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Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN The Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind Genesis, Growth and Eradication Paper Read at Pir Hassamuddin Shah Rashidi International Conference on the History and Culture of Sind University of Jamshoro, Sind 18-19 October 2008 The Land of Indus: Sind, is the nerve centre of Pakistan in more ways than one. It can also be said to be the "parent province" of the country. It is here that Islam entered South Asia with the conquest of the coastal fortress of Deebal by the Arab armies (712 A.D.) sent by the Caliph of the Islamic world, thereby making it the first ever part of the Muslim empire from South Asia, and also making it the rightful claimant to the title Bab-ul-Islam (Gateway of Islam). And around thirteen centuries later, the basis of Pakistan was this very ideology that Muslims constituted a separate nation than the rest of the inhabitants of the South Asian subcontinent. 1 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN In the Pakistan movement too, Sind"s role had been pivotal and quintessential. Sind was the first province, of the eleven provinces of the British India, to have returned a Muslim League Ministry through popular vote. Again it was Sind Assembly which remained the first--- and the only--- provincial legislature in the pre-independence united India to have adopted a resolution in favor of the creation of Pakistan. Sind"s role did not end there; it gave its city of Karachi to be the first capital of Pakistan and also accepted millions of Muslim refugees uprooted from various parts of India, who chose to settle in Pakistan. True to their nature and spirit, the Sindhis became willing hosts to their co-religionists from other ethnic and linguistic communities. Pakistan"s father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was also the son of the soil--- by birth. He was born in Karachi in 1876 and there he died in 1948, where a grand mausoleum to commemorate him, stands proudly. Sind is also the nerve centre of Pakistan"s economy as two of Pakistan"s six ports (Karachi Port and Bin Qasim Port) which account for over ninety percent of Pakistan"s international trade sprawl the province"s coastline. Likewise, a significant part of Pakistan"s industrial and service sectors are located in Sind, making the province the largest contributor to Pakistan"s federal tax revenue receipts. The capital city of Sind, Karachi,1 is a cultural melting pot of all communities living in the country, has become a mini-Pakistan because of its diversity. Sind, in more ways than one, is the embodiment of Pakistan, reflection of its cultures, and reflection of the national values. 1 The Government of Pakistan, in February 1960, decided in principle to shift the national capital from Karachi to North of the country, a little away from the Garrison city of Rawalpindi in Northern Punjab. Thus, anew city of Islamabad was built in the next decade. Karachi, became the capital of Sind Province upon the dissolution of the One Unit in 1970. 2 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN The law and order problem in Sind: In this backdrop, it is all the more painful to note that Sind has been afflicted by an incidence of violent crime, that on average, far surpasses the other three provinces of Pakistan. The most critical issue is the problem of dacoity (armed robbery) and its concomitant problem of kidnappings for ransom. The prevalence of such heinous crimes has deprived the citizens of Sind from any sense of security and peace of mind. The poor law and order has also negative affected the economic growth --- to the extent of retarding it in some places--- and brutalized the fabric of the society and social order as a whole. In "the nineties", i.e. the last decade of the 20th century, the situation had become so grim that major roads all over Sind were considered unsafe for night travel. 2 Even the Karachi- Hyderabad Super Highway, the main communication artery of the province linking the two biggest cities, was closed for individual traffic nearing sunset. Vehicles would be stopped by the authorities at the entrance of the highway and would, at the top of each hour, be allowed to travel in a convoy of hundreds of vehicles for the purpose of --- and as the only cost effective method of ensuring---- safety. Even these convoys were escorted by a Jeep or Pickup of armed police at its head and tail. This arrangement used to continue till the dawn the following morning. In villages and smaller towns of the districts most affected by the rise of violent crime, one still finds small observation towers atop most houses, as people had built them as firing posts in case they were attacked or surrounded by dacoits. Saeedabad town near Hyderabad, off the Super Highway is a living vivid example of this. Kidnapping persons from 2 There are no exact figures available, however, a rough estimate of active dacoits in the decade of nineties puts their number at around 17-20,000. (Sahito, 2005: p. 31) 3 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN home of the victim had not remained infrequent during those years. It was not for nothing that twice during period, once in the eighties and once in the nineties, the armed forces had to be called in, in aid of civil power, in anti-dacoity operations. "Why Sind?" is the question in everybody"s minds. If the incidence of poverty or incompetence of the law enforcement machinery of the State or any other single or combination of factors is responsible for violent crime, even then most parts of Sind fare poorly regarding crime statistics compared to areas of analogous poverty from other parts of the country.3 Has the centre adopted a deliberate anti-Sind policy as many nationalists so fondly believe? Is it a conspiracy by foreign hands or from hands within to weaken Sind, as the conspiracy theorists among every nations would be tempted to suggest? Or should the phenomenon be attributed to (a) some biological factors in the Sindhi nation or (b)some topographical factors in Sind"s landscape and terrain or (c) social factors emanating from societal collapse due to unhealthy traditions, such as Karo Kari, tribalism and/or Wadera system? This paper attempts to place the issue in proper perspective and traces the roots of dacoity in Sind to two fundamental problems, namely, political disempowerment and the failure to strengthen administrative [read: bureaucratic] structure, in the wake of vacuum left by British withdrawal. All other factors, such as economic, social and genetic, it will be argued, a far lesser role in the genesis and growth of the phenomenon. 3 For instance, there are poor areas in all four provinces and ordinarily kidnappings for ransom may have occurred anywhere in the country. But between 1990-94, of the1651 kidnappings reported in all four provinces, 1521 yook place in Sind alone. (Sahito, 2005: p. 91) So how do we explain that 92% kidnappings took place in one province and a mere seven percent in the remaining three provinces, the AJK and the federal territories combined? 4 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Studying Dacoity in Sind: Rationale: The foregoing discussion makes the study of dacoit phenomenon all the more fascinating as well as having significant policy relevance. The dacoit phenomenon has tremendous social, political and material costs not only on Sind, but, by extension, the whole of Pakistan. There are three major reasons that the study of dacoits phenomenon is important. Firstly, that Sind, as noted at the beginning of this paper is the nerve centre of Pakistan and Pakistan movement. Sind"s pain is a pain for the whole Pakistani nation. Secondly, Sind is the biggest revenue basket for the country and consistent poor law and order situation in the province has held down, if not pulled back, the economic growth of the whole country. And lastly, no serious academic or administrative study of the phenomenon of dacoits has so far been carried out and published. Research Questions: Who are these dacoits of Sind? Where do they come from? Why do they engage in such activities? And why is the government helpless in controlling this menace? These are the questions that my research found out, defy concise answers. However, we shall first discuss the causes of rise of dacoity one by one and then suggest some remedies at the end of this paper. Research Methodology: There is an extreme dearth of material on the dacoit phenomenon, since this is an underworld activity and most evidence is circumstantial or anecdotal. All the more, there is no "Centre of Excellence" or a Research Institute in the whole country on criminology and criminal sciences. 5 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN In the present case, most of the material was collected from internet and newspaper cuttings especially some old issues of Karachi"s monthly Newsline. There are also a couple of books available on the issue; one written by Dr Sarwar Jamali titled Kidnapping for Ransom in Sind and another by Imdad Hussain Sahito named The Decade of the Dacoits. Neither book provides an exhaustive or incisive detail but in the given circumstances that there is an acute shortage of written material on the subject, even they were a boon. Several interviews were conducted by this writer with the people who had at any time in the past been directly concerned with anti-dacoity operations in Sind, such as SP Sarwar Jamali (now DPO, District Umarkot), DIG Sarmad Saeed (now Director Training at the National Police Academy), Col Burki of the FF Regiment and Col Musa Khattak of the ISI. Visit to the National Police Academy, Islamabad has also proved useful. To all the persons mentioned above, I am extremely indebted and grateful. What is "Dacoity"? Principally, there are two categories in which crimes are placed: crimes against person (like murder, rape, kidnapping etc) and the crimes against property (theft, bank fraud, fake currency transaction etc.). In Pakistan, the legal framework of countering the crime consists of laws dating back to the British times. Thus, the two sets of crimes are, respectively, dealt with through the Code of Criminal Procedure, called the CrPC (1898), and the Code of Civil Procedure, called the CPC (1908). 6 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Dacoity consists of robbery, i.e. depriving the other person of his valuables, but entails two more elements: (a) the use or threat of use of violence, and (b) committed by more than one person. Thus, the Tazeeraat-e-Pakistan or the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) under Section 391 defines dacoity as an act of robbery committed by five persons or more. Section 395 of the PPC goes on to prescribe the penalty of the offence which may be simple imprisonment for Life or Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) of between four to ten years. The Court is further empowered to impose a fine too.4 The English word "dacoity" seems to have its roots in the Sanskrit word Dashtaka meaning crowded. Implying thereby that the crime refers to one that is committed in groups. Thus organized gangs of robbers, as opposed to individual offenders, were called Daku or Dakait. In Sindhi language, the term used is Dharail which comes from Dharo meaning oppression, cruelty or outrage by violence. Thus all linguistic roots and connotations of the words used to describe the phenomenon imply "violence" and "group"--- hence, dacoity is a "group violence" committed for the purpose of extorting money or property. 