregation place for people of all from musicians to writers to poets approached her. “I asked Hasna space. The space is not dedicated faiths. Built in 1909 as a synagogue, to people coming together to pray, [Maznavi], who is the founder of to a particular school of thought, it was sold to the Welsh Presbyte- the space is open to any and every- the mosque, to look at the Picoeither. The women sitting on the rian community in 1926. “Three one. As he says himself, “I’d rather Union project by Craig. Interestfloor are either coming from offices, years back, I found out that the sing about peace than speak about ingly, the synagogue is built in the shops and homes or are curious dwindling Christian community violence and terrorism.” exact direction of Makkah, so it bevisitors from another street nearby. was looking to resell it to the Jewish Speaking about how they came easy to facilitate prayer,” she All have congregated to listen and community once again. That’s when settled for the place, Aziza Hasan, adds. to pray.

I stepped in, thinking it’d be a place executive director for NewGround: It is an initiative that brought At the end of the main hall, as to meet and do things that ought to A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for together people working on the

Chowchilla Mayor Discusses Rural Communities Cap-And-Trade Funds with Governor

Chowchilla Mayor Pro-tem Waseem Ahmed discussed major issues facing the Valley with Gov. Jerry Brown while attending a League of Cities meeting in Sacramento

n By Patty Mandrell

C

howchilla Mayor Protem Waseem Ahmed attended a League of California Cities API Caucus event in Sacramento recently. Gov. Jerry Brown was also in attendance at the meeting. Ahmed had the opportunity to speak to the governor about the capand-trade funds and water concerns in Madera County.

Ahmed had some questions for the governor regarding his recent proposed revised budget dealing with cap-and-trade funds, which Ahmed noted were originally expected to generate in excess of $1 billion a year and

now are estimated to be more than $2 billion.

In talking to the governor, Ahmed suggested that the San Joaquin Valley should get its fair share and that the funds should not be distributed on population formulas but be regional funding allocations. “We have 23 out of the top 30 most disadvantaged communities here in the Central Valley,” Ahmed said. “These funds can bring significant improvement to desperately needed areas in California.”

Ahmed said that community’s service and development has been allocated $75 million.

“It should be increase for low income residential solar water

heating and HVAC programs,” he stated.

Another area he touched on was water conservation. “Water conservation has been allocated $30 million. Ahmed said it should be increased for water efficiency –programs or projects that also reduce water and energy use.

“Food and agriculture currently has been allocated $25 million; it should be increased for agricultural irrigation pump efficiency, drip irrigation and other measures,” Ahmed said.

According to Ahmed, sustainable agriculture land conservation is currently allocated $10 million. His recommendation was to fund more projects that support the protection and management of California agricultural land through easements.

He said high speed rail has currently been allocated $250 million and through revised proposals, it has been recommended to be $500 million. Ahmed said that difference should be allocated to the Valley’s most disadvantaged community’s infrastructure, roads, air quality, education, small business start-up loan/ grants and by streamlining the industrial development approval process which can in return create jobs, along with low carbon transportation planning. - Chowchilla News

www.PakistanLink.com

same agenda but belonging to different faiths to bolster the first women’s mosque of Los Angeles.

But they want you to know that the space is not for male-bashing.

As Hasna, founder of the mosque, pointed out in her recent article for The Huffington Post, “Muslim men have been one of our greatest supporters. Imams have come forward offering us to congregate in their mosques. There’s nothing sensational about the creation of the mosque as tempting as it may sound.”

In her Friday sermon, Aziza speaks about tolerance, of accepting the differences and the power of praying together. The Friday before that, the sermon was about sexual violence and the need for compassion and justice. Speaking about the women’s mosque and the sermons, she says, “There’s a great deal of pressure on women to raise good children, nurture family and build community. While these are incredibly important roles, how do we as a society support women in being able to fulfill such significant work?

The short answer is we really don’t, or we don’t do it well.” In order to thrive and have healthy lives, Aziza says, we need a space where women can be inspired, learn from each other and serve as resources to each other. Other reasons to congregate include having a female perspective on Islamic knowledge and spirituality.

“This is our call to the doers, as well as the haters,” says Craig.

“Please come and take a look and, if need be, sit and talk with us.” Dawn

New Ramadan Rules to Help Nordic Muslims

Stockholm: Muslims in the Nordic region can expect new guidelines for coping with a sun that never sets ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, a Swedish Muslim association said Thursday.

Ramadan likely begins on June 18 this year – three days before the longest day of the year – when the sun blazes around the clock above the Arctic Circle and only sets for a few hours further south, presenting a problem for Muslims who are meant to fast until sunset.

“We´ve got two difficult questions, not just when you can break the fast in the north but also when you should start fasting,” Mohammed Kharraki, a spokesman for Sweden´s Islamic Association, told AFP. “You´re supposed to start fasting before the sun rises, at dawn. But there is no real dawn in the summer months in Stockholm.”

In previous years Muslims in sub-Arctic towns like Kiruna were

advised to break their fast at the same time as people in the south but a meeting of Swedish and European imams in northern Sweden this week recommended a new approach.

“Now you should go by the last time the sun clearly set and rose,” said Kharraki, adding that detailed guidelines were still being worked out and could also involve breaking the fast in the early evening to be more in line with the rest of the world.

The new rules being drawn up by a pan-European association – the European Council for Fatwa and Research – are expected to apply across the continent and will include advice on situations where Muslims can break the fast to avoid collapsing from lack of food and water.

“People can try to fast for 19 hours but not handle it. That´s not the idea... If you don´t manage to do your work or stay on your feet, then it´s time to break the fast,” said Kharraki.

ADVERTISEMENT

P22 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com

COMMENTARY n By Bina Shah

F

Karachi, Pakistan

light Lt. Ayesha Farooq, Pakistan’s only combatready female air force pilot, has become both an international celebrity and a symbol of a new Pakistan, where women are breaking barriers and taking on roles traditionally closed to them. Yet Pakistan is also known as a country where women’s place in society yo-yos up and down. For example, in the 1990s it entrusted the leadership of the entire nation to Benazir Bhutto while still resisting girls’ education and advances in women’s rights.

Given this contradictory attitude, how far can Pakistan’s female air force officers expect to go?

That’s hard to answer. The air force has been more progressive than other branches of the military. At its inception, it modeled its service environment after the British Royal Air Force. In the late 1950s, while receiving an increasing amount of American equipment and mentorship, its chiefs turned more toward the ethos of the United States Air Force, and women began serving as air force doctors and nurses.

Then, in 1977, Group Capt.

Shahida Perveen joined the force as a psychologist in a prominent role; she did psychological testing for the recruitment center, then helped establish an Institute of Air Safety to research how human error led to air accidents. She describes receiving “red carpet treatment” on joining the air force, and credits Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — the prime minister at the time, and Benazir Bhutto’s father — with opening doors for women who had ambitions beyond the medical units.

Still, women remained barred from other branches of the air force until 1995, when Ms Bhutto, as prime minister, persuaded

n By Rafiq Ebrahim

C

Winfield, IL

an terrorism in Pakistan be eradicated? The answer is yes! It may look like a mammoth task, but effective strategies can definitely counter this highly destructive menace which takes life of many innocent people and causes extensive damage.

First of all we must recognize that we have to beat terrorism, not the terrorists, nullify this fanatic ideology and establish true Islamic values. Terrorists are the product of brain-washed minds, zealous but misguided angry people, believing in misinterpreted teachings of their faith. They are trained from their childhood to raise guns against everyone who does not subscribe to their beliefs, not only people belonging to other faiths but also Muslims who belong to any one of a different sect. There are about 73 sects.

