The spokesman

mONDAy APRIL 29, 2013 Jamadi-us-Saani 18, 1434 I Rawalpindi/Islamabad I Vol, VI, No. 10 I www.thespokesman.pk Pages 12 I Price 10/-

TTOODDAAYY’’SS WWEEAATTHHEERR

Partly cloudy HIGH: 33 LOW: 17

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TALES FROM PRE-REVOLUTION EGYPT– SABA AZIZ

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MONOPOLISING ISLAMFOR POLITICAL ENDS–MOHAMMAD JAMIL

cmyK

NAWAZ-LEAGUE COPIES PTI TACTICS

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SNEAK PEEKGovt disobeying orders forpromotion of husband, wife

The government has notso far complied theSupreme Court ordersregarding the promotionof victimised civilservants couple.The

court concluded its order on the petitionof two government oKcials namelyHassan Waseem Afzal and his wifeFarkhanda Waseem Afzal against beingposted as OSDs.

Page 2

Seven-day drive againstmeasles starts

A seven-day special massvaccination campaignagainst measles will bestarted in the provincialcapital from Monday(today) during which

three million children from six months to10 years of age will be inoculated, aPunjab Health Department spokesmanannounced on Sunday. He said that thecampaign would continue till May 5.

Page 4

Election campaign a toughjob in Khyber’s NA-46

Like other parts of thecountry election,campaign has enteredits final stage in NA-46, Khyber Agency.The tribal district has

been split into two constituencies forNational Assembly - NA-45 whichcovers the tehsils Landi Kotal andJamrud, while NA- 46 comprises Bara tehsil.

Page 5

Pakistani voters focus on struggling economy

As Pakistan prepares fornational elections nextmonth, the newgovernment’s plans forreviving the fragileeconomy are for many a

higher priority than addressing militantviolence. Given the economic track recordof the last administration, few are hopefulfor change.

Page 9

Will Sanjay Dutt convictiondent the star’s film career?

Two of the filmindustry's biggest starsare embroiled in legaltangles. While SanjayDutt has to surrender tothe Mumbai trial court

on May 16 under the Arms Act, SalmanKhan too faces charges in the 2002 hitand run case when his SUV moweddown four persons killing one andinjuring three.

Page 10

Amir outpoints Diaz in non-title contest

Former world light-welterweight championAmir Khan had toclimb off the canvas tokeep on course for ashot at the division's

champions by out-pointing Julio Diazon Saturday. Khan, 26, was floored inthe fourth round and looked on thebrink of another knockdown in the 11thof a thrilling catchweight (143 pounds)12-round non-title contest withMexican Diaz at the Motorpoint Arenain Sheffield.

Page 11

SAHTAK BALOCH

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: Three NEPRAmembers face dismissal forapproving Rs30billion interimrelief to Halmore PowerGeneration Company Ltd(HPGCL) in a dubious bid.Official documents showed thatto favour the private powercompany, NEPRA Member (Tariff )Khwaja Muhammad Naeem, alongwith Members Habib Ullah Khiljiand Haroon Rasheed hadapproved Rs30b interim relief forHPGCL on April 18. Energyexperts said such a relief wasgranted while setting aside all

concerned Rules and Acts. Viewingthe gravity of the matter, thefederal government may removethese above members owing tosheer violation of NEPRA Rule 4(7) under NEPRA Act section 4. Interestingly, though tariff

officials and legal advisor in thecase of HPGCL tried their levelbest to get due attention of NEPRAmembers pertaining to heavyirregularities and utter violation ofconcerned rules and acts yet noproper heed was paid, an expertsaid, adding, “Ostensibly it seemedthat members were desperate toapprove Rs1.05/unit hike in thetariff of HPGCL.”

It is testimony of the fact thatearlier the company’s tariff was setat 1.36/unit while, withRs1.05/unit raise, the tariff of thecompany has been jacked up toRs2.41/unit. The regulator had approved thistariff hike with 3-1 as NEPRAmembers including KhwajaMuhammad Naeem, Habib UllahKhilji, and Haroon Rashid hadsubmitted their consent to givehike in the tariff to HPGCL while afourth member as well voicechairman of the authority ShaukatAli Kundi submitted his note ofdissent on this decision on lawfulgrounds that interim relief under

the provisions of regulator’s actand tariff rules can’t be given to theoperational plants. However, Halmore PowerGeneration Company Limitedowned by British sponsor ofPakistani origin Dr MianMuhammad Sharif has beenbenefited with NEPRA’s decision.Documents showed that onMarch 14 in a meeting ofregulatory authority (NEPRA)“ thelegal advisor was requested for hiscomments, who opined that thepetition was filed by HPGCL in theyear 2006 and the application foran interim relief (if any) could havebeen filed at the time when the

petition was admitted by theAuthority. The LA had further opined thatthe Application could not betreated as a “Petition”under theNEPRA rules.When contacted, NEPRARegistrar said auditors have beenappointed to conduct forensicaudits of the company’s accounts,documents, invoices, challans,ladgers which the Halmore PowerGeneration Company Ltd(HPGCL) had submitted earlier tothe authority. Over a question offake submission by HPGCL in thematter of gas turbine, he said,” waitfor auditor’s report.”

3 NEPRA members face axe over Rs 30b relief

Anti-droneprotestoutside Britishair baseOUR CORRESPONDENT

LLOONNDDOONN:: Anti-Warprotesters Sundaydemonstrated outside aBritish air base which isbeing used as a control pointfor drones used inAfghanistan.All British drones hadpreviously been operatedfrom a US Airforce base inNevada, but there is now anew drone operatingsquadron at Royal Air ForceStation Waddington inLincolnshire.One anti-war protestersaid: “We don’t feel that ourgovernment should bekilling people thousands ofmiles away and without trial,without conviction.”Another added: “It is avery, very wicked thing to do.We must not condone it, anda lot of our people do notknow that we are doing this,in fact.” The UK Ministry ofDefence said the Drones areused for “intelligence andsurveillance” missions, butthey are equipped withmissiles and bombs. Thoughpiloted remotely from theUK, the drones are launchedand landed with human helpat Kandahar airbase inAfghanistan.

LLAAHHOORREE:: FFaammiillyy ooff IInnddiiaann ssppyy SSaarraabbjjiitt SSiinngghh,, wwhhoo wwaass aattttaacckkeedd iinn jjaaiill,, aarrrriivvee aatt WWaaggaahh bboorrddeerr oonn SSuunnaaddyy ttoo mmeeeett hhiimm iinn hhoossppiittaall.. ——OONNLLIINNEE (STORY ON BACK PAGE)

OUR STAFF REPORTERS

QQUUEETTTTAA//KKAARRAACCHHII:: Caretakersgovernments in Sindh and Balochistanfinalized strategies to curb violencebefore and during the elections.Sources in Balochistan Home andTribal Affairs Department said morethan 22000 military and FrontierCorps personnel were being deployedin all 30 districts of Balochistan. Thedecision to this affect was made at ahigh level meeting chaired by InterimChief Minister Nawab Ghous BakhshBaroozai.Military and FC contingents havereached almost all sensitive districts ofBalochistan on Sunday evening toensure peaceful electioneering, a sourceconfirmed.He said ballot papers were also beingreached in troubled parts ofBalochistan to ensure elections as perschedule given by the ElectionCommission of Pakistan. Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Ministerof Sindh Justice (r) Zahid Qurban Alviheld a meeting on Sunday to review thedeteriorating law and order situation inKarachi and issued instructions to law-enforcement forces seeking writtendetails of rallies from all political

parties.The meeting was attended by ChiefSecretary Sindh, provincial InteriorSecretary, Inspector General Sindhpolice, Additional IG and other highlevel officials.AIG Karachi Iqbal Mehmoodsubmitted a written report over theblasts that had occured in Karachi.The caretaker chief minister orderedthat all available resources should beutilised for maintenance of law andorder and also ordered for theutlisation of additional personnel whowere deployed for security atgovernment buildings offices.He also directed the Ranger andpolice to contact all political parties inthe city and seek details from allpolitical parties regarding rallies andgatherings.The interim chief minister alsoordered that all political rallies andgatherings be held only after obtaininga clearance certificate from the BombDisposal Squad.The AIG also informed during themeeting that progress was made in theinvestigations over the People’sChowrangi blast whereas probes intoother bomb attacks were alsounderway.

Caretakers come up with a plan

Balochistan deploysFC, army troops

OUR STAFF REPORTERS

PPEESSHHAAWWAARR//QQUUEETTTTAA//KKAARRAACCHHII:: Violence continue to mar theelection campaigns in threeprovinces as four bomb attacksSunday targeted the oKces ofelection candidates in KP andBalochistan killing at least 12 peopleincluding a child. As a result of the threats, therehave been few large-scale politicalrallies leading to a lacklustrecampaign for the elections in atleast three provinces. More than 50people have dead in blasts andsuicide attacks since April 11including more than 20 in the pastthree days.Six people died and 22 werewounded on Sunday in a blast atthe oKce of an independentcandidate in the garrison city ofKohat. A blast at the oKces ofanother independent candidate inPeshawar killed three people andwounded 13, oKcials said.A third blast occurred near anelection candidate’s corner meetingnear Haq Bahu house on Sariab roadin Quetta on Sunday killed one childand injured five persons. ShamsMengal, an independent candidatefrom PB-6 constituency in Quettawas holding a public meeting withregards to electioneering for theupcoming polls when the blastoccured nearby.The fourth blast occurred in Swabion ANP rally. The remote-controlledblast took place when people were

leaving after attending the electionrally of ANP candidate AmeerRehman from PK-32. Two persons,including a child, were killed in theattack while five others were injured.In Karachi , two cops were killedwhen gunmen openedindiscriminate firing. Talking to The Spokesman from anundisclosed via phone TTPSpokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said:“We take responsibility for attacks ofKarachi, Kohat and Peshawar”,adding, these politicians who aregoing to become part of a seculardemocratic system. Whether they areindependent or they are aKliated tosome political party”.While terming the upcominggeneral elections as an eLort toimplement ‘secular’ system in thecountry, TTP has vowed to targetpolitical rallies of ‘secular’ partiesduring the polls. He said, “The so-called generalelections are going to be held underthe secular democratic system on11th May 2013, in a country whichcame into being under the banner ofIslamic doctrine”, adding “the Islamiclaws and values are formed by Allahand secular doctrine is from Russo,Cant and Bentham.”Ihsanullah while justifying recentattacks over political parties said,“The first reason for the politicalparties being under attack by TTP istheir secular doctrine; anther basicreason is that these are peopleresponsible for the burning-FATA,Swat and KPK.”

SAEED MINHAS

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: A shock and awesituation in their election camps hasfinally brought Muttahida QuamiMovement (MQM), Awami NationalParty (ANP) and Pakistan People’sParty (PPP) on the same telephonicwavelength where they are ponderingto question the legitimacy of thecurrent elections if not boycottingthem out-rightly besides asking thearmy and courts to take cognizance of

the situation. All three leaders have posed a straightquestion to the army, caretakergovernments in federal and provincialas well as the Election Commission ofPakistan that “Whether only Punjab isPakistan as it is the only province whereelectioneering was being carried outfreely while the worst kind of terrorismwas continuing in the remaining threeprovinces of the country.”“Daily occurrences of terrorism in thecamps of ANP, MQM and even PPP has

left us with no option but to discuss thatwe all are asked to fight the electionsblindfolded and hands-cuLed,” saidAsfandyar Wali while talking to AltafHussain. Sources close to Presidency,however, were cautious andmaintaining neutrality said “only liberalforces are being targeted and caretakersand ECP should take note of thesituation forthwith.”Initiating this telephonic politicking,MQM’s Chief Altaf Hussain on Sundaycalled President Asif Ali Zardari and

ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan todiscuss overall political situation andlaw and orders situation in the country.Altaf is learned to have brought theseleaders on one page by resolving that ajoint strategy will be adopted in thisregard. MQM has lost more than half adozen workers and a candidate inKarachi and Hyderabad, while ANP haslost over a dozen workers and aresubjected to worst kind of terrorist actssince the caretakers have taken over therule from PPP and its allies. Most daring

of them all, PPP is yet to come out of itssafe holes yet it received first of its shareof direct attack in Karachi on Saturday. According to MQM sources, both AsifZardari and Asfandyar Wali haveexpressed their grave concern overterrorist attacks on ANP and MQMoKces. They expressed their resolve tolaunch a joint struggle againstterrorism. MQM chief asked theseleaders to openly term these electionsbetween mini-Talibans and liberalforces. Presidency seems to have shied

away from using these words but agreedthat all the concerned quarter shouldtake it seriously. ANP leader is learnedto have agreed with MQM and hashinted at developing a joint front withthe MQM and PPP to raise voice on thisissue more strongly. ANP, MQM leaders and Zardari saidthe acts of terrorism were risingdisproportionately in the threeprovinces spreading fear and panic ascompared to Punjab. They condemnedact of terrorism on the ANP, PPP andMQM and asked all the liberal partiesto join hands against the terrorists.

MQM, PPP, ANP question legitimacy of polls under terror� Seek army, caretakers, judiciary and ECP attention � Vow joint fight � Altaf says Punjab alone is not Pakistan

� 22,00O troops for all 30 districts � Sindhi partiestold to have venues cleared before gatherings

Terror continues to grip 3 provinces

� 12 dead in four blasts at Kohat, Peshawar,Swabi and Quetta � 2 cops dead in Karachifiring � TTP claim responsibility

No letup in bombings at poll activities

QQUUEETTTTAA:: PPeeooppllee ggaatthheerr aafftteerr aa bbllaasstt oonn SSaarriiaabb RRooaadd.. ——OONNLLIINNEE

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: Traffic problems have exacerbated intwin cities due to increase in number of vehicles andnegligence of departments concerned in properimplementations. Traffic problems have worsened during recentyears and departments concerned have beenturning a deaf ear to calls of commuters forimproving the situation.Many commuters from Rawalpindi working inIslamabad come across traffic problems in morning,evening and while traveling between the twin cities.The suzuki vans plying between the ExpressHighway, Blue Area and Peshawar Morr create atraffic jams at Pindora Chongi as their drivers parkthe vehicles right in the middle of road to pickpassengers.It is observed that motorists continue to drivewithout turning on headlights even after sunset andnobody checks them.The number of road accidents has also increasedin the twin cities because of over-speediness andreckless driving. The commuters have demanded ofauthorities concerned to check these hazards tosmooth traffic flows and avoid accidents.�ONLINE

Driving in twin citiesbecomes a nightmare

OUR STAFF REPORTER

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The British Council and Edexcelorganised a joint session in which the speakerssaid that the BC is committed to building astrong cultural relationship between Pakistanand the United Kingdom for providing learningopportunities to Pakistani youths. The British Council has initiated a widerange of special activities for linking the youthof Pakistan to study in UK. This initiativewould increase the literacy in the country andstrengthen mutual cooperation of the twocountries. Addressing to the seminar on the latest trendsin UK qualifications and curriculum,Operations Examinations Pakistan’s Director

Imtiaz Rizvi said that the Edexcel qualificationswould provide learning opportunities to thechildren in UK. He said that the Edexcel hasannounced the opening of new centres, trainingsessions and webinars for students as careerguidelines. David Davies said that he was proud to havetaken this initiative to update the internationalcommunity about the latest trends in UKcurriculum and qualifications as we are awarethat a lot of students from Pakistan take pridein achieving a UK qualification due to its rigourand international acceptance.Edexcel Vice President Ms Premila Paulrajsaid that she was pleased that the BritishCouncil is partnering to promote this uniqueinitiative. Academicians and parents have

realised the importance of Edexcelqualifications being offered in schools whichnot only makes learning a practical andpleasurable experience but also gives childrena well rounded personality with anopportunity to explore further educationopportunities.Edexcel being the largest awarding body inUK qualifications is well recognised globallyand schools affiliated with Edexcel aresupported fully to ensure the delivery ofqualifications in a quality environment. WhilePearson, the world’s leading educationcompany also helps the Edexcel’s by offering anarray of content and technology-led solutionsto schools while helping them matchinternational standards of education.

BC building relations between Pakistan, UK

CMYK

CMYK

Capital police fail to evictillegal property occupiersIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The police have failed toevict illegal occupiers of variousproperties, despite clear-cut notices bycourts. A party headed by estate oKce’schief Anwar Ahmad Baig tried to evictpolicemen forcibly occupying G-6 flats,asking for an alternate residentialsolution. However, sources have saidthat no credible solution has so far beenworked out and police personnel stilloccupied these flats without budgingfrom there. �ONLINE

IIUI to hold conference on Quran's translationIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The InternationalIslamic University would hold a two-dayinternational conference titled“Problems of Quran’s Translations in theSubcontinent” which will start on April29, at its Faisal Mosque campus.Malaysian High Commissioner toPakistan Dr Hasrul Sani shall be thechief guest of the inaugural ceremony ofthe conference. The conference is beingjointly organised by Islamic ResearchInstitute. �ONLINE

CDA silent on illegalwedding functionsIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The weddingceremonies are being arranged illegallyin the public parks, roads andplaygrounds of the federal capitalcreating problems for the commonpeople. To add to this, laws prohibitingfireworks and aerial firing are beingviolated frequently in the Sectors G-6,G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, I-10, I-9 and otherareas. The CDA oKcials were contactedto take their stance on the issue butthey could not be reached. �ONLINE

Shortage of facilities irkspatients at public hospitalsIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The shortage of beds,medicines and ill attitude of doctorsand staL at Pakistan Institute ofMedical Sciences and PolyclinicHospital are creating massive problemsfor patients. The patients at PIMS saidthat despite of the fact that largeexpansion had been made in thehospital to meet the growing needssince 1985, but still patients were facingproblems. Patients at Polyclinicnarrated the same story that there wasno bed available for them and they aregiven new date for hospitalisation everytime, they turned up to the hospital. Alarge number of patients, at emergencyward of the PIMS, had to sleep on thefloor, attendants of the patients said.They said the patients were advised toeither be admitted to the private wardsor wait for their turn to get a bed.Serious patients were dischargedbecause of unavailability of beds, theyadded. �ONLINE

Quacks go uncheckedIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The rising number ofquacks is going unnoticed especially inrural and slum areas and playing havocwith the public health, while the cityadministration and the CapitalDevelopment Authority is not botheringto heed to issue. Around 100 fakedentists were running their businessunchecked. Their number in thesuburban areas of the city could be muchhigh. Such people could be seen sitting insmall kiosks such as Bhara Kahu,Peshawar Road, Iqbal Town and most ofthe rural areas in Islamabad.�ONLINE

SALMAN ABBAS

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: In the west ofShakarparian Hills, the bloomingflower-shaped Pakistan Monument,representing all provinces, attracts alarge number of visitors in the timeswhen common people always feelreluctant to visit the recreational spotsdue to rising inflation and terrorism.Located in the middle of the federalcapital, the Pakistan Monumentrepresents the four provinces andthree territories. The blooming flowershape shows progress as a rapidlydeveloping country. The four main

petals of the monument represent thefour provinces (Punjab, Sindh,Balochistan and KhyberPakhtunkhwa), while the three smallerones for the three territories (AJK, G-B and the FATA.However, lack of transport facilityfor recreational spots is a majorproblem for the visitors who have togo on foot a long way to reach the site.The Capital Development Authorityhad decided to construct a loop,which will connect the monumentwith the Kashmir Highway some fiveyears ago. The loop is underconstruction and its completion will

somehow reduce the troubles of thevisitors. Muhammad Zubair, a visitor,who hails from Faisalabad, told TheSpokesman that after leaving the vanat the Zero Point stop, he saw abarrier placed at the road leading tothe monument. “After seeing thefence, I decided to return because notransport facility is available to reachthe monument,” he said, adding thatafter sometime he jumped the barrierand started a walk to the monument.He was of the view that it was nearimpossible for the people who did nothave cars to visit the place.Notwithstanding the transport-

related issues, the opulent structureattracts a large number of citizens.Because of the high altitude, a clearview of the twin cities of Rawalpindiand Islamabad is available from thespot. The structure of the monumentcomprises four blossoming flowerpetals built of granite, representingthe unity of the nation. “These sitesreflect the true image of Pakistan. Ivisit the monument and every week insearch of peace and comfort,” saidHammad Ali, another visitor.In an aerial view, the monumentlooks like a star (centre) and acrescent moon (formed by walls

forming the petals), similar to that onthe national flag. “The four petals ofthe monument attract the people,”said Imdad Ali, the professor byprofession who was on a trip to thecapital along with his students.Imdad taunted that it might be theonly step which the former rulerPervez Musharraf took to promotetourism. The four petals decoratedwith murals are the most attractivething at the site. The central platformis made in the shape of a star, which issurrounded by a water body. Ametallic crescent surrounding the staris inscribed with sayings of Quaid-e-

Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah andpoetry of Dr Allama MuhammadIqbal. Pictures of the Quaid-e-Azamand Allama Iqbal and prominentplaces of the country have also beeninscribed in these petals.

