The Frontier Post E-Paper 27 April, 2015

MONDAY, april 27, 2015

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Lahore Edition

PPP not weakened in other provinces: Zardari Says Lyari has always been a PPP stronghold and remains the party’s bastion till date Announces Rs 1bn Lyari development

package Says he will hold leadership fort till Bilawal and Asifa take the helm Vows not to politicise Chinese investment

KARACHI: Former president and co-

chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari, dispelled the impression that his party had weakened in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

His comments came a day after PPP came under criticism from observers and media commentators over party’s dismal performance in the cantonment elections held across Pakistan on Saturday.

He was addressing a rally in Lyari's Kakri ground said Lyari had always been a PPP stronghold and remains the party's bastion till date.

In an emotional speech to party workers and supporters, Zardari said he will hold the leadership fort "till Bilawal and Asifa take the helm." Talking about the importance of Lyari for the PPP, Zardari said, "Some of our rivals may not remember, but I was elected to the National Assembly from Lyari for the first time ever; Benazir had herself asked me to contest election from Lyari."

"Lyari is the place where I was married to Benazir Bhutto; this is the place we began our marital life," Zardari reminded the crowd. The PPP co-chair said the people of Lyari had rendered countless

sacrifices for the party; "the list of martyrs is too long," he said. "Sometimes Bilawal comes to Lyari without telling me," said the former president.

Zardari said today's rally in Lyari was the beginning of PPP's journey for the next election. "We have initiated our election campaign from Lyari. This is the first in a series of rallies we will hold across Pakistan." "I request all of you to strengthen your party. It is time we transfer the reigns to the younger generation so that new leaders are groomed."

Zardari also announced a development package for the people of Lyari. "Sindh Chief Minister has sent gifts for Lyari in the form a Rs1 billion fund including the Bilawal Bhutto Engineering college and a low-housing scheme that will comprise flats," said Zardari.

"The CM has also promised that daily wages workers will be made permanent." We know that water is a major issue in the area and I have told Shah sahab to resolve the issue in three months."

Talking about the recent development projects announced during Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan, Zardari said his party will not politicise the investment. "We will take our Baloch brothers on board

and address their problems," said Zardari. The foundations of a solid Pakistan-China relationship were laid by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto along with Mao Zedong, he said. In a warning to the Indian leadership, Zardari spoke up for the Muslims in Indian-held Kashmir.

"I know all that is happening in Kashmir. I want to tell the Indian leadership to stop treating our Kashmiri brothers unfairly; you may awaken the rising Muslim population in India."

Lyari has long been a stronghold of PPP supporters. Since the 1970 general election, the Karachi locale has been an unbending vote bank of the PPP. The PPP has won every national and provincial election that it has contested from Lyari from 1970 right up till the 2008 election. It is also the venue of the first large rally that Benazir Bhutto held in Karachi ─ and the venue of her marriage to Asif Ali Zardari in 1987.

Tight security measures were taken for the public meeting, which was organised by the party’s Karachi division, and policemen and women were deployed at key points in Lyari to prevent untoward incidents. —FP Monitoring

Pakistanis’ sentiments for Harmain Shareefain unprecedented: Imam-e-Kaaba ISLAMABAD: Imam-e-Kaaba Dr Shaikh

Khalid al-Ghamidi Sunday said emotions of people of Pakistan for the Harmain Shareefain were unprecedented.

The Imam-e-Kaaba, in an interview to a news channel, said during his visit to Pakistan he had spent two busy days with its people who proved their exceptional love and affection for Harmain Shareefain.

Replying to a question, he said Houthi rebels had let a reign of terror in Yemen by attacking educational institutions, mosques, madaris (religious seminaries), ousting the legitimate government and genocide of women.

He said the military operation by the coalition of Arab countries against the rebels was the reaction of the cruelty meted out to Muslims there. "The step is to help the oppressed Muslims living in Yemen and we will succeed by the grace of Allah Almighty."

Ghamidi said there were confirmed reports that the group of rebels had the ill motives to expand their activities to Saudi Arabia and attack sacred places of Makkah and Madina. "But, I am confident that in the presence of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan no one can dare to cast an evil eye on the Harmain Shareefain," he added.

Answering another question, he said all possible options were adopted to resolve the issue amicably but nothing could materialize. The military operation was launched as a last resort. He was astonished that the rebel group was highly trained and equipped with the latest weapons and technologies. "It is surprising from where they got all this and how," he said. He said it was a historic fact that Saudi Arabia never resorted to aggression against any neighbour or other coun-

try rather it tried to promote harmony among all religions and sects.

The Saudi government, he added, also never indulged in sectarianism, as people belonging to different schools of thought were living in the country peacefully. He rejected the impression that Saudi Arabia only supported a specific sect, saying that the Kingdom always dealt with all Muslims without any discrimination.

Commenting on activities of Taliban and Daish, he said they were wrongly interpreting the teachings of Holy Quran and Sunnah of Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

He said Islam was the religion of peace, harmony and brotherhood and it never allowed anyone to take lives of innocent people. "Islam gives the lesson of peaceful co-existence where follower of every religion feels himself secure," he added. —FP Monitoring

4 killed, 18 injured in Sibi explosion

ISLAMABAD: At least four people were killed and 18 others injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan's southwest Sibi district on Sunday, officials said.

Anwar Khetran, district police officer (DPO), said that the some unknown militants exploded the bomb with a remote controlled device in Chakar Khan area of Sibi, a district located in the country's southwest Balochistan province.

The bomb disposal unit said that an estimated two to three kg of explosive materials fixed at a roadside parked motorbike were used in the blast. Target of the blast has yet to be

ascertained. Several nearby shops and buildings were damaged in the blast. The injured people have been shifted to Civil Hospital Sibi where at least three of them were reportedly in critical condition.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.

Police cordoned off the area for investigations.

Both President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the blast and directed the hospital administration to provide best possible medical treatment to the injured people. —Xinhua

35 dead, over 150 hurt in Peshawar windstorm, rains

PESHAWAR: Thirty-five people lost

their lives and over 150 others sustained injuries in structures collapse and other incidents triggered by windstorm coupled with heavy rains that lashed the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhunkhwa on Sunday.

According to rescue officials, many houses collapsed in Gahdu Samarbagh area of Peshawar, killing several people.

At least 100 injured people have been brought to Lady Ready Hospital. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Shehram Tarkai confirmed the death toll. "Some 20 dead bodies have been brought to hospital," Tarkai said.

Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani that efforts were under way to rescue the people trapped under the rubble of collapsed houses. “We have declared emergency in all government-run hospitals of Peshawar,” Ghani said. Apart from Peshawar, there are reports of casualties in Nowshehra as well.

According to provincial minister Zia Afridi, the death toll has mounted to 35 and the number of injured to 150. He said the majority of tragic incidents took place in the outskirts of Peshawar. Gail wind and heavy downpour caused ceilings of a number of clay houses and walls to collapse and trees to rip apart in Noshehra, Akbarpura and areas located in the out-

Nawaz grieved at rain-related deaths LONDON: Prime Minister Muham-

mad Nawaz Sharif Sunday expressed grief over the losses of life and properties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province due to torrential rains. The prime minister, who is on a visit to London, extended condolences to the grieved families. He asked the provincial government and disaster management authorities to gear up the rescue efforts for controlling the damage. — FP Monitoring

skirts of Peshawar. Similar incidents were also reported in Charsadda road, Badho Sumar Bagh and Badhni area. The dead and injured, including women and children, have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital, said rescue services.

According to the hospital sources, dead bodies of a husband and wife brought to the facility became victims when the ceiling of their house located in Shabqadar area caved in.

Rescue work is still underway in the affected areas. However, the rescue services facing difficulties posed by bucketing rains. —FP Monitoring

Mamnoon returns home after four-day Turkey visit

ISTANBUL: President Mamnoon Hus-

sain Sunday left for Pakistan after concluding his four-day official visit to Turkey at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart President Recep Tayyip Erdogon.

The President represented Pakistan at the Centenary Anniversary of Canakkale Sea and Land Battles, which took place during the First World War. On the sidelines of the commemoration ceremonies, the President interacted with other participating world leaders, said a press release.

President Mamnoon Hussain arrived in Istanbul on April 22 and was received at Ataturk International Airport by Kenan Ipek, Turkish Minister for Justice, Governor Istanbul Vasip Sahin, Ambassador of Pakistan Sohail Mahmood and senior officials of the Turkish government and members of the Pakistan Embassy. On the second day, President Mamnoon attended the High Level Segment of the Peace Summit, chaired

by Turkish Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Ahmet Davutoglu and addressed by the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand and President of Iraq.

He interacted with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prince of Wales

Prince Charles and other world leaders on the sidelines of other events related to the Peace Summit.

The President and the First Lady also attended the dinner hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emine Er-

dogan in honour of the participating leaders. President Mamnoon had a bilateral meeting with the President of Albania, Bujar Nishani.

The President underscored Pakistan's desire to strengthen relations with Albania in the economic, trade and cultural fields.

The President stated that high level contacts were necessary for maintaining and expanding friendly cooperation between Pakistan and Albania.

He stressed the need for exchange of parliamentary visits and close cooperation at the level of parliamentary friendship groups in both countries.

President Bujar Nishani said that the people of Albania considered Pakistan as a sincere friend.

He said that Albania desired expansion of bilateral relations with Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan could take advantage from Albania's expertise in textile, tourism, mining, energy and agriculture sectors.

The Albanian President also extended invitation to President Mamnoon to visit his country that was reciprocated by the latter.

President Mamnoon along with other world leaders visited Canakkale, the venue of epic land and sea battles over 100 years ago.

He offered prayers and laid a wreath at the Mehme‡ik Memorial (Turkish War Soldiers) and at the Cape Helles during the Commonwealth Commemoration Ceremony.

Later the President joined other leaders at a dinner hosted by the Turkish President.

During his stay at Canakkale, the President held a meeting with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The President felicitated the Turkmenistan President on the 20th Anniversary of Turkmenistan's Declaration of Neutrality and reaffirmed Pakistan's support for this initiative. —FP Monitoring

2 Pakistani aircraft carrying relief goods reach Nepal ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani C-130 air-

crafts loaded with relief goods landed at Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu Sunday.

The two aricrafts carrying medical team of doctors and paramedics, a 30-bed hospital, medicines, tents, water, dry food, a search and rescue team with equipment had been sent to Nepal on the directives of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif with the active collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Foreign Office spokeserson in a statement.

She said Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, National Disaster Management Authority, the embassies of Pakistan in Kathmandu and Nepal in Islamabad and the Nepalese Authorities had been cooperating in this regard.

Pakistan's Ambassador to Nepal and other embassy officials were present at the airport to facilitate and extend logistical support to Pakistan relief assistance team. Besides making efforts for the relief assistance to Nepal Government, the embassy also reached out to the Pakistani expatriate community members to extend them necessary support. Two more Pakistani C-130 Aircraft with relief assistance will land in Kathmandu on April 27 (Monday). —FP Monitoring

Imran admits failure to organise PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

(PTI) Chairman Imran Khan insisted that 2015 would be the year of general elections.

Speaking at a youth convention in Islamabad on Sunday, Khan lamented that PTI could not become an organized party. But he said that PTI would confront both PPP and PMLN single-handedly.

He said that two major parties would have come into power over the next 30 years if he had not launched the PTI. “I formed the PTI to break the status quo,” Khan said.

Both PML-N and PPP could not dare to field their candidates in NA-246, Khan said. “I am proud of Imran Ismail’s courage,” he said.

Khan said his party wants to bring a system of justice and equality in the country. —FP Monitoring

LAHORE

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SHAHBAZ GRIEVED AT LOSS OF LIVES IN PESHAWAR

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives due to torrential rain in Peshawar. In a condolence message, the Chief Minister expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed souls in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the members of the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude. —FP Monitoring

www.thefrontierpost.pk

MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

YASIN VISITS SHADMAN SUNDAY BAZAAR LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Food and Chairman Cabinet Price Control Committee Bilal Yasin has said that government is aware of problems of common man. He said that continuous relief is being provided to the people through a comprehensive mechanism under which prices of edible items have reduced considerably. He expressed these views while talking to consumers during his visit to Shadman Sunday Bazaar today. The Minister inspected cleanliness and security matters in Sunday Bazaar and directed that besides provision of cheap and quality daily use commodities to the consumers in Sunday bazaar, elderly citizens and handicapped persons should also be facilitated. —FP Monitoring

Health Dept exploiting patients

L AHO RE: Substantial irregularities have been detected in the purchase of hepatitis medicine by Punjab health department discriminating local industry and depriving thousands of poor patients of benefit of treatment.

