When will the poor not sleep hungry, SC asks govt

 

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has summoned the final report from the Centre and the provinces on July 17 on the practical steps taken for the provision of flour to poor persons at subsidised rates.
Heading the bench, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked during the flour subsidy case the government should tell when the day will come when no poor will sleep hungry.He remarked “It seems as if we are measuring water. The court does not need empty consolations but it should be told about the practical steps. Officers should shun officialdom and adopt the norms of serving the common man. Extreme obsession is also needed along with sanity for addressing the problems facing the poor segments of the society.”

He remarked. “Running the government is the job of elected representatives of people. But getting articles 9, 14 and 38 implemented is our obligation. Nine months have passed but no workable solution is becoming visible in this respect. We will not allow the poor to die of hunger despite an abundant supply of wheat grains.”

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Attiq Shah and law officers of the provinces appeared in the court. Justice Khawaja remarked, “For how long this job will be done in the provinces? We want low priced atta is distributed among the poor and its monitoring is done. We have come tosuch stage where we don’t want empty consolations. We want work, not the committees.”

AAG Attique Shah said the government is working out how atta will reach the poor. This is issue of over 67 percent population of the country, he added. Justice Khawaja remarked, “We have vast experience of judicial review as we have been doing it for the last 40 years. We will conduct judicial review when the things come before us. You all please sit together and resolve this matter. It was told by Punjab that chief minister is on the visit to China and he has however directed the concerned authorities to gear up all efforts. Tell us outline of the solution at least.”

The authorities concerned said it is being considered to use Watan card for this purpose. Justice Khawaja remarked, “There should be online system. Don’t tell more about subsidy. Tell us about proposals. Running the government is your job.”

He said the whole exercise will be of no use if deserving people don’t benefit from it. He said in his remarks that the case hearing has been ongoing since October 2013 but no steps are being taken.

He ordered all four provinces to come up with a joint solution.He said that he is aware there are difficulties, adding that the solutions to those difficulties are also available.

Govt not to let anti-democracy forces win, says Nawaz

 

LAHORE: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Sunday said the PML-N-led government, together with pro-democracy forces, would foil all conspiracies being hatched by elements of a particular mindset to derail the ongoing democratic system.
Geo TV reported that Premier Nawaz Sharif will be meeting former president Asif Ali Zardari in the next few days and for this purpose he is likely to visit Sindh.Other senior leaders of the party will also be accompanying him.

INP adds: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif huddled together at Jati Umra on Sunday to review issues like the All Parties Conference (APC) called by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), provision of succor to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI)’s threatened long march.

Sources said the prime minister discussed in detail the consequences of the Model Town incident and the issues being agitated by the opposition political parties to destabilise the government.

The two Sharifs expressed confidence and vowed to implement the report prepared by the judicial commission on the Model Town incident which left some one dozen people dead and over 100 injured in Lahore two weeks ago.It was reportedly decided in the meeting that the government would initiate contacts with all the political parties.

The prime minister said those indulging in anti-democratic activities, including the long march, were following an agenda to deny Pakistan of development and prosperity but the government would not allow them to succeed. He said democracy and every institution would be strengthened.

He said the nation needed unity in the wake of the ongoing military operation against the terrorists but unfortunately certain elements were involved in the politics of violence for political gains.

He said the people had given a five-year mandate to the PML-N and asked the opposition parties to wait for the next elections.According to reports, the PM and CM Shahbaz welcomed the decision of the PPP and ANP to not attend PAT’s all-parties conference.

I´m not the retiring type, says Venus

LONDON: Defiant Venus Williams made it clear she has no intention of retiring following her painful Wimbledon exit.

Venus´s 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 third round defeat against fellow former champion Petra Kvitova on Friday means the five-time Wimbledon winner has failed to reach the last 16 at a major since 2011.

At 34, Venus was the oldest woman left in the Wimbledon singles and, plagued for the last three years by Sjogren´s Disease -- an immune system disease that leaves her battling fatigue and joint pain -- she hasn´t won a Grand Slam since securing the last of her seven major titles in 2008 at Wimbledon.

That has led to plenty of talk that Venus will opt to retire sooner rather than later and she was again quizzed about her plans for the future following the loss to Kvitova.

But Venus, in her 17th Wimbledon appearance, had made it to the last 32 at a major for the first time since the 2013 Australian Open and took heart from the way she gave a glimpse of her former glories to push the higher ranked Kvitova all the way.

"No, people have been trying to retire me since I was like 25. For some reason in tennis we always do that to our players," Williams said when asked if this might have been her Wimbledon farewell.

"I´m finding my way back on my feet. I´m proud of myself for what I´m achieving on the court.

On this form, Williams has every reason to feel she can still compete with the best and she is determined to mount a strong challenge for more major titles in the future.

"I want to win Grand Slams. Everybody does. You don´t get ´em easily," she said."Look at what happened today. No one gives it to you. They snatch it away and say ´Mine´.

That ferocious desire for success was on full display as 30th seed Williams gave one of her best displays for years against Kvitova in a high-quality encounter in front of an enthralled Centre Court crowd. And rather than be content with putting up a good fight, she was adamant that the sting of defeat was still as painful as it was during her prime. (AFP)

Journalists to protest if curbs on channels, newspapers not lifted

 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Friday announced that if the ‘no-go areas’ artificially formed to block the transmission of Geo and ARY News and circulation of leading newspapers Jang and The News are not eliminated within 24 hours, then it would set up protest camps in front of press clubs across the country.
Addressing a protest rally in front of the National Press Club (NPC), PFUJ President Afzal Butt said they would continue to protest till the transmissions of both Geo and ARY News were restored all over the country.

“We want to give a clear message to the government, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and defence institutions that we have achieved freedom of press after a long and hard struggle and if anyone tries to deprive us of it, then we will launch a strong protest movement in the country,” he said.

He said Pemra suspends licences of news channels in such a hurry it seems it is issuing orders to close down a general store. “Pemra should mend its ways because journalists will not make any compromise over the freedom of press.”

