Pakistani Telecom Professional Wins Kofi Annan Fellowship

When it comes to professional and academic excellence, Pakistani professionals are no lesser than any other nation in the world.
Indeed it’s a matter of great pride and pleasure for Pakistani people in general and the telecom industry in particular that Mr. Tauseef Afzal, a Pakistani telecom professional has won the prestigious Kofi Annan Fellowship.
The Kofi Annan Fellowship is granted annually to 2 persons globally based on their professional and academic excellence and the potential to become a successful business leader in future.
Mr. Tauseef Afzal, who holds an MS in Telecommunications Engineering degree from Germany, has 8+ years of experience in the telecom field and is well known for his efforts for promoting the next generation technologies in Pakistan e.g., carrying out 3G / LTE Trials and arranging seminars for encouraging the government and operators to launch 3G / LTE services in Pakistan.
Mr. Tauseef has authored the famous “Guide to Higher Education in Europe“, which is hosted by hundreds of websites including download.com and has benefitted thousands of students in pursuing higher education.
As part of the Kofi Annan Fellowship, Mr. Tauseef Afzal will also pursue his fully funded MBA from one of the top business schools in Europe.

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Mobile Operating Systems in 2012

Simply said, 2012 was the year of the Androids. It didn’t only win new acquisitions in smartphone market but also snatched market-share of other operating systems (See table below). Clearly it continued to increase its share in the market.
Other Mobile Operating Systems in the market continued to get customers as well and some of them didn’t only survive but thrived. We are here to discuss their (and Android’s) growth and improvements they had in 2012 and also what to expect from them in the future. But first, let’s start with the market-share table of Mobile OSes:

Top Six Smartphone Mobile Operating Systems, Shipments, and Market Share, Q3 2012
(Units in Millions)
Operating System			3Q12 Shipment Volumes			3Q12 Market Share			3Q11 Shipment Volumes			3Q11 Market Share			Year-Over- Year Change
Android			136.0			75.0%			71.0			57.5%			91.5%
iOS			26.9			14.9%			17.1			13.8%			57.3%
BlackBerry			7.7			4.3%			11.8			9.5%			-34.7%
Symbian			4.1			2.3%			18.1			14.6%			-77.3%
Windows Phone 7/ Windows Mobile			3.6			2.0%			1.5			1.2%			140.0%
Linux			2.8			1.5%			4.1			3.3%			-31.7%
Others			0.0			0.0%			0.1			0.1%			-100.0%
Totals			181.1			100.0%			123.7			100.0%			46.4%

Android
Android is easily the most popular OS of this time and apparently it will only increase its lead over the time in the future. After losing its race with iOS, Symbian and even to Windows Mobile in the first few years, the Android made a great re-entry in HTC’s Nexus One and it never looked back from that point onwards. It currently holds 75% of the smartphone market (worldwide) and is raising this figure swiftly.
Android saw the release of a major update in 2012 in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean which was showcased in the first ever Nexus tablet, the Nexus 7 in June this year. The most important thing it brought was the Project Butter which makes the Vsync of the screen work at 60 fps and also makes the CPU, GPU and display co-ordinate well.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean came with updated camera app, made notification system even more functional and also brought smart app updates plus Google Now.
Google also rolled out the Android 4.2 update later which brought features like better lock-screen, better keyboard, multiple user support and even better controls. We are now looking forward to the “Key Pie Lime” update which is due sometime next year.
iOS
Apple’s products have always been among the most refined in their class and iOS is no exception. First announced in 2007, iOS has become only better despite the restrictions enforced by Apple to provide a better ecosystem and keep glitches away.
2012 saw another yearly iOS version release in form of iOS 6 which brought several cool and important features. These included more functional Siri, heavy Facebook integration, Facetime calls over cellular networks and ‘iCloud Tabs’ in Safari.
iOS 6 also brought the Maps application which was declared by CNN as among the top 10 fails of the year and is madly inaccurate. If we put aside the Maps app though, iOS 6 was actually quite an update.
Blackberry
RIM is strongly betting on its upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, which will be released early in 2013. And hence, all their current product developments are seemingly kept on hold.
BlackBerry 10 will be their reply to the iPhone and Android and it looks quite promising already but you shouldn’t be buying a RIM product until then.
2012 saw the release of only a handful of BlackBerry products (less than 10 to be exact) and so as a result, their market share plunged to just 4.3%. This will most probably change next year as just like Nokia, RIM has its own share of faithful customers. 2012 didn’t saw any major developments for this OS.
Symbian
No doubt, the end of Symbian is near. Its market-share continued to fall after the advent of iPhone, which further fell several folds after Android arrived into the picture. With a worldwide marketshare of just 2.3%, this OS will most probably end in the near future – some say around 2014.
Some companies are still using this OS on their phones, most notably the Nokia that uses Symbian as a secondary OS on its Asha series of affordable phones, mainly because Symbian doesn’t require much GPU and runs well on less capable hardware. Symbian, like BlackBerry, remained a neglected OS this year.
Windows Phone
Microsoft’s Windows Phone debuted just couple of year ago in 2010 and hasn’t been particularly successful so far. Their market-share of about 2% is nowhere near the 75% that Android holds but most of this share has been captured in the last year especially after their partnership with Nokia.
Windows Phone saw a major update this year with Windows Phone 8 which had features that the original Windows Phone 7 version should’ve got but still gave it an upper hand in terms of openness from iOS.
The update brought support for higher res. Displays, multiple-core processors, IE10,microSD card plus a complete change in core architecture making porting apps from Windows 8 to WP8 easier.
Unfortunately though, things aren’t going well for them. Their market-share has actually dropped from earlier quarters of this year. They did take a different approach earlier than Android and iOS by introducing live tiles rather than icons & grids but design isn’t everything.
Microsoft also angered old, faithful customers by declaring that old Windows Phones would be non-upgradeable to WP8 and instead presented them with a Windows Phone 7.8 update. Also the lack of a notification centre and quality apps have left customers unconvinced so we’ll have to see how it plays out for Windows Phone in the future.
What about 2013
2013 will be an interesting year to look out for. Because of the intense competition, the companies will be churning out some great software so it’ll be interesting to see what they’ll do to stay out of each other. We obviously will be there to cover the race from start to finish.

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Pakistan Crosses 8 Million Facebook Users

With the end of 2012, Pakistan made an evident increase in social media stream. According to statistics revealed by Social Bakers, users of social networking website, Facebook, in Pakistan have crossed the eight million mark with the presence of 8,008,720 users at Facebook from Pakistan.
Number of Facebook users in Pakistan grew by more than 1 million in last 6 months and this steady increase in users has put Pakistan at 28th place in the ranking of countries that use Facebook.
According to statistics by Social Bakers, United States held the First position with more than 160 million Facebook users, followed by Brazil and India with more than 63 million and 62 million users respectively.
Users’ Age group

The statistics revealed that the age group with the highest number of Facebook users in Pakistan (3,990,800) lies in the age bracket of 18-24 and the second largest group in the age of 25-35.
Male/Female users’ ratio:

As per stats, around 70% Facebook users are male, while 30% are female in Pakistan
LinkedIn
Likewise the Facebook, the number of LinkedIn users have also seen steady growth. The number of LinkedIn users in Pakistan has reached 1,472,143 making Pakistan stand at rank 10 among all countries that use LinkedIn, as revealed by Social Bakers.

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Dabangg 2 slows down, unlikely to fetch Rs 200 crores

After a successful first week, Dabangg 2, starring Salman Khan, has failed to meet expectations over its second weekend

Salman Khan's latest release Dabangg 2 may have got off to a flying start, but it looks like the film has failed to meet expectations over its second weekend. The action flick had set the cash registers ringing in the opening weekend itself after raking in over Rs 60 crore. It even managed to break into the exclusive Rs 100 crore club during its first week with a figure of Rs 107 crores.