4 See relevant provisions of Pakistan Penal Code (1861) 7 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Understanding Criminal Behavior: It must be underlined at the outset, however, that the phenomenon of dacoits is not unique to Sind, or for that matter, Pakistan alone. Crime has been there throughout History in all parts of the world, criss-crossing the bounds of time and space. Crime is a social deviance--- it is an aberration from the normative behavior of the society or the polity. Thus, it is as much a social or a political phenomenon (or a combination of both), as an administrative issue. It is veritably said that "democracy brings harmony". This means that where the political and social norms are based on consensus or, at least, have the broader approval of the community, the level of violence and crime tends to go down. This was true for the first Muslim state of Medina, during the reign of the right-guided Caliphs when common crime had almost vanished as the system of Islamic democracy, based on the twin pillars of social justice and accountability of the rulers, appeared to be firmly in place. This near absence of violent crime is true in many democratic countries of today"s modern world. For example, such diverse welfare states in the far corners of the world like Japan in East Asia, New Zealand in far south of the Oceana and Scandinavian states in the Northern Nordic region of Europe, can boast of violence free societies. This is not to suggest that all democracies are crime-free. Far from that, crime is innate in human nature. There are people who are congenitally, genetically, or cognitively deviant. Thus, by birth some people have a higher propensity of committing crime, while others are made so by their upbringing, social environment, bad company or their personal circumstances. Thus, from New York to Karachi and from Jakarta to Rome and Lagos, urban mega centers have seen 8 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN rise in crime in the past few decades. This owes to higher income inequalities, poor living conditions in the ghettos, ease of crime due to communication revolution and new inventions such as mobiles, cameras and sophisticated fire arms, and other incidental causalities. Dacoity in History: Sind and Beyond But as noted above, crime is as old as the presence of humanity on this planet. There were whole nations that indulged in such activities. The greatest example is that of Vikings, distinguished for their two-horned helmets, who for generations and for centuries indulged in piracy on the high seas. Many Nordic nations in present-day Scandinavia are descendents of the Vikings. Likewise, Highwaymen, as dacoits were called in England, have been a feature of --- and a danger to--- the inter-city travel in that country for centuries and ages. Before the dawn of Islam, dacoity had been one of the most prevalent crimes in the Arabian peninsula and convoys of pilgrims coming to Makkah to perform pilgrimage were routinely looted. That is why, the Arab tribes in pre-Islamic times, had declared four (04) months of their lunar calendar as Haram (sacred) in which no bloodshed was allowed5. This convention enabled the commercial activity of the Arab tribes as well as provided them security for performance of several religious rites that involved travel to holy places. Islam, was as much a religion as a social and reformatory movement, that started from Arabia. That is why Islam took the issue of highway dacoity (called Haraba in Arabic language) very seriously) and tried to crush this menace along with other bad practices such as female infanticide, rampant adultery, false beliefs in gods, magic and witchcraft, and gambling etc. 5 The four months are Zi'qad, Zil Haj, Moharram and Rajab. 9 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Thus, the seven sins, that Islam not only forbids but also proposes punishments for them [these seven punishments are called Hadd6 ---all other punishments left at the discretion of the Muslim rulers or people to legislate upon, are called Taz'eer] includes Harabaa for which a severe punishment of amputation is prescribed by the Holy Quran. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of highway robbery continued in Arabia for centuries and Hajj caravans were seldom safe from the menace till as late as early 20th century when the hold of Ottoman empire on mainland Arabia had become very weak. But interestingly enough, and paradoxically too, Islam"s arrival to South Asia in the early eighth century--- and by implication Pakistan"s creation thirteen centuries later) owed its raison d' etre to the activities of the dacoits of the coastal areas of the present day Sind who had the audacity to plunder ships carrying gifts from the King of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to the Caliph of Islam, then seated at Damascus. The Ommayyad Caliph, Waleed bin Abdul Malik (r. 705- 715) wrote to the ruler of the area, Raja Dahjr, to punish the dacoits and make compensation for the losses, or face the consequences. The latter"s evasive response, that he had no control over the dacoits, led the Caliph to authorize his Governor of Basra, Hajjaj bin Yousaf, to send a punitive expedition, which the latter did, nominating in turn, his nephew and son-in-law, Mohammad bin Qasim (695-723 A.D.) to lead the mission. The battles of Deebal and Rawar, led to the conquest of Sind and making it part of the Islamic empire. The latter battle resulted in the death of Raja Dahir too. 6 The seven sins for which Hadd is imposed are: Apostacy, Murder, Rape or Adultery, Haraba (Armed dacoity on roads or public places), theft, gambling and consumption of liqor. It must be underlined, however, that punishments of some of these offences are derived from Koran, others from the practice of the Holy Prophet, and the last two from the practice of the earlier Right-Guided Caliphs. Hence, there are theological disputes on classification of these crimes, as well as, on the legal maintainability of various penalties. However, that lies beyond the scope of the present paper. 10 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Contrary to popular perceptions, promoted through State-sponsored school textbooks, not all the people of Sind found the advent of Muslims a welcome development---not, at least, initially. In fact, there still exists a tribe in Sind, calling themselves Dahiri, in the name of Raja Dahir who defended dacoits rather than submitting to the invaders from lands of the yore. Why mentioning this was important because we have to understand the proud nature of Sindhi nation in order to place the phenomenon of political dissent-based dacoity of recent decade, in its proper perspective. Coming down to modern age, the phenomenon of dacoits never vanished totally and became a nuisance not only for the Jam and Kalhoro ruling dynasties of Sind, but later to the British administration, and lately, became a headache for successive governments of Pakistan. There have been anti-dacoit operations time and again. Even the army had to be called in to take part in anti-dacoit operations most recently in the eighties under the cruel rule of Zia-ul-Haq who used the forces ruthlessly both against political activists and ordinary criminals, without discriminating between them, people turned against the government and took up arms and became dacoits by default. Thus, the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) also became the "movement for revival of dacoits", at least, in the context of Sind. Thus, many Sindhis did not become dacoits for criminal intent but this was the only viable alternative to express their resentment against a revengeful and repressive military dictatorship, without giving in on their ego and their pride.7 7 Mustafa Jatoi is an obvious example that comes to mind since he was an MRD leader but turned dacoit when he found out that Police were after his blood. 11 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Gradually, the situation became out of control and crime became institutionalized. At this time, Paru Chandio became a notorious name in the world of crime. Soon to follow were Kanu Jhakrani and Suleiman Buledi. For a time, Nadir Jaskani also instilled terror on the roads of Sind. So in the nineties, under the civilian rule of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007 A.D.), operations led by army were authorized against armed criminals, guided and supervised by her Interior Minister, Naseerullah Khan Babar. Same was the case with the government of Mr Nawaz Sharif who called the army in aid of civil power, invoking Article 147 read with 245 of the constitution of Pakistan, and utilized them in anti-dacoity operations.8 The thrust in the former operations was the urban Sind and in the latter one, it was the rural Sind. Dacoity as a political phenomenon: Save for isolated instances of responsible government in the History of the world, such as the reign of the right-guided Caliphs in Medina 732-661 A.D. or the rule by an elected Senate in ancient Rome or consensual government in some African tribes in the Middle Ages and so on, Democracy has been a recent development. Otherwise, unjust and unrepresentative systems such as autocracy, absolute monarchy, oppression and colonialism remained the order of the day. The rulers bought the loyalty of the public by bestowing favors; monitory or otherwise. Since the resources of the State are never infinite so it was never possible to buy the loyalty of all the subjects through dole-outs. Thus the magnanimity of the State could be enjoyed by the elite and 8 The Operation Blue Fox, as it was known, was launched on 28 May 1992 and ended on 2 January 1993 at a cost of Rs. 200 million. Military casualties included 24 army officers and another 46 injured. (Sahito, 2005: p. 117) 12 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN a limited section of the common population who became the privileged ones. The rest of the public was controlled and subjugated through brutal repression. Time and again, the oppressed people broke the law just in order to challenge the writ of the state. Nothing could be more effective than making the roads and routes of the country unsafe through dacoity that, by disrupting the communication system, gave a political message to the sovereign that his rule stood contested. History has made this evident from the time of the Sultanate of Delhi, during the Mughal dynasty and later the British era too. In view of nexus of dacoity with political dissent, and sometimes with acts of courage, dacoity has not always been an issue of negative perception among the public. Sometimes, dacoits have been eulogized or glorified in public perceptions, folk lore or legends. Robin Hood was a famous dacoit in the Nottingham area of England in the 13th century who along with his accomplices in the Sherwood forest where he would plunder the rich and give to the poor. Likewise, in the Punjab province during British era, the Malangi dacoit became famous for such like activities and also for challenging the British rule. Thus the phenomenon of dacoity