PFUJ Secretary General Khursheed Abbasi said Geo News had completed the sentence period but it was still being blocked in various areas and there were clearly ‘no-go areas’ for this channel and the relevant authorities were acting like silent spectators.

“We will launch such a strong protest movement that those trying to curb the freedom of press will find no way except to bow down before the demands of journalists,” he said. The chairman All Pakistan Council of Press Clubs, Arshad Ansari, said they condemned the efforts being made to block the circulation of Jang and The News and the relevant government institutions should play their due role in line with the rules and procedures.

RIBJA President Amir Butt said there was a conspiracy to divide the media with an aim to mute those voices that raise the issues of marginalised people and insist for the rule of law in the country.

Later, PFUJ President Afzal Butt, Secretary General Khursheed Abbasi, NPC Secretary General Tariq Chaudhry, RIUJ Secretary General Bilal Dar and senior journalist Qurban Satti presented a memorandum to officials of the Egyptian Embassy against the imprisonment of three journalists in Egypt.

Despite Pemra orders, Geo not yet fully restored

 

ISLAMABAD: Despite the clear orders of the Supreme Court (SC) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Geo News is still not accessible to a large number of viewers across the country, putting a big question mark on the writ of the government and rule of law in the country.
Reports from across the country suggest that hidden forces are preventing the restoration of Pakistan’s most popular channel even after the written directives of Pemra issued after the expiry of the 15-day ban on June 20, 2014.

In another blatant violation of the Supreme Court order, the channel numbers of Geo News and other members of Geo family including Geo Tez, Geo Super and Geo Kahani have been changed illegally.

The apex court, while disposing of Geo News petition on May 26, directed Pemra to restore Geo News on its original position but the channel is either completely blocked or placed on last numbers where signal quality is too poor to show the clear transmission.

On the other hand, while Pemra has imposed one-month suspension on Geo Entertainment for showing blasphemous content, it has taken no action against other channels which aired the same content in their morning shows. A private channel has even reproduced the same content repeatedly but Pemra has turned a blind eye towards the issue. It seems that Pemra has become a helpless regulator as it has failed to ensure implementation of its orders in letter and spirit.

On June 20, Pemra suspended the licence of a private TV channel for 15 days for airing anti-judiciary programmes but the authority could not fully implement the orders and the transmission continued in violation of law. Four days later, Sindh High Court (SHC) restored the transmission of the private channel and it was back on air immediately.

But the same could not happen in case of Geo News. The authority had suspended the licence of Geo News for fifteen days on June 5. The channel respected the law and suspended transmissions in Pakistan on the same day.

Upon completion of the suspension period on June 20, Pemra forwarded the notification of restoration of Geo News to all its regional offices with 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.

However the directions of authority were not taken seriously by the cable operators in several parts of the country.The management of Geo News has already suffered huge financial losses worth billions for illegal blockade and repositioning of Geo and other channels of the family including Geo Tez, Geo Kahani and Geo Super.

PTI to quit assemblies after Eid if demands not met

 

ISLAMABAD: The core committee of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) here on Wednesday formally decided to quit the National Assembly (NA) and the provincial assemblies after Eidul Fitr, if scientific voter verification was not held for the four NA constituencies in a month.
Under Chairman Imran Khan, the forum met here and discussed the future political course in the backdrop of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s proposed drive against the government. The core committee was sharply divided on siding with the “guest” from Canada and coming out of the National and KP assemblies, it was learnt.

Quite surprisingly, the release issued by the PTI Media Cell missed out to mention any political aspect of the meeting. However, sources told The News that difference of opinion was clearly witnessed during the deliberations.

It has been learnt that Dr Qadri was unhappy with the PTI leadership for its cold-shouldered response to his homecoming. And this was reflected in his statement before the media on Monday night that he was grateful to some leaders of the PTI for their support to him. He skipped the name of anyone, even Imran Khan.

“The PTI is reluctant to publicly announce support to Dr Qadri, as it may entail a massive fallout in case he decided to go back to Canada, as he had done earlier,” a senior PTI leader maintained. Another reason was the public perception that Dr Qadri enjoyed the backing of some invisible forces in his anti-government campaign.

He pointed out it was for these reasons that the core committee and even Imran had declared in categorical terms that his party was not joining any grand alliance – a reference to Dr Qadri and the Chaudhrys of Gujrat.

“The democratic credentials of PTI can suffer immensely in case it went public in support of Pakistan Awami Tehreek of Dr Qadri,” he noted. Sources revealed that Imran met Dr Qadri and PML leaders in London recently. They claimed during the meeting Imran indicated his willingness to support Dr Qadri. However, strong resistance within the PTI about openly supporting him forced Imran to hold back his supporters from joining the PAT workers on the streets welcoming their leader’s return from Canada.

A founding member and a former central vice president of PTI, Akbar S Babar, told this correspondent that the test of the PTI’s present ambivalent policy towards PAT will come when Dr Qadri announces his final showdown at the D-Chowk in Islamabad. He felt that the PTI has found itself in political no-man’s land. Instead of focusing on delivering in the KP and making an impact in the NA, the PTI, he alleged, had wasted precious time to consolidate the electoral gains made in 2013 elections.

Babar, who remained the lead PTI opinion maker according to Imran until developing differences on alleged internal corruption and lack of accountability in late 2011, said that if Imran thought that by joining hands with Dr Qadri and remnants of the PML-Q he would be the next natural choice to run the country, he might have another rude awakening.

Babar predicted that Imran’s next biggest political rival would be Dr Qadri whose claim to the lion’s share in the next political set-up based on sacrifices to remove the present government would be challenged by the PTI.

Meanwhile, PTI’s information secretary has pointed out that Imran has demanded the prime minister to announce Rs6 billion aid for the IDPs as soon as possible. This is essential if a human catastrophe is to be avoided, says a PTI release.

The PTI core committee expressed grave concern over the human misery of the IDPs from the NWA. She said Imran had informed the core committee that he had asked the PTI Razakars to mobilise and help the Imran Khan Foundation in their massive relief effort already underway.

