Energy crisis worsens, gasproduction dwindles by 3.3pc

ALI SYED

ISLAMABAD—In a shockingdevelopment, gas production inPakistan dropped by 3.3 percentto 3.981 billion cubic feet perday from 4.118 billion cubicfeet per day, exposing the coun-try to more gas deficit crisis.

Major decline came fromUch, Sui and Qadirpur whileKunnar’s production led volu-metric leaders, a senior officialat Ministry of Petroleum andNatural Resources told PakistanObserver.

However, we expect gasproduction to average4,248mmcfd in financial year14.These include additional320mmcfd from Uch/Tal Block(Dec 2013) and 150mmcfdKPD-TAY/Sinjhoro (April2014).

However, in positive devel-opment, Pakistan’s oil produc-tion has surged by 7 percent to82000 barrels per day that was77000 barrels of oil per day atbeginning of 2013. Interestingly,oil production in the country re-mained in the range of 62-

70kbopd between FY03-12,rose to 76000 barrels per day inFY13 and has now crossed82000 barrels per day. “Despitethis growth, Pakistan still meets82% of its oil needs throughimports,” the official said.

We are going to make jointventures with US companies toaccelerate the exploration andproduction activities and to thisaffect positive vibes Pakistan isgetting from US.

According to EIA (EnergyInformation Administration) —US federal authority on energy

statistics and analysis Pakistanis estimated to have fresh recov-erable shale gas reserves of 105trillion cubic feet (TCF) andmore than nine billion barrelsof oil.

Now we have initiated a strat-egy to map out the exact assess-ment of the oil and shale gas re-serves for which an agreementhas been inked with USAID un-der which the US consultant Ad-vanced Engineering AssociatesInternational, Inc (AEAI) wouldinitiate study to assess the actualContinued on Page 7

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TARIQ SAEED

PESHAWAR—Making openmockery of the Pakistan’s terri-torial integrity and the commit-ment made to the Advisor ofPrime Minister on foreign af-fairs only a day earlier thatWashington would not carry outdrone attacks in the course ofparleys with the Taliban, theAmerican planes in a first everattack in the settled area struckhard on a Madrassa in Hangudistrict of Khyber PakhtunkhwaThursday killing at least eightpeople mostly teenaged studentsand seriously wounding eightothers.

In fact this was a secondmajor drone attack believed tobe aimed at sabotaging the ne-gotiation process between thePakistani Government and theTaliban militants. Earlier keymilitant commander and chief ofTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)Hakimullah Mehsud was report-edly killed in American planeattacks in North Waziristan

US drone strike in KP kills 8Pakistan strongly condemns, terms attack a violation of territorial integrity, sovereignty

Agency on November 1 thuscausing a serious blow to thedialogues process as the Paki-

stani Prime Minister NawazSharif had announced only a dayprior to the attack that the dia-

logue process with the Talibanhad resumed and both the par-ties were likely to sit on a table

shortly to find out negotiatedsettlement of the militancy issuein order to ensure lasting peacein the region. That had ulti-mately forced the militant’sleadership to cast serious appre-hension on the government’sintention to negotiate peace par-leys with the Taliban.

Reports reaching here fromHangu district say the predatorplane or the American CIA op-erated drone targeted a Madrassatitled Miftah ul Quran situatedat Parachinar road in TehsilThall around four in the morn-ing with the a hellfire missilesthat killed eight inmates mostlyteenaged students and seriouslywounded ten others. A girls col-lege and power house is alsosituated closed to the hit semi-nary.

“The American planes firedthree missiles on the Madrassakilling as many as sex studentsand two teachers besideswounding many others in a pre-dawn attack,” locals and offi-cials said. Some reports said the

killed teachers namely AhmadUllah and Hammad Ullah of theMadrassa were of Afghan ori-gin. There were conflicting re-ports about the dead with somereports suggesting all thosekilled were the elders and thestudents only sustained injuriesin the attack that sent a wave ofshock and harassment in the re-gion since it was the first attackin Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ssettled area as prior to that theAmerican planes have been do-ing adventurism only in thetribal areas and killed aroundthree thousand people mostlyinnocent tribals in more thanthree hundred drone hits since2008.

“At least eight students werekilled and six others were in-jured in a US missile strike tar-geting a seminary in Tehsil Talof district Hangu here on Thurs-day”. A local official preferrednot to be named, however, toldthis scribe adding the droneskept hovering on the sky forlong time causing tension and

harassment among the people.Unfortunately the fresh

drone attack came hardly a dayafter the Prime Minister’s Ad-viser on Foreign Affairs andNational Security Sartaj Aziztold the Senate body that the UShad assured Pakistan of not con-ducting drone strikes during thecourse of dialogues process withthe Taliban.

Pakistan on Thursdaystrongly condemned the USdrone strike in Tall area ofHangu‚ in which eight peoplewere killed and two others in-jured. In a statement‚ ForeignOffice spokesperson AizazAhmad Chaudhry said thesestrikes are a violation ofPakistan’s sovereignty and ter-ritorial integrity.

He maintained that dronestrikes are counter-productive‚entail loss of innocent civilianlives and have human rights andhumanitarian implications. Suchstrikes also set dangerous pre-cedents in the inter-state rela-HANGU: People gather at Islamic seminary that was destroyed in a US drone strike on

Thursday. Continued on Page 7

Stable Afghanistan inPak interest: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD—Prime MinisterMuhammad Nawaz Sharif saidPakistan is extending every pos-sible help in maintenance ofpeace in Afghanistan.

He was talking to a delega-tion of Afghan Peace Council inIslamabad on Thursday.

The prime minister said astable Afghanistan was in theinterest of Pakistan, adding thathe would continue to cooperate

with the Afghan side to estab-lish peace in the region.

Prime Minister also under-scored Pakistan’s resolve to con-tinue to extend all possible fa-cilitation for the Afghan peaceand reconciliation process. Hefurther said that Pakistan has

always supported a peaceful,stable and united Afghanistanand that Pakistan is playing aconstructive and positive role tofacilitate an Afghan-led and Af-

ghan-owned reconciliation pro-cess.

The visiting Afghan HighPeace Council delegationthanked the Prime Minister forhis efforts to bring peace andstability in Afghanistan. Chair-man HPC, H.E. SalahuddinRabbani briefed the Prime Min-ister regarding progress made inpeace process till now. Mr.Rabbani further said that Peopleof Afghanistan are eagerly wait-ing for the Prime Minister ofPakistan to visit Afghanistan,which would provide momen-tum to peace and reconciliationprocess in Afghanistan.

The visiting Afghan delega-tion also included SecretaryGeneral HPC MasoomStanekzai and Member HPC

End ‘dual policy’ on droneattacks, Imran asks Nawaz

KP people in danger after US hitSTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Imran Khan, Pa-kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman,addressing a press conference hereplaced responsibility forThursday’s drone strike whichkilled eight persons including re-ligious students on Prime Minis-ter Nawaz Sharif. The PTI chiefsaid the US had launched an at-tack on peace in Pakistan. In thesame vein, Khan criticised PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif, sayingthat despite his assurances, thelatter had failed to resolve the is-sue of drone attacks in his recentmeeting with US President BarackObama.

He called out to the PML-N-led government at the centre, say-

ing its “honey-moon period” wasover, adding that while the coun-try was in dire straits, the premier

remained busy with foreign trips.Khan announced that his

Khursheedslams govt

ISLAMABAD—Leader of theOpposition in the National As-sembly Khursheed Shahslammed the government overthe recent drone strike in Hanguthat killed eight people onThursday.

Talking to media, Shah saidthat the drone strike shown in-competency and failure of Pa-kistan Muslim League-Nawazgovernment.

He said that this drone wasnot on Hangu but on the adviserto the Prime Minister on ForeignAffairs Sartaj Aziz who claimedthat US had assured Pakistanthat drone strikes will not becarried out during dialogue withTaliban.

Shah also raised doubts overthe foreign policy being adopted

10 killed in Balochistanblast, arson attacks

OBSERVER REPORT

QUETTA—At least 10 people in-cluding two children were killedand 31 injured in bomb explo-sions and incidents of targetedkillings in Quetta and othertroubled parts of Balochistan, onThursday.

Five people including twochildren were killed and 22 in-jured in a blast near BareechMarket area of Quetta. The mili-tants had planted explosive ma-terials in cycle parked on theroadside.

“There was a huge blast

when the vehicle of frontiercorps passed through the area.”

The powerful blast damagednearby private bank and shopslocated in the area. Three FCpersonnel including 22 people

sustained injuries and wereshifted to civil hospital Quettafor medical treatment.

“I was crossing the roadwhen the bomb went off”, aneye witness Shah Wali toldDawn.com. Emergency wasimposed in civil hospital after

the blast and senior doctors werecalled to treat the injured.

“All dead were civilians. Atleast seven to eight kilograms ofexplosives were used in theblast.

“There was destruction ev-erywhere after the blast.” In an-other incident, armed militantskilled two persons inBalochistan’s Turbat town. Po-lice said two militants on a mo-torcycle opened fire at peoplenear Turbat airport and killedthem on the spot. They spedaway on their motorcycle after

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35 culprits of Rawalpindiclashes identified: Sanaullah

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The provincial LawMinister Rana Sanaullah told thereporters on Thursday that thirtyfive perpetrators involved in theclashes that erupted inRawalpindi during Ashura andleft eleven persons dead havebeen identified through theCCTV footage.

Talking to media men hereon Thursday, Rana Sanaullahsaid that investigation of theRawalpindi tragedy is inprogress and thirty five culpritswho were involved in theclashes have been identified viavideo. He said that the perpetra-tors who were directly involvedin spreading violence will bebrought to justice at any cost.

ISLAMABAD: Chairman PTI Imran Khan addressing apress conference on Thursday.

PM opensVision 2025

conference todayISLAMABAD—One-day Na-tional Consultative Conferenceon the Vision 2025, will be heldon today with an aim to workout unanimous agenda for trans-forming the country into a strongand sustainable economy.

Prime Minister MuhammadNawaz Sharif is likely to inau-gurate the National ConsultativeConference.

The Conference will alsoaddress many challenges andobstacles the economy, has beenfacing and will propose practi-cal solutions to overcome thesechallenges.

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Karzai wants todefer signing ofUS dealKABUL—Afghanistanpresident said he backs asecurity deal with the UnitedStates but told a gathering ofelders on Thursday that if theyand parliament approve theagreement it should be signedafter next spring’s elections.Hamid Karzai’s abruptdecision to defer signing theagreement until after the April5 elections came even as hesaid he supported the BilateralSecurity Agreement in aspeech to the 2,500-membernational consultative councilknown as the Loya Jirga.

Such a development could

Protest againstRawalpindi incidentArmy to remain alert today

ISLAMABAD—Federal Gov-ernment following the reportsof intelligence agencies has de-cided to keep the security onhigh alter in all over the coun-try to avert any unpleasant in-cident during the protests dem-onstrations to be held on Fri-day against Rawalpindi inci-dent.

Prime Minister (PM) hasordered to keep the army onstand-by position in sensitivedistricts and to take strict ac-tion against the elements foundinvolved in promoting the sec-tarianism.

Chief of Army Staff(COAS) General AshfaqPervez Kiyani has also assuredPM to provide all assistance byarmy to government in regard

to keep the situation in control.On the other side, Jamiat

Ehl-e-Sunnat (JES) has an-nounced to stage the protestdemonstrations in twin cities(Rawalpindi/Islamabad) on Fri-day against Rawalpindi inci-dent.

Protests will be held on 6major spots of the cities afterthe prayers of Jumma. Differ-ent Ulemas (Religious leaders)will address the demonstrationson this occasion, while con-demnation resolutions will bealso approved in gatherings.

The decision of protest hasbeen taken in the meeting heldin Hanfia Mosque of PuranaQila, where number of Ulemasparticipated in meeting.

ECP not to usemagnetic inkin LB pollsSTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—ElectionCommission of Pakistan hasdecided not to use magneticfor verification of thumbimpression in the local bodies(LB) polls.

Sources in the ECP said,the commission has decided touse normal ink in the upcomingLB elections as the usage ofmagnetic ink did not providerequired results in the past.

In this regard, the

Sharmila madeadvisor to Sindh CMKARACHI—Pakistan People’sParty (PPP) leader and

Member ofProvincialAssembly(MPA),SharmilaFarooqiwasappointedas adviserto Chief

Minister Sindh on Culture andTourism on Thursday. Earlier,Farooqi had served as anadvisor to the Chief Ministerof Sindh from September 2008to January 31, 2011 during thetenure of ex-President Asif AliZardari.—INP

Picture on Back Page

Picture on Back Page

Peace Councildelegation meetsMullah Baradar

ISLAMABAD—Members ofan Afghan delegation taskedwith holding peace talks withthe Taliban met with thegroup’s former deputy leaderin Pakistan in an attempt tojumpstart sputtering negotia-tions, Pakistani and Afghan

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Pak, US discusssecurity, strategicstabilityISLAMABAD—Pakistan andUnited States, Thursday, hadproductive exchange of viewson issues related to security,strategic stability, andnonproliferation here. Both thecountries also shared views onissues of mutual importance,including international effortsto enhance nuclear securityand peaceful applications ofnuclear energy at sixth roundof the Pakistan-U.S. Security,Strategic Stability, andNonproliferation (SSS&NP)Working Group.

The working group

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PR dismissesImran’s allegations

STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD—Reacting toI m r a nK h a n ’ scriticism ofthe federalg o v e r n -ment for itsfailure tostop USdrone at-tacks intribal region, Information Min-ister Pervaiz Rashid said that theattacks started in the era ofpeople standing around the Pa-

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Continued on Page 7

Musharraf meetslegal team to

discuss treason caseISLAMABAD—Pervez Musharrafon Thursday met with his legalteam at his Farm House in ChakShehzad to discuss treason caseagainst former military dictator.

According to sources,Sharifuddin Pirzada and IbrahimSatti called on Pervez Musharrafand discussed formation of spe-cial court and treason caseagainst ex-President.

They would submit theirpower of attorney in the apexcourt to proceed the case.

Musharraf and his legal teamhave decided to challenge theconstitution of special court forhis trial on charges of high trea-

Continued on Page 7

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DERA GHAZI KHAN: People stage a demonstration in support of their demands with thecoffins of two laborers, father and son, who were killed in a target killing incident in Turbat.

ORMARA: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Asif Sandila addressing the participants of the Command and Staff Confer-ence of Pakistan Navy at Jinnah Naval Base.

SALAHUDDIN HAIDER

IT would be difficult to predict theoutcome

of the treasontrial instituteda g a i n s tP a k i s t a n ’sf o r m e rs t r o n g m a nGen. PervezMusharraf asit is still shrouded in mystery.However, the trial has stirreda heated debate in the countryover the impact of this trial.

Many say that the trial canopen a Pandora’s box or willreflect poorly on the govern-ment of Nawaz Sharif. Themasses are keen to know as towhy the country’s highest ju-dicial forum, the SupremeCourt, instead of nominatinga three-member bench ofjudges for holding the trial, has

Controversy brews over Musharraf’s trialthrown the ball back in thegovernment’s court.

Under the decades-old prac-tice, the executive requests theapex court to nominate judgesfor a probe into sensitive issues.The government had adopted thesame course of action by for-warding five names — decidedby the provincial high courts —to the Chief Justice of Pakistan,Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry,who was supposed to shortlistthree from the list.

However, in a surprise move— for which no explanation hasso far been offered — the chiefjustice sent the file back to thegovernment allowing it tochoose judges itself.

Subsequently, the Ministryof Law and Justice selected Jus-tice Faisal Arab, Justice TahiraSafdr, and Justice Yawar Alifrom Sindh, Balochistan and thePunjab high courts respectively.

The selection showed that

smaller provinces of the KPKand one in the tribal belt, wasconsidered unworthy for the job.

One controversy was al-ready brewing over the selectionof the judicial bench; anotherissue came to the fore. Promi-nent lawyer and former attor-ney-general Anwar Mansoorpointed out that Musharraf wasnot being tried for overthrowingan elected government in 1999.According to Mansoor,Musharraf is being tried for dis-missing the superior courtjudges in 2007.

It seems that Chief JusticeChaudhry, who had legitimizedMusharraf ’s coup in 1999,wanted to stay away from thecase so as to avoid problems infuture.

PPP’s Syed Khurshid Shah,Opposition leader in the Na-tional Assembly, has demandedthat the trial’s scope should beextended to the original coup

against Nawaz Sharif’s previ-ous government, as the removalof judges from service on Nov.3, 2007, was just a small chap-ter of a massive thriller, writ-ten in 1999. He avoided an-swering questions as to why didhis own PPP-led governmentdid not take any action duringits recently concluded five-yearterm.

There are rumors doing therounds that Army chief Gen.Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and hisofficers are opposed to tryingtheir former chief. It is said thatthe army had been trying to pro-tect Musharraf and did not al-low the Federal InvestigationAgency (FIA) to probe him.

On Wednesday, Kayani re-portedly presided over a keycommanders’ conference inRawalpindi, which has fueledfears that the army may be mak-ing a move to stop the govern-ment from taking any action

ISLAMABAD—Speakers at aseminar on Thursday high-lighted the importance of trans-lation studies and discussed thesignificance of this field of edu-cation in the contemporaryworld with particular referenceto Pakistan.

The seminar titled ‘Transla-tion and its demands’ was orga-nized by the Centre for Lan-guages and Translation Studies(CeLTS), University of Gujrat(UOG), Hafiz Hayat Campus,Gujrat, said a press release is-sued here.

Faculty members of differ-ent departments and a largenumber of students attended theseminar.

Eminent poet, columnist andtranslator Amjad Islam Amjad,who was the chief guest on the

Scope of translation studiesin Pakistan highlighted

occasion spoke about the signifi-cance of translation focusing onthe historical background oftranslation, its importance inpresent era and future prospects.

He spoke at length about thegradual popularity of translationin different languages and theprospect of translation in Paki-stan. He pointed out that in 18thCentury, the British translatedliterature from Persian, Arabicand Hindi languages into En-glish language and then the sameliterature was translated intoUrdu from English. “The theatredramas of 18th Century in theSubcontinent were also a trans-lation of English plays,” he said.

Amjad Islam Amjad saidthat the first grammar as well asfirst dictionary of Urdu languagewere written by a British, add-

ing that the work on translationat the level of an institution inthe Subcontinent was alsostarted by the British at FortWilliam College Calcutta at theend of 18th Century.

He appreciated the UOG forintroducing this nascent disci-pline in Pakistan and underscoredthe need to initiate a course oftranslation study in different uni-versities of the country.

Speaking on the occasion,Vice Chancellor UOG ProfessorDr Mohammad Nizamuddin saidthat the role of a translator wasthat of a mediator between cul-tures. “The translator has the ca-pacity to enhance our understand-ing of development issues anddifferent cultures by mediatingideas across cultural boundaries,”he remarked.—APP

ISLAMABAD—A nine monthlong Umrah season would com-mence from the beginning ofSafar-ul-Muzaffar and continuetill the end of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak,said an official of theMinistry of Religious Affairs.

Talking to APP, he saidSaudi government has plannedto issue over 06 million visas ascompared to five million visasissued last year. The Saudi gov-ernment has invited applicationsfrom across the world throughits electronic networking sys-tem.

A visa processing centrehas already been established in

Umrah season tocommence from first

Safar-ul-MuzaffarI-10/3 as pilgrims were beingconfronted with numerousproblems in submitting appli-cations in the red zone. In thecentre the passports of intend-ing Hujjaj and Umrah would bedeposited.

More visa processing cen-tres would soon be establishedin Karachi, Lahore, Peshawarand Quetta to facilitate pilgrims.

He said the Saudi govern-ment has also allowed over 50Umrah companies to provideservices to pilgrims and overseethe accommodation in hotelsand other housing units inMakkah and Madinah.—APP

against Musharraf.Another prominent lawyer,

Babar Sattar, expressed his fearsthat perhaps Sharif is set to takerevenge for what Musharraf didto him.

A former army general andanalyst, Talat Masood, says thewhole issue will open up “a canof worms.”

The common man and lead-ing journalists are of the opin-ion that the case is bound to en-tail risks for key persons in thearmy and the judiciary, which inturn will expose the country toa new kind of turmoil.

Analysts argue that the trialis ill timed as Sharif’s govern-ment is already faced with eco-nomic issues and terrorism.They recalled that Interior Min-ister Chaudhry Nisar had an-nounced the trial when Sharifwas touring Sri Lanka and Thai-land. They believe that the sud-den announcement was aimed at

diverting attention from thegruesome incident that hadtaken place in Rawalpindi onthe 10th day of Muharram.

If Musharraf submits a listof defense witnesses, whichmay include top army gener-als and calls even the formerjudges, justifying his coup in1999 through a court judg-ment, then the matter will takea new turn.

The court is ready tocharge him on the basis of evi-dence reportedly collected bythe federal investigators, butwhether these evidence willhold grounds during debate byrival lawyers in the three-judge court, remains to beseen. Agreement, however, isthat the court may entangle it-self on issues which will bedifficult to resolve. The trial,therefore, may backfire, whichwould be a major source ofembarrassment for Sharif.

HASSANABDAL: Sikh pilgrim girls seen sitting on stairs on the occasion of birth anniver-sary of Baba Guru Nanak at Gurdwara Panja Sahib.

Approval forlawyers’ housingsociety soon: SCISLAMABAD—The SupremeCourt was informed on Thurs-day that an approval for the es-tablishment of a housing soci-ety for lawyers would be ob-tained soon from the prime min-ister.

Shah Khawar, AdditionalAttorney General (AAG) ap-prised the apex court that a sum-mary for the approval of land forthe housing society had alsobeen forwarded to the PrimeMinister House which would beimplemented after its approvalby the PM.

The assurance was given bythe AAG to a three-judge benchheaded by Chief Justice IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry duringthe hearing of a case regardingthe implementation on the or-ders of former prime ministerRaja Pervaiz Ashraf for the es-tablishment of a housing soci-ety for the members of SupremeCourt Bar Association of Paki-stan (SCBAP).—APP

ISLAMABAD—Chairman Na-tional Highway Authority (NHA)Maroof Afzal said on Thursdaythat no compromise will be madeon quality and pace of work thatis being carried out under the su-pervision of the authority.

No compromise on quality, pace of workMotorcyclists without helmet on GT road banned

He said this during his ad-dress on the 2nd of RegionalGeneral Managers of NHA. TheChairman said that durable suc-cess can be achieved onlythrough untiring efforts with aconstructive spirit.

Terming the KarakoramHighway, a construction master-piece, adding that the precedentsset by earlier renowned expertsneed to be followed in the con-struction process.

The Chairman also stressedthe need to swiftly wind up pend-ing court cases against NHA andadded that NHA’s rules and regu-lations are the guiding principlesin this regard and leaving legallacunas in technical and adminis-trative matters will be considereda gross negligence by the officialsconcerned.

The Chairman NHA assuredthe NHA Regional GeneralManagers that their problemswill be solved on prioritywhereas,while dealing with re-gional issues, the GMs shouldkeep a close contact with Pro-vincial Governments, and localadministrations, the Chairmansaid. The Chairman issued in-structions to concerned officialsto take prompt measures to stoprain waters accumulating atKamonky at N-5 Peshawar-Karachi Highway; to provideproper uniforms to workersposted at NHA toll plazas; to

construct a Director Mainte-nance Office on NHA’s propertysituated at Murree RoadRawalpindi. Earlier, all 14 Re-gional General Managers gavedetailed briefings to the Chairmanon ongoing projects in their re-spective regions. The NHA Chair-man also directed to actively fol-low up all cases pending in courtsagainst NHA. Member AdmnNHA Sheikh Zia-ul-Haq, Mem-ber Construction Yousaf Ali Khan,Member Finance Shoaib AhmadKhan, and Member OperationsChaudhry Muhammad Arshadand other officials also attendedthe conference.

Meanwhile, Deputy Inspec-tor General Motorway PoliceMuhammad Zubair Hashmi saidon Thursday that motorcyclistswould not be allowed on GrandTrunk (GT) road without helmetfrom December 1. During ameeting with officers of northzone, the DIG instructed SSPs,DSPs and operational staff not toallow any motorcycle withouthelmet on the road. MuhammadZubair Hashmi asked all the of-ficers to brief and create aware-ness among the people about theuse of helmet till November 30.

The officers would brief thepeople from North Zone Peshawarto Lahore tool plaza while mobileeducation units would also visitschools, collages and cities to edu-cate the people.—APP

DCO dissatisfiedover revenue

recovery driveSHER GONDAL

MANDI BAHAUDDIN—DCOImtiaz Niazi held a meeting withrevenue officers at his office theother day to review recovery ofrevenue dues and performanceof revenue department.

AC Mandi Bahauddin Dr.Rani Hifza Kanwal, ACMalikwal Fahad Waqar, ACPhalia Wahid Arjmand,Tehsildar Mandi BahauddinMahmood AhmedBhuttiSaqib Butt, TehsildarPhalia Ghulam Rasul Dogar,Tehsildar Malikwal and NaibTesildars attended the meet-ing. DCO expressed his dis-pleasure when checking re-covery state of outstandingdues of revenue.

He said performance of therevenue officers was on declinethat showed that revenue offic-ers were not taking interest intheir duties. He said this timeAbyana recovery was 11%whereas Tawan recovery was60%, which was below target of100%.

ISLAMABAD—ReaffirmingPakistan’s commitment to apeaceful and stable Afghanistan,a top Pakistani diplomat told theUN General Assembly thatIslamabad would play a facili-tating role in the Afghan recon-ciliation process, as the 193-member body adopted a resolu-tion on the situation in that war-torn country.

At the same time, Ambas-sador Masood Khan said Paki-stan has “no favourites” in theprocess, while stressing thatthere should be “realistic expec-

Pak to facilitate Afghan peace processtations” about his country’s role.

“Pakistan can exercise influ-ence, but it does not controlTaliban,” the ambassador told del-egates from around the world. “Thepeople of Afghanistan should be inthe driving seat and be the mastersof their own destiny,” he said.

“Our government, under theleadership of Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif, is making con-scious and resolute effort to forgecloser ties with Afghanistan, tooppose immediate securitythreats, to strengthen bilateral eco-nomic cooperation, and to shape

an environment for regional con-nectivity.” The 105-paragraphresolution, which was co-spon-sored by Pakistan, targeted theareas of security and transition,peace, reconciliation and reinte-gration, governance, rule of lawand human rights, social and eco-nomic development, regional co-operation, counter narcotics andcoordination.

By the text, the Assembly sup-ported the continuing and growingownership of reconstruction anddevelopment efforts by the Gov-ernment of Afghanistan.—APP

PESHAWAR—Senior MinisterKhyber Pakhtunkhwa Siraj-ul-Haq Thursday lashed out at thefederal government overdrone attack in Hangu and saidthe leadership which can’t de-fend the sovereignty of coun-try has no right to rule themasses.

It a statement here, Siraj-ul-Haq said that due to cow-ard stance of the federal gov-ernment, the US targeted aseminary in settled area of KP.

He warned that if the USdrone strikes were not stoppedthen next missile can hitIslamabad. The provincialminister, who is also NaibAmeer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)

KP CM, ANP chief condemn drone attack in Hangu

Govt that can’t defend its sovereignty has no right to ruleSuspension of NATO supply aimed at ensuring dignity of country

Pakistan, demanded to expel theUS ambassador in Pakistan andto summon National Assemblysession to chalk out strategyagainst drone strikes.

Siraj-ul-Haq said that fordevelopment and progress, thecountry should be saved fromforeign interference, pressure ofUS and independent foreignpolicy should be adopted.

He also expressed deep griefand concern over loss of pre-cious lives in Quetta and KhyberAgency blasts. The KP seniorminister said the provincial gov-ernment is reviewing the situa-tion emerged after the US dronestrike on seminary in Hangu.Meanwhile, Khyber

Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister,Pervez Khattak Thursday lodgedprotest against drone the strikein Hangu district and termed itan attack on the country’s sov-ereignty.

The Chief Minister in apress statement issued, said thatprovincial Government andcabinet had lodged strong pro-test against drone strike at ThallHangu and termed it an attackon the country’s sovereignty.

He expressed the concernthat, the drone strikes have nowreached from tribal areas tosettle areas. The Chief Ministertermed this incident an attack onthe country’s integrity, sover-eignty and democracy. He said

drone strikes in settle areas ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa and kill-ing of innocent people was notacceptable. Earlier, Awami Na-tional Party (ANP) chief AsfandYar Wali Thursday condemneddrone attack in Hangu and ex-pressed sorrow over killing ofstudents.

Offering prayer for the de-parted souls of seminary stu-dents, the ANP leader called foran end to drone attacks and saidthat these attacks are causinganger in people.

He said that peace in Afghani-stan was imperative for peace inPakistan and the region as welland such attacks would not helpmaintain peace by any mean.

The ANP leader called fortaking effective measures tocurb such attacks. Meanwhile,Provincial Minister for Rev-enue Sardar Ali Amin KhanGandapur Thursday said sus-pension of NATO supply isaimed at upholding dignity ofthe country.

Talking to APP, he said thatUS drone attack in Hangu, asettled area was evident of thefact that there was no respectfor country’s sovereignty. Hesaid the people of KhyberPakhtunkhwa would demon-strate to the world on Nov 23that they would not tolerate at-tack on the sovereignty of thecountry.—Agencies

ANF seizes 34.58 kgheroin, 11 kg charas,

2.2 kg opiumISLAMABAD—Anti NarcoticsForce (ANF) conducted nineoperations in various cities andseized 34.58 kg heroin, 11 kgcharas, 2.2 kg opium and weap-ons along with ammunition.

According to press releaseissued by ANF here on Thursday,ANF Karachi received informa-tion that narcotics will besmuggled from KhyberPakhtunkhwa to Karachi by Bus.

So arrangements to interceptthe vehicle were made by ANF,however, the source again told thatdrug smugglers are changing trans-portation mode due to strict check-ing on Karachi entry points andnow it will be sent by train. So thedrug were concealed in Guava fruitcrates and booked from Rohri Rail-way Station.—APP

UK to supportmaximum enrolment

in schoolsOBSERVER REPORT

ISLAMABAD—The UnitedKingdom says it is workingin a big way to help Pakistanget more children into schoolsand train English languageteachers and it is heavily en-gaged with the Punjab and KPKand private sector in Sindh toincrease school enrolment. Thiswas stated by British HighCommissioner to PakistanAdam Thomson in an exclu-sive interview with RadioPakistan’s Current Affairs Chan-nel on Tuesday. He said theUK helped Punjab Governmentbring an extra one and a halfmillion children into primaryschools during the last threeyears and is working closely torealize the target of universalprimary education in the prov-ince by 2018.

The High Commissionersaid the British Council is work-ing closely and would extendcooperation to KPK and Sindhto train over three hundred thou-sand teachers of English lan-guage. He said the UK isalso helping build twentythousand class rooms by 2015in Pakistan.

