Wednesday, 20 March, 2013 Jamadi ul Awwal 7, 1434

notifications of16 bureaucratsto be cancelled,sC assuredEstablishment Division Secretary

Taimur Azmat Osman on Tuesday

assured the Supreme Court that

notifications over postings and

transfers of 16 of 22

bureaucrats, whose tenures had

not been completed, would be

cancelled in accordance with the

court’s decision. page 04

bombs kill 57on iraq invasionanniversaryA dozen car bombs and suicide

blasts tore into Shia districts in

Baghdad and south of the Iraqi

capital on Tuesday, killing more than

55 people on the 10th anniversary

of the US-led invasion that ousted

Saddam Hussein. page 07

page 18

Us will not leaveafghanistan,believes Karzai

Around a half dozen top bureaucrats andofficers in the National Assembly areactively seeking extensions in their services’tenure and have been contacting theauthorities concerned for the purpose,Pakistan Today has learnt through reliablesources privy to parliament. page 19

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor EngineerShaukatullah on Tuesday announced thedissolution of provincial assembly upon thecompletion of its five-year term. Outgoingchief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti late onMonday night advised the governor todissolve the assembly. page 02

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan onTuesday dissolved the provincial assembly onan advice by Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.The governor signed a summary to this effecton Tuesday night. Chief Minister, Qaim AliShah had sent the governor a formal requestfor the assembly’s dissolution. page 02

story on page 02

story on page 03

Rs 17.00 Vol III No 262 19 Pages Karachi — Peshawar Edition

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PML-Q disintegrating due toelectoral alliance with PPP.— Senator SM Zafar

PML-Q ThreaTensTo QuiT aLLianceif reservaTionsnoT reMovedLAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim

League-Quaid (PML-Q) on Tuesday

threatened to quit the ruling coalition if

the PPP did not remove the party’s

reservations. Talks between the PPP and

the PML-Q for finalising matters regard-

ing seat adjustment in the upcoming

general elections were scheduled at the

Governor’s House on Tuesday. Manzoor

Wattoo, Qamar Zaman Kaira and other

leaders of the PPP were present, but

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi boycotted the

meeting and instead sent PML-Q leaders

Raja Basharat‚ Zaheeruddin Chaudhry

and Raza Hayat Hiraj. Basharat, Zaheer

and other members of the delegation

also refused to hold talks with the PPP

leaders. However, PPP Information Sec-

retary Qamar Zaman Kaira said there

was no deadlock with the PML-Q over

seat adjustment. Kaira said the PML-Q

did have a few reservations, but both

parties would contest elections jointly

after removing each other’s reserva-

tions. He said the PPP leadership

would be informed about the PML-Q’s

reservations and all efforts would be

made to address them. PML-Q’s

Basharat said his party had conveyed

to the PPP that parameters for talks

were not being followed. STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD

TAyyAb HuSSAin

PRIME Minister Raja Per-vaiz Ashraf and Leader of theOpposition Nisar Ali Khan onTuesday again failed to agreeon a credible person to be

tasked with conducting free, fair and trans-parent election and run the affairs of thecountry for next three months, leaving thematter for decision by an eight-memberparliamentary committee formed by theNational Assembly speaker.

President Asif Ali Zardari also decidedon Tuesday to hold general elections fromMay 9 to May 11 and the Pakistan Peo-ple’s Party (PPP) also conveyed to thePML-N its eagerness to hold the generalelections between May 9 and May 11, aswell as its willingness to withdraw its pre-vious nominations for the caretaker PMand fielding new ones.

However, no response from the PML-N had been received until the filing of thisreport.

A stern position taken by the PML-Nleadership over its nominees for the slot ofcaretaker PM has moved the issue towardsthe parliamentary committee, as a notifi-cation by the NA speaker said the bodywas set to meet today (Wednesday) after-noon to decide the matter.

“A meeting of the committee on ap-

pointment of the caretaker prime ministerwill be held on March 20, 2013 at 2:30pmat Parliament House, Islamabad to finalisethe name of the caretaker prime minister,”a statement issued by the National Assem-bly Secretariat said.

However, neither the prime ministernor the leader of the opposition sent theirformal nominations to the NA speaker bythe time this report was filed, officials inthe speaker’s chamber told PakistanToday.

If the committee also cannot evolveconsensus over the subject by Saturdayevening, the matter would automaticallygo to the Election Commission of Pakistanon Sunday.

NA Speaker Fehmida Mirza consti-tuted the committee in pursuance of clause(1) of Article 224A of the Constitution ofthe Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The committee will comprise of SyedKhurshid Ahmad Shah, Haji GhulamAhmed Bilour, Senator Farooq H Naik,Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, SardarMehtab Ahmed Khan, Senator PervaizRasheed, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, and SardarMuhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasir.

However, the two major oppositionparties – Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) –have objected to the formation of the com-mittee and said that their leadership hadnot been taken onboard over the issue.

Under the constitution, the parliamen-tary committee has to evolve a consensuson one name for caretaker prime ministerwithin three days and if it fails to do so inthe stipulated time, the matter will auto-matically go to the Election Commission,which will have to finalise one name outof four, two each from the prime ministerand the opposition leader in the NA.

The development was followed by ameeting of PPP leaders. Chaired by PrimeMinister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the meetingended with the party unwilling to compro-mise on the names of its nominees forcaretaker prime minister.

Earlier in the day, the PPP and thePML-N held exclusive meetings in thecapital and Lahore to discuss their strate-gies. Senior PPP leader Khurshid AhmedShah met PML-N leader Senator IshaqDar and suggested May 9 as the electiondate to the opposition and also proposedwithdrawing the previous nominatednames for caretaker PM and fielding newones. A source in the PPP said Shah andDar discussed the dissolution of PunjabAssembly and names for caretaker PM andchief minister in Punjab.

The PPP leader told the oppositionleader that the government was willing toshow flexibility on the caretaker PM toend the deadlock. Dar hoped that issueswould be resolved amicably after PML-Nchief Nawaz Sharif returned home from

abroad. The ruling quarters have taken theopposition into confidence over holdinggeneral elections on May 9, and consulta-tion was underway in this regard, thesource said.

Dar also assured the PPP leader thatthere would be no problem regarding thedissolution of Punjab Assembly and thesame would be dissolved in a day or two.

Talking to reporters after the meeting‚the PPP and PML-N leaders dismissed theimpression about any deadlock betweenthe government and the opposition in thisregard. They hoped that issues would beresolved amicably after Nawaz returnedhome.

Later, the prime minister chaired ameeting of the PPP leadership that was at-tended by former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani,Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Hina RabbaniKhar, Farooq Naik, Nazar MohammadGondal, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, AnwarSaifullah Khan and others.

During the meeting, Shah briefed thePPP leadership on his meeting with Dar.

The meeting resolved that since thePML-N leadership was adamant on itsstand, the PPP should also stick to its own.

The PML-N has been insisting thatJustice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid or RasoolBux Palejo be picked for the position ofcaretaker PM, while the government backsDr Ishrat Hussain, Abdul Hafeez Sheikh orMir Hazar Khan Khoso for the top slot.

The ball is in parliamentarycommittee’s court now

NA BODY TO DECIDECARETAKER PM ASASHRAF, NISARFAIL AGAIN

PRESIDENT ZARDARIDECIDES TO HOLDGENERAL ELECTIONFROM MAY 9-11

PPP EXPRESSESEAGERNESS TOWITHDRAW PREVIOUSNOMINEES

DAR SAYS PML-N TODECIDE MATTER UPONNAWAZ’S RETURNFROM ABROAD

KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan onTuesday dissolved the provincial assem-bly on an advice by Chief Minister QaimAli Shah.

The governor signed a summary tothis effect on Tuesday night.

Chief Minister, Qaim Ali Shah hadsent the governor a formal request for theassembly’s dissolution.

Sources said the chief minister had al-ready directed the ministers, advisers, spe-cial assistants, MPAs and others tosurrender official vehicles, and vacate of-ficial residences.

The ruling Pakistan People’s Partyand opposition party Muttahida QuamiMovement also agreed on the name ofJustice (r) Zahid Qurban Alvi for appoint-ment as the caretaker chief minister ofSindh.

The major chunk of the provincialcabinet is likely to come from the PPP andMQM.

According to sources, the PPP had putforward nine names for the cabinet, in-

cluding Zia Lanjar, Agha Wasi Durrani,Fauzia Jaffery, Fazlur Rehman, formercorps Commander General (r) Ehsan, DrAmjad Memon, Shujaat Ali Jakhrani,Umar Abbas Jilani and Fida Hussain.

The MQM’s Barrister HabiburRehman, Shujaat Ali Baig, Nadirah Pun-

jwani and Advocate Qazi Khalid are alsoexpected to be in the caretaker setup inSindh.

The caretaker dispensation will alsoinclude Pir Riyaz Gul from the AwamiNational Party and Shahid Ghouri fromthe Sunni Tehreek.

PESHAWAR

STAFF REPORT

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor EngineerShaukatullah on Tuesday announced thedissolution of provincial assembly upon thecompletion of its five-year term.

Outgoing chief minister Amir HaiderKhan Hoti late on Monday night advisedthe governor to dissolve the assembly.

In accordance with the consensus be-tween leader of the house Amir HaiderKhan Hoti and leader of the oppositionAkram Khan Durrani, Justice (r) Tariq Per-vez will be administered oath as the care-taker chief minister today (Wednesday).

Through some highly-placed sources,Pakistan Today has come to know that aseven-member caretaker cabinet would alsobe administered oath on Wednesday byGovernor Shaukatullah.

The sources said three to five caretakerministers would be inducted in the provin-cial cabinet later.

Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hotiwill remain in office until the administra-tion of oath to Justice (r) Tariq Pervez. Heis likely to leave the Chief Minister’s House

on Wednesday evening.His family has already abandoned the

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House.Besides the chief minister, almost all of

his cabinet members have vacated officialresidences and moved to their own houses.

Almost all outgoing ministers had al-ready abandoned their offices a week ago.

Sindh Assembly dissolved,Alvi likely interim CM

KP Assembly dissolved,Pervez to take oath today

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Impartial caretaker setup

prerequisite to ensuring transparency

in elections. — Imran Khan

RAWALPINDI

STAFF REPORT

THE Joint Chiefs of StaffCommittee Meeting(JCSC) was held at theJoint Staff Headquarters onTuesday, in which the

armed forces vowed to take the menaceof terrorism head-on, besides discussingthe forces’ preparedness and support forElection Commission of Pakistan in theupcoming election.

The meeting also reviewed national

security situation and resolved that thearmed forces will follow a comprehen-sive strategy to combat terrorist threatbeing face by the country.

The meeting was chaired by Chair-man of the Committee General KhalidShameem Wyne. It was attended by allservices chiefs and other senior militaryofficers.

The JCSC is a quarterly moot ofsenior military leadership to assess andevaluate the operational preparedness ofthe country’s armed forces.

The meeting this time reviewed is-

sues related to the national security, re-gional geo-strategic environment, andinternal security situation along with theprogress on the agenda points of lastsession.

It also discussed the support ofarmed forces for the ECP during theforthcoming elections.

Participants expressed their satisfac-tion over the level of preparedness of thearmed forces to take on the upcomingchallenges. It was reiterated in unequiv-ocal terms that comprehensive strategywould be followed to curb terrorism.

The CJCSC appreciated the sacri-fices rendered in the realm of nationalsecurity.

Chief of Army Staff General AshfaqKayani, Chief of Naval Staff AdmiralMuhammad Asif Sandila, Chief of AirStaff Air Chief Marshal Tahir RafiqueButt, the defence secretary, chief of gen-eral staff, Joint Staff director general,Inter-Services Intelligence director gen-eral, Strategic Plans Division directorgeneral and senior military officers fromthe three services participated in the de-liberations.

army poised to taketerrorism head-on

ecP allots electionemblems to 144political parties

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The Election Commission (ECP) on Tuesdayallotted election emblems to 144 political partiesfor upcoming elections. However, the commissiondeferred the application of ruling Pakistan PeopleParty Parliamentarians (PPPP), seeking arrow aselection symbol. The commission fixed the matterfor March 25, as two other parties have alsoapplied for the enlistment of PPP and arrow aselection symbol. PPP Shaheed BhuttoChairwoman Ghinwa Bhutto sought renaming ofher party as PPP, claiming her party was the realheir of Bhutto’s party and philosophy. Whereas, adissident group within the PPPP, headed byNaheed Khan, also sought arrow as electionemblem. The parties wanted to take advantage ofthe fact that no party with the name of PPP wascurrently enlisted with the ECP as ruling PPPcontested the last elections from the platform ofPakistan People Party Parliamentarians. OnTuesday, the ECP took up Naheed Khan’spetition, in which she sought enlistment of herparty (PPP) with arrow. During the course ofhearing, ruling PPPP General Secretary JahangirBadr and Sumsan Bokhari pleaded that the PPPPhad contested 2002 and 2008 with the symbol ofarrow, thus it should be allotted the same for theupcoming elections. However, Safdar Abbasirequested the commission that before theallotment of arrow, the ECP should decide the fateof their application first. On this, the commissionfixed the matter for March 25. Symbol of tigerhas been allotted to the PML-N; bicycle to PML-Q; and kite has been allotted to the MQM.Whereas, the commission allotted scale to theJUI; lantern to the Awami National Party, rose tothe PML-F and book has been given to the JUI-Ffor upcoming elections. Imran Khan’s PTI hasbeen given cricket bat. Whereas, the ECP whileaccepting Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s applicationallotted him missile as election symbol to hisTehreek-e-Tahafuz Pakistan. All Pakistan MuslimLeague of former president Pervez Musharraf hasbeen allotted eagle as election symbol. Wheel hasbeen given to the Jamhoori Watan Party;helicopter to Ijazul Haq’s Pakistan MuslimLeague-Zia; Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed’s AwamiMuslim League has been given inkpot with pen.The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has beenallotted tree; the Muttahida Deeni Mahaz has beenissued ladder; the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-MuslimeenPakistan has been allotted human hand; and truckhas been given to the Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara.According to election symbol list, sun andcrescent were most applied symbols. Afterballoting, sun has been allotted to the ChristianProgressive Movement and crescent has beenallotted to the Hazara Democratic Party.

no legislation

required for

overseas Pakistanis’

voting rights: scISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesdaydirected Attorney General (AG) Irfan Qadir todevise a mechanism for awarding votingrights to overseas Pakistanis with the help ofIT experts saying no legislation was necessaryto grant expatriates the right to vote.Appearing before the apex court, Qadir said itwas impossible to adopt procedures forelectronic voting in the upcoming elections.“Such a voting system has failed in severalcountries,” he said, adding that IT expertscould create a software for the purpose but itwould take at least a year. ElectionCommission of Pakistan (ECP) DirectorGeneral (DG) Sher Afgan said overseasPakistanis could not be awarded the right tovote without proper legislation. Chief Justice(CJ) Chaudhry Iftikhar proposed this could bedone by using a computer desk in Pakistanimissions. The court also showed annoyanceover non-implementation of its decision in theelectoral reforms case. During hearing thecounsel for ECP Munir Paracha said thedecision on electoral reforms was being fullyimplemented and ECP was taking furthermeasures in this regard. The court however,said the EC P is not acting on the verdict.

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Chief Justice of Pakistan IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry on Tuesday ex-pressed annoyance over the formationof a commission by the government forprotecting the National AccountabilityBureau (NAB) from ‘interference’ by‘outside institutions’.

A three-member Supreme Courtbench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muham-mad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmedand Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed washearing a suo motu notice taken on thecommission’s formation to probe NABchairman’s letter to the president.

The court ordered that concerneddocuments be presented before it to de-termine who ordered the commission’sformation.

The chief justice said NAB Chair-man Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari was al-ready facing contempt charges over hisletter to President Asif Ali Zardari,adding that the matter of the commis-sion would also be analysed with theexisting charges.

He said events surrounding the no-tification reflected that the governmentbelieved the judiciary to be in subordi-

nation of the executive.The Law joint secretary told the

court during the hearing that the noti-fication for the formation of the com-mission, comprising Supreme Courtjudges Mukhtar Junejo and MuhammadNawaz Abbasi, was issued followingthe presidential reference, adding thatthe notification, however, had beenwithdrawn.

The chief justice said the notifica-tion reflected that the judiciary was asubordinate body of the executive,which was unfortunate. He said theprime minister had sought opinion onthe letter and was asked to form a com-mission, adding that the matter of thecommission would be seen as contemptof court.

The chief justice said strict actionwould be taken against anyone whotried to undermine the court and that

the patience of the court was beingconstantly tested.

The hearing was adjourned later.Less than an hour before it com-

pleted its five-year term on March 16,the government formed a commissionto probe allegations of “persistent in-terference by outside institutions” intothe workings of NAB.

According to the notification issuedlate on Saturday by the Law and JusticeDivision, signed by Senior Joint Secre-tary Sohail Qadeer Siddiqui, a two-member commission comprisingformer SC judges Mukhtar Junejo andNawaz Abbasi was formed to look intothe matter and submit a report in thenext few weeks.

The commission had to start itsprobe within a week of the issuance ofthe notification, and had to submit itsreport within four weeks.

Bokhari’s letter to president: SCslams commission’s formation

CHIEF JUSTICE OFPAKISTAN SAYSEFFORTS ON TOUNDERMINE THE JUDICIARY

COMMISSION’SFORMATION WOULDBE SEEN IN CONTEXT OFCONTEMPT OF COURT

KARACHI: People shout slogans during the funeral of eminent Shia Professor Sibt-e-Jaffar Zaidi on Tuesday. Zaidi was gunned down in

Liaquatabad the other day. ONLINE

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Britain fully supports election

process in Pakistan. – British

envoy Adam Thomson

KARACHI: Police personnel inspect the site

of a car bombing at Landi Kotal Chowrangi

on Tuesday. A KESC official was killed and

two others were injured in a car blast. PPi

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

eSTABLISHMENT Di-vision SecretaryTaimur Azmat Osmanon Tuesday assured the

Supreme Court that notifica-tions over postings and trans-fers of 16 of 22 bureaucrats,whose tenures had not beencompleted, would be can-celled in accordance with thecourt’s decision.

Appearing before a three-member bench of JusticeJawwad S Khawaja, JusticeSheikh Azmat Saeed and Jus-tice Khilji Arif Hussain in con-nection with a suo motu caseregarding transfer of CapitalDevelopment Authority Chair-man Tahir Shahbaz, Osmansubmitted details of the 22 bu-reaucrats, who were trans-ferred or posted on March 16.

The secretary apprised thebench that the notificationswith regards to the transferand posting of Tahir Shahbazand Chief CommissionerTariq Mahmood Pirzada stoodcancelled. He said among

other notifications, 12 wereheld in abeyance while eightofficers had reported to theirnew assignments.

