Bilawal slams efforts of pushing Pakistan back to 'stone-age'

THATTA: Patron in chief of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday accused the Taliban of trying to drag the Pakistan back to the “stone-age.” Addressing a gathering in Makli Stadium during the closing ceremony of a two-week cultural festival in Sindh, Bilawal urged the country to rise up against threats. “The Taliban want to impose the law of terror in the country, but I want to tell them, if you have to live in Pakistan you will have to follow its Constitution,” he said. “We don’t accept the law of terrorists” he added. “Some people are trying to bring back the stone-age era in the country in the name of Islam.” Terming Sindh as the Bab-ul-Islam, because the advent of Islam in sub-continent was through the province, criticised those who were trying to spread it by force. “No one can teach them about preaching of Islam,” Bialwal said, adding that Islam teaches peace and tranquility. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government has been under fire from political opponents for failing to mount a strong response to the upsurge in attacks, as it tries to broker a peace deal. The government has for months built ground for talks with the Taliban, but the head of Pakistan’s second largest political party spoke in favour of military action against them on Saturday. While the talks are still in a stage of infancy, there were some initial advances with all sides agreeing to halt violent activity for the duration of the talks. “The terrorists should think of the time when the whole nation will stand against them,” Bilawal added. “We are Muslims and the terrorist groups should not try to teach us Islam.” The PPP patron in chief said that enemies of the country had launched terrorism, but the Sindh festival had brought smiles on the faces of the people all over Pakistan.

Saudi Crown Prince Salman arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud arrived in Islamabad on a three day visit to Pakistan on Saturday. He was received by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the airport. The Crown Prince had been invited to Pakistan by Nawaz himself. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, also serves as the deputy prime minister and minister for defence of the kingdom. Among other senior dignitaries, the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Finance, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Army Staff would be calling on the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. A spokesperson from the Foreign Office said that the Crown Prince will hold talks with the President and the prime minister on Thursday. Agenda of the talks The talks aim to strengthen cooperation in diverse areas of mutual interest particularly in expanding and enhancing investments and trade. In this context, the accompanying Saudi businessmen will meet their Pakistani counterpart. They are also expected to discuss ways to increase export of Pakistan’s labour force to Saudi Arabia and facilitate over 1.5 million Pakistanis currently residing in the Kingdom. The Afghan issue is also expected to figure during the talks.

Tou Ghulam e Syed e Wala Wajahat Ali 130214 Mehfil Hadise Kisa Res Qamar Abbas Islamabad

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Taliban have given a positive response: Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: On his way back to Turkey on Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told Express News that during the ongoing peace talks, the government and the army will remain cooperative and that the Taliban had given a positive response to initial efforts. After a meeting of the Taliban’s political council in Waziristan, Nawaz told Express News Islamabad’s Bureau Chief Amir Ilyas Rana that the Taliban have positively replied and Irfan Siddiqui has been updated with all that happened during the talks with them. The premier added that the during process of talks, attacks should stop. He added that if there is any terrorist activity in the country, the public will speak up and the government will take immediate action to counter the threats and maintain peace. Nawaz also took the opportunity to clarify that the purpose of Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan was not to meet Musharraf. Rather, Nawaz said that the visit was an effort to strengthen the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and it should not be solely seen through the Musharraf perspective.

Made in India: Indian show makes presence felt in Lahore

LAHORE: The second Indian Show kicked off yesterday with Punjab citizens racing towards the Lahore Expo Center to catch a glimpse of the products on display. Around 120 stalls have been set up to exhibit different Indian products including textiles, gems, jewellery, embroidery, herbal medicine, electric products, paint, designing and engineering. The India show, displaying products made in the country, is a step taken by both commerce ministries to further improve bilateral trade relations. The business community and citizens expressed hope that more such shows would be organised. “The commerce ministries of both countries have played their role to enhance bilateral trade and bring it to its maximum under their capacities,” said Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir. “Now, the other ministries and governments should play their due role in improving relations.” The key to improved bilateral trade is improved relations, said Dastgir, adding that India has stopped composite dialogue that would adversely affect trade. “The commerce ministries could push the trade to a certain level under their capacities which it has achieved.” “Visa is still the biggest non-tariff barrier (NTB), which needs to be addressed to maximise people-to-people contact between the two countries,” said Dastgir. “Bilateral trade relations will mutually strengthen the two countries and their populations,” said Dr Jyotsna Suri, head of the Indian delegation and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) vice president. She said that the potential of bilateral trade can be gauged by the growth, which is almost 25%, over the last three years — still 10 times lower than the potential. Suri stressed the need for the promotion of tourism between the two countries which would boost growth and bring the two nations closer. Saarc President of Commerce and Industry Chairman Vikramjit S Sahney also stressed the need to establish a trade facilitation centre at the Wagah border where the business community could go and place orders without visas. He called for increasing the exports to Pakistan through Wagah border and the establishment of a container cargo terminal to increase bilateral trade. He said that the FICCI has proposed to the Indian government to extend the scope of the proposed Amritsar-Kolkata trade corridor to Lahore-Kabul by interconnecting them to reap the fruits of regional prosperity. Lashari also called for an early establishment of a banking network between India and Pakistan, opening up of borders 24/7, infrastructural facilities and containerisation of cargo at the Wagah border. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

De facto province status: FATA MPs divided over SAFRON minister’s statements

SHABQADAR: Parliamentarians from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have expressed mixed reaction to the SAFRON minister’s suggestion that Fata should be made a de facto province. Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Minister Lieutenant General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch told media on Friday in Islamabad that in a meeting of the National Assembly’s standing committee on SAFRON he suggested that Fata be made a de facto province just like Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B). According to Baloch, the move will enable parliamentarians from Fata to have a greater role in development projects in the region. The chairman of the standing committee on SAFRON, Senator Saleh Shah, who hails from South Waziristan, told The Express Tribune he would be in favour of any such move. “It would not be difficult to implement the suggestion because 12 parliamentarians from Fata are in the lower house and eight are in the upper house,” he said. The senator added under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, the Constitution of Pakistan does not extend to Fata and no act can be implemented in the region without the prior permission of the President of Pakistan. “Until this hurdle is removed, the problems of Fata cannot be resolved,” said Shah. MNA Jamaluddin of Jamiat UIema-e-Islam-Fazl, however, said he was not in support of Baloch’s suggestion because according to him, Fata needs peace to be restored before other issues can be addressed. He was also of the opinion that parliamentarians from Fata have no role in development projects and there are no checks on them, nor are they made accountable. Ijaz Mohmand of the FATA Lawyers Forum said instead of making Fata a de facto province it should be merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as the provincial assembly had adopted a resolution in May 2012 regarding the matter. “Leaders from Fata should be given the right to make their own laws,” said Mohmand. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Repeated attacks: Another teacher shot, injured in Hangu

HANGU: Just as three days of mourning for three teachers gunned down in the city on Monday passed, another primary school teacher was shot and injured by unidentified militants on the city’s outskirts on Friday. Azmat Bangash, an official of the Hangu police, told the The Express Tribune the incident occurred at around 12:10pm. Bangash said Munawar Hussain, resident of Aliabad, was teaching at the Government Primary School for Boys, Wrasta Road. He said Hussain was on his way home after school when two men on a motorcycle approached him from the back and opened fire, however, the teacher reacted quickly and jumped into a roadside pit. The militants escaped from the scene but managed to shoot Hussain in the leg. Bangash added heavy contingents of police rushed to the site after they were informed by nearby residents and students of the incident. Hussain was shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Hangu where he is said to be in a stable condition. The All Teachers’ Association has called for a protest against the incident in Peshawar, while a case has been filed against unidentified militants and further investigation is under way. A local police official said during initial reports that Hussain had been receiving threats by militants, warning him not to show up in the area and to quit his job. Despite multiple attempts, DPO Hangu Iftikhar Ahmad could not be reached for comments. The incident comes after the killing of three teachers in Kach Bandha, Hangu on Monday. Schools in the district had been closed for three days and reopened on Friday as the All Teachers’ Association had announced to mourn the attack. A police official said the teachers were being targeted for belonging to a particular sect. Bomb defused outside school An explosive device was defused by the bomb disposal squad (BDS) near a private school building in Thal, Hangu on Friday morning. An official of Thal police, Farid Khan, said unidentified militants had planted a low-intensity bomb outside the Muslim Model School in Tandoro, Thal. Khan added a pedestrian spotted the bomb in the early hours of the morning and informed the police, who called for the BDS to defuse the bomb. Khan said the BDS reached the scene around 8am and defused the bomb, planted near the gate of the main building. He added that 300 grammes of explosives were used in the bomb, which had been placed inside a canister. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