Govt for economic developmentPESHAWAR—Advisor to Prime Minis-ter and Central Senior Vice President ofPML-N, Ameer Muqam said that fed-eral government was heading towardsa better future in a positive way on ba-sis of its priorities that were aimed tostrengthen masses by promoting eco-nomic development and progress. Ex-pressing views in a meeting with repre-sentative delegations of various areas,he said that visits of Prime Minister to

Sri Lanka and Thailand would improve the country’seconomy besides boosting commerce and trade activities.He said all these factors would cumulatively affect socio-economic conditions of masses by creating employmentopportunities. Ameer Muqam said that leadership of thecountry has invited foreign entrepreneurs to invest in in-formation technology, telecommunication and sectors add-ing it would encourage trade and commerce among theregional countries. He said that PML-N assumed powerwhen the nation was confronted by serious issues of mili-tancy and excessive foreign debt that compelled country’sleadership to opt for strict measures. He said that all thatsteps and decisions have started to produce results andthe nation would soon enjoy their fruits. Meanwgile it isreported that the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Muhammad Shehzad Arbab in a meeting ordered the for-mation of a restructuring committee to review and revisitthe existing functions, responsibilities and scope of deliv-ery of information department. The committee that wouldalso define fresh role of the department regarding projec-tions of provincial government would be headed by Addi-tional Chief Secretary said an official statement issued hereWednesday. The meeting among others was attended byProvincial Information Minister, Additional Chief Secre-tary, Administrative Secretaries of Information, Finance,Education and other concerned officers.—APP

Only winning party should govern countryHYDERABAD—A former chief ministerand leader of Pakistan Muslim League(N) Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has saidthat in principle only the winning politi-cal party should govern the countrywhich gains victory in the elections.Talking to media persons after address-ing a reception here at a hotel, MumtazBhutto said that Pakistan MuslimLeague (N) has initiated the process ofprovincial autonomy to the provinces,

which he said, was his demand. In Balochistan, he saidthat PML (N) leadership has provided an opportunity tothe nationalists to form the government despite havingmajority in the assembly. Similarly, the PTI and other par-ties received the opportunity of forming the governmentin KPK, he added. Responding to a question, MumtazBhutto said a massive operation against criminals shouldalso be carried out in interior parts of Sindh province onthe pattern of Karachi. Replying to another question, hesaid that besides Pervez Musharraf, action should also betaken under Article 6 of the Constitution against thosewho were also involved along with Pervez Musharraf. Herejected the delimitation carried out by the Sindh Govern-ment and demanded formation of a high level commissionfor investigation of the alleged rigging in the General Elec-tions 2013 in Sindh. Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto informedthat he has started mass contact campaign through theplatform of PML (N) as he did in the past for Sindh Na-tional Front. Among others, Senior Vice President PML(N) Sindh Engineers Ayoub Shar, Allah Warayo Soomroand President PML (N) Hyderabad Hanif Siddiqui alsoaddressed the participations of the reception.—APP

Corruption charges against PTIPESHAWAR—Chairman Qaumi WatanParty (QWP) Aftab Ahmad KhanSherpao here said that his party wouldsit on Opposition benches if the pro-vincial government of KhyberPakhtunkhwa did not take them in con-fidence. Addressing a press conference,the former interior minister said that hisparty has formally submitted an appli-cation to this effect to the Speaker Pro-vincial Assembly. Accusing the PTI-led

government in the province, Sherpao said that his party’sministers were sacked from the cabinet without providingan evidence which they must have brought before goingfor their dismissal. He announced in clear terms that theare also bringing corruption charges against the PTI gov-ernment. Chief of QWP complained that being an ally ofruling coalition, his party was not taken into confidenceon issues of NATO supply, CCI meeting, and opening ofTaliban office during the last five months. He said that allthe orders to the PTI government in the province are is-sued from Banigala, adding that had Imran Khan any com-plaint against his minister, he should have contacted him.The QWP cheif said that law and order situation in theprovince was not satisfactory and as such no develop-ment work was started. Meanwhile, it is reported that thePakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimen decided to jointly promote unity, peace and har-mony among all religious groups. PTI Chairman Imrankhan, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PresidentPunjab Ejaz Ch, Bakhtiar Qasoori and Naeem Mir met therepresentatives of the Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen un-der supervision of Raja Nasir Abbas to discuss the situa-tion in the country, said a press release received here onWednesday.—APP

DCC approves uplift projectsBashir Ahmad Rehmani

HAFIZABAD—The District Coordina-tion Committee Hafizabad has ap-proved seven important uplift projectscosting Rs. 1104.748 million, whichwould be spent in a phased programmeduring the next three years. The meet-ing of DCC was chaired by Ch. AsadUllah Arian MPA and was attendedamong others by Ex-Federal Parliamen-tary Secretary Ch. Afzal Hussain TararMNA Mian Shahid Hussain Bhatti,

MPA Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan, DCO Mansoor Qadir,EDO Finance and Planning Riaz Ghani Basit, EDO Worksand Services Raja Lehrasab Khan, DO Planning HafizMubashar-ul-Hasan, Saeed Ahmad Bhutta Executive En-gineer Public Health Engineering Department and otherHeads of nation building departments. The meeting wastold that the provincial government has already assuredto disburse Rs. 200/- million for development projects tobe executed during the current year. The projects whichhave been approved included sewerage system in GarhiAwan (Rs. 181.292/- million), metalling of 14.22 kms by-pass in the Northern side of Hafizabad (Rs. 134.612/- mil-lion), renovation of 1.98 kms Gujranwala Road from JinnahChowk to General Bus Stand (Rs. 166.016/- million), wid-ening and renovation of 24.54 kms Alipur Chattha Road(Rs. 383.100/- million), widening and renovation of 11.19kms Jalalpur Bhattian-Sukheke Mandi (Rs. 155/- million),renovation of 2.40 kms Pindi Bhattian Bypass Road (Rs.32.728/- million), beautification of Jalalpur Bhattian Town(Rs. 52/- million).

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah with a delega-tion of elders from Lund Khwar, a remote village of district Mardan.

PESHAWAR: Activists of Shahab-e-Salfia hold a protest to condemn the Rawalpindi deadly sectarian violence.

HYDERABAD: Residents of Wahowa road sit on derbis of their collapsed houses afteranti-encroachment drive.

PESHAWAR—MNA fromFATA Al-Haj Shahji Gul AfridiThursday said that the dep-rivation of FATA youthwould be removed on prior-ity basis and the federal gov-ernment is committed to pro-vide quality education andmuch updated sports facili-ties to the youth of FATA.

This he said while ad-dressing and grand cer-emony of the FATA youthorganized by Khyber Stu-dents Association here at lo-cal hotel. Besides him Secre-tary General FATA OlympicAssociation Shahid KhanShinwari, former federal min-ister and ex-FATA MNAMalik Waris Afridi and largenumber of FATA studentsand players were alsopresent. Patron-in-Chief of

FATA youth deprivations to be removedthe Association Niaz KhanShinwari, President FawadAfridi, founder memberTufeeq Afridi also spoke onthis occasion.

Alhaj Shahji Gul Afridipromised the students thatsteps have been taken by thefederal govt for provision ofquality education besidesprovision of much updatedfacilities of sports to theyouth of FATA.

He said there is no dearthof talent in FATA youth ei-ther in the field of educationor sports. He said our youthhave given good perfor-mances in both educationand sports. The youth ofFATA have taken prominentposition in the SSC, FA, FSc,B.A BSc and Master Exami-nations besides winning lau-

rel at national and interna-tional level. He also namedShahid Afridi, Riaz Afridi,Salman Afridi, NajeebShinwari, Habib Afridi, IqbalShinwari and many otherswho excellent in sports inter-nationally.

He said the player ofFATA are representing Paki-stan in cricket, football,hockey, rugby, baseball, ka-rate, judo, and other gamebesides winning positions inacademically. They are goodengineers, doctors besidesrendering services in otherfield as well.

He also read some poetryof Hamza Baba Shinwari. Hepromised that the problemsbeing faced by youth ofFATA would be resolved onpriority basis.

He said Prime MinisterMuhammad Nawaz Sharifalso wanted to address theproblems of the youth of thecountry including FATA andfor this purpose he an-nounced youth package sothat they should come up inthe main stream of nationaldevelopment.

He said the youth are thefuture builders of the nationso they should work hard toface tough challenges ahead.He also appreciated GovernorKP Pakhtunkhwa for revolu-tionary steps to provide qual-ity education and sports ac-tivities for FATA youth.

Shahid Khan Shinwari inhis address announced twoscholarships for the poorand deserving students fromhis own pocket.—APP

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Federal govern-ment is striving to promotefisheries sector and in thisconnection a number of stepshave been taken which aimedto improve the socio-eco-nomic condition of the fish-ermen communities along thecoast of Pakistan as well asthose, who are fishing in theinland water bodies. Govern-ment has already taken anumber of steps which haveresulted in lifting of ban onthe export of seafood to Eu-ropean Union countries.

Federal minister for Portsand Shipping KamranMichael said this while ad-dressing at a seminar to cel-ebrate the World FisheriesDay held at a local hotel inKarachi Thursday.

The seminar of the vari-ous stakeholders was titled

Govt to improve socio-economiccondition of fishermen: Kamran

as “Promoting Rights BasedApproaches for Fishermen”under the chairmanship ofFederal minister for Ports andShipping.

The seminar was also at-tended by Jam Khan Shoro,Minister for Fisheries and Live-stock, Government of Sindhand Mir Haji Akbar Askani,Advisor on Fisheries to theChief Minister, Balochistan. Abig gathering of fishermen,fisheries managers, scientists,aquacultures, representativesof academia and media at-tended the seminar.

The Minister pointed outthat Government has devel-oped plan to import fiberglass fishing boats fromNetherlands which will bedistributed among fishermen.He further said that latestcommunication and vesselmonitoring system is beingimported from abroad which

will enable fishermen to knowtheir position while fishing insea and help in reducingpoaching.

Provincial Minister JamKhan Shoro, addressing theseminar pointed out thatGovernment of Sindh is help-ing the fishermen communityby strengthening the infra-structure facilities especiallythe establishment of floatingjetties in creek areas. KarachiFish Harbour is also beingupgraded by expanding andmodernizing the facilities.

He offered his full sup-port to federal government toinitiate development projectsin the Balochistan.

While welcoming thefishermen, Shaukat Hussain,Director General, Marine Fish-eries Department outlinedthe steps taken by the Gov-ernment for the developmentof fisheries in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Me-teorological Department(PMD) Thursday forecastcold and dry for most partsof the country during the next24 hours with chances of lightrain in some parts of westernBalochistan.

An official of PMD toldAPP, there were no chancesof significant rain during thenext few days except light rainin western parts ofBalochistan province duringthe next 24 hours.

The synoptic situationhas indicated the prevalenceof continental air over mostparts of the country. A west-erly wave would affect west-ern parts of Balochistan fromFriday.

The official said that lightrain is expected in Quetta,Kalat and Makran divisionduring the next 24 hours.During the next 24 hours, theweather would remain coldand dry in most parts ofPunjab, KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Sindh,

Cold, dry weatherlikely across country

Balochistan, Kashmir andGilgit Baltistan, the officialsaid.

The lowest minimum tem-peratures recorded duringthe last 24 hours were Skardu-08 C, Gupis -04 C, Astore,Gilgit -03 C, Kalam, Kalat,Parachinar, Hunza, Quetta -02 C and Chitral -01 C.

The minimum tempera-tures recorded in other citieswere Islamabad 06 C, Lahore08 C , Karachi 17 C, Peshawar07 C, Quetta -02 C, Murree 04C, Muzaffarabad 07 C, Gilgit-03 C, Faisalabad 09 C,Multan 12 C and Hyderabad18 C. Cold and dry weather isexpected in the provincialcapital during the next 24hours.—APP

UMERKOT—Sindh Ministerfor Population Welfare SyedAli Mardan Shah said thatthe provincial governmentwould hold the local bodieselections in an impartial andtransparent manner.

Addressing an openKacheri at Dhoro Naroo, hesaid that various develop-ment schemes are under wayin Umerkot to provide basicfacilities such as clean drink-ing water, sewerage system,roads, health and educationfacilities and electricity.

The minister said that the

Transparency to beensured in LG polls

shortage of irrigation water hasbeen dealt with effectively andnow growers have sufficientwater to cultivate their lands.

He directed SSP Umerkotfor setting up police checks-posts to maintain law andorder situation, particularlyeradication of narcotics. Girlscollege in Zahirpir area wouldsoon begin as hefty fundsamounting to Rs 7.5 millionhave been approved by thegovernment, said SardarMohammad Nawaz KhanRind PML-N MPA here onThursday.—APP

All PakistanQuran conference

beginsMULTAN—A two-day the11th All Pakistan Quran Con-ference was inauguratedhere Thursday whereinscholars highlighted the im-portance of Quranic teach-ings which must be regarded.

The first session of theconference, being organizedby Majlis-e-Muntazima AllPakistan Quran Majeed Con-ference, was chaired byChaudhry Abdur Rasheed,chairman Education BoardMultan while Mian GhulamAhmad Jhandeer, Prof DrMuhammad Hussain Azad,Prof Dr Saeedur Rehman, Al-Haaj A W Nasir and MahrKhalid Mahmood Haraj werespecial guests.

An Islamic researchscholar from Islamia Univer-sity Bahawalpur Dr ShafiqurRehman read his paper anddeclared the Holy Quran as asource of guidance that willremain relevant till the Dayof Judgment for the people.

Another scholar, Prof. DrMahmood Akhtar from PunjabUniversity Lahore stated whilereading his paper that all ills inthe world can be amelioratedby following the teachings ofthe Holy Quran.—APP

Forests guardsbooked for

embezzlementSARGODHA—Police have ar-rested two forest guards forembezzling Rs 50 million.

According to a handoutissued here on Thursday,Special Assistant to ChiefMinister Punjab Ch ShafqatHussain Panda and an in-spection team had visited theBhakkar Forest division onMay 2012 and found manyprecious trees of DalbergirSissoo( Sheesham) worthmillion of rupees were miss-ing.

Similarly, Forest guard Al-lah Bukhsh Bhakkar Forest di-vision said, in his applicationto the director ACE, that twoforest guards- Maskeen Ullahand Hashmat Ali- had sold5,101 trees of Dalbergir Sissoo(Sheesham) from DanwanaMinor, Klor Minor, Main WireMinor, Randro Minor 3-R roadand from other canals of theBhajja forest division worth Rs50,123,796.

The investigation team ofACE had recommended a ju-dicial inquiry of the officers.After the investigation, acase was sent to the LahoreHigh Court, the court hadcancelled bail of the accused-Maskeen Ullah and HashmatAli- on Wednesday.—APP

PESHAWAR—The Consul-General of Iran in Peshawar,Hassan Darvash Wand hassaid that the Islamic Repub-lic of Iran is keen to cooper-ate and work in partnershipwith the KP government inthe fields of technical educa-tion, energy & power, insur-ance, village communityprogrammes and other sec-tors.

He expressed these viewsduring a meeting with Ad-viser to Chief MinisterKhyber Pakhtunkhwa,Rafaqatullah Babar hereThursday.

On this occasion the Ira-nian Consul-General ex-pressed the desire of Iraniangovernment to take the exist-ing bilateral ties between theIslamic brotherly countries tonew heights.

The Iranian diplomat

Iran keen for coop indifferent KP sectors: CG

said that with the support ofthe Iran quality technicaleducation would be im-parted to the youth of Paki-stan to enable them to earntheir livelihood in competi-tive markets.

Speaking on the occa-sion, Rafaqatullah Babarthanked the Consul-Generalof Iran for showing the inter-est of his country in promo-tion of cooperation and part-nership with the provincialgovernment.

He said that the ChiefMinister, Pervez Khattak wasfully committed to put theprovince on track of devel-opment and especially mak-ing the province self-suffi-cient in energy sector forwhich the provincial govern-ment needed the cooperationand help of friendly coun-tries.—APP

US assuranceon drones

ACCORDING to Advisor on National Security and Foreign AffairsSartaj Aziz, the United States has given an assurance not to launchdrone strikes during peace talks with Taliban. Briefing Senate Com-

mittee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, he said Washington has toldIslamabad that Hakimullah Mehsud was killed because he was a very highvalue target for both the US and Pakistan. However, it was not only surpris-ing but shocking that within less than 24 hours of this assurance to theSenate Committee yet another US drone strike hit a school in Tehsil Tal ofthe Hangu District, inflicting 8 casualties and 6 injuries in the settled area ofthe KP Province.

No one could say with certainty about worth and credibility of the USassurance as similar understanding was thrown into dust bin by Washing-ton by eliminating TTP leader on the eve of initiation of dialogue processwith Taliban, creating a wide gulf between the Government and the TTP onthe issue of talks. However, as the announcement came from a sober andserious personality like Sartaj Aziz one could hope that it is not miscalcula-tion and based on facts and ground realities. This is because Sartaj Aziz hasall along been known to be pursuing a low-profile but meaningful diplo-matic campaign to get things right on different fronts including Afghani-stan and India. The latest strike on Thursday morning is yet another inci-dent sabotaging our lame expectations. However, we still hope that theUnited States would abide by its commitment and would not create director indirect obstacles in the way of efforts for restoration of peace. Peace isnot only in the interest of Pakistan but also in the region and beyond. All,including the Americans and their allies are making frantic efforts for es-tablishment of peace on the other side of the Durand Line and for this pur-pose they are seeking facilitation by Pakistan as well but peace in Afghani-stan and Pakistan is inter-linked because of a host of factors. Therefore, theUnited States should not drone the peace process in Pakistan as this wouldalso jeopardize prospects of durable peace in Afghanistan. Given the USassurance and the latest drone strike, we expect of the Government to makerenewed contacts with Taliban and bring them on the negotiating table atthe earliest. At the same time, the Advisor on National Security and ForeignAffairs would hopefully constantly remain in touch with the United Stateson the issue so as to creating a congenial atmosphere for talks.

MNS displaysmuch-needed firmness

IMMEDIATELY on his return from the foreign tour, Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif on Wednesday convened a high level meeting to discuss

the overall law and order situation in the country with special reference toAshura tragedy in Rawalpindi. This reflected his concern over deteriorat-ing security environment and the need to take measures to stem the rot.

The meeting was frank and candid in that while the Prime Ministerexpressed his extreme displeasure over shameful negligence of Police andlocal administration of Rawalpindi, the police chief also acknowledged thathis force did not play its role well. The negligent officers have been trans-ferred but transfer is no punishment at all, rather an eye wash and that iswhy the remarks of the Prime Minister that stern action should be takenagainst them carry significant weight. The Rawalpindi incident is blackspot on the performance and prestige of Police, the only function of whichseems to be palm-greasing of people through different tactics as it miser-ably failed to protect life and property and even its personnel could notprotect their own rifles that were snatched by rioters and terrorists. As forthe incident itself, the IG claims that nine of the perpetrators of the heinouscrime have been arrested on the basis of television footages. We hope thatthey and their other accomplices would be tried in speedy trial courts andmeted out exemplary punishment. But this would not suffice as there isneed to formulate a strategy to pre-empt and prevent such incidents in fu-ture by keeping a check on hate material, inflammatory speeches, ban onprocessions of all types and frequent inspection of mosques and imambargahsas some of them are also used to store weapons.

Dusting of theTAPI project

A service agreement has been signed in Ashgabat by the Asian Development Bank(ADB) and Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India

for the pipeline that is projected to supply the much needed gas to the energyhungry South Asian countries. The TAPI Service agreement came as a pleas-ant surprise because it has been on low priority for the last several years.

Though the agreement is not a major breakthrough but the usual dust-ing in the present environment of energy shortages in Pakistan is a wel-come development. The original project started in March 1995 when aninaugural Memorandum of Understanding between the governments ofTurkmenistan and Pakistan for a pipeline project was signed followed by aframework agreement in April 2008 by Pakistan, India and Afghanistan tobuy natural gas from Turkmenistan but for different reasons the project islingering on and remains on the papers only. The Asian Development Bankhas played a leading role in coordinating and facilitating the TAPI negotia-tion process and there is a possibility that the four TAPI nations can stillattract commercial partners to build, finance and operate the pipeline as it isproposed to transfer 27 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year of which2 billion cubic metres will be provided to Afghanistan and 12.5 billion cubicmetres to each Pakistan and India and later the capacity will increase to 33 bil-lion cubic metres depending on the requirements of the importing countries.Despite severe energy shortages, the TAPI are just negotiating while othercountries including China have reached agreements with producers of oil andgas to secure their energy needs for the next 25 years. We understand that thepresent way of working in Pakistan cannot be compared with China but atleast we should move on fast track on energy projects that are vital to keepthe wheel of our industry moving. The much-hyped Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipe-line is now facing uncertainty and import of LNG from Qatar would re-quire development of necessary infrastructure. In the face of crippling short-ages, there is dire need to accelerate work on these two gas import projectsand we hope that after US withdrawal normalcy would return to Afghani-stan and physical work would begin on the laying of TAPI gas pipeline.

Asian Common Market needed

Three may keep asecret, if two of themare dead.

Karzai’sdelayingtactics

IN another classic exhibition oflack of effective administrativecapabilities, Afghanistan’s

President Hamid Karzai has calledfor a Loya Jirga to deliberate oncritical decisions pertaining to thecountry’s national security. In fact,the five-day jirga is being seen bymany as a sort of delaying tacticby Karzai to sign off on a pact thatwill, among other issues, determinewhether the US government haslegal authority over their troopsshould they enter Afghan homeswhile tracking down terrorists.

Why else would Karzai call fora five-day sit down among tribalsand noted village elders from acrossthe length and breadth of a war-torncountry to debate and consult eachother on issues that could have beenaddressed by Afghan Parliament?The Loya Jirga is only a body thatoffers advice. It is up to Parliamentto approve any security pact with theUS and Parliament has the powersto override the jirga’s decision. Thebottom line is Karzai will make thefinal call, but he is now given to the-atrics claiming that he will not signwithout the jirga’s approval. Speedis of the essence as US forces areslated to pull out. Fresh negotiationsmust be struck with emphasis ontheir new roles and responsibilitiesas a complete withdrawal of forceswill leave Afghanistan’s securityapparatus in a deadly vacuum andvulnerable against the Taliban.Karzai must desist from seekingpolitical cover from the jirga withthe April elections looming. He mustimmediately address the concerns ofthe Afghan people. — Gulf News

*****

Opinionon statins

ACCORDING to two respected medical organizations, up to twice as many

of us — nearly a third of all adults— should be taking statins to avoidheart attack and stroke. But statins,the potent cholesterol-loweringmedications of which Lipitor is themost famous brand name, also areassociated with some difficult sideeffects, including most notablymuscle pain. And once prescribed,they are generally taken for the restof one’s life. Last week, the Ameri-can Heart Assn. and the AmericanCollege of Cardiology concludedthat the drug should be prescribedfor people with at least a 7.5%chance of having a heart attackwithin the next decade, a lowerthreshold than before. The groupsdevised an online calculator basedon various factors, including age,gender and cholesterol levels, todetermine that risk. But the newadvice sparked immediate contro-versy, and already there are com-plaints that the calculator mightoverrate people’s risks.

It’s hard to imagine a more im-portant public health topic than pre-venting heart attacks. Heart diseaseis the No. 1 killer in this country,and strokes, which statins also helpprevent, are a major cause of deathas well. The report was written bya panel of doctors appointed by thetwo organizations. Some criticshave accused it of pushing pills inways that help the pharmaceuticalindustry. But the panel, which spentyears examining studies on the is-sue, has been widely praised forrecommending that doctors deter-mine their patients’ overall risk ofhaving a heart attack or stroke,rather than simply trying to lowercholesterol levels to a preset target.There’s little evidence, the panelconcluded, that lowering LDL, or“bad” cholesterol, to one numberfor everybody saves any lives. Inaddition, their recommendationswould lead to far less use of somenon-statin cholesterol-loweringdrugs for which the panel foundlittle evidence of reduced heart at-tack rates. Meanwhile, the panelnow says it will re-examine its riskcalculator after experts alleged thatit contained flaws that would iden-tify millions of people as “at risk”when they’re not. These are exactlythe kinds of complicated issues thatthe US Preventive Services TaskForce excels in examining. Beforethe nation embarks on a radicalshift that could double the numberof people taking statins, this inde-pendent, congressionally autho-rized group should deliver a sec-ond opinion. — Los Angeles Times

MEDIA WATCH

IF we correct for exchange ratedistortions, Asia accounts forclose to half the world’s GDP

and more than half its population.However,as yet the much smallercontinent of Europe carries moreheft in the global order than thegiant continent that is itsneighbour. In the UN SecurityCouncil, while Europe has twoseats and its presumed trans-Altantic cousin the US has another,Asia has a solitary place among thepermanent members, that ofChina. Although more than three-fourths of financial savings origi-nate in Asia while Europe and theUS have negative savings, both theWorld Bank as well as the IMFcontinue to be dominated by theUS-EU alliance.

As for the WTO, that agencyhas followed the US-EU agendaof forcing open markets to manu-factures and services from theNATO bloc, while denying Asiasimilar benefits in the export ofbrainpower. A handful of pharma-ceutical companies headquarteredin the US and Europe have till nowensured that much of the rest ofthe world get deprived of cheapermedicine. The only way PresidentObama can universalize healthcarein the US and avoid his countrygoing into open bankruptcy is byrelying on pharma and other hos-

pital products from India.Instead, he is leading theeffort to block genericdrugs from entering evenmarkets where millions ofthe desperately poor re-quire affordable treatment.

Thanks to such a short-sighted approach,Obamacare is on track tobecome a windfall not for

critically ill patients but for BigPharma The chokehold of NATO-based financial entities on the glo-bal financial system has survivedthe loss of $4 trillion by investorsoutside the bloc who trusted theseentities to their cost during the 2008meltdown. After a brief hiatus,speculation and profit-gouginghave once again become the norm,assisted by fellow travellers trainedin institutions that instill obedienceto the interests of NATO memberstates in its pupils. India’s centralbank, for example, is run by an in-dividual who has spent more timein the US than in India, and whoframes policy with an eye towardsWall Street rather than Dalal Street.In central banks and finance minis-tries across Asia, there are those inpositions of high authority whofunction in a manner that will hurttheir own economies to be benefitof those in the NATO bloc.

Reserve Bank GovernorRaghuram Rajan of Chicago Schoolof Economics fame is busy follow-ing his two immediate predecessorsby handicapping domestic industrythrough higher and higher interestrates that even a beginner in eco-nomics knows is futile although di-sastrous to the domestic economy.Michael Spence, won a Nobel Prizein economics and thereby followedthe pattern of such prizes going to

those who uphold the dominance ofNATO and its partners over the rest.Naturally, he is a booster of Rajan.For Spence and his ilk, the morepain suffered by domestic industryin India, the better for industry inthe countries that he favours, whowill thereby not have to face thesame competition from Indian com-panies that they do from Korean,Japanese and Chinese enterprises

Scholars in Asia look at theworld through lenses provided forthem by Europe,which is whyAsians see themselves as impossi-bly divided. There are almost noorganisations that have a continen-tal scope, barring the Asia Coopera-tion Dialogue which was last heldin Kuwait. The GCC separates itselffrom the SCO, which in turn hasnothing to do with ASEAN, whichin turn keeps its distance fromSAARC, which itself is far fromAPEC. These separate organisationsneed to form a coordinating mecha-nism that would bring them togetheron the same platform.

Such a coordinating agencycould begin the process of an AsianCommon Market. After all, eco-nomics is what is most importantto most Asians, and there is zerodoubt that such a common marketwould benefit the entire continent.Asia would grow faster as a resultof such integration, and as a conse-quence, the rest of the world toowould grow faster.

These were the conclusionsreached by a conference on “AsiaUninterrupted” organised in theManipal University campus by theIndian Council for Global Rela-tions, otherwise known as GatewayHouse because its office is close tothat iconic Mumbai landmark. Atthe conference, participants from

The right to protest

THE tragedy that befell thecity center of Rawalpindi onYaum-e-Ashur correspond-

ing to Friday the 15th of Novem-ber 2013 is indeed of massive pro-portions. The loss of precious hu-man lives and in retaliation theloot and arson of hundreds ofshops speak volumes for the an-ger and frustration that the peopleof Pakistan are deeply steeped in.

The dastardly attack must becondemned in the harshest termsbut as a nation we need to realizethat if protest takes violent formsof arson, destruction of public andprivate property then the protest-ors are no better than the perpe-trators of the original crime. In factprima facie, the violent incident of15 November does not appear tobe a case of sectarian violence. Itwas premeditated to wreak havocand the usual culprits of sectarianintolerance take the blame.

To start with, the governmentmust assume responsibility for theodious crime against humanity. Asusual, the elected head of the gov-ernment was away gallivanting onhis incessant foreign tours.Moharram remains a month highlyprone to incineration. There is theomnipresent fear of eruption ofsectarian attacks while with theongoing terror attacks, there is astrong likelihood of harbingers ofhate and odium targeting the largereligious congregations and pro-cessions, which present juicy tar-gets to the assailants. In such acase, the Prime Minister shouldhave stayed at home and estab-

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Sunday Magazine

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Benjamin Franklin— US statesman

across Asia ( including AyeshaSiddiqua of Pakistan) deliberatedon ways to bring about better co-ordination between Asian coun-tries. An important suggestion wasa gas and oil pipeline from Russiathrough China that would branchoff into Pakistan and India, therebybenefitting all four countries andbringing them together.

While there are certainly dif-ferences between various coun-tries in Asia, the commonalitiesare much greater. Unfortunately,media and academic attention fol-lows the pattern set by NATO-based thinktanks of acentuatingthe negatives and ignoring thepositives. Such a bias must be re-moved, and scholars and officialsacross Asia accept that (1) the con-tinent is as much a single if notunified entity as Africa, SouthAmerica, North America and Eu-rope and (2) working togethermakes more sense than workingapart. Interestingly, many Asianscholars come across each other inEurope or the US rather than intheir own continent. This mustchange. Asia needs to discover it-self, and the first step towards thatis to understand each other better,through changes in curricula andby travel. Most important, a senseof pride and hope needs to replacethe litany of misfortune and out-side conquest which permeates theteaching of history in schools. Thebell is tolling. Unless an AsianCommon Market begin to getformed, the world economy willcontinue to remain anaemic.—The writer is Vice-Chair,Manipal Advanced ResearchGroup, UNESCO Peace Chair &Professor of Geopolitics, ManipalUniversity, Haryana State, India.

lished an operations roomfrom where he should havebeen monitoring the progressof the processions and main-tained vigilance. After all heis also the minister for de-fence too. The interior min-

ister has already been found want-ing during previous terror attacksand other trials and tribulation.

Attacks of the nature of the oneat Rawalpindi are never spontane-ous. They are meticulously plannedto achieve maximum terror, horrorand shock. The tragedy has oc-curred apparently owing to thelapses by the Interior Ministry andlaw enforcing agencies. However,instead of seeking vengeance forthe attacks, the protestors must waitfor the findings of the judicial com-mission and the inquiry committee.A judicial commission headed byLahore High Court’s JusticeMamoon Rashid Shaikh has beguna probe into the Rawalpindi trag-edy in which nine people werekilled and 44 others were injured.The judicial commission is ex-pected to take testimonies of thewitnesses and will examine theCCTV footage.

Meanwhile, a separate three-member inquiry committee hasbeen constituted by the Punjab gov-ernment to investigate the incident.FIRs were registered in four policestations of Rawalpindi includingPir Wahai, City, Bani andGanjmandi. Cases have also beenregistered against people who dam-aged public and privateproperty.The protest rally taken outby Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri in December2012 and his peaceful long marchfrom Lahore to Islamabad and fourdays’ sit-in should be taken as a ref-erence for peaceful protest. Cul-tured and sophisticated nations takeout millions’ march to protest

against serious issues but theirform of protest never resorts to de-stroying public property or lootand arson. Tahir-ul-Qadri demon-strated that we Pakistanis too canprotest peacefully.

Whereas it is essential to cooldown nerves, it is equally impera-tive to give vent to pent up emo-tions. Pakistani society is caught upin a milieu fraught with emotionalroller coaster rides. Bad gover-nance, relentless terror attacks,acute power shortage, double digitinflation, extremely frustrating lawand order situation, food scarcity,rampant unemployment have led tofrayed nerves. Touched to thequick, people are triggered to re-act violently to the slightest provo-cation. Under these circumstances,the government has its work cutout. It has to ensure that no inci-dent occurs which can act as acatalyst to bring out the worst pos-sible aggressive retaliation. If itsomehow does occur, then peoplehave to be induced to keep a checkon their emotions. It is an uphilltask and would require assistanceof opinion builders, including theintelligentsia, academics, religiousleaders and media.

Religious intolerance and big-otry has permeated in the Pakistanisociety to such an extent that dis-agreement of views is construed asa terrible crime and dissent leadsto murder and elimination. This hei-nous practice is in direct contraven-tion to the tenets of Islam, whichpreaches tolerance. The HolyProphet (pbuh) himself forgave hisopponents and was kind and mag-nanimous towards those who choseto differ with him. How can thosewho bear the torch of love for theHoly Prophet (pbuh), kill and maimtheir fellow beings for mere differ-ence of opinion. The masses being

devoid of in-depth knowledge ofIslam; get carried away by theemotional appeal to their so calledreverence of Islam and The HolyProphet (pbuh). It is imperativethat the record is set straight inlight of teachings of the HolyQuàân, the practice (Sunnah) andHadith attributed to the HolyProphet (pbuh) and research andstudies of erudite scholars.

