e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

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PAGE | 03 PAGE | 17 World leaders reach out to Francois Hollande Imran warns govt of biggest long march in history PAGE |04 Lahore edition tuesday, 8 may, 2012 Jamadi-ul-sani 16, 1433 rs 15.00 Vol ii no 311 22 pages Zardari’s ill intentions about judiciary were clear from beginning LAHORE AGENCIES P RIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gi- lani on Monday called for promo- tion of Pakistan-India trade and warned that non-state actors were determined to harm the bilateral peace process. Addressing a conference of Pakistani and Indian business tycoons, the prime minister said the two sides must remain vigilant to thwart elements that could endanger the peace process that resumed last year. The two- day economic conference is being organised by Jang Group and Times of India. The prime minister said improving rela- tions with India was Pakistan’s policy and both countries would have to learn a lesson from history. “Illiteracy and poverty must not be the destiny of people of Pakistan and India,” Gilani remarked. He said non-state el- ements were common enemies of both the countries and they would have to be defeated. “I must caution that recent successes do not mean that we should become complacent. We face many challenges and threats from forces inimical to peace,” he said. A thirty- member delegation of Indian business leaders is attending the India-Pakistan Joint Business Council and exploring ways to promote trade relations. The conference is a joint initiative of Pakistan’s Jang Group of publications and the Times of India newspaper. Gilani told the opening session that im- proved relations with India “are important for us as it offers a billion-plus market to the Pak- istani exporters”. “We face many challenges and threats from forces inimical to peace. We are passing through turbulent times in our history in which non-state actors are determined to harm the peace process. Such forces are pres- ent on both sides of the border and we have to remain vigilant that they are not able to derail our hard earned gains,” Gilani said. “It was in April 2011 when the two coun- tries announced their intention to normalise bilateral trade relations. And by April 2012, we made huge strides in this direction,” the PM said. The prime minister said Pakistan de- cided to scrap the positive list regime for im- ports from India and replaced it with a negative list and the Wagah-Attari Trade Gate, which opened recently, would go a long way in boosting the volume of trade. He said the peace process between the two countries would be strengthened through the business conference and business community could a play vital role in ensuring peace and harmony and designated business community as ambassadors and champions of peace. “The struggles to build good relations are remarkable, it is the policy of the government to enlarge mutual relations between the two countries and we have to cultivate the rela- tions on the basis mutual trust,” he said. Gilani said the population of Pakistan’s giant neighbor offered the country’s exporters a “billion-plus market”, adding normal trade relations were vital to Pakistan achieving its economic potential. Beware of non-state actors, Gilani warns India g PM says improving relations with India are ‘important for us as it offers a billion-plus market to Pakistani exporters’ KOLKATA AGENCIES US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday confirmed that Washington has announced a bounty for Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, as she said that the US believed the chief of al Qaeda was in Pakistan and vowed to keep up pressure on Islamabad. Clinton told an audience here that she was “well aware” that the Pakistani government had not yet taken steps to help secure Saeed’s conviction. “We’re going to be pushing that. So it’s a way of raising the visibility and pointing out to those who are associated with him that there is a cost for that,” Clinton said of the reward offer. Three of the top five most-wanted militants by the United States are believed to be in Pakistan, including the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Omar. But Clinton, addressing a public forum in Kolkata, said she also appreciated sacri- fices by Pakistan, saying that it was the main victim of violence by extremists. Saeed has openly defied the US an- nouncement by holding press conferences in Pakistan. The United States has said it is not offering the reward for his capture but for information to prosecute him. US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter claimed on April 29 that the US government never made such an offer. Munter argued that the Pakistani media had misreported the issue. Meanwhile, Clinton said “We want to disable al Qaeda and we have made a lot of progress in doing that.” “There are several significant leaders still on the run. Zawahiri, who inherited the leadership from Bin Laden is some- where, we believe, in Pakistan,” she said. Reacting to Clinton’s statement that Zawahiri was in Pakistan, Foreign Min- ister Hina Rabbani Khar urged the US to share information in this regard. “We have no information about the presence of al Qaeda leader (Ayman al- Zawahiri) in Pakistan. If anybody has any information in this regard, they should share it with us so that we can look into the matter accordingly,” Khar said while talking to reporters after brief- ing the members of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) at the Parliament House. NEWS DESK The United States has for several years been secretly releasing high-level detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, a bold effort to quell violence but one that US officials acknowledge poses substantial risks, the Washington Post reported Mon- day. As the US has unsuccessfully pursued a peace deal with the Taliban, the “strategic release” program has quietly served as a live diplomatic channel, allowing Ameri- can officials to use prisoners as bargaining chips in restive provinces where military power has reached its limits. But the releases are an inherent gam- ble: The freed detainees are often notori- ous fighters who would not be released under the traditional legal system for mil- itary prisoners in Afghanistan. They must promise to give up violence and US offi- cials warn them that if they are caught at- tacking American troops, they will be detained once again. There are no absolute guarantees, however, and officials would not say whether those who have been released under the program have later returned to attack US and Afghan forces once again. “Everyone agrees they are guilty of what they have done and should remain in de- tention. Everyone agrees that these are bad guys. But the benefits outweigh the risks,” said one US official who, like others, dis- cussed the issue on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the program. Unlike at Guantanamo, releasing prisoners from the Parwan detention cen- ter, the only American military prison in Afghanistan, does not require congres- sional approval and can be done clandes- tinely. And although official negotiations with top insurgent leaders are seen by many as an endgame for the war, which has claimed nearly 2,000 US lives, the strategic release program has a less ambi- tious goal: to quell violence in concen- trated areas where NATO is unable to en- sure security, particularly as troops con- tinue to withdraw. The releases are intended to produce tactical gains but are not considered part of a grand bargain with the Taliban. The process begins with conversations between US military officials and insurgent commanders or local elders, who promise that violence will decrease in their district — or that militants will cease fighting alto- gether — if certain insurgents are released from Parwan. The value of the tradeoff and the sincerity of the guarantee are then weighed by senior military officials in Kabul, officials said. “The Afghans have come to us with information that might strengthen the reconciliation process,” US Ambassador Ryan C Crocker said. “Many times we do act on it.” The insurgents released through the secret program are the only detainees at Par- wan who are able to circumvent the prison’s judicial review board. Their release is in- stead approved directly by the United States’ top commander and top military lawyer in Afghanistan, U.S.officials said. One official described the process as being “outside of our normal protocol.” ”We look at detainees who have influence over other insurgents — individuals whose release could have a calming effect in an entire area,” one U.S. official said. “In those cases, the benefits of release could outweigh the reasons for keeping him detained.” ”We tried to get the insurgent com- manders to work with the Afghan National Army, but they weren’t interested,” said a U.S. commander in eastern Afghanistan who worked on a strategic release this year. One recent case involved a com- mander with Hezb-i-Islami who was de- scribed by Lt Col. John Woodward, formerly the top US commander in north- ern Wardak province, as “operationally and tactically a significant player.” In the Nerkh Valley, a violent swath of Wardak, Woodward had decided that “given our re- sources, there’s no way we could fight both the Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami.” Although the Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami are both in- surgent groups, they have different leader- ship structures and operate independently. Through local politicians and elders, the American officer began negotiating with Hezb-i-Islami commanders, who for years had been firing at American troops. Those talks progressed, and weeks later, the insurgent group was providing useful intelligence on the whereabouts of Taliban fighters. Before long, the U.S. troops and Hezb-i-Islami fighters were conducting joint operations, traveling in the same ve- hicles and sleeping on the same bases, Woodward said. But amid that progress, the insurgent commanders came to Wood- ward with a request. They wanted a rela- tive, the man considered a “significant player” to be released from Parwan. Wood- ward began contacting his superiors about the strategic release program. US secretly releases high-level Taliban in exchange for pledges of peace: WP Who says there’s no bounty on Saeed? g Clinton says ‘well aware’ Pakistan hasn’t done anything to help secure Saeed’s conviction g Says al Qaeda chief is in Pakistan, Khar asks US to share information insurgents freed to promote peaCe | page 04 Continued on page 04 Continued on page 04 BARA: A family sits in a mini truck with their belongings as they leave the Shlober area on Monday following a military campaign launched against local militants. afp LHR 08-05-2012_Layout 1 5/8/2012 3:11 AM Page 1

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e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

Transcript of e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

Page 1: e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

PAGE | 03 PAGE | 17

World leaders reach out to Francois Hollande

Imran warns govt of biggest long

march in history PAGE |04

Lahore edition tuesday, 8 may, 2012 Jamadi-ul-sani 16, 1433rs 15.00 Vol ii no 311 22 pages

Zardari’s ill intentionsabout judiciary wereclear from beginning

LAHOREAGENCIES

PRIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gi-lani on Monday called for promo-tion of Pakistan-India trade andwarned that non-state actors weredetermined to harm the bilateral

peace process.Addressing a conference of Pakistani and

Indian business tycoons, the prime ministersaid the two sides must remain vigilant tothwart elements that could endanger thepeace process that resumed last year. The two-day economic conference is being organisedby Jang Group and Times of India.

The prime minister said improving rela-tions with India was Pakistan’s policy andboth countries would have to learn a lessonfrom history. “Illiteracy and poverty must notbe the destiny of people of Pakistan andIndia,” Gilani remarked. He said non-state el-ements were common enemies of both thecountries and they would have to be defeated.

“I must caution that recent successes donot mean that we should become complacent.We face many challenges and threats fromforces inimical to peace,” he said. A thirty-member delegation of Indian business leadersis attending the India-Pakistan Joint BusinessCouncil and exploring ways to promote traderelations. The conference is a joint initiative ofPakistan’s Jang Group of publications and theTimes of India newspaper.

Gilani told the opening session that im-proved relations with India “are important forus as it offers a billion-plus market to the Pak-

istani exporters”.“We face many challenges and threats

from forces inimical to peace. We are passingthrough turbulent times in our history inwhich non-state actors are determined toharm the peace process. Such forces are pres-ent on both sides of the border and we have toremain vigilant that they are not able to derailour hard earned gains,” Gilani said.

“It was in April 2011 when the two coun-tries announced their intention to normalisebilateral trade relations. And by April 2012, wemade huge strides in this direction,” the PMsaid. The prime minister said Pakistan de-cided to scrap the positive list regime for im-ports from India and replaced it with anegative list and the Wagah-Attari Trade Gate,which opened recently, would go a long way inboosting the volume of trade.

He said the peace process between the twocountries would be strengthened through thebusiness conference and business communitycould a play vital role in ensuring peace andharmony and designated business communityas ambassadors and champions of peace.

“The struggles to build good relations areremarkable, it is the policy of the governmentto enlarge mutual relations between the twocountries and we have to cultivate the rela-tions on the basis mutual trust,” he said.

Gilani said the population of Pakistan’sgiant neighbor offered the country’s exportersa “billion-plus market”, adding normal traderelations were vital to Pakistan achieving itseconomic potential.

Beware of non-state actors,Gilani warns Indiag PM says improving relations with India are ‘important forus as it offers a billion-plus market to Pakistani exporters’

KOLKATAAGENCIES

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton onMonday confirmed that Washington hasannounced a bounty for Jamaatud Dawachief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, as shesaid that the US believed the chief of alQaeda was in Pakistan and vowed tokeep up pressure on Islamabad.

Clinton told an audience here thatshe was “well aware” that the Pakistanigovernment had not yet taken steps tohelp secure Saeed’s conviction.

“We’re going to be pushing that. Soit’s a way of raising the visibility andpointing out to those who are associatedwith him that there is a cost for that,”Clinton said of the reward offer.

Three of the top five most-wanted

militants by the United States are believedto be in Pakistan, including the leader ofthe Afghan Taliban, Mullah Omar.

But Clinton, addressing a public forumin Kolkata, said she also appreciated sacri-fices by Pakistan, saying that it was themain victim of violence by extremists.

Saeed has openly defied the US an-nouncement by holding press conferencesin Pakistan. The United States has said itis not offering the reward for his capturebut for information to prosecute him.

US Ambassador to Pakistan CameronMunter claimed on April 29 that the USgovernment never made such an offer.Munter argued that the Pakistani mediahad misreported the issue.

Meanwhile, Clinton said “We wantto disable al Qaeda and we have made alot of progress in doing that.”

“There are several significant leadersstill on the run. Zawahiri, who inheritedthe leadership from Bin Laden is some-where, we believe, in Pakistan,” she said.

Reacting to Clinton’s statement thatZawahiri was in Pakistan, Foreign Min-ister Hina Rabbani Khar urged the US toshare information in this regard.

“We have no information about thepresence of al Qaeda leader (Ayman al-Zawahiri) in Pakistan. If anybody hasany information in this regard, theyshould share it with us so that we canlook into the matter accordingly,” Kharsaid while talking to reporters after brief-ing the members of the ParliamentaryCommittee on National Security (PCNS)at the Parliament House.

NEWS DESK

The United States has for several yearsbeen secretly releasing high-level detaineesfrom a military prison in Afghanistan aspart of negotiations with insurgent groups,a bold effort to quell violence but one thatUS officials acknowledge poses substantialrisks, the Washington Post reported Mon-day. As the US has unsuccessfully pursueda peace deal with the Taliban, the “strategicrelease” program has quietly served as alive diplomatic channel, allowing Ameri-can officials to use prisoners as bargainingchips in restive provinces where militarypower has reached its limits.

But the releases are an inherent gam-ble: The freed detainees are often notori-ous fighters who would not be releasedunder the traditional legal system for mil-itary prisoners in Afghanistan. They mustpromise to give up violence and US offi-cials warn them that if they are caught at-tacking American troops, they will be

detained once again.There are no absolute guarantees,

however, and officials would not saywhether those who have been releasedunder the program have later returned toattack US and Afghan forces once again.“Everyone agrees they are guilty of whatthey have done and should remain in de-tention. Everyone agrees that these are badguys. But the benefits outweigh the risks,”said one US official who, like others, dis-cussed the issue on the condition ofanonymity because of the sensitivity of theprogram. Unlike at Guantanamo, releasingprisoners from the Parwan detention cen-ter, the only American military prison inAfghanistan, does not require congres-sional approval and can be done clandes-tinely. And although official negotiationswith top insurgent leaders are seen bymany as an endgame for the war, whichhas claimed nearly 2,000 US lives, thestrategic release program has a less ambi-tious goal: to quell violence in concen-

trated areas where NATO is unable to en-sure security, particularly as troops con-tinue to withdraw. The releases areintended to produce tactical gains but arenot considered part of a grand bargain withthe Taliban.

The process begins with conversationsbetween US military officials and insurgentcommanders or local elders, who promisethat violence will decrease in their district —or that militants will cease fighting alto-gether — if certain insurgents are releasedfrom Parwan. The value of the tradeoff andthe sincerity of the guarantee are thenweighed by senior military officials in Kabul,officials said. “The Afghans have come to uswith information that might strengthen thereconciliation process,” US AmbassadorRyan C Crocker said. “Many times we do acton it.” The insurgents released through thesecret program are the only detainees at Par-wan who are able to circumvent the prison’sjudicial review board. Their release is in-stead approved directly by the United States’

top commander and top military lawyer inAfghanistan, U.S.officials said. One officialdescribed the process as being “outside ofour normal protocol.” ”We look at detaineeswho have influence over other insurgents —individuals whose release could have acalming effect in an entire area,” one U.S.official said. “In those cases, the benefits ofrelease could outweigh the reasons forkeeping him detained.”

”We tried to get the insurgent com-manders to work with the Afghan NationalArmy, but they weren’t interested,” said aU.S. commander in eastern Afghanistanwho worked on a strategic release thisyear. One recent case involved a com-mander with Hezb-i-Islami who was de-scribed by Lt Col. John Woodward,formerly the top US commander in north-ern Wardak province, as “operationallyand tactically a significant player.” In theNerkh Valley, a violent swath of Wardak,Woodward had decided that “given our re-sources, there’s no way we could fight both

the Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami.” Althoughthe Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami are both in-surgent groups, they have different leader-ship structures and operate independently.

Through local politicians and elders,the American officer began negotiatingwith Hezb-i-Islami commanders, who foryears had been firing at American troops.Those talks progressed, and weeks later,the insurgent group was providing usefulintelligence on the whereabouts of Talibanfighters. Before long, the U.S. troops andHezb-i-Islami fighters were conductingjoint operations, traveling in the same ve-hicles and sleeping on the same bases,Woodward said. But amid that progress,the insurgent commanders came to Wood-ward with a request. They wanted a rela-tive, the man considered a “significantplayer” to be released from Parwan. Wood-ward began contacting his superiors aboutthe strategic release program.

US secretly releases high-level Talibanin exchange for pledges of peace: WP

Who says there’s no bounty on Saeed?g Clinton says ‘well aware’ Pakistan hasn’t done anything to help secure Saeed’sconviction g Says al Qaeda chief is in Pakistan, Khar asks US to share information

insurgents freed to promote peaCe | page 04

Continued on page 04

Continued on page 04

BARA: A family sits in a mini truck with their belongings as they leave the Shlober area on Monday following a military

campaign launched against local militants. afp

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02Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

News

Today’s

LookQuick

LAhore

Story on Page 07

newS

Story on Page 05

CArToon

Page 13

Bus runs over a student! SC orders Punjab IGP to investigate vani case in Bhakkar

Three killed for resistingLayyah bank robbery

LAYYAHoNLINE

At least three people, including a security guard, were killed

and two others injured for offering resistance during a bank

robbery in Layyah on Monday. Per details, four armed men

barged into the National Bank branch located in Pirjagi area

of Layyah, close to the house of PML-N MNA Pir Saqlain

Shah Bukhari and tried to loot cash at gun point. The secu-

rity guards and bank staff offered resistance upon which the

robbers opened fire, killing the guard and two staffers. The

robbers fled the scene along with looted cash on motorcycles.

The bodies and injured were shifted to a hospital.

Pakistan has requestedSiachen withdrawal: Antony

NEWS DESK

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony told India’s Lower House

of parliament, the Lok Sabha, that Pakistan had requested

New Delhi to consider withdrawing troops from Siachen fol-

lowing heavy casualties in a recent avalanche on the Pakistani

side of the glacier. In a written reply to a question, Antony

said that during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh on April 8, President Asif Zardari had pointed out the

need for resolving all issues, including Sir Creek, Siachen and

Kashmir, to improve bilateral relations. Antony also said that

54 missing Indian military personnel of the 1965 and 1971

wars are believed to be in Pakistan’s custody. He said that

India had repeatedly taken up the issue with Pakistan but it

does not acknowledge any such personnel in its custody. “A

delegation of 14 relatives of missing defence personnel also

visited 10 jails in Pakistan from June 1 to 14, 2007, but could

not conclusively confirm the physical presence of any missing

defence personnel,” he said.

46 civil judges resign in protestagainst shoe-hurling incident

FAISALABADINP

Forty-six civil judges tendered their resignation to the

district and sessions judge on Monday to protest hurling

of a shoe at an additional sessions judge by a lawyer in

Faisalabad. The lawyer had hurled a shoe at the judge

after the judge refused his client’s bail plea. The incident

drew strong reaction from sitting civil judges who re-

signed, saying they could not perform their duties under

such conditions. They pressed for acceptance of their res-

ignations. Of 17 additional judges, nine sought 10-day

leave. The civil judges argued that it was the fourth such inci-

dent in Faisalabad as it was now difficult for them to perform

their duties. Sources said senior judicial authorities had in-

structed that the issue should be resolved amicably, adding

that Additional Sessions Judge Asad Ali had taken a firm

stance by saying that he would not forgive the lawyer until a

case was registered against him. On the other hand, in its

meeting, the District Bar General Council supported the

lawyer in question, Chaudhry Masood Ahmed and con-

demned a strike call given by the judges.

ISLAMABADStAff REPoRt

FORMER law minister Babar Awanon Monday tendered an uncondi-tional apology with the SupremeCourt and requested that his lawpracticing license be restored which

was suspended for ridiculing the judiciary.The Supreme Court on January 17, 2012,

had temporarily suspended his law practic-ing license under Order V, rule 30 of theSupreme Court Rules, 1980 for ridiculing thejudiciary and criticizing the court’s order inmemo case.

After the verdict, Awan had criticized thecourt’s order while reciting some poeticwords outside the court at which the courthad taken action against him for ridiculingthe judiciary and finally had temporarilysuspended his license.

“I am a professional lawyer having no

other source of livelihood and my fundamen-tal right stands suspended after the court sus-pended my law practicing license,” Awan

pleaded before the court in his applicationfiled through Ali Zafar.

He stated that due to temporary suspen-sion of his license, significant number of lit-igants who had engaged him as a lawyerover a period of years were suffering ir-reparable losses, while his staff was also fac-ing hardships.

He further stated that whatever he spokein the press conference as well as in the presstalk was unintentional, based on inadvertenceand he was offering his unconditionally apol-ogy for his utterances, which was found primafacie to be disrespectful by the apex court. Herequested the court to accept his apology andrecall its January 17, 2012 order.

Talking to reporters outside the SupremeCourt, Awan called the appointment of ad-hocjudges in the Supreme Court legal. He said al-though he was not in favor of the idea, the ap-pointment of ad-hoc judges in the apex courtwas legal under Articles 175-A, 181 and 182.

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Marvi

Memon shouts slogans during a demonstration against

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Monday. ONLINE

Babar Awan tenders unconditional apology to SCg Seeks restoration of his law practicing license

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03Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

NewsCoMMenTCalling for elections

Articles on Page 12-13

Into the streets, prematurely.

france decidesThe wheel of time move on.

Dr faisal Bari says:

Zoya Ashraf and Khadija Waseem says:

ForeIgn newS

Story on Page 17

ArTS & enTerTAInMenT

Story on Page 14

SPorTS

Story on Page 18

World leaders reach out to francois Hollande Weighty issues force Aishwarya to skip Cannes?

Freedom of religion: What and for whom.

Keep Balochistan with us: We will not let ’71 happen again.

Akhlaque Dogar says:War of wits and egos: The aftermath of the conviction.

Pakistan crush Sri Lanka, qualify for semis, Jr WC

Imran warns govtof biggest longmarch in history

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf Chief ImranKhan came up clear on Monday with its in-tentions to launch a parallel long march toovershadow a possible show of strength bythe Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.Threatening the government, Khan said itshould prepare for ‘the biggest long marchin history”, in case it failed to honour theSupreme Court’s orders. Speaking to agathering of students at a private universityin Lahore, the PTI chief reiterated hisparty’s demand calling for Prime MinisterYousuf Raza Gilani’s resignation. He alsourged President Asif Ali Zardari to quit hisoffice. The leaders of all political partieshad started preparing their children for theupcoming general elections, he said, addingthat the PTI did not believe in the ‘politicsof inheritance’ and hinted at handing overthe reigns of the party’s leadership to theyouth. Lambasting Nawaz Sharif for hisdual politics, the PTI chief said if theNawaz League was sincere with democracy,then they should resign from the assem-blies. According to a press release issuedon Monday, Khan had also met earlier witha PTI delegation from the Mardan districtin Islamabad. Khan said during the meet-ing that PTI will eliminate traditional poli-tics from Pakistan. The PTI chief said thecriteria for awarding the party’s posts andtickets in the coming elections would bebased on merit and honesty. “The party’selection will enhance the performancegraph for PTI,” Khan added. PTI districtpresident Mohammad Atif Khan led the delegation.

