Monday, 22 April, 2013 Jamadul Sani 11, 1434Rs 17.00 Vol III No 295 19 Pages Islamabad Edition

mQmliKely to put Weight behind musharraf story on page 02

November 3 emergency imposed afterconsultations: Musharraf story on page 02

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Two ANP workers killed in continued election violence

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Will ensure peacein Kp through dialogue: imran

US looks to Pakistan formeaningful Afghan dialogueA high-level US delegation comprising civilianand military officials on Sunday called on Chiefof Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and sought Pakistan’s help for ameaningful and result-oriented “Afghanistanreconciliation process”. The American delegation comprised ActingSpecial Representative for Afghanistan andPakistan Ambassador David Pearce, SpecialAssistant to the President on Afghanistan andPakistan Lieutenant General (r) DagulasLute, Principal Assistant Secretary of Defencefor Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Dr PeterLavoy and US Ambassador to PakistanRichard Olson.

PML-N promises industrialrevolution, end to armedwings of political partiesPakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President NawazSharif and leader Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday promisedan industrial revolution and an end to the armed wingsof all political parties if their party wins the upcomingelection. Talking to media persons on Sunday, NawazSharif said Karachites were facing barbarism due to thenegligence of political forces who had ruled the countryfor five years and PML-N, after coming into power,would remove the miseries of the metropolis city.Commenting on Pervez Musharraf’s detention, Nawazsaid that the general had violated the constitutiontwice, had put the sovereignty of country at stake andshould be tried according to the law.

Musharraf‚ allies held responsible for Lal Masjid OpThe Lal Masjid commission report has held formerpresident General (r) Pervez Musharraf‚ formerprime minister Shaukat Aziz and his political alliesresponsible for the 2007 operation in Lal Masjid inwhich 103 people were killed. The commission‚consisting of Justice Shehzada Sheikh of theFederal Shariat Court‚ giving a clean chit to themilitary leadership has recommended that thoseresponsible for the operation should have murdercases registered against them. It suggested that theformer rulers of the country should be forced to paycompensations to the aggrieved families. It saysthat the coalition partners in power at that time‚particularly the prime minister and the cabinet,were not absolutely in the dark.

Israel, US see ‘exactly same’Iran threat, says HagelUS Defence SecretaryChuck Hagel onSunday said theUnited States andIsrael see “exactlythe same” threatfrom Iran, butdiffer on when itmay reach the pointof requiring US orIsraeli military action.Hagel used his first visit toIsrael as Pentagon chief to highlight his view thatIsrael must decide for itself whether and when topreemptively attack its neighbour.

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PPP begins campaign with Bilawal in the driving seat

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Israel will make the decision thatIsrael must make to protect itself. – US

Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel

nov 3 emegency imposedafter consultations: Musharraf

MoNiToRiNg DESK: Formerpresident General (r) Pervez Musharrafon Sunday said all steps adopted on

November 3, 2007were result of a

consultationprocess, aprivate TVchannelreported.According to

the content of astatement

recorded with policeauthorities whose copy was obtained bythe TV channel, Musharraf said hestood by the televised speech aired onthe evening of November 3, 2007 inwhich he had declared a state ofemergency in Pakistan. “All of my stepswere aimed at betterment of thecountry,” the former president claimed.

those talking aboutnaya Pakistan areamerican slaves: Fazl

TANK: Fazlur Rehman, chief of his ownfaction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F),on Sunday said politicians talking aboutNaya Pakistan were the slaves ofAmerica and other Western countries.Talking to a public gathering at theresidence of former city nazimMuhammad Zahid Arain in Tank city, thecleric said the destiny of Pakistan couldonly be changed through implementationof Shariah. The JUI-F candidate for PK-69 (Tank) Mahmood Bhitani, Dr TahirJaved, Mufti Allah Noor, Ameer Jaan,Muhammad Abbas were also present.Fazl, candidate from NA-25 (Tank),hoped that his party would clean sweepin Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will formprovincial government. He said, “In factthose who talk about Naya Pakistan arethe slaves of America and otherWestern countries who act like puppetsupon the orders of Western countries.”Fazl hoped that the JUI-F would formnext government in KP. Zahidannounced to join the JUI-F along withhis relatives and friends and assuredthe cleric of their support. AGENCIES

4 of family in gunneddown in PeshawarPESHAWAR: Unidentified gunmenkilled four people of a family on Sundayin Matani near Peshawar. According toMattani Police, unidentified gunmenentered the house of Wahab andstarted indiscriminate firing, killing fourpeople, including two brothers, RabAmin and Masood, and uncle Wahab onthe spot while Rais succumbed to hisinjuries on his way to the hospital.Meanwhile, the police registered a caseagainst unidentified people and initiatedan investigation. APP

ISLAMABAD TAyyAb HUSSAIN

WITH General (r) PervezMusharraf put underhouse arrest, it islikely that the Mut-

tahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)would soon announce its support forhim as sympathies are growing inparty ranks for the former militaryruler.

Well-placed sources in the MQMand All Pakistan Muslim League(APML) confirmed to Pakistan Todaythat leaderships of both parties werein contact.

"A specific attitude of the mediaand judiciary towards the former dic-tator is fast spreading an impressionamong the Mohajir community thatMusharraf is being taken to task un-duly, while all his abettors and collab-orators in imposition of emergencyhave been spared the humiliation. AsMusharraf is a Mohajir and has nosupport from any corner, the top lead-

ership of the MQM is seriouslymulling announcing its support for theformer president," an MQM leadersaid.

"We are concerned about the mal-treatment being meted out to the for-mer president and former chief ofarmy staff. There is a feeling amongthe Mohajir community that Mushar-raf is being targeted and victimisedfor being a Mohajir," the MQM leadersaid.

"The nation just saw what hap-pened to those generals and politi-cians who were held responsible bythe Supreme Court in the AsgharKhan case for taking bribes from theISI. No one was touched but inMusharraf's case all hell has brokenloose. We are soon going to announceour support for the General," theMQM leader added.

On the other hand, MQMspokesman Wasay Jalil admitted that afeeling of alienation amongst Moha-jirs in upper Sindh had re-emergedsince the trial of General Musharraf

began. However, he said that in spite of

this feeling, his party would not makea public comment as the matter wassub-judice.

"Since we are done with the diffi-cult task of tickets distribution, theparty will discuss this issue within aday or two," he added.

Aasia Ishaque, the APML secre-tary information, said Musharraf hadthe full backing of his party workersand they would welcome any politicalsupport.

Asked whether or not the Generalwas expecting such treatment uponhis return or if he had been trapped,Aasia said, "No, Musharraf has notbeen trapped. Before leaving for Pak-istan, all options were discussed andhe was actually expecting muchworst. He knew he is facing biasedjudges and some venomous mediapersonalities. But we have faith inGod," she said, adding that the currentsituation had not broken the General'sresolve to play his role in Pakistan.

Commenting on the statement byformer spokesman of GeneralMusharraf, Maj Gen (r) RashidQureshi who had sought the army'sintervention to save Musharraf, Aasiadistanced her party from the state-ment, saying Rashid's statement washis personal opinion and did not re-

flect the party's policy. "This might be his personal views.

The APML has not sought the army'sintervention. Despite having reserva-tions against the biased judges, we ex-pect justice," she said.

Maj Gen (r) Rashid Qureshi, aclose associate of former presidentGeneral (r) Pervez Musharraf, hadasked the top military leadership onSaturday to intervene in the issue im-mediately before tensions betweenstate institutions got worse.

Aasia said her party did havereservations over Justice Shaukat AzizSiddiqui of the Islamabad High Court,as he had been an activist of a reli-gious political party and had alsobeen the counsel of Lal Masjid clericAbdul Aziz.

"Everyone knows that Abdul Azizwas involved in terrorism and he hadled an armed rebellion against thestate which triggered the Lal Masjidoperation. Justice Shaukat Siddiquigot house arrest orders for theMaulana and also got Aziz's BahriaTown residence declared as sub-jail,"she added.

She said that Justice Siddiqui con-tested 2002 election from the MMA'splatform for NA-54 Rawalpindi.

"How could you expect justicefrom such a political person who hasalso defended terrorists?" she added.

MQM likely to Put weightBehind PerveZ MusharraF

WASAY JALILADMITS SYMPATHYWAVE AMONG MOHAJIRSFOR MUSHARRAF

MOHAJIRSFEEL MUSHARRAFBEING 'TARGETED'FOR BEING ONE

LAHORE/MIANWALIAGENCIES

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)President Nawaz Sharif and leaderShahbaz Sharif on Sunday promisedan industrial revolution and an end tothe armed wings of all political partiesif their party wins the upcoming elec-tion.

Talking to media persons on Sun-day, Nawaz Sharif said Karachiteswere facing barbarism due to the neg-ligence of political forces who hadruled the country for five years andPML-N, after coming into power,would remove the miseries of the me-tropolis city.

Commenting on Pervez Mushar-raf’s detention, Nawaz said that thegeneral had violated the constitutiontwice, had put the sovereignty of coun-try at stake and should be tried accord-ing to the law.

The PML-N chief said that al-though PTI Chairman Imran Khan crit-icises his party at all forums, “wewould not victimise or take political re-venge from any individual or party”.

Nawaz said that although therewere many hurdles in holding peaceful,free and transparent polls but electionsshould not be postponed at any cost.

Shahbaz Sharif on the other hand

promised that if his party is voted intopower‚ it will bring an industrial revo-lution in the country.

Addressing a public meeting inMianwali on Sunday‚ he said thatPML-N would emerge as a leading

party in the upcoming elec-tions.

He said May 11 would bea day to get rid of plunderersand looters.

Shahbaz Sharif has saidthat May 11 would be the‘day of judgment’ for corrupt politi-cians. If the people want real change inthe country, they should cast their votesin favour of ‘tiger’.

Shahbaz said that the people of Mi-anwali had great love for Nawaz Sharif.

“If the people want to bring realchange in the country, they should givetheir votes to the PML-N as it has ca-pacity and capability to bring the nationout of challenging crises,” he said.

He said he was standing with theflood-hit people in theirtime of trouble and trialwhile the so-calledchampions of changeand revolutions were ab-sent from the site of oc-currence.

He said PTI chair-man Imran Khan was

speaking the language of President AsifAli Zardari who is also hatching con-spiracies against the PML-N.

He vowed that if the PML-N en-joys an opportunity to come to power,energy crisis would be overcome.

PML-N promises industrialrevolution, end to armedwings of political parties

Karachites were facing barbarismdue to the negligence of politicalforces who had ruled the countryfor five years and pml-n, aftercoming into power, would removethe miseries of the metropolis city

Zehri registersFir againstBnP-M leader

QUETTASTAFF REPORT

Balochistan PML-N Presi-dent Sanaullah Zehrion Sunday lodged afirst informationreport for themurder of hisson, nephew andbrother againstBNP-M leaderAmanullahZarakzai and hissix sons.The veteran national-ist leaders Nawab KhairBakhsh Marri, SardarAtaullah Mengal and their sons Nawabzada Hyr-byair Marri and BNP-M President Akhtar Mengalwere also nominated in the FIR lodged in ZehriLevies Thana for abetment. The son, brother and nephew of Zehri and anothertwo people were killed in a bombing on his con-voy during election campaign.Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani told Pak-istan Today that FIR No 1/2013 has been regis-tered in Levies Thana in which AmanullahZarakzai, his six sons Ejaz, Shahzad, Obaidullah,Niaz, Asadullah and Ayaz were nominated.Zehri has also nominated Nawab Khair BakhshMarri, his son Hyrbyair Marri who is in self-exile,Attaullah Mengal, his two sons Akhtar Mengaland Javed Mengal, who is also in self-exile. Zehriclaimed that they provided assistance to Amanul-lah and his sons in the bombing. However, no ar-rests have been made so far.

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Monday, 22 April, 2013

I will continue to serve the people of the

country and will not bow down beforeterrorists. – Ghulam Ahmad Bilour

QUETTASHAHZADA ZULFIQAR

VIOLENCE targeting electionofficials, political leaders andworkers continued across thecountry on Sunday, as two

Awami National Party (ANP) workerslost their lives in a gun attack in Pishindistrict of Balochistan, while NationalParty (NP) leader escaped a grenade at-tack on his house in Turbat.

In a separate attack in Kharan town ofBalochistan, unidentified militants threwa hand grenade at the residence of an

election commission officer HashimBaloch, resulting in injuries to his daugh-ter. Per details, three people includingtwo political activist, were killed whileone other received bullet injuries inPishin, 60kms north of Quetta on Sunday.

Sources said an unidentified manopened indiscriminate fire on a group ofpeople in Karbala village of Pishin andescaped. As a result, two of them werekilled on the spot while the third receivedinjuries. The attacker was followed by thepeople from the village, who overpow-ered him and brought him back to the vil-lage. After interrogating the assailant, the

villagers shot him dead. The deceasedwere identified as Mustafa and Naseebul-lah, activists of ANP, while the injuredwas named Khan Mohammad.

Pishin Deputy Commissioner HashimKhan Ghilzai said the incident had noth-ing to do with politics and elections,rather all four were friends and one ofthem got enraged over a personal matterand opened fire on the rest, killing twoand injuring the third.

He said villagers later apprehendedthe attacker and killed him in front ofover 1,200 people. Ghilzai said killershad been identified and would be arrestedsoon.

In Turbat a grenade went off outsidethe residence of National Party PresidentDr Abdul Malik Baloch, creating panicamong party workers. However the ex-plosion caused no damage except to a

few vehicles.A meeting of party workers was being

held inside the house of NP President DrMalik Baloch when the blast took place.

National Party Information Secretarysaid Jan Buledi said a corner meeting ofthe NP was underway in Turbat witharound 300 to 400 workers present, in-cluding party president Dr Malik Baloch,Mir Akram Dashti, Azeem Baloch andothers. He said that the premises, whereattack was carried out, was being used asElection Cell of the party.

In Kharan, militants threw a handgrenade at the residence of an electioncommission officer, levies officials said.

A Levies official said militants on amotorcycle hurled a handheld bomb atthe residence of Muhammad HashimBaloch, an election officer.

He said the daughter of Hashim

Baloch was injured during the blast. Theexplosion also damaged window panesand glass in the house. Levies officialssaid militants escaped unhurt from thespot.

In Peshawar, the Bomb DisposalSquad (BDS) averted a possible bid ofterrorism by defusing a bomb in Bazid-khel, a sub-urban area of Peshawar, po-lice said.

According to details, after receivinginformation regarding the presence of asuspected object, officials of BDS rushedto the spot and found a bomb that hadbeen planted by miscreants to target alocal peace committee.

After recovering the bomb, BDS de-fused it successfully.

“Around 10 kilograms of explosiveswas used in making the bomb,” a BDSofficial said.

two anP workers killed in continued election violence

anP will emergeas leading party inelections: Bilour

PESHAWARNNI

Awami National Party leader Ghulam AhmadBilour has said his party will again emerge asthe leading party in the upcoming elections.Talking to a delegation of the ANP workers inPeshawar on Sunday‚ he urged them to acceler-ate the election campaign and asked them toconvey the ANP’s message of peace to the peo-ple.Bilour said he will continue to serve the peopleof the country and will not bow down beforeterrorists.

Pti Chakwalleader, othersjoin PMl-n

CHAKWALNNI

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chakwalleader Naeem Akram along with other officebearers on Sunday resigned from the partyover differences on ticket distribution andjoined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N). Naeem Akram who applied for a PTI ticketfrom NA-60, said PTI chief Imran Khanbacked on his promise to give tickets toparty workers.Akram is brother of PTI District PresidentRizwan Akram and Vice President LabibaIffat. He announced his decision during a meetingwith defence analyst Lt Gen (r) AbdulQayyum. Candidate for the National Assem-bly (NA) seat from PML-N Major (r) TahirIqbal and other officer bearers of the partywere also present on the occasion.Akram said he along with his brother en-rolled more than 27,000 members in PTIfrom Chakwal but the party tickets wereawarded to those who recently joined whilehe and his family had been working withPTI since the last many years. Gen Qayyum welcomed them to PML-N andassured that due respect and honour wouldbe given to the new entrants. He also announced full support for TahirIqbal. Qayyum said Nawaz Sharif is the only expe-rienced politician who can lead the countrythrough the present challenges. Tahir Iqbal admitted that some mistakes hadbeen made in the past but assured that thefuture would be different. He appealed toPML-N workers to start a massive campaignsince only 20 days were left in general elec-tions. Other leaders who spoke on the occasionwere Ziaul Hassan Zaidi, Malik MohiudDin, Raja Sajid Iqbal, Shahid Abbasi andSheikh Zaffar Hassan.The speakers vowed to support PML-N can-didates and were confident that all six seatsfrom Chakwal would go to PML-N.

FOURSOLDIERSKILLED INNWA

MIRANSHAH/PESHAWARAGENCIES

Four security personnel were killed and another fourwere injured in a remote-controlled bomb attack on a se-curity forces convoy on Sunday.According to military sources, unidentified terrorists hadplanted the bomb on Bannu-Miranshah Road in restiveNorth Waziristan Agency (NWA).The terrorists blasted the bomb when the convoy waspassing by. Three soldiers died on the spot and anotherthree were injured. The injured were rushed to a hospital.Security forces cordoned off the area after the attack andstarted a search operation.A security official told a newspaper that exchange of firecontinued between security forces and terrorists nearKhawaja Khar check post.Separately, three security forces personnel were injuredin clashes between terrorists and security forces inOrakzai Agency’s Dabori area. At least three suspectedterrorists were also killed during the exchange of fire, se-curity sources told the daily.Moreover, security forces conducted a search operationin FR Kohat and arrested three suspected terrorists.Security sources said a huge quantity of arms and ammu-nition was also recovered from the arrested suspects.In another incident, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS)personnel defused a bomb in Bazeedkhel near Badhberarea of Peshawar.BDS official Abdul Haq told the English daily the bombcarried 10 kilogrammes of explosives.

KARAK/DERA ISMAIL KHANAGENCIES

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman ImranKhan on Sunday said his party would oust tradi-tional politicians in the upcoming polls, addingthat if voted into power PTI would ensure peacein Pushtun regions through dialogue.

He said he would pull out army from the tribalregions and engage with locals for peace efforts.Khan further said he would abandon America'swar on terror, adding that this was not Pakistan’swar. God has given the nation an opportunity to re-build the country and the opportunity should notbe missed, he said.

Addressing a rally in Karak, Khan said if votedto power‚ creation of a ‘Naya Pakistan” will begin

in three weeks.Thousands of supporters had gathered at an

election rally in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP), just a day after PTI formally kicked off itselection campaign from Lahore. Khan said, “Ipromise today that PTI will never compromise andwill never bow in front of anyone.” PTI supporterswere chanting slogans in a charged environmentwhere party activists were dancing and clapping atregular intervals.

“People believe me and donate money to myparty generously and all of this is done voluntar-ily,” Khan said.

He said the rate of poverty had increased ex-ponentially during the last five years. If voted intopower we will neither accept loans from theUnited States (US) nor beg for help, Khanpledged.

Addressing another public rally in Dera IsmailKhan on Sunday, Khan said his party had the ca-pacity to face traditional politicians, adding thatpoliticians taking their turns cannot bring changein the system.

The masses should cast their vote for realchange in the country, he said. “Our mission is tomake the country a welfare state where peace andprosperity are its hallmarks,” he said.

He vowed PTI would provide proper jobs tothe unemployed and introduce a uniform educa-tional system in the country.

He said the masses of the tribal areas would bemade part and parcel of the political system. Thedisplaced people of Waziristan would be providedeconomic aid for rehabilitation, he stated.

The prime minister of a ‘Naya Pakistan’ wouldneither beg for economic aid nor get loans fromworld economic institutions in the name ofprogress and prosperity, he added.

Will ensure peace in KPthrough dialogue: Imran

iSLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry addresses theconcluding session of the International Judicial Conference 2013 in the Supreme Court. INP

ELECTION OFFICIAL’SDAUGHTER HURT INKHARAN ATTACK

GRENADE HURLED AT NPCHIEF ABDUL MALIKBALOCH'S HOUSE

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Monday, 22 April, 2013

People believe me and donate money to my party generously and all of this is donevoluntarily — PTI chief Imran Khan

LAHORESTAFF REPORT

The Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust(NPT) organised a special sit-ting in connection with AllamaIqbal’s 75th death anniversaryat the Pakistan MovementWorkers’ Trust on Sunday.

