Abid says Imran be tried under article 6

FAISALABAD: Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was trying to create rift among state institutions.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of ladies park here Sunday, Abid Sher Ali said Imran Khan should be tried under article of the constitution, adding Khan was trying to create rift between the government and the army.

He said Khan was using defence institutions for coming into power.

Criticizing the political parties protesting against the government, the State Minister said Pervaiz Elahi is the root cause of the problem.

Shaikh Rasheed could not gather people at his resident, how he could launch a train march, he questioned.

Protests can’t stop govt from working for progress: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif has said that sit-in or protest could not stop the incumbent government from working for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

Talking to a delegation of journalists, columnists, and intellectuals from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan here Sunday, Shahbaz said the government is moving in a right direction and will continue the mission to serve the masses at all costs.

He said if the Nadipur power project could be completed in 7 months, the government could overcome energy crisis in four years.

Shahbaz said the federal government has allocated Rs55 billion for Karachi-Lahore Motorway and Rs30 billion for Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu Dams, adding work on these projects would begin soon.

MWM rally: All roads to CM House blocked

KARACHI: All roads leading the Chief Minister House have been blocked by placing containers in view of the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM)’s announced protest rally against target killing from Numaish Chowrangi to CM House on Sunday here, Geo News reported.

Roads leading to CM House from Metropole, Clifton, PIDC and Shaheen Complex have been blocked since early morning by placing containers, while containers have been placed on the road from Fawwara Chowk to Governor House also.

Traffic police have appealed to commuters to use the alternative roads.

Policeman, wife, two kids killed in Karachi

KARACHI: Bodies of policeman and his three family members were found in a residence located in Gulshan e Mazdoor area of Baldia Town in the wee hours of Sunday.

According to the police, the slain policeman, identified as Ramazan, was a rapid response force personnel.

The police said that Ramazan and his wife were shot dead while his two kids were strangled to death.

CJ forms three-judge bench to hear anti-judiciary TV program

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan has formed a three-member bench to hear a case pertaining to an anti-judiciary program telecast by a private TV channel.

The bench headed by Ijazul Hassan will hear the case on June 2. A statement issued by the apex court on Saturday says honorable justice Jawad S Khawaja has not been separated from any case and he will continue to hear the “banner case.”

Justice Khawaja will hear the case on June 10.

One killed, two injured in Karachi grenade attack

KARACHI: A man was killed and two others injured in a grenade attack on a shop on Sunday, Geo News reported.

Police said that the shop owner had received extortion slips and the shop was attacked some time ago as well.

The police said that unknown men hurled grenade on a shop located on Tariq Road and escaped the scene, leaving three people injured.

The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) for treatment where one of them succumbed to his injuries. Identities of the deceased and the injured were yet to be ascertained.

KKR win toss, put KXIP into bat in IPL final

BANGALORE: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to field against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the final of the Indian Premier League here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

The KKR would go in to the IPL final with a slight edge over Kings XI Punjab. They won the title two years ago, they are on a eight-match winning streak and they have beaten Kings XI twice in three matches this season.

The KXIP made one change, bringing in Balaji for Sandeep while KKR go unchanged.

Teams:
KKR: RV Uthappa (wk), G Gambhir (captain), MK Pandey, Shakib Al Hasan, YK Pathan, RN ten Doeschae, SA Yadav, PP Chawla, SP Narine, M Morkel, UT Yadav.

KXIP: V Sehwag, M Vohra, WP Saha (wk), GJ Maxwell, DA Miller, GJ Bailey (captain), AR Patel, MG Johnson, L Balaji, Karanveer Singh, P Awana

New opening´ for US-Taliban talks possible: Hagel

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed hope Sunday the release of US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl would lead to direct US talks with the Taliban.

"It could, it might and we hope it will present an opening," Hagel said in an interview from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan with NBC´s "Meet the Press.

"Hagel noted that the United States had engaged in talks with the Taliban before, until they were broken off in 2012, and that it strongly supported an Afghan-led effort to reach a peace agreement with the Taliban.

"So maybe this will be a new opening that can produce an agreement," he said.Bergdahl, 28, was released Saturday near the Afghan-Pakistani border after nearly five years in Taliban captivity, in a surprise development that came as the United States is winding down its 13-year intervention in Afghanistan.

