The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 13, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 13, 2012

President Zardari arrives home from Dubai Agencies President Asif Ali Zardari arrived home from Dubai early Friday, officials said, against a backdrop of mounting tension and challenges to his government's precarious rule. _______________________________________________ National/City reports GHQ consultations: Army set to throw its weight behind judiciary Kamran Yousaf A day after releasing a hard-hitting press release against the prime minister, the army has decided it will throw its weight behind the Supreme Court – which is embroiled in its own standoff with the government.  US favours democracy in Pakistan: Hillary Clinton Huma Imtiaz US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that the United States has concerns about the situation in Pakistan, but stood in favour of the democratic set up in Pakistan, expecting it to resolve the country's internal matters on its own as per its laws and constitution. Parliamentary support: To woo allies, PPP to soften rhetoric Zia Khan A cornered Pakistan Peoples Party managed to carve itself some breathing space on Thursday.The party was able to 'partially' garner support for a pro-democracy resolution, and a fresh vote of confidence for Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, from its uneasy allies. The move, if it sails through, would be a symbolic triumph for the besieged party amid growing civil-military tensions. PML-N sharpens its knives Irfan Ghauri/Zahid Gishkori In a bid to make most of the precarious situation, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will be weighing all options before opposition parties today (Friday) to formulate a grand anti-government strategy — possibly a vote of no confidence against the country's premier. Senate elections on March 2, Aitzaz in the running Qamar Zaman/Sumera Khan The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Thursday that Senate elections will be held on March 2 – rubbishing speculation in some sections of the press that the polls would be held in mid- February. _______________________________________________ Business  Energy crisis: Govt mulling drastic changes to power tariff structure Zafar Bhutta For the second year in a row, the government will miss its plan to curb subsidy expenditure by a long shot: power subsidies are expected to reach Rs350 billion, about 138% higher than the budgeted Rs147 billion. The government will now try to phase out all subsidies except for the 'lifeline' consumers. Attracting investment: Govt considering amnesty for stock brokers Shahbaz Rana The government is considering offering an amnesty scheme to attract investment in the dwindling stock market by allowing tax evaders to declare their hidden incomes by paying a nominal investment tax before investing the money. _______________________________________________ Sports Cricket: Zaka unaware of MCC's plans on Pakistan Fawad Hussain Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf, who has set revival of international cricket in the country as his main task, was surprisingly unaware of the positive developments which took place during the Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) Cricket Committee's recent meeting in South Africa.        Cricket: Pakistan under-19 cruise to a win  Our Correspondents Pakistan under-19 thrashed their Zimbabwe counterparts by 120 runs in the opening match of the Tri-Nation Under-19s Tournament in South Africa. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Baba-e-Filmi Sahafat: The return of Nigar Awards Rafay Mahmood Students of media and film studies may have come across the term Nigar Awards, but the majority of the younger generation is not familiar with the fact that during the boom of Lollywood in the 1950s and 60s, Pakistan had its own awards to recognise the very best in the film fraternity.  Back when films like Benhur (1959) were awarded 11 Academy Awards, Pakistani films like Chakori and Aina were being recognised by the Nigar Awards for being cinema par excellence. Ishq Khuda to release on Eidul Fitr Sher Khan Pakistani film director Shehzad Rafique has marked the New Year by announcing that he will be directing a film Ishq Khuda. The director held an inauguration ceremony at the Alhamra Arts Council which was hosted by veteran screenwriter Pervaiz Kaleem. Produced by Saleem Zubair and written by Pervaiz Kaleem, the director has casted versatile actors including film stars Meera, Saima, Zara Sheikh and Ahsan Khan. _______________________________________________

Opinion The pox on everything else Kamran Shafi How a vibrant media can thwart a coup Nasim Zehra What does Pakistan want in Afghanistan? Najmuddin A Shaikh Curricula and socio-political security Imtiaz Gul Why the macro-economic fetish? Dr Pervez Tahir Blogs The value of school reunions and networking Vaqas Asghar 10 things nosy 'Pak'ers love to ask Laaleen Khan Not just one horror story from FATA Aqib Kazmi Privatisation can save Pakistan Railways Adeel Ansari Poll Are you in favour of early elections? Yes (67%, 230 Votes) No (33%, 112 Votes) Total Voters: 342 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

