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Saturday, June 28, 2014
Army chief reiterates resolve to fight entire spectrum of threat
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif on Saturday reiterated that the Pakistan Army is a battle hardened force and is fully prepared to fight the entire spectrum of threat.
Appreciating the operational readiness and motivation during his visit to Siachin Glacier where he spent time with troops at the highest battle ground of the world, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) said, “We will not hesitate from rendering any sacrifices for the defence of the motherland.”
He advised all troops to remain focused on their professional obligations and training for an effective response to any emerging challenge.
A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Gen Sharif also laid a floral wreath at the Shuhada (martyrs) Monument at Gayari and paid tribute to all those valiant officers and soldiers, who laid their lives in defence of the country.
He appreciated their high state of morale despite the most challenging environment and an extremely harsh weather.
The statement of the army chief comes amidst Pakistan Army's ongoing operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan against local and foreign militants.
Tiger leaps onto boat, drags man in front of children!
New Delhi: In a horrifying incident, a royal Bengal tiger snatched a man off his fishing boat while he was crab fishing with his young children in the Sunderbans National Reserve.
The attack happened on Thursday as Sushi Manjhi was fishing with his daughter and son when the tiger leapt aboard the boat and clamped its jaws on Manjhi’s neck.
His son, Jyotish said the tiger flung his father on his back and disappeared into the forest.
Daily Mail reported that Jyotish and his siter tried to beat the animal with sticks and a knife,
but it had no effect on the beast. Their father was dragged away and presumed dead.
“My father was completely buried under the tiger,” said Jyotish, recounting the horror.
The national park, one of the largest reserves for the Royal Bengal tigers, has had a few such deadly assaults in the last one year. This one is the fourth such assault, according to wildlife officials.
Although the tigers have hit dwindling numbers, half of the world’s 3,200 tigers are believed to be in the Indian wilderness.
Horrific war crime: Disturbing pics suggest ISIS killed over 160 people in just FOUR days!
Baghdad: According to analysis of satellite images and shocking photographs released by ISIS militants, Human Rights Watch (HRW) confirmed that the insurgents have killed at least 160 prisoners in just four days – June 11 to June 14.
HRW has compiled a series of graphics documenting the massacres from various satellite images with pictures posted online by ISIS. The pictures on the HRW website showed rows of men lined up and shot by gunmen. The group said the toll could be much higher but there is no way of locating or getting to the area and carrying out a full investigation.
According to a report in Daily Mail, “HRW said that using satellite imagery from 2013 and publicly available photos taken earlier, it was able to pinpoint the execution site in a field near a former palace of the late dictator Saddam Hussein, next to the Tigris River.”
The group said ISIS posted about 60 photographs on its Twitter feed on June 14. HRW emergencies director Peter Bouckaert said, “The photos and satellite images from Tikrit provide strong evidence of a horrible war crime that needs further investigation. ISIS apparently executed at the very least 160 people in Tikrit.”
(In the above image uploaded on June 14, 2014 on the jihadist website Welayat Salahuddin allegedly shows militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. A major offensive spearheaded by ISIL but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others since it was launched on June 9/AFP)
Human Rights Watch has produced a series of graphics like this which they say document the execution of at least 160 Iraqi prisoners in two locations in Tikrit over four days after cross-referencing landmarks and individuals in images posted by ISIS with satellite photographs
The U.S.-based group said militants from ISIS killed between 160 and 190 men in two locations in Tikrit between June 11 and June 14.
HRW said satellite imagery of the site from June 16 (right) did not reveal bodies, but showed indications of vehicles and earth movement when compared with an image from 2013
Photos from one of the trenches at the first execution site show ISIS fighters forcing prisoners to lie in a shallow ditch with their hands tied behind their backs
The massacre appeared to be aimed at instilling fear in Iraq's armed forces - which melted away as ISIS seized much of the north in a matter of days
The Islamic extremist group posted graphic photos on a militant website that appeared to show fighters loading dozens of captured soldiers onto flatbed trucks. Human Rights Watch have even estimated the time of executions by studying the length of the shadows
These images show prisoners being shot by ISIS gunmen after being forced to lie face-down in a ditch at the second of the two locations in Tikrit
By cross-referencing landmarks in these images with satellite data, the group was able to pinpoint the location of the first execution site
Again, in this image, the human rights group were able to accurately locate the position of two trucks based on landmarks in the background
Analysis of these pictures suggests the militants may have taken the truck used to transport the prisoners from a government depot
5 foods that help prevent hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition where the blood flows through the arteries at a higher than normal rate. It is serious because it can not only damage the arteries but also lead to a stroke or a heart disease.
Eating the right food can do wonders for the treatment of hypertension as it can easily be treated with healthy lifestyle changes like exercising and taking less stress. With hypertension being one of the leading health concerns, it is important to keep check.
Here are 5 foods that can fight high blood pressure:
Garlic:
Chopped garlic produces allicin which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also acts as a blood thinner and helps reduce cholesterol.
Bananas:
Potassium is present in ample amounts in bananas. They reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Spinach:
Green leafy vegetable such as spinach, trigger the production of nitric oxide-- which helps relax the blood vessels.
Fish:
Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, it can cause a significant decrease in blood pressure.
Cashew nuts:
Filled with fibre, iron and potassium, cashew nuts help boost immunity. They are cholesterol free and help relax the nerves and muscles.
Happy married couples at lower risk of cardiac diseases
Couples, take note! Unhappy marital interaction is linked to thicker carotid arteries and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study has found.
"Growing evidence suggests that the quality and patterns of one's social relationships may be linked with a variety of health outcomes, including heart disease," said Thomas Kamarck, from the University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
The study correlates unhappy marital interaction with thicker carotid arteries and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
"The contribution of this study is in showing that these sorts of links may be observed even during the earliest stages of plaque development [in the carotid artery]," Kamarck said.
"And that these observations may be rooted not just in the way that we evaluate our relationships in general but in the quality of specific social interactions with our partners as they unfold during our daily lives," said Kamarck.
The findings by Nataria Joseph, the lead author of the paper, indicate that those with "marital interactions light on the positive may have an 8.5 per cent greater risk of suffering heart attack or stroke than those with a surfeit of good feelings."
"These findings may have wider implications. It's another bit of support for the thought that marital or serious romantic relationships play a significant role in overall health. Biological, psychological, and social processes all interact to determine physical health," Joseph, who is now at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, said.
The study included 281 healthy, employed, middle-aged adults who were married or living with a partner in a marital-like relationship.
Their interactions were monitored hourly over the course of four days, with the partners rating their interactions as positive or negative.
Carotid artery thickness was also measured. Those partners reporting more negative interactions were found to have thicker carotids.
7 natural ways to get long and thick eye lashes at home
If eyes are the windows to the heart, then eyelashes are probably the drapes. While some have thick, heavy and long drapes others are blessed with short and scant eye lashes.
But why worry about something that can be fixed!
Follow these tricks religiously and you will start noticing the results.
Read on to find out.
- It is an old-age trick but it really works! And it is the simplest one! You just have to use a cotton stick or mascara brush and apply a swipe of Vaseline on your eyelid before you go to bed.
- Olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil and castor oil are mostly common for making your lash longer. Applying them regularly on your lashes can simply make it work.
- There are some mascaras which have lash accelerators. You can try the one from Rimmel London which will definitely work!
- If you think you need a faster result, try Vitamin E supplements. Make a routine of taking one on a daily basis.
-You can rub your eyelids to help it out. Massaging the eyelids can stimulate the hair follicles which help to grow stronger eyelashes.
- If you have a bad diet then you will notice that your body will not support to the growths properly. Your eyelashes will not increase enough too.
-If nothing works on your eye lashes you can opt for lengthening mascaras.
7 signs of diseases that your face shows first
Spending too much time in front of the mirror might make you look vain, but it good for your health.
According to experts, our face has all the tell tale signs of inner well being or the lack of it. We bring to you signs you should watch out for and what they signify.
Read on to find out.
Skin and eyes develop a yellowish tint:
These are early signs of hepatitis, liver disease, or jaundice. You should consult your doctor immediately.
Moles on skin:
If you have recently started to develop moles on your skin, beware! They indicate Melanoma—the most common skin cancer men get.