ISLAMABADStAff REPoRt

TREASURY legislators onMonday grilled the Ministerfor Regulation and ServicesFirdous Ashiq Awan for“trashing” the unanimous

recommendations by the Upper Houseon Drug Regulation Authority (DRA)and accused Defence Secretary NargisSethi for pressurizing the minister topursue her own DRA drafted “in viola-tion of provincial autonomy”.

N the other hand, differences be-tween two major opposition parties fur-ther widened on Monday as the PML-Nand JUI-F senators failed to evolve aunanimous strategy over the statementby Defence Minister Chaudhry AhmedMukhtar about possible UN sanctions onPakistan for closing NATO supply routes.

Resultantly, the PML-N membersannounced to boycott the Senate pro-ceedings while the JUI-F senators ob-served a mere “token boycott”.

In another rare gesture of unanim-ity, senators from the MQM and ANP –two bitter rivals – besides membersfrom other major coalition partnersunanimously grilled Nargis Sethi, sayingthe House would not allow the ministerto follow a “fake DRA” which wasdrafted to benefit some influential.

Speaking on a point of order, AbdulHaseeb Khan of the MQM said the Min-istry of Regulations had been making amockery of the DRA and the provincialautonomy was being compromised.

He alleged that the DRA the min-istry was pursuing was “fake” and wasactually drafted by a federal secretary.

“If the ministry pursues the DRAdrafted by the certain bureaucrat, we willnot allow proceedings of this House. Allthe members of this House had worked

hard to formulate a consensus draft andwe will not allow a bureaucrat to compro-mise provincial autonomy,” he asserted.

Ilyas Bilour of the ANP supportedthe views and said no one would be al-lowed to make a mockery of provincialautonomy, which had been achievedafter a struggle of 60 years. He claimedthat the Health Ministry had not yetbeen fully devolved to the provinces.He said making DRA was a prerogativeof the provincial governments, but thefederation was doing so.

Maulana Mohammed Khan Sheraniof the JUI-F also backed the views ex-pressed by Bilour, saying the devolutionplan was being jeopardised. He said thegovernment was following the policies ofpast regimes by denying provincial au-tonomy, despite the passage of the 18thAmendment. PPP Senator FarhatullahBabar said the DRA was being formedon the apex court’s direction. He askedthe minister for regulation and servicesto respond to the allegations levelled bythe members of the House.

Senator Zahid Khan said it was theauthority of the provincial assemblies toconstitute DRA and the apex court haddirected the federal government to formthe body as the provinces did not form it.

He said the ministry had been formedto accommodate the minister who had norole and rather a bureaucrat was involvedin amending the DRA draft passed by theHouse. Senator Kulsoom Perveen of BNP-Awami said the DRA available with theministry was not formulated by the Houseand it had been reshaped by a bureaucratwho amended it to serve her purposes.

Senator Afrasiab Khattak of the ANPsaid the decision to empower the federalgovernment to form DRA was taken bythe implementation commission on 18thAmendment after seeking approval fromprovincial assemblies. He said if the par-

liament’s draft on DRA had beenamended, it reflected that the bureau-cracy did not accept the devolution ofpowers in letter and spirit.

Winding up the debate on a motionmoved by Senator Abdul Haseeb Khanof the MQM to discuss the health policywith a particular reference to registra-tion and pricing of drugs, nationalhealth programmes and formation ofDRA in light of 18th Amendment, Min-ister for Regulation and Services FirdousAshiq Awan assured the members of theUpper House that the governmentwould ensure provincial autonomy andno bureaucrat would be allowed to vio-late the government’s commitment toprovincial autonomy.

The minister said the ministrywould take into account the recommen-dations made by the House committeeand the concerns expressed by the mem-bers were only based on speculations.

“I would take up the matter afterconsultation with the members andwould also take them into confidence.Let me assure you that no legislationwould be passed which would protectthe interest of some specific individuals.I would not follow wishes of any specificbureaucrat,” she added.

She said the ministry would soontable a consensus legislation on DRA thathad been renamed from drug regulatoryauthority to drug regulatory agency.

Earlier, members of opposition par-ties in the Senate criticised the recentstatements by Minister for DefenceAhmed Mukhtar about the possibility ofUN sanctions over the closure of NATOsupply routes and asked the governmentto come up with a clear stance on the issue.

However, differences between bothopposition parties widened as the PML-N members boycotted the proceedings ofthe Upper House, while the JUI-F mem-

bers walked out and returned to theHouse when PPP Chief Whip Senator Is-lamuddin Shaikh persuaded them to calloff their walkout.

Speaking on a point of order, PML-N Parliamentary Leader Raja ZafarulHaq referred to what he called confus-ing statements by the defence ministerand pointed out that his recent state-ment had jeopardised the unanimousrecommendations passed by the jointsitting of parliament.

“After the Salala attack, it was noneother than the government whichblocked the NATO supply route. Later, italso asked the parliament to fianlise itsrecommendations for new terms of en-gagements with the US and the primeminister had assured the parliament thatits recommendations would be fully im-plemented. Now the same government istelling us that if supply routes are notopened, we can face UN sanctions,” hesaid. Haq said why did the governmentnot know that closing NATO supplieswas a violation of the UN charter andwhy was it changing its stance now.

“We condemn the twists and turns bythe government on such a serious matterand in protest, we boycott the proceed-ings of this House,” he maintained.

Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri ofthe JUI-F said the statements by the de-fence minister were creating confusionand they were not only a breach of par-liament, but also brought a bad name toparliament’s unanimous resolutions.

Parliamentary Committee on Na-tional Security (PCNS) chief Mian RazaRabbani informed the House that thecommittee had met in the morning andForeign Minister Hina Rabbani Kharhad assured the meeting that the govern-ment would form its policy of new termsof engagements with the US in line withparliament’s recommendations.

DUBAIREutERS

An American aid worker ab-ducted by al Qaeda in Pakistanlast year has pleaded with USPresident Barack Obama to meethis captors’ demands for the re-lease of prisoners in order to savehis life, in a video released by themilitant group’s media arm.

The SITE monitoring service,which follows al Qaeda’s state-ments, quoted Warren Weinstein,who was kidnapped in Lahore lastAugust, appealing to Obama to“accept and respond to the mu-jahideen”. “My life is in yourhands, Mr. President. If you ac-cept the demands, I live; if youdon’t accept the demands, then Idie,” it quoted Weinstein as saying

in the video, which was posted onIslamist websites on Sunday.

Dressed in a traditional Pak-istani tunic and speaking impas-sively in English, he also tells hiswife Elaine that “I’m fine, I’mwell, I’m getting all my medica-tions, I’m being taken care of”.However, the White House said

it would not negotiate with alQaeda over the fate of the eld-erly US aid worker. “We cannotand will not negotiate with alQaeda,” White Housespokesman Jay Carney said,adding that officials were greatlyconcerned for the safety of theaid worker Warren Weinstein,

and were working to find him.There was no response from theUS embassy in Islamabad. Pak-istani security officials said theywere not immediately aware ofthe video but believe Weinsteinis being held by al Qaeda andlocal Taliban near the Afghanborder. Weinstein, 70, suffersfrom asthma, heart problemsand high blood pressure.

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in December claimedthat the group was holding We-instein, but at the time providedno proof. Zawahiri demandedthat Washington end air strikesin Afghanistan, Pakistan, Soma-lia and Yemen, and release the1993 World Trade Centrebombers along with relatives ofOsama bin Laden.

Treasury MPs grill minister for pursuing ‘fake DRA’ drafted by Sethig PML-n boycotts Senate proceedings, JUI-F walks out from session against Mukhtar’s statement on nATo supply

American hostage urges Obama tomeet al Qaeda demandsg white house says will not negotiate with al Qaeda for weinstein’s release

7 children killed inShakargarh schoolroof collapse

SIALKOTStAff REPoRt

At least 7 children werekilled and over a dozen in-jured when a roof of a pri-vate school collapsed inShakar Garh tehsil ofNarowal district in Punjabon Monday.According Rescue 1122, theincident took place in theinfamous Polo Street thatkilled at least seven stu-dents and injured over adozen. They said as manyas 40 students were pres-ent in the class when theroof collapsed.An emergency has been de-clared in all schools of thedistrict while rescue effortswere underway to recoverthe trapped children. The Punjab chief ministerhas ordered an inquiry intothe incident.

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gilani warns India

“Our textiles, I am told,have a huge market acrossthe border,” he said, addingthat India could find amarket in Pakistan forgoods including chemicals,pharmaceuticals andengineering products. PrimeMinister Gilani saidPakistan was committed toresolving all outstandingissues with India throughdialogue, besides developingbilateral relations on anequal basis. “We want allour core issues settledthrough dialogue onequitable basis and want tostart a new era of economiccollaboration with India,”he said.

who says

Khar, however, expressedoptimism that the US wouldrespect parliament’srecommendations onreengagement with the USwhich had been directlylinked to halting dronestrikes inside Pakistan.She said talks between bothcountries in light of theterms of engagement set byparliament were stillongoing and could takesome time to settle.The minister said there wasno halt in talks and anyimpression of failure ofdialogue was uncalled for.She reiterated thegovernment’s stance that USdrone attacks were counter-productive and a violationof Pakistan’s sovereignty.“The US has been informedof Pakistan’s concerns ondrone strikes,” she added.

LAHoRE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif holds talks with senior journalists and columnists

on Monday. ONLINE

LAHOREoNLINE

Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz(PML-N) chiefNawaz Sharifon Monday

said President Asif AliZardari’s ill intentions aboutthe judiciary were clear fromthe very beginning.

Talking to senior jour-nalists and columnists at hisModel Town residence,Nawaz said had the PML-Nnot launched the movementfor judges’ reinstatement,the judiciary would have notbeen restored.

To a question, he said itwas a good sign if Chief ofArmy staff (COAS) GeneralAshfaq Kayani had played arole in the reinstatement ofthe Supreme Court judges.However, all state institu-tions should work withintheir limits, Nawaz said.

He said if the PML-N

had any ill intentions at thetime of the long march, itwould not have returnedfrom Gujranwala.

Nawaz said Zardari hadblown apart the Charter ofDemocracy (CoD) and allthe promises made by Be-nazir Bhutto.

“We did not want to re-peat politics of 1980s and1990s, but the governmentforced us to do so,” he said.

He said he challengedthe PPP government for notaccepting the SupremeCourt decision, adding thatthis attitude would cause de-struction in the country.

The PML-N chief saidwhenever his party talkedabout the government’scorruption and bringingback Swiss money to thecountry, the rulers becamefurious and started base-less propaganda againstthe N-League.

He said there was not asingle example in the world

other than Pakistan wherea convicted person wasserving as the prime minis-ter. He said Gilani had lostthe legal and moral justifi-cation to remain the primeminister, therefore, heshould resign immediatelyto save the country fromfurther crisis.

Nawaz said the PML-Nwould take a decision on theoption of collective resigna-tion after consultations withthe opposition parties.“Every option could be usedto send the rulers packing,”he said. To another question,Nawaz said the defencebudget should be debated inparliament and wonderedwhy the government was re-luctant to do so.

The former prime minis-ter said load shedding, infla-tion and poverty were on therise. Nawaz praised the role ofthe media in the restoration ofthe judiciary and unveiling thecorruption of the government.

Zardari’s ill intentionsabout judiciary were clearfrom beginning: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: The Na-tional Assembly’s first ses-sion of the fifthparliamentary year fromApril 25 to May 4 witnesseda chaotic start, leaving 76percent of the agenda itemsunaddressed, stated a Freeand Fair Election Network(FAFEN) preliminary reporton Monday.

The PML-N stagedprotests and boycottsthroughout the seven sit-tings demanding the primeminister’s resignation overhis conviction by theSupreme Court in the con-tempt case.

However, amid thePML-N protests, the Housepassed a government bill to

set up a nine-member Na-tional Commission forHuman Rights. The bill hasalready been passed by theSenate.

The House also adoptedtwo treasury-backed resolu-tions, creating a newprovince in Punjab andreposing confidence in theprime minister. INP

ISLAMABADKASHIf ABBASI

The Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP) on Mondayreleased the details of assetsdeclared by MNAs and Pun-jab’s MPAs.

According to the list,Noor Alam Khan of the PPPis the richest member of par-liament, owning assetsworth Rs 32 billion, whileJamshed Dasti, who also be-longs to the PPP, is the poor-est parliamentarian with anempty bank account.

Prime Minister YousafRaza Gilani has declaredassets of Rs 25 million, butdoes not own a car. Gilani’sson Abdul Qadir Gilani hasassets worth Rs 56.3 mil-lion, including a bullet-proof vehicle.

Maulana Fazlur Rehmanhas declared assets of Rs 5million, Pervaiz Elahi of Rs127 million, Arbab Alamgirof Rs 1.68 billion, whileFaryal Talpur is the owner ofassets of Rs 115.30 million.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khanhas Rs 16.60 million in cash

along with property com-prising of 904 kanals of land,six plots and a farmhouse.

Punjab Chief MinisterShahbaz Sharif has declaredassets of more than Rs 210million, while the combinedassets of him and his twowives are worth Rs 482.2million.

According to the docu-ments, Moonis Elahi has de-clared assets worth Rs 307.6million. He also has no car.

PPP’s Arbab AlamgirKhan and his spouse AsmaArbab top the list of in-debted MNAs, with their col-lective liabilities standing atRs 3.38 billion.

The net worth of assetsof ANP chief Asfandyar WaliKhan is a little over Rs 30million. He has mentionedthe value of his inheritedresidential house at Rs 3 mil-lion and the worth of 67acres of agricultural land atRs 26.8 million.

The value of assetsowned by Aftab AhmadKhan Sherpao – the chief ofhis own faction of PPP – isRs 218 million.

BRUSSELSAfP

After pledging to speed upFrance’s pullout fromAfghanistan, incoming presi-dent Francois Hollande willsoon have to reassure NATOallies about his decision to endcombat earlier than planned.

Hollande made a cam-paign promise to start bring-ing 3,300 French soldiershome this year, ending hiscountry’s combat role twoyears earlier than NATO’scarefully crafted plan to fullyhand security control toAfghans by 2014. “I believethat, without taking any risksfor our troops, it is the rightthing to withdraw our combattroops by the end of 2012,”Hollande said last week.

The Socialist leader will

bring this message to fellowNATO leaders when theymeet at a summit hosted byUS President Barack Obamain Chicago on May 20-21, justdays after his oath of office.

NATO military officials saythe alliance had already madecontingency plans in the eventHollande defeated right-wingincumbent President NicolasSarkozy. Nevertheless, a diplo-mat acknowledged that thenew leader’s stance “was notwarmly welcomed” at allianceheadquarters.

Afghan officials down-played Hollande’s pledge, in-sisting that Afghan forces willbe ready to take over securityresponsibility in 2013 anddoubting that France hasenough time to complete awithdrawal by the end of thisyear anyway.

But the early French pull-out challenges NATO assur-ances that there would be no“rush to the exit” inAfghanistan, even though thewar is unpopular in the Westafter a decade of fighting thathas killed almost 3,000 foreigntroops. In Chicago, NATOwants to show a united front,repeating its “in together, outtogether” mantra as it fine-tunes the final straight of amission that has yet to defeatthe Taliban despite the pres-ence of 130,000 foreign troops.

Canada and the Nether-lands have already switchedto training missions whileAustralian Prime MinisterJulia Gillard indicated lastmonth that her troops couldbegin leaving as early as nextyear. Sarkozy himself hadsurprised some allies by de-

ciding earlier this year to endFrance’s combat mission in2013 after four French troopswere killed by a rogue Afghansoldier.

Hollande has insistedthat France would coordinatewith NATO allies to avoid

leaving a security vacuumwhen French soldiers pack upand leave Kapisa province,northeast of Kabul.

“I will do this in good co-operation with our allies,”said Hollande.

Francois Heisbourg, spe-

cial advisor at the Foundationfor Strategic Research inParis, said the NATO alliancewanted to avoid any drama asit attempted a smooth with-drawal from Afghanistan,even if success was uncertainin the end.

Afghan insurgents freed to promote peace: USKABUL: The United States has freed up to 20 detainees from a military prison inAfghanistan over the past two years in an effort to promote reconciliation with insurgentgroups, the US embassy said Monday. The programme was rarely used and the decision torelease any detainees took into account whether they posed any further security threat,spokesman Gavin Sundwall said after the Washington Post first reported the move onMonday. A proposed detainee release begins with conversations between US militaryofficials and insurgent commanders or local Afghan elders — who promise to reduceviolence in their district if certain insurgents are freed, the Post said. “Fewer than 20detainees have ever been released under this program, and the decision to release adetainee takes into account whether they pose any further security threat. AfP

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

US prosecutors

say ready for long

haul in 9/11 case

GUANTANAMO BAY REutERS

Prosecutors and defenseattorneys for five defendants inthe September 11 attacks dugin on Sunday for a long legalbattle that one lawyer said maynever be resolved. The militarytribunal is not expected to startfor almost another year and ifSaturday’s 13-hourarraignment was an accuratepreview, the trial will bechaotic and drawn out withcontinuing disputes abouttorture and whether a militarytrial is appropriate. Thedefendants on Saturdayrefused to enter pleas anddemanded a full reading of thecharges against them. Theproceeding was interrupted byoutbursts from the defendants,one of whom stripped off hisshirt to show scars. The judge,Army Colonel James Pohl, setthe next hearing for June 12and said the trial will not startuntil at least mid-2013. ChiefProsecutor Army BrigadierGeneral Mark Martins said at aSunday news conference hewas not discouraged by theslow pace. “However long thejourney ... the United States iscommitted to accountabilityunder law for those who haveplotted to attack our nationand to kill innocent people,”he said. Almost 3,000 peopledied in 2001 when operativesfrom Osama bin Laden’smilitant Islamic group alQaeda flew hijacked airlinersinto the World Trade Centertowers in New York, thePentagon and a field inPennsylvania. Turning asidedefense arguments thetribunals are illegitimate,Martins said that admittedSeptember 11 mastermindKhalid Sheikh Mohammedand his co-defendants arebeing tried in a systemendorsed by the U.S. Congressand two U.S. presidents.

QUETTA SHAHZADA ZuLfIqAR

Four people, including twowomen were killed in sepa-rate incidents of violence inKohlu and Naseerabad dis-trict on Monday.

According to reports,unidentified armed menkilled a woman and a man inKohlu before they fled. How-ever, names of deceasedcould not be confirmed. Mo-tive behind the incident isstated to be “honour”.

Meanwhile, a man iden-tified as Chakar Khan, resi-dent of Killi Soorab KhanSherani of Kohlu was hot dead by unidentified assailants.

Local administrationmoved the body to nearbyhospital for autopsy andstarted further investigation

into the killing.In another incident, po-

lice recovered a torturedbody of a woman from MirHassan Police precincts andmoved it to a nearby hospi-tal. Police said the deceased,identified as Sakina, hadbeen strangled to death.However, investigationswere underway to ascertainreason behind her killing.

Separately, a vehicle ofUchh Gas Field escaped a re-mote-controlled blast inNuzband Bridge area of So-hbatpur on Monday.

Police said the vehicle,escorted by police personnelon motorbikes, was on itsway to Sobatpur from thegas field when explosivesplanted on the roadside wentoff. However, the people inthe vehicle and the motorcy-clists remained unhurt.

Hollande victory shakes up NATO’s Afghan war plans

Noor alam richest,Jamshed Dasti poorestamong legislators

Afghan soldierkills US marine

HELMANDAfP

An Afghan soldier has shotdead a US marine andwounded another beforebeing killed by return fire.It is the latest in a series ofattacks against foreignersby government forcesworking with coalitiontroops. The soldier startedshooting at internationaltroops in Tarekh Naver inthe Marjah district, a for-mer Taliban strongholdthat was the site of a majoroffensive by coalitionforces in 2010, said aspokesman for the gover-nor of Helmand province.A senior US defence offi-cial in Washington saidthe victim was a US ma-rine in Helmand provinceand one other marine waswounded in the attack onSunday. So far this yearthere have been 19 attacks,killing 12 coalition sol-diers, compared with 21last year that killed 35, ac-cording to Nato figures.Nato is gearing up to handover security to localforces ahead of a 2014deadline for the with-drawal of combat troops.

four, including twowomen, killed inBalochistan violence

‘76% of agenda items in nA left unaddressed’

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KABULAfP

Leading Afghan women’s rightschampion, author, lawmaker andpresidential hopeful, Fawzia Koofi, has arevealing anecdote about life as awoman in a man’s land.

As she walked out of the PresidentialPalace in Kabul recently, a conservativemale parliamentary colleagueapproached her and said: “‘Ms Koofi, ifyou would really like to live in a palace— because you are running for thepresidency — why don’t you get marriedto a president’?”

Even now, weeks later, Koofi’ssteady brown eyes flash at the memory.

“It really made me feel angry,because that’s how they see it,” Koofitold AFP in an interview in her Kabulhome.

“If a woman would like to become apresident it’s not because she’s qualifiedfor it, it’s because she would like to livein a palace!”

In a riposte, she told her colleaguepointedly that, unlike some men with

dubious pasts in Afghanistan’s 30 yearsof conflict, she had no need to hide inthe security of a palace.

“I’m happy sometimes when theyoppose me because it means I’msomething to them, they feel I am strong— and I also give them the requiredpunch, I think.”

Named this year as one of theworld’s “150 Fearless Women” by USwebsite The Daily Beast, Koofi, 36, is awidow with two young girls who areaddressed in her memoir “Letters to myDaughters”.

It is a tale of courage and passion inthe face of the overwhelming challengesfaced by a girl growing up in a countrysometimes called the worst place in theworld to be a woman.

She was left in the sun to dieimmediately after her birth by herexhausted and depressed mother — oneof seven wives in a family of 23 children— who knew that another girl would notwin her husband’s approval, she writes.

The baby Koofi lay alone, screamingand sunburned, for almost a day untilpity prevailed and she was returned to

her repentant mother — to start a closeand loving relationship.

The sunburn scars lasted into herteens, but they — and any psychologicalscars — are undetectable in this elegantand confident woman in a pale pinkheadscarf and cream tunic overmatching trousers.

Pictures of two men find space onthe walls of Koofi’s rented home nearparliament: one a portrait of a stern-faced father, the other shows her andPresident Hamid Karzai.

Her father — a politician murderedwhen Koofi was just three — spokedirectly to her only once, and that was totell her to go away, she writes in hermemoir.

And she is not a fan of Karzai.She accuses the president — who is

backed by 130,000 NATO troops — ofbeing prepared to compromise onwomen’s rights for political gain amongconservatives, including Talibaninsurgents.

The Taliban, ousted from power in aUS-led invasion in 2001, banned girlsfrom going to school, whipped women in

the street if they wore anything otherthan the all-enveloping burqa andstoned to death those accused ofadultery.

Even now there are more guns thanwomen on the streets of Kabul.

But Koofi — who managed to get agood education against the odds — saysthe past 10 years have provided “goldenopportunities” for women.

Her biggest fear is that these gainswill be the first to be sacrificed in effortsto bring the Taliban into reconciliationtalks, and perhaps even a sharing ofpower after NATO troops pull out in2014.