The establishment secretaryalso provided particulars of theofficers, who were promotedagainst vacant posts on March16 and in whose promotions ortransfers, the issue of tenurecompletion was not involved.

Among them Tariq FerozKhan was posted as Intellec-tual Property OrganizationDG in BS-21, Aftab AhmedMani as Heavy MechanicalComplex DG in BS-21, Mo-hammad Aslam Hayat as ad-ditional secretary in theMinistry of Petroleum,Naveed Kamran promoted toBS-21 in government ofSindh, while Mahfooz Ali wastransferred and given chargeof chief secretary Balochistanfor a period of one month.

Osman said the Balochis-tan chief secretary had notbeen transferred so the issueof his tenure completing didnot arise. The bench, in itsorder, also observed that inthe matter of transfers or post-

ings of the above officers,prima facie, the issue of com-pletion of tenure did not arise.

It directed the secretary tosubmit copies of withdrawalor cancellation notificationsof these civil servants.

Justice Hussain observedthat the court was concernedwith the way things had hap-pened on March 16. “We haveto probe it. Notifications onMarch 16 issued without com-pletion of tenures by the offi-cers.” Justice Khawaja readout a news item from an Eng-lish daily, highlighting a brief-ing given by the establishmentsecretary to the prime ministerafter the Supreme Court’s No-vember 12, 2012 decision inAneeta Turab’s case.

Justice Khawaja said theprime minister had himself di-rected the secretary to fullyimplement the court’s deci-sion. Osman replied that aftera decision of the SC, a de-tailed briefing was given tothe PM and a policy statementwas submitted before himwith direction to all provincialgovernments as well.

KARACHI

iSMAiL DiLAWAR

Pakistan’s government is negotiat-ing with the US-led InternationalSecurity Assistance Force (ISAF),fighting militancy in Afghanistan,on imposition of a “security sur-charge” on the military hardwarethe multinational troops plan to re-trieve from the landlocked countryby the end of next year. The sur-charge is being levied in line withthe 14-point Memorandum of Un-derstanding (MoU) the Pakistan’sMinistry of Defence had signedwith the ISAF representatives inIslamabad after lifting of theNATO supply route blockade inSeptember last year.

In return, Pakistan would be

providing the outbound NATOequipment with additional secu-rity, the need for which wouldarise once international troops startwithdrawing their equipment. Ac-cording to sources privy to thematter, the ministries of defence,ports and shipping, commerce andthe Federal Board of Revenue(FBR) are engaged with Ameri-cans in what has been described asan “inter-ministerial dialogue” forimposing a security surcharge onNATO’s war equipment which willbe, fully or partially, transportedvia Pakistani land and sea routessooner or later.

The proposed surcharge,said sources, ranges from $ 10to $ 20 per twenty-equivalent-unit (TEU) to be collected by

port operators at Karachi PortTrust (KPT) and Port QasimAuthority (PQA) who wouldalso be responsible for makingrequired security arrange-ments.

NATO, reportedly, has to pullback some 0.3 million units fromAfghanistan, including 0.2 millionTEUs (containers) and 0.1 millionvehicles. Giving a break-up of thesurcharge, sources said each of thevehicles and 20-feet containersbeing shipped through local portswould be charged at $ 20 and $10,respectively. “Charges for a 40-feet container would naturallydouble,” they added. “Americansare potentially exposing Pakistaniports to additional security threats,to guard against which we would

be in a pressing need to deploy ad-ditional security apparatus,” said awell-informed official while justi-fying the levy. “This surcharge isto recover the expenses that addi-tional security would incur,” headded.

The official said a clause of the14-point MoU, inked in September2012 by Pakistan and the US-ledNATO forces provided that Islam-abad “could” at a later stage im-pose such a surcharge to recoverits security-related expenditures.Sources said port operators wouldbe deploying armed personnel toguard the entry and exit points atthe ports. While the KPT main-tains a well-trained Port SecurityForce (PSF), the PQA has no sucharmed wing. “Other security meas-

ures could be the installation of ad-ditional surveillance cameras inthe port vicinity, enhanced pa-trolling and most importantly cor-doning off the walled area createdby the plying of container stakes,”they said.

Deterrence, said sources,would be created against a poten-tial terrorist threat. “Seaports areconsidered to be the most sensitivestrategic points where any unto-ward incident sends a strong mes-sage to the outside world,” theysaid. Sources added Americanshad no objections to Pakistan’sproposal for a surcharge. “Theydon’t care much about a $ 10 duty.They are well aware of the huge fi-nancial costs of a smooth with-drawal,” they added.

AGRA

AGEnCiES

Close on the heels of thegangrape of a Swiss touristin Madhya Pradesh, a 25-year-old British womantourist today jumped out of afirst-floor hotel room overfears of a sex attack and sus-tained leg injuries.

The tourist, a dentistfrom London, who hadchecked into the hotel inIdgah area, about four kilo-metres from the Taj Mahal,two days back, told the po-lice that she had asked for awake-up call at 4am.

The hotel owner SachinChauhan knocked at herdoor at 3.45am and offered a“free hand massage” sayingit was part of hotel’s specialservices for foreign guests,Subhash Chandra Dubey,SSP, Agra, told reporters.

She refused and closedthe door. But soon, theowner came with the secu-rity guard and tried to open

the door.The tourist said she

locked the room from insideand leapt from the first-floorwindow to the level below,injuring her leg. She wastreated for ligament injury atthe district hospital and latermoved to another hotel, po-lice said.

Police said the victimwas a dentist from Londonwho had arrived in Indiathree weeks back and trav-elled to different parts be-fore reaching Agra.

Chauhan, a Delhi native,was arrested on molestation,harassment and othercharges, police said.

The hotel owner claimedthat he was being falsely im-plicated as he had gone toonly wake her up becauseshe had not responded whenthe hotel staff had tried ring-ing her on the intercom.

The British High Com-mission in Delhi said itsofficials had spoken to thewoman and to the local po-

lice and that consular as-sistance was being pro-vided to her.

On Friday, a 39-year-oldSwiss tourist was gangrapedin a forest in MadhyaPradesh while her husbandwas beaten up. Six men havebeen arrested. The Swisscouple were on a cycling tripin India and their next desti-nation was Agra.

The UK Foreign andCommonwealth Office(FCO) has reviewed itstravel advisory for womentravellers to India.

“We are aware of an in-cident involving a Britishnational in Agra, India, andare urgently looking into it.We are in contact with localauthorities and are providingconsular assistance to thewoman,” an FCO spokesper-son told PTI in London.

It said, “Women trav-ellers should exercise cau-tion when travelling in Indiaeven if they are travelling ina group.”

MUMBAI

AGEnCiES

A bus crash left 37 people dead and another 13injured after the vehicle careered off a bridgeinto a dry river bed in India’s western state ofMaharashtra on Tuesday, police said.

“The bus was travelling from Goa to Mum-bai when the driver suddenly lost control,” anofficer in the police control room said.

The pre-dawn accident happened in Kheddistrict, around 350 kilometres (220 miles)south of the state capital Mumbai.

Most of the injured, including the driver,sustained head and arm injuries and were un-dergoing treatment at a local hospital, said theofficer. Media reports said there were someforeign tourists on the bus, but there was noimmediate confirmation from the police.

About 110,000 people were killed in In-dian road accidents in 2011 — more than300 every day — according to the last avail-able statistics from the National CrimeRecords Bureau. Bad roads, speeding vehi-cles and poor driving were among the con-tributing factors.

PML-n stanceon caretakerPM flexible:shahbaz

LAHORE

OnLinE

Punjab Chief Minister (CM)Shahbaz Sharif said PakistamMuslim League-Nawaz’s(PML-N) stance on the issue ofcaretaker prime minister (PM)is not inflexible. Talking tomedia on the ongoing deadlockon the issue of caretaker PM hesaid, “Our stance is not intran-sigent at all on this matter. Butour stance is aimed at bolster-ing national interest.” “What iswrong in our demand that effi-cient and honest people shouldbecome part of the caretakersetup,” he said. “Our party’srole will be jotted down in his-tory in golden words,” headded. Why should we bringIMF ridden people? There areseveral capable people in thiscountry,” said the Punjab CM.Sharif said if PPP had betterpeople his party would con-sider them because PML-Nwanted elections to be held assoon as possible.

around2.77MMinoriTyvoTerseLigibLe TocasT voTe

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Around 2.77 million peoplebelonging to minoritycommunities are eligible tocast their votes in theupcoming general elections,according to figures with theElection Commission ofPakistan (ECP).Hindu community has thehighest number of registeredvoters with 1.4 millionpeople while the Christiancommunity has 1.2 millionregistered voters.

notifications of16 bureaucratsto be cancelled,sc assured

at least 37 killed in western india bus crash

pakistan, Us negotiating ‘securitysurcharge’ on retrievable nato equipment

british woman jumps off india hotelroom to escape molestation bid

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KARACHI

kwednesday, 20 March, 2013

abbasi shaheedhospital Ms, guardshot deadKARACHI: Abbasi ShaheedHospital Medical Superintendent(MS) Dr Asad Usman and his guardwere shot dead in Nazmiabad area ofthe city on Tuesday. According topolice, Dr Usman had been providedwith a policeman for security andwas killed when unknown gunmenriding motorcycles opened fire onhis car. Investigation into theincident was launched, the policesources added. inP

Woman killed

over karo kari

SHAHDADKOT: A man shot hiswife dead over karo kari charges inNabi Shah village on Tuesday.Ahsaan Khoso gunned his wife, HoorBano, down, in Nabi Shah villagenear Shahdadkot and fled the scene.B-Section police registered a caseagainst accused Ahsaan and startedinvestigation into the matter. PPi

TTP activist killed in encounterKARACHI: Police claimed to havekilled on Tuesday an activist ofbanned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) in an encounter in Pirabadarea of Karachi. The West DIG saidan activist of TTP identified asNadeem Mehsood was killed duringthe encounter in Pirabad area.Nadeem is said to be brother of alocal TTP commander.Police alsotook an accused into custody afterthe encounter. OnLinE

05

Low

high

190CsuNNy

WEaThEr updaTEs

310C

Fajr sunrise Zuhr asr Maghrib Isha

5:20 6:35 12:40 4:06 6:43 8:00

Thursday FrIday saTurday

33°C I 20°C 30°C I 21°C 29°C I 20°C

PRAyER TiMinGS

Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah distributes

cheques Rs of 1.5 million to each heir of 49

victims of Abbas town bomb blast

KARACHI

AFTAb CHAnnA

THOUGH clash-likesituation betweenMNA FaryalTalpur, whohappens to bePresident Zardari’s

sister, and Education Minister PirMazharul Haq was been resolved, thelatter once again befooled the formerby providing at least 121 fakebackdated appointments orders forappointment of teachers.

Interestingly, Faryal Talpur wasnot expecting that she would betreated like that however theeducation minister provided herteachers’ appointment orders whichwere declared fake by the ServicesHospital of the Sindh government,well-placed sources told PakistanToday. The sources said a dispute wasgoing on between Faryal Talpur and

Pir Mazhar as the MNAwas denied job quota inrecruitment ofteachers - SindhLanguage, drawingand Arabicteachers.

This resultedinto sternbureaucratic moveby the MNA andChief Minister QaimAli Shah that broughtTalpur’s brother-in-law assecretary education sideliningthe minister in his department, thesources added.

After the months-long dispute, theeducation minister finally apologisedto the MNA and assured her that 121appointment orders would be issuedto her. And, all the orders werehanded over to the in-charge ofZardari House, Maqbool Memon, onMarch 16, 2013 in backdates –December 12, 2012, the sourcesdisclosed.

At least four candidates, who wereissued orders by the Zardari House,requesting anonymity told PakistanToday that they received orders onSaturday evening with the instructionthat the medical and policeverification be done by Monday

March17, 2013.

“When wevisited Services

Hospital for medical fitnesscertificate, the MS informed us thatthese orders were fake and theyneeded to get verified from thedirector education, Karachi. We leftwith no option but to throw the ordersin dustbin despite the fact we qualifyfor the posts. Most of the jobs havebeen awarded to those who belong tointerior parts of the province althoughmajor condition for the posts wasKarachi-domicile”, the aggrieved said.

When contacted, ServicesHospital Medical-Superintendent DrToufeeq told Pakistan Today thatthese offer letters carried signatures offormer director Shamsuddin Dall.And, the chief minister had issued anotification canceling all the orders

carrying such signatures,the MS added. “These

candidates must get acounter signaturefrom the presentdirector educationand I will helpthem have medicalcertificate”, headded. However,

Karachi DirectorEducation Qasim

Baloch told this scribethat he was confused over

the whole situation as morethan 60 people were issued offerletters during the last seven days andissuance of such letters was stillcontinuing, he added. “I will not sign(endorse) the offer letters till thesepeople get their joining. If you wantto get it endorsed, ask Adi Faryal toring me up”, he further said.

And finally, when PakistanToday contacted Maqbool Memon,in-charge of Zardari House, for hiscomments, he knew nothing aboutthe orders – genuine or fake. Hewould contact the director educationand ask him to endorse the orders,he further added. However, he didnot receive the call when this scribetried to seek his version over thelatest development.

Pir Mazhar befools Talpur 121 BACKDATEDAPPOINTMENT ORDERSFOR TEACHERSDECLARED FAKE BY THEMS SERVICES HOSPITAL

KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Handing over two pusher tugs onTuesday, Karachi Shipyard &Engineering Works (KS&EW) is allset to deliver to Pakistan Navy the 4thF-22 P Frigate PNS ASLAT nextmonth.

Also, the KS&EW is constructingfor Navy a fast attack missile craftand a 32-ton tug expected to behanded over as per contract schedule.The Navy has also signed a contractwith KS&EW for construction of a15000-ton capacity fleet tanker.

Tuesday saw the KS&EWformally handing over two pushertugs to Pakistan Navy in a ceremonyheld here at the Karachi Shipyard

with Vice Chief of Naval Staff ViceAdmiral Muhammad Shafiq presentas a chief guest on the occasion.Addition of these tugs in the Navyfleet is considered to be an importantmilestone achieved towards selfreliance.

Addressing the ceremony,Admiral Muhammad Shafiq saidwhile Pakistan’s geographicallocation and geo-strategicenvironment essentially necessitatedbuilding of a strong and balancedNavy to defend the country’smaritime interests; realisation of thecountry’s force goals through foreignacquisitions only was becomingincreasingly difficult.

The changing geo-politicaldynamics also suggest that access tothe foreign defence technologies,particularly in the high end domains,would be either denied or hard tocome by in the coming years, said thechief guest.

Accordingly, self reliance hasbeen at the forefront of policies, andit is in this context, Pakistan Navy had

been supporting and interactingclosely with the local defenceindustries, particularly KarachiShipyard, to make a steady progresstowards indigenization.

Appreciating the efforts ofKarachi Shipyard, the Admiral saidKarachi Shipyard had delivered up toNavy’s expectations and had been amajor support to PN fleet for newconstructions, as well as, for repair ofthe ships.

Karachi Shipyard also deservedacclaim for its revival andunprecedented progress during testingtimes when the global shippingindustry as a whole was on thedeclines, he said. It was well poisedto manifest its potential ofundertaking major shipbuilding andengineering projects for the countryand also for the foreign clients to earnand save valuable foreign exchange.

Recent award of contract forconstruction of 15000-ton capacityfleet tanker by PN was manifestationof the same. He assured of all outsupport of Pakistan Navy to KS&EW

for its revitalization so that all futuregrowth plans were timelymaterialised.

Earlier, Rear Admiral Syed HasanNasir Shah, Managing DirectorKS&EW, gave a brief account of theprogress of Karachi Shipyard andunderlined the projects beingundertaken for Pakistan Navy.

He said presently KS&EW wasundertaking construction of fivevessels for Navy. He apprised the 4thF-22 P Frigate PNS ASLAT hassuccessfully completed all harbor andsea trials and would be handed overto PN in April this year.

In addition, a Fast Attack MissileCraft and a 32-ton Tug are also underconstruction which would be handedover to PN as per the contractualschedule. The ceremony was attendedby a large number of PN officers,engineers and technicians of KarachiShipyard.

The design, drawing and kit ofmaterial for the two pusher tugs hadbeen supplied by the DamenShipyards of Holland.

KS&EW ALSO BUILDINGFAST ATTACK MISSILECRAFT, 32-TON TUG ANDA FLEET TANKER FOR PN

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 5

KARACHIwednesday, 20 March, 2013

06

k

KARACHI: People take the coffin of College Principal Prof Sibte Jaffar Zaidi for his funeral prayers at Amarwaha ground in Ancholi. OnLinE

KARACHI

AAMiR MAJEED

Avisit to the federalgovernment-runCrises Manage-ment Cell (CMC)in Karachi has re-vealed that the

place has been renovated to provide arest house to former federal interiorminister Rehman Malik on his visit tothe metropolis.

The only purpose of the cell was toaccommodate the federal minister onhis visit to the coastal city. The cell hadstopped functioning and the staff de-ployed at the CMC was found absent.A FC personnel was standing in apicket which was established outsidethe CMC. Two persons of law enforce-ment agencies were present inside thecell in plain clothes while the offices in-side were locked down. It seemed thatthe newly constructed building wasnever used after its construction.

In 2005, the National Crises Man-agement Cell (NCMC) in principle haddecided to open its provincial headquar-ters in Sindh and Punjab to counter ter-rorism. It was decided that provincial

offices of NCMC would be establishedin Karachi and Lahore to reactivate thecell. The centre had then directed theprovincial authorities of Sindh and Pun-jab to spare suitable buildings forNCMC provincial offices. Earlier,Rehman Malik had directed to reactivateCMC in the metropolitan as he assumedthe charge to counter terrorism in thecountry’s financial hub. The only pur-pose of CMC was to avert any untowardsituation on the basis of intelligence in-formation. On the directives of the cen-tre, the provincial government hadrenovated a building and later assignedit to CMC Karachi. The CMC Karachihad started work along with providingcooperation in operations, investigationand the intelligence agencies but later ithad suddenly stopped functioning.

The two persons present in CMCKarachi when asked about closure ofoffices in the cell, disclosed that it hadbeen closed since the last many months.“The cell was reactivated to providerest house to former federal ministerRehman on his visit to Karachi,” theyadded. “Initially, the former federalminister visited the cell regu-larly whenever he came to thecity but later he stopped vis-

iting the cell, they said, adding thatwhen Rehman started staying at theCM House, and the CMC Karachi hadstopped functioning.” When they wereasked about the person looking afterCMC Karachi, they replied that it wasenough to know that the CMC Karachi

had been closeddown due to

unknownr e a -sons.

