LAHORE: PML-N President Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif with head of National People’sParty Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi on Friday. PML-N Sindh President Syed Ghous Ali Shah andothers were also present.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—After the ElectionCommission of Pakistan main-tained its decision to hold re-elections in selected pollingstations of NA-250 on Friday,the Muttahida Qaumi Move-ment said it will boycott the re-polling.

Addressing a press confer-ence, MQM leader Raza Haroonsaid that after the ECP rejectedthe MQM’s request to hold re-elections in the entire NA-250constituency instead of selectedpolling stations, the party waswithin its rights to boycott theelections.

“We reject Election Com-mission of Pakistan’s so-calledselective repolling formula aswe believe it is unfair. MQMwill move the courts against thisparochial decision in the light ofconstitution”, said MQM leaderRaza Haroon talking to a pressconference after an emergent

high level party meeting.Haroon said this move was onlycreating more divisions amongthe people of Pakistan.“By not submitting to the ECP

decree we have exercised ourconstitutional right”, the MQMleader said. He said the forcesof terror singled out MQM only

because it was a progressiveparty, adding certain politicalparties were in cahoots with ter-rorists. “The terrorists, whosome political groups have takenunder their wings, want to re-press the enlightened forces inKarachi”, he added.

“MQM reject’s ECP’s deci-sion to conduct re-polls in only43 polling stations.”

Haroon said that the partywill be raising the matter in ev-ery competent forum. “Aftertoday’s meeting, when ECP re-jected our request, we rejecttheir decision.“ Earlier, MQMleader Wasay Jalil told the me-dia at a press conference on Fri-day evening that the party lead-ership in London and Karachiwas currently consulting legaland constitutional experts onthe matter.

“The first session of consul-tations has ended and once wecome to decision we will an-

MQM boycotts selectivere-polling in NA-250PTI for re-polling across Karachi city

NEW DELHI/MOCOW—Ahead of its President HamidKarzai’s visit next week, Af-ghanistan has asked India tosupply lethal defence hardwareas part of the intensified bilat-eral cooperation and evenseemed to indicate that it wouldwelcome troop deployment onits soil.

Afghanistan PresidentHamid Karzai will be arrivinghere on Monday for a three-dayvisit, his second in six months,but at a crucial juncture withonly a year left for the foreigntroops pullout from Afghani-

stan. Vigorously batting for astepped-up Indian role, Afghanambassador to India ShaidaMohammad Abdali said, “Invest-ment in the security of Afghani-stan is in India’s interest, to pre-vent spillover effects of terrorismon Afghanistan”.

He noted that while India hadbeen training Afghan securitypersonnel, it was not adequate toaddress the issues of a difficultsecurity situation. “Given thetime, we are required to sit downand discuss the contours of ourdefence cooperation to ensurepredictability,” he said, adding

that current level of cooperationwas hardly enough to “take pre-ventive and pre-emptive action”against common threats.

India has so far been train-ing Afghan security personnelonly in Indian institutions. Ithas also supplied limited num-ber of non-lethal equipmentlike jeeps and trucks, and plansto hand over transport helicop-ters. “So, we would like to haveboth lethal and non-lethal assis-tance to our forces in Afghani-stan,” he said.

A more engaged defence co-operation is likely to be a major

topic of discussion duringKarzai’s visit, which will alsosee him travelling to Jalandharto receive a doctorate from auniversity.

“If we don’t bother with thesensitivity of Pakistan, whyshould India bother? This iswhat I don’t understand,” headded.

Abdali said Pakistan had torealise that India was buildinginstitutions in Afghanistan,which would ensure that terror-ism wouldn’t come back and af-fect it. He said India’s coopera-

Kabul wants lethal weapons from India

Continued on Page 6

Imran urgesBritish HC towarn AltafSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan hasurged the British HighCommissioner Adam Thomp-son to take notice of commentsmade by Muttahida QaumiMovement chief Altaf Hussain.

The British High Commis-sioner had arrived at ShaukatKhanum Memorial Hospital tovisit the PTI chief, who isrecovering from an injury

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—National People’sParty (NPP), which got two Na-tional Assembly and three SindhAssembly seats in May 11, 2013elections, Friday merged with thePakistan Muslim League-N(PML-N).

The NPP head RaeesGhulam Murtaza Jatoi, MNA-elect from Sindh alongwith hisparty legislators-elect and otherleaders met the PML-N Chiefand Prime Minister-in-waitingMian Nawaz Sharif at hisRaiwind residence on Friday andformally announced the decisionregarding merger of the NPP with

the PML-N. During the meeting,views were exchanges over thepresent situation in Sindh andproblems posed to people there.

Mian Shahbaz Sharif, SyedGhous Ali Shah and other lead-ers were also present on the oc-casion.

Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi in-formed Nawaz Sharif that worsttype of rigging was carried outby the PPPP using force and allillegal means in Sindh.

After the meeting, GhulamMurtaza Jatoi told media thatthey have decided to merge theNPP with the PML-N taking intoconsideration vision of NawazSharif. He added that the PPPP

used dacoits, anti-social ele-ments, and presiding officers toget their party candidates electedthrough use of force.

Syed Ghous Ali Shah allegedthat Sindh experienced “unprec-edented rigging” in the May 11general elections. The PML-Nsenior leader MuhammadShahbaz Sharif told reporters onthe occasion that merger of theNPP with the PML-N is a wel-coming sign which would leavepositive impact on the country’spolitics.

Moreover, Owais Leghariand Jamal Leghari, the sons offormer President late Farooq

Nawaz gains more parliamentary vigour in NA, SA

NPP merged with PML-N

BEIJING—During his first inter-national trip as a governmenthead, Chinese Premier Li Keqiangwill pay official visits to India,Pakistan, Switzerland and Ger-many from May 19 to 27.”

Li’s visit is an important dip-lomatic activity of the new Chi-nese government towardneighbouring countries and Eu-rope,” Vice Foreign MinisterSong Tao said at a press briefingon Thursday. Starting with Indiaand Pakistan, the arrangement ofLi’s trip shows the great impor-tance the new government has at-tached to relations with the twoclose neighbours, said Song.With Asia’s status rising on the

global stage, it is important forChina and India to increase po-

litical mutual trust, deepen prag-matic cooperation and enhancecoordination in international and

Li’s first int’l trip highlightsvigorous diplomatic push

Continued on Page 6

TARIQ SAEED

PESHAWAR—After a relativepause, the heartless terroristsstruck again killing at least 20worshippers and seriouslywounding over fifty in two blastsat two mosques during the Jumacongregations at a remote area inMalakand agency on Friday af-ternoon. The death toll is fearedto go much higher as around 20

wounded persons are stated to bein critical condition.

Reports reaching here saidthe unknown terrorists plantedexplosive devices in twomosques situated in Bazdarraarea, some twenty kilometrefrom Dargai, Malakand agency,and carried out explosions withthe help of radio control duringthe Friday prayers thus playinghell in the area.

The roof of one of themosques, as the eyewitnessessaid, also caved in as a result ofthe explosions and scores ofpeople were trapped under it.

“At least 20 people werekilled and scores of otherwounded when two bombsripped through worshippers atseparate mosques in Bazdarraarea in the outskirts of Malakand

Malakand mosques blasts kill 20Over 50 wounded as blasts rip through Friday prayers

Continued on Page 6

Ashraf submitswritten statementto NABSTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Former PrimeMinister Raja Pervez Ashrafappeared before the NationalAccountability Bureau (NAB)on Friday and submitted awritten statement over theRental power case.

Ashraf appeared before theaccountability watchdog onFriday and submitted hiswritten reply. He was interro-gated for 30 minutes over theNAB’s investigations into 12power projects in Rawalpindi.

The Supreme Court haddeclared in March last year that

Continued on Page 6

ECP rapped overignoring real

stakeholders indecision for NA-250

IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—The Election Cellof the Pakistan People’s PartyParliamentarian (PPPP) Sindhtook serious exception to the factthat the PPPP candidate fromNA-250, Rashid Rabbani wasnot even informed or invited toattend the meeting convened bythe Election Commission of Pa-kistan (ECP) to decide the futurecourse of action on this highlydisputed constituency.

The PPPP said that havingcome to know that a meeting ofcandidates of NA-250 had beencalled by the ECP, Mr. RashidRabbani reached the Office of theElection Commissioner, Sindhonly to be informed that the meet-ing was taking place inIslamabad.

The PPPP recalled that in apress conference addressed a dayearlier; In-charge PPPP SindhElection Cell Taj Haider had de-manded that the Headquarters ofmember Election Commissionfrom Sindh should be shifted toKarachi so that the people couldbring their grievances to his highoffice for immediate redressal.

Continued on Page 6

Continued on Page 6

‘Yaum-e-Tashakkur’observedSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—On the call givenby the PML-N President, MianNawaz Sharif, Youm-e-Tashakkar (Thanksgiving Day)was observed on Friday towelcome victory of the PML-Nin May 11, 2013 generalelections in the country.

Special prayers wereoffered for the progress andprosperity of the country andwell-being of Pakistani nation.After juma prayers, the PML-Nactivists also offered specialprayers to express gratitudeover the success of the PML-Nin polls.Addressing the PML-N

Continued on Page 6

Continued on Page 6Continued on Page 6

3 parties to formcoalition govt in

BalochistanSTAFF REPORTER

QUETTA—The Pakistan MuslimLeague-N, National Party andPakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party(PkMAP) have decided to forma coalition government in theprovince.

Akram Shah Khan, the Cen-tral Secretary General, PkMAPwhile addressing a joint pressconference said that the slot ofchief minister would be given tothe PML-N.

“It has been decided in prin-ciple to form an exemplary coa-lition government,” Khan said.He said all out efforts would be

Continued on Page 6

ISLAMABAD—The Pakistandoctors community as aworldwide recognition inthe field of Science andMedicines. The FederalMinister stated this for Sci-ence and Technology Dr.Sania Nistar in a meetingwith the Chief Editor ofLansar, a medical journal,Dr. Richard Worton. TheMinister lauded the role ofPakistani doctors who areworking in Europe, Americaand rest of the world.

“The role what ourdiasporas are playing in themedicines has world recog-nition and through this the

soft image of our country isbeing projected. She saidthe Pakistan is playing avery active role in the Sci-ence diplomacy and wehave in the centre of Excel-lence is the field of sciencein the forms of COMSATSand COMSTECH”.

The Minister said thatafter resuming her dutiesas a Federal Minister, sheobserved that due to the18th amendment the healthsectors in the country havemissing coordination be-tween the centre and theprovinces so the caretakergovernment integrated all

the health institutions andbrought them all under thenew division in the Minis-ter of National Health andServices Regulation.

In the meeting, the Gen-eral Election in the countrywas also discussed theminister said tat the roleplayed by Pakistani citizenby cast ing their voteshowed the world that theywere the greatest heroes ofdemocracy.

Federal Secretary forScience and Technology,Akhlaq Ahmad Tarar wasalso present in the meet-ing.—APP

Int’l MuseumDay today

ISLAMABAD—InternationalMuseum Day will be ob-served on Saturday acrossthe world including Pakistanto raise awareness on howimportant museums are in thedevelopment of society. Thisyear, the theme of the Inter-national Museum Day will be“Museums (memory + cre-ativity) = social change”.

Our rich heritage, whichmuseums both display andprotect, is associated withinventiveness and vitality,both of which have charac-terized the museum sector inrecent years and are muse-ums’ greatest strengths.ICOM General Director,Julien Anfruns adds: “Rec-onciling their traditional mis-sion of preservation with cul-tivation of the creativity nec-essary for renewal and visi-tor growth is the evolutionthat museums are striving for,with the firm conviction thattheir presence and their ac-tions can change society ina constructive manner.”

The International Coun-cil of Museums (ICOM) es-tablished International Mu-seum Day in 1977 to increasepublic awareness of the roleof museums in the develop-ment of society. Momentumhas been rising unabatedever since.—APP

PML-N warnedagainst shared

power acceptanceKALLAR SYEDAN—Veteranpolitical and social activistJahangir Akhtar on Fridaysaid that PML-N should notform government unless it isgiven full authority. He saidthat resolution to all the prob-lems lies in full and absolutedemocracy in which estab-lishment has no role to playotherwise we will continue toreel under multiple problems.

Speaking at a press con-ference at Kallar Syedan pressclub, Jahangir Akhtar saidthat real power always liedwith the establishment whilepoliticians are blamed for allthe ills. Political govern-ments that take dictation fromthe establishment fail to re-solve problems and meet thefate of the coalition which hasrecently been wiped off bythe voters, he observed.

He said that Pakistanneeds a shift in foreign policywith no interference in thebordering countries other-wise we will continue to spendbillions on the non-produc-tive issues that is keepingmasses from health, educa-tion and food security andemployment. Akhtar said thatSaarc countries can only over-come menace of terrorism andhefty defence spending byresolving different issuesthrough dialogue. —APP

‘Pre-pollrigging, a great

conspiracy’ISLAMABAD—Sardar Mir BazKhan Khetran, a PakistanPeople’s Party (PPP) prospec-tive candidate in NA-263, Fri-day said, pre-poll rigging inBalochistan was a part of greatconspiracy to prevent Balochleaders to enter in the parlia-ment. This he said while ad-dressing a press conferenceat his residence. SardarKhetran informed that he hadwritten a letter to ElectionCommission of Pakistan (ECP)urging to take a serious ac-tion into this matter.

He mentioned that in NA-263 constituency comprisedof Loralai, Musa Khail andadjacent areas, a great num-ber of fake votes were castedin the favour of candidateJamiat Ulemae Islam - Fazl urRehman (JUI-F) with the mu-tual understanding of districtand election commissionmanagement, he alleged.Sardar Khetran figured outthat 15 females and 30 malesused their thumb impressionsin casting thousands of votesat various polling stations inhis constituency that couldbe verified through NationalDatabase and RegistrationAuthority (NADRA)’s foren-sic lab, he further alleged.

He added that there werecertain elements whichwanted to promote other eth-nic groups in Balochistan toweaken the position of localBaloch people. If it kept on,it would bring drastic resultsin the shape of disintegrat-ing federal units in the future,he alarmed.—APP

Pak doctors earn worldwidehonour in medicines field

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—At least 16Women get elected NationalProvincial general seats inthe May 11 elections. Inall150 women filed nomina-tion papers at National levelfrom 111 constituencies ofwhich 60 were on party tick-ets. At Provincial levels 313women filed nomination pa-pers from 213 Constituen-cies of which 115 were partyticket holders

The Researchers (TR)under its initiatives - Paki-stan Governance Forum(PGF) and Women & Politicsin Asia Forum (WPAF) - un-dertook observation of Elec-tion 2013 with a gender lens.This was in pursuance of or-ganizations ten years effortto observe and documentwomen role in electoral andpolitical processes since2002. Mr. Aazar Ayaz, the Ex-ecutive Director, informedthat a complete report focus-ing women performance in

pre-poll, poll day and postpoll phases will be launchedas soon as ECP completeselection result and govern-ment formation is completed.

It may be recalled that inthe 2008, 16 women joinedNational Assembly and 10 atrespective Provincial Assem-blies on general seats. For2013 elections, up-till now, 6(3 Each from PML-N & PPPP)women have made it to Na-tional Assembly and 10 to thefour Provincial Assembliesi.e. 8 in Punjab, 1 each inSindh & Balochistanwhereas no women could wina general seat in KhyberPakhtunkhawa. 6 female win-ners of 2008 National Assem-bly could find their way backfor 2013, along with 4 fromProvincial Assemblies. Inter-estingly 2 women each fromPunjab (Ms. Sumera Malik &Ms. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana)and Sindh (Dr. Azra AfzalPeechu & Dr. Fahmida Mirza)have made a hat trick of win-ing their seats in National

Assembly since 2002.Whereas, 2 women of 2008Punjab Assembly (Ms. NaziaRaheel & Ms. NaghmaMushtaq) have been re-elected.

Among the winners Ms.Sumaira Malik of NA-69Khushab I, wining by a mar-gin of 38,253, has baggedhighest number of votes118,108 with estimated voterturnout of 61.72% in her con-stituency. The lowest win hascome on 83,916 Votes by Ms.Faryal Talpur of NA-207Larkana IV who won by amargin of 63,438 in a con-stituency where voter turn-out was 54.24%. The lowestwining margin is of 18,152votes for Ms. Ghlam BibiBharwana from NA- 88Jhang-Cum-Chinniot wherethe voter turnout was64.54%, which is highestamong the six women win-ning constituencies. In 2008& 2002 Dr. Nadia was PPPPcandidate as a Loser andWinner respectively but with

less votes than 2013; **In2008 & 2002 Amanat Ali Virikher husband was a candidateas Independent & from PML-Q respectively

Among the winners ofProvincial Assemblies Ms.Saniya of PS-109 Karachi XXI,won by a margin of 44,054votes besides bagging high-est number of votes 53,926casted with estimated voterturnout of 49.17% for her con-stituency. Ms. Rahat Jamali ofPB-26 Jaffarbad II secured12,521 votes, which is lowestnumber of vote taken amongthe winners. She won by amargin of 5,758 in a constitu-ency where voter turnout isinformed to be 40.25%.Whereas, the lowest winingmargin is 1,859 votes of Ms.Rashida Yakoob from PP-78Jhang II; where the voter turn-out has been 51.93%.

Analyzing the results of2013 women contested con-stituencies one factor hasclearly emerged that inPunjab voters’ casted their

ballot for the party rather thanthe candidates as all thewomen candidates who haveswitched their parties wereable to bag more votes thanbefore or converted previouslosses to wins this time.

Mr. Ayaz appreciatedECP effort to collect and dis-seminate Gender Disaggre-gated data, which has hap-pened for the first time in Pa-kistan. This is a good omento document women role andwill bring institutional focusto women issues in electoralprocesses. This will also pro-vide space for advocacy withpolitical parties to furthermainstream women in politi-cal processes leading to theirequitable share within politi-cal parties and institutionaldemocracy. He informed that2013 elections have beenphenomenal for women formthe perspective of number ofcandidates and voters byway of their political experi-ence as large number of firsttimers women were given

opportunity to contest un-der PTI and other parties.

In 2002 and 2008 electionsmany came from politicallyelite backgrounds, and couldbenefit power and Privilege;but largely due to educationas eligibility criteria. Removalof this criteria was seen to bedamper for women beingawarded party ticket and itsfirst victim, among other rea-sons, was Ms. Hina RabbaniKhar who had been contest-ing on her fathers seat.Women in KPK were threat-ened both as candidate &voters limiting their activepolitical life. Whereas, inBalochistan overall securitythreats hampered the wholeprocess. Political parties inKhyber Pakhtunkhawa onceagain joined hands to barwomen form voting. However,there is still a long way to go,but if these elections are anyindicator then the women ofPakistan have put down amarker on the democratic mapin the country.

A catalogue of women seats shows progressive polls picture

Election victoryshows masses firmbelief in democracy

STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD—Showing cour-age and resolve in the faceof deadly challenges, Paki-stanis went to the polls May11 to elect a new governmentthat will be a critical step inthe country’s return to de-mocracy, the National Demo-cratic Institute (NDI) and theAsian Network for Free Elec-tions (ANFREL) said today.“Millions of Pakistanis ex-pressed their support for thedemocratic process by vot-ing despite extremist at-tempts to disrupt the polls,”the groups said in a state-ment. Casting their ballots inthe face of mounting vio-lence “was a victory for de-mocracy and the people ofPakistan.

The stage has been setfor the country’s first trans-fer of power from one demo-cratically elected govern-ment to the next.” NDI andANFREL fielded an interna-tional election observationmission with 48 observersfrom 18 countries.

They deployed to 12locations in three of thecountry’s four provincesand Islamabad, visitingmore than 250 polling loca-

tions. For areas where secu-rity concerns prevented di-rect observation –Balochistan and the Feder-ally Administered Tribal Ar-eas (FATA) – the missionwas in frequent contact withcandidates, parties and non-governmental organizationsin those regions to collectinformation. Leading themission were Kjell MagneBondevik, former prime min-ister of Norway; formermember of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives RussCarnahan, D-Mo.; NoraOwen, former minister of jus-tice of Ireland; AminaRasul-Bernardo, former cabinetminister of the Philippines;Shari Bryan, NDI vice presi-dent; and Peter Manikas,NDI regional director forAsia.

Others in the delegationwere former parliamentar-ians, election specialists,congressional staff, politicalparty leaders, representa-tives of nongovernmentalorganizations and regionalspecialists. Their reportcommented on the elections’central paradox.

ISLAMABAD—Air Chief Mar-shal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chiefof the Air Staff, Pakistan AirForce, is on a five-day offi-cial visit to Nigerian AirForce. On his arrival at theNAF HQs, he was presentedwith the guard of honour.The Air Chief also attendeda briefing on the organiza-tion, role and functioning ofNigerian Air Force. Duringthe visit, he met with Air

Marshal Alex Badeh, Nige-rian Chief of the Air Staff. TheAir Chief said that his visitto Nigeria was a follow-upof the visit of Nigerian Chiefof the Air Staff.

The Nigerian Chief of theAir Staff thanked the AirChief for sending two PAFpilots and technical staff fortraining and maintenance ofF-7 Aircraft. He also re-quested for further assis-

tance for the C-130 fleet ofNAF and sending an in-structor pilot on the C-130aircraft as well. The NigerianAir Chief sought the coop-eration of Pakistan Air Forcein revamping the training ofpilots at Nigerian Air Acad-emy. Air Marshal Alex Badehthanked the PAF for its as-sistance to the Nigerian AirForce and requested formore assistance and coop-

eration between the twocountries.

Air Chief Marshal TahirRafique Butt, Chief of the AirStaff, Pakistan Air Force, vis-ited Defence Headquarters,where he met with AdmiralOla Sa’ad Ibrahim, Chief ofDefence Staff. The Air Chiefassured Nigerian Chief ofDefence Staff of strengthen-ing military cooperation be-tween the two countries. He

also visited the Tactical AirCommand, Training Com-mand and the Logistics Com-mand. During these visits theAir Chief held meetings withhigh-ranking officials ofthese commands. He assuredthe Nigerian Air Force of fur-ther cooperation andstrengthening of relationsbetween the two countries ingeneral and the two AirForces in particular.

Nigeria wants more PAF coop inrevamping Nigerian pilots training

ISLAMABAD: Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, with Chief of DefenceStaff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim and Nigerian Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.

QUETTA: Pakistan Army troops on the way back to Canttafter they performed duties as Quick Response Force dur-ing general election in sensitive areas of the Province.

N AW A B S H A H — D i s t r i c tShaheed Benazirabad is Po-lio free district for the lastseveral years thanks to re-lentless efforts on the part ofdistrict administration andhealth department.

This was stated byDeputy Commissioner AghaNasir Ali while addressing ameeting as Chairman PolioEradication Committee. Hesaid that efforts would bemade to maintain this statusin the time to come.

He said that doctors

Benazirabad, a polio free district in Sindhposted at Union council levelhave to be active to run Po-lio Eradication Campaigncommencing from May 27 toMay 29 and he would in per-son supervise the campaignand instant action would beinitiated in case any child re-mains without polio drops.He said that Polio teamsshould be vigil on 32 entryand exit routes of buses andvans for polio drops admin-istration to traveling chil-dren.

District Health Officer Dr

Muhammad Akram Arainbriefing the meeting saidthat 275518 children of be-low five years age would beadministered polio dropsduring three day campaign.He said that 682 teams areformed out of which 591teams would be mobile.Apart from thee 26 teamswould be posted at the en-try and exit routs of city. Hesaid that steps would betaken to make sure that nochild remained unat-tended.—APP

OUR CORRESPONDENT

HAFIZABAD—Ameer JI Dr.Muhammad Yasin Ansariand defeated candidate of JIin PP-105 & NA-102 Dr.Habib Ullah Cheema andAman Ullah Chatha in PP-106have accepted their defeat inthe election with open heart.Addressing Press Confer-ence Friday afternoon, theysaid that JI would continueto struggle for the promo-tion of ideology of Pakistan,

JI candidate accept election defeatsupremacy of Constitution,rule of law, elimination of in-justices, ignorance, unem-ployment and loadsheddingin the country. They saidthat “it was better to be de-feated on principles than towin on lies” and we werethankful to Almighty Allahwho has helped us to put achallenge to corrupt mafia.

****Muhammad Yaqoob (65)

father of Assistant Commis-sioner Income Tax died here

after protracted illness today.Ch. Sardar Ali (70) father ofSarfraz Ali, a senior advocate,Shafqat Ali Javed &Muhammad Shafique, localartists died here today.

****A young married woman

was abducted by two ac-cused from Dhunni village.According to police source,Shazia w/o MuhammadAkhtar was alone in herhouse when two accusedMuhammad Aslam.

RAO ATIQ UL AMIN KHAN

MIRPUR —The PakistanWater and Power Develop-ment Authority (WAPDA)spokesman has clarified thenews reports appearing in asection of the Press regard-ing WAPDA’s role in elec-tricity load shedding in thecountry. WAPDA spokes-man has made it clear on Fri-day that subsequent to intro-duction of the power sectorreforms and unbundling ofWAPDA’s Power Wing in2007, WAPDA’s mandatenow includes only the con-

Load-shedding notWAPDA’s domain

struction of new dams andhydropower projects andoperation and maintenanceof the existing hydel powerstations, whereas rest of thematters relating to powersector including load shed-ding do not fall within theambit of WAPDA.

The spokesman furthersaid that the matters such asthermal power generation,transmission and distribu-tion of electricity, load shed-ding, line losses, recovery ofelectricity bills, payment tothe Independent Power Pro-ducers (IPPs).