According to the details provincial government had allocated Rs 2.44 billion to be spend for prevention and control of hepatitis in three years as every 13th person is infected with either hepatitis B or C with majority living in Punjab. A decision was taken to spend Rs 750 million in the first year and the health authorities of Punjab decided to purchase medicine from multinationals on double cost ignoring local pharmaceuticals.

To deprive local industry, an unlawImam-e-Kaaba along with Khawaja Saad Rafique, Prof Sajid Mir, Abid Sher Ali and others at a seminar held by Jamiat Ahel Hadith at a local hotel. —FP Photo ful condition WHO study was inserted in the tender; an excuse never used in the history of Pakistan. The move was based on malafide intentions and personal welfare as it was against the provisions of Drug Act and Section 10 of the Punjab Procurement Rules.

WHO study is not mandatory as per the law of the land and that hepatitis medicine produced locally since five STAFF REPORT tinguished guest. He said that the on love, sincerity and truth and can nevSTAFF REPORT strong relations between the two coun- er be undermined. He said that the lead- LAHORE: Provincial Agriculture MinisLAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Shah- tries are not a secret and Saudi Arabia erships of the two countries are com- ter Dr Farrukh Javed has said the Punbaz Sharif has said that the visit of has stood by Pakistan in all times of war mitted to the service of Islam. He said jab government will ensure the protecImam-e-Kaba Dr Khalid Al Ghamidi and peace. He said that the role played that Saudi Arabia equally helps all tion of farmers rights in wheat harvestis an honour and blessing and he wel- by Saudi Arabia in the economic de- Muslim countries and Muslims and ing and procurement campaign.

He said that wheat will be procured comes him from the core of his heart velopment of Pakistan cannot be de- this process is continuing since the era on behalf of himself, government and scribed in words. He said that the of Malik Abdul Aziz. He said that ac- from small farmers first and they will get people of Pakistan especially Punjab. strong bond of love and brotherhood cording to the Holy Quran, all Muslims due return of their hard work. He in- SHAHPER HASSAN He said that Pakistan is like a second that exists between Saudi Arabia and are one Ummah and their joys and sor- structed the officers and staff of Agriculture Department to personally visit LAHORE: The residents of Old Muslim home for Saudi people and likewise Pakistan is unprecedented in the history rows are common.

Earlier, when Imam-e-Kaba Dr Khalid wheat procurement centers and help Town have long been complaining Saudi Arabia for the people of Pakistan. of the world. He said that Imam-e-Kaba He said that there are deep-rooted personally witnessed this fact during his Al-Ghamidi reached Model Town, he providing relief to the farmers. He said about the problems they face while brotherly, spiritual, religious and friend- visit and people fully demonstrated was accorded an enthusiastic welcome that no negligence in this regard will be burying their loved ones as the ly relations between Pakistan and Sau- their deep love and respect for him by Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad tolerated. He asked the staff to imme- already present graveyards have no Shahbaz Sharif. A one-to-one meeting diately contact ministry of agriculture space for more graves but they are di Arabia which are unprecedented. He where ever he went.

He said that Imam-e-Kaba has come was also held between Chief Minister and food in case of any problem and dis- forced to bury their dead relatives said that Saudi Arabia has stood by Pakistan in all phases of its history and gen- from the holiest place of the Muslims Shahbaz Sharif and Imam-e-Kaba Dr crepancy. He asked the administration there. erously helped it in the times of floods, and he is the Imam of that sacred Khalid al-Ghamidi in which matter of to minimise the role of middle man in Shahzad Chohan, who lives in the earthquakes and natural calamities. mosque in the direction of which Mus- mutual interest and Pak-Saudi relations wheat procurement campaign.

United States of America and is back Dr Farrukh Javed said that due to the home these days, is one of those No one can harm the relationship be- lims from all over the world offer their were discussed. Provincial Ministers Bitween Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, cre- prayers. Imam-e-Kaba Dr Khalid al- lal Yasin, Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, blessings of Almighty Allah and hard many residents of Old Muslim Town ate differences between them or sepa- Ghamidiwhile speaking on the occasion, Rana Mashhood Ahmed, Member Na- work of farmers, there is a bumper who is of the view overcrowded gravesaid that it is the most important and tional Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Advisor wheat crop during the current year. He yards is one of the many issues in the rate them, he vowed.

He was addressing a function held in the happiest day of his life that he is Kh. Salman Rafique, Senator Prof. said that Punjab chief minister has an- City that need to be addressed imthe honour of Imam-e-Kaba Dr Khalid among those people with whom he Sajid Mir, Member Provincial Assem- nounced to provide ten thousand trac- mediately.

Al Ghamidi on Sunday. The chief min- has relationship of heart. He thanked bly Rana Sanaullah Khan, Chairman tors on concessional rates to small farmHe says, “I have firsthand experience ister said that it is a day of joy and ho- Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Tahir ers, which is a remarkable step. “The as I am an eyewitness to the burial of nour for Pakistanis that a great per- Shahbaz Sharif for his warm welcome Mahmood Ashrafi, Hanif Jalundhri, Punjab government will give a subsidy some of my close relatives, friends’ relsonality like Imam-e-Kaba is present and hospitality. He said that he has vis- Maualana Fazal ur Rahim of Jamia of Rs two lakh per tractor to small farm- atives and neighbors.” “It is a basic need among them. He said that Imam-e- ited different countries of the world but Ashrafia, Maulana Raghib Hussain ers and this farmer-friendly programme as dying is a natural process, we are not Kaba has come to Pakistan for the first the love and affection he had received Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia, leading will be launched from the next financial demanding some extra facility for our time and it is hoped that he will con- here is unforgettable. He said that the Ulema of all schools of thought, Chief year,” said the minister. He also said that town this community.” tinue to pay visits to the country. He sentiments expressed by Shahbaz Sharif Secretary Punjab, Inspector General Po- the subsidised tractors will be given to “We still have the graveyard called lice and authorities concerned were those small farmers having up to 12.5 “Ravaa Qabristan” (Ravva Graveyard), said that people of Pakistan, from will always be remembered by him.

He said that Pak-Saudi ties are based also present on the occasion. acre of land.

Karachi to Peshawar, welcome their diswe as residents have been going to this

Imam-e-Ka’aba visit an honour for Pakistani nation: CM

Farmers’ rights will be ensured, says minister

years is being used by leading institutions, administered to millions of patients and exported without any complaints regarding quality, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW. But, health officials were quick to disqualify local companies including one which has the honour of having only WHO certified laboratory in Pakistan which, he added. He said that purchasing medicine from local industry can help double number of poor patients as local product is half the price of that being purchased from multinationals but this fact was not enough to move health and procurement authorities. Health authorities are using one pretext or other to prefer multinationals facing corruption charges in dozens of countries after the national companies started manufacturing the cost effective medicine.

Recently, Sindh government tried to purchase hepatitis medicine from the same foreign companies but the Sindh High Court frustrated collusion of the government officials and multinationals by cancelling the tender terming it unconstitutional, illegal and based on malafide intentions. —DNA

Graveyards with no space an issue for citizens

graveyard for the last six decades, and it was packed then and now its condition has gotten worse.”

Recalling the burial of his grandfather he said it was a horrible experience, adding “some of these memories stay with us forever.”

“My each visit to Pakistan is also part of the graveyard I am talking about because of the graves my ancestors, friends, and neighbours.” “I have lived in the US for 15, 16 years, and there is no much difference as it looks same, no space, no walkway, no entrance, and it has become permanent place for some addicts and so-called religious people who claim to be “Peers” having no sense about religion and its moral values.”

Lamenting over the situation, Shahzad asked, “Why are we burring people in the same place over and over again?” He says the Punjab government must look into the matter, adding he is in discussion with people concerned who could help them get some piece of land to be utilised for the purpose of a graveyard.

Families of deceased students Murtaza and Zain meet Shahbaz

LAHORE: The heirs of Murtaza who was murdered in Askari-10 and Zain who was killed in Cavalry Ground met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday and were given cheques of financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each.

The cheques were received by the mothers of the deceased. Talking to the affected families, the chief minister also

announced that Punjab government will bear educational expenses of the children of both the families. He also announced provision of a job to the brother of deceased Murtaza. He said that though the deceased cannot be brought back but demands of justice will be fulfilled and Punjab government will follow the cases.

Shahbaz Sharif also ordered all out protection to the families of Murtaza and

‘Business sector in the doldrums’

LAHORE: Former Governor of Punjab and Senior Member Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Mohammed Sarwar said, "Pakistan as a developing economy has a high agriculture to manufacturing ratio. The business sector of Pakistan which can help Pakistan prosper as an economy remains in the doldrums. Prominent businesses are subjected to inadequate energy policies where power outages are a norm and the government does not seem to have a solution to resolve the energy crises and it is now using this as an excuse to shut down businesses early which will mean lower GDP and loss of income as well as jobs.

During a telephonic conversation with various prominent business personalities, Sarwar expressed his concerns a regarding the current business situation

of Pakistan. He said, "One of the key organs of businesses to function is constant power supply. Without it, businesses can no longer produce or prosper. The government's decision to cut all power supply in industries by 8 pm, has added to the current energy crisis.

Gas, water and power shortages have all punched the economy in a dreadful manner. Moreover, political instability and lack of dialogue regarding the core problems of business have played a major role in worsening the economy.

With vigorously changing economic and trading policies, businesses continue to suffer and regress."In his conclusive statement, the former Governor stated, "Keeping in light the whole business scenario, PTI will ensure to devise an effective policy favoring business men and traders.” —DNA

Zain. He directed CCPO Lahore to present challan of the cases in the court as soon as possible. Those who met chief minister included mother and brother of deceased Murtaza and mother, uncle and aunt of Zain. Federal Minister for Railways Kh Saad Rafique, Mrs Khawaja Saad Rafique, MPA Yasin Sohal, CCPO Lahore and SSP Investigation were also present on the occasion. —DNA

Seminar to pay tribute to Asad Sahi STAFF REPORT

LAHORE: The Punjab University (PU) Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) is organising a seminar on “Crime Investigative Reporting: A Tribute to Asad Sahi” today (Monday) at 10:30am.

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran will preside over the event, while Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, Secretary Afzaal Talib, senior crime reporter Jameel Chisti, senior crime reporter Mirza Naseer Baig, Najam Wali Khan, Mian Habibullah, Ajmal Niazi, Maqsood Butt and crime reporters from all over Lahore will attend the seminar. ICS Director Dr Noshina Saleem, all faculty members and students will also be present on the occasion to pay tribute to the journalistic services of late Asad Sahi.

A boy collects used shopping bags and other waste material from the Fruit Market. —Mohsin Raza

Schoolbags, stationery items distributed STAFF REPORT

LAHORE: The Punjab Education Foun-

dation (PEF) on Sunday distributed school bags and other stationary items in selected partner schools from the southern region of the province.

Stationery items were also given to school partners to be distributed among students. A function was held at PEF re-

gional office in Multan with regional director Shafiq Ahmad in the chair. He distributed bags and stationery items and expressed hoped that these little gifts will develop interest in students and they will study hard.

He said that these gifts are given by different corporate entities under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles. These schools are selected on the basis of their performance.

News anchors served legal notices STAFF REPORT

LAHORE: The Punjab University administration through its legal advisor, Malik Muhammad Awais Khalid, has served legal notice to private TV channels anchors for mental agony, damaging reputation and defamation. It was stated in the legal notice that in the programmes, realities and facts are deliberately hidden and are distorted or completely ignored.

NATIONAL

MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

TWO AFGHANS ARRESTED FOR GETTING CNIC

MARDAN: Local police have arrested a former employee of an Afghan security agency and his son for getting Pakistan’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), police said. According to the City police station, Afghan national Ismail alias Sapahi Khan along with his son Mohammad Ishaq of Qandoz (Afghanistan) were arrested for receiving CNIC, showing themselves as Pakistani citizens. Police said Ismail worked for an Afghan security agency and was known as Sapahi Khan. According to the police, an Afghan national was wanted by Risalpur police in a murder case. Police have registered a case against both the Afghan nationals. —MOHAMMAD RIAZ MAYAR

MARDAN: Twenty-one shopkeepers were booked on Sunday for allegedly building shops on land reserved for a graveyard in the limits of Katlang police station, police said. Zafar Ali, an employee of the Auqaf Department working as a watchman for the Katlang Graveyard, told police that on the order of Peshawar High Court (PHC) 21 shops built on the graveyard land at Katlang bazaar were demolished and the land was handed over to Amjad Ali, manager for the Auqaf Department. Police have registered a case against the shopkeepers under Sections 447 and 149 of Pakistan penal code. —OUR CORRESPONDENT

Traders to down shutters against shops’ closure tomorrow

Mehtab grants Rs 2m to Mansehra Kidney Centre MANSEHRA: The Governor of

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi, has praised the services of non-government organisations (NGO) and institutions for helping the ailing humanity.