Even a cursory glance of theteachings show Islam to be a reli-gion of mercy to all people, bothMuslims and non-Muslims. Thereis no place for religious intolerancein Islam, but unfortunately it haspervaded the Pakistani society tosuch an extent that bigotedpseudo religious leaders have dis-torted the tenets of Islam and arepreaching violence against per-ceived offenders against Islam.The Holy Prophet (pbuh) wasdescribed as being a mercy in theQuàân due to the message hebrought for humanity:“We sent thee not, but as a mercyfor all creatures.” (Quàân 21:107)

When a person analyzes thelegislations of Islam with an openmind, the Mercy mentioned in theabove quoted verse will definitelybecome apparent. One of the as-pects constituting an epitome ofthis Mercy is the way the legisla-tions of Islam deal with people ofother faiths. The tolerant attitudeof Islam towards non-Muslims,whether they be those residing intheir own countries or within theMuslim lands, can be clearly seenthrough a study of history. It be-comes imperative for the govern-ment to protect its citizens fromviolent attacks and also inculcatetolerance amongst them.— The writer is retired PAFGroup Captain and a TV talkshow host.

M D NalapatEmail: mgnalapat@gmail.com

GeopoliticalGeopoliticalGeopoliticalGeopoliticalGeopoliticalnotes from Indianotes from Indianotes from Indianotes from Indianotes from India

Sultan M HaliEmail: sm_hali@yahoo.com

Voice of the People

We are withyou Pak Army

NAZIA PARVEEN

Did you ever analyzed what welack as a nation? I believe we arelacking all those components a na-tion should have. Our confusionand directionless attributes charac-ter as seen in a couple of recent in-cidents reflect that we can’t evensee realities in front of us? Yes Iam talking about our attitude to-wards the Pakistan Army - the onlyinstitution in Pakistan working withfull dedication and facing war onall fronts. The most unfortunatephenomenon is the demoralizingcriticism by its own nation in a situ-ation when they need support ofnation. Are we so naïve and inno-cent that we cant differentiate be-tween right and wrong?

If I say they are pure saviors itwould not be wrong as they arethere to serve us in time of need,whether in peace or war. When statedemand sacrifice they are there toprotect the nation at any cost. Whenterrorists threatened us they stoodin front of them like an iron wall;when internal stability is at stakethey come to serve whatever re-sources they have. When all insti-tutions, all policies fails they comeforward like the first rain drop andgive us hope. After Allah, PakArmy is the only institution whichis there to save us. And in returnwhat we have giving to them? Abu-sive words? Criticism? What else?This is what we are giving in re-turn to our saviors?

Let’s get united in this difficulttime as nation and pay tribute totheir sacrifices, let us assure themby saying we are with you. Yes weare with you Pak Army are the hopeof nation and we love you, may yourise and shine and take this coun-try to the heights of peace andprogress.—Rawalpindi

Mismanagementin traffic

YASIR FEROZ SILAT

Goods transporters ended theirstrike on Monday 18th Novemberafter assurance of Finance Minis-ter Ishaq Dar. Importers and Ex-porters had a loss of more than 500million which directly affectedcountry’s economy badly but dueto the efforts of Federal governmentthey are back on tracks.

Their comeback is welcomebut has became a big problem forcommon people in Karachi becauseof the movement of more than 6000containers from Karachi port with-out any planning. This causedheavy traffic jams on 18th and 19th

November in the business hubs ofthe metropolitan city. Few wereblaming traffic police, but in myopinion transporters should thinkand care of those who back them.It is unfortunate that we do goodthings in a bad manner and insteadof earning goodwill, end up inproblems for want of discipline,proper planning and haphazardmanner of organizing events.—Karachi

The Mehrabpurdilemma

YOUNIS NAWAZ BHATTI

Mehrabpur is a newly emergingtown of the Sindh Province; it islocated on the right bank of riverIndus. According to a recent sur-vey, population of the town isreached upto 300 thousands.Mehrabpur is considered as eco-nomic zone of Sukkur region, thebusiness of the town is recordedabout 500 millions a day. This townpays a huge amount of tax to gov-ernment every year. Now just thinkfor a while a town which is eco-nomic zone of the region, pays ahuge amount of tax yearly and hav-ing a huge population, it must havefacilities but the reality is the other

The Wall Art in KarachiSYED MEHDI RAZA JAFFRI

From the hustle and bustle of Saddar to the outskirts of Super highway, at the buzzing Tariq road orin the secluded North Nazimabad, in the posh neighborhood of Clifton to the suburbs of Gulshan-e-

Maymar – wherever you go wherever you see, there is one thing in Karachi that does not change. Targetkilling? Mobile snatching? No, don’t think so far ahead. It’s staring right at you. The walls. Graffiti onthe walls has been the pride of our nation for so long that it does not even feel out of the ordinary now.Karachi in particular, plays host to all sorts of messages, notions and plethora of statements all plasteredaround the walls for the world to see. From matchmaking advertisements to tips by quacks, the walls ofKarachi speak of our people in a language louder than words. Political messages perhaps top the listwhen it comes to popular wall art that has become a symbol or more precisely a literal part of Karachi.I won’t take names here, but almost all of us see patriotic poetry, invitations to rallies and even motiva-tional messages urging one to go to Nishtar Park or Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore almost every day. Frommarriage, financial problems to troublesome in-laws, the walls pay tribute to Bengali babas from di-verse backgrounds that can remedy any problem and provide solutions to any worry on your mind.Perhaps it is time that we give our people the right to speak out and come out in the open upfront. Thenthey perhaps may not need to paint their thoughts and feelings in an anonymous fashion. Till then, weKarachites are free to paint color and emblazon the walls with what we have in our minds. And let’s faceit, nobody can deny that it’s fun when you are out on a drive and going through an amusing and wittymessage on the wall!—Karachi

Of Indian elections, onions & salt

INSTEAD of consultingpsephologists, pollsters and political analysts for forecasts on

the Indian election next spring, youcould just look at the commonperson’s plate. It all comes down toonions and salt.

Shifts in onion prices, especiallynear election time, are enough to turnany incumbent party anti-allium. LastDecember, onions cost about 20 ru-pees a kilo; by October, you couldn’tbuy any in Delhi for less than 100rupees. The soaring prices inspiredhundreds of editorials, with newsbureaus clocking the fate of the bulbwith as much care as if it were an ail-ing politician — more, because on-ions are indispensable, while politi-cians can be easily replaced.

The grim ghost of the Great On-ion Crisis of 2010 is stalking the Con-gress Party-led ruling coalition: Thatyear, after onion prices more thandoubled in a week, the governmenthad to ban exports and start import-ing from Pakistan in order to avertstreet protests and mass unrest. Whenthe cost of onions goes up, govern-ments can come down.

And now the politicians are wor-ried again. One impassioned mem-ber of the lower house of Parliamentsaid in August that the rise in onionprices and the drop in the rupee re-minded him of Humpty Dumpty —

and asked what the government in-tended to do before its own great fall?

Deprived of the fried onions thataccompany daal, the braised andchopped onions that form the base ofmany vegetable and meat dishes, theraw onions without which North In-dian kebabs would lose their self-re-spect, few Indians care to rememberthat the ancient Hindu texts had un-kind things to say about onion andgarlic eaters. The Puranas cautionedthat eating onions made one sinful,which would require atonement.They declared onions a food best ab-jured, like mushrooms, pigs that eatwaste matter, grains that grow inplaces of filth, and milk taken from acow less than 10 days after calving.

Though some strict vegetariansand members of the Jain communitywon’t touch onion or garlic, the restof India overcompensates. Accord-ing to the Onion and Potato BaselineReport, India produced a healthy16.10 million tons of onions in 2011-2012. That should have been enoughto meet the Directorate of Onion andGarlic Research’s tentative estimatefor demand, 15.71 million tons. Butthen villainous forces intervened:bad crops, market forces, over-ex-port, hoarders.

By the first week of November,there were tiny hints of hope: Thekharif onion crop was just in, pricesfell slightly, the government got abit of breathing space. And then, justas the onion angst subsided, therewas an unexpected run on salt.

Views From Abroad

Prices shot to 100-150 rupees perkilo in the states of Jharkhand, Biharand West Bengal, up from the usual16-20 rupees per kilo.

Panic buying ensued. In the cityof Darjeeling, in West Bengal, 13traders were detained by the policefor selling salt at exorbitant rates.The authorities in the neighbouringstate of Bihar detained three peoplefor spreading rumours about a saltshortage; the food and civil supplyminister promised that any morescaremongers would be interro-gated if necessary. The Bihar po-lice are not known for the gentle-ness of their methods.

Salt isn’t only indispensable, es-pecially to the poor, for whom it isoften the only affordable condiment;it also carries emotional weight, giventhe part that it played in India’s free-dom movement. Gandhi’s march toDandi in protest of the heavy Britishsalt tax is well-remembered. (Lesswell commemorated is the GreatHedge of India, the massive customsbarrier built down the country’s cen-tral spine, which, according to thetravel writer Roy Moxham, made itmuch harder to obtain salt in the late1870s and so indirectly contributedto Mahatma Gandhi’s march.) Alongwith the many freedoms that the ar-chitects of independence intended togrant their fellow Indians was free-dom from a duty on salt. The min-utes of an early session of the Con-stituent Assembly, on Aug. 20, 1947,reveal a moving proposal to insert a

Nilanjana S Roy

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THE articles, columns andletters are published on thesepages in good faith. However,the contents of these writingsmay not necessarily match theviews of the newspaper.

—Editor

Tolerance in IslamINTOLERANCE is on rise in the

world today, causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecu-

tion as well as confrontations on dif-ferent levels. Sometimes it is racialand ethnic, sometimes it is religiousand ideological, other times it is po-litical and social. In every situation itis evil and painful. How can we solvethe problem of intolerance? How canwe assert our own beliefs and posi-tions without being intolerant to oth-ers? How can we bring tolerance intoworld today?

Tolerance is a basic principle ofIslam. It is a religious moral duty. Itdoes not mean lack of principles, orlack of seriousness about one’s prin-ciples. Sometimes it is said, “Peopleare tolerant of things that they do notcare about.” But this is not the casein Islam. Tolerance according to Is-lam does not mean that we believethat all religions are the same. It doesnot mean that we do not believe inthe supremacy of Islam over otherfaiths and ideologies. It does notmean that we do not convey the mes-sage of Islam to others and do notwish them to become Muslims. TheHoly Qur’an speaks about the basic

dignity of all human beings.The Holy Prophet (PBUH),

spoke about the equality of all humanbeings, regardless of their race,colour, language orethnic background.Shari‘ah recognizesthe rights of allpeople to life, prop-erty, family, honorand conscience. Is-lam emphasizes theestablishment ofequality and justice,both of these valuescannot be estab-lished withoutsome degree of tol-erance. Islam rec-ognized from verybeginning the prin-ciple of freedom of belief or freedomof religion. It said very clearly that itis not allowed to have any coercionin the matters of faith and belief. TheHoly Qur’an says, “There is no com-pulsion in religion.” (Al-Baqura 256)

Muslims do not coerce peoplethey must present the message tothem in the most cogent and clearway,invite them to the truth and do their

best in presenting and conveying themessage of God to humanity, but it isup to people to accept or not to ac-cept. Allah says, “And say, ‘The truth

is from your Lord,so whosoeverwants let him be-lieve and whoso-ever wants let himdeny.” (An-Nahl29). The questionthen comes If Al-lah gave choice tobelieve or not tobelieve, then whydid He punish thepeople of ProphetNuh, ‘Ad,Thamud, people ofProphet Lut,people of Prophet

Shu‘aib and Pharaoh and his follow-ers? Answer is in Holy Qur’an itself.Those people were not punished sim-ply because of their disbelief.

They were punished becausethey had become oppressors. Theycommitted aggression against therighteous, and stopped others tocome to the way of Allah. Therewere many in the world who denied

line into the new Constitution pro-hibiting any tax on the commodity.

Two years later, in Aug. 1949,some legislators suggested that thiswas impractical. India’s first primeminister, Jawaharlal Nehru, wasasked for his opinion. “There ishardly anyone in this House whodoes not feel rather strongly on thisquestion of salt,” he said.

“Quite apart from the economicimplications involved in this matter,salt, at one time in our national his-tory, in the history of our strugglefor freedom, became the word ofpower which moved large masses ofhuman beings and brought about astrange revolution in the country inthe course of a few months.” Hav-ing placed this on the record, heagreed it would indeed be impracti-cal to exempt salt from taxation, andthe matter ended there.

The latest spike in prices wascaused by rumour, not iniquitoustaxation: Gossip, apparently base-less, had it that recent differences ofopinion between Nitish Kumar,Bihar’s chief minister, and NarendraModi, Gujarat’s chief minister andthe Bharatiya Janata Party’s con-tender for prime minister, would re-sult in a salt war, since Bihar im-ports much of the stuff from Gujarat.Mr. Kumar and the BJP traded sea-soned salvos over the weekend, butfor now the skirmish has ended with-out bloodshed. The writer is an es-sayist, critic and author.— Courtesy: The New York Times

Allah, but Allah did not punish ev-ery one. Ibn Taymiyyah, the out-standing Muslim scholar, said, “Thestates may live long inspite of theirpeople’s unbelief (Kufr), but theycannot live long when their peoplebecome oppressors.” Another ques-tion is raised about Jihad. Somepeople say, “Is it not the duty ofMuslims to make Jihad?” But thepurpose of Jihad is not to convertpeople to Islam.

Islam teaches tolerance on alllevels individual, groups and states.It should be a political and legal re-quirement. Tolerance is the mecha-nism that upholds human rights, plu-ralism (including cultural pluralism),and the rule of law. The Holy Qur’ansays very clearly “To every Peoplehave We appointed rites and ceremo-nies which they must follow, letthem not then dispute with you onthe matter, but do invite (them) toyour Lord for you are assuredly onthe Right Way. If they do wranglewith you, say, ‘God knows best whatit is you are doing.’ ‘God will judgebetween you on the Day of Judgmentconcerning the matters in which youdiffer.’” (Al-Hajj 76-69).

WINNERS are tall, muscular and robust, right?They have a swagger to

their walk, cocksure in their talk andcarry their attitude heavily on broadshoulders. But the two winners Isaw, winning spectacular victories,were anything but that: The first,Ravi Dwivedi, was a mild, affablechap. Went round on a small scooty,left home for a walk everyday, andcame back looking a little rounder!Nobody, expected him to win thecricket tournament. But there was

a difference in him this time, a dif-ference the other captains didn’t seeand paid heavily for:

Ravi batted like a man on fire.This was no mild man at the crease,this was fury, zeal and passion in atight bundle: The best bowlers lookedastonished as their carefully craftedballs were sent effortlessly to theboundary, they watched their field-ers looking bewildered at his cheekysingles and his team, suddenly real-izing their captain meant business,started whacking the ball, like theirlittle captain was doing.

It was a display of courage, te-nacity and determination as Ravi andteammates won three games in a row,and held the trophy at the end of theday. What a glorious victory: What alesson for everybody!

Just a few buildings away fromwhere the first winner lives, lives thesecond, Alwyn D’Souza: His sight-less eyes through tapping stick, treadsit’s way through badly parked cars,potholes and open gutters and leadshim home. His eyes had failed himover a decade ago, and then he’d beenabandoned at his mother’s doorstepby cruel, callous wife. Anybody elseat this stage would have given up.

He didn’t.He taught himself to forgive just

as much as he taught himself to usethe stick. He, who had always re-lied on wife or child to move around,learned to travel alone in crowdedlocal and uncaring bus. He was bit-ten by stray dogs near Jogeshwari,fell near Churchgate, but continuedrelentlessly.

Unlikely winners..!

way round. The town having thepopulation of around 3 lacs, has noany family park, the town consid-ered as economic zone of the areahas no roads, the town paying hugeamount of tax has no facility like aproperly equipped civil hospital,special education school, medicallaboratory, sports stadium, bus ter-minal, a public library, auditoriumand so on. This situation is the re-sult of corrupt and incompetent lead-ership. The present PML(N) govern-ment has made the condition evenworse, they are busy in attending themarry making glee ceremonies ofbeing appointed as a Federal Minis-ter. Drainage system and roads arecompletely deformed. The town giv-ing famous scholars, educationalists,artists, social welfare icons and po-ets like Mian Ghous MuhammadGohar, Ustad Rasool Bux Shaikh,Muhammad Nawaz Bhatti, AltafHussain Jokhio, Lutuf Siyal, AyazJokhio and others, has no proper li-brary and art schools. This is thedemand of the time that the govern-ment should save Mehrabpur fromtotal collapse. PPP leaders SayedSarfraz Ali Shah, Sayed Abrar AliShah and others are urged throughthis letter to move the Provincialgovernment of PPP to take someserious actions to stop this havoc.—Via email

Sacred cowIFTIKHAR MIRZA

There are indications that a sacredcow is under trial. It would be forthe first time in history of Pakistanwhich is replete with instances ofmaking hollow claims of hangingthe culprits; giving them exemplarypunishment, so on and so forth. Butthe facts are that theses black sheepare still in politics, enjoying luxuri-ous life, fully guarded and shieldedby all available means and resources.On the contrary, public en masse, re-mains at the receiving end, suffersall the ill deeds of coterie of mili-tary or democratic dictators,adventurists and imported PrimeMinisters and Ministers. Thingswent from bad to worse for major-ity of the people who have gonedown the poverty line and suffergrim miseries of poor life. The gorymarch did not end here.

We were dragged into war onterror, losing last iota of hope; weare subjected to bomb blasts, ethnicviolence, feudal feuds, massacre ofsecurity personals, suicide attacks,killings of tens of thousands ofpeople, disabling double of them andcreating anarchy in society. By sow-ing thorns, we will, definitely, reapthorns. Therefore, bemoaning overwrongdoings of predecessors is ofno use. We must nip the evil in thebud; stand up and say no to everywrongdoer. Had this been done, rightfrom the beginning, things wouldhave been quite different. Highclaims of present government to ini-tiate treason case against PervezMusharaff looks to be another stormin cup. Let us wait and see whatcomes out from the bag of Judiciarythis time. The retired General hasalready been given bail in variouscases. It is right for Judiciary toprove its mettle.—Islamabad

Legendsnever retires

AIZA EHSAN

The Indian master blaster batsman“Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar” wasborn on 24th April 1973 in Mumbai.He started his cricket career at theage of 11. He made his first debuttest match at the age of 16 againstPakistan in Karachi on 15th Novem-ber 1989 and One-Day Internationaldebut against Pakistan inGujranwala on 18th December 1989.He made his first century in his 9th

test match against England in 1990.He also made a century in his 79th

ODI match against Australia in 1994at Colombo. He was the only playerwho scored one hundred interna-tional centuries, the first player toscore a double century in a One Day

He called me yesterday, “ Bob,I’m the guest speaker at the Com-munity Centre!” he said. I attended,startled, shocked, surprised. Hissightless eyes came alive as he de-livered his speech with profession-alism and confidence. A blind manspeaking with such assurance: Un-heard of! Alwyn’s journey has beenlong and harsh, he fought, he won,just like his neighbour Ravi.

But again, winners are tall,muscular and robust, right? Theyhave a swagger to their walk,cocksure in their talk and carrytheir attitude heavily on broadshoulders? Wrong! These twowere different; they just decidedthey’d win. A lesson for us all: Youcan, if you think you can..!—Email:bobsbanter@gmail.com

Recognising our enemies

THE nation is still lost in themaze of confusion about thenature of Pakistani Taliban’s

existence and their relation with theirAfghan counterparts. The latter haveover the years been regarded as a re-sistant force fighting for their rightto oust the foreign occupant forcesfrom Afghanistan. The former aredeemed as a loose umbrella organi-zation of several disjoint factionsfighting the State of Pakistan in a bidto enforce their version of Shariah.

The Pakistani Taliban have alwaysexposed to affiliate themselves withthe efforts of Afghan Taliban againstNato-led ISAF forces. They try toportray their outfit under the leader-ship of Mullah Omer’s AfghanTaliban. They also regard MullahOmer as their Amir. Every militant

faction in Pakistan intending to joinTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hasto swear allegiance to the cause of theIslamic Emirate of Afghanistan (ledby Mullah Omer), and then the en-forcement of Shariah. Associatingthemselves with AfghanTaliban’sideological efforts in Afghanistan, theTTP tries to draw the required moraland political legitimacy.

Curious enough, the TTP tendsto forget its first lesson of commit-ment with Afghan Taliban, and thatis working for the cause of the Af-ghan Taliban; rather puts all its ener-gies to upset the state of Pakistan. Iwonder when it is related that TTP orits erstwhile spearheads have beenfighting against the US-led war in Af-ghanistan; and this premise providesthe basis upon which the structure oftheir martyrdom is being constructed.Per contra, the reality stands that TTPand its chiefs have evermore been an-tagonistic to those groups of Pakistanwhich legalize Jihad only in Afghani-

stan. TTP presents weird logic forwaging the war against the state ofPakistan. Pakistan is the ally of theUS war in Afghanistan, so the ally orfriend will not be spared, but the realenemy would not be touched uponleaving aside the sole incident of‘Camp Chapman attack’.

The pages of recent history tran-spire that the TTP has been againstall those who fought the ‘real enemy’– the example being of NorthWaziristan’s Hafiz Gul Bahadur andSouth’s Maulvi Nazir. TTP has al-ways been at odds with these twofactions, reason being they believein armed struggle in Afghanistan incontrast to the TTP’s efforts to deci-mate the state Pakistan. In early Janu-ary 2009, on the imperative ofMullah Omer, TTP acquiesced toestablish an alliance with Hafiz GulBahadur and Maulvi Nazir so as toaid Afghan Taliban in combating theAmerican presence in Afghanistan.This alliance was named as ‘ShuraIttehadul Mujahideen’, but it could

not sustain longer as the ones whoreined in the TTP immediately cameinto action to dismantle this alliance,and succeeded in directingthe gunsof TTP towards Pakistan.

These rivalries and skirmishesdraw a vivid line of distinction – TTPwill be averse to all those groups onthe land of Pakistan that give thethumps up to Jihad in Afghanistanagainst the US-led war but do notaim to weaken the state of Pakistan.This tangled web of seemingly irre-ducible complicacy disentangleswhen we try to discover the handswhich control, finance and providelogistics to TTP so as to debilitatePakistan’s security apparatus. Thelooming threat of TTP over Pakistanwill never wear off until the nationconverge on the point to recognizewith clear vision the ones who areour enemies and crafting clevermachinations to harm Pakistan.— The writer is Lahore-basedfreelance columnist.

The Spirit Of Islam

Atif Noor Khan

M Tahir IqbalEmail: tahir_iqbal78@hotmail.com

International, the first player ever inthe history who played 200 testmatches and the only player to com-plete more than 30,000 runs in in-ternational cricket. He was amongthose players who inspire others toadopt cricket as their profession. Hereceived the Arjuna Award in 1994for outstanding sporting achieve-ment, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratnaaward in 1997, India’s highest sport-ing honor, and the Padma Shri andPadma Vibhushan awards in 1999and 2008, respectively, India’sfourth and second highest civilianawards. Within a few hours of end-ing of his final match in November2013, the Prime Minister’s Officeannounced that Tendulkar would re-ceive the Bharat Ratna, India’s high-est civilian award, making him theyoungest recipient to date and thefirst sportsperson to receive theaward. He was also the firstsportsperson to be awarded the hon-orary rank of Group Captain by theIndian Air Force and Lots of lotsawards.

Sachin Tendulkar played his200th and the last Test match at hishome ground. The 14th of Novem-ber 2013, marks the end of the en-chanting carreer of Tendulkar withhis last match against West Indians.In his 200th and final Test match, the“Little Master” of cricket was caughtin the slips on the second morningof play at Mumbai’s Wankhede sta-dium. The 40-year-old, the world’sleading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket and the only batsman toscore 100 international centuries,took to the crease to a noisy call fromthe crowd in his hometown, televi-sion footage showed, with Indiansacross the country praying that hecould finish his glittering career ona high which he somehow did. Hemade 74 runs in his last test match.India won this test match also.Whole Indian team gave him guardof honour till he left the ground. SoNovember 16, 2013 will go downas one of the emotional days in acricket fans’ diary. Sachin Tendulkarwas finally saying goodbye tocricket, with never-before-seen tearson his face. Thus the reality nowslips into memory.—Islamabad

Lightingour lives

SYED MEHDI RAZA JAFFRI

As I’m writing this, I’m afraid of theelectricity shutdown and though inan air of tense mind, do wishWAPDA to have mercy upon me andlest my effort to write down theselines are betrayed. Much has beensaid and written about the impor-tance of electricity in our lives yetno one seems to take up responsi-bility for the ever increasing gap indemand and supply of energy. Alarge number of households in thecity are plunged into complete dark-ness for as long as 8 hours per day.

The government issued an orderfor load shedding to be withheld forthe three days of eid, but is thatenough? During the pre-election era,every political party of the country waspromising a quick fire solution to loadshedding as soon as they gained of-fice. Now several months have gonedown the road, the situation has noteven improved one bit. The questionremains – how long the public is ex-pected to rant over the issue of loadshedding? Will our future ever see thelight and would Karachiites ever breakfree from the clutches of the dreadedload shedding?—Karachi

DAOUD KUTTAB

FRANCE has always beena country that cares firstand foremost about itself,which is normal, butsometimes it is so calcu-lat ing that i t comesacross as not caring andspineless .

France is a huge eco-nomic exporter to theArab world. Its wheat andmilitary exports to SaudiArabia are literally in thebillions of euros.

At the same t ime,France is a foundingmember of the EuropeanUnion, a permanent mem-ber of the UN Securi tyCouncil and a strongmember of any Westernalliance of which the USis the leader. This meansthat Paris has to balanceits interests with the Arab

world with its role in theWestern alliance.

A month ago, Francewas eager to attack Syriafor i ts use of chemicalweapons, only to seeAmerica suddenly back offas a result of an agreementwith Russia.

In the Middle East con-flict, the French have beenslightly leaning in favorsof the Arab position whilemaintaining its good rela-tions with both Israel andthe U.S. For years, Arableaders and ideologueshave romanticized France’srole as the savior of Pales-tinians and the Arab world,only to be disappointedwhen nothing happened.

France’s political calcu-lation and attempts to beseen as neutral sometimescome close to being absurd.

One foreign diplomat

once told me that a Frenchleader felt he had to stay ina meeting with PalestinianPresident MahmoudAbbas longer than hewanted just to give the ap-pearance to the wait ingpress that he was actuallyconducting business, whenin fact he was simply kill-ing time.

This attempt at givingthe impression of balancewas exposed during thisweek’s visit by the domes-tically unpopular PresidentFrancois Hollande to Israeland Palestine.

Israel gave Hollandethe red-carpet t reatmentlargely for his country’shardline posit ion in theP5+1 talks with Iran. Thepresident responded inkind, delivering a pro-Is-rael speech in the Knessetand during al l his other

out ings .Hollande also made the

routine visit to Ramallah,met with Abbas and hit allthe r ight notes at al l hispress conferences.

He used the word Pal-estine a few times when re-ferring to his visit to the Is-rael-occupied Palest inianareas and repeatedly talkedabout the two-state solu-t ion and the need forJerusalem to be the capitalof Israel and Palestine.

But the cold over-cal-culat ion and constant at-tempt to appear balancedand fair to both sides sud-denly came apart when hedealt with the issue thatIsraelis hate to hear about:settlements.

Hollande correctly op-posed the latest settlementannouncements, includingthe decision to build in the

controversial E1 area nearJerusalem.

Palestinians and eventhe U.S. have staunchly op-posed this particular settle-ment for its potential todeny any serious contigu-ity in the West Bank, as itblocks the north-south axisof a future Palestinian state.

In his remarks, Hollandewas careful not to criticizeset t lements as such, butthe possibility that the an-nouncements might compli-cate things.

In his speech at theKnesset and at press con-ferences alongside Abbasand Netanyahu, Hollandehad the same tone.

Speaking to theKnesset, the French presi-dent said that settlements“complicate negotiat ionsand make the two-state so-lution very difficult.”

So despite the fact thatthe International Court ofJustice at the Hague consid-ers settlements illegal, anddespite the fact that his owngovernment and the EU, ofwhich France is a foundingmember, also considersettlements built in occupiedareas a violation of interna-tional law, and specifically ofthe Geneva Convention,Hollande is worried that theannouncement at this time“complicates” things.

In other words, if it hadbeen made at a differenttime, not now when talksare taking place, he wouldnot have been so opposedto them.

This over-calculat ionwas caught by a reporterwho simply asked theFrench president if he waswilling attribute the settle-ments US Secretary of

France fails to impress Palestinians

Mauritania elections:The hard choice

MOUHAMED LEMINE EL KETTAB

THE Mauritanian legislative and municipal electionsare being held at a moment of national disunity. Anumber of challenges have caused the vote to be

postponed several times in the past. Finally the gov-ernment has decided to go ahead with it, despite a voteboycott by some of the major opposition parties. Theresults could be ominous to national unity.

Mauritania is one of the least developed nations inthe Sahel region of Africa. It has not yet emerged fromyears of political instability after a series of militarycoups and failed democratic processes, the result ofwhich is extreme polarization within the political class.

Hundreds of small parties are crowding the arenaand vying for dominance. None of them has a clearprogramme or a distinct ideology. They keep switchingsides between the ruling party and the main oppositionbloc, thereby creating unstable and unreliable alliances.

Moreover, there is a deep and long standing mis-trust between the ruling party, the Union for the Re-public (UPR) and the hardline opposition party, Coor-dination of the Democratic Opposition (COD). In 2009the two sides engaged in an unsuccessful political dia-logue in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, following the2008 military coup which led to the ousting of a demo-cratically elected president.

Within the present Mauritanian context, being whatit is, one may wonder how a legislative and municipalelection boycotted by a big part of the political classwill help resolve the nation’s crises.

Initially the opposition parties categorically rejectedthe coup and demanded the return of the ousted presi-dent. The military, however, soon managed to choreo-graph a tactical deal whereby new presidential elec-tions were held. The vote results were expectedly infavour of the head of the army who then reinstatedhimself, this time as a civilian president.

Subsequent attempts to hold national dialogue be-tween various political formations failed, causing a longdelay of the legislative and municipal elections. Eachside has blamed the above failures on the other, furtherwidening the gap between them. The two blocs seem,up to now, unable or unwilling to get over their rivalry,hence the extreme difficulty to reach an agreement onthe ways and means to organize and conduct the elec-t ions.

This sharp polarization and the mutual rejection werecompounded by an inherent fragility and an obviouslack of cohesion within each party or bloc. There’s atype of “poli t ical nomadism” where individual andgroup loyalties can never be taken for granted, andwhere no coalitions are immune against sudden disin-tegration. It’s a scene of shifting sands where constitu-encies cease to matter and citizens lose their respectfor elected representatives.

This anarchical restlessness and the pervasive un-friendly mood, that goes with it, are not congenial to aconstructive, consensual political enterprise. The rul-ing party and the president have adopted a confronta-tional approach of zero concessions. So there is simplyno effort on their part to undertake any significant rec-onciliatory steps in order to resolve the crisis.

And there’s the novel factor of the conservativeMuslim Brotherhood as a rising political force. TheTawassul party of the Muslim Brotherhood has gaineda bit of momentum of late and it is not boycotting thevote. Its participation could be of use to the govern-ment, as it gives a level of legitimacy to the electoralprocess .

In addition to the inadequate socio-political atmo-sphere, the country is going through tremendous eco-nomic difficulties. First, Mauritania, like many othercountries, has been affected by the recent internationaleconomic crisis. Foreign investments and tourism havedecreased. Poverty rates are among the highest in theregion. Basic commodity prices continue to rise. Un-employment and illiteracy take a harsh toll on the un-derprivileged strata of society.

In the eyes of many Mauritanians, this shouldn’t hap-pen, in view of the improving national revenues from theexports of fish, oil, iron and other minerals. Many ascribethe economic crisis to poor management and to a failure toeradicate corruption, despite the numerous measures takenby President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz in that respect.

Regionally the country’s security is under threatmore than at any time before, due to the fallouts of theconflict in northern Mali. Al-Qaeda continues to pose areal menace as well, as it operates close to Mauritanianborders in northern Mali and western Algeria.

The presidential election is only a year away, givingmore significance to the results of the current legisla-tive vote. If no challenger to the ruling party rises topower now, then many will see the exercise as anothermockery of democracy. It will mean a continuation anda solidification of the status quo.