has in it, concepts of romanticism, valor and pride etc. And it has also generated concepts such as "social bandit" and "noble robber", although such terms appear as oxymoron at first sight. Nevertheless, throughout human history, the State also never hesitated to take every affront to its writ as a criminal, as opposed to political, offence. Hence the distinction between political outlaws and criminal outlaws always remained blurred. In fact, an unholy nexus got created each time between the political outlaws and criminal elements in some sort of symbiotic 13 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN relationship where this unnatural alliance was a must for survival for both sides against the might of the State. Even today, many states that are facing civil wars or uprising against foreign occupation or domestic dictatorship such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Congo etc, there is a complete breakdown of law and order as genuine political fighters have been penetrated by terrorists and ordinary criminal elements. Many political fighters thus are complicit in ordinary crime, either owing to fear, or for desire to finance their own ammunition and logistic requirements, or because such elements distract the law enforcement arms of the State in multiple directions. Thus, given the history of repression by the British government, and later successive, long and brutal stints of military rule in Pakistan, where fundamental rights of citizens including those from Sind, had been usurped, it is neither surprising nor unique, that the dacoity phenomenon has afflicted the province of Sind with a vengeance. As early as 1830s, that is well before the Sind province was formally annexed to the British in 1843, the British had to come face to face with the dacoity problem and started taking preliminary measures to protect their military and commercial convoys movement across Sind.9 By 1871, they made the first Criminal Tribes Act specifically for Sind. Yet challenge to the State through acts of violence, both for purely criminal and/or political purposes, continued to haunt the British administration. The British also dubbed legitimate movements of political dissent as criminal movements; the two Hur movements are cases in point. 9 In one of his first proclamations issued on 21 October 1843, Charles Napier said "Every man who commits murder shall be put to death…The merchants and travelers shall pass along the roads with safety, death be to the robbers and murderers. Such is the law of God," (Sahito, 2005: p. 21) 14 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Even after the creation of Pakistan, the phenomenon of dacoity only raised its head when the people"s rights were trampled. The biggest boost to dacoity was the MRD movement because political activists who ran away to the jungles to evade arrest, could never return for fear of being apprehended by the police and army and be subjected to torture, humiliation and inhuman punishments such as public floggings and even hangings. They became dacoits by force of circumstances. Others became because of revenge, when their families back home were mistreated by Police, including rape etc, to force them to surrender to police. Yet others, simply became dacoits when they came into contact with such elements in the hideouts in jungles and found it to be a profitable means of income. If only democracy had survived in Pakistan; if only elected Prime Ministers belonging to Sind such as Prime Ministers Liaqat Ali Khan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and more lately, Mortarma Benazir Bhutto had not been murdered/assassinated elsewhere in the country; had lands not been allotted in Sind to bigwigs including the military personnel belonging to other provinces which gave the impression, rightly or wrongly, or continued colonial rule; and had the military regime of Zia, not crushed the movement for restoration of democracy in Sind, as ruthlessly and mercilessly as he did; Sind would have been a much more safer and prosperous place. Twin Roots for the dacoity in Sind: The two most fundamental reasons are discussed below: 15 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN (I) Political Failure/ Democratic Deficit: Although the political dimension of crime has adequately been discussed in the preceding sections, at the cost of repetitiveness, here we shall contextualize it with reference to Sind. In Sind, dacoity phenomenon had a political genesis. From the two uprisings of the followers of the Pir of Pagara--- in 1895 and 1946, respectively-- - to the movement to oust military dictatorship of Zia-ul-Haq in 1983, it suited the interest of the rulers to dub the political dissidents as common law criminals and treat them accordingly. Little wonder, the State policies contributed to making them as such. Simply put, dacoity in Sind is rooted in criminal activities for political purposes coupled with political activities for criminal purposes. But gradually, a close nexus developed over time between the political bigwigs and the criminal elements. Some of it owed to necessity as politicians need funds to run political campaigns and the criminals are in need of political clout and backing to save them from the clutches of law. But many a times, linakges developed involuntarily. For instance, dacoits of Sind hid in fields belonging to independent landlords and threatened owners with death if they reported their presence to the Police. Consequently, instead of becoming unwilling connivers, some landlords became willing patrons, so much so that the dacoits would hide their loot and spoils, in the landlords" homes. The landlords then had vested interest in dacoits not being caught by police, since if any accused breaks under police torture and names the landlord as a protector, then the latter"s own interests are at risk, as he may be caught and tried by the law. Thus, this vicious cycle sucks in more and more persons into the crime net. Accordingly, in the public perception, there is not a single political party in Sind, be it the PPP, the MQM, the Jiay Sind, 16 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN or even the Jamat-e-Islami, who can claim that none of its local political leadership or cadres has any contact with the underworld. (II) Administrative Failure/ Police Inefficiency: Police are those citizens who are paid to give full time attention to job that is incumbent on every citizen. - Lord Peel (Former British Prime Minister) The Magistracy and Police are not the only ones responsible to ensure respect for law, Rather this is the duty of every citizen. Magistracy and Police are there to assist them. The weakening of these two institutions, however, led to strengthening of the dacoits phenomenon. Political-based appointments, made possible under wide statutory powers enjoyed by the political governments in Sind (unlike in other three provinces) is the singular contributory factor that led to collapse of administrative efficiency. Direct recruitments in such sensitive institutions, even to fairly senior operational; ranks of Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDM), also called Assistant Commissioners (AC), and Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) has been a norm in administration and the Police force in Sind. Every MPA who gets elected to the provincial legislature for the first time, first makes sure that one of his real brothers or sons is inducted as an SHO in Police to look after his interests. And I rank it as the most crucial explanation for mushrooming of dacoities. 17 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN The military regime of Musharraf (1999-2007) destroyed the very fabric of civil service and destroyed the service structures of all law enforcement services. The attempts at abolition of the DMG service and the institution of Deputy Commissioner and all his Magisterial organization was tantamount to writing an obituary of the rule of law in the country. For personal ends, his government extended the politicization of administrative services to beyond the boundaries of Sind to whole of the country. The present Pakistan People"s Party-led Government of Sind has decided to undo the infamous Local Government Ordinance of 2001 and is in the process of restoration of the Commissionerate system. However, Magistracy cannot be the sole check on corruption and inefficiency of the Police. A lot more needs to be done. Of course, there is corruption in the Police, but that again has reasons of its own. After all, Pakistan has had its share of model police forces such as the Motorway Police, Elite Force of Punjab and model Islamabad Traffic Police, recruited from the same population base in the country. The problem lies in the systems, not in the individuals. If better training and resources are afforded to Police, plus reasonable wages and they are shielded from political influence, then the same Police can deliver. Sind Police has always been under-resourced, under-equipped and under-trained. In the British times, the definitive edge of the Police was in terms of their weaponry (three-nought-three Rifles compared to ordinary lathis by the dacoits) and communications, such as telegraph and later wireless. Over the decades, and mainly due to the self-destructive policies carried out by 18 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN successive military dictators in Pakistan, the balance shifted to the dacoits side. With Pakistan"s policy of fighting a proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan on the behest of the United States, Pakistan"s own polity was inundated by sophisticated weapons such as Kalashnikovs etc that were originally intended for Afghan Mujahideen but got smuggled into our country, and eventually landed in the hands of lawless and anti-State elements.10 So the situation is that today dacoits have better weapons, easy communication through mobiles, and sometimes even better vehicles than the outdated Police jeeps. Police is not supposed to keep old vehicles since they are unreliable in action. They have higher operational costs and prove notoriously inefficient in chasing the outlaws, off the metalled roads. In such circumstances, it is unrealistic to expect the policemen to put their own lives in danger in direct encounters with the dacoits. However, most police vehicles are older than five years and most have been declared "condemned" but still are in use. In any case, the total number of transport available with Sind Police to patrol such big province is just 2,376 vehicles against a much higher authorized number. Likewise, they have only 62, 537 weapons against the sanctioned 93,979. and 2,837 wireless sets as against authorized 15,584.11 There is also a serious institutional failure on part of the Police to care for the families of police officials killed in action against the dacoits. A one time lump sum grant of Rs 100,000 or so, seldom solves the life long problems of the families of the deceased. Corruption in the Office of the Accountant General also complicates the problem as it is well nigh impossible to get 10 The influx of Klashinkov due to Afghan war "brought about a revolution in the criminal world" as for the first time, the dacoits found themselves decisively better armed than the Police. (Sahito, 2005: p. 43) 11 Sahito, 2005: p. 115. 