The Express Tribune Newsletter: March 13, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 13, 2012

Fresh faces: PPP celebrates Senate conquest Zahid Gishkori / Sumera Khan As 54 newly-elected senators entered the chambers of the upper house on Monday, victorious roars of "Zinda hai Bhutto, zinda hai" (Bhutto is alive) erupted, as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the single largest party in the house. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Four years on: The National Assembly, in retrospect... Qamar Zaman Completing its four-year tenure, the 13th National Assembly (NA) passed a total of 50 resolutions and 91 ordinances during its four parliamentary years with private members taking the lead in legislation-making — with the next session (Wednesday) marking the start of the fifth year. 'Memogate' scandal: Haqqani says he never denied contact with Ijaz Our Correspondent Categorically denying allegations by Mansoor Ijaz in the Memogate case, former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said he never denied having contacts with Ijaz, but did not discuss any memo with him. Payback: PM compensates 'betrayed' Senate nominee AH Nizami Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday announced appointment of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) nominee for a Senate seat from Punjab Aslam Gill as his 'special assistant' with the status of a federal minister. Police refuse to take Raisani case back, say matter is in court Our Correspondent The police have ruled out the possibility of retracting multiple cases filed against the two sons of Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani on charges of harassing people and beating police officers, a senior official said on Monday. The BackBencher: New look for Sindh Assembly, but same old ugly mood Saba Imtiaz The Sindh Assembly sparkled on Monday. Rows of new potted plants graced the steps, the hall had new curtains in a rather lovely shade of mint green, there was soft lighting (perhaps the MPAs will not end up looking so wrinkly in photos now). But the mood was anything but pleasant. _______________________________________________ Business Double the work: Ministry wants fortnightly revision of oil prices Zafar Bhutta The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, which is scheduled to meet today (Tuesday), is going to take up the proposal for revising oil prices on a fortnightly basis from the current monthly basis in the wake of a continuous rise in the international crude market. Under observance: SBP orders review of charities' accounts Our Correspondent In a sudden move, the central bank has issued fresh instructions to financial institutions to maintain strict vigilance over non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities – and ordered that a complete review of all such organisations' accounts be undertaken and completed before the end of this financial year. _______________________________________________ Sports ICC dismisses India match-fixing claims AFP The International Cricket Council on Monday dismissed a claim in a British newspaper that Indian bookmakers were fixing the results of English county games and overseas fixtures. Federer records comfortable win Natasha Raheel Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi's chances of making it to this year's London Olympics got a serious hit as he and Dutch partner Rojer Jean-Julien crashed out in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open men's doubles event at the Indian Wells. _______________________________________________ Life & Style British fashion in Pakistan: When fashion meets culture Hani Taha Reconstruction is as synonymous with fashion as smoke is with fire. Indeed, there can be no creation without an ingenious process of construction and reconstruction, of constant borrowing and building. Shaan injured during shooting of film in Lahore Sher Ali Actor Shaan was injured during the shooting of an action sequence for the Punjabi film Acha Gujjar. The actor was rushed to Razzaq Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, where he was treated for a minor back injury and discharged with orders of three weeks' rest. _______________________________________________

Opinion Founding stories Feisal H Naqvi The Siachen issue Shahzad Chaudhry How to say yes to online censorship Jahanzaib Haque Governance model and 'mehrangate' Dr Akmal Hussain Hungry, homeless and hopeless Zahrah Nasir Blogs How to avoid getting slapped Fyez Ahmed Why fighting Mullah Radio is not easy Tayyeb Afridi Whatmore: Magician or mistake? Amna Lone There is a Muslim in evolution class Ahmad Ali Poll Do you agree with the idea of stockpiling nuclear weapons for deterrence? No (61%, 126 Votes) Yes (39%, 80 Votes) Total Voters: 206 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: March 12, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 12, 2012