 

 

 

The Express Tribune, 5 Expressway Off Korangi Road, Karachi, Sindh 75500, Pakistan You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 12, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 12, 2012

Army statement given with my consent: Gilani Our Correspondents Shooting down any talk of a clash between civil and military forces, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the army's strong-worded statement, in response to his earlier criticism, was released after his consent. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Hitting back: Govt cooped-up by army fire Kamran Yousaf The prime minister's remarks during a recent interview seem to have hit a sore spot with the military establishment – remarks that the army on Wednesday explicitly stated could have "serious ramifications." Lodhi sacked – despite advice to the contrary Arif Rana Triggering fears and doubts of what may come next, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday sacked Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Naeem Khalid Lodhi for "gross misconduct" – a move that appears to be a tipping point for the ongoing crisis between the civilian and military leadership. US aid to Sunni Ittehad Council backfired Huma Imtiaz The United States gave money to the Sunni Ittehad Council to organise anti-Taliban rallies in 2009; however, the council later led demonstrations in support of Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed killer of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, in an apparent boomerang of US policy to support religious moderation in Pakistan. Judiciary always supports army rule, rues Asma Our Correspondents Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir condemned the judiciary on Wednesday, saying it has always approved military rules in the past. PML-Q top cadres resign en masse Muhammad Sadaqat The top cadre of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid from Hazara region, a partner in the PPP-led ruling coalition, resigned en masse on Wednesday. _______________________________________________ Business Investment decisions: Senate body declares National Bank deposits 'too risky' Shahbaz Rana In what appears to be a scathing indictment of government-run businesses, a Senate Commerce Committee panel has ordered the state-owned AAA-rated State Life Insurance Corporation to withdraw its Rs4 billion term deposits in the state-owned AAA-rated National Bank of Pakistan, terming the investment "too risky". If PSO does not get Rs50b, the country will shut down again Our Correspondents In a depressingly familiar scene, Pakistan State Oil – the largest oil marketing company in the country – has warned that unless the government arranges for Rs50 billion in payments to its fuel suppliers, PSO will not be able to supply oil to power companies, which will effectively force the entire country to shut down, as it did for two days in October of last year. _______________________________________________ Sports Say sorry or I'll see you in court: Hockey chief Fawad Hussain As the deadline to respond to legal notices passed, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Qasim Zia has taken a firm stand against the Olympians, saying that nothing less than an apology would suffice failing which a court battle beckons. Aisam, Rojer ousted in first round Natasha Raheel Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his new partner Jean-Julien Rojer crashed out in the first round of the doubles event at the Sydney International, going down fighting to the top-ranked team of Mike and Bob Bryan 7-5, 6-4. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Mehdi Hassan admitted to hospital, put on ventilator Our Correspondents Legendary ghazal maestro, Mehdi Hassan was admitted into the intensive care unit (ICU) of Karachi's Aga Khan Hospital after he had trouble breathing, Express News reported on Wednesday. Fashion trends 2012 Saadia Qamar With lawn madness on its way and fashion weeks about to kick off, we quizzed our favourite fashion designers, journalists and retailers to tell us what they're going to be retailing, stocking, writing and raving about this year. _______________________________________________

Opinion Balochistan — point of no return? Malik Siraj Akbar Women of the Arab Spring fight back Anushay Hossain  Reading and writing 1971 Afiya S Zia When the Americans leave Khurram Husain Save the Ravi Ahmad Rafay Alam Blogs Praying, the Malaysian way Asif Mian My quest to find Mr Right online Samreena Shah Musharraf's politics: A Pakistani love affair Arif Ahmed Print is dead, long live news Jahanzaib Haque Poll Do you believe the current civil-military divide has reached the point of no return? Yes (68%, 847 Votes) No (32%, 397 Votes) Total Voters: 1,244 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

The Express Tribune, 5 Expressway Off Korangi Road, Karachi, Sindh 75500, Pakistan You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 11, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 11, 2012

