Cricket: Bisla powers Kolkata to maiden IPL title




CHENNAI: Kolkata Knight Riders found a surprise hero in Manvinder Bisla to bag their maiden Indian Premier League title with a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling Twenty20 final on Sunday.


The little-known opener smashed five sixes and eight fours in his quickfire 48-ball 89 as Kolkata surpassed Chennai’s total of 190-3 with two balls to spare at the Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.


Kolkata needed nine runs to win off the last over bowled by West Indies seamer Dwayne Bravo, but Manoj Tiwary (nine not out) smashed the third and fourth deliveries for fours to spark celebrations in his team’s camp.


Kolkata’s other batting star was South African Jacques Kallis, who made a crucial 49-ball 69 with the help of one six and seven fours despite suffering a hamstring injury in the later part of his knock.


“Mission accomplished,” said Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir.


“Chasing 191 against the defending champions in their backyard shows the character of Bisla. It proves a captain is only as good as his team.”


Man-of-the-match Bisla and Kallis put on 136 runs for the second wicket in 13.4 overs before Tiwary and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (11 not out) completed the win to deny two-time champions Chennai a hat-trick.


“Bisla and Kallis got the partnership Kolkata needed,” said Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.


“I think the ball started coming on slightly better in the second half but under the conditions, we batted well. Our bowlers were not getting the reverse swing.”


Australian paceman Ben Hilfenhaus bagged two wickets for Chennai, who were facing elimination at one stage of the tournament.


Chennai were lucky to figure in the play-offs, having qualified on better net run-rate than that of Royal Challengers Bangalore after both the teams finished their league engagements with 17 points.


The final was also watched by Pakistan’s cricket chief Zaka Ashraf. Pakistani players, who are usually a major draw in India, have been kept out of the tournament after the first edition, reportedly due to security fears.


Suresh Raina earlier cracked a 38-ball 73 with five sixes to help Chennai set a stiff target. Australian Michael Hussey (54), who turned 37 on Sunday, and Murali Vijay (42) were the other main scorers.


Chennai made a brisk start after electing to bat as Hussey put on 87 for the opening wicket with Vijay and then 73 for the second wicket with Raina.


Raina raced to his half-century off just 27 balls before falling off the last ball of the innings, caught by Australian Brett Lee in the deep off Shakib.


Kolkata got $2 million for the win while runners-up Chennai bagged $1.5 million.


Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi Daredevils qualified for the Champions League to be held in India in October between the top domestic Twenty20 clubs from around the world.


Brief scores:


Chennai Super Kings 190-3 in 20 overs (S. Raina 73, M. Hussey 54, M. Vijay 42) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 192-5 in 19.4 overs (M. Bisla 89, J. Kallis 69; B. Hilfenhaus 2-25) by five wickets.






Orignal From: Cricket: Bisla powers Kolkata to maiden IPL title

Cricket: ‘Hurt’ Sami vows good show




KARACHI: 

Fast-bowler Mohammad Sami said that he was  'shocked and hurt' after his name did not feature in the list of centrally-contracted players and the stipend category, which was announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday.



The PCB released the much-awaited list, awarding contracts to 21 players besides announcing an equal number of names in the stipend category for their impressive performance in domestic cricket.


However, Sami, who has been recalled to the squad for all the three formats ahead of the series against Sri Lanka, was a surprise omission.


While the fast-bowler, who earned a place after an outstanding show in the domestic circuit, remained calm, disappointment was evident.


"It definitely hurts," Sami told The Pak Sar Zameen. "The feeling is natural as I was expecting my name to be there. The problem is that the PCB also announced a separate stipend category for impressive performances in the domestic events and my name is not even in that list. I gave my best and my performance chart speaks for itself so it obviously hurts."


Pacer vows 'to earn contract'


But Sami said he will not let the disappointment affect his performance in the upcoming series that starts against Sri Lanka on June 1. "I've made many comebacks through hard work. I will display the same attitude and earn the contract through my performance.


"The best thing for me is that I am in the Pakistan team. Although a central contract is important for a player, being in the national team is more important.


"I'm working hard for a successful return to international cricket with an eye on transforming my domestic form to the top level."


