Ramzan gift for people: CNG prices jacked up

ISLAMABAD: Government has raised the prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), mounting burden in the holy month of Ramzan on the people already battered by high rate of inflation.

According to Chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Saeed Ahmed, the prices of CNG were raised in the wake of increase in Gas Infrastructure Tax.

He said the CNG prices were raised by Rs2.10 per kilogram to Rs76.35 in Region one that includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar and Balochistan.

In Region two, which consists of Sindh and Punjab excluding Potohar, the price of CNG has been hiked by Rs5.36 a kilo to Rs71.50.

Bilour seeks setting up of more camps for IDPs

PESHAWAR: Demanding establishment of more relief camps, former federal minister and senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) Ghulam Ahmad Bilour Sunday renewed call for properly handling the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan and providing them maximum facilities.

“The IDPs from Waziristan have been offering sacrifices for the greater cause of the country and nation and they should be extended wholehearted support,” he told a press conference. Ghulam Bilour, who is member of the National Assembly from Peshawar, said Pakhtuns were being killed in the name of religion. “On whose hand should I seek the blood of my sons, brothers and sisters - the United States, the rulers of my country, religious parties or jihadi organisations?” he posed a question.

Pakhtuns have been targeted since 1979 and their sufferings were long drawn, he added. He said the Pakhtuns were being pitted against each other through a conspiracy. “For God’s sake, they should not be killed anymore and there should be an end to this massacre,” he added.

He also appealed to the Ulema to help stop killing of innocent people in the name of religion. He said that at least 20 camps should be established for the IDPs in Bannu, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar and they should be provided maximum facilities.

“The Sindh and Punjab governments and people should host the IDPs and extend them full support as they have been rendering sacrifices for the national cause. They left their homes and scenic valleys for the restoration of peace in the country, not for personal gain,” the ANP leader stressed.

To a question, he recalled that the ANP-led provincial government had made all arrangements for the IDPs from Malakand division.Ghulam Bilour said his party always stood for democracy and did not support dictators. However, he said he and his party was worried about the bad conditions of IDPs and killing and displacement of Pakhtuns.

The ANP leader said it was right time to bring an end to the sufferings of people from this part of the world and let them pass peaceful life. To a question about the issue of moon-sighting, he said he kept fast because of love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and followed the people of his city Madina where people were fasting.

“I didn’t follow Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai or any other religious leader’s announcement,” he said, adding that the moon-sighting issue should be resolved with consensus and it should not be made a matter of ego.

Need to set up military tribunals for terrorists

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has sent in its officers and Jawans to lay down their lives so that the rest of us can live in peace. The Pakistan Army is at war. The rest of Pakistan does not seem to be. There is absolutely no doubt that the Pakistan Army will win the battle on the ground. But to win the war and there must be unity of effort.

Over the past 11 years, fatalities in terrorist violence stand at 52,653. Since 2002, there have been 398 suicide attacks killing 6,032 and injuring an additional 12,560. Since 2000, there have been 4,941 bomb blasts.

On September 20, 2008, the Marriott Islamabad was bombed. Rehman Malik, the-then minister of interior, charged Lashkar-e-Jhangvi for the attack.Justice Malik Muhammad Akram of the Anti-Terrorist Court acquitted Dr Usman, Rana Ilyas, Hameed Afzal and Tehseenullah Jan as the police failed to provide evidence against them.

On November 19, 2008, Major-General Ameer Faisal Alvi was shot by three gunmen on Islamabad Highway. The accused were set free for lack of evidence.On October 18, 2007, the Karachi bombing killed 140 and injured more than 350. Qari Saifullah Akhtar and his three sons, all linked to al-Qaeda and the outlawed Harkat-ul-Jihad, were arrested. A month later, Saifullah was freed due to lack of evidence.

On May 8, 2002, 11 French engineers were targeted in Karachi. On September 18, Sharib Zubair was arrested as the mastermind behind the attack. Mufti Mohammad Sabir was also arrested as the suspected bomb-maker. The two men had their convictions overturned.

In 2009, some 629 terrorism cases came before the Anti-terrorism Courts (ATCs) in Punjab. Suspects in 471 cases were acquitted. In 2001 and 2003, a total of 333 arrests were made. Only 38 of them were convicted and the rest were acquitted.

The overall acquittal rate in terrorism-related cases stands at 75 percent. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the province most affected by terrorism, the acquittal rate is even higher. In Swat, some 575 terrorism-related cases were filed in the three Anti-Terrorism Courts.

Out of the 575, only 15 accused were sentenced.

In 2007, 28 cases were filed; only one accused was punished. In 2008, a total of eight cases were filed, six were acquitted; one was punished and one was declared wanted. In 2009, five cases were filed, four were released and one was punished. In 2011, a total of 191 accused were arrested, only four were sentenced.

Pakistan’s judicial system is ending up boosting the morale of Pakistan’s enemies. There is voluminous evidence that “the ease with which terror suspects are acquitted encourages terror outfits to indulge in worse actions with no fear of effective crackdowns.”