Pir Pagara passes away: The political oracle goes silent Hafeez Tunio   Veteran politician and spiritual leader of the Hur Jamaat, Pir Pagara died in London on Tuesday. National/City Rumour has it: 'OBL's Abbottabad hideout to be razed News Desk Osama bin Laden's hideout in Abbottabad, where he was shot dead by US Navy Seals, will be flattened by rocket-propelled grenades and then bulldozed, British newspaper The Sun reported on Tuesday. Committee meets 'under oath': Beleaguered govt to take its case to parliament Irfan Ghauri While options for the beleaguered Pakistan Peoples Party appear to be narrowing, the ruling alliance has decided to use the platform of parliament to deal with threats emanating from the judiciary on the National Reconciliation Ordinance ( NRO) issue. President, PM threatened: Apex court brandishes 'disqualification' sword Faisal Shakeel The apex court has had enough of the federal government's 'shenanigans.' In a sternly-worded order against non-implementation of its verdict in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) case, the Supreme Court on Tuesday warned the president and the prime minister of a possible disqualification. Terms of engagement: Domestic turmoil may delay review of US ties Kamran Yousaf Foreign relations must wait while the government tackles domestic turmoil. The process of rewriting the terms of engagement with the US is expected to be delayed due to the government's ongoing tensions with the judiciary and the military establishment. Analysis: Head-on collisions can prove fatal Zahid F Ibrahim The Supreme Court's patience is not unlimited, especially when it comes to wilful disobedience of its orders. ______________________________________________ Business  Pack up: Malaysia Airlines calls it quits in Pakistan Farhan Zaheer Malaysia Airlines on Monday ceased its operations from Pakistan – a decision that will affect a significant number of Pakistani students, tourists and business people who frequently travel to Malaysia and Australia through the airline. Shaukat Aziz not optimistic about free trade with US Our Correspondents Former finance and prime minister Shaukat Aziz is not optimistic about a free trade agreement with the US saying that even when Congress was very friendly, they couldn't get things through. _______________________________________________ Sports New beginning: Aisam hopes for change in fortunes Natasha Raheel Aisamul Haq Qureshi faces a stiff test as the Pakistan tennis ace, paired with Dutch player Jean-Julien Rojer, clashes with brothers Bob and Mike Bryan in his first encounter of the Sydney International doubles event today.  Amir's rehab a possibility: Ashraf Fawad Hussain Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has hinted that the board may consider providing a rehabilitation process for Mohammad Amir after he returns to Pakistan, providing the International Cricket Council (ICC) approves the initiative. ______________________________________________ Life & Style Shahvaar Ali Khan: 'I want peace, not pieces' Rafay Mahmood Music is said to be one of the most powerful mediums of mass communication and if good music is accompanied by an even more expressive video, the impact on the audience is enhanced. One such example is "No Saazish No Jang" by Lahore-based musician Shahvaar Ali Khan. Tamanna: An uplifting collaboration Sher Khan The long-awaited film Tamanna, directed by Steve Moore and slated to be completed in 2012, has entered into a partnership with music company Tradition Plus for the production of its soundtrack. ______________________________________________

Opinion Sindh local government: The real issues. Arif Hasan Our terrible binary Ejaz Haider The PTI — a post-ethnic party Nadir Hassan  The Arab Spring is not over yet Tariq Fatemi Memogate redux Feisal H Naqvi Blogs Khan v Peterson: The saga continues Amna Lone Not another Humsafar episode Osman Khalid Butt Why divide Punjab? Ali Tahir Screeching at the pulpit: Is this Islam? Majid Lohani  Poll Do you feel the taxes you pay to the government are being used fairly? No (92%, 801 Votes) Yes (8%, 66 Votes) Total Voters: 867 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

 

The Express Tribune, 5 Expressway Off Korangi Road, Karachi, Sindh 75500, Pakistan You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January10, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 10, 2012