Order to arrest Qadri’s activists not issued: Pervaiz

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid said on Sunday that the government had not directed the law enforcement agencies to arrest activists of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) and that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands.
He said that Tahirul Qadri wanted chaos in the country, media reported. In a statement, he said by doing so Tahirul Qadri wanted to disunite the nation and intended to extend unrest in the country. Pervaiz Rashid said Qadri could not survive under democratic rule so he wanted to weaken democracy.

The minister said that Qadri was part and parcel of the regime which had conducted the most rigged elections and referendum of 2002. Talking about the IDPs issue, he said that the government would utilise all available resources to address the sufferings of the affected people of North Waziristan.

The information minister said that all the departments concerned were in direct contact to look after the affected people. He said that Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch, governor and chief secretary were regularly holding meetings for the purpose.

Pervaiz Rashid said the federal and the provincial governments were in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Fata Disaster Management Authority to facilitate the displaced people. He said the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would not leave the affected people of North Waziristan alone.

The information minister said Imran Khan had failed to express solidarity with the affected people of Thar and Awaran. He said the prime minister had visited Thar and Awaran to mitigate the sufferings of the affected people.Pervaiz Rashid said Imran Khan did not demand the resignation from the provincial government when five hundred terrorists fled Dera Ismail Khan jail.

Dinosaur metabolism: not too hot, not too cold

WASHINGTON: Dinosaurs weren´t cold-blooded -- like modern-day reptiles -- nor were they warm-blooded -- like mammals and birds, according to a study out Friday aiming to answer a question that has intrigued paleontologists for decades.

Instead, the prehistoric creatures´ metabolic rates were somewhere in between, said the report published in the US journal Science.

The results suggest that the common practice of splitting species into two distinct groups -- depending on whether animals regulate their body temperature externally or internally -- is not accurate.

And the answer could help shed light on dinosaur behavior, since warm-blooded animals tend to be more active and grow faster than their cold-blooded counterparts.

To study the metabolism of the long-extinct creatures, a group of researchers led by University of New Mexico biologist John Grady measured annual growth rings in the fossils of several dinosaurs and estimated growth patterns from birth to adulthood.

They compared the results to a baseline of 400 other animal species, both extinct and still alive, and concluded that the dinosaurs´ metabolic rates were somewhere between cold- and warm-blooded animals.

The researchers classified the dinosaurs in an intermediary category, "mesotherms," with metabolic rates closest to those of tuna, certain sharks and the leatherback turtle. "These animals at times rely on internally-generated metabolic heat to maintain body temperatures, while being subject to external temperatures in others," the researchers said, adding that the trait is not common among modern-day animals.

The results could help scientists better understand ecosystems in the Mesozoic Era, from 248 to 65 million years ago. The results could also be used to estimate the metabolic rates of other animals from the period.

Scientists have long debated whether dinosaurs were cold- or warm-blooded -- and since the 19th century have leaned toward the theory they were warm-blooded, based on physiological factors.

That theory was bolstered by the discovery of speedy and powerful dinosaurs, like velociraptors, which scientists suggested must have been warm-blooded in order to burn enough energy.

But the authors of the new study said the intermediary metabolism -- neither too fast nor too slow -- permitted dinosaurs to become much bigger than any other animal and to dominate the ecosystem.

Warm-blooded animals typically need to eat a great deal to maintain their internal body temperature, forcing them into frequent hunts or to eat large quantities of plants. (AFP)

 

Jang and Geo not provided proofs of anti-state activities, treason: spokesperson

Supreme Court and Prime Minister was requested to appoint commission for investigating serious allegations; Private channel ran tickers Khawaja Asif has seen proofs, defence minister denied this; Ministry of Defence referred application to PEMRA without seeing proofs; PEMRA also issued notice to Geo without investigation; Respect Pakistan Army, Jang editions and Geo programmes testify to this; Jang Group and Geo always served interests of country and nation while staying within ambit of constitution and law

KARACHI (Jang News): A spokesperson for Jang/Geo has said that in the application referred to PEMRA by the Ministry of Defence for action against Geo, they had complained about the news report regarding the attempt on the life of Hamid Mir and had alleged without any proof that the Jang Group is anti-state and traitor and has a history in this connection, and if proofs are sought, the Ministry of Defence could also provide the same.

When PEMRA took the action, Geo had immediately submitted its response to PEMRA stating that proofs of anti-state activities and treason should be sent urgently so that the complaint of the Ministry of Defence could be responded to. After this, a meeting of PEMRA was held. The respectful response of Geo was again submitted. Our lawyer Akram Sheikh and other officials verbally also stated repeatedly during the meeting that we should be provided proofs. After this, we also approached the Islamabad High Court and submitted there that allegations of anti-state activities and treason have been levelled against the Jang Group and Geo without any proof. Senior government representatives and PEMRA were repeatedly requested respectfully but despite this we have not been provided proofs till date.

After this, Geo repeatedly stated through advertisements in Jang and The News that we have not been provided proofs. In the advertisements, the Supreme Court and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had respectfully been requested that a commission be appointed for investigating allegations of anti-state activities and others against Geo/Jang Group.

The spokesperson said that different governments, different institutions and civil and military governments have also been levelling allegations of different natures against our group in the past because they differed with news reports, comments and programmes of our journalists. However, the Jang Group and Geo made concerted efforts for serving the interests of the country and nation while staying within the ambit of the constitution and law and the Jang Group and Geo always adopted positive attitude and asked the governments to prove the allegations in courts while journalists of Jang Group and Geo also proved their news reports true.

The spokesperson for the Jang Group and Geo said that the heinous and baseless allegations of anti-state activities and treason have been levelled against us, which have always been faced by the Jang Group and Geo courageously and boldly. Geo has also sent a Rs50 billion damages notice to PEMRA and the Ministry of Defence for calling it anti-state and traitor without any proof and defaming it.

