KWSB takes back notice to Fatima Jinnah’s residence

KARACHI: Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) says no consumer is exempt from payment and that the residence of the late Fatima Jinnah — Flag Staff House Museum — has paid Rs75,000 and assured of clearing the outstanding amount following which the notice has been taken back.It said all national personalities were respectable for the organisation; however, no one was exempt from paying bills.The board further said as per law it was its responsibility to bill the consumers. It said exemption from paying the water bill needed an amendment to the law.

“No officer enjoys the prerogative to excuse someone from paying the bill, as the organisation also regularly receives bills from all the mosques, Imambargahs, churches and other worship places of the city.”

Deputy Managing Director Resource Revenue Generation of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Muhammad Aslam Khan said under the Act bills for provision of water and sewerage services were received from all the institutions and residential and commercial units.

He said the Management Board of the Quaid’s Mausoleum paid bills regularly in addition to the Governor’s House and the CM House.Khan said the government also allocates amounts in the budget for payment of utility bills. He said Fatima Jinnah House came under the PWD.“They were sent a notice of Rs245,000 out of which Rs75,000 has already been paid. The organisation has been assured of paying the remaining amount in writing.”

Disciplined New Zealand claw back into reckoning

BARBADOS: New Zealand faced an extended session with West Indies sitting on a useful overnight foundation. Starting well was imperative and the visitors did that in addition to sticking to their plans. West Indies were 53 runs from eclipsing the lead, and lunch was minutes away when they suffered their biggest blow with the dogged Shivnarine Chanderpaul becoming the third victim of the morning.

Inventive fields and consistency from the bowlers made for an absorbing session. The abrasive pitch sapped most of the pace off the ball and the search for wickets led Brendon McCullum to play hot potato with his close-in fielders. It started with twin gullies for Darren Bravo, then twin short covers, and as the batsman continued to drive on the up, a third short cover.

Bravo took on the challenge. Two fours were conceded before Neil Wagner duped him with a slower ball that drew him a little too far outside the off stump. Williamson at gully completed a good catch and the visitors celebrated an astute plan coming off.

Wagner and Tim Southee were adamant in keeping the ball up to the batsman. If the ball stopped in the pitch, silly mid-ons and short midwickets lay in wait for the miscued drive. The short ball was used as a surprise weapon as Chanderpaul found out against Wagner, whose accuracy was remarkable.

It did help New Zealand that even set batsmen like Kirk Edwards had trouble regaining their stride. He had to contend with the bowlers targeting the stumps. His strokeplay was restrained and a simple defensive push skimmed across the turf to usher him to his half-century. However, pushing on from the mark has been a problem in recent times. The last three times he had reached this far, he could not reach 60. Southee ensured the continuation of that trend by generating reverse swing in his second spell. The flick off the legs ended up as a leading edge that swirled in the air before Hamish Rutherford held a well-judged catch.

Trent Boult was held back until the 10th over of the morning and extracted some zip off the deck. He enjoyed a hint of reverse swing as well and almost had Chanderpaul caught at short midwicket.

New Zealand created opportunities and if they couldn't they kept things tight. They would know West Indies' tail is long and traditionally brittle. The onus now is on the captain Denesh Ramdin to regain lost ground.

Geo News is back

ISLAMABAD: The licence of the most popular channel of Pakistan, Geo News, has been restored by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) after 15 days, which caused a wave of jubilation among the viewers, who will now get an opportunity to watch their favourite channel once again.

After the suspension of 15 days, Geo News started its transmission once again at midnight of Friday and Saturday.Impartial channels flashed this news as ‘breaking news’.

Pemra has forwarded the notification of restoration of Geo News to all its regional offices with strict direction that the country’s cable operators should obey the order of the Supreme Court according to which the position of Geo News on cable TV network should be the same as was in the second week of April, 2014.

Similarly, Pemra has directed its regional offices to present reports for implementing its orders. The regulator has also formally issued a press release to all the newspapers, news agencies and channels regarding its notification.

