Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Express Tribune Newsletter: February 01, 2012

 

Today's Headlines

February 01, 2012

 

Leaked NATO report claims to expose direct links between ISI, Taliban
AFP/ News Desk

A secret NATO report claims to "fully expose" direct links between Pakistan's Inter Sevices Intelligence (ISI) and the Taliban, the BBC reported early on Wednesday.
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National/City

President Karzai to visit Pakistan in mid-Feb
Tahir Khan
As Pakistan and Afghanistan warm up to each other following almost four months of tensions sparked by the assassination of top peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani, President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to visit Islamabad in February.

Costs a ton: Diesel shatters Rs100 barrier
Zafar Bhutta
What was once an exaggerated expression to bemoan inflation has now become reality: The price of diesel has crossed Rs100.

Analysis: The US is acting over and above the law
Niaz A Shah
While drone attacks might have some tactical advantage against al Qaeda and its affiliates, as is being argued, they are against the UN Charter, the law of armed conflict and international human rights law.

Major assault on Kurram: Troops repulse Taliban attack on strategic post
Our Correspondents
Security forces repulsed a major Taliban attack on a strategic check-post in the Kurram tribal region, triggering bloody clashes that left 43 people, among them eight troops, dead and dozens others wounded, the military said on Tuesday.

As death toll rises at home: PIC drugs samples sent abroad for testing
Ali Usman
As the authorities fumble to grasp what is going on, the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry is suffering severe financial losses, with claims that over two billion rupees has been lost so far.
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Business

Gas crisis: Govt plans to expand supply, constrain demand growth
Zafar Bhutta
Pushing ahead with LNG imports, despite opposition from end buyers.The buyers think that the economics just does not work, but the petroleum ministry seems hell-bent on importing liquefied natural gas anyway.

Permission granted : ECC allows export of 100,000 tons of sugar
Shahbaz Rana
The government on Tuesday relaxed a ban on sugar export and allowed the private sector to export 100,000 tons, a move aimed at stabilising prices in the local market and resolving cash flow problems of mills.
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Sports

Mohsin saga: Coach gets approval from Latif, Afridi
Our Correspondents
With another impressive series-win in the bag, Pakistan's interim coach Mohsin Khan, who was first appointed for the series against Sri Lanka, continues to draw support from various quarters with Rashid Latif the latest voice to back his full-time appointment.

Pakistan-India series: BCCI president keen on revival, says PCB chief
Fawad Hussain
Attempts to revive bilateral series between Pakistan and India keep being made but the road seems to end at the Indian government's doorstep.
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Life & Style

Qayaas: Bringing rock back
Rafay Mahmood
Almost a decade later, when the prospects of the Pakistani music industry go from gloomy to gloomier, the sight of hordes of eager fans cheering outside the same venue was pleasantly surprising. It was in anticipation of Islamabad-based rock band Qayaas that made the fans' voice go up by several decibels.

Beyond Kismat: Lahore gets some Josh
Sher Khan
South Asian-Canadian fusion band Josh came to Lahore to film the second music video from their recently released album Beyond Kismat
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Opinion

So who will watch the watchdog?
Fahd Husain

Moral panics
Dr Tariq Rahman

Colour me rainbow
Amber Darr

America and the Taliban
Zahrah Nasir

Political influence of fringe religious groups
Tariq Fatemi

Blogs

Left to die in an old age home
Maati TV

Why firing Maya Khan is not the solution
Maria Waqar

We need domestic violence legislation…now
Hira Anwar

Team Misbah did us proud
Rafay Awaan

Poll

Can Pakistan be a US ally in the war on terror without compromising its sovereignty?

No (69%, 337 Votes)
Yes (31%, 148 Votes)
Total Voters: 485

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Monday, January 30, 2012

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 31, 2012

 

Today's Headlines

January 31, 2012

 

Haqqani sets sail from Pakistan
Zahid Gishkori

Pakistan's former Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani departed from Pakistan under thick security blanket in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
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National/City

Losing steam: Rust sets in on Memogate
Our Correspondents
With an extension for a judicial probe and a removal of a travel ban on the principal accused, the urgency, it seems, has officially abated – despite another "secret letter" to the chief justice by Mansoor Ijaz.

