Canadian Pakistani Times Thursday April4, 2013 Volume 1, 52

NEW DELHI: Four sisters in

north India have suffered

burn injuries after two men

threw acid on them as they

were returning from school,

police said on Wednesday,

with one victim admitted to

hospital.

The incident took place

in the Shamli district of Uttar

Pradesh, about 100 kilometres

(60 miles) from the capital, on

Tuesday evening when the

sisters, three of whom are

teachers, were returning home

from a government school.

“The victims were

walking together when two

men on a motorbike made

lewd remarks and the man who

was riding pillion splashed acid

on all of them,” Abdul Hammed,

senior police officer who is

investigating the case told AFP.

Hameed said no arrests

had been made and the motive

behind the crime was unclear.

“The youngest sister

suffered maximum burn injuries

and she had to be rushed to a

hospital in Delhi.”

Attacks on women have

topped the national agenda since

December 2012 when a medical

student was assaulted and raped

by six men on a moving bus in

Delhi. She died two weeks

later of her injuries.

Public anger prompted

parliament to toughen sex

offence laws including

doubling the minimum prison

sentence for gang-rape to 20

years, but lawmakers voted

against making acid attacks

p u n i s h a b l e w i t h l i f e

imprisonment.

Acid attackers can be

jailed for 8-12 years depending

on the injuries inflicted, but the

offence is bailable.

Activists have asked that

India should regulate the sale

of an acid called “Tezaab”

which is designed to clean

rusted tools but is commonly

used in attacks.

Acid attack on four Indian sisters: police

— File Photo

Harper Government encouraged by step towards West-East pipeline

OTTAWA – The Honourable Joe Oliver,

Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources,

said he was encouraged by today’s

announcement by TransCanada

Corporation (TransCanada) that sufficient

market support exists to proceed to a

binding open season for contracts for

crude oil from Western Canada to Eastern

Canadian markets.

“Our government strongly supports

initiatives to construct energy

infrastructure to transport western

Canadian oil to the east,” said Minister

Oliver. “It is in the national interest to

replace higher-cost foreign crude with

lower-cost Canadian crude to consumers

and refineries in Quebec and Atlantic

Canada. " If successful, it is expected

that TransCanada would submit a proposal

for the conversion and extension of its

mainline pipeline for regulatory review.

“Connecting Canadians from West to East

is an inclusive idea that dates back to our

beginnings as a country,” said Minister

Oliver.

“Moving Canadian energy east,

subject to objective, science-based review,

would contribute to Canadian energy

security.” The Harper Government

continues to work aggressively to keep

taxes low, introduce new environmental

protections and strengthen relationships

with new, emerging energy markets that

would help make a west-east infrastructure

a reality. The Harper Government

welcomes proposals for energy

infrastructure that are critical to Canadian

jobs and long-term economic prosperity.

KHAR/TIMERGARA: Two women,

one from Bajaur tribal agency and the

other from Lower Dir district, made

history on Sunday when they became

the first tribal women to file

nomination papers to contest elections

for National Assembly.

Election Commission officials told

Dawn that 40-year-old Badam Zari, wife

of Sultan Khan, filed papers for NA-44,

Bajaur, on Sunday. Bajaur has two seats

of the lower house of parliament.

Asad Sarwar, returning officer in Bajaur,

confirmed the filing of nomination

papers by Badam Zari for NA-44.

Talking to Dawn, Ms Zari said that she

would contest the election to work for

the tribal women’s welfare. “I want to

work for the betterment of women in the

tribal area, especially Bajaur Agency,

which has suffered immensely in the

tribal system,” she said. She said no

lawmaker from the tribal area had ever

raised issues of women of the area in the

National Assembly. Replying to a

question, she said she was not scared

of anything or anyone and was

determined to contest election because

this was her constitutional and

religious right. She said she would

launch her election campaign soon.

The other woman candidate Nusrat

Begum of Lower Dir, filed her papers

for NA-34 constituency as an

independent candidate.

Nusrat Begum, wife of Karim Khan, is

the first woman in Lower Dir ever to

pick up courage and decide to contest

elections. Talking to journalists,

Nusrat Begum, who was the district

vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-

Insaaf, said she would contest election as

an independent candidate because her

party had allotted ticket to another

candidate. “All the people who won from

the constituency in the past did nothing

for people’s betterment,” she said, adding

that if elected she would work to provide

basic amenities to the people, especially

women, children and minorities.