The 31-year-old added that he was in good shape and has gained a lot from the training camp that also featured warm-up matches.


Committee to recommend Sami's inclusion: Qasim 


Meanwhile, chief selector Iqbal Qasim said the committee will ask PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf to include Sami in the list of central contracts.


Apart from Sami, young fast-bowler Mohammad Talha's name will also be recommended, the chief selector added.


"The names for central contracts were finalised when Sami was not part of the team," Qasim said in an interview.


"Talha was also not fit at the time. But now the selection committee will recommend their names for central contracts."


According to a PCB official, little feedback was taken from the current selection committee, which relied on the list prepared by former chief selector Mohammad Illyas during his tenure.


Iqbal Qasim


"The names for central contracts were finalised when Sami was not part of the team. Talha was also not fit at the time. But now the selection committee will recommend their names to the PCB chairman."


Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, May 28th, 2012.







Orignal From: Cricket: 'Hurt' Sami vows good show

Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Webber wins Monaco GP, Alonso takes overall lead

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Mark Webber won the Monaco Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to make Formula One history, while Fernando Alonso moved narrowly into the championship lead.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Webber is the sixth different driver to win in the opening six races of the season, a first for F1.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>With drivers favoring a one-stop tire strategy on the most difficult track for overtaking, Webber effectively needed to make it to the first corner in front and then negotiate a clean pit stop.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 35-year-old Australian did just that to stay ahead of Nico Rosberg and Alonso for his eighth career win his second in three years at Monaco for Red Bull, which has won the last three here from pole position.<br />&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Several drivers failed to finish, including Jenson Button and Michael Schumacher.<br />&nbsp;</p>


No restriction on dual nationality in constitution: PM

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said there was no restriction on dual citizenship in the Constitution and he was in favour of expatriate Pakistanis getting right to vote and becoming members of the Parliament.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>During an interview, he said more than 300 councilors, mayors and members of House of Commons and House of Lords in Britain were Pakistanis.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said law and Constitution were not made for individuals and one had to look at the situation in the country and the world.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;What will happen if Britain abolished the citizenship of Lord Nazir Ahmed?&quot; he asked.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Replying to a question about Pakistan-US relations, Gilani said talks were continuing between the two countries on the reopening of NATO supply lines.He said the relations of countries could not be based on an incident but on solid grounds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>To a question, he said according to the law, Dr Shakil Afridi should be given the right to defend himself in the higher courts. He said Dr Afridi was wrong in what he had done but should get justice through the regular courts.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Afridi's sentencing does not help US-Pak ties: Panetta

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 33 years sentencing of a Pakistani physician, who helped the CIA in tracing whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden, does not help the effort to re-establish the &quot;most complicated&quot; relationship between the US and Pakistan, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It&nbsp;s so difficult to understand and so disturbing that they would sentence this doctor to 33 years for helping in the search for the most notorious terrorist in our times,&quot; Panetta told in an interview to an American TV channel. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;Dr Shakil Afridi was not working against Pakistan. He was working against Al Qaeda. And I hope that ultimately Pakistan understands that, because what they have done here, I think, you know, does not help in the effort to try to re-establish a relationship between the US and Pakistan,&quot; he said. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Responding to questions, Panetta said US-Pak ties is one of the most complicated relationships. &quot;This has been one of the most complicated relationships that we&nbsp;ve had working with Pakistan. You know we have to continue to work at it. It is important. This is a country that has nuclear weapons. This is a country that still is critical in that region of the world. It&nbsp;s an up and down relationship. There have been periods where we&nbsp;ve had good cooperation. And they have worked with us,&quot; he said. Panetta added, &quot;There have been periods where we&nbsp;ve had conflict. But they&nbsp;re dealing with the terrorist threat just like we are. So our responsibility here is to keep pushing them to understand how important it is for them to work with us to try to deal with the common threats we both face. &quot;And what they did with this doctor doesn&nbsp;t help in the effort to try to do that,&quot; Panetta said. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When asked about the on-going negotiations with Pakistan on reopening of supply routes to Afghanistan, Panetta said he the US would only fair price. &quot;We&nbsp;re going to pay a fair price. They&nbsp;re negotiating what the price ought to be. You know clearly we&nbsp;re not about to get gouged in the price. We want a fair price,&quot; Panetta said.<br />&nbsp;</p>


