AMANULLAH KHAN

KA R A C H I—KSE-100after breaking its strongresistance at 31750 in thelast trading session nowseems targeting to breakits all time high record of32,315 levels.

The Index continued to

Contd on Page 7

Today’s issue of PakistanObserver carries one PageSpecial Report on 138thBirth Anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad AliJinnah on Page 12.

India fires alongSialkot working

boundarySIALKOT—A cross-border ex-change of fire was reported be-tween Indian and Pakistani se-curity forces along the workingboundary in Sialkot’s Bara Bhaisector early on Wednesday.

Continued on Page 7ZUBAIR QURESHI

ISLAMABAD—Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif, addressing thenation after midnight, said thatthe days of ter-rorists werenumbered inPakistan andthat they wouldbe dealt with airon hand.

In his tele-vised speech,the prime min-ister said theterrorist attackon the

Terrorists’ daysare numbered:PMFinancial aid to terrorists will be cut,Total blackout of terrorists on media

Peshawar school has changedPakistan, and that strong actionwas needed to root out the men-ace of extremism from society.

Continued on Page 7

SARWAR AWAN

ISLAMABAD—The 11-hour marathon meet-ing of political parties on late Wednesdayreached a consensus over the issue of settingup military courts for tackling terrorism cases

Military courts to beset up for two yearsConsensus of parliamentary parties meetingagainst terrorism Raheel for bold decisions

in the country.The agreement was reached during a meet-

ing of parliamentary leaders at the Prime Min-ister Office under the chairmanship of Prime

Continued on Page 7

KSE-100bullish trend on

KHANEWAL: Christian students performing tableau organized by Bethak Network.

QUETTA: President Mamnoon Hussain being receivedby Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai upon his ar-rival at airport.

STAFF REPORT

ISLAMABAD—Greeting the Chris-tian brethren on the auspiciousoccasion of Christmas, PresidentMamnoon Hussain has stated thatthe present democratic govern-ment was committed to pursuepolicies that were aimed at creat-ing greater harmony and cohesionamong people of different faiths.

“Let me reiterate our resolveto fight religious intolerance. Letit also be made clear that we willnot permit the persecution of mem-bers of other faiths in the name ofreligion,” he said in his messageon Christmas.

The President said the equal-ity of all citizens of the state hadbeen enshrined in the country’sConstitution, adding, the Quaid-e-Azam made it abundantly clear

Mamnoon, Nawaz greet Christians on Christmas

Govt committed to safeguard minorities’ rightsin his address to the ConstituentAssembly of Pakistan on August11, 1947.

“Today is the sacred day ofChristmas. On this auspicious oc-casion, I extend heartiest greetingsto the Chris-tian brethren all overthe world and in particular to thoseliving in Pakistan,” he added.

The President said, “On thisday of Jesus Christ’s birth, theworld got a Messiah who broughta message of love, peace, toler-ance and compassion for human-ity. Jesus Christ guided people tovirtuous living and urged them toseek divine mercy from God.”

“His teachings and message oflove and peace is as relevant to usas it is to our Christian brethren.Indeed, his message of love, com-passion and sacrifice is relevant tothe entire humanity,” he added.

The President further said, “Itis time to re-dedicate ourselves tofollow the noble ideals of JesusChrist and work individually aswell as collectively for the better-ment and welfare of humanity andto contribute our share in makingthe world a safer place to live.”

He also acknowledged andappreciated the valuable contribu-tions made by Christian brethrenin Pakistan in all fields, adding, thenation was proud of their greatcontributions to the developmentof the country and deeply ad-mired their loyalty to the state.

“I have no doubt that they willcontinue to play their positive rolefor peace, progress and prosper-ity of Paki-stan,” the Presidentmaintained.

Meanwhile, Prime MinisterMuhammad Nawaz Sharif has felici-

tated the Christian community oncelebrating the Christmas and reiter-ated that the government would pro-tect their legal rights and interests.

In a message to the Christiancommunity, the Prime Ministersaid, Pakistan is committed to theworthy pledge given by thefounder of our nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, toirrevocably safeguard the legiti-mate rights and interests of minori-ties.

“We as a nation are commit-ted to uphold the principles ofequality, freedom and security forall communities living in Pakistanirrespective of their religion, pro-fession or ethnic origin,” he added.

The Prime Minister said “Mygovernment is dedicatedly ori-ented to preserve the sanctity ofexistence and equality of oppor-

tunity enjoyed by all Pakistanisincluding our minorities.

My government treats all mi-nority citizens as equal citizens ofPakistan and undertakes to em-power them to use their abilitiesfor national development.

I am a great believer in com-munal harmony and profound un-derstanding and cohesion amongall faiths prac-ticed in the lengthand breadth of the country.”

He wished to join all Pakistanisin sincerely felicitating the Chris-tians world over, particularly theChristian compatriots, who are veryjoyously celebrating Christmas.

He said the Christmas hasbecome a revered symbol of re-demption of universal brother-hood, amity and truthfulnessthat transcends peripheral con-siderations.

HAMEED SHAHEEN

ISLAMABAD—Saudi Arabiawill continue help-ing Paki-stan in the promotion of edu-cation and for this purposea huge amount has beenallo-cated to construct 40more schools in the quake/floods affected areas of thecountry as a strong mark ofsolidarity with the people ofPakistan. All the existing re-lief and constructionprojects are being com-pleted in different districtsof Pakistan under the direc-tives of Khadim al HaraminAl-Sharifain King Abdullahbin Abdul Aziz, stated thisDr Khalid M.Al-Othmaniwhile talking to the media.

A sufficient amount wasalso allocated for construct-ing 40 more primary, middleand secondary schools be-sides col-leges in differentaffected areas of Pakistan, heexplained.

The task of relief andconstruction projects wasbeing accomplishedthrough a Saudi organiza-tion “King Abdullah’s ReliefCampaign for Paki-staniPeople (KARCPP)”, whichstarted work in the flood-hitareas to provide all neces-sary fa-cilities to the people.

Saudis to build 40 schoolsin Pakistan: Al-Othmani

Regional DirectorKARCPP, Dr Khalid M.Al-Othmani further said that theeducational institutionswould be com-pleted at a costof US dollar 15,000,000 tohelp facilitate the childrenwho were facing dif-ficultiesin achieving their academicgoals. Besides this, he saidthe organization had dis-tributed school bags andother essential items among15000 orphan children study-ing in flood hit districts.

He said that KARCPPhad com-pleted nearly 2000houses worth US $9,410,000, and installed manyclean drinking water plants,in Balochistan and Sindh ar-eas to facilitate the familiesaffected by floods.

He said a large numberof people would also availthe health facilities in theirareas soon. According to theplan, he said that 5000houses would be providedto the displaced families liv-ing in the affected areas.

Saudi Ara-bia had giveninstruction to initiate reliefand construction projectsworth millions of US dol-lars,following the guidance ofPrince Muham-mad Bin NaifInterior Minister of SaudiArabia, he said.

Senate sessionadjourned on lack

of quorumISLAMABAD—Deputy Chair-man Senate Sabir Ali BalochWednesday adjourned thesession of the Upper Houseof the Parliament till Fridaymorning due to lack of quo-rum.

Deputy Chairman SabirBaloch sus-pended theHouse proceedings for halfan hour after pointation ofquorum by Senator ZahidKhan of Awami NationalParty (ANP).

At the very outset of theproceedings, speaking on apoint of order Senator RazaRabbani criticized the gov-ernment for what he said lackof interest by ministers inSenate proceed-ings. Theopposition staged walkoutfrom the House to protestabsence of ministers. In themeantime Senator ZahidKhan of Awami NationalParty (ANP) pointed out thelack of quorum.—APP

ISLAMABAD—Allama Iqbal Open Uni-versity (AIOU) postponed its examsacross the country on account of theprevailing & and order situation.

The postponed exams would nowbe held from January 12th to 26th, 2015,

AIOU postpones exams on security grounds

PTI opposesaward of Senate

tickets tonon-domiciled

candidatesPESHAWAR—The intendingcandidates of PakistanTahrik-e-Insaf of KhyberPakthunkhwa have decidedto strongly oppose award ofparty tickets to non-domi-ciled candidates for the up-coming Senate Election likelyto be held in March next year.

Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insafleader and aspirant for partyticket for Senate Election,Zahir Shah told reporters hereat press club that they wouldnot to allow non-domiciledcandidates to contest Senateelections on seats of KP. Hesaid that we have conveyedour reservations to the cen-tral leadership of PTI includ-ing Party Chief Imran Khan.

Zahir Shah expressed thehope that PTI leader-shipwould take this matter veryseriously and would awardparty tickets to only thosecandidates belonged toKhyber Pakthunkhwa whohave long services, sacrificesand contributions for theparty. In the past, he said, wehave seen in other politi-calparties that tickets for Senateelections were awarded tothose candidates.—APP

earlier these exams were scheduled tobe held from December 22nd to Janu-ary 7th, 2015, said Controller of Exams,Iqbal Hussain.

He said detail of the postponedpapers and its new schedule has also

been placed at the University’s web-site www.aiou.edu.pk. The exams cen-ters and timing will re-main unchanged,however Roll Number slips already is-sued to the stu-dents would be valid/acceptable.—APP

MULTAN—Different politi-cal parties hailed Prime Min-ister Muhammad NawazSharif’s statement wherebyhe had said that he, himself,would lead the war againstterrorism, and his commit-ment to root out terrorismfrom the country.

District Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Asif MehmoodAkhwani talking to APP saidthat it was good decision ofPrime Minister MuhammadNawaz Sharif.

PM’s resolve against terror war hailedDistrict President Paki-

stan Muslim League (N) BilalButt said that all political par-ties and masses were unitedunder the leadership of PrimeMinister Muhammad NawazSharif on the issue of terror-ism. He claimed the incum-bent government wouldemerge victorious in eliminat-ing terrorists.

Ex-MNA RanaMehmoodul Hassan appre-ciated the commitment ofending terrorism and promot-ing peace in the country. Hehoped the incumbent gov-ernment and masses wouldwin the war. Faisalabad: Across section of the societyincluding traders and FCCIhave lauded the Prime

Minister’s resolve to lead thewar against terrorism in thelarger interest of the country.

Appreciating the mea-sures taken by the PrimeMinister to root out terror-ism, MNA Begum KhalidMansoor said that imple-mentation on the executionof terrorists was a bold stepof PM Nawaz Sharif forwhich the entire nation wasthankful to him.

She said, “The PML-Nleadership is committed toeliminate the menace of ter-rorism once for all from thecountry and in this connec-tion various measures havebeen taken by the presentgovernment.”

“The Peshawar massacre

has not only shocked theentire nation but also sad-dened the people of theglobe,” she added.

Former Union CouncilNazim UC-252 ChaudharyJameel Ansari, a social ac-tivist, also appreciated thedetermination of the PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharifagainst terrorists and calledfor expansion of operationZarb-e-Azb in other parts ofthe country.

Sahibzada Faiz-e-RasoolRizvi chairman Tehreek-e-Ahle Sunnat also said thatevery heart was feeling everworst pain over the Peshawarmassacre in which callousterrorists targeted the inno-cent schoolchildren.—APP

DIGP foroperation

against illegalimmigrants

HYDERABAD—The DIGHyderabad Range DrSanaullah Abbassi has di-rected the police of all thedistricts in the range tolaunch operation against il-legal Afghan immigrants anduse of unregistered SIMS.

The police spokesmanMazhar Shani informedhere that the directives hadbeen conveyed to all SSPsin the range.

As part of the operation6 cases had been registeredagainst 8 Afghan immigrantsin various police stationswhile another 38 unidenti-fied suspects had been de-tained for interrogation.

The police had also ar-rested 3 sus-pects from dif-ferent places from whom 111unregistered SIMs had beenrecov-ered.APP

BASHIR AHMAD RAHMANI

HAFIZABAD—DCO Muhammad Usman &DPO Muhammad Zubair Darashak havestressed the need for unity of all patrioticpersons to win the war against terrorism.While addressing joint meeting of Headsof all provincial & federal departments andrespectables, they said that the Governmentwas committed to pool all its resources toweed out extremism, sectarianism and ter-rorism in the country and the District Ad-ministration has prepared a comprehensivesecurity and emergency plans to meet anyeventuality.

They said that the educational institu-tions, factories and other enterprises havebeen directed to ensure proper security oftheir premises. They further said that secu-rity guards, Qoumi Razakars and boy scouts

Unity stressed to foilwar against terrorism

were being made more vocal and functional.Moreover police patrolling and search op-erations are being made more affective. Theysaid that every citizen should take vigilanteye over the activities of strangers and sus-picious persons and inform about them atDistrict Control Room (0547-541122) forprompt action. They further said that the lawenforcing agencies are fully equipped andprepared to root out terrorists and soughtactive cooperation of the citizens.

Haji Sajjad alias Haji Samma of ThathaRaika, who was wanted by the Hafizabad,Chiniot, Jhang, Sargodha and other dis-tricts of the Punjab in more than about100 cases of kidnapping for ransom,armed encoun-ter with the police, mur-der, dacoity, abduction, extortion andcattle lifting, with head money of Rs.2.5million, for the past three years.

CHITRAL: Kalash women dancing during annual religious festival Chatarmas (Chomas).

HYDERABAD: Members of People’s Labour Bureau offering Fatiha for slain formerPM Benazir Bhutto in connection with her 7th death anniversary.

DR AHSAN AKHTAR NAZ

SOME Islamic scholars emphasizeto the “Charter of Madina” withspecial reference to minority’s

rights and inter-faith dialogue. Ac-cording to many historical references,for instance, every writer of “Seerat-

e-Alnabi” likeArab writers, Ibn-e-Hasham andSyed SulemanNadvi and ShibliNaumani etc. hasmentioned thatafter the comple-tion and estab-lishment of Is-lamic state ofMadina , The

Holy Prophet (PBUH) decide to de-velop their relations with other reli-gious followers, who were “Ahl-e-Kitab”. So, at that time, The Jews wereliving near to Madina and the HolyProphet (PBUH) invited them for anagreement between Insaar (the actualresidents of Madina) and Jews onequal basis. According to the salientfeatures of that charter, the Jews wereprotected their lives, guaranteed tofull religious freedom, to developfriendly relations, to support eachother during any trouble, in case ofany attack on Madina to defendjointly, in the form of any fight orfriendship, both will take commonsteps except any religious battle andif any controversy will arise, then Al-lah and His Prophet (PBUH) wouldbe decided finally. That agree-ment

The Charter of Madina, Quaid-e-Azam address and our nationwas called in the Islamic history as“Charter of Madina”.

Some Pakistan’s immanent histori-ans say like Dr. Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshiand Prof. Sharif-ul-Mujahid (former Di-rector, Quaid-e-Azam Academy Karachi)etc that on August 11, 1947, during hisfirst address to the Constituent Assem-bly, the Founder of the Nation, Quai-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was fol-lowing the golden principles of that Pro-phetic Charter with the reference ofminority’s rights in future in newly bornstate, Pakistan. The Quaid said that:

“You are free, you are free to go toyour temples, you are free to go to yourmosques or any other place of wor-ship in the State of Pakistan. You maybelong to any religion or caste or creed…… That has nothing to do with thebusiness of the State……Now I thinkwe should keep that in front of us asour ideal and you will find that incourse of time Hindus would cease tobe Hindus and Muslims would ceaseto be Muslims, not in the religioussense, because that is the personalfaith of each individual, but in the po-litical sense as citizen of the State.

These words were used clearly forthe maximum assurance of completereligious freedom and protection toevery citizen of the State in the lightof Charter of Madina. The Quaid em-phasized that minorities would enjoyequal rights and there would be nodiscrimination on the basis of color,caste, creed or religion. The Quaid hadfurther clarified this when he spokeof sects among Muslims in the samespeech; “……even as regards Mus-

lims , you have Pathans, Punjabis,Shias, Sunnis, and so on…..”

How the meaning of those wordswas that the Quaid was wanted to makePakistan as a secular state? The simpleanswer of this question is this that weshould have been live together withsecular India, why we were demand-ing for a separate homeland for the In-dian Muslims and ultimately emergedin Pakistan? So, in my view, this view-point that the Quaid was wanted tomake Pakistan as a secular State is en-tirely against the ideological bound-aries, actual basic objectives and foun-dations of Pakistan. Three days lateron 14th August, 1947, while speakingat the inauguration of the ConstituentAssembly, the Quaid said:

“……it dates back thirteen centu-ries ago when our Holy Prophet(PBUH) not only by words but bydeeds treated the Jews and Christians,after he had conquered them, withutmost tolerance and regard and re-spect for their faiths and beliefs.”

Here again the Quaid clearlystated his respect for faith and beliefsand showed same passions for theminori-ties. During the years 1934 to1947, the Quaid and his associatesdevoted their selves to tell IndianMuslims that Pakistan would be anIslamic State. There are countlessspeeches (more than one hundred)delivered by the Quaid-e-Azam aloneclarifying this issue, both implicity andexplicity, particularly the speech of10th January 1939 de-livered at Patnaand quoted and repeated his aboveviewpoint. The Quaid moral upright-

ness, integrity, and honesty cannotbe questioned and no one can accusehim of hypocrisy and duplicity. Fur-thermore, one would be at a loss toexplain his speeches after 11th Au-gust 1947, particularly in this regard,the speech of 3oth October 1947 atLahore and the speech of 25th Janu-ary 1948 in Sindh Bar Association,when he stated that the future consti-tution of Paki-stan shall not be in con-flict with Shariat Laws . He mentionedthat Islamic principles have no paral-lel. Today these are as applicable inactual life as these were 1300 yearsago. These addresses were very clearcut declaration and roadmap of futureconstitution.

The people who are misguiding af-ter 67 years, about the system of Paki-stan, in fact, they are toeing on theagenda of our nation’s foes unfortu-nately. They are spokesmen of foreignfunded Non Governmental Organiza-tions (NGOs). From the day one, theypropagated against Pakistan and pro-moted hate and desperation. Theyshould keep in their minds that the situ-ation of the Muslims is the worst thanthe lowest class Dilates, even the Mus-lims are the biggest minority of so calledsecular India (Interview of Dr. LauranGuy, a French social scientist and im-manent researcher and author on Sub-Continent, published in Urdu daily Ex-press, Lahore, Thursday, De-cember 18,2014). How the Muslims can forget thesad incident of Babri Mosque and themassacres of Gujrat etc under the com-mand of recent leadership of India. So,the secularism was and is never our

nation’s basic issue and the not thesolution of our recent problems.

In the Quaid’s address to the Con-stitute Assembly on 11th August 1947,Pakistan’s future problems had beenalso pinpointed clearly as under:

1. He advised first of all to framethe Constitution of Pakistan, but un-fortunately, our remaining leaders,except Liaqat Ali Khan, were ineligible,greedy and power hunger. For nineyears, they could not frame any Con-stitution. In 1956, a bureaucrat GhulamMuhammad introduced a Constitu-tion, which was cancelled by a mili-tary dictator, General MuhammadAyub Khan. In 1962, Mr. Ayub Khanalso imposed a Constitution, whichwas rejected by another military dic-tator, General Yahya Khan. In 1973,after 25 years of the emergence ofPakistan and the sepa-ration of EastPakistan, the National Assembly,which was elected by the people ofWest Pakistan, succeeded to imple-ment the Constitution unanimously.

2. Secondly, the Quaid pinpointedin his address, to maintain the law andorder situation, which is the worst inour country this time. Which type ofcrime is not existing and prevailing inour society? Due to the worst situa-tion, we are facing the wave of terror-ism since the event of 9/11. 2001. Wehave lost more than 50,000 humane livesin this horrible war. We have to still liv-ing on volcanoes. Every type of moraland financial crime has taken place inevery section of our society and unfor-tunately, we have no solution.

3. Thirdly, he advised to quit the big-

gest curses of bribery and corruption.He alarmed that we will have to put downthese curses with iron hands and ad-equate measures as soon as possible.But unfortunately, these curses are pen-etrating in our society like a poison.

4. The Quaid forbidden us from theblack marketing and mentioned it as acolossal crime against society. He saidthat due to this crime, common peoplewill suffer with shortage of food andthey will not be able to purchase theessential commodities of life. Unfortu-nately, our some ministers of everycabinet, powerful and influential indi-vidually and capitalist classes are fullyinvolved in these crimes and nobodycan handle or punish them.

5. At the end, the Quaid said to beaware the evils of nepotism and job-bery. Unfortunately, our rulers and au-thoritative persons are committingthese crimes openly. Even, we are fac-ing very negative effects of “FamilyDemocracy”. A common person is notable to enjoy with actual benefits of thedemocracy. After the adoption of allthese principles which were mentionedby the Quaid, then we can claim for Jus-tice and fair play in our nation. Amaz-ingly and interestingly, some people arehoeing and crying for the rights of mi-norities, but our rulers and we are notfocusing on those aspects, which arehighly related to the reformation andbetterment of our nation’s major-ity. ·

The author is Associate Profes-sor and former Director of Instituteof Communication Studies, Univer-sity of the Punjab, Lahore. E. mail:ahsannaz.akhtar@yahoo.com

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—ANF launched 7 operationsacross the country and recovered hugequantity of drugs worth Rs. Million in In-ternational Market. The recovered drugsinclude 3331.850 Kgs Charas and Heroinfilled Capsules. During the operations, ANFalso arrested persons involved in drug traf-ficking and seized vehicle. Most of thedrugs were to be trans-ferred to foreign des-tinations. ANF Quetta conducted a suc-cessful intelligence led operation and seized3281 Kgs of Charas (Garda) from uninhab-ited area of Killi Habib Zai, Dashti Loorah,Tehsil Gulistan, District Qilla Ab-dullah. Ac-cording to details, the consignment washidden at a deserted site situated in thecuttings of mountainous terrain, outside thepopulated area. Charas was stuffed in 70plastic bags.

ANF Peshawar Road Check Team onpursuance of an information, seized a SuzukiPickup Regis-tered No. KM-2559 at KachaPaka Bazar, Hangu Road, Kohat. During thesearch, 40.8 Kgs of Charas was recoveredfrom the vehicle. ANF Peshawar Road Check

ANF seizes 3.3 tonsdrugs worth Rs 333m

Team intercepted a Suzuki Mehran Regis-tered No. FDU-1900 near Zam-Zama Hotel,DT Road, Abbotabad and recov-ered 6 Kgsof Charas concealed in it. ANF Peshawarstopped a suspected Islamabad RegisteredToyota Corolla No. VA-144 at mainMotorway Toll Plaza, Peshawar and recov-ered 1.25 Kg of Charas concealed insidethe car. ANF Pesha-war Road Check Teamduring routine checking at main MotorwayToll Plaza, Peshawar, searched a passengervan No. LES-5255 and recovered 800 Gramsof Charas from personal possession of apassenger Hameed Ullah r/o Peshawar. Asper re-ports, the accused was heading to-wards Rawalpindi for delivery of drugs to alocal peddler. ANF Rawalpindi Road CheckTeam recovered 2 Kgs of Charas from per-sonal possession of Gul Madar Khan r/oPeshawar and Gul Jan r/o Kohat after inter-cepting them at Tarki Toll Plaza, JhelumRoad, District Jhelum. ANF Lahore AirportTeam during routine profiling detained apassenger Waqas Ahmed, a resident ofSialkot at Sialkot Airport on suspicion ofhaving gulped Heroin filled capsules. Dur-ing inter-rogation.

Workshopon ‘sexual,

reproductivehealth issues’

STAFF REPORTER

PESHAWAR—Speakers atconsultative workshop on“Sexual and ReproductiveHealth Issues” have high-lighted the policy gap andunmet needs of young moth-ers in delivery of betterhealth services, and callingfor effective and sustainablepolicies for overcome withthe increasing maternal andinfant mortality ratio acrossthe country.

The consultation ses-sion was held with allianceon MGD5b, comprising onrepresentatives of Civil So-ciety Organizations (CSOs)and media regarding “Re-productive Health of youngmothers and newborn, orga-nized by Rahnuma-FamilyPlanning Association of Pa-kistan (FPAP) at its regionaloffice here on Wednesday.

During the workshop,the participants stressedthe need for proper imple-mentation of policies; pro-vide quality health servicesto MNCH, besides to meetwith the global commitmentsin the health sector.

The contraception will bereduced unwanted pregnan-cies and unsafe abortions,the participants, said. Theyemphasized that special pro-gram should be launched tocreate awareness amongyoung women, which couldonly be helpful to reduce theinfant and maternal moralityratio. Rahnuma-FPAP Re-gional Director.

ISLAMABAD—The met officeon Wednesday forecast verycold and dry weather withdense foggy conditions inmost parts of the country in-cluding federal capital duringnext 24 hours. According todetails, very cold and dryweather is expected in Punjab,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh,Balochistan and Kashmir;however, light rain with lightsnow over the hills is ex-pected at one or two places inGilgit-Baltistan.

Dense foggy conditionswould con-tinue inGujranwala, Lahore,Faisalabad and Sahiwal divi-

Dense foggy, coldweather to continue

sions, while foggy inSargodha, Rawalpindi,Multan, Bahawalpur, D.GKhan and D.I Khan divi-sionsand plains of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during and up-

per Sindh during the nightand morning hours.

There would be dense,shallow, mod-erate and mistfog on various sections ofIslamabad-Peshawa.—APP

PTA raidagainst greytraffickers

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Tele-communication Authority(PTA) in its ongoing effortsto control grey trafficking,has conducted a successfulraid in Faisalabad.

According to details,successful raid against thegrey operators was carriedout along with FederalInvesti-gation (FIA) team atAli Housing Colony,Faisalabad.

The team recovered anillegal VoIP exchange com-prising six gateways,alongwith other equipmentlike laptop, switches, SIMs,modem etc.

QUETTA—The provincial capital re-mained without gas supply on fifthconsecutive day on Wednesday.

Earlier, gas supply was stopped tothe metropolis and other cities ofBalochistan when fire erupted in gasplant in Sui, officials of Sui SouthernGas Company (SSGC) said.

Later, they said that unidentifiedarmed men blew up a gas supply pipe-line with explosives in Dera Bugti.

The gas is being supplied to somespecific areas from Zarghoon GasField, however, the complete gas sup-ply would be restored after repairingof gas plant and damaged gas pipe-

Special squads formed to check LPG prices; 5 held for gas overcharging

No gas supply to Quetta on fifth dayline in Sui and Dera Bugti areas, re-spectively, the SSGC sources.

The suspension of gas supply hascreated hardships for the people asmercury dropped to -8 degree Centi-grade in the city.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commis-sioner Faisalabad Shahrukh Niazi hasarrested five shopkeepers on thecharge of selling LPG at high rates.

The AC city conducted surprisevisit in various parts of the city andfound shopkeepers Ghulam Dastgir,Faisal, Zahid, Shehzad and Farhan ofRail Bazaar involved in overchargingand selling LPG cylinders at high rates.

The raiding officer arrested theshopkeepers and handed over to thepolice for further action.

Meanwhile, Lahore District Coor-dination Officer (DCO) Capt. (R)Muhammad Usman has formed ninespecial squads to check and controlthe prices of Liquified Petroleum Gas(LPG) across the provincial capital.

These teams under the supervisionof District Officer Civil Defence willpay surprise visit to the LPG sale out-lets in city and check prices. DCO alsodirected the DO Civil Defence to takestern action against the artificial short-age, hoarding and profiteering.—APP

ISLAMABAD—The gov-ernment has so farreleased Rs.27.270 for the Narcotics Con-trol Division under the Public Sector De-velopment Pro-gramme (2014-15) out of itstotal alloca-tions of Rs.324.300 earmarkedfor the cur-rent fiscal year.

According to the data of Ministry ofPlanning, Development and Research, outof the total funds, an amount of Rs.7.796million has been re-leased for establishmentof Drug Demand Reduction Cell in the Min-istry of Narcotics Control Islamabad, forwhich Rs.19.488 million have been allocatedin the budget of the current year.

Similarly, out of the total allocations ofRs96 million earmarked for Kala Dhaka areasdevelopment project in district Tor-ghar, thegovernment so far released Rs6.4 million.

According to the data, the governmentreleased Rs4.8 million for Kohistan AreaDevelopment project for which Rs87 mil-lion have been earmarked in the federalbudget of current year while out of the to-tal allocations of Rs15 million for BajaurArea Development Project, the governmentso far released Rs4 million.

According to the data, the governmentalso released Rs4.724 million for Moha-mand Area Development Project for Moh-mand Agency FATA for which Rs16.812million have been earmarked in the federal

Govt releases Rs 72mfor Narcotics Division

budget 2014-15. It is pertinent to mention that the gov-

ernment has released over Rs 140.071 bil-lion under PSDP for various projects againsttotal allocations of Rs 525 billion for thefiscal year 2014-15.