Political observers and analysts termed

the submission of nomination papers by

women candidates from Bajaur and

Lower Dir district a major development

and said that now no-one could stop

women from taking part in elections and

exercising their right to vote.

Two tribal women, Badam Zari and Nusrat Begum, out to make history

Nusrat Begum files her filed nomination forms

for NA 34 at concerned returning officer office.

— Photo by INP/Rahmat Ullah Swati

02 April 4, 2013

PC Candidate Randeep Sandhu, Deputy Leader Christine Elliott and

former Premier Bill Davis Raise Funds and Awareness in Brampton d

March 31, 2013 – PC Candidate for the

riding of Brampton West, Randeep

Sandhu was joined by PC party

heavyweights, Deputy Leader Christine

Elliott and former Premier Bill Davis for

a very successful fundraising event in

Brampton on March 28, 2013 at

Castlemore Golf and Country Club.

More than 200 guests attended

to meet the political guests and hear

more about the PC parties’ vision for

Ontario.

“We’ve had some very good

responses to our proposed policies,”

says Sandhu. “We are determined to put

Ontario’s economy back on track,

creating jobs and prosperity for all,

while balancing the need for social

services and ensuring the most

vulnerable are taken care of.”

With a minority government that could

fall and trigger an election anytime,

Sandhu has been working hard meeting

with residents, sharing ideas and

discussing priority issues.

“The people of Brampton are

concerned about rising taxes and costs

of living. The Ontario PC party will act

to rein in debt and to start the sputtering

economic engine” says Sandhu.

“They are also being unfairly

targeting for high insurance rates due to

fraud on the part of a few. The PC Party

will give this issue the attention it

deserves and act to ensure that the

system is fair, accountable and

affordable.”

ABOUT RANDEEP

An accomplished and active member

of his community, Randeep Sandhu,

PC Candidate for Brampton West is

work in g fo r a v i b ran t and

economically strong Ontario. Born in

Punjab, India, Randeep attended one

of India’s premier educational

institutions, the Sri Dasmesh

Academy before graduating from

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)

and immigrating to Ontario, Canada

in 1997.

Through hard work and

dedication, Randeep built his own

successful logistics company, Load

Solutions Inc, creating more than 100

jobs.

A resident of Brampton for more

than 13 years, Randeep is a highly

engaged citizen with excellent knowledge

of local issues and the concerns facing

residents.

He sits on the rate payers

committee in his ward, volunteers for the

Peel Multicultural Council, an active

member of Guelph Chamber of

Commerce and a member of Ontario

Trucking Association. Randeep looks

forward to serving with integrity and

delivering results. Randeep is married to

Jaspreet and they have a son aged 8. For

more info: www.randeepsandhu.com

email: elect@randeepsandhu.com

03 April 4, 2013

04 April 4, 2013

05 April 4, 2013

SPORTS

Pakistan drops Younis from Champions Trophy squad

KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday

omitted out-of-form Younis Khan

from a 30-man initial squad for the

eight-nation Champions Trophy after

the middle order batsman flopped in

recent one-day matches.

The 35-year-old Younis managed

just 116 runs in the series against South

Africa earlier this month which Pakistan

lost 3-2 and has not managed to score a

century since November 2008.

Pakistan is in group B of the

event to be held in England from June 3-

23. The other teams in their group are

arch-rivals India, the West Indies and

South Africa.

Defending champions Australia,

New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England

form group A.

All teams had April 6 as the cut

off date to announce their initial squad to

be trimmed to 15 in May.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said

the Pakistani squad was a “mix of youth

and experience”.

“Younis’s name was not

considered after he did not show the

form in the last few matches,” he told

AFP.

Pakistani media reported last

week that Younis was contemplating

retirement from one-day cricket after

giving up Twenty20 following the

team’s 2009 World Twenty20 victory

in England under his captaincy.

But sources close to Younis

denied he was retiring from one-day

cricket. He was also dropped from the

team for a series against Australia in

the United Arab Emirates last August

before he regained his place against

India in December.

Younis has so far scored 7014

runs in 253 one-day

internationals after

making his debut 13

years ago.

A l s o

o v e r l o o k e d w a s

a l l rounder Abdul

Razzaq, who hasn’t

played a one-day since

November 2011.

Pakistan face

the West Indies in their

opening match on June

7 before clashing with

South Africa (June 10)

and arch-rivals India on June 15.