Black sunday: Bomber kills 15 mourners at Peshawar funeral Riaz Ahmad Indiscriminate Taliban violence continues unabated in the volatile north of the country. On Sunday, a suicide bomber struck at a funeral on the outskirts of Peshawar, killing 15 mourners and injuring scores more. _______________________________________________  National/City Presidential immunity: Direct contempt notice to parliament, says PM Abdul Manan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday appeared to deflect on to parliament the judicial reprimands he had borne earlier for inaction over the Swiss cases allegedly involving President Asif Ali Zardari.  Nato soldiers on rampage: 16 civilians mowed down in Kandahar Our Correspondents Western troops shot dead 16 civilians, including nine children, in Kandahar province on Sunday, Afghan officials said, in a rampage that witnesses said was carried out by Americans who were laughing and appeared drunk.  Rohrabacher's Balochistan resolution could undermine Pak-US ties: Sherry Huma Imtiaz Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman expressed serious concern on Sunday over Congressman Dana Rohrabacher's resolution on Balochistan, in a letter addressed to US House of Representatives speaker John Boehner.  PTI to target youth for next elections: Imran Our Correspondent In a mass-contact campaign aimed at capitalising on its appeal in the country's youth, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided on Sunday to initiate a nationwide drive.  Peace overtures: Rehman Malik offers olive branch to Taliban APP Interior Minister Rehman Malik invited the Taliban on Sunday to prove themselves Pakistanis by renouncing violence and sitting across the table with the government for peace talks. _______________________________________________  Business Allworld network's Pakistan 100: The Oscars of Pakistani entrepreneurship Farooq Tirmizi Perhaps it is fitting that the lighting and stage at the event were reminiscent of an Apple product launch, because the Allworld Network's inaugural Pakistan Fast Growth 100 summit seemed to be no less than the coming out party of Pakistani entrepreneurship.  Branded seeds: Free market, copyrights and farmers' welfare Ali Salman Pakistan is the largest exporter of cotton yarn in the world and the third largest exporter of raw cotton. About 1.3 million farmers (out of a total of 5 million) cultivate cotton over three million hectares, covering 15% of the cultivable area in the country. Cotton and cotton products contribute about 10% to GDP and 55% to the foreign exchange earnings of the country. _______________________________________________  Sports Asia Cup: Too close for comfort Our Correspondents Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Gul put in impressive all-round performances as Pakistan posted a close 21-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening match of the Asia Cup.  Match fixing: PCB not jumping to conclusions Fawad Hussain The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided against jumping to conclusions after a report, published in the UK newspaper Sunday Times, quoted a bookmaker claiming to have fixed international matches including the World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Running Water: Spare the rod Saadia Qamar A mother smacks her daughter for answering back; a father beats his son because he has hit another child; a teacher hits the student with a ruler because he hasn't done his homework — these incidents are not unfamiliar as stories of child corporal punishment float around all the time.  London Asian Film Festival: A big leap for Bol and Tamanna Sher Khan Following the success of Saving Face, which earned an Oscar last month, the films Bol and the yet-to-be releasedTamanna have started generating buzz as they have been shortlisted for the 14th London Asian Film Festival, set to place from the March 16 to 24. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Some learned from Fukushima. Did we? Pervez Hoodbhoy  Making the system inclusive Shahid Javed Burki  Women against extremism Tanvir Ahmad Khan  Indian democracy's hidden flaws Kuldip Nayar  Love you, Lahore Chintan Girish Modi  Blogs There is a Muslim in evolution class Ahmad Ali  Kony 2012: What Uganda didn't need Ali Rafi  Seven reasons girls can't answer the phone Adeel Ansari Good riddance to Imran Farhat! Umair Qazi  Poll In your opinion, is the government move to ban sectarian organisations effective? No (63%, 197 Votes) Yes (37%, 116 Votes) Total Voters: 313  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 (March 4-11 2012)

Top 10 stories of the week

March 4-11, 2012

1. Cracks in PTI?: Qureshi vexed at Imran over by-poll boycott – Zia Khan 2. Run for your life – Pervez Hoodbhoy 3. Veena Malik's 'holi' moment – Web Desk 4. 'Forced conversion': Teen insists she converted of own free will – Sarfaraz Memon 5. New spymaster: Lt Gen. Zaheerul Islam to succeed Pasha as ISI chief – Web Desk 6. Muzaffargarh 'revenge' plot: 10 women stripped, one paraded naked – Owais Jafri/Shamshad Qureshi 7. Bigger plot: 'HuT has formed a shadow govt for Pakistan' – News Desk 8. Disqualified: Slap costs Waheeda Shah seat, next elections – Qamar Zaman 9. Pakistan-born NFL team owner has grand plans - Reuters 10. Madhuri unveils her wax statue in London - IANS

