The Express Tribune Newsletter: July 28, 2012

Today's Headlines Maiden trip: Singh likely to visit in November Kamran Yousaf With a formal invitation extended by President Asif Ali Zardari, India's prime minister is expected to visit Pakistan as soon as November this year amidst signs of improved relations between the two nations. Executive orders: PM bars 'favours' for his family Azam Khan An extra-cautious Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has restrained all ministers, government divisions and public sector offices from providing any 'favours' to members of his family. Fear of repatriation troubles settled Afghan refugees Sohail Khattak Three decades is how long it took Abdur Rehman to settle in an alien country after fleeing his troubled homeland – and he is surely not ready to do it all over again. Senate Proceedings: Govt defends opposition in face of court's scrutiny Sumera Khan In a rare occurrence, members of the treasury bench of the Senate defended the opposition against perceived criticism by the Supreme Court. Business Caught in the act: Govt may constitute panel to revisit poverty calculations Shahbaz Rana The government will likely constitute a panel to review the existing methodology behind poverty calculations, after official figures anomalously depicted a decline in the incidence of poverty in 2011; despite sluggish growth in the economy and double-digit inflation over five consecutive years. Early pay-day: Pakistani sells web start-up for Rs9.5 million Farooq Baloch In yet another example of a successful entrepreneurial spree, a Pakistani blogger – amid fears of losing his job – developed a humour website, attracted huge amount of traffic and sold it for Rs9.5 million ($100,000). All of this happened in just six months. _______________________________________________ Sports 'I gave Pakistan so much but didn't get anything back' Nabeel Hashmi The opening ceremony of the London Olympics rolled back the years for Shabana Akhtar who, in 1996, became Pakistan's first female athlete to take part in the global event. 'We miss the likes of Shahbaz and Sardar' Fawad Hussain Back-to-back defeats in the warm-up games have put the Pakistan hockey team on the back-foot even before the event proper has started — a 2-1 loss at the hands of Belgium and a 5-1 thrashing by the Netherlands. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Cross-border film: 'Screening films has opened a window into Pakistan' Aroosa Shaukat "Screening Pakistani films has opened a window for us [in India] across the border," Salma Siddiqui told The Express Tribune. British Deputy High Commission hosts Olympic nail art party Saadia Qamar If you expect the mood at an event hosted by a diplomat to be somber, this British diplomat will prove you wrong. The British Deputy High Commission's office in Karachi was full of people in high spirits on Thursday afternoon. Female staff members mingled with each other at the event hosted by British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell to celebrate the commencement of the London Olympics 2012. _______________________________________________

Opinion Victims and beneficiaries of Partition Ajmal Kamal In Pakistan, 'liberal' is a dirty word Bina Shah Abdus Salam and the Higgs boson particle Jyoti Malhotra The Joker in Colorado Shahid Mahmood A happy camping ground? Amina Jilani   Blogs From Sudan: Thank you Pakistan! Omar Zaki Let's not make the 'gora' our benchmark Abdullah Ansari Roger Federer: Still going strong Safwan Umair Facebook: Think before you 'like' Waleed Zuberi   Poll Do you think PTI can sweep the next general elections? No (27%, 697 Votes)  Yes (73%, 1,875 Votes)  Total Voters: 2,572 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: July 27, 2012