Before the suspension of Geo News, some of the cable operators illegally kept the transmission of Geo Kahani, Geo Entertainment, Geo Tez and Geo Super off air for 45 days. Other cable operators shifted the Geo channels to the last numbers on the cable network.

Geo News also obeyed the order of Pemra and paid a fine of Rs10 million. In addition, the shift in position of the channel cost billions of rupees to the Geo Group.

All the viewers were of the opinion that they were missing the news and analysis of Geo News. They prayed for reinstatement of Geo News and expressed pleasure after its restoration on the night of June 20, 2014.

Djokovic makes it back into French Open final

PARIS: Novak Djokovic worked his way back into the French Open final, taking care of Ernests Gulbis and his big serve 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Friday on the first sunny day of this year´s tournament.

The second-seeded Serb was able to control the pace of the match on Court Philippe Chatrier while letting Gulbis´ unforced errors mount.

The powerful Latvian, who was playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal, finished with 44 errors.

Djokovic is a six-time major champion who needs to win the title at the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

He also reached the final at Roland Garros in 2012, but lost to eight-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic will next face either Nadal or Andy Murray in Sunday´s final.

Djokovic was first to get into trouble in the first semifinal, but he managed to save two break points and hold to 2-2 in the opening set.

A few minutes later, he was ahead for good. Djokovic needed three attempts to earn his first break of the match, and he finally got it when Gulbis sent one of his many forehands long.

It was also in that game that Gulbis had his first of five double-faults. His second double came in the final game of the set, when Djokovic broke again. And his third came when trailing Djokovic 4-3 in the second, when the Serb broke yet again. "I´m not used to (playing) these kind of big matches," Gulbis said. "It´s just normal I felt extra nervous and extra tense."

Gulbis fared better in the third set. He again had two break points while leading 3-2, but again failed to win the game. However, he didn´t waste his chance two games later, breaking Djokovic to take a 5-3 lead before serving out the set with his 11th ace.

The two traded breaks early in the fourth set, and Djokovic broke again to lead 5-3 when Gulbis, again double-faulting once in the game, sent a backhand long.

Djokovic won the last game at love. "It was a struggle out there," Gulbis said. "I felt maybe throughout the match I hit five really clean shots, from either side, backhand or forehand. Even serve."

After nearly two weeks of overcast skies and cool temperatures, the sun was shining on center court and Djokovic and Gulbis were more interested in staying cool than staying warm.

Both players used ice wrapped in towels around their necks, like players often do at the sweltering Australian Open, as the temperature reached 28 degrees C (82 degrees F) on Friday.

Djokovic is now 5-1 against Gulbis, a 25-year-old player who as a teen showed the potential for becoming a star. But Gulbis has said recently that he is only now playing his best tennis, and only because he has decided to leave the party lifestyle behind and focus on his sport.

He certainly showed that at Roland Garros.Gulbis had reached the quarterfinals at a major only once before, and that was way back in 2008 at the French Open.

In that match, he also lost to Djokovic, but in straight sets. This year, he eliminated 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round and sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. "The more I play these kind of matches, the more I´m going to get used to these situations," Gulbis said. "For me, I take only the positive stuff out of it. Yeah, I need to be in these situations once, twice, three times, and then I can maybe make that extra step."

Djokovic, however, is playing even better. He has won three titles so far this season, and has beaten Nadal the last four times they have played, including on clay in the final in Rome last month. (AFP)

Everyone should take one step back to control situation: Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that it is his responsibility to bring the culprits involved in the attack on Geo News anchorperson Hamid Mir to book.

Talking to media here Friday, Chaudhry Nisar said that the government has constituted a three-member judicial commission tasked to probe the attack and all the evidence of the attack should be presented before the commission.

He expressed sympathy with Hamid Mir and his family members.

Nisar said that no untoward incident took place with Hamid Mir in Islamabad after PML-N assumed the government. He said Mr. Mir neither lodged any complain nor provided any numbers which might have been used for threatening him during the PML-N’s current government.