Announcing Rs 2 million grant to Kidney Centre in Mansehra, at the opening of Renal Dialysis Unit and OPD services, the governor urged philanthropists to encourage non-government organizations (NGO) working in the medical field. “The role of Pakistan Kidney Centre for patients of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas is commendable.” —DNA

SWAT: The Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital in Swat, 99 per cent work of which has been completed, will be inaugurated soon for treatment of the poor, Dr Javed Akram, vice chancellor, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, said on Sunday. He said Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the University have started installation of necessary equipments at the hospital.

“With the establishment of the hospital, people of Swat and adjacent areas would be facilitated particularly patients of lung transplants and dialysis,” he informed. Engineer Amir Muqam, advisor to the prime minister, was also present on the occasion. Dr Javed Akram said that the Punjab Hospitals Trust had established the hospital at the cost of Rs 428 million. —APP

Provinces plan scanners on key points ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Inte-

rior and Narcotics Control has set up police and Rangers check points at all major crossing points, including bridges, in the bordering districts to check movement of criminals across the provincial boundaries, Official sources said on Sunday. The meetings with police authorities of adjoining districts of other provinces are held on a regular basis to exchange information regarding the crime situation and notable criminals. The sources said in case criminals from other provinces are apprehended, they are handed over to respective police authorities. —APP

Teenage girl drowns in river SYED MAAZ JAN UPPER DIR: A 15-year-old girl was

washed away in the Barawal River water in the limits of Dir police station on Sunday. Kainat Bibi, daughter of Mohammad Rahim, of Chukyatn had gone to fetch water from a spring near the river-bank when she slipped into deep water. Local divers recovered the girl’s body. She was later buried in the village graveyard by the bereaved family.

ISLAMABAD: The traders of federal

RAwAlPINdI: The little girl whose house was burnt in Saturday’s fire takes a nap on the household items. —dNA

Parents, children demand school in Swat Valley SHEHZAD KHAN MINGORA: Residents of the Makad

area and their children took to the streets, demanding establishment of a school in their area of Charbagh tehsil on Sunday.

The protesters said they had been deprived of education because there was no school in their village of the Swat Valley which is as far as 20 kilometres from Mingora in the constituency of Dr Haider Ali Khan, Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI).

The protesters shouted slogans and criticized the Khyber Pakhtukhwah (KP) government for undermining education in the under privileged area of Swat district.

They mocked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s newly launched (Ghar Aya Ustad ) project for education and criticised it. They said the village children were in dire need of a school. “Unfortunately, having no school in their area is the hindrance that stands in the way of education,” said the protesters.

“The KP government’s educational

policy is incomprehensible,” they said, adding the government should first establish schools before teachers are sent homes and motivate children to get them admitted to schools.”

They criticised the ‘Gar Aya Ustad’ project and said the newly-framed project to promote education in remote areas was nothing but a waste of time and money.

Both the protesting students and parents demanded of the provincial government to immediately issue directives to establish schools for boys and girls and lessen their woes.

Imran and Mushahid firm on fighting environment challenges ISLAMABAD: Senator Mushahid Hus-

sain Syed has stressed clean and beautiful rivers for healthy environment, saying the Korang River Clean-up awareness initiative would have longterm impact on the local residents who in turn will ensure not only its beauty and cleanliness, but promote awareness about environment for Islamabad also.

Addressing participants of the ‘Keep Korang Klean’ programme, organised by the Green Force, an Islamabad-based environmental organisation, in collaboration with the Green Volunteers and Waste Busters, he said the objective was to create awareness to clean up the heavily-polluted Korang River and threats to the environment.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who also came to the site to support the cause of the environment, mingled with students and encouraged them greatly, saying “my party and I are committed to

the cause of promoting a clean environment in Islamabad and we will support this issue at all levels from the grassroots to the parliament.”

Imran Khan said he would direct PTI’s newly-elected councillors in local government to make clean environment a top priority in their work. He also highlighted the Billion Tree Tsunami campaign of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, which is considered as nation’s largest ever tree plantation drive.

“It is scandalous that the criminal negligence of relevant authorities is allowing the critical source of drinking water, for people residing in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, to be polluted thereby causing serious health issues,” regretted Senator Mushahid Hussain, while noting that the nondegradable plastic bags, sewage, chemical waste and other garbage was being thrown upstream into the river, and polluted water reaches the Rawal Lake,

which is the principal water source for Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Boosting the morale of participants, he also lauded the commitment and positive contribution of the Green Force to protect and preserve the natural beauty of Islamabad, terming to combat the environmental challenges as collective responsibility. He urged the civil society group to play more proactive role in this regard and assured the participants that he, as parliamentarian representing the Federal Capital, would serve as the voice of a 'Clean & Green Islamabad' in the Senate.

About a hundred school students of age group 13 to 19 years have taken part in the river clean-up competition, where 10 teams consisting of 10 children each, worked for one and a half hour tirelessly to collect garbage from the Korang River, which has suffered from massive amounts of pollution for decades.–APP

Surgeon of stomach ‘patient’ goes scot-free OUR CORRESPONDENT MARDAN: A smuggler and a man

whom he had used for smuggling 99 capsules full of heroin, asking him to consume them, were arrested while the surgeon who operated upon the man to recover the capsules was declared innocent after investigation,

police sources said on Sunday.

On March 29, the City police following a tip had arrested a man identified as Amin Khan, resident of Ibrahim Khan Kalley, in front of Takbir Hospital on Bahadar Khan Road driving a car No. B-5470 and recovered 21 capsules filled with heroin along with a discharge slip of the hospital on the letter-

head of Dr Afsar Khan, police said.

In his preliminary investigation, Amin Khan told police that Mushtaq, a resident of Sheikh Shahzad Town, Charssada Road, had told him (Amin Khan) to smuggle the recovered heroin abroad in return for Rs 3 million to which he agreed.

Mushtaq brought him to his home and gave him 99 capsules to consume.

capital in an emergency meeting at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry have unanimously announced to go for complete shutter down in Islamabad on 28th April 2015 to register their strong protest against the government decision for forced closure of shops at 8:00 pm.

The decision was announced by Abdul Rauf Alam Group Leader after thorough consultation with Presidents and General Secretaries of local market unions at ICCI. Muzzamil Hussain Sabri President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kamran Abbasi President Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries, Ajmal Baloch President Anjuman-e-Tijaran Pakistan, Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry President Markazi Anjuman-e-Tijaran Islamabad, Presidents and General Secretaries of Market Unions of Islamabad and a large number of business community was present at the occasion.

The traders in a previous meeting had constituted a Committee under the leadership of Abdul Rauf Alam Group Leader to negotiate with the government on this sensitive issue. Muzzamil Hussain Sabri President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kamran Abbasi President Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries, Ajmal Baloch President Anjuman-e-Tijaran Pakistan, Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry President Markazi Anjuman-e-Tijaran Islamabad were its members.

The traders said that government should have taken them on board before taking unilateral decision of forced closure of shops in Islamabad.

They said the local administration has

started visiting main markets of Islamabad to pressurize shopkeepers for forced closure of shops, which was highly condemnable.

They vowed that they would never accept closure of shops by 8:00 in Islamabad and threatened that if local administration used any coercive measures, all traders would strongly resist such moves.

Muzzamil Hussain Sabri, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that government should fully respect the unanimous decision of traders community and should avoid implementing its unilateral decisions on them forcefully.

He said if trading community of Islamabad came on roads, it will create law & order situation in the city. He said government should take business community on board on important matters so that with joint efforts, economy could be revived.

Kamran Abbasi President Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries, Ajmal Baloch President Anjuman-e-Tijaran Pakistan, Muhammad Kashif Chaudhry President Markazi Anjuman-e-Tijaran Islamabad, Presidents and market unions also addressed the meeting and appealed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to take notice of coercive bureaucratic tactics of the local administration against traders.

They called upon the Prime Minister to immediately withdraw his decision that was taken without consulting them.

They warned that if government did not pay heed to their strike call, they would take next line of action in the next meeting after April 28 to protect their rights at every cost. -DNA

Floods, displacements major cause of malaria spread, PRCS chief says ISLAMABAD: Floods and displace-

ments have increased malaria patients in Pakistan as over half a million people fall prey to this disease each year, Chairman, Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Dr Saeed Elahi said on Sunday.

Speaking at a function organised by PRCS in connection with the World Malaria Day, Dr Elahi said infants and pregnant women were the most vulnerable to malaria with high mortality rate.

He further said with the ever-increasing population growth and uncontrolled urbanization together with the deteriorating sanitary conditions, environmental hazards and natural catastrophes droughts, heavy rains, earthquake and floods had increased the malariogenic potential in Pakistan.

Dr Elahi said during 2013-14 the number of malaria patients had increased and keeping in view the alarming situation PRCS would create awareness among the public for the prevention of malaria.

Encroachments campaign begins M AKRAM KHAN FARIDI SHEIKHUPURA: Traffic Police on

Sunday launched a special campaign to remove encroachments on footpaths from busy roads of Sheikhupura city to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The police started the encroachment campaign from Bhatti Chowk, Civil Quarter Road and the Jinnah Park Chowk which they cleared the footpaths of vendors. On the occasion, police asked people to park their vehicles in the parking lots reserved for this purpose so as to avoid traffic jams.

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21 BOOKED FOR BUILDING SHOPS ON GRAVEYARD LAND

BRIEF

Nawaz Sharif Kidney Hospital to open soon

www.thefrontierpost.pk

SARgodHA: Air Chief Marshal Sohail Awan poses for a photo with PAF veterans at a ceremony held at PAF Base Mushaf on Sunday. —dNA

He maintained that there is a dire need of an alliance against malaria as government alone could not tackle this. Speaking on the occasion, Former Vice Chancellor of University of Health Sciences Dr Mubashir said that lack of sanitation in the rural areas was also resulting in increase in malaria patients.

Many regions in Pakistan are epidemic prone and large-scale epidemics have been reported in the past.

As a result of growing anti malarial drug resistance, resistance of the vector to insecticides, and mass population movements, the disease has re-emerged as a major public health problem in many geographical areas and the incidence is persistently on rise, especially that of falciparum malaria, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality, Dr Elahi added.

PRCS Secretary General Ghulam Muhammad Awan, PRCS director health and deputy director health also spoke on the occasion.

SPORTS

www.thefrontierpost.pk

MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

FOOTBALL: BAYER LOSE PAPADOPOULOS FOR SEASON FINALE BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen will be without Greece defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos for the next three months as they push for an automatic Champions League place for next season. The 23-year-old needs an operation on Monday after dislocating his left shoulder in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Cologne in the Rhine derby. The Greece International's injury leaves Leverkusen short on centre-backs after Bosnia captain Emir Spahic was sacked by the club earlier this month after assaulting a steward. Leverkusen are battling Borussia Moenchengladbach for third in the Bundesliga for a direct path into the Champions League. —FP Monitoring

B1

MYANMAR SELECTS 24-MAN SQUAD FOR 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION YANGON: Myanmar has selected a provisional list of 24 footballers for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, according to the Myanmar Football Federation Sunday. Myanmar will be in the Group G of Asian zone together with South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon and Laos. The eight group winners and the four best group runners-up from eight groups of Asian zone will advance to the third round and will become the qualifiers for 2019 AFC Asian Cup directly. Myanmar will play against South Korea on June 16, 2015, Kuwait on Nov.17, Lebanon on Oct.8 and Laos on Oct.13. —FP Monitoring

PCB chairman admits country’s cricketing system is ‘completely flawed’ ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board

Chairman Shahryar Khan said that the system of Pakistan cricket was "completely flawed", and said there is a possibility of major changes within the team after the conclusion of the national cricket team's tour of Bangladesh.

Addressing a press conference during the inauguration of a cricket ground in the federal capital, chief of Pakistan's cricket expressed his anger over the national cricket team's defeats at the hands of Bangladesh.

He was of the view that the Pakistan team had not just lost to the Bangladesh team but rather had lost miserably.

Khan attributed the Green-shirts'

loss to flaws in the fitness, coaching and organisation's system.

Hinting at a change of guard, he said that the senior players have had their time with the team and now it was

Pakistan must win convincingly against BD to avoid Test slide

DUBAI: Pakistan will be aiming to

change its fortunes when it goes head to head with Bangladesh in a two-Test series in Khulna from Tuesday.

According to ICC point table, Pakistan is sitting in fourth position on 103 ratings points while Bangladesh is in ninth spot on 32 ratings points.

This gap of 71 ratings points means Pakistan is expected to win the series convincingly, and because the rankings are weighted to reflect this difference, failure to win comfortably will mean Misbahul-Haq’s side will drop points.

