New tornadoes tear through US South, 17 dead

WASHINGTON: Fresh storms hit Mississippi and the US Southeast Monday, threatening tens of millions of people a day after tornadoes killed 17 and ripped up homes in nearby states.

A tornado swept through the northern city of Tupelo around 2.30 pm (1930 GMT), the National Weather Service said, adding that a crew was en route to survey the damage.

Parts of Alabama were also at high risk of severe storms, with a moderate risk affecting portions of Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi as the system traveled east, with numerous tornadoes expected.

The National Weather Service said more than 49 million people living in the watch areas were threatened by the storms, upwards of 1.4 million of them in high-risk areas.

In the hardest-hit parts of Arkansas, emergency crews intensified their search for survivors, as residents of the close-knit community of Vilonia surveyed the damage.

Dozens of Arkansas National Guard troops were assisting local authorities with medical evacuations, fresh water deliveries and search and rescue operations.Vilonia police chief Brad McNew said the town of 4,000 had been rendered unrecognizable.

"It´s houses completely down to the foundations," he told NBC television. Through the night, rescuers used searchlights in blacked-out areas, sifting through mountains of rubble in the hopes of finding someone alive.

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said 14 people had been killed in the state -- an earlier figure of 15 was revised as one victim was counted twice -- while an official in Oklahoma state said there were at least two tornado victims there.

Local media reported another fatality in the state of Iowa. McNew said more would have been killed if not for emergency sirens that warned people the twister was about to hit.

"I went to a tornado shelter myself with my family which was a couple miles away from where we were at.

A lot of people in the community were there. And so, it did work," he said."If you see the destruction that is here, even though we´ve lost some lives, there are many lives that was saved because of the storm warnings.

"Vilonia was struck three years ago by a tornado that took almost the same path, but Sunday´s twister was "a lot worse," McNew said.

Twisters also devastated large sections of the town of Mayflower, population 2,300, just northwest of the Arkansas state capital, Little Rock.

Russia assures US it won’t invade Ukraine

KOSTYANTYNIVKA: Moscow has assured Washington it will not invade Ukraine, the US Defense Department said after the United States and Europe imposed fresh sanctions on Russia over its role in the former Soviet republic.

As Western powers stepped up the pressure on Moscow over the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War, the White House on Monday slapped sanctions on seven Russian officials and 17 firms close to President Vladimir Putin.

The European Union said it was adding 15 names to its own list while Canada added nine names and two banks.

Tensions on the ground in Ukraine spiked when a pro-Moscow mayor was shot and badly wounded and rebels seized another town.

The Pentagon said that Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel had spoken by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu and that "Shoigu reiterated his assurance that Russian forces would not invade Ukraine".

Defense Department spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby, in a statement, said the two men discussed a range of issues related to the situation in Ukraine, with Hagel requesting clarification of Russia´s intentions in eastern Ukraine.

Hagel urged an end to Russia´s "destabilising influence inside Ukraine and warned that continued aggression would further isolate Russia and result in more diplomatic and economic pressure," Kirby said.

The Pentagon chief also asked for Moscow´s help in securing the release of seven inspectors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe being held in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow said that, during the phone call with Hagel, Shoigu called on the United States to tone down its rhetoric on the Ukraine crisis.

The Kremlin vowed there would be a "painful" response for Washington to the sanctions imposed.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Interfax news agency that Moscow was "disgusted" by the US action, which he said showed Washington had "completely lost touch with reality".

 

S Korean president ‘sorry’ for ferry disaster

SEOUL: South Korean President Park Geun-Hye apologised Tuesday for her government´s failure to combat systemic and regulatory "evils" blamed for the loss of about 300 lives in a ferry disaster.

Two days after her prime minister resigned over the tragedy, Park´s comments are another attempt to defuse growing public anger about the April 16 sinking of the 6,825-tonne Sewol.

"I don´t know how to apologise for the failure to prevent this accident, and for the insufficient first response," Park said in a statement to her cabinet that was broadcast on national television.

"I am sorry to the people and heavy-hearted that many precious lives were lost."

Park´s government has been widely criticised over perceived corruption and lax safety standards that may have led to the disaster, with claims that the ferry was overloaded and that the passenger list was inaccurate and incomplete.

Echoing words used by Prime Minister Chung Hong-Won when he fell on his sword on Sunday, Park blamed systemic and regulatory failings for one of South Korea´s worst ever maritime tragedies.

"I feel so regretful for having been unable to correct such long-running evils and letting an accident like this take place," she said.

Park accepted Chung´s resignation but ordered him to remain in office until the recovery operation was completed.

Earlier Tuesday, the president had travelled to Ansan, just south of Seoul, where she paid her respects at a memorial for the schoolchildren who died in the disaster.

Of the 476 people on board the Sewol, 325 were students from the same high school in Ansan. Only 75 of them were rescued.

But in a sign of the boiling anger felt by relatives of the missing and the dead, there were shouted demands for her floral tribute to be removed from the shrine, and reports the president had been jostled.

The confirmed death toll from the accident, which took place several hundred kilometres (miles) south of Ansan, stood at 193, with 109 people still missing.

Search mission spokesman Koh Myung-Seok said divers had worked their way through passenger cabins on the fourth and fifth levels of the submerged ferry on Tuesday, recovering four more bodies.

 

Kerry in apartheid row as Mideast peace deadline arrives

JERUSALEM: Washington´s deadline for reaching a Mideast peace deal arrived Tuesday with no breakthrough and US Secretary of State John Kerry mired in a row over allegations that he said Israel risks becoming an "apartheid state".

After more than a year of intensive shuttle diplomacy by Kerry, with the initial aim of brokering a deal by April 29, Washington´s patience appeared to be growing thin as both Israel and the Palestinians moved to distance themselves from the crisis-hit talks. Kerry on Monday vehemently denied calling Israel an apartheid state, as a furore grew in the Jewish state over comments the top US diplomat reportedly made during a private meeting.

"I do not believe, not have I ever stated, publicly or privately that Israel is an apartheid state or that it intends to become one," Kerry said in a strong statement after calls for him to resign or at least apologise for the alleged comments, which appeared on US online news site The Daily Beast.

But Kerry, who has seen his dogged efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians collapse, did suggest that he had used a poor choice of words during his speech Friday to international political experts at the Trilateral Commission.

Kerry insisted that although the peace process was at a point of "confrontation and hiatus", it was not dead -- yet. But both the Palestinians and the Israelis appear to have drawn their own conclusions about the life expectancy of the US-led negotiations, which have made no visible progress since they began nine months ago.

Last week, Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip announced a surprise unity deal aimed at ending years of occasionally violent rivalry. Israel denounced the deal as a death blow to peace hopes and said it would not negotiate with any government backed by Hamas, the Islamist movement whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Washington called the deal "unhelpful".

Under the agreement, the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Hamas will work to establish a new unity government of political independents headed by president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah party dominates the PLO.

Abbas has said the new government will recognise Israel, as well as renouncing violence and abiding by existing agreements, in line with key principles set out by the Mideast peacemaking Quartet.

But Netanyahu has ruled out any negotiation with the new government unless Hamas gives up its vision of destroying Israel.

EU names 15 new Ukraine crisis targets for sanctions

BRUSSELS: The European Union has released the names of 15 new targets of sanctions because of their roles in the Ukraine crisis.

The list released Tuesday includes Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, and Lt. Gen. Igor Sergun, identified as head of GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and pro-Russian separatist leaders in Crimea and the eastern Ukrainian cities of Lugansk and Donetsk were also on the list.