They are made to believe that if they kill them, their ascent to Paradise is certain. There are a number of so-called religious scholars and clerics who are constantly imparting this ideology on the naive minds of these militants.

Since they are also trained not to be afraid of dying in the cause of

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P23

How High Can Pakistan’s Air Force Women Fly?

Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak to think about women joining branches of the air force beyond the medical branch, “now that women were being considered for everything — thanks to her influence,” says Riazuddin Shaikh, a retired air marshal who served under Air Chief Marshal Khattak.

Female cadets were then re-

some reservations among male officers, Air Marshal Shaikh recalls no serious adverse reactions.

Nevertheless, a decision to allow women to become fighter pilots did not come until 2002, under Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir. By then, women were serving as pilots in the American military, and that precedent influenced the

into the Pakistani Air Force began in 2005, with one of the first, Aviation Cadet Saira Amin, winning the coveted Air Force Academy Sword of Honor for best in class during training in 2006. Today, 21 women serve as pilots, and while Lieutenant Farooq is the only one in a fighter squadron, five more are undergoing training for that at the

Today, 21 women serve as pilots, and while Lieutenant Farooq is the only one in a fighter squadron, five more are undergoing training for that at the air force academy in Risalpur. Others serve in transport, helicopter, electronic and drone squadrons. In total, there are now 339 women officers in the air force, 196 of them in medical positions — a traditional route for women that still has broad appeal cruited into administrative and accounting departments. They became air traffic controllers, worked in law, logistics and education.

They were trained for aeronautical engineering, avionics and information technology; they played huge roles in designing specialized avionics software and managing hardware at air force bases. Despite

decision. But it took the voices of the women themselves to persuade Air Chief Marshal Mir. “Every time the women met him, they demanded that they be allowed to become pilots,” Air Marshal Shaikh recalled. “And because their inclusion had been progressive, it actually happened quite smoothly.”

The induction of female pilots

air force academy in Risalpur. Others serve in transport, helicopter, electronic and drone squadrons.

In total, there are now 339 women officers in the air force, 196 of them in medical positions — a traditional route for women that still has broad appeal.

When Benazir Bhutto was first elected prime minister in

Can Terrorism be Eradicated? the religion, they are always ready to be suicide-bombers or jihadis.

Such being the case, they need a good amount of finance to carry out their missions. Out of plunders, extortions and a constant supply from the rich terrorist organizations, they thrive.

We have seen that in spite of all possible efforts – drone attacks, army actions, intelligence and spy networks and even negotiations – terrorism is simply flourishing.

What can we do about it? Thomas H. Kean and Lee H.Hamilton in their article, How to Halt Next Terror Generation, in USA TODAY of 26th January, 2015 pointed out, “Although US can promote moderation, it cannot ensure its ascendancy. Only Muslims can do that. Fortunately, this is beginning to happen. The US should support governments, organizations and peoples that are taking active measures to defeat violent Islamic ideology, such as catalyzing partnerships with leading media channels in the Muslim world to produce programming that fosters moderation.”

If we carefully look at the basis of terrorism and not terrorists, we

can outline a few strategies. First and foremost is imparting the true message of Islam on the minds of these extremists and fanatics, and for this we need the right thinking religious scholars and clerics to come to the fore. Their messages should be sent to the militants in the form of wide network broadcasts – TV, Radio, internet and leaflets dropped through air on the sensitive areas - to recondition the minds of the fanatics. It should be pointed out that Islam is a religion of peace, and that if you kill an innocent person it is as if you

www.PakistanLink.com

have killed the whole humanity.

Militants should also be reminded about the messages in the following Qur’anic Surahs: Surah 2, verse 62 of Qu’ran states: Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does righteous deeds shall have their reward with the Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Surah 4, verse 93 states: If a man kills a believer intentionally his recompense is hell to abide

1988, some Pakistanis questioned whether it was religiously correct for a woman to head a Muslim country. In the end, the questioning died down, at least in part on the basis of Qur’anic verses referring to the Queen of Sheba. So far, nobody prominent has raised similar objections on religious grounds against women taking combat roles. Captain Perveen recalls facing small indignities in a heavily male environment. “We were expected to smile,” she says today. “Was that really our role as lady officers?” Still, the force remains free of reports of sexual assaults like those that have plagued the United States Air Force.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Air Force offers no exception to the expectation that Pakistani women must fulfill their age-old roles of wife, homemaker and mother.

This helps explain why so few female cadets continue on a path to combat roles. It also explains why many women marry colleagues, since military men can better understand and support their career paths.

Eight years ago, Lieutenant Farooq’s extended family saw her choice to join the air force as an aberration from a woman’s normal path, and they tried to dissuade her, she related in a recent lecture. But, she took their criticism as a challenge that drove her harder to succeed. Today, she said, she is happily married to a fellow air force officer, and her once-skeptical relatives now ask how their own daughters can join the air force.

In the force, Lieutenant Farooq was trained like the men.

When fuel fumes made her nauseated her first time up in a Mishaal propeller plane, her instructor simply passed her the controls and ordered her to fly. Only later, on her first solo flight, she related, did she really feel in control in the air, with the “entire world beneath my feet.”

These days, the Pakistani Air Force eagerly trumpets her rise WOMEN, P29

therein and the wrath and curse of Allah are upon him and a dreadful chastisement is prepared for him.

Secondly, the responsibility of protection of the nation and its people against terrorism be given to the armed forces that can make their presence felt everywhere in the areas where terrorists are believed to live and where terrorism breeds.

All madressahs inciting young yooung students to resort to violence in the name of Islam should be immediately closed, or the fanatic teachers be replaced by right thinking teachers, who can impart true Islamic teachings to the students.

It is also the responsibility of the people to help eradicate this menace. If they see any suspicious activity or any character lurking about or living in their area they should report him immediately to the authorities so that appropriate action can be timely taken.

We all desire to make Pakistan terrorism-free and our desires could only be fulfilled if an all-out effort is made. Make Pakistan a peaceful abode as it was before the wave of terrorism invaded it, and let the generations to come be free of violence in the name of religion.

COMMENTARY

P24 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Why Did No One Stand up for Tahera Ahmad and the Bigotry She Faced?

I

f you have been following the ‘Tahera Ahmad and the Diet Coke’ saga, you know that a United Airlines flight attendant refused to serve a Muslim Chaplain, Ms Ahmad, on the grounds that the can could be used as a weapon, a disagreement followed, and a fellow passenger made profane comments aimed at her religious identity.

not to be seated next to women? Perhaps. Asking for privilege and special accommodation can be problematic. Yet those sexist Orthodox Jews were in the wrong. Ms Ahmad’s request, at worst, would be a mild inconvenience. That the airline offered an apology and dismissed the flight attendant can be seen as encouraging.

Then there’s the claim that Ms Ahmad seeks attention by making herself a victim. I hope not. Ms Ahmad seems to have a comfortable life. Can her complaint be equivalent to that of those white people who cry victim? Let’s look at this headline by the Daily Mail: “One third of whites claim they are victims of racism.”

Victimhood should mean something. Yes, some people hate whites, but how often does “racism” disrupt a white person’s life?

The thing is, for as silly as Ms Ahmad might appear, what I’m left wondering is why no one on that airplane stood and said to the flight attendant, “Excuse me, but you are being ridiculous. Please give this woman a Diet Coke.”

Sure, being refused a Coke, or being accused of being a terrorist, is rather tolerable in the scheme of the world. Ms Ahmad will be fine. Just like most whites who cry persecution will be fine. What we need, though, are people standing up. This is universal. If you see or hear a black, Latino, LGBT, Muslim, Christian, atheist, Jew, Deobandi, Asian, a policeman, or even a white person, attacked by a bigot, speak up.