Military tribunals have been used in the US, the UK, Germany, Canada and India. To be certain, military tribunals do not mean the imposition of military authority on Pakistan’s civilian population. To be sure, military tribunals will not be a substitute for Pakistan’s civilian judicial apparatus. Military tribunals would mean military justice only for enemy combatants.

Remember, “Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate”.

Twitter moves to beef up video sharing on social media

NEW YORK: Twitter said Thursday it has bought SnappyTV, a California firm that lets people edit and share clips from TV broadcasts.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SnappyTV, launched in 2010, has been collaborating with Twitter to "inject the best video content into Twitter´s real-time conversation, straight from the TV to your mobile device," Twitter said on its official blog.

Twitter added: "While we continue to invest in SnappyTV´s product and integrate it more tightly with Twitter, we also plan to maintain our partners´ ability to post high-quality videos to other platforms."

"As Twitter has grown as the companion to live events and broadcast media, SnappyTV will help partners and brands bring the best videos into the conversation, when it matters most," Twitter added.

Since the beginning of the year Twitter has been on a shopping spree, in particular for TV audience rating firms or social media advertising companies. These include the US firm Gnip, Mesagraph of France and Britain´s SecondSync.

Democracy can’t be ‘chopped up like vegetables’: Saad

 

LAHORE: Senior journalists and political leaders here on Sunday condemned the attack on Jang Multan Resident Editor Zafar Aaheer by masked men and the burning of Jang vehicles across the country.
Speaking at a seminar, organised at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, they expressed solidarity with Geo/Jang Group and Hamid Mir and called upon the PML-N government to re-establish its writ in the country.

Federal Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique said he supports Hamid Mir and has always maintained a close association with the senior anchorperson. He called his father Waris Mir a patriotic citizen. Saad said Hamid Mir had advised him when he was going out of line in dealing with the trial of General Pervez Musharraf and said Mir embodies the values of Islam, democracy and patriotism.

However, Saad said the media in Pakistan is engaged in a dirty war with itself that threatens the freedom of the press. He said those committing acts of vandalism, including the burning of Jang vehicles, would not benefit and have to ultimately lose the war on free speech.

Saad said the media in Pakistan was highly sensationalist and some anchors and journalists were deeply unethical and were misleading the public. The minister said the culture of breaking news and ratings had destroyed the authenticity and quality of the electronic media. He said the media in Pakistan was behaving like the Supreme Court and delivering judgements on politicians on baseless allegations. He said most media house owners were tax-evaders and had opened TV channels as their public relations wings. He criticised the display of the DG ISI’s picture on Geo News after the Hamid Mir attack and also criticised certain TV channels for showing the blasphemous video again and again to their viewers.

The minister said the government was playing the role of a necessary fire brigade between the Jang Group and the military establishment. He said this is important in order to lessen tensions and stop things from getting worse. Saad said democracy is not a gift and has been earned by Pakistan’s civilian leadership after great heartache and trial. This should not be undermined. He termed the talks in London highly regrettable.

He reminded Imran Khan that the PTI won the elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the same ‘fraudulent system’. He urged setting up of a media accountability mechanism in media houses and invited Tahirul Qadri to come forward instead of avoiding the government and holding ‘dharnas’.

In his telephonic address to the seminar, Hamid Mir condemned the attack on Aaheer and said the culprits wanted to curb press freedom. He said Aaheer’s attackers were the same who had attacked him on April 19, who had thrown petrol bombs on Jang vehicles and burnt Jang newspaper bundles. He said his patience and commitment to journalism had enhanced due to the support received from civil society and the journalists’ community. He reiterated the need for unity in Pakistan’s journalist community in such testing times. He said the recent events in the country reminded him of General Ziaul Haq’s dark era when journalists were flogged and sent to jails. He said there should not be any ambiguity about those who were responsible for the attack on Zafar Aaheer, who were behind the illegal suspension of Geo TV networks’ suspension through cable operators, who hurled threats at the Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari and attacked journalists in the past.

Hamid said these elements wanted to create division in the media industry and they had succeeded in pitting media outlets and journalists against each other. He said different cable operators told journalists that they were ‘helpless’ as they were facing severe pressure from unnamed circles. He thanked parliamentarians who supported him during his tough times. However, he added, condemnation was not enough and his attackers should be exposed and brought to book. Hamid said the police should also look into Aaheer attack case and arrest the assailants at the earliest.

Hamid said the Karachi police were afraid of arresting his attackers, despite knowing their identity and whereabouts. He said other journalists have also been approached by the intelligence agencies, and Arshad Ansari had been threatened via a letter to stop holding events in favour of Hamid Mir and press freedom. He said over 30,000 journalists have been approached by the intelligence agencies in this regard.

Hamid said such elements were mistaken if they believe that by doing so they could silence and suppress the media. He said the Pakistani media was not like the army generals who had surrendered in Bangladesh in the 1971 war.

Hamid said the civilian government is weak and the military has imposed a de facto martial law in the country. He said the judiciary’s orders are not being respected and it is the responsibility of the civilian government to establish its writ and expose his attackers. He said he had given all evidence to the judicial commission set up to investigate the April 19 attack on him.

