The Express Tribune Newsletter: March 26, 2011

Today's Headlines

March 26, 2012   iPad users, download the new Tribune app now!

Dushanbe quadrilateral meeting: Looking past US curbs, govt pushes ahead with IP project Our Correspondents In a clear snub to the United States over its sanction threats, Pakistan has reassured Iran and other regional countries that the proposed gas pipeline projects will go ahead as planned. _______________________________________________ National/City Resumption of NATO supplies: Parliamentary approval likely to suffer long delay Qamar Zaman/Zia Khan A bitter blend of diplomatic obligations and domestic political considerations appears to be forcing Pakistan to delay a key decision on unplugging Nato supply routes, with the government and opposition wrangling over fresh terms of engagement with the United States.  Karachi security situation: MQM all set to step up its 'unnoticed' protest Irfan Ghauri/Sumera Khan Disenchanted with the government's cosmetic measures to weed out extortion in Karachi, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement is laying the groundwork for a final parting of ways with the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government. Blockade politics: Parliament to decide on NATO supplies, says PM Sumera Khan Before his departure for a nuclear summit in Seoul, the prime minister spared a few minutes to make jibes at the opposition.  Acid thrower?: Bilal Khar denies accusations, pleads innocence Ferya Ilyas Denying that he ever threw acid on his deceased wife Fakhra Yunus, former MPA Bilal Khar said he was not even in Karachi at the time when the incident took place. Reaction: No worries in Western capitals Our Correspondents What will happen if Pakistan's Parliament decides against reopening of supply lines for US-led Nato forces bogged down in a deadly and costly war in Afghanistan? Surprisingly, Washington and its Western allies don't appear to be much worried. _______________________________________________ Business  Dropped catch: Exports of sports goods may fall short of expectations Farhan Zaheer Though growth in exports of sports goods of Pakistan remains steady, it may fall short of expectations this year mainly because of crippling electricity shortages, which have frequently disturbed production process at manufacturing concerns, say top industrialists. Channelling the lawn business Humayon Dar As summer draws near in Pakistan, a fierce war over domestic markets is being waged all over the country. In mega metropolises like Karachi and Lahore, huge roadside billboards of lawn brands dominate city skylines; evidence of the aggressive advertisement campaigns employed by major players to capture domestic markets. The textile, popular among women in the summer season, has suddenly become a 'hot' commodity. _______________________________________________ Sports  Final-over collision: Bangladesh's stance a cheap stunt, says Mani Fawad Hussain Reacting strongly to the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) plan of seeking a review of the final-over collision in the Asia Cup final, former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani said that the development has spoilt the team's brilliant show. Needing nine to win in the final over, delivered by Aizaz Cheema, Bangladesh managed just six as Pakistan triumphed to lift the Asia Cup.  Tennis: Aqeel crosses first hurdle at ITF event Our Correspondents Pakistan number one Aqeel Khan got his campaign at the International Tennis federation (ITF) Futures men's singles event off to a winning start, defeating seventh-seed Hungarian Gabor Csonka 6-3, 6-0 in Manama, Bahrain. ______________________________________________ Life & Style Bonhams: Art on the rise Hani Taha You know that Pakistani artists have made serious inroads into the global art scene when the two centuries old British gallery Bonhams — one of the world's largest auctioneers of contemporary and Asian art — starts to take a concerted interest in Pakistani artwork. 'Channo' girl: Veena's victories Saadia Qamar The year has just begun and Pakistan's very own controversy queen, also known as the "Channo" girl now, Veena Malik has already added a myriad feathers to her cap. India has turned out to be the land of opportunities for Malik, who has received tremendous amount of publicity — both good and bad — since she started her career in India with reality show "Bigg Boss" season 4 in 2010. _______________________________________________

Opinion US defeat won't be Afghan victory Pervez Hoodbhoy The Ides of March Feryal Ali Gauhar  Why are we so afraid of our minorities? Syed Mohammed Ali Resurgence of Bangladesh Tanvir Ahmad Khan An unsettled and messy world Shahid Javed Burki  Blogs Jinnah had a dream, and we failed him Usman Asif Breaking News: Afridi can slap Ema Anis For PTI trolls: A lesson on bashing Adnan Khalid Rasool Lahore from Karachi eyes Tanzeel Ahmad  Poll Should Pakistan import petrol and other fuels from India? No (49%, 257 Votes) Yes (51%, 269 Votes) Total Voters: 526 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 18-25, 2012)