IndependentMNA, MPAjoin PML-N

BASHIR AHMAD RAHMANI

HAFIZABAD—Former FederalMinister & MNA-elect fromNA-103 Ch. Liaqat AbbasBhatti and MPA-elect SyedShoaib Shah Nawaz from PP-107 have unconditionallyjoined Pakistan MuslimLeague-N (PML-N). Led byCh. Mehdi Hassan Bhattigroup leader of independentcandidates of Hafizabad,Liaqat Abbas Bhatti called onMian Shahbaz Sharif at hisModel Town last night.

The meeting was at-tended among others byPirzada Latif-ur-Rehman,Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman,Capt. (R) Safdar and QamarChohan in friendly atmo-sphere. Mian Shahbaz Sharifembraced Ch. Mehdi HassanBhatti and welcomed him inhis old party after the lapse22 years. Mian Shahbaz Sharifalso reminded Ch. MehdiBhatti that they had very cor-dial relations but due to dif-ferences cropped up by MianAzhar they parted ways.

Zehri vows to form model BalochistanISLAMABAD—Chief of Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz (PML-N), Balochistanchapter, Sanaullah Zehri has said thatPML-N would form an exemplary gov-ernment in Balochistan. Talking to a pri-vate tv news channel, he said that PML-N chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharifhas nominated him for future Chief Min-ister (CM) of Balochistan and given taskto form government in the province. Hesaid that four members of the Pakistan

Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) have announcedunconditional support for PML-N while former caretakerCM of Balochistan Sardar Saleh Bhootani has also joinedNawaz Sharif’s party. Earlier, the Baloch nationalist party,National Party (NP) chief Dr. Abdul Malik has said thatPakistan Muslim League-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif wouldhave to take decision for next chief minister of Balochistancarefully. He along with NP’s senior leaders including MirTahir Bizenjo and MNA-elect Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzaiand others was addressing a press conference at MPAHostel here. “Mian Nawaz Sharif would have to take deci-sion whether he wants next chief minister of Balochistanfrom his own party or a consensus chief minister keepingin view the sensitivity of Balochistan issue,” he said. Headded that he was desirous of formation of coalition gov-ernment of NP, PML-N and Pakhtoonkhawa Milli AwamiParty (PkMAP) in the province. He said that he had heldmeetings with PkMAP leadership and Sardar SanaullahZehri, the chief of PML-N Balochistan chapter to discussthe matter pertaining to formation of next Balochistan gov-ernment. He urged Mian Nawaz Sharif to take genuine lead-ership of Balochistan on board while taking decision re-garding the next chief minister of Balochistan.—APP

Habib lauds media polls roleISLAMABAD—Caretaker Minister forInterior, Malik Habib Khan Friday saidthat the media and the masses played avital role for achieving about 60 percentturnout on May 11. Addressing a Po-lice Darbar in Islamabad, the ministersaid that despite terrorist threats, thecaretaker government succeeded in ac-complishing its task of conducting free,fair and transparent elections. MalikHabib said that the government had

made foolproof security arrangements for elections whilethere were perceptions that polls would be bloody. Theminister lauded the cooperation of provincial caretakergovernments, Election Commission, law enforcement agen-cies and political leadership of the country in making theelection process possible. He said the interior ministry hadacted upon the plan given by the Election Commission forpeaceful, free and transparent polls. “I must appreciate thecooperation extended by the Pakistan Army in the elec-tions and other law enforcement agencies.” “There werethreats that the terrorists would carry out attacks duringthe election but due to effective coordination among theprovinces and law enforcement agencies, we succeededto hold elections in peaceful atmosphere.” the ministersaid. Malik Habid said that the law enforcement agencieshad extended full cooperation to masses and resolve theirproblems on urgent basis. The minister said that he hadtaken several decisions on the basis of his experiencesthose proved fruitful to maintain law and order during polls.Malik Habib also appreciated the performance of Inspec-tor General Islamabad Police for maintaining law and orderin federal capital.—APP

Durrani resolves to serve peopleBANNU—Former Chief Minister and cen-tral leader of Jamiat-Ulema-Islam (JUI-F)Alhaj Akram Khan Durrani has thankedpeople of Bannu for electing him and re-freshed his resolve to take every mea-sure for the development of his nativearea. Akram Khan Durrani has won onboth national and provincial assemblyseats from his native area Bannu in gen-eral elections 2013. In a press statementissued here Friday, Durrani said that in

this era of progress Bannu was still lacking in basic facilitiesof life and reiterated that he would make every possibleeffort to provide basic amenities to the people at their door-steps. Earlier, former chief minister KP Muhammad AkramKhan Durrani has said the country is passing through anage of crisis and the nation is going to take a test of not onlyto elect a leadership who can steer the country out of thecurrent state of crisis but also to put it on the track ofprogress and prosperity. He stressed the nation to electthose who are loyal and honest as those who were electedas a result of the 2008 election are out of the polls on thecharges of corruption and plundering the national wealth.He was addressing election campaigns at Ghuriwala, MastiKhel and Mamashkhel. “Zardari has very few days in thepresident house to go” Durrani predicted adding that hissuccess in the forth coming election was crystal clear as hisarch rival Anwar Saifullah withdrew from the competitionand blatantly termed Nasim Ali shah as his own candidatewhich he said was nothing more than to beat about thebush. “ Those who think to force people for stamping againsttheir will should come out of the dream world as the electionwould be certainly transparent and free of any kind of rig-ging” Durrani hoped.—APP

Implementation of UN resolutionsISLAMABAD—Veteran Hurriyet leader,Syed Ali Gilani has categorically said thatthe people of Kashmir will not accept anysolution to the Kashmir dispute exceptthe implementation of the relevant UNresolutions and the Charter of the WorldBody. Syed Ali Gilani in a letter to MianMuhammad Nawaz Sharif maintained thatthe people of Kashmir had offered oversix hundred thousands sacrifices since1947 for the sole purpose of right to self-

determination to decide the future status of Jammu and Kash-mir, KMS reported. In the letter, the veteran leader hailedthe unprecedented and unflinching support of the peopleof Pakistan for the Kashmir cause, which, he said, wouldremain afresh in the memory of the people of Kashmir. Over150 round of talks have been held between Pakistan andIndia in the past 65 five years, but they failed to produceany result due to India’s intransigence and stubbornness,he added. The octogenarian leader said that whenever therewas talk of dialogue between Pakistan and India, New Delhistarted harping on “Kashmir is India’s integral part”mantra.With this approach any dialogue with India will be a futileexercise, he said. The Chairman of Jammu and KashmirLiberation Front (JKLF), Mohammad Yasin Malik has startedfund- raising campaign for earthquake victims of Doda dis-trict. The campaign will continue for some days after whichthe relief will be distributed among the victims of the local-ity. According to KMS, thanking people who participated inthe campaign or have pledged to provide relief, Yasin Maliksaid, “Today our brothers and sisters in Chenab region aresuffering at the hands of a natural calamity. These peopleare facing hard difficulties and troubles and even their liveshave been put on stake. In this hour of need these peopleare looking towards their brothers in Kashmir Today Allahhas put us in a test about our kith and kin in Doda.”—APP

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWA R/LAHORE—Pakistan MuslimLeague-N chief Nawaz Sharifhas appealed party workersand the nation to observeYoum-e-Tashakar (thanks-giving day) on Friday to cel-ebrate the victory of party inMay 11 elections,a privatenews channel reported. Ac-cording to the channel reportthe PML-N made a trium-phant comeback, securing123 seats of National Assem-bly and 212 of Punjab assem-bly as its chief Nawaz Sharifis all set to become PrimeMinister for the third time.Ina statement, Nawaz Sharif ap-pealed workers and people tooffer special prayers on thethanksgiving day on Friday.

Peshawar: PML-Nwomen-wing City DistrictPeshawar here Friday ob-

served thanks-giving day andoffered prayers in the greenlawn of Peshawar Press Club(PPC). The PML-N womenactivists gathered in largenumber in press club to offerthanks-giving prayers on thelandslide victory of the partyin May 11 polls. Speaking onthe occasion, president, citydistrict women-wing, RobinaBokhari paid tributes to theleadership of their party fortaking bold and people-friendly stand on the prob-lems and challenges faced bythe people of the country.

She was confident thatthe PML-N leadership wouldmaintain its track record andplay role in the resolution ofthe grave crises faced by thecountry and will take mea-sures for the welfare of thepeople in general and protec-

tion of the rights of womenin particular. Robina Bokharisaid that PML-N had notonly emerged as single larg-est political party at federallevel, but also in position toconstitute provincial govern-ments in the country. Shepledged to play their due rolein the strengthening of theparty and in future turn it intolargest political force ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Lahore: On appeal of Pa-kistan Muslim League-NChief Nawaz Sharif, Youm-e-Tashakur (Thanks-givingDay) was observed to cel-ebrate party’s victory in gen-eral elections on Friday.People in general and PML-N workers in particular of-fered Nawafil over party’slandslide victory in elec-tions.—APP

PESHAWAR—Peshawar Elec-tricity Supply Company(PESCO) in collaboration withNational Accountability Bu-reau (NAB) disconnectedpower supply to 32 more in-dustrial, commercial default-ers in Peshawar Circle onnon-payment of about Rs.15million, said a press releaseissued here Friday. The de-faulters were included GulBaz Shabqadar, Zewar KhanShabqadar, Awaz KhanShabqadar, Water SupplyScheme, Said Wali KoroonaShabqadar, Asal KhanShabqadar, Aziz UllahShabqadar, Majid KhanShabqadar, Haji IhsanShabqadar, Momin KhanShabqadar, Umer Gul

Shabqadar,Waris KhanShabqadar,Yar JanShabqadar, Dalil KhanShabqadar, AmanullahShabqadar, Haji Wasil KhanShabqadar, Jalandar KhanShabqadar, Noor AliShabqadar, Zarif KhanShabqadar, Iqbal Shabqadar,Abdul Zahir Shabqadar, ToorKhan Shabqadar, Masil KhanShabqadar, Ali Akbar Doaba,Abuld Moris Shabqadar,Zahir Ullah Shabqadar,Manan Doaba, Aftab Doaba,Sarkari Doaba, Abdul WahidDoaba, Sobat Doaba andAtta Ullah Doaba,

Pesco has urged all de-faulters for the payment oftheir dues with immediate ef-fect otherwise, the company

will not only disconnect theirpremises but NAB will alsoinitiate a stern action againstthem including arrest andconfiscation of their prop-erty.

Sargodha: Citizens arefacing worst loadsheddingfor consecutive five hours.Citizens criticized WAPDA,distribution companies andalso the government for poorload management by resort-ing to loadshedding duringnight time. They said thatduring electionsloadshedding was reducedwhich meant there are re-sources to decrease it andwhy the government was notutilizing them to provide re-lief to the masses.—APP

MITHI—District ReturningOfficer Tharparkar has ap-proached the Election Com-mission for verification of vot-ers’ thumb impression on 46polling stations of PS-60 withhigh turn out. According todetails, defeated candidate ofPakistan Peoples Party on PS-60 Diplo, EngineerGianchand, requested DROTharparkar to check andverify the thumb impressionsof voters taken on counter fileof ballot paper books.

He indicated 46 pollingstations where turn out ofvoters was recorded 70 to 90percent that is exceptionallyhigher then the average turnout through out the constitu-

ency. Total number of pollingstations established in PS-60was 139 while the number ofeligible voters in the area was1,34,963 among them 68.25percent used their right to fran-chise. According to unofficialresults, former Chief MinisterSindh and Chief of PeoplesMuslim League, Dr, ArbabGhulam Rahim returned with53098 votes while Gianchandgot 34395 votes.

Larkana: Partial strikewas observed here respond-ing to the call of the PakistanMuslim league Functional(PML-F) to register its voiceagainst the alleged riggingduring the May 11 elec-tions.—APP

Violancein school

MI R P U R K H A S—Violenceagainst school children goesunchecked in the educa-tional institutes includingprivate schools here andfourth grader Shifa Fatimahas become the latest victimof corporal punishment.

She not only had herhand fractured but her fatherand grandmother were alsobeaten and humiliated byschool administration of aprivate elementary school atKahoo Para Chaki Bazar.

According to Town Po-lice, Shifa was violentlybeaten by class teacherUzma and Principal AishaShifa for not doing herhome work to the extentthat she had her hand frac-tured.—APP

STAFF REPORTER

P E S H A W A R — P a k i s t a nTehreek-e-Insaf, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Qaumi WatanParty agreed on a power-shar-ing formula in KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Addressing apress conference, the leadershailing from the three politi-cal parties including the PTI’sPervaiz Khattak, JI’s SirajulHaq and QWP’s AftabSherpao voiced a resolve torestore peace and eradicatecorruption and problem ofload shedding in the prov-ince.

The KPK Chief Ministerdesignate Pervaiz Khattaksaid governor and CMhouses will be turned into acenter of welfare for thepeople, adding the PTI willfulfill all its pledges that itgave to the nation.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI)’s nominated PervezKhattak since the inception ofPakistan will be the 16th chiefminister of the KhyberPukhtunkhaw province.Muslim League’s Khan AbdulQayyum Khan, Sardar AbdurRashid Khan and SardarBahadur Khan were elected

CM in early years of Pakistan.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI)’s

Maulana Mufti Mahmood re-mained the CM of this prov-ince from May 1972 to Febru-ary 1973. PPP’s SardarEnayetullah Khan Gandapur,Nusrullah Khan Khattak,Muhammad Iqbal KhanJadoon, Arbab Jahangir Khanand Aftab Khan Sherpao re-mained elected CM.

Later, Islami JamhooriIttehad (IJI)’s Mir Afzal Khanbecame the CM. MuslimLeague-N for the first time inOctober 1993 got the CMslot after the election of PirSabir Shah as CM. PPP’sAftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao

became the CM for the sec-ond time.

PML-N’s Mehtab AhmadKhan in February 1997 andMuttahida Maslis-e-Amal(MMA)’s Akram KhanDurrani in November 2002ascended to this post. AwamiNational Party (ANP)’s gov-ernment was formed for thefirst time after the GeneralElections-2008, while AmirHaider Khan Hoti remainedthe CM of the province untilMarch 20, 2013. Besideselected CMs, five caretakerCMs also governed thisprovince.

PTI, JI, QWP agree on KP power-sharing regime

PML-N women offer thanks-giving prayers on Nawaz appeal

Power outages intensify

PESCO disconnects powersupply to 32 defaulters

Heat wave to engulfmost parts of country

DRO wants thumb impressionsverification on counterfoils

SALU VCregularises 69daily wagers

SUKKUR—Vice ChancellorShah Abdul Latif University(SALU), Khairpur, Dr ParveenShah on Friday regularised 69daily wage employees work-ing with 14 years length ofservice on daily wage basis.Speaking on the appointmentorders distribution ceremony,held at SALU Syndicate Hallof the University, the VC said“It is a matter of great plea-sure for me that with the bless-ing of Almighty Allah thelower daily wage employeesare being regularised.—APP

PESHAWAR: Supporters of PML-N offering Dua after namaaz-e-shukrana as party chief Nawaz Sharif appealed toworkers and the nation to observe thanksgiving day for victory in the general elections.

HYDERABAD: Students busy in solving the question paper during Intermediate exami-nation.

HYDERABAD: A policeman inspecting inside of a bus after an accident at Hattri By-pass. Sixteen passengers were injured.

ISLAMABAD—A heat wavewill engulf most parts of thecountry from next week in-cluding plain ares of Punjab,Balochistan and Sindh. Anofficial of Meteorological de-partment told APP here onFriday that the current tem-perature fall under normal cat-egory as the mercury is raisedto three degree from averagetemperature of summer.

“When the temperatureincreases five or more degreefrom normal range it is con-sidered to be hit by heat waveand from next week it is ex-pected that the mercurywould cross the normallimit”, he informed. The wave,the official said, would affectplain areas of Punjab, Sindhand Balochistan and peoplehave to face severe hotweather conditions in theseareas.

While during next 24hours hot and dry weather isexpected over most parts ofthe country. Seasonal low lies

over Balochistan and adjoin-ing areas as a continental airis prevailing over most partsof the country. In KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Sindh andBalochistan mainly hot anddry weather is expected overmost parts of the provinceduring next 24 hours.Whereas in Kashmir and Gilgit

and Balochistan dry weatheris expected in most parts ofKashmir during the time span.

The highest temperaturesrecorded during last 24 hoursremained Larkana 48øC,Shaheed Benazirabad, Turbatand Jaccobabad 47øC, Rohri,Padidan, Dadu, Sukkar,Moenjodaro and R.Y Khan46øC.—APP

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—Punjab ChiefMinister Najam Sethi hassaid that Lahore Museum isan important tourist and cul-tural centre of Pakistan. Hesaid that the relics preservedin Lahore Museum are a cul-tural heritage and there is aneed for their conservationand upkeep on scientificlines. He said that all neces-sary resources will be pro-vided to Lahore Museum forproper conversation of theartifacts and relics.

He was presiding over ahigh level meeting regardingconservation of relics and his-torical items of Lahore Mu-seum at Chief Minister’s Sec-retariat here today. ProvincialMinister for Tourism Salima

Hashmi, Chairman Planning &Development, Secretary Fi-nance, Director General LahoreMuseum and experts werepresent. Director Lahore Mu-seum gave a briefing on theproposed project of up-grada-tion of Lahore Museum. Ad-dressing the meeting, NajamSethi said that the historicalitems and relics are culturalheritage and a precious assetbesides being a centre of at-traction for tourists.

He said that Lahore Mu-seum has historical items ofancient civilization which re-flect centuries’ old cultureand the lifestyle of thepeople. He said that thereshould be proper arrange-ments for the conservationof the artifacts and historicalitems.

Lahore Museum termed asimportant tourist, cultural centre

Haider Gilani’skidnappers’chief held

NOWSHERA—The gangchief of the kidnappers of AliHaider Gilani, the son offormer Prime Minister YusufRaza Gilani was arrested dur-ing an operation launchedby police against abductorshere on Friday.

According to policesources, an operation waslaunched in Charsadda for therecovery of Ali Haider Gilani,which resulted in the arrest ofthe kidnappers’ gang chief,Wazir Gul, while entering intoMardan from Charsadda andtrying to escape to Afghani-stan. Accused Wazir is an Af-ghan refugee and was wantedby police for being involvedin several criminal inci-dents.—INP

Isolated rigging marselection fervour

THOUGH elections were by and large free and fair and PML-N, whichemerged as the largest single party to form government at the Centreob-served Thanks giving Day on Friday, isolated incidents of rigging

marred the fervour. In South Asia, accusations of rigging and violence arecom-mon yet the Election Commission managed the exercise to the satisfac-tion of most of the foreign observers and it was only due to a few presid-ingofficers that contesting parties and candidates raised serious objec-tions insome constituencies and they have been holding protest sit-ins.

Taking serious notice of the rigging reports, Election Commission ofPakistan Thursday said that the presiding officers would be held account-able for every single ballot paper emphasising that the system put inplace would not spare any faker. The social media exposed the violationof sanctity of the ballot paper and videos showed people stamping andput-ting in ballot boxes bundles of papers by few individuals. One won-ders how without the connivance of the Presiding Officers and pollingagents such a crime can be committed that made the candidates to raisean accus-ing finger on the ECP. There could be several reasons for thismisman-agement including threats to the lives of presiding officers orthey might had been bribed heavily. Also it has to be seen how the ballotpapers were snatched or handed over to some contesting candidates. Inthe meantime it is also necessary for the political parties to come up withconcrete proof of rigging rather than just levelling allegations to hidetheir failure. Ac-cording to Secretary ECP, they received about 110 com-plaints and in about nine cases the Commission was convinced to holdrecounting within the next three to four days. The decision by the Com-mission to verify thousands of thumb impressions in constituencies whereallega-tions of rigging have been made is a good one but it would takesome time to NADRA to enhance its capacity and complete the exercise.We hope that the ECP would carry out a thorough investigation into thecom-plaints and issue a White Paper as that would also help it to over-come the shortcomings. At the same time it is necessary that work shouldbegin for electronic voting for the next elections because that is thesurest way to ward off any complaint.

PML-N & Qcome closer

PAKISTAN Muslim League-N and Q, which are the bitter rivals inPun-jab are joining hands in Balochistan. PML-N, which bagged the

most seats in Balochistan Assembly has been in touch with other parties toform a government in the province and it is a good beginning that PML-Qhas announced to extend unconditional support to it.

The announcement came when PML-Q Provincial President SheikhJaffar Mandokhel called on his counterpart of PML-N Sardar SanaullahZehri. Other parties too including Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party(PkMAP), JUI(F) and some independents are also expected to join thecoalition. Though Nationalist Parties participated in the elections withthe hope to form the government but they could not muster enoughsupport and one expects that they would accept the verdict of thepeople with open heart. We believe that support of the PMNL-Q toPML-N augurs well for a sta-ble political environment in the vio-lence-hit province. In view of the strong tribal loyalties, no singleparty in the past had succeeded in getting majority and coalition gov-ernments had been formed by making almost all the members as Min-isters and Advisors. We hope that the next PML-N government wouldavoid following this culture of accommodating every one and onlylimited number of Ministers would be appointed who can deliver tothe masses. At the same time it is in the interest of the country andpolitical system that the number of parties be brought down and ulti-mately there should be a two to three parties system as that would re-duce political bickering and polarization. Otherwise too, all factions ofMuslim League, who claim to be followers of Quaid-e-Azam but aredivided due to personality clash need to get united on a single platformfor the greater good of democratic system and Pakistan.

Foreign exchangereserves dip further

COUNTRY’S overall liquid foreign exchange reserves fell to yet another four-year low to $11.690 billion in a week from $11.756 billion

which is a very disturbing development. The Central Bank in a statementsaid that reserves held by it stood at $6.640 billion compared with $6.697billion a week earlier.

The country is to repay the IMF by the end of this month and thatwould further put pressure on the declining reserves. Due to the poor posi-tion of the reserves, rupee is coming under pressure and it depreciated tohundred to a dollar a few days back. This situation is due to poor economicgrowth and exports not meeting the target. However the workers remit-tances are helping to sustain the economy which rose by over 6.37 % to $11.7 bil-lion in first ten months of the year and is expected to cross $ 14billion by end of the year. If the present trend continued, the countrywould have to once again look towards the IMF that would certainly linkharsh condi-tionalties with its bailout package. The country reached at thisstage due to mismanagement and corrupt practices. It would be a chal-lenge for the new government to get out of the economic mess and far-sighted policies would be needed for this purpose. According to reports,Mian Nawaz Sharif has evolved a ten point agenda for the first 100 days ofhis gov-ernment and we would suggest that as a first step he should curtailwaste-ful expenditure and impose a ban on the import of luxury items tocheck the downslide in foreign reserves.

Nexus between extremism & poverty

People who aremuch too sensitiveto demand ofcripples that theyrun races ask ofthe poor that theyget up and act justlike everyone elsein society.

Windsof change

It was a country where, according to many analysts, only atraumatic revolution could

shake the foundation of the politi-cal system. It was a place, wherepeople thought it was virtually im-possible to break the two-partydominance because of the en-trenched patronage system. But thisyear’s election in Pakistan haveproven many wrong, by bringingin a new urban force in power,Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI). While Khan’s cha-risma did not make him win elec-tions in a place where patron-cli-ent relationships and family lineageplay a big role in determining vot-ing behaviour, his party’s break-through has shown that things canpossibly change. Change throughelections is never radical — espe-cially in countries like Pakistan,where voters (the tenants) are de-pendent on feudal lords-cum-poli-ticians to provide them with roads,schools and even loans.

However, decades ofurbanisation and economicprogress can potentially weaken thesources and system of patronageletting the rural population votewith more freedom and hencebringing in an opposition. InMexico, the Institutional Republi-can Party (PRI) ruled for 70 years,and the opposition party NationalAction Party (PAN) existed only onthe margins for decades. However,neoliberal reforms weakened thestate-led patronage system over thedecades, allowing people to vote inthe opposition in 2000.

Similarly, things are changingin Pakistan. The rapid urbanisationand youth bulge in the countryhave ensured that a large sectionof voters is willing to take the riskand vote for opposition parties. Italso shows that people are slowlymoving towards issue-based poli-tics — topics like dealing with theTaleban, relations with India, eco-nomic betterment — rather thanbeing lured by promises of trac-tors and scooters. This is a veryhealthy sign of democratic transi-tion and shows that Pakistan isactually moving in the right direc-tion. The next elections in 2018promise an even more vital shiftin political preferences and voters’behaviour.—Khaleej Times

*****

Legitimacy ofIPL thrown

in doubt

Once again, the highly popular Indian Premier League(IPL) has been rocked by

shock waves of spot-fixing. Thisthrows into doubt the legitimacy ofa tournament which is on the vergeof concluding its sixth edition.Throughout each edition, the IPLhas never been short on contro-versy. Allegations that numerousgames have been fixed in the pastcontinue to abound.

Matters have now reached apeak with the sensational an-nouncement by Delhi Police that aformer Indian cricketer and histeammates have fallen prey to themachinations of bookies. India isthe commercial hub of worldcricket. An enormous illegal slushfund of cash goes into betting oneach and every game that is playedacross the world. The IPL also pro-vides the bits-and-pieces cricketerswith opportunities to earn a decentliving, as well as an avenue to maketidy incomes on the side. This greedis exploited ruthlessly by the book-ies. The amounts spent on fixinggames are staggering. The authori-ties should follow the money trailwhich could, in all probability, leadthem to netting bigger fish inter-nally and internationally.

