First Pashto film on abuse of social media

PESHAWAR: A private CD production house here on Friday released the promo of first ever Pashto film ‘Hukhiar Shai’ (be careful) based on trapping of innocent girls by young boys through ‘Facebook’ leading to commission of suicide by the former. Scripted and directed by Rahmat Dewan, Abdul Wali Khan has produced the film. Mr Dewan, a young Pashto short story writer and composing head at Bacha Khan Markaz got inspiration from a real life incident that occurred in a Pashtun-dominated area of Karachi a year ago. A young college boy made contact with a girl on the ‘Facebook’ and used to demand money from her, failing which led him to sharing her photos on social media. The girl hailing from a poor family could not afford giving money any longer. The boy released her ‘photos’ which in fact were not hers but the boy had made medley of her pictures in a manner that she succumbed to the shock of being exposed and later committed suicide. It was reported in the media which inspired Mr Dewan to pen down a short story titled ‘ Marghai gair shwa’ (the sparrow got caught) in Pashto which he had shared on ‘Facebook’ with his friends who advised him to dramatise its content into a short Pashto film. “It took me and my 15-member team almost three months to shoot it. I have based my story on the real life event. The basic theme of the CD film is to create awareness among young girls and boys regarding positive usage of social media. I know about 12 such incidents. Unfortunately, in all these cases, an innocent girl has become victim,” Mr Dewan told Dawn. The film will be released after a month following its video sponsorship. Noted actress Fara Khan and Mr Dewan are playing central roles in the play. The story spanning over one and a half hours opens with commission of suicide by a young girl sending a wave of shock through her relatives and friends as nobody knew cause of her death. The story being shrouded in mysteries is going to be unfolded through series of incidents. At the end, the CID police reached the culprit who divulged the whole story behind the incident. Most parents in fact are unaware of the negative and positive effects of using internet and mobile phones. “We need to create awareness among parents as well as our youngsters to use social media for a positive purpose,” the writer said. “In majority of the cases, it is the girls who are being trapped by boys. I personally know about a dozen young girls who have committed suicide or have been killed for having ‘Facebook’ affairs with boys. Our scriptwriters don’t highlight issues arising because of wrong use of social media,” Mr Dewan observed.

N Korea test-fires 30 missiles into sea: S Korean military

SEOUL: North Korea test-fired 30 short-range missiles into the sea on Saturday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, the latest in a series of launches that have provoked criticism from Seoul and Washington. “North Korea fired off 30 short-range missiles between 4:00 am and 6:10 am local time this morning from its east coast into the Sea of Japan,” said a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs. “The missiles are estimated to have flown about 60 kilometres,” he added. South Korea urged North Korea earlier this week to stop what it called “provocative” and potentially dangerous tests, a day after Pyongyang test-fired 25 projectiles into the sea. The show of force is apparently intended to express anger at the South’s continuing joint military exercises with its ally the United States. It is not unusual for Pyongyang to carry out such tests but there has been a spate of them in recent weeks. “The North should stop actions that cause military tension and unnerve its neighbours,” Seoul’s defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-Seok told reporters on Monday. “Provocative action made without any prior notifications… can pose significant danger to sea vessels and aircraft passing by the area,” he added. The US State Department had also called on Pyongyang to refrain from “provocative actions that aggravate tensions”. Beijing expressed concern earlier this month after the North test-fired a rocket into the flight path of a Chinese airliner. The annual South Korean-US military drills started in late February and will run until mid-April. The North has habitually criticised the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises, along with other military drills south of the border, as rehearsals for an invasion. Seoul and Washington say they are purely defensive. Earlier this month, the North’s powerful National Defence Commission threatened to demonstrate its nuclear deterrent in the face of what it called US hostility. But Seoul’s defence ministry said there was no sign of an imminent nuclear test by the North, which staged three atomic tests in 2006, 2009 and last year. The latest missile tests came as South Korea and Japan said Friday that their leaders will hold a summit with US President Barack Obama next week, in a breakthrough after Washington urged the pair to mend badly strained ties. The meeting on the sidelines of an international nuclear conference taking place in The Hague on Monday and Tuesday will mark the first formal talks between President Park Geun-Hye and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since they took office more than a year ago. “At the three-way summit, North Korea’s nuclear programmes and the issue of nuclear non-proliferation will be discussed,” Seoul’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

MQM to join Sindh govt next week: sources

KARACHI: The Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is likely to join the Sindh government within the week after the PPP offered five ministries in the provincial cabinet including the local government ministry as well as two advisors to the Chief Minister. According to sources, the decision to join the provincial government was taken four days ago while discussions were still underway regarding the Local Government ministry and the Excise and Taxation ministry. The MQM legislators are likely to be sworn in next week.

Honey helps fight antibiotic resistance

ISLAMABAD: The unique property of honey lies in its ability to fight infection on multiple levels making it more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance . According to researcher honey uses a combination of weapons including hydrogen peroxide acidity osmotic effect high sugar concentration and polyphenols all of which actively kill bacterial cells, Health news reported. For instance, the osmotic effect which is the result of the high sugar concentration in honey draws water from the bacterial cells dehydrating and killing them. Honey inhibits the formation of biofilms or disease causing bacteria researcher added. According to researcher, honey may also disrupt quorum sensing which weakens bacterial virulence rendering the bacteria more susceptible to conventional antibiotics. Quorum sensing is the way bacteria communicate with one another and may be involved in the formation of biofilms. Honey is effective because it is filled with healthful polyphenols or antioxidants, the study said. These include the phenolic acids caffeic acid p coumaric acid and ellagic acid as well as many flavonoids. Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between the non peroxide antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of honey and the presence of honey phenolics the researcher added. (APP)

Two key accused of Shikarpur honour killing held

SHIKARPUR: Police claimed to have arrested two key accused of Shikarpur jirga that had ordered to kill two girls over 'Karo Kari' charges, Geo News reported Saturday. SSP Shikarpur said the Sanaullah Mahar and Abdullah Mahar (the main accused) have been arrested. He said police were conducting raids to arrest the head of jirga, Ghaus Bux Mahar and other accused. Police will raid all suspicious places to round up the accused, he asserted. Suo Moto Notice Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani had taken a suo moto notice of the killing of two women over “Karo Kari” in Shikarpur. Two girls were murdered a couple of weeks ago in the name of Karo Kari over marrying guys of their own choosing. The jirga (a court of elders) in its judgment ordered the boys to pay a fine of Rs2.4 million each to escape meeting the same fate. The jirga was presided over by Ghaus Bux Mehar, an MNA of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F). Taking notice of the same, DIG Larkana Khalid Rind had also formed an investigation team headed by ASP City Kamran Nawaz. The jirga declared the girls from Mahar community Kari and boys from Jagirani tribe Karo for marrying according to their own will.

Sami ul Haq says meeting successful, location for talks finalized

ISLAMABAD: The chief of the Taliban nominated negotiating team Maulana Sami ul Haq says the location for direct talks between the government appointed team and the Taliban shura has been finalized. Speaking to the media, after the meeting between the government and Taliban committees ended at the Punjab House in Islamabad, Maulana Sami ul Haq said, the two sides have agreed on the location and the talks will be held at the same in the coming days. However Haq refused to divulge the exact location that has been agreed upon. Earlier speaking exclusively to Geo News, Maulana Sami ul Haq refuted rumours regarding the Taliban’s refusal to meet outside Waziristan. The meeting which began at 2:00PM was attended by the members of both committees as well as by the Federal Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

5 easy tricks to make your small eyes look big and beautiful!

Do you get jealous when you see those big anime eyes on Japanese cartoons? Worry no more as given here are 5 ways that could help you turn your small eyes into large beady eyes. Here’s what you can do. Curl your lashes: The best way to make your eyes look bigger is to curl your eyelashes and apply mascara. Use eye shadow: Use a highlighter just below your eyebrow. Blend it in with the shadow by applying it to the inner corners of the eyes Apply mascara on your bottom lashes: Adding mascara to the bottom lashes can give an enlarged look to the eyes. Keep your eyebrows shaped: A slight arch to your brows will make your eyes look larger. Try false lashes: False lashes can look beautiful and natural and you can trim them according to your face type.

