The Express Tribune Newsletter: June 16, 2012

Today's Headlines

 

High-level huddle: Top leadership considering reopening NATO routes

Zia Khan

The country's top leadership is contemplating reopening inland supply routes for international forces stationed in Afghanistan after the US appears to be softening its stance on offering an apology for last year's attacks on border posts.

'Anchorgate': Criminal case lodged against Dunya TV whistleblowers

Umar Nangiana

In an attempt at damage control, Dunya TV channel's management registered a criminal case against 'unidentifed' people responsible for publicising off-air footage of a controversial interview with Bahria Town chief Malik Riaz.

Pak-US relations: Congress impatience with Islamabad increasing

Huma Imtiaz

While weather in the US capital may be unseasonably pleasant, the temperature in Congress is heating up as senators and House members publicly take out their frustration on Pakistan.

Kohistan 'killings' case: 'Condemned' women most likely had NICs

Our Correspondent

The possibility of documentary evidence in the Kohistan 'killing' case is likely to aid a second fact-finding mission scheduled to visit Peech Bela union council on Saturday, sources told The Express Tribune on Friday.

 

Business

Govt cuts prices of petroleum products & CNG

Zafar Bhutta

The government on Friday cut oil prices by up to Rs 11.75 per litre following a fall in global crude oil rates. The new prices take effect from today.

Disciplining the undisciplined: Proposal tabled to penalise inefficient power firms

Zafar Bhutta

Amid 6,675 megawatts (MW) power shortfall leading to series of load shedding across the country, Cabinet Committee on Energy on Friday proposed to penalise inefficient power distribution companies (DISCOs) with high line losses by curtailing power supply.

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Sports

Yousuf looks to Sri Lanka after Lashings success

Fawad Hussain

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf, who returned from England after a successful brief stint with Lashings World XI Cricket Club, is now eyeing the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) as he strives to make his international comeback.

Blue turf shouldn't be an excuse: Shahbaz

Our Correspondents

Former captain Shahbaz Ahmed has blasted the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) after it gave the new surface – blue in colour – as the excuse for the team's poor show of late.

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Life & Style

Wiam Dahmani's Lollywood adventure

Sher Khan

If you have never heard of film-maker Shahzad Rafique, watch Mohabbatan Sachiyan and Salakhain; you'll realise soon enough that he has a knack for thinking out of the box. For his upcoming film, Ishq Khuda, he has put yet another experiment to the test; instead of casting your regular Lollywood beauty, he has introduced a fresh face to an industry that desperately needs some love.

Peshawar parties to 'Chammak Challo', Mussarat Mohmand

Rafay Mahmood

While the rest of the country paid tribute to the late Mehdi Hassan Khan, Peshawar indulged in some merry making. The students of Khyber Medical College (KMC) gathered at the Town Wedding Hall on Wednesday to celebrate "KMC Summer Night", an event that is held every year to celebrate the end of an academic semester.

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Opinion

Partition riots, sacrifices and Jihad

Ajmal Kamal

Plants

Maria Waqar

Teeru Chandio

Salman Rashid

Order from chaos

Farrukh Khan Pitafi

The son also rises

Amina Jilani

Blogs

Bombs here guns there, bombs and guns everywhere!

Tehmina Qureshi

Meher-Mubashir: Time to re-visit ethics

Mazhar Abbas

Power to the people: Pakistan's mismanagement of energy

Azeem Ibrahim

How to make it big in Pakistan

Adnan Khalid Rasool

Poll

Have you ever been a victim of street crime?

