text:
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 1
Rs 17.00 Vol III No 334 19 Pages Islamabad — Peshawar Edition
Friday, 31 May, 2013 Rajab 20, 1434
stories on page 03
story on page 03
story on page 04
stories on page 02
PTI takes KP speaker, deputy speaker slots unopposed story on page 02
Wave of bombings kills 30 in fresh iraq attacks
pML-n to focus on good governance, says shahbaz
A series of bombs in Iraq, including one targeting a provincial governor, killed at least 30 people Thursday and wounded dozens as a tireless wave of violence further rattled the country. Iraq is experiencing its most relentless round of bloodshed since the 2011 U.S. military withdrawal, deepening fears that the country is heading back toward the widespread sectarian fighting that pushed it to the brink of civil war in the years after the invasion. pag e 07
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) senior leader Shahbaz Sharif reiterated PML-N's conviction for good governance. Shahbaz urged Pakistanis in Britain to invest their money in Pakistan to bring prosperity to their homeland. He said his party had gained majority in Center and Punjab to form the government but they would make alliances for collective efforts to drag the country out from grave problems and severe challenges. pag e 09
police insincere with their own cannot benefit the masses: CJp story on page 19
experts foresee political will to create energy ministry
ioC threatens to suspend poa on govt interference
The 5Th Pakistan Oil and Gas Forum 2013, organised by SHAMROCK Conferences International, concluded on May 30 at the Marriott Islamabad demanding and foreseeing political will as the conduit to create an integrated Energy Ministry to build, improve and implement a comprehensive energy policy. A large number of delegates and industry stalwarts from government, regulatory bodies, oil & gas companies. pag e 16
The International Olympics Committee has in earnest decided to suspend the Pakistan Olympics Movement if the parallel Olympics body supported by the government kept upsetting the working of the POA headed by Lt Gen Arif Hasan. The IOC Executive Board's decision regarding Pakistan Olympic came on its website stated: "The EB noted with great concern that the situation of the Olympic Movement in Pakistan. pag e 16
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 2
N A hAt-trick for QAim news Friday, 31 May, 2013
drAmA iN SiNdh ASSembly over deputy SpeAker pollS
SyEDA SHEHlA RAzA
KARACHI iSmAiL diLAWAR
Syeda Shehla Raza of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the expected winner for the position of deputy speaker in the Sindh Assembly owing to her party's dominant position in the House, narrowly escaped defeat in retaining her former designation. Shehla was facing Heer Soho of the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Nusrat Seher Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F). A conspiracy theory was seen working at large in the Sindh Assembly where polling for the post of deputy speaker was termed void by the newly elected speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, but not before some 60 votes had been cast. An endless guessing game started in the press gallery of the provincial legislature when the speaker halted voting almost an hour after it began saying the ballot papers had errors. The speaker made the announcement on the complaint of a female PPP MPA who pointed out the issue. While some suspected the assembly secretariat for trying to rig the election, others viewed the incident as a genuine mistake. "There was a misprinting in the ballot papers," a lawmaker told Pakistan Today. The legislator said ballot papers carried the name of speaker Durrani, instead of Shehla Raza. The point which all observers agreed upon was that the lawmakers, especially those from PPP, had shown an unprecedented "ignorance". They wondered how such a big mistake could go unnoticed until the 61st vote was cast. "PPP legislators are so ignorant they could not recognise their candidate and continued with polling for one hour despite errors on the ballot papers," said a commentator. The misprinted ballot papers extended the assembly's session by at least one hour as re-polling took longer than expected and lasted till 5:30pm. Eventually, after the vote count, the speaker declared Shehla victorious after bagging 86 out of a total 152 votes. Heer bagged 48 votes, Abbasi 18, while five votes were rejected. Durrani administered oath to Shehla who retained the deputy speaker slot for the next five years.
QaiM, Ministers take oath
iSmAiL diLAWAR
HE Sindh Assembly, following two-day long session elected Syed Qaim Ali Shah as leader of the legislature for a third time on Thursday. Agha Siraj Durrani and Shehla Raza, also from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) were elected as speaker and deputy speaker with a majority vote, respectively. The visitors' gallery kept chanting ear-splitting slogans of "Jeay Bhutto" as the PPP candidates swept polls one after another. Two sittings of the House were put to order by the chair at 11:15am which lasted till 9pm when Qaim Ali Shah was elected as the chief executive of the province for the second consecutive term. Khairunnisa Mughal of PPP was sworn-in as 156th MPA in place of MNA-designate Shagufta Jumani. Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Dr Seema Zia of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were absent from the proceedings. For the post of chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah of PPP, Sardar Ahmed of Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Imtiaz Shaikh of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PMLF) had submitted their nominations. Contenders for the speaker's office were Durrani of PPP, Irfanullah Khan Marwat of PML-N and Khwaja Izharul Hasan of MQM. Amid full-throated slogans, Qaim Ali
KARACHI: Outgoing Sindh Assembly speaker Nisar Khuhro greets the new speaker of the House, Agha Siraj Durrani. STAFF PHOTO
Shah secured the highest votes, 86, followed by Sardar Ahmed with 48 votes and Imtiaz Shaikh with 18 votes. The members voted by rising on their seats. Qaim Ali Shah after being elected as the CM said Bhutto had dreamed of making Pakistan a true Islamic state. He lashed out at the Sharifs without naming them. He said "people" were trying to imitate Bhutto's style of speech and claimed to bring Metro Bus System to Karachi. "Don't show us how to do our job, we know it well enough," he said. Terming the May 11 polls as unique, the PPP stalwart underlined different welfare projects his party had carried out under the manifesto of "Roti, Kapra aur Makaan". He cited the NFC award as a major achievement of his party's five-year rule. "Bhuttos would be remembered for centuries and President Zardari is a guiding force for us," he said. He set controlling law and order as the top priority of his govern-
ment. Health, education, poverty alleviation and unemployment were other priorities the CM set for his government. Thanking President Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Bilawal Bhutto and the House for their support, the newly elected speaker of the legislature, Agha Siraj Durrani, vowed to run the house proceedings in a balanced manner. Meanwhile, the PTI was seen standing by and large in isolation as it is not allied with any party in Sindh. In his maiden speech on the floor of the house, Hafeezuddin of PTI called for accountability of those responsible for the "politically-motivated targeted killings" of 5,400 people during the five-year rule of the PPP-led coalition government. Hafeezuddin hoped the new government would concentrate on the well being of the province that was a revenue engine for the whole country. Self-accountability, he said, was the key to improving law and order in the city. He did not rise in favour of any of
PTI takes KP speaker, deputy speaker slots unopposed ASAD QAISER ELECTED NEW SPEAKER, IMTIAZ QURESHI WILL BE HIS DEPUTY
the three candidates while two of his party fellows were not seen in the House during voting for the top slot in Sindh. Other lawmakers such as Imtiaz Sheikh and Khuhro urged the need for political parties to ignore political differences and work jointly for betterment of the people of Sindh. PML-N lawmaker Marwat assured the PPP of full support in all positive policies in Sindh and Center, which he said, would not interfere in provincial affairs unnecessarily. CARETAKER GOVT DISSOLVED: The Sindh caretaker government was dissolved late on Thursday night as the new setup has taken charge of affairs, said a notification.
Schedule for 1St NA SeSSioN fiNAliSed ISLAMABAD inP
PESHAWAR SHAmim SHAHid
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Asad Qaisar and Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi were on Thursday unanimously and unopposed, elected the speaker and deputy speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, respectively. Both the newly elected speaker and deputy speaker were administered oath and assumed charge of office. Outgoing speaker Karamatullah Khan Chagharmati administered the oath to Asad Qaisar. The unopposed election of both speaker and deputy speaker became possible when outgoing speaker Karamatullah Khan suggested mediation between opposition and treasury benches for electing the two officials. After taking the august house into confidence, Karamatullah announced adjourning of the session and invited parliamentary leaders from all parties into his chamber. After hectic dialogue and argument, the opposition parties agreed to give a walk-over to the PTI, which emerged as the majority political force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assem-
KARACHI: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad administered oath of office to Syed Qaim Ali Shah and his cabinet of ministers on Thursday night. The oath-taking ceremony was largely attended by prominent personalities from various walks of life. The ministers who took oath were Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Mir Manzoor Hussain Wassan, Makhdoon Jamiluz Zaman, Dr Sikandar Mondrio and Ali Nawaz Mahar. Syed Murad Ali Shah was appointed as adviser to the Sindh chief minister. His notification would be issued later. STAFF REPORT
PESHAWAR: the khyber pakhtunkhwa assembly in session on thursday. nni
bly after the May 11 polls. In this respect, leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz also took their seniors into confidence. At the very outset of discussion in the speaker's chamber, the PMLN leaders said they were willing to give PTI a walkover, but in return, they must go for a similar exercise in the National Assembly. The JUI-F parliamentary leader Maulana Lutafur Rahman was reluctant to give a free hand to the PTI candidates, saying, "We do not recognise PTI's mandate." However, after hectic efforts of three hours, the parliamentary leaders of all parties agreed to go ahead with previous traditions and gave a free hand to the PTI in election of speaker and deputy speaker. Upon resuming proceeding of the House, Karamatullah congratulated the leaders and
members from all political forces for the reconciliation. He called it a good omen not only for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but for the rest of the country as well. On completion of election of the speaker and deputy speaker, a number of MPs, including PML-N's Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, ANP's Sardar Hussain Babak, PPP's Syed Mohammad Ali Shah and Neghat Aurakzai, Jamaat Isami's Sirajul Haq, PTI's Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, JUI-F's Maulana Lutafur Rahman and Uzma Khan and others congratulated Asad Qaisar and Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi on their election. Sardar Hussain Babak of ANP told Qaiser, "Now you have to decide about party office as office of the speaker is very sensitive and the speaker has to be impartial." Qaisar is the provincial president of the PTI.
National Assembly (NA) Secretariat finalised the schedule for the first session of the House after general elections on Saturday, Ist June, 2013 at 10 am. The first day's agenda will be oath taking by the newly elected members and signing of rolls. The previous NA Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza will administer oath to members. After signing of rolls, the legislature will be adjourned for 3rd June when election of speaker and deputy speaker will take place. Nomination papers of candidates for speaker and deputy speaker will be received by the NA secretary till noon on Sunday, while election of for these positions will be held through a secret ballot on Monday, 3rd June, 2013. According to the programme, nomination papers for the prime minister's election will be received on Tuesday, 4th June till 2.00 pm by the NA secretary and election will be held through division as provided in Article 226 on Wednesday, 5th June, 2013.
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 3
Friday, 31 May, 2013
drone kills ttp leader...and the talks offer TTP SPOKESMAN SAYS OFFER FOR PEACE TALKS WITH GOVT WAS MADE WITH GOOD INTENTION BUT THE MILITANTS NOW THINK THAT DRONE ATTACKS ARE CARRIED OUT WITH GOVT'S APPROVAL PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT
HE Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) withdrew their offer of peace talks on Thursday, following the death of the group's deputy leader in an American drone attack, a spokesman for the insurgent group said. The news is a blow to the incoming government of Nawaz Sharif, elected partly on promises to bring about peace after years of deadly attacks by militants against civilians and security forces. Talking from an undisclosed location, TTP Spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan confirmed that the group's second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, was killed on Wednesday in an American drone attack in the tribal areas of Pakistan that border Afghanistan. Officials said at the time that at least four other militants were killed in the attack. Earlier, intelligence officials had said that Rehman was buried at an undisclosed location. Two intelligence officials said that informants on the ground told them that Rehman was buried on Wednesday night. Two militants claimed they attended the fu-
neral. All four spoke on the condition of anonymity. US NOT SURE: Earlier in the day, the United States said it was not in a position to confirm Rehman's reported death. A White House spokesman also indicated that the US would continue drone strikes against high level al Qaeda militants and those threatening to attack American troops deployed in Afghanistan until 2014 drawdown. "We are not in a position to confirm the reports of Waliur Rehman's death," Press Secretary Jay Carney said. He, however, added, "If those reports (about death of Waliur Rehman) were true or proved to be true, it's worth noting that his demise would deprive the TTP of its second-in-command and chief military strategist." Carney noted that Rehman has "participated in cross border attacks in Afghanistan against US and NATO personnel and horrific attacks against Pakistani civilians and soldiers". President Barack Obama's spokesman added that Rehman had also been wanted in connection with the murder of seven Americans in a forward operating base in Khost, Afghanistan, in a suicide blast in 2009. His remarks, coming after President Obama's speech committing US to greater transparency and oversight on drone operations, indicated that the US would continue drone strikes against terrorism suspects in the Afghan war theater until 2014. "That means we will continue to take strikes against high-value al Qaeda targets but also against forces that are massing for support attacks on coalition forces," he said, referring to the US president's remarks in a major speech.
fIlE PHOtO
"By the end of 2014, we will no longer have the same need for force protection… and the progress we have made against core al Qaeda will reduce the need for unmanned strikes." NEW TTP DEPUTY: Meanwhile, Khan Said aka Sajana Mehsud was nominated to succeed Rehman as the TTP second-incommand. Said is believed to be a close aide of Rehman. The militant group had said earlier that it was open to peace talks. But Ihsan said on Thursday that the Taliban believe the government approves of the drone strikes so they are withdrawing their
offer of peace talks. ''We had made the offer for peace talks with the government with good intention but we think that these drone attacks are carried out with the approval of the government so we announce the end of the talks process,'' he said. The TTP, formed in late 2007, aims to overthrow the government, which it believes is too closely aligned with the United States. The militant group has been responsible for hundreds of shootings and bombings across Pakistan that have resulted in thousands of deaths.
Nawaz assures US of anti-terror cooperation LAHORE/ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan and the United States will work collectively to counter terrorism. He was addressing US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan James Dobbins. Sharif said that his incoming government will make effective measures to improve the living standards of citizens, adding that all available resources will be utilised to resolve the power crisis Pakistan is facing, he continued. Dobbins responded by saying that American businessmen will invest in Pakistan to strengthen its economy, while America will continue to play its role in strengthening democracy in the country. Earlier in the day, Dobbins held sittings with top Pakistani military and civilian leadership in Islamabad in connection with the present and post-US Afghan scenario.
Ambassador Dobbins and his interlocutors , during their sittings with top Pakistani military and civilian brass, discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues, including advancing shared counterterrorism objectives; increasing economic opportunity; strengthening civilian democracy and civil society; and supporting an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process. During his two-day visit Dobbins met Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani during which the two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, the situation in Afghanistan and the counter terrorism measures being taken by both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Dobbins urged the need for strengthening cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan to defeat militants present on both sides of the border. The Pakistani side also took up the issue of border violations with the US official. Over crossborder attacks, both the sides agreed to
stop attaCks or shoot doWn drones, iMran asks naWaz lAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday asked prime minister-designate Nawaz Sharif to either ask the United States to stop the drone attacks and in case Washington did not heed the warning, he should order shooting down the drones violating Pakistan's territory. "Drone attacks will not be tolerated inside Pakistan," the PTI chief said in statement. He said the people had voted those parties to power which promoted anti-drone policies. "The people have rejected the policies adopted and pursued by former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf," he added. STAFF REPORT
raise the volume of information and intelligence sharing and to form a joint strategy to counter terrorist activities. Dobbins also telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari who is in Karachi these days. The US diplomat also called on Foreign Secretary Jalil Jil-
lani at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Jilani briefed Dobbins about the steps taken by Pakistan for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and reiterated Pakistan's commitment to remain positively engaged in supporting the peace process.
Earlier this year the group had indicated it was open to the idea of peace talks to end years of fighting if certain individuals, including two-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif were involved. The talks did not go anywhere at the time but the victory of Sharif's party at the polls on May 11 once again brought the issue to the forefront. Days after the election, Nawaz, who is set to become prime minister for a third time, called for peace talks with the Taliban militants. He said the Taliban offers to talk should be taken seriously.
SAmiul hAQ SAyS droNe AttAck Scuttled tAlkS proceSS Hours after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced its decision to call off its dialogue offer, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq said that the drone attack on TTP deputy chief Waliur Rehman had sabotaged the peace process between the militants and government. In an interview to a private TV channel, Haq said: "Whenever peace talks are proposed, America sabotages the process." The JUI-S leader said that Pakistan must prove to the Taliban that it was not complicit in Rehman's killing, adding that the killing of the militant commander was not only a major loss for the TTP, it was also a loss for all of Pakistan. "Our entire country is burning in this [TTP] fire." mOniTORinG dESK
Drone death a blow to Taliban - and to peace efforts MOnItORIng DESK The killing of the Pakistani Taliban's deputy leader is a heavy blow to the militants but could also complicate peace efforts due to the loss of a relatively moderate voice, analysts say. Waliur Rehman, second-in-command of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was killed in the early hours of Wednesday by a US drone attack in the tribal district of North Waziristan, according to Pakistani security officials. The TTP has killed thousands in its bloody campaign of gun and bomb attacks in recent years, attacking the Pakistani state for being insufficiently Islamic and for allying itself with the US "war on terror". Washington refused to confirm Rehman's death but said that if true it would mean the TTP had lost its "chief military strategist", blamed for assaults on US forces in Afghanistan including a suicide attack that killed seven CIA agents. The TTP groups numerous different tribal and militant factions, sometimes competing. Analyst Saifullah Khan Mehsud said the 42-year-old Rehman was the only figure
since Baitullah Mehsud, the network's founder, to inspire respect across the spectrum. "His death is a big blow to the TTP, they have lost their statesman, they have lost a man who had the support of the rank and file and I believe that it will be very difficult for the TTP to replace him," Mehsud, executive director of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Research Centre, told AFP. "When we look at the current leadership, mid- and high leadership among the TTP, we don't see anyone who has supposedly the capability to replace Waliur Rehman." Rehman, who had three wives and was a member of the Mehsud tribe which dominates the TTP, was a key figure in the outfit from its inception in 2007. He came from a religious background and set up a seminary in his native South Waziristan before taking up arms. Pakistan's incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif has raised the possibility of talks with the Taliban to try to end the bombings and shootings that plague life on an almost daily basis. Tribal affairs and security expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said Rehman's
links to the mainstream religious Jamiat Pakistani state, it would be very, very diffiUlema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) party, seen as a cult for the Pakistani state to come to terms possible go-between in any talks, could have with the fact that they will have to talk with someone like him," he said. In any event, made him a useful interlocutor. "A common perception about Rehman peace talks look a distant prospect. Sharif has was his political mind – he was considered set accepting the Constitution and the rule of law as a condition for as a man who coming to the table, believed in something the TTP ret a l k s , " ject. Moreover, meaningYusufzai told ful dialogue could only AFP. "He was go ahead with the blessclose to JUI-F ing of the armed forces, and his elimiPakistan's most powerful nation from institution. the scene would be a great setback to the peace efforts." T T P supremo Hakimullah Mehsud, himself several times mistakenly reported killed by US drone strikes, is seen as a more hardline militant and Mehsud the analyst said negotiating with him would be difficult. "He is considered as very volatile RAHImullAH yuSufzAI and considering his crimes against the
Last month the military chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani made it clear the militants could not dictate terms for talks. "We sincerely desire that all those who have strayed and have picked up arms against the nation, return to the national fold," he said in a speech. "However, this is only possible once they unconditionally submit to the state, its Constitution and the rule of law. There is no room for doubts when it comes to dealing with rebellion against the state." Yusufzai said the killing could well drive the TTP even further away from the path to peace. "Taliban will take revenge as they had already said that Pakistan military are cooperating with US on drone strikes," he said. "But Taliban cannot take revenge on Americans, which means they will speed up their attacks on Pakistan military and security forces." Analyst Hasan Askari said the drone strike would raise pressure on the Taliban because they were powerless to strike back against the Americans. "It is a setback for the Pakistani Taliban. It has shown the US capacity and it will build more psychological effects on the Taliban," Askari said.