The guilty must be brought tobook and the Board of Control forCricket in India must hand downthe toughest sentences along withthose deliberated by the law. It isalso time for those who run the IPLto take a closer look at the biggerpicture — the tournament and itsbusiness model. The cancer has setin, but the game must be saved atall costs.—Gulf News

MEDIA WATCH

Michael Harrington—US writer

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan hasbeen recruiting children totrain them as suicide bombers,

Baitullah Mehsud initiated suicideattacks by the children. His succes-sor also used women and children inthe terror acts because they appear tohave run out of suicide bombers.They are sending untrained peoplewho are either arrested by the policeor who detonate their explosives be-fore reaching their targets. On 19thNovember 2012, the TTP sent awoman suicide bomber to kill theformer chief of Jama’at-e-Islamic(JI), Qazi Hussain Ahmed, inMohmand Agency. However, shehesitated until his convoy had passed— blowing herself up and injuringfive bystanders but missing him al-together. A would-be suicide bomberand his alleged handler surrenderedon November 20 in Peshawar. An-other would-be suicide bomber waskilled in Dera Ismail Khan on No-vember 23 before a Muharram pro-cession. The question is why the TTPfinds it convenient to enroll childrenfor using them as suicide bombers?

Although Madaris have done agreat service by providing free edu-cation plus boarding and free mealsto the poor students, but some of theorganizers of these madaris havelinks with the banned organizationsand indoctrinate the students to wagejihad against the infidels, disregard-ing Islam’s message of peace andlove for the mankind. There havebeen numerous examples of Paki-

NATO & mission ‘resolute support’

HURMAT GROUP OF PUBLICATIONSZahid Malik

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Sunday Magazine

Sadia Zahid MalikEditor

Ph: 2852027-8, Ext: 116Email: magazinesocialdiary@hotmail.com

Each asymmetrical war predicts an inherent tensionwithin its doctrine and there-

fore a nation faces serious threat ofpoliticise destruction in the post-warscenarios. Importantly, a sense ofnearly unremitting social/ethnic ten-sion of a conflict causes an outbreakof unlimited hostility. NATO’s Af-ghan mission too contains an inher-ent tension of war planning, therebywould need a constant policy chang-ing in the post-2014 Afghanistan. Inthe recent meeting of chiefs of de-fence, NATO “reaffirms their com-mitment to support the ISAF com-mander over the next 19 months,which will be crucial in determin-ing the outcome of the mission. The[NATO] military committee also dis-cussed opportunities to deepen mili-tary-to-military cooperation withNATO partners. NATO’s chief of de-fence also discussed Afghanistanpost-2014 and the new mission“Resolute Support” (May 14-15,2013 — Brussels).

Time and again NATO is forcedto rethink its basic strategic con-cepts and yet again gear up for newmissions. Externally, the dissentbetween regional US/NATO ap-proaches is the consequence of“asymmetrical war fiascos” in ev-ery Muslim country (e.g. Iraq Libyaand Syria). At the internal level,affirmation/reaffirmation tech-niques relate to NATO’s own trans-formational capabilities, and theway “fighting psyche” of the oppo-nent is being looked at in the re-gional security environment. Given

stani children and teenag-ers being recruited and ex-ploited by terrorist groupsin KP/FATA to becomesuicide bombers or help interrorists’ attacks else-where in Pakistan. Thephenomenon has been no-ticed when 11 childrenwere arrested in Quetta,

who were lured by United BalochArmy to plant bombs and triggerblasts against Security Forces and in-nocent civilians. The terrorist orga-nizations view children as the mostconvenient workforce for terroristactivities, as it is very easy to influ-ence their innocent minds. Terroristsexploit the innocent children and pre-pare them for exploding bombs instrongly-guarded areas, as they do notarouse suspicion and get easilymerged with the local crowds.

The main targets of the extrem-ists are children from poor familieswho are indoctrinated by promising fi-nancial assistance in this world andparadise in the next world. Other chil-dren due to their natural religious pro-clivity are motivated to wage Jihad.Children from broken families aremore vulnerable to exploitation andbecome easy victims of terrorist indoc-trination. Parents must guide their chil-dren how to avoid such terrorist ma-nipulation. But at the same time, thegovernment must create employmentopportunities to provide jobs to theunemployed, healthcare to the sick andschooling for the children of impov-erished sections of society.

In Pakistan, schooling is just anorphan, at once neglected and ig-nored. At best, it gets lip service; atworst, it gets a slice of idiotic popu-lism. While schooling in private sec-tor has plainly become a commercialproposition, the state-run system hasrun into intractable rot, requiringenormous effort to redeem. Extrem-

ism has many forms and manifesta-tions. In a society afflicted with ex-treme poverty and extreme opulence,there is always a disaffected and dis-content mass of people, disen-chanted and disillusioned. Some ofthe unemployed youth and impov-erished people can be lured by thecriminals to ‘eke out’ living to keeptheir body and soul together, or areconditioned by the religious zealots,or are conditioned by the religiousimposters or zealots to perpetrateacts of terrorism. Unfortunately,educating the citizenry has not beenthe pursuit of any government sinceour independence. The worst hit isthe schooling, which in any educa-tional pyramid makes up the base.In the 1990s, the crumbling publicsector education system deterioratedfurther, as an unregulated growth ofprivate sector education led to a sys-tem of education apartheid, sendingthe majority of the wretched of theearth to the perpetual ignorance andimpoverishment. The poor had nochoice but to send their kids toMadaris because they could not af-ford to pay exorbitant privateschools’ fees.

As the system caters to the edu-cational needs of the nation’s hugechildren populace, mostly comingfrom poor and lower middle classesthat are unable to afford expensiveprivate schooling, it necessarily de-mands an urgent redemption. Thegovernment must give incentives tothe poor people to send their childrento government schools. InBangladesh, government schools pro-vide free meal and ration so that chil-dren do not join the labour force orget involved in criminal activities.Despite unprecedented increase inpopulation, the ratio of students at-tending government primary schoolsdeclined. Surveys showed that thedrop in enrolment ratio in government

schools was due to substandard edu-cation, inadequate and untrainedteachers and lack of other facilities.Therefore, a cost effective modelwas needed to raise the level of edu-cation across the massive schoolsnetwork. It is an established fact thatinvestment in human capital reducespoverty, and on the contrary illit-eracy and ill health are obvious im-pediments to progress and prosper-ity in a competitive global economy.

Unfortunately, hundreds of girlsand even boys schools were de-stroyed by the terrorists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA. On May10, 1933, German students had gath-ered in Berlin and other German cit-ies to burn books with ‘un-German’ideas. Books by Einstein, ThomasMann, HG Wells, Sigmond Friedand others went up in flames as theyoffered Nazi-solute. Nazi propa-ganda minister Joseph Goebblesdelivered a speech stating: “Youhave done well to commit to theflames the evil spirit of the past”.More than 100 years before thatevent, a German Poet and criticHeinrich Heine had said: “Wherebooks are burnt, human beings aredestined to be burnt too”. In Paki-stan, not only books but schoolswere torched and destroyed, and ofcourse human beings - suicidebombers and their victims. At thispoint in time when Islam is beingdemonized, Muslims are facing cri-ses throughout the world; when ter-rorism is identified with Islam, it isimperative for the religious schol-ars and parties to persuade their fol-lowers to abandon the course of ex-tremism. They should focus on seek-ing knowledge of science and tech-nology, so that they can make theircontribution in finding a respectableplace in the comity of nations.—The writer is Lahore-basedsenior journalist.

the fact that military-to mili-tary cooperation betweenNATO partners is so deepthat the threat of “all-out”conventional warfare has re-ceded, the new mission,“Resolute Support” would

certainly face rather volatile and un-certain security environment. Thereason is that post-war focus can har-bor the need for consistent militaryactivities, and hence more combatoperations. The terminology “Reso-lute Support” conveys an importantmessage to both regional and inter-nal forces, that is, if the ANSF re-mains weaker in their combat mis-sions against Taliban, the post-2014Afghanistan may keep NATO moreinvolved than it is at present. Hence,NATO would have to continue totailor combat operations for the per-ceptional needs of the ANFS.

On the other hand, the defencechiefs’ meeting confirms that NATO“is entering in a new phase… [And]transition therefore remains on trackand our assessment is on the wholepositive”. On the face, this is a veryweak statement and, cannot be under-stood in terms of “new mission” be-cause the fears of civil war andTaliban’s expected control implicitlyreflects in the expression of “on thewhole”, that is, not publicizing theobjectivity of this assessment. Theinter-textual reference to “transition”& “positive” is aimed to show con-ceptual competence of NATO,thereby offering an attractive packageto its partners in future conflicts. TheSyrian conflict too is ready to be over-taken by NATO in the new phase, andso are other emerging conflicts in theAfrican continent. This observation isbeing reconfirmed by another state-ment during the same meeting that,“[NATO] made good progress anddetails on the concept of operations

for the new mission…” This prepara-tory exercise is carried out for the sakeof further deliberation in NATO’s de-fence ministers in the next month.Ultimately, it can be said that since nocoherent negotiation process is under-way with the fighting forces in Af-ghanistan, therefore classifying tran-sition as positive is misleading andmay not stop the already ongoing“spring offensive” of the Taliban.

To give credit to the US/NATO, itis predicted that “350,000 strong [Af-ghan National Security Forces] arematuring and certainly have the po-tential to provide protection for thewhole nation. On Afghanistan, I be-lieve we should seek to provide clearmilitary guidance on the conduct ofremaining 19 months of the ISAF mis-sion. Unambiguous recommendationfor the planning for the “Resolute sup-port mission”, both of which must re-flect the importance of maintain theconfidence of the Afghan populationand the temple of transition during this

period.” (General K Bartles, Chair-man International Staff Committee,NATO). Again, the future role ofANSF is being framed in terms ofmaturity, without alluding to the pro-fessional achievements; the rhetori-cal device “potential” is linked withthe outreach of protecting the entireAfghan nation. This reflection doesnot account the fact that the ANSF ismostly operating under the supervi-sion of US/NATO forces, it is impos-sible to imagine that they would con-front Taliban to secure the whole Af-ghan territory. Not to mention the US/NATO desire to negotiate a crediblepeace. The question is what will bethe relationship between ANSF andTaliban fighters in the post-2014?This purpose is omitted from the con-ceptual framework of the mission“Resolution Support”, “assist & ad-vice” to Afghan forces.

It is this ambiguous connectionbetween maintaining current peaceformat and assessing the real conse-quences of defective security frame-work of NATO. The regional part-ners such as Pakistan and China areclosely watching the way NATO istrying to balance its future role andthe need to establish an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.

The conclusion is that conceptsand basic strategies of NATO’s newmission are too crucial steps to en-sure a strong and integrated with-drawal plan. The purpose should beto address the inherent tensionwithin the member countries and theUS, which in turn could “match thecore task” of collective defence.NATO must cope with the non-pro-fessionalism of ANSF today, in or-der to avoid a new “war fiasco” inthe post-2014 Afghanistan.—The author is a Denmark-basednational security expert and adefence analyst.

Mohammad JamilEmail: mjamil1938@hotmail.com

News & ViewsNews & ViewsNews & ViewsNews & ViewsNews & Views

Rana Athar Javed Email: ma_javed@hotmail.com

The conclusionis that concepts &basic strategies of

NATO’s new missionare too crucial stepsto ensure a strong

and integratedwithdrawal plan.

The purpose shouldbe to address theinherent tension

within the membercountries and theUS, which in turncould “match coretask” of collective

defence.

Voice of the PeopleCustomer care

ARSHAD KHAN

We are living in a society where wehave to give value to potential longterm, loyal relationships with ourclients. They buy more and pass onmore, help us develop the next gen-eration of products and services, andthey smoothly help us keep our mar-keting costs rational. But are ourconsumers the only community weshould be constructing long-termassociations with?

No. The affiliation strategy ap-plies on the inside and outside aswell. What if we were to take theconcept of consumer Care and makeit longer apparent to our suppliersand our human resources as well?Our suppliers give us products andservices that we generally add valueto and pass along to customers. Ifwe follow viewpoint of our supplieras our construction partner, one withwhom we share our thoughts andvision and one with whom we couldaccomplish an ongoing, gainful,win/win connection, we would beresponsible to our customers to pro-vide a precious service.

The other groups of communitythat can help us accomplish our goaland achieve our highest targets arethe people that labor for us. Somecompany call them employees,some call them associates somestaff. In authenticity, they too areclientele, internal customers. Theyare customers and supplier to eachextra and add cost to each other’semployment which ultimately endsup in the hand of our closing stagesconsumer purchaser.—Islamabad

Fatal addictionFAWAD ALAM, KHASIF

KHATTAK

Two years ago Scott Douglas diedof a heroin overdose. Why, then, ishis father, who is a staunch oppo-nent of drugs, calling for all drugsto be legalised? “Legalise, don’tcriminalise” is Howard Douglas’motto. He insists the only way tocontrol drugs is to regulate the saleof them. “I don’t want a soft line ondrugs. I wish to God that peoplewouldn’t use them. But they do, andso we need to put some order intothe market.” He firmly believes thathis son would still be alive today ifheroin had been legal. Scott Dou-glas was 33 when he died two yearsago. A long-time heroin user, he wasforced to do without the drug dur-ing a five-week prison term. He waskilled by his first dose after beingreleased.

An inquiry into Scott’s deathfound that because he had been with-out the drug for several weeks, hisbody could not take his normal dose.It also revealed that his final shotcontained an impurity - urineacetylcodeine. “If there had been acontrolled environment for my sonto take his heroin, and it had beensupplied legally, he would still bealive. There are basically twopolicy options: you can legalise andregulate the supply, as you do withother drugs such as alcohol and to-bacco, or you can leave criminalsto control everything.” AlthoughMr Douglas concedes thatlegalisation would be “anathema”to many fellow parents, he wouldlike to see heroin supplied by thehealth service to addicts and a“clean and controlled environment”for it to be taken with free needlesand medical advice.—Islamabad

Sheeshasmoking, a killer

ALI HANI

Hookah or Sheesha smoking is be-coming a global public health prob-lem, especially in Asia and MiddleEast. The global tobacco epidemicmay kill 10 million people annuallyin the next 20-30 years. More than70% of these deaths are estimatedto occur in developing countries.Current research, treatment, andpolicy efforts focus on cigarettes,while many people in developing re-gions smoke tobacco using Hookahor Sheesha. Hookah or Sheeshashave long been used for smokingtobacco in the Middle East and Asia.Sheesha smoking is often a socialactivity and two or more people mayshare the same pipe.

According to a Pakistani re-search published on Sheesha smok-ing, 40 percent of Pakistani malestudents puff the water pipe. Theresearch conducted by Sadaf Ahmadof KU, Asma Bashir of SZABIST,Haroon Ahmad of PU, ShamoonNaushad of AEIRC, and GhaffarMemon of NED Universities, statesthat in Pakistani universities 40 per-cent male students were Sheeshasmokers, of whom 38.7 percentsmoke out of frustration, 21.4 per-cent smoke for pleasure, 16.2 per-cent smoke to gain attention of girls,12.9 per cent smoke because they

Manifesto & Canadian exampleDR MUKHTAR ALI

Political manifestos have been long one of the important element during electioneering. A political party’s manifesto is not

merely a set of papers written in black and white but a preciousdocument elsewhere but not in Pakistan. The best example is theCanadian Liberal Party manifesto. With the start of the election,the party announced its manifesto, which was prepared with sev-eral years of hard working and research. The document had muchdetailed account of exactly what government would do in the power.Unemployment insurance was the popular promise and vow thatthe party under the leadership of Jean Chretien, the 20th PrimeMinister of Canada successfully fulfilled after winning the elec-tion. Keep your promises with the nation, you are part of.—Kurram Agency

READERS

Email:editorial@pakobserver.net

are requested to typetheir letters legibly withdouble spacing and only onone side of the paper.

—Editor

have nothing else to do in their lei-sure time and 8.06 per cent smoke torelease stress. Sheesha smoking ca-fes are mushrooming all over thecountry and their client base are stu-dents not more than 24-year-olds.

When asked about the health haz-ards of smoking Sheesha, Mr JavaidKhan Professor health and chest con-sultant, said, health hazards are ex-actly similar to those associated withcigarette smoking, including cancer,heart disease, respiratory disease andadverse effects during pregnancy.

It has particularly serious healthconsequences on 2 vital organs ofbody namely the lungs and heart. Hefurther added, Sheesha smoke is notonly as toxic as cigarette smoke inequivalent amounts, but the smokeralso gets 100 to 200 times theamount of smoke compared to thatof smoking a cigarette. AlthoughSheehsa smoking is banned in Paki-stan under the Tobacco Act but stillavailable.

The Narcotics Act is already en-forced in the country but effectivesteps are needed for its implemen-tation. Government of Sindh has im-posed a ban on Sheesha smokingunder section 144 from 1 April,2012. Despite the claims of SindhGovernment this law has yet to betranslated into action, and hundredsof restaurants continue to providethis life taking addiction, destroyingthe health of Pakistani youth. But theviewpoint of Sheesha business own-ers is that the ban on Sheesha smok-ing is completely discriminatory ascigarette is also available in differ-ent forms but with the health warn-ings of Health Ministry, though weare in favor of its ban on minors.—Karachi

Failure ofpoliticians

MOHAMMAD ADEEL

In an article published in the CarnegieEndowment for Peace on April 4th2013, , authors Frederic Grare andReece Trevor made an interestingstatement about the effect of resultsof the Pakistani elections on foreignpolicy. They state:

“The competing political partiesin Pakistan have defined their foreignpolicy priorities only vaguely, and thelikelihood of coalition building willfurther dilute each party’s ability toenact its preferred policies”. The re-cent meeting between US Secretaryof State, John Kerry, Afghan Presi-dent Karzai and Pakistani Chief ofArmy Kiyani in Brussels in the ab-sence of any civilian representativeunderscored this viewpoint. Further-more, the silence of the political par-ties on this issue and the lack of anystrategy to counter US policy in theregion indicates that there is no vi-sion whatsoever for the Muslims ofPakistan and this region. The tragedyis not that they donot have a vision, itis that they have no feeling for theMuslims here, for it is this feeling thatdrives the desire to define policies forthe protection of the Muslims, theirwealth and property.

The focus of this article is to showthat Pakistan stands at a critical junc-ture, not in terms of the election, butin terms of the geo strategic changesthat are in motion. The reality is thatPakistan is key to this change, andthat it is in a position to effect change,only if the politicians of the countryhad the feeling and subsequent visionto understand it, and develop a strat-egy to counter it.—Via emil

Traffic inKarachi

JAN ALAM

Karachi is one of the biggest cities inPakistan as well as it is one of themost densely populated cities in theworld. It is not surprising that the cityfaces many social problems becauseof population that is constantly in-creasing. Various traffic problems andhazards are one of the biggest con-cerns in Karachi.

The main problem of traffic haz-ards in Karachi is decrepit roads andpoor infrastructure. Another problemis corrupt police and traffic mafia andever increasing number ofvehicles.One more problem whichshould be highlighted here is the reck-less driving of bus drivers. Bus driv-

Can Nawaz Sharif steer Pakistan out of crisis?

The first time Nawaz Sharif became prime minister of Pakistan was almost a quarter-cen-

tury ago. His second term was ended14 years ago by a military coup thatdrove him into exile. Now he’s back,a good deal older — but is he anywiser? Pakistanis seem to think so —or at least Punjabis do. Almost all ofthe seats won by his Pakistan Mus-lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Partyin last Saturday’s election were in theprovince of Punjab, which has morepeople than all of Pakistan’s otherprovinces combined. That weakensthe legitimacy of his victory, but withthe support of some candidates whowon as independents he will have notrouble in forming a majority govern-ment. The question is: what will thatgovernment do?

It’s a good question, because Pa-kistan is a nuclear-armed country of160 million people that has borderswith India, Afghanistan and Iran. Itis also, in the view of some observ-ers, fairly close to being a “failedstate”. Everybody knows that NawazSharif is conservative, pro-business,and devout — during his second term,he tried to pass a constitutionalamendment that would have enabled

him to enforce Shariah law — but hehasn’t been tremendously forthcom-ing about his actual plans for his thirdterm. And some of the things he didsay have caused concern in variousquarters. The thing that worries theUnited States most is his declarationthat Pakistan should end its involve-ment in the US-led “war on terror.”The army is unhappy about his pro-posal that the government should ne-gotiate with the Pakistani Taliban(who conducted a campaign of bomb-ings, assassinations and kidnappingsagainst the “secular” political partiesin the recent election) rather than justfighting them.

And everybody is wonderingwhat Sharif will do about theeconomy. The country’s balance ofpayments is in ruins, and it cannotmeet its foreign debt obligations with-out negotiating new loans from theWorld Bank and the InternationalMonetary Fund. Those loans wouldcome with onerous conditions aboutbalancing the budget and fixing thetax system, and they wouldn’t comeat all without American support. Pa-kistan is technically a middle-incomecountry, but during the outgoinggovernment’s five years in officepower shortages grew so acute thatmost regions are facing power out-ages for up to 12 hours a day. Mil-lions of vehicles fuelled by natural

gas have been immobilized by gasshortages. The country desperatelyneeds foreign investment, but theplague of Islamist terrorism frightensinvestors away.

Finally, the United States will bewithdrawing its troops from Afghani-stan next year, and Sharif will haveto decide what he wants to do aboutthe Taliban in that country (who stillhave the tacit support of Pakistan’sarmy). The key to all these puzzles,oddly enough, may lie in the incom-ing prime minister’s determinationto improve relations with India. In-dia has seven times Pakistan’s popu-lation and a booming economy, andit long ago lost its obsession withthe agonies of Partition in 1947 andthe three wars with Pakistan thatfollowed. But the Pakistan Armycontinues to be obsessed with the“threat” from India — in large partbecause that justifies its taking thelion’s share of the national budget. IfSharif could fix Pakistan’s relationswith India, a lot of his other dilem-mas would also be solved.

In each of his previous terms, hetried very hard to make peace withIndia, but was thwarted both timesby the Pakistani Army. The currentmilitary chief of staff, Gen AshfaqParvez Kayani, is due to retire at theend of this year (after a three-year ex-tension in office), and this will give

Gwynne Dyer

Views From Abroad

Nawaz Sharif’s foreign policy tasks

It seems that the 2013 Electionswere a great leap forward inPakistan’s democratic evolution.

Pakistanis have been experiencing themeaning of democracy by fits andstarts in the last 64 years and per-haps it would not be an exaggera-tion to say that finally through trialsand errors they have stepped into anew era of political maturity. So didthe West in a couple of centuries.Political Scientists know the processthrough which even the mother ofall parliaments reached the presentstate of “democratic traditions “.Nawaz Sharif initiated the neweststyle of making national politics notthe game of rival samurais butfriendly opposition of making astrong economically self-reliant andprosperous nation.

However, this peace of writingis limited to Nawaz Sharif’s imme-diate tasks of creating the machinerywhich will implement-as it seems- thenew policy. This will include a newsetup for implementing the foreignpolicy the new independent nationalpolicy which as indicated by him byreciting a couplet of Iqbal. Ay tair-e-

Lahoti-us rizk say moutachhi Jis rizk say ati hoparwaz men kotahi, thestyle of which will not bea bellicose diplomacy butclaiming an honourableplace in the world com-munity as a sixth mostpopulist nation and sev-

enth nuclear power potentially on theedge of acquiring the sinews of tech-nology and economically all the in-gredients of a nation capable of con-tributing to peace and prosperity. Thepolicy can be summarized policy ofgoodwill and reciprocity. Pakistanhas all the ingredients of such a na-tion but lacked in the recent past anational leadership. It would be re-called that entirely through indig-enous technology Pakistan reachedthe status of the seventh nuclear state.

There are many so-called ex-perts in foreign relations withoutever having been part of an expertsteam formulating foreign policy. Iam, however, making certain sug-gestions which might be given con-sideration by the new leadership.It is to be noted that the world hasapparently welcomed NawazSharif’s emergence as Pakistan’sleader very positively. Never be-fore, correct me if I am wrong, somany world leaders, Americans,Chinese, British, Indians, SaudiArabian, Turkish, Irani,Afghanistani, Sri Lankan hadwarmly congratulated a new Pak

leader still to be inducted intopower as they have welcomedNawaz Sharif on his election- a signthat he is looked forward to be anew addition to the group of worldleaders.He is being welcomed withexpectation of making contribution

to the peace prosperity and stabilityin this part of the globe. Now, brieflyI will mention N S’s tasks in the fieldof foreign policy. One appointing asober balanced friendly experienced

person as the foreign minister whowill voice the nation’s aspirationsnot sacrificing national interest orhave a psycophant’s language.

It seems to me that Raja ZafarUl Haq is such a person, who haswide experience as secretary gen-eral Motamar-al-Alam-al-Islami, at-tended international conferences andhad been ambassador to Egypt, oneof the two top posts in the Arabworld, the other being Saudi Arabia.The other task would be replacingthe formal regime’s political ambas-sadors. According to the Rules since1960 introduced by Ikram Ullah,then Foreign Secretary are supposedto have resigned their jobs when thegovernment that appointed themwent out of office (please see page75 of my book Diplomats and Di-plomacy Story of an Era). SherryRehman’s reported resignation is nonews. She was supposed to havebeen resigned already.

Thirdly I suggest the new FMprepare a three page short note stat-ing the new foreign policy goals, trustand general direction of a policyspecifying regions and areas. Brieflythe policy may be called policy ofgood will, peace and relations on reci-procity. All Bonhomie in foreignpolicy is on reciprocity not a one waystreet. Foreign policy is based on giveand take but its aim should be peaceand prosperity and not an imperialistgrouping which unfortunately somepowers are at present following.

ers usually drive very fast whichcauses accidents. They stop theirbuses anywhere without any stop topick up passengers which createsproblems for the vehicles comingfrom behind. The rickshaw driversalso do not care much about the traf-fic rules and have become a majorreason of traffic jams and accidents.A lot of drivers, motorcyclists in par-ticular, do not care for traffic signalsand traffic laws.—Karachi

About Karachifactory fire

FAHAD ANWAR

Workers revealed that the ownerswere asked to pay 50 million asBhatta. There was a conflict be-tween 2 groups on the issue ofBhatta, due to which the owner ofthe factory went abroad 15 daysago. The workers who survived alsoconfirmed the reason due to whichthe owner left the country. 3 daysago Abdul Aziz’s son had a disputewith Bhatta receivers.