Top Business Lahori entrepreneurs outclass Karachiites in Allworld Pakistan 100 list Farooq Tirmizi Top 3 blogs 1. We expected better from you, Marvi Memon Madiha Saeed 2. Rinkle Kumari was Hindu last month Kapil Dev 3. Confessions of a Humsafar fan girl Sonia Tahir Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights JobsClassifieds

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The Express Tribune Newsletter: March 11, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 11, 2012

Senate top slots: Allies back PPP nominees Bokhari, Baloch Our Correspondent A meeting of coalition parties at the Presidency late Saturday night endorsed the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) move to retain the top slots of the Senate – a house in which the ruling party now has an imposing presence. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Blast at funeral in Peshawar, 7 dead Web Desk / Our Correspondent Atleast seven people were killed and around 26 others were injured in a blast in the Mamakhel area in the outskirts of Peshawar on Sunday. Contempt case: PM says apex court orders are 'not clear' Sumera Khan Despite the court's recent direct order to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani regarding the writing of a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, the premier still says he is "confused". Investigating generals: Military refuses to assist NAB in NLC scam Zahid Gishkori Military authorities have turned down a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to share details of a multi-billion rupee National Logistic Cell (NLC) scam involving three former generals, officials said on Saturday. Barelvi leader alleges pro-Deobandi bias in Defence Housing Authority Rana Tanveer A Barelvi leader has asked the Lahore Corps Commander to stop the Defence Housing Authority's (DHA) Religious Affairs Department from interfering in the appointment of khateebs and muezzins – sermon givers and givers of the call to prayer – alleging that the department is biased towards Deobandi clerics. Army denies new ISI chief related to Shah Rukh Khan News Desk The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has denied reports that the new ISI director-general designate Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam was distantly related to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. The Times of India had reported that the new ISI chief shared a tenuous link with Shah Rukh Khan. _______________________________________________ Business Weekly review: Stock market climbs for eighth successive week Bilal Umar The market continued its relentless upward drive, as the benchmark KSE-100 index rose for an eighth consecutive week, by posting a 2% or 264 points gain to close at the 13,353-point level during the week ended March 9. 3G Spectrum: Vodafone and Qtel not interested in Pakistan market Farooq Baloch Strong indications have emerged that international telecommunications investors, who sought more time to arrange finances for participating in the auction of 3G and Instaphone licences, are no other than parent organisations of existing players in the domestic market. _______________________________________________ Sports Asian giants ready to lock horns Reuters Pakistan will play the Asia Cup opener against Bangladesh in Dhaka today, desperate to bounce back from the slump that witnessed the team losing both the One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 series to England. Return of international cricket: Ashraf criticises May's remarks Our Correspondent Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf criticised the statement issued by Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) Chief Executive Officer Tim May after the Australian said that the sport's world governing body should postpone Bangladesh's proposed series in Pakistan. _______________________________________________ Life & Style All's well that ends well Rafay Mahmood National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) has already left all the theatre aficionados speechless with their outstanding performances and deft command on the field of theatre. However Saturday was a chance for music graduates to flaunt their skills on Napa's musical fusion night. The show was hosted by the well-known Chef Shae (who also happens to be a music student at Napa). LPNY — it's a guilty pleasure Erum Shaikh London Paris New York (LPNY) started off as a typical run-of-the mill Bollywood style movies. Girl (Aditi Rao-Hyderi), Lalita, very desi, a Madrassi feminist who goes to pursue education in New York, bumps into boy, Nikhil (Ali Zafar), son of a rich film-maker daddy, spoilt, gets everything served to him on a silver platter; we had to applaud the originality. The "accidental bump" happens at Heathrow Airport in London. _______________________________________________

