The Express Tribune Newsletter: February 14, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 14, 2012

PM indicted: Not guilty, pleads Gilani Azam Khan In the presence of the top political leadership of the country, a two-page charge-sheet was read out on Monday by Justice Nasirul Mulk. _______________________________________________  National/City reports US hearing on Balochistan: NA condemns congressional hearing; FO summons envoy Qamar Zaman / Kamran Yousaf Balochistan's taking centre stage on the political landscape these days, but more because of what's happening offshore than in the province itself.  Indian minister: Sharma vows to double Pak-India trade PPI Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma arrived in Pakistan on Monday in an effort to take down trade barriers, share economic prosperity and facilitate people-to-people exchange.  Adiala missing prisoners' case: After a heart-wrenching sight, SC wants answers Azam Khan Everyone in the jam-packed courtroom number 1 was dumbfounded when authorities escorted them inside — each of the seven surviving detainees holding urine bags in their hands. After being indicted, Gilani mulls autobiography Owais Jafri Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, after being indicted for contempt of court, and staring at a premature end to his term in office, has decided to write an autobiography, detailing in particular the turbulent past few months.  Ball's in your court: 'Reopening NATO supplies is parliament's prerogative' Zahid Gishkori The resumption of Nato supply routes seems to be an issue too hot for anyone to handle at the moment. _______________________________________________  Business Beyond MFN: Indian exporters target oil products and tea markets Kashif Hussain Leading exporters of India, displaying their products at the first-ever Indian trade exhibition in Pakistan, have expressed great interest in selected markets such as petroleum products, tea, spices and fast moving consumer goods.  At your doorstep: Online shopping, without upfront payment Farooq Baloch Almost non-existent a few years ago, Pakistan's online retail market has witnessed phenomenal growth recently. As online shopping trend increases, one company making a name is BlueEX – a Karachi-based courier company – who delivers goods ranging from an iPhone to coffee beans to any destination in the country without any upfront payment. _______________________________________________  Sports First ODI: Pakistan come crashing back to earth AFP Paceman Steven Finn took a career-best 4-34 and Alastair Cook hit his highest score to help England beat Pakistan in a fortune-turning 130-run win in the first day-night international here on Monday.  Davis Cup: Aqeel holds nerve to carry Pakistan through Natasha Raheel Aqeel Khan rose to the occasion, outshone Aisamul Haq Qureshi and guided Pakistan past a tense Lebanon challenge with a straight-sets win in the deciding reverse singles of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania zone group II tie. _______________________________________________  Life & Style 'Reel life' couples: Let's talk love Saadia Qamar Lights, camera, romance! It's no surprise that couples who have chemistry on-screen can pull off romantic and love-infested roles better than those who lack that 'sizzle' factor. In some cases, it is dubbed as the most important part of cinematic experience, as any film or drama serial can fall flat — and be easily forgotten — without the right chemistry.  Five Valentine's dates from hell Our Correspondent For some, Valentine's Day is heaven. For others, it is a painful hell! For those who believe that this day should be a disgusting pigskin brown instead of a ravenous red, here are a few nightmare Valentine's dates which may cement your scepticism about all things 'love'. _______________________________________________

Opinion  News coverage: why must it be positive? M Bilal Lakhani  The value of quality control Muhammad Hamid Zaman  Pakistan's economy — between autocracy and democracy Tahir Akbar / Masroor Hamid  Saudi-America: A love story Shibil Siddiqi  A face-saving ploy Zahrah Nasir  Blogs Faiz: Political poetry for the soul Faiza Rahman  Sights and sounds at the Karachi Literature Festival Nadir Hassan  Who cares about Pakistan's Anna Hazare? Zahid Gishkori  Sexual abuse: A victim's diary S Khan  Poll Do you believe the present government has done enough for the betterment of Balochistan? No (93%, 202 Votes) Yes (7%, 16 Votes) Total Voters: 218  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 13, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 13, 2012