The spokesperson said that journalists of Jang/Geo Group are facing threats because of this allegation and they are facing difficulties in discharging their professional duties. The spokesperson said that first the Ministry of Defence referred the application against Geo to PEMRA without seeing proofs and PEMRA too sent a notice to Geo without seeing proofs. It was duty of the Ministry of Defence and PEMRA to first seek proofs from the complainant, scrutinise it and then to forward it but both of them did not do so.

The spokesperson said we also want to say that the services of the Jang Group and Geo for the country and the nation are immortal and unparalleled. The organisation has suffered losses worth billions of rupees because of action against Geo. The spokesperson said that the Jang Group and Geo has always paid glowing tributes to the army for glorious services and as an institution, we immensely respect the Pakistan Army. Different articles and editions regarding the Pakistan Army published by newspapers of the Jang Group and innumerable exemplary programmes aired by Geo testify to this. Representatives of the army also lauded services of the Jang and Geo on different occasions. The Pakistan Army has never had any complaint against the Jang Group.

It is worth mentioning here that the organization has already tendered an apology for the news report aired regarding the attempt on the life of Hamid Mir. The spokesperson said that whatever Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has said in an interview with ARY, had he also mentioned in the interview the issue of proof, there would have been no ambiguity. It may be recalled that ARY channel is constantly busy in propaganda against Geo. This channel started running tickers even in the midst of Khawaja Asif’s interview, saying Khawaja Asif has seen proofs. The series of tickers continued running till late night. However, Khawaja Asif tweeted very late in the night appealing to the people not to heed to the ARY tickers and to watch full interview attentively.

The spokesperson said we pray to Almighty Allah to guide us also towards the good and grant the patience, courage and fortitude as well as to grant us ability to remove mutual misunderstandings so that we can play our role for the progress of the country and nation. The spokesperson said that calling the Jang Group and Geo a traitor is a baseless and emotional thing so we hope, God willing, all misunderstandings in this regard will soon stand removed.

Geo closure, penalty not enough: Asif

 

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday said that the Ministry was absolutely not satisfied with the penalty awarded by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to Geo News after declaring it guilty of misconduct.
According to a press statement, the minister of defence further said that they reserved the right to take up the matter at the next appellate level for enhancement of the punishment awarded to Geo.

He said they were ready to submit a reply in response to a suit filed by Geo and fully prepared to defend the charges, levelled by it against the Ministry of Defence and ISI in a court of law.

Irfan not playing Tests, focusing on World Cup '15

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan no longer wants to play Test cricket so he can manage his health to play in the 2015 World Cup.

The 2.16-metre (7-foot-1) Irfan has been sidelined from international cricket for nearly seven months since injuring his hip during a Twenty20 against South Africa in Dubai last November.

"I have to manage my workload, and playing Test cricket is an added pressure, therefore I have decided to play Twenty20s and one-day internationals only," Irfan said on Tuesday. "I have to get myself tied up for a longer run this time and ensure that I won´t get dropped."

Pakistan´s next international assignment is against Sri Lanka in August, then against Australia and New Zealand in the United Arab Emirates.

Irfan made his Test debut against South Africa last year. All four of his Tests have been against the Proteas in 2013, during which he took 10 wickets before injuring his hip when he fell in his follow through.

He bowled around 66 overs in two Tests against South Africa in the heat of the UAE before he broke down.

His rehabilitation has been closely monitored by the Pakistan Cricket Board, and medical reports suggested in April that his hairline fracture could be healed without a surgery.

Irfan took part in a month-long training camp in Lahore, and camp leader Mohammad Akram indicated that the tall fast bowler could make an international comeback in the series against Australia in October.

"I am disappointed for missing a lot of cricket, but I am working hard on my fitness so that I should go a long way without breaking down," Irfan said.

Last week, former Pakistan seamer Sarfraz Nawaz also visited the training camp and advised Irfan to focus on limited-overs matches instead of tests to maintain his fitness.

Without Irfan, Pakistan struggled in Bangladesh this year when it failed to retain the Asia Cup title and was knocked out in the group stages of the World Twenty20.But the bouncy pitches in Australia and New Zealand for the World Cup could give Pakistan an edge if Irfan competes. He agrees. "Australia pitches ... suit me," he said. "If I managed to get 100 percent fitness, I am sure I could win matches there single-handedly." (AP)

Survey shows unemployment not under control

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Survey 2013-14 reveals that the unemployment rate in Pakistan has increased to 6.2 percent compared to 5.6 percent in 2009-10. The unemployment is the highest in Punjab.
According to the Survey, unemployment remained same in the urban areas while it increased in rural areas from 4.8 percent in 2009-10 to 5.1 percent in 2012-13.In Pakistan, according to the Economic Survey, unemployment rate is increasing in both Agriculture mechanization is major cause of reducing absorption capacity of this sector.

Although industries are being setup in some rural areas, however, employment generation opportunities due to these industries is not comparably higher.The unemployment rate in urban areas is even more than in rural areas. This high rate of unemployment is mainly due to two reasons, first is rural urban migration which is cause increasing urban population whereas job opportunities are not increasing accordingly.

The province wise comparison shows that the number of unemployed people increased in Punjab from 2.10 million in 2010-11 to 2.28 million in 2012-13. The number of unemployed people increased in Punjab is more as compared to other provinces. The apparent reason of high unemployment in Punjab is highest population among all provinces.

In case of Balochistan 0.10 million people are unemployed in 2012-13 an increase of almost 0.3 million people as compared to 2011-12. The main reasons of this increasing unemployment are bad infrastructure, law and order situation and lack of business and industrial activities.

The employment rate in Sindh decreased from 5.2 percent in 2011-12 to 5.0 percent in 2012-13. Whereas the rate in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan increased to 6.1 percent, 8.5 percent and 4.0 percent respectively as compared to the same period.

According to gender break-up, the Economic Survey 2013-14 shows that the female unemployment rate increased to 9.0 percent in 2012-13 as compared to 8.9 percent in 2010-11.While male unemployment ratio surge to 5.4 percent in said periods as compared t0 5.1 percent.