No (50%, 211 Votes)

Yes (50%, 210 Votes)

Total Voters: 421

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Dunya TV

Dunya TV


Malik Riaz's interview presented to SC full court session

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The video of Malik Riaz&rsquo;s interview with Dunya News was presented to Supreme Court full court session which was presided over by Chief Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iftekhar.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Supreme Court full court session constituted a two-member committee to probe the issue. Dunya News has appreciated the decision and assured full cooperation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Chief Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iftekhar presided over the full court session of the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Friday. Chairman Pakistan Electronic Medical Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Javed Jabbar presented report regarding Dunya News programme. Supreme Court Registrar Faqir Hussain presented note regarding Malik Riaz Hussain&rsquo;s interview. It was stated in the note that other TV channels aired unedited footage of Dunya News programme.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The full court session sought report from chairman NEPRA on the issue and formed a two-member committee headed by Justice Jawad S Khawaja to look into matter. The committee will further deliberate the case in the light of PEMRA report.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Dunya News appreciated the SC decision to form the committee to probe to issue and said that Dunya News is among the pioneers of movement for the independence of judiciary. Dunya News will continue to work for the independent judiciary.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When Dunya News started support for the judiciary at the same time its rival channels hatched conspiracies against Dunya News and judiciary. Dunya News has vowed to standby judiciary in hour of need.<br />&nbsp;</p>


President, PM, Army Chief meet at Presidency

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Syed Yousuf raza Gilani and Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar was also present during the meeting.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Issues relating to security in the region were discussed during the meeting. Foreign Minister briefed the meeting about progress in Pak-US talks. They also discussed issue of reopening NATO supply routes.<br />&nbsp;</p>


CNG stations in Sindh to remain closed for 24 hours

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The CNG stations across Sindh, including Karachi, will remain closed from Saturday (today) 9:00am to Sunday 9:00am.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to the Sui Southern Gas Company, the decision has been taken by gas load management.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The surveillance teams of the Sui Southern Gas Company would examine implementation of the decision made by the company.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to rules and regulation, the CNG stations committing violation to the regulation would have to remain deprived of gas for another 24 hours.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Hafeez chairs Cabinet Committee on Energy meeting

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Cabinet Committee on Energy which met here on Friday with the Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was informed that two thousand MW of electricity can be added in the national grid provided that gas or furnace oil is provided in this regard.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Cabinet committee deliberated at length about the over all loadshedding management in the country and asked the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure that the DISCOs be made to follow the loadshedding formulas, and non-complaint DISCOs or their&nbsp;s responsible be brought to task.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The committee has expressed its reservations that despite the presence of the central control system operating within the command of the Water and Power Division how could the DISCOs venture to violate the system.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Chairman of the committee Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh taking exception of the serious management problems in dealing with the loadshedding by the DISCOs said that the committee then will decide how to revive the confidence of the public, by resorting to some stern actions against the non-complaints.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Met Office predicts 15pc more rain during Monsoon

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>From 5 to 15 percent above normal rainfall is expected during the ensuing Monsoon season as comparing to previous season, Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department Arif Mehmood said Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Addressing a press conference he urged the provincial governments and National Disaster Management Authorities to intensify the preparations to prevent the losses of lives and properties of the people.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The above normal rains are expected in vulnerable areas including some areas of Southern Punjab, lower Sindh and some districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Due to global warming, he said the frequency of rains would be more due to the expected cloud bursting, elaborating he said due to variety of reasons 250 to 300 ml rainfall is expected within a few hours which is likely to cause the flash flooding.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Arrangements are in place to convey to predictions of the rainfall to Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and relevant departments before five to seven days before the occurrence of rains, he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan Meteorological department has latest equipments and there is a very rare chance of proving wrong information, he told a questioner.<br />&nbsp;</p>


President, PM discuss current political situation

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari and discussed current political situation of the country.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Prime Minister also briefed the President about Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development which would be held in Rio de Janeiro&sbquo; Brazil. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pakistan would be represented by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Minister for Climate Change Rana Muhammad Farooq.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Law and order situation in various parts of the country was also discussed during the meeting.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US spies involved in heinous crime, dissipated activities

