The Express Tribune Newsletter: May 09, 2012

Today's Headlines

 

PM's defiance set a dangerous precedent: SC

Azam Khan

Hours after Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani left for the UK on an official trip on Tuesday, the Supreme Court released its much-awaited detailed verdict in the premier's contempt of court case.

Power sector dues: Govt defaults on sovereign guarantees

Shahbaz Rana

Failure to honour its financial commitments to Independent Power Producers (IPP) has led to the first-ever sovereign default by the government in Pakistan's history.

Tough tenure: US ambassador to step down 'prematurely'

Kamran Yousaf

US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter has decided to step down this summer, purportedly due to differences with the Obama administration on how to reset ties with Islamabad.

'Missing persons' issue: Panel mulls laws to rein in spy agencies

Zahid Gishkori

A parliamentary panel has hinted at toughening laws to keep a check on spy agencies blamed for 'enforced disappearance' of dissenters in the country.

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Business

Reverting to old base year: Economy grows by 3.67% this year, but misses target

Shahbaz Rana

The economy grew by 3.67% this year, missing even the revised growth target despite government's efforts to keep the economy at a higher level by sticking to the old base year for calculations.

Priority expenditure: Govt plans to spend Rs208b on water, power projects

Zafar Bhutta

In a bid to holistically tackle the energy crisis, the government plans to spend over Rs208 billion on water and power sector projects in the coming financial year.

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Sports

Cricket: Moin backs change in Twenty20 captaincy

Our Correspondent

As speculation heats up on the Twenty20 captaincy debate ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, former captain Moin Khan has backed the idea of a change at the helm, terming the move vital in the team's interest.

Squash: Danish wants to be Pakistan's number one

Our Correspondent

Pakistan's junior squash star Danish Atlas wants to break into the top-30 by the end of the year after bagging the Junior Player of the Year Award by the Asian Squash Federation (ASF). 

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Life & Style

Great expectations for 'Coke Studio 5'

Rafay Mahmood

Finally, it's that time of the year again when all things positive happen in the supposedly dying music industry of Pakistan — a period marked by musicians whining less and producing more music.

Tariq Javed: A woman's perspective

Momina Sibtain

When it comes to art, Tariq Javed is an institution of his own. His complex sense of figures along with a profusion of decorative elements have made him very well sought out in the world of art. Over the years, his work has morphed from realism to abstract.

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Opinion

The self-importance of names and titles

S Akbar Zaidi

The battle for the soul of Lyari

Sanaullah Baloch

The PPP is not the victim

Amber Darr

Ripples in China's placid waters

Tariq Fatemi

Two 'crows' of Czechoslovakia

Khaled Ahmed

Blogs

Are public schools not good enough for you?

Peer Muhammad

Satisfy your peri bite craving

Yousuf Bawany

Mubashir Luqman, why can't you appreciate something good?

Danish Zaidi

On board Shaheen Air: Emergency exit, anyone?

Imran Khan

Poll

The US believes al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri is in Pakistan. Do you agree?

Yes (59%, 587 Votes)

No (41%, 408 Votes)

Total Voters: 995

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Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Karachi: Two killed in different incidents

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>As per details, a body recovered from Layari Musa Lane, who was tortured to death. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A man has been injured on robbery resistance near Defence Signal.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to police, a man was killed in Garden area in a road accident. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Faisalabad: Protest against power cut

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The citizens and traders staged protest against hour-long power loadshedding in the city. The protesters blocked Sutina Road and chanted slogans against the government.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to traders, they will continue to protest till the withdrawal of fuel surcharge, stability in POL prices and reduction in electricity and gas load shedding hours.<br />&nbsp;</p>


1 million Olympic tickets to go on sale

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Olympic fans who missed out on tickets for the London Games will get another opportunity this week, including a chance of securing high-demand seats for the opening ceremony or 100-meter final.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Olympic organizers said Tuesday they are putting nearly 1 million tickets on sale, with priority given to those people who were unsuccessful in previous rounds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 900,000 tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to the nearly 1 million people in Britain who applied previously but came up empty handed.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;We know thousands of sports fans were disappointed when they missed out in the initial sales period because of the massive demand for tickets,&quot; organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe said. &quot;We promised we would prioritize these fans when we released the contingency tickets, which is exactly what we are doing.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The tickets will go on sale online.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Annan plans to return to Damascus: spokesperson