Remember, if just one person defended Ms Ahmad on that airplane, there would be no controversy. Be that person.

n By Muhammad Asad Ullah

W

A

popular tax-deferral strategy for people who deal in investment property could be in trouble as Congress ponders doing away with it.

n By Caleb Powell

Soon Ms Ahmad’s posted on Facebook: “I am in tears of humiliation.”

Resultantly, Ms Ahmad became a symbol and icon. In an article at The Guardian she says, “This isn’t about me and a soda can, it’s about systemic injustice.”

She adds, “They’re basically failing to recognize the humiliation.”

The ensuing controversy can be split between “just cause” and “drama queen”. Faraz Talat, in a blog for Dawn, wrote, “It would be a grievous mistake to view this incident in isolation as the sum total of the inconvenience a member of a religious minority might face.”

Ale Naqit, in a blog for The Nation satirized with his headline: “My name is Tahera and I need Coke!”

Is her experience overblown or relevant? Both sides have merit. Hopefully, the incident will neither fuel anti-Muslim bigotry nor give Muslims reasons to cry victim. Bigotry exists, and what Ms Ahmad met fits the definition. Muslims, just as Christians or Jews or any other ethnic or religious group, cannot be defined by the actions of a few crazies.

Yet Ms Ahmad’s detractors are many. One persistent theme is that Ms Ahmad’s humiliation does not compare to that of the Rohingya minority floating around the Bay of Bengal seeking to be repatriated from Myanmar, or being Yazidi and conscripted into sexual slavery, or kidnapped by Boko Haram, or being attacked by the Christian militias in the Central African Republic, or being a minority in Pakistan and having your bus blown to pieces for the crime of existing.

Others point out that most airlines pour their beverages into a plastic cup filled with ice, but Ms Ahmad asked for special treatment. Is there a parallel between her and Orthodox Jews who demand

A Tax Strategy for Investment in Real Estate Grows in Popularity

Islamabad

ho knew the geeky Radhika Mathur from comedy serial Hum Paanch would, one day, become the queen of Bollywood? Balan’s ethereal beauty and nuanced understanding of the acting craft paved her way into the industry back in 2005, when she burst into the limelight with the critically-acclaimed period drama Parineeta.

Ever since, the actor has only strengthened her position, churning out one commendable performance after another.

From Silk Smitha in The Dirty Picture (2011) to Bobby from Bobby Jasoos (2014), Balan is known for her unmatched conviction towards roles that emphasize a realistic portrayal of the female being. For instance, her work as Vidya Venkatesan Bagchi, a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani (2012), won Balan her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress. This year, she will be completing a whole decade in the industry with Mohit Suri’s upcoming venture Humari Adhoori Kahaani.

Written by Mahesh Bhatt, the film features Balan and Emraan Hashmi in the lead roles and looks to be the former’s first romantic saga post-Parineeta. “The film is an intense love story under the genre of drama and is not melodramatic in terms of performance. It’s very realistic,” said Balan in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune. “The writing is dramatic, done by one of our best directors.” About sharing the limelight with Hashmi for the third time now, Balan claims she truly enjoys it for they have an unconventional and natural chemistry. “It was different this time because we were doing different characters in a different genre,” she said. “As actors, we respond to the script and that dictates how we are on set. I have truly enjoyed working with Emraan yet again.

There is a great comfort level between us.”

As an avid fan of Pakistani art, Balan believes local artists have always made a substantial contribution to the success of Bollywood films over the years. “We all love soulful, melodi-

But already rescue efforts, such as letter-writing and lobbying campaigns, are afoot to counter any talk of repealing Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, which lets taxpayers defer their capital-gains tax on the sale of the property if they reinvest their proceeds in “like-kind” property.

“A lot of people want to make sure Section 1031 exchanges stay in place because doing away with or altering this section of the tax code could be detrimental to investors, the real estate market and the economy,” says Dwight Kay, founder and CEO of Kay Properties and Investments (www.kpi1031.com).

His California and New Yorkbased company specializes in helping clients purchase Delaware Statutory Trust properties (DSTs) using the Section 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange.

“It’s a strategy that’s becoming increasingly popular,” says Kay, whose firm is licensed to do business in all 50 states. “But it’s also something that they have their eyes on in Washington, and it’s on the chopping block with Congress.”

The average American probably knows little or nothing about Section 1031, but it’s a significant taxplanning tool for investors who want to sell investment property, but don’t want to get hit with the capital-gains tax that would result.

Here’s how Section 1031 exchanges work: Taxpayers can defer their capital-gains tax on the sale of investment property if they reinvest the proceeds from the sale in other investment property. There are strict deadlines and other specifications that must be met.

Pakistani Women Look Beautiful, No Matter What They Wear: Vidya Balan

ous music and Pakistanis are known for that,” she said. “Personally, I love Rahat and have listened to many episodes of Coke Studio Pakistan as well. I absolutely loved Arieb Azhar’s Na Raindee Hai and got to meet Abida Parveen a few years ago too. My God, she has a powerful voice!”

During her visit to Karachi in 2006, Balan also had the opportunity to attend a performance by the Sabri brothers that she enjoyed immensely. Unfortunately, her busy schedule

www.PakistanLink.com

Several types of property qualify as “like-kind” under the rules. Examples include: apartment buildings, farmland, office buildings, warehouses and rental homes.

Delaware Statutory Trust properties also fall on the list. Delaware Statutory Trust properties are prepackaged as 1031 exchange properties, so an investor can close a sale quickly with no worry about missing those deadlines.

The idea of repealing Section 1031 has been talked about before.

Critics of 1031 property exchanges say they allow people to defer paying capital-gains taxes for decades. Critics also say the definition of “likekind” property is imprecise, leading to controversy with the Internal Revenue Service and providing significant opportunities for abuse.

The congressional Joint Committee on Taxation projects repealing Section 1031 would increase revenues $40.9 billion over 10 years.

Kay, though, suggests there are at least three reasons why keeping Section 1031 in place is good not just for investors, but for the overall economy as well.

• Like-kind exchanges benefit millions of American investors and businesses every year by encouraging businesses to expand and by moving dollars within the US economy.

“These property exchanges give a boost to the economy, and can create jobs,” Kay says. Without the tax deferral benefit, reinvestment by small and medium-sized businesses and investors would be inhibited. The economy could suffer as a result.

• Repeal could cause a decline in real estate values because investors would no longer have the ability to defer their capital gain taxes, one of the reasons many invest in real estate to begin with, and therefore may switch strategies and move to STRATEGY, P26

makes it difficult for her to keep up with Pakistani serials. “I don’t get to follow any of the shows as I always miss the timings, but I catch them in bits and pieces. I grew up watching Umer Shareef ’s Bakra Qiston Pe as a child, although no one in our house spoke Hindi and Urdu was totally out of the question, we used to watch and enjoy it.”

Balan claims she is open to Pakistani scripts and is nothing but praise for the actors of the local production Bol (2011). “I would be happy to be a part of such lovely Pakistani stories. Bol was an extremely powerful film and as an actor, I felt that Manzar Sehbai and Zaib Rehman — who played the protagonist’s parents — did a wonderful job!” Interestingly, it isn’t just Pakistani arts and crafts that Balan likes — she is just as enthralled by women of the country. “Genuinely speaking, Pakistani women are beautiful! They look great, no matter what they wear, be it traditional saris or something else.”

