The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 16, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 16, 2012

Memogate scandal: Defiant premier pulls rank Our Correspondents As a military man, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will know the phrase "to pull rank". As army chief, he will be unaccustomed to being on the receiving end. _______________________________________________  National/City Zardari-Kayani meeting shows 'limited options' for all Kamran Yousaf The face-to-face meeting between President Asif Zardari and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani might have helped the two sides pull back from the brink, but the worst is not over yet, according to a senior member of the embattled Pakistan Peoples Party-led government.  Riyadh helped thaw the frost in Islamabad Zia Khan The road from Islamabad to Rawalpindi goes through Riyadh, especially in times of crisis.  In Rahim Yar Khan: Bomb attack on mourners kills 18 Kashif Zafar / Owais Jafri A bomb ripped through a Shia mourning procession killing 18 mourners and wounding dozens, some of them critically, in southern Punjab on Sunday.  TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud killed in drone strike: Report Iftikhar Firdous Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a drone strike on Thursday, media reports said on Sunday.  Shahzain announces bounty for Musharraf News Desk Shahzain Bugti, a grandson of slain Bugti chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti, on Sunday announced head money for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. _______________________________________________  Business Personal finance: Why investing in urban real estate may not be a good idea Kazim Alam Pakistanis love investing in real estate. It is considered a safe, solid investment that yields good returns. Except that it does not. An analysis of the numbers suggests that far from being a reliable investment, urban real estate in Pakistan may be overvalued and headed for a correction.  No free lunch: Rising price of wheat flour: trust the market to deliver Ali Salman There is a famous Urdu couplet which translates like this: you go back to the same 'hakeem' for medicine, whose very prescription has caused you illness. This self-defeating tendency was featured in the policy prescriptions announced at the policy forum organised by Oxfam GB recently on 'Food Price Volatility and Policy Options' in the wake of rising food prices. _______________________________________________  Sports Cricket: Pakistan U19 register third win Our Correspondents A superb all-round performance ensured Pakistan under-19 secured their third successive win in the Tri-Nation Series, defeating Zimbabwe under-19 by a comfortable 90-run margin at the Bridge House School, Franschhoek.  Shaky start for Pakistan shooters in Doha Fawad Hussain Pakistan struggled in their opening events at the 12th Asian Shooting Championship, underway in Doha, as they seek a berth in the 2012 Olympics. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Daniyal Noorani: Asking the big questions Rayan Khan "Hey, what's goin on over here? Something's just not right; my head is spinning with questions," says a line from Daniyal Noorani's single "Find Heaven". Galle Literary Festival: Calling all bookworms Jaffer Bilgrami With a few more days to go, plans to stage the much talked about literary event of the South Asian region — Galle Literary Festival (GLF) have now gathered pace. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Iran's Bomb and Pakistan Pervez Hoodbhoy  Setting right a historic wrong Fauzia Wahab  More democracy, not less Rasul Bakhsh Rais  An early election Tanvir Ahmad Khan  Push and pull — and public space Shahzad Chaudhry  Blogs There is no shame in using a jharoo Faraz Talat  David Warner: A true cricketing metamorphosis Omer Kamal Bin Farooq  The corruption within Talha Nadeem  What a gori learned in India Angela Melamud  Poll Do you believe Mansoor Ijaz's claim that his life is under threat in Pakistan? No (50%, 173 Votes) Yes (50%, 170 Votes) Total Voters: 343  Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

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The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 15, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 15, 2012