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>But the trip will depend on events in Syria, where Annan is trying to convince President Bashar al-Assad to implement a peace plan, Annan&nbsp;s spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told AFP.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Annan told the UN Security Council on Tuesday of his plan to carry out a second trip to Syria since he was named special envoy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>There is no indication yet of the timing of the trip, Fawzi told AFP, but it would &quot;certainly not&quot; be in coming days.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I would say weeks but all depends on what we hear from Damascus,&quot; he said in a written statement.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Annan went to Damascus on March 9-10 to meet Assad shortly after being named joint envoy by the UN and Arab League. Assad later agreed a six-point peace plan but the envoy says it has not been implemented.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Dozens of UN military observers are now in Syria monitoring a cessation of hostilities that started on April 12 but has barely held with government and opposition groups continuing attacks.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to diplomats, Annan told the Security Council on Tuesday that his peace plan may be the &quot;last chance&quot; to avoid civil war in Syria as Assad&nbsp;s forces pursue attacks on civilians.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Five suspected miscreants held from Karachi

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>As per reports, Ranger have nabbed at least five suspected miscreants during a targeted operation. All the miscreants have been shifted to unknown place for investigation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>On the other hand, Karachi police chief suspended two SHOs on failure to control crimes. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Kayani visits Peshawar Corps Headquarters

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army Chief was briefed regarding various projects aimed at rebuilding infrastructure, and helps bring affected areas back to normalcy through education, and economic development.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Kayani expressed satisfaction over the progress of operations and stressed upon the need to ensure that collateral damage and civilian casualties are kept to a minimum.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>COAS also laid a wreath on the Shuhada monument at Peshawar Cantt and also visited the injured soldiers under treatment at CMH Peshawar. He praised the courage and valour of the troops as well as sacrifices of civilians caught in the midst of active operations.<br />&nbsp;</p>


PML-N MNA Sardar Saifuddin Khan Khosa resigns

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>As per details, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Sardar Saifuddin Khan Khosa resigned from his seat, NA-173, and the party membership after developing differences with his father Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa and brothe Hassamuddin Khan Khosa and Dost Muhammad Khosa.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In his official resignation, he said that it was an honour for him to be part of the assembly which brought an end to a dictator&rsquo;s rule, passed important constitutional amendments in the history of the constitution of Pakistan and enacted various important laws. Khosa added that he was resigning due to personal reasons.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>His resignation has been sent to party chairman Nawaz Sharif and opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to sources, Saifuddin Khosa had wanted a party ticket for his son-in-law in PP-243 by-elections held on May 7. However, Saifuddin&rsquo;s father instead opted to grant the ticket to his eldest son Sardar Hassamuddin Khan Khosa.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Lahore: Police arrest 8 bookies

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to ASP Defence, police on a tip-off raided a house and arrested bookies Khawaja Papu and Umair who were gambling on the cricket match from a long time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Police recovered a mini telephone exchange, computers, LCDs and cash from their possession.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Police have registered a case and started investigation.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US nominates Svinicki for Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>President Barack Obama nominated Kristine L. Svinicki for a new term on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday despite objections from the party&nbsp;s most powerful lawmaker, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Svinicki has been caught in a dispute over commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko, a former Reid aide who has been accused of intimidation and bullying. Svinicki has served on the NRC since 2008. In December, she and other commission members told Congress that Jaczko had created a tense workplace and that women felt especially threatened.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Svinicki, a nuclear engineer and former Senate aide, is one of two Republicans and the only woman on the five-member commission. Jaczko, a Democrat, has called the accusations &quot;categorically untrue.&quot; The leader of the minority Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, urged Svinicki&nbsp;s prompt confirmation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Democrat Reid has said previously that he opposed her nomination. His office would not comment Tuesday. Republican lawmakers have been pressuring the White House to renominate Svincki and have expressed dismay that her job appeared in jeopardy rather than&nbsp;s Jaczko&nbsp;s.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>McConnell called Svinicki &quot;one of the world&nbsp;s leading experts on nuclear safety&quot; and said she has served with distinction on the commission for four years.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Seven Republican senators who serve on the Senate Environment Committee wrote to Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, the panel&nbsp;s chairwoman, calling for quick action on Svinicki&nbsp;s nomination. Her current term expires June 30.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;I hope we can come to an agreement that assures urgent action on this matter, especially given that the White House has said we need an NRC that is &nbsp;functioning effectively&nbsp; and that the president doesn&nbsp;t want a &nbsp;break in service,&quot; said Sen. James Inhofe, the panel&nbsp;s senior Republican.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Boxer&nbsp;s office could not be reached immediately for comment. Inhofe and other Republicans said Jaczko, who served on the commission before being promoted by Obama to chairman, did not have a Senate hearing on his nomination as chairman in 2009.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry lobbying group, applauded Svinicki&nbsp;s nomination to a new term.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US confirms Munters decision to step down