If the series ends in a draw, then Pakistan will drop to 99 ratings points while Bangladesh will finish on 37 ratings, and Pakistan will plummet to 96 ratings points if Bangladesh wins the series 1-0.

If Pakistan wins the series 1-0, it will concede one ratings point while it will gain only one ratings point if it wins both the Tests.

To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the rankings table, please click here.

The Test rankings table, unlike the ODI and T20I rankings tables, is updated after each match. In the Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings, Pakistan boasts two batsmen inside the top 10. They are Younus Khan (eighth) and Misbah (10th), while Bangladesh’s highest-ranked batsman is Mominul Haque in 25th spot. Saeed Ajmal (11th) and Junaid Khan (16th) are the Pakistan bowlers inside the 20 while Shakib Al Hasan in 13th position is not only Bangladesh’s highest-ranked bowler but is also the world’s leading allrounder.

James Anderson, Joe Root and Gary Ballance have achieved career-best rankings in the Reliance ICC Test Player Rankings after inspiring England to a nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second Test, which concluded in St George’s, Gernada, on Saturday, Anderson returned figures of two for 47 and four for 43 for which he has been rewarded with a jump of three places and puts him alongside Australia’s Ryan Harris in second position.

This is Anderson’s career-best ranking to date, while his rating of 826 is also his Test best.

Root not only won the player of the match award for his 182 not out but has also been rewarded with a jump of five places that has put him in a career-best fifth position.

At 865 ratings points, he is also enjoying his career-high rating with fourth-ranked Steven Smith firmly within his sights.

Ballance is the other England player to achieve a career-high ranking. His scores of 77 and 81 not out have pushed him up five places to 17th in the latest rankings, which were released on Sunday morning.

Other batsmen to make gains include Alastair Cook 27th (up by two places), Marlon Samuels 28th (up by three places), Darren Bravo 32nd (up by two places) and Kraigg Brathwaite 34th (up by eight places).

The batting table is headed by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangkkara, with South Africa team-mates AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla sitting second and third, respectively. —Xinhua

time for new players to replace them.

Shahryar Khan's views echoed the views expressed by former world cup winning captain Imran Khan who had expressed shock over Pakistan's defeat to Bangladesh, terming the whitewash 'unimaginable', and had attributed the same factors to the loss.

The green-shirts suffered their worst-ever defeat against Bangladesh, losing the ODI series 0-3 which was followed by a loss in the sole T20 international match.

Injury-plagued Pakistan and hosts Bangladesh will now face-off in a two Test series which starts in Khulna from April 28. —FP Monitoring

Football

Melbourne Victory finish top of A-League regular season SYDNEY: Melbourne Victory were

crowned A-League Premiers for the third time on Sunday after beating the Central Coast Mariners 3-1 to finish the regular season as the top-placed team.

Daniel Georgievski, Archie Thompson and Besart Berisha all scored goals as Kevin Muscat's Melbourne Victory chalked up their 15th win of the 27-match season to finish three points clear at the head of the table.

It was the third time the Victory had won the Premiers' Plate after their previous wins in 2007 and 2009.

Their rewards include an automatic place in next year's Asian Champions League as well as a first round bye in the Australian end-ofseason playoffs.

Sydney FC also booked themselves a place in Asia and a spot in the ALeague semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand, with Bernie Ibini and Shane Smeltz both finding the net.

Perth Glory finished third on points, level with Sydney FC, but were relegated to seventh spot and banned from the playoffs for breaching the league's strict salary cap regulations.

Adelaide United were promoted from fourth to third place, edging out Wellington on goal difference, and will host defending A-League champions Brisbane in next week's elimination finals. Wellington will host Melbourne City in the other elimination with the two winners joining Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC in the semis. —FP Monitoring

VANCoUVER: Vancouver whitecaps' Steven Beitashour (l) vies with dC United' Chris Pontius during their MlS soccer game at BC Place on Saturday night. dCUnited defeated Vancouver whitecaps 2-1. —Xinhua

Westwood makes it an Indonesian hat-trick after playoff GOLF

JAKARTA: Briton Lee Westwood made

it an Indonesian Masters hat-trick by winning the Asian Tour title on Sunday but only after surviving a playoff with Thai Chapchai Nirat after blowing a five-shot lead.

The former world number one, winner of the event on his two previous appearances in 2011 and 2012, could only muster a final round of one-over-par 73 and seven-under total of 281 after letting slip the healthy overnight advantage.

He had the opportunity to register victory on the par-five 18th only to fail with a birdie effort, meaning a playoff with Chapchai, who produced a sparkling 66 after snapping an iron against a tree early in Saturday's third round.

The Englishman made no mistake on the 18th in the playoff, however, notching a birdie on the first extra hole to edge out the four-times Asian Tour winner Chapchai. "I was lucky that I already had a read on (my putt on) 18 for the playoff," Westwood said. "It was a tough day out there but managed to battle back.

"Its nice to have won here three times, its a good hat-trick." Westwood had started the day seven clear of Chapchai at the Royal Jakarta Golf Club after covering his back nine of the third round in just 29 shots, but gave encouragement to the chasing back with two bogey fours on his opening nine.

He seemed to find his game again with three birdies in four holes, including a long, snaking downhill putt on the parfour 11th to start his back nine but backto-back bogeys on 16 and 17 dropped him level with Chapchai.

Australian Kalem Richardson finished third after a strong 66 left him at six-under, with Dane Thomas Bjorn (70) a further shot back in fourth and former U.S. PGA Champion Yang Yong-eun (71) in a share of fifth. —FP Monitoring

Anderson inspires England to memorable win

ST GEORGE'S: England produced a remarkable victory in the second Test after a seemingly moribund contest was brought to life by the brilliance ofJames Anderson and the seemingly ineradicable flaws in West Indies' game. Anderson was the inspiration during a helter-skelter morning session in which England ripped out six wickets and Alastair Cook was there at the end to complete a run chase that was as sedate as it would have seemed unlikely 24 hours earlier.

West Indies lost 8 for 83 in 30.4 overs either side of lunch, surrendering a position of relative security with indecent haste and undoing four days of hard

work. England, who seemed to have been blunted on the fourth evening as Kraigg Brathwaite compiled a determined century, seized the moment with alacrity after Anderson took three quick wickets with the new ball.

Victory, one reminiscent of their one-session mugging of Sri Lanka at Cardiff in 2011, put England 1-0 up in the series. The prospect seemed a distant one at the start of the day, with West Indies having erased their 165run first-innings deficit only two down.

There was little in the pitch to help England's bowlers and it was appropriate that Anderson was the catalyst, as he was during their last overseas

Test victory, at Kolkata in 2012.

West Indies did remove Jonathan Trott for his second duck of the series, bowled off an inside edge, but they twice put down Gary Ballance, the second time with 17 required. They also lost Jason Holder to injury, a nasty-looking roll of the ankle that could affect his participation in the third Test.

There was little else in the way of drama as Cook and Ballance put on an unbroken three-figure stand, both making half-centuries. Ballance also scored his 1000th Test run, in his 17th innings, putting him joint-ninthon the list. Cook's fifty, meanwhile, was his fifth in eight Test innings - given how unexpectedly well his day had gone, he might have wished for a few more runs to chase and the possibility of that elusive hundred.

The emotions of both sides underwent a complete turnaround in little more than three hours as a Test that had moved sluggishly through four days suddenly went into fast-forward. Anderson was involved in all six wickets to fall in the morning, taking three with the new ball to go with a couple of catches and a superb run-out, as West Indies toppled from the relatively security of 224 for 2 to a perilous 286 for 8.

The dismissal of Kemar Roach, chipping Moeen Ali to mid-on five minutes

before the lunch break, was a sign of the fallibility gene that has become such a problem for the health of West Indies' cricket. When they were eventually all out for 307 around 40 minutes into the afternoon session, Moeen taking the last two wickets in three balls, it left England with almost 60 overs in which to chase 143.

What a difference half a day makes.

With the memory of Antigua still fresh, and in light of the poise shown by Brathwaite here, England took the field looking a little weary. Even the long-life batteries of Root must have been tested and, as he opened the bowling and aimed his offbreaks into the rough outside leg stump, it was easy to conclude that the lights had gone out on the contest.

But as in the first innings, the arrival of the second new ball sparked a surge from England's bowlers, Anderson in particular. Stuart Broad provided encouragement when he could have had Brathwaite lbw, caught at slip or caught at short leg within his first five balls; but the West Indies opener was definitively out to the next delivery he faced, fending a bouncer from Anderson that straightened its line as he tried to turn the ball leg side only to be taken at gully.

Brathwaite's 116 had been worth a whole pile of nutmeg, the valuable spice

that is one of Grenada's main exports, but West Indies once again set about squandering their riches. They were helped on their way by Anderson, who prised out the two big middle-order wickets of Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul during a devastating spell of 3 for 1 in 23 balls.

Chanderpaul's dismissal owed plenty to the reactions of Cook, who grasped a rebound from second slip at the second attempt. Ian Bell should have taken the chance, as Chanderpaul fished at one angled across him but Cook's desperate, one-handed grab showed England would not let go of this match easily.

If England were going to take their chances they still needed West Indies to provide them and Samuels was the next to oblige. Having faced more than 100 deliveries, he was guilty of a moment's indecision to an Anderson delivery outside off and steered it through to Jos Buttler as he tried to withdraw the bat. Anderson then plucked a catch above his head as Jermaine Blackwood made a misguided attempt to clear mid-off.

The game was shaping itself irresistibly around England's attack leader and, even after completing an eight-over spell, he was central to West Indies losing a fifth wicket. Ballance produced a fabulous attempt to catch an uppish drive

from Denesh Ramdin one-handed at extra cover but could only get fingertips to the ball. England were still contemplating the missed chance when Anderson scooped it up at mid-off and rifled in a direct hit at the non-striker's end, with Holder well out of his ground.

West Indies' hopes of staving off England now rested on their captain, Ramdin, who had made the most of some fortune in battling his way to the interval. He might have been taken at gully, when Anderson flogged something extra from the pitch to take the shoulder of the bat but a leaping Root could not quite grasp the chance. He also insideedged Chris Jordan past his stumps and, in the final over before lunch, survived a thin toe end off Moeen that bounced out of Buttler's gloves.

He was eventually out after missing a full toss from Moeen to be struck on the boot in front of middle stump. Ramdin reviewed but, for him and for West Indies, the writing was on the wall.

BRIEF SCORES:

England 464 (Root 182*, Ballance 77, Cook 76, Trott 59, Bishoo 4-177) and 144 for 1 (Ballance 81*, Cook 59*) beat West Indies 299 (Samuels 103, Broad 4-61) and 307 (Brathwaite 116, Bravo 69, Anderson 4-43) by nine wickets. —FP Monitoring

EDITORIAL

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MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

Editor-in-Chief & Chief Executive | REHMAT SHAH AFRIDI Resident Editor | RIFAT ALAM Managing Editor | MAJ. (R) JAVED IQBAL Email: thefrontierpost1@outlook.com — rehmatshahafridi@outlook.com Tel: +92 42-36300931-4 Printed and published by Rehmat Shah Afridi at Maidan Press, 10-Queen’s Road Lahore

Disenchantment with PTI I

f the Islamabad Dharna and subsequent whirlwind of wellattended public meetings were a dream arrangement, the failure to oust Nawaz Sharif government; the loss of PTI man by a very huge margin to MQM candidate in Karachi NA-246 byelections and dismal showing in the cantonment board elections

by Imran’s party were a reality check and not at all according to the party leaders’ rhetoric.

The nation as a whole refused to join in PTI and PAT efforts to topple an elected government; in spite of the fact that though PML-N MNAs returned in unprecedented numbers to the National Assembly, more people voted against Sharif’s party than for it. Nevertheless, the majority of Pakistanis did not want to set the tradition of a mob throwing out an elected government. PTI found the saving grace of this failure in the argument that though stated goal was not achieved, the Islamabad Dharna had raised awareness of the ordinary people and at the same time Imran and his party had become popular as savior of the downtrodden individuals of the nation.

The PTI leaders went with the savior-image theory when they explained to the voters of NA-246 that Imran Khan and his party had come to rescue the people of Karachi from the yoke MQM. The voters didn’t buy the savior theory and cast their ballots in favor of the party about which Imran had said the party is over for Altaf Hussain’s party.

However, the hardest blow came in the recent elections held for the local bodies in the countries forty cantonments. The vast majority of the residents of cantonments all over the country were said to be Imran Khan’s fans and followers. Many saw a cultural affinity between PTI’s ideology and the dwellers of cantonments.

As such it was a far gone conclusion that even if the PML-N was popular in Punjab in civilian administered areas, the elections of the local bodies in military governed areas would fall to the PTI. Even here the PML-N beat Imran’s party convincingly. PTI was unable to live up to the expectations and make inroads in Punjab even in these elections.

