African Union declines to recognise Libyan rebels

ADDIS ABABA: The African Union declined Friday to recognise Libya’s rebel authority as Muammar Qadhafi’s regime is collapsing, and instead called for forming an all-inclusive transitional government.

With rebels still battling diehard forces loyal to Qadhafi, South African President Jacob Zuma said at the end of an AU Peace and Security Council meeting in Addis Ababa that the rebels were not yet legitimate.

“There is a process in Libya wherein the NTC (National Transitional Council) forces are in the process of taking over Tripoli…but there is still that fighting going on.

“So we can’t therefore stand and say this is the legitimate one now,” Zuma told reporters.

However, AU Commission spokesman Noureddine Mezni said Libya’s seat at the bloc was vacant.

“If a consensual and inclusive government is set up tomorrow and it sends an ambassador to the AU, he will be welcome,” Mezni told AFP.

The pan-African body called on Libyan parties to set up a transitional government that would be welcome by the 54-member organisation.

The AU “encourages the Libyan stakeholders to accelerate the process leading to the formation of an all-inclusive transitional government that would be welcome to occupy a seat in the African Union”, the bloc’s Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra told reporters.

In addition, the AU also called for an end to the fighting as well as talks to establish democratic government.

The bloc “strongly reaffirms that the AU stands with the people of Libya and encourages all the parties in Libya to come together and negotiate a peaceful process that would lead to democracy,” Lamamra added.

The AU has repeatedly sought a peaceful settlement to the crisis, but its ceasefire proposals and plans for talks between the rebels and Qadhafi were largely ignored, with the rebels rejecting any negotiations.

Since the start of the rebel onslaught against Qadhafi’s 42-year-old regime, several African countries have individually recognised the rebels’ NTC, with Ethiopia and Rwanda this week calling on the AU to the same.

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said the AU “should offer support to the National Transitional Council,” in remarks to state-run Radio Rwanda Friday.

“We support the National Transitional Council…we think that Colonel Kadhafi has run out of time as a leader,” Mushikiwabo added.

The Libyan rebels have also been recognised by their north African neighbours Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

But Algeria on Friday reiterated its “strict neutrality” on the Libyan crisis and declined to recognise the NTC.

“Since the start of the crisis in Libya, Algeria has declared… that it is an internal matter in Libya, which primarily concerns the Libyan people,” foreign ministry spokesman Amar Belani said.

Qadhafi played a key role in the formation of the AU and was a key financier, in addition to funding many African causes. Analysts said that his economic clout partly explained the AU’s soft stand on the Libyan leader.

Several Western countries have also recognised the NTC and on Thursday the UN Security Council released $1.5 billion of seized Libyan assets to be used for emergency aid.

Ali Awdian, once Qadhafi’s ambassador to Ethiopia before switching support to the NTC, told AFP it was only a matter of time before the AU recognises the rebels.

“We are respecting the rules and procedures of the African Union. It’s only a matter of time. It’s not a frustration,” said Awdian.

“We know African countries are supporting the people of Libya,” he added.

The NTC announced Friday it would move its leadership from the eastern city of Benghazi to Tripoli, where they still face resistance from pockets of hardline regime loyalists.

Overnight search operation for Shahbaz recovery

LAHORE: The Punjab police has been unable to locate Shahbaz Taseer, son of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who was kidnapped on Friday from Gulberg area of Lahore, Geo News reported Saturday. The kidnappers have not made any demand so far.

The police conducted overnight search operation in the areas of Lahore and Cantt division and made several arrests to investigate the incident.

So far, police has not provided any details of the search to the media, however, the Punjab government has put the security forces on high alert in the entire province.

Overnight search operation for Shahbaz recovery

Salman Taseer's son kidnapped in Lahore

The son of a Pakistani governor murdered by his own bodyguard for his opposition to a controversial blasphemy law earlier this year has been kidnapped in Lahore.