The programme waspresided over by NPT Chair-man Majid Nizami. Thespeakers included Prof DrRafique Ahmad, MushahidHussain Syed, Justice (r)Nasira Javed Iqbal, Pir SyedKabir Ali Shah, BegumBushra Rehman, SahibzadaSultan Ahmad Ali, Dr SamihaRaheel Qazi, Dr Zahid MunirAmir and Allama Ahmad AliKasuri. The workers led byMajid Nizami also visited

Iqbal’s mausoleum.Majid Nizami said, “It is the

death anniversary of the personwho gave us this country. Hewas the one who presented theidea of partition. Muslims ruledthe subcontinent for 1000 years.After that the British enslavedus, but we wanted freedom. Al-lama Muhammad Iqbaldreamed of a free country andfelt that only Quaid-e-AzamMuhammad Ali Jinnah canmake the dream a reality.”

He added, “We have mis-siles and should use nukesagainst India if it does not be-have like a good neighbour.Don’t talk about Aman kiAsha… I have always said thetruth. I pray to God to help usfollow in the footsteps of DrAllama Muhammad Iqbal.”

KARACHI AFTAb CHANNA

tHE Pakistan Peo-ple's Party hasstarted its electioncampaign withparty Chairman Bi-

lawal Bhutto Zardari in thedriving seat, seeking a sec-ond straight term for the for-mer ruling party.

The party has alsolaunched an aggressive elec-tion campaign in the mediaand through banners and plac-ards with pictures of Bilawal,PPP founder Zulfikar AliBhutto (ZAB) and slain PPPchairwoman Benazir Bhutto(BB). Every PPP candidate isdisplaying banners andposters carrying pictures ofZAB, BB and Bilawal.

The PPP was founded by

former members of the now-defunct Pakistan SocialistParty, banned by then premierLiaquat Ali Khan. In 1960s,support for socialism as well asopposition to General AyubKhan's pro-Western/pro-American policies mountedin West-Pakistan. Khan's un-popularity continued to growfollowing his decision tosign the Tashkent Agreementwith archrival India, in an ef-fort to end the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.

The dismissal of charis-matic democratic-socialistZAB further angered and dis-mayed the people and madehim determined to bring downthe Khan-led government. Asa result, a convention washeld on November 30, 1967in Lahore, where democratic-socialists and left-wing intel-

lectuals gathered to meet withZAB at the residence of DrMubashir Hasan, and the PPPwas formed. The newlyformed party memberselected ZAB as their firstchairman.

In 1968, a massive pub-lic-relations programme waslaunched by the party fromPunjab. The programme di-rectly targeted the country'spoverty-stricken people. Theleft-wing oriented slogan,"land to the landless" provedirresistible to the peasants andlabour force, as the partypromised not only to abolishthe fundamental feudalismthat had plagued the country,but also to redistribute landamong the landless and thepeasants. The working classand labour movement quicklyflocked to the party, believingit to be a party dedicated tothe destruction of capitalismin the country.

The young university stu-dents and teachers who often

bore the brunt of Ayub Khan'sdictatorial regime during hisdecade-long rule were prom-ised a better future with bettereducation and career opportu-nities. Many other members ofsociety who had felt stifledand repressed by the con-trolled press and heavy cen-sorship practiced by the AyubKhan’s authoritarian regimealso joined the new party. Theparty's manifesto also at-tracted the country's numerousminorities, who quickly joinedthe party. To this day, the partyenjoys massive levels of sup-port in the rural and poverty-stricken areas of Sindh,Punjab and the "Karachi-La-hore axis of power".

Eventually, the socialist-oriented rationale, "roti, kapraaur makaan (bread, cloth andshelter)”, became a nation-wide call for the party and bythe 1970s, the PPP had be-come the largest and most in-fluential leading socialist anddemocratic entity in the coun-

try that was successfully keptby Benazir Bhutto.

Moreover, after BB’s as-sassination on December 27,2007, the 2008 polls whichwere scheduled to be held inJanuary were postponed untilFebruary. The PPP won 121seats from across Pakistan,whilst the centre-right, Pak-istan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N) came second, man-aging to secure 91 seats.

In 2008, PPP Co-chair-man Asif Zardari announcedto end the fourth dictatorshipwhen he quoted, "Pakistanwas on its way of ridding dic-tatorships forever." He ap-pealed to PML-N leaderNawaz Sharif to form a coali-tion. On March 9, 2008 in apress conference held in Mur-ree, conservatives underNawaz and socialists led byZardari officially signed anagreement to form a coalitiongovernment. Titled the PPP-PML-N summit declaration,both parties agreed on the re-

instatement of judges deposedwithin 30 days after the for-mation of new federal govern-ment. On March 28, the PPPappointed Yousaf Raza Gilanifor the office of prime minis-ter and formed a coalitiongovernment with centre-rightconservatives in Punjab, left-wing socialists in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, right-wing so-cialists in Balochistan and lib-eral-seculars in Sindh.

On the other hand, the PPPwon elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. How-ever, the PML-N withdrewfrom the coalition and the fed-eral government. On Septem-ber 5, 2008, the PPP nominatedAsif Zardari for the upcomingpresidential election.

In December 2011, a majorsetback was suffered by Peo-ple's Party when its leadingdemocratic socialists and seniormembers, for instance, ShahMahmood Qureshi and MalikAli Khan left the party overZardari's "handling of affairs".

PPP begins campaign withBilawal in the driving seat

PARTY LAUNCHES AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGNIN PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA

ISLAMABADINP

Chief Justice of Pakistan IftikharMuhammad Chaudhry said on Sundaythat the government had completed itsfive-year constitutional term because ofan independent judiciary which hadplayed a pivotal role in the eradication ofoppression and injustice.

"Today, no one will give extensions tousurpers," the CJP said while addressingthe concluding session of a three-day In-

ternational Judicial Conference in Islam-abad on Sunday. He said that the judici-ary gave priority to those who were insearch of justice. “Judiciary has taken anoath of protection of the constitution andthe judiciary is responsible for dispensa-tion of justice to the people,” he said.

The CJP also asserted that transparentelections should be held in the country.

Chaudhary said, “Judiciary is thethird pillar of the state and an independ-ent judiciary plays a vital role in provid-ing justice in society”.

The chief justice observed that therewas need to strengthen judiciary as an in-stitution. “The current judiciary is notlike that of pre 2007 judiciary,” he said.

The CJP added that this institutionwas taking measures to establish rule oflaw in the country. Representatives from21 countries, including India‚ Egypt‚Iran‚ Iraq‚ Afghanistan‚ Libya andBritain, attended the conference.

Participants of the conference urgedfor joint efforts to eliminate the menaceof terrorism from the society.

ISLAMABADSHAIQ HUSSAIN

A high-level US delegationcomprising civilian and mili-tary officials on Sundaycalled on Chief of Army StaffGeneral Ashfaq ParvezKayani and sought Pakistan’shelp for a meaningful and re-sult-oriented “Afghanistanreconciliation process”.

The American delegationcomprised Acting SpecialRepresentative forAfghanistan and Pakistan

Ambassador David Pearce,Special Assistant to the Pres-ident on Afghanistan andPakistan Lieutenant General(r) Dagulas Lute, PrincipalAssistant Secretary of De-fence for Asian and PacificSecurity Affairs Dr PeterLavoy and US Ambassador toPakistan Richard Olson.

“The two sides discussedmatters of mutual interestwith particular focus onAfghanistan reconciliationprocess. From Pakistan’sside, Jalil Abbas Jillani, for-

eign secretary also attendedthe meeting,” an ISPRspokesman said.

No further details of thevital meeting were given bythe spokesman but an officialseeking anonymity said theUS officials asked for Pak-istan’s support for the start ofa meaningful dialogue be-tween Washington and theMullah Omar-led Afghan Tal-iban as well as the Afghangovernment and the Taliban.

“The participants of themeeting agreed that there

was need to give thrust tothe ‘sluggish’ Afghanistanreconciliation process asonly result-oriented talksbetween different parties toAfghanistan problem couldlead to peace and stabilityin the war-torn country,”he said.

At present, there is astalemate in peace talks be-tween US officials and Tal-iban representatives in Doha,Qatar and the Obama admin-istration wants resumption ofthese negotiations as soon as

possible, as that would help itmaterialise the Americanstrategy to pull out the US-ledNATO troops fromAfghanistan by 2014.

There has also been nomovement ahead as for anypeace negotiations betweenthe Afghan government andthe Taliban because the latterbelieve that there is no use oftalks with the administrationof President Hamid Karzaiand the real authority lieswith the United States.

The official said the US

administration wanted to endthe current stalemate in talkswith the Taliban and for thatit believed Pakistan couldplay a vital role in bringingthe Taliban to the table of ne-gotiations.

He said General Kayanitold the US officials that Pak-istan would take every possi-ble step to help restore peacein Afghanistan. He said thearmy chief observed thatpeace and stability inAfghanistan was vital forpeace and stability in Pakistan.

He said the recent borderfeud between Pakistan andAfghanistan over the renova-tion of a border gate inMohmand Agency by Islam-abad also came up for discus-sion during the meeting.

“General Kayani told theAmerican officials that Pak-istan wants to have good,friendly ties with its westernneighbour and it is alwaysfor talks with Afghanistan toiron out differences, if any,on the various issues,” theofficial said.

‘PunjaB govtresPonsiBle iFanythinghaPPens toMusharraF’

ISLAMABADANWER AbbAS

All Pakistan Muslim League(APML) on Sunday lodged acomplaint for mistreatmentbeing faced by former presi-dent and APML chief Gen (r)Pervez Musharraf, and saidthe Punjab governmentwould be responsible for anyuntoward incident that mighthappen to the former armychief. Addressing a newsconference, an APMLspokesman and party candi-date contesting polls from thefederal capital Dr Amjad ac-cused the government forharsh treatment with the for-mer military chief. He saidthe treatment being accordedto Musharraf under sub-jailcustody is harsher than thatwhich is prevalent in AdialaJail. Amjad said Musharraf isnot being permitted to meethis family, despite the factthat he was a former presi-dent and army chief. He fur-ther said only two rooms hadbeen allotted to Musharraf,adding that even his legalteam is being barred frommeeting him.A specially prepared meal isbeing served to him, Amjadsaid, adding that “anyonecould make the mealpoisonous.” He further statedthat Musharraf is notpermitted to use his cellularphone, internet, computer andother necessities, which hasdisconnected him from theoutside world.“Even telephone connectionshave been disconnected. Theonly link between Musharrafand the outside world isnewspapers and magazines,”he added.Amjad said the formerpresident had worked in thebest interests of the countryand played a key role in thedevelopment ofinfrastructure andtelecommunications. TheAPML spokesman said auniformed officer who hadfought many wars for hishomeland, could not bedeclared a “traitor”. Amjadstressed Musharraf deserveda respectable treatment,which was his right.

PM urges countrymento go green! ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Mir Hazar KhanKhoso urged Pakistanis to pay due attention to overcome the cli-matic and ecological challenges being faced by planet Earth andasked everyone to make concerted efforts for its preservation.The PM, in his message on Earth Day, being observed across theworld on April 22, said it was a sacred duty to work together inovercoming challenges posed by climatic discrepancies to seizesharp ecological dilapidation. He said on April 22, billions ofpeople around the world would be observing the World EarthDay, with a purpose to reiterate a resolve to protect mother Earthfrom challenges which are threatening its existence. Khoso fur-ther said it was heartening that his countrymen would be joiningthe international community in this mega event. APP

expired id cardholders eligibleto vote: eCP

ISLAMABADSTAFF REPORT

The Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP) on Sundayclarified that the people whosecomputerised national identitycards (CNIC) have expiredare allowed to vote in the May11 elections. A spokesman ofthe ECP said all citizens whohad expired CNICs wereeligible to vote. “An identitycard means identity of votersso there is no question ofvalidity or invalidity.” Thespokesman said on May 11, incase, anyone stopped theexpired card holder fromcasting his vote, he shouldimmediately report the matterto the election officers at thepolling station.

us looks to pakistan for meaningful afghan dialogue

govt completed its term because of an independent judiciary: cJp

npt remembers iqbal

LAHoRE: A truck loaded with hay overturned at Saggian interchange on Sunday. NNI

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ISLAMABAD

IMonday, 22 April, 2013

05

Low

high

tUeSdAy WedNeSdAy thUrSdAy27C I 16°C 24°C I 15°C 25°C I 16°C

PRAyER TIMINGS

rAIN

WeAther UPdAteS

270C

Fajr Sunrise Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha

4:03 5:32 12:07 3:47 6:42 8:11

160C

Politics have their roots in the spiritual life of man. It is mybelief that Islam is not a matter of private opinion. It is asociety, or, if you like, a civic church. – Allama Iqbal

ISLAMABADAGENCIES

ABOUT 71 percent of the total33,310 complaints lodgedlast year with the PakistanTelecommunication

Authority (PTA) were against cell phoneoperators. Of the total complaintsreceived last year against cell phoneoperators, the PakistanTelecommunication Company Limited(PTCL), LDIs, WLL, ISPs and MNP as99 percent of them were redressed –mostly within the stipulated time periodwhich can be described as a significant

achievement for the regulator.Since cell phone subscribers make up

most of the telecom subscriber base (120million), 71 percent of the receivedcomplaints were directed to the cellphone operators.

The regulatory authority in its latestreport has revealed that 23,694complaints received were against mobileservice providers and the Mobile NumberPortability (MNP). The report revealedthat 43.5 percent complaints were relatedto misuse of cell phone services followedby MNP, which made up 20.4 percent ofthe complaints.

Although the uptake by cellularmobile services has profound benefits tothe country, the low literacy rate andsome criminal elements trouble thecustomers with obnoxious and unwantedcalls. For this reason, the highest numberof complaints was in this regard with 43.5

percent of total complaints. The illegalpractices constitute 17.3 percent of thecomplaints while billing, Quality ofService (QoS), Value Added Service(VAS), poor customer issues were aboutillegal practices. Looking at thecomplaints received against each cellularoperator, the maximum number ofcomplaints, with 6,352, was againstMobilink since it has the highestsubscriber base. Mobilink was followedby Telenor, Ufone, Warid and CMPakwith 4881, 4692, 3216 and 2491complaints respectively. The number ofcomplaints against cellular operators isfar less than the subscriber base of thecompanies which is a good sign for thesector.

According to the share of eachoperator in total complaints received bythe authority, Mobilink had the highestnumber with 29 percent followed by

Telenor with 23 percent, Ufone with 22percent, Warid with 15 percent whileCMPak had 11 percent share in the totalcomplaints received. The PTA hassuccessfully redressed 99 percent of totalreceived complaints against mobileoperators.

The PTCL constitutes 27 percent ofthe total complaints while its totalsubscriber base is about 3.7 million. ThePTCL has virtual monopoly the in fixedline sector so the number of complaintsagainst the company depicts the overallstate of the local loop sector in Pakistan.The authority received 8,895 complaintsagainst the PTCL in various categories.

It is worth mentioning here that thePTA has established an easy and reliablecomplaint management system at itsheadquarters so the consumers can lodgecomplaints via phone, fax, email, websiteand personal visits.

Cellular CoMPanies toPPta’s CoMPlaint Chart

silver stampissued in memoryof iqbaliSLAMABAD: The Pakistan Post has issuedthe first-ever silver commemorative stampto mark the 75th death anniversary of DrAllama Muahmmad Iqbal. The beautifulstamp of Rs 15 denomination was put ondisplay at the special postal counterarranged by Pakistan Post at Mazar-e-Iqbal,Pakistan Post Additional Director GeneralFazli Sattar Khan said on Sunday. He saidthat a special booklet had also been issuedby the Pakistan Post containing all com-memorative stamps issued by it till date.He said that the first ever silver stamp wasissued on the special interest of PostalServices Secretary Javaid Iqbal Awan andPakistan Post Director General Syed Ghu-lam Panjtan Rizvi. APP

dCo callscandidates to briefrules of the gameRAWALPiNDi: Rawalpindi District Coordi-nation Officer (DCO) Rashid Mahmood Lan-grial is holding a meeting today with all thecandidates who are contesting fromRawalpindi. The DCO will brief the candi-dates on the code of conduct issued by theElection Commission of Pakistan. The meet-ing will be held in Rawalpindi Arts CouncilHall at 4 pm. Rawalpindi City Police Officerand Rawalpindi District Election Commis-sioner Zahid Subhani will also be present inthe meeting along with the DCO. APP

FooD FoR THoUgHT:

Scavengers feast on disposed

of watermelons. NNI

ISLAMABADSTAFF REPORT

Capital Development Authority (CDA)Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has saidencroachments around the Saidpur Villagewill be removed to restore beauty of thishistoric place. The CDA chairman said thiswhile visiting the village here on Sunday.

Shahbaz said the village is rich incultural and traditional heritage, which is ahallmark of the site. He said the site wasattracting locals and foreigners alike and theCDA wanted to ensure that the visitors faceno difficulties. Shahbaz said the issue ofparking would be resolved in the area and theparking lot will be extended to facilitate thevisitors. He also said the sanitation systemwould also be improved. On this occasionCDA Member Administration ChaudhryMunir Ahmad, CDA Director GeneralEnvironment Dr Suleman Sheikh, the CDAMunicipal Administration director and otherofficers were also present.

EncroAchErS gEt frEEhAnD InrAWAL toWn: The Tehsil MunicipalAdministration (TMA) of Rawal Town isunable to control encroachers who areincreasing with each passing day in the area.With every free space encroached, motoristsface difficulty in parking their vehicles inmost commercial centres. This goes same forpedestrians who go to these market places.

Encroachment on both sides of roads isorder of the day in Sadiqabad, Muslim Town,Raja Bazaar, Bohar Bazaar, Jinnah Road,Commercial Market, Trunk Bazaar, DhokeKhabba, Dhoke Farman Ali, Buni Road,Jamia Masjid Road, Saidpur Road andCircular Road. Encroachers are doing theirbusiness without any fear of the TMA. Theresidents of Buni, Jamia Masjid Road,Saidpur Road, Circular Road, Aladad Road,Murree Road and other areas have beenvoicing their concerns over the illegaloccupation of roads. Encroachments not onlychoke traffic but also create security risks.Residents of these areas said encroachments

remained unchecked. They alleged thatdespite repeated complaints, theadministration did not take steps, which hasemboldened encroachers. Ajmal, who residesnear Circular Road, said motorcycle dealersand auto-workshop owners had occupied theroad. "The road has become a parking lot forencroachers while fruit sellers have set upstalls on the walkways." Asif, a resident ofBani, said encroachments caused accidents."Encroachers drop litter everywhere. Wehave lodged several complaints with theadministration but to no avail," he said,adding that the taxi drivers further contributeby parking their vehicles on the road."Encroachers have made it impossible tocross Jamia Masjid Road, Bani Chowk,Circular Road and Saidpur Road during rushhours," Atif, a motorist, said. "Trafficwardens are unable to ensure the smoothflow of traffic due to encroachments". Theresidents of the affected areas urged the cityadministrators to remove encroachmentsfrom the roads for a smooth traffic flow.