US Congressmen told about Pakistan's concerns on regional security

ISLAMABAD: A four-member bipartisan delegation of the Sub-committee on Defence of the United States House Appropriations Committee (US-HAC) held meetings with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in Islamabad on Friday. The delegation was led by the Sub-committee Chairman Congressman Rodney P Frelinghuysen. Pakistan-US bilateral relations including economic‚ security and counter-terrorism issues‚ as well as the regional situation were discussed, a release stated. Foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry highlighted Pakistan’s focus on economic and energy sectors. Pakistan’s commitment to promote relations with its neighbours for regional security and stability were also discussed. The foreign secretary stressed on the importance of Pakistan’s relations with the United States and appreciated US assistance to counter terrorism. The US congressmen acknowledged the importance of Pakistan-US relationship, especially in the current international scenario, and voiced support for consolidation of democracy in Pakistan. The US side also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for countering terrorism and its role in the promotion of regional peace and stability‚ especially in the backdrop of US drawdown from Afghanistan during the current year. Meeting with finance minister Minister of Finance Ishaq Dar briefed the US-HAC delegation about the role, mandate and functioning of Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance. The minister underscored the government’s emphasis on three specific areas of development focus: “Economy, Energy and Security” in the wider context of regional and international situation as well as sharing an update on bilateral relations. He reiterated that clearance of Coalition Support Funds (CSF) from USA needed to be streamlined and quickened to meet regional political exigencies. It was placed on record that Pakistan’s ongoing financial stringencies in the wake of instant security situation in the Af-Pak Region needed special attention by both the countries in post-allied forces withdrawal in 2014 onwards. It was impressed upon the visiting USA-HAC delegation that Pakistan did have noticeable concerns in the context of ongoing complex regional security situation which primarily constituted Pakistan’s current democratic government’s political focus for peace to be given a fair chance. Dar brought home to the visiting USA-HAC delegation the enormity of Pakistan’s human and economic loss in the wake of ongoing war on terror. He underlined that the political government and the armed forces in Pakistan are on one page in prioritising strategic options to curb terrorism and attain the mutually-shared goals of peace in the region. The US delegation expressed its fullest understanding of the untold sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in terms of loss of human life and persistent setbacks to national economy. The delegation assured the Pakistani side to continue to work for supportive efforts to scale down all procedural impediments in order to streamline CSF processing. The Pakistani side, led by Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, also presented a political review of Af-Pak situation in post-Nato and USA forces withdrawal that did merit strategically worked out prudent handling, taking stock of historical political factors relating to a difficult geographical terrain in the region. It was stressed that Pakistan and USA needed to join their efforts leading to a compact strategic deliberations process which did have a positive political forecast resulting in political and economic stabilization in Af-Pak Region. The minister emphasised that both the countries needed to re-focus their strategic considerations in the region and mutually work for political and economic rehabilitation of a war-torn part of South West Asia. The present democratic government in Pakistan shared its commonality of views with its USA counterparts beyond 2014 in terms of bilaterally useful alliances which also took into account all political, economic and military dimensions of a complex situation in the region, the minister added. The Pakistani side further impressed upon its American counterparts the significance the people of Pakistan attached with cherished moderate value system that did merit deeper understanding by USA government and the people both. Rodney Frelinghuysen appreciated Pakistani citizen’s social diaspora in USA, describing it entrepreneurial, dynamic and energetic which usefully is contributing to USA’s political economy in all sectors of development. He assured the finance minister of USA’s continued support that would focus mutually beneficial work for peace and stability in the Af-Pak region through a package of political and economic support that is bilaterally identified. The Ambassador of USA to Pakistan Richard Olson also attended the meeting.

Mutual cooperation: Pakistan, Egypt to strengthen bilateral ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Egypt have decided to strengthen bilateral ties and promote tourism between the two countries. A memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of tourism was signed here on Friday, said a press release. The MoU was signed by Egyptian Ambassador Said Hindam and Economic Affairs Division Senior Joint Secretary Pervaiz Ahmed Junejo. The programme aimes at bolstering relations between the two countries, promotion of tourism and investment. It covers multiple aspects, including the exchange of publicity material, information, brochures, statistics, participation in tourism fairs and festivals. The aim is to promote and facilitate investment and joint ventures through an exchange of information and benefit from one another’s expertise by organizing training courses for personnel in the field of tourism and hotel industry. On the occasion, Hindam remarked that cooperation between the two countries in the tourism sector would further strengthen relations between them. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Latest peace overtures indicate Afghan Taliban’s change of heart

ISLAMABAD: In a sudden shift from their earlier stance, dozens of senior Afghan Taliban leaders have decided to hold a dialogue with President Hamid Karzai to reach a political solution for Afghanistan ahead of the withdrawal of foreign troops by the year’s end. Agha Jan Mutasim, who served as the finance minister in the Taliban cabinet and is a former close aide of Mullah Omar, organised a meeting of senior Taliban leaders in UAE this week. Speaking to The Express Tribune on Friday via phone from Dubai, Mutasim said he will soon announce a specific address for intra-Afghan dialogue to avoid a civil war after Nato troops leave the country. In remarks earlier this week, Mutasim claimed the Dubai meeting was attended by former Taliban cabinet ministers, four senior diplomats and top military commanders who had been involved in fighting foreign forces. Mutasim declined to divulge their names citing security concerns. “They are very important personalities and I will not disclose their names as it could put their lives at risk,” he added, when asked to reveal names of the participants. He, however, said he will soon announce names of negotiators for intra-Afghan dialogue, adding they will not hold talks with foreigners in the first phase and will only do so after Afghans are united over the future of the their country. Mutasim, who had been shot and injured in Karachi in 2010, and later shifted to Turkey, had returned to Dubai to launch his political activities and efforts to encourage Taliban leaders to join his peace move. The initiative coincides with the trilateral summit in Ankara where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated his support for the Afghan peace process at a joint news conference with President Karzai and Turkish leaders. It is not yet clear if Pakistan is behind the latest move. However, it seems Pakistani leaders are aware of the development as Prime Minister’s security adviser Sartaj Aziz said in Islamabad this week that President Karzai is in informal contact with some Taliban leaders. Pakistani officials have admitted to facilitating the Qatar process that faced deadlock days after the Taliban opened their office in Doha in June last year. Afghan officials had earlier been upset at Islamabad’s inability to encourage Taliban leaders, whom they claim live in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban have evaded comments on the latest move and their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Express Tribune via email that he is “unaware of any such thing.” Mutasim had issued a three-page statement after the UAE meeting and also spoke to the media, but Mujahid did not offer any of his input. The Taliban have neither publicly disowned nor backed the latest initiative. This is the first time a senior Taliban leader has publicly announced to hold talks with the Karzai regime and begin the intra-Afghan dialogue. It will be premature to expect much from this process, but it could win support in and outside Afghanistan in view of the drawdown. Mutasim had said earlier they had taken cue from Pakistan after authorities here began negotiating with the Taliban following several years of conflict and peace agreements. In a statement sent to The Express Tribune on Friday, the Dubai-based Taliban leaders stated: “If we want our country to remain free from foreign domination, we have to launch an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue immediately.” The Dubai initiative could be a message for the Afghan Taliban leadership to avoid any rift that could weaken them further as they must know that durable peace can only be restored in war-ravaged Afghanistan by Afghans themselves. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Weapons scam: Former CM Hoti questioned by NAB