Congolese woman alleges gang rape by 2 men at her residence in south Delhi

New Delhi: In another shocking incident, a Congolese woman has alleged that she was gang raped by two men at her residence in South Delhi. In the incident of crime against foreign nationals, the woman from Congo has alleged that two salesmen forcefully entered her home on Friday and raped her. She has alleged that both of them gang raped her at her home in the locality of South Delhi. The police have registered a complaint regarding the case. According to police, there are many loopholes in the case. On one side, the statements given by the woman and her friend do not match at all. In fact, they are contradictory. Also, in her statement, the Congolese woman said that two men barged into her home where as in the CCTV footage; no one is seen entering her home during the time period said by the woman. The police are probing the case.

SHOCKING: Girl students forced to perform ORAL SEX by school director in Pithoragarh

In an upsetting case of molesting three girl students, the director of Himalaya Public School Chandra Singh Karki has been arrested by the anti-trafficking unit of Pithoragarh police. The SSP Nainital Bimmy Sachdeva said that Karki is the prime accused and it is revealed that he had installed CCTV cameras in all the rooms of the girls hostel to monitor them on regular basis. According to the sources, the minor girls have admitted being assaulted by Karki as they said that they were asked to massage his body and stimulate his private parts along with the demands of having oral sex. He used to take girls to his office and forced to undress and sleep with him. Karki, on the other hand, has denied the charges saying that the CCTV cameras were installed for the purpose of security and not to monitor the activities of girls. The statements of the girls have been videographed so that it can be produced as strong evidence before the court. Uttarakhand DGP BS Siddhu said that the statements are recorded under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code as they contain evidentiary value in the court of law.

MH370 search covers one of world’s harshest places

SYDNEY: The search for flight MH370 is taking place over one of the most harsh and isolated points on the planet, in a patch of southern Indian Ocean from where Antarctica beckons. Australian-led efforts to find the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, which vanished on March 8 with 239 people on board, are concentrated on a stretch of water 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth. It is little traversed by maritime traffic, and when alerts went out to merchant shipping in the area on Tuesday, the nearest vessel was two day’s journey away. It is also windy, lashed by huge waves. “Very harsh conditions, once you get there the influence of Antarctica...starts to come clearly on the ocean,” said Erik van Sebille, an oceanographer at Sydney’s University of New South Wales. Van Sebille said even in calm conditions the place was challenging and with the southern hemisphere’s autumn approaching, it was set to deteriorate. “The place couldn’t have been worse, but also the timing couldn’t have been worse. Had it been a few months earlier, the seas are much calmer, much easier to work in,” he added. Nathan Bindoff, professor of physical oceanography at the University of Tasmania, said: “The Indian Ocean sector is the windiest sector of the southern ocean.” Bindoff said vessels typically saw only one other ship on a 50-day voyage in the area, and then most likely closer to Antarctica and its research bases than the area where the potential wreckage was spotted. “In some ways there are more eyes near Antarctica than there are in this part of the southern ocean,” he said. The strength of the currents could also hamper efforts to find any wreckage, the oceanographers said, with satellite imagery of the potential debris showing the objects awash, bobbing in the sea where waves can be towering. “So you have very, very strong winds there, quite high waves. You’ve got among the strongest currents in the world,” said van Sebille. He said any wreckage from the plane could already be 1,000 kilometres from where the jet hit the water, making the job of backtracking to the crash site from the debris sighting even more difficult. The search for MH370 has been compared to that of an Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 with the loss of 228 lives. But the head of the investigation into that accident, Alain Bouillard, has reportedly said this search is much more difficult given that French officials knew the precise location of AF447 four minutes before impact. Australian authorities have cautioned against presuming the objects in the water belong to the missing Malaysian plane. “It could just be a container that has fallen off a ship, we just don’t know,” Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday. However, Van Sebille said there was rarely too much debris in the area of this search. “It’s a pretty pristine part of the ocean which indeed means that if this is debris... it’s highly likely either from the plane or it comes from some ship in the ocean itself, and there’s not a lot of shipping going on,” he said. “It’s really off the beaten track,” agreed Tim Huxley, chief executive of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings in Hong Kong of the search zone. “It’s a lonely, lonely place down there.”—AFP

Google's Page says US online spying threatens democracy

VANCOUVER: Google co-founder Larry Page on Wednesday condemned US government snooping on the Internet as a threat to democracy. His comments came during an on-stage chat at a prestigious Technology Entertainment Design gathering, where a day earlier fellow Google founder Sergey Brin had a virtual encounter with National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden. A photo of Brin smiling with a robot remotely controlled by Snowden from a refuge in Russia, where the wanted man is in hiding, was tweeted by TED curator Chris Anderson and became an instant online hit. “It is tremendously disappointing that the government sort of secretly did all this stuff and didn't tell us,” Page said. He reasoned that details of suspected terrorist threats should remain cloaked but that the parameters of what US intelligence agents do, along with how and why they do it, should be public. “We need to have a debate about that or we can't have a functioning democracy; it is just not possible,” Page said. “It is sad that Google is in the position of protecting you and our users from the government doing secret things nobody knows about; it doesn't make any sense.” Spying backlash peril As smartphones and sensors synched to the Internet obtain and share increasing amounts of data about where people are and what they are doing, Page said it was critical for people to be given choices of how it is used. He was concerned, though, that privacy fears and a backlash to online spying would result in blocking uses of personal information for beneficial purposes. He noted how shared medical information, on an aggregate scale and made anonymous, could help researchers develop treatments and patients select doctors or map medical care. “We are not really thinking about the tremendous good that can come from people sharing the right information with the right people in the right ways,”Page said. Page gave the example of going public with details of trouble with his voice. “On your show, I kind of lost my voice and I haven't gotten it back,” Page joked with Rose. “I am hoping that by talking to you I am going to get it back. Get out your Voodoo doll and do whatever you need to do.” Web bill of rights Earlier in the day, on the same TED stage, the father of the World Wide Web urged those in the conference's influential and innovative community to fight to keep life on the Internet free and open. Tim Berners-Lee rallied support for creating a bill of rights for the Internet this year in the wake of revelations about extensive government surveillance. Berners-Lee launched his Web We Want campaign last week as the Web turned 25 years old. He has repeatedly called for fewer controls on the Web, and has praised Snowden for revealing details of how the US government collects masses of online data. Berners-Lee conceived the Web 25 years ago in his spare time at Geneva-based CERN, Europe's top particle physics lab. “I want to use this anniversary to think about what kind of Web we want,”Berners-Lee said, referring ideas to a Webat25.org website. NSA to respond Former intelligence contractor Snowden emerged from his Russian exile Tuesday in the form of a remotely-controlled robot to promise more sensational revelations about US spying programs. The fugitive's face appeared on a screen as he maneuvered a wheeled android around the TED gathering, addressing an audience in Vancouver without ever leaving his hideaway. “There are absolutely more revelations to come,” he said. “Some of the most important reporting to be done is yet to come.” Snowden used the conference to launch a global call to fight for privacy and Internet freedom. He endorsed Berners-Lee's quest for a global Magna Carta laying out values and rights on the Internet. Berners-Lee briefly joined Snowden's interview with TED curator Chris Anderson, and put the leaker in the hero camp. National Security Agency Deputy Director Rick Ledgett will appear at the TED gathering early Thursday via video link as a counterpoint to Snowden's talk, according to Anderson.

Toyota to lift lockout in India

Toyota to lift lockout in India AFP BANGALORE: Toyota said that it would lift a lockout next week on its Indian assembly plants after a meeting with labour groups and a local government mediator to resolve a pay dispute. A total of 17 workers have been suspended for alleged misconduct and indiscipline including threats against management and deliberate assembly-line stoppages over the protests at two factories in southern India. Toyota decided to resume production on March 24 after talks with its workers’ union and a senior state labour official late on Thursday. “The decision (to lift lockout) was taken considering the inclination and in the interest of the majority of law-abiding team members,” Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd said in an emailed statement late Thursday. The company has asked the employees to give an undertaking of good conduct before resuming work on Monday, a precondition termed as “harsh” by trade union leader R. Satish. The union representing the workers demanded Toyota withdraw the suspensions, saying there had been no official warning beforehand as required under law. The world’s largest automaker suspended production on Monday at the factories which employ about 6,400 workers near Bangalore after efforts to hammer out a new pay deal failed. Toyota said some employees had resorted to deliberate stoppages of the production line, abuse and threats to supervisors and continuous disruptions to business for the past 25 days.