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 4
news Friday, 31 May, 2013
'n'to ensUre UniforM edUCation systeM: naWaz
khoso sUbMits repLy in sC, regrets transfers, postings ISLAMABAD
ARETAKER Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on Thursday submitted his reply to the contempt of court notice regarding transfer of officials, saying he had withdrawn all such orders and regretted the decision. Khoso said he took the step as he had great respect for the judiciary and could not even imagine violating rules and regulations enunciated by the courts. The prime minister made it clear that he had recognised the Anita Turab case verdict in its true spirit. He argued that he had
taken decisions in order to arrange fair and transparent elections. "If these orders are against the spirit of law, I have no repression over taking those decisions back," he said in his reply. A three-judge bench of the SC had issued contempt of court notices to the caretaker PM, his personal secretary and establishment secretary for making transfers in violation of judgements of the apex court in this regard. "Indeed Election Commission's orders dated April 2
oGrA recommeNdS rS 2.20 per litre hike iN pol priceS ISLAMABAD inP
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Thursday recommend up to Rs 2.20 per litre hike in POL prices from June 1. A summary was moved in this regard by the Ministry of Petroleum on Thursday, sources said. According to the summary, petrol rates were recommended to be hiked by Rs 2.20 per litre and that of light diesel by Rs 0.10. A cut of Rs 1.50 per litre in hi-speed diesel price has been proposed, as well as a cut of Rs 0.40 per liter in Kerosene oil price. Sources said OGRA would notify new rates after a final approval of the summary in consultation with petroleum and finance ministries. The new rates would be affective from June 1.
pleA SeekiNG cJp'S Service exteNSioN reJected ISLAMABAD AGEnCiES
Supreme Court (SC) returned a petition filed for extension in the service of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with objections. Advocate Abdur Rashid Qureshi moved a writ petition in the court with the stance that the CJP remained suspended for 22 months, so his service period should be extended accordingly terming it a constitutional right of the chief justice. SC Registrar's Office rejected the application with five objections, arguing that the petitioner is not an affected party in the application. The apex court office was also of the view that the petitioner had not raised the issue on a related forum in this regard.
ch SArwAr likely to be New pAk hiGh commiSSioNer to uk ISLAMABAD OnLinE
Former member of the UK's House of Commons, Chaudhry Sarwar, is likely to replace Wajid Shamsul Hasan as Pakistan's high commissioner to the United Kingdom. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership held a meeting with Sarwar and offered him the post of Pakistan high commissioner to UK, according to media reports. Pakistan-born Sarwar was the first Muslim member of the British parliament and was elected thrice as member of the UK's House of Commons. Sarwar is considered a close associate of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. According to sources, Chaudhry Sarwar was also offered the post of Punjab governor.
LAHORE AGEnCiES
were the root cause and origin of issuance of these orders which led this court to contemplate action in this case. The answering respondent PM regrets having issued them most inadvertently and with no intention to cause offence either by design or even remotely," the written reply filed by the PM said. The bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ejaz Afzal is to take up the case on June 6.
seMinar stresses need to separate reLigion froM the state LAHORE STAFF REPORT
A seminar on importance of religion was hosted by the Centre for Public Policy and Governance, FC College in collaboration with the Centre for Research and Security Studies on Wednesday. The seminar titled "State, Religion and Democracy" was attended by a large number of students and faculty members. The speakers highlighted the need to not just separate religion from state, but to carry it out in moderation. Turkey also provides a valuable case study on the transformation of the role of the military and emphasizes the importance of economic progress and education as society shifts from rural to urban area, in building a moderate and enlightened society. Maramara University Istanbul Associate Professor Dr Nuri Tinaz and Fatih University Department of Sociology Head Dr Ali Murat Yel spoke on the occasion. Dr Saeed Shafqat opened the
seminar with the observation that while religion was not a policy concern two to three decades ago, it has become the centre piece of policy issues today. While Turkey and Pakistan have had similar experiences with civil-military relations, Turkey has moved away from a military hegemonic system but the question remains, how much of this achievement can be attributed to the political leadership? Dr Yel discussed Turkey's experience with juggling politics and religion in history from a historical point of view. He credited good governance and economic growth provided by the civilians for sending the military back to its barracks. Dr Nuri spoke about the transformation of Turkish society from a sociological view point. He said the changes in Turkish society could be attributed in part to greater rural to urban migration, a flourishing urban culture and education. He pointed out three kinds of secularism that came to define Turkey's experience: symbolic, institutional and functional.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif has said his government would ensure a uniform educational system in the country. He was talking to British educationist Michael Barbar' who called on him on Thursday. Nawaz said education of international standards would be introduced in the country. He said Pakistanis were ranked highly in the field of education and provision of quality education would further enhance their capabilities. NAWAz SHARIf'S mAIDEN SPEECH fINALISED: Meanwhile, a PML-N spokesman said that Nawaz Sharif's speech for the first session of the 14th National Assembly had been finalised. PML-N Central Secretary Information Mushahidullah Khan said Nawaz Sharif's maiden speech would encompass all national issues, including energy crisis, law and order situation, unemployment and economic situation of the country. After taking oath as
Us arMy prefers ConfidenCe bUiLding With pakistan: pentagon WASHINGTON: In the backdrop of a regime change in Pakistan, a top Pentagon general has said the US army's first preference was to build confidence and develop relationship with Islamabad. "Our first attempt is always to build confidence, build capabilities, develop relationships between countries and us assisting in doing that," General Ray Odierno, US Army Chief of Staff, said at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think-tank. "I think I have seen in a lot cases where the military can begin that. Militaryto-military relationships can begin to establish confidence, or at least a bit of trust between nations that allows us to do this. So that's always our first priority," he said. OnLinE
pML-n to focus on reducing power cuts: aziz ISLAMABAD APP
PML-N leader Sartaj Aziz on Thursday said priority of the new government is to reduce power load shedding. Taking to Radio Pakistan, he said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after assuming the charge of the government would announce a 100-day roadmap to address the energy and economic crises of the country. The roadmap would be reflective of the PML-N manifesto, including quick economic revival, he added. The roadmap
included short and long-term power generation projects and how to deal with the circular debts. Aziz said that a task force is working on it as the circular debts have increased to Rs 800 billion. He said the main cause of load shedding was unjust distribution of gas and there was also lack of good governance. He said it would be his party's endeavour that the resources should be distributed on judicial basis. PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal also said that the problems being faced by the people, including energy crisis, revival of economy, poverty, unemployment and terror-
ism would be resolved with dedication. He said that in the past, these problems could not be solved due to incompetence and corruption. The PML-N would form government in Punjab where it enjoyed majority, he added. In Balochistan, his party's efforts would bring a broad-based government which move forward with the help of all political forces. He said negotiations were underway with the nationalist parties in this regard. He said, "We have to restore peace, develop mineral and open more trade corridors with China in Balochistan."
Leader of the House in National Assembly on June 5, Sharif would give a roadmap his government would follow during the next five years. He said Nawaz Sharif may also come up with any surprise announcement to introduce any public welfare project to get applause from the people. He said major part of Sharif's speech would deal with the power crisis and it is hoped that he would announce an end to unscheduled load shedding besides giving a line of action for permanent deliverance from the issue. Nawaz would also touch the foreign policy issues including drone attacks in tribal areas and regional peace, particularly with reference to Afghan situation. He said the speech draft has been prepared with the help of party's senior leadership and the final approval has been accorded by Nawaz. Nawaz would also highlight the characteristics of his government including the cabinet size. He would also introduce some austerity measures his government would enforce.
pakistani LaWyer sCores first KARACHI PRESS RELEASE
Pakistani lawyer Zarrar Sehgal has been declared among the top 10 transportation and aviation finance lawyers in the USA, according to an announcement by Chambers and has been ranked in the prestigious "Band 1". Zarrar Sehgal is the first Pakistani to enter the category and the first lawyer in the world of any nationality below the age of forty years to enter the list at Band 1. Zarrar Sehgal is the Global Head of Transport and Logistics and has extensive experience representing underwriters, lenders, lessors and governmental agencies engaged in a wide variety of asset finance transactions, including portfolio securitizations, acquisition financing, leveraged leasing, EETC transactions, secured lending, structured financing and credit enhancement. Zarrar is a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum. He serves as an aviation finance lawyer
with strong relationships and strong capital markets skills and is also an advisor to several of the large investment and commercial banks. He is also the President of TCFUSA, a non-profit organization affiliated with The Citizens Foundation in Pakistan. A BA from Boston University and a JD (Juris Doctor) from Georgetown University Law Center, Sehgal is a Partner at Clifford Chance LLP, which is a global law firm offering a comprehensive and nationally recognized law services, backed by top ranked practices in the world's major financial and business centres. The firm advises leading international financial institutions. Chambers publishes the world's leading guides to the legal profession and has built a reputation for in-depth and objective research since 1990. It operates with a team of over 140 highly qualified full-time researchers who conduct thousands of interviews with lawyers and their clients worldwide. Based on their research, Chambers honours outstanding practitioners from around the world.
eLiMinating afghan taLiban not possibLe: Us generaL WASHIngtOn inP
The Taliban in Afghanistan will never be completely defeated and this year's fighting season is still "up for grabs", the commander of NATO-led forces in south-western Afghanistan said on Wednesday. "If we think the Taliban will be completely destroyed, that's not feasible. They'll continue to show up," Major Gen-
eral Lee Miller told reporters at the Pentagon during a briefing via satellite from Afghanistan. "The key is to get the Afghan national security forces to the level where they can maintain security for the populace of Afghanistan," he added. Miller said that in recent months Afghan forces have made significant progress in their ability to defend against Taliban attacks, citing success in an ongoing battle in Sangin, in Helmand Province, an area that has been a hotbed for
insurgents. The fighting, which began May 25, should be over in a matter of hours, Miller predicted. Even with the expected Afghan Security Forces victory, Miller warned, "The fighting season is still up in the air and up for grabs." With international combat troops preparing to withdraw by the end of 2014, Afghan forces are taking on new levels of responsibility during the warm weather months when most combat occurs. Miller said Sangin
shows that Afghans are increasingly ready for the challenge, saying that they have only asked for airlift and logistical support, and have turned down NATO offers for more aid. Miller said the number of Taliban who attacked Sangin was only around 150, but a US military official estimated the number was more than 200. Those figures include some foreign fighters, Miller said, but when asked of their nationality he said only, "at this time, I'd prefer not to answer that."
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 5
You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing. –Thomas Sowell
Summer briNGS foreSt fire ISLAMABAD APP
Friday, 31 May, 2013
The CDA fire fighters on Thursday extinguished a fire which erupted at the Margalla Hills near Monal Restaurant and Pir Sohawa picnic point. According to an official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the fire erupted at 9am at jungle number RS-16 and spread to a vast area of the hills within a short span of time, however, it was suppressed after a four-hour long operation. Around 65 fire fighters took part in the operation. The official said the reason for fire eruption was yet to be ascertained. An inquiry into the incident had been initiated. He said the location of site, which was far from the road, and uneven surface area impeded the operation. He claimed that no grown trees had been gutted except bushes and small plants. The fire at the hills has become an annual phenomenon which occurs during every summer, which not only destroys the natural beauty but also harms wildlife. Two other such incidents were reported in the vicinity of the Jinnah Avenue and the Cantt where the fire extinguishers saved the day owing to a timely rescue operation.
WeAther UpdAteS
370C high 220Low C
SAtUrdAy 39C I 23°C
PRAyER TiminGS
Fajr 3:18
Sunrise Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha 4:59 12:05 3:50 7:11 8:52
brace yourself for the upcoming NA session ICT OFFICIAL SAYS CONSTITUTION AVENUE, D-CHOWK AND AREA FROM PTV BUILDING TO CABINET DIVISION HAVE BEEN DECLARED RED ZONE ISLAMABAD
HE Interior Ministry has directed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration to ensure foolproof security arrangements for upcoming National Assembly session scheduled for June 1, an official source said on Thursday. He said that it has been directed to further beef up security in the city as well as near the Parliament Lodges and Constitution Avenue. Security of Red Zone, including Constitution Avenue and D-Chowk would be also on high alert and irrelevant as well as unauthorized persons would not be allowed to travel through these routes. An ICT official said that the Constitution Avenue, D-Chowk, and area from PTV building to Cabinet Division have been declared as Red Zone.
The ICT admin has advised unauthorised people not to travel towards the parliament building to avoid any inconvenience. Source said that security staff of parliament would be present at the gates of parliament to receive the newly elected members of National Assembly after the identification while elaborate security measures would be in place within the building. District administrators have directed IG Islamabad to beef up security at exit and entry points of the capital and maintain strict vigilance against suspicious elements. It has been directed to ensure strict security in the Capital and conduct checking of vehicles at all the exit and entry points. ICT police has already increased mobile patrolling throughout the Federal Capital and extra ordinary security measures are being put in place in and around Parliament House as well as other
sensitive installations in the city. Meanwhile, a police source said that strict checking of vehicles has been started at all entry and exit routes of Islamabad as security has been put on high alert in the capital. He said all SPs, SDPOs and SHOs of all police stations have been directed to take strict action against suspicious people and anti-social elements. Owners of hotels and guest houses have been directed to submit details of all visitors with their respective police stations, he added. Likewise, property dealers and people involved in rent-a-car business were directed to keep information about their clients and also provide it to police. He said that security has been tightened around all sensitive installations as well as government buildings and extra force has been provided to police station.
IHC AGAInsT FAULTY CnG KITs ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to remove substandard and extra compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders from the public service transport. The court passed this order, while hearing a petition which highlighted recent Gujrat van tragedy, where 16 school children and their teacher died after their van caught fire. The petitioner challenged the multiples cylinders fixed in vehicles. Chief Justice Anwar Khan Kasi while admitting the application of Waqas Malik, had directed Secretary Islamabad Transport Authority ITA, chief commissioner and secretary Interior to check all the vehicles carrying multiples cylinders and remove the extra cylinders especially from school and colleges vans. The court sought complete report from
the said officials in next week. The petitioner, Waqas Malik, in his application contended that government is responsible for the killing of school children in Gujrat, as it didn't check the vehicles carrying multiple CNG cylinders. The petitioner made commissioner Islamabad, Islamabad Traffic Police inspector general, secretary interior, secretary Islamabad Transport Authority, secretary, Petroleum and Natural Resources secretary, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman, and Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP)'s Director general as respondents. He contended that cylinders explode incidents were rapidly increasing in the country, concerned officials were paying no heeds toward this serious issue, which so far have claimed many precious lives. The petitioner maintained that the vehicle owners in connivance with the officials concerned had installed
multiple gas cylinders which is a dangerous practice, which could play havoc with the innocent lives. He told the court that two or three gas cylinders on average had been fitted under the seats of these vehicles, however in big vehicles like commercial buses seven to eight cylinders were being used. Referring to the incidents which took place in 2011, the petitioner drew the court attention towards the number of incidents of explostion of Gas Cylinders in pubic service vehicles. He informed the court that on July 2011, 15 people were burnt alive when a CNG cylinder in a van exploded in the Koral area outskirt of city. Similarly 28 people were burnt alive when a gas cylinder in a passenger van exploded in Faisalabad in February 2012. Whereas, four people died due to explosion of CNG cylinder in Muzaffargarh. After hearing arguments and passing said order the court adjourned the hearing till the next week.
Khoso for technical education ISlAmABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Hazar Khan Khoso on Thursday said priority should be given to technical education so that youth can be productively employed and play a constructive role in progress and development of the country. Khoso said this while reviewing the performance of the ministries of Human Resource Development and Overseas Pakistanis at the PM's House. Ministry of Human Resource Development Secretary Abdul Khaliq briefed Khoso on the functions, objectives and performance of the ministry. He said that one of the functions of Human Resource Development was to work for the welfare of the working class. In this connection, the ministry was running Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) which finances the establishment of educational, health and housing facilities for the working class. Khoso said the WWF should invest more in the education sector as it makes all the difference. He said he belonged to a rural and remote area of Balochistan but was able to make a mark in life because of education. The PM regretted that education was beyond the reach of the poor. The PM was told that the Ministry of Human Resource Development was planning to open polytechnic institutes in Sohbatpur, Manjipur, Lehri, Jhal Magsi and other remote areas of KP and Balochistan. APP
DRAP CeO sACKeD ISlAmABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) has removed controversial senior joint secretary Arshad Farooq Fahim in the wake of drugs pricing scam. Fahim, who was serving as the chief executive officer, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), was allegedly behind raising the prices of drugs to benefit some of the big drugs manufacturers during the tenure of Pakistan People's Party-led government. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was investigating the case and had found some concrete evidences against Fahim, following which the current decision has been introduced. The ministry in this relation has already issued a notification for the cancellation/withdrawal of the previous notification under which Fahim was appointed as a CEO DRAP. The notification (F NO 16 (56)2012-SO (DRAP-III), issued by the ministry said that with approval of the Secretary, DR. Qazi Abdus Saboor, DG (Health) has been given additional charge of the position of the Chief Executive Officer, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) with immediate effect. Source also confirmed that Ministry concerned has directed the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to take charge of his new responsibility on immediate. STAFF REPORT
four iN oNe ISlAmABAD: A woman gave birth to quadruplets in Quaid-eAzam International Hospital (QIH) on Thursday. All of them are stated to be in good health. Gynaecology Department head Dr Salma Kafeel said three of the newborns were male while the fourth one was a female and were in neonatal Intensive care unit.
