The Express Tribune Newsletter: March 05, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 05, 2012

Kabul helped dismantle Brahamdagh camps: Malik Zahid Gishkori In a startling revelation on Sunday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Baloch Republican Party chief Brahamdagh Bugti operated training camps in Afghanistan which were dismantled after Islamabad conveyed its concerns about the matter to Afghanistan. _______________________________________________ National/City Rapprochement signs: PML factions warm up to each other Abdul Manan The two main factions of Pakistan Muslim League – PML-N and PML-Q – appear to be warming up to each other. 'Forced conversion': Hindu community demands release of 'kidnapped' girl Sarfaraz Memon / Rabia Ali Dozens of Hindus took out a rally and staged demonstration outside the press club in Pannu Aqil on Sunday against the alleged kidnapping and forceful conversion of Rinkle Kumari who was named Faryal. Informant still awaits reward: 'Justice must be dispensed for Schon whistleblower' Asad Kharal Despite an immense response from Pakistan and abroad on a story published by The Express Tribune on February 13 titled "Exposing graft: 14 years on, informant awaits just reward", Pakistani authorities and the Supreme Court have not initiated any action till the filing of this report. Mysterious death: Scottish lawyer found dead in Lahore hotel Our Correspondent A Scottish lawyer was found dead in mysterious circumstances in his room at a five-star hotel in Lahore on Sunday. Los Pakistaníes de Barcelona Imran Yusuf El Raval is in el centro of town but it's the one area avoided by tourists in Barcelona. What a timid creature is the modern sightseer, for El Raval is a fascination, packed as it is with pimps, prostitutes, peddlers of drugs and doner kebabs, and Pakistanis. _______________________________________________ Business MFN and beyond: Getting a foothold in the Indian market Sahibzada M Irfan Since the government's decision to grant MFN status to India, considerable debate has abounded over the benefits the decision is likely to accrue for Pakistan. With potential access to the world's second largest market in sight, a new dawn in economic relations with our neighbour is being heralded. Changing hands: Creating a populist model for privatisation Humayon Dar There is a lot of talk in and outside the country about the government's failure in Pakistan, with some political analysts categorising it as a "failed state". Whether Pakistan provides an example of a failed state – or as Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani terms it "a state within a state" – is subject to political debate. However, President Asif Ali Zardari acknowledges that state-run corporations are not functioning up to the mark. _______________________________________________ Sports Pakistan appoint Whatmore as head coach for two years Our Correspondents Australian Dav Whatmore has been appointed Pakistan's head coach for two years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday. Cricket: Bangladesh delegation gives thumbs-up to Pakistan security Fawad Hussain Hopes of international cricket's revival in the country rose after the Bangladesh delegation expressed its satisfaction on security arrangements in Pakistan as it prepares to give its feedback ahead of a proposed series between the two countries. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Shiraz Uppal: A new beginning Sher Khan If one were to say that Pakistani musicians and Islam go hand in hand, the controversial statement wouldn't be a far cry from the truth. From Junaid Jamshed and Najam Sheraz to Ali Haider, the magnetism and appeal of Islam have pulled some of the best Pakistani acts to its forte. The latest musician to shun his old life as a singer and songwriter is Shiraz Uppal regarded as an influential musician within Pakistani pop music. All Pakistan Music Conference: The good, the bad and the ugly Saadia Qamar If hell is full of musical amateurs then Arts Council did a terrific job of recreating the devil's abode on earth with the All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) which took place on March 2. Except, of course, the artists featured in the festival weren't amateurs by any means. However, the way some of their performances turned out to be, it would definitely make one think otherwise.  _______________________________________________

Opinion Run for your life Pervez Hoodbhoy The great (fire)wall of Pakistan Jahanzaib Haque How to avoid political decay Shahid Javed Burki Neighbourhoods of harmony Tanvir Ahmad Khan Winning space for sovereignty Dr Akmal Hussain Blogs We expected better from you, Marvi Memon Madiha Saeed Think you have gonorrhea? Call Rahnumma Tooba Masood Don't vote (but don't complain) Tooba Masood Bailing out Radio Pakistan Kazim Alam Poll Should Pakistan request for Aafia Siddiqui's deportation under UN convention for exchange/repatriation of prisoners? Yes (67%, 155 Votes) No (33%, 75 Votes) Total Voters: 230 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 4, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 4, 2012