MQM worker not tortured in custody, SHC told

KARACHI: A medical board constituted for the medical examination of a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ruled out the allegation of torture as alleged by the party. MQM worker Fahad Aziz was picked up when he was escorting home his bride from the wedding ceremony and then allegedly subjected to torture by the law-enforcers. The medical board was formed by the provincial government for Mr Aziz’s medical examination on the order of the Sindh High Court. The court issued this directive while hearing a constitutional petition of the MQM against alleged extrajudicial killings and torture of party workers by law enforcement agencies. The petition was jointly filed by MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar, party worker Fahad Aziz and his father, who cited the interior secretary, home secretary, Rangers director general, inspector general of police, Additional IG Shahid Hayat, SSP-East and Sharea Faisal SHO as respondents. The board was headed by Prof Dr Farhat Hussain Mirza, head of the department of forensic medicine, Civil Hospital Karachi, and comprised Dr Khalid Ahsan Malik, professor of surgery, Dr Badar Fayyaz Zuberi, professor of medicine, radiologists Dr Qamarus Salam and Dr Tariq Mahmood, and two doctors from the Aga Khan University Hospital — Dr Inam Pal and Dr Haroon-ur-Rashid. The medical report submitted to the SHC stated that the MQM worker was examined from head to toe, but no evidence of external injury was noted. It said: “No soft tissue injuries were identified on the dorsum or sole of feet, both feet were stained with some reddish colour chemical locally applied, the movements of both ankle joints and toes were within limits, and there was no examination of bony injury on clinically examination.” The report concluded that members of the board were of the unanimous opinion that at present (after about five weeks between alleged torture and examination) no soft tissue and bony injury could be verified. On Feb 11, the court on an application of the petitioner’s counsel had ordered the constitution of the medical board for conducting a thorough medical examination of the Muttahida worker and to submit a detailed and comprehensive report regarding the state of health and injuries that he might have suffered during the alleged police torture. According to the petitioners’ counsel, Dr Faroogh Naseem, the law enforcement agencies had unleashed a campaign of terror on the urban population, especially the MQM workers. He said that about eight people from Karachi had been killed extrajudicially in the recent past, while about 45 persons were still missing. He said that the police picked up the petitioner, Mr Aziz, when he was escorting home his bride from the wedding ceremony. He was detained by the police who subjected him to torture and demanded a bribe for his release. The Muttahida counsel said that Mr Aziz was later admitted to a hospital in Gulistan-i-Jauhar by the Sharea Faisal SHO, who alleged that he was hospitalised for having pain in the stomach. He asked the court to order the provincial authorities to pay compensation to the victim and lodge an FIR against police officials. A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar adjourned the hearing to a date to be later announced by the court’s office.

Libyan military plane crashes in Tunisia, killing 11

GROMBALIA: A Libyan army medical plane crashed south of Tunis early on Friday, killing all 11 people on board, Tunisian emergency services said. “The plane crashed at 1:30 am (0030 GMT) with 11 people on board — three doctors, two patients and six crew members,” spokesman Mongi El Kadhi said. He said there were no survivors from the accident in the Grombalia area, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the capital. “The whole plane was completely burnt out. The emergency services went to the crash site and recovered the charred bodies.” Shortly before the plane disappeared from radar screens, the pilot radioed the control tower at Tunis airport to say an engine had failed, emergency services told an AFP journalist at the crash site. The aircraft crashed in a field on the edge of the village of Nianou but managed to avoid any houses, the journalist reported. The Libyan flag was still visible on the tail plane amid the wreckage. At daybreak, teams began searching for the aircraft's black box flight recorders in a bid to establish the cause of the crash. There was no immediate word on the identities of the two patients on board or why they were being flown to Tunis. The aircraft was a Soviet-designed twin-propeller Antonov-26, Tunisia's Mosaique FM radio reported.

Five feared dead in Australia plane crash

BRISBANE: Five people are feared dead after a light plane crashed at an airfield in eastern Australia on Saturday, emergency service workers said. The plane, used for skydiving, took off before veering left, crashing and bursting into flames at Caboolture, 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Brisbane. “We received a call from the airfield and sent three crews to a light plane that had crashed,” a Queensland Fire and Rescue Service official told AFP. “The fire was extinguished in 10 minutes.”Queensland Police said: “It is believed that five people were on board and that all are deceased.” Bryan Carpenter, who works at the airfield, said the plane was a Cessna 206, which carried between five and six people on skydiving flights. He told Sky News the burning high-octane fuel destroyed the plane within just one minute. “On impact with the ground (the plane) immediately burst into flames and there were no survivors,” he said. “This is the worst-ever fatality accident we’ve suffered (at Caboolture).”

PPP, MQM power-sharing talks in decisive phase

KARACHI: Talks between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) over a power-sharing formula in Sindh appear to have reached a decisive phase. The chiefs of the two parties had already stopped issuing statements against one another after their leaders — Asif Ali Zardari and Altaf Hussain — came to an agreement in this regard. Today, however, sources told DawnNews that not only is the MQM in talks to join the government in Sindh but that a decision to assign the ministries of health, commerce and industries, religious affairs, local government and information technology to the party is on the cards. Sources added that an MQM delegation is expected to meet Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad in a day or two, while a list of party members likely to be made ministers has been sent to party chief Altaf Hussain. However, it may take up to a week for the two sides to finalise an announcement. The PPP currently enjoys simple majority in the Sindh Assembly and neither the government at the centre, nor in Sindh is in any dire need of support from another party. Today’s development follows recent statements from PPP leaders Manzoor Wassan and Rehman Malik on MQM’s likely inclusion in the provincial cabinet.

Russia says has right to answer new EU sanctions with its own

MOSCOW: Russia's foreign ministry said on Saturday that Moscow has the right of a tit-for-tat response to the second wave of sanctions imposed by the European Union over Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea. The EU imposed a new set of sanctions on Friday adding 12 Russians and Ukrainians to a list of people targeted by EU asset freezes and travel bans. There are now 33 on the list. “It's a pity that the European Council made a decision that is divorced from reality,” the ministry's spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on the ministry's website. “We believe it is time to return to the platform of pragmatic cooperation that reflects the interests of our countries. However, of course, the Russian side reserves itself the right to give a comparable answer to the actions taken.” In a separate statement, the ministry said Moscow hoped the decision to send to Ukraine a monitoring mission of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe would help resolve what it called an “internal Ukrainian crisis”. On Friday, after several failed attempts in recent weeks, Russia agreed to join the 56 other members of the OSCE in a consensus decision to send a six-month monitoring mission to Ukraine. “The mission's mandate reflects the new political and legal realities and does not apply to Crimea and Sevastopol, which became a part of Russia,” Russian Foreign Ministry said in its statement on Saturday. “Russia hopes that the objective and impartial work of the international observers will help to overcome the internal Ukrainian crisis, stop rampant nationalist banditry, eradicate ultra-radical tendencies.”

Malaysia says China has images of floating objects

KUALA LUMPUR: China has new satellite images of one or more floating objects that could be related to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Saturday. “The news that I just received is that the Chinese ambassador received satellite image of floating objects in the southern corridor and they will be sending ships to verify,” Hishammuddin told a news briefing in Kuala Lumpur. It was not immediately clear how many possible objects had been spotted, but the minister said one was estimated at 22 metres by 30 metres. “The Beijing government will announce this in a couple of hours,” he added. The news came as Hishammuddin was in the middle of his daily press briefing on the search for MH370. “This is coming to me as quick as you are seeing on TV right now,” the minister said, adding that he was wrapping up the briefing early in order “to follow this lead”. The satellite images, taken on Sunday, were first revealed earlier in the day by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Abbott told parliament the images represented “new and credible information” but stressed that any link with flight MH370 had still to be confirmed. A search started by Australia in the southern Indian Ocean entered its third day on Saturday as planes were scouring the desolate region for possible parts of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, now lost for two full weeks. Australia promised its best efforts to resolve the mystery, but two days of searching the seas about 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth have not produced any evidence.