PESHAWAR: Former chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti, who was summoned by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, visited the bureau’s office on Thursday owing to security concerns. While talking to The Express Tribune, a NAB official said summoning someone did not mean he is accused of corruption. “We just summoned him for verification of something on the February 14 but he appeared a day before the deadline,” said the official, adding his statement was needed in the Rs7 billion weapons and equipment purchase scam. The official said so far Rs100 million have been recovered from Arshad Majeed, the main supplier who turned into an approver in the case. Meanwhile, an accountability court on Friday extended the judicial remand of a distant relative of Hoti for 14 days in the same scam. The accused Raza Ali Khan, brother-in-law of Hoti’s brother Ghazan Hoti, was brought from Central Prison Peshawar and produced before Judge Wilayat Ali Khan amid tight security to get his remand extended. The same court sent the accused to prison on January 31. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Intelligence report: ‘Jail inmates using mobile phones to plan attacks’

LAHORE: The use of mobile phones and narcotics by prisoners at jails across the country is widespread and may even be on the rise, The Express Tribune has learnt. According to an intelligence report by the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of the Ministry of Interior (MoI), prisoners detained on terrorism charges are using cellular phones to communicate with their accomplices in the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA). Some prisoners are also using mobile phones to plan criminal activities and demand extortion money, it said. The report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, said the under trial prisoners (UTPs) were provided cellular phones and narcotics by their relatives, friends and accomplices at judicial lock-ups. It said the policemen escorting the UTPs are often “bribed.” In some cases the officials are even drugged by those who sneak phones and narcotics inside the bakhshi khanas [judicial lock-ups], it said. “The policemen [who take bribes] ensure search-free entry of the UTPs in jails… other means to transport phones and narcotics include hiding phones in concrete blocks of construction material and food items,” the report stated. It further said that Qari Waqas, detained at Kot Lakhpat jail, and Shamsul Islam at Haripur jail, had been regularly communicating with their contacts in the FATA to plan terrorist attacks and collect monies. The report warned that preventive measures like installation or rectification of cell phone jammers were needed. It also suggested said crackdowns to recover mobile phones and narcotics at jails across the country. Pujab IG nspector General for Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir said that some prisoners had been found using mobile phones at jails. He said the vigilance cell had recovered 6,363 mobile phones in the recent campaign from jails in the province. “Action has also been taken against 539 police officials involved,” Nazir said the CM had released a Rs333 million grant for installation of mobile phone jammers at 10 prisons by June 30 in the first phase. “PCO’s will be established at jails where jammers are installed. They have already been set up at Gujrat, Gujranwala and in the Camp Jail Lahore,” he added. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Artistic treat: Valentine’s Art Show allows visitors to pick exquisite gifts

KARACHI: For those who are still indecisive about what gift to buy for their loved ones this Valentine’s Day, Grandeur Art Gallery in Zamzama may offer some help. Women, traditions and poetry are incorporated into the artworks of 10 prominent Pakistani artists who are featuring their work at the Valentine’s Art Show. The gallery owner, Neshmia Ahmed, said that the event was an annual show and usually held on February 14. “I decided to hold the show on February 13 this year because everyone is busy with their loved ones on Valentine’s Day. This exhibition will allow people to buy gifts for their loved ones,” she added. The show is displaying artworks of Omar Farid, Ather Jamal, Wahab Jaffer, Mashkoor Raza, Akram Spaul, Abrar Ahmad, AS Rind, Sadiq Hussain, Inam Raja and Farrukh Shahab. “The show doesn’t really tie-in with Valentine’s Day,” confided Ahmed. “I did ask the artists to try to stick to the theme, but only some have complied.” Pointing at the paintings, she said, “Raza and Jaffer have stuck to the theme. Both of their paintings are bursting with red. All artists are prominent, so even if some did not stick to the theme, having their work is an honour in itself.” Portraying women in vibrant colours, Rind said he had painted in his usual style. “I usually paint women. My palette is Rajasthan and Cholistan, and the colors are bright and rich.” Gesturing towards his work, he said, “There’s no hidden meaning. I just want people to see my paintings and feel better. It is art for art. In these times, we [artists] need to paint something just to make people feel better. I often seek inspiration from Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry. I’ve added flowers, the red ones, in the painting for this occasion. They have made the paintings even brighter.” Pointing towards another painting at the gallery, one that is not for sale, Rind said, “This painting is thematic. The eyes of a woman are sewn shut in the painting and it represents our traditions. Though we have many good traditions in Pakistan, this painting is representative of the traditions that are misused.” The gallery was full of paintings of women, from Raza’s bright red depictions to Raja’s brown hues. Art lovers admired the work with soft appreciative murmurs. The artists also mingled with the crowd, speaking about their own work and commenting on that of the others. The show will continue on till February 23. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

PCB in a flux: Miandad quits as director general

KARACHI: Former captain Javed Miandad has decided to part ways with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and offered his resignation as the director general of the governing body. “PCB confirms the receipt of a letter to the chairman [Najam Sethi] by Javed Miandad in which he has offered his resignation,” the board’s spokesperson confirmed to The Express Tribune on Friday. The official added that the matter of Miandad’s resignation would be discussed in the PCB management committee’s next meeting that is expected next week. An official close to the PCB said that the legendary batsman termed the turmoil within the country’s cricket circles as the reason behind his resignation. Earlier this week, the PCB Patron Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif removed Zaka Ashraf as chairman and formed the managing committee that later ‘elected’ Najam Sethi as head the board. That followed the removal of former cricketers from the PCB including chief selector Aamir Sohail – who were appointed by Ashraf after he was reinstated as the chairman by Islamabad High Court last month. However, Miandad, according to the official, wrote he had no tiff with any board official and prayed for promotion of the game and return of international cricket in Pakistan. Miandad, who played 124 Tests and 233 ODIs for Pakistan, was appointed as the director general under former chairman Ijaz Butt in 2008. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Job jeopardy: Over 1,800 CDA employees’ fate hangs in the balance

ISLAMABAD: A recent decision by the government has put nearly 2000 employees of the capital civic agency in a quandary. The Establishment Division on February 6 through a circular directed all federal ministries, divisions, corporations and autonomous bodies to stop renewing contracts of the temporary employees. According to documents, at present, some 1,811 contractual employees including daily wagers are working in the CDA in basic pay scale (BPS) from 1 to 5. The CDA hired some 2,586 officials on temporary basis since 2009 and of them, services of 775 employees were regularised on recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-committee on Regularisation then headed by Syed Khurshid Shah of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Interestingly, of these 1,811 temporary employees, 1,188 are ordinary grade malis (OGM) in BPS 1 and 10 assistant directors in BPS 17. While rest of them work as security guards, sweepers, sanitary workers, helpers, UDCs, LDCs, assistants, computer operators, drivers, firemen, tractor operators etc. These employees were hired during the tenure of the PPP in 2011. A daily-wager is hired for a period of 89 days and contract is renewed for another 89 days upon expiry, while a contractual employee, in most cases, is hired initially for a period of one year. “All of these temporary employees are entitled to job regularization as they were recruited in year 2011,” said an official of the administration wing quoting the CDA rules which say that the services of daily-wage employees would be regularised upon completion of two years continuous service. CDA Member Administration Amer Ali Ahmad said that the civic agency has neither made any new appointment nor extended services of any person in the last six months. He said that the federal government’s order would be followed and the CDA board would see if the authority required the services of these contractual employees. “In case we need their services, then a special case will be put up before the government,” Amer said. In the recent past, the CDA labour union had also taken up the issue with the CDA Chairman. CDA Labour Union General Secretary Chaudhry Yasin could not be contacted for comment. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Fake broadcast centre: Probe initiated against PTV’s ex-MD Kamal

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has started investigations into large scale corruption, allegedly perpetrated during the tenure of Pakistan Television’s (PTV) former acting managing director Qazi Mustafa Kamal. Kamal, as Director Engineering (Projects), allegedly forged documents and used them to secure payments issued for construction of four broadcasting centres, which were supposed to be constructed in Azad Kashmir, Sindh and Balochistan. The projects were shown completed in the documents while actually there was nothing except the pieces of land and the initial structures of the buildings on the sites. FIA’s anti-corruption cell has initiated the investigations and asked the PTV management to provide all the relevant documents in a letter dispatched on December 17, 2013. Since, Kamal was working as acting MD PTV then, the management tried to falsify the documents. Now the FIA authorities have once again asked for the relevant details of the projects, including the contractors and the payments made to them. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Threat to minorities: Imran condemns hate video

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan made an impassioned plea on Friday for measures to protect the Kalash and Ismaili communities against any onslaught by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) following the release of a video clip. “The peaceful Kalash community’s way of life must be respected and the state must ensure their protection,” said Imran in a statement issued to media houses on Friday. In the video, the TTP called upon the Kalash people to convert to Islam or face the consequences in case they refuse to do so. Using force to convert people to Islam is against the very teachings of the Holy Quran, he said. “The Holy Prophet (PBUH) enshrined this respect for minorities in the Madina Charter.” He also pointed out that the Ismaili community made an important contribution to the development of Pakistan since its creation and has continued to play a vital role in its progress since.