CDA chairman adamant against encroachments

71 PERCENT COMPLAINTSLODGED WITH PTA AGAINSTCELL PHONE OPERATORS

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ISLAMABADI

Monday, 22 April, 2013

06Political language is designed to make lies soundtruthful and murder respectable, and to give anappearance of solidity to pure wind. – George Orwell

oF ARTS, CULTURE AND

TRADiTioN: Artists perform

at the closing ceremony of

Lok Mela. SAjjAD ALI

‘security andtransparencyin upcomingelections gohand in hand’

RAWALPINDIAGENCIES

Commissioner Rawalpindi DivisionKhalid Masood Chaudhry has orderedall District Coordination Officers(DCOs) and District Police Officers(DPOs) of the division to take speedysteps to ensure transparent and impartialelections by following instructions ofthe Election Commission ofPakistan(ECP).He said integrated response of all thedepartments was necessary and allresources would be made available todischarge duties on the polling day.According to the spokesman of thecommissioner’s office, Chaudhry hasdirected all hospitals at district and townlevels to stay alert and ensureavailability of necessary medicine tomeet any emergency on the election day.The DCOs have also been directed toprepare emergency management plan fortheir respective districts. He also askedthe DCOs to take heads of their districtsin the regard. He also ordered to conductsearch operations in Afghan localitiesand in hotels, inns, waiting rooms forpassengers. He ordered to make specialsecurity arrangements around armyinstallations, mosques, imam barghasand busy market places. Thecommissioner also ordered for specialsecurity of foreign correspondents andjournalists. According to the spokesman,RPO Rawalpindi Nasim-uz-Zaman hadinformed that effective securitymeasures would be in place toimplement law and order in the divisionand additional force would be deployedin the districts where it would beneeded. “Instructions have already beenconveyed to the DPOs of the districts formaking perfect security measures,” headded.rAWALpInDI Dco forfooLproof SEcurIty ofpoLLIng StAtIonS: RawalpindiDistrict Coordination Officer (DCO)Arshad Mehmood Langrial has said thatpolling stations would be providedfoolproof security and for this purposesufficient police force and securitypersonnel would be deployed at allsensitive polling stations on the day ofelection.Langrial said instructions have alreadybeen conveyed to the police in thisregard and authorities concerned havebeen advised to prepare acomprehensive security plan.A spokesman of the city districtgovernment said directives of the DCOand the code of conduct issued by theElection Commission of Pakistan (ECP)would be implemented in letter andspirit. “Contingents of the army andrangers will also be ready available anddeployed if needed,” he added.The spokesman said the DCO hadordered authorities concerned to erasewall chalking as it violated the ECP’sdirections. “Oversize political bannersand posters which violate the code ofconduct are being removed,” he added.He said power generators andfloodlights would be mounted on thevehicles of Tehsil MunicipalAdministration (TMA) to deal with anyemergency when needed on the pollingday. The spokesman also said that thePolice Department has written a letter tothe Punjab government to provideadditional force, close circuit TVcameras, walk-through gates, metaldetectors and other necessary logisticsupport. He said the DCO had directedthe TMAs to set up control rooms andemergency response centres wheresenior officers of various departmentsshould remain present around the clockto ensure uninterrupted electricity andphone connections on the polling day.Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, BombDisposal Squad will also remain alert toconfront any kind of emergency on thepolling day, he added.

RAWALPINDIINP

After painting the twin cities with banners, posters,stickers and portraits of candidates, party workersand supporters have initiated the door to doorcampaign as the general elections draw near.Scores of activists and supporters belonging to the

Pakistan Muslim League-(Nawaz) (PML-N), thePakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) go ridingmotorcycles and vehicles through streets. They carryflags of their political parties and chant politicalslogans to muster up support for their respectiveparties.Sources said the PTI had tasked its volunteers to

visit at least 20 houses in their locality and convincethe public to vote the PTI. The JI is holding cornermeetings to garnish support in the upcomingelections. The JI’s students’ wing is also very activein conducting the campaign.Sources also said political parties have hiredworkers on daily wages to put up posters, bannersand stickers in various parts of the twin cities.

Political parties begin door-to-door election campaign

ISLAMABADAPP

MARGALA Hills is hometo about 460 species ofbirds, said environmentexpert Safan Shahab

Ahmed on Saturday.Talking to a private news channel, he

said birds play an important role in thebeauty of a place. He said species ofbirds like chief pheasant, monal, andalexandrine parakeet are facing threat ofextinction in Pakistan. He saidpreserving the species of these birds wasneeded and for this purpose huntersshould be barred from hunting these rarebirds. He stressed planting more fruit-bearing trees for the purpose wasessential. He also said that there wasneed to promulgate laws that couldprotect birds, adding that more parksshould be set up to provide home topheasant and monal.

Ahmed said that there should be nofelling of trees to protect nests. He saidthat there should be complete ban on theshepherds who visit these parks.

Answering to a question, he said thatone fourth of the birds come from otherregions of the world including Siberia.He said that these birds like to stay neardams in Pakistan and eat those plants inthe sea that have germs. These germs arevery harmful to human health. He saidthis way these birds play vital role for

human beings.Talking about role of birds in

promoting tourism, he said tourism is

dealt on a professional way in countrieslike Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.He said birds could play a key role in

promoting tourism in Pakistan, addingthat civil society should pay attention tothe birds and environment as well.

‘Margalla hills home toabout 460 bird species’

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07

NEWSMonday, 22 April, 2013

It was as if the mountain was

alive ... Now I have no home to goto. — Sichuan earthquake survivor

N

LONDONAGENCIES

Thirty seconds of silence marked the start of theLondon Marathon on Sunday to commemoratethose killed in the recent Boston bombings.

Thousands lined the streets to see the athletes setoff from Blackheath, many wearing black ribbons ontheir vests. Hundreds of extra police officers – 40 per-cent more than last year - have been drafted in to re-assure runners and spectators. About half a millionpeople will watch the race, which starts at Blackheathin south-east London and finishes near BuckinghamPalace, passing some of the city's most recognisablelandmarks, including Tower Bridge and Big Ben.

Chef Michel Roux, who appears as a judge onthe BBC's MasterChef, is one a number of celebri-ties taking part. He said his response to the Bostonbombings on Monday had been one of "shock andhorror". "I immediately thought of the families ofall those who perished. It was just atrocious. But my

reaction after that was London. We're going to do itand we're going to do it for them." The MetropolitanPolice said that it had reviewed security plans afterthe Boston Marathon attacks and that the extra offi-cers would be used for "for reassurance patrols".

Ch Supt Julia Pendry, who has headed marathonsecurity for five years, has said this year's police op-eration is "about making sure that people who cometo London on Sunday feel safe when they are in thecity". She said more search dogs would be deployedand urged marathon spectators to keep their belong-ings with them to avoid sparking security alerts. Extrasecurity has been in put in place around the bags ofthe runners, with 34 lorries taking the rucksacks of thethousands of runners from the start in Blackheath tothe finish on the Mall near Buckingham Palace.

Virgin London Marathon has pledged to donate£2 for every runner that finishes Sunday's event toThe One Fund Boston set up to raise money for vic-tims of the explosions. The race organisers expectthe total donation to be at least £70,000.

londoners run in the memory of boston

ASuncIón: As many as ten candidates are contesting thepresidential elections taking place on Sunday in Paraguay, inwhat is seen as an attempt to reclaim democratic credentials ofthe country. Horacio Cartes, of the conservative ColoradoParty, and the centre-right Liberal Party's Efrain Alegre areseen as front-runners. Polls will be open from 07:00 local time(11:00 GMT) until 16:00. Preliminary results are expected fivehours after voting ends. The country will choose a newpresident and vice-president, 45 senators, 80 members of thelower house and 17 state governors. Just over 3.5 million ofthe nation's 6.6 million citizens are eligible for the mandatoryvote. "The world will see that Paraguay is a country that electsits authorities democratically, solving a vital problem for thepeople, that is, re-joining the international bodies," UruguayanMP Daniel Pena, who will be acting as an observer Mercosurparliament in the elections. The country's standing dipped inthe region after last year's disputed impeachment of PresidentFernando Lugo. The South American blocs Unasur andMercosur both suspended Paraguay. They cited a "rupture inthe democratic order". AGENCIES

Presidential eleCtions in Paraguay to restoredeMoCratiC ProCess

MONITORINg DESK

A suspected US drone strike has killed two men inYemen who officials say were al Qaeda militants.

The strike on April 21 also reportedly destroyedan arms cache in the town of Wadi Abida in centralMarib Province.

An unnamed Yemeni security official told journal-ists that the strike was carried out at dawn. It is thesecond suspected US drone strike in Yemen in less

than a week.Earlier, officials said an "al Qaeda leader" and four

militants were killed in a strike south of the Yemenicapital, Sanaa.The United States usually does notcomment on its drone programme.

Yemen's Defense Ministry confirmed a dronestrike but didn't specify who was behind it.

A few hours later, officials said al Qaeda fightersattacked a military checkpoint in the same area, killingtwo soldiers. A militant was also killed in the shootout.

LUSHANAPP

tHOUSANDS of rescue workers combedthrough quake-shattered villages in southwestChina on Sunday in a race to find survivors asthe death toll from a powerful tremor the daybefore crossed the 185 mark.

Dressed in bright orange uniforms, rescuers battled theirway up mountain paths strewn with wreckage to reachisolated parts of Sichuan province on the edge of theTibetan Plateau, state broadcaster CCTV showed. Armytroops dressed in camouflage clothes worked through thenight, searching villages where houses had been razed forsurvivors and treating those injured in the quake. China'snew Premier Li Keqiang has rushed to the disaster zoneand was shown by CCTV eating breakfast in a tent. Hetold state media that "the rescue effort is our first duty".Li said on Saturday that the first 24 hours was "thegolden time for saving lives", as China's new leadersrespond to another disaster five years after a previousSichuan earthquake left more than 90,000 people dead ormissing. More than 1,100 aftershocks have followedsince the latest quake struck the province on Saturdaymorning. Chinese seismologists registered the tremor at7.0 magnitude while the US Geological Survey gave it as6.6. At least 179 people have been confirmed dead andnearly 7,000 were injured, the Xinhua news agency said.Firefighters helped by sniffer dogs have pulled 91 peoplealive from the rubble, it said, citing the Ministry of PublicSecurity. At Lushan People's Hospital, a steady stream ofambulances continued to arrive in the early hours ofSunday. Most victims were taken to tents erected in thegrounds surrounding the hospital, where doctors treatedthe wounded.

boston suspect inserious condition,can't speaKBoSToN: Boston bombing suspect DzhokharTsarnaev remained in serious condition inhospital "unable to communicate,"Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick saidSaturday. The 19-year-old is "serious butstable. I think not able to communicate yet,"the governor told reporters after attending atribute to the victims of Monday's bombattacks that left three dead and about 180injured. CBS television quoted investigatorsas saying that Tsarnaev suffered two seriouswounds and had lost a lot of blood. It saidinvestigators had speculated that one woundin the back of his neck could have been asuicide attempt. "They say it appears fromthe wound that he might have stuck a gun inhis mouth and fired," said the report, whichadded that Tsarnaev could understand whatthose around him were saying. DzhokharTsarnaev was detained on Friday. His elderbrother Tamerlan was killed in a shootoutwith police earlier in the day during amassive manhunt. Patrick said he hopes theteenaged suspect survives. "We have amillion questions and those questions need tobe answered," he added. APP

yemeni officials say drone strikekilled al Qaeda militants

Five snowboardersdead in ColoradoavalancheLoS ANgELES: Five off-pistesnowboarders were killed after beingcaught in an avalanche in Colorado,the Denver Post reported on itswebsite Saturday. The newspaper saidthe five fatalities occurred near theLoveland Ski Area, 56 miles (90kilometers) west of Denver, citing thelocal sheriff's office. A sixthsnowboarder with the group hadsurvived the avalanche, the Postreported, while alpine rescue teamswere on the scene. APP

north korea movestwo more missilelaunchers, refusestalks on nukesPyoNgyANg: North Korea hasmoved two short-range missilelaunchers to its east coast, as it saidit was willing to hold disarmamenttalks with the US, but not over itsnuclear-weapons programme.Pyongyang moved two short-rangemissile launchers to its east coast,apparently indicating it is pushingahead with preparations for a testlaunch, a South Korean news agencyreported on Sunday. South Koreaand its allies have been expectingsome sort of North Korean missilelaunch during weeks of heightenedhostility on the Korean peninsula. Anunidentified South Korean militarysource told the South's Yonhap newsagency that satellite imagery showedthat North Korean forces had movedtwo mobile missile launchers forshort-range Scud missiles to SouthHamgyeong province. "The militaryis closely watching the North's latestpreparations for a missile launch,"the source said. The North movedtwo mid-range Musudan missiles inearly April and placed seven mobilelaunchers in the same area, Yonhapsaid. A North Korean show of forcecould be staged to coincide with theanniversary of the founding of itsarmy on April 25. A South KoreanDefence Ministry official said hecould not confirm the news reportand said there had been no sign ofunusual activity in North Korea.North Korea fairly regularly test-firesshort-range missiles in the sea off itseast coast. AGENCIES

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NEWSNMonday 22 April, 2013

08

PESHAWARSHAMIM SHAHID

Allies in previous coalition gov-ernment, the Pakistan People’sParty and the Awami NationalParty would contest pollsneck-in-neck in five central

districts of Peshawar valley in KhyberPakhtunkhwa (KP).

Though in recent past, the ANP remainedmain beneficiary in Peshawar, Charsadda andSwabi districts, whereas the PPP proved itselfa superior force in Mardan and Nowshera.But now the situation seems tough for thePPP in both Mardan and Nowshera districtsdue to internal rifts. However, in Peshawar,the PPP improved its position in urban areasbut facing hardships in rural areas.

It seems that candidates from three maincontenders the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl,the Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Pak-istan Tehreek-e-Insaf are likely to imbalancethe situation. On security grounds, the ANPleadership is facing multiple problems, whichcould help the JUI-F, PML-N and PTI of ju-bilating the opportunities. Whereas, seat-to-seat adjustment in two districts goes againstthe ANP interests. In 2008 general elections,the ANP grabbed six of 13 national and 21 of36 provincial assembly seats in all five dis-tricts of Peshawar valley. Whereas the PPPbecome runner up with getting four nationaland nine provincial assembly seats. AftabAhmad Khan Sherpao’s Pakistan People’sParty now renamed as the Qaumi WatanParty had won a single national and threeprovincial assembly seats. The JUI-F got oneeach seat of national and provincial assemblyseats. An independent elected to National As-sembly from Swabi and two (independents)from same district to KP Assembly. All thesethree independents remained in associationwith the PPP along with their counterpartfrom PPP-S.

Comparing to 2008, the situation is dif-ferent in all five districts. ANP leadership isfacing severe threats of terrorist attacks, butPPP in previous couple of years had lost as-sociation of its certain heavy weights.

Remaining political forces made stabletheir position in the region. Yaseen Khalil ofPPP from Peshawar, Pervez Khattak and

Iqbal Hussain Khattak of PPP-S from Now-shera, who later became part of PPP havejoined the PTI. Former district nazim DaudKhattak and Hajj Khan Khattak from Now-shera have joined the ANP. ANPs HashamBabar had joined the PTI, but now contestingpolls as independent candidate.

Ex-provincial minister Khawaja Mo-hammad Khan of ANP first switched to ANPand later to PTI and now contesting on aPML-N ticket. Some main PPP leaders andstalwarts from Mardan joined PTI and PML-N. Amongst them Muazzam Hoti andIftikhar Mohmand are prominent. The inde-pendents who were elected from Swabi arenow facing hardships and their instability isgoing to benefit ANP and QWP. Despite se-vere terrorist threats, Bilour’s credibility is onthe rise in Peshawar. Like 1990, Haji GhulamAhmad Bilour is facing a heavyweight likeImran Khan in NA-1 Peshawar. In 1990, hedefeated Benazir Bhutto from this con-stituency. However in 90, Bilour was enjoy-ing support of the PML-N. This time he hasno visible support of other political forces,but it seems that he could grab sympathies ofPeshawar in return of sacrifices being ren-dered by the family for peace and stability.

Position of ANP candidates on threeprovincial assembly constituencies seemssatisfactory as elder Bilour is accompaniedby younger Bilours, Ghazanfar Bilour fromPK-1 and Barrister Haroon Bilour from PK-3. On a third seat ANP has fielded MalikGhulam Mustafa against PPP provincialpresident Zahir Ali Shah. People of Peshawarobserve that Bilours and Saadat’s have en-tered into a compromise by fielding weakcandidates like Zulfikar Afghani and MalikGhulam Mustafa. The PML-N, PTI and JUI-F have also fielded candidates on these con-stituencies but their position seems weak.Former PPP minister Arbab Alamgir Khalilis contesting from a national and a provincialassembly seat. He is being challenged byANP’s Arbab Najibullah on national andArbab Tahir on provincial assembly seats. Noone could neglect the fact that both Najib andTahir are considered popular but their posi-tion was destabilized by former MPA AteefurRahman who revolted against the parliamen-tary board’s decision regarding ticket andnow contesting on both national and provin-

cial assembly seats. Alamgir seems mainbeneficiary of such rifts amongst the ranks ofANP. Position of ex-MNA Noor Alam Khanwho is contesting from N- 3 seems satisfac-tory due to rifts and differences amongstANP. However, his rivals are PML-N candi-date Iqbal Zafar Jaghra, JUI-F’s Haji GhulamAli and PTI’s Sajid Nawaz.

In NA-4 from where ANP’s Arbab Zahirremained undefeatable is no more contestingas he was replaced by Arbab Ayub Jan. Ayubbarring 2002, remained victorious on provin-cial assembly seat since 1985, is now con-testing on a National Assembly seat. He isfacing ex-bureaucrat Gulzar Khan of PTI,Arbab Kamal of JUI-F, Nasar Musazai ofPML-N and Sabir Hussain Awan of the Ja-maat Islami. ANP has fielded all three formerMPAs on provincial assembly seats. How-ever, the ANP nominees would go through atough time in all four constituencies.

Though the ANP had improved its posi-tion in Charsadda and Swabi, but the recentseat-to-seat adjustment between JUI-F andQWP had made the situation difficult. Similaris the position in Mardan where PPP, PML-N) and JUI-F have fielded strong candidates.ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan is contest-ing from his native NA seat in Charsadda. Heis facing Gohar Shah of JUI-F and QWP. Infact, it is not first ever alliance between thetwo parties against ANP. Since 1988, AftabSherpao is making such alliances againstANP in Charsadda but this time he is lackingassociation of ex-federal minister Nisar Mo-hammad Khan, ex-provincial minister HajiIhsan Ullah Khan and other individuals.Some of Nisar Khan’s family members arecontesting on PTI tickets and other on JI tick-ets. Whereas Ihsan is contesting elections ona PML-N ticket. It is likelt that real contestwill be between ANP and QWP in one na-tional and at least three provincial assemblyconstituencies.

Situation in Mardan is not too differentfrom 2008 general elections where PPP, ANPand JUI-F are facing each others on all threenational and eight provincial assembly seats.However, slipping of ex-federal ministerKhawaja Muhammad Khan Hoti to PML-Nhad improved the party’s position. FormerKP chief minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti isANP candidate on national and provincial as-

sembly seats from Mardan city. He is facingKhawaja Hoti on national and his son OmarFarooq on the provincial assembly seat. For-mer PPP MNA Khanzada and JUI-F candi-date Qasam are making attempts for retainingtheir national assembly seats from remainingtwo constituencies. So far PPP, JUI-F andANP leadership have resolved internal riftsamongst the party ranks over tickets butPML-N is going through worst kind of riftsacross Mardan.

Like previous elections, atmosphere isfavourable for ANP in Swabi district. ThoughANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had faceddefeat on National Assembly seat in 2008, butthe party won one national and four provincialassembly seats. The ANP had grabbed threeout of six provincial assembly seats in 2002general elections. Like Charsadda, there isseat-to-seat adjustment between JUI-F andQWP in Swabi, but the JUI-F is not only aheadwith internal revolt, but its candidates are alsofacing joint candidates of Islamic SolidarityCouncil, especially JI and Jumaat Ishaat com-monly known as Panjpeeris on all seats. Theone time strong Awami Jamhoori Ittehad,commonly known as Tarakwaal Group is alsofacing rifts and divisions. The PML-N is con-sidered strong on one national and one provin-cial assembly seat but recently one of theleaguers joined the JUI-F. The PPP has no ex-istence in certain parts of Swabi. Unlike Pe-shawar and Mardan, PPP is going through atough time in its Nowshera stronghold fromwhere Engineer Tariq is trying to retain his na-tional and Liaqat Shabab his provincial assem-bly seats. In 2008polls, there was anundeclared seat-to-seat adjustment betweenthe PPP and PPP-S (now QWP). But there isno existence of QWP as Pervez Khattak alongwith associates had joined PTI. The PPP hadalso lost Daud Khattak, Hajj Mohammad andShahid Khattak like heavy weights. Whereasthe ANP has made its position stable in Now-shera. Ex-information minister Mian IftikharHussain is also in the run on a provincial as-sembly seat from Nowshera and is facinghardships in election campaign. Asif LuqmanQazi is also contesting on national and provin-cial assembly seats from Nowshera. However,people from this district are feeling absence oflate Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Ajmal Khattakwho are no more in the world.