He further said that former police officials have denied any report over attack on Mr. Mir’s children. He said that if Hamid Mir or his family has any objection over Islamabad police then he would have the probe.

The interior minister further said that the government would go to any extent to unearth the culprits involved in the attack on the renowned journalist.

He called for an end to “media trial” which he said is being conducted over the issue without any evidence. The enemies are taking advantage of it, he added.

Nisar further said that he is making efforts to cool down the situation and for that purpose everyone should take one step back.

The minister said he stands by Geo and Jang group. Both Freedom of media and prestigious defence institutions are pivotal for the country, he added.

Four abducted soldiers back in Iran

TEHRAN: Four Iranian soldiers abducted by extremists have returned home after being held for two months, state media on Sunday cited the intelligence ministry as saying.

The ministry did not address the fate of Jamshid Danayifar, a fifth soldier abducted along with his fellow border guards on February 6. The Jaishul Adl (Army of Justice) rebel group said Danayifar was executed in late March.

“Four of the abducted border guards returned to the homeland,” the ministry said in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB’s website.Reports on Friday said the four, along with Danayifar´s body, had been handed over to Iranian officials after being released. No details were immediately available where the soldiers had been held while prisoner, or how Iran secured their freedom.

The five were abducted in the restive southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, while serving their 24-month mandatory military service near the border with Pakistan.The news that Danayifar had been “executed” drew international condemnation, with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calling it an “appalling act”. A US State Department spokesman called for the “swift release” of the Iranian conscripts.

Jaishul Adl had warned of further killings if Tehran refused to “release their prisoners”. — AFPOnline adds: Four Iranian freed border guards have been received by some Sunni and Baloch influential men and security officials at a frontier point near the provincial capital Zahedan, Iranian media reported on Sunday.

According to the reporter of ‘SunniOnline’, the Iranian hostages have been released after continuous efforts made by prominent religious and tribal elders under the supervision of Islamic Sunni scholar, Mawlana Abdol-Hamid.

The outlawed armed group, Jaish al-Adl, claimed the responsibility of abducting five Iranian border guards on February 8, this year. The spokesman of the group told Iranian news agencies that they released four of the guards to respect the appeal of the tribal and religious elders; however, one of the hostages had been shot dead two weeks ago.

Govt ready to bring Musharraf’s mother back: NA told

 

ISLAMABAD: All political parties in the National Assembly, except the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on Monday backed the special court for indicting the former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case and rejecting his plea to go abroad for treatment. They described it as a golden day in the democratic history of the country and proof of the supremacy of law.
Seasoned parliamentarian Mehmood Khan Achackzai was more vocal in hailing the decision of the special court saying symbolic punishment would suffice even if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif personally forgives him. “If anyone wants to pardon him, then punishment should come first,” he said while speaking on a point of order.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif assured the National Assembly that the government would fully implement the decision of the judiciary in this regard.But, at the same time, he offered that the government was ready to bring Pervez Musharraf’s ailing mother to Pakistan from the UAE. “We can bring Musharraf’s mother back to Pakistan by an air ambulance. We will have to pay a heavy price if we start showing leniency to criminals,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said this was a defining moment in the history of the country as the judiciary had given a historic decision by charging a person who had abrogated the Constitution. “It has been proved that there will only be the supremacy of law in the country,” he said and added that after today’s decision, they had achieved another milestone in democracy.

The defence minister was of the opinion that those who voted in favour of the emergency rule would also be taken to task. “The judiciary has turned our dream into a reality on the rule of law,” he added.

He said that there was no pressure on the government in this matter.He said Pervez Musharraf dragged the country into a war that cost the lives of 50,000 Pakistanis. He also handed over his countrymen to the United States and surrendered the sovereignty of the country. “Now we have taken initiatives to end that war, which is costing us billions of dollars every year.”

The minister claimed the government and the military were on the same page in respect of all national issues and all institutions would forge ahead in unison for progress and peace in the country.

He endorsed Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s view that if the Constitution was abrogated again, the country would suffer an irreparable loss.Khawaja Asif said equality before the law was the basic ingredient of the rule of law and nobody could be treated discriminately before the law.