She said that all the babies and their mother were healthy and stable and average weight of each babies was over 900 grams. She said that the birth of quadruplets was unusual and the hospital had received such like cases in the recent past. "The children in the incubators are being constantly monitored," she said and added that they would be kept there for one to three weeks. APP
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 6
Any change is resisted because bureaucrats have a vested interest in the chaos in which they exist. –Richard M. Nixon
IsLAMAbAD Friday, 31 May, 2013
cAA ordered not to receive entry fee at benazir airport
flIP AND SPlASH: Children make the best of summer season by enjoying a nice cool dip wherever they find a water pond. this time it was at zero Point at a pool created by virtue of a leaking water pipe line. SAjjAd ALi
RAWAlPINDI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Thursday directed the Civil Aviation Authority to stop receiving entry fee from passengers and relatives at Benazir International Airport. A bench heard a petition filed by Raja Samiul Haq Satti in which the CAA DG, chairman Pay and Pension Commission, the chairman NAB, the manager Logistic Park and contractor were made party. The petitioner was of the view that at nine airports of the country entry fee could not be received but Rs 20 were received from each passenger and their relatives at Benazir airport. He said the Defence Ministry had allowed the collection of entry fee, but the ministry prosecutor denied the blame. The court after conclusion of arguments in its brief verdict directed the CAA DG to immediately stop collecting the entry fee. STAFF REPORT
extension in last date of ix exams registration demanded RAWAlPINDI: The students and educational circles have demanded the authorities concerned to extend the last date of registration for IX exam under Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (RBISE) to 1st of September. The students said that the board authorities had set May 17th as last date for IX exams registration but website of the educational board could not be functional despite the lapse of many days after the due date. Eventually, hundreds of students could not complete the registration within the due date and their one educational year is on stake. Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association has announced that if the RBISE did not extended the registration date, all private schools of the division would end affiliation with the Rawalpindi educational board and affiliate with the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE). Criticising the wrong policies of Punjab Boards Committee of Chairmen, president of the association said the Punjab Information Technology had received millions of rupees from the educational boards of the province to develop the online system but the system proved to be a total failure. inP
cdA fails to provide relief to water-starved residents CDA OFFICIAL SAYS AUTHORITY HAS DECIDED TO USE GENERATORS TO OPERATE TUBE WELLS IN VIEW OF PROLONGED POWER OUTAGES ISLAMABAD
HE Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to ensure water supply both through pipelines or even water tankers to the residents across the Capital. The residents of "I" series sectors are facing acute water shortage for last few weeks but CDA's Water Management Wing gives a deaf ear to the increasing complaints by the residents. "With the increasing temperature, the demand of water rises manifolds but the residents are provided water supply for a few minutes in 24 hours forcing them to
adopt alternate arrangements," Ejazul Haq, a resident in I-10/2 sector informed this agency. Similarly, due to poor and inefficient water tankers service, the consumers hardly get water supply, he added. Another resident, Sajjad Hussain, alleged that the water tanker service officials were supplying water to the areas housing VVIPs. He pointed out that last year, a number of families had to shift to their relatives in Rawalpindi and suburbs due to water shortage but the civic body's role is confined to mere lip service despite putting huge funds for improvement of water tanker service and other measures to
ensures in this regard. A few residents whose houses are located at elevated surfaces are now looking for other options including drilling well in their house against heavy cost. When contacted, an official of the CDA said that in view of prolonged power outages, the authority has decided to use generators to operate tube-wells to overcome water shortage in the metropolis. He said the CDA chairman had also directed the Water Management Wing to resolve the issue of water shortage in view of the sharp increase in water complaints in 'I' and 'G' sectors. The CDA chairman had also directed the Members Engineering to hire the services of private water tankers in addition to the authority's own fleet but any considerable improvement in water supply situation is yet awaited.
Muslims need unity and harmony: Iranian envoy RAWISH SAYS ANTI-ISLAM FORCES WERE MANIPULATING A NEGATIVE IMAGE OF ISLAM ISLAMABAD APP
Iranian Deputy Ambassador to Pakistan Hussain Rawish on Thursday said Muslims needed unity and harmony to counter efforts aimed at spreading negative image of Islam. Iqbal's poetry is a great contribution towards reaching this goal as well as having a clear understanding of the true essence of Islam, he said, speaking as a chief guest at a Persian language speech contest held at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML).
The envoy said that anti-Islam forces were manipulating a negative image of Islam, which could only be faced by merely standing by the teachings of Islam. Iqbal had beautifully translated this message in his poetry in Persian and Urdu languages. So anyone who has knowledge of these languages could easily understand the message, he added. He said Iran and Pakistan were two neighbouring brother Islamic countries, sharing deep cultural, social and religious bonds. Such academic events help both to remove all barriers and materialize the
dream of one Muslims, he added. The speech contest was arranged by the Department of Persian Language at NUML on the topics "Iqbal's philosophy of Khudi", "Unity among Muslim Ummah" and "Iqbal, Quran and Persian Literature". The students of Persian and Dari departments delivered speeches, recited Iqbal's poems and Chinese students recited verses in Persian language. Muhammad Waseem got the first position, Ejaz Ahmed stood second and Tasawar Ahmed obtained the third position while Kashif Ali was given a consolation prize. Director General Brigadier Azam Jamal, in his welcome address, said that learning Persian language helped the future generation to acquaint with the history and culture of
our region. Persian Language Department and Iranology Centre at NUML offer a golden opportunity to students to cherish the great works of Persian literature such as the Shahnama-e-Firdousi, Rubayat-eOmer Khayam, Masnavi-e-Ma'navi-e-Maaulavi Gulistan-e-Sa'dai and Dewan-e-Hafiz, he added. The event was attended by Dr Sadeqi, Cultural Counsellor of Iran; Dr Solaimani, Director Iran Pakistan Institute of Persian Studies, Islamabad; Akbari, Director Iranian Culture Centre Rawalpindi; and deans, heads, directors and students. Hussain Rawish and Azam Jamal distributed prizes and certificates among the winners and participants.
cdA demoliSheS chAmberS of lAwyerS iN f-8 ISLAMABAD inP
The Enforcement Department of Capital Development Authority (CDA) has demolished 28 under-construction chambers of lawyers in a football ground in Sector F-8 Markaz. The CDA officials are of the view that the chambers were being constructed without taking permission from the authority. Deputy Director, Enforcement Department Muhammad Iqbal supervised the operation. Meanwhile, Municipal Administration Department of the CDA also conducted an operation against the encroachments in Sectors F-10/2, G-11/2 and G-10 Markaz.
iiui holds lecture on thyroid health awareness ISlAmABAD: The International Islamic University (women) on Thursday held a lecture on "thyroid and health awareness" with the collaboration of Kulsoom International Hospital Islamabad. Dr Nighat Bilal, the guest speaker, explained the causes and effects of the thyroid in human body. She told the students that the decreasing level of Iodine in the diet leading to insufficient thyroid hormone results in lower the IQ levels in children. Dr Nighat said if the thyroid was immensely enlarged, there was high risk that the surrounding organ may also be affected. Dr Nighat said the diseases that are, because of the thyroid like goiter, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. Zaitoon Begum, director female campus IIUI; Dr Asma Gul, chairperson department of environmental sciences; and a large number of students were also present. Dr Zaitoon said that IIUI focused to arrange lectures, seminars only to create a better social, moral and medical understanding among students. At the end of the lecture, Dr Zaitoon and Dr Asma presented a souvenir to Dr Nighat. APP
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 7
Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them. — Bruce Lee
Friday, 31 May, 2013
wave of bombings kills 30 in fresh iraq attacks BAgHDAD
series of bombs in Iraq, including one targeting a provincial governor, killed at least 30 people Thursday and wounded dozens as a tireless wave of violence further rattled the country. Iraq is experiencing its most relentless round of bloodshed since the 2011 U.S. military withdrawal, deepening fears that the country is heading back toward the widespread sectarian fighting that pushed it to the brink of civil war in the years after the invasion. More than 500 people have been killed in May, with attacks escalating in the last two weeks. The month before was Iraq's deadliest since June 2008, according to a United Nations tally that put April's death toll at more than 700. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office
said he spent three hours inspecting checkpoints throughout the capital late the previous night, underscoring growing concerns about the security forces' ability to stem the violence. Authorities in Baghdad also announced a ban in effect from early Friday on cars bearing temporary black license plates, which are common in post-war Iraq, where for years it was difficult to obtain new ones. The plates are typically on older model vehicles and are more difficult to trace, and authorities say they are frequently used in car bombings. Most of Thursday's blasts went off in Baghdad. Car bombs killed four in the northeastern Shiite neighborhood of Binouq, and three died in a bombing at a market selling spare car parts in central Baghdad, according to police. In Baghdad's eastern Shiite Ur neighborhood, a parked car bomb went off next to an army patrol, killing four and wounding 17,
police said. Police officials also said that a roadside bomb exploded near a police patrol in the largely Shiite central commercial dis-
trict of Karradah, killing three people there. The Karradah blast shattered glass and twisted metal signs on several storefronts,
and left the stricken police unit's modified Ford pickup truck charred and mangled. In Baghdad's northern Shiite neighborhood of Shaab, a car bomb exploded in a commercial area, killing six civilians and wounding 17 others. In the largely Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah in the capital's north, a car bomb struck near a military convoy, killing three people, including two soldiers, according to police. Another 14 people were wounded in that attack. Another police patrol was struck in the southern neighborhood of Saydiyah, injuring six. In Anbar province, the provincial governor escaped an assassination attempt when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into his convoy, his deputy Dhari Akan said. The governor escaped unharmed, but four of his guards were wounded, Arkan said. Anbar is a vast Sunni-dominated province west of Baghdad that has been the center for months of protests against the Shiite-led government.
besieged syria rebels seek help, assad eyes missiles DAMASCUS AGEnCiES
VItORIA: A munduruku Indian child stands near police as Amazon Indians from different tribes occupy the main construction site of the Belo monte hydroelectric dam. AGEnCiES
obama to name ex-bush aide to head fbi WASHIngtOn AGEnCiES
President Barack Obama is prepared to nominate James Comey, a former Bush administration official with bipartisan credentials, as the next FBI director. In a possible warning sign, the top Republican on the Senate committee
that would review the nomination said Comey would face questions about his ties to Wall Street. Three people with knowledge of the selection said Wednesday that Obama planned to nominate Comey, who was the No. 2 official at the Justice Department under President George W. Bush. Comey was general counsel to Connecticut-based hedge fund Bridgewater Associates from 2010 until earlier this year and now lectures at Columbia Law School. Comey would replace Robert Mueller, who has held the job since shortly before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which forced the FBI to transform itself into one of the nation's chief weapons in the war on terror. Mueller's last day on the job is Sept. 4. The White House may hope that Comey's Republican background will help him through Senate confirmation at a time when some of Obama's nominees have been facing tough battles. But Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, indicated Comey's confirmation hearing would raise questions about the Obama administration's investigations of Wall Street. Grassley said in a statement late Wednesday he had not heard from the White House about Comey's nomination but said Comey possessed a lot of important experience on
national security issues. "But, if he's nominated, he would have to answer questions about his recent work in the hedge fund industry," Grassley said. "The administration's efforts to criminally prosecute Wall Street for its part in the economic downturn have been abysmal, and his agency would have to help build the case against some of his colleagues." Comey became a hero to Democrats for the central role he played in holding up Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, one of the administration's great controversies and an episode that focused attention on the administration's controversial tactics in the war on terror. In stunning testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007, Comey said he thought Bush's no-warrant wiretapping program was so questionable that Comey refused for a time to reauthorize it, leading to a standoff with White House officials at the bedside of ailing Attorney General John Ashcroft. Comey said he refused to recertify the program because Ashcroft had reservations about its legality. Senior government officials had expressed concerns about whether the National Security Agency, which administered the warrantless eavesdropping program, had the proper oversight in place. Other concerns included whether any president possessed the legal and constitutional authority to authorize the program as it was carried out at the time.
Syrian rebels under siege near the Lebanese border pleaded for help on Thursday against government troops and their Hezbollah allies as a confident President Bashar al-Assad spoke of having new Russian missiles. Though Moscow contradicted suggestions he had taken delivery of an entire, long-range S-300 anti-aircraft system which alarms Israel, Russia's plan to send them highlighted the international confrontation brewing over Syria, even as Moscow and Washington work together for a peace conference between the warring sides. With Iran and its Lebanese partner Hezbollah also rallying to Assad's defense and his Western-backed Syrian opponents mired in squabbles, the president was quoted sounding confident of his position at home and abroad. He would attend talks in Geneva, he said, but he expected to keep fighting the revolt. Among his enemies on the battlefield, rebels in the besieged border town of Qusair warned that it could be wiped off the map and hundreds of their wounded might die if no help came soon. "The town is surrounded and there's no way to bring in medical aid," Malek Ammar, an opposition activist in the town, told Reuters over an Internet link, adding that about 100 of the 700 wounded needed bottled oxygen to keep breathing. "What we need them to do," he said of other rebel units, "is come to the outskirts of the city and attack the checkpoints so we can get routes in and out of the city. There was little immediate sign, however, of military relief or of a negotiated settlement that might end the fighting. Harsh words from Moscow against the Syrian opposition's insistence on Assad's removal as a precondition for talks, and Russian criti-
cism of Washington for considering a no-fly zone to help the rebels, underlined the geopolitical stakes in the war. An exchange of fire across the Turkish border on Thursday was a reminder that all Syria's neighbors risk being sucked in to a regional conflict. DIRE WARNING: In a statement, the rebel commanders at Qusair warned of dire consequences if help fails to arrive for men who have been fighting house to house for over a week against a force armed with tanks and rocket-launchers and spearheaded by Lebanese fighters from Hezbollah, seasoned in a 2006 war against Israel: "If all rebel fronts do not move to stop this crime being led by Hezbollah and Assad's traitorous army of dogs ... we will soon be saying that there was once a city called Qusair." Shells were landing by the minute and the attackers seemed to be advancing more quickly after seizing a nearby air base. Elsewhere, rebels blockaded in eastern suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta appealed for help on Facebook, saying Assad's forces were "preparing to commit more massacres".
saudi arabia eases restrictions for departing egyptian workers RIyADH: Egypt's Minister of Manpower and Immigration Khalid El-Azhari announced Thursday that an agreement has been reached between the Egyptian and Saudi authorities over new procedures for Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia without adequate work permits. In March, the oil-rich kingdom issued new restrictions whereby foreign workers would only be allowed to work for their legal sponsors and are not authorised to work independently, even if their employers approve. Saudi authorities gave all foreign workers a three-month period to ensure their status conforms to the new rules. Many foreign workers enter Saudi Arabia under the sponsorship of a Saudi national but end up working for others, or set up their own businesses. Spokesperson for the minister Alaa Awad told Ahram Online that this agreement has been issued through a royal decree on Thursday. As a result, he argues that a new system has been agreed upon by the Egyptian and Saudi authorities to allow all those wishing to return to Egypt to do so. Those affected are to go to the Saudi deportations office for registration, and they will then be cleared of all holds and allowed to return to Egypt without being detained. Awad, however, stressed that only those expatriates who have no pending trials or other unresolved legal predicaments will be eligible for the new conditions. He said that the new arrangements would affect most of the approximately 1 million registered Egyptian workers in the Kingdom, as well as Egyptians visiting Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage who have prolonged their stay. AGEnCiES
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:27 AM Page 8
news Friday 31 May, 2013
osama 'blew himself up with suicide belt': former bodyguard O
nEWS DESK
SAMA Bin Laden was not shot dead by Navy SEALs but instead blew himself up with a suicide belt, the terror leader's former bodyguard has claimed. In a claim that counters previous reports, Nabeel Naeem Abdul Fattah said that the al-Qaeda chief triggered his explosive belt when U.S. Special Forces broke into his compound, killed two of his guards and shot him in the thigh as part of 'Operation Geronimo'. Speaking in an interview, Abdul Fattah conceded he had not been present at the time of Bin Laden's death but instead was told 'what had happened' from one of the terror leader's relatives. The account of Bin Laden's death at his Abbotabad compound on May 2, 2011 is being seen as the latest in a string of propaganda by his supporters. Abdul Fattah told Gulf News he found the official story about the
NAb quizzes dr Asim over Sadiq's appointment, other irregularities
leader's burial at sea 'fishy' and accused US President Barack Obama of lying. He said: 'Bin Laden's body parts were cut into multiple pieces, which is similar to suicide attacks following the bombing so as not to leave any clue to the US forces to identify him.' Abdul Fattah said he had blown himself up to avoid capture and to 'keep his secrets' until death. Abdul Fattah claimed that Bin Laden had been wearing an explosive belt over the last ten years of his life. He was adamant he would not 'give himself up' to the Americans, he added. There have been several accounts of the final hours of the terror leader's death. Just after midnight on the morning of May 2, 2011, 23 commandos and their interpreter attacked Bin Laden's compound. They shot and killed his two bodyguards, one of his sons and the wife of one bodyguard. The first three soldiers to reach the top floor of the house, where Bin
Laden's bedroom was believed to be, were 'the point man', 'the shooter' whom magazine Esquire profiled, and the now-famous Matt Bissonnette, another Team 6 member, whose account was published in best-selling book No
Easy Day, which was written under the pseudonym Mark Owen. All of these previous three accounts are in agreement. The Shooter told Esquire that Bin Laden peered through his bedroom door
and the point man shot at and either missed or lightly wounded him, before tackling two women nearby. The Shooter claims he then ran alone into the room where he found Bin Laden hiding behind one of his wives, perhaps using her as a human shield. Seeing a gun 'within reach' he shot the Islamist twice in the head. Another account emerged in March, which claimed that the point man shot and gravely wounded Bin Laden. CNN security analyst Peter Bergen reported that the point man then leapt on the two nearby women - to absorb any explosion in case they were wearing suicide vests. Then two more SEALs went into Bin Laden's bedroom and, seeing he was mortally wounded, finished him off. The account is similar to that given in No Easy Day, where Bissonnette says he was one of the first in the room, saw Bin Laden close to death, then finished him off as he lay on the floor.
KARACHI: A herd of camels bathe in a canal as temperature soared on thursday. inP
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officers on Thursday interrogated former adviser to prime minister on petroleum, Dr Asim Hussain, in connection with the appointment of Tauqir Sadiq as the OGRA chairman and other related issues. Dr Asim, who has been facing several allegations, arrived at the NAB Rawalpindi office and was questioned for some time. The NAB investigators also confronted Dr Asim over allegedly providing free-of-cost supply of gas to his private hospital as well as gas theft from a gas field. According to details, Dr Hussain appeared before NAB officials. A source in NAB said investigators asked three questions from the former adviser. The source said Asim was asked who had recommended the appointment of Tauqir Sading as OGRA chairman, who authorised the free gas supply to Ziauddin Hospital and on whose directives gas theft was allowed from Kunar Besakhi gas field in Sindh. The source said NAB investigators would submit their report based on the interrogation with Dr Hussain to the Rawalpindi accountability court.
