The Express Tribune Newsletter: March 17, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 17, 2012

President's speech: After high drama, MQM 'boycotts' its boycott Qamar Zaman While the ruling party's sights would have been set on a possible sabotage by the opposition, the first threat to a historic moment for the president came at the hands of a coalition partner. _______________________________________________ National/City End of an era: Citi may finally go to sleep Farooq Tirmizi It is the end of an era, it seems. Citibank, the institution that revolutionised consumer banking in Pakistan and gave it the face that we know today, is shutting down its consumer banking division in Pakistan, according to sources familiar with the matter. Opposition's position: Expect a very noisy PML-N, Mr President Abdul Manan The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) may be in a celebratory mood – given that today their party chief will be the first president to address a joint session of Parliament for a fifth consecutive year.   Missing persons case: Court unfazed by 'RAW, Mossad hand' mantra Azam Khan The Supreme Court seemed unimpressed, yet again, by a familiar 'revelation' during a hearing of the missing persons' case on Friday. The sovereignty mantra: Pakistan says no accord with US on drone strikes Kamran Yousaf Pakistan on Friday denied reports that it was willing to agree on a joint mechanism with the United States to carry out drone strikes in tribal regions to take out 'high value' targets associated with al Qaeda and the Taliban. It is our responsibility to remove the bhatta mafia, says home minister Our Correspondent "The Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) stance aside, it is also our responsibility and mine as the home minister to remove the threats by extortionists," Manzoor Wassan told the journalists at the Sindh Assembly on Friday afternoon. _______________________________________________ Business Level playing field: Government to abolish import licencing regime Shahbaz Rana The government has decided to do away with the import licencing regime and the SROs implemented by the Engineering Development Board which in effect do little more than protect select influential industries including automobile, surgical, textile and clothing and pharmaceutical. Businessmen up in arms against extortion Farhan Zaheer In support to the strike call by small traders for today, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and other town associations of the city have said that they back the demands of small traders without formally joining the strike. _______________________________________________ Sports Tendulkar's long wait ends with 100th ton against Bangladesh Our Correspondents Despite the loss, a memorable moment for India fans came in the 44th over of the first-innings when the 'Little Master' nudged for a single and brought up the much-awaited 100th international century. Ashraf reconsiders bilateral series talks Fawad Hussain Pakistan may only be pitted against arch-rivals India in multi-nation events as the country's cricket board has seemingly decided to avoid talks for the revival of bilateral series between the two teams. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Sana Safinaz's lawn: How Uncoolie Saba Imtiaz Their faces are on billboards. One carries a distinctive Louis Vuitton bag. A glamorous supermodel poses in front of them. 'Katna Nai': Ode to a father Rafay Mahmood They say hurt and pain are great sources of inspiration for an artist. It seems these are the emotions that bring the best (in terms of creativity) in any artist and pop icon Sajjad Ali's latest song "Katna Nai" is testimony to this claim. _______________________________________________

Opinion Judicial reforms and economic growth Ishrat Husain More of the same Syed Talat Hussain Our internal censors Ajmal Kamal Status quo ante Amina Jilani Living with the internet nanny Tazeen Javed Blogs Asad Mehmood's out-of-this world dream Faisal Kapadia Husbands who beat, women who get beaten Sana Hameed Baba Lessons from the Japanese tsunami Anum Fatima I speak Punjabi (but my kids might not) Affan Chaudhry Poll Would you vote a transgender into parliament? No (28%, 151 Votes) Yes (72%, 395 Votes) Total Voters: 546 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 16, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 16, 2012