Hamid Mir said a Taliban hit list comprising names of journalists being circulated by the interior ministry among few chosen channels should be provided to all media outlets. He said his name was on top of the list, followed by journalists from different media groups.

He also condemned the newly formed alliance of Tahirul Qadri and the Chaudhrys which will weaken democracy in the country. Hamid saluted the LPC and journalists in Pakistan for their courage despite opposition from all quarters. He said the country’s establishment is in the business of branding people as traitors, especially sincere and professional journalists. He said the struggle of the Jang Group is a nationwide struggle for democracy, press freedom and the right to life of all citizens.

Hamid Mir also condemned the murder of HRCP Multan coordinator and lawyer Rashid Rehman last month. He concluded his speech by chanting “Pakistan Zindabad’ and saying an attack on one journalist will be taken as an attack on all in the community.

Kasur Press Club President Khadim Ali Khokhar, Okara Press Club President Munir Chaudhry and Sheikhupura Press Club President Shahbaz also condemned attempts to shut down Geo and the Jang Group, and expressed solidarity with senior anchorperson Hamid Mir.

Jamaat-e-Islami representative Farooq Chohan said his party was committed to press freedom and would not participate in meetings taking place in London between Tahirul Qadri, Pervaiz Elahi and Ch Shujaat Hussain. He said the JI believes in complete press freedom and Liaquat Baloch had met Hamid Mir in hospital after the attack in Karachi. He said JI chief Sirajul Haq firmly believes that imposition of a ban on Geo TV would be illegal and immoral.

He said former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had earned the wrath of the intelligence agencies for taking up the missing persons’ case and today the media is facing similar pressures due to the same reason. He said the JI would not take part in the London talks because the party respects the democratic process and the mandate of the PML-N government. He said the alliance currently being formed in London was part of a conspiracy to gain a safe passage for the American CIA in the region.

Chohan said the Jang Group had tendered an apology over the eight-hour transmission about the agencies role which followed the attack on Hamid Mir and the blasphemy charge. Even then he added, efforts were under way to shut down the media group. He urged PM Nawaz Sharif to re-establish his writ over the country in order to escape General Pervez Musharraf’s fate today in judicial custody.

South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) General Secretary Imtiaz Alam said he had fought for democracy for 25 years and the destination was still nowhere in sight. He said the media in Pakistan needs to develop a code of conduct, refrain from hate speech, and encourage responsible and sensitive reporting.

Alam said we are happy that the army is fighting against terrorists. But it is a matter of concern that the banned organisations were staging demonstrations in favour of the army, he said adding that we are moving towards an unlawful state. He said the chief justice of Pakistan should take suo motu notice of the attack on Geo.

He said Pakistan’s own media has defeated itself in the fight for press freedom. Alam said Pakistan’s civilian government needs to re-establish its writ over the country as we cannot accept the bullet power of non-state actors. He said the attack on Hamid Mir is also of concern to Pakistan’s masses as it shows the state’s failure to protect a citizen’s right to life and a media consumer’s right to information.

Imtiaz Alam said we cannot compromise on fundamental rights and Pakistan can no longer be a ‘graveyard of democracy’. He also condemned the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on grounds of independence and fairness.

Alam said any attack on any anchorperson from any TV channel would have drawn a similar response as has happened in the case of Hamid Mir. He said owners of media outlets are engaged in a self-destructive rivalry in the country today. He also condemned the conspiracy theories being aired on Hamid Mir’s wounds and said Geo’s closure would lead to the economic death of 50,000 workers.

Alam said legal ways should be sought in criticising Geo TV and Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid should not just attend rallies but also deliver on his promises. He said the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, and Jang Group can resolve their problems through dialogue. Alam said in the 21st century a ban on any media channel is unacceptable. He said the attempts to close Jang Group is a test of civil-military relations by the army and that All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) should wake up from its slumber and take an action.

Punjab Union of Journalists President Waseem Farooq said the PUJ has gone on hunger strike, borne flogging and imprisonments to defend press freedom. He said the PUJ is carrying the torch of senior journalists Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Nisar Usmani, and Iqbal Jafri. He said media house owners should implement labour laws and give their employees decent wages if they need them to participate in protests for press freedom. He said working journalists in the Jang Group need support from society to ensure that their jobs are not endangered.

Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Vice President Shaheen Qureshi told the seminar that Geo TV is practically shut down due to the role of the cable operators and subsequent drop in viewers. He said this is undemocratic as it deprives viewers of the right to information. Qureshi said advertisers are pulling back and Jang’s circulation in most areas has come to a halt. He said only areas occupied by foreign diplomats in Islamabad get The News, which is a clever move to mislead the international media into thinking all is well with regards to press freedom.

Qureshi said PML-N MNA Tehmina Daultana in a Safma meeting had assured him that she would communicate these issues to PM Nawaz Sharif. The CPNE vice-president said information of Hamid Mir’s arrival in Karachi and work schedule could only have been accessed by intelligence agencies. He told the media on Sunday that Mir’s reporting on Balochistan’s missing persons long march and coverage of Musharraf’s trial had angered certain elements. He said the attack on Mir was intended as a lesson for Pakistan’s media.