PPP and anP neck and neck inPeshawar valley’s five districts

as electionsapproach,kalash call outfor recognition

NEWS DESK

We may never know whether the Kalashpeople, who live in KP’s Chitral district,are in fact the descendants of Alexanderthe Great’s army. Nor are we likely to evertrace the true origins of their religion andmythology. But what the Kalash peoplethemselves are most concerned with, as thegeneral elections approach, is the fact thatthey have little or no say in the countrythey call home.Today, the community is only 4,000 peoplestrong, of whom only 1,800 are registeredvoters. It nevertheless makes up a sizeablechunk of the 11,000 people residing in theremote valleys of Birir, Rambur andBambouret.In this election however, they may notvote at all. According to a localnewspaper, Kalash elders are threatening apoll boycott unless the computerisedidentity cards have a specific column fortheir religion, Kalasha.“The Kalash religion is not officiallyrecognised,” says Luke Rehmat Kalash, asocial worker and head of Kalash PeopleDevelopment Network (KPDN).“In order to get Computerised NationalIdentity Cards (CNICs) or passports, wehave to tick off one of the recognisedreligions, such as Islam, Christianity,Hinduism or Buddhism, or tick off‘other’.”Luke adds that it was the advent of theComputerised National Identity Card thatalienated more of the community.“Before, we would write ‘Kalasha’ underthe religion section. The ID cards weremade manually so it wasn’t a problem.However, after the introduction of thecomputerised ID, this option has beentaken from us. Now, the Kalash have noreligious identity in this country,” he says.However, according to NADRAspokesperson Naz Shoeb, the authoritycannot be fully blamed for this exclusion.“NADRA can only print those religionsthat are recognised in the Constitution ofPakistan. However, NADRA has noobjection in adding the religion providedlegal requirements are met,” she said.Article 260 (3) (a) of the Constitution ofPakistan mentions Hindus, Chirstians,Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Bahais, Ahmadisand scheduled castes as non-Muslims, butthere is no mention of the Kalash.As for now, the KPDN has submittedcommunity signatures, complemented byonline petitions, to the National Databaseand Registration Authority (NARDA), in abid to have their religion recognised. Thegroup has also urged Parliament tolegislate in this regard. Wazir Zada, aKalash social worker, says that having areligious identity of choice is a basichuman right. “Kalasha are a livingcivilization and should be acknowledgedas such,” says Wazir. He reveals that thecommunity has also submitted petitionswith the interior and foreign affairsministers. So far, nothing has been done.“Recently, I was asked at an interview atthe US Embassy what the ‘other’ in thereligion column means,” he said. “We arePakistanis and our identity should not onlybe acknowledged, but also respected.”The Kalash say they were happier whenthey were able to vote for an MNAdirectly, but now, minority candidates arenominated by political parties, and theyfeel they lose out this way.Wazir Zada was himself nominated by thePakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf as a candidate forone of the two reserved seats forminorities in the K-P assembly, but as hewas low in the priority list, his name doesnot appear in the final ECP document.In a press conference, Kalash elders heldformer president Musharraf responsible fortheir condition and demanded thegovernment restore the 1973 constitutionalprovisions for the rights of minorities,while also calling for the Kalash religionto be recognised officially. If thesedemands are not met, they said the Kalashwould have no option but to boycott theelections.

NEWS DESK

The seasoned political activist, and direc-tor of the Christian Study Centre inRawalpindi, has spent years speaking toleaders and members of the minority com-munities — a term the state uses to de-scribe Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadisand others — only to discover a shared,widespread irritation with a Pakistan thatrefuses to integrate 2.3 million people inits politics, according to a media report.

“We can vote. Yes, our candidates cancontest general seats. But when it comesto representing our shared interests, wehave no say in who occupies the 10 re-served seats in the National Assembly,”she says. “Instead, these seats become atool for victorious parties to pick cham-chas (yes-men) who will do their bid-ding.”

Besides Ahmadis — they do not wantspecial representation but merely the rightto be called and treated as Muslims — re-search and interviews with leaders fromthe minority communities indicate ashared frustration with the way membersof the National Assembly (MNAs) are se-lected.

“There is a very weak link betweenthose who occupy those seats and thosewho are active members of the commu-nity and have real roots among the minori-ties in this country,” says Paul Bhatti, theformer minister of national harmony andminorities. Asked his opinion about thefact that he was selected after the assassi-nation of his brother, Shahbaz Bhatti, hesays that the current system does not allow

him to contest for the right to represent mi-norities. “So, I have to make do with whatI have,” he observes.

According to a series of interviewswith 82 community leaders in a report is-sued by the Church World Service Pak-istan/Afghanistan (CWSPA) last August,minorities are against a separate electorate— a system which used to exist in Pakistanbetween 1979 and 2002, when retired GenPervez Musharraf replaced it with 10 re-served seats. Instead, community leaderswant a joint electorate, where minoritiesare allowed to vote for the MNA that willrepresent their physical constituency, anda system where the 10 MNAs occupyingthe reserved seats are directly elected bythe country’s non-Muslims.

“Affirmative action is a good thing,but it cannot be divorced from the de-mands and politics of those it seeks to rep-resent,” says Bashir.

According to the report, many withinthe community are calling for an end to aparty-list system where the 10 seats aredistributed according to the percentagedistribution of the parties in the NationalAssembly at large. Instead, they want tosee a double vote: “Non-Muslims shouldbe awarded dual franchise. They shouldbe given two ballot papers. They shouldcast one to a general seat candidate and thesecond to a member of their own commu-nity,” says the report. The report goes onto recommend that the 10 seats should re-flect the gender distribution of the Na-tional Assembly — meaning that at leastthree seats should be allocated to womenfrom minority communities.

“Women from the minority are dis-criminated twice over,” says Bashir. “First,because we are women, second, becausewe are Christian, or Hindu, or somethingelse. The combination of the two meansthat we experience a very particular formof oppression.”

“Give us a ticket, too”According to Bashir, Pakistan’s polit-

ical parties seem to labour under the im-pression that non-Muslims would beunable to secure Muslims’ votes. The con-viction ensures that few political partiesare willing to award a ticket to minoritycandidates — even in areas where minori-ties constitute the majority of the vote.

According to the CWSPA report, 10constituencies in southern Sindh (primar-ily in Umerkot, Tharparkar and Sanghardistricts) boast more than 50,000 minorityvotes — a number so high that it couldhave swung the results of the last two elec-tions. An additional 31 constituency seatsstretching across the country could alsohave swung the last two elections, despitehaving less than 50,000 minority votes.

Despite the enormous electoralstrength of minority communities, how-ever, most parties do not give a ticket tocandidates with non-Muslim back-grounds. Except for a handful of excep-tions — the PPP almost always fields aHindu candidate in lower Sindh’s NA-229 constituency, and a handful of Hindushave crept into the provincial assembly inSindh — most prefer to bank on influen-tial Muslim names even in areas wherethe minority vote could be mobilised farmore effectively.

Minorities demand elections, not selectionsnadra makeshistory by includingvoters’ pictureson electoral rolls

ISLAMABADAPP

National Database and Registration Authority(NADRA) has included picture of each andevery voter on all computerised electoral rolls,making it more authentic and reliable. Thisinitiative can be described as “historic” as theauthority, by using its citizens database underthe directives of Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP) completed the task. An officialsource at NADRA on Sunday said on thedemand of political parties and civil societyorganisations it has delivered Final ElectoralRolls 2012 (FER) to provinces. The FinalElectoral Rolls (FER) has been dispatched toBalochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK),Sindh, Punjab and Federally AdministeredTribal Areas (FATA). The copy-1 and copy-2 ofFER 2012 with photographs have beendelivered to Balochistan, KP and FATA whilecopies-1 and 2 with photographs of Sindh(except Karachi) have been printed anddelivered. The copy-1 of FER 2012 of 32districts of Punjab out of 37 have been printedand delivered. Similarly, the copy-2 of FER2012 of 5 out of 37 districts of Punjab has beenprinted. He said total 86,189,751 voters havebeen registered in the current electoral rolls, outof which total voters from Punjab are 49.25million, Sindh 18.96 million, Balochistan 3.33million, KP 12.26 million, FATA 1.73 millionand 0.626 million voters from Islamabad.

The treatment being accorded to Gen (r)Musharraf in the sub-jail custody is harsher thanthat in Adiala Jail — APML leader Dr Amjad

ISB 22-04-2013_Layout 1 4/22/2013 6:38 AM Page 8

NEWS N

09

Monday 22 April, 2013

ISLAMABADNNI

The Lal Masjid commission report hasheld former president General (r) Per-vez Musharraf‚ former prime ministerShaukat Aziz and his political alliesresponsible for the 2007 operation inLal Masjid in which 103 people werekilled.

The commission‚ consisting ofJustice Shehzada Sheikh of the Fed-eral Shariat Court‚ giving a clean chit

to the military leadership has recom-mended that those responsible for theoperation should have murder casesregistered against them.

It suggested that the former rulersof the country should be forced to paycompensations to the aggrieved fami-lies.

The 304 page report‚ that was sub-mitted to the Supreme Court by thecommission‚ pointed out that after sixyears it was not easy to condone thelack of accountability that public po-

sition holders responsible for execu-tion of this tragic incident have faced.

“Such an attitude is evidence oftheir irresponsibility‚ apathy in atti-tude and callousness in dealing withthis human tragedy.”

It says that the coalition partners inpower at that time‚ particularly theprime minister and the cabinet, werenot absolutely in the dark.

The report contended that historycould not easily digest the notion thatthen president‚ prime minister‚ cabinet

particularly interior minister and otherconcerned ministers and political par-ties‚ were not aware of the operation.

“Hypothetically even if it was so‚the political leadership at the helm ofaffairs cannot be absolved of the re-sponsibility for the incident‚ particu-larly when it carries criminalliability.”

It added that the prime ministerand cabinet members share responsi-bility which clearly carried liabilitywith criminality.

BANgKOKAPP

Aung San Suu Kyi’s refusal to condemn at-tacks on Muslims in Myanmar has dimmedthe Nobel laureate’s lustre among globalrights campaigners, but observers say herreticence will do her no harm with voters.

Nearly a month after religious riotskilled 43 people in central Myanmar, the for-mer political prisoner turned lawmaker fi-nally voiced sympathy for Muslims targetedby violence that saw mosques and homesrazed.

But Suu Kyi again failed to clearly con-demn attacks against Muslims – who repre-sent an estimated four percent of thepopulation – or hate speech by some extrem-ist Buddhist monks.

Instead, as in 2012 when two waves ofviolence between the stateless RohingyaMuslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhistscaused more than 180 deaths in the west, the

opposition leader more indirectly urged re-spect for the “rule of law”.

“They did not feel they belonged any-where else and you are just sad for them thatthey are made to feel they did not belong toour country either,” she said of Myanmar’sMuslims last week during a visit to Japan.

But Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel PeacePrize in 1991 and endured years of house ar-rest, defended the restrained nature of her re-marks and said, “I am sorry if people do notfind my comments interesting enough to ac-knowledge them.” Rights groups say hercomments, delivered late and without criti-cism of the perpetrators of violence, sit un-comfortably with her position as ademocracy champion who led a long fightagainst Myanmar’s former military junta.

“I’m glad she is in some ways recognis-ing that these people are facing a very, verydifficult situation” but “there has to be morethan just her feeling sad”, said Phil Robert-son of Human Rights Watch.

“The burden of action here lies with thegovernment, but she is not an ordinary op-position leader either... and this is wheresome of this moral authority built up over theyears needs to be used,” he added. For theirpart Myanmar’s ethnic minorities harboursuspicions of the Burman majority group –including Suu Kyi – and complain that dis-crimination endures under Myanmar’s civil-ian-led reformist government.

The Rohingya in particular feel let downby Suu Kyi. Some 800,000 of the minoritygroup, considered by the UN as one of themost persecuted in the world, live inRakhine State where tens of thousands ofpeople were displaced by the violence lastyear and still languish in makeshift camps.

Human Rights Watch has accused secu-rity forces of allowing and in some casesleading assaults against the Rohingya. AbuTahay from the National Democratic Partyfor Development, which represents the Ro-hingya, said Suu Kyi has an “obligation” to

intervene given her status as daughter of in-dependence hero Aung San and a “democ-ratic icon”. Yet he stepped back from openlycriticising the leader of the National Leaguefor Democracy (NLD) — which is tipped towin general elections in 2015 that could in-stall Suu Kyi as Myanmar’s president.

Suu Kyi’s core constituency in the dom-inant Burman population sees the Rohingyaas worthless illegal immigrants, and any of-fers of support may haunt her at the elec-tions.

“Aung San Suu Kyi has an election towin in 2015. She risks alienating politicallypotent Buddhist elements among her ownsupporters if she appears too cosy with theRohingya, or other Muslims,” said NicholasFarrelly of the Australian National Univer-sity.

Chris Lewa, the Bangkok-based directorof The Arakan Project, which lobbies for Ro-hingya rights, said Suu Kyi was failing avital test of leadership.

Muslims of america sendcondolences to victimsof Boston bombingThe Muslims of America, Inc, sent their heartfeltcondolences to the families of the victims of thehorrific event at the Boston Marathon. “Weunequivocally condemn this cowardly attack oninnocent men, women and children and join withthose voices who hope that all perpetrators bearthe full weight of justice.” The organisation saidas upstanding American Muslim citizens, “manyof whom are veterans who have fought topreserve the honor of our great nation, we remaincommitted to working tirelessly in defending ourcountry from attacks, whether internal orexternal, that threaten the peaceful fabric of oursociety”. MONITORING DESk

us paid close to $50,000per death in soldier’sshooting spree KAnDAhAr: The United States paid close to$50,000 in compensation for each Afghan killedin the shooting spree attributed to a US soldier insouthern Afghanistan, a US official told NBCNews on Sunday. The official, who asked not tobe named, would not say exactly how much waspaid to the families, but added the amount wasclose to the $50,000 reported by Afghanofficials. “The amount reflects theextraordinarily devastating nature of theincident,” he said. NNI

Pak-russia strategic dialogue to start on 25thISLAMABAD: Pakistan-Russia strategic dia-logue will begin in the federal capital on Thurs-day, 25th April, at the Foreign Office. Accordingto Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry,both sides will exchange views on enhancementof bilateral cooperation in different fields, thesituation in the region and other important is-sues. He said Afghanistan will not be on theagenda at the 8th round of the strategic dia-logue. The spokesman said relations betweenPakistan and Russia were important and bothcountries were desirous of increasing coopera-tion to their mutual benefit. INP

eCP withdraws blankcolumn proposal inballot paperISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pak-istan (ECP) has formally withdrawn its proposal ofintroducing ‘none of the above’ (blank) column inthe ballot papers for the upcoming elections. ECPofficial Khurshid Alam said the ballot paper wouldnot contain a blank column as legislation was re-quired for the purpose. The Supreme Court in itsverdict in the Workers Party case last year hadasked the ECP to contemplate the option of intro-ducing ‘none of the above’ column in the ballotpaper as it was in practice in some countries. APP

Commission holds Musharraf‚ alliesresponsible for lal Masjid operation

1.3m children go

unvaccinated in

2013’s first polio driveMONITORINg DESK

Over 1.3 million children in the country missedpolio vaccination owing to the worsening law,order and security situation during a three-daynational polio immunisation campaign whichcommenced on April 15 with the goal oftargeting 33.5 million children under five yearsof age. Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring andCoordination Cell noted that some districts hada large population of unvaccinated childrenunder the age of five, who should beadministered the vaccine during the first poliocampaign of 2013. A report compiled by thePolio Operation Room revealed that thecampaign, hindered by varying factors in eachprovince, fell short of its aims. The 1.3 millionchildren included the 809,225 who missedpolio vaccination in Punjab, which is thehighest figure from amongst all administrativedivisions of the country. A total of 278,210children went unvaccinated in Sindh, 173,111in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 37,016 inBalochistan, 31,048 in the FederallyAdministered Tribal Areas, 10,513 inIslamabad and 833 in Gilgit-Baltistan.However, Dr Altaf Boson, national coordinatorfor monitoring Pakistan’s polio vaccinationprogramme, termed the first national anti-poliocampaign of 2013 a success as no untowardincident took place. The figures of the missedchildren cannot be considered as final becausethe polio cell is still waiting to receive statisticsfrom all over the country, said Dr Boson.Indeed, the total number of unvaccinatedchildren documented in the report does notinclude the 260,000 children from the Northand South Waziristan agencies, as those areasare inaccessible by teams owing to the 2012ban on polio vaccination. The last national anti-polio campaign held in October 2012 missedaround one million children, including the45,000 children whose guardians refused toallow for the vaccination. Later in March,during a sub-national immunisation drive,around 500,000 children were missed.Balochistan In Nasirabad, the campaignsuffered a setback due to a strike by vaccinationteams, causing rounds to begin a day late.Furthermore, in Khuzdar and Lasbela, the thirdday of the campaign was affected due to unrestin the area. In Washuk, the havoc wreaked bythe April 13 earthquake made it impossible forteams to reach target areas.

Myanmar unrest tests iconic status of Suu Kyi

TEL AVIVAGENCIES

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel onSunday said the United States and Israel see“exactly the same” threat from Iran, but dif-fer on when it may reach the point of re-quiring US or Israeli military action.

Hagel used his first visit to Israel asPentagon chief to highlight his view that Is-rael must decide for itself whether andwhen to preemptively attack its neighbour.

“Israel will make the decision thatIsrael must make to protect itself, to de-fend itself,” Hagel told reporters beforearriving here on Sunday to begin aweeklong tour of the Middle East.

Hagel acknowledged that while Is-rael and the US share a commitment toensuring that Iran does not acquire anuclear weapon, there “may well besome differences” between the two al-lies on the question of when Iran’sleaders might decide to go for a bomb.

He said there is “no daylight at all” be-tween Israel and the US on the central goalof preventing a nuclear-armed Iran.

But he added, “When you back downinto the specifics of the timing of when andif Iran decides to pursue a nuclear weapon,there may well be some differences.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-tanyahu tends to see more urgency, reflect-ing in part the fact that certain Iraniantechnological advances toward a nuclearweapon could put the program beyond theability of the Israeli military to destroy itwith airstrikes.

US forces have greater reach. The firstthing Hagel did upon arrival in Jerusalemwas take a guided tour of the Yad VashemHolocaust history museum, participate in aceremony at the Hall of Remembrance andwrite an inscription in the guest book at amemorial for the 1.5 million Jewish chil-dren who perished in the Holocaust.

“There is no more poignant, moretouching, more effective way to tell the

story than this reality, as painful as it is,but it is a reality,” he said after com-pleting his visit.

“It did happen, and we must prepareour future generations … for a clear under-standing that we must never allow this tohappen again.” In an interview on anovernight flight from Washington, Hagelrepeatedly emphasised Israel’s right of self-defence and stressed that military force, byimplication, Israeli or American, remainsan option of last resort.

“In dealing with Iran, every optionmust be on the table,” he said. Hagel,66, came under intense fire from Re-publican critics, prior to his FebruarySenate confirmation hearing, for someof his past statements on Israel.

His critics painted him as insuffi-ciently supportive of the Jewish state.In choosing to make Israel one of hisfirst overseas stops, Hagel sought toput that controversy behind him, withserious words and a touch of humor.