An industry source says, "The second weekend hasn't been smiling upon the Khan-daan as much as they were expecting. The Friday numbers added up to only Rs 4.5 crore, Saturday to Rs 5.5 crore and Sunday jumping to Rs 9 crore, earning Rs 19 crore over the weekend."

The film's total now stands at Rs 126 crore. Distributor Akshaye Rathi says, "Dabangg 2 has performed extremely well at the BO, but if certain external factors had favoured it better, the film would have been on a different level by now.

The Indo-Pak cricket series and all the news about the heinous Delhi gang-rape grabbed the attention of the country (and justifiably so), keeping a lot of people from going to the cinemas." In addition to this, he adds that a lot of people are also on Christmas and New Year vacation. The trade pundits say that now only a miracle can make Dabangg 2 go past the Rs 200 crore mark. Let's just wait and watch.

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Five things you didn't know about Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan has a strong connection with Bengal. She has admitted to "feeling Bengali" and speaks the language fluently

Birthday girl and new bride Vidya Balan is 35 today. Here are five facts about this unconventional actress who has redefined the heroine's role in Bollywood.

Vidya Balan has a strong connection with Bengal. She has admitted to "feeling Bengali" and speaks the language fluently. Her new husband Siddharth Roy Kapoor, who is half Bengali himself, and she reportedly converse mostly in Bengali.

Vidya is reportedly obsessed with cleanliness and reportedly suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The actress is very organised and even if she spots little dust somewhere, she starts cleaning it herself.

Vidya's friends revealed she was the couple-maker in relationships and loved playing cupid for her friends.

Vidya is prone to a fit of the giggles, revealed her close friend Arshad Warsi to NDTV once. The actor revealed she had a naughty streak in her and that he called her an devil with wings or an angel with horns. Vidya calls her his favourite co-star after Ishqiya.

Vidya is a voracious reader and especially likes reading author Paulo Coelho.

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Karachi welcomes New Year with fireworks

KARACHI: Karachiites welcomed New Year with enthusiasm as soon as the clocks hit midnight to mark the turn of the year to 2013.

However, the police have blocked various roads for traffic. Pillion riding was also imposed in the city.

Youth and families witnessed fireworks which were carried out at a food street located at the Karachi port.

A popular music band Josh also performed on the occasion.

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Lahore: Motorway closed due to thick fog

LAHORE: Due to heavy fog, the motorway has been closed for traffic from Lahore to Pindi Bhatian interchange, motorway sources said.

According to the sources, the motorway had been closed due to zero visibility and the traffic was being diverted to the Grand Trunk (GT) road.

The motorway police advised people to be careful and switch on lights while driving. They also requested people to stay home and avoid unnecessary traveling.

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Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh begins today

LAHORE: The 969th annual three-day Urs celebrations of Hazrat Ali bin Usman Alhajveri popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh would begin at his shrine today.

The celebrations will start with laying a traditional chadar on the grave of the great sufi saint of the subcontinent, said Punjab Minister for Auqaf Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi while addressing a press conference at Data Darbar Complex here on Saturday. Secretary Auqaf Tariq Pasha was also present.

He said the Auqaf Department had allocated Rs. 8 million to provide facilities to devotees.

The minister said 400 security guards besides 170 'Razacars' of the Auqaf Department would perform security duties.

He said the department had installed cameras on the Darbar premises to monitor the Urs celebrations.

Camp offices of WAPDA, WASA, Civil Defence and first aid have also been set up to facilitate pilgrims, he added.

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Voting for Oscars 2013 extended

LOS ANGELES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday it has extended voting for the 2013 Oscars, after reports of problems with a new online polling system.

The elite movie industry body is giving its voting members an extra day -- the deadline will be this Friday at 5:00 pm Los Angeles time (0100 GMT Saturday), instead of 24 hours earlier -- to choose their nominees.

"By extending the voting deadline we are providing every opportunity available to make the transition to online balloting as smooth as possible," said Academy chief operating officer Ric Robertson.

"We're grateful to our global membership for joining us in this process," he added in a statement.

The Academy, which organizes the climax to Hollywood's annual awards season in February, introduced the option of online voting for first time for its nearly 6,000 members.

Old-fashioned voting by mail was still possible, although an initial November 30 deadline for requesting the ballot papers had to be extended by two weeks after complaints from members that they had missed it.

The Academy also set up e-voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, where its own officials could help members through the process.

But reports of problems with online voting have snowballed, with some Academy members struggling with the security system of passwords required to register their choices.

"It's easier to break into the CIA," one member told the Hollywood Reporter last week, in a piece which said many voiced concern that many older voters would give up and not cast their ballots.

"You know, a lot of older, cantankerous people -- people who aren't so highly motivated to vote -- are going to say, 'Oh, forget this.' I'm sure there's going to be some votes lost," added another member.

The median age of the Academy's 5,765 members is 62, according to a recent study cited by the Hollywood Reporter.

Nominees will be announced at 5:00 am on January 10 (0100 GMT on January 11), while the winners will be announced on February 24, at a show hosted by "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane.

Unlike in some previous years there is no clear favorite for best picture, with frontrunners ranging from Steven Spielberg's political drama "Lincoln" to Osama Bin Laden manhunt docu-thriller "Zero Dark Thirty."

Others tipped for Oscars glory include musical adaptation "Les Miserables," romcom "Silver Linings Playbook," Ang Lee's 3D fantasy "Life of Pi," and actor-director Ben Affleck's Iran hostage crisis drama "Argo."

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Chaudhary brothers back Qadri’s movement

LAHORE: PML-Q leaders Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain said that Dr Tahir ul Qadri’s mission would help to strengthen democracy in the country.

Talking to media following their meeting with the Chief of Minhaj ul Quran, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that they would support the movement launched by Dr Tahir ul Qadri.

On the occasion, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that Dr Tahir ul Qadri’s mission regarding electoral reforms would strengthen democracy in the country.

 

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US regulators approve new TB drug

WASHINGTON: US health regulators said Monday they had licensed a new treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis -- the first such federal approval aimed at tackling the deadly disease in 40 years.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was approving the drug, named Sirturo, as an alternative treatment for adults suffering from TB when two more powerful medications that are available, isoniazid and rifampicin, do not work.

But the regulator cautioned that the new drug should be used sparingly.

"Sirturo provides much-needed treatment for patients who have don't have other therapeutic options available," announced Edward Cox of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

"However, because the drug also carries some significant risks, doctors should make sure they use it appropriately and only in patients who don't have other treatment options."

TB is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is one of the world's deadliest diseases. It is spread from person to person through the air and usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body such as the brain and kidneys.

Nearly nine million people around the world had TB in 2011, including more than 400,000 suffering from a multidrug resistant form of the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

The FDA said Sirturo will carry a boxed warning to alert patients and health professionals that the drug can affect the heart's electrical activity, which could lead to an abnormal and potentially fatal heart rhythm.

The warning also noted deaths in patients treated with Sirturo and that nine patients who received Sirturo died -- compared with two patients who received a placebo.

Sirturo's manufacturer, Janssen Therapeutics, based in the US state of New Jersey, will distribute the drug from a single source and provide advisory literature to help ensure the new product is used appropriately, the FDA said.

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Aerial firing injures 26 on New Year eve

KARACHI: At least 26 people including a kid sustained injuries as aerial firing broke out in the city on New Year’s eve.