Province wise break-up shows that female unemployment rate in Sindh increased to 8.2 percent in 2012-13 from 7.2 percent in 2010-11, however, male unemployment rate in Sindh declined to 4.4 percent from 4.8 percent in comparison under review.

During 2012-13 in Punjab, female unemployment rate remained stable to 8.3 percent while male unemployment rate increased to 5.2 percent from 4.7 percent in periods under review.Interestingly, female unemployment rate in Balochistan decreased to 7.0 percent from 7.9 percent while male unemployment rate surged to 3.6 percent from 2.5 percent in said periods.

The data on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa showed similar statistics to Balochistan as female unemployment rate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa decreased to 16.3 percent from 16.5 while male unemployment rate increased to 6.7 percent in 2012-13 from 5.9 in 2010-11.

The overall main causes of unemployment are rising population, law and order situation, lack of technical education and shortage of skill training institutes.“Youth is also facing many challenges but some of these are common in the overall labour market,” states the Survey.

However, government is well aware of these issues and focusing on long term investment in human capital through formal and informal education and strategically strengthening the links between education, skill development and the labour market would greatly benefit youth in the long term, it concluded.

Imran Khan says PTI not joining any alliance

 

LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has declared that his party will not be part of any opposition alliance and was not in discussions with any party in this regard.
Khan confirmed to The News that he was in London to attend a fundraiser and to spend time with his children and had no intention of being part of any alliance.

Khan told The News exclusively that reports that he was taking his party into an alliance were “absolutely” incorrect.

The confirmation from Imran Khan came as the Chaudhry brothers and Dr Tahirul Qadri entered into an agreement to launch a joint movement against the current set-up.

PTI spokesperson Shireen Mazari had said that Khan was in London not for any political meetings but speculation remained rife that the presence of three anti-PML-N party leaders at the same time could lead to the formation of an alliance. But Khan poured cold water on any such development and said that any decision in the future would be taken in consultation with his party.

Separately, speaking to The News Dr Tahirul Qadri said that the Chaudhry brothers had come to London to meet him only and news that the PTI and the MQM were becoming part of the alliance were “misleading” and “media fabricated”.

He told The News that it was just a “coincidence” that Imran Khan, himself and the Chaudhry brothers were present in London at the same time but “the original meetings were planned between them only and had nothing to do with Imran Khan or his party”.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) sources told The News that the Chaudhry brothers wanted to meet Dr Qadri in Canada but the lengthy visa process for the country meant that it was more convenient for Dr Qadri to meet them in London.

A source explained: “Dr Qadri is presiding over a meeting of PAT office bearers on Saturday evening in London and a Europe-wide party convention on Saturday in Birmingham. All other speculation is wrong.”

Politics of the ’80s and ’90s not to work: Nawaz

 

LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that some leaders were engaging in the politics of the ’80s and ’90s, but it had become obsolete now and no one will pay attention to their false accusations.
Addressing a ceremony to mark ‘Youm-e-Takbeer’, the prime minister said those holding protests and rallies should shun the politics of the ’80s and ’90s and wait for four years to let the people decide who they wanted to elect as their rulers. “The politics of delivering and fulfilling peoples’ promises will now work and not that of the ’80s and ’90s,” he maintained.

Nawaz said he could not comprehend the agendas of those embarking on long marches as he wondered on whose agenda they were working and for what purpose. “After four years, our performance will be before the people who will decide through the ballot who deserves to rule them and can deliver.”

He questioned whether these elements were taking the course of agitation because of the development projects of his government which they wanted to impede.

The prime minister said Pakistan was aspiring for good relations with neighbouring countries in the interest of securing peace and development inthe region. They wanted to eliminate terrorism and establish peace in the region with ideal ties with the neighbours to achieve the objective, he added.

He said his visit to India was successful and the affairs were moving on in the right direction, adding that Pakistan would become a centre of peace very soon.

Nawaz said the government wanted every province to enjoy the fruits of development and no part of the country would remain backward for which they were struggling while rising above the politics. He said his government had the potential to translate Pakistan into the dreams of Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal into reality, but regrettably, whenever they tried to move ahead, others started pulling their legs.

The prime minister said the government could achieve the target of development, progress and prosperity within 10 years provided it was allowed to work uninterruptedly. He said after Pakistan had become self-sufficient in defence and the focus of the government was on economic development for which they were making untiring efforts.

The premier said there should be no politics on the government endeavours regarding ending poverty, terrorism and revamping economy.Nawaz regretted that an atomic power should not have its economy in a shambles, poverty, unemployment and extremism like that in Pakistan. However, he said, his government was determined to turn around the situation and end the problems.

He promised to overcome the energy crisis and lower the electricity tariff, saying the government launched many projects to produce electricity from hydel, solar, coal and other sources.“My government has barely completed a year when a number of power plants have been set up in the country which is a major breakthrough,” he said, adding they had a futuristic approach on producing energy in view of the industrial and domestic needs after the 20/25 years.

In this regard, he especially cited the ventures launched with the Chinese assistance and the Thar coal project.Nawaz informed the gathering that the work on Lahore-Karachi Motorway was to be started soon and an amount of Rs50 billion had already been released to acquire land for the purpose.He was very confident while saying all energy and other projects would be completed during his tenure.

Geo closure not acceptable: Journalists

 

KARACHI: Thousands of journalists from the Jang/Geo group and several other media organisations, during a protest demonstration outside the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) office, said that the closure of Geo TV was unacceptable for them and the journalist community would not hesitate to render any sacrifice for the cause of freedom of expression.
The protesting journalists demanded restoration of the Geo transmission at the earliest.They were joined by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) along with members of civil society, which included the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Aurat Foundation among others.

On the occasion, a charter of demands was read out which was later submitted to the Pemra officials. It condemned the illegal meetings held by the Pemra officials which announced that the Geo Television offices should be sealed. “Pemra should set its house in order and give the Jang/Geo group a fair hearing,” it was stated in the charter.