Probables: Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad

Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Ahmed Shehzad,

Misbah-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asad

Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik,

Umer Amin, Sohail Tanvir, Hammad

Azam, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Asad

Ali, Anwar Ali, Junaid Khan, Mohammad

Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Rahat Ali,

Ehsan Adil, Imran Khan, Aizaz Cheema,

Yasir Arafat, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul

Rehman, Zulfiqar Babar, Kamran Akmal,

Mohammad Rizwan.

Younis Khan. -AFP Photo

BRAMPTON ON – Whether you support your team

from the bench or the stands, Canadian hockey fans

recognize the Stanley Cup® as the ultimate symbol of

hockey pride. Scotiabank is proud to announce that it

will bring the iconic trophy to Brampton for an

interactive and entertaining open house event on

Saturday, March 30, 2013 as part of a series of

community events across Canada. Four-time Stanley

Cup® winner Mike Krushelnyski will also be onsite to

sign autographs and meet with fans.

What: The Stanley Cup® and four-time

Stanley Cup® winner Mike Krushelnyski in

Brampton, ON

Who: Fans, families and the community

When: Saturday, March 30, 2013, 11:00 a.m. –

3:00 p.m.

Where: Century Gardens Recreation Centre,

340 Vodden Street East, Brampton, ON

As one of the largest supporters of hockey in Canada,

Scotiabank knows the importance of having a team to

believe in and is dedicated to team-building in

communities across the country.

“Scotiabank is proud to bring the Stanley Cup® to

Brampton so new and old hockey fans alike can

experience the feeling that comes with being up close

and personal with Canada’s most beloved trophy,” says

Pankaj Mehra, Director of India, South Asia and

Philippines Markets, Multicultural Banking,

Scotiabank. “Hockey is a part of Canadian culture,

history and pride, and we hope to inspire a whole new

generation of hockey players and fans as they learn

about Canada’s favourite game.”

Hosted at Century Gardens Recreation Centre, the

open house features a combination of informative

and engaging elements that aim at introducing

hockey to those unfamiliar with the sport. The event

will feature historic artifacts from the Hockey Hall of

Fame, interactive games and giveaways, the

opportunity to have a photo taken with the Stanley

Cup®.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHL

Alumni™, CWHL, Winnipeg JetsTM, Toronto

Maple Leafs®, Calgary Flames® whose home arena

is the Scotiabank Saddledome, and the Ottawa

Senators® whose home arena is Scotiabank Place.

The Bank also has a partnership with the Montreal

Canadiens®. Scotiabank has a long tradition of

supporting hockey in Canada from local teams and

minor hockey associations to professional players

and leagues. Across Canadian communities from

coast to coast, Scotiabank's Community Hockey

Sponsorship Program reaches out to more than 4,500

minor hockey teams. To find out more about

Scotiabank's hockey programs, please visit

www.facebook.com/scotiahockeyclub.

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the

communities in which we live and work, both in

Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic

program, ‘Bright Future’. Recognized as a leader

internationally and among Canadian corporations

for our charitable donations and philanthropic

activities, Scotiabank has provided on average

approximately $47 million annually to community

causes around the world over each of the last five

years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

About The Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is the most famous and revered

trophy in all of sports. Originally crafted in

Sheffield, England in the late 1880’s, the Stanley

Cup was first presented in 1893. The Cup became

the symbol of professional hockey in North

America in 1910 and, beginning in 1926, is

competed for solely by teams in the National

Hockey League (NHL). In 1927, the silver bands

were added to the bottom of the bowl, where names

of winning players, coaches, management and club

staff have been engraved ever since. Today, The

Cup weighs approximately 35 pounds, stands three

feet tall and is made of silver and nickel alloy.

There is only one Stanley Cup, authenticated by the

seal of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the bottom of

the Cup and visible when players from the winning

team lift the Cup over their heads. Supervised by a

24-hour bodyguard known as 'Keeper of the Cup',

the Stanley Cup travels close to 300 days per year

and has raised nearly $8 million to date for charity.

When not traveling, The Hockey Hall of Fame in

Toronto, Canada serves as the home of the Stanley

Cup.

06 April 4, 2013

World’s ‘Intangible Heritage’: Cambodian ancient finger dance

The grand master of horror, James Herbert, had written 23 best-selling

novels. —Photo (File) AP

PHNOM PENH: Wrists bent and

fingers curled, the immaculately

dressed dancers perform a series of

gestures that, according to ancient

custom, carry the wishes of the

Khmer kings to the heavens.

Sporting golden head-dresses, the

dancers slowly stretch back their wrists

and – standing on one leg – perform a

set of moves with their hands

representing offerings of leaves, flowers

and fruit to the gods.

