Iraq crisis: US orders aircraft carrier to Gulf, Iran offers help

The United States ordered an aircraft carrier into the Gulf Saturday over the Iraq crisis, where Sunni Arab jihadists have seized a swathe of the country, as Shia Iran said it would consider helping foe Washington should it take action. The order came as Iraqi commanders that soldiers had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad, and thousands of volunteers answered a call to arms from top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. US President Barack Obama said he was “looking at all the options” to halt the offensive that has brought Sunni Arab militants within 50 miles (80 kilometres) of Baghdad's city limits, but ruled out any return of US combat troops. “We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces,” he said. Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had ordered aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush into the Gulf in response to the crisis. Obama has been under mounting fire from his Republican opponents over the swift collapse of Iraq's security forces, which Washington spent billions of dollars training and equipping before pulling out its own troops in 2011. Maliki given 'unlimited powers' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who since taking office last August has overseen a rapprochement with a superpower Tehran long derided as the “Great Satan”, said his government was prepared to consider offering help. “If we see that the United States takes action against terrorist groups in Iraq, then one can think about it,” Rouhani told a news conference. Iraq's Shia premier Nuri al-Maliki said the cabinet had granted him “unlimited powers” to reverse the offensive, in which militants swept towards Baghdad after overrunning second city Mosul on Tuesday -- before losing some steam. Troops found the burned bodies of 12 policemen as they recaptured the town of Ishaqi in Salaheddin province from the insurgents, a police colonel and a doctor said. It was one of the closest points to Baghdad militants reached as they overran a large part of northern and north-central Iraq. Troops also retook the nearby Muatassam area of Salaheddin, the colonel said. Late Friday, police and residents expelled militants from another town in the province, Dhuluiyah, witnesses said. Security forces have also held fast in the Muqdadiyah area of Diyala province, preventing militants from taking the town in heavy fighting, police said. In the besieged city of Samarra, north of the capital, reinforcements were awaiting orders to launch a counter-offensive against areas north of the city, including Dur and Tikrit, seized by militants earlier this week, an army colonel said. Maliki visited Samarra Friday to rally troops and pray at the Al-Askari Shiite shrine, a revered site whose 2006 bombing by Al-Qaeda sparked a sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands. North of Baghdad, gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the head of Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog, killing nine police, and a convoy carrying the deputy head of the Shiite religious endowment was also targeted, killing eight guards. Starting to regain ground Security forces have generally performed poorly, with some abandoning their vehicles and positions and discarding their uniforms, though they seem to have begun to recover from the initial onslaught and have started to regain ground. They will be joined by a flood of volunteers, urged on by Sistani's call Friday for Iraqis to join up to defend the country. A representative of Sistani, who is adored by Shiites but rarely appears in public, made the call on his behalf from the shrine city of Karbala, south of Baghdad. A Qatar-based union of Sunni Muslim clerics on Saturday denounced the call, saying developments in Iraq were a “result of oppression and exclusion of people that wanted freedom”. Obama said while the US was willing to help, Iraq needed to heal the deep divide between the Shiite-led government and the Sunni Arab minority, whose resentment jihadists have exploited. Washington “will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they're prepared to work together,” Obama said. “Any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq's leaders to set aside sectarian differences. “State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf dismissed Republican lawmakers' criticism that a residual US force would have prevented the Iraqi army's collapse. “When we left Iraq, after years of sacrifice and American taxpayer money, and certainly our troops felt that sacrifice more than anyone, the Iraqis had an opportunity,” Harf told reporters. Instead, Iraqi leaders “created a climate where there were vulnerabilities when it came to the cohesion of the Iraqi army,” she said. Former British prime minister Tony Blair, meanwhile, hit out at critics who linked the 2003 invasion of Iraq with the current violence in the country, blaming instead the West's failure to act in Syria. Blair, who took Britain into the US-led war to remove Saddam Hussein and is now a diplomatic envoy in the Middle East, also criticised the sectarianism of the government in Baghdad. In a long article published on his website, Blair said arguments that there would be no crisis in the region if the Iraqi dictator had remained in power were “bizarre”. He condemned the sectarianism of Maliki's government, who he said had “snuffed out what was a genuine opportunity to build a cohesive Iraq”.

Supporters and critics weigh in on operation

ISLAMABAD. Moments after Pakistan announced the launch of a comprehensive operation in North Waziristan, political parties and analysts weighed in on the repercussions of the move. Money for operation: PTI MNA “Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was not aware of this. We were not informed that a wide scale operation will be launched in North Waziristan,” PTI MNA Dr Arif Alvi said, adding that this is a ‘money for operation’ exchange. He added that his party has always maintained that an operation of this scale will result in a large influx of refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party forms government. “The government should have told us so we could have prepared for this.” He criticised the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) for what he said was a move to appease the US government which has linked aid to an operation of this nature. “The PML-N government did not tell the public and the opposition why the talks failed. We do not know about the dimension of this operation.” He also said that groups such as the Haqqani network have no war with Pakistan and are being isolated without reason. “Does the government want to burn all cards for the incoming government in Afghanistan?” He suggested that there should be a surgical and precise operation as a large scale strike would result in the death of innocents. Refugees will be facilitated - Defence Minister Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while talking to a news channel, said the nation stands by its army. “The decision was taken after the strategy of dialogue failed. The operation will continue until it reaches its logical conclusion. Any group that challenges Pakistan’s constitution, attacks civilians, soldiers, and government installations and uses Pakistani territory to plan terrorist attacks will be targeted,” he said. He added that IDPs will be facilitated by the federal as well as KP governments. “We will try to ensure that the displaced do not have to stay away from their homes for too long.” What has KP done - Analyst Defence analyst Rasul Baksh Rais asked what the KP government has done to stop terrosists from entering their province. “These terrorists kill civilians in cities. What should be done with terrorists them then?” he said in response to Dr Arif Alvi. The time for talks is over – retd general Retired Major General Jamshed Ayaz lauded the move as a “very good decision”. “It came slightly late. But better late than never. Pakistan has suffered a big loss – and Pakistan comes first. They have made a correct decision to launch this. The time for talks is over.” Commendable decision: MQM Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Babr Ghauri speaking to a news channel said, “This is a commendable decision by the government. We have been repeatedly telling the current government that instead of engaging the terrorists in dialogue, government should act against these elements. Karachi has a number of terrorists and it might suffer from a blow back; this should be tackled so Karachi does not have to suffer on account of this.” Should have told Plmt: ANP Awami National Party member Zahid Khan,”We also held a dialogue previously (during our govt) but that did not produce effective results. We wanted peace and we were okay if that came through dialogue but unfortunately that could not happen. This time, knowing from our experience, we had cautioned the government that dialogue approach would not work. Government should have taken the parliament into confidence before launching the operation but it didn't.”

Shah warns govt against arresting Qadri, Sheikh Rashid

KARACHI: Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Sunday warned the government against arresting Dr Tahirul Qadri and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed saying it would be a dangerous step for the government, DawnNews reported. Speaking to media representatives during a function held at Expo Centre here, he said the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should avoid making the mistake of arresting the firebrand leader of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), Qadri and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid. “Otherwise, it would become difficult for the government to complete its five-year tenure … and might end in just six months,” said the PPP leader. He added that his party never stopped anyone from exercising the democratic rights during their rule. Commenting on the deadly Karachi airport attack, Shah said the brutal attack has shaken everyone and urged for coordinated efforts to avoid such incidents taking place in the future. Answering a question, he said the PPP would always be a part of democratic alliance. The opposition leader urged the federal and provincial governments to work together in fighting militancy. Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Sheikh Rashid said that the government would be responsible for the ‘consequences’ of arresting him or Dr Qadri. Commenting on his proposed ‘train march,’ he said it was against gas loadshedding and inflation and not anti-democratic. Sheikh Rashid expressed hope that PAT chief Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan will join hands and form a grand alliance against the government. He criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for derailing peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.

Operation 'Zarb-e-Azb' gets a ‘thumbs up’ on social media

Massive support for Pakistan’s decision to launch a large-scale operation in North Waziristan was seen on Twitter in the hour that followed the announcement. Top journalists, opinion makers, politicians and thousands of other local Twitter users generally expressed sentiments ranging from relief to enthusiastic support. A few voices expressed caution and concern with regards to the expected terrorist backlash across the country, particular urban areas.