Hagel credited Qatar and its emir with Bergdahl´s release in a trade for five high-level Taliban militants held at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Hagel denied that the United States had negotiated with terrorists, as Republican critics are charging, and defended the trade as an effort to save Bergdahl´s life.

"This is a guy who probably went through hell for the last five years," he said. "And let´s focus on getting him well and getting him back with his family."

Captains focus on the basics

BANGALORE: Kolkata Knight Riders would go in to Sunday's IPL final with a slight edge over Kings XI Punjab. They won the title two years ago, they are on a eight-match winning streak and they have beaten Kings XI twice in three matches this season. Gautam Gambhir, the Knight Riders captain, termed Kings XI a "dangerous side" and said both teams would be on an equal footing when they stride out at the Chinnaswamy stadium.

"You don't need to do anything different tomorrow," Gambhir said on the eve of the final. "Ultimately, it is still a game of cricket, which needs to be played well. The pressure will be equal on both the sides and whichever side holds their nerves for long periods of time and whoever can do their basics well, will end up being the winner."

George Bailey, the Kings XI captain, while acknowledging Knight Riders' remarkable run mirrored Gambhir's view ahead of the final. "As much as it sounds clichéd and boring, we are not going to go out with any brand new tactics," Bailey said. "As a team, we will try to go out and do the same things. In some ways, the bigger the game, the more it is just about doing the basics as well as you can."

Sri Lanka beats England in 4th ODI, forces decider

LONDON: Sri Lanka weathered a brilliant knock of 121 by Jos Buttler to beat England by seven runs in the fourth one-day international and take the five-match series to a decider at 2-2.

Veteran left-hander Kumar Sangakkara struck 112 for his 19th ODI century as Sri Lanka posted 300-9 under sunny skies, setting England a tough target to clinch the series at Lord´s.

The big-hitting Buttler came in with his team unraveling on 111-5 but took England to the brink of victory with a 61-ball century, sharing a sixth-wicket partnership of 133 with Ravi Bopara (51).

England required 12 off the last over but wily paceman Lasith Malinga took the wicket of Chris Jordan and then ran out Buttler, a typically masterful over of line and length giving him final figures of 3-52. England finished on 293-8.

The fifth ODI at Edgbaston on Tuesday will settle an oscillating, unpredictable series that peaked at the home of cricket thanks to two superb innings from players at the opposite ends of the careers.

The 36-year-old Sangakkara hit some delightful, flourishing shots to the boundary, mainly through the off side, in his 104-ball knock that contained 14 fours.

He came to the middle following Kusal Perera´s departure for 19 and shared a second-wicket stand of 172 with Tillakaratne Dilshan (71).

They reached their half-centuries in consecutive deliveries before the ever-entertaining Dilshan tried his trademark "Dilscoop" — a paddle shot over his head and behind the wicketkeeper — three times in one over, picking up boundaries from two of them.

Dilshan succumbed to the same shot against James Anderson, however, when he bent down to scoop the ball over his shoulder, missed it and was bowled. Sangakkara´s knock ended after advancing down the wicket to smash spinner James Tredwell, but missed the ball and got stumped.

Mahela Jayawardene´s miserable series continued when he was dismissed by Harry Gurney (4-55) for 7, helping to slow Sri Lanka´s scoring rate. But the tourists averaged 10 per over off the final four overs as they scrambled to the psychologically important 300-run mark.

In the third ODI in Manchester on Wednesday, the tourists had been skittled out for just 67.Malinga removed Alastair Cook (1) and Ian Bell (7) inside the first 20 balls of England reply, and the hosts were further unstuck by losing Gary Ballance for 42 and Joe Root for 43, exposing the middle order.

Eoin Morgan´s departure for 12 brought Buttler to the crease for what was one of the best ODI innings by an Englishman. He kissed his helmet when he reached his maiden ODI century — the fastest ever at Lord´s — and went on to make the highest ODI score by an English wicketkeeper.

With five overs left, England required 56 but Buttler hit 19 off five balls from Ajantha Mendis in the 46th over to give the hosts renewed hope.Malinga — arguably the best death bowler in cricket — shot down their chances, though, and kept the series alive. (AP)