Muslim leaders shattered as LJP returns to NDA ahead of Lok Sabha polls

New Delhi: Muslims leaders in the LJP are unhappy over the return of the party to the NDA after 12 years ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. According to reports, Abdul Khaliq, General Secretary of the Lok Janshakti Party on Wednesday broke down at a meeting when the party supremo took a call on aligning with the BJP-led alliance. The Hindu reports: Zakir Hussain Khan, the LJP’s only MLA in Bihar, has already quit the party citing Muslim protests in his constituency. Khaliq, who unsuccessfully negotiated a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, told that he was shattered by the turn of events but had been rendered helpless by his own failure to clinch an alternative deal.

5 home remedies to fight early signs of ageing Dailybhaskar

Are you one of those geniuses who cry on their every birthday? The nightmare that growing up is; has you bawling your eyes out every year when you look in the mirror and see that one newborn wrinkle! Botox is not the solution, neither is plastic surgery. Not to miss the fact that there are millions of wrinkle creams available in the market (and most of our celebrities swear by them), but the point is -- why go cream shopping when you can simply go Ayurvedic! Here are five simple Ayurvedic tricks that will destroy all your wrinkles: -A very effective treatment for wrinkles is Indian gooseberry or Amlaki. They are a rich source of vitamin C and rubbing it on the wrinkles will definitely lighten them. -Eat a mixture made of ginger and honey to treat the wrinkles. It will not only reduce them but also keep them at bay -Tulsi or Basil is famous for its anti-ageing properties. Drink a decoction made from the leaves or simply chew a few leaves every day to slacken the development of wrinkles. -Massage your face with almond oil or just apply castor oil on your wrinkles at night and leave it overnight. It’s easy and simple. You will definitely start noticing the difference. -Grate some cucumber and sieve it to get the juice. Apply the juice on the wrinkle affected area daily for half an hour and see visible results within two weeks.

Another racist attack in Delhi: 2 men molest northeast girl, thrash her cousin for confronting them

Dailybhaskar.com | Mar 01, 2014, 19:35PM IST New Delhi: In yet another incident of violence against northeastern people in the national capital, a girl and her cousin hailing from Manipur were allegedly attacked by two men who thrashed them, hurled racial abuses and molested the girl last night. According to the police, both the assailants, identified as Kamal, a motor mechanic and his associate Manpreet have been arrested. The victims hail from Ukhrul district of Manipur. The 24-year-old-woman is pursuing B. Ed from Delhi University. The incident took place at around 10 PM last night in Vijay Nagar area which is close to Delhi University's north campus when the boy was going to drop her cousin sister to her PG after having dinner at his place. As they reached near a park at Buddha Colony, they saw a man urinating on roadside. Seeing the girl, he turned towards her and started making lewd gestures and comments. "They first ignored him but as he continued and went on to call them 'chinki' 'and nepali', the boy confronted him. Kamal and Manpreet, who were in an inebriated state, thrashed the boy black and blue, when the girl tried to intervene, they beat her, tore her dress and molested her and even tried to rape her in front of her brother," said a friend of the duo. As they shouted for help, locals and neighbours rushed to the spot after which they fled from the spot. Police was informed and both the victims were taken to a nearby hospital. They were later discharged after first aid and medical examination. However, soon after the incident, Northeastern students and other locals reached Model Town police station and protested. The demonstrators pelted stones due to which over ten vehicles including a PCR van were damaged, the officer said. "We have registered a case under relevant sections and both the accused have been arrested," said a senior police official.

Sahara fraud case: Subrata Roy expresses threat to his life; given VIP treatment at forest guest house Dailybhaskar.com | Mar 01, 2014,

Lucknow: Hours after Sahara group Chief Subrata Roy was arrested amid high drama, a plea was moved by his lawyers, requesting that Roy be kept at a safe place. Officials of Gomti Nagar Police told the court that Roy has been kept at a forest department guest house in Kukrail, nine kms from here. Sources revealed that the 65-year-old is being given VIP treatment at the guest house where cops have decided to keep him. It is learnt that Roy has been allowed to meet visitor, including his family members. If sources are to be believed his personal security guards have been deployed outside the gate after Roy expressed threat to his life. This comes hours after the Subrata Roy’s plea for house arrest was rejected by CJM Anand Kumar Yadav and he was remanded to police custody till March 4.

SHAMEFUL: Assam lady who kissed Rahul Gandhi burnt to death by husband

New Delhi: In a dreadful incident that sent shock waves around the state, the lady who made news some days back after kissing the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi during his Assam visit has been burnt to death by her husband, as per sources. The lady named Bonti, who is a Congress ward member, was allegedly killed by her husband following an altercation, as per news reports.

EXPOSED: MUSLIM IG SM Mushrif's pic appears in 'BJP's ad' to enhance Narendra Modi's 'riot-blotted' image, ex-IG sends notice

New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) presented former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan as its leader and published his photograph in the party's election hoardings in Delhi, the saffron brigade has now allegedly depicted former Maharashtra Police Inspecter General SM Mushrif and Nai Duniya Editor Shahid Siddiqui in an advertisement published in an English daily endorsing its prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi without taking his permission. The quarter-page promotional advertisement appeared in the February 27 edition of The Indian Express carries a photograph of Mushrif who, as per the ad, says, "The most safe place for Muslims today is Gujarat. I dealt with several states, but no chief minister is as good, as strong and as determined as Modi. Now, even Muslims realize that Modi is good for them." The advertisement was allegedly released by the BJP office in Gujarat's Vapi district. Mushrif has denied any endorsement for Modi and said he has sent a notice to the party for using his name in the party's prime ministerial candidate's promotional advertisement in the newspaper. "The statement has been wrongly attributed to me. The BJP did not take permission from me for using my name in the ad. I have just emailed a notice to the party," the former police officer told a news portal, IndiaTomorrow. Mushrif said that he had written an article in the English fortnightly wherein he had said that Gujarat has become a safer place after the state government banned activities of the Intelligence Bureau. "It was no way an endorsement for Modi," he said. The advertisement also carries alleged statement of former Samajwadi Party leader and Nai Duniya Editor Shahid Siddiqi. It quotes Siddiqui as saying, "Under Congress Raj, the Muslims have suffered for 64 years in this country and lived like a second class citizens. What happened in Meerut and Bhagalpur? People were killed in cold blood but no action was taken. In the Mumbai riots of 1993, not even a single action was taken. Those who were perpetrators are now secular because they are now in Congress party. It is only in Modi's Gujarat that the perpetrators are behind the bars. In the past 12 years, there is not a single riot in Gujarat." Talking to Daily Bhaskar, Siddiqui also said no one sought permission to publish his statements in the advertisement. "My statement has been lifted from one of my interviews and has been quoted in the ad out of context. In the statement, I have criticised the Congress more than the BJP. Yes, it is a fact that the perpetrators of the Gujarat riots are now behind the bars but Modi cannot be credited for this," he said. However, Vapi BJP President Mitesh Desai has denied that the ad was released by the party. "We have not given such an advertisement to the daily. If any leader has given the ad, the party is not responsible for it," he told Daily Bhaskar. When asked how a leader can get an ad published with such contents in his individual capacity, he said, "I don't know. I have not even seen that particular edition of The Indian Express." Earlier, metro man E Sreedharan featured among the upper echelon of the BJP, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. The hoardings carried a large image of Narendra Modi. Sreedharan denied his association with the BJP or any other political party and said, "I have not given permission to BJP to display my photograph in its election posters. I have no intention to join any political party." Four years back, the BJP had lifted a photograph showing some veil-clad Muslim girls working on computers from web portal TwoCircles.net without permission to use it in an advertisement to buttress the point that Gujarat Muslims are faring much better than those elsewhere. But in reality, the girls belonged to famous Shibli National College in Azamgarh in eastern Uttar Pradesh. They had nothing to do with Gujarat.