Son of assassinated Pakistani governor kidnapped

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - The son of a Pakistani governor who was killed by his bodyguard for his opposition to a harsh blasphemy law this year was kidnapped in the eastern city of Lahore Friday, police and the family said.

Four men on motorbikes intercepted Shahbaz Taseer in his car in the upscale Gulberg area and took him to a nearby street before kidnapping him, police said, quoting witnesses.

"Shahbaz was out with a friend when four unidentified people kidnapped him," his brother Shehryar Taseer told Reuters.

Shahbaz Taseer is a director in several companies his father founded, including Pace Pakistan Ltd., First Capital Equities Ltd., Media Times Ltd. and First Capital Securities Corp. Ltd.

"Our family has been receiving threats from the Taliban and extremist groups," Shehryar said, adding they could be behind the abduction.

No one has yet claimed responsibility.

Shahbaz's father governor Salman Taseer, of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, was killed after he came out in support of a woman accused of committing blasphemy.

Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of four, was sentenced to death in a case stemming from a village dispute, putting the country's blasphemy law in the spotlight.

Katrina Kaif : I want to be Kareena Kapoor

Katrina was shocke dto see Kareena Kapoor on the Lakme Fashion Week on August 21st and have said i want to follow Kareena Kapoor's way.

Kareena Kappor knows how to keep it cool with the khans, she is doing movies with all the three..''Bodyguard'' with Salman Khan, ''Ra One'' with Shahrukh Khan and Reema Kagti's untitled next.

Kareena Kapoor said i am happy to be Lakme Absolute girl and make up is very important in my life which took me so far good in my career. I love Angelina Jolie the way she carry herself and the way the do their make up and hair style.

Now Katrina Kaif wants to follow Kareena Kapoor's foot path, she is all ready to do it in real...Katrina Kaif wants to keep it cool with all the three Khans and she is doing a movie with Salman Khan '' Ek Tha Tiger'' and with Shahrukh Khan the project is yet to be titled and in ''Doom 3'' with Aamir Khan. Sources conforms Katrina is in the top list for the lead role of Doom 3 Hollywood actress were suggested before like Penlope Cruz.

Was the human race given an ever-lasting boost by breeding with Neanderthal man? Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2028547/Was-human-race-given-lasting-boost-breeding-Neanderthal-man

Gaddafi son Saif al-Islam may be tried in Libya: rebels

Libya's rebel envoy to Paris said on Monday there was a chance Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam could be tried in Libya and not handed over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

"Everything is possible, it is up to the NTC (National Transitional Council) to decide. It is possible that he will be handed over to the ICC but it's also possible he won't," Mansour Saif al-Nasr told Reuters Television outside the Libyan embassy in Paris.

Saif Al-Islam is one of two of Gaddafi's sons arrested by the Libyan rebels on Sunday as they swept from the western outskirts to the government stronghold of Tripoli, meeting little resistance.

Al-Nasr said he was unsure of the whereabouts of Muammar Gaddafi, but vowed the embattled leader who has ruled Libya since 1969 would be arrested and brought to justice.

One More Blast in Pakistan-Jamrud

PESHAWAR: An explosion occurred inside a mosque in the Jamrud area of Khyber Agency on Friday.
3:15pm
Express 24/7 correspondent Iftikhar Firdous said local officials had confirmed that the blast was a suicide attack. Reports state that a young boy entered and exploded himself when Friday prayers were being offered inside Mandokhel Mosque.
Initial investigations have revealed that pellets were also used in the attack.
There were still bodies trapped in the wreckage, witness Haji Zarmeen, who helped removed at least 12 bodies from the rubble, told Reuters
There has been no confirmation from locals if the mosque had been receiving any threats.
The injured have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex.
Express 24/7 correspondent Umer Farooq said up to 48 injured and 12 bodies were received at Khyber Teaching Hospital.
“More than 33 people have been killed and at least 100 were injured. Our initial report said it was a suicide attack,” Mutahar Zeb, the top administrative official of the semi-autonomous district, told AFP.
2:55pm
Iftikhar Khan, an official at the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar told AFP that 40 wounded people had been rushed there alone.