Many Mauritanians are watching this electoral ex-ercise with puzzlement. On the one hand, the govern-ment showcases the vote as an indication that the cri-sis is over and that things are moving ahead in theright direction. On the other hand, the opposition con-siders it an illegal process because it lacks general con-sensus and thus constitutes a further roadblock on thepath of national reconciliation.

The people are caught in the middle between thehard choices of total stalemate and uncertain change.Yet one may not be totally wrong saying that mostMauritanians may prefer a status quo rather than a crip-pling deadlock or a hazardous political crisis condu-cive to anarchy and chaos.

—Courtesy Aljazeera

Prayers during the first day of a four-day long Loya Jirga meeting in Kabul.

State John Kerry’s descrip-tion during a joint interviewwith Palestinian and IsraeliTV: “illegal”.

It was a perfect oppor-tunity for the Europeanleader to say somethingserious while being able tohide behind France’s (andIsrael’s) ally.

Instead, Hollande re-peated that settlementscomplicate things and thatthey damage chances for atwo-state solution. He de-scribed them for what theyare: a violation of theFourth Geneva Convention.

France of all countriesshould be familiar with theFourth Geneva Conven-tion, which was producedto deal with prolonged oc-cupations. I t came aboutafter (what seemed at thetime long) German occupa-tion of France in World War

II.Referring to it, the In-

ternational Committee ofthe Red Cross states: “It isunlawful under the FourthGeneva Convention for anoccupying power to trans-fer parts of its own popu-lation into the territory itoccupies. This means thatinternational humanitarianlaw prohibits the establish-ment of settlements, asthese are a form of popula-tion transfer into occupiedterritory.

Any measure designedto expand or consolidatesettlements is also illegal.Confiscation of land tobuild or expand settlementsis similarly prohibited.”

Instead of talking about“complicating” the peaceprocess, the French leadershould have simply saidthat settlements are illegal.

ANKARA—Turkish policefired into the air and detaineda man carrying a device de-signed to look like a bombafter he tried to breach a se-curity cordon near PrimeMinister Tayyip Erdogan’soffices.

The man, described bymedia reports as in his early50s, had called police fiveminutes beforehand to tipthem off and is thought tohave psychological prob-lems, Turkish Interior Minis-ter Muammer Guler told re-porters.

Turkish media publisheda photograph of what lookedlike a white corset and a slabof putty wrapped in clingfilm, attached by wire to asmall back device, seized fromthe man.

“There is no suicidebomber. The suspect tippedoff police about himself. He

Man with fake bombtries to breach

Turkish PM’s officeis thought to have psycho-logical problems,” Guler said.

“A device made to looklike a bomb was found on thesuspect. Police fired into theair during the incident. No-body was shot,” he added,denying initial media reportsthat the man had been shotand wounded by police.

Television footageshowed police sealing off thestreets in the area near thebuilding in the center of thecapital Ankara.

An official in Erdogan’soffice said earlier the suspecthad refused to show his iden-tity card at a checkpoint inthe street. Erdogan was notin the building at the time, theofficial added.

Separatist Kurdish mili-tants, far-left groups and radi-cal Islamists have all carriedout attacks in Turkey in thepast.—Reuters

J A K A R TA — I n d o n e s i a n sburned Australian flags overreports Australia’s spies triedto tap the phones of Presi-dent Susilo BambangYudhoyono and his wife,plunging relations betweenthe neighbors to their lowestpoint since the late 1990s.

About 200 peoplemarched to the heavily forti-fied Australian embassy inJakarta - the scene of a 2004bombing that killed 10 people- to demand an apology overthe alleged spying, whichprompted Yudhoyono todowngrade diplomatic rela-tions with Canberra onWednesday.

Many of the protesterscarried banners lambastingtheir southern neighbor, in-cluding one saying, “We areready for war with Australia”.

Other protesters in theCentral Javanese city ofYogyakarta burned Austra-lian flags in a show of anger,though the demonstrationswere smaller than police hadexpected.

Australia earlier updatedits travel advisory for Indo-nesia, the country’s second-

Indonesians burn Australianflags over spying reports

most popular tourist destina-tion after New Zealand, urg-ing citizens in the SoutheastAsian archipelago to avoidprotests and “maintain highlevels of vigilance”.

Yudhoyono went on na-tional television on Wednes-day to announce that he wasfreezing military and intelli-gence cooperation, includingover the issue of asylum seek-ers, which has long been anirritant in relations.

The reports that sparkedthe Indonesian outragequoted documents leaked byformer U.S. National SecurityAgency contractor EdwardSnowden, suggesting Aus-tralia had tried to monitor thephones of top Indonesianofficials in 2009.

Australian Prime MinisterTony Abbott has not con-firmed the spying or apolo-gized, although he has ex-pressed regret for the embar-rassment the media reportshad caused Yudhoyono andhis family.

Indonesia’s Coordinat-ing Minister for EconomicAffairs Hatta Rajasa toldReuters there had been

little economic impact fromthe row. “In the area ofeconomy and business, ourcooperat ion is continu-ing,” he said.

Trade Minister GitaWirjawan said on Wednes-day Indonesia was reviewingits trade ties with Australia,worth more than $11 billionlast year.

Indonesia is a major im-porter of Australian agricul-tural products such as wheatand live cattle, while Austra-lia is Indonesia’s 10th-big-gest export market.

Deputy Trade MinisterBayu Krisnamurthi said therehad been “no policy changeyet” that would affect beefand cattle imports from Aus-tralia.

Indonesia has loosenedits cattle and beef importregulations this year to curbrising food inflation, givinga boost to Australian export-ers.

The world’s fourth-mostpopulous country is Australia’sbiggest market for cattle andbeef.

But there was some con-fusion among Indonesian

Iran: Difficult differencesat nuke talks

EU presidentsays no militarysolution in SyriaBEIJING—EU PresidentHerman Van Rumpoy says thereis no military solution to theongoing conflict in Syria.

Van Rumpoy spoke fol-lowing an EU-China summit inBeijing at which Syria andother international issues werediscussed. He said that China,a U.N. Security Council mem-ber, has a role to play in for-mulating actions to mitigatethe conflict such as the de-struction of chemical weap-ons.

China has been criticizedfor blocking harsher action bythe U.N. that could lead to theouster of Syrian PresidentBashar Assad. Van Rumpoysaid China was already work-ing closely with the EU on theIranian nuclear issue. He saidthe sides also discussed theneed to restore stability in NorthAfrica, Mali and the Sahel tofight organized crime and ter-rorism.—AP

Dubai airshow closesafter rainfall floods

exhibitDUBAI—The Dubai Airshowhas closed its doors to visi-tors after rainfall flooded partsof the trade event’s large exhi-bition hall.

Organizers of the airshowsaid in a short statement thatexhibitors and visitors shouldnot travel to the show due to“severe weather conditions.”The show’s daily flying dis-play by international aerobaticpilots was also grounded dueto the rainfall.—AP

authorities overYudhoyono’s threat to halt allcooperation with Australia,including between policewho have forged close rela-tions in the fight against Is-lamist militants and peoplesmugglers.

Indonesia’s foreign min-istry spokesman MichaelTene said: “The suspensionof intelligence and informa-tion sharing covers all relatedinstitutions including police,not just the military.”

However, police officialscontacted by Reuters saidthey had yet to receive word.

“We have not yet re-ceived instructions on stop-ping cooperation with them(Australian federal police). Idon’t know about it,” Colo-nel Budi Suntoso, of PeopleSmuggling Task Force, toldReuters.

Abbott, in a statement toparliament on Thursday, saidhe had received an officialletter from Yudhoyono seek-ing an explanation for thespying reports, and reiteratedhis earlier pledge to respond“swiftly, fully and courte-ously”.—Reuters

GENEVA—Talks on a draftdeal meant to start a rollbackof Iran’s nuclear program inexchange for sanctions re-lief were delayed, with a se-nior Iranian envoy suggest-ing that the momentumcharacterizing much of aprevious round had beenslowed.

Negotiators from Iranand six world powers partedon Nov. 10 saying that anagreement was within reach,even after added complica-tions posed by a toughenedposition from France.

But a negotiating roundscheduled for Thursdaymorning was postponed ina favor of a meeting be-tween Iranian Foreign Min-ister Mohammad JavadZarif and the EuropeanUnion’s top diplomat,Catherine Ashton.

That and comments fromIranian Deputy ForeignMinister Abbas Araghchi

indicated that the two sideswere pausing to take stock.

“What we are tryingnow is to rebuild confi-dence that we lost in theprevious round ofn e g o t i a t i o n s , ” A r a g h c h itold The Associated Press.

Speaking of an unspeci-fied “misunderstanding or ...mismanagement in the pre-vious round,” he said “seri-ous negotiations” had notyet started on a draft textmeant to outline the con-tours of any first-step deal.

While saying agreementwas possible, Araghchispoke of a “difficult job”ahead to bridge differences,which he described as “re-markable” in separate com-ments to Iranian state TV.

He also said talks haveincluded possible ways toreduce sanctions on Iranianoil sales and banking. TheU.S. and its partners havespoken of offering some fi-

nancial concessions, suchas unfreezing Iranian bankaccounts from previous oilsales.

But they have insistedthe tough sanctions wouldremain in place to see if Iranabides by a first-stage deal.

Warnings from Iran’ssupreme leader that hiscountry’s readiness forcompromise has its limitsadded to the sense of somework ahead. The tough talkreflected the tensions fromnearly a decade of negotia-tions that have begun tomake headway only re-cently.

Ayatollah Ali Khameneivoiced support for the talksWednesday but insistedthere are limits to what Tehranwill deal away at the negotiat-ing table. He blasted Israel as“the rabid dog of the region”comments rejected by FrenchPresident Francois Hollandeas “unacceptable.”—AP

Saudi Fund signs7 agreements withAfrican countries

ISLAMABAD—On the sidelinesof the Arab-Africa Summit heldin Kuwait on November 19-20,where Saudi delegation was ledby its Foreign Minister PrinceSaud Al-Faisal, seven agree-ments were signed between theSaudi Fund for Developmentand a number of African coun-tries, says a press release is-sued by Saudi embassy hereon Thursday.

The agreements weresigned with Uganda, Ethiopia,Burkina Faso, Chad, SierraLeone, Mauritania andMozambique.

These agreements aim atfunding several developmen-tal projects in order to allevi-ate poverty and improve liv-ing conditions of the poorpeople in these countries, aspart of efforts of the govern-ment of the Custodian of theTwo Holy Mosques to sup-port the developmental pro-gram in Africa.

The agreements worth US$ 136 million were signed byDr. Ibrahim Bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance andChairman of the Board of Di-rectors of the Saudi Fund fordevelopment, Yousaf BinIbrahim Al Bassam, Vice Chair-man and Managing Directorof SFD and the ministers of therelevant. African countries inthe presence of several offi-cials from both sides.

The Saudi Fund for Devel-opment also approved re-cently an additional loan of USdollar fifty seven million eighthundred thousand (57, 800,000) for the Golen Gol hydro-power project in Chitral, toassist in efforts for resolvingthe energy problems in Paki-stan. The SFD had earlier pro-vided US dollar hundred mil-lion as additional loan for theNeelum Jhelum Hydropowerproject in Kashmir as well.

Merkel toaccept minimum

wage demandBERLIN—German Chancellor

A n g e l aM e r k e lsays sheis pre-pared toa c c e p tdemandsfor a na-t i o n a lminimumwage inorder to

forge a coalition that wouldgive her a third term in office.

Merkel and her conserva-tive Union bloc had opposedthe center-left Social Demo-crats’ call for an 8.50 euro($11.50) minimum wageahead of the country’s recentgeneral election.

But lacking the seats toform a government on itsown, Merkel’s bloc has beennegotiating a “grand coali-tion” with the Social Demo-crats for the past twomonths. She told an audi-ence of political and businessleaders in Berlin that she sawforming a new government asa “responsibility” that wouldrequire concessions.

Some economists havewarned the plan would causejob losses in Europe’s big-gest economy.—AP

the incident.Three people including a

levies man were killed in twodifferent incidents of targetedkillings. A levies official whorequested not to be namedsaid police found two bullet-r iddled dead bodies nearKhuzdar city.

He said both victims wereabducted from Naal area ofKhuzdar on November 18.Similarly militants opened afire at a levies personnel inKhuzdar bazaar. The levies mansustained serious wounds andsuccumbed to injuries on wayto hospital.

Five people were injured ina bomb explosion near a Churchin Chaman, Pakistan’s borderingtown with Afghanistan.

A police official said themilitants had planted explosivematerials in bicycle which wentoff with big bang injuring fivepersons. There was no claim ofresponsibility for the attack.

In Balochistan’s resource-rich Dera Bugti district, fourwomen were injured in alandmine explosion. Levies saidthe women were walking onroad in Sham area of Dera Bugtiwhen they hit a landmine.

All women were shifted toSui for medical treatment. Mili-tants intensified their activitiesduring last two days in Quettaand other troubled parts ofBalochitsan.

10 killedFrom Page 1

tions.The spokesman said these

drone strikes have a negativeimpact on the Government’s ef-forts to bring peace and stabil-ity in Pakistan and the region.

Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhrysaid Islamabad has been rais-ing its concern over the dronestrikes with the US adminis-tration and at the United Na-tions. It was one of the firstdrone attacks to occur outsidePakistan’s tribal region alongthe Afghan border and couldincrease tension betweenIslamabad and Washington.

US drone strikeFrom Page 1

Asadullah Wafa.During the meeting Interior

Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan,Advisor to PM Sartaj Aziz, Spe-cial Assistant to PM TariqFatemi, Foreign Secretary JalilAbbas Jilani, Pakistan’s Ambas-sador to AfghanistanMuhammad Sadiq and Secre-tary to PM Javed Aslam werepresent.

The Afghan delegation isalso scheduled to meet Taliban’sformer number two commanderMullah Abdul Ghani Baradar,who was released in Septemberafter being held at an undis-closed location inside Pakistan.

Baradar is seen by Kabul asthe key to restarting peace talkswith the Afghan Taliban. Karzaiformed the Afghan High PeaceCouncil in 2010 to pursue a ne-gotiated peace with the Taliban,who have been leading an insur-gency since being ousted frompower in 2001.—NNI

Stable AfghanistanFrom Page 1

by the PML-N-led government.He also doubted if the

Taliban will trust thegovernment’s efforts for peacetalks in the current circum-stances.

Shah lamented that thedrone attacks were intensifiedinstead of being completelystopped.—NNI

Khursheedslams govt

From Page 1

Nawaz orders 100 pcFrom Back Page

fish-farming, cattle- farming,gems and jewelry etc. The meet-ing decided that the First Yearof the loan period will be givenas grace period and the loanwould have to be repaid in thenext six years in easy install-ments and the mark-up on Loanwould be 8 percent.

Exhorting the youth of thecountry to gain maximum ben-efit from the scheme, the PrimeMinister said that they mustavail themselves of this goldenopportunity to secure their andtheir families’ future.

The country would alsohugely benefit from this greatexercise of national activity. “It

is just the beginning and we haveto take this process of progressforward,” said the Prime Minis-ter. The Prime Minister said thatyouth of the country have to begiven opportunity for doing theirown decent, good, profitablebusiness for their benefit and forthe benefit of their country.

The meeting also empha-sized on the training of bankstaff which has to be deputed forthe facilitation and loan process-ing at banks all across the coun-try. “They should be well-man-nered, well-informed and cour-teous,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister directedNational Bank of Pakistan (NBP)

to hold workshops at the regionaland provincial levels to trainManagers and branch managersfor exemplary processing andfacilitation of the loan applicants.SMEDA and First Women Bankhave to work hand in hand withthe NBP for the successful ac-complishment of this task.

Minister Finance MuhammadIshaq Dar, Minister for Informa-tion Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Gov-ernor State Bank Yaseen Anwar,Political Secretary to the PrimeMinister Dr Asif Kirmani and se-nior officials of the Prime Minis-ter Office, Finance, SMEDA andFirst Women Bank attended themeeting.—APP

SBS sets guidelines for all banksFrom Back Page

of write off (principal, markup/profit and other charges) shall beupdated as and when any recoveryis made.

The write off of loans/ad-vances, if any, in the names ofDirectors, Chief Executives,sponsor shareholders of thebank/DFI or their relatives/de-pendents shall require prior ap-proval of SBP. The write offsallowed shall be reviewed by theinternal auditor (IA) of the bank/DFI with special emphasis on

the cases where written off prin-cipal is Rs. 0.2 million or more.

The banks/DFIs shall com-ply with the above instructionsin letter and spirit; any violationwill attract punitive action un-der the Banking Companies Or-dinance, 1962.The BPRD Circular No. 06 of2007 dated 05-Jun-07 will nolonger be applicable on write offof loans/advances falling underPrudential Regulations for Con-sumer Financing, except per-

sonal loans allowed for businesspurposes which shall continue tobe governed by the said Circu-lar.

In reply rto a question, theMinister said that the ball wasin the court of the judiciary andthe results of that trial were be-ing awaited. The military dicta-tor should apologize for hundredtimes for his offences. Only astrong democracy could blockthe entry of the military coup detat.

ABBOTTABAD: Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani addressing officers and jawans during his visit toBaloch Regimental Centre.

LB polls scheduleFrom Back Page

for their rights and it was thePPPP that selected the path ofthe struggle for the people’srights.

Khuhru said that the PPPPwas in consultation with otherpolitical parties for politicalalliance for the upcoming lo-cal body polls and soon thedetails about the political al-liance would be made public.

officials said Thursday. Pakistanreleased the former Taliban No.2, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar,in September after years of de-tention, a move that stirred hopeamong many Afghan and Paki-stani officials that he could helpforge a peace deal between theinsurgents and the Afghan gov-ernment.

The U.S. also has pushed fora peace deal with the Taliban,hoping it will prevent Afghani-stan from spiraling into furtherinstability when most Americantroops withdraw by the end of2014. Washington is currentlynegotiating with Kabul to workout a pact to let some forces re-main beyond that deadline.

But some observers haveexpressed doubt that Baradarwill make a difference in push-ing forward the peace process,saying he has been in captivitytoo long and may no longer betrusted by the Taliban. The in-surgent group also has pouredcold water on hopes that theformer deputy leader will sparka breakthrough in negotiations.

The Pakistani and Afghanofficials who confirmed thatrepresentatives of the AfghanHigh Peace Council met withBaradar refused to provide de-tails about the meeting. Theyspoke on condition of anonym-ity because they were not autho-

rized to talk to journalists aboutthe matter.

The Afghan delegation wasled by the head of the peacecouncil, Salahuddin Rabbani,according to a statement fromthe office of Pakistani PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif. Thestatement, which said Sharif metwith the delegation, did notmention the meeting withBaradar.

Baradar was arrested in thesouthern Pakistani city ofKarachi in 2010 in a joint op-eration with the CIA after heheld secret peace talks with theAfghan government. The arrestoutraged Afghan PresidentHamid Karzai, who immedi-ately called for his release. Pa-kistan resisted for years, exac-erbating already tense relationswith neighbouring Afghanistan.After Baradar’s release, the Af-ghan government pushed for ameeting between him and thepeace council, hoping it wouldhelp negotiations.

But a senior Taliban officialsaid in recent days that a meet-ing between Baradar and thecouncil wouldn’t do any good,claiming the former deputyleader had no interest in holdingdiscussions with Afghan offi-cials. Also, Taliban prisoners donot represent the group, even af-ter they are freed, said the offi-

cial, speaking on condition ofanonymity because he was notauthorized to talk to journalists.The Taliban have so far refusedto talk directly with Karzai, hisgovernment or its representa-tives. Attempts to open talks be-tween Afghanistan and theTaliban in June ended in failureafter Karzai accused the militantsof setting up a government inexile and demanded they removetheir flag and a sign identifyingthe movement as the IslamicEmirate of Afghanistan. TheTaliban refused and closed theiroffice in the Gulf state of Qatar.

Pakistan has a complicatedrelationship with the Taliban.Pakistan helped the group seizecontrol of Afghanistan in 1996,and Kabul has repeatedly ac-cused Islamabad of providingthe insurgents sanctuary on itsterritory following the U.S.-ledinvasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Many analysts also believePakistan has maintained its tieswith the Taliban as a way tocounter the influence of archen-emy India in Afghanistan. Butthere is also significant distrustof Pakistan among the Taliban, afeeling that has been reinforcedby Islamabad’s detention of in-surgents possibly as bargainingchips. Islamabad is also fightingits own related insurgent move-ment, the Pakistani.—INP

Peace Council delegationFrom Page 1

Over 1,000 professionalsand experts from public and pri-vate sectors, business commu-nity, politicians, members ofcivil society, academia and me-dia professionals, are scheduledto attend the Conference.

Minister for Planning, De-velopment and Reforms Prof.Ahsan Iqbal would present Ad-dress of Welcome while FinanceMinister Senator MohammadIshaq Dar would highlight theeconomic challenges beingfaced by the country.

Official sources said that thegovernment has also invited the

PM opens vision 2025From Page 1

representatives of various politi-cal parties to evolve a joint eco-nomic agenda for the socio-eco-nomic prosperity and stability ofthe of the country. Experts of re-spective fields would put forwardrecommendations and inputs tothe government regarding the Vi-sion 2025 for making the coun-try self-reliant and economicallystrong, according to the officialdocument of Ministry of Plan-ning and Development.

Similar conferences willalso be organized at differentlevels including provincial lev-els, at chambers of commerce,

and at universities across thecountry to get useful inputs re-garding the Vision 2025.

The Vision 2025programme and the 11th 5-yearplan is scheduled to be finalizedby December 31 and after itsapproval from the National Eco-nomic Council, it will be imple-mented from January next year.

The Ministry has already sentinvitations to all the political par-ties asking them to actively par-ticipate in the conference for de-veloping consensus besides show-ing unity on the agenda of nationalinterest.—APP

party would hold a historic pro-test in Peshawar on Nov 23against the war that the US hasdeclared on Pakistan’s peace andon the peace talks that the coun-try has been attempting to startwith militants. He added that hehas invited all coalition partnersof the PTI to Saturday’s protest.He also invited the people ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa to join therally on Saturday against the firstdrone strike in Tal area of Hangu.

Imran, whose party is inpower in KP, questioned whyNawaz has not made a statementon the recent drone strike yet, say-ing that as the leader of the coun-try he should have been the firstto speak up. The lives of peopleof Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are atstake, the PTI chief said, addingthat his party would issue thenames and photographs of thedeceased killed in Thursday’sdrone attack in Hangu.

He further said that despiteWednesday’s statement by SartajAziz, the premier’s adviser on Na-tional Security and Foreign Af-fairs, that US would not carry outany drone strikes inside Pakistan

during its talks with the Taliban,the attacks were still happeningand therefore diminishing the al-ready bleak chances of arriving ata peaceful resolution with themilitants. He told Nawaz not to“play on both sides of the wicket,”adding that he should give up his“dual policy” of telling the US onething and Pakistan another.

“If the prime minister strictlytold [America] that drone attacksmust stop, they would never con-duct such attacks,” he said. “Ifthey attacked Hangu then whatwill stop them from attacking anyother place if they suspect ‘terror-ist activity’ there?” the PTI chair-man added, stressing that Americacould strike based on suspectedterrorist attacks, not certain ones.“Are we America’s tissue, thatthey just use us and then throw usaway?” Imran exclaimed.

He questioned why Americais “fighting on our land” if theyare our allies. He added thatAmerica must not be afraid ofPakistan’s response if they arewilling to do this the day afterAdviser to the Prime Minister onForeign Affairs Sartaj Aziz’s state-

ment. “The Pakistani governmentdoes not have the courage andstrength to take a stand againstthem”, alleged Imran.

“We will show them that thereare people in Pakistan who are notwilling to tolerate these attacks”,he added. When asked about therepercussions against standing upto the US, Imran said the only dis-advantage would be that we getfewer loans and less money fromthem.

Saying that the rally will be“historical,” Imran remarked thatthe KP government will an-nounce their plans to “block Natosupplies from going through theprovince until they [America]swear that drone strikes willstop.” Until now, blocking Natosupplies was the political party’sstance, but after Saturday’s an-nouncement, the whole provincewill stand against it. Imran saidthat “whoever talks about dia-logues with the Taliban, is calledpro-Taliban.” He added thatpeople who use terms like pro-Taliban also promote peace talkswith India, questioning whetherthat makes them pro-India.

End ‘dual policy’ on droneFrom Page 1

The 6 spots where protest-ing rallies will be held includeCommittee chowk, AbparaChowk, 22 no. Chungi, ChuharChowk, Dhok Hassu, DhokHafiz Chowk, airport road andTarnol.

Ulema have appealed togovernment to give strict pun-ishments to people involved inRawalpindi incident, while re-questing people to keep peaceduring demonstrations. Federalgovernment has also said thatmobile service could also besuspended on Friday due to se-curity concerns.—Online

Protest againstFrom Page 1

kistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chair-man.

Speaking to media, the min-ister said that the attacks beganin the stint of rulers who wonsupport in referendum, an obvi-ous reference to Khan’s supportof military ruler Gen PervezMusharraf in his disputed refer-endum. Though, Khan had latersought nation’s apology over hismove.

He said that Nawaz Sharifhad raised the issue of drone at-tacks at the United Nations sincehe wanted to improve relationswith the international commu-nity while Khan was hell benton spoiling the ties with thewhole world.

PR dismissesFrom Page 1

son. Sources said the formerarmy chief has directed his legalteam to prepare an applicationwhich is likely to be filed in theSupreme Court of Pakistan onFriday. Advocate-on-record ZafarAbbas Naqvi has been hired to rep-resent Pervez Musharraf in thecourt, sources said. The govern-ment has constituted a three-mem-ber special court to try the formerarmy supremo for treason underArticle 6 of the Constitution.

Justice Faisal Arab, JusticeTahira Safdar and Justice YawarAli have been named for thecourt. The former presidentseized power in a coup in 1999and ruled for almost a decadeuntil he was forced to step downin 2008.—Online

Musharraf meetsFrom Page 1

reserves of shale gas in Pakistan.“The study will be completed innine months. To a question, hesaid that the USAID would fi-nance the study.” The study willalso assess the factual oil reservesin the country. He said that USwants its companies to take partin exploration and production ac-tivities in the blocs particularly inBalochistan an off shore blocs injoint ventures with OGDCL andPPL. To a question the official saidthat US officials showed willing-ness to help Pakistan in copingwith energy crisis and extend thetechnical expertise and training toPakistan’s officials in shale gas ex-ploitation. USAID has alreadyhelped Pakistan in formulating theshale gas policy.

Energy crisisFrom Page 1

be a potential deal breaker as theUnited States has said it wantsan agreement as soon as possibleto allow planners in the UnitedStates and Nato to prepare for amilitary presence after 2014,when the majority of foreigncombat forces will have left Af-ghanistan.

The US had wanted a dealsigned by the end of October.‘’If you accept it and Parliamentpasses it, the agreement should

be signed when the election isconducted, properly and withdignity,’’ Karzai said toward theend of a speech that lasted morethan one hour.

He said such a move wouldshow America’s assurance “thatwe are moving on the path tosecurity and they are accompa-nying us on this path.”

A spokesman for the USEmbassy, Robert Hilton, said hecould not comment because it isan ongoing diplomatic discus-sion.

The Loya Jirga can revise orreject any clause of the draftagreement. Whatever they agreeupon then goes to the Afghanparliament, which could makestill more changes before theagreement is approved.

The Jirga will hold a seriesof closed-door meetings untilSunday, when it makes its sug-gestions on the security deal toKarzai. On the US side, only theadministration of PresidentBarack Obama needs to approvethe agreement, but it could re-ject changes made by Afghanofficials.

If it does, that leaves openthe option for the US to pull

all troops out of Afghanistan.The same could happen if thedeal is not signed in a timelymanner. According to a draftagreement posted on thewebsite of Karzai’s office, theagreement gives the US legaljurisdiction over troops andDefense Department civilians,while contractors would besubject to the Afghan judicialprocess.

Deep divisions in Afghani-stan over legal immunity forAmerican soldiers and contrac-tors as well as night raids hadthreatened to scuttle diplomaticefforts. The pact also providesfor US counterterrorism opera-tions in coordination with theAfghans, with the goal that theAfghan forces should be in thelead. It also notes that US troopswill not conduct combat opera-tions unless they are ‘’mutuallyagreed’’ on by the US and Af-ghans. Karzai said the dealwould pave the way for 10,000to 15,000 US troops to stay inthe country after the Nato com-bat mission ends at the end of2014 and give the United States9 bases around the country thatit can use.—AP

Karzai wants to deferFrom Page 1

commission has asked PakistanCouncil for Scientific and Indus-trial Research (PCSIR) to makenormal ink of better quality forthe LB polls. Earlier, the ECPhad asked the PCSIR for mak-ing magnetic ink for thumb im-pression of the voters.

ECP not to useFrom Page 1

meeting was co-chaired byAddit ional Secretary forUnited Nations and EconomicCoordination AmbassadorAizaz Ahmad Chaudhry andActing Under Secretary ofState for Arms Control and In-ternational Security RoseGottemoeller.

The delegations had a pro-ductive exchange of views onissues of mutual importance,including international effortsto enhance nuclear securityand peaceful applications ofnuclear energy.

The part icipants alsoshared views on nonprolifera-tion challenges as well as onthe multilateral regimes onchemical and biologicalweapons, export controls, andthe importance of regionalstability and security. Thedelegations reaffirmed thatthe Working Group remainsan invaluable forum for dis-cussing issues of critical mu-tual importance and statedthat they looked forward tofuture sessions.—Online

Pak, US discussFrom Page 1

ISLAMABAD: Delegation of Afghan High Peace Council headed by Chairman Salahuddin Rabani called on Prime Min-ister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at PM Office.

PIA staff memberarrestedKARACHI—A member of Pa-kistan International Airlines(PIA) has been arrested in Brit-ain for possessing heroin.Sources said, British airport au-thorities have recovered theheroin from flight steward ofPIA’s flight which reached onLeeds Bradford Airport. Thesteward has been arrested, whilehe will be presented before theBritish court later on. Men-tioning that, a similar incidenthad also took place on Septem-ber 19 on same airport, whenpilot of PIA’s flight toIslamabad was arrested byBritish authorities because hewas found drunk.—Online

Two bodies foundin gunny bagsPESHAWAR—The bodies of twoyouths were found from gunnysacks in Peshawar, police offi-cials told on Thursday. Accord-ing to the sources, dead bodiesof two young men were foundin gunny bags from Regi area ofPeshawar. The victims weresubjected to torture before be-ing killed and stuffed in thegunny bags, police told. The vic-tims belonged to suburban areaof Dawoodzai in Peshawar andwere identified as AbdulRaheem and Abdul Wahab, agedbetween 25 and 26. The policeseized the corpses and initiatedinvestigation.—Online

QUETTA: An injured person of Sarki Road blast being treated at Civil Hospital.

ISLAMABAD—Prime MinisterMuhammad Nawaz SharifThursday directed the concernedauthorities to ensure 100 per centtransparency and merit at the ad-ministrative level in the PrimeMinister’s Business LoanScheme being launched on De-cember 2,2013.

Any complaints in connec-tion with the transparency of theLoan Scheme would be enter-tained on a toll free number 0800-77000. The Prime Minister gavethese directions while chairing ahigh-level meeting on PrimeMinister’s Business LoanScheme at the Prime MinisterHouse.

During the meeting, thePrime Minister was thoroughlybriefed on the various phases,details, Banks’ processes, train-ing of the Banks’ employees,training of loan applicants etc.

Scheme is an excellent op-portunity for the youth of thecountry to change their destiniesfor their betterment, the Prime

PM’s Business Loan Scheme

Nawaz orders 100 pctransparency, merit

Minister said.Under the Prime Minister’s

Business Loan Scheme, 50 per-cent loans have been allocated forwomen, especially the educatedones, and five percent quota hasbeen reserved for widows, fami-lies of the ‘Shaheeds’ and dis-abled. The meeting was briefedthat a stringent monitoring sys-tem would be put in place to savethe Loan Scheme from malprac-tice and corruption.”The successof the Scheme would hinge onits transparency and merit and Imyself, by taking its ownership,would ensure it,” said the PrimeMinister.

The meeting also decidedthat the balloting for the LoanScheme would be conducted onmonthly basis and those appli-cants who fail to get loan at aballoting would be considered inthe subsequent ballots.