Blooming flower-shaped monument attracting hoards of visitors

AA bbiirrdd’’ss eeyyee vviieeww ooff IIJJ PPrriinncciippaall RRooaadd,, wwhhiicchh sshhoowwss aa llaarrggee nnuummbbeerr ooff rrooaaddssiiddee ssttaallllss nneeaarr PPiirr WWaaddhhaaii bbuuss tteerrmmiinnaallss.. �ONLINE

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The government has not so farcomplied the Supreme Court orders regardingthe promotion of victimised civil servantscouple.The court concluded its order on thepetition of two government officials namelyHassan Waseem Afzal and his wife FarkhandaWaseem Afzal against being posted as OSDs.“It appears to be a typical case of politicalvictimisation, where even a moment’s delaycould cause irreparable harm andimmeasurable loss to the officers whose meritlacks intercessional props and pillars. “We have, therefore, no alternative but todirect the secretary establishment to convenea meeting for passing an appropriate orderafter considering the aforesaid officers forpromotion but before the sunset today.” Husband and wife had sued the governmentagainst the decision of placing them as officers

in the spree of political victimisation. Thesetwo officers in grade 21 were posted as OSDsby the Establishment Division. The court also mentioned in the order, “Wehave noted that the two officers HassanWaseem Afzal and Farkhanda Waseem Afzalhad been made OSDs since 2008 and 2011respectively. We had therefore directed theSecretary Establishment Division to submittheir concise statements setting out theirreasons ‘as to why the aforesaid officers weremade OSDs and why they were not givensubstantive postings.”The court also mentioned, “The incumbentsecretary establishment has filed a concisestatement (CMA 173/ 13). The said concisestatement, whoever, does not containexplanations as to why the aforesaid officershave been kept as OSDs. Furthermore, there were six civil servants

who occupied the position of secretaryestablishment from 16-6-2008 till thepresent. We have inquired about the status ofthese six persons. It is surprising that four outof these six persons have attainedsuperannuation and have been reemployed oncontract basis. This has happened eventhough the two officers are OSDs and arebeing paid their salaries out of the publicexchequer, although no official work has beenassigned to them since 2008 and 2011respectively.”On Friday, the three-members benchheaded by Justice Jawad S Khawaja resumedhearing of government officers performingduties as OSDs. Hassan Waseem Afzal toldthe court that he his wife were subjected topolitical victimisation for last five years andwithout informing, they were retained asOSDs without any logic. �ONLINE

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: Allama Iqbal OpenUniversity’s Vice Chancellor Dr NazirAhmed Sangi said that AIOU isworking on a plan to seek foreigncollaboration in promoting basiceducation, especially in the deprivedand low-literacy regions.He was talking with JapanInternational Cooperation Agency’sProject Advisor Chiho Ohashi. Helauded the role of JICA for upgrading theuniversity’s technical network inspreading quality education across thecountry. He said that university wasreceiving very positive response frominternational organisations like commonwealth of learning. During the meeting,both sides have agreed to collaboratewith each other in promotion of informaleducation system.Chiho Ohashi said that she would liketo seek the support of the AIOU for thepromotion of distance-learning system.The VC assured her that the AIOUwould provide them the required studymaterial, study methods and eLectivemonitoring system to ensure qualityeducation to the people. He appreciatedthe eLorts of JICA in fighting outilliteracy from the country. The VC saidthat the AIOU wished to seek thesupport of international organisationslike JICA in expending its educationalnetwork. The AIOU, he added is activelyengaged in establishing its regionalcampuses and study centers especially inlow literacy regions. �ONLINE

AIOU seekscollaborationto promoteeducation

Govt disobeying orders forpromotion of husband, wife

AA mmaann ppeeddaallss ppaasstt aann aawwaarreenneessss bbooaarrdd bbyy EECCPP.. �ONLINE

AA ffaammiillyy pprrootteessttiinngg oouuttssiiddee NNPPCC ffoorr jjuussttiiccee.. �THE SPOKESMAN

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The Clean and GreenCampaign of The Capital DevelopmentAuthority will reach Sector G-11 on Mondayafter accomplishing the tasks pertaining todiLerent formations of authority in Sector I-10 and G-10.CDA Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz alongwith civil society members and schoolchildren will inspect Sector G-11 and collectthe litter. CDA chairman has directed oKcers of theSanitation Directorate, Water SupplyDirectorate, City Sewerage Division,Directorate of Municipal Administration,Enforcement Directorate, and EnvironmentWing and of all formations concerned toremain stationed in the camp oKce of SectorG-11 to resolve the common problems ofgeneral public. The CDA chairman hasdirected to ensure the maximumparticipation of general public in the “Clean& Green Islamabad” Campaign to make it areal success and to achieve multiple targetsfrom this campaign. He has asked theresidents to join hands with the CDA. �ONLINE

Clean city campaignreaches Sector G-11

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: Allama Iqbal OpenUniversity’s final exams of metric,intermediate and bachelor for thesemester autumn 2012 will be held onThursday May 2nd.AIOU Controller of Exams Dr HamidKhan Niazi announced it. He said thatthe roll no slips have already beendispatched to all candidates. Those,who have not received their slips so far,are advised to contact the nearestuniversity’s regional oKce. Forduplicate slip, students are required tobring two passport size photographsattested by the gazetted oKcer. �ONLINE

AIOU’s examsfrom May 2nd

SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Venom Inc. This should not be heldagainst me in a court of law as Isolemnly declare that these are

absolute lies, dirty whispers and wildspeculation that I have heard while crawlingin the dark power corridors of the creepyCapital. You will believe them at your ownrisk Shh...If you have venom to spill pleasedon’t hesitate to share with us on our blog atwww.thespokesman.pk

POWER ALLEYS|CMYK

SAEED MINHAS

Unknown miscreants andTaliban seem to have earnedthe blame for terrorizing

MQM and ANP almost out of thecurrent election campaign. Peoples’Party has found the safe havens ofmini screens and social mediawithout even holding a single rallywith Master Bilawal or any otherleader. Two parties namely, PakistanTehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and PML (N),are the only parties holding publicrallies, even in KP and FATA withoutany fear of an attack from the sameforces, besides occupying a stingingcampaign on TV and social media too.Questions being asked these daysby many political observers arewhether these elections willdetermine a diNerence between proand anti Taliban forces. Will itslegitimacy not be questioned becauseof an uneven playground?Whether it is true or not thequestion holds some ground becauseno matter how we look at thisphenomenon, it remains a fact thattwo parties are hopping around fromone political rally to another withouteven caring whether they are beingblamed, either for having sympathiesfor extremists or for having goodconnections with them.These elections are so diNerentfrom any other elections or even anyreferendum in the country that forthe first time Peoples’ Party, despitenot being banned, is out of the scene.However, on the positive side we cantake some heart from the fact thatsome rules of the game have been laidout. No matter how much they arebeing flouted by almost all thepolitical parties, at least an eNort hasbeen made by the heavily funded andSupreme Court backed Election

Commission of Pakistan. There havebeen lots of slips in this entireprocedure, not because of the rulesbut because of a typical mentallycorrupt bureaucracy and lowerjudiciary. Other reasons can be lackof cooperation and coordinationamongst various national institutionslike SBP, FBR, NAB and ECP. ECP isalso being blamed for many of itsdiscrepancies and inconsistenciesand so are the caretakers for failing tocome up with a workable plan for theconduct of free and fair elections.According to an independentobserver’s report 80 per cent of thepolitical campaigning is violating thevery rules which all of them agreed toabide by while signing the ECP’s newcode of conduct. PML (N) has beenconsidered as the leading violator ofECP’s purported code of conduct bythe same observers. As usualmudslinging and name callingremains top of the agenda of politicalcampaigning and leading on this

front is Imran Khan. Though ECPhas taken notice of some of the recentfiery statements of Imran Khanagainst Sharifs and even those ofSharifs against President AsifZardari, no one knows how the ECPwill manage to control this usualelection madness. More important iswhether these notices make anydiNerence to the leaders or the finaloutcome of the elections.Another factor which is grabbingthe attention of many observers is thefact that both Nawaz Sharif andImran Khan have started using thechoppers and cheapest languageagainst each other considering thatthey are the only ones left to roamaround the country without anythreat from extremists. Details aboutNawaz Sharif ’s helicopter are thattwo Pakistani pilots and an Egyptiantechnician are operating it. Flying onthe wings of his billionaire friends,Imran Khan seems to be matchingNawaz League like a proverbialeyeball for an eyeball. Riding inJahangir Tareen’s hired chopper,Imran continues to impress the TVaudiences by pulling crowds inPunjab, KP and even FATA. Nofurther details of the choppers havebeen provided by any of the parties tothe media while ECP is also justkeeping mum on this. But that’s notit; if Imran has been given a financialcushion by his financial backers then

Nawaz Sharif, despite claiming tohave few assets, is showing all hisfinancial gadgetry by riding in acavalcade of 15 bullet proof vehiclesdonated by none other than the usualsuspects of the Pakistani right wing;i.e. Saudi Kingdom. The gift offoreign government, no matter howcheap it may sound, is just anotheropen violation of the PakistaniElection laws. Political Parties Order,2002 clearly describes this as follows:“contribution made by members orsupporters of any party shall be dulyrecorded by the political parties. Anycontribution made, directly orindirectly, by any foreigngovernment, multi-national ordomestically incorporated public orprivate company, firm, trade orprofessional association shall beprohibited and the parties may acceptcontributions and donations onlyfrom individuals. Any contribution ordonation which is prohibited underthis Order shall be confiscated infavour of the State in the manner asmay be prescribed.” Defining thecontribution or donations the sameorder reads that it includes anythingmade in cash, kind, stocks,hospitality, accommodation,transport, fuel and provision of othersuch facilities.“Are Imran or Nawaz behaving anydiNerent than other power grabbers?They are showing oN their wealth,

distributed party tickets toinfluentials, use the same foullanguage people heard in almostevery election, then what change theywant to bring? First it used to be twoparties and now a third one hasjoined the chorus just to befool thepeople” observed Faqir Mohammad,one of the wrinkled local villagersobserving Imran Khan flying abovehis head in a chopper from Jalalpurin Punjab. Whether it will be true ornot only these leaders can tell but thatfeeling was shared by quite a fewpeople in the same rally where Imranwas challenging Sharifs not to amusemany in the dumbfounded crowd.Just to add fuel to the fire, AltafBhai, President Zardari, ChaudhryShujaat and even Asfandyar Walihave all started calling the entireelection process foul. They have allquestioned the Election Commissionof Pakistan’s inability to control theseviolations as well as failing inproviding an even, level playing fieldto all the contesting parties. AltafBhai has even raised eyebrows byasking the most pressing questionthat “only Punjab seems to haveelections.” It may sound like a usualcry from an ally of a recently deposedgovernment which failed to bring anyrelief to the people but it is likely tohaunt the legitimacy of the electionsin the coming days, observed manypundits.

Free and Fair Elections?

Flying squads of Imran & Nawazbewildering many pundits

No-Holds-BarredWhen people stand for public oMce the presumption is that they are better than others. But public figures here expect the same immunity asthat of a private citizen. Politicians stall basic queries, even about the

number of wives and children they may have, in the name of morality. Wewant to contest them through innuendo, humour and sarcasm—our bestweapon in a society that suppresses information to the hilt.No hard

feelings we hope—Editor

MOHAMMED RIZWAN

LAHORE: Though the election 2013 is not serving titanic battleslike Nawaz Sharif Vs Imran Khan or Bilawal Bhutto vs HamzaShahbaz, barring President Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto theheads of all the major parties are running in these elections,making those constituencies the most watched ones on the nightof May 11.In Lahore, the expectations were high that PTI wouldultimately field Imran Khan against Nawaz Sharif in NA 120 inLahore but both the parties shied away from taking the bull bythe horn and fielded local candidates against each other. The listsof final candidates were held up for a long time raising theexpectations on Imran vs either Nawaz or Shahbaz but in the endImran chose NA 122, preferring to take on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq ofPML-N while Nawaz is running against PTI novice YasminRashid. A direct clash was deliberately avoided. However, PTImulled for some time whether to field one of their bigwigsagainst Shahbaz Sharif in NA 129 and in the end there was somuch bickering that they left it open. Now there are three PTIcandidates running against Shahbaz Sharif with Mansha Sindhuas the frontrunner.All of Nawaz, Shahbaz and Imran Khan are expected to jog to

the finish line without raising much sweat in the process, saveroom for of course a big miracle. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif iscontesting this time from only Punjab and did not venture out toHazara to establish his national stature. Apart from Lahore he iscontesting from NA 68 in Sargodha where the opponents PPPand PTI fielded routine local candidates against him. PPP hasawarded ticket to Nusrat Shah while PTI’s candidate is NoorHyat Kalyar. The constituency would go to Nawaz. ShahbazSharif has also caged himself in Lahore by running from NA 129and PP 156 of Lahore while he is also running from PP 283Rajanpur. The decision also indicates that in case of a PML-Nvictory Shahbaz would still remain in Punjab while big brotherwould be the candidate for prime minister.Imran Khan is contesting four constituencies – three in Punjaband one in KPK. In NA 1 he is up against local lord GhulamAhmed Bilour of ANP while the PPP has fielded ZulifqarAfghani from the constituency. PML-N has fielded a localpolitician Afzal Khan, leaving Khan and Bilour to fight it out ina straight battle. This constituency would be keenly watched asBilour is a solid candidate who can drive the PTI chief out ofKPK. So far the early campaign trends are showing a stalematewith more concern on security rather than electioneering. Khantravels to Rawalpindi, where from NA 56 he will be taking onHanif Abbasi of PML-N who is the incumbent. Abbasi is in a fixthis time as Shaikh Rashid from the neighbouring constituencyhas been given a free hand by PTI to squeeze Abbasi whileImran’s popularity and the involvement of Abbasi in Ephedrinescandal has rendered the constituency tilts in Imran’s favour. Butit will be a tough one for PTI chief as there is a larger PML-Nvote bank in the area.Khan is up against old rival Shadikhel of PML-N in NA 71Mianwali and this is where he is the most confident of a win. His

cousins Inamullah and Hafeezullah have deserted him but a localstrong lady Ayla Malik is running his campaign and he isexpected to trot to a facile win here. In NA 122, Lahore, Khan isfavourite by a margin as PML-N’s incumbent Ayaz Sadiq will behard pressed to compete against the charisma of the PTI chief.Khan’s provincial candidate Mian Aslam Iqbal is a popularbusinessman who is up against an old but not so popular choiceAkhtar Rasool. So this factor will also play out in Khan’s favour.ANP chief Asfandyar Wali is contesting from NA 7 Charsaddaand he is up against Fazal Muhammad of PTI and KaleemDurrani of PML-N while PPP has fielded Ghanimullah, a localpolitician. All ANP opponents, however, are not expected to posemuch threat to Asfandyar Wali who will be too hot to handle inhis home constituency.In the absence of Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto, Adi (sister)Faryal Talpur is the standard bearer of PPP in these electionswho is contesting from NA 207 Larkana city, home to theBhuttos since 1970. She is up against Ameer Bakhsh Bhutto, theson of Mumtaz Bhutto of PML-N and BB’s sister-in-law andwidow of Murtaza Bhutto, Ghinwa Bhutto. She is in a goodposition to win the constituency but her strange surname hasgiven her opponents a handle on the whip. She might win in theend but it will be a contest.PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi is playing the most high-profile matchat home against PPP’s Ahmed Mukhtar and it is anybody’s game.Both PTI and PML-N are out of the way to give the rivals a clearshot at each other in NA 105 Gujrat. It will be a contest to watch.Elahi is also running from Attock with the support of Maj TahirSadiq, his brother-in-law, from NA 59. He will be up againstSardar Ali Khan of PTI, Asif Malik of PML-N and SaleemHaider of PPP. The support of Tahir Sadiq means that Elahi isfavourite to win the constituency.

The polls prospects of party leaders

Imran Khan is contestingfour constituencies – three

in Punjab and one in KPK. In NA 1he is up against local lord GhulamAhmed Bilour of ANP while thePPP has fielded Zulifqar Afghanifrom the constituency. PML-N hasfielded a local politician AfzalKhan, leaving Khan and Bilour tofight it out in a straight battle. Thisconstituency would be keenlywatched as Bilour is a solidcandidate who can drive thePTI chief out of KPK

“

”

Nawaz League hates to admit thisbut it keeps following the PTI instrategy and tactics. The Sharif

brothers, in the absence of the PPPcampaign in Punjab, are obviously feelingthe PTI heat on the election trail. They arefound responding more to Imran Khanthan sharing their own vision and, in theprocess, oNering everything to everyone.PML (N) seems to have woken up to therelevance of the youth factor. The partywas initially in denial of its importance.PML (N) ideologues were generally foundunderestimating the importance of theyouth bulge in the elections.They introduced a few cosmetic things asthe much-publicized laptop scheme andencouraged Maryam and Hamza Shahbazto be more active. But that may not havebeen enough.Now, PML (N) seems to have geared upits focus on the youth factor. Nawaz Sharifwas found pampering youth in Havelianwhile claiming that most of the crowd wasyouthful. He made the “youth in thecrowd” raise hands. A party leaderstanding next to him, though at least 60years old, instantly raised his hands as dideverybody else in the crowd. Suddenly, theold man realized his mistake and broughthis hands down. But Nawaz was quick totake the credit and claimed that “the youthwas with him, aren’t you, young people.”It was funny when Nawaz came downfrom his usually sermonic style to getengaged in an “I-love-you-too” banter witha youthful participant. He then proceededto explain to the other side of the crowdwhat had just happened and gave them aplay by play rundown of his romanticparley with the youth.He even tried to woo women voters byannouncing gas supply to Abbotabad.Now, this was politically incorrect in manyways. One, the country is already deficientin gas and he looked naive oNering moregas connections, particularly when hisparty had taken exception to the PPPgovernment’s signing of Iran gas pipeline.Two, he simply forgets the nationalaudience when he addresses local voters,promising them development schemes asif he was the Prime Minister. For instance,his eNort to make Abbotabad womenhappy “because they will not have to burnfire for cooking for brothers and fathers”might have angered the progressivewomen who want to get out of thisstereotype of kitchen women.PML (N) is also trying to copy the PTI inusing music in its public rallies but its paidcolumnists keep criticizing the PTI “naach-gana.” And then Nawaz Sharif is oftenfound getting disturbed by music in rallies.He forgets his speech because of music andthen starts scolding the organizers. He isalso found irritated by party sloganeering,which makes him stop his speech as ithappened in Layyah. He stopped hisspeech and then almost shouted at thosewho were raising slogans. This made himforget his speech again. It was funny himblaming the party workers for making himforgetting his speech.Nawaz simply cannot get out of thatfatherly Santa clause figure that he likes forhimself. He is so much accustomed to beheard in party meetings with raptattention that he is found practicing inparty crowds. Then he overreacts when hesees little excitement in the crowd andthen tries to be youth-friendly—as he didby shouting “I love you too” in AbbotabadShahbaz Sharif, one must say, is better atsuch dramatics. But then he has this habitof overdoing it, something that the PPPused in its advertisement about hismultiple but contradictory claims onenergy crisis resolution.He blamed Imran Khan for using foullanguage but was found calling him“madari” in the same breath. Shahbaz Sharif was also on the youthbandwagon as he tried to garner thesympathies of the urban educated youththrough Twitter. He tweeted, “Anyone upfor Man U vs Arsenal?”, a clear attempt toconnect with the sizeable urban educatedyouth which follows English PremierLeague football judiciously. It is hard toimagine the ex-CM being into such anactivity, especially at this stage of electioncampaigning. PML (N) definitely needs tohave its own strategy midway into theelection campaigning.

Sharifs confused incampaign strategy

PML (N) copies PTI tactics

Ministry wants names ofpolling officers for expatsIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The Ministry of ForeignAKairs has summoned the names ofpolling oJcers from ElectionCommission of Pakistan to facilitateexpatriate voters. The foreign ministryhas written to the ECP on Sunday,asked it to provide names of pollingoJcers who would be conductingelections for expatriates. The foreignministry has said that visarequirements for polling oJcers wouldtake some days, while the ECP isadamantly stuck on its support to theright of adult franchise for expatriates.The ECP is waiting for an approvedordinance by the government tofacilitate expatriate voters. �ONLINE

Aleem warns opponents to stop propaganda LLAAHHOORREE:: Pakistan Tehreek-i-InsafLahore President Abdul Aleem Khanhas said that the Pakistan MuslimLeague-N after its possible defeat inelection has started disinformationcampaign against the Tehreek-i-Insafbut this propaganda would be failedsoon. He said that those who alreadyremained in power would not be givenanother chance. Addressing a cornermeetings on Sunday, Abdul Aleem saidthat concocted surveys and false newscould not support PML-N leaders andpopularity of Imran Khan has no matchas this internationally-knownpersonality was accepted to all. The PTIleader said that the PML-N should notworry about the division of votes asmasses would accord two-third majorityto the Tehreek-i-Insaf that was thereason that the PPP and the PML-Nboth worried and trying to bring a dealunder the table. �ONLINE

Lyari blast death tally reaches fourKKAARRAACCHHII:: The death toll in Saturday’sbombing at ceremony of PakistanPeople’s Party organised to inaugurate theparty’s election oJce in Lyari, mountedto four as another person succumbed toinjuries, police oJcials said. According topolice, a wounded in late night blastsuccumbed to injuries in local hospital onSunday morning reaching death toll tofour. It should be mentioned here that ameeting of the PPP was underway for theinaugural of the party’s oJce when apowerful bomb exploded, killing threepeople including a baby girl and injuring40 others. The police, having approachedon the blast site, could not as yetdetermine the nature of the blast,however, the eyewitnesses said the blastwas rigged to a motorcycle. The deceasedinclude a ten-year girl Muskan, 20-yearKamran and a woman. �ONLINE

Residents demand filtration plantRRAAWWAALLPPIINNDDII:: Lack of filtration planthas posed health hazards to the FazalAbad area residents. This is one of themost congested locality sprawlingaround Pir Widhai bus terminal and itspopulation runs into thousands but itsinmates are forced to drinkcontaminated water due to indiKerentattitude of the civic authorities. One ortwo members of every family settled inthis area are suKering from chronicabdominal diseases due to supply ofpolluted water, said shopkeeper HakimKhan. “We have to bring clean drinkingwater from far oK areas by incurringadditional expenses under petroleumhead. As soon as we step in our homeson return from oJce we have to facethe inquiring looks of our familymembers lunch could not be prepareddue to want of clean water. �ONLINE

Fortunetellers on looting spree in capitalRRAAWWAALLPPIINNDDII:: The citizensexpressing concerns over looting spreeby fake palmists and have demandedthe city administration to take actionagainst them. Fraudsters are foundsitting at Railway Station Road, PirWadhai, Faiazabad, Liaqat Bagh toensnare the innocent, said a socialworker Asim Khan. They don’t evenknow the alphabets of chiromancy butare sharp minded and expert in facereading, he added. �ONLINE

FFAAIISSAALLAABBAADD:: PPiieecceess ooff iiccee aarree ppllaacceedd oonn gguunnnnyy bbaaggss ffuullll ooff ggrreeeenn cchhiilliiss llyyiinngg iinn vveeggeettaabbllee mmaarrkkeett ttoo pprreesseerrvvee tthheemm dduurriinngg hhoott wweeaatthheerr.. �ONLINE

SAHTAK BALOCH

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: The Women's Chamber ofCommerce and Industry on Sundayexpressed disappointment over theworking of the Ministry of Petroleum andNatural Resources and has demanded aninquiry into the ‘unfair’ use of natural gas.Sources revealed that IWCCI PresidentFarida Rashid has demanded probe againstthe unfair use of scarce natural gas during ameeting with women entrepreneurs onSunday. Raising questions over theinvolvement of former petroleum advisorDr Asim Hussain in the aKairs of theministry, she said Dr Asim was still making“all the major decisions in the ministry”,which has put the claim of impartiality ofthe caretaker set-up to question.The ministry’s oJcials are still actingupon the policy of former government touse natural gas for personal welfare and asa tool to bribe influential which must beprobed, said the IWCCI president. She called upon the ElectionCommission of Pakistan and otherinstitutions to take notice of wrongdoing ofthe petroleum ministry, which has failed tomeet the test of honesty, integrity andimpartiality as well.She said the gas distribution companiesare being destroyed and in the same waythe nation’s largest petroleum retailer waspushed to bankruptcy. She also said thatreducing wastage of gas can resolveenergy crisis to great extent, adding thatPakistan will continue to reel underenergy crisis, until the petroleumministry is cleared of leftovers of formeradvisor Dr Asim Hussain.