Salman Khan: Kat, I have Always been Good Friends

Mumbai, Aug 17: Ask Salman Khan about his relationship with former flame Katrina Kaif and the star shoots backs slamming media reports and gossip columns for blowing things out of proportion.

The couple will be seen together in an item number in ‘Bodyguard’ which Kat had agreed to do for free! They have also been paired across each other in ‘Ek Tha Tiger’.

Salman Khan’s over-possessive trait had not failed to reveal itself in his past affairs.

When Salman was questioned about rumours making rounds about them, he shot back saying, “What’s there to react? Katrina and I are also doing Ek Tha Tiger together. Those who have to write will write whatever they want. They have time to write such things. Why should I waste my energy on it? We would rather work harder on our films.”

Kat had earlier said that her ‘equation’ with Salman has changed. But Salman says, “What equation? I really don’t know what she said. As far as I am concerned, our equation is absolutely the same as earlier.”

The Dabangg star however denies the very fact that the two were in a romantic relationship! He said, “We’ve always maintained that we’re good friends and get along absolutely fine.”

Infact the Khans have accepted Katrina as a part of their family. Salman himself said that Kat is very comfortable will his family as they have known each other for a quite a long time now. Adding further, he said, “Like in the movie, I play Kareena’s character’s bodyguard, like that I am Katrina’s bodyguard.”

What have I become, my sweetest friend…

There was no rest in violence in Karachi as 23 more people were killed since Wednesday night, DawnNews reported. “Most of the killings have resulted from clashes between criminal gangs operating in Lyari and surrounding areas,” a senior police official said. – Photos by agencies

Time for new strategy to save mammals, say biologists

PARIS (AFP) - Time is running out to craft a plan to save Earth's rich diversity of mammals, a quarter of whose species could be wiped out, biologists warned on Tuesday.

'A global mammal strategy is urgent,' they said in a journal published by the Royal Society, Britain's academy of sciences. Millions of people have rallied to the cause of large iconic mammals such as the tiger, the polar bear and the giant panda, they noted.

But the news for less visible species is grim, especially those with a commercial value for poachers or whose habitat is at risk from farming, development or impending climate change.

Of the 5,339 documented species of mammals that are alive today, a quarter are threatened with extinction in the wild, according to their estimates, appearing in the journal Philosophical Transactions.

PM vows to resolve issues of south Punjab

MULTAN: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that steps are being taken to eliminate a sense of deprivation among the people of South Punjab.

The prime minister said this while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a flyover at Chungi No 8 here on Sunday.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari would soon visit Multan to seek suggestions from local politicians and other people as to how the government could remove the deprivation of the people of South Punjab.

Mr Gilani said the government had launched development projects to bring the people of Seraiki wasaib into the national mainstream.

He said the manifesto committee had been constituted to give a separate status to the southern belt.

He said frantic efforts were being made for the well-being of the people while strengthening of democracy and institutions were the steps being taken in this direction.

“The democratic government will concentrate on resolving the issues of the masses during the remaining two years in power,” he said.

The prime minister said the government had adopted a reconciliation policy which had help in taking decisions with consensus on various issues of national importance such as NFC Award.