Zardari, Kayani spring surprise one-on-one Irfan Ghauri In an unexpected development, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and President Asif Ali Zardari held a one-on-one meeting on Saturday – which optimists view as a thaw, if not a breakthrough, in the ongoing civil-military rift. _______________________________________________  National/City Memogate row: Mansoor Ijaz due on Monday News Desk American businessman of Pakistani descent Manssor Ijaz, the whistleblower of the Memogate scandal, is likely to arrive in Pakistan on Monday.  Last farewell for child prodigy Arfa Karim APP/Express/Saba Imtiaz Steady nerves and a pointed address. The premier remained composed on Friday, despite a raring opposition and potentially wavering allies in the face of a deepening row with the military and the judiciary – and the government also managed to introduce a highly-anticipated resolution in the house. Salala incursion: DCC united against NATO's version of attacks Sumera Khan Despite a frosty atmosphere, the government and military officials were unquestionably united in one respect on Saturday evening: their response to the Nato border attacks which killed 24 Pakistanis. Taking stock: Shaikh tries to put a brave face on economic record Farooq Tirmizi If the prime minister was looking for good news on the economic front, he is unlikely to have been sufficiently comforted by the ever-so-cautious finance minister's briefing on Saturday. Shahzad family disappointed by commission report Asad Kharal For Saleem Shahzad's family, the judicial inquiry report into his murder was disappointing, to the say the least. _______________________________________________  Business Weekly review: Political tensions keep bourse under pressure Bilal Umar Political news dominated proceedings at the country's bourses as the future of the government came under question during the week. Investors remained cautious as the benchmark KSE-100 index closed the week down by 1% or 111 points at 11014.46 point level.  Copper and gold: Tethyan informs government about international arbitration Faisal Shakeel Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) has sent a letter to the government, informing it that the company has filed a request for arbitration in a dispute over the Reko Diq project at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington DC. _______________________________________________  Sports Cricket: Whatmore a step closer to appointment AFP Dav Whatmore, the man tipped to become Pakistan's next coach, arrived for an interview in Lahore, moving a step closer to taking the sport's hot seat. Boxing: Khan gives reasons for WBA rematch decision News Desk Briton boxer Amir Khan insists he has been granted a rematch against Lamont Peterson by the World Boxing Association (WBA) because of 'multiple irregularities' in their light-welterweight title fight in December, according to the BBC. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Unrequited humour News Desk If 2012 marks the end of the world, then at least the Karachiites should know they have enough jokes coming their way to make them laugh right till the end. With The Agency Saad Haroon's troupe) and Danish Ali Live already creating a stir at the Pakistan American Cultural Centre (PACC), we now have the "Aisa Karoge Tou Kaun Ayega" troupe that performed under their new name "Light on Hai" on January 13.  Carrying on Cleopatra's legacy Laleen Khan She may not have had the convenience of battery operated mascara (DiorShow 360 Mascara) or have access to lip plumping gloss (DuWop Lip Venom and its descendants that irritate and thereby plump up thin lips) and her skin didn't get colour matched with a rotating foundation bottle (Revlon's Custom Creations Foundation lets you mix your own shades from the same bottle). _______________________________________________

Opinion  Imran, Jinnah and Pakistan's problem Aakar Patel  A dead journalist's story Atika Rehman  Shame on us Fahd Husain  Setting the house in order Saroop Ijaz  Sindhi icon of honour: Shah Mardan Shah Khaled Ahmed  Blogs David Warner: A true cricketing metamorphosis Omer Kamal Bin Farooq  The corruption within Talha Nadeem  What a gori learned in India Angela Melamud  Meet Chota Jatt, the Pakistani superhero Daniyal Noorani  Poll Should Prime Minister Gilani ask for a vote of confidence from parliament? Yes: 71% (377 votes) No: 29% (155 votes) Total: 532 votes  Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

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The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 14, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 14, 2012

Revealed: PPP-led govt all set to write Swiss letter Abdul Manan After over two years of dilly-dallying on an apex court order to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland's courts, the embattled government has apparently relented. _______________________________________________ National/City Democracy or dictatorship?: Resolute Gilani paves way for govt resolution Qamar Zaman / Zia Khan Steady nerves and a pointed address. The premier remained composed on Friday, despite a raring opposition and potentially wavering allies in the face of a deepening row with the military and the judiciary – and the government also managed to introduce a highly-anticipated resolution in the house. Another controversy brews over Gilani's alleged phone call Sumera Khan Another Memo-like fiasco reared its head on Friday as media reports alleged that, sometime this week, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had telephoned British High Commissioner Adam Thomson expressing fears that the army might stage a coup. Saleem Shahzad murder: Commission report points out everything, but the murderers Salman Siddiqui The judicial inquiry report into journalist Saleem Shahzad's murder deals with everything, save pointing out who did it. Like the country, army supports PTI, says Imran Huma Imtiaz In his first appearance at a Washington-based think tank after the Lahore and Karachi rallies, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Friday that there was support for his party within the army. Wavering allies: Govt still short on numbers Our Correspondents For all the confidence in the premier's speech, the ruling party does not yet have the support it needs to pass the "pro-democracy" resolution tabled in parliament by its ally, the Awami National Party (ANP) – forget any other possible moves against the army. _______________________________________________  Business Covering up: Anti-trust watchdog reprimands paint companies Our Correspondents The anti-trust watchdog on Friday took a lenient view and reprimanded paint companies for concealing exact price of the paint, providing misleading information to consumers and not disclosing the cost of coupon added to the consumer price. Coming through: Undeterred by challenges, IT industry grows steadily Farooq Baloch Despite domestic and international challenges, Pakistan's information technology (IT) industry has recorded steady growth with key support coming from talented human resource and entrepreneurship, say industry experts.  _______________________________________________ Sports It's my destiny to restore Pakistan's lost pride Natasha Raheel A dream debut at the international squash circuit saw Israr Ahmed land the coveted British Junior Under-15 Open title this month and the teenager feels that it is his destiny to revive Pakistan's lost status in the sport. Desert sports: Storming the sands to the finish line Our Correspondents All arrangements to organise the 260-kilometres long annual seventh jeep rally near Derawar Fort will be finalised in an official meeting scheduled to be held in Bahawalpur on January 19. _______________________________________________ Life & Style 'I can't stand Salman Ahmad': Ali Azmat Sher Khan Ali Azmat, now 41-years-old, remains one of the most outspoken figures in Pakistan's pop culture, with his latest outburst stinging ex-bandmate Salman Ahmad. Reviving cinema: Short films, young filmmakers Aroosa Shaukat "This year we expect to raise the bar. We want the festival to be the centre for dramatic and cinematic revival in the country," Sobaan Ahmed, the convener of FiLUMS 2012, said. _______________________________________________