Apsara dance, a classical style of

the Angkorian era, nearly vanished in the

1970s under Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge

communist regime, which exterminated

much of the country’s heritage along

with up to two million people.

But the dance is making a

comeback after its unique moves were

painstakingly recorded by experts who

studied sculptures and wall carvings

from Angkor Wat’s temples, which are

roughly 1,000 years old.

Now it is a common sight at

public ceremonies as well as in hotel

lobbies in Cambodia’s tourist hot-

spots such as Siem Reap, home to

the Angkor Wat complex, with the

dance celebrated once more as part

of the kingdom’s unique culture.

It is also on a United Nations

l i s t preserving the world’s

“Intangible Heritage”, giving global

recognition to the once-threatened

art form.

The dancers are picked when

they are as young as seven for their

aptitude and beauty, but also the

flexibility and elegance of their hands.

A fine-arts school in Phnom

Penh is training a new generation of

dancers and while the exact number is

unknown, officials and teachers believe

there are now hundreds of young Apsara

performers driving its revival. —Photos

and texts by AFP

Napa festival begins with ‘Accidental death’

-Photo by Shameen Khan

Sar Bureeda Khwab

- Photo by Shameen Khan/Dawn.com

KARACHI:News wise Pakistan is one

of the best places to get yourself a

story. The reason being that, despite

paddling around in fountainhead of

tales of the overly dramatic and

sensational, no one can tell a story as

colourfully as us.

Such is the case with Lau Tau Qatal

Nama Mera. Adapted from Dario Fo’s

Accidental Death of an Anarchist, this Urdu

play starts off with two stout Pakistani police

officers, played by Sayyid Hammad Sartaj and

Faraz Chhotani who begin by giving us some

background on the infamy of their

headquarters. Not long ago, a man suspected of

a terrorist act, allegedly jumped to his death

from the fourth floor.

The catalyst of the play is Shahjehan

Narejo, who plays a character simply named

Maniac in Fo’s original and Jaali in Farhan

Alam Siddiqui’s adaptation. He is a shape

shifting, Aladin-esque rogue who has been

apprehended eleven times previously under the

guise of different professions.

With his wit and gift of manipulation he

can disorient the officers enough for them to

beg him to leave the premises, despite him

being a wanted criminal.

He returns to the headquarters to collect

his things and dispose of criminal records he

considers petty, sort of like Robin Hood. Due

to a series of events involving him intercepting

a phone call from a judge who wishes to

investigate the alleged suicide from before,

whose identity Jaali naturally decides to

assume.

From there on it’s an unfolding of

events how they happened according to

witness and police testimony.

While cross examining the other police

officers (Hammad Khan and Farhad Alam)

who were also in charge of the alleged

terrorists’ interrogation, it comes to light that

maybe something sinister was taking place. On

a scale much grander than first conceived.

Shahjehan Narejo plays his character

with energy, exuberance and is exceedingly

engaging throughout.

There were some technical slip ups

with the phone ringing even after it had been

picked up on stage, but on the whole the set

and lighting were far too minimalist to leave a

wide enough margin for faux pas.

There are some bits of the play that

delighted the audience considerably but the

dialogue delivery could have been more

animated and heartfelt.

Overall it’s an apt play to lay bare how

the nation feels in general about being lied to

by those with who possess authority but have

little sense to deserve it.

- Text by Mehar Khursheed/Dawn.com

07 April 4, 2013

Napa Festival 2013: An enthralling blend of cultures Khel Ek Raat Ka -Photos by Alisia Pek

So an adaptation of a renowned

Turkish play by the name of Dört

Oyun [meaning four games] was more

than welcome.

It is written by a famous Turkish

playwright, poet and author Melih

Cevdet Anday. Staged as Khel Ek Raat

Ka and starring actors Saman Saeed and

Saqib Khan, the play centers around

their emotional escapades and the

audience centers around them. A

technique that has risen in popularity is

employed in this production, where the

audience surrounds the stage also known

as theatre in the round. This method is

excellent in order to gauge the reaction

of the audience and if utilized fully can

prove to be exceedingly engaging.

As the story goes, Man, Woman and

Baby all burst in through the doors and

to the stage, seeking refuge from the

blistering blizzard. It is apparent from

the beginning that the Man is drunk and

that he and the Woman have no previous

knowledge of one another. After the

initial phases of awkwardness on behalf

of the woman and the indifferent

nonchalant disposition on behalf of the

man have dispersed does the play truly

begin.