Pakistan launches 'Zarb-e-Azb' military operation in N Waziristan

ISLAMABAD: On the directions of the government, the Pakistan Army has launched a comprehensive operation against foreign and local terrorists who are hiding in sanctuaries in North Waziristan Agency, a week after a brazen insurgent attack on the country's busiest airport in Karachi. “The operation has been named Zarb-e-Azb,” said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement on Sunday. “Using North Waziristan as a base, these terrorists had waged a war against the state of Pakistan and had been disrupting our national life in all its dimensions, stunting our economic growth and causing enormous loss of life and property.” “They had also paralysed life within the agency and had perpetually terrorised the entire peace loving and patriotic local population,” the statement quoted DG ISPR Maj Gen Asim Bajwa as saying. He said, “Our valiant armed forces have been tasked to eliminate these terrorists regardless of hue and color, along with their sanctuaries.” “With the support of the entire nation, and in coordination with other state institutions and Law Enforcement Agencies, these enemies of the state will be denied space anywhere across the country.” “As always, armed forces of Pakistan will not hesitate in rendering any sacrifice for the motherland,” it added. The all important announcement came after overnight air strikes by Pakistani jets that killed more than 50 foreign militants, mostly Uzbeks, in North Waziristan. Strikes took place in the Boya tehsil, Degan forests and Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan. After the announcement of the full-scale operation in the North Waziristan area, a security official on ground said that thousands of troops have been moved for action, AFP reported. “Thousands of troops will participate in this action. You can roughly say 25,000 to 30,000 troops will be involved in the operation,” the official said on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to media. Local security officials put the death toll far higher, saying that about 150 militants died in the air strikes, which primarily targeted Uzbek fighters in a remote area of the tribal agency. Among the dead were insurgents linked to last Monday's all-night siege of Karachi airport that killed 38 people, including 10 attackers, and all but destroyed a tentative peace process between the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government. Pressure had been mounting on the government to launch a ground offensive in the Taliban-infested North Waziristan tribal district. Following the brazen assault in Karachi, the US carried out two drone strikes in North Waziristan on Wednesday, the first time the controversial programme has been used this year. The same day, air force jets pounded suspected militant hideouts, leaving at least 25 dead. It may be mentioned that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had warned the government against launching a major military offensive against the militants in North Waziristan saying it would prove ‘suicidal’.

BJP leader found dead in car; fourth such attack in last 8 days

Dehradun: An architect and BJP leader from Uttarakhand, whose body was found in Baheri area here, was strangulated, a senior officer said in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. "According to the post mortem report, BJP leader Rakesh Kumar Rastogi was strangulated. His body also had several injuries which led to excessive bleeding," circle officer Baheri Kalu Singh said. He said that police was trying to trace the assailants with the help of call details of Rastogi's phone and all "suspected" numbers have been put of surveillance. The CO said that the BJP leader's family members have not lodged an FIR so far stating that they would first cremate him. "A missing report of Rastogi had already been registered in Kichcha in Uddham Singh Nagar of Uttarakhand," he said. Rastogi, hailing from Uttarakhand and vice-president of BJP's Kichcha unit, was found dead in Baheri area of the district in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. "Rakesh Kumar Rastogi, who went missing Friday morning, was prima facie killed somewhere else and later his body was disposed of in Baheri area," Senior Superintendent of Police J Ravindra Gaur had said. The official had said that Rakesh's skull had serious wounds and there were strangulation marks around his neck. This is the fourth instance of BJP leader getting attacked within last week. On Wednesday, a BJP leader Punit Singhal was shot at unknown gunmen. Omveer was taking a stroll when bike-born assailants riddled his body with bullets. Last week, BJP leader Vijay Pandit was shot dead by unidentified gunmen who shot five bullets at him. The news of his killing triggered widespread violence in the area and protesters torched several vehicles near police station.

SHAME: Woman gang-raped, paraded naked and made to drink urine in Khandwa

Khandwa: The toll of horrific crimes against women is a warning bell. The goons and the attackers have lost all the respect for the law and order of the country and treating women worse than an animal. A woman in Bhilaikheda village was not only gang raped on Tuesday but her offenders crossed all limits of being barbaric when they paraded her naked and gave urine to drink. According to the media reports, the husband of the woman had been with the attackers when she was being tortured and raped. The victim remained at her home in unconscious condition for two days. Victim’s brother and brother-in-law reached to see her on a cue given by a villager. They immediately took her to the hospital on Friday. Meanwhile, police has registered a case against 11 including victim’s husband. 35 year old woman was taken to nearby farms on Tuesday night. She had been with her 9 year old son. The attackers called her husband and raped her after consuming alcohol. They brutally assaulted her and the husband in spite of coming to her rescue, motivated the attackers to continue their vicious act. They brought woman back to village after the assault. She requested for some water in between and received urine to drink instead. They tore apart her clothes and paraded her naked in the colonies of village. The reports suggest that the relationship of victim with her husband had not been very cordial. They indulged in serious spat just a few months ago when she was attacked on head by her husband. Police had registered a case against him. The assaulters asked her to visit the station so that her statement could be given to police. The reason of taking her away was so convincing that she decided to go with them. DSP, women section, Sunita Rawat said that a case has been filed against victim’s husband and 10 other in the case.

More horror continues in Badaun: 32-year old woman gangraped in front of children

Badaun: Just weeks after two cousins were gangraped and their dead bodies hanged on tree, another gruesome incident where a woman was raped by three men has surfaced. As per police reports, the 32-year old lady was raped by three men after taking her as a hostage. Shockingly, she has also alleged that accused carried out the heinous crime in front of her children. Police informed that out of three accused, one is son of a policeman. ASP L R Kumar told reporters that the woman was raped on Sunday night when she was returning back from market along with her two children after purchasing some medicines. She met one Himanshu, who was already known to her, on the way. He took her to a nearby building that was under construction and raped her along with his two other accomplice. An FIR has been registered in the case. The victim said, “I was returning towards my home at around 7 in the evening along with my two children. I met Himanshu and Khalifa on the way, whom I knew well from before. There was one more person along with them who was unknown to me. The men promised to show a suitable room which I could take on rent.” She further adds that as they approached the house that was still under construction, Himanshu locked himself along with her inside one of the rooms and raped her. She also alleges that the accused raped her at gunpoint.No arrests have been made so far.

Kedarnath HORROR: A year later, rotten bodies, human skeletons recovered

Chandigarh: It has been over a year since the natural disaster struck Uttarakhand, but human skeletal remains are still being found in Kedar valley. A TV news channel has reported that bodies of several pilgrims, who visited the char dham yatra in 2013, are still lying in Kedarnath and have not been cremated. Several rotting dead bodies were recovered in Jungle Chatti of Kedarnath, which bore the brunt of one of the worst natural calamities of all times, last year. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government on Saturday constituted a special task force to conduct intensive combing operations in the forests adjoining Kedarnath in search of bodies. The task force, headed by Inspector General of Police Sanjay Gunjyal, has been set up as per directions of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar said. Gunjyal has been appointed in-charge of the task force which will conduct combing operations over the next 20 days, the Chief Secretary said. Personnel from ITBP, local police and SDRF have been included in the task force, he said. The search campaign by the special task force will cover the entire region from Sonprayag to Kedarnath. To be started immediately, the campaign will be over in the next 20 days, Kumar said adding the task force has also been authorised to cremate the bodies after their DNA sampling and other formalities.

Al-Qaeda-linked militant group ARRESTS 100 women for not wearing a VEIL!

New Delhi: Media reports say that Somalia’s al-Shabab arrested as many as 100 women for not complying with their fundamentalist dress code. Al-Shabab militants ordered the women to comply with a strict Islamic dress code. According to a report in BBC, “The women were arrested in Buale, about 300km (185 miles) south-west of the capital, Mogadishu. BBC Somali analyst Mohamed Mohamed says it is rare for al-Shabab to carry out such mass arrests. The Al-Qaeda-linked group controls much of southern and central parts of Somalia. The women were arrested in the market, taken away and warned before being released. Because it was their first offence, they were not punished but they could be whipped in public if caught again.” The analyst said that the temperature can reach 35C at this time of year and so many women preferred to wear lighter, traditional clothes than those approved by al-Shabab. Despite its fragmented nature, it has been able to cause major disturbances through bombings and attacks on cities in Somalia and elsewhere - al-Shabaab extended its targeting of the nation of Kenya in 2014.