19 Pakistani pilgrims wounded in Iraq bombing

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A roadside bomb in Iraq&nbsp;s Anbar province wounded 19 Pakistani Shiite pilgrims on Sunday, police and a doctor said, in the second attack against pilgrims in the Sunni province in days.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;A bus carrying Pakistani pilgrims was targeted by a roadside bomb at around 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on the highway to Baghdad&quot; from Fallujah, Anbar police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Taher Kitab told AFP.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The attack wounded the driver of the bus and 18 passengers, including three children who were in critical condition, he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Assem al-Hadithi, a doctor at Fallujah Hospital, confirmed the toll, and said that the pilgrims were going to visit the Al-Askari Shiite shrine in Samarra, north of Baghdad.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The attack comes after a roadside bomb exploded on Wednesday near a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims west of Anbar&nbsp;s provincial capital Ramadi, killing three and wounding at least 10.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Iraq is home to some of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam, to which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock each year. Pilgrims are periodically attacked, often with bombs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Brutal sectarian fighting tore across Iraq beginning in 2006, leaving tens of thousands of people dead.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While the violence was brought under control by a US troop surge and by Sunni tribesmen switching sides to fight against insurgents, sectarian tensions in Iraq remain high.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>


Nowshera: Bomb attack kills one security official

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to details, a security forces convoy, coming to Nowsehra from Swat, came under bomb attack near Rashkai Interchange.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The sources said that a bomb, planted on the roadside, exploded when the security forces convoy reached near it, killing one security official and injuring four others including a passerby.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The injured were shifted to CMH Nowshera. The security forces have cordoned off the area and started a search operation.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Fazal refuses to meet Gilani over new budget

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has refused to hold consultations with Prime Minister Gilani over the new budget.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to sources the prime minister house had contacted with JUI-F chief and had invited his for consultations over the new budget on 30th of May for consultations over the new budget but Maulana Fazalur Rehman refused to hold meeting and said that the previous promises made regarding the development funds were not fulfilled.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to source prime minister wanted to consult Maluana Fazal over the new budget but he has refused to hold any meeting with Gilani over this issue.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Maulana Fazal is very annoyed with PM Gilani these days; meanwhile it is also expected that Maulana will lodge complaint of Gilani with President Zardari because he is enjoying cordial relations with President Zardari.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sources have claimed that Maulana Fazalur Rehman has speed up the efforts of political understanding in the parliament; meanwhile in this regard he is enjoying the mandate of the president.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Gujranwala: National Softball Championship begins

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 3rd National Softball Championship started at the Jinnah Stadium in Gujranwala. In the first match, Islamabad outplayed Punjab with 20 goals to 10 goals.Shoaib, Ameer and Mehboob scored three goals each for the winner.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the second match of the day, Pakistan Army registered victory. A large number of spectators were present to witness the matches.<br />&nbsp;</p>


PML-N to move court against Speakers decision

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will also file petition against Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza ruling regarding Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani&rsquo;s contempt case.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to the PML-N sources MNA Khawaja Asif will file the petition on the direction of party leadership to challenge Speaker National Assembly&rsquo;s ruling.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Only 17percent of budget for defence: Musharraf

Posted:

<p><br />Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf has claimed that the federal government was allocating only 17 percent of total expenditures on defence services.<br />He was addressing a meeting of ex-servicemen in Lahore through video-link from London.<br />He dispelled the impression that defence services were getting the prime chunk of the national budget and claimed that it was being reduced despite the military was performing a massive job of countering terrorism. He claimed that the last national budget&rsquo;s size was Rs 3,770 billion while the defence allocation was only Rs 570 billion.<br />He maintained that no increase had been made to the defence budget for the last three years. Musharraf, claiming the government was using 32 percent of the budget for its expenditures, said the defence department got only 17 percent to maintain its apparatus.<br />&nbsp;</p>