The Woman at first tries to sleuth out of

the Man what he thinks of her. Does he

think she’s a woman of ill repute? Does

he think this is a habit of hers, to just

waltz into a strange mans home? What

did she do that got her out in the severe

cold anyway? The irony being that the

Man doesn’t really care, one way or

another. He insists that bringing a lone

Woman and her baby to his home, out of

the cold, was an act of kindness he

committed without second guesses. Thus

begins to unfurl a more psychological

drama. The Woman is trying to achieve

some sort of external validity through

this Man, she wants him to see her as a

person. And as we all know people are

best known for their deceit, their

betrayal and their selfishness. She asks

him why he isn’t the least bit curious

about her. She could be mad. She

could be homicidal. That needn’t even

be her baby.

The Man, drinking, stumbling is most

hospitable to her ideas, he humours

her through out and they embark on

t h i s e m o t i o n a l , p e r s o n a l ,

psychological, somewhat sinister route

to expose each others past and present

- all the while without ever asking the

others name. The play in itself is much

needed, in terms of cultural growth. It

is delightfully matter of fact when

discussing sexual encounters of both

the Man and Woman. It portrays the

pressurizing effects of society on an

opinionated Woman and the pressure

that an opinionated Man can put on

society in return.

Sanam Saeed acted with the comfort of

someone to whom the presence or

absence of an audience doesn’t matter.

She was humorous, she was hysterical

and exceedingly neurotic but all to

accurate effect. Saqib Khan on the other

hand really did not utilize the purpose of

the arena stage as for around forty

minutes of the play he acted with his eyes

closed. Perhaps what he was drinking was

real brandy because he seemed to only

gain confidence in the second quarter of

the play. The set design was quite

commendable, as they managed to fit in

three separate compartments into such a

small space, as the audience shared the

stage with the actors.

Overall, it was encouraging to see a play

that had enough faith in the audience to

present itself as mature, candid and real.

- Text by Mehar Khursheed/Dawn.com

Turkish media has been consumed in this region with a relish.

Music festivities at the Napa festival -Photo by Alisia Pek

One of the most ideal ways to adapt to changes is to fuse with

it.

This was achieved at the National Academy of Performing

Arts (Napa) last night where some great Pakistani rockers took the

stage by crooning old classics and playing

on our ‘heartstrings’. They transformed

vintage chart toppers into ballads with their

melancholy guitar solos and fluid drum

performances.

Local band Fuzon put aside their

vocalist for an evening to take on the fresh

graduates of Napa. Though there wasn’t a

huge turnout, the band gave it their all and

mesmerised the crowd with jaw-dropping

performances. The musicians, with Immu

on keyboards, Shallum on lead guitar,

Jason on drums and Ali Zafra on bass, spoilt the audience with a

night of music indulgence.

The main highlight of this show is Nafees Ahmed, head of

Napa’s music department and sitar player of the night. Ahmed,

who was behind those intricate sounds that gave depth to these

modern renditions, also made it a point to introduce

each student before their performances.

There were some inevitable moments where the

vocalists did not coordinate their timings at the

beginning of certain

songs, but as the music

droned on, their music

instincts took over and

gave a strong finish to

their rough starts. It

would not be fair to

criticise these students

though, as some of the

songs were truly

difficult for a trained

singer, let alone newly

trained vocalist.

Thanks to the budding talents of Napa, the concert is a

delightful sound (and even visual) experience.

Text by Kurt Menezes and Mehar Khursheed.

08 April 4, 2013

These are, to paraphrase an American

independence hero, the times that try

Pakistani souls.

Yes, the May election marks a

democratic milestone. But let’s not be

fooled. The nation remains mired in a

deep — and arguably unprecedented —

crisis.

This begs a question that many

— from cynical Pakistani intellectuals

to dismissive Washington analysts —

are unwilling to ask: Given the depths

of Pakistan’s troubles (a colleague

recently described it as “a train wreck

in slow motion”), and given the

colossal leadership failures of recent

years, would a Prime Minister Imran

Khan really be such a bad thing?

Admittedly, we’re likely talking

about pure hypotheticals; the odds are

against Khan assuming power. But as

a supremely popular cricket hero-turned

-politician, he’s well worth discussing.

For voters, Khan is the

quintessential high-risk investment.

Because neither he, nor his party has

ever led a government, his candidacy is

fraught with uncertainty. If he were to

take power, the returns could be

intoxicatingly high — or dangerously

low.

On the one hand, Khan and the PTI

embody what Pakistan needs most:

Hope. And not just in the abstract sense.