Business womenseek probeagainst ministry’sworking

LLAAHHOORREE:: A seven-day special massvaccination campaign against measles will bestarted in the provincial capital from Monday(today) during which three million childrenfrom six months to 10 years of age will beinoculated, a Punjab Health Departmentspokesman announced on Sunday.The spokesman said that the campaign wouldcontinue till May 5. Moreover, students of allgovernment and private primary schools ofLahore will also be inoculated and theeducational institutions refusing to get theirstudents vaccinated will be closed. He said thatchildren would also be provided facility ofvaccination against measles at all governmenthospitals, basic health centres and rural healthcentres from 8am to 5pm.The anti-measles vaccination campaignwould continue for one week and the holidaysof the vaccination staK on Sunday and May 1have been cancelled. The mobile vaccinationteams will pay visit to all union councils andloudspeakers of the mosques will be used forinforming the people about their visit.Moreover, health workers will pay door-to-door

visit at Mohalla level to apprise the people ofthe arrival of the teams.The spokesman said a vigorous awarenessand publicity campaign was also beinglaunched for the success of the anti-measlesdrive and besides providing informationthrough print and electronic media, bannersand flexes will also be displayed on the roadsfor this purpose. He said that specialinstructions have been issued to displaybanners for the information of people at thebuildings and sites where vaccination teamswill stay.The Health Department has constituted 660mobile teams, 165 teams to visit schools and265 fixed teams for vaccination againstmeasles. In order to facilitate the people,administrations of government hospitals havebeen directed to set up at least four desks forvaccination of children besides making suitableseating arrangements for the parents andsupply of cool drinking water. The HealthDepartment appealed to the people to fullybenefit from the campaign for rooting out thisdisease. �ONLINE

KKAARRAACCHHII:: Baqai Institute of Diabetology &Endocrinology, in collaboration with apharmaceutical company, has arranged an awarenessprogramme about diabetic.In Pakistan, 7.1 million people are in a pre-diabeticstate that will develop diabetes in the coming years ifthey do not incorporate major lifestyle changes andadopt effective preventive measures, experts informedthe participants of the programme.They said that diabetic was a major challenge forhealthcare providers which needs serious attention ofprofessionals and policymakers to surmount thedeadly disease. According to a survey, prevalence of newly-diagnosed diabetes is five percent in men and 4.8percent in women of rural areas while 5.1 percent menand 6.8 percent women of urban areas are sufferedwith diabetes.Ambassador of Denmark Ole E Moesby said thatPakistan belongs to high prevalence diabetes areahaving 7.1 million affected people in 2010 withprojected estimates to double by 2030 and affect 13.8million people. �ONLINE

3m kids to be vaccinated asdrive against measles starts

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

KKAARRAACCHHII:: Asmat Siddiqui, mother of Dr AafiaSiddiqui, has said that the nation is anxiouslywaiting for the early release and repatriation ofher daughter besides the family but the rulers ofthis country have some other priorities.In a statement issued from the AafiaMovement on Sunday, she said that thecontinued imprisonment of Aafia, who isconsidered a global icon of women’s rights, wasa big question mark on the worldconsciousness. She said that the peace lovingpeople should raise a strong voice for herdaughter and help in securing her early releaseand repatriation.

On the issue of Pervez Musharraf ’simprisonment, she said it was right of theprisoners to meet their family members, so thegovernment must allow mother of the formerpresident to meet her son. She said that as themother of a jailed daughter she feels the painof the mother of the former president. Shehoped that the government would show mercyand compassion and call mother of PervezMusharraf from UAE and arrange her meetingwith her son.Asmat Siddiqui said that one mother alwaysfeels the pain and suKering of another mother.She said that she has been watching door for

the last 10 years, waiting for her daughter’sreturn. She said that when Musharraf was inpower she had telephoned his mother andrequested her for the recovery of her traJckeddaughter. She said she believed theMusharraf ’s mother would have told her sonabout her plea. She said though her daughterwas never released but still she wantsMusharraf ’s mother should be allowed to seeher son.She hoped that the government would takenotice of the confession of Musharraf thathanding over Dr Aafia to the US was an act oftreason, and take practical steps for early

repatriation of her daughter. She said that theUS administration was not taking intoconsideration the human values, familyrelations and sensitive motherly feelings incase of her jailed daughter.She appealed to all mothers to raise voice forher innocent daughter languishing in anAmerican jail away from her children forcrimes she never committed. She said thehistory would not forgive those who have jailedDr Aafia and also those who have kept a mumon this case of human rights violation, and aclassical example of traJcking of women andchildren. �ONLINE

All waiting for Aafia’s release, says mother� Asmat Siddiqui asks govt to call Musharraf’s mother from UAE, arrange her meeting with her son

KKAARRAACCHHII:: A pre budget seminar was organisedby the Southern Regional Committee of theInstitute of Chartered Accountants Pakistan tofinalise the recommendations for the budget2013-2014.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shahid HasanSiddiqi depicted glomming picture of economicindicators which was thought provoking for allparticipants. He highlighted that such an adverseeconomic scenario requires revolutionarycorrective measures to bring the ailing economyback on track. ICAP Chairman Shaikh SaqibMasood presented the proposals given by theICAP for the upcoming budget with details andshared ways how eKectively the FBR can createdeterrence and improve tax collection.Chief Commissioner Rehmatullah Wazir

emphasised on the eKective role thatparliamentary committee on budget can play bycollecting proposals and feedback from allstakeholders and then translating them intolegislation via Finance Act. Mr Wazir alsoemphasised on revenue collection by theprovinces which can be significantly increasedfrom its current level. He also commented onlack of enforcement and suggested utilization ofNADRA database to bring people into taxnetwork. Minister for Finance SM Shabbar Zaidiemphasised that federal budget 2013-2014 iscrucial for future economic stability and securityof Pakistan. He highlighted many basic issues faced bygovernment including undocumented economy,short fall in taxes, transparency and priority in

use of funds, policy tilt towards trade versesindustry, perennial shortfall in not foreignexchange and lack of basic economic researchand consequent reliance on western ideas. He said that government is mainly responsiblefor primary facilities like education and it can’tbe left for privatisation. He said that all inclusivegrowth needs to be adopted. Zaidi also deploredlack of economic research by academicinstitutes. He highlighted that there is no checkon wrong policy-making and that there is solereliance on western research which may becorrect. He also emphasised on the economics ofthe common man that should be the real nationalpriority. The seminar was attended by a largeaudience including members of the institute andprofessionals from various sectors. �ONLINE

ICAP prepares proposals for budget 13-14

Biabetes patientsmay double by 2030

LLAAHHOORREE:: Muhammad Ilyas, a PhD scholarof the Centre of Excellence in MolecularBiology, University of the Punjab, has beenselected as BIOVISION next fellow for2013.Earlier, Ilyas was invited to participate inBIOVISION forum in Lyon, France that wasattended by more than 3,000 participantsfrom all over the world. The scholar had alsowon two fellowships, awarded by theKorean Research Institute of Biosciencesand Biotechnology in 2009-10 and thePersonal Genomic Institute South Korea in2012-13 respectively.Since 2001, BIOVISION, the World LifeSciences Forum, invites about 100 promisingPhD students and post-doctorates from allover the world. The forum provides anopportunity to discuss and talk about themajor global challenges and how to meetthem in a better way and also how to fightwith them in future. �ONLINE

LLAAHHOORREE:: PPoolliiccee ssttaannddiinngg aalleerrtt ttoo aavveerrtt aannyy uunnttoowwaarrdd iinncciiddeenntt aatt JJiinnnnaahh HHoossppiittaall aass tthhee ffaammiillyy mmeemmbbeerrss ooffIInnddiiaann pprriissoonneerr SSaarraabbjjeeeett SSiinngghh vviissiitteedd hhiimm aatt tthhee hhoossppiittaall.. �ONLINE

HHYYDDEERRAABBAADD:: CCoommmmuutteerrss ffaacciinngg ddii,,ccuullttiieess dduuee ttoo cclloossiinngg ooff rrooaaddss aanndd ssuussppeennssiioonn ooff ttrraannssppoorrtt oonn tthheeddaayy ooff mmoouurrnniinngg aannnnoouunncceedd bbyy MMQQMM.. �ONLINE

PhD scholarselected aFrench fellow

KKAARRAACCHHII:: President Asif Ali ZardariSunday strongly condemned the bombblasts near the election oJces in Kohat andPeshawar that killed and injured severalpeople. The president urged the provincialauthorities to beef up security for thecandidates and their election oJces. He alsourged the authorities to provide best possibletreatment to the injured. He also conveyedhis condolences to the families of those wholost their lives and prayed to Almighty Allahto shower his blessings and rest the departedsouls in eternal peace. �AGENCIES

President asks KP govtto beef up security

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

AHMAD NABI

KKHHYYBBEERR AAGGEENNCCYY:: Like other partsof the country election, campaign hasentered its final stage in NA-46,Khyber Agency. The tribal districthas been split into two constituenciesfor National Assembly - NA-45which covers the tehsils Landi Kotaland Jamrud, while NA- 46 comprisesBara tehsil.The election campaign in NA-46 iscomparatively diLcult to other partsof the country as a huge portion ofBara population has been internallydisplaced due to militancy and forcesoperation. According to thereturning oLcer, 24 candidates fromNA-46 are contesting the up-comingelections. The contestants haveexpressed their displeasure over thescattered nature of campaigning andsay although their campaign is not aneasy task but they have no otherchoice but to ensure theirparticipation in the election.Shah Faisal, the Jamaat-e-Islam

(JI) candidate from NA-46, saidvoters of their constituency hadspread and residing in vast areas ofPeshawar and Nowshehra, addingthat he had to visit them one-by-.oneto convince them for voting him.Recalling his last election experience,another candidate Iqbal Afridi ofPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) saidin last elections when peace wasprevailing in the region, thecampaign in their home towns wasan eMortless activity; however,presently, it was a unique experiencethat the campaigning had beentaking place outside the constituency.He asked the government to facilitatethe IDPs voters so that they can bepersuaded to take part in the electionprocess in greater numbers.On the other hand, the voters of theconstituency showed their interest inthe elections but at the same timethey regretted over the poor securitymeasures and said the turnout wouldbe low, if suLcient securityarrangements were not ensured at

the polling stations.Shakeel, an internally displacedperson (IDP) from Bara andpresently residing in Nowshehra’sIDPs camp, says he wants to cast his

vote but fear of terrorism act like lastmonth blast in the IDPs fooddistributing centre that killed scoresof IDPs. Because of lack of securityhe would prefer to stay in the camp,

he remarked.It is worth mentioning that electioncommission has constituted 74polling stations for NA-46 and all hasbeen declared sensitive.

MMUUMMBBAAII:: More than five monthsafter 27-year-old Hamid Ansari lefthome for a job interview inAfghanistan his parents are stillunaware whether their son is dead oralive. Ansari was supposed to be backin a week. It is also believed that heallegedly crossed the borders andstepped into Pakistan territory torescue a female friend from theclutches of her family who wereplanning to get her married againsther wishes.Hamid's family has not heard fromhim ever since he set his foot inPakistan border in November 2012."Every day I live in the hope that hewill return one day. He was the light

and life of my family. I don't knowwhere he disappeared," said his teary-eyed mother Fauzia.Hamid is an engineering andmanagement graduate who waschanging jobs frequently when hewas in Mumbai. He was also an activemember and president of the RotaryClub in Mumbai. "He was not happywith the jobs he had. He wanted toget into operations side in aviationsector. He had given several jobinterviews in Mumbai but couldn'tclear them. He heard about theairline industry in Kabul and told methat opportunities there areimmense," said his mother, a juniorcollege teacher.

Fauzia did not like the idea andrefused outright. However, Hamidwent ahead and applied for visa andconvinced his family to let him go.Five months on, no trace ofmanagement grad who fled toPakistan via Afghan border to rescuea girl from a forced marriage.He left for Afghanistan onNovember 4. Hamid was on a three-month tourist visa to Afghanistan.“He was in touch with us for a periodof one week when he was inAfghanistan. He was supposed to beback home by November 15. But hedid not turn up and we did not hearfrom him thereafter,” said Hamid’sfather Nehal who is a bank employee.

Parents frantically tried to searchfor his whereabouts. They checked hisFacebook contacts and conversationsand got to know that he was in touchseveral friends in Afghanistan andPakistan through Rotary Club, whowere helping him cross the Afghanborder to reach Pakistan. Fortunatelyfor his parents, when they opened hislaptop they found he had not loggedout of his Facebook account and couldtherefore view some of his last chatswith friends.That's how the Ansaris learnt thatHamid wanted to help a girl, NadiaKhan of Kohat, who was apparentlydistressed over her impendingmarriage. “According to his Pakistani

friend who we got in touch with, hecrossed Afghan border of Jalalabadand reached Peshawar in Pakistan onNovember 12 and lived with him fortwo days. He had no other details.None of his other friends gave us anyinformation...they stopped pickingup our calls. We were left helpless,”said his mother.The family approached the localpolice and later the Afghanistanconsulate in Mumbai. "When he didnot return even after his visa periodexpired, we feared the worst," said hismother. They wrote letters to statechief minister, home minister andalso approached the ministry ofexternal aMairs in Delhi. We have

knocked every door possible. Theyhave assured us help but nothing hashappened yet. We just want our sonback,” said his brother Khalid, adentist by profession.Hamid’s parents fear that thiscould be part of a greaterconspiracy. “We hope he is not heldhostage by any terrorist group ormet with an accident. We don'tknow if he had entered Pakistanwithout proper visa and if he wassuspected to be a spy. Besides, if hewent to rescue the girl, he may be indanger from her family. I just wantsomebody to tell us in what conditionour child is – if he is alive or dead,"added the distraught mother. –ONLINE

Indian national goes missing after crossing Pak-Afghan border�Hamid Ansari from Mumbai went to Afghanistan in search of job, but had entered Pakistan to save a girl from forced marriage

Election campaign a tough job in Khyber’s NA-46�Candidates stretched as ongoing conflict has displaced majority of people and forced them to live in Peshawar, Nowshehra

OUR STAFF REPORTER

GGHHAALLAANNAAII:: A rally of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) workers was held on Sunday under the leadership of MalikDawood Khan, the nominated candidate from NA-36 Mohmand Agency. Rally started from Ekkaghound Bazaarand passing of diMerent areas reached to Mamad Gat Safi tehsil, hundreds convey of Pickups, Cars, coaches andmotor cycles takes parts in the rally. PTI workers held a walk in the Main Mandi bazaar; workers of PTI werechanting slogans like ‘Long Live Imran Khan’. They were carrying PTI flags and caps. Workers from tehsilHaleemzai, Ekkaghound, Prnag Ghar, Pandilai, Ambar, Safi, Khwezai and Baizai participated in the rally.Addressing on the occasion Malik Dawood Khan PTI nominated candidate from Mohmand Agency said thatImran khan has award party ticket purely on merit but he rejected the blames of some individuals which are againstthe party manifesto. He said that PTI will bring change in the country and there is a need of revolution in thecountry. Malik Dawood said that this time Mohmand tribesmen will vote to the PTI and will win seat from here. Helamented those ex-parliamentarians that they always deceive the tribal peoples and nothing for the progress anddevelopment of the area. He said that all the mohmand tribes trusted and assures me that they will support me inthe upcoming election. It will be mentioned that PTI Nazriati Group has also took out a rally in Main Mandi Bazaarand gathered here. After awarding party ticket to Malik Dawood khan diMerences erupted in Mohmand AgencyPTI and one group has announced Qari Rahim Shah their independent candidate for NA-36 Mohmand Agency, asthe Nazriati Group of the party daily conducts rallies in diMerent areas.

PTI holds rally in Mohmand Agency

MMUURRRREEEE:: PML-N chief NawazSharif on Sunday said that the youthof Pakistan were standing side-by-side his party which would bring areal revolution in the country.Addressing a public meeting atThe Mall, Nawaz said, “When hecriticises President Zardari for hiswrong deeds which resulted insuMering of masses, the Presidencyissues letter to the ElectionCommission but he has nothing topraise for PPP as they did nothingfor betterment for the nation.The PML-N chief said he playedcricket but also made the country anuclear power. He said the PPPwas running the election campaignon media because they could notface the nation.The former premier said he hadbuilt Islamabad-Murree Motorwayand other development projects inMurree and its joining areas.Nawaz vowed to build railway linkbetween Rawalpindi to Murree andMuzaMarabad, promised toestablish international slanderedmedical, engineering andagriculture universities and state-of-the-art hospital in Murree.The PML-N president said thathis party had carried out nucleartests and enabled the nation toconfront the enemy bravely. Hesaid that his party spread a net ofmotorways and constructed acoastal highway, Gwadar Port andintroduced scores ofdevelopmental schemes.

Nawaz said he was determined tolead the country on the path ofhonour and dignity. He highlightedvarious achievements of his previoustwo-time tenures as a primeminister and said if the PML-N hadbeen allowed to complete its tenure;the Pakistan would have been puton way to progress.The PML-N president said hemade the country an atomic powerbut ill-conceived and unwisepolicies pushed the country toproblems. He said powerloadshedding in the country hadmade lives of the people miserableand damaged industrial andmanufacturing sectors.He said energy crisis had also leftunprecedented unemployment,lawlessness and poverty in thecountry, adding that the countrywas facing one of the lowesteconomic growths which hadfurther aggravated problems of themasses. He said, "The PML-N hasalways rendered commendableservices to improve socio-economicconditions and it has taken alldecisions strictly on merit."He said the PML-N would alsostrive hard for the well-being ofmasses instead of any personal gainsafter coming to power as it wantedto see Pakistan one of the mostvibrant country moving towardsprogress and prosperity. PML-Ncandidate from NA-50 ShahidKhaqan Abbasi and others alsoaddressed the gathering. –ONLINE

CCHHIINNIIOOTT:: AA ddeessppeerraattee aatttteemmpptt bbyy WWAAPPDDAA wwoorrkkeerrss ttoo kkeeeepp ssyysstteemm rruunnnniinngg aatt aa rrooooffttoopp ooff aa bbuuiillddiinngg iinn aa llooccaall mmaarrkkeettwwhheerree ppoowweerr ccaabblleess aarree hheelldd bbyy bbrriicckkss.. –ONLINE

MMUURRRREEEE:: PPMMLL--NN cchhiieeff MMiiaann NNaawwaazz SShhaarriiff aaddddrreessssiinngg aa ppuubblliicc ggaatthheerriinngg aatt TThhee MMaallll oonn SSuunnddaayy.. –ONLINE

PPEESSHHAAWWAARR:: KhyberPakhtunkhwa GovernorEngineer Shaukatullahcondemned attacks onelection offices in Kohatand Peshawar.The governor expressedsorrow and grief over theloss of precious lives andurged the people tosupport law enforcementagencies so as to root outthe evil of terrorism. He expressed deepsympathies with themembers of affectedfamilies and prayed forthe eternal peace of thedeparted soul ofdeceased. –ONLINE

DDIIRR:: Five people, including the bride,were killed when unidentified gunmenopened fire on a wedding party in anarea of Lower Dir in KhyberPakhtunkhwa province, officials said onSunday. Officials said the incident tookplace in Jandola Samar Bagh wherearmed men attacked vehicles of the

wedding party, leaving five people dead.The bride and two other women werealso killed as the wedding party wastravelling from Samar Bagh to Tatararea. Police cited old enmity as reasonbehind the awful incident, adding thattwo people were also injured in theattack. The dead and injured were

shifted to Lower Dir civil hospital.Police claimed that the attackers, whomanaged to flee from the scene, werehailing from Bajaur Agency borderingAfghanistan. It is a shameful fact thehundreds of lives are lost in Pakistanevery year in family and tribal conflictstriggered by honour. –ONLINE

Bride among five killed as wedding party attacked in Lower Dir

TTP warn againstusing Islam for votes

Nawaz saysyouth supportPML-N�Says PPP’s electioneering limited tomedia as they cannot face people

PPEESSHHAAWWAARR:: The future of more than 300teachers of Frontier Education Foundation(FEF) colleges is at stake as theadministration is deciding to remove thefoundation.Sources told Online all preparations havebeen completed to remove FEF after thecaretaker government of KhyberPakhtunkhwa assumed its responsibility.The future on teaching and non-teachingstaM is at stake, fighting against ignorancein down-trodden areas of the provincesince 11 years.Sources further said that earlier the ANPgovernment had decided to regularize thestaM of FEF by keeping in view theirperformance. However, they were notregularized due to negligence of that timeProvincial Education Minister KPK andoLcials of education department.Moreover, the Higher EducationDepartment (HED) also did not takeeMective steps for the regularization of FEFstaM. Now the future of FEF staM is stake dueto the provincial education department andHigher Education Department.It is pertinent to mention here thatPeshawar High Court (PHC) also issued itsverdict on the plea of FEF teachers toregularize them; however, nothing has beendone to implement the orders of the court.The staM of FEF have appealed to the ChiefJustice of Pakistan Iftikhar MuhammadChaudhry to provide them security. –ONLINE

Future ofFEF collegesteachers at stake

PPEESSHHAAWWAARR:: Failure of inept, ineLcientCommunication and Works Department,the KP government has decided to transferrehabilitation, rebuilding of schoolsdemolished, damaged from naturalcalamities and terrorism to army.The department’s meeting convened by thechief secretary decided in presence of armypersonnel that schools damaged in Southerndistricts would be rehabilitated, rebuilt byarmy’s Engineer Corps.It is pertinent to note that schoolsdamaged by natural calamities and terroristbombings were left unattended for quitesome time, aMecting thousands of anxiousand disappointed students. –ONLINE

Army to rebuilddamaged schools

KKAARRAACCHHII:: Pasban Pakistan President AltafShakoor has expressed his concern, that thefailing economy was aMecting the Pakistanisociety, further deepening politicalinstability and chaos.“Persisting load shedding, worseninglawlessness and unbridled corruption haveeroded the very foundations of this nation;something the ruling class has yet to put intoperspective, taking an aggressive role to checkthis national downslide”, he stated here onSunday. He termed the load shedding ofelectricity as the second biggest conspiracyagainst Nation, after separation of EastPakistan, which had already doomedPakistan’s economy.He said that a decade or so ago Pakistanwas in position to export its surpluselectricity to India; however, the vestedinterests in a systematic manner damagedthe electricity sector of Pakistan incamouflage of diMerent issues includingterrorism, sectarianism, extremism andpolitical polarization.“All these successful evil designs haveresulted in the present bleak scenario whereelectricity is too costly and too scarce tosustain Pakistani industry”, he expressed,adding that it was a deadly blow toPakistani economy , and whose far-reachingnegative consequences were seldomrecognized by people. –ONLINE

‘Poor economyaMecting society’

�Say religious parties, including JI, are not sincere inimplementing Islamic system

OUR STAFF REPORTER

MMAARRDDAANN:: The local chapter of Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) on Sunday sent a letter to theMardan Press Club written on its letterheadthrough postal service, warning thecandidates and leaders of the religiousparties, particularly the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI),against using the name of Islam.“Stop using religious anthems during theelection campaign and corner and publicmeetings,” the letter said, adding that thereligious parties were not sincere inimplementing an Islamic system. It said themeetings and candidates of religious parties

would be attacked if they did not pay heed tothe warning. However, there was no nameand signature of anyone on the letter, whichsaid that it had been issued by the TTPMardan Khas unit, a union council of PK-23.Mardan DPO Tahir Ayub also confirmedthe letter and said that two religious partieshad been mentioned in that letter.It is worth recalling that the TTP hasalready declared the democratic system andelections an un-Islamic exercise. It hasclaimed responsibility for all the recentattacks on various political parties, especiallythe ANP, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa andKarachi.