Qureshi urged the government to not be helpless as it had won the mandate of 180 million Pakistanis in 2013 elections. He said the country’s judiciary is being disrespected as evidenced in the banners hung in Islamabad’s red zone with names of Supreme Court judges. He said Jang Group is not in need of certificates of patriotism from PTI leader Imran Khan. He said the group is not an enemy of the government and that democracy and press freedom are natural allies.

Geo News Lahore Bureau Chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi lamented the division in the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and said both disputing parties need to come together and resolve their dispute. Hashmi said he does not want any division in the media unions to be inherited by successive generations and both wings of the PFUJ should accept each other. He said they should heed Hamid Mir’s advice to the journalist community and stop infighting. Hashmi said that this is not a fight of media house owners but of all working journalists.

PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry, in response to Shaheen Qureshi’s comments on Imran Khan, said press freedom is not safeguarding the right to insult politicians only. He said PTI’s demand for inquiry into election rigging should not be set aside and that the party was committed to press freedom. He said Hamid Mir is a hardworking and loved journalist.

Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari said it was a tragedy that Hamid Mir’s perpetrators are yet to be arrested and condemned the attack on the Jang Resident Editor in Multan. Ansari said whereas divisions in the PFUJ are unfortunate they should be resolved in meetings mediated by veterans in the field. Ansari said that Geo had practically been shut down and it could result in joblessness among journalists.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Hassan Minto also expressed solidarity with Hamid Mir and called out the ‘deep state’ for its covert attempts to silence the media. The lawyer also said protests being held in support of the army are futile as the public knows who is behind organising these protests. Minto said the army according to Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution is bound to serve the country and not intervene in political affairs.

News Desk adds: Later, talking to Geo News, Saad Rafique said the Geo TV sought a pardon several times for playing a Qawwali once. Those who re-telecast the same clip 70 times were feeling no shame.

He said the freedom of expression was threatened by the same billionaires who opened TV channels and newspapers to protect their black money. He said batons and the useless use of the TV remote were not in the interest of the country. Those who were burning the newspapers would get nothing but shame.

He said Pakistan did not get democracy in charity and democracy was not a vegetable (gaajar, mooli) which could be chopped off. He said: “We couldn’t say before the time of Musharraf, but now we can say that it is the right of the PML-N to say that it was involved in the process to restore democracy in the country.” He said the necks of politicians were thin, so they could be beaten by anyone.

Saad said the retired chief justice of Pakistan could be ridiculed by the retired general Pervez Musharraf could not be laughed at and nothing could be said about him. He said the government was working like a fire brigade and it showed a positive attitude in the current circumstances. He said that by not joining the London alliance, Imran Khan took a wise decision after a long time. He said the Chaudhry brothers and the Maulana could not do anything.

Pakistan to set up polio vaccination points at airports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will set up mandatory polio immunisation points at its international airports in response to recommendations by the World Health Organisation, the health ministry said Tuesday.

The WHO warned Monday that the crippling disease has re-emerged as a public health emergency, with the virus currently affecting 10 countries worldwide and endemic in three including Pakistan.

"Special measures will include establishing mandatory immunisation counters on all airports, border crossings and seaports for all travellers," said ministry spokesman Sajid Ali Shah.

The WHO had called on Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria, seen as posing the greatest risk of exporting wild poliovirus, to ensure all residents and long-term visitors receive a polio vaccine between four weeks and a year before travelling abroad. For urgent travel, at least one vaccine dose should be given before departure, according to the emergency committee, which also called for all travellers to be given certificates proving they have been immunised.

Shah could not confirm whether long-term non-Pakistani residents would also be subject to immunisation under the new initiative. "That will be decided in a meeting scheduled soon," he said.

According to the WHO, Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year, up from 58 in 2012. It has also recorded 59 of the world´s 74 cases this year.

The disease has re-emerged in Pakistan because the Taliban and other militants violently oppose inoculation campaigns and because of public fears that the vaccine leads to infertility.

Militants see the polio campaign as a cover for foreign spying and regularly attack immunisation teams, killing some 56 people since December 2012.Their opposition has increased since a Pakistani doctor helped track down terror chief Osama bin Laden in 2011 using a fake vaccine project.

Last month officials announced they would begin administering polio drops to children at security checkpoints in the country´s lawless tribal belt.

India, which recently celebrated the eradication of the disease, announced in December it would require Pakistanis to obtain vaccination certificates six weeks before cross-border travel.

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chelsea put up a superb show to dent Liverpool title chances

LIVERPOOL: An untimely slip by Steven Gerrard inadvertently helped Chelsea claim a 2-0 win over Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday that reignited their title ambitions.

The Liverpool captain lost his footing in first-half injury time, enabling Demba Ba to run through and score, with Willian adding a late second as Jose Mourinho´s side moved to within two points of the summit.