“This will be an ongoing pro-cess and in the coming monthsand years, the Scheme would beextended to new levels, the Prime

Minister added. The Prime Min-ister said that the private sectorbanks would also join in thegovernment’s effort to give maxi-mum business and employmentopportunities to the people.

The Prime Minister was alsoapprised that no cost of forms andsmall processing fee would becharged from the applicants.

The meeting was also briefedon the huge response that theLoan Scheme elicited from thepublic. Pre-feasibility studies,which help budding entrepre-neurs in making their businessplans and are available on theSmall and Medium EnterprisesDevelopment Authority(SMEDA) website have beendownloaded in huge numbersand is a testimony of peoples’deep interest in the Loan Scheme.

The Prime Minister directedthat those business areas shouldbe given precedence which areof vital national interest like

Continued on Page 7

Govt should tellnation factsabout drone

attacks: AltafLONDON—The founder andleader of MQM Altaf Hussainhas condemned the drone attackon a madrassa in Tal area ofHangu. He said that Sartaj Aziz,advisor on foreign affairs, as-sured the nation that Americahad promised not to carry ourdrone attacks during negotia-tions. However, it is deplorablethis attack was carried out withinfew hours after he gave his state-ment. This attack indicates thatthe government is hiding realfacts from the nation.

In a press release issued hereon Thursday, Hussain said thatthe nation was already disturbedbecause of problems and crisis.In this situation it was the re-sponsibility of the governmentto tell facts to the nation insteadof talking in riddles. It is a sen-sitive matter and our securityand integrity depends on the is-sue. Altaf also appealed to own-ers of the electronic media chan-nels that they should play theirrole to offer real facts topeople.—INP

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—The written off badloans will continue as wirttenoff only after apoproval of theState Bank of Pakistan afterrevisiting the profiles of con-sumer loans, requirements forwrite off of irrecoverable loansand advances for consumer fi-nancing which includes anyform of financial relief allowedto the customer in terms ofdues outstanding towards thebank/DFI, including principal,markup/profit and othercharges.

It may be recalled thatthere was a petition in the Su-preme Court of Pakistan seek-ing validity of over Rs512 bil-

lion written off loans during therule of General ParvezMusharraf.

SBP has advised the banksthat irrecoverable/bad loansshall continue to be written offby the banks/DFIs with the ap-proval of respective Board ofDirectors (BOD) under a welldefined and transparent write offpolicy. The BOD at their discre-tion may delegate adequate andappropriate powers down theline to the President/Chief Ex-ecutive Officer and other seniorofficers of the bank/DFI as theydeem fit. To ensure prudentmanagement of write offs ofbad/irrecoverable loans/ad-vances under delegated powers,effective internal controls and

systems may be put in place.Before considering/process-

ing of a write off proposal, thebanks/DFIs shall adhere to fol-lowing minimum guidelines:

Every reasonable effort shallbe made to recover the outstand-ing loan. It shall be establishedby all available means that theborrower(s) has not createdother business interests and as-sets out of the non-performingloans proposed to be written offand the loan is truly irrecover-able.

The banks shall ensure thatall securities/collateral held/available with the bank/DFIhave been realized and sale pro-ceeds thereof appropriated to-wards adjustment of outstanding

loan. However, in exceptionalcases, such as widows and or-phans, banks/DFIs may considerrelaxation to this requirementunder their policy.

The latest valuation of prop-erties/other assets held by thebanks/DFIs as security for theloan/advance shall be obtained,if not available on record, at thetime of write off of loans. Thevaluation report shall clearly in-dicate therein, amongst others,the present market value as wellas forced sale value. The valua-tion shall be conducted throughan approved valuer on the list ofPakistan Banks Association. Foroutstanding principal amount ofless than Rs. 2 million, valua-tion may be done by the bank/

DFI itself as deemed appropri-ate in a reasonable and trans-parent manner. Further, forwriting off of loans/advanceswhere outstanding amount ofprincipal is below Rs. 0.5 mil-lion, the requirement of obtain-ing latest valuation shall not beapplicable.

The banks/DFIs shallsubmit to BOD a report onquarterly basis with necessarydetails in respect of loans writtenoff. The banks/DFIs shall reportloans/advances written off toCredit Information Bureau ofthe State Bank of Pakistan(SBP). For this purpose, toreflect actual position of writeoff and recovery, netted balance

Revisiting written off bad loans, advances

SBP sets guidelines for all banks to ensure transparency

Continued on Page 7

ISLAMABAD—Chief Justice ofPakistan (CJP) IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry has re-marked as to how long a poorperson can fight the war for hisrights adding no injustice shouldbe done to any one.

He gave these remarkswhile presiding over a 3-mem-ber of Supreme Court (SC) dur-ing the course of hearing ofHabib Bank employee caseThursday.

The court had summonedpresident Habib Bank Limited(HBL) alongwith record but he

How long a poor person canfight war for his rights: CJP

did not appear before it. Thecourt expressed displeasure overit and refused to give more timefor reinstatement of the em-ployee of HBL.

The court ordered HBLmanagement to issue orders forreinstatement of the said officeron its own before the expiry ofcourt timings otherwise thecourt will issue orders on thiscount.

The HBL management is-sued the orders for reinstatementof his employee and presentedit before the court.

2 lawyers including AnwarMasood tried to appear beforethe court to explain the positionon behalf of HBL but the courtnot only stopped them from do-ing so but also directed them toissue reinstatement orders of theemployee forthwith.

It may be mentioned thatHBL had sacked MehboobAhmad Soomro in 2010 with-out assigning any reason.Soomro had exposed corruptpractices in the bank and he wasdismissed from service.—Online

Opp requisitionsSenate sessionIS L A M A B A D—Opposit ionmembers in the Senate have sub-mitted a requisition requestingthe Chairman to summon thesession of the Upper House ofParliament to discuss a host ofcritical issues facing the coun-try. The requisition signed by46 opposition members includ-ing PPP’s leader of the opposi-tion Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan,Mian Raza Rabbani, FarooqNaek, Rehman Malik,Farhatullah Babar and otherswas submitted in the Senate Sec-retariat on Thursday. The oppo-sition members said they wanturgent discussion on the currentprevailing political and securitysituation in the country.—INP

RAWALPINDI—Pak Army nowhas taken a big step and createda new software to make foolproof all military installationsincluding General Head Quarter(GHQ), local media quotingsources reported on Thursday.

According to reports, thissoftware has a power to counterany cyber attack from anywhere.Pak Army has taken services ofexperts for this software andnow has made a proper planning

IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—Sindh senior Minis-ter for education Nisar AhmedKhuhru said that It was the con-stitutional privilege of the prov-ince to announce for the sched-ule of the local body polls andany intervention in that regardwas tantamount to interfering inthe autonomy of the province.

He was addressing a pressconference at his residenceThursday along with PakistanMuslim League-Q and PakistanMuslim League-functional lead-ers, who had quit their party andjoined the Pakistan people’sparty parliamentarian (PPPP)while expressing utmost confi-dence in Bilawal Bhutto Zardarias the chairperson of the PPPP.

Those who joined the PPPPincluded Afshan Imran, BegumRahat Jawaid, RuknuddinMeerani and Khan Bahadur

Cyber attacks

Military installations, GHQ made fool proofto use this software.

The reports said that thisaction has been taken revelationby CIA agent Edward Snowden.Chief of Army Staff GeneralAshfaq Pervez Kayani gave theinstruction to prepare the soft-ware to defy any kind of cyberattack. Pak Army took help byexperts to make this softwareand it was completed under thesupervision of top official of In-formation Technology.

LB polls scheduleinterference in provincial

autonomy: KhuhruSharr from PMLQ and Dr GulMuhammad Brohi, ZehraShaikh, Zeenat Khaskheli,Zainub Batool and Rani Khosofrom PMLF.

The new comers in thePPPP vowed that they wouldstrive harder to complete themission of the slain PPPP leaderBenazir Bhutto.

The Senior Minister saidthat the consultation was in pro-cess over the given schedule forthe local government polls onJan 18 in Sindh province andsoon the issues would be takenover.

He said that the local bodypolls would expose many facesand many political workers andleaders would join the PPPPprior to conduction of the localbody polls. They were thepeople that had always struggled

All officers and staff arecompelled to install this soft-ware through which all cyberattack can be failed easily, re-port added.

The report further said thatthis software has the capability toprotect all kinds of sensitive andimportant documents.It is perti-nent to mention here that cyberattacks on different websites ande-mails of military have been re-ported in past.—Online

Continued on Page 7

KP former IGremanded for 14days to NABPESHAWAR—The Accountabil-ity Court No 1 on Thursday re-manded former Inspector Gen-eral of Police Malik NaveedKhan to the National Account-ability Bureau (NAB) KPK for14 days for further investigationin the weapons scam. The Ac-countability Court JudgeWalayat Ali Khan heard argu-ments from the accused counseland the prosecutor. MalikNaveed was arrested by NAB onWednesday for his alleged cor-ruption in the purchase of weap-ons and equipment for theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa policeduring 2008-2010. Prosecutionlawyer Umar Farooq appealedto the court for remand of theaccused for further investigationinto the case.—Online

27 injured inLandikotal

suicide attackOUR CORRESPONDENT

LANDIKOTAL—27 Person in-cluding custom house Torkhamofficials and custom clearanceagents were injured in a suicideattack here on thursday morning.Suicide bomber blown himselfup inside the custom houseTorkham building during offi-cial hours. Landikotal assistantpolitical agent, MuhammadTayyab Abdullah,media men inlandikotal that around 9:30am onThursday a 12 to 14-year-old sui-cide bomber entered Torkhamcustoms house and exploded hisexplosives packed jacket.

He said that at least 27 per-sons including a senior customsofficial identified as Superinten-dent Qazi Haseeb were seriouslyinjured.

Naval commandand staff conference

concludesSTAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The command adstaff conference of PakistanNavy was held at Jinnah NavalBase Ormara on 20 & 21Novembor 2013. The Confer-ence, Chaired by Chief of theNaval Staff, Admir MohammadAsif Sandila was aimed to re-view operational readiness, de-velopmental plans and infra-structure upgradation of Paki-stan Navy.

The forum took exclusivestock of the PN setup in coastalarea in general andoperationalization of JNB in par-ticular. Chief of the Naval Staffwas given detailed briefing onvarious developmental projectsof the base which will helpachieve early commencement ofsustained felt operations.

Aitzaz for opentrial of Musharraf

treason caseOBSERVER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Former president ofthe Supreme Court Bar Associa-tion and Pakistan People’s Partyleader Aitzaz Ahsan Thursdaydemanded an open trial in the trea-son case against former militaryruler General (retd) PervezMusharraf. Speaking to mediarepresentatives here, Ahsan saidthat the prosecution has evidenceand witnesses against Musharrafin the treason case.

The PPP leader said the for-mation of a special court was atransparent step that the govern-ment had taken, adding that testi-monies of judges were not neededover the charge of suspending theconstitution.Judges would haveto give their testimonies if thecharge of placing them underhouse arrest is also brought forthby the government, he said. Re-sponding to a question, Ahsan saidMusharraf’s treason trial wasPakistan’s internal issue and thatSaudi Arabia and America couldnot interfere in the matter.

Kayani visitsBaloch

Regimental CentreSTAFF REPORTER

RAWALPINDI—Chief of ArmyStaff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayanivisited Baloch Regimental Cen-tre in Abbottabad on Thursday.

As Colonel-in-Chief ofBaloch Regiment, he addressedtroops of the regiment and paidrich tributes to the sacrifices ofofficers and men in the defenceof the motherland, said an ISPRpress release issued here.

The Chief of Army Staff alsolaid a floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and offered Fateha.

PEOPLE who eat a diet rich in nuts, including peanuts, are less likely to diefrom heart disease or cancer, new re-

search suggests. The more nuts consumed, thegreater the apparent benefit, according to thereport. It included data from nurses and otherhealth professionals whohave been tracked since the1980s.

Heart disease and can-cer - the biggest killers in theU.S. - are responsible formore than one million an-nual deaths nationwide. TheInternational Tree NutCouncil Nutrition Researchand Education Foundationhelped pay for the new re-port, which was published inthe New England Journal ofMedicine. The findingsdovetail with other researchsuggesting regularly eatingnuts may lower the risk ofcommon health problemssuch as heart disease, coloncancer and type 2 diabetes.

“Nuts used to be demonized becausethey’re high in fat. Now, 20 years later, they’rerecognized as a healthful food,” JeffreyBlumberg told Reuters Health. He is from theUSDA Human Nutrition Research Center onAging at Tufts University in Boston andwasn’t part of the study team.

“It’s just like coffee and eggs used to bedemonized,” Blumberg said. “Eggs used tobe a heart attack in a shell. Nuts are high infat, but they’re high in good fats.” The newstudy - the largest to look at deaths - suggeststhe health benefits of nuts may translate to alower risk of premature death, researcherssaid.

The variety of nut, including peanuts,which are actually legumes, did not seem tomake a difference, senior author Dr. CharlesFuchs told Reuters Health. “The benefit re-ally seems to span across nuts,” Fuchs, fromthe Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,

said.The two databases used

in the analysis included about76,000 women who are part ofthe ongoing Nurses’ HealthStudy and 42,000 men whoare regularly evaluated as partof the Health ProfessionalsFollow-up Study. The findingsare based on questionnaires inwhich the volunteers periodi-cally recalled their eating hab-its. The researchers had to ac-count for the fact that nut eat-ers tended to be healthierwhen it came to smoking, al-cohol consumption, obesity,exercise habits and other ele-ments of their diet, such aseating more fruits and veg-etables.

Yet even when those factors were takeninto account, they said, nut consumptionseemed to be tied to a lower risk of earlydeath. During 30 years of the Nurses’ HealthStudy, about 16,000 women died. About11,000 men died over a 24-year period inthe Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Compared to people who never ate nuts,those who ate nuts once a week were 11 per-cent less likely to die during the studies andthose who ate nuts every day were 20 per-cent less likely to die. People who reportedeating nuts at least five times per week were29 percent less likely to die of heart disease,in particular, than those who avoided nuts.

Eating nuts tied to fewercancer, heart disease deaths

Trees changing their colours due to advent of the autumn season in Federal Capital.

Ambassador of Brazil Alfredo Leoni inaugurating a paintings exhibition by R M Naeem, atTanzara Gallery.—PO photo by Sultan Bashir

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—ACCA Paki-stan organized an annual con-ference on 20 November 2013at Serena Hotel, Islamabad in-viting the dignified leaders andchange makers from all overPakistan to boost up the moraleof students of ACCA and helpthem by addressing their issues.

Mr. Walid Mushtaq, CEORoots International Schoolswas invited as one of the dig-nified speakers on the event.

He spoke on the E-Profes-sional: Embracing LearningTechnologies on the occasion

Mr Walid motivates studentsduring ACCA conference

ence and actively participated inexchange of dialogue and im-pressed the listeners with theirsophisticated and refinedthoughts.

Discussed during the confer-ence were the answers to the cru-cial questions such as how can acountry like Pakistan success-fully move its young people fromeducation to employment? Whatare the problems and gaps andhow these gaps need to bebridged? Which interventionswork? How can these be scaledup?

The event continued for awhole day bringing together the

top ten distinguished and In-ternationally Qualified profes-sors and Business Leaders ofPakistan.

In an effort to respond theabove issues, the conferencebrought together expertise andprovided a platform for thekey stakeholders includingeducation regulators,academia, business and indus-try to deliberate upon the is-sues and provide a way for-ward to improve the situation.Through this event ACCAaimed to contribute to the for-ward agenda of the profession,business and society at large.

Ambassador of Japan, Hiroshi Inomata called on Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan onThursday.

and highlighted the job opportu-nities for the students of ACCAand addressing to the issues suchas how can gap between prob-lems faced by an ACCA studentand the solution be bridged suc-cessfully.

He spoke on the reasons be-hind the high level of youth un-employment and a shortage ofjob seekers with critical skills.Mr.Walid provided the rationalperspective and guided the stu-dents to help them attain a suc-cessful position in their career.

Students of Roots Interna-tional Schools from ACCA de-partment attended the confer-

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—The Ambassa-dor of Brazil, H.E. AlfredoLeoni along with the Rector ofthe National University of Sci-ences and Technology, Mr.Engr Muhammad Asghar, in-augurated the photo exhibition“Islam in Brazil”, on Thursdayat the NUST.

Brazil is known all aroundthe world as a country thatvalues its rich cultural diver-sity. Not many people know,however, that Islam also hasa part on that cultural diver-sity and that there is a signifi-cant and vibrant Islamic com-munity in Brazil.

Thus, “Islam in Brazil”, aphoto exhibition by ThomazNapoleão and Helena Jornada,

Photo exhibition onIslam in Brazil

aims at showing Pakistanis alittle known side of the Bra-zilian life and culture, that ofits Muslim community.

The first Muslims arrived inBrazil in the beginning of theXVI century and many morecame, mostly from Africa, dur-ing the colonial period. In theXIX and XX centuries, Brazilreceived new flows of Muslimmigrants, mainly Arabs, comingfrom Lebanon, Syria and Pales-tine.

Currently, estimates indicatethat there are around 1.5 millionMuslims in Brazil, spread allover the country’s territory. Ac-cording to a census conductedby the Brazilian Institute forGeography and Statistics, thenumber of Muslims living inBrazil has risen by 29.1 percent

between the years 2000 and2010.

The largest part of thiscommunity is concentrated inthe Southeast and South regionsof the country, from giant cit-ies like São Paulo - with its 18million inhabitants – and Rio deJaneiro, to the borders withParaguay and Argentina andsouthern cities such as PortoAlegre.

There is also a significantMuslim population in the Cen-tral region of the Brazil, includ-ing in the capital, Brasília, andthe state of Goiás.

This community is formedby migrants of all over the Is-lamic world, including Pakistan,and also by a large number ofBrazilians who have convertedto Islam.

ZUBAIR QURESHI

ISLAMABAD—Police chiefs inthe federal capital spent a busyThursday chalking out foolproofsecurity plan for today (Friday)protest rallies s in the city.

Some Sunni Ulema andworkers of Ahl-e-Sunnat walJamaat have given countrywidecalls for protests against last Fri-day incident of arson and kill-ings at one of their seminariesin Rawalpindi. In Islamabad,their rally will start after Fridayprayer from Lal Masjid and endat the press club.

An office bearer of JamatAhl-e-Sunnat on anonymity toldPakistan Observer, MaulanaAhmed Ludhianvi Amir of theJamat will lead the protest rally.Leaders of Difa-e-PakistanCouncil and other religious po-

500 personnel to escort protest rally

Federal capital comesunder security blanket

litical parties will also partici-pate, he said. However, he said,“We have not disclosed thenumber of participants nor themagnitude of the protest. It willbe a complete surprise for po-lice and government,” he said.

An official of the SpecialBranch also confirmed this say-ing police high-ups are notaware of the exact magnitudeand intensity of the protest.“They keep saying it will be apeaceful protest rally and veryfew participants will protestagainst the Youm-e-Ashur kill-ings in Pindi. However, wedoubt that it will be a small andpeaceful protest,” he expressedhis fears.

Majlis WahdatulMuslemeen (MWM) had alsocalled for a similar protest rallyagainst attacks on their Imam

Bargahs in Pindi and elsewhere.Their rally was planned from

G-6 Imam Bargah to D-Chowkafter the Friday prayers. How-ever, according to an officebearer of the MWM, the rally hasbeen cancelled at the last mo-ment. The city administration hasprevailed upon the Shia Ulemasto postpone their protest as itmight lead to sectarian clashes.We have accepted their requestin the interest of peace, he said.According to a senior official,police have been deployed a dayprior to the rally outside 20 mostsensitive buildings includingImam Bargahs and seminaries ofthe two groups.

Likewise, more than 500personnel will escort the protestrally and all the measures havebeen taken to make it peaceful,he said.

Police didn’t playrole in controlling

situationRAWALPINDI—Senior policeofficers in Rawalpindi havestarted shifting the responsiblyon each other of Rawalpindi fi-asco, which saw 11 people killedand a mosque and a number ofshops torched on last Friday.

According to reports,Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh, formerRegional Police Officer ofRawalpindi, told a fact findingcommittee that SSP Operationsand other officers had not playedtheir role in controlling the situ-ation.

He said that he had gone toAttock District through a heli-copter after receiving informa-tion about the presence of a no-torious terrorist.

The former RPO said that hewas not informed about the inci-dent though wireless and came toknow about the incident around3:50 PM. He said he took his timeto reach Rawalpindi as helicopterwas not in a position to flyforthwith.Sheikh said that hereached Rawalpindi around 5:30and rushed to the venue of the in-cident with some officers. He saidthat most of the officers fled thescene after rioters resorted to fir-ing and he was sheltered by jun-iors officers, who took him to anarrow street.—INP

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Ambassador ofSpain Javier Carbajosa Thursdayurged collective efforts to curbmenace of human trafficking inboth Pakistan and Spain.

The ambassador was ad-dressing a seminar at the conclu-sion of a workshop on ‘HumanTrafficking Initiative: Medicaland Psychological implicationsfor the Victims’ at the IslamabadHigh Court.

Former Federal Minister DrBabar Awan presided over the

Human trafficking

Spain’s envoy for effortsto curb menace

seminar. The ambassador saidhuman trafficking leads to childabuse, illegal immigration anddrug trafficking. In early 1950sand 1960s Spain was the larg-est exporter of illegal immi-grants and today, we are at thereceiving end.

However, he claimed Spainhas taken lead in controlling anddealing with the issue from le-gal, biological and even psycho-logical point of view. “Civil so-cieties have to make collectiveefforts to curb this phenomenonand deal relentlessly with han-

dlers of the victims,” he said.Dr Babar Awan agreed with

the ambassador that most of thepeople in Asia, especially ofPakistan, tend to take refuge inEuropean countries despite re-ligious and social differencesbetween the two countries.

It is due to social justice andequal economic opportunitiesthese countries provide themand Spain is definitely a leaderin the European community, hesaid. Human trafficking is a glo-bal issue and should be treatedlikewise, said Dr Babar Awan.

Justice Mamoonvisits Darul Uloom

CITY REPORTER

RAWALPINDI—The Judicialcommission comprising JusticeMamoon Rashid Sheikh to holdinquiry into the Raja Bazar in-cident Thursday visited DarulUloom Taleem-ul-Quran andmet the seminary administra-tion.

Justice Sheikh inspected theburnt building and took briefingfrom the Rawalpindi policechief.

He also went to the hospi-tals and met with the injuredpeople. Later Justice Sheikhwent back to the Lahore HighCourt Rawalpindi bench.

Woman dieson PIA flight

ISLAMABAD—A female pas-senger died during flight of thePakistan International Airlines(PIA) due to heart attack hereon Thursday.

According to the PIAsources, the 50 years old womanpassenger was going to Londonby PIA flight from Islamabad.She was given first aid in theflight when she felt pain in herchest.

She died before landing ofthe flight at London airport dueto severe heart stroke.—INP

Motorists askedto repair lights

ISLAMABAD—Islamabad Traf-fic Police have asked transport-ers and motorists to repair lightsand indicators of their vehiclestill December 01.

The traffic police an-nounced this deadline and em-phasized upon repairing alllights of vehicles to control theroad accidents rate in the federalcapital.

The motorists are also ad-vised to fix the vipers.

Police warned the motoriststhat after the end of deadline,strict action will be taken againstthe people with nonfunctionallights.—INP

Further coopbetween Pak-JapanISLAMABAD—Federal InteriorMinister Chaudhry Nisar AliKhan has said that first draft ofinternal security policy is readyand would be presented in cabi-net soon for final approval.

He was talking to Japaneseambassador Hiroshi Inomatawho called on him here onThursday.

Both dignitaries agreed tofind ways of cooperation be-tween security agencies particu-larly civil armed forces of bothcountries.

The minister said that Paki-stan enjoys good relations withJapan and present governmentdetermined to raise the length ofbilateral relations up to newheights of mutual cooperationand confidence.—Online

Activists of Muslim Students Organization holding a rally from Islamabad to Rawalpindito condemn the sectarian violence.

Rita Akhtar, Executive Director USEFP addressing a ceremony to mark International Education Week Judith Ravin, Deputy Cultural Attaché of theUS Embassy in Islamabad is also present.

06:00

01:30

03:45

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Zohr

Brothers in Islam establishregular prayers and charity

Minister of State for National Health Services Regulation and Co-ordination Ms. SairaAfzal Tarar addressing inaugural session for launch of Mental Health Gap.

CITY REPORTER

I S L A M A B A D — A l l a m aIqbal Open University(AIOU) would further im-prove its course contentsof its various programmesto inculcate positive atti-tude and healthy socialvalues in its students.

AIOU to focus on building positive attitude on students This was stated by the

Vice-Chancellor, AIOUProf. Dr. Nazir Ahmed Sangiwhile addressing the con-cluding ceremony of 3-dayscript-writing training work-shop here on Wednesday.

The workshop wasaimed at developing elec-tronic software of Class six

to eight for open schoolingproject.

The AIOU as a nationalinstitution will fulfill its re-sponsibility for developingpositive attitude among theyouth so that they as amember of the civil societyhelp to avert the incidentslike happened in Rawalpindi

on the occasion of the 10thMuharram.

While expressing griefover the loss of preciouslives in the incident, he saidthat the civil society mustact positively to stop vio-lence.

“We need to developsuch educated society”

where decency and harmo-nious dominate as hap-pened in the case of Westwhere people respect theright of difference amongvarious sects.

He emphasized that thescript-writers, who are en-gaged in developing educa-tional material should con-

centrate on building of apositive and healthy atti-tude among the students.

The AIOU, he said, hasundertaken a huge task ofestablishing open schoolingsystem all over the countryso that illiteracy could berooted-out and the societycould be made capable to

curb imbalance and negativeattitude in daily life.

Moiz-ud-Din Ahmed,Director ElectronicCourseware Design Centerhighlighted aims and objec-tives of the scriptwritingtraining workshop and saidthat the open schoolingproject was being developed

on scientific line accordingto the vision and directionof the Vice-Chancellor.

Dr. Naveed Sultana,former Director, ElectronicCourseware Design Centerand Nighat Farooq, Coor-dinator, Open Schoolingalso spoke on the occa-sion.—APP

CITY REPORTER

RAWA L P I N D I —As a ges-ture of good will, FatimaJinnah Women UniversityClinic arranged a blood do-nation camp in collabora-t ion with Pakistan RedCrescent Society onThursday.

A team of doctors andworkers were invited fromRed Crescent Society whoarranged all the equipmentsand provided medical facili-ties for the students whohad donated blood for thegood cause. Bloodwas collected from healthy

Voluntary blood donationcamp at FJWU

staff members and studentsof age above seventeenyears and body weight ofmore than fifty kilograms.

The blood samples ofthe donor students wouldbe given free screening forHepatitis B and C virus.

Speaking on the occa-sion, Coordinator PRCS,Iftikhar said that there is anacute dearth of blood do-nors in the society, anawareness campaignshould be launchedamongst the youth in thisregard.

Appreciating the effortsof FJWU administration, he

said that they arrangedcamp every year, receivedthe fabulous response fromstudents .

He motivated the stu-dents to donate blood tosave the lives.

The camp collected 90bottles of blood, whichwould be used to save thelives of thalassemic andcancer patients. This campis being arranged everyyear by university clinicthus contributing positivelyto the society. It wouldsave lives of many peoplewho can not arrange bloodat the time of emergency.

Firewood pricejumps to Rs

900 per 40 kgISLAMABAD—The firewoodtraders have increased theprice of firewood due to toshortage of gas in twin citiesof Islamabad andRawalpindi.

The price of dry woodhave increased from Rs 750to Rs 900 per 40 kg and Rs450 to Rs 600 for wet wood,said a customer.

With no assurance ofsmooth supply of natural gasduring the winter season sofar, people have started us-ing firewood to run theirstoves and dealers are tak-ing full advantage of the situ-ation, he added.

Talking to APP, MunirAhmed a resident com-plained that abrupt rise in fire-wood price had hit hard theresidents, who depend onfirewood for cooking andheating in winter season.

He said that retailerswere earning high profit byovercharging the masses asthey are selling the commod-ity on higher prices.

A firewood trader, JabarFarooq, said that the jump inprice of firewood was be-cause of wood available inthe market was brought fromdown country with a hugetransportation cost.—APP

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Minister ofState for National Health Ser-vices, Regulations and Coor-dination, Saira Afzal TararThursday said governmentwould conduct NationalMental Health Survey soonwith collaboration of WorldHealth Organization(WHO)and other InternationalMental Health Agencies.

She was addressing thelaunching ceremony of“Mental Health gap actionprogramme” at RawalpindiMedical College.

Besides, formation ofFederal Committee for Men-tal Health Services and re-activation of Federal Men-tal Health authority are un-derway to implement themental health Act 2001, toprotect the rights of men-tally ill peopel, she added.

Govt to conduct NationalMental health survey

The Minister said thatgovernment was also work-ing for activation of the men-tal health research agenda tofund and coordinate qualityresearch in the country anddevelop international link-ages adding that reactiva-tion and implementation ofNational Program for Men-tal Health is also on the pri-ority list of government.

Mental Health is themost important aspect of hu-man health, she added. De-spite its great significance,the field of mental healthfaces a number of problemsincluding shortage of psy-chiatrists and psycholo-gists, lack of resources andawareness, social stigma andproblems at the level ofpolicy and planning. Saira Afzal Tarar said thatMental Health gap actionprogram is one of the many

WHO supported projects ofhigh importance in Pakistan.“Program focuses on theprovision of care to thepeople who suffer from men-tal, neurological and sub-stance abuse disorders. Thevast majority of countriesallocate less than 2% of theirhealth budgets to mentalhealth leading to a treatmentgap of more then 75% inmany low and middle incomecountries.

She said that these dis-orders interfere in substan-tial ways, with the ability ofchildren to learn and the abil-ity of adults to function infamilies, at work and in soci-ety at large. These disordersare also risk factors for, orconsequences of manyother health problems andare associated with poverty,marginalization and socialdisadvantage.

Police combdifferent localities

RAWALPINDI—The policecombed different localitieson Wednesday and arrestedeight outlaws besides recov-ering drugs, arms and liquorbottles from them.

According to policespokesman, Civil Lines po-lice arrested MuhammadFayyaz and recovered fourbottles of liquor from himwhile Kahuta police arrestedAmir and recovered twobottles of liquor from him. Inanother operation, the policearrested Afzal and recovereda pistol from his possession.

Meanwhile, Westridgepolice nabbed Israr and recov-ered a pistol with two roundsfrom his possession. RaceCourse police arrested Yasirand recovered a pistol with 10rounds from his possession.

Rawat police arrestedirfan Shaukat and recovereda Repeater with three roundsfrom his possession. Policehave registered separate casesagainst all the accused andstarted investigation.—APP

COMSATS celebratesvivid Italian Culture Day

CITY REPORTER

IS L A M A B A D—COMSATSInstitute of InformationTechnology joined handswith the Italian Embassy inPakistan to celebrate theirvivid Italian culture andbring it to life in the groundsof CIIT.

On the day there was avariety of academic and funactivities with a host of Ital-ian guests who had flown inespecially for the occasion.The day started with the in-auguration by the Ambassa-dor of Italy, Mr. AdrianoCianfarani. Following that,two art exhibitions were un-veiled at the COMSATS ArtGallery. One showcased theworks of contemporary Ital-

ian artists while the othercommemorated the trek Ital-ian expedition to theKarakoram in 1913. The Am-bassador of Argentina inau-gurated both the shows.

In addition to Italian art,Italian industry was alsowell represented with 15stalls of Italian companies.A film festival featuring clas-sic Italian films ran throughout the day.

Four seminars were heldduring the day by Italian aca-demics and experts. ProfFlavioCorradini, the Rectorof University of Camerino,Italy, presented a seminar oninternational education.This was particularly appro-priate as on Italy Day, CIITand University of Camerino

signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding that prom-ises to explore mutual re-search, educational and in-dustrial collaborations.

The day of celebrationswas rounded off by a GalaDinner held on campus inthe evening.

It saw in its attendancethe Ambassadors of Italy,Argentina, Romania, Egpytand Greece along withmany other members of thediplomatic community, theHEC Executive Director andSecretary Science and Tech-nology. For the entertain-ment of these illustriousguests a musical recital byMr. Paolo Zaccarria an Ital-ian guitarist, had been ar-ranged.