Jamaat-e-Islami Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl

Governorcondemnspoll violence

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

THE SPOKESMANChief Editor: Huma Ali

Executive Editor: Atif MateenResident Editor: Saeed Minhas

Consulting Editors: Jalees Hazir Samina Choonara

Monopolising Islam for political ends

Last week, the Election Commission ofPakistan updated its code of conduct,and the act of seeking votes on thebasis of religion or sect was declaredan oTence. Briefing reporters, a seniorECP oScial said political parties,candidates and their supporters mustnot campaign against anyone on thebasis of religion, ethnicity, caste orgender, and must refrain fromspeeches arousing parochial andsectarian emotions.JUI-F chiefMaulana Fazlur Rehman

took exception to the ECP ban statingthat it stands against the ideology ofPakistan.History bears testimony tothe fact that the JUI-F, the Pakistanichapter of JUI-Hind andCongress ally,had opposed the PakistanMovementandwished to see a united India. Theother religious party, Jamat-e-Islami,had also opposed the PakistanMovement but for diTerent reasons.The JUI-F had held that it did notbelieve in the nation state, and the JIhad held thatMuslimLeague leaders,includingMuhammedAli Jinnah, werenot practicingMuslims; hence notqualified to run an Islamic state.It is ironical that parties that had

opposed the creation of Pakistan and itsleaders and declared that they neitherbelieved in the two-nation theory nor inthe ideology of Pakistan, have nowbecome champions of Islamic ideologyand insist on imposing their version ofIslam.Of course, apart from a fewscholars, Allama Shabbir AhmedUsmani was the only renownedMuslim scholar who had supportedJinnah and theMuslimLeague in theirstruggle for a separate homeland forMuslims of the subcontinent.After the sad demise of Jinnah, the

leader and founder of the nation,political parties that had opposed thePakistanMovement usedAllamaShabbir AhmedUsmani to get theObjectives Resolution passed in theConstituent Assembly in 1949.According to theResolution, the nationwas to seek guidance from theQuranand Sunnah and not to enforce Sharia.In 1956, the first Constitution ofPakistanwas framed and the countrybecame the Islamic Republic of

Pakistan. In the 1973 Constitution, itwas stipulated that no lawwould bemade contrary toQuran and Sunnah.Jinnah, asQuaid-i-Azam, had

envisioned Pakistan to be amodernprogressive state, rooted in the eternalvalues of our religionwhile responsiveto the imperatives of constant change.His vision for Pakistanwas obviousfromhis address before the ConstituentAssembly on 11 August 1947. Themostremarkable part of this speechwas hisassurance to the people of Pakistan,including theminorities, that theirfundamental rights, liberties andfreedomwould bewell-protected. ‘Youare free; you are free to go to yourtemples; you are free to go to yourmosques or to any other place of

worship in this State of Pakistan. Youmay belong to any religion or caste orcreed that has nothing to dowith thebusiness of the State,’ he had declaredbefore the Constituent Assembly. Atanother occasion, he hadmade itabsolutely clear that Pakistanwas notgoing to be a theocratic state to be ruledby thosewho claim to have a divinemission.It is amatter of record that Jinnah

had not even hinted at the enforcementof the Sharia in Pakistan because hewas aware of the fact that every sectwould come out with its owninterpretation of theQuran andSunnah. And the resultant conflict andclashes between the sects could lead tobloodshed, whichwe see happeningtoday. Unfortunately, we lost Quaid-i-Azam too soon, and the bureaucracy,feudalist politicians and thosewho hadopposed Pakistan andQuaid-i-Azam,assumed the role of champions of the

cause of Islam. The ConstituentAssembly that framed the 1973Constitution did notmake theObjectives Resolution a part of theConstitution, though it wasunanimously adopted by all the partiesin theNational Assembly, includingreligious parties. However, PresidentGeneral Zia-ul-Haqmade theObjectives Resolution a preamble tothe Constitution.In thewake of Afghan jihad, there

wasmushroomgrowth ofmadaris, andthe then leadership could not visualisethat these forces would one day causecolossal damage to the polity and socialfabric of Pakistan. Indeed, religiousextremists did take advantage of theObjectives Resolution andwere of the

view that Pakistan did not need aConstitutionwhen they had theHolyQuran. In fact, they do not believe indemocracy, constitutionalism and therule of law, but wish to advance theirpolitical agenda in the name of Islam.In Swat,Maulvi Fazlullah’s rejection ofPakistan’s courts, the Constitution andthe Parliament is a case in point.Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hasplayed havoc in the country byattacking schools,mosques,imambargahs, shrines of sufi saints andsufi poets. They have killed thousandsof people includingwomen andchildren in the name of religion.But howdid things come to such a

pass? In the late 1970swhen the formerSoviet Union landed its forces inAfghanistan, there was resistance bythe Afghans. Funded by theUnitedStates and Saudi Arabia, the Pakistanarmy, its intelligence service, the ISI,and armed religious groupswere

united towage a jihad against theSoviets in the 1980s. Between 1982 and1990, the CIA, workingwith the ISIand Saudi Arabia's intelligence service,funded the training, arrival, and armingof some 35 000 Islamicmilitants from43Muslim countries.Since 9/11, Pakistan's alliancewith

theUnited States in thewar inAfghanistan has ledmany of thesegroups to turn on the Pakistani State.Some political and religious partiesopenly support the Taliban, whileothers do not condemn them forattacking and killing army personnel,massacring Shias and for imposingtheir version of Islam throughviolence and coercion. Both majorpolitical parties, whether it is thesecular Pakistan People's Party (PPP)or the centre-right PML-N of NawazSharif, have used Islam for short-termpolitical gains.The fact is that Islamheralded the

end of the ancient world of oppression,inequality and injustice, of pride andprivileges based on distinctions of race,colour and creed. It stands for religiousliberalism, which is borne out byexhortation in theHolyQuran thatthere is no compulsion in religion. Butthe ulema belonging to diTerentschools of thought have created sects bymisinterpreting Islamic injunctions.In 1953, after the Ahmedi riots, in the

course of the inquiry JusticeMunirpointedly asked everyMuslim scholarwho appeared before him if he knew ofa definition of Islamwhich could beacceptable to other sects as well. NotwoMuslim scholars could agree on asingle definition of what Islamwas. Inthe case of one particular scholar, hewanted somemore time to think overit. Justice Kayani, whowas also part ofenquiry commission, said: ‘I cannotgive youmore time because you havealready takenmore than fourteenhundred years to ponder over thisquestion. Is that not enough?’More than fourteen hundred years

ago, Islam gave themessage of peace,justice, human dignity, reason andlight. Thosewhomisinterpret Islam asa dogmatic, conservative, upholder ofobscurantism in fact deviate from thesimple, rational and humane spirit ofIslam, and are thus enemies of Islam.THE WRITER IS A FREELANCE COLUMNIST

Block 11, G-6/1, Aabpara, IslamabadTelephone: 051 260 7153-4

Fax: 051 260 [email protected]

More than fourteen hundred years ago,Islam gave the message of peace, justice,human dignity, reason and light. Thosewho misinterpret Islam as a dogmatic,conservative, upholder of obscurantismin fact deviate from the simple, rationaland humane spirit of Islam, and arethus enemies of Islam

Role of the judiciary

I feel that your newspaper is notadequately covering the biggestchange that has come to not justPakistan’s politics but is a watershed inits entire history. The superiorjudiciary has taken on theestablishment in trying the formerdictator General Pervez Musharrafand investigating cases of forceddisappearances.Unfortunately, a whole campaign

has been launched by forces of thestatus quo and the well-entrenched

power elite against the institution andthe honourable judges. Obviously, theydo not want anything to disrupt theexploitative power structure that hasmade the citizens of this rich landmiserable, poor and uneducated.These people have come up with manyspurious reasons to attack the courtsand never leave an opportunity tomalign it and make it controversial.Many charges have been leveled

against the Supreme Court that hasset an example of working for thepublic interest. It was said that thecourts are working at the behest of thesecurity establishment to derail thedemocratic process. Without takinginto account the vacuum ofgovernance left by the politicalgovernments, the courts wereblamed for encroaching upon thedomain of the executive and theparliament every time it tried toreign in the abuse of power bygovernment officials. Even the sonof the Chief Justice was dragged intoa controversy with the explicitpurpose of maligning the courts. Noattention was paid to the landmark

judgments passed by the courts thatmade the law work for ther under-privileged instead of the powerful elitefor the first time in our country’shistory.The Supreme Court has set a

precedent and given much hope inpointing to a better, more responsivestate apparatus. And it is not just thistrial but the several public interestlitigations in process that I feel need tobe highlighted and followed by thisdynamic new newspaper that pitchesitself as pro people and publishes onlyin Islamabad, the scene of the action.

FAISAL ANSARI

ISLAMABAD

Film revivalism

After a few brief discussions on thelocal cinema, it is unfortunate thatthere are no more commentsforthcoming in your newspaper. Thepopular medium has been taken overby the Indian industry and by thirdrate Hollywood films. But there are no

reviews or discussions of two newexperimental films released locally,including Chambeli, this thread needsto be picked up again to provide aboost to local talent and at least tobegin the discussion on how themedium is struggling to get out of its1990s morass.

ASIF RAZA

LAHORE

The IPI gas pipeline

It is unfortunate that a big countrylike India allowed itself to beblackmailed and arm-twisted by theUS into opting out of the IPI gaspipeline which could have played avery important role in enhancingregional cooperation.Divide and rule has been the pet

ploy of imperialist powers who makeneighbours fight each other to makethem weaker and hence morevulnerable to their power games. Itis a pity that our leaders still can’tsee the light and are still duped by

them. It was refreshing to know thatthere are thinkers in India who arearguing for reviving the project andI hope we are able to overcome thehurdles and create a vital linkjoining Iran, Pakistan and India.

SAMINA BASIT

RAWALPINDI

Soda Pop?

It is amazing to me that the popularmusic group Noori has succumbedto commercial advertising tosurvive. Once seen as cutting edge, itis now splayed across hugebillboards all over the citypromoting an international brand ofsoda pop.The way the band members are

dressed and the message they give oftaking the soda to schools is patheticpromotion of global multinationalsand their unhealthy fizy drinks.There may be no ethics toadvertising but whatever happenedto Noori’s angst and the angry

dreams of making things new? Anycomments in your paper on that?

SYLVAT JAMIL

Grand Trunk roadI recently traveled on the GT roadfrom Lahore to Islamabad and waspleasantly surprised to see that ithas become a first class highway. Myearlier experience on the road wasnothing short of a nightmare. Theroad passes through a beautifullandscape, and especially after youcross Gujrat and leave theindustrialized and over-populatedcentral region of Punjab behind. Theplains and the Potohar region wereso soothing to the nerves. I hope thatother highways in the country arealso upgraded in a similar fashion.

JALIL HUSSAIN

RAWALPINDI

Please email your letters [email protected] or postthem to our address in Islamabad.

MOHAMMAD JAMIL

At least six people were killed and dozens others injured inexplosions on Saturday, as terrorists continued to target politicalparties in a bid to disrupt general elections. The PPP,MQMandANP are avoiding big public meetings to avert anymajor disaster.Though the TTPmilitants are opposed to the very concept ofdemocracy, they have identified these coalition partners in theprevious government as their main target and have stepped up theirattacks on the oSces andmeetings of the three parties. Meanwhile inSibi, at least four people were injured whenmilitants lobbed a handgrenade at an election oSce of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). Last week, theconvoy of PML-N Balochistan president, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri,was attacked in Khuzdar, and though he escaped unhurt, his son,brother and nephewwere killed, and another 25 people injured, inthe bomb blast. Clearly, more needs to be done to bring the securitysituation under control for the holding of fair elections.In Balochistan, the terrorist attacks aremeant to scare people away

from the elections and the separatist organisations are attacking everyparty that is participating in the process that could pave the way forintegration of the alienated people of the province in the nationalmainstream. Even nationalist parties who speak for the rights of theBaloch and believe in setting right the wrongs of the past through afair democratic process have been threatened by thesemilitant groupsclaiming to represent aspirations of the people. On Saturday,thousands of teachers in the province announced their categoricalrefusal to perform duties in the upcoming election in 11 districts ofBalochistan on account of threats delivered to them viamessages andpamphlets. ETorts are beingmade to disrupt the democratic processand to create chaos, confusion and anarchy. Elections are only twoweeks away, yet inmany parts of the country the campaign activity islackluster due to the threats and attacks by themilitants.The PPP,MQMandANP say that their campaigns are

handicapped, whereas the PML-N and Tehrik-e-Insaf continue theirhectic campaign in Punjab. The three parties are being targetedmainly in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and cannot beabsolved completely of the lawlessness prevalent in these areas. Forfive years, they were partners in the federal and the Sindhgovernments, and the PPP and ANP ruled the roost in KP. Theyfailed to bring an assortment of heavily armed criminal gangs andmafias under control due to their partisan approach towardsgovernance. All three are known to harbour armedwings and noserious eTorts weremade for deweaponisation. InKarachi, despiteclear directives by the SupremeCourt, they did not reform the heavilypoliticised police force packedwith political appointees and oScerswith criminal charges against them. Even the caretaker setup in Sindhwas handpicked by the PPP andMQM, flouting democratic principles.Ensuring security in the run-up to the elections and on the day of

elections was identified as the most important task for thecaretaker governments and they seem to have failed in fulfillingtheir responsibility. It is high time they put their act together onthis most important count.

Terrorising democracy

Last week, we suTered two acts of domesticterrorism. Despite the striking parallels -massive explosions, comparable carnage,failures of governmental agencies meant tokeep us safe, nefarious and radical ideologies- only one of the tragedies fits ourinexplicably odd and narrow definition of“terrorism.” The Boston Marathon bombingswill shape our national dialogue, saturate themedia, and potentially aTect policy into theforeseeable future, while the larger, deadlierblast in Texas will soon be forgotten, written oTas an unfortunate accident, unworthy ofserious reflection.Hell, not even the Boston bombing fits the

evil cookie cutter well enough for some. Theusual schmucks - Michele Bachmann, GlennBeck, et al - are still chasing down melanin-rich Saudi national conspiracies. As the NewYork Post predicted, in their own special way,the Tsarnaev brothers were too Caucasian(literally), too American, to conform to ourpreconceived notion of the terrorist. But theyhad Allah, and that’s all you need.White people are not terrorists. John Wilkes

Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Adam Lanza,Charles Manson, Tim McVeigh, Ted Kaczynski,Eric Rudolph, Joe Stack, George Metesky,

Byron De La Beckwith, James Kopp, etc, etc(the list goes on and on) are criminals. They’renot portrayed as an imminent, existentialthreat that needs to be stopped - at the cost ofour own civil liberties. A representative of theNAACP (National Association for theAdvancement of Caucasian People) is notexpected to denounce their respective acts ofterror. Larry the Cable Guy doesn’t have todistance himself from their radicalisedperversion of whiteness.Even if Edgar Winter blew up the Sear’s

Tower, as long as he shouted “Allahu Akbar!”before hitting the detonator, he’d miraculouslybe seen as a swarthy other, sparking debateover whether he should be Mirandised, or triedby a military tribunal. We expect Muslims to beCNN’s “dark-skinned” individual. Evenpurported “intellectuals” like Sam Harris thinkit’s possible to profile Muslims at airports. Heand many others have failed to notice thatIslam - moderate to radical - is a belief system,not a physical characteristic.Indeed, we have peculiar criteria for what

constitutes terrorism - the thing that’s nearlydominated our national dialogue for over a

decade. With a dozen more casualties in Texasthan in Boston, almost as many wounded, a 93feet wide and 10 feet deep crater, roughly 150houses and buildings destroyed, and anestimated $150 million in damages, it’s notabout raw death tolls or sheer destruction. Andin 2011, for example, Americans wereapproximately 270 times more likely to die atwork than they were in a terrorist attack. Whatdoes and what does not register as a dangerousthreat to America (or at least Americancitizens), and all the various ways it needs to bedealt with, is more a matter of our ownpsychology and the particular threat’s cast ofcharacters, its plot arc, its entertainment value.It’s easy - too easy - to wrap our collective

minds around the idea that outsiders, evil-doers motivated by a radical and alien religionare hell-bent on attacking our tribe, destroyingour way of life. Whatever that means. It’s veryhuman. Caricatured as it may be, the threat hasa face. It’s a bad Hollywood script, featuringthe clichéd super-villain. And a shootout on acollege campus, a city on lockdown, a livemanhunt set to Wolf Blitzer’s nasally refrain, ‘Idon’t know what’s going on’, is just damn

exciting television.Far less fun is the exploration of the familiar,

the institutional, internalised radical ideologythat’s woven into the very fabric of our economicsystem so tightly we often fail to see it.The buck may stop with Donald Adair in this

case, groups like the Chamber of Commercewho’ve been demonising Nixon’s OccupationalHealth and Safety Administration as a “jobkiller” for 40 years, and the Republican goonswho slashed OSHA’s budget in 2011, but thegeneral facelessness of unregulated capitalismisn’t as engaging as watching a police standoTwith an armed and wounded suspect in a boat.There are 14 deaths, and roughly 8,000

workplace injuries, each day in this country,but they don't make the kind of sexy reality TVthat boosts ratings and ad revenue.By now we all know the boring story: The

West Chemical and Fertilizer Co. hadn’t beenfully inspected by OSHA since 1985 (OSHA’s sounderfunded that it can only inspect thesetypes of plants once every 129 years).The plant contained 1,350 times the legal

limit of extremely volatile ammoniumnitrate,failing to notify the Department of Homeland

Security. Shockingly, the plant lacked basicsafety equipment like fire alarms, blast walls,shut-oT valves, and even sprinklers. And the lastpartial inspection by theDepartment ofTransportation/Pipeline andHazardousMaterials Administration resulted in finestotaling $5,250. This disaster was an “accident”in the way crossing the street with your eyesclosed is “safe”. But it’s simply cheaper forcompanies to take the slap on the wrist and paythemeager fine than it is to ensure their workersdon’t get blown up, crushed in amine collapse,engulfed in an oil fire, etc. These sorts oftoothless penalties are now baked into the costof business. It’s a simple cost/benefit analysis.It’s not terrorism; it’s a commonplace

maximisation of profit. It’s Libertarianism atwork. And that’s pretty dull. Apparently, youneed Islam and shadowy, “radicalising” figuresto really turn Wolf Blitzer’s head. Andaccording to Rusty, Adair’s radical ideology isjust too mundane for primetime. It’severywhere. It’s mostly preventable. And it killsmore innocent Americans than Islamicextremists ever will.

(THE PROGRESSIVE)

Terrorism by any other name

It is ironical that parties that had opposed the creation of Pakistanand the foundingleaders have now become champions of an Islamic ideology of Pakistan and insiston imposing their version of Islam on Pakistani citizens through coercion

IAN MURPHY It’s not terrorism; it’s a commonplace maximisation of profit. It’s Libertarianism at work. And that’s prettydull. Apparently, you need Islam and shadowy, “radicalising” figures to really turn Wolf Blitzer’s head

ThIRSTy CITIeS - V

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

When theArab Spring reachedEgyptin 2011, Egyptians thronged the streetsin protest against the dictatorship ofPresidentHosniMubarak. TheTahrirSquare in the heart of Cairowas thefocal point of this EgyptianRevolution, which succeeded inendingMubarak’s 30 year reign, thelongest inEgypt’s history.Whathappened in those 18 days of revoltingwas perhaps the culmination of thenation-wide hatred forMubarak’sstifling autocratic rule, which had longoutlasted its shelf-life. Thisdisapproval of the thenPresident andhis government, was even evidentwhen I visitedEgypt in 2008.What originally started out as a

tennis trip soon becamemuchmorethan just that.We (myparents and I)landed earlymorning inCairo beforetaking a cab forAinAl Sokhna, the siteof the first tournament. A littlemorethan anhour outside of the capital,this picturesque beach resort lay onthewestern shore of theRed Sea’s Gulfof Suez.We realisedwewere headedfor someplace fancy when the taxidriver insisted we get our water stockfrom Cairo.With its white sandybeaches, cool sea breeze at night timeand unspoiled clear water, Ain AlSokhna was a perfect weekendgetaway for Cairenne families. Theidea of holding an internationaltennis event in this luxurious holidayresort wasmore of a touristattraction than anything else.After aweek or so of lavish buTet

meals and sun bathing at the beach,wemade ourway toCairo. There areprobably very few places in the worldmore historically rich than Cairo.From the reign of Pharaohs in ancientEgypt, theHellenic rule of Cleopatra,the Ottoman Empire to the Britishcolonisation, each has left its mark onthis city. I distinctly relived myhistory lessons from school, whenmummies and pyramids were just afigment ofmy imagination.If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from

allmy travels around the globe, it is toalways refrain frommaking yourtourist identity too obvious. Chancesare the opportunist local salesman ortour guidewill exploit it and rip youoT.Nowhere else didwe find a betterexample of this than at the PyramidsofGiza. The normal thing to dowould’ve been to purchase an entryticket and explore the Pyramids andtheGreat Sphinx on our own. Butwemade the rookie’smistake of hiring theservices of a guide.Now thiswasn’tjust any other guide.Hewas themostcunning,moneyminting guidewecould possiblymuster.Taking us round the back, through a

shady little alley, with a randomdetourinto a perfume shop, this curly haired,loudmouthedEgyptian forcefullyhopped us onto two camels and apony. I thinkwe spent a good hourriding in the Sahara desert sun to thesound of our guide’s continuousstorytelling, before the actualPyramids became visible. Oncewe

finally reached our destination, wequickly got oT our rides for a fewpictures before handing out a bigchunk of cash. Apart from thecountless historical lessons learntthat day, here was another one forthe books; the “only too willing tohelp” men on the streets of Cairo caneasily take you for a ride!TraScwas a serious issue inCairo. I

thought theKarachi traScwas amenace, but the bumper to bumper,hour long traSc jams inDowntownCairo topped that. For the duration ofour stay inCairo, the tournamentorganiser had arranged for a taxidriver to take us around the city. Thisfifty-something, heavyEgyptianwasan interestingman.Hewould openlyvoice his opinion about absolutelyanything, be it politics, the state ofaTairs inEgypt or the traSc.Hisfrantic gestures and loud cries of“Yallah” (“hurry up” inArabic) everytimewe got stuck in traSc andhisdisdainful remarkswhenwewouldpass the president’s statue kept usentertained.He insisted that if werefrained from talking, we could easilypass ourselves oT as localswith ourcurly hair and features.Our visit to theEgyptianMuseum

failed tomeetmy lofty expectations.With no photography allowed inside,this dusty, double storeymuseumwaskept unusually dark to preserve theantiquities.With bold Pharaonictombs andmummies dominating thecollection, therewasn’t anyOttomanEmpire representation.Moreover,many artifacts had either beenremoved or relocated by theBritish.Cairo is also home to theworld

renownedAl-AzharUniversity, one ofthe oldest surviving universities in theworld. Associatedwith theAl-Azharmosque, this centre of Islamic learningis the only one to survive as amodernuniversitywith secular subjects in thecurriculum.Aswe scanned thishistoric university, we noticed howdiTerent Islamic eraswere representedthrough variations in the architectureand embellishments. The expansive,marble paved interior courtyardwas acontribution of the Fatimid period,while theminaretswere built by theMamluks. The university aestheticallyblends the diTerent influences ofEgyptian history. Towards the end ofour trip, we took the famousNilecruise at night. Slowly gliding throughthewater, while indulging inEgyptiangourmet food, withArabmusic playedin the background and a belly danceron deck, thiswas truly anEgyptianexperience.Of themany souks foundin Cairo, Khan el-Khalili also knownas the Turkish Bazaar during theOttoman Empire, is a major touristattraction. Filled with unique andexotic items from spices andperfumes to jewelry and souvenirs,our bargaining skills were tested tothe fullest in this busy and colorfulopen-air bazaar.WatchingEgypt literally become a

war zone three years after our returnonly reminded us of the dismal state ofaTairs back then.However, the sceneson televisionwere a far cry fromhowwe sawCairo. And irrespective ofwhatthe future holds for Egypt and itspeople, one thing is for certain: nodictator can erase its wealth of history.