REVEALED: MoD's lacksidaisical attitude to replace faulty batteries caused fire in INS Sindhuratna?

New Delhi: Two days after a major fire broke out on INS Sindhuratna killing two Navy officers and injuring seven sailors, preliminary investigations into the mishap reveal that "malfunctioning of batteries could be the reason" for the smoke engulfing the 26-year-old submarine, a media report said on Saturday. According to The Times of India, fire broke out because of a hydrogen leak from the acid batteries used to propel the submarine. Around 240 lead acid batteries, each weighing around 800kg, on board INS Sindhuratna were reportedly not changed when the submarine underwent a refit at the naval dockyard in Mumbai from May to December 2013. Quoting a source, the report says the batteries were not functioning properly for the past six months and the Ministry of Defence was already informed about it. But contract for the batteries with the domestic vendor could apparently not be signed. Usually, batteries are changed in a refit since old batteries emit more hydrogen. The Navy has appointed high-level probe led flag officer (submarines) Rear Admiral S V Bokhare into the incident to establish the exact reason for the mishap on board INS Sindhuratna, which was undergoing

RAW officer commits suicide after killing his wife and two children

New Delhi: A senior Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer allegedly committed suicide after killing his wife and two children here on Saturday. According to reports, 52-year-old Anand Chakravarthy was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his house at Sadiq Nagar. His wife Jaishri (43), son Arnab (17) and daughter Disha (12) were also found dead with several injuries on their body in a bedroom of the official quarter. The police have found a hammer at the spot. The cops said the doors of the house was locked from inside. Chakravarty was associated with the RAW as a technical clerk and was posted at Cabinet Secretariat.

Pakistan among top three contributors in NEPA, Microsoft

KARACHI: Pakistan is among the top three contributors to Microsoft’s business in North Africa Eastern Mediterranean and Pakistan (NEPA) – one of 13 business regions for the company worldwide – according to a top official of the Washington-based technology giant. “Pakistan is one of the top three countries [in NEPA] for Microsoft in terms of contribution to the business,” said Aamer Kaleem who is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Worldwide Communications Sales Team at Microsoft Corp and based in Chicago. The CTO stated this during an interview with The Express Tribune earlier this month. He was in Karachi to address Pakistan’s corporate customers in an event about unified communications, which also featured their flagship enterprise solution ‘Lync’. Kaleem’s visit endorses the company’s official stance that Pakistan is a growing market for the tech giant with a lot of business opportunities. It is perhaps for the same reason that MS sent to the country the man who has global responsibilities to drive revenue and deployments for Lync business – the CTO along with his local team briefed corporate customers about worldwide enterprise communication trends and discussed how customers in Pakistan could benefit from Microsoft Lync. Besides contribution to the business, there are several other trends that are driving the company’s interest in the market. In the NEPA region, a cluster of up to 10 countries, Pakistan ranks very high in technology adoption and in solutions applied by the customers, Kaleem said. “Pakistan is a new emerging market with a huge potential,” Kaleem said. Though it may sound strange but sometimes people here get the latest products first than the mature market, he added. “Pakistani customers are more nimble; they are more adaptive to technology [compared to the regional markets].” Talking about market potential for Lync, Kaleem said Pakistanis are very hungry to consume more in communications “just like they have used WhatsApp and Viber”. In terms of enterprise, Lync is no different, he said drawing a contrast with such social media apps. The CTO’s optimism about the Pakistani market is understandable as their enterprise solution is already getting some attention. “In Pakistan, a majority of the top tier banks are using Lync,” Kaleem said. The customers who have adopted Lync as a collaboration platform include banks, telecommunication companies and educational institutes, he said – the customers are ready to take communication to the next level now, he said. For example, he said a provincial government in Pakistan was going for citizen connection and is using these communication platforms from Microsoft. “I have seen this happen in a developed country like Canada and USA,” Kaleem said. Explaining the technology, Kaleem said Lync has multiple elements. “It has software element offering software to software or PC to PC collaboration and then there is telephony system, which is new to market,” he said. The purpose of this event was to introduce the telephony part to the customers, he said. The software giant launched Lync in 2007 and rebranded it three years ago. With the acquisition of Skype, Microsoft now has 350 million active users. While Skype is a consumer product, the company is branding Lync as its enterprise product. Lync can be used for the emergency services management, Kaleem said responding to the question how the country can benefit from the product. Secondly, he said, it can be used for good governance. Lync offers consumer solutions, which can benefit politicians, social institutions, healthcare institutions, education sector and law enforcement agencies, he said – these institutions can provide useful information to the public using this platform. While the country remains on the radar of tech giants like MS for it forms a large customer base for technology products, its talented workforce also serves as a base to export bright minds these organizations. “In Microsoft, there are a lot of Pakistanis on senior positions,” Kaleem said. “That’s mainly because they have proven their worth, and not because they are Pakistanis.” Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Huawei anticipates arrival of 3G to unlock further growth

LAHORE: Recent developments in the spectrum auction process have charged up smartphone producers. One such producer, Huawei Technologies Pakistan (HTP), is looking to increase its footprint in the market, which it believes will start maturing only after it incorporates third generation (3G) technology. “People believe the smartphone market in Pakistan has already matured,” said Fraz Malik Khan, head of marketing at HTP, in an interview with The Express Tribune. “I believe this is not the scenario as 3G is yet to come, which, if incorporated as scheduled, would approximately double the number of smartphone users in Pakistan.”

The claim regarding smartphone penetration in Pakistan is a healthy sign for the overall market. Pakistan currently has 15 million smartphone users and Khan intends to make HTP the market leader. HTP started its operations in Pakistan back in June 2012 by launching its first smartphone P-1. After a lack of initial success, the company revamped its strategy a year later to align with the marketing strategy. This was the time when the company’s flagship product, the P-6, was launched globally. The product helped the company grab a foothold in the market against competitors like QMobile and Samsung. The company claims that before the re-launch, its sales graph was hovering around 4,000 units per month, which then peaked to around 40,000 as of January. “Our flagship product is extremely popular and as of today we are unable to meet the demand for this product,” Khan said. “With the arrival of 3G services, we will be in a position to be number one selling brand in Pakistan as our research and development infrastructure supports this technology, and this will eventually boost our sales graph,” he added. Huawei is currently importing around 45,000 units per month, while Samsung imports between 50,000 to 60,000. According to Khan, sales of their high-end products are higher than their low-end products. The price factor of their flagship product allows the company to be more competitive compared to Samsung. Commenting on the company’s future plans, Khan said that they cannot rule out infrastructural investments by Huawei in Pakistan. “Though I cannot confirm anything at this point, I believe that the country’s premier has already communicated to Huawei to make a resource centre in Pakistan.” Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Ex-Indian army chief Gen VK Singh joins opposition party