England eye series win as Windies slump again

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>West Indies&nbsp; latest top-order collapse left England on the brink of a series-clinching victory in the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Sunday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The tourists had slumped to 61 for six in their second innings at stumps on the third day.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>That gave them a lead of just three runs after England had made a first innings 428 featuring captain Andrew Strauss&nbsp;s second hundred in as many Tests.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Marlon Samuels (13 not out) and West Indies captain Darren Sammy (nought not out), who both made hundreds in the first innings, were together at the close.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>James Anderson removed both West Indies openers in a spell of two wickets for three runs in eight balls while fellow seamer Tim Bresnan followed up with three for nine in 26.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;It&nbsp;s fantastic,&quot; Bresnan told the BBC. &quot;It puts us in a really good position. We&nbsp;ve still got work to do.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>West Indies had enjoyed a relatively good day&nbsp;s work until the final session.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Anderson bowled Kieran Powell for one after the left-hander inside-edged a drive onto his stumps and then had Adrian Barath lbw for seven.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The left-hander had made a mere 11 when his renowned concentration faltered as he fell into a hooking trap, top-edging Stuart Broad&nbsp;s bouncer to Jonathan Trott at long leg.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>And when Darren Bravo, who took Edwards&nbsp;s spot at three, was lbw to Bresnan -- the desperate review showed the ball hitting middle stump -- West Indies were 45 for four and still 13 runs adrift of making England bat again.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>They avoided the embarrassment of an innings defeat when Samuels clipped Bresnan for a boundary through mid-wicket.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But in the space of three balls Bresnan had Ramdin and Edwards lbw, the latter out for nought.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>England resumed Sunday on 259 for two in reply to West Indies&nbsp; first innings 370. Strauss was 102 not out and Kevin Pietersen 72 not out.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It was left-handed opener Strauss&nbsp;s second century of the series after he ended an 18-month wait for a Test ton with 122 at Lord&nbsp;s.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But whenever he&nbsp;d been previously been not out overnight on a Test hundred, Strauss had never added more than six runs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It was Pietersen though who was unable to press on Sunday when he was lbw to Ravi Rampaul&nbsp;s inswinger for 80, ending a third-wicket partnership of 144.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Fast bowler Rampaul, who missed the first Test with a neck injury, led the attack well with three for 75 in 32 overs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Fellow paceman Kemar Roach took two for six in 16 balls with the new ball to reduce England to 308 for five, removing Ian Bell and Jonathan Bairstow, who struggled against anything short.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Strauss managed just 39 runs in 98 balls Sunday and he was eventually caught behind off the medium-pace of Sammy.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He batted for more than seven hours in total, facing 303 balls with 22 fours.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>England were still behind when Strauss was out at 363 for seven.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But West Indies, who bowled well, then had to suffer a frustrating eighth-wicket stand of 53 between Bresnan and Broad.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Sri Lankan dengue experts reach Lahore

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Punjab Chief Minister&nbsp;s Special Assistant on Health Khwaja Salman Rafiq received the three-member team of dengue experts from Sri Lanka, headed by Dr Paba.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Salman Rafiq informed that five cases of dengue were reported so far in Punjab. He said that the government is taking measures for the prevention from dengue.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Speaking on the occasion, Sri Lankan dengue expert assured cooperation to Punjab government in campaign against dengue. <br />&nbsp;</p>


North Waziristan: US drone strikes kill 8 in Mir Ali

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>A US drone attack early Monday killed at least eight people in North Waziristan, a northwestern Pakistan tribal region near the Afghan border, security officials said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The attack took place in Hassokhel town near Mir Ali, 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It was the third such attack in the last four days in North Waziritan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&quot;The US drones targeting a house and a vehicle, fired four missiles killing people,&quot; a Pakistani security official said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He added that the compound came under attack for a second time after some 20 minutes, with US drones firing four more missiles.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>He said the exact number of drones that took part in the attack was not immediately known.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Kolkata Knight Riders win ILP Final 2012