The sad part of the whole story is that none but Imran Khan has to be blamed for this unfortunate change in fortune of his party. He blundered frequently: Instead of keeping his party clean, he opened his party to everyone. The tried, tested and rejected politicians came in droves. Then he created a diversion from the general elections for his party by holding party elections. Because the party-elections were not transparent, it gave PTI a bad name.

And if that was not enough, when the tribunal for inquiring into the irregularities of elections within the party, appointed

by Imran, himself asked the PTI chief to explain why were those accused of wrong doings still on party posts; he disbanded the tribunal. The PTI also has, up till now, failed to deliver on its promises, in KP. The PTI has to stop point scoring on every issue and show performance in the KP as a government party and also in the National Assembly and Senate as a genuine opposition and remove the many contradiction from within if it is to recapture its lost space in Pakistan politics.

AAP at crossroads

W

ith the expulsion from its ranks of founder-members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, the Aam Aadmi Party would seem to have put an end, at least for now, to a bitter internal battle that has taken much of the gloss off its historic victory in the Delhi Assembly elections of February 2015. The party now says its focus would be on the governance of Delhi while it takes a ‘dynamic’ call with regard to contesting elections in other States. This may be a simple statement but it reveals much about the nature of the party’s ambitions.

A significant part of its internal battle may have been a clash of egos and personalities, but if one were to identify an ideological thread, it is this: Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan wanted the AAP to quickly seize the initiative to build a national presence. They argued that in order to do this the party should formulate a position on several matters of national import. Mr Kejriwal, on the other hand, wanted to focus his energies on ridding Delhi of corruption and ensuring better delivery of services to its citizenry. This, to him, is a form of politics in itself where ideology has no part. Given the way the cards have fallen, the future of the AAP now rests on Mr Kejriwal’s performance as Chief Minister of Delhi.

It cannot be denied, however, that in the process of being engineered to suit Mr Kejriwal’s wishes the party has lost much. As an immediate example, think of how much it would have benefited from having Mr Yadav or Mr Bhushan as its spokespersons articulating views to its advantage after a farmer committed suicide at a rally organised by it in New Delhi on April 22.

As it was, its current lead spokesperson Ashutosh had to publicly apologise after making some bizarre and insensitive remarks. Further, the AAP has lost its appeal as a party that could accommodate a variety of opinions and voices.

Internal differences within political parties may be nothing new.

But when was the last time a political party actually expelled its own senior members rather than accommodate them? Even until a few months ago such things may not have mattered to it as the AAP seemed to be building up its image as the only party that could take on the BJP. However, it now faces the prospect of the Congress, along with the Left parties and the Janata Parivar, building up strength and presence with their agitations against the land acquisition bill. By the time the AAP is able to market the Kejriwal model of governance it may well have lost a lot of ground. In order to avoid that prospect, it needs to devote at least a part of its focus to a discourse on national issues. The AAP thus stands at a crossroads today. —The Hindu

—Courtesy Arab News

I wish ‘made in Pakistan’

I

was born in Lahore and completed my studies in the same city in well known educational institutions such as Government Forman Christian College and Punjab University but I spent two year in the United Kingdom where I completed my post-graduate diploma in Business Management from Association of Business Practitioners (an awarding body working in United Kingdom) and also got PGD in international Journalism and moved to Europe for short time to see the beauty of European countries and to observe the lifestyle of the European people.

It is natural, when you go somewhere for a short time, you will definitely visit shopping malls and market and feel happy when you see anything with labelled “Made in Pakistan”. During my stay in London, I was working in a company “Orridge” and that was my first job other than my native country as an external auditor. I have scanned millions of items in different stores such as Boots, Marks & Spenser, Superdrug, Wilkinson, CK and many others during my job period.

I hardly ever observe anything labelled with “Made in Pakistan” while most of my colleagues who belong to India and Bangladesh, always looked at us with ridiculous smile while showing labels mentioning their countries’ names.

I always told them that Pakistan is producing the world’s best cotton, we have world’s sweetest mangoes in Multan region, Pakistan exports world’s best oranges from Sargodha, we produce finest quality of rice in Gujranwala division and so many other things like sugarcane from

the foundation of the PeoMandi Bahuddin and Maple's Republic of China likwal, dates from interior (PRC), a single-party state Sindh and most of Southern controlled by the CommuPunjab areas, best wheat in nist Party of China. In the Sheikhpura region, but their following years Mao solidquestion always saddened ified his control through me when they asked, if you land reforms and through a have so many “world’s best psychological victory. In products” in your country the Korean War, and then why not export Saif Ullah Cheema through campaigns them to others to get revenue and I always kept quite because I against landlords, people he termed "counter-revolutionaries", and other didn’t have answer of this question.

One of my friend, who belong to China, perceived enemies of the state. In 1957, said that Pakistanis are better than Indi- he launched a campaign known as the ans by their minds, knowledge and wis- Great Leap Forward that aimed to rapdom but they don’t have loyalty with their idly transform China's economy from an country and that is why Pakistanis are not agrarian economy to an industrial one, progressing in the world. Pakistanis have which led to widespread famine and is lack of will and loyalty and if they have estimated to have resulted in up to 45 they can be world’s developed country. He million deaths through starvation and suggested me to read the history of Chi- other causes. In 1966, he initiated the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, a na and qualities of Mao Zedong.

I decided to read history of China program to remove "counter-revoluand Mao Zedong and family aspects of tionary" elements of Chinese society Mao. Mao was born on December 26, that lasted 10 years and which was 1893 in Shaoshan village, Hunan marked by violent class struggle, wideProvince, China. His father, Mao spread destruction of cultural artefacts Yichang, was an impoverished peasant and unprecedented elevation of Mao's who had become one of the wealthiest personality cult and which is officially refarmers in Shaoshan. Zedong described garded as a "severe setback" for the his father as a stern disciplinarian. Aged PRC. In 1972, Mao welcomed US pres13, Mao finished primary education and ident Richard Nixon in Beijing, sighis father married him to a 17-year-old nalling a policy of opening China, which Luo Yigu, uniting their land-owning was furthered under Deng Xiaoping's families. Mao refused to recognise her as rule in China.

But unfortunately when I looked at my his wife, becoming a fierce critic of arranged marriage and temporarily Pakistan’s destiny, I was ashamed that moved away. Luo was locally disgraced nobody bothers to work for the progress of Pakistan and tried to get as much as and died in 1910.

On October 1, 1949 Mao proclaimed he can. Pakistani politicians has billions

of rupees in Swiss banks and properties in United Kingdom, United States, European and Gulf states worth billions of rupees but did not pay attention to work for the progress of the country and also do not try to increase our exports rather than imports.

According to the statistics available by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, during 2014-15, imports in Pakistan increased to Rs 358 billion in March of 2015 from Rs 339 billion in February of 2015. Imports in Pakistan averaged Rs 57 billion from 1957 until 2015, reaching an all time high of Rs 472 billion in August of 2014 and a record low of Rs 96 million in April of 1959. While main imports are mineral fuels (16 percent of the total imports) and manufactured goods (16 percent).

Others include: miscellaneous articles (12 percent), beverage and tobacco (12 percent), animal and vegetal oils and fats (10 percent), crude materials except fuel (9 percent), chemicals (9 percent), machinery (8 percent) and food and live animals (7 percent). Main import partners are China (19.7 percent of the total imports),), United Arab Emirates (12.1 percent), Saudi Arabia (12 percent), United States (3.2 percent) and Kuwait (6.3 percent).

I am a common Pakistani citizen who only wished to be honoured in the world as other nations are enjoying but before this wish, we have to change our attitudes, thinking and working style for the dignity of “Green Passport” and all can be achieved by growing our exports rather than increasing imports. I wish to see every third product labelled with “Made in Pakistan” in the shopping malls all over the world.

New ideas to end Palestine’s stalemate

W

RAMI G. KHOURI

hat should we make of these developments related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that occurred Thursday? Someone in Gaza fired a projectile at southern Israel and Israel’s military responded by attacking some Hamas facilities in northern Gaza.

This happened on the day when Israel celebrated its national independence day, which Palestinians mark as their day of catastrophe, subjugation and exile.

US Vice President Joe Biden, while on a trip to Israel, said that if Israel were ever in trouble, the United States would protect it. In Washington, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a global trade bill but included in it a provision that the US government should work to prevent Europeans from adopting measures to support any trade sanctions or boycotts against Israel because of its illegal exploitation of Palestinian territories. At the Palestinian Bir Zeit University, Hamas won the student council elections, reversing decades of Fatah control. The United Nations agency responsible for providing Palestinian refugees with essential needs, UNRWA, noted that eight months after the devastating Israeli destruction of many parts of Gaza, not a single destroyed home had been rebuilt, and 100,000 Palestinian refugees remained homeless.

These various developments are im-

portant, but not because any of them are particularly new. We have witnessed them all for two generations or more, in the military, political, diplomatic, colonization, terror and resistance arenas. Precisely because of that, the events this week should be a wake-up call. Their recurrence decade after decade means that we are stalemated in this conflict, and we know from experience that stalemates never last very long. They always – always – lead to explosive developments that cause suffering all around, such as wars, intifadas and nonviolent resistance, terror attacks

by Palestinian militants or Zionist settlers, heightened Israeli official colonization, or other manifestations to break the stalemate and achieve victory for one side over the other.

The big problem is that victory is unachievable through the means that both sides have been using, mainly bogus American-mediated peace talks, Zionist colonialism or Palestinian armed resistance. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is stalemated, and the existing policy responses by both sides have been exhausted.

So what should we do in such situations? We should do what any human being should do when facing a perplexing dilemma. Read a book. In this situation, I recommend reading a book that came out some months ago that radically shakes up all the failed old views on how to try to resolve this conflict, and suggests a provocative and daring new approach to peacefully meeting the national rights

of Israelis and Palestinians. The book, titled “One Land, Two States: Israel and Palestine as Parallel States,” is co-edited by two knowledgeable men who have many years of experience in the region: Swedish diplomat Mathias Mossberg and American activist-scholar Mark LeVine.

The book emerged from several years of private discussions among Israelis, Palestinians and others who dared to explore new ways of sharing the land that both sides claim and covet, while implementing a concept of “shared rather than competing claims of sovereignty.”

My own interactions with the authors and their colleagues in recent years, not to mention closely following conventional Israeli-PalestinianAmerican peacemaking efforts for nearly half a century, convince me that the radical ideas set forth in this book are just the kind of intellectual jolt we need to look afresh for new ways to meet the legitimate needs and rights of Israelis and Palestinians within the historical land of Palestine, from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River.

The editors say that at the heart of the concept of two parallel state structures exercising sovereignty over the same piece of land is “the still-novel idea of states responding primarily to their citizens, and only secondarily to their territory.”

Palestinians and Israelis could live anywhere in the entire single land, but their personal and national sovereign

rights would be protected by respective Israeli and Palestinian state structures that overlap in places and remain distinct in others. This idea is a possible antidote to the failed one-state and two-state approaches to resolving this conflict.

Those who pondered the heavy logistical challenges of a parallel states concept worked for several years to generate novel ideas and proposals that are covered in chapters on parallel sovereignty, divided and shared core-state functions, security strategies from both perspectives, economic issues, judicial matters, religion and other related matters. That credible, politically savvy Israelis, Palestinians and respected international scholars and diplomats – not wild men in Washington – came up with these fresh ideas adds credibility to the venture. This is not a blueprint for a permanent agreement, but rather intellectual and political stimulants – even shock therapy – to shake us out of our recurrent stalemate, which guarantees renewed war soon.

The events I mentioned at the start of this column should be as strong a reminder as we need that the old ways have consistently failed, and that we would be criminally irresponsible to keep pursuing futile approaches. If we do not consider new ways to achieve a comprehensive peace settlement that responds to the just demands of both sides, we will endlessly face the political extremism, militant religiosity and hardened despair on both sides that perpetually fuel rock-

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www.thefrontierpost.pk

MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

BUSINESS 1.63m converted to 3G, 4G networks

ISLAMABAD: The mobile phone opera-

VANCoUVER: Residents help planting trees at Everett Crowley Park. Hundreds of residents from different communities planted 1,000 trees at Everett Crowley Park to celebrate Earth day. —Xinhua

Banks to start receiving Hajj applications from today

ISLAMABAD: The designated branches

of ten scheduled banks would start receiving government Scheme Hajj Applications from Monday (April 27), said an official of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

Talking to APP, he said the application receiving would be continued till May 8 and successful pilgrims would be selected through balloting on May 14.