Malik’s using cMcas rest house

KARACHI

PPi

Thousands of vehicles includingbuses and vans of Karachi picnickersare washed in the Haleji Lake, thusaccelerating the death process of thisbeautiful lagoon.

Hundreds of vehicles mainlylarge buses, trucks, vans and pickupsvisited Haleji Lake daily, while theirnumber swelled on weekends. Whilethese picnickers enjoyed themselves

at the lake, the drivers of their vehi-cles who had nothing to do all daylong would wash their vehicles onthe banks of the lake, and in doing sothey allowed huge quantities of filth,oil, grease and heavy metals to con-taminate the lake water and thus ac-celerating its death process. Sadly,the environmental authorities,though informed about the dangersof such activities at the lake, took noaction against the people involved in

this brutal contamination of theHaleji Lake.

Haleji Lake, a Ramsar site in dis-trict Thatta, had already been facinga slow but sure death due to highlycontroversial project of Right BankOutfall Drain (RBOD).

This lake had an interesting his-tory. Haleji originally was a smallsalt-water lake, formed by seasonalwater, collecting in a depression.

During World War II, additional

water was required for thousands ofAmerican and British troops sta-tioned at Karachi. Salt water wasdrained out and an embankment wasconstructed around the lake whichwas fed by fresh water through acanal.

Resultantly, Haleji became one ofthe major sources of water supply tothe increasing population of Karachias well as becoming an exquisiterefuge for waterfowl.

10 women fall unconscious after drinking contaminated waterat cM’s houseKARACHI: At least 10 women, belong-ing to the families of the victims who losttheir lives in Abbas Town bombing, fellunconscious when they were servedharmful drinking water during an eventto distribute cheques at the Sindh ChiefMinister (CM) House here on Tuesday.Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah was scheduledto distribute compensatory chequesamong the families which have lost theirhomes and loved ones in the bombingthat killed 51 people and injured over140 others.The women who were seated in the frontrows asked the event organisers forwater. Around 10 women fell uncon-scious after drinking the water served tothem.Later, when the news surfaced, the CMHouse’s spokesman said that the waterserved by the caterers was contaminated.He, however, said that only two peopleincluding a woman and a man fell uncon-scious after drinking the contaminatedwater.Meanwhile, nine people were shifted tothe Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) in theearly hours of Tuesday when they fell un-conscious after toxic gas filled up ahouse located on Mauripur Road.Hospital sources said that all nine peoplewere in a stable condition but were stillbeing kept under observation. inP

shc directs rangers

dg to recover

missing personsKARACHI: The Sindh High Court(SHC) on Tuesday directed SindhRangers director general to recover andproduce four missing men allegedlypicked up by rangers’ personnel duringraids carried out in different parts of thecity.A division bench headed by JusticeMaqbool Baqar issued notices to thehome secretary, provincial police chiefs,rangers’ director general and other po-lice officials in four separate petitionsfor missing persons and directed themto file comments by 4th April.One of the petitioners namely Fakhrudinsubmitted that his 23-year-old son Ar-shad was picked up on 10th March fromUsmanabad and his whereabouts werestill unknown.Petitioner Salman stated that his brotherZeeshan was picked up on 13th Marchby rangers’ officials from Lyari andlater shifted him to an undisclosed loca-tion.Furthermore, petitioner Amir Nawazstated that his brother Shah Nawaz wastaken away by rangers’ on 13th Marchduring a raid at their house. He said that he had approached theBrigade Police Station for lodging anFIR in this regard, but the officials re-fused to do so.Moreover, petitioner MuhammadYameen submitted that his son Tahirwas picked up by rangers’ personnel on13th March from Lyari. The petitioners prayed before the courtto direct the respondent officials to pro-duce the missing persons in court. PPi

shahzeb murder case:shc terms newprosecutor’sappointment illegal

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC)on Tuesday declared the appointment of thenew prosecutor in Shahzeb Khan murdercase as illegal.The SHC single-member bench comprisingof Justice Maqbool Baqar heard a petitionpertaining to the appointment of the newprosecutor in his chamber.The SHC termed the appointment illegaland directed the Sindh prosecutor generalto appoint another prosecutor instead. inP

Lecturers boycott

academic activities

after professor’s killing

KARACHI: Lecturers across Sindh onTuesday boycotted all academic activitiesto protest the killing of Professor Sibt-e-Jafar Zaidi.Earlier on Monday, the Sindh Professors’and Lecturers’ Association (SPLA) hadlashed out at the Sindh government andhad announced to boycott all academic ac-tivities on Tuesday across the Sindhprovince to protest the professor’s killing.The lecturers and professors, while hold-ing placards, took out a rally on the mainroads in front of universities and chantedslogans against the government and itspolicies.The protesters demanded from the govern-ment to immediately arrest the killers ofthe slain professor. The Shia Ulema Council (SUC) and Ma-jlis-e-Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) werealso observing a three-day-long period ofmourning to protest the professor’s killing,which came as a shock for the shia com-munity. Prof Sibt was gunned down onMonday in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area inwhat was being widely viewed as a sectar-ian attack on the college principal, whowas also a prominent campaigner of sec-tarian harmony.His funeral prayer was offered at AmrohaGround in Incholi after Zuhr prayer. Alarge number of people including politicaland other prominent personalities attendedthe funeral prayers. inP

Haleji Lake gets polluted due to car washing

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 6

souTh Korea inviTesinsPecTion To aLLaynucLear safeTy fearsSEOUL: South Korea on Tuesday announced plans to

open all its 23 nuclear reactors to international

inspection in an apparent bid to allay growing public

concern over nuclear safety. The government will

start taking bids on Wednesday from international

organisations or consortia capable of carrying out

such a national survey, with a winner to be

announced on May 3, the Ministry of Knowledge

Economy said. The ministry in January had promised

nuclear sector reforms after a series of malfunctions,

shutdowns and corruption scandals further

undermined public confidence already shaken by the

2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. The 10-week

inspection will look into the safety of all 23 reactors

currently in operation and evaluate maintenance

procedures at eight sample reactors, the ministry

said. “It will also provide an important chance to

improve the safety of the country’s reactors down the

road,” it added. A survey commissioned by the

ministry and published in November showed only 35

percent of South Koreans considered nuclear power to

be safe, sharply down from 71 percent in January

2010. A series of shutdowns and scandals in 2012

triggered a warning from the International Energy

Agency in the same month about the need to rebuild

public trust. AGEnCiES

bLasTs aT nigeria busParK KiLL aT LeasT 20KANO: A series of blasts targeting three buses full of

passengers in Nigeria’s second city of Kano killed at

least 20 people on Monday, a rescue official said. The

Sabon Gari area of the northern city where the

explosions occurred was cordoned off by soldiers after

bloodied bystanders fled the scene in panic, according

to residents. “I saw three buses on fire. One of them

was fully loaded with passengers waiting to leave the

station at the time of the blasts. At the moment there

are at least 20 dead,” said the rescue official who

requested anonymity. “This figure is not the final toll

because we are still conducting rescue and the figure

may rise,” added the official, who asked his name be

withheld as he was not authorised to speak to

journalists. Mechanic Tunde Kazeem, who works at the

targeted New Road bus station, said the explosion was

“followed by billows of black smoke and there was a lot

of confusion with people rushing out of the motor park,

some of them with blood on their clothes”. While the

official confirmed at least two explosions, residents

have given figures of up to three, in what may have

been a coordinated attack in a city repeatedly targeted

by Islamist group Boko Haram. AGEnCiES

israeL MPs confirMneW Pro-seTTLer govTJERUSALEM: The Israeli parliament gave its seal of

approval on Monday to Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu’s new governing coalition, which includes a

strong showing of pro-settlement hardliners. A motion

of confidence in the new administration, broadcast live

on public television, gave it 68 votes in favour and 48

against. Netanyahu and his 21 ministers then took their

oaths of office before the house and were to hold their

first cabinet meeting immediately afterwards. After

more than 40 days of tortuous coalition negotiations,

the government finally took office just two days before

a landmark visit by US President Barack Obama.

Although the lineup includes two centrist parties — Yesh

Atid (19 seats) and HaTnuah (six seats) — which want

to renew peace talks, it is dominated by the hawkish

Likud-Beitenu (31 seats) and its new national-religious

ally, Jewish Home (12 seats), a far-right faction that is

party of choice for settlers. AGEnCiES

07

newSwednesday, 20 March, 2013

Any woman who understands the problems of running

a home will be nearer to understanding the problems

of running a country. — Margaret ThatcherN

MAZAR SHARIF: People feeding

pigeons on the eve of Nauroz at a

sacred place in Afghanistan. AGEnCiES

BAGHDAD

AGEnCiES

adozen car bombs and suicide blasts tore intoShia districts in Baghdad and south of theIraqi capital on Tuesday, killing more than 55people on the 10th anniversary of the US-ledinvasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.

Insurgents linked to al Qaeda have vowed to step upattacks on Shia targets since the start of the year in an at-tempt to provoke sectarian confrontation and undermineShia Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government. Tues-day’s bombs exploded in a busy Baghdad market, nearthe heavily fortified Green Zone and in other districtsacross the capital. A suicide bomber also attacked a policebase in a Shia town south of the capital, officials said.

“I was driving my taxi and suddenly I felt my car

rocked. Smoke was all around. I saw two bodies on theground. People were running and shouting every-where,” said Ali Radi, a taxi driver caught in one of theblasts in Baghdad’s Sadr City. A decade after US andWestern troops swept Saddam from power. Iraq stillstruggles with insurgents, sectarian friction and politi-cal feuds among Shia, Sunni and Kurdish factions.

In a sign of concern over security, the cabinet onTuesday postponed local elections in two provinces,Anbar and Nineveh, for up to six months because ofthreats to electoral workers and violence there, accord-ing to Maliki’s media adviser Ali al-Moussawi. Thepolls will go ahead elsewhere on April 20. No group hasclaimed responsibility for the Baghdad blasts, but Is-lamic State of Iraq, a wing of al Qaeda, has vowed toregain ground lost in its war with US troops. This yearthe group has carried out a string of high-profile attacks.

bombs kill 57 on iraqinvasion anniversary

LONDON

APP

Britain’s newspapers vowed to closelyscrutinise a deal struck on Monday by themain political parties for a tough newpress regulator, which they warnedthreatens 318 years of press freedom.

MPs insisted the agreement wouldrein in the kind of misdeeds exposed bythe News of the World phone-hackingscandal, without curbing press freedom,but the newspapers said the governmenthad “crossed the Rubicon”.

Prime Minister David Cameron saidthe new regulator would have the power

to issue harsh sanctions on misbehavingnewspapers, including fines of up to #1million ($1.5 million, 1.16 millioneuros). “We need a system of tough, in-dependent self-regulation that will de-liver for victims,” he told parliament.

Cameron warned that regulation ofBritain’s famously unruly press must“actually deliver” for victims of mediaintrusion, rather than being simply “anexercise in grandstanding”.

The new body will be able to forcenewspapers to issue upfront apologies forinaccurate or intrusive stories, Cameronsaid, as well as offering a free arbitrationsystem for victims.

Newspapers that refuse to sign up forthe voluntary system could face ex-tremely high “exemplary” damages incourt cases.

A statement issued by the Daily MailGroup, Telegraph Media Group andNews International — publishers of TheSun and Times newspapers — said theyneeded “time to study” before respond-ing to the “deeply contentious issues”contained within the plan.

The Guardian, which uncoveredmuch of the hacking scandal, said thestatement “suggests that many powerfulplayers are still calculating whether toplay ball.

“The political class as a whole coulddiscover that the brokering has only justbegun,” it cautioned on Tuesday.

Political leaders said the deal, finallystruck at 2:30 am (0230 GMT) Mondayafter months of negotiations, addressedthe abuses laid bare in last year’s Leve-son Inquiry into media ethics, withoutbringing an end to more than three cen-turies of press freedom in Britain.

However, the Daily Telegraph ac-cused MPs of “crossing the Rubicon”.

“Last night, parliament decided that318 years was long enough to let news-papers and magazines remain beyond itsinfluence,” said its editorial.

british press mulls next move as Mps approve new rules

us flies b-52bombers oversouth Korea

SEOUL

AGEnCiES

The United States said it was flying trainingmissions of nuclear-capable B-52 bombersover South Korea, in a clear signal to NorthKorea at a time of escalating militarytensions. The flights – part of annual jointSouth Korea-US military exercises – shouldbe seen as underscoring US commitmentand capacity to defend Seoul against anattack from the North, Pentagon spokesmanGeorge Little said. In response to UNsanctions imposed after its third nuclear testlast month, North Korea has warned of a“second Korean war” and threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the South and theUnited States. Little said a B-52 fromAndersen Air Force base in Guam, flewover South Korea on March 8 as part of amilitary exercise dubbed “Foal Eagle.” “TheB-52 Stratofortress can perform a variety ofmissions including carrying precision-guided conventional or nuclear ordnance,”he said Monday. B-52s have taken part inannual exercises before, but Little said thePentagon wanted to underline their use thistime given the current, heightened tensions,and he added that further B-52 flights wouldbe carried out. “We’re drawing attention tothe fact that we have extended deterrencecapabilities that we believe are important todemonstrate in the wake of recent NorthKorean rhetoric,” he said.

us supremecourt takes upvoter rights again

WASHINGTON

AGEnCiES

Voter rights were back on the agendaMonday at the Supreme Court as thenation’s top court took up a controversiallaw that requires stringent proof ofcitizenship for voter registration. At issue isan Arizona law that aims to block illegalimmigrants from casting ballots bydemanding proof well beyond what isrequired under federal law of those seekingto inscribe their names on voter lists. Thelatest legal bout comes just weeks after theSupreme Court heard arguments over —and appeared poised to overturn, at least inpart — the 1965 Voting Rights Act, whichrequires nine mainly southern states andlocal governments in seven other states toobtain Justice Department approval for anychanges in their electoral codes.

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 7

newSNwednesday, 20 March, 2013

08 US wants to see free and fair elections

in Pakistan. — State Department

Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland

NEWS DESK

One studied at Oxford, the other at Cam-bridge. Their family rivalry dates back al-most 40 years, to when the family of onesaw their business empire ravaged by thenationalisation policy of the other.

But what Maryam Nawaz Sharif andBilawal Bhutto Zardari have in common isbeing young, glamorous and heirs to Pak-istan’s two leading political dynasties. Bothwill be prominent voices due in generalelections due in May, according to a reportin the Daily Telegraph.

The poetry-loving Ms Sharif is thedaughter of Nawaz Sharif, a wealthy indus-trialist from Lahore, who fell out with Bi-lawal’s late grandfather, Zulfikar Bhutto,after he nationalised the Sharif businessesas Pakistan’s socialist leader in the 1970s.

Himself a two-time prime minister,Sharif is frontrunner to emerge with thelargest party and the first crack at forminga coalition after the polls of Pakistan’s 80million voters.

During the campaign, his daughter isacting as one of his chief campaigners andmouthpieces - particularly on women’srights - and is expected to eventually suc-ceed him one day.

“His legacy is beautiful,” she told aninterviewer last year. “Who would notwant to step into those shoes?”

A party insider added: “She has grownvery close to her father and you can see herlearning from him.”

Already on a similar path is Oxford-educated Bilawal, 24, who became thethird generation of Bhuttos to lead the Pak-istan People’s Party after his mother, Be-nazir, was assassinated in December 2007.

Pakistan’s National Assembly had onlya scattering of members present on Thurs-day when it quietly dissolved itself at theend of its five-year term. It was a historicmoment. If elections go to plan then Pak-istan will see the first democratic transitionof power in its 65-year history, a periodmarked by political instability and threemilitary coups.

Bilawal’s father, Asif Ali Zardari, hasbeen president of Pakistan since 2008,when he was catapulted into the politicallimelight after the assassination of his wife,Benazir. She was killed in a suicide attack

as she campaigned for a third stint as primeminister.

At 24, he is still too young to stand inelections, but a constituency is waiting forhim, reportedly the troubled neighbour-hood of Lyari in Karachi, as a twenty-fifthbirthday present.

Both political novices have recentlybeen hitting the campaign trail, becomingvery public campaigners for their fathers.

“Bilawal will represent the Bhuttolegacy and Maryam will be very activewith women,” said Hasan Askari Rizvi, apolitical commentator. “We’ll be seeingthem in campaign mode for the first time.”

Ms Sharif, 39, has helped run her fam-ily’s charitable trust for the past decade orso but has recently carved out her ownniche touring schools and colleges, whereshe addresses students on the importanceof education and women’s rights.

She is also doing a PHD through Cam-bridge University about Islamic radicalisa-tion in Pakistan - a subject that no Pakistanipolitician can afford to ignore.

While her father’s party, Pakistan Mus-lim League (Nawaz) party, or PML-N, hasbeen accused of being lenient towards Is-lamic militancy, she says: “There is noplace for extremism and militancy inIslam.”

Many in Pakistan still know her bestfor the scandal surrounding her choice ofhusband. Rather than a traditional arranged

marriage, she fell in love with CaptainMuhammad Safdar, when he was aide decamp to her father.

She underwent a political awakeningduring almost a decade in exile, when herfamily fled to Saudi Arabia during the ruleof General Pervez Musharraf.

“I found some solace when I visitedholy places, but the yearning for the home-land never abated,” she told Newsweek, aperiod she described as her “rebirth”.

She is now widely expected to contestthe constituency of Raiwind, where her fa-ther built a palace from what was left of thefamily fortune after the nationalisation oftheir steel business in the 1970s.

She also Tweets regularly as she toursthe country, with missives such as “An-other survey endorses PMLN as largestmost popular party in Pakistan.”

Her rival, Bilawal, who graduatedfrom Oxford with a 2-1 in history, couldperhaps be forgiven for avoiding politics,given that it has claimed the lives of bothhis mother and his grandfather, who wasexecuted on the orders of Pakistan’s formerdictator, General Zia-ul-Haq. But hemoved centre stage when his father wasflown to hospital in Dubai a little over ayear ago, amid rumours of a militarytakeover against his presidency.

State media then pictured him chairinggovernment and political meetings, a movewhich commentators said was designed to

remind Pakistan that President Zardari andthe Bhutto dynasty were still firmly inpower.

Since then his profile has grown. Hehas become a familiar sight at his father’sside, welcoming world leaders to Pakistan,and his love life has been the subject ofspeculation by the Pakistani media.

Last year, Hina Rabbani Khar, thecountry’s glamorous foreign minister, wasforced to deny she was having an affairwith the president’s son, a rumour thatsome claimed was part of a smear cam-paign run by the military.

Bilawal’s fans hope he will restore hismother’s party to its traditional compas-sionate, leftist position, but fear his privi-leged upbringing and foreign educationhave disconnected him from ordinary vot-ers. His late mother, they say, would alsohave made sure he had a firmer grasp ofUrdu.