100 militants killed in airstrikes in Pakistan; Karachi airport attack mastermind amongst dead

Karachi: As many as 100 militants were killed in airstrikes by Pakistan Army in North West tribal region bordering Afghanistan on early Sunday morning, said reports. This is the second strike in a week since the deadly attack on Karachi airport. According to some reports, Pakistan government forces said Uzbek militants were among those killed, but local Taliban sources denied that. The airstrikes took place in a remote tribal region in North West Pakistan and a bastion of the Haqqani network – part of Afghanistan’s Taliban. A report in NBC News said: After the Karachi attack, the Pakistan government told Taliban militants to expel the foreigners or face action. Uzbekistan doesn’t share a border with Pakistan, but Uzbek militants have bases around the lawless areas straddling Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. Uzbek militants also helped the Pakistani Taliban during its attack on Peshawar's airport last year. The mastermind behind last week’s Karachi airport attack, Abu Abdul Rehman al Maani was killed during the overnight air strikes carried out by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets and the Pakistan Army jointly in North Waziristan early morning Sunday, military sources were quoted by Dawn.com. The Pakistani Taliban had claimed responsibility of the fatal attack on Pakistan’s busiest airport in Karachi last Sunday, which killed 28 people. At least 10 gunmen disguised as security personnel opened fire with machine guns and a rocket launcher and barged into one of the airport’s terminals. After five hours of fighting, people were evacuated from the premises and police regained control over the situation. Heavy firing and multiple explosions could be heard coming from the airport’s oldest terminal – used for charter and VIP flights.

Iran offers help if US acts against Iraq militants

BAGHDAD: Iran on Saturday offered to consider working with longtime foe the United States if it takes the lead in helping push back Sunni Arab militants, who have seized a swathe of northern Iraq. The offer came as Iraqi commanders said the army had recaptured two towns north of Baghdad as they prepared a fightback, bolstered by thousands of Shia volunteers who have signed up in response to a call to arms by top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the besieged shrine city of Samarra north of the capital Friday to rally troops and pray at the Al-Askari mausoleum, a revered Shia shrine whose 2006 bombing by Al-Qaeda sparked sectarian conflict that killed tens of thousands. President Barack Obama said he was “looking at all the options” to halt the offensive that has brought militants within 50 miles (80 kilometres) of Baghdad city limits but ruled out any return of US combat troops. “We will not be sending US troops back into combat in Iraq, but I have asked my national security team to prepare a range of other options that could help support Iraqi security forces,” he said. Obama has been under mounting fire from his Republican opponents over the swift collapse of the Iraqi security forces, which Washington spent billions of dollars training and equipping before pulling out its own troops in 2011. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who since taking office last August has overseen a rapprochement with a superpower Tehran long derided as the “Great Satan,” said his government was prepared to consider offering help. “If we see that the United States takes action against terrorist groups in Iraq, then one can think about it,” Rouhani told a press conference. Maliki gets unlimited powers The Iraqi cabinet has granted the premier “unlimited powers” to reverse the lightning offensive, which has seen the militants sweep down towards Baghdad after overrunning second city Mosul on Tuesday. Troops and tribal militia found the burned bodies of 12 policemen as they recaptured the town of Ishaqi in Salaheddin province from Sunni Arab insurgents, a police colonel and a doctor said. It was one of the closest points to the capital that the militants had reached in the offensive that saw them overrun a large chunk of northern and north-central Iraq this week. Troops also retook the nearby Muatassam area of Salaheddin, the colonel said. On Friday night, police and residents expelled militants from another town in the province, Dhuluiyah, where they had set up checkpoints, witnesses said. “Residents are now firing into the air” in celebration, witness Abu Abdullah told AFP. Security forces have also held fast in the Muqdadiyah area of Diyala province, preventing militants from taking the town in heavy fighting, a police colonel said. In Samarra, reinforcements were awaiting orders to launch a counter-offensive against areas north of the city, including Dur and Tikrit, seized by the militants earlier this week, an army colonel said. Security forces have generally performed poorly, with some abandoning their vehicles and positions and discarding their uniforms. But they have been bolstered by a flood of volunteers since Sistani urged Iraqis Friday to join up to defend the country. A representative of Sistani, who is adored by Shia's but rarely appears in public, made the call from the shrine city of Karbala, south of Baghdad. Obama said that while the United States was willing to help out, Iraq needed to take steps to heal the deep divide between the Shia-led government and the Sunni Arab minority, whose resentment has been exploited by the militant's. “The United States will not involve itself in military action in the absence of a political plan by the Iraqis that gives us some assurance that they're prepared to work together,” Obama said. “Any action that we may take to provide assistance to Iraqi security forces has to be joined by a serious and sincere effort by Iraq's leaders to set aside sectarian differences.“ Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby declined to say what kind of response was being prepared. He confirmed that the US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and its strike group were in the region and ready to act. The US navy said the carrier group was in the Arabian Sea. State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf dismissed criticism from Republican lawmakers that a residual US force would have stopped the Iraqi army from collapsing. “When we left Iraq, after years of sacrifice and American taxpayer money, and certainly our troops felt that sacrifice more than anyone, the Iraqis had an opportunity,” Harf told reporters. Instead, Iraqi leaders “created a climate where there were vulnerabilities when it came to the cohesion of the Iraqi army,” Harf said.

Govt appeals order to let Musharraf go abroad

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Saturday challenged a Sindh High Court order to remove former president retired General Pervez Musharraf’s name from the exit control list (ECL), fearing that if allowed to proceed abroad he may not return to stand trial for treason. The appeal, filed two days after the high court’s order, has been fixed for hearing on Monday before a three-judge Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justices Mian Saqib Nisar, Asif Saeed Khosa and Ejaz Afzal Khan. Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt is expected to request the apex court to suspend the June 12 verdict and issue directions to keep Mr Musharraf’s name on the ECL. The former military ruler may also be restrained from going abroad without the permission of the Supreme Court, the appeal states. Petition maintains if the former military ruler is allowed to leave country, he is unlikely to return On June 12, the same day when the high court announced its order, Mr Musharraf’s defence team applied to the Interior Ministry, seeking permission for him to travel abroad as soon as possible, in view of his mother’s deteriorating health. But the government’s swift reaction was not received well in the Musharraf camp. Senior counsel Chaudhry Faisal Hussain regretted the decision to file the appeal, calling it “a political move”, allegedly made at the prime minister’s behest as “there was no legal ground available to the government”. “The SHC has comprehensively dealt with all the questions raised in this appeal and the apex court is being needlessly tested by the government,” he said, adding that instead of taking decisions in accordance with the high court’s orders the government was passing the buck on to the apex court. However, Advocate Hussain was hopeful that the Supreme Court would throw out the government’s appeal. In its petition, the government maintained that though the right to travel abroad was a fundamental right, the federal government could place reasonable restrictions on Mr Musharraf’s movement in the public interest. The appeal argues that since he stands accused, among other offences, of the grave crime of treason the government had rightfully placed his name on the ECL. “He (Musharraf) has all the reasons not to come back to Pakistan once he leaves and his trial, which is at an advanced stage, would simply be brought to a standstill,” the appeal contended. If Mr Musharraf is allowed to proceed abroad, he cannot be extradited. This is because Pakistan’s extradition treaty with the UAE does not cover ‘political crimes’. The petition states that the former president stood accused in a number of other cases, such as the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case and the Lal Masjid case, both of whom are currently sub judice before trial courts. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Federal cess on gas disputed

ISLAMABAD: During the general debate in the National Assembly on the new budget on Saturday, two lawmakers of main opposition parties challenged a federal cess on natural gas as a violation of the Constitution and demanded that any such collection must go to gas-producing provinces. The objection to the finance bill’s proposal to authorise the federal government to increase levy on non-domestic consumers by an amendment to the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Act, 2011, came from Nafeesa Shah of PPP and Imran Khattak of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) whose provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, respectively, are gas producers. Ms Shah cited the proposed cess at the maximum rate of Rs300 per British thermal unit MMBTU among what she called some budget proposals going against the Constitution and said the collections from the levy was the right of provinces. She also demanded a subsidy for agriculture equivalent to 2.2 per cent of the gross domestic product and an additional share for Sindh from the National Finance Commission award for fighting terrorism in Karachi as being given to KP. Mr Khattak said the federal government could not impose such a cess on provincial resources without amending the Constitution. SHOCKING INTER­RUPTION: The sixth day of the general debate was interrupted with a shock during its afternoon segment when a Christian member of the ruling PML-N, Khalil George, broke the news to the house of the killing of a Christian member of the Balochistan Assembly, Handery Masih, by his own bodyguard in Quetta earlier in the day. The house observed two minutes silence to pray for the departed soul before members from almost all parties condemned the killing and urged the government to provide adequate security to minorities. Earlier, a Christian member of the government-allied Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F, Asiya Nasir, spoke angrily about what she called discrimination suffered by the minority communities, such as Christians, attacks on their places of worship and hate material in textbooks. She demanded the creation of a separate federal ministry for minorities. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Businesses urge govt to revise proposed tax hikes