Among the major releases, Rs23,735million have been provided for various pro-jects of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commis-sion and Rs7,693 million for Higher Edu-cation Commission (HEC).

Similarly, Rs14,802 million have beenreleased for Water and Power Division(Water Sector), Rs15,216 million for Rail-ways Division, Rs1,259 for Cabinet Divi-sion, and Rs28 million for CommunicationsDivision.

A sum of Rs157 million have been re-leased for Commerce Division,1,843 millionfor Finance Division, Rs1,443 mil-lion forInterior Division and Rs414 million for Na-tional Food Security and Research Division.

The Planning Commission of Pakistanhas been following a proper mechanism forthe release of funds.

The Commission releases 20 percent offunds in first quarter (July- September), 20percent in second quarter (October-Decem-ber), 30 percent third quarter(January-March) and 30 percent in fourth quarter(April-June).—APP

EnvoyacknowledgesKSA supportfor Pakistan

ISLAMABAD—Paki-stan’sConsul General, Aftab A.Khokher has acknowledgedthe Saudi moral support forPakistani nation at this criti-cal juncture.

Custodian of the TwoHoly Mosques KingAbdullah, Crown PrinceSalman and Grand MuftiSheikh Abdul Aziz Ash-Sheikh took the the initiativewhich underlined the soli-darity between the twocountries, he said.

Eminent members of thePakistani community havealso condemned the recenttragic killings at a Peshawarschool. Visiting scientist, Dr.Samar Mubarak-mand said itwas a barbaric inciden, Arabnews reported.

Calling it an inhumanand barbaric act, EngineersWorld Forum (EWF) Presi-dent Dr. Aleem Khan said theincident would turn out tobe a watershed in the his-tory of Pakistan.—APP

IGP suspendsDSP for alleged

links withcriminals

PESHAWAR—The In-spectorGeneral of Police (IGP)Khyber Pakhtunkhwa NasirKhan Durrani has suspendedDSP CTD, closed him to Cen-tral Police Office Peshawarand ordered departmental in-quiry against him on chargesof mixing up with criminals.

As per details the IGPreceived various complaintsagainst the DSP CTD QaziIsmat that he has close as-sociation with criminals par-ticularly with kidnappersand involved in patronizingthe criminal elements.

The IGP checked thesecomplaints from the relevantpolice high ups who in theirreport termed it correct. ThePolice Chief in light of thereport suspended DSP QaziIsmat with immediate effectand closed him to the Cen-tral Police Office (CPO).

The IGP appointed Re-gional Police Officer Kohatas enquiry officer with direc-tion to conduct the depart-mental en-quiry against theofficer within ten days posi-tively. While DIG Headquar-ters has been directed to is-sue show cause notice to theofficer for award of majorpenalty.—APP

Speedy trialcourts only way out

THE elements of the new National Action Plan against Terrorism havethe potential to make a difference as far as addressing the issue ofextremism and terrorism is concerned provided these are implemented

with speed and required sincerity by all concerned. In fact, it is rightlypointed out by many that the real issue is that of implementation and notplans and new bodies that are hardly expected to do anything than to add tothe duplication and overlapping that we see almost in every sphere of life.

The situation in which Pakistan finds itself today demands that the con-cept of speedy trials should be introduced in real sense of the word. Specialcourts, anti-terrorism courts and military courts are different but same mani-festation of the speedy trial to meet demands of quick and inexpensivejustice and also to serve as deterrence. However, it has been observed thatnormal judicial system is working almost in a complete vacuum and canlegitimately be blamed for encouraging criminals, lawbreakers and terror-ists. In most of the cases, trials span over not only years but decades defeat-ing the core objective of justice. Officials and black coats collude in pro-longing cases unnecessarily just for their vested interests but at the cost ofvictims and their families and also weakening of the judicial system aspeople are losing confidence and faith in it. Judges too do not seem to bemuch interested in winding up cases and even when these are brought to anend, in most of cases, known criminals and suspects are spared either onthe pretext of lack of evidence or some other questionable considerationsand reasons. In this backdrop, the existing judicial system is unlikely tocope with the grave situation created by extremism and terrorism. Thereare already thousands of cases under trial and even in decided cases, bottle-necks are being created on technical grounds. Therefore, establishment ofthe military courts is the answer and there is no logic for opposing themechanism in the prevailing circumstances. It is quite understood thatmilitary courts too work within set procedures and limits of the law andare not supposed to do injustice to anyone. Establishment of military courtsespecially in FATA and removal of hindrances in the way of civilian speedytrial courts is the best option in the present situation when we are in astate of war for the sake of survival of the state.

Democracy farce sansdemocracy in

political partiesTHE latest report by PILDAT on Assessing Internal Democracy of Ma

jor Political Parties of Pakistan should serve as an eye opener not onlyfor people of Pakistan but also the parties themselves as it exposes barelytheir claims and professed commitment to the principles of democracy anddemocratic system. The report points out that the internal democracy isweak in political parties; constitutions are fairly democratic but implemen-tation is weak; decision-making needs to be more democratic and reportingon internal audit needs to be improved.

What PILDAT report has pointed out is just tip of the iceberg as most ofthe political parties in Pakistan have no genuine democratic credentials. Theyare run on personal whims and dynastic style and meetings of the party bodiesare rarely convened. It is rightly said that political parties make strong de-mands for the conduct of free and fair elections to legislative bodies, butchoose to ignore the application of the same principles when it comes to thefunctioning of their own party organs. A few persons strangulate the aspira-tions of the members of the party at the grass roots and keep the party undertheir strict control. As against this, political leadership in the US and in mostof the Europe emerges slowly, and systematically through party hierarchies;in the US, the primaries allow forceful individuals of strong integrity, oftenlittle known nationally, to rise and challenge incumbents. This is unimagin-able in Pakistan and just to quote an example, the party at the top of thePILDAT scoreboard of democracy viz. PTI, threw away its President fordifference of opinion. Again, people of Pakistan get just one opportunity totaste fruits of democracy when they exercise their right to vote after a fewyears. Otherwise, they have no say in the so-called democratic system in theabsence of local bodies that could translate the dream of empowerment atgrassroots. Would political parties mend their ways?

Let PDP formgovernment in IHK

THE BJP led government in India organised the sham elections in Indianheld Kashmir with reports of forcing the people to cast their ballots but

the party could manage only 25 seats, way short of its mission 44 plus toform government for the first time in the Muslim majority occupied State.The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the single largest partywinning 28 seats in the 87-member House

The elections in no way can be a substitute for a plebiscite to deter-mine the aspirations of Kashmiri people who have been agitating for thelast six and a half decades for their right to self determination. It is be-cause of the discontentment among the people against New Delhi rulethat the Jammu and Kashmir verdict is deeply polarised – with the Mus-lim-majority Valley decisively rejecting the BJP. Analysts have attributedhigh voter turnout in the Valley to an anti-BJP sentiment. Leader of theruling National Conference Chief Minister Omer Abdullah, whose partysuffered a drubbing in the elections, however, for the first time emphasisedthe importance of plebiscite saying that the assembly elections should notbe perceived as a plebiscite and told Indian National Security Advisor notto project it as a strategic victory over Pakistan. Anyhow, the PDP, whichhas secured most of the seats, must be allowed to form the next govern-ment. But it would be difficult for the head of PDP Mufti MohammadSayeed to decide about coalition partners because the mood in the Valley,the PDP’s base, is against the BJP which drew a blank there. We maycaution that if Mr Modi tried to bulldoze the results and tried to form aBJP coalition government, it would run against the spirit of democracy.We hope that the PDP would form the government in line with the senti-ments of the people and side-by-side work for a plebiscite, which is de-mand of the masses and recognized by the former Chief Minister.

Road ahead is quite straight

Muzzlingspeech in

Bangladesh

THE fine is modest, about$65, but the message fromBangladesh’s International

Crimes Tribunal is ominous: any-one who challenges — however le-gitimately, however respectfully— the official number of three mil-lion people killed during the 1971Bangladesh war for independenceis guilty of contempt of court. Thetribunal was created to try personsresponsible for violations of inter-national law during the war. DavidBergman, whom the tribunal foundin contempt of court on Dec. 2 andfined the equivalent of $65, is arespected journalist who lives inBangladesh. Mr. Bergman at-tracted the court’s ire by reporting,as any good journalist should, dis-agreements over the number killedduring the war. Mr. Bergman hasbeen unwavering in his positionthat, whatever the exact number —estimates range from 300,000 tothree million — crimes againsthumanity were committed andthose responsible should be heldaccountable. But this is not enoughfor Bangladesh’s tribunal, whichtolerates no questioning of the of-ficial number.

The court accuses Mr.Bergman of disgracing and de-meaning “the nation’s wishes andholy emotion.” The court is wrong.It is the court’s attack on freespeech, legitimate journalism andhistorical inquiry that disgracesand demeans Bangladesh’s strug-gling democracy. Journalism is adangerous profession inBangladesh. Local journalists havebeen physically attacked, and evenkilled, for reports that the govern-ment or Islamist extremists foundoffensive. Human Rights Watchand reporters for The Economistmagazine have also been tried forcontempt by the tribunal. In fact,the tribunal has set the bar for jour-nalistic inquiry so low, and definedits terms so vaguely, that anyonewho says or writes anythingdeemed to be offensive by thecourt’s arcane and arbitrary crite-ria is at risk of criminal charges.The result is a deep chill on free-dom of expression and inquiry.Citizens and residents ofBangladesh also have a right to aninformed opinion and to expressviews that are fairly critical of of-ficial dictates. Journalists andscholars must be able to engage inlegitimate inquiry intoBangladesh’s historical recordwithout fear of punishment. If jus-tice is truly what the InternationalCrimes Tribunal seeks, it shouldimmediately overturn Mr.Bergman’s sentence and convic-tion. — The New York Times

*****

Forcedconversion

in India

DEBATE circling the forcedconversions of Muslimsand Christians to Hinduism

has paralysed the Indian parlia-ment and, by all accounts, it seemsto have affected Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s powers ofspeech. Though some ministershave clarified that the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) and its hardlineelements do not support forcedconversion, or “reconversion”, itis imperative in the eyes of a secu-lar nation that the prime ministeraddress this controversy and reas-sure the minorities.

Modi must remember that In-dians as a whole voted for eco-nomic development and well-be-ing and definitely not for a Hindurashtra (nation) — a theory propa-gated vigorously by the hardline el-ements in the BJP and the RSS.The prime minister must now ex-ercise his authority and muzzle thevoices of those who seek to sowthe seeds of communal unrest inIndia. Parliament is the ideal venueto make himself heard and he mustlay out the government’s approachwith clarity. The focus must shiftback immediately to governanceand economic development. Faithis not a topic for legislation, butwhen it acts as a hindrance to anation’s progress then it couldblow apart Modi’s theory of ‘mini-mum government, maximum gov-ernance’. — Gulf News

MEDIA WATCH

BEWARE of the politicians!They cannot think and actout of their politically

blocked mentality! They are a vic-tim of paradigms made of their ownchoice; that’s why they disdain rules,laws and the constitution, which re-quire and bind them to act accord-ingly. They won’t break the para-digms, which ensure their short-termsurvival, and it’s seldom that theyshift to newer paradigms of think-ing and action in a broader perspec-tive. Whenever that happens, thathappens temporarily and perforcedue to the force of the circumstances,like the one which the December 16Peshawar massacre of the childrengenerated, or under the pressure ofthe “Subjects,” “Awaam,” like theone which got Iftikhaar MuhammadChaudhry former Chief Justice ofPakistan restored against the will ofthe whole “state” of Pakistan, whichits politicians consider themselvesto be the “Ashraaf” and “Haakim!”So the moment that pressure re-leases, they are the same politicians- Haakim and Ashraaf!

What are these paradigms ofPaki politicians? First, see how theyrespond and react to such tragediesof unfathomable magnitude! Try toempathize the immense grief thePeshawar massacre caused: 132 isthe number of those innocent soulsdeath of whom has devastated hun-dreds of families, thousands of theirrelatives and friends, millions oftheir dreams, and shocked billionsof human beings all over the globe!The unimaginable tragedy has jolted

Fighting sectarianism, militancy

SECTARIANISM is one ofthe main menaces that aredamaging Islam today not

only in Pakistan but well beyondits borders. It has become commonpractice to call Muslims with whomwe disagree with regard to their un-derstanding or practice of Islam‘kafir’ ‘unbeliever’ and some of theso-called ulema seem to think thatthey have a monopoly on knowingwhat is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’in Islam. During the 18th and 19thcentury when the Moghul Empirewas collapsing and Indian Muslimswere losing political power leadingulema’s started thinking about thereasons for what they regarded asthe ‘fall’ of Islam in India.

Shah Waliullah in the 18th cen-tury, Syed Ahmad Shaheed, ShahIsmail and the Deobandi school inthe 19th century thought that it wasthe influx of non-Islamic practicesinto Islam that had brought aboutthe weakening and thus downfallof Muslim political power in India.The fall of the last Muslim empire,the Ottoman Empire, in the 20th

century. resulted in the first religio-political mass movement, thekhilafat movement, which tried tosave if not the political power ofthe Ottomans but at least theirkhalifate. Since then the idea ofresurrecting the khalifate as a glo-bal political and religious unit ishounding us; unfortunately the es-sence of this idea is that the ‘unity’which is a very strong and veryright understanding in Islam isequated with ‘uniformity’ meaning

He that makes agood war makesa good peace.

uniformity of appearance(same length of beard, samemeasure of shalwar, identi-cal position during prayers)and uniformity of practiceand interpretation of Islammaking the Deobandi brand

more or less the ‘right’ interpreta-tion. Automatically with this allother interpretations and practicesof Islam become wrong and harm-ful. And this is a very faulty under-standing of ‘unity’.

There is a lot of room for dis-cussion and diversity of opinionwithin Islam and between Islam andnon-Islamic ideas and religions;this discussion centuries ago wasmore and more shunned and hasbeen replaced since then by vio-lence against those who do notagree with the ‘official’ Islam; thusargument has been substituted bybrutal power. Of course, this is notonly a development in PakistaniIslam, but has been reinforced bysimilar developments in Arabiawith Wahabism. Besides, especiallythe 20th century has shown thatWestern colonialism (political aswell as economic and cultural) havenot only contributed to this devel-opment but it has been intention-ally fortified by financing it, by pro-moting a false idea of jihad thebooks for which were printed inOregon and using Saudi Arabia bythe West to finance and to promotethis idea. The result is the currentsituation where Muslims are kill-ing Muslims in thousands with Is-lam being the first victim of allthis. At the moment this situationis behind the killing of Pakistanichildren and civilians and soldiers.It is endangering the very exist-ence of Pakistan.

While there is a military side todealing with this situation the mili-

tary alone can not cope. There willhave to be an intellectual remedy tothe situation as well; otherwise newmilitants will grow faster than theycan be slain by the army and the se-curity forces. That is why it is hightime to revisit our own history andthe history of Islam as well. SouthAsian Islam is mainly sunni and fol-lows the interpretation of Islam ofImam Abu Hanifah (699-767 AD).What is not so well known is thatAbu Hanifah is also considered arenowned Islamic scholar and per-sonality by Zaidi Shia Muslims. Sowhat is the legacy of the imam?Imam Abu Hanifah (699-767 AD)became the first of the Sunni Imambut he had studied Islamic lawamong others under the fifth ShiaImam Muhammad Baqir (676-733AD) and the sixth Imam Jafar Sadiq(702-765). After that he taught thoseprinciples with his own additions toImam Sh’aafi (767-820 AD) and heto Imam Maalik (711-795 AD) andthe later to Imam Hanbal (780-855AD). We can thus see that there is aunity in the development of Islamicinterpretation from Imam Baqir andImam Sadiq through Abu Hanifa tothe later Imams that in the courseof time became the five mainschools of Law in Islam. It is, there-fore, logically impossible to recog-nize the four ‘sunni’ schools ofthought while denying the jafariyaschool that had preceded them andhad laid the ground work for allcoming interpretations.

When we re-visit our own Pa-kistani history then we can realizethat the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam M. A. Jinnah, belonged tothe Shia school of Islamic thoughtas much as many of his closest co-workers in the muslim league did.(Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad, WazirHasan and many others) Mr. Jinnah

Pakistan’s “imagined en-emies” also! And how thepoliticians, whether theyare in Parliament or outof it, took it is more im-portant, relevant and per-tinent in the sense that it

will show at the end of the day howthe state of Pakistan is going totackle the menace.

The first political paradigm com-prises the narrative which includes:condemnations, consolations, condo-lences, resolutions; and the likes. Thesecond paradigm calls for meetings,conferences, APCs; and the likes. AnAPC of all the parliamentary partieswe have already seen happening.Another highlight in this regard is thePakistan Peoples Party’s demand tocall for a joint session of Parliament.The third paradigm opts for constitu-tion of commissions for inquiries, in-vestigations; and the likes. There arevarious inquiries and investigations,announced and unannounced, alreadyin the process. The fourth paradigmfocuses on setting up commissions,committees for devising action plans.As a result of the above-mentionedAPC, a parliamentary committee hasbeen formed to devise a NationalAction Plan, which has already setup a Working Group. The politicalimagination never goes beyond theseparadigms. Hence, it’s rarely seen thatthe action plans thus devised by suchcommittees are put to work or putthrough. Nor are implemented anyfindings and recommendations of anyinquiry commission or investigationcommittee thus formed.

Right from the beginning: JusticeMunir Inquiry Report (1954), theonly report the original text of whichalong with its official Urdu transla-tion the then government made pub-lic, never put to any use; HamoodurRahman Commission Report, which

inquired into the military debacle ofEast Pakistan (now Bangladesh)never saw the light of the day norwere implemented any of its recom-mendations; Saleem Shahzad InquiryReport, which inquired the mysteri-ous murder of Saleem Shahzad, a re-nowned journalist, did not bear anyfruit; and, Abbottabad CommissionReport, which inquired into the cir-cumstances under which Osama BinLaden safely resided for years inAbbottabad, a military town, remainsdumped in all respects. So that’s thefate of all the political paradigms!

As mentioned earlier the politi-cians seldom come to alter their para-digms, it amounts to saying that theywon’t change them this time too, andthough there is unprecedented outrageagainst the politicians as well as so-called powerful Generals of the army,the politicians won’t do anythingworthwhile but such measures whichhelp them water down the social andpsychological heaviness that thePeshawar massacre of children hasbegotten. Most probably, they willdrag the issue and allow time tolessen its intensity and finally buryit. Although executions of certainterrorists have started making head-lines, whose dead bodies otherwiseshould have by now worn out in thegraves, there is nothing substantial inthe offing as the “measures and ac-tions” the government is deliberatingand taking now attest.

In contradistinction to it, whatmay be termed “cash politics” in pointof fact takes no time to get launched;for instance, a number of power gen-eration projects are in the pipeline,whereas no attention is being givento the real cause of the acute powershortage, i.e. mismanagement in thepower sector. It is such opportunitiesthat the Paki politicians are most in-terested in. In other words, it’s Cash

Politics where the political paradigmof action may only be seen workingactively. All other issues, whatevertheir magnitude and fatality, do notinterest the Paki politicians.

In case, someone starts analyz-ing the present troubles, his find-ings will reveal that the miseriesand killings the ordinary Pakistanisare undergoing today may be tracedto such issues which were deliber-ately delayed and complicated bythe politicians, and that they werenever dealt with sternly and withdetermination. That list includesTerrorism, Extremism, Sectarian-ism, Non-Civilian Supremacy asthe top most issues. The questionstaring us in the face is: Do thePakistani constitution, rules andlaws on the one hand, and thecourts, police and other related in-stitutions and agencies on the otherare not competent enough to dealwith these and like issues?

The courts had already handedthose terrorists death sentencewhom the government is executingnow! Also, if new legislation andnew institutions were required inorder to cope with these menaces,why it was not done in timepromptly and efficiently! Why re-laxing in political paradigms re-mained the way of the politicians?In conclusion, it may be said thatthe state of Pakistan has already gotall that paraphernalia it requires todealt with these issues; do not giveit turns and twists; leave your po-litical paradigms; the road ahead isquite straight; have courage to treadit and focus on the Unity of Action,not on the Unity of the Nation, andUnity of the Politicians!—The writer is Lahore-basedpolitical analyst and author of TheRise of State Aristocracy inPakistan (Urdu) and other books.

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Weekly Magazine

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—George Herbert Englisn poet

never posed as a shia because heknew about the divisive capacityof this fact. But while he neverwanted Pakistan to be a Shia stateneither did he want it to be a sunnistate. He did not want Pakistan atthe state level be committed toonly one school of thought whichhe knew would put all others inthe wrong. When we considerQuaid-e-Azam Mohammad AliJinnah to be our hero and thefounder of our state we should re-discover and finally respect hiswish in this regard.

Going back in history and re-covering those strands of it thatwould allow us to redefine whatIslam should mean in Pakistan ismajor part of dealing with mili-tancy and slowly cutting it at itsroots. Unity in Islam does notmean uniformity of material or in-tellectual culture. Islam is meantfor the whole world and the dif-ferent cultures of the people areGod-given and do have a place inIslam. This place and position hasto be recovered by us. Unity hasagain to be defined as ‘Unity indiversity’ where all opinions, allpeople with or without beards,with Shalwar or trouser are unitedin the belief in the One God. Thisis a task that involves all society:educational departments, teachers,media and academia. It is not aneasy task and it will take time.But it is most important coursefor our survival, because withoutit the military gain of Zarb-e Azband others will not hold. Godgrant our leaders serenity to takeright decision and courage to calla spade a spade and not surren-der to the forces of evil. God blessPakistan and humanity.—The writer is Karachi-basedsenior columnist.

Dr Khalil AhmadEmal:khalilkf@gmail.com

Ali Ashraf KhanEmail:balti1551@gmail.com

Voice of the PeopleTrial of GenV K Singh

MUHAMMAD AZAM MINHAS

The heinous attack on the Army Pub-lic School at Peshawar, took morethan 130 innocent and precious lives.Majority of them were children. Thedistorted act was/is condemned byevery religion and sect evenly. Itshows that we are dealing with aheartless, senseless, mindless, bastardso-on and so-on, enemy. The pagesof history are blank on such crime.No religion, creed or society con-dones the slaughter of innocent chil-dren and women.

Certainly, former Indian armyChief Genl. V.K. Singh confessed inSeptember 2013 that he personallyraised intelligence units like Techni-cal Services Division (TSD) to oper-ate terrorism inside Pakistan. He,also, advised and trained ”TSD” forusing bribe as a tool in Baluchistanand Indian held Kashmir, especially.Naturally, a terrorist always supports/backs terrorists for spreading terror-ism. So, when Indian Chief had ac-cepted himself as terrorist, then theworld in general and Government ofPakistan in particular must demandfor his trial by International Court ofJustice (ICJ)—Via email

From corruptionto destructionAFIA MUSHTAQ BHATTI

Corruption is the mother of problemsin the world of today. The universallanguage for it is graft, bribery, andpayoffs. Corruption has never beena famous word in the world but atpresent, the politics and economiesof graft have absorbed businessmenand policy makers to an extent rarelyseen before. Yet the real focus oncorruption is in the economies of de-veloping world and in the countriesmaking the transition from commu-nism to capitalism. Quite simple, thescale of graft in such countries is sogreat that it risks causing politicalunrest or a black lash against freemarket reform.

Pakistan’s arch rival and the selfproclaimed largest democracy andsecular state India was swept bymany scandals in the recent past. Weare also suffering from the disease ofcorruption. There is hardly a depart-ment that is free of this unfavourableand intolerable phenomenon. Corrup-tion has become a way of life, whichis threatening the very foundation ofthe society. The Government-Oppo-sition war of words usually depictsthe corruption practices of each other.The law makers have become lawbreakers in our country. Quaid-e-Azam once said, “One of the biggestcurses, from which India is sufferingis bribery and corruption”. We mustput that down with an iron hand. Hiswords were not directed at any par-ticular group, they were in fact meantfor people from all spheres of life.

Nepotism, misappropriation ofpublic money, bad debts; the arrivalof foreign remittances by Pakistanisworking abroad, the Afghan refugees,non accountability etc. have spreadthe waves of corruption in almost allthe departments of life. From a gravedigging man, to the head of state orfrom a peon to the boss of an institu-tion, everyone is involved in corrup-tion directly or indirectly. In our coun-try, one who apprises the concernedauthorities of criminals is not muchappreciated. The criminals on the otherhand, pay handsome dividend to thelaw enforcing departments, which inturn provide full protection to them. Afair and honest government servantusually feels himself uneasy and mis-fit in the present system overloadedand escrowed by corrupt personnel.The wheel of corruption has gainedsuch a great momentum that with theexception of a few, most of the cor-rupt people do not care about the pos-sible allegations levelled against themon the part of public. The graph ofcorruption shows that it is directlyrelated to the political instability ineconomy. It is an irony of fate thatpeople feel pride in getting theirworks done by paying lesser briberyas compared to those who have topay more amount for certain gains.

Corruption is a multidimensionalproblem. This is an indecent, deroga-tory, immoral, perversive, pernicious,stinking and detestable term. This isa cancer that afflicts our entire body-politic and forms the most potentthreat to our national existence. Apa-thy to the evil practices is the rootcause of corruption in Pakistan. It isa proven fact that undue discretion-ary powers and corruption areshadow of each other. Lack of ac-countability on the part of public ser-vants waters the flowers of corrup-tion. The maxim ‘politics is the lastrefuge of scoundrels’ also needs tobe changed in practice. We will haveto ensure that only men of rectitudeand honour hold positions of power.Law, morals and religion regulate hu-man conduct. Any social setup which

Implications of Peshawar carnageSIDRA TALHA

Many parents, this time, disallow their children from attending10th Karachi International Book Fair, held at Expo Centre, on

account of their fear that terrorists might attack there. This four dayexhibition used to be the most awaited event and last year 400,000visitors came to show their love for books. This year the organizerswere expecting the attendance of 450,000. However, recent attacks onArmy Public School in Peshawar, entailing children massacre, dras-tically affected the attendance at book fair organized in Karachi. Sincethe Peshawar carnage, educational institutes and events are consid-ered to be most the susceptible spot for such incidents, therefore,masses are reluctant to put their lives at risk by participating in sucheducational activities. I, therefore, request the media to conduct aware-ness campaigns and motivational programmes for public to raise theirmorale and eradicate the embedded fear. Moreover, workshops andtheatres should be carried out to tell the parents that their fear wouldempower the terrorists more.—Karachi

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View From Abroad

Is vacation over?

MORE than we may realize,the world has been ridinga lucky streak since the

global financial meltdown in 2008.How so? The years between 2008and late 2013 were — relativelyspeaking — a rather benign periodof big power politics and geopoli-tics. This allowed the major eco-nomic powers — the United States,the European Union, China, India,Russia, Brazil and Japan — to fo-cus almost exclusively on economicrehabilitation. But now there arestrong indications that our vacationfrom geo-instability is over.

The last time the world wit-nessed such a steep and sustaineddrop in oil prices — from 1986 to1999 — it had some profound po-litical consequences for oil-depen-dent states and those who dependedon their largess. The Soviet empirecollapsed; Iran elected a reformistpresident; Iraq invaded Kuwait; andYasir Arafat, having lost his Sovietbacker and Arab bankers, recognizedIsrael — to name but a few. Admit-tedly, other factors were involved inall these events. But, in each case,steep drops in direct or indirect oilrevenues played a big role.

If today’s falloff in oil prices issustained, we’ll also be in for a lotof surprises. Some will have happyendings. Cuba’s decision to bury thehatchet with America had to have

been spurred in part by Havana’sfears of losing some or all of the100,000 barrels of subsidized oil aday it gets from the now cash-strapped Venezuela. Others could bevery destabilizing. Today’s world ismuch more tightly interconnectedand interdependent than in the lastoil price drop-off, which was beforethe spread of the Internet. Andtoday’s world has so many moreactors — superpowers andsuperempowered individuals andhackers who can destabilize compa-nies and countries withcyberweapons. See dictionary for“Sony” and “North Korea.”

When I hear President VladimirPutin of Russia bragging that loweroil revenues won’t affect the Rus-sian people because they are stoic— look what they tolerated in WorldWar II — my reaction is: “Mr. Putin,that was before there was a signifi-cant urban middle class in Russia,one you helped to build with trickle-down oil and gas revenues.” A lotmore Russians today have gottenused to travelling abroad, owning acar (note Moscow’s traffic jams),consuming Western goods and see-ing how the rest of the world lives.Let’s see how stoic they are today.Russia’s former Finance MinisterAlexei Kudrin was quoted by TheFinancial Times on Monday as say-ing, “There will be a fall in livingstandards. It will be painful. Protestactivity will increase.”

