Canadian Pakistani Times Thursday may 9, 2013 Volume 1, 57

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf

(PTI) chief Imran Khan who was injured

in a stage fall on Tuesday evening told

newsmen today that although he was

feeling better, he would not be able to cast

his vote in his hometown of Mianwali as

he had previously planned.

Khan had sustained head and back injuries

after he fell from a lifter during a public

meeting in Lahore. He received stitches on

his head.

PTI spokesman Shafqat Mehmood told

media on Tuesday night that Khan would not

be able to continue his political campaign for

the elections on the advice of the doctors and

added that it was not a political decision.

The campaign was scheduled to end on

Thursday night prior to Saturday’s elections.

Lying on his bed at the Shaukat Khanum

Hospital, which he had built and named after

his mother, Khan urged his supporters to

ensure voting in big numbers.

“11th May is the day of change,” he told

reporters.

Earlier in a video message to his

supporters from his hospital, Khan had said

that he had done what he could in the last

several years.

“Now it is your (people’s) turn to take

charge and ensure the making of ‘naya’

Pakistan,” he said.

Imran says feels better, would not be able to cast vote.

Breakfast meeting to discuss the

recently announced Ontario Budget

2013 three Mississauga MPP’s Dipika

Damerla Mississauga – Crooksville,

Bob D el an e y Mi s s i s s au ga –

S treet svi l le & Amri t Mangat

Mississauga –Brampton South and an

expert were at hand to give an overall

view of the provincial budget and

answer any questions or concerns.

The half empty hall did not have

very many keen participants eithe...r.

When asked about why the change of

hearts is been shown by Ontario liberal

party on automobile insurance

reduction now....!

Were polices before faulty or not

well thought of?

We could not get a clear answer so

very normal as this issue has been

discussed before but we never ever

could get a straight answer.

Positive thing mentioned about the

new budget is that no new tax. But the

credit goes to all as all questions were

entertained.

Ontario's New Budget ONTARIO CAN HAVE A BETTER FUTURE – IF WE ACT TODAY

BRAMPTON – The solutions to

Ontario’s problems aren’t hard to

figure out, they’re just not easy to

do. The only way to put our

province on the right track is a

new team with a new plan and the

courage to put it into action, PC

Leader Tim Hudak said today.

“Too many people in Ontario are

having trouble finding work and

losing hope in our great

pr...ovince,” Hudak told a

Brampton community meeting.

“Yet the Liberal government has

chosen to continue down a path

that will only dig a deeper hole for

O n t a r i a n s . ”

Hudak’s comments followed

Thursday’s release of a Liberal

budget that increases spending and

debt, and entrenches the damaging

anti-jobs policies of the McGuinty

- W y n n e g o v e r n m e n t .

Ontario can do better, Hudak

stressed: “It’s time to change the

direction of our province. And for

that to happen, we need to change

the team tha t l eads i t .

“We have a choice to make

between continuing down the

same path that has us struggling to

keep up, or taking a new path that

surges ahead toward a strong,

confident and prosperous

O n t a r i o , ” Hu d a k a d d e d .

Hudak said only the PCs have a

plan to take bold action for

growing our economy and

stopping reckless overspending.

“Our plan includes ideas to

modernize our labour laws to

compete for jobs, lower taxes,

affordable energy and building a

government that lives within its

m e a n s .

“If we make these decisions now

we can bring back jobs and

investment, give hope to small

business owners, and ensure our

children have a bright future right

here in Ontario,” Hudak

c o n c l u d e d .

“So let’s not wait any longer.

02 May 9, 2013

Brampton's new business Opening of INet Computers in Brampton on the corner of Steeles & Mavis (opposite no frills) chief guest was area

MP Kyle Seeback seen here in the photo along with other guests, community leaders & members of Punjabi Press Club

of Canada. Brampton has a new business ready to cater high tech needs of local

Rockets fired from Syria fall in Israel-occupied Golan

JERUSALEM: Two rockets

fired from Syrian territory

exploded inside the Israeli-

occupied Golan Heights on

Monday, without causing

casualties or damage, an Israeli

army spokeswoman said.

The rockets exploded in a field

near the ceasefire line in the

southern Golan, she added.

The rocket fire was “apparently

connected to the situation inside

Syria,”she added, suggesting Israel

was not targeted but that it was a

spillover of fighting between the

Syrian regime and rebels.

“The Israeli army combed the

sector the rockets fell in and

informed the UN forces deployed

in the Golan,” the spokeswoman

said.

The rocket fire came as

tensions between the two countries

soared after Israeli air raids on

targets in the Syrian capital on

Sunday.

The Golan has been tense since

the beginning of the conflict in

Syria more than two years ago.

However, there have been only

minor flare-ups in the region to

date, as Syrian shells have crashed

in the occupied Golan and Israel

has fired at the source in

retaliation.

Israel, which is technically at

war with Syria, has occupied 1,200

square kilometres (460 square

miles) of the Golan Heights, which

it has annexed, since 1967.

The international community

neve r r eco gn i sed I s r ae l ' s

annexation of the territory.

T h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s

Disengagement Observer Force

(UNDOF) has been stationed in

the Golan since 1974 to oversee a

ceasefire .

MANILA: One of the Philippines' most active

volcanoes spewed huge rocks and ash early

Tuesday after a 3-year calm, killing at least five

climbers and trapping others near the crater,

officials said.

Rescue teams were sent to Mayon volcano in

the central Philippines to look for four climbers

and guides trapped after the mild eruption, Albay

provincial Gov. Joey Salceda said. Clouds have

cleared over the volcano, which was quiet later in

the morning.

The four climbers who died were struck by

huge rocks, guide Kenneth Jesalva told ABS-

CBN TV network by cellphone from a camp near

the crater. Another man was critically injured

from a group of eight that included five foreigners

and three Filipino guides. One of those killed was

Filipino. The nationalities of the foreign climbers

included a German and an Austrian.. No bodies

have been retrieved yet.

