The Express Tribune Newsletter: February 21, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 21, 2012

Consensus reached: 20th Amendment bill passes as obstinate Senate relents Sumera Khan Suspended lawmakers can breathe a sigh of relief after the 20th Amendment bill was passed by Senate almost unanimously on Monday, with 74 votes in favour and two against. _______________________________________________ National/City PIC medicine case: Apex court looks at lessons from killer pill tragedy Our Correspondents A full bench of the Supreme Court (SC) holding suo motu proceedings in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) medicine disaster raised six health issues and sought the assistance of five senior doctors by February 22. Electricity costs: Nepra, power ministry duke it out over proposed 77% tariff hike Zafar Bhutta One small bureaucratic change may result in power tariffs across the country rising by a whopping 76.6%, the realisation of which has sparked a turf war between the water and power ministry and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). Balochistan resolution: Demarche issued to US envoy again Kamran Yousaf The US administration may have expressed helplessness regarding the hearings and resolutions that have suddenly cropped up on Balochistan in Washington – but Pakistan isn't buying it. UK visit: Khar expected to meet Clinton in London Our Correspondent Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar is expected to meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to London, sources told The Express Tribune. Show of force: Streets of the capital play host to banned outfits Peer Muhammad Thousands of Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) supporters poured onto the otherwise highly secured streets of the nation's capital on Monday, as leaders of banned organisations expressed their firm resolve to continue their struggle until US intervention in the country's internal affairs had come to a halt. _______________________________________________ Business Circular debt: Loan swap deal worth Rs151b finalised Zafar Bhutta A mammoth Rs150 billion loan swap deal has been finalised by the federal government for the energy sector, which is expected to dramatically ease the pressure on the balances sheets of companies along the energy chain and improve power production as a result. Public-private partnerships: Five more private train services in the offing Shahram Haq As a step forward to improve the financial status of the state run corporation, Pakistan Railways is planning to operate another five trains on public private partnership this year. _______________________________________________ Sports Tennis: Our youngsters aren't good enough, says Aisam Our Correspondents Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Pakistan coach Rashid Malik have questioned the national tennis federation's role in developing adequate backup, terming the current crop 'not good enough' to represent the country in Davis Cup matches. Ricky Ponting: Dropped after 13,704 runs and 30 centuries Our Correspondents Former captain Ricky Ponting's One-Day International (ODI) career appeared over after he was dropped from Australia's team for the tri-nation series against India and Sri Lanka. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Tamanna Begum: Stairway to heaven Our Correspondents After losing a number of irreplaceable entertainers in 2011, one wondered if 2012 would be any better; sadly, the year kick-started with yet another grave loss to the Pakistani entertainment industry. Tamanna Begum, a well-known film and TV actor passed away, after prolonged illness, on Monday morning at the age of 75. She is survived by a daughter and a granddaughter. Sania Maskatiya: One year down, many to go Our Correspondents It's only been a year since the young textile graduate Sania Maskatiya launched her self-titled designer wear brand and she has already dressed an Oscar nominee — the proof of which hangs proudly in her shop window. Needless to mention, Maskatiya is thrilled and brimming with excitement that she was chosen over fashion greats like Bunto Kazmi and Sana Safinaz by the documentary film-maker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy for her Oscar tryst. ___________________________________________

Opinion What's in a (soft) drink? Yaqoob Khan Bangash Well done, SC! Nadir Hassan Pakistan's most difficult test Shahid Javed Burki Leaving the village Feisal H Naqvi Reko Diq muddle Rana Sajjad Ahmad   Blogs The problem with the expat vote Syed Nadir El Edroos English Premier League: Handshakes and hypocrisy Ahmed Saleem Café Forty4: An oriental taste in every bite Farah S Kamal Faiz: Political poetry for the soul Faiza Rahman   Poll In your opinion is the PTI a right-wing party? No (42%, 239 Votes) Yes (58%, 329 Votes) Total Voters: 568 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: February 20, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 20, 2012