No (of)fence: Metro bus project groundbreaking tomorrow

RAWALPINDI: The planners of the metro bus project, it seems, are listening. The Punjab government, taking note of the criticism by political opponents, decided not to repeat the ‘mistakes’ made in the Lahore metro bus project. Chaudhry Pervaiz Illahi’s quip of ‘jangla bus service’, Imran Khan’s recent critique of the project being unfuturistic and Sheikh Rasheed’s plea in favour of Leh Expressway have been taken seriously. There is no fence this time along major part of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service (MBS) route, Leh Expressway has a go-ahead and there is a provision of transit train service in the existing plan, according to a top official managing the project. “In the past critics would term the metro bus as jangla bus service which is why this time 20-inch median will replace the fences,” said Rawalpindi Commissioner Zahid Saeed during a media briefing on Friday. The road will be designed in such a way that when the passenger load increases in future, the road can be used for transit train service for which no redesigning will be required, he informed. The project that will be inaugurated on Sunday in Rawalpindi will cater to an estimated 153,000 passengers daily. Initially 60 buses will ferry passengers. Each bus will leave the station after every two minutes, according to Saeed.

The commissioner informed that cost of the project increased by Rs6.75 billion due to addition of an interchange at the Peshawar Morr to ensure signal free traffic. “Earlier we planned to construct an underpass at Peshawar Morr but the Capital Development Authority (CDA) said it will disturb the master plan.” Commissioner Saeed said the federal government will pay Rs4.94 billion while the remaining Rs1.81 billion will come from the project to finance the interchange. Giving details of the project, he said a new and wider bridge on Leh Nullah near Mareer Bridge will be constructed by demolishing the old one. There will be a distance of 30 meters between each pillar to be constructed in middle of the road. “However, near the Committee Chowk underpass the size of the pillars will be reduced from 1.4 to one meter and distance also to 15 meters,” the commissioner said. The elevated bridge will turn right near Chandni Chowk flyover and drift to middle of the road after the Sixth Road. Underpasses will be constructed for pedestrians for crossing of roads in localities such as Chandni Chowk flyover and Blue Area. Ninth and Seventh avenues and flyover near Centaurus Mall will be widened on both sides. After every kilometres, there will be a station — 10 in Rawalpindi and 14 in Islamabad. Talking about a major concern, he said not a single tree will be felled from the green belts. Special spaces for parking the broken down vehicles also planned along the MBS routes. Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2014.

Human shield: In her arms

KARACHI: The moment the criminal’s index finger wrapped around the trigger for a second time to shoot sub-inspector Aftab Qayyum again, his wife lunged in front of him. The two criminals were so shocked to see her protecting her husband in this manner that they left immediately. The second shot never came. But the first one had pierced through Qayyum’s chest and he passed away on the spot – right in front of Nuzhat’s eyes at Nagan Chowrangi on February 17. “I used to tell him that the finger prints he collects and the investigation he does might one day land him in trouble,” says the devastated Nuzhat. “He never listened. He always told me to stop being scared and to be brave.” That fateful evening, two clean-shaved men riding a bike came towards them, shot him without saying anything. Nuzhat, for all her bravery, couldn’t save her husband. Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2014.

Nawaz to attend third Nuclear Security Summit from March 24

ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Nawaz Sharif will lead Pakistan’s delegation at the third Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in The Hague from March 24-25, 2014. According to a release from the Foreign Office, the premier will be accompanied by the special assistant to the prime minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Nawaz is expected to address the summit on March 24, and as a keynote speaker at a meeting on the future of the NSS process on March 25. He is expected to enumerate the measures implemented by Pakistan to ensure safety and security of its nuclear facilities and materials at these meetings. The premier is also expected to seek non-discriminatory access to nuclear technology for peaceful uses, including nuclear power generation. On the sidelines of the Nuclear Summit, the Prime Minster is likely to hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders, the release said. The NSS is expected to be attended by leaders from 53 countries and the United Nations, European Union, International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol. Like the first two Summits, Nuclear Security Summit 2014 aims to promote nuclear security through voluntary national actions and international cooperation. The First Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington in April 2010. The Second Summit was held in Seoul in March 2012.

Family dispute: Woman sets herself on fire outside Punjab CM House

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of a woman setting herself on fire outside the CM House on Friday reportedly over a family dispute, Express News reported. The woman was taken to Jinnah Hospital in Lahore for medical treatment and Shahbaz ordered that the best medical assistance should be provided to her. According to doctors, 30 to 40% of her body had burnt. The woman was a resident of Shafiqabad and has four children including three daughters and a son. It was reported that the husband of the woman was unemployed. The chief minister has also asked for a report on the incident. Reportedly, the brothers of the victim’s husband used to torture her husband and did not give them their rightful share of family property. Further, the police allegedly did not help them in the matter and instead took sides with the brothers.

Unhappy forces: Rangers demand for power irks MQM

KARACHI: The performance of the paramilitary force came under scrutiny during Friday’s session following the Rangers director-general’s recent statement that the Rangers have limited power and resources. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers questioned the perks and privileges received by Rangers officials and their performance in dealing with the law and order situation of Karachi. “Sindh is spending a huge chunk of the budget on this force, who are involved in extrajudicial killings of innocent people,” said MQM MPA Dr Arshad Ali Vohra, while offering Fateha for a party worker whose bullet-riddled body was found near Nooriabad a few days ago. “Yawar Abbas was arrested by Rangers personnel in November last year. Despite our protests, they did not disclose his whereabouts and have now dumped his body, which bears torture and bullet marks.” Even though the assembly was adjourned due to the death of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Altaf Unar, the 40 minutes of proceedings meant for Fateha were spent on allegations against the Rangers. The leader of the opposition Faisal Subzwari was the first to touch upon the subject. “Out of the 45 missing persons of our party, five have been shot dead by Rangers in incidents of extrajudicial killings,” he said. “Not only this, but they unceremoniously buried our workers, claiming that they could not be identified.” Subzwari added that the families of the missing persons have filed petitions in the Sindh High Court and have also approached other higher authorities but it has all been in vain. MQM’s Bilqees Mukhtar then demanded that law enforcers should present the workers before the court if there are any allegations against them. Later, speaking to media, MQM’s Ashfaq Mangi said that the Rangers director general was ‘misguiding’ the people by claiming to have no resources or powers. “Recently, the provincial government issued Rs900 million to law enforcement agencies in the name of internal security allowance. That amount has been given out of the budget,” he said, adding that Rangers personnel arrest MQM workers and then detain them for 90 days but the Rangers want to portray themselves in an innocent light by claiming to have no powers. During the session, members not only requested for Fateha for the deceased but also asked the maulvi to pray for the Pakistan cricket team to win their world Twenty20 match against India. Dreams come true PPP leader Manzoor Wassan claimed that the MQM will be joining the provincial government within the next four or five days. “Both major parties of Sindh should work together for the betterment of its people,” he said, speaking to the media outside the Sindh Assembly. “I had already dreamt it, but people were laughing at me. Finally, my dream has come true.” Larkana incident Minority community MPAs belonging to the PPP, MQM and Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F) raised the issue of the attack on the Dharam Shala in Larkana. The members requested the provincial government to provide protection to minorities and their places of worship and asked them to take action against those involved in the incident. Maqsood Qureshi PML-F MPA Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, PPP’s Nasir Shah and MQM’s Muhammad Yousuf Shahwani requested for Fateha of Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leader Maqsood Qureshi, who was killed in Naushero Feroz. The members also demanded a thorough judicial inquiry into the matter. Later, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the government would consider the option of a judicial inquiry into the killings of Sindhi nationalists. “It is a conspiracy against the provincial government,” said Memon. “Some elements don’t want peace in Sindh and we will now expose them.” The agendas that were deferred The questions of the industries department, the privilege motion moved by Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Khairunisa Mughal against Mirpurkhas director education and the adjournment motion tabled by Muttahida Qaumi Movement MPA Poonjo Mal and Zubair Ahmed on the Tharparkar tragedy were on the agenda but all of them had to be deferred. “There is a practice in the house that after the demise of a sitting MPA, the first session of the assembly is adjourned without taking up any business,” said Dr Sikandar Mandhro, requesting the speaker for an adjournment. On his demand, Durrani adjourned the proceeding till Monday. Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2014.