Israel, US see ‘exactly same’Iran threat, says Hagel

islamabad: Federal Minister for interior Malik Mohammad Habib Khan chairs a high-level meeting to review law and order and the security situation in

the context of upcoming general elections at the Chief Commissioner office. NNI

The destiny of Pakistan can only bechanged through implementation of Sharia— Maulana Fazlur Rehman

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doubts about sindhcaretakersWhy should President Asif Zardari, who till few monthsback was co-chairperson of the ruling PPP, summoninterim Sindh caretaker cabinet to Bilawal House inKarachi and stress upon them that he still holdsimmense power. His son officially heads PPP, which iscontesting polls, while his sister Faryal Talpur is callingall the shots, with foster brother Owais enjoying policeprotocol and protection without holding any office. Thewhole purpose of putting in place a caretaker setup wasto ensure a neutral administration, giving a level playingfield to all political parties. Unlike Punjab, whereincluding chief secretary almost everybody in civiladministration and police has been changed, there havebeen no similar changes in Sindh.

This objective was defeated the moment nomineesof two major political parties that ruled Sindh for overfour years and ten months were selected in theprovincial caretaker cabinet comprising of 18 ministers,which once again emphatically highlighting the fact thatthe party with a huge mandate from Karachi has been ingovernment for past ten years, and cannot visualisedoing politics out of power, even in an interim period.Silence of PTI and other political parties on theseglaring violations is not understandable.

So much for holding free, fair and transparentelections, but remember the wrath of this nation when

elections were unnecessarily rigged in fewconstituencies in 1977, although ZAB would clearlyhave won with a simple majority.

M TARIQ ALILahore

a shameful decisionNews from a Karachi court should have lowered everyhuman being’s head in shame and disgust. On March 15,2008, an 18-year-old girl visited Karachi along with herfamily; they went to Pakistan’s founder Quaid-e-AzamMohammed Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum to pay their respects.During a power breakdown in the mausoleum’s premises,she was allegedly abducted by the security staff and theircronies who took her to a room within the premises whereshe was subjected to gang rape. Rangers found herunconscious just outside the mausoleum boundary onMarch 17. One of the accused rapists was arrested afterthe identification parade wherein the victim identified himwhile the other two were also arrested per DNA reports.

April 06, 2013: five years after this shamefulincident in Pakistan’ history, an Additional DistrictJudge acquitted the three men for want of ‘evidence’.The learned judge rejected the DNA reports citing theseas not a piece of evidence per Hudood laws.

Is this the same country for which two millionpeople lost their lives in 1947?

MASOOD KHANJubail, Saudi Arabia

COMMENT

Aziz-ud-Din AhmadEditor

Lahore – Ph: 042-36375963-5 Fax: 042-32535230Karachi – Ph: 021-35381208-9 Fax: 021-35381208

Islamabad – Ph: 051-2287273 Fax: 051-2850505Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

Dedicated to the legacy of the late Hameed Nizami

C

Musharraf on backfoot again but militaryexonerated of responsibility

lal Masjid operation report

Facebooked

the security situation

THE security situation in the country wasn’t something to write home about alreadybut now that there is only a caretaker setup in place, the militants appear to haveupped the ante with increased attacks, both on the general public and on political

gatherings, thus threatening elections due in about three weeks. If the situation continuesthis way any longer, the consequences could be disastrous. And with militants bent uponproving their point through the barrel of a gun, the ballot may not even get a chance toprove who gets wider public support.

Only the other day, there were attacks in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,the two provinces that have bore the brunt of terror attacks for far too long. A femalesuicide bomber, not the first instance but one that makes it easier to work around securitymeasures, killed four and injured four more in Bajaur Agency. Another blast in Mir Aliarea of North Waziristan killed four and injured an identical number. In another incident, ahand grenade exploded near a rally organised by the Awami National Party in Turbatwhere the party chief Dr Malik Baloch was about to address his supporters. In yet anotherincident, the Bomb Disposal Squad personnel (BDS) on Sunday defused a bomb inBazeedkhel near Badaber area in the outskirts of Peshawar. While these incidents showthe sway the militants hold and the freedom with which they attack, the call for security isa cry in the wilderness.

But whatever little good news emanates from these parts must be appreciated. The KPgovernment has rounded up 100 ‘former militants’ in Swat out of a list of 200 in order toensure peaceful elections. A good and timely action by the KP government but wouldn’t itbe better to have similar action elsewhere in the KP, and in Balochistan? The AwamiNational Party (ANP) is a particular target of terrorists because of its clear stand againstthe terrorists. In the recent weeks, ANP leader Mukarram Shah lost his life after his carwas blown up in Manglawar, Swat. Only two days later, at least 18 people were killed and49 injured in a suicide blast in Peshawar near an ANP meeting. Security measures are onlyas good as the will to implement them. If the security forces and the law enforcementagencies are unable to implement what they have been tasked with, peace might not returnto these restive areas, and consequently the prospects of holding elections there in relativecalm would be near impossible. The caretaker governments in both provinces need to lifttheir efforts on providing security to the public and politicians alike.

THE political administration has been held accountable, the military top brass hasbeen let off, is what the summary of the Lal Masjid Commission report reveals.The report is another blow to the former president Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf,

whose ill-fated return to the country continues to turn for the worse. The controversial2007 operation in the federal capital still leaves a scar for both liberals, who question howsuch a high number of arms were accumulated, and conservatives, who question how sucha high number of people were killed by the government without any accountability. Thecommission has also attempted to settle the question of how many people died by puttingthe number at 103. However, doubts about the figure still remain.

The commission has recommended that murder cases be registered against thoseidentified and recommended that the former rulers be forced to pay compensations toaggrieved families. While the 304-page report submitted to the Supreme Court by thecommission on March 22 has recommended that the lack of accountability could not becondoned for this “human tragedy.” The report has said that “history could not easilydigest the notion that the then president, the prime minister, the cabinet particularlyinterior minister and other concerned ministers of Parliament and political parties, werenot aware of the operation.” It has continued to say that “the political leadership at thehelm of affairs cannot be absolved of the responsibility for the incident, particularly whenit carries criminal liability.” The report has also expressed wonder at if the decisions werebeing taken by the president alone without being questioned. Surely, the commission isright in saying that accountability should be across the board. But its recommendation toabsolve the military of responsibility shall remain controversial. The fact that the legalrequirement of invoking Article 245 to call in the military in aid of civil power was metdoes not belie the fact that the Chief of Army Staff was the imposter president at the time.

The Lal Masjid’s Commission’s report remains a controversial one, but at leastopens up the space for some accountability. It has called for compensating aggrievedfamilies in the short term while, controversially again, recommended that the JamiaHafsa plot be returned to the seminary. In the long term it has recommended thatseminary syllabus be “broadened to include modern sciences…to integrate them into thenational system” and that town planning should make sufficient provision for amenityplots for mosques and modern madrassah schools. The fact that the difficulties ofimplementation were the ones that led to the Lal Masjid operation has not been factoredin. That said, the Lal Masjid Commission report, at least, is one step forward towardscreating a more accountable state, and another step backwards for the retired generalwho once claimed the throne of president.

KP and Balochistan reeling under violence

Monday, 22 April, 2013

10

The ‘likes’ that brought down a general

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. Fax: +92-42-32535230 E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusivelyEditor’s mail

NEARLY a month afterhis return from morethan four years of self-imposed exile, Pakista-nis are still struggling

to discern what convinced retired GenPervez Musharraf to jump headlonginto a journey with a dead end.

Admittedly, it is a trite difficult tokeep a straight face but you have towonder if this death wish was not borneout of a gross misreading of Facebook‘likes’. Musharraf appears to have beentaken in by his swell account — the riteof passage being contingent on amandatory ‘like’ notwithstanding.

To be sure, Musharraf reinforcedhis Facebook ‘standing’ in a TV showonly last week, and when the anchorpolitely tried to reason with the formerstrongman on the fragility of such no-tions, he said, “I know you were goingto bring this up, but why shouldn’t Italk about that (Facebook following asproof of people backing him).”

Those who know their Facebookfundamentals — it is hard to imaginein this user-friendly age of communi-cation that one could be misled intosuch exaggerated notions of likeability— can only laugh at such conclusions.

Most Facebookers, it can be pre-sumed, would be interested in follow-ing the life and times of a figure ascontroversial as the ex-generalissimo.Frankly, yours truly was also drawn“to see what’s up”, but was immedi-ately disinclined after being directedto follow the celebrity narcissism of amandatory ‘like’.

Now surely, many would still beinclined to ‘compromise’ on the smallmatter of a ‘like’ to be able to gleanstatuses and updates of someone pitch-ing his cyber tent fresh from a particu-larly crucial phase of history.

Musharraf remained in the spot-

light for a considerable period post-9/11— a turning point in the US-ledglobal war-on-terror that brought himan unexpected windfall whilst com-pletely turning his fortunes around.

But it is important to understandthe great Facebook seduction inMusharraf’s case, which to beginwith, is rooted in a self-fulfillingprophecy. After signing up with theUS on the terror war following aphone call from Secretary of StateColin Powell, he sold and, in the end,came to believe his self-created per-ception that as well as being the bul-wark against global terror, he hadbecome indispensable for Pakistan.

At the peak of his powers, therenever was — and probably to a degreestill is — any dearth of expatriate Pak-istanis he came into contact with, whoreinforced that perception on the basisof a poor view of politicians anddemocracy as practiced in Pakistan.

As a longtime expat myself until2005 — Musharraf had been in powerfor six years by then — I can relate tothe rather simplistic view that domi-nates the thinking of Pakistani diaspora.Politicians are rogues, democracy is notfit for a country like ours, we’re suckersfor the ‘danda’ — these were and stillare some of the refrains that resonatewith a significant majority.

One can argue with the obviousdemerits governing such a sweepingsentiment but what I have gathered isthat it sticks because inevitably, over-seas Pakistanis are conflicted in termsof the contrast available to them in thecountries they have migrated to.

The rule of law, its obedience andmultifarious hues of meritocracy —whether these Pakistanis are locatedin the Mideast and Gulf countries ormature democracies in the West —make them impatient about the fareback home.

There may be flimsy knowledgebut scant realization that for half of herhistory, Pakistan has been directlyruled by the military, and save for onedemocratically elected government ledby Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, every othercivilian government had to look overits shoulders to survive.

Even though Pakistan is poised forits first quintessential democratic tran-sition — with power expected to changehands from one civilian government toanother — it is, at best, a Pyrrhic victoryfor democracy. The Pakistan People’sParty-led government was hemmed inby a hostile military, opposition, judici-ary and the media.

To be sure, the ruling coalition didnot cover itself in glory. If truth be told,it was perhaps the most inefficient, andon the face of circumstantial evidence,the most corrupt government in thecountry’s history.

Having said that, it is no small featthat they were able to forge consensuson significant constitutional reformsthat considerably defanged the securityestablishment, and even though NawazSharif realized his mistake in backingthe wrong horse initially, the PPP lead-ership successfully thwarted attemptsto dislodge its government courtesy theMemogate and reestablish the securityestablishment’s pre-eminence.

This is what a vast majority ofoverseas Pakistanis do not take a holis-tic view of. There is even lesser pa-tience for staying the course to solidifythe hard-earned democratic space.Rather simplistic notions of quick fixesoften colour their judgment — rein-forced every day by what they see witha subconscious comparative mind inthe country of their current residence.

All of this suits Musharraf al-though he conveniently forgets thatmuch of the intractable problems Pak-istan finds itself in today are a directlegacy of his self-serving policies andthat most Pakistanis, including theirexpat brethren, have moved on even ifMusharraf hasn’t — as the Facebookinfatuation amply demonstrates.

Today, the electorate has a choice,if it wants to move away from so-called‘status quo’ forces. Imran Khan and hisTehrik-e-Insaf have earned their spurs,and clearly, Musharraf is passé.

If social media arithmetic was anyguide, Khan is since long the Pakistaniwith the highest number of followerson Twitter alone. But no-one, least ofall he himself, suggests that it is thebasis of his popularity or support.

The near universal disdain for hisexaggerated self-importance and senseof entitlement must have come as arude shock to Musharraf even thoughhis counsel Ahmed Raza Kasuri exhib-ited false bravado by suggesting hewas smoking cigar and drinking coffeeat his farm house after the ex-generalhad evaded arrest at the IslamabadHigh Court.

Perhaps, Musharraf needs to take asabbatical from his Facebook account.The ‘likes’ have already caused himmuch to dislike.

The writer is Editor PiqueMagazine based in Islamabad. He canbe reached at kaamyabi@gmail.com

Monday MusingskAMRAN REHMAT

To handle yourself, use your

head; to handle others, use

your heart. –Eleanor Roosevelt

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THE situation of Syria hasreached a critical stage.Many fears associatedwith the state of affairs

there appear to have materialisedone by one to include the worseninghumanitarian crisis, fear of chemi-cal weapons getting in the wronghands, the growing influence of ex-tremists, and the potential spilloverof the conflict in the wider region.

Each one of the above intercon-nected anxieties carries serious im-plications. As has happened in thepast, dictators in the Middle East in-advertently try to widen the con-flict. This was the worry in the caseof Saddam Hussein and MuammarQaddafi. While these dictators wereremoved without any such imme-diate repercussions, nonetheless, the resulting vacuum is causing thespread of chaos across the wider region of Middle East and North Africa.

To deal with these Syrian worries, the US has decided to deploy 200 mili-tary personnel to Jordan that will prepare the ground for military operations, ifneeded. These troops are in addition to the US Special Forces that have alreadybeen carrying out joint military exercises with their Jordanian counterparts.

The most serious apprehension obviously is in regards to the Syrian chem-ical weapons and there are accusations that the country may have already usedthem. However, Assad regime claims it did so after its introduction by the op-position forces. While US has been examining the proof, in a letter to the UN,France and UK have now asserted that Syria has indeed used chemicals on anumber of occasions since December. On the other hand, in a recent interviewto BBC, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed it was ready to take actionto prevent these weapons from getting in the hands of extremists, an outcomethat would produce unprecedented consequences for Israel.

The second concern is in regards to the growing influence of Al-Qaeda(AQ) linked extremists in Syria. According to recent media reports, the strate-gic zone between Jordan, Israel and Syria that is located east of Golan, wastaken over by the Syrian AQ linked group, Jabhat al-Nusra. Subsequently, AQin Iraq claimed that Jabhat al-Nusra had merged with it, and together theywould be called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. While the associationwas long suspected, there is a danger that secular and nationalist oppositionforces to Assad may be taken over by the extremists, posing negative reper-cussions for the Gulf, Israeli and Western interests.

This prospect is validating a scenario that PoliTact had pointed out to.A new Afghanistan like situation is brewing right in the heart of the MiddleEast, and with active support of Turkey, the West, including the Gulf heavyweights of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. If indeed the extremists beginto take the upper hand, as seems to be happening, military interference ofone sorts or the other will be required.

US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dempsey himself raised this possi-bility recently. He commented that US could send troops to Syria if theregime there appears to be falling to rebels, and its chemical weapons arein danger. In March Senator McCain had stated: “The President must stateunequivocally that under no circumstances will Assad be allowed to finishwhat he has started, that there is no future in which Assad and his lieu-tenants will remain in control of Syria, and that the United States is pre-pared to use the full weight of our airpower to make it so.”

Early signs indicate the Gulf region is also now preparing for the in-evitable overflow of the conflict in Syria and tensions with Iran. UAE andSaudi Arabia are both cracking down on illegal immigrants and haveclamped down on Al-Qaeda and Iran linked cells. In March, Saudi Arabiaclaimed to have arrested 18 spies, some of them linked with Iran.

While the intervention in Syria appears imminent, opposition fromRussian and China has continued. In this context the Boston marathon in-cident may play an important role in soothing the ties between Russia andUS. President Obama thanked Putin on Friday for unspecified support pro-vided by Russia for the resolution of the matter. Will this lead to smoothen-ing of US-Russia anti-terror cooperation, which could also speed up theregime change in Syria, is yet to be seen. However, it is interesting to seesuch linkages are already appearing in several prominent media outlets.

There are many Chechens that are fighting in Syria in cohorts with AQ,just as they have in the AfPak region. Russian assistance in stopping theflow of jihadist could prove to be instrumental.

Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to meet his Russian counter-part, Sergei Lavrov, in Brussels next week. He told the Senate Foreign Re-lations Committee last week: Right now, he (Bashar al-Assad) is sittingthere (in Syria) with support from Iran, with support from Hezbollah, withsupport from Russia, with artillery and an army, and believing that he cancontinue to fight it out using his air power, his Scuds, his artillery and histanks. So that equation somehow has to change, and we all understand that.”

At the weekend meeting of the foreign ministers of Friends of Syria groupheld in Ankara, US decided to double its non-lethal assistance and humani-tarian aid. According to reports, the equipment to be provided will now includearmoured vehicles, night vision goggles and sophisticated communicationsequipment. On the other hand, the Free Syrian Army has continued to com-plain they have not been provided enough support to decisively settle the mat-ter, which only increases their dependence on the Islamist groups.

The Friends of Syria group is concerned that arms being supplied tothe opposition forces may ultimately end up with the extremist groups,and that would only complicate the post-Assad scenario. For their part, theopposition forces have assured the military equipment will not fall intothe wrong hands. However, if the extremist groups continue to outperformthe opposition forces supported by Friends of Syria, in toppling the Assadregime, military intervention is all but likely.

The writer is chief analyst at PoliTact, a Washington based futuristadvisory firm (www.PoliTact.com and http:twitter.com/politact) and can bereached at aansar@politact.com

COMMENT CMonday, 22 April, 2013

11If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to

dream more, learn more, do more and become more,

then, you are an excellent leader. –Dolly Parton

Dear Muslimaat,

Idon’t have words (again) to express myguilt and apologise for the grime that Iuttered last week. I’m sorry for being aloathsome misogynist, hypocritical fas-

cist, perverted male-chauvinist, offensive ori-entalist, with a very palpable phobia. I’mterribly sorry for writing such a pathetic pieceof animal excretion that kind people like youand your male guardians had to drag my entirefamily tree into the barrage of linguistic pleas-antries. I’m really very sorry.

It’s amazing what a week of introspectioncan do. I now realise how ridiculous it was ofme to try and promote Western, postcolonialand imperialistic ideals like gender equalityand human rights. I realise how foolish it wasto stereotype everything by quoting your au-thentic religious commandments and regularlyreported events in Islamic countries. I realisehow obnoxious it was to think that demonstrat-ing against stoning women to death was a bet-ter cause than protesting against shamelessinfidels. Last week’s letter was clearly a re-monstration against the fact that women spokeout, not against the fact that they could’ve spo-ken out against something more meaningful.In any case, who am I to judge what’s more de-serving of a protest; women being stoned todeath, or a protest against women being stonedto death. It’s obviously a cultural debate andhas got nothing to with basic human rights.

Dear Muslimaat, I’m sorry the previousletter was brimming with a condescendingtone. For, it has for ages been a part of thenoble legacy of your religious creed. I’m sorryI tried to promulgate my thoughts in a disgust-ingly repressive way. For, propagating one’sideals through words is as oppressive – if notmore – as propagating them through threats ofbeheading and warnings of eternal hell. I’msorry I said that most of the Muslim womenare pressurised into wearing hijabs. For, al-most all of them wear it by choice; especiallythe three-year-olds. I’m sorry I cited religionas a major tool of female oppression. For thatundoubtedly means that I perceive Westernsecularism as being seamlessly successful ineradicating gender discrimination.

Dear Muslimaat, I’m terribly sorry I thought#MuslimahPride was a hypocritically egotisticaland blatantly self-defeating demonstrationagainst the fact that #Femen stole your voice. Iwas idiotic enough to think that if you aren’t op-pressed and don’t need liberation, Femen neverspoke on your behalf in the first place. I was im-prudent enough to believe that you could’vetaught those infidels the “right way” of preach-ing freedom, instead of showcasing denial aboutthe atrocities that your fellow women face fornot choosing the way of life that you’ve ostensi-bly chosen. I was foolish enough to think that aprotest in hijabs in support of women being co-erced into wearing them would’ve been an as-toundingly effective way of telling the world thatdespite your differences you stand with thosewho face death threats and need liberation. I’msorry I thought “Nudity doesn’t deserve brutaldeath” would have been a far stronger messagethan “Nudity does not liberate me”.