Representatives of the Jang/Geo group said that they had apologised for the content of its programme, Utho, Jago Pakistan, which had hurt the sentiments of Muslims. “The programme has been suspended and an inquiry is under way,” it was stated. “However, other television networks, especially ARY television, has repeated the Qawali 63 times. Pemra should take notice of that as well.”

It was stated that the shutdown of the Geo transmission across the country by cable operators was illegal. “The cable operators have termed Geo television a traitor, but the cable operators show foreign films on their individual channels, which are a violation of the copyright law.”

By banning Geo television, it was stated that the public at large would be deprived of its right to information. “The people of Pakistan have chosen Geo television as the provider of information. They vote for it with the remote.”

It has been stated that the 7,000 employees of Geo television are now scared about their livelihoods as journalism is their bread and butter. “By targeting Geo and pushing for its ban, certain forces are depriving its employees of their livelihood.

“We are neither blasphemers nor traitors, we are only doing journalism,” it was stated.Journalists at the rally held placards of ‘long live Geo’, ‘long live press freedom’, ‘Geo or Jeenay do’ and pictures of Hamid Mir. Wearing black armbands, they raised slogans for press freedom and said that they would protest for press freedom till their dying breath.

Shaheen Qureshi, senior journalist, while addressing the rally, said, “The people who have gathered here today are sepoys of press freedom. This is not just an attack on the Jang/Geo group but on all of the media. The forces which are after us will one by one silence all the voices that differ with them.”

He said that the attack on Hamid Mir ‘the icon of Pakistani journalism’ was pre-planned. “We, as journalists, have read history. We know that red lines are drawn by certain groups. Once a red line is crossed, threats follow. That is why many of our editors have had to seek asylum abroad.”

Time and again every sane voice in the country is branded as a traitor. The list includes Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Zulifkar Ali Bhutto, Mufti Mehmood, Najam Sethi and Beena Sarwar. “Whoever loves is not egoistic. Then why are you being egoistic? We love Pakistan but we do not need a certificate from you. We are not professional patriots. We are not getting paid for declaring patriotism to Pakistan.”

He said that a certain anchor had been indulging in unprofessional practices and spreading false propaganda against the Jang/Geo group. “Are you getting paid by the establishment for toeing a certain line of thought?”

Faisal Aziz, Geo TV Karachi Bureau chief, said, “The journalists of Pakistan are brave. A bullet will not silence them.”Addressing the participants, the President Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) G M Jamali demanded the restoration of Geo transmission immediately. He said they would oppose shutting down any channel or newspaper in Pakistan.

Senior PFUJ leader, Khursheed Abbassi, called upon the authorities to get the Geo transmission restored within two days.

The Karachi Press Club (KPC) Secretary General Amir Latif said they were with Geo from the very beginning of the matter. “A ban on any channel or newspaper is an attack on press freedom.”

The resolution said that democracy should be strengthened as the country could not afford any illegal and unconstitutional act.

The resolution said that freedom of expression is an important right and if this right was curbed, all other rights would also be gagged and therefore the freedom of expression should be ensured.

The resolution said that no unconstitutional and undemocratic act in the country would be accepted and such acts would be resisted.

Meanwhile, Reporters without Borders is alarmed by the order issued by three members of the Pemra closing three Geo Television channels – Geo News, Geo Tez and Geo Entertainment – and cancelling their licences.

The order was rapidly disowned by Pemra in a press release that said it was issued following a meeting of only five Pemra members that did not comply with Rule 3(4) of PEMRA Rules 2009, under which at least seven of Pemra’s 12 members must attend a meeting for it to be validly convened.

The release added that the decision that Pemra took at an earlier and valid meeting on May 9 to “refer the (Geo Television) case to the Ministry of Law for legal opinion” was therefore still in effect.

“The hasty decision by three Pemra members that was immediately disowned is indicative of a desire by certain government representatives to use any means, including illegal ones, to ban Geo News from broadcasting,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of the Reporters without Borders Asia-Pacific desk.

“We urge Pemra not to yield to pressure from the intelligence agencies and the defence ministry, and to ensure that the law protects freedom of information.” The Jang and Geo groups have been a target of repeated threats, intimidation and prosecution as a result of the coverage of activities of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Balochistan.

Agencies add: Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said it was wrong to snatch and break the cameras and mobile phones of Geo and Jang journalists and to attack the Geo OB vans.

He said it was the fundamental right of a person to stage peaceful protests and demonstrations on minor or major issues and people should hold their peaceful protests within the limits of law, Constitution and moral standards.

In a statement, Altaf Hussain said that the people should not be allowed to break the law under the guise of protests.

The MQM chief said it was a debatable issue whether Geo did things intentionally or unintentionally. However, it was wrong to beat journalists belonging to Geo TV, who are mostly from the poor and middle class.

“We cannot term the protesters’ actions legal and constitutional. Their violent protests not only cause damage to expensive equipment but also injure journalists, drivers, technicians and cameramen associated with the Geo Television,” he said.

He appealed to the people in the name of Pakistan’s security to keep their protest demonstrations peaceful and not to hurt Geo employees and journalists.

Earlier, stating that the freedom of press was essential for strengthening democracy, former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government had given “unprecedented freedom” to the press.

Speaking to media persons here, Gilani said the PPP believed in freedom of the media adding that media should also show a responsible attitude.

“The PPP-led government extended unprecedented freedom to the press which was not given by any government in the past,” Gilani said at the Multan airport.

He said the PPP governments had always provided freedom to all in the country without discrimination and had never imposed restrictions on media institutions.

Acknowledging the role of journalists against dictatorial and autocratic regimes in the country, he said their sacrifices for the freedom of expression and social liberties had paved the way for rejuvenated democracy in the country.

“Democracy and media go hand-in-hand and the freedom of the media guarantees sustained and stable democracy,” the former prime minister said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Human Rights Cell cautioned against the banning of Geo TV and instead called upon the government to strengthen the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to ensure that electronic channels should abide by a code of conduct that should be effectively enforced and regulated.