“Compromise is happening already.Talibanisation is a process, peoplewithin government are alreadypromoting Taliban ideology and Talibanthinking,” she said.

“There is great uncertainty andconfusion about the future, and worryand concern among women.”

In March, Karzai indicated supportfor an edict by the Ulema Council, thenation’s highest Islamic authority,saying “men are fundamental and

women are secondary”.The edict went on to list a series of

prohibitions against women, includingworking in the same offices as men andtravelling without a male companion,and suggested that in somecircumstances wife-beating wasappropriate.

Karzai “openly supported this, hesaid this is what the people ofAfghanistan want”, said Koofi, whochairs parliament’s women and humanrights committee. “I don’t think this iswhat they want. It is true we are allMuslims, but our understanding ofIslam is different from theunderstanding of the Taliban.

“Lots of things have changed forthe good for women. There has beenlots of progress for women in thepolitical arena, girls in school andhigher education, laws providingprotection for women. “Having saidthat, Afghanistan is still the worstplace in the world to be a mother,and there are still a lot of womensuffering from domestic violence andtorture even.”

ISLAMABADStAff REPoRt

THE Supreme Court on Mon-day ordered the Punjab in-spector general of police(IGP) to investigate the caseof Tahira, a victim of wani in

Bhakkar district, who was gang raped bythe family of her husband.

Tahira was allegedly made wani, acustom wherein innocent girls are forcedto marry into a rival family or group tosettle disputes.

A two-member bench of Chief JusticeIftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Jus-

tice Khilji Arif Hussain heard a constitu-tional petition filed by Samar Minallah, ananthropologist, who had filmed severaldocumentaries on the custom of wani andswara.

During the hearing, the statement ofTahira was read out in the court whereinshe stated that after making her wani,other members of the clan of her spousegang raped her as revenge.

IGP Habibur Rehman, however, toldthe court that she was telling a lie and shewas not subjected to gang rape.

He told the court that Tahira, whilelodging a case on May 3, 2012, stated thatshe was only subjected to torture by her

spouse. He said earlier provisions offorced gang rape were mentioned in thefirst investigation report (FIR), but with-drawn later due to want of evidence.

The chief justice, however, admon-ished the IGP, saying besides wani, shewas also subjected to gang rape and or-dered him to register the gang rape provi-sions in the case and properly investigateit by providing adequate security to thevictim. The IGP stated that the police hadso far produced a challan in some 30,000cases, but never got influenced by the in-fluential. He further said that 11 peoplewere sent behind bars in the case ofTahira. The chief justice observed that due

to the failure of police to take prompt ac-tion against criminals, people were knock-ing at the doors of the apex court. Henoted that incidents of nose chopping,sprinkling acid on girls etc were on therise in the country, adding that there wasno control on sale of acid. He said policehad so far failed in taking action in thecases related to human rights.

During the hearing, all four provincessubmitted their reports over the incidentsof wani and swara, however, the federalInterior Ministry could not file its report.

The court directed the Interior Min-istry to file its report and adjourned thehearing until May 17.

Indian SC hintsat allowing Dr Chishti to visit Pakistan

NEW DELHIAGENCIES

The Indian Supreme Court on Mondayindicated that it may allow 82-year-oldPakistani microbiologist MohammedKhalil Chishti, awarded life term in a 20-year-old murder case, to visit his countrytemporarily. A bench of justices PSathasivam and J Chelameswar askedAdditional Solicitor General MohanParasaran to seek necessary instructionsfrom the Union ministries of the homeaffairs and the external affairs about theconditions that could be imposed on DrChishti, pending disposal of his appealagainst his conviction. The bench gave thedirections amid the Centre’s objection thatif allowed to go to Pakistan temporarily,Chishti may not return to India at all. He ispresently out on bail, but has been asked toconfine himself to Ajmer only. “Merelybecause he is a Pakistani, can we treat himdifferently? We can understand if you sayhe has links with some terroristorganisation,” Justice Sathasivam headingthe bench observed and posted the matterfor further hearing to Thursday. The apexcourt said it would like to considerChishti’s plea in view of the specialcircumstances of his case. The bench saidChishti was an eminent scientist of globalrepute and is 82 year old with no previouscriminal record and the issues involved arethe bilateral relations between the twocountries. “He (Chishti) has pointed outthat he has not been able to meet even hischildren and grand children, who havegrown up,” the bench observed and alsosaid it would like to take up the scientist’sappeal for hearing and expeditious disposalduring October and November. Parasaranmaintained that the appeal can beexpeditiously taken up but Chishti shouldnot be allowed to go to Pakistan andinstead be allowed treatment in Delhi. TheASG pointed that there is no bilateralagreement between India and Pakistan onensuring the return of any convict who isenlarged on bail. However, the bench wasnot convinced with the arguments andsaid, “Let him go and come back.Sometimes we have to be optimistic”.Earlier senior counsel U U Lalit pleadedthat Chishti be granted permission to visitPakistan as a special case since he wassuffering from various geriatric problemsand was confined to Ajmer for the past 20years and had served one-and-a-half yearof his sentence. He submitted that thecourt may impose any condition onChishti for securing his return at the timeof the hearing of his appeal, scheduledduring October. Chishti had been grantedbail by the apex court on April 9. Heldguilty in a 20-year-old murder case, hehad been serving life term in a Rajasthan’sAjmer jail.

SC orders Punjab IGP to investigatevani case in Bhakkar

Afghan woman sets sights on presidency in a man’s land

quEttA: Security personnel patrol Zarghon Road on unregistered motorcycles despite a campaign launched by the city government against such vehicles. ONLINE

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DERA GHAZI KHAN: Women cast their votes during the by-election in PP-243 constituency on Monday. ONLINE

PESHAWARStAff REPoRt

CALLING NaseebKhan’s murder ane x t r a - j u d i c i a lkilling, clerics be-longing to various

religious parties asked the ANP-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)government to expose those in-volved in the murder or resignafter accepting its failure to pro-tect civilians.

“Maulana Naseeb Khan, aknown religious scholar, was notinvolved in any case, but he waskidnapped and killed. Some se-cret hands are behind hiskilling,” the clerics claimedwhile addressing a press confer-ence on Monday.

Calling the killing terrorism,they said Khan was on his way toPeshawar from Darul UloomHaqqania Akora Khattak whensome people intercepted him in

Taro Jaba are of Nowshera, dis-embarked him from the vehicleand pushed him into their ownvehicle.

They said after the kidnap-ping on May 2, Naseeb’s bodywas found in the jurisdiction ofPishta Khara police station nearBara Road the next day.

However, they lamented thateven after the passage of a week,neither a first information re-port (FIR) had been registerednor had the district police officer(DPO) took any action.

They appealed to the chiefjustice of Peshawar High Court(PHC) to take suo motu notice ofNaseeb Khan’s killing and askedthe chief minister of theprovince to resign after accept-ing his failure to providing secu-rity to civilians even in settledareas.

“If an artist or singer be-comes sick, high officials of thegovernment reach the hospital

to enquire after his health, butnot even a condolence statementwas issued by them after Khan’sdeath,” they said.

The clerics announced tostage a peaceful protest demon-stration today (Tuesday) outsidethe PHC aimed at condemningthe killing and appealing to thePHC CJ to take suo motu noticeof the killing.

The religious clerics warnedthat there were 2,600 madrassasin which nearly a million stu-dents were enrolled, who couldavenge the killing, however, theywere peaceful and would cooper-ate with the government.

Those who attended theconference included MuftiKafayatullah, Maulana YousafShah, Maulana Khalil AhamdMukhlis, Maulana MohammadIsmail Darvesh, former MPAMohammad Ibrahim Qasmi,Ikramullah Shahid, MuazzamButt and others.

Clinton presses Indiato cut Iran oil imports

KOLKATAoNLINE

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday said countrieslike India were being pressurised to reduce their oil importsfrom Iran to make Tehran change its nuclear policy. “We knewthat Iran’s continuing development of nuclear programmewould be very destabilising for the region because there wouldbe an arms race in the region. It would also cause a great threatto Israel. Our goal was to persuade Iran to change its policybecause it was already under international sanctions violatinginternational obligations of UN Security Council andinternational atomic energy,” said Clinton, who began a three-day trip to India Sunday from Kolkata. “It was a signatory to theNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and it has not complied withall the obligations it had to. So we started putting together (the)international coalition and passed strong sanctions at theSecurity Council. The pressure has brought Iran back to theinternational table. The first meeting was in Istanbul,” saidClinton addressing a gathering at the La Martiniere school.Iranian crude oil accounts for about 12 percent of India’scurrent oil imports, the second largest supplier after SaudiArabia. “We do not believe that Iran would have come to thetable if it was not sanctioned and pressured. We do not believethat Iran will peacefully resolve this if there was no pressure.The reason why India, China, European countries, Japan havebeen asked to reduce their oil imports from Iran in order tokeep the pressure on Iran.” Clinton maintained that oil richcountries like Iraq and Saudi Arabia can meet the energydemands of India and other countries. “We think it is part ofIndia’s role in the international community. It is not just thatthe US is asking and doing, it’s the international communityasking and doing.”

Pakistan yet toreceive ChicagoConference invitation

ISLAMABADINP

The government of Pakistan has not yetreceived any invitation from the organizersof Chicago Conference but the concernedauthorities in the foreign office have lockedtheir horns over the issue of assistingPresident or Prime Minister during theirmeeting with US secretary of state HillaryClinton. According to sources on Monday,an intriguing situation has been created inthe foreign office to finalize thearrangements for sub ordinate highofficials to assist the Prime Minister orPresident during their expected meetingwith the US secretary of state. The delay ininvitation is directly linked to Pakistanrefusal to re-open NATO supply routes inthe wake of Salala check post incident. Theofficials in ministry are grappling as to whowill assist Pakistan dignitary, the foreignsecretary or Sherry Rehman, Pakistanambassador to US. During foreign tours ormeeting with foreign delegates, usually theforeign secretary used to occupy left seatalong side the Prime Minister, whilePakistan envoy to US comes next but asShary Rehman, has the extra significanceas being the federal minister as well.

Another poliocase surfaces inKhyber AgencyPESHAWAR: Another polio casesurfaced in Khyber Agency on Mondaybringing the total number of polio casesin the tribal agency during the currentyear to six. According to HealthDepartment of FATA, polio virus wasdetected in one-year-old Iqra hailingfrom Sardan area of Khyber Agency. TheFata IPI said an increase in polio viruswas due to failure of anti-poliovaccination teams to reach the far flungmilitancy hit areas of the agency owingto security concerns. ONLINE

Kp on alert after re-

ports of Congo virus PESHAWAR: The KhyberPakhtunkhwa Health Department onMonday put the province on high alertafter confirmation of cases of Congovirus (CCHF) in certain localities of theprovince. Through a press release, KPLivestock and Dairy DevelopmentDepartment Epidemiologist DrIhsanullah Khan said during the lastweek, high alert has been declared bythe Health Department afterconfirmation of CCHF positive humancases in Dera Ismail Khan and DirLower districts. He said most of theanimals do not show any clinical signsafter being infected with CCHF, thoughviraemia lasting for seven to 10 days hasbeen reported in mammals infected bythe said viral disease. STaff REpORT

JAKARTAAfP

The bombmaker accused ofmasterminding the Bali attacks thatkilled 202 people beggedforgiveness from the victims’families Monday and said theexplosions had been a “totalfailure”. Umar Patek is accused ofbeing a central figure in the 2002attacks on two nightclubs on theIndonesian resort island, whichkilled many Western touristsincluding 88 Australians. In anemotional appearance at his trial,Patek, 45, who faces a possibledeath penalty but says he was only

a bit player in the attacks, spoke ina voice cracking with emotion. “Iam taking this opportunity to seekforgiveness from the victims, theirfamilies and whoever sufferedlosses,” including the Indonesiangovernment, he said, beforerepeating the apology to reportersand shaking hands withprosecutors. “I was very sad andregret the incident happened,because I was against it from thestart. I never agreed with theirmethods,” said Patek. Patek, whowas arrested in the same Pakistanitown where Osama bin Laden waskilled just months before the alQaeda chief’s death, said the

attacks on October 12, 2002, hadbeen a “total failure”.

He said the plans were drawnup at the home of Dulmatin,another Bali plotter, who was killedby police in 2010. “The reason wasto retaliate the killing of Muslims inPalestine but the people killed hadno link to Palestine,” he said duringhis three-hour testimony at theWest Jakarta district court. “Whowere the victims, they wereWesterners, they weren’t Israelis.In fact many Indonesians werevictims. They had no link toPalestine,” he said, speaking calmlyand gesturing with his hands. Whenthe idea of attacking Bali was

brought up, Patek claimed he raisedobjections. “I questioned why inBali? Jihad should be carried out inPalestine instead. But they saidthey did not know how to get toPalestine,” he said, adding:“Dulmatin told me not to think sohard, just help.” Patek allegedlyused simple household toolsincluding a rice ladle to assemblethe Bali bombs, which according tothe court indictment were housedin ordinary filing cabinets. “Thedefendant filled up the blackpowder in four filing cabinets, inthe meantime, Dulmatin made thebomb’s electronic circuit,” theindictment said.

Clerics condemnNaseeb Khan’s killing

alleged Bali mastermind begs forgiveness

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LAHOREStAff REPoRt

THREE buses were set on fire and five stu-dents were arrested in protest against aroadside mishap that claimed life of a stu-dent on Monday. According to details, stu-dent Muhammed Tabish Aslam fell downfrom the speedy bus near Dharampura Un-

derpass. The sight of the student’s death triggeredfury among the passengers and other students stand-ing at a nearby bus-stop who went on rampage againstthe mishap. The infuriated demonstrators set on firethree buses including the bus involved in the incident.Tabish was student of Government Technical Institutein the fourth year. According to witnesses, the de-ceased was hanging from the gate of the over-crowdedbus. Losing balance on a sudden movement of the bus,he hit the road and was run over by the rear tires ofthe bus. Receiving the report of the mishap, police andfire brigade crew arrived on the spot. The studentssmashed the glasses of the fire-fighting vehicle. How-ever, the demonstrators broke up after the police re-moved the body from the spot for post mortem. Policeregistered a case and started investigations into theincident. The protesters demanded the arrest of thedriver and conductor of the public Lahore Transport Com-pany bus. Police took custody five students into custodyon arson and violence charges, students said.

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

The Mall Road in Lahoresaw an intense gun battlebetween two groups onMonday. It was reportedthat four individuals gotinjured as a result of thefiring.

The injured include acivilian who was not con-nected to the clashinggroups. The injured indi-vidual was reported to be ina critical state.

Sources have reportedthe clash to be between twoland mafia groups. The fir-ing was so intense that itcrippled the area, resultingin the local business opera-tion to be closed.

Fear gripped the areaand the shop-keepers shutdown all their shops afterthe incident.

Witnesses said the po-lice reached the site of theincident after a delay andwas able to apprehend 4 of-fenders.

Bus ruNs Over A sTudeNT!ProTeSTerS SeT 3 bUSeS on fIre

The Mall becomes a battleground

for gun-toting rogues

LAHORE: A meeting of CoreCommittee for the restorationof Bahawalpur province washeld under the ChairmanMakhdoom Ahmad Mahmoodand GS Syed Waseem Akhtarin Masoora. On this occasionTabish Alvery, Nazeer AhmadJanjua, Abdul Qadir Shaheen,Husain Ahmad Madni, Tas-neem Gardezi, Abdul JaleelHashmi, Farooq Chohan,Imran Zahoor, and Imran-ul-Haq were also present.

While addressing the oc-cassion, Ahmad Mahmood

stated no compromise wouldbe made regarding restorationof BP province. We are againstthe establishment of newprovinces on the bases of lin-gualism.

Small new provincesshould be made on the basisof administration so that re-lief could be provided to thepeople of South Punjab.Hence Muslim League-Nawazmust include restoration ofBP province in its agenda incoming session of Punjab As-sembly. StAff REPoRt

Power shortfall surgesto 7,000MwLAHORE: The power shortfall on Mondayreached to 7,000 megawatt across the countryas the power generation companies have re-duced power production due to non supply of oiland gas by PEPCO. According to Water andPower Ministry sources, PEPCO had stoppedsupply of gas and oil to power generation com-panies due to which they have reduced produc-tion of electricity in the country. The ministrysources said that demand of electricity was16,000MW while its supply was 9,000MW dueto increasing heat in the country. The sourcessaid that period of load shedding in the countrycould be raised. According to sources, the gener-ation companies warned the government to stopproduction completely if dues were not paidwithin few days. StAff REPoRt

‘No compromise on Bahawalpur’

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high

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LAHORE INP

THE Lahore High Court(LHC) on Monday sum-moned Attorney Generalof Pakistan (AGP) IrfanQadir in the next hear-

ing of a petition seeking to stopYusuf Raza Gilani from working asthe prime minister after his convic-tion by the Supreme Court in thecontempt of court case.

During the hearing, LHC ChiefJustice Sheikh Azmat Saeed re-marked that the case “should not bepoliticised as it was of an adminis-trative nature as opposed to a polit-ical one”. The deputy attorneygeneral told the court that no onecould be disqualified on the basis ofa short order and the PM was legit-imately working as the country’sprime minister.

Petitioner AK Dogar’s counselsaid: “Anyone who understands thelaw knows that Yusuf Raza Gilanistands disqualified from the posi-tion of the prime minister.”

The court adjourned the hear-ing till May 11 and issued summonsfor Attorney General Irfan Qadir forthe upcoming proceedings.

HAFIZ SAEED HEAD MONEYCASE HEARING ADJOURNED:Lahore High Court Chief JusticeSheikh Azmat Saeed has taken seri-ous notice of the failure of the Inte-rior Ministry to file a reply in a case

relating to the announcement of areward by the United States forHafiz Saeed and Hafiz AbdulRehman Maliki.

The court held a hearing inthe case on Monday during whichthe Punjab government submit-ted its reply.

The LHC Chief justice re-marked that the announcement of abounty for the two people was avery sensitive and serious matterand questioned if the Interior Min-istry will take five years to submitits reply.

The Deputy Attorney Generalsaid the Interior Ministry has not

completed the reply yet and re-quested the adjournment of theproceedings for two weeks. At thisthe chief justice warned the govern-ment lawyer that the reply must befiled before the next hearing.

Counsel for the petitioner,Dogar repeated in his argumentsthat it has been held by the LahoreHigh Court and the Supreme Courtthat the allegations against HafizMohammad Saeed were baseless.

He said the government hasalso admitted that no allegationcould be proved against HafizSaeed. He submitted that it was theduty of the government to provide

production to Hafiz Saeed. Punjab Additional Advocate

General informed the court thatif a formal application was given,the Punjab government would beready to provide him the neces-sary protection.

The hearing was then ad-journed till 21st May.

LHC seeks report on Sarabjeet’release: The Lahore High Court(LHC) on Monday sought an expla-nation from the authorities con-cerned regarding the release ofIndian spy, Sarabjeet Singh.

LHC Justice Manzoor Ahmadresumed the hearing of the case.

The petitioner Owais Shaikhadvocate, told the court that Sarab-jeet Singh had been serving life im-prisonment under the allegations ofspying for India.

The petitioner said his clienthas fulfilled the tenure of hispenalty but nothing is being donefor his release.

He requested the court thatspecial measures be taken for therelease of Sarabjeet Singh.

The Punjab Home Secretaryalso submitted his reply in thecourt and said a letter has beenwritten to the superintendentwith the direction that arrange-ments should be completed forthe release of Sarabjeet.

The court sought a progress re-port in this regard and adjournedthe hearing till June 9th.

AGP summoned in petitionagainst convicted PM

fuLL PAKIStANIS NoW: Eunuchs celebrate after ID card registration in the Election Commission office. INp

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CIne STAr JAnnAT 2:30 PMPh: 35157462 hoUSeFULL2 05:00 PM

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LAHOREStAff REPoRt

WHO Representative in Pak-istan Dr Guido Sabatinellisaid on Monday thathealth can serve as an ef-fective bridge for peace in

the South Asian context. He recounted his personal experiences in

Palestine and Jordan and in other countriesof the Eastern Mediterranean region such asAfghanistan, that have been affected withwar or civil strife over the last three decades,in addition to South American countries, no-tably El Salvador and Peru.

In Pakistan itself, the polio campaignshave offered temporary respite to the popu-lation in conflict-hit zones.

Dr Guido Sabatinelli reached Lahore onMonday to attend the health session of aconference organised by ‘Aman Ki Asha’.

Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi and Gul Afridifrom WHO Pakistan also represented WHOin the session. Referring to the situation inSouth Asia, Dr Sabatinelli pointed out that inthe past; conflicts between the two countrieshave often led to excess mortality, diseaseand suffering.

Psychological disturbances are also com-monly witnessed in the affected populations

with symptoms such as depression, anxiety,anger, violent behaviour, and suicide.

He said while the United Nations is man-dated to improve both peace and health bypaying attention to the humanitarian needsof such populations, WHO focuses mainly onthe health needs.

The WHO country representative tracedthe history of improving health for peace ef-forts to the 1980s in Latin America, based onthe belief that health, because of its uniquevalue and universal acceptance, could serveas a bridge for peace, solidarity, and under-standing among people.

This strategy has often resulted in posi-tive outcomes in enhancing routine EPI cov-erage, polio eradication campaigns, generalhealth promotion activities, and the controlof Tuberculosis, Malaria and HIV/AIDS, inaddition to jointly addressing other publichealth issues after establishing a peace-through-health discipline.

Dr Sabatinelli also referred to a resolu-tion of the World Health Assembly that as-serted that the role of physicians and otherhealth workers in the preservation and pro-motion of peace is the most significant factorfor the attainment of health for all.

He hoped that the conference would leadto health gains in both India and Pakistanthrough cross-border collaboration.

LAHORE INP

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Syed Mu-nawar Hasan has criticised DefenceMinister Ahmed Mukhtar’s statementon NATO supplies and said the min-ister was proving himself more loyalthan the king.

Ahmed Mukhtar had stated at apress conference on Sunday that theban on NATO supplies was againstinternational law and could invitesanctions.

Syed Munawar Hasan retaliatedin a statement on Monday that saidthe NATO supplies had been stoppedunder a Parliament resolution, inprotest against the NATO attack onthe Silala check post causing the mar-tyrdom of twenty four soldiers.

Pakistan, he said, had already of-fered to open the supplies on the con-dition that the US tendered an

apology for the Silala attack butWashington had turned down the re-quest. The JI ameer said the sover-eignty of the country and the nationwas supreme. Pakistan was a sover-eign country and no independentstate could allow its enemy to trans-port arms and ammunition throughits land.

He remarked that the Defenceminister should also have told the na-tion about the international lawsbeing violated by drone attacks.

He said Ahmed Mukhtar wasmore worried about the ban on NATOsupplies than the Americans and wasalso trying to make the nation fearfulof sanctions.

Such a cowardly man should notbe the Defence minister, he added,saying that if the rulers gave up USslavery and demonstrated nationalhonour, the nation would stand bythem in every difficulty.