Accident on Quetta-Karachi highway leaves 38 dead

HUB: Two passenger coaches and two trucks collided on the Quetta-Karachi highway leaving at least 38 people dead and 15 others critically injured, Express News correspondent Shezad Baloch reported on Saturday. The accident took place in the Gaddani area of Lasbela district and the injured were taken to hospitals in Hub as well as Karachi for medical assistance. Emergency was declared at the hospitals. Women and children were among the deceased. Eidhi officials said that the incident occurred 12km away from Gaddani Morh. One coach was on its way to Karachi from Quetta while the other was going to Karachi from Turbat. After the collision, the vehicles had caught fire and were completely destroyed. Deputy Commissioner Amir Sultan confirmed the death toll and said the number of the people killed may rise as most of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. “I do not think anyone escaped or is alive on the Turbat-Karachi bound bus,” he added. The passenger bus was carrying illegal Iranian diesel and the collision with a truck lead to a huge explosion. “Government of Balochistan will investigate the incident,” stated spokesperson of Balochistan government Jan Mohammed Buledi, adding that the government will compensate the grieving families. “The passenger bus tried to overtake a vehicle and collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction. There was a huge explosion after the collision as the bus was carrying oil,” District Police Officer (DPO) Ahmed Nawaz Cheema told The Express Tribune. Cheema added that at the same time another passenger bus coming to Karachi from Quetta collided with another truck at the same place, leaving two people dead. The Turbat-Karachi bound bus was being driven by the conductor when the accident occurred, Express News reported. The coach driver was asleep in the back at that time, a doctor at the Civil Hospital in Karachi said. Rescue operation is underway and none of the deceased have been identified as of yet. DNA samples will be sent to Islamabad for identification. “The incident took place around 5 am. Rescue workers, police and fire tenders reached the scene soon,” said a rescue worker. Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Malik Baloch ordered an inquiry into the incident. “It is a tragic incident and I extend my grief and sorrow with the grieving families,” he stated.

Awaiting justice: Vani-rape survivor being pressured to withdraw her complaint

FAISALABAD: The woman declared vani by a panchayat and gang-raped in Muhammadwala, Chiniot, is now being pressured to retract her statement, Chaudhry Umar Daraz Aasi, an activist representing the victim, told the media on Thursday. He said the police claim that they have arrested the men accused of the gang-rape was false. The men police have taken into custody are influential persons in the area and are being extended protocol by the police, said Aasi. “The police are pressuring her to withdraw her statement. They are threatening her with dire consequences, including implicating her in false cases, if she refuses,” he said. Chiniot District Police Officer Rae Munir Ahmad Zia told The Express Tribune that he was personally monitoring the case. He said it would be decided on merit. He said, “The police have not extended protocol to any of those taken into custody. Swabs of samples from those accused and the woman have been sent for forensic tests. The lab report will determine whether the woman was raped or not.” If proven guilty, the men will be taken to task without discrimination, the DPO said. The woman, a resident of Mawar Bhattian, was reportedly declared vani in a panchayat ruling against her brother who had married a woman on February 27 without her family’s approval. Members of the panchayat Gul Sher, Amanullah, Sikandar, Zafar, Anwar and Nasir, among others, had ordered the victim to be married to a brother of the woman her brother had married. She said they had forcibly obtained the her impression on a nikahnama. Aasi said after the woman refused to accept the panchayat’s ruling several panchayat members forced their way into her father’s house and took her away at gunpoint on March 1. “They [panchayat members] said her refusal was an insult to them and that they would teach her a lesson,” Aasi said. He said the woman was ‘divorced’ and then handed to her ‘husband’s’ uncle on March 15, who took her to his haveli where he and three others raped her, he said. She was later tied to a tree and her family told that she would be returned after the love-marriage woman was returned. “Several people in the area went to the haveli and begged him to release her. He let her go after her relatives apologised profusely,” Aasi said. Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2014.

MH 370 mystery deepens: Highly inflammable lithium batteries in plane cargo reignite fire speculation

Kuala Lumpur: Four days after denying it, Malaysian officials have at last confirmed that a consignment of highly inflammable lithium-ion batteries was in the cargo hold of the missing flight MH370. The admission by CEO re-ignited the speculation that a fire may have caused the disappearance of the plane. Meanwhile, CEO of Malaysian Airlines Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said that the authorities were investigating the cargo, but did not regard the batteries as hazardous. “These are not regarded as dangerous goods,” Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, “and were packed as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.” He insisted they were checked several times to ensure they complied with the guidelines. 'Airlines do that all the time, it is not just Malaysia Airlines. These goods are being flown by many airlines as cargo anyway, (which) is based on ICAO’s ruling,' he added. Lithium-ion batteries - which are used in mobile phones and laptops - have caused around 140 mid-air accidents in the last 20 years. According to a report in Daily Mail, “In rare cases, aircraft have been destroyed as a result of fires started from the devices, although they have been cargo planes in both incidents. In one case, UPS Airlines Flight 6 crashed while attempting an emergency landing in September 2010 en route from Dubai to Cologne in Germany.” It may be recalled that what Ahmad Jauhari said four days ago was something else. When asked at a press conference if there was any dangerous cargo on board, he replied: 'We had a load of mangosteens headed to China. It was a large quantity - about three to four tonnes of mangosteens,' he said to laughter from the media. There were reports on Friday that a Norwegian ship had reached the area of search in the Indian Ocean after possible debris was spotted by Australia. The Royal Australian Air Force has also dispatched an aircraft to the designated spot. The plane has not been relay any possible information due to poor visibility owing to bad weather. However, the exhaustive search operation for the MH370 has resumed in a much clearer weather, with air teams joined by both military and commercial ships as officials scramble to cover the search area. About 26 nations are currently looking for the missing plane. Aircraft and ships scoured the seas around 2,500kilometres off the coast of the Australian city of Perth, for 10 hours before darkness fell.

5 reasons why you should drink 8 glasses of water everyday

In today’s world water is a highly underrated drink and is constantly ignored while indulging on cold drinks or supplements. However, majority of our blood and cells in our body are composed of water and it is essential for us to keep functioning properly. Yet it’s got a vast array of benefits that can easily be availed if we increase our daily consumption of water. Here are a few easily overlooked benefits: -Promotes weight loss- Removes by-products of fat and has zero calories, so it’s a win-win situation. -Natural headache remedy- Headaches and migraines are commonly caused by dehydration and what better than water to remedy that! -Improves skin complexion- Moisturizes your skin. Keeps it soft, fresh and glowing. As well as being the best anti ageing treatment. -Boosts immune system- Drinking lots of water helps fight against flu, cancer and other ailments. -Makes you rich- it’s very cheap, so go for water instead of those high priced drinks and sodas, saving a lot of money in the long run.

Suffering from hair problems? Here's what you can do to end them

A lot of problems related to hair such as falling hair, dandruff, hair whitening and scalp issues can be tackled easily with a little care and caution. If your hair is dying, then it is time to react. Try these 5 easy tricks and feel the difference. -Drink a lot of coconut water. Boil mistletoe (Amar Bel) in coconut oil and apply on the hair. -Honey is full of medicinal benefits. It is cold in nature and can cure many diseases. Applying honey in hair will not only stop hair fall but also condition it. -Stress is a major cause of hair loss. Giving the body due rest and keeping the mid stress free will stop hair fall. -Mix camphor in coconut oil and apply it thoroughly on the scalp and the hair. Dandruff will go away slowly and you will notice less hair fall within a few days. -Weather or place change can seriously affect your hair. In such a case, it is best to wash the hair at regular intervals. A healthy diet can permanently stop hair fall.