Dear Muslimaat, I’m a very dim-wittedperson, as has been made clear by our previousinteraction. And so, despite going through lastweek’s letter several times I failed to figure outhow it was an advert for nudity. I’m sorry aboutbeing oblivious of the simple reality that nudeprotests promote nudity, just like hungerprotests promote hunger. I’m also sorry for notrealising that the right way of countering for-eign protests against a burning issue is by citingyour own example and how it’s not an issuethat affects you personally. I shall now be look-ing forward to seeing all the women whohaven’t been raped protesting against foreignrape activists. I shall also be looking ahead toWestern poverty awareness campaigns beingdubbed capitalistic and imperialistic demon-strations by everyone who can afford two mealsa day. And I’ll personally demonstrate againstany movements against bombings because Idon’t think that I’ve ever been killed.

The women protesting topless in support ofa Tunisian woman, who faces death for doingthe same, is quite clearly a racist, colonialistand orientalist move. It’s a part of a global im-perialistic conspiracy to demean the hub of de-velopment that the Muslim world is and anorientalist scheme to undermine the archetypeof women empowerment that the Middle Eastis. It’s always inspiring to listen to Muslimsclamour against imperialism, because of coursetheir own ideology was spread throughout theworld by exchanging candy bouquets.

It’s quite clearly an imperialistic myth thatmost women in Islamic countries are treated asinferior to men. It’s untrue that a majority ofthem are brought up with the sole purpose ofbeing married away. It’s fallacious that mostcases of honour-killing and female genital mu-tilation are recorded in Islamic countries. Andit’s blatant fabrication that most Muslimwomen can’t decide anything for themselveswithout their male guardians’ consent.

Dear Muslimaat, I’m sorry I thought that

enlightened and progressive ladies like yourgood selves could’ve found a slightly bettercause to protest against than nude activism.Like for instance, Muslim women being rapedon a daily basis in the Syrian conflict. But thenI realised that the history of your ideology,scribed by historians of your faith, is filled witheulogy for raping war prisoners, so I guessthat’s not that big a deal. I’m sorry I believedthat a look at any of the recent Global GenderGap reports would’ve given you a good pushfor an effective protest. I thought you could’veprotested against the fact that 17 of the 20 at thefoot of the gender gap scale, 20 of the 28 withthe biggest literacy gaps and 22 of the 27 coun-tries with women being less than one-third ofthe adult workforce are all Islamic states. Ithought if these stats don’t reflect Islamic teach-ings there could’ve been a protest against thosewho don’t let women study or work in yourcountry and touting them as not being your rep-resentatives. But then I realised since you’re allfortunate enough to have the freedom to workand educate yourself, why should you botherwith the majority that isn’t quite as fortunate.Plus Global Gender Gap reports and the likesof them are global imperialistic manoeuvres todefame your countries anyway.

The most important lesson that I’ve nowlearnt is of gender equality. I’m sorry I didn’trealise that gender equality actually meant awoman being half in legal terms, being ped-dled as a possession, a field that can beploughed and property that can be purchasedand enslaved. I’m sorry I didn’t comprehendthat gender equality comprised of one-sidedpolygamy and permission to beat and rapewives. And most of all I’m sorry that I didn’tunderstand that gender equality included fe-male rape victims being asked to produce asufficiently large audience for their torment,for them to fight cases against the rapists.

In spite of all these reasons for lament, thebiggest thing I regret is that it took me sevenwhole days to realise the fact that individuals’bodies and lives do not belong to them, espe-cially if they aren’t men. This is precisely whyyou’ll never protest against Amina Tyler beingbeaten up by her family or against her beingstoned to death. I’ve now finally realised thatAmina’s body, much like those of her femalecompatriots, is not hers and is the source of thehonour of the 7th century Arabs, who’d shiverin their graves at the sight of a woman takinga decision, any decision, with her free will.

PS: Please google the terms “most” and“majority”. It might provide some perspectiveto the pair of horrendous letters that I’ve scribed.

Yours apologetically,Kunwar Khuldune Shahid

The writer is a financial journalist anda cultural critic. Email:khulduneshahid@gmail.com, Twitter:@khuldune

i’m sorry, dear MuslimaatA letter of apology to the #MuslimahPride social media jihadis

kUNWAR kHULDUNE SHAHID

Boston bombings and Russian cooperation

what’s nextin syria?

ARIF ANSAR

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arts

AMonday, 22 April, 2013

12I need drama in my lifeto keep making music.— Eminem

suFi singersanaM Marvilive in ConCerton aPril 27in karaChi

Renowned Sufi Singer Sanam Marvilive in concert A Musical Tribute toLiving Legend Abida Parveen organizingby the Royal Rodale Club, Studio MaxxPresentations & Destiny Enterprises tobe held on Saturday April 27, 2013 at8:30 pm till midnight at the rooftop,Royal Rodale Sports & RecreationalComplex, TC-V, 34th Street, Kh-e-Sehar, Phase V Ext. DHA, Karachi.Sanam Marvi is a renowned Sufi singerfrom Hyderabad, Sindh, and hails froma family of Sufi singers. She also sangin the Bollywood film London Paris NewYork. Trained under Ustad Fateh AliKhan, Sanam is considered one of thefinest performers in Sufi, folk andghazal genres. PR

Channing tatuM,jaMie Foxx Cut arug in MexiCoLeave it to Channing Tatum and JamieFoxx to get the party started! The co-stars of “White House Down” justcouldn’t help but start dancing duringa photo call for the 5th AnnualSummer Of Sony at the Ritz CarltonHotel in Cancun, Mexico, on Fridaynight. They were joined by MaggieGyllenhaal and director RolandEmmerich. Tatum and Foxx starteddancing as soon as they stepped outof their car. Later, Tatum tookGyllenhaal for a little one-on-onewhirl. NEWS DESk

LAhorE: Iqbal Bano, the great Ghazal singer, was remembered on her 4thdeath anniversary on Sunday. Iqbal Bano was born in Delhi in 1927. She movedto Pakistan in 1952. Her first songs were recorded at All India Radio in Delhi.She was a star by the 1950s, with several hit film songs that have sincebecome classics in their own right. But her natural talent was towards semi-classical music, such as thumris, dadras and the classical rendition of Ghazals,a genre of Urdu poetry. She sang soundtrack songs for famous Urdu films likeGumnaam, Qatil, Inteqaam, Sarfarosh and Nagin. She was considered aspecialist in singing the Ghazals of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Qateel Shafai and MirzaGhalib and thus earned the famous title of `Queen of Ghazal’. A few singersof classical music matched the brilliance of her voice and her command ofmusical notes. She was given the Pride of Performance award by thegovernment in 1974. She also sang Persian poetry, which became popularin Iran and Afghanistan. In 1985, Bano became a cult icon when shestirred a huge crowd in Lahore, singing Faiz’s ‘Hum Dekhenge’ even thoughhis works had been banned by General Zia’s military regime. The lyrics ofthe song, its strong sentiment, Bano’s magical voice and the politicalclimate at the time made it a historic act of defiance that should alwaysbe remembered in our history. At the age of 74, Iqbal Bano died inLahore on April 21, 2009, after a brief illness. Her works continue to

mesmerise music, ghazal and thumri lovers around the world and herrenditions of Faiz are still alive in the memory of those who were

fortunate enough to witness her perform them live. STAFF REPORT

reMeMBeringa legend:iQBal Bano

NEWS DESK

Salman Rushdie is allover the film versionof his acclaimednovel “ Midnight’sChildren”. He hashimself done thescreenplay and

also serves as thefilm’s all-knowingnarrator.Yet he says it’s

Indo-Canadian directorDeepa Mehta’s film.She “absolutely” took

over oncethe script

was done,

Rushdie told IANS in an interview onphone from New York, where both he andMehta were for the special kickoff screen-ing of the film in conjunction with theNew York Indian Film Festival.

“A film can be only one person’s filmand not two,” he said. But they talkedoften on the telephone during the shoot.He went to Mumbai to help with casting,and from Sri Lanka, where much of theshooting took place, Mehta sent him pic-tures every day, and he talked with the ac-tors over Skype.

Though the book is set in India andPakistan, they chose to shoot in Sri Lankaas the cities depicted have changed be-yond recognition. In many ways,Colombo made a better Mumbai than thereal city does as more of the century-oldarchitecture has survived there, Rushdiesaid.

But some scenes were shot at the DalLake in Kashmir, Mumbai, Karachi andAgra too. “How else can you show a man

cycling past the Taj Mahal if not shoot inAgra?” he asked.

The allegorical tale on the partition ofIndia told through mysteriously inter-twined lives of two babies switched atbirth as India attains freedom at midnighton Aug 15, 1947 will be released in theUS beginning with New York on April 26.

It will be followed by Los Angelesand Washington DC (May 3), Boston,Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix,Seattle, and Portland (May 10), and SanFrancisco Bay Area, Denver, Minneapo-lis, and Memphis and (May 17).

Rushdie said at first he was hesitantabout doing the screenplay adaptationhimself as “I am a novelist and not a pro-fessional screen writer”.

But Deepa was very persuasive andconvinced him to do it as she feared noone else could do it justice given its al-most intimidating pedigree - having wonboth the Booker of Bookers and the Bestof the Bookers. In the end he was glad

that he did it.Screenplay writing was a very collab-

orative affair. First both Mehta andRushdie made separate lists of what tokeep and what to discard from the novelwith a staggering scope, from 1917 to1974, and 62 locations from Karachi toKashmir to Old Delhi to Bombay.

“In the end we found how identicalour lists were,” said Rushdie describingMehta as the “perfect” director to take hisbook to film. “It was Deepa’s passion forthe book that attracted me, as well, ofcourse, as my admiration for her work.”

The actual writing too was a “veryback and forth” process. “I would write adraft and send it to her. She would com-ment on it and I would write back,” hesaid.

Turning a 446-page novel into a 130-page screenplay was “an immense chal-lenge,” he said. But since he was lookingat it after more than 30 years, he could doit more dispassionately.

Midnight’s Children a collaborative affair: Rushdie

Dance duo Daft Punk’s first new single ineight years, Get Lucky, has broken Spotifystreaming records. The comeback, whichfeatures singer Pharrell Williams, had thebiggest streaming day for a single track inthe US and UK on the day of its release.The Swedish online music site did notrelease the number of streams for the trackwhich features on the DJs’ new album,

Random Access Memories. Spotify’sWill Hope, said the album would be “thebiggest” this year. “There was never anydoubt that the first original single from DaftPunk in years was going to be one of thebiggest debut singles of 2013,” the directorof label relations said. “We expect thealbum to become one of the biggest, if notthe biggest, on Spotify this year,” he added.

Daft Punk broke the one-day streamingrecord previously held by British bandBastille’s single Pompeii in the UK. ThriftShop, a single by Seattle-based rapperMacklemore and producer Ryan Lewis,held the record in the US. Chic guitaristNile Rodgers features alongside Williamson Daft Punk’s new disco inspired track.The duo whose real names are Thomas

Bangalter and Gus De Homem-Christo,told Rolling Stone magazine they hired“top-notch session players” to perform onthe album. Random Access Memories isDaft Punk’s first studio album since 2005’sHuman After All, though the band scoredthe Tron: Legacy soundtrack in 2010. Theywon a Grammy in 2009 for their livealbum, Alive 2007. NEWS DESk

Daft Punk’snew single‘Get Lucky’breaksSpotify record

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13ARTSMonday, 22 April, 2013

A

Boredom: thedesire for desires.

— Leo Tolstoy

NEWS DESK

Sonam Kapoor, who will be seen sharing thescreen space with Tamil star Dhanush in“Raanjhnaa”, says she feels like a newcomerin front of the “Kolaveri” singer despite herseven-year-old career in Bollywood.Sonam essays the role of a student fromBenaras who comes to Delhi to joinJawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in thelove story, directed by Anand L Rai.“I am still a newcomer and he has worked amany more years than I have in Indian filmIndustry. It is his debut Bollywood projectbut I wouldn’t call him a new comer. I thinkhe is one of the most brilliant actors and he isdefinitely better actor than me. I feel like anovice when I work with him,” Sonam said.“Ranjhaana” will hit theatres on June 28,2013.The 27-year-old actress started her actingcareer with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s“Saawariya” in 2007 opposite Ranbir Kapoor.The film did not do well at the box-office butSonam was noticed for her screen presence.Sonam says her goal now is to be a part ofinteresting projects that would satisfy theactress in her.“I had lost my way for sometime so I need todo things that I am happy with. It’s not aboutbeing the number one heroine or money. It’sabout doing roles that I enjoy. My biggest

ambition ishappiness,” shesaid.The actress isquite busy withher back-to-backprojects including “Bhaag MilkhaBhaag”, “Khubsoorat” remake andfilmmaker Nupur Asthana’s Yash Rajproject.“I don’t shoot two films at the sametime. I finish one character and getinto another character because Ichange my look for every film. It’sdifficult but I enjoy doing that,” shesaid.Sonam would be reprising the roleplayed by Rekha in the remake of“Khubsoorat” and the actress isready to face comparisons with thelegendary diva.“I am glad that I got theopportunity to play a character thatis so vibrant and alive. I am AnilKapoor’s daughter so I am alwayscompared with legends. It is a partand parcel of my life. The film isnot the same story at all. Wehave just taken the spirit ofthe girl. It is the spirit of thecharacter that I want tocapture,” she said.

kim kardashian,humphries settledivorce, avoid trial

NEWS DESK

Reality television star Kim Kardashian and NBAbasketball player Kris Humphries have finally settledtheir divorce, avoiding a trial that was set for next month,a Los Angeles County Superior Court spokeswoman saidon Friday. Judge Hank Goldberg approved the divorcesettlement for the couple, who broke up after just 72 daysfollowing their made-for-TV wedding in August 2011.Celebrities usually settle their divorces throughnegotiation rather than at a trial that can fuel publicity.Humphries, 28, had been demanding an annulment,alleging that Kardashian, who cited irreconcilabledifference when filing for divorce, had no intention ofkeeping to the marriage, which was filmed as part of herreality show. Terms of the divorce were not made public.Kardashian, 32, attended the hearing, but Humphries,who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, did not. Kardashian’spublicist declined to comment on the settlement.Humphries’ spokesman did not immediately respond to arequest for comment. The socialite started dating rapperKanye West in April last year and is now about sixmonths pregnant with her first child. The divorce will beKardashian’s second. She was married to music producerDamon Thomas for four years, separating in 2004.Kardashian, who stars with her sisters in reality show“Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” also has a clothingline and several product endorsements, and was the most-searched person on the Yahoo! website in 2012.

nicole eggert rushed tohospital after beinginjured in ‘splash’ dive

NEWS DESK

The 41-year-old former Baywatch star was rushed to the hospitalafter she “bungl[ed] a high-dive and brutally back-flopp[ed] intothe pool” while taping an upcoming episode of Splash onThursday, TMZ reported. Eggert’s dive reportedly included“multiple backflips,” but a rotation error resulted in her enteringthe water back-first and EMTs having to rush in and pull her fromthe pool. “[She had] a bad landing,” a Splash representativesubsequently confirmed to E! News. Eggert reportedly didn’tsuffer any fractured bones and was released from the hospital afterseveral hours, however her Splash status remains unclear. She iscurrently consulting with a doctor,” the show representative said.Eggert is the fourth celebrity injured while competing on Splash.E! personality Chuy Bravo was forced to quit the competition justbefore his first dive when he suffered a “freak accident” and brokehis heel bone while watching other Splash contestants dive. Thisweek, model and reigning Miss Alabama USA Katherine Webbquit Splash after she suffered a “pretty hard” landing and injuredher back while diving on last week’s show. Extreme skier RoryBushfield also ruptured an eardrum during a dive but has chosen toremain in the competition. In addition, reality TV star KendraWilkinson decided to quit Splash when a fear of heights kept herfrom being able to complete a dive.

hope to create asafer environmentfor girls in india:Priyanka Chopra

NEWS DESK

Bollywood actor and UNICEF goodwill Ambassador PriyankaChopra said she hopes to create a safer environment forgirls in the country. “I hope I help create an environmentwhere girls could be safe. With UNICEF, we are trying tocreate actual physical environment for girls where theycould be safe, especially in villages,” she said. The actorsaid this at an art and cinema memorabilia auction event.Talking to mediapersons later, she said that last time itwas the Delhi gangrape case that she had heard of andthis time it is a five-year-old’s rape which is makingheadlines. The actor said that as part of the campaign“we are also trying to educate parents aboutsafeguarding their own girls as well as trying to educateboys to understand women better.” Priyanka, also gave acameo performance emphasising the safety of girls, at theevent. Dressed in a shimmering red saree, the 30-year-oldactor performed to the opening lines of Tagore’s famouspoem ‘Where the mind is without fear’. She said that while

many do raise voices, there are also those who are not ableto and “I hope this campaign will give voices to such peopleto fight against evil in society”. “My parents instilled in methe values and a belief that I could stand on my own feet andbecome whatever I could dream to be. I think that is thebiggest gift that we can give to these girls so that they can

stand on their own feet and be themselves,” she said. Theactor also urged the audience present at the auction to “loosetheir purse strings” to help the campaign reach the Rs 11 lakhfigure mark, needed for projects like providing clean drinking

water, sanitation, school spaces etc in villages. The auctionkicked-off with a few sales ranging from Rs 1.4 lakh to over Rs fourlakh. One of the pieces which has been put up for auction is aChristian Louboutin shoe signed by Priyanka and worn by her in her

upcoming video, ‘Exotic’.

I’m alwayscomparedto legends:

sonaM

ISB 22-04-2013_Layout 1 4/22/2013 6:39 AM Page 13

NEWS DESK

THE first new species of dinosaur fromMadagascar in nearly a decade was an-nounced today, filling an important gap inthe island's fossil record. Dahalokelytokana (pronounced "dah-HAH-loo-KAY-

lee too-KAH-nah") is estimated to have been betweennine and 14 feet long, and it lived around 90 million yearsago.Dahalokely belongs to a group called abelisauroids,carnivorous dinosaurs common to the southern continents.Up to this point, no dinosaur remains from between 165and 70 million years ago could be identified to the specieslevel in Madagascar-a 95 million year gap in the fossilrecord.Dahalokely shortens this gap by 20 million years.The fossils of Dahalokely were excavated in 2007 and2010, near the city of Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez) in

northernmost Madagascar. Bones re-covered included vertebrae and ribs.Because thisarea of

the skeleton is so distinct in some dinosaurs, the researchteam was able to definitively identify the specimen as anew species. Several unique features -- including theshape of some cavities on the side of the vertebrae -- wereunlike those in any other dinosaur. Other features in thevertebrae identified Dahalokely as an abelisauroid di-nosaur. When Dahalokely was alive, Madagascar wasconnected to India, and the two landmasses were isolatedin the middle of the Indian Ocean. Geological evidenceindicates that India and Madagascar separated around 88million years ago, just after Dahalokelylived. Thus, Da-halokely potentially could have been ancestral to animalsthat lived later in both Madagascar and India. However,not quite enough of Dahalokely is yet known to resolvethis issue. The bones known so far preserve an intriguingmix of features found in dinosaurs from both Madagascarand India. "We had always suspected that abelisauroidswere in Madagascar 90 million years ago, because theywere also found in younger rocks on the island. Da-halokely nicely confirms this hypothesis," said projectleader Andrew Farke, Augustyn Family Curator of Pale-ontology

at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology. Farkecontinued, "But, the fossils of Dahalokely are tantalizinglyincomplete -- there is so much more we want to know.Was Dahalokely closely related to later abelisauroids onMadagascar, or did it die out without descendents?" Thename "Dahalokely tokana" is from the Malagasy lan-guage, meaning "lonely small bandit." This refers to thepresumed carnivorous diet of the animal, as well as to thefact that it lived at a time when the landmasses of Indiaand Madagascar together were isolated from the rest ofthe world. "This dinosaur was closely related to other fa-mous dinosaurs from the southern continents, like thehorned Carnotaurus from Argentina and Majungasaurus,also from Madagascar," said project member Joe Sertich,Curator of Dinosaurs at the Denver Museum of Nature &Science and the team member who discovered the new di-nosaur. "This just reinforces the importance of exploringnew areas around the world where undiscovered dinosaurspecies are still waiting," added Sertich. The researchwas funded by the Jurassic Foundation, Sigma Xi, Na-tional Science Foundation, and the Raymond M. Alf Mu-seum of Paleontology. The paper naming Dahalokely

appears in the April 18, 2013, release of thej o u r n a l .