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The US government on Friday revealed details of serious allegations against Secret Service agents and officers since 2004, including claims of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior. It was not immediately clear how many of the accusations were confirmed to be true.</p><p><br />The heavily censored list, which runs 229 pages, was quietly released under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act to The Associated Press and other news organizations following the Secret Service prostitution scandal that erupted in April in Colombia.</p><p><br />It describes accusations filed against Secret Service employees with the Homeland Security Department&nbsp;s inspector general.</p><p><br />The service protects the president and those close to him.</p><p><br />Some of the accusations occurred as recently as last month. In many cases, the government noted that some of the claims were resolved administratively, and others were being formally investigated.</p><p><br />The new disclosures of so many serious accusations lend weight to concerns expressed by Congress that the prostitution scandal exposed a culture of misconduct within the Secret Service.</p><p><br />Secret Service Direct Mark Sullivan apologized for the incident during a hearing in May but insisted that what happened in Colombia was an isolated case.</p><p><br />Secret Service officials did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the accusations.</p><p><br />The complaints included an alleged sexual assault reported in August 2011. In the heavily censored entry, an employee was accused of pushing a woman who also worked for the agency onto a bed during a work trip.</p><p><br />The employee &quot;got on top of (censored) attempting to have sex,&quot; even though the woman &quot;told (censored) &nbsp;no&nbsp; several times.&quot;</p><p><br />The entry noted that supervisors described the accused as &quot;a conscientious and dependable employee.&quot;</p><p><br />The incident was closed with an &quot;administrative disposition&quot; in February.</p><p><br />They also included an anonymous complaint in October 2003 that a Secret Service agent &quot;may have been involved with a prostitution ring,&quot; noting that two telephone numbers belonging to the agent, whose name was censored and who has since retired, turned up as part of an FBI investigation into a prostitution ring. In 2005, an employee was reported to the Washington field office for being arrested on a charge of solicitation in a park. Documents do not reveal the outcome of that case.</p><p><br />In 2008, an on-duty uniform division officer was arrested in a Washington prostitution sting. The officer, who was driving a marked Secret Service vehicle at the time, was placed on administrative leave, the records show. Sullivan said during the May hearing that the officer was later fired.</p><p><br />Some of the allegations were obviously spurious, such as a complaint in August 2010 that a Secret Service agent had performed experiments and implanted stimulators in a citizen&nbsp;s brain. The list also included dozens of complaints about fraudulent emails that circulate widely on the Internet and appear to come from the Secret Service.</p><p><br />A dozen Secret Service officers, agents and supervisors were implicated in the Colombia scandal and eight have been forced out of the agency. At least two employees are fighting to get their jobs back.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Pakistan to protect its territorial integrity: Wynne

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Addressing to the graduation ceremony of National Security and War Course at National Defence University Islamabad, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne said that &ldquo;the security environment we face today and into the future is increasingly fluid and shaped by a dynamic mix of continuing and emerging challenges and opportunities. The concept of national security has evolved and broadened to include non-traditional threats such as transnational crime, natural disasters and pandemics&rdquo;, he added.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While addressing the audience Chairman JCSC said &ldquo;we are combating whole heartedly the menace of extremism and terrorism from our society. The people and the Armed Forces of Pakistan have taken up this challenge and our soldiers as well as innocent civilians are sacrificing their lives for this cause. He further said that Pakistan has every intention of preserving its territorial integrity. We seek nothing beyond secure frontiers and pose no threat to any country and will accept no pressure for standing up for our principles.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While dilating upon the peace and stability of the region, he said, &ldquo;I must also point out that as long as the regional disputes, especially Kashmir, remains unresolved, stability will remain a distant dream, we must therefore continue for a just solution of the Kashmir dispute as it is only fair to all the people who dwell in this region&rdquo;.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Congratulating the graduates comprising Armed Forces officers, civil bureaucrats of Pakistan and senior officers from friendly countries on successful completion of the course, General Khalid expressed hope that the enhanced knowledge, competence, capacity for analysis and decision making would make them an asset for a nation and the world at large. He also applauded the efforts of the faculty and management of National Defence University.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Poland captain; from tragedy to stardom

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund player&nbsp;s world took a horrible turn one night 16 years ago when his father stabbed his mother to death.</p><p><br />Blaszczykowski has said he realizes &quot;that this stigma on my psyche will stay with me till the end of my life. I&nbsp;ll never understand it, and the question of why, of what the reason was, will stay with me until I die.&quot;</p><p><br />His father was sentenced to prison for the murder, leaving Blaszczykowski and his older brother without either parent. Their grandmother, Felicija, stepped forward and took the brothers in, raising both of them. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Champ Stoner sets fastest time in practice