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Addressing a briefing at the State Department Tuesday, deputy spokesperson Mark Toner confirmed that the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter had decided to leave his post this year prematurely. Ambassador Munter, it may be noted, is still in the second year of his three year term after being appointed to the post in October 2010.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Toner said that Ambassador Munter had &quot;made the personal decision to depart Pakistan this summer&quot; and announced his decision in a staff meeting at the US Embassy in Islamabad on Monday. He, however, played down the significance of Ambassador Munter&nbsp;s premature departure and called it a normal tenure for ambassadors in the country.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;This is at the conclusion of his tenure at the end of two years, which is a perfectly normal period for an ambassador to Pakistan&quot;, deputy spokesman emphasised while hailing the contribution of Ambassador Munter in the job, considered by many as one of the toughest in recent years considering the tense nature of bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the US.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Toner said that the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton had also praised Cameron Munter&rsquo;s efforts and his performance during his time in Pakistan. &quot;She also understands his decision to depart&quot;, he added. The US media had reported earlier that the US administration did not consider Munter &quot;a good fit&quot; with Pakistani leadership. However, no replacement has been named as yet.</p><p>- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC<br />&nbsp;</p>


KP Assembly passes LG Amendment Bill

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The bill titled as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2012 was tabled by Senior Minister Bashir Bilour.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Bill replaced the existing system of Local Government consisting of Nazims and Naib Nazimz with Chairman and Deputy Chairman and the age limit for contesting next local body has been fixed 21 years instead of 25 years. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The preambles of the bill reads as, it is expedient to encourage Local Government Institutions composed of elected representatives of the areas concerned and having special representation of peasants, workers and minorities.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pak-China agreement on 3 power projects in Sindh

Posted:

<p><br />In this regard, an agreement has been signed between the two countries.</p><p><br />A two-day meeting of Pak-China Working Group was held in Islamabad where three agreements of power generation were signed.</p><p><br />After the meeting, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar said that different projects of 10,000 MW were under consideration.</p><p><br />He said that China has also assured of cooperation for construction of different projects including Bhasha Dam, Kohala and Neelum-Jhelum.</p>