NEWS DESK

Europe's Herschel space telescopehas imaged one of the most popularsubjects in the sky - the HorseheadNebula - and its environs.

The distinctively shaped molec-ular gas cloud is sited some 1,300light-years from Earth in the Con-stellation Orion.

It is in a region of space under-going active star formation - some-thing Herschel has been most keento study.

The Hubble space observatoryhas also returned to the Horseheadscene, to celebrate 23 years in orbit.

Together, these two great facili-ties give scientists a much broaderinsight into what is taking place inthis familiar patch of the heavens.

"You need images at all scalesand at all wavelengths in astronomyin order to understand the big pictureand the small detail," said Prof MattGriffin, the principal investigator onHerschel's SPIRE instrument.

"In this new Herschel view, theHorsehead looks like a little feature- a pimple. In reality, of course, it isa very large entity in its own right,but in this great sweep of a picture

from Herschel you can see that thenebula is set within an even larger,molecular-cloud complex wherethere is a huge amount of materialand a great range of conditions," theCardiff University, UK, researchertold BBC News.

To provide a sense of scale, theHorsehead Nebula, also known inthe catalogues as "Barnard 33", isabout five light-years "tall".

Hubble sees the Horsehead innear-infrared light. Herschel, on theother hand, goes to much longerwavelengths. This allows it to seethe glow coming directly from coldgas and dust - the material that willeventually collapse under gravity toform the next generation of stars.

Scientists are particularly keento understand the mechanisms thatdrive the production of the biggeststars - objects much more massivethan our own Sun that form rela-tively fast, burn bright but brieflives, and interact strongly with theirenvironment, influencing the nextround of star formation.

The Orion Molecular CloudComplex is one of the best and near-est regions in space to study this ac-tivity.

Prof Griffin explained: "You cansee all the things we look for in Her-schel images - the filaments, thebubbles; the wispy material, the red-dish material that hasn't yet actuallystarted to form stars.

"You can also see nebulositywhere material has been lit up frominside by stars; and features like theHorsehead Nebula where that starformation has yet to really getgoing."

Hubble's new view was ac-quired by its Wide Field Camera-3instrument, which was installed byastronauts on the last shuttle servic-ing mission in 2009.

The image was taken to cele-brate its 23rd birthday in orbit. Itwas launched on 24 April 1990.

The much shorter wavelengthsat which Hubble works means it canproduce finer, sharper detail thanHerschel.

It illustrates particularly well theway the ultraviolet glare and stellarwinds from nearby stars are sculpt-ing the dusty stellar nursery.

Hubble hopefully has quite afew years of operations left in it.Herschel does not.

Scientists are expecting to losethe telescope any day now.

The superfluid helium it uses tocool its instruments and their detec-tors is all but gone. When the supplyruns completely dry, Herschel willwarm from its ultra-low functioningtemperature and go blind.

A scholarly paper describingHerschel's investigation of the OrionMolecular Cloud Complex has beenpublished in the journal Astrophysi-cal Journal Letters.

infotainment

IMonday, 22 April, 2013

14

'CoMPuterisedFaBriCs' inClothes CouldCharge Phones

illegal loggerscontinue to threatenamazonian tribe

new carnivorous dinosaur from Madagascar raises more questions than it answers

Horsehead Nebula: Herschel telescopeimages astronomical classic

If the bee disappeared off the face of

the earth, man would only have four

years left to live. –Albert Einstein

Clothes that change their colour andshape depending on the wearer'smovement are being developed byresearchers at a Canadian university.The project - dubbed KarmaChameleon - involves weavingelectronic fabric into clothes in a waythat allows the storage of energyfrom the body.Uses for the technology include adress that "changes itself", and ashirt which can charge a phone.However, it could be decades beforethe clothes are available to buy."We won't see such garments in storesfor another 20 or 30 years, but thepractical and creative possibilities areexciting," said Prof Joanna Berzowska,of the Department of Design andComputation Arts at ConcordiaUniversity in Montreal, Canada. "Our goal is to create garments thatcan transform in complex andsurprising ways - far beyondreversible jackets, or shirts thatchange colour in response to heat."Concept designs Many researchers around the worldare looking at smart fabrics invarious shapes and forms. In themilitary, British soldiers' uniformscould soon use electricallyconducting yarn woven directly intothe clothing, replacing cumbersomebatteries and cabling. NEWS DESk

taxonoMy:introduCingthe oBaMadon

Campaigners say the Brazilian government isfailing to protect one of the world's mostendangered tribes. The Awa people are believed tonumber just 450, but their territory has attractedthousands of loggers and settlers.Last year a judge ordered all outsiders shouldleave the area within 12 months. But the deadlinehas passed and no evictions have taken place,says indigenous rights group SurvivalInternational. The Awa live in north eastern Braziland survive as hunter-gatherers in remote areas ofrainforest. Of their number around 100 have neverhad contact with outsiders. However, the tribe'sfour protected territories have been whittled awayover the years by settlers and loggers who are nowsaid to outnumber the Awa by ten to one.One territory of 120,000 hectares has had over30% of the forest cover removed. Logging trucksare reported to enter and leave the area day andnight. "The Awa talk about hearing chainsaws andtheir game being scared away," Alice Bayer, fromSurvival International, said. "They find when theygo to hunt there are less animals there because ofall the noise." NEWS DESk

It's seen as a sign of respect awardedby scientists around the worldsearching for new species of plantand animal life. Now Barack Obamahas the honour of having not one, butthree species named after him. Todaythe newly discovered Obamadongracilis, an extinct lizard species from65 million years ago, joined theEtheostoma obama spangled darterfish and Caloplaca obamae lichen,with a name in honour of the 44thPresident of the United States. Thelizard was discovered by scientistsfrom Harvard and Yale universitieswho were examining fossils fromacross America in an attempt tounderstand how some lizards hadmanaged to escape the completeextinction that killed off thedinosaurs. NEWS DESk

ISB 22-04-2013_Layout 1 4/22/2013 6:39 AM Page 14

DELHIAGENCIES

oN a hot Sundayafternoon, twobowling attacks gotinto a contest of whocould bowl worse.Mumbai Indians

outdid their Delhi Daredevils counterpartsby a comfortable margin, and handedDaredevils their first win in seven attemptsthis season.

To give credit where it’s due,Daredevils were ordinary for a muchshorter duration. They only let things goafter they had reduced Mumbai to 24 in sixovers, giving Rohit Sharma full toss afterfull toss to deposit into the stands, andconceding 161 runs. Mumbai’s JaspritBumrah and Munaf Patel, though, werepoor from the start, letting the hithertostruggling Virender Sehwag and MahelaJayawardene run away with the chase afterwhich the duo regained their touch too.

The match couldn’t have started moredifferently. After Mumbai finally split thefaltering box-office opening combinationof Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting,Daredevils’ left-arm bowlers stifled the toporder on a slow pitch. Finally included,Roelof van der Merwe made the biggestdifference, with the wicket of DwayneSmith in the third over.

Everything was going in Daredevils’

favour. They got the danger man DineshKarthik with a deflection from UmeshYadav in his follow-through, and Tendulkarwas struggling to strike at a run a ball. Theysomehow took Mumbai to 57 for 2 in 10overs, but then the deluge started. AndreRussell, for some reason replacing MorneMorkel, began with a full toss for Rohit tohit a six. In the next over, Shahbaz Nadeemdropped Tendulkar.

In between the odd classy shot andheave, Roht kept getting his loose balls. Inall, he was given five full tosses, off whichhe scored 20 runs and was holed out on thelast. These were not yorkers gone wrong,these were knee-high full bungers. Aroundmore ordinary fielding, Mumbai keptprospering, but this was nothing comparedto what was to follow.

Bumrah, of the strange action, mighthave been rescued by dodgy umpiring inthe previous match he played, but his angleand his gentle pace and length bowling wasfodder for the batsmen this time around.His first over finished, Bumrah went toshort fine leg to drop Sehwag off MunafPatel. It shouldn’t take away from how poorthe delivery was: short, down the leg side,with the fine leg up in the circle.

Munaf didn’t stop doing that in his firsttwo-over spell, and was consistently pickedaway on the leg side past the short fine leg.While Bumrah paid for that wide angle,Munaf was penalised for not bowling to hisfields, and their next overs yielded 17 each.At 50 for 0 after five overs, these two hadsmelled blood, and you don’t let Sehwagand Jayawardene smell blood. DavidWarner may have wondered why he didn’tface such bowling when he opened theinnings. Matching each other shot for shotnow, they carved through some of the betterbowling, whipping Lasith Malinga,reverse-sweeping Harbhajan Singh,delighting the home crowd that has refusedto stay away despite all the losses,becoming only the third combination in IPLto have registered two hundred-run openingstands.

What chance did Dwayne Smith stand?In his second over, the 10th of the chase,Smith was carved away for four by Sehwagand paddled away for a six byJayawardene. And that six, coming as earlyas it did, brought the asking rate down to arun a ball. No collapse, fashionable as itmight be, followed and the remaining 63were got in just 45 balls.

indian premier league 2013(

(

SPORTS

SMonday, 22 April, 2013

15Irrespective of the teams who make it to the top four,the games will have to be shifted from Chennai due totheir sheer importance. – BCCI

sehwag, jayawardenetrounCe triCky target

ashwin’s role wasto get us a quickstart: hussey

KOLKATAAGENCIES

Chennai Super Kings, thanks to a blitzfrom Ravindra Jadeja, staged another laterecovery to chase down a target in theIPL, on Saturday against Kolkata KnightRiders. That target of 120 was not a bigone, though, and had they failed to knockit off, there would have been manyquestions around why they had chosen toopen their innings with R Ashwin.While Super Kings have been searchingfor right combination at the top allthrough this tournament, with M Vijaystruggling and S Anirudha falling for aduck when given a chance, promotingAshwin - who has a top score of 11 in theIPL - hardly seemed the answer. Hemanaged to get away a couple of neatfours through the leg side - flicked andswept - but could not give Super Kings thequick runs they wanted of him on thesluggish track. That, according to MichaelHussey, was the idea behind sending himout to open.“I think Ashwin’s role was to try and getus off to a quick start, look to takeadvantage of the first six overs and he hada licence to tee off. He hit a couple ofgood boundaries but, as it can happen inT20 cricket, you can get out anytime,”Hussey told the IPL site. “I think therewas pressure all the way through, becauseit was a difficult surface to bat on. It wasalmost a case of if you play properly, tryand work the ones and twos, it can be verydifficult to score; but if you try and tee offit might just work.”Given the nature of the track, Hussey said,Super Kings were not complacent aboutthe target. “Kolkata is always a toughplace to play; the pitch is always slow andlow with less bounce, and we knew even120 or 130 could be a defendable totalhere,” he said. “And I think the bowlersare becoming a lot smarter, so the scoresover the whole competition have been alittle bit lower than normal. But thankfullysome late hitting from ‘Sir’ Jadeja got usover the line again.”Hussey batted through to the 17th over,scoring 40 off 51 - the slowest score of 40or more overall in the IPL - and when hegot out, Super Kings needed 31 off 19.

i was star-struckwhen sir viv walkedin: jayawardene

NEW DELHIAGENCIES

Delhi Daredevils skipper MahelaJayawardene today admitted that he was“star-struck” like any other youngsterwhen the legendary Sir Vivian Richardsmet the team at the hotel on Saturday.“We knew that the franchise had plannedabout him joining the squad. Butyesterday, when he walked in, I was likestar-struck as I was meeting him in personfor the first time,” Jayawardene said.Asked whether Richards’ presence made adifference, the skipper replied,“Definitely, it did. It is simply great tospeak to him about the game — the simplemanner in which he describes the game.

viv richards signs onwith delhi daredevilsViv Richards, the former West Indiescaptain, has joined the Delhi Daredevilsas the team’s ambassador. He will alsohave an “advisory role” with thefranchise, who are all but out of therunning this season, having lost their firstsix matches. “I am looking forward toworking with the Delhi Daredevils thisseason,” Richards, one of the game’sgreatest batsman, said after interactingwith the team. “I know the team has manyplayers of proven quality and others whohave immense talent and hunger tosucceed at this level and higher. It will bea great experience for me to be theirsounding board and inspire them to deliverquality performances.” SPORTS DESk

Watson insists he wasn’t pushed

SPORTS DESK

Shane Watson has insisted the decisionto step down from the national vice-captaincy was his alone and was notprompted by Cricket Australia or theteam management. Watson announcedon Saturday that he would no longer beMichael Clarke’s deputy because hewanted to focus on his ownperformance and the timing, in the lead-up to the Ashes squad announcement,led to speculation that he might havebeen dropped from the role had he notquit.

But Watson said there had been nopressure from within Australian cricketand his decision was in part to allowhim to work on his own game and also

to make it easier for Australia to startbuilding a succession plan. Clarke andWatson are both 31 and given Clarke’songoing back problems his longevity asan international cricketer is uncertainand allowing a new vice-captain tolearn under him might make thetransition easier when it occurs.

“Michael and myself are the exactsame age and I suppose it’s been in theback of my mind as well to have asuccession plan moving forward overthe next few years as to who the nextAustralian captain will be,” Watson toldthe Sun-Herald. “That definitely playeda part in my decision as well, knowingthat there really does need to be asuccession plan in place, I suppose, inplace along the lines of Michael and

Ricky [Ponting]. I just think the time isright now for me to stand down andallow that process to move forward.

“I haven’t felt pressure from theCricket Australia hierarchy or anythinglike that at all. It’s mainly just comedown to me, knowing that there has tobe a succession plan. I’m very realisticwith the team, myself and the structure.That is very important. What CA arelooking out for at the moment is a fewfuture leaders of the Australian cricketteam.”

Watson captained Australia in theirmost recent Test in Delhi, where Indiawrapped up a 4-0 series win last month,but personally he had a verydisappointing tour with the bat,averaging 16.50. He had chosen not tobowl in an effort to prevent injury andallow him to gain some momentum asa batsman but the plan backfired and heintends to be bowling again by the timethe Ashes begins.

Since Watson was named vice-captain two years ago he has failed tohit the necessary heights as a Testbatsman and averaged 24.11 with thebat during that time. Watson said heknew he could not expect to keep beingselected if he was not contributing onthe field but he hoped that by steppingdown from an official leadershipposition he would give himself morechance of on-field success.

“It will definitely free me up abit,” he said. “My workload isnowhere near what Michael’s is, that’sfor sure. But being an allrounder aswell, coming back and bowling, thatlittle bit of extra time that I wouldhave been spending in the leadershipmeetings I’ll be able to spend ondoing everything I can to get the bestout of myself. I’ll also be able to getas much life balance as I can with myyoung family.

‘’Throughout the Indian series itcertainly made me realise what mymake-up is. That certainly is anallrounder. It increases my chances ofselection as well and I do want to be apart of the Ashes campaign.”

ISB 22-04-2013_Layout 1 4/22/2013 6:39 AM Page 16

SPORTS S

Monday, 22 April, 2013

16“It’s a unique system in that players can

go from Grade cricket to Test cricket

very quickly – Graeme Hick

NEW DELHIAGENCIES

Sachin Tendulkar has always beenshowered with the biggest of complimentsbut former Australia opener MatthewHayden took it to a new level as he placedthe Indian batsman above the game itselfwhile calling him India’s Don Bradman anda “movement in himself”.

“They will write books and do movieson him in the coming years because he hastaken Indian cricket to a new level, andplayed a big part in winning many series athome and abroad. He is India’s mostprolific player; the country’s DonBradman,” said Hayden.

Tendulkar is approaching his 40thbirthday and to commemorate the occasion,‘Outlook’ magazine has come out with aspecial issue on the Mumbaikar in whichcelebrities from all walks of life haveheaped praise on the veteran.

“I would place Sachin at the top of anylist of the greatest cricketers ever. It’s notabout his cricket. Sachin is not just cricketanymore; he is an embodiment of abstractsuperlatives. Sachin is hope personified, ofpeople overcoming adversity and rising outof the ashes. He’s more than cricket,”Hayden added.

“Sachin is a movement in himself, aphenomenon. It has been scrutinised,

reflected upon, analysed for years. Therehave been tough times and good times, butthe truth is he’s one of the greatest playersever,” he said.

Hayden placed the legendary batsmanat the top of his list of greatest cricketersever.

“None of the great cricketers aresimply great cricketers, they are more thanthat. We don’t really see Sachin as Indiananymore; he’s more than the game. Beyondthe realm of cricket, Sachin is country. Heis home. He is hope. He is culture,” Haydensaid.

The Aussie said the kind of interestTendulkar generates in people is next tonone.

“I have been witness to the kind ofhope and interest Sachin generates inpeople. The level of expectations when thelittle warrior goes out to bat is staggering,everyone hopes that India’s performancewill lift around him.

“The euphoria of spectators in thestadium and the buzz around the townwhen he bats is second to none.”

Recollecting his favourite Tendulkarinnings, Hayden said, “My favouriteinnings of Sachin was at the SydneyCricket Ground where he scored 200 plus.He just played so effortlessly yet with suchdiscipline! It’s like the venue -the SCG -was made for him. He has a phenomenal

record there. But one of his most skillfulinnings was in India in 1998. He negotiatedspin beautifully.

“We had a world-class spin attack in1998, with Shane Warne, one of thegreatest, versus the king of Indian cricket,Sachin, and he had a well though-outmethodology of scoring runs. Hisperformance was exceptional. He just tookapart the opposition in a very measured andcalculated way.”

Hayden insisted it was remarkable theway Tendulkar carried the hopes of 1.4billion Indians for over two decades.

“He has carried the weight of theIndian cricket team, for a very, very longtime. That’s the weight of the accumulatedhopes of 1.4 billion people. Expectationsand stakes are always high. During this, hehas a great ability to flow through life witha simple smile and a polite manner.

“It’s very hard for me to understand thepressure he goes through because we don’thave the numbers, eyeballs and profile likehe does. But what I know about Sachin isthat he seems to have this great energy.

“It’s almost like a membrane aroundhim, where he allows things to come intohis space that he needs to deal with.Otherwise, he just flows along with life,”he elaborated.

Stating that he has enormous respectfor the Indian, Hayden said, “I always

believe you can never judge a player untilyou play with him. I am sure Sachin and Iwould have got along very nicely. It wasalways extremely competitive betweenIndia and Australia.

“But having played now for CSK(Chennai Super Kings) and understandingthe inner workings of Indian culture, the

people and also the incredible ups anddowns that go with being an Indiancricketer, I now tend to understand Sachinbetter.

“In India when you lose, it’s so hard toget up because it means so much. I haveenormous respect for Sachin, which I thinkis more important to me than friendship.”

Sachin is India’s Don Bradman: Matthew Hayden

HARAREAGENCIES

tHE Bangladesh CricketBoard (BCB) has stronglycriticised the Bangladeshteam for the 355-run loss toZimbabwe in the first Test in

Harare. The board also asked injuredplayers to return home, the first publicairing of frustration regarding fitnessissues that have dogged the players sincethis season’s Bangladesh Premier League.

“The batting performance in Hararehad no similarity with that in Sri Lanka,”said Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s mediacommittee chairman. “We aredisappointed with this poor showing bythe batsmen. The senior players haven’tshowed enough responsibility.”

“I would urge the players who are notfully fit to return to Dhaka and getthemselves into 100% fitness.”

Bangladesh were bowled out for lessthan 150 in both innings, and while someviewed the first innings as a one-off, their

second-innings score of 147 confirmedtheir struggle against the Zimbabweseamers. “It takes time for performance tocome down to such levels,” Yunus said.“They had a bad start, which can happensometimes but there is no excuse to howthey have batted in the second innings.”

The BCB was also “concerned” aboutthe umpiring during the first Test, but saidit couldn’t bring back the concept ofuniversal DRS on its own. “We werealarmed by a few decisions in this Testmatch, and we have been concerned by theumpiring since the tour of Sri Lanka,”Yunus said. “It has happened a few timesthat whenever our bowlers have taken awicket, the umpire has checked for a no-ball. But it didn’t happen when ourbatsmen got out.”