Jesalva said he was in the group that spent the

night on the picturesque mountain, known for its

almost-perfect cone, when the volcano rumbled

back to life early in the morning and rocks ''as big

as a living room'' came raining down on them. He

rushed back to the base camp to call for help. The

head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology

and Seismology, Renato Solidum, said Tuesday's

eruption was normal for the restive Mayon, about

340 kilometers (212 miles) southeast of Manila. It

has erupted about 40 times during the last 400

years.

In 2010, thousands of residents moved to

temporary shelters when the volcano ejected ash

in an 8-kilometer (5-mile) zone surrounding the

crater.

Solidum said that no alert was raised for the

volcano following the latest eruption and no

evacuation was being planned. Climbers are not

allowed when an alert is up, and the recent calm

may have encouraged this week's track.

Philippine volcano spews rocks, killing five climbers

Madonna sold an abstract painting by French artist Fernand Leger for $7.16 million to raise funds for girls’

education projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere.

03 May 9, 2013

Meet the new Brampton's Page3 group

A grand "Brampton Local" event hosted by Babia Kholi of Page3 which was enjoyed by all an all night event which

provided quality entertainment to a very well mannered crowd. Our very own Gugni Gill was the guest of honor.

04 May 9, 2013

Linda Jeffrey Ontario Minister of municipal affairs says when she was a Brampton City Councillor she tried her best to bridge gaps amongst

all Brampton communities - Nagar Kirtan 2013 Malton - Ontario - Canada.

OTTAWA, May 8, 2013 -

Today, the Honourable

Vic Toews, Minister of

Public Safety; David

Sweet, Member of

Parliament for Ancaster-

Dundas-Flamborough-

Westdale, and Senator

Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu;

a n n o u n c e d t h e

Government of Canada’s

support for Bill C-479, An

Act to Amend the

C o r r e c t i o n s a n d

Conditional Release Act

(Fairness for Victims).

Bill C-479, the Fairness for

Victims Act, introduced in

the House of Commons by

MP David Sweet, proposes

to increase the period

within which the Parole

Board of Canada (PBC)

must conduct detention

reviews following a

detention order and parole

reviews following a denial

of parole. It also provides

additional support to

victims.

“Supporting this legislation

is in keeping with the

Government’s plan for safe

streets and communities,

which focuses on tackling

crime, victims’ rights, and

fair and efficient justice

system,” said Minister

Toews. “I would like to

commend my colleague for

his strong commitment to

putting the rights of victims

ahead of those of the

offender.”

“I am proud to have

introduced a Bill that will

provide help to victims and

their families,” said MP

Sweet. “By modernizing

the Corrections and

Conditional Release Act,

we are giving victims a

greater voice in the parole

process and respect for the

ordeals they have to endure

by extending the mandatory

review periods.”

“Our Government has

pledged to Canadians that

we will work hard to

address the needs of victims

of crime and their families.

I’m proud to say we have

made significant progress,”

said Senator Boisvenu.

“This Bill continues to

fulfill our commitment to

protect and support victims

of crime.”

The Bill proposes to:

extend mandatory review

periods for parole whereby

if a violent offender is

denied parole, the PBC

would have to review the

case within five years rather

than the current two years;

increase the period, to

within five years, in which

the PBC must review

parole, following the

cancellation or termination

of parole; emphasize that

the PBC must take into

consideration the victim’s

need and the need of the

victim’s family to attend a

hearing and witness the

proceedings; require that

the PBC consider any

victim impact statement

presented by victims;

require the PBC to provide

the victim, if requested,

with information about the

offender’s release on

parole, statutory release or

temporary absence; and

provide victims with

information about the

offender’s correctional

plan, including progress

towards meeting i ts

objectives.

Harper Government reinforces support for victims of crime

Murtaza Haider

Pakistanis have a poor risk perception. Many

preventable deaths and injuries occur because of it.

Imran Khan’s fall from a forklift truck, which could very

well have been fatal, speaks volumes of the poor risk

perception of the event planners.

While campaigning late in the evening, Mr.

Khan was being lifted to the stage from an unsecured

forklift truck. Footage of the incident reveals that the

plan was a recipe for a disaster waiting to happen. The

makeshift platform on the forklift was not secured.

When yet another well-meaning PTI worker tried to

climb on the forklift, he inadvertently pushed Mr. Khan

and others off the forklift to the ground.

Risk perception and preparedness are key to

avoiding unnecessary disastrous outcomes. Risk

perception is a subjective judgement one makes about

the probability of a negative or an adverse outcome. For

instance, trying to have a better understanding of the

odds of one falling off a makeshift platform on a forklift

could be categorised as risk perception. Obviously, those

who came up with the brilliant plan to use an unsecured

forklift to hoist Mr. Khan to the top of yet another

unsecured container did not think of the risks involved.

Unfortunately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)

organisers are not alone with poor risk perception.

The tragic death of the former prime minister

Benazir Bhutto in December 2007 was also a case of

poor risk perception. Having been explicitly warned of

the threats against her, Ms. Bhutto failed to remain

seated in the secured vehicle as she was leaving after

addressing a political rally. She died of trauma to her

head after a bomb blast while she stood though the

vehicle’s sunroof. Apparently her head hit the hard metal

used to secure the vehicle against bomb blasts. Others

seated within the car with her remain unscathed. It is

safe to assume that had she remained seated within the

secured vehicle, she would have escaped harm like the

rest of the passengers.

Every time I see people hanging from a moving

bus or train, or a family with kids riding a motorcycle, I

am reminded of two things. First, Pakistanis have poor

risk perception.

They seldom factor in the probability of

negative outcomes, such as an infant falling off a

moving motorcycle. At the same time, I am reminded of

the fact that the lack of means may force many

Pakistanis to assume risks that they could not avoid. If a

family could afford a car or a ride on secure and reliable

public transit, the children could be spared a hazardous

ride on the motorcycle.