ISLAMABAD: Business leaders from across the county urged the government to revise increase in taxes proposed in the federal budget 2014-15 to save their businesses from closure and the national economy from further slowdown. In a post-budget conference organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) here on Saturday, the business leaders said the hike in taxes would add to the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs and raise inflation. They said the government should facilitate the growth of businesses which would automatically generate more tax revenue, create more jobs and increase exports of the country. The conference was attended by the presidents of chambers of commerce and industry from across the country, including Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Quetta. ICCI President Shaban Khalid said the leaders were meeting to develop a consensus and raise a unified voice over the matters of mutual interest. “We want to send a unanimous message to the government for further improvements in the Finance Bill 2014-15.” It was decided that measures like alternate corporate tax, increasing withholding tax rates, raising gas infrastructure development cess (GIDC) up to Rs300/mmBtu (million British thermal units) on natural gas consumption and giving more powers to officers of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) under Section 40(b) would badly affect trade and industry. They said these measures would increase the cost of doing business, promote informal sector and push small and medium enterprises (SMEs) towards closure. Economists and the technical experts, apart from leaders of business community, also spoke against high taxation in the budget. “New budget will put more pressure on the common man and create a lot of problems for the private sector,” said economist Sakib Sherani. “Eighty-five per cent of the total expenditure is spent on debt servicing and the government should focus on mobilising indigenous resources and get rid of heavy borrowings.” He said the FBR was resorting to predatory taxes, putting more burden on existing taxpayers and squeezing the formal sector. “The right approach should be to increase tax coverage, reduce tax rates, simplify tax regime and adopt a progressive taxation regime,” Mr Sherani added. Dr Waqar Ahmed, executive director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), said the new budget has increased consumption taxes, which would hurt consumers. He said that instead of improving the economy, new budget has been made “just to appease the IMF (international Monetary Fund) due to which budget is not expected to bring the economy out of troubled waters.” He also criticised the frequent cuts in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocations. However, Khawaja Tanveer Ahmed, Member Account FBR, defended the government, saying the basic theme of new budget was to facilitate regular taxpayers and motivate non-filers towards the tax net. “Chambers of commerce should also motivate their members towards tax compliance and the FBR will launch awareness seminars in cooperation with the chambers to educate the businessmen on tax obligations,” he added. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

FIFA World Cup: Sports, diplomacy in fusion

Before the start of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil on Thursday, the Brazilian ambassador to Pakistan, Alfredo Leoni, made a trip to Sialkot to see for himself where the ‘Brazuca’ balls have been made. ‘Brazuca’ is a friendly slang word for Brazilian. A total of 42 million balls have been exported from Pakistan in the months leading up to the world cup. Some of them will be used in the world cup and the rest at training sessions and games that are played every day in cities, towns and neighbourhoods all over the world. “It is a great business to be in,” says a representative of the company that prepared the balls. “Now we just cross our fingers and hope nobody will blame the balls if they lose a match. Well, it is perhaps inevitable that somebody will do that, but we are confident that our products are of high quality. We have invested a lot in the recent decade to upgrade our machinery. Earlier, all balls were handmade but that is no longer the case,” he says. The small and medium scale industries in Sialkot earn Pakistan 1.6 billion dollars in foreign exchange annually. “When the dust settles on the stadiums in Rio, Sao Paulo and the 10 other cities in Brazil at the end of July, the same Adidas balls that were used there will also be made available in the Pakistani markets. No, the balls aren’t cheap but they are special!” he adds. “It is a matter of great pride that the football balls for the 2014 FIFA World Cup have been made in Pakistan. This fact shows how much the enormous potential of Pakistani businessmen can achieve. “It also establishes an obvious link between Pakistan and Brazil since the games will be in my home country,” Ambassador Alfredo Leoni said at a recent event, appreciating the fusion of sports, business and diplomacy. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Forces arrest 40 suspected militants in Jamrud

LANDI KOTAL: The security forces on Saturday arrested more than 40 suspected militants in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency during a search operation conducted in collaboration with the local political administration. The exercise was conducted in light of the growing incidence of targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and bomb blasts in the region, said an official in the know. According to the official, the administration used loudspeakers of mosques to ask the people to stay indoors before the forces imposed curfew in the tehsil for the house-to-house search in Sur Kamar, Nawayabad, Gharreeza, Gudar and Ghundi areas. All entry and exit points of Jamrud were plugged, while the Peshawar-Torkham Highway was sealed for traffic. The operation lasted for around nine hours. Early in the morning, security officials announced the curfew would be in effect until 5pm. Official says crackdown planned due to high incidence of targeted killings, kidnappings However, they lifted it at around 1pm after ‘achieving the search operation’s objectives’ as put by a security official. Another administration official said security forces took them on board about the operation and that the Khasadar and levies personnel collaborated with the forces during the exercise. He said more than 40 suspected militants were taken into custody for interrogation. The official said the forces faced no resistance during the operation and the situation remained under control by and large. He said arms, ammunitions and three vehicles allegedly used by militants were seized. Local residents said security personnel were deployed in the area at around midnight and that they used ladders to scale the walls of some houses, where suspected militants were believed to be hiding. They said hundreds of people had left Jamrud for Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad, Islamabad and other safer cities due to the growing militant activities in the region, especially in the wake of death threats over refusal to pay extortion money. Local JUI-F leader Kabeer told Dawn that the people in the tehsil lived under constant threat of action by ‘unidentified armed men’. He said many had already left the area for safer places as the administration had miserably failed to ensure protection of their life. The JUI-F leader said the armed men flouted the ban on motorcycle riding with impunity for targeted killings, kidnappings and attacks on forces. Kukikhel elder Malik Fazlullah Jan said he was hopeful that the forces would clear Jamrud of all ‘undesirable elements’ during the operation, which was supported by local residents. Peace volunteer killed A member of the Shalobar peace committee was killed in a roadside bomb blast in Qambarabad area of Bara tehsil on Saturday. Local officials said unidentified people blew up an explosive device planted along the road when the committee members patrolled the area. They said the blast left a peace volunteer dead instantly. There followed a search operation by security forces in TD Bazaar, Sur Kamar, Nawayabad, Gudar, Lashurra, Patay Owba, Gatto Ghar, Madathu Kuta, Spelano Kas, Gul Rehman Kalay, Bakarabad, Malakabad, Gharreeza, Pump House, Sakhi Pul and Ghundi areas. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Pirlo and Balotelli provide Italy class and power

MANAUS: Pure class and pure power. Skill and strength. Creative vision and clinical finishing. Andrea Pirlo and Mario Balotelli are a study in contrasts on the football pitch. And off it. Together, they provide Italy with two distinct weapons and on Saturday both players stood out in a 2-1 win over England at the World Cup. Pirlo set up Italy's opening goal without even touching the ball and Balotelli headed in the winner early in the second half. “We take our hats off to their skill,” England coach Roy Hodgson said. It was an evening reminiscent of the 2012 European Championship, when Pirlo and Balotelli combined to lead Italy to the final. This time, after a few errant passes from Pirlo, the midfield maestro broke open the match by stepping over a cross and fooling the England defenders to let Claudio Marchisio fire in from long-range in the 35th minute. “Pirlo is a player who can add quality in every area of the pitch,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. “Whether it's a tight triangle, going far forward or whatever, he can handle himself in any area.“ At 35, Pirlo is a veteran of the Italy squad that won the 2006 title and was wearing the captain's armband for this match in place of injured Gianluigi Buffon. Modest and quiet, his personality couldn't be farther from the brashness that the 23-year-old Balotelli displays. But brashness can often be a positive trait for a striker. When England equalized two minutes after Marchisio's goal, Balotelli showed his nose for the goal by attempting a sharply angled lob shot after drawing goalkeeper Joe Hart out of position in first-half added time. England defender Phil Jagielka headed away the danger but that only seemed to increase Balotelli's appetite. Five minutes into the second half, the AC Milan forward finally found the target, eluding Gary Cahill to head in by the far post following superb work down the right flank and a perfect cross from Antonio Candreva. “I'm really happy. It's a special feeling,” said Balotelli, who proposed to his Belgian girlfriend at the beginning of the week. “I've never played in a World Cup and it's fantastic. I dedicate this victory to my future wife, who is here, to my family, and to my friends.“ Balotelli hadn't scored for Italy since October but the enigmatic striker now has 13 goals in 30 appearances for the Azzurri and has silenced any doubts about his first-choice status. Ciro Immobile had been pushing Balotelli for the center forward spot after leading Serie A with 22 goals and scoring a hat trick in a warmup match last weekend against top-flight Brazilian club Fluminense. “I think (Balotelli) can score many more,” Prandelli said. “I've said it before. He has enormous potential. He needs to convince himself that his movements up front are decisive enough to finish actions. He gave everything he had but I'm convinced he has margins for improvement.“ When Immobile replaced Balotelli in the 73rd, the crowd at the Arena Amazonia showered him with a loud applause. And when the final whistle blew, Balotelli put his finger to his lips as if to silence the criticism he routinely faces. Then he winked to a TV camera. Born in Sicily to Ghanaian immigrants and raised by Italian foster parents, Balotelli is also subjected to racism constantly back home. Before kickoff Saturday, Balotelli tweeted, “ITALIANS. Whatever squad you support, today there is only the Azzurra squad! Hate, jealousy, contempt, let's put it all aside and ALL be united!“ United with Pirlo, Balotelli and Italy are tough to beat.