“The growing trend towards intolerance and violence must end,” he added. Under the country’s constitution, the state is supposed to protect the life and property of all citizens of Pakistan. “The state must ensure that the constitution is enforced across the country,” he said. Imran said the PTI respected all the communities that comprised the Pakistani nation and recognised the vital role played by the minorities in Pakistan’s development. “Threatening any peaceful Pakistani community is threatening the nation and can never be accepted. The growing violence, threats and killings of innocent Pakistanis and security personnel makes peace through dialogue more difficult,” Imran noted. Earlier in the Senate, Pakistan Peoples Party lawmakers Farhatullah Babar and Hari Ram had also raised the issue of threats by militants to Kalash and Ismali communities in Chitral valley. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

U19 World Cup: India wins toss against Pakistan, opts to bat

DUBAI: India won the toss against Pakistan at the International Cricket Council (ICC) U19 World Cup in Dubai and opted to bat, Express News reported on Saturday. The tournament started in UAE on February 13 and was credited for producing great players for the international circuit. This is the first game for both teams this series. Pakistan captain Sami Aslam had vowed to give a promising show in the mega tournament. “It is a great achievement for a player to participate in this tournament, as it is a step towards securing a spot in the national side,” Aslam had said. “We are looking forward to a solid performance.” Team India was also confident ahead of the event. India captain Vijay Zol had said: “We have won in the past and also the recently concluded Junior Asia Cup, so we are carrying the momentum with us.” Teams Pakistan: Amad Butt, Ameer Hamza, Hasan Raza, Hussain Talat, Imamul Haq, Imran Rafiq, Irfanullah Shah, Kamran Ghulam, Karamat Ali, Mohammad Aftab, Saifullah Khan, Sami Aslam (c), Saud Shakeel, Zafar Gohar, Ziaul Haq India: Avesh Khan, AK Bains, RK Bhui, AA Gani, AA Herwadkar, DJ Hooda, SS Iyer, Karan Kaila, SN Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, CV Milind, Monu Kumar, SV Samson, AA Sheth, VH Zol (c)

Kamran, Malik back in the fold

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee has yet again recalled seasoned all-rounder Shoaib Malik and veteran wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal for the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20. Fast-bowler Mohammad Talha, who put on an impressive show during the Sharjah Test against Sri Lanka, was the other player to make his way into the side for the mega tournament. Middle-order batsmen – Umar Amin and Harris Sohail – and fast-bowler Anwar Ali, who was part of the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, have been dropped. Fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan, who missed the home series against Sri Lanka due to a hip injury and underwent rehabilitation, failed to regain fitness. “Irfan’s injury has recurred,” PCB selector Saleem Jaffar told The Express Tribune. “After a thorough assessment, our medical panel advised a few more weeks of rest.” Kamran, Malik return Jaffar said players with a good domestic performance were preferred for the two tournaments. Among them is Kamran who was dropped from the national team after failing in the ICC Champions Trophy. The wicket-keeper, who has played in 53 Tests, 154 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and 50 Twenty20s, put on a good show during the domestic tournaments. “Kamran is highly experienced and has performed well recently,” said Jaffar. “The idea is that he can be utilised as an opener because captain [Mohammad Hafeez] demanded an explosive batsman. Kamran’s performance in domestic events has proved he can be lethal as an opener.” Kamran, while speaking to The Express Tribune, said he will give his best to help the team. “I played an important role when we won the World T20 [in 2009] and I am looking for a similar show. “I can perform at my best as an opener but I am ready to perform at any position as per the team’s requirement.” Malik, who returned from the South Africa tour last November after aggravating his hand injury, was also paid for his ‘good show’ at the Faysal Bank T20. The former captain scored 144 runs from five matches while leading the Sialkot Stallions. Alam in, Shafiq out for Asia Cup Struggling batsman Asad Shafiq and Harris were dropped for the Asia Cup in favour of Talha and Fawad Alam — who was finally rewarded for his consistent run in the domestic circuit. Alam, who last played for Pakistan in a T20 match against New Zealand in December 2010, was delighted at being recalled. “I never lost hope and continued the hard work,” said the 28-year old batsman. “I am thankful to the selectors and the team management for recognising my domestic performance. I am in good form and aiming to strengthen our middle-order batting.” The PCB also announced that the national training camp for the Asia Cup will begin from February 17 in Lahore ahead of the team’s departure on February 22. The Asia Cup, featuring five teams, will run from February 25 to March 7 followed by the World Twenty20 that is scheduled between March 16 to April 6 in Bangladesh. World Twenty20 Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Talha, Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad Asia Cup Misbahul Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Mohammad Talha Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Corruption within: FBR fails to take decision on policing powers

ISLAMABAD: Amid lack of internal controls necessary to keep a check on taxmen who are often seen conniving with tax evaders, the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) highest decision-making body could not decide on who will police its officers. A meeting of the FBR’s Board-in-Council, held here on Friday, failed to decide whether the vigilance task be given to the Human Resources Management (HRM) wing by taking away powers from the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation. The HRM itself sought the powers which the FBR called necessary steps for “integrity management” of its workforce. However, due to the HRM’s capacity constraints and lack of experience in handling such issues, the Board-in-Council could not make a decision, according to FBR officials. It constituted a four-member committee that would decide whether the task should be given to the HRM, said Shahid Hussain Asad, the FBR’s spokesman. The committee will comprise Member Information Technology Raana Ahmed, Member Audit Haroon Khan Tareen, Member HRM Yasmin Masud and Member Inland Revenue Policy Shahid Asad. Any delay could undermine the government’s efforts to prepare and implement a tax administration plan. Under the $6.7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme, Pakistan has assured the IMF that it is framing a comprehensive plan to strengthen tax administration. The government has also promised that it will amend the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2010 to include tax crimes in the schedule of offences that will enable the use of AML tools to combat tax fraud. The deadline for the amendment is June 2014. The FBR is dubbed as one of the most corrupt organisations in the country. Because of rampant corruption, tax evaders remain untouchable. There were no formal internal controls in place to keep a close eye on the corrupt officials, sources in the FBR revealed. As an incentive to lure the officers away from corrupt practices, civil servants working in the FBR are offered a salary double than what government servants are getting. However, this has not stopped the officers and the staff from indulging in corruption. So far, the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation has been informally monitoring the officers. During routine work, if the wing comes to know about involvement of the officers in corruption, it sends the information to the FBR headquarters for action. In the absence of any formal internal controls, many officers even did not file their income tax returns, sources said. Some are enjoying a lavish lifestyle and children of some of the senior officials are studying abroad. FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa was in favour of integrating the functions of career planning and integrity management, officials said. They feared that if vigilance powers were given to the HRM, it could undermine the whole exercise, as the HRM staff not only lacked training in spying but also could be easily pressurised. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

‘Principled’ stance: New Delhi CM resigns over graft bill row

NEW DELHI: It was the shortest tenure any government in Delhi has ever had. After just 49 days in power, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) resigned from the Delhi government on Friday, leaving their rivals – the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – with what may prove to be an even bigger political headache. “I am a small man and I have come from among you. To stick to our principles, we are ready to give up the chief minister’s post a hundred times over,” Kejriwal said at the end of a day of high drama, emotion and passion. “I believe in the constitution of India. I took oath of office to uphold the constitution, not to uphold the orders of the central government,” he told a crowd of charged AAP supporters, all of whom were waving a broom – the party’s election symbol.