17 militants killed in kurram airstrikes PESHAWAR OnLinE
At least 17 militants were killed and several others injured when Pakistani fighter jets bombed militant hideouts in Kurram Agency during a security forces operation on Thursday. According to media reports, the militants were killed when four insurgent hideouts were destroyed in the action in central Kurram's Tabay area. Moreover, several militants were also injured. A military operation has been ongoing in central Kurram for the past three weeks. Reportedly, at least 100 militants have been killed and several insurgent hideouts have been destroyed during this time. Kurram, which is close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, is one of the seven regions in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), governed by tribal laws. An extremist insurgency led by the Pakistani Taliban plagues the region while the area is known to be infested with militants, including those from al Qaeda, Taliban and several other armed organisations.
Privatisation body recuperates road projects against IHC ruling MOnItORIng DESK Despite a court ruling declaring development schemes initiated by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf void, bureaucrats have kept the former premier's pet road projects alive and have allocated funds for their construction in the next development budget. Sources in the Planning Commission (PC) have revealed that Rs40 million each has been allocated for two road projects in Ashraf's hometown Gujjar Khan and Chakwal district. According to them, the commission initially planned to allocate Rs140 million each for the two projects. However, the allocation was later reduced, with plans for providing additional funds as the need arose. The sources maintained that the move was aimed at creating a head for the schemes under next year's Public Sector Development Pro-
gramme (PSDP). The total cost of the two projects is Rs9.576 billion. The proposed development budget for fiscal year 2013-14 is Rs450 billion. The schemes, approved by Ashraf for his constituency during his tenure as prime minister, had been held up by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) as an example of 'naked corruption' and were declared illegal. The IHC termed the move to award the contracts to the National Logistics Cell a 'glaring example of discrimination, favouritism, nepotism and ulterior motives to advance a personal agenda'. An IHC division bench also rejected Ashraf's appeal against the ruling. PC officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the court had not restrained them from allocating funds for the projects. Rather, they said, the IHC ruled that the process be made more transparent.
musharraf files pre-arrest bail in bugti murder case ISlAmABAD: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf filed a pre-bail arrest plea in the Akbar Bugti murder case on Thursday in Quetta's anti-terrorism court. The court will rule on the plea on June 6. Earlier, former interior minister Aftab Sherpao requested the bench to summon Musharraf to appear before the court in the Bugti murder case. A notice was subsequently issued by the ATC to the former army strongman. The murder has been a subject of trial and investigation with an ATC in Sibi issuing arrest warrants against Musharraf and several others in the case in July 2012. Bugti was killed in a cave on August 26, 2006 during a military crackdown ordered by Musharraf who was president and army chief at the time. Bugti had led an armed campaign to press for provincial autonomy and a greater share of profits from Balochistan's natural resources. The death of the chieftain sparked angry protests in the country. nni
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 9
Friday 31 May, 2013
pml-N to focus on good governance, says Shahbaz
KARACHI: Activists of a non-government organisation take out a rally on thursday against smoking on World No-tobacco Day. nni
LOnDOn OnLinE
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif reiterated PML-N's conviction for good governance. Talking to media personnel in London, future Punjab chief minister urged Pakistanis in Britain to invest their money in Pakistan to bring prosperity to their homeland. Sharif said his party had gained majority in Center and Punjab to form the government but they would make alliances for collective efforts to drag the country out from grave problems and severe challenges. He said the general election was a three-party contest and a first in the history of Pakistan owing to the rise of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), adding that people had a third option to choose from. But, he said, the people of Pakistan had given a clear mandate to PML-N since they trusted the political wisdom of Nawaz Sharif. Sharif said Fazlur Rehman had pressurised PML-N to form government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) but his party rejected the offer because they believed in democracy and respected PTI's mandate in the province. He said even before taking charge of the premier's office, Nawaz Sharif and his team were working tirelessly to resolve the energy crisis in the country. He said to overcome power load shedding, short, medium and long-term projects were being planned so the country could be put back on the track of progress and prosperity. He said all possible steps would be taken to resolve the energy crisis, and urged for foreign investment in the energy sector.
close aide of mullah Nazeer killed in wana
Nawaz not keen on overthrowing ppp govts in Gb, AJk C ISLAMABAD
KASHiF ABBASi
WAnA inP
An important commander of the Mullah Nazeer group was killed in firing by security forces at Ziari Noor Army Colony check post on Thursday. According to details, Commander Sher Khan Wazir, a prominent commander of the Mullah Nazeer group which is considered to be pro-government, was on his from his ancestral village Shah Alam to Rustam Bazaar in a tinted glass vehicle when security forces stopped him at the Ziari Noor check post. The militant commander was annoyed at the directive and a fight broke out between the two sides. The military personnel opened fire, killing Sher Khan Wazir on the spot. Security forces handed over the body to the heirs after keeping it in custody for several hours. Sher Khan was considered a very close aide of Mullah Nazeer, who died in a US drone attack recently. Commander Sher Khan played an important role in fighting against Uzbek, Tajik and Chechen fighters in 2007.
ONTRARY to the wishes of party chapters concerned, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has decided not dislodge Pakistan People's Party-led governments in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and GilgitBaltistan, Pakistan Today has learnt. Sources in PML-N said in categorical words that the leadership had conveyed their message to AJK and GilgitBaltistan that Centre would not support any un-constitutional move for dislodging the said elected governments. Earlier, it was expected that after formation of government in Centre, the PML-N government with the support of other opposition parties would bring down the PPP-led governments in AJK and GB. However, sources in PML-N said Nawaz Sharif told concerned party chapters not to make haste in bringing down elected governments. The
sources said the PML-N leadership was of the view that in case other opposition party brought no confidence motions against the said governments, the PML-N could think over it, but so far the PML-N was not interested in overthrow governments. Of the total 41 seats of Legislative Assembly of Azad Kashmir, PML-N holds 14. But Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry group with seven seats and Muslim Conference with five seats are in favour of tabling a no-confidence motion against the AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed. The sources said in case of a noconfidence move, four members of the PPP, who won from Kotli and Mirpur, could also support opposition parties to brining down Majeed's government. The PML-N with the support of said parties could easily dislodge the PPP government in the AJK. The sources said earlier it was agreed between PML-N opposition leader Raja Farooq Haider and Barrister Sultan Mahmood
Chaudhry that after the accomplishment of no-confidence motion against the PPP PM, Raja would hold the prime minister's office and Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry would be made president of AJK, replacing PPP's Sardar Yaqoob. While in Gilgit-Balistan, the situation is completely different form AJK. Currently, PPP Chief Minister in GB Syed Mehdi Shah enjoys support of the majority. Sources said in case the PML-N initiated any move to dislodge GB government, it could face strong resistance from the PPP, as it currently has 21 of the 33 seats in GB. PML-N Chief Coordinator for AJK and GB Sadeequl Farooq said both PPP governments in GB and AJK had done record corruption. He said opposition parties were fed up with the performance of PPP-led governments in AJK and GB and the people wanted to get rid of corrupt rulers. He, however, said his party would support any unconstitutional effort to bring change.
heat wave to grip country from today ISLAMABAD APP
Scorching heat would grip the country from Friday to Sunday with significant rise in temperatures, increasing the snow melting process, said an official of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The day temperatures will rise across the country, especially in plain areas. The snow melting process will be increased in the next four to five days which help fill the water reservoirs too, the official said. About the synoptic situation, the official said a seasonal low lies over Balochistan and its adjoining areas. A shallow westerly wave, prevailing over Kashmir and its adjoining hilly areas, will subside from Thursday causing hot and dry weather, he added. The hot and dry weather will prevail in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Kashmir and Gilgit- Baltistan from Friday onward. The official said the isolated rain activity during the current month was the result of western disturbance and the monsoon period would start when that disturbance will be subsided by eastern one. According to the climatology of Pakistan, the official said, pre-monsoon period was likely to start in last ten days of June while the regular monsoon period would begin in the first week of July. The maximum temperatures recorded during the last 24 hours were Islamabad (37 C), Lahore (40 C), Karachi (34 C), Quetta (35 C), Skardu (24 C), Murree (26 C), Muzaffarabad (35 C), Faisalabad (40 C), Multan (40 C) and Hyderabad (41 C).
Police insincere with their own cannot benefit the masses: CJP CHIEF JUSTICE SAYS NOTHING DONE FOR POOR POLICE PERSONNEL IN NPF
ISLAMABAD OnLinE
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday said it was highly unlikely for police officers to be sincere with the public when they were no even sincere with the men of their own department. He passed the remarks while presiding over a three-member bench hearing the National Police Foundation (NPF) case on Thursday. He observed, "Plots were allotted to former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and former sessions judge Muhammad Afzal. This is po-
lice-related matter. It has gone beyond comprehension from where we should start and where we should end. If police officers are not sincere with the men of their own department then how can they be sincere with the people of the country? Corruption is everywhere. Dishonesty prevails everywhere. Nothing has been done for the poor police personnel and all plots were purchased by police officers, other senior government functionaries at throwaway rates. Rules and regulations were breached blatantly," the CJP said. He said no one was there to ask them about it. "The poor police personnel lay down
their lives while protecting the dignity of their officers but no land is left for them to live in. Being a head of a department no one has right to purchase all plots for himself or for his wife and children. Bin Yamin was allotted two plots, former prime minister was allotted three plots, Afzal Shagri, eight plots and Sultan Azam three plots." On behalf of Makhdoom Ali Khan, his associate appeared in the court. He told the court an agreement had been reached between the Police Foundation and Anjam Aqeel Khan. The CJP remarked the agreement had not been approved so far and the matter was sub judice. A fresh agreement has been executed during this time under which some flats and money have been taken back and cases have been withdrawn. Notices have been issued in this respect. Counsel for Anjam Aqeel said the matter was investigated. "FIR was also registered. Civil agreement was executed. The graphic picture of the agreement reached between Anjam Aqeel Khan and police founda-
tion has not been depicted in the inquiry report authored by Zafar Iqbal Qureshi. Several transactions have been made. Forty-five kanals of land was allotted. CDA had made payments to some persons but the possession of the land was not taken." The CJP said some benefit could go to Khan if he returned 45 kanals of land and the money. "Why is the agreement being made when the claims of police and police employees have been proved?" The court was told by Police Foundation that recovery of Rs 25 million had been made. "The cost of land per kanal comes to Rs 13 million rupees. Assets costing Rs 450 million have been obtained." Aslam Khaki told the court that approved parks had been eliminated. "Please give an order that public parks cannot be abolished. One person was allotted 12 plots. Twelve plots were allotted to former deputy director Khuda Bakhsh and six plots were given to another deputy director. They have been arrested in the case." Justice Ejaz Ahmad said if police officers "have died then plots can be al-
lotted to their sons or daughters. But 12 plots cannot be allotted to a single person". Justice Ejaz sad nothing was given to deserving persons. The CJP said five plots were allotted to IG Afzal Shagri. "We have read much in the media. Please explain it." Afzal Shagri said, "I had applied for plots in 1996. The scheme could not run earlier. We demanded our money but it was not returned. The prices were not this high earlier." The CJP said, "You have engaged in business. Benefit has to be given to the police personnel in police foundations. Army personnel will not give plots to you as they are sincere with their own men." Justice Gulzar remarked "You were entitled to one plot per rules and you will have to return the remaining plots, other wise you will have to pay money." Afzal Shagri said he was ready to do so. The CJP said the foundation had been set up for the welfare of police personnel and their widows. "Plots have been allotted to only 87 such police personnel."
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 10
It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. –Joseph Stalin
COMMenT Friday, 31 May, 2013
of the taliban and drones The Taliban cannot be allowed to attack Afghanistan either
remembering the pml-N's last tenure Will the party strengthen institutions or hinder their growth?
EW drone paradigm announced, another drone strike. Despite the United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry announcing a "tighter, more efficient" drone programme last week, another drone has hit North Waziristan. Unconfirmed reports claim that the second-in-command of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Waliur Rehman and three other Taliban militants died in the attack. From the outset it does not appear a breach of the new drone plan announced by US authorities, which claimed to "only target those members of AlQaeda that pose an immediate risk to the US," but questions can still be asked. With both Kerry and Pakistani authorities verbally committed to bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table, how would the process go ahead with attacks on the Taliban leadership ongoing? The announcement by the TTP of suspension of the proposed talks after Rehman's killing creates problems for the incumbent governments in both Khyber Pakthunkhwa and Islamabad; both committed to the talks paradigm and opposed to the drone programme. The trouble for the incumbent Pakistani government is that the North Waziristan region still remains out of its grip. The fact that wanted militants such as Waliur Rehman were able to use safe houses in North Waziristan opens the area to more strikes. Rehman, if it may be recalled, was wanted in connection with attacks on US and NATO personnel across the Afghan border and an attack on seven US counterterrorism agents and security contractors in Khost on December 30, 2009. Since then a $5 million bounty had been put on his head by the US government. Surely it is not good for Pakistan's image and negotiating position that wanted militants are found on its territory. While the Foreign Office has again cried foul and pointed to the hatred the drones create and that they lie in breach of international law, the rhetoric from the FO reads hollow if Pakistan is unable to ensure its territory does not house those engaged in attacks across the border. On ground, the Pakistani army is in the midst of another offensive in the Kurram Valley, where at least 100 unnamed militants have been reported to have been killed and several insurgent hideouts destroyed in the last three weeks. With the army keeping the TTP under pressure on one side, it will allow the next government to begin negotiations with the Taliban from a position of strength. But, as Wednesday's drone strike has shown, Pakistani negotiators will have to ensure that the TTP agrees not to attack both targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is a difficult negotiating position to take and not all the security apparatus is expected to be on board with it. With the drone threat set to continue, the claims of some Pakistani politicians that they would shoot down drones shall be tested if such an agreement is not found – and quick. They only way to stop drones is for the Pakistani government to establish its complete writ in the tribal areas – and this is not an easy task.
bye, bye, caretakers! Job well done, gentlemen!
HE posts of prime minister and chief ministers were handed over to four former judges and one journalist for a critical period of two months. The two-month honey moon period for the political parties has now come to a close. Gladly most would say as the caretakers were getting a little controversial by the day with their inability to deal with the energy crisis, the presentation of mini-budgets and some controversial transfers. Nonetheless caretaker Prime Minister Khoso is due a welcome good-bye. For the most part, the caretakers stuck to their tasks, and have overseen the first successful democratic transition in the country. With members of the Sindh and Khyber Pakthunkhwa (KP) assemblies sworn in and respective speakers and deputy speakers elected, Balochistan, Punjab and the National Assembly are set to follow suit soon enough. Political parties are no longer negotiating to put their man at the helm; with the position clearest in KP, Sindh, Punjab and the National Assembly as to who will take the post of chief minister. The only questions remaining are over Balochistan, where the National Party's Dr Malik may be fielded as an alternate candidate. Mostly however we are set to be greeted with familiar faces at the helm: Nawaz Sharif as third-time prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif as fourth-time chief minister Punjab, Qaim Ali Shah as third-time chief minister Sindh. But each appears to be coming with a battle-mindset as the two-party hegemony has been broken with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) having much to prove at the helm in KP. It is hoped that the competition amongst provinces will be healthy and be mutually conducive. The National Assembly is set to induct its new members on June 1; and appears all set to elect Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, with a significant majority. Despite the fears of election violence, the caretaker set up has managed to tow the election period well, with no major controversies erupting. History should judge the current caretakers as the least controversial and thus the best to have been brought in to steady the realm in democratic transitions. Each caretaker cabinet is receiving its farewells – with much praise from all political parties. Caretaker prime minister Khoso has left the Prime Minister House and shifted to the Balochistan House. The process of peaceful transfer of power is almost complete. The exercise has followed the set rules and is yet another victory for electoral democracy in the country. All we can say is: job well done, gentlemen! Job well done.
Aziz-ud-din AHmAd
T would be unfair to prejudge Nawaz Sharif as he prepares to take over as Prime Minister (PM) for a third time. Leaders sometimes mature with the passage of time though in some cases their growth remains stilted. The record of Nawaz Sharif's last tenure during 1997-99 is unenviable. The PML-N chief will therefore have to prove that he has learnt from his mistakes as well as those of others. What inspires some hope is the Charter of Democracy that Nawaz signed with Benazir Bhutto in May 2006. Among the features that characterised the last PML-N tenure was the absence of institutionalized policy making bodies. Important decisions were taken by people or bodies outside the formal system. Some of the controversial decisions included the 14th amendment aimed at making Nawaz the most powerful Prime Minister in the history of the country. Though the amendment could not get through the Senate for lack of adequate support, it provided an inkling into the thinking of the party leadership. While an Accountability Ordinance was introduced by the caretakers in 1996, it was under Nawaz Sharif that it was enacted in a much more vicious form as Ehtesab Act with Senator Saifur Rehman heading the Ehtesab Cell. This was meant to punish the opposition. Again, who decided to appoint a man like Rafiq Tarar, a former supporter of the Ahrar which opposed the creation of Pakistan, as the President of the country? Who made the decision to hold the Local Bodies elections simultaneously all over the country, ignoring that only the provinces had the authority to take the decision in the light of their peculiar circumstances? Some of the decisions, it was believed, were made by a family elder, others by the kitchen cabinet, whose membership remained in a permanent state of flux. This indicated a lack of interest in institution building. The way the PML-N government worked during 1997-99 revealed some of the anti-democratic tendencies in the leadership. There was an attempt to accumulate all power in the PM's hands. It was forgotten that Pakistan was a federation which would be weakened in the absence of genuine
Editor's mail
provincial autonomy. Key decisions regarding Punjab, Sindh and NWFP, which had PML-N governments were taken by the Prime Minister. Balochistan had to follow suit after the removal of Akhtar Mengal in less than a year and a half. There were attempts to control the judiciary. The 14th Amendment had prohibited legislators and lawmakers from dissenting or voting against their own parties. The Amendment also contained a clause that deprived the offending legislators from seeking relief through the Judiciary. When parliamentarians belonging to different parties took the case to the Supreme Court, Sharif was furious. He openly criticized Chief Justice Sajad Ali Shah who issued the PM a contempt notice. Though the crisis was resolved by the establishment, Sharif remained determined to throw out the CJ. A little latter the spat led the PML-N to attack the Supreme Court. But isn't all this over now? Hasn't the PML-N paid a heavy price for its blunders, with Nawaz Sharif confined in Attock Fort for months and subsequently being obliged to spend seven years in exile? The events did make Nawaz review the past, sign the CoD with Benazir Bhutto and claim that he had learnt from the past. Both the leaders agreed in the document that the press and electronic media will be allowed independence and access to information will become law after parliamentary debate and public scrutiny. "We will respect the electoral mandate of representative governments that accept the due role of the opposition and declare that neither shall undermine each other through extra constitutional ways. We shall not join a military regime or any military sponsored government. No party shall solicit the support of military to come into power or to dislodge a democratic government." What one has seen happening after 2008, does not suggest that the PML-N leadership has learnt from the past. In Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif's hunch for control over levers of power led him to retain more ministries in his own hands than he could manage. He displayed a lack of tolerance for political opponents and threatened that he would hang President Zardari upside down and drag him in the streets of Lahore. This was reminiscent of 1990s. The PML-N put pressure on the PPP during 2012 to hold elections before time. It was claimed that this was necessary as the PPP had lost its mandate. The pressure increased particularly before the last budget. The hysteria created over the so-called Memogate scandal showed the PMLN was keen to get rid of the PPP government through the SC this time. There was however no persecution of political opponents. Similarly no attempts were made to approach the army
Aziz-ud-Din Ahmad Editor Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230 Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208 Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Fax: 051-2850505 Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The writer is a political analyst and a former academic.