Japan curse Drogba and two 'nightmare' minutes

TOKYO: Japanese football fans erupted in joy -- then dropped their heads in dismay, cursing Didier Drogba as the Blue Samurai went down 2-1 to Ivory Coast in their World Cup opener. Thousands of people gathered at sports bars and stadiums across the Land of the Rising Sun to watch the match in Recife live on television on a late Sunday morning in Japan. “It seemed Drogba did us in all by himself,” former Japan coach Takeshi Okada, who guided the Asian champions to the last-16 round at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, commented in the Brazilian city on public broadcaster NHK. “Now it will take a tremendous amount of energy to carry on our tough job,“ said the scholarly 57-year-old. “We must accept the result as something which Japanese football needed. We must take it as a trial which must be overcome.“ AC Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda, who scored twice at South Africa 2010, opened the account in the 16th minute. But the Elephants roared to life after Drogba was sent in at the 62nd minute, with Wilfried Bony and Gervinho scoring in the 64th and 66th minutes. “Drogba's arrival turned the tide,” an NHK announcer said. “Two nightmare minutes!” tweeted the SKyPerfect TV network as social networks were swamped with thousands of messages lamenting the Samurai's defeat. “What a devastating way to lose! It really hurts to lose a World Cup opener. We must forget all about it and keep on attacking,” tweeted one Yosuke Miyake. At the Tokyo Dome ballpark, some 35,000 people watching the match on huge stadium screens cheered their team on. “I believed for the first 60 minutes that Japan would win,” Hiroshi Tsujita told AFP at the stadium. “It ended in such a disappointing way.“ He was keeping the faith, however. “I believe they will definitely win the next two matches.“ Japan will face Greece on June 19 in Natal, and Colombia on June 24 in Cuiaba. At the Saitama Stadium in Tokyo's northern suburbs, home to the J-League side Urawa Reds, one young woman told HNK: “We will be alright next time. I believe, so 'gambare' (hang in there)!“ About 800 police guarded a zebra crossing in front of the main station in Shibuya, one of Tokyo's shopping and entertainment hubs, as football fans bundled out of sports bars. Many fans, clad in replica Blue Samurai shirts, were seen exchanging high-fives despite Japan's loss. “It was a very tough defeat,” Japan captain Makoto Hasebe told NHK. “We lost without expressing our style of football on this pitch. “But we have two more group matches and we have no choice but to regroup now. “

Militant infighting leaves seven dead in N Waziristan

PESHAWAR. Fresh clashes between rival militant groups left seven dead on Sunday in the Shawal Tehsil of North Waziristan Agency. Two people were also injured in the militant infighting. Officials and tribals confirmed in earlier reports that the clashes erupted between Sheryar Mehsud and Khan Said alias Sajna. Over the last two months, the infighting within Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) factions has left over 100 dead and many injured. The Sajna and Sheryar groups of the TTP have been at odds since the death of Hakimullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud in US drone strikes. The rival factions have accused each other of grabbing power in order to control South Waziristan’s Mehsud tribal area. Sajna had been considered the right hand man of Waliur Rehman, whereas Sheryar was a confidant of Hakimullah Mehsud. Their slain leaders had also been at loggerheads after the death of TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud.

Slain minority MPA laid to rest in Balochistan

Slain minority lawmaker, Handry Masieh was laid to rest in Balochistan's Mastung area on Sunday. Masieh was shot dead by his own guard in Nawan Killi area of Quetta on Saturday evening. Police arrested the accused Ghullam Mohyuddin after a series of raids in the suburbs of Quetta. The accused guard was produced before a local court in Quetta, where Judicial Magistrate 12, Atif Jameel awarded six days remand of the accused to Zarghoonabad Police Station. Chief Minister Balochistan, Dr Malik Baloch, provincial ministers, lawmakers and members of the Christian community attended the funeral. A large number of tribesmen from Mastung also turned out to attend the funeral prayer. "We will not spare the murderer of Handry Masieh" Chief Minister Baloch told Dawn.com. He added that his government was determined to ensure the protection of lives and properties of minorities living in the province. Masieh had launched his political career from the platform of Baloch Students Organization (BSO) from Balochistan University. His political career dates back to early 1990s. He was an active leader of National Party, a Baloch nationalist group currently ruling in Balochistan. For the first time, Hendry was elected as a member of Balochistan Assembly on minority seat on the ticket of National Party.

Startup launches 'first wearable health record' for Google Glass

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc's futuristic eyeglasses are finding their way into hospitals and clinics throughout the United States. To meet the growing demand for Google Glass from physicians, Drchrono, a Mountain View, Calif., based electronic medical record company has developed a new application for the device it claims is the first "wearable health record." Doctors who register for the Drchrono app for Glass can use it to record a consultation or surgery with the patient's permission. Videos, photos and notes are stored in the patient's electronic medical record or in Box, a cloud-based storage and collaboration service and can be shared with the patient on request. Dr. Bill J. Metaxas, a podiatrist based in San Francisco, warned fellow physicians to take precautions before using Glass, such as obtaining patient consent and "locking down security settings." He also said Glass is no more or less secure than tablet devices such as the iPad, which are routinely used in clinical practices. Metaxas, who uses Glass in the operating room and in patient consultations, said 99 percent of his patients agree to the gadget, but it is still early days and most of his fellow physicians have yet to adopt the technology. It is primarily used by the "bleeding edge" minority, he added. Still, Box spokeswoman and former Google Health employee Missy Krasner said she is aware of at least 20 venture-backed startups catering to this niche of physicians. The majority of these Glass apps, including Augmedix and Pristine, are complying with federal regulation that protects privacy, known as HIPAA. To develop the service, Drchrono worked closely with Box, one of its early investors, and the Google Glass team. Google Glass was intended for the consumer mass market, but it has been criticized by some for its geeky appearance. But many industry professionals immediately saw value in the hands-free gadget. The Glass team hosted an event last month at its San Francisco offices for care providers, hospitals administrators and medical-tech entrepreneurs to discuss how to bring these wearable computers into practices. "Google is still in the early-stages of determining the most viable use-cases for Google Glass," said Drchrono co-founder Daniel Kivatinos. "But some doctors are demanding Glass, so Google is providing resources and support to developers." Drchrono claims to have 60,000 registered physicians using its electronic medical record for doctors and patients. More than 300 of these physicians have already opted to use the app, Kivatinos said. The app is currently available for free, but the company may charge a fee in the near future.

Reliance on foreign assistance continues

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government continues its reliance on foreign assistance in its Annual Development Programme (ADP) for fiscal year 2014-15 as it has projected Rs39.75 billion as foreign assistance, which is 28 per cent of its 139.80 billion proposed ADP. The foreign assistance component mentioned in the white paper for the next fiscal includes Rs31.49 billion grant and Rs8.27 billion as loan. The provincial component in the proposed ADP is Rs100.05 billion, which is 71.5 per cent of the total ADP. In the current provincial budget 2013-14 the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led coalition government, which often talks of reducing dependency on foreign aid, had projected the foreign assistance of Rs35 billion, which was 30 per cent of then Rs118 billion ADP. However, revised estimates of the current fiscal year showed that the provincial government received total foreign projects assistance of Rs21.06 billion, which is 20 per cent of the revised total development expenditure of Rs104.84 billion. The proposed foreign assistance will be allocated for 75 projects in 16 sectors. According to the white paper 2014-15, the major chunk of foreign assistance of Rs11.79 billion (30 per cent of the foreign assistance) will go to 29 projects of the elementary and secondary education in the next fiscal year. Similarly, foreign aid of Rs7.68 billion (19 per cent) will be spent on five projects of road construction, whereas Rs4.73 billion (12 per cent) is projected to be spent on 10 projects of regional developments. Furthermore, seven projects of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa home department will receive foreign assistance of Rs3.61 billion (nine per cent); Rs2.93 billion (7.3 percent) is projected for uitilisation in six projects of health department; and Rs2.61 billion (seven per cent) in energy and power sector. Other sectors, which will receive foreign assistance include agriculture, finance, forestry, industries, law and justice, research and development, social welfare, sports and tourism, and urban development. The white paper projects the DFID (Department for International Development) and EU as major donors as they will be spending Rs11.53 billion. The DFID and EU will also separately utilise Rs1.56 billion and Rs2.28 billion, respectively. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Stocks end lower; rupee strengthens