Kejriwal resigned after the Delhi Assembly defeated a motion to pass the Jan Lokpal bill, an anti-corruption legislation which seeks the appointment of an independent body to investigate graft cases. The bill had to be routed through the lieutenant governor of Delhi and the home ministry since Delhi is a centrally administered territory. Kejriwal and his colleagues had objected to this route, saying the Constitution was silent on the central government having any jurisdiction on the activities of the state government or the assembly. A day before, fisticuffs broke out in the legislative assembly when BJP clashed with AAP. The Congress and BJP have said they have objections not against the Jan Lokpal bill, but the manner in which Kejriwal and his colleagues were forcing the agenda and projecting themselves as the sole crusaders against corruption. Kejriwal had accused the two parties of banding together against him after his government filed police complaints of corruption against India’s biggest industrialist, Mukesh Ambani. The Ambanis, Kejriwal alleged, colluded with the ruling Congress government to inflate the price of natural gas extracted from offshore oil blocks by the Ambani group. He claimed the Congress and BJP had taken a stance against his government after being influenced by the Ambanis – an allegation hotly denied by the two parties. Kejriwal’s resignation will free him and his party members from the responsibility of running the capital and will allow them to focus on campaigning all over the country – something the Congress had hoped to avoid when it helped the AAP form the government. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will rule Delhi for the foreseeable future. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Gwadar Port: Pakistan, China all set to develop master plan

ISLAMABAD: In a strategic move, Pakistan and China are set to make headway towards developing a master plan for Gwadar Port as part of an economic corridor that envisages investment of $12 billion by Beijing. Officials of the two countries will take up the matter during talks in Beijing on February 17, where Pakistan’s team will be led by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, officials say. As part of the economic corridor that will turn Pakistan into a hub of regional cooperation, Gwadar Port will be connected through road, rail and fibre links to China to help enhance trade between the two countries. Oil and gas pipelines are also part of the economic corridor over the long run, which is expected to provide a much-needed boost to economic activities in insurgency-hit Balochistan, according to the officials. Under the short-term plan, Islamabad and Beijing want to develop Gwadar Port, whose control had already been given to China, in a bid to attract investment in different sectors to make it a hub of economic activities. Under this plan, an oil city will be set up at the port to meet fuel needs. However, the United States and India are not pleased with the handing over of Gwadar Port to China, which will enhance its presence in the sea. The government is also looking to revive the abandoned Coastal Oil Refinery at Gwadar, a project that had been shelved by China in 2009-10 after operations of the port were handed over to the Singapore Port Authority. A global recession compounded the problems, providing another reason to shelve the project. The refinery, designed to have a maximum output of 60,000 barrels of oil per day, is part of China’s plan to invest $12 billion in multiple projects in Pakistan. Oil pipeline Officials pointed out that the oil and gas pipelines depended on normalisation of relations between the US and Iran. Though Iran supplies oil and gas to Turkey, China and India, the US is piling on the pressure on Pakistan to stop it from importing energy from Tehran. Experts describe it an attempt to push Pakistan towards economic collapse due to acute energy shortages. The PML-N government, which took over in June last year, has already offered Beijing to lay an oil pipeline from Gwadar to western China – a move that will allow the latter to diversify and safeguard crude oil import routes. Officials suggested that the oil pipeline could later be linked with Iran, which had already offered to build a pipeline from its territory to Gwadar for the transport of crude oil. During the previous government’s tenure, Iran had also expressed its willingness to set up an oil refinery at Gwadar Port with a production capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. Officials pointed out that Gwadar Port was quite close to the Persian Gulf through which nearly 40% of world’s oil supply flows. China meets 50% of oil demand through imports from the Middle East. The supply line to China runs over the 10,000km Dubai-Shanghai-Urumqi ocean route. “The crude oil processed and refined at the Gwadar oil refinery can be exported to Urumqi through the shortest possible route, which is Dubai-Gwadar-Urumqi spanning over 3,600 km. For this, an oil pipeline will be laid through the energy corridor up to western China via Karakoram Highway/Khunjrab Bypass,” an official said. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Uptick in violence: Talks may stall if attacks continue

ISLAMABAD: Government negotiators told Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) intermediaries on Friday that the fledgling peace process could not move forward unless the TTP ceased its violent attacks. “The Taliban should forthwith publicly announce cessation of all hostile acts that undermine peace and implementation of such pronouncement must be ensured,” said a joint statement following a meeting between the four-member government negotiating committee and the Taliban intermediary team at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House on Friday.

The meeting came a day after the TTP claimed credit for a deadly bomb attack on a police bus in Karachi which killed over a dozen policemen and injured many more. The session was supposed to discuss progress in peace efforts following the Waziristan trip of the Taliban intermediaries – but the discussion was overshadowed by the Karachi bombing. Irfan Siddiqi, coordinator of the government committee, confirmed to The Express Tribune that they sought a clarification from the Taliban on whether they were interested in talks or not. “We expect a direct, public pronouncement from the Taliban that they want to pursue dialogue. And such an announcement must be followed by practical steps. They must prove [by ceasing violent activities] that they want to pursue dialogue,” he added. “The Taliban asked for three days to respond to the government’s demand.” The meeting was attended by government negotiators Irfan Siddiqi, Maj (retd) Muhammad Amir, Rahimullah Yousafzai, Rustam Shah Mohmand and Taliban intermediaries Maulana Samiul Haq, Professor Ibrahim and Maulana Yousuf Shah.

Apparently Qari Shakeel, the head of the TTP political shura, spoke to the intermediaries directly by telephone and pledged to respond to the government within the next 72 hours. Shakeel also said that a meeting of the shura would be convened soon and the TTP would then respond to the government’s demand. According to the statement, the two sides regretted the unabated ‘anti-peace activities’ in the country and said that such actions would have a negative impact on the ongoing peace efforts. Referring to the Karachi bombing, the government negotiators said that it would become difficult to pursue peace talks if such incidents continued to happen. “We have clearly told the Taliban committee that talks cannot take place if the TTP doesn’t cease attacks,” Siddiqi said. “We haven’t been able to offer concrete results to the nation after 15 to 20 days of talks. Conversely, around two dozen terror attacks have occurred during this period which claimed over 100 lives.” The Taliban intermediaries expect progress over the next few days. “Currently, there is no ceasefire, but we hope some progress will be made in two or three days,” Maulana Yousuf Shah, the Taliban committee’s coordinator, told The Express Tribune. The Taliban intermediaries also admitted that the recent attacks would have negative impact on the peace process. They said that the government should also publicly announce that it would not carry out any ‘provocative’ activity. They added that it was necessary for durable peace that both sides did not use force. “The first priority is establishment of peace in the country. Negotiations should not be through the media,” Maulana Samiul Haq told journalists after the meeting. According to the statement, the government negotiators reiterated their stance that more confidence-building measures would follow only after complete cessation of hostilities in the country. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Kech kidnapping: Govt contacts BLF to secure release of eight officials

QUETTA / ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan government has contacted the banned Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) to secure the release of its eight officers who were seized on Thursday and Friday. “Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch wants to avoid an operation by security forces,” provincial government spokesperson Jan Buledi told The Express Tribune. “Our priority is to secure the release of the kidnapped officials through peaceful negotiations,” he added. “The use of force will be the last option.” Senior administration officials Deputy Commissioner Kech Abdul Hameed Abro and Tehsildar Tump Hussain Jan were kidnapped by armed men in the Tump area near Turbat on Thursday. On Friday, Assistant Commissioner Dasht Naeem Gichki, Naib Tehsildar Buleda Rafiq Ahmed, Tehsildar Dasht Khadan Ahmed Ali, Naib Risaldar Levies Force Bisham Baloch, Sepoy Levies Force Jamil Ahmed and one tribal elder were sent to negotiate with the abductors. When they reached Tump, about 15 armed men appeared on motorbikes and kidnapped them.

