The Express Tribune Newsletter: May 15, 2012

Today's Headlines

Confrontation over?: All set to unblock NATO supply routes

Kamran Yousaf / Sumera Khan

Amidst growing realisation that it cannot keep the Nato supply route blocked for long, Pakistan has dropped the clearest hint yet that it might review a decision that has put its relations with not 'only the US but another 42 countries' in a tailspin.

Tribal insurgency: FC convoy attacked with car bomb in Quetta

Shehzad Baloch

Two paramilitary troops and two passersby were killed and 34 people, including women and children, were injured in a bomb explosion at a busy roundabout in the provincial capital on Monday.

Temporary arrangement: Provinces to receive 80% of sales tax on services

Shahbaz Rana

Despite the absence of two of its five members, one of the highest financial governance bodies in the country went ahead and made critical revenue-sharing decisions in a meeting on Monday, raising questions about the legitimacy of those decisions.

Analysis: A grim prognosis

Dr Meekal Ahmed

If the predictions of this year's fiscal outcome are to be believed, the Pakistan economy is set for at least another year of financial instability with all its adverse economic and social consequences.

Business

US-Iran standoff: Global oil suppliers seek war risk insurance

Zafar Bhutta

As tensions between Iran and the United States deepen, international oil suppliers have sought war risk insurance and ocean losses to protect their supplies passing through a key sea channel to Pakistan.

Iraq venture: Chinese firm backs out; PPL to proceed alone

Our Correspondents

Chinese firm Zhenhua has decided not to partner with Pakistan Petroleum Limited and invest in Iraq due to security issues, The Express Tribune has learnt.

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Sports

'I am ready to help Pakistan boxers'

Fawad Hussain

While Amir Khan is desperate to regain his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles, he is also concerned by the demise of the sport in Pakistan, the land of his ancestors, and wants to help the local boxers prepare for the 2016 Olympics.

Afghanistan snap up Lawson, want Dwyer too

Faras Ghani

Afghanistan have snapped up Geoff Lawson as a consultant for their under-19 team ahead of the World Cup that takes place in Australia this August. 

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Life & Style

'Coke Studio 5': That didn't impress us much

Rafay Mahmood

The first episode of the much-awaited musical programme "Coke Studio" was released on Saturday night. This time around, the episode was released on the internet before it got aired on channels, which resulted in tracks like "Paisay Da Nasha" by Bohemia and "Charkha Nolakha" by Atif Aslam and Qayaas receiving over a 100,000 likes within a day.

Shabnam: Bidding farewell

Saadia Qamar

Shabnam, whose trip to Pakistan came to an end yesterday, had a busy schedule for her last two days in Karachi. From shopping trips, events and dinners, the actor made sure this trip — which she is making after a span of 14 years — was a memorable one.

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Opinion

In the court of the mad king

Feisal H Naqvi

US and Pakistan — how to move forward?

Talat Masood

A little help for the DCC

Shahzad Chaudhry

All is not well, Mr Shah

Anwer Mooraj

A matter of conscience

Yaqoob Khan Bangash

Blogs

Pity the judges and judgements

Mazhar Abbas

The story of Baba Jan Hunzai

Sher Khan

How golden was Ayub Khan's era?

Farooq Tirmizi

We were always obsessed with Aishwarya's weight

Ammara Ahmad

 

Poll

Do you think mobile phones are hazardous to health?

No (40%, 204 Votes) 

Yes (60%, 310 Votes) 

Total Voters: 514

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Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Karzai for stronger ties with Pakistan