Meet the boy with the backward leg

When Dugan Smith was in fourth grade, he was diagnosed with bone cancer, and learned he'd need to have his right leg amputated above the knee. His parents had countless questions. Dugan, however, could only focus on one: Would he still be able to play baseball?
Today he can, thanks an unusual surgical treatment he and his parents chose that removed the cancer, and allowed him to keep the remainder of his leg — reattached backward.
"It was a tough decision to make as a parent, because at the time, Dugan was only 10," says his mom, Amy Miller, who lives in Fostoria, Ohio, as do Dugan and his dad, Dustin Smith. (Dugan's mother and father have a shared parenting arrangement.) "The pros out-weighed the cons. The only thing that would stop us from doing it would be — well, his foot would be on backwards."
Near the end of fourth grade, in 2008, 10-year-old Dugan fell and fractured his femur. While treating the boy for that injury, doctors discovered a malignant, softball-sized tumor in his thigh bone, just above his knee. Because of the fracture, the tumor was bleeding into the muscles in his leg, contaminating them with cancer, explains the boy's surgeon, Dr. Joel Mayerson, chief of musculoskeletal oncology at Arthur James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University.
Dugan was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a disease accounts for just 2.5 percent of all childhood cancers diagnosed every year, according to the American Cancer Society.
The middle section of Dugan's right leg, including his knee, would need to be amputated — a heartbreaking thought for a sporty kid like Dugan, who loves playing baseball and basketball. So when Mayerson introduced the "backward-leg" procedure, Dugan's parents listened to an idea that, Mayerson says, understandably makes many moms and dads balk.

Ohio State University Medical Center
Dugan Smith has adjusted well to his turned-around leg, plus the prosthetic that attaches to it. He was pitcher and first baseman for his junior high baseball team.
"Most of them think you're from another planet," Mayerson says. "They really think you're crazy."
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It's called rotationplasty, and it's an uncommon procedure — only about a dozen are done each year, and it's almost exclusively done in children, explains Mayerson. In Dugan's case, doctors removed the tumor by cutting above and below his knee. They then flipped around the lower portion of his leg and reattached it to the upper part. "This allows us to cut all of the cancer out, and leave the nerve that controls his foot intact, by turning it around backward," explains Mayerson.

Zafar Qureshi being made a football

THE recently reinstated Additional Director General of FIA Zafar Qureshi was denied entry to his office in Lahore on Saturday. The Supreme Court had ordered his restoration to carry on his investigation into a corruption case. Another report said that his investigation team has also been transferred leaving him high and dry.

Zafar Qureshi after restoration went to his Lahore office despite reported warnings from the highups of the Interior Ministry not to do so. According to media reports, Zafar Qureshi was told by a few insiders of the FIA building in Lahore on Saturday morning that worst was waiting for him if he turned up and thus he should restrain from assuming the charge. But the he went to office and the government gave him another kick by denying him entry. One fails to understand why certain elements in the government are making this an issue unnecessarily, making Zafar Iqbal a football and thus creating an impression of defiance of the Supreme Court orders on behalf of the government. It is a pitty that Pakistan has become a joke in the world about clash between state institutions. It is surprising that some elements are taking extreme stance, while the Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has repeatedly stated that the Government was implementing the Supreme Court orders and would continue to do so in the future. Only last week the Prime Minister approved the denotification of four PCO judges of the Lahore High Court and one of Sindh High Court in pursuance of an order from Chief Justice of Pakistan. We would urge the Prime Minister who has rightly earned the title of man of consensus and reconciliation that he should personally look into this unfortunate episode and ensure to iron out such issues on priority so as to implement the verdicts of the Apex court in letter and in spirit.

