No more than 1 person can see off, receive passengers at airports

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has placed a restriction on more than one person seeing off or receiving travellers at airports across the country as part of security arrangements.

A spokesman for the CAA said the restriction will be applicable from July 6. The latest move follows a militant attack on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport and later firing on a landing aircraft at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan Airport.

Following the attacks which saw many people killed Cathay Pacific suspended operations to Pakistan while Saudi Arabia Airlines, Emirates and Eithad Airways stopped flights to Peshawar.

Adding to the miseries of passengers the authority has also decided to wind up porter service.

Dr Tahirul Qadri refuses to get off at Lahore airport

ISLAMABAD: Emirates Airline flight EK-612 carrying Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has landed at the main terminal of Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore on Monday morning after being diverted from Islamabad.

According to media reports, Dr Qadri has refused to leave the plane as the authorities took him to Lahore instead of Islamabad.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) earlier told that the flight EK-612 of Emirates Airline carrying Dr Qadri was diverted to Lahore who was arriving from Dubai and landed at 9:35 am at the main terminal of Lahore airport.

The authority further told that other passengers will be flown to Islamabad after Dr Qadri is escorted at the Lahore airport.

On the other hand, a temporary helipad has been prepared at the Minhaj ul Quran Secretariat for the helicopter that will safely carry PAT chief to the secretariat.

Strict security measures were witnessed at the Lahore airport before Dr Qadri’s arrival.

Earlier, a larger number of PAT workers crossed all barriers to reach the Benazir International Airport to welcome their chief Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri who was expected to land in the federal capital earlier.

Dr Qadri's supporters clashed with police and chanted slogans against the government as law enforcers tried to prevent them from reaching the airport. The police baton charged the supporters and resorted to using tear gas to disperse the crowd near Faizabad.

Following clashes with supporters, the police finally had to retreat after enraged activists pelted them with stones. Dozens of policemen were injured in the clashes, hospital sources told.

The protesters carrying banners and flags of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, defying section 144 imposed by the government in the wake of the Qadris’ arrival continued their march to the airport.

Car bomb kills at least 34 in Syria’s Hama

 

DAMASCUS: A car bomb claimed by rebels killed at least 34 people on Friday in a government-controlled village in the central Syrian province of Hama, state news agency SANA reported.

More than 50 people were wounded in the attack in Al-Horra, SANA said, blaming the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

The Islamic Front, a rebel coalition, claimed responsibility. It said on Twitter that a radio-controlled bomb had targeted a "gathering of Assad militia.

"The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 37 people were killed, including civilians as well as security personnel, and more than 40 wounded.

On Thursday, a car bomb exploded in the city of Homs, to the south of Hama, killing at least six people in a neighbourhood populated by Alawites, the Islamic sect to which Assad belongs.

No one claimed responsibility for what was the second attack in Homs -- Syria´s third largest city -- in less than a week, but state television blamed it on rebels.

Russia to challenge US sanctions at WTO

MOSCOW: Russia will contest US sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine at the World Trade Organisation, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Friday.

"The United States has introduced sanctions against Russia which will have negative consequences for external trade. We have decided to challenge them at the WTO," Medvedev said in televised comments.

Washington has slapped sanctions on high-ranking Russian officials and businesses belonging to close allies of President Vladimir Putin over Moscow´s annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March and accusations the Kremlin is stirring up a separatist rebellion. Russia -- which joined the WTO in 2012 -- has already launched several challenges against similar punitive measures by the European Union but this is the first time it has taken on the US sanctions.

Medvedev said that challenging the US penalties would "not be simple as the United States is the authority at the WTO." The West has said it is ready to impose a fresh round of broader economic sanctions on Russia if it continues to destabilise the situation in eastern Ukraine. (AFP)

Public, lawyers beat Gullu Butt at Model Town Katcheri

LAHORE: Gullu Butt, the man caught on camera damaging a number of vehicles outside the Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) Secretariat in Model Town, was tortured by an angry crowd and lawyers at the Model Town Katcheri on Thursday.
Gullu Butt was handcuffed and his face was covered when an angry mob encircled him and tortured him. Only two policemen were escorting him at the time. Lawyers were demanding the authorities to try Gullu Butt under the anti-terrorism act.

Two police officers, who were escorting Butt, failed to protect him from the wrath of the angry mob and lawyers.Ironically, the policemen asked him “to lie down” to save his skin amid continuous pounding by kicks and fists. After being savagely assaulted by the public, the police personnel present on the occasion tried to take control of the situation. The scuffle left Gullu Butt unconscious. He was immediately shifted to hospital by the police in a rickshaw.