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Planning and De-velopment Minis-ter Ch. AbdulGhafoor has saidthat ManzoorWattoo is such anopportunist whohas always be-trayed his bene-factor. He saidthat Wattoo, whowas using politicsfor the sake of hispersonal interestinstead of publicservice, shouldrealise his posi-tion before issu-ing statementsagainst NawazSharif. Commenting upon the statement of ManzoorWatoo, Ghafoor said Wattoo who had made plunder-ing as his mission instead of principles in politics,should declare his assets before and after coming intopolitics so that people should know the facts. He saidthe entire nation was aware of this fact that Shariffamily was a prominent industrialist family beforecoming into power and the politics of Sharif family re-volved around service to the masses and progress andprosperity of Pakistan. Ghafoor said people were fullyaware of the background of the popularity of Wattooand his family that how they had been using the na-tional exchequer for their extravagances.

efforts underway

to end pollution,

ward off dengue

threat: ManshaLAHORE

APP

Special Assistant to Chief Ministeron Food and Environment Man-shaullah Butt has said the PunjabEnvironment Protection Depart-ment will continue its efforts toeradicate environmental pollutionfrom the province. Talking to APP on Monday, he reit-erated that the EPD was workingon various projects for the im-provement of the environment inthe Punjab province.He said: “We are doing our best toaddress the threat of dengue. TheEPD staff is checking plant nurs-eries, junkyards and tyre shops inthe city for mosquito larvae.”To a question, he said the WorldEnvironment Day on June 5th willbe celebrated at all levels. Semi-nars, walks and other activities willbe a part of the international day’scelebrations, he added.

Health can bringpeace, WHO thinks

JI slates AhmedMukhtar’s statementfavouring US

‘ Wattoo is anopportunist’

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Lahore

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Madrid-based organisation Business Ini-tiative Directions (BID) has awarded Pun-jab University Gujranwala CampusDirector General Prof Dr MuhammadEhsan Malik with its International Arch ofEurope Award in its International QualityConvention in Frankfurt, in which out-standing personalities from the businessworld and diplomatic corps were present.

Prof Dr Malik received the awardfrom BID President Jose E Prieto.

The BID stated in a press release thatthe Punjab University was made up of ateam oriented towards the continuous im-provement of processes, striving for animportant role in the leadership of thebusiness world.

The BID is present in 178 countriesaround the world, creating a firm groundfor the implementation of integral qualityprocesses through the technology andprocedures of the QC 100 model of totalquality management.

For selection of IAEA Award 2012, avoting process was carried out during theBID World Congress with meetings inParis, London, Geneva, Frankfurt, Madridand New York over the past twelvemonths.

The winning of IAEA award 2012 toleaders by leaders is another specialrecognition added to the list of awardsachieved by University of the Punjab.

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr MujahidKamran congratulated Dr Malik forachieving the milestone and said thecountry was proud of him.

Lahor e A P P

THE Anti Nar-cotics Force(ANF) and theLahore policeseized 15,596

liquor bottles and 401 ki lo-grams of narcotics duringthe f irst three months ofthe current year, besidesarresting 2, 450 peoplefor their al leged in-volvement in narcotics ’smuggling.

According to anoff icial source, atotal of 2,378 caseswere registeredagainst drug pushersin Lahore city.

The source saidthe ANF is makingall possible effortsto rid the city of thismenace under theDrug Free City La-hore Project and wil lleave no stone un-turned to attain thisobjective.

He said 75 kg

heroin, 309 kg charas, 17 kgopium were recovered dur-ing this period and 2,450people were arrested fromLahore for smuggling drugs.

Under the mass aware-ness programme againstdrug addiction, the DrugFree City

Lahore Project arranged16 seminars, 23 lectures,one labour convention, 12entertainment shows andeight walks, while 35stal ls/camps were setup during differentevents around thecity.

The source statedthat 13 FM radio pro-grammes and oneworkshop were alsoorganised and 11other awareness ac-tivit ies held underthe same project .

The ANF off icialsaid the force is com-mitted to make thesociety drug-free andthat the force wil lcontinue efforts toaccomplish this goal .

LAHORE APP

Passengers have protested against thelow number of train bogies at the La-hore-Narowal section and demandedthat trains should consist of at least sixbogies.

Talking to APP on Monday, ShabbirAhmed, a daily commuter, said thetrains were running with only three bo-gies at the section, creating trouble forpassengers, especially for women andchildren.

He said more coaches should beadded as the railway services were im-proving.

Rana Shahid Abbas, another pas-senger, said the shortage of coacheshad created problems for the passen-gers, adding that in some areas, trainswere the only means of transport avail-able.

He said the coaches could onlyseat 88 passengers and that thewhole train could only seat 200people . He stated that despite thelack of space, some 2,000 passen-

gers traveled by each train.Passengers demanded that at least

six bogies should be attached to eachtrain so that passengers, includingwomen and children, could travel com-fortably.

When contacted, PR Divisional Su-perintendant Javed Anwar Boobak saidbogies will be added soon as many werebeing repaired in workshops.

He stated that many trains’ compo-sitions had improved and that thereservations of the passengers will beremoved.

PPP has written

a new history of

corruption: rana

SanaullahLAHORE

StAff REPoRt

Provincial Law MinisterRana Sanaullah Khan hassaid that those who havebrought the country on theverge of disaster, plunged itinto darkness, written newhistory of corruption andplundering and hiding themisdeeds of Zardari cannottalk about the politics of in-stitutions.Commenting upon thestatement of SharjeelMemon, Rana said thedooms day of those whohad ruined the institutionsdue to their unwise stepsand corruption is near astheir real faces have beenexposed to the people andthey will not be hood-winked again. He said the entire nationwas united to get rid of cor-rupt president and con-victed prime minister sincethey knew that the countrycould not be steered out ofthe crisis in the presence ofthese corrupt elements. He said those who madethe country a den of prob-lems due to their corrup-tion, cannot escape fromthe accountability by thepeople.

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Lahore College for Women Uni-versity (LCWU) Vice-ChancellorDr Sabiha Mansoor announced anumber of incentives on Mondayfor the teaching and non-teachingemployees of the university.

According to a notification is-sued, if any employee of the La-hore College dies or gets disabledduring active service and may notbe able to work satisfactorily, thenone of his/her dependants may beappointed in the university, on thebasis of their qualification or ex-perience.

The VC also announced a 50percent discount on the purchaseprice of admission forms for

daughter, sisters of the employeesof the university, as well as for fe-male employees.

A 50 percent discount on thepurchase price of job applicationforms for the siblings and childrenof the university employees wasalso announced.

Dr Sabiha said the welfare ofthe teaching and non-teachingstaff is a priority of the manage-ment.

She stated that talks are un-derway between the LCWU andthe Punjab government to acquireland for a new campus at KalaShah Kaku and for a housing soci-ety.

A residential scheme will beannounced as soon as LCWU getsthe land, she added.

PU prof honoured with International Arch of Europe Award

Insufficient bogies irkrailway passengers

LAHOREAPP

City Traffic Police will launch a special drive tocreate awareness among motorcycle-rickshawdrivers about road safety and the importance ofdriving license from Wednesday. This was de-cided in a meeting of the union members of mo-torcycles rickshaw drivers with the Chief TrafficOfficer Dr Usman Anwar, in his office here onMonday. Union president Imtiaz Ahmed andGeneral Secretary Zafar Iqbal led the delegation.

The CTO ordered that a special camp be set

up at Bhatti Chowk where traffic officers will ed-ucate the rickshaw drivers about the road safetyand traffic rules. The drivers of motorcycle-rick-shaws will also get learner driving permit on thespot through the Learner Permit mobile van.

The second camp will be set up at Bagh-banpura Chowk on Thursday and learner per-mits along with traffic awareness lectureswould be arranged for rickshaw drivers.

The CTO also asked the union members todiscourage the under-age drivers. He said thatevery driver must obey the line and lane rulesto make their journey safe.

Rickshaw drivers to betaught road manners

LCWU announces incentives for staff, newresidential scheme plans

Narcotics Force

grabs 15,596

liquor bottles!

CHEAPESt WAY to BEAt tHE HEAt: A boy takes a plunge in the canal at Jallo More. onLIne

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Editor’s mail 11Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

Aman ki AshaThis Aman Ki Asha, Ajmer Yatra, ex-

change of a few prisoners, import of ba-nanas and the like are an icing on thecake of Indo-Pak relations. Lots of pro-jection is being given to such measures.The PM gives his unequivocal support togood relations. But surprisingly, no men-tion is made to the real and major issuesthat exist between the two countries andthey are multiplying at a much fasterspeed than such trivial things.

India has announced building of an-other major dam on Chenab. It is quietabout Kashmir. Indian leaders issuestatement after statement to keep mediahappy and innocent Pakistanis languish-ing in darkness. In my best opinion,these are eye wash to keep public busy.India is and will remain our enemy no 1.India never accepted Pakistan existencefrom the core of their hearts. Their lead-ers speak of venom against Pakistan.Trade has been opened and we are allvery happy at this. But trade with Indiawill cost us much more than we can af-ford. Already unstable markets in Pak-istan will further dwindle and collapseunder their own weight.

Amicable Indo-Pak relations can be agood slogan for some political parties tohoodwink ignorant masses, but the in-trinsic truth is far more horrific thanwhat we can imagine seeing the surfaceof it. We usually wake up late. But let usnot take this risk with India.

AMJAD H MIRZALahore

At your own riskRailway station: Travel at your own riskAirport: Fly at your own riskPolice station: Enter at your own riskHospitals: At your own riskPakistan: Enter at your own riskI want to ask the PM Yousuf Raza Gi-

lani and other high-ups: Is it the beautyof democracy? Are these specialties ofdemocratic states? Here I must appreci-ate the confidence of President and co-chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari thateven in these circumstances he stillsmiles and says that the next governmentwill be that of the PPP.

M MOHSIN SHAHBAZKarachi

Another miscalculationPTI’s decision to wait for the detailed

judgment before proactively seeking theouster of PM after his conviction in starkcontrast to the ongoing anti governmentmovement launched by PML(N), mayprove to be yet another miscalculation.Rightly, PML(N) is playing a lead role inprotest against the PM by building pres-sure on the government through protestsboth inside and outside parliament whilePTI merely survives on tall claims andhollow slogans. It seems that the PTI’smain aim is to target PML(N) chiefrather than getting anything done. Acommon man would be surprised by thepolitics Imran Khan. Practically, nothingis being done by PTI. My suggestion isthat the PTI should do something practi-cally.

TARIQ HUSAIN KHANKarachi

A convicted PMThe prime minister had been

charged with contempt by SupremeCourt in February for refusing to writeletter to Swiss government to reopen cor-ruption cases against President of Pak-istan Asif Ali Zardari. The PrimeMinister remained defiant to SupremeCourt’s direction and his associatesridiculed the judiciary without going intodetails of who looted and plundered thewealth of poor people and who refused towrite letter for illegally siphoning offwealth to foreign shores. But we shouldlook at the current situation of the coun-try. The daily increases in the prices ofutilities, coupled with increases in petro-leum products’ prices have multipliedthe problems of conman man. Prices ofdrugs and daily use commodities haveshot up to unprecedented heights.

Electricity outages have gone up to20 hours in rural areas of country. Everydepartment is in helter skelter and run-ning on interim schemes. We constantlylive in the shadows of bomb attacks, tar-get killings and serial killers. The law andorder situation is deteriorating quickly.Balochistan has become a boiling pot.There is not an iota of hope of improvingsituation anywhere.

The earning capacity of a labourerhas fallen sharply due to incessant pricehike of bread and butter. The financialspectrum is becoming grimmer everyday. Gloom stares the poor in the face.There are no health facilities for ordinaryman. No job opportunities for a majorityof the youth. The educated young gener-ation, in sheer frustration, is resorting tocriminal activities.

Are not these enough evidences toconvict the head of the government? Theverdict of the apex court to sentence thePrime Minister till rising of the court ishistoric. It’s time for the PM to recipro-cate.

HUMAIRA MOHSINKarachi

Students and futureThe life of student is the life of devo-

tion to his studies and preparation forfacing all the problems that await him inhis future life. We expect that students tobe confined within four walls of their ed-ucational institution and don't like thatthey should participate in politics.

It can be observed now that in col-lege and universities students involve inpolitics and that can result in clashes be-tween political parties which are harmfulfor our students but the young bloodedmen are always ready to lay down theirlife for the sake of their ideals, whether itis patriotism or anything else. Some po-litical sources also use youth for theirown purposes and ruin students’ life.

As a student, one’s first priorityshould be to study but that does notmean he should be disconnected fromdifferent current affairs of the world, es-pecially of his own country. I hope thathigher authorities take strict actionagainst those parties and ban them in ed-ucational institutes that are playing fu-ture of our country.

SYED AMMAD HASSANKarachi

rehman Malik’s visitAs per media, Interior Minister

Rehman Malik, on May 6 went to outsideareas of Lyari like Kharadar, Lea Marketbut did not visit inside Lyari. He finallywent to Napier Road that is also not partof Lyari.

The people are interested to knowwhat purpose of his visit to Napier Roadwas (where a notorious Red Light area issituated for years) and also why did henot visit inside Lyari?

MOHAMMAD KHAN SIALKarachi

Are we Muslim?A look at the various principles of

Islam shows that Islam is truly a mercyto the world, and the indiscriminate vio-lence and terrorism is not condoned bythe religion. Islam, a religion of mercy,does not permit terrorism. If Islam doesnot permit us, why is today every Muslimholding a weapon and shooting his ownbrother? If the answer is yes then wehave no right to labelled as Muslim.

SWERA IJAZKarachi

Unilateral withdrawal will be suicidalOne remembers Indian intelligence

agency RAW’s founder chief VikrumSuud’s article he wrote some years backin which he suggested to the Indian gov-ernment and military establishment toshun the popular-among-Indian-strate-gists idea of launching an offensivethrough its armour divisions from Ra-jasthan’s side in order to ripe apart thePakistani Punjab and Sindh enteringfrom Bahawalpur and penetrating intoBalochistan.

Instead, he suggested, India shouldoccupy Gilgit-Baltistan with the help ofRAW-funded Balwaristan movement, cutoff Pakistan’s Karakorum Highway linkwith China by keeping vigil from theSiachen heights, penetrate into NWFPvia Swat and Kohistan, clear the supplyline to Afghanistan via Wakhan andsandwich Pakistan from east and west. Asimilar kind of strategic notion is of latebeing given in the context of changingparadigms in the war tactics, includingthe use of water-terror at the time ofneed towards which the InternationalCrisis Group has warned, according to

CNN on May 6.Those in Pakistan proposing unilat-

eral withdrawal from Siachen amongpoliticians like Nawaz Sharif, and amongcolumnists like Ikram Sehgal and ImtiazAlam, have a food for thought here. Thisshows how important to keep continuingthe occupation of the Siachen heights isfor the Indian army in order to gain mili-tary objectives in this region. Equally im-portant is for Pakistan to keep continuingwith the consolidated presence of itstroops confronting the Saltoro heightsoccupied by the Indian forces.

There is a war of Pakistan’s survivalbeing fought and one cannot deny theanalysis by our number of defence ob-servers who oppose the proposal of a uni-lateral withdrawal of our forces from thecritical Siachen region.

Certainly, by withdrawing from theregion, Pakistan would lose not just theworld’s second highest K2 top, but alsothe entire strategic Gilgit-Baltistan re-gion, the Karakorum Highway and itsborders with China. “With India alreadyoccupying over 1,200 sq miles of Pak-

istani territory in the region, a unilateralwithdrawal would mean a complete en-circlement of Kashmir and a most disas-trous national security crisis forPakistan.” India is engaged in massivedefence construction in the Glacier re-gions and has no intention of pullingback while it brings more and more hard-ware to consolidate its position.

To Syed W Hussain, Saichen is a sadexample, and rightly so, of how the worldis being destroyed with greed and in-trigue. Leaders and populations of India,Pakistan and China should realize theimportance of glaciers to each of itsneighbouring nations and leave it aloneas a territory owned equally. In essence itshould be cordoned off as an interna-tional preserve where only civilian ex-plorers are allowed with permit from theUN. All hands off.

This can only be achieved throughnegotiation and cultivation of trust andcamaraderie. This applies equally toIndia, Pakistan and China. I do not un-derstand what is being gained by devel-oping this area. All human developments

are aimed at profiteering. Which is thepoison killing this planet.

In Tajammal Hussain’s opinion, theclaim to a region by any state is based onits past association and rule over it, Indiaas a state cannot claim it, because it cameinto being after 1947. The Gulab Singhparty never ruled it as such, as they werethemselves a buffer state created for apurpose. In reality it has always been apart of our Sindh entity, which goesmuch more to the north, or North-east. Itis way to far away, from the Ganga-Jamna midland, the Brahmans abode,though much later in time.

The hardships of this battlefieldshould not be counted on one side’sweakness but the decision to remain atfront needs to be evaluated by one’s na-tional interest no matter how much costone has to pay. The 139 soldiers’ sacrificeis just one of the incidents, which the na-tion has been subjected to suffer. Thesacrifices must not be converted into col-lective suicide.

F Z KHANIslamabad

Begging is a nuisanceStreet begging is a regular nuisance. It is a blot on the fair

name of our country. Begging is an evil but in Pakistan it hasbecome an organised profession. Almost at every step you aregreeted by a beggar. They gather around you at business places,in trains, in the bazaars and near the places of worship. Our na-tional prestige suffers a good deal when beggars greet foreign-ers at every turn of the road.

Unfortunately, in our country giving alms is believed a partof religion. The most painful thing is that most of these beggarsare able bodied. They can do manual labour if they so desire.But they find it easier to live on other people's hard earnedmoney. This easy got money they spend on drinking and gam-bling. The tragedy is that these beggars encourage even their

children to beg. Thus this so-called charity leads to so manyvices.

The need of the hour is that this social evil must be put toan end. Healthy beggars should be made to work. The disabled,the crippled and the blind beggars, however, should be main-tained at state expense. They should be kept in some suitablehouses where they should be fed and taken care of. Not onlybegging should be declared illegal by an act of parliament butpublic opinion should also be educated against it. Those whogive alms to the strong and able bodied men, women and chil-dren should be punished.

SALWA NOORKarachi

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-36298302. E-mail: [email protected]. Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively.

nAB’s new approachThere is a big attention to corruption

nowadays, as number of cases related tocorruption are the focus of electronic,print and social media.

Notorious Rental Power Plants(RPPs) scam, Ephedrine case, Railwaysscam and NATO containers’ case are sig-nificant among others. When someonetalks about big corruption cases, immedi-ately anticorruption agencies come underdiscussion and National Accountably Bu-reau (NAB) is on the top of the list as it isthe apex anticorruption agency of Pak-istan.

NAB is under question for the lastmany days with special reference to casesagainst Sharif family. Illogical stands arebeing taken by some critics, they are ofthe view that why not the NAB taking ac-tion against Sharif family.

The bureau should not pay heed tothis rhetoric and political statements bysome politicians. It should act accordingto the rules and tell the internationalcommunity that Pakistan has one of thebest anti-corruption agencies in theworld. It was the practice in the pastwhen political opponents were vic-timised.

NAB is not a political institutionwhich should be used for political op-pression; rather it is a complaint drivenorganisation which should act accordingto laid down rules in National Accounta-

bility Ordinance 1999.NAB has been doing its job at best

level in the command of its new Chair-man Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bokhari, as ac-cording to some media reports Rs 825million have been recovered only in lastweek.

If you have a look on its annual re-port 2011, it reveals that since its incep-tion on November 16, 1999, the bureauhas recovered over Rs 233.3 billion (US$3.8 billion) looted money from public of-fice holders and private citizens. It fur-ther states that “NAB is undergoing aprocess of revival and rejuvenation byenhancing both the quantity and qualityof manpower and re-thinking its opera-tional strategy.

In contrast with NAB’s historic focuson enforcement, the bureau is preparingto adopt a new outlook and strategic ap-proach for attempting to prevent corrup-tion rather than purely enforcement aftercrime.

During year 2011, despite the con-strains it faced, the Bureau processed6,583 complaints, completed 155 in-quiries, filed 71 references in the Courtsand recovered an amount of Rs 902 mil-lion through Voluntary Return and PleaBargain”.

It is welcoming to note that the bu-reau is going to focus on preventionrather than only on enforcement. This ishighly commendable step of the bureau.The menace of corruption can be eradi-

cated if it succeeds in its new strategicapproach.

HAFIZ MUHAMMAD IRFANIslamabad

Kunda cultureElectricity theft has been a serious

issue for the electricity distribution com-panies for the last 10 years. Direct hook-ing is one of the most convenient andwidely used methods of stealing.

This kind of theft is mostly conductedat night time and in remote areas. Butnow it is also making its roots in the met-ropolitan areas and according to one ofthe official of KESC power theft and non-payment had been disturbing the overallbalance of payment for KESC and thegenuine consumers have been suffering.

As a result of this situation, the com-pany had to carry out loadshedding evenin industrial areas. The main reason be-hind the increase in the number of di-rects hooks in the past few years are therise in the prices of electricity and thenon-payments of bills by the governmentdepartments.

Strong awareness campaigns areneeded to be launched and people shouldget to know that if they don’t speakagainst the offenders, the burden of highprices and loadshedding will ultimatelyfall on them.

SIDRA JAVEDKarachi

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Arif NizamiEditor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36298305-10 Fax: 042-36298302Karachi – Ph: 021-34330811-3 Fax: 021-34330900Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287414-6 Fax: 051-2287417

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: [email protected]

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

the wheel of time move on

France decides

Around two decades ago, when French PresidentFrancois Mitterrand left office, the people of thecountry couldn’t have imagined another SocialistParty president anytime soon. Now, they have just

elected another one.

This follows the yin and yang of the western liberal-democratic model. A self-correcting gyroscope of sorts thatwill oscillate between the left and the right. Time spent undera leftist dispensation might serve to remove the starkinequalities in the economy and enable the state to look afterits citizens but too much time might curtail, even stifle,private enterprise that generates growth, wealth and, mostimportantly, jobs in any country.

Conversely, too much time spent under a freer enterprisedispensation means that the lesser regulation leaves thepeople, especially the vulnerable poor, at the mercy of theeconomic elements.

The economic crisis that the West is currently facing hasbrought about a change towards left-leaning dispensations theworld over. Though the above was just the economic aspect ofthe divide, there are other aspects to the whole dynamic aswell, with the right usually being closer to being xenophobicwhereas the left generally tends to be more inclusive.

But sometimes it is not these ideological divides thatchanges governments. Sometimes it is the practice ofstatecraft and issues of governance and misgovernance, notplacement on the larger political spectrum that determinesthese outcomes. In other cases, especially in parliamentarysystems like ours, it is determined by no single national issueat all.

If the change in France was quite the ideological sweep itis made out to be, the stats of the winning candidate wouldhave been higher than even the 52 percent that he actually didscore.

The Socialist Party, it is assumed, will also take aninclusive view towards the minorities in the country,especially the Muslim community. The troubled youngMuslim male demographic needs a benevolent hand that willincentivise assimilation (of a particular type) not a strictpurist government.