NEW DELHI: Controversial former Indian army chief, who had resigned from the military following a controversy over his age, on Saturday announced that he had joined the nationalist opposition ahead of looming elections. India’s massive armed forces normally stay out of politics, but retired General VK Singh had been tipped to enter the arena since resigning as the head of the army in May 2012, after being accused of altering his birth date to extend his service term. Singh said he was joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), tipped to sweep the polls due by May, to “elect a stable, powerful government that can take decisions in the national interest”. The ex-army chief had been expected to become a BJP member after appearing last year at a rally with the opposition party’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, where they addressed retired soldiers. BJP backers are hoping Singh’s support will bring votes from India’s million-strong defence forces, an important constituency. Several other former defence officers joined the BJP with Singh, who sought to rally the crowd with cries of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” “hail soldier, hail farmer.” Singh’s relations with the scandal-tainted Congress government, which is struggling in opinion polls, were soured by the row over his birth date. In an unprecedented move by a serving army chief, Singh dragged the government to the Supreme Court in a bid to prolong his tenure by nearly a year. The trouble sprang from two sets of birth records held by the army for the former general. The court sided with the government in its view that the birth date, which made Singh older, should prevail. After retiring from his post, Singh blamed the government for a host of problems during his two years as army chief including rows over dilapidated weaponry. In his address at the BJP’s headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday, Singh accused the government of failing to ensure the security of India’s armed forces. He noted incursions in recent months by Chinese forces along India’s porous border.

Security officials rescue 11 foreign hostages in Turbat, miss out on Iranian soldiers

QUETTA: Officials on Saturday said they had rescued 11 kidnapped foreigners including eight Iranians, two Tunisians and one Yemeni national – in Turbat, Balochistan. The security officials told AFP that those freed did not include a group of Iranian border guards believed to have been kidnapped earlier in February, sparking diplomatic tensions. A security official told AFP, “Eleven foreigners were rescued in a raid in a neighbourhood of Turbat town.” The raid had been conducted in an attempt to rescue five Iranian border guards who were kidnapped on February 5 from Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province, officials said. But the freed hostages were not thought to be the guards but believed to be connected to a drug cartels operating in the province and to have been held hostage by them, officials said. Diplomatic ties between Iran and Pakistan touched a fresh low last week over fate of the kidnapped border guards, when the Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli reportedly threatened Pakistan that Tehran may send forces into Pakistan to free them. Sistan-Baluchestan province has been the scene of unrest in recent years. An insurgent group calling itself Jaishul Adl, or “Army of Justice”, has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The group had posted pictures on its Facebook page it said were of the soldiers, handcuffed and being held in an unknown location.

It’s time for direct talks, asserts govt peace committee member

ISLAMABAD: After the Taliban issued a call for ceasefire on Saturday, Major (retd) Mohammad Aamir, part of the government’s peace committee negotiating with the Taliban, suggested that direct talks should now take place between the government and the Taliban with high “time for taking and making important decisions.” “I do not see any relevance now for the government committee as we have succeeded to convince the Taliban to come to the negotiation table and declare ceasefire,” Aamir told The Express Tribune in an interview. He disclosed that the “backdoor efforts” carried out by him and the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Samiul Haq Group leader Yousaf Shah resulted in the Taliban-declared ceasefire. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also been involved in the backdoor contacts, he disclosed. “I suggest involvement of the state to open direct contact as we (the govt committee) are non-state actors. I have suggested having the army, the governor, the chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the interior minister involved in the dialogue,” he said. “A responsible behaviour is also required to make the process successful,” Aamir added. He said he had conveyed his suggestion to the interior minister and will also share them with the prime minister. “Even if the government thinks our services are required, we could play the role of facilitators,” he said. Claiming that he had established direct contacts with the Taliban over the past few days, he had managed to encourage them to declare a ceasefire. “They had agreed in principle and later conveyed the decision to their chief, Maulvi Fazalullah, for a final decision,” Major (retd) Aamir said. Defending his suggestion, he said since certain sensitive issues would come under discussion in the next phase, it should be carried out by the government and other decision-making institutions. “Their involvement is a must as to what to decide and when to decide,” he argued. “I also suggest secrecy in the next stage as issues of sensitive nature would come under discussions in the dialogue which could not be shared with the media,” he said. “We now need serious efforts to make the process successful. The army should now be on driving seat,” Major (retd) Aamir said.

Student killed for ransom in Lala Musa, Punjab CM calls for police report

LALAMUSA: A student of class III was murdered for non-payment of a ransom amount of Rs5 million in Lala Musa, while Punjab chief minister has called for a report from the police on Saturday here, Geo News reported. Some unidentified persons had abducted a student of class III, Mohammad Murtuza, 12 yesterday and the kidnappers on phone had demanded a ransom of Rs5 million, however, the teenaged Murtuza was killed on the very next day and his body was dumped near Mehar Mohalla. Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif taking notice of the gruesome murder has called for report from the police and ordered for immediate arrest of the innocent child.

Japan researchers testing tiny ear computer

TOKYO: A tiny personal computer that is worn on the ear and can be controlled with the blink of an eye or the click of a tongue is being tested in Japan. The 17-gram (0.59-ounce) wireless device has bluetooth capability and is equipped with a GPS, compass, gyro-sensor, battery, barometer, speaker and microphone. Wearable computing is thought by many commentators to be the next big thing in technology, with products such as Google Glass at the forefront. The device, known at the moment as the "Earclip-type Wearable PC" has a microchip and data storage, enabling users to load software, said engineer Kazuhiro Taniguchi of Hiroshima City University. Its designs are based on traditional "ikebana" flower arrangements. "We have made this with the basic idea that people will wear it in the same way they wear earrings," Taniguchi told AFP in a recent interview as he showcased a black prototype. The system, which developers are hoping to have ready for Christmas 2015, can be connected to an iPod or other gadget and would allow the user to navigate through software programmes using facial expressions, such as a raised eyebrow, a stuck-out tongue, a wiggle of the nose or by clenching teeth. The device uses infrared sensors that monitor tiny movements inside the ear, which differ depending on how the eyes and mouth move. Because the user does not have to move either hand, its developers say it can serve as "a third hand" for everyone from caregivers to rock-climbers, motorbike riders to astronauts, as well as people with disabilities. "Supposing I climb a mountain, look at the sky at night and see a bright star up there, it could tell me what it is," Taniguchi said. "As it knows what altitude I'm at, which direction I'm looking and at what angle, it could tell me, 'The bright star you are seeing now is Sirius'." Using a smartphone to connect to the Internet would mean you could be automatically put in touch with people in faraway places who are doing the same thing as you. "This could connect you with a person who is looking at the same star at a remote place at the same time," enabling the people to swap impressions, Taniguchi said. A second version of the device might be pressed into use to help relatives keep an eye on elderly family in greying Japan. The earpiece, which could also function as a hearing aid, could monitor the wearer's health, including their pulse and body temperature, while logging how often they eat and sneeze, offering early warning of the onset of illness. An onboard accelerometer could tell when the user falls and instruct the smartphone to pass information to relatives, or call an ambulance based on GPS data. Tests are being carried out in Hiroshima, with the aim of commercialising the device from April 2016.