Cure your back pain with this simple yoga pose

This asana is an angle pose. ‘Kona’ means elbow, hence the name. This yoga involves a lot of stretching and basically benefits the spine and back. How to perform: 1. Stand with your hands on both sides. 2. Make sure your palms are touching the thighs. 3. Keep your legs at least two to three feet apart. 4. Raise both your hands to the shoulder level. 5. Stretch and keep them parallel to your shoulder. 6. Inhale and bend to your right. 7. Slide the right hand down and raise the left hand straight up. 8. Stretch as much as you can and touch the right ankle with your fingers. 9. The left hand must remain straight without bending the elbow. 10. Bring the left hand down and place it on your waist. 11. Hold this posture for a while. 12. Return to the standing position exhaling and keep your hands stretched out parallel. 13. Do not move you feet. 14. Repeat with alternate hands. Benefits: • Makes the spine more flexible • Relieves back pain

NTDC blamed for transmission line delay

LAHORE: Holding the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) responsible for the inordinate delay in construction of the transmission line of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project between 2007 and 2013, an inquiry committee formed by the prime minister has recommended action against seven managing directors for “wilful neglect and complete disregard of the strategic importance of the project”. The four-member committee constituted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to “identify the causes of delay, planning errors, fix responsibility and suggest a way forward for fast track completion of the project” held that the “NTDC wilfully neglected the project and should be held accountable”. Despite explicit directives from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), work on the transmission line was not commenced between 2008 and 2011. In 2011, the NTDC revised the PC-I prepared in 2005 and changed the scope of work and cost. It also unilaterally changed the debt-equity ratio, which was tantamount to “gross negligence and misconduct”, the inquiry report said. The revised PC-I also included transmission of power from Karot and Azad Pattan hydropower projects. No plausible explanation, supported by documentary evidence, was given for the delay. “It is, therefore, safe to presume that negligence on the part of management of the NTDC was wilful,” the report said. Inaction till the revised PC-I was prepared resulted in “substantial overrun and critical time delay”. The cost increased from Rs11 billion in 2005 to Rs22bn in 2011 (the contract was given at Rs25bn). After the launching of the power project in 2008, work on the transmission line should also have commenced in accordance with an Ecnec directive. Last year, the NTDC board of directors showed concern over the delay and constituted a committee to “fix responsibility and report within three days”. But the committee took 58 days and did not fix responsibility as required by its terms of reference. “This demonstrates seriousness of the NTDC (for the project),” the new report said. In the opinion of the committee, managing directors Amirur Rehman (19-10-07 to 18-11-08), Tariq Qazi (19-11-08 to 02-03-10) and Rasul Khan Mehsud (05-03-10 to 27-06-12) were responsible for the delay. Mr Mehsud was also held responsible for changing the debt-equity ratio without prior approval of the competent authority. The NTDC management wasted over one and a half years (October 2011 to June 2013) without a justification. According to the report, the managing directors who did not take a proactive approach since January 2012 include Naveed Ismail, Musaddiq Ahmed Khan, Khalid Hussain Rai and Zargham Eshaq Khan. The committee said the NTDC had suggested a change in route, dividing the project into two phases and verbally communicated the phase-I cost to be Rs13bn. The first phase would be completed in two years. The government should provide necessary relaxation and waivers and meet funding needs. It has been recommended that a special project committee, exclusively for implementation, be constituted to ensure timely completion of the project.

PPP eases pressure on govt over $1.5bn Saudi grant

ISLAMABAD: The PPP came to the rescue of the government on Friday amid strong criticism and allegations of a compromise on the foreign policy after obtaining a $1.5 billion aid, apparently to send troops to a Middle Eastern country. Commenting on the issue, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, PPP’s Khurshid Shah, said: “We should trust the statement of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif about not sending troops to any country.” The prime minister had said on Thursday that Pakistan would not send its troops to any country and it had not received any request in this regard. The Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz recently told parliament that a $1.5bn ‘grant’ had been received from Saudi Arabia and it would be used for the welfare of the people and the country. “We should take seriously the statements of the prime minister on important issues,” opposition leader said. Before Prime Minister Sharif’s statement, Mr Shah had also urged the government to explain its position on the issue. “If this $1.5bn is a gift then it should be included in the Guinness World Records,” he had said on Wednesday. The PPP has already moved adjournment motions in the National Assembly and Senate to discuss whether the bailout package is a result of a ‘compromise’ on the country’s policy on Syria. Some political experts believe that a policy statement on such an important issue should be given in parliament. The opposition leader said: “It is not the duty of the opposition to always confront and criticise the government.” Replying to a question, he said the government had not contacted him for consultations on the appointment of the chief election commissioner.

AGP in trouble over ‘unauthorised’ salary increase

ISLAMABAD: Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Buland Akhtar Rana is finding it difficult to justify increase in his salary and privileges before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly. If the matter is not resolved Mr Rana may land in trouble, according to a PAC member. The PAC has taken notice of what the committee has said unauthorised increase in Mr Rana’s salary and is presently carrying out an investigation into the issue. A PAC sub-committee headed by Mohammad Junaid A. Chaudhry of the PML-N, which is looking into the matter, has so far gathered enough evidence to put Mr Rana in a tight spot, according to sources. Another PAC member with access to the evidence has suggested that it will be difficult for the committee to let Mr Rana off the hook. In addition to his salary the AGP is drawing over Rs100,000 per month under the government’s transport monetisation policy. However, he is also using an official vehicle driven by a government employee. Under the government rules, after taking oath as AGP Mr Rana is no longer a civil servant. His is a constitutional position, according to the PAC member. The sub-committee which met on Tuesday sought written responses from the ministries of finance and law, establishment division, Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) and Controller General of Accounts (CGA) to determine which department(s) played a role in allowing the AGP to get away with unauthorised payments. The committee will meet again on next Tuesday. A PAC member said the finance ministry had stopped Mr Rana from withdrawing additional salary, but he managed to get it through the CGA and AGPR. An official of the National Assembly Secretariat explained that if the charge of misusing his position was proved against Mr Rana, the PAC would present a report before the house. If approved by the National Assembly, the government may use the report against the AGP. Because Mr Rana holds a constitutional post, he can only be removed by invoking Article 209 of the Constitution through Supreme Judicial Council. Back in August 2011 then president Asif Ali Zardari came to the rescue of Mr Rana when his appointment as the AGP was challenged on the basis of his dual nationality and an alleged case of sexual harassment. Mr Rana is a fully naturalised Canadian citizen. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who was then chairman of the PAC, raised the issue when former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appointed Mr Rana as AGP. As a result, former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry refused to administer oath to Mr Rana, instead seeking clarification from the presidency as final appointing authority. Mr Zardari had to issue an official notification, explaining that a dual national could hold the position of AGP. Mr Rana has also been duly exonerated from harassment charges.

SC orders arrests in ‘honour’ killing case

KARACHI: The Supreme Court directed the police on Friday to arrest all those involved in the “honour” killing of two girls in Shikarpur. A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, was seized with the suo motu proceedings against a jirga that was held for settling a dispute over honour killings. According to media reports, PML-F MNA Ghous Bakhsh Mahar had presided over the jirga to settle the dispute between two tribes. Both parties had accepted the jirga decision, but no one was punished for killing the girls, who were paternal cousins. The bench, also comprising Justices Khilji Arif Hussain and Amir Muslim Hani, ordered the police to conduct transparent investigation into the incident and submit a report within a week. The investigation officer informed the court that the father of one of the girls, Abdullah Mahar, had lodged an FIR against his brother Sanaullah Mahar who, according to him, had killed the girls over some domestic dispute. The IO said efforts were under way to arrest the prime suspect. APPOINTMENT: The same bench directed the federal and Sindh governments to ensure the appointment of Sindh police chief within a week. The bench gave the two governments until March 23 for finalising the name of the would-be inspector general so that a notification to this effect could be issued within a week. Deputy Attorney General Aslam Butt informed the court that federal authorities, after consulting the prime minister, had recommended on Feb 27 Balochistan IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera, Quetta police chief Mir Zubair Mehmood and Captain Liaqat Ali Malik for the post of Sindh police chief. He said the establishment secretary would notify the appointment after the provincial government picked out one of the recommended names. Advocate General Fatah Malik told the court that the provincial government had reservations over the names recommended by the federal government. He said the police chief in Punjab was appointed at the whims of the Punjab chief minister, but the Sindh government was not given the officer of its choice. He said the officers recommended could not bring peace to Sindh. The bench then directed the Sindh government to recommend a name for the post and said it would expect that the authority would issue the notification about the IG’s appointment within the time period given by it. The post has been lying vacant since former IG Shahid Nadeem Baloch retired on Feb 20. Additional IGP Iqbal Mehmood has been holding the charge of provincial police chief since then.