Into the streets, prematurely

Calling for elections

While it may be an unusual thing for theopposition in a mature democracy to take itsprotests to the streets, it is not so in Pakistan.Despite the date for the elections yet to be

announced, opposition parties have initiated publiccampaigns to target what they consider to be the weak spotsof the government as well as those of their other rivals. Asthings stand it is a tripartite fight between the government,PML(N) and PTI. What has further driven the PML(N)prematurely to the streets are the hawks within the party whohave yet to outgrow the 90’s style of politics. The competitionwith the PTI in Punjab where it is presenting itself as the realopposition party is the other factor. The PML(N) has duringthe last few days held protest rallies at Taxila, Gujranwala,Peshawar and outside Karachi Press Club. “Go, Gilani go” wasthe main slogan at these events. Imran Khan organised asizeable “walk” in Islamabad in support of the judiciary wherehe also addressed the participants. The PTI has alsoannounced the holding of a public meeting at Liaquat Baghlater this month.

Extreme care needs to be taken by those organising therallies so that things do not go out of control. The call byNawaz Sharif to party workers at Taxila to prepare for thelong march has led to the PPP to announce a counter rally of amillion workers against Takht Lahore on the Punjab-Sindhborder.

The demand for Gilani’s resignation at this stage ispremature. Whatever the moral implications of the SupremeCourt’s short order, Gilani still remains the legal PM. Theopposition should wait not only for the final verdict in thecontempt case but also for the outcome of Gilani’s appeal incase of a negative verdict. The opposition’s call for earlyelections could turn out to be counterproductive as both thePML(N) and PTI have yet to do a lot of homework. The claimsof Nawaz and Imran of being national leaders would bequestioned if they fail to put up respectable performance insmaller provinces. They need to employ the time available tothem to publicise their manifestos and improve their electionmachinery.

First, the state declares that a fewgroups of people do not belongto the religion of the majorityand then, it also declares thatthese groups cannot worship

the way they want to. They cannot read thetexts they want to, cannot make theirplaces of worship as they want to, cannothave the kind of calligraphy on their placeof worship that they want to, and cannoteven recite verses that they want to. It thensends the police to desecrate the minority’splace of worship so that it does not resem-ble the places of worship of the majority ofpeople in the country.

And all this while our constitutionguarantees people the freedom of religion.The constitution clearly holds that all peo-ple will be equal in the eyes of law, dignityof all people will be maintained, that allpeople will have freedom to profess andpursue their religious beliefs, and all peo-ple will have the freedom to create andmaintain institutions for practice of theirreligion. There are so many clauses in theconstitution that cover these freedoms,and in an overlapping manner, that it isdifficult and almost pointless to list all ofthem here. Yet, the same country passedconstitutional amendments that declaredgroups of people to be non-Muslim and notonly that, later passed on laws that make itillegal for them to preach their religion, topublicly profess their religion, and to even‘pose as Muslims’.

The contradictions are clear for all tosee. If legislators do not want to see them,it is not that there are no contradictions, itis clearly because they just do not want tosee them. But where legislators can comeunder public pressure and so on, why haveour courts and jurists gone along withthese. If they lacked independence before,can they stand up and be counted now? Oris it that they too cannot see the contradic-tions? But a lot of the same people, politi-cians and jurists, can clearly see that theburqa ban of France is wrong and Switzer-land’s ban on the minarets is wrong. Andyet, what we are doing to the minorities inPakistan, with the full power and backingof the law, is not seen by most in Pakistanas wrong.

And wrong it all is. In fact it is wrongat so many levels that it is hard to evenstart making a case against it. It is legallywrong, but more importantly all of this is

morally wrong. Very wrong.Why is the state in the business of de-

claring who is a Muslim and who is not?The state should not have a religion that itfavours. People have the freedom to belongto a religion of their choice. And peoplehave the freedom to be as religious as theywant to be, as long as they do not infringeon similar freedoms of others. The statecan arbitrate, but if the state chooses sides,if it declares that it has a religion, how canit arbitrate neutrally, and more impor-tantly, how can it guarantee equal freedomand equal citizenship to all?

Even if the state has said that the offi-cial religion of the country is Islam, itshould not be in the business of saying whois a Muslim and who is not. Why shouldthe state have that right? It is a slipperyslope to step on and it is not the businessof the state to go there. Will the state createa process and procedure for decidingwhich sects make the cut and which donot? In General Zia’s dictatorship whenZakat was imposed many sects had beengiven the freedom not to pay Zakat?Should there have been a state institutionto decide if these sects had breached the‘Muslim’ barrier? And who will decide whois a Muslim? Look at the history of such de-bates; not many sects and sub-sects haveagreed on general definitions. But even ifwe could have an agreement of a majority,it does not make it right for the state to dothis. Doesn’t this all sound absurd? But wehave no problem in the state doing simi-larly ridiculous things when it declaredcertain sects to be non-Muslim.

And even if some groups are not Mus-lim, should the state be telling them howthey can or cannot worship, how theirplaces of worship should be constructed ornot constructed, and what they should bereading or not reading? How can the statetell people who are not Muslim that theycannot ‘pose’ as Muslims? If I was readingthe Bible should a Christian be allowed to

tell me that I cannot do so or should thestate? Does all this not sound ridiculous toreasonable people? Are we still going to in-sist that all this is fine with having funda-mental ‘freedoms and rights’ guaranteed inour constitution and that all of the abovedoes not contradict these guarantees? Arethere people who still see all of the aboveas moral? If a person who can see insiststhat she is blind, there is not a whole lotone can do to convince them that they cansee.

My sentiments might be inflamed bythe behaviour of another person but thesame can be said by the other person aboutmy behaviour. But as long as we do notcross lines of creating public order issues,threats to safety of each other and otherpeople and so on, we have to tolerate thebehaviour of others and not only that, wehave accept it as well: diversity of lifechoices is one of the basic facts of life andall collectives of individuals will have suchdiversity. The state, based on the consentof the governed, has to arbitrate amongstall of the people who live under the state.To argue that if some people do not like thedecisions of the majority they can leaveand other such jejune arguments are tooridiculous to be given any credence.

The spirit of the 1973 Constitution hadgone with universalistic tendencies. Butsadly that has all been undermined by sub-sequent changes, the rulings of the courtsand often the behaviour of the majority. Ifpeople cannot see the obvious wrongs theyare allowing, wrongs that are obvious byany consistent standard, any religion, anymoral and/or any legal system, then onecannot make them see these. Argumentsare then futile here.

The writer is an Associate Professor ofEconomics at LUMS (currently on leave)and a Senior Advisor at Open SocietyFoundation (OSF). He can be reached [email protected]

By Dr Faisal Bari

freedom of religionWhat and for whom

foreign Press

In terms of gender gaps, Sri Lanka’s unemployment rates werehigher for women than men states Asia-Pacific Labour MarketUpdate issued by International Labour Organization (ILO) for

April 2012.“When looked at in terms of gender gaps, unemployment rates

were higher for women than men in Indonesia (1.7 percentagepoints) and in Sri Lanka (4.3 percentage points).... Moreover, inthe Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, assessing the desirablefall in unemployment should be balanced against limited progressin improving the quality of jobs,” it added.

“While regional unemployment figures as a whole have grad-ually fallen since 2009, current projections indicate there will belittle change in developing Asia in 2012. Unemployment is forecastto remain low in East Asia at 4.1 percent, 4.7 percent in SoutheastAsia and the Pacific and 3.8 percent in South Asia.”

Asia's labour market outlook faces growing uncertainty. Theweak global economy has affected Asia and its resilient perform-ance is showing growing signs of fragility. Although economicallyit continues to outpace other regions the worsening external en-vironment is hampering exports and domestic demand is moder-ating.

Moreover, the destructive flooding that devastated a numberof countries in Southeast Asia at the end of last year has againdemonstrated that the region is also economically and socially vul-nerable to natural disasters, as well as economic crises.

While job growth was robust in some economies there hasbeen an overall slowdown since the middle of last year. Unem-ployment for young jobseekers remains a particular concern.Progress in improving job quality has also decelerated. Currentforecasts indicate that Asia and the Pacific will face various chal-lenges throughout 2012 in regard to generating decent and pro-ductive jobs and reducing unemployment.

As well as addressing a range of short-term labour marketchallenges, policymakers must also consider longstanding prob-lems that profoundly shape the quality of Asian societies, namelyhigh and rising income disparities and social exclusion. To thisend it is essential that efforts continue across the region to reformlabour legislation, strengthen social dialogue and wage setting in-stitutions and build social protection systems.

Moreover, the region is undergoing a massive urbanizationprocess as more and more people seek new opportunities in Asia’scities. This transition puts tremendous pressure on urban infra-structure and social services. It also underscores the need to ad-dress urban poverty and informality and foster inclusive growththrough an integrated strategy based on decent work.

glaring gender gapCeylon Today

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We will not let ’71 happen again

Keep Balochistan with us

The 21st century has abun-dant diverse issues bothpositive and negative. How-

ever, unfortunately the intensity ofantagonistic matters is way morethan the positive ones. Inter-stateand intra-state conflicts, huge pro-duction of weapons of mass de-struction (WMD’s), severeenvironmental issues, gang riots,racial conflicts, terrorism, corrup-tion, and the list goes on. Keepingaside the global history and focus-ing on our domestic issues, one isalways compelled to dive into theocean of thoughts for hours. Thedomestic issues of Pakistan havemade its infrastructure timid.These intra-regional conflicts havealso played a major role in weak-ening the solidarity of Pakistan. Asuntil or unless your state is facinginter-state conflicts, then you willnot be able to convince the worldneither towards your positive,image nor you can maintain peacewithin your state. Unfortunately,Pakistan has always been in suchconflicts since its existence.

Going back to 1971, Pakistanlost its Eastern wing with a heavyheart after the Indian and Pak-istani forces clashed on the East-ern and Western fronts.Bangladesh, although separatedfrom Western Pakistan, was in-deed the Eastern part of Pakistan.It had the majority of Muslims atthe time of partition from the sub-continent, so it was included inPakistan. Unfortunately, almostafter 26 years of independence,this Eastern wing seceded underhostile circumstances. The mainreason behind the Fall of Dhakawas the increasing distrust be-tween the people and the govern-ment. Besides, lack ofcoordination and deprivation ofrights led to frustration and ha-tred. Dichotomy of opinion ofleaders gave a pleasant chance toIndia and they were successful intheir conspiracy.

They exploited the situationand played a vital role in making itworse by supporting the Bengalisin their liberation movement. Peo-ple of Bengal were manipulatedand forced to rebel due to the mil-itary action initiated by the West-ern government. We cannot blameIndia, US or Russia for this seces-

sion; Pakistani government wasan equal culprit. Because libera-tion movements always started,only when you neglect a specificsection, deprive them from theirrights, and violate theses rightslargely. Both domestic and inter-national factors played significantroles in the downfall of East Pak-istan.

The day of 16 December, 1971,has been marked as the Black Dayin the journals of Pakistani his-tory. If we look around us today,we can figure out a similar situa-tion breeding within the bound-aries of Pakistan. The conditionscausing insurgency in Balochistanare very much similar to the con-ditions that caused the separation

of Bengal. Lack of co-ordinationand growing distrust between peo-ple of Balochistan and the Pak-istani government are in thehighlight. There is distrust notonly between government andBalochistan but also between thepeople of other provinces and thepeople of Balochistan.

This parasite has alreadyweakened the structure of Pak-istan. The differences between itsprovinces have grown to an unbe-lievable extent. Residents ofBalochistan are demanding inde-pendence and they do not want tobe a part of Pakistani federation.One cannot be sure about the realreason behind this crisis. TheBaloch are of the opinion thattheir rights are exploited in everypossible way whereas the govern-ment promises to ensure equalrights to all provinces. However,even a layman can identify thecoarse relationship between theBaloch and the government.

It is sad to see how this nationis at the verge of splitting. Pak-

istan was created for the Muslims.The main objective behind its cre-ation was to have a separatehomeland for the Muslims, wherethey can enjoy their lives withfreedom, with that contentmentthat everyone will get an equalshare from the resources. Buttoday, these Muslims have turnedagainst each other. They do notwant to live as a united nation.The thing we should focus upon isthat our Baloch brothers and sis-ters are not happy with us and weshould consider them the cyno-sure of Pakistan rather than keepthem away from us.

We as the enlightened citizensof today do not want this to hap-pen and we will not let this happen

again. We will not let theBangladesh episode to revive it-self. Bangladesh got separated andno one stood up against it. Today,we cannot stand up and formmobs to protest. However, we canput up an appeal to the govern-ment; an appeal that says NO tothe separation of Balochistan.

We the educated citizens ofPakistan condemn the insurgencycarried out in Balochistan and re-quest for the distribution of fairand equal rights, not in theory butin practice. We are, and must be,ready for negotiations. Why can’tthe entire nation and governmenttake a step to make things betterand stop others from this conspir-acy? We do not want our futuregenerations to study the syllabusin which they go through the rea-sons and causes of secession ofBalochistan as we have studied thecauses and reasons for the seces-sion of East Pakistan (Bangladesh)as a major part of our history sub-ject. No, we certainly cannot af-ford it anymore.

By Zoya Ashraf and Khadija Waseem

the aftermath of the conviction

War of wits and egos

Political landscape ofPakistan is shrouded inconfusion and chaos

courtesy another hazy deci-sion of the apex court. Thedrawing rooms are resound-ing with unscrupulous specu-lations. TV talk shows areovershadowed by misleadingdiscussions. The whole at-mosphere is polluted with theodor of allegations, mud-slinging and character assas-sination wherein themainstream parties seem tohave buried the statue of rec-onciliation once and for all. Itseems as if the politicianswere suffering from amnesiafor they had forgotten thewhole lesson of patience theyhad learnt from their horren-dous past. Moreover, ration-ality has ever been a rareelement in our politics be-cause whenever democracytakes roots in our system,politicians start underminingit under various pretexts andthus pave way for militarycoups.

The current verdict of theSupreme Court has raised thepolitical temperature of Is-lamabad to a melting point.On one hand, the governmentand its allies have dug theirheels deep in the ground toface whatever untoward situ-ation may develop in near fu-ture as a result of thisdecision of the SupremeCourt whereas, on the otherhand, the opposition partiesare flexing their muscle toinitiate an unprecedentedmovement to force the in-cumbent PM to bow down tothe court’s decision; nonethe-less, they lack a comprehen-sive strategy to achieve thispurpose.

In addition, they are di-vided and confused. And thisfact was evident from NawazSharif’s cliché-ridden pressconference for it was a goodpiece of sheer rhetoric devoidof any substance. Hence, itoffered no concrete strategyto expel the convicted PM ex-cept some vague statementsmade by Sharif. Although he

announced to launch a mas-sive campaign against Gi-lani’s defiant attitude towardscourt, it seemed to be merelya political posturing sans acomprehensive course of ac-tion.

His address at Taxila wasyet another piece of oratory.He could not provide anyconvincing solution to thecurrent issue. It is interestingto note that he announced toinitiate long march and ten-der resignation from assem-blies as the last resort tocompel the government toabide by the ruling ofSupreme Court which was aclear cut indication of payingonly lip service to this consti-tutional cum political crisis.So, it was a flop show to saythe least. Owing to its dubi-ous track record, PML(N)’santi-Gilani campaign mayprove yet another eyewash asin cases of “Go Zardari Go’’campaign and “Memogatescandal” it took the lead andthereafter sneakily pulled outfor the reasons unknown.

Some critics are of theview that PML(N) hasplunged into agitation againstthe government withoutmuch preparation just tokeep itself politically alive asa viable option in a bid to re-claim its constituency si-phoned away by PTI inPunjab. PTI has responded ina bit mature and responsiblemanner to the situation athand. It has decided to be pa-tient till the final finding ofSupreme Court of PM’s re-view petition against his con-viction.

However, it has an-nounced its two-prongedstrategy of filing a referencein the Supreme Court againstPM for his disqualificationafter his conviction followedby a countrywide campaignagainst government to getcourt’s verdict implementedin letter and spirit. JI has yetto come out of its deep slum-ber and align itself either withPTI or PML(N). Tradition-ally, it has been an ally of thelatter but this time until nowit has kept its options wideopen. Needless to say, that itsrole in street politics has ever

been very crucial. That is whyboth the parties are eager towin over JI.

Politicians are trying tocatch one another on wrongfoot in the wake of recentjudgment of the apex courtwhereas Army Chief, on theeve of commemorating Day ofMartyrs, has suggested all in-stitutions to work within theirconstitutional limits. He reit-erated his support for demo-cratic system for it is the onlyway to keep the country onthe road of progress. Actually,he has conveyed his messagein a very subtle way to bothexecutive and judiciary to be-have maturely remaining intheir legitimate bounds.Some critics regard Kayani’sstatement beyond his consti-tutional mandate. However,he has always played a posi-tive role in the resolution ofsuch crises.

As the drama unfolds innear future, the things mayget more complicated. In fact,PPP deliberately intends toblow up the matter out ofproportion just to extractmaximum political mileageout of it. In case PM’s reviewpetition against his convic-tion is turned down by thefull bench of the SupremeCourt, PPP will try its levelbest to malign the SupremeCourt by creating an impres-sion of being a victim ofmedia and judicial trial. Un-fortunately, Supreme Courtand Parliament have beenpitched against each other bysome adventurists. Had thecourt given a comprehensivedetailed judgment instead ofpassing a short order in ahurry, the murky situationcould have diffused earlier.

In this backdrop, the de-tailed judgment may clear thesmokescreen. Sanity mayprevail all around and theship of democracy may sailthrough the tumultuous cur-rents of tsunami. Althoughour past is littered with bitterexperiences, yet let’s cling tohope for the best in future. Inthis war of wits and egos, sys-tem should not suffer.

The writer can be contactedat: [email protected]

By Akhlaque Dogar

We the educated citizens of Pakistancondemn the insurgency carried out inBalochistan and request for thedistribution of fair and equal rights, notin theory but in practice. We are, andmust be, ready for negotiations. Whycan’t the entire nation and governmenttake a step to make things better andstop others from this conspiracy?

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MuMBAI: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has beenlauded for addressing some of India’s darkest socialproblems after his new television show tackled thetaboo subject of female foeticide. Khan’s show, whichhad been massively promoted before its debut onSunday, received near-universal praise from the press

and the public for his interviews with women abouttheir harrowing experiences. The 90-minute programme

gripped viewers as Khan, a top actor, producer anddirector, explored how a preference for male heirs leads

to the killing of female foetuses and new-borns. Khan,using data graphs and maps to make his case, urgedthe public to help bring about change before anemotional Bollywood-style song at the end of theshow ensured maximum appeal to the audience.The mixture of campaigning social activism and anintimate, personal style on ‘Satyamev Jayate’(Truth Alone Triumphs) drew comparisons to US

chat show host oprah winfrey. The reaction ofviewers to the show was so strong that itswebsite crashed. “Aamir Khan’s show can

bring a revolution,” tweeted actor andsocial activist Shabana Azmi, adding the

programme “forces us to reexamineourselves”. Actress Preity zintatold her 1.5-million followers: “Ilove this effort from him & thankhim as a woman!” AfP

14 Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

LOS ANGELESAGENCIES

ACTRESS An-gelina Joliehas thankedthe people ofBosnia for

making her an honourary

citizen of Sarajevo. The ac-t r e s s - t u r n e d - d i r e c t o rstepped behind the cam-era last year for ‘In theLand of Blood and Honey’,a story about a romancebetween a Serbian soldierand a Bosnian woman.Her efforts were praised

by government officials atthe Assembly of SarajevoCanton Parliament fordrawing attention to thearea, and they decided toaward the 36-year-oldwith a special citizenshipprize, reports contactmu-sic.com. A ceremony washeld May 3 at Sarajevo'sNational Theatre, where apre-recorded video mes-sage from Jolie wasplayed. In the clip, shesaid: "I am deeply gratefulto the citizens of Sarajevoand the Sarajevo Cantonassembly for bestowingupon me this incrediblehonour of citizenship. I amso proud to now be a partof such an extraordinarypart of the world and fel-low citizen to the people Ideeply love and admire. Iwish I could be there withall of you tonight, and Ilook forward to visiting inJuly when I can properlyaccept and personally ex-press my gratitude."

LOS ANGELESAGENCIES

We all know Blue IvyCarter will receive the bestof the best of everything(she is Beyoncé’s daughter,after all), but is she goingto be a pint-size diva, too?Maybe, according to dadJay-Z. The rapper appearson Oprah's Master Class:

Special Edition in which heand celebs like DianeSawyer and Reba McEntirewax poetic on their in-sights in life. So when thetopic turned to parenting,Jay joked about his biggestparenting fears:

"Well, I mean, every-one imagines they'll be agreat dad," the usually veryconfident HOV admitted,

rather shyly. "Until they'reteenagers saying, ‘Get awayfrom me, Dad. You're em-barrassing me!' Right?Everyone imagines that,right?" Maybe the offspringof a mama (who also justhappens to be People'sMost Beautiful Woman)and a mogul of a father hasother plans. "I imagine I'lltake things I learned frommy mom and things I'velearned from raising mynephews and apply that,"Jay continued beforelaughing: "Then at the endof the day, I just know I'llprobably have the worst,spoiled little kid ever."

Well, "worst" is to bedetermined, but we expectnothing less than for babyBlue to be spoiled with thefinest clothing, including aromper or two from theHouse of Deréon collection.

1SeoUL: will Smith and Josh Brolin

pose together with director Barry

Sonnenfeld after a news

conference to promote their film

‘Men in Black III’. REUTERS

2new yorK: Taylor greenwood

attends the Jacmel Carnaval

Benefiting haiti. afp

3new yorK: emma Stone speaks

to participants at the 15th Annual

eIF revlon run/walk for

women. afp

4new yorK: rita wilson and wendi

Murdoch attend ‘The Conversation

Launch Celebration’. afp

5new yorK: Alicia Keys her

husband Swizz Beatz and their son

egypt, sit courtside during game 4

of the nBA eastern Conference

basketball playoff series. REUTERS

IN LIMELIGHTJolie touched by Sarajevo honour

Jay-Z says Blue Ivy will be ‘the worst, spoiled little kid ever’

MuMBAI: All those who were waiting for a glimpse ofAishwarya rai’s daughter at the Cannes Film Festivalthis year would have to bite dust yet again. Buzz hasit that Ash might not attend Cannes Film Festival thatis to be held from May 16th. while reasons of herbacking out from the prestigious event may vary fromwork commitments to taking care of her baby, strong

rumour doing the rounds suggestthat she is skipping the annualevent because of her weight.Ash gained ‘oodles of weight’after the birth of her daughterand when she was spotted in afat avatar recently at an event,the pictures set off a buzz onthe internet and social media.Aishwarya rai Bachchan hasbeen a regular at Cannes eversince she paved the way forBollywood to be highlighted atinternational forums. And it wasreported earlier that Ash wouldattend the event in the companyof her 5-month old daughter.Cannes Film fest holds areputation of showcasing thebest of the movies along withsome avant garde fashiondisplayed by guests who attendthe event. And, given Ash’scurrent shape, her withdrawalfrom the event doesn’t seem likea bad idea. AGENCIES

Weighty issuesforce Aishwaryato skip Cannes?