According to the sources, froma report which was sent to the chiefminister of Sindh Province, it is clearthat because of the fear of Bhattamafia pays were distrusted amongthe worker and when the BhattaMafia set factory on fire, the man-agement was informed but they de-nied taking responsibility of settingfactory on fire. Security institutionshave turned the investigations to thefact that the either factory caught fireor it was set on fire.—Karachi

PCB’s electedChairman

M OSAMA AFNAN HANAFI

Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, hasbeen elected to a four-year term, thefirst-ever elected incumbent in thatoffice. He was elected under the newPCB constitution, which in Februaryreplaced the system of appointing thePCB chairman by the Patron of theboard, the President of Pakistan. ThePCB’s board of governors had its firstmeeting on 8th May in Islamabadunder the new constitution. Thenomination committee interviewedthe two candidates — Ashraf andformer Lahore Stock Exchange chair-man Aftab Ahmad Khan - recom-mended by the Patron and unani-mously recommended Ashraf for thechairman’s post.

Thereafter, the board of gover-nors reassembled and unanimouslyendorsed the recommended nomineeof the Patron and the nominationcommittee. In 2011, the ICC re-quired that its member boards be-come autonomous and free of inter-ference from governments by June2013. Removal of government inter-ference had also been one of theWoolf report recommendations ap-proved by the ICC. The new consti-tution was produced as a result ofthe ICC directive and was approvedon February 13, vetted by the Min-istry of Law on the suggestion of thePCB and ICC feedback. However,in November 2012, ICC said it wasreviewing its stance against govern-ment involvement in the administra-tion of cricket.

The development was surprisingand conducted secretly, the PCB re-vealing the appointment through apress release. Ashraf, who has beenPCB chairman since 2011, was work-ing under the old constitution, underwhich he was appointed for an indefi-nite period by the Patron, PresidentAsif Ali Zardari. With the country’sgeneral election set to take place onSunday, a new government usuallybrings about changes in the PCB hi-erarchy. With his future as chairmanuncertain, Ashraf implemented thenew constitution in February and waseventually elected for a new term.—Karachi

Sharif a chance to replace him withsomeone less committed to per-petual confrontation with India.Then many things would becomepossible. An end to the military con-frontation would open the door tolarge-scale Indian investment in Pa-kistan (including pipelines bringingoil and gas from Iran and CentralAsia). It would let Pakistan cut themilitary budget down to size. And itwould end the army’s tacit supportfor the Taliban in Afghanistan,which is all about ensuring that Pa-kistan has a friendly government inKabul to give it “strategic depth” inits long cold war with India.

The Taliban will inevitably bepart of any post-occupation govern-ment in Afghanistan, but withoutPakistani support they will have tostrike a deal with other forces ratherthan just taking over. That outcomewould greatly mollify Washingtonand make it easier for Islamabad toget new loans from the World Bankand the IMF. It would also make iteasier for the government to nego-tiate some kind of domestic peacesettlement with the PakistaniTaliban. Then, maybe, Nawazcould finally get the Pakistanieconomy back on track. It’s a longstring of ifs, but nobody else on thePakistani political scene seems tohave a better plan.

I have been lucky to travel to Pakistan from Muscat, just to castmy vote and witness dawn of a

new era. The Elections 2013, justconcluded brought a ray of hope formillions of Pakistanis with clear sig-nals for economic development,peace & prosperity. On the interna-tional scene the Prime Ministers ofIndia & Turkey, the Presidents of US,Iran, Turkey, China, Afghanistan andthe King of Saudi Arabia & Rulersof UAE etc., did not lose a minute incalling Nawaz Sharif to express theirjoy on his election. The other worldleaders may follow.

The people of Jati Umra (India),the ancestral place of Sharif family,distributed sweets to celebrate hiswin in elections. The unofficial re-sults as announced this morning havesent very strong signals to the worldthat the nation is well determined tomarch on the path of democracy thatwill bring stability, peace, economicprosperity, and will enhance the im-age of the country. The future gov-ernment with the help of Islamic par-ties would be able to settle the issuesof terrorism as well drones to ensuresafety & security for the people. Thefuture legislation will certainly helpin improving the status of OverseasPakistanis who currently have no sayin the policy making. On the localfront the outcome of the elections hassent strong signals to the incumbentrulers that good governance wouldbe the sole criteria to retain power.

It was very interesting to notethat first time in the country’s his-tory, the people were compelled bypassion and travelled to the polling

Elections — hopes & expectationsbooths, stood hours in the longqueues without expecting anyassistance from the candidates /political parties who in previousyears were making special ar-rangements for transportation,food and soft drinks. This being

the reason this time the overall votecasting went up significantly from anaverage of 34 % to above 60 %. Itwould not be out of place to mentionthat first time in Pakistan special treat-ment was given to senior citizens whowere not required to stand in the longqueue and were facilitated with re-spect & honour to cast vote. The elec-tion process was completed. Besidesfew places in Karachi where MQMstill needs to learn, there was hardlyany major incidence. The participa-tion of major political parties fromBaluchistan was very welcome whonot only put up their candidates butalso allowed the process of electionsto complete in a peaceful atmosphere.This helped in bringing many angryand disgruntled elements back in thenational politics and resulted instrengthening national unity.

Another very interesting aspectof the current election is the matu-rity of the voters that helped to oustnumber of dignitaries like FormerPrime Ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani& Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, InformationMinister Qamar Zaman Kaira, De-fense Minister, Ahmed Mukhtar,Raja Riaz, Foreign Minister,Khurshid Qasori, Former Governor,Mustafa Khar, ANP LeaderAsfandiyar Wali and many membersof the cabinet of KPK; whileMushraf was out from the very be-ginning. As the election campaignstarted, initially there were over adozen players in the contest, promi-nent being PPP of Zardari, PML(Nawaz), PML(Q), MQM, JUI (Fazal Rehan), JI ( Jamaat islami) andTehrik Insaf TI (Imran). In the last

few months (TI) gained huge momen-tum after joining hundreds of youthand inducting some stalwarts in poli-tics who either left or were left outby other political parties.

Imran Khan, being the worldcup winner had his own charismaand was able to attract thousands ofyoung boys & girls fully equippedwith modern tools of communica-tion. Since he was considered a po-tential challenge against Zardari coa-lition, all smaller parties includingJI supported him in his effort to or-ganize huge public meetings. Beingfully aware of the collateral damageof Drone attacks in the Northern ar-eas of Pakistan and himself being a“Pathan”, Imran became the mostvocal voice against the American in-tervention in Afghanistan and med-dling in the affairs of Pakistan. Thiswent well till he realized that themajor chunk of seats are being heldby PML(N) so he shifted all his gunsfrom Zardari to Sharif Brothers andstarted accusing them of corruptionand malpractices which was in real-ity not true.

Nawaz Sharif, two times PrimeMinister concentrated on deliveringbest to the people in shape of devel-opment projects in Punjab. The in-dependent media rightly started com-paring PPP performance VSPML(N). The mega projectslaunched by PML N with coopera-tion from Turkey earned acclaim forSharif Brothers. The mass transportproject explicitly presented before thepeople a unique example of goodgovernance. When other politiciansstarted lamenting allegations of cor-ruption, Sharif’s asked the Transpar-ency International to have indepen-dent audit. The Transparency Int de-clared the project as “the most trans-parent spending in the country”. Witha free choice to elect their govern-ment, the people of Pakistan went to

polls on May 11. With the resultsannounced by the election commis-sion Nawaz Sharif will be the nextPrime Minister of Pakistan. Nawazwill have to be very careful in se-lecting coalition partners as in theend he will be accountable for theperformance of his cabinet. The PPPof Zardari could hardly get only 31seats from their power base Sindhwhereas PTI (Imran) took 31, MQM17, JUI (F) 10, JI 4, the former rul-ers of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, ANPonly 4 and PML (Q) the strong al-lies of Pervaiz Musharaf & Zardaricould win only 2 seats while PMLZia took 2 seat.

There are no two opinions thatunder previous coalition of PPP,MQM & ANP (2008 -13), Pakistanwitnessed corruption, nepotism,killings, blasts, power breakdownand unemployment more than anycountry in the world. Given thechoice, the nation has rightly re-posed its confidence in the leader-ship of “Nawaz Sharif” to ensurepeace, rule of law, accountability,progress & prosperity. This wouldrequire creating millions of jobs,setting up hundreds of industrialunits, dozens of power plants, thou-sands of agro-based farms and doz-ens of tourist resorts besides struc-tural reforms in health care, educa-tion and distribution of wealth.

The new era in Pakistan willopen doors for bilateral investmentbetween Oman & Pakistan in Agri-culture, Textiles and Food and mydream of setting a Pak Oman Tour-ism Company may see the light ofthe day creating employment forhundreds of young men & womenfrom both countries.—The writer is Chairman Boardof Directors, PILDAT & formerPresident of Pakistan Social ClubOman and Ex-Chairman BOG,Pakistan College, Muscat..

Javed NawazEmail: agrodev@yahoo.com

Dr Samiullah Koreshi

Ambassador’s DiaryAmbassador’s DiaryAmbassador’s DiaryAmbassador’s DiaryAmbassador’s Diary

Email:beljak@cyber.net.pk

There are manyso-called experts in

foreign relationswithout ever having

been part of anexperts team

formulating foreignpolicy. I am,

however, makingcertain suggestions

which might begiven consideration

by the newleadership. It is to benoted that the world

has apparentlywelcomed Nawaz

Sharif’s emergenceas Pakistan’s leader

very positively.

LAHORE: A large number of people and Family members of Pakistani prisoner Abdul Jabbar staged a protest demon-stration against Indian brutality.

The meeting held Friday inIslamabad over a constituency inKarachi was a clear indicationthat the ECP bureaucracy wantedto exclude the real stakeholdersfrom Sindh from decisions takenon Sindh.

Why could not the ECPmember from Sindh sit inKarachi and supervise mattersrelating to Sindh? The PPPPasked. The real question in NA-250, Taj Haider said, was not thatre-polling should be held in 43polling stations or in the wholeconstituency. It was not a politi-cal issue to be decided in meet-ings between the political parties.It was a legal issue and the legalprocess should prevail.

The core issue was that thepolling could not be held in 43polling stations in a constituency.It was not a case of one or twopolling stations where unforeseencircumstances could result in anunexpected closure of polling sta-tions. All the 43 polling stationshad been involved. In many otherconstituencies of Karachi, thesame thing happened in greateror lesser degree.

The ECP was duty bound toinvestigate the crime and to fix theresponsibility. It was the least thatthe people could expect from theECP. Trying to cover up this andother serious crimes was belowthe dignity of the ECP and wouldseriously damage its credibility.

COURT NOTICE

In the Court ChMahmood-ul-Hassan

Additional Session JudgeMandi bahauddin

Abdul Ahad Naseem etc VsSultan Ahmad etc.Appeal Civil.Memo.

Sohail Ahmad , Rafaqatsons of Sultan Ahmad aliasmoonda Caste Gondal R/oKandha wala Tehsil and DisttMandi Bahauddin.

Whereas the services ofabove mentioned respondentsis not possible through ordi-nary means, therefore, he isdirected to attend this courtpersonally or through hiscouncil on 16-6-13. Otherwisethe ex party proceedings shallbe taken against him.

Given under my hand andseal of the Court.

Sd/-Additional Session Judge

Mandi Bahauddin

ECP rapped overFrom Page 1

Agency during Friday congrega-tions,” the officials of the districtadministration said adding thedeath toll was feared to mount.

As the twin blasts badlydamaged the mosques, a largenumber of faithfuls were trappedunder the debris and since thearea is looked in a distant village,the rescue teams arrived late toretrieve the dead bodies and thewounded persons. The law en-forces also rushed to the site ofthe blast and cordoned off the siteof the blasts to facilitate the res-cue operation.

The victims were rushed tothe hospitals in Dargai andBatkhela for treatment where thedoctors pronounced 20 peopledead while fifty others were ad-mitted for treatment with hospi-tal sources saying at least fifteenpeople were in precarious condi-tion. Emergency was declared inthe hospitals. The critical injuredwere shifted to hospitals inMardan and Peshawar.

The sources in the districtadministration said the curfewwas clamped in the area and thesecurity forces kicked off searchoperation but the miscreants con-tinued to be at large. While noorganization has accepted the re-sponsibility for the deadly blasts,the security officials talking toPakistan Observer, apprehendedthe involvement of foreign handin the twin blasts.

Malakandmosques

From Page 1

Li’s first int’l tripFrom Page 1

Kabul wants lethal weaponsFrom Page 1

the Rental Power Plant contactswere not transparent and hadasked NAB to recover the moneyfrom the owners of the projectswith interest for the period theyhad kept it.

Earlier this week, the anti-cor-ruption body summoned formerprime minister Raja Pervez Ashrafto record his statement in the Rs22billion RPPs scam.

Ashraf submitsFrom Page 1

suffered during his election campaign.

Imran Khan reportedly toldThompson that Altaf Hussain’sstatements were against Britishlaw and that action should betaken against it.

He also told the British HighCommissioner that the UK gov-ernment should issue a warningto the MQM chief.

The London Metropolitanpolice has already launched aninvestigation against MQMchief Altaf Hussain after com-plaints by hundreds of Britishand Pakistani citizens.

Imran urgesFrom Page 1

regional affairs, said the viceminister. During his visit to In-dia, Li will meet with IndianPresident Pranab Mukherjee andhold talks with Prime MinisterManmohan Singh. He will alsodeliver a keynote speech onChina-India relations and attendthe China-India Business Coop-eration Summit, Song said.

Vice Commerce MinisterJiang Yaoping said the two sidesare planning to sign a number ofdocuments on economic andtrade cooperation.A trade andinvestment promotion group willalso visit India during the sameperiod, said Jiang.

“China hopes the upcomingvisit will cement the bilateralstrategic cooperative partnershipand beef up cooperation in mu-tual investment, trade and infra-structure,” said Song.

According to statistics fromthe Ministry of Commerce, thebilateral trade volume reached66.5 billion U.S. dollars in2012.”At such a growth rate, thetwo sides are expected to hit thedesignated target of 100 billionU.S. dollars on schedule,” Jiangsaid, referring to the bilateraltrade volume goal for 2015.Li’svisit to Pakistan will come justas Pakistan has recently con-cluded its general election, whichis “a sign of the high level ofmutual trust and the specialfriendship between the two coun-tries,” said Song.

He said China hopes the up-coming visit will send positivesignals to the people of bothcountries and the internationalcommunity that China values itsrelations with Pakistan and iscommitted to inheriting the tra-ditional friendship and expand-ing mutually beneficial coopera-tion between the two sides.

During his visit to Pakistan,Li will meet with President ofPakistan Asif Ali Zardari andmeet with Pakistani leaders fromthe country’s parliament, politi-cal parties and military, includ-

ing Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,president of Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz (PML-N).OnTuesday, the Election Commis-sion of Pakistan announced elec-tion results for 254 National As-sembly seats, with PML-N tak-ing a majority 123 seats.

“China is glad to see thatPakistan’s general election hasbeen held smoothly,” Song said,adding that China respects thechoice of the people ofPakistan.As an all-weather part-ner, China will continue to firmlysupport Pakistan’s efforts tomaintain stability and seek devel-opment, he said.” We are con-vinced that through joint efforts,the China-Pakistan strategic co-operative partnership will belifted to a new level,” he added.

During Li’s visit to Paki-stan, the two sides are sched-uled to sign three intergovern-mental deals on economic andtrade cooperation, and China’strade and investment promotiongroup will also visit the coun-try. As developed countries,Switzerland and Germany areimportant economic and tradepartners for China in Europe.China and the two Europeannations are economicallycomplementary, said Song.

China’s huge market has pro-vided great business opportuni-ties for Switzerland and Ger-many, while Europe’s advancedtechnologies will help China inachieving its economic transfor-mation. During his visit to Swit-zerland, Premier Li will meetwith President of the Confedera-tion Ueli Maurer, Vice-Presidentof the Confederation DidierBurkhalter and Head of FederalDepartment of Economic AffairsJohann Schneider-Ammann.

“Li’s visit to Switzerlandwill push forward bilateral tiesand make bilateral cooperationa model of friendly exchangesbetween countries with differ-ent social systems,” saidSong.— Xinhua

tion in Afghanistan would ulti-mately serve Pakistan’s nationalinterests too. Incidentally, Euro-pean Union’s special representa-tive Afghanistan VygaudasUsackas, who is here on a shortvisit, said it will be upto the In-dian and Afghan governments todecide on the intensity of defencecooperation. “India is viewedfavourably (in Afghanistan),” hesaid. Both Usackas and Abdalistressed the need for regionalstakeholders to work together.

Meanwhile, Russian statearms exporter Rosoboronexporthas announced that Russia will

deliver 12 Mil Mi-17V5 militarytransport helicopters to Afghani-stan national army by the end of2013. The delivery of the heli-copters to Afghan armed forcesis part of the $367.5 million dealsigned between Pentagon andRosoboronexport in 2011, whichincluded delivery of 21 Mi-17V5s.

US officials have also an-nounced that the deal with theRosoboronexport could be worthup to $900 million which willalso include spares and servicing.

Rigory Kozlov, director ofRosobornexport’s helicopter ex-

ports department quoted byRussia’s state news agency, RiaNovosti said, “The option agree-ment has been signed and thedelivery will be completed by theend of this year.” Kozlov saidPentagon has already started pay-ing for the option deal as well asdelivering US equipment to beinstalled on Russian helicoptersspecifically for Afghan missions.

According to GrigoryKozlov, additional Mi17 helicop-ters will be purchased for theAfghan national security forcesdespite opposition from a num-ber of US lawmakers.—INP

Ahmad Khan Leghari along withthree independent MPAs fromDG Khan met Nawaz Sharif andformally announced to join thePML-N.

They reposed their full con-fidence in the PML-N leadershipand expressed resolve to workdevotedly for the betterment ofthe country as well as nation.

Nawaz welcomed them inthe fold of the party and hopedthat the PML-N will become astrong force in the parliament, toserve the people.

NPP mergedwith PML-N

From Page 1

activists, the PML-N seniorleader Muhammad ShahbazSharif said that projects such asMetro Bus Service, Laptop Dis-tribution Scheme, Ashiana Hous-ing Scheme and UjalaProgramme were aimed at mak-ing common man the major ben-eficiary of national resources. Headded that scope of these projectswould be widened from Punjabto other parts of the country.

He said steering the countryout of crises and ensuring sustain-able socio-economic develop-ment will be the priority of thePML-N government. He said thePML-N has finalized prioritiesand expressed the confidence thatit will produce positive resultsduring 100 days after assumingpower. Shahbaz asked the PML-N workers to forge unity in theirranks and devote their energiesfor the well being of countrymen.

‘Yaum-e-Tashakkur’From Page 1

made by coalition partners toaddress the grievances of theBaloch masses. Responding toa question, the newly nominatedparliamentary leader of PML-N,Nawab Sanaullah Zehri said thathe would make all possible ef-forts to take all political forceson board for durable peace in theviolence-stricken province.“Peace is my first priority,” Zehrisaid. Chief of National Party, DrMalik Baloch said that new coa-lition partners are determined toensure good governance in theprovince.

“Despite the odds, we willdeliver,” Baloch added. “We be-lieve in dialogue not use offorce,” he responded to a ques-tion regarding initiating possibletalks with Baloch resistancefighters in Balochistan. Balochsaid that they wanted peace andfor this purpose meaningful dia-

logue would be started with allpolitical forces. Meanwhile, theparliamentary committee of Pa-kistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Friday unanimously nomi-nated Sardar Sanaullah Zehri asthe parliamentary leader of itsparty in Balochistan.

The meeting of PML-N par-liamentary committee was heldin Quetta, in which party’s leaderMir Jan Muhammad Jamali rec-ommended the name of Mr. Zehrias the parliamentary leader ofPML-N in Balochistan that wasapproved unanimously by thecommittee later.

On the other hand, JamiatUlema-e-Islam-F has nominatedMaulana Abdul Wasay as the par-liamentary leader of its party inthe province. The JUI-F leaderMaulana Muhammad KhanSherani said that a 4-membercommittee has been constituted

to contact other stakeholders forthe formation of government inthe province. He claimed that theelection results of the provincewere forged but they wouldn’tprotest against it. Meanwhile,Awami National Party (ANP) hasrefused to join the government inBalochistan. ANP spokesmanZahid Khan said that party chiefAsfandyar Wali has stopped hisprovincial leader and MPA-electfrom PB-12 Qila Abdullah,Zamarak Khan from joining gov-ernment. He has been directed tosit in the opposition in the prov-ince. Zahid Khan said, Zamarakwas invited to join the govern-ment, however, as per the deci-sion of party’s central executivecommittee, ANP would play itsrole as opposition in centre andprovinces.

3 parties to form coalitionFrom Page 1

nounce that.” Jalil said that adecision is expected later on Fri-day. Raza Haroon added that thematter was about the public’sright to vote and re-enforcing thefaith in voting. “The ECP shouldhave looked at the larger inter-est of the people.” “This was agolden opportunity for the ECPto demonstrate to the people thatwhile they could not conductflawless elections everywhere,they could have conducted ex-emplary elections in NA-250.”

Earlier, the Election Com-mission of Pakistan on Fridayhad rejected Muttahida QaumiMovement’s request to conductre-polling in the entire constitu-ency of NA-250 Karachi.

The commission issued or-ders to the Chief SecretarySindh and IG Sindh to ensureproper security on the electionday for 43 selected polling sta-tions of the constituency. TheECP also asked for deploymentof army personnel inside thepolling booths.

MQM leader Farooq Sattarhad earlier demanded all poll-ing stations of the NA-250 con-stituency in Karachi to be re-polled. Sattar had addressed themedia shortly after the ECP con-firmed its decision to conduct re-polling at 43 compromised poll-ing stations.

According to Sattar, the re-maining 142 polling stations ofNA-250 experienced the samedisorganisation and chaos the 43selected stations faced. Ballotboxes did not reach on time andin some cases, they neverreached at all. Farooq furtherstated it would be unfair to denythe same right to re-poll to allthe voters in the constituency.“It’s not about us, it’s about thedisenfranchisement of voters”,he added. Moreover, it was de-cided that military personnelwould be deployed both insideand outside the polling stationsduring re-polling.

Earlier, the ECP in a meet-ing headed by Chief ElectionCommissioner Justice (retd)Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim had re-served the decision to hold re-polling in NA-250 followingMQM’s petition. During thehearing, Deputy Convener ofMuttahida Quami Movement DrFarooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri andPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candi-date Arif Alvi were also presentin the commission. The ECP ver-dict states that re-polling willonly occur at the earlier an-nounced 43 polling stations in theNA-250 constituency on 19 May.

Drone strikeFrom Back Page

and the Defence Department’sacting counsel, Robert S. Taylor,said there are no geographicboundaries on future use againstgroups deemed affiliates of themain Al-Qaeda organization.

The hearing concerned onlytargeted killing conducted by themilitary. The vast majority ofdrone strikes have been carriedout by the CIA in Pakistan, whereAl-Qaeda leaders sought refugeafter the U.S.-led coalition tar-geted them in Afghanistan.

Sheehan said that while thepresident must approve eachmilitary strike, the Pentagon de-fines which groups are desig-nated as “associates” that pose athreat to U.S. security.—INP

MQM boycottsselective re-polling

in NA-250From Page 1

IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—Pakistan MuslimLeague Nawaz (PMLN) SindhSecretary Information Ali AkbarGujjar said that the electionswere full of rigging at the mas-sive scale, which proofs wereavailable to the PMLN. The poll-ing in Karachi was conducted by“Angels” and the results wereannounced by the election Com-mission.

He was talking to a delega-tion of observers from the Euro-pean Union at the PMLN MediaCell in Karachi.

Gujjar said that the PMLNhad undeniable and concreteproof of the rigging in the elec-tions but the election commissionwas not taking notice of the proofand was imposing its self-madedecisions. The election Commis-sion despite the fact that massivescale rigging was done in thegeneral elections, was claimingto have held the general electionin a free, fair and transparentmanner.

He said that the PMLN lead-ership and workers were not sat-isfied with the results of the elec-tions and had time and again ex-pressed their dissatisfaction andshowed deep concerns on the re-

sults. The PMLN had supportedthe Pakistan Muslim Leaguefunctional on its protest againstthe rigging in the elections andwould raise their voices on allforums over changes made in theresults. He said that the previousgovernment had thrown thecountry into the dearth of crises,which the PMLN leadershipwould try to tackle but with ut-most difficulty.

PML-N tells EU observersabout rigging in polls

BIPIN DANI

OBSERVER

CORRESPONDENT

MUMBAI—There are atleast five corruptedmatches in the current IPL,and not just the three, asclaimed by the Delhi police,it is learnt here.

According to highlyplaced sources, the infor-mation about spot-fixingtaking place in the on-go-ing IPL season was com-municated to the ICC bythe British betting expert,Edward Hawkins.

It may be recalled herethat Ed Hawkins was firstto allege that the India-Pa-kistan World Cup semi fi-nal match in 2011 wasfixed.

The three players-Sreesanth, Ajit Chandilaand Ankeet Chavan-hadagreed to concede a speci-

ICC was made awareabout the spot-fixing in five

(not three) IPL matchesfied minimum number of runsin a pre-decided over.