Bloodshot eyes:
Severe red eyes indicate eye infection. Bacteria from old eye make-up can lead to irritation or infection, so throw out cosmetics which are more than six months old.
Receding chin:
This could be a sign of sleep apnea, a disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops for ten seconds or more.
Rashes and discoloring:
Certain digestive problems may show up on skin. Itchy clusters of red bumps could indicate celiac disease
Discolored complexion:
Paleness could be a sign of anemia. A yellow tone could indicate liver disease.
Eye bags and puffiness:
Tired-looking eyes could be a red flag for chronic allergies, which dilate blood vessels and cause them to leak.
Luis Suarez claims innocence: ‘I lost my balance and fell on top of Italy’s Chiellini, hurt my teeth’
Claiming “innocence” Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has said that he “lost his balance” and did not bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, having been slapped with a four month ban from all forms of football by governing body Fifa.
Suarez has denied biting Chiellini and said that his face hit the latter’s shoulder after he lost his balance at World Cup.
According to some reports, Suarez has written in the defence he submitted to Fifa that “in no way (did) it happen how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite.”
He is learnt to have added that he became unstable and lost his balance due to the impact and that is why fell on top of his opponent.
It has left a small bruise on his cheek and sharp pain in his teeth, added Suarez in his defence.
Footages and images have been doing the rounds that clearly show Luis Suarez commit his third biting offence in four years during World Cup match against Italy.
He returned to Uruguay on Thursday night after being banned by Fifa, but was given a hero’s welcome by his fans.
Suarez urged to seek professional help
RIO DE JANEIRO: Uruguay star Luis Suarez returned home to a hero's welcome on Friday after his World Cup ban for biting, as calls mounted for him to seek professional treatment.
Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in Montevideo to greet Suarez as Uruguayans, led by the country's president, closed ranks around the disgraced football star.
Suarez was hit with a worldwide four-month ban from all football on Thursday after he sank his teeth into Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.
It is the third time in four years that Suarez has been sanctioned for biting, and the latest incident triggered widespread outrage in the football world.
FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke led calls for Suarez to seek help, brushing off suggestions that the Liverpool star's punishment was too severe.
Asked if he had a message for Suarez, Valcke told reporters: “I think he should find a way to stop doing it.
“He should go through a treatment. It is definitely wrong.“
The international professional footballer's union FIFPro said FIFA should have made mandatory treatment part of its sanction.
“Luis Suarez should receive all the support he needs to deal with any off-field issues he may be experiencing at this time,” said a FIFPro statement.
“This means that the focus should be on the rehabilitation and serious treatment of the player.
“FIFPro believes that treatment must be a part of any sanction. “Bite victim Chiellini expressed sympathy for Suarez and criticized FIFA's punishment, which is the heaviest ever imposed on a player during a World Cup.
Punishment 'excessive'
“I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive,” said Chiellini.
Suarez, 27, bid farewell to his teammates on Thursday as they prepared for Saturday's last 16 game with Colombia.
Uruguay has rallied behind the shamed goal-scorer, however.
A private jet carrying the player landed in Montevideo just before dawn.
Hundreds of fans carrying banners with slogans such as “Luis, All Of Uruguay Is With You” were waiting.
“He has been treated worse than a murderer, when it was just a mistake, “one of the fans at the airport told AFP.
President Jose Mujica said he met Suarez after his return and before the footballer was driven away to his mother's home in the southern province of Canelones.
Football's 'eternal shame'
Mujica said in his weekly radio address that FIFA's punishment of Suarez would become an “eternal shame” for football.
“We think this will be remembered, this will remain among the worst moments in the history of football. This will be an eternal shame in the story of World Cups,” Mujica said.
Later Friday, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez also condemned FIFA's punishment, telling reporters Suarez had been “scapegoat.“
Tabarez also said ban had left Uruguay determined to stay in the World Cup for as long as possible.
“To the Uruguayan fans: they, like us, are moved by the resonance of this punishment,” Tabarez said.
“I want to let them know that we are hurt, but with our outstanding force and more than ever tomorrow (Saturday), we will do our utmost.“
British media speculated that the sanctions could wipe a substantial amount off the value of Suarez if Liverpool decide to sell him. The English club has not yet commented on the case, insisting it was waiting to see FIFA's report.
After Suarez scored two goals against England, media reports said Barcelona and Real Madrid would be ready to offer 100 million euros for the striker -- triggering a release clause in his Liverpool contract.
Because of the ban, Suarez would not be allowed to play in any championship, nor train with any team, until October.
Baloch vows to fight terrorists closing schools in Panjgoor
QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has vowed to battle against the extremists and terrorists forcibly closing educational institutions in Panjgoor district of the troubled province.
Politicians, educationists and members of civil society, at a seminar held here on Saturday, urged upon law enforcement agencies to protect teachers and educational institutions in Panjgoor, one of the most backward districts in Balochistan.
“No one will be allowed to forcibly shut down our schools,” the chief minister told the seminar, which thoroughly discussed all ways and means to ensure provision of education to the students in the province.
Educational institutions in Panjgoor remained closed for last two months in the aftermath of threats by a fundamentalist organisation.
Dr Baloch recalled that the menace of terrorism and extremism date back to USSR's invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan.
“Promoting extremism in the region was internationally sponsored,” he added, saying that anti-Soviet countries supported Islamic fundamentalists to counter the USSR.
The chief minister urged the political forces, intellectuals and civil society to put their heads together to curb the menace of terrorism in the society. He stated that different elements with various names were bent upon closing educational institutions in Balochistan.
“We will not tolerate any intervention in our educational institutions,” he said.
Dr Baloch categorically stated that whether he remains in power or not, his party will not make any compromise on the future of young generation in Balochistan.
Regarding the plight of educational institutions in the province, the chief minister revealed that 8,000 employees including teachers were recruited on fake degrees in the department.
“What can we do against those who recruited the fake teachers,” he showed helplessness while revealing the ghost teachers.
Rashid Nasar of Awami National Party (ANP), Agha Hassan Baloch of Balochistan National Party (BNP) and other spoke at length about the closure of educational institutions in Panjgoor and urged the government to take practical steps for the protection of teachers and educational institutions.
Malik justifies Arsalan Iftikhar's appointment in Balochistan Assembly
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch admitted to have appointed Arsalan Iftikhar, the son of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, to a prominent position in the Balochistan Investment Board.
"I did appoint Arsalan Iftikhar to the Balochistan Investment Board," Dr Baloch said in response to questions raised by opposition benches regarding the widely politicised appointment during a session of the Balochistan Assembly on Saturday.
Opposition benches voiced concern over Arsalan's appointment. "How can a man involved in several corruption scandals be appointed to the Balochistan Investment Board, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, a legislator from opposition party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), lamented on the floor of the house during the session.
Responding to the member's questions, Dr Malik said: "Arsalan has been associated with Balochistan, if anyone has any apprehensions, he or she can speak to me."
Opposition benches opposed the appointment of Arsalan and urged the government to avoid what they called political bribe. "What forced the government to appoint such a controversial personality," Sardar Khetran asked.
Justifying the appointment, the Chief Minister said it was not an easy job to bring investment in Balochistan which is plagued by attacks launched by Baloch separatists and other sectarian outfits for more than a decade.
Arsalan Ifikhar is the son of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary who remained advocate general, justice and chief justice of the Balochistan High Court prior to his elevation to the apex court of Pakistan.
Taliban's Miramshah commander killed in raid: ISPR
ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday said that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander of Miramshah, Umer was killed by security forces on the outskirts of Miramshah the previous night.
In a statement issued today, the ISPR stated that the civilian population has been evacuated from North Waziristan where the Zarb-i-Azb operation is targeting local and foreign militants.
"To make sure that there are no innocent civilians still left in the area, announcements are being made for any stranded tribals who may have stayed back for any reasons, to leave also," read the statement.
It also said that after the surrender of 19 terrorists, more terrorists may lay down arms.
Pakistan Air Force Jet aircraft destroyed six terrorist hideouts on the outskirts of Mirali, killing 11 militants, read the press release.
Attacks were also carried out on Saturday morning by artillery fire, tanks and heavy weapons outside Miramshah, killing seven terrorists.
