Hum sub Pakistani: The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 06, 2011

Today's Headlines

December 06, 2011

Afghan endgame: Islamabad missed, but no surprises at Bonn
Our Correspondents

With key players missing, an international conference on Afghanistan's future in the German city of Bonn wasn't expected to produce much. And the event lived up to its billing.
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National/City

Key US senators urge review of Pakistan funding
AFP
The United States must "fully review" its ties with Pakistan and consider cuts or new restrictions to military and economic aid, Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham urged Monday.

Review on the cards: Pakistan summons envoys from world capitals
Kamran Yousaf
Pakistan appears to be shaping for a paradigm shift in its foreign policy, with a flurry of directives making their way from Islamabad to its missions in world capitals. The move comes in the wake of the Nato airstrikes on Pakistan forward posts along the Afghan border on November 26.

PM Gilani interview: Business as usual?
APP
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Monday that Pakistan seeks good relations with the US, based on mutual respect and clearly defined parameters, which, he added, "won't take long".

'Ijaz offered to mediate between Delhi, jihadis'
Our Correspondents
A leading Indian newspaper claimed on Monday that US businessman Mansoor Ijaz had offered to broker a peace deal between New Delhi and jihadists linked to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan..

Vacant seat in NA: PPP yet to find Sherry's replacement
Irfan Ghauri
The Pakistan Peoples Party is reportedly in a fix over who to nominate as a replacement of Sherry Rehman in the lower house of parliament.
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Business

Explaining the spin-off: AkzoNobel gearing up to supply Middle East paint market from Pakistan
Farooq Baloch
Far from winding up its business in Pakistan, AkzoNobel – the world's largest paint company – is planning to invest heavily in expanding its production facilities in Pakistan,The Express Tribune has learnt.

Local per acre citrus yield half of India's output
Shamsul Islam
The country's citrus production per acre stands at approximately 4.6 tons, almost half of India's 9 tons per acre, according to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
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Sports

Women's cricket: Breaking new grounds
Shahzada Usman
Pakistan's recent success in Bangladesh, where it qualified for next year's World Twenty20 as well as the 2013 World Cup, not only brought them an added bout of laurels but also recognition, admiration, support and a maiden One-Day International (ODI) century.

Aiming for glory, a letter at a time
Our Correspondents
Pakistan's eight-person squad begin their World Youth Scrabble Championship 2011 campaign in Malaysia today with national junior champion Shahzaib Khatri termed the country's main hope in the three-day event.
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Life & Style

Tribune Take: Veena Malik scandal, a publicity stunt?
Mahawish Rezvi
In today's episode of the Tribune Take we look at the ongoing fallout of the Veena Malik nude photo shoot scandal.

Nohas: Sales to dust
Rafay Mehmood
If Eid is the season for cinema owners to recover all losses, Muharram is the golden month for music shop owners to sell nohas. This year, however, the response to nohas was disappointing as the demand and eventually sale of these religious tunes declined significantly due to a number of reasons. On the seventh of Muharram, the dearth of customers at Rainbow Centre was a rare scene; no nohas were being played loudly and only a trickle of customers could be spotted in the shops.
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