10 killed in northeast of Baghdad twin bombing; officials

BAQUBA: Twin bombings at a market in a town northeast of Baghdad killed at least 10 people and wounded 20 others on Tuesday, security and medical officials said.

The 10:00 am (0700 GMT) blasts in Saadiyah came a day after a suicide bomb in the nearby town of Khanaqin killed 30 people, with Iraq due to hold its first parliamentary elections since 2010 on Wednesday.

Saadiyah lies in eastern Iraq, along a tract of disputed territory that the country´s autonomous Kurdish region wants to incorporate despite Baghdad´s objections. Militants frequently capitalise on poor communication between Kurdish and Arab security forces in the disputed areas to launch attacks.

Iraq is embroiled in its worst protracted period of bloodshed in years, with nearly 3,000 people killed already this year.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who hails from Iraq´s Shiite Arab majority and is accused by critics of monopolising power and targeting minority groups, is seeking a third term in Wednesday´s election.

Car bomb kills 2 soldiers in Libya's Benghazi

BENGHAZI: A car bomb targeting a Libyan special forces barracks in the restive eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday killed two soldiers and wounded another two, medical and military officials said.

The attack, which took place at the entrance to the barracks on road to the airport, appeared to have been carried out by a suicide car bomber, an army officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Benghazi was the cradle of the 2011 uprising that ended Moamer Kadhafi´s four-decade rule and has since been plagued by violence that has killed dozens of members of the security forces, judges and foreigners.

According to the army officer, the blast killed two soldiers and wounded two more. An official at Benghazi´s Al-Jala hospital confirmed a death toll of two.

The government has struggled to consolidate control in the vast and mostly desert country, which is effectively ruled by a patchwork of local militias and awash in heavy weapons looted from Kadhafi´s arsenals.

On December 22, a suicide car bomb targeting a security post 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Benghazi left 13 people dead.

Militants have also attacked foreign missions in Benghazi, including a September 2012 assault on the US consulate in the Mediterranean city that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.

12 killed in Damascus mortar fire: state media

DAMASCUS: Mortar shells slammed into central Damascus on Tuesday, hitting a technical institute in a barrage that killed 12 people and wounded 50, state media reported.

"Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighbourhood in Damascus with four mortar shells," the SANA news agency said, adding that two shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute.

The Syrian government and media use the term "terrorists" for all those seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad´s government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the mortar attack, saying at least eight people were dead and dozens injured and the toll was expected to rise.

Rebel forces arrayed in positions on the outskirts of the capital regularly fire mortar shells and rockets into the heart of Damascus, often killing civilians.

Shaghour is a district in the Old City of Damascus, which has been hit by rebel fire frequently.

Robertson moves into world quarter-finals

SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom: Australia´s Neil Robertson booked his place in the quarter-finals of this year´s World Championships with a 13-7 win over Mark Allen on Monday only to barely miss out on a notable landmark.

The world number one was left stranded on 99 competitive century breaks for the season, with Robertson still one shy of becoming the first man to compile 100 hundreds in a single tour campaign.

Melbourne-born Robertson, the 2010 world champion, resumed with an overnight 9-7 lead and then made breaks of 59 and 69 to pull further in front against his Northern Irish opponent.

Remarkably, Robertson succumbed to something akin to cricket´s ´nervous nineties´ in the next two frames when he missed pots after recording breaks of 94 and 92 respectively, although both those efforts were more than enough to be frame-winners.

Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry was in the commentary box and Robertson, who long ago surpassed Judd Trump´s record of 63 hundreds in a tour season, was disappointed not to have reached his 100th century in front of the Scottish snooker great.

Robertson will play Trump in the last eight after the Englishman defeated Wales´s Ryan Day 13-7.

Former champion Shaun Murphy will take on title-holder Ronnie O´Sullivan in the last eight after completing a 13-8 win over Hong Kong´s Marco Fu.Resuming at 9-7, 2005 world champion Murphy won the first three frames of Monday´s evening session before Fu halted his chance with a break of 92 only for the Englishman to win the next and set up a clash with O´Sullivan, bidding for a sixth world title.

Earlier on Monday, Wales´s Dominic Dale took the frame he needed to secure a 13-4 win over Michael Wasley, the shock first-round conqueror of China´s Ding Junhui.Dale will play Barry Hawkins, last year´s losing finalist, in the quarter-finals, with the remaining last-eight tie seeing veteran Alan McManus up against Mark Selby. (AFP)

Biker looks for false teeth on busy Spain highway

MADRID: A motorcyclist brought traffic to a standstill on one of Madrid's busiest highways after he pulled over to look for his false teeth, which flew out of his mouth when he sneezed, according to local media reports.

Two municipal police officers approached the motorcyclist Saturday and ordered him to resume his journey for his own safety and that of other drivers on the capital's M-30 highway, Europa Press reported. It wasn't known if the man found his dentures.

China to outlaw eating of protected animal species

China will jail people who eat rare animals for 10 years or more under a new interpretation of the criminal law, state media reported, as the government seeks to close a legal loophole and better protect the natural environment.

China lists 420 species as rare or endangered, including the panda, golden monkeys, Asian black bears and pangolins, some or all of which are threatened by illegal hunting, environmental destruction and the consumption of animal parts, including for supposedly medicinal reasons.

Consumption of rare animals has risen as the country has become richer, with some people believing spending thousands of yuan on eating them gives a certain social cache.

"Eating rare wild animals is not only bad social conduct but also a main reason why illegal hunting has not been stopped despite repeated crackdowns," Lang Sheng, deputy head of parliament's Legislative Affairs Commission said, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Thursday.

The new interpretation "clears up ambiguities about buyers of prey of illegal hunting", the report added.

Knowingly buying any wild animals killed by illegal hunting will now be considered a crime, with a maximum penalty of three years in jail, Xinhua said.

"In fact, buyers are a major motivator of large-scale illegal hunting," Lang said.

'Other Woman' curbs 'Captain America' with $24.7M

LOS ANGELES: A femme-fueled comedy beat a superhero blockbuster at the box office this weekend.

After holding the top position for three weeks, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" has been topped by "The Other Woman" for the No. 1 spot.

Fox´s revenge comedy, starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton, debuted with $24.7 million, while Disney-Marvel´s "Captain America," led by Chris Evans, grossed $16 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $225 million.

The PG-13 rating of Nick Cassavetes directed "The Other Woman" — about three ladies wronged by a three-timing spouse played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau of "Game of Thrones" — helped it draw a larger audience, says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst of box-office tracker Rentrak.

"The rating was perfect," he said. "If you are going for the mainstream audience who is looking for something that has a little bit of an edge, but not too much, you can hit that sweet spot and draw a large audience."

The release date couldn´t have been better, Dergarabedian noted. "This was the perfect time to release this film, between the success of ´Captain America´ and before the official start of the summer movie season with ´Spider-Man 2.´

"Hollywood hasn´t yet seen a comedy do especially well at the box office in 2014 since "Ride Along," which was released in January. Domestically, Jason Bateman´s "Bad Words" made only $7.7 million overall. Tyler Perry´s "The Single Moms Club" brought in $16 million domestically. Most of his films have grossed over $40 million domestically. And Marlon Wayans´ sequel "A Haunted House 2" opened with $8.8 million, drastically down from the original´s $18 million debut.

"Sometimes it´s about casting," Dergarabedian said. "When you have Cameron Diaz in a comedy like this, it´s hard not to knock it out of the park. This film is right in her wheelhouse. This is what she does best."

While Diaz´s last film, thriller "The Counselor," grossed only $17 million domestically last year, her foul-mouthed 2011 comedy "Bad Teacher" earned over $100 million stateside.