The result brought Liverpool´s 11-game winning streak to an end and although it resurrected Chelsea´s title chances, the chief beneficiaries by the end of the day were Manchester City.

Mourinho, who travelled separately from his squad because he is ill, will now turn his attention to Wednesday´s Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, with the tie in the balance at 0-0.

Anfield was already simmering when Luis Garcia, scorer of the decisive goal when these sides met in the 2005 Champions League semi-finals, was paraded to fans before kick-off, raising the noise levels even further.

Mourinho had made seven changes to his starting XI, awarding a full debut to 20-year-old Czech centre-back Tamas Kalas, and the visitors set out to spoil the game right from kick-off.

They were dallying over free-kicks within minutes of the whistle being blown, while Gerrard at one point had to wrench the ball from Mourinho´s grasp as the Chelsea manager attempted to prevent a quick throw-in.

Chelsea were the first side to threaten, however, with home goalkeeper Simon Mignolet obliged to parry a shot from Ashley Cole.

At the other end, Luis Suarez teed up Philippe Coutinho to volley into the side-netting and then found Mamadou Sakho with a drilled cross, only for the Frenchman to hoist the ball over the bar from close range.

Suarez also curled an effort over, but Chelsea finished the half strongly, and after the unmarked Kalas had headed badly wide from a corner, Gerrard´s nightmare moment let the visitors in.

After letting a pass from Sakho run under his foot, the England captain slipped as he tried to recover.

As Anfield gasped, Ba stole in, racing through and calmly threading the ball past Mignolet.

Liverpool resumed their assault on the Chelsea goal after the interval, but a deflected Gerrard effort that Mark Schwarzer saved easily was the best they could muster in the early stages.

Rodgers responded by sending on the fit-again Daniel Sturridge and Schwarzer was obliged to exert himself fully moments later, plunging to his left to repel a Joe Allen volley.

Chelsea, however, carried a threat on the counter-attack and it took a fine one-handed save by Mignolet to prevent Andre Schurrle from making it 0-2.

Allen and Gerrard each saw long-range efforts saved by Schwarzer, while the Liverpool captain could only plant a header straight at the goalkeeper from Suarez´s dinked cross.

Suarez had one last chance in injury time, when a punch from Schwarzer fell straight to him, but the goalkeeper palmed the Uruguayan´s shot away.

Chelsea had the last word, with Fernando Torres racing clear and unselfishly teeing up fellow substitute Willian for an easy tap-in that Mourinho celebrated by thumping his chest on the touchline. (AFP)

Oil prices up

SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose in Asian trade Friday after Russia ordered new military exercises on the border with Ukraine in response to Kiev launching a deadly assault against pro-Kremlin rebels occupying a flashpoint town.

US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for June delivery, was up two cents at $101.96 a barrel in mid-morning trade and Brent North Sea crude for June also climbed two cents to $110.35.

Oil prices up

SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose in Asian trade Friday after Russia ordered new military exercises on the border with Ukraine in response to Kiev launching a deadly assault against pro-Kremlin rebels occupying a flashpoint town.

US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for June delivery, was up two cents at $101.96 a barrel in mid-morning trade and Brent North Sea crude for June also climbed two cents to $110.35.

Power shortfall will be made up in about 2/3 years: PM

DERA MURAD JAMALI: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday announced that government would ensure provision of natural gas to each and every city of Balochistan within three years. He added that the government would overcome the energy crisis in three years.

The Prime Minister directed Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to personally monitor this project and ensure its completion on time.

The Prime Minister made the announcement after inaugurating the 404 megawatt Uch II Power Plant at Dera Murad Jamali that will contribute an aggregate of 990 MW gross electricity to the national grid. The Uch II Power Plant the Independent Power Plant (IPP) has been constructed by GDF SUEZ a French company presently working in 70 countries.

Addressing the gathering at the inauguration ceremony here the Prime Minister said Balochistan was neglected in the past but the democratic government would take necessary steps to mitigate the sense of deprivation of people of the province. He said his government had planned a big development programme for Balochistan and its people.

He announced installation of two separate power lines from Uch II Power Plant to Naseerabad and Sibbi Divisions of Balochistan. The Prime Minister said the power project was significant mainly for two reasons firstly it would be based on an indigenous gas by substituting expensive liquid fuel thus saving foreign exchange and secondly it has been set up in Balochistan.

He commended the contribution of GDF Suez for successful commissioning of the project which he said was a valuable addition to the national grid. He said GDF Suez had been a reliable energy partner for Pakistan for many years and was also playing its role in the socio economic development of the province. He invited the French company to undertake more investment in Pakistan's energy projects.

Nawaz Sharif said the electricity shortfall in the system had a very negative impact on the development of the country. He said new power projects were being constructed using conventional and renewable energy resources and technologies. He mentioned that the government's steps in this regard including clearing of Rs 500 billion of circular debt and initiating the work on Neelum Jhelum project and Nandi Pur project that will add 959 MW and 425 MW to the national grid respectively.

Besides development of Thar Coal Project Jhimpir project in Sindh and solar projects in Punjab are also prominent steps to overcome power shortage he said.

Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said the project would contribute to overcoming the energy shortage and would invite further foreign investment in Balochistan. He said the project will not only help in curtailing the present power shortages but also provide cheap electricity to the consumers and save precious foreign exchange in oil imports.

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resource Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Minister of State Abid Sher Ali were also present.

Debris washed up on Australian beach not from MH370

PERTH: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau ruled out Thursday any link between material found on a beach in southwestern Australia and the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

Debris described as "unidentified material" was found Wednesday on a beach near Augusta, more than 300 kilometres (180 miles) south of Perth, by a member of the public and handed to police.

The ATSB decided to examine photographs of the material to determine whether it was linked to the search for the missing Boeing 777.

Photographs were also provided to the Malaysian investigation team.

However ATSB chief commissioner Martin Dolan scotched any hope of a breakthrough.

"We´ve carefully examined detailed photographs that were taken for us by the police, and we´re satisfied that it´s not a lead in terms of the search for MH370," Dolan told ABC radio.

"We want to pursue every possible lead that will help us find MH370 but sadly this is one that isn´t going to help that search," he said.

"We do encourage everyone who thinks they have viable leads in relation to the aircraft to contact the ATSB."

Dolan had Wednesday night declared the material, apparently sheet metal with rivets, "sufficiently interesting for us to take a look at the photographs".

However he had added a note of caution. "The more we look at it, the less excited we get."

As frustrations grow at the failure to find any trace of MH370, Australia´s Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC)said Thursday an underwater search with an unmanned mini-sub was almost finished.

"Bluefin-21 has now completed more than 90 percent of the focused underwater search area. "No contacts of interest have been found to date," the statement said.

The sonar Bluefin device was currently completing its 12th mission, JACC said, in an area defined as a circle of 10-kilometre (six-mile) radius around a signal detected on April 8.If the completed Bluefin hunt draws a blank officials say the operation will move to a new phase and likely need bigger equipment.

The airliner with 239 people aboard was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 when it mysteriously diverted. It is thought to have crashed into the remote Indian Ocean off Western Australia.

A surface search involving a fleet of ships and military aircraft would depend on the weather on Thursday, JACC said with the forecast for heavy rain and low cloud as Tropical Cyclone Jack moves south.

The visual hunt covers an area totalling about 49,567 square kilometres (19,100 square miles) some 1,584 kilometres northwest of Perth. (AFP)

Foes flex muscles in east Ukraine as NATO beefs up forces

SLAVYANSK: Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces flexed their military muscles in the restive east of the country on Wednesday, a day ahead of high-level international talks on the escalating crisis.

A concerned NATO said it planned to deploy more forces in eastern Europe and called for Russia to stop "destabilising" the former Soviet satellite, which has been in deep turmoil since the ouster of the pro-Kremlin leadership in February.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Kiev´s decision to send in troops this week to put down a separatist uprising in its industrial heartland had dragged the country to the brink of civil war.

An AFP reporter in the flashpoint town of Slavyansk saw at least six APCs and light tanks, some flying Russian flags, in the city centre with dozens of armed men in camouflage stationed around them claiming to be volunteers and Ukrainian army defectors.

Ukraine´s defence ministry confirmed the vehicles were seized from its forces after they were blocked by local pro-Russian activists.

An AFP reporter in the nearby town of Kramatorsk said a column of 14 armoured vehicles still controlled by the Ukrainian army was deployed, although these were too were being blocked by a crowd of pro-Moscow protesters.

Military jets could be seen flying low over both towns in an additional show of strength. As the situation on the ground appeared to escalate, NATo chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that the alliance would deploy additional forces in eastern Europe but said a political soluition was the only way forward.

"We will have more planes in the air, more ships on the water... and more readiness on the land," he said.

The authorities in Kiev also ratcheted up verbal attacks on Russia, with Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accusing Moscow of trying to build "a new Berlin wall".

Yatsenyuk demanded Moscow halt its alleged support for the separatists but said Kiev remained committed to Thursday´s crunch talks between the top diplomats of Russia, the European Union, the United States and Ukraine.

"There is only one directive for the Ukrainian foreign ministry -- the Russian government has to immediately withdraw its commando groups, condemn the terrorists and demand they leave the installations," he said.

Ukraine´s acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Koval headed out to the east to check on the progress of Kiev´s seemingly stalled bid to oust the separatists.
The military also pledged a firm response after two serviceman were allegedly taken hostage by pro-Russian forces in the Lugansk region.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said in a statement that Russian commanders in the east had issued pro-Kremlin militants with "shoot-to-kill" orders.

Vitaliy Naida, a spokesman for the service´s counter intelligence department, said some 40 Russian spys had been uncovered and stopped since the operation in the east started.

Elsewhere, pro-Moscow gunmen stormed the mayor´s office in the regional capital Donetsk, according to an AFP reporter.

Workers being picked up by plainclothes personnel: MQM

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader, Haider Abbas Rizvi has alleged that party workers were being picked up by plainclothes personnel, Geo News reported.

Addressing a press conference along with MQM Coordination Committee members here Tuesday, Haider Abbas Rizvi said their party workers were being subjected to severe torture.