A total of 143,368 Pakistanis would perform the sacred religious ceremony including half through Government Hajj Scheme and remaining through Private Hajj Scheme (Hajj Group Organisers, HGOs).

He asked the intending Hajj applicants to must possess a machine read-

China to scrap export taxes on aluminium rods from May BEIJING: China will remove taxes on

exports of tungsten and molybdenum from May 1, while tariffs on shipments of ferroalloys, indium and aluminium rods and bars will also be scrapped as Beijing tries to support the slowing economy. This is in addition to the removal of taxes on rare earth exports from next month that was announced earlier by China. The country had been widely expected to scrap tariffs and quotas on rare earth shipments after a World Trade Organization panel branded them discriminatory last year.

China is responsible for more than 90 percent of global rare earth production, giving it a chokehold over the supply of 17 elements with a wide range of uses in high-tech sectors such as defence and renewable energy. The country will no longer impose taxes on exports of ores, oxide and metal of rare earth, tungsten and molybdenum from May, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement on Thursday.

China will also cancel export tariffs for non-alloyed and alloyed aluminium rods, bars that are typically used in smelting pots and power plants. Chinese producers have been skirting taxes and exporting these rods and bars by selling them as part of duty-free machinery, two industry sources said.

Other varieties of aluminium rods and bars are not subject to export taxes and carry 13 percent value-added tax rebates, making them more popular with exporters. "The tax cancellation should not have a large impact on exports in the near term given exports of these items have been small," said an executive, whose firm exports these items. He declined to be named as he was not authorised to talk to media.

China's exports of semi-finished aluminium products rose 49 percent on year to 1.07 million tonnes in the first quarter, of which 182,257 tonnes were bars, rods and profiles. While China said it will exempt a type of refined aluminium alloy from taxes from May, the Ministry of Finance statement did not say anything about primary aluminium that currently carries a 15 percent export tax.

"If it happens on (primary) aluminium ingots, the dams will open and prices will get deluged, not to mention premiums," a Singapore-based physical aluminium trader said. Aluminium futures have shed 3 percent this year amid ample supply, while spot metal premiums have halved from records seen in November 2014 on strong

able passport having validity up to March 21, 2016 to avoid any inconvenience.

An applicant, who do not possess at least one year valid passport would not able to perform the sacred religious ceremony this year, he warned. An additional amount of Rs 14,210 will be required from the applicants opting to perform their Qurbani through Islamic Development Bank.

The Hajj package would be Rs 255,971 from Karachi, Quetta and Sukkur (South region) and Rs 264,971 from Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad and Sialkot (North region) as comparing to Rs 262,231 and Rs 272,231 respectively in 2014.

The air fare of airlines for North Region has been reduced to Rs 98,700 from Rs 107,700 as comparing to 2014.

While air fare from Southern region has been reduced to Rs 89,700 from Rs 97,700. All the airlines would be asked to comply with the fare fixation.

Furthermore, Rs 10,270 has been fixed as Hajj dues for the infants travelling from Southern Region with their parents on Hajj 2015. While the parents of infants travelling from North Region will pay 11,170 each as Hajj dues.

The children born after November 9, 2013 has been treated as infants while other children and adults are required to pay normal Hajj dues, he said. –FP Monitoring

tors in the country have managed to convert 1.63 million of their subscribers to 3G and 4G network during March, thus taking the total subscription to around 12 million.

Almost half of these new 3G subscriptions came through Zong that claims to have added over 800,000 users to its 3G network during last month only.

Mobilink added 259,000 new users to 3G network while Telenor added 3, 83,000 users to 3G. Ufone managed to grab 1, 92,000 users for 3G services.

According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), 4G users in Pakistan reached 97,722 in March 2015-up from 68,184 a month ago.

Zong added 24,000 new 4G users in month of March to take its total 4G users to 31,582 while Warid's 4G users count stood strong at 66,140 users.

Meanwhile, an official at China Mobile (Zong) on Sunday said the company has stretched its 3G coverage to 40 cities.

With around 2.9 million 3G subscribers in hands, Zong has become the second largest 3G operator (in terms of customers) in the country.

Zong official said that it is undergoing an extensive 3G rollout campaign, as a result of which the number of 3G cities covered by Zong has increased to 40. All 40 cities enjoy carpet coverage for 3G. The official said that Zong also plans on widespread extension of its 3G and 4G services in the current year, with expected service provision of 3G to reach a total of more than 100 cities as well as the whole of Motorway and GT Road.

Similarly, another operator, Ufone has partnered with Tower-share to expand its network on a shared basis in difficult areas.

The Towe-share will build its own new sites on which it will rent space to Ufone in rural and remote areas.

Initially, Tower-share will offer a roll out of 39 sites for Ufone in FATA. –FP Monitoring

B3

HK to ink FTA with ASEAN by 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is expected to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) by 2016, Chief Executive Leung Chunying said on Sunday.

Speaking on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit, Leung said Hong Kong could play the role of a "good connector" in trade and economic activities between the Chinese mainland and ASEAN members, and some trading was settled via the Hong Kong SAR. "The Hong KongASEAN FTA negotiation has been going on since last year," Leung said. "We hope to wrap up the negotiations with all ASEAN nations by 2016."

Leung said Hong Kong could act as an important intermediary to facilitate trade and economic activities between ASEAN and the Chinese mainland for mutual benefit.

"Quite a number of Hong Kong companies and manufacturers eye ASEAN countries like Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, so I see the negotiations and the finalisation of the FTA would benefit all countries in ASEAN," he said. According to Leung, total trade between Malaysia and China, including the Hong Kong SAR, rose 16 percent last year, and 12 percent of the trade, now over 100 billion U.S. dollars, was settled via Hong Kong.

Moving forward, he said cooperation between Malaysia and the Hong Kong SAR could be further strengthened in tourism and logistics industries. Leung was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech and attend a dinner reception in Kuala Lumpur, while also meet officials from the ASEAN members, Malaysian business leaders, and Hong Kong people in Malaysia.

ASEAN to assess partnership ap-

plications from Ecuador, DPRK, Mongolia: The secretary-general of ASEAN will conduct an assessment on the applications for formal partnership with association from Ecuador, DPRK and Mongolia, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said here Sunday.

In the press conference after the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings, Anifah said that the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting discussed applications for Formal Partnership with ASEAN by Ecuador for Development Partner status, and DPRK as well as Mongolia for Dialogue Partner status.

"The meeting agreed for the secretarygeneral of ASEAN to conduct an assessment on the applications, in consultation with the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and submit the results of the assessment," he said.

ASEAN had formalized partnership with several countries including Australia, China, Canada, European Union, New Zealand, South Korea and Pakistan.

EU praises ASEAN for economic integration: European business community on Sunday praised the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for its effort to build an economic community, as the 10- nation bloc strives for a single market like its European counterpart.

EU-ASEAN Business Council Executive Director Chris Humphrey said ASEAN members had expressed strong political will to create a single market.

"It took Europe 40 years to create a single market," said Humphrey.

ASEAN is set to announce the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the year end. Humphrey said it would take time to for ASEAN members to tackle problems despite their commitments. –FP Monitoring

More central banks meet, but ability CDA drives against illegal construction, encroachments to pilot economies in doubt LONDON: Most central banks have

been easing policy since the start of the year and are set to do more, but it still isn't clear whether that new activism, which has pushed stock markets to record highs, will help the global economy much.

Several meet this week to set policy, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and Sweden's Riksbank, which all have turned to government bond purchases as stimulus after running out of interest rates to cut. Yet recent easing -- and the halving of oil prices, which was meant to be a windfall for consumers -- have not changed the global

outlook much, according to Reuters polls of hundreds of economists published last week. The Fed shut its quantitative easing (QE) program just over six months ago. But it seems likely it will be forced to wait until later this year, instead of June as was expected a short time ago, before raising rates from record lows.

A disappointing start to the year from another punishing winter and trade disruption at West Coast ports, together with a rally in the dollar that is now restraining inflation and U.S. exports, is chiming a familiar refrain: low rates for longer.

Few expect the Fed to use its two-day meeting as a launching pad for what will

eventually be the first interest rate hike in nearly a decade. Wages and inflation still are not rising significantly and even hiring has had a setback.

Many, however, expect the central bank to make it clear in its policy statement on Wednesday that it is inclined to take the first solid opportunity it can find to set extraordinarily accommodative interest rate policy back on a more normal path. "Further labor market progress, moving to a 'more balanced' outlook and gaining confidence in the inflation outlook would send clear smoke signals that lift-off is only shortly ahead," wrote analysts at BNP Paribas in a note to clients. —FP Monitoring

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development

Authority (CDA) in the contrive against illegal constructions and encroachments carried out operations in different areas of Islamabad.

During operations, Enforcement Directorate of the Authority demolished many illegal constructions and removed encroachments from the CDA land, said a press release issued here on Sunday.

Teams of Enforcement Directorate, during an operation carried out in Muslim Colony area of Bari Imam, demolished six (06) illegally constructed shops on the CDA land adjacent to a mosque, while one illegally constructed wall by Basic Education System in Mohala

Dhakki was also demolished.

During another operation in sector I9/4, enforcement staff removed the poles which were erected to encroach the CDA land.

Similarly, upon the request of Principal IMCG I-8/3 and in the light of prevailing security issues, Enforcement Directorate demolished fifteen (15) dwellings constructed illegally on vacant land adjacent to this college.

Moreover, teams of Enforcement Directorate demolished an illegally constructed boundary wall on four (04) kanals of CDA land in the area of Dhok Baba Nawab and retrieved the land from illegal occupants. —FP Monitoring

WASO Pakistan distributes seeds among FATA TDPs PESHAWAR: Women and Agriculture Support Organization (WASO) Pakistan, an NGO, on Sunday distributed seeds of seasonal vegetables and fruits among 30 temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) of FATA in the outskirts of Peshawar.

The facility has been provided to the TDPs with assistance of Kitchen Gardening International (KGI), a US donor organization, to help the affectees residing in different superb areas of Peshawar.

In a press statement issued here Sunday, Women and Agriculture Support Organization Chairperson, Samia Khan said the objectives of this endeavor would help motivate

and attract the TDPs towards Kitchen Gardening through cultivation of seasonal vegetables and fruits in their homes and lawns.

KGI along with Women and Agriculture Support Organization approved a joint project namely 'KP Garden' under which seeds of seasonal vegetables and fruits were distributed among displaced families of FATA at their doorsteps through introduction of Kitchen Gardening program, she added.

Samia Khan said promotion of programs like Kitchen Gardens was the TAIYUAN: An exhibitor looks at his mobile phone during China Taiyuan International Coal Industry Expo in Taiyuan, need of the hour keeping in view of the capital of north China's Shanxi Province the other day. Number of exhibitors attending the expo this year exorbitant prices of seasonal crops and decreased about 30 percent from that of 2014. —Xinhua vegetables in markets. –FP Monitoring

‘900 MW solar project to put into national grid on August 14’

ISLAMABAD: The 900 MW solar proj-

ects in Pakistan with the Chinese investment of US $1.5 Billion by Zonergy Company Limited will put its first 50 MW into the national grid by August 14, 2015, and an additional of 250 MW by the end of December 2015, thereafter every month 100 MW will be added to the national grid. President Zonergy (China), Yu Yong told senior journalists at an exclusive briefing here the other day regarding the largest solar power project (900 MW) launched at Quaid-i-Azam Solar park Bahawalpur in the province of Punjab.

Mr.Yu Yong appreciated the Federal government and Provincial government of Punjab for their cooperation and facilitation in the establishment of solar park in the province.

Najeeb Sadiq Director Zonergy, Tommy Tang Director General International Business department of the company, Katy Zhao and Fang Lei were also present on the occasion.

The Largest Solar Power Project of the world has been launched in Pakistan by Zonergy Company Limited, he added.

He said that the 900 MW solar project was being developed in three phases and expected to connect with the national grid by the mid of 2016.

Yu Yong, President Zonergy said that this solar project would be completed with the investment of US $1.5 Billion which would be financed by Chinese financial institutions.

Mr. Yu Yong said that first 50 MW would be put into the national grid by Middle of August 2015 adding that this

project would also promote local economic development and improve people's livelihood. "At least 3300 job opportunities will be created directly": Yu Yong, President Zonergy said.

This project, he said has great economic and political significance as it has been listed in early harvest projects in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Yu Yong, President Zonergy further said that this project was so far the largest solar power project in the world.

To a question, he said that two technical schools of international standards would be established on at Lahore for skill development of the local people especially in solar technology.

He said that solar power generation has become a global focus because it is clean, renewable and safe adding that

Pakistan has remarkable sunshine and with this project new era of solar power generation would begin.

The Pakistan government, he said intends to improve power shortage through developing solar power projects which are less expensive and can be operationalise within short span of time.

