Ex-Pak PM Sharif: Decision to disqualify taken before judgement …southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/part_1-1.pdf · 2017-08-09 · raksha bandhan: a 103-year-old wheelchair-bound

CIRCULATED THROUGH : TORONTO, MARKHAM, SCARBOROUGH, RICHMOND HILL, VAUGHAN, WOODBRIDGE, ETOBICOKE, NORTH YORK, MALTON, REXDALE, BRAMPTON, MISSISSAUGA, OAKVILLE, HAMILTON, MILTON, STONEY CREEK, BURLINGTON

Ex-Pak PM Sharif: Decision to disqualify takenbefore judgement but will not run like Musharraf

RAKSHA BANDHAN: A 103-YEAR-OLD WHEELCHAIR-BOUND SHARBATI DEVI TIED RAKHI TO THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI.

INDO-CANADIAN RANA SARKARNAMED CANADA'S CONSUL

GENERAL IN SAN FRANCISCO

Ayesha Gulalai: Will forgiveImran Khan 'if he apologises'

SON OF HARYANA BJP CHIEFAMONG 2 HELD FOR STALKING GIRL

AYESHA AHAD DEMANDS PROBEAGAINST HAMZA SHEHBAZ

TORONTO: Rana Sarkar, an Indo-Canadianentrepreneur, has been appointed Canada's con-sul general in San Francisco as well as a memberof the Canadian official team tasked with renego-tiating the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) with the US and Mexico. Sarkar was tillrecently national director for high growth marketsat the Toronto-based multi-national KPMG. Sarkaris part of a 13-member group tasked withhelping Canada navigate the renegotiationof NAFTA, the Canadian government said in a statement. From 2009 to 2013,Sarkar was president and CEO of the Canada-India Business Council. He was alsothe founding advisory board committee co-chairman and senior fellow at the MunkSchool of Global Affairs. The statement said the government hopes Sarkar will beable to seize on oppor tunities to attract investment from the US to Canada.

PESHAWAR - Former Paki-stan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)member and MNA AyeshaGulalai has said she will "for-give" PTI Chairman ImranKhan "if he accepts his mis-take" and apologises forsending her unsolicited textmessages that she sayscaused her considerable mental distress. "If Imran Khan accepts that he has doneit [harassed Gulalai] and seeks forgiveness from God, the nation and its women,I will forgive him," Gulalai said in a phone call with Dawn News. Earlier this week,Gulalai had made the shock announcement that she was quitting the PTI, levellinga series of scathing allegations against Khan and his "gang", including that theyused to send inappropriate text messages to female members of the party.

CHANDIGARH (PTI) Twopersons, including theson of Haryana's BJPchief, were arrested andreleased on bail soonafter for allegedly stalk-ing a girl here, police saidtoday. The girl had accusedVikas Barala, son of HaryanaBJP Chief Subhash Barala,and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her last night after which they werearrested, the police said. "We arrested both Vikas and Ashish and later they werebailed out," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh, Satish Kumar said. Hesaid the complainant had been asked to record her statement before Illaka (area)magistrate here, adding that she is the daughter of an IAS officer. The DSP saidmore sections could be added after the statement of the girl is recorded.

THE SONU NIGAM- ATIF ASLAM SHOW IN TORONTO WAS A GRAND SUCCESS AND ATTENDED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. SEEN HERE ISYUDHVIR JASWAL, GROUP EDITOR AND CEO OF Y MEDIA WITH WIFE PREET JASWAL AND SINGER ATIF ASLAM.

I DETAILS ON PAGE 15

KARACHI - "The decision to disqualify me had already beentaken, only a justification was being sought," ousted primeminister Nawaz Sharif alleged while discussing the proceedings of thePanama Papers case with television anchors on Monday.Sharif said that his upcoming rally from Islamabad to Lahore isnot "a protest" but "a journey back home". He added that he wastravelling via the Grand Trunk road on Wednesday because"risks need to be taken for the country." Sharif repeated theallegation that the members of the joint investigation team (JIT)probing Sharif family's business dealings "were chosen throughWhatsApp. Never have officials from Military Intelligence (MI)and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) been included in aninquiry," he said.He also expressed his displeasure at the Supreme Cour t's

decision to have a judge oversee the National AccountabilityBureau's (NAB) proceedings against his family, saying itjeoparidises his right of appeal. "The judges, in their remarks,stated that there are no allegations of corruption or misuse ofauthority against Nawaz Sharif," he claimed."Five 'noble' people throwing out someone with the mandate ofmillions is not appropriate," Sharif said, warning that thecountry cannot be run the way it is being tried to run. A hur tSharif said: "One judge even said that 'prime minister shouldknow that there is a lot of space in Adiala jail'," Sharif said,adding that it does not behoove a judge to make such remarks."I will not run away like Musharraf," Sharif claimed, and askedwhether there were judges in the country who could hold thedictator accountable.

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JOGA KANG'S SON BILLY KANG WEDS ANJU

MRS PK SABHARWAL AT THE ATIF-ASLAM-SONU NIGHAM SHOW IN TORONTO.

SONU NIGHAM ENTRALLED AUDIENCES WITH HIS MESMERISING VOICE AT THE AIR CANADACENTRE DURING HIS SHOW IN TORONTO.


TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017s p e c i a l r e p o r t

PUNJABI GOLFERS ASSOCIATION HOSTS 8TH ANNUALROYAL PUNJABI CUP GLENCAIRN GOLF CLUB IN MILTON

MILTON - The Punjabi Golfers Association hosted their largest annual Royal Punjabi Cup recently at Glencairn GolfClub with a record sell out of more than 250 registrants this year. The successful registration had tournamentorganizers book additional tee times at the neighbouring RattleSnake Point golf course to ensure a good pace of playand a great experience for everyone. The resulting impact saw the championship fight of golfers play for the covetedRoyal Punjabi Cup at RattleSnake while the scramble tournament and intermediate golfers played at Glencarin.The event was blessed by great weather,delicious food from Punjabi by Nature and topped off by special guestmusician Mohsin Shaukat Ali who performed a beautiful tribute to ShivKumar Batalvi after dinner. Proud winners ofthe Royal Punjabi Cup this year are Kash Dharni and RaoGohal who beat out some stiff competition in their flightof talented golfers. Other winners from the scramble tournament, the all new women's flight competition,chipping and putting contests took home great prizes from event supporters ranging from cash prizes toweekend getaways and golf memberships. In many ways the big winner from the event is the community. ThePunjabi Golfers Association is pleased to announce that the golfers and event supporters of the Royal PunjabiCup raised another $50,000 for charity again this year with Seva Food Bank as a big beneficiary. The golfers recognizethe great work done by Seva each month supporting families that struggle to put enough food on their table and arehappy to see the funds go back into the local community. Images by Bashir Nasir



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

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MP RUBY SAHOTA, MP SONIA SIDHU AND MP RAJ GREWAL BEING APPRECIATED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN BRAMPTON EAST.

Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown at Mississauga Celebration Square celebrating Muslim Fest.

ONTARIO PC LEADER PATRICK BROWN WITH PRABMEET SARKARIA, PC CANDIDATE FROMBRAMPTON SOUTH AT BRAMPTON FARMERS MARKET.