Top 10 stories of the week

March 18-25, 2012

1. Imran appoints 'Global Thinker' as his strategic policy advisor – Web Desk 2. Asia Cup: Kohli leads India to victory against Pakistan – Web Desk/AFP 3. Alcohol should be as easily available as Pepsi or Coke: Sindh MPA – Saba Imtiaz 4. Salman Rushdie compares Imran Khan to Qaddafi – Web Desk 5. University student lands job at Microsoft Corporation – Farooq Baloch 6. A Karachiite in Islamabad – Sami Shah 7. Don't call me Mona – Aqsa Mustafa 8. Bangladesh seeks reversal of Asia Cup final result - Reuters 9. Javed Hashmi made PTI president – Web Desk 10. Afridi's homecoming marred by airport altercation with fan – Web Desk

Top Life & Style Saif-Kareena spy flick Agent Vinod banned across Pakistan Web Desk Top 3 blogs  1. Pakistan's got heroes (not just terrorists) Adeel Ansari 2. What kind of Pakistani life do you lead? Nadya V 3. Azan, shisha and convenient hypocrisy Omer Kamal bin Farooq 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 25, 2012

Today's Headlines Reconfiguring foreign policy: Opposition coalesces against US ties proposal Qamar Zaman Generous servings of fruit helped bring together an otherwise-divided opposition. In what could prove to be a major setback for the government, the country's key opposition parties huddled on Saturday and hinted at rejecting draft recommendations on foreign policy submitted by a parliamentary panel. _______________________________________________ National/City reports No US disciplinary action seen over Salala attack Reuters The US military is not planning to discipline any of its forces over a cross-border skirmish last year that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead and plunged Washington-Islamabad ties to their lowest point in years, a US military official said on Saturday. 'Insider threat': India worried over Pakistan nuclear arms security News Desk India has cast fresh doubts on Pakistan's nuclear programme saying its distrust in the security of its neighbour's atomic assets was not evaporating any time soon, The Indian Express reported on Saturday. Zardari reaches Tajikistan for regional security summit AFP / APP President Asif Ali Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Tajikistan on Saturday for regional security talks with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. Hajj scam: FIA declares Rasool guilty of fraud Our Correspondent The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has declared former media advisor to the prime minister, Khurram Rasool, guilty of minting money from people on the false pretext of sending them for Hajj. Islam Zindabad Conference: JUI-F sets stage for 'million-man' rally in Peshawar Manzoor Ali The stage is set for what the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leaders claim would be a mammoth public rally to be attended by around one million people in Peshawar on Sunday. _______________________________________________ Business Weekly Review: Stock market eases in shortened week Bilal Umar Activity at the country's leading stock market finally took a breather as the benchmark KSE-100 index remained range-bound and closed down by 24 points or 0.2% during the shortened trading week ended March 22. Inefficient state enterprises: SECP drafts new regulations to check corruption Shahbaz Rana The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has unveiled draft regulations for improving governance in public sector companies, turning towards separating policy and operational posts in a bid to introduce checks and balances for eradicating corruption. _______________________________________________ Sports Asia Cup: 'Teamwork was key to success' Our Correspondent Feeling the need for improvement despite lifting the Asia Cup, captain Misbahul Haq vowed an improved show in the future as Pakistan returned to winning ways after a poor show against England in the UAE. Bangladesh seeks reversal of Asia Cup final result Reuters Bangladesh will ask the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to review an incident in the final over of the Asia Cup final against Pakistan on Thursday which they believe cost them the game. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Mahesh Bhatt: A revolutionary in his own right Sher Khan Mahesh Bhatt is not the kind of man you label as only a film-maker. Over the years, he has been involved in various aspects of film-making, including screen-writing, direction and production of some of the biggest Bollywood hits. But that's not where it ends — Bhatt has also used his charisma and popularity to promote peace between India and Pakistan. Balochi ensembles: The threads of time Shehzad Baloch Balochistan, usually associated with images of barren lands, mountains, deserts and political unrest, has a rich culture of arts and crafts which is still unknown to many Pakistani. One of the popular arts and crafts of the region is the Balochi embroidery, which is mainly done by women. _______________________________________________