Aamir Khan hailedfor campaigning TV show

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LONDON: Moviebosses are set to markthe 50th birthday ofthe James Bond fran-chise this year bystaging the biggestever exhibition oficonic props from thespy films. Eon Pro-ductions chiefs havereleased a dazzling array of costumes,gadgets and cars from the 007 movies togo on display in London. The famous ex-hibits include Goldfinger henchmanOddjob’s bowler hat, the metal teethsported by Jaws in two 1970s Bondfilms, Scaramanga’s pistol from ‘TheMan With The Golden Gun’, 007’sspacesuit from ‘Moonraker’, and a deckof tarot cards seen in ‘Live and Let Die’.The flick-knife shoes worn by SPECTREagent Rosa Klebb in ‘From Russia withLove’, a waterproof camera from ‘Thun-derball’, Halle Berry’s orange bikini from‘Die Another Day’, Bond’s underwaterLotus car from ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’,and Daniel Craig’s famous blue swim-ming trunks will also be on display. Theexhibition will even feature some ofBond’s personal effects, including hisblack American Express card and hispassport, which reveals he travels underthe false name Arlington Beech. AGENCIES

15

LONDONAGENCIES

After his unofficial memoirscaused shockwaves acrossshowbiz circles, Simon Cowellis planning an official autobi-ography where he will divulgethe truth about his relation-ships with Dannii Minogueand Cheryl Cole. Former co-stars Cheryl, 28, Dannii andSharon ¬Osbourne, 59, wereall said to be infuriated afterdetails of their personal rela-tionships with X Factor bossCowell were revealed in TomBower’s ‘Sweet Revenge: The

Intimate Life of Simon Cow-ell’. The king of reality TVwarned his A-lister friendsthere would be more revela-tions to come. “There arerecords to set straight andscores to settle. If you thoughtBower’s book was scandalous,it only scratched the surface,”the Daily Star quoted a sourceas saying. Simon brought outhis own official autobiographyin 2003 dubbed ‘I Don’t MeanTo Be Rude, But’. And now heinsists he wants to update hislife story. In a wide-ranginginterview, Simon spoke aboutthis year’s BGT judges’ line-up, saying: “I really like thepanel this year and would sayit is the best line-up yet. Davidis a very, very funny man. He’salso really weird and that’sprobably why we get on sowell. Alesha has been a totalstar and I’ve always enjoyedworking with Amanda.” How-ever, he did confess that hewas worried about control-ling David in tonight’s livesemi-final. When asked whathe thought of past ‘X Factor’and BGT line-ups he added:“I’m saving it for my book.”

Annu Kapoor finds Priyanka Chopra unprofessional

NEWS DESK

It seems Sudhir Mishra has fi-nally completed the casting forhis next film 'Mehrunissa'.While muse Chitrangda Singhwas the first to get on board,Mishra has now got 'LondonParis New York' actor Ali Zafaras the lead opposite her. It'squite an ensemble withAmitabh Bachchan and RishiKapoor in the supporting cast.Mishra says, "It is too early tosay anything. I have met Ali a

couple of times at events andparties but I cannot say any-thing about the cast as of now.I am still scripting the film, soall the news about it is not true.There will be an official an-nouncement soon." This will beZafar's first time working withMishra along with Bachchanand Kapoor. Chitrangda hasworked with Mishra twice be-fore. 'Mehrunissa' tells thestory of an actor in the 1960sand the events in her life overthe next 30-odd years.

LOS ANGELESAGENCIES

LADY Gaga, who justbroke up with TaylorKinney, says that whenshe does decide to getmarried, it will be for

good. Divorce is not an option.Though she's been known to shockwith her outlandish outfits andraunchy stage shows, the ‘Born ThisWay’ singer insists marriage is forlife. On ‘The Conversation WithAmanda De Cadenet’ (so much forthat self-imposed media blackout),she said: "My grandmother wasmarried to my grandfather for 60

years. My parents are still together,30 years. Divorce is not an option forme. It's like, 'I'm gonna get marriedand that's it. He's stuck with me'."The star explained that her motherand father had "stuck it out" throughtough times and she plans to workjust as hard on her own marriage. "Iwant to eventually find a man thatfeels the same way - about divorcenot being an option," she said."Working through everything to-gether, even if it's the hardest thingyou've ever been through, you juststick it out." The unquestioned su-perstar also admitted recently thatshe finds love "terrifying." She'snothing if not up front.

MuMBAI: Anushka Shrama has finallydecided to do the talking about heralleged link-ups and how irritating suchrumours are. In a recent interview, the24-year-old actress lashed out at mediareports, which suggestedthat she and Shahid Kapoorgot cozy at Imran Khan’sbash to celebrate thesuccess of ‘Mere Brother KiDulhan’. The actress, whowas said to be dating her‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ co-starranveer Singh, said thatshe entered Imran’s housewith Shahid and that’s anormal thing. The actresswas quoted as tellingFilmfare that the problem isin the system where even anormal looking thing ismade out to be somethingdirty. She criticised themedia for sensationalisingthings, which createmisunderstanding betweentwo people. Talking moreover the issue, Anushkarevealed that she doesn’twish to fall for a guy fromthe industry as it becomesreally difficult to have arelationship. AGENCIES

WASHINGTON:

Whitney Houston,who passed away onFebruary 11 at age48, reportedly re-turned to a life of se-rious substanceabuse after claimingsobriety in 2010. The Daily Beast offeredan even further in-depth look into theGrammy winner’s addiction through theyears, with a friend of Whitney’s claim-ing the singer would “spend thousandsof dollars a week buying drugs andstockpile it in the house so she wouldn’trun out.” “The family was afraid of theembarrassment on some level andwouldn’t confront her early on,” saidMonique Houston. “Her mother wouldalways say, ‘I don’t understand this drugthing.’ They let it get too bad before theyunderstood she needed serious help, andthen it was too late,” she said. “Drugswere around her for years before shemet Bobby and continued after he left. Itwas worse when they were together, buthe didn’t cause it,” she added. AGENCIES

Ali Zafar may star in ‘Mehrunnisa’

I’ll tell all in new book, says Simon Cowell

Anushka ‘infuriated’ over link-ups rumours Ayaan

Mukherjee’s dilemmaMuMBAI: Ayaan Mukherjee is ina fix. The director does notknow whether he should goahead with a love makingscene between ranbir Kapoorand Deepika Padukone whowere going steady once upon atime. A unit source revealed,“The love making scene is verycrucial part of the script. ButAyaan is in two minds whetherhe should actually go aheadwith it or not. he does notwant the situation to becomeawkward between his leadactors. he is also contemplatingto do away with the scenealtogether.” It may be knownthat Mukherjee is currentlyshooting for ‘yeh Jawani haiDeewani’ with ranbir Kapoorand Deepika Padukone whowere serious about each otheronce upon a time. AGENCIES

MuMBAI: Priyanka Chopra seems to have had a great fall post heralleged link-up with Shah rukh Khan and her subsequent absencefrom his camp. her career graph has reportedly taken a deepplunge and has been at the receiving end for quite some timenow. After Karan Johar indirectly slammed her through his tweet,veteran actor Annu Kapoor has said that the actress doesn’ttake her work seriously at all. Kapoor, who recently played apivotal role in critically acclaimed film ‘Vicky Donor’ believesthat the former Miss world is not a thorough professional.Kapoor and Chopra had worked together in Vishal Bhardwaj’s‘Saat Khoon Maaf’ that released in 2011. Buzz has it that thelady had refused to shoot intimate scenes with theactor in the film that ended up irking the veteran.however, as a response to what Kapoor had said inan interview, Priyanka’s ex-publicist Dale Bhagwagartweeted, “Priyanka Chopra not being serious aboutacting sounds frivolous. Just look at the girl’s careergraph. ‘Andaaz’, ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’, ‘Aitraaz’,‘Krrish’, ‘Kaminey’ and ‘Agneepath’. Priyanka hascontributed to more than a dozen hits in adecade; a pace, consistency and bankabilityunmatched by most of the other heroines in theindustry. Could this be possible if she wasn’tdedicated or passionate towards her work?(sic).”PC was last seen in ‘Agneepath’ this year andwill make her presence felt in ‘Teri Meri Kahaani’with former beau Shahid Kapoor. AGENCIES

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Tuesday, 08 May, 2012

16 Foreign News

DAMASCUSAfP

SYRIANS were voting on Mon-day in the country’s first “mul-tiparty” parliamentaryelection in five decades, beingheld against a backdrop of vi-

olence and dismissed as a sham by theopposition.

Young and old cast their ballots inneighbourhoods of the capital and vari-ous other regions, while in oppositionstrongholds residents boycotted the vote,instead holding protests and a generalstrike. The election was being held de-spite unrest that has swept the countrysince March 2011 when President Bashar

al-Assad resorted to force in a bid toquash a revolt against his autocraticregime. The vote, initially scheduled forlast September, was postponed to May 7after Assad announced the launch of a re-form process backed by a referendum. “Ithink these elections will bring a defini-tive end to the crisis,” said Shahba Karim,18, after casting her vote in central Dam-ascus. But others held a different view. “Ivoted no in the constitutional referendumbut this time I won’t cast a ballot becauseby doing so it would mean I agree withthe process which is not the case,” saidFady, a 47-year-old media worker.

A total of 7,195 candidates have reg-istered to stand for the 250 seats, statenews agency SANA said. The opposition

has dismissed the vote as a sham and aploy by the government to buy time andto dupe the international community intobelieving the regime is serious about re-forms. “Whoever drowns Syria in blood,displaces ... Syrians and shoots at the Syr-ian people does not have the legitimacy todraw up a constitution, an electoral law,or to run elections,” the Syrian NationalCouncil, an exile umbrella opposition or-ganisation, said in a statement.

Several towns and villages across thecountry, including some neighbourhoodsof Damascus, held demonstrations, boy-cotted the vote and organised a generalstrike amid reports of continued violence.Three people were killed in an ambush byregime forces in the eastern province of

Deir Ezzor, the Syrian Observatory forHuman Rights said. Clashes between sol-diers and rebels were also reported inseveral areas of central Hama province aswell as other regions, the Britain-basedwatchdog added.

“There are no signs of a national elec-tion in (northwest) Idlib or the surround-ing areas,” activist Nureddin al-Abdo toldAFP via Skype. “The regime is trying todelude itself that it still holds power byorganising these fake elections, but it isonly capable of ruling with tanks.” An-other activist, Shakeeb al-Jabri, tweeted:“Let me put it this way: Syrians weremore interested in the French elections(on Sunday) than they are in their ownelections”.

LONDONAfP

British Prime Minster DavidCameron on Monday said he gotthe message from voterssuffering from the economicdownturn after the rulingcoalition’s mauling in mid-termelections.

But Cameron said he wouldnot be governed by “ideology”,vowing to resist calls from theright-wing fringe of hisConservative Party and theopposition Labour party tochange tack on austerity.

“My reaction to last week’slocal election results isstraightforward: I get themessage, loud and clear,”Cameron wrote in the centre-right Daily Telegraphnewspaper.

“The message people aresending is this: focus on whatmatters, deliver what youpromise — and prove yourself inthe process. I get it.”

Britain slid back intorecession last month after its

economy shrank in the firstquarter. Cameron’s commentscame at the start of a week inwhich he aims to use two eventsto reinject vigour into thecoalition with the LiberalDemocrats, which marks itstwo-year anniversary this week.

On Wednesday the Queen’sSpeech — delivered by QueenElizabeth II but written by thegovernment — will set out thecoalition’s plans for the comingnew session of parliament.

Also this week Cameron willrenew the coalition’s vowsduring a joint appearance withDeputy Prime Minister NickClegg, the leader of the LiberalDemocrats.

But it will be a far cry fromtheir cheery press conference inthe sunny rose garden of theprime minister’s Downing Streetresidence in May 2010 whenthey launched the coalition.

Cameron in particular facessigns of unrest from within hisown party after Labour tookcontrol of 32 councils in Friday’selections and won more than

800 seats at the expense of theConservatives and the LiberalDemocrats.

Outspoken Conservativelawmaker Nadine Dorries saidthe party could removeCameron by Christmas, accusinghim of “arrogance and asneering disregard for trueConservative values”. Right-wing Conservatives areparticularly upset by plans forlegalising gay marriage, and byproposed reforms to the Houseof Lords, the upper house ofparliament. Cameron also facespotential embarrassment whentwo former aides of RupertMurdoch testify this week at theLeveson inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal at thenow-shuttered News of theWorld newspaper. AndyCoulson, who was Cameron’smedia chief from 2007-2011,appears on Thursday while onFriday it is the turn of RebekahBrooks, Cameron’s friend andthe former head of NewsInternational, Murdoch’s Britishnewspaper wing.

At least 32Yemeni troopskilled inmilitant attack

ADENREutERS

Islamist gunmen killed at least 32 soldierson Monday when they stormed a militaryposition in southern Yemen wheremilitants control broad swathes ofterritory, a military official said. Yemenhas a seen a surge in violence in the southsince President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Haditook office in February. The governmenthas responded with air strikes and theUnited States has repeatedly used dronesto kill militants. The attack on Mondaycame hours after a suspected U.S. dronestrike killed two men in a neighbouringprovince, including one the governmentdescribed as a senior member of al Qaeda.The military official told Reuters thatgunmen attacked Yemeni troops outsidethe city of Zinjibar, capital of Abyanprovince, killing at least 32 servicemen. Hesaid they captured a number of soldiersand made off with weapons andammunition. At least 40 soldiers werewounded in the attack, the official andmedical sources said. A spokesman forAnsar al-Sharia, an al Qaeda-linked groupthat took Zinjibar last year, said his sidecaptured 28 soldiers and a tank in the raid.In a similar attack in March, militantskilled about 100 troops in Zinjibar afterHadi took office. Yemen’s government andan al Qaeda-linked group active in thesouth both said the missile strike hoursearlier in neighbouring Shabwa provincekilled Fahd al-Qasaa, who had beenconvicted of involvement in the 2000bombing of the USS Cole warship inYemen’s southern port of Aden. Residentsof Shabwa and the militant group, Ansaral-Sharia, said the missile was fired from aU.S. drone. A drone strike last year killed aU.S. citizen who U.S. officials subsequentlyclaimed had helped plan a failed attack ona U.S. airliner. The use of drones hasangered the public in Yemen as it has inother countries such as Pakistan, whereWashington also uses unmanned aircraftto kill militants. Washington has backed apower transfer that saw President AliAbdullah Saleh replaced by his deputy inFebruary, after a year of mass protestsagainst Saleh. The United States nowwants Hadi to unify the fragmented armyand turn it against militants.

flash floods kill26 at Afghanwedding: official

KABULAfP

At least 26 people were killed and more than100 missing after flash floods hit a weddingparty and three villages in northernAfghanistan, an official said Monday. Mostof the victims were women and children asthe floods, caused by heavy rains, sweptthrough areas of Deh Mardan district in SariPul province, said Fazlullah Sadat, head ofthe provincial disaster managementauthority. “We have found 26 bodies mostlywomen and children — and more than 100others are still missing,” he told AFP.Wedding parties are traditionally large andjoyous occasions in rural Afghanistan, but 21people from one gathering were among thevictims, he said. “This is a human tragedy.We have a lot of human losses,” said Sadat.Rescue teams had been dispatched to searchfor the missing, he added, and the floods alsoswept away livestock and swampedagricultural lands. The defence ministry haddispatched two helicopters to flood-hit areas,he said, and disaster management teamsassisted by the UN’s World Food Programmewere at the scene, distributing food, blanketsand tents. Afghanistan’s harshest winter in15 years saw unusually heavy snowfalls, andexperts predicted melting snow was likely tocause floods in the mountainous north in thespring. In March, the UN humanitarianoffice for Afghanistan said at least 145 peoplewere missing and “presumed dead” after anavalanche hit a remote village innortheastern Badakhshan province.

NEW DELHI: uS Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gestures while talking with united Progressive Alliance (uPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi prior to a meeting on Monday. afp

Syria holds legislative vote snubbed by Opp

‘I get it,’ says Cameronahead of difficult week

Sky news Arabiagoes on air

ABU DHABIAfP

Sky News Arabia, a 24-hour Arabic languagenews channel based in Abu Dhabi, beganbroadcasting Sunday, pledging to be“objective” in its news coverage. Thechannel’s lead story was the Frenchpresidential election, with live coverage fromthe home of Francois Hollande, the front-runner in the poll, followed by a report onSyrian refugees on the Syria-Turkish border.“New Sky Arabia will change the media inthe Arab world,” promised presenter FaisalBen Hariz, emphasising on the “objectivity”factor. The channel’s chairman, SultanAhmed al-Jaber, said in a statement: “Theregion demanded an Arab news productwhich incorporates both the technologicaldevelopments and the fast changing mediaconsumption habits that are transforminghow news is gathered and disseminated.”With a team of some 400 journalists,producers and technicians and 12 officesworldwide, Sky News Arabia, aims tocompete with the Doha-based Al-Jazeera —the first rolling news broadcasting channelin the Arab world — and the Saudi-ownedAl-Arabiya based in Dubai. Another channel,Al-Arab, belonging to Saudi billionaire Al-Walid bin Talal, is expected to be launchedin December 2012 in Bahrain. Based in AbuDhabi, Sky News Arabia is a joint venturebetween BSkyB of London and Abu DhabiMedia Investment Corporation owned bySheikh Mansur bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, abrother of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa.

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Foreign News 17Tuesday, 08 May, 2012

WESt BANK: A Palestinian man uses a sling to lob a stone during clashes with Israeli soldiers outside the ofer Prison close to the West Bank city of Ramallah, following a march in

support of Palestinian prisoners of on hunger strike while being held in Israeli prisons on Monday. afp

Italian nuclearcompany bosswounded in shooting

GENOAAfP

A gunman shot and wounded the head of anItalian nuclear energy company on Mondayin an incident reminiscent of militantattacks in the 1970s, with police sayinganarchists could be responsible. RobertoAdinolfi, a 53-year-old nuclear engineer,was followed by the gunman and shot in theankle as he left his home in Genoa innorthwest Italy. The gunman then escapedon a motorbike with a second man waitingnearby. Adinolfi, the head of AnsaldoNucleare, part of aerospace and defencegiant Finmeccanica, was rushed to hospitalbut his life is not in danger. Security sourcessaid the attack was similar to one of the firstshootings by the far-left Red Brigadesmilitant group, also against Ansaldo. “Todayit’s as if they wanted to say. Let’s start likewe did 40 years ago,” a security source wasquoted by Italian news agency ANSA assaying. The source said there was “majorconcern” that the shooting could be a signalfor sleeper cells to carry out more attacks orspark copycat shootings. Investigators werequoted by Italian media as saying they werealso looking into possible links with theanarchist movement which is particularlystrong in Genoa after recent calls by someanarchists for moves towards “armedaction.” Kneecapping was widely used byboth far-right and far-left militants duringItaly’s “Years of Lead” when leadingindustrialists, politicians and tradeunionists perceived as making compromisesbecame targets. “One of the versions we areworking on is a terrorist one but we are alsolooking into other possible versions. For themoment there has been no claim ofresponsibility,” Genoa prosecutor MicheleDi Lecce told reporters. Pier Luigi Bersani,head of the centre-left Democratic Party,said the attack was “a worrying sign ofgrowing tensions and violence.”

Saudi citizenbeheaded for killing wife

RIYADHAfP

Saudi Arabia on Monday beheaded one ofits citizens accused of killing his wife, theinterior ministry said in a statementcarried by state news agency SPA. AbdullahAdawi suffocated his wife Rihab Harithi,also a Saudi, as she slept, the ministry said.He was executed in Jizan, in the kingdom’ssouth. His beheading brings the totalnumber of executions in the ultra-conservative kingdom to 24 so far this year,according to an AFP tally based on officialreports. Under the AFP count, at least 76people were beheaded in 2011 in SaudiArabia, while rights group AmnestyInternational put the number of executionslast year at 79.

PARISAfP

EUROPEAN and world lead-ers reached out Monday topresident-elect FrancoisHollande, France’s first So-cialist head of state in 17

years, despite jitters about his pledge torenegotiate Europe’s austerity pact.

The euro sank and stock markets fell asthe results of the presidential vote in Franceand Greece’s general election stoked anxi-ety about the fate of austerity policies de-signed to end the eurozone’s crippling debtcrisis. US President Barack Obama tele-phoned Hollande to congratulate him andinvite him to the White House this monthfollowing his humiliating defeat of outgoingright-winger Nicolas Sarkozy in Sunday’ssecond-round election. Obama “indicatedthat he looks forward to working closelywith Mr Hollande and his government on arange of shared economic and securitychallenges,” White House spokesman JayCarney said in a statement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel alsowasted no time in contacting Hollande once

his victory was confirmed even though shehad made no secret of her support for hisright-wing predecessor and EU fiscal pactarchitect Sarkozy. Merkel, Sarkozy’s closestEuropean ally, invited Hollande to Berlinfor talks, and her Foreign Minister GuidoWesterwelle told reporters: “We will worktogether on a growth pact. I am confidentthe Franco-German friendship will be fur-ther deepened.” Hollande has called on theeurozone to broaden its focus from auster-ity to incorporate growth, a message he re-peated in his victory speech, declaring“Austerity can no longer be the only op-tion.” European Commission chief JoseManuel Barroso said he shared Hollande’sgoal for jumpstarting Europe’s economy.“We clearly have a common objective: re-launching the European economy to gener-ate durable growth,” he said. “We must nowtransform these aspirations into concreteactions.” Britain’s Conservative Prime Min-ister David Cameron, who had backedSarkozy at the beginning of the electioncampaign, also vowed to work with Hol-lande to strengthen the Franco-British re-lationship, a spokesman said. Cameron’sdomestic austerity drive, however, is at

odds with the incoming French president’sbelief in government-driven growth.

Spain’s conservative Prime MinisterMariano Rajoy, whose own spending cutshave sparked street protests in a country suf-fering recession and a 24-percent joblessrate, said it was his “obligation” to get alongwith Hollande. “Mr Hollande has won and itis my obligation to get along with him and tryto work together for the benefit of Spain,France and Europe,” Rajoy said on Spanishradio, adding that he was due to speak toHollande on Monday. Belgium’s SocialistPrime Minister Elio Di Rupo, the only EUleader to come to France during the cam-paign to support Hollande, offered his con-gratulations and European budget disciplinehad to go hand-in-hand with an ambitiousgrowth strategy. Italian Prime MinisterMario Monti said he hoped for close cooper-ation aimed “at an increasingly efficient andgrowth-oriented union” between the twoneighbours. In Asia, Chinese President HuJintao sent a message of congratulations andBejing said it was ready to work with Franceto develop relations “from a strategic andlong term perspective”. “China believes thatmaintaining a positive momentum of the

healthy and steady development of China-France relations not only serves the funda-mental interests of the two countries and twopeoples, but also world peace, stability,” for-eign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

World leaders reach out to Francois Hollande

PARISAfP

France’s political parties geared up onMonday for next month’s key parlia-mentary elections, as Socialist presi-dent-elect Francois Hollande took hisfirst steps to form a government.

Rumours swirled about whomight take top posts in the executiveafter Hollande’s defeat of NicolasSarkozy on Sunday, with the Social-ists anxious to seize the reins of powerafter being out of government for adecade. The Socialists, Sarkozy’s cen-tre-right UMP and smaller partieswere meanwhile getting ready for thetwo-round legislative vote on June 10and 17, with Hollande and his teamurging supporters to give them a

strong majority. “There is still muchto do in the months to come, first ofall to give a majority to the president,”Hollande, 57, said Sunday, shortlyafter his 52 to 48 percent win overSarkozy was announced.