Opinion Populism and its discontents Kamran Asdar Ali So what? Amina Jilani Pari Nagar Salman Rashid 'Padma turns red' Ajmal Kamal Land of rumour and hyperbole Tazeen Javed Blogs More provinces …or not Sher Khan Imran Khan's PTI: New face, same old lines Samir Butt A dummy's guide for journalists in Pakistan Zoha Waseem Wasim and Waqar: the deadly duo Safwan Umair Poll Are you in favour of early elections? No (26%, 234 Votes) Yes (74%, 651 Votes) Total Voters: 885  Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

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The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 13, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 13, 2012

President Zardari arrives home from Dubai Agencies President Asif Ali Zardari arrived home from Dubai early Friday, officials said, against a backdrop of mounting tension and challenges to his government's precarious rule. _______________________________________________ National/City reports GHQ consultations: Army set to throw its weight behind judiciary Kamran Yousaf A day after releasing a hard-hitting press release against the prime minister, the army has decided it will throw its weight behind the Supreme Court – which is embroiled in its own standoff with the government.  US favours democracy in Pakistan: Hillary Clinton Huma Imtiaz US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that the United States has concerns about the situation in Pakistan, but stood in favour of the democratic set up in Pakistan, expecting it to resolve the country's internal matters on its own as per its laws and constitution. Parliamentary support: To woo allies, PPP to soften rhetoric Zia Khan A cornered Pakistan Peoples Party managed to carve itself some breathing space on Thursday.The party was able to 'partially' garner support for a pro-democracy resolution, and a fresh vote of confidence for Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, from its uneasy allies. The move, if it sails through, would be a symbolic triumph for the besieged party amid growing civil-military tensions. PML-N sharpens its knives Irfan Ghauri/Zahid Gishkori In a bid to make most of the precarious situation, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will be weighing all options before opposition parties today (Friday) to formulate a grand anti-government strategy — possibly a vote of no confidence against the country's premier. Senate elections on March 2, Aitzaz in the running Qamar Zaman/Sumera Khan The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday that Senate elections will be held on March 2 – rubbishing speculation in some sections of the press that the polls would be held in mid- February. _______________________________________________ Business  Energy crisis: Govt mulling drastic changes to power tariff structure Zafar Bhutta For the second year in a row, the government will miss its plan to curb subsidy expenditure by a long shot: power subsidies are expected to reach Rs350 billion, about 138% higher than the budgeted Rs147 billion. The government will now try to phase out all subsidies except for the 'lifeline' consumers. Attracting investment: Govt considering amnesty for stock brokers Shahbaz Rana The government is considering offering an amnesty scheme to attract investment in the dwindling stock market by allowing tax evaders to declare their hidden incomes by paying a nominal investment tax before investing the money. _______________________________________________ Sports Cricket: Zaka unaware of MCC's plans on Pakistan Fawad Hussain Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf, who has set revival of international cricket in the country as his main task, was surprisingly unaware of the positive developments which took place during the Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) Cricket Committee's recent meeting in South Africa.        Cricket: Pakistan under-19 cruise to a win  Our Correspondents Pakistan under-19 thrashed their Zimbabwe counterparts by 120 runs in the opening match of the Tri-Nation Under-19s Tournament in South Africa. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Baba-e-Filmi Sahafat: The return of Nigar Awards Rafay Mahmood Students of media and film studies may have come across the term Nigar Awards, but the majority of the younger generation is not familiar with the fact that during the boom of Lollywood in the 1950s and 60s, Pakistan had its own awards to recognise the very best in the film fraternity.  Back when films like Benhur (1959) were awarded 11 Academy Awards, Pakistani films like Chakori and Aina were being recognised by the Nigar Awards for being cinema par excellence. Ishq Khuda to release on Eidul Fitr Sher Khan Pakistani film director Shehzad Rafique has marked the New Year by announcing that he will be directing a film Ishq Khuda. The director held an inauguration ceremony at the Alhamra Arts Council which was hosted by veteran screenwriter Pervaiz Kaleem. Produced by Saleem Zubair and written by Pervaiz Kaleem, the director has casted versatile actors including film stars Meera, Saima, Zara Sheikh and Ahsan Khan. _______________________________________________

Opinion The pox on everything else Kamran Shafi How a vibrant media can thwart a coup Nasim Zehra What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? Najmuddin A Shaikh Curricula and socio-political security Imtiaz Gul Why the macro-economic fetish? Dr Pervez Tahir Blogs The value of school reunions and networking Vaqas Asghar 10 things nosy 'Pak'ers love to ask Laaleen Khan Not just one horror story from FATA Aqib Kazmi Privatisation can save Pakistan Railways Adeel Ansari Poll Are you in favour of early elections? Yes (67%, 230 Votes) No (33%, 112 Votes) Total Voters: 342 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

 

 

 

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