Contempt case: Supreme Court shows Gilani the door Web Desk / AFP The Supreme Court on Monday indicted Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for contempt of court in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case.  _______________________________________________  National/City Defiance: Allies renew 'support for democracy' Zia Khan All political players in the ruling coalition have resolved to 'protect' democracy in case Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani loses his office in the event of a conviction by the Supreme Court in the contempt case. Probing 26/11: Mumbai attacks monitored, managed live from Karachi Asad Kharal As 11 gunmen wreaked havoc on Mumbai in 2008, and killed 166 people over the course of three days, the planners watched the terror unfold live at a rented house in the North Nazimabad neighbourhood of Karachi, sources privy to investigations revealed to The Express Tribune. US concerned about rights abuses in Balochistan: Munter Adil Jawad Insisting that the US administration's stance remains unchanged vis-à-vis Balochistan, US Ambassador Cameron Munter asserted on Sunday that "there is no doubt that people in Balochistan are facing human rights abuses". Tailored changes: Revolution is good; results, maybe not Maria Waqar When the protracted winter of discontent in the Arab world finally precipitated into spring, the blossoming of people power and zephyr of political change fascinated Pakistanis to no end. Railways crisis: Bilour confirms FIA probe against him Qaiser Butt Railways Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour has confirmed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) conducted an inquiry against him for alleged financial and procedural irregularities in a locomotive procurement deal with a Chinese firm. _______________________________________________ Business  Kosher finance: Effective governance needed to grow Islamic banking Dr Humayon Dar One point needs to be made clear from the outset regarding the ongoing growth of Islamic banking in Pakistan. If it is to prosper, maintain competitiveness, ensure sustainability, preserve efficiency and remain profitable, then external and internal regulatory and governance frameworks must be strong, effective, transparent and stringent. Misrepresented: Pakistan needs an image makeover Ali Wahab "Ali, why doesn't Pakistan get any good press? There must be something good happening in Pakistan? After all, it's a nation of 175 million!" This was the theme of a discussion with a senior colleague after a transaction involving Pakistan offering very competitive pricing and a sovereign guarantee from the state was rejected by risk averse people in my institution. _______________________________________________ Sports Tennis: Doubles win puts Pakistan ahead Natasha Raheel Pakistan took a 2-1 lead over Lebanon in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania zone group II tie following a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 win that took four hours and five minutes in Beirut yesterday. Bangladesh Premier League: Jamshed helps Kings conquer Bengals Our Correspondents Nasir Jamshed hit a whirlwind, unbeaten 86 to guide Chittagong Kings past the 172-run total as they recorded a six-wicket win over Khulna Royal Bengals at the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). _______________________________________________ Life & Style Salman Ahmed: So close, yet so far Our Correspondents Some terrible has happened. My most desperate attempts to make it on time have failed. I am not able to catch Salman Ahmed's book launch Rock & Roll Jihad. Karachi Literature Festival: Jibes R Us Hani Taha Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the sharpest of them all? With stand-up comedian Saad Haroon, political satirist Nadeem Farooq Paracha and Ali Aftab Saeed of Beygairat Brigade in one place, it was clear that this Sunday morning at the Karachi Literature Festival  (KLF) would be heavily soaked in vinegar. ______________________________________________

Opinion Universities: telling the good from the bad Pervez Hoodbhoy Why a ban on porn sites is futile Jahanzaib Haque Has Uttar Pradesh moved on? Jyoti Malhotra To Russia, with love Tanvir Ahmad Khan Political parties and economic policymaking Shahid Javed Burki  Blogs Sexual abuse: A victim's diary S Khan To ban or not to ban …Shezan juice Vaqas Asghar IPL: A story of continuing insults for Pakistan Raja Yousuf Overtures from Washington Mohammad Rizwan  Poll Do you agree with Interior Minister Rehman Malik's statement that there is some foreign involvement in Balochistan's unrest? Disagree (35%, 117 Votes) Agree     (65%, 221 Votes) Total Voters: 338 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 (Feb 05-12 2012)

Top 10 stories of the week

Feb 05-12, 2012

1. Radcliffe admits being drunk during 'Harry Potter' scenes - Reuters 2. All is 'whale': 'Moby Dick' comes to town ahead of Karachi Literature Festival – Saad Hasan 3. Dead whale shark sold – Web Desk, Wasiq Muhammad 4. Education: The PTI's false promises won't help – Pervez Hoodbhoy 5. 13-year-old prodigy becomes lecturer at SSUET, FAST, MAJU – Kiran Naz 6. Why speak for the Ahmadis? – Saroop Ijaz 7. US citizenship for Dr Shakil Afridi, says congressman – Huma Imtiaz 8. No more loadshedding in Pakistan: Naveed Qamar – Web Desk, Zahid Gishkori 9. Veena Malik denies nude photo shoot for FHM – Web Desk 10. Rival 'Islamic' social media site calls for Facebook boycott – Rana Tanveer