KARACHI: Pakistani stocks ended slightly lower on Thursday, with the benchmark 100-share index of the Karachi Stock Exchange falling 0.06 per cent, or 16.92 points, to 29,766.38. “The market closed slightly lower after a range-bound session and United Bank Ltd witnessed some profit taking after the government sold its 19.8 per cent stake at a discount to the market price,” said dealer Samar Iqbal at Topline Securities. Renewed interest was also seen in the textile sector in anticipation of a favourable textile policy, Iqbal added. United Bank Ltd fell 2.6 per cent to 169.70 rupees while Nishat Mills Ltd was up 1.06 per cent at 116.75 rupees. The rupee ended higher at 98.37/98.42 against the dollar compared with Wednesday's close of 98.50/98.55. Overnight rates in the money market rose to 9.25 per cent from Wednesday's close of 9.00 per cent. (Complied by the Karachi newsroom)

US committed to helping Pakistan fight terrorism, says Kerry

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry has assured the Pakistani people of America’s “steadfast commitment” to help them defeat terrorists, a senior US official said on Saturday. According to a statement issued by his office in Washington, Secretary Kerry made this pledge during a meeting with Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in London on Friday. Both leaders were there to attend the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. “In light of the recent attacks on the Karachi Airport, Secretary Kerry reaffirmed our steadfast commitment to the people of Pakistan in their efforts to counter terrorism and build a peaceful and prosperous future,” the official said while briefing journalists on the Kerry-Aziz meeting. “Secretary Kerry made clear that we have a shared interest in building a safer and more prosperous Pakistan,” the official said. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

KP govt burdens salaried class with taxes

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has raised the ratio of provincial taxes by making amendments to various laws pertaining to the stamp duty, professional institutions, business establishments, agriculture income and salaries. Finance Minister Sirajul Haq presented the provincial budget for fiscal 2014-15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Saturday. According to the Finance Bill, the government has levied an annual tax of Rs330 on all those persons engaged in any profession and trade having an income of Rs10,000, but not exceeding Rs20,000. “A person whose income is between Rs200,000 and Rs500,000 will be liable to pay Rs10,000 tax per annum,” it stated. Employees of the federal and provincial governments drawing pay in basic pay scale 1 to 4 have been exempted from tax. All employees from BPS-5 to BPS-20 and above will pay tax. The BPS-20 and above grade officers will have to pay Rs20,000 tax a year. Ratio of taxes for many private entities increased All limited companies, modarbas, mutual funds and other corporate concerns with paid-up capital and reserves in the preceding year and with income not exceeding Rs10 million will have to pay a tax of Rs18,000. Each will have to pay Rs100,000 if the income exceeds Rs200 million. Persons other than limited companies, owning factories, commercial establishments, private educational institutions and private hospitals are liable to pay tax. Any commercial establishment having 10 or more employees will have to pay Rs10,000 tax, while private hospitals having up to 50 employees will have to pay Rs50,000 tax a year. Each of the private medical colleges and private engineering institutes running degree programmes will have to pay Rs100,000 tax. Private business educational institutes having up to 100 students will have to pay Rs70,000 and private law colleges Rs100,000 tax, while education institutes charging monthly Rs5,000 per student will have to pay Rs100,000 per annum. The government has also levied tax of Rs4,000 on holders of import or export licence, who has an income of Rs50,000 in the preceding year. A clearing agent or approved custom house agent will have to pay Rs10,000 per annum. An IATA approved travel agent and hajj and tour operator will have to Rs15,000 annual fee each. The government has also levied tax on restaurants/guesthouses and professional caterer, who will be paying Rs15,000 annual tax. The wedding halls will be charged Rs30,000 a year. Specialist doctors and dentists will have to, respectively, pay Rs20,000 and Rs15,000 professional tax a year. Besides this, diagnostic and therapeutic centres, including pathological and chemical laboratories, are also included in the tax net. The petrol/diesel/CNG filling stations, video shops, real estate shops/ agencies, car dealers and net cafes, chartered accountants, vehicle service stations, transporters, members of stock exchange companies, money changers, jewellers, cable operators, printing presses, pesticides dealers, health fitness centers/gymnasium, departmental stores, electronic goods stores and tobacco whole sellers have been levied with various ratios of taxes ranging between Rs1000 and Rs15,000. On the one hand, the government has announced 10 per cent increase in the salaries, on the other it imposed various taxes on the salaried class. Finance Minister Sirajul Haq, during his budget speech, said that it was a tax-free budget, but taxes imposed on services and trades belied his claim. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Minister slams false information on polio vaccine

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar on Saturday criticised elements causing misunderstandings about the polio vaccine by claiming that it caused infertility or was against Islam. She was speaking during the first consultation meeting of the National Islamic Advisory Group (NIAG) at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) on Saturday. “Since religion is being used to stop people from using the vaccine, the Ulema can play a role in raising awareness of how the use of the vaccine is not against Islam. Religious scholars should use the mosque to change opinions,” she said. “It is the government’s priority to protect citizens from diseases and find solutions to health problems, including the eradication of polio. Scholars should play a leading role in educating parents to vaccinate their children and ensure a healthy and happy life for them,” she added. The state minister urged the NIAG to handle concerns of those who believed that polio campaign was a conspiracy against Muslims. Focal Person of the Prime Minister’s Polio Eradication Cell Aysha Raza Farooq said the government was taking the polio issue very seriously, which is why it is being run under the administrative control of the prime minister (PM) at a federal level and chief ministers (CM) at a provincial level.“The government has been involving all stakeholders to get the best result from vaccination campaigns, and launch a polio campaign in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata),” Farooq said. Senator Maulana Samiul Haq endorsed the use of practical measures, and added that the government must set a policy line to get rid of any lingering reservations against the polio vaccine. Participants of the meeting were assured that neither the polio vaccine nor any of its ingredients was dangerous to health. The meeting paid particular attention to misinformation in the name of religion, which has led to communal fear regarding the polio vaccine and polio eradication programme.The meeting also discussed strategies to overcome the current situation, and political and religious challenges to polio eradication. Earlier, IIUI President Dr Ahmed Yousif Al-Draiweesh urged participants to convince their communities of the benefit of the vaccine. “Miscreants and forces against Islam are trying to create chaos, distress and anarchy in Muslim countries,” he said. Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue Executive Director Dr Mumtaz Ahmad said the primary task of the NIAG was to support work of the Iqbal Institute through their influence on the Ulema. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Luxury tax to help broaden net, says minister

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Finance Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman is optimistic that the levy on big houses and luxury vehicles will broaden tax net and generate Rs3 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. “The revenue generated through this pragmatic measure would be utilised for housing projects for low-income group like Ashiyana Housing Scheme,” the minister told media at the post-budget press conference here on Saturday. He said property tax had been revised after 13 years or so. The funds generated under this head would be given to town municipal administrations and other development and civic agencies. Imposition of tax on services would not affect the poor, said Mr Rehman who was flanked by Finance Secretary Jahanzed Khan, Planning and Development Board Chairman Irfan Elahi and MPA Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha. Practical steps would be taken to raise agriculture productivity and increase employment opportunities, he said and added plans were afoot to create four million jobs besides imparting technical training to two million people in the next four years. Tractor scheme has been wound up “We have laid the stone to make Punjab a safe, prosperous, educated, economically-strong and agriculturally-developed province by the end of our term as a target of eight per cent provincial economic growth has been fixed for next four years,” said the finance minister. Concrete steps were under way to minimise electricity shortage and a total of 19 power generation projects had so far been inaugurated. Some 1,000 Megawatts of electricity would be added to the system by the end of current year. The Sahiwal coal power projects would add 1,320MW within the next two years. The Punjab government has allocated Rs31 billion for energy sector in the next financial year. Domestic and commercial consumers would be motivated to use low-consumption electricity equipment and a sum of Rs2.5 billion had been allocated for the purpose. Regarding non-utilisation of the low-cost energy generation potential of sugar mills industry, P&D Board Chairman Irfan Elahi said the federal government had launched a special programme for bagasse-based energy generation while the Punjab government also allocated Rs500 million for the sector. To a question, the minister said the Green Tractor Scheme had been wound up after consultation with farmers’ bodies. “Representatives of farmers and legislators having agricultural background proposed in consultations for budget making that the scheme be withheld and subsidy for fertiliser be enhanced. The provincial government has allocated Rs5 billion while same amount would be given by the federal government for the provision of subsidised fertiliser to farmers during the 2014-15 fiscal year,” he added. Regarding increase in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat non-salary allocations, the minister said 95 per cent of these funds were reserved for the poor who could not afford treatment and medical procedures like liver transplant and kidney dialysis. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Proposed anti-terrorism law in limbo