"Captain America" has now hit over $645 million globally, surpassing its 2011 original "The First Avenger," which earned $370 million. The sequel is the highest-grossing April release ever.

Sony´s faith-based "Heaven Is for Real," starring Greg Kinnear, held the third-place position with $13.8 million after opening in the same slot last weekend behind leaders "Captain America" and Fox´s animated "Rio 2," which drifted down to fourth place with $13.7 million.

Relativity Media´s action crime drama "Brick Mansions," starring the late Paul Walker, was No. 5 with $9.6 million. The film was one of the last Walker completed before he died in a car accident in November. To finish "Fast & Furious 7," which will be released April 2015, Walker´s brothers, Caleb and Cody Walker, have stepped in to complete their brother´s action scenes.

It´s a solid debut after the film was pushed back from its original release date in February.

In one of his first interviews since the announcement from Universal Pictures, the studio behind the "Fast & Furious" franchise, Cody Walker broke down in tears when talking on Fox´s Baltimore TV affiliate about his late brother´s charitable work last week.

Johnny Depp´s sci-fi disappointment "Transcendence" dropped from No. 4 to No. 6 in its second weekend, earning $4.1 million. The Warner Bros. film is Depp´s third consecutive flop after 2013´s Western "The Lone Ranger," in which he played Tonto, and 2012 quirky vampire flick "Dark Shadows."

Could the A-lister be losing his appeal at the box office? Depp´s last film to exceed $100 million domestically was "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" in 2011. Perhaps his upcoming Disney fantasy "Into the Woods," also starring Meryl Streep, will fare better.

Also opening this weekend was Lionsgate´s "The Quiet Ones," starring Jared Harris ("Mad Men") as an Oxford professor who recruits students to conduct an experiment to prove supernatural abilities exist. The horror film´s take was a mere $4 million.

Next weekend, Sony-Marvel´s "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" kicks off the summer movie season with its domestic debut. The 18 weeks of summer constitutes on average 40 percent of the year´s box office earnings, Dergarabedian said.

"Spider-Man 2" has already premiered internationally in locations like South Korea and Russia. In its second weekend of international release, it made $132 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday:1. "The Other Woman," $24.7 million.2. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," $16 million.3. "Heaven Is for Real," $13.8 million.4. "Rio 2," 13.7 million.5. "Brick Mansions," $9.6 million.6. "Transcendence," $4.1 million.7. "The Quiet Ones," $4 million.8. "Bears," $3.6 million.9. "Divergent," $3.6 million.10. "A Haunted House 2," $3.3 million. (AP)

Disney eyes bigger plans with Shanghai

WASHINGTON: American entertainment giant Disney is set to pour an additional USD 800 million into its Disney Shanghai, its first theme park on the Chinese mainland, officials said today.

CEO Bob Iger said the deal, with Shanghai Shendi Group, will total an investment of USD 5.5 billion, and the additional funds will be to boost the park's capacity and attractions.

"Since we first broke ground in Shanghai we've been very impressed with the growth of China's economy, especially the rapid expansion of the middle class and the significant increase in travel and tourism," Iger said in a statement.

"Our accelerated expansion, including additional attractions and entertainment, will allow us to welcome more guests for a spectacular Disney experience on opening day."

Disney says it is decidedly upbeat about 330 million people being within a three-hour range of the park in Shanghai, the economic capital of the world's second largest economy.

Under terms of their deal, Shanghai Shendi Group will continue to hold a 57-per cent stake and Disney the other 43.

Started in 2011, Disneyland Shanghai will be the company's fourth theme park outside the United States after Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Moon will block the sun in first solar eclipse Tuesday

SYDNEY: The moon will block the sun in the first solar eclipse of the year on Tuesday (April 29), and stargazers in Australia have some of the best seats on the planet.

Two online skywatching groups — the Slooh community telescope and the Virtual Telescope Project — will provide live webcasts of the solar eclipse from Australia, beginning at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) on Tuesday. You can watch those solar eclipse webcasts live on Space.com. It will be Tuesday afternoon local time across Australia during the eclipse, with the sun setting before the event concludes.

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the sun and earth, as seen from the surface of the earth, and blocks part or all of the sun's disk. When the moon and sun align perfectly, a total solar eclipse occurs. Because the moon's orbit around earth is tilted, the moon and sun don't align in an eclipse every month.

Tuesday's solar eclipse will be what scientists call an annular solar eclipse. The event, also known as a "ring of fire" solar eclipse, occurs when the sun is too far from earth to completely obscure the sun's disk. The result is a bright ring of sunlight around the moon's silhouette, as viewed from the earth's surface.

But on Tuesday, the potentially dazzling "ring of fire" eclipse will only be visible from one uninhabited spot in Antarctica, where the only audience may be penguins on the frigid landscape.

"This is a thoroughly bizarre eclipse," Slooh astronomer Bob Berman said in a statement. "When Slooh brings its live feeds from Australia, and we watch in real time as the inky black hemisphere of the moon partially obscures the sun, the greatest thrill might be an awareness of what's occurring — unseen by any human — in a tiny region of Antarctica."

The April 29 solar eclipse will begin at 1:15 p.m. local time in Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and end at 3:59 p.m. local time. The time of greatest eclipse occurs at 2:41 p.m., when the moon will obscure about 65 percent of the solar disk. The event will begin later in the day for observers in Melbourne (3:58 p.m. local time) and Sydney (4:13 p.m.), with the sun setting before the eclipse ends.

Tuesday's solar eclipse is the second eclipse of 2014 after the total lunar eclipse on April 15. The next total lunar eclipse will occur on Oct. 8 and will be primarily visible from the Pacific Ocean and its bordering coastlines. A partial solar eclipse visible from most of the United States and parts of Canada will then follow on Oct. 23.

Crackdown on government electricity bill defaulters

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has ordered Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO) to disconnect supply to government institutions that have not cleared their dues.

The list of defaulters includes the Presidency, Parliament Lodges, PM Secretariat,Parliament House, Cantonment Board, Supreme Court, residence of the Chief Justice along with government offices of NADRA and CDA. Orders have also been issued to disconnect electricity supply to Frontier Works Organisation, Punjab Jail, Sindh and Balochistan House and Motorway Police.

During a news conference Abdi Sher Ali said the Sindh government had dues of Rs56 billion while the provincial governments of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also had to clear their outstanding dues.

The state minister added that he had been given directives by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to collect dues and stop electricity theft within one month. According to Abid Sher Ali protests against load shedding were taking place in areas where electricity theft was common.

The minister also announced to issue the load shedding schedule soon.

Electricity Cut Off

Following the orders of Abid Sher Ali, IESCO cut off power supply to the Supreme Court, Parliament House and PM Secretariat. IESCO officials said supply had been cut due to non-payment of dues. However, on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, electricity supply to the Supreme Court was resumed.

MPAs threaten to stage sit-in against Islamabad vindictive power cut in Sindh

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members in Sindh assembly here on Tuesday went on a protest against the unannounced and prolonged load shedding in the rural and urban areas of the province piling miseries on the people, Geo News reported.

PPP members urged upon the Sindh government to lodge a formal protest with the federal government for the injustices being perpetrated on the people of Sindh and ensure forthwith the due share of power supply to the province otherwise the members of the assembly would be forced to lead the vexed citizens’ protests and sit-ins on the roads and streets of the province.

PPP’s Nawaz Chandio, MQM’s Muhammad Hussain and others honourable members of the Sindh assembly raising their voice against the unannounced and prolonged load shedding termed the power outage federation’s vengeance against Sindh.