19 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN released the assistance package without greasing the palms. Policemen belong to poorer families and it is not easy for widows to arrange for tens of thousands of rupees as bribe unless they get the compensation cheque. The AG office lower staff foot drags the issuance of cheque until they have been bribed, so the vicious cycle makes the lives of families of Police martyrs very miserable. Likewise, civil suits between family members, for instance, two wives of the same deceased also cause delays. All these factors are heavily demoralizing for the Police personnel who do not find it worthwhile to take life risks for the society or for the institution of Police when both have shown little capacity of taking care of the families of brave officers. The budget under the head of POL12 is so meager that Police usually has to ask the victims, i.e. the complainants or dacoity to pay for the fuel of their jeeps to visit the site of offence or to pursue the criminals.13 The training needs of the Police drivers are seldom met since POL shortage forces Police to restrict driving training to classroom instruction only. Similar is the case with the ammunition stocks. How can a policeman be expected to be a good rifle-shooter when he is given just 30 rounds in his whole one year training for firing practice instead of at least a thousand rounds in all throughout the training? Another problem of course is the poor infrastructure conditions of police stations, lack of equipment required for investigation such as that is required for taking finger prints and/ or for forensic analysis etc. 12 Fuel for vehicles and other forms of mechanized transport. POL stands for Petroleum, Oil & Lubricants. 13 In a personal interview, SP Sarwar Jamali, former AIG (Finance) of the Sind Police, disclosed to this writer that as per own ceilings and allocations of POL per vehicle by the Finance Department, Govt of Sind, the Provincial Police was entitled to a budgetary release of Rs 433 million for operational expenses of the vehicles in 2001. However, only Rs. 139 million were provided under this head to the Police. He argued that one cannot have fuel or ammunition ceiling at least for the Police department, if crime has to be countered effectively. 20 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN With all shortcomings, it still remains to the credit (or discredit) of Police that dacoity remains a terminal disease for the perpetrator as they have a very short active life in crime of around three to six years. The dacoits die due to infighting, or through target killing by their mentors or protectors for various reasons. But mostly, they meet this gory fate at the hands of the Police in armed encounters, some of which are stage-managed, just to eliminate the dacoits as prosecution in the courts of laws do not always result in convictions. A living dacoits instills terror even from behind the bars and people seldom take the risk of providing evidence in the courts of law. "Better a devil dead than one who may be a threat again" makes Police favor on- the-spot "bayonet justice". Now this phenomenon of fake encounters has contributed to dacoits becoming unwilling to surrender to face the law, even when cornered by the Police, for fear of being killed on spot by the Police for getting promotions or showing efficiency to the government. Other incidental causes: (i) Economic Causes: Many of the people might have turned to dacoity purely to earn a living. It is well known that many areas in Sind have majority of population living well below the poverty line. Hence, many of the daring unemployed youth turn to dacoity as a profession. In fact, when the district administration was negotiating the release of thee Chinese Engineeers working in Guddu Barrage who had been kidnapped for ransom, one of the demands of the dacoits to release them was to provide them (the dacoits) some low-paying government jobs. Usually when one enters the business of dacoity, there is no way out. Changing a profession and trying to live a settled life becomes impossible since Police would definitely nab for past 21 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN offences. Plus, the easy money coming from dacoity becomes an incentive in itself. Thus, with other economic indicators dwindling due to poor law and order, the crime thrived at an industrial scale. In fact, kidnapping for ransom, became an industry in itself both in terms of the number and scale of incidents, but also the dividends it brought for the criminals, like Rs. 4-5 million as ransom for a hostage, than, say, Rs 40,000 or less for plundering a bus. 14 There were also other sources of revenue for the dacoits which went beyond robbery and kidnappings. Capturing State lands and becoming de facto masters of it is another business and the farmers working there are made to pay protection money to them. Extortions are made from other smaller landlords in return for protection, or just a guarantee that he will not be looted. (ii) Social Causes: Pride and honor are basic human instincts. Police excesses and use of torture have contributed to the phenomenon of "reactionary dacoits" who want to take revenge since after some serious kind of public humiliation they cannot face the society and the family and become outlaws. Iqbal Punjabi was a soldier in the army. He turned a dacoit when somebody abducted his wife and he failed to get justice. Naseer Noonpoto became so when his maternal uncle usurped his share in the family property. Rahmat Arain turned to dacoity to take revenge against Police brutality. Unfortunately, there are a lot of black sheep in law enforcement machinery as well. As the notorious Tando Bahawal incident of 1992 bears out, ruthless killing were occasionally carried 14 IN the decade between 1894-94, the number or reported kidnappings in Sind was a staggering 11,436. (Sahito, 2005: p. 31) 22 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN out by security personnel either to settle personal scores such as family feuds or for financial gains such as usurping land or property. Another social ill is the propensity among illiterate villagers to name their rivals or opponents within the village for any act of dacoity in the First Information Report (FIR) before the Police. So that even if property has been lost to unknown dacoits; facts can be twisted to settle personal vendettas by implicating innocent rivals. More so, even if one person from opposite side was known to have taken part in an offence, it is considered natural to implicate all male members of the offenders" family in the case. People who cannot bribe their way out from police investigation, tend to become outlaws. (iii) Geographical Reasons: There are several geographical reasons for the incidence of dacoity. Parts of Sind provide a natural hide outs for the outlaws such as jungles or the unpassable Katcha areas on both sides of Indus river. In such sandy wetlands, it is impossible to chase the dacoits in jeeps or even APC"s15 which get stuck in mud, and rescuing the policemen trapped in the vehicle becomes another logistic nightmare. Some of the crops that Sind produces such as sugarcane and bananas are such that their fields/orchards become natural hideouts for the criminals to take refuge. In 1990-91, sugarcane was cultivated on 225,280 hectares, banana on 19,770 hectares and mango garden were on 36,723 hectares.16 15 Armored Personnel Carriers 16 Sahito, 2005: p. 160 23 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN The biggest dacoits: Whenever a discussion on the phenomenon of dacoits, robbers or thieves takes place, one question that is definitely raised is "what about the biggest robbers, those who plunder billion of rupees from our national exchequer and go scot-free?" The question is very valid since it is only in unjust societies that one who steals a few rupees to buy food for self and family gets imprisoned and those who, due to political influence, take huge bank loans on fake business plans and get them written off, remain pretending as honorable citizens and elite of the nation. On this account, it is argued that biggest dacoits are not those who deprived this nation of its wealth. Far bigger dacoits are those who contributed to the collapse of the rule of law and committed high treason by overthrowing and weakening the judiciary. Nothing can be accomplished without a free and independent judiciary. Those who committed dacoity by depriving the nation of impartial judges and made a horrible example out of them are the worst dacoits of this nation. Likewise, the people who robbed this nation of the right to be ruled by chosen representatives and committed sedition by becoming part of coup d"etats, overthrowing elected civilian governments, are also the most dangerous dacoits. Four of the three dictators who ruled Pakistan are dead already; one is living. It is imperative that post humous trials for the first three and a military court martial of the living dictator be carried out without delay to bring them to justice. 24 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Another factor that is little realized in our country is the weakening of the Federal and Provincial Public Service Commissions in the past few decades. The sanctity and inviolability of the FPSC is as much as that of the Supreme Court. Likewise, the sanctity of the PPSC in each province is as important as the High Court of that province. The spate of irregular appointments in public service, most disastrously in the Police department, in sheer violation of merit is the single most important reason why the rule of law has collapsed, especially in Sind. Thus, the regime of former military dictator Musharraf, was equally guilty of high treason when they sent home the then Chairman and members of the Federal Public Service Commission, back in 2005, as they were when they sent home the judges of the superior courts on the 3rd of November 2007. It is unfortunate that his regime"s vandalism with FPSC evoked much less hue and cry than that when it played havoc with the Supreme Court. It must be realized that dacoity, like many other political and social problems, can be tackled through a top down approach. Make the parliament sovereign, make the judiciary independent, and make the Public Service Commissions autonomous at the top levels. The systems down the line will get streamlined in due course automatically. The institutions of state cannot be strengthened unless and until the culprits of the past are not brought to justice. They are the biggest dacoits and are responsible for the pain and miseries of the countless ordinary victims of street crimes and ordinary dacoities. Conclusion: The dacoity in Sind is so deeply and inextricably linked to the political upheavals and instability that without a prolonged and stable stint of democracy, there appears to be no quick 25 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN solution to the problem of lawlessness and dacoity. No amount of use of force and no extent of economic incentives can curb in a short span of time. Dacoity is not the disease in Sind, it is the outer manifestation of deeper malaise that has been afflicting Sind. This is a big question mark as it is a failure on part of the state, rather than on part of the affected province, that