“Resorting to a ban is censorship and there is no room for censorship in a democracy,” stated Dr Nafisa Shah, Central Coordinator of the PPP Human Rights Cell.

“While the cell endorses that press and media must exercise responsibility and not run vilification campaigns, we will not be a party to curbs on media freedom,” she added.

It is a fact that some electronic channels have run full scale campaigns, sometimes maligning national institutions, and constitutional positions and often jeopardising national interest. This is both the fault of the regulator, Pemra, and the inability of the channel owners to enforce the code of conduct. It is time that the media community agrees to abide by the code of conduct and maintain strict neutrality while covering events, she said.

The last PPP government and its leaders were repeatedly made a victim of media trials but the PPP government demonstrated patience and tolerated criticism. ”We are concerned that the Ministry of Information has failed to address the raging media wars, the lethal infighting between channels, and has become a bystander, which has led to the present impasse,” she said quoting the cell members as saying.

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), district Peshawar, in a meeting passed a resolution that said that no channel in Pakistan should be banned, instead all TV channels must respect the Islamic injunctions.

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Egypt’s el-Sissi: Brotherhood will not return

CAIRO: Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the former military chief who removed Egypt’s president and who is now poised to win the post in elections this month, says the Muslim Brotherhood will never return as an organization, accusing it of using militant groups as cover to destabilize the country.

El-Sissi spoke in the first TV interview of his campaign, aired late on Monday, vowing that restoring stability and bringing development are his priorities.

The comments were a seemingly unequivocal rejection of any political reconciliation with the Brotherhood, which was Egypt´s most powerful political force until el-Sissi removed President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the group, last summer.

Since ousting Morsi, el-Sissi has been riding an overwhelming media frenzy lauding him as Egypt´s savior, and his status as the country´s strongest figure all but guarantees him a victory in the May 26-27 election.

El-Sissi´s only opponent in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, the third-place finisher in the 2012 election won by Morsi.

El-Sissi´s comments were a stark signal of his intention to ensure the elimination of the 86-year-old Brotherhood as both a political and ideological force in the country. He is building on an unprecedented popular resentment of the group, after its rise to power in the last three years.

Asked whether the Brotherhood will no longer exist under his presidency, el-Sissi replied, "Yes. Just like that." "It´s not me that finished it, the Egyptians have. The problem is not with me," he said.

The Brotherhood and its allies won every election following the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, dominating the parliament and capturing the presidency under Morsi.

The Brotherhood´s electoral strength was largely rooted in a widespread grassroots organization it had built up for decades despite being banned under Mubarak.

But after a year in office, millions joined protests demanding Morsi´s removal, accusing his Brotherhood of monopolizing power and seeking to change the country´s identity along the lines of Brotherhood ideology — prompting el-Sissi´s ouster of Morsi.

Since then, there´s been no sign of reconciliation between the sides. The Brotherhood and its allies have denounced Morsi´s removal as a military coup that has wrecked democracy, rejecting the new government and persisting in a campaign of street protests.

Security forces have waged a ferocious crackdown on Morsi supporters, clashing with protesters. Hundreds have been killed and more than 16,000 members of the Brotherhood and other have been arrested.

In the joint interview with two private Egyptian TV stations CBC and ONTV, el-Sissi directly accused the Brotherhood of being behind the campaign of bombings and shootings. He said the movement "created" Islamic militant groups to use as "covers to fight from behind ... to keep the movement away from any accusations."

He said a senior Brotherhood leader had warned him that if he removed Morsi, extremist fighters from Afghanistan and elsewhere would come to Egypt to fight.

The Brotherhood denies any connection to militants.

He said the Brotherhood´s ideology was based on "arrogance in religion" — and the presence of that strain of thought had destabilized Egyptian society for decades.

"The thought structure of these groups says that we are not true Muslims, and they believed conflict was inevitable because they consider us non-believers," he said. "It will not work for there to be such thinking again."

He appealed to the public to support the police and the armed forces in their fight against terrorism. He vowed to respond to demands by the police to boost their capabilities to fight violence and said the armed forces are poised to help the police in such a task.

The 59-year-old el-Sissi retired from the military in March with the rank of field marshal to launch his candidacy.

The one-hour interview was his first direct address to the public since he declared his intention to run and after the start of the official campaigning on May 2.

His election campaign is likely to largely be made up of TV and media interviews and private meetings, with few street appearances, mainly because of security concerns.

In the interview, he said two assassination plots against him have already been uncovered, without giving details.

A second part of the interview, likely to go into more details about his economic program, is to be aired on Tuesday. (AP)

Imran should wait for next polls, not short-cuts: Pervaiz

LAHORE: Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan should wait for the next general elections instead of taking short-cuts.

In an interview, he said that the protests of the PTI and Awami Tehreek were no more than a storm in a teacup and they would not succeed in their efforts. He said that the protest of Imran Khan was the manifestation of his disappointment over his party’s failure to deliver in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

He added that Khan raised the issues of talks with the Taliban and the drone attacks for political gains but when he did not achieve his target in this way, he came up with the old issue of alleged rigging in the polls.

On the rally of Dr Tahirul Qadri to be held on May 11, Rashid said that Dr Qadri, who talked of the the people, would lead the “Canada Rally” on the day.The information minister remarked that Dr Qadri did not accept the Constitution and the democratic system but Imran Khan was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

He said the government would not hinder the peaceful protest but if any of the political parties resorted to any illegal activity, the law would take its due course.He said that to hold a protest was the legal right of every political party, but it should be carried out within the limits stated by the Constitution and the law.

Why Imran did not respond to Jang Group’s notice — the real story

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has developed a habit of hurling baseless allegations against the Jang Group, apparently at the behest of angels.

After losing the May 11 election, he had been crying of rigging. First, he accused the judiciary and now the Jang Group of depriving him of an imminent victory, which the angels had assured him.