Wali Babar murder case: Two sentenced to death, 4 jailed for life

SHIKARPUR: An anti-terrorism court in Kandhkot Saturday announced sentences in Geo News reporter Wali Khan Babar's murder case, awarding death penalty to two and life imprisonment to four accused. Wali Khan Babar was gunned down in Liaquatabad area of Karachi on January 13, 2011 when he was returning home from office. Proclaimed offenders Kamran alias Zeeshan and Faisal Mota were sentenced to death. Faisal Mehmood alias Nafsiyati, Naveed alias Polka, Muhammad Ali Rizvi and Shah Rukh alias Mani were granted imprisonment for life. One more accused Shakeel has been set free due to lack of evidence against him. The case became highly sensitive when six people linked with the case including a witness and a lawyer were also killed one after another. Talking to Geo news, Wali Khan Babar’s brother Murtaza Babar expressed satisfaction over the sentences awarded to the accused.

Month long ceasefire announced by Pakistani Taliban

PESHAWAR: The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced a ceasefire. The Taliban’s decision was confirmed by TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid. Shahid said the ceasefire will be in place for one month.

Ghazi murder case: Musharraf summoned on March 15

ISLAMABAD: The Additional Session Judge, Wajid Ali on Saturday here granting former president Pervez Musharraf exemption from appearing before the court today summoned him for appearance on March 15 in the Ghazi Abdul Rasheed murder case, Geo News reported. During the hearing, a petition on behalf of Pervez Musharraf was filed seeking exemption from appearance. Plaintiff’s lawyer Asad Advocate raising objection on the petition said that the law applies to everyone equally, Pervez Musharraf is feigning sickness and medical report has also not been submitted in the court. He, therefore, demanded that the bail of the nominated accused should be terminated, warrant of his arrest be issued and summoned to the court. The court granting exemption for one-day to Pervez Musharraf summoned him for appearance on March 15 and adjourned the hearing until then.

London: Man gets two-year imprisonment in money laundering case

LONDON: A man found to be involved in the money laundering case has been awarded a two year prison sentence. Inbisat Malik who was found guilty is said to be a relative of an important Pakistani political figure. Inbisat was sentenced on January 24, 2014, the sources added.

Painful transition Egypt

There is nothing tidy or easy about the transition of Egypt from the dictatorship of the Mubarak era, to the imperfectly-woven coat of democracy it now struggles to wear. The Arab spring has proved to be something of a misnomer for most of the countries it encompassed, with all to a greater or lesser degree, discovering that finding a replacement for totalitarianism is no simple matter. On February 24, the entire Egyptian government, to the surprise of many, resigned en masse. It had been appointed by the military last July after the ouster of the democratically-elected President, Mohammed Morsi. The election that brought Morsi to power served as a catalyst for almost as much unrest as that which toppled Mubarak, as whilst in power, Morsi sought to promote a conservative agenda much to the chagrin of the opposition parties. The polarity became such that once again the army intervened deposing the legitimate government and what amounted to a puppet government was installed — which itself now marches backwards into history. The figure in waiting behind the Arras is army chief Abdel Fattah alSisi who is both the defence minister and the first deputy prime minister in the now-defunct cabinet of Hazem alBeblawi’s government. Egypt is pulling in many directions simultaneously. Almost equally split between conservatives and secularists, neither have been able to reach across the political divide, create unity, quell fears and tensions and reboot the vital tourist industry and inwards investment. The army, and to a lesser extent the police, and other security forces have been the change agents, at the same time as half-heartedly promoting a stumbling democracy that now appears to have been strangled at birth. Sisi may be the autocratic hand next to steer the ship of state — and he is exactly the wrong man for the job. It will be a return to defacto military rule and a negation of everything democratic. Egypt does not need a return to the past, any more than does Pakistan even given the imperfections of democracy in both countries. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Outdated measures: Waraspun tribe paying the price for kidnapped polio team

DI KHAN: A Bhittani sub-tribe in Frontier Region (FR) Tank, Waraspun, is now being subjected to ‘collective responsibility’ under the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) in connection with the kidnapping of a doctor, polio worker, driver and three levies personnel. “So far, 13 members of the Waraspun tribe and a few vehicles have been taken into custody as part of the crackdown,” said Assistant Political Agent of FR Tank, Khalid Mehmood while speaking to The Express Tribune. “It will continue until the persons are recovered from the area of the tribe.” The incident occurred on February 17 in Ping, about 40 kilometres north of Jandola, the main town of FR Tank. World Health Organization doctor Khan Dad, polio team leader Sadiq Khan, driver Aslam and three levies personnel Amanullah, Daulat Khan and Menhas were passing through the area on their way from Tank district when they were kidnapped by unidentified armed persons. As punishment, Waraspun, the main sub-tribe of Bttani, has further been deprived of any government privileges. The tribe has been barred from obtaining domiciles or CNICs and restrictions have been placed on their movement due to the crackdown by the political administration. However, Mehmood says an eight-member jirga of the Waraspun tribe is being formed and will be assigned the task to find the missing persons. So far there is no clue as to who is behind the kidnapping as well as the whereabouts of the missing persons. Rashid Khan, father of the kidnapped polio team leader Sadiq, says no government official has contacted them so far. “When I went to their office, they told me to be patient,” Rashid said. “We were all so happy a month ago when Sadiq was blessed with a son. Now, all our happiness has faded away.” Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014

Israeli military kill Palestinian woman near Gaza border: hospital

GAZA: The Israeli military shot and killed a Palestinian woman in the Gaza Strip in an area near the border that Israel has declared a no-go zone for Palestinians, local hospital officials said on Saturday. Gaza residents said it was not clear why 50-year-old Amna Qdaih, who they said suffered from a mental illness, was near the security fence that runs between Israel and Gaza. Asked about the report, an Israeli military spokesperson said that soldiers identified a number of suspects in the area late on Friday and called on them to back away. After they did not, the soldiers fired at their legs and one was hit, she said. Qdaih’s body was found and transferred to a hospital early on Saturday. Israel and the militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, agreed in 2012 to a ceasefire after an eight-day war. The border has remained relatively quiet since the truce, though violence flares occasionally. On Friday, the Israeli military said one of its aircraft had struck a site in Gaza that used to launch rockets into the Jewish state. No casualties were reported in that incident.

Turkish parliament delivers blow to schools run by Erdogan rival

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s parliament passed legislation to shut down private preparatory schools, many of which are an important source of income and influence for an Islamic cleric that prime minister Tayyip Erdogan accuses of running a covert campaign to topple him. Lawmakers late on Friday set a deadline of September 1 2015 to close the schools, news channels reported, which millions of students attend to prepare for entrance examinations to win limited spots at state high schools and universities. The government has accused cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers wield influence in the police and judiciary, of concocting a graft scandal to compromise Erdogan and his government. The scandal broke with police raids on December 17 but ties between the ex-allies have been tense for several years. The government’s initial moves to shut down cram centers late last year escalated those tensions ahead of the March 30 municipal election, seen as a critical test of support for Erdogan after 11 years in power. Education is central to US-based Gulen’s Hizmet, or service, movement’s mission. Their respected prep schools help spread influence across a nationwide network, and shutting them will deprive Hizmet of a chief source of financing. Followers of Gulen, who preach respect for science, democracy and dialogue with other faiths, have forged a powerful socio-religious community network active. Gulen, who says he has no plans to form a political party, denies any involvement in the graft investigation. Erdogan remains by far Turkey’s most popular politician. In parliament he faces a weak opposition and, supporters argue, at the polling stations his success in driving Turkey’s economy could eclipse any damage from corruption accusations. Erdogan has said that abolishing the cram schools is part of a larger reform of an “unhealthy” educational system that ranks Turkey below the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development average in literacy, math and science. The law allows some of the cram schools to become private schools, giving them free access to properties that belong to the Treasury, and for the Education Ministry to recruit some of the teachers to work in public schools.