One prominent Al Qaeda commander has been arrested while trying to flee the area, the ISPR said.
Initial interrogation reveal that the militant is an expert at Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and suicide belt manufacturing.
Meanwhile, three terrorists were also arrested by security forces while they were trying to cross the Indus River near Mianwali and all spots along the river were subsequently sealed to prevent escape, it added.
PM delivered victory speech on my advice: Rasheed
ISLAMABAD: Answering all four questions posed by Imran Khan a day earlier, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday said that he advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to deliver a televised victory speech in the wake of May 11 polls, DawnNews reported.
Speaking at a press conference, he said that he was the one who advised the PML-N chief to speak to the party workers on the night of the 2013 General Elections.
“I am ready to face any punishment including the capital punishment from Imran Khan if he considers this as a crime,” he added.
Answering other questions, Rasheed said that Returning Officers for the elections were appointed on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief’s demand to the election commission while Najam Sethi’s name for the caretaker chief minister Punjab was given by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The PML-N minister produced a copy of Imran Khan’s old statements during the press conference saying taking ‘U-turns’ was Khan’s old habit.
Threatening the PML-N government of a 'tsunami march' to Islamabad on August 14 during his party’s rally in Bahawalpur yesterday, Imran Khan had made four demands to Nawaz Sharif's government which he said he wanted to be addressed within one month.
He said that one million people will be gathered in the federal capital if his demands were not addressed.
Ahsan Iqbal assails Imran for spreading chaos
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal alleged that PTI chairman Khan was creating unrest in the country instead of practicing positive politics.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was creating hurdles in the development process launched by the PML-N government, he said while speaking to a private TV channel.
Ahsan Iqbal said Imran Khan should rather focus to improve performance of his party’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Replying to a question, he said the cricketer-turned-politician and his party's government had totally failed in KP. Now the PTI leadership was trying to derail the democratic system, but they would not succeed in achieving their objectives, he added.
Ramzan moon not sighted, fasting to begin from Monday
KARACHI: The moon, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramzan, was not sighted on Saturday and the first day of the holy month will now fall on Monday (June 30).
The announcement was made by Chairman of Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Pakistan, Mufti Munibur Rehman in a press conference held after the conclusion of an official meeting of the committee at the Met Office in the port city.
The chairman central Ruet-i-Hilal committee said that no witnesses regarding the moon sighting were received from across the country.
The Holy month of Ramzan would now begin from June 30.
KP minister urges harmonious decision for Ramzan moon sighting
Earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Zakat, Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Haji Habibur Rehman said zonal committees should respect the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’s decision and assist it in deciding a single date for the beginning of Ramzan across the country.
He said the evidence of the Zonal Ruet-i-Hilal committees should be taken into consideration before announcing a decision about the sighting of the Ramzan moon, DawnNews reported.
According to the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television channel, Ramzan will begin on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.
IMF releases $555.9 mn loan tranche for Pakistan
WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday disbursed $555.9 million to Pakistan, confirming the country was on track with the conditions of its IMF loan program.
The IMF saved Pakistan from possible default by agreeing last September to lend it $6.8 billion over three years. The cash is being doled out in increments and could stop if Pakistan fails to institute reforms, including cracking down on tax evasion and privatising loss-making state companies.
Pakistan's tax authorities in April said they would publicly shame defaulters by publishing taxpayers' details in a directory for the first time. Only around one in 200 citizens files income tax returns, leaving the state begging foreign donors to help fund crumbling schools and hospitals.
The IMF disburses loan tranches after confirming a country is on track with the conditions of any bailout.
Pakistan continues macroeconomic improvement: IMF
The IMF has said Pakistan's macroeconomic conditions are improving, as executive directors concluded a review of the country's economic performance.
On the occasion of the Executive Board's approval of the $555.9 million tranche for Pakistan, David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, noted that “fiscal consolidation remains broadly on track.”
“Macroeconomic conditions are improving, but downside risks remain.”
The government has taken measures to address short-term macroeconomic vulnerabilities and advance structural reforms, including the energy sector reform, but continued efforts to safeguard the fragile economic recovery are needed,” he said according to a Fund statement.
He also acknowledged that Islamabad's efforts to boost foreign reserves are bearing fruit and should continue, including through spot purchases, greater exchange rate flexibility, and a prudent monetary policy.
In other areas, the Lipton noted the banking sector remains financially stable and profitable and also welcomed continued energy policy reforms.
Extended blackouts during Ramazan feared
ISLAMABAD: With fuel stocks depleting to a critical level and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) facing five defaults on international payments, the country may be heading towards extended blackouts during Ramazan.
Senior government officials told Dawn that PSO’s receivables had exceeded Rs200 billion and no fresh payments could be made to the country’s largest oil supplier over the next three days of the current fiscal year because power sector subsidies had already surpassed the budgeted amount.
Fuel stocks at critical level
They said fuel stocks at various power stations have plummeted to less than three days of requirement and supplies were drying up because banks were not ready to open letters of credit for PSO for fresh imports.
At a meeting of top officials of the ministries of finance, petroleum and water and power and PSO this week, Minister for Defence and Water and Power Khwaja Asif conveyed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s desire to ensure minimum loadshedding during Ramazan. And he asked representatives of the petroleum sector to ensure supply of 22,000 tons of furnace oil on credit and called for preparing a plan for its implementation by petroleum, finance and power companies.
The PSO submitted a summary and said that its credit and supply lines were choked. To ease the situation, it proposed that the finance ministry should take steps for the opening of additional letters of credit (LCs).
Sources said PSO’s receivables from power companies had risen to over Rs200bn. An amount of Rs22bn is required on an emergency basis to clear previous LCs for fuel the power companies had consumed two months ago.
Without fresh payments, PSO will not be in a position to open fresh LCs and order imports for Ramazan on credit.
The PSO’s summary was explained to the ministries of water and power and finance for an immediate bailout package.
The sources said the power companies were paying only eight per cent of their total collection while some subsidy payments by the finance ministry kept the PSO’s wheels moving. But since subsidies have already exhausted, fresh payments will only be possible after July 1 with the start of the new financial year.
The finance ministry released Rs20bn to the power companies a couple of days ago for onward payment to PSO, but only Rs10bn reached the fuel supplier.
The officials said that even if payments were made to PSO after July 1, it would take more than 15 days to open LCs, order fresh imports and then ensure delivery of furnace oil at port given the fact that PSO had already lost its credibility in the international market.
“In fact, PSO is on the verge of collapse and if this happens the consequences will be serious,” said an official, adding that the value of PSO’s total assets was not more than Rs20bn, but receivables were more than Rs200bn.
Controlling more than 65 per cent of the market share, the entire fuel supply network and product chain could collapse and lead to an increase in blackout periods.
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2014
NAB approves reference against two former secretaries
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) approved on Friday a reference against former federal secretaries Islamil Qureshi and Shahid Rafi, accusing them of committing corruption in the award of a contract to a power producing company.
The NAB’s executive board also approved a reference about alleged illegal allotment of government land against officials of the Quetta Development Authority (QDA).
In the first reference, Mr Qureshi, Mr Rafi and others have been accused of misuse of authority and committing corruption in initiating the Guddu Rental Power Plant project without approval of the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet.
They allegedly awarded the $72 million contract to the power company in violation of public procurement rules and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority Act though the company had not submitted feasibility of the project.
NAB is investigating a Rs22 billion Rental Power Projects (RPP) scam in which nine companies have been accused of receiving more than Rs22bn mobilisation advance from the government to commission the projects, with most of them failing to set up plants.
Five references relating to RPPs have been filed in the Accountability Court. Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is the principal accused in the scam.
Those nominated in the second reference include the QDA’s former chairman Maqbool Ahmed Lehri and former director Ali Mohammad Baloch.
They have been accused of indulging in corruption through irregular allotment of government land and by changing location and number of plots.
The NAB board authorised an investigation against one Samiullah Kakar, a junior English teacher in Bolan district, and others.
They have been accused of being involved in corruption and misuse of authority.
It decided to close an inquiry against former MPA Mir Aslam Bizenjo because of lack of incriminating evidence against him.
In a case of fake investment schemes, it gave more time to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region office for investigation.