But what to say of avoidable risks and risk

preparedness. Take fire or emergency drills as an

example. While I was a live-in director of a student

residence at McGill University, we would regularly hold

surprise fire drills. We would trigger the fire alarm in the

middle of the night and evacuate the building as per set

protocols. We would monitor the evacuation time for

each floor and look for individual students who failed to

follow the evacuation procedures. We would then follow

-up with the students who may have taken the wrong

path to exit the building or took too long to evacuate. At

the same time, the local fire department monitors its

response time to the University residence that is situated

on the mountain, offering picturesque views of the

beautiful Montreal.

It is rather odd that a country that faces severe

natural hazards, floods and earthquakes to name a

couple, is least prepared to cope with them. This is a

direct result of poor risk perception and planning. It was

not always like this in Pakistan. I grew up in a Pakistan

where such preparedness existed to some extent.

The British indeed left Pakistan with the

foundation for risk preparedness. Parts of Murree that

were built by the British had proper provisions for fire

hydrants. There is one fire hydrant still installed, most

likely not functional, on the Lower Mall in Murree,

reminding of the prudent planning British planning

traditions.

At the first Pakistan Urban Forum in Lahore in

March 2011, I asked the participants if they had ever

seen a fire hydrant in Pakistan. Not a single participant

of the hundreds present in the audience replied in

affirmative.

As a child, I recall seeing the civil defense

volunteers in Rawalpindi during the monsoon season.

Before the heavy rains would set in, civil defense

volunteers would prepare for flash floods.

Their teams were equipped with rescue boats

and other equipment. Alarms were tested in advance to

ensure that in case of a flash flood, the vulnerable

communities could be warned by sounding alarms.

Years later, when flash floods inundated large parts of

Rawalpindi, no such preparedness existed. People lost

their life savings and belongings to flood waters that

crept into their homes without warning.

While some risks may be unavoidable, most are.

The widespread use of Kohl (surma or kajal) in South

Asia is one example of an avoidable risk whose risk

perception is poor. Kohl often contains large amounts of

lead.

Women in South Asia, and not just in Pakistan,

apply kohl as eye makeup. Many unsuspecting mothers

apply it to their infants, exposing them to lead poisoning.

Introducing any foreign object to one’s eyes should be

considered risky, let alone lead.

Pakistanis can avoid the excessive burden of

disease, injury, and death by having better risk

perception and preparedness.

This will not happen if even the foreign-

educated political leaders assume unnecessary risks and

thus set poor examples.

From Benazir Bhutto to Imran Khan: A tale of poor risk perception

05 May 9, 2013

SPORTS

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan brushed

aside Kuwait's Abdullah Al Mezayan in

three sets to become the first Pakistani in 14

years to win the Asian Squash

Championship on Sunday at the Islamabad

Sport Complex.

Khan triumphed over Al Mezayan after

an impressive performance with figures of

11-9, 11-3, 11-8.

Speaking to Dawn.com, Khan said the

victory was the result of his hard work and

he was happy to have won a title for

Pakistan.

"I am very happy and I am sure that after

this victory, squash in Pakistan will see

better days," Khan said. The twenty-two

year old had earlier said that he was using

the home advantage to his benefit.

"I knew I had advantage of home glass

court and crowd, and I took advantage of

both," he said.

Khan had beaten Asyraf Azan of

Malaysia 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 in the semi-final

on Saturday.

He added that his expectations before the

start of the tournament were low because he

had just recovered from an injury; however,

his goal was to win the Asian title for which

he worked hard.

In the women's final, Hong Kong's Annie

Au beat Malaysia's Low Wee Wern 5-11, 11

-8, 11-7, 11-1.

JOHANNESBURG: The International

Cricket Council was urged by the

international players' body to investigate

allegations of vote “fixing” on Tuesday

after an Indian candidate was elected onto

one of the ICC's committees amid

accusations that voters were pressured

into choosing him because of the influence

of the powerful Indian cricket board.

The Federation of International Cricketers'

Association said it was “formally” calling on

the ICC to instigate an ethics committee

enquiry into former India spinner Laxman

Sivaramakrishnan winning a place on the

ICC's Cricket Committee, which was

announced by cricket's governing body on

Monday.

“The ICC's actions in this matter cast serious

doubt, if not on their ability, certainly on

their willingness to adhere to proper

governance,” FICA president Jimmy Adams

said.

Sivaramakrishnan beat out FICA chief

executive Tim May in a poll the players'

body says was flawed because some of the

10 test captains who voted were allegedly

pressured to change their initial selections

and back Sivaramakrishnan, the preferred

candidate of the Board of Control for Cricket

in India.

In a statement, FICA legal advisor Ian Smith

referred to media reports that the national

boards of five ICC member countries applied

pressure on their captains to switch their

votes from May to Sivaramakrishnan after

May won an initial ballot and the BCCI then

became involved.

“FICA's official stance is that these

allegations must warrant careful and

independent scrutiny, especially because we

understand ICC specifically instructed the

boards not to interfere in the voting process,”

Smith said.

The vote is seen as another example of

India's dominance of cricket's leadership and

decision-making bodies _ as well as other

international cricket boards _ because of its

commercial might. The ICC has not yet

commented either on the initial concerns

expressed by FICA over the vote last week or

on Tuesday's statement calling for an ethics

committee investigation.

Like football's ruling body, FIFA, the ICC

has come under recent pressure to reform,

with critics saying it is subservient to the

BCCI and India and the allegedly flawed

vote to select Sivaramakrishnan is just the

latest example.

“The actions, allegedly instigated by BCCI,

are a timely and stark reminder of the very

serious shortcomings in governance at (the)

ICC highlighted more than a year ago by the

Woolf report and about which (the) ICC has

done nothing in the intervening period,”

Smith said.

