Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 30, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 30, 2011

 

'Major surprises' expected in talks with militants, ISI tells senators
Irfan Ghauri


In an unusual three-hour meeting behind closed doors, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Shuja Pasha and his deputies briefed a Senate panel on the country's war against terror policy, which they claimed is going through a "holistic review" to correspond with changes in the United States' plans in Afghanistan.
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National/City

Kharotabad killings: 'Tattling' police surgeon silenced
Shehzad Baloch
The key witness to the Kharotabad incident, police surgeon Dr Syed Baqir Shah, was shot dead on Thursday afternoon while on his way home. 

Child prodigy: Lights dim on a beautiful mind
Shamsul Islam
Aarifa Karim Randhawa was the youngest ever Microsoft certified professional in the world. Born in 1995, she received the prestigious title at the age of nine. 

Flashback: Defining moments of 2011
Jahanzaib Haque / Shaheryar Popalzai
Taking a look back across 2011, there is no doubt that Pakistan has been through a tumultuous year. 

Top-ranking officials reshuffled in NAB
Asad Kharal
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has carried out a major reshuffle in its ranks, with some old faces finally bidding farewell to the institution. Previous appointments, considered controversial, have been overturned and new faces have come to the fore, according to sources. 

Peace will not prevail without military withdrawal: Jamaat-e-Islami
Saba Imtiaz
Because it fears that Balochistan is on the brink of no return, the Jamaat-e-Islami has called for "an end to the unannounced military operation and the role of the [intelligence] agencies in the province."
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Business

Energy crisis: Gas supply shut indefinitely for industries in Punjab
Our Correspondents
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has announced gas curtailment for all industries of Punjab for an indefinite period of time. According to a notification issued by the company, the decision was taken to provide the gas to its domestic consumers. 

Pakistan going ahead with IP pipeline, despite US coercions
Our Correspondents
Despite US pressure to desist from entering into an energy deal with Iran that would help lessen a mounting gas crisis, it seems Pakistan will be honouring its committment as work surges on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, Iran state regulated Press Television reported on Thursday.
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Sports

Cricket: 'Our spinner is better than yours'
Fawad Hussain
The year's highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, Saeed Ajmal, has been heavily backed by the team management and former Test cricketers to outshine England's Graeme Swann in the upcoming Test series in the UAE. 

Boxing: Waseem bags Pakistan's only gold
Obaid Abbasi
Pakistan's Mohammad Waseem defeated Kenya's Benson Gicharu 26-9 in the final of the 52-kilogramme category, bagging the country's sole gold medal in the second International Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Boxing Championship held in Islamabad.
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Life & Style

Showbiz gems: Party in the heavens
Rafay Mahmood
It is a cool and windy evening, slow jazz plays in the background and a red carpet is rolled outside the heaven's gate; we are expecting some guests. All kinds of dishes are on the menu and angels are dressed up in tuxedos. According to Divine News, the arrival of some timeless musicians, evergreen actors, stylish ladies and tech geniuses is expected any minute. 

Sur-Kshetra: Aslam and Reshammiya set for a battle
Our Correspondents
Pop sensation Atif Aslam will soon start shooting for a three-month long musical reality TV show "Sur-Kshetra", in which he will be leading Pakistani singers while Indian singer Himesh Reshammiya will be leading the Indian side, reports koolmuzone.com. They are also going to judge the show. The show will be shot in Dubai and will most likely go on air early next year.
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Opinion

Needed: a 'bloody civilian' at the ISI
Kamran Shafi 

Essences and poisons
Javed Jabbar 

May we live in interesting times
Jyoti Malhotra 

Killing two birds
Daud Khan 

Facts and figures
Dr Pervez Tahir 

Blogs

Ruttie's love letter to Jinnah
Amna Khalid 

PTI: Too many cooks in the kitchen
Ali Mustafa 

Predicament of journalists in Balochistan
Shahzad Baloch 

Selling a kidney to end poverty
Sehrish Wasif 

Poll

Should Pakistan and India resolve the Kashmir conflict before discussing other issues?