Firm stand: I'd rather be jailed than write Swiss letter, says PM Kashif Zafar If there was any doubt over whether the prime minister would finally cave and write a letter to Swiss authorities, as being demanded by the Supreme Court, it was put to rest on Thursday. _______________________________________________  National/City Abbottabad commission: Findings contradict US version, says report Our Correspondents The findings of the  investigative report by a commission probing the May 2 US raid which killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad are different from the report given by US authorities,according to a report by BBC Urdu.  Gross mistake, realised in time not to join PTI: Marvi Memon Our Correspondents Former MNA and a recent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz recruit, Marvi Memon during a Express News show "To the Point with Shahzeb Khanzada", explained that she is glad that she averted a gross mistake by not joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.  'Mysterious' freedom: Swiss hostages 'escape' Taliban captivity Our Correspondents Daniela Widmer stepped out of a military helicopter wearing a baggy pink traditional Pakistani kurti, a red scarf wrapped loosely over her shoulders and her blonde hair swept into a bun.  Not surprised: Qatar talks bound to fail, say experts Kamran Yousaf For Pakistan, the Qatar initiative had always been a nonstarter. And for this very reason, the announcement by the Afghan Taliban that they are pulling out of direct talks with the United States has come as no surprise for Islamabad.  70% 'missing' persons will be identified and set free: PHC Umer Farooq The Peshawar High Court said on Thursday that 30% of 'missing' persons are likely to remain with authorities, whereas the rest will be identified and set free. _______________________________________________  Business Cine Star seals deal with IMAX Corp Our Correspondents The IMAX Corporation and Cine Star Cinema Pakistan have announced an agreement to install three digital IMAX theatre systems in new projects in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, beginning in 2013. The announcement marks the opening of IMAX's first commercial theatres in Pakistan.  Liquidity problems: Return on bonds rises as govt continues to borrow Shahbaz Rana In what appeared to be a sign of liquidity shortage due to government borrowing, the yield on 10-year investment bonds has risen to 13.11%, an increase of 41 basis points in a month. _______________________________________________  Sports Hockey: PHF shows Heuvel the door Fawad Hussain Four months before the London Olympics, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has sacked head coach Michel Van Dan Heuvel following an 'intolerable attitude' by the Dutchman as the Greenshirts prepare for the mega event.  Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: A sigh of relief Our Correspondents Captain Misbahul Haq and Umar Akmal cracked half-centuries under pressure as Pakistan virtually booked a place in the Asia Cup final with an emphatic six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka. _______________________________________________  Life & Style 'Uth Records': An unforgettable episode Rafay Mahmood When it comes to the field of music, especially when it concerns talented performers and creative musicians, Pakistan is one country that never disappoints.  Khoi: Hats off to you Shabbir Mir Humans have covered their heads for different reasons since time immemorial. What initially started off as a prerequisite to protect ones head from injury, weapons or masonry got chiselled by time into a style statement. With the turn of time, hats, caps or traditional headgear became a symbol of hegemony and self-proclaimed aristocracy and soon after hats progressed to become not only a status symbol, but also an art form. _______________________________________________

Opinion  Of comeuppances, and superior airs Kamran Shafi  ICC and Syria Asim Ali /Laszlo Sarkany  Strengthening ties between Pakistan and Northern Ireland Francis Campbell Dominique Strauss-Kahn at Cambridge Dr Pervez Tahir  An unforgettable voyage Anwer Mooraj  Blogs Maybe you should resign Mr Vice Chancellor Noreen Shams  Lawn is (literally) the latest rage Sara Muzzammil  Why Imran Khan won't go to India Vaqas Asghar  Pak-India showdown: Let the quivering begin! Dr Amyn Malik  Poll Do you agree with Imran Khan's decision to not attend the India Today Conclave because of Salman Rushdie's participation? Yes (77%, 1,906 Votes) No (23%, 568 Votes) Total Voters: 2,474  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 15, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 15, 2012

'Tough conditions': NATO routes set to reopen Kamran Yousaf Pakistan appears to have given in to mounting Western pressure – finally. _______________________________________________ National/City reports SP Kalam Khan dies in Peshawar blast Web Desk A bomb ripped through a police mobile on Thursday, killing Superintendent of Police Rural Kalam Khan on the spot. The explosion took place at the Pishtakhara Chowk in Peshawar. Rare public statement: Kayani deflects criticism over missing persons Tanveer Qaiser Shahid Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani made a rare public statement on Wednesday, saying that the Mehran Bank scandal was a 20-year old issue and "if you want to fight with history in this context, it's your choice to do so. However, establishing institutions require a lot of hard work and the media should be careful … that their words do not undermine these [institutions]." Cabinet meeting: 'Parliament to decide president's immunity' Sumera Khan Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that immunity to the president is constitutional and can only be withdrawn by Parliament. PML-N representation: Ishaq Dar steps into the shoes of Maulana Haideri Our Correspondent Seasoned Senator Ishaq Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was declared Leader of the Opposition in the upper house of Parliament on Wednesday, bagging support of 14 lawmakers from his own party, seven from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and two independent senators. Missing persons: MPs call for clipping wings of intelligence, security agencies Qamar Zaman As Parliament wakes up to the grievances of Balochistan, debates and resolutions on the province's problems are multiplying. _______________________________________________ Business The fruits of politics: Govt devising a plan to reduce summer power outages Zafar Bhutta Electoral compulsions, it seems, may finally force the government to manage the power sector more efficiently. A motor repair business started with Rs800 Kazim Alam It was during a class on entrepreneurship in the final semester of BBA in late 2008 that an unusual business idea struck Shakaib Khan. He left the classroom immediately, drove to a shop on Tariq Road to get his business cards printed and started a motor repair business with total investment of Rs800. _______________________________________________ Sports Asia Cup: Pakistan eye Sri Lanka scalp News Desk Pakistan's inconsistency almost cost them the match against Bangladesh and the team will now be desperate to recover as it eyes the Sri Lanka scalp in their Asia Cup encounter today. Cricket: India blind team outclasses Pakistan Our Correspondent After securing the T20 series 2-1, hosts India thrashed Pakistan by five wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match Bilateral Blind One-Day Series in Chennai. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Fahad Khan: The beat goes on Sher Khan "I've always opted to be away from the limelight — I believe that my drumming should do all the talking," says veteran drummer Fahad Khan, explaining why he prefers to keep a low profile. Fashion Parade: Make way for denim Saadia Qamar Every year, an international textile and machinery exhibition 'Textile Asia' takes place in Pakistan. This time around, the exhibition kick-started on March 10 at the Karachi Expo Centre with a fashion show called 'Colour Denim Fashion Parade', featuring fashion industry favourites Adnan Pardesy and Syed Rizwanullah as well as lesser known designers Hasina Khanani and the students of Textile Institute of Pakistan (TIP). _______________________________________________