Top Business From Kamra to Karachi via the Chinese: Military debuts in the handheld market Saba Imtiaz Top Sports Green sweep: Pakistan win third test by 71 runs AFP Top 3 blogs 1. The Islamic university where girls were raped Nadir el Edroos 2. The terrible appeal of Humsafar Abira Ashfaq 3. Agneepath: Why remakes are worth it Zainab Imam 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: February 12, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 12, 2012

Border violation: Afghan forces kill 2 in Balochistan Shehzad Baloch In the brash combative style of US-led Nato forces, Afghan security forces carried out a raid – their first cross-border incursion – in a border district of Balochistan, officials said on Saturday. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Economic woes: Finance secretary changed in wake of IMF report Shahbaz Rana The government on Saturday appointed Abdul Wajid Rana as the new finance secretary in the wake of a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) exposing the vulnerability of Pakistan's economic policies. The Afghan albatross: Political rhetoric gives way to pragmatism Zarrar Khuhro I went into the Karachi Literature Festival session titled 'Afghanistan and Pakistan: conflict, extremism and the Taliban' expecting not just old wine in an even older bottle, but fearing that the wine would have turned into vinegar. Simply put, I was expecting the usual round of accusations, self-flagellation and mea culpas that are par for the course in any discussion about Pakistan's role in Afghanistan. Alleged suspect in Shahbaz Bhatti case arrested in UAE Umer Nangiana One of the two suspects in the murder case of former minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti was arrested in Dubai with the help of the International Police (Interpol). He was still to be repatriated to Pakistan after fulfilling legal formalities, which are likely to take over a week Difa-e-Pakistan Part 2/2: Who is aiding the jihadis' resurgence? Taha Siddiqui Difa-e-Pakistan has organised three large gatherings in Punjab alone. The first was in Lahore, which was organised by Jamatud Dawa (JuD), whose leadership is in charge of coordination and communication between all members of the group. A conversation with Shobhaa De: At 64, Shobhaa De is still going full steam Zainab Imam For someone with a phobia of needles, Shobhaa De is remarkably comfortable poking others with her razor sharp words regardless of how uncomfortable it may make them. _______________________________________________ Business Weekly review: Market continues upward march despite negativity Bilal Umar The stock market put up a resilient face in front of negative political and financial triggers, as the benchmark KSE-100 index managed to shoot past the 12,000-point barrier and close 2.1% or 249 points higher during the week ended February 10. Double-digit inflation: SBP keeps policy rate unchanged at 12% Farhan Zaheer In the face of a persistent double-digit inflation, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has decided to leave interest rate unchanged at 12 per cent and said the basic challenge faced by the economy is to finance its fiscal and current account deficits. _______________________________________________ Sports Tennis: Aisam wins, Aqeel loses in Davis Cup Natasha Raheel Pakistan experienced mixed fortunes on the opening day of their Davis Cup tie against Lebanon with the scores tied at 1-1 after Aisamul Haq Qureshi's win and Aqeel Khan's loss. Hockey: PIA become national champions for the 26th time Fawad Hussain National Hockey Championship's two best sides played the most thrilling match of the tournament, the final, as PIA captured their 26th national crown courtesy a golden goal win over Wapda with the scores tied 3-3. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Meera: 'I am leaving Lollywood' Saadia Qamar Before Veena became controversy's favourite child — there was the ever notorious Meera. The Express Tribune sat down with the sultry actor for an intimate interview where she shared details on her past relationships, the apparent copycat Reema and settling down for good. Love don't cost a thing Hani Taha For those who avidly celebrate Valentine's Day each year, the agonising question of 'what to give' is an annual quandary which never seems to get solved. Even the couples who feel that their love shouldn't be limited to just one day, feel pressurised with an onslaught of consumerism and all those scarlet stuffed pieces hanging from every nook and cranny of every store. _______________________________________________