Promotion ofreligiousharmony

ISLAMABAD—The PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) andM a j l i s - e - W a h d a t - u l -Muslimen decided to jointlypromote unity, peace andharmony among all religiousgroups.

PTI Chairman Imrankhan, Vice Chairman ShahMehmood Qureshi, Presi-dent Punjab Ejaz Ch, BakhtiarQasoori and Naeem Mir metthe representatives of theM a j l i s - e - W a h d a t - u l -Muslimeen under supervi-sion of Raja Nasir Abbas todiscuss the situation in thecountry, said a press releasereceived here on Wednes-day.

They demanded an im-mediate inquiry into theRawalpindi incident andappealed to all Ullema andthe rel igious groups tojointly defeat any suchconspiracy.

Central Spokesman Reli-gious Affairs Mufti Saeed,Sadaqat Abbasi, MPA’s EjazAhmed Ejazi, Rashid Hafeezand Muhammad Asif werealso present on the occa-sion.—APP

German technologyto be used in

filtration plantsRAWALPINDI—Cantonmentboard has decided to installnew imported Ultra FiltrationAnti Bacteria technology inwater filtration plants to pro-vide hygienic water to citi-zens.

Details said, new Germantechnology will be installedin 27 old plants of the cantt.New technology filtrationplants will improve the qual-ity of drinking water.

Engineer Cantt Ateeq-ur-Rehman has said that thistechnology will be used forthe 1st time in city, while es-timated cost of these 27 fil-tration plants is more than Rs8 million.He said informationabout this modern technol-ogy has been taken frominternet.—Online

November 25

ALLAMA Iqbal Open Uni-versity (AIOU) will hold aspecial function to mark“Iqbal Day” on November25 at 10:00 am in its mainAuditorium. Federal Min-ister for Planning, Devel-opment and Reforms,Ahsan Iqbal will grace theoccasion as a chief guest.

November 27

BOARD of Intermediateand Secondary Education(RBISE) has announcedthat the result of supple-mentary exam of matric willbe announced on Novem-ber 27.

November 28

ALL Punjab Inter Univer-sities Drama Festival orga-nized by Rawalpindi ArtsCouncil (RAC) will startfrom tomorrow (Saturday,November 23) along withBook Festival which willcontinue till November 28.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Rita Akhtar,Executive Director UnitedStates Educational Foun-dation in Pakistan (USEFP)has disclosed that in the2012-2013 academic year,Pakistani s tudents study-ing in the United States in-creased by 3.7 percent to4,772, making it the coun-try with the third largestpopulation of students en-rolled in the UnitedStates.

She was addressing anetworking sessions forcounselors and highachievers in Islamabad,Lahore and Karachi to markInternational EducationalWeek in Pakistan.

“USEFP, a bi-nationalcommission established in1950 by the governments

Pakistani students, 3rdlargest population in US

of Pakistan and the UnitedStates, is one of the mostactive ‘Fulbright Commis-sions’ located throughoutthe world and studyingabroad strengthens t iesand fosters fr iendshipamong students from dif-ferent countries.”

She was of the view thatPakistani s tudents whostudy in the United Statesare well suited for the chal-lenges and opportunities inall fields with focus on glo-bal economy.” She furthersaid.

On the occasion, JudithRavin, Deputy CulturalAttaché of the US Embassyin Islamabad acknowl-edged USEFP to organize aweek-long series of activi-t ies across Pakistan tocommemorate InternationalEducation Week. She said

that American educationalcampuses attract hundredsof international studentsacross the globe whilediversity in education fos-ters mutual respect andtolerance which are es-sentials for a better soci-ety.

Among InternationalEducation Week activitieswere networking sessionsfor counselors and highachievers in Islamabad,Lahore and Karachi .School principals and ad-ministrators recognized atotal of 150 O-level s tu-dents from 18 schools inthese cities.

The sessions provideda platform for counselorsand school representativesto discuss university studyabroad programs and toshare best practices.

Bread makingfactory sealed

RAWALPINDI—CantonmentBoard authority has sealedthe bread making factory onshowing negligence in clean-liness and using expired in-gredients in bakery prod-ucts.

Department of Enforce-ment conducted the raid onbread making factory locatedin the area of DhokMustaqeem and found substandard and expired materialwhich was being used inbaking of bread.

Enforcement departmentofficials taking all material incustody sealed the factoryimmediately.—Online

Free educationtill matric in

federal capitalISLAMABAD—Ministry OfCADD in view to increase theliteracy rate of city has directedFederal Directorate of Educa-tion (FDE) to provide free edu-cation from class 1st to 10th.As per details, the notificationhas been issued to providefree education from class 1 tomatric in all educational intui-tions working under FDE.

As per notification, it hasbeen decided to eliminate allcharges regarding fee, booksand stationery from the stu-dents enrolled in allgovernment’s Model schoolsand colleges and governmentwill pay all such charges ofstudents. Ministry of CADDhas issued this notice imple-menting the act of Right toFree and Compulsory Edu-cation 2012.—Online

NJPMCto meet

tomorrowISLAMABAD—Meeting of theNational Judicial (PolicyMaking) Committee (NJPMC)will be held here on Saturdayunder the Chairmanship ofMr. Justice IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry, ChiefJustice of Pakistan/Chairman,NJPMC.

The meeting will reviewthe performance of districtjudiciary with respect todisposal of cases, reportsregarding timely submis-sion of challan, allocation offunds for strengthening thedistrict judiciary in terms ofhuman resource and infra-structure, status of ModelJail in Islamabad, misuse ofsection 489-F P.P.C relatingto dishonor of cheques, ex-peditious disposal of casesof overseas Pakistanis andinstallation of Unified Inte-grated Automation Systemfor Superior Courts. The rec-ommendations of Interna-tional Judicial Conference,2013 and One-day workshopon Prisoners Vulnerability -Lacking Awareness, held on2nd November 2013 will alsobe approved.—INP

HAMEED SHAHEEN

ISLAMABAD—Ex-AJK Pre-mier/President MuslimConference (MC) SardarAttique Ahmed Khan isconstituting a legal panel todraft and lodge an advisorywrit in the Supreme Courtof Pakistan for the advice/implementation of the Au-gust 12/15, 1947 StandstillAgreement singed betweenPakistan and the Maharajaof United Kashmir HariSingh determining the geo-administrative workabilityaccord regarding Jammuand Kashmir state, 88,023square miles in area.

Talking to this scribeThursday here the MC chiefwho in his two-tenures as

AJK Premier propagated theKashmir issue worldwide viainternational peace confer-ences from Uruguay toKathmandu, back toMuzaffarabad/Islamabad, in-terpreted the Accord asstrongly pro-peace, pro-Pa-kistan, pro-Kashmiris thatneeded to be implemented asit is still an active document.

When asked as to why hewas taking up the case solate, MC chief clarified that“Kashmir is an ongoing dis-pute in all world forum. Anyof its aspects can be pickedup anytime. International dis-putes are being solved else-where throughunderstanding.Nothing isbest part of understandingthat the Standstill Agreement

on Kashmir. It was offered bythe Maharaja himself, of hisown accord; Pakistan ac-cepted that and it is now aninternational document.

Sardar Attique said thateven now this basic decid-ing document can be ap-pended to the Kashmir file inthe UN Security Council be-sides its distribution to theworld diplomatic community.It strengthens Kashmir caseand shows a peaceful way tocome to a settlement overJammu and Kashmir.

He repudated the claimof India over so-called ‘ac-cession’ document, explain-ing that much prior to theirpropagandist claim, the Ma-haraja had made this historicagreement with Pakistan.

Over Jammu and Kashmironly two parties - Pakistanand Kashmir were left. In thepresence of the StandstillAgreement, no other ‘ac-cord’ as to the status ofJammu and Kashmir couldbe made at all under interna-tional law. Pakistan needs tore-initiate Kashmir cause inthe UN Security Councilkeeping this favorable as-pect in view.

Answering a query theMC chief said that the legalpanel may, however, taketime. In the panel Kashmiriinternational legal experts inEurope would also be in-cluded. Officially this docu-ment has not been proferredto the international commu-nity; but the deficiency of

time can be made good evennow.

Following are the textsof the Standstill Agreementoffered by Maharaja on Au-gust 12, 1947 and its accep-tance conveyed to him byPakistan On August 15,1947. Departments like com-munication were taken overby Pakistan and had startedoperating them.

Legal document No. 110:“ Jammu and Kashmir Gov-ernment would welcomeStandstill Agreement withPakistan on all matters onwhich these exist at presentmoment with the outgoingBritish Indian Government.It is suggested that existingarrangements should con-tinue (with Pakistan) pend-

1947 Kashmir Standstill Accord

Attique to lodge advisory status writ in Pak SCing settlement of details andformal execution of freshagreement”.

Pakistan’s acceptance:“Your telegram of the 12th.The Government of Pakistanagree to have a StandstillAgreement of Jammu andKashmir for he continuanceof the existing arrangementspending settlement of de-tails and formal execution offresh agreements”.

Had this been made abasis of the Kashmir case inearliest stages in the UNOin 1948 from our side, thesituation today would havebeen quite different and fullyin Pakistan’s/Kashmiris fa-vor. There would have beena landslide opinion changer,Sardar Attique asserted.

MUZAFFARABAD: AJK Minister of Environment Shazia Akbar Chaudhary heading toattend a function.

Indian troops arresting an innocent youth in Srinagar which is a violation of basic human rights.

SRINAGAR—People’s Demo-cratic Party (PDP) president,Mehbooba Mufti has urged thepeople to support a leadershipthat ensures justice and fair playwithin the state and is also ableto fair deal for Jammu and Kash-mir from New Delhi, irrespec-tive of which party or forma-tion is in power there.

Addressing public meet-ings at Hanga Mawar andPalpora Qaziabad in Langateconstituency, she said OmarAbdullah’s so-called offer tofacilitate a dialogue betweenseparatists and New Delhicomes after the five years ofvitiating the political environ-ment in the state and turningKashmir into a prison.

On this occasion chiefspokesperson Naeem Akhtar,MLA Abdul HaqKhan,Ghulam Nabi PandithpuriIrfan Sultan Pandithpuri andothers were also present andspoke to the gathering.

Mehbooba said OmarAbdullah’s so-called offer tofacilitate a dialogue betweenseparatists and central govtlacks credibility and serious-ness, because in the last fiveyears his govt has subvertedall norms of democracy andkept most of the separatist lead-ers in prison or converted theirhomes into jails.

In the process he has fur-ther added to the trust deficitexisting between the state andthe rest of the country. Not onlythat he declared a war on allsections of society especiallythe youth; ten thousand of

Omar’s dialogue ‘offer’ lackscredibility: Mehbooba

whom are facing multiple FIRs,thus jeopardizing their futureand careers.

She said Omar Abdullahmaligned Kashmiri youth, whofought for their rights andpleaded for justice as stone-pelters, drug addicts, Lashkar-e-toiba workers or paid agents.“This is not the way to createan atmosphere conducive tofruitful dialogue,” saidMehbooba.

She said the Chief Min-ister sought votes for Bijli,Sadak and Pani in 2008,when he has miserablyfailed to deliver on thatfront over the five years, he(Omar Abdullah) hasstarted racking up the Kash-mir issue now to hide hisfailures. But instead, thePDP during its brief tenurein the government pursuedits political and develop-ment agenda rigorously.Line of Control was openedafter almost six decades,thus bringing the dividedparts of Jammu and Kash-mir close to each other.

The dialogue with the sepa-ratist leadership was started atthe highest level to ensure thatall sections of the political spec-trum are heard. Major develop-mental and economic initiativeswere started with sincerity, inall the regions of the state.

Castigating the OmarAbdullah government forpushing the entire Valley incomplete darkness, the PDPpresident said the latest curtail-ment schedule issued by the

government is insulting for thepeople and enough to indicateabout the bankruptcy and in-sensitivity of the rulers.

She said soon after takingover as the chief minister of thestate, Mufti Mohammd Sayeedbrought the power supply backon track and people started feel-ing relief. Now the situation isalmost same as was prior to2002.

Condemning the latest de-cision to house arrest Syed AliShah Geelani, just one weekafter he was released,Mehbooba said the state govthas made a mockery of funda-mental rights, democratic normsand freedom of expression.

She said everybody has aright to express views in ademocratic system, as it is abattle of ideas that ultimatelyshould take place if issues areto be resolved.

Mehbooba said all politicalcompromises made by the Na-tional Conference have histori-cally had one objective-powerfor the Abdullah family. Shesaid in 1975 after putting peopleof the state to tribulations andtrouble, Sheikh Abdulla’s Ac-cord achieved nothing exceptpower for himself.

The 1987 Accord wasagain to facilitate FarooqAbdullah’s reinstatement,which ultimately led to riggingin elections, when Kashmiriyouth were completely disillu-sioned with the electoral pro-cess and were forced to pickup guns to fight for their per-ceived rights.—NNI

SRINAGAR—With the politicalparties gearing up for 2014 Par-liamentary polls, key regionalforces in Jammu and Kashmirruling National Conference(NC) and the oppositionPeoples Democratic Party(PDP) are preparing for a ma-jor showdown as both the par-ties feel that the results of thegeneral election will have abearing on the state Assem-bly polls also scheduled to beheld next year.

While PDP has alreadydeclared its candidates -Yashpal Sharma and ArshadMalik - for the two Parliamen-tary constituencies of Jammuregion, the party is yet to an-nounce its candidates for thethree Lok Sabha seats ofKashmir and one seat ofLadakh.

However, given its hugepolitical stakes in Kashmir,PDP is on the look-out for theparty’s best faces for the threeParliamentary seats in the Val-

Azad, Farooq, Karralikely to join fray

ley.According to PDP insid-

ers, the party has zeroed in onits president for south Kash-mir, former Deputy Chief Min-ister Muzaffar Hussain Baig fornorth Kashmir and former Fi-nance Minister Tariq HameedKarra for the central KashmirParliamentary constituencies.

While, she is being seenas a strong and winning can-didate for the south Kashmirseat, Karra seems to be theonly possible choice for PDPin the central Kashmir givenhis stature and influenceacross the board. PDP had,in 2009, Lok Sabha pollsfielded its senior leaderMoulvi Iftikhar HussainAnsari against Dr FarooqAbdullah from central Kash-mir.

Although, according tosources, Baig is not verykeen on contesting the Par-liamentary polls and insteadintends to recontest the As-

sembly polls from Baramullaconstituency, the PDP lead-ership is making frantic lastditch efforts, through vari-ous emissaries, to make himjoin the fray for the LokSabha polls. However, incase Baig remains adamanton contesting Assemblyelections from Baramulla,PDP is then likely to field theparty’s chief spokespersonand member legislativecouncil Naeem Akhtar fromthe north Kashmir Parlia-mentary constituency. Thename of MLA BandiporaNizamuddin Bhat is also do-ing rounds within the PDPcircles for the north Kash-mir Parliamentary seat.

According to sources,PDP’s highest decision-mak-ing body the Political AffairsCommittee is meeting here totake the final call on the candi-dature of its prospective can-didates for the Parliamentpolls.—NNI

Goods worthRs 58 lakh traded

across LoCPOONCH—Azad Kashmirtraders have returned seventrucks of red chilly to Indiantraders where as cross LoCtraders carried out trade worthRs 58 lakhs via Chakkan-Da-Bagh in Poonch.Official reports said thatAzad Kashmir traders re-turned seven trucks carryingred chilly to their Indiancounterparts claiming thatthe quality of red chilly wassub-standard.

Meanwhile, goods worthRs 58,77,660 were traded in17 trucks along the Line ofControl. Indian traders dis-patched goods in 15 truckscarrying red chilly, coriander,tamarind and herbs to theirAzad Kashmir counterpartsworth Rs 39, 33, 660 whilefrom AJK side 2 trucks carry-ing herbs and dry datesworth Rs 19,44,000 were dis-patched to this side.—NNI

Shabbir Shah,Naqash, Untooarrested from

BanihalSRINAGAR—The Indian po-lice arrested senior leader ofAll Parties Hurriyet Confer-ence (APHC) and the Chair-man of Democratic FreedomParty (DFP), ShabbirAhmad Shah, APHC leader,Muhammad Yousuf Naqashand human rights activist,Muhammad Ahsan Untooalong with other Hurriyetleaders and activist fromBanihal.

The Hurriyet leaderswere going to GoolGulabgarh in Ramban to ex-press solidarity with thefamily of Kashmiri youthmartyred by Indian troopsin July this year and ad-dress public gatherings inthe area.

Meanwhile, the DFPspokesman in a statementissued in Srinagar con-demned the arrest of partyChairman, Shabbir AhmadShah and other Hurriyetleaders and said that theauthorities were imposingcurbs on contacts withpeople.

He reiterated that thepeople of Kashmir wouldnever hesitate to render anykind of sacrifice for secur-ing their birthright to self-determination.—KMS

ISLAMABAD—A divisionbench of the Indian SupremeCourt comprising Justice RMLodha and Shiva Kirti Singhhas directed the counsel forthe puppet regime in occu-pied Kashmir to file a counterreply to the writ petition ofthe 7th class Kashmiri stu-dent, Faizan Ahmed withinthree weeks.

The petition has beenfiled by senior advocate BhimSingh through Legal AidCommittee of the territoryagainst illegal arrest and trialof the minor by the Indianpolice in August last year.

Appearing for the minorfrom Kashmir, Bhim Singhstrongly protested that inspite of the Supreme Courtdirective on July 22, 2013 tothe territory to justify thedetention and trial of Faizanwithin four weeks, it utterlyfailed to file the counter re-

Indian SC asks IHK authoritiesto file reply in Faizan case

ply.Bhim Singh urged upon

the Supreme Court to takeappropriate action againstthe administration and thepolice for committing a hei-nous offence and violatingthe law in regard to the juve-nile.

He submitted that therewas no Juvenile WelfareBoard, no Juvenile Courtsand no system in the occu-pied territory to handle thejuveniles during the distur-bances.

He made a strong pleathat several school goingchildren had been put in jails,terrorized and tortured by theoccupation authorities onone pretext or the other.

He urged the court to di-rect the counsel for J&K tosubmit the entire list of theminors detained by the au-thorities.—APP

CRPF bunkerattacked

ISLAMABAD—A civilian waskilled in an explosion inJammu district.

The civilian identified asSanjeev Kumar was killed af-ter an 81 M mortar shell ex-ploded in a cantonment areaat Nagrota in the district.

Meanwhile, Indian Cen-tral Reserve Police Forcemobile bunker was attackedat Gole Market in Tral town.Indian troops along with po-lice personnel cordoned offthe area and started searchoperation in the area.—APP

SRINAGAR—Leaving the au-dience spellbound, promi-nent poets and writers fromacross India dedicated toKashmir, the land of saintsand mystic poets, at the “KulHind Mushaira” held here atSKICC.

The event was organizedafter a gap of 27 years inKashmir and was attended bypeople from different walksof life. The poets dressed inKashmiri apparel pheran andtraditional cap Karakulli en-thralled the audience.

The Mushaira was orga-nized by Jammu and Kash-mir Tourism Department andETV Urdu with support from

A poetic tribute to Kashmirdifferent organizations. Theevent was telecast live in 168countries through ETV Urduand Doordarshan.

The Mushaira beganwith opening remarks of wellknown poet of Kashmir andPadma Shri recipient, ProfRehman Rahi and famousUrdu poet of the subconti-nent Mansoor Usmani.

Usmani was at his bestwith his literary expressions.As the Mushaira wentahead, the poets took to thestage one by one and en-tertained the audience. Thefine satire and droll poetryfrom Nasreen Naqash,Anjum Barabankwi,

Munawar Rana, RahatIndoori, Jalees Sheerwani,Shakil Asmi and MansoorUsmani was one of the high-lights of the event.

Charan Singh Bashar,Ashok Sahil, Naseem Nighat,Jalees Sherwani, AfzalManglori, Tahir Faraz, NawazDeobandi and local poetsProf Rehman Rahi, FarooqNazki, Shafaq Sopori, LiakatJaferi, Rafiq Raaz andRukhsana Jabeen also capti-vated the audience.

The melodious poetry reci-tation from Waseem Barelvi–who presided over theMushaira was much acclaimedby the audience.—NNI

SR I N A G A R —The veteranHurriyet leader, Syed AliGeelani has vehementlycondemned the police ac-tion to foil his press con-ference, which he wasscheduled to address athis Hyderpora residence inSrinagar, today.

Syed Ali Geelani in amedia interview said thatthere was a de facto martiallaw in occupied Kashmirwhere restr ict ions hadbeen imposed on people’sright to freedom of expres-sion. He said that India’sclaim to be a democraticcountry had been exposed

India has imposed de factomartial law in Kashmir: Geelani

in Kashmir where funda-mental rights of civilianswere being trampled uponmercilessly.

Earlier, police forciblyprevented the media per-sons from entering SyedAli Geelani’s residence toattend his scheduled pressconference. The Demo-cratic Political Movementin a statement condemnedthe police action.

On the other hand, theChairman of All PartiesHurriyet Conference,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in astatement welcomed the visitby a team of Organisation of

Islamic Cooperation led byits Special Envoy on Kash-mir to Pakistan and AzadKashmir. He expressed thehope that the OIC would con-tinue its political support tothe Kashmiris’ just strugglefor freedom. He called uponIndia to allow the OIC delega-tion to visit occupied Kash-mir to take stock of theground situation in the terri-tory.

The team was formallyhanded over a memorandumby an APHC-AJK chapterdelegation led by its Con-vener, Syed Yousuf Naseemduring a meeting in

Islamabad. The team was ap-prised about political and hu-man rights situation in theoccupied territory.

The Indian police ar-rested APHC leaders,Shabbir Ahmad Shah,Muhammad YousufNaqash and human rightsactivists , MuhammadAhsan Untoo along withother Hurriyet leaders andactivist in Banihal . TheHurriyet leaders were go-ing to Gool-Gulabgarh inRamban to express solidar-ity with the victim familiesand address public gather-ings.—KMS

Mirwaizwelcomes OICteam in AJK

SRINAGAR—The Chairman ofAll Parties Hurriyet Confer-ence, Mirwaiz Umar Farooqhas welcomed the visit by ateam of Organisation of Is-lamic Cooperation led by itsSpecial Envoy on Kashmir toPakistan and Azad Kashmirand has expressed the hopethat the OIC will continue itspolitical support to theKashmiris’ just struggle forfreedom.

The APHC chairman in astatement issued in Srinagarcalled upon India to allow theOIC delegation to visit occu-pied Kashmir to take stock ofthe ground situation in theterritory.

The Mirwaiz said that theOIC Kashmir Cell was an in-ternationally-recognized fo-rum, which could play an ef-fective role in sorting out dip-lomatic intricacies impedingthe Kashmir settlement.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq saidthat Jammu and Kashmir wasa disputed territory addingthat the world had startedpositively thinking about re-solving all political issues in-cluding Kashmir. He urgedNew Delhi to allow the OICteam to visit the occupied ter-ritory in respect of the world’sdesire for settlement of theKashmir dispute.

The APHC chairman saidthat a memorandum was for-mally handed over to the vis-iting OIC team by an APHC-AJK chapter delegation ledby its Convener, SyedYousuf Naseem during ameeting. The team was ap-prised about political andhuman rights situation in theoccupied territory.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooqthanked the OIC for its sup-port to the Kashmir cause,saying that the forum had al-ways been inviting theHurriyet leadership as an ob-server to its meetings takingplace everywhere in theworld.—KMS

MUZAFFARABAD: A boy searching for resuable items form the garbage in front ofAJK PM house.

Swat farmersput on path of

progressISLAMABAD—After thedestruction and damagesinflicted by the militancyand the recent devastat-ing floods, the wretchedfarming community ofSwat Valley has managedto come back on the pathof progress and develop-ment with the help of aproject of Italian govern-ment. Italian governmentfunded project “Technicalassistance and support tofruit and vegetable grow-ers in the Swat Valley forthe improvement of pro-duction and marketing inthe horticultural valuechain” has trained farmersin techniques to help themenhance their produce,decrease post-harvestlosses, do proper gradingand packing to enhancetheir exports and earn for-eign exchange.

“The Italian projectwas launched at a propertime when the whole valleywas affected by militancyand floods,” Secretary, Ag-riculture, Livestock andCooperation Department,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr.Hussain Zada Khan saidwhile addressing the clos-ing ceremony of the projecthere. He appreciated the Ital-ian government for theproject and said that theproject provided encour-agement to the people in theright way and said throughthis initiative a horticulturehub will be established inthe area.—INP

GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek observed

at ICCISTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—IslamabadChamber of Commerce andIndustry (ICCI) in collabo-ration with the Center forInternational Private Enter-prise and Kauffman Foun-dation organized a twodays conference to cel-ebrate the Global Entrepre-neurship Week 2013. Thetheme of the event was“Business Incubation inPakistan”. A large numberof incubatees as well asrepresentatives of busi-ness incubation centers ofQuaid-e-Azam, IqraCOMSATS & NUST uni-versities and students at-tended the conference.The event provided agood platform toincubatees and incubatorsto exchange views andshare ideas on further im-proving the business incu-bators culture in Pakistan.

Addressing the partici-pants, Shaban Khalid, Presi-dent, Islamabad Chamber ofCommerce & Industry (ICCI)said that our youth possessimmense potential and tal-ent that must be exploitedwith right policies for theeconomic development ofthe country.

KARACHI—Follow-ing were the bullionrates in major citiesyesterday.

KARACHI:

MULTAN:

Currency Selling Buying

Bullion Rates

RS PER 10 GRAMS

USA 107.40 107.20

UK 172.74 172.42

Euro 144.16 143.89

Canada 102.62 102.43

Switzerland 117.09 116.87

Australia 99.95 99.76

Sweden 16.11 16.08

Japan 1.0695 1.0675

Norway 17.52 17.49

Singapore 86.01 85.85

Denmark 19.33 19.29

Saudi Arabia 28.64 28.58

Hong Kong 13.85 13.83

Kuwait 378.84 378.13

Malaysia 33.52 33.45

Newzealand 88.66 88.49

Qatar 29.50 29.44

UAE 29.24 29.19

KR. WON 0.1011 0.1009

Thailand 3.379 3.373

Gold Tezabi 44,485.00Silver Tezabi 702.85

Gold Tezabi (24-Ct)44580.00Gold 22 Ct 40750.00SilverTezabi s695.00Silver Thobi 635.00

KARACHI: Secretary Aviation and Chairman PIA, Muhammad Ali Gardezi inspectingthe Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—A delegation ledby President MasterCardCompany Middle East andAfrica Michael Miebach metPunjab Chief MinisterMuhammad Shahbaz Sharif,here today. Matters regard-ing introduction ofMasterCard for improvingperformance of various sec-tors in Punjab were dis-cussed on the occasion.

Talking to the delegation,the Chief Minister said thatPunjab government is follow-ing the policy of transparencyand solid measures have beentaken for promotion of goodgovernance in the province. Hesaid that efficiency of govern-

ment departments and servicedelivery system could be im-proved through introductionof the MasterCard. He said thattransparency is the hallmark ofPunjab government and an ef-fective strategy has beenadopted for transparentcompletion of developmentprojects and elimination of cor-ruption from government de-partments.

He said that Punjab gov-ernment will extend all outcooperation to MasterCardCompany in introducingMasterCard. He said thathealth insurance scheme isbeing launched for providingquality health services to thepoor masses and MasterCardcan be helpful in this scheme.

He said that importance ofmodern MasterCard for thesimplification of the processof recovery of taxes is estab-lished. The Chief Minister di-rected to devise a roadmap forthe promotion of collabora-tion between Punjab govern-ment and MasterCard Com-pany and setting up of a jointcommittee for this purpose.

President MasterCardCompany Middle East andAfrica Michael Miebach saidthat his company wanted tocooperate with Punjab gov-ernment for improving effi-ciency of provincial institu-tions. He said that matters re-lating to launching of theMasterCard are being settledwith Bank of Punjab speedily.

MUZAFFAR ALI

LAHORE—MNA PervezMalik on Thursday urgedItalian investors to join handswith their Pakistani counter-parts as the present govern-ment is taking unprecedentedmeasures to facilitate foreigninvestments Pervaiz Malikwas talking to the Ambassa-dor of Italy Adriano Chiodi.Head of Economic and Com-mercial Dr. Federico Bianchiand MNA Shaista PervezMalik were also present onthe occasion.

The MNA said that sinceAsia was fast emerging asfuture market of the world

therefore, the Italian busi-nessmen should visit Paki-stan to have first-handknowledge about the busi-ness potential of this re-sourceful country. He saidthat the availability of cheaplabor and abundance of natu-ral resources is of great at-traction for the potential for-eign investors.

Pervaiz Malik said thatthe climate for foreign in-vestors is so conducivethat they could now have100 per cent equity andthere are no restrictions onremitting dividend and prof-its etc. He said that Italianinvestors can invest in

Italians urged to invest in Pakistan

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Dawlance, theno.1 home appliances brand ofPakistan participated at the114th China Canton Fair thatwas held recently in China’slargest manufacturing hub,Guangzhou. The exhibition at-tracted a total of 189,646 for-eign buyers from 212 coun-tries, whereas Dawlance wasthe sole Pakistani brand to dis-play its broad array of productportfolio - as it continues toexpand its business on a glo-bal foray.

The Canton Fair is one ofthe largest import-export tradefair events in China. The showenjoys a high degree of popu-larity among visitors and ex-hibitors alike and draws in morethan 207,100 foreign partici-pants as well, lending theevent a true global flavor. Theexhibition attracts businesstransactions of over USD36,800 million and has separate

national and international pa-vilions and the unique tradematching system of the fair en-

sures that well-targeted buy-ers attend the show on a regu-lar basis. The show is also at-tended by more than 48 emi-nent trade delegations.

Speaking aboutDawlance’s participation in

the China Canton Fair, Mr.HasanJamil, general managermarketing at Dawlance, said,

“Our objective to participatein China Canton Fair is tobuild our strong hold in in-ternational market by evalu-ating new expansion oppor-tunity and to become a re-nowned global brand.

Dawlance represents Pakistanat 114th China Canton Fair

Pak-Qatar familytakaful announcessurplus distributionfor the year 2012

MUZAFFAR ALI

KARACHI—Pak Qatar FamilyTakaful Limited has an-nounced the distribution of27.50% surplus among its In-dividual Family Takaful partici-pants (Direct Business) for theyear 2012, a statement issuedon Monday said. The Surplus,on the basis of single rate cal-culated, has been distributedamongst participants in a de-fined manner in relation to thecumulative Net Contributionreceived in the Individual Fam-ily Takaful Participant Fund(IFTPF) by each participant.

Notably, the actual distri-bution of surplus has beendone only to those partici-pants leaving the pool duringthe year 2013 by way of per-manent withdrawal, death ormaturity of the membership.

US urged to givepreferential access

to Pakistani products

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—President ofthe Federation of PakistanChambers of Commerce andIndustry (FPCCI) ZubairAhmed Malik on Thursdaysaid changing perceptions toenable enhancement of tradebetween Pakistan and USAis very important. He saidthat Pakistan was and is pay-ing a very heavy price forfighting war on terror andthat it is the responsibility ofall the stakeholders to con-tain the outbreak of violence.

The FPCCI chief said thiswhile speaking to the busi-ness community during visitof US Consul GeneralMichael Dodman to the Fed-eration House. S.M. Muneer,President Pakistan IndiaChamber of Commerce andothers leading business lead-ers were also present on theoccasion. Zubair AhmedMalik said that the businesscommunity was the mainaffectee of this fiasco as theirlosses have reached in bil-lions of dollars which hasalso dented the economy.