Despite of strict security measures taken by the government in Karachi, heavy aerial firing rocked various parts of the metropolis.

According to the hospital sources, one and a half year old child among 26 got injuries as a result of firing.

Earlier, police closed several roads leading to Clifton after which hundreds of vehicles struck in massive traffic jam on main thoroughfares of the city.

Sindh Government had also put ban on pillion riding and carrying licensed weapons.

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Space travel can accelerate Alzheimer

WASHINGTON: Long journeys into deep space, including a mission to Mars, could expose astronauts to levels of cosmic radiation harmful to the brain and accelerate Alzheimer's disease, said US research Monday.

The NASA-funded study involved bombarding mice with varied radiation doses, including levels comparable to what voyagers would experience during a mission to Mars, and seeing how the animals managed to recall objects or locations.

Mice that were exposed to radiation were far more likely to fail those tasks -- suggesting neurological impairment earlier than such symptoms typically appear.

"Galactic cosmic radiation poses a significant threat to future astronauts," said Michael O'Banion, a professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center and senior author of the study published in scientific journal Plos One.

"This study shows for the first time that exposure to radiation levels equivalent to a mission to Mars could produce cognitive problems and speed up changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease."

NASA is planning manned missions to a distant asteroid in 2021 and to Mars in 2035. A round trip to the Red Planet could take as long as three years.

While space is filled with radiation, Earth's magnetic field generally protects the planet and people in a low earth orbit from such particles. But once astronauts leave orbit they are exposed to a shower of various radiation.

Over the past 25 years, NASA has funded research to determine the potential health risks of space travel, aiming to develop countermeasures and determine whether or not the risks might imperil extended manned missions to deep space.

Several previous studies have shown the potential cancer, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal impact of galactic cosmic radiation.

But the University of Rochester study examined the potential impact of space radiation on neurodegeneration, and in particular the biological processes in the brain that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's.

The brains of the mice also showed signs of vascular alterations and a greater than normal accumulation of beta amyloid, the protein "plaque" that accumulates in the brain and is one of the hallmarks of the disease.

"These findings clearly suggest that exposure to radiation in space has the potential to accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease," said O'Banion.

"This is yet another factor that NASA, which is clearly concerned about the health risks to its astronauts, will need to take into account as it plans future missions."

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Sindh CNG stations closed for 3 days

KARACHI: After Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) announced the schedule for closure of CNG stations this week, all the stations in Sindh have closed from 08:00 AM on Tuesday till 08:00 AM on Friday for 72 hours, Geo News reported.

The sources from SSGC told that the step has been taken to meet the growing gas demand during winter and that is why it was crucial to suspend CNG supply to filling stations.

The authorities told that the gas utility took this step to improve the line pack position all over Sindh province, which has been badly disturbed due to short supply of gas from different gas fields causing depletion of line pack and low pressure in the system, the spokesperson of SSGC said on Monday.

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Blasts damage school in Lakki

LAKKI MARWAT: A government school was partially damaged in two explosions in Dallokhel village in the limits of Lakki Marwat Police Station on Monday, local sources said.

The sources said that explosive devices planted by unidentified persons close to the building of the Government Primary School in Mohallah Ghaibikhel went off at 8pm and destroyed the boundary wall of the school. Following the incident, the police reached the spot and collected pieces of evidence.

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New LG system in KP takes effect today

PESHAWAR: The provincial government in violation of its own cabinet’s decision retained its appointees in lower grade in about 16 districts to take over as deputy commissioners as the administrative setup under the new local government system is going to take effect from today in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The summaries approved by Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti for the implementation of the cabinet decisions regarding the district and divisional setups after the promulgation of Local Government Act 2012 revealed that positions of the deputy commissioners would be grade-19 posts in at least 24 districts while the divisional commissioner would be a grade-21 official.

But later in its 54th (12-12-12) meeting the cabinet approved that the position of the divisional commissioner “shall” remain in BPS-20 with the provision of three floating positions of BPS-21.

The position of the additional commissioner will remain in BPS-19 while the commissioner would be assisted by a secretary in BPS-18, two assistant commissioners and secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA), all in BPS-17.

Under the new system the cabinet approved that the positions of the district coordination officers and district officer for revenue and estate would stand abolished on January 1 and their functions would be integrated in the re-designated office of the deputy commissioner in BPS-19 with the provision of additional deputy commissioner in BPS-18 in each district.

However, the provincial government in violation of the cabinet’s decision re-designated its “preferred” district coordination officers in lower grade of BPS-18 to retain the positions of the deputy commissioners in at least 16 districts in their own pay and scale.

The officers who are in BPS-18 and are going to retain the BPS-19 posts of the deputy commissioners in their own pay and scale include Capt. (Retd) Mian Adil Iqbal, deputy commissioner Battagram, Muhammad Ayaz, deputy commissioner Buner, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, deputy commissioner Charsadda, Rehmatullah Wazir, deputy commissioner Chitral, Muhammad Ali Shah, deputy commissioner Upper Dir, Mahmood Aslam, deputy commissioner Lower Dir, Capt (Retd) Tahir Zafar Abbasi, deputy commissioner Hangu, Syed Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, deputy commissioner Haripur, Ali Anan Qamar, deputy commissioner Karak, Nisar Ahmad, deputy commissioner Lakki Marwat, Amjad Ali Khan, deputy commissioner Malakand, Zakaullah Khattak, deputy commissioner Mardan, Ghulam Muhammad, deputy commissioner Nowshera, Muhammad Ziaul Haq, deputy commissioner Shangla, Muhammad Abdul Aamer Khattak, deputy commissioner Tank and Fazlur Rahman, deputy commissioner Torghar.

Muhammad Javed Marwat, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah, deputy commissioner Abbottabad, Atif Rehman, deputy commissioner Bannu, Khan Bakhsh, deputy commissioner Dera Ismail Khan, Zakir Hussain Afridi deputy commissioner Kohat, Aqal Badshah, deputy commissioner Kohistan, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, deputy commissioner Mansehra, Syed Muhammad Shah, deputy commissioner Swabi, Flt Lt (Retd) Kamran Rehman deputy commissioner Swat are officers in BPS 19.

An official of the Established Department told The News that the provincial government was compelled by the dearth of the officers to post lower grade officers against higher positions as it could not revert the officers promoted during the Musharraf regime for serving as district coordination officers.

He said most of these officers were now in BPS-20 and above and serving as administrative secretaries. To accommodate these officers the cabinet approved the creation of five more posts of special secretaries, one each in Establishment, Higher Education, LG&RD, Agriculture and Health and Environment departments.

These special secretaries are also going to take charge of offices in the new local government system taking effect from today, he said.

It may be mentioned that the chief minister had approved a summary in September suggesting that to save the officers promoted from becoming surplus and ward off the adverse effects of the new arrangement, the posts of eight chairmen Board of Secondary and Intermediate Education (BISEs), chairman Text Book Board, solicitor Law Department, Director Rescue 1122, director general provincial ombudsman, chairman Health Regulatory Authority (HRA), secretary Worker Welfare Board and chairman Higher Education Authority (HERA) would be included in the schedule BS-20 posts so that these promoted officers could be posted there.

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Jamrud school blast kills one

JAMRUD: A man was killed in an explosion in a government school in Ghundi area in Jamrud tehsil in Khyber Agency on Monday, tribal sources said.

The sources said that explosive devices planted by unidentified persons at the Government Middle School in Ghundi went off early in the day and destroyed the building. Also, a man identified as Akhtar Munir was killed in the explosion. It could not be confirmed whether he was inside the building or was a passer-by.

Meanwhile, a mortar shell fired from an undisclosed location struck the house of Nawaz Afridi in Wazirdhand. The shell partially damaged the building. However, it caused no loss of life.