Smith also said referring to the influence

being merely “lobbying” in the voting

process was misleading as “there should be a

very clear distinction made between a

candidate lobbying for a vote and an

employer threatening an employee to change

their vote.”

On calling for a full and independent

investigation of the vote, FICA president

Adams was scathing in his criticism of

cricket's top body, saying “executives have

stood aside while apparently watching their

own process corrupted by their own board

members.”

“In the meantime, (the) ICC constantly tells

the world it has a 'zero tolerance' approach to

corruption in cricket and constantly tries to

impress the 'Spirit of Cricket' on

participants,” Adams said.

“How can the players of the world look to

(the) ICC for leadership in these

circumstances and how does the spirit of

cricket apply to the organization itself?

Board members didn't like how their captains

intended to vote, so they apparently ordered

them to change that vote.”

FICA slam ICC vote ouster of May

The Federation of International Cricketers' Association said it was ''formally'' calling on the ICC to instigate an ethics committee enquiry into former

India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan winning a place on the ICC's Cricket Committee. -Photo by AFP

06 May 9, 2013

MUMBAI: India's movie industry

toasted its 100th birthday on Friday with the

release of two films celebrating its humble

origins in the silent era and the influence of

glamorous modern-day Bollywood.

“Bombay Talkies” comprises four

short stories inspired by India's love of

cinema and the impact of the movies,

created by some of the country's leading

filmmakers.

“You usually celebrate birthdays and

that's what we are doing today. Indian

cinema turns 100 and we are

acknowledging that,” said Zoya Akhtar,

who directed the film along with Karan

Johar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar

Banerjee.

The acclaimed cast includes

Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rani

Mukherjee, with a cameo from acting

legend Amitabh Bachchan.

The film's theme song features

Bollywood A-listers that include Aamir

Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Balan,

Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor.

The movie will have a special gala

screening at the Cannes film festival this

month, where India is to be honoured as the

“guest country” in its landmark year.

“The four short stories are about passion

for cinema and ingredients like drama,

music, dance and entertainment. All of these

ingredients are a huge part of our films and

culture,” said co-producer Ashi Dua.

Its release comes 100 years to the day

since the opening in Bombay (now Mumbai)

of “Raja (King) Harishchandra”, the first all-

Indian feature film, based on the tale of a

virtuous king from the Hindu epic

Mahabharata.

It marked the birth of one of the world's

most vibrant film industries, which produced

almost 1,500 movies last year in various

corners and languages of the country, with

Hindi-language Bollywood leading the way.

While “Bombay Talkies” explores life in

the present, the second film opening on

Friday is the award-winning “Celluloid

Man”, which pays tribute to the founder of

the National Film Archive of India, P.K.

Nair.

The documentary, so far only shown at

festivals, showcases Nair's lifetime

dedication to preserving films that

date back to the silent era, and it is

peppered with clips from historic

black-and-white productions.

Thanks to the efforts of 80-year-old

Nair, nine silent films out of 1,700

made in India have been preserved,

although no records remain of many

others.

“Almost 70 per cent of the films

made before 1950 are lost, including

some real gems like the first 'talkie',”

Nair told AFP, referring to the first

Indian film with sound, 1931's

“Alam Ara” (The Light of the

World).

Also on Friday, Indian president

Pranab Mukherjee will join stars and

filmmakers at the annual National

Film Awards in capital New Delhi,

following a six-day festival

showcasing the colourful history of

Indian cinema.

Award-winners, already announced,

include “Paan Singh Tomar”, a Hindi film

starring Irrfan Khan about the Indian soldier

Contributed by Salim Shaikh

Email: mhd7866@hotmail.com

Shamshad Begum turned 95 years old on

14th April 2013. She died after a protracted

illness on 24th April, 2013 in the suburb of

Mumbai where she was living with her

daughter Usha Ratra and son-in-law Col.

(Rtd) Yog Ratra of Indian army. She was

born in Bhatti Darwaza, Lahore in undivided

India on 14th April 1919 in a very

conservative Muslim family.

Her talent in singing was first spotted by

her teacher in primary school who noticed

enchanting depth in her voice. Her teacher

asked her to sing Naats, Nazams, and Hamd

in classroom. At the age of ten she started

singing traditional and folk based songs in

marriages and other religious functions. She

enthralled everyone with her endearing style

of singing by waiving her one hand in the air

and displaying a free wheeling spirit of

freedom. Luckily she had an uncle who was

very supportive and used to encourage her

singing.

He requested her father to allow the little

girl to go for audition at Jenophone Record

Company, Mall Road, Lahore.

The Jenophone Record Company was

looking for fresh and young voices but her

orthodox father was not musically inclined

and refused the permission.

However, after arguments he agreed on

some conditions. He imposed some

restrictions on her, first that she should wear

a burqa and should not be photographed.

By this time Shamshad Begum was

already a much sought after and established

singer in marriage and religious functions.

Her uncle took her in burqa for an audition

to Jenophone Record Company, Lahore.

At that time she was thirteen years young

and was auditioned by famous music

director Master Ghulam Haider. She was

instantly selected and got the job at

Jenophone Record Company.

At the age of fifteen in 1934 she got

married to a barrister Ganpat Lal Batto.

Shamshad Begum sang for many years with

Jenophone Record Company, Lahore and

recorded more than 200 songs mostly

composed by Master Ghulam Haider, who

was the most versatile and famous composer

of undivided India.

These songs were only broadcast on All

India Radio, Lahore but not released on

gramophone records. Shamshad Begum

became known in the music circle in Lahore

and was offered to sing for Punjabi films

which were produced in Lahore. Her first

Hindi/Urdu film was ‘Khazanchi’ which had

nine songs.

All songs were sung by Shamshad

Begum and composed by Master Ghulam

Haider. After the release of Khazanchi

Shamshad became a well known singer

throughout undivided India and became

much sought after singer of the forties.

