The Express Tribune Newsletter: June 14, 2012 ~ Mera Pak Watan

The Express Tribune Newsletter: June 14, 2012

Today's Headlines

1927-2012: The king of ghazal is dead

Our correspondents

His is not the story of a typical star. Mehdi Hassan, the undisputed king of ghazal – who left one too many applauses unheard and many a tributes unacknowledged in his lifetime – passed away at the age of 85 at 12:15 pm on Wednesday after suffering from multiple problems, including massive bleeding from the stomach, and lung and chest infections at the Agha Khan hospital in Karachi.

'Ridiculing' the judiciary: Riaz summoned over public diatribe

Azam Khan

A day after real-estate magnate Malik Riaz unleashed a salvo of serious allegations against the judiciary, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son in particular, the Supreme Court took notice of his 'explosive' news conference.

Elements other than apology keeping GLOCs closed: Panetta

Huma Imtiaz

As a US Senate subcommittee heard from top American generals and members of the defense setup over the resumption of Nato supply routes and a possible US apology to Pakistan over the November check post attack, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said that the administration has already expressed regret over the incident, however there were other elements at play which prevented the supply route from being reopened.

Deadly suicide bombings declining in Pakistan: Report

Ema Anis

The trend of deadly suicide bombings in Pakistan took its toll in the year 2009 with 90 incidents, but subsequently declined in the following years, according to an analysis by Pakistan Body Count. The year 2011 saw 44 suicide bombings, while the current year has seen 16 bombings as yet.

Business

Short circuit: NAB investigates factors that sparked energy crisis

Zafar Bhutta

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), in an attempt to determine the factors that have led to the energy crisis, has launched an investigation into kickbacks allegedly taken by government high-ups in allocating gas supply to powerful lobbies of different sectors, which eventually caused gas shortage for power companies, resulting in widespread load-shedding.

Vertical integration: PSO to set up refinery in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Our Correspondents

Pakistan State Oil's (PSO) two-year old plan to enter the refining business has finally made some headway as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has agreed to allot 400 acres of land to set up a refinery.

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Sports

Swimming: Israr up against mighty waves

Natasha Raheel

Israr Hussain applied to be part of the army aged 18. Little did he know that all his battles would take place in the swimming pool – the 25-year-old was one of the two Olympics wild-card beneficiaries in Pakistan.

Cricket: PCB to question Malik after Delhi turn-up

Fawad Hussain

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will ask former captain Shoaib Malik to explain his participation in a Delhi event without seeking either of the board's permission.

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Life & Style

A tribute to the king

Aaker Patel

The remarkable thing about ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan was that he fashioned, along with Begum* Akhtar, a style of singing that did not exist before them.

Traditional footwear: Cuckoo for khussas?

Hani Taha

While diamante sandals and kohla puri inspiredchappals may be in vogue everywhere else in Karachi, traditional kohla puris and khussas still retain their old school popularity. One place in Karachi that is still boasting this footwear is the city's once popular shopping joint Uzma Display Centre, a treat for khussa lovers.

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Opinion