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Report says slain Levies soldiers were ill-equipped

PESHAWAR: Eight Levies men deployed at a checkpost in Frontier Region Peshawar had only three rifles to counter any militant attack in the troubled semi-tribal region, a source told The News.

The source said the soldiers had to vacate the Ghakhay Sar checkpost in Janakhor area on December 26 when it was stormed by the militants armed with automatic rifles and heavy weapons. The source said eight of the soldiers in the post had only three rifles and they had no other option but to save their lives.

Militants also attacked other checkposts as well as the poorly guarded residential barracks of the Levies men located in a telephone exchange and in the newly constructed technical college.

They killed two of them, wounded another one and abducted the remaining 23 personnel. Twenty-one of the kidnapped men were later killed on December 29.

The families of the kidnapped officials are critical of the federal and provincial governments and Peshawar district administration for failing to recover the kidnapped men. The slain soldiers were getting meagre salaries and were not entitled to get the “Shaheed Package” given to slain policemen and soldiers of the Pakistan Army.

Many were the only breadwinners for the families. Most of them security men belonged to Hassankhel, Janakhor and nearby towns of the semi-tribal Frontier Regon Peshawar, which is surrounded by Darra Adamkhel, Khyber Agency and Matani town in Peshawar.

Militants had shot dead the 21 Levies men in the Hassankhel area of Frontier Region Peshawar late Saturday night after they were blindfolded and lined up with their hands tied at their backs. Their bodies were dumped in the Jabba Hassankhel area of the same tribal region.

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Wish of ailing 12-year-old fulfilled

MINGORA: General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major-General Ghulam Qamar Monday ordered to induct 12-year-old Hassan Khan suffering from a fatal blood disease as honorary captain in the Pakistan Army.

He held a meeting with the Hassan’s father Javed Saeed and brother Shahzeb in Khwazakhela in Swat to grant the ailing boy his wish as he is suffering from life-threatening disease. On the occasion, Major General Ghulam Qamar also provided cash support of Rs0.1 million to the minor to help him in his medical treatment.

Hassan Khan in Swat would become the second kid to be provided the opportunity to the honorary captain in the Pakistan Army. The boy’s family members lauded the generosity of the security forces officials for granting the wishes of ailing children to provide then chances of celebrating happiness.

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‘Qadri should suggest reforms to CEC’

LAHORE

FEDERAL Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira Monday said that the Constitution was the only way through which Pakistan could be stabilised by all aspects.

Talking to media after addressing the inaugural session of Centennial Celebrations of Pakistan Engineering Congress (1912-2012) at a local hotel, he said that PPP had resolved all basic problems while taking on board all segments of the society. The PPP, he added, was the ‘role model’ for those trying to make a Tehrir Square (Egypt) in Pakistan, therefore, they must shun this urge, since country’s media, judiciary and election commission were enjoying full freedom. To a question, Kaira suggested Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri to forward his recommendations to the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding electoral reform in the country, but must refrain from resorting to any unconstitutional move for attaining this purpose. Replying another query, he said, the PPP had no fear from Qadri or his party, adding that MQM was indeed an ally in the PPP-led democratic government but it was working in its domain.

Earlier, addressing the PEC session, Kaira said that engineers were surely contributing a lot to the country’s defence and infrastructural development. The private sector’s role was equally commendable, as it provided fora to engineers to polish their skills, he maintained. The minister said that Pakistani engineers and doctors had proved that they were second to none in the world, which was a great pride for the country. Though developed world spent a major share of their budget on research and development, Pakistan being a developing state, had meagre resources in this regard, he added.

He objected that only the politicians were always widely criticised but the question was that how much period they rule the country and under which circumstances.

The dictators had detracted the country from its fundamental system, he added. He said it was a fact that no mega dam was constructed in Pakistan during last many years, which was major cause of power shortage and its higher tariff, but we have to determine, which rulers did not embark on such projects of national importance.

The federal minister pointed out that last regime had laid foundation stone of Diamir-Bhasha Dam but did not purchase even an inch of land for the mega project. Contrary to this, he added, the present government had worked out the project during last three and a half years and now the project was at tendering stage.

The present coalition government had not only introduced the tradition of continuing with last government’s incomplete projects but also promoted the habit of consultation to give an end to political differences. Now the projects were approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI), he maintained.

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CCPO asked to explain non-recovery

LAHORE

THE Lahore High Court Monday directed Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) to appear personally to explain non-recovery of an alleged missing Canadian national Sikh woman.

The court showed displeasure over an ambiguous report furnished by the CCPO through Assistant Advocate General Arif Yaqoob. CCPO stated in report that on December 06 he was intimated about the incident and the city police neither had any information about whereabouts of Sikh woman Rajvindar Kaur Gill nor she was wanted in any case.

The judge was shocked over vague reply and police performance. The court remarked police made no progress in a case which was also in the knowledge of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The judge directed the law officer to telephonically inform the CCPO to get updated about the case to tell the court. The judge was holding proceedings on a petition filed by Sikandar Singh Gill, father of the woman, seeking recovery of his daughter.

He prayed to the court to direct the police to find out whereabouts of woman and produce her before the court. The court directed the CCPO to appear in person on next date of hearing, January 02.

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Notice issued on plea for ban on syrup

LAHORE

Justice Sheikh Najamul Hassan of the Lahore High Court on Monday issued notice on a miscellaneous application, seeking ban on sale of Tyno cough syrup which had caused death of many users.

The judge directed the officials concerned to appear on Tuesday (today) to inform the court about the measures taken for safety of patients.

The application was moved into an already pending petition, seeking judicial inquiry into the casualties caused by the use of toxic cough syrup, Tyno, and registration of cases against all the responsible, including authorities. Judicial Activism Panel chairman Azhar Siddiqe advocate and Trade Welfare Organization of Tollinton Market Lahore President Muhammad Tariq Javed moved the application, stating that 33 people had died in Gujranwala and Kamokey areas due to the killer syrup. The lawyer said that chemical samples, collected from the victims’ stomachs, contained dextromethorphan, a synthetic morphine derivative, used in cough syrup that could have mind-altering effects if consumed in large quantities. He said that it was being investigated whether the people affected by the syrup had consumed too much of it or there was a problem with the medicine itself.

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Elections to be gift of 2013: Nawaz

LAHORE
PRESIDENT Pakistan Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif while felicitating the nation at the advent of the New Year has expressed the hope that the holding of timely, free, fair and transparent elections in the New Year will bring happiness and prosperity to the people.

In his special message, Nawaz Sharif said that at the beginning of the New Year we should pledge that we will leave no stone unturned for making Pakistan a haven of peace by eliminating sectarianism, intolerance and terrorism.

He also said that the New Year is also important in the sense that the nation is going to elect its new representatives after five years.

He said that the PML-N considers that elections 2013 are of utmost importance for the country and the nation as free, fair and transparent elections are a guarantee of a positive change and stability of a country.

Nawaz Sharif said that the nation is determined for the elections on time and expressed the hope that it will be held at all cost.

He further said that holding of free, fair and transparent elections will be an invaluable gift of the New Year for the nation.

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Kidnappers kill only son of parents

LAHORE

KIDNAPPERS killed a 17-year-old boy over non-payment of ransom in the Gawalmandi police area on Monday.

Police have arrested three accused persons while the prime suspect was still at large. Victim Bilal, 17, was kidnapped on Friday and the kidnappers had demanded Rs 3 million as ransom from his father Altaf. He was the only son of his parents.