Mehboob Khan, the Bombay based

famous film producer/director was

impressed by her distinctive voice and lured

her to come to Bombay to sing for his next

film ‘Taqdeer’ in which he was introducing

Nargis (mother of Sanjay Dutt and wife of

Sunil Dutt) as heroine.

Besides Master Ghulam Haider, in

Bombay soon Shamshad Begum started

singing for other well-known and popular

music directors of that time such as: Rafiq

Ghazanvi, Amer Ali, Pandat Gobindram,

Pandat Amarnath, Balu C. Irani, Rashid

Atre, M.A. Mukhtar to name a few in the pre

-independence era.

After partition of Indian sub-continent

Master Ghulam Haider migrated to Pakistan

and around the same time yet another

famous composer took her under his wings.

He was Syed Naushad Ali who made a big

difference to Shmshad Begum’s illustrious

career.

He used her unique voice which has

youthful and buoyant spirit and swayed her

way into the hearts of the music lovers.

After she became favourite of Naushad, she

sang variety of songs in super hit films like

Aan, Babul, Mela, Deedar, Anokhi Ada,

Dard, Andaaz, Mother India, and Mughal-e-

Azam.

In all these films which were made after

partition of Indian sub-continent, Shamshad

Begum showed full confidence and faith in

herself and held her forte against the then

upcoming, melodious, professionally, and

classical trained Lata Mangeshkar in many

number of duets with her. Besides Ghulam

Haider and Naushad, yet another music

director who gave Shamshad Begum a new

identity in fast numbers and gave her

renewed commercial success was O.P.

Nayyar.

As a young music lover and struggling

music director, O.P. Nayyar was in love

with Shamshad Begum’s voice. He used to

say that her voice is bold and bright which

has bell like clarity and river like fluidity.

When O.P. Nayyar became successful and

famous composer he made her his most

favourite singer.

She sang super hit, effervescent and beat-

oriented songs in films like Aar Paar, Mr. &

Mrs. 55, CID, Naya Daur and many other

films. All these songs starting from pre-

partition days to 1950-60’s golden era of

Indian film industry had their own speciality

and requirements necessitating Shmshad

Begum to resort to unimaginable tonal

articulation and modulation, outstanding

vocal gimmicks and acrobatics.

She never failed her composers who had

full faith in her expressive prowess. Some

time they put the mike at a distance in view

of her bold and bright voice, but she always

hit right note, gave the right expression and

touched the right chord. She commands

great respect and love amongst the

musicologists, music lovers, and her

admirers throughout the world.

Her husband died very young in 1955

and ever since she has been living with her

daughter Usha Ratra and son-in-law Col.

(Rtd) Yog Ratra, in the suburb of Mumbai.

In 2009 she was given the prestigious award

of Padma Bhushan by the government of

India for her outstanding services to music

and entertainment. May she be rest in

eternal peace, and may God grant her the

highest place in Janat-ul-Firdaus for

entertaining and putting smile on the faces

of millions of people around the world.

Shamshad Begum – The original Nightingale: Singer Par Excellence

07 May 9, 2013

Beyonce, J.Lo to headline London charity concert for women

Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Florence

& The Machine are teaming up for a

four-hour charity concert in London

next month to benefit women’s health

and education projects around the

world.

The “Sound of Change Live” concert on

June 1 in London’s Twickenham sports

stadium could fund at least 120 projects

supporting girls and women in more than

70 nations, if all the tickets are sold,

organisers said on Wednesday.

Organised by the Chime for Change

campaign, founded by Italy fashion house

Gucci, every ticket buyer will be able to

choose which project their ticket will fund

in what organisers said was a world first

for such a venture.

Beyonce, currently on a European tour,

will play a 45-minute set. She will be

joined in the venture by singer and dancer

Lopez, R&B artist John Legend, British

indie sensation Ellie Goulding and rapper

Timbaland, with more performers still to

be announced.

US actors James Franco, Blake Lively and

Jada Pinkett Smith will be among the

presenters.

“Our goal is to have a great time together

while we unite and strengthen the voices

of girls and women around the world,”

Beyonce said in a statement.

Rock promoter Harvey Goldsmith, who

helped put on the Live Aid and Live Earth

charity concerts, will produce the concert

which will also be broadcast

internationally.

Helen Mirren gives noisy drummers a royal rebuke LONDON: Silence for the

queen, please.

A troupe of street drummers got

a shock when Helen Mirren,

dressed as Queen Elizabeth II,

emerged from a London theater to

berate them for disrupting her

show.

Mirren is starring in ”The

Audience”, a drama about the

weekly meetings between the

queen and Britain’s prime ministers

over her 60-year reign.

Mirren told the Daily Telegraph

newspaper that she used less-than-

royal language in the rant during

the intermission of Saturday’s

performance.

”I’m afraid there were a few

‘thespian’ words used,” Mirren was

quoted as saying on Monday.

”They got a very stern royal ticking

off but I have to say they were very

s w e e t a n d t h e y s t o p p e d

immediately. I felt rotten, but on

the other hand they were destroying

our performance so something had

to be done.”

The drummers were marching

through London’s West End to

promote As One in the Park, a gay

music festival being held later this

month.

”Not much shocks you on the

gay scene,” parade organiser Mark

McKenzie told the Telegraph. ”But

seeing Helen Mirren dressed as the

queen cussing and swearing and

making you stop your parade –

that’s a new one.”

Festival spokesman Mark

Williams said organisers ”are

terribly upset if we caused her any

distress. If she’d like to let her hair

down and attend the festival she’d

be more than welcome.”

Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. —Photo (File) AFP

Beyonce, currently on a European tour, will play a 45-minute set during the concert. -Photo (File) AFP

08 May 9, 2013

Spring Fish Stocking is Underway

Ontario Supports Recreational

Fishery

Across Ontario, millions of fish from

provincial fish culture stations are being

loaded onto trucks, boats and aircraft for

stocking into public waters to help support

a recreational fishery valued at more than

$2.4 billion per year.