Independence Day: Bombs, rockets mar(k) celebrations in restive regions

Insurgents fired rockets at a military camp in North Waziristan, gutted a two-storey hotel close to Dera Allahyar, planted explosives in garbage dumps in Kalat and Mastung and attempted to sabotage gas pipelines and power pylons across Balochistan on Sunday.
Roadside restaurant blast
A major explosion rocked a restaurant on the National Highway in Dera Allahyar, some 400 kilometres south-east of Quetta, killing 14 and injuring 16 others.
A relatively low-profile organisation, the Baloch Liberation Tigers, claimed responsibility for the blast.
Its spokesperson, who introduced himself as Miran Baloch, phoned local news agencies and said it was a remote-controlled blast planted inside the hotel by his organisation.
He said they would continue to target those who celebrated Pakistan’s Independence Day.
The restaurant’s double-storey building was gutted in the explosion which took place while people were having their lunch.
“It was a remote-controlled blast and around 12 kilogrammes of explosive material was used,” said District Police Officer Jaffarabad Javed Gharshen.
Bismillah restaurant is one of the three eateries on the National Highway in Dera Allahyar that is open during Ramazan to cater to travellers, he added.
Frontier Corps personnel and police rushed to the spot and retrieved 14 bodies after several hours of hectic efforts.
The deceased and injured were taken to a nearby hospital but most of the injured were referred to Larkana and Jacobabad due to severity of their wounds.
Meanwhile, bomb disposal squads were also dispatched from Sukkur and Quetta to inspect the site, Gharshen said.
The deceased mostly belonged to surrounding areas and had come to the restaurant for lunch.
“Most of the people in Nasirabad division do not fast in Ramazan,” said a local journalist. “The hotel was therefore crowded with locals.”
The police started conducting raids and have arrested some suspects.
Three killed in Miramshah
At least three paramilitary soldiers were killed and 25 wounded when militants fired a rocket into their camp as they prepared for an Independence Day assembly.
Four rockets hit the camp in Miramshah, the main town of North Waziristan district, an official told AFP.
“The condition of five of the wounded soldiers was serious,” the official said. Local intelligence officials confirmed the attack and the death toll.
Sabotaging gas pipelines
The police and security personnel defused a bomb attached to gas pipeline a few kilometres from the restaurant blast site in Jaffarabad.
DPO Gharshen said they had been alerted about subversive activities and they had seized explosive material weighing 10kg attached to the wall of a gas repeater station on the National Highway.
Around a dozen rockets were reportedly fired in Sui and adjoining areas.
Separately, a gas pipeline close to the bordering area between Dera Bugti and Jaffarabad was blown up, resulting in suspension of gas supply to Shikarpur and nearby areas.
Power pylons blown up
Power shortfall in Balochistan surged to 1,000 MWs on Sunday after militants blew up two power pylons near Sibi district.
According to Quetta Electricity Supply Company (QESCO), the shortfall will be met by increased electricity outages across the province where people already experience 18 to 20 hours of power outage.
“Quetta experiences 12 hours power cuts daily while two to three hours of electricity is supplied to the rest of the province, said the utility’s spokesperson.
He added that repair work on damaged power pylons will start after security clearance is received.
Garbage dump explosion
Separately, two explosions took place in Kalat and Mastung districts, injuring a child.
Explosives planted in a garbage dump went off, injuring a child playing nearby, sources said. The child is reported to be in stable condition since just the detonator went off, not the explosives.
Meanwhile, a hand grenade was hurled at the motorway office, partially damaging the structure’s wall. No one was injured in the attack.
Baloch militants often intensify their attacks on the eve of Independence Day to register their discontent.

