The Express Tribune Newsletter: February 23, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 23, 2012

Memogate commission: Elusive Ijaz begins testimony from London Qaiser Zulfiqar Amidst vociferous opposition from former ambassador Husain Haqqani's counsel, the elusive self-proclaimed whistle-blower in the Memogate scandal Mansoor Ijaz finally recorded his statement with a judicial commission on Wednesday, via a video link from the Pakistan High Commission in London. _______________________________________________  National/City Standing firm: 'If petrol levy is cut, provinces must share the pain' Zafar Bhutta Far from giving in to political pressure to cut taxes on petrol, the finance ministry appears to have come up with a tactic to turn the pressure back onto the politicians: the federal government has threatened the provinces with a cut in their share of federal revenues if Islamabad is forced to reduce the petroleum levy.  Balochistan APC: PML-N asks govt to jump through hoops Abdul Manan The government's efforts to arrange a national huddle on Balochistan are fast-failing. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has rolled out two "non-negotiable" conditions for ensuring his party's participation in an All Parties Conference (APC) on Balochistan – and near-impossible ones at that.  Will support US, Nato or Indian intervention: Brahamdagh Bugti Shahzad Baloch Supporting the US congressional bill on Balochistan, Baloch Republican Party's self-exiled chief Brahamdagh Bugti has welcomed all foreign intervention in the province whether it is by the US, Nato or India.  US should stop atrocities in Indian Kashmir: Fazl Zahid Gishkori Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that the United States should compel India to stop atrocities in Indian administered Kashmir rather than taking up the Balochistan issue.  Karachi resident: Pakistani held in India on espionage charge Aditi Phadnis A former resident of Karachi who has lived in India since 1990 was arrested on Wednesday, after he was 'lured' by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to spy for Pakistan, Indian police said. _______________________________________________  Business Price hike: Petrol bomb expected in 7 days Our Correspondents Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry on Wednesday revealed that petroleum prices will see a major hike in seven days, Express News reported.  Wild-goose chase: Number of tax-dodgers grossly overstated: FBR Shahbaz Rana Last year, the government decided to bring 700,000 'tax evaders' into its net in the hopes of raising an additional Rs70-80 billion in revenues. A year on, and only Rs700 million in taxes have been raised from 66,000 respondents out of the 457,400 supposed tax dodgers who were sent notices. _______________________________________________  Sports Cricket: Punjab clinch Pentangular Cup in style Nabeel Hashmi Punjab's maiden Pentangular Cup triumph came in style – a mammoth 511-run thumping of Sindh at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore yesterday.  Poor selection led to ODI defeats: former chief selector Fawad Hussain Pakistan have come under heavy fire from former players over their team selection, which they feel was the major reason behind the drubbing handed out by England in the One-Day International (ODI) series in the UAE. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Desi superhero saves the day Sehrish Ali Her enthusiasm for discovering superheroes from all over the world led her to collecting comic books from different countries. More so, her secret agenda even during her yearly trip to Pakistan was to find cheaper comic books at old book stores. However, as excited as she was to buy the ever-popular Archie comics at a cheaper rate, she was equally disappointed that the country didn't publish its own comic books — something she could take back home and show to her friends.  Rizwan Beyg: From the heart of a couturier Saadia Qamar For fashion designer Rizwan Beyg, 'back to basics' is the mantra to fame and one can see that he uses it wholeheartedly to his advantage. The fashion giant, who had moved on to exclusive couture, has announced his return in the lawn game after a gap of two years. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Superficial: PTI's land reforms agenda Syed Mohammad Ali  Above the Constitution? Imtiaz Gul  A dead river Ahmad Rafay Alam  States do let go of territories Haider Nizamani  The road to austerity Khurram Husain  Blogs An American in Lahore: Pakistan saved me Elisa Dun  Iran, laughing in the face of nuclear disaster Manal Shakir  Missing prisoners: Skeletons with urine bags Azam Khan My problem with your staring problem Saba Fatima Ali  Poll Do you think TV journalists have the right to ask interviewees personal questions? No (92%, 757 Votes) Yes (8%, 67 Votes) Total Voters: 824  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 22, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 22, 2012