In the past, Baloch militants, including those from Baloch Liberation Army and Baloch Republican Army, used to target security personnel and government officials from Punjab. This is the first time they seized ethnic Baloch officials. Jan Buledi said he could not understand why the insurgents abducted the Baloch administration officials. The chief minister said it was highly regrettable that the government officials were kidnapped in the presence of security forces. “The incident proves that the security forces are helpless in some areas of the province,” he told the media in Quetta. The government is learnt to have ordered an inquiry to find out why the security personnel escorting the administration officials did not take action when they were being taken captive. About Thursday’s kidnapping, sources said that the deputy commissioner and Tehsildar were travelling in a convoy comprising four vehicles when they were seized. The gunmen overpowered the 24 police and levies personnel escorting the two officials and ordered the convoy to follow them. Sources added that the gunmen had snatched official weapons from the security personnel before allowing them to go. Kech, the hometown of Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, is a stronghold of the BLF, a group led by Dr Allah Nazar Baloch that has been responsible for several attacks on government officials and security personnel. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Crimes against women: ‘There are more honour killings than we know’

LAHORE: “As many as 500 women and girls are killed for ‘honour’ in Pakistan each year, making Pakistan one of the most dangerous countries for women,” said Dr Muazzam Nasrullah, a public health specialist teaching at Emory and West Virginia University, USA, on Friday. He was delivering a lecture on Honour Killings: A Public Health Perspective at the University of Health Sciences, organised by the UHS Department of Family Medicine. Dr Nasrullah stressed the need to provide a platform to oppressed women. “This will help create an informed and supportive environment for advocacy for policies to eliminate violence against women,” he said. He said, ‘honour’ killings most often involved women being murdered by their family members to avenge the ‘shame’ brought on through infidelity or culturally unacceptable behaviour. “This is a unique form of violence,” said Dr Nasrullah. “Domestic violence is usually carried out by husbands or romantic partners…in this case the perpetrators are usually brothers or fathers.” Dr Nasrullah said his study had tried to quantify the problem since data on the matter was hard to come by. He said he had used newspaper reports compiled by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan for his study. He said 1,957 incidents of honour killings had been recorded over the past four years. Most of them had occurred in response to alleged extramarital relations. Dr Nasrullah said he was sure that the number of incidents reported was lower than the actual number of incidents, as not every incident makes it to the media. “The problem is much worse than what this study makes it out to be,” he said. The average rate of honour killings in women between 15-64 years was found to be 15 per million women per year. He said murders for ‘honour’ occurred all over the country under various names kala-kali (Punjab), karo-kari (Sindh), tor-tora (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Siyakari (Balochistan). Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Director IA Rehman said although honour killings were illegal, there were loopholes in the law that often prevented full punishment for the crime. He said it was very important to have reliable data about honour killings. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Senate session: Government waters down figures on death-row convicts

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday claimed that there are only a total of 547 persons on death row in the country – a figure strongly contested by human rights organisations. The interior ministry furnished these statistics in the Senate in written reply to a question asked by Pakistan Peoples Party’s lawmaker Syeda Sughra Imam. Of these prisoners, 63 were awarded death sentences on their involvement in terrorist activities while the rest had committed murders, the ministry’s reply said. However, these figures provided by the ministry were far below the statistics published by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and other human rights organisations in the country over the years. In its letter to the prime minister and president calling for abolishing the death sentence, HRCP in September last year quoted that there were more than 8,000 convicts on death row in the country. Of these, 450 were awaiting execution by August 2013. When contacted, an official of the HRCP told The Express Tribune that it gets figures from prison authorities every year. There were around 6,000 persons on death row in Punjab when the last figures were published. He said HRCP was waiting for the latest figures for 2013 from the government before it publishes its new annual report. Except one inmate Muhammed Hussain, who was executed on November 14, 2012 under the orders of a military court, no execution has been carried out in Pakistan since 2008. The last government of PPP through a moratorium stopped executions under death penalties. Pakistan also ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) a few years back and, at the occasion of the UN Universal Period Review in October 2012, supported recommendations by other states to maintain the moratorium. The incumbent government says that it has not taken any final decision to continue or discontinue the moratorium. Anti-death penalty activists and some Western countries have been campaigning to abolish the death sentence. Minister of State for Education Balighur Rehman on the floor of the house said, “There was no moratorium on death penalty in the country.” He added that the death penalties are held in ‘abeyance’. Sughra Imam contested the statement of the minister, saying he was unable to clarify the matter. She later told The Express Tribune that the government never provides proper replies to the queries of members. When asked about the contrasting figures of HRCP and the government, she said the assumption is that the government provides figures of those inmates for whom all options of appeal have been exhausted. She said her question was very clear and the government should have given a detailed reply. Under the law, once death penalty is awarded, the convict has the right to appeal in a high court and the Supreme Court. If these options are also exhausted, a final mercy appeal can be filed to the president of Pakistan. According to the interior ministry’s figures of crimes reported since 2008, a total of 3,099 cases of kidnapping for ransom were registered in the country. The ministry also claimed police registered 1,623 cases of gang rape and 112,134 cases of robberies during this period. It further catalogued 1,257 cases of ‘missing’ persons. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Reject Imran’s remarks: Nisar, Shahbaz say army is ‘fully capable’

ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: Imran Khan was criticised again on Friday for his recent statement when Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met to discuss the ongoing peace talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. In an interview to a private TV channel, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief had said that PM Nawaz told him, in the presence of the then Chief of Army Staff, that there is a 40 per cent chance of success in case of a military operation against the Taliban. During Friday’s meeting, the interior minister maintained that there should be no misconception in anybody’s mind about the capability and the strength of the armed forces of Pakistan. This capability has been proven time and again, especially with the two recent examples of targeted operations in Swat and Waziristan. The government is earnestly pursuing the dialogue process as a genuine peace option, however, the armed forces are fully geared, equipped and motivated to ensure the security of the country in any corner of Pakistan once it is given the go-ahead by the government, he said. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif lauded the sacrifices of the armed forces and said that not only the government but the people of Pakistan also have full confidence in their capability, professionalism and commitment. He said that any statement, which compromises or affects the morale or the fighting spirit of the armed forces should be avoided at all costs. The two leaders also discussed the capacity building of the law-enforcement agencies in Punjab and called for a greater cooperation and coordination between the federal and provincial governments. Imran’s statement also rebuked in Senate Senate’s Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq, too, rejected the remarks made by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and clarified that a meeting among PM Nawaz‚ former army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani‚ the interior minister and the PTI Chairman was held before the start of the all parties conference (APC). “PTI Chief Imran Khan misquoted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former army chief Pervaiz Kayani while stating that there were 40% chances of success if an operation is started against militants,” he informed the Senate in response to a point of order, raised by Senator Raza Rabbani. “I have got required information and reached the conclusion that statement of Imran Khan has no reality and is totally baseless. The PTI chief could not understand what the former army chief had said,” he added. In the meeting, Zafarul Haq said, the former army chief had told Imran Khan that if the operation was launched by the government against militants, then 40% terrorism activities could be controlled immediately. The former army chief had also stated that the government should fully utilise the option of dialogue with militant groups. “We have full confidence in Pakistan Army who is capable to fight extremism and aggression against country. Their determination cannot be called in question,” he added. The Leader of the House acknowledged that besides the personnel, the officers of Armed Forces have also rendered valuable sacrifices in the war against terrorism and embraced martyrdom in line of duty. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan welcomed Zafarul Haq’s statement and said whole nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the Armed Forces in their fight against terrorism. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Religious decree: ‘Constitution completely in line with Sharia’

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday obtained a fatwa (religious decree) declaring the Constitution of Pakistan completely in accordance with Islam from one of the country’s most prominent clerics, preempting any demand for the enforcement of Sharia the Taliban may voice during peace talks. “Our Constitution is a complete document. The presence of 22 clauses proposed by the then leading religious scholars in the 1973 Constitution make it a perfect Islamic document,” observed Rafi Usmani, President of Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi. In the three-page document which contained his recommendations, Usmani, who claims to be Pakistan’s grand mufti, condemned any move to create doubts regarding the Constitution. A copy of the document is available with The Express Tribune. “Yes, when we talk about the implementation of Sharia laws, the government did a culpable negligence by not implementing these [22] clauses in letter and spirit,” Usmani had said after meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. However, those creating such confusions, he added, should know all sects had unanimously agreed to the 22 clauses. The interior minister met senior clerics from Darul Uloom Karachi, Jamia Farooqia, Jamia Binoria and Jamia al Rashid, along with other leading clerics in Karachi on Thursday night. To create confusion about sensitive documents and to damage national unity is a condemnable act, particularly at a time when Pakistan is facing worst kind of unrest, the clerics had said. Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.