Banks agriculturecredit target at

Rs 360 bAMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—The banks havebeen given a target to dis-burse Rs360 billion as agri-culture loans during financialyear 2013-14 by the StateBank of Pakistan. The targetis 14.2% higher than the tar-get of Rs 315 billion and 7.1%higher than the actual dis-bursement of Rs 336.2 billionfor 2012-13. Out of the target,Rs 180.0 billion have beenallocated to five large banks,Rs 69.5 billion to ZTBL, Rs81.4 billion to Domestic Pri-vate Banks, Rs 9.0 billion toPunjab Provincial Coopera-tive Bank, Rs 19.6 billion to 7Microfinance Banks and Rs0.5 billion to 3 Islamic Banksinducted from the current fi-nancial year. Against the tar-get of Rs 360 billion, banksdisbursed Rs 91.2 billion dur-ing July-October, 2013,which is 25.3% of the target.The disbursement is 7.0 %higher than Rs 85.6 billiondisbursements during thecorresponding period lastyear. The outstanding port-folio of agri. loans has in-creased by Rs 37.2 billion i.e.from Rs 230.2 billion to Rs267.4 billion at end October2013 as compared to thesame period last year.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The Securitiesand Exchange Commissionof Pakistan in collaborationwith the Islamic Researchand Training Institute (IRTI),Islamic Development Bank,Jeddah, Kingdom of SaudiArabia held a two day train-ing workshop on Islamic Fi-nancial Products and Riskmanagement for Islamic Fi-nancial Institutions under thetheme “Sharing Knowledgeand Experience”.

The overall objective ofthe training program was tocreate awareness and shareknowledge and experience ofthe experts from the Islamicfinance sector. The specificobjective was to assist the

SECP organizes workshop onIslamic financial products

market players to meet thetechnical and Shari’ah re-lated needs of the Islamic fi-nance industry in Pakistan.

Eminent local and inter-national Islamic scholars andprofessional were invited toshare their knowledge andpractical experiences of theirrespective jurisdictions andfor providing an exhaustedoverview of various disci-plines of Islamic finance tothe participants.

A large number of chiefexecutives, directors andprofessionals comprising ofModarabas, Islamic mutualfunds, Islamic pensionfunds, takaful companies,leasing companies and in-vestment banks participatedin the training course. Dur-

Ahsan stresses need for focussing on value addition

Mr. Zubair Ahmed Malik, President FPCCI presenting crest to Michael Dodman, USConsul General.

agro-based industries, con-struction, mining, textilesand tourism sectors, wherePakistan could contributeand find complimentary ar-eas in design and fashion.Other sectors included ITand telecommunication.

He said that Italian busi-nessmen could take advan-tage from the investment-friendly climate of Pakistanthat offered best return on theforeign investment with eco-nomic policies providing forlegal protection to foreigninvestment. Despite ups anddown and other problems,not a single foreign investorhas suffered in Pakistan.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—PIA has in-ducted two latest, state of theArt Boeing 737-800 in itsfleet. The fuel efficient aircraftof Boeing 737 NG Family willgreatly benefit PIA in termsof fuel efficiency and sav-ings. Secretary Aviation &Chairman PIA, MuhammadAli Gardezi inspected the air-craft on arrival at Jinnah In-ternational Airport. Manag-ing Director PIA, MuhammadJunaid Yunus and senior of-ficials of the airline were alsopresent during the aircraftinspection.

Chairman PIA,Muhammad Ali Gardezi while

PIA acquires new Boeing 737-800sharing his views on the ar-rival of these aircraft, saidthat PIA will now be in a bet-ter position to offer moreflight frequencies to passen-gers.

He said that these fuelefficient aircraft are plannedfor deployment on Gulf andmajor domestic routes. Heinstructed the concerned of-ficials to speed up the nec-essary formalities so thatthese aircraft may be de-ployed for operation withoutany delay.

Managing Director PIA,Muhammad Junaid Yunusthanked Chairman PIA for hiscooperation for induction ofthese aircraft in PIA fleet. The

Boeing 737-800 has a capac-ity of 189 seats and will beoperated with all economy.These aircraft have been ac-quired from Corendon Air-lines of Turkey whereas PIAwill be receiving two morealike aircraft also on DampLease from Travel Services ofRepublic of Czech due to ar-rive next week.

The airline has recentlyintroduced additional fre-quencies on flights toToronto and Kuala Lumpur.With the increase in the num-ber of aircraft in PIA fleet, theairline will offer flights to newdestinations while increasingfrequencies of flights on itsexisting profitable routes.

Punjab govt to extendcooperation to MasterCard

Capacity buildingworkshop

conducted by CCP

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—The Competi-tion Commission of Pakistan(CCP), in collaboration withUK AID under its Invest-ment Climate Facility of UKSpecialists Expertise(IFUSE) Programme, con-ducted a 4-day capacity-building workshop for itsprofessional staff. IFUSE isan initiative of the Depart-ment for InternationalDevelopment’s (DFID) aim-ing to share specialist exper-tise from across UK Govern-ment Departments to sup-port investment climate re-form in DFID partner coun-tries.

This collaboration beganin 2012 and was the initiativeof Dr. Joseph Wilson, thenMember Mergers & Interna-tional Affairs and currentlythe Chairman CCP. The firstworkshop was conducted inMarch this year and CCP hasthe distinction of benefittingfrom this collaboration twice.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—The ban put onexport of livestock by thegovernment will help improveleather and leather exportsfrom Pakistan, It may be notedthat export of livestock espe-cially to Afghanistan hadcreated shortfall of hide andskin for the local industrybesides causing a price hikeof meat in the country.

Pakistan Tanners Associa-tion (PTA) has warmly wel-comed the move by the Fed-eral Minister for National FoodSecurity and Research SikandarHayat Bosan for imposing com-plete ban on the export of liveanimals. Chairman PTA (SZ)Fawad Jawed and Vice Presi-dent, Federation of PakistanChambers of Commerce and In-dustry (FPCCI) Gulzar Firozhave said that the a completeban on export of livestock wasneed of the hour and the coun-

Ban on livestock export

Local leather industryto improve exports

try was fast losing its preciouslivestock creating a crisis likesituation in the meat industryas well as leather sector.

They said that PTA hadbeen appealing and cryingfor the ban on export of live-stock as it was badly damag-ing meat industry while therewas a severe shortage ofhides and skins had been cre-ated besides increasing theirprices. They said that every-where in the world the gov-ernments protect their value-added sectors in order topromote exports and to bringmore foreign exchange in-stead of selling capital goodsat cheap rates. Fawad saidthat on the pretext of export,the massive smuggling oflivestock was continuingfrom Pakistan to Iran, Af-ghanistan and other coun-tries which had resulted inskyrocketing prices of meatand hides and skins.

ing the two days, substan-tive interactive sessions anddiscussions were held, fo-cusing on the practical solu-tions of the problems en-countered by the Islamic fi-nance industry.

Mr. Imtiaz Haider, Com-missioner of SECP inaugu-rated the event and the key-note address was deliveredby Mr. Ashraf MahmoodWathra, Deputy GovernorState Bank of Pakistan (SBP).The representative of IRTIand other guests from SBP,the stock exchanges, and Is-lamic banks also attendedthe program. Mr. MuhammadAsif Arif, Commissioner In-surance of SECP made a pre-sentation on takaful experi-ence in Pakistan.

RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development Ahsan Iqbal addressingthe ground-breaking ceremony of Pak-Korea Capacity Building Centre.

R AWA L P I N D I — F e d e r a lMinister for Planning andDevelopment Ahsan Iqbalstressed the need for focus-ing on value addition, as thecountry has still commod-ity-based economy and noattention has been given to-wards value addition. Hesaid this while addressingas chief guest at Interna-tional Seminar on “SaemaulUndong & ECONOMIC De-velopment” to celebratePak-Korea 30 years of Dip-lomatic ties at Pir Mehr AliShah Arid Agriculture Uni-versity Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) here on Thursday.

He urged the scientistsof the University to playtheir role to create aware-ness in farming communityabout the latest techniques

in the agriculture and in-sisted that the farmersshould adopt the latest tech-niques of production andvalue addition in their pro-duce, so that they can earnmore through export as well.The progress of the countrycan be made only by the de-velopment in agriculture sec-tor, he added.

He further said that Paki-stan largely dependent onagriculture economy and it isthe need of the time to shiftagriculture on modern trendsto make Pakistan a food suf-ficient country and improvethe financial condition offarming community. FederalMinister appreciated the ef-forts and developments be-ing made by the Universityfor socio-economic Uplift of

the forming community withspecial emphasis on rain-fedagriculture in the country.

He emphasized the sig-nificance of orchards forthe agricultural economyof Pakistan and said thathigh value agriculturalproducts will help to gen-erate better income forfarmers in the country, ifexported to othermarkets.He was of the viewthat there is a lot of poten-tial in the region of Pothwarand if we work on it Fruitindustry can become a bigindustry of the area.

He emphasized the sig-nificance of olive cultivationand said that that Pothwararea has great potential forit. He informed the gatheringthat Government is already

working on it. He further saidthat new initiative to pro-mote olive cultivation in Pa-kistan will help generate bet-ter income for farmers in thecountry. Olive is a high-valueagricultural product, whichcan also bring in the much-needed foreign exchange, ifexported to other markets, headded.

Earlier, PMAS-AAUR,Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. RaiNiaz Amad inhis welcomeaddress said that the estab-lishment of Pak-Korea Ca-pacity Building Centre forAgriculture and LivestockTechnology at the Univer-sity is replication of “SaemaulUndong program” which willbe helpful for the improvinglivelihood of the area farm-ers.

MULTAN: A view of hockey match between Govt Girls High School Shamsabad and Lodhran during Inter-CollegiateHockey Tournament played at Board Office ground.

HYDERABAD: Nazareth Girls College players showing their shields after winning final match of Inter-Collegiate Table Tennis Tournament 2013at Board Stadium.

LAHORE: Rizwan Naseer with the players who participated in 4th National RescueChallenges Tournament at Rescue-1122 Head Office.

Cricket tournamenton Dec 1

FAISALABAD—The sixth an-nual FESCO employees tap-ball cricket tournament will beplayed at FESCO Headquar-ters Football Ground fromDecember 01. Teams com-prising officers and employ-ees from four circles of thecompany will participate,says a press release issuedhere on Thursday.—APP

P E S H AWA R — M a l a k a n dclinched the trophy of theHigher Education DepartmentRegional Inter-College WomenVolleyball Tournament playedhere at Frontier College forWomen on Thursday.

The team of Malakandcomprising Maria, Samina, Hina,Madiha, Shazia, Zainab, SanaTehseen played excellent gameby keeping strong Mardan un-der tremendous pressure rightfrom the start of the match.

The Mardan team compris-ing Saba, Sonam, Tabasum,Nusheen, Zakia and Sidra alsoplayed well and got first twosets by 21-25 and 22-25 butfailed to click in the remainingthree sets battle won by

Malakand clinch HEDRegional Inter-College

Volleyball titleMalakand.

Both Malakand andMardan played well by exhibit-ing some fine smashes and at-tacking game. The first set wonby Mardan at 21-25 was tiedthrice as Saba, Sonam andTabasum, the front-rowsmashes played well againststrong blockers of Malakandincluding Sana Tehseen andZainab while setter Shazia alsoplayed well by giving some finesetting to smashers Maria,Samina, Hina and Madiha.Mardan team, the last time win-ner, also got the second set by22-25 which was tied on fouroccasions.

It was the remaining threesets battle in which Malakand

players managed their positionand got the set by 25-19, 25-23and 16-14. Earlier, in the semi-final Mardan defeated Bannuby 3-0, the score was 25-20, 25-19 and 25-18 while Malakanddefeated Dera Ismail Khan inthe second semi-final by 3-1,the score was 22-25, 25-20, 25-21 and 25-19.

At the end, the PrincipalFrontier College for WomenProfessor Durr-e-Shawar, whois also President of the SportsCommittee, was the chief guestand gave away trophies. Orga-nizing Secretary Raham Bibi,member Najma Qazi and largenumber of college studentsenjoyed the thrillingmatches.—APP

KA R A C H I—Shoaib Malikand Abdul Razzaq have in-sisted their return fromPakistan’s ongoing tour ofSouth Africa was for f i t-ness reasons and not be-cause of a disciplinary is-sue .

They were declared un-fi t on Tuesday and weresent back home on the nextavailable f l ight ,cricinfo.com reported onThursday.

There had been talk ofa breach of the code ofconduct but Malik deniedsuch reports.

“Unfortunately we arenot winning, and thesekind of things only start toemerge when a team is los-ing,” Shoaib Malik said.

“There is no rift at all;everyone is in goodspirits.In my case, I got in-jured in Dubai and was notable to recover in time asexpected.”

Malik, Razzaqdeny rumours

Malik had been struckon the finger by a rising de-livery from Wayne Parnellin the second T20 interna-tional in Dubai.

He retired hurt but re-turned to be dismissed for15.”It needs three to fourdays to undo my sti tchesand thereafter I will chalkout my plan for a come-back,” said Malik, who hadbeen dismissed for 12 in thefirst T20.

“How can a player ex-press himself in only twomatches, and regardless ofexcessive bleeding I st i l lmanaged to return to thecrease only for the sake ofthe country. I know what Ineed to do, I need consis-tency.”

Malik was part of thesquad for the T20 on thetour of South Africa andplayed the Champions Tro-phy in England, but he wasdropped for the tours of

West Indies and Zimbabwethis year.He was recalledfor the T20s in the UAEagainst South Africa,where he failed to im-press .

Razzaq had pulled hishamstring in SouthAfrica.He had been out offavour with the Pakistanset-up since the 2012World Twenty20, followinghis outburst against thecaptain Mohammad Hafeezfor which he was fined Rs100,000 and sidelined fromthe squad.

He also fared poorly inthe T20s against South Af-rica in the UAE, taking 0for 14 and making 10 and0.

“There is no causeother than fitness,” Razzaqsaid after his return to Pa-kistan. “I am required torest for 10 days and this iswhy I was sent back,” hemaintained.—APP

K A R A C H I — S p e c t a c u l a rMuhammad Sajjad made hishighest career break of 133 inPakistan while chalking out 4-2 win over Farhan Noor in 4thNational Ranking SnookerChampionship at SheratonArcade on Thursday.

31-year-old fromSargodha Sajjad constructedthe break in the final frame af-ter Farhan had compiled thebreak of 100 in third frame. Thevictory gave Sajjad his fifthwin in a row in group “A”.

Sajjad’s best ever break of134 came during the Asianchampionship in Thailand in2010.

However Sajjad winningwas broken when ReigningIBSF World ChampionMuhammad Asif hammeredhim in four straight frame inthe sixth round.

Pakistan number oneShahid Aftab carved outbreaks of 122, 60 and 72 whileberating Amir Tariq of Punjab4-1.

Shahid later in his 6thmatch beat Farhan Noor 4-1despite a break of 101 from hisopponent. Shahid Aftab also

Sajjad smashes 133 break inNational Ranking Snooker

raised the breaks of 99 and 67during the match.

Baber Masih fromRawalpindi continued his finerun when he beat formerworld champion MuhammadYousuf 4-1.

Last day league matcheswill be played on Friday afterwhich semi-final line-up willbe decided in Rs.150,000 prizemoney event. Day three re-sults: Shahid Aftab (Pjb) btAmir Tariq (Pjb) 4-1 (41-73, 61-47, 123-01 (122), 73-62, 90-16,Muhammad Sajjad (Pjb) btFarhan Noor (Pjb) 4-2 (09-72,71-17, 0-101, 66-33, 72-06, 133-0, Imran Shehzad (Pjb) bt AbuSaim (Pjb) 4-2 (97-23, 63-46, 72-51, 0-93, 31-92, 83-40, HamzaAkber (Pjb) bt Abdul Sattar(Sindh) 4-2 (56-58, 54-41, 56-68, 73-37, 97-0, 74-37(73),Mohsin Amin (Pjb) bt SharjeelMehmood (KPK) 4-3 (65-51,44-54, 28-60, 22-56, 81-43, 62-51, 57-46), Baber Masih (Pjb)bt Muhammad Yousuf (Pjb) 4-1 (54-48, 31-76, 75-34, 66-04,71-64), Khurram Agha (Sindh)bt Muhammad Majid Ali (Pjb)4-2 (54-57, 78-13, 55-69, 75-24,52-42, 71-49) Muhammad Bilal

(Pjb) bt Sultan Muhammad(Sindh) 4-2 (76-22, 80-43, 80-0, 62-01), Shahid Aftab (Pjb)bt Farhan Noor (Pjb) 4-1 (67-09, 71-32, 99-0, 0-105, 74-29),Muhammad Asif (Pjb) btMuhammad Sajjad (Pjb) 4-0(53-42, 67-15, 68-08, 55-10),Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt AsjadIqbal (Pjb) 4-0 (68-08, 67-12,61-15, 64-19) Baber Masih(pjb) bt Mohsin Amin (Pjb) 4-1 (45-56, 66-33, 83-18, 68-57,75-01), Muhammad Bilal(Pjb)bt Muhammad Majid Ali (Pjb)4-0 (62-58, 56-07, 57-47, 63-4).—APP

PESHAWAR—Top seed SanaUllah Thursday lifted MCBChief Minister KhyberPakhtunkhwa Ranking Ten-nis Cup played here TennisCourts, Qayyum SportsComplex here.

In the Men singles finaltop seed of the Cup and na-tional ranking player SanaUllah defeated Shahid Afridiin a marathon three setsbattle, the score was 4-6, 6-3and 7-5 (6-6). The final lastedfor one hour and 21 minuteswhere both Sana Ullah andShahid Afridi produced ex-cellent tennis for the largenumber of sitting spectators.

Sana Ullah los the first setbut he staged a strong come-back by winning two con-secutive sets 6-3 and 7-5. Inthe last and third sets boththe players were tied at 6-allbut in the tie-breaker SanaUllah won the set.

In the Under-14 categoryfinal Barkat Ullah took asweet revenge from hisstrong rival Saqib Umer in themarathon three sets battle,the score was 2-6, 6-3 and 6-1.

Barket Ullah recently lostto Saqib Umar in the KP In-ter-Regional Tennis Cup butin the final he played firmlyand putting Saqib on theback foot. Barket Ullah, abaseline player, despite los-ing the first set, staged astrong comeback. Nationalranking no. 2 Saqib Umer triedhis hard to come back intothe game but hitting somefine smashes but he wasfailed and thus Barket Ullahwon the final.

In the Under-12 categoryfinal Shoaib Khan defeatedAqib Umar, the youngerbrother of Saqib Umer. Al-though Shoaib Khan facedtough resistance at thehands of Aqib Umar yet over-all he dominated the pro-ceedings and won the finalby 6-4 and 6-3.

A total of 150 playersfrom all across the provincetook part in the Cup orga-nized by KhyberPakhtunkhwa Lawn TennisAssociation with the helpand support of MCB.

At the end, Member Na-

tional Assembly (MNA)Imran Khattak was the chiefguest on this occasion. Ad-visor to Chief MinisterKhyber Pakhtunkhwa DilrozKhan, MPA Arif Yousaf, GMMCB Azharul-Islam, Man-ager HMC BranchMuhammad Irfan, PresidentKhyber Pakhtunkhwa LawnTennis Association Dr. Tahir,Director General (Acting)Tariq Mehmood, formerWorld Champion QamarZaman, World No. 2 MohibUllah Khan and large num-ber of players and officialswere also present and wit-nessed the thrilling finals ofUnder-12, Under-14 and MenSingles.

The chief guest MNAImran Khattak gave awaytrophies and cash prizes tothe position holders. Sana

Ullah got Rs. 12000 cash prizeand winner trophy whileShahid Afridi pursed Rs.8000/-. Winner of Under-14got Rs. 7000/- cash and run-ners-up got Rs. 6000/- cashwhile the winner of Udner-12got Rs. 5000/- cash prize andrunners-up got Rs. 3000/-cash prize. A special prize ofRs. 5000 was given toShaheen Mehmood who gotinjured in the opening roundwhile coach Roman Gulawarded Rs. 3000/-. Thesemi-finalists were awardedRs. 4000 cash prize each whilequarter-finals got Rs. 2000/-cash prize each. MNA ImranKhattak also announced Rs.0.1 million on behalf of theChief Minister KhyberPakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattakfor the organizing commit-tee.—APP

Sana lift MCB KP ChiefMinister Ranking Tennis Cup

Swat Green,Fatipur XI to clash

in Inter-ClubHockey

PESHAWAR—Swat Green andFatipur XI will clash in the fi-nal after securing victoriesagainst their respective rivalsin the ongoing Swat Inter-Club Hockey Championshipbeing played at Makan BaghHockey Ground on Thursday.

The final will be playedon Friday at 3.00 p.m. Assis-tant Commissioner SwatAshfaq Ahmad will grace theoccasion as chief guest andwill distribute prizes amongthe players.

Earlier, in the first semi-final Swat Green defeatedSwat XI by solitary goal inthe thrilling match whereinthe players of both SwatGreen and Swat XI producedsome excellent attackingmoves but due to poor fin-ishing none of the teamscould score any goal in thegoal-less first session.

Swat Green took five pen-alty corners against fourtaken by Swat XI team butnone of them could be mate-rialize due to poor handlingof the drill.

It was the second sessionin which Swat Green took thelead through Afzal Khan onthe field attempt. Thus SwatGreen won the match by 1-0.Swat XI did some resistancein the dying moment of thematch but failed to click.

In the second semi-finalFatipur XI defeated Swat Redby 2-1 in another thrillingmatch. Swat Red took the leadthrough Musa Khan on thefield attempt. Swat Red welldefended their lead till the endof the first session play. FatipurXI tried their hard to level thetally but due to tight markingand defensive strategyadopted by Swat Red team, itfailed to score any goal.

It was the second sessionin which Fatipur XI scoredtwo quick goals throughAlam Khan, the center for-ward, in the 57th and 69thminute. Thus Fatipur XI wonthe match by 2-1 and quali-fied for the final.—APP

PESHAWAR: MNA Imran Khattak giving away mensingles winner trophy to Sana Ullah during prize distri-bution ceremony of MCB Chief Minister KhyberPakhtunkhwa Open Tennis Ranking Cup.

Governors CupGolf tees off

LAHORE—A galaxy of golf-ers will show case their tal-ent in the 30th edition of theMillat Tractors GovernorsCup Golf Tournament com-mencing here from tomorrow,Friday at Lahore gymkhanacourse.

This was stated by AghaAli Imam, Convenor Golf,Lahore Gymkhana at a pressconference also attended byAhsan Imran,CEO MillatE q u i p m e n t , O m e rZia,Tournament Director andKhawaja PervaizSaeed,Director Media of theTournament here on Thurs-day.

Agha Ali Imam also statedthat in friendly and pleasantweather and supportive play-ing conditions of the historicLahore Gymkhana GolfCourse, aspiring golfers fromall over the country will applytheir golfing expertise to attainsuccess in this prestigiousevent which will be contestedover three rounds with finalround to be played on Novem-ber 24. Tracing the history ofthis event, Khawaja PervaizSaeed said that it was intro-duced in the year 1984 ,and itnow enters the 30th year.

He added that MillatTractors have been sponsor-ing this event for 20 years insuccession.

The Chairman of LahoreGymkhana, the golfers fromaround the country, the homebased golfers of the club, ac-cept with gratitude the lar-gesse of Millat Group and gra-ciously applaud and compli-ment Sikandar MustafaKhan,Chairman of MillatGroup who has kept the rela-tionship intact and live.—APP

Stags winsAmar CablesT20 veterancricket title

LAHORE—SPM Stags wonthe title of the 4th AmarCables T20 veteran cricketchampionship defeatingAmar Cables by 35 runs inthe final here on Thursday atShah Faisal Cricket Ground.

Brief scores, SPM Stagsbatted first made 154/9 in al-lotted 20 overs. MujhidJamshaid 28, Ashfaq Aslam28. Sohaib Faisal 25. MasroorHussain 19, and ShakeelMalik 15 Runs not out weretheir main run getters. AmarCables Bowling MuhammadMunir 3/35, Ahmad Shahab2/16, Rauf Wain 2/30,Jamshaid Salman 1/26 andMunir Shah 1/21. in replyAmar Cables were all out at119 runs in 17.4 overs. RaufWain 28 Runs, Ghaffar Kazmi16, Muhammad Munir 15 andAhmad Shahab 11 were mainscorer.

SPM Stags BowlingRehan Rauf 5/9, Javed Khan1/11, Naseer-ud-din 1/16,Shahzad butt 1/35, andMasroor Hussain 1/13.Rehan Rauf was declaredMan of the Match.

Rana Sohail Ahmad andSagheer Ahmad were thefield umpires, AdnanRasheed was T.V Umpireand Muhammad Anees wasthe match referee whileAzhar Hussain was thescorer.—APP

MONTEVIDEO: Jordan’s footballers Hatem Aqel and Sharif Nassar struggle for the ball with Uruguay’s forwardEdinson Cavani, during their Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup intercontinental playoff second leg football match.

KOCHI: Ravindra Jadeja leaps to take a return catch during India vs West Indies 1st ODI.

B R I S B A N E — E n g l a n d ’ sStuart Broad hit back at boo-ing fans with a devastatingfive-wicket haul Thursdaybut Brad Haddin’s fightingknock kept Australian hopesalive in a compelling start to

the Ashes Tests.Wicketkeeper Haddin

and Mitchell Johnson cameto the rescue after Broad,loud boos ringing in his earsat Brisbane’s Gabba ground,ripped through Australia’stop order on day one.

The pair combined in acounter-punching 114-runstand for the seventh wicketbefore the outstanding Broadbowled Johnson (64) with thesecond new ball for his fifthwicket of the innings.

Just before stumps, Aus-

Broad defies boos to putEngland on top in Ashes

tralia lost another wicketwhen Peter Siddle was caughtin the slips for seven offJames Anderson.

At the close, Australiawere 273 for eight and wellshort of what skipperMichael Clarke would have

expected after winning thetoss, with Haddin unbeatenon 78 and Ryan Harris notout four.

Haddin made his 13thTest half-century as runscame easily in the last ses-sion. Johnson racked up hiseighth Test 50 with a boom-ing boundary before Broadhad the last word.

Had it not been forHaddin and Johnson’sfightback, Australia wouldhave been in a parlous stateafter Broad struck twice in the

morning session and twicemore after lunch to have thehome side teetering on 132for six.

Broad, who was vilified inthe build-up to the series fornot walking at a key momentduring the summer’s AshesTests in England, was uncon-cerned at his bad-boy role.

“We don’t read the pa-pers in the changeroom so Ihaven’t been aware of toomuch, but it doesn’t spur meon...you don’t need anymore inspiration in playingfor your country inAustralia’s backyard in thefirst Test of a series,” Broadsaid.

“To be able to come hereand pick up wickets like I didtoday and as a team to stampour authority on the serieslike we have today, that’s allwe’re here for.”

The boos rang out whenBroad, branded a “smugPommy cheat” by a localnewspaper, stepped up tobowl but he quickly snaredopener Chris Rogers for onein his second over.

Broad also accounted forShane Watson (22) just be-fore lunch, and he then tookthe prized scalp of Australianskipper Michael Clarke in thesecond over after the firstbreak. Clarke looked uncom-fortable against a short-pitched delivery and poppeda gentle catch to Ian Bell atshort leg for one, in what wasa quick and tame end forAustralia’s premier batsman.

Opener David Warner hadsmashed Broad’s first ball ofthe day for four but his deter-mined innings ended with awhimper as he became the tallquick’s fourth victim justshort of his half-century.

Warner looked disgustedat himself as he drove lazilyat a short ball from Broad andspooned a catch to KevinPietersen in the covers, for49 off 82 balls.

The England batsman isplaying in his 100th Test.

The innings continued tounravel for Australia anddebutant George Bailey

edged Anderson to AlastairCook for three, leaving thehome side 100 for five in the36th over.

Steve Smith looked effec-tive with his unconventionalshot-making, but perishedwhen he sparred at ChrisTremlett away from his bodyand was caught by Cook atslip for 31.

It was not the start Aus-tralia needed as they try toavoid losing four successiveAshes series — somethingwhich last happened in 1890— and defend an unbeatenrecord at the Gabba stretch-ing back 25 years. “I thinkwe’re in a great position. Wehave two wickets in hand andwe can put some more runson the board,” Johnson said.

“We’re going to put itback on them. The positionwe’re in is definitely par fortoday.” Broad had a fascinat-ing duel with the pugnaciousWarner, who hooked his firstball to the boundary and thendabbed an audacious upper-cut high over the slips for four.

But Broad then prisedthe key wicket of Watson,who needlessly played out-side his off-stump and wassnapped up by GraemeSwann in the slips.— AFP

South Africa innings:Kock c Sohail b Hafeez 43Amla b Hafeez ............... 31Plessis b Junaid Khan .. 22Davids b Shahid Afridi ... 3Duminy b Bilawal ........... 11Miller not out ................. 19Parnell run out ................. 6Steyn b Junaid Khan ...... 1M Morkel not out ........... 8Extras: (b4, lb2, w2, nb 1) 9Total: (7 wickets) ......... 153Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-81, 3-87, 4-110, 5-116, 6-134, 7-140Bowling: ........... O-M-R-WAnwar Ali ............. 2-0-22-0Sohail Tanvir ........ 3-0-27-0Junaid Khan ......... 3-0-24-2

Hafeez ................... 4-0-25-2Bilawal .................. 4-0-35-1Afridi ..................... 4-0-14-1Pakistan innings:Ahmed Shehzadb Tsotsobe ....................... 9Jamshed c & b Duminy 18Hafeez not out ............... 13Umar Akmal not out ........ 7Extras: (lb 7, w 6) ........... 13Total: (2 wickets) ........... 60Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-50Bowling: ........... O-M-R-WLL Tsotsobe ......... 4-0-19-1Steyn ..................... 2-0-13-0M Morkel ............. 1-0-10-0Duminy ................ 1.1-0-3-1Imran Tahir ............. 1-0-8-0

Australia 1st innings:Rogers c Bell b Broad ..... 1Warner b Broad ............. 49Watson b Broad ............ 22Clarke c Bell b Broad ...... 1Smith c Cook b Tremlett 31Bailey c Cook b Anderson 3BJ Haddin not out ......... 78Johnson b Broad ........... 64Siddle c Cook b Anderson7Harris not out .................. 4Extras: (lb 11, w 1, nb 1) 13Total: (8 wickets) ......... 273Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-71, 3-73, 4-83, 5-100, 6-132, 7-246,8-265Bowling: ........... O-M-R-WAnderson ........... 22-5-61-2Broad .................. 20-3-65-5Tremlett .............. 19-3-51-1Swann ................. 26-4-80-0Root ........................ 3-1-5-0

BRISBANE: Mitchell Johnson was bowled by Broad for64 during Australia vs England 1st Test on Thursday.

Alves adds toBarcelona’sinjury woes

MADRID—Brazilian full-backDani Alves has become thelatest Barcelona star to bestruck by injury as he hasbeen ruled out for up to 10days with a calf problem.

The 30-year-old sufferedthe injury whilst away on in-ternational duty with Braziland will miss Saturday’sleague match at home toGranada and Barca’s Cham-pions League visit to Ajaxnext week.

“The tests carried out onThursday morning haveconfirmed that Dani Alveshas a small muscle tear in hisright calf. The approximatetime out will be seven to 10days,” said a statement onthe club’s website.

Alves’ absence meansthat the Catalans will be with-out at least six first-teamregulars at the weekend.

Lionel Messi and VictorValdes have both been ruledout for the rest of the yeardue to hamstring and calf in-juries respectively.

Gerard Pique, CescFabregas and Jordi Alba arealso sidelined, whilst XaviHernandez is a doubt with ahamstring strain.—AFP

Armstrong reachessettlement in one

fraud caseWASHINGTON—Disgracedcyclist Lance Armstrongreached a settlement onWednesday in one of thefraud cases spawned by hisconfession that his Tour DeFrance victories were fuelledby doping.

Mark Kincaid, an attor-ney for Nebraska-based Ac-ceptance Insurance, con-firmed the company hadreached a settlement withArmstrong but gave no de-tails.

The company suedArmstrong and the TailwindSports Corporation in Marchclaiming the cyclist commit-ted fraud by concealing hisuse of performance enhanc-ing drugs during the 1999,2000 and 2001 Tours.

The lawsuit sought re-payment of $3 million “in un-deserved an unearned payLance Armstrong obtainedby fraud,” the suit filed inTravis County Court in Aus-tin, Texas, said.

The payment cited was a$3 million bonus paid toArmstrong for his first threeTour victories.

USA Today reported theagreement reached betweenthe parties allowedArmstrong to avoid a sched-uled deposition in which hewould have been asked totalk under oath about hisdoping practices under oath.

Armstrong has not givensworn testimony since headmitted to US televisionhost Oprah Winfrey in Janu-ary that he doped through-out a career that saw him winthe Tour de France seventimes.—AFP

MO N T E V I D E O —Uruguaybecame the final team toqualify for the 2014 WorldCup on Wednesday aftergrinding out a 0-0 draw in agritty battle with Asian min-nows Jordan.