He also said the timing of theZimbabwe tour, the venue for the Tests, aswell as the make-up of the tour could havebeen modified, but the decisionsultimately lay with the home board.

Zimbabwe were supposed to hostBangladesh last year but had postponed

the tour until April this year due to groundmaintenance issues in Bulawayo. Theyalso announced the Test series would beheld after the limited-overs matches, butlater changed the schedule.

“We have tried to negotiate with them

but ultimately the home board decidesthese facilities,” Yunus said. “But thesecannot be excuses. The team has beendoing quite well before this Test match soit is hard to understand how they havesuddenly played so poorly.”

BCB CritiCises teaM For harare loss

Celtic win scottishtitle after win over inverness

LONDONAGENCIES

Celtic completed their inevitableprocession to the Scottish title on Sundaywhen they beat Inverness CaledonianThistle 4-1.The victory, inspired by Gary Hooper’sdouble, left second-placed Motherwell,who won 3-1 at Dundee United on Friday,15 points behind the Glasgow club withonly four games remaining.Celtic, who have now amassed 44 Scottishleague championships, have coasted to thetitle more easily than last year given oldfoes Rangers were demoted to the bottomtier before the season because of financialproblems.Rangers, a world record 54 times Scottishchampions, won the fourth tier last month.Celtic have 72 points from 34 matchesand will go into the Champions Leaguequalifying rounds next term hoping tobetter their achievement of reaching thelast 16 this season.Fans had to wait until the second half tostart the party with third-placed Invernessstubbornly refusing to bow to their farmore illustrious opponents.The breakthrough came just past the hourmark when Hooper was played in by KrisCommons and produced a cool finish.Five minutes later Joe Ledley swept in thesecond before Hooper’s neat flick at thenear post made the result safe.Georgios Samaras added some late glosswith a fierce shot in off the crossbar andnot even a late reply from Aaron Dorancould dampen the celebrations.Celtic’s complete dominance of theScottish Premier League has againsparked calls for the club to play inEngland to find greater competition.England’s Premier League will containtwo Welsh sides next season after CardiffCity won promotion to join Swansea City.Wales has its own league but a handful ofclubs including the duo have long beenpermitted to play in England, unlike theirScottish counterparts. (Writing by MarkMeadows and Martyn Herman, editing byPritha Sarkar).

Bd call up shafiul,Ziaur as injury cover

SPORTS DESK

Seamer Shafiul Islam and allrounderZiaur Rahman have been called up to theBangladesh Test squad, as cover forpacers Rubel Hossain and ShahadatHossain. Shafiul and Ziaur will fly toHarare on Sunday night. Rubel, who hadback trouble during the tour to Sri Lankaearlier this year, hurt his shoulder duringthe first Test here, while Shahadat hadmissed the Test due to a knee injury. Theydo not have much time to regain fullfitness, with the second Test beginning onThursday, thus prompting the team to callfor back-up. Bangladesh’s other injuryconcern is opener Tamim Iqbal, who alsomissed the first Test. However, his thumbinjury is coming on well and indicationsare he should be fit in time for the secondgame. On Saturday, captain MushfiqurRahim said: “He is doing really well.”Ziaur had featured in the limited-overs legon Bangladesh’s tour to Sri Lanka, but isyet to debut in Test cricket.

More than 50 Bangladeshi professional cricketers, includingseveral international players, protested the delay in holding theDhaka Premier League, the country’s most popular domesticcompetition. They gathered at the Sher-e-Bangla NationalStadium on Saturday after not having played any domesticcricket since mid-February. The 12-team one-day competitionthat is central to the protest is also the biggest source of income

for the top cricketers, but the Dhaka clubs have refused toparticipate without the national players who are currently touringZimbabwe. The tournament, topmost in Dhaka’s leaguestructure, was supposed to be held in March but the Bangladeshplayers were touring Sri Lanka. It could be held in May, but theclubs have suggested August and September. It will be in themiddle of the monsoon season, and it has led to speculation thatmany of the top clubs are trying to push it past a point where thenext BCB elections will have votes from club councillors fromthe previous season. The BCB election is held with votes fromcouncillors representing Dhaka clubs, among many other bodiesfrom across the country, from the latest season. The other leaguesand tournaments have been held in the 2012-13 season, but theDhaka Premier League clubs are the most influential inBangladesh cricket. Jalal Yunus, the chairman of CCDM, theleague’s organising committee, has conceded that the domesticcalendar should have given priority to the Dhaka Premier Leagueahead of the Bangladesh Premier League, the franchise-basedTwenty20 competition, and added that all parties have to cometo an agreement for the tournament to kick off. SPORTS DESk

Cricketers protest DhakaPremier League delay

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SPORTSS

17I have experience of playing in the Fed Cup and it

helped me a lot to win. I felt confident and everything

went my way from the start. – Daniela Hantuchova

MONTE CARLOAGENCIES

nOVAK Djokovic deniedRafael Nadal a ninthconsecutive Monte CarloMasters title, producingan impressive

performance to dominate the Spaniard onclay and take a 6-2 7-6(1) victory.

Victory for world No. 1 Djokovicended a ten-year, 46-match unbeatenstreak in Monaco for Nadal, as well ascrowning the Serb’s third victory on clayover the Spaniard.

Not even an early rain delay inMonaco could disrupt number-one seedDjokovic producing a fantasticperformance on the red dirt, as the 27-year-old stormed into a 5-0 lead in the firstset following an early break and a superbforehand to save his own serve at deuce.

Third-seed Nadal was left watchingthe tape as the ball landed his side to giveDjokovic the double-break, but ascintillating rally saw the world No. 5scrape back into the set at 5-1 before a rareDjokovic error handed him the break.

However, Djokovic continued inrelentless manner, sending a lob over thedefending champion to claim the set indominating fashion.

The second proved to be a tighteraffair, both players holding their first twoservice games before Nadal edged aheadto 4-2 with a break following a servicewinner. However, Djokovic respondedwith a hold before forcing Nadal intoanother error on his backhand to level the

second set once more.With Nadal 6-5 ahead, the Spaniard

was serving for the second set butDjokovic took it into a tiebreak followingtwo powerful forehand winners with aclean-cut backhand. Djokovic took fullmomentum into it, forcing his opponentinto an early error for the break beforedominating the next two rallies.

Nadal misjudged two forehands togive Djokovic full advantage at 5-1,before the Serb hit a perfect return to all-but-seal victory. And with a final forehand,Djokovic claimed the title at the third timeof asking, ending the Spaniard’s 46-matchunbeaten run in Monaco.

“It’s a great pleasure to be here,” saidDjokovic, after his win. “It’s a magnificentmoment, very, very special, because I livehere and have a lot of support. Rafa, it wasa pleasure once again and thank you forletting me win at least once.

“I cannot wish for a better start of theclay season. I spend a lot of time inMonaco so I know a lot of people, webecame friends over many years, and itsdefinitely the most beautiful club in theworld. “I’m very privileged to be playingin it. I didn’t know if I was going to beable to play this year, and right now it’s thebest decision of my life.” Nadal was quickto praise both his opponent and themessages of support he received during hisseven month lay-off while recoveringfrom a knee injury. “CongratulationsNovak, what you’re doing is amazing,”Nadal said. “Congratulations for winningmy favourite tournament and good luckfor the rest of the season.

djokoviC ends nadal’seight year reign

passports should end dopingsystem ‘disaster’: berdychMoNTE CARLo: Current anti-doping measures in tennis are a “disaster”and the introduction of biological passports can only improve matters, worldnumber six Tomas Berdych said. “The system right now... I don’t know howit works with the others but with me, it does not work at all,” the Czech toldReuters in an interview at the Monte Carlo Masters this week. “You have tosay every single day... where you are. I’ve done this for three or four yearsalready and I had only two tests out of the tournaments,” Berdych said. “Sowhy do I have to do this all the time and then they come twice in fouryears? It’s just like complete nonsense.” Under International TennisFederation (ITF) rules, players must give their location for at least one hourof each day in case they are required for an out-of-competition drugs test,usually by means of a urine sample. “If some people were hired to thinkabout that and have come up with this kind of idea, if it was me, I wouldhave fired them straight away,” Berdych said.“This system is a complete disaster. So whatever they’re going to dodifferently, it’s going to be good, new or whatever.”The ITF said last month it would introduce biological passports for playersthis year, in line with measures adopted in other sports such as cycling.The new system, under which test results are collated over time to enabletesters to track any changes which might indicate doping, would involvemore blood tests being done every year, the federation said.According to their website (www.itftennis.com), the ITF carried out 21 out-of-competition blood tests in professional tennis in 2011.By comparison, cycling’s world governing body UCI conducted 3,314 in thesame year. Top players, including 17-times grand-slam winner RogerFederer, have welcomed the introduction of biological passports in tennisand Berdych added his backing. “Sure, I’m definitely on this side. Thereshould be more tests,” Berdych said. AGENCIES

‘adam scott was a specialtalent as a teen’

gREg NORMAN AGENCIES

I first met Adam Scott back in Australiawhen I was giving him a lift on my planeto a golf tournament.I think he was about 15 years old. I saw itback then and I see it now. Adam is such abalanced human being and that has servedhim well.But because he is so balanced, peoplehave questioned his fire. Well, I think heput that to rest at Augusta.He’s an incredible competitor and he isnot a guy who wants to sit back and relaxand rest on his laurels. So the sky is thelimit for Adam.I’ve always believed in Adam and hisability - it was just a matter of time beforehe picked up that first major. Now that hehas the first major under his belt, thefloodgates may open for him.I really feel like he could easily win moremajors than any other Australian golfer. Icertainly hope that his victory will help togrow the game of golf in Australia.I remember how the country was when Iwas in my prime - and I know that thecountry has been buzzing with excitementover Adam’s victory at the Masters.I think, to some degree, the country feelslike the curse has been lifted. I was reallypulling for both Adam and Jason Day in2011 as well as this year. And don’t forgetMarc Leishman.It gave me a lot of pride to see theleaderboard with three Aussie flags on itand I am so happy that Adam got it done.It’s a lot different when you are thespectator as opposed to the man in thearena and now I know how nervous youcan actually feel when you are pulling forsomebody to do something special forthemselves and for their country.Like I said to Adam: “I was a wreck.”His reply was: “Now you know how I feltyears ago.”Every year, watching the Masters justreinforces how special it really is and I amso glad that Australia has a green jacket.I watched the final round at home with myson Gregory and my wife Kiki and theycan both tell you I was on the edge of myseat all afternoon.I had to go and work out for 90 minutesduring the middle of the final round I wasso worked up. I was really honoured andhumbled by Adam’s comments. Here hewas in his crowning moment thanking mefor inspiring him and believing in him. Ican honestly tell you I had a tear or two inmy eyes.

Messi in Barca’s squad for Bayern match

BARCELONAAGENCIES

Barcelona has yet to clear Lionel Messi toplay, but has included the injured forwardin its squad for Tuesday’s ChampionsLeague first-leg semi-final at BayernMunich.On Sunday Barcelona released its squadthat will travel to Germany, withMessi’s name carrying an asterisk thatthe “player hasn’t been medicallycleared” to play. Messi injured his rightleg on April 2. He has since missedthree Spanish league games, while goingon as a substitute to help rally Barcelonapast Paris Saint-Germain in thequarterfinals last week.

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GEO SUPERSuper Kings v Royals at Chennai

07:30 PM

SPORTS SMonday, 22 April, 2013

18I need to stay active and keep the rust away

and try to unify the light-heavyweight

division in 2013 – Nathan Cleverly

wAtCh It LIve

SPORTS DESK

MANCHESTERCity’s slimhopes ofretaining thePremierLeague title

were all but extinguished as theycollapsed to a 3-1 defeat by TottenhamHotspur at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Leading 1-0 through Samir Nasri’searly goal with 15 minutes left, Cityseemed set to prolong the title race foranother week at least but Tottenhamscored three times in seven minutes tobreathe life back into their bid for a top-four finish.

With five games left, City are 13points behind Manchester United, whowill seal a 20th English title if they beatrelegation-threatened Aston Villa athome on Monday. Clint Dempseylevelled for Spurs after 75 minutesbefore substitute Jermain Defoe curled asuperb second four minutes later to turnthe match on its head. Gareth Bale’s chipin the 82nd minute completed thecomeback for the hosts, who movedlevel on 61 points with fourth-placedChelsea, who face Liverpool later. Third-placed Arsenal, who have played a gamemore than Spurs, have 63 points. Citymanager Roberto Mancini was mystifiedby the defeat but said the title race hadbeen over “three or four weeks ago”.

“For 80 minutes we didn’t concedea chance and we had two or threechances to score, it was all undercontrol,” he told reporters. “We lostbecause of two big mistakes.”

Even his Tottenham counterpartAndre Villas-Boas admitted that defeathad looked the likely outcome.

“In the second half we found ourrhythm,” he said. “When we managed toscore the first goal it was the key. Wegained the momentum and theconfidence and the emotions in thestadium changed and helped the team.”

For much of the afternoon Citylooked comfortable against a Tottenhamside whose season has hit the buffers oflate, but they were guilty of sitting backafter the break and were punished asTottenham roared back to life.

Both sides needed a victory fordiffering reasons, although Tottenham’sneed was perhaps the greater as barringa calamitous United collapse the titlealready looked beyond Mancini’s Cityside, who reached the FA Cup final lastweek.

Tottenham began brightly in thespring sunshine, with Bale, back after anankle injury, in the thick of the action.

The home crowd were silencedwhen City took the lead with their firstforay forward, however.

Carlos Tevez did well down the rightto hold the ball up and, after occupying

two Tottenham defenders, he slipped aclever pass for James Milner, whose lowcross from the byline was prodded pastHugo Lloris by former Arsenal playerNasri.

Tottenham responded with KyleWalker, who was lucky to escape seriousinjury from a rash tackle by Nasri thatwent unpunished, wasting a chance forSpurs when he was played in by a neatpass from Dempsey.

Nasri was inches away from makingit 2-0 to City, who were dangerous on thebreak, while Lloris also saved his sidewhen he plunged to keep out a Tevezheader.

Tottenham enjoyed more of the ballafter the break but with former Citystriker Emmanuel Adebayor almostanonymous in attack, a comeback didnot look likely until manager Villas-Boasmade some substitutions.

With time running out, however, amoment of hesitation by VincentKompany allowed Dempsey to slide inand convert Bale’s low cross into thearea.

title raCe alMostover For Man City

SAN DIEgOAGENCIES

Oscar de la Hoya can relax, and celebratea big victory for one of the biggest stars inthe Golden Boy Promotion lineup.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez thrilled the38,000 fans at the Alamodome in SanAntonio and many more watching onShowtime with a unanimous 12-rounddecision over a tough Austin “No Doubt”Trout.

The judges scored it this way: ReyDanseco had it 115-112, OrenShellenberger had it 116-111, and StanelyChristodoulos scored it a lopsided 118-109.

It was a more active, less tactical fightfrom Trout than expected, which providedplenty of action for the fans to enjoy. Troutended up being the more active fighter,throwing more punches overall.

But Alvarez connected on more powershots, including the signature punch of thefight, a straight as a string right hand thattook Trout’s feet out from underneath himas he hit the canvas early in the ninthround. He got up quickly, but the damagewas done. It was the first time in Trout’sprofessional career that he has been put onthe canvas.

Still, Alvarez could not finish Troutoff in the round, much credit to the toughfighter from New Mexico. Troutcontinued to try and get to Alvarez, but hecould not connect with enough force andhe didn’t have enough time left to wearAlvarez out with body shots or jabs.

After the bout, Alvarez said, “AustinTrout is a difficult fighter, but we weremore intelligent today. The better theopponent, the better we get… The velocitywas definitely a factor. If an opponentfights here (Alvarez held his handshoulder high), I will fight here (holds hishand highter).”

Alvarez told the fans in San Antonio

he felt a big responsibility to them, and hewas grateful for all of the fans who cameout for the fight. Alvarez also admittedthat winning the belt to avenge his brotherRigoberto’s earlier loss to Trout wasmotivating.

Trout, now 26-1 with 14 KOs,admitted after the fight, “He (Alvarez)was the better man tonight. I accept mydefeat, humbly…I had to come out of mycomfort zone.” Trout says he didn’tunderestimate Alvarez, but he boxed andmoved better than he though he would.“We were prepared for a different fighter,he surprised us.”

Trout, 27, says Alvarez simply caughthim with a good shot, and now he will goback to the drawing board. “I learn morefrom my losses than my wins.” Trout saidhe hopes that he might get another shot atall the belts Alvarez now. Alvarez is askedif he wants to fight Mayweather next. Heanswers in English, “I hope so - maybe.”Don’t bet on it. Mayweather has a six fightdeal with Showtime, and he won’t want tosee it derailed by risking a loss to Alvarez.At this point, Alvarez is too big forMayweather.

The more likely matchup and one fanswould applaud is Alvarez and Argentinean

Sergio Martinez, who fights next Saturdayin Buenos Aires. They are both strongpunchers, both straight ahead fighters wholove nothing better than to connect withpower. Martinez is a little more reckless inhis willingness to take a shot to make ashot, and while it’s risky it’s also exciting.

As an aside and because you’rethinking about it, Alvarez (and Martinezfor that matter) aren’t willing to risk a lossto Gennady Golovkin at this point. Theywouldn’t make enough money. GiveGolovkin time to built his fan base beyondhardcore fight fans and the day will comeeventually.

Canelo Alvarez gets decision over Trout serena pulls uslevel with sweden in Fed Cup

SPORTS DESK

World No 1 Serena Williams cruised pastJohanna Larson 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday topull the United States level with Swedenat 1-1 in their Fed Cup World Groupplayoff.The visitors had taken a 1-0 lead in thebest-of-five match tie when SofiaArvidsson downed Sloane Stephens 6-4,4-6, 6-1 on the outdoor hardcourt atDelray Beach Tennis Center.Arvidsson blasted three aces, hammered28 winners and won 63 percent of herfirst-serve points in the two-hour match.Stephens, who is ranked 16th in the world,had five double faults, won just 40 percentof her second serves and made 74unforced errors.However, a rain delay before the secondsingles was the only thing that could slowWilliams’ bid to get the tie back on levelterms. The reigning Wimbledon and USOpen champion subdued Larsson in 66minutes, extending her perfect record inFed Cup singles to 9-0.“I just try to fight and do the best I can,”said Williams, who blasted five aces and31 winners and converted four of her fivebreak chances. “I’m here for the team.Even though I don’t feel pressure, I’mhere to give 100 percent. If I don’t feel100 percent, I’m still going to try to givethat.” In Sunday’s reverse singles,Williams will play Arvidsson andStephens will take on Larsson.The fifth rubber would be a doublesencounter with Arvidsson and Larssonteaming against the American tandem ofVenus Williams and Varvara Lepchenko.Serena and her former top-ranked sisterVenus are playing Fed Cup together forthe first time in 14 months.The US team is trying to avoid relegationto World Group II after losing their 2013first-round tie 3-2 to Italy in February.

hertha Berlin sealsits return toBundesliga afterone-season absence

BERLINAGENCIES

Hertha Berlin won promotion to theBundesliga on Sunday after a season inthe second division. Pierre-MichelLasogga’s 85th-minute goal gaveHertha a 1-0 win over strugglingSandhausen. That gave coach JosLuhukay’s team an unassailable 14-point lead over third-placedKaiserslautern with four games left toplay. Hertha is returning to theBundesliga after twice being relegatedfrom the top flight in the last threeseasons. German Football Federationpresident Wolfgang Niersbachcongratulated Hertha on its promotion,which means that Berlin will no longerbe the only major European capitalwithout a top-flight team. The city’sother major club, Union Berlin, playsin the second division. “It is good thatour capital is now represented again inthe Bundesliga,” Niersbach said. Thesecond division’s top two teams winautomatic promotion, while the clubthat finishes third plays off against the16th-placed team in the 18-teamBundesliga..

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Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.

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