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Giving an interview to Russian media, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that in spite of all the difficulties, all the terrorist attacks on Afghanistan, all the sanctuaries, all the problems in Pakistan, all the attackers that come from across the border into Afghanistan, we&nbsp;ve kept a very strong dialogue with Pakistan alive.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that we&nbsp;ve kept very strong efforts to have a strong relationship with Pakistan. And I&nbsp;ve visited Pakistan more than all the other Afghan leaders in the past 60 years, since the creation of Pakistan. So we are aware of this, and we are constantly in a strong dedicated effort to do well with Pakistan and with our other neighbours.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hamid Karzai said that we don&nbsp;t see our relations with Pakistan from an American perspective. Speaking about Drone attacks, Karzai said that it&nbsp;s a Pakistan issue with the US.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said that as an individual and a pacifist, I am in no way in favour of drone attacks. And the Afghan territory is not used based on our agreement. The drones were used primarily from the Pakistani territory itself for years. Now I don&nbsp;t know what the arrangement is. So the drone issue isn&nbsp;t an Afghan issue.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Seven Pakistani peacekeepers wounded in DR Congo

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A crowd surrounded a UN peacekeeping unit in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday and opened fire, wounding seven Pakistani peacekeepers, UN officials and diplomats said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Other peacekeepers in the contingent were hurt by stones thrown by the 1,000-strong crowd around the base in the Bunyiakiri district of South Kivu province, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The peacekeepers were Pakistanis, according to diplomatic sources. The wounded men were taken to hospital in Goma, the main city in eastern DR Congo. Pakistan asked the UN Security Council to hold a meeting on the attack and make a condemnation, diplomats said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The crowd was apparently protesting against attacks in the region carried out by Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda rebels, Nesirky told a briefing.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The UN mission in DR Congo reported that &quot;elements&quot; of a Mai-Mai group, the Rai Mutomboki, &quot;may have been part of the protest and may have fired on the peacekeepers,&quot; Nesirky said. The Rai Mutomboki are an armed self-defense group.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The mission is monitoring the situation and has sent reinforcements to the area, which is now reportedly calm but tense,&quot; the UN spokesman said.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Finance Ministry finalises raise in salaries, pension

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A source close to Finance Ministry informed Dunya News that proposals for increase in salaries, pensions and allowances of government servants have been finalised.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The source informed that the government will bear addition load of Rs 34 billion if salaries were increased by 15 percent.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The cabinet will take final decision in this regard. The government has informed all provinces about the recommendations so that they prepare their recommendations in this regard.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Multan: Minor girl killed a van catches fire

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, the van was going to Multan from Bahwalpur. The van caught fire due to gas leakage and short circuit when it reached near Basti Maluk, killing 5-year-old Aliza and injuring six other passengers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The fire completely destroyed the van. Police have registered a case and shifted the injured to nearby hospital for treatment.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Multan: Circus administration, spectators clash leaves 6 injured

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, a clash broke out between administration of a circus and spectators in Hassanabad area in Multan when some spectators complained that the administration is charging more money than the actual price of the circus tickets.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The clash left six people wounded who were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Police were trying to ease the tension between administration of a circus and the residents of the area.<br />&nbsp;</p>


DG Khan: Gang leader among four criminals arrested

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, Dera ghazi Khan police have arrested four members of a criminal gang, including gang leader, from Vehari and recoverd an abducted woman who was kidnapped some nine days ago from DG Khan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>DPO Dera Ghazi Khan informed the media that proclaimed offender Razzaq was wanted in more than 40 cases of murder, robbery and other heinous crimes. He said that Razzaq along with his accomplices kidnapped Safia Bibi from her house on May 5 and injured two of her brothers-in-law on offering resistance.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Police have traced the accused from their mobile record and recovered Safia Bibi from their custody.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Ban Ki-moon suffers fracture in football fall

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>UN leader Ban Ki-moon fell while playing football against diplomats and fractured his hand, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said Monday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The sprightly 67-year-old UN secretary general will have his arm in a cast for six weeks, Nesirky told reporters.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Ban &quot;has a minor fracture in his left hand from a tumble while playing in the UN-diplomats spring soccer tournament over the weekend,&quot; Nesirky said, adding that Ban was &quot;otherwise absolutely fine and in great spirits.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The globe-trotting UN leader regularly finds time to jog and also takes part in UN sports events. Ban went to see an orthopedic specialist on Saturday night after the fall in the tournament at the Bel Aire Farm estate in New York state.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He was back in the office on Monday morning.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Eating fast increases diabetes risk