The Western sanctions onPutin’s banks, combined with the

sudden sharp drop in oil prices andcapital flight also triggered by thesanctions, mean that Russia has adangerous gap between the fundsflowing into its economy and whatit needs to send out to pay its debtsand finance its imports. Putin can’trelieve the pressure without a lift-ing of Western sanctions. That wouldrequire him to reverse his seizure ofCrimea and intervention in Ukraine.

If Putin admits his Ukraine ad-venture was a mistake, he will lookincredibly foolish and the long kniveswill be out for him in the Kremlin. Ifhe doesn’t back down, Russians willpay a huge price. Either way, thatsystem will be stressed with unpre-dictable spillovers on the globaleconomy. Remember: Russia’s 1998economic collapse — also triggeredby low oil prices and the moratoriumit declared on payments to foreigndebtors — helped to sink the giantAmerican hedge fund Long-TermCapital Management, sparking a nearmeltdown on Wall Street.

A prolonged drop in oil priceswill impact Algeria, Iran and ArabGulf states, where aging regimeshave used high oil prices to increasegovernment salaries to buy quietfrom their people during the ArabSpring. Also, in an age when ma-chines and software are ensuring thataverage is over for workers in de-veloped countries, and everyoneneeds to be upgrading their skills,what happens to the developing Arabstates and Iran, who have used oilmoney to mask their deficits in

The old treasure..!

DAD?” asked my elder one,“what’s happened to thecousin you used to be quite

fond of, the one who was like asister to you?” “We’ve fallenapart!” I said gruffly. “And younever tried to repair the relation-ship?” she asked. “I did,” I said,“but I don’t think she was in anymood to work things out.” “Andyou didn’t try harder?”

“No,” I said a little defiantly.“A little like our teakwood boxisn’t it?” “The box?” I askedweakly. I had inherited it as adirty old cracked box from mydad, used I thought to hold rice

or wheat in the good old days. Idid the same. I stored whatever Ineeded to hide from sight; old toys,old pillows, old blankets, and thebox lay in a storeroom, mustysmelling, faded and falling apart.Then one day a bearded friend, aninterior designer by profession sawthe box.

“Bob!” he shouted “you’ve gota treasure over there!” “Blankets andold sheets!” I said. He didn’t botherto even listen to me as he pulled theold box into the sitting room, “Workon it,” he told the polish man. “Sir,”said the man, “It’s useless!” “Scrapeit!” shouted my friend.

The poor workman looked at mewith resigned eyes, took out sand-paper and knife and started scrap-ing. It had been painted and as hescraped the box, it started looking

even uglier than before. “Leave it,”I told my friend, “you’re just wast-ing my time and money on some-thing useless!”

“Carry on!” he told the man andthe poor fellow continued on whatseemed a useless job. I watched inagony for five full days and evenjoked it was the paint holding the boxtogether and it would soon fall apart,but my friend wasn’t listening.

Five days later the boxstood before me, shed off all itspaint looking like a shorn chicken,even more unattractive and distaste-ful. I laughed at the ridiculous sight.Okay,” said my friend to his work-man, “start polishing!” I couldn’tbelieve the transformation: It wasa treasure!

As each coat of polish went ontowood, as brass was shined and

worked at; ugly duckling turnedinto a beautiful swan! That wasmany years ago. I stared at the boxand looked at my daughter andnodded, I knew what she meantwhen she felt a relationship neededthe same working on, that the boxhad got. A broken friendshipneeded old hurts to be scrapedaway; with that would come vul-nerability, before the making up andthe forging of a new deeper friend-ship, like new coats of polish thatwould shine the teak and make ittake centre place once again.

I picked up phone and calledlong distance. “Bob!” she said, andI could hear sobs over the line. Ihad tears as I gazed at my box andsmiled at my daughter: A teakwoodbox was in the making..!—Email”bobsbanter@gmail.com

knowledge, education andwomen’s empowerment? Egypt’smilitary-led government is highlyin need of Arab oil money to getthrough its crisis. A bit of goodnews: The Islamic State, which de-pends on oil smuggling, will fail atgoverning even faster than it al-ready has.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s increas-ingly tyrannical president, RecepTayyip Erdogan, who has been ar-resting domestic opponents, islooking like “Vladimir Putin Jr.”Erdogan is a tragic figure becausehe did much to build Turkey’seconomy into a powerhouse. But,today, according to The FinancialTimes, Turkey now “needs morethan $200 billion of foreign financ-ing a year, more than a quarter ofgross domestic product, to main-tain its current level of growth.”There will be less Arab and Rus-sian oil money for that and, lastweek, with Erdogan being criti-cized by the European Union (a bigsource of investment income) forarresting his opponents, the Turk-ish lira hit a low against the dollar.Watch that space. High oil pricescovered many sins and fosteredmany sins. If they stay low againfor long, a lot of leaders will haveto pay retail for their crazy poli-tics, not wholesale. The politicaland geopolitical fallouts will bevaried — good and bad — but fall-out aplenty there will be.— Courtesy: The News YorkTimes.

Aftermath of Peshawar infanticide

THE cold blooded infanticideof small children along withthe murder of their older fel-

low students, more than 145 in all,at Army Public School Peshawar,was one of the most desperate anddepraved acts of TTP – even by thestandard of their own blood soakedhistory. The important questionbegging an answer is: weathereven an atrocity of this magnitudewould be enough to unite all po-litical and military forces on onepoint; that is to eliminate thescourge of religious militancyfrom the country? In my opinion,the jury is still out on this one.

Even on the day when the car-nage of the innocent took place;Mulana Fazul Rehman sitting some-where abroad, still had the guts tosay; that the option of negotiationwith the Taliban should still be onthe table. The leaders of Jamat-i-Islami, including its personableAmir, Siraj-ul-Haq still believes;that the only solution to the prob-lem is through negotiations with theTaliban. Even Imran Khan had madea categorical statement; less than aweek ago, saying to the effect that:If he were the PM. he would neverhave started the North WaziristanOperation. It is an open secret, thateven the federal government, leadby Nawaz Sharif, had its hand forcedto start the North Waziristan Opera-tion by the Army.

Even if more for Public con-sumption, the leaders of all politicalparties, did get together in a showof solidarity, at all parties conferencein Peshawar headed by the PM.Some positive measures were cer-tainly taken at the conference like:a) A joint declaration by all the par-ties to carry out an operation againstthe militants till they are eliminated;b) The moratorium on death penaltyunofficially enforced by the govern-ment, to be lifted; C) Resolve wasmade to vigorously revive Nationalcounter terrorism authority (NCTA);

and D) An all parties commit-tee formed under interior min-ister to form an effective na-tional security policy. Manymilitants given the death sen-tence, but enjoying the respiteprovided by the moratorium,

will now certainly face the gallows.In fact, a few of them have alreadybeen hanged in the last two days.

All these steps may be positivein their own right, but the inertia andapathy of the government cannotescape censure; as the NationalCounter Terrorism authority(NCTA) has been there for years,with out any real authority or fundsto do its work. Similarly it was atleast a year ago, when National In-ternal Security policy was an-nounced with much fanfare. Onefails to understand: If the policycould not be implemented in over ayear, how is it going to be imple-mented in one week only?

The decision to lift the morato-rium on the death penalty, may atbest act as a temporary deterrent;but much more has to be done inthe field of investigation and pros-ecution. Water tight and scientificinvestigation techniques have to beadopted; witness protection pro-grams have to be started; and fullproof protection has to be given tothe Judges, to increase the abys-mally low rate of conviction of ter-ror suspects. Lack of prior and re-liable intelligence, seems to be themain reason of the recent tragedy,as it usually is in such cases.

Mindset of many of the poli-ticians sitting with the PM, in theall parties’ conference needs to bechanged. Although, on the day af-ter the massacre, they could not saymuch because of public rile; but itis well known, that many of theseright wing and religious leaders, areagainst the use of force against theTaliban. They still justify Talibanviolence as a reaction against for-eign forces. They are not ready toconcede beyond the fact: that theTaliban are at worst, our misguidedbrothers, who need to be broughton the right path. The ficklemindedness of our political leaderswill make it very difficult for themto follow a joint and concerted

policy against the Taliban.In these circumstances the main

onus for carrying out a concertedanti- terrorism effort against the re-ligious militants; lies with the Armyand it’s indefatigable chief, GenRaheel Shareef. There is no gainsay-ing, that our military like our gov-ernments have made many blundersabout our foreign and security poli-cies. These militant Frankenstein’sare clearly the result of those erro-neous and shortsighted policies. Ithas to be said, however, that Gen

Raheel, has been trying to correctsome of those wrongs since he hastaken over.

The across the board operationagainst militants of all hue and per-suasion in North Waziristan, hasnot only inflicted a terrible dam-age on the TTP; but has also wonPakistan, some of the long lasttrust of both Afghanistan and theU.S. It is high time, that Pakistanalso moves against Kashmir cen-tric and sectarian militants withsame ferocity.

Gen. Raheel’s urgency of pur-pose could also be gauged from hisquick dash to Afghanistan, the verynext day after the school attack.Gen Raheel apparently took someirrefutable evidence, linking MolviFazlullah to the attack. The Afghangovernment was strongly urged tofacilitate Pakistan in this regard.

Military operations, is ofcourse the most important weaponagainst the militants; but in thewords of columnist Irfan Hussain;“The ideological swamps alsohave to be drained”. In this task,the civilian government has toplay an important role along withthe Army. Religious parties andleaders, who actually act as apolo-gists of Taliban militants, and ac-tively scuttle the possibility ofunanimity amongst the nation,against religious militarism withtheir forked tongues; have to beclearly told to decide, whetherthey are with the Nation, or withthe Taliban, in this existential war.

Ideological succor to religiousmilitant has to be stopped forth-with. Educational syllabi ofschools have to be closely scruti-nized for hate material againstother faiths, and glorification ofmilitant Islam, as exposed by ourpolitical Isla mists. The Mush-room growth of religiousmadras’s has to be curbed andtheir curriculum supervised by thegovernment. Militant religiouspublications, and the hate litera-ture that they spew, has to bechecked banned. Religiousradicalization in all walks of lifehas to be watched. It has beenproved that no institutions of gov-ernment including our armedforces are immune from the per-nicious influence of religiousradicalization.

I know that all the above-mentioned measures constitute atall order. But we as a nation areat crossroads. The enemy is notonly at our gates, it is within us.Some positive changes have al-ready started taking place. Thecivil society, overcoming its fear,has barricaded the Lal Masjidand demanded from its KhatibMaulana Aziz, to condemn thebrutal slaying of children inPeshawar. If we love our childrenand want to protect them; wehave to now take the war to themilitants and destroy them, in-stead of waiting for them to comeafter our children again.—The writer is author, citizenjournalist and entrepreneur.

Thomas L Friedman

systemizes its conduct by obeyinglaws, observing moral values and prac-ticing the teaching of religion, deservesto be recognized as a civilized society.Pakistan is at the cross roads whereone road leads to where Nigeria standstoday and other towards the vibrantemerging economy of Asia. Corrup-tion, as a debased practice, moral de-terioration and inhumane value, hasbecome talk of the town all over thecountry. Of late, the plague of corrup-tion has assumed endemic character-istics and chronic status.—Via email

What is next?MAIMOONA UROOJ

As we all know, our country is goingthrough a critical situation. Talibanhave threatened Pakistan but they havedone such acts in the recent past. Pa-kistan is again under pressure; ourschools, colleges and universities havebeen closed. Why our Government isnot taking serious action against allthis. Our people are dying. What hap-pened in Peshawar? It was not a smallincident. Many of the innocent chil-dren were killed. Our Governmentshould take right decision at the righttime, otherwise we should be ready towitness even worse.—Via email

Growingencroachments

MUKHTAR AHMED

The menace of encroachment is notrestricted to a particular city but it canbe observed throughout the country,be it a big city or small town. Let usfirst see what is an encroachment? Insimple terms it is a trespass ontoanother’s property without right orpermission. When we say another’sproperty, it implies private as wellmunicipal, cantonment, in broaderterm government land. The govern-ment agencies that are supposed toensure that no one encroaches govtland are involved in allowing en-croachments from smaller level to big-ger level by taking money as bribe andkeep their eyes closed and have no fearof law and being held accountable.

The encroachments can be classi-fied in to four categories. VVIP en-croachment, VIP encroachment , en-croachment by business community,encroachment by poor people. Theglaring example of VVIP encroach-ment is the occupation of governmentroads, side lanes by Asif Ali Zardariin the name of security of BilawalHouse and other cities by former PMs.Examples of VIP encroachment canbe seen in posh localities by Minis-ters, Members of the Assemblies, infront of government buildings, armymesses etc. Encroachment by busi-nessmen can be seen in the shape ofoccupation of footpaths, roads occu-pied by car show room owners, ille-gal car parkings in the streets undertraffic police arrangements. Encroach-ment by poor people includes puttingsmall stalls in front of shops coveringalmost entire footpaths making it dif-ficult to walk, putting Khokas any-where on the roads and streets. It is sostrange that all these encroachers man-age to get telephone connections,power and gas connections. All theseencroachments attract invoking of thecountry laws and have to be appliedto all without any discretion. Butwhenever operation is conducted toremove them, normally the axe fallson the poor street vendors because ofobvious reasons.

Unfortunately this menace hasspread like epidemic throughout thecountry and happening right under thenose of administration. Since there isno check, no enforcement of law, theentire country has been converted into heaps of ruin except few areas whereour rulers reside. It is so strange thateven posh localities like Defencewhere rules are strictly applied thingsare in bad shape. These encroachmentsapart from creating congestion, incon-venience to shoppers has become ma-jor hinderance in moving freely in anymarket of the country. The interestingfeature of these encroachments is thatgovernment carries out anti encroach-ment drive at regular intervals whereonly poor vendors become the targetbut after few days they again re-ap-

pear and wait for next operation. Theseencroachments have now added newdimension as it has now become bigsecurity hazard; any suicide bombercan easily enter in to crowded area andexplode himself causing extensivedamage to human lives and properties.

The time has come to enforce“Rule of Law” throughout the coun-try, people should be warned andgiven 30 days to clear the encroach-ments voluntarily, if they fail to com-ply with the orders, law should beenforced once for all so that countrygives a neat look—Karachi

World has decidedto go smartFAREHA ASHRAF

Lately, we have been witnessing arevolution in smartphone industry.Smartphones have features which anormal phone does not provide and ontop of that it works for you as yourpersonal computer too. Typical fea-tures of a a smartphone include thefacilities like, GPS, media player, digi-tal camera etc. but with more devel-opment in this field, smartphones arenow touchscreen devices having ofWi-Fi technology, 2G/3G services,web browsing facilities and motionsensor. With introduction ofsmartphones a new talant has alsoemerged in the society, i.e. applicationdesigning, one smartphones enablesyou to download hundred or thousandsof apps of your interest on your de-vice. Third party apps are really com-mon now-a-days as many talentedpeople who have a great knowledgeof software designing are now step-ping into this new field, which is nowgrown up to a great size that it hasbecome a separate sector in the cor-porate world.

With the growing technologytrends and demand for smartphones,latest technologies are being intro-duced almost every other day. A hugemarket has now been developed basedon android technology which has beenadopted by many of the known inter-national brands. The reason of popu-larity of this technology is that it hasan easy to use interface and users ofany segment find it easy to use. Themanufacturers of smartphones are try-ing to cut-off their competitors eitherinternationally or domestically, thecompetition in this sector is very enor-mous, which requires every manufac-turer to keep on introducing somethingnew, otherwise you will be out of themarket. The launching of latest newdevices with more attractive featureshave made the human mind captiveof upgrading their devices every nowand then.

Another growing concern regard-ing smartphones is that it is now be-coming a status symbol in the society,people now feel this to be a need to fitin the society that what type of phonesthey are using. Status conscious peoplealways try to upgrade the phone theyhave in their hands and also whichbrand they are carrying. Not just el-ders but now our children are verywell, and sometimes more, aware ofthe latest technologies and uses of thesmartphones or touch screens. Thisshould be a concern for the parents thatwhen it is the age of your child to playwith stuffed toys, dolls or watch car-toons, your children are demandingsmartphones and playing games overit. There is a new market shift in theworld of technology; SmartTV is nowbecoming another common purchaseacross world. In addition to providingbasic television functions, a smartTVallows you to access to Internet andall social media websites over yourhome TV sets. The world is revolvingaround technology; let us see wherethis smart world takes us in the future?— Via email

Akbar Jan MarwatEmail:marwat.akbarjan@gmail.com

We as anation are

at crossroads. Theenemy is not onlyat our gates, it iswithin us. If welove our children

and want toprotect them; wehave to now take

the war to themilitants anddestroy them,

instead of waitingfor them to comeafter our children

again.

A tribal plantation worker holds a bow and arrow as he stands next to a burning house belonging to indigenous Bodotribesmen after ethnic clashes in Balijuri village, in Sonitpur district in the northeastern Indian state of Assam.

MICHAEL O’HANLON

IN 2015, I predict that President BarackObama will rethink his plan to have all operational U.S. combat forces out of Af-

ghanistan by the end of 2016. That goal wasannounced in spring 2014. It fit in the contextof Obama’s longstanding goals, laid out in his2012 reelection campaign, to end both the Iraqand Afghanistan wars on his watch.

At this point, however, it is clear that thewar in Iraq continues, with a renewed (if mod-est) U.S. role. The related Syria conflict willalmost surely require greater U.S. efforts in2015 and beyond. So Obama’s ambition to beremembered as a peace president who endedthe nation’s wars no longer holds water. Thepresident needn’t worry too much about hav-ing to shift course, however. Everyone knowsthat presidents are not omnipotent, and thatworld events require changes in U.S. policy.While a healthy debate will surely continueover whether Obama mismanaged, and hurried,the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, that isnow an historical debate.

.S. troops keep watch at the site of a sui-cide attack in Kabul The current reality is that,while the United States is fighting the al Qaeda-ist movement that grandiosely calls itself Is-lamic State using air strikes and aiding allieson the ground, more needs to be done to make

Prediction: Obama will decide to keep U.S.troops in Afghanistan beyond 2016

sure its militants do not take over larger swathsof Iraq and Syria — and are ultimately beatenback. Obama’s rhetoric, and policies, on thesematters demonstrate pragmatism and flexibil-ity, though more innovations and greater ef-forts will likely be needed.

A similar logic should be applied to Af-ghanistan. Working with Afghans and interna-tional partners, the United States has madegreat headway there, despite all the frustrations,costs, casualties and setbacks. Progress is frag-ile, however, and a Taliban takeover or civilwar is always a possibility. Casualties to Af-ghan soldiers and police are too high. Certainparts of the country, such as chunks of Helmandprovince, have been lost to the Taliban in re-cent months. Parts of the east never were ingreat shape. Pakistan’s role, meanwhile, re-mains challenging and often unhelpful.

But the successful presidential transitionof 2014 and the great improvement in U.S.-Afghan relations taking place under PresidentAshraf Ghani, combined with the resilience ofthe Afghan people and temerity of its securityforces, all provide grounds for hope. Securityin the country’s major cities remains far betterthan many U.S. press reports would imply. U.S.soldier points his rifle after coming under firein Zharay district in Kandahar province, south-ern Afghanistan

Obama will not want to discard this hope-

ful picture by a complete U.S. withdrawal overthe next two years. Already, U.S. forces havebeen drawn down 90 percent from peak levelsunder Generals Stanley McChrystal, DavidPetraeus and John Allen from 2010 through2012. After a major reduction this fall, the100,000 U.S. personnel who were part of thewar in Afghanistan will shrink to just over10,000. (Numbers had been at roughly 30,000U.S. troops earlier this year).

Based on the spring 2014 announcement,the plan is to reduce that number by half by theend of 2015. Then go to virtually zero combatforces by the end of 2016, as Obama preparesto leave the White House. With these three over-lapping, chronologically compressed draw-down plans — first to about 10,000, then tofewer than 6,000, then to zero — U.S. forcesbarely have time to begin a new mission beforeimmediately preparing for its rapid termination.

In previous draw-down plans, Obama hadalways allowed the first one to play out andconditions to stabilize before determining andannouncing the next one. That was true in late2009, when the president announced the bigsurge to Afghanistan but simultaneously an-nounced when it would end. And in 2011, whenhe declared his plans to reduce forces by a thirdby the end of summer 2012. Now, however, heseems in far too much of a hurry, even thoughthe U.S. troop numbers, costs and battlefield

risks are far less.Leaving Afghanistan entirely in 2016

would be a big mistake. Beyond leaving injeopardy the U.S. effort to stabilize and bringdemocracy to Afghanistan, this policy woulddeprive the United States of bases that it usesto fly drones and launch commando raids inthe region — in eastern Afghanistan or west-ern Pakistan — against al Qaeda targets. It isnot just a matter of nation-building in Afghani-stan. The United States would be sacrificingits ability to defend itself against its declaredand dangerous enemies.

In 2015, Obama will have to figure all thisout. He will also have to find a way to keep afew thousand U.S. forces at two or three op-erational bases in Afghanistan to hand off tohis successor. The numbers of troops wouldnot greatly exceed those likely to be in Iraq, orfor that matter Djibouti, at the same time —perhaps just 10 percent of the number Obamahad inherited from President George W. Bushin the war in Afghanistan back in 2009.

Keeping those assets in place to protectAmerican lives, rather than ending the missionprematurely to satisfy an earlier campaignpledge, would be the better way to help thenext occupant of the White House. And keepsafe the American people — as well asObama’s own national-security legacy.

—Courtesy: Reuters

OSAMA AL SHARIF

JORDAN has been successful, so far, in confronting militantjihadist threat both domestically and along its wide borderswith Iraq and Syria. This is due, in big part, to its political

stability and to the vigilance of its security bodies and strongarmed forces.

Jordan has been affected by regional crises since the out-break of the Arab Spring, of the civil war in Syria and the up-surge of bloody sectarian confrontations in Iraq. More than amillion Syrians found refuge in Jordan, adding to the Kingdom’seconomic hardships. And since jihadist groups joined the war inSyria, hundreds of Jordanians have crossed the border to fightalongside Jabhat Al Nusra and the Islamic State (IS).

To deal with the challenge of Jordanian jihadists, the gov-ernment has employed a number of strategies, including startinga dialogue with key salafists in the country, controlling hate speechin mosques and adopting economic plans to improve the lives ofcitizens living in impoverished areas such as Maan and Zarqa,where radical ideas flourish. But it also relied on its securitybodies to monitor and arrest would-be jihadists, those who pro-mote radical ideas and fighters returning from Syria.

In the past few months, Jordan emerged as an important playerin the war against Islamist militants in Syria and Iraq. It joinedthe US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State and His MajestyKing Abdullah has been active in local, regional and interna-tional arenas, defending the campaign against militants and pro-posing ideas to confront what he recently described as “the warwithin Islam”. He is actually the only Arab and Muslim leaderwho has invested time and effort to explain the current crises inthe region and to suggest ways to deal with them.

In his recent meeting with former prime ministers of the country,King Abdullah said the war against terrorism and radical ideologies“is a military war in the short run, a security war in the medium termand an ideological war in the long run”. He stressed the importance ofbuilding an Arab-Islamic coalition against terrorism, reiterating that“the war against the terrorist groups is an Arab and Islamic affair,because the groups with extremist ideologies will not stop at Syriaand Iraq if they gain more power, but will work to extend their grip toother Arab and Islamist countries, and worldwide”.

The King knows that stopping IS militants and other terroristgroups who have hijacked Islam is a challenge for Arabs andMuslims, since radical jihadist ideology knows no border. It is achallenge that the region must face collectively. The military war,in the short run, may succeed in stopping the advance of militantgroups and may even eradicate them, but without a long-term planto deal with radical ideas, the threat will always be there.

This is the responsibility of Muslims everywhere and it willnot be easy to defeat radicals who are active in countries thatstretch from Pakistan in the east to Nigeria in the west. RadicalIslam has become a major challenge in Europe and the UnitedStates, among others, and defeating it means that moderate ideas,which make up the core of Islam, must be spread and promoted.King Abdullah, who is well aware of the danger that militantgroups in Iraq and Syria pose to Jordan, has warned that the aircampaign will not be enough to defeat the jihadists.

Jordan’s concern now is to make sure that the militants do notsucceed in their attempt to take over Al Anbar province, in westernIraq, and in Syria’s southern governorates, which border Jordan. Hedeclared that Jordan will do its best to support the local tribes in thesetwo countries. It is essential to make sure that these vast areas aredefended by their own people. It is not clear how Jordan will do this.The King pointed to the role of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Armyin this regard, but the extent to which Jordan will go in reaching out tothese tribes remains unknown.

Historically, Jordan has had good relations with mostly Sunnitribes close to its borders, but it cannot carry out this mission by itself.It needs the help and support of countries in the region and beyond.Jordan stands to play a major role in the war against terrorist groups,but that role goes beyond its military and security abilities.

King Abdullah proposed what can be described as a roadmap tofighting radicalism in the name of Islam. His diagnosis of regionalchallenges is important. His role as a spokesperson on behalf of Araband Muslim nations is invaluable and his ability to steer the Kingdomthrough major regional upheavals is commendable.

—Courtesy: JT[The writer is a journalist and political commentator based inAmman]

The war againstextremism

PROF. ANNA MALINDOG

I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society inwhich all persons live together in harmony and with equalopportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to

achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared todie. To deny people their human rights is to challenge their veryhumanity” -Nelson Mandela.

Myanmar is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia,lying strategically between India, China, Bangladesh, Laos and Thai-land. In the 19th century, the British took over Burma and formed asingle entity under the Indian colonial administration. The Japaneseoccupied Burma during the 2nd World War but were driven out bythe British Empire Forces as the war drew to an end. In view of thestrong Burmese nationalism headed by Aung San (Burmese Na-tional Hero), British granted Burma independence in 1948. Burmaafter independence faced communist insurgencies. The governmentafterwards found itself facing an increasing number of armed ethnicbased conflict resistance groups all over the country most of whichwere seeking their own independence even until this very day.

In 1962, General Ne Win, the head of the Burmese Army, -the “Tatmadaw” overthrew the civilian government and estab-lished a military rule. Since then the military junta became thede-facto government of Myanmar. This led to many insurgen-cies, human rights abuses and atrocities, economic crisis, mas-sive street demonstrations and rallies which killed thousands ofpeople. Many also fled to areas controlled by ethnic and com-munist armed groups to form their own political rebel groups.

Then came November 2010, when the first ever general elec-tion in Myanmar happened after more than two decades, or to bemore precise, after 22 years since the last general election in 1990.Then March 2011 happened when the ruling military governmentthat ruled Myanmar for almost five decades since 1962 was notonly dismantled, but more importantly, the generals in Yangonrelinquished power to the newly elected and formed “civilian gov-ernment” headed by President Thein Sein. Undeniably, these twohistoric political events marked Myanmar’s transition towards de-mocracy and democratization. These events also generated mixedand varied emotions and thoughts among the different stakehold-ers of Myanmar. For some people, what is currently happening inMyanmar is quite bizarre. Others are simply happy about the pros-pects of democracy taking a foothold in the country. Others arevery skeptical and cynical. But there are also some who are hope-ful that, indeed, this path, this transition towards democracy willcontinue and will persist until Myanmar becomes fully democratic.

Moreover, cynicism and skepticisms among many observersloom around this new political trajectory that Myanmar is pursu-ing. For one, the military is still and remains still the “arbiter ofpower” in the country. The military occupies and governs still allthe important state institutions created after the November 2010Elections. The military directly controls a quarter of the legisla-tures, which were filled with lower-ranking officers, ensuring thatthe military bloc remains cohesive and compliant with the wishesof the military superiors.

—Courtesy: Kashmir Watch[Anna Malindog is the human rights advocate. She is also anacademic. armalindog@mail.com]

Democracy in Myanmar,Plight of the Rohingyas

GAUHATI—Police in northeast India firedon Wednesday on demonstrators protest-ing against the killings of dozens of peopleby tribal guerrillas, killing five of them.Militants fighting for a separate homelandfor indigenous Bodo tribesmen went on akilling spree in Assam state on Tuesday,killing 51 people in four attacks in thespace of an hour, the deadliest violence inmonths.

The victims of the guerrilla attackswere mostly tea-plantation workers fromother parts of India. Assam has a historyof sectarian bloodshed and armed groupsfighting for autonomy or secession.

Hundreds of plantation workers armedwith spears and bows and arrows defied acurfew imposed in response to the rebelattacks and surrounded police stations in

Rebel attacks in India kill51, spark violent protests

Sonitpur district, the area worst hit by themilitant violence, saying authorities hadfailed to protect them.

Some protesters set fire to shops andothers blocked a railway line and roads.Police said they had to disperse the crowds.

“They were trying to storm police sta-tions, we had to open fire as a result,” apolice officer from the area said by tele-phone.