After thrashing the Jor-danians 5-0 in the first leg inAmman last week, a capacitycrowd at Montevideo’s fa-mous Centenario Stadiumhad looked forward to see-ing a full-strength Celesteside produce a high-scoringsend-off.

However a fiercely com-mitted Jordan frustrated theSouth Americans at everyturn, defending in numbersand ruffling Oscar Tabarez’smen with a physical ap-

Uruguay reach WorldCup with Jordan draw

proach.It did not stop the Uru-

guayan players and their fansfrom erupting in wild celebra-tions at the final whistle, asfireworks exploded above thestadium. Meanwhile, InjuredValdes out for 6 weeks -Barcelona

Barcelona goalkeeperVictor Valdes will be sidelinedfor six weeks after injuring hisright calf in Spain’s humbling1-0 defeat to South Africa, theclub said Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Valdes’sproblem adds to growing in-jury woes at Barcelona, withfour-time World Player of theYear Lionel Messi heading alengthening list on the treat-ment table.

Medical tests inBarcelona on Wednesdayconfirmed that Valdes had atorn right calf, the club saidin a statement.

“The approximate time offis about six weeks,”Barcelona said.

Valdes injured himselfwhile he was striding back-wards towards thegoalmouth during Spain’sloss in Johannesburg onTuesday, a deflating return tothe site of their 2010 WorldCup victory.

Spain’s national squadmedical services had alreadydiagnosed a torn calf. Butfurther tests were needed todecide how long he wouldneed to recover.—AFP

Hong Kong tohost new WTA

tournamentHONG KONG—Hong Kongwill next year host its firsttennis tournament on the in-ternational tour for more thana decade when it stages aWTA competition,organisers said Thursday.

The week-long HongKong Tennis Open in Sep-tember 2014 will be played inVictoria Park, the city’s majordowntown green space, andthere are hopes of attractingthe international stars ofwomen’s tennis.

“Hong Kong has neverheld a WTA tour event be-fore,” said Tom Reed, aspokesperson for the HongKong Tennis Associationwhich is organising theevent.—AFP

JOHANNESBURG—South Af-rica have been declared win-ners by four runs under theDuckworth-Lewis method inthe first Twenty20 Interna-tional match after heavy rainthat caused a stoppage andmade resumption of play im-possible. Pakistan stuck on 60at the loss of two wickets in9.1 overs. Ahmed Shehzad andNasir Jamshed scored 9 and 18runs respectively. Earlier,South Africa set a target of 154runs for Pakistan in the first T20of the two-match home series.

Pakistan captainMohammad Hafeez won thetoss and put South Africa intobat who could make 153 forseven despite an aggressivestart of 72 provided by Quitonde Kock (43) and HashimAmla (31). Later, Pakistanbowlers led by spinnersHafeez and Shahid Afridi dis-missed three South Africanbatsmen for just 15 runs.

However, the latter bats-men continued the assault butthen seamers Junaid Khan anddebutant Bilawal Bhatticlaimed three more wickets

South Africa secure narrowwin over Pakistan after rain

besides a run-out.Hafeez and Junaid cap-

tured two wickets each for 25and 24, respectively whileAfridi and Bhatti took onewicket each.

Teams:Pakistan: Mohammad

Hafeez (captain), NasirJamshed, Ahmed Shehzad,Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin,

Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi,Sohail Tanvir, Bilawal Bhatti,Junaid Khan, Anwar Ali.

South Africa: Faf duPlessis (captain), HashimAmla, Quinton de Kock,Henry Davids, JP Duminy,David Miller, Wayne Parnell,Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn,Lonwabo Tsotsobe, ImranTahir.—AFP

CAPE TOWN—All-rounderJacques Kallis will return to

South Africa’s one-day sidefor the first time in almost twoyears after being named in a

Kallis returns to ODI squad in WC bid14-man squad for matchesagainst Pakistan and India,Cricket South Africa (CSA)announced on Thursday.

The 38-year-old Kallis,who has 321 one-day inter-national caps, last played inthe 50-over format for SouthAfrica against New Zealandin February 2012. His returnmeans Twenty20 captain Fafdu Plessis drops out of theODI squad.

“As well as RyanMcLaren and Wayne Parnellhave done as emerging all-rounders, it is very welcomenews to have Jacques backas our premium all-rounder,”CSA selection convener An-drew Hudson said in a state-

ment. “There is no substitutefor the experience he bringsto the game,” Hudsonadded.

“We have a number ofyoung batting talents in thesquad such as Quinton deKock and David Miller andthe more experience theyhave around them, the betterit will be for their develop-ment.”

Test captain GraemeSmith also returns to thesquad after recovering froma head injury suffered in theUnited Arab Emirates earlierthis month, where South Af-rica beat Pakistan 4-1 in afive-match limited-overs se-ries.—AFP

LAHORE—While signallingthat Misbah-ul-Haq may re-main national captain until atleast the 2015 World Cup,PCB’s interim managementcommittee chairman NajamSethi has defended his deci-sion of interviewing the skip-per on a private TV channel,for which he also works asanchor person.

“PCB chairman NajamSethi reiterates that Misbah-ul-Haq enjoys his full confi-dence and should continue tobe captain until at least the2015 World Cup,” stated a Pa-kistan Cricket Board (PCB)press release issued to Dawnon Wednesday.

The press release was is-sued in response to a recentDawn report in which bothformer PCB chairman Ijaz Buttand former Test cricketerMohammad Ilyas criticised

PCB defends Misbah’sinterview by Sethi on TV

Sethi for interviewing Pakistancaptain in the media.

Last Saturday, Sethi sur-prised everyone as he appearedin his TV programme on a pri-vate TV channel along withMisbah, asking national cap-tain questions as journalist.

The move was widelycriticised in cricket circles aseveryone believes the samequestions could have beenasked in a one-on-one meet-ing between the two. And later,as PCB chairman, Sethi shouldhave defended Misbah at allfront, since it was his decisionwhether or not to retain himcaptain for Pakistan’s ongoingtour to South Africa in thebackdrop of the team’s dismalperformance in the last seriesagainst same country in theUAE.

In another TV programmeof the same TV channel, presi-

dent of the Islamabad CricketAssociation Shakil Sheikhcalled Misbah ‘jackal’ but it issurprising that so far the PCBhas not sought an explanationfrom the ICA chief over hiscontroversial remarks aboutPakistan captain. It is to benoticed that the PCB rules pro-hibit its all affiliated membersnot to talk with media over anycontroversial issue.

In his statement, Ilyas al-leged that Misbah was called‘jackal’ with the consent of thePCB. On Tuesday, like manyothers relating to the game, IjazButt and Ilyas also criticisedthe decision of Misbah’s grill-ing by the PCB head in a me-dia programme. However,while ignoring the criticismfrom all other quarters, the PCBexpressed its concern aboutDawn’s story and issued astatement.—Agencies

PEOPLE who eat a diet rich in nuts, including peanuts, are less likely to die from heartdisease or cancer, new research suggests.

The more nuts consumed, the greater the ap-parent benefit, according to the report. It in-cluded data from nurses and other health pro-fessionals who have beentracked since the 1980s.

Heart disease and cancer- the biggest killers in the U.S.- are responsible for more thanone million annual deaths na-tionwide. The InternationalTree Nut Council NutritionResearch and EducationFoundation helped pay for thenew report, which was pub-lished in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine. Thefindings dovetail with otherresearch suggesting regularlyeating nuts may lower the riskof common health problemssuch as heart disease, coloncancer and type 2 diabetes.

“Nuts used to be demon-ized because they’re high infat. Now, 20 years later, they’re recognized as ahealthful food,” Jeffrey Blumberg told ReutersHealth. He is from the USDA Human NutritionResearch Center on Aging at Tufts Universityin Boston and wasn’t part of the study team.

“It’s just like coffee and eggs used to bedemonized,” Blumberg said. “Eggs used to bea heart attack in a shell. Nuts are high in fat, butthey’re high in good fats.

” The new study - the largest to look atdeaths - suggests the health benefits of nutsmay translate to a lower risk of prematuredeath, researchers said. The variety of nut, in-cluding peanuts, which are actually legumes,did not seem to make a difference, senior au-

thor Dr. Charles Fuchs told Reuters Health.“The benefit really seems to span acrossnuts,” Fuchs, from the Dana-Farber CancerInstitute in Boston, said.

The two databases used in the analysisincluded about 76,000 women who are part

of the ongoing Nurses’ HealthStudy and 42,000 men who areregularly evaluated as part ofthe Health Professionals Fol-low-up Study. The findings arebased on questionnaires inwhich the volunteers periodi-cally recalled their eating hab-its. The researchers had to ac-count for the fact that nut eat-ers tended to be healthier whenit came to smoking, alcoholconsumption, obesity, exercisehabits and other elements oftheir diet, such as eating morefruits and vegetables. Yet evenwhen those factors were takeninto account, they said, nut con-sumption seemed to be tied toa lower risk of early death. Dur-ing 30 years of the Nurses’

Health Study, about 16,000 women died.About 11,000 men died over a 24-year periodin the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Compared to people who never ate nuts,those who ate nuts once a week were 11 per-cent less likely to die during the studies andthose who ate nuts every day were 20 percentless likely to die.

People who reported eating nuts at leastfive times per week were 29 percent less likelyto die of heart disease, in particular, than thosewho avoided nuts. They were also 24 percentless likely to die of respiratory conditions likechronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 11percent less likely to die of cancer.

Eating nuts tied to fewercancer, heart disease deaths

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique addressing a Press conference at CM House.

Activists of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam held a demonstration against Rawalpindi incident out-side Press Club.

Artists perform during Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’ at the Na-tional Academy of Performing Arts.—PO photo Sultan Chaki

IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—There was no limitof corruption and nepotism andmisuse of financial and admin-istrative powers in Karachi Met-ropolitan Corporation (KMC).

At one hand, the train ofemployees and officers werewaiting for release of theirmonthly salary for the month ofOct, 2013 as on Nov 20, 2013while on the other hand, theMetropolitan Commissioner(MC) Samiuddin Siddiqui,whop also held the charge of theoffice of the deputy Commis-sioner district East had with justa single stroke of pen approved

a hefty sum of money as hono-rarium/bonus, which was an un-precedented case in KMC’s his-tory. The MC had approved asum of Rs 1608532/= as bonusfor the head and subordinates ofKMC Pay Roll department . TheKMC Pay Roll department head,director Asghar Durrani in BPS-19 (Employee No. 0106790) hadreceived a sum of Rs 397840 inhis account number00150024348201.

Other beneficiaries from thesame Pay Roll department thatreceived honorarium/bonus wereAdil Farooqui (Deputy Director)(Rs 170032), Abdul Qadeer(Computer Operator) (Rs

138464), Rizwan Ali Khan(Computer Operator) (Rs144124), Syed Saghir Hussain(Computer Operator) (Rs155452), Muhammad Rashid(Computer Operator) (Rs126056), Muhammad Aamir(Assistant) (Rs 103180), AsgharAli Pirwani (Senior Clerk)(101628), Imran (Warden) (Rs69020), Muhammad Nasir(Peon) (Rs 84756), Noman(Peon) (Rs 61476)and Hafeez(Peon) (Rs 56076).

The sources in KMC’s fi-nance department told PakistanObserver that the release of hono-rarium. bonus was in contrast tothe existing laws and since the

hefty sum of money was releasedon the occasion of Eid Al Adhawas also unlawful as the PayRoll department had nothing todo with any activity that per-tained to Eid Al Adha such ascleanliness, sanitation or anysimilar civic issue.

The sources also claimedthat the particular case offavouring the blue-eyed personswas itself a case of misuse of fi-nancial powers, which the MChad exercised. It was a ridiculouscase that the head of the Pay Rolldepartment had prepared the notesheet and submitted it to the MCfor approval, which was ap-proved having received com-

Metropolitan Commissioner setsunprecedented record of favouritism

ments from the financial advi-sor. The financial advisor hadin his favourable note wrote that‘the above-mentioned officersand staffs are deserving em-ployees, they are hard workingand honest workers….and theirrequest may be considered’.Then the MC had with just asingle stroke of pen ordered forimmediate release of hono-rarium/bonus.

Each one in that particularcase was give a reward of 4 ba-sic pays, which reasons werebest known to the KMC PayRoll department, financial ad-visor and the approving author-ity, the KMC MC.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Federal Minister forrailways Khawaja Saad Rafiquehas said that it was for the firsttime in the history of the countrythat a Military dictator was beingplaced under court trial for hiswrong doings.

The action initiated againstPervez Musharraf did not nor bearany personal enmity or grudge butwere taken in light of the provi-sions of the constitution of thecountry. The political partiesshould be given space to continuewith the political engagementsand military intervention shouldbe stopped for good or else thedemocracy would hardly prevailin the country. Her expressedthese views while addressing atthe Meet The Press at the KarachiPress Club Thursday.

The Minister said that it wasimperative to restore the trust ofthe foreign donors and investors

and they should be assured offoolproof security so that theycould take part in the develop-ment of the country. the govern-ment had a plan to take all thepolitical parties on board on thesubject-matter of the CircularRailways in the metropolis.

Rafique said that it was theblessing of the Almighty Lordthat the transition of powers waspeaceful and despite issues theprocess of democracy was head-ing forward with success, whichneeded more time to see the de-mocracy could gain deep roots.

The Minister said that thePakistan Muslim League Nawazwas wrongly criticised for afriendly opposition role but yetthe PMLN did not allow theZardari government to gettoppled only for the sake of thedemocracy. The PMLN was sat-isfied by ruling the country withprovincial governments of oppo-site political parties in Khyber

Pakhtoonkhawa and Sindh. Hesaid that the way of the militarydictators should be blocked forever and the alleged PervezMusharraf should be providedfull liberty to prove his innocencein the court of law and he shouldnot be exposed to any personalgrudge or revenge.

He said that Karachi was thecity of lights and literature andthe PMLN-led federal govern-ment would take measures formaking the dreams of the circu-lar railways true but no specificdeadline could be given in thatregard. The land of Pakistan Rail-ways occupied would be evictedespecially along the route of theproposed circular Railways.

The Minister said that’s hewould not allow any recruitmentin Pakistan Railways on politi-cal basis and asked the politicalparties to immediately removetheir party office from thepremise of the Pakistan railways.

Strong democracy

Military intervention inpolitics should be blocked

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Sindh InformationMinister Sharjeel Enam Memonhad ruled possibility of changesin Sindh Cabinet and had termedthe media reports were based onsheer speculations.

Dubai meeting had totallyfocused on the developmentworks and specially developmentin energy sectors, progress andachievements in education,health and law and order situa-tion, as those sectors were beinggiven top priority by the Sindhgovernment. He was talking tothe newsmen at Sindh Chief Min-ister House Thursday on occa-sion of a ceremony held for sign-ing an MoU between Sindh gov-ernment and Turkish companies.The Minister, who also held the

portfolio of Minister for localgovernment said that the opera-tors of illegal water hydrants hadbeen warned to close their busi-nesses during next 4 days failingwhich, not only the owners ofthose water hydrants but otherresponsible officers includingSHO of the area police would betaken to task.

This he said while talking tothe newsmen at Sindh Chief Min-ister House in the side line dur-ing the MoU signing ceremony.

He said that water at the es-timated cost of Rs 3 billion wasbeing annually stolen only inKarachi. Recently a Saudi Ara-bian company had agreed to pro-vide 200,000 water meters forKarachi and by installing same,we would be able to prevent wa-ter theft to a large extent.

Changes in Cabinet sheerspeculations: Sharjeel

Rangersrecover cacheof weapons

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Pakistan Rangershave conducted targeted raidsin Lyari, Abul Hassan IsphaniRoad, 100 Quarters, Gulshan-e-Mazdoor, North Karachi,Nazimabad, Frontier Colony,Fawara Chowk, Shah FaisalColony, Morio Khan Goth, DakKhana Chowrangi areas lastnight.

While an information drivenwas conducted in Orangi 5 andrecovered a huge cache of weap-ons and ammunition hidden bythe miscreants affiliated with apolitical party.

Snap checking was also car-ried out at Karachi Universityand Kamran Chowrangi areas.

During the above mentionedactions 27 hardened criminalsincluding have been arrested.Weapons including heavy calibremachine gun, SMGs and hugequantity of mixed ammunitionwas also recovered.

Rauf Akhtarnew Administrator

KMCSTAFF REPORTER

KA R A C H I —Rauf AkhtarFarooqui took over charge asKMC Administrator onThursday.

Administrator Karachi RaufAkhtar Farooqui after takingover his charge met with headsand officers of various depart-ments and said that work fordevelopment of the city wouldbe done as a team and all avail-able resources will not only beutilized but also efforts will bemade to enhance them so thatKMC could play its vital role inthe development of the city.

Shia Ulema Councilpostpones protest

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Shia Ulema CouncilGeneral secretary Syed NaazirAbbas Taqvi had announced thepostponement of protest demon-stration on Friday (today) in con-demnation to Rawalpindi inci-dent. In a statement, Taqvi saidthat in view of religious harmonyand peace in the country, the ShiaUlema council had decided towithdraw the call of protest dem-onstrations on Friday (today),Nov 22, 2013.

However, he said that theprotest demonstrations would beproduced across the country onNov 24 (Sunday) to denounce theterrorism and sectarian violence.

Meanwhile, the Sindh pro-vincial government had imposedban on pillion riding from 12 AMFriday night till 12 AM Saturdaynight as precautionary measures.

On the other hand, the pas-senger transporters had said thatthey would only ply their passen-ger coaches and buses on streetsof the metropolis after judgingthe situation and if the situationin the city would remain calm andpeaceful, the passenger transport-ers would feel no hesitation inplying their vehicles on roads forpeople’s sake.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The founder andleader of the Muttahida QaumiMovement (MQM) AltafHussain has expressed condem-nation of the drone attack on aMadressa in Tal area of Hangu.

In a statement issued Thurs-day, the MQM chief said thatSartaj Aziz, advisor on foreignaffairs, has assured the nationthat America had promised notto carry our drone attacks dur-ing negotiations. However, it isdeplorable that the drone attack

was carried out within fewhours after he gave his state-ment. This attack indicated thatthe government is hiding realfacts from the nation.

Hussain said that the nationwas already disturbed becauseof problems and crisis.

In this situation it was theresponsibility of the govern-ment to tell the facts to the tothe nation instead of talking inriddles.

It is a sensitive matter andour security and integrity de-pends on the issue.

Govt should tell factsabout drone attacks: Altaf

Bilawal appeals forprayers for peace

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Pakistan PeoplesParty Parliamentarian (PPPP)Patron-in-Chief Bilawal BhuttoZardari appealed to the people topray for peace, tranquility andbrotherhood in their Friday con-gregations and discourage theelements, who were out to tearapart nation’s unity through fan-ning sectarianism anddisintegrity.

In a statement issued Thurs-day, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saidthat the PPPP had always stoodfor an egalitarian Pakistan whereIslam was our religion and wewould fully defend it from beingtaken over as hostage by gun-tot-ing extremists.He said thatspreading hatred and hate mon-gering was a weapon, mostlyused by disintegrating, anti-peaceand anti-unity forces.

High-levelsecurity meeting

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—A high-level secu-rity conference was held at Paki-stan Rangers Sindh headquartersThursday in wake of the currentdevelopments in the country.

Rangers had been directed toexercise utmost vigilance to iden-tify and arrest terrorists and any-one trying to disturb city’s lawand order.

According to Pakistan Rang-ers Sindh PRO, in this connec-tion, anyone found with weaponor seen with weapon will be dealtaccording to the recent amend-ments in the Anti Terrorist laws.

PEOPLE who eat a diet rich in nuts, including peanuts, are less likely to die from heartdisease or cancer, new research suggests.

The more nuts consumed, the greater the appar-ent benefit, according to the report. It includeddata from nurses and other health professionalswho have been tracked sincethe 1980s.

Heart disease and cancer- the biggest killers in the U.S.- are responsible for more thanone million annual deaths na-tionwide. The InternationalTree Nut Council NutritionResearch and Education Foun-dation helped pay for the newreport, which was published inthe New England Journal ofMedicine. The findings dove-tail with other research sug-gesting regularly eating nutsmay lower the risk of commonhealth problems such as heartdisease, colon cancer and type2 diabetes.

“Nuts used to be demon-ized because they’re high infat. Now, 20 years later, they’re recognized as ahealthful food,” Jeffrey Blumberg told ReutersHealth. He is from the USDA Human NutritionResearch Center on Aging at Tufts Universityin Boston and wasn’t part of the study team.

“It’s just like coffee and eggs used to bedemonized,” Blumberg said. “Eggs used to be aheart attack in a shell. Nuts are high in fat, butthey’re high in good fats.

” The new study - the largest to look at deaths- suggests the health benefits of nuts may trans-late to a lower risk of premature death, research-ers said. The variety of nut, including peanuts,which are actually legumes, did not seem tomake a difference, senior author Dr. Charles

Fuchs told Reuters Health. “The benefit re-ally seems to span across nuts,” Fuchs, fromthe Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston,said.

The two databases used in the analysisincluded about 76,000 women who are part of

the ongoing Nurses’ HealthStudy and 42,000 men who areregularly evaluated as part of theHealth Professionals Follow-upStudy. The findings are basedon questionnaires in which thevolunteers periodically recalledtheir eating habits. The re-searchers had to account for thefact that nut eaters tended to behealthier when it came to smok-ing, alcohol consumption, obe-sity, exercise habits and otherelements of their diet, such aseating more fruits and veg-etables. Yet even when thosefactors were taken into account,they said, nut consumptionseemed to be tied to a lower riskof early death. During 30 yearsof the Nurses’ Health Study,

about 16,000 women died. About 11,000 mendied over a 24-year period in the Health Pro-fessionals Follow-up Study.

Compared to people who never ate nuts,those who ate nuts once a week were 11 per-cent less likely to die during the studies andthose who ate nuts every day were 20 percentless likely to die.

People who reported eating nuts at leastfive times per week were 29 percent less likelyto die of heart disease, in particular, than thosewho avoided nuts. They were also 24 percentless likely to die of respiratory conditions likechronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 11percent less likely to die of cancer.

Eating nuts tied to fewercancer, heart disease deaths

Sikh Yatrees standing at a PCO to make phone calls to their relatives as they are here at Gurdwara Dera Sahib on the occasion of birth anniversary ofBaba Guru Nanak.

Workers are stitching quilts and mats alongside Canal Road as their business has increaseddue to further fall in temperature.

DIG Mirza Shakeel Ahmed instructing a motorcyclist about compulsory use of helmet dur-ing motorcycle helmet campaign.

MUZAFFAR ALI

LAHORE—The Punjab gov-ernment has decided to repli-cate Germany Pakistan Train-ing Initiative (GPATI),launched early this year inKarachi by the German Consu-late General, to provide marketoriented skills to the youth.

To prepare the launching ofGPATI in Punjab, which is ex-pected next month, a seminaris being organized today (Fri-day) at a local hotel by the Tech-nical Education and VocationalTraining Authority (Punjab-TEVTA) in collaboration with

Deutsche Gesellschaft fürInternationale Zusammenarbeit(GIZ) GmbH, which supportsGerman government to achieveits objective of sustainable de-velopment in the field of inter-national cooperation around theglobe.

In the seminar, experts willshare information about theimplementation of GPATI,which is initially piloted inKarachi with the support of Ger-man and Pakistani companiesand training providers and rec-ommend putting in place the re-quired infrastructure in Punjab.

Punjab-TEVTA, being the

main implementing body forreplicating GPATI in Punjab,has already done the requiredhomework and is ready tolaunch the project in Lahore bymid of December.

GPATI is modeled on theGerman Dual Training System,which is a globally acceptedvocational training approachand is being employed success-fully in Germany since long.Dual Training System engagesyouth in a skilled form of oc-cupational activity through anextensive training program ina changing working environ-ment. It’s a combination of on

Market-oriented skills for youthjob training at companies/in-dustries and learning at voca-tional institutes.

This unique model systemof skill development has beenmodified as per Pakistan’s lo-cal environment and needs,making it a cooperative train-ing form to benefit both theemployers and workers.Through this approach, em-ployers will have a skilledworkforce readily available tothem to place in the areas ofneed. The prospective employ-ees, on the other hand, willgain the necessary occupa-tional experience.

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—Advisor to ChiefMinster Punjab Khwaja SalmanRafique has said that due to theconsolidated efforts of variousgovernment departments and fullparticipation of masses in anti-dengue campaign the dengue situ-ation in Rawalpindi is visiblyimproved whereas more attentionis required on indoor surveillanceand vector control in Lahore toeliminate dengue fever.

He stated this while presid-ing over a cabinet committeemeeting on dengue, here Thurs-day. Besides, Members PunjabAssembly, Khwaja Imran Nazirand Kiran Dar, Secretaries ofvarious departments, Commis-sioner, DCO Lahore, Officers ofPunjab Information TechnologyBoard and Special Branch at-tended the meeting.

The secretaries of Health,School Education, Higher Edu-cation, Labour Department, En-vironment, Agriculture, Irriga-tion, Social Welfare and other of-ficers briefed the meeting regard-ing anti dengue activities includ-ing indoor and outdoor denguesurveillance, larvaeciding andawareness activities carried outby their departments.

Kh Salman Rafique informedthat Health Department has madeclusters of public hospitals withthe private hospitals for shiftingof dengue patients to the govern-ment hospitals. Special SecretaryHealth Babar Hayyat Tarrar in-formed that aspirators have beenprovided to the experts to catchthe dengue mosquito for testingof chemical reaction on the mos-quitos and to identify the type ofvirus. He further informed thatso far 1927 out of 2086 dengue

patients have been cured and dis-charged from the hospitals. Hedirected that provision of best di-agnostic and treatment facilitiesshould be continued to the den-gue patients free of cost. On thisoccasion, convener of DengueExperts Advisory Group (DEAG)and VC KEMU Prof. Dr. FaisalMasood said that elimination ofdengue from inside the houses isvery essential otherwise thismosquito will continue to bite theresidents. He advised the peopleto adopt preventive measures toprotect themselves from mos-quito bites.

Earlier, Secretary Environ-ment Anwar Rasheed Chaudharyinformed that due to the weatherchange, the incidence of larvaefrom open places has been mini-mized and mostly dengue larvaepresently being discovered frominside the houses.

Dengue threat

More attention requiredon indoor surveillance

Religious scholarsurged to promote

toleranceSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Peace and HarmonyNetwork Pakistan, an associationof scholars and representativesfrom different religions andfaiths, has asked religious schol-ars and intellectuals to spreaduniversal message of peace andpromote tolerance and patiencein national character to avoid in-cidents of intolerance in future.

In a statement issued here onThursday, Peace and HarmonyNetwork Pakistan Co-ChairpersonBishop Dr Andrew Francis, itsSecretary General Javaid Williamand Archbishop Sebastian Shawasked the government to arrangeseminars, symposiums and openpublic forums besides debates ontelevision channels on inter- andintra-faith peace and harmony.

He pointed out that sectarianunrest and continued violent in-cidents in different areas reflectfailure of institutions and lack oftolerance in the society. “We haveto work together for finding asolution to prevent actions thatoffend religious sentiments, in-cite violence or acts of violenceand intolerance in our society,”said Bishop Dr Andrew Francis.

Need forantibiotic

policy stressedSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—There must beproper antibiotic policy in thecountry aiming at prudent use ofantibiotics and at the preventionof spread of disease resistantbacteria.

This was stated by consult-ant microbiologist of NewcastleHospitals Trust, UK, Dr WaqarRaza while delivering a lecturehere at the University of HealthSciences (UHS) on Thursday.The lecture was arranged byUHS Microbiology department.

Dr Waqar said that nationalcampaigns could be helpful increating awareness of the prob-lem of antibiotic resistance andthe need for prudent use amonggeneral public.

MMG organizestraining

workshopSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Department of Mi-crobiology and Molecular Genet-ics organized a workshop for thestudents of Govt Science Col-lege, Wahdat Road at the depart-ment for helping them under-stand few concepts of the field.

Addressing the seminar, DrZakia and her PhD student MrAtif of MMG Department saidthat to excel in field of biotech-nology, knowledge of molecularbiology was indispensable. Theysaid apart from being a part ofbiotechnology, molecular biol-ogy alone had led to numerouscrucial discoveries about humangenetics and microbial genetics,giving insights about diseasesand their possible cures.

BZU delegationvisits Lahore campus

OBSERVER REPORT

LAHORE—A special delegationof Bahauddin Zakariya Univer-sity Multan visited BZU, LahoreCampus on Thursday and ad-mired Campus Management onrunning things so smoothly andsaid Lahore Campus was provid-ing quality based education.

The delegation further saidthat the way they have handledthe things in the times of hard-ships is really commendable. TheBZU, Lahore Campus has excel-lent infrastructure and providessemi-furnished accommodationto all the faculty members as wellas staff members in the Campus.

They were of the opinion thatBZU Lahore Campusendeavours to provide excellenteducation to the students throughundergraduate and postgraduatedegree programs so as to createfinest professionals and humanbeings. Given the commitmentand devotion of the ChairmanMunir Ahmad Bhatti, Faculty,Staff and Students, the day is notfar when our vision of makingthis a world-class institution willbe accomplished.

Campaign againsttraffic violations

LAHORE—National Highway& Motorway Police, N-CentralZone has started campaignagainst the violations of trafficrules by motorcyclists especiallyfocusing on compulsory use of‘Safety Helmet’.

During a surprise visit, DIGMirza Shakil Ahmad directedthe field officers to check theviolations by motorcyclists in-cluding ‘driving without safetyhelmet, improper U-turn, care-less driving, driving without rearview mirrors’ etc.—APP

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Punjab UniversityVice Chancellor Prof DrMujahid Kamran on Thursdaychaired a high-powered meetingregarding Prime Minister ’sYouth Loan Scheme at Al RaaziHall. The meeting was attendedby deans of faculties and headsof departments.

Addressing the meeting, PUVC Dr Mujahid Kamran saidthat Prime Minister Mian NawazSharif’s Youth Loan Schemewould play pivotal role tobrighten the future of our young

people. He said that the schemewas a ray of hope for the youthand would strengthen country’seconomy.

He said Mian NawazSharif’s scheme had encour-aged the students of PunjabUniversity and the schemewould meet success like PunjabChief Minister Mian ShahbazSharif’s laptop scheme. On theoccasion, heads of various de-partments informed the meetingregarding around 175 projectsof students which would be fi-nalized through committee af-ter scrutiny today.

PU Youth LoanScheme

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Lahore High Court(LHC) on Thursday took noticeon a press report that a 20-year-old Shahid Iqbal expired due toalleged police torture. District &Sessions Judge, Vehari has beendirected to look into the matter andsubmit a detailed report regardingsteps taken by the local policealong with his own comments.

According to details, Mitroand CIA police had detained twoyoung boys, 20-year-old ShahidIqbal and his cousin 19-year-oldNadeem, in connection with thekidnapping of a seven-year-oldboy in July 2012 from Chak 94-WB, Garah Mor area, withoutregistration of any case againstthem. They were allegedly tor-tured by the police at a private

residence where Shahid breathedhis last. The police shifted hisbody to the emergency ward ofVehari DHQ Hospital.

The victim’s family protestedagainst the alleged police usedthird degree method during inter-rogation that resulted in his death.They also demanded stern actionagainst the delinquent cops. Ac-cording to news report, DistrictPolice Officer Sadiq Ali Dogarsuspended 13 police officers, in-cluding two sub-inspectors, fourassistant sub-inspectors and sevenconstables. DPO claimed strictaction would be taken against theaccused persons if the post-mortem report confirmed torture.Mitro police registered a murdercase against the policemen undersections 302, 148 and 149 of thePakistan Penal Code.

LHC takes notice of mankilled in police custody

Lawyersbrutally torturetwo brothers

LAHORE—Lawyers set anotherexample of barbarism and ama-teurish attitude as they brutallytortured two persons over pettydispute and later handed themover to police here on Thursday.

According to details, a mo-torcycle carrying two real broth-ers identified as Zahid andShahid accidentally hit the mo-torcycle of Advocate Nadeem atMall Road outside Lahore HighCourt (LHC).

The two brothers apologizedover their fault but the lawyerstarted abusing and threateningthem which led to exchange ofhot words.—INP