Looking back at the last 10 years, Balan is very fortunate to have made it thus far and witnessed the changing tides of Indian cinema first-hand. “I came into the industry at a time when it was changing or had already begun to change rapidly.

Right after Parineeta, everyone kept saying ‘Oh, kitni alag film hai!’” she shared. “I have experienced this change and been brought up by a different kind of cinema. But that is what interests me: contemporary, more realistic but entertaining stories.” Despite this, the strong-headed Balan has not changed a bit herself.

“The most valuable and precious lesson I have learnt in my time here is the importance of being one’s self, at all times.

When there is success, there is also failure but being yourself can help you cope much better.” Hinting at the aspiring actors of the Pakistani entertainment fraternity, Vidya suggests it is important to trust instincts in order to make it big. “I am a greedy actor and when a good script comes my way, I respond.

I have never strived for a special identity and worked honestly,” she said. “There is no one way to get to where you want to be. Just follow your heart; it will guide you right. Remember: nothing is impossible in this world.”

Hamari Adhuri Kahani was scheduled for release in cinemas across Pakistan on June 12.

SPORTS SPORTS

JUNE LINK JUNE19, 19,2015 2015 –- PAKISTAN PAKISTAN LINK – P25

PSL Should be Held in Pakistan, Says Sadiq Mohammad

KARACHI: Former Test opener Sadiq Mohammad believes that the holding of the inaugural edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would be a bad decision.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in their recent board meeting, chaired by chairman Shaharyar M. Khan, has decided to stage PSL in the UAE. "In my opinion, Messrs Shaharyar Khan and Najam Sethi should rethink and hold it in Pakistan instead," he said in a written statement released recently.

"It was the best time for the PCB to cash in on the successful visit of Zimbabwe which had cleared the security fears of holding the PSL in

Pakistan," he said.

"We must not forget that we have been inviting Test nations to play us in the UAE in which world's top players are included, so bringing big foreign players to the UAE is not a big thing," he noted.

"After such a successful tour by Zimbabwe, we should concentrate on bringing Test teams to Pakistan, which is more beneficial from our point of view," the ex-opener said.

"The PCB Governing Board agreed to the idea of staging PSL in the UAE, without the raising of any questions, which gives the indication of high authority," he said.

"The members of the Governing Board were invited to the headquarters

and top officials put the proposal before them for approval with discussions," he added.

He appreciated the effort of the PCB in bringing Test playing nation Zimbabwe for a series in Pakistan after sixyears.

"It was a great effort from Shaharyar Khan, who eventually broke the ice and brought smiles on the faces of Pakistanis, for reviving international cricket in the country.

"Full marks go to Shaharyar and Najam Sethi, in their effort to convince Zimbabwe players and their government," he remarked.

"Of course, money played a vital role in this last series, which was beneficial for both parties," he said. J

Pakistan to Face India at World Hockey League on 26th

LAHORE: Pakistan will play their crucial match against traditional rivals India on June 26 in the World Hockey League (WHL) in Antwerp, Belgium, which also serves as the qualifying round for the 2016 Olympics.

Earlier in the round, Pakistan face the huge challenge in their match against Australia on June 24, as the green-shirts have been placed in a tough pool 'A' alongside Poland and France, besides India and Australia.

Pakistan will open their campaign on June 20 with the match against Poland.

Pakistan, who last won the

Olympic gold back in 1984, in order to qualify for the Rio Games, need to beat at least one of the two major opponents Australia and India - as France and Poland do not seem to be posing any significant threat to Mohammad Imran and his men.

Pool 'B' comprises Great Britain, Belgium, Malaysia, Ireland and China.

Top five teams of the qualifiers will make the Olympics, and that means a semi-final ticket can guarantee a team qualification for the extravaganza.

In the presence of two strong teams like India and Australia in

their pool, Pakistan may face problems to make it to the lastfour stage.

And in case Pakistan not qualify for the semi-final, it will be another hard task for them to fight it out to at least grab the fifth spot to ensure their place at the Olympics.

No doubt, India can stage a comeback in Antwerp to avenge their home defeat to Pakistan in the last Champions Trophy semifinal. Pakistan in an action-packed thriller overwhelmed India 4-3 before a lively crowd at Bhubaneswar.

The memorable victory was, bay far, a significant achievement of Pakistan hockey after many years in international contests.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan squad, which left for Belgium in the wee hours of Monday, have reached their destination. They play back-to-back practice matches against Ireland on June 16 and 18.

Schedule (pool stage matches): June 20: India vs France, Pakistan vs Poland.

June 21: China vs Malaysia, Great Britain vs Belgium, Australia vs France.

June 23: Great Britain vs Ireland, India vs Poland, Belgium vs China.

June 24: France vs France, Pakistan vs Australia.

June 25: Malaysia vs Ireland, Great Britain vs China.

June 26: Ireland vs China, Pakistan vs India, Malaysia vs Belgium, Australia vs Poland. J

www.Pakistanlink.com www.PakistanLink.com

'We Have an Answer for Herath This Time': Misbah

COLOMBO: Pakistan were undone

by Rangana Herath last year when the left-arm spinner took 23 wickets in only two Tests, as the visitors crumbled to lose both the matches. Statistically, Pakistan are the second team, among the top eight teams, with the worst batting average against left-arm spinners in the last ten years. Their captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his side won't capitulate against Herath this time.

"We have an answer for Hearth this time as everybody is working hard on how to defend him," Misbah said. "In the past we really played him well except in the last series in Sri Lanka…sometimes bowler takes the edge, or sometimes batsman. But we are looking on a plan on how to handle him and how we should apply ourselves against him. We only struggled because he got a good hold of the conditions and it's important for us to play him well to get a better result. The more we play him well, more we have a chance to do better against them."

Pakistan last won a series in Sri Lanka in 2006 and since then haven't won a single Test either, with five losses and three draws. "It's always tough for any team to win here as the spin is the only difference," Misbah said.

"Earlier they had [Muttiah] Muralitharan, their leading wickettaker, who did wonders for them and now Herath. So the spin bowling is the main reason we have been struggling.

It's very important for us to deal [well] with spin on this tour to make the best result. Taking 20 wickets here is also one concern for us and we are working

in this area to do something different this time."

Last year Pakistan scored 451 in the first innings in Galle, but Herath conjured six wickets on the fifth day that swung the game away from the visitors. That was the 12th defeat for any team that had posted 450 or more batting first in a Test, as Pakistan tried to block their way, only to lose nine wickets by the last session to set Sri Lanka a soft target of 99. "Last time we played very well, especially in the first innings and somewhere in the middle we thought the game was over but it was a big mistake to think that way," Misbah recalled. "It was a message for us not to lose concentration as in Test cricket one good innings can change everything and if you really want to win against Sri Lanka, you can't afford to give many chances to them and just try to be there all the time."

Pakistan are without the services of their ace spinner Saeed Ajmal. With him being dropped, the burden slides to the relatively inexperienced legspinner Yasir Shah and left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar. Both will bowl against an opponent that is good in playing spin, though the captain is optimistic about getting the best out of the spinners.

"Number [of matches or wickets] might not be good but whatever they have played so far they have done well," Misbah said about Shah and Babar. "Of course this time they are going to play against an opponent who is good in playing spin and this is going to be a test for them as well. J

Afridi Blames Cricket Woes on Lack of Domestic Professionalism KARACHI: Pakistan's T20 captain Shahid Afridi blames lack of domestic professionalism as the reason for Pakistan's failure in ODI cricket and the probability of not qualifying for the 2017 Champions Trophy.