NAVDEEP BAINS, MINISTER OF INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AN-NOUNCES NEW PROGRAM FOR WINDSOR-ESSEX.

Toronto Mayor John Tory taking blessings of a priest at a South Indian event in the city.

MP SALMA ZAHID AT THE CHARIOT FESTIVAL THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE HINDU CULTURALSOCIETY OF THIRUPATHY IN SCARBOROUGH.

VIKAS SWARUP, INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO CANADA WITH MP DARSHAN KANG AT HISCONSTITUENCY IN CALGARY SKYVIEW.

MP Ramesh Sangha with the family of Balbir Singh Kakar, Founder and Chairman of The BMK Group in India.


TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017c o m m u n i t y

INDIRA NAIDOO-HARRIS, MINISTER OF STATUS OF WOMEN AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR EARLY YEARS AND CHILD CARE, ATA COMMUNITY BBQ AT VICTORIA PARK IN MILTON.

MP KAMAL KHERA WITH LIBERAL SUPPORTERS AT THE RED MAPLE GALA IN BRAMPTON.

INDIRA NAIDOO-HARRIS, MINISTER OF STATUS OF WOMEN & MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR EARLY YEARS AND CHILD CARE,TOURED THE WHIWH ORGANISATION.

Government announces $10million for aerospace industry

MANITOBA - The federal Liberals are investing $10million to expand the Centre for Aerospace Technologyand Training and create a new space at Red RiverCollege dubbed the Smar t Factory, Navdeep Bains,minister of innovation, science and economic develop-ment, said recently. By expanding the technologicalcapabilities at Red River College, the investment willhelp align the needs of industry with the exper tise ofpost-secondary institutions, Bains said.The government is par tnering with Red River, which willinvest $1.2 million, and StandardAero, which will invest$4.5 million, for a combined total investment of $15.7million. "This expansion is going to have far-reachingimpacts across the province and will be able to serveboth the aerospace and non-aerospace industries throughdirect access to the college's equipment, facilities andexper tise," said Paul Vogt, president and CEO of RedRiver College. The Smar t Factory will help aerospaceand manufacturing organizations with special equipmentconnect. The goal is to help students develop skillsneeded in the workforce. The Centre for AerospaceTechnology and Training campus is located atStandardAero in Winnipeg, where the company star ted asStandard Machine Works in 1911.

MP RUBY SAHOTA, MP KAMAL KHERA, AND MP SONIA SIDHU AT THE JAMAICAN FLAG RAISINGCEREMONY AT BRAMPTON CITY HALL.

ABORTION PILL AVAILABLE ACROSS ONTARIO ATNO COST FROM AUG 10ONTARIO - Ontario is giving women more choice over their reproductive health by making Mifegymiso, asafe and effective medical alternative to surgical abor tion, available at no cost. Indira Naidoo-Harris, Ministerof the Status of Women, on behalf of Dr Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, was at Women's Health inWomen's Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto to announce that, as of August 10 women with a valid health card andprescription from their doctor or nurse practitioner will be able to get the drug for free at participating pharmacies across theprovince. Mifegymiso is taken to medically terminate an early pregnancy. It is a safe, effective and non-invasive alternativeto a surgical abortion that women can administer themselves. By making it available at no cost, Ontario is giving womenmore autonomy around their reproductive health, removing a financial barrier, and increasing equity of access to abortion --particularly in rural and remote areas.

HOT Lanes Permit Applications and Renewals Now OpenONTARIO - Ontario has opened the next round of permit applications and renewals for Canada's first HighOccupancy Toll (HOT) lanes, which provide another commuter option and help manage congestion. The HOT lanes are on16.5 kilometres of the QEW in both directions - from Trafalgar Rd. in Oakville to Guelph Line in Burlington. Vehicles withtwo or more occupants, or green licence plates, can travel in the lanes for free, while drivers of single-occupant vehiclescan apply to purchase a permit. Analysis suggests that commuters who normally use the general purpose lanes could save10 minutes on average during peak times by using the HOT lanes. Applications to purchase or renew permits valid from Oct.1 to Dec. 31, 2017 are now open until Aug. 31, 2017. Permit holders wishing to renew who have already renewed twice willhave to re-enter the application draw. Providing more commuting options to improve travel is part of our plan to create jobs,grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives. "Research has shown that our QEW HOT lanes are workingeffectively and the pilot continues to save drivers' time in their daily commutes.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017 c o m m u n i t y

FORMER ONTARIO DEPUTY NDP LEADER JAGMEET SINGH INTERACTED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING THE DELHI 2 DUBLIN CONCERT.

MP Sidhu completes week of consultations across Canada

VANCOUVER - Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton Southcompleted a week of cross-country consultations on Friday with ameeting at the Richmond General Hospital in British Columbia.MP Sidhu serves as Chair of the All Par ty Diabetes Caucus, and is amember of the Standing Committee on Health. As a former healthcareprofessional with a passion for diabetes education and prevention,MP Sidhu led the charge on caucus on consultations with Canadiansthis summer. Following nine consultations in the GTA, including onewith healthcare professionals in her riding of Brampton South, MPSidhu visited community members in Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipegand Vancouver, while engaging residents of Halifax, Alber ta, andNunavut by teleconference. In addition, she has welcomed commentsfrom Canadians through a special section on her website.The consultations line up with several ongoing consultations openthis summer by Health Canada, relating to Canada's Healthy EatingStrategy, Revising Canada's Food Guide, and sought comment on an

initiative to restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods to young Canadi-ans. "This is an impor tant conversation for all Canadians," MP Sidhusaid. "Diabetes impacts Canadians across the country, and as theGovernment proceeds with a new Healthy Eating Strategy, I wanted toensure those who live with diabetes, and those who help patientswith diabetes, had an oppor tunity to talk to their federal governmentabout the par ticular considerations between diet, healthy living, men-tal health and diabetes."The health of Canadians is essential to growing our economy, main-taining healthy communities, and thriving on the world stage," shesaid. "We need to take seriously the impacts of diabetes on the 11million Canadians who are impacted by it and prediabetes." Uponcollecting feedback from Canadians, MP Sidhu will submit a repor t tothe Minister of Health, Jane Philpott, in correlation with the ongoingconsultations. "It is impor tant that the Minister sees what Canadiansare saying about their experience with this rapidly spreading epi-

demic of diabetes."The Peel Region, from which MP Sidhu hails, is known nationally asa hub of diabetes, with almost one in three residents living with theeffects of diabetes or prediabetes. The costs on the health care sys-tem associated with diabetes reach up to $7 billion, and as the preva-lence of diabetes and prediabetes grows, the costs are expected torise accordingly. In February, MP Sidhu tabled Motion M-118, whichcalls for the government to reexamine a national strategy on diabetes;recognise November as Diabetes Awareness Month; and launch astudy in the Health Committee.In addition, MP Sidhu tabled a complimentary motion in the HealthCommittee to fast-track the study, which was adopted unanimously.The All Par ty Diabetes Caucus is mandated to working together toadvocate on behalf of the millions of Canadians impacted by thisdisease, and work through legislative channels to improve treatmentand care, and increase prevention across Canada.