Benazir assassination: Malik points at prominent seminary Saba Imtiaz No ground was shattered on Tuesday when Interior Minister Rehman Malik vociferously blamed former president Pervez Musharraf and former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan head Baitullah Mehsud for Benazir Bhutto's assassination. _______________________________________________ National/City All Parties Conference: Govt moves to ensure wider participation in Balochistan moot Qamar Zaman Amid widespread apprehensions and limited chances of participation by disgruntled Baloch leaders, the prime minister has constituted a 13-member committee to contact the country's political leadership for convening an All Parties' Conference (APC) to discuss the Balochistan situation. Benazir assassination: Malik points at prominent seminary Saba Imtiaz No ground was shattered on Tuesday when Interior Minister Rehman Malik vociferously blamed former president Pervez Musharraf and former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan head Baitullah Mehsud for Benazir Bhutto's assassination. He however did add a new revelation – one that involves one of the largest seminaries in Pakistan, Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak. Investigation report: 'Musharraf aided and abetted terrorists' Asad Kharal Former president Pervez Musharraf was not only aware of Benazir Bhutto's assassination plan, he 'aided and abetted' the terrorists who carried it out, says a joint investigation report made public on Tuesday by Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Courting the Taliban: Karzai enlists Pakistan's help Our Correspondents While offering an olive branch to the Taliban, Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday telephoned Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and sought his support to reach out to the militia. Cash-for-vote charge: ECP takes up plea for freeze on Senate polls The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will take up a petition today (Wednesday) seeking to stop the Senate elections, officials told The Express Tribune. _______________________________________________ Business Poverty a stark spectre for 79m Pakistanis: Report Shahbaz Rana As the government continues to shy away from calculating official poverty figures, an independent expert has claimed that around 43 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line in Pakistan. Power to the people: Proposal to increase gas tariff for captive power Zafar Bhutta In a bid to lower power tariffs and load-shedding for consumers, officials are mulling over plans to increase gas tariff for captive power plants (CPPs) in order to divert more gas to commercial electricity generating units. The proposal calls for a 150 per cent raise in gas prices for CPPs, commensurate with power utilities' industrial tariffs, in order to motivate them to buy electricity directly from power distribution companies (DISCOs). _______________________________________________ Sports  Series whitewash: England return favour, sweep ODI series 4-0 Our Correspondents After being blown out of the water in the Test match series, England completed their revenge whitewash, hanging Pakistan out to dry with a five wicket victory in the fourth and final one-day international in Dubai on Tuesday. Cricket: Separate teams for all formats on the cards Fawad Hussain Pakistan's loss to England in the One-Day International (ODI) series that eclipsed their dream run in the Tests has ignited the debate of having a separate pool of players for all formats of the game. _______________________________________________ Life & Style  'Patli Gali': Song of the streets Rafay Mahmood With a Pakistan flag fixed on its bonnet, a Surf moves into the frame. A man, wearing a black waistcoat and a moustache, steps out of the car and, to his shock, gets beaten up by a bunch of angry musicians. As absurd as it might seem, that is rock band Azal's way of standing up against the existing system as depicted in their new video "Patli Gali". Durdana Ansari: Changing face Our Correspondents Journalist Durdana Ansari was spearheading a successful Muslim women's charity project in obscurity until she was awarded OBE (Order of the British Empire), according to ruislip.uxbridgegazette.co.uk.an. OBE is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom to honour individuals with outstanding philanthropic achievements. _______________________________________________

Opinion Balochistan and its 'jealous husband' Malik Siraj Akbar The media — in the near future Jahanzaib Haque Celebrating connections between the UK and Pakistan Adam Thomson Be strong, not hard Ejaz Haider Balochistan — more than a crisis Tariq Fatemi   Blogs Shakil Afridi: The lowliest of traitors M Ahmed Razi Baby scare: Motherhood can change your life Tasneem Z Faridi Jawwad Farid and risky business in the IT sector Faisal Kapadia Who you calling crazy? Yasmine Ibrahim   Poll Have you ever attended a political rally? No (63%, 493 Votes) Yes (37%, 292 Votes) Total Voters: 785   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 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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