democracy, justice and the rule of law could not be ensured in this country. It has been argued that successive governments" failures in assuring development and economic growth for Sind, guaranteeing a decent standard of life for the Sindhis, the political marginalization during long military rules and collapse of institutions of state during civil rule all have contributed to the sad phenomenon of dacoits. It has also been pointed out that inequality in regional development, iniquitous income distribution, lack of vocational training for most people, political exploitation17, poverty, unemployment, topography, social problems, biological tendencies to crime and other like factors have their share of culpability in the rise of dacoits in Sind. But by far, the most crucial role in this negative development can be attributed to lack of democracy (and consequent marginalization of citizens) and the violation of meritocracy in recruitments (especially those in Police) that are the twin root causes of the problem. It is further argued that this phenomenon cannot be treated in isolation. A holistic approach, covering a major focus on over all economic development of the province, especially 17 One big oft-given example of exploitation is the land given to non-Sindhis in Sind. The Sindhis own 65% of the cultivable land, while 30% is held by Punjabis and 5% by the Mohajirs. The Policy of allotment of land to Punjabi settlers dates to the British rule when the Jamrao canal was opened in 1899, Punjabis were settled there. Again in 1932 when Sukkur barrage was opened, military personnel were allotted lands. Unfortunately this policy was not reversed by Pakistan government when they allotted lands to military personnel both on completion of Kotri Barrage (1956) and then Guddu Barrage (1962). (Sahito, 2005: p. 134-5) 26 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN investments in education and infrastructure, coupled with emergence of political will to adhere to the rule of law, may curb the menace and give the citizens the much needed relief. There are no quick solution but we have to take a start from somewhere, after all. To begin with, two actions are suggested (a): restoration of deposed judges of previous regime, thereby making the superior judiciary truly independent; and (b) fresh recruitments in all law enforcement agencies especially the Police through autonomous public service commissions, to meet the manpower deficiency, undoing all irregular or politically-motivated appointments of the past. If the civil society and conscientious citizens of the country come together on this these two agendas under a single banner, Pakistan will eventually get rid of most of the problems afflicting it. 27 Phenomenon of Dacoits in Sind SAAD S. KHAN Bibliography Books: Jamali, Sarwar, Kidnappings for Ransom in Sind, Hyderabad: Veer Publications, 2004. Sahito, Imdad Hussain, The Decade of Dacoits in Sind: 1984-94, Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2005. Articles/Features: Abbas, Azhar, "Return of the Dacoit?", Monthly Herald, Karachi, May 1995, pp. 26-30, 32-33. 168. Bakhtiar, Idrees, "The Return of the Death Squads," Monthly Herald, Karachi, July 1997, p 27 Siddiqui, Aziz, "Sparring with the Enemy," Newsline, July 1995, pp.42-49. Interviews with concerned law enforcements officers with past experience of anti- dacoity operations in Sind Author's Interview with SSP Dr Sarwar Jamali, District Police Officer, Umarkot, Sind, on 22nd September 2008 Author's Interview with DIG Sarmad Saeed, Chief Instructor, National Police Academy, Islamabad, on 3rd October 2008 Author's Interview with Col. Musa Khattak, ISI Detachment, Peshawar, on 10th May 2008 [The writer is a well-known scholar, author and an officer of the District Management Group of Pakistan civil services. Presently, he is posted as Deputy Secretary, Finance Division, Government of Pakistan, and Islamabad. He can be reached at his Email: firstname.lastname@example.com] 28
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Xbox One
What's with all the Ryse hate?
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Been having a blast with it since I started playing it this morning. I know it's short but I'd rather play a short good game then a long boring one.
Here's hoping for a sequel.
Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up. See this?
This is my BOOMSTICK!
I'm hoping for a sequel myself, the multplayer is fun.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Because I can buy both.
A lot of people have come to the defense of Ryse. Too many people love the game for every reviewer to give it a negative score.
Beat'em ups in general seem get poor reviews, mainly because they have repetitive combat. I think that mainly sums it up.
I am not saying it's true, but I think because Sony's launch was so poor, reviewers had to make sure there was at least one xbox launch game that got a poor review too, so they wouldn't offend Sony fans.
This game got railroaded. I also find it odd that sites like IGN doesn't want to just say Ryse is the best looking game out on consoles at the moment. They want to try to be neutral.
Gamesradar is the only site that gave this a fair review, the final score was 3 and a half stars. At least the reviewer, who said he played just about every new game, including Killzone, feels that Ryse has the best graphics.
It isn't the graphics that makes the game addictive to me.
Dynasty Warriors is way better.
Ad Hominem.
Because it sucks. The single player is boring and does not try to change it up at all. The multiplayer is a gongshow. It was not a good pick for launch title.
Please visit 261, the gamefaqs politics board so you can become more informed about the process before voting.
Rome218 posted...
A lot of people have come to the defense of Ryse. Too many people love the game for every reviewer to give it a negative score.
I agree, I think it's funny how they never mention how it's soo similar to Assassin's Creed combat. You wait or either attack first, you counter with one button then you attack with another except in RYSE you have light and strong attacks, then you finish off your enemies with certain buttons. Whether the fanboys cry or not it is very comparable to Ass Creed combat, they just tell you you're crazy and because like you said the reviewers jumped on the wagon so it's only okay for Creed to have that combat mechanic.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Because I can buy both.
$60 for 4 hours of repetitive QTE's, no thanks.
Mr_Killstreak posted...
$60 for 4 hours of repetitive QTE's, no thanks.
I guess all those people who bought God Of War threw their money away huh.
Xbox One and PlayStation 4
Because I can buy both.
Exodus_Prime posted...
Mr_Killstreak posted...$60 for 4 hours of repetitive QTE's, no thanks.
Webmaster4531 posted...
Dynasty Warriors is way better.
I'm a huge Dynasty Warriors fan. I loved Warriors: Legends of Troy last gen.
However, something is satisfying for me, about the grittiness of the combat in Ryse. The rumble and sound on your controller as you block with your shield is awesome.
DW may be way better for some people, but not me. However, I have been playing DW since part 2.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ron Howard, director of 'Rush'
To hear you tell it, sounds almost like an emancipation to not have to play by Hollywood or studio rules. "For me, in tackling a project like this you make some sacrifices. You commit a great deal of time, so there has to be a reason for it. For me, the reason as a filmmaker was this was not an... Jaap Buitendijk / Universal Studios


text:
The departure of Radamel Falcao from Monaco was the biggest story on a busy transfer deadline day in Ligue 1.
Colombian striker Falcao, who joined Monaco from Atletico Madrid in May last year, left the principality club to join Manchester United on a season-long loan deal believed to be worth £6miillion.
United have an option to buy the 28-year-old for a rumoured €55million (£43.5m), with the switch acting as further evidence that Monaco's hopes of becoming a European force are set to come to an end.
Monaco also loaned defender Nicolas Isimat-Mirin to Dutch club PSV, while young PSG forward Hervin Ongenda will spend the rest of the season on loan at Bastia, who also brought in striker Benjamin Mokulu on loan from Mechelen.
Monaco and PSG were not the only teams to lose players on deadline day, with Montpellier and Lorient – who signed midfielder Francois Bellugou from Nancy - both seeing key members of their squad depart.
Montpellier sold midfielder Benjamin Stambouli to Tottenham Hotspur and Lorient defender Bruno Ecuele Manga made the move to Cardiff City.
Marseille were arguably the biggest French club to do incoming business as Marcelo Bielsa made his fourth signing of the transfer window by bringing in 19-year-old Brazilian centre-back Doria from Botafogo.
Meanwhile wingers Foued Kadir and Morgan Amalfitano both departed the Velodrome, Kadir moving to Betis on a season-long loan and Amalfitano making the switch to West Ham.
Lille found their replacement for Salomon Kalou, who joined Hertha Berlin on Sunday, by recruiting Swiss striker Michael Frey from Young Boys on a four-year deal.
Reims were one of the busier clubs on the last day of the transfer window as they bolstered their attacking options with the acquisition of striker David N'Gog on a two-year deal and the loan capture of full-back Valentin Roberge from Sunderland.
Guingamp saw their top scorer last season depart as Mustapha Yatabare left for Trabzonspor, but his brother Sambou Yatabare joined the Brittany club on loan from Olympiacos.
Elsewhere, Evian – who have taken just one point from their first four Ligue 1 games – boosted a backline that has shipped 10 goals so far by acquiring former Monaco and Marseille defender Gael Givet on a two-year-contract
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|Smalling wants long-term United stay
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|Italy call up Santon and Abate for England friendly
|Switzerland v United States: Klinsmann eyes learning curve
|Netherlands v Spain: Hiddink has players´ support, says Wijnaldum
|A-League Review: Sydney end Wellington run, Adelaide suffer injury blows in Jets win
|Henderson eyes long-term Liverpool future
|I have nothing to prove - Bale
|Brazil 1-0 Chile: Firmino gives Selecao battling victory
|South Korea v New Zealand: All Whites looking to future
|Japan v Uzbekistan: Hosts eye another win under Halilhodzic
|MLS Review: Kaka nets in Orlando draw
|Mexico 1 Ecuador 0: Hernandez, Corona help Herrera´s men to victory
|Deschamps calls for France response
|Dunga unfazed by pressure
|Montenegro fan turns himself in after flare incident
|Injured Messi not ready - Martino
|Hodgson: Rooney not close to Charlton
|Terim proud of Turkey
|Hiddink happy with point
|Euro 2016 Qualifying Review: Netherlands and Italy stage late escapes
|Debutant Eder delighted with Azzurri bow


text:
1301-2199 Coral Place
Newport Beach, California, 92663
Commute to Downtown Newport Beach
Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
Score Details
1301-2199 Coral Place has a Walk Score of 56 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
This location is in Newport Beach. Nearby parks include Community Park, Cliff Drive Park and Lido Park.