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>People who wolf down their food are two and a half times more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes than those who take their time according to new research presented at the joint International Congress of Endocrinology and European Congress of Endocrinology in Florence, Italy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While numerous studies have linked eating quickly to overeating and obesity, this is the first time eating speed has been identified as an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A Lithuanian research team led by Dr Lina Radzeviciene compared 234 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients to 468 people who were free from the disease. Cases and controls (ratio 1:2) were matched by gender and age (&plusmn;5 years). The participants filled out an in-depth questionnaire designed to collect information on possible diabetes risk factors in which they rated their eating speed compared to others (slower, the same, faster). Body measurements (height, weight, waist and hip circumference) were also taken according to World Health Organisation recommendations.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Prince William to receive money from Dianas estate

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The second in line to the British throne will become eligible to be awarded his share of money from the estate of his late mother, Princess Diana - who died in a car crash in 1997 - when he reaches the milestone age on June 21.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While William and his wife Catherine rent a cottage in Wales and have an apartment at Kensington Palace in London, royal insiders believe they may use the money to buy a country home close to William&nbsp;s father, Prince Charles&nbsp;, Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>A source told the Daily Mail newspaper: &nbsp;It will be quite a handy sum if he wants to buy his and Catherine&nbsp;s first family house. What else would he need the money for?&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, William may chose not to inherit the full 10 million pounds in order to provide more money for his younger brother Prince Harry.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Diana&nbsp;s estate is comprised of stocks and shares, jewellery, cash from her divorce settlement from Charles, dresses and other personal belongings at her Kensington Palace apartment.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In her original 1993 will, the princess stipulated both princes would be entitled to their entire share of the capital on reaching 25.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, details of the will were changed by a variation order granted by the High Court in December 1997, three months after her premature death in a Paris car crash, which changed the age that her sons could ask for the capital to 30.<br />&nbsp;</p>


No deal with Pakistan on NATO supplies: Pentagon

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to the media the Pentagon&rsquo;s spokesperson said the issue of restoration of NATO supplies was discussed during US General John Allen&rsquo;s meeting with Pakistani COAS General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani. He stated that the US wanted to enhance operations in the border areas and improve coordination mechanisms to avoid recurrence of untoward incidents.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The imposition of cuts in Pakistan&rsquo;s defence aid was only a proposal and it had no legal status, the spokesperson added. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Countrywide rallies against energy crisis

Posted:

<p><br />Angry people broke windows of vehicles in Multan. In Sheikhupura, lawyers boycotted the court proceedings.</p><p><br />In Multan, a large number of people gathered in the area of Chatta Bridge and shouted slogans against the government. Protestors also broke windows of cars and other vehicles and also tried to set a rickshaw on fire. People were of the view that the unannounced loadshedding of electricity have become unbearable for them.</p><p><br />In Hafizabad, traders went on partial strike. A large number of people gathered at Gujranwala Road and torched tyres and shouted slogans against the government for their rights.</p><p><br />In Sheikhupur, lawyers while protesting against loadshedding boycotted the court proceedings.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>They were holding sticks of wood and black banners while showing their resentment against the government which has absolutely failed in resolving national issues particularly energy crisis. They also tried to barge into the office of WAPDA and blocked Lahore-Sargodha Road.</p>


Anti-govt tweeter: Kuwaiti appeal court upholds sentence

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Kuwait&nbsp;s appeals court on Monday upheld a 10-year jail term for a tweeter found guilty of insulting the Gulf state&nbsp;s ruler and calling for the overthrow of the regime.</p><p><br />Orance al-Rasheedi was tried on charges of spreading false news about Kuwait to undermine the oil-rich country&nbsp;s image and calling for regime&nbsp;s overthrow in video footage on YouTube, the court ruled.</p><p><br />It said he had also used the social networking site Twitter and YouTube to publicly insult the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who is protected against criticism by Kuwait&nbsp;s constitution.</p><p><br />The lower court sentenced Rasheedi to 10 years in jail in October. He can still challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court whose rulings are final.</p><p><br />Kuwait has in the past several months clamped down on Internet activists who allegedly break the country&nbsp;s laws, especially by committing religious offences.</p><p><br />The courts have already jailed several such activists and others are awaiting trial.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>