Eavesdropping on Iran: 'US pressing for listening posts in Balochistan' Zia Khan Everyone wants to have a hand to play in Balochistan.The latest player to unmask itself is the United States. _______________________________________________ National/City Time running out for Balochistan: Altaf Our Correspondents Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain warned on Sunday that the time for resolving Balochistan's woes was running out and proposed an emergency roundtable meeting to address the province's grievances. Playing the waiting game: Karzai warns against plot to install puppets Kamran Yousaf When the Afghan president met with the Pakistani civil and military leadership last week, his main aim was to decipher Islamabad's 'real' position on the Afghan endgame. Not always greener on the other side: Obsession with Indian model not healthy Imtiaz Piracha As a strong supporter of close relations with India, and nurturing the dream of next time travelling by land from Karachi to Dacca, and on the GT road built by Sher Shah Suri to savour the common historical and cultural heritage, I believe my Pakistani brethren need a reality check when comparing our two countries. No political undertones seen in MFN status for India Our Correspondent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday took pains to explain why granting India the most favoured nation (MFN) status was not the same as striking any political agreement with the country. Policy debate: With energy moot, PML-N strikes a serious note Abdul Manan Recognising that the energy crisis is likely to become a serious campaign issue during the upcoming election, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz will hold an energy conference in Islamabad on Monday (today), where 80 energy experts, legislators, academics, journalists and others are expected to participate in helping the party craft a national energy policy for its manifesto. _______________________________________________ Business Devising a Shariah compliant monetary policy. Humayon Dar Many opponents of Islamic banking and finance claim that an Islamic financial system does not offer a credible framework for running monetary policy, as in the absence of an interest rate mechanism, the central authorities, eg the State Bank of Pakistan, would find it impossible to run a monetary management programme. Playing it safe: Are business schools killing the entrepreneurial spirit? Kazim Alam During an interactive session held in connection with the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011, the moderator asked a sizeable group of management students present in the audience if they wanted to be entrepreneurs after graduation. _______________________________________________ Sports Whatmore to take charge of Pakistan Our Correspondents Australian Dav Whatmore will replace the Pakistan team's interim coach Mohsin Khan after their one-day series against England ends this month, a Pakistan Cricket Board source told Reuters on Sunday. Cricket: Never lied about my fitness, says Razzaq Fawad Hussain Breaking his silence soon after claims emerged that he misled officials regarding his fitness, Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq said he clarified his position to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Malang Party: Lost in the music Sher Khan It's true that a majority of people prefer listening to what is popular, more often than not ignoring the lesser known, emerging bands. However, these challenges have not dampened the spirit of the Islamabad-based rock band Malang Party, who released their first nation-wide single "Dil Jalay" last week. Additionally, the underground band known for their high-energy live shows, intends to release an extended-play (EP) album during the summer. Ministry of Sound: Dancing in the afternoon Saeed Rahman On Saturday, Full Circle Corporate Marketing (FCCM), held its third Ministry of Sound concert in Head Balloki (35 kms from Thokar Niaz Beg on Multan Road) at Greenfields Farm. Dutch DJ Sander Kleinenberg was the headliner at the event. _______________________________________________

Opinion Why are Pakistani students science-phobic? Pervez Hoodbhoy A troubled land Tanvir Ahmad Khan Storm in a tea cup Zafar Hilaly Time to cut the umbilical cord? Anwer Mooraj Dimensions of development Dr Akmal Hussain Blogs Unchanging and endless: Abandonment Quratulain K Why Arsalan was arrested Amna Khalid Infinity and beyond: Space exploration for Pakistan Jamal Uddin Trading sex on Zamzama Hammad Sarfraz Poll Do you believe the Punjab laptop programme for students should be adopted by other provinces? No (55%, 217 Votes) Yes (45%, 178 Votes) Total Voters: 395 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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Top 10 on Tribune (Feb 12-19 2012)

Top 10 stories of the week

Feb 12-19, 2012

1. Musharraf 'knew Bin Laden was in Abbottabad': Former ISI chief – Web Desk 2. ECP grants overseas Pakistanis right to vote – Web Desk 3. Bin Laden wanted to marry 'truly Islamic' Whitney Houston: Report – Web Desk 4. Will the real Amir Liaquat please stand up? – Noman Ahmed 5. Contempt case: Supreme Court indicts Gilani – Web Desk/AFP 6. Veena Malik denies nude photo shoot for FHM – Web Desk 7. Barred: Lawyers ban drink on court complex – Rana Yasif 8. Six feet under: 120kgs of ovaries removed from whale shark – Saad Hasan 9. Ahmadi-owned products: Lahore lawyers stick to ban in face of criticism – Rana Yasif 10. Social networking redefined: Mardan boy develops SMS-based portal – Ehtisham Khan