Tainted medicines: With no answers forthcoming, SC enters the fray
Azam Khan / Samia Saleem
The Supreme Court has summoned the authorities involved in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) free medicine disaster. As the court took suo motu notice, the death toll was reported to have reached 114, with at least 400 people currently under treatment at various hospitals in Lahore. The case will be heard on Tuesday (today).

Sectarian & ethnic attacks?: One killed in Gulberg, 3 in New Karachi
Faraz Khan
A wave of killings continue to plague Karachi, as another man from the Shia sect was targeted in the limits of Gulberg Police Station on Monday.

Youth awareness: How to build a nation
Ayesha Hasan
'Be the change you want to bring' was the message given by panellists at a seminar held on Monday at Kinnaird College for Women.

Obama admits US drone strikes into Pakistan
AFP
President Barack Obama on Monday admitted that US drone aircraft have struck Taliban and al Qaeda targets within Pakistan -operations that until now had not been officially acknowledged.
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Business

Neelum-Jhelum project: Pakistan negotiating $448m loan with China
Shahbaz Rana
Pakistan and China are negotiating a $448 million loan to help finance the 969-megawatt Neelum Jhelum hydropower project, which has run into cash flow problems owing to bureaucratic delays. Those delays have caused the cost of the project to rise to Rs330 billion ($3.7 billion).

Increase of 3 to 6 per cent expected in oil prices
Zafar Bhutta
Consumers may face an increase of 6 per cent or Rs6.29 in oil prices per litre from February 1 following a rise in crude prices in the international market, government officials say.
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Sports

Pakistan vs England: Spinning magic, wreaking havoc
Fawad Hussain
In stark comparison to the 1990s when Pakistan were blessed with the pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis who won the team several matches and destroyed the strongest batting line-ups, the team now relies on death by spin, with Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman drawing the world's best to their knees.

Hockey: I'm with the federation in age row, says Heuvel
Our Correspondents
Pakistan hockey coach Michel van den Heuvel has backed the country's hockey federation for imposing an age-restriction ban on players participating in the national championship, terming it one that will help find young blood.
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Life & Style

FCP's dining revolution disappoints
Hani Taha
When a company announces a 'dining revolution', one automatically envisions a grand gastronomical fest with golden platters containing aesthetically pleasing food. And if the company in question is the vibrant food portal, Food Connection Pakistan (FCP), with clever invites in the form of inscribed plates, then one rightfully expects its launch (event) to be serious 'food for thought' (pun intended).

Shah Rukh Khan slaps Farah Khan's husband over RA.One remarks
Our Correspondents
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan allegedly assaulted former close friend Farah Khan's husband and filmmaker Shirish Kunder at a party thrown by actor Sanjay Dutt on Sunday, Indian newspaper The Hindustan Times reported.
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Opinion

Bloggers vs thanedars
Feisal H Naqvi

The good doctor and other questions
Aasim Zafar Khan

Did no one kill Saleem Shahzad then?
Farrukh Khan Pitafi

Bacha Khan: our forgotten Quaid
Yaqoob Khan Bangash

The many faces of Afghan peace
Adam Ahmed

Blogs

Who says I can't be a Muslim feminist?
Fatemeh Fakhraie

The great brain waste
Jamal Uddin

Shaming Maya: Two wrongs don't make a right
Vaqas Asghar

Humsafar: A comic review
Hammad Ali

Poll

In your opinion, should Pakistan become a secular state?

No (37%, 314 Votes)
Yes (63%, 540 Votes)
Total Voters: 854

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 30, 2012

 

Today's Headlines

January 30, 2012

 

Back on track?: Islamabad, Kabul move to revive peace commission
Kamran Yousaf

Islamabad will seek the revival of the Pak-Afghan joint peace commission when Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visits Kabul this week. Khar will visit Kabul on February 1 and call on Afghan President Hamid Karzai, confirmed Afghan ambassador in Islamabad, Omar Daudzai.
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National/City

Disinformation alleged: Longer tenure ruled out for spymaster
Sumera Khan
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has rubbished the impression that his administration was considering extending the tenure of the country's top spymaster in an effort to heal its months-long rift with the security establishment.