He said it was unfortunate that even those people managed to get elected to parliament who had supported the dictators. “But, today there is an independent judiciary in the country, peaceful transfer of power from one government to the other has taken place and the provinces have been given autonomy through the 18th Amendment.”

He said over the past decade, the thinking of the army had also changed and it had not intervened in politics.Khawaja Asif said today citizens of the country were mature and they would not tolerate any hindrance in the path of democracy and those who had abrogated the Constitution would be held accountable.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid said the government had followed the path of supremacy of the Constitution, democracy, free media and an independent judiciary. He said the government was ready to provide all facilities for the treatment of Pervez Musharraf’s mother and was ready to provide an air ambulance to bring her to Pakistan for treatment.

He said the chief minister Punjab had constituted a committee headed by Inspector General Police, Punjab, to investigate the issue of threat to chairman Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

About the attack on journalist Raza Roomi in Lahore, the minister said that the government was taking all-out measures for the protection of journalists and those involved in this attack will not be spared at any cost.

Earlier, speaking on the issue, seasoned parliamentarian Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the decision of the court should be backed by parliament and even if the prime minister wanted to pardon anyone, then the punishment should come first. “The time has come that every organ of the state must submit before parliament.”

He said the Pakistan Army was our own army and everyone loved it. He urged some TV anchors to avoid making a joke of parliament and politicians.Later, PPP parliamentarian Abdul Sattar Bachani proposed that the there should be an amendment in the Constitution according to which anyone who supports a dictator should be disqualified forever.

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq said it was a golden day in the history of Pakistan. He accused some anchors and parties of supporting Musharraf who had thrown out an elected government, dissolved parliament, subverted the Constitution twice, assassinated Bugti and pushed the country into war.

He said Turkey had experienced such a day when the generals were made accountable and now Pakistan had adopted the same path.Speaking on the issue, MQM legislator Asif Hussaini said the trial should be started from 1971 and all those who had subverted the Constitution should also be tried for treason.Parliamentary Leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Shaibzada Tariqullah also welcomed Musharraf’s indictment in the treason case.

Zardari wants BB’s jewelry seized in Switzerland back

ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari wants jewelry of his late wife Benazir Bhutto seized by Swiss authorities back.

The PPP leader has applied for the return of the jewelry worth over 300,000 dollars through an offshore company.

The government of Pakistan has been informed by its lawyer in Switzerland about the latest move by Zardari.

The ornaments were seized in 1997 during the course of investigation of SGS and Cotecna scandal. The case files were closed after promulgation of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2008 but the fate of the jewelry was yet to be decided.

The lawyer has sought guidance of the government so that he could submit reply with the Swiss attorney who sought Islamabad’s response within ten days

Barrister Munawar Akhtar, a lawyer from a Pakistani law firm, told Geo News that Pakistan government should oppose this application by the former president within 48 hours as it could be deprived from the ornaments this time around.

When contacted Federal Law Secretary Raza Khan told Geo News that he had no information about the letter since he was on a foreign tour.

Saudis lock horns with US at UN forum, back China

GENEVA: The lineup of Gulf royalty at the Islamabad international airport is not the only sign of a major realignment in the region.

During a skirmish between the envoys of the United States and China in the general debate at the United Nations Human Rights Council this week, the Saudi envoy sided with Beijing and locked horns with Washington. So did Pakistan and a host of other countries.

Iran remained silent.

The colourful anti-clerical Iranian opposition groups that used to enrich the international s scene on the sidelines of UNHRC in Geneva until last year have disappeared this year. Has their financial support dried up? Nobody knows. They have been replaced by NGOs promoting a new positive image of Iran. For example, this week, one NGO held an event on Iran’s positive treatment of women, minorities and the progress in the lives of Iranian Sunni Baloch. The presentations were impressive and convincing.