Later, a heavy contingent of police was deployed on the court premises and the police again produced Gullu before a judicial magistrate and sought his physical remand. However, a senior police officer told the court that the club he used to damage vehicles had already been recovered, so there was no need of a physical remand.

As this, the judge sent Gullu to jail on 14-day judicial remand.Police on Tuesday carried out an anti-encroachment drive to remove the barriers outside the MQI Secretariat and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri’s Lahore residence during which nine persons lost their lives.

Gullu Butt was arrested for vandalism after TV news cameras caught him damaging a number of vehicles outside the MQI Secretariat in Model Town in the presence of police on Tuesday.Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif issued orders for his arrest after watching the vandalism done by Butt captured in the news footage. The man was later identified as Gullu Butt alias Sher-i-Lahore, known to be a police tout in Model Town.

Gunmen kill at least 26 in Kenya attack: official

MOMBASA: At least 26 people were killed when some 50 insurgents flying black flags swept into a Kenyan coastal town firing guns in an unprecedented attack, a local government official said Monday.

"So far we have collected over 26 bodies and taken them to the mortuary, but we are still looking for more," Benson Maisori, deputy commissioner for the district told.

Gun battles began Sunday evening and continued into the early hours of Monday morning, but by dawn, the town of Mpeketoni was reported calm.

The insurgents were reported to have been from Somalia´s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab.

"There were around 50 attackers, heavily armed in three vehicles, and they were flying the Shebab flag," Maisori added, speaking from the town, where several buildings including hotels, restaurants, banks and government offices were razed to the ground.

"They were shouting in Somali and shouting ´Allahu Akbar´", he added, meaning "God is great", in Arabic.

Cafes and bars were reportedly packed with people watching the World Cup on television when the gunmen attacked.

The town of Mpeketoni, a trading centre on the main coastal road, lies on the mainland some 30 kilometres (20 miles) southwest of Lamu island, a popular tourist destination whose ancient architecture is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir described how the gunmen had stormed the town, overwhelming local police officers, and firing from vehicles "shooting people around in town".

Chirchir also said the attackers were "likely to be Al-Shebab," although there was no immediate claim of responsiblity from the Islamists themselves.

Attackers tried to storm a police post including an armoury, but Maisori said officers had defended the building and fought the gunmen off.

It was the latest in a series of attacks or bombings to hit Kenya -- most usually blamed on the Shebab or their supporters -- but the reported scale and nature of this attack is rare.

Kenyan troops crossed into southern Somalia in 2011 to fight the Shebab, later joining the now 22,000-strong African Union force battling the insurgents.

The Shebab vowed revenge, carrying out attacks, including one on Nairobi´s Westgate mall in September 2013 in which at least 67 people were killed.

 

CAA suspends porter service at all Airports

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended porter service at airports across Pakistan and has inducted the porters in the vigilance department.

Sources add, that porter service will be available for aged and disabled passengers, however regular passengers will not be provided porter service for some time.

Additionally porter service provided by private airlines to their passengers will continue to function.

Gas leak kills six at giant India steel plant

RAIPUR: A poisonous gas leak at one of India´s largest steel plants killed six people overnight and injured 31 others, a factory official said on Friday.

Deadly gas escaped from one of the blast furnaces at the flagship Bhilai Steel plant run by the Steel Authority of India in central Chhattisgarh state, the factory´s chief spokesman said.

"Six industrial workers have been killed and 31 others injured due to leakage of carbon monoxide gas from one of the blast furnaces," Vijay Mairal told.

Six of the injured were in a "severe condition" in hospital in the city of Bhilai, he said.

A statement from the company said the main water pump suddenly ruptured on Thursday night, resulting in a loss of pressure in the pipes supplying water to the blast furnace. As the workers were fixing the rupture, gas from the furnace entered the damaged pipes and leaked, the statement said.

Mairal said the incident will be investigated thoroughly but that the priority was to assist those affected.

The plant in Bhilai in Durg district, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of state capital Raipur, produces 3.15 million tonnes of saleable steel annually.

The plant is India´s sole producer of rails and heavy steel plates.

India

At least 22 killed in fighting in east of C. Africa: police

BANGUI: Fighting between mainly Muslim ex-rebels and the largely Christian "anti-balaka" militia has killed at least 22 people in eastern Central African Republic, security officials said Thursday.