Turning the tide: Rocking the boat

KARACHI: The murky waters along the coast of Kakapir, a fishing village, were cleared up when a wave that swept in promised a new horizon of knowledge. The village, situated near Sandspit, constitutes of a small community of nearly 2,000 people who remained largely uneducated. Taboos and economic factors prevented a sustainable education system, especially among the young. “Girls in our village cannot leave their houses and boys start assisting their fathers from a very young age to sustain the chain of livelihood” says Ruqiya Mallah, a 50-year-old native of Kakapir. An unexpected chain of events changed the tide. Out of the blue Ruqiya, who proudly calls herself a student of Kakapir Adults Literacy, claims that she has been given a new lease on life as she enters the classroom each day. “I was in the dark before this. Today, I can sign, read the newspaper and text family members,” she says proudly. She sat gleaming among three other fisherwomen in the last row, fervently taking notes during a lecture. “I like mathematics. When my sons return from fishing, I can easily calculate how much they have earned and what will be the share of other boat crews,” she says, adding how she always asks her teacher to verify her calculations. And there lies the simple brilliance of the idea.

The programme aims for adult women who are not constrained by taboos or economics but can pass on what they learn to their families. Ruqiya, who is better known in the village as ‘Maasi Ruqiya” is the first person in her family to get education. She isn’t the last however. Hajra, 55, has managed to fill the empty blanks in her life. Sitting among other students, she was busy drawing a boat. Showing her national identity card, she said, “You can witness my signature. This is mine.” The middle-aged woman had spent her entire life using thumbprints but can now fill sheets of paper with her name. The students of different age group were enrolled in the school comprising one classroom and a courtyard. A majority of them were above the age of 14. According to students, the sudden change in their life emerged last year when they participated in an educational programme at a nearby school and someone from the community offered adults to learn in a school to be launched in the same village. “A girl from the fisherfolk development organisation came to our house in July 2013 and convinced my husband to get me enrolled,” recalls Rehana. “Since this school is near my house, I got permission easily.” Against the tide The catalyst of this change was Ayesha, Ghani Mallah’s daughter. Cuurently pursuing her graduation from Raunaq-e- Islam Government College for Women in Kharadar, she along with other office bearers run Fisherfolk Development Organisation that is mainly working on education in the village. Her story is that of resilience to finish the work her father started. He had been a force of resistance against the land mafia and someone who was keen on educating his people. But he met an unfortunate end when he was killed. A brighter horizon Explaining the education initiative, ICI Pakistan’s corporate social responsibility coordinator Abdul Ghani recalls the numerous requests they received by the community to financially support their non-functional schools. He was approached by Ghani Mallah who suggested they do away with defunct ghost schools and tap into the private sector. They now have four private teachers and an aptly titled syllabus ‘Jugnu ka Sabaq’. As they teach the students English, Urdu and Mathematics, there is a silver lining just within their reach. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

For loved ones: Blistered Baloch at the gates of the capital

RAWALPINDI: Some are calling it the longest march in country’s history. Weathering all odds, the Baloch marchers at last entered the federal capital on Friday. They were joined by a large number of members of civil society and political parties who had gathered at the Faizabad interchange where they marchers plan to camp over the weekend. Holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands, the participants of Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) caravan asked the people to join them in the cause. “Mahatma Gandhi had hardly covered a few hundred kilometres when his voice got heard but we have covered thousands of kilometres yet there is no one to assure us of the whereabouts and recovery of our missing loved ones,” said 72-year old Abdul Qadeer Baloch whose son was allegedly killed by the security agencies.

Traffic plan was prepared a day earlier when the march reached Rawalpindi and traffic was diverted on alternative routes. The march that set out from Quetta in October last year will hand over a memorandum to the officials of the United Nations on Monday and urge them to take notice of the target killing and enforced disappearances. They will also stage a sit-in outside the UN office. He said they have no trust in the government of Pakistan and want to talk directly to the United Nation. “Wherever they stop us we will stage a sit-in,” he said. Moving with slow pace, the participants remained peaceful. “If the kill-and-dump policy did not stop the country may have to face dire consequences,” said Hamid Baloch, said an activist from Balochistan. The Balochis have been protesting for last several years for the recovery of their near and dears but no one is hearing them and in return are labelled as terrorists and separatists. Qadeer claimed that around 1,500 persons were killed while 18,000 missing. “The authorities should at least tell us whether they are killed or still alive. Produce them in court if they are really guilty of anti-state activities,” he demanded. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Google loses bid to keep anti-Islamic video online during appeal

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc on Friday lost its bid to keep an anti-Islamic film on its YouTube video sharing website while it appealed a federal appeals court order that the company said would have “devastating effects” if allowed to stand. Earlier this week, a panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to reject Google’s assertion that the removal of the film “Innocence of Muslims,” which sparked protests across the Muslim world, amounted to a prior restraint of speech that violated the US Constitution. In a court filing on Thursday, Google argued that the video should remain accessible to the public while it asks that a larger, 11-judge 9th Circuit panel review the issue. Google called this week’s opinion “unprecedented” and “sweeping.” However, the 9th Circuit on Friday rejected Google’s request in a brief order. Google representatives could not immediately be reached for comment. The plaintiff, Cindy Lee Garcia, had objected to the film after learning that it incorporated a clip she had made for a different movie, which had been partially dubbed. Garcia’s attorney, Cris Armenta, opposed Google’s request to repost the video while the appeal proceeds. The actress received death threats as a result of her appearance in the film. The controversial film, billed as a film trailer, sparked a torrent of anti-American unrest among Muslims in Egypt, Libya and other countries in 2012. That outbreak coincided with an attack on US diplomatic facilities in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including the US ambassador to Libya. US and other foreign embassies were also stormed in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. For many Muslims, any depiction of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is considered blasphemous. Google had refused to remove the film from YouTube despite pressure from the White House and others, though it blocked the trailer in Egypt, Libya and certain other countries. In court filings, Google argued that Garcia appeared in the film for five seconds, and that while she might have legal claims against the director, she should not win a copyright lawsuit against Google. The film has now become an important part of public debate, Google argued, and should not be taken down. But Garcia argued that her performance within the film was independently copyrightable and that she retained an interest in that copyright. The 9th Circuit panel agreed on Wednesday. In its court filing on Thursday, Google said the 9th Circuit order would produce “devastating effects” if allowed to stand. “Minor players in everything from Hollywood films to home videos can wrest control of those works from their creators,” Google wrote, “and service providers like YouTube will lack the ability to determine who has a valid copyright claim.” The 9th Circuit on Friday said its order does not preclude posting a version of “Innocence of Muslims” that does not include Garcia’s performance. Shortly after Google learned of the 9th Circuit’s takedown order, it hired Neal Katyal, the former acting US solicitor general, to advocate for further 9th Circuit review, according to the court docket. The case is Garcia vs Google Inc et al, 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, No 12-57302.