The PTI’s internal party elections

suggest a commitment to strengthening

democracy in a country where the

institution remains fragile. The party’s

clean reputation brings credibility to its

intention to root out corruption. Its

release of a social media code of

conduct legitimises its desire to

introduce more civility. And its

announcement of a manifesto for the

disabled demonstrates its determination

to bring more inclusivity to a nation

long defined by exclusion and division.

Additionally, Khan’s repeated

condemnations of sectarian violence are

striking; he says what most politicians

simply don’t say (“I tell you by name,

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi … there can be no

bigger enemy of Islam than you”). Such

denunciations give hope that he would

tackle one of Pakistan’s chief security

threats.

On the other hand, Khan’s lack

of experience in government could

translate to disastrous policy decisions

— when the nation cannot afford any

more of them. His constant tendency to

blame America and the West for

Pakistan’s ills raises the possibility of

yet another leader who shirks

responsibility and outsources blame. His

perplexing position on militancy — he

denounces the country’s “strategic

assets” (such as LeJ) while extending

olive branches to rabidly anti-state

extremists (such as TTP) — telegraphs

a reluctance to unequivocally confront

such a deadly scourge. And news of an

electoral alliance with the hardline JI

raises red flags galore.

In other words, we don’t know

what to expect. Khan could defy vested

interests, and introduce tax reforms and

reorient the national budget toward the

social sector. He could galvanise his

supporters from the young, urban

middle class — a critical long-term

demographic — and position the

country to reap a long-elusive

demographic dividend.

Or, he could try to do these

things and fail miserably. He could

discard his populist campaign

rhetoric, sell out, and succumb to the

system and its vested interests. One of

his most misguided insinuations —

when America leaves the region,

Pakistan’s security situation will

magically improve — could infect

policymaking and allow a dangerous

complacency to take root.

These are both terrific and

terrifying returns — and we don’t

know which type would materialise.

Yet, here’s a question. Would even

the most dreadful of returns be any

worse than the consequences of

another PPP-led or, more likely, a

PML-N-led government?

The lat ter scenar io i s

a d m i t t e d l y l o w - r i s k : T h e

consequences won’t be pretty, but

you basically know what you’re

getting — much of the same as

before. Understandably, many are OK

with this option. After all, given

Pakistan’s perilous plight, why

embrace more risk? Why jeopardise

the relative comfort of “muddling

along”?

But consider the likely

consequences. Unless pessimism has

taken my reasoning hostage, we can

assume neither the PPP nor PML-N will

muster the will to implement critical

reforms — or to take bolder steps against

militancy. These are dynastic parties

locked in a tight embrace with vested

interests. They represent entrenched

feudal and agricultural interests, and

defer to entrenched military and religious

interests — most of which staunchly

resist change.

In effect, we’d witness the jealous

guarding of an increasingly untenable

status quo.

This isn’t an appealing prospect.

Unless, that is, the returns from a PTI

government are so disastrous that they

accelerate Pakistan’s seemingly

inevitable downward spiral — a spiral

that previous governments, up to now

(thanks to Pakistanis’ resourcefulness),

have kept at bay.

Ultimately, these are all

unknowns. But this we know: the

contrast between the established parties

and the PTI is sharp. One day after

bickering PPP and PML-N officials

failed to select a caretaker prime

minister, the PTI mobilised at least

150,000 people at a hope-infused rally.

So would a Prime Minister Khan

be such a bad thing? There’s no way of

knowing. But would it be the worst bad

thing? Call me naive, but I’m inclined to

say: Not necessarily.

The author is the Senior Program

Associate for South Asia at the Woodrow

Wilson International Center for Scholars

in Washington, DC. You can reach him

at michael.kugelman@wilsoncenter.org

Imran Khan: The least bad option?

Statement by Mayor Fennell on World Autism Awareness Day

“On behalf of the people of Brampton, our City joins with

communities from around the world, recognizing today as

World Autism Awareness Day.

“2013 marks the first time that Canada observes

World Autism Awareness Day to encourage support and

inclusiveness for individuals with Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD).

“ASD is a complex developmental condition that

affects more than 100,000 Ontarians and many families right

here in Brampton.

“I want to acknowledge the volunteers and

leadership of Autism Ontario, who are unwavering in their

commitment to speak up on behalf of the Autism

community.

“The flag raising campaign held on this day at

Brampton City Hall will increase public awareness of the

day-to-day issues faced by individuals with Autism, along

with their families, friends, loved ones, and health care

professionals.”