ONTOUR CONCERT IN MISSISSAUGA CELEBRATESONTARIO'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY

Brampton - As par t of a year-long line-up of eventsmarking Ontario's 150th anniversary and celebrating theprovince, the free ONtour concer t series will provide thesoundtrack for the Summer of '17, stopping in more than 20communities across the province and in Mississauga onSeptember 2, showcasing some of Ontario's brightestmusical talent.The ONtour concer t will par tner with Soundbites atCelebration Square. ONtour Mississauga will feature TomCochrane, Francesco Yates and Anjulie. All of the ONtourconcer ts are free and open to music-lovers of all ages andthere are no tickets required. From Peterborough to Blind

River, from Ajax to Kenora, from Hamilton to Sudbury, audi-ences will have the oppor tunity to attend a free concer tfeaturing at least three acts. More than 50 Ontario ar tists willbe par t of the ONtour Concer t Series and approximately80,000 people are expected to attend the free concer ts acrossthe province. Follow the ONtour schedule online and checkoften for updates at ontario.ca/ontour"Music is a fundamental, much-loved par t of celebrating, andit brings people out to meet, have fun and be positive. Ourcommunity loves every oppor tunity to come together andONtour is going to be a great par t of our 150th summer." -Amrit Mangat, MPP for Mississauga-Brampton South.

SUPPORTING NEW FOOD PROCESSING JOBSONTARIO - Ontario is par tnering in the biggest expansion of Kawar tha Dairy's facilities in the company's 80-year history, helping tocreate 10 new jobs and secure 115 existing jobs in Bobcaygeon. Premier Kathleen Wynne was at the renowned dairy today toannounce the government's suppor t for a new state-of-the-ar t refrigeration facility. This investment, through the EasternOntario Development Fund, will help the family-owned company better ensure consistent product quality and explore newproduct lines so it can expand its domestic and expor t markets.Kawar tha Dairy makes all of its products using fresh milk from Ontario farms and is an impor tant employer in the Kawar tharegion. The government's suppor t for the new facility will help the company build upon its success while also strengthening theprovince's food processing sector. Investing in Eastern Ontario businesses is par t of our plan to create jobs, grow our economyand help people in their everyday lives."We want to make sure that people in every par t of our province share in the benefits of the economic growth we are achieving.Kawar tha Dairy is a wonder ful Ontario success story. Our suppor t for this major expansion project will help the company buildon its success and create new jobs in the food processing sector - one of Ontario's most impor tant employers." - KathleenWynne, Premier of Ontario."Kawar tha Dairy is a strong family-run business and a local success story. Our government's investment through the EasternOntario Development Fund is helping create good jobs and suppor ting local dairy farmers, one of the many ways we're helpingbusinesses in the Kawar tha region succeed and grow." - Jeff Leal, Minister Responsible for Small Business.

Public Inquiry into Safety ofResidents in Long-Term CareHomes System launchedONTARIO - Ontario has appointed the Justice Eileen Gillese,an experienced judge of the Ontario Cour t of Appeal, to leadan independent public inquiry into the policies, proceduresand oversight of long-term care homes.In particular, Justice Gillese has been asked to inquire into the circum-stances and systemic issues which may have contributed to the as-sault and death of residents who were under the care of ElizabethWettlaufer, a former registered nurse in long-term care homes in south-western Ontario. The inquiry will help get answers to make sure atragedy like this never happens again. As part of her broad mandate,Justice Gillese will review the accountability measures in place toensure they meet the objectives of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, andprovide recommendations to improve the safety and well-being ofresidents. The appointment of the commissioner takes effect today. Afinal report, including all recommendations, will be delivered to theAttorney General by July 31, 2019 and will be made available to thepublic. Ontario's oversight system in long-term care specifically fo-cuses on the safety and security of residents. Appointing Justice Gilleseto lead the public inquiry into the oversight of long-term care homes isone of the many steps Ontario is taking to protect the safety and well-being of residents and ensure homes across the province are meetingthe highest standards of care. "What happened to the victims and theirfamilies in southwestern Ontario was a tragedy. This inquiry will helpprovide answers to those affected and ensure something like thisnever happens again. Our parents and grandparents deserve to live incomfort, with access to the best care possible and we want to assurethe public that Ontario's 78,000 long-term care residents are safe intheir homes. Justice Gillese's recommendations will help ensurethat loved ones in long-term care homes continue to be safeand secure." - Yasir Naqvi, Attorney General

Peel Regional Police LaunchDistracted Driving CampaignREGION OF PEEL - According to the Ministry of Transportation-Ontario(MTO), the number of deaths caused by distracted driving has doubledsince 2000. Studies also show that a driver using a cellphone is fourtimes more likely to crash than a driver focused on the road and theirsurroundings. Distracted driving is a problem that impacts the entirecommunity. In an effor t to educate and enforce the rules of theroad as it pertains to distracted driving and other related of-fences, Peel Regional Police has launched a Distracted Driv-ing Campaign. The campaign will run through until mid-No-vember 2017 when Festive RIDE begins.The goal of this Region wide campaign is to improve roadsafety by reducing distracted driving. History has shown thatenforcement is a key method to deter and educate drivers onthis dangerous practice. The text message or phone call that isapparently important CAN WAIT, and if it can not, pull off of theroadway. The consequences of Distracted Driving can be det-rimental to everyone involved. Please remain focused at alltimes and enjoy the privileges and shared responsibilities ofbeing a driver in the Region of Peel and the Province of Ontario.Objectives of the campaign include:* Educating the public regarding the dangers of distracted driv-ing.* Zero tolerance as it pertains to distracted driving.* Reduce the number of serious collisions due to distracted driving.* Improve road safety, driving performance and awareness by dis-couraging drivers from engaging in distracted driving behaviors.


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FULL-SCALE WAR BETWEEN INDIA ANDCHINA LIKELY SOON, SAYS MEGHNAD DESAI

BY SAKET SUMAN

Richest 1% hold India's 58% wealth, 57 BillionairesBY AMIT KAPOOR

ith India, the US and China forming a "very combustible mixture rightnow", the fate of the ongoing Doklam standoff would largely dependupon events in the South China Sea, noted commentator on interna-tional affairs, Meghnad Desai has said. If a war is to break out in thetwo theatres, which he predicted will begin very soon, it will see theUS and India on one side and China on the other.Desai, a Labour Peer in the British House of Lords, did not considerthe Doklam standoff a mere India-China issue but rather equated it tothe geo-political tensions across the globe, primarily in the SouthChina Sea. "Even today, nobody is contemplating that the wholeDoklam thing could break anytime. We could be in a full scale warwith China within a month. At that stage it will not be controllable. Itmay come as a surprise, but that is when the defence co-operation ofIndia (with various countries) will bear fruit," Desai told IANS in aninterview. But is a war really likely to break out?"I am not a jyotisi (astrologer). I cannot say what day or date but Ithink at this time it is very likely that we will be in a state of full-scalewar with China very soon. And mind you, on several fronts, not justDoklam. It is just one frontier, they will star t from all places, acrossthe nor thern Himalayas," Desai, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan,India's third highest civilian honour, claimed.He said that India and the US have an "implicit defence relationship"and that the two countries can safely rely on each other. When askedspecifically on the expected reaction of the United States in casethere is a war between India and China and whether Washington wouldstand shoulder-to-shoulder with India, Desai responded: "Absolutely.Ultimately, you have to understand that India cannot stand up to Chinawithout American help and suppor t. America cannot stand up to Chinawithout Indian help. That is the symmetry in this relationship," heelaborated. Desai maintained that "China is the central problem" inthe way the American vision is constructed. When asked about thepossibility of any backchannel discussions with the US on the Doklam