THE WRITER IS A FREELANCER

TheUnited States and the Central IntelligenceAgency have never acknowledged the potentialfor “blowback”, or negative fallout, from theirmilitary and covert actions. The Watergateburglary by the veterans of the Bay of Pigs wasan obvious example of blowback. CIA’s supportfor the anti-Soviet mujahideen in the 1980sproved particularly damaging, because themujahideen provided weaponry to fuelconflicts in the Balkans and the Sudan andtrained the terrorists who would attack us athome, including the bombing of theWorldTrade Center in 1993.Former CIA director Robert Gatesmay

believe that support to themujahideenwas theCIA’s “greatest success,” but don’t tell that to USsoldiers andMarines in Afghanistan who havehad to deal with formermujahideen forces, suchas theHaqqani andHekmatyar networks, forthe past decade. TheUnited Statesinadvertently created, trained, and sustained aninfrastructure of terror that exported terrorwrapped in the language of religious war.Nowwe are dealing with an updated version

of “blowback”, a series of terrorist attacks in theUnited States where perpetrators claim theirinspiration is theUS “war on Islam”. They citethe use of USmilitary power and CIAoperations inMuslim countries. The survivingBostonMarathon bomber, who contends thathe acted to counter US policies in Iraq andAfghanistan, is the latest example.But he is one ofmany. Osama bin Laden

claimed that he targeted theUnited Statesbecause of the “occupation” of Saudi Arabia andits holy places by theUSmilitary. Faisal

Shahzad, a Pakistani immigrant whowent tocollege in Connecticut, said he left a SUVpackedwith explosives in Times Square becauseof US drone strikes in Pakistan.Major NidalMalikHasan killed 13 people at Fort Hood,Texas in 2009 because of USmilitary strikes intheMiddle East and the Persian Gulf.Najibullah Zazi, an Afghan-American, planneda suicide attack onNewYork City’s subwaysystem because of theUS role in Afghanistan.The attack on the Benghazi consulate last

year focused on the US intelligence platform ineastern Libya. The groups claimingresponsibility for the Benghazi attack had beentargeted by US intelligence throughoutSouthwest Asia andNorth Africa. Any USintelligence component is a likely target of thewrath of militant and terrorist organisationsbecause of the CIA’s key role in the war onterror and the increasingly widespread use ofdrone aircraft.TheUnited States has been single-minded

and narrow-minded in dealing with terrorism,believing that a unilateral use ofmilitary powerwould provide the best protection for itsinterests.We have used unwieldymilitaryinstruments, such as armed drones, to counterthe threat. There is increased evidence that themilitarisation of US foreign policy and theincreased operational tempo of theUSmilitaryitself is creatingmanymore terrorists andinsurgents than it is destroying. Secretary ofDefense Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged thisfact ten years ago, andmore recently the former

commander of US forces in Afghanistan,General StanleyMcChrystal, did the same. AYemeni activist told a subcommittee of theSenate Judiciary Committee on 23 April 2013,that a single drone strike creates a greaterhatred of theUnited States than the actions ofYemeni insurgents.Just as a bipartisan panel in the 1950s, the

Doolittle Committee, declared that there were‘no rules’ in the global competition with theSoviet Union and that ‘hitherto acceptablenorms of human conduct do not apply’, whichled to themisuse of the CIA and a series ofmisbegotten covert actions from the 1950s tothe early 1970s, theWar on Terror became thejustification for another surge in illegal CIAactivities, including the use of torture and abuse,secret prisons, and extraordinary renditions.These tactics raise importantmoral andhumanitarian questions and compromise thestrategic quest for international stability.The “creativity” of theUnited States in using

the CIA as amilitary weapon has not beenmatched by the use of diplomacy in theinternational arena. At the outset of his firstterm, President BarackObama sent strongsignals regarding the need for diplomacy andconciliation as opposed to President Bush’semphasis onmilitary force and covert action.President Obama even named three so-calledtsars for diplomatic dealings with theMiddleEast (GeorgeMitchell), Iran (Dennis Roth), andAfghanistan-Pakistan (RichardHolbrooke). Itwas soon obvious that the tsars were isolated

and ignored withinHillary Clinton’sDepartment of State andGeneral James Jones’National Security Council. The example ofHolbrook was particularly revealing because,unlike his colleagues, Holbrook had actual ideasabout using a prisoner exchange to get theTaliban to talks similar to the Dayton talks forBosnia or Rambouillet for Kosovo in the 1990s.But the Pentagon - backed by congressionalconservatives - opposed any prisoner releasethat would possibly lead to putting Talibanfighters back on the battlefield. The Pentagon iseven dragging its heels in implementing furtherwithdrawal of forces fromAfghanistan.The end of the ColdWar dramatically

widened the area of diplomacy and conciliationin US foreign policy, but three presidents over atwenty-year period chose to ignore theopportunity. President Bill Clinton ignoredsigns of conciliation from Iran, and instead of“anchoring” Russia to theWestern securityarchitecture, he enlarged the North AtlanticTreaty Organisation. President GeorgeW. Bushabrogated the Anti-BallisticMissile Treaty, thecore of strategic deterrence, in order to deploy anational missile defense that does not work,and thenmanipulated specious intelligence tolead the country into an unnecessary andimmoral war against Iraq.President Obama ignored a credible signal

fromNorth Korea for the start of a diplomaticdialogue, and has relied on sanctions andcoercion in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.His administration has ignored fundamental

questions of law andmorality in the war onterror. At home, the Obama administration hasendorsed aNational Defense Authorisation Actthat permits indefinite detention of US citizens;prosecutes whistleblowers; refuses to closeGuantanamo; and allowed solitary confinementfor BradleyManning. After the Pentagonwasattacked on 9/11, Secretary of Defense DonaldRumsfeld told his closest advisors to ‘gomassive- sweep it all up, things related and not’. Goingmassive hasmeant the use of an even bluntermilitary instrument to stabilise a lawless tribalregion in Southwest Asia that has been causingtrouble for the past 150 years. Pakistan has usedUSmoney and support to fund the regroupingof the Afghan Taliban, thus assuring defeat inany counter-insurgency. TheUS policy ofextraordinary renditions created a virtual globalnetwork for torture and abuse that involveddozens of countries in Europe, Asia, theMiddleEast, and Africa.Military tools will not solve themyriad

problems that include India vs. Pakistan;Afghanistan vs. Pakistan; Iran vs. Afghanistan;and the powder kegs that exist in Central Asia.The long-term commitment ofmilitary forcesandmoney has further destabilised the region,and contributed to the violence aimed at USforces and even theUnited States itself.Wecannot occupy the entire world. The sooner weclose certain doors and turn the keys over to keyregional actors, the better oTwewill be.

(COUNTERPUNCH)

In a broader sense, all public policies arepedagogical: either, they educatecitizens in the newways of thinking andacting or they reinforce their olderwaysof thinking and practices. Since policiesrequire citizens to learn thinking oracting in particularways, they playeducative roles. Schools educatestudents through teachers, books,education ritual, homework,assignments. Likewise, governmentseducate citizens, among other things,through theway they deal with them.The interaction of the citizenswith

police, for example, educates peopleabout the policing possibilities of aState. But the citizens also interactwiththe services of the State, in addition totheir interactionswith the State oScials.Theways the citizens experience a

particular service such aswater andsanitation, are educative. Nomatterwhat books contain, the citizens alsoreceive education from theirexperiences of the state and its services.Owing to their educative aspects, publicpolicies need to be practiced inways thepeople do not find diScult to workwith. If policies educate the people theyaremade for, the likelihood ofeducating people in public policiesmaybe eScient. Considering the low levelsof education in Punjab, public policiesshould educate people through non-literarymeans i.e. throughdemonstration.The educative role of public policies

in this broader view does not occupythis section. The reason is that Stateinstitutionsmay not have the traditionsand tendencies for educating citizenswhile performing their everydaybusiness. Besides it, the idea is abstractand subtle and State institutionsmightfind it diScult to handle its subtleties.The other option is educating citizensabout the policy - specifically, about theintents of policy because it is easier toeducate the people about the intents of

the policy rather than the contents ofthe policy. The intents of the policies i.e.equality, equal opportunity andjustice—are stable. Since the contentsmay change faster than the intents,hence the assimilation of intents inboth the formal and the informaleducationwould bemoreadvantageous. The schools, however,are appropriate sites for educatingpeople about policy.A number of works accentuate the

fact that incorporating theenvironmental issues in the curriculumand textbooks is possible and desirable.Joy A. Palmer’s EnvironmentalEducation in the 21st Century: Theory,Practice, Progress and Promise (NewYork: Routledge, 1998); DirkWillemPostma’sWhy Care for Nature? InSearch of an Ethical Framework forEnvironmental Responsibility andEducation (Springer, 2006); and ClarePalmer’s Teaching EnvironmentalEthics (Leiden: Brill, 2006); Estelle L.Weber’s edited volume EnvironmentalEthics, Sustainability and Education(Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press,2009) emphasise the same fact. Joy A.Palmer contends that history ofenvironmental education can be tracedto the ideas of Goethe, Rousseau,Humboldt, Haeckel, Froebel, DeweyandMontessori.Palmer provides detailed information

on the designs and contents ofenvironmental education program forvarious grades. Postma provides asketch of natural education helpingchildren to reflect on the nature in anatural environment and this processincreases children’s associationwithnature. Palmer’s edited volume hasexplored a range of issues fromenvironmental advocacy to teachingethics to the non-specialists.Weberexplores a range of possibilities fromincorporating peoples’ perceptions inenvironment planning to developing

consensus among environmentallythreatened communities. Togetherthese authors oTer insights, practicesand solutionswhich can help educatorsto includewater themes in education.Historically, environmental education

has long been ignored in Pakistandespite the numerous environmentalproblemswhich are of crisisproportion, particularly the issuesrelated to drinkingwater. In the face ofthis negligence, a little eTort has beenmade for including environment ineducation. TheNational EducationPolicy (NEP), 2009 provides:‘Environmental education shall bemade an integral part of education.’Though inadequate, this provision

should bewelcomed. But since thisdeclaration, pragmatically, very littlehas been done tomake environment apart of the education. Though theprovinces are less likely to giveenvironment an important place ineducation, theNEP, 2009 has created ahope for change. Building on theNEP’senvironmental education provision, theissues of the drinkingwater and theintents of the PunjabDrinkingWaterPolicy (PDWP) can bemade part of theschool curriculum and textbooks inPunjab. The textbooks can eTectivelybe used to instill water ethics amongthe students and the intents shouldprimarily be included in social studiesand science textbooks. A number ofcountries - developed and developing -have integrated environment anddrinkingwater themes in theireducation. Instead of learning from theexperiences of other countries,consideration should be given to thepractice of water ethics prevalenthistorically in Punjab.Is it possible to teach ethics? All

civilisations have developed and taughtethics corresponding to their social andpolitical situations.However, someethics contributedmore than others in

supporting human survival.With thepassage of time, some ethics havebecome irrelevant whereas some ethicshave regained relevance, indeed,morethan before. Estelle L.Weber’s editedvolumeEnvironmental Ethics,Sustainability andEducation (Oxford:Inter-Disciplinary Press, 2009) oTers arange of ways to teach ethics. The bookcovers a range of topics inenvironmental education. It suggestsmaking environment andenvironmental ethics part of theeducation to deal with theenvironmental problems facing today’sworld. Taking cue from this book, Isuggest the policymakers in Punjabshould learn from the environmentaleducation experiences of othercountries to start environmentaleducation in the provincial schools.Towards the end of his age, Akhtar

HameedKhan - themanwhocombined literature, sociology,philosophy andmysticism in his OrangiPilot Project of 1980s and 1990s - said:Pakistan’s problemswere not economicbutmoral. Both hopeful anddisappointed, DrKhan saw that hissociety was falling intomoral erosion.Hewould ask: ‘Why did Buddha giveup his princehood to become awanderingmendicant?’ ‘To discover themeaning of life through controllingone’s instincts’, he would then providethe answer. Same is themessage of Sufipoets like JalaluddinRumi: ‘What arethe three things wemust control?Greed, hatred and delusion’. Thedecline of water sensitive ethics, wecharted out, can be explained usingDrKhan’s reflections: A society can findethics in its history, religion, politics orculture by readying to reflect on itspresent and past without beingtempted by greed, hatred and delusion.

THE WRITER IS ASSISTANT

PROFESSOR AT FORMAN CHRISTIAN

COLLEGE, LAHORE

Is educating on water possible?

The narrow-minded anti-terrorism strategy of the US

SABA AZIZ

MELVIN A. GOODMAN

Towards the end of his life, Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan - the architect of the Orangi PilotProject who combined literature, sociology, philosophy and mysticism with urbandevelopment ideas - said: Pakistan’s problems were not economic but moral. Dr ImdadHussain concludes the book extract ‘Thirsty Cities’

There is increased evidence that the militarisation of US foreign policy and the increased operational tempoof the US military itself is creating many more terrorists and insurgents than it is destroying

Tales frompre-revolution EgyptWatching Egypt literally become a war zonethree years after our return only remindedus of the dismal state of a4airs back then

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Iceland set for coalitiontalks after govt oustedRREEYYKKJJAAVVIIKK:: Iceland's center-rightparties prepared for coalition talks onSunday after defeating the ruling SocialDemocrats in elections with promises ofending austerity measures five years aftera financial collapse. With nearly all theballots counted, the Independence Partytook 26.7 percent of the vote andtheProgressive Party 24.4 percent, bothgaining 19 seats in the Althing, orparliament. The Social Democrats were adistant third with 12.9 percent."Independence and Progressivesteaming up in a coalition is the likelyoutcome," Olafur Hardarson, a politicalscience professor at the University ofIceland said. –AGENCIES

Three injured in shootingas new Italian govt sworn inRROOMMEE:: Two police and a passer-by wereshot and injured in Rome on Sundayduring the swearing ceremony of Italy'snewly appointed government. Accordingto media reports, an "insane mandressed in a suit" fired several shotsahead of the government oPce'sbuilding, which is close to thepresidential palace where PrimeMinister Enrico Letta was being swornin with his newly selected cabinetministers. The two police were rushed toa nearby hospital. One of them wasreportedly in serious conditions but bothof them were not in peril of life, medicalsources said. –AGENCIES

Egypt court decides to keepMubarak in prisonCCAAIIRROO:: Egypt's Cairo Criminal Courtrefused Sunday an appeal submitted byformer President Hosni Mubarak anddecided to keep him in prison pendinginvestigations over illicit gains charge,oPcial Nile TV reported. –AGENCIES

Nigerian troops arrest 76oil thieves in Niger YYEENNAAGGOOAA:: Nigerian troops operatingin the oil-rich Niger Delta regionarrested 76 suspects and seized a marinevessel and barge used for oil bunkering,the military said on Sunday.Spokesperson for the Joint Military TaskForce (JTF), Lt.-Col. OnyemaNwachukwu, disclosed this to reportersin Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa Statein southern Nigeria. The anti-theftaction was taken on April 15-27,according to the military. He said thevessel MT Shandy with 12 crewmembers was intercepted onOtokomabie Creek near OlomaCommunity in rivers. –AGENCIES

3 killed in explosion atfireworks factory in IndiaNNEEWW DDEELLHHII:: At least three peoplewere killed and eight others sustainedburn injuries in an explosion at afireworks factory in the southernIndian state of Tamil Nadu Sunday, asenior police oPcial said. "Theexplosion happened at Sri Rathna FireWorks factory in Naranapuram nearthe state's Sivakasi District when theworkers were preparing a mixture ofchemicals for fire crackers. While threepeople died on the spot, the injuredhave been admitted to a local hospitalwhere the condition of some are said tobe serious, " he said, on condition ofanonymity. A probe has been orderedinto the incident, the oPcial added.The Sivakasi District is the state's firecracker producing hub. –AGENCIES

FINIAN CUNNINGHAM

You have to admit it. TheAmericans and British do makea formidable double-act, of

deception and criminality. Where oneparty has the firepower, the other hasthe liar-power.The diabolic duo is at it again. This

time the criminal magic show is to sellthe lie to the world that the Syriangovernment has used chemicalweapons of mass destruction. Weeks ofpolitical choreography have set up theissue of chemical weapons as aconvenient “red line”. Now, hey presto, the threshold has

been reached for the Americans andthe British to justify ramping uptheir criminal interference in Syriafrom covert proxy terrorism to overtstate terrorism. The role that Britain’s David

Cameron is playing today - of giving theObama administration a cloak ofcredibility - is the exact same role thatformer British Prime Minister TonyBlair played 10 years ago for the thenUS President George W Bush. In 2003, the Bush administration

was trying to sell the world a pretextfor invading and expropriating Iraq

with claims that the Baghdad regimehad weapons of mass destruction. Butthe problem for Bush then was that hisstories of uranium “yellow cake” fromNiger and samples of chlorine“proving” chemical weapons (insteadof drinking-water treatment) justdidn’t sound credible. The CowboyPresident was too easily derided as theCowboy Salesman. Enter the talented Mr Blair whose

job was to plug the Americancredibility gap. Blair’s Oxbridgeeducation and typical Britishpretensions of civility and probitywere crucial to selling the Americanwar on Iraq. Where Bush soundedshaky and snaky, Blair sounded ever-so reassured and righteous about thenon-existent facts of Iraq’s threat toworld security. Recall Blair’s now-infamous claim that Iraq could launchweapons of mass destruction onBritain “within 45 minutes”. It is a classic trait of the British ruling

class - to sound reassuring, measured,credible and reasonable when in factthey are nothing more than low-lifeliars with fancy accents. This Britishability to dissimulate reality isastounding. Yet down through historythe British rulers have got away with

this charlatan act over and over again.Yes, the British conman is parodied incinema, but somehow the world keepsbuying the artful dodger act.Ten years after the invasion of Iraq by

American and British-led forces - andmore than 1.5 million Iraqis dead, andmillions more orphaned or displaced -Bush and Blair should be prosecutedfor launching a war of aggression basedon outrageous lies. Yet, thanks in partto a servile mainstream media, Bushand Blair were this week cavorting atthe White House with Obama andthree other former US presidents tocelebrate the opening of a librarydedicated to the intellectuallychallenged Bush Junior. Even more incredibly, 10 years after

the American and British-led genocidein Iraq, the same double act is beingplayed again over Syria claimingweapons of mass destruction asjustification for military action. There are a few squeamish voices in

the Western media cautioning aboutthe “mistakes” of Iraq. This ispathetically not good enough. Whatthese media should be calling for, ifthey had any integrity, is theprosecution of Bush and Blair, as wellas Obama and Cameron. But no, what

we read are “cautions” over the“mistakes” of “rushing into” Iraq. In other words, the Western media

are buying and selling the same oldAmerican-British ploy of creating apretext for criminal aggression towardsa sovereign country - this time, Syria. While on his weapons-flogging tour

of the Middle East, the Americansecretary of oQence Chuck Hagel said:‘The US intelligence communityassesses with varying degrees ofconfidence that the Syrian regime hasused chemical weapons on a smallscale’. The unconvincing Hagel thenblew the sales pitch by adding: ‘We arenot sure of the origin but any use ofchemical weapons in Syria is likely tohave come from the Syrian regime’.In other words, with varying degrees

of confidence, we haven’t a clue. Despite the vague words and

innuendo from Hagel and the WhiteHouse, the unmistakable slant given bythe Western media was that theAmerican government had conclusiveevidence that the Syrian authoritieshad used chemical WMDs. The familiar credibility gap in the

American regime’s rhetoric was shoredup the next day by Britain’s DavidCameron. He told the BBC: ‘It is

extremely serious - this is a war crime -and we should take it very seriously’.Cameron added: ‘I think whatPresident Obama said was absolutelyright - that this should form for theinternational community a red line forus to do more’.In this display of rectitude and

haughty moral tone, Cameron wasreprising the role of Blair from adecade ago - giving the Americanadministration a certain stamp ofcredibility and gravitas for ulterior,criminal motives that are in fact basedon dubious speculation, if not cynicalbarefaced lies. But let’s take a closer look at the

words of Cameron and his“confident” assertion of Syriangovernment war crimes. The British prime minister said: ‘It is

very disturbing what we are seeing. Itis limited evidence but there's growingevidence that we have seen, too, of theuse of chemical weapons, probably bythe regime’. Behind the façade of anassured trusty politician is the sneer ofa dodgy second-hand washingmachine salesman.The crux of the matter is there is no

evidence; only American and Britishinsinuation of what is “likely” and

“probable” to suit their illicit agenda offorcing regime change in Syriathrough escalating violence on thecivilian population. Obama and Cameron are

downplaying a direct military attack onSyria for now. But what this double-actis trying to achieve through their latestshow of deception is to give themselvesa license to escalate their covertterrorism in Syria.Cameron said: ‘The question is how

do we step up the pressure and, in myview, what we need to do - and we’redoing some of this already is shape thatopposition, work with them, trainthem, mentor them, help them, so thatwe put the pressure on the regime andso what we can bring this to an end’.These words are self-indicting. Note

how the American and British magictrick of WMDs is used to not onlyjustify regime change through proxyterrorism, but also to justify the nowopenly admitted past crimes ofWestern funding and “mentoring” ofthese same terrorists in Syria. The incorrigible lies, deception and

criminality give a new meaning tothe American-British so-called“special relationship”.

(PressTV.ir)

US, UK diabolic lies about Syria using C-arms

BBUUEENNOOSS AAIIRREESS:: WWaaiittrreesssseess aanndd wwaaiitteerrss ttaakkee ppaarrtt iinn tthhee ""WWaaiitteerrss aanndd WWaaiittrreesssseess RRaaccee"",, iinn BBuueennooss AAiirreess.. TThhee rraaccee cciirrccuuiitt tthhaatt rruunnsstthhrroouugghh AAvveenniiddaa ddee MMaayyoo aanndd aarroouunndd PPllaazzaa ddee MMaayyoo,, iiss 11,,660000 mmeetteerrss lloonngg.. OOvveerr 330000 ccoommppeettiittoorrss aatttteennddeedd tthhee eevveenntt.. –WIRE SERVICE

BBAAGGHHDDAADD:: Iraq has suspendedthe licenses of satellite newsnetwork Al Jazeera and nine otherchannels, accusing them ofinciting violence throughtheir coverage of recentsectarian clashes.The Communication and Media

Commission (CMC) regulatorcriticized their reporting ofviolence triggered by a securityforces raid on a Sunni Muslimprotest camp in Hawija onTuesday. None of the channelswas immediately availablefor comment.More than 170 people have been

killed in the fighting - the worstIraq has seen since Sunnis startedstaging protests in December tocomplain about their treatment byPrime Minister Nuri al-Maliki'sShi'ite-led government.The watchdog said sectarian

language used in the reportsencouraged "criminal acts ofrevenge by attacking thesecurity forces"."The CMC sees in the speech

and content propagated by thechannels...an incitement andescalation which leans towardsmisleading and exaggeration morethan towards objectivity," thewatchdog said in a statementpublished on Sunday.