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
bogus voting Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami
or the agencies to seek a regime change which was a common practice in the earlier period. The PML-N leadership cooperated with the government in formulating and getting passed a number of constitutional amendments. While these amendments restored the constitution to its original shape they also extended the scope of provincial autonomy and gave birth of an independent and powerful Election Commission and a consensus caretaker set up. This earned the PML-N the title of a pliant opposition from the PTI. The party however described itself as a responsible opposition. The performance of the PML-N during 2008-13 being a mixed bag this leaves a number of questions unanswered. Will the party strengthen the institutions or hinder their growth? Institutionalized decision making is necessary because in the modern complex societies no single individual is supposed to know all the intricacies of the multi-faceted and inter-related issues. A thorough airing of views at a number of levels, with knowledgeable people pooling their inputs, helps the government take correct decisions, since the Prime Minister is expected to know all. In 2008-13 era, a number of parliamentary committees helped the government in the formulation of policies These committees are still in their infancy. Much more needs to be done by the new government to strengthen and empower them. Neglecting these committees will hinder their growth. An independent and powerful Election Commission and a consensus caretaker set up were responsible for holding the least disputed election in the country's history. Will Nawaz Sharif further strengthen these institutions? The Election Commission has to be financially autonomous to continue to make plans throughout the five years that precede the general elections. Will the PML-N respect the courts and accept their decisions even when they are against its wishes? Will Sharif let the media retain its independence? Will he discourage the policy of bribing some media outlets and punishing others? Will the PM-N learn to live with the opposition parties, considering them as competitors rather than enemies? While working for the welfare of the masses will the PML-N government pursue well thought out and sustainable policies, instead of politically motivated stunts like the Sasti Roti Scheme? In politics nothing remains hidden for long. Answers to these questions will start coming in during the first 100 days of the government. Then the assessment will begin.
The country's General Elections were held on 11 May, 2013 under a so-called neutral Election Commission. Justice Fakhruddin G Ahmed was head of the Election Commission who assured the nation that the elections would be free, fair and transparent. But our good old politicians coupled with the establishment know how to manoeuvre elections to their benefit. All the so-called fool proof procedures vanished on the day of elections. The sanctity of ballot papers, ballot boxes and electoral rolls was torn into pieces. Some
smart media men took the snaps or made videos of rigging at a few polling stations. After these illegal acts were committed, the most painful part was the jubilation and celebration of victory. It was surprising that the Chief Justice who believes in judicial activism and has been taking suo motto notice of every wrong act in the country, has not bothered to watch the rigging videos/snaps and take Suo Moto notice so far. At least, he could order re-polling in all those constituencies where the bogus voting was shown to the public on the electronic media. MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA Lahore
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 11
The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. H. L. Mencken
Friday, 31 May, 2013
deconstructing the female modesty myth Why female agency is considered a threat
when the maharaja met Ada How love led Ranjit Singh's deposed son to rebel against Queen Victoria
S. ALi RAzA SHAH
OUR things greater than all things are – women and horses and power and war." (Rudyard Kipling) Not so long ago when the eastern bank of once great Ravi River is popularly known to touch the walls of Lahore, here ruled a man who then earned the title of Napoleon of East and later after his death would be popularly known as the Lion of Punjab. The founder of about fifty years of Sikh rule, Maharaja Ranjit Singh reigned over the vast plains of five rivers from the capital city of Lahore with full might and an iron fist. Today, the only remaining remembrance of Ranjit Singh's times in the city is his officially neglected Samadhi that shelters his ashes. This mausoleum of white domes that are laced with golden threads distinctly stand between the majestic Badshahi Mosque that was consecrated in 1671 and the antique Lahore Fort, which once also inhabited the Sikh emperor from where he must have crafted many of his successful war strategies and endless invasion plans. But this little tale is not about Ranjit. It is about his youngest ill-fated son, Maharaja Duleep Singh who became the last ruler of the dynasty and was signatory to ignominious instrument of surrender also called Anglo-Sikh Treaty of 1846. The pact dethroned and eventually exiled the last Maharaja to the British Isles and compelled him to cede the whole empire to colonial rulers. The young Duleep and Lahore were also permanently dispossessed of the precious diamond rock called Kohinoor that even today makes the present British Queen appear resplendent and her crown priceless. Soon after his banishment from Punjab,
Duleep was placed under the tutelage of Queen Victoria. The young former maharaja without his own empire lived closely under the royal eye and subsequently married an illegitimate half German girl called Bamba Muller who had a Jewish background. Over the course of many coming years, this dutiful wife bore six children to the Maharaja. Their relationship that started with much affection could not last forever. During her final years, she lived practically separated from her husband and had sole responsibility of the children. It was in 1887 that Bamba died in pain after being completely disserted and left all alone by Duleep, who by then was immersed in a torrid love affair with an English woman, Ada Douglas Wetherill. This late life scandal liberated the Sikh maharaja in many ways and would define him more than any other accomplishment in life. The stateless Maharaja is likely to have met Ada for the first time in 1884 in London where she worked as a chambermaid in a hotel. The 46 year-old Duleep immediately fell in love with a 16 year-old girl. And so it often happens that those who patronize also dictate life. The Queen, who earlier admired and acted as proxy mother to Duleep, became extremely uncomfortable and bitter about him having a young English mistress. She ordered to put a cut upon the luxuries and comforts available to him. It had little impact. Ada's mannerisms and charms blinded Duleep to such a level that a moment came when he was no longer reluctant to openly establish his claim on her. Soon, the time came when the son of Ranjit Singh decided to revolt against her majesty and made an attempt to travel back to Lahore to regain the lost empire. The journey proved unsuccessful and the hapless Maharaja was compelled to turn back from midway. This time he returned to Paris where Ms. Wetherill was already waiting for him. Duleep's obsession with Ada frowned the English Crown even more and so the intelligence agencies were tasked to observe them closely. They did follow the lovers everywhere and reported that it is because of her that the former maharaja is hatching plans to become 'sovereign of the Sikh nation', again. There was of course some real credence to these spy reports. From the French capital, Duleep went on to Russia along with Ada in his attempt to convince Czar to design an invasion plan from the northern side of subcontinent and militarily help him to recapture his lost Punjab. The Czarist Autocrats were not impressed and
deemed the idea both impractical and ridiculous. After this failure, both of them found themselves stranded in Russian territory. The threat to their lives became apparent and subzero temperatures made living even more difficult. It was during such chilling December that Ada gave birth to a girl in an ordinary hotel of Moscow. By now, Duleep was so much involved in Ada that he wrote to his son from Bamba that they should all consider him dead. The former maharaja's love would not stop here. He lost much of his wealth but was not willing to abandon Ada in exchange for anything else. When they managed to return to France, Ada was expecting second child from him. At this point, the Maharaja asked her hand to legitimize their relationship. They finally married in May 1889, only a few attended. Duleep's feelings for Ada were fiery but soon after the wedding, a health crisis struck him severely. The illness was prolonged. So much so that even Ada got fed up of him and the British intelligence reported that "the young wife was incapable of being a good nurse and takes delight in lavishly spending away her husband's royal riches." Once again, the frail and helpless Maharaja was found surrendering before the Queen and apologized for not coming up to the royal expectations. Just few years after his wedding to the girl he loved, the last maharaja of Lahore died in Paris with no one – not even Ada - by his side. The only daughter of Duleep to have returned to Lahore was Princess Sutherland from Maharani Bamba Muller. The Princess named 'Gulzar' as her house in Lahore and married Dr. Sutherland who was the then Principal of King Edward Medical College, a prestigious medical seat. She died in 1957 and is buried in a Christian Graveyard on Jail Road. Many iconic stories of love continue to emerge in the erstwhile former kingdom of the maharaja. Some turn successful while others do not. It is said that differences of all sorts vanish in sincere relationships and that selfless love is not accepted by most. Duleep was known as the Black Prince of Perthshire. The only prominent legacy he left was his pronounced love for an ordinary girl, a sentiment more precious to him than all the kohinoors of the world. Such is life and such is love! The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com On twitter: @LegalSubtleties
ROWING up in a culturally conservative country, most girls are asked to prescribe to a certain code of modesty. What exactly constitutes "modest behavior" differs with each individual's understanding; however there are certain generic categories of 'right' and 'wrong' conduct. From a very young age, an average woman is nAdiA KHAWAjA taught to be mindful of what she wears, how she carries herself, how she walks, who she walks with, who she trusts, what she does, who she does it with, who she makes eye contact with, if it's dark, if the area is unfamiliar, what time it is, what environment it is, what kind of people she is with, who her friends are, who she gives her number to and these factors are kept in check by the constant threat of being labeled immodest by society. While the numbered liberal element of our society holds that modesty is not a gendered term, living in Pakistan, one cannot avoid noticing that men and women are, broadly speaking, held to different standards of modesty. As with other things, the general concept of modesty is shaped by religious and cultural norms—in a patriarchal society that translates to the repression and censure of women. In relation to women, the term 'modesty' is intrinsically tied to the myth of female purity and the threat of feminine desire. The very idea that one can categorize women into two types—"good girls" and the rest — is a biased notion as it presupposes that "goodness" is quantifiable as opposed to being subjective. When norms are enforced through the threat of social renunciation, women are socialized to believe dangerous ideas about their virtue and worth. This leads to an internalization of things one has been taught all their life: "that a woman's value is inextricable from her 'purity,' that a woman without value had no reason to live, and, more obliquely, that her life and her body weren't really her own anyway." To make the process of filtering women into types, society has come up with a number of signifiers such as dress, demeanor, conduct and even speech. Whereas there is no strict regulation of dress as there is in Saudi Arabia, a woman does not feel comfortable wearing whatever she wants to a number of public places such as the bazaar, in fear that a bevy of conservatives might tear her down with their stares or she may be assaulted or worst of all, be seen as immodest by her peers. The need to create associations of right and wrong, good and bad, modest and immodest with superficial things such as dress reinforces the idea that patriarchal society feels the need to control women and limit their freedom of expression in public spaces. Labels and tags for people are passed around freely but take forever to get rid of. Without out rightly banning certain kinds of behavior, societal beliefs and idealizations reinforce the necessity to conform, lest one be considered a social pariah. The double standards that exist between male and female modesty are not only starling but completely lack any logical justification. Take for example, a man who is forward is considered bold and charming while a woman who possesses the same traits is made out to be 'desperate' or easy. While male sexuality is celebrated and even glorified in our discourse, female sexuality is seen as a dangerous threat that can possibly destabilize the current power dynamic in a phallocratic society. Individuals are able to take advantage of a culture's patriarchal power and exorcise their feelings of insecurity by perpetuating shame based propriety attitudes over women's bodies. There is no actual way for "purity" or "modesty" to be verified because it's not a real thing. The entire discourse about female modesty is just an effort to rig a system in which get to determine female worth no matter what the input. As columnist Lindsey West suggests, "There is nothing you can do to be pure. Meanwhile, they (men) get to do literally whatever they want with anyone, to anyone, at any time. The double standard is so blatant it is almost too boring to point out." Women can't even escape sexualization in the context of making of attempting to make a statement about their own sexualization. Moreover, the sexualization of women (apart from glorification of female sexuality on screen) is only appealing if it is not on purpose or nonconsensual. Otherwise it is equated with "sluttiness" and sluttiness is agency and agency is threatening. Ironically, our culture also conditions girls to believe that if they are not attractive, they are nothing. We reinforce over and over that their attractiveness has an expiration date, so the only thing they can do is desperately leverage that attractiveness while they have the chance. Girls and women, if nobody has pointed this out before or if you have any self doubt: you are good, you are a complete person and you are yours. You do not exist to please society nor is your value as a human being contingent upon your physical capital. Modesty is a social construct and should not control you. You are your own boss! The writer is a staff member of Pakistan Today and holds a degree from Mount Holyoke College.
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 12
When you have to cope with a lot of problems, you're either going to sink or you're going to swim. –Tom Cruise
I don't think of setting benchmark: Akshay Kumar A
arts Friday, 31 May, 2013
courteNey ANd dAvid divorce fiNAliSed Courteney Cox and her husband David Arquette's divorce was finalised on Tuesday in a Los Angeles Superior Court, according to reports. The couple announced their split in 2010, but it took them almost 2 years to actually file divorce papers - filing it on the same day in June 2012, the New York Daily News reported. They pair wanted joint custody of their only child, 8-year-old daughter Coco. The divorce proceedings were cordial and the couple are still on friendly terms. The former 'Friends' star said on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' in January that Arquette is her best friend in the world and she loves him. Arquette told People magazine that Cox is incredible and he loves her, too, adding that she is an amazing and a beautiful person. nEWS dESK
nEWS DESK
T'S official: Daft Punk's new album "Random Access Memories" debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 339,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Random Access Memories," released on May 21, gives the veteran electronic/dance duo its best sales week ever and first No. 1. The set also notches the second-largest sales week of the year overall. Only the debut of Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" logged a larger frame so far in 2013, when it began with 968,000 in March. The full top 10 of the new Billboard 200 will be revealed on Wednesday, May 29. With 339,000 sold, "Random Access Memories" also starts with a more robust sales figure than expected. Industry forecasters had projected a first-week launch of around 300,000 -- with a chance at hitting 325,000 if the set performed strongly through its first week. "Random Access Memories" is the act's fourth studio effort and second top 10 set on the Billboard
200. They had previously gone as high as No. 4 with its soundtrack to "TRON: Legacy" in January of 2011. Their highest-charting studio album had been 2001's "Discovery," which peaked at No. 44. Daft Punk's last studio set, 2005's "Human After All," debuted and peaked at No. 98. Notably, in one week, "Random Access Memories" has sold more than twice what the total sales are for "Human After All." The latter has sold just 125,000 to date. Comparably, Daft Punk's best selling album is "Discovery," with 796,000. Further, "Random Access Memories" is the first dance/electronic album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in more than a year. The last dance/electronic No. 1 was Madonna's "MDNA" -- it debuted atop the April 14, 2012 chart. "Random Access Memories" is led by the single "Get Lucky," featuring Pharrell Williams. The song earned Daft Punk its first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, so far peaking at No. 10 last week. The song is also the duo's biggest airplay hit ever, as it climbed 4629 on the Radio Songs chart last week.
Miranda tears up in Oklahama benefit concert OU have to hand it to Blake Shelton: The native Oklahoman, upon hearing of the devastation wrought in his home state May 20, was able to call on an admirable list of talent in a remarkably short amount of time to put together an all-star benefit concert airing a little more than one week later on a major network. Still, despite that, the show managed to go to the dogs. And that's meant literally. nEWS dESK
by ritupArNo GhoSh'S deAth Reputed filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh died of a massive heart attack at a hospital in Kolkata this morning. He was just 49. Saddened by the news of his death, Bollywood celebs took the aid of twitter to pay their last respects. Acclaimed director Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted "I m speechless and shocked to know that talented filmmaker Rituparna Ghosh has expired." Echoing Madhur Bhandarkar's sentiments and remembering the pleasant time they had together, actress Divya Dutta tweeted, "Shocked to hear about Rituda! Not sinking in! Fondest memories of working with him in the Last Lear! RIP." Film director Onir expresses regret over Rituparno's death. He tweeted, "His passing away will be a big loss not only to lovers of cinema and art , but a huge loss to the LGBT community." He added, " Last met him at the day of the National awards. He was radiant and happy like a child." nEWS dESK
Mendes back in talks to direct next 007 film Sam Mendes has resumed talks with the producers of the James Bond films about the possibility of directing the next movie in the series. The 'Skyfall' director, who previously ruled himself out due to other commitments, is believed to be reconsidering, the BBC reported. According to Deadline.com, Mendes' change of heart was encouraged by Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who waited for him. Mendes helmed the last instalment, Skyfall, which was an audience-pleasing film that grossed over 1.1 billion dollars worldwide to become the biggest Bond film and the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time. Mendes was invited to direct Skyfall's successor but he turned down the offer because of theatre commitments in London. It is believed that the Bond team is ready to postpone production on the next Bond feature until Mendes is available. nEWS dESK
CTOR Akshay Kumar, who would be taking forward the character of Shoaib Khan in 'Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Again', insists he does not think of setting a benchmark. Shoaib was played by Emraan Hashmi in movie's prequel and the portrayal had garnered loads of appreciation from all the quarters. "I am just playing my role. I have not thought of it as a benchmark. I just followed my director, as he is the captain of the ship. I never thought that I had to cross any benchmark," Akshay told reporters when asked if he would try to cross the benchmark set by Emraan in the original film. The trailer of 'Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Again', launched last night, opens with a swanky cricket stadium, two captains dressed in blue and green blazers ready to flip the coin. And then, the don (Akshay Kumar) walks in style. As he enters the stadium and raises his arms, the crowd cheers aloud. The trailer gave the impression of two worlds - cricket and underworld - coming together. However, Akshay cleared the air saying, "It is just the character and situation in the film that I am playing. People should not connect it with anything." nEWS dESK
Jolie to make
post-mastectomy debut on red carpet NGELINA Jolie is set to make her first postmastectomy appearance on the red carpet. According to E! News, the Oscar-winning actress will accompany fiance Brad Pitt at the premiere of his upcoming film, 'World War Z,' on Sunday, the New York Daily News reported. Jolie, who underwent a double mastectomy to reduce her genetic odds of breast cancer, has kept a low profile since revealing her decision, by turning down interview requests and avoiding media attention. nEWS dESK
Daniel wants to
play villain? Actor Daniel Craig fancies playing a villain a la Ernst Stavro Blofeld from the "James Bond" series of novels and films. Otherwise, Craig plays hero spy James Bond in the popular film franchise. "We could change the plot. I could do it. It is the movies after all and it is fantasy," dailystar.co.uk quoted Craig as saying. The "Skyfall" actor is presently busy with two more Bond films. nEWS dESK
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 13
It's better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody. –Matt Damon
ARTs Friday, 31 May, 2013
lAHORE: mahenoor Bukhari, a student of leather Accessories and footwear Department, explains her work to a visitor on thursday on the opening day of thesis display at Pakistan Institute of fashion and Design. the display has attracted a large number of visitors, including art students, renowned fashion designers, celebrities and art teachers. STAFF PHOTO
nEWS DESK
OW that Bruce Willis is dad to a fourth daughter, it seems he just doesn't think a 10,000 square-foot-home is going to cut it anymore. The action star – whose second wife Emma Heming gave birth to baby Mabel last April – has listed his walled and gated Beverly Hills estate for $22 million. The "Die Hard" star purchased the property in 2004 for just $6.3 million, according to the real estate website Redfin. The main house features five bedrooms and two "staff" rooms, while the guest house boasts another four bedrooms, bringing the grand total to 11, along with an equal number of bathrooms. Well, the guy does have a lot of girls in the family. As for activities, the new owners can look forward to movies in the state-of-the-art screening room, tennis on the private court, readings in the library, mediation in the open-air courtyard, cooking in the gourmet kitchen, and pool parties and barbeques out back. As for whether or not Willis put work into the home he's owned for nine years, the listing agent did not return omg!'s call for comment, but given the fact he's now asking nearly $16 million more than what he paid, we're guessing that would be a yes. And Willis is far from the first celebrity to live in the manse built in 1923 (and given the price, he may not be the last). Michael Jackson as well as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are all former owners. Willis purchased the pad, which sits on nearly an acre, from Alan Ladd Jr., a film industry exec who helped George Lucas get the original "Star Wars" made.