The 35-year-old said it was time to stop using the excuse of lack of international cricket in Pakistan and move forward to revive the barren domestic cricket structure.

When asked if he was worried that Pakistan might miss the Champions Trophy, Afridi told cricket.com.au: "I am more worried about Pakistan's domestic cricket than international cricket.

"If we improve our domestic cricket then international cricket will start improving as well. The absence of international cricket at home shouldn't be our excuse.

"We have the example of South Africa in front of us. They did not play international cricket for a long time but they had extremely good domestic structure that is why they have a competitive team today. Pakistan need a strong domestic structure too.

"The facilities given to domestic players should meet international standards. We need to bring professionalism in our domestic cricket."

Afridi was also optimistic about his upcoming Caribbean Premier League T20 stint with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and deemed it as a preparation for the 2016 World Twenty20.

"As a captain I need couple of good all-rounders and big hitters to prepare for the World T20," he said.

"We have already found a good opener in Mukhtar Ahmad.J

COMMENTARY

P26 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

It Is Always Best to Shop around for Better Deals n By Saghir Aslam

track record.

Shop around. Go Islamic way.

Rawalpindi, Pakistan (The following information is provided solely to educate the Muslim community about investing and financial planning. It is hoped that the Ummah will benefit from this effort through greater financial empowerment, enabling the community to live in security and dignity and fulfill their religious and moral obligations towards charitable activities) Whether you’re buying a house or a new gadget, shopping around is always recommended. How you shop around for any particular item makes the difference, however, not only in terms of the price you get, but also in the quality, customer service, aftersale service etc.

That’s why, when you are beginning your shopping around endeavors, you must make sure that are not focused on one area only. Having all of these aspects in mind can help you define a good deal.

To achieve this goal, keep the following points in mind.

Options Your shopping around must consider a variety of providers, services and products.

If you only visit vendors or sellSTRATEGY FROM P24

more liquid alternatives.

• “Although big-money investors certainly make good use of the 1031 exchanges, this is not something that helps just the wealthiest Americans,” Kay says. It is available to and used by taxpayers of all sizes.

“We have helped clients with 1031 exchanges as small as $50,000,” Kay added.

Investors should keep in mind that real estate and Delaware StatuCENTERS FROM P19

scholarships to students and students and faculty exchange programs.”

A $127 million investment is no small potatoes. Pakistan is currently an energy-starved country which has always remained short on petroleumbased fuels amidst growing consumption. And the next big crisis it will have to face is water shortages, not only for personal consumption but for its agriculture-based economy. And to tie all these elements together, food security has to come to mind as the population approaches 200 million. That is where USAID and similar organizations come in. They are there to help Pakistan address these issues (amongst others) which are not just concerns for the future but are already being faced today.

US-Pakistan cooperation in agriculture has helped increase both food security and quality of output in the Indus region. One “Joint Venture” fruit which is the pride of Pakistan today was developed at a University of California campus. Many Pakistanis are still not aware of its origins, but it is known to them as the Kinnow! Just this one success is proof of the “fruits” of continued cooperation between the area that became Pakistan and the United States.

And there should be no doubt that this relationship should continue. We welcome this news about the US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies and the benefits that they will bring to Pakistanis.

ers you provide similar products and services, you’re not really shopping around. You may find small differences that don’t really distinguish one from the other.

Think outside the box and find what alternatives are there for the first choice.

For example; if you’re looking for a standard mortgage loan, check with the large banks, but also do visit smaller shops, local banks and independent leaders to see what they offer.

The knowledge you accumulate by finding the alternatives can help you with your negotiation of terms and conditions regardless to which option you end up taking.

Keep in mind Islamic Financing, either you are in the market to buy a home, R.V- truck or car. Now there are choices available even in Islamic financing. Several Islamic provisional institutions such as; Lariba has great

tory Trust (DST) properties may include risks such as, but not limited to, loss of entire investment principal, declining market values, tenant vacancies and illiquidity. Please remember that all investors should speak with their CPA and attorney for tax and legal advice prior to making any investment decisions.

About Dwight Kay: Dwight Kay, founder and CEO of Kay Properties and Investments, LLC (KPI) (www. kpi1031.com), is a Series 7, 22 and MEETING FROM P1

dire consequences like “exposing the corruption of former generals”.

Zardari said the military generals’ tenures were no longer than a few years, but political parties like the PPP virtually lasted forever.

Federal Information minister Rashid said Zardari should have shown some care in his selection of words. “It’s not wise to pass such statements when the military is tackling militancy and terrorism,” he added.

He maintained that national security institutions deserve respect, adding that it was “our duty and obligation to honor the services and sacrifices rendered by our security forces.”

CM FROM P1

accordance,” the letter reads.

The development comes only a day after PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari lashed out at the military establishment for overstepping its domain.

In an uncharacteristically aggressive speech, Zardari warned the military against “the character assassination of his party” saying that if they did not stop, he would expose the misdeeds of many generals.

The deployment of Pakistan Rangers Sindh in Karachi is requi-

Overall Package As mentioned, price isn’t everything.

You could get a cheaper price or rate only to find out that the retailer or the vendor doesn’t provide aftersale service or has a terrible record when it comes to meeting warranty complaints.

The more you check reviews that are not limited to the product but also to the seller, the more likely you will be able to make an informed decision that could save you a lot of money down the road.

Don’t be lured by a cheap rate, which could be a sign of knock-off product or poor quality and service. ( To be continued..)

(Saghir A. Aslam only explains strategies and formulas that he has been using. He is merely providing information, and NO ADVICE is given. Mr Aslam does not endorse or recommend any broker, brokerage firm, or any investment at all, nor does he suggest that anyone will earn a profit when or if they purchase stocks, bonds or any other investments. All stocks or investment vehicles mentioned are for illustrative purposes only. Mr Aslam is not an attorney, accountant, real estate broker, stockbroker, investment advisor, or certified financial planner. Mr Aslam does not have anything for sale.)

Exchange Rates for Currency Notes* Countries

63 licensed, Registered Representative and Real Estate Professional.

His firm, Kay Properties and Investments, specializes in Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) brokerage and advisory services. Kay Properties and Investments currently has offices in Los Angeles as well as in New York City and offers securities through Concorde Investment Services, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, in which KPI is independent from.

sitioned under Article 147 of the Constitution and under clause 1 of subsection 3 of section 4 of AntiTerrorism Act 1997, authorizing Rangers to prevent the commission of terrorist acts and scheduled offences in notified areas.

Rangers personnel in balaclavas on Monday had paid a ‘visit’ to the head office of the Sindh Building Control Authority, held a meeting with its chief and collected ‘relevant details’ about unlawful allotment of land and illegal construction on encroached areas in Karachi during the past decade.

A senior official, asking not to be named, said that most of the questions focused on illegal construction activities, alleged involvement of serving and former SBCA officials in such activities ,and what action had been taken against them.

“It was not a raid at all,” said the official. “No one from the SBCA was grilled or detained and no object was seized.”

He replied in the affirmative when asked whether questions were related to ‘China-cutting’, illegal construction activities and land-mafia operations.

The illegal carving out of smaller residential plots, less than 120 square yards, from a big amenity plot is called ‘China-cutting’.

www.PakistanLink.com

Buying Rs.

USA

UK S.Arabia Japan Euro UAE

Selling Rs.