Assam is one of seven states inIndia’s northeast, a region bounded byChina, Myanmar, Bhutan andBangladesh. For long, residents haveaccused the federal government of plun-dering its resources and ignoring its de-velopment. Prime Minister NarendraModi has vowed to accelerate the devel-opment of roads and railways but one of

his ministers said the violence had tostop first.

“There can no development untilthere is peace,” junior interior ministerKiren Rijiju told reporters, vowing tocrush the militants. The Tuesday attackson plantation workers were blamed on afaction of the National Democratic Frontof Bodoland in retaliation for an offen-sive against them launched by securityforces a month ago.Villagers told police the rebels came onfoot, armed with assault rifles and wear-ing military uniforms. “The militants firstcame and asked for water. Suddenly theyopened fire with their AK-47 rifles,” awitness, who fled into jungle, later toldreporters. Among the victims were 10women and 13 children.—Reuters

AMMAN—Islamic State group militants captured a Jorda-nian pilot after his warplane crashed while conductingairstrikes over Syria, the Jordanian military said Wednes-day. It was the first instance of a foreign soldier falling intothe group’s hands since the U.S.-led coalition began its aircampaign against the extremists.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. Ac-tivists monitoring the conflict said Islamic State group fight-ers shot down the warplane near the northern Syrian city ofRaqqa, the group’s de facto capital. The Raqqa Media Cen-ter published a photograph said to be of the pilot — in awhite shirt, naked from the waist down and sopping wet —being pulled by gunmen out of what appeared to be a lake.Another picture shows him surrounded by more than a dozenfighters, some of them masked.

The center said IS fighters are scouring the area in casethere is a second pilot.

The United States and several Arab allies have been strik-ing the Islamic State group in Syria since Sept. 23, and U.S.and other international warplanes have been waging an aircampaign against the extremists in Iraq for even longer. Thecampaign aims to push back the jihadi organization after ittook over much of Iraq and Syria and declared a “caliph-ate.”

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emir-ates are participating in the Syria strikes, with Qatari logis-tical support. The pilot’s capture raises a nightmare scenario

Jordan warplane crashes inSyria, IS holds pilot

for Jordan, which has been sharply criticized by militantsympathizers for its participation. IS in the past has beheadeddozens of Syrian soldiers it captured in operations aroundthe country. The group has also beheaded three Americansand two Britons.

Jordan’s military said in a statement that as its air forcewas carrying out a military mission against the Islamic Stategroup Wednesday morning, “one of our warplanes crashed,”it said. “The pilot was taken hostage by the Daesh terroristorganization,” it added, using the Arabic acronym for theisalmic State group.

It said IS and “those who support it” will be responsiblefor the safety of the pilot. It did not give the cause of thecrash or identify the type of aircraft. The Britain-based Syr-ian Observatory for Human Rights said it had confirmationfrom activists on the ground that the aircraft was shot down,either by a Russian-made anti-aircraft missile or by heavymachinegun fire.

The Raqqa Media Center, an agency of activists that op-erates openly in IS-ruled areas with permission of the group,said the plane was downed near the village of HamraGhannam outside Raqqa. It posted photos of militants pos-ing with shards of wreckage. It also posted a phot of thepilot’s military identification card, identifying him as Mu’athSafi Yousef al-Kaseasbeh. In Jordan, the pilot’s cousinMarwan al-Kaseasbeh confirmed by telephone with The As-sociated Press that the photos are of his cousin.—AP

CAIRO—Egyptian and Qatariintelligence officials met inCairo to discuss a possible rec-onciliation as part of Saudi ef-forts to broker an end to the 18-month standoff over Doha’ssupport of the Muslim Broth-erhood, security sources said.They said Qatar’s intelligencechief, Ahmed Nasser BinJassim al-Thani, discussedplans for a meeting between theEgyptian and Qatari heads ofstate in Riyadh next month.Gulf Arab countries agreed inNovember to end a long-run-ning dispute with Qatar over itspromotion of “Arab Spring”revolts. Saudi Arabia, whichhas showered Egypt’s govern-ment with billions of dollars inaid over the past year-and-a-half, has pushed for a similarrapprochement between Qatarand Egypt.

Qatar was a backer ofelected Egyptian PresidentMohamed Mursi of the MuslimBrotherhood. Ties between thetwo countries deteriorated afterthen-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew Mursi last yearand cracked down on the Broth-erhood. Egypt, Saudi Arabia andthe UAE list the Brotherhood asa terrorist organization and con-sider it a threat to their rulingsystems. To Egypt’s irritation,Qatar has sheltered exiledBrotherhood leaders.

Saudi Arabiabrokers Egypt,

Qatar reconciliationLike Saudi Arabia, the

UAE and Bahrain, Egypt with-drew its ambassador to Qatarthis year. While the othersagreed to normalize ties underthe November deal, Cairo hasyet to follow. Evidence hasmounted in recent days thatSaudi mediation could reachfruition. On Saturday, Sisi -now president - met a specialenvoy of Qatar’s emir.

The was followed by anannouncement on Monday thatQatari-owned Al Jazeera tele-vision - which denies Egypt’scharges of being a Brotherhoodmouthpiece - had suspendedbroadcast of its Egypt-focusedchannel. The suspension anddiplomatic flurry has raisedexpectations that Egypt mightfree three Al Jazeera journal-ists jailed on charges of spread-ing lies to support a “terroristorganization”, a reference tothe Brotherhood.

It was unclear if the jour-nalists’ case was discussed in theQatari intelligence chief’s talkswith Egyptian officials, whichtook place on Tuesday. But Aus-tralian Foreign Minister JulieBishop said on Wednesday thecase of Australian Peter Grestewas “under consideration” byhigh levels of the Egyptian gov-ernment and she was hopeful ofhis release by the end of theyear.—Reuters

MOSCOW—Russia said onWednesday NATO was turningUkraine into a “frontline ofconfrontation” and threatenedto sever remaining ties with theAtlantic military alliance ifUkraine’s hopes of joining itwere realized. The Kievparliament’s renunciation ofUkraine’s neutral status onTuesday in pursuit of NATOmembership has outraged Mos-cow and deepened the worstconfrontation between Russiaand the West since the end ofthe Cold War. “NATO coun-tries pushed Kiev to this coun-terproductive decision, tryingto turn Ukraine into a front lineof confrontation with Russia,”Deputy Defence MinisterAnatoly Antonov told the Rus-sian news agency Interfax.

“If this decision in the fu-

DUBAI—Consulate General ofPakistan Dubai is launchingmobile consular services. Inthis connection, the first visit-ing camp will be set up at RasAl Khaimah on Friday 26thDecember 2014 to providemobile consular services to thePakistani expatriate communitywhich will start work at 10 am.Says a prem release Wednes-day.

Consular services includ-ing processing of NICOPs, at-testation and otherswill be

Special consular campoffice at Ras-Al-Khaimah

made available to save time andmoney of the Pakistani commu-nity on commutation to Dubai.

Launching of mobile unitwas announced by the ConsulGeneral Javed Jalil Khattak atthe launching ceremony ofsmart card by the Pakistan Con-sulate, Dubai.

On rotation basis, suchcamps will be set up regularlyonce a week at one of the sta-tions in the northern Emiratesi.e Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairahor Sharjah.—PR

NATO turning Ukraineinto confrontationfrontline: Russia

ture takes on a military char-acter (accession to NATO),then we will respond appropri-ately. Then there will be acomplete severing of ties withNATO, which will be practi-cally impossible to repair,”Antonov said. It is likely totake years for Ukraine to meetthe technical criteria for acces-sion to NATO and, even then,there is no certainty that thealliance is ready to take onsuch a political hot potato. YetRussia has made clear it wouldsee the NATO membership ofsuch a strategic former Sovietrepublic with a long commonborder as a direct militarythreat.

A NATO official, whoasked not to be named, said itwas solely up to Kiev to decideon its foreign policy. —Reuters

Minister Nawaz Sharif here on Wednesday.The political and military leadership evolved con-

sensus on the national action plan against terrorismenvisaging, among other things, setting up of speedytrial courts.

The meeting was also attended by Army ChiefGeneral Raheel Sharif and Director General of ISI.

The special courts would be for two years andthese would be headed by military officers. PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif said it was an historic oc-casion that consensus has emerged on the nationalaction plan.

He vowed that the agreed points would befully implemented. The Prime Minister reiteratedresolve of the Government to get rid of the men-ace of terrorism once for all.

Later, talking to newsmen, PPP leaders SyedKhurshid Shah, Rehman Malik and Qamar ZamanKaira said all political parties supported estab-lishment of the speedy trial courts within the pa-rameters of the Constitution.

They said terrorists would be tried in thesecourts and these would not be used for politicalobjectives.

They said setting up of speedy trial courts wasnecessitated by the fact that normal judicial sys-tem was not delivering.

The PPP leaders said the Committee headedby Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan wouldmonitor implementation of the national actionplan. PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said thefirm national resolve has sent a clear message toterrorists.

He said there should be proper planning andtimeline for implementation of the agreed points.

Military courts to be set up fortwo years

From Page 1

Nawaz Sharif explainedthat political parties hadreached a consensus on settingup military manned ‘special tri-bunals’ to deal with terrorismrelated cases. He said that thecourts will be set-up for a termof two years.

The prime minister ex-plained other points in the na-tional action plan including theraising of an anti-terrorismtask force. He also stressed thedecision to put a completeblackout of the media giving aplatform to militant groups,along with strict measuresagainst terrorists using theinternet and social media tospread their propaganda.

“Peshawar atrocity haschanged Pakistan, we need toeradicate the mindset of terror-ism to defeat extremism andsectarianism,” he said. “Thishorrendous attack has shakenthe nation…the terroristsstruck the future of this coun-try, when they murdered thosechildren,” the premier said.

In his speech NawazSharif explained that politicalparties had reached a consen-sus on how to defeat terrorism.

Detailing the 19-point na-tional action plan, Prime Min-ister Nawaz Sharif said:

* Special courts, headedby the officers of armed forces,will be established for thespeedy trial of terrorists,

* Special courts will be es-tablished for the term of twoyears,

* Financial aid to terroristswill be cut,

* Banned outfits will notbe allowed to operate underdifferent names,

* Special anti-terrorism

Terrorists’ days are numbered: PMFrom Page 1Security sources said that

Abdal Dogar post situated inSialkot’s Bara Bhai sectorcame under fire from theSambhal post in India’s HiraNagar sector. Sources furtheradded that 14 mortar shellswere also fired along with gun-shots. Pakistani forces re-sponded with retaliatory firing.Fear and panic gripped the areaafter the incident, however,there was no loss of life orproperty reported in the ex-change of fire.

In December last year, thetwo countries had pledged touphold the 2003 ceasefire ac-cord which was left in tattersby repeated violations that year.The truce breaches had put thenascent bilateral peace dia-logue on hold. The Himalayanterritory of Kashmir, which isthe main contention, betweenthe two countries, is dividedbetween India and Pakistan bythe UN-monitored de facto bor-der of Line of Control (LoC).The territory is claimed in fullby both the countries.—Online

India firesFrom Page 1

march ahead on Wednesday with impressive gain of 249 points toclose at 32,000 levels.

According to market analysts, the upper Bollinger bandin the daily chart is at 32,400 and is pointing that the indexcould rise above that band and target the 33,500-33,600 areawhich is the upper monthly Bollinger Band.

Meanwhile the market volume in today’s trading was 262million shares while K Eletric kept its spirit as the volumeleader with a trading of over 33 million shares traded in itsaccount while Bank of Punjab turned up as the second vol-ume leader with a trade of over 23 million shares and theTRG Pakistan was the third volume leader with over 10 mil-lion shares traded today.

KSE-100 bullish trend onFrom Page 1

Pak diplomatsFrom Back Page

volatile position seriously in a so-called war against terrorism. Firsttime, since the inception of US anti-terrorism war, the global lead-ership is not only recognizing the sacrifices of the Pakistani peoplebut also expressing their solidarity besides giving all assurance ofcooperation in on-going war against terrorism inside Pakistan.

The matter of fact is that some defense analysts believe thatanti-Pakistan forces are not going to digest the sympathy of theworld which they are showing for Pakistan after Peshawar ter-rorist attack. They have some serious reservations that some darkforces could stage drama of sham terrorist attacks to malignPakistan’s image again in the eyes of the world so that they couldblame Pakistan for harbouring terrorist organizations too dan-gerous for the peace of the world.

Despite this fact what kind of anti-Pakistan sentimentsthe Indian government is nourishing the reality is that in thewake of Peshawar attack, a surge of sympathy for Pakistaninside India is being witnessed. In Mumbai and New Delhi, alarge number of citizens assembled for candlelight vigils andeven on the day of the attack, India’s social media was stud-ded with harsher sentiments. The Indians gave the messagethat “Children are without borders. The bell tolls for all ofus.”

This kind of Indian peoples’ sympathy for Pakistan is notgoing to be digested by anti-Pakistani elements inside Indiaand now they have started blaming that Pakistani soil couldbe used for launching terrorist activities inside India.

The leadership of the South Asian countries should real-ize now that terrorists are common enemies and no countrycan eliminate terrorism from its soil without the support ofthe other countries. Al-Qaeda and its sympathetic terroristgroups are still potential threats for the peace of the world. InSeptember 2014, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahri, in a 55-minute video posted online announced the formation of anIndian branch of his militant group. Zawahri described theformation of “Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent” as gladtidings for Muslims “in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujurat,Ahmedabad, and Kashmir” and said the new wing would res-cue Muslims there from injustice and oppression.

This is not a time for game blame if India has reservationsabout Pakistan’s alleged role in creating disruption in Indiathen Pakistan has the same serious reservations about Indian’snegative role inside Pakistan. A former Republican senator andPresident Barack Obama’s Defence Secretary nominee, ChuckHagel accused India of fuelling tensions with Pakistan, claim-ing it is using Afghanistan ‘as a second front’ against Pakistan.“India for some time has always used Afghanistan as a secondfront, and India has over the years financed problems for Paki-stan on that side of the border,” he expressed these views atOklahoma’s Cameron University in 2011

Although, Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharifcategorically made it clear a few days back that Pakistanwould not differentiate between good Taliban and bad Talibanand military operation is successfully in progress againstterrorists in North Waziristan and soon this operation wouldbe extended across the country. He was of the view that thegovernment would chase every terrorist to the end and thecountry would be made free from the clutches of terrorism.But still these things are not enough. Prime Minister MianNawaz Sharif needs an efficient professional diplomatic teamto convey this message to the world leadership that Pakistanis standing shoulder to shoulder with the world in a war againstterrorism. There is very strong anti-terrorism feeling boilingin the hearts of the people at the moment, the governmentshould come forward with a precise stance that its role in awar against terrorism is as clean as a whistle.

US has noconcern

From Back Page

a decision for Pakistan, excuseme. It’s not really ours to weighin on,” Harf said during herdaily press briefing.

The spokesperson added USPresident Barack Obama and USSecretary of State John Kerryspoke to PM Nawaz after the at-tack and extended assistance. Re-sponding to a question of humanrights bodies condemnations ofresumption in executions, Harfsaid, “We just don’t have a posi-tion on that to outline for you.”

such as Lafarge and Holcim arepreparing to merge and becomethe largest cement-producinggroup in efforts to outmaneuverthe rising rivals in the African re-gion. In the interim, Chinese firmLee Building Minerals has startedconstruction of a 300,000 tonnewhite cement factory in Lindi,located in southeasternTanzania.The Middle East re-gions are undergoing major trans-formation as ambitious infrastruc-ture development projects arepaving way for constructionboom. A report by Gulf Invest-ment House underscored that therising demand of cement in theregion is supported by upcomingmajor events such as the 2022FIFA World Cup in Qatar and theWorld Expo in 2020. After the tur-bulent political history, Iraq is theon road of recovery as local, for-eign, public and private investorsshow interest in its cement indus-try. Sinoma International Engi-neering Co Ltd, a Chinese com-pany, has signed a $180 millionengineering contract with Iraq-based Gulf Research Develop-ment to build a cement produc-tion line. Lafarge Iraq has alsoentered into a joint venture withBASF SE, a multinational Ger-man chemical manufacturing cor-poration to set up a new plant forthe production and marketing ofconstruction chemicals in the Iraqiregion of Kurdistan.

Pakistani investorsFrom Back Page

One of Pakistan’s best per-forming sectors, the cement in-dustry, has also embarked on thejourney of global-footprint expan-sion by taking advantage of fa-vorable international conditionslike lower cost of production anda chance to earn precious foreignexchange for the country.

He said the political leadership has tried to comeup to the expectations of the nation.

The meeting of the national parliamentaryleaders adopted a unanimous resolution stronglycondemning the dastardly terrorist attack on aschool in Peshawar.

It was decided to amend the Constitution andrelevant laws to facilitate establishment of themilitary courts. The meeting noted that the na-tion faces extraordinary situation requiring ex-traordinary decisions. The leaders approved rec-ommendations of the National Action Plan Com-mittee about counter-terrorism.

The Awami National Party, Muttahida QaumiMovement and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam–F have alsoreportedly supported the move.

“This is historic occasion for our nation,”Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said at the conclud-ing session.

“Our resolve to fight terror is a strong mes-sage for those who want to destroy Pakistan. Timefor half baked decisions is over,” the PM said.

“We have to act fast and whatever is agreedwe have to implement it immediately...this agree-ment is a defining moment for Pakistan and wewill eliminate terrorists from this country, he said.

Earlier on, a number of political parties voicedtheir support for the idea of establishing militarycourts in the country.

The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf and PakistanMuslim League–Q extended support for the set-ting up of military courts for terrorism trials.

During the meeting Pakistan Tahreek InsafChairman Imran Khan announced his support forthe formation of special military courts to hear

terrorism cases.Speaking at the meeting, Imran said there

should be a specific time frame for these courts.He also stated that PTI would support all stepsbeing taken for counter terrorism.

However, senior PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said:“We are for speedy punishment of terrorists andif the draft legislation for military courts is sharedwith us, we can work out a way within a constitu-tional and legal framework.”

“We will give you our official stance afterreading the relevant document on the establish-ing of military courts,” he said. PML-Q also ex-tended its support for the establishment of mili-tary courts along with Aftab Sherpao of the QaumiWatan Party.

“I fully support this move, the US also hasdone the same in the past,” Senator MushahidHussain told the meeting at PM House.Balochistan National Party’s Hasil Bizenjo alsosupported the idea of establishment of militarycourts and said: “We have to fight the mind set,and stopping now will lead to perpetual failure.If we lose, the next rulers will be the Taliban.”

Ijazul Haq, who heads the Pakistan MuslimLeague–Z said military courts were the solutionto terrorism.

The ANP had earlier said that they sought timeon the matter.

“We need a few days to consult on these mili-tary courts. We want to see the legislation first,”ANP’s Ghulam Bilour said, adding that irrespec-tive of his party’s view on the establishment ofmilitary courts, the state must pull together all itsresources “to fight the terrorists”.

Keep away fromour targets, TTP

asks publicAAMIR MAJEED

KARACHI—Confusion pre-vailed after recovery ofTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) handbill, under subject‘shariah’ or ‘jihad,’ in whichthe banned outfit appealed thepublic for keeping themselvesaway from their set targets toavoid loss of innocent lives.

TTP’s leaflet, which wasdistributed outside mosques inOrangi Town area ofMominabad after Fridayprayer, requested the people tosupport them for a cause thatwas establishment of shariah inPakistan.

West Deputy InspectorGeneral (DIG) Captain TahirNaveed has confirmed that theTTP have distributed leafletsin Orangi Town and claimedthat they were chasing thoseinvolved in this recent activ-ity.

It may be pertinent to men-tion that TTP has massacred141 people, 132 children wereamong them, during hour-longassault at Army Public Schoollocated at Peshawars’ WarsakRoad earlier this month.

As per details, TTP, an out-lawed terrorist organization,has distributed leaflets outsidemosques in Orangi Town areaof Mominabad after Fridayprayer.

force will be raised,* Madrassas will be

regularised,* Total blackout of terror-

ists on media,* Communication system

of terrorist organisations willbe destroyed,

* Social media andinternet will not be allowed tospread hate speech, thoughexact process for that will befinalised,

* Plan will be formulatedfor repatriation of Afghanrefugees,

* To strengthen the anti-terrorism, constitutionalamendments will be made,

* Sectarian terrorists willbe dealt with iron-hands,

* Nacta will be made ac-tive and effective, and

* Formation of armed mi-litia will not be allowed in thecountry

Earlier, addressing theconference of leaders of par-liamentary parties at PrimeMinister House to finalise anational plan of action tocounter terrorism, Prime Min-ister Mian Muhammad Nawazsaid that any form of terrorismwill not be tolerated at Paki-stani soil. He said all partiesare committed to rooting outterrorism from country. Hesaid nation will not satisfy onweak steps of government,adding that weak decisionswill not benefit the countryrather we have to take toughdecisions.

He said we have to maketough decisions without wait-ing for any Peshawar like car-nage. He said Pakistan is fac-ing unusual circumstances andunusual decisions are needed.

Prime Minister said wehave to treat the menace of ter-rorism from country once forall. He said Pakistan and Af-ghanistan are committed totaking action against terrorists.Nawaz said we should nothesitate to take strict decisionsto eradicate terrorism fromcountry.

Prime Minister NawazSharif urged the political lead-ership to take strong and deci-sive decisions to purge thecountry of terrorism. ThePrime Minister stated that ter-rorism has become cancerwhich should be rooted out byall means. He said the govern-ment initiated dialogue pro-cess with militants to peace-fully resolve the issue but theyleft no option after attack onKarachi airport and forced usto launch operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan tribalregion. Zarb-e-Azb operationis successfully progressing, headded.

The Prime Minister saidPakistan and Afghanistan haveagreed not to allow their soilsto be used by the terrorists.Afghan leadership is alsocommitted to eliminate terror-ism. “We had constructivetalks with Afghan leadershipand decided to bilaterally re-solve all issues,” he added.Nawaz Sharif said the barbaricincident of Peshawar schoolattack has united the entire na-tion and it is now looking to-wards the political leaders totake the right decisions. Hesaid the country is passingthrough extraordinary situa-tion which requires extraordi-nary steps. The history and thenation will not forgive us if we

failed to rid the country of thismenace. No religion permitsthe killing of innocent chil-dren, Peshawar incident is theworst example in history, hesaid. He said “we must dem-onstrate total unity to elimi-nate terrorism.”

The Prime Minister saidall the political parties shoulddemonstrate unity and discussthe concerns if they have anyon any issue. Nawaz Sharifsaid the gruesome incident ofPeshawar has united the entirenation and it is now lookingtowards the political leaders totake the right decisions. Hesaid the country is passingthrough extraordinary situa-tion which requires extraordi-nary steps. He said the historyand the nation will not forgiveus if we failed to rid the coun-try of this menace. The PrimeMinister said all the politicalparties should demonstrateunity and discuss the concernsif they have any on any issue.“We are ready to address theconcerns pertaining to the im-minent legislation.”

The Prime Minister saidZarb-e-Azb operation is suc-cessfully going on in NorthWaziristan and there is a direneed to expand it to the entirecountry against those elementswho want to destabilize Paki-stan. Regretting the barbaricincident of Peshawar as theunprecedented in the world’shistory, Nawaz Sharif said Pa-kistan has paid a heavy priceboth in terms of human lossesand economy in the war on ter-ror. “The nation is looking atus, the time has come to taketough decisions and take ad-vantage of this consensus

which we have developed af-ter Peshawar attack,” he said.Nawaz Sharif said the presentgovernment has started a clearcut war against terrorists fol-lowing the failure of dialogueprocess. We tried to resolvethe issue through dialogue andgave more time to this process.But the terror attack onKarachi airport compelled usto start an operation againstthem. He reminded that thedecision of Zarb-e-Azb opera-tion was also taken after con-sultation with the politicalleadership. This operation, hesaid, is producing good re-sults.

Opposition Leader SyedKhursheed Ahmed Shah, PTIChairman Imran Khan,Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,Muhammad Ishaq Dar,Parvez Rashid, ChaudhryAhsan Iqbal, Khawaja SaadRafiq, Abdul Qadir Baloch,Abbas Khan Afridi, Mir JamKamal, JUI-F Amir MaulanaFazlur Rehman, Amir JISirajul Haq, MakhdoomAmin Fahim, ChaudhryAitzaz Ahsan, RajaMuhammad Zafaurl Haq,Shah Mehmood Qureshi, MirHasil Khan Bizinjo, ArmyChief General Raheel Sharif,DG ISI Lt. Gen. RizwanAkhtar, Sherry Rehman,Rehman Malik, Awami Na-tional Party leaders GhulamAhmad Bilour and AfrasiabKhattak, MQM leader BabarGhouri, Khalid MaqboolSididqui, Dr Farooq Sattar,Abdul Rashid Godial,Muhammad Ijazul Haq, Op-position leader in Azad Kash-mir Assembly Raja FarooqHaider Khan, KP GovernorSardar Mehtab Ahmed KhanAbbassi, CM KPK PervezKhattak, Aftab Ahmed KhanSherpao, MNA SahibzadaTariqullah, Sardar JehangirTareen, Dr Shireen Mazari,Dr Arif Alvi, Akram KhanDurrani, Abdul GhafoorHaidery, Irfan siddiqui, AbdulRahim Mandokhel, SenatorMuzzaffar Hussian Shah,Senator Kulsoom Parveen,Senator Saleh Shah, and oth-ers attended the meeting.

Quaid’s birthanniversary

todayISLAMABAD—The 138thbirth anniversary offounder of Pakistan,Quaid-i-Azam MuhammadAli Jinnah will be com-memorated today.Muhammad Ali Jinnah,who was also Pakistan’sfirst Governor General,was born in Karachi onDecember 25, 1876.

Special programmeswould be on air on elec-tronic media the whole daywhile newspapers wouldpublish special editionshighlighting the salient fea-tures of Pakistan Move-ment and contribution ofgreat leaders of the coun-try besides throwing lighton different aspects ofQuaid’s lifestyle and histeachings. —APP

AT a crucial time whenthe government isbusy in chalking out

internal security plan to curbterrorism it still lacks efficientdiplomacy to put its case be-fittingly before the worldleadership to gain their sup-port against terrorism.

Pakistan needs the worldsupport to curb terrorismsince it can not win waragainst terrorism solely re-lying on its own resources.We need to strengthen ourdiplomatic ties with othercountries particularly withAfghanistan, Iran and India.

Pak diplomats need to mobilisesupport against terrorism

We will have to convinceEuropean Union (EU) thatlifting of the moratorium onthe death penalty is the hourof need. We will have to con-vince the world to put pres-sure on India to stop sup-porting and financing thoseterrorist networks which areactive inside Pakistan andtargeting our innocentpeople. We will have to giveconcrete assurance to theworld leadership that Paki-stan will not allow anyoneto use its soil as launchingpad to spread terrorismacross the globe.

Unfortunately, the Euro-pean Union’s reactionagainst lifting ban on death

penalty was not unexpectedbut our foreign office has noeffective diplomatic tools toconvey the complex situa-tion in which Pakistan ispassing through at this cru-cial stage. Similarly, we arenot taking any notice of In-dian venomous allegationsbeing made in print and elec-tronic media that some Paki-stani-based terrorist groupsare planning terrorist attacksinside India. In this regard,Indian medias report that theIndian intelligence agencieshave warned New Delhi ofdesperate attempts beingmade by Pakistan terrorgroups to carry out a ‘’spec-tacular strike’’ in the Kash-

mir Valley during US Presi-dent Barack Obama’s visitto India to draw “interna-tional attention” to theKashmir issue.

This is the sole re-sponsibility of the govern-ment to play its positiverole on diplomatic front toconvince India to sharewith it what kind of solidand concrete informationit has relating to terroristactivities.

It is obvious that afteratrocious attack on ArmyPublic School inPeshawar, the world hasstarted taking Pakistan’s

Speedy trial courts onlyway out................................................Democracy farce sansdemocracy in politicalparties................................................Let PDP form governmentin IHK Continued on Page 7

CommentMuzaffar Ali

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—The corporate sector of Pakistanis progressively willing to bet on Africa andMiddle East, with a majority of the organiza-tions agreeing that there are significant in-vestment opportunities in these regions.

According to a recent survey of over 200Pakistani companies conducted by LahoreUniversity of Management Sciences, about55% of the top corporate managers considerAfrica as a goldmine of future investments.As the local corporations are no longer con-fined to national boundaries it becomes avital need of the hour for companies, relish-ing a sizeable market share in their homecountry, to look for greener internationalpastures. In Pakistan various domestic com-

Pakistani investors find space abroad

panies like Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK),Engro, and Shan Foods have successfullyventured into foreign markets to meet theexistential demand of the regional markets.