Food combinations that hinder digestion

LONDON: Fruit with porridge in the morning or a dairy smoothie for breakfast have for long been considered a healthy and nutritious breakfast, but such items can cause digestion. Nutritionist Elizabeth Montgomery gives an overview on why these food combinations hinder digestion, and which food combinations one should opt for, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Five faulty food combinations: • Animal protein and carbohydrates – Different enzymes are required to breakdown these very different foods. When eaten together, the foods do not get properly digested. That leads to indigestion, fermentation and putrefaction in the digestive tract. • Fruit with carbohydrates – Fruit digests much more quickly than any other food. Many people think that adding fruit to porridge is a healthy breakfast option. However, it will only hinder the digestive process. It’s better to always eat fruit on an empty stomach and ideally early in the morning. • Dairy with fruit – Smoothies are a breakfast favourite for many people. The problem is that yoghurt is an animal protein and when mixed with fruit, it can cause inadequate digestion which leads to acidity, and fermentation in the GI tract. • Avoid drinking with meals – It’s best to avoid drinking large amounts of any fluid with meals, otherwise the digestive enzymes will become diluted and hinder the digestive process. It’s best to stop drinking 30 minutes before food intake and and wait two hours after eating before drinking water, to ensure adequate digestion. • Melon after dinner for a healthy dessert – Melon is the one fruit that must be eaten alone, or left alone, as it takes slightly longer than other fruits to digest. Five useful food combinations: • Carbohydrates and vegetables such as brown rice and vegetables. • Animal protein and non-starchy vegetables make for easy digestion, which will enhance one’s ability to breakdown the nutrients and eliminate efficiently. Prawns on a bed of green leaves with cucumber and fennel or grilled fish with lightly steamed green beans. • Bowl of seasonal fruit salad first thing in the morning. This is a gentle way to wake up the system. • Avocados combine well with either vegetables or fruits. This semi tropical fruit also works well in green smoothies and makes a great dairy replacement. • Aim to ingest denser proteins, especially animal-based ones earlier in the day to ensure adequate digestion.

Strategic dialogue: Second round of Pak-EU talks to begin next week

ISLAMABAD: The second round of comprehensive strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the European Union will begin next week in Brussels. Both sides will discuss in depth cooperation on a wide range of issues, including counter-terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, EU Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark said on Thursday. Pakistan and the EU will also review the implementation of a five-year engagement plan and the rapid changes taking place in South Asia, such as the drawdown of international forces from Afghanistan and role of Islamabad in upcoming Afghan elections, he added. The Pak-EU Strategic Dialogue and the Engagement Plan have been launched to strengthen relations, building on the full range of EU-Pakistan cooperation, from foreign and security policy to development and trade. Wigemark said the illegal migration from Pakistan and the issues being faced by the legal migrants were big problems for some of the EU member countries. The issues of trade and energy reforms are on the table. Wigemark said the EU supported efforts to normalise trade between Pakistan and India, and added that the issue would be discussed in Brussels. Various trade facilitation programmes will be discussed during the strategic dialogue. The ambassador said the EU was working on projects for improving food safety and security. The implementation on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement will also be reviewed in Brussels. “We are not expecting any breakthrough in the Brussels meeting and the purpose of the second round is to have comprehensive relations with Pakistan,” the EU envoy said. Wigemark backed the ongoing trial of former president Pervez Musharraf. “There should be no impunity and everyone should be treated as equal before the law,” he said in reply to a question regarding the EU’s stance on General Musharraf’s judicial trial. On a question on talks with the Taliban, he said it was the decision of a democratically elected government and the EU supported the move as such. Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.

Govt set to sell shares in OGDC, PPL and UBL

ISLAMABAD: After initial setbacks, the federal government is set to offload shares of three entities in international and local capital markets to raise a minimum of Rs137 billion at the present value of shares, which will bridge the shortfall in tax revenues. As a first step, shares in Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and United Bank Limited (UBL) would be offered to general public through capital markets, according to Mohammad Zubair, Chairman of Privatisation Commission (PC). Zubair on Thursday gave a detailed briefing to Finance and Privatisation Minister Ishaq Dar on the current status of privatisation process. The PC would complete the process of hiring financial advisers for these transactions by the third week of April, he added. Zubair said the government was expecting a minimum of Rs137 billion in proceeds from the three transactions, according to a handout issued by the Ministry of Finance. The government has decided to issue Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) to offload 10% shares in OGDC. It will sell its remaining 20% shares in UBL and 5% shares in PPL to the general public through domestic capital markets. For the current financial year, the federal government had set a tax collection target of Rs2.475 trillion for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). However, due to massive tax concessions given to the influential business community coupled with FBR’s inefficiency, the government is expecting a significant shortfall in revenues. To bridge this gap, it has decided to sell shares of blue-chip companies, a strategy that will reduce its dividends in the longer run but will surely bail it out immediately. Zubair explained that the PC had been keeping a complete vigilance and ensuring efficiency to balance the competing objectives of maximising sale proceeds while adequately addressing labour, social and environmental issues, according to the statement. Dar directed the PC to exercise due diligence in the preparation of offer circular. The minister also said wherever possible pre-strategic partnership restructuring would be undertaken by the government to act as a catalyst to attracting private sector strategic partnerships and investment. He said while putting in place credible plans for restructuring, due process should not be compromised. The whole process would also provide public sector enterprises (PSEs) the incentive and flexibility to pursue long-term investment plans, thus freeing the government from micro-management of PSEs, he said. He directed the PC chairman to prepare a detailed plan of operations and the expected timelines to meet the targets in the next meeting. The meeting was attended by Dr Waqar Masood, Finance Secretary, Moazzam Ali, PC consultant, Assad Rasool, PC’s senior consultant and Rana Assad Amin, Adviser to the Finance Division. Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.

Pakistan all set to import electricity from India

ISLAMABAD: As the World Bank (WB) has offered to finance the feasibility study and transmission line to import 1,200 megawatts (MW) of power from India, Pakistan has sent the draft of the initial power trade deal to its eastern neighbour despite opposition from various quarters. Sources told The Express Tribune that a pre-feasibility study was completed to identify the routes for electricity import. “Now, the World Bank has also offered to finance a feasibility study along with the (installation of) transmission line to import 1,200MW power from India,” a senior government official said, adding that a draft of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was handed over to Indian authorities in a recent meeting held in New Delhi. He said India would respond to Pakistan after going through the draft of initial deal. Pakistan would import 500MW of power initially, to be enhanced to 1,200MW at a later stage. The plan could be implemented within a year by laying a transmission line, he added. “The estimates of required finance will be known once a feasibility study is done,” he said, adding that only the route of transmission had been identified in the initial study. Different quarters in Pakistan criticise the proposed deal with India which had dragged Pakistan into international courts over water issues. At a time when the international court allowed India to divert water from the Neelum-Jhelum River for the Kishanganga Dam in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Pakistan was going to sign an initial deal for import of electricity from New Delhi to overcome a crippling power crisis. It must be noted that the Kishanganga Dam is likely to hurt the 900MW Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project being set up in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). New Delhi had told Islamabad that it faced problems in interconnection of power; however, Pakistani officials insisted such issues would be resolved later and the two sides were now set to sign an MoU for electricity trade, he added. Sources said preliminary discussions with India were underway and tariff matters still needed to be finalised. “However, the MoU will be an initial commitment to India,” the official said, adding the government of Pakistan was also working on other power import projects like Casa-1,000MW and electricity purchase from Iran. Pakistan is currently importing 35MW of electricity from Iran to meet requirements of Gwadar, while work on increasing it by 100MW is going on. The two sides signed an agreement on the project in 2007. Pakistan also has another project in the pipeline for import of 1,000MW of electricity from Tajikistan under Casa-1000 programme. Feasibility report of the project has been finalised and work is expected to be completed by 2016. The country’s power production ranges between 10,000MW and 16,000MW against total installed capacity of 21,000MW. Globally, most countries generate 80% of their power requirements from their installed infrastructure, but Pakistan’s generation capacity only meets 65% of the needs due to old plants, poor maintenance and circular debt. Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2014.

Lifting ban: Open YouTube, recommends Senate body

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee for Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday, keeping in view the report of its sub-committee, recommended to lift ban from YouTube. The video sharing site remains blocked due to filtering issues. State Minister Information Technology Anusha Rehman said IT plays a vital role in development. Speaking at the meeting chaired by Senator Idrees Saafi, she said the government will revive the ten years old dead project of Technology Parks which were funded by the World Bank. Top official of the Universal Services Fund (USF) informed the committee that 1,043 educational broadband centers and 297 community broadband centers had been established in Punjab, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.