No (39%, 204 Votes)
Yes (61%, 319 Votes)
Total Voters: 523 

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 29, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 29, 2011

 

Starting Jan 1: The little gas there is, may cost a lot more
Zafar Bhutta


There is little gas in the country, the petroleum minister told parliamentarians a few days ago – and now the little that there is, will cost a lot more starting January 1, 2012.
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National/City

PPP considers getting Haqqani elected as Senator
Irfan Ghauri
Legal and constitutional hurdles aside, adamant Pakistan Peoples Party circles are considering getting former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani elected to the Senate in March 2012. 

Airstrikes Report: Pakistan, US far from same page
Kamran Yousaf
As the US seeks to end its missions in Afghanistan, relations between Pakistan and the US appear to be heading for a crash landing. 

Probing Memogate: Parliamentary panel lacks mandate: SC
Faisal Shakeel
For days the government has been insisting that the court back off the Memogate affair, since a parliamentary committee is already probing it. 

Minority rights in Pakistan: Silence, increasing intolerance make for another grim year
Ali Usman
Silence became the biggest atrocity against minorities in Pakistan this year. With the rise of the phenomenon of crushing the voice of minority advocates and increasing intolerance, 2011 remained a grim year for minorities in the country. 

Scandal at NFML: Ministers allegedly involved in Rs300b fertiliser fraud
Arif Rana
A powerful group comprising federal ministers, elected officials, and senior civil servants allegedly embezzled Rs300 billion through the illegal dumping, smuggling, and black-marketing of fertiliser imported by the government, according to an official inquiry report.
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Business

Improving revenue collection: Pakistan, WB negotiating second reform programme
Shahbaz Rana
Pakistan and the World Bank have been negotiating a $300 million (Rs 27 billion) loan for a second round of tax reforms as the first programme is going to expire on December 31st on 'moderately satisfactory' note. 

Liquor trade: Murree Brewery nervy about trade liberalisation
Farooq Tirmizi
One would expect that a company whose sales are heavily taxed and severely restricted to a tiny segment of the population would welcome liberalisation of those rules. Not Murree Brewery, which seems rather comfortable with the status quo and appears to very much like things to stay the way they are.
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Sports

Latif backs Pakistan to beat England
Our Correspondents
Former captain Rashid Latif on Wednesday backed Pakistan to beat the world's best Test side England in a three-Test series starting next month. 

Squash: Atlas bags maiden title of the year
Our Correspondents
Pakistan number one Amir Atlas rounded off his year on a positive note as he clinched his first title of 2011, beating Farhan Zaman 3-2 to win the Pakistan Circuit Four Championship.
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Life & Style

Salman Ahmad: 'Music is a call for unity'
Saadia Qamar
From adding rock to Allama Iqbal's words to initiating his own NGO venture, rock artist Salman Ahmad has proved that he is an agent of change. Although his band Junoon, which started out with Ali Azmat, Brian O' Connell and himself, has disbanded, Ahmad doesn't hold any grudges against his ex-band members and wishes the best for them.

Shagufta Ejaz: 'We must shun western values'
Our Correspondents
Her rise to fame was a matter of chance — an appearance in a modelling show for a friend's event and the next thing Shagufta Ejaz knew was that she had practically launched her career on PTV. Spotted by acclaimed director Mohammad Baksh Samejo at the event, Ejaz had little idea about the limelight awaiting her. ______________________________________________

 

 
Opinion 

Madcap recap
Sami Shah 

Kitchen Cabinet
Feryal Ali Gauhar 

Imran Khan's hollow apology on Balochistan
Sanaullah Baloch 

Thus spake Khan
Khurram Hussain 

A dismal outlook for 2012
Imtiaz Gul 

Blogs

Selling a kidney to end poverty
Sehrish Wasif 

Pane and Amore: Sweet, savoury treats
Farah S Kamal 

The unsung heroes of Pakistan (I)
Noman Ansari 

Don't let mullahs take over Pakistan
Ibrahim Sajid Malick 

Poll

Do you think the current government has done enough to investigate Benazir Bhutto's assassination?