The other area where change is noticeable is the mushrooming of NGOs attacking Iran’s traditional political competition in the region: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and more recently Malaysia. Pakistan is in this list with repeated side panel discussions organised this week by apparently Iran-linked NGOs to assail the treatment of Shia minorities in these countries. This year, there is a sharp focus on Pakistan and Malaysia. At least one event has been organised on this topic outside the UN building and two inside, with paid guests flown in from both countries to speak and criticise their governments.

Though the criticism of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Malaysia and sometimes Egypt is blunt and direct, the criticism on Pakistan by Iran-linked NGOs varies from mild to slightly harsh, but at all times calibrated. Last week, when a couple of questioners asked a female Pakistani speaker to name Pakistani government and military as alleged supporters of terror groups that attack Pakistani Shia citizens, the speaker refused to be drawn into a debate. “I will only talk about the cases in front of me and the groups involved,” she said. ‘I have no evidence on the involvement of Pakistani government or military.”

The fact that Iran-linked groups are organising seminars inside the UN building putting Pakistan on trial for the human rights situation in the country could at some point irk Islamabad, which has so far unreservedly extended diplomatic and political support to Tehran inside and outside the UN.

Malaysia, by comparison, is not that recalcitrant. Azhaan Hamid, a member of a Malaysian NGO, explained there is no restriction on the practice of Shia Muslim sect in his country. “We welcome all Muslims.

We traditionally never had Shia Muslim presence. But now one country is paying money to create presence for political purposes, not religious,” he said, without naming Iran.The subject is sensitive and difficult to probe because it involves religious sensibilities. But here the issue is political, where states are involved with their strategic interests, exploiting religion. During another sideline event on Iraq, a speaker called on all Muslim states to stop using sects to further strategic interests.

Mehdi al-Katib, from the al-Khoei Foundation, named after the revered Iraqi Shia scholar whose disciples are spread in many countries including Pakistan, agrees. “I agree with the argument. Muslim states should not use sects as a tool of politics or strategy.”

For the first time this year, a young man has been seen at different panel discussions claiming to represent Pakistani Hazaras.Though the plight of our Hazaras is real and indescribable, the young man appeared to be politicising it, and offered anti-Pakistan lobbies to take up the topic of Pakistani government allegedly condoning attacks on its citizens who follow the Shia sect. Interestingly, Alessandro Monsutti, an anthropologist with The Graduate Institute in Geneva, was in the audience. He intervened to correct the record. He said Pakistan’s Hazaras were accepted wholeheartedly into the Pakistani fabric since 1947, and produced national heroes in civil life and in the military, and that the attacks on the community were largely a post-2001 Afghan war development.

Pakistan is preparing to table a resolution against the unchecked use of unmanned drones at UNHRC with wide international support.Pakistan is also pushing the Kashmir dispute with a new vigour. The backlash is visible, with increased activity in Geneva on Balochistan, and the speakers flown in from several countries to speak about the secession of different Pakistani provinces. While Islamabad understands this backlash, the entry of the sectarian element is a new development, and a disturbing one.

Shiney Ahuja's Welcome Back in Bollywood

After the news that Shiney Ahuja has signed a new film, comes new trouble.

Apparently, the actor may not be allowed to go abroad to shoot.

After his seven-year conviction and subsequent bail, Shiney’s movements have been restricted by the law and his passport had been confiscated. He needs official consent to even meet his parents in Delhi.

The actor is all set to shoot for Anees Bazmi’s Welcome Back in Dubai.

"Shiney has told us he has been given back his passport, so I see no problem in his joining us for the next schedule of Welcome Back in Dubai.”

Anees decided to cast Shiney after he read that Shiney had visited his old mentors -- the Bhatts -- seeking work.

"I was saddened by this. Though I had never met him, I could feel Shiney’s isolation and pain. I searched for him and offered him this role that was still not cast," Anees says.

Anees says Shiney has scenes with the entire cast including John Abraham, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Shruti Haasan.