Naheed Khan, who was close to MrsBhutto, said Bilawal risked being exposedtoo early if he was expected to defend hisfather’s unpopular government.

“He has to take a very clear decision,whether he wants to carry his grandfatherand grandmother’s legacy or he wants togo along with his father and what his fatherhas done in five years,” she said.

Whoever wins in elections, one thingseems certain: Pakistan’s political dynas-ties show few signs of fading away.

Bhutto vs Sharif, Oxford vs Cambridge, asPakistan’s young pretenders go head to head

while herfather ’s part y,paKistan MUsliM leagUe-nawa z, has beenaCCUsedof being lenient towardsislaMiC MilitanC y,MaryaM nawazsays: “there is noplaCe forextreMisM andMilitanC y in islaM.”

bilawal’s fans hope he willrestore his Mother’s party to itstraditional CoMpassionate,leftist position, bUt fear hisprivileged Upbringing andforeign edUCation have

disConneCted hiM froMordinary voters. hislate Mother, they say,woUld also have MadesUre he had a firMer

grasp of UrdU.

WASHINGTON

SPECiAL CORRESPOnDEnT

CO N G R AT U L AT I N GPakistan on the unprece-dented completion of theparliamentary and govern-ment’s constitutional terms,

the United States on Monday looked for-ward to free and fair elections as well astaking forward close bilateral ties with thenew government of the key South Asiancountry after the national polls.

The State Department noted that afterthe democratic milestone, Pakistan is nowin a period of time where a transitionalgovernment will be formed in order to takethe elections forward.

“The United States congratulates thePakistani parliament on the completion ofits term. This is truly historic,” Spokesper-son Victoria Nuland said at the daily brief-ing.

“What is most important the Pakistanipeople are now going to be afforded an op-portunity, we all hope, through free, fairand transparent elections to express theirwill about the political future that theywant to have,” she told reporters.

Questioned about the kind of relation-ship Washington wants to have with Pak-istan in the context of the US militarydrawdown from neighboring Afghanistan

in 2014, the spokesperson expressed thedesire for continuing close cooperative tieswith the government emerging from up-coming polls.

“We need to have the transitional gov-ernment formed, then we need to haveelections and then have permanent govern-ment.

“Our expectation is that we will beable to work well with whomever the Pak-istani people elect on the full range ofthings that we work on - security andcounterterrorism, economic development,regional integration, strong support for thedevelopment of democracy, the NGOs sec-tor, the human rights, all of these things.So that is what we hope to be able to con-tinue even stronger in the future. “

Responding to a question about the im-pact of U.S. assistance on the people of Pak-istan, the spokesperson said the UnitedStates, in cooperation with Congress in re-cent years, has restructured the support itprovides to Pakistan. Washington has beenworking directly with the Pakistani people toextend more support at the grassroots leveland towards more economic empowermentof the non-governmental sector, and alsowith the government on helping the countrymeets its energy and development require-ments. One of the difficulty has been that thePakistani people don’t have much informa-tion about what the US has been doing for

their development at grassroots level, sheadded in reply to a question about the impactof US assistance for the country. “What weconsider extremely positive is that we have

for the first time in history a democratic gov-ernment able to complete its term and nowwe look forward to the next step which isfree and fair election,” she noted.

us greets Pakistan; expects freepolls and continuation of close ties

pM ashraf wants ConsensUs on appointMentof CaretaKer preMier ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja

Pervez Ashraf on Tuesday said he

wanted consensus on the

appointment of the caretaker prime

minister. According to a private

television, Ashraf said this during a

luncheon given here in the honour

of former members of his cabinet.

Former foreign minister Hina

Rabbani Khar, Nazar Muhammad

Gondal, former finance minister

Saleem Mandviwala, Farooq Saeed and

others were also present. Ashraf said he

wanted consensus with the opposition on

the appointment of the caretaker prime minister,

adding that he could smell the aroma of democracy in the air and it

would stabilise Pakistan. He said he and the respective chief ministers

agreed to hold the elections on the same day, and the agreement was

a great success. He hoped that the appointment of a caretaker chief

minister in Punjab would be finalised without consulting the

parliamentary committee. OnLinE

us will not leaveafghanistan: Karzai

KABUL

nni

Describing the recent tensions between theUnited States and Afghanistan as thewestern media’s propaganda, AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said theUS will not leave Afghanistan alone.Speaking at a joint Afghan government andBBC Persian programme of Jerga-e-Azad,he said the US wanted to sign the Kabul-Washington security agreement in theupcoming three months, but the Afghangovernment would make a decision withcareful accuracy. “If they accept ourdemands and it is good for us, then we willsign it,” he said. “The US is not leaving.They will not leave and we should ask themall our demands,” Karzai said in response tothe question of whether the US willwithdraw completely. He said the talks withthe US continued and he encouraged theAfghan people to trust and “don’t worryabout the future”. On the matter of theAfghan-US relationship being widelyregarded as tense, Karzai labeled itpropaganda of the western media. “This isall media propaganda. You are watching myspeeches and the US wants to put pressureon us, but we are trying to put them underpressure. But they were more agile in themedia than we are,” Karzai said. Hiscomments come after recent speecheswhere he accused the US of holding secrettalks with the Taliban without Afghaninvolvement and of wanting to stay inAfghanistan to take advantage of itsresource-rich mines. The new US Defencesecretary, Chuck Hagel,who was in Kabul at thetime, dismissed thecomments as notmaking any sense,while USAmbassador toAfghanistan JamesCunninghamdescribed them as“inconceivable”given the “bloodand treasure” thatthe US haspoured into thecountry.

107 Pakistanisliving in indiaillegally: report

MUMBAI

OnLinE

Some 107 Pakistani nationals appear tohave gone missing in the Indian state ofMaharashtra after the expiration oftheir visas, the Hindustan Times said ina report published on Tuesday.To a query raised by members of theBharatiya Janata Party, MaharashtraHome Minister RR Patil said 60Pakistani nationals were living in thestate without any permit or visa,despite local authorities being aware oftheir whereabouts.Additionally, until December 31, 2012,5,807 Pakistani nationals were found tobe living in Maharashtra. Of these,1,975 were issued long-terms visas,while 72 had short-term visas. Patilsaid requests made by 2,144 Pakistanishad been put forward to the Centre andstate for visa extension, but these werestill pending.He said 1,330 Pakistanis were living inthe state on visit visas, of which 177were in the country for training,conferences and medical treatment.He refused to acknowledge any delayon the part of the state to filter illegalimmigrants, saying police authoritiesand state intelligence agencies hadbeen directed to find them and to takeappropriate action. He signed offsaying some cases were also beingheard by courts.

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newS N

09

wednesday, 20 March, 2013

Afzal Guru’s execution has aroused negative

feelings among Kashmiris. — Azad Kashmir

Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed

ISLAMABAD

AnWER AbbAS

AROUND a half dozentop bureaucrats and offi-cers in the National As-sembly are activelyseeking extensions in their

services’ tenure and have been contactingthe authorities concerned for the purpose,Pakistan Today has learnt through reliablesources privy to parliament.

The sources said the top gun of theNational Assembly in the list of ‘extensionaspirants’ was National Assembly Secre-tary Karamat Hussain Niazi, who has al-

ready had at least half a dozen extensionsin the National Assembly, reflecting hispower and resourcefulness.

Niazi’s extension tenure would beending in April and he is likely to be re-tired from his current position, however,there are little chances of him not gettinganother extension in his tenure.

Sources said Niazi was an ‘expert’ atgetting service extensions.

National Assembly Media DG AnjumMughal retired on March 16 and has at-tended his farewell party, however, it re-mains a mystery how he is continuing inoffice and why has his retirement notifica-tion not been issued.

The sources said Mughal was also try-ing to hunt an extension in his service pe-riod and was contacting authoritiesconcerned indirectly.

Most of the senior staff of the NationalAssembly is linking the retirements ofNiazi and Mughal as part of the same‘plan’, and expect that if one is successful

in obtaining an extension, the other wouldbe automatically awarded with the same.

In case Niazi fails to get another ex-tension, the two potential candidates to re-place him include National AssemblySpecial Secretary Qamar Abbas and Na-tional Assembly Additional SecretaryQamar Sohail.

Abbas has been re-employed in theNational Assembly and is likely to get re-tired in the coming June, if not granted anextension.

The other candidate and subordinateof Niazi, Sohail, has arrived from the ju-diciary and could likely be the new Na-tional Assembly secretary.

na bureaucrats, blue-eyedofficials eye service extensions

NA SECY KARAMAT NIAZI,WHO ALREADY HAS HADHALF A DOZEN EXTENSIONS,EYES ANOTHER

Lawyers observestrike againstPeshawar attack

ISLAMABAD

OnLinE

Lawyers across the country on Tuesdayboycotted the courts to protest the attack onthe Judicial Complex in Peshawar. Fourpersons were killed while 47 others,including eight lawyers and six policeofficials, sustained injuries after two suicidebombers attacked the Judicial Complex onMonday. The Pakistan Bar Association andprovincial and district bar councils appealedthe lawyers to go on strike to condemn theattack. Lawyers’ associations in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh andPunjab boycotted the court proceedings onTuesday. The lawyers boycotted the courtproceedings and demanded that thegovernment bring the terrorists to justice.Black flags were hoisted on the buildings ofbar councils throughout the country. Due tothe closure of courts litigants faceddifficulties. Meanwhile, the Peshawar HighCourt chief justice visited the PeshawarJudicial Complex. During the visit, he wasbriefed about the bombing. The lawyers saidthe attack was a security failure and thegovernment had failed to protect them. Theysaid lawyers faced continuous threats as theyhandle many sensitive cases and demandedfool proof security for themselves. Policehave registered a case against unidentifiedterrorists for the attack. On the other hand, athreatening letter was received at the CityCourt Karachi due to which courts in Malirand other areas remained closed.

Pak hc invitespro-freedom campto new delhi

SRINAGAR

nni

Amid continuous curbs on movement,Kashmir’s pro-freedom leadership has beeninvited to attend a function by Islamabad’shigh commissioner to India on Pakistan Dayin New Delhi on Friday. Besides chairmen ofHurriyat Conference factions – Syed AliGeelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, thePakistani high commissioner has extendedinvitation to other pro-freedom leaders,including JKLF chief Yasin Malik, ProfAbdul Ghani Bhatt, Shabir Ahmad Shah,Bilal Ghani Lone and Nayeem Ahmad Khan.The high commissioner has also invitedseveral pro-freedom activists to join thefunction being hosted by him on March 22.“I have received invitation from Pak highcommission but keeping in view theprevailing situation in valley, I would stayback in Srinagar,” Farooq was quoted assaying by a local news agency. He, however,said that a delegation of his amalgam wouldbe travelling to New Delhi to participate inthe function. He said that the delegationwould offer good wishes to people ofPakistan and express gratitude to thegovernment of Pakistan for passing aresolution on Afzal Guru. He, however,made it clear that his decision of not going toNew Delhi was not based on his homedetention. “Whether I would be under housearrest or be allowed to move out, I won’tleave Srinagar in such situation,” heclarified. Farooq, who is currently underhouse arrest, said it seems difficult for himto visit New Delhi at this juncture assituation is fragile in Kashmir. “I wouldprefer to stay with the people. We will besending a delegation to New Delhi to attendthe Pakistan day function,” he said. Farooqsaid during the meeting between Hurriyatdelegation and the Pakistani highcommissioner on the sidelines of thefunction, the members from the amalgamwould apprise the Pakistani leaders aboutthe fallout of the post-Afzal execution inKashmir. “We will also urge the Pakistanhigh commissioner to re-double the effortstowards Kashmir resolution. Ourdelegations will also brief Pakistanleadership about the spurt in the humanrights violations in Kashmir,” the Hurriyat(M) chairman said. “The Hurriyat memberswill also thank the Pakistan leaders forpassing a resolution against Afzal’s hangingin Pakistan parliament.”

NEW DELHI

OnLinE

Pakistan’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAV) called ‘Jasoos’ have been spy-ing on security arrangements and armyactivities going in India through the in-ternational border adjoining Rajasthan,an Indian media report claimed onTuesday.

In the recent past, activities ofthese UAVs have increased, the reportsaid.

These UAVs can be spotted at nightas sparkling red lights and have be-come a subject of excitement and dis-cussion among security forces. Theyare active during day time also and canbe recognised by the trail of smokethey leave behind, the report added.These spy planes are active across theborder opposite Barmer, Jaisalmer,Bikaner and Ganganagar in Rajasthan,it said.

Indian officials confirming thissaid Pakistan is taking help of UAVs to

keep an eye on the Indian area and theiractivities have intensified in the pastfew days.

Indian officials said Pakistan haddeveloped UAVs a few years ago withthe help of America and Italy and iss-ing them to spy on India.

They said these spy planes are ac-tive at a height of 1500m-2000m just500 to 700 yards from the internationalborder.

These UAVs are fitted with ultra-modern powerful cameras that can cap-ture photographs spanning manykilometers. They are operated from adistance of 25 to 30 km. Computer op-erators are connected to these UAVswhich receive photographs sent bythese drones, said sources.

Though BSF is keeping a watchover the activities of UAVs, it is notpossible to take any action since theyare flying within the Pakistani border,said officials. But senior officers havebeen informed about the UAVs,sources added.

When contacted Indian defencespokesperson Col SD Goswami said,“Our air defence units are monitoringsuch activities along the border. In casethere is an air space violation, suitableaction will be taken. All such violationsare analysed and taken up with thecountry concerned through laid downchannels per established procedures.”

He added per the international airspace rules and bilateral agreementswith neighbouring sovereign countries,such flying activities are permitted 10km away from the international border,but any closer than the 10 km limit re-quires prior permission.

Jasoos are unmanned aerial vehi-cles (UAV) developed by Pakistanicompany Satuma. They are controlledvia remote and weigh around 20kg. Ca-pable of doing 180 km an hour, theseUAVs fly at a height of 10,000ft(3480m). Jasoos have a range of100km, and can fly for 4-5 hours con-tinuously with battery backup, accord-ing to the report.

India accuses Pakistanof spying

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court presents a deserted look as lawyers observed a strike on Tuesday in protest against the terrorist attack on

the Judicial Complex the other day. inP

ecP wasprotected torig polls

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

PakistanAwamiTehreek(PAT) chiefDr TahirulQadri said onTuesday rulershad protected theElection Commission of Pakistan(ECP) to rig polls. Addressing a pressconference, Dr Qadri said, “We don’twant to become a part of the dynasticsystem. PAT will stage symbolic sit-ins on the day of polling.” He made itclear that sit-ins would be stagedaway from the polling stations toavoid any law and order situation. TheECP was saved by the government, hesaid, adding that nomination paperwas silent on corruption. The PATchief said Pakistan should have 30provinces and that the chief minister’sslot should be removed. All powersshould be transferred to districtgovernment, he added.

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 9

MARCH 16, 2013,is a landmark datein Pakistan’s trou-bled political his-tory. The elected

National Assembly and elected civil-ian federal government completed itsfull tenure and came to an end througha normal constitutional procedure. Themembers left the National Assemblyin good mood saying goodbye to oneanother. The prime minister addressedthe nation on radio and TV two hoursbefore the conclusion of the tenure ofthe National Assembly, thanking allthose who contributed to strengthen-ing the democratic process. He alsohighlighted what he considered to bethe achievements of the PPP govern-ment at the federal level.

The politically active circleswould continue to debate the achieve-ments and failure of the five years ofdemocracy. Given increased politicaldivisions in Pakistan there is a greatertendency to take a partisan position.If one is a supporter of the PPP therewill be some praise for the govern-ment. The opposition members havenothing but criticism to offer. ThePML-N leaders appear to be morecritical of the PPP than any otherparty but they project the PML-Ngovernment in the Punjab as the best

example of per-formance. ImranKhan criticisesboth parties.

There arethose in Pakistanthat trash every-thing. Eitherthey are idealistor pessimist. Forthem no govern-ment has doneanything forthem; priceshave increased,life has becomeunsafe and thereis power short-age. The demo-cratic era has notgiven them any-thing, theyargue. They arenot interested inthe civilian gov-ernments com-pleting theirterms. Some ofthem think thatthere is no hopefor democracyuntil an ideal so-ciety and stateare created and a

super human and fully pious personappears on the political scene.

Despite political failures and poorgovernance, peaceful and orderlycompletion of the term of the govern-ment marks the end of the first phaseof democratic transition. This needs tobe acknowledged and celebrated. Thesecond phase starts for the selection ofnew assemblies and governments.

The test of the people’s commit-ment to democracy is the generalelection. It is a challenge to holdpeaceful, fair, free and transparentelections. This calls for a joint officialand non-official effort to hold theelection in a manner that it providesan opportunity to the people to electtheir representatives. It should beheld in a manner that its results areacceptable to the main players in theprocess and the elections observersdescribe it as a fair chance to the peo-ple to exercise their right to vote.

It is a wrong assumption thatdemocracy cannot exist without idealpolitical and societal conditions andthat the people in the lead politicalrole must be pious and angel-like.Democracy is a process that improvesby practising it. The process mustcontinue and mid-course correctionsare made in the light of the experi-ence of working of democracy. Thedemocratic process improves overtime provided there is a conscious ef-fort to improve it and its values areadopted by the society as the standardway of dealing with social, political,cultural and economic affairs.Democracy has to become a way oflife and a way to look at life as wellas the strategy of dealing with other.

The leadership reflects the broadfeatures of the society because theleaders have to deal with the peopleand address their problems. If corrup-tion and favouritism are rampant inthe society, do not expect that the lead-ers will be completely free of theseweaknesses. If every leader refuses tohelp people who have not been able toprove that they are fully justified intheir demands, the people will be un-happy and turn against such a leader.Either the leader has to solve the prob-lems of the people or convince themthat they should not demand this orsuggest a better alternative.

The quality of leadership can im-prove if the people and societal organ-isations scrutinise the performance ofthe elected leaders through mutual di-alogue and discussion on national andlocal problems and issues. The votersneed to use their right to vote onmerit. If they think that a parliamen-tarian has not performed his job in a

fair manner or engages in corruptpractices, they should not vote forsuch a person. This is a more effectivemethod of accountability than expect-ing someone appearing on the politi-cal scene and cleansing the societythrough arbitrary and brutal methods.

Election provides the peoplewith an important opportunity tohold the parliamentarian accountablefor their work. When the candidatesare engaged in election campaign thevoters should ask them questionsabout their agenda for local develop-ment work and national issues. In-variably the candidates give a rosypicture of the future or make prom-ises that are never delivered.

When a candidate makes a prom-ise ask him to give a plan of action.For example, a candidate can arguethat if his party comes to power itwill provide jobs to every young per-sons with high school education andothers and that the problem of elec-tricity shortages will be removed inthree months. Ask such a person howwould his party mobilise financialresources to achieve these objectives.What are the specific plans to pro-duce more electricity or use the cur-rently available electricity in anefficient manner? Which methods forpower generation will be employedand how would funds and technologybe made available?