Memogate case: Kayani, Pasha replies were illegal, implies PM Our Correspondents Having initially backtracked from cutting comments made against the military in a scathing speech in parliament, the prime minister has fired another salvo – this time questioning the acts of the military brass.____________________________________ National/City Balochistan conflict: 'Nawaz success hinges on army's consent' Qaiser Butt While the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif's proposal for an all-party conference (APC) to resolve Balochistan's issues, the success of the conference depends "on the mood of the military establishment", Friends of Baloch (FoB) president Amanullah Gichki said. Memogate scandal: US scholars concerned over Haqqani's safety Huma Imtiaz Sixteen US scholars from think tanks in Washington have written to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to express concerns over the safety of Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, asking the Obama administration to "make appropriate public statements to ensure that Husain Haqqani is not physically harmed and that due process of law is followed." Ruling out clash: Zardari warns against anti-govt scheming Our Correspondents President Asif Ali Zardari throws down the gauntlet. Political masquerades should know that their conspiracies cannot topple the Pakistan Peoples Party government which enjoys the people's support, said President Zardari while chairing a meeting of senior members of his party at Bilawal House in Karachi on Monday. Haqqani shies away from providing data Qaiser Zulfiqar A fast-paced day of proceedings by the Memogate commission saw a number of interesting developments on Monday – including an exchange between former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani and the counsel for principal accuser Mansoor Ijaz over access to data regarding their alleged conversations on the issue.  Starstruck: 3 die, 5 injured in stampede at Atif Aslam concert Shahram Haq An Atif Aslam concert on Monday turned into a tragedy when three girls got killed while five were critically injured in a stampede, Express News reported. ______________________________________________ Business Infrastructure spending: With US help, power grid to get 'smart meters' Zafar Bhutta Pakistan and the United States on Monday agreed to a programme where Washington would spend $60 million in financing the installation of 'smart meters' on the national electricity grid, in a bid to help power companies accurately book their revenues and collect bills from consumers, helping eliminate one of the major sources of financial leakages in the power sector. Attari-Wagah border: Checkpost being upgraded for Rs2.6b Our Correspondents Checkposts at Attari-Wagah border will be upgraded by February 2012 at a cost of Rs2.6 billion (INR150 crore) to cope with the spurt of trade expected following Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status granted to India by Pakistan, according to Indian newspaper Business Standard. _______________________________________________ Sports UAE tour: With yet another desert-sweep in mind... Our Correspondents Pakistan arrived in the UAE yesterday, hoping for an improved show against England as compared to the poor performance the team displayed when the two sides met last. Revamping football brings new twists and worries Natasha Raheel The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is all set to revamp Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) into the Elite League where each team will represent a club instead of any sports department. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Waging Waar Sher Khan Bilal Lashari's major directorial effort Waar has been much-awaited since its trailer release on the New Year weekend. Starring big names like Shaan Shahid, Aisha Khan, Shamoon Abbasi, Meesha Shafi, Ali Azmat and Hamza Abbasi, the project seems fated for blockbuster success. Kayseria: Going back to the roots Hani Taha The lawn explosion this summer saw many new players enter the market and several seasoned ones upping their ante to define their hallmark in the wake of the 'designer lawn' phenomenon. _______________________________________________

Opinion Memogate redux Feisal H Naqvi How many Punjabs? Rasul Bakhsh Rais New provinces Yaqoob Khan Bangash Beyond repair? Zahrah Nasir A boy named Arsalan Anna Khan Blogs India and Pakistan: Sharing one soul Zahid Gishkori Dear dictator, your rally really sucked Shaheryar Popalzai Another Imran Khan article that's not about Musharraf's rally. Sorry. Meiryum Ali Don't be yourself, be pretty instead Faraz Talat Poll Is the Pakistan cricket team in good shape to defeat England in the upcoming test series? No (21%, 100 Votes) Yes (79%, 372 Votes) Total Voters: 472 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

The Express Tribune, 5 Expressway Off Korangi Road, Karachi, Sindh 75500, Pakistan You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.