He said MQM activists were being picked up by personnel in vehicles without number plates.


Haider Abbas questioned why LEAs have failed to take action against plainclothes men driving vehicles with tinted glasses.

Rizvi announced to hold a protest in Karachi against killing of party workers on Thursday, while countrywide protests would be held on Friday.

Arsenal beats holder Wigan to reach FA up final

LONDON: Arsenal avoided FA Cup embarrassment against second-tier club Wigan on Saturday, coming from behind against the holder and winning a penalty shootout to reach the final where the London club will be looking to end a nine-year trophy drought.

After extra time ended 1-1, Arsenal´s players scored all of their penalties and Lukasz Fabianski made two vital saves in a 4-2 shootout victory over Wigan in this meeting of the fifth-place teams in the Premier League and League Championship.

Wigan went in front in regular time from the penalty spot at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker conceded the spot kick that Jordi Gomez converted but the German made amends by heading in the equalizer that sent the game into extra time. "In the first half we were a bit timid," Mertesacker said. "A lot of people questioned (our character) recently but how we came back today we proved a lot."

A year after winning its first major trophy by beating Manchester City and then again in this year´s semifinals, Wigan couldn´t produce another upset against a Premier League power — much to Arsene Wenger´s relief. "It was important mentally," the Arsenal manger said. "If you imagine the consequences of going out tonight, it would have been quite worrying."

With the second half of his 18-year reign defined by the lack of silverware, Wenger desperately needs to collect a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup success when Arsenal returns to Wembley for the final.

It could be a bittersweet end to the season, though, with Arsenal at risk of missing out on the Champions League after 16 successive years. Just before kickoff at Wembley, Arsenal was dislodged from the fourth Champions League place by Everton, which beat Sunderland 1-0.What a slump it has been for Wenger´s side, having spent so much of the opening months of the season on top of the league.

The failure to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window has come back to bite Wenger. How differently things could have turned out if he had brought in an additional striker.

Instead, Wenger on Saturday was relying for goals on 21-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo, who was starting just his fourth game since joining on a free transfer before this season. Olivier Giroud was on the bench.

Sanogo´s lack of cutting edge and pace in front of goal quickly became apparent. The Frenchman was denied by Scott Carson from close range after five minutes and again just before halftime when his unconvincing first touch to control the ball allowed the goalkeeper to thwart the attempt.

If there was anything to reassure a dreary Arsenal side failing to produce the fluid football Wenger champions, it was Wigan´s inability to provide much attacking menace. So Arsenal gifted Wigan the opening to go in front.Mertesacker slid in with a lunge to cut out Callum McManaman´s run and the forward went to ground in the penalty area. After a delay while Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal received treatment elsewhere on the pitch, Gomez, a product of Barcelona´s youth system, sent the spot kick beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski.The anger among Arsenal fans who have grown accustomed to failure was clear: Jeers greeted Wenger´s decision to bring Giroud on, not for Sanogo but Lukas Podolski in the 68th.

The equalizer proved elusive. After Carson´s save from Kieran Gibbs´ header sent the ball drifting toward the goal, Wigan defender Stephen Crainey scooped the ball off the line.

Wigan´s goal was finally breached in the 82nd when it couldn´t fully clear a corner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain raised the ball over the defense and Mertesacker headed in at the far post.

It was a lucky escape for Arsenal, which was denied a winner in extra time when Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the crossbar but had better luck in the shootout.

Fabianski saved Wigan´s first two penalties by Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison, while Arteta, Kim Kallstrom, Giroud and Cazorla all netted for the Gunners. "We are walking out of Wembley on paper as losers but in our own mind as winners," said Wigan manager Uwe Rosler, whose focus returns to gaining promotion back to the Premier League. (AP)

Chinese consortium to set up two power plants in Pakistan

 

SANYA, China: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the early harvest projects were important for Pakistan and their timely completion will give a boost to the national economy.
The prime minister stated this at a breakfast meeting with Chinese investors in Sanya, China.Qui Yafu, Chairman RUYI Group, a textile company, and Wang Weng Zong, CEO Huaneng Shanday, a power company, met the prime minister.

The Chinese companies showed their intention to form a consortium for investment in power sector in Pakistan in order to build two power plants.They appreciated the investment policies of Pakistan and said that pro-investment policies had attracted them for investment in Pakistan.

The prime minister said that the Chinese investment is important for Pakistan and it will bring Pakistan’s economy into take off stage.He said there are several opportunities in energy and infrastructure sector which provide investment opportunities to Chinese investors.

Nawaz assured full support and assistance of the government and said that the minor hiccups would be tackled. The two sides also exchanged documents showing agreement and intent of the two sides for investment in Sahiwal Power Plant.

The prime minister while talking to the media at this occasion said the Chinese consortium had agreed to invest in Sahiwal Power Plant which is another milestone achieved in the energy sector projects.He said that the construction of the project will begin in May this year and will be completed by 2016. It will have two power plants, each of 660 megawatt, producing 1,320 megawatt.