We don’t want to make a Shaheed out of PPP govt, says Nawaz

LAHORE – President Pakistan Muslim League-N Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that long march cannot be carried out on every issue while the present government has utterly failed to deliver, but the N-League will not make a martyr out of the PPP once more.
‘The bad governance of the PPP government has destroyed the image of democracy, and if the situation called for a long march, I will not resist doing so’, he vowed, while addressing a function to mark International Youth Day held here on Friday.
The function was attended by members of the Punjab Youth Council and a large number of male and female position-holders.
Deputy Secretary General of PML-N Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, MNAs Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Hamza Shahbaz Sharif were also present on the occasion.
Nawaz asserted that his party was playing a very effective role in the Parliament and given another chance, it would put the country on the right track.
Continuing his attack on the PPP-led government, the PML-N chief said it had put the country’s sovereignty at stake, and he knew well that the people wanted to get rid of this corrupt government, but he did not want to make a ‘Shaheed’ out of the PPP one more time and let it bag sympathy vote as it had done always.
Referring to the long march for the restoration of the judiciary, he stated that long marches could not be carried out on every issue.
Nawaz Sharif claimed that in 1999, before his government was toppled by Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s currency was the strongest among the SAARC countries.
‘There was no crisis and the country was on the march to development’, he added, while lamenting that the dictator overthrew the elected government that damaged the development process.
PML-N President said every Pakistani was worried about the country’s future due to wrong policies of the present government, and the PML-N had given the present government a 10-point agenda and if it had been implemented, the country would have been out of the crisis.
‘The younger generation must play its due role for the development of the country. In fact, it is the duty of the youth to lead the country. I will make the future of the country bright with the help of youth’, he pledged.
On the rise in terrorism incidents and militancy, Nawaz said if the country would have been progressing under democracy, then this would not have been the scenario.
He also said his partnership with youth was need of the hour for resolution of problems, and he was not disappointed with the future of Pakistan.
‘I faced torture of imprisonment and exile. Even I was not allowed to attend the funeral of my father, but I adhered to the principled politics. Despite this, if I have to do the politics of selfishness, greed and vested interests, then it is better to quit politics’, he maintained, while expressing his confidence that time would come when, like other sectors of the life, the discrimination of class-based education system would be eliminated and equal opportunities of progress would be available to everyone.
Mentioning the economic policies and other development projects of his previous tenure, Nawaz Sharif said at that time, India was following Pakistan’s policy for the restoration of economy.
‘Had our last two governments given opportunity to complete tenures and not toppled, Pakistan would have become an economic tiger today. Loadshedding, unemployment, price hike, terrorism and extremism are gifts of dictatorship which is not answerable to anyone. But the government came into power through elections also did not deliver. Bad governance is spoiling the image of democracy’, he maintained, while ,adding, that today some people were declaring Pakistan a failed and isolated state, sovereignty of Pakistan was being mutilated, decisions and orders of the Supreme Court were not being obeyed.
‘Long march for restoration of judiciary was not politics, but it was for the rule of law in the country. Zardari and Gilani were not ready to restore the judiciary, but it was due to the pressure of the people that judiciary was restored. If we had continued long march after restoration of judiciary, then it was politics’, he maintained.
Nawaz asserted that his party did not let the government of becoming ‘Shaheed’ but gave full opportunity so that it should be completely exposed.

Sarfaraz Shah Case: ATC awarded death sentence to Shahid Zafar

Speaking to the media after the courts verdict, the brother of Sarfaraz Shah said he was satisfied with the decision of the court and thanked the Chief Justice of Pakistan for taking notice of this case. Sarfaraz Shah’s father while speaking to our sources, said the decision was on merit and it should be upheld by the superior courts and implemented. “God listened to our prayers, we spent the last two months crying,” he added. His mother said she was happy with the decision but complete justice would be served when the death sentence would be carried out.

Sarfaraz Shah was killed in cold blood by the Rangers personnel on June 8 after he was handed over to them by the private contractor, Afsar Khan, accusing him of committing theft and looting.

However, TV footage of the killing showed that the Rangers personnel shot the unarmed Shah twice and after injuring him seriously they watched him bleed to death instead of shifting him to hospital for medical treatment. The defendants, however, denied the prosecution charges.

The Rangers personnel and the private contractor were arrested under the anti-terrorism law as well as murder charges under the Pakistan Penal Code after the Supreme Court took suo moto notice of the brutal murder.

The case was registered against the accused by the Boat Basin police under sections 302, 34, and 36 of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The police charge-sheeted the Rangers personnel and the private contractor for deliberately murdering Shah, submitting that the accused first caused injuries to the young man with their common intention and later denied him medical treatment. Shah succumbed to his injuries due to excessive bleeding and lack of medical care, the police charged.

The prosecution had named 46 witnesses, including eyewitnesses, in the charge sheet in addition to a list of 14 articles, including the crime weapon, to prove the guilt of the accused.

