The Express Tribune Newsletter: May 12, 2012

Today's Headlines   Storm in a tea-cup: Premier Gilani sugarcoats tenuous Pak-US ties Gibran Peshimam The prime minister has rubbished reports that Pakistan would not be invited to Chicago summit, but stressed that negotiations regarding the reopening of Nato supply routes are still under way – and that it was premature to say anything in this regard till the negotiations are over. Charting the Afghan course: Chicago invite to take NATO supply route Kamran Yousaf Even as the Nato secretary general on Friday hinted that Pakistan may not attend the Chicago summit later this month, Islamabad still expects to participate in the historic gathering to discuss the Afghan endgame. Punjab power politics: Amidst violent protests govt offers 'respite' Sumera Khan Amidst violent protests across Punjab over frequent power cuts in the sizzling hot weather, the government promised on Friday that 'unannounced load shedding will end within 24 hours'. Budget 2012-13: Pakistan includes $1.1b in evasive coalition support Shahbaz Rana The coalition's support may not be forthcoming but that has not stopped Pakistan from including $1.1 billion in next year's budget as reimbursements from the United States on account of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF). Business Pay for other's inefficiency: Power consumers to bear interest cost of TFCs Shahbaz Rana Electricity consumers will now pay the cost of inefficiencies of the government, as the authorities have planned to pass on roughly Rs10.6 billion to the consumers on account of mark-up on the debt instrument that it wants to issue to raise Rs80 billion for unclogging the power system. Tug of war: Ministries differ over incentive package for IPPs Zafar Bhutta As widening power shortfall sparks protests in many cities, the ministries of Finance and Water and Power are locked in a row over an incentive package for the independent power producers (IPPs), which may improve their financial position and encourage them to run plants at maximum capacity. _______________________________________________ Sports Madrid Open: Aisam falls in battle of friends Natasha Raheel In a battle of former partners, Rohan Bopanna, pairing up with Mahesh Bhupathi, prevailed. Pakistan Champions League: Canadian club's Indian members denied visa Nabeel Hashmi Canada's Berry Cricket Club (BCC), comprising national players, has pulled out of the second edition of Pakistan Champions League (PCL) after three of its players, of Indian background, were denied visas by the Pakistan authorities.  _______________________________________________ Life & Style 'Taming of the Shrew' with a desi twist Sher Khan The much-awaited premiere of the Urdu rendition of the Shakespearean play "Taming of the Shrew" or "Ilaaj-e-Zid Dastayaab Hai", took place on Wednesday night at the Alhamra Arts Complex in Lahore. The art archive: Sublime feeling Maha Malik There is a way in which sublime feeling no longer fits with contemporary visual experience. This may be especially true for big city life. A landscape established by human density (ethnoscapes) — or a great visual vitality borne of multiplicity, juxtaposition, occasional excrement — it has in its bombast simply no time for the solitary refinements of the sublime. Or so it seems. _______________________________________________

Opinion Prejudice engendering violence Ajmal Kamal A nation abandoned Syed Talat Hussain The legend of Dodo Chanesar Salman Rashid Not even the cradle Amina Jilani Our stunted society Tazeen Javed   Blogs Perils of reporting in Balochistan Shehzad Baloch Street harassment: The blame lies with you Madiha Saeed The rat race of KGS admissions H. Masood Manto doesn't let you forget Hani Taha Poll Should the US help Pakistan and India resolve the Kashmir dispute? No (68%, 212 Votes) Yes (32%, 98 Votes) Total Voters: 310 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: May 11, 2012

Today's Headlines State visit to UK: Britain pledges 'enduring friendship' with Pakistan Our correspondents Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani arrived at 10 Downing Street on Thursday to meet with his British counterpart David Cameron and review the progress made under the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and the UK. Certification rules: Amid talks headway, US panel proposes conditional aid Kamran Yousaf / Huma Imtiaz Even as a key US Congressional panel placed strict conditions on financial and military assistance to Pakistan on Thursday, diplomats and officials in Islamabad said the estranged allies were on the verge of a breakthrough in negotiations. Operations review: Red Cross suspends work in Pakistan Our Correspondents The Red Cross on Thursday suspended most of its aid projects in Pakistan and recalled foreign staff to the capital, following the brutal murder of a staff doctor. Punjab rioting: Protests bring 'power' brokers to Presidency Irfan Ghauri As power shortfall hit 8,000 megawatts on Thursday, protests fanned across Punjab, prompting the president to convene an emergency meeting on the energy crisis late Thursday night. Business ESCAP report: UN urges Pakistan to subsidise agriculture Shahbaz Rana The United Nations (UN), in its latest report on Asia, has advised Pakistan to provide agricultural subsidies and introduce modern technologies to increase per acre yield, arrest rising food prices and alleviate hunger. Pay up, or else: PARCO seeks advance payment for oil supply to PSO Zafar Bhutta Pak-Arab Refinery Company (Parco) has warned Pakistan State Oil (PSO) that it will stop the supply of fuel if the latter does not introduce a mechanism according to which it will open letters of credit to make advance payment for oil supply rather than getting deliveries on credit. _______________________________________________ Sports Cricket: Professor Hafeez handed Pakistan's future Our Correspondents The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) plans for the future gained further momentum as it named separate squads for all three formats while also naming Mohammad Hafeez as the team's Twenty20 captain, ending Misbah's reign at the helm. Aisamul-Rojer march into Madrid Open quarter-finals Our Correspondents Pakistan's top-seeded tennis player, Aisamul Haq Qureshi, along with his Mens doubles partner Jean-Julien Rojer, fought their way into the third round of the Madrid Open to set up a date with his former partner Rohan Bopanna. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Manto: How relevant is the writer today? Saadia Qamar 57 years after his death, Manto remains one of the most relevant sub-continental writers in present times. The Express Tribunespoke to current writers regarding the writer's influence. Out by Royal Park, the 'soul' of film lays dying Rabia Mehmood On the third floor of Atif mansion in Royal Park Lahore, Ustad Jahangir gets his canvas, colour palate and brushes out, mixes paints and starts finishing the purple colored dress of a woman in a scene from Heer Ranjha. _______________________________________________