Opinion Balochistan and freedom Saroop Ijaz What India needs to do in Kashmir Aakar Patel 'The bomb' and 'the weak state' Khaled Ahmed The logical search of someone better Faras Ghani Inequality and human potential Akmal Hussain Blogs Overtures from Washington Mohammad Rizwan Veena Malik interview gone wrong Danish Ali A fantastic dive into the deep blue sea Absar Ul Hasan When Twitter gets it wrong Shaheryar Popalzai Poll Do you agree with Interior Minister Rehman Malik's statement that there is some foreign involvement in Balochistan's unrest? Agree (62%, 107 Votes) Disagree (38%, 65 Votes) Total Voters: 172 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 11, 2012

Today's Headlines

February 11, 2012

Contempt charges: Another door shuts on Gilani Azam Khan It was always going one way – and right before the end, the court enticed the premier's counsel. "We are ready to give you 10 minutes to talk to the prime minister on the phone and let us know," said Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, giving one last opportunity to consent to writing a letter to the Swiss authorities. _______________________________________________ National/City The unofficial guide to the Karachi Literature Festival Imran Yusuf The programme starts with a bang: 'superstar writer' Shobhaa De. Eleven 'o'clock might be too early for some to digest the glamorous Mumbai writer of steamy potboilers, but there is a curious sub-plot. Will the Amazonian Shobhaa eat her mild-mannered moderator Asif Noorani for brunch? One hopes not, for if all goes to plan Mr Noorani will coax some fantastic stories about big egos and beautiful evenings from her days as Editor of Stardust. SC orders: ISI, MI granted more time to produce 'missing' prisoners Azam Khan In an unusual order, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the country's powerful intelligence agencies to present seven prisoners, who went missing from Adiala Jail, before the court by 5pm the same day. Cacophony and silence: Govt unfazed by US hearing on Balochistan Qamar Zaman The hearing on Balochistan in Washington sparked a sense of urgency among some in parliament, but was unable to solicit a response from the government. PTI will shoot drones down once in power: Imran Khan Ferya Ilyas / Iftikhar Firdous Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said that those in power should be embarrassed about the ongoing drone attacks that violate Pakistan's sovereignty and kill innocent people. US court hears Dr Aafia Siddiqui's lawyers appeal Huma Imtiaz More than a year after the infamous neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years in prison on charges of attacking US soldiers, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard an appeal in New York on Friday. _______________________________________________ Business Thar coal: Despite PM's orders ministry fails to allocate funds Shahbaz Rana Despite clear instructions of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the finance ministry has not yet committed any funds for providing much-needed boost to the Thar coal project. Corporate results: Unilever profits beat estimates, grow 25% Our Correspondents Unilever, the maker of more than 50 brands from Fair and Lovely to Knorr soup, beat all estimates and posted a 25% jump in profits to Rs4.09 billion on the back of higher sales despite price hikes across the board. _______________________________________________ Sports Experienced Pakistan beat spirited Afghanistan by 7 wickets Our Correspondents Pakistan beat minnows Afghanistan by seven wickets, with Younus Khan unbeaten at 70 and skipper Misbahul Haq at 40 in the only ODI at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. UAE want Aqib as head coach Fawad Hussain The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has termed Pakistan's bowling coach Aqib Javed its 'prime' choice as the UAE team's head coach. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Purushapura: Gifts from the past Sher Alam Shinwari Peshawar, previously known as Purushapura (The City of Flowers), is, according to historians, probably the oldest and the most culturally fertile city of South Asia.  Happiness = Innovation at work Sarah Khan "Each new day holds out a chance to create a whole new beginning, a sparkling new field of possibilities. Explore and celebrate this possibility," insists innovation guru Dr Rekha Shetty, popularly known as the Corporate Doctor. _______________________________________________

Opinion Calling out the real bullies Tazeen Javed Balochistan — the only way forward Sanaullah Baloch Since Salala Zafar Hilaly Uniformed flunkies Amina Jilani Of blood and fire Ajmal Kamal Blogs The Islamic university where girls were raped Syed Nadir El Edroos A day in the life of Nasreen kaamvaali Orr Ali So what's wrong with being connected? Faisal Kapadia Keep Mohsin Khan as coach Fawad Hussain Poll Should Pakistan withdraw subsidies and increase sales tax to manage the deficit issue? No (58%, 209 Votes) Yes (42%, 152 Votes) Total Voters: 361 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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