Formation of Balochistan govt: PML-Q aided PPP on Musharraf's advice: Shujaat
Qamar Zaman / Shehzad Baloch
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) spills the beans – finally.

Rallying cry: Hashmi slams PML-N for Senate deal bid with PPP
Abdul Manan
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters gave Makhdoom Javed Hashmi a warm welcome into the city on Sunday as he arrived in a large convoy from Multan in a symbolic journey to challenge the dominance of his former party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, in Punjab.

Memo commission's deadline extended for two months
News Desk
The Supreme Court extended the Memogate commission's deadline for two more months as Mansoor Ijaz failed to appear before the commission to record his statements, Express News reported on Monday.

Worship site row: Large protest against Ahmedis in Rawalpindi
Mudassir Raja
A large number of local activists from different religious parties gathered near a local hospital to urge the government to stop what they called the 'unconstitutional activities' of Ahmedis in Rawalpindi.
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Business

Nandipur power plant: Country's cheapest power plant suffers another setback
Farooq Baloch
Stalled for almost two years, construction of Nandipur power plant – potentially the country's cheapest power production plant – has once again been delayed. The incomplete project has not only deprived the national grid of 425MW but also resulted in losses worth millions.

Thar Coal – Energy security for Pakistan
M Younus Dagha
Discovered accidentally in the year 1989, during an exploration project of defunct SAZDA (Sindh Arid Zone Development Authority) to find drinkable water in the desert, Thar Coal has remained a matter of active national debate.
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Sports

Pakistan vs England: A whitewash in sight
Fawad Hussain
After securing an unassailable 2-0 lead against the world's top Test team, Pakistan have set their sights on a whitewash against England.

Boxing: Women's event planned amid hardliners' wrath
Natasha Raheel
Wary of a backlash from religious groups, the country's federation is planning small steps at a time in a bid to promote women's boxing.
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Life & Style

Twitter alert: Awesome Pakistani Things!
Zainab Imam
In a country as riddled with problems as Pakistan, self-motivation is important to maintain optimism and sanity. Pakistani Twitter users – both from within the country and those abroad – took to the microblogging website to collate a comprehensive list of what all it is about their country that is awesome.

A glimpse into The Cafe Upstairs
Teepu Qureshi
The Cafe Upstairs is an initiative by Sohail Salahuddin — cultural doyen Yousuf Salahuddin son — who always wanted to come up with an all-encompassing cafe that manages to tap its own niche in a market that is already too cluttered with cafes and coffee havens. The cafe is located on the bustling main Jail Road in Lahore above the swanky Zamana Interiors.
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Opinion

Pakistan's rush for more bombs — why?
Pervez Hoodbhoy

Whatever happened to the Great People?
Anwer Mooraj

Governance and citizen's discomfort
Shahid Javed Burki

The challenge of real change
Dr Akmal Hussain

Egypt's rocky road
Tanvir Ahmad Khan

Blogs

Team Pakistan: Back with a bang!
Imran A Khan

Our poisoned education: Shia clothes and Sunni textbooks
Sana Iqbal

Jaipur Literature Festival: Prisoner of a palace
Sanjay Kumar

Iran and the oil embargo
Manal Shakir

Poll

Do you believe Pakistan is ready to host international cricket again?

No (29%, 160 Votes)
Yes (71%, 390 Votes)
Total Voters: 550

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Top 10 on Tribune (Jan 22-29 2012)

  

Top 10 stories of the week

Jan 22-29, 2012
 

 
1. Morning show host Maya Khan fired from Samaa TV – Taha Siddiqui

2. Amir Khan rings engagement bells – News Desk

3. Vigil-aunties – Bina Shah

4. I will 'never' join PTI: Fatima Bhutto – Web Desk

5. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's documentary lands coveted Oscar nomination – News Desk

6. Veena Malik denies nude photo shoot for FHM – Web Desk

7. In the parks of Karachi – Ejaz Haider

8. PTI reacts sharply to Fatima Bhutto's criticism – Web Desk

9. 100,000 conversions and counting, meet the ex-Hindu who herds souls to the Hereafter – Saba Imtiaz

10. Meera to marry Pakistani-American pilot – Web Desk

 

 

 

 
Top Business

Chasing a pipe dream: Three reasons why Thar coal will not save Pakistan
Fouad Khan