Ontario operates nine fish culture

stations in the province. Each year, these

facilities produce and stock approximately

8.5 million fish into more than 1,200 lakes

and rivers, including the Great Lakes.

Fish stocking creates more angling

opportunities, rehabilitates degraded fish

populations and helps restore biodiversity.

Fish are also indicators of environmental

change and fish populations provide early

warning signals about potential problems

in the environment.

Protecting and enhancing local

biodiversity is part of the Ontario

government's plan to enhance quality of

life for families and ensure a strong, green

economy for future generations.

Quick Facts

Ontario invests approximately $5.5

million a year in fish culture and

stocking activities.

Each year, about 1.3 million anglers

spend an average of 16 days fishing in

Ontario.

The province manages 24 per cent of

Canada's fresh water, including 40 per

cent of the Great Lakes and countless

rivers and streams.

Species stocked include Atlantic

salmon, aurora trout, brook trout,

brown trout, splake, lake trout, lake

whitefish, rainbow trout, walleye,

muskellunge and Chinook salmon.

There are approximately 250,000 inland

lakes in Ontario.

KARACHI: At least 20 people,

including two women and six

children, were injured in an

e x p l o s i o n i n K a r a c h i ’s

Mehmoodabad neighbourhood

just after midnight on Thursday,

DawnNews reported.

Initial reports suggest the

ongoing elect ioneering in

Mehmoodabad No.6 near Sitara

Bakery was the apparent target of

the unknown miscreants.

The blast spread fear among

local residents which was so loud

that it was heard from far

distances. Nearby shops and

vehicles were also damaged in the

incident.

Exact nature of the blast is

yet to be ascertained. However, a

completely destroyed suspected

motorcycle was found from the

site.

DIG Police Karachi South

Dr Amir Sheikh told a private TV

channel that the bombing was

carried out through an Improvised

Explosive Device (IED) which

was planted in a red colour car.

Meanwhile, owner of the

suspected car has been taken into

police custody from the city’s

Gulistan-e-Johar locality.

Sources told Dawn.com that

the car owner is a clearing and

forwarding agent. The car in

question was parked at the

bombing site for last three days,

sources added.

Most of the injured were

shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate

Medical Centre. Dr Seemien

Jamali told the media that around

20 injured people including two

women and six children were

brought to the hospital.

Police and Rangers forces

cordoned off the area as an initial

probe of the incident was

underway.

Initial findings of the bomb

disposal squad suggest that around

two to three kilos of explosives

was used in the IED.

No group has claimed

responsibility of the bombing so

far. However, the outlawed Tehrik-

i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has

vowed to target the secular

political parties of the country,

naming PPP, ANP and MQM.

Around 100 people have

been killed in the Pakistani

Taliban attacks on election

campaign of the said parties along

with few others across the country

since April 11.

The historic May 11 polls

will witness the first ever

democratic transition of power in

Pakistan.

Blast injures at least 20 in Karachi’s Mehmoodabad - DAWN.COM

KARACHI: At least 20 people, including two women and six children, were injured in an explosion in Karachi’s Mehmoodabad neighbourhood just after midnight on Thursday, DawnNews reported.

LAHORE: Firing has taken place at an election rally of former Punjab Assembly deputy speaker and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Rana Mashood, DawnNews reported.

Mashood was however not hurt from the firing incident in Lahore’s Gulshan Ravi.

Initial reports say that one party worker has been injured.

The former deputy speaker has had an attempt made on his life in February 2012, when unknown gunmen opened fire on his car as he was returning to Lahore from Multan.

Firing at PML-N rally in Lahore

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician Rana Mashood. -PPI File Photo

09 May 9, 2013

Open for Business: Refocused NRC will Benefit Canadian Industries

The Government of Canada launches refocused National Research

(May 7, 2013, Ottawa, ON) – The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has transformed into an industry-focused research and technology

organization. The refocused NRC will work with Canadian industries to bridge technology gaps, helping build a more innovative Canadian

economy.

“NRC plays a pivotal role at the heart of Canada’s innovation system,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and

Technology). “The refocused NRC will provide Canadian industries with access to strategic research and development, technical services and

specialized scientific infrastructure they need to succeed.”

“The Government’s top priority is jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for all Canadians,” said the Honourable Claude Carignan, Deputy Leader

of the Government at the Senate. “By refocusing the NRC into a research and technology organization, our Government is ensuring that Canadian

firms have the instruments and tools they need to become even more successful on the global stage.”

The refocused NRC will support Canadian industries by investing in large-scale research projects that are directed by and for Canadian business. It

will also develop international networks to ensure timely access to primary research and will open the doors to world class scientific infrastructure,

technical expertise and people.

“We are very excited about this change. Our organization is now easier for business to understand and access,” said John R. McDougall, President

of the National Research Council. “We are committed to being a strong partner for innovation, and focused on achieving the concrete outcomes

that will contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Canada. We will measure our success by the success of our clients.”

Research and technology organizations are mission-oriented providers of innovation services to firms and governments, dedicated to building

economic competitiveness and, in doing so, improving quality of life. The refocused NRC will strengthen Canadian industry by encouraging more

business investment to develop innovative products and services.

KARACHI: An ally in the

outgoing coalition government

led by the Pakistan People’s

Party (PPP) Wednesday

announced to withdraw all its

electoral candidates in the Sindh

province except Karachi and

Hyderabad cities in favour of the

latter.

One National Assembly

contestant and eight candidates for

the Sindh’s provincial assembly are

withdrawn from the election race,

said a press release issued by the

Awami National Party (ANP).

However, all the party candidates,

contesting from Karachi and

Hyderabad, will partake in the May

11 general elections with zeal and

fervour, it added.

The ANP, along with PPP and

Muttahida Qaumi Movement

(MQM), had been threatened by

the outlawed Pakistani Taliban for

having secular views.