Crying foul: Bhoja Air accused of forcing families to sign ‘illegal’ clearance

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) allowed, on Saturday, a widow’s request to fast-track the hearing of the case against the Bhoja Airline’s management for allegedly compelling the crash victims’ families to sign an ‘illegal’ clearance agreement. Sajida, the widow of one of the victims of the 127 passengers onboard Bhoja Air’s ill-fated Flight B4-213, has taken the airline’s management to court for forcing the bereaved families to sign a deceitful agreement. She said that her husband, Gul Zaman, was among the dozens onboard who died when the flight crashed on April 26, 2012. The petitioners recalled that after the fateful incident, which left many families in shock and mourning, the airline published a public notice in national newspapers, pledging to pay Rs500,000 as immediate compensation to each family. Also the airline announced that the rest of the compensation would be provided to the legal heirs of each deceased upon the showing of a succession certificate issued by a court of law. The petitioner told the judges that, at that time, there were no terms and conditions put by the airline to sign any agreement. Now, the families are being compelled to sign a ‘Release and Discharge Agreement’ upon the payment of the compensation.

The widow claimed that the airline is attempting to claim global immunity under ‘No Fault Liability’, adding that, in this way, the respondent is further trying to save a number of companies. “The agreement is a violation of Rule 17 and 21 of the Fifth Schedule of the Carriage Air Act 2012,” the petitioner’s lawyer, Muhammad Wasi Khan Yousufzai, argued. “Even after the compensation payment of Rs500,000, the airline will have to prove that the incident, which resulted in the loss of 127 lives, did not take place due to any fault of their own.” Citing the example of an Air Blue flight crash, the petitioner contended that the legal heirs were not required to sign any ‘Release and Discharge Agreement’ with the airline on that occasion. In her petition, the widow – mother of five – had pleaded to the court to order the airline to not compel the families into signing such an agreement. On Saturday, Yousufzai requested to the judges to order the fast tracking of the case, as ordered by the SHC Chief Justice. Yousufzai disclosed that the airline would make the unilateral payment of the compensation only after signing the agreement in the upcoming days. Therefore, the hearing should be fixed for an early date so that a verdict can be reached before that. Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, who headed the bench, allowed the request and fixed March 6 as the hearing date. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Dasti sits miserably alone as Nisar pokes holes in his slanderous story

The self-righteous arrogance of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is difficult to cope with. Yet one cannot disregard his credentials of a hardened player of games that the so-called deep state and a government of elected civilians keep playing to protect their turfs. He instinctively realized that the story Jamshed Dasti had zealously peddled while speaking in the house Thursday indeed provided lethal stuff for the media and eventually damaged the collective reputation of our public representatives. For the likes of Nisar, the defamatory content of the story told by Dasti sounded doubly intriguing for its timing. After all, from the coming Monday the national assembly is set to start discussing the National Security Policy. The third Nawaz government proudly projects this policy as the first-ever attempt to bring things strategic and security related under complete control of the elected civilians. By vending a slanderous story about our representatives, Dasti has forced people to wonder whether “people addicted to alcohol, hashish and dancing girls” have any will or the capacity to even discuss serious issues, forget asserting control over them. The lone-ranger from Muzzaffargarh, Dasti keeps insisting that he also has a video to establish the veracity of allegations hawked by him. But this self-declared “voice of the poor” does not know how to operate even an ordinary cell phone. His lackeys take calls for him and he mostly calls you back from landlines. He certainly has no capacity to record things “improper” by using state-of-the-art gadgets. Someone from among the snoopy outfits of our intrusive state must have provided him ‘the stuff.’ He will be forced to name names, if getting serious about waging a moral crusade. No wonder, Dasti appeared visibly pale and upset, when Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was busy in refuting the story told by him. The interior minister revealed that since Thursday night he remained assiduously busy in cross-checking the piles of visuals recorded through more than two-dozen of CCTVs installed at all the exit and entry points of parliamentary lodges. Each visitor to any parliamentary lodge has to provide his or her Computerized National Identity Card (CNIS) before being allowed entry. The details provided by visitors are duly recorded in a logbook. Chaudhry Nisar claimed to have done a thorough recheck of this book and then summoned senior officers of the Special Branch for intense questioning as well. After spending long hours in checks and double checks, Nisar failed to find even a shred of evidence that could somehow corroborate the story told by Dasti. Legislators from all sides of the house kept cheering the interior minister with repeated and hearty desk thumping and Dasti looked miserably alone throughout the sitting. To me, however, the damage caused by Dasti would not be over, even after a forceful denial by the interior minister. Instead of gaining anything from the scandal he had stirred, Dasti may rather find himself in deep trouble in the end. The degree, he claims to have acquired from a ‘Madrassah,’ lest you forget, has yet not been declared ‘valid’ by the forums concerned. He is sitting in the national assembly, primarily due to the interim order that he got in his favour to contest for two national assembly seats on May 11, 2013. Dasti remains vulnerable, in short. Even without Dasti’s coming out into the open, however, it now has become almost obvious that a peculiar gang of civil and military oligarchs is not feeling too comfortable with elected politicians’ “intrusions into their turf.” In the same context, Raza Rabbani also behaved furious in the Senate. With solid support of 31 senators, he rather forced the Chairman Senate to admit a privilege motion against the official spokesperson of our Foreign Office. Reacting to stories that continue claiming that Pakistan has changed its stance on Syria, the spokesperson had passed certain remarks during a weekly briefing. The studious Raza took serious exception to some of her remarks and sounded perfectly justified in doing so. He kept reminding the chair that much before the media, the opposition senators took the lead to notice and criticize Pakistan’s “policy shift” on Syria. “But the spokesperson,” Rabbani recalled aggressively, “showed the audacity to declare that people spinning the negative but imaginary stories regarding Pakistan’s official stance on Syria were either motivated (obviously by unpatriotic forces) or do not have any capacity to fathom the delicate nuances of foreign affairs.” Only the foreign office knows what serves the national interest.” Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Energy import: LNG terminal case referred to prime minister

ISLAMABAD: After opposition from the Law ministry, the apex economic decision making body on Friday could not decide the fate of the $1.4 billion Liquefied Natural Gas Services Terminal project, and referred it to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for approval. Headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had been convened to consider a proposal of awarding the contract of setting up a terminal for import of liquid natural gas (LNG) for a period of 15 years. Last Wednesday, the ECC had deferred the summary approval after the Law secretary disclosed that the Petroleum Ministry did not send a summary to his ministry.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources had proposed to award the contract to Elengy Terminal Pakistan Limited (ETPL) – a company owned by the Engro Group. ETPL had been selected through a competitive process, during which the bid by Pakistan Gas Port Limited (PGPL) had been knocked out at the technical stage. The Secretary Ministry of Law and Justice, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, questioned the authority of the ECC in taking decisions on matters which are purely commercial in nature, according to officials. He also highlighted that after the 18th Amendment in the constitution, the ECC cannot direct the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority to give policy guidelines on any matter. Such powers rest with the prime minister, he told the ECC.