“The bowler cannot guar-antee it but a professionalbowler can pretty much (say)where he wants”, the bettingexpert Ed Hawkins, speakingexclusively, said, when askedhow can the bowler ensurethat the batsman scores ex-actly the number of runs he(bowler) wants.

Cricket is believed to bea batsmen’s game. Yes, “buthe (bowler) might bowl on theleg side, or ensure there areextras. It is simple enough”,the expert added.

Atul Kumar, who re-vealed the fixing-saga in hisbook (Inside the BoundaryLine) sought meeting withthe ICC’s Anti-Corruptionhead, Y.P.Singh, a few weeksback.

“Our meeting took placein ITC Maurya, Delhi”, AtulKumar reveals exclusively.

“He (Y.P.Singh) told me thathe knew everything aboutbetting and appeared to feelhappy that there was noproof about existence ofsession betting”.

“It was like a police of-ficer knowing about prosti-tution continuing in theneighbourhood, but feelingcomfortable that no onewas complaining. He wasnot at all keen to learn orknow anything from a lessermortal like me”, Atul Kumaradded.

“You may talk to a fewcricket experts and get theirviews also on how a bowleralone, without involvementof batsmen, and may befielders also, ensure howmany runs will be scored inan over”.

“Bowler can only facili-tate scoring of runs, he can’teven remotely ensure that”,Atul Kumar signed off.

NEW DELHI: Alleged suspects in the IPL spot-fixing case are brought to a court.

KARACHI—InternationalCricket Council (ICC) Fridayannounced umpire andmatch referee appointmentsfor the group stage as wellas the warm-up stage of ICCChampions Trophy beingstaged in England andWales from June 6 to 23.

The match referees’ onduty for the tournament willbe Chris Broad, JavagalSrinath and Andy Pycroft.

12 ICC Umpires, panelincludes world’s top umpirefrom Pakistan Aleem Darbesides Asad Rauf, BillyBowden, KumarDharmasena, Steve Davis,Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould,Tony Hill, RichardKettleborough, Nigel Llong,Bruce Oxenford, and RodTucker.

Umpire appointmentsfor the warm-up matches tobe played at the three tour-nament venues - CardiffWales Stadium, Edgbastonand The Oval were also an-nounced. As at previousICC events, the warm-upmatches will not carry offi-cial ODI status.

Appointments for thesemi-finals and the final willbe announced in duecourse. Warm-up matches:May 30: Sri Lanka v Pakistan

(D/N), Edgbaston- BruceOxenford and Rod Tucker(on-field umpires), MaraisErasmus (third umpire), Rich-ard Kettleborough (fourthumpire). June 1 India v SriLanka (D), Edgbaston- TonyHill and Ian Gould (on-fieldumpires), Bruce Oxenford(third umpire), Rod Tucker(fourth umpire). Australia vWest Indies (D/N), Cardiff -Kumar Dharmasena andAsad Rauf (on-field um-pires), Billy Bowden (thirdumpire). June 3: Pakistan vSouth Africa (D), The Oval -Michael Gough and TimRobinson (on-field), MartinSaggers (third umpire), MikeBurns (fourth umpire). June4: Sri Lanka v West Indies(D), Edgbaston - Nick Cookand Peter Hartley (on-field),Paul Baldwin (third umpire).Australia v India (D), Cardiff- Rob Bailey and NeilMallender (on-field), AlexWharf (third umpire), NeilBainton (fourth umpire).Tournament Matches: June 6:India v South Africa (D),Cardiff - Ian Gould and BruceOxenford (on-field umpires),Rod Tucker (third umpire),Asad Rauf (fourth umpire),Andy Pycroft (match ref-eree). June 7 : West Indies vPakistan (D), The Oval - Steve

Davis and Nigel Llong (on-field umpires), Tony Hill(third umpire), RichardKettleborough (fourth um-pire), Chris Broad (match ref-eree). June 8: England v Aus-tralia (D), Edgbaston -Kumar Dharmasena andMarais Erasmus (on-fieldumpires), Billy Bowden(third umpire), Aleem Dar(fourth umpire), JavagalSrinath (match referee). June9: Sri Lanka v New Zealand(D), Cardiff - Rod Tucker andAsad Rauf (on-field um-pires), Ian Gould (third um-pire), Bruce Oxenford (fourthumpire), Andy Pycroft(match referee). June 10: Pa-kistan v South Africa (D/N),Edgbaston - Billy Bowdenand Richard Kettleborough(on-field umpires), KumarDharmasena (third umpire),Nigel Llong (fourth umpire),Javagal Srinath (match ref-eree). June 11: India v WestIndies (D), The Oval - TonyHill and Aleem Dar (on-fieldumpires), Steve Davis (thirdumpire), Marais Erasmus(fourth umpire), Chris Broad(match referee). June 12:Australia v New Zealand(D), Edgbaston - KumarDharmasena and Nigel Llong(on-field umpires), RichardKettleborough (third um-

ICC announces umpire, matchreferees for Champions Trophy 2013

pire), Ian Gould (fourth um-pire), Chris Broad (matchreferee). June 13: England vSri Lanka (D/N), The Oval -Billy Bowden and AleemDar (on-field umpires),Marais Erasmus (third um-pire), Tony Hill (fourth um-pire), Javagal Srinath(match referee). June 14:West Indies v South Africa(D), Cardiff - Steve Davisand Asad Rauf (on-fieldumpires), Bruce Oxenford(third umpire), Rod Tucker(fourth umpire), AndyPycroft (match referee).June 15: India v Pakistan(D), Edgbaston - RichardKettleborough and IanGould (on-field umpires),Nigel Llong (third umpire),Kumar Dharmasena (fourthumpire), Chris Broad (matchreferee). June 16: England vNew Zealand (D), Cardiff -Rod Tucker and BruceOxenford (on-field umpires),Asad Rauf (third umpire),Steve Davis (fourth umpire),Andy Pycroft (match ref-eree). June 17: Sri Lanka vAustralia (D), The Oval -Tony Hill and MaraisErasmus (on-field umpires),Aleem Dar (third umpire),Billy Bowden (fourth um-pire), Javagal Srinath (matchreferee).—APP

NEW DELHI—The Delhipolice will questionRajasthan Royals ownersShilpa Shetty and her hus-band Raj Kundra in the IPLspot-fixing case. Accordingto India media reports, othermembers of the managementand team including CaptainRahul Dravid will also bequestioned by the police.

Three players from theRajasthan Royals, SSreesanth, Ajit Chandia andAnkeet Chavan along witheleven bookies were arrestedon spot-fixing charges andwere placed in police remandfor five days on Thursday.

BCCI to discuss spot-fixing issue tomorrow

IPL Spot-fixing: Police toquestion Shilpa, husband

On Friday, S Sreesanthand Chavan confessed tospot-fixing, Delhi police said.A day after suspending threeRajasthan Royals cricketerswho were arrested for theiralleged involvement in spot-fixing during the IPL, theBCCI has convened an emer-gency meeting of its workingcommittee, the panel respon-sible for its functioning, inChennai on Sunday.

“The Working Committeewill discuss, among otherthings, the fallout of the spot-fixing controversy in the on-going IPL, in which threeplayers have been arrested

by the Delhi Police,” BCCIsecretary Sanjay Jagdalesaid in a statement issued onFriday. Jagdale also con-firmed the arrest and suspen-sion of Amit Singh, theGujarat and former RajasthanRoyals cricketer who wascaught in the spot-fixingscandal as a bookie.

Despite the Delhi Policeinterrogating all the fourcricketers that have been ar-rested so far, there is a grow-ing feeling among the BCCImembers that all the playersshould be “banned for life”even before the investiga-tions are over.

“These players have tar-nished the image of the gameso much that it would take along time for us to restore it,”a member told ESPNcricinfo,preferring anonymity. “Itwould be prudent to actswiftly and not lose theBCCI’s and Indian cricket’scredibility any further.”

However, the BCCI presi-dent N Srinivasan is likely toplay it safe and constitute aninternal inquiry panel thatwill work with BCCI’s disci-plinary committee.

IPL chairman RajivShukla, addressing the mediafor the first time since thecontroversy erupted, statedthat the board would takeaction against players foundguilty of spot-fixing. “We willbe taking some importantdecisions [at the workingcommittee meeting]. Thestrongest possible action willbe taken against the guilty.Whoever is found to be in-volved in spot-fixing will notbe spared,” Shukla said.

Shukla also revealed thatBCCI’s anti-corruption andsecurity unit (ACSU),headed by Ravi Sawani, hasbeen asked to investigate thematter and submit its report.“If we have Sawani’s prelimi-nary report by Sunday, wewill go through it and discussit,” Shukla said. It has alsobeen learned that Srinivasanhas also asked the ACSU tobe represented at the meet-ing.

While Srinivasan hadstarted consultations withhis colleagues for theChennai meeting, the cityalso had a lot of action onthe spot-fixing front sinceThursday night.—Agencies

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea: Unheralded journeyman Kim Chang-yoon fired a course-record 10-under-par 62 on Friday to lead after two rounds of OneAsia’s SK Telecom Open.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi police will question Rajasthan Royals owners Shilpa Shetty andher husband Raj Kundra in the IPL spot-fixing case.

LONDON—New Zealand’s TimSouthee took two wickets intwo balls as England collapsedon the second day of the firstTest at Lord’s on Friday.

At lunch, England, whohad won the toss, were 209for eight, having lost fourwickets for nine runs in 17balls against accurate NewZealand seam bowling inovercast conditions JonnyBairstow, three not out over-night, was unbeaten on 29,with Steven Finn two not out.

England resumed on 160for four.

England vs NZ 1st Investec Test

Southee at the doubleas England slump

Joe Root (25 not outovernight) and Yorkshire col-league Bairstow kept NewZealand at bay for more thanan hour after the new ball wastaken in Friday’s first over.

Root came into thismatch, his home Test debut,on the back of making 179 forthe second-string EnglandLions against New Zealand.

But there was no similarsuccess on Friday.

Southee made the break-through with one of hisworst deliveries of the ses-sion, a ball down the legside.

Root, however, did notget enough on his glance andwas caught behind bywicket-keeper BJ Watling for40, the best individual scoreof the innings so far.

New batsman Matt Priorhad frustrated New Zealandwith a superb unbeaten hun-dred that ensured a draw anda 0-0 result in a three-matchseries when the teams lastmet in Auckland in March.

But the wicketkeeper waslbw first ball Friday toSouthee, caught on thecrease. He reviewed SteveDavis’s decision but theAustralian umpire’s verdictwas upheld.

Stuart Broad survived thehat-trick, the ball whistlingpast his off-stump.

But he was soon out fornought when plumb lbw to afull-length ball from NeilWagner before the left-armpaceman had Graeme Swanncaught behind.—AFP

England 1st innings:Cook c Watling b Boult 32Compton b Martin ...... 16Trott c Brownlie b Boult 39Bell c Watling b Wagner31Root b Southee ........... 40Bairstow c & b Southee 41Prior lbw b Southee ...... 0Broad lbw b Wagner ..... 0Swann b Wagner ........... 5Finn lbw b Southee ....... 4Anderson not out ......... 7Extras: (b1, lb9, w2, nb5) 17Total: (all out) ............ 232Fall of wickets 1-43, 2-67,3-112, 4-157, 5-192, 6-192, 7-195, 8-201, 9-221, 10-232Bowling: ......... O-M-R-WBoult ............... 27-10-48-2Southee ......... 28.2-8-58-4Wagner ............. 28-8-70-3Martin ............. 26-12-38-1Williamson ........... 3-1-8-0

Kim Chang-yoonhits course record

to lead SKTelecom Open

JEJU ISLAND (South Ko-rea)—Unheralded journey-man Kim Chang-yoon fired acourse-record 10-under-par62 on Friday to lead after tworounds of OneAsia’s SKTelecom Open on SouthKorea’s Jeju Island.

Kim’s ten birdies left himat 14-under after day two ofthe tournament, one strokeahead of overnight leaderMatt Griffin (67) from Austra-lia. Fellow Australian JasonNorris posted his second 66for sole possession of thirdplace at the Pinx Golf Club,with Korea’s Park Do-kyu (66)one more behind.

Kim only made it into theone billion won ($900,000)tournament as an alternatehaving all but lost his statuson the Korean domestic tourby making just two cuts lastyear. Although he has onetournament victory to hisname—the 2007 KPGAChampionship—his nine-year professional career hasmostly been middle-of-the-road seasons.

The 29-year-old put hisrecord-breaking successdown to gum chewing.

“I have never done it be-fore, but I decided to chewgum so that I would concen-trate,” he said. “I don’t knowhow much I chewed, but ithelped,” he said in a OneAsiapress release.—AFP

LAHORE—Athletics Federa-tion of Pakistan (AFP) hasdecided to dedicate the 45thedition of the National Ath-letics Championship in thememory of late Syed ZakirHussain Syed, a former direc-tor general of Pakistan SportsBoard.

The premier activity, bothfor men and women, will beorganised May 24 at Jinnahstadium Islamabad and all theaffiliated units of the AFP willtake part, said a spokesmanof AFP here on Friday.

He said late Zakir renderedmeritorious services for thecause of sports in the country

Athletics C’ship dedicated to Zakir Syedand the AFP has decided todedicate the championship tohim to acknowledge his valu-able contributions as a sportsadministrative.

Around 500 men andwomen athletes will chip in thethree-day event, SecretaryGeneral, Athletics Federationof Pakistan (AFP) MuhammadZafar said on Friday.

He said the championshiphad been dedicated to lateSyed Zakir Hussain, formerDirector General of the Paki-stan Sports Board (PSB).

“The Federations has de-cided to invite the wife of lateDG PSB besides a number of

former international athletesto witness the event”, headded. He said athletes fromall the four provinces, AzadJammu and Kashmir, Feder-ally Administered Tribal Ar-eas (FATA), Gilgit-Baltistan,Pakistan Army, Pakistan AirForce (PAF), Navy, WAPDAand Higher Education Com-mission (HEC) would partici-pate in the three-day event.

“The championship willalso help in the selection ofathletes for future assign-ments such as the Asian Ath-letics Championship andWorld Championships”, hesaid.—APP

Chairman PCBenquires afterImran’s health

LAHORE—Chairman ,Paki-stan Cricket Board,Mohammad Zaka Ashraf onFriday expressed the hopethat Board of Control forCricket in India will take ap-propriate measures to stopspot fixing in the Indian Pre-mier league.

“It was very unfortunateto know about spot fixing inIPL and I think India will holda transparent inquiry in thematter to determine all as-pects that led to it and to comeup with measures to stop itshappening,” he was talkingto the media after inquiringafter the health of former Pa-kistan captain, Imran Khan atShaukat Khanam hospital.

The Chairman was ac-companied by Director Gen-eral, PCB, Javed Miandadand Director game develop-ment, Intikhab Alam.—APPSport Climbing

ChampionshipISLAMABAD—Islamabad Al-pine Association (IAA) incollaboration with AlpineClub of Pakistan (ACP) andSports for Kids and Youth isorganizing Inter-School SportClimbing Championship.

The Championship wouldbe held on Sunday (May 19)here at Hockey Ground, G-9/3.Various schools are going toparticipate in the event. A to-tal of three categories will beplayed in the championship in-cluding Under-8, Under-12and Under-16 for both boysand girls.—APP

PML-N’s Sajidwins NA seatVEHARI—PML-N candidatefrom NA-168 secured 15,000votes lead in recounting of votes.According to details, recountingto votes were held in NA-168-Vehari constituency on Thursday.Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N) Sajid Mehdi Shah re-tained the seat by beating Paki-stan Tehrik-e-Insaf candidateIshaq Khan Khakwani with amargin of 15,000 votes.—Online

MQM observesDay of ThanksLAHORE—The MuttahidaQaumi Movement (MQM)Punjab is observing “Day ofThanks” on the appeal of MQMleader Altaf Hussain over thevictory in election in Karachiand Hyderabad. Special QuranKhawani and prayers were offeredin Punjab and district offices ofMQM in this connection. Appeal-ing for “Yum-e-Tashakur” AltafHussain said that it was very dif-ficult for MQM voters to cast theirvotes mid terrorist attacks on theactivists. —APP

Independentjoins PTIPE S H AWA R—IndependentMPA-elect from PK-42 Hangu,Farid Khan has announced join-ing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI) on Friday. Farid said hehas taken the decision of join-ing PTI with the consent of histribe which would provide theopportunities of development inhis constituency. —APP

PPP acceptselection resultsLAHORE—The PakistanPeople’s Party accepts result ofthe elections 2013 in the nationalinterests despite reservations.PPP Lahore Information Secre-tary Abid Hussain Siddiqui saidthis in a statement here on Fri-day. He said the PakistanPeoples Party would cooperatewith victorious parties addingthat the PPP always supportedinterests of the country, how-ever, the party would opposeevery step which would beagainst the country. He said thePPP had adopted the reconcilia-tion politics and it would con-tinue to follow the same for thenation. He said the PPP wantedto strengthen democratic institu-tions and democracy for prosper-ity of the people.—APP

Terrorism attemptfoiledLORALAI—Police claimed tohave foiled an attempt of terror-ism on Thursday night in Loralaiarea According to details, po-lice was informed about pres-ence of a suspected bag in afield in Kali Azgharloon area.Police along bomb disposalsquad reached the spot, tookpossession of the bag and dif-fused the explosive packed inthe bag. Sources said that 16kilogram explosive materialwas packed in the bag. Policehave launched further investi-gations in the regard. —INP

ISLAMABAD: JUI (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, MNA-elect, exchanging views with Saudi Arabia Ambassador toPakistan Abdul Aziz Bin Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer

SRINAGAR—Reacting tonoted writer and legal luminaryA G Noorani’s claim thatMuhammad Ali Jinnah had re-jected Lord Mountbatten’splebiscite plan in 1947,Hurriyat Conference (G) chair-man Syed Ali Geelani saidNoorani has ignored historicfacts as Jinnah never opposedplebiscite proposal.

The Hurriyat (G) chairmanalso rejected the four-pointproposal, stating that imple-

mentation of UN resolutions onKashmir was the only way out.

In a statement issued here,Geelani said Noorani has dis-torted realities vis-à-vis Kash-mir.

“We blame Noorani for hisdeliberate attempt to distort thefacts regarding history andKashmir issue. We also reject hisidea of four-point proposal asUN resolutions and right to selfdetermination is the only solu-tion,” Geelani said. “We willcontinue to oppose every step

that would favour status-quo onKashmir.” Taking a dig atNoorani, Geelani said the writerby advocating four-point pro-posal has rubbed salt on thewounds of people of Kashmirwho have offered priceless sac-rifices. “Noorani should readwriting on the wall that situa-tions across the globe changeand India would one day acceptthe disputed nature of Kashmirand allow right to self determi-nation,” he said.

He said Jinnah had some

reservations with SheikhMuhammad Abdullah whowas the Emergency Adminis-trator of J&K in 1947. “He(Jinnah), however, was notagainst the plebiscite pro-posal,” Geelani said. “Whenplebiscite proposal reachedJinnah for the first time, hestated owing to the partitionprinciple, J&K has 85 per centMuslim population and hencethe state should go with Paki-stan.

Jinnah also stated that

Noorani’s remarks rebutted

Jinnah never opposed plebiscite: Geelani

PPP rules outZardari’s

resignationISLAMABAD—President AsifAli Zardari has no intention toresign before the expiry of hisconstitutional term; SenatorFarhatullah Babar clarified onFriday.

Babar’s remarks came overrumours that President Zardariwas planning to resign follow-ing his party’s crushing defeatin the general election.

There is no question ofZardari leaving the presidency,according to Babar.

The former ruling party,PPP, has suffered a humiliatingdefeat in the election. It hasbeen wiped out from Punjab,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa andBalochistan.

But PPP got some respitein Sindh, where it emerged asthe single largest party by bag-ging 67 seats.—NNI

Stamped ballotpapers found in garbage dump

STAFF REPORTER

QUETTA—More than 80stamped ballot papers werefound from a garbage dump inGulistan Road, Quetta.

The ballot papers werestamped in favour of three dif-ferent part ies, includingHazara Democratic Party.

On receiving information,Chairman HDP Abdul KhaliqHazara rushed to the sceneand witnessed the ballot pa-pers.

He said they had alreadyexpressed apprehensionsabout rigging, and our stancewas vindicated as the dumpedpapers were carrying stampson HDP’s election symbol.

He demanded of the Elec-tion Commission of Pakistanto conduct re-polling in PB-2.

ISLAMABAD—The ElectionCommission of Pakistan (ECP)on Friday asked the winningcandidates of national and pro-vincial assemblies to submittheir returns of election expensesto returning officers by May 20.This is legal requirement.

The election expenses ofa contesting candidate for elec-tion to a seat in the NationalAssembly was not exceed Rs 1.5million and to a seat in case ofprovincial assembly Rs 1 mil-

lion. “All vouchers should ac-company the account of electionexpenses, duly arranged accord-ing to the date of payment andserially numbered and such se-rial numbers should be enteredin the appropriate column of therelevant account.

The candidates who wouldbe elected against reserved seatsfor women and minoritiesshould also file their Returns ofElection Expenses to the Return-ing Officers concerned.

Any successful candidateincluding the candidates forseats reserved for women andnon-Muslims shall not be noti-fied in the official gazette, un-less the candidate deposits theReturns of Election Expenses asrequired under the law.

The ECP also asked the in-dependent candidates to submitan affidavit stating that each oneof them is joining a particularpolitical party voluntarily andwithout any coercion.—APP

Winners to submit electionexpenses returns by May 20

WASHINGTON—A senior De-fense Department official saidThursday that the Pentagon seesno need to change the broad con-gressional authorization underwhich the military conducts le-thal drone strikes against terror-ist targets and estimated that thewar with al-Qaeda could con-tinue for up to two decades, saida report published in Washing-ton Post.

“At this point we’re com-fortable with the AUMF as it iscurrently structured,” AssistantDefense Secretary MichaelSheehan said of the Authoriza-tion for the Use of MilitaryForce passed by Congress in2001. “Right now it serves itspurpose,” he said.

“In my judgment,” Sheehansaid in testimony before the Sen-

ate Armed Services Committee,“this is going to go on for quitea while, yes, beyond the secondterm of the president. I think it’sat least 10 to 20 years.”

President Obama haspledged to be more transparentabout the secret targeted killingprogram that has included nearly400 CIA and military dronestrikes during his administra-tion.

Congress has begun tograpple with its oversight roleand authority to approve decla-rations of war like the one inwhich the administration says itis engaged. Lawmakers havequestioned whether the AUMF,enacted days after the Sept. 11,2001, al-Qaeda attacks, shouldbe scrapped or rewritten to ap-ply to what has become a starkly

different anti-terrorist campaignnearly 12 years later.

The law authorized thepresident to use whatever mili-tary force he deemed necessaryagainst those who “planned, au-thorized, committed or aided”the 2001 attacks or “harboredsuch organizations or persons, inorder to prevent any future actsof international terrorism againstthe United States by such na-tions, organizations or persons.”

Originally interpreted to ap-ply to al-Qaeda and the Talibanin Afghanistan, in recent years,the AUMF has been expandedto authorize drone strikes againstwhat the administration calls al-Qaeda “associates” as far afieldas Yemen and Somalia. Sheehan

Drone strike authorization policydoesn’t need to change: US

KABUL—Russia, predicting in-stability once NATO-led troopswithdraw from Afghanistan by theend of next year, is consideringdeploying border guards on theTajik-Afghan border, Moscow’senvoy to Kabul told Reuters in aninterview.

Moscow, still sore from itsdisastrous, decade-long war inAfghanistan in the 1980s, is in-creasingly concerned by what itdescribes as the combined threatof narcotics and terrorism reach-ing Russia through former SovietCentral Asian countries.

”We prefer to tackle this prob-lem on the Afghan border to stopthese threats,” Andrey Avetisyansaid late on Thursday in the Rus-sian embassy in Kabul.

Its sprawling grounds host aSoviet-built teal Volga car recov-

Russia to redeploy troopsalong Afghanistan border

ered in Afghanistan by embassystaff and a memorial to the 15,000Soviet lives lost in the war againstmujahideen fighters.

“We used to have a seriouspresence on the Afghan-Tajik bor-der and, at that time, the situationthere was much better, so it wouldbe in the interest of both Russiaand Tajikistan and even Afghani-stan if Russia is present there,” hesaid.Avetisyan said such a pres-ence would involve Russian bor-der troops, but declined to give anumber.

Russian border guards usedto patrol the Tajik frontier withAfghanistan but left in 2005, end-ing a Soviet-era legacy and hand-ing all power over to local au-thorities. Ex-Soviet Uzbekistanand Turkmenistan also border Af-ghanistan to its north.

Avetisyan said any agree-ment on border troop deploymentwould “of course” have to beagreed upon with Tajikistan.

Intensifying violence acrossAfghanistan, less than two yearsbefore foreign combat troopswithdraw, has sent tremors ofworry across Russia, which isbattling an Islamist insurgency inits North Caucasus as well aswidespread use of heroin and ahuge increase in the incidence ofHIV and AIDS.

Russia is involved in a seriesof ambitious constructionprojects in Afghanistan, includ-ing rebuilding its Soviet-era cul-tural centre ID:nL3E8MB2NJ],aimed at fostering stability inthe country which produces 90percent of the world’sopium.—Reuters

Two blasts claim49 lives in Iraq

BAQUBA, IRAQ—Two bombsnear a Sunni mosque and an-other against a Sunni funeral pro-cession killed 49 people in Iraqon Friday, officials said, after twodays of attacks against Shias thatkilled dozens.

The burst of violence raisesthe spectre of tit-for-tat killingscommon during the height of sec-tarian bloodletting in Iraq thatkilled tens of thousands ofpeople, and comes at a time ofsimmering tension betweenIraq’s Sunni minority and Shiamajority.