102.60 157.00 27.15 0.85 115.5 28.00

102.85 157.25 27.40 0.89 115.75 28.25

(*10 June, 2015) U.S. VISA AVAILABILITY IN JUNE, 2015 For Pakistan, Bangla Desh & India Compiled by: Hasan Chishti FAMILY SPONSORED PREFERENCES

Pakistan/Bangla Desh

1st Unmarried sons & daughters of U.S. Citizens

Sept., 1, 2007

Sept., 1, 2007

2-A Spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents

Oct., 1, 2013

Oct., 1, 2013

2-B Unmarried sons & daughters (21 years of age or older) of permanent residents

Sept., 15, 2008

Sept., 15, 2008

3rd

Married sons & daughters of US Citizens Feb., 22 2004

4th

Brothers & sisters of adult U.S. citizens

Sept., 8, 2002

India

Feb., 22, 2004 Sept., 8, 2002

EMPLOYMENT BASED CATEGORY 1st

Priority workers

Current

Current

2nd Members of the professions holding advanced degree or persons of exceptional ability

Current

Oct., 1, 2008

3rd Skilled workers Other workers

Feb., 15, 2015 Feb., 15, 2015

Jan., 22, 2004 Jan., 22, 2004

4th

Current Current

Certain special immigrants Certain religious workers

5th Employment creation Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs

Current

Current Current Current

UNLIMITED FAMILY-BASED Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens (IR): The spouse, widow(er) and unmarried children under 21 of a U.S citizen, and the parent of a U.S. citizen who is 21 or older.

Returning Residents (SB): Immigrants who lived in the United States previously as lawful permanent residents and are returning to live in the U.S. after a temporary visit of more than one year abroad.

RELIGION

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P27

Time: A Blessing and a Trust

Gems from the Holy Qur’an

n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

I

t is He who made the sun a shining radiance and the moon a light, determining phases for it so that you might know the number of years and how to calculate time. Allah did not create all these without a true purpose; He explains His signs to those who understand.

In the succession of night and day, and in what Allah created in the heavens and earth, there truly are signs for those who are aware of Him. (Yunus 10:5-6)

We are at the end of 2012 and are ready to welcome a new year.

We thank Allah for every moment.

We pray to Allah to accept whatever good things we did during this year and forgive us our shortcomings and mistakes. We pray to Him to shower His blessings upon us in the coming year. May He keep us strong in our faith and help us do the righteous deeds.

I would like to reflect with you today on the subject of time. Time is a great blessing of Allah. It is also His blessing that he taught us the ways to calculate time and to know the number of months and years. Calculation of time is part of human civilization and culture.

It helps us to keep track of time for our worship, work and life. It helps us to learn about the past and plan for the future. Islam gives a lot of importance to time and reminds the believers to be conscious of time in their life. Islam does not emphasize only the calculation of time but it gives a lot of importance to quality of time. We should not only count time but also make our time countable. Unfortunately we human beings waste a lot of our precious time.

It is said, that in a lifetime the average American spends about 184,000 hours (almost 21 years) watching television and /or surfing the internet. We also spend about 2-3 years’ time opening the junk mail or reading and deleting junk emails. A wise man once asked, ‘What is the most valuable thing on earth for a human being? And what is the worst thing on earth for a human being?’ For both the answer he gave was, ‘Time.’

Everything in this world, he said, is acquired in time. By losing time we lose everything, even ourselves.

From the translation by Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss) (Recently, a media talk show host, well known for his anti-Muslim bias, saw it fit to make scornful remarks against the Qur’an on TV. In these columns, selections from this Holy Book will be published, so that unacquainted readers of the Pakistan Link may be able to judge for themselves.)

Allah reminds us in the Qur’an that in the movement of time and in the succession and variation (ikhtilaf) of the days and nights there are signs for those who wish to be mindful of Allah and grateful to Him (Al-Furqan 25:62). Each one of us has 24 hours every day at our disposal. There are those who use their time wisely and accomplish a lot. There are also those who waste their time. Time is a non-renewable and non-replaceable resource. If you lose your money you may get it back; if you lose any of your possessions you may find them or replace them, but no one can get back the time that is gone.

Surah al-‘Asr of the Qur’an is a very short Surah.It does not take much time to read it or to memorize it. It, however, gives a very profound lesson and carries with it volumes of meanings. The whole human history is a witness to what is said in this Surah. Allah says, By the (passing) time, man is [deep] in loss, except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one an-

Santa Monica Taxi!

Hiring drivers

other to steadfastness. (Al-Asr 103) In several other Surahs we are reminded about the passing nature of time and how important it is to pay attention to every day and night, nay to every moment. Allah says: By the Daybreak, by the Ten Nights, by the even and the odd, by the passing night—is this oath strong enough for a person of reason? (AlFajr 89:1-5) By the enshrouding night, by the radiant day, by His creation of male and female! The ways you take differ greatly. (Al-Lail 92:1-4) By the dawn and by the night when it grows still. (Al-Duha 93:1-2) Time is a blessing (ni’mah) and it is also a trust (amanah) of Allah.

It is reported in a Hadith, The Prophet –peace be upon him- said, ‘Do not abuse Time, because it is Allah who is time.’ (Muslim, 2246) The scholars say this is a metaphorical (majaz) way of speaking.

The meaning is that it is Allah who has created time and it is He who has given it to you. It is important that we use every moment wisely and do good and useful things. If we do wrong we should not blame time but ourselves. Islam teaches us that we should manage our time in a proper and balanced way.

Some time we should devote to our Lord and Creator by doing the acts of worship, remembering and thanking Him. Some time we should give to ourselves taking care of

Taxi!

with or without experience making up to $1,500/week.

Must Apply in person

Happy 2230 Michigan Ave Santa Monica, CA 90404

Ramadan

310-444-4444

www.PakistanLink.com

our physical needs. Sometime we should spend in study, Halal earning and useful work. Sometime we should give to our families, our spouses, children and for other social needs. Sometime we should give to voluntary and charitable work to help others. No time should be spoiled by committing sins or wasted in useless things. Let us not just count our days, weeks, months and years, let us make them countable and valuable in this life and in the eternal life. Let us make them blessed for us as well as for others.

We have to be conscious of every moment of our life and keep in mind that we shall have to give the account of every moment. On the Day of Judgment Allah will ask: He will say, ‘How many years were you on earth?’ They will reply, ‘We stayed a day or a part of a day, but ask those who keep count.’ He will say, ‘You stayed but a little, if you had only known. Did you think We had created you in vain, and that you would not be brought back to Us? (Al-Mu’minun 23:112-115) The Prophet –peace be upon him- explained this: Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported that the Prophet –peace be upon himsaid, The feet of any person shall not move from their place on the Day of Judgment until he/she is asked about four things: about his life, in which deeds he spent it? About his youth, how he utilized it? About his wealth, how did he earn it and how did he spend it? About his knowledge, what did he do based on it? (Al-Tabarani, Al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, Hadith 16569) These are very serious questions. No one can avoid answering them or give false answers. Let us use our time in such a way that on that Day we would not regret or be ashamed, and embarrassed by our answers.

May Allah bless us and keep us on the right path. Ameen.

(Khutbah at ISOC – Safar 15, 1434/December 28, 2012)

About the translator: Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born of Jewish parents in Livow, Austria (later Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his first visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurter Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam travelled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far East as Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. After years of devoted study he became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age.

His translation of the Holy Qur’an is one of the most lucid and well-referenced works in this category.

Chapter 28, Verse 56 Verily, thou canst not guide aright everyone whom thou lovest: but it is God who guides him that wills (to be guided); and He is fully aware of all who would let themselves be guided.

Chapter 28, Verses 58 – 60 And how many a community that [once] exulted in its wanton wealth and ease of life have we destroyed, so that those dwelling places of theirs – all but a few have never been dwelt-in after them: for it is indeed We alone who shall remain when all else will have passed away!