The banned Tehrik-i-Taliban

Pakistan (TTP) has vowed to target

the said parties in the run up to

historic May 11 polls, which will

mark the first ever democratic

transition of power in Pakistan.

The president of ANP’s Sindh

chapter, Senator Shahi Syed said

that a conspiracy is being hatched

to halt progress of all liberal forces

of the country. Alliance of all

enlightened forces of Pakistan is

the call of the hour, he added.

The ANP leader further said the

party will continue its journey

along with the PPP towards

strengthening of democracy,

eradication of extremism and

restoration of peace in Sindh.

Moreover, Syed urged all the

withdrawn party candidates to

extend an all-out support towards

the success of PPP contenders in

the general elections.

“Restoration of peace has always

been one of our top priorities….we

have played our role for the rights

of Sindh in the past and will

continue to do so in he future,” said

the ANP senator.

ANP withdraws Sindh candidates in PPP favour

DAWN.COM and Asif Mahmood

However, all the party candidates, contesting from Karachi and Hyderabad, will partake in the May 11 polls as before, said a press release.

10 May 9, 2013

Nagar Kirtan (Khalsa Day 2013) Malton -Ontario - Canada

DHAKA, Bangladesh: Thousands of

security officers patrolled the streets of

Bangladesh’s capital Wednesday trying to

prevent violence during a general strike

called by 18 opposition parties.

The strike was ostensibly organized to

demand changes in electoral law and to

protest the deaths of 29 people, many of

them Islamic hardliners, on Monday during

street demonstrations calling for new anti-

blasphemy laws. But many Bangladeshis see

the protests as continuing gamesmanship

between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and

her archrival former Prime Minister Khaleda

Zia ahead of elections next year.

“These politicians have gone mad,” said

Dildar Ahmed, a 50-year-old taxi driver.

“They are fighting to gain power over our

dead bodies.” Rioting has swept Bangladesh

since late February when a war crimes

tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayedee,

a top leader of the small opposition party

Jamaat-e-Islami, of committing atrocities

during Bangladesh’s 1971 war for

independence against Pakistan. Clashes

between police and Sayedee’s supporters

killed more than 70 people. War crimes

trials of other opposition leaders are

pending.

The opposition has accused Hasina of using

the tribunals to try to weaken her opponents

ahead of the elections, which she denies.

Jamaat-e-Islami is a key Zia ally that was a

coalition partner in her government from

2001 to 2006. The opposition also is

demanding the restoration of a constitutional

provision that mandated elections be held

under a neutral caretaker administration. The

system was abolished two years ago after the

Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional.

Fearing arrest by the war crimes tribunals,

Jamaat leaders have gone into hiding.

But a new group emerged in its place.

Hefazat-e-Islam, led by a respected

octogenarian Islamic thinker Shah Ahmed

Shafi, says it is a non-political organization

fighting those who want to undermine Islam.

It accused the government of tolerating

blogs ridiculing the country’s dominant

religion and has called for a harsher law

against blasphemy. The government rejected

the demand, saying current laws were

sufficient and reaffirming the nation’s

secular character.

Many in Bangladesh suspect Shafi’s group is

a Jamaat proxy, pointing to its roots in the

country’s thousands of Islamic schools,

reported financing by Jamaat and backing by

Saudi Arabia.

“The blasphemy law is not the real issue

here. This group of fighting for Jamaat to

protect the war crimes suspect.” said

Anwarul Azim, head of a university in

southeastern Chittagong, where Shafi has his

headquarters in an Islamic school. Analysts

also see the latest street fights as prelude to

the show of power ahead of next year’s

general election.

“In the final analysis, the game is all for

power,” said Hassan Shahriar, a political

columnist. “Zia is supporting the hardliners

not out of love for them, but for their support

in the next elections.” Jamaat and the

Islamic groups command nearly three per

cent of the vote.

Last week, Hasina offered to hold talks with

Zia to try to end the unrest.

“Strikes and deaths on the streets are not a

solution,” she said, “Talking to each other is

the best way to settle political differences.”

Zia has turned down the offer, saying the

government must first agree to appoint a

caretaker administration to oversee the

election.

Bangladesh opposition enforces nationwide shutdown

Islamic activists block a road in Dhaka, Bangladesh during a protest to demand that the government enact an anti-

blasphemy law. The government in this Muslim-majority nation has rejected the groups’ demands, saying Bangladesh is

governed by secular liberal laws.—Photo by AP

11 May 9, 2013

PARIS: France has identified its first

case of a new strain of coronavirus

emerging from the Middle East in a

person recently returned from the

United Arab Emirates, the health

ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said it had opened an

investigation into what it said was the

first and only confirmed case of the virus

in France and would hold a news

conference later in the day.

“The person has been placed in isolation

in an intensive care ward,” the ministry

said in a statement.

The Geneva-based World Health

Organization (WHO) said it had been

informed of the French case but had no

further details.

Worldwide, there have been 30 laboratory

-confirmed cases of the virus, including

18 deaths, since it came to scientists’

attention in September, according to

WHO data.

The coronavirus is from the same viral

family as the common cold and triggered

the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory

Syndrome (SARS) that swept the world

from Asia in late 2003, killing 775

people.

There is no evidence yet of sustained

human-to-human spread of the new virus,

but there are concerns about clusters of

cases reported by the WHO in Saudi

Arabia, Jordan and Britain.

France reports first case of new SARS-like virus

Worldwide, there have been 30 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus, including 18 deaths, according to WHO data. -Photo by Reuters

PESHAWAR: More than 96,000 law

enforcement agencies personnel, including

22000 army soldiers, have been deployed

across Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Fata to

ensure peaceful elections.

This deployment has been made keeping in

view the law and order situation in the area.

Director General Inter Service Public

Relations Major General Asim Saleem

Bajwa briefed the media about the high level

meeting on security for elections chaired by

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz

Kayani in Peshawar.