The Express Tribune Newsletter: January 09, 2012

Today's Headlines

January 09, 2012

CIA likely to resume drone strikes Zia Khan America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is likely to resume the drone campaign that it had apparently called off following a deadly Nato airstrike on Pakistani border posts in the Mohmand tribal region on November 26, 2011.  However, this time around, the frequency and intensity of attacks by pilot-less aircraft would not be as high as it was in the past. _______________________________________________ National/City 'Brotherly' countries turn down Pakistan's request Zafar Bhutta All rhetoric of brotherhood notwithstanding, two 'friendly' Arab countries have refused to supply oil to Pakistan on long-term credit.  Karachi rally: Musharraf to defy threats, return home this month Rabia Ali As political fervor whips up across the country, the former dictator has decided to jump in, head first. Clad in a crisp white shalwar kameez, former president and chairman All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Pervez Musharraf announced he would return to Pakistan between January 27 and 30, despite 'baseless' court cases, and risks to his life. Democratic transition: Sparring rivals converge behind closed doors Abdul Manan For all their barbed exchanges in public, the country's two largest parties have met two-thirds of the way in backdoor negotiations over the democratic transition process, well-placed sources told The Express Tribune. Afghan endgame: US ready for Haqqani talks Kamran Yousaf Despite having suffered serious setbacks in the aftermath of the November 26 Nato airstrikes which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Washington and Islamabad have continued 'dialogue' even amidst flaring tensions. No subscription needed: Hitteen delivered to your doorstep Rana Tanveer Al Qaeda continues to preach jihad through an Urdu monthly magazine, The Express Tribune has learnt. The 200-page magazine, Hiteen, is delivered by post. _______________________________________________ Business Foreign exchange: Currency swap with China a bid to shore up, diversify reserves Farooq Tirmizi / Shahbaz Rana The recently concluded currency swap agreement between Pakistan and China is a bid by Islamabad to shore and diversify its foreign currency reserves, allowing the government to borrow up to $1.5 billion under the pact, said sources familiar with the matter. The rise of the Pakistani middle class: How new suburbs made the good life affordable Kazim Alam The decision by Abdul Manan Shaikh's family to move to Gulshan-e-Hadeed 10 years ago marked the beginning of his upward social mobility. Hailing from Larkana, where he learned the English alphabet at a government-run 'taat' school in sixth grade at an annual fee of less than Rs50, Shaikh has since attended three elite business schools of Karachi in the past decade. _______________________________________________ Sports Pakistan tour: Security team's visit yet to be finalised Fawad Hussain The Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) directors have given approval to a security team's visit to Pakistan ahead of the proposed series between the two countries. Amir Khan's trainer says he knows the 'mystery man': Report Our Correspondents Boxer Amir Khan's trainer Freddie Roach has claimed that he knows the 'mystery man' seen at the ringside during Khan's match with Lamont Peterson and said that he was not an International Boxing Federation (IBF) official, a BBC Sport report said on Sunday. _______________________________________________ Life & Style 2012: The impending apocalypse Rayan Khan While we've approached the first week of the New Year relatively unscathed, the bell still tolls for us as the supposed end of the world is just around the corner.  Make-up & style hallmarks: Who's trendy now? Our Correspondents Asmaa Mumtaz proudly sticks out like a stylish totem because of her vibrant persona and her bold make-up and styling. The proof of this is the dexterity with which she created dark edgy looks for Karma's bridals at the PFDC L'Oreal Paris Bridal Week 2011, with as much ease as she managed to conjure up feminine innocence at Karma Pink's PFDC Fashion Week 2011 collection. _______________________________________________

Opinion The PTI's education policy Ayesha Ejaz Khan What a government should always do Atika Rehman On Neutrinos and Angels Pervez Hoodbhoy Pluck the low hanging fruit Shahid Javed Burki Storm clouds over the Gulf Tanvir Ahmad Khan Blogs My blue passport doesn't make me American Ahsan Parvez daredia I pledge not to travel in the pink bus Ayesha Hasan The media made a mess of Memogate Adnan Khalid Rasool The rights and wrongs of Imran Khan's politics Usman Asif Poll In your opinion, should Pakistan establish relations with Israel? No (64%, 605 Votes) Yes (36%, 335 Votes) Total Voters: 940 Links Contact us Tribune on Facebook Tribune on Twitter About us RSS Feed Subscribe to the Paper Careers Copyrights Jobs Classifieds

 

The Express Tribune, 5 Expressway Off Korangi Road, Karachi, Sindh 75500, Pakistan You may unsubscribe or change your contact details at any time.