Yet, withal, thy Sustainer would never destroy a community without having [first] raised in its midst an apostle who would convey unto them our messages; and never would We destroy a community unless its people are wont to do wrong [to one another].

And [remember:] whatever you are given [now] is but for the [passing] enjoyment of life in this world, and for its embellishment – whereas that which is with God is [so much] better and more enduring. Will you not, then, use your reason?

Chapter 28, Verse 73 For it is out of His grace that He has made for you the night and the day, so that you might rest therein as well as seek to obtain [what you need] of His bounty: and [He gave you all this] so that you might have cause to be grateful.

Chapter 28, Verses 83-84 As for that [happy] life in the hereafter, We grant it [only] to those who do not seek to exalt themselves on earth, nor yet to spread corruption: for the future belongs to the God conscious.

Whosoever shall come [before God] with a good deed will gain [further] good therefrom; GEMS, P29

CLASSIFIED & MATRIMONIAL

P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Classified Section NURSE NEEDED RN or LVN needed for caring of an elder lady.

Excellent Pay please contact 626.643.4858

Household work, cooking, for a senior at: Villa Anaheim 3303 West Lincoln Avenue Apt. 150 City of Anaheim, CA 92801.

Call Abdul-Ghani 714/995-8610 with Social Security, California ID.

FOR SALE

Accounting & Tax Practice.

Established 1993. Mesa, Arizona.

Grosses over $ 100,000.

Retiring - Will help new owner settle down.

Call-602-570-1662

LIVE-IN NANNY

Looking for a live in nanny for 2 babies’ ages 5 years and 3 years in Minnesota. Everything will be taken care besides reasonable salary. Please contact.

Khawar Phone # 928-607-8484

Support the Community by Supporting Pakistan Link.

To Advertise or Subscribe in the most popular Pakistani-American newspaper “Pakistan Link” Call 714-400-3400

Matrimonial Link Mother invites proposals for her son, 40 years, 6’-2”, handsome and very healthy, MBA from UC Irvine, owns very successful health care business - seeking attractive, fair color, minimum 5’-3”, educated, Muslim girl. Please leave message at: 714-963-1604

Asslam U Alaikum, looking for a good match for our sister. Sister is from Pakistan, 34 years We are looking for a old, Sunni Muslim, 5 ft professional, educated 5”, never been married, or suitable groom for Associate in Arts/ our sister - 37 years old, Vocational Nursing, US Permanent resident. never married, Sunni, Family oriented, practicing Urdu-speaking, MS Muslim, good family from CSUN University, values.

Please contact us US citizen, attractive, at marriage916@gmail. fair complexion, 5’ 1” com or 214 699 9430 height, professionally registered dietitian.

Place Your Matrimonial Please leave message Ad Today or call: 818-527-0877/ Buy 3 Get 1 FREE! ironline89@yahoo.com call: 714-400-3400 or Email: Sales@pakistanlink.com

Place Your Matrimonial Ad Today Buy 3 Get 1 FREE! call: 714-400-3400 or

Email: Sales@pakistanlink.com Pakistani Sunni Muslim Male, 32, US. Seeking Simple Sunni Muslim woman to get married in sunnah way who follows the basic Islamic rules eats halal pray. 5 Times a day, Send Bio-data with recent photos. age 21 to 35 US Residents/ Citizens only Please contact sunnahwaynikah@yahoo.com

Urdu-speaking sunni Muslim parents seeking compatible match for their US born daughter, 25, 5’7”, slim/fair, 4 year college graduate, professional.

Applicant must be educated and professional with sound family background & religious/ cultural values. Reply at 54musafir@gmail.com Sunni Muslim Urduspeaking Indian parents from religious family seek alliance for their daughter Pharm.D from USA, 5’3’’, 38 years, performs hajj/ Umrah, never married , good natured ,beautiful, seeking educated professional from similar background. Pediatric Pharmacist in a prestigious hospital in Maryland.

Contact: 91- 7498662856 OR 410-298-0142

Read Pakistan Link and Urdu Link online at www.pakistanlink.com www.PakistanLink.com

PAKISTAN CONTRIBUTION FROM P9

destruction by the Islamic State of the ancient history of the Middle East, such as at Nimrud, and attacks on minorities are emblematic of their character. It is also an explicit rejection of the rich Muslim civilization that gloried in cultural, intellectual and philosophic sophistication. Muslims had achieved that reputation for a period of time because society offered its individuals, regardless of religion or race, the possibility of pursuing knowledge and working together to produce peace and prosperity.

I am not advocating a return to the past for a moment. I am merely suggesting that there are lessons in history for us, if only we are prepared to think about and learn from them.

(Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, in Washington D.C. He is working on the film and book project called “Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Empire”) LINCHPIN FROM P8

not happen in one month, or even in one year. Cholesterol does not accumulate in the arteries by eating one good hearty meal; we do not become sinners by committing one sin; nor do we become chronic liars by lying once. It is the supervision and patronage of evil ways that has let all this happen.

In short, it will not be wrong to say that Pakistan is afflicted with what the scholars’ call, “The Othello Error”. This term points towards a deeper problem: it happens so when the honest and good people, expected to rise and resist, even they too begin to act as nervous liars. Kelly M. McMann in her new book, “Corruption as a Last Resort…” perhaps is right when she says, “Economic development specialists used to consider corruption to be a secondary issue. Now, they see it as not merely a factor in dysfunctional economies but also a potential source of extremist violence and terrorism” “Petty corruption” in the form of small bribes, favors, and paid-for votes offered by the average person to get a modest loan, a job or money for food, housing or health care… ordinary people engage in corruption only as a “last resort” because they have lost alternative sources of support. When the head gets rotten, the body automatically gets paralyzed. So corruption for most of the poor, working class people has become a compulsive imperative, a last resort. In such a situation, like water, food and air, corruption too has become the basic element of survival. (Continued next week) WOMEN FROM P23

as a symbol of its modernity. But Air Marshal Shaikh is realistic.

“It will take time before a woman can ever become the head of a branch, or even the head of the air force,” he says — the implication being that we may never live to see it. Still, growing numbers of Pakistani women view an air force career as an option, not just to serve their country but to gain the ultimate feeling of control over their lives.

(Bina Shah is the author of several books of fiction, including, most recently, “A Season for Martyrs”. - The New York Times)

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P29 GEMS FROM P27

but as for any who shall come with an evil deed – [know that] they who do evil deeds will not be requited with more than [the like of] what they have done.

Chapter 28, Verse 85 Verily, [O believer,] He who has laid down this Qur’an in plain terms, making it binding on thee, will assuredly bring thee back [from death] to a life renewed. Say [unto those who reject the truth]: “My Sustainer knows best as to who is right-guided and who is obviously lost in error!” ________________ GESTURE FROM P1

the neighbors.

In a gesture of goodwill, Modi also told Sharif that India would release Pakistani fishermen it had detained for straying into its territorial waters, according to Modi’s office.

Sharif said Pakistan in return would release the Indian fishermen in its custody and told Modi it was time for the two countries to “forget their differences and leave behind talk of confrontation and war,” according to a summary of the call issued by Sharif ’s office.

The apparently friendly tone of the call was a far cry from the bellicose language that was being used on both sides of the border last week.

Modi also upset Pakistani leaders during a recent visit to Bangladesh, where he lashed out at Pakistan, calling it a regional “nuisance.”

Pakistan’s defense minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, suggested Monday that Pakistan would use nuclear weapons if it ever felt threatened by India.

“India must know that the Pakistani atom bomb is not for firecrackers,” he told a Pakistani television station.