March 25, 2012   iPad users, download the new Tribune app now!   Opinion The other anniversary Saroop Ijaz Eliminating corruption in 90 days Raza Rumi Want unity? Tolerate diversity! Khaled Ahmed Faith and Europe's enlightenment Aakar Patel Asma al-Assad: to shop or not to shop? Anushay Hossain Blogs For PTI trolls: A lesson on bashing Adnan Khalid Rasool Breaking News: Afridi can slap Ema Anis My trip to Guantanamo Bay Huma Imtiaz Use or abuse: How far will social media activism go? Faisal Kapadia Poll Should Pakistan import petrol and other fuels from India? Yes (57%, 128 Votes) No (43%, 97 Votes) Total Voters: 225 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 24, 2012

Today's Headlines Outcry: Govt warned not to restore NATO supply Our Correspondent In view of proposed restoration of  Nato supply routes, the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) staged a rally in the provincial capital on Friday, while a grand Jirga in North Waziristan Agency also warned against the route's reopening. _______________________________________________ National/City 'Security concerns': On Pakistan Day, Balochistan blacked out Zahid Gishkori Not a single person received a 'Happy Pakistan Day' text message across Balochistan on Friday – and not necessarily because none were sent. Fearing voter backlash: PML-N likely to reject proposals on US ties Abdul Manan Fearing a backlash from  its predominantly right-wing vote bank, the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is likely to reject the recommendations of a multi-party, bicameral parliamentary panel on reconfiguration of relations with the United States. Liaquat Jatoi eyes alliance with PML-N Our Correspondent The founder of Sindh Awami Ittehad and former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi is likely to merge his newly formed political party with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, officials from both parties informed The Express Tribune. Seoul nuclear summit : Pakistan to make case for NSG membership, again Our Correspondent Pakistan will seek an end to the 'discriminatory policies' of world powers when it comes to access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes at a nuclear security summit in Seoul. Pak-Afghan-US trilateral forum being revived Tahir Khan Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States are set to revive trilateral talks after a nearly seven-month deadlock, Afghan diplomats and foreign ministry officials said on Friday. _______________________________________________ Business A (most favoured) friend indeed: Pakistan to import petrol from India Reuters / PPI Pakistan is likely to allow the import of petrol and other fuels from India, from next month. Islamabad is expected to bring out a notification next month, to this effect which will allow the import of certain items including petrol and food items, Energy Secretary Ejaz Chaudhry said on Friday. Chaudhry said he discussed importing petrol from India during talks with his Indian counterpart GC Chaturvedi. Software development lab: Pakistan beats India and Sri Lanka to get contract Farooq Baloch In a move that would help spur the already booming development of IT content, Pakistan has beaten off competition from regional countries to bag World Bank's contract for setting up a research lab for mobile software development including apps, The Express Tribune has learnt. _______________________________________________ Sports All is not well that ends well Fawad Hussain Pakistan's triumph in the Asia Cup, which came after a lapse of 12 years, was followed by jubilation from fans and followers across the country with everyone giving their 10 cents as they showered praise on the team. Marred homecoming: Afridi shoves fan in total mayhem upon arrival News Desk Shahid Afridi's homecoming after a successful Asia Cup campaign was marred by an overtly exultant fan accidently hurting his daughter in an effort to catch a glimpse of the star. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Desi Hustlers: Fusing the best of two worlds Sher Khan Whether its fashion, cooking or even music, fusion is the name of the game these days. And when it comes to fusing hip hop and rap with Indian music, then a name that comes to mind is Desi Hustlers. Rafi Peer Theatre: Voice of the puppets Our Correspondent There was a time when puppetry was a part of popular culture and hand puppets were made by children in their arts and crafts class. But with the advent of technology and its constant evolution, the concept of puppetry receded into obscurity and kept going until Rafi Peer Theatre started hosting an annual Folk Puppet Festival of Contemporary and Traditional Puppetry.  _______________________________________________