standoff, Desai said that there were not just backchannel negotiationsin play but it was being dealt with at the highest level by PresidentDonald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who talk directly toeach other. "All things that follow now will have a lot to do with whathappens in the South China Sea. The US has sent out enough signals.If there is war, it will be a US-China war, with India on the US side, inthe South China Sea and in the Himalayas. This trio is a very combus-tible mixture right now," he contended. He said that it is impor tant tounderstand the Chinese thought process because they are "much morenationalistic, militaristic and aggressive" this time. "I am sure we arenot told everything that is going on. But my worry is even though Indiawill not openly become militaristic but have we got the preparednessfor it? We may have things in place. I just wish and hope that we areprepared for a very tough war which may last for a long time," hepredicted. Desai also suggested that India should not make the mis-take of equating the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) with thePakistani Army. "I think, from past experience, we always assumethat we are well prepared but you will be fighting one of the finest

armies in the world. It is a very powerful army and I think they alsohave (much) training in mountain warfare. So, according to me, it willbe a very tough fight for India. Don't be mistaken that this will be easy.It is not Pakistan. The Pakistani Army is the same set of people. Theycome from the same army traditions and they have the same thinkingbut the Chinese are very different," he reiterated. Desai also expressedhis disappointment over "the lack of talent on the top" of the rulingNDA government. "Arun Jaitley is a very good friend of mine butyou can't have a person handling both the finance and the defenceministries," he said and suggested that it is perhaps high timethat the defence ministry was again made an exclusive por tfolio,so that the concerned minister could focus entirely on it. TheDoklam stand-off began in mid-June near the tri-junction of India,China and Bhutan when Indian troops moved in to prevent China fromconstructing a road on Bhutanese territory on the Doklam plateau.China claims the Doklam plateau is a par t of South Tibet. Earlier thisweek, China claimed India had par tially withdrawn its troops, whichNew Delhi firmly denied.

The data released by the Bloomberg Billionaire Index revealssome shocking statistics about the rise of inequality in India.It showed that the top 20 industrialists in India added astaggering $50 billion to their combined wealth in the firstseven months this year, taking their total valuation to $200billion -- roughly 10 percent of India's $2 trillion economy.Similarly, an Oxfam repor t released this year revealed that 57billionaires in India own as much as the bottom 70 percent ofthe population and, more broadly, the richest one percentholds 58 percent of the country's total wealth -- higher than theglobal average of 50 percent. Therefore, inequality is no longer a first-world phenomenon. It is very much at our shores, but the mootquestion remains if the trend is undesirable at all.The general contention is that inequality is inimical to societaldevelopment and should be minimised to the fullest extent possible,preferably through redistributive means. However, there is a strongcase to make that with rapid growth, rising relative inequalities, moreoften than not, lead to advancing distributional equity in society. Thisargument can be rationalised on the basis of insights put forward byUS economists Simon Kuznets, Tibor Scitovsky and Albert O.Hirschman.Kuznets argued that when economic growth takes place, at thedisaggregated micro-level, individual economic agents move alongthe real income scale -- a process which he termed as "incomemobility". Now, income mobility can either be upward or downwardbut it is observed that during phases of rapid economic growth,oppor tunities for upward mobility far outweigh those forunchanged or downward mobility. Also, in the presence ofincome mobility, the identity of individuals at different levelsof the income scale changes rapidly over time.In such a scenario, average inequality indicators cannotreflect the true picture on the ground and can, therefore, proveto be misleading predictors of the adverse social outcomes ofgrowing inequality. The tolerance level of inequality for thesociety in times of rapid economic growth may be muchhigher than what is reflected in inequality statistics as it failsto take income mobility into account.Another problem with only looking at inequality statistics isthe perception of a simplistic one-to-one correspondencebetween movements in income inequality and equity.Scitovsky's views offer an interesting take on the matter. Hesuggested three criteria for social acceptability of risinginequality: Those inequalities arising out of people's merit andcontribution to society, those arising in an environment ofequality of oppor tunities, and those that lead to improvementin well-being of individuals at the bottom of the ladder.In all of these three cases, rising inequality cannot be equatedto a one-on-one fall in equity. Therefore, more focus should bekept on the wealth accruing to the people at the bottom of theladder to understand the real implications of rising inequality.Scitovsky proposed that an egalitarian society should bedefined as one where there is equal or near-equal distributionof the necessities of life.Finally, as Hirschman points out, inequality data fail to takeinto account the public perception of rising inequality. Hepointed out that a stagnant economy leads to a zero-sum gamewhere economic advancement of others provokes a negativesignalling effect of a possible deterioration of one's owneconomic position. However, in times of rapid economicgrowth, there arises a positive-sum game where economic

improvement of others signals an environment where there ishope for a rise in one's own prosperity in the future. Such anexceptional calculus begets gratification which overcomesenvy and discontent.This scenario would make society's tolerance for risingdisparities quite substantial. Such an eventuality can besustained in a society as long as the economic and socialbarriers to income mobility are broken down through govern-ment policy or rapid growth and prosperity is attributed tohard work and chance. Discord arises in societies where suchprosperity arises out of corruption and deception like the one seen inthe Occupy Wall Street protests.Thus, it needs to be understood that contrary to the commonperception among individuals and policymakers, rising inequality isnot necessarily inequitable, if and when it arises out of rapideconomic growth. The startling figures of inequality in India thathave been brought about of late, therefore, offer an incompletepicture. Moreover, use of these figures to argue that Indian eco-nomic development has had adverse distributional consequencesoffers the incorrect diagnosis and skews policymaking.The focus on wealth accruing at the top needs to be supple-mented with the income mobility achieved by those at thebottom of the pyramid and with a focus on elimination thesocial and economic barriers that they face in achievingupward mobility. A skewed focus on the top hardly servesany purpose other than providing shock value.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017 c a n a d a

General Accounting & Bookkeeping

UNEMPLOYMENT IN CANADA DECLINESTO 6.3%, LOWEST SINCE 2008

JUSTIN TRUDEAU GETTING FULL TOUR OF THE ICONIC CP 1401 WITH DAUGHTER ELLA-GRACE.