Under France’s political systemthe president requires a parliamen-tary majority to maintain a govern-ment, otherwise the prime minister isin charge of the executive. French vot-ers have always handed a majority tonewly elected presidents but therehave been cases of “cohabitation”, aswhen Jacques Chirac dissolved parlia-ment and Socialist Lionel Jospin gov-erned from 1997 to 2002. Hollande’steam took no chances and urged sup-porters to flock to the polls.

“The president of the republic

needs a majority. A cohabitation inJune, that makes no sense,” Hol-lande’s spokesman Manuel Valls said.But Sarkozy’s spokeswoman NathalieKosciusko-Morizet said too muchpower was concentrated in the handsof the left and urged voters to “rebal-ance” French politics by voting UMPin the parliamentaries. “Now we havethe new president, the Senate, most ofthe regions, a large number of depart-ments and many big cities in thehands of the left,” she said on Europe1 radio. “I dream of a rebalancing inthe parliamentaries. It would be un-precedented in France for all thepower to be in the hands of a singleparty,” she said. Two polls releasedSunday showed the two parties neck-and-neck in the polls, with 31 percent

of voters planning to back the Social-ists and 30 percent the UMP.

Both parties are facing challenges ontheir flanks, from the Communists andLeft Front for the Socialists and from thefar-right National Front of Marine LePen, who scored a record 18 percent inthe first-round presidential vote, for theUMP. The Socialists were also busy withthe complicated and politically fraughttask of forming a cabinet before Hol-lande takes power formally on May 15,and some names were already emergingas potential candidates for top posts.“There must be a mix of experience andrenewal” in the government, said Lau-rent Fabius, a 65-year-old former primeminister under Socialist president Fran-cois Mitterrand who is being consideredas a possible foreign minister.

france gears up for parliamentary vote Armenia ruling party winsparliamentary electionsYEREVAN: Armenia’s governing party on Monday won par-liamentary elections seen as a test of the ex-Soviet state’s fragiledemocracy but opposition leaders alleged violations and vowedprotests. European election observers from the OSCE praisedthe election process as competitive but said it had been under-mined by a series of democratic failings including pressure onvoters and an inadequate complaints process. President SerzhSarkisian’s Republican party took 44.05 percent of the voteafter all ballots from Sunday’s contest were counted, the Cen-tral Election Commission said. Its outgoing coalition partnerturned poll rival, the Prosperous Armenia party led by a mil-lionaire former arm wrestling champion, came second with30.20 per cent. Trailing far behind, the third-place oppositionArmenian National Congress bloc scraped into parliament with7.10 percent, according to final preliminary results posted onthe commission’s website. Three other parties, Heritage, theArmenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun) andRule of Law also managed to secure minor representation inthe legislative body by scoring just over five percent. afp

Sarkozy to passpower toHollande on 15th

PARISAfP

Outgoing French leader Nicolas Sarkozywill hand power to president-electFrancois Hollande on May 15, followingtalks between the two camps, thepresidency announced Monday. TheSocialist election winner’s campaigndirector Pierre Moscovici agreed the datein a telephone call with Sarkozy’s chief ofstaff Xavier Musca on Monday morning,the Elysee Palace told reporters.

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JUnIor ASIA CUP

tuesday, 8 May, 2012

Page 20

Kvitova off to winningstart in Madrid

LAHOREASHER Butt

PAKISTAN hammered SriLanka 14-0 to make the semi-finals of the seventh JuniorAsia Cup in style at the MBMB

Hockey Stadium in Malacca, Malaysiaand with this big win the national juniorgreens also qualified for the Junior WorldCup Hockey.

Pakistan junior hockey team will nowplay Korea in the semi-final of the JuniorAisa Cup. Hat-tricks by Umar Bhutta andMuhammad Taufeeq took Pakistan to vic-tory. In a separate match, India defeatedChina 2-1 in their last pool match to enterthe semi-finals.

On Sunday, India recovered from agoal down in a 2-2 draw against Pakistan.Pakistan took the lead twice but Indiacame back with an equaliser.

India took four points with a win anda draw and met China in the last poolmatch on Monday. In another match,Malaysia beat Japan 3-1. The semi-finalwill be played between India andMalaysia while South Korea will face Pak-istan in the other semi-final The won put

Pakistan top of the Pool B of the 7th Men’sJunior Asia Cup being held at Malacca,Malaysia. Pakistan had a 12-goal target tochase in order to avoid meeting Malaysia.

They did it in style, scoring 8 goals inthe first 35 minutes before adding an-other six in the second half.

Pakistan opened scoring through Mo-hammad Tousiq in the sixth minute. Andfour minutes later Tuosiq struck off an-other penalty corner to double the advan-

tage. The floodgates opened as Moham-mad Jaffar made it 3-0 in the 16th withMuhammad Dilber making it 4-0 in thevery next minute.

Muhammad Suleman then made it 5-0 in the 23rd minute and before Sri Lankacould recover it was 6-0 courtesy of Dil-ber. Pakistan were halfway through totheir target but they were not letting up asthey went on to score another two beforehalftime through skipper Muhammad

Umar Bhutta ( 33rd minute) and Ali Shan(35th minute) The ninth goal came justthree minutes into the second half cour-tesy of Umar Bhutta. And in the 44thminute it was double figures when Irfanscored his second of the match.

Goals by Ali Shan (60th) and skipperUmar Bhutta (61st minute) assured Pak-istan of top spot in the group and a semismatch against Korea. Two more goals byTousiq (64th minute) and Umar (69th)completed the rout.

Goal Scorer: Muhammad Tousiq 4Goals, Muhammad Umar Bhutta (Capt)3 Goals, Muhammad Dilber 2 Goals,Muhammad Irfan 2 Goals, MuhammadSuleman 2 Goals and Muhammad Jaf-far 1 Goal. Meanwhile, Muhammad AsifBajwa, Secretary General PHF said:“We promised the nation that we willqualify from the Junior Asia Cup for thecoming World Cup and we achieved thegoal accordingly.

“The next match will be against Ko-rean Junior Team on May 10 at 1705hours (PST), for which the strategy hasbeen worked out and has requested thenation to pray for the victory in the SemiFinal against Korea,” he added.

Pakistan crush Sri Lanka,qualify for semis, Jr World Cup

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

The visiting football captains and of-ficials from Chinese Taipei and Mag-nolia said on Monday that negativepropaganda was being made regard-ing security in Pakistan which is asafe country for holding internationalsports events including football.

“We feel at ease while in Pakistanand we are delighted to be in Lahoreto play the AFC Presidents CupGroup B qualifying round and welook forward to a thrilling footballevent “,said Chinese team captain,Kno Yin Hung and head coach ChenJen at a media conference on the eveof the event here on Monday at FIFAfootball house.

The three nation qualifying roundfeatures the defending champions ,Chinese Taipei’s Taiwan Power foot-ball club ,Mongolia Erchim football

club and Khan Research Laboratories.They expressed their satisfaction

over the security situation in Pak-istan and said “ Negative propagandais being made against Pakistan as faras security is concerned. Due to thatsort of propaganda we had a differentpicture of Pakistan in our mind butthe moment we landed at Lahore air-port and came out and went for prac-tice that concept changed altogetheras things are normal here and thereis nothing wrong with the security.“

“We would like to say that Pak-istan is a peaceful country suitable toorganize sports events “,they as-serted. They expressed the determi-nation that their team would be ableto defend the title by putting up im-pressive show . “ We are the reigningchampions and we would be facingMagnolia and Pakistan and bothteams are capable of giving us toughtime but we are ready for giving our

best through commitment and hardwork “.

Mongolian skipper Enkhjargaland coach Batnasan spoke high oftheir side which will be aiming toproduce high quality football to winthe event. “In the presence of defend-ing champions and Pakistan playingin their own back yard the task wouldbe too challenging but we are fullyfocus for a good exhibition on part ofour players”, they said.

They said Pakistan is a sports lov-ing country and people are veryfriendly.

“Pakistan's wrong image is beingportrayed in the outer world ,securitysituation is good here and we are verycomfortable here “,they added.

They said their team is a goodcombination of talent and they havesome very good players in their rankswho can play significant role in theirbid to win the event.

LAHOREASHER Butt

Pakistan’s Khan Research Laboratories Foot-ball Club coach Tariq Lutfi has shown his de-termination to qualify for the main round ofthe AFC Presidents Cup by beating ErchimFC of Mongolia. KRL will meeting ErchimFC of Mongolia in the opening match of theAFC President’s Cup qualifying round whileTaipei FC Team’s of Chinese Taipei is thethird team in business.

“We will be gunning for a berth in theAFC President’s Cup finals as all the prepara-tion to face the opponents are taken care of,”said Lutfi. Participating for the second timein the competition after ending the domi-nance of Wapda in the Pakistan PremierLeague last season, KRL will face debutantsErchim FC of Mongolia in the opening matchfollowed by another important tie against de-fending champions Taiwan Power Companyon May 12. Group A has only three clubs afterBangladesh’s Dhanmundi Club opted to

withdraw from the competition. Despite hav-ing the defending champions in the group,former Pakistan and current KRL coachTariq Lutfi is confident of qualifying for thefinals in September. “We want to gain pre-cious three points by beating the Mongolianclub,” Lutfi said. “Taiwan Power Company isa good team and it’s unlikely that Mongolianside will get past them. So we just need to getthe better of Erchim to qualify.”

KRL will welcome six Pakistan U-22 in-ternationals back into the side after they wentto Thailand for friendly matches under Ser-bian coach Zavisa Milosavljevic. “They arecoming after international exposures so theywill make a huge difference,” Lutfi added.

KRL had a difficult debut in the AFCPresident’s Cup two years ago when they fin-ished with a single win over Cambodia’s Na-gacorp in Group B qualifiers held in Yangon.

KRL captain Samar Ishaq said “his teamwill go all out to demonstrate productive re-sults in the event while having the opportu-nity to play in their own back yard and home

crowd. “It is not easy to beat the title holders,Chinese Taipei and a strong Mongolian sidebut despite all that we will be united for a col-lective cause of bringing glory“, he said.

Lutfi praised the talent in his team andsaid no matter how strong their opponentsare they are full determined to struck excel-lent performance to rise to the expectations.

The AFC Competitions Committee hasconfirmed Phnom Penh Crown (Cambodia),KRL Football Club (Pakistan) and FC Istiklol(Tajikistan) as the hosts for the QualificationRound of the 2012 AFC President's Cup.

A total of 12 clubs from across the conti-nent are featuring in Tuesday's draw for thequalification round where three groups offour teams are vying for the top-two finish tosecure place in the six-team knockout stage. The 12 confirmed participating clubs for this year'scompetitions are: Dhanmondi Club (Bangladesh),yeedzin FC (Bhutan), Phnom Penh Crown (Cambodia),Taiwan Power Company (Chinese Taipei), Dordoi Dy-namo (Kyrgyzstan), erchim (Mongolia), nepal PoliceClub (nepal), KrL Football Club (Pakistan), Al Amma'riyouth Club (Palestine), ratnam Sports Club (Sri Lanka),

FC Istiklol (Tajikistan) and Balkan (Turkmenistan).

Taiwan Power Company are the defend-ing champions following their dramatic 3-2win over Phnom Penh Crown in the finalplayed at Kaohsiung National Stadium. Beingthe winners of their respective domesticleagues, both the finalists of 2011 will be fea-turing in this year's competition.

Meanwhile, Erchim FC will representMongolia who was given a President’s Cup

slot from this year onwards filling the voidcreated after Myanmar clubs were granted aplace in the AFC Cup. The top two teamsfrom each group will qualify for the finals tobe played from September 24 to 30, 2012 andthe hosts of the finals will be announced later.SCHEDuLE:

May 8: KrL Football Club (Pak) vs erchim FC (Mon)

May 10: erChIM FC (Mon)-Taiwan Power Company (Tpe)

May 12: KrL (PAK)-Taiwan Power Company (TPe).

SBP issues showcause notice toblue turf installer

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

The Sports Board Punjab has issued ashow cause notice to the installer of theblue turf at the National Hockey Sta-dium for slow pace of work and inbreach of the tender notice and tenderdocuments.“We are not satisfied with the pace ofwork and the way things are being doneto lay the blue synthetic turf and that iswhy we have issued a show cause noticeto the installer, Swallow international,”said Aamir Jalil, Director Sports.Punjab Government is fulfilling a na-tional cause issued a special grant of Rs35 million for the installation of theblue plastic surface to provide thenewly introduced pitch for the practiceof the national team for their prepara-tions for London Olympics. Work order of laying the turf was issuedin March last and as per the agreementthe installer will be handing over theground to SBP by the end of June, be-fore the given dead line of July but theway work is being carried out it has puta huge question mark on finishing theproject in time.“The specifications of shock pads re-quired to be installed have also been in-corporated in the tender notice and it isquite surprising that the installer hasnot yet removed them rather taking adecision at their own for using themwith the new turf which is a gross viola-tion of the tender,” he said.“We have issued the show cause noticeto ensure that things are being done ina transparent way and we will not toler-ate any irregularity in this regard,” hemaintained.

new zealandkick-boxer diesin debut bout

PAPEETEAfP

An experienced New Zealand-based kick-boxer has died in a Tahiti hospital after col-lapsing 32 seconds into his debut fight as aprofessional boxer, officials and his familyconfirmed Monday. Peruvian-born Will-man Rodriguez Gomez, 29, was fightingTahitian Karihi Tehei when he went downjust over half a minute into the bout in Pa-peete, the capital of French Polynesia onTahiti. The French Polynesia Boxing Feder-ation confirmed Gomez died in Papeete'sTaaone hospital an hour after being ad-mitted late Friday. "Angels took him fromthis earth. Taken too soon doing some-thing he loved with a passion," the familysaid in a message on his brother Chino'sFacebook page. Gomez, who worked at agymnasium in Auckland, was described asan experienced fighter of muay thai, alsoknown as Thai kick-boxing, but was takingpart in his first professional boxing bout.

No security issues for ChineseTaipei, Mongolian teams

KRL vow to give productive resultAfC PreSIDenTS CUP QUALIfIerS

Murtaza Ali

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Sports 19Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

ISLAMABADStAff REPoRt

THE federal capital would havethe largest ever InternationalCricket Stadium of the coun-try and a world class cricket

academy equipped with latest sports fa-cilities at an area of 35 acres.

The Capital Development Authority(CDA) has provided 35 acres of land inShakarparian area of Islamabad for thestate-of-the-art sport facility, the first-ever of its kind in the country.

Pakistan Cricket Board ChairmanZaka Ashraf, Chairman Prime Minister’sTask Force on Islamabad, Faisal SakhiButt and Chairman CDA, EngineerFarkhand Iqbal on Monday signed amemorandum of understanding.

Speaking on the occasion, ChairmanPM Task Force on Islamabad, FaisalSakhi Butt said that it is a hallmark forthe federal capital and another mile-stone of the government in its efforts todevelop sport infrastructure in the coun-try. He said that the internationalcricket stadium and academy would not

only be added as an international cricketfacility but also is a beautiful addition inthe sport zone being developed in thearea. He said that government has alsoallotted land for the Golf facility near tothis stadium as a part of its initiative topromote sports activities in the region,which comprise of the capital city, ad-joining areas, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa(KPK) and the Kashmir. He said that thesports infrastructure of the capital cityis being developed on modern lines.

Chairman PCB said that there is alot of talent in the region which needs tobe exploited by developing sport infra-structure of international standard. Hesaid that the efforts of the President ofPakistan and the cooperation of CDAmust be lauded to promote sports in theregion and give a message of peace tothe world. He said that the cricket acad-emy would serve as a regional hub fortraining the people from this areas in-cluding KPK, AJK and FATA.

Chairman CDA, Engineer Fark-hand Iqbal said that the land for thecricket stadium has been allotted to thePCB for promoting the sports as part of

the government agenda to encouragethe healthy activities in terrorism hitcountry. He said that CDA would get

30 percent of the income from thesport activities and commercial areasdevelop in this facility.

windies makeuncertain start onand off the field

LONDONAfP

West Indies insisted they still had enoughtime to prepare properly for their upcom-ing Test series against England and getall their squad on board after anotherrain-marred day at Hove on Sunday.After seeing the first day of their three-day tour opener against Sussex washedout on Saturday, the tourists struggledto 46 for two in the 18 overs possible atthe south coast ground on Sunday.Meanwhile the West Indies, who cur-rently only have 11 players fit and avail-able with them in England, have yet tohear when visa and transit issues involv-ing Assad Fudadin, Narsingh Deonarineand Marlon Samuels will be resolved.They are all thousands of miles away,with the two Guyanese in Jamaicaawaiting visas and Samuels still to beginhis journey from the Indian PremierLeague. However, a team spokesmansaid the trio were expected shortly."We are not concerned about it," he said."We are hopeful that they will be here intime for the (England) Lions match."

CHARLOTTEAfP

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reclaimedgolf's world number-one ranking on Sun-day despite falling to Rickie Fowler in aplayoff at the US PGA Tour's Wells FargoChampionship. McIlroy, who celebrated his23rd birthday on Friday, regained the sum-mit a week after he was supplanted by Eng-land's Luke Donald.

The two have exchanged the top spot forthe past two months, and McIlroy neededonly a top-seven finish at Quail Hollow to re-turn to number one. "It's a little consolation,"McIlroy said. "I would rather win the tourna-ment, but it's good. "You know, I want to tryand play well for the next few weeks and tryand solidify my spot there at No. 1 and hope-fully start by doing that next week and givingmyself another chance to win."

BANGALORECRICINfo

Last year it was Chris Gayle for Royal Chal-lengers Bangalore, this year it's AB de Villiers.Another fiery, match-winning hand from himtransformed the game in a matter of twoovers, revived Royal Challengers' campaign,left Deccan Chargers shell-shocked and enter-tained the home crowd. Chargers clearly hadthe upper hand when Tillakaratne Dilshan fellafter a half-century, their relatively inexperi-enced bowling attack punching above itsweight. But de Villiers brought them down toearth and reserved special treatment for hisSouth Africa team-mate Dale Steyn in a game-changing 18th over. Dilshan's 71 had put RoyalChallengers on track in a big chase but hiswicket, in the 16th over, was one of three inquick succession - a stutter that helped Charg-ers sneak ahead. But Mayank Agarwal showed

plenty of fight, thrashing Veer Pratap Singhand Ashish Reddy, both medium-pacers, forsixes to keep his team in the hunt. De Villiers'subsequent onslaught snatched the gameaway from Chargers. The visitors broughtback Steyn in the 18th over, with 39 needed,and he erred by dropping short first up, to bedispatched for six over deep midwicket. Aslower one was slogged past wide long-on, andan attempt at a yorker went awry as it servedup as a full length ball that de Villiers ham-mered over extra cover for a flat six by makingroom. If brute power lay behind those shots,the icing was the scoop past short fine.Twenty-three came off that over. With 16 stillneeded off two overs, five balls was all it tookto finish things off. Anand Rajan was thrashedover extra cover and down the ground, beforebeing launched over the deep-midwicketboundary. J Syed Mohammad was given thestrike to score the winning runs, and he didn'twaste the chance. It was the only ball he facedin a stand worth 42, off 11 balls.

The platform for a successful chase waslaid by Dilshan, who was by far the more dom-inant opening partner and made up for ChrisGayle's subdued stay at the other end. Heplayed a busy innings, cut the ball well, usedthe scoop, swept frequently and promptlydealt with long hops. He charged out to VeerPratap to smash him for six over extra coverand a swept four off Reddy underlined hisconfidence. The stand grew more threateningfor Chargers when Gayle began to open up,swinging Amit Mishra and Rajan for sixes, buthis fall in the 11th over triggered a slide.ScORES: Royal Challengers Bangalore185 for 5 (Dilshan 71, de Villiers 47*) beatDeccan Chargers 181 for 2 (Dhawan 73*,Harris 47, White 45) by five wickets.

PCB-CDA sign MoU to developmultipurpose stadium at Islamabad

Runner-up finish putsMcIlroy back at No. 1

Rampant de Villierswaylays Deccan

ISLAMABAD: PCb chairman zaka Ashraf, Chairman Prime Minister’s Task Force on Islamabad, FaisalSakhi Butt and Chairman CDA, engineer Farkhand Iqbal CDA during the MoU signing ceremony.

BAngALore: royal Challengers Bangalore (rCB)batsmen AB de Villiers plays a shot during the IPLTwenty20 match against Deccan Chargers. afp

ChArLoTTe: rory McIlroy of northern Irelandcatches a golf ball before hitting his tee shot onthe fifth hole during the final round of the wellsFargo Championship at the Quail hollow Club. afp

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Sports20Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

KARACHI StAff REPoRt

The 9th Pizza Hut Open SuperSeries Ranking Tennis Champi-onship 2012 being played atthe At Karachi Club on Mondaysaw top players move to thenext round. MENS SINGLES 1St RouND: Talha

zubair beat Ali Mansoor 6-4, 3-2 rtd,

Khalid Ali nazar beat Saad noor 6-1,

6-1, nomi Qamar w/o nawab Muz-

zafer, Farhan Altaf beat Sikandar

hayat 6-3, 6-3

JuNIoRS uNDER 17 1St RouND: Talha

zubair beat nazif Ahmed 6-1, 6-2

JuNIoRS uNDER 17 SEMI fINAL: Talha

zubair beat nazif Ahmed 6-4, 6-3

uNDER 15 ( MAIN) 2ND RouND: nazif

Ahmed beat Kailash 6-2, 6-2, M raza

Sawani beat Sagar 6-2, 6-2, Sheryar

w/o Jalaluddin

uNDER 13 quARtER fINALS: M raza

Sawani beat M Dada 6-0, 6-2, Shabbir

Muhammad w/o Saad Farooq

uNDER 11 RouND RoBIN: Abdullah

Khan beat Ibrahim Khan 9-7,

LADIES SINGLES ( 1St Round): Ma-

heen Dada beat rubina 6-0, 6-0

MENS DouBLES: Aqeel khan Ali Bha-

gat beat Salman -Faheem ramzan 6-5,

6-2,

SENIoRS 45 DouBLES 1St RouND:

Akhter aliman- Suhoil Farid beat

Akram- Suhail 6-2, 6-2.

To seeds in next round of Super Series Ranking Tennis

Army becomenational U-22Football champions

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Army on Monday won the National U-22Football Championship-2012 that con-cluded at Bahawalpur. Armay scored twogoals and blanked Muslim Football Clubin the final payed at the Dring FootballStadium, Bahawalpur. It was their for-ward Rehan Ali who brought win forArmy by converting both the goals. Theirfirst goal came just before the first halfand the second before the close of thegame. Rehan hit the opener on the 41minute and the second in the 87 minute.Lt Col (Retd) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi TI(M), Secretary PFF, Syed Abid HussainQadri (Regional Police Officer Ba-hawalpur) and Sheikh Iqbal-ur-Rehman(President DFA Bahawalpur) were amongthe guests and distributed the prizesamong the winners and other best per-formers. In all 20 matches were playedduring this event which was participatedby 12 teams, including Sindh, Punjab,Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Army, KPT, Muslim FC (Chaman),Baloch FC (Noushki), PMC Athlitico FC(Faisalabad) and Wohaib FC (Lahore).The bronze medal went to Sindh FootballTeam with the winners Army team pock-eted Rs 150,000 and Muslim Club re-ceived Rs 100,000. PMC Athletico FCwon the Fair Play trophy with Rs 20,000while the third position team Sindh re-ceived Rs 75,000 Adnan Ahmed of Armywas the best goalkeeper, Saeed Ahmed ofMuslim Club wzas the best player andMujahid Ali of PMC Club was the highestgoal scorer and all these players weregiven Rs 10,000 each. Shahid Hussain ofOkara was the best referee and earnedRs 15,000 his best assistant refereeturned out to be Irshad-ul-Haq of FromSheikhupura and he got Rs 10,000.