The trial had to be concluded within 30 days as per the directives of the Supreme Court, which had ordered that the trial be conducted on a day-to-day basis and completed within a month.

However, owing to the lawyers’ boycott of court proceedings against the recent target killings of lawyers the hearing of the case was affected and concluded on August 9.

End.

Riots: 'Tensions high' in Winson Green after death

People living in the Winson Green area of Birmingham are being urged to remain calm after three people were run over and killed as they protected property.

Haroon Jahan, 21, died along with two other men, aged 31 and 30, after they were hit by the vehicle in the early hours of Wednesday.

Friends and neighbours said they were out helping to protect the community along Dudley Road at the time.

Residents have stayed out on the street on Wednesday.

The city has seen episodes of large-scale disorder and looting over the past two nights which seems to have brought neighbourhoods together.

'We need peace'
However, the shock of the deaths has brought heightened tensions within the community, prompting community and religious leaders and Shabana Mahmood, the MP for Birmingham Ladywood, to call for calm.

Mr Jahan's neighbour Sandra Brooks said peace was needed in the city and she was disgusted with the "mindless violence".

"I have woken up to sorrow and sadness for the family," she said.

"I have lived next door to the family for years.

"I've seen H grow up - a fine young man - and all we're doing is protecting our homes.

Woman curator at Pak art gallery 'beaten' by cop

Lahore: A woman curator of a famous Pakistani art gallery was allegedly thrashed by a police officer, who accused her of engaging in "immoral activities in the name of culture" and "berated" her for wearing a sleeveless dress.

Shadman police station chief Rana Zulifkar and other policemen recently went to the Nairang Art Gallery in Lahore and conducted inquiries with its staff about "immoral" activities purportedly going on at the venue.

Sumra Family: Sumra Family Tree

PPP-MQM The Deal has been done

Following days of political friction and bloodletting in Karachi, there has been a gradual softening of stances in both the PPP and MQM.
On Friday, leaders of both parties met at an Iftar hosted by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah in Karachi in what was meant to be an ice-breaking congregation. However, what most of those fraternising at the Karachi iftar did not know was that meetings of real consequence were already being held elsewhere – particularly in Islamabad.
Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad of the MQM held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, followed by an Iftar dinner at the Presidency on Friday.
Sources said that PPP’s senior leaders in Sindh are not aware of the new agreement as President Asif Ali Zardari is handling the situation.
“The law and order situation in Karachi was discussed during the meeting. The president later hosted a dinner for the governor,” said a two-line statement issued by the Presidency.
When contacted, Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar refused to divulge details of the meeting. However, sources disclosed that the meeting was a follow up of a decision taken at the Presidency two days earlier, where the allied parties in the Sindh government had authorised Zardari to intervene and take all necessary steps to bring normalcy in the violence-hit financial hub of the country and to bring the MQM back into the government’s fold.
According to sources, the government’s legal wizards have started drafting an ordinance whereby municipal corporations and district municipal corporations will be abolished in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Sources added that the MQM is likely to rejoin the provincial and federal cabinets following the restoration of the local bodies system in the two major urban centres of the province.
In the second phase, sources said, the commissionerate system would either be abolished or amended to make the office of commissioner subservient to the city mayor (nazim).
Following a consensus among top PPP leaders, the draft agreement has been sent to the MQM for final approval. If the MQM accepts to the draft, sources said, the government is likely to issue the ordinance within the next 48 hours.
The MQM is insisting that three ordinances should be promulgated simultaneously to do away with the Local Government Ordinance 1979, Police Act 1861 and the commissioner system.
However, sources said that the party has apparently relented in backchannel talks with the PPP which says the three ordinances should be abolished in phases.
Sources said that the government is also giving serious thought to the MQM demand for holding local bodies’ elections in Sindh or to appoint political administrators instead of bureaucrats. But the sources clarified that no decision has been taken yet. The two parties have also agreed that their leaders would not make provocative statements against each other’s parties. And in future, differences would be resolved in closed-door meetings.
‘Eid together’
Meanwhile, over at the Iftar in Karachi, Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani said that MQM would rejoin the government before the end of Ramazan and the two parties would celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together.
Talking to media men on the occasion, he said there had been negotiations between MQM and PPP on various issues and the president had directed them to take MQM on board. “The commissionerate and local government system has been the bone of contention between MQM and PPP. We cannot reverse the decision, but we can bring amendments to it,” he said, adding that leaders of MQM were expressing concern over the commissionerate system, but they had failed to propose their desired amendments.
Durrani added that the government had not yet decided over the issue of MQM ministers’ resignations. “We are still waiting for MQM to rejoin the cabinet, I hope the ministers will resume their jobs before Eid,” he said.
Referring to the Sindh cabinet meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad, he said: “All our powers have been given to the president to decide the fate of the coalition.”
MQM leader Raza Haroon said that MQM could rejoin government in the best interest of the country. “We should not waste our time discussing the old local government system of 1979, but there is a dire need to bring the internationally acclaimed modern local government system of 2001,” he said.
Haroon added: “We do not have personal gain in politics, we are advocating for the rights of people and we will continue to do so whether we are in the government or the opposition,” Haroon added. (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM CORRESPONDENTS IN KARACHI AND ISLAMABAD)