Karachi violence claims 5 lives, injures 6 people

KARACHI: A wave of violence in Karachi claimed five lives and injured six people on Saturday, Express News reported. Two hand grenade attacks near Mominabad police station in Karachi injured four people.
Blasts in Orangi Town, Karachi injure 4 people by TheExpressNews The incident took place at Hazara Chowk in Orangi Town No 4. People gathered at the scene after the first hand grenade attack at which point the second grenade was thrown. The injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medical attention. They were identified as Naseeb, Yousaf, Hussain and Sirajuddin. There were reports of a third bomb at the site and Bomb Disposal Squad was called to defuse it. Police reached the site of the attacks and further investigation is underway. Firing incidents In another incident of violence in the city, firing left two people dead and two others injured in PNT Colony, Korangi on Saturday, Express News reported. Separately, one person was killed in a firing incident near Northern Bypass in Karachi. Bodies found Two bodies that bore torture marks were found from Super Highway in Karachi. The victims were reportedly found with their throats slit. The deceased have not been identified as yet.

US willing to help comatose Shahzaib as his family ‘considers their options’

WASHINGTON DC: The United States on Thursday said that they were trying to help comatose Pakistani student Shahzaib Bajway in every way possible, but that his family has to consider their options. In a press briefing on Thursday by the US State Department, deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said that the American “embassy has been in regular contact with his family, including facilitating travel by family members to the US to be with him.” “And here in Washington we have continued to work with the family, with the hospital, and the Pakistan Embassy to ensure this student receives the best care.” Commenting on Shahzaib’s future treatment, Harf said that Shahzaib’s family should ‘weigh’ the number of factors involved in doing so. “We’re working with his family as they decide on treatment options and we’ll help them maintain flexibility in terms of his status,” she said. During the press briefing, she was asked whether or not the US would help with Shahzaib’s status if the hospital decides that medical care in the US is best for him, given his condition. The spokesperson replied by saying that the matter was complicated. “It’s a complicated question and it’s a hypothetical.” “We are committed to helping the family maintain flexibility and maintaining his status, yes. And we’ll see as the family makes decisions what might need to be done.” Muhammad Shahzaib Bajwa, 20, was spending a semester in an exchange programme at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, studying anthropology and sociology. On November 13, 2013, he and his friends were driving back to the university from Minneapolis when their car struck a deer, his brother Shahraiz Bajwa said. What was meant to be an academic semester abroad through a State Department-backed exchange programme has turned into a Kafkaesque journey through US insurance, medical and visa regulations for the family from Faisalabad.

Corrupt-off: Mercurial Delhi chief minister Kejriwal resigns

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has resigned, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. According to initial details, Kejriwal and his cabinet tendered their resignations after local legislators effectively shot down efforts to bring in anti-corruption legislation – the key plank of his manifesto in a December election.

Tackling manipulation: Govt officials scupper plans to empower oil regulator

ISLAMABAD: The civil bureaucracy and the ruling elite have blocked attempts aimed at empowering the oil and gas industry regulator to slap fines and penalties on oil marketing companies (OMCs) for allegedly forming a cartel to charge higher prices and pocket billions from consumers. The move came after the Cabinet Division tabled a summary before the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), seeking approval of amendments to the Ogra ordinance in order to allow the regulator to monitor prices of all refined oil products, sources said. Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood, Science and Technology Minister Zahid Hamid, some other ECC members and top bureaucrats joined hands and scuppered plans to push through the amendments. The changes in the law would have permitted the regulator to impose fines and penalties on the OMCs for alleged tampering with the deregulated oil pricing mechanism. Bureaucrats and some ministers argued that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) was already monitoring prices of petroleum products and there was no need to revise the law. Any such amendment would spoil the investment environment in the oil industry, they pointed out. At present, Ogra only regulates the kerosene oil price whereas other petroleum products are deregulated and their prices are set keeping in view the rates at which these are imported by Pakistan State Oil. Though Ogra keeps a check on petroleum product prices, it lacks powers under the ordinance and any company or individual can go to court if action is taken against forming a cartel, overpricing or any other market manipulation. In the meeting, some of the ECC members, who were in favour of amending the Ogra ordinance, suggested that after the proposed changes, the government would frame rules to clear the way for taking action against the OMCs for any misappropriation. According to sources, they stressed that Ogra was not legally empowered to monitor petroleum prices and could not take action to protect the interest of consumers. In such a scenario, amendments to the ordinance were required to empower the regulator. Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also backed the proposal, they said. However, considering the concerns raised by different quarters, the ECC decided to constitute a committee led by the minister of science and technology with secretaries of the ministries of law and justice and finance and Ogra as members. The committee will consider afresh the proposed and other amendments, if any, to the Ogra ordinance before sending them to the ECC for approval and subsequent placement before the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for a final decision. Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2014.

Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik recalled for World Twenty20

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket board on Friday announced the national squads for the ICC World Twenty20 and the Asia Cup, handing recalls to Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik. The squad includes Mohammad Hafeez (Captain), Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umer Gul, Sherjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Talha, Kamran Akmal, and Ahmed Shehzad. Asia Cup squad PCB also announced the team for ACC Asia Cup on Friday, retaining Misbahul Haq as captain. The team includes: Misbahul Haq (captain) Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmad Shahzad, Sharjeel Khan, Shahid Khan Afridi, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, and Muhammad Talha. Mohammad Irfan left out Mohammad Irfan was left out of Pakistan’s 15-man squads for this month’s Asia Cup and next month’s World Twenty20 after a recurrence of a hip injury, selectors said Friday. Irfan — the tallest ever man to play international cricket at 7 feet one inch — fractured his hip in Pakistan’s Twenty20 series against South Africa in United Arab Emirates in November last year. However, his recovery proved short lived when the injury recurred in a domestic tournament this week, prompting chief selector Azhar Khan to say Irfan had to be left out of the squads. Umar Gul has been recalled for the one-day international Asia Cup. Missing from the Asia Cup squad is Sohail Tanweer, who is only in the World Twenty20 squad. Wahab Riaz and Mohammed Irfan are on neither teams. Women’s cricket team Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also named on Friday a 14-member Pakistan women squad for the series against Bangladesh and for next month’s ICC Women’s World Twenty20. Sana Mir has been retained as the captain of the team while Bismah Maroof would be her deputy. The series against Bangladesh will be played from March 2 to March 15 at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Three ODIs and five T20 matches will be played against the Bangladesh team. The ICC Women’s World Twenty 20 to be held in Sylhet, March 16 to April 16. A training camp will be at Lahore Country Club, Muridke from February in build-up for the events. The women’s sqauad includes Sana Mir (Captain), Bismah Maroof (Vice Captain), Syeda Nain Fatima Abidi, Nida Rashid, Javeria Wadood, Syeda Batool Fatima Naqvi (wicketkeeper), Asmavia Iqbal Khokhar, Qanita Jalil, Sumaiya Siddiqui, Sadia Yousaf, Bibi Nahida, Sania Iqbal, Sidra Amin and Marina Iqbal.