On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)’s opposition member Irfanullah Marwat, assuring his full support to the agitation against the federal government for power cut in Sindh, said that the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah should also take out processions like Shahbaz Sharif did in PPP tenure. Those sitting in air-conditioned rooms should also know how one feels during the load shedding, he remarked.

Senior Provincial Minister, Nisar Khuhro sharply reacting to the remarks of the opposition member said when do your want to take out the procession, let us go right now.

Following some exchange of barbs between the opposition and treasury members, the Speaker on one occasion sensing the situation getting extremely tense warned the members that session could be adjourned to bring the agitated and angry members under control.

Relatives of missing persons stage sit-in at D-Chowk

ISLAMABAD: The relatives of the missing persons continued their protest on the second day and staged a sit-in at D-Chowk on Tuesday, Geo News reported.

Chairperson of Defence of Human Rights Amna Masood Janjua said that the government has time till the evening to render an apology over police torture on the protesters last evening and to hold a dialogue with the relatives to end the demonstration, else a strict strategy will be announced by the evening. She demanded that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar should apologize personally for the brutal torture by the security personnel on the relatives of the missing persons.

A large number of protesters including children, elders and women are continuing their protest on the second day for the recovery of their beloved family members.

The demonstrators said that they had high hopes that the present government will be able to recover the missing relatives, instead the protesting relatives were subjected to torture by the police force.

They demanded that a case should be initiated in the court if their relatives have been charged, but to keep them away from their families without any news is tormenting for the families.

It may be mentioned that seven civil society activists and five cops were wounded when the police resorted to a baton charge and teargassed the protesters. They were calling for the recovery of missing persons at the D-Chowk and tried to storm the Red Zone.

The Elite Force and Anti Riot Force (ARF) participated in the operation against the agitating people. Amna Masood Janjua and 11 others were arrested.The police refused to obey the order of the area magistrate and assistant commissioner for using force against the agitating persons twice but they insisted they do so. They said the police resorted to a baton-charge and tear-gassing of the mob to stop it in accordance with the decision of the top administrative officers.

The clash between the police and the protesters took place when the protesters started marching towards the Parliament House. The police tried to stop them at the D-Chowk but they tried to move forward through another route, which resulted in a clash after an exchange of harsh words. Some journalists and cameramen were also injured during the clash.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took serious notice and expressed his displeasure over the crackdown by the Islamabad Police on protesters headed by Amna Masood Janjua and ordered their immediate release.

He ordered for the immediate release of the people and directed to take strict action for the officials involved in this unhappy incident.

The Islamabad DC released all activists arrested by the police following the PM’s order. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ordered an inquiry into the incident. He also suspended two sub divisional police officers (SDPOs), the ASP (City) Yasir Afridi and ASP (Secretariat) Iram, terming them responsible for the incident and asked the DC, who is believed to be responsible for the incident, to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Pak-US military, intel cooperation strengthening: Ambassador Jilani

WASHINGTON: Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani said that military cooperation and intelligence sharing between Pakistan and the US is progressing smoothly, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

Talking to Geo News after attending a dinner in Washington, Ambassador Jilani said that the cooperation between Pakistan and the US over the Pak-Afghanistan border vigilance will continue even in more effective manner.

He said that Pakistan had a clear stance over the Afghan presidential elections that there would be no interference. The international community including the US had lauded Pakistan’s role for a stable region.

Ambassador Jilani told that Pakistan is likely to receive a payment from Asian Development Bank and World Bank next month while the next tranche of $350 million under Coalition Support Fund will be transferred to Pakistan in few days.

Malala makes it again to Time’s 100

NEW YORK: Malala Yousafzai is among the world’s most influential people, according to a list published by the Time magazine on Saturday.

Malala, 16, is the only Pakistani on the list of people, who according to the magazine have inspired others around the world.

The list also includes a profile by another star, explaining why the person deserves a spot.

Former US Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford who was shot in the head in Tuscon, Arizona, in 2011 paying tribute to Malala praises the Pakistani activist’s courage and resilience.

Gifford wrote for Time that she, like many people, draws inspiration and strength from Malala Yousafzai, who was also shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012.

“Malala is a testament that women everywhere will not be intimidated into silence.” “I have seen courage in many places, but Malala’s courage is uncommon,” Giffords wrote.

In July, Malala spoke at the UN and reminded viewers that everyone’s voice matters in the fight for education. “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”

The teen activist, who published her first book I Am Malala in October, was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year.

Giffiord wrote, “I have seen courage in many places in the thousands of our nation’s military members I have met and represented; in those who ran toward the gunfire in a Safeway parking lot on January 8, 2011; and in our leaders who take the tough votes because it’s the right thing to do, but Malala’s courage is uncommon.”

“In the face of oppression and bitter injustice, she demands education and opportunity. In the face of violence from the hands of cowards, she refuses to back down.”

Malala was also selected to write the profile of former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, a potential presidential candidate in the next election, who also figures on the list of world’s most influential people, calling her “a symbol of strength for women across the world”.

The Pakistani activist wrote, “It was she (Clinton) who famously said, ‘Women’s rights are human rights’. She not only spoke those words, but also dedicated her life to empowering women around the world through politics and philanthropy. She has been a source of strength for many women, including myself, my family and those who stood by me after I was attacked.”

Sindh Assembly approves resolution against load shedding

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday approved a resolution against the federal government pertaining to load shedding in the province.

The Sindh Assembly session was held under the chair of Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza in which the resolution was presented by PPP leader Nisar Khuro. Earlier, provincial parliamentarians from the MQM and PPP termed load shedding in Sindh as an act of revenge being committed by the federal government.

Parliamentarians called for Sindh to be provided its share of electricity warning that failure to do so would result in protests.

MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari called for protests to be held if they would lead to the load shedding issue being resolved. PML-N leader Irfanullah Marwat said they would support Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah if he held protests like Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced to go before the Council of Common Interest over the issues of load shedding and payment of dues. “They (center) has faith in a meter reader and not elected representatives,” Shah said.

The Sindh Assembly session has been adjourned till Wednesday.

Robertson moves into world quarter-finals

SHEFFIELD, United Kingdom: Australia´s Neil Robertson booked his place in the quarter-finals of this year´s World Championships with a 13-7 win over Mark Allen on Monday only to barely miss out on a notable landmark.

The world number one was left stranded on 99 competitive century breaks for the season, with Robertson still one shy of becoming the first man to compile 100 hundreds in a single tour campaign.

Melbourne-born Robertson, the 2010 world champion, resumed with an overnight 9-7 lead and then made breaks of 59 and 69 to pull further in front against his Northern Irish opponent.

Remarkably, Robertson succumbed to something akin to cricket´s ´nervous nineties´ in the next two frames when he missed pots after recording breaks of 94 and 92 respectively, although both those efforts were more than enough to be frame-winners.

Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry was in the commentary box and Robertson, who long ago surpassed Judd Trump´s record of 63 hundreds in a tour season, was disappointed not to have reached his 100th century in front of the Scottish snooker great.

Robertson will play Trump in the last eight after the Englishman defeated Wales´s Ryan Day 13-7.

Former champion Shaun Murphy will take on title-holder Ronnie O´Sullivan in the last eight after completing a 13-8 win over Hong Kong´s Marco Fu.Resuming at 9-7, 2005 world champion Murphy won the first three frames of Monday´s evening session before Fu halted his chance with a break of 92 only for the Englishman to win the next and set up a clash with O´Sullivan, bidding for a sixth world title.

Earlier on Monday, Wales´s Dominic Dale took the frame he needed to secure a 13-4 win over Michael Wasley, the shock first-round conqueror of China´s Ding Junhui.Dale will play Barry Hawkins, last year´s losing finalist, in the quarter-finals, with the remaining last-eight tie seeing veteran Alan McManus up against Mark Selby. (AFP)

COAS witnesses Saudi military’s war exercise

RIYADH: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has witnessed Saudi military’s war exercise “Shamsheer of Abdullah”.