Opinion The paradox of complexity Ejaz Haider Pornographic terrorism Sami Shah Why ban basant? Hamid A Rashid Why not the Turkey way? Imtiaz Gul The Pakistan water quality crisis Ahmad Rafay Alam Blogs Pak-India showdown: Let the quivering begin! Dr Amyn Malik 'My husband is my father's age…' Ayesha Pervez 'If I delete this message, would it be a sin?' Meiryum Ali Mata e Jaan Hai Tu: A new age drama Bilal Mughal Poll Do you agree with Imran Khan's decision to not attend the India Today Conclave because of Salman Rushdie's participation? Yes (77%, 1,407 Votes) No (23%, 412 Votes) Total Voters: 1,819 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 14, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 14, 2012

Financing the project: Chinese bank 'backs off' from Iran gas pipeline Shahbaz Rana The all-weather friendship appears overcast, purportedly due to Western pressure. _______________________________________________ National/City Misappropriation: Govt withdrew millions from Intelligence Bureau's account Asad Kharal The incumbent Pakistan Peoples Party government withdrew Rs270 million from the secret fund of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) – allegedly for pushing its political agenda in Punjab, intelligence sources familiar with the issue told The Express Tribune. Apex court hearing: Rampant corruption in Steel Mills irks SC Azam Khan The apex court took the Ministry of Production to task on Tuesday for failing to take action against losses worth billions in Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) – the same institution that the court had stopped from a dubious privatisation deal many years ago in a move which had first brought the current chief justice and judicial activism to the forefront. Court martial proceedings: Brig Khan shifted to undisclosed location Mudassir Raja The defence lawyer of Brig (retd) Ali Khan, who is facing a court martial for treason and mutiny, said on Tuesday that his client had been relocated from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi in violation of Lahore High Court orders to provide him with medical care. Reboot of relations will help achieve clarity with US: PM APP Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani met with German Defence Minister Dr Thomas de Maiziere at the PM House on Tuesday to discuss cooperation and military collaboration between the two countries. Upcoming elections: PTI to introduce US-style ticket-award process Mohammed Rizwan In an American-style nomination and ticket-holding process, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will introduce local caucuses on district levels throughout the country, which in turn will elect a local party leader who will contest elections on national and provincial levels. _______________________________________________ Business Growing importance of social media for the suits Farooq Baloch Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has announced gas curtailment for all industries of Punjab for an indefinite period of time. According to a notification issued by the company, the decision was taken to provide the gas to its domestic consumers. Financing infrastructure: CDWP to consider projects worth Rs292b for approval Shahbaz Rana The government will consider approval for 76 new development schemes on Wednesday (today), worth an estimated Rs292 billion, including a Rs30.5 billion package for the worse-than-bankrupt Pakistan Railways. _______________________________________________ Sports Bangladesh series: PCB remains optimistic amid uncertainty Fawad Hussain Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that a 'misunderstanding' caused Bangladesh to take a tough stance on their proposed series in the country and remained optimistic that the tour will go ahead and revive international cricket. Asia Cup: Kohli, Gambhir star in India's win Our Correspondents India's Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir both cracked their 10th One-Day International (ODI) centuries to set up a comfortable 50-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Napa's Performing Arts Festival: Rising stars Rafay Mahmood They say "All good things come to an end" but Napa's Performing Arts Festival, which concluded on Sunday, is a new beginning for the academy and its artists. Years of hard work and rigorous studying finally paid off as the artists shone and received great applause from the audience. 6th Mini INPUT: Our past and other problems Saadia Qamar The 6th Mini INPUT, a short film festival which kick-started on March 12 at the Goethe Institut, is an ode to the political upheavals faced in recent times in Ecuador (Republic in South America) and North Korea. The film festival that will run till March 16 revolves around Yodok concentration camps and its survivors who fled to South Korea to start their life from scratch. _______________________________________________