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>He made the most of mixed weather conditions at a track where he won in the rain last year.</p><p><br />The Australian, who will retire from the sport at the end of the season, clocked 2min 04.791sec on his Honda as the circuit dried with Yamaha rider Ben Spies, 0.034sec back on a Yamaha and Honda man Alvaro Bautista 0.204sec off the pace on a Honda.</p><p><br />Spain&nbsp;s Jorge Lorenzo, who leads the standings by 20 points from Stoner, was down in seventh place, 0.697sec behind the Australian.</p><p><br />Ducati&nbsp;s Nicky Hayden finished fourth fastest, having recovered from his hand problem last time out in Spain while teammate Valentino Rossi, who was fastest in the wet in the morning, had a disappointing afternoon session finishing in 11th.<br />&nbsp;</p>


US defense chief salutes gays in military

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Pentagon prepares to mark June as gay pride month with an official salute.</p><p><br />In a remarkable sign of a cultural change in the U.S. military, Panetta said that with the repeal last year of the &quot;Don&nbsp;t Ask, Don&nbsp;t Tell&quot; law that prohibited gays from serving openly in the military, gays and lesbians can now be proud to be in uniform.</p><p><br />&quot;Now you can be proud of serving your country, and be proud of who you are,&quot; Panetta said.</p><p><br />The defense chief also said he is committed to removing as many barriers as possible to making the military a model of equal opportunity.</p><p><br />Panetta&nbsp;s video message was part of a Pentagon salute to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender troops as the Pentagon joined the rest of the U.S. government for the first time in marking June as gay pride month.</p><p><br />It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had prohibited gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.</p><p><br />On Friday the Pentagon announced that its gay pride event -- the first of its kind -- will be held June 26 in the Pentagon. It will feature remarks by Jeh Johnson, the top Pentagon lawyer, as well as a panel discussion of the value of gay service and diversity, with gay and lesbian service members participating.</p><p><br />This month&nbsp;s event will follow a tradition at the Pentagon of recognizing diversity in America&nbsp;s armed forces. Hallway displays and activities, for example, have marked Black History Month and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.</p><p><br />Before the repeal, gay troops could serve but couldn&nbsp;t reveal their orientation. If they did, they would be discharged. At the same time, a commanding officer was prohibited from asking a service member whether he or she was gay.</p><p><br />Although some feared repeal of the ban on serving openly would cause problems in the ranks, officials and gay advocacy groups say no big issues have materialized aside from what advocacy groups criticize as slow implementation of some changes, such as benefit entitlements to troops in same-sex marriages.<br />Basic changes have come rapidly since repeal; the biggest is that gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines no longer have to hide their sexuality in order to serve.</p><p><br />They can put photos on their office desk without fear of being outed, attend social events with their partners and openly join advocacy groups looking out for their interests.</p><p><br />OutServe, a once-clandestine professional association for gay service members, has nearly doubled in size to more than 5,500 members. It held its first national convention of gay service members in Las Vegas last fall, then a conference on family issues this year in Washington.</p><p><br />At the U.S. Military Academy, the alumni gay advocacy group Knights Out was able to hold the first installment in March of what is intended to be an annual dinner in recognition of gay and lesbian graduates and Army cadets. Gay students at the U.S. Naval Academy were able to take same-sex dates to the academy&nbsp;s Ring Dance for third-year midshipmen.</p><p><br />Panetta said last month that military leaders had concluded that repeal had not affected morale or readiness. A report to Panetta with assessments from the individual military service branches said that as of May 1 they had seen no ill effects.</p><p><br />&quot;I don&nbsp;t think it&nbsp;s just moving along smoothly, I think it&nbsp;s accelerating faster than we even thought the military would as far as progress goes,&quot; said Air Force 1st Lt. Josh Seefried, a finance officer and co-director of</p><p><br />He said acceptance has been broad among straight service members and has put a spotlight on unequal treatment that gays continue to receive in some areas. &quot;We are seeing such tremendous progress in how much the military is accepting us, but not only that in how much the rank and file is now understanding the inequality that&nbsp;s existing right now,&quot; he said.</p><p><br />That&nbsp;s a reference to the fact that same-sex couples aren&nbsp;t afforded spousal health care, assignments to the same location when they transfer to another job, and other benefits. There was no immediate change to eligibility standards for military benefits in September. All service members already were entitled to certain things, such as designating a partner as one&nbsp;s life insurance beneficiary or as designated caregiver in the Wounded Warrior program.</p><p><br />As for other benefits still not approved, the department began a review after repeal with an eye toward possibly extending eligibility, consistent with the federal Defense of Marriage Act and other applicable laws, to the same-sex partners of military personnel.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>