Many local and global investors are seek-ing expansion opportunities in the develop-ing countries, bringing forward new invest-ment frontiers for leading cement companies.As the accelerating infrastructure and ur-ban development reshape Africa, the de-mand for building material like cement is in-creasing significantly. Recently, sovereignfund Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD)has made a $300 million investment intoNigeria’s leading publicly-traded company,Dangote Cement. Global cement players

Continued on Page 7

STAFF REPORTER

M U Z A F F A R A B A D — S i xpeople including three Chi-nese engineers were killedWednesday when a wall col-lapsed at a construction sitefor a major dam project inAzad Kashmir, officials said.

The accident happenedat the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro-power project intake site 40kilometres north ofMuzaffarabad, the capital ofthe Pakistan-administeredpart of the disputed Hima-layan territory.

“Four workers includinga Chinese engineer werekilled when a wall col-lapsed,” Sayed Asif Gardezi,a local administration offi-cial, told media.He said a Chinese engineerand two other Pakistaniworkers were injured butthey were out of danger.The incident was confirmedby local rescue officials.

Meanwhile, FederalMinister for Water andPower Khawaja MuhammadAsif has announced com-pensation for the workers ofNelum Jehlum power

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan’s higher judiciarydecided on Wednesday to give top prior-ity to terrorism cases and conduct dailyhearings to clear out a backlog pendingwith the country’s anti-terrorism courts.Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk was chairing ameeting to formulate strategy for thespeedy disposal of terrorism cases.

Following the savage attack by Talibangunmen on a school in Peshawar last week,the chief justice had announced that hewould convene a meeting of the high courtjudges to ensure the speedy disposal ofterrorism cases pending with the ATCs.The meeting decided that trial of militancyrelated terrorism cases shall be given pri-ority and heard on day-to-day basis as pro-vided under the Anti-Terrorism Act. TheAnti-Terrorism Court Judges must bounddown the witnesses, the investigation/prosecution agencies and the defencecounsel for a particular date so that thecases are tried on day-to-day basis. Asregards the Province of Balochistan andthe Malakand Division, where FC/Leviespersonnel/Revenue officials are entrustedwith the registration of FIRs and investi-gation of cases, the concerned Government

ATCs to hear militancycases on daily basis

functionaries shall ensure that police of-ficers, who are actually trained in the pro-cesses of registration/investigation ofcases are immediately inducted by requisi-tioning the services of the suitable per-sonal from the police departments; TheMonitoring Judges of the High Courts shallhold meeting once a month, which will beattended by all the stakeholders, namely,the Presiding Officers of the Anti-Terror-ism Courts, representatives of the investi-gation/ prosecution agencies, jail authori-ties, home departments, etc., so as to sortout the bottlenecks at that level. The re-ports of the monthly meetings shall be for-warded to the Judges of the Supreme Courtsupervising the respective High Courts.The Provincial Governments shall takesteps to reallocate the premises of the Anti-Terrorism Courts in consultation with theChief Justice of the concerned High Courtto facilitate their smooth functioning;

As regards the Anti-Terrorism appealspending in the High Courts and the Su-preme Court, the Courts offices shall bifur-cate the same into militancy related casesand others so that the former categorycases are heard on priority basis.—INP

MIAN ARSHAD

ISLAMABAD—Finance Minister, SenatorMohammad Ishaq Dar here on Wednes-day chaired meeting of the Economic Co-ordination Committee of the Cabinet atthe Prime Minister’s Office.

On a proposal from the Ministry ofNational Food Security & Research the

Neelum-Jhelum dam incident

3 Chinese engineersamong 6 killed

Death execution

US has noconcern

W A S H I N G T O N /ISLAMABAD—US State De-partment spokespersonMarie Harf on Wednesdaysaid the lifting of the mora-torium on the death penaltyin Pakistan is the country’sinternal issue. “Well, clearlythis is an issue for Pakistan

LHC vacates stayorder againstexecutions

STAFF REPORTER

RAWALPINDI—The LahoreHigh Court’s Rawalpindibench on Wednesday va-cated the stay order on thescheduled executions of fivedeath-row prisoners, whowere convicted by a militarycourt for a 2012 attack on anarmy camp in Gujrat thatkilled seven military officials.

The court had stayedthe executions, immediatelyafter which the federal gov-ernment filed a review appealagainst the decision.

Justice ArshadMahmood Tabassum whilehearing the government’s re-view plea and after review-ing copies of the militarycourt’s proceedings andjudgment asserted the pris-oners should be executed.

The convicts – EhsanAzeem, Asif Idrees, AmirYousaf, Kamran Aslam, andUmar Nadeem – were sched-uled to be sent to the gal-lows in Lahore’s KotLakhpat jail on Monday.

Six prisoners have beenhanged since Prime Minis-ter Nawaz Sharif announcedlast week that a six-yearmoratorium on the deathpenalty was being lifted interror cases.

Continued on Page 7

Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressing a meeting of parliamentary leaders at the PM’s Office.

projects who lost their livesin an accident and has di-rected the project manage-ment to take necessary ac-tion in this regard.The Minister also directedprovision of best medical fa-cilities to the injured by theproject management and thecontractors.

Khawaja MuhammadAsif expressed deep griefand sorrow over the loss of

precious lives of the work-ers due to collapse ofdesander wall during rein-forcement of steel on a 24-meter long section onWednesday morning.The Minister also directedthe project management totake all steps for safety of theworkers at the project site.The Minister further di-rected to submit a detailedreport regarding the incident.

ECC lifts duty on potato exportECC lifted the 25% regulatory duty onthe export of potato paving way for itsexport.

The chair was informed that farmershad planted the crop on ten percentlarger area this year and abundant yieldwas on the cards, surely creating a sur-plus. The decision would come into forcewith effect from of December.

Two killed,27 injured inQuetta blast

QUETTA—t least two per-sons on Wednesday werekilled and several otherswere injured in a blast thatexploded in a shop on thePrince Road in Quetta. Ac-cording to the details, fourmotorcycles, four cars anda three-wheeler were de-stroyed in the blast.

The blast echoed to thefar ranges which triggered asense of fear in the resi-dents of the area.

According to thesource, Prince Road is acommercial area and it wasrushy when the blast oc-curred However, the law en-forcement agencies and res-cue teams along with thebomb disposal squad reachedthe spot after learning aboutthe news. —SABA

NEW research from Finland suggestsmany thousands of people who havearthroscopic knee surgery to fix a torn

cartilage could be wasting their time. A reporton the Finnish Degenerative Meniscal LesionStudy (FIDELITY), pub-lished recently in the NewEngland Journal of Medi-cine, finds that the benefitsof keyhole operations to re-pair degenerative meniscaltears are no better than shamoperations.

Previous studies haveshown that keyhole surgeryon the knee does not helppatients with osteoarthritisand such procedures havebecome less common forarthritis sufferers. In themeantime, keyhole surgeryto repair torn cartilage hasrisen significantly, despitelack of evidence that it ac-tually helps, says the Finn-ish team. Knee problemsother than arthritis that causestiffness and pain are very common, and aremost often caused by gradual wear and tearrather than sudden injury or trauma. The mostcommon diagnosis that requires treatment is atorn meniscus, a crescent-shaped cartilage thatacts like a shock absorber and helps stabilizethe knee.

The usual procedure for repairing a tornmeniscus is keyhole surgery or arthroscopy,where the surgeon inserts a scope through asmall incision to examine the joint and, if re-quired, also partially removes the damagedcartilage through another incision. In this newstudy, the Finnish team recruited 146 patientsaged from 35 to 65 with meniscal tears that

had developed through wear and tear ratherthan injury or trauma. None of the patientshad arthritis of the knee.

The researchers randomnly assignedthe patients to one of two groups: one un-

derwent keyhole surgery topartially remove the damagedmeniscus and the other under-went a sham procedure. In thesham procedure, the surgeonssimulated the real operation.They manipulated thepatient’s knee and handledsurgical instruments near theknee so the patient was underthe impression they were be-ing operated on.

Thus both groups under-went arthroscopy, where thescope in inserted into the key-hole so the surgeon can look atthe torn cartilage, but only onegroup actually had part of thecartilage removed. But neitherthe patients, the people caringfor them after the operation, northe researchers analyzing the

results knew which patients had undergonethe real procedure and which had just hadthe sham operation.

The results show that a year later, bothgroups of patients had an equally low rateof symptoms and were equally satisfied withthe overall situation of their knee. Bothgroups of patients said they believed theirknee felt better than before the operation.When asked if they would choose the sameprocedure again, 93% of the partial menis-cectomy group said they would, as did 96%of the sham procedure group. “It’s difficultto imagine that such a clear result would re-sult in no changes to treatment practices.”

Knee ops to repair torncartilage are‘waste of time’

Song Jong HWAN Ambassador of Korea called on Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt,Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at Air Headquarters, Islamabad. Both the digni-taries remained together for some time and discussed matters of professional interest.

Air Chief joins Christmas celebrationswith PAF Christian community

228 students awarded degrees

Graduation ceremony at NationalDefence University

OBSERVER REPORT

ISLAMABAD—Air Chief Marshal Tahir RafiqueButt, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Forcejoined the Christmas celebrations with the PAF’sChristian community held here at Air Headquar-ters, Islamabad today. This year the Christmashas been celebrated with simplicity and no cakecutting ceremony was held at the occasion toexpress solidarity with the Shuhada of Peshawar.

Decoration for Christmas celebrations at St. Joseph Church, Lal Kurti.

Similar activities were arranged at all Re-gional Commands and Bases of Pakistan AirForce where Air Officers Commanding and BaseCommanders joined with Christian communityand exchanged good wishes.

There are a reasonable number of person-nel from Christian community that are servingin PAF. Their happiness and welfare have al-ways been at top priority on the agenda of Paki-stan Air Force.

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD —The 11th gradu-ation ceremony was conductedat National Defence Universityon 24th December 2014. DrMukhtar Ahmed, ChairmanHEC graced the occasion aschief guest. The ceremony wasattended by graduates, faculty,dignitaries and senior militaryand government officials. In to-tal 228 students of Phd, MPhiland MSc were awarded withdegrees from the Faculty ofContemporary Studies. Eightstudents were honored goldmedals for their outstandingachievements in their academiccareer. Two minutes silence wasalso observed to display solidar-ity with the Shuhada of APSPeshawar.

Lt.Gen Javaid Iqbal, Presi-dent NDU congratulated thegraduating batch and stated thata nation’s character is shaped byits educational institutions. Headded that our leadership isgroomed in centers of excel-

lence that train the leaders in in-terpreting pragmatically theevents that unfold at national andinternational level. Thus, civilianscholars and graduates have been

trained along these lines duringtheir studies here at NDU.

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chair-man HEC conferred the degrees

to the graduating students of PhD,MPhil, and MSc programs. Headdressed the congregation andsaid that NDU presents a fineblend of military and civilian stu-

dents, besides a sizeable numberof foreign military officers. Thealumni of NDU feels proud to bepart of NDU as they find ample

opportunities and extensive ex-posure through interaction withintellectuals, think tanks and na-tional and international institu-tions. He further congratulatedNDU for its pivotal role in pro-moting research while creatinga single platform for all politi-cians, military and civil society.

Dr. Mukhtar stressed theimportance of education andtraining which would furtherlead to nation building. He saidit is the hour of need for Paki-stan to unite under the bannerof education and promote thesentiments of nationalism whileleaving our cocoons by joininghands and resolving our inter-nal issues.

NDU is proud to pass onawareness of strategic consid-erations related to security anddefence issues through such dis-ciplines as Strategic Studies,Peace and Conflict Studies, In-ternational Relations, Govern-ment and Public Policy andLeadership and ManagementStudies to our youth.

Students celebrating after receiving degrees.

RAZA UR REHMAN

ISLAMABAD—Chairperson NationalAssembly’s Standing Committee on Informa-tion, Broadcasting and National Heritage hasemphasized upon the need for greater collabo-ration among the media houses and the Gov-ernment for mutually working out an effec-tive strategy so as to counter terrorist narra-tive, on one hand, and to promote media con-tent which neutralizes the traumatic effects ofterrorist activities, one the other.

Chairing 18th meeting of the NA Stand-ing Committee on Information, Broadcasting

and NH, that was convened to work out me-dia strategy in the context of present situa-tion, Ms. Marvi Memon said that the countrywas passing through the most critical phaseof its history and situation demands manifes-tation of greater maturity and sense of respon-sibility by all stakeholders including mediahouses, media persons and all others.

Members of the Standing Committee ofNational Assembly on Information, Broad-casting & National Heritage unanimouslyagreed that further meetings on this all impor-tant agenda would be continued.

The meeting that lasted for over two hours

discussed various issues related to the emer-gent situation and the new requirements es-pecially in the aftermath of terrorist’s attackon innocent children in Peshawar and the com-mitment of the nation to pursue its struggleagainst terrorism till its logical conclusion.

The meeting agreed that in view of thewar like situation in the country there wasa need to undertake extra-ordinary steps in-cluding legislative measures, if needed, toensure that the media represents the nationalaspirations and complements the Govern-ment efforts for the eradication of this men-ace from our soil.

Collaboration among media houses, govtfor affective strategy against terrorism

‘War of Arrows’ tostrengthen

bond of friendshipZUBAIR QURESHI

ISLAMABAD—Embassy of theRepublic of Korea hosted Ko-rean Film Festival in the Paki-stan National Council of Arts(PNCA) Islamabad with the col-laboration of Ministry of Infor-mation, Broadcasting & NationalHeritage and the Pakistan Na-tional Council of Arts. “War ofthe Arrows” directed by KimHan –Min which is Koreas’ firstepic archery action movie pre-sents stylish and distinctive ac-tion sequences. Many actionfilms rely on gun fighting, fistfighting, and sword play. How-ever, Arrow fighting is rarelyused in this genre. This filmtransforms static archery into anintense duel by combining dra-matic tension with Apocalypto.

This event will provide thegood opportunity to Pakistanipeople to understand the Koreanculture. According to a statementby the embassy, Pakistan and Ko-rea share warm and friendly dip-lomatic ties. Pakistan is an impor-tant country for the Republic ofKorea. Both countries are tryingto boost the cultural relations be-tween the two countries.

KARCPPcommitted to uplift

education sectorI S L A M A B A D — K i n gAbdullah’s Relief Campaignfor Pakistani People(KARCPP) is committed tohelp Pakistan in uplifting theeducation sector in country forwhich it has allocated a hugeamount to construct 40 moreschools in flood affected areasof the country.

This was stated by Re-gional Director, KARCCP, DrKhalid M. Al-Othmani whiletalking to media persons. Hesaid that relief and reconstruc-tion projects in calamity hit ar-eas of Pakistan were aimed toexpress solidarity with the af-fected people. The relief andconstruction projects are beingcompleted in different districtsof Pakistan under the directivesof Khadim al Haramin Al-Sharifain, he added. —INP

06:25 01:3003:45

07:00

Zohr

Asr

Isha

Fajar

Meghrab at Sunset

Brothers in Islamestablish regularprayers & charity

Chairman Jinnah Iqbal Literary Forum Rana Abdul Baqi, Naheed Manzoor and Waqar Ahmad, looking at the pic-tures displayed during an exhibition in connection with the birthday anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad AliJinnah at Rawalpindi Arts Council.

IG NH&MP Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema and others praying after inauguration of Safe Driving Institute.

ISLAMABAD—Smoke emitting facto-ries, and hundreds of trucks, enter-ing and leaving I-9 industrial area ev-eryday, are causing air and noisepollution in the area. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) sourcestold APP the number of noise, dustand smoke complaints from the areawere increasing with each passingday.

The residents, specially asthmaand allergy patients, in the 1-9 sec-tor, attribute their problem to theheavy presence of smoke and dustin the industrial area. Tahir Mubeen,an asthma patient, told APP thathundreds of trucks entered and leftthe area. Over 200 trucks use thePotohar Road daily where his shopwas located.

He alleged that the Capital De-velopment Authority did not ensurecleanliness in the sector.

The CDA sweepers were rarelyseen in the area. Mohsin Ali, a resi-dent of the same sector complainedthat scores of trucks that use the roaddaily create a lot of noise and pollu-tion. Subhan Ali, another I-9 resi-dent, said throat, nasal and lungproblems were very common in the

area, adding that the governmentshould not built apartments in locali-ties adjacent to the industrial area.

National Institute of Health (NIH)Allergy Centre’s laboratory expertsaid that the air quality in a city canbe judged by measuring the levelsof particulate matter (PM) in the air.

He said there are different types ofparticles, some are larger and visiblebut harmless, others are smaller, invis-ible and hazardous to health addingIslamabad’s air quality does not meetsafety standards on either count.

Polyclinick Exective Director Doc-tor Zahid warned that noise and airpollution is injurious to human health.Dr Zahid said the smoke emitted bytrucks could cause respiratory infec-tions, exacerbations of bronchialasthma, and high blood pressure.

He warned the smoke also con-tained carcinogens that could causecancer. He said the dust could causerespiratory problems.

Islamabad Traffic Police inspec-tor Zubair Abbasi said that truckscould only use link roads to enter orleave the city.

CDA Environment ProtectionCell official said the civic body had

warned factories against pollutingenvironment through notices andwould proceed against the smokeemitting or effluent discharging in-dustrial units.

He informed APP that environ-ment protection laws were also be-ing amended. Environmental Protec-tion Agency (EPA) Director GeneralKhurshid Ahmed said the phenom-enon has been going on for a while,adding that pollution fromRawalpindi also affects the air qual-ity of the capital. He said, EPA alongwith ICT has taken some steps toimprove air quality, including encour-aging new technology to clean thegasses released by steel mills in sec-tors 1-9 and 1-10.

“The new equipment are more ef-fective than the old technology be-ing used right now,” Khurshid said.Islamabad is now close to crossing1.6 million population mark, and itssix per cent per annum growth ratemakes it the fastest growing city inPakistan. “The future regarding airquality is bad for this city. This situ-ation, which is bad right now, will befour times worse in the next tenyears,” said Khurshid.—APP

Smoke emitting factories, cargo truckscausing noise, air pollution in Sector I-9

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Christmas shopping is in fullswing in twin cities of Islamabad andRawalpindi, with most of the shopping cen-ters crowded with Christians.

Shopkeepers have set up stalls ofChristmas cards and other related items infront of their shops to attract maximum cus-tomers.

Readymade garments shops and road-side stalls had seen their sales surge overthe last week. Riaz Ahmad, a shopkeeper atKarachi Company, who runs a garmentshop, said, “Our business has picked up inthe past couple of weeks.

Shoppers complained that the prices ofmost garments were beyond their reach.Pervaiz Masih said he had compromise qual-

ity of clothes to ensure that he could buy anew dress each for his wife and three chil-dren.

Christian community would celebrateChristmas with simplicity to express soli-darity with the martyrs of Army PublicSchool, Peshawar.

“There is no room for being over-joy-ous on the eve of Christmas this year,” saidVincent David.

Christmas cards distributed to friendsand family members, decoration of homesand illumination of churches used to beparts of the celebrations.

The most attractive piece of Christmascelebrations used to be decoration of Christ-mas trees in every colony of Christian com-munity to welcome Santa Clause, known asthe Father Christmas.

Christmas shopping in fullswing in twin cities

RAZA UR REHMAN

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan is facing a silentcrisis of malnutrition that is amongst theworst in the world and has not improvedfor decades. Amid such grim situation asfar as the menace of malnutrition is con-cerned, a two-day National Conference onthe State of Nutrition in Pakistan and for-mation of the Scaling Up Nutrition CivilSociety Alliance(SUN-CSA) was con-vened here in Islamabad.

Federal Minister for Planning & De-velopment Mr. Ahsan Iqbal chaired thefirst day of the conference. Mr. SikandarHayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister forNational Food Security & Research con-cluded the Conference on the second day.

The Conference observed one-minutesilence to pay homage to the victims ofterrorism at Peshawar school. Prior toopening the first session, member SUN-CSA Election Advisory Committee & Di-rector PILER Zulfiqar Shah appreciated thefact that Civil Society has joined forces tocombat the malnutrition issue.

Arshad Mahmood,member SUN-CSAElection Advisory Committee & DirectorCRG, Save the Children, pondered uponthe significance of Alliance, its objectivesand anticipated goals. He saidall provin-cial governments should approve andimplement Provincial Multi Sectoral Nutri-tion Strategies by allocating/ arranging re-quired financial and human resources.

He also stressed on enactment of“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Protection and Pro-motion of Breastfeeding Bill” and called

other provinces and federal governmentto take necessary steps for implementa-tion of breastfeeding laws such as re/acti-

vating infant feeding boards and breastfeeding committees. Aslam Shaheen, Gov-ernment SUN Focal Person praised the

Alliance’s contributions and efforts to makethe scaled up nutrition a reality. He was ofthe view: “The government’s un waveringcommitment to lower the staggering child& mother mortality rates in Pakistan stemsout of up scaling Nutrition through multisectoral nutrition policy”

After the inaugural session, a docu-mentary on Nutrition was screenedwhich depicts the nutritional depravityacross the country. Dr. Noshad Ali Khanof Aga Khan University and Dr. NeelKanth of HELP organization updatedthe audience about situation of malnu-trition Nutrition situation in Pakistan.Dr. Tanveer, Chief Executive of HANDSdeliberated on effects of emergenciesand poor health services on nutrition.Dr. Muhammad Ali of Pakistan FisherFolk Forum pondered upon the Impactand relevance of land rights & food se-curity with nutrition.

Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Plan-ning and Development unequivocally ap-preciated the formulation of Alliance forscaling up the nutrition in Pakistan. Hecalled upon all the stakeholders to not onlyfight the challenges Pakistan is facingnowadays but put up a unified front tocounter malnutrition in Pakistan. He wasof the view: “It is a glaring fact that Paki-stan sustains one of the worst nutritionalrates and government has initiated manynational level program to counter malnu-trition in Pakistan”.

State of nutrition in Pakistan

Pakistan faces silent crises ofmalnutrition, not improved for decades

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan with participants of nationalconference on Nutrition and launch of Civil Society Alliance Pakistan.

Safe driving training

Driving depends upon skillsof driver, quality of vehicle

CITY REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Safe driving mainly de-pends upon the skills of the driveralong with quality of vehicles and con-dition of the road. Keeping in view theimportance of safe driving, MotorwayPolice has launched “Safe DrivingTraining Institute” at par with interna-tional standard.

The institute has incorporatedunique style of training with latesttechnology. These views were ex-pressed by Inspector General, NationalHighways & Motorway Police,Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema, during theopening ceremony of “Safe DrivingTraining Institute”, at NH&MP linesheadquarters, Islamabad. “

SSP Sikandar Hayat gave briefingto the participants of the ceremony.”It

is the only institute of its kind wheredriving training will be impartedthrough simulator”, he said.

The SSP numerated various ben-efits of the use of Driving Simulatorsand told “ The first benefit of a drivingsimulator is that trainees can be ex-posed to different driving conditionsin a realistic, virtual environment thatwould be far too hazardous to prac-tice in real life. Driving simulator soft-ware may allow you to design yourown scenario. The most importantbenefit of simulator is that, everythingeach student does behind the wheelduring a session is recorded. The en-tire incident can be replayed from multiangles for analysis and discussion ifrequired”.

While talking to the participants,the Inspector General, NH&MP,

Zulfiqar Ahamd Cheema said that likePassport and CNIC systems in Paki-stan, only one prestigious and trust-worthy department, like MotorwayPolice should be authorized to issuedriving licenses all over the countrywithin next few years.

The ceremony was attended bysenior bureaucrats, diplomats, seniorpolice officers, members of civil soci-ety and media representatives whowere of the view that “Safe DrivingTraining Institute” would be anotherfeather in the NH&MP cap. The par-ticipants said that under the supervi-sion of qualified instructors and withthe help of driving simulator special-ist and well-trained drivers would beon wheels. It would be an imperativemile stone towards making highwayssafer, they added.

December 25Tribute to martyrs

THE Radio Pakistan haveorganized a Tribute to mar-tyrs of Peshawar followedby a candlelit vigil at Broad-casting House today(Thursday) at five p.m. Theofficials of the organizationwill attend the event to ex-press solidarity with thefamily of the schoolchildrenand teachers martyred inghastly terrorist attack onArmy Public School,Peshawar on December 16.Minister for Information andBroadcasting, PervaizRashid is likely to be thechief guest.

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq andMurtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker Na-tional Assembly Wednesday, said that everyPakistani should follow the golden principlesof Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah toPakistan a place where peace and prosperityprevails.

They said that it is imperative to unite todefeat the nefarious designs of the perpetra-tors to destabilize the country. They expressedthese views in their separate messages to na-tion on 138th Birth Anniversary of Quaid-e-

Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Speakersaid that Quaid-e-Azam was a great leader of20th Century and was a symbol of integrityand honesty. He also envisioned that everycitizen should have equal opportunities ofeducation, health, progress and justice, hesaid. The Deputy Speaker National Assem-bly said that the befitting way to pay tributeto Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is toforge unity among our ranks, work hard forthe progress and prosperity of the country.He said that we should focus on unity, faithand discipline in order to lead Pakistan toprogress and prosperity.

NA Speaker, Deputy Speakerurge to follow principles of Quaid

STAFF REPORTER

RAWALPINDI—Rawalpindi Arts Coun-cil arranged a photographic exhibitionhere on Wednesday to commemoratethe birth anniversary of Quaid-e-AzamMuhammad Ali Jinnah. More than100 rare pictures of great leader wereexhibited in the art gallery of thisCouncil. Chairman Jinnah Iqbal FikriForum Rana Abdul Baqi flanked byNaheed Manzoor and Resident Direc-tor RAC Waqar Ahmed inauguratedthe exhibition which was also attended

by a large number of people from dif-ferent walk of life.

Addressing after inaugural cer-emony, Chairman Jinnah Iqbal FikriForum Rana Abdul Baqi said work,work and work this was the messageof great leader and he succeeded inachieving a separate homeland, Pa-kistan for the Muslims of sub con-tinent by adhering to this philoso-phy.

“He laid out the principles of unity,organization and faith for the nationto make headway on the path to

progress and development,” he added.Naheed Manzoor said that Quaid-e-Azam was the great leader of the sub-continent and our youth must followhis teachings.

Resident Director RAC WaqarAhmed said that aim to display rarepictures and historical documents per-taining to Quaid-e-Azam was to high-light different aspects of the life ofQuaid-e-Azam who united the Mus-lims of the Subcontinent for acquiringa separate homeland. The exhibitionwill continue at RAC till December 28.

Quaid’s historical pictures exhibited

RDA demolishesillegally

constructedbuilding

RAWALPINDI—Under thedirections of CommissionerRawalpindi Division / Direc-tor General (DG) RawalpindiDevelopment Authority(RDA), Capt (R) ZahidSaeed, Enforcement Wing ofRDA is continuously con-ducting operations againstillegal constructions andencroachments in theRawalpindi. RDA’s Enforce-ment team with the assis-tance of Rawalpindi Policefrom the concerned PoliceStation carried out an opera-tion against illegal construc-tion in the area of GulrezHousing Society, KothaKalan Rawalpindi and de-molished an illegally con-structed building in a two-kanal plot in Street 9.

The owner of the build-ing was constructing a resi-dential building in violationof RDA building and zoningregulations. Operation wascarried out by the RDA’sEnforcement team in the su-pervision of RDA’s Enforce-ment incharge Rana TariqJaved.

DG RDA has directedEnforcement Wing to takestrict action against illegalconstructions and encroach-ments without any fear andinfluence.—Online

MUZAFFARABAD: Al-Mustafa Welfare Society members assembled here on Wednesdy to celebrate Jashan Eid-i-MiladMustafa (SLM).

Srinagar: Clashes erupted in Maisuma as police used force against demonstrators where JKLF chief Yasin Malik was having hunger strike on Wednes-day.

DR JAVID IQBAL

KASHMIR centricity of regional parties willbe severely tested in post poll scenario, particularly in a hung assembly. People have

voted for Kashmir centricity, which implies aworking partnership of Kashmir centric parties,notwithstanding their differences. Moreover thedifferences are personality centric, otherwise NC’sautonomy or PDP’s self rule plank in essenceamounts to two sides of the same coin. Psephologyis not my cup of tea; hence I could not venture topredict results, before they were actually out.However varied conjectures could be projected tostate the widely held public perception. Now thatboth PDP or NC are well short of 44+, failure towork out a legislative majority within Kashmircentric political sphere would mean violating thesanctity of public mandate. In case of either of thetwo regional parties would have attained 44+ andformed government on its own, still on Kashmircentric issues, they needed to be on the same pageto retain the sanctity of the mandate.