According to a police duty officer, Bilal’s friend Saqib Nawaz and his brothers had kidnapped him and kept him at their house and had been demanding the ransom. On suspicion, police raided the house of the accused and found the body from the upper portion of their house. Police have registered an FIR on the complaint of the victim’s father and shifted the body to the mortuary.

KILLED: Two cousins died in a road accident in the Sanda police area on Monday.

According to police, Amir and Waseem, residents of Sabzazar, were hit by a truck at Bund Road while they were on their way on a bike. As a result, they died on the spot. Locals managed to catch the truck driver and handed him over to police. Police have registered an FIR against the driver and impounded his truck.

The bodies have been handed over to their families.

GUNNED DOWN: Some unidentified accused persons gunned down a 45-year-old man in the Nawankot police area on Monday. According to police, some persons had shot dead one Rehmat Ali of Nonarian Chowk. Police said that on the complaint of Sajjad, victim’s relative, they had registered an FIR against unidentified accused persons and had started investigation.

The body has been shifted to the mortuary. Police said the complainant told them that they had no enmity with anybody.

CRANE KILLS BOY: A 10-year-old boy died after being crushed under the wheels of a crane working at Metro Bus Service project in the New Anarkali police area on Monday.

According to a police duty officer, victim Ali Raza was crossing the road in front of Karbala Gamay Shah when the crane crushed him. On the complaint of the deceased’s father, police have registered an FIR against the crane driver and impounded the crane.

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136 Shias slain in city in 2012, says MWM report

Karachi

Over 500 members of the Shia Community were killed in 2012, stated a report released by the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Musilmeen (MWM) on Monday.

“Terrorists attacked innocent Azadar (mourners of Imam Hussain-AS) through suicide bombings, planted bombs, remote-controlled bombs, IEDs and shooting,” said Asif Safavi of the MWM in the report.

Of the total number, 136 were killed in Karachi alone and the Shia community lost prominent leaders Allama Aftab Haider Jafari and Saeed Haider Zaidi to attacks in the metropolis.

The report recalled that Shias were slain in three major attacks in Babu Sar (Lolusar), Kohistan and Chilas. These victims—who had been pulled out of buses and murdered after being identified as Shias—were on their way to Gilgit-Baltistan.

The MWM report stated that pilgrims to the holy shrines of Imam Reza (AS) and Bibi Fatimah Masoomah had lost their lives in suicide attacks between Quetta and Taftan on a number of occasions. It pointed out that the latest attack took place on December 30 and resulted in the deaths of 19 people.

The religious party stated that at least four members of the community were beheaded in 2012 — two in Sargodha and the same number in Quetta. The victims in Quetta included noted religious scholar Maulana Noor Ali. The MWM said that these men were slaughtered like animals by terrorists, who also recorded a video of the gory incident. Another eminent scholar, Allama Saqlain Kazmi, was murdered in Punjab.

In Rawalpindi, Dera Ismail Khan and Khairpur districts, mourning processions became the target of terror attacks and several Shia Muslims lost their lives.

In 2012, the province of Balochistan had the highest number of casualties with 156 Shias falling victims to violence. Next was Sindh, where 145 members of the community were slain. At least 81 were killed in Punjab, while 55 died in Gilgit-Balistan, the report stated. It added that nine died in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, while 44 were killed in the Parachinar/Kurrum Agency and 12 in Orakzai Agency, bringing the total number of Shia Muslims killed in the Federally Administered tribal Areas (FATA) to 56.

As many as 136 people from the Shia community were killed in Karachi, which was the largest number for a city. In Quetta, 119 lost their lives, while 55 were murdered in Gilgit, 44 in Parachinar, 25 in Rawalpindi, 21 in Khanpur, 16 in Dera Ismail Khan, 12 in Orakzai Agency, 29 in Mastung, seven each in Lahore and Mach, six in Sargodha, four in Peshawar, three each in Hangu and Larkana, two each in Faisalabad, Khairpur and Nawabshah and one each in Ali Pur, Chaman, Dadu, Hub, Noshera, Shahdad Kot and Sialkot.

January of 2012 saw 42 Shias murdered, while 37 were killed in February, 36 in March, 34 in April, 24 in May, 30 in June, 35 in July, 42 in August, 51 in September, 28 in October, 80 in November and 63 in December.

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Over 1,400 tube wells out of order in Sindh

Karachi

Of the 3,657 tube-wells in the province, a massive 1,401 were non-functional and this was causing immense difficulties for lands across Sindh, especially those that had been affected by the heavy rains of the last three years.

However, it was stated during a meeting at the Chief Minister House that the a significant number of the wells that were not in working order were likely to made functional within the next two months.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, who chaired the meeting, said that lands in the province had suffered a great deal due to the continuous heavy rains over the last three years. He revealed that lands were suffering from water-logging, while there was drought in some areas. He said that the scheme of installation of tube-wells was aimed at reducing water levels in water-logged areas and providing water for irrigation purposes.

Shah added that the relevant section i.e SCARP tube-wells’ divisions were not working properly and no attention was paid to their maintenance. As a result, the water level had increased. The chief minister said that the engineers and staff of SCARP remained ignorant and there were complaints from elected representatives about non-functional tube-wells.

He added that some reports even suggested that up to 80 percent of tube-wells were not in working order and an inquiry was ordered to look into the matter. Shah warned that strict action would be taken against any official found responsible for the non-functional status of the tube wells. The chief minister ordered action against those people involved in the theft or damage of tube wells.

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By Dec 15, measles killed 176 in Sindh: WHO

Karachi

The World Health Organisation’s Disease Early Warning System (Dews) and Response in Pakistan has confirmed 176 deaths due to measles in Sindh until December 15, of which 35 deaths of children were reported in the second week of this month.

The weekly epidemiological bulletin of Week 50 of 2012, jointly issued by the National Institute of Health Islamabad and WHO, said some 15 deaths because of measles were reported from Karachi, whereas 600 cases in all were reported from the city.

On Monday, Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed confirmed around 100 deaths due to measles in the entire province so far, whereas health officials across Sindh have yet to recognise a measles epidemic and launch a vaccination campaign for the viral disease.

According to the Dews bulletin, the number of positive measles-specific immunoglobulin M cases had exceeded 6,545 in Sindh by December 15, whereas over 430 cases of measles outbreak were reported across the province.

In the 50th week of this year, 35 deaths were reported from different districts of Sindh, whereas more than 578 positive cases of measles were reported and investigated by WHO’s Dews team.

Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Sindh is under fire from health authorities as well as officials within the programme, as senior EPI officials have blamed their own officials for not carrying out and monitoring routine immunisation in the province.

In many districts of the province, not a single child was vaccinated for measles the entire year, said EPI Sindh’s Dr Waqar Ahmed Soomro during a presentation on ‘Routine Immunisation in Towns and Districts of Sindh, 2012’.

His presentation revealed that Kashmore was one of the unfortunate districts where not a single child was vaccinated for measles the entire year, whereas in Badin, Larkana, Dadu and Ghotki, less than 10 percent of children were vaccinated.

Only 10 to 20 percent children were vaccinated in Thatta, Sukkur and Khairpur, whereas over 70 percent children were vaccinated in districts that were not even identified by EPI authorities.

According to Dr Soomro, data of measles in Karachi is more horrible, as not a single town of the metropolitan has fulfilled the international criteria of vaccination for measles.

The data showed over 97 percent children in Bin Qasim Town were not vaccinated the entire year, 88 percent in Gadap Town, 87 in Baldia Town, 84 percent in Lyari Town, 82 percent in Keamari Town, and 80 percent each in Landhi and SITE towns.