PTI has set up exemplary govt in KP, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan claimed on Tuesday that his was the only party on which the nation had pinned hopes for a better future. He said that his party was ready to hold the local bodies elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 30.

He made this claim when an ex-candidate of the Qaumi Watan Party for PK-22, Charsadda, Khan Matta, and scores of his supporters joined the PTI here.Imran said his party had established an exemplary government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that would be expanded to other provinces soon.

Meanwhile, he condemned the attack on the Jaffar Express in Sibi and called for thorough investigations into it and awarding of the severest punishment to the culprits.PTI Information Secretary Shireen Mazari said her party had emerged as the second largest political party in the general elections last year. She saidthis during a meeting with a team of US journalists, who called on her on Tuesday.

She noted that the PTI believed in elimination of corruption through across-the-board accountability, expansion of the tax net and imposition of the agriculture tax. She threw light on various initiatives taken by the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

APP adds: Meanwhile, Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was ready to hold the local bodies (LB) elections in the province on April 30.Talking to the media outside parliament, he said that according to a recent survey, around 57 percent people were satisfied with the performance of the PTI government.

The chairman of PTI said that formation of a committee by the National Assembly to investigate the allegation of non-payment of taxes by members of parliament and report it within 90 days was a good development.

He said that the committee should first investigate non-payment of taxes by party heads. “I offer myself for the investigation first,” he added.Imran Khan said that payment of taxes by parliamentarians would enhance the prestige of parliament. He asked all the parliamentarians to declare their assets in and outside the country.

The PTI chairman said tax collection couldn’t be improved unless the politicians themselves set the example.To a question about the street children football team, he said that Pakistan had anincredible talent in all the sports. He said changing of the cricket team captain would harm the performance of the team.Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the PTI, in consultation with other opposition parties, would challenge the Pakistan Protection Bill.

Maulana Yusuf Shah appeals stepping up talks

ISLAMABAD: Taliban liaison committee member, Maulana Yusuf Shah Friday morning said that the government and Taliban committees would meet this afternoon at 4.00 P.M. as well as on Saturday, Geo News reported.

Talking to Geo News, he said that Maulana Samiul Huque would also attend the government and Taliban committees meeting. He further said the time of today’s meeting might be adjusted in accordance with the engagements of the interior minister.

Maulana Yusuf Shah appealed for stepping up the process of talks in a bid to pave way for a lasting peace in the country.

White House: 7 million signed up for health care

AP President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, gestures as he speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

President Barack Obama celebrated a better-than-expected 7.1 million sign-ups for health coverage that he said should end the debate over whether his signature legislation should be repealed.

Mr. Obama announced the 7 million threshold that once was seen as unattainable, even as the number still could climb. People who started applying but couldn’t finish before the Monday midnight deadline can have extra time, as do potential enrolees whose special circumstances kept them from signing up in time.

“The Affordable Care Act is here to stay,” Mr. Obama declared in a feisty Rose Garden speech the day after the deadline for Americans to enrol.

The 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act has been the No. 1 legislative achievement of Mr. Obama’s presidency.

Eager to deny Mr. Obama any kind of legislative legacy, Republicans have bitterly opposed the law which they say swells big government and represents an unprecedented federal intrusion in the U.S. economy.

It remains unclear how well the Affordable Care Act will work and whether its implementation will see Americans change their views on a law that remains unpopular and widely misunderstood.

About 50 million Americans lacked health care coverage as the law began taking effect, and supporters hope it will significantly reduce the ranks of the uninsured.

But the administration has not said how many of those who already have signed up closed the deal by paying their first month’s premiums. Also unknown is how many were previously uninsured, the real test of Mr. Obama’s health care overhaul.

In addition, the law expands coverage for low-income people through Medicaid, the government health care program for the poor, but only about half the states have agreed to implement that option.

The months ahead will show whether the Affordable Care Act will meet its mandate to provide affordable health care coverage or whether high deductibles, paperwork snags and narrow physician networks make it a bust.

After winning control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections, Republicans have voted more than 50 times to revoke or seriously undermine the program, widely known as “Obamacare.” Those bills have never made it to the floor in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The law is at the centre of competitive congressional races across the country. Michael Steel, spokesman for Republican House Speaker John Boehner, argued that the law was harming the American people.

Shehzad ton sets up easy win for Pakistan

MIRPUR: Opener Ahmed Shehzad scored a superb maiden century Sunday as Pakistan scored an easy 50-run win over Bangladesh in World Twenty20 Group 2 game.

Shehzad, who had a previous highest of 98 not out in Twenty20 internationals, scored an unbeaten 111 off 62 balls with 10 fours and five sixes as Pakistan got 190-5.Bangladesh was restricted to 140-7 with pace bowler Umar Gul bagging 3-30 and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal finishing with 2-20.

Shehzad added 83 runs for the fourth wicket with Shoaib Malik (26) as Pakistan utilized the good batting conditions after electing to bat.

Pakistan now needs to beat the West Indies in the last league game on Tuesday to enter the semifinals.

India has already ensured a semifinal berth from the group with three consecutive wins.