“In light of the detailed discussion, the ECC decided to approve the proposal in principle, subject to completion of all formalities as indicated by the Law Division and thereafter approval of the Prime Minister,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance. It added that the Law secretary informed the ECC that in light of the 18th Amendment, Article 90(1) of the constitution lays down that the Executive Authority of the Federation shall be exercised in the name of the President by the federal government, consisting of the Prime Minister and the federal ministers, which will act through the Prime Minister. Since 2006, Pakistan has been making unsuccessful attempts to import LNG. The country has already entered into negotiations with Qatar to import LNG but before that it needs to set up a terminal. Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and ETPL have already negotiated LNG Services Agreement under which the SSGC will pay $0.66 per million British thermal unit charges to the ETPL. The contract will be awarded for a period of 15 years and on the basis of ensured import volumes, the country will pay $1.4 billion to the company in 15 years, roughly $93 million per annum. The company is supposed to set up the terminal within 335 days of the signing of the contract. It will have to pay $150,000 per day penalty if it fails to meet the deadline, according to an official of the company. However, if the government fails to bring supplies after the completion of the project, it will have to pay the ETPL the guaranteed amount. Regarding the approval of the contract as agreed by SSGC and ETPL, the Secretary Law opined that it was a commercial contract between the two commercial entities and their respective Board of Directors are competent enough to grant approval in respect of LNG Service Agreement. After the Law secretary’s opinion, the ECC did not agree with the Petroleum secretary’s plea to approve the project as it was of paramount importance to meet the urgent energy needs of the country. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Deadly shoot-outs: Seven killed as Gilgit-Kohistan boundary dispute turns bloody

KOHISTAN / GILGIT: The death toll from bloody clashes between residents of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kohistan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa over a territorial border dispute has risen to seven with over a dozen more injured. The clashes erupted on Wednesday when residents from both regions took up arms against each other over a swath of land near the site of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The nearly 10-kilometre stretch of land on both sides of the Basari check post, which separates Kohistan from Gilgit-Baltistan, has long been a bone of contention between Diamer and Kohistan. The disputed land is among the areas being demarcated for acquisition for the much-awaited Diamer-Bhasha dam project. “The total number of casualties is four,” Diamer Deputy Commissioner Shahbaz Bhatti told The Express Tribune. “But the situation is under control as warring groups have descended the mountains.” However, DPO Kohistan Akbar Ali Khan confirmed the death of three more people from his area. The boundary issue flared up a week earlier when villagers from Harban Nala, Kohistan, reported that some goats of farmers belonging to the Thor area, Diamer district, went missing from the disputed territory. The goats were grazing on the land that both regions claim. The farmers accused Kohistanis of forcibly herding away 400 goats. A police official, requesting anonymity, said the Kohistanis had forcibly taken away the goats from the G-B side last week and warned that they would seize more of their cattle if they did not desist from grazing their goats on the disputed territory. People in Chilas, G-B, blocked the Karakoram Highway in protest and registered a case with the local police station against the theft. Angered by the incident and vowing to defend their land, armed residents from the Thor valley took positions in the mountains. A similar situation was witnessed in Harban as people took up arms there as well. According to Diamer residents, both the parties exchanged fire Wednesday night. According to other accounts, at least 15 people have gone missing since the clashes. However, the veracity of this claim could not be verified. “It’s more than a four-hour trek up to the place where the shooting took place. We will have more information once people return to the town,” said Mujeebur Rehman, a Chilas-based journalist. A jirga comprising clerics and politicians have reached Harban Valley to pacify the enraged men. While the issue was referred to a boundary commission for permanent settlement, Rangers have been deployed in the disputed territory to defuse the tension until the commission reaches a decision. However, the commission has reportedly failed to convene even a single meeting. Kohistanis claim that the land belonged to them according to the official records of 1955, but the protesters from Diamer insist that they have owned the land for generations. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Bilateral ties: Britain pledges support in fight against militancy

ISLAMABAD: Britain is standing ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and discussions are already under way on how London can help Islamabad enforce the recently announced internal security policy, the country’s high commissioner Philip Barton said on Friday. Barton was speaking to the media men a day after he officially presented his letter of credentials to President Mamnoon Hussain as Britain’s top envoy to Pakistan. The envoy said it was not for him to comment on policies devised by the government of Pakistan to tackle militancy. “[But] we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Pakistan government as they tackle terrorism in the country and we will support the government as it takes forward its efforts in this area,” he said.

Barton termed the internal security policy, unveiled by Chaudhry Nisar in parliament as part of Pakistan’s first-ever National Security Policy, a ‘very important’ strategy against terrorism. “We are already in discussions with the government on how we can support it in the implementation and delivery of that strategy.” He said Britain has already been collaborating with Pakistan on security issues in the past. “[The collaboration is] in terms of discussing strategy on how to best tackle the problem and deriving practical ways such as providing assistance on how you can bring criminals to justice,” Barton said. Barton reiterated his commitment of focusing on three areas: trade, education and security. He said the two countries are aiming to raise bilateral trade and investment to £3 billion per year by 2015. In order to achieve this target, he said, he will focus on making British businesses aware about good business opportunities in Pakistan. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Hideouts in tribal areas: Govt says surgical strikes will continue

ISLAMABAD: Promising minimum possible collateral damage, the government said on Friday that surgical airstrikes against hideouts of militants will continue in the tribal regions. “We are aware of the miseries of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the need to avoid collateral damage in the targeted areas,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told lawmakers in the National Assembly. “The concern of the house is genuine. The government will announce a comprehensive policy for the IDPs in the wake of surgical strikes,” he told several opposition lawmakers who quizzed him about the ongoing retaliatory airstrikes.

Nisar said the government wants ‘zero collateral damage’, but pointed out that this cannot be ensured ‘100 per cent’. However, he reiterated that the government would do its utmost to ensure that innocent civilians were not harmed. The minister told the lawmakers that in a recent meeting with the top military brass he had asked for a clear policy for ensuring minimum collateral damage and a better support network for the IDPs. He said the army chief told him that the military authorities had sketched out a plan for supporting the IDPs which would be shared with the government soon. “The army has its own support network to cope with such situations,” Nisar added. The minister said the government has constituted a committee under the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) for the rehabilitation of IDPs. “So far, the government has no intention of launching a military operation in the tribal areas and [as such] it is better for local tribesmen to remain in their homes,” Nisar said. “But if they [tribesmen] are still afraid of collateral damage from the airstrikes and want to evacuate, then the government will make arrangements to shelter them in camps,” he added. Contradicting the reported flight of 15,000 tribesmen, the minister said only a ‘few hundred’ people have fled the tribal areas. Most of them, he added, were living with their relatives in Peshawar, Bannu and other cities. “At present, there is no need to set up IDP camps.” Earlier Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Ayesha Gulalai suggested taking the tribal elders into confidence over the changing scenario in their areas and urged the government to address their concerns. Awami Muslim League chief Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad proposed converting vacant newly-built schools into shelter camps for the IDPs. Upon Nisar’s request, the speaker did not allow the house to debate Jamshed Dasti’s allegations that the Parliament Lodges were being used for ‘immoral activities’. The interior minister said his investigation had showed that the allegations were baseless. Separately, Interior Minister Nisar said the prime minister will be briefed by the provincial chief ministers on issues of law and order and finances, particularly financial compensation for the families of victims of militant attacks. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Ending terrorism: Army should step in if govt fails, says Altaf

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has once again said the army should step in if the government fails to come up with a clear policy against terrorism. “If the government cannot announce a straightforward and clear-cut policy against terrorism, then in order to save the state, I would be forced to say that the army should takeover and get rid of the terrorists,” Altaf said while addressing a gathering held to mark the 27th Foundation Day of the party’s labour division on Friday. The MQM chief expressed immense support for the army and law enforcement agencies, saying an entire institution cannot be blamed for the wrongdoing of a few officers. On the other hand, Altaf demanded the government arrest the killers of two MQM workers from the Gulbahar sector who were gunned down on Friday. He said other MQM workers, particularly from the party’s labour division, had also been gunned down in the past. The MQM chief also condemned the death of a man at the hands of Rangers officials in Karachi on Friday. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Fiery response: Kabul fends off terror sanctuary charge

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan hit out at Pakistan on Friday for allowing ‘terrorists’ training centres and sanctuaries on its soil a day after Islamabad cautioned Kabul against permitting militants to take shelter across the border during any military operation in the Waziristan tribal region. The problem of ‘terrorism and extremism in the region’ originates from Pakistan, Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Shakeeb Mustaghni said.