Nearby schools include Horace Ensign Intermediate School, Newport Harbor High School and Newport Heights Elementary School.
The closest grocery stores are Michael's Nutrition Products Etc, Promelis and My Fit Foods.
Nearby coffee shops include Mariner's Coffee Shop, Starbucks and Synkym Corporation. Nearby restaurants include Taco Bell, A&O Kitchen + Bar and 930 Sushi.
1301-2199 Coral Place is near Community Park, Cliff Drive Park and Lido Park.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 1301-2199 Coral Place.
Bus lines:
1 Long Beach - San Clemente
0.2 mi
55 Santa Ana - Newport Beach
0.5 mi
Car shares:
This location is in the city of Newport Beach, CA. Newport Beach has an average Walk Score of 45 and has 85,186 residents.


text:
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An automatic mailing list server developed by Eric Thomas for BITNET in 1986. When e-mail is addressed to a LISTSERV mailing list, it is automatically broadcast to everyone on the list. The result is similar to a newsgroup or forum, except that the messages are transmitted as e-mail and are therefore available only to individuals on the list.
LISTSERV is currently a commercial product marketed by L-Soft International. Although LISTSERV refers to a specific mailing list server, the term is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to any mailing list server. Another popular mailing list server is Majordomo, which is freeware.
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Nayda C.
Report | a year ago
Very friendly and professional staff. I'll be happy to visit again for other services. I like their promotions.
Donald J. O'Connor, MD, and the aestheticians at Vita Nova Medical Spa help clients rid skin of unwanted hair, blemishes, and wrinkles through laser treatments and medical-grade facials. Injectable fillers restore the youthful radiance faces lose after years of staring at time sheets and signing their children's expense reports, and sound-wave therapy aims to dismantle cellulite. The spa's Center for Medical Weight Loss helps clients lose weight and keep it off for the long term through a combination of programs catered to each patient.


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WHS students get distracted while driving in school
WORTHINGTON -- The car skidded through a stop sign, barely missed an oncoming vehicle and slid into the ditch. The driver groaned, glancing at the nearby cop.
"We arrest people every day for DWI for just that -- running a stop sign and sliding off the road," said Worthington Police Officer Bob Fritz.
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DEFINITION of 'Lottery Bond'
1. A type of government bond issued in the United Kingdom by National Savings and Investment (NS&I) that gives the holder a chance to win a random monthly drawing for a tax-free cash prize. The bonds don't pay interest but they do encourage saving. However, because they don't pay interest, they are not protected against inflation.
Otherwise, these are considered extremely safe because they are backed by the U.K. government. The bonds can be purchased directly from NS&I or from the post office. Each bond is worth £1 and there is a £100 minimum investment.
2. A type of commercial surety bond that establishments with lottery machines must purchase to prevent abuse of the state lottery system.
INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Lottery Bond'
Officially called Premium Bonds, the U.K.'s lottery bonds were introduced in 1956 with the goal of reducing inflation and attracting people who were otherwise not interested in saving. In 2008, £40 billion was invested in Premium Bonds, one of the country's most popular savings vehicles. A machine called ERNIE randomly generates the winning bond numbers. The amount of the prize fund is a month's interest on all eligible bonds, and multiple winners are paid prizes of varying amounts from that fund.
BondA debt investment in which an investor loans money to an entity ...
Registered BondA bond whose owner is registered with the bond's issuer. The ...
Principal1. The amount borrowed or the amount still owed on a loan, separate ...
Interest RateThe amount charged, expressed as a percentage of principal, by ...
LotteryA game of chance, where winners are typically decided by a drawing. ...
CouponThe interest rate stated on a bond when it's issued. The coupon ...
The Advantages Of BondsBonds contribute an element of stability to almost any portfolio and offer a safe and conservative investment.
Bonds & Fixed Income
Corporate Bonds: An Introduction To Credit RiskCorporate bonds offer higher yields, but it's important to evaluate the extra risk involved before you buy.
Bonds & Fixed Income
3 Bonds You May Have Never Heard OfThese lesser-known bonds may give your portfolio a boost when other investments products fall short.
Bonds & Fixed Income
Convertible Bonds: Pros And Cons For Companies And InvestorsFind out why businesses choose this type of financing and what effect this has on investors.
Bonds & Fixed Income
Asset Allocation In A Bond PortfolioAn investor's fixed-income portfolio can easily beat the average bond fund. Learn how and why!
Investing Basics
Interest Rates And Your Bond InvestmentsBy understanding the factors that influence interest rates, you can learn to anticipate their movement and profit from it.
Bond Basics TutorialInvesting in bonds - What are they, and do they belong in your portfolio?
Bonds & Fixed Income
Should Junk Bond ETFs Be a Part of Your Portfolio?Should junk bonds be a part of your portfolio? Here's what you need to know.
Vanguard Readies Muni Bond ETFVanguard is set to roll out a muni bond ETF, the firm's first.
Mutual Funds & ETFs
Is the TLT ETF a Good Bet for the Long Run?Is the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) a good bet for the long run?


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Polsinelli Podcasts - Hedge Funds Now Using IPR Challenges
Polsinelli Podcasts - Hear How the SCOTUS Ruling May Impact Patent-Eligible Subject Matter for Software
Are website terms of use enforceable?
FCPA Compliance and Ethics Report-Episode 115-Tom Fox and Matt Kelly on COSO, Bruker Corp, Dallas Airmotive and Alstom
Polsinelli Podcasts - What Employers Need to Know about Mediation and Arbitration
Intellectual Property Law Issues for Health Care Providers
IP|Trend: Inter Partes Review: What to Consider When Filing Your Petition
Inter-Partes Review of Patents: The Case So Far (CLE)
IP|Trend: Starting Up Your Protection of Intellectual Property
IP|Trend: New Era in Protection of Software by Intellectual Property Law?
IP|Trend: Ensuring an Environment of Compliance
Three Tips on Drafting Patent Applications to Withstand IPR Challenges
IP|Trend: It's Time to Get to Know the Federal Trade Commission
IP | Trend: Data in the Cloud is the Next Big Storm?
Inter Partes Review: Validity Before the PTAB
The Era of Generic Biologic Drugs Has Officially Begun: An Update on U.S. Biosimilars
IP|Trend: Keeping Your Start-Up Compliant
IP|Trend: Discovering Source Code
Ropes & Gray: Advantages of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Settlement and Termination in IPR Proceedings: What You Need to Know
This is a brief update on recent Pennsylvania tax developments.
Governor Wolf's FY16 Budget Proposal—combined reporting and more On March 3, Gov. Tom Wolf (D) presented his first budget address as Pennsylvania's 47th...more
Many countries in Europe, including the UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, France and Hungary have special tax regimes for profits derived from specific types of intellectual...more
In November 2014 we said that the Italian patent box is also a copyright box. The patent box regime, adopted at the end of last year with the 2015 Financial Bill, was recently modified by the so called "Investment Compact...more
There are lots of good articles out there about how to succeed. Here are a few pointers on how to mess up your company from a legal perspective.
- Pick a name without checking it out. You may not be the first one to...more
During the short days before Christmas, when most of us were busy closing transactions or making last-minute year-end reviews to...more
While the Department's Information Notice focuses primarily on the sourcing of revenues from services, it also addresses the sourcing of receipts from intangibles – in a manner seeming to be directly at odds with previously...more
I. Background and Overall Scope of Section 956 -
The overall purpose of section 956 is to tax investments made by CFCs in specified categories of "United States property" on a constructive dividend basis. The...more
The new legislation will be applicable for fiscal years starting as from 1 January 2015, although some new measures will only be effective as from 2016.
The main objectives of this tax reform are:
on one hand,...more
DLA Piper welcomes the adoption of a patent box in our country, a measure which has been publicly hoped for by the most relevant stakeholders. The final approval of the Patent Box, expected by the end of the year, will...more
On 15 October 2015 the Italian Government submitted to Parliament the so called "Stability Law 2015?, a bill containing a number of measures aimed at vitalizing the Italian economy and boosting grow in the system, including...more
On October 14, 2014, the Irish Minister for Finance released proposals as part of the 2015 Irish Budget that would cause Irish incorporated non-resident ("INR") companies to be treated as tax resident in Ireland beginning...more
The Italian Government recently approved the "patent box", a tax relief system for the incomes deriving from the exploitation of industrial property.