Yu Yong said that this 900 MW project was located in QA solar Park in Bahawalpur of Punjab with total area of 4500 acres. An annual amount of 1.271 billion KWh of electricity was expected to be generated from this solar power station, which would greatly relieve the power shortage in Punjab and neighboring areas he added.

This project, he said would also promote local economic development and improve people's livelihood.

"After all, 900 MW are connected to national grid, 394,000 tons of standard coal will be saved and 826,000 tons of carbon dioxide will be reduced every year", he remarked.

This solar power station, he further said would become a "solar oasis" in CPEC and injected new energy for deepening China-Pakistan friendship.

It has been listed in early harvest projects under "China Pakistan Economic Corridor" (CPEC) roadmap and considered as one of the key initiating projects in "One Road One Belt" national development Plan.

Mr. Yu Yong, President Zonergy said that this project had great economic and political significance as it has been listed in early harvest projects in CPEC. –FP Monitoring

FATA/SINDH/BALOCHISTAN

B4

MONDAY

APRIL 27, 2015

Tribal elders discard draft of FATA Reforms Commission

PESHAWAR: The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Political Alliance have rejected the proposed draft report of the FATA Reforms Commission and announced to launch protest if the tribesmen were not given their due rights.

Speaking at a press conference, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader and head of the FATA Political Alliance Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid said that all political parties had rejected the proposed draft QUETTA: workers of Muslim league (Q) Youth wing holding a demonstration in favour of their demands outside Quetta Press Club on Sunday. —dNA report.

He said they would resist if the government continued with its “anti-tribal policy.”

The representatives of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamiat UlemaKARACHI: Shoaib Siddiqui, a senior ized by PTI Landikotal chapter and blind eyes towards it which is re- e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and elders from member of the revenue board and the AHMED NABI was attended by large numbers of PTI grettable, he criticized. He further various tribal agencies were present on city commissioner, has failed to said, the tribal Internal Displaced remove non-cadre employees despite KHYBER AGENCY: The Frontier Crime workers.

Addressing on the occasion PTI persons (IDPs) sacrificed a lot for the court orders, said revenue minister Regulation (FCR), the draconian Makhdoom Jameeluz Zaman. law being imposed in the tribal belt chief organizer for FATA, Iqbal Afri- sack of the country and the governIn a letter to the Sindh chief minister, is the basic cause of every evil in the di said the PTI has rolled-up its ment has to assist them their all loss.

Zaman claimed that Siddiqui has avoid- Federally Administered Tribal slaves to wipe out militancy of the He called upon the government for ed implementing Supreme Court orders Areas (FATA) which needs to be country and will continue its move- immediate eradication of FCR law to remove 79 officers who were hired abolished. Local bodies’ election ment against all injustice and tyran- and wanted forthwith announcement ny being prevailed in the society. of local bodies’ election schedule in ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Balochiswithout following the competitive should be conducted in FATA. process. He asked Qaim Ali Shah to take The views were expressed by the Imran Khan has joined the national FATA. tan, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch has said The PTI President Landikotal, that a good number of Baloch youth back Siddiqui’s charge as the revenue Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), lead- stream politics with intention to end board’s senior member. ers in workers convention held here the corrupt political system and to let Khurshid Afridi, General Sectry Zer- has started considering democratic “I am constrained to point out that Mr at Hospital square, tehsil Landikotal the oppressed to get their rights, he bullah Shinwari,Gulam Haider and struggle a better way to get rights remarked. FATA is full problems but Imran Khan also spoke to the con- which is great success of the National Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, senior member on Sunday. of the board of revenue department, has The political gathering was organ- ironically the authorities have turned vention.

Party (NP) and all peace loving people. been avoiding implementing Supreme He made these remarks while speakCourt of Pakistan and Sindh High Court ing at launching of book titled, 'Tareekh decisions despite my repeated orders in wo Siyasat aur Hassas Mehl-e-Waqoo' writing to do,” stated the letter Zaman written by Senior Vice President NP wrote. “It is therefore requested that he Tahir Bizenjo here yesterday. may be transferred and an honest and President NP Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, law abiding officer be posted as a senior human rights activist IA Rehman, Presmember of the board of revenue.” Zaident NP Punjab Ayub Malik and others OUR CORRESPONDENT man also met the chief minister and were also present on the occasion. lodged a protest against the commisDr. Abdul Malik Baloch said, "We KHYBER AGENCY: The Polio workers sioner. and supervisors of tehsil Landikotal have zero tolerance for crimes which has A source privy to the development told demanded the authorities concerned reduced crimes by 40 percent in the The Express Tribune that the actual to pay them equal per campaign sum province while 75 gangs were active in dispute is due to the senior members’ reas it gives to the workers in other Quetta that have been dealt according to fusal to appoint and transfer officers actehsils of Khyber Agency i.e. Bara and cording to the minister’s orders. Zaman Jamrud and immediately make payinsisted, however, that the failure to imment of arrears of last anti-polio plement court orders was the issue. drives.

“I have issued three reminders to SidA join meeting of the polio workers and diqui to implement court orders and stop supervisors committee was held in violating the law,” said Zaman. “Today, IMTIAZ GORAR throughout World.

Agency Headquarter Hospital, LandikoI have communicated to the CM my fuProvincial Program Manager unveiled tal in which large numbers of polio PESHAWAR: Sardar Mehtab Ahmad ture line of action. I don’t want to con- LARKANA: Enhanced HIV Aids control that 0.1 million population of Pakistan workers and supervisors insured their Khan says Operation Zarb-e Azb tinue my job as a ‘dummy’ minister Program government of Sindh has have fallen victim of HIV AIDS while in presence. helped eliminate terrorism from the and will resign if the government does arranged three days training workshop Sindh till December 2014 a total of Addressing on the occasion the com- country. not transfer him.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor on STI management and physicians 7950 HIV AIDS cases have been regis- mittee members said, the authorities on Zaman pointed out that the non-cadre here at a local hotel. tered among them 5673 cases belong to pretext of insurgent areas pay Rs.4200 Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan has said officials have also been posted in the regThe workshop was attended by doctors Karachi. Larkana stands at number two per campaign to workers of Bara and that government will take war on istration wing of the revenue depart- from different districts including with a total of 789 patients.

Jamrud tehsils of Khyber Agency while terror to its logical conclusion by ment. “A few days ago, I imposed a ban Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kamber Dr Sikandar Iqbal said that Health Rs.8900 give to the polio supervisor but eliminating all terrorists. Addressing on the transfer and posting of the offi- Shahdadkot and others. department and Sindh Aids Control in Landikotal only Rs.1400 pay to the a ceremony in Peshawar on Sunday, cers but Siddiqui violated it and apSpeaking on the occasion Provincial Program is providing the awareness worker and Rs 3160 grant to the super- he said that the government started pointed Mukhtiarkars in a few district,” Program Manager Aids Control Program and advocacy, treatment, preventa- visor which is injustice to them, they re- Operation Zarb-e Azb and operation he said. For his part, Siddiqui said he was government of Sindh Dr Younis Chachar tive services all over the Sindh in new gretted.

Khyber-I and II to eliminate terrordoing his job on merit and not offering said that a total 35 to 50 million people PC1 floating by his department. Islam Beside unfavorable condition being ism for establishing peace in the anyone any undue favours. The issue are suffering from HIV AIDS in the is against pre-marital sex or extra- prevailed in the area, the polio workers country. pertaining to Supreme Court orders World and among 3.2 million are aged marital sex and also homosexuality, are fulfilling their duties but in return disHe said a number of compounds, had already been taken care of, he below 15 years. By2013 a total of 1.5 mil- providing barrier against HIV/AIDS. criminatory behavior is done to them training and command & control centres added. He was annoyed that Zaman lion people have died due to this fatal dis- But still there is a threat of prevalence that have created feelings of dissatis- of terrorists have been destroyed during stood up against him. —FP Monitoring ease which is spreading unabated of this disease in Pakistan. faction among them, they argued. the operation. Sardar Mehtab Ahmad

‘Commissioner not implementing court orders’

Frontier Crime Regulation , the root cause of every evil in FATA

the occasion. They said they would hold another meeting of their central leaders in Islamabad to ask the government to accept their demands.

On behalf of all the political parties and tribal elders, Haroonur Rashid said the FATA Reforms Commission constituted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan had finalised its report, but it was against the recommendations proposed by the FATA Political Alliance for reforms in the tribal areas.

He said there was a dire need to bring political, democratic, constitutional, and educational reforms in FATA. “The FATA Reforms Commission’s report would deprive the tribespersons of their legitimate and basic rights,” he maintained.

Terming the draft report a joke, he declared that it was not acceptable to the more than eight million tribal people. —FP Monitoring

Crimes reduced 40 percent in two years: Abdul Malik

No heed to control HIV from government

Polio workers demand unpaid dues

the law."

The Chief Minister said that land mafia has been tackled at Pasni and the mafia in Gwadar will face stern action within days so that development could be ensured.

The 18th amendment has brought a change, democratic institutions and civil society is gaining strength which will become a hurdle in the way of dictatorship, he added.

The province didn't receive any list of favourites for the Senate elections and that we are not appointing party members on the key posts but people with integrity.

He said NP is creating a bind between local people and democratic forces which will change the situation while our failure would be failure of whole working class of Pakistan. –FP Monitoring

KP governor vows to eliminate terrorism

Khan lauded the sacrifices offered by people of tribal area who become homeless for the sake of the country.

The Governor said now TDPs are returning to their areas and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in FATA is underway. –FP Monitoring

Balochistan the untold story I.A. REHMAN QUETTA: A Baloch student recently summed up

Balochistan’s grievances before a civil society fact-finding mission by declaring: “We (the people of Balochistan) have not been neglected by the state alone; our compatriots in other provinces too have all along been indifferent to our plight. They do not care for us. They don’t even wish to understand our problems.”

The causes of the indifference the young Baloch was complaining of lie in the vested interest’s relentless efforts to prevent the people from knowing and understanding Balochistan and its society. The authors of the securitystate narrative had their reasons to cast the Baloch in the role of an incorrigible villain, whose ordinary political demands for rights to identity and autonomy had to be denounced as treason.

Balochistan’s claim to equality with other federating units could be waved aside by condemning it for its sardari system, its tribal culture, and its failure to acquire modern knowledge and skills, and its dependence on “settlers” for practically all services.

This image of Balochistan could not have been sustained without the establishment’s efforts

to control and limit people’s access to facts of life in that area. It is an undeniable fact that Balochistan people’s trials and tribulations have been deliberately buried under layers and layers of falsehood, half-truths, and a thoroughly biased portrayal of its people.

To a great extent this has been done with the help of the media, which has often been a willing instrument for keeping the people ignorant of Balochistan’s real issues. And this is true not only of the media outside Balochistan but also of its own provincial media.

The slow development of the Balochistan media in terms of content and technology both can be attributed to the small size of the audience and the lack of adequate talent only up to a point. A far greater factor has been the denial of opportunities for an open discourse on whatever problems the people face collectively as well as individually.

It must never be forgotten that Balochistan publications were the first to be banned after the creation of Pakistan and the history of journalism in that part of the country has been an endless struggle by a large number of people — from Yusuf Magsi, Jamaldini, Gul Khan Naseer and Abdus Samad Achakzai to Irshad Mastoi — to tell

the world the truth about themselves.

Balochistan people’s trials and tribulations have been deliberately buried under layers of falsehood, half-truths, and a thoroughly biased portrayal of its people. To a great extent this has been done with the help of the media.

Over the past many years, the media persons in Balochistan have been under pressure from several sources to report only what they are told to. They dare not defy the militants and they cannot argue with the security authorities. As a result, not only the people outside Balochistan but also its own population cannot receive authentic and adequate information about who is doing what in that federating unit. For instance, we do not know to what extent the military operation going on in various parts of the Baloch belt is warranted by objective factors and who the victims are.

The whole media has become addicted to reporting disaster stories — gas pipelines blown up, terrorist attacks, targeted killings, attacks on schools, et al — so much so that it finds little time to notice the havoc done by food insecurity, lack of employment opportunities, shortage of medicines, or the risks in travelling or in living in mafia-ruled towns and villages.

However, the enforced shortcomings and failings of the Balochistan media have caused less harm to the people of Pakistan than the inability of the so called national/mainstream media to stop identifying the people of Balochistan by the pre-independence stereotypes or the less old models crafted by the image-makers of the security establishment.

The simple questions are: How much space does Balochistan get in the national/mainstream media, what kind of stories are played up, and what is the tone and tenor of comments on events in the province?

The difference between the perceptions, preferences and priorities of the English language newspapers and publications in national languages while dealing with Balochistan is quite marked. The flashes of understanding and sympathy for Balochistan’s aspirations or its sorrows that one sometimes finds in English-language papers are usually missing in national-language publications, especially those in Urdu.