Rafael Nadal out of Gerry Weber Open

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p><br />The eighth-seeded Kohlschreiber ended Nadal&nbsp;s 13-match winning streak four days after the Spaniard won a record seventh French Open title.</p><p><br />&quot;It&nbsp;s not the time to look for excuses,&quot; Nadal said. &quot;He played much better than me.&quot;</p><p><br />Kohlschreiber, the defending champion, fired eight aces in all, ending the first game with his first. He broke Nadal in the next after the Spaniard saved two break points and piled on the pressure by making it 3-0 after the third game.</p><p><br />&quot;Today, from the beginning was tough for me,&quot; Nadal said.<br />Kohlschreiber missed the opportunity to break the 11-time Grand Slam champion again in the first game of the second set, and defended three break points to hold serve three games later, when Nadal improved to make some terrific returns.</p><p><br />But the German broke Nadal again in the seventh game and confirmed the break to establish a 5-3 lead before seeing out the match in 1 hour and 25 minutes.</p><p><br />&quot;It was a world-class day for me,&quot; said the 34th-ranked Kohlschreiber. &quot;In principle I did nothing wrong.&quot;</p><p><br />It was his first win over Nadal in nine attempts, but this was their first meeting on grass.</p><p><br />&quot;It&nbsp;s more a tennis problem than a mental problem,&quot; Nadal said. &quot;The transition is difficult. It depends how much time you have. Playing on grass can sometimes be a bit of a lottery.&quot;</p><p><br />Kohlschreiber will next meet the winner of the match between third seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and wild card Tommy Haas of Germany.</p><p><br />Earlier, Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.<br />Five-time winner Roger Federer was playing Milos Raonic of Canada later Friday.<br />&nbsp;</p>


Foods for Beautiful Skin

Posted:

<p>Avocados are not just for eating A good source of biotin, avocados help to prevent dry skin and brittle hair and nails. When applied topically, they can hydrate parched skin. Reach for tomatoes. A study found that lycopene-rich tomato paste helped participants prevent sunburn when they combined it with olive oil, daily for ten weeks. Besides being a great source of the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes are considered a high-carotenoid fruit. These nutrients may help slow down cellular damage from free radicals.</p><p>Put pomegranate on your list. When applied topically, this antioxidant-rich fruit may help skin create more collagen, while speeding healing. Try walnuts. Looking to add Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet but not a fan of fish? Walnuts are a rich source of Omega-3s, which help put shine in your hair and aid in making skin smoother and younger looking. Build better skin with beans. Another protein source, legumes help repair cells that have suffered free radical damage. During digestion, protein breaks down into amino acids, the building blocks of cells. Amino acids help to speed the repair and regeneration of skin cells and collagen.</p>


MQM reservations based on reality: Sharjeel

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to the media Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that MQM&rsquo;s reservations regarding law and order situation in Sindh were based on reality, adding that a meeting had been summoned to discuss the situation. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The minister said that opposition leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was not sincere to PML-N and had contacted PPP leaders many times for joining PPP. <br />&nbsp;</p>


Privacy breach discovered in Internet

Posted:

<p>&nbsp;</p><p><br />The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers says it had mistakenly published postal addresses of individuals making bids for the names contact information that was meant to be private.</p><p>The disclosure was limited to cities and countries in some cases, while full street addresses appeared in others.</p><p><br />The discovery came late Thursday, a day after ICANN revealed nearly 2,000 proposals for new Internet suffixes and posted details on its website.<br />&nbsp;</p>


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