PML-N making money in wheat procurement: Pervez Elahi

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader and Senior Federal Minister for Industries and Defence Production Ch. Parvez Elahi Tuesday said that PML-N is punishing the farmers for their &ldquo;crime&rdquo; of producing wheat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Addressing a press conference at the State Guest House, PML-Q leader and Senior Federal Minister for Industries and Defence Production Ch. Parvez Elahi said that &lsquo;bar-dana&rsquo; scandal is the biggest fraud than all the schemes of the &lsquo;Khadim-e-A&rsquo;ala&rsquo; (Shahbaz Sharif).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that Sharif Brothers&rsquo; hatred against farmers is continuing in an unending manner, therefore the farmers of Punjab have been suffering due to the PML-N.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that we had started practical movement for South Punjab province whereas N-League&rsquo;s leadership has always ignored the rights and problems of the people of South Punjab.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ch. Parvez Elahi said that announcement of the Punjab Government for procurement of 35-lakh tons wheat is also a fraud. He said according to our information the officials concerned have been directed to procure only 25 percent of the announced 35-lakh tons wheat. He said this is established by the fact that &lsquo;bar-dana&rsquo; has been released in very less quantity.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Parvez Elahi charged that the Punjab Govt. is using such hostile tactics to favour N-League parliamentarians and favourites in wheat procurement, which is also resulting in the greater exploitation of the farmers of South Punjab who produce maximum wheat.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that instead of &lsquo;bar-dana&rsquo; being distributed at wheat procurement centers it is being sold in black at the N-League parliamentarians and the favourites places. The official rate for wheat prominent is Rs. 1050 per mound but the farmer is being faced to sell his product at low rate of Rs. 850 to Rs. 900 per mound. Last year 16 bags per acre were provided whereas now it is just 4 to 8 bags per acre and that too after lot of trouble and being pushed around and paying bribe of Rs. 70 to Rs. 100 per bag.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that entire quantity of wheat being offered by farmers is not being fully procured so that the farmer is forced to sell the commodity at much low rates, and then N-League people at official rates thus earning Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per mound sell this wheat at the procurement centers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that bar-dana scandal is also a big fraud involving billions of rupees like Tandoor Scheme, Ashiana Scheme, Yellow Cab Scheme and Laptop Scheme.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Responding to a questions, the PML-Q leader said that Pakistan Muslim League is the first national party whose Central Executive committee had in its meeting in Islamabad adopted a resolution which called for setting up of new provinces on administrative basis including South Punjab and Hazara so that backwardness of these areas and sense of deprivation of the people is removed and all areas of Pakistan get equal opportunities for progress and development.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Can't be bullied to resign, says PM Gilani

Posted:

<p><br />Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that fair trial is his right and he would exercise all constitutional options.<br />Talking to newsmen on board his flight to Britain&sbquo; the Prime Minister said he cannot be brow-beaten to resign.</p><p><br />He said a Government that has two-third majority cannot be bullied to resign.</p><p><br />He said people are politically aware and there is no room for any undemocratic action.</p><p><br />He said that if the PML-N is serious in removing him from office, she should tender resignation from assemblies and then launch a movement against him.</p><p><br />Replying to a question he said PML(N) doesn&nbsp;t want appointment of Chief Election Commissioner for some particular reason.<br />He said that he was unable to come to know that why judges are in hurry to remove him from office.</p><p><br />He said that the opposition wants to remove him so that the government could not bring fifth budget.</p>


Hillary collecting evidence against me: Haifz Saeed

Posted:

<p><br />While giving an interview to Dunya News on Tuesday, he said that India wants to materialize its dreams under the guise of US policy.</p><p><br />He said that he is not convict even there is not a single FIR against him in any police station in the country.</p><p><br />He said that the US has nothing to do with the war on terror; his mission is only to exploit the rights of Muslim world as the Muslims are being exploited in Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan.</p><p><br />He said that if the US takes back its forces from borders of Islamic world, everything would be sound and stable with the passage of time. Our country has been endowed with every kind of natural resources, man power and God-gifted talent, he said.</p><p><br />He made it clear that the economic development is indispensible for progress and prosperity of every country but trade with India has no worth; it is a fraud with the nation.</p><p><br />Furthering his statement, he said that it is equal to forget the 80,000 killings of Kashmiris who sacrificed their lives and properties for the sake and survival of Pakistan.</p><p><br />While commenting on Hillary Clinton&rsquo;s visit to India, he said &ldquo;She has come to India in order to search evidence against me but she would be disappointed in her &lsquo;mission&rsquo;.&rdquo;</p><p><br />He said that he was ready to face the US courts but he changed his mind when Aafia Siddiqui was badly persecuted in the name of so-called rules and regulation in American court. The reality is that the US is devoid of law and justice and humanitarian values.</p><p><br />He said that fall of Dhaka is a bitter reality which could not forgotten. Samjhota Train mishap is another tragedy which was imposed on innocent Muslim by India terrorists under the patronization of their cruel rulers.</p><p><br />When he was consulted about next leadership of the country, he declined to mention the name of any person, with the emphasis that the country should be led by brave, courageous and champion of freedom.</p>


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