OTTAWA - Following two months of notable increases, employmentwas little changed in July (+11,000 or +0.1%). As the number ofpeople searching for work edged down, the unemployment rate de-clined by 0.2 percentage points to 6.3%. This is the lowest rate sinceOctober 2008, just prior to the onset of the 2008-2009 labour marketdownturn. In the 12 months to July, employment rose by 388,000(+2.1%), mostly the result of increases in full-time work (+354,000or +2.4%). Over this period, the number of hours worked increasedby 1.9%.Employment increased for a second consecutive month for womenaged 55 and older, up 14,000 in July. Their unemployment rate waslittle changed at 5.4%. Compared with 12 months earlier, employmentfor this group grew by 66,000 (+3.9%). Employment for people aged

25 to 54 held steady in July. The unemployment rate increased 0.2percentage points to 5.6%, as more core-aged women searched forwork. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment among menand women in this age group rose by 173,000 (+1.5%), with most ofthe gains occurring from October 2016 to March 2017. Employment inOntario rose by 26,000 in July, and the unemployment rate fell 0.3percentage points to 6.1%. Compared with 12 months earlier, employ-ment in the province was up 138,000 (+2.0%), with most of the in-crease in full-time work. The unemployment rate declined by 0.3percentage points to 5.0%, the lowest rate among the provinces, andthe lowest recorded in Manitoba since October 2014.In July, employment in wholesale and retail trade increased by 22,000(+0.8%). Employment in the industry has trended upwards since the

latter part of 2016, coinciding withhigher sales repor ted at both thewholesale and retail level. On ayear-over-year basis, employ-ment in this industry rose by94,000 (+3.4%).Employment in information, cul-ture and recreation was up by18,000 in July, but was l i t t lechanged compared with 12months earlier. The number ofpeople working in manufacturingrose by 14,000 in July, the thirdnotable gain in five months. Theincrease in July was mainly inQuebec. Compared with 12months earlier, national employ-ment in this industry was up by53,000 (+3.1%). In transportationand warehousing, employmentincreased by 8 ,400 in Ju ly,largely in Ontario. On a year-over-year basis, employmentin this industry rose by 33,000(+3.6%). In July, employmentamong students aged 15 to 24rose 113,000 (+9.1%) com-pared with July 2016.

Canada strengthens its teamahead of Nafta negotiationsOTTAWA - Canada and the United States have built the most peaceful andmutually beneficial partnership in the world-one that supports millions ofmiddle class jobs in both countries. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of ForeignAffairs, has announced that the Government of Canada is strengtheningits diplomatic outreach to the United States with the appointment ofnew consuls general in San Francisco, Seattle and Atlanta, and anew deputy ambassador in Washington, DC.The new appointees are:* Kirsten Hillman, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Canadato the United States;* Brandon Lee, Consul General of Canada in Seattle;* Nadia Theodore, Consul General of Canada in Atlanta; and* Rana Sarkar, Consul General of Canada in San FranciscoThrough direct engagement with the Canadian Embassy in Washington,DC, and Canada's Ambassador to the US, the network of consuls generalwill form a cohesive, integrated team. The consuls general will work withprovinces, the business community, labour, Indigenous peoples and oth-ers to represent and defend Canadian goals and interests.These senior diplomats will join Canadian consuls general in Bos-ton, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolisand New York City (together with trade offices in Houston, Palo Alto andSan Diego), and will report directly to David MacNaughton, Canada'sAmbassador to the United States in Washington, DC. The new consulsgeneral will play pivotal roles in promoting Canada's interests to ourAmerican neighbours and bolstering Canada's presence and profile inkey centres across the United States as the Government of Canadacontinues to lead an ambitious program of Canada-US outreach.In advance of Nafta negotiations, set to begin on August 16, 2017, theMinister also announced the creation of a new council, which willstrengthen Canada's Nafta team. The individuals on the Council willoffer their expertise and strategic advice in support of Canada'snegotiations. "A constructive working relationship between Canada andthe United States is essential to good, middle class jobs and economicopportunities on both sides of the border. Our focus is squarely on ourshared prosperity and economic well-being. With the expansion of ourconsular presence in the United States, and the creation of the NaftaCouncil, we are furthering Canada's determination to promote Canadianinterests and values in our bilateral relations with our main economicpartner." - Chrystia Freeland, PC, MP, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Census 2016 reveals interestingfacts about Canadian societyOTTAWA - The 2016 Census data show that, today, propor-tionally fewer households are composed of a 'mom, dad andkids' family and more people are living alone, as par t of acouple without children, or as par t of a multigenerational fam-ily. Canadians' lives at home have evolved since Confedera-tion, when large rural families consisting of a married coupleand several children were common. In 1871, there were onaverage 5.6 people per household, a ratio that dropped to 2.4by 2016. These changes are the results of demographic shifts,such as population aging and increasing ethnocultural diver-sity, as well as social, economic and legislative changes. Theevolving living arrangements and families of Canadians canalso have consequences, for example on the housing market, oncaregiving and care receiving and on intergenerational relationships.Statistics Canada is releasing the third series of data from the 2016Census. This release focuses on families, households, marital status,and language. The data provide a portrait of a country where diverse livingarrangements have replaced the family models of the past. Through theyears, the census has been used as a barometer to accurately capturechanges in Canadian households and families.It measured common-law unions for the first time in 1981, same-sexcouples in 2001, and foster children and stepfamilies in 2011. Censusdata help governments respond to changes in the lives ofCanadians, by putting in place policies such as the UniversalChild Care Benefit and Old Age Security. There were 14.1 mil-lion private households in Canada in 2016, 9.5 million (67.7%)of which were composed of at least one census family.





MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY



TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017i n d i a

ARMY AND JAMMU AND KASHMIR POLICEMEN SHOWING A HUGE CACHE OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION, INCLUDING TWO AKASSAULT RIFLES AND EXPLOSIVES, SEIZED DURING A JOINT OPERATION IN RAJOURI.

'Even enemies not this barbaric':Arun Jaitley on RSS worker murderTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM (PTI): Referring to the murder of 34-year-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Rajesh Edavakode,Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said that such violence willneither suppress the par ty's ideology in Kerala. After meeting thegrieving family of slain RSS worker, Jaitley addressed a gatheringand condemned the dastardly attack saying, "Even enemies wouldnot be as brutal as those who are involved in the murder."I visited the family of our deceased karyakar ta, who was slaugh-tered in the most barbaric manner...he was an ideal karyakar ta..Thiskind of violence will neither suppress ideology in Kerala nor it will beable to scare our workers. It will only increase their determination towork harder against those who are perpetuating this operation," Jaitleysaid. "He belonged to the weaker section of the society. . Rajeshbelonged to a poor family and now his family has no means of a

livelihood. He was stabbed mercilessly and there were 70-80 woundsinflicted on his body, even enemies would not be as brutal as thoseinvolved in the murder. In the past few months par ty officers arebeing attacked, our workers are being attacked and their houses arebeing set ablaze," he fur ther added. A series of clashes between CPMand BJP-RSS activists had rocked Thiruvananthapuram last month inwhich the 34-year-old RSS worker was murdered in Kozhikode.Earlier, the RSS urged the Central and state Government to take strictaction towards bringing this series of murders to an end in Kerala."Centre must intervene in state sponsored violence in Kerala," saidRSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale. RSS also passeda resolution in RSS Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal meet regardingthese attacks on the RSS by CPM cadres in the state. Eight suspectswere detained in connection with the murder.