The military experts and chiefs of army staff of Gulf States were also present in the concluding ceremony of the exercises.

General Raheel Shairf had left for two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia on the invitation of Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Pakistan to play cricket series against New Zealand

LAHORE: Pakistan will play a series of three Tests, five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and one Twenty20 match during the month of November against New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Before this series, Pakistan will play one Twenty20 International, three One-day Internationals and two Test matches against Australia in October at same venue.

According to sources that schedule would be finalized soon between Pakistan and New Zealand.

On other side, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is trying to hold series in Australia and New Zealand.

Green Shirts will likely to play their two ODIs before taking part in the World Cup 2015 in New Zealand.

Anti polio drive postponed in tribal areas

BAJAUR: The health department has postponed the scheduled three-day anti polio campaign in the agency due to incomplete arrangements and unavailability of vaccines, sources of the local health department told.

Dr Zakir Hussain, Agency surgeon Bajaur, when contacted confirmed the postponement of polio drive in the agency. He said that the polio campaign was not only postponed in Bajaur but also in the entire tribal areas.

However, the drive in Bajaur and all over the tribal areas would be launched on May 5, Dr Zakir added. The department with special instructions of directorate of health services Fata has postponed its three-day anti polio drive starting from April 28 Monday. Incomplete security arrangements, unavailability of vaccines, shortage of necessary equipments and volunteers could be the reasons for postponement of the campaign.

“The officials of directorate of health services Fata have sent a notification to the offices of local health department in which they had asked us to postpone the anti polio drive until a later date. I donot know the causes behind the postponement of campaign but we have been instructed by the senior officials to not launch the drive on Monday,” an official of health department told.

BISP chief may quit after rift with secretary

ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairman Anwar Baig is likely to tender his resignation within a couple of days after severe administration crisis in multi-billion project, ‘The News’ has learnt reliably.

According to sources privy to Mr Baig, the powerful secretary of BISP has taken over the affairs of the multi-billion programme asking the junior staff not to engage with the chairman.Sources said the rift between the two top officials has jeopardized the future of 5.5 million families benefiting from Rs70 billion poverty alleviation programme.

This situation has put the entire BISP staff in a dilemma whether to follow the orders of the influential secretary or the chairman who was appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.Sources said no policy decision had been taken regarding the crucial affairs related to BISP for the last few weeks owing to complete breakdown of communication between the chairman and the secretary.

Sources said the foreign donors were also concerned over the internal crisis in the mega project.BISP is a flagship poverty alleviation programme which is partially funded by the international donors. An amount of Rs70 billion had been allocated for the programme for the financial year 2012-13 to provide cash assistance to 5.5 million families, which constitutes almost 18 percent of the entire population. The programme is aimed at covering almost 40 percent of the population below the poverty line.

The rift started when BISP Secretary Rab Nawaz made a payment of Rs2.6 million to an NGO owned by a US-national without approval of the scrutiny committee just a few days after assuming his post. The company chairman, however, said it was a Pakistani company registered with SECP and it had nothing to do with US. He said the company accomplished its task of conducting spot checking and holding surveys in 66 districts of the country and its work was approved by BISP but the payment of over Rs 220 million was pending since last June 2013 because of ongoing infighting in BISP.

The powerful secretary had also immediately removed an honest internal auditor who had unearthed the corruption of Rs150 million in award of a consultancy contract worth Rs2.63 billion.

The BISP chairman took strict notice of the irregularities and sought explanation from Rab Nawaz. However instead of giving any explanation, Rab Nawaz ordered the entire BISP staff not to engage with the chairman.

When contacted, BISP Chairman Enver Baig confirmed the rift and said he would request the prime minister to intervene for the future of 5.5 million families who are living below the poverty line.

The matter even came to the attention of Parliament where three ruling party MNAs and one legislator of Muttahida Quomi Movement (MQM) moved separate calling attention notices. However even the parliamentary notice could not improve the situation in BISP as sources said the secretary is backed by a group of very influential bureaucrats and a powerful cabinet member who are supporting the secretary despite his tainted past.

Sources said the issue had become a test case for the prime minister who would have to decide soon whether to allow Grade-20 bureaucrats to run the affairs of the government or let the politicians control their respective departments and be answerable for their performance.

Sources said the incumbent BISP secretary was removed twice by the PML-N’s Punjab government for dismal performance and negligence.

First he was removed from the post of the Punjab Irrigation and Power Secretary after he was found guilty of negligence during devastating floods of 2010 by a judicial commission constituted by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The commission had not only recommended immediate removal of Rab Nawaz from the post but also asked for inquiry against him after he was found responsible for loss of hundreds of lives and of property worth tens of billions of rupees.

The report of the commission concluded that the officer had failed to meet the monumental challenge of two floods in the River Indus during the 2010 monsoon, causing widespread devastation. But the officer of the powerful District Management Group again managed to get the prize posting in the province as secretary energy. However, he could not satisfy the fast-paced chief minister with his performance in the energy sector and was subsequently removed for failing to initiate any new power project in the province.

Despite repeated calls and messages on his mobile phone for last five days, Rab Nawaz did not respond to The News for his version.However talking to this correspondent earlier this month, the BISP secretary denied committing any irregularity. He said the payment of Rs2.7 million was released on merit. He said the service provider had submitted his bill six months ago but the scrutiny committee never met nor examined his case.

“So I asked the service provider to hold a presentation in the presence of the committee members and when no one objected to the performance of the said service provider, I directed them to release the payment,” he said.

Referring to the transfer of the internal auditor, Rab Nawaz said the officer had completed his five-year tenure so he was transferred. He also claimed that there were certain audit paras against him.

The secretary added that he was asked to work in BISP on the basis of his past experience with poverty reduction programmes in Pakistan and abroad and with foreign funding agencies.When asked about the reports that he was removed twice in Punjab over poor performance, Rab Nawaz denied these reports and said that it was a matter of official record if someone would bother to check. And as far his integrity and repute was concerned, that could easily be verified from anyone in the offices he previously served.

He was asked about the reports that the Flood Enquiry Tribunal had held him responsible for poor management of the flood, he replied that Punjab government had not agreed to the commission’s findings and therefore, no action was initiated against him.

About the institutional issues in BISP, the secretary said that no proper rules had been framed in BISP to define the roles and guide the work of various offices. Once the rules were framed, there would be no issue in proper working of BISP, he said.

Let’s hear the unheard answers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani media went berserk last week. ‘Patriotic’ anchors heaped scorn on Geo TV for its remarks about those in an agency held responsible in the wake of an attack on senior anchorperson Hamid Mir.

They were furious about the negative portrayal of those in the agency held responsible but oblivious to the growing concerns over threats to journalists from the intelligence agencies. Their debate was centered on the coverage of allegations against the responsible. Not a single segment, let alone complete programme, was devoted to a discussion of why journalists consider elements in the agencies a threat.

In a majority of the cases, the anchors were found hand-in-glove with the choice panelists. A dissenting voice would form part of the panel but only for the purpose of ‘flogging’ which was inevitable if one belonged to the Jang Group.

My personal experience was no different. One ‘patriotic’ anchor wanted my presence in his show but didn’t want to hear me. In a desperate attempt to make an issue out of nothing, he dismissed the Saleem Shahzad Commission report (demanding legislation for the intelligence agencies) on the grounds that it had wrongly alleged this correspondent of not recording his statement. (As a matter of fact, the then-PFUJ President Pervez Shaukat had conveyed my unwillingness to the commission to record the statement without even contacting me). I told the anchor that it was not the commission’s fault; our journalist representative fed them the wrong information about me but he was unconvinced and handed his own verdict that could discredit the commission report demanding laws for the agencies.