“It’s a comic role. Shiney has only done tragic roles in the past. I think he needs some comic relief. I think the title Welcome Back could be applied to him," Anees sig

Malaysia says missing plane may have turned back

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Sunday said a missing airliner carrying 239 people may have inexplicably turned back as authorities launched a terror probe into the plane's sudden disappearance, investigating suspect passengers who boarded with stolen passports.
The United States sent the FBI to investigate after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing vanished from radar early Saturday somewhere at sea between Malaysia and Vietnam, but stressed there was no evidence of terrorism yet.
Indications that the plane may have deviated from its route only compounded the anxiety of relatives, many of them Chinese, desperate for news of their loved ones.
"There is a distinct possibility the airplane did a turn-back, deviating from the course," said Malaysia's air force chief, General Rodzali Daud, citing radar data.
But Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said the Boeing 777's systems would have set off alarm bells.
"When there is an air turn-back the pilot would be unable to proceed as planned," he said, adding authorities were "quite puzzled" over the situation.
Malaysian authorities have expanded their search for wreckage to the country's west coast after initially concentrating to the east in the South China Sea.
A total of 40 ships and 22 aircraft from an array of countries including Malaysia's neighbours, China and the US are now involved in the hunt across the two areas, officials said, with two Australian surveillance aircraft also due to join the search.
After it emerged that two people boarded the flight with stolen European passports, Malaysia's transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he was looking at four suspect passengers in all.
The minister declined to offer details, saying authorities were examining "the entire manifest", but confirmed the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was dispatching personnel to Malaysia.
"At the same time our own intelligence has been activated, and of course, the counter-terrorism units... from all the relevant countries have been informed," Hishammuddin said, refusing also to rule out the possibility of a hijack.
A Malaysian civil aviation official said authorities still so far believe only two passengers had used stolen passports and were examining CCTV footage of them.
"We will review all security protocols and, if needed, we will enhance them," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper.
He stressed: "If necessary, because we still do not know the cause of the incident."
Flight MH370 had relayed no distress signal, indications of rough weather, or other signs of trouble. Both Malaysia's national carrier and the Boeing 777-200 model used on the route are known for their solid safety records.
Technical advisors from Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration are en route to Asia to help in the probe.
In a statement, Boeing offered "its deepest concern to the families" of the missing passengers and crew.
The flight vanished about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. A total of 153 Chinese nationals were on board, and relatives camped out at the main international airport in China's capital bemoaned the lack of news Sunday.
"The airline company didn't contact me, it was a friend," a middle-aged woman surnamed Nan told reporters, holding back tears, after finding out her brother-in-law was on the flight.
"I can't understand the airline company. They should have contacted the families first thing," she said.

SHINEY AHUJA TO MAKE A COMEBACK WITH ‘WELCOME BACK’

Shiney Ahuja, who was last seen in the film ‘Ghost’ (2012), is all set to make a comeback onscreen. It is said that he has bagged a pivotal role in Anees Bazmee ‘Welcome Back’ and the actor has confirmed the news.

The actor says that it’s a role that he has never played till date in his career. It is learnt that his character will make an entry in the second half of the film.

Shiney will shoot for his scenes in Dubai.

U2 rolls back next album to 2015: report

LOS ANGELES: U2 are pushing back the release of their 13th album to 2015 despite a new single and many high-profile media appearances, music industry journal Billboard said Friday.
Citing anonymous sources, it said the Irish mega band fronted by Bono has scheduled additional sessions with producers Ryan Tedder and Paul Epworth, although Danger Mouse remains the project's central producer.
"It seems to be taking longer for them to finish an album as they get older, but the great thing about U2 is that the whole of a record is always better than the sum of its parts," Billboard quoted a source close to the project as saying.
"That magic that the band always seems to capture ... they have yet to capture it."
Billboard also reported that a U2 tour that would have been announced this month, and would have kicked off in September, has also been rolled back to next year.
Since the start of this year, U2 has played at the Golden Globes as well as on "The Tonight Show" on the night Jimmy Fallon took over as its host on NBC.
The group also rolled out their latest single "Invisible" during American football's Super Bowl, in a tie-in with Bank of America to raise funds for the AIDS charity Red.