BRAID-CHOPPING - LUDHIANA WOMANCLAIMS HALF-MAN, HALF-CAT ATTACKED HER

CHANDUIGARH (PTI) In a series of braid-chopping incidents in thestate, three fresh cases were repor ted from Ludhiana and one fromMoga on Sunday. One of the victims, Zeenath, 25, a resident of GuruGobind Singh Nagar at Tibba Road in Ludhiana, claimed that a crea-ture, having the body of a man and face of a cat, chopped off her hair.The police have initiated investigation but didn't find any clues thatcan substantiate the woman's claim. Zeenath said she was sittingoutside a room in her house with her three-year-old son when she felta touch on her back. When she turned around, a half-man and half-catattacked on her and she fainted. When she regained consciousness,

she noticed that her braid has been chopped off.Assistant sub-inspector Kapil Kumar, in-charge at police post, TibbaRoad, said we have questioned the area residents, but no one saw thecreature as described by the woman. In another incident, RameshKumari, 57, of Ram Nagar, also in the Tibba Road area of Ludhiana,complained that unidentified men chopped off her braid when shewas sleeping outside on Saturday night. When she woke up in themorning, her braid was lying under her cot.Another Ludhiana woman, Jaspreet Kaur, 50, a resident of CaptainNagar of Mundian, alleged that someone chopped off her braid on

Saturday evening. The victim,who runs a grocery store, saidsomeone pushed her from theback on Saturday evening follow-ing which she fainted. A cus-tomer, who found her uncon-scious, informed her fami ly.When she regained conscious-ness, she found her braidchopped off. The Meharban po-lice have registered a case un-der Sections 295 (injuring or de-filing place of worship with intentto insult the religion of any class)and 452 (house trespass afterpreparation for hur t, assault orwrongful restraint) of the IndianPenal Code (IPC) against uniden-t i f ied person. Sub-inspectorPavittar Singh, station house of-ficer of the Meharban police sta-tion, said the police are trying totrace the accused.

Centre, BJP conspiring to hushup stalking case: SurjewalaNEW DELHI, (PTI) The Congress today accused the Centralgovernment and the BJP of "conspiring to hush up" a caseagainst the Haryana BJP chief's son, accused of stalking awoman in Chandigarh. AICC media incharge RandeepSurjewala said the Chandigarh Police comes directly underthe Union home ministry and they are trying to protectHaryana State BJP president Subhash Barala and his son.He demanded an answer from Prime Minister Narendra Modiand BJP chief Amit Shah why the BJP leader and his sonwere being "protected. The Union home ministry, which di-rectly controls UT Administration and UT Police of Chandigarh,is conspiring to hush up the entire matter so as to protect theHaryana State BJP president and his son."Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President AmitShah answer to the nation as to why BJP state President andhis children are being protected in this fashion," Surjewalasaid. He also accused Chandigarh Police DSP Satish Kumar,probing the case, of changing his statement within hours,allegedly at the behest of the Central government. The Con-gress also released three videos of the DSP's statement andthe woman narrating the incident.Surjewala said the police was saying that the footage ofCCTV cameras, showing the stalking incident was not avail-able. "Even before you have registered a case under correctsections, the CCTV footage has gone. Does it not show thatthe Union government is giving diktats to protect the HaryanaBJP president and his son" he said.

CENTRE MAY 'ATTACK'HOUSE COMMITTEES: AAPNEW DELHI, (PTI) Ahead of the Delhi Assembly's Monsoonsession, the Aam Aadmi Par ty (AAP) today feared an "at-tack" on house committees by the Centre for "targeting" cor-ruption in government depar tments. "The House Commit-tees and the Delhi government are two different entities andthe role of the former is the make the latter more account-able," AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, who is also the chair-man of the Petition's Committee said in a Facebook Live.

CBI ARRESTS CHANDIGARHSDM AND HER HUSBAND ONBRIBE CHARGESNEW DELHI (PTI) The CBI has arrested a sub-divisional mag-istrate of Chandigarh, her husband and a middleman in analleged bribery case, officials said Sunday. Shilpy Pattar,the SDM (East), Chandigarh, along with her husband andanother accomplice were nabbed after the agency conducteda raid at her house here last night, CBI Spokesperson R KGaur said in New Delhi. There was a property dispute be-tween the complainant and his brother and the matter wasl is ted fo r hear ing in the Cour t o f the SDM (Eas t ) ,Chandigarh. The complainant alleged that the SDM hadissued directions for sealing of the disputed proper ty atSector 26 here on August 3 without hearing him, Gaursaid. The complainant fur ther alleged that officer througha middleman was demanding Rs five lakh for de-sealingdisputed proper ty.

Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi demand harshpunishment for Chandigarh stalkersNEW DELHI (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal onMonday demanded strict action against the people accusedof stalking an IAS officer's daughter in Chandigarh, sayingthat if the government failed to do so, "people will lose faithin the system". "Those stalking Varnika (Kundu) should getharsh punishment irrespective of how power ful they are.Otherwise, people will lose faith in the law system," hetweeted. Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala's son, VikasBarala and his friend Ashish Kumar were arrested for alleg-edly stalking the woman but were, however, released lateron bail. The Aam Aadmi Par ty (AAP) also accused the BJP of"misusing" the government machinery to "protect" HaryanaBJP President's son. "AAP strongly condemns the stalkingof the girl by Haryana BJP President's son and his friend. Wedemand strict action against the culprits. Justice need to beserved," AAP leader Alka Lamba said. Meanwhile, Congressvice=president Rahul Gandhi has also condemned the actasking the government to act promptly.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY


AUGUST 2017

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VENKAIAH NAIDU ELECTEDNEW INDIAN VICE PRESIDENT

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI OFFERS SWEETS TO VICE PRESIDENT VENKAIAHNAIDU AT HIS RESIDENCE IN NEW DELHI.

NEW DELHI - Senior BJP leader and former Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu was on Saturday elected the15th Vice-President of India. His election comes a day after the BJP became the single-largest party in the Rajya Sabha,over which he will now preside as its ex-officio chairperson. "I am very humbled. I am also thankful to the Prime Minister andall party leaders for their support. I will seek to utilise the vice-presidential institution to strengthen the hands of the presidentand secondly uphold the dignity of the Upper House," Naidu said after his emphatic victory. Naidu, 68, will be administered theoath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 11. Naidu won 516 of the total 771votes polled, in the 786-member electoral college. Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Opposition's candidate, got 244 votes, while 11votes were declared invalid. Two BJP members, Vijay Goel and Sanwarlal Jat, could not cast their votes due to illness whileparty MP Chedi Paswan had been barred by the Supreme Court from voting.

Capt Amarinder condemns stalking of Chandigarh girlNEW DELHI, (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today condemned the alleged inci-dent of stalking of a young woman in Chandigarh by the son of the Haryana BJP chief, sayingno attempt should be made to dilute the charges against the accused. The chief minister,while talking to journalists here after releasing a book on author Khushwant Singh, said thewoman had clearly stated that there was an attempt to abduct her, hence charges should beregistered under the relevant sections of the law. Describing such incidents as extremelyunfor tunate, he said he admired the courage shown by the young woman. To a question onChandigarh polices claim that CCTV footage of the alleged stalking incident was not availableas cameras were "non-functional", he said, "So what if the footage is not available. The girl hasmade her statement and the police must act on it".