Another channel that invited me for a discussion on the issue censored when I demanded laws for the agencies and said that holding them accountable was the only way forward. The said channel also muted the voice of Kamran Shafi, who was a co-panelist. Even the conclusion of the talk show host, Absar Alam, was censored.

Air Marshal (retd) Shahid Latif regularly featured in the programmes on this subject. He would repeat two questions: (1) Why was the Jang Group against the defence organisations? (2) Why was it that journalists belonging to this group alone who felt threatened by the agency? I tried to answer his questions but it was a cry in the wilderness.

To his first question, I gave a personal example. I have been meeting Shahid Latif several times. He would discuss the issues relating to nepotism and lack of accountability in the defence organisations. Wasn’t he anti-Pakistan by that standard? He was not. Traitors are only those giving voice to the concerns raised by the likes of Shahid Latif.

What about Lt. Gen. (retd) Shahid Aziz who authored a book “Ye Khamoshi Kab Tak.” Any civilian author of such a book could have been termed a traitor, if not killed. Was Lt. Gen. (retd) Shuja Pasha wrong when he told the Abbottabad Commission that his agency had roughed up some ‘decent gentlemen’? Was it the right decision of Musharraf to tell the US channel, ABC TV, about the rogue elements within the agency?

His second question is equally important. Incidentally, he has been found raising this question during TV shows hosted by the channel which lost several employees to terrorism and the TTP had claimed responsibility for the attacks. Does it look good putting this question to the channel inquiring the reason for becoming a specific target of the TTP? By the way, an anchor of that channel had also echoed the same line taken by Shahid Latif. For their education, journalists of the Jang Group and other organisations are also facing similar threats from the agencies.

Rauf Klasra, a senior journalist, is not affiliated with the Jang Group. His recent column would make instructive reading for the likes of Shahid Latif. He should also ask Kamran Shafi, who is also a retired soldier, who had also blamed the agencies for firing at his home in 2010. Absar Alam is also not affiliated with the Jang Group. Azaz Syed was not with Geo TV when his house was attacked twice. Imtiaz Alam is yet another example. Saleem Shahzad is not alive to tell him why he had sensed danger and accused an agency of an attempt on his life. He was silenced through violence. Abdul Salam Soomro, a cameraman of a Sindhi TV channel who made the video of Sarfraz Shah who was gunned down by Sindh Rangers in Karachi, could also explain his threat concerns.

Let’s believe for a moment that Hamid Mir’s suspicion that an agency is involved is baseless. His vocal position on a number of issues earned him many enemies. It is quite likely that somebody else might have attacked him. However, the question remains as to why he considered the agency the main threat to his life.

Let’s suppose that my allegations about the agency’s involvement in my kidnapping and torture were wrong. But it will also have to kept in mind that my belief in this regard was strengthened with the passage of time. The more I interacted with informed persons the more they endorsed my view.

This perception among journalists regarding threats from the agency must be taken up as a challenge by the agency. Equally important is for the ‘patriotic’ anchors to take up this issue in their programmes. Among them are those who were harassed in the past, something they had been sharing. A debate about this negative perception is not going to malign the agency. It will herald a new era of trust with each other.

American journalist Tim Weiner’s book on the CIA — ‘Legacy of the Ashes’ — could not weaken the most powerful agency of the world; it was a litany of failure though. The book rather generated a new debate and triggered reforms making the agency stronger and better.

Note: This reporter and some other people were not allowed to speak. As the Jang Group is being incriminated, to educate people and give the reporter a full opportunity to be heard, it is necessary to publish this story. – Editorial Board

Wathra appointed SBP governor

ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday appointed Ashraf Mahmood Wathra as Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for a three-year term. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed to The News the appointment of Wathra.

Pakistan and the IMF are scheduled to hold the next round of review talks from May 1, 2014 so Ishaq Dar was keen on having a new governor of the SBP before the April 30 deadline. The finance ministry moved a summary on Monday and the prime minister, as well as the president, granted their assent the same day. The Finance Division is all set to issue a formal notification to this effect anytime on Monday night or Tuesday morning.

On the other hand, the IMF has made it part of its conditions under the $6.64 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) that the government would submit amendments in the SBP Act in order to strengthen the central bank of Pakistan.

Earlier, the government had appointed Wathra as acting governor of the SBP with effect from January 31, 2014. Under the SBP Act, the government was bound to appoint a permanent governor of the central bank till April 30, 2014.

Wathra had assumed the charge of the office of Deputy Governor (DG), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), on March 11, 2013. The government had notified Wathra’s appointment as DG SBP on March 5, 2013 for a period of three years from the date he assumed the office.

Wathra brings 35 years of commercial and investment banking experience to his new assignment. Prior to joining the SBP, he served the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as its Senior Executive Vice President and Group Chief, Credit Management Group, since October 2012.

Before joining the NBP, Wathra served the Habib Bank Limited from April 1999 to September 2012 in various responsible positions such as Regional General Manager (Bangladesh), Executive Vice President & Regional General Manager (Singapore), Executive Vice President, Group Executive and Risk Manager & Senior Credit Officer, Asset Remedial Management Group. He was attached with the Faysal Bank Limited from May 1992 to March 1999 in senior positions such as Executive Vice President & Country Risk Manager, Executive Vice President & Regional Manager and Senior Vice President & Chief Manager. From 1978 to 1992, he had been associated with the BRR Capital Modaraba, Emirates Bank International, American Express Bank Ltd. and ANZ Grindlays Bank. He also served as director at Habib Finance International, Hong Kong, and Habib Finance, Australia.

Holding Master’s degree in Business Administration, Wathra has attended a number of seminars, conferences and courses at home and abroad including Wharton/SMU General Management Programme, Operational Risk Management and Asian Bonds Summit, etc.

Wathra holds extensive experience in restructuring and reorganisation of business units. He has an extensive knowledge of investment banking and commercial banking operations, trade finance products and underlying delivery systems. Well conversant with the Islamic modes of finance, he has extensive marketing experience of a cross section of corporate, government and aid agencies, including syndication of large facilities for corporate and public sector. He also has experience in line management, audit and risk review, credit and risk management.

Commission starts in-camera proceedings in Hamid Mir case

 

KARACHI: The three-member judicial commission, constituted by the Supreme Court to investigate the murder attempt on Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir, on Monday initiated in-camera proceedings at the Karachi Registry of the apex court.
Headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, the commission, which has to ascertain the facts, identify culprits and fix responsibility for the incident, was briefed by senior government, police and Rangers officials.

The home secretary, IG Sindh, Additional IG Karachi, DG Rangers Sindh, Joint Director Intelligence Bureau, DIG East, DIG Special Branch, SSP Traffic and other police officers appeared before the commission along with the relevant record and submitted their confidential reports on the incident. Statements will be recorded from today (Tuesday).

The IGP Sindh, Iqbal Mehmood, briefed the commission about the incident.It is pertinent to mention that following the attack on Hamid Mir, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute a judicial commission to probe the incident.

The other members of commission are Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman. The commission shall also make recommendations to avoid such incidents in future.