Top Business At your doorstep: Online shopping, without upfront payment Farooq Baloch Top Sports Second ODI: England take unassailable lead in ODI series Web Desk/AFP Top Opinion Is this a joke? Ejaz Haider Top 3 blogs 1. To ban or not to ban …Shezan juice Vaqas Asghar 2. The Islamic university where girls were raped Nadir el Edroos 3. Sexual abuse: A victim's diary S khan 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: February 19, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 19, 2012

Sharp reaction: Pakistan erupts at US over Balochistan resolution Agencies Barely recovered from their last low point, the fragile relation between Pakistan and the US is under a dark cloud again – except this time Afghanistan and/or the Taliban have nothing to do with it. _______________________________________________  National/City Fearing security threat: Punjab backs out of Balochistan projects Abdul Manan A day after the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) pledged to take up the Balochistan issue as a priority, the party's efforts to portray itself as the vanguard of the reconciliation process suffered a serious setback.  Govt committed to Iran gas deal: PM Zafar Bhutta Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the Iran gas pipeline, a project that will help the country overcome its energy crisis to a large extent.  Seeking retribution: Karim Khan resurfaces to haunt ex-CIA station chief Umer Nangiana After a lapse of twelve months, Karim Khan has resurfaced to haunt US defence officials in Pakistan with legal action for killing his son and brother in a drone strike.  Mini London: Pounds make Mirpur a sterling site for begging AH Nizami Mirpur, the most affluent city in Azad Kashmir, is known to many as 'mini London'. The reason is that Kashmiris living in the UK, who retain strong ties to Mirpur, have contributed greatly to the city's development with a steady influx of pound sterling.  Boosting air defence: F-16s replace Americans at Jacobabad airbase Zahid Gishkori The Pakistan Air Force (PAF), in a significant move, has equipped the newly renovated Jacobabad airbase with close to three dozen F-16s, including the advanced Block 52+ version of the aircraft. _______________________________________________  Business Weekly review: Healthy earnings push bourse up by 2.2% Bilal Umar The stock market continued its impressive run on the back of healthy earnings announcements, as the benchmark KSE-100 index closed just shy of the 12,500-point barrier during the week ended February 17.  Self-accountability: In development spending, govt admits its own mistakes Shahbaz Rana In what appears to be an unusual development, the government is willing to admit its own mistakes when it comes to allocating development spending. _______________________________________________  Sports Cricket: If Malik and Farhat can get in, why can't I, asks Sami Nabeel Hashmi Discarded fast-bowler Mohammad Sami has questioned his repeated snub from the national squad despite performing well on the domestic circuit.  Kaneria breaks silence on and off the field Our Correspondent A day after former Essex teammate Merwyn Westfield was sentenced for four months, Danish Kaneria – with his integrity questioned after being named as the middle-man in court – has broken his silence and released an official reply maintaining his innocence. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Call: Making an impact Sher Khan One look at the Pakistani band Call's frontman Junaid Khan — It's pretty obvious that the man was born a performer. With his recent song release "So Close So Distant", an English rock ballad featuring American singer Jennifer Jandis, Khan has demonstrated vocal versatility. Recently he's been seen foraying into acting as well.  The 'face' of contemporary Muslim royalty Laaleen Khan They've got university degrees, they promote humanitarian causes and live lives of ample luxury, all in the public eye. These modern-day Arab women, who've either married or been born into royalty, also rule the glamour stakes from their influential positions. Their unique styles and strong views have modernised the 'face' of contemporary Muslim royalty. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Keeping mum about the Punjabi Taliban Khaled Ahmed  Sweet and short Saroop Ijaz  Rohrabacher's Pressler moment Fahd Husain  Why India gets away in Kashmir Aakar Patel  We killed Saleem Shahzad Sana Saleem  Blogs Why Arsalan was arrested Amna Khalid  Infinity and beyond: Space exploration for Pakistan Jamal Uddin  Café Forty4: An oriental taste in every bite Farah S Kamal  The fundofication of PTI Adnan Khalid Rasool  Poll Do you believe the Punjab laptop programme for students should be adopted by other provinces? No (59%, 102 Votes) Yes (41%, 70 Votes) Total Voters: 173  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: February 18, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 18, 2012