Opinion Privatisation of PTCL: A lesson for policymakers Kamal A Munir Of war crimes and whistle-blowers Zarrar Khuhro Only a slap? Amber Darr Bracing for another bout of dengue Syed Mohammed Ali Crude pressure and deft diplomacy Tariq Fatemi Blogs Mata e Jaan Hai Tu: A new age drama Bilal Mughal Girls can throw acid too Naeem Asghar Who can answer the silent questions of a young Hari boy? Taimur Arbab How to avoid getting slapped Fyez Ahmed Poll Do you agree with the idea of stockpiling nuclear weapons for deterrence? No (55%, 236 Votes) Yes (45%, 191 Votes) Total Voters: 427 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 13, 2012

Today's Headlines

March 13, 2012

Fresh faces: PPP celebrates Senate conquest Zahid Gishkori / Sumera Khan As 54 newly-elected senators entered the chambers of the upper house on Monday, victorious roars of "Zinda hai Bhutto, zinda hai" (Bhutto is alive) erupted, as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the single largest party in the house. _______________________________________________ National/City reports Four years on: The National Assembly, in retrospect... Qamar Zaman Completing its four-year tenure, the 13th National Assembly (NA) passed a total of 50 resolutions and 91 ordinances during its four parliamentary years with private members taking the lead in legislation-making — with the next session (Wednesday) marking the start of the fifth year. 'Memogate' scandal: Haqqani says he never denied contact with Ijaz Our Correspondent Categorically denying allegations by Mansoor Ijaz in the Memogate case, former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said he never denied having contacts with Ijaz, but did not discuss any memo with him. Payback: PM compensates 'betrayed' Senate nominee AH Nizami Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday announced appointment of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) nominee for a Senate seat from Punjab Aslam Gill as his 'special assistant' with the status of a federal minister. Police refuse to take Raisani case back, say matter is in court Our Correspondent The police have ruled out the possibility of retracting multiple cases filed against the two sons of Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani on charges of harassing people and beating police officers, a senior official said on Monday. The BackBencher: New look for Sindh Assembly, but same old ugly mood Saba Imtiaz The Sindh Assembly sparkled on Monday. Rows of new potted plants graced the steps, the hall had new curtains in a rather lovely shade of mint green, there was soft lighting (perhaps the MPAs will not end up looking so wrinkly in photos now). But the mood was anything but pleasant. _______________________________________________ Business Double the work: Ministry wants fortnightly revision of oil prices Zafar Bhutta The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, which is scheduled to meet today (Tuesday), is going to take up the proposal for revising oil prices on a fortnightly basis from the current monthly basis in the wake of a continuous rise in the international crude market. Under observance: SBP orders review of charities' accounts Our Correspondent In a sudden move, the central bank has issued fresh instructions to financial institutions to maintain strict vigilance over non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charities – and ordered that a complete review of all such organisations' accounts be undertaken and completed before the end of this financial year. _______________________________________________ Sports ICC dismisses India match-fixing claims AFP The International Cricket Council on Monday dismissed a claim in a British newspaper that Indian bookmakers were fixing the results of English county games and overseas fixtures. Federer records comfortable win Natasha Raheel Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi's chances of making it to this year's London Olympics got a serious hit as he and Dutch partner Rojer Jean-Julien crashed out in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open men's doubles event at the Indian Wells. _______________________________________________ Life & Style British fashion in Pakistan: When fashion meets culture Hani Taha Reconstruction is as synonymous with fashion as smoke is with fire. Indeed, there can be no creation without an ingenious process of construction and reconstruction, of constant borrowing and building. Shaan injured during shooting of film in Lahore Sher Ali Actor Shaan was injured during the shooting of an action sequence for the Punjabi film Acha Gujjar. The actor was rushed to Razzaq Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, where he was treated for a minor back injury and discharged with orders of three weeks' rest. _______________________________________________

Opinion Founding stories Feisal H Naqvi The Siachen issue Shahzad Chaudhry How to say yes to online censorship Jahanzaib Haque Governance model and 'mehrangate' Dr Akmal Hussain Hungry, homeless and hopeless Zahrah Nasir Blogs How to avoid getting slapped Fyez Ahmed Why fighting Mullah Radio is not easy Tayyeb Afridi Whatmore: Magician or mistake? Amna Lone There is a Muslim in evolution class Ahmad Ali Poll Do you agree with the idea of stockpiling nuclear weapons for deterrence? No (61%, 126 Votes) Yes (39%, 80 Votes) Total Voters: 206 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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