Most of the channels, includinglocal stations such as "Baghdad"and "al-Sharqiya", are pro-Sunniand often critical of the Shi'ite-ledgovernment. Al Jazeera is based inQatar, a Sunni-ruled kingdom.The watchdog is powerless to

stop the channels broadcasting,but may make it harder for theirlocal staff to cover events. Mediarights group the Iraqi JournalisticFreedoms Observatory said theCMC was biased, as some officialsin the body had been appointed bythe government."We do not deny there is an

incitement to violence by somemedia outlets, but we consider thesuspension of licenses of 10satellite channels a blow fordemocracy," the Observatory'sExecutive Director Ziyad al-Ajilitold Reuters.Last June, the CMC ordered the

closure of 44 media outletsincluding the BBC and Voice ofAmerica. It does not have thepower to stop them broadcastingfrom overseas.Violence, including bomb attacks

that have killed dozens of people ata time, has increased across Iraqthis year. Provisional figures fromrights group Iraq Body Countindicate about 1,365 people havebeen killed so far in 2013. –AGENCIES

Inciting violence!

Iraq bans 10TV channels

SSAAVVAARR:: The fugitive ownerof an illegally-constructedbuilding that collapsed inBangladesh in a deadly heaplast week was capturedSunday at a border crossingwith India by members of acommando force.Sohel Rana was arrested

near the border in Benapolein western Bangladesh, justas he was about to flee intoIndia's West Bengal state,said Jahangir Kabir Nanak,LG minister. Rana wasbrought back by helicopterto Dhaka where he facedcharges of negligence.Rana's capture by the

Rapid Action Battalion wasannounced on a loudspeakerat the site of the collapsedbuilding in the Dhakasuburb of Savar, wherepeople greeted it with cheersand claps. At least 377people are confirmed to havedied in the collapse of the 8-story building onWednesday. Three of itsfloors were built illegally.The death toll is expected torise but it is already thedeadliest tragedy to hitgarment industry, which isworth $20 billionannually and is a mainstay ofthe economy. –AGENCIES

CCAAIIRROO:: Senior aides to EgyptianPresident Mohamed Mursi made a rarevisit to Tehranfor talks with Iran on anIslamic initiative to seek a peacefulsolution to Syria's civil war, the two sidessaid on Sunday.Tehran is Syria's closest ally and has

provided money, weapons, intelligence andtraining forPresident Bashar al-Assad'sforces, while Egypt has given politicalsupport to the opposition Syrian NationalCoalition fighting to oust him.Mursi's foreign aQairs adviser Essam

Haddad and his chief-of-staQ Rifaa El-Tahtawy met Iranian oPcials in a follow-upto Iranian President MahmoudAhmadinejad's groundbreaking visit toCairo in February for an Islamic summit.An Iranian Foreign Ministry statement

said they agreed on "the necessity of anaction plan...to act on the Egyptianpresident's plan on the Syria crisis throughan acceptable political solution which canhelp end the violence and help nationalreconciliation with the participation of thepeople of Syria". Mursi included Iran,alongside Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey,in a diplomatic "Islamic Quartet" ofcountries established last year to try tobroker a solution in Syria. The Egyptianleader proposed negotiations betweenSyrian government representatives notdirectly involved in repression andopposition leaders under regional or UNauspices on a transition of power.However, the Saudis stayed away from

the group in February in apparent irritationat the inclusion of the Iranians, and Syria

has rejected foreign involvement in thenational dialogue proposed by Assad.The visiting Egyptian oPcials met

Ahmadinejad and senior figures in Iran'sforeign policy establishment - nationalsecurity adviser Saeed Jalili, ForeignMinister Ali Akbar Salehi and Ali AkbarVelayati, foreign policy adviser to SupremeLeader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Therelationship between Cairo and Tehran isextremely sensitive, and should bemanaged wisely. And this is what Egypt isdoing," Haddad said on a television talkshow broadcast on Saturday. –AGENCIES

Egypt o"cials inIran for Syria talks

Dhaka building collapse

Owner heldas toll risesto 377

HHAAVVAANNAA:: Cuba and Venezuelasigned cooperation accords onSaturday for 51 projectsasVenezuelan President NicolasMaduro, on his first trip to theisland since his election,pledged to maintain the closealliance forged by his latepredecessor, Hugo Chavez.Maduro said they would jointly

spend $2 billion this year on "socialdevelopment," but it was not clearif he was discussing the 51 projects,few details of which were disclosed,or other works.His visit appeared aimed in part

at allaying Cuban worries about

post-Chavez relations with the oil-rich South American nation that isCuba's biggest ally and benefactor.Venezuelan oil and money help

keep the communist-ruled island'stroubled economy afloat andthe governments have about30 joint ventures, most ofthem in Venezuela."We have come to Havana, Cuba,

to say to the people of Venezuela,the people of Cuba, all the people ofLatin America ... are going tocontinue working together, wecame to ratify a strategic, historicalliance that transcends time, thatis more a brotherhood than an

alliance," Maduro said at a signingceremony in Havana's mainconvention center.Maduro, a former bus driver and

union leader, told reporters he metwith former Cuban leader FidelCastro, 86, for five hours onSaturday, "rememberingComandante Chavez, rememberingthat those two built thisrelationship."Maduro narrowly won an April 14

election to replace Chavez, whodied on March 5 after a long battlewith cancer.He ran basically as a Chavez

surrogate who would continue his

socialist policies both at home andabroad, including a closerelationship with Cuba and Castro,whom Chavez considered hispolitical mentor.But his election opponent,

Henrique Capriles, scored politicalpoints by criticizing the alliancewith Cuba, which combined withserious economic problemsfacing Venezuela, made Cubansworry they could lose theireconomic lifeline.Cuba receives an estimated

110,000 barrels a day of Venezuelanoil in exchange for money and theservices of some 44,000 Cubans,

most of them medical personnel,in Venezuela.In 2000, Cuba and Venezuela

created an intergovernmentalcommission that holds annualmeetings to develop joint projectsin a wide range of areas, amongthem healthcare, education, cultureand economics.Cuban President Raul Castro,

who spoke only briefly at theceremony, said that along with the51 projects, they had agreed onmemorandum of understanding forthe development and adoption of a"bilateral economic agenda" for thenext five years. –AGENCIES

Maduro pledges continued alliance with Cuba

Gunmen surround Libyan ForeignMinistry to push demandsTTRRIIPPOOLLII:: Gunmen surrounded Libya's foreign ministry on Sundayto push demands thatoPcials who had worked for deposed dictatorMuammar Gaddafi's regime be banned from senior positions in thenew administration. At least 20 pick-up trucks loaded with anti-aircraft guns blocked the roads while men armed with AK-47 andsniper rifles directed the traPc away from the building, witnessessaid. Tension between the government and armed militias have beenrising in recent weeks since a campaign was launched to dislodgethe groups from their strongholds in the capital. Since Gaddafi wastoppled by Western-backed rebels in 2011, oil exporter Libya hasbeen awash with weapons and roving armed bands who areincreasingly targeting state institutions. Sunday's protest was todemand a law be passed banning oPcials who had worked forGaddafi from occupying senior positions in the government. Thelegislation is under discussion but has yet to be approved. "TheMinistry of Foreign AQairs will remain closed until the politicalisolation law (against ex-Gaddafi oPcials) is implemented," thecommander of the militia told Reuters. He added that the foreignministry had been targeted because some oPcials employed therehad worked for Gaddafi. –AGENCIES

The American and British magic trick of WMDs is used to not only justify regime change through proxy terrorism, but also tojustify the now openly admitted past crimes of Western funding and “mentoring” of these same terrorists in Syria

‘Symptoms ofchemical gas foundin Syrian soldiers’DDAAMMAASSCCUUSS:: A Syrian pro-governmentnewspaper reported Sunday that manysoldiers battling rebels in a restiveneighborhood of the capital Damascushave shown symptoms of exposure tochemical gas. Citing a "well-informed"medical source, al-Watan said that manysoldiers were sent earlier this week tothe Hamish military hospital inDamascus, showing symptoms ofinhaling chemical gas after the rebelsfired a bombshell at the troops in theBrzeh neighborhood of the capital. Itsaid the symptoms include suQocationand nausea, as well as the trickling of akind of white liquid from the victims'noses and mouths. –AGENCIES

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Abullet point on Page 18 ofPresident Barack Obama’s2014 budget sounds ominous:

“Prohibit Individuals fromAccumulating Over $3 Million inTax-Preferred RetirementAccounts.” That it appears in asection titled “Strengthening theMiddle Class” is odd since such aproposal would seem to underminethe goal.

Why, at a time when thegovernment is looking to reformentitlement programs because itcan’t keep the promises it has madeto future generations, does Obamawant to reduce the incentive to save?It makes no sense.

Suddenly, the political agendabecomes obvious. Mitt Romney’s$102 million individual retirementaccount became an issue during the2012 presidential election. Insteadof offering a solution to preventwealthy individuals from puttingdeeply discounted stock in theirIRAs and earning huge, tax-freeprofits, Obama is looking to scorepolitical points.

“He’s taking a cheap shot at Mitt

Romney rather than helping lower-and middle-income Americans savefor their retirement,” says JasonFichtner, a senior research fellow atGeorge Mason University’s MercatusCenter in Arlington, Virginia. “He’sgoing after a very small segment ofthe population that has in some waymanaged to save wealth in a tax-deferred vehicle.”

A very small segment -- for a verysmall return. Limiting anindividual’s total retirementbalances to about $3 million,enough to finance “an annuity of notmore than $205,000 per year inretirement,” would raise $9 billionover 10 years, according to Obama’sbudget proposal. Why, it makes itsound as if the danger is saving toomuch, not too little.

Do-Nothing SavingFichtner has spent the last 15 years

-- at the Joint Economic Committeeof Congress and Social SecurityAdministration before going toMercatus -- looking for ways to helplower- and middle-income peoplesave for retirement. And he hascome up with some terrific solutions.

For starters,Fichtner would adopta system of automaticenrollment. Byforcing individuals toopt out rather thanopt in, savingbecomes a passivechoice. Think of it asthe default setting.You do nothing,which is the path ofleast resistance, andyou receive thebenefit. Research byHarvard University’sRaj Chetty has shown that nudgingpeople to save in this manner ismore effective than the existing taxbreak.

To his credit, Obama’s budgetincludes automatic IRA enrollmentand payroll deductions for thosewho lack employer- based 401(k)plans, considered to be the best wayto induce people to save.

Next, Fichtner would address thecurrent deductibility limits, whichhe says are “upside-down”: Thehigher the marginal tax rate, the

bigger the benefitfrom the deduction.The existing systemgives incentives tothose who don’t needany.

He suggestschanging thedeductibility of401(k) and IRAaccounts to anonrefundable taxcredit. Instead ofgiving an individualin the 10 percentincome-tax bracket a

10 percent benefit, give a dollar-for-dollar credit on his income tax. Forhigh-income savers, the credit wouldbe capped.

Operationally, capping pretaxsavings would be a nightmare. Theamount of money required togenerate an annuity of $205,000 attoday’s interest rates is greater thanif they stood at, say, 5 percent. Whathappens then? Is the additionalprincipal returned to the individualand taxed at his current rate? Whathappens when interest rates fall,

requiring more savings to guaranteethe maximum annuity payment?

You get the point. It should beobvious that the proposal to capretirement accounts was designed topunish the rich rather thanstrengthen the middle class. Theresult is something that’s“unworkable, unmanageable andun-administrable,” Fichtner says,rather than good retirement policy.

Romney’s IRAThere is a much simpler solution

to Romney’s IRA. If the problem isensuring that partners in private-equity firms don’t put low-cost-basisshares into their IRAs, thegovernment could stipulate that onlycash be invested.

Perhaps a more importantquestion is whether thegovernment should be subsidizingsaving in the first place. In a recentworking paper, Chetty and four co-authors found that the tax subsidyfor retirement savings accountscost the government $100 billion ayear. That puts it among the topfive tax expenditures, or loopholesthat are really government

spending by another name. And it’smuch less effective than automaticsaving.

The well-to-do don’t need a taxincentive to save. At some point,they have all the homes, cars, yachtsand airplanes they could ever want.And while saving is certainly aworthier pursuit than many of theactivities government subsidizes,studies suggest there are moreeffective ways to achieve that goal.So why pay people to do what theyare already doing?

We shouldn’t, Fichtner says. “Butwe should make sure we help thosewho aren’t doing it, do it.”

That sounds like something out ofthe Obama playbook. Having justpaid a lower effective tax rate (18.4percent) than his secretary thisyear, the president may want torethink his fairness doctrine. Thatmight help him to differentiatebetween good ideas for retirementsaving, such as automaticenrollment, and purely politicalones. At least we can hope.

CCoouurrtteessyy BBlloooommbbeerrgg

Obama wants to make sure you don’t retire rich

Caroline Baum

ShouldGermany exit

the euro?Soros is playing with fire. Leaving the eurozone is

precisely what the newly founded “Alternative forGermany” party, which draws support from a wide

swath of society, is demanding.Crunch time is fast approaching. Cyprus is almost out

of the euro, its banks’ collapse having been delayed by theEuropean Central Bank’s provision of EmergencyLiquidity Assistance, while euroskeptic parties led byBeppe Grillo and Silvio Berlusconi garnered a combinedtotal of 55% of the popular vote in the latest Italiangeneral election.

Moreover, the Greeks and Spaniards are unlikely to beable to bear the strain of economic austerity much longer,with youth unemployment inching toward 60%. Theindependence movement in Catalonia has gathered somuch momentum that a leading Spanish general hasvowed to send troops into Barcelona should the provincehold a referendum on secession.

France, too, has competitiveness problems, and isunable to meet its commitments under the EuropeanUnion’s Fiscal Compact. Portugal needs a new rescueprogram, and Slovenia could soon be asking for a rescueas well.

Many investors echo Soros. They want to cut and run –to unload their toxic paper onto intergovernmentalrescuers, who should pay for it with the proceeds ofEurobond sales, and put their money in safer havens. Thepublic already is being misused in an eRort to mop upjunk securities and support feeble banks, with taxpayer-funded institutions such as the ECB and the bailoutprograms having by now provided €1.2 trillion ($1.6trillion) in international credit.

If Soros were right, and Germany had to choosebetween Eurobonds and the euro, many Germans wouldsurely prefer to leave the euro. The new German politicalparty would attract much more support, and sentimentmight shift. The euro itself would be finished; after all, itsprimary task was to break the Bundesbank’s dominancein monetary policy.

But Soros is wrong. For starters, there is no legal basisfor his demand. Article 125 of the Treaty on theFunctioning of the European Union expressly forbids themutualization of debt.

Worst of all, Soros does not recognize the real nature ofthe eurozone’s problems. The ongoing financial crisis ismerely a symptom of the monetary union’s underlyingmalady: its southern members’ loss of competitiveness.

The euro gave these countries access to cheap credit,which was used to finance wage increases that were notunderpinned by productivity gains. This led to a priceexplosion and massive external deficits. Maintainingthese countries’ excessive prices and nominal incomeswith artificially cheap credit guaranteed by othercountries would only make the loss of competitivenesspermanent. The entrenchment of debtor-creditorrelationships between the states of the eurozone wouldfuel political tension – as occurred in the United Statesin its first decades. In order to regain competitiveness, thesouthern countries will have to reduce their goods prices,while the northern countries will have to accept higherinflation. Eurobonds, however, would impede preciselythis outcome, because relative prices in the north can beraised only when northern savers invest their capital athome instead of seeing it publicly escorted to the southby taxpayer-financed credit guarantees.

According to a study by Goldman Sachs, countries likeGreece, Portugal, and Spain will have to become 20-30%cheaper, and German prices will have to rise by 20%relative to the eurozone average. To be sure, if Germanywere to leave the common currency, the road back tocompetitiveness would be easier for the southerncountries, since the rump euro would undergodevaluation; but the crisis countries’ fundamentalproblem would remain as long as the other competitivecountries remain in the eurozone. Spain, for example,would still have to cut its prices by 22-24% relative to thenew eurozone average.

From this perspective, the crisis countries would not bespared painful retrenchment as long as they remained ina monetary union that includes competitive countries.The only way to avoid it would be for them to exit the euroand devalue their new currencies. But, so far, they havenot been willing to go this route.

Politically, it would be a big mistake for Germany to exitthe euro, because that would reinstate the Rhine as theborder between France and Germany. Franco-Germanreconciliation, the greatest success of the postwar periodin Europe, would be in jeopardy.

Thus, the only remaining option, as unpleasant as itmay be for some countries, is to tighten budgetconstraints in the eurozone. After years of easy money, away back to reality must be found. If a country isbankrupt, it must let its creditors know that it cannotrepay its debts. And speculators must take responsibilityfor their decisions, and stop clamoring for taxpayermoney whenever their investments turn bad.

I ndian and Chinese troops are said to bein a standoR in Ladakh, in the DaulatBeg Oldi area. A Chinese military unit

has apparently set up a camp fairly deep intowhat New Delhi considers is its side of theLine of Actual Control (LAC), and it has notwithdrawn even after meetings between thelocal commanders and after the newly-formed border mechanism has beenactivated. The word standoR probablyexaggerates the state of aRairs. But theIndian media has portrayed it in these terms,and it is beginning to aRect the nature of thedebate within the country.

Predictably, domestic politics in India isstarting to take its toll on governmentthinking. The role of domestic politics inIndian foreign policy could be a positive one.Instead, it is increasingly negative, tying thehands of the central government which isresponsible for the conduct of externalrelations and clouding judgment andrational decision-making. We have seen inthe past year that state governments andcoalition politics are aRecting New Delhi'sstances. First Mamata foiled the ManmohanSingh government's eRorts to reach anagreement with Bangladesh on the Teesta

river. Then the Keralagovernment complicated theMinistry of External ARairs'handling of the Italian marines'case. Most recently, we haveseen the DMK lecturing theIndian government on its policyon Sri Lanka.

There are of course timeswhen domestic politics ispositive. The Punjabgovernment in India hasworked assiduously to developrelations with its counterpart inPakistan. The West Bengal governmentunder the CPM was generally supportive of arational, moderate policy towardsBangladesh. Indian public opinion over thepast five years, in spite of the Mumbaioutrage of 2008, has seen the good sense of aconstructive approach to relations withPakistan. Manmohan Singh was helped bycoalition politics when he took the India-USnuclear deal to Parliament.

There is a danger that domestic politics willunhinge a cautious, prudent policy towardChina in the present standoR. The oppositionparties and the government of Kashmir

under Omar Abdullah arecalling for sterner Indian action.The BJP which had a fairlyrational policy towards Chinawhen it was in power is nowpounding its chest. The fact ofthe matter is that we just do notknow enough about whathappened in Daulat Beg Oldi.

Since we do not know, wemust, as the government hasargued, be patient. The meetingbetween commanders and theborder mechanism has not been

terribly successful in resolving diRerences.But there are other modes of communicationand conflict mitigation. These must be giventime. In any case, those who are jumping upand down calling for tougher action - bywhich they mean military action - shouldexplain what action New Delhi can takewhen its overall weakness in relation toChina is so massive.

The fact is that China's economy is fourtimes India's size. This is a measure of thediRerence between the two countries. Itsuggests that China has a much greatercapacity to prosecute any conflict anywhere

with India. Militarily, it has more nuclearweapons by a factor of three, at the very least.In terms of conventional weapons, there isglaring mismatch as well. China has abouttwo times as many active military personnelas India. Its army has the advantage of theheights and infrastructure along ournorthern border, has better equipment,makes so much more of its arms, and cantherefore fight a longer and wider war.

So let us be careful about what we wouldwish for. A fight with China would bedisastrous - in every way. India would standexposed militarily and diplomatically. In1962, it was Parliament and public opinionthat pushed Jawaharlal Nehru into takingpositions that were unwise. Let's not repeat1962. Our political parties and ChiefMinisters should stifle themselves for a while,as the government tries to figure out whetherthe incursion is part of a larger strategy or ifregional and local PLA commanders got tooambitious and need some time to retrench.

We are reeling economically and politicallyfrom an assortment of crises. This is no timefor our nostrils to flare.

CCoouurrtteessyy EEccoonnoommiicc TTiimmeess

Kanti Bajpai

India and China: softly, softly

As Pakistan prepares fornational elections nextmonth, the new

government’s plans for revivingthe fragile economy are for manya higher priority than addressingmilitant violence. Given theeconomic track record of the lastadministration, few are hopefulfor change.

Zafar Saeed runs a vocationaltraining center in a low-incomeneighborhood of the Pakistanicapital. For more than a decade,his institution has trainedthousands for work in anincreasingly difficult economy.Now as his own businessstruggles from power cuts andinflation, Saeed blames thegovernment for the situation.

“Our organization has sufferedmajor financial lossesparticularly over the past fiveyears because prolonged poweroutages have not allowed us toperform our activities. Theother main reason is inflationbecause people can no longerafford to pay for their fees to

learn income-generating skills,”said Saeed.

Lacking political willMany share Saeed’s view.

Street protests against chronicpower outages are routine inPakistan, where power cuts cannow last an entire day.

Ashfaque Hassan Khan, aprofessor at Islamabad’s NUSTBusiness School, said, “We arefacing economic challenges andthe reason for this is that for fiveyears the economy has neverbeen on the radar of thegovernment.”

Khan said part of the problemhas been too little political willto fix the national tax system.Less than one percent ofPakistan’s 180 million peoplepay income taxes. About 70percent of federal lawmakers didnot submit any income taxreturns last year. Most of themare likely to be returned toparliament in the upcomingelections. That makes it moredifficult to request assistance

from Pakistan’s major donors.“There is a genuine complaint

from [the] internationalcommunity because theirtaxpayers have started raisingquestions that 'why should ourgovernment give our taxpayermoney to Pakistan when [the]Pakistani government doesn’ttax their own rich andinfluential people?'” said Khan.

Economic focusAlthough militant attacks in

Pakistan routinely makeinternational headlines, recent

public opinion surveys indicatemost young people areconcerned aboutunemployment, high inflation,power shortages and corruption.

Former Pakistani ambassadorto the United States, MaleehaLodhi, said these surveys alsosuggest Pakistanis under age 25,who make up 60 percent of thepopulation, have grown morepessimistic about the future.

“So, the message to Pakistan’snext government is a very strongone. And that message is dealwith the economy otherwiseyoung people will opt out of thesystem and when young peopleopt out of the system and lose

faith then frankly, the futureprospects for any country beginto look very bleak,” said Lodhi.

To build support among theyoung voters who make uproughly 40 percent of theelectorate, popular politicalparties are vowing to reduceunemployment and root outcorruption.

But with opinion surveysshowing extremely lowfavorability ratings forpoliticians, many voters - likeSaeed - are skeptical the nextgovernment will be any differentfrom the last one.