This could be a good news. Around 6 months ago we campaigned for...more
Female Football Player Throws Flag at LFL over Bare Wages -
The three-year championship run of the Los Angeles Temptation was snapped in 2013 when the upstart Chicago Bliss, led by the quarterback and two-time league...more
India recently staged the largest free democratic election in world history, bringing to power the National Democratic Alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Par ty, and with it a fresh sense of optimism about India's economic...more
Technology companies frequently possess an international tax footprint before expanding their domestic tax footprint. That may soon change as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and its G20...more
Argentina, together with Brazil and Mexico, are Latin America's three largest economies representing more than 80 percent of the region's manufacturing output. In addition, Argentina has proven to be a favorable venue for...more
A New York State Division of Tax Appeals administrative law judge (ALJ) recently ruled in favor of a medical device and technology company on the question of whether patent license fees that the company charged to its...more
In This Issue:
- SBA Ups Size Standards, Allowing 8,400 Firms to Become Small Biz
- Auditors Want to Limit Reporting of 'Critical Audit Matters'
- House Approves Permanent Extension of Small Business Tax...more
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After a very busy first two days of session last week, the General Assembly returned to Raleigh this week with a fully packed agenda. Among other things, they took up fracking, regulatory reform,...more
Today, the Maryland Court of Appeals held that Maryland may tax out-of-state Delaware holding companies that license patents to their parent company, which was doing business in Maryland. Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc. v....more
Australia's Assistant Treasurer has confirmed that the Government will consider the so-called "patent box" tax rules to assist Australian manufacturers of patented goods. Such rules are directed to lowering tax rates on...more
In a recent ruling, the Virginia Department of Taxation determined that payments made by a taxpayer to an affiliated corporation were not "royalty" payments and should not have been added back to the taxpayer's Virginia...more
In This Issue:
- United States: Benefits of Intangible Property Migrations
- United Kingdom: Innovation: The Name of the Game
- Germany: OECD's Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Within the...more
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by Christine M. Vanek on August 12, 2013
Discount restaurant coupons purchased online qualify as contracts under the state's consumer protection statute,...more
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Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions fell by almost 8 percent last year as the industry and commercial sector dropped by a staggering 20 percent.
Resulting from the economic downturn all sectors of industry and commerce witnessed a decline in greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in two decades.
The statistics published today by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that emission from the cement sector fell by well over a third.
Agriculture remains the biggest contributor to overall emissions representing almost 30 percent of the total, followed by energy and transport each at over 20 percent.
Dr Ken Macken of the EPA said that the decrease was partly due as a result of improvements which has been implemented.
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Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo
No availability found through our partners. Please contact the business directly or check some of our recommended alternatives.
How has this hotel rated in the past?
- Shuttle bus service
- Free High-Speed Internet
- Room service
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Business Services
Photos of Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo
Travelers also recommend:
- More recommendations
TravelPod Member ReviewsMillennium Airport Hotel Buffalo Cheektowaga
Staying on the park and stay deal.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
Despite being an old hotel the main foyer was very nice. Rooms were unexpectedly very well put together.
We had asked for an early checkout but come morning we were awoken by a knock. Then another knock sometime later. Then a third time when we told the lady we were to check iut at 1 pm.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TravelPod member and not of TravelPod.com.
Historical Traveler Reviews Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo Cheektowaga
Great Room!
After staying at this hotel last year when it was the Four Points, I saw great improvement! Although the exterior still needs some work, the room decor was so nice. The bed was much more comfortable than last summer! Hotel staff was very accomodating and attentive. It's also a nice location for an airport hotel. A shopping mall is just next to the hotel, which offers more dining options than just the hotel restaurant. The Millennium Aiport Hotel is ablsolutely an above average airport hotel!
Nothing special
I am from the niagara region in Canada, I wanted to spend the night at a Buffalo hotel and take a shuttle in the morning to catch a flight at nearby Buffalo Airport. I found that this hotel had great shuttle service and was close to a mall so we had something to do the day before. The rooms are a little tacky and were being renovated while we were there, defininitely not a place for a long stay if you plan on spending time at your hotel.
It was okay
There weren't really any problems but the room was old. We had a king bed and the room was a fair size. Yes the carpet was stained, the fabric on the little lazy boy chair was stained, the sink was cracked, floor boards and ceiling tiles need replacement but it was clean. The pool area was quite nice. A number of rooms faced the indoor pool which would have been nice if you were on the 2nd floor. Excellent location to the highway, airport and Walden Galleria which you could walk to.
This hotel is billed as 3-stars. NO WAY could this still be considered a 3-star property. Stained carpet, pealing wall paper, stained blankets, dusty heat vents and gross old bathroom. Upon rolling back the bedding, we found stained well worn sheets. We had to call housekeeping for new sheets which they promptly brought up within 5-minutes. I asked the front desk if we might be moved to a better part of the hotel that was renovated and not seedy. They politely said there was no renovated part of the hotel. Was happy we only stayed one night. Could not have taken two nights in this truly gross hotel. Do not stay here.
Terrible Hotel
We were on the main floor. The room was disgusting. The walls were buckling, the baseboards were warped off the walls and full of dirt between them and the wall. Carpet was dirty. Bathroom was dirty - didn't even want to get in the shower.Needs a reno badly. I don't ever want to go there again. For any amount of money.
Cheap hotel (on priceline)
I stayed here for 22 dollars a night on pricline, I usually pay about 27 a night. I get some friends together for a little pool party and we sit around and drink beers poolside and hang out. The pool area has a nice vibe to it.
When you book a room on priceline, they don't give you a poolside room, so you have to walk quite a ways downstairs to the pool area. Not a huge deal.
The pool is pretty decent, indoors, has a cool tropical theme to it. No lifeguard on duty, and if you go at the right time, there is nobody in the pool to bother your group. We go on off beat days in the middle of winter and the hotel is basically empty.
There is a little video arcade next door (pretty dingy), and there is a little excercise room with sauna (ok i guess, but not very large). But no public jacuizzi. When we got there it seemed that they roped off much of the area surrounding the pool because they were holding a conference there. Weird. We made sure to not make much noise in the pool (lol). Be sure to check out the pool after like 8pm, otherwise its packed to capacity with familys and kiddies.
The actual room itself is pretty basic. Clean, but well used. Reminds me of a holiday inn. Little "ice box" fridge in each room, no microwave. No bar in the rooms. Actually its kinda worse than a new holiday inn, the rooms seem old and well used.
Free high speed internet access (dsl speeds) if you bring your own ethernet cable. Its not wifi.
Free newspaper in the morning, and the staff is pretty friendly. I didn't eat in the restaurants in the hotel, they are usually cheezy and expensive.
This hotel is right next door to the walden galleria mall, so its busy all the time. The hotel parking lot is private from the mall, which is good, but they don't do a good job plowing the lot. My truck almost got stuck in the snow drifts. Free parking though, which is a bonus.
This hotel is like 1-2 miles from the airport, which is good for travelers, i'm not sure if they offer shuttle service, but I'm sure that they do.
There is a olive garden restaurant right across the street (be careful crossing, its a major intersection). There is a wegmans grocery store across the street. Both are decent places to go. Avoid the restaurants in the shopping mall, they are gross for the most part.
They walked into my room when I was NUDE!
They walked into my room when I was NUDE! This is the WORST hotel EVER! Stay away. The hotel is old and dumpy. VERY MEAN STAFF.
Not worth the steep price!
My family and I recently stayed at the Four Points Sheraton in Buffalo, NY for 3 nights/ 4 days. The total of the bill was $727.00!!! What I asked for was a room with a king size bed, jacuzzi, and sofa sleeper for two daughters to share. What I ended up with was a room with king size bed, jacuzzi that was not aestically pleasing (looked like something out of a hospital), stains on the carpets and fleas in our beds! Not to mention our room was right next to the pool which does not close until 10pm. We heard a lot of yelling, screaming and kids were banging on our door! We also noticed that the security was lax in allowing the nonguests on the property. People were able to walk in off the street and use the hotels pool without anyone saying a thing. There was no keycard or doorkey needed to access the facilties. This caused the pool to be overcrowded and the noise level intolerable. We tried to rent a movie using the on screen tv menu which indicated the price was $10.99 to watch.. I admit this was too much to pay for a movie you only get to watch once but imagine my surprise when I got the bill and saw that I was charged $64.00 for this! By the end of our stay we were all grumpy from lack of sleep, frustrated by the poor quality of service and itching from head to toe from flea bites! (We later discovered that the hotel permits dogs to be brought into hotel which would explain the flea infestation.) I would not recommend this hotel and I would never stay at the Four Points Sheraton again.
Not again....
We stayed in the 3rd floor of the hotel which was the floor that haven't renovated yet. The floor was completely worn out. Lightings in the corridor were terrible. In the room, it was even worse. Wallpaper started to come off and the ceiling looked like it was going to fall down. The basin in the washroom was cracked. Carpet in the room stained. The heat inside the room was too hot even thought we set it at the lowest temperature. Overall, the room looked like it was from the 80s design. The good thing with the hotel was the housekeeping department. Bed + linens seemed to be clean and tidy.