Today's Headlines Contempt of court act: 'Who says there will be a crisis if contempt act struck down?' Our correspondents Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday rubbished murmurs of a constitutional crisis if the new contempt law was struck down by the apex court. Severance pay?: Former Punjab CM cleans out furniture from official residence Anwer Sumra A former chief minister of Punjab is yet to return official paraphernalia and household items – worth Rs4 million – that he took with him from the official residence after vacating it, The Express Tribune has learnt. Asghar Khan petition: Ex-ISI chief to reveal money distributors Our Correspondents The names of those officers that helped distribute money to influence the 1990 elections will be revealed by former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani. Terror strike: Bajaur truck bomb kills nine tribesmen Mureeb Mohmand Bajaur Agency was once again gripped by violence as militants targeted the pro-government Salarzai tribe on Thursday when an explosives-laden vehicle was detonated in the Pashat market area killing nine civilians and injuring 23 more.   Business Better Indo-Pak trade ties remain as elusive as ever Shahbaz Rana Efforts for normalisation of trade between Pakistan have been dealt a serious blow, partly due to New Delhi's reluctance in reciprocating moves made by Pakistan to ease trade restrictions.  Change in strategy: After a decade, Pizza Hut eats up 'all you can eat' deal Farooq Baloch After at least a decade, Pizza Hut has decided to eat up its famous all you can eat deal. The food chain has come up with a new deal namely Ramadan Fiesta all you can eat with a slightly reduced per head cost. However, the catch is that you are limited to one regular pizza. _______________________________________________ Sports Olympics: Contingent must wear shalwar kamiz, says Pakistan's chef de mission Nabeel Hashmi Pakistan's London 2012 chef de mission Aqil Shah wants the country's contingent to wear shalwar kamiz in the opening ceremony today and not the western attire that the organisers have sent. Australia series: Pakistan to rely on SLPL for preparations Our Correspondents The Pakistan team management has decided against a training camp ahead of the 'home' series against Australia in the UAE owing to the cricketers' participation in the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) from August 10. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Will Kaptaan make it? Rafay Mahmood If a film-maker takes on a subject like the popular Imran Khan for a project, he should anticipate that expectations and public interest will be high. Films like Waar and Seedlings have raised the bar for film-makers in Pakistan, but projects like Kaptaan (which revolves around Imran Khan and Jemima Goldsmith) and Kolachi remain a cause of concern. Khayali Pulao gives children platform to dream Mavra Bari Matters pertaining to global warming, littering, water shortage and wasting of resources have started to gain importance today. From scientists to movie directors, people are trying to increase awareness about environmental issues. Following the same line of thought, sixth to ninth graders from the Liberal Arts High School in F-7 Islamabad recently took their unique spin on topics related to climate change by using visual storytelling as a medium at a 10- day workshop with the White Rice Imagination project titled 'Khayali Pulao'. _______________________________________________

Opinion A lesson from The Lion King Kamran Shafi Burma talk Ayesha Siddiqa Fauzia Wahab Dr Pervez Tahir How the Rio+20 summit failed Sunita Narain Countering terrorism with national consensus Dr Azhar Hassan Nadeem Blogs He found God in a hopeless place Bassam F Sidiki Summer TV at its very best Usama Humayun  Happy birthday President Asif Ali Zardari! Usama Kabbir The passport scam is a sorry start to the London Olympics Dr Muhammad Ali Rai Poll Has the issue of Burma violence been adequately covered by the media? No (88%, 587 Votes)  Yes (12%, 77 Votes)  Total Voters: 664 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: July 26, 2012

Today's Headlines 'Facts' in hand, Pakistan decides to sue UK tabloid Sumera Khan / Peer Muhammad Pakistan's government has launched a counter-offensive against a British tabloid that 'uncovered' the 'London Olympics visa scam' after investigations into the issue apparently showed that the story was fictitious. Revealed: Dr Afridi sought asylum in US, says investigators Iftikhar Firdous Investigators have made a startling revelation: a tribal doctor who had helped the American CIA track down al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in his Abbottabad compound was not kidnapped by the Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) extremist group as was claimed by him. 'National Unity' push: After breaking ice, ANP, MQM to meet at Nine Zero Zia Khan In a show of unity, representatives of bitter rivals Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) held a meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday. NRO implementation: Dismissing fears, SC offers cornered govt breathing room Qamar Zaman Those charging the apex court, openly and discreetly, of brazenly victimising the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government would have been caught off guard on Wednesday. Business Collusive activities: Medical centres slapped with Rs450m fine Our Correspondents The anti-trust watchdog has slapped a fine of Rs450 million on medical centres for collusion in the market for provision of medical services to Pakistanis who travel to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries in search of jobs. LNG supply: US energy giant helps Pakistan, Qatar reach deal Zafar Bhutta US energy giant ConocoPhillips is mediating between Pakistan and Qatar to enable them to strike a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal, in an apparent attempt to drive Islamabad away from the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project due to tensions between the West and Tehran. _______________________________________________ Sports Olympics: 'Foolish to expect medals from our athletes' Nabeel Hashmi Pakistani athletes have no chance of doing wonders at the Olympics, according to Olympian and former 200m sprinter Maqsood Ahmed who added that a good show in London can, however, boost their chances of bagging a gold in the upcoming SAF Games. Bilateral series: 'PCB shouldn't follow the BCCI blindly' Fawad Hussain Joining the chorus favouring the resumption of bilateral cricket ties, former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Ehsan Mani urged the Pakistan board to refrain from blindly following their Indian counterparts without putting forward their own point of view. _______________________________________________ Life & Style Dr Aur Billa makes a comeback Sher Khan Lahore-based band Dr Aur Billa is known for introducing elements of wit and hilarity to Pakistani music with the primary objective of making music fun. With the release of their first album in the '90s, almost a decade later, the famous duo has decided to make a smashing comeback with the release of their latest track "Ab Kya Karun", where director Jawad Bashir has encapsulated the role of "Dr" and Aiyaz Kidwai of "Billa". Dolmen Mall to get its first salon after Eid Saadia Qamar During a two-day workshop at Toni&Guy in Clifton, owner Saeeda Mandviwalla shared some exciting news: her salon will be collaborating with the Pond's Skin Centre for a new venture at Dolmen City Mall. _______________________________________________