PATEL WINS GUJARATRAJYA SABHA ELECTION

GANDHINAGAR (IANS) In a joltto BJP, Congress candidateAhmed Patel on Wednesdayscraped through to notch a vic-tory in a bitterly-contested RajyaSabha election against all out ef-for ts of the BJP to check his at-tempt to seek a fifth term. Patel,68, the powerful political secre-tary to Congress President SoniaGandhi, is said to have secured44 votes defeating Congress de-fector Balwantsinh Rajput.The other two successful candi-dates in the election were BJPPresident Amit Shah and UnionMinister Smriti Irani. "SatyamevJayate (Truth alone triumphs).This is not just my victory. It is adefeat of the most blatant use ofmoney power, muscle power andabuse of state machinery," Pateltweeted soon after he won. Se-nior Congress leader P.Chidambaram, who was part of aCongress delegation that met theElection Commission on Tuesdayseeking rejection of votes of twoCongress rebels said: "Money,muscle and manipulation couldnot win in the Guarat Rajya Sabhaelections.""BJP can break a few weak Con-gress MLAs but BJP cannotbreak the Congress par ty," hesaid in his reaction. EC's decision

wrong, may take legal action:Gujarat Dy CMGujarat Deputy Chief MinisterNitinbhai Patel on Wednesdaysaid that Election Commission'sdecision to reject the votes of thetwo rebel Congress MLAs was"wrong" and the par ty may takelegal action against it."I believe they already had planssince yesterday (Monday) tomake this fabricated story andconspiracy. Congress leaderShaktisinh Gohil had seen the CDhimself also and knows that hestood up in anger. "ShaktisinhGohil Ji was angry when MLA(Raghavji Bhai Patel) showedhim his vote, he was visibly an-gry. He tried to snatch the ballotpaper. He even asked the MLA toshow it twice and held his hand.

This is against law," NitinbhaiPatel told repor ters after the de-cision. "The decision is sad. If theCD of voting is made public, notjust us the whole nation will saythe decision is wrong," he added.Patel also said: "Our polling agentraised the issue immediately butwe thought it is for EC to decidefur ther on it. I demand EC to makeCD public. If required we will takelegal action. Our election agentwas not shown in the CD. More-over the two MLAs have notshown their vote to our agent. Thevotes of Raghavj i Pate l andBholabhai Gohil were not shownto anyone. The original CD shouldbe made public," he added. Patela lso accused Congress HighCommand of putting pressure onthe EC.

Babri Masjid site is our property: Shia Waqf Board to SCNEW DELHI, (PTI) In a fresh turn of events, the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh today told theSupreme Cour t that a mosque could be built in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance fromthe disputed site in Ayodhya. The Board also told the apex cour t in an affidavit that the Babri Masjid sitewas its proper ty and only it was entitled to hold negotiations for an amicable settlement of the dispute.The 30-page affidavit assumes significance as it has been filed within few days of the apex cour t agreeingto fast track the hearing on a batch of appeals challenging the Allahabad High Cour t verdict on the landdispute in the case. The Waqf Board has sought time from the top cour t for setting up of a committee forexploring an amicable resolution of the vexatious issue.Assailing the stand of the Sunni Central Waqf Board, it said, "...since Babri Masjid was a Shia Waqf Boardproperty, Shia Central Waqf Board UP alone is entitled to negotiate and arrive at a peaceful settlement withother remaining stakeholders. Answering respondent (Shia Board) is also of the view that, to bringquietus, masjid can be located in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance from the mostrevered place of bir th of Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram," the affidavit said.



LUXURY VEHICLES: AUDI, BMW, MERCEDES, SPORTS CARS ANDCONVERTIBLE CARS. WE ALSO HAVE 7, 8, AND 9 PASSENGERS VEHICLES

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CHILDREN TYING 'RAKHI' ON THE PRESIDENT, RAM NATH KOVIND'S WRIST, ON THE OCCASION OF 'RAKSHA BANDHAN', ATRASHTRAPATI BHAVAN, IN NEW DELHI.

Hope countries cooperate in fightingall forms of terror: India on Azhar

NEW DELHI, (PTI) Upset over China stalling the move to list JeM'sMasood Azhar a global terrorist by the UN, India today hoped thatcountries sharing its concerns over international terrorism wouldcooperate in fighting all forms of terror. Jaish-e-Mohammed chiefAzhar had been involved in carrying out terror activities against Indiaand this was a well-known fact, said external affairs ministry spokes-person Gopal Baglay."We can only hope that all these countries which share our concernsregarding the menace of international terrorism will cooperate in fight-ing all forms of terrorism," he said. He was replying to a question onChina once again extending by three months its technical hold on theUS, France and UK-backed proposal to designate Azhar a global ter-rorist by the UN. China had in February this year blocked the US moveto include the Pathankot terror attack mastermind in the list of globalterrorists.

The deadline for China to take action on its technical hold was tillAugust 2. A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council,Beijing has repeatedly blocked India's move to put a ban on the JeMleader under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council. JeMhas already been in the banned list. In March last year, China was thesole member in the 15- nation UN organ to put a hold on India's appli-cation. All other 14 members of the Council suppor ted New Delhi'sbid to place Azhar on the 1,267 sanctions list that would subject himto an assets freeze and travel ban.The six-month validity of that technical hold lapsed in September andBeijing then extended it by three more months. In December last year,after China blocked India's proposal to list the JeM chief, Indian diplo-matic sources here had said that the pursuit of terrorism was not a"one-shot affair" for India and that it will continue to pursue issues ofterrorism "through all available mechanisms."

Pak increasing attempts to push in terrorists: Arun JaitleyNEW DELHI, (PTI) Pakistan has increased attempts to push terrorists intoJammu and Kashmir through the border but there is a high number of casu-alties on their side, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said recently. Jaitley said inthe Lok Sabha that the Indian Army has "domination and impact" along thewestern border and all steps have been taken to check infiltration from acrossthe border. "Pakistan has increased efforts of infiltration," he said duringQuestion Hour. Jaitely said due to the heightened vigil of the security forces,many infiltration attempts have been foiled and infiltration has been down."There is record high in the casualties on the other side," he said. There havebeen 285 incidents of ceasefire violation so far this year through the LoCcompared to 228 such incidents in the entire 2016 along the LoC in whicheight people had lost their lives, Jaitley said. He said there were 221 ceasefireviolation along the International Border which is guarded by both the BorderSecurity Force and the Army. Replying another question, the minister said the

Army has constructed an anti-infiltration obstacle system (AIOS) along theLine of Control and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, under itsoperational control. Radars, sensors and thermal imagers along with sur-veillance have been incorporated on this fence to detect and intercept infiltra-tion by terrorists. The AIOS is further strengthened by deployment of troopsand construction of defence works based on threat perception for an effectivemulti-tiered counter-infiltration grid. "Fortification of border is a continuousprocess. Anti- infiltration steps like obstacle systems, technical gadgetshave been installed by the Army and enough steps have been taken to checkinfiltration," he said. Jaitely said the government regularly reviews the threatperception to secure the borders and protect national interests. "Appropriatemeasures are taken from time-to-time to maintain and upgrade the country'sdefence preparedness along the border to safeguard the sovereignty, territo-rial integrity and security of India," the Minister said.