Abbottabad operation: Zardari, Kayani deny prior talk on May 2 raid Our Correspondents   The Presidency and the General Headquarters may be physically apart, but appeared on the same page in denouncing allegations purportedly made by Memogate whistle-blower Mansoor Ijaz. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Appeal process: Another attempt to repatriate Aafia Siddqui Zahid Gishkori Pakistan is writing a letter to the US, again, seeking the repatriation of Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui, incarcerated in the US. Pakistan-India ties: Chaophraya dialogue calls for friendly relations Our Correspondent Any act of violence bearing an impact on bilateral relations must be investigated impartially and professionally before reaching conclusions regarding their nature, perpetrators and origin. All formal and informal government channels should be used more effectively to share information on a real-time basis. Quitting Quetta: Abductions spark exodus of Balochistan's Hindus Gulraiz Khan Over 50 members of the Hindu community across Balochistan have been kidnapped in the last four years, compared to seven instances of kidnapping during former president Pervez Musharraf's nine years, said Basant Lal Gulshan, the human rights and minorities affairs minister for Balochistan. Muzaffargarh 'revenge' plot: 10 women stripped, one paraded naked Owais Jafri / Shamshad Qureshi As part of a 'revenge' plot, a mob disrobed a woman and paraded her naked around a village in Muzaffargarh district, after accusing her son-in-law of kidnapping a married girl. Inspection duty: Women officers may get motorcycle rickshaws Anwer Sumra The government has decided to provide 220 motorcycle rickshaws to carry women assistant education officers (AEO) so they can inspect and monitor performance of primary schools under the Punjab Schools Reforms Roadmap (PSRR) programme. _______________________________________________ Business Weekly review: Five-day rally takes bourse to three-year high Bilal Umar Bullish sentiments prevailed at the stock market as a five-day upward trend took the benchmark KSE-100 index past the 13,000-point psychological barrier and in doing so, crossed a level last witnessed more than three years ago in June 2008. Tobacco industry: Philip Morris feeling the squeeze in Pakistan Farooq Tirmizi Philip Morris Pakistan is beginning to feel a financial pinch, and is already reducing the scale and scope of some of its manufacturing operations inside the country. _______________________________________________ Sports Cricket: Malik, Farhat axed by new-look selectors Nabeel Hashmi The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) new-formed selection committee made its objectives clear by axing Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat and Adnan Akmal from the Asia Cup squad that will be held in Bangladesh from March 11. Latif wants wicket-keeping coach for the team Our Correspondent Former captain Rashid Latif has stressed on the need of having a wicket-keeping coach in addition to batting, bowling and fielding coaches for the national side. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Everybody loves Ali Taneeya Hasan Apart from the bond one feels with London, Paris, New York because it has "humara Ali Zafar" in it, one also feels compelled to watch this film because it gives audience the hope that the genre of clean, family-entertainments is still alive. Sieger Dog Show 2012: At a competition for dogs, German Shepherds strut their stuff Umer Nangiana Since becoming a recognised breed at the turn of the twentieth century, German Shepherds have been among the most popular dogs, both as pets and working dogs. The two-day Sieger Dog Show 2012, which opened here on Saturday, displayed that the popularity of the breed lives on, despite a great shift in dog lovers' priorities. _______________________________________________

Opinion Silence is criminal Saroop Ijaz The 'castle of Islam' concept Khaled Ahmed Urdu and the bilingual Pakistani Aakar Patel Human rights in Balochistan Sabina Khan How aid from the UK helps Pakistan George Turkington Blogs Don't vote (but don't complain) Erum Shaikh Bailing out Radio Pakistan Kazim Alam 5 steps to solving Pakistan's energy crisis Adnan Khalid Rasool A semblance of security Anum Fatima Poll In your opinion, which political party is a better match for Marvi Memon? PTI (64%, 526 Votes) PML-N (36%, 296 Votes) Total Voters: 822 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 03, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 03, 2012