NC-PDP: Kashmir CentricityKashmir centricity may not be taken to imply

valley centric. It means holding the interests ofJammu and Kashmir State paramount. Besides thevalley, Jammu and Kashmir has large Kashmirispeaking areas on other side of Pir Panchal. Thatforms the overwhelming majority of the state.Other ethnicities, linguistic or otherwise need tobe provided due weightage. Due weightage, how-ever, may not be taken to mean minority overrid-ing the majority interests, be it political or eco-nomic. Insistence on parallel narratives represent-ing minority interests may be a recipe for frag-mentation, however unlikable it may be. Mutu-ally beneficial relationship has to be the mantra,if JK state has to retain its present form.

Vis-à-vis regional parties, people in spite ofvoting for them have reservations, as their Kash-mir centricity is poorly spelt. Regional parties—NC and PDP endorse accession, as much as allIndia parties—Congress and BJP, hence they couldbe labeled as accessionists. Subtle differencesthough are projected, pointing to quantum of ac-cession. NC in addition is on record as having

stated on the floor of legislative assembly thataccession does not amount to merger [refer OmarAbdullah’s speech in 2010], however, NC and PDPbelieve in finality of accession. And finality im-plies irreversibility; call of no merger provides acosmetic touch to the fundamental take.

Neither of regional parties calls accession con-ditional, hence their plea for conflict resolutionlacks thrust. If accession is final, there is no dis-pute, and if there is no dispute, what is the con-flict about and where is the need for resolution?Yet, PDP and NC pronounce Kashmir centricityand pedal soft separatism by political semantics.Is it mere skulduggery, a façade or regional par-ties want to prove to the electorate—the peoplewho voted for them that their Kashmir centricityis real? The reality would face a tough test in thedays to come, it has to be much more than skindeep.

While both regional parties support irrevoca-bility of accession, their plea of Indo-Pak dialogueto settle Kashmir may not be that important. Kash-mir dispute for regional parties is an issue to be

settled within the Indian constitution, hence theirplea for Indo-Pak dialogue is at best meant to be adiktat of ground facts, as they visualize through anarrow prism. Ground facts are multi-centric. PDPlike no-merger-take of NC has gone a shade fur-ther to convince the electorate of their Kashmircentricity. Their plea for intra-Kashmir link-upacross LoC has more of an economic content thanposing political challenge of any sort.

Whatever the intent, ever since LoC trade tookoff, over the years it has still to settle exchangerates. It continues to be the ilk of barter trade ofancient ages, and remains limited to twenty odditems. Cross LoC trade pales in comparison toIndo-Pak trade through direct or indirect channels.Dubai route is often quoted as an indirect chan-nel. PDP if it forms the next government on itsown or becomes a major stakeholder in a coali-tion has to prove to the electorate that their Kash-mir centric push carries a political message. Onsimilar grounds, if NC has a role to play, it has toprove its Kashmir centricity by holding on to itsprojected view that accession does not imply

merger. Both PDP and NC have to walk the talk;the past though is a poor reflection of their deeds.

NC and PDP in representation of Kashmircentricity have failed the electorate repeatedly.NC’s autonomy resolution passed by an abso-lute majority was summarily rejected byVajpayee regime. A regime many in regionalpolitical stream as well as some amongstfreedomists like to bracket with ‘Insaniyat’ hashad no hesitation in doing so, still NC alignedwith it. In the days to come, the defrauded elec-torate would scrutinize the party further. Evena hint of aligning with BJP in its new no holdsbarred RSS garb could be a total dilution ofKashmir centricity. If NC has faulted time andagain, so has PDP. Top brass of PDP leadershiphas in the past facilitated the erosion of article370 to the extent, where it is unrecognizable inits original form. Both the regional parties maythank their stars that once bitten twice shy doesnot hold true in Kashmir…there is room for in-trospection!

—Courtesy: Greater Kashmir

KULGAM—Scores of persons were injuredwhen the supporters of CPI(M) and People’sDemocratic Party clashed with one anotherat Sonigam hamlet of South Kashmir’sKulgam district. Eyewitnesses told CNS thatCPI(M) supporters assembled at Tarigam vil-lage and marched towards district headquar-ters to welcome their winning candidateMuhammad Yousuf Tarigami.

“As the march reached near Sonigam, thesupporters of CPI(M) started dancing andsome of them even removed their clothes andset fire crackers in air. This gesture infuri-ated some the PDP supports who hurledstones on them that resulted in an intenseclash between the two groups,” an eyewit-ness said.

Reports said that CPI(M) workers retali-ated and attacked the houses of some PDPand Jamat-e-Islami workers. “The CPI(M)supporters caused immense damage to myload-carrier (JK18-1864) and tried to set iton fire. However, the timely intervention onpart of police forced them to retreat from theplace,” a local Zahoor Ahmed told CNS.

Another local Nazir Ahmed said thatCPI(M) workers attacked his house whileone of them hurled a stone that hit the headof her 6 year old daughter, Masrat Banoo,”

CPI(M), PDP workersclash, scores injured

‘Houses and vehicles attacked’

said Nazir Ahmed adding that her daughterhas suffered a serious injury and is beingtreated in District Hospital Kulgam. Reportssaid that CPI(M) workers smashed the win-dowpanes of scores of houses allegedly be-longing to PDP and Jamat-e-Islami support-ers.

Some of the houses which were damagedduring the clashes belonged to MuhammadYouqub Parrey, Ajaz Ahmed Parrey, NazirAhmed Dar, Ghulam Ahmed Dar, BashirAhmed Parrey and Muhammad IsmailParrey. Reports said that at least six vehicleswere also damaged during the clashes.

A CPI(M) supporter held PDP workersresponsible for the mess. He said that PDPsupporters attacked them without any provo-cation. “We were celebrating our victory andwere moving towards Kulgam to greet ourleader. They (PDP workers) hurled stones onus that resulted in chaos and confusion,” hesaid.

Reports said that the mob was dispersedonly after police fired some bullets in air.“We fired some tear-smoke shells but thatdid not help us to disperse them,” a policeofficial said that adding that a case has beenregistered against the guilty responsible forthe disruption of law and order.—KW

Omar tendersresignation

JAMMU—Omar Abdullah,Chief Minister, called onN.N. Vohra, GovernorJammu and Kashmir onWednesday afternoon andsubmitted his resignation asChief Minister.

The Governor acceptedAbdullah’s resignation andrequested him to continue inoffice till alternative ar-rangements are made.

Soon after submitting hisresignation, Chief MinisterOmar Abdullah told report-ers that PDP and BJP haveemerged as the largest par-ties in the state and it is upto them to form the govern-ment.

He said that he is leav-ing for London to enquireabout the health of his par-ents. “It is of no use for meto stay in Jammu and Kash-mir. I am leaving for Londonto see my ailing parents,” hesaid.

He added that there is noreason for us to keep anyonein or out of power. “As Ihave been saying since yes-terday it is not the duty ofNational Conference to formthe government nor it is dutyof NC to help anyone formthe government,” he saidadding that it is the duty ofPDP and BJP to form thegovernment and let us seewhat they will do.

Omar Abdullah made itclear that his party had no dis-cussions with anybody on gov-ernment formation.—KW

BJP appointsKashmirobservers

NEW DELHI—The BharatiyaJanata Party on Wednesdayappointed observers for Jammuand Kashmir a day after theparty’s good show in the as-sembly elections in the dis-puted state. For Jammu andKashmir, Finance MinisterArun Jaitley and party secretaryArun Singh have been ap-pointed as observers.

The Parliamentary boardmeeting was attended by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, BJPPresident Amit Shah, ArunJaitley, Rajnath Singh, SushmaSwaraj and M. VenkaiahNaidu, among others. On Tues-day, Jammu and Kashmir gavea highly-fractured verdict inwhich the PDP emerged thesingle largest party throwing updifferent possibilities in gov-ernment formation.The ruling National Confer-ence suffered a defeat when itsecured only 15 seats against28 it had won in the last elec-tions. Its partner in the govern-ment Congress slipped to thefourth position getting only 12seats.—KD

SRINAGAR—In occupied Kashmir, severalpeople were injured when Indian police usedbrute force against Jammu and Kashmir Lib-eration Front activists during a protest demon-stration in Srinagar, today. The police resortedto tear-gas shelling and baton-charge to dispersethe protesters, who had gathered at Maisuma andBudshah Chowk to express solidarity with theillegally detained JKLF Chairman, MohammadYasin Malik.

The JKLF Chief is continuing hunger strikefor the past four days against the reign of terrorunleashed by Indian police in Maisuma and ad-jacent areas of Srinagar. The puppet authoritieshad shifted ailing Muhammad Yasin Malik, fromSrinagar’s Soura Medical Institute to district jailin Islamabad, yesterday. Senior leader of

MAISUMA, IHK—Government forcesWednesday used tear smoke shells to dis-perse the protesting people who had as-sembled to express solidarity with Jammuand Kashmir Liberation Front chiefMuhammad Yasin Malik who was observ-ing a hunger strike against ‘the high-hand-edness of police’ against people living inSrinagar’s Maisuma and adjacent locali-ties.

Malik had alleged that police have beenresorting to random arrests of youth livingin the locality— considered to be a bastionof the JKLF— and its adjacent localities.Eyewitnesses said that soon after his releaseon Tuesday evening, Malik along with his

Several JKLF activistsinjured in police action

SRINAGAR—State Congress Chief ProfessorSaif-u-Din Soz while terming Mufti MuhammadSayeed as a sound and seasoned politicianWednesday said that Congress party is in touchwith People’s Democratic Party as far as gov-ernment formation process is concerned.

Soz told CNS that it is the Mufti MuhammadSayeed who has to take initiative, as Congressparty has no such numbers to do so. “My party

Malik ends hunger strikesupporters had erected a tent at BudshahChowk to continue his hunger strike.

Eyewitnesses said as the police triedto remove Malik and his supporters fromthe site, groups of youth attacked themwith stones. Residents of Maisuma allegedthat police thrashed innocent people mer-cilessly and even did not spare women.“Rafiqa Banoo, a woman resident, alsosuffered injuries when a tear smoke shellfired by the police hit her leg,” said a lo-cal. A JKLF press release said about 18people received injuries due to police shell-ing and cane charge including party activ-ist Molvi Reyaz and aunt of Malik.

Malik breaks his fast after five days in

Srinagar. The clashes between youth and po-lice resulted in chaos and confusion in the areaas shopkeepers downed their shutters whiletransport remained off the road. Reports saidthat after hours of stone battles between youthand government forces, the authorities releasedall the four persons that were picked up by thepolice. Malik had gone on hunger strike whilebeing in a hospital after police had detainedthe four youth last week.Soon after the release of the four personsincluding a father and his son, Malik endedhis hunger strike. Locals identified the re-leased persons as Ashiq Ahmed,Muhammad Yousuf, Ishfaq Ahmed andSuhail Ahmed.—KD

Hurriyet Conference Jammu and Kashmir,Shabbir Ahmad Shah in a statement issued inSrinagar said that India would have to acceptthe reality over the Jammu and Kashmir dis-pute and resolve it as per Kashmiris’ aspirations.

The All Parties Hurriyet Conference leader,Zafar Akbar Butt, addressing public gatheringsin different areas of Srinagar said that India waspromoting social evils in the territory to drivethe Kashmiri youth away from the ongoing lib-eration movement.In Islamabad, the APHC-AJK chapter at a meet-ing chaired by its Convener, Syed YousufNaseem, rejecting the so-called elections in oc-cupied Kashmir said that these sham polls couldnot be substitute to the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.—KMS

Congress-PDP in touch forgovt formation: Soz

can’t take any initiative as we lack numbers. Itis Mufti Sahab who has to take initiative andhopefully everything will be alright,” he said.

Responding to a question, Soz said thatMufti being a seasoned politician will give nochance or room to BJP to form government inthe state. “Things will come on track and everything willget clear in coming days,” he said.—KW

SRINAGAR—In occupied Kashmir, the JammuKashmir Salvation Movement Chairman, ZafarAkbar Butt today addressed several gatheringsin Mochva, Gulzarpora, Wanpora and Kaniporaareas of Budgam district during mass contactprogram.

Accompanied by party leaders and activists,Zafar Akbar Butt expressed concern over grow-ing social evils and moral degradation in the so-ciety and urged upon the people particularly par-ents to fight the menace for strengthening theongoing freedom struggle.

He urged upon the religious and Pro-free-dom organizations to initiate concrete steps forbringing an end to social evils and moral degra-dation in the society as the polluted society can’tstrive for the cause effectively.

He condemned the acid attack, which tookplace in Nowshera Srinagar and also con-demned the brutal murder of Muneera d/oMohd Ramza in Nowpora. He said that the

Zafar urges end tosocial evils

graph of social evils was comparatively verylow before the day Indian army occupiedKashmir illegally. “Army’s illegal occupation,which ensured free flow of alcohol, and freeflow of drugs are the main reasons of grow-ing social evils and moral degradation.” Headded.He demanded stern action those involved inthe acid attack and murder of a female inWanpora and emphasized the need of unityof the leadership for fighting the social prob-lems of the society.

He paid glowing tributes to martyrs of thearea and pledged to take the ongoing freedomstruggle to its logical conclusion. Zafar AkbarButt was accompanied by party leaders in-cluding Abdul Qayoom, Shabir Ahmad,Naseer Ahmad and Farooq Ahmad. He alsoexpressed deep sorrow and grief over the saddemise of Abdul Gaffar Wani, Abdul RahimSofi and Mehraj-u-din.—KMS

SRINAGAR—In occupied Kashmir, the activ-ists of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Frontobserved a one-day hunger strike to expresssolidarity with the JKLF ailing Chairman,Muhammad Yasin Malik, at Maisuma inSrinagar, today. JKLF leaders, activists andpeople from all walks of life joined the strike,”said a statement issued by the party.

The demonstrators closed the fly-over and

JKLF activists hold protest in SrinagarBudshah Bridge at Maisuma. MuhammadYasin Malik is observing an indefinite hungerstrike for the past few days against the atroci-ties unleashed by the Indian police against lo-cal youth.

“Police have detained innocent youth,JKLF activists and is committing atrocitiesupon locals of other areas adjacent toMaisuma,” the statement added.—KMS

Detention ofHurriyet leaders

denouncedSRINAGAR—In occupiedKashmir, Hurriyet leaders,Muhammad Yousuf Naqas andZamruda Habib have con-demned the detention ofHurriyet leaders and activistsincluding the ailing Chairmanof Jammu and Kashmir Libera-tion Front, Mohammad YasinMalik.—KMS

HAMEED SHAHEEN

KOTLI (AJK)—The AJK RevenueDepartment’s employees who had gone on strikefor demanding restoration of 1991 service ruleshad postponed their strike till January 10, 2015,spokesman Sardar Pervez told Pakistan Ob-

AJK Revenue employeespostpone strike

server on telephone Wednesday.The postponement came on the sympathetic

assurance by the AJK Prime Minister Ch AbdulMajid to the representatives of the strikers whomet him in Mirpur on Tuesday.The employees are demanding restoration of1991 ministerial rules and service quota both.

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begin as hobbies.Jacques Cousteau

invented scubadiving because heenjoyed exploringcaves. The Wrightbrothers invented

flying as a relieffrom the monotony

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—Freeman Dyson

Ali BoI directorISLAMABAD—ZulfiqarAli, Deputy Director(BS-18) of Board ofInvestment, IFC Lahore,office has been promotedto the post of Director(BS-19) and he join hisduty in the PrimeMinister’s Office, Boardof Investment, Islamabadon December 17, 2014. —PR

ISE-10 index staysbullishISLAMABAD—TheIslamabad Stock Ex-change (ISE) on Wednes-day witnessed bullishtrend as the ISE-10 indexwas up by 24.15 points toclose at3957.59 points.According to the ISEdata, a total of 51,900shares were traded,which showed a negativegrowth of 400,600 shares,when compared withprevious day’s trading of452,500 shares. Out of152 companies, shareprices of 72 companiesrecorded increase whilethose of 80 companieswitnessed decrease. Theshare price of PakistanTabacco increased by Rs44.60 while that of FazalTextile decreased by Rs31.68 per share.—APP

YELLOWannounces endseason saleKARACHI—YELLOW,an international fashionhouse fashion housefrom Bangladesh, kickoff their end of seasonsale with a flat 50%discount across storesin Pakistan. The 50%discount offer is validon all YELLOW stockincluding their men’swear line of formal andsemi-formal shirts,pants, trousers, t-shirtsand ladies line of t-shirts, tops, jeans andaccessories. YELLOW,a premium-clothingbrand for men & womenmostly distinguished forits true internationalquality designs andfabrics, has four storesacross Pakistan, withthree outlets in Karachiand one outlet inLahore.—PR

ISLAMABAD—In order to ensure investors protection andcapacity building of the capital market institutions, thenewly appointed Chairman of the Securities and ExchangeCommission of Pakistan (SECP), Zafar-ul-Haq Hijazi, hasstarted implementing a robust reforms agenda for the capi-tal markets. The Chairman reaffirmed the resolve of theSECP that there shall be no compromise on the investors’interests and will be zero tolerance for market misconductand unfair trade practices. The market monitoring systemand the enforcement regime will be strengthened, he saidin a statement.

The focus of the reforms agenda will be on strength-ening the market monitoring and enforcement regime andintroduction of structural reforms for market developmentand outreach, investor’s protection and capacity build-ing of the capital market institutions. At the forefront ofthe reforms roadmap is strengthening of the SECP’s en-forcement regime. The monitoring and surveillance capa-bilities of the apex regulator will be enhanced by strength-ening the surveillance teams and infrastructure to ensuretimely detection of market misconduct and unfair tradepractices and appropriate enforcement action in a swiftand equitable manner.

On the market development side, various initiatives

New SECP Chairman gives reforms agenda tostrengthen stock market regulations

will be taken such as further development and broaden-ing of the e-IPO facility network through a centralizedsystem. To attract new listings, efforts will be made tosimplify the existing manual procedures for listings, andto suitably amend the relevant rules and regulations. Also,to bring the IPO process on a par with the developedmarkets, the SECP will revise the existing book buildingprocess to make it more efficient and transparent.

A web-based system of book building will be pro-vided through the platform of the clearing company toensure a more user-friendly, neutral and transparent model.Considering that the small and medium enterprises carryan immense potential to create economic and social growth,a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Board will be in-troduced at the stock exchanges to facilitate listing ofSMEs. Specialized regulations will be introduced to ratio-nalize the listing process for smaller companies while en-suring appropriate safeguards for capital market inves-tors.

Sukuk is a viable and efficient alternative for fund rais-ing. A regulatory framework is being prepared for the is-sue of Sukuk and Participation Term Certificate. Also, ef-forts will be made to create liquidity in the existing com-modities exchange through introduction of new products,

and improving existing risk management regime and frame-work for default management at the PMEX. The SECPwould also take measures to increase the depth of thecapital market and broaden the investor base.

Investor protection is the essence of the SECP’s re-forms agenda and is of top most priority. Some key re-forms in this regard are the introduction of Direct Settle-ment Service mechanism at the depository companywhereby investor accountholders will obtain direct settle-ment facility through the CDC in addition to custody ser-vice, to prevent unauthorized use of clients’ securities bybroker participants. In order to minimize the chances ofmisuse of investors’ assets, a similar product titled Na-tional Custodial Services (NCS) will soon be launched atthe clearing company.

The NCS will offer investors a facility of centralizedclearing, settlement and custodial services without in-volvement of brokers. Furthermore, an “Asset under Cus-tody” regime will be introduced at the CDC to curtail un-limited custody of investors’ assets with a broker, limitingthe threat and uncertainty faced by investors in the eventof default by the broker. A web-based investor’s com-plaint system will be launched. The SECP also understandsthe importance of key capital market infrastructure insti-

tutions and intermediaries and plans to strengthen theirrisk management capabilities.

In this context, a revised broker registration regimewill be introduced to cater to the changing dynamics ofthe brokerage business. The new regime will introduce acode of conduct for brokers. This code of conduct willenhance investors’ protection and ensure proper man-agement of risk.

Moreover, a code of corporate governance will alsobe introduced for brokerage houses to improve corporategovernance framework for such entities. Further, a con-cept of global inspection of brokers is under studywhereby multiple inspections of brokers by the SECP,system auditors and the CDC will be replaced by a singlecomprehensive inspection regime, thereby removing in-efficiencies and overlaps. Given the significance of theclearing company’s role, efforts are in progress to giveNCCPL the status of a Central Counter Party through ap-propriate changes to its regulations and the current de-fault management process. In addition, a Settlement Guar-antee Fund of appropriate size in accordance with actu-arial valuations will be raised to ensure a robust and effi-cient default management regime in accordance with thebest international practices.—APP

KARACHI: President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zakari Usman ring the bell in theTrading Hall of Karachi Stock Exchange during his visit.

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—SAS, the leader in businessanalytics software and services has an-nounced the extension of their agreementwith Soneri Bank Limited (SBL), one ofPakistan’s leading commercial banking in-stitutions. SBL is enhancing their use ofSAS through a new modernization wave oftheir existing SAS Enterprise Risk Manage-ment and AML solutions. This will furtherenable the bank with ad-vanced approaches of riskmanagement and the additionof SAS Visual Analytics.

“SAS has been associ-ated with Soneri Bank for thepast 5 years in support ofkeeping pace with the dy-namic regulatory environments, whilelaying the foundations for a more efficientand scalable risk management system.Soneri Bank is modernizing its risk infra-structure in a strategic move to help drivecompetitive advantage by leveraging arobust risk and compliance infrastruc-ture.” Amir Sohrabi, General Manager,SAS Middle East. SBL already utilizesSAS® Anti-Money Laundering and

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—The LPG Association of Paki-stan (LPGAP) has assured the PetroleumMinistry that association would make allout efforts to reduce the LPG price in thelarger interest of the consumers. The as-surance was made by the LPG Associationof Pakistan during a meeting with the Fed-eral Petroleum Minister Shahid KhaqanAbbasi here on Wednesday. Chairman ofthe Association Farooq Iftikhar was lead-ing the delegation while other members werealso present on the occasion. FarooqIftikhar said that recent hike in LPG priceswere not because of marketing companiesbut due to growing gap between demandand supply.

“There is a crucial shortage of LPGdue to cool weather and gas load shed-ding but LPG Association of Pakistan ismaking out its all out efforts to overcomethe shotage as some of its members areimporting LPG which will be available to

AMANULLAH KHAN

KARACHI—A new chapter of profession-alism, merit and transparency is being con-ceived by the business community as aresult of new UBG leadership well poisedto sweep forthcoming FPCCI elections onDecember 29 which firmly committed tobrush aside personality cult and one manrule from the apex body. Central leader ofUnited Business Group (UBG) and Chair-man Southern Zone, Senator AbdulHaseeb Khan while expressing concernover Federation of Pakistan Chamber ofCommerce and Industry (FPCCI) presentrepresentatives said that in last five yearshe has seen no one from the Federationmeeting with representatives of parliamentand government and discussing issuesrelated to business community.

Talking to newsmen, he expresses hissurprise over derogative statement comingup during ongoing FPCCI election cam-

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar chairing a meeting with senior representatives ofvarious banks.

ISLAMABAD—Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar here on Wednesday metsenior representatives of lead-ing Commercial Banks. Gov-ernor State Bank, AshrafWathra, Advisor Finance Di-vision, Rana Asad Amin, Ad-ditional Secretaries of bothInternal and External Financeand other senior officialswere also present. The meet-ing had a detailed overviewof the PRI (Pakistan Remit-tances Initiative) expressingsatisfaction on the steady in-crease in foreign remittances,specially eulogizing the con-tribution of overseas Paki-stanis who were increasinglyadopting banking channels tosend remittances to Pakistan.

The Finance Minister onthe occasion said that transfercharges for remittances amount-ing to Rs 12 billion, accrued up to June 2014, would be paid to the Commer-cial Banks in accordance with their due share by July 2015. Out of this

Dar, bankers satisfied on steadyincrease in foreign remittances

amount Rs 6 billion will be paid by January 2015 while 3 billion each would

be paid in April and July 2015 respectively, clearing the backlog till June2014. The Minister on this occasion also shared with the Banks officials,

efforts of the government to boost the economy. He made special men-tion of achieving the USD 15 billion forex reserves target whichmakes Pakistan qualify as an IBRD member and becoming eli-gible for better financial packages.

Governor State Bank on the occasion impressed uponthe banks to provide loans to private sector specially toSMEs. He expressed satisfaction on the growth of agricul-tural credit. All the representatives attending the meetingthanked the Minister for facilitating payment of their sharesin the transfer charges and giving a clear cut time line in thisregard. They assured him of all out support in government’sefforts for economic development. They also congratulatedthe Minister on achieving the target of 15 billion dollar forexreserves.

PRI, it may be mentioned, is a joint venture of theMinistry of Finance and State Bank of Pakistan launchedin 2009 offering incentives to overseas Pakistanis toremit their money through banking channels. Under thescheme, the Federal Government undertakes to paytransfer charges for remittances above 100 dollars sentthrough authorized banks and exchange companies aslisted in the State Bank of Pakistan. Ever since thelaunch of this scheme, the trend of sending remittances

through hundi and havala has diminished and growth and im-provement in banking services has been on the rise.

UBG poised to sweep FPCCI pollspaign, which has no relevance with eco-nomic and industrial issues and economicrevival. He pointed out that he had written aletter to FPCCI in which details were pro-vided related to five years accounts andasked them to make this letter a part of gen-eral body whereas this letter was neithergiven any importance and nor it was made apart of the general body although everybodywell aware of what going in FPCCI accounts.

He said that the entire business com-munity desire to bring in light ongoing cor-ruption in FPCCI finances. He said that onappropriate time he himself will bringFPCCI financial misappropriate in light,engage a Chartered Accountant to exam-ine accounts and pay fee from my ownpocket. He said that he in consultation withfriends and business community has pre-pared UBG constitution so that membersof UBG after getting elected as represen-tative of FPCCI should work for resolvingbusiness community issues.

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LPGAP assures petroleumministry to reduce prices

the consumers with in this week. ”,Farooq Iftikhar said. He said that reducedLPG prices would be advertised soon. Hetold the minister that the governmentwould have to ensure better regulationto reign in the retailers and decenter. Thedelegation acknowledged the under-standing of the ministry and OGRA onthe issue.

Farooq Iftikhar said that associationwould extend best cooperation to the Min-istry of Petroleum and OGRA. He said thatLPG had a great future in Pakistan and ithad witnessed tremendous growth overthe past few years. Federal Minister forPetroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi showna great concern for reducing the prices ofLPG to benefit the masses, which is a hall-mark of the PML-N government. He ap-preciated the efforts of LPG Associationof Pakistan aimed at reducing the LPGprices in the country. He assured the LPGAssociation of Pakistan of full coopera-tion to figure out its problem.

IFA elects FFC officialas SAT member

LA H O R E —Internat ionalFertilizer Industry Associa-tion (IFA) elected its 16 mem-bers Strategic AdvisoryTeam (SAT) for Global Fertil-izer Industry recently. In astatement issued, the IFAsaid that among the 16elected members of thenewly formed Strategic Ad-visory Team for the Commu-nication and Public AffairsCommittee, Waheed Hamid,Head of the Corporate Com-munications Fauji FertilizerCompany (FFC), is the onlyelected Pakistani.

He shares representationin South Asia with a Chinesemember. According to IFACommunication and PublicAffairs Committee ChairmanChuck Margo from Canada,“The team has been formedon basis of seasoned profes-sionals with a strong experi-ence in communications, mar-keting and public affairs.—PR

LSE 25 Indexcloses at

record highSTAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The LahoreStock Exchange (LSE) 25Index closed at a recordhigh on Tuesday, Decem-ber 23, 2014, with analystscrediting falling inflationand commodity prices aswell as an easing of politi-cal tensions. The bench-mark Lahore Stock Ex-change index of 25 sharesclosed at 6,003.08 points,up 116.51 points. The pre-vious peak of 5895.55points came in June 11,2014 and historical lowestwas 1300.94. Now the in-vestors’ focus has shiftedtowards economic mattersfrom the political affairs ofthe country, said AftabAhmed Chaudhry thechief executive officer ofThe Lahore Stock Ex-change.

On the economic frontofficial data showed thatinflation had plunged tolow, raising investor’shopes that the central bankmight slash the basic inter-est rate in its next review.“The inflation (rate) hascome down to 3.96 per centin y/y, so investors lookforward to correspondingcut in interest rates. In linewith the international fall incommodity prices, espe-cially oil, the governmentslashed petroleum prices byan average of twenty fourper cent — the largest pricerelief ever. Pakistan’s long-moribund economy hasshown some glimmers ofrevival under this govern-ment. Ratings agencyMoody’s upgraded thecountry’s outlook to‘stable’ from ‘negative.