NATO supply: PM calls Defence Committee meeting

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Earlier, Yousaf Raza Gilani had a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.</p><p><br />It is worth mentioning that after the US air attack on Salala Checkpost Pakistan had got Shamsi Airbase vacated from the US. Pakistan also had decided to block NATO&nbsp;supply to Afghanistan.</p><p><br />Pakistan took up the issue of restoration of NATO supply in the parliament which had recommended some proposals to the US, with the emphasis that the US should seek apology from Pakistan.</p><p><br />The US not only refused to recognise its barbarism against Pakistani checkposts but also continued to pile pressure on the government for restoration of NATO&nbsp;supplies.</p><p><br />Now high level meetings are being held for finding some viable solution to the problem.</p>


9 killed in Afghan market blast

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>An official from a provincial council was among the dead in the Ghormuch district of Faryab province.<br />&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Last month at least 10 people were killed in Faryab when a suicide bomber struck a meeting of officials in the provincial capital. Attacks in northern Afghanistan are far less common than in the south and east and Faryab province is considered to be relatively peaceful. The bomb was remotely detonated, police told Reuters news agency.<br />&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>At the time of the explosion, the market was busy and filled with shoppers. No group has said it carried out the attack as yet, but Taliban attacks traditionally increase after a winter lull when bad weather restricts the movement of fighters.<br />&nbsp;</p>


NATO air strikes killed 72 civilians in Libya: HRW

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Human Rights Watch has said it accepts Nato took care to avoid civilian deaths in Libya but has not fully investigated such cases.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nato air strikes killed 72 civilians in Libya last year, Human Rights Watch has said, accusing the western alliance of failing to acknowledge the scope of collateral damage it caused during the campaign that helped to oust Muammar Gaddafi.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a report based on investigations at bombing sites during and after the conflict, the New York-based HRW said Nato strikes killed 20 women and 24 children. It called on the alliance to compensate civilian victims and investigate attacks that may have been unlawful. &quot;Attacks are allowed only on military targets, and serious questions remain in some incidents about what exactly Nato forces were striking,&quot; Fred Abrahams, special adviser at HRW, said in a statement.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The report claims to be the most extensive investigation to date of civilian casualties from Nato&nbsp;s air campaign and presents a higher death toll estimate than a March paper by Amnesty International which documented 55 civilian deaths, including 16 children and 14 women.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Nato considers its Libya operation highly successful, illustrating the allies&nbsp; ability to work well together in a limited campaign. Nato carried out 26,000 sorties including some 9,600 strike missions and destroyed about 5,900 targets before operations ended on 31 October 2011. The alliance said the campaign had been conducted with &quot;unprecedented care and precision and to a standard exceeding that required by international humanitarian law&quot;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Nato did everything possible to minimise risks to civilians, but in a complex military campaign, that risk can never be zero,&quot; said Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu in a statement. &quot;We deeply regret any instance of civilian casualties for which Nato may have been responsible.&quot;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>HRW acknowledged that Nato had taken care to minimise civilian casualties and added that countries such as Russia that had made claims of large-scale civilian deaths did so &quot;to score political points&quot;. But Abrahams, principal author of the report, said the care Nato took during the campaign was &quot;undermined by its refusal to examine the dozens of civilian deaths&quot;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Concerns about civilian deaths in Libya could hamper Nato&nbsp;s ability to carry out future operations outside the territory of its members, in North America and Europe. Although Russia co-sponsored the UN resolution authorising intervention in Libya, it later said Nato had &quot;grossly violated&quot; its mandate. This was a factor earlier this year when Russia opposed a UN resolution calling for action to stop the violence in Syria.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>HRW highlighted an attack on the village of Majer, 100 miles east of Tripoli on 8 August when Nato air strikes on two family compounds killed 34 civilians and wounded more than 30. HRW said Nato had told it that the Majer compounds were a &quot;staging base and military accommodation&quot; for Gaddafi forces, but had not provided specific information to support that claim.<br />&nbsp;</p>


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