He said that COAS special visit to Peshawar

was aimed at reviewing security for the

general elections and the army chief was

apprised of the detailed security plan for the

polls.

He said that 52000 police personnel and

other law enforcement agencies personnel

will also be on guard duties to provide

security during the polling process.

He added that the transportation of ballot

papers in KPK had started on May 5 and has

been completed successfully.

Bajwa also said that apart from four districts

and agencies, ballot papers have been

transported by road under the army’s

protection and would also be under

protective cover until they reach polling

stations.

“The meeting has been attended by all the

planners and executors.

“The army chief has stressed upon the

holding of peaceful elections and has also

stressed upon the need to keep the security

plan well coordinated,” General Bajwa

remarked.

He added that it was also the law

enforcement agencies priority to help and

ensure voters transportation to polling

stations under strict security vigilance to

ensure the peaceful and fair elections.

“It has been made clear to all the

stakeholders to ensure implementation and

success of the security plan,” General Bajwa

said.

He also adding that the deployment of troops

at polling stations is according to the

sensitivity of polling booths that has been

designated by the Election Commission and

law enforcement agencies.

He remarked that the army is here and

everywhere to assist the security plan and we

want a well coordinated security tear works

and ensure safe elections

“Its our plan to put in place the security

cordon ahead of polling,” he said responding

to a question about immediate security plans.

He added that the FR and the suburban

Peshawar is being combed and miscreants

are being hunted down About militant

threats to candidates, voters and election

staff, he said coordination centers have been

set up where all such information would be

communicated and timely action would be

taken against the elements involved.

He said that the quick response force had

already identified their points and their

response would be prompt, effective and in

time.

“The number, deployment and distribution of

the force has been made according to needs

and requirements,” he added.

Army unveils security plan for polls in Fata and KPK -Zahir Shah Sherazi

DG ISPR Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said 96,000 law enforcement agencies personnel, including 22000 army soldiers, have been

deployed to ensure peaceful elections.

DG ISPR Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa. -Photo provided by Zahir Shah Sherazi

12 May 9, 2013

Afghan minister vows punishment for girls feigning illness

KABUL: Afghanistan’s education

minister has threatened to punish

schoolgirls who claim to suffer from

alleged “poisonings” that many officials

believe are actually temporary

psychological illnesses.

Scores of girls’ schools over recent years

have seen mysterious mass faintings, nausea

and similar symptoms that are often blamed

by police and the local media on poisoning by

Taliban insurgents or toxic gas leaks.

But no laboratory evidence of poison or

other toxins has ever been found at schools

and no deaths have occurred, with the girls

often released from hospital after only a few

hours.

In the latest case, 200 girls were reported

to have been “poisoned” at a school in Kabul

on May 1, causing an outbreak of screaming,

stomach aches and vomiting.

“From now on, if I find anyone saying

‘I’m poisoned’ and the poisoning is not

proved by the hospital, I will punish the

student,” Education Minister Ghulam Farooq

Wardak told a press conference on Tuesday.

“I will punish the teacher, I will punish

the head teacher and I will punish the school

director,” he added.

The education department said the

government was determined to crack down on

the causes of outbreaks of psychological

illnesses among young girls.

“When one student faints, it spreads

around and everyone might think it’s

poisoning,” Mohammad Kabir Haqmal,

spokesman for the ministry, told AFP.

“If tests prove it is mass hysteria or any

other natural cause, of course no one will be

punished. What the minister said was that we

will pursue those who disrupt the classes.”

Wazhma Frouqh, a female education

activist, criticised the minister’s stance and

said that previous cases of “poisonings” had

dissuaded families from sending their

daughters to school.

“The minister should not have said that he

will punish schoolgirls,” she told AFP. “His

job is to find out what has happened and

protect schools.”

Girls were banned from going to school

under the Taliban, but numbers have risen

since the extremist regime was ousted in 2001

and the government says 40 per cent of pupils

are now female.

—File Photo.

WASHINGTON: More prisoners have

joined a hunger strike to protest their

indefinite detention at the US-run

Guantanamo military prison, with 92 out

of 166 detainees refusing food, a

spokesman said Wednesday.

Among them, 17 are on feeding tubes and

two are hospitalised but do not have “life-

threatening conditions,” Lieutenant Colonel

Samuel House said in a statement.

The rapidly growing movement began on

February 6, lawyers for the detainees said.

Prison authorities began releasing figures on

the strike on March 15, saying 14 inmates

were participating.

Lawyers for the detainees say the official

numbers are still too low.

David Remes, a lawyer who represents 15

prisoners, said some 130 prisoners have

been on strike since February.

“At first, GTMO denied that there was a

hunger strike. Since then, its count has risen

from 0 to 92. Soon they’ll hit the mark

despite themselves,” he told AFP.

House also confirmed to AFP that two

prisoners had attempted suicide on or

around April 13, when some 60 detainees

were transferred from communal cells into

individual ones after guards fired non-lethal

shots to quell prisoner unrest.

House said only “10 to 15 are still in

communal” cells, indicating that many

detainees refuse to comply with prison rules.

“Some of them are continuing to throw

feces, urine and blood at the guards,” he

said.

The spokesman said “as soon as the

detainees show a proper compliance with

the rules, then we will move them back into

communal.”

“It’s all up to the detainees,” he added.

He said the separation also allowed the

guards, accompanied by doctors, to ask

inmates “on an individual basis: do you

want to be a hunger striker?” far from the

influence of the leaders in the cell blocks.

The hunger strikers are protesting their

incarceration without charge or trial at

Guantanamo in the 11 years since the prison

went into use for terror suspects detained in

Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The hunger strikes began February 6, when

inmates claimed prison officials searched

their Qurans for contraband. Officials have

denied any mishandling of Islam’s holy

book.

92 of 166 Guantanamo detainees on hunger strike: official

– File Photo by AFP.