The report highlighted various issues like lack of payment to vaccinators; poor coordination between various departments; lack of motivation, mobilisation and resources; poor supervision by authorities; and poor or no counselling to parents as the reasons for poor routine vaccination across the province.

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Altaf, Qadri to address public meeting today

Karachi

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and Chairman Tehreek-i-Minhaj-ul-Quran Dr Tahirul Qadri will address a public meeting at the Jinnah Ground, Azizabad, on Tuesday (today) at 3pm.

The theme of the public meeting is “Journey for Revolution in Pakistan”, said a statement issued by the MQM.

Both leaders would make important announcements about the long march on Islamabad being organised by the Tehreek-i-Minhaj-ul-Quran on January 14. Preparations for the programme were in full swing at Jinnah Ground, said the statement.

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Restrictions rob city of New Year fun

Karachi

By making the Clifton beach and sensitive zones off limits, the authorities on Monday not only poured cold water on New Year’s Eve festivities, but also ended up causing massive traffic gridlocks on several major arteries of the metropolitan.

The commuters’ problems were compounded by the fact that the closure of a few roads to prevent New Year festivities at the seaside and in some sensitive zones for security reasons coincided with the evening rush hours.

The traffic congestion lasted till late in the evening. Motorists, mostly office-goers returning home, were stuck for hours in the traffic jams.

A bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen on II Chundrigar Road, MR Kayani Road, Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Burns Road, Sarwar Shaheed Road, Din Mohammad Wafai Road, Rafiqi Shaheed Road, Sharea Faisal, Korangi Road, MA Jinnah Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Aga Khan-III Road, Preedy Street, and several other roads leading to Defence and Clifton.

A traffic police officer at the 915 Traffic Helpline said the closure of Aiwan-e-Saddar Road and a portion of Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road near the Chief Minister’s House led to the traffic jams on the roads in the city’s downtown areas .

“By 8:30pm, the traffic situation in the vicinity of the Shaheen Complex and the Arts Council and on Aiwan-e-Saddar Road had been resolved, while there was no traffic congestion on Sharea Faisal or other major roads of the city,” the officer maintained.

The situation was aggravated by the announcement of 72-hour closure of CNG stations from Tuesday morning. Panicked motorists lined up outside filling stations, worsening the traffic problem.

“I left office around one and half hours late when I saw a massive traffic jam on II Chundrigar Road,” Asher Zaidi, a senior anchorperson associated with Geo TV, told The News.

“The traffic situation had worsened because people were panicking and driving on the wrong side of the road,” he added.

Many vehicles on II Chundrigar Road and MR Kayani Road ran out of fuel while stranded in the gridlock. Police vans and ambulances were also stuck in the jams.

A very few traffic policemen and city wardens were present to solve the traffic crisis, reflecting the authorities unpreparedness for the situation.

Karachi DIG Traffic Khurram Gulzar blamed police for the traffic gridlocks on II Chundrigar Road and its adjoining arteries.

“Police barricaded the roads early in the evening, way before the New Year celebrations start,” he told the News.

“When I saw the traffic clogging I.I Chundrigar Road till Merewether Tower, I ordered temporary removal of the barricades on the Aiwan-e-Saddar Road in order to ease the situation.”

Earlier, there were reports that the government might block cellular services in the city to prevent terrorist attacks during New Year celebrations. However, much to the relief of the citizens, the suspension was not enforced.

Banned

The Sindh government has banned using firecrackers, firing gunshots in the air, pillion-riding, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer in Karachi on New Year’s Eve.

In view of the prevailing law and order situation in different parts of the metropolis, the provincial government has banned pillion-riding on scooters and motorcycles from sunset on Monday, December 31, to the midnight of Thursday, January 3, under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

According to a notification issued by the Sindh home department on Monday, the ban will not be applicable on children younger than 12 years, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, journalists, uniformed personnel of law-enforcement agencies, and employees of essential services.

The violators of the government order will be liable for penal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Station house officers, and their subordinate inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors have been authorised to take legal action against the violators in accordance with the applicable laws.

According to another notification, the government has also banned using firecrackers, aerial firing, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer. It has suspended all letters issued by the home department to people that allowed them to carry a weapon.

In pursuance of Section 195(1)(a) of the CrPC, police officers up to the rank of assistant sub-inspector are authorised to register complaints in writing under Section 188 of the PPC for violation of Section 144 of the CrPC.

Strict security ordered

The Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) has ordered strict security measures across the province on New Year’s Eve, APP added.

According to a statement issued on Monday, Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari ordered tight security in all parts of the province, especially in Karachi, Hyderabad and other major cities. The IGP called for deploying police personnel at all public places, including beaches, parks, thoroughfares, shopping centres, departmental stores and fast food chains.

He directed to make arrangements for random snap-checking, and police picketing and patrolling. He also directed station house officers to ensure implementation of all security measures in their respective jurisdictions on New Year’s Eve.

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CDA approaches police against de-sealing of houses

Islamabad

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approached Islamabad Police for registration of cases against the violators for de-sealing their houses, which were sealed during the operation carried out by the CDA on non-conforming use of the residential houses and units.

The authority had sealed different houses during the joint operation. However, some of the owners have broken seals of their premises in grave violation of the orders of the court. The Building Control Directorate has also approached the senior special magistrate of CDA requesting him to initiate the legal proceedings against the violators of these premises. Subsequently, the senior special magistrate of the CDA has requested the Islamabad Police for lodging FIR against seven owners of different houses situated in sectors F-6 and F-7 for de-sealing their houses.

According to CDA spokesman, these houses include House No.40, Street No.32, F-6/1 (Zaash Boutique), House No.15, School Road, F-6/1, (Vostro Club), House No.39, Street No.32, F-6/1 (Enrouge Boutique), House No.20, 7th Avenue, Sector F-6/1 (Living Options, Furniture and Décor), House No.42, Street No.20, F-7/2 (Sony Centre), House No.15-A, Street No.18, F-7/2 (Depilex Saloon) and House No.2 Street No. 37, F-7/4 (Innovations Show Rooms).

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PTCL introduces standalone Smart TV package

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) has now launched a standalone package for its Smart TV customers. PTCL is the first and only telecom service provider in Pakistan that is offering this state-of-the-art digital interactive television service, says a press release.

The new package has been specially designed to bring added convenience for PTCL customers, enabling them to experience Smart TV without the requirement of Broadband internet. With this package, customers can now experience interactive TV at just Rs450 per month. The package has an added advantage of unlimited calls on Sunday from PTCL Landline to Landline & Vfone for just 199/month extra. Besides offering the highest digital quality TV picture, Smart TV also gives customers the option to choose high quality videos from a large pool of video library.

“Access and control of content in a personalised way is here to stay, and at PTCL we shall continue to offer our customers a dynamic, personal and digitally interactive television experience,” said Naveed Saeed, PTCL Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) Commercial.

PTCL Smart TV also comes with triple-play package, being delivered over fibre-based Broadband network, which is providing Voice Telephony, Broadband Internet and Interactive Television at the same time through one connection.

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250 houses to be illuminated with solar panels

Islamabad: Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) will illuminate 250 houses (300 watt) with solar panel in rural areas.

More than 500 people will get indirect employment due to the activities generated in the field of rural electrification through solar energy. Around 51 scientists, engineers, technicians, skilled and semi-skilled people will also get direct employment, as PCRET has initiated production of high quality solar panels.

The objective of the project is up-gradation of silicon crystal growing and watering, cell fabrication and lamination facilities. It will help to enhance the indigenous production of solar cells and modules up to 80 KW per annum, along with promotion of clean and renewable solar energy through photovoltaic process.

Talking to this, an official in PCRET said, this project of production of solar panels has been designed to upgrade the facilities to produce 80 KW Photovoltaic modules per year.