The board referred a complaint against Senator Sehar Kamran, former principal of the Pakistan International School, English section, Pakistan Embassy in Jeddah, to the NAB awareness and prevention division to look into the complaint and coordinate with the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis.
The senator has been accused of corruption, misuse of authority and embezzlement of school funds.
Former official arrested
NAB arrested retired Colonel Mohammad Ishaq, former additional director at the bureau’s Balochistan region office, from Rawalpindi on charges of corruption and corrupt practices.
He has been accused of misusing his authority and gaining illegal benefits and taking bribe from several people on the promise of getting them government jobs.
The arrest has been made on the basis of information provided by the NAB headquarters.
The bureau will produce the accused before the accountability court on Saturday to obtain his remand.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
Banks earn Rs5.3bn illegally: report
KARACHI: Banks illegally earned Rs5.3 billion in 2012 by misdeclaring the transactions being made as remittances, and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) kept accepting the false claims of banks, said 2013-2014 audit report of the accounts of public sector enterprises.
Banking sources said that no penalty was imposed on banks; neither any disciplinary action was taken to punish them for fraudulent income. They said some major banks were also involved in this illegal business.
During the audit of SBP, Banking Services Corporation (SBP-SC) accounts for the year 2011-12, it was observed that the management reimbursed an amount of Rs5.357bn to various banks on account of telegraphic transfer charges against home remittances sent by Pakistani residents abroad through banking channels, said the report.
“The banks fraudulently split the transactions into $100 of same individual on the same date to avail undue benefits of 25 Saudi Riyals for each transaction,” said the report.
“Further details of total split transactions were not provided to the audit,” said the report.
To encourage banks and to boost remittances, Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) was jointly launched by the State Bank, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Ministry of Finance in 2009.
In January 2010, the State Bank issued a circular saying the government through State Bank will reimburse 25 Saudi Riyals equivalent in PKR per transaction to banks in Pakistan provided that it is home remittance with value equivalent or more than $100.
The distribution bank and the overseas entity share the reimbursed amount as per their mutually agreed term.
The report further stated that the matter was reported to the SBP on April 18, 2013. In its reply, it stated the banks would be penalised for split transactions under the revised standard operating procedure in future.
“The reply was not tenable as recovery could not be made,” said the audit report.
It further said the commission income of the SBP for the year 2012-13 decreased by 9.9 per cent and exchange gain decreased by 84.4pc from last year 2011-12.
The steep fall in the exchange gain of Rs6.7bn during 2012-13 as against Rs42.8bn during 2011-12, needs to be elucidated, said the report.
It further said that other operating loss was Rs1.02bn during 2012 compared to operating profit of Rs9bn requires explanation.
“The State Bank’s share of loss payable under profit and loss sharing arrangement amounting to Rs2.4bn needed to be explained,” said the report yet to be published.
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2014
Karachi airport manager, two others suspended
KARACHI: Nearly three weeks after the deadly attack on the Karachi airport, the airport manager and two fire officials were suspended on Friday on the basis of what the Civil Aviation Authority said the findings of an investigation into a fire incident that claimed eight lives.
However, a three-page report of the inquiry committee, headed by Air Commodore Noor Elahi Bajwa and comprising Ahmed Chinoy and Bashir Jan Mohammad, released to the media does not put the blame on anybody.
Eight workers of a cargo facility were found dead at the airport hours after the security administration had reportedly cleared the premises and the flights operation that remained suspended for one night following a deadly gun battle with militants resumed on June 9.
The families of the eight people, who had been missing even after the resumption of the flights operation, raised hue and cry attracting the media attention. The families claimed that they received phone calls from them after the search was over. They said the workers were stranded in the cold storage facility and demanded that efforts be made to rescue them. Subsequently, the fire fighting and rescue operation were relaunched and many hours later the eight workers were found dead.
The federal government then instituted an inquiry into the death of the workers.
Responding to Dawn queries, CAA spokesperson Abid Kaimkhani said that three people have been suspended on the basis of the inquiry report. He confirmed that among those suspended was the Karachi Airport Manager Afsar Malik, while the two others belonged to the fire department, but he could not confirm the names of the suspended fire department officials.
However, the three-page report of the inquiry committee does not put direct responsibility on anybody and stressed more than once that the bodies were not found in the cold storage. It says the bodies were found a little distance from the cold storage.
While it praises those associated mostly with the security agencies, the report says that the fire fighters could not go earlier to rescue the workers as the area had not been cleared by the security agencies.
The report says: “The committee concluded that no death occurred in the cold storage and in fact cold storage was far away from the actual place of casualties ..… The bodies were found from the office of Gerry’s Dnata cargo complex which is located 150 feet away from the cold storage….The committee asked the fire fighting agencies why they had not made attempts for many hours from 2235 hours to 0345 hours and the committee was told that “the area was not cleared by the security agencies and there was fear of firing and the terrorists could have thrown grenades resulting in more loss as fire fighters were not equipped or dressed with life saving uniforms nor any cover of security, but despite that they made attempts of fire fighting even under fire from the terrorists.”
The committee highlighted in the report that efforts were made by Airport Security Force, fire fighters, CAA, but “they were not equipped to handle such sort of exceptional circumstances ….. though airport was already under threat the authorities and cargo handling agents were neither trained nor equipped to handle such emergencies.”
The report says that committee also suggested to the government and the relevant authorities to take appropriate steps to avoid such incidents. However, detail of the measures are not included in the report that has been sent to the media for publication.
Seven out of the eight workers found dead were identified as Farhan-ul-Haq, Fareed Khan, Sultan, Syed Saif-ur-Rehman, Nabeel Ahmed, Inayatullah Khan and Faizan Ahmed.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
‘Brain-eating’ amoeba claims third life in a month
KARACHI: The city health authorities on Friday confirmed another death caused by naegleria fowleri, commonly called ‘brain-eating’ amoeba, in the third such case within a month.
Only five days ago, a victim had died at a private hospital of the same infection.
This time 32-year-old Mohammad Adnan Yousufzai, a resident of Nasir Colony in Korangi, fell victim to naegleria fowleri, which causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
The rickshaw driver hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered from the rapidly progressive illness with fever and headache. He was admitted to a private hospital with a stiff neck. He finally went into coma before being pronounced dead by doctors.
“Adnan was admitted to a private hospital on June 21 in a ‘highly critical’ condition and put on a ventilator of the intensive care unit, where he died a day later. The hospital sent us confirmation today [Friday],” said a senior provincial health department official.
Previously, two men, aged 22 and 39 years, belonging to the same locality in Gulistan-i-Jauhar died of the infection.
The 22-year-old man belonged to Tando Allahyar district while the 39-year-old man hailed from Punjab.
Officials added that like the previous two men, Adnan, had no history of swimming.
The death of this year’s first victim was confirmed on May 27.
Last year, the disease claimed three lives — a 14-year-old boy from Korangi, a 20-year-old man from New Karachi’s Godhra Colony and a 40-year-old man from Lines Area.
The deadly disease had surfaced in the city with extreme lethality in 2012 when it claimed 10 lives.
PAM is defined in medical literature as a rare but typically fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba found in rivers, lakes, springs, drinking water networks and poorly chlorinated swimming pools.
According to a research, only three cases have been reported so far in the medical literature of the world where patients suffering from this infection survived.
Swimming in public pools with improper arrangement for chlorination is believed to be one of main causes of contracting the dreaded amoeba infection.
The germs travel through the nasal cavity and only affect the brain.
The illness attacks a healthy person, three to seven days after exposure to the contaminated water with symptoms of headache and slight fever, in some cases associated with sore throat and rhinitis (commonly called stuffy nose).
The ages of the naegleria victims so far ranged from between four and 49 years.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
Iraq's top Shia cleric calls for PM to be chosen by Tuesday
BAGHDAD: The most influential Shia cleric in Iraq called on the country's leaders on Friday to choose a prime minister within the next four days, a dramatic political intervention that could hasten the end of Nuri al-Maliki's eight year rule.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who commands unswerving loyalty from many Shias in Iraq and beyond, said political blocs should agree on the next premier, parliament speaker and president before a newly elected legislature meets on Tuesday.
Sistani's intervention makes it difficult for Maliki to stay on as caretaker leader as he has since a parliamentary election in April. That means he must either build a coalition to confirm himself in power for a third term or step aside.