Rahul's car attacked in Gujarat,Congress, BJP in war of wordsDHANERA (IANS) Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi'scar was pelted with stones on Friday during his visit to thisflood-affected town but he escaped unhur t, police said.Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Neeraj Badgujar saida man threw stones at Gandhi's car, breaking its rear glasswhen he was on his way from Lal Chowk to the helipad inDhanera. Gandhi escaped unhur t, he added.A political slugfest broke out between the Congress and theruling BJP after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's carwas on Friday stoned and windows broken by hostile blackflag-waving crowds during his tour of a flood-hit town inthe state's Banaskantha district. The opposition Congresscalled it a "dastardly act by BJP goons" and asked if PrimeMinister Narendra Modi could answer the security lapsein his home state, while Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patelclaimed that Gandhi denied a bullet proof car and kept onhopping from one car to another in an "irresponsible" ac-tion.Congress national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewalasaid: "Rahulji is an SPG protectee. An attack under GujaratBJP government's watch reflects not only serious lapsebut tacit complicity. Wil l the Prime Minister answer?"Condemning the attack, Leader of Opposition in the RajyaSabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said: "The damage done to themotorcade and injury to security personnel clearly showsthat it was a well-organised attack on Rahul Gandhi to harmhim physically. "We strongly condemn the cult of violencefor which the BJP and its cadres are famous. This is beingdeliberately done by the BJP to create an atmosphere of fearin the state of Gujarat just before the assembly elections.This is yet another example of intolerance exhibited by theBJP and its workers openly."

KANWAR SANDHU IS AAP'SOVERSEAS CONVENER

DESK REPORTCHANDIGARH - Aam Aadmi Par ty(AAP) MLA Kanwar Sandhu hasbeen appointed as AAP overseasconvener. Af ter assuming new du-ties, Sandhu said, "I will go abroadsoon to interact with NRIs. The ideais to motivate them." A par ty insideralso informed: "We wish to recon-nect with the NRIs who had sup-por ted us in the Assembly polls."

Demonitisation: I-T returnfilings grew by 25% to2.82 crore by Aug 5NEW DELHI: The number of IncomeTax Returns (ITRs) filed for 2016-17year grew by 25 per cent to 2.82crore, as increased number of indi-viduals filed their tax returns postdemonetisation, the tax departmentsaid today. The growth in ITRs filedby individuals is 25.3 per cent withover 2.79 crore returns having beenreceived up to August 5 as againstover 2.22 crore returns filed in thecorresponding period last fiscal. "Asa result of demonetisation and Op-eration Clean Money, there is a sub-stantial increase in the number ofIncome Tax Returns (ITRs) filed,"an official statement said. Thetotal number of returns filedas on August 5 stands atover 2.82 crore as againstover 2.26 crore filed during thecorresponding period of 2016-17.



MIDWEEK NEWS WEEKLY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 08, 2017 w o r l d

SYRIAN REFUGEES DURING A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST DELAYS IN REUNIFICATIONS OF THEIR FAMILIES FROM GREECE TOGERMANY, IN ATHENS, GREECE.

Leaked Trump phone call: Don't worry about CanadaDESK REPORT

WASHINGTON - A leaked transcript of a Donald Trump phone callshows the president's private comments about trade with Canadasuggesting he is comfor table doing trade with Canada. The com-ments came in a call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto andwere par t of a leaked transcript published on Thursday by the Wash-ington Post. In the phone call Trump told the Mexican president that heduring his campaign, he had promised thousands of people thatMexico would pay for the wall, asking the Mexican president not topublicly contradict him on the issue.Pena Nieto, however, urged Trump to focus on the three Nafta coun-tries to negotiate a new trade framework. It was here that Trump said:"Canada is no problem. Do not worry about Canada, do not even think

about them. That is a separate thing and they are fine and we have hada very fair relationship with Canada. It has been much more balancedand much more fair. So we do not have to worry about Canada, we donot even think about them."On the same day, Trump carried out a phone conversation with Aus-tralian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, which grew sour when Trumprejected an agreement to take in refugees. The transcript shows Trumpgrowing progressively more agitated, eventually telling his Aus-tralian counterpar t the call was the most irksome of the day. "Ihave been making these calls all day and this is the most un-pleasant call all day," Trump told Turnbull. "(Russian PresidentVladimir) Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous." Trumplater ended the phone call abruptly.

Abbasi inducts 44 ministers, Khawaja Asif is new Foreign MinisterISLAMABAD (IANS) The cabinet of new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi last week saw the return of old faces, but a major changein por tfolios was seen, with most notable being the induction of ex-Defence Minister Khawaja Asif as Foreign Minister. The country waswithout a full-time Foreign Minister since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) came to power in 2013. The last full-time ForeignMinister was Hina Rabbani Khar, who served in the Pakistan Peoples Par ty (PPP) government. Sar taj Aziz was serving as the de factoForeign Minister in the Nawaz Sharif government, as he was Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs. The new cabinet ofKhaqan Abbasi was sworn in at the Presidency. The cabinet consists of 46 members, but only 44 members took the oath of officeadministered by President Mamnoon Hussain. The cabinet consists of 28 Federal and 18 state ministers.Abbasi on Thursday held six-hour-long consultations with ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharifat Punjab House in Lahore. Apar t from Asif, Ahsan Iqbal former Planning Minister will take charge of the key Interior Ministry, that wasearlier with Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Nisar Khan has refused to be par t of the new government.

CHINA CALLS ON NORTH KOREATO HALT MISSILE TESTS DAYAFTER NEW UN SANCTIONSMANILA (IANS) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says heurged his Nor th Korean counterpar t to abide by UN resolu-tions and stop provoking "the international community's good-will" with missile launches and nuclear tests. Wang spoke torepor ters in Manila after meeting with Nor th Korean ForeignMinister Ri Yong Ho on the sidelines of a regional meetingafter the UN Security Council unanimously approved toughnew sanctions to punish Pyongyang for its escalating nuclearand missile programs. Wang said the two had an intensiveconversation during which China urged Nor th Korea to main-tain calm. He says he told Ri "do not violate the UN decisionor provoke the international community's goodwill by con-ducting missile launches or nuclear tests." Wang also urgedthe US and South Korea "to stop increasing tensions" and saidthat all sides should return to negotiations.

AYESHA AHAD DEMANDS PROBEAGAINST HAMZA SHEHBAZ

LAHORE - Holding a press conference with PTI leader FirdousAshiq Awan, Ayesha Ahad said that there was a limit toone's patience. Ayesha said that she had been going to thecour ts since the past seven years but to no avail. "NawazSharif and Kulsoom Nawaz are witnesses to my matters,"she said. "Hamza Shehbaz lied to me. We got married in 2010,"she added.Ahad stated that Hamza Shehbaz had told her that he haddivorced Mehrunnisa and she had believed his lie and mar-ried him. Ayesha said that she would go to the Election Com-mission of Pakistan and said that Hamza was not Sadiq orAmeen since he had lied. "At first I could not go to the ECPsince these people were powerful but now that the SupremeCour t has star ted giving such good decisions, I will go to thecommission against him," she said.Ayesha reiterated that she was not going to the Election Com-mission to file a petition against Hamza Shehbaz on the be-hest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Ayesha complained that theprime minister had formed a committee for one woman yet noone had done the same for her. "Mian sahab, when will youhave a committee formed for the daughter-in-law of your ownhouse?" she asked. Ayesha questioned how PML-N repre-sentatives were talking about the rights of women when thepar ty's female workers used to beat her with shoes. "I alsohave a lot of messages saved," she warned.



Documents

Ex-Pak PM Sharif: Decision to disqualify taken before judgement …southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/part_1-1.pdf · 2017-08-09 · raksha bandhan: a 103-year-old wheelchair-bound