The Express Tribune Newsletter: April 18, 2012

Today's Headlines Resetting ties: Govt gives green light to reopening NATO routes Kamran Yousaf Pakistan's top decision-making body on national security gave its go-ahead for reopening vital supply lines for Western troops stationed in neighbouring Afghanistan on Tuesday. World's highest battleground: Pakistan should lead Siachen troop pullout, says Nawaz Shabbir Mir Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has advised the Pakistani government to take the lead and withdraw its troops from Siachen Glacier where 138 troops and civilians were buried by a massive avalanche over a week ago. Ephedrine case: No evidence against Ali Musa yet, says parliamentary panel Asad Kharal As the premier's son receives his first clean chit from a parliamentary committee in the drug quota scandal, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani criticised officials in the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for stepping beyond their mandate. Bannu jailbreak: Peshawar High Court orders judicial probe Umer Farooq The Peshawar High Court has ordered a judicial inquiry into the Bannu prison break, appointing two officials who have been given three days to file their report to the provincial apex court. Business Internet censorship: Activists worry as authorities push for automated filtering Farooq Baloch After broadband operators' vocal support for the implementation of an automated URL filtering system, proponents of internet freedom have started worrying that the government will go ahead with its censorship plans. They say that if the government fails to ensure transparency and accountability in the system's working, it will be the last nail in the coffin of internet freedom. Analysis: How Pakistanis are discouraged from savings Hamad Aslam With interest rates in Pakistan consistently hovering above 10 per cent for the last five years, one would expect the masses to be encouraged enough to save and reap benefits of higher returns. _______________________________________________ Sports Bangladesh tour: A chance to play on watan ki matti Fawad Hussain After watching his elder brother Kamran don the national colours and play in front of a packed home crowd at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Adnan Akmal imagined doing the same. Cricket: Law full of concern over Pakistan tour Our Correspondents Bangladesh cricket coach Stuart Law has expressed fears about the team's scheduled tour to Pakistan, where international cricket has been suspended for three years. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Artist Welfare Fund: What's the hold-up? Saadia Qamar They make us laugh, they make us cry. But when it comes to the sunset years of our nation's performers, there is no one to wipe off their tears. Day 3: PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week Momina Sibtain After Ammar Belal and Fahad Hussayn charmed the audience with their creative collections on the second day of PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, expectations were running high only to meet disappointment on the following day. There were more collections that did not work than the ones that did. _______________________________________________

Opinion Bannu offers no surprises Ejaz Haider Jailbreak despair Zafar Hilaly Vacate Siachen, already Farrukh Khan Pitafi Honour and shame Khaled Ahmed Monkey business Kamran Shafi   Blogs Connecting our cities not just with flyovers but with people Meiryum Ali 10 things I hate about being a Pakistani gamer Noman Ansari Gilgit-Baltistan: Paradise turned bloody Peer Muhammad The day I wore a niqab Mariam Magsi   Poll Musharraf claims Baloch separatists have foreign backing. Do you agree? No (23%, 173 Votes) Yes (77%, 592 Votes) Total Voters: 765 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: April 17, 2012

Today's Headlines Brazen attack: Bannu jailbreak reports suggest 'inside job' Our correspondents While the authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa blamed 'intelligence failure' for Sunday's brazen jailbreak in Bannu city, a confidential intelligence report claimed that the federal interior ministry was tipped about possible militant strikes three months prior. No evidence yet that Kabul attacks were planned on Pakistan soil: US CJCS Dempsey Huma Imtiaz  Following an 18-hour long attack on Afghan capital Kabul, the US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey declared that the US does not have any intelligence yet on whether the deadly weekend attack was planned in Pakistan. Benazir murder case: For fair probe, Malik should step down, says SC Azam Khan  The Supreme Court on Monday advised suspects in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, to step down from public offices so that an independent investigation can take place. New inductees: Cabinet size breaches 50-minister mark Qamar Zaman The government on Monday inducted four more Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers as ministers of state – a move likely to invite opposition criticism over the bulging size of the cabinet. Business Corporate titan: After 27 years at Engro, Asad Umar calls it a day Farooq Tirmizi Corporate Pakistan lost one of its most admired CEOs on Monday, with Asad Umar taking an early retirement from the Engro Corporation, amidst rumours that he might be closing out a highly successful business career to begin a political one. Untapped market: Can Pakistan become a hub for medical tourism? Salman Siddiqui "Every country, except Pakistan, is concerned with medical tourism," say doctors, who bemoan the fact that our government is sleeping over a golden opportunity. _______________________________________________ Sports Depoliticising boards: 'PCB to avoid a standoff with the ICC' Fawad Hussain The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to avoid a confrontation with the International Cricket Council (ICC) with regards to the ban on government interference in cricket boards' functioning. Cricket: LCCA wants 'active' role in hosting BD Nabeel Hashmi As Pakistan gears up to host Bangladesh for a One-Day International and one Twenty20 later this month, the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) wants a role in organising the first international series in the country since March 2009. _______________________________________________ Life & Style 'Uth Records': Tunes of disappointment Rafay Mahmood The year 2011 marked the discovery of various musical gems through the emergence of Pakistani talent shows like "Uth Records". The show played a key role in turning raw Pakistani talent into seasoned musicians and singers of today. Every episode had a unique flavour and charm; as it showcased a different musician, singing a different genre, belonging to a different ethnic background and representing a different part of the country. Day 2: Bridal Couture Week Saadia Qamar The Pantene Bridal Couture Week (BCW) failed to wow the audience for a second night in a row. The  second day of the event was, however, saved by Zainab Sajid, the Indian duo Rabani & Rakha and by some parts of Hijab's collection. _______________________________________________