"At least 22 people have been killed and more than 30 were wounded in clashes that broke out last Monday and Tuesday in Liwa village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from Bambari," a source in the local gendarmerie told AFP, asking not to be named.

He said the fighting was between former rebels of the Seleka alliance and the mainly Christian militia.

At least 22 killed in fighting in east of C. Africa: police

BANGUI: Fighting between mainly Muslim ex-rebels and the largely Christian "anti-balaka" militia has killed at least 22 people in eastern Central African Republic, security officials said Thursday.

"At least 22 people have been killed and more than 30 were wounded in clashes that broke out last Monday and Tuesday in Liwa village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from Bambari," a source in the local gendarmerie told AFP, asking not to be named.

He said the fighting was between former rebels of the Seleka alliance and the mainly Christian militia.

Flight operations resume at Karachi airport

KARACHI: Flight operations resumed at the Karachi airport at 4:00 PM with the first flight departing for Islamabad.

Operations had been suspended after heavily armed militants launched an assault on Pakistan´s busiest airport in Karachi, leaving at least 30 dead including 10 militants in a six-hour siege that the army quelled at dawn on Monday.


Explosions and gunfire rang out as the attackers, equipped with suicide vests, grenades and rocket launchers, battled security forces in one of the most brazen attacks in years in Pakistan´s biggest city.

Authorities said all 10 militants were killed and that the bodies of 18 victims, including security personnel and four airport workers, had been identified at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accepted the responsibility of the attack.

Karachi airport cleared, flights to resume at 4:00 PM

RAWALPINDI: DG ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa said on Monday that the final clearance of the entire airport has completed and the flight operation will resume at 4:00 PM.

In a message on a social networking website, the military spokesman added that the airport has been handed over to CAA/ASF and would likely re-open at 2:00 PM.

The prime minister’s adviser Shujaat Azeem said that the flights operations would resume at the Karachi airport from 4:00 PM.

Heavily armed militants launched an assault on Pakistan´s busiest airport in Karachi, leaving at least 30 dead including 10 militants in a six-hour siege that the army quelled at dawn on Monday.

Explosions and gunfire rang out as the attackers, equipped with suicide vests, grenades and rocket launchers, battled security forces in one of the most brazen attacks in years in Pakistan´s biggest city.

Authorities said all 10 militants were killed and that the bodies of 18 victims, including security personnel and four airport workers, had been identified at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accepted the responsibility of the attack.

Doctor blamed for death of babies at Karachi hospital

KARACHI: An initial probe report into the death of four newborn babies at a private hospital has blamed doctor’s negligence for the horrific incident.

The report states that the doctor was not present at the time of the incident and was giving instructions to technicians over the telephone.

The newborn babies lost their lives after oxygen supply to their incubators was disconnected due to load shedding at the hospital.

According to the spokesman of Sindh Department of Health, seven pre-mature babies were born at a private hospital in Korangi no.6 two days ago who were kept in incubators for intensive care.

However, the oxygen supply was discontinued due to load shedding that resulted in the death of four infants.

The parents and relatives of the deceased children protested outside the hospital and alleged that the newborn babies were not provided with adequate first aid and negligence of doctors resulted in their death.

The sources told that the hospital staff along with the doctors disappeared after the incident while the Sindh Health Department has requested to arrest the entire staff.

The Health department sealed the hospital and arrested three persons while raids are being conducted to search the owner of the hospital.

Australia thrash England 5-0 at hockey World Cup

THE HAGUE: England's men suffered their first defeat of the 2014 Hockey World Cup after going down 5-0 against Australia at the Kyocera Stadium – leaving their semi-final hopes in the balance.

Having won two and drawn one of their opening three Group A games, England were outclassed in parts by the Kookaburras, who booked their place in the last four with victory.

Australia set about their business inside just 25 seconds as Matt Gohdes scored the second-fastest goal of this year's World Cup.

Soon after, a good initial save from George Pinner was not enough to prevent Liam De Young converting the rebound to make it 2-0.

Jamie Dwyer scored Australia's third before they extended their lead in the dying seconds of the first half courtesy of a superb volley from Kieran Govers.

Australia increased their lead early in the second half through Aran Zalewski but Pinner showed his class late on with a number of fine saves to keep the score down.

England now need to beat Belgium on Monday to secure a place in the semi-finals.

Pakistan juniors make winning start at Asian snooker

MOHALI: Pakistan beat India in their opening match of the Asian Junior Snooker Championship in Mohali.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Majid Ali beat India’s Nikhil Sehgal 4-0.