Opinion The merry-go-round Kamran Shafi Breaking the feudal lords Asad Rahim Khan The missing link Salman Masood Different folks in school Prakash Belawadi Military & the media Afia Shehrbano Zia   Blogs Bringing cricket back, the South African way Ahmad Fuad Build your froyo tower at Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt Saira Malik Why won't NADRA recognise the Kalasha? Sikandar Khan Kalasha Refund policy: The end of university looting Syed Nadir El Edroos Poll Have you ever experienced sexual harassment at work?  No (354 votes, 78%) Yes (99 votes, 22%) Total Voters: 453 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: May 10, 2012

Today's Headlines Politics of new provinces: PML-N throws ball back into PPP's court Abdul Manan A week after the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party blindsided the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on the issue of South Punjab province, the PML-N outsmarted the latter with a jugglery of words. Asghar Khan petition: ISI not under the command of army chief, says Gen Aslam Beg Azam Khan Former army chief General (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg has made an interesting disclosure before the apex court: The Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is a separate entity which is not under the command of the army chief. PAC meeting: Watchdog pulls up bureaucrats for car abuse Shahbaz Rana  The parliament's accountability body reprimanded bureaucrats for flouting the recently-implemented cash-for-cars policy and sought a report from the finance ministry on its financial impact. Contempt case: Gilani to stay until decision on appeal, says PPP Qamar Zaman A day after the apex court released the detailed judgment in the premier's contempt case, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) hit back, saying the premier would continue to serve until the decision of the appeal._______________________________________________   Business Tackling circular debt: Govt to issue Rs70b term finance certificates Zafar Bhutta In an attempt to rein in the runaway inter-corporate debt and tackle the power crisis, the government has decided to raise Rs70 billion from the reserves of Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) by issuing term finance certificates (TFCs). Passing the buck: Govt considers removing cap on gas cess, petroleum levy Zafar Bhutta Finance and energy managers are seeking to increase infrastructure development cess on natural gas and petroleum levy on oil products in the upcoming budget to generate funds for the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and bridge the fiscal deficit. _______________________________________________ Sports Aisam, Rojer cruise on Madrid clay Our Correspondents Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his doubles partner Jean-Julien Rojer eased into the second round of the Madrid Open with a convincing 6-36, 7-5 win over Daniel Gimeno-Traver and Ivan Navarro in their first-round match yesterday. Cricket: Shah adamant about World XI despite PCB's refusal Fawad Hussain Sindh Sports Minister Mohammad Ali Shah has vowed to host the 'World XI' side as planned despite the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) refusal to sanction the national team or be part of proceedings. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Zoheb Hasan: Yesteryear's heart-throb becomes a modern-day social activist Saadia Qamar He stole many a hearts with his mesmerising voice and his charming looks refuse to wear down with time. Shakeel: The legend returns to theatre Sher Khan Over the last three days, renowned television actor Shakeel has been enthralling audiences at the Alhamra Arts Complex in Lahore. Living up to and even surpassing the viewers' expectations, the celebrated actor, who returned to theatre after a span of 25 years, once again delivered a flawless solo performance for his most recent stage play "Us Gali Na Jawin". _______________________________________________

Opinion The ball's in Pakistan's court Ejaz Haider On environmental initiatives Ahmad Rafay Alam Change or perish Zahrah Nasir Tales from development hell Nadir Hassan IMF to the rescue, once again! Syed Mohammad Ali   Blogs Ho Yaqeen: Bringing hope and positivity to Pakistan Sidrah Moiz Khan The problem with owning large media corporations Manal Shakir A foreigner's love for Pakistan Gordan Sumanski PTI & PML-N: Saviours of justice or a national joke? Aamir Saeed Poll Do you believe Pakistan needs to 'do more' on militancy, as Hillary Clinton says? No (59%, 407 Votes) Yes (41%, 288 Votes) Total Voters: 695 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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