Everybody should check if thevote is registered and use it on thepolling day. A large voter turnout re-duces the chances of manipulation ofresults. The party activists need totake extra security caution in thecourse of the election campaign andon the polling day to avoid terroristattacks. Hold small public meetingsand monitor the areas closely whereelection activity is taking place sothat none is able to plant a bomb orengage in suicide attacks.

The forthcoming election is animportant occasion for the people ofPakistan to demonstrate their com-mitment to democracy by getting ac-tively involved in the electoralprocess. Do not listen to those whoargue that nothing can change bycasting vote. Election is the mostcivilised way to elect new assembliesand new governments provided thepeople vote for the people who aregenuinely committed to the cause ofthe people. The voters and politicallyactive people should cooperate witheach other to turn the election into agenuine democratic exercise.

The writer is an independentpolitical and defence analyst.

Election is the most civilised way to elect new assemblies and new governments

DR HASAn ASkARi Rizvi

COMMent

Arif NizamiEditor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Fax: 051-2850505Web:www.pakistantoday.com.pk

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

C

And a challenge to law enforcement authoritiesa threat to peaceful elections

What is Musharraf coming for?

“Iam arriving in Pakistan on March 24th. I need your support,” formerPresident Pervez Musharraf announced via his Facebook page on earlyMonday. “A senate resolution adopted in January last year is very clear

that he should be arrested and prosecuted,” was the response of Senator RazaRabbani from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “It is the expression of the will ofthe lawmakers.” Such is the repulse with which the guardians of Pakistan’sdemocracy look at the former dictator that Musharraf has been forced to announcedates of return and then subsequently withdraw them many times over. The abovementioned resolution adopted unanimously by the upper house demandedMusharraf’s arrest and the initiation of a treason case against the former dictatorwho seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999. The maximum penalty forMusharraf, if charged, is hanging. For once, however, it appears that the formercommando is sticking to his guns – perhaps thinking that the caretaker governmentwill be more amenable to his arrival.

But of course he appears to have forgotten that another increasingly strongplayer in the country: the judiciary, which he so attempted to dispose, and which isa dark horse which has given sufficient hints to suggest that it will issue arrestorders for Musharraf in one of the many cases against him lying before it. One ofthese is the Lal Masjid Enquiry Commission before which Musharraf has refused toappear. The commission has the power to issue his arrest warrants or seize hisproperties – meaning that even if he escapes arrest, his party may be decapitatedwith a lock down of its funds. All that said and done, Musharraf’s party, the AllPakistan Muslim League (APML) has announced plans for a ‘historic welcome’ forthe deposed leader next Sunday in Karachi. “The people of Karachi will receive theAPML chief in an unprecedented manner,” a APML apparatchik told a partydelegation in Hyderabad. Maybe the APML believes that it can pull of theunexpected.

People’s memories in Pakistan do tend to be short. But the fact is that thecountry and its people are still suffering the effects of Musharraf’s policies. Hisconsumption-oriented economic policies, relying on trickle down, failed badly. Thepower crisis, increased corruption in politics, the worsening of the situation inBalochistan and the increase in terrorism, all trace their origins to the Musharrafera. While Musharraf still retains a democratic right to take part in the elections, hemust be tried in the cases registered against him. Moreover, it is still hard to answerthe question: what is Musharraf returning for? Perhaps, the former dictator shallfurnish an answer once he arrives.

Anew threat has emerged to the forthcoming elections. The TTP has calledoff the offer of talks with the government accusing the civil and militaryadministration of being non-serious. It has also reiterated its opposition to

the prevailing political system, calling it an “un-Islamic democratic system whichonly serves the interests of infidels and enemies of Islam.” The TTP has told thevoters to abstain from participating in the election activity. What is more it hasspecifically advised them stay away from the gatherings organized by the PPP, ANPand MQM. In other words the TTP is to decide henceforth which parties are to beallowed to participate in the elections and which are to be kept out of the race. Itremains to be seen how the parties excluded from the TTP advisory react to thechallenge posed by the militant network. Will they rejoice at having been given anassurance of violence free campaigning or join hands with the condemned parties toreject the ultimatum? It is in the long term interest of the political parties to act insupport of the system and desist the temptation for appeasement.

The militant network has also declared a war against the courts. Acceptingresponsibility for the suicide attack inside the Peshawar judicial complex, it hasmaintained that judiciary has “failed to protect innocent citizens like Dr Aafia Siddiqui.” Itclaims that TTP’s so far unknown affiliate Aafia Siddqui Brigade has conducted theattack that killed four innocent persons and injured 25 others. One can hardly find anyjustification for blaming the judiciary for failure to protect the activist. Does the networkhold only the judiciary in Peshawar responsible for what it considers an act of culpableneglect or is looking for an opportunity to target other courts in the country as well? Tomany the attack is in fact reflective of Sufi Mohammad mindset; Sufi had in 2009 rejectedthe constitution along with the parliament, executive and judiciary for being against Islam.

A successful conclusion of the forthcoming elections would strengthen democracyand weaken the hold of the offstage players and conventional powerbrokers. Thelarger the voter turnout, the stronger would be the elected government. For this thereis a need to deal effectively with the elements who are trying to scare away the votersand threatening the political leaders. The TTP warning poses a challenge to theintelligence agencies and law enforcement authorities. What is needed is to ensurethat there is no major incident of terrorism during the election campaign which wouldkick off after the completion of the scrutiny of the nomination papers by the ECP andthe announcement of the election schedule by the president.

Outstanding questions overshadow former dictator’s return plans

wednesday, 20 March, 2013

10A lawyer with his briefcase can steal

more than a hundred men with guns.

–The Godfather by Mario Puzo

new democraticopportunity

Misplaced prioritiesAs per a recently published report by Stockholm Interna-tional Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) — an independentresource on global security, Pakistan is included in the topfive importers of the major conventional weapons during2008-2012 period. The other four top importers are alsofrom Asia — India (12 percent of global imports), China (6percent), South Korea (5 percent) and Singapore (4 percent).Pakistan’s share was 5 percent of the global weapons import.

I don’t want to comment on other countries’ import asit must be linked with the size of their economy and levelof security threat, if any. But can Pakistan’ economy withper capita income of only US$ 1200 afford such a leisure?I would call it leisure when country’s power sector can’tproduce electricity per its nameplates capacity which inturn is ruining its industries, where government-run educa-tion has badly suffered, when most of the developmentprojects are either on hold or getting delayed, when condi-tion of health centres has worsened, where millions of peo-

ple are still deprived of clean water — all this is happeningdue to lack of funds (and of bad governance), when Pak-istan is already burdened by perpetual national and interna-tional loans, when Pakistan is about to initiate negotiationswith IMF for another loan of billions of dollars’ worth –can we still afford to import that many weapons?

There is no weight in the logic that we have to keep adeterrent or balance against India. We are a sovereigncountry, what is and what is not important for us shall bedecided on rational grounds. Wish the upcoming govern-ment has some courage to take the country towards stabil-ity wherein such a stockpile of weapons may not be neces-sary. When we can’t change our neighbours, then we haveto learn to live together, such as once foes Germany andFrance are now supplement to each other’s economy, orlike Czech and Slovaks who got separated after a longunion without any blood thirsty issue. Why can’t the samebe applicable for Pakistan and India?

MASOOD KHANJubail, Saudi Arabia

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusivelyEditor’s mail

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 10

COMMent Cwednesday, 20 March, 2013

11My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding

of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated

and more intelligent than college professors. –Maya Angelou

Living amongthe marksmen

Supporting those who are busy killing us

AT the end ofevery work-ing day,when we sit

in front of the TV screens,my mother, who cannotunderstand Urdu, comesto us and asks us a ques-tion, “How many peoplehave been killed today?”The question is often re-sponded with a plain fig-ure describing number ofpeople that fell prey to theunending violence in thecity. She asks more de-tails about the nature of killings and we tell her about the ethnicity,political affiliations and faith of the victims; it’s how these killingshave been assorted. The queries end up with cursing the govern-ment and political parties reviled for backing warring gangs.

On the evening of 13 March, the daily stats of violent acts fromKarachi, tagged with a term “target killings”, included a prominentfigure of the city. The deceased was a woman and Director ofOrangi Pilot Project, Parveen Rehman, who had been killed with a9mm pistol by armed motorcyclists in quite the similar fashion asmost of the target killings had happened in the city.

People on the social media were lamenting the death, effing andblinding the remorseless assassins, and I had to answer the questionsasked by my mother after watching TV channels showing scenes fromthe hospitals where Parveen Rehman’s dead body was wrapped inwhite shrouds labelled with the logos of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation(KKF). Unhinged by the footage and my replies, she murmured, “Ican’t understand how this woman could be a problem for anyone?”

The name associated with the efforts on improving the lives ofthose living in slums could not, and should not, have been a threat tothe powerful affiliates of armed political and religious groups. It hasbeen reported that her intense efforts in archiving and documentingthe records of 1,500 gothsin the outskirts of the city,which were grabbed, di-vided and sold out by thesegroups, and her support forthose people who weredispossessed of their lands,had earned her chafe anddispleasure from differentquarters. One wondershow these records and filescan prevent and stop peo-ple from selling these pre-cious lands. One canassume that political powers are the primary suspects, which actuallyhave the ability to manipulate administrative processes hence pavingway for their affiliates to skip all the obstructions coming in their way.

With the emergence and realligning of the new players in the af-termath of the 2008 elections, the authority of the old contenders, whohave for many years enjoyed monopoly over political powers and itsoutcomes, has been challenged. They reacted violently to the new po-litical realities. The new political players have encouraged a tit for tatresponse, but what has been an established fact is that militancy goesout of bounds exceeding the assigned limits. Armed elements in thesepolitical groups have reacted in the same way: exercising autonomyat different levels with unwanted results in a few cases.

During these years, while the demographic changes in the cityhave been discussed, the most significant change which has beenoverruled due to various political reasons is the drastic shift in theequation of powers towards various religious and sectarian hardcoremilitant groups. The maneuvering by the political parties has beenemphasised upon but taking hold of the precious lands by variousreligious groups has been hardly discussed or taken into account. Itstarts with a boundary wall around a small part of land acquired inthe name of a mosque, which is then gradually extended to greaterparts of the land with the help of activists of the jihadi and sectarianmilitant outfits. After the possession is established, later a sectionof the land is kept for the mosque and madrassah and the rest is soldout in the name of collecting funds for the mosque and madrassah.

These localities around the mosques and madrassahs are undereffective control of these armed groups, who do not allow non-gov-ernmental organisations (NGOs) to operate, and look at theirwomen workers with suspicion and disdain.

These groups have asserted their authorities and exercised pow-ers to negotiate disputes at the lower level. With the arrival of theirmilitant counterparts from other parts of the country, they haveoverstepped their domain many times by targeting dissident ele-ments in the political parties, as well as those who stood up againstmilitant groups and sided with the government and military wheremilitary offensives were undertaken against these militant groups.

While most of these groups, exercising authority to commit vi-olence or employing coercive measures, were delegated these pow-ers by the state for various political or ideological reasons, the statecomes into action only if one group has to be dragged down infavour of the other or it has started acting more independently thanwhat has been accorded to it in the first place. What matters most,to the establishment, is not the anti-people character of these groupsbut the anti-state activities, that too specifically against the vestedinterests of the establishment and not the state in general, whichwould have been a good idea.

Ali Arqam is a journalist based in Karachi. He can be emailedat: aliarqam@hotmail.com and interacted on Twitter at: @aliarqam

ALi ARqAM

FEW in Arabia talk about the so-calledArab Spring anymore. In Tunisia,Egypt, Libya and especially Syria, whatthe western press recently romanticised

as revolution has in fact turned out a sweepingvictory for the Islamic far right, carefully fundedand pushed through by a fast growing Saudi-Qatari alliance within the Gulf Cooperation Coun-cil (GCC). It has been interesting, though, to notehow conveniently Washington has greenlightedAl-Qaeda linked jihadi influence in the wake ofthe Spring, despite its experiences in Iraq,Afghanistan and Pakistan.

John Kerry’s recent visit to the Middle Eastonly confirmed suspicion that the US will in-fluence arms transfer to Syria to the benefit ofthe rebel army battling President Bashar alAssad’s forces. He made a point of stressingthat such shipments would not fall into thehands of the jabhat al Nusra, the Al-Qaeda af-filiate also fighting the government. He alsosaid, as did his Saudi, Qatari and Turkish coun-terparts, that the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA)needed more arms to offset the increasing mus-cle of jabhat al Nusra. But nobody made anymention of just who was funding and armingAl-Qaeda associates across the region.

It is no secret, especially for the Pakistani au-dience, that almost all things Al-Qaeda are tracedto the American-Saudi-Pakistani intelligencemodel that spawned the mujahideen of the Sovietjihad. Since then, these soldier clerics have spreadvia heavy funding from mostly Saudi based wa-habis, whose madrassahs across Pakistan andAfghanistan produced the initial band of global ji-hadists that subsequently set up franchises acrossAsia, Arabia and Africa.

Their growing strength captured public at-tention after 9/11, hence the 12 years (so far) ofthe war on terror. But official US policy, of de-stroying Al-Qaeda whenever and wherever it re-locates, is not matched by its actions, especiallyas radical jihadists have spread their influencein the Middle East, Maghreb and the Levant.

It became clear very early in the Spring, par-ticularly in Tunisia and Egypt, that not just thesemi-radical Islamic Brotherhood, but also Salafiproper groups would benefit the most from thefall of long standing, US-backed dictatorships.Arab regimes were built on long years of internalrepression that did not allow the growth of amoderate political class, which is why varyingshades of extreme Islam, nurtured on an ideol-ogy of politically motivated jihad, mobilisedvery quickly to fill vacuums.

For the record, Washington was wrong-footed till the uprisings reached Libya – Hillarycalled Hosni “practically family” till just a fewdays before his resignation. And it was not toohard to rally western opinion against “madmanof the Middle East” Gaddafi, which is also whenUS-Saudi interests were increasingly aligned.Gaddafi sat atop light-sweet crude, among thefinest quality oil on the planet. For the west,time was right to bring more of that wealth toits corporations, the Exxon Mobils of this world,while for Riyadh, dividing the whole region intoWahabi-Salafi proxies seemed within reach. SoWashington convenientlyturned a blind eye to Al-Qaeda militias funneledinto Libya, funded by Saudiand Qatari petrodollars. Itwas not until Libya hadbeen handed over to a pup-pet regime that the depth ofAl-Qaeda infiltrationstarted becoming clear.

But that did not stop arepeat performance inSyria, where the rulingAlawi regime – an offshootof Shia Islam and strategicpartner of Iran – was de-clared fair game in the driveto “liberate” the country.And once again the Sauds, aided by the Qatariroyal family and Turkey’s ruling party, flushedthe country with jihadists from across the world.Even the Pakistani tribal insurgency lost a bunchof precious Arab fighters to the Syrian cause,where they found US backed momentum farmore to their liking than military action anddrone bombardment in the AfPak region.

Now the Syrian civil war has entered its

third year, turning the country into a proxy sec-tarian battle field, and threatening to spill overinto the wider neighbourhood. For the US,Bashar’s fall will weaken Iran and Hezbollah,dealing the proverbial kiss of death to the longstanding anti-Israeli resistance. And for theSaudis, it will counter Iran’s Shia allies, ex-panding the Wahabi kingdom’s sphere of influ-ence. Yet sending more arms to aid the Syrianrebellion will invariably play into the hands ofextremist Al-Qaeda forces, which are the mostpotent among anti-regime militias.

American and Saudi funded rebel trainingcamps in Turkey and Jordanare reminiscent of the mu-jahideen camps on the Pak-Afghan border not long ago.In destroying the MiddleEast’s last Baathist dynasticdictatorship, Washingtonand its friends in Riyadh riskplunging the whole regioninto an expanded theatre ofAl-Qaeda insurgency thatwill aim to hit Israel on oneside, Iran on the other, andone which will not spare itsSaudi patrons, who are, afterall, American allies in the re-gion. It will not be long be-fore the Israelis understand

the magnitude of the threat from Al-Qaeda justas it strengthens across the Golan Heights, andrealises that for all its faults, the Assad regimewas the lesser evil so far as Israeli interests wereconcerned. There will be no bigger proof of howlittle America learns from its own mistakes.

The writer is Middle East correspondent,Pakistan Today.

The us learns little from itselfHow vested interests trump everything good

SHAHAb JAFRy

Now the Syrian civil warhas entered its third year,turning the country into a

proxy sectarian battlefield, and threatening tospill over into the wider

neighbourhood.

The new political players haveencouraged a tit for tat

response, but what has beenan established fact is that

militancy goes out of boundsexceeding the assigned limits.

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 6:58 AM Page 11

It is better to risk saving a

guilty man than to condemn

an innocent one. — Voltaire

arts

Awednesday, 20 March, 2013

12

Mehr tararThe patience that’s required

when one’s nephew wants to

buy a car that’s an inch in size

from a floor full of toys...

abid hUssain“I have bigger lawns. I

have a better plane than

the governor’s plane,” ~

Gov. Ahmed Mehmud

MohaMMedhanifOverheard conversationbetween a Hindu and a Parsigent today. Never heard Allahinvoked so many times. Theywere talking abt Karachi

ChristinalaMb10 years ago today was

sneaking across Kuwaiti border

into Iraq to cover the war

adeel hashMi Heard a beautiful Nasir Kazmi

nazm today. Recited by Zia

Mohyeddin. Will share tomorrow.

Koyee shoqeen dost mehrbani

karay aur yaad kara day

notable tweets

WaTson noT

inTeresTed in fifTy

shades adaPTaTion?British actress Emma Watson is

reportedly not interested in taking the

coveted lead role in the upcoming big

screen adaptation of the book “ Fifty

Shades Of Grey”. The documents from

German movie studio Constantin Film

suggested the “Harry Potter” star had

been cast as the racy book’s adventurous

college student Anastasia Steele. Watson

has now taken to her Twitter page to

respond to the speculations, reports

contactmusic.com. “Who here actually

thinks I would do ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

as a movie? Like really. For real. In real

life. Good. Well that’s sorted then,” she

tweeted. nEWS DESk

cLooney and sTacyKeibLer sPoTTedhoLding handsGeorge Clooney and Stacy Keibler held

hands as they headed to dinner in

Berlin over the weekend, quashing

rumours of their alleged break-up. The

33-year-old beauty recently flew off to

the German capital to be with her beau

while he films “The Monument’s Men.”

The couple enjoyed dinner with

Clooney’s pals Matt Damon and

producer Grant Heslov at Grill Royal on

Saturday, the New York Post reported.