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Closure of CNG stations irks motorists and commuters

Rawalpindi

Motorists as well as commuters are facing difficulties because of the closure of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations on the fifth consecutive day on Monday.

The taxi and rickshaw drivers have blocked the Jhelum Road and chanted slogans against SNGPL for forcefully closing down CNG stations. Commuters faced shortage of public transport as more than 50 per cent of public transport was off roads. The vehicles plying on petrol were charging high fares.

Muhammad Naeem, a taxi driver, said that motorists and commuters had to face hardships because of closure of CNG stations in Potohar region. “The PPP government has deprived us of our livelihood,” he added.

Siraj Ahmed Bhatti, a rickshaw driver, said that the government literally failed to control ever-increasing crises in the country, they should resign immediately, he suggested. He demanded of the authorities to resolve the problem otherwise situation would lead towards civil disobedience.

Fazal Sher, a motorist, said, “I am searching CNG but failed to get it. We are already perturbed over inflation, scarcity of water and other problems and the closure of CNG stations have added to our miseries,” he said. Farzana Rehan, a government servant, said that the government instead of doing anything to overcome the energy crisis is creating more problems for the public.

All Pakistan CNG Association’s Supreme Council Chairman Ghayas Abdullah Piracha when contacted by ‘The News’ condemned closure of CNG stations in Potohar Region including Rawalpindi and Islamabad. He blamed the government for forcefully closing down CNG stations. “We appeal to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo moto notice against forceful closure of CNG stations by SNGPL.”

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Entering 2013 while standing in queues!

Rawalpindi

After the closure of CNG stations, motorists and bike riders are facing shortage of petrol.

Long queues of motorists were seen in front of petrol pumps. Some of the owners and petrol pumps’ staff taking advantage of the situation charged Rs2 to Rs5 extra per litre from consumers.

Motorists on petrol pumps, while talking to ‘The News’, said that closure of CNG stations for 6 days has created worst problems for them. They said mostly petrol pumps in Rawalpindi don’t have fuel and thus creating lots of trouble for motorists who were seen standing in long queues in front of some petrol pums. “Government has failed badly to facilitate the public,” they said and added that after watching long queues in front of CNG stations, now we are witnessing same here at petrol pumps.

They said despite high price of petrol and overcharging, motorists are standing in long queues and filling their fuel tanks because they don’t have any other option. “Because of the bad governance we would enter in 2013 with lots of public issues,” they said. They said we are entering 2013 while standing in queues in front of a petrol pump.

Shoaib Khan, a motorist, said that all over the world people are celebrating New Year and making their plans whereas here in Pakistan we are in search of fuel for our vehicles, gas to cook meal. He said all the CNG stations are closed that’s why motorists are using petrol in their vehicles that’s why there is shortage of petrol.

“Government should feel its responsibility and resolve the issue of CNG on urgent basis otherwise the time has come when people would come on roads and would attack the government institutions,” he added. Muhammad Ali, another motorist, said that everyone is ready to cheat and take advantage of the situation to get maximum profit.

“Not a single department is working to solve the public problems; the Chief Justice should take notice and take action against the concerned departments,” he said.

Entering 2013 while standing in queues!

Obaid Abrar Khan

Rawalpindi

After the closure of CNG stations, motorists and bike riders are facing shortage of petrol.

Long queues of motorists were seen in front of petrol pumps. Some of the owners and petrol pumps’ staff taking advantage of the situation charged Rs2 to Rs5 extra per litre from consumers.

Motorists on petrol pumps, while talking to ‘The News’, said that closure of CNG stations for 6 days has created worst problems for them. They said mostly petrol pumps in Rawalpindi don’t have fuel and thus creating lots of trouble for motorists who were seen standing in long queues in front of some petrol pums. “Government has failed badly to facilitate the public,” they said and added that after watching long queues in front of CNG stations, now we are witnessing same here at petrol pumps.

They said despite high price of petrol and overcharging, motorists are standing in long queues and filling their fuel tanks because they don’t have any other option. “Because of the bad governance we would enter in 2013 with lots of public issues,” they said. They said we are entering 2013 while standing in queues in front of a petrol pump.

Shoaib Khan, a motorist, said that all over the world people are celebrating New Year and making their plans whereas here in Pakistan we are in search of fuel for our vehicles, gas to cook meal. He said all the CNG stations are closed that’s why motorists are using petrol in their vehicles that’s why there is shortage of petrol.

“Government should feel its responsibility and resolve the issue of CNG on urgent basis otherwise the time has come when people would come on roads and would attack the government institutions,” he added. Muhammad Ali, another motorist, said that everyone is ready to cheat and take advantage of the situation to get maximum profit.

“Not a single department is working to solve the public problems; the Chief Justice should take notice and take action against the concerned departments,” he said.

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Pakistan look for series-winning triumph

KOLKATA: Enjoying a 1-0 lead following their Chennai victory, Pakistani cricketers landed here on Monday ahead of Thursday’s second One-day International against India.

Misbah and his team-mates had a day off on Monday and would get back to work with a full-fledged training session here at the Eden Gardens this (Tuesday) afternoon.

Pakistan are looking to seal a series-winning triumph here after beating India by six wickets in Chennai last Sunday.

Sources told ‘The News’ that the team management would meet after today’s practice session to discuss the playing eleven for the second ODI. There are indications that the team management would vote in favour of retaining the “winning combination” for the Kolkata game unless there are any drastic differences in the playing conditions here as compared to Chennai.

Meanwhile, Indian captain MS Dhoni and a few of his team-mates also arrived in Kolkata on a chartered flight along with the Pakistani players. He was accompanied by coach Duncan Fletcher, Ravindra Jadeja and local lads Ashok Dinda and Mohammad Shami. The remaining Indian players have been given a day off that allowed them to spend New Year eve with family and friends. They would assemble in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Initially, local cricket officials had planned a joint New Year party for both Pakistan and India but later decided against it.

According to the new plan, the players from both the teams would be confined to their posh hotel and will be busy with private parties to usher in the New Year.

Agencies add: Meanwhile India’s Virat Kohli who had a rather unpleasant fall while bowling against Pakistan in the opening ODI in Chennai, underwent an MRI scan and while a release late on Sunday said that his ligaments are fine, a decision on whether he will play would be taken in the days to come.

Kohli bowled two overs and five deliveries of his third before his back-foot slipped in his delivery stride and he came down on his knee. The 24-year-old part-time bowler was in visible pain and was taken off the field. He remained off the action till the end of the match which Pakistan won by six wickets.

The same release, issued by Board of Control for Cricket in India’s secretary Sanjay Jagdale, said that Kohli’s condition would be closely monitored. “All his major ligaments are fine. There is minimal injury fluid in his knee. He will recover after treatment. His condition will be monitored, and a decision on whether he will play the second ODI at Kolkata on 3rd January 2013, will be taken over the next couple of days.”

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Hackett sues lawyers over pre-nuptial agreement

SYDNEY: Australian swimming great Grant Hackett is suing his lawyers over a costly pre-nuptial agreement after his marriage ended with a drunken rampage, reports said Monday.

After five years together, Hackett and Candice Alley split in May. He had trashed his apartment the previous October in an alcohol-fuelled blowout, prompting his wife to call the police.

Police photographs of the damage were published after which Hackett was dumped as an ambassador for a children’s anti-violence charity. He had upended a piano and furniture, smashed a door and put holes in the walls.

The 1,500m freestyle champion at both the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and dominant force in the event for a decade now accuses his former solicitors of drawing up a “defective” pre-nuptial agreement.