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>In another IPL thriller Kolkata Knight Riders Sunday won the final match against the Chennai Super Kings. Earlier Chennai Super Kings had scored 190 for three in twenty overs (20 overs Chennai Super Kings 190 for 3 (Raina 73, Hussey 54, Vijay 42) v Kolkata Knight Riders). In reply Kolkata Knight Riders scored 192 with one ball to left&nbsp; For Chennai Super Kings&nbsp; third straight playoff match, a similar tale played out, putting them in prime position for their third consecutive IPL title. For the third time this week, a magical innings from a previously out-of-form batsman left the opposition clueless and Super Kings with a giant total.</p><p><br />After MS Dhoni and M Vijay, it was Suresh Raina&nbsp;s turn to play a blinder. He entered with Super Kings already in a position of strength, with Michael Hussey and M Vijay clicking again, and proceeded to pulverise the best of the Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers. Suresh Raina played his best innings of the season - 73 off 38 balls.</p><p><br />Weak against the short ball? Raina&nbsp;s first boundary was a powerfully pulled six over midwicket off Jacques Kallis. The mystery of Sunil Narine? Raina slog-swept into the stands and later deposited the ball near the sightscreen as Narine was handed his most expensive figures of the tournament. Brett Lee was swiped over midwicket on his way to figures of 4-0-42-0, nullifying the decision to include him to provide additional firepower to the Knight Riders attack.</p><p><br />The shot of the innings, though, wasn&nbsp;t a muscled one, but a punch over the bowler&nbsp;s head that was perfectly timed to beat a diving long-on.</p><p><br />Unlike in the knockout game against Delhi Daredevils, Super Kings took a couple of overs to get going. Vijay didn&nbsp;t show off his off-side drives like he had against Delhi, instead reverting to his flat-bat hoicks and whips to wide long-on. His confidence was highlighted by an on-the-up thump over long-on for six when Lee dropped a bit short in the sixth over.</p><p><br />Keeping Vijay company was Hussey, who initially tackled the spin of Shakib Al Hasan with a series of reverse-sweeps.</p><p><br />e countered Lee by bravely shimmying down the track and launching over long-off. As usual, Hussey&nbsp;s innings had the muscled sweep-pulls to midwicket and featured some precision placement. Midway through the innings, he was gasping for breath but his running did not slacken, even when he the non-striker.</p><p><br />The boundaries vanished towards the end of Hussey&nbsp;s stay, but by then Raina was hammering the attack out of shape.</p><p><br />Knight Riders didn&nbsp;t fade in the field like Daredevils had. The first wicket came through a superb diving catch from Shakib, and there was no let up in effort as they attempted to keep the torrent in check. It was a flat pitch, and with a long batting line-up, Knight Riders weren&nbsp;t out of it yet.</p><p><br />There were a galaxy of former Indian cricketers in attendance, the brightest lights from Bollywood were in the stands, both teams had some of the biggest stars in the world game but the headlining performance came from little-known Manvinder Bisla as Kolkata Knight Riders prised the IPL trophy out of Chennai Super Kings&nbsp; hands. Bisla, without a Ranji Trophy side last season, made a mockery of his previous career Twenty20 strike-rate of 106 to play a jack-in-the-box innings that helped overhaul what had seemed a mountainous Super Kings total.</p><p><br />&nbsp;</p>


PTI to file petition against Speaker NA in SC

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>He was addressing a huge public meeting in Rawalpindi. Thousands of people waving PTI flags attended the meeting.</p><p><br />Imran Khan said Gilani was no longer a prime minister of the country on moral grounds and that people would come out on streets against those who were trying to destroy the Supreme Court for protecting their corruption.</p><p><br />&quot;PTI will install a system of justice in the country just the way our Holy Prophet (PBUH), the greatest leader of Muslims, did as a first step to bring an end to atrocities,&quot; Imran Khan promised. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Panetta says US on right track in Afghanistan