CCoouurrtteessyy VVooiiccee ooff AAmmeerriiccaa

Pakistani voters focus onstruggling economy

Ayaz Gul

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

I can't shed Harry Potter tag: Daniel RadcliffeNEW YORK: Actor Daniel RadcliMe thinks he can never get rid of the "Harry Potter"label. The 23-year-old star, who played the character of the teenage wizard for eightmovies, said he is hoping that people will eventually start recognising him as an actorin his own right, reported Contactmusic. "I do think it will be another few yearsbefore we see an article that won't mention Potter. I'm not sure that will happen. Thegoal isn't to stop Harry Potter being written about; that's unachievable. "The goal is tomake myself an actor rather than just one character. I think that's starting tohappen," he said. The actor said he is so self-critical that he can only bring himself towatch the fifth and eighth films in the magical franchise. "I think it's important to beyour own toughest critic because that way you'll always be driven to get better. But it'simportant to temper that with being able to give yourself credit for something you'repleased with. I was very bad at that before. I was unable to see anything good, butnow I'm tarting to," he added. -SHOWBIZ DESK

We only want glamerous actresses on-screen: Sudhir MishraMUMBAI: Director Sudhir Mishra, whose films Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Dharaviand Chameli saw women playing strong characters, feels actresses today are notchosen on the basis of their talent. Mishra's said actresses these days are just used for"glam quotient and sizzling item numbers". "I really miss those days when directorslike Guru Dutt, Satyajit Ray and Vijay Anand used to select actresses on the basis oftheir talent. But, today, we look for actresses in models. They have the glam quotientand film's budget being managed by their sizzling item numbers," said Mishra whilespeaking on the topic of 'Depiction of Women' at the Centenary Film Festival here.Having started his career as an assistant director and scriptwriter in Kundan Shah'scomedy classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Mishra made his foray into direction withserious issue-based films. He feels that during 80s and 90s women characters in filmsdeteriorated when traders company took over the film industry. -SHOWBIZ DESK

CMYK

SHOWBIZ DESK

MUMBAI: Two of the film industry'sbiggest stars are embroiled in legaltangles.While Sanjay Dutt has tosurrender to theMumbai trial courtonMay 16 under the Arms Act,Salman Khan too faces charges in the2002 hit and run case when his SUVmowed down four persons killing oneand injuring three. The actor, who wasearlier being tried for rash andnegligent driving which carries amaximum sentence of two years hadan enhancement of charges in Januarythis year, with the court accepting thatthe police had enough evidence tobook the actor for culpable homicidenot amounting tomurder, whichattracts a punishment of up to tenyears in prison! This is besides the 14-year-old black buck case in Rajasthan.The court orders, especially the one

sentencing Sanjay Dutt to three and ahalf years of imprisonment has raisedpertinent questions about how a jailsentence can aMect a star's status.If one recalls, Sanjay Dutt was first

arrested under TADA in 1993 threeweeks before Subhash Ghai'sKhalnayak was to release. Imprisonedon and oM for the next four years,Sanjay Dutt lost out on several filmsincluding Subhash Ghai's Trimurti, inwhich he was replaced by Anil Kapoor.

But once released from prison on bailin late 1997, Sanjay Dutt returned tothe big screen with Afzal Khan'sMahaanta and RamGopal Varma'sDaud. Although the film flopped, theactor's career took a leap two yearslater in 1999, withMahesh Bhattdirected Kartoos followed byKhubsoorat and Vaastav. The rest, asthey say is history.This time, however the scenario has

changed. The actor faces a long haul inprison, he is no longer young andBollywood has changed. Though film-makers have shown solidarity withSanjay Dutt and are confident that theimpending imprisonment will notmake a dent in his career or aMect hispopularity, trade analyst Taran Adarshthinks diMerently. "In 1993 SanjayDutt was playing the leadingman andage was on his side. Now, he is playingsupporting roles and there are somany alternatives for these parts. Idon't think any filmmaker is likely towait for three years. A jail sentencewill definitely make a dent in hiscareer in a big way," opined Adarsh.However, trade analyst Vinod

Mirani says that as long as an actor issuccessful, no imprisonment can aMecthis popularity or career."The problems will bemore

personal than professional. SanjayDutt will keep getting work despite his

conviction because of his immensepopularity. The same would apply forSalman Khan," saidMirani.Filmmakers too share the sameopinion. Anurag Kashyap for example,admits that India is a country wherepeople are obsessed with films andenamoured with film stars and theydon't have time to think why a SanjayDutt is being sent to jail or SalmanKhan if it comes to that. Sanjay Dutt'scareer may remain unscathed once hecomes out."I would saymore than aMecting

their careers, it will aMect the filmindustry. If anything happens to them,

the industry is going to be severelyaMected as there are crores riding ontheir shoulders. Also, the fact remainsthat anybody who goes to jail, not justSanjay Dutt or Salman Khan, it is thefamily and everyone connected tothem that is shattered and getsaMected," said Kashyap.Most Bollywood film-makers like

Mukesh Bhatt, Ramesh Taurani andMilan empathise strongly with SanjayDutt, and are confident that the actorwill bounce back despite hisimprisonment."My gut feeling tells me that once

this cross is oM his back for good, it

will be yet another great phase of workand popularity," said Luthria, who hasnot worked with the actor in anyproject. Mukesh Bhatt, in whose films(Sadak andDushman) the actor hasworked in, also echoes the samethoughts. "Sanjay Dutt is a fighter andhe'll come back stronger. I am sure hewill be let oM after two years for goodbehaviour, which is not a long time tobe away from the industry. He is muchyounger than what AmitabhBachchan was when hemade acomeback after a gap of five years,"said Bhatt.Producer Ramesh Taurani is of the

opinion that Sanjay Dutt is a big starand nothing can aMect the popularityof stars. "There will always be roles forstars," said Taurani.As for conviction hitting his future

brand endorsements, it is known thatSanjay Dutt, along with his wifeManyata were endorsing jewelleryproducts from the Gitanjali Group,including Sangini diamond jewelleryand Rotary watches.The actor may not be in the A list of

brand endorsers, but with the verdict,advertisers who were contemplatingto feature the Dutt couple mightreconsider their decision.That the actor's brand endorsement

are likely to be aMected was confirmedby adman turned film director

Abhinay Deo, who has created severalcampaigns. "Brand endorsements donot like people with issues to endorsetheir products. Sanjay Dutt's goingback to jail will definitely aMect hisendorsements."While Sanjay Dutt and Salman

Khan enjoy the industry's support andlove, Shiney Ahuja was not as lucky.The actor was arrested in 2009 afterhis 20-year-old domestic help hadaccused him of rape. Shiney Ahujawas subsequently convicted andsentenced to seven years'imprisonment, but was later releasedon bail after serving over threemonthsin jail. The actor's Ek Pal, which wascompleted in 2007, is yet to release.Interestingly, the actor found aproducer in Puja Bedi when he wasout on bail in 2010 and went on to doher filmGhost. The film tanked, andShiney Ahuja who is still out on bailhas slipped into oblivion. Jahnu Baruawho helmed the project says that thecase aMected Shiney Ahuja's careerbadly because of the oMence heallegedly committed and moreimportantly, he was not a big star."Our big stars can get away withanything. In the West if a star isconvicted people boycott him, buthere in India it is the other wayround. They become more popular,"said Barua.

Will SanjayDutt conviction dent the star’s film career?

SHOWBIZ DESK

CALIFORNIA: Hollywood star coupleBrad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have beentermed as "reprehensible" and"irresponsible" by their neighbours.

The couple were reportedly racingvehicles and motorbikes along one ofAmerica's most fragile coastlines. Pitt, 49,was photographed on Easter Sundayteaching son Knox how to drive whileMaddox and Pax rode motorbikes on thebeach near their California ranch, reportedRadar Online. "I am not sure if it is illegalto drive on the beach in Santa BarbaraCounty but it is certainly reprehensible. Itis massively damaging to the environmentand we'd hope the people who own houseson the shoreline acted more responsibly,"said a source."I've heard of neighbours complaining

about being bullied oM the state beaches,"Mike Lunsford, president of the GaviotaCoast Conservancy said. "I think they havesome over-zealous security people whohave legitimate concerns about their safetyand paparazzi invading their privacy butthere have been incidents where peoplehave been just going for hike and onefriend was rudely accosted," he added.

Bradgelina termed'irresponsible' by neighbours

MUMBAI: Salman Khan shakes a leg as Sridevi and Boney Kapoor at the launch of a private Channel.

SHWOBIZ DESK

LOS ANGELES: Almost four yearsafter his shocking death, the bizarrelife and sorry demise of MichaelJackson will play out again in a $40billion civil trial that pits thesinger's family against theorganizers of a musical comebackthat never happened.Opening statements are set for

Monday in what is expected to bean emotional, three-month longjury trial that seeks to hold AEGLive, the promoters of the never-realized series of 2009 Londonconcerts, liable for the wrongfuldeath of the "Thriller" singer.The lawsuit, brought by Jackson's

elderly mother Katherine on behalfof the singer's three children,alleges that privately-held AEGLive was negligent in hiring the

physician convicted in 2011 of hisinvoluntary manslaughter to carefor the singer while he rehearsedfor the series of 50 shows.Jackson, 50, drowning in debt

and seeking to rebuild a reputationdamaged by his 2005 trial andacquittal on child molestationcharges, died in Los Angeles of anoverdose of the powerful surgicalanesthetic propofol and a cocktailof other sedatives in June 2009.His personal physician, Dr.

Conrad Murray, is serving a four-year prison sentence after beingfound criminally negligent byadministering propofol to Jacksonas a sleep aid. Murray's six-weektrial in 2011 portrayed the formerchild star known for his stunningdance moves and spectacularpublic performances as a slurring,drugged-up man oM-stage who

slept with a toy doll on his bed andwhose planned comeback tour wasplagued with problems.The civil trial in Los Angeles is

expected to be just as sensational,although a request by TVnetworks for live coverage wasturned down.AEG Live contends that it did

not hire or supervise Murray andclaims that Jackson hadprescription drug problems foryears before entering into anyagreement for the "This is It"London concerts. The concertpromoters also argue that theycould not have foreseen thatMurray posed a danger to Jackson.

Michael Jackson’s life and deathback in spotlight

Tanushree to be back in filmsSHOWBIZ DESK

MUMBAI: Model-turned-actressTanushree Dutta of Aashiq Banaya Apnefame is looking to be back on the big screensoon. She made her debut with AashiqBanaya Apne in 2005 alongside EmraanHashmi and Ashmit Patel and laterappeared in films like Chocolate, Good BoyBad Boy and Dhol. The 29- year-old's lastfilm was Rokkk in 2010."I am working out on my body and

getting in shape. I had taken a break fromwork (films) and became like a football,"Tanushree said at an event here last night.Asked about her comeback, the former

Miss India, who has also worked in films inthe south, said "It is work in progress,

things will happen soon." After Tanushreewas not seen in films, it was reported thatshe was exploring the spiritual aspects oflife and her journey took her to theashrams of South India and also Buddhistmonasteries of Ladakh in the North.

MUMBAI: For Karan Johar, telling the tale of Gippi wasimportant to him for reasons more than one. While he hasmaintained that the story being told is pretty much acatharsis for debutant director Sonam Nair, a little moreinsight into the genesis of this film reveals that there as abit of Karan Johar as well in the tale that brought theprolific filmmaker on board.Karan admitted to Gippi being his own story in many

ways. "Yes, for me it is a personal story from the timeswhen I was overweight. So many children go through sucha phase when they don't realize that some smart kids arealso insecure. This film is talking to every child and parentout there that we all have a Gippi in us and we should justknow how to deal with it," says Karan in an emotionaltone. He goes on to add, "Gippi is a very relevant andidentifiable film, especially in today's times. It shares goodresonance to the childhood of all of us.""A few are aware of the fact that during his growing up

years, even Karan Johar was overweight. Also, as the onlychild of his parents, he was a protected lot," informs a closeassociate, "You have to see him in Dilwale Dulhaniya LeJayenge, where he plays Shah Rukh Khan's friend, to knowhow awkward he could have possibly been during hisgrowing up years." It required a lot of perseverance as wellas desire to pick up responsibilities on the part of KaranJohar before things started falling in place for theyoungster. The result was Kuch KuchHotaHai and fromthat point on there was no looking back for Karan who notjust found a confidence boost for himself but also broughthimself in very good shape. Also, he turned out to be afashion conscious individual who knewmore than just a tipor two about how to look good, something that has rubbedon his films as well as actors over the years. -SHOWBIZ DESK

For me Gippi is apersonal story: Karan

SHOWBIZ DESK

MUMBAI: It has been a hectic schedulefor Shah Rukh Khan, who was in Munnarfor the past few weeks shooting for RohitShetty's 'Chennai Express'. Though, whenwe sat down for a chat, King Khan was hischarming, witty and playful self."It's amazingly beautiful here when it

rains. I can say I enjoyed those days when itrained and we had to halt the shoot more.And I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you moreon the streets of Kerala," he begins. Keralaconnect I've been to Kerala a few timesbefore and I could sense the love they havefor me here. In fact, once Mohanlalji tookme on this boat and when we came under abridge there was this huge crowd, cheering.I'm sure they were cheering for Mohanlaljibut I hope some were there for me too. Itwas really touching. I've great memories ofthe song in Dil Se that we shot there. Ididn't have a costume, so I wore Manisha'ssari. The whole things was romantic andsensual and yes, I remember the oilmassage I had too. And now we are inMunnar. Kerala has everything — beaches,

backwaters, mountains, tea estates; it'sreally God's Own Country. I regret notknowing Malayalam.Well, the only two words I know are peru

and vayasu; if there is a role whichrequires the hero or actor to speak onlythose two words, I will surely take it up! Tobe more serious, I regret not knowing thelanguage as I don't understand the filmsand hate subtitles.

Almost all my heroinesare taller than me: SRK

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

CMYK

CMYK

SSHHEEFFFFIIEELLDD:: Former world light-welterweight champion Amir Khanhad to climb oK the canvas to keep oncourse for a shot at the division'schampions by out-pointing Julio Diazon Saturday. Khan, 26, was floored inthe fourth round and looked on thebrink of another knockdown in the11th of a thrilling catchweight (143pounds) 12-round non-title contestwith Mexican Diaz at the MotorpointArena in SheJeld.In Khan's first performance back on

British soil for two years, the 2004Olympic silver medallist triumphed byscores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112 ina close fight. Khan improved his recordto 28 wins and three defeats, while DiazsuKered his eighth career defeat in a 49-fight career. It was another thrillingencounter the Briton was involved in butas exciting as he is, he also showed he isstill vulnerable. Khan, from Bolton in

northern England, can now remainhopeful of a rematch with either DannyGarcia or Lamont Peterson, theAmericans who have beaten him in thelast two years. Promoters Golden Boyhad told Khan victory would propel himto a shot at the light-welterweightdivision's undisputed world championlater this year. Garcia was due to defendhis World Boxing Council (WBC) andWorld Boxing Association (WBA) titlesagainst Zab Judah hours after Khan hadfinished with Diaz, while LamontPeterson is set to defend hisInternational Boxing Federation (IBF)belt against Argentina's Lucas Matthysseon May 18. The winners of Garcia-Judahand Peterson-Matthysse will then meet,and Khan hopes to now face the victorof that unification fight. Khan made ameasured start and former worldlightweight king Diaz, 33, did not land asingle meaningful blow in the opening

round as the Briton fired out his jabbefore darting out of range.It was a pattern that Khan repeated in

the second, attacking with three punchclusters rather than jumping in with bigpunches that would leave him open. Butin the fourth round Khan did leavehimself open and Diaz seized the chance,with two cuJng left hooks sending thehome hero down. Khan bounced up atthe count of three and did not lookseriously hurt before sensibly getting onhis bike to ride out the rest of the round.Khan was better in the fifth and sixth

rounds, landing some big blows that leftDiaz cut by the corner of the right eye.But Diaz was always dangerous andKhan looked vulnerable again as itturned into a brawl in the eighth. Thefight had swung Khan's way but in thetenth it swung back to the Mexican whohad the Briton rocking early on with aleft hook to the side of the head.

Another left-right further dazed Khanwho then backpedalled unsteadily tosurvive a nervous tenth round. Worsewas to come from Khan in the 11th andhe looked there for the taking as hishands dropped and Diaz repeatedlynailed him. Khan was hurt by a left andright hook before another combinationcaught him flush as his career hung inthe balance. But Khan's head clearedbetween rounds and he finished thefight boxing oK his back foot, flickingout the jab. His younger brotherHaroon, 21, made a successfulprofessional debut at super-flyweightwith a 40-37 points win over fellowEnglishman Brett Fidoe. Haroon, whowon bronze at the 2010 CommonwealthGames boxing for Pakistan, afterwardssaid: "I could have boxed better andthere was more pressure on me than inthe amateurs. Now I'm looking to kickon in my next few fights." –AGENCIES

Amir outpoints Diaz in non-title contest

AAmmiirr KKhhaann ooff GGrreeaatt BBrriittaaiinn ((CC)) cceelleebbrraatteess aafftteerr ddeeffeeaattiinngg JJuulliioo DDiiaazz ooff MMeexxiiccoo dduurriinngg tthheeiirr114433llbbss CCaattcchhwweeiigghhtt CCoonntteesstt aatt tthhee MMoottoorrppooiinntt AArreennaa iinn SShheeGGeelldd oonn SSaattuurrddaayy nniigghhtt.. –AGENCIES

HHAARRAARREE:: Bangladesh closed in on amaiden test win in Zimbabwe afterreducing the hosts to 138 for fourwickets in pursuit of 401 as bad lightbrought an early halt to play on dayfour of the second and final Test at theHarare Sports Club on Sunday. Anexcellent 93 from Bangladesh captainMushfiqur Rahim helped the tourists todeclare their second innings on 291 fornine midway through the fourth day,setting Zimbabwe a huge victory target.All of the home batsmen got starts intheir second knock, but wickets atregular intervals put Bangladesh into adominant position going into day five. The previous six tests between the

pair in Zimbabwe have resulted in fivewins for the home side and a draw,leaving the tourists eyeing a piece ofhistory on the final day. Resuming on163 for five, Mushfiqur Rahim put on84 for the sixth wicket with NasirHossain (67 not out) as the pair tookthe game away from the hosts. ShingiMasakadza was the pick of theZimbabwe bowlers with four for 58,while his older brother Hamiltonweighed in with three for 24.Zimbabwe started their chasepositively, Regis Chakabva scoring ata run a ball before he was dismissedfor 22. The big wicket of Zimbabwecaptain Brendan Taylor (10), whoscored centuries in each innings in thefirst test, was a huge blow for the

home team's chances and reducedthem to 96 for three. Hamilton (46) and Shingi

Masakadza (seven) will resume onMonday with the home side needing toget another 263 runs to win, or to bat

out 90 overs to save the test and claimthe series. Zimbabwe won the first by335 runs and are looking for their thirdhome Test series win. Their previoustwo both came against Bangladesh, in2001 and 2004. –AGENCIES

Bangladesh close in onhistoric victory

SSTTUUTTTTGGAARRTT:: World number twoMaria Sharapova saved her bestperformance of the week for lastwhen she successfully defended herStuttgart Grand Prix title with a 6-46-3 victory over second seed Li Na ofChina to kick oK her clay-courtseason in style on Sunday.Sharapova, who had needed threesets in all her previous rounds inStuttgart, found it easier against Li,taking revenge for her AustralianOpen straight-sets semi-final defeatto the Chinese. "I thought I wouldplay three sets today. Li is a greatopponent. I knew it would be one ofthe toughest matches because shehad a great week," said a beamingSharapova before stepping into aluxury sports car, a gift from thetournament sponsors. "I was very fortunate to be in this

position today," said the 26-year-old,who has also won the title in IndianWells this year, in a courtsideinterview. "Our head-to-head ispretty tight. She beat me in Australiaand she beat me pretty well so Iwanted revenge." The top seed, her

loud grunts echoing around thestadium, snatched a break at thestart, with a sizzling backhand downthe line that left Li stranded. World number five Li, who has

won one title this year, sent acrosscourt backhand into the net togive the Russian another break andallow her to go 4-1 up. TheAustralian Open finalist bouncedback in the next game and grabbedher own first break when Sharapovasent a forehand long after a longrally. Sharapova was in no mood foradventures, however, and quicklyestablished a double break cushion,then served out the first set on herfirst opportunity when Li sank areturn into the net after anotherwell-placed serve. The pair traded blows until

Sharapova earned another breakpoint and went 4-3 up. With asuperb first-serve figure of 76percent throughout the game, shekept her opponent pinned to theback and earned her second title ofthe year when Li double-faulted onthe first match point. –AGENCIES

Sharapova makeseasy work ofStuttgart defence

Russia's top seed and holder Maria Sharapova celebrates after she won a Porsche 911 4Sin the final of the Stuttgart Tennis Grand Prix against China's Li Na on Sunday. –AGENCIES

BBAANNGGLLAADDEESSHH FFIIRRSSTT IINNNNIINNGGSS 391 all out (ShakibAl Hasan 81, Nasir Hossain 77, Mushfiqur Rahim 60,E. Chigumbura 3-75, K. Meth 2-41)ZZIIMMBBAABBWWEE FFIIRRSSTT IINNNNIINNGGSS 282 all out (E.Chigumbura 86, R. Mutumbami 42, B. Taylor 36,Robiul Islam 5-85, Sohag Gazi 4-59)BBAANNGGLLAADDEESSHH SSEECCOONNDD IINNNNIINNGGSSTamim Iqbal c Mutumbami b S Masakadza 7Jahurul Islam c Mutumbami b S Masakadza 2Mohammad Ashraful lbw b Jarvis 4Mominul Haque c H Masakadza b S Masakadza 29Shakib Al Hasan c Mutumbami b H Masakadza 59Mushfiqur Rahim c Sibanda b H Masakadza 93Nasir Hossain not out 67Ziaur Rahman st Mutumbami b Cremer 0Sohag Gazi c Sibanda b H Masakadza 11Sajidul Islam c Mutumbami b S Masakadza 4Robiul Islam not out 4EEXXTTRRAASS (5 LB, 2 WD, 4 NB) 11TTOOTTAALL (9 wkts dec, 88 overs, 402 mins) 291FFAALLLL OOFF WWIICCKKEETTSS:: 1-7, 2-12, 3-18, 4-65, 5-149, 6-233, 7-234, 8-255, 9-279BBOOWWLLIINNGG:: Jarvis 22-3-80-1S Masakadza 24-5-58-4Cremer 17-1-70-1Chigumbura 14-0-54-0H Masakadza 11-1-24-3ZZIIMMBBAABBWWEE SSEECCOONNDD IINNNNIINNGGSSV Sibanda c Sohag b Shakib 32R Chakabva b Shakib 22H Masakadza not out 46B Taylor lbw b Ziaur 10M Waller b Ziaur 15S Masakadza not out 7Still to bat: E Chigumbura, R Mutumbami, G Cremer,K Meth, K JarvisEEXXTTRRAASS (5 LB, 1 NB) 6TTOOTTAALL (4 wkts, 43.4 overs, 192 mins) 138FFAALLLL OOFF WWIICCKKEETTSS:: 1-36, 2-66, 3-96, 4-118BBOOWWLLIINNGG:: Robiul 8.4-2-24-0Sajidul 2-1-5-0Shakib 9-0-45-2Sohag 12-5-23-0Ziaur 12-4-36-2Toss: ZimbabweUmpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Tony Hill (NZ)TV umpire: Owen Chirombe (ZIM)Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)Match situation: Zimbabwe require another 263 runsto win with 6 wickets remaining.