Opinion The lies and triangulations of Imran Khan Saroop Ijaz No plots anywhere (no pun intended) Raza Rumi Generals — theirs and ours Khaled Ahmed Jalaluddin — the other side of the coin Muhammad Izhar Ul Haq Is Rahul Gandhi a loser? Aakar Patel Blogs Good riddance to Imran Farhat! Umair Qazi How America occupied Kashmir Vaqas Asghar Sexual abuse: Can we protect Amna? Ameena Tariq I am from Balochistan Rafeel Wasif Poll In your opinion, is the government move to ban sectarian organisations effective? No (64%, 106 Votes) Yes (36%, 59 Votes) Total Voters: 165 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: March 10, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 10, 2012

The chosen one: Lt Gen Zahaeerul Islam named new spymaster Sumera Khan The government on Friday appointed a new head of the country's premier military intelligence unit, quashing rumours of another extension for Lieutenant-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Final session: Senate endorses Human Rights Commission Zahid Gishkori Senators gave the National Commission for Human Rights Bill, 2012 a ringing endorsement during Friday's session – which marked the end of incumbency for many members. Interference in politics: Former ISI chief blames Gen Beg for poll rigging Azam Khan Former intelligence chief Asad Durrani said funds for rigging the 1990 elections were distributed to political parties at the behest of the then army chief General (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg, with tacit approval, if not outright support, of the then-president Ghulam Ishaq Khan. US State Dept calls Pakistani Taliban threats to Shad Begum 'out of step' Huma Imtiaz The US State Department says those that would threaten Shad Begum, recipient of the International Women of Courage award, are "out of step with the aspirations of the Pakistani people." Making hay: PTI prepares to seek rivals' disqualification Our Correspondent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is preparing for a legal battle against its rivals, and seeking their disqualification. Safeguarding interests: EU guarantees sought against Baloch rebels Qamar Zaman Pakistan is seeking firm guarantees from European states, where some Baloch insurgent leaders have found sanctuary or have applied for political asylum, that their territories would not be used to stoke unrest in Balochistan, an official said on Friday. _______________________________________________ Business Fiscal discipline: Government tightens its belt and lowers spending Shahbaz Rana Amid fears of a significant shortfall in non-tax receipts, the government has exhibited financial discipline and managed to spend less than its allocated amount for the period from July 2011 to February. The financial managers have managed to bring about a saving of Rs125 billion, or 5 per cent. Clear road ahead: Car sales in cruise control mode Faseeh Mangi Car sales continued to cruise –rising 17% in the current financial year so far – despite industry players increasing prices on a regular basis. _______________________________________________ Sports First to go: Not just another brick in 'the Wall' AFP Indian superstar Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 39, ending a 16-year career that made him an idol both at home and abroad. Pakistan set to face India netball teams Natasha Raheel Pakistan and India are set to play a five-match series in May as part of preparations for the Asian Netball Championship  due  in August in Sri Lanka. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Shafqat Amanat Ali: Sky's the limit Our Correspondent Some voices are truly timeless; their resonance penetrates borders and crosses language barriers, tugging at our heartstrings every time we listen to them. Ex-Fuzon member Shafqat Amanat Ali, who rose to great heights of fame with numbers like "Akhiyan" and "Mitwa", is one such voice. Relationship status: It's complicated and dramatic Rafay Mahmood Theatre-lovers of Karachi have been living in a bubble so far. Their exposure to theatre has been limited to overacted renditions of beautifully written plays and plots — that were either translated in Urdu or were B-grade adaptations that were not even fit for theatre. _______________________________________________

Opinion History and the textbook board Ajmal Kamal Reconciling history Rasul Bakhsh Rais The malefic saint — again Salman Rashid Violence, mores and morals Amina Jilani A slap — and then some Tazeen Javed Blogs I am from Balochistan Rafeel Wasif 10 exits to Chelsea FC downfall Gibran Ashraf Who's the froyoest of them all? Saira Malik Gender disparity and education for all Rabia Alavi Poll Is the Difa-e-Pakistan Council playing a positive role for Pakistan? No (68%, 254 Votes) Yes (32%, 120 Votes) Total Voters: 374 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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