09 April 4, 2013

My name is Geeta Chopra and I

am an ayurvedic consultant.

I am also a reiki practitioner

and meditation guide with the

Canadian Reiki Association.

Ayurveda is the oldest health

science in the world.

I cultivate all natural herbs

and foods into the patients

treatment plan to heal them from

the root.

Another part of this is the

mind body connection which is

what I use to assist people to

heal themselves from chronic

diseases.

I believe in the power of

the Human Mind and I have

used these techniques on myself.

I enjoy working with

people from all over and with

diverse health backgrounds. No

condition is in incurable.

Everything is curable from

within. Once we access our our

inner wisdom and bring spirit to the

healing process, anything is

possible.

I would like to share this

light and wisdom with the world.

Press Release

Member of Provincial Parliament for

Mississauga East-Cooksville April 01, 2013

For Immediate Release Roundtable Discussion on Citizenship and Immigration in Mississauga: Hosted by MPP Dipika Damerla

MISSISSAUGA -- MPP Dipika Damerla

invited Minister of Citizenship and

Immigration, Honourable Michael

Coteau, to meet with community

stakeholders from the Peel Region and

talk about ways to help newcomers

achieve success. The roundtable

discussion was held on Thursday, March

28th at the Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood

Centre.

An effective immigration

strategy is vital to a strong economy.

The conversation focused on working

with community groups and businesses

to improve job prospects. Attendees

also talked about encouraging employers

to develop or expand mentorship,

internship and on-the-job training

programs.

QUOTE: “I am pleased to have

Honourable Michael Coteau, Minister of

Citizenship and Immigration in

Mississauga to meet with settlement

agencies and community groups. It is an

opportunity to discuss issues important

to Mississauga residents.” --MPP Dipika

Damerla, Mississauga East-Cooksville.

“I was pleased to meet today

with members of our local newcomer

groups in Peel. Our new government

knows that newcomers in different

regions across Ontario face different sets

of challenges.

Th i s was a wonder fu l

opportunity to meet with our front-line

workers to hear about their needs and

the needs of their clients. Our

government will continue to invest in

newcomers. When newcomers are

successful, Ontario is successful.”

-- Michael Coteau, Minister of

Citizenship and Immigration

FACTS

Ontario’s economy is the largest in

Canada and the sixth largest in

North America

Demographics show that our

population is aging, and our birth

rate is low. Without further

immigration, our labour force

will begin to shrink.

In 2011, the federal government

allowed Ontario to directly select

only 3.5 per cent of its landed

economic immigrants through its

Provincial Nominee Program,

compared to an average of 54%

for other provinces (excluding

Quebec)

Immigrants make up 29 per cent

of Ontario’s labour force

For media inquiries contact Ann

Ariyadasa at 905.301.3389 or

aariyadasa@liberal.ola.org.

10 April 4, 2013

11 April 4, 2013

Toronto Star | Sunday, March 31,

2013

When it comes to promoting

r e l i g i o u s f r e e d o m , t h e

government could do with a little

more fairness right here at home.

Less than a month after the

Con se rva t i v e gove rn me n t

officially established the Office

for Religious Freedom, a multi-

faith flock of Canadians is taking

the government to court for

violating the very freedoms the

government pledges the new

office will promote abroad.

In a united front that

highlights strong interfaith

opposition, Muslim, Wiccan,

Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish

prisoners and ex-prisoners are

now suing the federal government

for cutting part-time chaplains,

many of whom ministered to

prisoners just like them.

The government cut the

part-time chaplains to save an

estimated $1.3 million. But $5

million was budgeted to promote

religious freedom around the

w o r l d . W h e r e a r e t h e

government’s priorities?

“Having a chaplain of one’s

own faith visit regularly and make

a lasting connection helps

prisoners feel that they have not

been abandoned by society,”

reads part of the lawsuit, filed in

the B.C. Supreme Court. The

claim goes on to argue that the

government’s decision to cut all

but one non-Christian chaplain

contravenes several Charter

rights, including the right to

practise one’s religion freely, the

right to life, liberty and the

security of person, and the right to

be free from discrimination.

Considering that many

Christian prisoners have regular

and dependable access to

Christian Bible studies, group

meetings and a chaplain who can

fully minister to their needs, the

disadvantage to prisoners of other

faith groups is clear. The lawsuit

chronicles complaints that

promised volunteer chaplaincy

visits are too few and unreliable.