Sheraton Four Points - Buffalo Airport
Well maintained hotel. Many coferences, banquet activities can make parking annoying, especially in winter. Grounds crew have some difficulty keeping up with ice and snow on parking lot. Staff are very accomodating. Frequent traveler club is wonderful. Breakfast and dinner are offered with membership, which is free. Menu is varied and plentiful. Club staff take pride in providing for their guests. Hotel is centrally located. A good place to stay if you are driving in Buffalo and don't know the city. Shopping is across the street.
TripAdvisor Reviews Millennium Airport Hotel Buffalo Cheektowaga
Travel Blogs from Cheektowaga
Niagara Falls
... in the gift shop (to buy a couple souvenirs), then escaped to the street. I'm having some fun with mentioning all the lines... things actually moved quite quickly and smoothly. They do a good job of running a LOT of people through that boat ride (and must bring in a nice tidy take each day!). After taking a few more pictures from "above", we returned to the car and headed out of Niagara Falls, heading through Ontario to Michigan and Grand Rapids, in ...
The Big Day
... appeared on the overhead walkway, and processed around to the back of the atrium. The view was lovely for the congregation, but unfortunately it was all above Brendan's head, so he never got to see her arrive. The attendants processed one at a time, with Rachel, who wore a short veil and looked lovely, the last to arrive. By now it was 11:30, and Pastor Eric started by welcoming us all to this joining of two families and two continents, and explained how we were observing the ...
Meet The In-Laws
... don't have a Christmas Day service at all, although there are three identical services today to make up for it, so I suppose there would be 5000-6000 people through in the day. The Chapel emptied very quickly after the service, quite like a theatre, so its hard to get a feel for the place, but it made it easy for Mike to find us when it was all over, so with Sarah and Mike introduced, we could all relax a bit. Ash wanted to get to ...
Shem In The Mist!
... the boat. The falls themselves are amazing and bigger than I thought (1 million bathtubs of water fall every second). You could feel the spray coming off them from the banks of the river beforehand so you can imagine how drenched we got, it was also rather strange that we were facing the USA. The American side looked nicer than the Canadian side as there wasn't any Casinos or cheap shops, Shellie had been over on the ...
End of our 7 day East Coast USA and Canada Tour
... the ground. It says it holds up to 14 hippos and while I was a bit hesitant at first it was very cool to see. Lezah didn't really like it but came on for a few seconds for a photo of our feet before cowering away.
At the bottom of CN Tower across the road there was a converted ...


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Scientific Forecaster Discussion
Area forecast discussion
National Weather Service Medford or
922 PM PDT Thursday Mar 26 2015
Discussion...record highs were set today in Klamath Falls,
Roseburg, and Montana Shasta city. The record high was tied in Medford.
There will not be another day of record highs on Friday as the
strong ridge of high pressure will push to the east. Areas of low
clouds and patchy fog are present along the coast and will also
develop in valleys overnight then dissipate Friday morning. A cold
front of weak strength...perhaps barely worthy of characterization
as moderate...will follow with increasing clouds, a chance of mainly
west side showers, and a slight chance of thunderstorms over the
southern Oregon Siskiyou and Cascade mountains from late afternoon
into Friday night. It will also produce breezy westerly winds Friday
afternoon and evening except for locally windy conditions with gusts
of 20 to 30 miles per hour at the coast and across the east side.
The 00z GFS and 12z European model (ecmwf) are finally in good although still not
perfect agreement with a weak shortwave in westerly flow for a
lingering slight chance of showers Saturday morning. The ec is
slightly deeper and more moist with this feature and indicates
very light showers north of the Umpqua Divide while the GFS
suggests the southern extent of the barely measureable rainfall
will skirt the northern fringe of Douglas and Klamath counties.
Shortwave ridging is expected later Saturday then a larger scale
ridge will nudge east to northeast into California and Oregon.
The next cold front is expected Monday night with measureable rain
likely at least west of the Cascades. The 00z GFS is stronger than
the ECMWF, and indicates quantitative precipitation forecast in the range of a quarter to a half
an inch in areas west and north of Jackson County. A few showers
are expected to linger on Tuesday.
With a zonal flow aloft on Tuesday and likely through much of the
week, temperatures next week will be closer to normal. Model
differences increase beyond Tuesday but the pattern looks
progressive and active with our area between systems headed into
the Pacific northwest and high pressure over the central and
southern portion of California. Confidence is very low, but there
is some potential that deeper troughing at the end of next week
could bring an early morning frost or freeze to west side
Aviation...for the 27/00z taf cycle...LIFR/IFR ceilings and
visible will return to the coast again shortly after sunset and
worsening overnight. IFR conditions are also expected to return to
the Umpqua basin around Roseburg where humidities are trending higher
than yesterday and all guidance points to low ceilings and poor
visibility before midnight. Elsewhere...humidities are trending
lower today...and only patchy fog is expected in west side valleys
tonight. East of the Cascades and in northern California...mainly
VFR conditions are expected through Friday morning.
On Friday afternoon enough energy from an approaching
trough...combined with some warm surface temperatures and
instability...could produce isolated thunderstorms over the
Cascades...mainly along and north of Crater Lake. Winds will also
increase ahead of this front allowing for gusty winds to surface
along the coast and east of the Cascades. Sk/mnd
Marine...updated 2 PM PDT Thursday 26 Mar 2015...a weak thermal
trough has increased north winds over the southern outer waters, but
are remaining below small craft criteria. A cold front will move
through the waters Friday afternoon...shifting winds to south ahead
of the front, then veering west to northwest after the front moves
through. Behind the front...high pressure builds in Friday night
into Saturday increasing northerly winds by Saturday
afternoon...possibly reaching low end small craft conditions. The
strongest winds will be south of Gold Beach and beyond 10 nm from
shore. Winds will diminish Saturday night into Sunday.
However...models have been consistent showing a building west swell
moving into the waters Sunday that may produce widespread low end
small craft conditions. A high and steep west swell may continue
through early next week. Mnd
Previous discussion... /issued 228 PM PDT Thursday Mar 26 2015/
Short term...high pressure is firmly in control of our weather
this afternoon. Skies are clear inland from the immediate coastal
strip, and temperatures are warming as expected. There is some low
level instability over the mountains which may result in brief
cumulus buildups later this afternoon, but little else is
expected. Persistent stratus along the coast this afternoon will
surge inland tonight, likely reaching into the western Umpqua
again. 24 hour trends elsewhere show much warmer temperatures,
but also higher moisture, which will yield higher cross-over
temperatures and increase the potential for fog. The point being:
we could see patchy fog and stratus develop again tomorrow morning
in the same places we had it this morning, and that has been
We will see increasing high cloud Friday over most of our area as
a weak front approaches the coast. This will result in a cool down
compared to today, but it will still be warmer than normal in most
locations. Instability will build again over the mountains, and
the difference tomorrow will be a bit more moisture to work with.
Thus there is a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms in
the afternoon over the Cascades as well as the east side late
afternoon and evening. Light rain is expected to reach the coast
by late afternoon and then spread inland to the Cascades through
the evening. This is not a particularly wet or dynamic system, so
the confidence in rain in the Rogue Valley is low, but some rain
is expected Friday night.
The front sweeps quickly inland Friday night and early Saturday.
Precipitation chances are much lower east of the Cascades, but we
do expect at least a brief period of gusty winds as the front GOES
through. The balance of the weekend (saturday afternoon through
sunday) looks dry and fairly mild area-wide. -Wright
Long term...Monday through Thursday...the extended forecast
features generally lowering heights and cooling conditions as a
series of weak shortwave troughs help maintain slight troughing or
zonal flow. There is above average disagreement amongst GFS
ensemble members by Wednesday...so confidence in the details of
the extended forecast is low.
Dry and breezy conditions are expected most places on Monday ahead
of a cold front. Monday night into Tuesday morning light rain could
affect mostly the coast...Umpqua basin...and Cascades north of
Highway 140. Another upper trough moves through Tuesday
night...with little to no precipitation...and reinforces relatively
cool temperatures which should be at or just below normal. By
Wednesday into Thursday...the operational GFS and ec differ
significantly on the expected 500mb pattern but neither one suggests
a big weather-maker or ridging...so weak transient troughs is the
general consensus.
Perhaps the single biggest impact in the extended forecast could be
near-freezing or freezing temperatures in west side valleys during
the Wednesday/Thursday timeframe. Ensemble MOS guidance already
shows low potential for Medford to be 35 degrees. If clear skies do
occur after one of these upcoming troughs...freezing temperatures
will be a good possibility in such a cool air mass. Sk
Mfr watches/warnings/advisories...
Pacific coastal waters...none.