Sistani's message was delivered after a meeting of Shia factions including Maliki's State of Law coalition failed to agree on a consensus candidate for prime minister.
The United States and other countries are pushing for a new, inclusive government to be formed as quickly as possible to counter the insurgency led by an offshoot of al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
The embattled Maliki accused his political foes of trying to prevent parliament from meeting on time and stirring up violence to interfere with the political process.
“They worked to postpone the elections... and now they are working to postpone the first session of the council of representatives... but if they are not able to pressure us to postpone, they will go for inciting security incidents in Baghdad,” he said during a televised meeting with commanders.
Over the past fortnight, militants have overrun most majority Sunni areas in northern and western Iraq with little resistance, advancing to within an hour's drive of Baghdad.
Iraq's million-strong army, trained and equipped by the United States at a cost of some $25 billion, largely evaporated in the north after the militants launched their assault with the capture of Mosul on June 10.
Thousands of Shia volunteers have responded to an earlier call by Sistani for all Iraqis to rally behind the military to defeat the insurgents.
Under Iraq's governing system put in place after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the prime minister has always been a Shia, the largely ceremonial president a Kurd and the speaker of parliament a Sunni.
Negotiations over the positions have often been drawn out: after the last election in 2010 it took nearly 10 months for Maliki to build a coalition to stay in office.
Divvying up the three posts in the four days before parliament meets, as sought by Sistani, would require leaders from each of Iraq's three main ethnic and sectarian groups to commit to the political process and swiftly resolve their most pressing political problems, above all the fate of Maliki.
“What is required of the political blocs is to agree on the three [posts] within the remaining days to this date,” Sistani's representative said in a sermon on Friday, referring to Tuesday's constitutional deadline for parliament to meet.
Maliki, whose Shia-led State of Law coalition won the most seats in the April election, was positioning himself for a third term before the ISIL onslaught began. His closest allies say he still aims to stay, but senior State of Law figures have said he could be replaced with a less polarising figure.
Sunnis accuse Maliki of excluding them from power and repressing their sect, driving armed tribal groups to back the insurgency led by ISIL. The president of Iraq's Kurdistan region has also said Maliki should go.
A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, predicted that Maliki was now done. “It looks like the debate is whether it is going to be Tareq Najem from inside State of Law or someone from outside Maliki's alliance,” the diplomat said, referring to Maliki's one-time chief of staff and a senior member of his Dawa party.
“It is generally understood it will not be Maliki,” the diplomat said. “Security was his big thing, and he failed.” Allies of Maliki said Sistani's call for a quick decision was not aimed at sidelining the premier but at putting pressure on all political parties not to draw out the process with infighting as the country risks disintegration.
The Kurds have yet to agree on a candidate for president and the Sunnis are divided among themselves over the speaker's post.
Mass Executions
Iraqi helicopters fired on a university campus on Friday in Tikrit, the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein and second major city to fall to insurgents more than a fortnight ago. Government commandos launched an airborne assault on the campus on Thursday, a rare push back into rebel-held territory.
“My family and I left early this morning. We could hear gunfire, and helicopters are striking the area,” said Farhan Ibrahim Tamimi, a professor at the university who fled Tikrit for a nearby town.
Helicopters also fired on the emergency department of the hospital, a doctor said later. There was no word on casualties.
ISIL fighters' dramatic advance after capturing the main northern city of Mosul on June 10 has placed Iraq's very survival as a state in jeopardy, threatening to reignite the wholesale sectarian slaughter that saw at least 100,000 Iraqis killed during U.S. occupation from 2003-2011.
Most of the fighting has been north of Baghdad, but on Friday, six mortar rounds were fired on the Shia town of Mahmoudiya, 30 km (19 miles) south of the capital, killing eight people, security and medical sources said.
U.S. President Barack Obama has ruled out sending ground troops back but has sent up to 300 advisers, mostly special forces, to help the government fight the insurgents.
General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, told National Public Radio on Friday that “additional options” for potential future U.S. military actions in Iraq included going after “high value individuals who are the leadership of ISIL” and working to protect Iraq's “critical infrastructure.” The Pentagon also said that some of the drones and manned aircraft it was flying over Iraq were armed, but said the flights were aimed at gathering intelligence and ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel on the ground rather than conducting air strikes.
ISIL fighters who aim to set up a caliphate on both sides of the Syria-Iraq border consider all Shia heretics deserving death. They proudly boasted of executing scores of Shia government soldiers captured in Tikrit.
New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch said on Friday that analysis of photographs and satellite imagery indicated ISIL had killed as many as 190 men in at least two locations over three days after they captured Tikrit. The death toll may be much higher, but the difficulty of locating bodies and getting to the area had prevented a full investigation, it added.
However, there have also been accounts of government forces killing large numbers of prisoners. Several police officials said 69 prisoners had been killed on Monday while being transported from a jail in Hilla south of Baghdad. Last week 52 prisoners were killed in a jail in Baquba to the north.
In both cases the official account was that prisoners died in custody in the crossfire during insurgent attacks.
Amnesty International also said it had gathered evidence pointing to a pattern of extrajudicial executions of detainees carried out by government forces before withdrawing from cities, including Tal Afar, west of Mosul, which militants now control.
Fighters from ISIL have been joined by other, less radical groups who share their view that Sunnis have been persecuted under Maliki. The onslaught has been halted outside the capital, but militants have continued to advance and consolidate their gains elsewhere, including the area around Mosul in northwestern Iraq, which is home to many religious and ethnic minorities.
Militants took control of six villages populated by the country's Shia Shabak minority southeast of Mosul after clashing with Kurdish “peshmerga” forces securing the area, according to a lawmaker and community leader.
Up to 10,000 people have also fled from the predominantly Christian communities of Qaraqosh, some 30 kilometres southeast of Mosul, since Wednesday, fearful of becoming a target for ISIL, the U.N. refugee agency said.
Nadal eyes easier passage to Wimbledon fourth round
LONDON: World number one Rafael Nadal, into the third round for the first time since 2011, will be hoping for an easier ride on the Wimbledon grass after two tough rounds when he meets Mikhail Kukushkin on Saturday.
He joins three other former Wimbledon champions — Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova — bidding for a place in Monday's fourth round.
Organisers will be crossing their fingers that the weather forecasters will be proved wrong again. Despite cloudy skies, the rain expected to disrupt Friday's play did not materialise, but showers are expected on Saturday.
They will not affect play on Centre Court, the tournament's showpiece stage with its retractable roof, where French Open champion Nadal, champion in 2008 and 2010, opens the proceedings against the Kazakh world No. 63.
Nadal had to fight back from a set down in the first two rounds against Martin Klizan of Slovakia and Lukas Rosol of the Czech Rebublic.
“To be in the third round here again after two, three years is very positive news,” Nadal said.
Sharapova, like Nadal, hoping to make it a French Open and Wimbledon double after claiming the Roland Garros title earlier this month, takes on unseeded American Alison Riske in Centre Court's second clash.
World No. 1 Serena Williams, whose older sister Venus was defeated by another former champion Petra Kvitova on Friday, is first on the roofless Court One, playing Alize Cornet. Serena, a five times Wimbledon champion, exited at the fourth round stage last year.
Roger Federer, looking for an eighth Wimbledon title, will play World No. 35 Santiago Giraldo from Colombia later in the day on Centre Court.
Federer's Swiss compatriot Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka will be one of the players anxious for another dry day as he is set to face Denis Istomin, from Uzbekistan, in the last match scheduled on Court One.
US says Mexican chopper crosses border, shoots twice
LOS ANGELES: A Mexican military helicopter ventured around 100 yards (meters) into the United States and fired two shots, the US border security agency said Friday in a claim quickly denied by Mexico.
The alleged incident took place Thursday at 5:45 am (1245 GMT) when “a Mexican law enforcement helicopter crossed... north into Arizona,” said a statement from US Customs and Border Protection.
“Two shots were fired from the helicopter, but no injuries or damage to US property were reported. “The agency said the incident, which occurred some eight miles (13 kilometers) southwest of the village of San Miguel, on the Tohono O'odham Indian Nation, “is currently under investigation.