Oil pricesslip in Asian

tradeSINGAPORE—Oil pricesedged lower in thin pre-holi-day trade Wednesday, butanalysts said losses werecurbed by upbeat senti-ment over a strong US eco-nomic growth report. USbenchmark West Texas In-termediate for February de-livery fell 46 cents to $56.66,while Brent crude for Feb-ruary eased 49 cents to$61.20 in afternoon trade.

The US CommerceDepartment said Tuesdaythe world’s largesteconomy grew at a spec-tacular five percent for thethird quarter, the bestgrowth rate since 2003.The figure beat the previ-ous official estimate of 3.9percent and the 4.3 per-cent projected by ana-lysts, boosting hopes en-ergy use in the world’s topconsumer will rise. Oilprices have fallen about 50percent since June due toa glut of world suppliescreated by increased pro-duction and lacklustreglobal economic growth.

Research house Capi-tal Economics said the USfigures have fuelled ex-pectations the economywill grow 2.5 percent in2014, with “growth of 3.0percent in 2015 comfort-ably within reach”. “Theclear strengthening in ac-tivity towards the end of2014” could also promptthe US Federal Reserve tohike interest rates earlierthan its timetabled mid-2015 date, the London-based firm said.—AFP

Currency Selling Buying

USA 100.30 100.10

UK 155.58 155.27

Euro 122.12 121.87

Canada 86.35 86.18

Switzerland 101.58 101.38

Australia 81.33 81.17

Sweden 12.87 12.85

Japan 0.8329 0.8313

Norway 13.48 13.45

Singapore 75.75 75.60

Denmark 16.41 16.68

Saudi Arabia 26.72 26.67

Hong Kong 12.93 12.90

Kuwait 342.32 341.64

Malaysia 28.68 28.62

Newzealand 77.41 77.26

Qatar 27.54 27.49

UAE 27.31 27.25

Kr Won 0.0909 0.0907

Thailand 3.049 3.043

Daily opening& closing ratesPMEX Index 2,589Total Volume (Lots): 17,804Traded Value (Rs): 1,481,444,434

Commodity ------------------- Price Quotation----------------------- Open ----- CloseCRUDE OIL ------------------ $ Per Barrel ----------------------------- 55.32 ----- 57.00SILVER ------------------------ $ Per Ounce ---------------------------- 15.648 ---- 15.692GOLD -------------------------- $ Per Ounce ---------------------------- 1,173.4 --- 1,173.3GOLD -------------------------- Rs Per 10 gms -------------------------- 38,082 ---- 38,012MTOLAGOLD -------------- Rs Per Tola ----------------------------- 46,208 ---- 45,716GOLD -------------------------- Rs Per Tola ----------------------------- 46,208 ---- 45,716RICEIRRI6 -------------------- Rs Per 100 kg--------------------------- 3,221 ----- 3,220PALMOLEIN ---------------- Rs Per Maund ------------------------- 3,503 ----- 3,501SUGAR ------------------------ Rs Per kg -------------------------------- 43.50 ----- 42.93ICOTTON -------------------- US Cents per pound ----------------- 62.13 ----- 61.66WHEAT ----------------------- Rs Per 100 kg--------------------------- 3,428 ----- 3,427

The total value traded was PKR 1.481 billion and number of lots traded was 17,804.PMEX Commodity Index closed at 2,589. Major business was contributed by crudeoil amounting to PKR 1.041billion followed by gold (PKR 426 million) and silver(PKR 14 million).

MIAN ARSHAD

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Commerce, Engineer KhurramDastgir Khan Wednesday said that Pakistan was workingon the prospects of export-led investment flows from Pa-kistan to Afghanistan and the volume of bilateral tradewould be doubled during the next two years. “Pakistan isvery much interested in developing the nascent manufac-turing sector of Afghanistan through export-led invest-ment which will be expanded to Tajikistan and then to therest of Central Asia”, the minister said while chairing ameeting here. The meeting was held to discuss the pros-pects to maintain sustainable Pak-Afghan trade relationsafter the new government took charge in Kabul.

This was also a preparatory meeting before the 5thAfghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Author-ity (APTTCA) meeting to be held on January 2-3 in whichthe Tajik officials are also invited for talks on a TrilateralTransit Trade Agreement. Khurram Dastgir said that Paki-stan was looking towards West for enhancing trade op-portunities and Afghanistan was looking towards East fora consistent trading partner, therefore, the priorities of thetwo governments had converged and the both govern-ments had showed firm resolve to remove hurdles in theway of trade and investment. He apprised the meeting thatministry of commerce was keen to develop Torkham bor-der post connecting Quetta to Qandhar and Chaman post

STAFF REPORTER

ISLAMABAD—Islamabad Chamber of Com-merce and Industry (ICCI) on Wednesdaycalled upon the government to consider pro-viding relief package to agriculture sector in abid to reduce its input cost and improve itsproductivity, which will contribute positivelytowards reviving the economy. President,Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Indus-try (ICCI) Muzammil Hussain Sabri said thatPakistan’s economy heavily depended onagriculture sector as it accounted for 21 per-cent of country’s GDP, more than 43 percentof employment and 45 percent of total exports,according to press release issued by ICCI.

He said the sector was facing multipleproblems including high input costs, lowper acre yield, outdated cultivation meth-ods and government should come up with

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—President of the Karachi Cham-ber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI),Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra has urged ChairmanFederal Board of Revenue (FBR), Tariq Bajwato publicise details of action taken againsttax evaders, included about 700,000, identi-fied by the board in 2011. In a statement onWednesday, he said that despite lapse ofmore than three years no concrete stepsagainst the evaders appears to have beentaken against the identified tax evaders.

FBR has not been able to act against anyof those tax evaders who, according to FBRitself, owned more than one house, had luxu-rious cars, they and their kids frequently travel

OBSERVER REPORT

ISLAMABAD—High speed browsing on mobile phone with4G LTE was once a distant dream of mobile users, whichwas made a reality earlier this year by Zong. Being thefirst and only operator to give both 3G & 4G LTE, Zonghas given consumers a platform to enjoy the most ad-vanced mobile technologies across the world. Zong 4GLTE technology is the fastest mobile internet available inthe country and is the perfect match for the data starvedand ever evolving valued customers in Pakistan. WithZong 4G LTE customers can enjoy high speed browsingon mobile phone, multimedia streaming & download(songs, movies etc), video calling, live streaming TV, quickdownload of large email attachments and online gaming.To fulfill the requirements of the consumer 4G LTE is cur-rently available in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi,Faisalabad, Quetta & Peshawar, the major urban and busi-ness centers of Pakistan.

Babar Bajwa, Executive Director Commercial Zong

Pak-Afghan trade volume todouble in next 2 years: Khurram

connecting Peshawar to Jalalabad and Kabul.For this purpose, Land Port Authority will be consti-

tuted which will upgrade Pakistan’s existing border postson modern lines, he added. The meeting also discussedproposals to resolve the issues of customs clearance, in-surance of trucks and containers, tracking system of trucks,currency swap, role of SRO’s, lack of extensive credit facil-ity from banks to traders and tax refunds. The meeting wasinformed that Pakistan was the largest trading partner ofAfghanistan providing 21 percent of Afghanistan’s im-ports and buying 30.7 percent of Afghanistan’s exports.

Major exports from Pakistan include cement, salt, con-struction material, products of milling industry, cereals,sugar, confectionary and animals while imports include cot-ton, coal, vegetables, raw skins, carpets and textile floorcoverings. Since 2009, Afghanistan’s GDP increased at 9percent exhibiting rapid economic growth and it has thepotential to grow at a consistent growth rate of 6-7 percenttill 2025. The Government is quantifying the magnitude ofopportunities and removing the infrastructural and proce-dural hurdles in the way of trade and investment in Af-ghanistan. The meeting was attended by Tariq Fatemi, Spe-cial Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Dr.Ishrat Hussain, former Governor State bank of Pakistan,senior officers from Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of For-eign Affairs and researchers from Institute of Business Ad-ministration and Sustainable Policy Development Institute.

KCCI demands action against700,000 tax evaders

abroad, study in foreign universities, usecredit cards and operate bank accounts buthad no NTN numbers, said the KCCI chief.

Vohra lamented that on the contraryloyal taxpayers are constantly being over-burdened and have to suffer due to com-plex tax procedures whereas the tax evad-ers continue to enjoy the benefits of stay-ing outside the tax net. “This is highly un-fair as procedures for bona fide tax payersis being made cumbersome and compli-cated,” he said mentioning that KCCI hasbeen raising the issue quite frequently.Vohra said due to complex tax proceduresand the harassment being suffered by tax-payers, people simply do not want to comeinto the tax net.

Agri sector relief packageneed to improve productivity

an attractive relief package for this impor-tant sector of the economy, especially keep-ing in view the hefty reduction in oil prices.He said despite possessing enough waterresources, Pakistan was losing around 13million cusecs of water every year from itsrivers into the sea due to lack of sufficientwater reservoirs and dams to store waterand government should formulate a com-prehensive plan for establishing enoughwater storage facilities in the country.

Sabri said the old methods of flood irri-gation still in vogue in the country werecausing 50 to 60 percent wastage of waterand government should focus on introduc-ing drip irrigation system in the country tomaximize water utility as this new systemnot only saves enough water, it also givesproper quantity of water according to needsof plants and improves yield as well.

Zong turns high-speed mobileinternet browsing into reality

said, “Our extensive roll out of Zong 4G LTE will helpconsumers take advantage of lightning fast mobile internetspeed that is multiple times faster than the available 3Gnetworks in Pakistan. Zong 4G LTE heralds in a new era inthe field of mobile communications technology andstrengthens the company’s position as the most innova-tive and consumer oriented telecom operator in Pakistan.”“Zong, with our robust partnerships with leading devicemanufacturers and content players is well placed to pro-vide customers the true benefits of 4G LTE capabilities,hence consumers can look forward to many exciting valueadditions in the near future”, he added.

By becoming the first operator to launch 4G LTE, Zonghas taken a giant leap towards becoming the indispens-able digital life partner of its customers. 4G LTE is avail-able to all new and existing Zong customers, one canreceive their 4G SIM at their door step simply by dialing510 from any Zong number. Alongside a consumer musthave a 4G enable handset and must be in the coveragearea to enjoy this high speed service.

FINCA MicrofinanceBank performance

commendable

OBSERVER REPORT

LAHORE—“Initiatives takenby microfinance institutessuch as FINCA empower low-income individuals to startbusinesses, create jobs, alle-viate poverty, and create newopportunities,” said SenatorKamran Michael, FederalMinister for Ports and Ship-ping, while addressing the au-dience at the opening cer-emony of FINCA’s 1st prior-ity branch in Garden Town,Lahore. Senator Michael saidthat “the ‘Microcredit’ facili-ties provided by FINCA, inconjunction with its fast ex-pansion plan, will allow aspir-ing low-income entrepre-neurs to increase revenues,provide jobs for others, anderadicate poverty.” He addedthat small loans could enablepeople in developing coun-tries to lift themselves out ofpoverty.

FINCA MicrofinanceBank Ltd, Pakistan’s leadingmicrofinance bank, has beengrowing aggressively in Pa-kistan and its new branch inLahore aims to providestate-of-the-art services ca-tering to the needs of everycitizen in Lahore. Comment-ing on the launch of the pri-ority branch, FINCA’s CEOMr. Mudassar Aqil said,“FINCA is operating in 80cities with 100 operationalbraches, and we are the fast-est growing microfinancebank in Pakistan. By provid-ing modern deposit facilitiesto our customers we arecommitting to setting newstandards in themicrofinance industry.’

70 retailers finedRs1, 69, 000

KARACHI—The Karachiadministration has fined 70retailers of Rs 1,69,000 forovercharging consumers ofvaried edible items in thecity, said a spokesman ofCommissioner Karachi onWednesday.

The spokesman sharingdetails with the media, ondaily basis, about the ongo-ing campaign against profi-teers, hoarders andadulterators in the metropo-lis said officials no juniorthan the ranks of assistantcommissioner and magis-trates are involved in thedaily campaign.—APP

SALIM AHMED

LAHORE—“The Asian Infrastructure In-vestment Bank (AIIB), with an expectedinitial capital of US $50 billion, is also sup-porting China’s Silk Road initiatives,” Mr.Shah Faisal Afridi, President Pak-ChinaJoint Chamber of Commerce and Industry(PCJCCI) said. While leading a discussionon significance of Silk Route with membersof PCJCCI, Afridi said adding that the con-cept of Silk Route had emerged to becomean important policy instrument on regionalconnectivity and regional integration. Hewas confident that Pakistan could turn intothe most important westward artery bymodernizing and reviving the silk route.

He said adding that the Silk Road Fundwill be “open” and welcoming investors

Silk Route vital for regionalconnectivity, integration

from Asia and beyond to “actively” takepart in the project. The government of Pa-kistan should take immediate measures toup-grade the Silk Route to exploit the geo-graphical potential of this location in re-gional trade. ”Pakistan’s geographical lo-cation supplements the potential of the SilkRoute and augments scope of its revival”,Faisal Afridi said that the Silk Route hasbeen a famous trade route in the ancienttimes, which proves that we have a longhistory of trade through this location. Hetold that the Silk Road derived its name fromthe centuries-old trade of Chinese silk.Since the means of trade have beenchanged in the modern era, we too need tomodernize the silk route so as to meet thechanging requirements of the regional tradeactivities, he suggested.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Al Meezan Investment Man-agement Limited (Al Meezan) is pleased toannounce the launch of Meezan Capital Pres-ervation Plan-II (MCPP-II), which is the sixthin the series of capital protection / preserva-tion plans / funds launched by the company.It goes without saying that all operations ofthe funds under management of Al Meezanare conducted as per Shariah guidlelines andprinciples. The plan will use dynamic assetallocation strategy of Capital ProportionPortfolio Insurance (CPPI) for providingcompetitive returns while aiming to preservethe initial capital. The CEO of Al MeezanInvestments, Mohammad Shoaib, CFA,while announcing the launch of the plan said“As more and more investors are looking tocapture upside of the stock market and thesame time want downside protection, AlMeezan has continued to launch capital pres-ervation funds and plans.”

Al Meezan Investmentslaunches MCPP-II

The objective of the Plan is to enableinvestors to benefit from potentially highreturns of a rising stock market by invest-ing in Shariah Compliant stocks while pre-serving thier capital in a declining marketby investing in Shariah compliant moneymarket funds. The plan will mature in twoyears. “There is lot of appetite for suchfunds in the market. During 2014, Al Meezanhas raised about Rs. 7 Billion in CapitalPreservation Schemes. Al Meezan has beenmanaging investments since 1995 and hasone of the longest track records of manag-ing mutual funds in the private sector inPakistan. Al Meezan has recently achievedthe accolade of AM2+ Management Qual-ity Rating which is currently the highestamongst fund managers in Pakistan. AlMeezan also has the distinction of beingthe largest private sector Asset Manage-ment Company in Pakistan with total As-sets Under Management (AUMs) of overRs. 55 billion in 11 different funds.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan is meet-ing with Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Former Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Tariq Fatemi,Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs, researchers of IBA and SDPI to discussissues of trade and investment with Afghanistan.

KARACHI: President KCCI, Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra presenting chamber’s crest toConsul General of Republic of Indonesia, Hadi Santoso during his visit. Senior VicePresident KCCI, Muhammad Ibrahim Kasumbi, Vice President KCCI, Agha ShahabAhmed Khan, Chairman Diplomatic Missions and Embassies Liaison Sub-CommitteeKCCI, Muhammad Naeem Sharif, Former President KCCI, Majyd Aziz and others alsoseen in picture.—PO photo by Sultan Chak

LAHORE: Visitors keenly viewing products during art and craft exhibition 2014 atNairang Art Gallery.

HYDERABAD: Players of Shah Latif Girls College showing their shields after winning final of Inter-CollegiateTable Tennis Tournament at Board Stadium.

Injured Clarkeupbeat he

will play atWorld Cup

SYDNEY—Australian captainMichael Clarke eased fearsWednesday his career mayby over, saying he is recov-ering well from surgery on atorn hamstring.

The 33-year-old set alarmbells ringing with a stark warn-ing the injury sustained dur-ing the first Test against In-dia at Adelaide could cutshort his stellar cricketing life.

But in an upbeat columnfor Sydney’s Daily TelegraphClarke gave a positive assess-ment a week after the opera-tion.

“The biggest thing for meis getting back on the field forthe World Cup,” he said ofthe tournament that starts inAustralia and New Zealandin mid-February.

“I have been told by medi-cal staff that I am in as good acondition as I can be a weekafter undergoing the sur-gery,” added Clarke, who alsocarries a chronic back prob-lem.

“There is no swelling andno pain when I walk. I can’twait to begin stage two of therehab process which in-volves starting to run again.”

He offered strong supportto fellow veterans BradHaddin, Shane Watson andChris Rogers who have comeunder pressure for weak per-formances since the start ofthe four-Test series againstIndia this month.

“It’s crucial to have expe-rienced guys like these in ateam when you’re bringingthrough youngsters,” Clarkesaid.—AFP

KARACHI—Dazzling MuhammadRizwan blasted a maiden double hun-dred and Khurram Shahzad smashedan attacking hundred as Sui North-ern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) tight-ened their grip in their Quaid-e-AzamCricket Trophy Gold League finalagainst National Bank of Pakistan(NBP) on Wednesday.

Replying to NBP’s modest first in-nings score of 242, defending cham-pion SNGPL was bowled out for 543in their first outing minutes beforestumps - thus taking a massive 301-run lead on third day of their 5-daygame.

22-year-old fast rising, Rizwangot the attention of the cricket pun-dits during his career best knock of224, striking 28 boundaries. He bat-ted for eight and half hours faced399 balls.

Khurram Shahzad also struck a

Rizwan’s double, Khurram’ston put SNGPL on top in final

Quaid-e-Azam Cricket Trophy

spectacular 120 banging 14 bound-aries and hoisting three sixes in his165-ball knock in 240 minutes stay atthe crease.

Rizwan and Khurram plunderedthe bank’s bowling attack during their215 runs 5th wicket stand.

Pakistan’s discarded wicketkeeperAdnan Akmal made a fine 57 in 158minutes with half a dozen boundaries.Adnan also added 94-run for the 7thwicket with Rizwan.

Left arm spinner Fawad Alamgrabbed three quick wickets asSNGPL lost their last five wickets for33 runs.

Fawad finished as the most suc-cessful bowler with three wickets for33 run sin 12 overs.

Another slow left arm bowlerHasan Raza bowled 52 overs andended with two wickets for 161 runs.

Pakistan’s left arm fast bowler

Wahab Riaz looked unimpressive fin-ishing with one wicket for 70 runs in26 overs. Scoreboard NBP Ist in-nings 242 SNGPL Ist innings over-night (278-4) Naeemuddin b Zia 25Taufeeq Umar c Nasir b Ahmed Jamal18 Azhar Ali c Kamran b AhmedJamal 24 Muhammad Rizwan c Zia bRaza 224 Ali Waqas c Nasir b Raza31 Khurram Shahzad c Kamran bFawad 120 Adnan Akmal c Kamran bZia 57 Yasir Shah c Nasir b Wahab 4Imran Ali c Kamran b Fawad 12Asaad ali c Raza b Fawad 9 ManzoorKhan not out 3 Extras (lb7, w2, nb7)16 Total (all out in 173 overs) 543Fall of wicket: 1-40, 2-70, 3-70, 4-165,5-416, 6-510, 7-519, 8-519, 9-536 Bowl-ing: Zia-ul-haq 34-9-112-2, WahabRiaz 28-6-70-1 (4nb1w), Ahmed Jamal27-4-103-2 (1w), Raza Hasan 52-12-161-2 (3nb), Muhammad Nawaz 20-3-57-0, Fawad Alam 12-1-33-3.—APP

ISLAMABAD—The eighth National TenpinBowling Championship will explode into ac-tion on Thursday here at Leisure City Bowl-ing Club F-7 Markaz Islamabad.

The event which carries a prize purse ofRs 185000 is being organized by Pakistan Ten-pin Bowling Federation (PTBF). “Five differ-ent categories including singles, doubles,team events, amateur and inter-college will beheld during the four-day activity,” PTBF Sec-retary Ijaz-ur-Rehman told APP.

He said the championship would pro-vide bowling lovers to showcase their skillsalongside country’s top bowlers.”

The activity will also help groom young-sters,” he said. “We have also decided toprovide chance to students of differentcolleges and will award the winners withmedals to encourage them participate infuture events,” he added.

Ijaz said tenpin bowling was gainingpopularity in the country with each pass-

National tenpin bowlingchampionship starts today

ing day and a number of activities werebeing held now on regular basis.

“We are organizing different eventsthroughout the year with the active sup-port of games well-wishers.”

He said the winner of singles event ofthe championship would get a prize cash ofRs 50000 besides the gold medal, while therunner-up would be given Rs 25000 and sil-ver medal.

The third posit ion holder wil l beawarded Rs 15000 and bronze medal. Hesaid the winners of doubles event wouldbe given Rs 30000 along with gold medal,while the runner-up would be given Rs20000 along with silver medal. The thirdposition holder will get bronze medal.

Similarly, the winner of team event willget Rs 30000 and gold medal, while the run-ner-up will be given Rs 15000 and silvermedal, while the third position holder willget bronze medal.—APP

Pentangularcricket tourney tobegin from Dec 31M U L T A N — M u l t a n i t e swould enjoy quality cricketafter a long time with thecommencement of 10-daylong pentangular crickettournament featuring na-tional cricket players at thepicturesque Multan CricketStadium from December 31.

Five regional cricketteams comprising nationalplayers would participate inthe tournament being orga-nized by district governmentin collaboration with Paki-stan Cricket Board (PCB),said DCO Zahid SaleemGondal while presiding overa meeting to review arrange-ments for the sports event.

The DCO pledged tomake foolproof security andother arrangements for thepentangular cricket tourna-ment and protection of na-tional cricket players.—APP

FAISALABAD—President Faisalabad Cham-ber of Commerce and Industry EngineerRizwan Ashraf on Tuesday was elected aspresident of the Punjab Lawn Bowls Asso-ciation (PLBA).

Speaking in meeting of the associationin the committee room of FCCI here on Tues-day, he said that sports are an integral partof the healthy society and we must expe-dite our efforts for promoting healthy sportsactivities.

He said that lawn bowl was a game ini-tially played by the senior citizens but withthe passage of time it gained popularity insports lovers of all ages.

“Though it was started in Pakistan in2009 yet most of the people do not know itsalphabets”, he added.

‘I will try my best to popularize this gameand its competition will be arranged verysoon in Faisalabad,’ he added.

He also announced the office bearersof the association and said that Mian AjmalFarooq former chairman All Pakistan Tex-tile Processing Mills Association has beenpicked as its patron in chief.

Among other patrons includes RehanAshraf, Muhammad Yasin, and EhtishamJaved.

He further said that Mian Umair Niazihas been nominated as chairman withZeeshan Shahid and Tehmina Afzal as se-nior vice chairpersons.

Rizwan elected as PLBA presidentHe said that among vice presidents in-

cludes Zahid Hussain (Sahiwal), MuneerAhmed (DG Khan), Ms. Tahira Amjad(Lahore), Syrraya Nasim MPA, MalikOsama Saeed Awan, Kaleem Ullah Pasha,Umer Farooq (Rawalpindi), Mr. RuksanaBatool and Mrs. Tanzela Amjad.

He further said that Dr. NadeemChaudhry has been elected as General Sec-retary with Associate secretaries RizwanaKamal, Tahir Nasim and Mian Abid Bashir.

Muhammad Tahir will be treasurer of theassociation while among executive mem-bers include Akbar Pervaiz, Bilal Amin,Saeed Iqbal, Nadeem Allahwala andChaudhry Muhammad Asghar.

An initial briefing was also given aboutthis game while bowls used in this gamewere also shown to the participants of themeeting.

Nadeem Allahwala senior vice presi-dent FCCI said that he will form a teamcomprising of the executive members ofthe Chamber to participate in thisgame.

The meeting was also attended byformer presidents of FCCI including Engi-neer Suhail Bin Rashid, Khalid Habib andAbdul Qayyum Sheikh.

The meeting was told that a ground forthis game has already been prepared in Di-visional Public School where regularmatches are being arranged.—APP

ISLAMABAD—Secretary Pakistan KabbadiFederation Muhammad Sarwar said onWednesday that Pakistan would have wonthe Kabbadi event in India had there beenfair umpiring in the fixture.

“Our boys were in better position andhad overpowered their opponents in all de-partments, but unfortunately the umpiresplayed an unfair role and turned the resultsin Indian favour,” he told APP.

Sarwar said Pakistan boys had under-gone a tough training and were in goodshape and he was sure they would returnvictorious.

“Throughout the event their perfor-mance had been extraordinary. They weredominating Indians in the final too. But theattitude of Indian umpires in the final wasshocking,” he added.

He said Indian Kabbadi Federation’sdecision to nominate local umpires in thefinal was unjustified. As per rules of the

Sarwar shocked at Indiaumpires’ role in Kabbadi final

game, the umpires officiating in the finalcannot be from the two countries that makeit to the last two,” he maintained.

To a question, he said Pakistan had al-ready lodged complaint and protested overthe unfair treatment meted out to their play-ers in the final. “The International KabaddiFederation (IKF) has also expressed reser-vations about the umpiring in the final”, hesaid.

The IKF Chief Executive DeorajChaturvedi in his comments had said thatthe tournament, recently held in India wasnot an officially sanctioned event as theworld body was not approached for it. “Itwas just an event held by India in whichseveral outfits from different countries tookpart. It cannot be called the World Cup,” hesaid. Chaturvedi also expressed reserva-tions about the decision of the Indian fed-eration to nominate local umpires for thefinal.—APP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani skier Muhammad Karim, called on Air Marshal Sohail GulKhan, President Ski Federation of Pakistan in his office.

Skier Karimcalls on

President SFPSPORTS REPORTER

I S L A M A B A D —Pakis tan iskier, Muhammad Karim,called on Vice Chief of theAir Staff Pakistan Air Force,Air Marshal Sohail GulKhan, who is also PresidentSki Federation of Pakistan,(SFP) in his office onWednesday.

Muhammad Karim, hasreturned from abroad aftercompleting one month train-ing in the FIS Alpine SkiTraining Camp Austria.

The Skier briefed thePresident SFP about his ex-perience at the trainingcamp. The President SkiFederation of Pakistanurged him to continue withthe same enthusiasm withspecial focus on physicalfitness to further improve hisFIS ranking and winning amedal in forth coming Olym-pics Winter Games.

It is pertinent to mentionthat Muhammad Karim alsoparticipated in the sametraining camp last year,which proved instrumentalin his qualification for Olym-pics Winter Games 2014 atSochi, Russia.

CHRISTCHURCH—Legendary New

Zealand all-rounder Richard Hadlee

No need for abusive languagein cricket: Hadlee

has criticised the highly abusive na-ture of some modern-day cricketers,saying the sport should not beplayed with a “combative approach”.

“The game should be playedhard and with intensity, but not withthis combative approach,” Hadleetold Fairfax Media on Tuesday asquoted by the Sydney Morning Her-ald.

“There is no need for sledgingand abuse of players and officials,”he added.

Hadlee, however, said that hewas pleasantly surprised at how thecricketing world came together tocollectively mourn the death of Aus-tralian batsman Phillip Hughes afterhe was struck on the head by abouncer.

“It exemplified the spirit ofcricket to me,” he said.

Hadlee called Hughes’ death a“tragic accident” where there was“no fault or blame”.

The bouncer was an integral partof the game and must remain so, hestated.

On whether Test cricket could be

played at night, Hadlee stated thathe was not too sure about the con-cept, the colour of the ball was aproblem, and that there were otherfactors too which could hamper Testcricket at night.

“It’s been talked about for thenear future and I have grave con-cerns about the concept. The ballcolour is a problem. You can’t use ared ball at night because it can’t beseen and a red ball makes Test cricket.The coloured balls aren’t proven yet.There will be a tough period of bat-ting between day and night wherethe light will be transitional and theconditions vary a lot between theday and night,” said Hadlee.

“And if there is dew and the ballgets damp, that could affect bowlerstrying to swing or spin the ball. Thenthere’s the question over whether ornot someone’s going to go alongand watch after work for three hoursor so when it might be cold. The de-cision-makers have a lot to con-sider,” added Hadlee, who claimed431 wickets in 86 Tests during an il-lustrious career.— Agencies

KARACHI: Captain of Lahore Women’s team holds the inaugural Malala U-21 WomenCricket Champions trophy after beating Karachi in the final.

Yuvraj, Gambhiraxed from BCCIcentral contracts

NEW DELHI—A few weeksafter they were left out of the30-member preliminary squadfor the 2015 World Cup,Gautam Gambhir and YuvrajSingh were on Mondaydropped from the Board ofControl for Cricket in India(BCCI) contracts list whilemedium pacer BhuvneshwarKumar was promoted tograde ‘A’ contract.