Newspapers say Hackett’s personal fortune was estimated at some US$8.3 million and he was seeking a finding of negligence against his solicitors along with compensation. In June, Hackett said he was working to restore his reputation and did not blame alcohol for his actions.

“I will be defined by my actions moving forward and I hope people take the time to judge me on that and I’m very, very determined to turn that around,” he said.

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New Zealand face South African mountain to climba

CAPE TOWN: New Zealand have done absolutely nothing to suggest they can upset South Africa in the first Test of the two-match series beginning at Newlands on Wednesday — and that may be their greatest weapon.

Not for generations have expectations been lower before a test series. The hosts hold a commanding five-point lead at the top of the world Rankings while New Zealand languish in eighth place, ahead only of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

The last time the Black Caps were in South Africa, in November 2007, they were humiliated in both Test matches, failing to reach 200 in four innings and losing by margins of 358 runs and an innings and 59 runs.

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn began his ascent to the top of the world bowling rankings by taking 20 wickets at a little over 10 runs apiece.

Steyn is still top of the world rankings but now he has two team-mates for company in the top 10, Vernon Philander in second place and Morne Morkel in sixth. New Zealand’s 38-year-old seamer Chris Martin is the leading Kiwi in 17th place.

A look at the batting rankings is bleaker for the touring side. Not only do South Africa have another three men (Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers) ranked in the top 10 — with Graeme Smith at number 13 — but the tourists have just one, and he is not on the tour.

The saga of Ross Taylor’s embarrassing sacking as captain is still haunting the management team and further holes in the first-choice XI have been created by injuries to all-rounders Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee.

But filled they will be, and by men who will take to the crease with bat or ball in the knowledge that even the optimism of their closest friends and family will be based more on hope than expectation.

The same cannot be said of the home side. Such is the weight of expectation on them that one suspects they cannot satisfy it. Certainly, victory alone will not suffice. South Africa fans have not seen their test team on home soil in 2012 and they are expecting to see them now in all their glory.

Coach Gary Kirsten, understandably, has tried to play down those expectations.

“The success of our team in 2012 was based on the fact that we remained humble in our play, we never took any situation or any team for granted,” Kirsten told reporters.

“We made sure that our preparation was spot on and that, when we got into test match time, we set up solid foundations to give ourselves the best chance of success. We will treat this series no differently.”

The Proteas need to win both matches simply to maintain their lead in the Test championship. A drawn series would see them lose ground to second-placed England while an unlikely defeat would drop them to second.

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Sharapova looks back on banner year

BRISBANE: Maria Sharapova said 2012 had been the most memorable year of her career after her victory at the French Open and carrying Russia’s flag at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

“A lot of things came together,” she said in Brisbane on Monday. “It was the grand slam that was going to take a little bit longer than the others for me.

“I knew that physically I needed a few extra years to get stronger to move more efficiently on that surface,” she said of her win on the French clay.

“The Olympic experience was one that I’ll never forget because it was my first time being an Olympian. I was the first Russian female athlete to carry the flag for my country, so it was very emotional. It was such an incredible experience.”

Sharapova, competing in this week’s Brisbane International tournament, said there was more depth in women’s tennis than at any stage of her 12-year career.

“It’s much more physical than it has been,” she said.

“Maybe five years ago you go into a tournament and you would treat the first couple of rounds as, you know, not as a warm-up, but you don’t have to go into the first round thinking, okay, this is where I really have to play my best tennis.

“Now it’s certainly much different because you can be facing an opponent that’s had good results, beaten top players, hasn’t been consistent enough but is a really tough, tough player.

“The inconsistency obviously shows that their ranking is not high enough, therefore you’re facing them in the first few rounds.

“It is a much stronger sport. And also with technology and racquets and improvements of all the things we have. There are so many things in tennis that in other sports you don’t consider: the balls, the racquets, the strings. That changes yearly.”

World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who will defend her Australian Open title in Melbourne, labelled this the toughest era in the history of the women’s game.

“I truly believe women’s tennis is the highest competition right now,” she said. “We have a lot of girls who any given day can win a title and beat each other.

“That’s very exciting for the public to see and it’s exciting for us, the players.

“It gives an extra motivation to know that I have to work hard because if I don’t, there is somebody that’s going to take my spot. For me personally, I have a lot of excitement for women’s competition because I know that I always have to be there.”

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McGrath makes it to ICC Hall of Fame

SYDNEY: Glenn McGrath, the former Australia fast bowler, will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on January 4, during the New Year’s Test between Australia and Sri Lanka here at the SCG.

McGrath is the 68th male cricketer to make it to the hall of fame, with Brian Lara, who was inducted in September 2012, being the last before him. Enid Bakewell, the former England Women’s allrounder, was also inducted this year. The ICC will announce a final inductee for 2012-13 next summer.

“I am honoured that the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame voting academy, which includes all the current living Hall of Famers, have nominated and voted me to be inducted,” McGrath said. “I am very much looking forward to celebrating the occasion on January 4 at the SCG, which is of course is like a second home to me.”

Glenn McGrath played 124 Tests, claiming 563 wickets at 21.64. That puts him second on Australia’s list of wicket-takers, behind Shane Warne, and fourth on the overall list — he has the biggest tally among all fast bowlers though.

He also took 380 ODI wickets (plus one for the ICC World XI) in 249 games, the joint-highest for Australia alongside Brett Lee. He was part of Australia’s World Cup-winning teams in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

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Bangladesh board shelves Pakistan tour over security

DHAKA: Bangladesh said on Monday it had shelved on safety grounds a planned cricket tour of Pakistan, which would have been the first by an international team since a 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka’s bus.
The two teams had been scheduled to play a Twenty20 and a One-day International on January 12 and 13 respectively, both in Lahore.

But Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan told reporters the proposed tour had been put off indefinitely amid fears over players’ safety, following protests by Bangladeshis and a Facebook campaign against the visit.

Anti-Pakistan sentiment still runs strong in the country, which was part of Pakistan until 1971 when it won independence after a nine-month war.

“Bangladesh will not visit Pakistan for now. We’ve made the decision after considering the overall security situation in Pakistan and the concern that our people have expressed over the safety of their players,” Hassan said.

“We made a commitment to visit Pakistan and it’s almost mandatory for us to tour the country. But we believe safety of players and officials are of highest importance. It’s a national issue.”

Pakistan have had to play their “home” matches in venues ranging from Dubai to London ever since gunmen shot dead eight people and wounded seven Sri Lankan players in an audacious attack near the stadium in Lahore in March 2009.

The Bangladesh board had indicated two weeks ago that it was ready to send a team, albeit only after a final security review.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf had said on December 22 that Bangladesh had confirmed the tour was definitely on.

Hassan said Bangladesh had informed the Pakistan board of its change of heart and added that the team would visit Pakistan if security improves.

“We have noticed the security situation in Pakistan has not improved significantly, rather deteriorated,” he said.

“We’ve sent a letter to Pakistan three days ago explaining our position. We’ve decided to wait and see.”

Bangladesh had earlier agreed to tour Pakistan in April 2012 but the visit was blocked by the Dhaka high court.

Hassan said that he feared Pakistan might now bar its own cricketers from playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) in response to the decision.

The BPL is the Bangladeshi answer to the Indian Premier League — the hugely popular Twenty20 tournament which has fused cricket with showbusiness.

In the first edition back in February, 20 Pakistani players featured in the tournament, with all-rounder Shahid Afridi fetching $700,000 in an auction of stars — the highest amount paid.

More than 50 Pakistani players have already been bought at an auction for the second edition of the tournament, beginning on January 17. Officials said the BPL would go ahead even if Pakistan did not allow its cricketers to play.

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