Arrested Development
COURtESy EntERtAInMEnt WEEKLy RRESTED Development might be the first show that actually reflects how superfans watch television today. It's hard to imagine now, but when the show first premiered back in 2003, far fewer consumers had a DVD player, much less a DVR, so there was really only one way to watch: By turning on your television exactly when the show started, watching in real time, then training your wooly mammoth to push the ''off'' button with its horns. Considering the sheer number of regular joke-jokes, hidden-inthe-background action jokes, blink-and-you'll-miss-them visual jokes, and call-backs to previous jokes on the first three seasons, it's kind of amazing
that regular people could appreciate the full brilliance of the first three seasons of the highly dysfunctional Bluth family without making use of their pause and rewind buttons. But they did — and, boy, did they. There's a reason why there's a market out there today for ''Buster's unfortunate incident'' earrings and cornballer infomercial paper dolls. Sadly, that market is exactly the same group of people who've already turned against the 15 new episodes. Netflix premiered the show's fourth season early on Sunday, and by mid-afternoon, the reviews were already rolling in, sometimes before critics had even gotten the chance to watch the full season. The word ''disappointed'' came up often. The New York Times found it ''hard to imagine
being anything but disappointed with this new rendition.'' A Buzzfeed contributor was''left disappointed.'' If you look up #arresteddevelopment and #disappointed on Twitter, a whole lot of posts will pop up. And that feels slightly unfair. In the seven years since the show was cancelled, Arrested Development's reputation has been transformed from a very funny, underappreciated comedy to a fierce cult favorite that everyone professes to love more than her Shémale-t-shirt-wearing, frozen-banana-eating friends. Some of these people feel responsible for bringing the show back from the dead, and they seem to think it owes them. Such is the very personal nature of the Kickstarterfunding, Save-Our-Show-petitioning age of TV fandom: No one just dislikes the new
episodes — they feel ''let down'' or even ''betrayed.'' All of which begs the question: Just how brain-explodingly awesome would the show have to be to pay them back? Having binge-watched the whole thing — and then rewatched my favorite scenes all over again — I'm a little surprised by how quickly fans have turned against the show. The new season is actually pretty good, and it gets better with each episode. This is the problem with binge-watching: It often leads to binge-judging, with some viewers fiercely overrating or underrating what they've seen before they've really gotten the chance to think about it. And that's particularly difficult when you're watching a show like Arrested Development, which gives you new things to dissect every time you watch, and offers a growing sense of satisfaction as time goes on and loose narrative threads get tied up. This isn't just another season of the show — it's a heartfelt tribute to seasons past. Each episode focuses on an individual character and follows what happened to him or her within the five years following the end of season 3. There are also flashbacks — the hilariously spoton Kristen Wiig plays a young Lucille and Seth Rogen takes on young George — and occasional cuts to footage from previous episodes. (A ''Showstealer Pro'' watermark appears on those scenes, riffing on the idea that Netflix might've failed to purchase the rights from Fox, which originally aired the show.) Slowly, the characters' stories begin to overlap, as the action moves from a Hollywood moviemaker's office to a college dorm room to a desert getaway to the Bluth compound of model homes. So if you see Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) get run over by an ostrich at the end of the fourth season's premiere, and it feels kind of random, don't worry: A few episodes later, you'll find out how that ostrich got into his family's apartment. (Hint: It has something to do with his sister Lindsay's newfound activism.) This Rashomon approach serves a practical purpose: Due to busy schedules, the actors weren't all available to work together in every
episode. But this everything's-happeningat-once structure also feels tailor-made for our YouTube-obsessed, instant-nostalgia generation. Past and present coexist on this timeline. While the show drums up old memories of long-lost episodes, it's forcing you to create new memories that you'll flash back to very soon. So, that ostrich that knocks Michael over? It's a nod to season 1, when Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) first decided to get political. (Lindsay: ''I care deeply for nature.'' Michael: ''You're wearing ostrichskin boots.'' Lindsay: ''Well, I don't care about ostriches.'') There are so many great hidden references here, it's hard to imagine a time when people watched Arrested Development without a laptop in their laps. The mural that appears behind Michael when he walks through the Phoenix airport? It contains scenes from the previous three seasons, including a shot of ''Wee Britain'' and the seal that mauled Buster (Tony Hale). The ''Feeling Blue?'' sign that's hanging on the wall behind Tobias (David Cross) in the Methadone Clinic? It's a reference to the old Blue Man Group episodes. You'll want to pause any scene that shows a newspaper, magazine, or hand-written sign — the printed punchlines are priceless. And there are callbacks to the cornballer, Dangerous Cousins, and ''I've made a huge mistake,'' along with new catchphrases — ''roofie circle,'' ''anustart,'' ''straightbait'' — that are just waiting to be printed on an ironic Etsy tote bag. Some references are so insidery, you need IMDB to catch them: If you notice that many characters are randomly snacking on parmesan with mustard, maybe it's a nod to Martin Mull, who takes on the role of Gene Parmesan here and also played Colonel Mustard in Clue. You can tell that Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz is a great pop culture lover, and he seems to be paying tribute to his own cult favorites here, with a guest star list that includes John Slattery from Mad Men, the casts of Workaholics and Outsourced, and friendly send-ups of Ugly Betty and Entourage.
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 14
infotainMent Friday, 31 May, 2013
CIENTISTS from Canada have found that transgenic Atlantic salmon can cross-breed with a closely related species - the brown trout. The fish, which have been engineered with extra genes to make them grow more quickly, pass on this trait to the hybrid offspring. However, the biotech company AquaBounty, which created the salmon, said any risks were negligible as the fish they were producing were all female, sterile and would be kept in tanks on land. The transgenic salmon are currently being assessed by the US authorities, and could be the first GM animals to be approved for human consumption. SALmON-TROUT HYbRIDS: In the wild, Atlantic salmon very occasionally mate with the brown trout, successfully producing offspring. But the researchers found that in the laboratory, the genetically modified salmon could do the same. Of the 363 fish analysed at the start of the experiment, about 40% of the hybrids carried the modified genes. The researchers found that these young fish developed extremely quickly. Dr Darek Moreau, from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, said:
"People know what they do; frequently they know why they do what they do; but what they don't know is what what they do does." —Foucault
Gm salmon can breed with wild fish and pass on genes "[Under hatchery conditions] the transgenic hybrids grew faster than the wild salmon, wild trout and wild-type hybrids. The GM hybrids also outgrew the GM salmon." When the fish were placed in a mocked-up stream inside the laboratory, the researchers found that the hybrids were outcompeting both the genetically modified salmon and wild salmon, significantly stunting their growth. "This was likely a result of competition for limited food resources," explained Dr Moreau. The researchers said this study highlighted the ecological consequences should genetically modified fish get into the wild. They acknowledged that the risks of such an escape and subsequent encounter with a brown trout were low, but said this information should still be taken into account by those who are regulating GM animals. Ron Stotish, CEO of AquaBounty Technologies Inc, said: "It is worth noting that in 1995, Peter Galbreath and Gary Thorgaard of Washington State University published research that the Atlantic salmonbrown trout hybrid is sterile. If this holds true, such a hybrid would pose little ecological threat as the fish would not reproduce. "Moreover, AquaBounty has stipulated that we will market only sterile, all female
Neuron growth in children 'leaves no room for memories'
The reason we struggle to recall memories from our early childhood is down to high levels of neuron production during the first years of life, say Canadian researchers. The formation of new brain cells increases the capacity for learning but also clears the mind of old memories. The findings were presented to the Canadian Association of Neuroscience. An expert at City University in London said the mouse study called into question some psychological theories. Neurogenesis, or the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus - a region of the brain known to be important for learning and remembering, reaches its peak before and after birth. It then declines steadily during childhood and adulthood. Dr Paul Frankland and Dr Sheena Josselyn, from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the University of Toronto, wanted to find out how the process of new neuron generation impacted on memory storage. They carried out their research on younger and older mice in the lab. EARLY AmNESIA: In adult mice, they found that increasing neurogenesis after memory formation was enough to bring about forgetting. In infant mice, they discovered that decreasing neurogenesis after memory formation meant that the normal forgetting observed at this age did not occur. Their research suggests a direct link between a reduction in neuron growth
and increased memory recall. They found the opposite to be true also - a decreased ability to remember when neurogenesis is increased (as happens during infancy). The researchers said this provided an explanation for the absence of long-term memory events from early childhood, known as infantile amnesia. Previous studies have shown that although young children can remember events in the short term, these memories do not persist. Dr Frankland, senior scientist in neuroscience and mental health, at the hospital, said: "Why infantile amnesia exists has long been a mystery. "We think our new studies begin to explain why we have no memories from our earliest years. "Before the ages of four or five, we have a highly dynamic hippocampus which can't stably store information. "As new neurons are generated, memory may be compromised by that process." Dr Bettina Forster, from the cognitive neuroscience research unit at City University in London, said the research showed a clear link. "This is a very interesting and elegantly executed study which shows a direct link between neurogenesis and memory formation. "The results questions the long assumed link between verbal development and infantile amnesia and calls into question some psychological and psychotherapeutic theories on this topic." nEWS dESK
AquAdvantage salmon - with specific tests being performed on every commercial batch of fish to assure our product meets our specifications."
pAkiStANi kid GoiNG for record
Following the footsteps of Pakistani child prodigies Arfa KAreem and Beenish Ali, the nation might be given another gift in the form of Muhammad Huzair, a 2nd standard student who will be competing at the international level in the world of information technology (IT). Huzair, belongs to Ravi Road area of Lahore, where educational facilities are definitely not the best Relying solely on self practice and under the guidelines of a private educational institute, he's going to represent Pakistan in the United States. The Microsoft certification Huzair is aiming at is said to be for those who are either graduates or post graduates. His teachers and mentors are expecting him to pass the certification and make the country proud. STAFF REPORT
New coloGNe letS you Smell like A boStoN firefiGhter Is there any better way to pay tribute to Boston's first-responders than trying to smell like them? Probably, but Demeter is putting out a anyway called First Response—Boston, which has scents "overlaid with white rubber and smoke." It also has plenty of spices and flowery fragrances, though it comes off as distinctly "masculine," according to one review noted by . The company is donating 75% of the proceeds to the Boston First Responders Fund, which helps victims of the marathon bombing. A bottle will set you back $20 or $39.50 depending on size. nEWS dESK
He added: "Overall, the study seems to present no new evidence for any added environmental risk associated with the AquAdvantage salmon."
The US Food and Drug Administration is currently in the final stages of considering whether the transgenic salmon can go on sale. nEWS dESK
evolution helps build better robots In the real world, animals have evolved the ability to get from point A to B by galloping, crawling and jumping. Now, robots in the virtual world have accomplished something similar. In new work, researchers have simulated evolution using virtual robots and watched them develop locomotion strategies of their own. In robot-creating simulations, researchers started with random assortments of four types of tissues — including two kinds of muscle, soft support tissue and bone. The simulations favored the tissue configurations that traveled the fastest from point A to point B. Then the team allowed the mathematical simulation to run its course over 1,000 generations of robots. "We see really cool stuff as a result of that, without any interaction from me or anyone else, just this process unfolding itself," Nick Cheney, a member of the research team and a doctoral student at Cornell University, told an audience of reporters Tuesday (May 21) here in midtown Manhattan. The team dubbed the categories of successful robot design that emerged as the L-Walker, the Incher, the Push-Pull, the Jitter, the Jumper and the Wings. [] "I would never come up with anything that looks remotely like that," Cheney said, referring to one of these virtual robots. The bots consist of cubes known as voxels (three-dimensional pixels), which display bright colors signifying different types of tissue. In these simulations, the virtual robots accomplished something highly unusual for robots: They adapted. currently in use in the real world are precisely engineered to work in highly constrained environments, such as manufacturing floors, with their every action hand designed and coded by engineers. As a result, these machines cannot adapt to unfamiliar surroundings. Unlike human engineers, however, nature is a master at creating creatures that can adapt to and interact with their surroundings. This
happens through , the process by which certain traits give organisms a better chance to survive and thus produce more offspring. Nature thus "selects" these traits to persist in future generations. Cheney and colleagues are striving for a similar process in robotics. Although the creatures he and colleagues created do not currently exist in the real world, they could be created with. "The truth of the matter is we can print almost anything, any design," he said, noting researchers recently made an artificial ear with living cells using a 3D printer. In creating the virtual, soft-bodied robots, the team intentionally avoided the traditional robotics' design approach, Cheney said. "We wanted to be true to nature and introduce muscles and bones and tissues," he said. Most of the random assortments of tissues that served as a starting point were "pretty bad," he said. "Every once in a while, you get lucky and one is slightly better. Those reproduce more … Over time, you get some pretty amazing things." In real life, the DNA molecule (deoxyribonucleic acid) encodes the instruction set to create a living organism; analogously, these virtual robots were created using what is known as a compositional pattern-producing network, or a network of mathematical functions, Cheney said. Many of the strategies that emerged among the soft-bodied robots, such as a galloping horse or a crawling inchworm. The research team included Cheney, colleagues Robert MacCurdy and Hod Lipson of Cornell's Creative Machines Lab, and Jeff Clune of University of Wyoming's Evolving AI Lab. The research is scheduled for presentation at the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference in Amsterdam in July. nEWS dESK
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 16
sPORTs Friday, 31 May, 2013
Gilchrist pulls out of cpl
nEW DELHI AGEnCiES
Adam Gilchrist's competitive career may well have come to an end after he pulled out of the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in July due to an ankle injury. Gilchrist captained Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League 2013 and, midway through the tournament, had announced that the CPL would be his last stint in competitive cricket. "I have agreed to play the CPL but I have got some issues with my ankle. It is going to require some surgery at some stage to get it rectified," he had said after the IPL. The CPL organisers have announced the list of marquee players for each of the six franchises, with Ricky Ponting, Muttiah Muralitharan, Herschelle Gibbs and Ross Taylor all set to participate. Gilchrist's absence paved way for the inclusion of Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain. Among the West Indies players, Chris Gayle (Jamaica), Dwayne Bravo (Trinidad and Tobago) and Darren Sammy (St Lucia) were named to play in the franchise based out of their country. Robin Singh, named assistant coach of the Barbados franchise, will be the lone Indian representation in the tournament. Robin has previously coached Mumbai Indians in the IPL and Uva Next in the Sri Lankan Premier League. The CPL will be held from July 29 to August 26. According to the details revealed by the organisers, 90 cricketers representing six teams will play 32 games over the period and the matches will be telecast worldwide. The full squads of each franchise will be determined through a player draft on June 5.
( iCC ChaMpions trophy 2013
These media events are basically goodwill exercises. These are meant for sending goodwill to the team. But all we saw was bad blood — N Srinivasan
honestly, we don't think we are favourites: bravo CARDIff AGEnCiES
APTAIN Dwayne Bravo finds himself having to counter suggestions that the West Indies were one of the favourites to win the ICC Champions Trophy starting next week. While the West Indies enter the June 6-23 tournament as reigning World T20 Champions, their form in the 50over format has not been enterprising, losing eight of their last 13 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Bravo told reporters on Wednesday that the West Indies did not consider themselves favourites and did not feel under any pressure to live up to such a tag. "Well, last year in Sri Lanka we were cast as favourites and we ended up winning, so it's good to be favourites again. Hopefully we win this time," Bravo quipped. "But honestly we don't think we are favourites. We just want to concentrate on what we have to do. We're in a very tough group, and first of all, we want to take it step by step, try and survive that group. "The talk around is it's the group of death, so hopefully we get out of the group of death and then take it from there." He continued, "A tournament like this, it's short, and you never know what can happen. "Being favourites, it's good that other teams can actually — and media people can actually look at us as favourites, but we don't see ourselves as favourites. "We just want to be humble and go about our business in our own way and let the man above take care of our destiny." The West Indies have been installed in a tough Group B that includes reigning World Champions India, South Africa and the unpredictable Pakistan. The top two from each group will progress to the semi-finals. The Caribbean side are gearing up for the campaign with their second camp
in as many weeks, before clashing with Australia in the first of the official warm-up games on Saturday, followed by a game against Sri Lanka next Tuesday. The West Indies were whitewashed 0-5 by Australia Down Under earlier this year but Bravo believes the result could be different this time around on neutral soil. "The series in Australia we didn't start well and playing in Australia, once you don't start well it's difficult to come back," Bravo pointed out. "They're a fantastic team and we have to respect that. But they're out of Australia, also. Now they're in England. We're also in England. I think both teams are going to use the first game as preparation to see exactly what is the right combination for the teams. "Yes, we want to win the game but it's about picking the right team, getting a balance and getting our style of play the way we want to play in this tournament. The weather is expected to play a key role in the tournament, with wet wintry conditions still afflicting England and Wales. On their Test and One-Day tour of England last year, the West Indies suffered in the conditions, winning just one game. While acknowledging the challenges posed by the weather, Bravo said his side would be doing their best to quickly acclimatise to the foreign conditions. "It's always challenging for us because of the weather. It's always
hard for us to come for two weeks to this weather. Where we come from the Caribbean — it's tropical, relaxing, and we're not the only team struggling in England to be honest. The Indians and Sri Lankans also struggle here," Bravo asserted.