Capital police baton-charge relatives of missing persons

 

ISLAMABAD: Seven civil society activists and five cops were wounded when the police resorted to a baton charge and teargassed the protesters. They were calling for the recovery of missing persons at the D-Chowk and tried to storm the Red Zone.
The Elite Force and Anti Riot Force (ARF) participated in the operation against the agitating people.Amna Masood Janjua and 11 others have been arrested, sources said. They said the police refused to obey the order of the area magistrate and assistant commissioner for using force against the agitating persons twice but they insisted they do so. They said the police resorted to a baton-charge and tear-gassing of the mob to stop it in accordance with the decision of the top administrative officers.

The clash between the police and the protesters took place when the protesters started marching towards the Parliament House. The police tried to stop them at the D-Chowk but they tried to move forward through another route, which resulted in a clash after an exchange of harsh words. Some journalists and cameramen were also injured during the clash.

Police sources said 12 protesters, including two women, had been arrested. They said the Section 144 was imposed and any kind of protest and gathering in the Red Zone was prohibited.

They said the ban on gatherings and public meetings will remain intact in future in the Red zone. They said a case would be registered against the protesters who violated the law. Sources in the district administration said on the orders of Islamabad’s newly-appointed DC, the entry of Amna Janjua was banned in the area since morning. Instructions to this effect were passed to police via wireless, they said.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took serious notice and expressed his displeasure over the crackdown by the Islamabad Police on protesters headed by Amna Masood Janjua and ordered their immediate release.

In a statement, the prime minister said that in a democratic society, peaceful protest is the right of every citizen and no one has the right to brutally torture the innocent peaceful protesters. He ordered for the immediate release of the people and directed to take strict action for the officials involved in this unhappy incident.

The Islamabad DC released all activists arrested by the police following the PM’s order.Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered an inquiry into the incident. He has also suspended two sub divisional police officers (SDPOs), the ASP (City) Yasir Afridi and ASP (Secretariat) Iram, terming them responsible for the incident and asked the DC, who is believed to be responsible for the incident, to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Economic murder of workers unacceptable: LPC

LAHORE: Journalists on Monday continued their symbolic hunger strike camp for the second consecutive day in front of the Lahore Press Club to condemn a murderous attempt on senior journalist Hamid Mir and a possible action against the Geo TV.

LPC President Arshad Ansari, LPC Secretary Muhammad Shahbaz Mian, Joint Secretary Farzana Ch, senior journalist Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Shafiq Awan, Wasif Nagi, LPC Governing Body Member Qamaruz Zaman Bhatti, Imran Sheikh, Punjab Union of Journalist President Waseem Farooq, Imtiaz Rashid, Gohar Butt, Maqsood Butt, Javed Farooqi, Maqsood Awan, Mian Abid, Zulfiqar Ali Mehto, Waseem Babar, Advocate Malik Feroz and other lawyers participated in the camp set up under the banner of the Lahore Press Club.

Addressing the participants, Arshad Ansari said it was highly condemnable that nine days had passed since the murderous attempt on Hamid Mir, but the culprits were still at large. He announced that till the attackers were not arrested, their strike camp would continue. He said the journalists community would not tolerate any action against the Geo TV for the cause of the freedom of expression. He said the economic murder of media workers could not be allowed. He said the whole community would stand by all journalists and media houses in testing times. He said from April 30, the members of all press clubs of the country would reach Lahore and the whole community would organise rallies and demonstrations for four consecutive days from May 1.

He said conspiracies were being hatched on a daily basis to curb the Geo but the journalists community stood united with the Geo to foil all such attempts. He said a rally would be organised on May 2 in favour of the freedom of expression and a procession would proceed on May 3 from the Lahore Press Club to the Punjab Assembly.

Shahbaz Mian said the journalists community was not divided on the issue of Hamid Mir and would foil all conspiracies in this regard.

Punjab Bar Council Member Malik Sarwar said journalists and lawyers had supported each other in strengthening democracy in the country and the same would be continued in future as well.

Forum for International Relations and Development Chairman Taha Qureshi said the media had paid a heavy price for the sake of democracy and no one could curb its freedom. He said his organisation would not support any action against the Geo TV.

Our Peshawar Correspondent adds: The newly elected body of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) on Monday termed the attack on the Geo News anchor Hamid Mir as an assault on the freedom of the press and asked the government to arrest the assailants forthwith.

PHCBA newly elected Secretary General Muhammad Ayaz Khan told The News that the Jang Group had played a historic role for the independence of the judiciary and restoration of democracy.

“After the successful lawyers’ movement, all of us including the media, civil society and lawyers were under attack on various fronts. The media had given full support to the lawyers’ movement and now lawyers would stand by the media in this difficult time,” he added.

PHCBA’s new President Muhammad Isa Khan said that freedom of the press was the need of the hour, but freedom of expression should be under the law and as per the Constitution. He said unlawful acts of the government against freedom of the press were not acceptable.

About his newly elected team’s work plan, he said his first priority would be to establish good working and cordial relations between the bar and the bench. He said the cause list in the PHC was too long and sometime cases were adjourned without hearing.

“My effort would be to reduce the cause list so that there is enough time to hear each case,” he said, adding that important and urgent cases should be heard in one or two days. He said due to the backlog of work the vital cases were also fixed for hearing in a week or two.

He said the lawyers in the provincial capital were facing car parking problem, lack of bar rooms and various unresolved legal issues with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council.

He said he would try to stop pre-poll rigging in the PHCBA election. He claimed that in every election the presidential and other candidates deposit the membership fee of the voters that is in thousands.

“I would try to issue lifetime PHCBA membership. It would not only end pre-poll rigging, but also eliminate the stigma from the lawyers of defaulting on payment of dues,” he said. He added that the new body would also try to discourage the role of non-practicing lawyers in the bar associations.

Ayaz Khan, the PHCBA general secretary, said he would try to introduce a system of assistance to the families of those lawyers who became handicapped or their practice was affected due to illness.

In the PHCBA election on Saturday, Muhammad Isa Khan, a presidential candidate of the Muttahida Lawyers Panel won by securing 684 votes. His rival Muzammil Khan, who was a joint candidate of the People’s Lawyers Forum (PLF) and the ANP-affiliated Malgari Wakeelan, got 616 votes.

Muhammad Ayaz Khan, the joint candidate of PLF and Malgari Wakeelan won the election as secretary general by obtaining 583 votes. His rival Hazrat Said got 376 votes.

Jamal Afridi, the candidate of Muttahida Lawyers Forum won the election as vice president by securing 607 votes. He defeated Irshad Ahmad Durrani who got 443 votes. Kashif Jan was elected as the joint secretary by obtaining 732 votes. His rival Imad Anjum Durrani got 523 votes.

Wajid Hussain won election for the office of finance secretary by getting 736 votes. Ziaul Hassan was elected the press secretary. A female lawyer, Gul Naz won election as member of the executive committee with 372 votes

Protests grow as loadshedding intensifies

LAHORE: A heatwave has gripped the plains of the country in the last 24 hours. Protests and demonstrations were held in several cities of the country against long power cuts, which have disrupted normal life.

In Dadu, a maximum of 45C temperature was recorded while it remained 40C in Lahore and Multan, 39 in Faisalabad and 42C in Karachi.Meanwhile, the maximum temperature recorded in Mitthi and Chaur was 44C and Sibi, Rohri, Turbat and Lasbela 43C.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, dry weather is expected in most parts of the country during the next two to three days. The Met office also predicted an increase in the intensity of heat.

On the other hand, the duration of loadshedding has been increased and several cities had to bear long loadshedding on Monday, which disturbed the routine life, especially the business community.

The unscheduled loadshedding has blown away the government’s claim that it has controlled loadshedding. With the advent of summer, the duration of loadshedding has been increased from six to 12 hours in several cities of the country, while in the countryside 8-16 hours loadshedding is being carried out.