Senate elections: Despite drama, upset, PPP comes out on top Our Correspondents The Senate polls had their fair share of drama on Friday – and even one rare upset. _______________________________________________ National/City Situationer: What does this victory mean for the PPP? Gibran Peshimam Despite all the rhetoric of conspiracy, the Senate polls did take place. The party that stands victorious following the polls, as expected, is undisputedly the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) – which now holds 41 seats (including the 3 withheld Balochistan seats) of the 104-member Senate. Slapping incident: SC rejects Waheeda Bukhari's apology Azam Khan The Supreme Court on Friday rejected an apology from Pakistan Peoples Party's Waheeda Shah Bukhari for assaulting a polling staff member during Saturday's by-election in Tando Mohammad Khan, cautioning her that she would have to face the music for her "shameful" act. Stabilising Balochistan: Shahzain Bugti unveils eight-point formula Our Correspondent President of the Balochistan chapter of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Shahzain Bugti, called on PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Friday at his Raiwind estate where he unveiled an eight-point formula for stabilising the restive province. Memo commission: Haqqani given until March 15 to submit response Qaiser Zulfiqar The judicial commission investigating the so-called 'memogate' scandal directed former ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani to respond to the evidence presented against him by March 15. Suicide attack, clashes leave dozens dead in Khyber region Our Correspondents In one of the deadliest days in the Khyber tribal region, dozens of people were killed in clashes and a suicide blast on Friday, officials said. _______________________________________________ Business Vertical integration: New PSO head to focus on diversification Kazim Alam Pakistan State Oil may already be the largest corporation in the country based on revenues, but its new managing director is certainly not content with the state-owned enterprise being just an oil marketing and distribution company operating in the least-profitable segment of the fuel supply chain. According to managing director Naeem Yahya Mir, the company will actively be pursuing a vertical integration policy in the coming few years. Setback: 3G auction running into snags, yet again Shahbaz Rana There are strong indications that the government may ignore the competitive bidding process as envisaged in the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules and appoint consultants directly to oversee the much anticipated 3G auction. _______________________________________________ Sports Pakistan coach: Whatmore arrives to take charge Fawad Hussain Former Australia cricketer Dav Whatmore arrived in Lahore early yesterday morning to take charge of the Pakistan team, with this month's Asia Cup his first assignment. 'Pakistan cricket hasn't progressed since the 90s' Faras Ghani Pakistan cricket has not progressed since the late 1990s, according to outgoing bowling coach Aqib Javed who is scheduled to take over as UAE's head coach on Monday. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Woh humsafar tha... Hamna Zubair A typical TV serial generates hype when it keeps viewers guessing, creating nail-biting suspense that lasts right till the last episode. By that standard, the phenomenon that is "Humsafar" is anything but typical  —tonight hundreds and thousands of eager fans will have their eyes glued to their TV screens at exactly 8 pm even though they know precisely how this modern-day tragedy will play out. In the worst of times, K-P sang along Rafay Mahmood If you're not from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and you still know Haroon Bacha, Sardar Ali Takkar and Nazia Iqbal then clap your hands. These names may be something new to someone who isn't from that region, but for the people residing in the purported war-torn region, they are the epitome of Pashto music. However, much to the dismay of Pashto art lovers, these stalwarts have halted their musical journey after receiving death threats from terrorists. _______________________________________________

Opinion A country for minorities Mohsin Hamid Our democratic kleptocrats Amina Jilani Naya Qanoon censored Ajmal Kamal Land of bigots Tazeen Javed The malefic saint Salman Rashid Blogs The perfect romantic comedy: London Paris New York Sami Saayer Racism and football Frayan Doctor Obama's apology and the ashes of the Holy Quran Michael Kugelman Shia killing: Identified, offloaded and shot Suleman Akhtar Poll Should Mohammad Amir appeal against the 5 year ban imposed on him for spot-fixing? No (41%, 292 Votes) Yes (59%, 418 Votes) Total Voters: 710 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 02, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 02, 2012