Jp progressing well after injury lay-off CAPE tOWN: South Africa batsman JP Duminy admits he was suffering nerves ahead his first proper net session following seven months out with injury but was pleased with his practice ahead of Friday's one-day international against Netherlands in Amstelveen. Duminy snapped his Achilles tendon while on tour of Australia last November, a serious enough injury to create doubt over his future career. He has been selected for the Proteas squad heading to the Champions Trophy in England and Wales next month despite having not played competitively since. "I was really looking forward to the first net session. It was a little bit nervy at first, but it was great to be out there spending time with the guys and facing bowlers," Duminy said on Cricket South Africa's YouTube Channel. "That is the key thing (for me) these days, getting out in the nets and facing competitive bowlers. "It was a really good first net, after a seven month layoff you are always worried about how it is going to go and whether you will time the ball well. "But I was really pleased with the way it went and hopefully I can go from strength to strength." Duminy is seen as a key part of the South African middle order batting and strong spin option for captain AB de Villiers. If he can prove his form in the warm-up matches against the Netherlands and then Pakistan on Monday, he is a likely starter when South Africa open their Champions Trophy campaign against India in Cardiff on June 6. AGEnCiES
boult out of england odi series lONDON: New Zealand left-arm seamer Trent Boult was ruled out on Thursday of the three-match one-day series against England starting at Lord's on Friday, a team spokeswoman said. Fellow pace bowler Ian Butler has been brought in as cover for Boult, now unlikely to feature in next month's ICC Champions Trophy one-day tournament in the UK after aggravating a side injury during New Zealand's 247-run second test defeat by England at Headingley concluded Tuesday. AGEnCiES
aussies are the reigning champions Champions Trophy Team profile: Australia
overvieW OVERVIEW: Australia have won the last two installments and will be keen to make it a hat-trick of victories in the final staging of the event. This is not the same team, however, that comprehensively captured the trophy in the previous tournaments. There is a completely new leadership panel in coach Mickey Arthur and captain Michael Clarke, and the rest of the side is very inexperienced. One thing's for sure, the team will be desperate for success in English conditions in the lead-up to the Ashes.
strengths The team possesses the artillery required to be successful in English conditions. A strong combination of aggressive batsmen, quick bowlers and handy allrounders will make this side a tough nut to crack if they fire to their potential. The pace and bounce that Mitchell Starc will extract from the pitches in England's early summer will make it
FiLE PHOTO
difficult for the opposition to achieve a solid start. If the top order manages to see off the new white ball, then the likes of Shane Watson, David Warner and Clarke will amass totals that are near impregnable. The biggest weapon, however, that Australia possess is their mindset. They are the double defending champions and know how to win tournaments of this format. The added confidence that they carry into the competition has to stand them in good stead. Let's not forget that they were written off at the World Twenty20 but reached the final.
Weaknesses Pooled with the hosts, Australia will be playing this clash in front of a very aggressive crowd which could rattle the champions. The hosts will also have the power to ask the grounds men to prepare pitches to their liking. The main glaring weakness in the Aussie team is the lack of a genuine spinner. The presence of Graeme Swann may tempt England to produce a slow turning wicket when it is time to play the old enemy. Sri Lanka is the third team in the group with a realistic chance of
advancing in the tournament. If they are lucky enough to play Australia on a wicket that offers something for the spinners then they could be in business, but it is highly unlikely this early in the summer.
2009: Winners 2006: Winners 2004: Losing semi-finalists to England
one to WatCh
The big left-arm quick, Michell Starc has had success playing county cricket. He has a clear understanding of the conditions and has all the attributes to be devastating in this tournament. His height and pace would keep any batsmen honest, but it is the late swing with the new ball that should cause havoc with the top order batsmen of many teams in this tournament.
Australia should progress from the group with the hosts. It is then knock-out cricket, and no side in modern times is better than Australia when the pressure is on. This team has a point to prove after a terrible tour of India and we wouldn't be surprises if they add another trophy to their collection.
probabLe benCh-WarMer Australia have wisely decided to pick their squad according to their strengths. Spin bowling is without doubt a weakness in Australian cricket and for this reason they will either choose an XI without a specialist spinner or will play the spin bowling allrounder, Adam Voges. This means that unless there is a game that is effectively a deadrubber or there is an unseasonably dry wicket, Xavier Doherty will not get much time on the park apart from carrying the drinks.
Last 3 toUrnaMent finishes
sQUad Michael Clarke (captain), George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Clint McKay, Mitchell Marsh, Glen Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Watson.
fixtUres 8 June: v England, Birmingham 12 June: v New Zealand, Birmingham 17 June: v Sri Lanka, London
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 17
We are thinking optimistically about Kevin's injury improving and it's nice that he's pain free. That is great news for him and for us — Andy Flower
pakistan Sri lanka warm-up match abandoned EDgBAStOn AGEnCiES
The warm-up match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Edgbaston, has been called off due to wet outfield. After observing the ground at 15:00 GMT, umpires reached the conclusion that it was unsafe to play on this outfield. The warm-up was scheduled to start at 12:00 GMT. Sri Lanka faces India at the same venue in another warm-up match on June 1. Pakistan will take on the Proteas for their last warm-up, before the start of ICC Champions Trophy, on June 3.
pakistani bowler Ahmed closer to Ashes selection CAnBERRA
Friday, 31 May, 2013
ioc threatens to suspend poA on govt interference LAHORE STAFF REPORT
HE International Olympics Committee has in earnest decided to suspend the Pakistan Olympics Movement if the parallel Olympics body supported by the government kept upsetting the working of the POA headed by Lt Gen Arif Hasan. The IOC Executive Board's decision regarding Pakistan Olympic came on its website stated: "The EB noted with great concern that the situation of the
Olympic Movement in Pakistan has deteriorated due to the creation of a parallel body to the NOC by a group of federations supported by government authorities, in particular the Pakistan Sports Board. "The IOC has reiterated on several occasions that it will not accept such a body, which stands in clear contrast to the basic principles of the Olympic Charter, and will recognise only the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), currently headed by Gen. (Retired) Syed Arif Hasan, as the sole entity entitled to act as the NOC of
Pakistan. All the IOC's efforts to reach a mutual understanding have been ignored by this parallel body and the government authorities so far. The EB therefore highlighted that if this parallel body (supported by government authorities) continues to disrupt the operations of the legitimate POA, in particular by organising new "elections" outside the POA and by preventing the POA from exercising its activities as foreseen by the Olympic Charter, Pakistan will be suspended from the Olympic Movement with all consequences this implies."
The Australian government is fasttracking legislation that could clear the way for Pakistani legspinner Fawad Ahmed to play for Australia in the forthcoming Ashes series against England starting July. The 31-year-old is a permanent resident of Australia after being accepted as a refugee, but needs to be an Australian citizen to become eligible for selection to Australia's Test team. Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor introduced an amendment to citizenship law on Thursday that would give him discretion to grant citizenship to residents who have not lived in Australia for the four-year minimum, including Ahmed. To be eligible, the bill says "an applicant must be engaged in a kind of work of benefit to Australia." O'Connor told Parliament his new discretion would apply to "a very small number of people in very exceptional circumstances, where their becoming a citizen would be of benefit to Australia." All major parties have already given inprinciple support, meaning the bill will be fast-tracked and likely become law by next week. While the legislation was drafted in consultation with Cricket Australia, other would-be citizens would also be eligible to apply under the loosening of citizenship rules. Ahmed would have to make an application to the minister and his success is not guaranteed. Cricket Australia chief selector John Inverarity has left open the possibility that Ahmed could be included in the Ashes squad. In April, Ahmed took a step closer to being considered for the Australian team after being awarded a full-time contract with Victoria state. Ahmed played 10 firstclass matches in Pakistan before arriving in Australia in 2010 seeking asylum.
Let regional bodies work independently: Mushtaq LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Former test cricketer Mushtaq Ahmad has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to lift the ad-hoc from the regional cricket association to ensure their independence. "Regional cricket associations are serving as basic institution to flourish cricket across the country and putting them under ad-hoc arrangement is a unfair decision and it is the need of hour that they should work independently without any pressure from any quarter," he reported to have said on Thursday. He said it was unfortunate that seven out of nine regional associations were unfairly punished by the PCB. "I fail to understand that what was the need to impose ah-hoc on them and such a harsh decision was never taken before," said the former legbreak googly bowler who represented the country in 55 test matches and 144 one day internationals. Mushtaq said there was dire need to encourage the regional cricket bodies to acknowledge their contribution in the development of the game at grass root level. "Regional bodies, specially Lahore,
Sialkot and Faisalabad have produced a number of known cricketers who served the country for quite a long time and they (regional bodies) are striving for expanding the base of the game by identifying talent and its grooming on long term basis," he asserted. Musthaq praised the working of Lahore City Cricket Association under the able guidance of its former President Khawaja Nadim Ahmed and termed it a " role model body" which has contributed devoted efforts for giving cricket new dimensions at early level in
recent years. "PCB is the parent body of all the regional bodies and it should take all the stake holders (regional bodies) on board rather keeping them away from cricket", he said adding "imposing ad-hoc is a illegal and un-constitutional step which is harmful for the cause of the game." He said in the prevailing circumstances PCB should defuse the tension by reserving its decision to acknowledge the importance of the regional bodies in the overall development of the game. The former spinner said the ongoing tussle between the PCB and the regional bodies will serve no purpose but will create opportunity for some individuals to promote their vested interest and to muster support through back doors for their elections in the regional bodies. "If the club cricket become inactive due to the prevailing circumstances it will be very harmful for our cricket which is already in shambles due to lack of activity in some regions ", he said adding "It is the duty of PCB to end this crisis in the larger interest of cricket and it should drop the idea of electing its favourites in the regional bodies by taking advantage of the ad-hoc set up".
boxer Amir khan to tie the knot
SPORtS DESK British boxer Amir Khan and his fiancée, Faryal Makhdoom, are getting hitched on Friday at the Waldorf-Astoria, sources exclusively revealed. They'll tie the knot in a lavish wedding said to be costing $1 million. The pugilist and the New York student were engaged last year in front of 1,000 guests, including Wayne Rooney. Reports say Khan will whisk his bride back to Bolton, England, for another wedding bash to be attended by 4,000 before they head on a honeymoon. Makhdoom once said of dating her future hubby with his Bolton accent, "It was like he was speaking in a foreign tongue... He'd say things like 'daft' and 'innit' and I had no idea what they meant." She should hopefully understand, "I do."
Will speak on corruption when time is right: dhoni SPORtS DESK India captain MS Dhoni remained unforthcoming when asked about the corruption issues in the IPL at his first press conference in England, ahead of the Champions Trophy, saying he would speak on the subject when the time was right. Dhoni, who had not been allowed to answer such questions before leaving Mumbai, only said that the reputation of Indian cricket had not "gone" and that some individuals had been more mentally weak than others. "If I have not answered Indian journalists, there is no reason why I should answer you ... at the right time (I will speak)," he said in response to the first question on corruption in Birmingham. Dhoni said he did not want to speak on the issue at the moment because he wanted to "keep our side away from everything as of now." When asked if the image of Indian cricket had taken a hit, Dhoni said: "It is not that the reputation has gone. If I go ahead to explain that I would rather answer his
bCCi treasUrer Considers resigning SPORtS DESK
question also. When the right time comes, I will answer it. "As of now, I don't think we have lost the opportunity because whatever the set up is throughout the world or any sport, still you have some people who would be slightly mentally weak as compared to some of the others. I would have loved to elaborate but at the right time I will do it."
BCCI treasurer Ajay Shirke is mulling resigning his post because of the manner in which the board handled the betting charges against the arrested Chennai Super Kings official, Gurunath Meiyappan, who is N Srinivasan's son-inlaw, and the spot-fixing charges against the three Rajasthan Royals players. Shirke has held his office since October 1, 2011, the day N Srinivasan became president. "I will wait and see for the time being. If the board continues to ignore what I consider is primary responsibility, I will find it difficult for myself to be associated with it," Shirke, who is also the head of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, told ESPNcricinfo. "It is an evolving situation,
so I will wait and see. "A few days, maybe within a week, I will make up my mind. If there's going to be more and more room for fingers to be pointed away, I will have to take a call. That doesn't mean I will run away from fulfilling my responsibilities, but and I cannot let my personal reputation and credibility be tarnished. That for me stands above everything else." While calls for Srinivasan's resignation have been getting louder, he has repeatedly declined to resign. Though the BCCI constituted a three-member commission, which includes two former Tamil Nadu High Court judges, to probe the complaints against Meiyappan, the Super Kings owners India Cements and the Rajasthan Royals owners, Shirke highlighted the deficiency in the board's
handling of the matter. "I am not satisfied. Normally whenever there's a crisis - small, major, any kind of crisis - we call for a (working committee) meeting," Shirke said. "And we have had many such crises - of sponsors pulling out, or of an IPL franchise being disbanded. On every such occasion, the president calls for a meeting, and the issue is discussed in great detail by every member of the working committee. That has been the prevalent way. "Even when the players were arrested, there was an emergent meeting. Then we had a follow-up meeting in Chennai. Then the president came up to the media and explained all the measures that had been taken. After this, there hasn't been anything on this (Gurunath arrest) issue.
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:28 AM Page 18
I'm pleased with how I played in the second and third. I was aggressive. I was hitting it. I've just got to get better from there — Heather Watson
sPORTs Friday, 31 May, 2013
coca cola Golf tees off at lahore Gym today lAHORE: The contest for honors in the Coca Cola Golf Championship will carry an agitational and fearsome competitive touch over the next three days at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course. Initiated by Golfers Welfare Trust and supported by Coca Cola, the championship will commence on Friday and includes events for caddies also. In addition there are events for veterans (golfers above 70 years of age), seniors (golfers above 55 years of age), ladies and amateur golfers of skill and ability. This is a big opportunity for the caddies who get another chance to participate and compete on a historic golf course and through good performances, prove that they have enough talent and ability, to be considered for elevation to the ranks of professional golf. A total of sixty caddies are being given a chance and the glee on their faces was radiant, when Javed Khan of the Welfare Trust made this announcement and confirmed that prizes for the top ones are going to be attractive indeed. In the other events a total of 75 competitors have already registered and those who will add color to the occasion are Salman Jehangir, Murad A.Khan, Mohsen Zafar, Shahid A.Khan, Qayum Rashid, Shakeel Ahmed and Javed Khan. All these players are consistent performers and through excellence in hitting and backed by a superb touch on the greens, they have the capability to make a tournament sparkle. And the biggest challenge they face is from upcoming and gutsy players like Farooq Khan, Nasir Irshad, Dr Dildar Chaudry, Khurshid Aziz, Ahmed Said and Dr Arshad Mehmood. Amongst the seniors and veterans, the names that stand out are Omer Farooq, Asad Niaz, Mian Tariq, Javed Zia and Javed Hameed. The first tee off will be for the caddies at 7 am on Friday. STAFF REPORT
pbf declares velo boxing tourney illegal lAHORE: The Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) has termed the Velo National Boxing Tournament being played from June 1 at Sialkot as illegal and urged its all affiliated teams to stay away from the event. Secretary, PBF, Iqbal Hussain said on Thursday that some former officials of the PBF are in hand to disrupt the smooth working of the PBF and they are creating confusion by announcing illegal events. "It is not a PBF approved event and it is not our activity calendar," he added. He said legal action will be taken against those teams which will be taking part in the illegal activity. STAFF REPORT
chelsea close in on Schurrle lONDON: Andre Schurrle's projected move from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea has moved a step closer after the Bundesliga club's general manager said a fee has now been agreed. Schurrle, who is understood to have agreed personal terms with the Blues, is on international duty for Germany in the USA and will likely head straight to London to finalise the deal following his release from the national team. The 22-year-old is set to join the Europa League winners in a reported £20million deal that will see Belgium international Kevin de Bruyne move in the opposite direction on loan. "We have reached an agreement with Chelsea," Wolfgang Holzhauser told the Rheinische Post newspaper. "They are going to buy Andre Schurrle for a specific fee and, in return, they will loan De Bruyne to us for a year for free. AGEnCiES
serena poWers past garCia into third roUnd
Armstrong urged to tell uci everything St. PEtERSBURg AGEnCiES
ycling federation president Pat McQuaid is waiting for a visit and an apology from Lance Armstrong. McQuaid said Armstrong should travel to UCI headquarters in Switzerland to tell all about his doping history and offer to help clean up the sport. "He should jump on his private plane, come to Switzerland and say, 'What should I do?'" McQuaid told reporters. "He still hasn't apologized to the sport of cycling. If he has information that is valuable to the sport he should come forward." McQuaid said Armstrong should also meet with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and World Anti-Doping Agency to provide full details on how he cheated to win the Tour de France seven times. The American was stripped of all the titles last year after admitting to doping. "Everyone accepts he has not come clean," McQuaid said. "He should sit down and work with us." McQuaid and the UCI have come under fire for failing to catch Armstrong and the federation has been accused of complicity and cover-ups in his cheating. But, in a wide-ranging interview with reporters on the sideline of the SportAccord Convention, McQuaid repeatedly
defended himself, the UCI and former president Hein Verbruggen. "I do not think the UCI made mistakes," the Irish official said. "The facts show the UCI was always the most advanced federation in the fight against doping. The problem was the products that couldn't be tested for at the time. There were no tests available for the products. The UCI was not to blame. "Ten or 15 years ago, the armory was much weaker. Today we are spending 7.5 million euros ($9.6 million) a year on testing. We are not spending 7.5 million euros ($9.6 million) to let cheats get away." McQuaid said the UCI tested Armstrong 200 times between 1999 and 2005, while USADA tested him 12 times during that period.