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh batsman Ziaur Rahman facing the bowling of Zimbabwe bowler HamiltonMasakadza on the fourth day of their 2nd Test at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday. –AGENCIES

RROOMMAANNIIAA:: Briton Chris Froome increasedhis prospects of a maiden Tour de France titleby winning the Tour de Romandie stage racein solid fashion on Sunday. Team Sky'sFroome, runner-up in last year's Tour afterriding as one of champion Bradley Wiggins'sdomestiques, believes he will be the teamleader this year in France although thatremains to be made clear by the management.Froome, who claimed the overall leader'syellow jersey after the opening uphill time trialin the Swiss race, emulated the feats of CadelEvans and Wiggins from 2011 and 2012. Bothriders went on to win the Tour the same year. The Kenya-born rider consolidated his lead

with second place in Saturday's mountainousstage and wrapped it up with third place inSunday's final time trial, which was won byGerman Tony Martin ahead of Italy's AdrianoMalori. Overall, Froome, who added to his Tourof Oman and Criterium International wins thisseason, beat Slovenian Simon Spilak of Katushaby 54 seconds, according to provisional results."It has been a really good week for us I am reallyhappy with my condition now in the build-up tothe Tour de France," Froome was quoted as

saying in a team statement. "This week I couldn't have done it without the

help of a really strong team around me. Everyday since the prologue, they have protected meand kept me at the front of the race. I owe it tothem this week. "Every race I do now is a goodtest for me, to see exactly where my condition isand what I need to work on. It has been a reallygood experience for me this week. It is definitelya good omen, but the Tour is still two monthsaway and I need to do a lot of hard trainingbefore then." The Tour de France starts inCorsica on June 29. –AGENCIES

Froome wins Tour de Romandie

Overall winner of the Tour de Romandie cyclingrace Christopher Froome of Great Britain is kissedby hostesses during the podium ceremony afterthe final stage on Sunday. –AGENCIES

BBAARRCCEELLOONNAA:: Rafael Nadal extended hisrecord number of Barcelona titles to eight ashe brushed oK a slow start to beat Spanishcompatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3 onSunday. Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on anATP winner's podium with his fourth title of2013 and his third on clay for the year. Herallied from two breaks down on a day ofdrizzle and heavy conditions, beatingAlmagro for the tenth time without defeat.The world number five has made a stormingcomeback to tennis after missing sevenmonths from last summer with knee injuries.Since his February return, he has playedfinals in all six events he has entered. Headded the Barcelona title to trophies wonover the past two months in Brazil, Mexicoand California. The Spaniard won his 39thclay title and 54th overall. –AGENCIES

Nadal lifts record eighthtitle in Barcelona

IICCHHEEOONN:: Australia's Brett Rumfordsurvived a late wobble to win theBallantine's Championship in dramaticstyle on Sunday, hitting an eagle on thefirst extra hole to seal the win. Rumfordblew a two-shot lead on the last two holesof regulation, double-bogeying the 17thand missing the fairway on the 18thbefore settling for par, leaving him tied at11-under with Marcus Fraser and PeterWhiteford. But Rumford recovered hispoise on the first extra hole, the par-five18th, hitting a much better tee shot andlanding his second shot just a few feetabove the hole before securing a fourthEuropean Tour title.Scotland's Whiteford, who had missed

a relatively short birdie putt on the 18thto win in regulation at the par-72Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, SouthKorea, and Australia's Fraser bothbirdied the first extra hole. Rumfordstarted the final round in blisteringform, picking up where he left oK onSaturday, when he hit five consecutivebirdies at the end of the third round.Wielding a hot putter, the Australianstarted round four with two birdies andclosed the front nine with four birdies ina row to make the turn in 30.

He hit his first bogey of the day on the13th but bounced back with a birdie onthe 14th and appeared to be in controlbefore the driver failed him on the 17thand 18th. Rumford thanked his coach,Pete Cowen, for helping him fix

problems with his driver before the play-oK. "I left a few drives right -- it wasn'tjust the last two drives, it was the wholeback nine I was feeling stuck and a littlebit trapped," Rumford said. "I had aquick word with Pete and hit five or six

balls oK the first tee (while waiting for theplay-oK) and it obviously did the trick."Rumford choked back tears as he

thanked his wife, Sally, for her support.The win, his fourth on the EuropeanTour and his first since 2007, came oneday before her birthday. "It was mixedemotions coming home and I'm reallylost for words at the moment but thereare a lot of people I need to thank,starting with my wife Sally," Rumfordsaid. "It's been pretty hard golf-wiseand raising twins is not easy. She's anamazing lady and she's a great supportto me and that's why I'm standinghere today. "It was an absolute roller-coaster ride

of emotions out there this afternoon.Obviously, my last five holes yesterdayand front nine today got me in a greatposition to take this tournament." Noren,the overnight leader by one shot,stumbled to a final-round 74. He took apenalty stroke on the second when hisball moved as he addressed his par puttand double-bogeyed the 10th and 13th todrop out of contention. World numberseven Louis Oosthuizen shot a 69 tofinish at eight-under for the tournament,co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour. –AGENCIES

Rumford wins Ballantine's with play-o� eagle

BBrreetttt RRuummffoorrdd ooff AAuussttrraalliiaa ppoosseess wwiitthh tthhee wwiinnnneerr''ss ttrroopphhyy aafftteerr tthhee fifinnaall rroouunndd ooff tthheeBBaallllaannttiinnee''ss CChhaammppiioonnsshhiipp oonn SSuunnddaayy.. –AGENCIES

SSppaaiinn''ss RRaaffaaeell NNaaddaall rraaiisseess tthheettrroopphhyy aafftteerr ddeeffeeaattiinngg ccoommppaattrriioottNNiiccoollaass AAllmmaaggrroo iinn tthhee mmeenn''ssssiinngglleess fifinnaall mmaattcchh ooff tthhee BBaarrcceelloonnaaOOppeenn oonn SSuunnddaayy.. –AGENCIES

LLOONNDDOONN:: Reading and Queens ParkRangers were relegated from the PremierLeague after the strugglers drew 0-0 onSunday in a lacklustre and scrappy clashthat epitomised their dismal seasons. Bothsides needed a win to have any chance ofstaying up but Reading now return to theChampionship (second division) after oneseason back in the top-flight while big-spending QPR must plot a return after twoseasons among the elite. "I have told theplayers to bottle up the feeling as it is nevernice to get relegated, and make sure theynever feel that way again," Readingmanager Nigel Adkins, who replaced thesacked Brian McDermott last month, toldBBC Radio 5 Live. Reading and QPR have25 points with three matches to play, sevenadrift of third-bottom Wigan Athletic.Aston Villa, one place above the drop zone,have 34 with four games remaining. Thebottom two sides are condemned to thedrop because Villa play Wigan on the finalday of the season on May 19, meaning one of

those clubs will get to the 35-point markwhich Reading and QPR cannot reach. Thefinancial impact of relegation this seasonfrom the world's most popular domesticleague is estimated to be between 40 million($61.97 million)and 50 million pounds($77.46 million), with both missing out on ashare of a three billion pounds TV deal forthe Premier League starting next season.Increased parachute payments are unlikelyto soften the blow and QPR manager HarryRedknapp said it would be tough to bounceback next season. "I haven't thought about it(relegation) today really. I thought it wasdone. A pretty near certainty wasn't it?" hetold Sky Sports. "It's been on the cards sincelast week. There is a lot of work to be donehere. A lot of work to get promoted... makeno mistakes about that. There are somegood teams in the Championship." In latermatches, fourth-placed Chelsea hostSwansea City (1400) and Arsenal, one placeabove, welcome champions ManchesterUnited to the Emirates (1500). –AGENCIES

Reading and QPR relegatedfrom Premier League

NATO driver killed infiring in JamrudKKHHYYBBEERR AAGGEENNCCYY:: A driver of NATOcontainer was killed when unknownmilitants opened fire on the emptytanker in Wazirdand area of tehsilJamrud, oPcial sources said on Sunday.Sources said the NATO supply tankerbearing registration no.TLR-068 was onits way back to Karachi after deliveringAllied force assignment in Afghanistanwhen it was intercepted by unknownmilitants. The driver received multiplebullet injuries and expired on the spot,sources said. The deceased wasidentified as Mohammad Israr s/oAqal Wazir of Zekha khel tribe. Soonafter the incident, the law enforcingagencies rushed to the spot, cordonedoff the whole area and shifted the bodyto the hospital. Search operation hasbeen launched in the area, sourcessaid. – AHMAD NABI

Bride among 5 dead inattack on weddingLLOOWWEERR DDIIRR:: Five people, including abride, were killed when unknowngunmen opened fire on a wedding here,oPcials said on Sunday. OPcials said theincident took place in Lower Dir’sJandola Samar Bagh area where armedmen attacked vehicles of the weddingparty, leaving five people dead. The brideand two other women were also killed asthe wedding party was travelling fromSamar Bagh to Tatar area. Police citedold enmity as reason behind the awfulincident, adding that two people werealso injured in the attack. The dead andinjured were shifted to Lower Dir civilhospital. Police claimed that the attacker,who managed to flee from the scene,hailed from Bajaur Agency borderingAfghanistan. –ONLINE

mQm cancels women’s gathering KKAARRAACCHHII::Muttahida QaumiMovement (MQM) has cancelledwomen’s public meeting here onSunday. The women’s public meetingwas scheduled to be held at JinnahGround on Sunday. MQM's RabbittaCommittee said the public meeting wascanceled due to security concerns. Thenew date for women’s public meetingwould be announced later, said theparty sources. –ONLINE

EcP concerned over poor law and orderIISSLLAAMMAABBAADD:: Following the recentspate of terrorist attacks, largely on threemajor political parties, PPP, MQM andANP, the Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP) has directed provinces tomaintain the law and order situationduring upcoming general elections onMay 11. In a statement issued by the ECPsecretariat, expressing grave concern overthe worsening law and order situation inthe country, the authority maintainedthat candidates should be allowed tocampaign in an atmosphere free fromfear. -OUR CORRESPONDENT

MONDAYAPRIL 29, 2013THE SPOKESMAN - RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD

cmyk

Published by Ahmad Waleed from Yasmeen Majeed Printing Press 69 Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi.

Family wants to take ‘critical’ Sarabjit back to IndiaLLAAHHOORREE//IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD//NNEEWWDDEELLHHII:: Family members of Indiandeath row prisoner Sarabjit Singh,who is in coma after a murderousattack on him by fellow prisoners in aLahore jail, crossed over to Pakistan onSunday afternoon and met him in ahospital in Lahore after they weregranted visa by Pakistan authorities.The family visited him in the ICU of

Jinnah Hospital soon after reachingPakistan. They will remain in Pakistanfor 15 days. A government oPcial saida room had been arranged for

Sarabjit's family at Jinnah Hospital.Besides, arrangements for theiraccommodation have been made atGurdwara Dera Sahib near LahoreFort, he said.Meanwhile, India on Sunday also

sought "regularconsular access" toSarabjit Singh after Pakistaniauthorities imposed restrictions onmeeting him. "Indian oPcials weregiven access to Sarabjit Singh onlyonce. Thereafter, there has been noaccess to Sarabjit Singh," an oPcial ofthe Indian High Commission said.

"The matter has been taken up withthe Pakistani side and the foreignoPce has been requested to give usregular consular access to SarabjitSingh," said the oPcial.Earlier, Sukhpreet Kaur told the

reporters at Wagah that "We havelearnt that Sarabjit is not getting goodtreatment in (Jinnah) hospital. It willbe better if my husband is allowed togo back for treatment."Sukhpreet arrived in Pakistan this

afternoon along with her daughters,Swapandeep and Poonam and

Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur. Theywere granted visas by the PakistanHigh Commission in Delhi to visitSarabjit.Sarabjit's counsel, Awais Shiekh, and

members of civil society groupsreceived them at Wagah. Sukhpreetsaid saving Sarbajit's life was the mostimportant issue for her family. She saidthe Pakistan government should takeaction against those who attacked herhusband and give them exemplarypunishment as the incident haddefamed the country.

Dalbir Kaur, who has travelled toPakistan in the past to lobby politicalleaders for the release of Sarabjit, saidshe and other members of her familywere visiting the country in sadcircumstances. "I've come to visit mybrother, who is seriously injured andnot speaking. I've been told he is in acoma," she said.She said she had come with the

"love and prayers of crores ofIndians" and brought "prashad" fromthe Golden Temple that she wouldgive to her brother.Fighting back tears, she said, "I

kept telling myself: How can you fall

into a coma, Sarabjit? You have afamily and you have to come back toyour country." Dalbir Kaur thankedthe people of Pakistan for theirsupport. She said Pakistaniauthorities had granted permissionfor one member of the family toremain in the hospital and sheintended to stay beside Sarabjit.Poonam said she had met her father

only once in prison. "I was happy to seemy father when I met him for the firsttime. But today I am sad to see him ina hospital in this condition and I prayto God for the health of my father," shesaid. –AGENCIES

KKOOHHAATT:: AA rreessccuuee wwoorrkkeerr ccoolllleeccttss eevviiddeennccee oouuttssiiddee tthhee eelleeccttiioonn ccaammppaaiiggnn oo55ccee ooff aann iinnddeeppeennddeenntt ccaannddiiddaattee,, wwhhiicchh wwaass ddaammaaggeedd iinn aabboommbb bbllaasstt oonn SSuunnddaayy.. ——AAGGEENNCCIIEESS

HHAAVVEELLIIAANN:: The president ofPML-N, Nawaz Sharif, on Sundaysaid that the dictators damagedthe country in all respects.Addressing a mammoth public

meeting in Havelian town ofAbbottabad, he said the dictatorwasted eight years of Pakistanand spoiled the good work doneby the PML-N.The PML-N leader said that

youth were asset of the countryand the PML-N. He said that bestcommunication infrastructurewould be built in the country ifvoted to power. He said the motorway project

that was started during hisregime would be extended up toKhunjerab Pass near Pak-Chinaborder, while the best system ofRailway would be introduced upto upper parts of the countryincluding Havelian. He saidhighways would also be improvedand extended.He said he will focus on the

development of the far-flungareas of the country and not sit inIslamabad rather, adding that hewould visit remote areas of the

country to ascertain the realissues of the people.Nawaz Sharif said it was a pity

that Pakistan had no respect inthe world despite being an atomicpower. He added that in 1999,Pakistan was progressing fastunder his government but amilitary dictator overthrew theelected government and reversedthe wheel of progress.He said after Musharraf,

President Zardari came to powerbut his government also didnothing for the country.“If our government had been

allowed to continue Pakistanwould have been a differentcountry by now,” he said.Nawaz said he was appealing

for votes because he wanted tobring Pakistan out of the crises itis facing.He said he would not sit in

Islamabad after coming to powerbut would remain with the peopleand solve their problems.“We will rebuild Pakistan with

the help of youth and Pakistanwill against be on track ofprogress,” he added. –ONLINE

IISSLLAAMMAABBAADD::National AccountabilityBureau (NAB) Chairman Admiral(retd) Fasih Bukhari says “the NABintends to reach out to the complaintsof the general public and strengthen theregulatory and accountability system inthe country”.In an interview, he said the NAB was

contemplating broadening its scopedown to district level and revampingthe regulatory mechanism of thecountry from gross root level which hascollapsed begetting corruption andcorrupt practices in nationalinstitutions. “The bureau is promotinga culture of resilience throughawareness activities and eQorts forcharacter building of the futuregeneration with the help of educationalinstitutions across the country.”Fasih also announced that the prime

minister had been approached to placethe NAB under his oPce throughcabinet division, as first step towards itsautonomy; besides enabling the Bureauto reach the district level much fasterthan starting from the scratch.Fasih said that real role of NAB

regarding scrutiny of candidates ofnational election would begin after theelections as it would be much easier forthe Bureau to investigate the details ofthe 728 elected public representativesin National Assembly and provincialassemblies; while also deliberating thatBureau would report to ECP if anyconcealment was found in the detailssubmitted by the candidates in theirnomination papers.

He said when he assumed the charge,NAB was on the verge of closure,something also disclosed by PrimeMinister Yousuf Raza Gilani, regardinggovernment’s decision to close downNAB on the floor of the NationalAssembly; while his (Bukhari’s) eQortsof restructuring, revamping of the NABas it was working with only 28% of itsstrength.He said that NAB’s mandate was not

only to recover the money from thecorrupt ones, but also had theresponsibility to revitalize theregulatory mechanism of the country,suggest measures to rebuild theorganizations and make themresponsible to the extent thatcorruption could be prevented at theinitial stage.He said that existing NAB was

different from the Bureau of theprevious tenures that had been usedas political tool as the incumbentadministration was focusing on theprevention and strengthening of theregulatory mechanism in thecountry. –ONLINE

Scrutiny to beginafter polls: NAB

Nawaz blamesdictators forcountry mess

OUR STAFF REPORTER

LLAAHHOORREE:: Pakistan Terhrik-e-Insaf(PTI) Chairman Imran Khan hasappealed to the terrorists not tosabotage the electioneering process.“Let the political parties run their

campaigns during the run-up to theelections. An environment conduciveto a level playing field was veryimportant for the democraticprocess”, said Khan talking toreporters here. Claiming that PTI wasthe first party which supporteddialogue with the militants, he saidhis party believes that militaryoperation was not a solution to this

problem.Imran alleged that Maulana Fazlur

Rahman was a hypocrite. “If Fazlproves Jew lobby is bankrolling me, Iwill quit politics all together”, saidKhan rebutting JUI-F leader’sallegations. He once again ruled outan alliance with PPP or PML-Nawazbefore or after the elections.Imran addressed two rallies on

Sunday, one in Mandi Bahauddin andthe other in Sargodha.Addressing an election rally in

Mandi Bahauddin, Imran said no onecan stop the country frommetamorphosing into a new Pakistanas soon as PTI comes into power.

“I am afraid those who corrupt asystem cannot un-corrupt it. OnlyPTI can fix the damage they havedone to this country”, he said, adding:“A new Pakistan was essentiallyinevitable, adding it was bound tocome into being. When justiceprevails a country prospers. There areno opinions about it.”Mocking at his main rival in Punjab,

Khan said PML-N leader MianNawaz Sharif was dreaming to comeinto power the sixth time. “Those wholet the nation down for five timescould not be given another chance asthey just cannot outdo themselves.They are hardwired to plunder. Doing

any good to their country is againsttheir very grain.”Imran said Sharif brothers should

not forget that countrymen were not aflock of sheep or goats, whom theywill be able to fool again and again. Talking to rally in Sargodha, Imran

pledged to increase education budget byfive percent after coming into power. Hesaid the PPP, PML-N governmentneglected education for such a long timedue to which we have become one of themost illiterate nation in the world.He said his party will bring one

syllabus for all. “Rich and poor peoplestudents will study the same things andthere will be no discrimination.”

Jamaat seeksAPC on securitysituationOUR STAFF REPORTER

QQUUEETTTTAA:: Jamaat-e-Islami AmeerSyed Munawar Hassan on Sundayasked caretaker Prime MinisterMir Hazar Khan Khoso to convenean all-party conference on theprevailing security situation in thecountry.Talking to reporters here‚ the

Jamaat chief said the conferenceshould be attended by leaders of allpolitical parties and by all oPcialsof the security agencies. He saidterrorism could not be dividedbetween liberalism andfundamentalism.The JI chief said the election

should be held on time despite thecurrent wave of terrorism whichhe said was being triggered by theUS and other foreign forces. Hesaid that a delay in electionswould cause serious threats to thecountry's existence.Munawar said although the

situation in different parts of thecountry was alarming‚ electionswere the only way to put thingsin order.Munawar said anti-state forces

were working on the agenda oftheir foreign masters and werecausing bomb blasts and suicidebombings in order to createanarchy and a civil war situationin the country. “Rather than blaming each

other, the political as well asreligious parties should show unityat this critical juncture,” Munawarsaid, adding: A joint strategy isrequired to curb violence beforeand during the elections.

Imran appeals Taliban for ceasefire in elections

� Fasih widening accountability scope to districtlevel � Wants NAB under PM

� Says Musharraf reversed the progress � Promises extending modern railway network to upper parts of the country

TTP turns down Imran’s requestPPEESSHHAAWWAARR::While calling Imran Khan a 'secular' person, Tehrik e TalibanPakistan (TTP) has turned down his request to announce ceasefire during theupcoming general elections. Earlier during a political rally the Pakistan Tehrik eInsaaf (PTI) chief requested the TTP to announce ceasefire during theelections. Responding to Imran Khan statement, TTP spokesperson Ihsanullahihsan told The Spokesman, "Imran Khan should not interfere in our activities.TTP always follows the decision of its supreme council (shura) and does notfollow others dictation or request while making decision". Ihsanullah Ihsanfurther said, "We don't give any importance to Imran Khan's request who callshimself a secular person." According to TTP, the militant outfit is against thecurrent democratic system of Pakistan and they term all those politicians astheir enemies who are working under 'secular agenda'. "If we are not attackingsome of the politicians it is due to the strategy of our leadership; and it does notmean that we agree with their policies", said Ihsan. – TAHIR ALI

� Says Sharifs can’t be given sixth chance � Pledges 5pc increase in education budget, same syllabus for all � Rules out alliance with PPP, PML-N

� Visits him at hospital � Says Sarabjit condition not god � India seeks regular consular access

OUR STAFF REPORTER

KKAARRAACCHHII:: Business activities andtransport in various cities of Sindhincluding Karachi remained closedin response to the call given by PPPand MQM to observe Sunday as dayof mourning against spate of blastsin Karachi targeting the two parties.It was the fourth day of mourning

in a week. The situation promptedthe two parties to announce day ofmourning, appealing businessmen,traders, shopkeepers, industrialistsand transporters to halt theiractivities on Sunday.All shops and markets in major

cities and towns of the provinceremained close, with thin traPc onthe roads. Protest rallies were alsotaken out in many Sindh citieswhere protesters burned tyres andchanted slogans against thecaretaker governments in Sindhand centre.

BILAWAL: PPP chairmanBilawal Bhutto Zardari stronglycondemned the series of terroristattacks in various parts of thecountry, which killed and injuredseveral innocent people.He demanded of the government

to take concrete steps to stemgrowing incidents of terrorism inthe country just ahead of thegeneral elections. Bilawal said thePPP has no words strong enough tocondemn the heinous crimesagainst innocent people. He saidthat the PPP is profoundly grievedand shocked over the killing ofinnocent people in the attacks.He asked the people to reject anti-

democratic forces, who are trying tosabotage liberal and democraticforces of their constitutional andlegal rights.Bilawal also prayed for those

killed and a speedy recovery tothose injured in the attacks.

Sindh shut tomourns killings� Bilawal for rejecting anti-democratic forces