In Washington, US officials have been anxiously watching developments from the region. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who is nursing a broken leg, called Sharif on Tuesday to discuss the state of relations between Pakistan and India.

“It’s of enormous concern to all of us for all the obvious reasons,” Kerry said. “These are two very important countries playing a critical role with respect to regional interests. It’s very important that there be no misinterpretation or miscalculation.”

According to another report Kerry’s conversation with Sharif came close on the heels of a call to the Pakistani premier from his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, who reiterated the need for “peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations” between the two countries.

Modi spoke to Sharif, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to extend his wishes on the start of the holy month of Ramzan.

He also announced that India will release detained Pakistani fishermen as a gesture of goodwill.

KPASSEMBLY FROM P1

bills, passing 37 bills this year, compared to 28 in 2013-14, with an increase of 32%.

According to the PILDAT scorecard, the K-P Assembly scored 45% on Legislative Capacity followed by Punjab and Sindh with scores of 44% and 43%, respectively.

Balochistan was again last with a score of just 38%.

With regards to the total number of actual sittings of the Provincial Assemblies for parliamentary year 2014-15, the K-P Assembly again took the lead with 133 sittings, followed by Sindh and Punjab with 63 and 62 sittings, respectively.

The Balochistan assembly only had 47 sittings this year.

ZARDARI FROM P1

the military establishment for overstepping its domain. The former president said army chiefs come and go every three years but the political leadership was here to stay.

“We know the country better and we know how to run its affairs,” he stressed.

He suggested that the establishment separate itself from politics and not interfere in matters out of its domain.

Addressing an oath-taking ceremony for PPP office-bearers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Zardari said, “I know the art of war better than anyone else.”

Organized by former MNA and PPP Fata President Akhunzada Chattan, the event was attended

by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other prominent leaders of the former ruling party.

The PPP co-chairman expressed annoyance at the purported character-assassination campaign against him and his party. “It needs to stop!

There is a limit to everything.”

Warning the establishment, which he accused of tarnishing PPP’s and his image, Zardari said, “Anyone who tries to disturb us will get a befitting response. Be wary! If this doesn’t stop now, I shall come out with a list of generals who have been accused starting from the time Pakistan came into being. And then you’ll spend the rest of your lives providing explanations.”

In an apparent reference to the power he is supposed to wield, the former president said he could bring the whole country to a standstill on a single call. “If I give one call, the whole country from Karachi to Khyber will come to a grinding halt. The lockdown will continue until I call it off.”

Zardari said he wanted to support the Pakistan Army since it was “being challenged by the neighboring India on the borders while terrorist organizations and India’s primary foreign intelligence agency, the Research & Analysis Wing, were creating chaos within Pakistan”.

In the same vein, Zardari said he was aware who pulled the

www.PakistanLink.com

strings of banned outfits and mullahs, alluding to their alleged collusion with the establishment.

Lashing out at his political rivals, the PPP co-chairman said had he supported Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf when it arrived in Islamabad with a sit-in to topple the ruling Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) government, Imran would have succeeded.

“Being a supporter of democracy, I wanted the PML-N government to complete its tenure,” he said. “It would make me happy if the incumbent administration could improve the economy.”

The ruling party will have no excuse that they were not given enough time, said Zardari. “I am not in a hurry. I can wait for the sake of democracy.”

He also lashed out at former president Pervez Musharraf, who has been in Karachi for the past several months and has been politicking from the platform of his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League. “I spent years in jail… but the commando could not spend three months in prison.”

Zardari’s speech comes days after Rangers Sindh chief Maj-Gen Bilal Akbar blamed a nexus of political leaders, civil servants and gang lords of fostering and harboring organized crime and terrorism in Karachi, as well as amid reports that the authorities were mulling over extending the scope of the ongoing operation in Sindh, the province that the PPP has been governing since 2008.

PPP leaders have been making angry speeches in parliament after the Rangers chief ’s statements, but political pundits are attaching much importance to the timing of Zardari’s

speech, since the former president had been in a conciliatory mode on a number of issues after his party lost the 2013 general elections after completing their five-year tenure.

PPP Leaders Back Zardari’s Remarks Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) central executive committee on Wednesday backed its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s antimilitary outburst a day before, saying that all institutions needed to work within their mandated constitutional parameters.

PPP’s central executive committee (CEC) met in Islamabad’s Zardari House on Wednesday, and took notice of media comments on the co-chairman’s remarks made at a party event. The committee noted that only “one part of the speech was emphasized repeatedly”.

The committee, however, resolved to support the military in its crucial offensive against militants — Zarb-i-Azb — and appreciated the sacrifices rendered by the army, police and law-enforcement forces.

Talking to Dawn.com after the conclusion of the CEC meeting, former information minister and senior member of the PPP, Qamar Zaman Kaira, said it had also been decided to field PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto as a candidate for the National Assembly.

Kaira said Bilawal will run for the Lower House from either Sukkur or Larkana, adding that a formal announcement in this regard will be made on Thursday.

2 50 5 E

SPECIAL OFFERS

l Camino

www.ansargallery.us

ADVERTISEMENT

P30 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

Store Hours From

0 00 Real Tustin, Ca 92782 Tel: (949) 220-0

TO

Every Day

79

LB

Chicken Drumsticks

3 99

Mango

Gala Apples

For

$

Lamb Leg With Bone C&H Sugar

3

49 LB

$

Raw Almonds

5

49

LB

Tomatoes

Aman Flaky Paratha

89

6 Pack

49 LB

EA

Arabic Pita Bread

49

LB

69

EA

4 LB

1

$ 99

1

Alwazah Tea Bag

Fancy Medjool Dates

$

Royal Basmati Rice 20 LB

17

99 EA

5

1 Gallon

$ 99

LB

EA

Bettino Pure Corn Oil

$

EA

49 EA

2

$ 29 Chicken Breast

LB

5 LB

$

14

99 EA

Prices valid from

Crystal Geyser Water 24 Pack

06/17/15 To 06/23/15

www.PakistanLink.com

2

$ 49 EA

+CRV

Chana Dal

69

LB

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

JUNE 19, 2015 - PAKISTAN LINK

ENTERTAINMENT

JUNE 19, 2015 – PAKISTAN LINK – P31

The film's shooting had its share of turbulence though, as Humayun had a car accident last year in Bangkok while he was there to shoot the film.

Not to forget Hamza Ali Abbasi's resignation from his political post in Pakistan Tehriki Insaaf (PTI) owing to the oh-so-shameful trailer of the film in which he checks out a bikini-clad woman! The actor had announced on his Facebook that he 'did something against what he preached'.

H

umayun Saeed's Jawaani Phir Nahi Ani has finally wrapped up shooting for its release on Eidul Azha this year.

Attended by the cast and crew, the wrap-up bash saw Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmad Ali Butt, Vasay Chaudhry, Mehwish Hayat, Aisha Khan and Sarwat Gillani and others celebrating its completion.

Speaking about the film, Humayun said: "The final day of the shoot was quite tough as it was very hot in Karachi so it was a relief that it went smoothly. We had previously shot in Thailand, which was very enjoyable.

Hamza, Ahmed, Vasay and I also got our faces clean shaved for the final portion which was quite fun. The entire team including cast members, crew and myself are very happy with the final results and excited to see the feedback from audiences now".

The film's trailer, which closely resembles the Hollywood trilogyHangover, shows the lead actors partying and having the time of their lives.

www.Pakistanlink.com www.PakistanLink.com

ADVERTISEMENT

P32 – PAKISTAN LINK – JUNE 19, 2015

www.PakistanLink.com