March 24, 2012   iPad users, download the new Tribune app now!   Opinion Respecting sovereignty —ours and theirs Tazeen Javed A case for realpolitik Zarrar Khuhro To a ripe old age Salman Rashid How to reform Hira Mandi Ajmal Kamal Resumption of the beautiful friendship Amina Jilani Blogs Pakistan's Asia Cup victory: Silencing the naysayers Dr Amyn Malik 10 things I noticed on my first day at work Marium Arif Azan, shisha and convenient hypocrisy Omer Kamal Bin Farooq Problems and progress: Reasons to celebrate Pakistan Day Muhammad Bilal Lakhani Poll Should the government suspend cellular networks on the pretext of security? No (71%, 128 Votes) Yes (29%, 52 Votes) Total Voters: 180 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 23, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 23, 2012

Iran oil Imports: Pakistan among countries facing US sanctions threat Huma Imtiaz Pakistan, India and China and nine other countries that import crude oil from Iran may be hit with US sanctions. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier announced a list of 11 countries that had been exempted from sanctions, as they had "significantly reduced" their purchases of crude oil. _______________________________________________  National/City Khan eyes three wickets on one ball Owais Jafri The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf is waiting for all corrupt politicians to unite against it so that it can defeat them in one go and rid the country of corruption, PTI chairman Imran Khan said late on Thursday night.  Balochistan Assembly: 'Expose the kidnappers among ministers' Shehzad Baloch Provincial ministers on Thursday demanded the home minister and law enforcement agencies to disclose the names of those ministers allegedly involved in kidnappings in the province.  US rebuffs call to wrap up its drone war Kamran Yousaf Parliament's unfamiliar path to guide foreign policy has already hit its first roadblock. The United States has allegedly refused to revisit its policy governing drone use in Pakistan's tribal badlands.  Interior Minister seeks help for war-torn K-P's uplift Our Correspondent Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday that in spite of political issues, other provinces should come forward to help develop Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa which had suffered immensely due to the US-led war on terror. _______________________________________________  Business One step closer: Govt forms committee to set price for PPL shares Shahbaz Rana The government on Thursday constituted a committee to determine transaction structure and set price for offloading 2.5% shares of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) in the stock market through a secondary public offering.  High-tech agriculture: The extraordinary profits of hydroponic vegetable farming Imran Rana Tahir Rana is a nuclear physicist who gave up a job in Canada to set up a vegetable farm in Faisalabad. He is part of a growing number of people worldwide who have been drawn in by the extraordinary profits in hydroponic vegetable farming, a new method that dramatically increases productivity and thus farmer incomes. _______________________________________________  Sports Asia Cup: Pakistan prevail in epic final AFP Pakistan claimed the Asia Cup with a thrilling two-run victory over a dogged Bangladesh, breaking the hearts of home supporters who saw their unfancied side take the game to the wire.  Aamir through to squash event semis Our Correspondent Top-seed Aamir Atlas overcame stiff resistance from Hamzah Bukhari to eventually seal a tense 3-2 win in their 2nd FMC Pakistan International Squash event quarter-final in Lahore. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Alamgir: Late honours for a legend Rafay Mahmood Pakistan Day this year will be a special one for the fans of Alamgir, popularly known as the 'Elvis of the East', who will be awarded the Pride of Performance at the President's House in Islamabad. Decades of sheer hard work and passion for music have paid off as the government finally recognises the efforts of the pop legend whose contribution to the country's music is immeasurable.  Sonic Peacemakers come to Karachi Hani Taha American musician and relief worker Todd Shea is teaming up with Strings to rock Karachi this weekend on March 24. "If we can show the real Pakistan, we can stop drone attacks," spoke Shea in his characteristically confident manner at a press conference held at Gloria Jean's Coffees. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Insulting one's intelligence Kamran Shafi  Why do politicians hate local government? Dr Pervez Tahir  A report without substance Syed Talat Hussain  Environment and the 18th Amendment Ahmad Rafay Alam  Access to improved sanitation Karen Allen / Simone Klawitter Blogs What our HEC can learn from India Samir Butt  What is the worst thing about Pakistan's media? Jahanzaib Haque  Five reasons to stop questioning Obama's faith Faheem Younus  Pakistan vs India: Silencing the match-fixing rumours Ahmad Fuad  Poll In your opinion, should Indian films be banned in Pakistan? No (53%, 1,407 Votes) Yes (47%, 1,271 Votes) Total Voters: 2,678 Source: Clubbed   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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