Last year, when Geo Television Network’s winning the bid of rights of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka cricket tournament series caused sleepless nights for local media and dark hidden forces, Imran came out with so-called allegations that Geo was favoured by Najam Sethi, the then acting chairman of Pakistan Cricket Broad. However, Imran kept a mysterious silence over a similar series rights (Pakistan vs South Africa) awarded to an Indian sports channel in which Zee TV owns 95% of the shares and is headquartered in Mumbai.

Here are some facts for Imran Khan: This was the first time that a Pakistani TV channel had acquired world rights of an international series with the responsibility to produce in High Definition and the venture was only set to upgrade the standards and expertise of a Pakistani company and production resources.

Importantly, Najam Sethi had no role whatsoever in the bids process of the two series rights. The entire process of award of media rights to sports channels was done through Pakistan Cricket Board’s bids committee. Regarding Pakistan Cricket Board’s bids committee that awarded Pakistan-Sri Lanka series rights to Geo Super after transparent and competitive bidding, it is stated that its chairman was none other than Ehsan Mani.

Mani is a former ICC president and has managed ICC’s bundling of commercial rights since 2000. It included media rights for ICC events that valued millions of dollars. He has also successfully managed media rights for West Indies and South Africa and also PCB since 1993. He has been one of Trustee of 15-member Board of Trustees of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. He also has been Chairman Audit Committee of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

Other members of the bids committee included PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed — Masters in Business Administration with 19-year experience in cricket. He has worked with the ICC and wrote the contingency plans for ICC Cricket World Cups in 2003 and 2007; Chief Financial Officer Badar M Khan — Chartered Accountant with pertinent experience of cricket finances and good business practices; Member of PCB’s Governing Board Rafiq Bughio who oversaw and monitored the entire process, and an independent member Justice (R) Shabar Raza Rizvi, former judge who authored the report of Sri Lanka team attack. The whole process was monitored by an independent audit firm Ernst and Young, one of the leading audit firms hired to observe and report on the bid process for transparency.

The bidding committee submitted its recommendations to PCB governing board for approval after finishing their proceedings. This transparent process helped sell media/ broadcasting rights both for South Africa and Sri Lanka at a price more than what it got from the 5-year media rights deal which it had with an India-based sports TV channel for the same South Africa and Sri Lanka series played in Dubai/ Abu Dhabi. In fact, the PCB got around $1 million more from this South Africa and Sri Lanka series as compared to what it got in the last series played against both the countries at the same venues in the UAE.

Geo TV did bid in 2008 for securing media rights for five years, however, these rights were not given to Geo TV, though Ehsan Mani was heading the Bids Committee at that time too. Ten Sports got the contract for 5 years, which expired in 2013. In the case of Pak-SL series, it was the PCB Governing Body which approved the media rights contract and Najam Sethi remained out of this process.

It should be remembered that the Jang Group had issued a notice to Imran Khan for leveling basesless allegations at that time which made Imran angry. Instead of replying to the Jang notice, a hue and cry was made on the pretext of freedom of speech. The Jang Group then sent to Imran all the record showing its clear position and asked him to get the record examined through independent auditors. He should have replied to the notice then so that the Jang Group could move courts to prove his allegations wrong. The Jang Group did not pursue the notice and kept waiting for Imran Khan’s reply till todate. Now Imran had again started leveling the same allegations and Jang Group will have to also pursue its notice. Particular people including Lal Top Wala are following angels’ agenda on a particular channel. Imran Khan has visited that particular channel for five times. The Jang Group has moved courts against this particular channel.

Regarding the bidding process, Imran Khan is informed that the PCB floated a tender for two home series at different venues in the UAE - one against South Africa and the second against Sri Lanka on August 8, 2013. Against which, technical and financial proposals were sought from the interested parties. Two-stage tender process involved opening of financial and technical proposals, of which, the later was to evaluate financial standing, prior sports broadcasting and television production experience, details of company ownership including parent company/ share holdings etc and international distribution plans in case if their bids are successful.

On 30th of August, after careful evaluation, the Bids Committee approved India-based TV channel and Geo TV’s technical proposals and proceeded to the second round of opening the financial proposals. According to the process laid out, the Bids Committee announced reserve price for each series before opening of financial proposals which was not met by either Ten Sports or Geo TV for both series after which both parties were given the opportunity to submit revised offers the next day i.e. August 31, 2013 by 10 a.m. In the second round, Geo TV’s financial offer exceeded the reserved price for Sri Lanka series whereas India-based TV channel retained its original offer which was still lower than the PCB reserve price and not capable of acceptance by any standard and hence Geo TV was declared the successful bidder for Sri Lanka series. On South Africa series, both Geo and India-based sports TV channel could not meet the PCB reserve price and bidding committee decided to award rights to India-based sports TV channel on the basis of comparatively higher offer, though this offer was around $0.8 million, less than the reserve price fixed by the PCB.

The PCB, however, in line with a term of bidding document awarded contract to India-based sports TV channel without further negotiations. However, no one, including Imran Khan, raised any objection for the reasons best known to him.

Importantly, Abdul Rahman Bukhatir had sold 50% stakes in the company (Ten Sports) to India-based Zee TV Network for $57 million in November 2006 with Zee further acquiring further 32.2% stakes against $31 million in February 2010 and finally adding another 12.8% stakes against $13.4 million to take up its stake in the company at 95%. With the completion of 95% of control in Ten Sports by Zee, the corporate headquarters are now based in Mumbai and the entire up-linking operations of channel have now been shifted to Noida in India.

Ten Sports was the rights holder of Pakistan home series during the term 2008-2013 and in this period major changes in its parent company’s shareholding took place. Most television broadcasting agreements done by cricket boards do not allow such changes of corporate/ management controls without prior written consent by the cricket board concerned. In this case, the PCB can clarify whether it actually provided its consent to Ten Sports to continue working as its host broadcaster during the period 2009-2010 when India-based Zee Network gained 95% controlling shares of the company. Imran Khan preferred keeping mum when Indian channel had all the media rights for five years and only woke up when Geo got the rights of only one series.