The Balochistan government organised development forums in Quetta and Islamabad to explain what it wanted to do and took the bold, and in Pakistan a rare, step to invite the public to assess/criticise its plans and development strate-

gy. For a larger part of the national media, this activity was a non-event.

A national debate is going on about the dangers Pakistan will face if the 18th Amendment is rolled back, but little attention has been paid to Balochistan’s complaint that it is still denied control over its resources that the 18th Amendment allowed it.

The entire population of Balochistan thinks its most critical issue is that of enforced disappearances. The media does report complaints of disappearance and discovery of mutilated corpses but there is no sign of outrage against what are really crimes against humanity. Media persons have been prevented from discussing disappearances through both subtle and not so subtle means. The recent ban on a discussion on this theme at LUMS only revealed the extent to which the effort to keep the people ignorant can be taken.

Some of the columns on Balochistan in newspapers betray a high level of animus against its people. While deploring the denial of Mama Qadeer’s right to go abroad, a columnist spent more time and words to remind the readers of the crimes the rights activists like the angry Baloch have been committing by calling for justice.

MONDAY

www.thefrontierpost.pk

APRIL 27, 2015

BRIEF

Aftershocks cause more terror as Nepal quake toll touches 2,400

Zarif to address NPT conference, meet P5+1 counterparts in New York NEW YORK: The 2015 Review

Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be held from 27 April to 22 May 2015 at UN Headquarters in New York with Iran as one of its key participants. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is among the main speakers who address the conference. He will address the conference twice; once as the representative of Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) and once as the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, IRNA reported. —FP Monitoring

Sino-Pak Economic Corridor to bring prosperity: Ayaz Sadiq LAHORE: National Assembly

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Sunday said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would yield enormous economic benefits for Pakistan. "The corridor is going to create a Suez Canal like opportunity for the country's economy," he said addressing the concluding session of a three-day 11th National Neuro Psycon conference here on Sunday. He said the CPEC would reduce thousands of kilometres travelling for Chinese products to reach out to other big economies of the world through sea. He said those who criticised the project were not working for the national cause. Ayaz Sadiq said parliament had granted powers to military courts to check terrorism. —FP Monitoring

At least 7 killed in Baghdad car bombings BAGHDAD: At least seven people

were killed and some 32 others wounded on Sunday in three car bomb attacks targeting busy and commercial areas in and near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source said. One of the attacks occurred in the town of Mahmoudiyah, some 30 km south of Baghdad, when a car bomb parking at a commercial area near passport office in the central part of the town detonated, leaving a civilian killed and nine others wounded, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. In Baghdad, another booby-trapped car went off around noon at the crowded commercial street of Saiyd Sultan Ali in downtown, killing at least three people and wounding 13 others, the source said.

—FP Monitoring

Militants kill 30 civilians in Syria: state media DAMASCUS: The extremist mili-

tant groups committed a massacre in a town they captured in northwestern Syria, killing over 30 civilians, mostly women and children, the state news agency SANA reported Sunday. The "terrorist" groups committed an "appalling massacre" in Jisr al-Shughour town in the countryside of the northwestern city of Idlib, after storming it on Saturday, said SANA. It added that the Syrian army launched overnight raids on the military posts which were overran by the al-Qaidalinked Nusra Front and likeminded groups in that key town near the Turkish borders, inflicting hefty losses among the militants. —FP Monitoring

KATHMANdU: Tourists sleep at an open space after an earthquake in Kathmandu on Sunday. The death toll from a powerful earthquake which struck Nepal on Saturday has touches 2,400 including 723 in the Nepal's capital Kathmandu. —Xinhua

40 Taliban insurgents killed in clash with ANSF in Kunduz

KUNDUZ: At least 40 Taliban insurgents, including six foreign militants, were killed in a joint Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) operation in northern Kunduz province on Sunday, local officials said.

Twenty other insurgents were injured in the attack. The operation was launched in Gor Tepa area in Kunduz city, Qala-e-Zal and Imam Sahib districts. Fighting is still underway between the ANSF and Taliban insurgents, head of the Media Office of Po-

lice in Kunduz, Sohrab Samim said Sunday afternoon.

The fist clash took place in Qor Tepa in the city, the second clash happened in Qala-e-Zal and the third in Imam Sahib. "The clash started yesterday and it is continuing. Afghan security forces have also suffered casualties but no details as yet," Samim said, adding that special forces reinforcement from several provinces have arrived in the area to fight the insurgents.

So far there are also civilian casualties,

he added. The six foreign militants who were killed in the attack come from the northwestern Faryab province, four of them were from Tajikistan and two were Chechens, according to officials.

The insurgents have taken control of a number of police posts in Imam Sahib after the attack and the police force has been moved back, the officials said, adding that more troops have arrived in the city and the situation is expected to be brought under control soon.

Qala-e-Zal is one of the most inse-

Imran Khan ISIS warns to ‘cut throats’ of Houthis should learn from by announcing arrival in Yemen his mistakes, The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group warned to “cut the throats” of the Houthis while announcing the group’s arrival in says Hashmi Yemen. The group declared their official presence in conflict-torn Yemen and

CBs poll results indicate people’s trust in govt: Saad Rafique

SANA’A:

vowed to avenge the Sunnis.

An ISIS militant appearing in the video said “We have come to Yemen, with men hungry for your blood to avenge the Sunnis and take back the land they have occupied.” Around two dozen AK-47-wielding jihadists were seen dressed in full military gear in the lateest nine-minute video which was professionally shot and edited.

The militants also addressed the fellow Sunni men to join the battle against the Houthis in the country. Although the location of the video could not be confirmed, it was claimed by the militants that the video was shot in a desert area near the Yemeni capital Sana’a. The video was released following an attack against Houthis in the central province of Ibb which was reportedly carried out the local Yemeni group Green Brigade.

The latest video by the ISIS threatening to stage attacks in Yemen comes as the country has been intense unrest for several weeks after Houthi rebels went on the offensive capturing several places. —FP Monitoring

Rashid asks Imran to apologise for ‘container lies’ ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said that yesterday’s poll results of cantonment boards have unmasked the lies hurled from the ‘container’ used by Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan during his anti-government movement last year.

Speaking to media representatives here, he termed the LG election results as a ‘certificate of approval’ for the 2013 polls by the masses. He urged the PTI chief to extend an apology to the people of the country for trying to misguide them from the container.

The minister said that Saturday’s poll

results were also evidence in favour of the PML-N government for the judicial commission formed to probe the allegations of poll rigging.

Addressing Imran Khan, Rashid said the masses have ‘opened the constituency’ he was so desperately demanding to open. “You could obtain only 33 per cent success from your own province (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa),” he said. “You have been punished for your politics,” he added.

Seeking an apology for the PTI chief’s ‘politics of provocation’, the minister urged him to reveal names of those who misled him in launching the antigovernment protests. —FP Monitoring

MULTAN: Senior politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi on Sunday said the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should wake up after the results of cantonment boards' elections.

Talking to the media at his residence here, he said the PTI had insufficient evidence of rigging in elections to present before the judicial commission.

Hashmi said he sacrificed his seat for the Constitution and democracy.

He said the PTI was expecting victory with a heavy margin in cantonment boards' elections but the results had exposed its worth. He said Imran Khan should learn from his mistakes.

He said presence of all political parties, including the PTI, was vital for democratic system in the country. Veteran politician Javed Hashmi warned that Imran Khan’s attitude would prove to be disastrous for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, Hashmi said Imran Khan thinks that he was not accountable to anyone. “I was offered the slot of PTI’s President unopposed,” he said. “The way Imran Khan is running the party will have serious consequences.” He said Imran Khan wants to get decision in his favors without presenting evidence. —FP Monitoring

PAF to play lead role in eliminating terrorism: Air chief

ISLAMABAD: Highlighting role of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb and its future vision beyond 2025, Chief of the Air Staff, PAF, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman on Sunday restated that PAF would play its lead role in rooting out the menace of terrorism from the country.

While addressing the galaxy of valiant fighter pilots and officers of other branches of PAF at a ceremony held in Sargodha, the Air Chief reiterated his resolve that PAF would always live up to the expectations of the nation while safeguarding the aerial frontiers of the motherland.

He said that the indigenization and

cure districts of the province. The clash comes after the Taliban on Friday announced the start to their spring offensive.

This year's fighting season is expected to be intense as foreign troops ended their 13-year combat mission at the end of last year after handing over full security responsibility to the Afghan security forces.

However, the foreign troops continue to train and support the Afghan forces. —FP Monitoring

KATHMANDU: Powerful aftershocks rocked Nepal Sunday, panicking survivors of a quake that killed more than 2,400 and triggering fresh avalanches at Everest base camp, as rescuers dug through rubble in the devastated capital Kathmandu.

Terrified residents, many forced to camp out in the capital after Saturday's quake reduced buildings to rubble, were jolted by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock that compounded the worst disaster to hit the impoverished Himalayan nation in more than 80 years.

At overstretched hospitals, where medics were also treating patients in hastily erected tents, staff were forced to flee buildings for fear of further collapses.

"Electricity has been cut off, communication systems are congested and hospitals are crowded and are running out of room for storing dead bodies," Oxfam Australia chief executive Helen Szoke told AFP. Climbers reported that the aftershock caused more avalanches at Mount Everest, just after helicopters airlifted to safety those injured when a wall of snow hit base camp on Saturday, killing at least 18 people. The deadliest disaster in Everest's history comes almost exactly a year after an avalanche killed 16 sherpa guides, forcing the season to be cancelled, and as around 800 mountaineers were gathered at the start of the new season.

AFP's Nepal bureau chief Ammu Kannampilly, who was on assignment at base camp, reported that six helicopters had managed to reach the mountain on Sunday after the weather improved.

Offers of help poured in from around the world, with dozens of nations or aid groups volunteering everything from sniffer dogs to an inflatable hospital.

The Kathmandu-based National Emergency Operation Centre put the toll in Nepal at 2,352 and said a further 6,239 had been injured. Officials in India said the toll there now stood at 67, while Chinese state media said 18 people had been killed in the Tibet region. "We have deployed all our resources for search and rescues," police spokesman Kamal Singh Bam said. —FP Monitoring

procurement of sophisticated weapon system would have been a distant dream without the unflinching dedication and visionary leadership of PAF in the bygone years.

PAF paid tributes to the glorious services of its veterans in a grand ceremony held at PAF Base Mushaf, Sargodha.

Among the guests were ex-air chiefs and war veterans of PAF along with its high ranking serving officers. The Air Chief was the chief host of the ceremony.

Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman paid accolades to the pioneers of PAF who wrote a saga of unrivalled gallantry during 1948, 1965 and 1971 wars.

He assured the retired senior officers that PAF would fully benefit

from their rich experience and continue to seek valuable guidance from them in future as well.

He also assured them that PAF would follow their footsteps to attain the ultimate vision of being "Second to None" as envisioned by the great Quaid.

According to PAF here, the Air Chief's address was followed by a short documentary titled 'The Saga of Excellence,' which highlighted PAF evolution from a small air force to one of the best air forces of the World.

Later on, Air Commodore Sarfraz Khan, Base Commander PAF Base, Mushaf gave a comprehensive briefing on the developmental stages of PAF since its inception.

The most admired part of the event was the aerobatics show by F-16 aircraft.

Wing Commander Azman Khalil displayed scintillating manouvres for the utter amazement of all present.

The worthy guests also visited the static display of F-16s, JF-17 Thunder, Retrofitted Mirages, F-7Ps, AEW&C, air-to-air Refuellers and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Ground Combaters of PAF also presented a fire power demo and displayed incomparable drills while firing live ammunition.

The event was rounded off with the stream night take offs by F-16 and Mirage which were proceeding on night operation exercise. —FP Monitoring

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday said results of yesterday’s Local Government elections in the country’s all cantonment areas are the verdict of people’s court.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, he said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, accepting this ruling, must withdraw cases against poll rigging from election tribunals.

The minister termed the results as the reflection of people’s trust on the incumbent government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He urged the PTI chief to do accountability of his advisor for wrongly provoking him during his party’s prolonged protests against the PMLN government.

Denouncing Election Commission’s

decision to bar federal ministers from canvassing in the election, he said the issue would also be discussed at the party’s platform.

Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan must realize that politics of accusations can never be beneficial.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Rafique said that Khan must learn from cantonments elections.

He said that it was PML-N’s responsibility to teach Imran Khan how to do politics. “We have performed our duty by not accepting PTI’s resignations,” he said.

Khan called the parliament as fake and bogus and now he himself was sitting in the same house, he said. “Imran Khan should know that there is no short cut in politics and change will come through vote,” Rafique said. —FP Monitoring

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