On Thursday, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam urged Afghanistan not to allow militants to enter its territory in the wake of airstrikes in the tribal region. In a statement issued on Friday, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said, “Pakistan has hideouts and training centres for terrorists and extremists for years and attacks have been launched into Afghanistan from there that have caused casualties.” Afghanistan, the ministry added, has always called for ‘sincere and practical’ cooperation with Pakistan to fight terrorism and extremism. The Dari version of the statement was received by The Express Tribune in Islamabad. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were strained after Islamabad protested against the execution of 23 security personnel by Pakistani Taliban on Afghan soil. Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.

Exchange of fire: Nine policemen injured in Azad Kashmir

MUZAFFARABAD: Two armed men in an exchange of fire with the police near Muzaffarabad, capital of Azad Kashmir, injured nine police officers at separate locations, Express News reported on Saturday. The two assailants were identified as Zaheer Hussain and Nazir. One of the assailants was killed while the other was injured. They had allegedly killed a man in Garhi Habibullah and were on the run. In the first incident, the two armed men had fired at a police mobile injuring two police officers. The incident took place in Shaheed Gali. Separately, the same men opened fire at a police blockade closer to the city injuring seven other police officers. The injured were taken to a local hospital for medical assistance and police cordoned off the area. It was reported that one of the injured was in critical condition.

Register case against Rangers official for killing Zeeshan: Sister

KARACHI: The sister of the man who was killed by a Rangers official on February 28 submitted a petition at city court in Karachi demanding that a First Information Report be registered against the main accused, Express News reported on Saturday. While talking to the media, the sister stated that the body of her brother, identified as Zeeshan, will not be buried until a case is registered against the Rangers official. She also demanded that the Rangers official responsible for the death of her brother be punished severely. On February 28, Rangers personnel had shot dead an unarmed young man reportedly mistaking him for a kidnapper. Two Rangers personnel deployed in the Nagan Chowrangi area of Karachi saw the young man, 30-year-old Zeeshan, fighting with and slapping a woman, later identified as his estranged wife. They had fired warning shots, but Zeeshan was unmoved by the firing. Therefore, in an attempt to arrest the man, one of them had opened straight fire, killing the man and injuring his wife. ‘Extra-judicial killings’ Zeeshan is not the first unarmed man killed by the paramilitary force in Karachi. Three similar incidents have occurred in the metropolis during the last three years where unarmed citizens, Sarfaraz Shah, Ghulam Haider and Mureed alias Murad, were shot and killed by them. Former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken the suo motu notice of the previous cases. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) had announced the judgment in the Sarfaraz Shah case. Another ATC has reserved the verdict in the extrajudicial killing of Haider, while the case of the murder of Mureed, a taxi driver, is still pending before the ATC. The legal heirs of Sarfaraz and Mureed have pardoned the suspects and reached a compromise with the paramilitary force. The Sindh High Court, however, rejected the comprise application in the Sarfaraz Shah case and upheld the punishment of four convicts, while acquitted one officer due to lack of evidence.
Register case against Rangers official for... by TheExpressNews

Polio team targeted: 11 khasadar officials, child killed in Jamrud blasts

JAMRUD / PESHAWAR: Eleven khasadar officials who were providing security to a polio team were killed in two separate blasts in Jamrud on Saturday. A vehicle of a polio team in the Lashora area of the town was targeted in the first explosion while the vehicle of the line officer of the polio team was reportedly the target of the second attack. A child was also killed in the explosions. Eleven paramilitary troops and one child died after the bombs detonated in the Lashora area of Jamrud Tehsil in Khyber tribal district, 30 kilometres southwest of the city of Peshawar, senior administration official Jahangir Khan told AFP. The troops were protecting a convoy of health workers who were on their way to administer anti-polio drops to children as part of a three-day campaign against polio that started Friday, he said. “A convoy of three vehicles was taking polio workers to administer the drops and the bombs exploded after the first vehicle that was carrying polio workers crossed the spot,” Khan said. He added that two vehicles belonging to the medical team were also damaged in the explosions. Samim Jan, chief of the government-run hospital in Jamrud, confirmed the causalities. “Twelve dead bodies and three injured were brought here, one of the injured is in critical condition,” he told AFP. Jan also said that eight of the injured have been shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar. Emergency was declared at the complex. Rehman Khan, a senior health official in Khyber tribal district, said the polio campaign has been temporarily suspended in the Jamrud area. “We will resume administering of polio drops when the security situation is better,” he told AFP. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Polio teams have been the target of various attacks in the country. Militant groups see vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage there are also long-running rumours about polio drops causing infertility. More than 40 people, including health workers and police guarding the teams which administer polio drops to children, have been killed in Pakistan since December 2012. Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where polio is still endemic, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria. According to the World Health Organisation, Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year, up from 58 in 2012.

Three FC personnel killed, six others injured in Balochistan

. QUETTA: Three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed and six others wounded in a remotely controlled roadside blast in Sorab area of Kalat district on Saturday. Kalat district is located about 245 kilometers off Quetta. Spokesperson FC Khan Wasay told The Express Tribune an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted along RCD Highway in Sorab. “FC convoy was going to Panjgur from Kalat district when it was attacked with a roadside IED,” he said, adding that six personnel sustained splinter wounds. One of the four vehicles of the FC was also damaged in the blast. The dead bodies and injured were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Quetta. According to security officials, around six to eight kilogrammes of explosive material were used in the blast. “The target was FC convoy,” a senior police officer of Kalat Nazir Kurd stated. Rescue workers, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and more troops reached the scene soon after the incident and the area was cordoned off. In a separate incident, Frontier Corps (FC) claimed to have killed ten suspects in Sui area of Bugti Tribal Territory after an exchange of fire during a search operation this morning. Acting on a tip-off, FC mounted a search operation in Darinjan Nalla and Rustam Bazar areas. “There was a heavy exchange of fire between miscreants and FC. At least ten miscreants were killed,” Wasay confirmed. “Security forces recovered Improvised Explosive Devices and arms from the houses in Darinjan Nalla during the search operation,” he added. According to the spokesperson, the suspects were involved in blowing up gas pipelines and carrying out attacks on security forces in Bugti Tribal Territory. However, the identity of the deceased could not be determined until this report was filed.

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‘Dead’ man wakes up in US funeral home: report

WASHINGTON: A 78-year-old American man who was declared dead and taken to a funeral home dramatically woke up as he was about to be embalmed, US media reported Friday. Walter Williams was registered dead on Wednesday evening after medics failed to find his pulse. He was transported to the Porters and Sons Funeral Home in Lexington, Mississippi. However, a few hours later when workers were about to prepare his corpse they noticed Williams moving in his body bag. "He was not dead, long story short," funeral home manager Byron Porter told local television station WAPT, noting that he had never seen anything like it before. Williams´s daughter, Martha Lewis, said: "I don´t know how much longer he´s going to grace us and bless us with his presence, but hallelujah, we thank him right now, right now!" A local coroner said Williams´ pacemaker may have stopped working and then started up again. (AFP)