In another match Pakistan’s Harris Nadeem beat Hong Kong’s Ming Wing Wa 4-3.

Six children die at a private hospital

KARACHI: Six children died at a private hospital due to alleged negligence by the staffers, Geo News reported.

The parents of the victims alleged that their children died due to shortage of oxygen and negligence of hospital administration.

Sources in the health ministry confirmed deaths of children at a private hospital near Korangi crossing area.

Meanwhile, EDO health was unaware of the incident, however, he formed a committee to investigate into the matter.

Search at Altaf's London home concludes

LONDON: Police have concluded their search at the North London home of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

Sources confirmed that the specialist operations unit left at midnight.

The MQM chief’s residence was raided by around 40 specialist unit detectives at dawn on Tuesday.

The control of the house has been handed to the local police and around six policemen remain at the scene but the search has concluded.

Forensic experts along with investigators of Dr Imran Farooq's murder case took part in the search.

A decision regarding further questioning will be made after Altaf Hussain’s medical tests are completed on Wednesday. The MQM chief’s lawyers are also expected to submit his plea for bail.


Altaf Hussain was arrested from his home in North London according on suspicion of being involved in money laundering.

Scotland Yard confirmed that a 60 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering but did not name Altaf Hussain.

The MQM said the Metropolitan Police arrived at the residence of Mr Altaf Hussain in North London. “They had the search warrant and said that they want to arrest Mr Hussain and take him to the police station where he will be questioned about money laundering investigation."

“We would like to inform that Mr Hussain has been very ill for past several days and only yesterday the MQM Central Coordination Committee discussed his health situation and contacted his personal doctor. The doctor visited the residence of Mr Hussain and examined him. He advised to shift him to the hospital. He also consulted with various specialist consultants and it was decided that today, i.e. Tuesday, in the morning Mr Hussain will be admitted to a London Hospital where he will undergo treatment for the next few days.”

“Today, Mr Hussain was getting ready for the hospital when the police arrived at his house and informed him that he is being arrested for investigation.”

Scotland Yard confirmed late on Tuesday that Hussain has been taken to hospital for previously scheduled medical appointment.

“The arrest took place at a residential address in NW London. Officers are at present searching the address. The man has an existing medical condition and we will ensure that he attends pre-arranged hospital appointments today. He will remain in the custody of officers throughout.”
 

A British citizen, Altaf Hussain has lived in exile in the UK since 1991 after he fled Karachi and sought asylum here. He has been attacked in Karachi several times before he left Pakistan.

Pakistan High Commission asks for access to Altaf

The Pakistan High Commission has asked for access to MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

The Pakistan High Commission had approached the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Tuesday for consular services to Altaf Hussain but has not received a reply.

MQM continues protest



MQM workers and supporters continue their protests in Karachi and major cities of Sindh until the release of party chief Altaf Hussain.

In Karachi, thousands of MQM workers are holding a protest at Numaish Chowrangi.

A traditional budget at best

 

ISLAMABAD: What we are up against are extraordinary economic challenges. A traditional budget is not good enough. What we need is a budget with a whole host of ‘out of the box’ features. What we have is a ‘standard, conventional, customary budget produced, done, or used in accordance with our long-established rather mundane traditions’. Being traditional does not mean being bad.
Here’s what is good: The budget deficit, certainly the root of a hundred financial evils, is down. Down rather substantially-around 2 percent of GDP or a wholesome Rs500 billion. That means that the government would not have to borrow Rs500 billion and that means that the private sector would have Rs500 billion to invest. I hear that the Peoples’ Work Program I and the Peoples’ Work Program II, under which MNAs and Senators dole out billion-rupee programs, are on their way out. That is so good.

I like the tobacco tax and I wish it was a lot higher because we need to discourage some 25 million Pakistanis from taking out their next cigarette and cigarette kills more than 100,000 Pakistanis a year. I also like the beginning of the elimination of the SRO regime.

I like all the housing incentives wishing that the budgetary allocations were a lot higher. And I like the Rs63 billion for the Higher Education Commission.I also like how Ishaq Dar has reversed the trend whereby even Pakistani housewives had begun converting their rupees into dollars.

And I like how 3G/4G licences were auctioned off in a transparent exercise.What I didn’t like is tax, tax and more tax. There was hardly anything about expenditure control. The oil mafia continues to gulp down Rs400 billion a year. The State Owned Enterprises eat up an additional Rs500 billion. The Rs1.3 trillion PSDP has little monitoring and no direction. And our government’s so-called Commodity Operations cost us Rs100 billion a year every year.