Opinion In defence of frivolous consumption Feisal H Naqvi Karachi: a Tower of Babel? Roland DeSouza Seeking a fresh mandate Rasul Bakhsh Rais Pakistan is serious —and means business Talat Masood US response to the Arab Spring Tariq Fatemi   Blogs Is Allama Iqbal relevant in today's politics? Ahmad Sultan Honouring heroes: A tribute to the men of Siachen Aima Iqbal Iran, Syria and the Muslim divide Farooq Yousaf 5 steps closer to being successful Talha Omer   Poll Are you for or against the formation of a Seraiki province? For (45%, 407 Votes)  Against (55%, 497 Votes)  Total Voters: 904 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: April 16, 2012

Today's Headlines On the loose: Brazen jailbreak Fida Adeel / Zulfiqar Ali Nearly 400 inmates, including some hardcore Taliban militants, escaped on Sunday after dozens of heavily-armed insurgents launched a brazen attack on a prison in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Retribution: It's a message for NATO, says Taliban Tahir Khan The Taliban said on Sunday that the coordinated attacks in Kabul and three other provinces were a message to Nato forces, whose spokesman recently claimed that there would be no repeat of Taliban's 'spring offensive'. New horizons: President unveils support for Seraiki bank Our Correspondents President Asif Ali Zardari pledged on Sunday that he would direct the government to set up a separate Seraiki bank and invited businessmen in southern Punjab to submit a formal proposal for the project within a week. Despite innocent verdict, blasphemy accused shot dead by maulvi complainant Asad Kharal An elderly man, recently released from prison after acquittal by the court on proving innocent in a blasphemy case, was shot dead by the complainant in the Farooqabad area of Sheikhupura. Business The bottom line: Is the banking sector's record streak about to snap? Farooq Tirmizi Is the party in the banking sector over or is it just getting started? While the State Bank of Pakistan recently took some actions that most analysts view as having a negative impact for the banks, for the most part, the record-breaking profits look set to continue for the foreseeable future. South Asia: The labour force - a bulwark against an economic crisis Zeeshan Shah The recession is long from over. Crises deepen as the world gears up for the 'centurion' – a phenomenon which occurs once in a century or a lifetime and culminates in a global economic slump. Analysts predict that rising fuel prices, limited oil supplies, barriers to entry in new markets, and widespread uncertainty in the coming years can fuel another 'Great Depression' that may cripple the global economy. _______________________________________________ Sports Cricket: Bangladesh confirm Pakistan tour Fawad Hussain International cricket is set to return to Pakistan after Bangladesh confirmed that they will tour the country for a One-Day International (ODI) and one Twenty20 match at the end of this month. Cricket: Saeed vows to prepare doosra Ajmal Our Correspondents Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal said that he will ensure that there is no vacuum left following his retirement, promising a back-up of bowlers who can take his place in the national side, according to ESPNcricinfo. _______________________________________________ Life & Style PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week Momina Sibtain With so many fashion weeks taking place in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad these days, it almost seems as if there are more fashion weeks than there are designers. As a result, quantity is triumphing over quality. Bridal Couture Week 2012 day one Saadia Qamar Despite our highest expectations for the Pantene Bridal Couture Week 2012, the evening was, at best, disappointing. Had it not been for hairstylist Saba Ansari of Sabs and Nomi Ansari's designs for the elegant bride, the evening would have been a total waste. Besides bridal designs sashaying on the runway, there were also performances by Body Beats Dance Studio and Club Caramel. _______________________________________________

Opinion When Manmohan Singh comes to Islamabad Pervez Hoodbhoy Is curbing domestic violence a conspiracy? Syed Mohammad Ali Revisiting Siachen Tanvir Ahmad Khan The political economy of peace Dr Akmal Hussain How nations fail? Shahid Javed Burki   Blogs 5 steps closer to being successful Talha Umer Oven-roasted garlic chicken on a hot summer day Saba Callea What shisha ban? Dr Amyn Malik Sorry ladies, no protection for you Mani Khawaja   Poll Do you think India reacted in an appropriate manner to Shahrukh Khan's detention by US authorities? No (23%, 88 Votes) Yes (77%, 290 Votes) Total Voters: 378 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 stories of the week (April 08-15 2012)

Top 10 stories of the week

April 08-15, 2012

1. Mathira: 'Yeah, so what if my top fell down?' – Web Desk 2. Bilawal can't even speak Urdu properly, Imran chides – Ferya Ilyas 3. Siachen Glacier: Pakistan army hopes miracle will save avalanche victims – Reuters/Farman Ali 4. Indonesia earthquake: Tsunami watch in effect for Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka – Reuters/Web Desk 5. Avalanche traps 135 people near Siachen, rescue operation underway Shabbir Mir/Farman Ali/Agencies 6. Damn you, Siachen – Kamran Shafi 7. E-mailing poem: Bahria University student arrested for 'threatening' staffers – Peer Muhammad/Sidrah Moiz Khan 8. Siachen tragedy: With weather delays, hopes of successful rescue dim – News Desk/AFP/Sumera Khan 9. With much interjecting, PTI unveils rural governance plan – News Desk 10. Imran flays Zardari's India visit amid Siachen tragedy – Our Correspondent

Top Business  India to allow foreign direct investment from Pakistan Reuters Top Sports Pakistan Premier League: National cricketers join the bandwagon Fawad Hussain Top 3 blogs 1. Mathira's wardrobe malfunction: Nudity or modernity? Hani Taha 2. Meera's abortion is nobody's business Zahra Peer Mohammed 3. Veena Malik: Scorned for being different Huneeya Mazari 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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