Top Sports

Pakistan humiliate England to take series
AFP

Top 3 blogs

1. An open letter to Maya Khan
Mehreen Kasana

2. It's true, trash TV sells
Madiha Javed

3. LUMUN or competitions that turn into a losing game
Meiryum Ali

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 29, 2012

 

Today's Headlines

January 29, 2012

 

Ties with the US: Committee stops short of concrete advice
Irfan Ghauri

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan said Thursday they expected to open a "new chapter" at future talks between the rival nations after they met at a regional summit in the Maldives.
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National/City reports

Drone attacks linked to 'trust deficit' with US
Agencies
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani used the platform of the World Economic Forum on Saturday to condemn the resumption of US drone strikes in the country's tribal belt and bemoaned the 'trust deficit' between Islamabad and Washington.

Memogate case: Panel asked to use ISI chief's statement
Qaiser Zulfiqar
Frustrated with the refusal of Mansoor Ijaz to appear before the apex court, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, one of the petitioners in the Memogate case, requested the judicial commission on Saturday to summon the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence to record his statement as evidence instead.

Rental power plants: Govt to pay Rs2 billion in rent for ailing plant
Zafar Bhutta
Karkey Karadeniz Electric has failed to generate the power its capacity allows, but the government sees no reason to investigate the matter before using taxpayers' money, in this case a whopping Rs2.2 billion, to pay rent for the Turkish power plant.

Free medicine tragedy: Shahbaz orders judicial inquiry, sacks PIC officials
Ali Usman
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered a judicial inquiry into the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) medicine disaster in which 85 people, officially, have so far died. Unofficial sources state that over 100 people lost their lives after reacting to drugs issued at the PIC.

Desert miracle: Spin-derella story
News Desk
Step aside, Cinderella.
Even the most optimistic of followers cannot say that they called it.
No longer considered an elite Test team, Pakistan pulled off one of the most spectacular series victories in cricket history, beating the current top-ranked side, England.
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Business

Weekly review: Bourse shows glimpses of glory days
Bilal Umar
The stock market showed glimpses of its lost glory days following the government's decision to relax capital gains tax over the weekend as average volumes surged to triple figures after more than a year.

Apple store: Local firm's facebook app makes $90,000 in a week
Farooq Baloch
For Apple's App Store, country of origin for an application does not matter, which gives Pakistani IT companies a level playing ground for capturing a market share while competing with developers from rest of the world without being concerned about the country's negative perception in the West.
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Sports

Cricket: Captain cool hails resurgent Pakistan
AFP
With yet another series in the bag, captain Misbahul Haq acknowledged Pakistan's excellent performance which saw them win the second Test against England by 72 runs in a thrilling finish and also take an assailable 2-0 lead after the 10-wicket Dubai thrashing.

India vs Australia: A routine humiliation
AFP
Australia crushed India by 298 runs to wrap up a 4-0 series whitewash on the final day of the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval.
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Life & Style

'We show up with medicines, not guns'
Hani Taha
Musician Todd Shea has developed a reputation for being the 'go-to guy for relief', an accolade that has come with his unique dedication for helping out with disasters around the world from places like Sri Lanka and India to Japan and Pakistan.

Reverse wing pouters, St Bernards, ostriches show off their brains, beef and beauty at show
Shaheryar Mirza
Don't get close to that goat – he attacks, cried the herder to a startled child who had just realised that goats were not the helpless creatures that ended up on his plate.
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Opinion

Moving on
Saroop Ijaz

The value of second thoughts
Nadir Hassan

The politics of living under terrorism
Khaled Ahmed

International scrutiny of the Supreme Court
Asad Jamal

The mystery behind access to Kasab
Aakar Patel

Blogs

Jaipur Literature Festival: Prisoner of a palace
Sanjay Kumar

Iran and the oil embargo
Manal Shakir

Is Pakistan ready to host again?
Bilal Memon

My sister didn't visit the Punjab Institute of Cardiology
Khalid Farooq

84th Academy Awards: Predictions, tweets & snubs
Laaleen Khan

Poll

Do you believe Pakistan is ready to host international cricket again?

Yes (63%, 169 Votes)
No (37%, 100 Votes)
Total Voters: 269

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