Justice delayed in Kohistan

Two years, countless media reports and a Supreme Court suo-motu notice have not been enough to ascertain whether the five women condemned to death in Kohistan for clapping to a song are dead or alive. A jirga in Kohistan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had condemned them, as well as two men, to death, for singing and dancing at a wedding held in March 2012. The jirga orders were based on a cell phone video, which showed the women clapping while the men danced. The Supreme Court had taken suo-motu notice of the matter in 2012 and sent a fact-finding mission to the area, which found that the women were alive. The case was then dismissed. But earlier this year, it came to light that the jirga may have presented similar-looking women to the commission, which misled authorities into believing that the women were alive. Later, the two men featured in the clip and their brother were killed in an armed assault. This video scandal has come up again this week after a former parliamentarian disclosed that the women had been killed in May 2012. He also accused a politician belonging to his own party of having tried to hush up the matter for tribal politics. Unfortunately, despite these very grave allegations, an inquiry has yet to be launched into the matter and the government has yet to recover from its continuing slumber. Two years is long enough for this matter to have been settled and the authorities must now immediately launch an impartial inquiry before more people are killed for harmless acts conducted in a private sphere. The mere condemnation by tribal elders for something as innocuous as clapping and dancing is condemnable on its own. This incident, once again, highlights the need for a uniform law in the district as well as in the entire province, which is administered by three different legal systems. In the absence of uniform and sustained rule of law, there is too much room for criminal exploitation. Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2014.

Male, female or custom? Facebook's new gender options

SAN FRANSISCO: Facebook on Thursday freed members from the bonds of being either male or female, letting people opt for custom genders such as transsexual or “intersex” at the social network. Along with adding scores of “custom gender” options on profile pages, Facebook is letting members select which pronouns they wish to be used when being referred to in posts or messages. Facebook users could opt to be referred to as “he/him” or “she/her,” or by a neutral “they/their” choice. “While to many this change may not mean much, for those it affects it means a great deal,” Facebook said in a post at its Diversity page that included a picture of a giant rainbow flag on display on the company’s campus in the Silicon Valley city of Menlo Park. Facebook said it worked with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activist groups to create a thorough list of gender options, which can be found in an “other” category on any Facebook profile “About” page. Custom genders are only available to those who use Facebook in US English but the company plans to expand the range in the future. Feedback in a forum at Facebook’s Diversity page was mostly positive, with some suggesting a need for even more description options and others insisting that biology limits the choices to male or female. Facebook’s move will make “great strides” in supporting young people whose sexual identities don’t conform to traditional societal norms, according to US-based gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign Foundation. “Over the past few years, a person’s Facebook profile truly has become their online identity, and now Facebook has taken a milestone step to allow countless people to more honestly and accurately represent themselves,” said HRC president Chad Griffin. A survey of 10,000 lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender youth published on Thursday by HRC revealed that nearly 10% of them put themselves in a “gender-expansive” group that could benefit from Facebook’s move. Two-thirds of the surveyed people in that group wrote in genders such as queer, gender-fluid, and “non-binary,” which means they feel they are neither male nor female, or some combination of both. The survey also indicated that “gender-expansive” youth were less likely to say they were happy, fit into their communities, or had an adult at home they could turn to. Facebook said on its official Diversity page: “When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self. “An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just ‘male’ or ‘female.’” The social network’s latest initiative was given more than 4,000 likes on the page, and mostly favorable comments. One user, Katarina wrote: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have made me feel like a real person and I cannot tell you how much that matters.” There were however dozens of others, including a user called Shannon Sha, who said: “Great option, but needs to be added in every country.”

Attacks are detrimental to peace: TTP, govt committees

ISLAMABAD: The government and Taliban negotiation committees on Friday evening issued a joint statement condemning all activities that undermine peace, reported Express News. The statement came soon after their meeting concluded at Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad. In light of yesterday’s attack on police personnel in Karachi that left 13 dead, the government committee expressed their concern about the viability of peace talks to their counterparts, demanding that the Taliban be asked to make a clear statement to immediately stop all activities that undermine peace. The Taliban committee was in agreement and added that the government should agree not to use force either. The Taliban committee comprised of Maulana Samiul Haq, Professor Ibraheem and committee coordinator Maulana Yousuf Shah, while the government committee comprised Irfan Siddiqui, Major (retd) Muhammad Amir, Rahimullah Yousufzai, Rustam Shah Mohmand. “At the moment there is no ceasefire, but we are optimistic that some progress will be made in the coming days,” Maulana Yousuf Shah said speaking with Express News. “The first issue is the establishment of peace in the country. The negotiations should not be through the media,” Mauala Samiul Haq said, speaking with the media after the meeting.

Tortured, shaken up: Anti-drone activist Karim Khan returns home after 9 days

ISLAMABAD: Drone activist Karim Khan, who was kidnapped from his home last week, has been freed, his lawyer said Friday. Karim Khan was picked up from his home on the outskirts of Islamabad on February 5 by around 20 men, some in police uniform, just days before he was due to testify before European parliamentarians about US drone attacks. He was bundled into a van blindfolded and pushed off onto the road in the early hours of Friday morning, in the Tarnol suburb of Islamabad, his lawyer Shahzad Akber told AFP. “He has been released,” Akber said. “His hands weren’t tied and he was able to remove his blindfold and take a taxi home after asking where he was.” Though Khan was not able to identify the men who had detained him, a court on Wednesday had ordered the government to produce him by February 20 or provide the reason for his detention. Khan had been staying in the outskirts of Islamabad with his wife, children and an uncle ahead of a trip to Europe he was supposed to make last week. Akber described Khan as “pretty shaken up, tortured, beaten up, questioned, put in a cell, and handcuffed”. “He was questioned about names and people in Waziristan. Many names he did not know about. He was questioned about his drone work, and was told not to speak to media otherwise they will come back for them.” Khan, who was also a drone investigator, was fighting a legal case in which he had named both the CIA’s former station chief and the Pakistani government for their roles in the US drone campaign in the country’s tribal areas. Khan’s brother and teenage son were killed in a drone attack in their native North Waziristan in December 2009. Last month, a new law was passed allowing the security forces to detain terror suspects for up to 90 days without disclosing their whereabouts or the allegations against them.

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People’s priorities: Medicines, not metro buses, the pressing need, MPAs say

LAHORE: Opposition members from Rawalpindi opposed the metro bus projects in their city on Thursday. Instead, they asked for medicines and safe drinking water for citizens. The Wednesday session had resumed at 11.17am with Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan in the chair. Malik Tanveer Aslam answered questions about the Housing and Urban Development Department and the Public Health Engineering Department. Rising a point of order, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf member Arif Abbasi said the Rawalpindi metro bus project should be scrapped. Foundation stone for the project is expected to be laid in the last week of February. He said the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) did not represent the people of Rawalpindi as its candidates were defeated with a heavy margin.

He said the government had already spent billions over the last 9 months in the city as it constructed three underpasses at a cost of Rs8 billion at Murree Road, Rs360 million at Committee Chowk and Rs3 billion at Mareer Chowk. He said the government now planned to construct a metro bus system at a cost of Rs40 billion on Murree Road. He said the people of Rawalpindi needed the Leh Expressway that would cost Rs12 billion and not the metro bus. He said all the city’s major hospitals, schools and business centres were located on Murree Road and construction of the metro bus would disrupt the lives of nearly 0.2 million people. He said people of Rawalpindi needed free medicines, safe drinking water and a proper sewerage system. He said the government should focus on providing health facilities instead of focusing on transport services. He said the situation in Rawalpindi in terms of clean water and free medicines was deplorable. Leader of the Opposition Mehmoodur Rashid said the government should pay heed to the concerns of elected representatives of the city. He also said the government had not taken traders into confidence when it decided to construct the Gaju Mata signal-free square. He said traders had protested the decision but government had ignored them. He said development planning should mirror the needs of the people. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said the people who had complained about the metro bus project while it was being constructed in Lahore had thanked the government after the service was launched. The Punjab Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2013 The Punjab Shops and Establishments (amendment) Bill 2013, which makes it mandatory for employer to have a day care center at workplaces, was also passed on Thursday. The Act was required to be adopted by the provincial assembly under the term of clause VI of Article 270-A of the Constitution. Some other amendments like provisions for enhancement of fiscal penalties, change in head of receipts, registration fee and empowerment of labour courts established under the Punjab Industrial Relations Act 2010 as appellate authority, were been incorporated in the draft bill. According to clause 10-A of the bill, a workplace where 25 or more women are employed must have a suitable day care room for children under the age of six. The amendments moved by the Opposition were rejected by the treasury members. The speaker adjourned the session till Friday morning. Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2014.