The federal government

ostensibly wants to serve as a

beacon for religious tolerance and

diversity abroad but its own

record gives rise to some

misgivings.

Take Immigration Minister

Jason Kenney’s insistence that the

small group of Muslim women

wearing face veils remove them

in order to take the citizenship

oath.

The minister has not

budged on this 2011 directive

despite protests that this violates

the Charter’s protection of

religious freedom and equity

before the law. Even the

Supreme Court of Canada ruled

as much in the recent R v. N.S.

case, which involved a Muslim

woman’s request that she wear

her niqab while testifying.

A majority of the court

ruled that the Charter protects a

woman’s right to wear a face

veil in Canadian courtrooms.

The ruling laid down

specific circumstances when a

woman might be required to

remove it, essentially only

when her right can be shown to

impinge someone else’s Charter

rights.

Whose constitutional right is a

woman v io la t ing in a

citizenship oath ceremony?

Shouldn’t becoming a Canadian

mean that one starts to enjoy the

rights guaranteed by the

Charter?

It’s almost certain that

another costly constitutional

challenge is also on the way

with many experts suggesting

there’s not much ground for the

government to stand on.

Even the government’s own

Members of Parliament seem

fixated on speaking to a very

select segment of Canadians.

Just take a look at a recent flyer

circulated by Saskatchewan

Conservative MP Kelly Block

which claims that of the 200

million persecuted minorities in

the world, most are Christian.

To reinforce this, the flyer includes

a quote from MP Pierre Poilievre

pledging his support to the

persecuted Christian Copts in

Egypt during a statement to the

House of Commons.

One can be forgiven for wondering

whether the multitudes of other

faith adherents suffering around

the world will get the same kind of

attention.

Religious persecution of any group

or sect is a violation of human

rights which global citizens and

governments must fight against

a n d c o n d e m n . B u t o u r

government’s commitment to

fairly advocate on behalf of all

faith groups is in doubt.

We look to the federal government

to protect the constitutional rights

of all Canadians, equally and

without bias. Only then will there

be enough credibility to ask other

governments to do the same for

their citizens.

Amira Elghawaby is the human

rights coordinator at the

Canadian Council on American-

Islamic Relations (CAIR.CAN).

US cedes full control of Bagram to Afghan forces

Featured Article : Standing up for religious freedom abroad but not at home By: Amira Elghawaby

12 April 4, 2013

KUWAIT CITY: Authorities in

Kuwait on Monday hanged three

convicted murderers in the first

executions in the Gulf state since May

2007, the ministry of justice said.

The men, a Pakistani, a Saudi

and a stateless Arab, were hanged at the

central jail, west of the capital Kuwait

City, in front of judicial and security

officials, the ministry said.

The Pakistani was convicted of

killing a Kuwaiti couple and the Saudi of

murdering a compatriot.

The stateless Arab was hanged

for killing his wife and five children

after claiming he was a long-awaited

imam.

Shia Muslims rever Islam’s

twelfth imam, Mohammad Al-Mahdi,

who disappeared from the earth in the

tenth century and is said to be due to

return to save mankind.

Kuwait had six years ago

stopped executing convicts sentenced

to death without providing an

explanation.

The local Al-Sabas daily

reported Monday that at least another

44 people are on death row.

They include two members of the

Al-Sabah ruling family convicted over

drugs trafficking and murder, and a

woman who set a wedding tent ablaze in

2009 killing 57 people.

Kuwait has executed a total of 69

men and three foreign women since it

introduced the death penalty in mid-1960.

Most of those condemned have been

convicted murderers or drug traffickers.

Kuwait hangs three, including Pakistani, in first executions since 2007

— File Photo by AP

April 3, 2013 6:00 am

Ministry of Finance

T h e n e w O n t a r i o

government is inviting people

throughout the province to share

their ideas in innovative ways for

this year's provincial Budget.

Charles Sousa, Minister of

Finance, is travelling across the

province as well as holding

telephone town halls to hear from

as many communities and

organizations as possible in

advance of the Budget.

This year, for the first time,

pre-Budget consultations will

include digital conversations.

People can learn about the

Budget process by visiting the

Budget Talks page and can

participate in the conversation

by following @ONgov on

Twitter or by sharing what

matters to them through the

new, online interactive Budget

tool.

Ontario is committed to

eliminating the deficit by 2017-18

in a way that is both fair and

fiscally responsible, while

strengthening the economy so it

can create jobs for the people of

Ontario.

Join the 2013 Budget Conversation, Government Seeking Input to Help Build a Better Province