No (93%, 609 Votes)
Yes (7%, 47 Votes)
Total Voters: 656 

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 28, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 28, 2011

 

At Garhi Khuda Bux: PPP stares down critics with own show of strength
Sarfaraz Memon

He took to the stage resurgent, smiling, and confident. In his first public appearance since his return to Pakistan after an illness, President Asif Ali Zardari addressed a large gathering of supporters of his ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), vowing to defend democracy and even humorously replying to some of the jibes his political opponents had thrown his way in recent days.
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National/City

Memogate case: Asma Jehangir drags ISI chief into the ring
Faisal Shakeel
The role of the country's premier intelligence agency came under the spotlight at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as Asma Jehangir, counsel for former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani, defended her client in the Memogate case. 

Pak-India talks: Vital accords on nukes, missile tests extended
Kamran Yousaf
The end of the two-day talks held between Pakistan and India showed some results, but it was apparent no drastic changes were on the agenda. Both sides have agreed to extend two vital accords on the pre-notification of ballistic missile tests and reducing the risk of accidents related to nuclear weapons for another five years. 

Black magic: Cradle snatching to grave robbing
Shamsul Islam
The body of a newborn baby was excavated from the Malikpur graveyard in Faisalabad on Monday evening. 

Resources for military hinder welfare schemes
Rabia Mehmood
The division of resources between the defence and the social sector in Pakistan is tilted towards the former, preventing improvements in the welfare of the people, according to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan report on the federal and provincial budgets of the current year. 

Balochistan security review: Sharp fall in target killing of settlers
Shehzad Baloch
While violence appeared to have declined in Balochistan in 2011, its contours also changed, data available to The Express Tribune suggests.
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Business

Ministry seeks slower pace for new gas connections
Zafar Bhutta
When in a hole, the first rule is to stop digging. As the gas shortage continues to worsen, the petroleum ministry is moving to reverse the damage caused by the government's revisions to the gas supply policy, which has put enormous stress on the existing gas supply infrastructure, raised consumer prices and strained the financial position of the state-owned gas supply companies. 

All textile units closed as gas supply stops
Shamsul Islam
Gas pressure in Faisalabad industries has dropped to zero, leading to closure of all textile manufacturing units which have got notices of an indefinite suspension of gas supply.
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Sports

'Next time, I'll come here to fight' - Amir Khan
Obaid Abbasi
Amir Khan is in Islamabad as a guest at the ongoing Second Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Championship but the former world champion has confirmed that his lifelong dream of entering the ring in the country of his parents' birth will force him to visit Pakistan as a contestant in the next championship. 

Waseem crushes Indian opponent in semis
Our Correspondents
Mohammad Waseem beat India's Madan Lal in the 52-kilogramme semi-finals of the second Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament, prompting the Pakistan coach to label him better than Haroon Khan.
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Life & Style

For Danish Ali, laughter is the best medicine
Rafay Mahmood
Despite the popularity of international stand-up comedian Russell Peters and the daily show host Jon Stewart amongst Pakistani audience, stand-up comedy, especially in English, remains a relatively new concept. 

Syed Mukhtar Ahmed: 'Dramas should be a realistic escape'
Saadia Qamar
Syed Mukhtar Ahmed launched his career in 2000 in the PTV produced serial "Sahab Bahadur" by Qaiser Nizamani. Soon after, he got an offer to work in Qasim Jalali's play "Aik Hi Rishta", which was again a PTV project. Today, this gifted actor has taken a break from acting and is working for a multinational company and simultaneously running his own production house called Gold Bridge Media.
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Opinion
 

The Bold and the Beyghairat
Feisal H Naqvi 

What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan?
Najmuddin A Shaikh 

Dishonourable murder
Syed Mohammad Ali 

Seeking clarity within confusion
Tariq Fatemi 

The road much travelled
Amber Darr 

Blogs

CNG blasts: Too many deaths
Asad Kharal 

A tribute to Benazir, the eighth queen of Bhittai
Suleman Akhtar 

Pakistani politics, a messy affair
Taimur Arbab 

The fall of Blackberry
Muhammad Umair Maqsood 

Poll

Do you believe a civil nuclear deal between US and India would be harmful to Pakistan's nuclear program?