Trilateral summit: Demand for Mullah Omar overshadows trilateral moot Kamran Yousaf "Deliver Mullah Omar? If that is the expectation, then there's no reality check then. Then they're not only unrealistic, but preposterous." _______________________________________________ National/City US Congressman tables resolution calling for independence of Baloch Huma Imtiaz A week after he chaired a Congressional committee's hearing on Balochistan, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher introduced tabled a resolution in the US Congress, asking for the Baloch be given their right of self-determination and to their own sovereign country. 'Mastermind' of suicide attack at ISI Faisalabad office arrested Shamsul Islam Faisalabad police claimed to have arrested the alleged mastermind of the suicide attack at Inter Services Intelligence's (ISI) Faisalabad office on March 8, 2011, in which at least 34 people were killed while another 90, including an ISI official, were injured. Money laundering watchdog: Government flays blacklisting decision Shahbaz Rana Terming the international money laundering watchdog's decision to blacklist Pakistan "unjustified and unreasonable," the government believes it has already met all international standards regarding amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act. Sectarian attack: Suicide blast kills 31 in Parachinar Our Correspondent An uneasy peace in an area beset by violent sectarianism was short-lived. Parachinar bleeds again. Missing persons: PML-N promises resolution, legislation on disappearances Our Correspondent After seeing his suggestion of an all-parties conference on Balochistan being taken up by the government, Nawaz Sharif has upped the ante further. _______________________________________________ Business Pak-Iran gas pipeline: Russia wants contract without bidding Zafar Bhutta Amid pressure from the United States to shelve the much-needed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, Russia has asked Pakistan to award a $1.2 billion pipeline-laying contract to its energy giant Gazprom without going into bidding process. Foreign funding for coal, energy sector falls Farhan Zaheer Foreign programme assistance for the coal and energy sector of Sindh has declined, which reflects donor's fatigue due to progress of Thar project at a snail's pace from fiscal years 2009 to 2012, show findings of the Sindh Economic Survey. _______________________________________________ Sports Olympics 2012: Captain Imran flicked into obscurity Fawad Hussain The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) sprang a major surprise while naming the 30-man probables squad for the 2012 Olmypics, omitting captain Mohammad Imran, experienced goal-keeper Salman Akbar as well as Waseem Ahmed. Davis Cup: Aisam wants 'home' ties in India Faras Ghani Forced by the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) refusal to allow ties to be played in Pakistan, Aisamul Haq Qureshi wants April's Davis Cup Asia/Oceania group II semi-final against Philippines to be played in India. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Noori: Back with a bang Rafay Mahmood Only recently, the band has returned to the music scene with their latest track "Taaron Se Aagay" and is now preparing for a comeback concert scheduled to be held at the end of this month. Celebs with mental disorders: Lock up the crazy Saba Khalid Whether it's your annoying co-worker who has an obsessive need to assert power or your freaky neighbour who spies at you through her window every night, its seems these days, 'the crazies' have invaded our world. _______________________________________________

Opinion An exploding population bomb Tazeen Javed Black coats and blacker faces Amina Jilani The unpalatable Manto Ajmal Kamal Knowledge for sale Dr Tariq Rahman Jalaluddin Khwarazm Salman Rashid Blogs Whitney Houston: Tunes for a lifetime Daliah Merzaban The miseries of a Pakistani graduate Mohammad Naved Overconfidence cost Pakistan Raafay Awan The fundofication of PTI Adnan Khalid Rasool Poll Do you think the Afghan Taliban will come back to power once the US leaves Afghanistan? No (24%, 106 Votes) Yes (76%, 343 Votes) Total Voters: 449 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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