ISLAMABAD: The controversial Protection of Pakistan Bill is still in limbo as the PPP is now angry over the government’s move to approach the JUI-F on the proposed anti-terrorism law after reaching an agreement with opposition parties. The PPP’s leaders are reported to have decided not to support the bill if the government includes in the agreed draft any amendment proposed by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F. Zahid Hamid, the Minister for Science and Technology, handed over to a JUI-F team, headed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, on Thursday the agreed draft of the bill, which includes at least 12 amendments proposed by the opposition. The JUI-F, which opposed the bill in the National Assembly despite being a coalition partner of the ruling PML-N, told the minister that it would give a reply after getting the draft vetted by its legal team. Govt’s move to approach JUI-F angers PPP PPP’s Parliamentary Leader in Senate Raza Rabbani, who had been a part of the negotiations between the government and the opposition over the bill, expressed his surprise over the government’s decision to hand over the draft to the JUI-F after reaching an understanding with six opposition parties. “It is not only the PPP’s draft. It is the draft on which the ANP, PML-Q, BNP-A and even the MQM and the PTI have an agreement,” he said, adding: “If the government wants to make the settled issue hostage to just one party, then we are also not bound by the amendments suggested by that one party.” “The whole issue will have to be reopened,” he said. He said the JUI-F was a coalition partner and the government should have approached the opposition parties after consulting its allies on the issue. JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai said a team of lawyers was expected to review the draft on Monday. In reply to a question, he said: “The opposition parties are justified in expressing their reservations. It was the job of the government to take all the parties on board on the bill through a committee.” It showed that the government was not handling the matters seriously, he said. He said the JUI-F felt no urgency in getting the bill adopted by parliament because the law had already completed even its extended life. Zahid Hamid, who has been functioning as a de facto law minister, expressed the hope that the bill would soon be passed by parliament with consensus. When his attention was drawn towards Senator Rabbani’s reservations, he said they were based on an “assumption” that the JUI-F would suggest some major changes. He was of the view that the JUI-F would also agree on the draft and might suggest only some minor amendments. The minister said the government had invited all the parties to discuss the draft, but Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F had failed to turn up in the meeting. Interestingly, the bill is pending before the Senate Committee on Interior which is headed by Talha Mehmood of the JUI-F. The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) completed its extended life earlier this month after the government’s failure to get it through the Senate to make it an act of parliament within the constitutional time limit. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Probe ordered into two naegleria deaths in Karachi

KARACHI: The death of two men from the same neighbourhood of Gulistan-i-Jauhar on account of ‘brain-eating’ amoeba, or Naegleria fowleri, has kept the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) on its toes. The KWSB is the primary body to ensure that water supplied in the city is properly chlorinated, the only measure that can keep the deadly disease at bay, it emerged on Saturday. Officials in the provincial health department said the death of a 39-year-old and another 22-year-old in the space of two weeks from Gulistan-i-Jauhar sent shock waves in the offices meant to plan and supervise healthcare facilities in the city. The fact that none of the two victims had any record of swimming — another act that gives good reason for the infliction of the disease that enters in a person’s body through nasal cavity and only affects the brain — the only large reason remains is improper chlorination of the tap water. “Naegleria could not affect a person if one uses properly chlorinated water. But, if chlorine levels are insufficient than the prescribed quantity in water, one has any reason to believe that it could lead to a disaster caused by the deadly disease,” said a senior official in the Sindh health department. He said the KWSB authorities had been asked to investigate the two cases and submit a report about the real cause or causes behind them. “The two cases have been emerged from a neighbourhood which is a planned and affluent area and where it is hard to comprehend that the water supply contained improper chlorine levels. If the issue of chlorination proves true that should sound alarm bell for the entire city,” another official said. Officials said a committee comprising the KWSB, Karachi Metropolitan Cor­poration and the provincial health department was busy in collecting water samples from various parts of the city, the results of which were being documented. However, the committee has been tasked to keep the particular neighbourhood of Gulistan-i-Jauhar on priority to protect the thickly populated area from witnessing another human loss. 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 in 2012 when it claimed 10 lives. Officials said they had formed a sub-committee as well with the mandate to survey swimming pools and water parks to check they were properly chlorinated. PAM (primary amoebic meningoencephalitis) 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. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Govt mulls recourse to law against Qadri

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri prepares to roar into the capital in an effort to unseat the ruling party, the government is collecting evidence which may help prove that the self-proclaimed religious scholar is misusing his organisation, the Idara Minhajul Quran (IMQ). A source privy to the investigation into Dr Qadri’s activities told Dawn that top government functionaries were recently briefed on the political activities of Dr Qadri’s organisation. The Powerpoint presentation, a copy of which is available with Dawn, reveals that IMQ was registered, under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, in 1982 with Dr Qadri as its founding member and chairman. Initially, the IMQ’s purpose was restricted to the promotion of teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), which was later amended in 2006 and now, the institution can establish, manage and run educational institutes, healthcare facilities and orphanages. Top figures briefed about alleged irregularities in Idara Minhajul Quran However, the presentation points out that the IMQ had been manipulating beneficiaries for political gains, which was a clear violation of its declared objectives. Other violations committed by the IMQ include a failure to submit annual income and expenditure statements, which were only provided in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The minutes of the IMQ annual general body meeting are also required to be provided to the government under the Societies Act. However, the IMQ submitted nine years’ records in 2003 and the three years’ records in 2009. Each document has been replicated and signed by the same person. The briefing made special reference to the ‘dictatorial powers’ of Dr Qadri, who is not only the IMQ’s patron-in-chief, but will also remain its chairman for life, oversee internal elections at all levels, be the decision-making authority on all matters, including appeals, selection of a successor, the appointment of new directors, the discharging of existing members of the governing body and the approval of all decisions and resolutions of the governing body. The quorum for the IMQ governing body meetings is set at three, but seven of the members are from Dr Qadri’s immediate family and include, among others, two sons, two daughters, the wife and a daughter-in-law. Irregularities have also been found in the working of the Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF), a sister organisation of the IMQ, which was registered under the same act. The official told Dawn the government was focusing on financial transactions that involved the transfer of large amounts of funds to both, the IMQ and the MWF, over the past year or so. The transactions, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, originated in Canada – the country where Dr Qadri currently resides – and the United Kingdom. “Of course, government investigators will be looking into the sources of this funding and then how it was utilised in Pakistan, for which the necessary paper work has already been initiated,” he said. On the legal front, the meeting also discussed that Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which deals with sedition charges, could be invoked to book Dr Qadri. The section states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the federal or provincial government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which a fine may be added, or with imprisonment, which may extend to three years, to which a fine may be added, or with fine.” Top officials are also said to be considering using Article 6 of the Constitution, following Dr Qadri’s call for the military to take over Islamabad airport on his arrival. He had earlier stated that he couldn’t trust Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other senior government members, and warned that in case any harm befell him, the Sharif brothers should be held responsible. Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014