One bomb exploded as wor-shippers were departing the Sariamosque in the city of Baquba,north of Baghdad, while a sec-ond detonated after people gath-ered at the scene of the first blast,killing a total of 41 people andwounding 57, police and a doc-tor said.And in Madain, south ofBaghdad, a roadside bomb ex-ploded near a funeral processionfor a Sunni man, killing eightpeople and wounding at least 25,security and medical officialssaid. The bombings are the latestin a series of attacks that havetargeted both Sunni and Shiaplaces of worship in the past fewweeks and come after two daysof assaults against Shia tar-gets—AP

there was no need for plebisciteas J&K should be part of Paki-stan if partition principles wouldbe applied.”

Geelani, however, saidJinnah later accepted the pro-posal for the plebiscite on thecondition that Indian forces andtribals should vacate Kashmirand Governor Generals of Indiaand Pakistan should take overthe control of J&K and holdplebiscite without any delay.“This indicates that Jinnah didnot want any interference of

Sheikh Muhammad Abdullahwho had developed close rela-tions with Nehru,” he said.

He said Jinnah had disap-proved the authority of SheikhMuhammad Abdullah as “ad-ministrator” as the former haddeveloped close relations andintimacy with Jawahar LalNehru. “Keeping in view thesituation, there were apprehen-sions that Sheikh MuhammadAbdullah may favour India andhis open and favourable stand infavour of India had created

doubt about his approach,”Geelani said. “Sheikh hadcome closer to Indian leadersin 1938 when he convertedMuslims Conference into Na-tional Conference.”

Referring to Sheikh’s au-tobiography “Aatish-e-Chinar”,Geelani said SheikhMuhammad Abdullah too hasagreed that Jinnah had asked himto review and consider his stand,but he (Sheikh) ignored the pleaand signed the instrument of ac-cession with India.—NNI

Continued on Page 6

Pakistan to free51 Indianfishermen

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Prime MinisterJustice (R) Mir Hazar KhanKhoso ordered on Friday therelease 51 Indian fishermen onhumanitarian grounds as a ges-ture of goodwill. These prison-ers have already served theirsentences. The decision wastaken at a high level meeting at-tended by Federal Minister forLaw, Ahmer Bilal Sufi, ChiefMinister Sindh Justice (R) ZahidQurban Alvi and senior officialsof the Ministries of Interior, For-eign Affairs, Law and Justiceand PM’s Secretariat.

The Prime Minister ex-pressed the hope that the IndianGovernment will reciprocate thegesture and release the Pakistaniprisoners incarcerated in Indianjails. The Prime Minister was in-formed that presently 482 Indianprisoners were in Pakistani jailswhereas 496 Pakistanis were inIndian jails.

LAHORE—Minister for Infor-mation and Broadcasting ArifNizami said on Friday that care-taker government had fulfilledits promise by holding electionson time and soon power wouldbe transferred to elected repre-sentatives.

Addressing a press confer-ence here at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, hesaid that no major terrorism ac-tivity took place on the day ofelection, adding credit for it goesto Interior Ministry, PakistanArmy and other law enforce-ment agencies which ensuredlaw and order with out suspend-ing mobile service.

The minister said that theupcoming visit of Chinese primeminister was very important asit would lead to further strength-ening of economic and strategiccooperation between the twocountries

Responding to a question,

he said that ANP had faced a lotof terrorism but they had partici-pated in elections with greatcourage and spirit which headded was a commendable ontheir part.

He said all parties shouldaccept the mandate given bypeople to them and should notmake the electoral process con-troversial.

The minister said that over-all the ECP had played good rolein holding elections in the coun-try, adding the turnout was 60percent which showed positiveattitude of people.

Responding to anotherquery, the minister said that thefreedom of media could not besuppressed.

The Minister hoped thatMian Nawaz Sharif would tryand utilize all his experience toput the country on the road toprogress.—APP

Smooth transfer ofpower soon: Nizami

OBSERVER REPORT

PESHAWAR—Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf senior leader and soon-to-be Chief Minister of KhyberPakhtunkhwa province, PervezKhattak on Friday said that thecoming provincial governmentwas ready to hold talks with theoutlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Paki-stan militants.

We have no enmity with theTaliban, said the PTI centralSecretary General. He said theTaliban were also Pakistanis andthat they request the militantgroup to hold peace talks andwork for peace in the region ,

No enmity withTaliban: Khattak

reports a private TV Channel.“We appeal to Taliban that

we are not at war with you, thisprovince is yours and we arehopeful you will work for itspeace.

“We are not against anyoneand not here to fight anyone, wewant peace and development inour province and we want to talkto them, ” he said.

Pervaiz Khattak also saidthat they should be given achance to settle the problem.

“Our request to them is thatwe want peace in the provinceand that they should extend tous their help,” Khattak said.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—President Asif AliZardari has summoned a sessionof the Senate on Thursday (May23) at 10:00 AM in the ParliamentHouse here.

Spokesman to the President

Chinese PM to addressSenate on May 23

Senator Farhatullah Babar saidthat the Senate session will be ad-dressed by the visiting ChinesePremier Li Keqiang.

He said that as the Joint Ses-sion of the Parliament was not pos-sible by that date the visiting Chi-nese leader will address the Senate.

THE latest perpetrator of Escherichia coli (STEC), a significantcause of bacterial gastrointestinal

illness, is ready-to-bake commercial pre-packaged cookie dough. The discoverywas made following the 2009 investiga-tion of a nationwide (USA) outbreak ofShiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli.A new study, published online and inthe Clinical InfectiousDiseases describes theoutbreak and providessuggestions to preventthe bacteria in a strongmessage for consumers:The pre-packaged cook-ing dough must not beeaten before baking.

Researchers of thenew study, led by KarenNeil, MD, MSPH, andher team at the CDC(Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention)and at the health depart-ments of several statescame to two major con-clusions:

Cookie dough manu-facturers should con-sider reformulating their product toreach the same safety standard as ready-to-eat products Consumers be more ef-fectively educated about the risks ofconsuming unbaked goods.During the2009 E.coli outbreak, 77 people in 30states became infected with the bacte-ria whilst 35 infected people neededhospitalization.

E. coli food-related illnesses havepreviously been linked to various foods,including leafy green vegetables,sprouts, unpasteurized apple cider, mel-ons, salami, and ground beef. Environ-mental analysis, extensive back-tracing

and laboratory tests of the investiga-tion into the 2009 outbreak, resulted ina recall of 3.6 million cookie doughpackages.

Investigators were unable to tracethe bacteria back to any single source.Given that neither vehicles nor the pro-duction process linked to the doughcould be clearly identified as having

contributed to the con-tamination, ??Dr. Neil andhis team suspected thatthe source of contamina-tion may have been one ofthe ingredients used toproduce the dough, andalthough their investiga-tion did not conclusivelyimplicate flour, it remainsthe prime suspect.

By referring to use-bydates on the tainted prod-ucts over specific weeksand months, the investi-gators say the culpritmight have been just onepurchase of E. coli-con-taining flour that was usedin producing several lotsand varieties of dough.

In contrast to other ingredients inthe cookie dough, such as pasteurizedeggs, molasses, sugar, baking soda,and margarine, flour is typically notsubject to a “kill step” that eliminatespotentially present pathogens. Accord-ing to Dr. Neil, chocolate was also notimplicated given that the link of con-suming chocolate chip cookie doughto illnesses was lower in comparisonto other flavors of cookiedough.“Foods containing raw flourshould be considered as possible ve-hicles of infection of future outbreaksof STEC.”

Cookie dough E Coli Risk

ISLAMABAD: The capital is blooming these days with hue of flowers at all main roads and streets, adding to its beauty.

ISLAMABAD: People gather outside the UBL Building on Jinnah Avenue after reportsof a bomb in the building, which later proved false.

Solid measures to meet energy needsSTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Experts at aconference has underlinedthe need for taking solidsteps to effectively exploreand utilize natural resourcesespecially coal to meet thecountry’s growing energyneeds.

Presenting Energy Vi-sion 2030 at a conferencetitled, “Solutions for EnergyCrisis”, organized byIslamabad Policy ResearchInstitute (IPRI) and HannsSeidel Foundation,Islamabad Dr ShaukatHameed Khan, Vice Chan-cellor Sir Syed CASE-Insti-tute of technology saidthere was grave dichotomyat the policy base which re-sulted in offering quick andeffective solutions to thepower shortage problem be-ing faced by the country.

“The energy system wasnot attuned to technologywhich determined the de-mand supply equation andthere were home grown so-lutions available and coalabove every other resourceoffered a natural option butplanners had been neglect-ing these for over three de-cades now.” he added.

Unless the new govern-ment harmonized its frag-mented governance in thisrespect it would be hard toend power outages any-where in the near future.

He estimated the coun-try would need US $210 bil-lion in the next 20 years tomeet the growing energyneeds.

He favoured coal basedenergy but since mining ofThar coal could take longPakistan should import coalfor immediate use in place of

diesel and furnace oil. Amidst this hard and re-

alistic account of the state ofenergy a very emphatic andbright presentation wasmade by a young scientistSalman Qaisrani, Director,CWS Technologies, whoclaimed that the Coal WaterSlurry Combustion Technol-ogy offered the cheapest,quickest and most workablesolution in the short and me-dium term as it was based onlocal coal reserves of Thar.

The present thermalpower units now using ex-pensive imported furnace oilcould easily be converted touse this formulated materialwhich would reduce by onethird the present cost ofpower.

He claimed the entirechange over could be accom-plished in six months to oneyear.

He said it was not a newtechnology and was in usein Russia and China whileIndia was using it throughimported coal. The technol-ogy was offered to the pre-vious government but it didnot respond for its own rea-sons. Now the CWS tech-nology was being offered tothe private sector.

Earlier Mr N.A. Zuberi,Managing Director, PrivatePower and InfrastructureBoard, said the private sec-tor was producing the bulkof the electricity (46 %) butshortage fuel and funds wasconstraining generationgrowth.

He said work was apaceon the feasibility of MegaPower Parks based on im-ported and local coal. Ifthese parks materialized thecountry’s energy shortagewould end.

May 24

OXFORD UniversityPress and FoundationOpen Society InstitutePakistan, are delightedto host the 6thChildren’s LiteratureFestival in Pakistan. Thefirst CLF Islamabad willbe held on 24, 25 May,2013 at Pak-China Friend-ship Centre.

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Faculty of Engi-neering and Technology (FET)of International Islamic Univer-sity Islamabad (IIUI) organized4th annual Open House herewhich was attended by theProfessionals from Industry,organizations, institutions andacademies. Students pre-sented their innovative

IIUI’s annual open houseprojects on the occasion.Event, in both male and femalecampuses of the universitywas duly appreciated.

Speaking on the occasion,Dr. Anees Ahmed being chiefguest said that Pakistan pos-ses a valuable potential ofknowledge, we must equip ouryouth with solid research.

He said science and tech-nology plays vital role in theprogress of developing coun-tries that is why IIUI keenly fo-cuses on further improving itsengineering faculty. “IIUI stu-dents of engineering gettingeducation integrated with

teachings of Islam, this wouldprepare personalities betterthan others and will help themto fight with the contemporarychallenges in a better way” IIUIReactor said. He stressed uponthe students to devote theirselves for knowledge and as-sured them of every possiblesupport from IIUI in the regardof creative and unique projects.

Later, shield was presentedby Dr. Al-Draiweesh to Dr.Anees Ahmed while certifi-cates and shields were alsodistributed among the stu-dents who clinched positionsin the competition of stalls.

ISLAMABAD—The SupremeCourt has directed the In-spector General (IG) ofIslamabad Police and the CityChief Police Officer (CCPO)Rawalpindi to ensure protec-tion of lawyers in the twin cit-ies as during the past fewweeks several lawyers weremysteriously abducted andthen left after subjecting tosevere torture.

The instructions were is-sued during the hearing of aHuman Rights case regardingthe target killing of lawyersin the twin cities and subject-ing them to severe torturewhich engulfed fear amongthe lawyers’ fraternity.

A three-judge bench com-prising Chief Justice IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry, Jus-tice Jawwad S. Khawaja and

SC directs police toprovide security to lawyers

Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan re-sumed hearing in the case bythe lawyers of RawalpindiBar Council.

During the course of pro-ceeding, the bench was ap-prised that in recent past, fewlawyers were abducted andsubjected to severe tortureand nothing had been donefor the arrest of accused be-hind this target killing andviolence against lawyers.

The bench was apprisedthat Chaudhry ZulfiqarAhmed advocate was ab-ducted on May 3 and lateron killed after torturing him.

The lawyers furtherstated that BasharatullahAdvocate was also abductedby unknown persons onApril 21 and then was left insome unknown place after

torturing him brutally.The other two lawyers

named Mujeeb-ur-Rehmanand Sardar Manzar BashirKhan were abducted on April27 and May 9.

Both the lawyers werechased by some unknown ve-hicles with tinted glasses andthen were left in pathetic con-dition at some unknown place.

Zulfiqar Cheema, CCPORawalpindi apprised thecourt that they had issuedchallans to over 2000 ve-hicles during April 01 to May15 and the process was stillcontinuing. The lawyers,who were present in the apexcourt expressed concernover the prevailing situationof fear and agony in whichthe lawyers were not feelingprotected and safe.—APP

Deposits of 12PPP candidates

forfeitedRAWALPINDI—The securitydeposits of four National As-sembly (NA) and eight provin-cial assembly candidates of thePakistan People’s Party Parlia-mentarian (PPPP), fromRawalpindi have been for-feited.

According to Section 43 ofThe Representation of PeopleAct 1976, any candidate whofails to get one-eighth (12.5 %)of the total votes cast in a con-stituency from where he con-tests the polls, his securitydeposit would be forfeited.

In NA-53 Syed IntekhabShah got 14870 votes while thetotal votes polled in the con-stituency were 236,424; there-fore he could not obtain 12.5%of the total votes.

Similarly from NA-54Zamurd Khan of PPP couldonly get 7.99 % votes; fromNA-55 Chaudhry IftikharAhmed also could not manageto save his security deposit ashe obtained less than 12.5 %votes.

From NA-56, Raja IsrarAbbasi obtained 4,089 voteswhile the total votes polledwere 160,148.From the provin-cial constituencies of Rawalpindi whose results have beenannounced by the ECP, PPPSardar Iqbal got 3025 votesfrom PP-5, Chaudhry Kamranobtained 14534 votes from PP-7, Safeer Khan bagged 7250votes from PP-8, RizwanMoeed got 2843 votes fromPP-9, Raja Kamran obtained6943 votes from PP-14; RajaShahid papu obtained 7.7%votes from PP-13; BaberJadoon from PP-12 obtained9.1% votes and Khalid Bobigot only 4455 votes from PP-11.—APP

IT role indevelopmentCITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Minister for In-formation Technology andTelecom Dr. Sania Nishtar hassaid that promotion of Infor-mation Technology will play akey role in the developmentand prosperity of the country.

Addressing a seminar onWorld Telecommunicationand Information Society Dayon Friday, she said if we wantto compete with the devel-oped countries in the worldthen we need to develop theIT in all sectors includinghealth, education and engi-neering.

She said through informa-tion technology we can bringrevolution in the country. Thepromotion of IT can createjobs opportunity. She saidgovernment adopted a policyto promote Information Tech-nology for the bright futureof the country.

PNCA to screen15 short films

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Na-tional Council of the Arts(PNCA) on Wednesday(May 22) would screen 15short duration films selectedfor a competition out of 150movies.

According to PNCA, thetheme of competition is ‘Tol-erance is Peace,’ while, theduration of the films to bescreened in the competitionwould be up to three minutes.

In this connection,PNCA arranged a workshopin collaboration with MidasCommunication last maonthin three major cities includingLahore, Karachi andIslamabad.—APP

Advertising isn’t ascience. It’s persua-

sion. And persuasionis an art.

— Bill Bernbach

LEJA sessionStaff ReporterLAHORE—The LahoreEconomic JournalistsAssociation (LEJA) arranged asession with ChairmanPakistan Business Council,Sikandar M Khan, at theLahore Chamber of Commerceand Industry on May 21. Itwas announced in a pressrelease on Friday.

PQ activityKARACHI—Three shipscarrying containers andvehicles were berthed atQasim International Contain-ers Terminal on Thursday, portsources said here on Friday.Two more ships carryingcontainers and edible oil alsoarrived at the outer anchorageof Port Qasim during the last24 hours. Berth occupancywas 45% at the Port on Fridaywhere a total of five shipsnamely CGM Michaelas, MareAtlanticum, Alliance Fairtax,Bella- L and Bunga Azalea arecurrently occupying berths toload/ offload containers,vehicles, rice and edible oilrespectively.—APP

SBP injectsRs 324,950mKARACHI—State Bank ofPakistan (SBP) on Fridayinjected Rs 324,950 millioninto open market by acceptingbids of this value in its OpenMarket Operation (OMO). Thetotal bids offered for 7-daysinjection amounted Rs 439,450million, said a SBP statementhere.

Rates for conversionKARACHI—The following rateswill be applicable for conversioninto rupees of Foreign CurrencyDeposits, Dollar BearerCertificates, Foreign CurrencyBearer Certificates, Special U.S.Dollar Bonds and profits thereonby all banks and for providingForward Cover on ForeignCurrency Deposits (excludingF.E. 25 deposits) by the StateBank on May 20, 2013.—APP

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—The Bahrainbased leading Islamic bank-ing group, Al Baraka Bank-ing Group B.S.C (ABG) an-nounced that its net incomeincreased by 15% and totaloperating income by 16% inthe first quarter of 2013 com-pared to the same period of2012. Similarly, statement offinancial positions witnessedmoderate increases. Total as-sets increased by 2%, totaldeposits including equity ofinvestment accountholders by2% while total financing andinvestments remained un-changed at the end of March2013 as compared with the

Net income of Al Baraka Banking Group jumps by 15pc in Q1, assets reach $19.5bend of December 2012. TheGroup results in the first quar-ter of 2013 confirms once againthe successful business strate-gies carried out by the Groupand its units subsidiaries, basedon the diversification of prod-ucts and services offered to dif-ferent customer segments, withemphasis on quality and com-petitiveness, as well as the geo-graphical expansion of thebranch network, and improvethe human and operational en-vironment.

The financial statements ofthe Group for the first quarterof 2013 showed that the contin-ued improvement of businessenvironment reflected positivelyon income, with total operating

income of US$ 233 million inthe first quarter of 2013, an in-crease of 16% over same periodin 2012. After deducting all op-erating expenses, net operatingincome amounted US$ 116 mil-lion in first quarter of 2013,which represents an increase of18% compared to the net oper-ating income during the firstquarter of 2012. The net incomeamounted to US$ 66 in firstquarter of 2013 compared toUS$ 57 million in first quarterof 2012, which reflects an in-crease of 15%. This increasewas achieved despite the in-creases in the operating ex-penses of the Group on accountof further expansion in thebranch network and enhance-

ments in IT infrastructure andhuman resources. The net in-come attribut-able to parent’sshareholdersreached US$ 37million, whichrepresent an in-crease of 13%comparing tothe same periodlast year.

The totalassets of theG r o u pamounted toUS$ 19.5 bil-lion as at the end of March 2013,an increase of 2% over the com-parative figure as at the end of2012. Financing and invest-

ments portfolio amounted toUS$ 14.3 billion as at the end of

March 2013,maintaining itssame level asthe end of De-cember 2012.Customer de-posit and otheraccounts andequity of invest-m e n taccountholdershave witnessedan increase of2% from US$16.4 billion at

the end of December 2012 toUS$ 16.7 billion at the end ofMarch 2013, which indicatescontinued customer confidence

and loyalty to the Group.As for the results of the first

quarter of 2013 compared to fourthquarter of 2012, the financial state-ment showed that the net incomeof the Group amounted to US$ 66million in the first quarter of 2013compared to US$ 52 million forthe fourth quarter of 2012, an in-crease of 26%. Net operating in-come increased to US$ 116 mil-lion compared to US$ 112 millionfor the fouth quarter of 2012, rep-resenting an increase of 4%.

Commenting on these re-sults, Sheikh Saleh AbdullahKamel, Chairman of Al BarakaBanking Group, said “The politi-cal and economic implicationscontinued in a number of Arabcountries during the first quarter

of 2013, while the efforts to treatthe sovereign debt crisis in Eurozone continued internationally.These created cautious businessenvironment for banks in theworld, including the Arab banks,although they well distancedthemselves from the toxic assetsglobally. Therefore, we are proudwith the good results achieved byABG during the first quarter of2013, which reflects the Group’scommitment to the true Islamicbanking model and prudentialbusiness strategies, which en-abled it to deal wisely with theseconditions and to continue ex-panding in the business.”

For his part, Mr. AbdullaAmmar Al Saudi, Vice Chairmanof ABG, said that “The global fi-

nancial and banking environ-ment are still imposing on banksin the world to follow conserva-tive and cautious business strat-egies. Therefore, we consider thefinancial results achieved by theGroup in first quarter of 2013 asexcellent by all standards andthey reflect the success of thebusiness strategies that we at theBoard of Directors of the Grouphave put in place based on ourpoints of strength, the opportu-nities generated in the marketsin which we operate and ourstrong commitment to adheringto the highest professional val-ues, principles and standards thatwe embodied in all the programs,services and products that theGroup offers”.

Mobilinkintroduces

new BlackBerrySTAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Mobilink has in-troduced the new BlackBerryQ10 to the Pakistani consumerswith an aggressive price of PKR70,000 only. The phone offersusers a powerful and unique newmobile computing experiencewith state-of-the-art Blackberryenterprise and internet servicesfrom Mobilink.

Commenting on this offer,Moied Javeed, Director Market-ing, Mobilink said, ‘We areproud to offer Blackberry Q10to our subscribers. This offersconfirms that Mobilink is al-ways the first to offer the bestto its customers be it services orproducts. We hope that theunique experience from Q10will rejuvenate the enthusiasmof our Blackberry users.’

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—With the change ofa business pro people brought atdecision making position, thebusiness community looking atnew leaderfship for concreteeconomic reforms for revival ofthe economy.

The incoming governmentshould prepare economic revivalagenda and take the business fra-ternity into confidence in orderto bring political and economicstability in the country, this wasstated by former ChairmanKorangi Association of Tradeand Industry, Shaikh ManzarAlam.

In an urgent message to theleader of the PML-N NawazSharif, Manzar Alam said that

Economic revival agenda

Biz community stressesfor concrete reforms

PML-N’s team of economic ex-perts should earnestly call a meet-ing with the business leadersheaded by Vice President of Con-federation of Asia-Pacific Cham-bers of Commerce and Industry(CACCI) Tarique Sayeed, Presi-dent Federation of PakistanChambers of Commerce and In-dustry (FPCCI) Zubair AhmedMalik and other major stakehold-ers to devise an effective andlong-term economic policy torescue the sinking economy ofthe country and find avenues ofbuilding foreign exchange re-serves which have gone to thedangerously low level.

He further advised thePML-N leader to appoint astrong team of negotiators to talkwith IMF for deferring the pay-

ment of its loans’ installmentthat is due in coming month con-sidering the unstable politicalsituation and Pakistan’s longbattle against terrorism.

He said that there should bea rescue package for the exportsector by the new governmentand all grievances of foreignexchange earners should be re-moved so that they could be ableto restore their lost markets dueto bad law and order situationand severe energy crisis duringprevious government’s five-yearterm. He appealed the PML’sleader to call the round tableconference with the businessleaders well before the finaliza-tion of budget 2013-14 whichwould be a crucial task for thePML’s government.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—While chairingthe 148th World Telecommuni-cation and Information SocietyDay Federal Minister for Infor-mation technology Dr SaniaNishtar highlighted the impor-tance of Information and Com-munication technologies inmodern world. She was of theopinion that ICT’s have alto-gether changed our life. It hasaffected each and every sectorof our life. Technological ad-vancements in the field of Infor-mation and CommunicationTechnologies (ICTs) have cre-ated numerous opportunities forpeople around the world. ICTsdrive trade, education, healthand other social activities thatenhance living standards of ourcitizen.

Telecom sector is playing avery crucial role: Nishtar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology Dr Sania Nishtar addressing aceremony organized to commemorate the 148th World Telecommunication and Informa-tion Society Day.

Federal Minister said thattoday’s economy is knowledgebased economy and Telecomsector is playing a very crucialrole in it. Federal Minister re-marked that we are in need ofan economy as well as industrybased on ICT’s.

Federal Minister said thattelecom sector is a flourishingsector in Pakistan and we needto focus more on it. She said thatalong with various opportunitieslinked with this sector there arecertain challenges as well whichwe need to overcome in ourcountry.

Federal Minister also com-mented on this year’s theme ofWorld Telecom Day. She em-phasized that Road Safety is theneed of the hour and we allshould be careful about it. Shesaid that Road safety was a glo-

bal concern not only for publichealth and injury prevention butalso to improve efficiencies intraffic management. The need ofthe day was to develop state-of-the-art ICT standards for Intel-ligent Transport Systems anddriver safety that utilize a com-bination of computers, commu-nications, positioning and auto-mation technologies for avoid-ance of any mishap and optimiz-ing driving performance byeliminating unsafe technology-related distractions while driv-ing.

In the end Federal ministerthanked all the participants anddignitaries for their presencethere and encouraged all to gen-erate more and more awarenessamong the masses about theimportance of this importanttheme.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—In a ceremony held

at the head office of ABL AssetManagement Company Ltd., aTrust Deed was signed betweenABL Asset Management Com-pany Limited (ABL AMC) andMCB Financial Service (MCBFSL), whereby ABL AMC ap-pointed MCB FSL as trustee fortheir upcoming ABL IslamicStock Fund.