Opinion Saving Pakistan, one tweet at a time Feisal H Naqvi A regional solution Shahzad Chaudhry The issue of border attacks Imtiaz Gul Stop waiting for Superman Arif Rafiq A rapid transit system for Lahore? Dr Muhammad Imran   Blogs Elections 2013: PPP should complete its five-year term Mohammad Shaikh Euro 2012: So Poland and Ukraine can host but not Pakistan? Sanwal Malik Batman shooter: Mentally ill, not a terrorist Noman Ansari Does saying 'Ramadan' over 'Ramazan' make you a better Muslim? Hafsa Khawaja   Poll Has the issue of Burma violence been adequately covered by the media? No (88%, 587 Votes)  Yes (12%, 77 Votes)  Total Voters: 664 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: July 25, 2012

Today's Headlines Swiss letter: PM has to flout 'unlawful' court orders, govt tells SC Qamar Zaman The desperation is evident. The government attempted a curious move on the eve of a potentially-decisive hearing for Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf regarding the implementation of court orders in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) case. Balochistan law and order case: FC will not go scot-free, warns apex court Qaiser Zulfiqar With a back and forth between the Supreme Court and the Frontier Corps (FC) having continued for months over the Balochistan law and order case, it seems things are finally set to wrap up – and the FC is not likely to get off lightly. Ramazan promises: With few options left, govt likely to increase load-shedding Zafar Bhutta Having failed to fulfil its promise of ending power outages during Sehri and Iftar, the government is likely to make its offer conditional – in order to ensure a supply of power during these timings, the government has decided to increase load-shedding throughout the country. After 31 years, Khalil Chishti back to teach virology at Karachi University Noman Ahmed Spending 20 years in Indian jails has not wavered 80-year-old Prof Dr Khalil Chishti's passion for virology.   Business Survival mode: Pakistan Steel Mills gets Rs8.6b bailout package Shahbaz Rana The government on Tuesday approved another bailout package of Rs8.6 billion to stop Pakistan Steel Mills from a complete collapse after the entity suffered fresh losses of Rs21.4 billion during the last twelve months mainly because of delay in release of funds by the finance ministry.  New forays: State Life to enter Islamic insurance market Kazim Alam Within days of regulators announcing that conventional insurance firms would be allowed to set up "Islamic windows", State Life Insurance Corporation – the largest insurance company in the country – has made clear its intentions of launching its own brand of Shariah-compliant insurance products. _______________________________________________ Sports Olympics: Fasting or training, ponder athletes Nabeel Hashmi The last batch of Pakistani athletes for the 2012 Olympics – sprinter Liaquat Ali and 800m runner Rabiya Ashiq – will leave for London today, caught between the importance of fasting and dreams of Olympics glory. Hockey: Undeterred Greenshirts train on Fawad Hussain The Pakistan hockey team, the first squad from the country to arrive in England ahead of the Olympics, remained undeterred despite The Sun's story revealing a fake passport scam that promised fake visas and travel with the country's Olympics squad to England. _______________________________________________ Life & Style 'Touch, but not too much': From rickshaws to kurtas Momina Sibtain Truck and bus art are forms of poetic expression in Pakistan. Satirical poetry has become a way for the common man to articulate his inner reflections and rickshaw art is no different in this regard. Do not let the tiny exterior of the vehicle fool you into thinking that the driver's inner bard is confined.  Mangoes are all the rage Rafay Mahmood If you're busy savouring succulent chaunsas andlangras, a new namesake TV series will give you another reason to smile.  With the release of the first four episodes of the first season, "Mangoes" has developed its own cult following on Youtube as its popularity increases daily on the social media front. _______________________________________________

Opinion The Election Commision's failure in the NA-151 by-election Sarwar Bari A damsel in deliberate distress Farrukh Khan Pitafi Indian strategic thinking Tariq Fatemi Incentivising change Talat Masood Whose sovereignty? Yaqoob Khan Bangash Blogs Terror and bloodshed in Balochistan: Who's to blame? Fatima Mujtaba Saaen to saeen, let the Mohajir also be saeen! Meiryum Ali Shaista Zaid and the black days of the past Bina Shah She left me on my wedding day Shan Nasir Poll Do you think public sentiment should dictate media content? No (59%, 301 Votes)  Yes (41%, 205 Votes)  Total Voters: 506 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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