“The Mexican helicopter was on “a law enforcement operation near the border,” it added. Local media reported the helicopter was part of a counternarcotics mission.
But criminal investigator Tomas Zeron de Lucio of Mexico's attorney general's office denied the Mexican helicopter had crossed the border, and said the operation was “agreed and coordinated” with the US border patrol.
“The operation was on the border... I do not think we crossed the border, because we brought our navigation systems,” he told reporters.
Zeron said the helicopter had not fired any shots, but that instead, it was suspected drug runners who had shot at the aircraft.
He said that during the operation, conducted at a ranch suspected to be used as a border crossing for drugs and illegal migrants since 2006, Mexican security forces arrested four people and found 39 migrants, including 13 from outside Mexico.
They also disabled a radio antenna used by the drug traffickers to broadcast the presence of federal agents and confiscated packages of drugs and gun cartridges.
Earlier this year, a Mexican helicopter crossed the border near Sasabe, also in Arizona.
US drones over Baghdad as Iraq battles for Tikrit
BAGHDAD: The US military has started flying armed drones over Baghdad to defend American troops and diplomats as Iraqi forces took their fight against Sunni insurgents to the strategic militant-held city of Tikrit.
Iraq's top Shia cleric urged the country's leaders to unite, after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki conceded political measures are needed to defeat the offensive that has killed more than 1,000 people and overrun major parts of five provinces.
In further fallout, the president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region said there was no going back on his ethnic group's self-rule in disputed territory, including the divided northern oil city Kirkuk, now defended against the militants by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.
International agencies also raised alarm bells over the humanitarian consequences of the fighting, with up to 10,000 people having fled a northern Christian town in recent days and 1.2 million displaced by unrest in Iraq this year.
A senior US official said “a few” armed drones were being used over Baghdad as a precaution to safeguard Americans in the Iraqi capital if necessary.
But officials said the drones would not be used for offensive strikes against the Sunni Arab militant offensive, led by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) but involving other groups as well.
The Pentagon acknowledged that among the manned and unmanned aircraft flying over Iraq to carry out surveillance, some were carrying bombs and missiles — without specifying if those planes were drones.
“The reason that some of those aircraft are armed is primarily for force protection reasons now that we have introduced into the country some military advisers whose objective will be to operate outside the confines of the embassy,” spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said.
Maliki insisted that “Baghdad is safe.“ A retired US general, James Conway, echoed those remarks, saying that “the worst is over” as militants will be unable to take Baghdad, the south or Kurdish areas.
In Tikrit, Iraqi forces have swooped into Tikrit University by helicopter, and a police major reported periodic clashes there on Friday.
A senior army officer said Iraqi forces were targeting militants in Tikrit with air strikes to protect forces at the university and prepare for an assault on the hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein.
University important step
Another senior officer said taking the university was an important step towards regaining control of Tikrit, which the militants seized on June 11.
The operation is the latest effort to regain the initiative after security forces wilted in the face of the initial insurgent onslaught launched on June 9.
Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani said Baghdad could no longer object to Kurdish self-rule in Kirkuk and other towns from which federal forces withdrew in the face of the militant advance.
“Now, this [issue]... is achieved,” he said, referring to a constitutional article meant to address the Kurds' decades-old ambition to incorporate the territory in their autonomous region in the north over the objections of successive governments in Baghdad.
“We have been patient for 10 years with the federal government to solve the problems of these [disputed] areas,” Barzani said.
“There were Iraqi forces in these areas, and then there was a security vacuum, and Peshmerga forces went to fill this vacuum. “Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is revered within the majority Shia community, meanwhile urged Iraqi leaders to unite and form a government quickly after parliament convenes Tuesday.
Arming moderate rebels
Sistani's remarks echoed those of British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry, who visited Jeddah as Washington unveiled a $500 million plan to arm and train moderate Syrian Sunni rebels to help fight the ISIL-led militants.
On Thursday, Maliki, who has publicly focused on a military response to the crisis, said political measures were also necessary, ahead of the July 1 opening of the new parliament elected on April 30.
Iraq has also appealed for US air strikes against the militants, but Washington has only offered up to 300 military advisers.
Washington has stopped short of saying Maliki must go, but has left little doubt it feels he has squandered the opportunity to rebuild Iraq since US troops withdrew in 2011.
Mortar fire south of Baghdad on Friday killed at least five people, while shelling and clashes in Diyala province to the northeast killed 10 more, four of them soldiers.
Maliki's security spokesman has said hundreds of soldiers have been killed since the offensive began, while the UN puts the overall death toll at nearly 1,100.
The International Organisation for Migration warned that aid workers could not reach tens of thousands of Iraqis displaced by the violence, and called for humanitarian corridors to be established.
Saudi Airlines suspend Peshawar flight operations
PESHAWAR: Saudi Arabian Airlines has suspended its operations to and from Peshawar on Saturday following an attack on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) boeing 756 which had left a woman dead and two crew members injured.
The Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that Saudi Airlines has stopped its operations from Peshawar Airport.
A Riyadh bound Saudi Airlines flight was diverted from Peshawar and 330 passengers were shifted to Islamabad.
Earlier Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates airlines had also suspended their operations and diverted all flights to Islamabad.
Flight suspensions have not only affected passengers but also labourers, drivers and other supporting staff working at the airport.
On June 25, the Emirates airline had officially suspended its flight operations to and from Peshawar in the wake of the vicious attack on the city's Bacha Khan International Airport.
Due to its geographical location, security at the Peshawar airport is always tricky as the landing route starts from the tribal areas of Bara and Darra Adamkhel which are fragile for security.
Peshawar Airport is surrounded by residential areas, including the slums of Nawai Kalley, Badbher and the rural-urban mix population of Ring Road villages on one side.
Old building collapses in India; at least four die
NEW DELHI: A dilapidated building collapsed in New Delhi on Saturday, killing at least four people, and rescuers were searching for others believed to be trapped.
Police officer Madhur Verma said five survivors have been pulled out so far from the debris of the four-story building.
Three to four people are believed to be still trapped in the collapsed 50-year-old structure.
The Press Trust of India news agency said the collapse was triggered by construction work on an adjacent plot of land.
Building collapses are common in India, where high demand for housing and lax regulations have encouraged some builders to cut corners, use substandard materials or add unauthorised extra floors.
KP police push for arrest of TTP commander behind Peshawar plane attack
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have asked the political authorities of Khyber Agency to arrest Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants involved in the attack on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft at Peshawar airport earlier this week.
The police identified commander Shahid of TTP from Dara Adamkhel for being responsible for the attack and suggested that head money of Rs10 million should be announced for his arrest.
A high ranking police source confirmed that a letter has been written to the Political Agent of Khyber Agency and the Dara Adamkhel Administration to arrest the militant commander involved in the attack.
The source further said that the political authorities have also been requested for the arrest of over 600 wanted terrorists and criminals.
Unidentified gunmen had attacked the PIA Boeing PK-756 as it came in to land at Peshawar's Bacha Khan Airport on June 25, killing a woman and injuring two flight stewards on board.
The PIA Boeing PK-756 had 196 passengers on board, arriving from Riyadh when it was fired upon.
Airline officials said the gunmen had aimed specifically at the highly flammable fuel tank as they sought to blow up the aircraft, as well as the cockpit, to kill the pilot.
KP minister urges harmonious decision for Ramazan moon sighting
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Zakat, Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Haji Habibur Rehman on Saturday said zonal committees should respect the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’s decision and assist it in deciding a single date for the beginning of Ramazan across the country.
He said the evidence of the Zonal Ruet-i-Hilal committees should be taken into consideration before announcing a decision about the sighting of the Ramazan moon, DawnNews reported.
A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee would be held in Karachi today (Saturday) for sighting the crescent of Ramazan. The meeting would be presided over by its chairman Mufti Munibur Rehman.
All Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees would also meet at their respective headquarters for the sighting of the crescent.
According to the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television channel, Ramazan will begin on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.
Terror bid foiled by police in Chaman
CHAMAN: Police successfully foiled a terrorism bid early Saturday afternoon by defusing a bomb in Chaman, officials said.
Saeed Ahmed, a police official told Dawn.com that unknown militants had planted a bomb weighing three kilograms outside a private foreign bank on Mal Road in Chaman.