Farid A. Khan, CEO ABLAMC, and Mr. Khawaja AnwarHussain, CEO MCB FSL, signedthe agreement. ABL Asset Man-

ABL asset Co, MCBfinancial services join hands

agement Company Ltd. (ABLAMC) is a wholly owned subsid-iary of Allied Bank Limited

(ABL) and is currently ratedAM2- by JCR-VIS which denotes“high management quality”.

The company is managingover Rs. 20 billion of retail andinstitutional funds and is rankedamongst the largest fund man-agement company in Pakistan.ABL Islamic Stock Fund is ashariah complaint, open-endfund which will provide inves-tors an attractive opportunity totap the enormous potential ofPakistan’s equity markets and

earn halal profits. The fund willbe launched by end of May 2013and will be available at all

branches of Allied Bank andABL AMC.

ABL Islamic Stock Fundwill be managed by ABL AMCunder the guidance of MuftiIrshad Ahmed. After the suc-cessful launch of ABL IslamicIncome Fund, this will be thesecond Islamic fund in ABLAMC’s portfolio. The firm al-ready manages the highly suc-cessful ABL Stock Fund, whichdelivered an annual return of45.3% (as at 15th May 2013).

Picture shows Abdul Aziz, President and CEO Ufone alongwith senior Management at the cake cutting ceremony at thelaunch of ‘Uth Pack’.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Ufone a leadingcellular company in Pakistan onThursday launched ‘Uth Pack’,which has been tailored spe-cially for the youth. Uth Packis designed to target the urbanyouth which is looking for a lotmore than just Voice, SMS andData.

The focus of its positioning“On Kar” revolves around thedigital at heart and for those whowish to have a redefined cellu-lar service. Uth Pack is thecountry’s first youth centric of-fer which is offering a whole-some product that is far beyondjust the basic cellular offerings.The addition of numerous affin-ity partners offering discounts in

Ufone launches youth brandmore than 250 branded outletsacross the country make this themost triumphant brand in thecountry.

The discounts being offered

are sure to ignite the lifestylevalue for the youth and shallhelp save ones pocket moneywith the amazing discounts be-ing offered.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The Director Gen-eral, PSQCA considered thepublic complaints regardingBottle Drinking Water, con-ducted an immediate meetingunder his Chairmanship with allthe Directors, the Secretary,PSQCA also attended this meet-ing. In this meeting it is decidedto ensure the standards & qual-ity control activities and its en-forcement strictly.

No buddy shall allow, play-ing with health/future of con-sumer/public. The Director

Manufacturing of sub-standard bottleddrinking water not to be allowed

General, PSQCA ordered to allthe Directors for Strict monitor-ing of Bottle Drinking Watermanufacturers all over Pakistanand re-verified their Laborato-ries, Hygienic/ environment

conditions and source of water.All the field staff are instructedto conduct open market surveyand collect random samples ofbottle drinking water immedi-

ately and also issue the noticesto defaulters. He also ordered tosubmit the reports of units, openmarket survey and test report ofthe random samples collectedfrom open market and units. Hefurther directed to ensure thequality of bottle drinking wateravailable in the open market thatit is safe, healthy and up-to thestandards.

The Director General, PSQCAinformed that the atmospheric tem-perature is rapidly increased due tothis phenomenon the quality ofwater could be effected and com-plaints should be increased.

16

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The LahoreChamber of Commerce andIndustry on Friday severelycriticized the caretaker gov-ernment for making a hugeincrease of Rs 5.82 in per unitprice of electricity and termedit an anti business decisionaimed at sabotaging the popu-larity of PML-N government.

The LCCI presidentFarooq Iftikhar said that at atime when the business com-munity was already payinghigh cost of doing businessbecause of unavailability ofgas and electricity, the decisionis devastating.

The LCCI President said

LCCI raps increase inelectricity tariff

that the hefty increase in powerprices would also adversely af-fect competitiveness of Paki-stani merchandise that had al-ready lost their due place in anumber of global markets dueto their high prices.

He said that in the interna-tional market the profit marginfluctuates between 0.5 per centto 0.8 per cent, therefore afterthe recent increase there wouldhardly be any buyer for Paki-stani goods.

The LCCI President saidthat if the increase, under thefuel adjust surcharge, was nec-essary, then it should have beenimplemented in phases insteadof making the huge increase inone go.

He opined that governmentmove is bound to increase theincidence of electricity pilfer-age that already is 25 per centof the 22 per cent line lossesand eating up Rs 50-75 billion.

The LCCI President saidthat how the industry would re-main competitive at such ahigh price of electricity whichis one of the basic industrialraw materials. We already havethe highest tariff in our regionas in India, the electricity tar-iff for industry is 10.5 cents,in Bangladesh 10.75 cents andin Sri Lanka it is again 10.75cent whereas in Pakistan tariffis already 15 cents meaningthat 45 percent higher as com-pared to the region.

Nespak wins twoprojectsStaff ReporterLAHORE—National EngineeringServices Pakistan (Nespak)Limited has made its mark bywinning two projects of nationalimportance in Karachi andBalochistan by setting up awinning streak. Lately, Nespakwon first prize in an openarchitectural design competitionfor the Balochistan High CourtComplex at Turbat. A total of 23architectural consulting firmsfrom all over Pakistan partici-pated in the design contest. Theprize distribution ceremony washeld at Turbat, wherein JusticeQazi Faez Isa, Chief JusticeBalochistan High Court,presented a cheque of Rs0.3million to Nespak, which wasreceived by M Arif Changezi,GM/Head and Iqbal AhmedBaloch, Chief Architect,Architecture & PlanningDivision, Karachi of Nespak.

HCCI foraccelerating

passport issuanceSTAFF REPORTER

HYDERABAD—Senior VPHyderabad Chamber of Com-merce and Industry (HCCI),Turab Ali Khoja has expressedhis deep concern over the delayin issuance of passport to busi-ness community.

He said that delay in issu-ance of passport is casting anegative impact on efforts toimprove the country’s economyas importers and exporters areunable to take part in the tradefairs and exhibitions while thetrade agreements are also facingsuspension. The business com-munity needs early issuance ofpassport to carry out businessactivities and enhance theeconomy.

Businessmengeared up to

boost productionSTAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—The Union ofSmall and Medium Enterprises(UNISAME) has welcomed andappreciated the statement ofRaza Rabbani, leader of Paki-stan Peoples party (PPP), on theformation of exemplary govern-ment in Sindh.

President UNISAMEZulfikar Thaver said it is heart-ening to note the spirit of healthycompetition in good governancebetween Pakistan MuslimLeague Nawaz (PML-N), thePPP and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf(PTI), and the business commu-nity is inspired by the prospectsof stability in all the provincesand conducive environment dueto much needed positive outlookof the political parties.

He said that with the PML-N in the centre and in Punjab andBaluchistan, PPP in Sindh andPTI in Khyber Pakhtun (KP)and each aiming at exemplarygovernance and management,the business community is ex-pected to witness a period ofeconomic prosperity.

He said it is a welcomesign to see that the politicianshave realized that if they donot perform well they wouldlose in the next elections andmoreover awareness has takenplace and due to this awarenessthe voters will remain vigilantlike the media and ensure goodgovernance and good manage-ment.

Shaikh Saleh

100,000 metrictons wheatpurchased

OBSERVER REPORT

SARGODHA—EnvironmentSecretary Sher Alim Mehsudsaid over 100,000 out of 336,000metric ton wheat had been pur-chased so far while the targetwill be achieve in few days.

Talking to farmers duringvisits to Sial Morr andKotmomin purchase centers onFriday, he warned food and rev-enue authorities against dis-crimination and unjustbehaviour with farmers.

He said 36,000 metric tonwheat had been purchased inSargodha district, 16,299 met-ric ton in Mianwali, 42,228 inBhakkar and 5,573 metric ton inKhushab district.

TARIQ KHATTAK

ISLAMABAD—The USAIDDairy Project has spurredgrowth in Pakistan’s ruraleconomy by helping womenfarmers increase their incomesand improve their livelihoods.

Realizing the pivotal rolerural women play inPakistan’s livestock sector,USAID is creating a pool ofup to 5,000 locally- trainedand readily-available femalelivestock extension workers toprovide veterinary servicesand advice on the care andfeeding of cattle to rural dairyfarmers.

A statement of UnitedStated Agency for Interna-

US-funded dairy project spurs rural economytional Development (USAID)issued here said. The projectalso meets farmers’ basic needsby providing them with qualitysupplies for their animals, suchas feed, vitamins, and medica-tion.

The USAID Dairy Project isa catalyst to create new jobs andimprove rural livelihoods in Pa-kistan.

“My husband used to workat a private school, but he hadto quit his job because of an ill-ness. Now he is unemployed. Iwas educated through the 12thgrade, but I could not find a job,”said Asma, a resident of TobaTek Singh in Punjab. “I wasworried about my husband’shealth and the fact that I couldn’t

do anything for my children’sfuture even though I am edu-cated.

I couldn’t sleep at night. Butthen I heard about this USAIDproject. I am happy to say that Iam now working in my villageas a livestock extension worker,providing basic animalhealthcare services in my vil-lage.”

USAID’s Dairy Project,launched in July 2011, selectsdynamic rural women with ahigh school diploma and trainsthem in basic animal healthmanagement techniques and en-trepreneurship. The program hasalready trained 2,470 unem-ployed rural women, helpingthem earn an average of 2,500

rupees per month.It aims to train an addi-

tional 2,530 farmers. “I am

advising people in my villageabout how to improve milkproduction,” Asma added.“This USAID project has con-nected us with livestock ex-perts and pharmaceutical com-

panies we didn’t know aboutbefore. So far, I have treatedaround 600 animals and earned46,000 rupees. Now, ourhousehold is prosperous andmy sick husband is gettingtreatment. I am also re-invest-ing in my own agriculturebusiness.”

Naazra, another beneficiaryof the project and a resident ofCheechawatnee, was trained asa livestock extension worker andis now successfully running herown business supplying concen-trated feed to local dairy farm-ers.

“USAID trainers introducedme to a quality manufacturer ofcattle feed and gave me a mo-bile phone so I could easily con-

tact suppliers and customers. Ihave earned 30,000 rupees inthree months by selling qualityfeed. I used the money to de-velop my business and meet thebasic needs of my family. I evenbought a refrigerator, which hasbeen very useful for the summerseason.”

These women represent asymbol of change and are a tes-timony to the fact that carefulinterventions, designed based oncommunity needs, can trulytransform rural livelihoods.Women like Aasma and Naazraare helping to modernizePakistan’s dairy sector in linewith international practices.

The dairy and livestock sec-tors contribute about 11 percent

to the gross domestic productof Pakistan.

Forty-five percent of Pa-kistanis are employed in theagricultural sector. Most dairyfarmers have only two to threecattle, and few have access toveterinary services that arecrucial to improving milkyields.

Dairy farming is vital forthe rural economy of Paki-stan, and USAID’s extensivetraining programs for dairyfarmers, women livestockextension workers, and arti-ficial insemination techni-cians will continue to play animportant role in transform-ing livelihoods in rural com-munities.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—The Securitiesand Exchange Commission ofPakistan (SECP) has regis-tered 327 new limited liabil-ity companies during April2013 raising the corporateportfolio to 62,203 compa-nies.

The SECP in its continuedefforts to promotecorporatization in the countryis holding seminars with alls takeholders, conductingawareness campaigns, and ex-tending facilities.

Out of the 327 new com-panies registered during April2013, around 92% companiesregistered as private limitedcompanies, 5% companiesregistered as single-membercompanies, while the remain-ing 3% registered as publiclimited companies.

A number of foreign in-vestors showed interest in in-vesting in Pakistan as con-firmed by investment in 12

SECP corporatizationdrive is in full swing

new companies involved indiverse business areas. TheSectors include, trading, tele-communications, power gen-eration, lodging, tourism, fuel

and energy, import/export, au-tomobiles and IT sectors.These companies have foreigninvestors from Canada,China, Panama, South Korea,the United States, the UAEand Ukraine. The interest offoreign investors is also a re-flection of the SECP’s facili-tative regime for foreign in-vestors including, fast trackprovisional registration ofcompanies having foreign di-

rectorship.Overall, the services sec-

tor has taken the lead in newregistrations with 50 newcompanies, followed by tour-ism with 45 companies, trad-ing with 38, I.T. with 30, andthe remainder in broadcastmedia, construction, commu-nications, food and beverages,finance and banking.

Out of the 327 companiesregistered, 103 companieswere registered at the Com-pany Registrat ion Office(CRO) in Lahore, while theCROs in Islamabad andKarachi registered 94, and 74companies respectively.

During April 2013, re-turns for increase in the au-thorized capital of 84 compa-nies were accepted, resultingin total authorized capital in-crement of Rs. 32.11 billion.In addition, 96 companiesfiled returns for increase intheir paid-up capital with thetotal increase amounting toRs. 9.04 billion.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—Pakistan andUkrain business cooperation cansupport Iron, steel, energy andheavy technical industries inPakistan

Honorary Consul ofUkraine in Karachi Engr M.A.Jabbar during his visit to KCCItoday said Pakistan and Ukraineattach importance to bilateraleconomic and commercial coop-eration. The friendly relation-ship between two countries arefortifying with the passage oftime.

Ukraine holds expertise insteel, iron, metallurgy, transpor-tation and energy, therefore, op-portunities do exist between twocountries for mutual coopera-

Pak-Ukraine to cooperate in iron, steel,energy, heavy technical industries

tion. He said that Pakistanibusinesspersons have name andfame in the Ukrainian businesscircles. Pak-Ukraine BusinessCouncil is formed to createstrong linkage between the busi-ness communityof two countries.He also soughtcooperation foreffective liaisonbetween KCCIand Pak-Ukraine BusinessCouncil.

Speaking on the occasionKCCI President MuhammadHaroon Agar saod that Paki-stan can benefit fromUkraine’s expertise in iron,steel, energy and heavy tech-nical manufacturing industriesas the Ukraine is one of the

most technically developedcountry of Europe having ad-vancement and development intechnology.

Ukraine can help Pakistanin education, exploration of

natural re-sources andproviding tech-nical assis-tance. It is in-teresting to

note that when Ukraine waspart of Russia it helped Paki-stan to develop many indus-tries and projects like PakistanSteel Mills, Hydro Station inTarbela etc. Haroon Agar dur-ing visit of Honorary Consulof Ukraine in Karachi EngrM.A. Jabbar stated that oppor-tunities exist between both

countries and to further de-velop, strengthen bilateral re-lations specially in trade andcommerce.

It is high time to take seri-ous measures and steps to en-hance bilateral trade, exchangeof business delegations, partici-pation in exhibitions. He statedthat KCCI has invited the busi-ness delegation from Ukraine’sLugansk Regional Chamber ofCommerce & Industry on theoccasion of KCCI’s 10th Inter-national My-Karachi, Oasis ofHarmony Exhibition. At thisjuncture both Chambers havealso agreed to sign MoU formutual cooperation andstrengthen B2B relationship be-tween members to boost bilat-eral trade ties.

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Warid Telecom hassigned a Memorandum of Un-derstanding with Monet andMeezan Bank for rollout of theWarid Telecom PaymentGatewayfor Meezan Bank’sbranchless banking services,with Monet as the technologypartner for the venture.

Through this memoran-dum, Warid Telecom and BankAlfalah have been joined byMeezan Bank as foundingmembers to create the MobileMoney Network which wouldbe subject to SBP approvalsunder the branchless bankingregulations.

The MoU was jointlysigned by Warid Telecom’sChief Commercial Officer,Younas Iqbal Sheikh,MeezanBank’s Chief Operating Of-ficer, Ariful Islam, and Monet’sChief Executive Officer, AliAbbas Sikander.

Muneer Farooqui, CEO of

Warid Telecom signs MoUwith Monet, Meezan Bank

Warid Telecom said “Warid isexcited to play its role in thedevelopment of a first-of-its-kind financial eco-systemwith partner banks for ourcustomers and distributionnetworks. The Warid PaymentGateway is the first step tocreate a bridge between dis-tribution networks and bankswith an independent PSP likeMonet”.

Sharing his views on theoccasion, Younas Iqbal SheikhCCO of Warid Telecom said“cellular technology holds thekey to development and growthof the economy in developingnations, since their reach is un-matched in terms of connectiv-ity. The Warid Payment Gate-way has the potential to revolu-tionize the way small & largebusinesses transact on a dailybasis in Pakistan with the ulti-mate beneficiaries being Paki-stani citizens, whether it is acattle farmer selling his productsto a multinational dairy on a

daily basis, a small businessowner making routine paymentsto suppliers, or a large financialinstitution making B2B pay-ments.”

Suhail Jan, VP Sales & Dis-tribution of Warid Telecom said“once again technology haslinked people closer to conve-nience and we are proud to bea part of the first such collabo-ration given our celebrated his-tory of industry firsts. The fea-tures of this type of service willallow us to leverage our expe-rienced distribution channels tobenefit all local stakeholders;from telecoms to partner banks,to customers, retailers and thegovernment, and be able to pro-vide the public with secure andexpedient financial freedom.”

Speaking on the occasion,Ariful Islam said “MeezanBank envisions becoming theleading Islamic bank in theworld and recognizes the powerof innovation in drivinglong-term growth.

ISLAMABAD: Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman PARC presiding over a meeting of Inter Pro-vincial Agriculture Research Coordination Committee.

ISLAMABAD: President Pak Gulf Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan inaugurating a shop in theCentaurus Mall.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Managing Di-rector Oil & Gas DevelopmentCompany Limited (OGDCL)Riaz Ahmed Khan held a meet-ing with the delegation of theIslamabad Chamber of Com-merce & Industry (ICCI) led byits president, Zafar Bakhtawari,focused on the energy situationin the country.

Riaz Ahmed Khan said thatOGDCL is Pakistan’s largest Ex-ploration and Production (E&P)company. It has become the lead-ing provider of oil and gas to thecountry by increasing explorationand production domestically.

“OGDCL is going aheadwith its mission to fulfil thecountry’s energy demand and itsrecent discovery will go a longway in this regard”, said MD. “OGDCL will meet the expecta-tions of its stakeholders through

OGDCL, ICCI totackle energy crisis

best management practices andby the use of latest technology”,he added.

Bakhtawari expressed con-cern about the prevailing energysituation in the country and saidthat the future of Pakistan lies inattaining energy sufficiency. Heinformed Riaz Ahmed Khan thatICCI had already organised anenergy seminar in which variousrepresentative of E&P companiesdiscussed efforts that have beenmade to overcome the power andgas shortage in the country.

Bakhtawari said that the gov-ernment should launch a seriouscompanies for adopting energyconservation measures by promot-ing energy efficiency programmes.Bakhtawari said there is a need toevolve an altogether new policy toattract private sector investment inelectricity generation to overcomethe gap between the demand forelectricity and its supply.

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Central GeneralSecretary of the All PakistanAnjuman-e-Tajiran Naeem Miron Friday said business commu-nity want Shahbaz Sharif as en-ergy minister to resolve energycrisis.

We have full faith in skillsand selflessness of the formerchief minister Punjab who canresolve the crisis engineered bythe former government, he said.

Naeem Mir said that Paki-stan braved massive misman-agement and corruption foryears which triggered inflation,unemployment and economicmeltdown.

Business community wantShahbaz as energy minister

The former governmentswasted billions of rupees of tax-payers’ money only to furtherdeteriorate ailing power sectorand public sector enterprises.

Mir demanded imposition ofpower emergency and givingcontrol of power distributioncompanies to provinces. He saidthat tax amnesty schemes arecounterproductive as budgetdeficit can only be bridged if bigevaders are brought to book.

Government should initiatelegislation to forfeit assets of taxevaders and to bring stolen fundsback from the Swiss banks, hedemanded.

Independent judiciary is ablessing without which country

will never be able to attract for-eign investment, he said addingthat target killing of traders hasbecome order of the day inKarachi which is sending verynegative signals.

Bilateral trade with Indiastands at $ 2 billion which canbe jacked up to $ 10 billionthrough confidence buildingmeasures.

He said that all the bleedingPSEs should be privatised with-out any delay and that smallchambers may attract some 80million traders to get NTNs.

Resolution to the manyproblems faced by Islamic coun-tries lies in the increased bilat-eral trade, he said.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—The economic situ-ation calls for uninterruptedworking of 6 days a week tocatch up the lost valuable timeand to overcome the economicwoes of the country.

This was stated byMuhammad Haroon Agar,President KCCI while invitingattgention of the new leadershiptowards the state of the nationaleconomy. he demanded todenotify banks, customs andports from the observing of five-days week and they should beoperative 6-days in the week forthe larger interest of commerceand industry as well as the coun-try. He expressed deep concernand discontentment over 5-daysworking week/ two-weeklyholidays for all government de-partments and its affiliated in-stitutions in the name of energyconservation. He stated that thispractice for closure of publicsector, customs and ports has se-

‘Banks, customs, portsneed to work 6 day a week’

verely hampered the commer-cial and industrial activities, ex-ports of consignments andtimely clearance of goods havesuffered. Pakistan remain cut offfor three and half days with restof the world. Observance of 5-working days for banks, thetrading and industrial circleshave been facing tremendousproblems due to unavailabilityof banking services on Satur-days. The corporate sector is fac-ing hardships in timely clear-ance of cheques therefore, NIFT(National Institutional Facilita-tion Technologies) service for-merly known as Clearing Houseof State Bank should remainoperative on Saturdays.

Haroon Agar stated that no-where in the world, banks closewhen the commerce and industrialsector is operative even in thecountries where 5-days week isobserved and commercial banksare open on Saturdays. Exportersmaintaining trade ties with Gulfcountries faced additional elimi-

nation of Friday being observedas holiday in Gulf. Same is for thecustoms and ports and they can-not be close down for two days astheir closure will stop valuableexports of this country and delaysin clearance of imported goodsdisturb supply of goods toupcountry.

Agar articulated that thebusiness and industrial commu-nity of Karachi - the country’schief metropolis, financial andindustrial hub, having the largestnetwork of over 500 retail/whole-sale markets also face hardshipsfor safe handling of cash worthbillions of rupees due to unavail-ability of banking facilities onSaturdays/weekend.

This futile practice shouldnot be continued at the cost oftrade and industry as the 5-daysweek has severely impeded thepace of commercial and indus-trial activities which had resultedto negative impact on the eco-nomic instability and decline inthe revenue for the Government.

‘Speed money’puts brakesto India’sgrowth

MUMBAI—Hong-Kong entre-preneur Ramesh Tainwala spent18 months operating brandedclothing retail stores in Indiabefore deciding it was impos-sible to succeed without payingbribes.

Tainwala, a 55-year-old ex-patriate Indian, owns PlanetRetail, which held the Indiafranchise rights for U.S. fashionlabels Guess and Nautica as wellas UK retailers Next andDebenhams. He sold the brandslast September to various Indianbusinesses.

“Right now it’s not possibleto do business in India withoutgreasing palms, without payingbribes,” said Tainwala, who isalso luggage maker Samsonite’spresident for Asia Pacific andWest Asia.—Newswire

Gold Tezab 50700.00Silver Tezabi 840.00

Gold Tezabi (24-Ct) 50420.00Gold 22 Ct 46010.00SilverTezabi 895.00Silver Thobi 815.00

USA 98.40 98.20

UK 150.02 149.71

EURO 126.54 126.28

Canada 96.28 96.09

Switzerland 101.79 101.59

Australia 95.97 95.78

Sweden 14.74 14.71

Japan 0.9617 0.9598

Norway 16.84 16.80

Singapore 78.43 78.27

Denmark 16.98 16.94

Omani Riyal 255.00 245.00

Saudi Arabia 26.24 26.18

Hong Kong 12.67 12.65

Kuwait 343.88 343.18

Malaysia 32.58 32.51

Newzeland 79.72 79.56

Qatar 27.03 26.97

UAE 26.79 26.74

KR WON 0.0881 0.0879

Thailand 3.304 3.297

Career fairgets activeresponse

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The Career Fair2013 at the Government Col-lege University Lahore re-ceived an enthusiastic re-sponse as thousands of theuniversity graduates and fi-nal year students flock to theCareer fair to explore em-ployment opportunities inreputed international and na-tional organizations, besidesseeking information aboutthe available foreign schol-arships.

As many as 40 noted or-ganizations including Paki-stan International Airline(PIA), WWF Pakistan,Shaukat Khanum MemorialCancer Hospital and QarshiIndustries set up their stallsat the Career Fair organizedby the GCU Career Guidanceand Placement Center andprovided the students infor-mation about the availablepositions in their organiza-tions.

The companies execu-tives also conducted on-cam-pus interviews to shortlist thecandidates.

Besides cellular compa-nies, a couple of mediahouses also set up their stalland interviewed the studentsfor the posts of copy editors,anchors and reporters.

However, the stalls ofUnited States EducationFoundation in Pakistan(USEFP) remained the cen-tre of attraction at the Fair,where students were briefedabout the various foreignscholarships and also guidedabout the procedures, re-quirements and eligibilitycriteria.

More than 1,000 studentsof GCU have reported to mystall and received relevantinformation from the founda-tion representatives, USEFPEducation Adviser Ms LubnaAnwar proudly said. GCUVice Chancellor Prof DrMuhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman and NETSOL ChiefExecutive Officer SalimGhauri were the chief guestsat the Career Fair, whileGCU Director Research, In-novation and Commercial-ization Prof Dr MuhammadZakria Butt, Director Facili-ties Yousuf Bashir and Place-ment Officer Hassaan-ul-Haq were also present.

Prof Rahman said thatGCU did not only concentrateon theoretical teaching but alsolaid a particular stress on theconfidence and character build-ing of its students, so that theycan perform exceptionally wellin their professional lives.