No (44%, 225 Votes)
Yes (56%, 291 Votes)
Total Voters: 516 

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Monday, December 26, 2011

The Express Tribune Newsletter: December 27, 2011

 

Today's Headlines

December 27, 2011

 

Memogate scandal: Govt blames army for keeping PM 'in the dark'
Faisal Shakeel
The battle lines appear to have been drawn. The embittered government is in no mood to go down without a fight. On Monday it hit back at the military in the Memogate scandal, squarely blaming the army and intelligence chiefs for "keeping Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the dark" on the issue.
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National/City

Cooling temperatures: No plan of sacking Kayani, Pasha: Gilani
Ferya Ilyas
Amidst strained relations with the powerful security establishment, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday sought to quell widespread rumours that the government planned to sack the army and intelligence chiefs as a last resort in the Memogate controversy. 

Old rivals to team up against 'common foe'
Zia Khan
Alarmed by the growing popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), two bitter rivals of the past have started warming up to each other. 

Bilateral talks: India, Pakistan consider demilitarising LoC
Kamran Yousaf
Pakistan and India are considering a new proposal to remove weapons from the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed region of Kashmir, in a development that may prove crucial for a resolution of the longstanding issue. 

President, PM strategise before BB death anniversary
News Desk
Before President Asif Ali Zardari left on Monday to attend the death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bux, he held a hush-hush meeting with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, widely considered an interlocutor in the recent government-military row. 

Old rivals to team up against 'common foe'
Zia Khan
Alarmed by the growing popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), two bitter rivals of the past have started warming up to each other.
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Business

Cut your losses: Temasek may be selling off NIB Bank to Chinese bank
Farooq Tirmizi
Fed up with mounting losses at its only major investment in Pakistan, the Singapore-based Temasek Holdings is selling off its stake in NIB Bank and is reportedly in talks with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, sources told The Express Tribune. 

PEPCO's debt soars to Rs350b
Shahram Haq
The debt of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has soared above Rs350 billion this month as the company could not make enough recoveries from the government and private sector to prevent its debt from piling up, The Express Tribune has learnt.
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Sports

Boxing star Amir Khan arrives in Pakistan for tournament
Our Correspondents
British boxer Amir Khan arrived in Pakistan on Monday to participate as a chief guest in the second Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament. 

Boxing: Good day for Pakistan in the ring
Obaid Abbasi
Two boxers from Pakistan-B qualified for the semi-finals of the second Benazir International Championship.
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Life & Style

The acting prowess of Zeba Bakhtiar
Saadia Qamar
With the scorching heat of the Karachi sun over my head, I relentlessly searched for Zeba Bakhtiar's residence in one of the confusing lanes of Defence Housing Authority (DHA). After much ado, I finally stepped inside the star's house and waited for her to appear. 

Amrika Chalo: Satire leads the way
Ali Usman
One of the most creative ways to make a statement about a certain sensitive or serious issue, without raising too many eyebrows, is to rely on the age-old literary technique of satire. And that's exactly what Ajoka did with its new play "Amrika Chalo — Destination USA".
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Opinion 

On the fourth death anniversary of my mother
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari 

The Pied Piper in Karachi
Atika Rehman 

Remembering Benazir
Farahnaz Ispahani 

On a collision course
Kuldip Nayar 

The mother of all dictatorships
Anwer Mooraj 

Blogs

Think before you kill
Talha Nadeem 

PTI rally: Sights, sounds, observations from Karachi
Muhammad Bilal Lakhani 

Grooming batsmen for all conditions
Muhammad Ali Nekokara 

Is the PPP defiant or in disarray?
Nadir Hassan 

Poll

Do you believe Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's Karachi rally was a success?

No (8%, 77 Votes)
Yes (92%, 904 Votes)
Total Voters: 981 

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