But sources recently told Us Magazine

that things might not be as rosy as they

may seem on the outside. nEWS DESk

Lindsay’s dadaTTacKs her LaWyerActress Lindsay Lohan’s estranged father

Michael has lashed out at her lawyer

Mark Heller for cashing on his daughter’s

“notoriety”. Michael forced Heller to cut

short a press conference outside a

courthouse here Monday. “‘What are you

still doing here?’ Michael asked Heller.

‘This guy is trying to cash in on my

daughter’s notoriety for his own

professional interests’”,

contactmusic.com quoted Michael as

saying. Lindsay has to undergo 18

months of psychotherapy to get free

from all illegal substances including

drugs. nEWS DESk

Twilight author saddenedover R-Patz-K-Stew’s love lifeThe Twilight Saga’s author Stephenie Meyer has revealed that sheis saddened over Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s traumaticand very public love trials. The best selling author told Britain’sThe Times magazine that though there might be actors who wantto be famous and household names with their infamous escapadesthat doesn’t apply to the ‘Twilight’ co-stars. The pair’s love lifeoff-screen may have arguably attracted more attention than theiron-screen romance last summer. Stewart, 22, caused quite a stirwhen she was caught cheating on Pattinson with Rupert Sanders,her 42-year-old married director for ‘Snow White and theHuntsman.’ The controversy blurred the lines between the lover’srelationship in real-life. “I just don’t think they enjoy the parts[of fame] that other people would. And I totally get that, becauseit would not be my thing either,” the New York Daily News quotedMeyer as saying. Though the duo reconciled last fall, theycontinue living in the public spotlight, while Meyer can keep herlife privately behind the book and movie fame. “At the same time— and this is where the guilt comes from — it’s created this nicepeaceful place for me. They took all of my heat, which I feel badabout,” the author said. nEWS DESk

aLi Zafar scores a haT-TricKa

This isn’t the first time that Ali Zafar has lent his

musical talent to a Bollywood film. He’ll score a hat trick

when he gets to dance to songs to his own vocal

rendition. “Dhichkyaaon Doom Doom” certainly isn’t the

only song in Chashme Baddoor that Ali has sung, but it

is already being hailed by critics as a hit by fans and

foes alike. Sung by Ali Zafar and Shreya Ghosal with

lyrics by Nilesh Misra the new single off the sizzling hot

soundtrack of Chashme Baddoor is already receiving

great reviews from fans and critics alike. David

Dhavan’s remake of Sai Paranjpe’s 1981 classic,

Chashme Buddoor, in which Ali Zafar plays Farooque

Shaikh’s character, is scheduled to release on April 5.

The highly anticipated summer blockbuster is already

being anticipated as a cinema sell-out. It certainly

would not come as a surprise seeing that Ali has

developed quite a Midas-touch when it comes to

choosing successful projects. Ali said, “When I saw the

original Chashme Buddoor, I knew that the plot has to

retain its authenticity. Also, while it must have been a

challenge to render it into modern times and aesthetics,

David sir has done a brilliant job. It’s a family

entertainer. We are all excited about it.” “Dhichkyaaon

Doom Doom” is a tantalising appetizer to audience

eagerly looking forward to see a modernised version of

a film which has quite a fan following. The movie is

being released by HKC Entertainment in Pakistan.

Kim plans black and whitenursery for babySocialite Kim Kardashian,who is expecting her firstchild with rapper Kanye Westin July, is planning to create ablack and white nursery forher baby. “Kardashian wasgushing about her nurseryplans while carefully selectinggifts for her baby registry withsisters Khloe and Kourtney atBel Bambini in WestHollywood,” femalefirst.co.ukquoted a source as saying.“She mainly looked at simpleclothing, nothing too girly,”the source added. nEWS DESk

British actor Frank Thornton - best known as CaptainPeacock in the long-running television comedy “ AreYou Being Served?” - has died at age 92, his agentsaid Monday. The actor is best remembered by

British audiences for his comic role in the innuendo-laden hit sitcom, which ran from the 1970s to 1985.He played a mustachioed, pompous floor managerwho oversaw his fellow shop workers in a depart-ment store. Thornton’s agent, David Daly, said thatthe actor died in his sleep in his home in London inthe early hours of Saturday. Born in Dulwich, southLondon, Thornton had worked in insurance afterleaving school but took evening classes to becomean actor. He soon took up stage acting and played inLondon’s West End, before serving in the Royal AirForce during World War II. In the 1950s, while stilldoing theater, he began to branch into televisioncomedy. He appeared on “The Benny Hill Show”and other comedy programs, and also took a smallrole in the movie “Carry On Screaming.” In the1970s - with the success of “Are You Being Served?”- Thornton became a household name in Britain. “Hewas a great friend and consummate performer whowas the glue who really held ‘Are You BeingServed?’ together,” said the show’s co-creator, Je-remy Lloyd. “He will continue to give people enjoy-ment.” Later Thornton also became known for hispart in another long-running television comedy se-ries, “Last of the Summer Wine.” He has made ap-pearances in dozens of movies, including “No SexPlease, We’re British” and more recently “GosfordPark.” Thornton is survived by his wife Beryl,daughter Jane, and three grandchildren. nEWS DESk

Captain Peacock actorFrank Thornton dies

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 7:00 AM Page 12

Who indeed will set bounds to human ingenuity? Who

will assert that everything in the universe capable of being

perceived is already discovered and known? — Galileo

13ARtSwednesday, 20 March, 2013

A

sheen’s ex-wifeand kidsthreatened

sheen’s ex-wifeand kidsthreatened

Hollywood actor Charlie Sheen claimed his ex-

wife Denise Richards and their daughters Sam and Lola found a

threatening note and a knife outside their home. The objects were found soon

after the 47-year-old blasted a known children’s school for allegedly allowing Sam to be

bullied. “My daughters had the pleasure of discovering a knife,” contactmusic.com quoted

Sheen as saying. Sheen replied to the post that he tweeted a few days back. The post reads:

“Here’s why people suck, a group of mindless people have targeted Richards and the girls with

bullying tactics as a response to my call to arms.” He also urged people to leave his family alone.

“Leave them alone. This is not a threat but a promise that justice will be served. I’m not hiding.

You are. Show yourselves you spineless cowards,” said Sheen. Sheen said two people

were captured on surveillance tape outside the property and he has contacted

police to investigate the alleged threat. The school denied his claims

and insisted they did everything necessary to deal with

the situation. nEWS DESk

naomi wattsthrilled aftergetting GoldenGlobe nominationNaomi Watts got her very first

Golden Globe nomination for

the portrayal of a real-life

Tsunami survivor in The

Impossible. The talented

actress’s joy knew no

bounds when she got this

news last night.

Incidentally, it was also

her son, Sammy’s,

birthday. Sharing her

joy, she said, “It’s my

son’s birthday today

and it proved to be

lucky for me. I am

happy that I got this

nomination for ‘The

Impossible’ because

it’s a really special

movie for my family.”

Recently, she also

revealed that The

Impossible is her first

movie that her sons

agreed to watch. And

the movie has really

helped her strengthen

her connection with her

kids. The Impossible is

a true story of a

Spanish couple family

who had just begun

started enjoying their

winter vacation in

Thailand when an

unexpected tsunami

threatened to

destroy the entire

region on the

unforgettable day

of December 26,

2004. The

Impossible also

stars Ewan

McGregor and Tom

Holland. PVR

Pictures is all set

to release The

Impossible in

India on January

4, 2013. nEWS DESk

NEWS DESK

Katie Holmes doesn’t talk about her split from actor Tom Cruise but shedoes say she hopes this year is better than the last.The actress tells Allure magazine she wants 2013 to be “a peaceful yearfor a lot of people.”She goes on to cite some of 2012’s major headlines like SuperstormSandy and the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting, adding she hopes“it’s a good year for everyone.”The 34-year-old, who has a six-year-old daughter named Suri withCruise, does say she’s “open” to the idea of expanding her family in thefuture.Holmes filed for divorce from Cruise last June after five years ofmarriage.Allure’s April issue goes on sale nationwide March 26.

Holmes tellsAllure she hopes2013 is peaceful

Avatar so much harderthan LOTR: James Cameron

James Cameron has revealed that he had it tough making ‘Avatar’ as compared to Sir PeterJackson with the ‘Lord of the Rings’. The 59-year-old filmmaker, who is planning to directAvatar 2, said in an interview with Life Goes Strong that he has spoken to Jackson about thechallenges of creating a film not based on a novel, Stuff.co.nz reported. The ‘Terminator’ directorsaid that making the sequels was easy for Jackson because they were based on a book, but forhim it is difficult to make the second part of the science fiction film as he has to create his ownbooks in his head and extract a script from it. He added that he is deep into the second movie andliving in Pandora, which is the fictional universe he created for the film. nEWS DESk

Kutcher’s steveJobs biopic delayedindefinitely

The premiere of Steve Jobs biopic, starringAshton Kutcher, has been delayed indefinitely.The first Steve Jobs biopic Jobs, has had itsrelease date pushed back from April 19 inNorth America to an indefinite date.According to the Sydney Morning Herald, it isbelieved that the delay is purely for marketingreasons. A film that was already famous, isnow on the verge of infamy, the paper said. Ithas already hit a number of stumbling blocks,including its name. Once called jOBS, in apresumed play on the Apple “iNAME”convention, and even referred to in some pressas iJobs, it was quietly re-formatted as Jobs atthe beginning of the year. Also starringDermot Mulroney and Matthew Modine, thefilm, directed by Joshua Michael Stern andwritten by Matt Whitely, tracks Steve Jobs lifefrom college drop-out to Apple visionary from1971 to 2001. nEWS DESk

sheen’s ex-wifeand kidsthreatened

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 7:00 AM Page 13

NEWS DESK

Coca-Cola is taking bottled water anddoing what it does best — giving itsome bubbles and flavor. The Atlanta-based company confirmed Mondaythat it would introduce a line of zero-calorie, carbonated, fruit-flavored wa-ters called “Fruitwater” starting April1. The drink will be part of Coca-Cola’s Glaceau unit, which makesother pricier bottled waters such as Vi-taminwater and Smartwater.

Unlike the zero-calorie version ofVitaminwater, which is made with thenatural sweetener stevia, Fruitwaterwill be sweetened with the artificial

sweetener sucralose, best known asSplenda. It will not contain any fruitjuice but the bottle notes that the drinkis “enhanced with nutrients,” a refer-ence to its B vitamins, magnesium andzinc. The rollout was first reported bythe trade journal Beverage Digest.

Such an “unsoda,” fizzy andsweetened but packaged like bottledwater, could lure people who are look-ing for an alternative to sugary carbon-ated drinks. Soft drink consumptionhas slid in the U.S. since the late1990s. The decline has been attributedto growing concerns about obesity, aswell as the proliferation of optionssuch bottled teas and flavored waters.

Bloomberg wants tobacco products out of sight in NYC

COURTESy BBC

COULD the USA deal witha Hurricane Katrinaevery two years? Such a scenario is possibleby the end of the century

due to climate change, according to a studypublished Monday in the Proceedings ofthe National Academy of Sciences.

The frequency of extreme stormsurges — the deadly and devastating wallsof water that roar ashore during hurricanes— is projected to increase by as much as10 times in coming decades because ofwarming temperatures, the study finds.Global warming has already doubled thechance of storms like Katrina, accordingto the study, which was led by climate sci-entist Aslak Grinsted of the University ofCopenhagen in Denmark.

Storm surge is typically the biggestkiller from hurricanes, and also usuallycauses the most destruction: Katrina killedmore than 1,800 people and caused $125billion in damage, mostly from stormsurge, while Sandy last year killed dozensand caused at least $50 billion in damages.

Grinsted’s research shows that therewill be a tenfold increase in frequency ofstorm surges if the climate becomes 3.6degrees Fahrenheit warmer. “This means

that there will be a ‘Katrina’ magnitudestorm surge every other year,” he says.

One estimate from the Intergovern-mental Panel on Climate Change showsthat, under one of the “best-case” scenar-ios, Earth’s atmosphere’s temperature willrise anywhere from 2.0 to 5.2 degrees bythe end of the century. Grinsted says that a0.7 degrees warming of the climate “cor-

responds to a doubling of the frequency ofextreme storm surges like the one duringHurricane Katrina. With the global warm-ing we have had during the 20th century,we have already crossed the thresholdwhere more than half of all ‘Katrinas’ aredue to global warming,” he says.

This research used past storm surgedata from six tidal gauges from the East

and Gulf Coasts, all of which had informa-tion dating to the 1920s. The study alsoused this gauge data to look forward to thelikelihood of future storm surges.

In addition to there being more ex-treme storm surges, the sea will also risedue to global warming, Grinsted says. Asa result, the storm surges will becomeworse and potentially more destructive.

However, another expert finds faultwith the study: “I find this paper to bevery misleading,” says Georgia Tech cli-matologist Judith Curry, who says theyused “a very incomplete data set:” It onlyconsiders tide gauge measurements at sixlocations (Atlantic City, Charleston S.C.,Mayport, Fla.; Pensacola, Fla.; KeyWest, and Galveston, Texas.)

“Their statistical projection is totallyunconvincing, since it is based on a dataset that incompletely represents U.S. land-falling hurricane activity since 1923,”Curry says. Their data set is much inferiorto other data sets, she says, such as thestandard hurricane landfall data set main-tained by the National Hurricane Center.

And while Curry admits that “it islikely that the maximum intensity of thestrongest hurricanes would increase in awarmer climate, I do not currently placemuch confidence in climate model projec-tions of future hurricane activity.”

Coca-cola puts fizz,flavour in newglaceau water

Power still out atdamaged nuclearplant in JapanFour fuel storage pools at Japan’s

tsunami-damaged nuclear plant have

been without fresh cooling water for

more than 15 hours due to a power

outage, but the plant’s operator said

Tuesday morning it was trying to

repair a broken switchboard that

might have caused the problem.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said that

pool temperatures were well within

safe levels at the Fukushima Dai-ichi

plant, and that pools would remain

safe for at least four days without

fresh cooling water. The utility was

preparing a backup system in case

the repairs didn’t fix the problem,

Masayuki Ono, an official at operator

Tokyo Electric Power Co., told reporters.

“If worse comes to worst, we have a

backup water injection system,” said

Ono. Yoshihide Suga, the chief

government spokesman, sought to

allay concerns. “In a sense, we have

put in place measures that leave no

room for worry,” Suga told reporters in

a regular press briefing. The command

center at the plant suffered a brief

power outage before 7 p.m. Monday.

Electricity was quickly restored to the

command center but not to equipment

pumping water into the fuel pools. The

utility was investigating the cause of

the power outage and believes it might

be due to problems with a

switchboard, which it is trying to

repair. At the same time, the company

is preparing to connect another

switchboard if repairs cannot fix the

problem. The temperature in the four

pools had risen slightly, but was well

below the utility’s target control

temperature of 65 degrees Celsius,

TEPCO said. The fuel pool for Unit 4,

which contains spent and new fuel

rods, had risen to 30.5 degrees as of

10 a.m. Tuesday from 25 degrees

before the power outage. A common

pool storing spent fuel for all reactors

was at 28.6 degrees, while the Unit 1

pool was at 17.1 degrees and Unit 3

was at 15.9 degrees. TEPCO said the

reactors were unaffected and no other

abnormalities were found. nEWS DESk

infotainMent

IWednesday, 20 March, 2013

14The limits of my language

mean the limits of my world.

–Ludwig Wittgenstein

Mars rover curiosity standsdown after new problem

After recovering from a computer problem, the

Mars rover Curiosity is sidelined again, further

delaying the restart of science experiments. The

latest complication occurred over the weekend

when the six-wheel rover entered safe mode after

experiencing a software file error. Curiosity

remained in contact with ground controllers, but it

can’t zap rocks, snap pictures or roam around until

the problem is fixed. Rover team members had

expected to resume activities Monday, but they

now have to wait a bit longer — perhaps until the

end of the week. “We would definitely like to get

over this and get back to doing something,” said

project manager Richard Cook of the NASA Jet

Propulsion Laboratory, which operates the $2.5

billion mission. Studies at the Gale Crater landing

site have been on hold since the beginning of

March after engineers discovered a problem with

Curiosity’s computer memory, possibly caused by

space radiation. The latest snafu isn’t as serious,

but any unexpected problem throws off the

schedule, Cook said. It’s the longest stretch of

inactivity since Curiosity’s daring touchdown near

the Martian equator last year. Just before halting

its investigations, the nuclear-powered rover used

the drill at the end of its 7-foot-long robotic arm to

bore into a rock near where it landed and analyze

the powder. Last week, scientists announced the

results from the first drilling: Curiosity had

discovered an ancient Martian environment that

could have been favorable for primitive microbial

life. Despite the excitement over achieving one of

the mission’s main goals, it has yet to find complex

organic molecules considered the chemical building

blocks of life. Once Curiosity returns to normal, it’ll

only have a few days to work before a planetary

alignment limits radio communication between Earth

and Mars during most of next month. nEWS DESk

NEWS DESK

Cigarettes would have to bekept out of sight in New YorkCity stores under a first-in-the-nation plan unveiled by MayorMichael Bloomberg on Mon-day, igniting complaints fromretailers and smokers who saidthey’ve had enough with thecity’s crackdowns.

Shops from corner storesto supermarkets would have tokeep tobacco products in cabi-nets, drawers, under thecounter, behind a curtain or inother concealed spots. Officialsalso want to stop shops fromtaking cigarette coupons andhonoring discounts, and are

proposing a minimum price forcigarettes, below what thegoing rate is in much of the citynow, to discourage black mar-ket sales. Anti-smoking advo-cates and health experts hailedthe proposals as a bold effortto take on a habit that remainsthe leading preventable causeof death in a city that alreadyhas helped impose the highestcigarette taxes in the country,barred smoking in restaurants,bars, parks and beaches andlaunched sometimes graphicadvertising campaigns aboutthe effects of smoking.

The ban on displaying cig-arettes follows similar laws inIceland, Canada, England and

Ireland, but it would be thefirst such measure in the U.S.It’s aimed at discouragingyoung people from smoking.

“Such displays suggestthat smoking is a normal ac-tivity,” Bloomberg said. “And

they invite young people toexperiment with tobacco.”

But smokers and cigarettesellers said the measure wasoverreaching. “I don’t disagreethat smoking itself is risky, butit’s a legal product,” said Au-

drey Silk, who’s affiliated witha smokers-rights group thathas sued the city over previousregulations. “Tobacco’s beennormal for centuries. ... It’swhat he’s doing that’s not nor-mal.” Slated to be introducedto the City Council onWednesday, the anti-smokingproposal was also a sign that amayor who has built a reputa-tion as a public health crusaderisn’t backing off after a set-back last week, when a judgestruck down the city’s effort toban supersized, sugary drinks.The city is appealing that deci-sion. “We’re doing thesehealth things to save lives,”Bloomberg said Monday.

us could suffer a ‘Katrina’every other year

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 7:01 AM Page 14

SPORtS

Swednesday, 20 March, 2013

15On a weekend like we had you look for positives,

and one of them was how great the drivers were.

– McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan pace great Wasim AkramTuesday promised to help groom a futuregeneration of speedsters as his countrylooks to recapture former fast bowlingglories. Wasim was part of a long line ofworld-class Pakistani fast bowlers thatbegan with Fazal Mahmood in the 1950sand featured the likes of Imran Khan,Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar, reporteda foreign news agency.

But pace stocks have dwindled inrecent years and Pakistan currently haveno fast bowlers among the top 10 in eitherTest or one-day rankings. Chief selectorIqbal Qasim last week expresseddisappointment over the lack quality fastbowlers, a concern which Wasim hopes tohelp address by holding a two-week campin April to unearth new talent. Wasim, whois regarded as the best left-arm fast bowlerever to play at international level with 414Test and 502 one-day wickets, said

Pakistan need to improve their benchstrength to excel in the long form of thegame. “I am sure talent is there but thereis no plan B,” he said. “We don’t havegood bowlers for Tests which was provedin the series against South Africa wherewe lacked in that department.”

Pakistan were white-washed by worldnumber one South Africa 3-0 last monthin their recently concluded Test series. Thehosts also hold a 2-1 lead in the ongoingfive match one-day series. Wasim addedPakistan’s inability to make use of home-advantage, which allows players to excel,was a key factor holding back thedevelopment of youngsters. “Not playingat home is the key factor in not producingquality players.Until and unless you don’tplay top quality teams at home it will behard to find quality players,” he said.

Pakistan have not hosted top-levelinternational cricket since terroristsattacked the Sri Lankan team bus inLahore in March 2009, an event whichprompted foreign teams to shun tours to

the country over security fears. Wasimsaid it was time for cricket authorities totake concerns over fast-bowling moreseriously. “The PCB (Pakistan CricketBoard) needs to lift the first-class cricketand find some quality fast bowlers. OnceI get 10-12 fast bowlers, I will work onthem and they can be groomed to play atinternational level,” said Wasim.

The PCB is also trying to rope inWaqar Younis, with whom Wasim formeda fearsome partnership during the 1990s,for their national cricket academy inLahore, built to groom young players.

With the emergence of Twenty20cricket, the shortest form of the game,teams around the world have experimentedwith different bowling line-ups for eachformat. But Wasim said when it comes topace bowling, one size should fit all. “It’shard to find separate fast bowlers for threeformats. I believe if a fast bowler is goodenough for Tests, then he must be good forall formats and sustain himself for thelimited over matches as well.”

DURBAN

AGEnCiES

DURBAN could be forgivenfor feeling anxious. It hasnot seen any internationalcricket this year and has

only had a day's worth of it this summer.Moreover, it has not yet hosted Pakistanafter the first Twenty20 was washed outand the subcontinental fan base hasmissed out on seeing a team they will bekeen to cheer for.

If the weather forecast is to bebelieved, that will change on Thursday.Not a drop of rain is predicted as thecoastal city finally decides to show offits sunnier side and temperatures areexpected to soar. The late season inDurban is characterised by days likethese where the air can be suffocatinglypregnant with humidity.

That also means swing and a serieswhich has not been kind to openingbatsmen will get no easier for them.Even in Bloemfontein, where SouthAfrica's first pair put on 72 runs andPakistan's 42, facing the quicks wastough for both sides as the bat wasregularly beaten. Since then, SouthAfrica have managed first-wicket standsof 26 and 4 and Pakistan 29 and 15 asswing and seam movement have

dominated the early exchanges.Hashim Amla, the only Durban-

based player in the XI - although thatcould change if either David Miller or

Kyle Abbott plays - does not expectKingsmead to be too different. "We arebecoming used to a difficult partnershipupfront because of the two new whiteballs," he said of himself and GraemeSmith.

The pair struggled against UmarGul, Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khanwith the latter two causing the problemsat the Wanderers. "They bowled reallygood lengths and the wicket itself was abit tacky so the ball didn't come on to thebat," Amla said. "We knew that the first10 would be difficult so we just keptreassuring ourselves to hang in, thenmaybe release will come."

The breathing room came through amassive, 238-run stand between Amlaand AB de Villiers. The pairconcentrated on more than just survival,according to Amla. "We rotate the strikewell. I always enjoy batting with ABbecause when he comes in you know thegame is going to go forward," he said."We complement each other and wekeep each other motivated."

Amla will look to continue that wayin Durban, despite the difficulties. Thesurface will not offer Irfan, if he is fit toplay, much bounce but he may be able toget the ball to skid on awkwardly.Whoever plays of Junaid, Gul, WahabRiaz and Sohail Tanvir can beguaranteed movement and Amla hopesSouth Africa will have a way ofcounterattacking with bat in hand asmuch as Dale Steyn and LonwaboTsotsobe can do with ball.

"As much as the Pakistan bowlers

are good, they are also inexperienced,"Amla said. "Irfan and Wahab haven'tplayed many games even though theyare definitely all quality. But if we getpartnerships going again, we can exploitthat inexperience."

Pakistan's pace pack will bank onexactly the opposite. Despite their lackof experience, they will hope to takeadvantage of conditions that should suitthem. Kingsmead is traditionally a low-scoring ground with the average runs perover only 4.66. Totals above 250 are notall that common and it could even havesomething in it for the spinners.

"I am interested to see what we getdown there," Amla said. "It's been a longtime since I've played there and I'm notsure if it is going to swing as much. If itsturns, their bowlers come into play evenmore." The international schedule meansAmla rarely plays for his franchise theDolphins so he has not featured at hishome ground since last season.

He has only played three ODIs thereoverall and has two fifties to his namebut no hundreds in Durban. Havingnotched his first century of 2013 at theWanderers, the world's top-ranked ODIbatsman is hungry for more. "I amalways in the mood for a big one," Amlajoked. "With it being difficult upfront, Icement in my head, the idea of how Iwill play. I always try to understand inwhich context I am batting."

If the records books are correct andPakistan's bowlers are up for it, thecontext on Thursday will be a tough oneagain.

nationalWomen cyclingfrom april 15

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

The National Women CyclingChampionship will be held here from April15-17 with country’s top female riderstaking part alongside two foreign teams.Addressing a press conference here at theOlympics House, Idris Haider Khawaja,President of his own faction of PakistanCycling Federation said all the affiliatedunits of PCF will take part in it and Wapdawill defend the title during the five dayevent in which two foreign teams will alsobe taking part. “Two countries haveconfirmed their participation and we will berevealing their names after getting theirrespective final line ups,” he asserted. “Tourde Pakistan Cycle Race which was to takeplace next month has been postponed to theunavoidable circumstances and the premierevent will now be organized after generalelections in the country,” said PCF official.He said a bogus national team took part inthe recently concluded Asian championshipin India and deserving players were notincluded in the team which struck patheticperformance during the event. “It was merea joy ride trip by the parallel and deservingcyclists were not considered to visit Indiaand back door selection was made whichbrought bad name for the country,” he said.Idris Haider alleged that Pak female teamdid not take part in any event of the Asianchampionship and two female cyclists whoaccompanied the team failed to participateas they were short of two members to form afull female side. He said it was unfortunatethat Pak team fail to participate in the eventdespite being in India as the riders lackedrequired necessary practice and potential tocompete in the elite event. He said thenational junior championship will beorganized in Lahore in May and nearly overa 100 young riders show casing their talent.

bowlers’ friendly Kingsmead

Wasim to boost Pakistan’s flagging quicks

AUCKLAND

AGEnCiES

Nick Compton has admitted that his mindoften drifts towards the Ashes as he driftsoff to sleep but he is trying to keep hisemotions in check even though, with justthree Tests remaining before the openingmatch against Australia at Trent Bridge, itis inconceivable that Compton will not befacing the new ball.

Compton followed his maiden Testhundred in Dunedin with an even 100 atthe Basin Reserve during a second-wicketstand of 210 with Jonathan Trott. Theseback-to-back hundreds answered someimmediate questions about whether hewould be able to back-up his initial successand, barring injury, he will now begin aseries where the Compton-Miller is givento one participant at the conclusion.

However, Compton's immediateconcerns are more prosaic than anythingso grand as England's Ashes campaign.Firstly there is the deciding Test of thisseries in Auckland and then, perhaps after

a short break, a return to county cricket,the arena where his career made a definingshift last year as he came within a whisker(and a wet day) of 1000 runs before theend of May. "You go to bed at nightthinking about the Ashes, you might readthe odd comment here and there ofcourse," he said. "You get full ofexuberance, which is what keeps drivingyou. I would be lying if I said I didn't wantto play in an Ashes series, of course I do.

"But having played enough, lookingtoo far ahead doesn't do any good. Youhave to make sure that you stick to the nextgame. After this series I go back to countycricket, I get my head down again andmake sure if that time arrives, I put myselfin the box seat." "I have played enoughcricket now to know that that line betweensuccess and failure is quite thin and I thinkthe more you play the more respect youhave for the game, the more humility youhave to have in some ways, because thingscan change very quickly, they can gowrong." If the progression of the Englandand Australia sides continue along their

current lines there will be an interestinghead-to-head later this year whenCompton goes up against Ed Cowan whois set to open for Australia. Both playersare deep thinkers, cerebral cricketers, whohave earned their chance through hardgraft on the domestic circuit.

Although Compton's game did notchange drastically between Dunedin andWellington, there was more of a greatersense of belonging during his secondcentury; a slight release of tension, moreauthority in his stroke play. In terms ofballs faced it was a brisker hundred - 224balls compared to 259 at University Oval- but the message from those around him,including captain Alastair Cook, has beenthat he should not feel the need to alter hisstyle. "I felt slightly different in that I hadsome runs behind me and that alwaysmakes a difference," he said. "I proved tomyself that that process was up andrunning again, which I had during thesummer. As any batsman you need to geton that roll, momentum is important and Ihad that coming in here.

Compton fights Ashes thoughts

MOHAMMAD IRFANCOULD ENJOYCONDITIONS IN DURBAN

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 7:01 AM Page 16

COLOMBO

AGEnCiES

SINCE Muttiah Muralitharan'sretirement in 2010, Sri Lanka hadwon only four Tests. RanganaHerath's figures in those are: 9 for

128, 12 for 171, 5 for 121 and 11 for 108.They completed their fifth victory onTuesday at the R Premadasa Stadium, andHerath was instrumental yet again - markinghis 35th birthday with figures of 12 for 157to strangle Bangladesh and set up a 1-0 serieswin. There was the added joy of completing200 Test scalps for Herath. In the last twoyears alone, he has taken more Test wicketsthan any Sri Lankan has in their career,barring Murali and Chaminda Vaas.

His heroics have smoothed Sri Lanka'stransitional phase. Regulars like ThilanSamaraweera and Prasanna Jayawardenehave been discarded, and the Sri Lankancaptaincy spot has been a bit of a merry-go-round in the past few years. Anything lessthan a victory in this series would haveheaped the pressure on the new leaderAngelo Mathews, who hasn't had the best oftimes in the two Tests. The experiencedHerath began the trek towards victory with

his bagful of wickets, after which two othersenior statesmen, Tillakaratne Dilshan andKumar Sangakkara, quickened the marchwith brisk half-centuries that left Sri Lankaon the brink of another series win overBangladesh. Herath had undone 80 overs ofgood work from Bangladesh yesterday with

a double-strike late in the final session. In hisfirst three overs today, Bangladesh's chancesnearly evaporated. The sixth ball of the dayspun and Mominul Haque's attempt atworking it to the leg side resulted in a catchat short leg, and soon after he removed theusually reliable Nasir Hossain, who lookedto launch the ball towards long-on only for itto turn past his bat and hit the middle ofmiddle stump. With the lead only 65, it leftMushfiqur Rahim as the only recognisedbatsmen. To the credit of the Bangladeshlower order, they didn't collapse completelyagainst the rampant Herath. Even betweenthose two early Herath strikes, Mushfiqurcharged out and slammed a straight six, andthe big strokes regularly flowed as theBangladesh tail searched for quick runs.

Sohag Gazi typified that approach. In thefirst over of the second new ball, he was putdown in the cordon by Dimuth Karunaratne,which only prompted a series of boundaries- three off his next four deliveries before hewas caught at long-on looking to clear therope. Sri Lanka's catching has been below-par in this match, but Angelo Mathewssnapped up his second sharp take at slip todismiss Mushfiqur for 40, with the lead at122. There was no quick finish as Abul

Hasan, who hit the headlines with awhirlwind debut century last November,again showed off his hitting ability, strikinga couple of big sixes to push the lead past150. With the tailenders hitting out againstthe spinners, Sri Lanka turned to the pace ofShaminda Eranga. It took him only fivedeliveries to finish off the innings, followingup a bouncer with a yorker that cannonedtowards the base of offstump, leaving SriLanka a target of 160. Sri Lanka began thechase brightly, but Dimuth Karunaratnefailed again, which means he has only onehalf-century in his previous 10 Test innings.Karunaratne shouldered arms to an incomingdelivery to be lbw for 16. Any nerves for thehome side though were eased by a stream ofboundaries from Dilshan, while Sangakkaracontinued to show the form that has fetchedhim three centuries in three innings in thisseries. The pair put on a 94-run stand to eraseany doubts over a Sri Lankan victory. It wasanother defeat for Bangladesh, but it wasn'tall gloom for them, especially consideringthe hammering they have usually received onvisits to Sri Lanka. Though it was a flat trackin Galle, Bangladesh's notoriously fragilebatting showed plenty of backbone after SriLanka had piled up a big total.

SPORtS S

wednesday, 20 March, 2013

16I only talk when we [Bayern]

lose. It's simple for Pep. – Bayern

Munich president Uli Hoeness

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

As many as five matches were decided onthe opening day of the 9th NationalHighway & Motorway Police TouchballGold Cup being organized by the PakistanTouch Ball Federation here at the PunjabStadium.

The event is being participated by 10teams and all got involved in hecticencounters on Tuesday.

In the first match Punjab defeated AJKby 3-0 scores, from Punjab Asif scored 1and Sadaqat scored 2 points for their team.

In the second match Pakistan Steeldefeated Islamabad by 8-0 scores, fromSteel mills Najam Hussain, Abubakar,Aqeel Shah scored 2 points each andWaqas and Azhar Abbas scored 1 pointseach.

In the third match KPK defeatedSindh by 4-0 scores, from KPK shahidTariq, Khan Mohd, Ayub scored points fortheir team

In the fourth match Pakistan Railwaydefeated Pakistan Police by 5-1 scores.From Pakistan Railway Kaleem scored 3and Omar Bhatti score 2 points to givetheir team a glorious victory. In the fifthmatch Pakistan Highway Motorwaydefeated Pakistan Steel Mills after a very

thrilling match by 3-2 scores, from PAKMotorway Mazhar , Babar, Zubair scored1 point each and from Pak Steel

Musawar Hayyat and Abubakar scored 1point each. The chef guest of the openingday was Rai Altaf Hussain, Additional

I.G, National Highway & MotorwayPolice along with Mian Ijaz Hussain,Nawab Sarfaraz Sayyal.

Five matches decided in Touchball Gold Cup

bAnGLADESH FiRST inninGS 240

SRi LAnkA FiRST inninGS 346

bAnGLADESH SECOnD inninGS (158-4 OvERniGHT)

Tamim iqbal b Eranga 59

Jahurul islam st Chandimal b Herath 48

Mohammad Ashraful b Herath 4

Mominul Haque c karunaratne b Herath 37

Mahmudullah b Herath 0

Mushfiqur Rahim c Mathews b Herath 40

nasir Hossain b Herath 0

Sohag Gazi c Lakmal b Herath 26

Abul Hasan not out 25

Rubel Hossain b Dilshan 7

Robiul islam b Eranga 10

Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-4) 9

Total (all out; 100.4 overs) 265

Fall of wickets: 1-91 2-96 3-143 4-143 5-160 6-171 7-202 8-228 9-239

bowling: kulasekara 12-0-36-0(nb-1), Lakmal 9-1-26-0, Herath

36-9-89-7, Dilshan 25-4-62-1, Eranga 15.4-3-39-2 (nb-3),

Mathews 3-2-8-0

SRi LAnkA SECOnD inninGS

D. karunaratne lbw b Robiul 16

T. Dilshan b Robiul 57

k. Sangakkara b Gazi 55

L. Thirimanne not out 13

A. Mathews not out 13

Extras (b-2, lb-1, nb-3) 6

Total (three wickets, 41.4 overs) 160

Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-125, 3-135.

bowling: Robiul islam 11-0-42-2(nb-3), Abul Hasan 4-0-21-0,

Sohag Gazi 13-1-47-1, Rubel Hossain 3-0-16-0, nasir Hossain 4-

0-11-0, Mahmudullah 3-0-12-0, Mohammad Ashraful 3.4-0-8-0.

Result: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets.

Series: Sri Lanka won 1-0.

SCOREbOARD

usmani, baTa

in Qf of Lahore

district football

LAHORE: Usmania F.C and BATA F.C

earned victories against their respective

matches and moved into quarter finals of

the Lahore District Football Championship

here on Tuesday at Model Town Football

and Faisal Town Football Grounds. Usmania

F.C defeated Nasir Shaheed F.C in a penalty

shoot-out 5-4 after 1-1 draw during the full

time. In the second match Bata F.C routed

PAF F.C by 4-0. Usman Mukhtar struck

twice in the 12th minutes and 29th minutes

while Umer Mukhatar & Zahid Niaz shared

one goal each in 21st minutes and 60th

minutes. Wednesday matches, Saleem

Khan F.C vs Raider F.C (4:00PM) at Raider

Football Ground and Lums F.C vs Shah

Kamal F.C (6:00PM) at MFTA. STAFF REPORT

AUCKLAND

AGEnCiES

New Zealand have provisionally named paceman DougBracewell in a 14-man squad for the third and final testagainst England starting in Auckland on Friday, pending hisrecovery from a domestic one-day match.

The 22-year-old missed the first two drawn tests aftercutting his foot on glass when cleaning up at a party at hishome in the leadup to the series, for which he apologised tohis team mates for letting them down.

New Zealand named the following squad on Tuesday toplay England in the third and final test starting in Aucklandon Friday. The series is tied 0-0.

New Zealand squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), TrentBoult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Ian Butler, PeterFulton, Tom Latham, Bruce Martin, Hamish Rutherford, TimSouthee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, KaneWilliamson

Earlier, New Zealand and England head into the finalmatch of their three-test series on Friday more evenlymatched than many observers felt they were at the start afterthe second game ended in a damp draw on Monday.