No Pakistani killed in Taliban Kabul hotel attack: embassy

KABUL: Pakistani embassy in Afghanistan says that no Pakistani has been killed in the Taliban attack on the Kabul’s Serene Hotel. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Siddiq Siddiqi earlier said that one Pakistani was among the four foreigners who were killed in the Taliban attack late Thursday. “Not a single Pakistani has been killed,” Akhtar Munir, spokesperson for the Pakistan embassy in Kabul said. “Only one person by the name of Syed Muhammad Ahmed Sharjeel Zaidi is critically injured and he is in a coma,” Munir told The Express Tribune when asked about the Afghan Interior Ministry’s claim that a Pakistani national was also killed in the brazen attack. Zaidi, 44, general manager of a multinational company in Lahore, had flown into Kabul on Thursday on company business. He was scheduled to return to Pakistan on Friday. He has received two bullet wounds at the head, the embassy spokesperson said. Pakistani officials and Zaidi’s employer are making efforts to arrange an air ambulance to bring him to the country. Taliban gunmen killed nine people in an attack on a luxury hotel used by United Nations’ staff in Kabul on Thursday, before being shot dead in a shootout with Afghan security forces, police and government officials said. The assault on the heavily fortified Serena Hotel was the latest in a string of bold attacks by the insurgents seeking to spoil an presidential election on April 5, which would mark the first time in Afghanistan’s history that one elected government hands power to another. Four Taliban fighters snuck into the hotel early on the evening of March 20 and hid for three hours before storming into the restaurant and opening fire on people inside, according to interior ministry spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi. They then battled Afghan special forces for more than an hour inside the hotel before being overwhelmed, as terrified guests hid in rooms or fled to bunkers inside. “I never heard an explosion or anything like that. Only firearms and possible rocket-propelled grenades,” one senior UN official said in a text message from his room as hid with the lights turned off. Nationals from Canada, India, and New Zealand were killed in the attack, the interior ministry said. All United Nations staff were accounted for, a UN agency official told Reuters on condition of anonymity as they were unauthorised to speak to the media. At the time of the attack, some 18 UN staff were inside the hotel, where many of them stay, and is frequented by prominent Afghan politicians and visiting foreign officials. Police are investigating how the gunmen got into the Serena. The hotel has dozens of armed guards patrolling its perimeter, and anyone entering is checked with metal detectors and body searched for weapons. Claiming responsibility Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack and said the gunmen had targeted both Afghan foreign guests celebrating the eve of the Afghan new year on Friday. “Suicide bombers have entered the Serena Hotel, heavy battle is underway, enemies suffered heavy casualties,” the Taliban spokesperson said in a text message. Mujahid said that the attack was launched after receiving credible intelligence about presence of important foreigners, Afghan officials and members of the parliament. Giving details of the brazen attack on the heavily-guarded hotel, the Taliban spokesperson said the attack was launched at around 9 pm yesterday by four suicide bombers – Siddiqullah Maaz, Zahoorullah, Hafiz Agha Muhammad Hydari and Abdullah. “They were equipped with latest arms and hand grenades, and succeeded to cross all security barriers with a huge explosion entering the hotel.” Mujahid said in a Pashto-language statement received by The Express Tribune that the Taliban men carried out the attack using special war tactics, on the basis of useful information and with a well-organized plan. “They identified important personalities, separated them before targeting them. The attackers also fought with Afghan security personnel,” the Taliban spokesperson stated. He claimed that a total of 22 people were killed and 13 others injured during the attack by the Taliban. Previous attacks The Serena hotel has been attacked several times during the Taliban insurgency, but yesterday’s assault was the most deadly. In 2008, gunmen disguised as police stormed the hotel and opened fire on guests inside its gym, killing six. Despite its history of being targeted, the Serena’s restaurant was one of the few places in Kabul where foreign officials were still permitted to dine, following a Taliban attack in January on a Lebanese restaurant that killed 21 people, including a Pakistani woman and three other UN staff members, and the International Monetary Fund’s top representative in Afghanistan. Earlier on March 20, the Taliban attacked a police station in the southern city of Jalalabad with suicide bombers and gunmen. The assailants killed at least 11 people. The day before, a marketplace bomb killed at least 15 people in northern Faryab province.

Army coups borne out of injustice, says Altaf

History tells us that in every corrupt and unjust society someone from the armed forces rises to bring about a revolution against tyranny and suppression, said Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain. In his telephonic address at MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, he said he stood by his recent statements about the army, insisting that he had not said anything unconstitutional. He maintained that his comments were misconstrued by political opponents and he had only cited an example from history. He insisted that he had not invited the army to interfere in politics. “I had said that if the government gives orders to authorities or institutions that go against the country’s constitution and national interest, then those orders should not be obeyed,” he said. “Exploiters can neither appreciate nor understand my views, but the poor, the downtrodden and the patriotic can.” Many precedents can be found in the law, stated Altaf. He gave the example of Zahid Akhtar v/s Government of Punjab, where the Supreme Court in its judgment said that the basic principle of law is that the authorities should not obey unlawful orders of the government. In Asghar Khan v/s Gen Aslam Beg, the Supreme Court clearly accepts that the chief of the army staff and the ISI chief should have accepted lawful orders only. They should not accept the unlawful orders of the president, despite the fact that he is the supreme commander of the armed forces, the MQM chief maintained. Altaf said that when governor’s rule was imposed in Punjab during the previous government, Nawaz Sharif had asked the police and the security forces of Punjab not to accept the illegal orders. Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2014.

Girl killed, 4 others injured as school roof collapses in Karachi

KARACHI: A young girl was killed and four other students injured when the roof of a private school in Karachi collapsed on Friday, Express News reported. The accident occurred in a school located in Ali Akbar Shah Goth in Ibrahim Hyderi, injuring five students. One of the students succumbed to her injuries shortly after the incident took place. Ambulances are enroute to provide medical assistance to the injured. This is not the first instance of fatalities in the country due to poor infrastructure. Earlier this week, on March 18, an eight-year-old child was killed when the roof of a house in Maidan caved in due to heavy downpour, according to Lower Dir Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Ayaz. Two other minors were also injured.

Pakistan set India 131 runs target in WorldT20 match: Live updates

DHAKA: Pakistan and India face off today at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur for match 13 of the World Twenty20 2014. Pakistan have never beaten India in a World Cup match. India have won the toss and have decided to bowl first as dew will kick-in, in the latter part of the match. MS Dhoni (captain and wicket keeper), VR Aaron, R Ashwin, STR Binny, S Dhawan, RA Jadeja, V Kohli, B Kumar, A Mishra, Mohammed Shami, AM Rahane, SK Raina, MM Sharma, RG Sharma, Yuvraj Singh Pakistan Squad Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Kamran Akmal (wicket keeper), Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal†, Umar Gul, Zulfiqar Babar

KP Assembly adopts resolution for creation of Hazara province

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution for creation of Hazara province with majority, Geo News reported. The resolution was presented by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member provincial assembly Sardar Idrees. In the resolution, it is stated that a commission should be constituted for the creation of new provinces including Hazara province. Parliamentary leader of Awami National Party Sardar Hussain Babak and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Nighat Orakzai opposed the resolution.

Arrest warrant issued for singer Anita Baker

DETROIT: An arrest warrant has been issued for Grammy Award-winning singer Anita Baker. A judge signed off on the warrant this week. It was sought by the lawyer for a company that says Baker owes it $15,000 for work done on her home. Baker´s lawyer, Jamal Hamood, says he plans to file a motion Friday to cancel the warrant. Hamood says Baker wasn´t served with papers and didn´t know she had been sued in 2011 by Ray A. Smith Painting & Decorating. He says Baker is out of town and will remain so until the warrant issue is cleared up. The company´s lawyer, Daniel Gerow, tells The Detroit News he doesn´t want Baker to go to jail, but only wants to see his client get paid. (AP)

Venue for Taliban shura, govt team meeting finalized: Maulana Yousuf

PESHAWAR: Coordinator Taliban negotiating team Maulana Yousuf Shah has said that venue for direct talks between Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) political shura and government team has been finalized, Geo News reported. Talking to media here Friday, Maulana Yousuf said Taliban have finalized the venue for direct talk and inform the committee soon. He said they were making contact with key TTP commander, adding Taliban were to inform about the venue today, however, there was some problem in communication system. “We will leave for meeting as soon as we get green signal from Taliban leader after contact”.