What is totally beyond my comprehension is how the Ministry of Finance plans on collecting an additional Rs600 billion in taxes. What I do not understand is that how can the government expect to extract an additional Rs600 billion in taxes and still claim that our GDP growth will come in even higher. Oxymoron!

What I don’t like is the way the FBR collects taxes. Our industrial sector is 25 percent of our GDP and we extract 67 percent of taxes from the industry. Our agriculture sector is 21 percent of our GDP and we collect Rs1 billion in taxes. Our services sector is 55 percent of our GDP and no one knows how much is collected in the form of taxes.

What I miss the most is a growth strategy. The budget really does not have a growth strategy. The budget has failed to identify particular growth sectors. And the budget has failed to identify specific growth drivers.

Yes, the budget has mega infrastructure projects as growth drivers. That experiment is bound to fail — fail rather miserably. In 1930, America tried to come out of its depression via government spending on infrastructure. Eighty four years ago, America failed. In 1990, Japan tried to come of its recession via government spending on infrastructure. Twenty four years ago, Japan failed. Eighty five years ago, Einstein defined insanity as: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

We will not be able to accelerate our rate of economic growth by starting multi billion rupee infrastructure projects. Economic growth is a byproduct of increased labour productivity or expansion. Labour productivity is dependent on education, efficiency and/or infusion of new technology. Alas, our budget has none of that.Our financial disease is not benign. At most, the Budget 2014-15 is an antibiotic. What we need is chemotherapy.

MQM stages sit-in at Numaish Chowrangi

KARACHI: Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists on Tuesday staged a sit-in at Numaish Chowrangi to show solidarity with their leader Altaf Hussai who is held by police in London in alleged money laundering case.

Earlier, addressing the activists at Nine Zero, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said that the activists would now stage sit-in at Numaish roundabout. He said that the protest would continue until the party chief addresses the activists.

Several activists including women gathered at the Mazar-e-Quaid roundabout and chanted slogans in favour of their party chief. The activists vowed to continue the until MQM chief address them.

MQM legislators also joined the protest sit-in at the roundabout and said that they would update their activists on every development in London.

Meanwhile, the MQM coordination Committee asked their workers to stage protests outside press clubs across the country and said that these protest were called for expressing sympathy with the party chief. (PPI)

Bombing at northeast Nigeria football pitch kills at least 40: police

KANO: A bombing at a football pitch in Nigeria's restive northeast killed at least 40 people on Sunday in an area previously attacked by Boko Haram, a police officer and a nurse said.

The blast hit the town of Mubi in Adamawa state, one of three in the northeast which has been under a state of emergency for more than a year as Nigeria's military has tried to crush Boko Haram's five-year extremist uprising.

"There has been a bomb explosion at a football field this evening and so far more than 40 people have been killed," said the officer in Mubi who requested anonymity.

The policeman's account was confirmed by a nurse at the Mubi General Hospital, who also requested anonymity, as the health worker was not authorised to discuss the attack with the media.

Adamawa has been hit by far fewer Boko Haram attacks than other parts of the northeast, but the town was the site of a gruesome October 2012 massacre at a post-secondary technical college.

Scores of students were killed in their dorms, including many whose throats were slit.

Mubi is just a few kilometres from Nigeria's border with Cameroon and near the area where two Italian priests and a Canadian nun were seized by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in April.

The three were released earlier on Sunday and flown out on board a military aircraft from the town of Maroua, heading for the Cameroon's capital.

The policeman in Mubi said the bomb exploded at roughly 6:30 pm (1730 GMT) at the pitch in Mubi's Kabang area and targeted fans who were trying to leave the field after watching a local club match.

It was not immediately clear if players were among the casualties, but the officer and the nurse said it appeared most of the victims were fans.

Muhammad Hassan, a Mubi resident who was at the match, said the blast appeared to come from within the crowd of people who were walking across the pitch and heading home after the final whistle.

"Women and children were caught up in the blast," he said. Boko Haram has carried out scores of attacks on targets it says are a product of Western influence, including sports venues and schools teaching a secular curriculum.

The group has killed thousands during its battle against the government since 2009, but the conflict has received unprecedented global attention over the last six weeks following the group’s mass kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls.

The girls were seized on April 14 from Chibok in Borno state, which shares a border with Adamawa.

Nigeria's response to the kidnapping has been fiercely criticised as inept and the crisis has piled intense pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan's government to do more to end the uprising.