Mostly Uzbeks killed in overnight N Waziristan bombing: army

PESHAWAR: Fighter jets struck nearly eight militant hideouts in North Waziristan tribal region early on Sunday, killing over 50 suspected foreign militants, according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) sources. ISPR sources added that the suspected mastermind of Karachi airport attack had been killed during the operation and a huge cache of arms and ammunition had been destroyed. Strikes took place in the Boya tehsil, Degan forests and Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan. The targets were the hideouts of foreign militants of Uzbek origin, sources said, adding that the hideouts of militants were completely destroyed in the strikes. Most of those killed during the operation were Uzbek militants. However, local security officials put the death toll far higher, saying that about 150 militants died in the air strikes, which primarily targeted Uzbek fighters in a remote area of the tribal agency. Among the dead were insurgents linked to last Monday's all-night siege of Karachi airport that killed 38 people, including 10 attackers, and all but destroyed a tentative peace process between the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and the government. The mountainous Dehgan area, some 25 kilometres (16 miles) west of the main town of Miranshah in North Waziristan, is a stronghold for Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked militants on the border with Afghanistan. “Today at about 0130 hours (2030 GMT), a number of terrorist hideouts in Dehgan, Datta Khel in North Waziristan were targeted by jet aircraft. Over 50 terrorists, mostly Uzbek foreigners, were killed in the strikes,” a statement from the Pakistani military said. “There were confirmed reports of presence of foreign and local terrorists in these hideouts who were linked to the planning of the Karachi airport attack,” it said. However local security officials in Miranshah, who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, put the death toll far higher than the official toll. “Up to 150 people were killed during the strikes early Sunday. These strikes were carried out based on confirmed reports about the presence of Uzbek and other militants in the area,” an intelligence official said. Another security official said that “the number of the killed people was even more than 150”. The military has not confirmed the higher figure. However, the military statement said “an ammunition dump had also been destroyed during the strikes and that further details would follow”, suggesting the death toll could rise. Pakistan under pressure Pressure has been mounting on the government to launch a ground offensive in the Taliban-infested North Waziristan tribal district. Following the brazen assault in Karachi, the US carried out two drone strikes in North Waziristan on Wednesday, the first time the controversial programme has been used this year. The same day, air force jets pounded suspected militant hideouts, leaving at least 25 dead. No precise number death toll from Sunday's air strikes was immediately available as they took place overnight in a remote location. There were competing reports about the identity of those killed. But a second intelligence official in Miranshah told AFP that Uzbek fighters were targeted. “Uzbek fighters had gathered in the area, they were taking rest when jets hit them,” he said, adding that hideouts of local Taliban and other foreign fighters were also targeted. Both the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - an Al-Qaeda affiliate mainly based in Pakistan's tribal belt - said Uzbek fighters took part in the Karachi airport assault. Locals in Pakistan's tribal regions say some of the world's most feared fighters are quietly slipping away from the area in anticipation of an increase in military operations against them. Rumours of a ground offensive in North Waziristan, one of seven tribal regions along the border, have abounded for years. But authorities have held back from a final push -- possibly fearing the blowback in major cities such as Karachi. But the past week has seen a significant increase in air strikes and renewed drone attacks. Washington reportedly suspended its drone programme in December to give Islamabad time to pursue peace talks with the TTP aimed at ending a seven-year insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives. The dialogue resulted in a month-long ceasefire between March and April, but later broke down, with air strikes on suspected militant hideouts resuming in the tribal areas. The army was widely seen as being opposed to the dialogue because of the heavy casualties it has sustained at the hands of the TTP, which views them as a mercenary force serving foreign interests. But following the breakdown of the talks and the Karachi attack, observers believe both civil and military authorities are converging on the need for more concerted action.

Al Qaeda affiliates threaten Af-Pak region: UN experts

UN experts say fighters from several Al Qaeda linked groups in Pakistan “are regularly encountered by the Afghan forces in eastern and – to a lesser extent – in southern Afghanistan.”—............................................................. UN experts say fighters from several Al Qaeda linked groups in Pakistan “are regularly encountered by the Afghan forces in eastern and – to a lesser extent – in southern Afghanistan.”—File Photo UNITED NATIONS: Al Qaeda affiliates from Pakistan and Uzbekistan are participating regularly in attacks on Afghan military forces and pose “a direct terrorist challenge” for Afghanistan, south and central Asia and the international community, UN experts said in a new report. The experts monitoring sanctions against the Taliban said in a report to the UN Security Council, obtained Friday by The Associated Press, that Afghan and international officials believe these Al Qaeda affiliated groups are unlikely to leave Afghanistan in the near future, which would keep them in the country as the US withdraws most of its troops. Fighters from several Al Qaeda linked groups in Pakistan “are regularly encountered by the Afghan forces in eastern and – to a lesser extent – in southern Afghanistan,” the experts said. “In northern Afghanistan, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan continues to gather strength among local Afghans of Uzbek origin and continues to operate in several provinces.” The Al Qaeda linked groups “therefore present a worrying, long-term security threat” spreading from Afghanistan into the region and beyond, especially for south and central Asia which have already faced terrorist violence from individuals or groups that have trained or planned attacks in Afghanistan. The report, which was circulated on the eve of Afghanistan's presidential runoff election, said “the single greatest strategic failure for the Taliban” was its inability to disrupt the first round of presidential elections on April 5. Nonetheless, it said Taliban fighters remain a threat, developing more sophisticated explosive devices such as a suicide vest camouflaged as a leather jacket that would be practically undetectable by metal detectors. The monitoring team painted a complex picture of the Taliban's relations with the Afghan government: continuing military stalemate, stalled reconciliation efforts, and divisions within the Taliban on the value of political engagement. It said Afghan and international officials and observers agree that key members of the Taliban leadership “remain un-persuaded that the Afghan government security forces will continue to perform well after 2014,” when the US will only have an advisory force of 9,800 troops in the country to finish training and equipping Afghan security forces. One explanation is the Taliban's view that the Afghan government will become weaker and the Taliban's position stronger, the experts said. The team noted that the past year “has been a bumper year for Taliban revenues” from the narcotics trade, corruption and extortion, and the illegal exploitation of natural resources such as onyx marble. Afghan officials in Helmand, the major opium-producing province, estimate a $50 million yield from poppy cultivation in the harvest a month ago, with farmers expected to pay 10 per cent of product as a “tax” to the Taliban, it said. “As Taliban finances have grown, the Taliban have become more of an economic actor, with incentives to preserve this income and less potential incentive to negotiate with the government,” the expert team said.

SHO Syeda Ghazala: Defying stereotypes in chaotic Karachi

KARACHI. Just days into her job running a police station in the country’s largest city, Syeda Ghazala had to put her training to the test: she opened fire with her .22-caliber pistol at a man who shot at police when they tried to pull him over during a routine traffic stop. It's not clear whether it was Ghazala's shots that wounded the man before he was arrested, but as the first woman to run a police station in violent Karachi, she'll likely have many more chances to hit her mark. When Ghazala joined the police force two decades ago, she never dreamed that one day she would head a police station staffed by roughly 100 police officers - all men. Her recent promotion is part of efforts by the local police to increase the number of women in the force and in positions of authority. Shortly after she assumed her new job, the city appointed a second woman to head another police station. The appointments represent a significant step for women's empowerment. “The mindset of people is changing gradually, and now they (have) started to consider women in leading roles. My husband opposed my decision to join the police force 20 years ago,” said the 44-year-old mother of four. But by the time this job rolled around, he had come full circle and encouraged her to go for it. “It was a big challenge. I was a little bit hesitant to accept it.” The station house is in Clifton, a posh area home to the elite of this sprawling metropolis of more than 18 million people. But in a city prone to family feuds, political unrest and extremist violence - where 166 officers were killed in the line of duty last year - it's by no means an easy assignment. Crimes ranging from petty theft and muggings to terrorism or murder are all part of a day's work, Ghazala says. Running a station is a high-profile job in the police, one that requires the officer to constantly interact with the public and fellow officers. It's also a key path to advancement. Senior police officer Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, said he and others in the top brass hope Ghazala's appointment leads to more women joining the force. “Our society accepts only stereotype roles for women. There is a perception that women are suitable only for particular professions like teaching,” he said. The police force is also training the first batch of female commandos, a group of 44 women going through a physically intensive course involving rappelling from towers or helicopters and shooting an assortment of weapons. Currently, the two in Karachi are the only women running police stations in Pakistan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where women make up less than one percent of the roughly 75,000-member police force, women only run stations specifically designed to help female crime victims. In Balochistan province, there are only 90 women on the police force and no women station heads. In Punjab, only one woman has ever run a station house, back in 2005, but currently no women hold the position. Ghazala said most people she has encountered in her new job have been supportive, and she's become a bit of a celebrity in the neighborhood. She said during her career she's only had a few instances where she's felt discrimination. When she got the highest marks in a training course required for promotion, some of the men objected, saying that in Islam women couldn't lead men. But she said the commander simply told the men they should have gotten better grades. “It was the only moment somebody objected to me as a woman,” she said. “Otherwise, all my career, fellow and senior officers encouraged me a lot.”

Karachi airport attack mastermind killed in N Waziristan: Sources

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR. The mastermind of the Karachi airport attack, Abu Abdul Rehman al Maani was killed during the overnight air strikes carried out by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets and the Pakistan Army jointly in North Waziristan early morning Sunday, military sources told Dawn.com. Intelligence and military sources told Dawn.com that Abu Abdur Rehman Almani is considered a key commander of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, also now famous by the name of Islamic Movement of Turkestan.The military has not identified the other terrorists killed in the jet bombings. There are also reports of some East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) terrorists also killed in the strikes, considered as a big blow to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the ETIM network in the North Waziristan Agency. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement is a separatist militant outfit blamed for numerous terror attacks in China’s restive western region of Xinjiang. The Chinese government had recently pressed Pakistan to take action against the Uighur separatists based in North Waziristan. The movement's principle aim is to establish an independent Islamic state called East Turkestan. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), an organisation of militants mostly from the central Asian Uzbek state, had claimed that its suicide bombers carried out the attack on the Karachi airport. Military sources said there were confirmed reports of the presence of foreign and local terrorists in these hideouts who were linked to the planning of the Karachi airport attack that left 38 dead. Sources said reportedly over 50 terrorists, mostly Uzbeks were killed in the strikes. Meanwhile, at least three security personnel were injured Sunday afternoon as a security forces vehicle was targeted in Karam Kot village of Mir Ali Tehsil of North Waziristan Agency.