Bad weather has played a significant part with around 100overs lost because of rain in the first match in Dunedin andmore than 150 wiped out in the second in Wellington as bothcontests ended in draws.

herath stars in sri Lankan win

nZ name paceman Bracewellfor third test v england

shillingford hopesto spin moremagic at home

BRIDGETOWN: Tall spinner Shane

Shillingford returns home to Dominica

hoping to continue his heroics as the

West Indies chase a sixth successive

cricket test victory when they take on

Zimbabwe, starting on Wednesday.

Shillingford was man of the match after

taking nine wickets in last week's easy

triumph in the first test in Bridgetown,

Barbados. AGEnCiES

Kinnaird defeatravi club

LAHORE: Kinnaird Club defeated Ravi

Cricket Club by 110 Runs in the first semi-

final of the 7th Regional Inter District

Women Cricket Tournament 2012-13.

Kinnaird won the toss and choose to bat

first and cracked the 200 runs for all in

49.5 overs. Bismah Maroof 52, Sidra Amin

40, Irum Javed 24, Komal Feroze 19.

Bakhtawar Iqbal took 3 wickets while

Faryal Awan and Hafsa Amjad took two

wickets each. Ravi Club in reply was

bowled out for 90 runs. Hafsa Amjad 18

and Ayesha Naz 18 were the main scorers.

Sana Mir took 4 wickets while Irum Javed,

Elizbeth Barkat and Bismah Maroof shared

one wicket each. The second semi-final

will be played between Lahore College

Cricket Club and Garrison Cricket Club at

Gymkhana Cricket ground(Bagh-e-Jinnah)

on March 20 at 9:00am. STAFF REPORT

KHI 20-03-2013_Layout 1 3/20/2013 7:02 AM Page 17

SPORtSS

wednesday, 20 March, 2013

17That was really cool. I just stayed really patient

and had a peace about me today. – Kevin

Streelman after winning the PGA Tour title

SPORTS THIS WEEK

ALi AkbAR

FOR Australia, India has always been the lastfrontier of cricket. Australian cricket captainsare judged by their performances on this, the

most challenging of tours. For the current Australianteam this frontier is at least one too far. They have beenambushed by an Indian side smarting from a defeat byEngland on their own turf and the Indians made surethat against Australia there would be no sign of turf onthe pitches that they produced.

The first Test wicket was so dry and powdery thatShane Warne wondered whether Rafael Nadal mightfind it more to his liking, equating the pitch to the redclay of the French Open. The groundsman, perhaps ina moment of candidness, admitted to watering the pitchselectively, leaving the outside dry and firming up onlythe area between the wickets. As a result, the Indianspinner Ashwin was at his destructive best, turning theball at acute angles. The Australians had no suchspinners and were completely outclassed.

The fallout from these losses was unprecedented.Mickey Arthur, the Australia coach cited a lack of restin the form of backchat and attitude that forced him tosuspend and drop four players for the third Test atMohali

This move to suspend the vice captain ShaneWatson, Usman Khawaja, James Pattinson, andMitchell Johnson has created controversy in Australiaamong both fans and former cricketers.

Arthur claimed that this suspension was acumulative effect of "lots of small minor indiscretionsthat have built up to now" and could be a "defining

moment" for Australian cricket."This is a line in the sand moment – a point we'll

look back on in a couple of years' time when we're backto No 1 in the world and say was a defining moment."

Michael Clarke, supported his coach, saying thatthe players had shown a lack of respect for Arthur, andthat he had noted a general slide in attitudes on theIndian tour.DISCIpLInE: THIS IS HOw

The whole furor started when Coach Arthur askedeach player to submit a paper in which the player wouldgive suggestions on how to improve his personalperformance as well as that of the team. The foursuspended players missed the deadline for submittingthis report. They were immediately suspended for oneTest.

This episode seems to have had a salutary effect onthe remaining Australian players as was reflected intheir performance in the opening stages of the thirdTest, which again was lost to give India the admirable3-0 lead.

The question that arises here is, whether thePakistan coach and captain would have the power andinitiative to take this type of disciplinary action. Theanswer would definitely be in the negative. Oneweakness of our cricket administration is that the PCBtries to micro manage everything from PCBheadquarters rather than to give the coach the authorityto take actions such as these. As a result the coach orcaptain is hamstrung by the fear that any disciplinaryaction that he takes might be overruled by the higherauthorities who themselves might come under pressurefrom vested interests. This would result in furthererosion of their authority and a resultant decrease in

respect. Until and unless the coach and captain aregiven such powers, their effectiveness is fatallyundermined.

The most entertaining part of the Border Gavaskarseries has been the commentary of former Indianbatsman Navjot Singh Sidhu. His is an irresistibleblend of in depth knowledge, humour and an endlesssupply of folksy sayings. Not a dull moment when theSardar is in the booth. What a difference from somecommentators who insist on struggling with a languagethat they do not have mastery over and in the processlose complete track of what they are trying to say.pAKISTAn bOunCE bACK buT STILL TRAIL

After being thoroughly outclassed by a brilliantTest side, Pakistan bounced back to take the T20 matchin some style. But the problem for Pakistan is that mostof their batsmen seem to give the impression that theyare playing on borrowed time. It is evident that apartfrom some good innings by Younus and Asad Shafiq,most of the batsmen failed to come to terms with thepace and swerve of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel andVernon Philander. Steyn at his best has been too goodfor our batsmen and could be so for most batsmen onthe circuit. He has incisive control over his outswingerwhich moves just enough to take the edge. Hisstraighter one is therefore lethal as the batsmen fisharound off stump. Morkel provides the bounce andPhilander the controlled line, length and swing a laMohammad Asif.

The first ODI continued to underscore the gulfbetween the two sides. The South Africans paced theirbatting splendidly, getting well over 300 without takingtoo many risks. They then bowled out a Pakistani sidethat looked anxious about the huge target from the

outset.Pakistan bounced back in the second ODI with a

much improved bowling and batting performance. Irfanmade the initial breach, taking four key wickets, withJunaid, Ajmal and Hafeez taking a brace apiece. Whatwas encouraging was a much more mature battingperformance with a tricky target. Misbah led from thefront and was ably supported by Hafeez, Younus andShoaib.

South Africa resumed normal service in the ODIseries with a comfortable win in the third ODI. HashimAmla and de Villiers tore into the Pakistan attack, bothscoring hundreds. Pakistan made a spirited reply andas long as Shahid Afridi was at the crease, no score wasunreachable, but with his demise after his best inningsin several years a target of almost 350 was too muchand Pakistan were about forty runs short. A good effortfor a team not known to be good at chasing, but thebowlers, especially a rusty Wahab Riaz, leaked toomany runs

It would be unfair to judge Pakistan coach DavWhatmore on the team’s performance in this seriesalone. But it would be fair to say that his presence withthe team has not had an impact similar to that he hadwith the first Sri Lankan team that he coached. In fact,that assignment was Whatmore’s only really productiveone and he continues to be rated on that achievement.The only coach on the international circuit who is agame changer just happens to be on the opposite side.Gary Kirsten turns to gold everything he touches andhe has transformed South Africa from a hypertensivegroup of chokers into a champion team that bearscomparison to the South Africans of the 1960s. Andthat is praise enough.

Of the varying influence of three cricket coaches

INDIAN WELLS

AGEnCiES

THE fist pump was back, alongwith the crunching forehandcrosscourt winners, energeticmovement and the never-say-

say-die attitude. Most significantly, the 'W'was there as Rafa Nadal on Sunday wonhis third title in just four events sincemaking his long-awaited return to the ATPTour after seven months out with aninjured left knee. The Spaniard's pulsating4-6 6-3 6-4 victory over Juan Martin Del

Potro in the final of the BNP Paribas Openserved as a timely reminder that theclaycourt specialist will once again be theplayer to beat at the French Open startingin late May. "He's like always, like in thepast, he's playing so solid, so strong,"purred Argentine Del Potro who, whilebitterly disappointed after his defeat atIndian Wells, felt Nadal was back to hisvery best. "He's very strong mentally. Hehas big talent, as well. He beat very goodplayers here at Indian Wells. He's gonnabe fighting for the first position (in therankings) very soon." A few weeks ago,

claycourt specialist Nadal was not evensure if he would be able to play on thepunishing hard courts at Indian Wells, asurface where his all-action, counter-punching game has often been leasteffective. However, the world number fivedecided to return to the California desertvenue where he had previously clinchedthe BNP Paribas Open in 2007 and 2009,and he ended a week of steady progress bylanding his 22nd ATP Masters title. TheSpanish left-hander may initially have hadhis doubts over how his knee would standup to his most rigorous test since returningto the ATP circuit last month, but thosesoon abated as he passed the test withflying colours.

"It's sort of expected, considering thesuccess throughout his career that he hadon all the surfaces," world number oneNovak Djokovic said of Nadal's comebackform before the Serb was ousted by DelPotro in the semi-finals. "Obviously he'sbuilding the confidence. He feels good,and he's very motivated, I'm sure, toperform his best. He's been playing greattennis." Roger Federer, crushed by hislong-time rival Nadal in the last eight,never doubted that the Spaniard wouldthrive and move fluently on his return tothe ATP circuit. "He's not going to comeback if he's not well," the 31-year-oldSwiss said. "He's not going to come backhalf broken. I expected him to tear throughthe clay. I expected him to be tough here."

Nadal was euphoric after winning histhird Indian Wells title, having dispatchedsecond-ranked Federer and sixth-seededCzech Tomas Berdych along the way.

comeback king nadalsets sight on french open

grand slams, nottop spot, the lurefor sharapova

LOS ANGELES

AGEnCiES

Maria Sharapova rose to number two in therankings on Monday after her impressivetitle run at the BNP Paribas Open but saysshe is motivated much more by grand slamglory than the prospect of regaining the topspot. "Number one is a great number," theelegant Russian laughed after demolishingeighth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-2 in Sunday's final of the elite WTAevent at Indian Wells to land her 28th titleon the circuit. "The more consistent you areand the better results that you have and themore wins that you're able to get, the betterchances you have of getting that spot. "Is itsomething that all of us want? Absolutely.It's a 'no-brainer' question. But I think atthis point in my career, titles and grandslams are just a bigger priority." Four-timesgrand slam Sharapova is well accustomedto the allure of being viewed as the game'sbest player, having become the fifthyoungest woman to reach the top of theworld rankings, at the age of 18 in 2005.For her to regain that top spot, however,she will have to overhaul American SerenaWilliams who, when fully fit and on hergame, is virtually unbeatable in women'stennis. "Serena was very dominant lastyear," Sharapova said of Williams, whowon Wimbledon, Olympic gold and theU.S. Open as she piled up seven titles in adazzling 2012 campaign. "She playedtremendous, confident tennis. "She's alsovery strong and very athletic, so you needto be consistent with her. She's also a greatfrontrunner. You're down a little bit and shegoes with it. She's a confidence player."When it comes to head-to-headsbetweenSharapovaandWilliams,it is virtually no-contest. The Russianhas won only twicein their 13 careermeetings with hermost recent victorydating back nineyears to the TourChampionshipin Los Angeles.

MIAMI

AGEnCiES

Andy Murray has been handed atricky draw for the Sony Open,which gets under way in Miami laterthis week. The second seed, whooften trains at the Crandon Parkvenue on Key Biscayne where thetournament is played, could have todefeat three of the rising stars of theATP World Tour just to reach thequarter-finals. He has a bye in thefirst round so his opening match willbe against either Australian Bernard

Tomic or a qualifier. Grigor Dimitrovcould then lie in wait in round threebefore a potential clash with big-serving Jerzy Janowicz, the Pole whobeat Murray at last year's ParisMasters, in the last 16.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the manMurray beat in last year's Wimbledonsemi-final, is the Scot's projectedquarter-final foe, with TomasBerdych seeded to meet Murray inthe last four. Novak Djokovic is thetop seed for an event which ismissing both Roger Federer andIndian Wells winner Rafael Nadal.

Murray handed tricky draw in Miami‘MUrray Can beworld no.1’LONDON: Indian Wells runner-up

Juan Martin del Potro believes

Britain's Andy Murray can become

world tennis number one this

year. The towering Argentine beat

Murray in the quarter-finals last

week on the California hard courts

and is looking forward to locking

horns with him on grass. AGEnCiES

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LONDON

AGEnCiES

Former England striker Michael Owenhas announced he will retire from footballat the end of the season. The 33-year-oldmade his name with Liverpool and wenton to play for Real Madrid, Newcastle andManchester United before signing forStoke at the start of this season.

But Owen, who has been dogged byinjury in the latter stages of his career, hasfound opportunities very difficult to come

by at the Britannia Stadium and has madethe decision to hang up his boots.

The striker wrote on his personalwebsite: "It is with an immense amount ofpride that I am announcing my intention toretire from professional football at the endof this season." The striker will probablybe best remembered for his exploits withEngland, for whom he burst onto theinternational scene as an 18-year-old andscored his most famous goal againstArgentina at the 1998 World Cup. Heended up with 40 goals from 89 caps,

behind only Bobby Charlton, Gary Linekerand Jimmy Greaves on the all-time list. Inthe statement on his website, Owencontinued: "Having progressed through theranks at Liverpool to make my first-teamdebut at 17, before embarking upon spellsat Real Madrid, Newcastle United,Manchester United and Stoke City, not tomention representing my country on 89occasions, I now feel it is the right time tobring the curtain down on my career.

"I have been very fortunate in that mycareer has taken me on a journey that, likemany young players starting out, I couldonly have dreamt of. "None of this wouldhave been possible without the tremendoussupport I have received from managers,coaches, fellow players, back-room staff,the supporters and my own personalsponsors. "I would like to thank each andevery one for the huge role they haveplayed in helping me reach the top of myprofession." Owen went on to thank hisfamily, ending with a message to his fatherTerry, a former professional footballer withEverton and Chester. He said: "We did itmy old mate! From those freezing localparks to terrorising the best defenders in theworld on the biggest stages of all. I couldn'thave done it without you."

SPORtS Swednesday, 20 March, 2013

18I was certainly surprised she finished the way she did, but

to make those two putts I did on 16 and 17 was pretty

unbelievable and I'm just, I'm really speechless. –Stacy Lewis

wAtCh It LIve

TEN SPORTS2nd Test: West Indiesv Zimbabwe06:45 PM

TEN SPORTSNPower League: Yeovil Townv Swindon Town12:30 AM

neymar setssights on barca,chelsea, real

MADRID

AGEnCiES

Neymar has admitted he dreams of playingin Europe for Barcelona, Real Madrid orChelsea. The Santos star has been widelytipped to make the move to Europe forsome time with a host of top clubs chasinghis signature. Santos are thought to bereadying a new deal in a bid to keepNeymar, but the forward admits he wouldconsider moving to Barcelona, RealMadrid or Chelsea if they came calling. "Idream of playing in Europe, for a big clublike Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea,"Neymar told Esporte Espetacular. "Whowouldn't dream about playing alongside[Lionel] Messi, Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta?They're all great players. "[But] there's nopoint in speculating when I'll leave Santos.I'll leave when I want to. "I don't knowwhere I would fit in if I joined Barca but Iknow my place is at Santos right now."

rvP, carrick,rafael tipped forunited honour

MANCHESTER

AGEnCiES

Manchester United legend Bryan Robsonhas chosen Robin van Persie, MichaelCarrick and Rafael for his top three picksas the club's Player of the Year.With a considerable 15 point lead at thetop of the Premier League table,Manchester United are expected toreclaim the Premier League title fromneighbours Manchester City at the endof the season.

Owen to retire at the end of the seasondonald aimingfor dreamMalaysian debut

TAMPA BAy

AGEnCiES

Luke Donald is prepared for a march toregain the mantle as the 'best player on theplanet' starting with a victory at the MaybankMalaysian Open. The globe-trottingEnglishman, who is making his debut in theUS$2.75 million championship sanctionedby the Asian Tour and European Tour, iscurrently third in the world behind RoryMcIlroy and Tiger Woods and is in solidform after finishing tied fourth in his titledefence of the Tampa Bay Championship inthe United States on Sunday. "If I had achoice I'd still like to be number one in theworld. Who wouldn't want to be the bestplayer on the planet? To get to number oneyou have to play great and be very consistent- the things you strive for," said Donald onTuesday. "But saying that, yes, there is morepressure and more expectation as worldnumber one, more attention on you. Rightnow, as world number three, I avoid some ofthose distractions and it's easier to prepareand get on with my business. Yes, it'sprobably easier, but I'd still like to be numberone," he added. The talented Englishman, thefirst man to win the money lists in Europeand US in 2011, arrived in Kuala Lumpurthis morning and is hoping to shrug off theeffects of jetlag as he prepares to take on anelite field at the Kuala Lumpur Golf andCountry Club which includes multiple Majorwinner Padraig Harrington, CharlSchwartzel, the 2011 Masters Tournamentchampion and reigning Asian Tour numberone Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand.

MIAMI

AGEnCiES

Golfer Tiger Woods and Olympicskiing champion Lindsey Vonnconfirmed on Monday they are dating.

Woods released a statement andphotographs of the pair on his websiteand Facebook page before Vonn postedsimilar messages on her social mediaaccounts.

"Lindsey and I have been friendsfor some time, but over the last fewmonths we have become very close andare now dating," said Woods.

"We thank you for your support andfor respecting our privacy. We want tocontinue our relationship, privately, asan ordinary couple and continue tocompete as athletes."

Vonn also posted a note andpictures on her Facebook page,confirming rumours they wereromantically linked.

"I guess it wasn't a well-kept secretbut yes, I am dating Tiger Woods," shesaid. "Our relationship evolved from afriendship into something more overthese past few months and it has mademe very happy."

Woods, a winner of 14 golf majors,divorced from his Swedish wife, ElinNordegren, in 2010 after a highly-publicised sex scandal in which hepublicly admitted to infidelity.

Vonn, who won the women'sdownhill gold medal at the 2010Vancouver Winter Olympics, divorcedfrom her husband Thomas Vonn inJanuary.

Woods, Lindsey announce they are dating

serena avoids big rivals MIAMI: Serena Williams has avoided her world number one

rivals in the draw for this week's Sony Open in Miami. The

current world number one was drawn in the same half as

fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska on Monday. Indian Wells

winner Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, who both have

a chance of replacing Williams in top spot in Miami, are in the

opposite half. Sharapova and Azarenka both need to win the

title to stand any chance of reaching top spot. Williams could

meet British number one Heather Watson in the third round -

Watson will meet Japan's Ayumi Morita first up. If she wins

that she'll face 31st seed Yanina Wickmayer. AGEnCiES

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Published by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Editor: Arif NizamiPublished by Arif Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad. Editor: Arif Nizami

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