Meanwhile, protests and demonstrations were held in several cities due to long loadshedding, which paralysed the normal life.The protesters, including traders, shopkeepers, students and others, condemned the long loadshedding and demanded the government to take steps to reduce the loadshedding.The demonstrations were held in Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Quetta, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other cities of Sindh.

Gas supply to PM Secretariat, Parliament House, others cut

 

ISLAMABAD: Gas supply to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Parliament House, Parliament Lodges, Federal Shariat Court, Governor House, Murree, and other government departments was suspended for not clearing their dues, a private news channel reported on Monday.
According to the Sui Northern officials, Rs7.7 million dues are outstanding against the Parliament Lodges while the PM Secretariat is a gas defaulter of Rs4.7 million.Surprisingly, the Parliament House has to pay a sum of Rs1.3 million to gas regulators against its outstanding dues and the Federal Shariat Court owes Rs224,000 to gas utilities.The Governor House, Murree, has also been included in the list of gas defaulters as bills amounting to Rs188,000 are pending against it.

Up to Rs4.51 per litre decline in POL prices on the cards

 

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has asked the government to decrease the price of petroleum products by up to Rs4.51 per litre from May 1, 2014.
As per the summary Ogra has sent to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, prices in the international markets have surged considerably owing to which a lower reduction in POL prices has been proposed.

The reduction in the price of petrol has been proposed by Re0.34 per litre, which is very nominal. However, decrease in the price of High Speed Diesel has been proposed at Rs4.51 per litre, which will provide a reasonable solace to the masses as most of the transportation of all kinds of goods, including kitchen items, takes place on diesel-fired vehicles.

The reduction in the price of diesel will help reduce the prices of daily use items. The price of kerosene oil is proposed to be decreased by Rs3.08 per litre, Light Diesel Oil Re0.94 per litre and High Octane Blending Component (HOBC) Rs1.94 per litre.

Though dollar depreciated against the Pak Rupee yet consumers will not get the required relief just because of the fact that the price of petrol has surged to a reasonable level in the global market and this has deprived the consumers of petrol Rs1.20 per litre relief.

According to official sources, the Ministry of Finance is already collecting revenue from taxes on petroleum products and petroleum levy as per the current budget due to which relief in the POL prices recommended by Ogra will be passed on to consumers of all categories.

This means that the new price of petrol (motor gasoline) will be Rs107.97 per litre from May 1, 2014, High Speed Diesel Rs109.34 per litre, Light Diesel Oil Rs 94.13 per litre and kerosene oil Rs 98.07 per litre.

Talks process with Taliban can’t be prolonged

 

ISLAMABAD:A high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif expressed the view that the dialogue process with the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) could not be prolonged indefinitely as the government wanted result-oriented talks with the Taliban.
The prime minister also said, “the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in national security and defence is highly commendable.”The meeting held at the PM House was attended by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, DG ISI Lt General Zaheerul Islam, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on National Security Tariq Fatmi. The civil and military leadership took stock of the overall national security situation in the country.

The prime minister expressed his displeasure over the recent terrorist attacks and decided to take affective action against those involved in such incidents.The meeting also reviewed the overall internal and external security situation and the ongoing dialogue process with the proscribed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to bring peace. The participants of the meeting reiterated their determination to deal with the menace of terrorism.

The prime minister said that all the institutions would continue to work in synergy for the protection of the life and property of the masses. He appreciated the role of the security institutions, particularly the ISI, in ensuring security and peace in the country.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan apprised the meeting of the talks with the Taliban and said the Taliban committee had been asked to set a clear direction for result-oriented dialogue as the dialogue process could not be prolonged indefinitly. He said it was time to make the ongoing dialogue process productive.

The meeting further emphasised that all-encompassing talks would be conducted with the Taliban Shura and it was high time that the dialogue process achieved tangible results. The interior minister said that the Taliban committee had also been asked to discuss the whole agenda of the Taliban Shura.

There was consensus among all the participants that the dialogue process with the Taliban should have a concise agenda and dialogue should take place under well defined parameters. Serious apprehensions were expressed over the recent terrorism incidents and the commitment to take effective action against the perpetrators behind such incidents was reiterated.

The DG ISI briefed the prime minister on the measures taken after the recent terrorist attacks and about the overall security situation of the country. The DG ISI assured the meeting that those involved in the recent terrorism incidents would be brought to justice and their identity revealed to the people of Pakistan.

Mayor of eastern Ukraine city shot

The mayor of Ukraine’s second-largest city was shot in the back on Monday and pro-Russia insurgents seized yet another government building as tensions rose in eastern Ukraine ahead of a new round of U.S. sanctions.

In a bid to ratchet up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Barack Obama has promised to levy new sanctions on Russian individuals and companies in retaliation for Moscow’s alleged provocations in eastern Ukraine.

Officials have not commented on the circumstances of the shooting and it was not clear who was behind it. Kernes was a staunch opponent of the pro-West Maidan movement that toppled President Viktor Yanukovych in February.

Kharkiv is in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian gunmen have seized government buildings, set up roadblocks or staged protests to demand greater autonomy or outright annexation by Russia.

On Monday, masked militants with automatic weapons seized another city hall building in eastern Ukraine, this time in Kostyantynivka, 160 kilometres from the Russian border.

After the seizure, about 15 armed men guarded the building. Some posed for pictures with residents while others distributed St. George’s ribbons, the symbol of the pro-Russia movement.

Kostyantynivka is just 35 kilometres south of Slovyansk, a major city in eastern Ukraine that has been in insurgents’ hands for more than three weeks now.

President Barack Obama said a 10-year agreement signed on Monday to give the U.S military greater access to Philippine bases will help promote peace and stability in the region and that he hopes China’s dominant power will allow its neighbours to prosper on their own terms.

The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement will give American forces temporary access to selected military camps and allow them to preposition fighter jets and ships.

“Our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China. Our goal is to make sure international rules and norms are respected and that includes in the area of international disputes,” Mr. Obama said at a news conference with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the Malacanang Palace.

“We don’t go around sending ships and threatening folks,” Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Aquino said the new agreement “takes our security cooperation to a higher level of engagement, reaffirms our countries’ commitment to mutual defence and security, and promotes regional peace and stability.”

Still, the increased U.S. military role drew consternation from some Filipino activists, who said the agreement reverses democratic gains achieved when huge American military bases were shut down in the early 1990s, ending a nearly century-long military presence in the former U.S. colony.

Some 800 of those activists burned mock U.S. flags and chanted “no-bama, no bases, no war” on the road leading to the gates of the palace where Mr. Obama met with Mr. Aquino.

Our goal is not to counter China, Obama says

President Barack Obama said a 10-year agreement signed on Monday to give the U.S military greater access to Philippine bases will help promote peace and stability in the region and that he hopes China’s dominant power will allow its neighbours to prosper on their own terms.

The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement will give American forces temporary access to selected military camps and allow them to preposition fighter jets and ships.

“Our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China. Our goal is to make sure international rules and norms are respected and that includes in the area of international disputes,” Mr. Obama said at a news conference with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the Malacanang Palace.

“We don’t go around sending ships and threatening folks,” Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Aquino said the new agreement “takes our security cooperation to a higher level of engagement, reaffirms our countries’ commitment to mutual defence and security, and promotes regional peace and stability.”

Still, the increased U.S. military role drew consternation from some Filipino activists, who said the agreement reverses democratic gains achieved when huge American military bases were shut down in the early 1990s, ending a nearly century-long military presence in the former U.S. colony.

Some 800 of those activists burned mock U.S. flags and chanted “no-bama, no bases, no war” on the road leading to the gates of the palace where Mr. Obama met with Mr. Aquino.