Missing persons: Fiery SC lays down the law for spy agencies Azam Khan An unforgiving Supreme Court has put its foot down — with a scathing warning and a diatribe against the country's top spy agencies. _______________________________________________  National/City Pakistan snubs US warning on Iran pipeline Kamran Yousaf / Owais Jafri Pakistan reasserted its firm resolve and commitment to cooperation with Iran, particularly in the energy sector, as the US renewed its opposition for the multibillion dollar Iran-Pakistan (I-P) gas pipeline project yet again — this time more subtly through its consulate general in Lahore.  Waheeda Shah suo motu: 'Assault more serious than Sarfaraz Shah killing' Web Desk/Azam Khan While drawing parallels between the extrajudicial killing of Sarfaraz Shah and Waheeda Shah Bukhari's assault on polling staff, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday said that the Election Commission of Pakistan and police have failed to take a timely decision on the incident.  Three arrests and releases later, Bhatti's probe trail goes cold Umer Nangiana "No solid leads could be found to direct the investigations the right way," said a police official who has been closely associated with the investigation of the case. "The details have been murky since the beginning," he divulged, on condition of anonymity.  Election primer: Understanding today's Senate polls Qamar Zaman With members of the four provincial assemblies, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and from the federal capital territory casting their ballots today, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is all set to emerge as the largest party in the Senate.  Kohistan massacre: In the heart of darkness, humanity triumphs Shabbir Mir Even amidst depths of despair, the human spirit can survive. _______________________________________________  Business Free market benefits: Competition between private rail companies heats up Shahram Haq It has only been a few weeks and already Pakistan Railways' experiment to allow private sector companies to operate some of its train routes is beginning to yield better service quality and even the start of a price war between the two companies that have so far been given licences.  Purchasing power: Inflation rises to 11.1% in February Shahbaz Rana International oil prices and the government's deteriorating fiscal position have begun to take their toll on the purchasing power of the rupee, with inflation clocking in at 11.1% for the month of February, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. _______________________________________________  Sports Qasim spins his way to the chief selector's post Fawad Hussain Iqbal Qasim labelled the team's progress his prime aim as he took a guard as Pakistan cricket's chief selector for the second time, replacing Mohammad Ilyas, who resigned from the post yesterday.  We need to improve quickly, says Afridi Our Correspondents Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has stressed on the obvious need of improvement ahead of the Asia Cup, saying that the team showed weaknesses in all departments in the limited-overs series against England. _______________________________________________  Life & Style International food chains: Little pots of gold Hani Taha English author and essayist Virginia Woolf once said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." Pakistanis, obsessed as they are with food, seem to be sharing the same line of thought as they keep bringing in global food and dessert chains to the delight of the epicureans in the country. Last year was a culinary treat to many, with many international chains take for example Noodle House, Tutti Frutti— coming to Pakistan and keeping up with the trend, 2012 kicked off with the launch of another global frozen yogurt chain; Snog.  Shri Varun Dev Mandir: Darshan Maha Malik Like the rest of Karachi, its approach is scatological. Through a narrow lane leading up, wild flowers grow amidst the remains of human garbage. But from a distance, Shri Varun Dev Mandir lights up the skyline. Time itself becomes mysterious. Set against the Arabian Sea, this seemingly ancient sandstone temple gently commends its surrounding landscape. We are in an old country, one believes then, and the land has witnessed much.