He said a bank employee spotted the bomb outside and immediately called the police to defuse it. "All surrounding areas were evacuated to defuse the bomb in one of the most crowded areas of the city," Ahmed said. He added that there was the possibility of a large number of causalities in case a blast had occurred.
In the recent past, militants have carried out low-intensity bombings in Chaman, targeting police stations and other national installations. Chaman is considered a sensitive town in Balochistan as it shares a border with Afghanistan's volatile Kandahar province.
The same bank was attacked in April earlier this year in a bomb blast which injured seven people.
North Waziristan IDPs await registration in Peshawar
PESHAWAR: Majority of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arriving in Peshawar from North Waziristan are still awaiting formal registration.
Scores of tribesmen residing in areas of Hayatabad Township complained that teams set up for mobile registration purpose were missing for the past three days.
Muhammad Hafeez, an affectee, said Governor Khyber Pakhtukhawa Sardar Mehtab Ahmed had formed a team for mobile registration of North Waziristan affectees but the team did not arrive for the purpose.
“We have been waiting for the last two days daily in Phase 6 at a house to facilitate the affectees but no one is coming to them since Thursday,” Hafeez said, adding that they were forced to sit in the scorching heat.
Ihsan, another displaced person from the North Waziristan Agency, said that tribesmen who arrived after a tiresome journey were undergoing severe mental stress as on one hand, they were not being registered while on the other hand, law enforcement agencies were also harassing them.
He said that the registration process should be expedited so that affectees would not only have proper legal cover to live peacefully but would also be able to garner assistance from the government.
He said that the Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) had not sent out its team for registration despite repeated requests, lamenting that “some times they display concern while other times they make excuses."
Blast in northern Nigeria kills 10: police
KANO: An explosion in the red light district of northern Nigeria's Bauchi city has killed 10 people and injured 14 others, police said Saturday.
The cause of the late Friday blast was not immediately clear, but Boko Haram have attacked Bauchi repeatedly during their five-year uprising aimed at creating a strict Islamic state in the north.
Bauchi state police spokesman Mohammed Haruna said the targeted building in the Bayan Gari neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city was widely known as a brothel.
“Ten people were confirmed dead, while 14 others sustained various degrees of injury,” Haruna said, adding that the explosion went off at roughly 10:00 pm.
“The entire area has been cordoned off and (the) scene secured,” Haruna said.
Bomb attacks on targets which Boko Haram has branded sinful — including bars, churches and schools teaching a Western curriculum — have formed a major part of the insurgency.
Nigeria has estimated that more than 10,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in 2009.
The violence has escalated in recent months, with more than 2,000 deaths recorded since the start of the year.
The capital Abuja has been hit with three separate bomb attacks since mid-April, most recently on Wednesday when 24 people were killed in a blast at a popular shopping plaza in the heart of the city.
Police had initially given a death toll of 21 for the attack, but the health ministry revised those figures upwards on Saturday.
In Kano, the largest city in the mainly Muslim north, a bomb planted in the parking lot of a public health college killed eight people on Monday.
The extremists have received unprecedented international attention in recent weeks following their April 14 abduction of more than 200 teenage girls from the town of Chibok in the northeast.
The gruesome mass abduction has drawn condemnation from governments and prominent people worldwide and offers of military help from major world powers to boost Nigeria's counter-insurgency effort.
Ramazan to begin in UAE, Saudi Arabia tomorrow
RIYADH: Ramazan would begin on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television channel reported on Friday.
Quoting the authorities, it said that because the crescent could not be seen with the naked eye on Friday, Ramazan would begin on Sunday.
The UAE Ramazan Moon Sighting Committee also announced that the holy month would begin on Sunday, said the website of Khaleej Times newspaper.
In a statement following the committee’s meeting at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Dr Hadef bin Jowan Al Dhahiri, Minister for Justice and Chairman of the committee, said that after investigation, application of relevant Sharia laws and contacts with neighbouring countries it was decided that Sunday, June 29, would be the first day of Ramazan, said the website.
Other Gulf monarchies, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, also said Ramazan would start in their countries on Sunday.
Algeria would also mark the start of the holy month on the same day.
Yemen’s religious authorities, however, said in a statement that fasting would begin on Saturday.
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2014
Mother was urged to kill me: Indian minister
NEW DELHI: India’s education minister revealed on Friday that her mother was urged to kill her at birth, highlighting the deadly preference for boys that has left the country with a population crisis.
Like many other Indian girls, Smriti Irani said she was seen as a burden when she was born.
“I am sharing it for the first time that when I was born, someone hinted to my mother that ‘beti to bojh hoti hai’ (a daughter is a burden),” she said in comments reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI). “And therefore, she should kill me. ”
Sex-selective abortion, infanticide and the death of girls through neglect have left India with a huge and alarming gender imbalance.
Census data indicates that in 2011 there were just 914 girls aged under six for every 1,000 boys — far behind the global benchmark of 952.
Smriti Irani told students in Bhopal that she was only alive because her mother had not listened to the advice.
“My mother was brave and she did not do that, because of which today I am standing in front of you,” she told them. She added that she was highlighting her own story as India’s new government plans renewed efforts to tackle the issue.
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2014
‘Baloch students will take up arms if denied rights’
LAHORE: Lateef Jauhar has lost too much weight and his skin its glow. But even then, he is stable and his body has begun to accept food again.
Jauhar went on a 40-day hunger strike outside the Karachi Press Club after his party leader Zahid Baloch was kidnapped by unidentified people. Even until now the whereabouts of Zahid are not known. This Baloch, who is now regarded as one of the heroes of his student party -- the Baloch Student’s Organisation-Azad (BSO-A), readily sat down to die for a cause, but ultimately survived to tell his tale.
Invited by the Awami Workers Party (AWP), Jauhar had an hour-long talk with his audience, mostly comprising AWP party members, press and others belonging to the civil society.
His struggle was a terrible experience, he said. So sick did he become that he had to be put on a drip while on hunger strike. He was accompanied by many other BSO-A students and leaders, and other Baloch who live in Karachi and even interior Sindh and Balochistan. But nothing deterred him from going back.
“I had to do this to put pressure on the elements,” he said. “The media gave me coverage, but many media outlets gave my cause better coverage than others. But in the end, I feel I have managed to send my message across, even internationally. Eventually, I was persuaded by my community, intellectuals and human rights organisations that I would be needed more living than dead.”
“Whom can a dead man help?” He said the Asian Human Rights Commission was one of the prominent groups that helped him realise this.
“Balochistan is one of the poorest provinces,” he said. “But the terror that our youths are facing has reached the roots of society. Even the student who goes out to buy a pen is apprehended by these elements and is then interrogated and given such a hard time that in the medium to long run it is hardly surprising that these young men turn towoards violence. Our libraries and our literature have been burnt, and I want to say we had no objectionable material, unless these people think sayings of Karl Marx and others go against the state.”
Jauhar openly blamed the state for its incompetence and indifference. He went to the extent of saying many of these elements are directly linked to the state.
BSO-Azad activist Lateef Jauhar
“If students are bullied like this how is it expected that he will go forward and hold talks? They will become psychologically unstable and eventually this frustration will force them to take up arms. In a militant’s eyes, it is not wrong to take up arms against someone who has beat up his mother or killed his brother.
In fact for him it will be justified. If he does not become a rebel, he will become a liability. Due to this insecurity, the BSO-A held its last meeting in the rugged mountains in secret.”
He claimed Baloch activists are constantly being kidnapped, tortured and killed. Sometimes they are so brutally tortured and mutilated that they cannot be identified.
“This sort of violence will only breed further violence. What is the use of this aggression, especially from state elements?”
He said Baloch are e presented as unnecessarily fierce and brutal militants instead of showing that they want peace and stability in the region.
Britain and Cameron in EU danger zone, say experts
LONDON: David Cameron's failure to defeat naming Jean-Claude Juncker as the new European Commission president risks pushing Britain out of the EU unless he builds bridges to secure reforms before a 2017 referendum, experts say.
The British prime minister suffered a serious blow to his credibility by losing his fight against Juncker, a veteran EU insider, and Cameron admitted it made the job of keeping Britain in the European Union harder.