"All the blame has been put on the UCI," he said. "Maybe USADA and WADA should also take some responsibility." McQuaid said he has invited USADA chief executive Travis Tygart for talks in Switzerland. Tygart, who has been one of the UCI's harshest critics, has accepted and a date for the meeting is being arranged, McQuaid said. The UCI head claimed he never suspected Armstrong was cheating during his dominance of the Tour de France, saying he had been inspired by the rider's comeback from cancer. "I didn't know what he was up to. I was fooled," McQuaid said. "I believed there was no way a man so close to death would go and start putting stuff into his
body that could be dangerous. ... I gave him the benefit of the doubt." McQuaid, who has faced calls to step down in the wake of the Armstrong revelations, said he has never considered resigning. "I firmly believe I am making a difference," he said. "I firmly believe there is a change in the peloton and the sport has changed." McQuaid, who has headed the UCI for eight years, is up for re-election for a third term in September. "I want to eradicate doping," he said. "I want to see this through. I want to finish what I started." Despite the continuing questions over the UCI's role and the fallout from the Armstrong case, McQuaid believes the scandal will fade away and the sport has a rosy future. "I believe it's in the past,' he said. "I believe it will pass over. It will go away. The sport has a bright future. We're becoming truly global." McQuaid cited the growth of the sport in Asia and Africa, and predicted a "black African will make the podium of a major tour within the next six years." On another subject, he said the UCI is proposing the addition of BMX freestyle and mountain bike elimination events for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Also still in discussions, he said, is the possibility of bringing skateboarding into the Olympics under the UCI umbrella.
mercedes under scrutiny for in-season test tOROntO AGEnCiES
A further three teams have criticised Mercedes for joining with Pirelli in what they believe was an illegal in-season test earlier this month. Lotus, Force India and Marussia have weighed into the debate over Mercedes' decision to join forces with the Italian tyre manufacturer for a 1,000 kilometre test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona between May 15 and 17, three days after the Spanish Grand Prix. Formula One's sporting regulations state only a two-year-old car piloted by a test driver can be used for such purposes, yet Mercedes employed their current model and with regular drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at the wheel. Red Bull and Ferrari were the only teams to lodge a protest after news of the tyre test broke ahead of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix, but support is now beginning to emerge from elsewhere in the paddock. Mercedes are waiting to hear from the FIA whether a report from the Monaco Grand Prix stewards will result in a hearing of the governing body's International Tribunal (IT). Mercedes and Pirelli maintain their innocence. Mercedes insist no new car parts were tested, while Pirelli says the German team were not granted access to information on the tyres being run. Mercedes further claim that the FIA gave them permission to undertake the test, although the governing body maintains its approval was conditional on other teams being offered the chance to take part. It is becoming increasingly clear that the overwhelming majority of the F1 paddock is lined up against Mercedes, although as the initial complainants only Red Bull and Ferrari would stand in opposition should a hearing be called. The reluctance of the other teams to support the official protest was met with a tart response by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who said: "They all say 'We're behind you'... just four miles further back."
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:29 AM Page 19
I have played for Barca for six years and it's been the biggest experience of my life — Eric Abidal
All too easy for federer in france PARIS
All eyes will be on Tiger Woods as he looks to lay a marker for the next major of the year at the Memorial Tournament this week. Eight of the world's top 10 will be in action in Dublin, Ohio, including British quartet Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, but world number one Woods is the man to beat. The American birdied three of his last four holes to turn a two-shot deficit into a twostroke victory in this competition 12 months ago the fifth time he has come out on top at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Woods will be itching to claim a sixth crown this week ahead of the US Open - which gets under way on June 13 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania - and build further momentum following his success at the Players Championship earlier this month. Victory in Florida was the 37-year-old's fourth title of 2013 and he will have no intention of resting on his laurels when he tees off alongside
Keegan Bradley and Fred Couples in his opening round of Jack Nicklaus' tournament. "I'm looking forward to it. I played really well last time at the Players," he said. "It's been a nice two weeks off and nice to get back and
STAR CRICKET 1st ODI: England vs. New Zealand
SoA beach Games begins at Sea view indoors at Paris Bercy, while he also won their last meeting in Rotterdam earlier this year. JANKOVIC ADVANCES: It is easy to forget Jelena Jankovic ended 2008 as the world number one with a first grand slam title seemingly not far away. Things did not quite go to plan for the Serb, now aged 28, however and arriving at this year's French Open seeded 18 she is not on many people's lists of potential champions. There have been signs this year though that Jankovic is returning to the kind of form that once made her a fixture in the top 10 and regular title winner. On Thursday at Roland Garros she moved through to the third round with an impressive 6-3 6-0 victory over Spain's Garbine Muguruza, storming through the last 12 games after losing the first three, getting off court just as the rain began to fell. In the first round against former world number five Daniela Hantuchova she recovered a 5-0 second-set deficit so there is clearly nothing wrong with her fighting spirit. "Since Miami this year I've felt the confidence coming back and
I feel like I'm competing as a top player again," Jankovic told Reuters. "I know that when I'm healthy and free of injuries I'm still capable of playing great tennis. "I started slowly today but then won 12 games in a row. I just beat the rain too, so that's a relief." From the U.S. Open in 2006 when Jankovic reached her first grand slam semi-final she enjoyed a run of consistency that took her all the way to number one in the world, reaching three semi-finals and a final in the next eight grand slam tournaments. Since losing to Serena Williams in the 2008 U.S. Open final she has found it much harder to make an impression at the majors with her 2010 run to the semi-finals at Roland Garros when she lost to Samantha Stosur her best effort in the past four years. Stosur is Jankovic's likely third round opponent here. Jankovic ended last year out of the top 20 for the first time since 2005 and appeared to be on the decline as injuries to her back and thigh caught up with her. But she is not finished yet.
Woods itching to claim sixth Memorial title MUIRfIELD
Warm Up)
PARIS: Caroline Garcia was unable to prevent Serena Williams extending her winning run to 26 matches in the second round of the French Open at Roland Garros. Two years ago French hope Garcia led Maria Sharapova by a set and 4-1 here before the Russian turned things round and so impressive was the then 17-year-old that Andy Murray tweeted she would be a future world number one. If Wednesday's match against the current occupant is anything to go by, then she has some way to go. It has not quite happened for the teenager so far and her steady but unspectacular progress means she is still ranked outside the top 100. There is no disgrace, of course, in losing heavily to Williams - since her shock exit in the first round here last year, the American has won 68 of 72 matches and 10 titles. Williams won the first five games and the focus she is currently displaying was demonstrated by a point in the following game. Garcia was helped out by the net cord as she stopped the rot and avoided a love set but, instead of smiling like her opponent, Williams scowled. Garcia put up a decent fight in the second set but it was still entirely comfortable for Williams, who triumphed 6-1 6-2 in an hour and two minutes and next meets 26th seed Sorana Cirstea. AGEnCiES
wAtCh It LIve
Kent Cricket Live (Post Show -
AFAEL Nadal and Novak Djokovic have both had their difficulties at the French Open this year but Roger Federer strolled into the third round with his second easy win. After beating Pablo CarrenoBusta in round one, Federer lost just four games in a 6-2 6-1 6-1 victory over India's Somdev Devvarman that lasted an hour and 22 minutes. Wednesday's win means Federer has lost fewer games in two rounds than either of his rivals in one, with Nadal struggling against Daniel Brands and Djokovic given a tough time by David Goffin. The draw has certainly been kinder to second seed Federer, who is on the other side of the draw to Nadal and Djokovic, and found himself up against a second qualifier in succession. Crowd favourite Federer had been dispatched to Court Suzanne Lenglen rather than his usual haunt of Philippe Chatrier, but it quickly became clear Devvarman would not provide much of a challenge. The 2009 champion was hitting his groundstrokes with supreme confidence despite a lack of matches on clay this season and from 0-1 in the second set won 11 straight games before Devvarman at least avoided ending on the wrong end of a bagel. Next up for Federer is French 30th seed Julien Benneteau, who lost 10 straight games against Tobias Kamke on Wednesday from a position of control before winning in five sets. Benneteau can at least take confidence from having beaten Federer in Paris before, albeit
Friday, 31 May, 2013
play at an event that I've always loved playing. "I think I've always played Nicklaus courses well. Looking at my career, I've won on quite a few, whether it was junior golf college or in professional golf. "For some reason I just feel comfortable on his golf courses, the way he sets it up. "There's ample room off the tees, the greens are really severe and if you miss the green it's a test for your short game and those are the things I do well." McIlroy will be bidding to put last week's poor showing at the BMW PGA Championship behind him with the US Open a little over two weeks away. The Northern Irishman admitted he was put off by the poor weather at Wentworth and missed the cut after disappointing rounds of 74 and 75. However, the world number two is aiming to rediscover his form in the warmer climes of the United States. And perhaps the fact he is teeing off alongside world number four Rose and 2012
Woods 'done' With garCia Controversy muIRfIElD: Tiger Woods expects the controversy surrounding Sergio Garcia's comments about the world number one to end, whether he speaks to the Spaniard or not. Garcia was forced to apologise after last week's comments at the European Tour's annual awards ceremony where he said, ''We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken.'' Garcia escaped punishment for the remark, and, after speaking to Woods' agent Mark Steinberg, had said that he hopes to apologise to Woods in person at the US Open. Woods had already tweeted last week that Garcia's comments "wasn't silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate. "I'm confident that there is real regret that the remark was made. Woods remains keen to move on from the incident. "That's already done with," he said during a press conference at the Memorial Tournament. Tournament host Jack Nicklaus is also frustrated by the story. "The Sergio-Tiger thing, I mean it's stupid," he said. "I mean ... do guys have an issue with one another? They usually resolve it themselves. "You guys want to resolve it in the newspapers today. Nobody needs that. And I think they both finally said it's enough. Let's move on." AGEnCiES
Masters champion Bubba Watson in one of the more exciting groups will give McIlroy an added incentive to succeed. Rose knows what it takes to succeed in this competition after triumphing in 2010 and he is being tipped as one of the frontrunners to upset Woods although
compatriot and world number 10 Westwood is hoping he can build on his result at the BMW PGA Championship, where he finished in a tie for ninth. "I'm playing pretty consistently. Four top-10s on the PGA Tour and top-10 last week in Europe," said the 40year-old. "I'm looking forward to this week and hopefully just keep playing as I am and hopefully get in contention and finish it off."
KARACHI: The SOA Beach Games 2013 started at Sea View, Clifton, Karachi with fanfare and is being organized by the Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) with the collaboration and sponsorship by Spanish Company Party Fiesta. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Commissioner Karachi was the chief guest of the opeing ceremony and declared the Games open in very colorful ceremony. The banner of beautiful logo flew by the color balloons in the air and sign of pace pigeons also flew in the air. Around 1000 players and officials from Karachi East, West, South and Central Regions headed by Chef de Missions Z.H.K Yousuf Zai, Syed Zahid Ali Rizvi, Muhammad Idress, Nisar Ahmed Siddiqui march past before the guest. The children's of Govt. Girls Qamarul Islam School Punjab Colony displayed the beautiful tableau and the children's of the Govt. Apwa Girls School Gulbahar performed the songs by their band. The gymnastic, taekwondo & kick boxing players were also demonstrated in opening ceremony. Quratul Ain (International Netball Player) and Shazia Yousaf (T.O) take the oath from Players & Officials. The dignities i.e. Mr. Osama Qadri, President, SOA, Abdul Wahab Bandhani, Patron, SOA, Mr. Qamaruddin Shaikh Chairman, SOA, Tahir Naveed DIGP East, Abdul Razak Arain, SVP, SOA, Shahzad Parvez Bhatti, Deputy Director Sind Sports Board, Presidents & Secretaries of Provincial Sports Bodies were also present on this occasion. At this movement the winner of Marathon, cycling and boxing the players of marathon awarded the gold, silver & bronze medals. STAFF REPORT
Ntdc wins Annual wapda inter-unit badminton lAHORE: NTDCL Headquarters, Wapda House, Lahore, National Transmission & Despatch Company Limited (NTDCL) won the Annual WAPDA Inter-unit Badminton Tournament by securing overall 124 points. The tournament was held at Rodham Hall, Pakistan Sports Board Islamabad. The event was organized by Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), where players from Power Distribution (DISCOs) and Generation Companies (GENCOs) from all over Pakistan participated in various discipline of Men, Women and Officers category. The players of NTDCL outclassed their opponents and won men and women single, double and officers competitions with significant margins. The NTDCL spokesman said that in single competitions of men, Mr Ovais Zahid of NTDCL grabbed 12 years old title from Wajid Ali of LESCO. Later chief guest on the occasion, Chief Engineer IESCO Mr Faramanullah presented the trophy to the winner team of NTDCL. STAFF REPORT
ISB 31-05-2013_Layout 1 5/31/2013 7:29 AM Page 20
Friday, 31 May, 2013
stiLL no headWay on baLoChistan CM LAHORE
lAHORE: Pakistan muslim league-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif chairs a high-level meeting of the Balochistan parliamentary party on thursday. inP
EWLY-ELECTED members from Balochistan met at Raiwind on Thursday to decide the name of the future chief minister of the province. As many as 27 MPAs from Balochistan's new assembly belonging to main political parties in the province attended the meeting. Sources disclosed the meeting remained inconclusive despite best efforts of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) top leaders, including Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, to reach some conclusion. The power struggle in the party is the main reason for the failure of the meeting to decide a consensus candidate for the top office. There are three candidates in the PML-N alone vying for the chief minister's office — Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Changez Marri and Aslam Bhootani. But none of them was able to establish during the meeting that he enjoyed backing of most members present there. Dr Malik from the National Party too was lobbying hard to become the leader of the House. The National Party has the majority in the Balochistan Assembly. The MPAs who participated in the meeting belonged to the PML-N, PkMAP, and NP. Later, leaders of Nationalist Party Dr Malik and Hasel Bizenjo also met Nawaz Sharif.Talking to reporters, they reposed confidence in Nawaz's leadership and said they had authorized him to pick their leader of the House. They said the PML-N, NP and PkMAP will form a joint government in Balochistan. Bizenjo said there was no deadlock on the issue of nomination of Balochistan chief minister, adding that he was not aware of any differences within the PML-N on this issue.
( CraCks Within ppp
WHO WILL 11 'disenchanted' senators mull future strategy PML-N CHOOSE AS ISLAMABAD
TAyyAB HuSSAin
With the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) virtually limited to Sindh, cracks have started emerging within its ranks and the party's members of the Senate have started mulling future strategy in face of the fast-changing situation. At present, the PPP is the largest party with 39 members in the 104member Upper House, while the PML-N has 15 senators and the JUIF seven. Well-placed sources con-
fided in Pakistan Today that around 11 high-profile senators had gathered at a lunch hosted by Senator Adnan Khan to discuss future course of action, since they were feeling disenchanted due to the apathy of the party's top leadership. "It was only a meeting of likeminded party colleagues and we had gathered to share the feelings of each other and to discuss future strategy. No forward bloc has been formed as yet and all such stories running around in the capital are mere rumours," said Senator Khan. A source, however, claimed that
ppp to vote for NAwAz: lAtif khoSA ISLAMABAD APP
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and former Punjab governor Latif Khosa on Thursday said his party had decided to vote for Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif for the position of prime minister. "The PPP is ready to cooperate with the PML-N on national issues while sitting on opposition benches," Khosa stated. Khursheed Shah, who has been nominated by the PPP for the post of opposition leader in the National Assembly, also said the party wanted the continuation of the democratic process and that was why it would support the PML-N government on national issues. He hoped the PML-N chief would implement the remaining clauses of the Charter of Democracy, including the establishment of a constitutional court. Replying to a question, he said, if required, the PPP would back the government for constitutional amendments keeping in view larger national interests.
Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan, Senator Saifullah Khan Bangash, and some heavyweight senators from PPP Punjab and Sindh had also attended the lunch. The source claimed that six senators from FATA had also attended the lunch and they had extended their full support to the group. The source said the lawmakers expressed their disappointment over the role played by President Asif Zardari and the mysterious absence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from the political arena. They decided to meet again soon after consulting some other PPP leaders and
members of parliament to evolve a joint strategy to deal with the situation. "Look, the country is facing a disastrous situation. We can't sit idle for the next five long years. We would have to play our role as the situation demands," the source said. Haji Saifullah Khan Bangash was elected on a general seat from KP on PPP ticket and he would serve until year 2017. Senator Adnan Khan was elected to the Senate on PPP ticket for technocrats in year 2009. He would serve until 2015. Senator Waqar was also re-elected from PPP and he would serve until 2015.
pti to fieLd asad UMar in na-48, ayLa MaLik in na-71 by-poLLs ISLAMABAD TAyyAB HuSSAin
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary board has finalised the party tickets for the by-elections to be held in NA-48 Islamabad and NA-71 Mianwali constituencies, and it has been decided that the party's top leaders Asad Umar and Ayla Malik would be contesting for the constituencies being vacated by Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Imran Khan, respectively. Though the formal announcement is yet to be made, the party's hierarchy has made the decisions according to which Imran Khan would vacate NA-1, Peshawar, and NA-71 Mianwali seats and keep NA-56, Rawalpindi seat. Makhdoom Javed Hashmi would keep the
NA-149 Multan seat and would vacate NA-48 Islamabad. A senior PTI leader told Pakistan Today that the party wanted to get elected Asad Umar who was not only a top leader of the party, but would be badly missed due to his expertise on economy and other related issues. "We would badly need Asad Umar regarding the party's official policy on the budget-making of the federal government, while he would also assist the party's chairman Imran Khan on other issues," the PTI leader said, adding that the party's parliamentary board had given approval in this regard. The source added that since Ayla Malik had acted as in-charge
of PTI's election campaign in Mianwali district, she would be an asset for the party in the National Assembly, as Khan wanted to again clinch Mianwali seat, his hometown. "For Imran Khan, Mianwali is not only a hometown but he is attached to his people a lot. Ayla Malik is very popular among Mianwali voters and she holds sway across Mianwali district due to the influence of the Nawab of Kalabagh family. She has also gelled the party workers and local leadership together. So the party is going to field her from Mianwali," the PTI leader added. Asked whether Inamullah Khan Niazi, the first cousin of Imran Khan would play an irritant against Ayla's candidature, the PTI leader said PTI workers and local leaders were united and Ayla Malik was the undisputed leader.
na speaker? LAHORE nAdEEm SyEd
All eyes are set on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and prime minister-in waiting Nawaz Sharif to watch out for his nominations for the office of National Assembly (NA) speaker and deputy speaker. It has been learnt that the party's core leadership is in last-minute consultations to finalise names of those who will run the PML-N show in NA. Party officials say an announcement will be made soon in this regard following release of the schedule for the maiden NA session to be held on June 1. If one goes by parliamentary traditions, the position of speaker usually goes to smaller provinces. For the PML-N, it is all the more important to trust somebody from smaller provinces so as to maintain a balance since the next prime minister and important cabinet ministries will be from Punjab. But the catch for PML-N is that it dominates in Punjab with little parliamentary presence in other provinces. As such there is hardly anyone from outside Punjab the PML-N could trust with this important position. Mehmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party was once the favourite for this office. But recently there has been a change of heart on this count. Some PML-N leaders say that the party cannot trust any
outsider and wants the speaker to be from within PML-N's ranks; someone who could toe the party's line without becoming "very independent". Abdul Qadir Baloch, a party loyalist could be a choice for the coveted position. But Baloch is more interested in joining the federal cabinet as interior minister. Running the National Assembly smoothly according to the party's priorities is of utmost importance for the PML-N since the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has a solid presence in Senate. The speaker's post is also important because the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is fully prepared to take on the PML-N as the real opposition in the coming days. Meanwhile, the PMLN leaders are waiting for the meeting of the party's central executive committee and other decision-making bodies to take important decisions before Nawaz Sharif takes oath or finalises his cabinet. Sources say that consultations over key issues have been going on among a very limited circle to the exclusion of top party officebearers.