Talking to the media, stu-dents said that was the respon-sibility of every university tohelp and guide its students instarting their professional ca-reer. However, they lamentedthat very few colleges and uni-versities held career fair fortheir outgoing students.

GCU Placement OfficerHassaan-ul-Haq said the fairwas organized every year tobuild a strong foundation forprofessional career of stu-dents, so that they could ex-cel in market.

KARACHI—Follow-ing were the bullionrates in major citiesyesterday.

KARACHI:

MULTAN:

Bureaucracy foilingefforts of bizcommunity

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—At a time when thebusiness community is strivingto accelerate economic activityin the country, the bureaucracyis all out to decelerate it and aPunjab Local Government noti-fication dated April 5, 2013 is aclassic example to this regard.

The LCCI President FarooqIftikhar said that an upward re-vision in rates of Property Taxand introduction or repositioningof categories under Punjab Ur-ban Immovable Property Tax Act1958 by the caretaker Cabinet hasperturbed the businessmen.

It seems, the LCCI Presi-dent said, while issuing the no-tification, the Authorities con-cerned had ignored the groundrealities as except machineryhalls all other area of a factoryor an industrial unit has beensubjected to higher tax tariff.

HBL installsATM at GCU

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The Habib BankLtd (HBL) has installed an ATMmachine on the campus of Gov-ernment College UniversityLahore, to facilitate its students,staff and teachers. GCU ViceChancellor Prof Dr MuhammedKhaleeq-ur-Rahman and HBLPresident Nauman K. Dar inau-gurated the ATM machine, whileHBL Head Payment ServicesFaiq Hussain, GCU DirectorResearch Prof Dr MuhammadZakria Butt and Old RaviansUnion Secretary Dr KhalidManzoor Butt were also present.

Speaking on the occasion,Vice Chancellor Prof Rahmanexpressed profound gratitude tothe HBL President for visitingGCU and offering state-of-the-art banking services for its fac-ulty and students. He hoped thatGCU and HBL partnershipwould go a long way and bothinstitutions would be benefitedfrom it.

THE latest perpetrator of Escherichia coli (STEC), a significantcause of bacterial gastrointestinal

illness, is ready-to-bake commercial pre-packaged cookie dough. The discoverywas made following the 2009 investiga-tion of a nationwide (USA) outbreak ofShiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli. Anew study, published online and in theClinical Infectious Dis-eases describes the out-break and provides sug-gestions to prevent thebacteria in a strong mes-sage for consumers: Thepre-packaged cookingdough must not be eatenbefore baking.

Researchers of thenew study, led by KarenNeil, MD, MSPH, and herteam at the CDC (Centersfor Disease Control andPrevention) and at thehealth departments ofseveral s tates came totwo major conclusions:

Cookie dough manu-facturers should con-sider reformulating theirproduct to reach the same safety stan-dard as ready-to-eat products Consum-ers be more effectively educated aboutthe r isks of consuming unbakedgoods.During the 2009 E.coli outbreak,77 people in 30 states became infectedwith the bacteria whilst 35 infectedpeople needed hospitalization.

E. coli food-related illnesses havepreviously been linked to various foods,including leafy green vegetables,sprouts, unpasteurized apple cider, mel-ons, salami, and ground beef. Environ-mental analysis, extensive back-tracingand laboratory tests of the investiga-

Cookie dough E Coli Risktion into the 2009 outbreak, resultedin a recall of 3.6 million cookie doughpackages.

Investigators were unable to tracethe bacteria back to any single source.Given that neither vehicles nor the pro-duction process linked to the doughcould be clearly identified as havingcontributed to the contamination,

??Dr. Neil and his teamsuspected that the sourceof contamination mayhave been one of the in-gredients used to producethe dough, and althoughtheir investigation did notconclusively implicateflour, it remains the primesuspec t .

By referring to use-bydates on the tainted prod-ucts over specific weeksand months, the investi-gators say the culpri tmight have been just onepurchase of E. coli-con-taining flour that was usedin producing several lotsand varieties of dough.

In contrast to other in-gredients in the cookie dough, suchas pasteurized eggs, molasses, sugar,baking soda, and margarine, flour istypically not subject to a “kill step”that el iminates potential ly presentpa thogens .

According to Dr. Neil, choco-late was also not implicated given thatthe link of consuming chocolate chipcookie dough to illnesses was lowerin comparison to other f lavors ofcookie dough.“Foods containing rawflour should be considered as possiblevehicles of infection of future out-breaks of STEC.”

KARACHI: Sindh IGP Shahid Nadeem Baloch visited forensic Laboratory at GardenHQ.—PO photo by Sultan Chaki

KARACHI: Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, leading a demonstration against allegedrigging in the general elections 2013, near Mazar-e-Quaid.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—Senetor AbdulHaseeb Khan has said thatthe public representativeswere equally responsible forbringing the nation to thestate of decay as he foundonly a few real Pakistanis,in terms of thinking and ap-proach, in Parliament. Hewas speaking at ShuraHamdard Karachi chapter todiscuss the theme Luxuriousperks and privileges of pub-lic representatives inKarachi.

They were not real rep-resentatives as they wereelected through unfairmeans, he said, adding thatthey were there to obtainmore and more special ben-

efits, because at the end oftheir tenure they hurriedlypassed a bill, containing a bigpackage of their huge privi-leges. They refused to recon-stitute the Planning Commis-sion and never bothered tohold local bodies elections inthe country. As a result oftheir dishonesty and plun-dering State Bank was nowempty, IMF refused to grantloan further and no L.C. wasbeing allowed to open, howcome the activities of importand export would continue,he maintained.

Speaking on the occasionJustice (R) Haziqul Khairi said,the turnover of recent generalelections i.e. 62% was a recordand the Election Commissionof Pakistan was rightly de-

served for congratulation. Itthere were some disturbancesthat were the result of civiladministration’s lack of sup-port to Election Commission,he added.

‘Women and girls in alarge number came out fromtheir houses, for hours stoodin queue in piercing heat, andcast their votes. The nationis rising, it only needs lead-ership like Quaid-i-Azam’s’,he said, adding that he hadnever seen such a huge par-ticipation of women in anyelections in his whole life.

Haq Nawaz Akhtar,former Chairman, PakistanSteel Mills said that Pakistanigovernments were seemedto be the continuation ofMughal Sultanate, because

they didn’t pay attention tothe grievances of the publicand kept their eyes on mak-ing their own Taj Mahals.The change had started from11th May and he saw the sil-ver lining of hope in youth’seyes, full of confidence andcourage to change thecountry’s fate, he added.

Mahdi Masud, formerambassador of Pakistan said,in the midst of open threatsof bomb blasts and terroristattacks, the mass upsurgeand commitment by our vot-ers had boosted the image ofPakistan and whole worldwas appreciating the cour-age and democratic sense ofPakistani people. Our peoplewere being killed and our stra-tegic assets were being tar-

geted by the terrorists, butsome political parties gavefew lines about this seriousthreat to our integrity intheir manifestoes, he la-mented and further said,according to Indian dailyHindu, all balances hadgone in favour of India, be-cause of war of terror whichhad weaken Pakistan.

Brigediar (Rtld) SyedMuzzaffarul Hassan saidthat Iranian president andwestern rulers had no discre-tionary powers and funds.Why it was in Pakistan?, hequestioned. Pakistan’seconomy was in ICU andthere was a great need toimpose financial emergencyand measures of austerity inthe country, he asserted.

Luxurious perks, privileges of public representatives

IRFAN ALIGI

KARACHI—The Board of In-termediate Education Karachi(BIEK) Chairman Prof. AnwarAhmed Zai showed graveconcern on non-deploymentof Rangers at sensitive andmost sensitive examinationcentres in Karachi. The non-deployment of Rangers atsensitive and most sensitiveexamination centres couldlead to external interference.The Rangers deploymentwas unavoidable for the pre-vention of use of unfair meansduring examinations.

Prof. Zai said that theBIEK had with the assistanceof the civil divisional admin-istration so far preventedany external interference inthe examination centres andunder any circumstanceswould not allow anyone tointerfere in the examinations.

The BIEK Chairman alsosaid that despite assurances,the Karachi Electric SupplyCompany continued to shedthe load in examination cen-tres. He said that the authori-ties concerned were ap-proached for the deploymentof Rangers and uninterrupted

power supply at the exami-nation centres.

Meanwhile, on day 2 of theannual examinations-2013,candidates appeared in 94 ex-amination centres in the morn-ing shift and in 71 centres ofevening shifts to solve theirpaper of ‘Ethics’. The SuperVigilance Team visited variousexamination centres andcaught 41 candidates red-handed for using unfair meansto solve their question papers.The candidates were handedover to the committee assignedto proceed for onward penaltyor punishment.

BIEK examination centres

Non-deployment of Rangerscan lead to interference

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—In the year 2009,it was estimated that Paki-stan was ranking No.7 in theworld with respect to the dia-betic population that was 7.1million.

At that time, it was esti-mated by IDF that Pakistanwill jump, from 7th positionin 2010 to 4th in 2030, with anincreased diabetic popula-tion of 13.8 million.However with the continu-ing efforts for creating pub-lic awareness about diabe-

tes, its complications andprecaution, at all the levelsof the society, currently Pa-kistan doesn’t fall in the top10 counties with diabeticpopulation and it is esti-mated now that instead of4th position, Pakistan willfall on 10the position in 2030with a diabetic population of11.1 million. Prof. M. ZamanShaikh said this while ad-dressing a seminarorganised for creatingawareness on diabetes byNational Institute of Diabe-tes and Endocrinology

(NIDE), in Collaboration withDepartment of Pathology,Dow University of HealthSciences (DUHS) Ojha Cam-pus Karachi.

There was need to en-courage governments toimplement and strengthenpolicies for the preventionand control of diabetes andits complications. It is alsonecessary to disseminatetools to support nationaland local initiatives for theprevention and manage-ment of diabetes and itscomplications.

Diabetes awareness seminar

Diabetic population to be13.8m by 2030: Shaikh

Governor for masterplan to restore Frere

Hall to original shapeKARACHI—Sindh GovernorDr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan hascalled for preparing a masterplan for restoring the Frerehall in the metropolis to itsoriginal shape. He was pre-siding over a meeting of theBoard of Trustees with re-gard to the preservation ofFrere Hall Karachi, said astatement issued here onThursday evening.

The Governor statedthat the art of architectureand culture depict the ethosand values of a nation. Hesaid that the civilised na-tions take good care of theirvalues and preserve them.Dr Ishrat said that it is hisdesire that all those placesand buildings that havebeen declared cultural heri-tage be restored to theiroriginal shape.

He stated that the FrereHall is located in the heartof the metropolis and is animportant place.The librar-ies and gallery should berestored so that people ofevery strata could benefitfrom these. The Governorfurther pointed out that thebuildings around FrereHall should also be pre-served.—APP

IGP forcomprehensivepolice training

KARACHI—Inspector Gen-eral of Police (IGP), Sindh,Shahid Nadeem Baloch hascalled for initiating compre-hensive training programmefor the police officers de-ployed at the Forensic Divi-sion Sindh.

He was visiting the Fo-rensic Division established atthe Police Headquarters Gar-den here on Friday.

The IGP stated that un-der the ‘Train the Trainers’programme forensic sciencetraining for the police offic-ers be made possible.

This, he added, wouldlead to arrest of those alleg-edly involved especially inheinous crimes.

Shahid was informed onthe occasion that under thePakistan Automated FingerPrint Identification System afinger print data base of some310,000 persons has beenprepared since 2007.

Similarly, through the Ve-hicle Ballistic Examination114 vehicles were examinedin the year 2012 as well as 71vehicles in the year 2013 sofar.—APP

‘PPP workersneed to stand

united’KARACHI—: Riaz HussainBaloch , Central AdditionalSecretary General of People’sLawyers Forum and MemberPPP Sindh Council on Fridayurged his party workers tostand united and committedas PPP has bright future.Addressing a press confer-ence at Karachi Press Club,Baloch vowed that PPP willbe re-organized andstrengthened throughoutthe country soon.

He said PPP has deeproots among the masses andit truly represents every com-munity living in the country.It has a long history ofstruggle for the rights of thepeople and for the protectionand promotion of democracyand supremacy of the con-stitution in the country, hesaid.

He emphasized PPP work-ers to work hard and increasetheir contacts with themasses as per guidelinesfrom the party leadership. Hepraised the leadership of AsifAli Zardari who has been Co-Chairman of PPP.—APP

KARACHI—KMC Administra-tor Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi hasdirected Municipal Servicesand other departments con-cerned to enhance speed ofcleanliness works in the cityand lift garbage from differentareas and put it to landfill siteon priority basis so that citycould look clean and citizenscould be protected from fataldiseases like malaria, denguefever and naegleria.

Administrator Karachi saidthat it was necessary to utilizeavailable resources for makingcleanliness works effective.

If District Municipal Ad-ministration has lack of ve-hicles, machinery or labour,Municipal Services Depart-ment should provide them re-quired equipment and staff im-mediately so that only short-age of resources would not behurdle in cleanliness works.

He said that clear directionswere issued for giving impor-tance to cleanliness works inthe city therefore MunicipalServices with collaboration offive district municipal adminis-trations should improve clean-liness condition.

He said that the availabilityof cleanliness and healthy en-vironment were important forprotection from several dis-

Zaidi for speedy cleanlinesseases. If we keep our home andsurrounding area clean andgerms free, diseases would notspread and citizens would en-joy good health, he added. TheAdministrator Karachi spe-cially directed to ensure clean-

liness inside and outside ofeducational institutions andsaid that we have to protect ourchildren from dirty and un-healthy environment and cleangarbage and debris from streetsand areas.—APP

THE Dukan Diet is a protein basednutritional approach designed byPierre Dukan, a French nutritionist

and dietician. The Dukan Diet, or Dukanmethod proposes a healthy eating planwhich is based on how primitive man usedto eat when we were hunter-gatherers. Itincludes 100 foods, of which 72 are ani-mal sourced and 28 come from plants.And you can eat as muchas you like, as long as youstick to those 100 foods.The Dukan Diet has fourspecific ground pillars orphases, which are called:

The aim here is to loseweight rapidly - two tothree kg (4.4 to 6.6 lbs)within two to ten days. Itis said to be a way of kick-starting the metabolism.

The dieters can eatnothing but lean protein,and unlimited amounts,there is no calorie count-ing. It is important that theprotein is low in fat. Pro-tein could be all kinds ofbeef, fish, chicken, eggs,soy, and cottage cheese.The dieter is told to becareful to avoid meats with added sug-ars.

The dieter also consumes at least 1.5tablespoons of oat bran, the only carbo-hydrate source allowed in this phase.Pierre Dukan explains that oat bran is veryhigh in fiber, meaning that a large propor-tion of the carbs cannot be broken downand digested, making oat bran less car-bohydrate-rich than they thought. Oatbran also helps suppress hunger becauseit grows to up to twenty times its size inthe stomach.

28 specific vegetables are added to the

What is the Dukan Diet?diet. Fruit is not allowed. The aim is tohelp the dieters achieve their targetbodyweight more gradually. Althoughbased on specific personal conditions,the length of the Cruise phase generallylasts 1 kg (2.2 lb) weight loss per week.So, if a person needs to lose 15 kg, thisphase lasts 15 weeks. The program al-lows some tolerated foods. However, if

there is any weight gain,some of them will bebanned.

Vegetables can be con-sumed in unlimitedamounts as long as they arenot starchy - so, carrots,corn, and peas are out, andspinach, okra, lettuce andgreen beans are OK. Thedieter can also eat unlimitedamounts of low fat proteinsources included duringthe first phase. The 1.5 li-ters of water and oat branconsumption continues.

In this phase the dieteralternates as far as lean pro-tein and vegetables. E.g. onone day the individual eatsjust lean protein, and thenext lean proteins com-

bined with unlimited low-starch veg-etables. This alternation persiststhroughout this stage.

The aim here is to prevent the personfrom putting lots of weigh back on. Theindividual can consume unlimited quan-tities of protein and vegetables daily, aswell as one piece of low-sugar fruit, oneportion of cheese, and 2 slices of whole-grain bread. The dieter is allowed to haveone or two servings of starchy food andone or two celebration meals each week.In a celebration meal, people can eat what-ever they want.

LAHORE: Women taking interest in the jewellery items displayed during an exhibitionat a local club.

LAHORE: A large number of people and Family members of Pakistani prisoner Abdul Jabbar staged a protestdemonstration against Indian brutality.

DIG pays surprisevisits to four

patrolling postsLAHORE—DIG Punjab High-way Patrol Azaher HameedKhokhar on Friday paid sur-prise visit to four patrollingposts of Lahore region includ-ing patrolling post BehriaTown, Jia Bagga, MangaMandi and Wahgarian.

During the visit, hechecked necessary articles inmobile vehicles as roadcones, stop sign, first aid box,beat book, water color andsearch light.

He also checked record ofthe post, performance of thepost, presence of the person-nel, cleanliness, mobile ve-hicle, electronic and commu-nication instruments, armsand ammunition. He foundcameras and solar system outof order at PHP MangaMandi and Jia Bagga. He di-rected for getting it repairedimmediately.—APP

Social bodiesprotest bad

Indian treatmentto Pak prisoner

LAHORE—Family membersof Pakistani prisoner AbdulJabbar staged a protest dem-onstration against Indianbrutality.

Khushnood Begum,mother, Muhammad Riaz,brother of Abdul Jabbar, anda large number of people par-ticipated in the protest out-side the Lahore Press Clubon Friday. The protestorswere carrying posters ofAbdul Jabbar, banners andplacards inscribed with slo-gans against Indian terrorism.

Talking to the media,Khushnood Begum said thather son Abdul Jabbar ofFathegar, Lahore, went toIndia on a visit visa and over-stayed. She said he had com-pleted his punishment threeyears ago but the Indian gov-ernment did not released him.He was injured by prisonersin the jail on May 9.

She demanded of thegovernment make arrange-ments for the release of Paki-stani prisoners from Indianjails on humanitariangrounds.—APP

LHC suspendsECP orders for

recounting votesin NA-137

LAHORE—The Lahore HighCourt Friday suspended or-ders of the Election Commis-sion of Pakistan (ECP) for re-counting of votes in NA-137,Nankana Sahib.

Justice Ijaz ul Ahsanpassed the order on a peti-tion filed by Rai Manseb AliKhan, newly elected MNAfrom NA-137, challengingECP orders for recounting ofvotes in the constituency.

Earlier, the petitioner’scounsel pointed out that theElection Commission of Paki-stan had ordered a vote re-count in NA-137 on an appli-cation of the runner-up candi-date. The court after hearingthe arguments suspended theorder and sought reply fromthe ECP till May 21.—APP

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The Lahore HighCourt Friday issued noticesto Chief Secretary Punjab,Director General Lahore De-velopment Authority (LDA),administrator City DistrictGovernment Lahore and oth-ers for July 5 on a petitionseeking action against LDAofficials for loss of preciouslives in LDA Plaza due to firebreak out.

Justice Syed Mansoor AliShah issued notices on a pe-tition filed by petitioner-counsel Noshab A Khan.

Earlier, the petitioner-counsel submitted before thecourt that the plaza con-structed almost 35 years agoin violation of building rulesby LDA which was respon-sible for compliance of build-ing rules.

He said it was alarming tomention that fire or smokedetectors and fire hydrantswere not installed in thebuilding and it did not have

Notices issued in LDAPlaza fire case

fire exits.The petitioner also

pointed out that helicoptersfaced problems in rescuingthe people from the rooftopdue to erection of towers onthe building.

He mentioned that Res-cue 1122 was informed al-most 40 minutes after the firestarted and it did not haveappropriate ladders whichmade it impossible to rescuethose trapped on the 9th flooror on the rooftop.

The petitioner said thefire had burnt important dataof various land grab caseswhich might benefit certainindividuals or groups.

The LDA Plaza fire hasonce again raised questionswhich were questioned bythe Supreme Court of Paki-stan when it ordered demoli-tion of upper floors of high-rises in the city a few yearsago, he added.

He prayed the court toissue directions for initiationof criminal proceedings

against the present andformer director general ofLDA due for the loss of livesand billions of rupees to theexchequer.

He also prayed the courtto order the director generalRescue 1122 to equip the ser-vice with all equipment be-sides removal of antennasand towers from highrisebuildings.

The court after hearingthe arguments issued no-tices to the respondents andsought reply by July 5.

LAHORE—Sixteen womenwere elected in the electionout of 463 female candidatesfor national and provincialassemblies. Out of them six(three each from PML-N &PPPP) women have made itto the National Assemblyand 10 to the four provin-cial assemblies i.e. eight inPunjab, one each in Sindhand Balochistan whereasno women could win a gen-eral seat in KhyberPakhtunkhwa.

Aazar Ayaz, ExecutiveDirector of The Researchers(TR), an NGO working forwomen rights, shared theobservation with newsmen

here on Friday.He said that six female

winners of the 2008 NationalAssembly found their wayback to the 2013 assemblyalong with 4 from provincialassemblies. Interestingly,two women each fromPunjab (Ms. Sumera Malik &Ms. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana)and Sindh (Dr. Azra AfzalPeechu & Dr. Fahmida Mirza)have made a hat trick of win-ing their seats in NationalAssembly since 2002.Whereas, two women of the2008 Punjab Assembly (Ms.Nazia Raheel & Ms. NaghmaMushtaq) have been re-elected.

Ms. Ghulam BibiBharwana contested fromNA-87- Jhang II in 2008 &2002 on a PML-Q ticket.

Among the winners Ms.Sumaira Malik of NA-69Khushab I, wining by a mar-gin of 38,253, bagged thehighest number of votes118,108 with estimated turn-out of 61.72% in her con-stituency.

Ms Faryal Talpur of NA-207 Larkana IV got 83,916votes and won by a marginof 63,438 in a constituencywhere the turnout was54.24%.

The TR executive direc-tor further said that 150

women filed nomination pa-pers at national level from 111constituencies of which 60were on party tickets. At pro-vincial level, 313 women filednomination papers from 213constituencies of which 115were party ticket holders.

Among the winners ofprovincial assemblies Ms.Saniya of PS-109 KarachiXXI, won by a margin of44,054 votes besides bag-ging the highest number ofvotes 53,926 casted with es-timated turnout of 49.17% forher constituency.Ms. Rahat Jamali of PB-26Jaffarbad II secured 12,521votes, which is the lowest

Performance of women in elections laudednumber of vote taken amongthe winners. She won by amargin of 5,758 in a constitu-ency where turnout was40.25%. Whereas the winingmargin of 1,859 votes is forMs. Rashida Yakoob fromPP-78 Jhang II; where theturnout was 51.93%.Analyzing the results ofwomen contested constitu-encies, he said, one factor hasclearly emerged that inPunjab voters’ opted for theparty rather than candidatesas all women candidates whohad switched their partieswere able to bag more votesor converted previous lossesto wins this time.—APP

PPP acceptselection results

LAHORE—The PakistanPeople’s Party accepts resultof the elections 2013 in thenational interests despitereservations.

PPP Lahore InformationSecretary Abid HussainSiddiqui said this in a state-ment here on Friday.

He said the PakistanPeoples Party would coop-erate with victorious par-ties adding that the PPP al-ways supported interestsof the country, however,the party would opposeevery step which would beagainst the country.

He said the PPP hadadopted the reconciliationpolitics and it would con-tinue to follow the same forthe nation.

He said the PPP wanted tostrengthen democratic institu-tions and democracy for pros-perity of the people.—APP

Action againstunder-age driversLAHORE—City traffic policeon Friday took an actionagainst underage rikshaw driv-ers and beggars at traffic sig-nals. According to traffic po-lice, Chief Traffic Officer Capt(retd) Sohail Chaudhry saidthat the department had takenan action and got cases regis-tered against 71 underagerikshaw drivers, 236 vehicleson overloading, 170 on care-less driving.—APP

LEJA sessionLAHORE—The Lahore Eco-nomic Journalists Associa-tion (LEJA) arranged a ses-sion with Chairman PakistanBusiness Council, SikandarM Khan, at the Lahore Cham-ber of Commerce and Indus-try on May 21. It was an-nounced in a press releaseon Friday.—APP

LA H O R E—Lahore HighCourt Chief Justice UmarAta Bandial constituted sixspecial benches for hearingof cases pertaining to threeregions from the weekcommencing 20th May, tillfurther orders.

According to a rosterissued by Additional Reg-istrar (Judicial) , AshtarAbbas, two benches havebeen formed each forGujranwala, Faisalabad andSargodha divisions.

Just ice Rauf AhmadShaikh will deal with civiland Just ice MuhammadYawar Ali criminal mattersfi led by people ofGujranwala division whilecivil and criminal matters ofthe area fal l ing inFaisalabad division will be

taken up by Just iceMehmood Maqbool Bajwaand Just ice SyedMuhammad Kazim RazaShamsi respectively.

Whereas c iv i l andcriminal cases of Sargodhadivision will be heard byJustice Amin-ud-Din Khanand Jus t ice Abdul SamiKhan. As per ros ter 25s ingle and 11 divis ionbenches shall function atthe Pr incipal Seat ofLahore High Court.

As many as eight singleand four division bencheswill hold sittings at MultanBench of Lahore HighCourt while four single andtwo division benches eachfor Bahawalpur andRawalpindi benches havebeen constituted.—APP

LHC forms sixspecial benches

Political partiesurged to shunblame gameSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Director Interna-tional Hardware MerchantsAssociation and formerChairman Pakistan HardwareMerchants Association,Sardar Usman Ghani, hasurged all political parties toshun the blame game in largerinterests of the country aspolitical uncertainty had al-ready hurt the economy.

In a statement here Fri-day, Ghani called for a newstrategy in consultation withall political parties and theprivate sector for a five yearsterm for its implementationin letter and spirit to in-crease production levels andraise the living standard ofall citizens.