Pacer Mohammed Shami,Ambati Rayudu and AjinkyaRahane have been promotedfrom grade ‘C’ to ‘B’, whileGambhir, Yuvraj, DineshKarthik and Jaydev Unadkathave been struck off the con-tracts list. Both Yuvraj andGambhir were part of grade ‘A’contracts last season.

Several players who didnot have a contract last sea-son have been absorbed ingrade ‘C’ this time around,including Varun Aaron,Stuart Binny, Pankaj Singh,Dhawal Kulkarni, ParvezRasool, Axar Patel, RobinUthappa, Manoj Tiwari, KarnSharma, Sanju Samson,Kuldeep Yadav and K.L.Rahul. Pragyan Ojha, IshantSharma, M. Vijay, ShikharDhawan, Umesh Yadav,Cheteshwar Pujara, RavindraJadeja and Rohit Sharmahave been kept back in grade‘B’, while Amit Mishra,Wriddhiman Saha, VinayKumar and Mohit Sharma re-mained in grade ‘C’.

BCCI secretary SanjayPatel said in a release that play-ers who do not have contractsbut feature for India in any ofthe three formats would begiven a grade ‘C’ contract oncethey debut.—Agencies

KARACHI—Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) in order to provide exposure to

P a k i -s t a ns e c o n dstring isp l a n -ning a 3-n a t i o n“ A ”t e a mevent inU n i t e dA r a bE m i r -a t e s(UAE),b o a r dC h a i r -m a nShaharyar

M.Khan said on Wednesday.“PCB is fully aware of providing ex-

posure to Pakistan “A” team thus plan-ning this event,” he told a group report-ers here at the National Stadium wherehe was watching third-day’s play ofQuaid-e- Azam Trophy between NBPand SNGPL.

He said they are considering to in-

PCB plans 3-nation ‘A’ eventin UAE next year: Shaharyar

vite India, South Africa and Sri Lanka“A” teams for the event.

While underlining the importanceof Pakistan “A” tours, he said more tourswill be arranged country’s second stringin coming months and years.

He agreed a questioner that therewas dire needs for regular tours of Paki-stan “A” overseas.

PCB Chairman was bit worried aboutfitness problems of Pakistan team aheadof the World Cup but hoped all thingwill be settled as the team leaves for NewZealand for two-match One-day Inter-national series by the middle of nextmonth.

He said left arm paceman JunaidKhan has largely recovered from his in-jury.

He said there needed to improve thequality of cricket like in Australia.

“We must improve quality of domes-tic to prepare good international crick-eters for future,” he said.

Shaharyar Khan also advised formerTest paceman and coach Chinese teamto arrange China team visit to Pakistan.

Rashid Khan was making a courtesywith PCB Chairman. NCA Head HaroonRasheed was also present on the occa-

sion.Shaharyar Khan said PCB wanted

to invite both Chinese men and womenteams to Pakistan.

“We will provide Chinese team topclass security and they play few matchesin Karachi,” he commented.

Rashid Khan informed PCB chief thatChinese women team lost to Pakistan inthe semi-final of Asian Games held inIncheon (Korea).

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chiefShaharyar Khan was not happy withcondition of country’s premier Test cen-tre - National Stadium Karachi (NSK)and wanted quick completion of PCBAcademy here.

During his visit to under construc-tion academy building on Wednesday,he expressed his displeasure over delayin the completion work and ordered itsearly completion.

Director Game Development HaroonRasheed, Manager Projects PCB ZahidHussain and Senior Manager NSKArshad Khan were also present on theoccasion. Shaharyar Khan was also nothappy with PCB Academy Buildingwhich also covered some part of PCBAcademy Ground.—APP

ASHRAF ANSARI

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan origin Brit-ish boxer Amir Khan on Wednes-day dedicated the title he won onDecember 14 in a welterweight fightagainst US pugil is t DevonAlexander, to the victims of recentPeshawar attack.

He said that he was shocked atthe loss of innocent l ives inPeshawar and had travelled to Pa-kistan to express solidarity with vic-tim families. Addressing media con-ference he said:

“I’ve come here toprove that Pakistan is asafe country for sports. Ialso want to give the mes-sage that sports and edu-cation could take us for-ward,” he said.

The world lightweightboxing champion also an-nounced to auction hisshorts , worth œ30,000,which he won during hisfight against Alexanderand other contests duringthe last five years.

“I’m going to auctionmy shorts . The moneyearned through the auc-t ion wil l be donated tohelp victims of Peshawarattack and rebuild the dam-aged school there,” headded.

He said the auctionwould be held either in Pa-kistan or UK to generatemaximum amount for thenoble cause. “What hastaken place in Peshawar isabsolutely horrif ic andsickening.

After recently becom-ing a father myself I can’t

Amir Khan donates welterweighttitle for victims of attack

ISLAMABAD: Boxer Amir Khan holds his WBC title belt and shorts prior to a pressconference on Wednesday.

imagine how the families of theseinnocent children are feeling,” saidAmir, who comes from a British-Pa-kistani background said.

The 28-year old also offered hishelp to the government of Pakistanfor revival of international sportsactivities in Pakistan and eliminateterrorism. “My deepest condo-lences go out to al l the affectedfamilies and I wish to express myfull support for Pakistan and thepeople of Pakistan. I’m willing tooffer my help to the government of

Pakistan and the stakeholders forany help they need to rebuild thedamaged school and fight the men-ace of terrorism,” he maintained.

He said he wanted to do morefor Pakistan by building gyms andfacilitating people to take part inhealthy activities. “I want to showthe world that we can improve Paki-stan. “There are a lot of good fight-ers here. There is a lot of talent herebut that is not being used properly.I’m here to help and show my sup-port,” he added.

PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa)—TembaBavuma could become only the sixth ethnic

black African to play Test cricket for SouthAfrica when the second Test against theWest Indies starts at St George’s Park onFriday.

Bavuma, 24, is next in line if South Africacontinue a policy of seven batsmen and fourspecialist bowlers.

A vacancy for another batsman was cre-ated by an injury to wicketkeeper-batsman

Bavuma, South Africa’s black hope,set to face West Indies in second Test

Quinton de Kock which led to AB de Villierskeeping wicket in Centurion, a role which heis set to continue.

In almost 23 years of Test cricket since aunited cricket board was admitted to the In-ternational Cricket Council in 1991, cricketofficials have been embarrassed by the scar-city of Test-quality players from SouthAfrica’s largest racial group.

Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, who took390 wickets in 101 Tests, is the only blackAfrican to have held down a long-termplace in the Test team. Next best isMonde Zondeki, who played in six Tests,while Lonwabo Tsotsobe played in fiveand Mfuneko Ngam and Thami Tsolekilein three each. If Bavuma plays on Fridayhe will become the first black specialistbatsman to make the grade. At its annualmeeting earlier this year, Cricket SouthAfrica identified racial transformation as ahigh priority and all franchise teams wererequired to field at least two black Afri-cans in all games.

Bavuma and fellow black African, fastbowler Kagiso Rabada, were included in theSouth African squad for the three-matchseries, largely in order to gain experience.

Neither was expected to play but whileRabada was released to play for his fran-chise during the first Test, Bavuma was kepton, effectively as 13th man. He fieldedthroughout both West Indian innings, heldtwo catches and impressed with his liveli-ness around the field.—AFP

STOKE-ON-TRENT (United Kingdom)—Chelsea ensured they will spend ChristmasDay on top of the Premier League as goalsfrom John Terry and Cesc Fabregas gavethe leaders a gritty 2-0 victory at Stoke onTuesday. It was not the most fluent perfor-mance from Jose Mourinho´s side but, at avenue where Arsenal recently lost 3-2, itwas the result and not the performancewhich mattered most and the Blues now sitthree points clear of second placedManchester City heading into the hecticfestive programme.

City´s win over Crystal Palace on Sat-urday had drawn them level on points withChelsea, but this was an emphatic responsefrom the west Londoners as they bid to

Chelsea sink Stoke to securetop spot at Christmas

wrestle the title from the Eastlands outfit.The only concern for Chelsea was a late

injury to Belgium playmaker Eden, Hazard,who was replaced after getting a kick to hisfoot following a challenge by Jon Walters.

Chelsea could not have got off to a bet-ter start as they took the lead inside theopening 90 seconds when Terry rose high-est above Geoff Cameron to head aFabregas corner past Asmir Begovic.

It was the former England captain´s firstleague goal of the season and a 12th assistof the season for Spain midfielder Fabregas.

Mourinho´s men coped better with theblustery conditions at the Britannia Stadiumand came close to a second as Diego Costadragged a shot wide of the post.—AFP

Chelsea’s John Terry jumps to head the opening goal of the English Premier League football match against StokeCity at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent.

Cameroon’sNkama replacesslain compatriotat Algerian clubALGIERS—Cameroon strikerGael Gregoire Nkama hassigned for Algerian club JSKabylie to replace AlbertEbosse, his compatriot killedwhen playing for the Algerianside four months ago.

“It will be very difficult forme to replace Ebosse,”Nkama, the top scorer in theCameroon first division lastseason, told Algerian news-paper Competition on Tues-day.

Ebosse, 25, died on Au-gust 23 after a game his clublost 2-1 at home to USMAlgiers.

The official Algerian ver-sion holds that Ebosse diedin hospital from head injuriessustained as he left the pitchunder a hail of objects thrownfrom the stands by angry fans.

He was struck on thehead by a sharp projectile, theofficial report said. On Tues-day, Algeria sports ministerMohamed Tahmi dismissedclaims that he could havebeen killed in a ‘premeditated’dressing room attack.

Those claims were raisedby a second autopsy con-ducted by a Cameroonianpathologist, carried out at thefamily’s request. It refuted theofficial findings and declaredthat the player had died as theresult of a brutal post-matchbeating, probably in a dress-ing room attack.—AFP

NEW research from Finland suggestsmany thousands of people who havearthroscopic knee surgery to fix a torn

cartilage could be wasting their time. A reporton the Finnish Degenerative Meniscal LesionStudy (FIDELITY), publishedrecently in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine, finds thatthe benefits of keyhole opera-tions to repair degenerativemeniscal tears are no betterthan sham operations.

Previous studies haveshown that keyhole surgery onthe knee does not help patientswith osteoarthritis and suchprocedures have become lesscommon for arthritis sufferers.In the meantime, keyhole sur-gery to repair torn cartilagehas risen significantly, despitelack of evidence that it actu-ally helps, says the Finnishteam. Knee problems otherthan arthritis that cause stiff-ness and pain are very com-mon, and are most often caused by gradualwear and tear rather than sudden injury ortrauma. The most common diagnosis that re-quires treatment is a torn meniscus, a crescent-shaped cartilage that acts like a shock absorberand helps stabilize the knee.

The usual procedure for repairing a tornmeniscus is keyhole surgery or arthroscopy,where the surgeon inserts a scope through asmall incision to examine the joint and, if re-quired, also partially removes the damagedcartilage through another incision. In this newstudy, the Finnish team recruited 146 patientsaged from 35 to 65 with meniscal tears thathad developed through wear and tear rather

Knee ops to repair torncartilage are ‘waste of time’

Students collecting garbage from Sea View during Sea Clean Campaign in city.

than injury or trauma. None of the patients hadarthritis of the knee.

The researchers randomnly assigned thepatients to one of two groups: one underwentkeyhole surgery to partially remove the dam-

aged meniscus and the otherunderwent a sham procedure.In the sham procedure, thesurgeons simulated the realoperation. They manipulatedthe patient’s knee and handledsurgical instruments near theknee so the patient was underthe impression they were be-ing operated on.

Thus both groups under-went arthroscopy, where thescope in inserted into the key-hole so the surgeon can lookat the torn cartilage, but onlyone group actually had part ofthe cartilage removed. Butneither the patients, the peoplecaring for them after the op-eration, nor the researchersanalyzing the results knew

which patients had undergone the real proce-dure and which had just had the sham opera-tion.

The results show that a year later, bothgroups of patients had an equally low rate ofsymptoms and were equally satisfied with theoverall situation of their knee. Both groups ofpatients said they believed their knee felt bet-ter than before the operation. When asked ifthey would choose the same procedure again,93% of the partial meniscectomy group saidthey would, as did 96% of the sham proceduregroup. “It’s difficult to imagine that such a clearresult would result in no changes to treatmentpractices.”

Singer Saveera Ali performing during a musical show at Arts Council.—PO photo bySultan Chaki

Residents of Qayyumabad hold a demonstration against non-supply of water in their area.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) members national assembly SyedNaveed Qamar, Ejaz Jakhrani andShahjehan Balouch while condemningthe International Monetary Fund (IMF)for dictating the government for keep-ing electricity and gas tariff high saidthe IMF were imposing economic ter-rorism on Pakistan.

They said the entire nation had beenunited on the question of eliminationof terrorism from the country but thegovernment was intentionally throwing

PPP won’t tolerate increase in power,gas tariff on IMF’s dictation: MNAs

them into the dark dungeon of povertyand starvation. The situation had dissi-pated serious waves of concern amongthe masses and the increase in electric-ity and gas prices would not only cre-ate political and social unrest but wouldwiden the gap between the deprived andthe elite classes of the country.

The PPP MNAs warned the gov-ernment not to exploit the nation’s unityover the question of elimination of ter-rorism because any decision for hikingelectricity and gas prices would yieldno good results in favour of the gov-ernment. The decision of keeping elec-

tricity and gas prices would also causethe crime graph to rise high.

They said the oil prices had declinedupto 50 percent at the international mar-ket and it was supposed that the govern-ment would pass the comparative reliefto the masses but the government took allthe decisions in opposite direction thatwould worsen the overall economic, po-litical and social scenario in the country.

They demanded the governmentshould take the masses into confidenceregarding all agreement reached be-tween the government and the IMF andshould also explain its priorities to the

masses. They said any increase in elec-tricity and gas tariff would compel thePPP to stage protest on street along withthe masses and in both the houses ofthe Parliament where the PPP mighttable a resolution against the IMF, itstyrannical dictation against the masses.

The PPP MNAs said the PPP hadduring its previous tenure as governmenttook all decisions in favour of the massesdespite the continued media and judicialtrials. They warned the government toavoid anti-masses steps or else it wouldface the worst form of public protest onstreets and inside the Parliament.

STAFF REPORTER

KARACHI—A number of civil society organiza-tions will organize condolence reference for thenoted writer, politicians and intellectual SobhoGianchandi in Karachi on January 16, 2015. Thiswas decided at a meeting held at the office of Hu-man Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) here.

According to a press release issued here

Civil society to organisereference for Sobho Gianchandani

Wednesday, the representatives of various civil soci-ety organizations attended the meeting, which decidedto pay rich tribute to the veteran Communist leaderComrade Sobho in a befitting manner. Among otherswho attended the meeting included Muslim Shamim,advocate, Karamat Ali, Asad Butt, Usman Baloch,Liaquat Ali Sahi, Ayoub Qureshi, B.M. Kutty,Karamat Ali, Hasan Athar, Tauqeer Abbas, M. A.Warsi, Samad Panguri, Amarna Motumal.

A programme for the event was chalked out.According to it, two papers would be presented byMazhar Jameel and Amanullah Shaikh, where as cul-tural programme would also be organized, where asDr Mubarak Ali would be requested to preside overthe meeting. Family members and friends of Com-rade Sohho, representatives of Hindu organizations,labour organisations and civil society organizationswould be invited to attend.

KARACHI—The city administration has fined 70 retailers of Rs1,69,000 for overcharging consumers of varied edible items inthe metropolis, said a spokesman of Commissioner Karachi onWednesday.

The spokesman sharing details with the media, on daily ba-sis, about the ongoing campaign against profiteers, hoarders andadulterators in the metropolis said officials no junior than theranks of assistant commissioner and magistrates are involved inthe daily campaign.

City administration finesretailers of Rs 1,69,000

During past 24 hours, they said 29 milk sellers, 1 meatseller, 9 green grocers, 18 grocers, 1 flour miller, 4 fruitsellers and 8 chicken sellers belonging to different parts ofKarachi were challaned for violating officially approvedprice lists.

It was maintained that hoarding and adulteration of food itemshave been largely controlled while concerted efforts are under-way to counter profiteering and protect the rights of unassumingconsumers.—APP

KARACHI—The Christian community ofKarachi on Wednesday arranged a specialprayers ceremony to mark the beginning of theirannual festival with all simplicity and solem-nity. Participants of the ceremony including pas-tors and bishops alongwith community repre-sentatives also offered prayers for victims of ter-rorism in the country, particularly students ofthe schools attacked by militants.

The session at Commissioner House at-tended by Pastor Suleiman Manzoor, BishopBashar Mul, Pastor Yousuf, Pastor Benjamin,Pastor Muslim, Chaudhry Patras and other mem-bers of the community also paid tribute to thearmy men fighting against terrorists and extrem-ists in the country.

Condolence was offered to the bereavedfamilies of the school children martyred duringterrorists’ attack in Peshawar, innocent citizensturning victim of bomb blasts, target killings aswell as those of indiscriminate firing by terror-

Christians hold special prayers tomark Christmas with solemnity

ists and above all to the soldiers and law en-forcers who laid their lives to protect citizens ofthe country in general.

The session was specially attended by theCommissioner Karachi, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiquiand KMC Administrator, Rauf Akhter Farooquiwho felicitating the community appreciated theirgesture to cancel all celebrations in the existentenvironment of mourning.

Chief Coordinator, Rafah International Mi-nority Organization Umo Naurus, thanked theCommissioner Karachi for offering Commis-sioner House premises to hold this event andalso providing all necessary support to make itimpressive.

He said all people of the country, withoutany distinction and discrimination, are todayunited to defend the homeland against terror-ists. “This is our country and loss of every singlelife is our loss,” said Umo Naurus, the commu-nity leader.—APP

KARACHI—Baqai Medical Univer-sity (BMU) on Wednesday arrangedan orientation session for the studentsadmitted to medical and dental col-leges respectively for academic ses-sion 2015 -2019.

The session attended by would-be doctors and dental surgeonsalongwith their parents was ad-dressed by Dr. Shafiq Qadri, Mem-ber of Provincial Parliament, Toronto(Canada) and Parliamentary Secre-tary to the Governor of Torontoalongwith Prof. Fariduddin Baqai,Prof. Zahida Baqai, Dr. Kashif Ikramand Dr. Intizar Zahir Khan.

The chief guest, Dr. Shafiq Qadrion the occasion urged the studentsnever to forget that situation and en-

BMU holds orientation sessionfor its students of 2015 batch

vironment changes but virtues and am-bitions do not, and this is a reflectionof character.

The students were also advised togain knowledge and develop skills, at-titude and honesty prerequisite for thosetaking upon themselves the responsibil-ity of serving humanity.

Vice Chancellor, BMU, Prof.Zahida Baqai said it was in 1986 thatInstitute of Basic Health Sciences wasestablished by Baqai Foundation with50 students granted admission follow-ing a proper mechanism of admissiontest, aptitude test and interviews.

She said it was in 1988 that afteracquiring affiliation with Karachi Uni-versity that Baqai Medical College wasturned functional that produced its first

batch of dental surgeons in 1993.“We have till date produced 5662

graduates and 803 post graduates es-tablishing our contribution to the fieldof medical and dental education,” saidthe BMU Vice Chancellor. BMUChancellor, Prof Fariduddin Baqaisaid quality education was the mis-sion of Baqai University.

Principal, Baqai Dental CollegeDr. Kashif Ikram, introducing thenewly admitted students of 205 batchsaid of the 14000 registered dentalsurgeons in the country 1400 aregraduates of Baqai Dental College.

On the occasion Dean, FacultyMedicine and Dentistry, Baqai Uni-versity presented college memento tothe chief guest.—APP

NEW research from Finland suggestsmany thousands of people who havearthroscopic knee surgery to fix a torn

cartilage could be wasting their time. A reporton the Finnish Degenerative Meniscal LesionStudy (FIDELITY), publishedrecently in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine, finds thatthe benefits of keyhole opera-tions to repair degenerativemeniscal tears are no betterthan sham operations.

Previous studies haveshown that keyhole surgery onthe knee does not help patientswith osteoarthritis and suchprocedures have become lesscommon for arthritis sufferers.In the meantime, keyhole sur-gery to repair torn cartilagehas risen significantly, despitelack of evidence that it actu-ally helps, says the Finnishteam. Knee problems otherthan arthritis that cause stiff-ness and pain are very com-mon, and are most often caused by gradualwear and tear rather than sudden injury ortrauma. The most common diagnosis that re-quires treatment is a torn meniscus, a crescent-shaped cartilage that acts like a shock absorberand helps stabilize the knee.

The usual procedure for repairing a tornmeniscus is keyhole surgery or arthroscopy,where the surgeon inserts a scope through asmall incision to examine the joint and, if re-quired, also partially removes the damagedcartilage through another incision. In this newstudy, the Finnish team recruited 146 patientsaged from 35 to 65 with meniscal tears thathad developed through wear and tear rather

Knee ops to repair torncartilage are ‘waste of time’

Visibility level was extremely low in the city due to fog on Wednesday.

than injury or trauma. None of the patients hadarthritis of the knee.

The researchers randomnly assigned thepatients to one of two groups: one underwentkeyhole surgery to partially remove the dam-

aged meniscus and the otherunderwent a sham procedure.In the sham procedure, thesurgeons simulated the realoperation. They manipulatedthe patient’s knee and handledsurgical instruments near theknee so the patient was underthe impression they were be-ing operated on.

Thus both groups under-went arthroscopy, where thescope in inserted into the key-hole so the surgeon can lookat the torn cartilage, but onlyone group actually had part ofthe cartilage removed. Butneither the patients, the peoplecaring for them after the op-eration, nor the researchersanalyzing the results knew

which patients had undergone the real proce-dure and which had just had the sham opera-tion.

The results show that a year later, bothgroups of patients had an equally low rate ofsymptoms and were equally satisfied with theoverall situation of their knee. Both groups ofpatients said they believed their knee felt bet-ter than before the operation. When asked ifthey would choose the same procedure again,93% of the partial meniscectomy group saidthey would, as did 96% of the sham proceduregroup. “It’s difficult to imagine that such a clearresult would result in no changes to treatmentpractices.”

The contract employees of Punjab Police are demonstrating in favour of their demands.

Students of Cathedral School Church Road performing on the stage during a function in connection with Christmas celebrations.

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Punjab Chief Minister MuhammadShahbaz Sharif has said that Christian community hasplayed a commendable role in the progress and sta-bility of the country as well as development of edu-cation and health sectors. He said that services of theChristian community for the country are a proof ofits patriotism.

In a message of felicitation to the Christian com-munity on the occasion of Christmas, the Chief Min-

Christian community has played commendablerole in progress of country: Shahbaz

ister said that all religions give the message of peaceand brotherhood and the teachings of the Holy Christlay special emphasis in this regard. He said that up-holding of basic rights of minorities, protecting theirlife and property, granting them religious freedom andproviding them equal opportunities of progress is theresponsibility of the state and the Punjab governmenthas evolved a solid and comprehensive strategy inthis regard.

Shahbaz Sharif further said that all minorities haveequal rights in Pakistan and opportunities of progress

are being provided to them without any discrimina-tion. He said that Christian community is infused withthe spirit of patriotism and working hard for the de-velopment and prosperity of Pakistan. The Chief Min-ister said that Pakistan Muslim League(N) govern-ment is taking all necessary measures for the progressand uplift of minorities including Christian commu-nity and protection of their due rights. He said that itis time to rise above narrow considerations and preju-dices and make collective efforts for the progress, sta-bility and survival of the country.

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—The OmbudspersonPunjab, Professor Dr. Mira Phailbushas said that the Harassment Aware-ness Volunteer Program (HAVP), aspecial initiative of Government ofthe Punjab, which was successfullylaunched in the first week of Novem-ber starting with Layyah, and sincethen has covered the districtsMuzaffargarh and Okara. Now thiscampaign is going to be launched in

Stern action be taken againstelements harassing working women

Vehari from the last week of Decemberand will then onwards to comparativelyless developed districts of SouthernPunjab. This initiative would achievethe workplace and encourage them tocontribute towards economic prosper-ity of their families as well as nationaldevelopment.

The protection against Harassmentof Women at the Workplace Act 2010,as amended in 2012 by Provincial As-sembly of the Punjab took effect in early2013 and Prof. Dr. Mira Phailbus was

appointed as first Ombudsperson,Punjab. The Act provides convenientand simple legal mechanism for protec-tion of women against all kinds ofsexual harassment at workplace, in bothpublic and private sectors.

Under the Act, Enquiry andRedressal committees have been con-stituted in all public and private sectororganizations including all provincialand district Government departments,their field establishment as well asbanks and financial institutions, cham-

ber of commerce & industry, colleges,universities, hospitals etc. in publicand private sector in all districts of thePunjab. All these organization arebound under the Act to comply withthe provision s of the code of conductunder the act and also display the sameat prominent places for awareness ofthe e3mployees.

However, in case of decisionmade by the Ombudsperson on directcomplaints lodged to her, GovernorPunjab is the Appellate Authority.

STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE—Provincial Minister for Law,Excise & Taxation and Finance MujtabaShuja-ur-Rehman has said that huge resourcesare being spent on the rapid development ofthe province, promotion of quality education,elimination of ignorance and unemploymentas well as provision of prompt and inexpen-

Awareness campaign forsensitising people against smokingMUZAFFAR ALI

LAHORE—At least four people died on Wednes-day in separate road accidents attributed to densefog in Lahore. A biker, later identified as Ateeq,died as his bike collided with a truck near JainMandir whereas collision of a truck and motor-cycle at Litton Road injured the motorcyclistwho was shifted to the hospital. The injured,identified as Nazim, died succumbed to the in-juries.

Motorway has been closed for traffic as vis-ibility dropped to zero whereas flight scheduleshave also been affected troubling the passen-

Four die in fog-relatedroad accidents in city

gers. More than 60 feeders of Lahore Electric-ity Supply Company (LESCO) tripped due tothe adverse weather conditions causing poweroutage in many areas of the city.

According to the Pakistan Meteorologi-cal Department (PMD), the fog would con-tinue to cloud the province. The Allama IqbalInternational airport’s operations have alsobeen shut down and the international and do-mestic flights coming to land there have beendeviated to other airports. Furthermore, theauthorities have advised the people to avoidunnecessary journey and turn their fog-lightson while on way.

LAHORE— All the stakeholders wouldbe taken on board and collective ef-forts would be made for strengthen-ing higher education in the Punjab.Punjab Higher Education Commission(PHEC) would act as facilitative andsupportive role model organization inorder to bring higher education sectorat par with international standards.This was stated by the newly ap-pointed Chairman Punjab HEC, Pro-fessor Dr. Muhammad Nizamuddinduring his excusive discussion withINP.

He said that the establishmentPunjab Higher Education Commissionwas announced by Chief MinisterPunjab during February 2013 and itwas included in Medium Term Devel-

Stakeholders to be taken on boardfor strengthening Higher Education

opment Framework (MTDF) 2014-17.After deliberations, a detailed road mapfor strengthening higher education set upin the province was prepared by a fivemembers Steering Committee notifiedby the Chief Minister of the Punjab. Inorder to address problems being con-fronted by the province in higher edu-cation sector in a more effective and ef-ficient way, Punjab Higher EducationCommission was also suggested by theparticipants of three days national con-ference titled “Future Road Map ofHigher Education” held in March 2014.

He assured that the recommendationof the roadmap would be implementedthrough close liaison with all the stake-holders of higher education sector. Healso informed that access to higher edu-

cation would be enhanced with em-phasis on professional, technical andmultidisciplinary Education and thePunjab higher education sector whichis comprised of 49 universities and560 colleges, that would play an in-strumental role in poverty alleviationin the province.

Responding to a question, he saidthat higher education institutions ofthe Punjab, would be encouraged andfacilitated to play pivotal role to ad-dress the social, environmental, agri-culture, livestock and health relatedproblems. “The doors of my office areopen for each faculty member, re-searcher and every suggestion wouldbe welcomed to take higher educationsector forward”, he narrated.—INP

sive justice to the masses. He said govern-ment is establishing state-of-the-art medicalinstitutes for the provision of latest healthcarefacilities at cheaper rates even free of cost tothe deserving patients. He said that focus ison the launching of high tech hospitals for thetreatment fetal and complicated diseases anda modern institutes of Neuro Sciences is be-ing established at a cost of Rs. 2.74 billion in

two phases. He said that Institute of NeuroSciences will provide opportunities for thepromotion of neurosurgery in Punjab as wellas training and updating the knowledge of doc-tors. He said that brain tumour is completelycurable disease and all facilities of neurosur-gery are available in the country, early diag-nosis can enhance the possibilities for com-plete recovery.