Opinion  How to win an Oscar Nadir Hassan Ranking universities Dr Javaid R Laghari  Stout denial Kamran Shafi  Powers rising Dr Pervaiz Tahir  Shahbaz Bhatti: was he a martyr? Yaqoob Khan Bangash  Blogs Shia killing: Identified, offloaded and shot Suleman Akhtar  Do I have the right to remain Ahmadi? Faheem Younus  Once upon a basant Amna Khalid  What the Oscar means for Pakistan and Iran Maheen Nusrat  Poll Do you agree with the government's decision to issue a red warrant for Musharraf's arrest? No (48%, 432 Votes) Yes (52%, 468 Votes) Total Voters: 900  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 01, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 01, 2012

Balochistan Unrest: Spy agencies asked to not overstep authority Kamran Yousaf In an unprecedented move to pacify frayed tempers in Balochistan, a parliamentary panel has asked the country's spy agencies to not overstep their authority. _______________________________________________  National/City Zawahiri calls US talks with Taliban, defence cuts a show of weakness Our Correspondents Al Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said US decisions to cut its defence budget and engage with the Afghan Taliban were signals of a decline in Washington's power, in a message posted on the Internet on Wednesday.  Gearing up: Troika briefed by Sherry, Khar Zia Khan / Qamar Zaman Hours after it was revealed that the long-awaited parliamentary review of Pakistan-US ties would begin from March 17, a high-level huddle of all the principal players on the matter gathered at the Presidency.  'Positive' move: Cabinet okays India trade liberalisation Shahbaz Rana Aiming at complete trade normalisation by the end of this year, the federal cabinet not only approved a negative list of 1,209 banned items, which will allow trade in all other goods with India, but also sanctioned the phasing out of the negative list in the next ten months. At Gitmo: From torture to rehabilitation? Huma Imtiaz Authorities, it seems, are trying to facilitate and rehabilitate detainees in this controversial detainment and interrogation facility.  Up in the air: As cityscape rises, kite makers see profits plummet Our Correspondent Whenever an apartment building is raised someone gets a home. But in some other obscure part of the city, someone loses his livelihood. This is how the kite lovers see the circle of civic life. _______________________________________________  Business Energy costs: Power tariffs for most consumers to rise by 39% Zafar Bhutta Power tariffs are set to rise by an average of about 39% for most consumers throughout the country as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority approved the increase requested by the power companies in order to account for their rising fuel costs.  Monthly hike: Diesel price frozen; petrol, CNG rise by up to Rs8.67 Zafar Bhutta Indicating that the international price of oil warranted an increase, the government on Wednesday, contrary to recent speculation,  increased oil prices by up to Rs8.67 per litre – a 7.3% increase – effective March 1 (today). _______________________________________________  Sports Bangladesh Premier League: Afridi magic takes out the Burners Our Correspondents Shahid Afridi failed to inspire Pakistan to a series-win in the UAE but he propelled Dhaka Gladiators to the Bangladesh Premier League title after a match-winning three for 23 helped his side beat Barisal Burners by eight wickets in the final.  Tour in review: Mohsin wonders what went wrong Fawad Hussain Mohsin Khan, Pakistan's outgoing interim coach, was stunned by the remarkable turnaround in the team's performance following the stunning Test-series whitewash — and was at a loss to explain  what went wrong in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20s. _______________________________________________  Life & Style Abida Parveen: Sufi soul Our Correspondents The Indian capital is set to witness national and international singers like Abida Parveen, Ali Zafar and Hans Raj Hans, Andrea Griminelli (Italian flautist) as well as some emerging talents at a three-day Sufi festival to be held from March 2-4.  Rajasthani puppetry: Dancing to the tunes of decay Sher Khan Muhammed Bashir, who is 70 years old, was born in Rajasthan, a land that promotes the riveting culture of puppetry and traditional dancing dollies. Bashir, who himself is a practitioner of this art, has spent his life travelling Pakistan's villages and cities, performing short tales of the Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Power of a Pakistani woman Sami Shah  How to become a successful 'rent-an-expert' Ayesha Siddiqa  Women and population control Anushay Hossain  Evaluating urban mobility Ahmad Rafay Alam  The Khedive's escape Amber Darr Blogs Why we hate Misbah Shariq Najeeb  What the Oscar means for Pakistan and Iran Maheen Nusrat  Who wins the lawn war? Najwat Rehman  Outlandish Kamran Shahid Saad Zuberi  Poll Has Pakistan 'tossed aside' the Kashmir issue, as reported in Indian media? No (32%, 159 Votes) Yes (68%, 338 Votes) Total Voters: 497  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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