Many in Britain — where a long history of euroscepticism reached new heights with the victory of the anti-EU UK Independence Party in last month's European Parliament elections — currently support his stance against Juncker, who is seen as too much of a federalist.
Some 43 per cent of voters believe Cameron was right to try to block Juncker's appointment, against 13 per cent who said he was wrong in a Financial Times/Populus poll released this week.
And Cameron could still achieve the major EU reforms he wants, including repatriation of some powers, depending on how he reacts now, according to analysts.
“The Juncker episode is clearly a substantial defeat for David Cameron, and without remedy, increases the risk of Brexit (a British exit from the EU), “said Mats Persson, director of the London-based think-tank Open Europe.
“However, it is far from the end of the story for sweeping European reform. “British newspapers were unanimous on Saturday that Cameron's defeat had increased the risk of the country leaving the 28-nation bloc, with The Times warning on its front page, “Britain nears EU exit”.
But they were divided on whether Cameron or Brussels was to blame, with several saying he was right to stand in “splendid isolation” on a matter of principle.
Persson suggested that a perceived increase in the risk of Britain leaving the EU could prompt fellow leaders to swing behind Cameron, who he added must now work harder to outline his vision of reforms in Europe.
Key to Cameron's future situation will be who gets what as the rest of a large-scale shake-up of top EU jobs is negotiated at another summit on July 16.
Britain could be handed a key portfolio or one of its allies could take an important role such as the presidency of the European Council, the EU's political arm, currently filled by Herman Van Rompuy.
Cameron said Friday the key test for him of a candidate's suitability for a job was: “Do you get the need for reform and change in this organisation? “Ironically, his ability to drive through change ahead of the 2017 referendum on Britain's EU membership will also hinge on his ability to build a relationship with Juncker, whom he has called “the career insider of Brussels”.
“As president of the European Commission during and after the UK's 2015 general election, Juncker's stance on the UK's relationship with the EU, the prospects and modalities of re-negotiating the terms of membership -- and a possible referendum campaign -- will be significant,” said Professor Richard Whitman, associate fellow, Europe, at the Chatham House think-tank in London.
Cameron insisted Friday he was fully committed to fighting for Britain to stay in a reformed EU, regardless of how hard that is.
Simon Hix of the London School of Economics said Cameron needed to deliver on two main points -- a reformed agenda for the single market and concessions on British opt-outs from certain parts of EU law.
“If he can deliver on those things, then eveyone will forget Juncker,” he added.
But eurosceptics are not convinced, saying the argument over Juncker's nomination indicates a lengthy fight ahead for Cameron to secure reform.
“The battle over Mr Juncker was but the first skirmish in a long negotiation of a new relationship for the UK with the rest of the EU,” veteran eurosceptic MP and former minister John Redwood wrote on his blog.
“If the rest of the EU continue to be so unsympathetic to UK requirements, more UK voters will draw their own conclusions about the desirability of our continued membership. “
Rawal Note: Political drama overshadows police failure on Qadri’s return
Much debate has taken place on the political fallout of the June 23 melodrama at the Islamabad airport for the PML-N government and party, but the police performance on the occasion did not receive any attention, either of the analysts or the government.
That the Rawalpindi police had orders to play docile was understandable after the bad name the police brutality against the supporters of Dr Tahirul Qadri, and his Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), in Lahore six days earlier had brought to the PML-N.
Certainly, the orders would not have meant the Rawalpindi police take fright of PAT workers gathering to greet their leader at the heavily cordoned airport. But that is what happened.
Policemen deployed to check their advance on the heavily cordoned airport abandoned their positions, with the most senior officers of the force commanding them in the lead, fearing the wrath of the decidedly angry but non-violent PAT workers.
It is said violence came after City Police Officer Humayun Bashir Tarar allegedly ordered his men to fire teargas shells to disperse a group of PAT workers who had penetrated Gulzar-e-Quaid locality near the airport while they were offering pre-dawn Fajr prayers.
That was provocation enough for the followers of the religious leader. Though police outnumbered the PAT protesters, the rage of the protesters made them flee towards the airport building.
DSP Sardar Babar and SP Rawal, Malik Karamat, deployed on the airport road took refuge in a house while CPO Tarar had to be rescued by his guards from the clutches of the protesters. They took their shaken chief to the safety of the airport building.
SP Haroon Joyia and ASP Haroonur Rasheed also followed him there.
With all policemen gone, PAT protestors took control the stretch of the road in front of the airport while rangers and Airport Security Force mounted extra watch inside.
For the three hours they controlled the road, witnesses saw the PAT workers checking and clearing the air passengers and others better than the mayhem that had existed under the police control. “Though they wielded sticks with nails at their ends, no PAT worker tried to break into the airport,” observed one witness.
All this time, Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi Akhtar Omer Hayat Laleka sat with commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed in the office of CSO ASF, monitoring the situation. Twice or thrice the RPO Laleka tried to contact Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to seek instructions to allow Dr Qadri’s Emirate’s flight EK-612 to land or not but his calls could not get through, according to airport sources.
It was the largest deployment of police in Rawalpindi but the force looked completely helpless in the face of PAT workers and suffered most casualties in the clashes. Policemen had the permission of the inspector general of police to use rubber bullets but stuck to teargas and batons because they were not trained in using rubber bullets.
“We were left to be tortured by PAT workers because the government did not want a repetition of the Lahore incident,” a senior police official said.
There are some reports that the anti-riot police could not fire rubber bullets to disperse the mob due to lack of firing practice. However, the police were keeping 15000 rubber bullets in their stock.
Journalists covering the event believe lack of co-ordination between the senior police officers of Rawalpindi and Islamabad made it possible for the followers of Dr Tahirul Qadri to make a mockery of the extraordinary security mounted on the occasion.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
Pakistani faces life sentence for orchestrating honour killing
NEW YORK : The daughter of a Pakistani taxi driver wept uncontrollably in a New York court as she came up to testify against her father on conspiracy charges to kill her boyfriend’s relatives in Pakistan.
Amina Ajmal, 23, the daughter and complainant took the witness stand to testify against her father, Mohammad Ajmal Choudhry, who faces life in prison if he’s convicted of orchestrating the so-called “honuor killings”.
Choudhry the father cried too, at the sight of his daughter for the first time since attending her ill-fated arranged marriage in Pakistan in late 2012.
Soon after, she fled the country with the help of her true love, Shujat Abbas, and the US State Department.
In retaliation for the perceived dishonour, Choudhry allegedly orchestrated the fatal shootings of Abbas’ father and sister. Amina broke down again when Assistant US Attorney Amanda Hector asked if she could identify her father in the courtroom for the jury. “Yes, he’s sitting there,” Amina cried.
She told jurors she came to Brooklyn at the age of 9, attending Public School 192, all-girls Bishop Kearney High School and then Brooklyn College. Her hand in marriage was promised to a young man in their rural village of Chiryawala, but Amina was smitten with Shujat who she had met at her sister’s wedding in Pakistan.
She and Shujat secretly communicated by Facebook and emails. When her father and uncle learned of the budding relationship in 2009, she was barred from returning to the US.
“(My father) told me I’m too Americanised, I need to learn my culture,” she said. Choudhry was outraged over the discovery of a secret cell phone his daughter was using to call Shujat.
“He said, ‘I don’t want to hear any more complaints about you. I will kill you if you do anything wrong,’” she testified.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
Student’s goodwill gesture: From a 'future army officer'
LAHORE: A class III student was invited by Lahore Corps Commander Lt-Gen Naweed Zaman in his office to acknowledge his gesture of goodwill for the army.
Eight-year-old Yousaf Mueen, of Lahore, had sent a letter to the corps commander along with a donation of Rs5,000 from his own saving to “buy bullets for troops to eliminate militants during the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan”.
According to a press release, he wrote that he regularly watched news about the army operation on TV channels, and though being tender in age, it was not possible for him to fight alongside the troops but he was determined to contribute towards his country and the army.
Expressing his resolve to serve his country with pride, he concluded, ‘your future army officer, Muhammad Yousaf Mueen’. The corps commander lauded his commitment towards a national cause and presented him a souvenir as a memento of his visit to the Corps Headquarters.
Published in Dawn, June 28th , 2014
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