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&ldquo;We still have a fight on our hands,&rdquo; Panetta said Sunday on ABC&rsquo;s &ldquo;This Week.&rdquo;</p><p><br />&ldquo;The American people need to know that. The world needs to know that ... but we&rsquo;re on the right track,&rdquo; he added.<br />Last week, NATO allies affirmed a plan to end combat operations inside Afghanistan by the end of 2014. Republicans, including Mitt Romney, have criticized President Barack Obama&rsquo;s insistence on setting a firm timetable for the war because they say it shows a lack of commitment to the region and encourages enemy fighters to wait out a U.S. departure.<br />Panetta said critics of the plan should be mindful that the timetable has been embraced by some 50 allied nations.</p><p><br />&ldquo;That is the plan that has been agreed to. And it&rsquo;s a plan that is working,&rdquo; Panetta said.</p><p><br />&ldquo;And very frankly, the only way to get this accomplished &mdash; in terms of the transition that we have to go through &mdash; is to be able to set the kind of timelines that have been set here in order to ensure that we fulfill the mission of an Afghanistan that governs and secures itself,&rdquo; he added.</p><p><br />Panetta also reiterated his criticism of the conviction of a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA find and kill terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, calling the lengthy prison sentence handed to Dr. Shakil Afridi &ldquo;disturbing.&rdquo;</p><p><br />&ldquo;It is so difficult to understand and it&rsquo;s so disturbing that they would sentence this doctor to 33 years for helping in the search for the most notorious terrorist in our times,&rdquo; Panetta said. &ldquo;This doctor was not working against Pakistan.&rdquo;</p><p><br />U.S. officials have urged Pakistan to release the physician, who ran a vaccination program for the CIA to collect DNA and verify the al-Qaida leader&rsquo;s presence at the compound in the town of Abbottabad where U.S. commandos killed him in May 2011.</p><p><br />The capture of bin Laden strained the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, as did U.S. airstrikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers near the border. Pakistan responded to the airstrikes by closing key transit routes into Afghanistan. The chilly U.S.-Pakistan relationship was on public display at last week&rsquo;s NATO meeting, where Obama left Pakistan off a list of nations he thanked for help getting war supplies into Afghanistan.</p><p><br />Panetta called the U.S. relationship with Pakistan &ldquo;one of the most complicated we&rsquo;ve had.&rdquo;</p><p><br />&ldquo;This is a country that still is critical in that region of the world,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an up-and-down relationship. There have been periods where we&rsquo;ve had good cooperation and they have worked with us.&rdquo;<br />&nbsp;</p>


PM contempt case: Case will go to court again, says confident opposition




ISLAMABAD: 

By deciding not to file an appeal the government has, in principle, accepted the Supreme Court's verdict in Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's contempt case – according to the opposition at least.



"The SC's judgment has attained finality," Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) spokesperson Shafqat Mehmood  said while talking to The Pak Sar Zameen. He added that the government was 'instigating the court' to disqualify the prime minister in clear terms, saying that the matter would go to the court again.


The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appeared to agree. Party spokesperson Senator Mushahidullah Khan told The Pak Sar Zameen that "not filing an appeal against Prime Minister Gilani's conviction implies the government has accepted the Supreme Court's decision".


Senator Mushahidullah also expressed his disapproval of National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza's role in the matter, saying that through her ruling, the government superseded a decision made by a seven-judge bench of the apex court.


"Instead of going into confrontation mode, the speaker should have had played a positive role," he added. He said that the speaker, a representative of the executive, had become part of the confrontation with the court.


"By using the National Assembly speaker's ruling, the government is playing a political game," he said.


The speaker gave her ruling against the disqualification of the prime minister on May 24.


Liaqat Baloch from the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) was also of the view that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) saved Premier Gilani from disqualification by using the office of the NA Speaker but added the caveat, "for the time being."


Baloch also shared the view that the case would end up in court again: "Perhaps they (PPP leaders) were of the view that filing an appeal against the decision could damage the dividend (the speaker's ruling) but the matter will ultimately reach the Supreme Court again."


Responding to a question about the proposal of a grand alliance called for by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Baloch said "If JI will go for an alliance, its first priority will be religious parties and we are working on that".


Earlier on Saturday, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, counsel for Prime Minister Gilani, announced the decision, taken after consultation with party leadership, to not file an appeal.


Published in The Pak Sar Zameen, May 27th, 2012.






Orignal From: PM contempt case: Case will go to court again, says confident opposition

About the Administrator

© 2013 Mera Pak Watan. All rights resevered. Designed by These Templates