Turkey finisheuropeans withthree golds

MANCHESTERAfP

Turkey won three golds and a silver onthe final day of the European Champi-onships here on Sunday to serve noticeof their strength ahead of the 2012Olympics in London.In the women's -53kg final Turkey'sHatice Yangin just edged Croatia's AnaZaninovic 8-7 while her compatriotNur Tatar enjoyed a more comfortable11-5 success over Haby Niare of Franceto win gold in the -67kg category.Meanwhile, in the men's events ServetTazegul had a walkover against Croa-tia's Filip Grgic in the -68kg goldmedal match while Ridvan Baygut justmissed out on another Tuirkish gold onSunday after a 6-5 defeat by Russia'sAliaskhab Sirazhov in the climax of the-74kg class.

Shokat MemorialKent beat Pioneer

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Shokat Memorial Kent beat PioneerClub by 4 wickets in the Madree MillatT20 best of three series on Monday. Playing at the RA Bazar ground, Pio-neer made 200 in 20 overs for fivewickets. ScORES: Nadeem butt second con-secutive century 109, Awab Usmanee30, Hasan Azam 32, Nawaz Malik took3-45 and Ashraf Ali 2-40. Shokat Me-morial Kent made 201 for 6 wickets in19.5 overs. Imran Ali 44, Rana Nadeem70, Hasan Azam took 2-36, EbtesamKhalid 2-20, Azeem Zulifqar 2-18. Next round match will be played onMay 12 at Iqbal Park Ground no 2 at 9am pioneer cc vs city gymkhana cricketclub.2nd match pioneer vs ehsan me-morial; at 2 pm .

Cricket worldCup guide

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

Veteran Sports journalist, MukhtarBhatti has complied and edited a booktitled “ Cricket World Cup Guide “ whichprovides information regarding all theCups played so far since the inception ofthe event way back in 1975.Bhatti is the complier of number of sim-ilar books on cricket ,hockey and othersports and all publications give firsthand information regarding elite eventsin respective disciplines with full infor-mation of each match or event. According to Associated Press of Pak-istan, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board,Ch Zaka Ashraf has written the foreword of the World Cup Guide andtermed it a valuable treasurer of refer-ential material. “The book will be a use-ful addition to a scanty number of booksin Pakistan“, said the PCB Chairman.

MADRIDAfP

Blue clay courts at the Madrid Masters hold nofears for former champion Roger Federer, withthe confident Swiss insisting on Sunday that hewill be ready for any conditions when he beginsplay in the second round. Federer, the thirdseed and 2009 champion, who beat RafaelNadal to lift that title, has had two days of train-ing on the experimental -- and controversial --blue courts laid down at the Caja Magica. Gameday and practice sessions are two completelydifferent situations, but the Swiss is not wor-ried about what he might find in the heat ofbattle on the unorthodox surface.

"I've played on it for two days, but not oncentre court," said Federer, back on the ATPTour after more than five weeks of holiday restand training. "It feels a bit different than regu-lar clay. Maybe it's the visual aspect. It's beencool and rainy so far here. It will be interestingto see how it is in hot and nice weather. "Thereis still some waiting to do and matches arequite a bit different than prac-tices. I have to wait for mymatch to come aroundto give a proper opin-ion." Federer will playagainst the winnerfrom a high-voltageopening-round tie be-tween Argentine hard-man David Nalbandianand Canadian serving sensa-tion Milos Raonic. The Swisssaid that the jury is still out onthe blue-clay plan put into ac-tion by the tournament's bil-lionaire impresario Ion Tiriac,the man who brought catwalkmodels onto courtas ball-girls inanother experi-ment that haspaid public rela-tions dividends forthe ATP-WTA Mas-ters 1000. Nadal, by con-trast, has been complaining forweeks about the initiative, blaming

the ATP for allowing its former CEO AdamHelfant to quietly approve the plan withoutconsulting the board. The Spaniard has beenplaying the tennis tradition card -- usually theone dealt by Federer on most issues -- bylamenting the change in colour. "This is an in-novation and every innovation has a risk,"Nadal said on Sunday. "The courts are thereand we have to adapt to them -- me also.

"This is about history. The earth is red, notblue. Tennis is not only about showbusiness.There are more things to appreciate -- historyand tradition. "Some symbolic things in theworld should be preserved." Federer said thatjudgement on the clay has yet to be made.

"Does the younger generation need blue clayin order to get excited about tennis?" asked the30-year-old world number three. "I don't knowas I've not spoken to thousands and thousandsof kids about it. "We'll soon hear the echoes fromthis week from players, fans and media. A closelook will be taken once this is done so that a de-cision can be made for the next years after thistest of the blue clay." The 16-time Grand Slamchampion who won six of eight events from late2011 through to Indian Wells in mid-March, isconfident about his form heading into the pre-French Open event in Madrid. "I feel good aboutmy chances of playing well over the next few

months," he said. "But I'm coming backonto clay in the home of Rafa, who has been

so dominant on this surface for so manyyears. "I have a big task ahead

of me. But my focus is to getthrough my tough draw

and get on a roll again.I'm happy and excited

to be playing again. "Ihad a long time off,

but I needed itbecause I've

played somuch re-cently. We've

got a lot onour plates com-

ing up so I wantto be fresh in the

mind and with thebody to aim for the big

goals that I have."

MADRID: Czech Petra

Kvitova returns a ball

to New Zealand’s

Marina Erakovic during

their match of the

Madrid Masters. AfP

federer has no fearof Big Blue in Madrid

LONDONAfP

A week overshadowed by an off-fieldpolitical 'hockey row' between theBritish and Argentine governmentsended with a bruising 2-0 victory forthe British women over their SouthAmerican counterparts in the London2012 test event final at the OlympicPark here on Sunday.

Leicester defender Crista Cullenscored two second-half penalty cornersbut went off injured immediately afterthe second with an ankle problem. Andstriker Alex Danson later exited, visiblydistressed, with a left shoulder injuryafter a collision with a defender and wastaken straight to the dressing room fortreatment. The 26-year-old has a historyof shoulder trouble dating back to beforethe 2008 Beijing Olympics and the

British team have yet to confirm theseverity of her injury. Cullen, however,did manage to attend the post-matchtrophy presentation albeit on crutches.

Victory came after Britain -- whowent through the tournament withoutconceding a goal -- beat Argentina by thesame scoreline on Saturday.

That pool fixture that took place 24hours after London was angered by anArgentine government advertisementFriday showing Argentina men's hockeycaptain Fernando Zylberberg training ona war memorial in the Falkland Islandscapital of Stanley which honours Britishsailors who died in World War I.

The ad was aired on Argentine tele-vision amid high tensions between thetwo countries as they both mark the 30thanniversary of the Falklands war overthe British-held islands and carried thetagline: "To compete on English soil, wetrain on Argentinian soil."

British players insisted Saturdaythey were unconcerned by the advertand, after Sunday's match, women'scoach Danny Kerry was far more worriedby the way in which, in his opinion, theumpires had failed to clamp down on Ar-gentina's physical approach.

British women beatargentina in bruising final

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Page 21: e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

Kvitova off to winning start in MadridMADRID: Czech Petra Kvitova kick-started her title defence at the Madrid Masters on Monday with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat ofNew Zealand's Marina Erakovic. The third-seeded Wimbledon champion, who defeated Victoria Azarenka in straight sets tolift the 2011 trophy, went through into the second round in 67 minutes, firing five acres and producing 28 winners. Erakovic,the number 39 who has lifted her game in recent months with a Memphis final and semi-final showing last week on clay inBudapest, was broken five times. American ninth seed Serena Williams, the former number one now seeded ninth, startedout with a victory over Russian Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-1, the second Madrid win from four matches played for the veteranwhose schedule has never been over-taxing. But the 30-year-old has picked up her pace in recent months, reaching a Miamiquarter-final, winning the title in Charleston and travelling to the Ukraine for Fed Cup to insure London Olympics eligibility.Elsewhere, Czech Andrea Hlavackova out Australian Anastasia Rodionova 6-1, 6-4 while Lucie Hradecka beat China's PengShuai 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. None of the women have yet voiced complaints about the new blue clay laid down at the Caja Magica, anissue which has some men led by Rafael Nadal up in arms and outraged at a change in tradition from the classic orange. AfP

Sports 21Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

WaTch iT LiVe

GEO SUPERIPL-5: Pune Warriorsv Rajasthan Royals03:30PMDeccan Chargersv Kings XI Punjab07:30PM

MADRIDREutERS

THE top two seeds advancedto the Madrid Open secondround on Sunday when Vic-toria Azarenka dispatched

Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 6-4 andMaria Sharapova crushed Irina-Camelia Begu 6-0 6-2.

Making a less auspicious debut onthe unfamiliar blue clay, a controver-sial innovation at this year's edition ofthe event, was 2010 French Openchampion Francesca Schiavone, whowas upset 6-4 6-7 6-3 by Americanqualifier Varvara Lepchenko.

Azarenka, the world number oneand runner-up in Madrid last year,dealt efficiently with the potential

threat from Russian Kuznetsova, an-other former French Open championwho had beaten the Belarussian infour of their six previous meetings.

Azarenka has been in blisteringform this year, however, with 29 wins,four titles including her first grandslam at the Australian Open whichcatapulted her to number one, andjust two defeats.

Second-ranked Sharapova wascoming into the Madrid event follow-ing her win over Azarenka in lastweek's Stuttgart final, her first title ofthe year and 25th overall, and swattedaside the 56th-ranked Begu who wasmaking her debut at the premierevent in the Spanish capital.

The Russian will be looking tocomplete her collection of grand

slams at Roland Garros starting laterthis month, the only one of the fourshe has not won.

Former number ones CarolineWozniacki and Ana Ivanovic had con-trasting matches as both progressedinto the second round.

Dane Wozniacki, the sixth seed,had to battle past Kazakhstan's Kse-nia Pervak 7-6 3-6 6-4, while Ivanovicof Serbia, the 13th seed, dismissedFrench qualifier Mathilde Johansson6-4 6-1.

The Williams sisters are in actionon Monday, with ninth-seed Serenaplaying her first-round match againstRussia's Elena Vesnina and Venus,playing on a wildcard, meeting An-gelique Kerber of Germany in the sec-ond round.

MADRIDAfP

Former number one Caroline Woz-niacki rolled an ankle but battledon to post a 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-4opening win over Ksenia Pervak ofKazakhstan in the Madrid Masterson Sunday.

The sixth-seeded Dane strug-gled on with her handicap to takevictory in a match lasting morethan three hours, saving an amaz-ing 14 of the 22 break point shefaced. The 2009 runner-up willnow have time for her injury toheal before facing on-form GermanMona Barthel, quarter-finalist aweek ago in Stuttgart.

Number one Victoria Azarenkabeat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova7-6 (7/5), 6-4 while Maria Shara-pova, the second seed, was equallyruthless with Irina-Camelia Begu

of Romania 6-0, 6-3.Fourth seed Agnieszka Rad-

wanska advanced as American Var-vara Lepchenko bet Italy's 2010Roland Garros winner FrancescaSchiavone 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3.

Radwanska dismissed Spanishopposition with her defeat of LaraArruabarrena-Vecino 6-3, 6-1while 12th seeded Angelique Ker-ber of Germany started with a 6-1,6-4 win over Swede Johanna Lars-son. Belgian Yanina Wickmayerbeat Australian Jarmila Gajdosova6-2, 6-4 in 66 minutes despite 11aces from the loser.

Amid the controversy ragingover the blue clay courts being tri-alled at this edition, Wozniacki hadno complaints.

"Blue is my favourite colour,this makes things a bit different,"she said in the run-up to theFrench Open preliminary event at

the Caja Magica."The court seems a bit faster

than when it was (traditional) red."Adding the Madrid altitude

(650 metres above sea level) makesit even faster. But we will onlyknow who handled it best when thetournament is over."

Defending champion Petra Kvi-tova, the third seed, rode her 2011Madrid title over VictoriaAzarenka to a breakthrough Wim-bledon crown two months later.

The Czech is back at this edi-tion standing third in the worldand hoping for a repeat of her pre-vious success.

"I haven't practised on themenough yet to say, but I think theyare something new for us," she toldthe tournament website. "In myopinion they look very nice, verycool. "I like the colour, so I'm look-ing forward to playing on them."

Kohlschreiber beatsCilic to lift Munich title

MUNICHAfP

Fourth-seed Philipp Kohlschreiber ofGermany won Munich's ATP tourna-ment with a 7-6 (10/8), 6-3 victory overCroatia's Marin Cilic in Sunday's final.The 28-year-old Kohlschreiber, ranked34th in the world but set to rise into thetop 25 after his win, lifted the trophyfor the second time having also wonhere in 2007 and needed just under twohours to claim victory."I'm super happy to win a tournamentlike this," said Kohlschreiber."A week without defeats doesn't happenso often for me and it all started herefor me five years ago.

Polish euro planon track, despiteUkraine concern

WARSAWAfP

With just a month left until Euro 2012kicks off in Warsaw, Poland is workingflat-out and watching nervously as callsto boycott matches in co-host Ukrainetarnish the tournament."We're 98 percent ready," said MikolajPiotrowski, spokesman for PL.2012, thePolish organising arm overseeing proj-ects linked to the competition includingtransport, accommodation and stadi-ums. "On May 15, the formal organisa-tional readiness of Poland will beannounced," he told AFP. "It meanswe'll start to act as if the tournamentwas already underway."The only major question mark, henoted, is over a stretch of motorwaynear Warsaw, which is needed to plug ahole on the route from western Europe.European football's governing bodyUEFA owns the prestigious Euro brandand watches hawkishly for slippage.Back in 2008, a year after wrongfootingpundits by picking Poland and Ukraine'over favorites Italy, UEFA issued adamning report which fueled specula-tion it could change its mind.

Putin greets

olympic chief in first

presidential meetingMOSCOW

AfP

Vladimir Putin held his first meetingMonday as newly-confirmed Russianpresident with the InternationalOlympic Committee (IOC) chiefJacques Rogge, focusing on prepara-tions for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.Putin was sworn in to a third term aspresident at a lavish Kremlin ceremonyattended by 3,000 Russian dignitariesand special personal guests such as for-mer Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi.It was not immediately clear if Roggehimself was invited to Putin's inaugura-tion. "Despite our domestic develop-ments, I would like to assure you thatthe presidential agencies, I personally,and the Russian government will de-vote close attention" to the Games,news agencies quoted Putin as tellingRogge. "We attach enormous impor-tance to preparations for the 2014Sochi Winter Games," Russia's formerprime minister said.

Azarenka, Sharapovaadvance in Madrid

Wozniacki wins through despite ankle injury

LHR 08-05-2012_Layout 1 5/8/2012 3:13 AM Page 21

Page 22: e-paper pakistantoday 08th may, 2012

Tuesday, 8 May, 2012

22

Published by Arif Nizami for Nawa Media Corporation (Pvt) Ltd at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore. Editor: Arif Nizami

PESHAWARStAff REPoRt/AGENCIES

ANOTHER two personnelof security forces werekilled on Monday in Mi-ranshah, headquarters ofNorth Waziristan Agency,

as clashes between militants and forcescontinued in the agency for the secondconsecutive day.

Officials said the death toll in twodays of violence had risen to 11, while10 personnel of security forces hadbeen left injured.

A strict curfew is in place across thearea and dwellers of Miranshah re-mained confined to their homes, whileroads also remained closed for traffic.

On Sunday, gunmen armed with rock-ets attacked a military convoy, sparkinggun battles.

The military had said on Sundaythat nine soldiers had been killed inclashes spanning several hours and hadclaimed that “heavy casualties” wereinflicted on the militants. The heads ofanother two soldiers were founddumped on Monday, without theirbodies — one hanging from a barbedwire fence in the neighbourhood ofMakane Bagh and the other in ZafarTown, local officials said.

Beside personnel of security forces,four civilians, including a child and twowomen, were killed and several othersinjured when mortar shells landed onhouses during the clashes. During the

clashes, mortar shells landed on shopsin two arms markets near Razmak BusStand in Miranshah. Around 50 armsshops caught fire and almost all arms,cartridges and explosive were de-stroyed. A number of rockets were alsofired by militants at security forces.

Meanwhile, in accordance with polit-ical administration’s instruction, reloca-tion of tribesmen from Shalobar QambarKhel tribe in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agencyis in progress. Officials said on the firstday, around 350 families had abandonedhomes and shifted to Peshawar andJalozai. The political administration haddirected tribesmen from Shalobar Qam-bar Khel to leave the area by Tuesdayevening to make way for a military actionagainst militants in the area.

PML-n, PML-Q

win one each in

‘rigged’ by-pollsDERA GHAZI KHAN

oNLINE

Massive rigging was reported duringpolling at the two provincialconstituencies of PP 243 and PP 245 inDera Ghazi Khan on Monday. The two seats of the Punjab Assembly fellvacant after Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid legislator Mohsin Khan Leghariand senior adviser to the Punjab chiefminister Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosaresigned. The two have been elected assenators.Zulfiqar Ali Khosa’s son HasamuddinKhosa was contesting in PP 243 on theticket of the PML-N while six othercandidates were contestingindependently. Meanwhile, eightcandidates, including Muhammad KhanLeghari of the PML-Q and Mirza Talpurof the PML-N were contesting in PP 245.According to reports, a PML-N pollingagent forced women to vote in favour ofher party’s leader at the Sawarwali pollingstation. Sawarwali is the 57th pollingstation for the women of the PP-243constituency in DG Khan.The polling agent of PML-N candidateHasamuddin was seen snatching ballotpapers from the voters, forcing them tomark her representative. The agent alsoverified if the voter had marked the rightbox or not before putting it in the box. According to unofficial results,Hasamuddin Khosa won the by-polls inPP 243 while independent candidateImtiaz Leghari stood second in the run tovictory. Khosa obtained 25,518 voteswhile 19,205 votes were cast in ImtiazLeghari’s favour. In PP-245, MuhammadKhan Leghari of the PML-Q won the by-elections exceeding Mirza Talpur of thePML-N. The winning candidate obtained24,584 while the second-placed candidategot 11,748 votes.It is worth mentioning here that nocandidate from the Pakistan People’sParty is contesting from both theconstituencies, however, the PPP ticket-holder for the 2008 elections, Dr SaeedBuzdar had announced to contest theelection as an independent candidate.In a late night development, the statetelevision reported that the ElectionCommission has withheld the result of thePP-243 constituency from whereHasamuddin Khosa had won the electionaccording to unofficial result.

Ipps give 72-hourultimatum

LAHOREStAff REPoRt

The advisory council of independent powerproducers (IPPs) has issued an ultimatum of 72hours to the government for the non-payment ofRs 34 billion, failing which the IPPs legal counselwill proceed with legal options. The ultimatum wasissued after the failure of government to honor itssovereign commitment. Moreover, eight IPPsserved another fresh notice for payment of Rs 9billion to the government. Sources said thegovernment must act positively to avoid anyembarrassment in court of law, as the industry wasfacing a hard time with severe cash crunch,especially when banks had stopped further loans.However, in the larger national interest, the IPPsare continuing to run their plants on the basis offuel payment they got from NTDC for a few hours.The sources revealed that despite this huge default,the IPPs were generating power per theircommitment based on funds they were given forfuel, but the situation was getting worse day by day.The IPPs would soon start to default on their loans,both short-term and project loans from the banks,which would cause another of Pakistani industry(banks) to collapse. The sources said since thedeadline of the final 10-day notice of Rs 34 billionpayment ended on May 4, 2012, which was servedby the same eight IPPs on April 19, it had becomeevident that soon the IPPs would have all theirinvestment jeopardized by the government’sindifference towards financial woes of these powerproducers. They said a case outside Pakistanagainst this sovereign default would immediatelyresult in severe reactions by the global financialsectors. The banks, they added, would stophonouring trade documents from Pakistani banksand would insist on cash payments.

putin sworn in asRussian president

MOSCOWAfP

Russia’s newly sworn-in President Vladimir Putin onMonday proposed his Kremlin predecessor DmitryMedvedev as the country’s new prime ministerunder a job swap agreement that sparked protestslast year. The lower house of parliament’s speakerSergei Naryshkin said Putin submitted Medvedev’sname for confirmation shortly after taking the oathof office for a third Kremlin term. Putin was expectedto personally present Medvedev’s candidacy whenthe State Duma holds a special session that mayinclude an official vote on Tuesday. The Duma is allbut certain to approve the candidacy after both theruling United Russia party and the LDPR group ofthe veteran populist Vladimir Zhirinovsky promisedto support Putin’s choice. Medvedev now has thesupport of about 290 lawmakers in the 450-seatchamber while needing only a simply 226 votemajority to become Putin’s premier. Putin hadserved as Medvedev’s prime minister after ceding hisKremlin seat to his close ally upon completing hisconstitutionally-mandated first two terms aspresident between 2000 and 2008.

JCp indefinitely defers ad-hoc appointments to SC

ISLAMABADStAff REPoRt

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan on Monday deferred theappointment of two ad-hoc and one acting judge for an indefiniteperiod, but recommended the names of eight additional judges for theSindh High Court. Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar MuhammadChaudhry presided over the meeting that discussed the appointment ofad-hoc and acting judges. The names of Justice (r) Ghulam Rabbani andJustice (r) MA Shahid Siddiqui were proposed for the post of ad-hocjudges, while Justice Umar Atta Bandial, a judge of Lahore High Court,was recommended for the post of acting judge in the Supreme Court ofPakistan in view of the appeal likely to be filed by Prime Minister YousafRaza Gilani against the seven-member bench judgment on contempt ofcourt case. Before the meeting, an eight-member delegation of seniorlawyers led by Akhtar Hussain, vice-chairman of the Pakistan BarCouncil, met the chief justice of Pakistan and apprised him about thereservations of legal fraternity regarding the appointment of ad-hoc andacting judges in the apex court. Hussain told reporters after the meetingthat the chief justice agreed to their suggestion. He said they urged thechief justice that before appointing ad-hoc and acting judges, thevacancy of permanent judge must be filled. He said if it wasindispensable to appoint ad-hoc and acting judges in the SupremeCourt, it should be considered after the filing of the appeal by the primeminister. Hussain said they also informed the chief justice that therewere number of posts lying vacant in high courts, therefore these postsmust be filled on priority basis.

Two soldiers beheadedin Miranshahg Death toll in two days of clashes rises to 11

MoSCoW: Russian President Vladimir Putin enters Andreyevsky (St. Andrew's) Hall at the Great Kremlin Palace on Monday during his inauguration ceremony. afp

LHR 08-05-2012_Layout 1 5/8/2012 3:13 AM Page 22


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