Karachi: President did not need mandate

IT was rather surprising to hear after President Asif Ali Zardari’s meeting on Wednesday with all those who matter in Sindh Government that the coalition partners have authorized the President to hold negotiations with all political forces to bring peace and normalcy to Karachi and take appropriate administrative measures to restore law and order there. The meeting reiterated the government’s resolve to restore peace at all costs and to bring the culprits to justice regardless of their affiliations, if any.

We wonder as to how and why the worthy President is required to take such a mandate and that too from his own political party of which he is the Co-Chairperson and all in all. In fact, the mandate of the President emanates from the Constitution and the oath he has taken under it that requires of him to discharge his duties, and perform his functions, honestly, to the best of his ability, faithfully in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and “always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Pakistan”. The President is not only symbol of the Federation but also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and therefore, duty bound to take steps to safeguard interests of the country and people. In fact, the President has already been holding negotiations with present and erstwhile coalition partners and other political parties as well on different issues and nothing barred him from undertaking consultations on how best to address the Karachi situation that is going out of control. We believe that the Government has already wasted enough of the precious time in a state of indecision or lack of commitment to tackle the problem in right earnest. Time has passed for rhetoric as mere statements and tall claim would not work until and unless a coordinated approach, in consultation with all stakeholders, is adopted to sort out things and restore the order in the city where dozens of people are losing their lives in target killings. We hope that the President would himself rush to Karachi to take charge of the situation himself besides restraining some foul mouths within his own party from spoiling the atmosphere further.

Mullah Omer, Zawahiri not in Balochistan: Raisani tells US envoy

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said that neither Taliban’s leader Mullah Omer nor al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri were living in Balochistan. Talking to US Ambassador Cameron Munter who met him at the Chief Minister House, Raisani said that there was no Quetta Shura in the province”, I say even Quetta Shura doesn’t exist, he added. He said that some elements wanted to spread sectarian rift in the province, adding that there were no differences amongst the people of Balochistan

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MQM yet to decide on rejoining govt

ISLAMABAD - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has not taken any decision to rejoin Federal government as yet.

‘Muttahida has not finalised anything to rejoin government as these are just rumours’, said MQM senior leader Waseem Akhtar talking to The Nation.

Sitting on Opposition benches, he said, we are playing our part as Opposition party in the National Assembly and Senate. 

It is relevant to note here that MQM had decided to sit on Opposition benches few months ago in protest against the postponement of election on two Karachi seats of AJK Legislative Assembly. Meanwhile, MQM sources said that party was facing constant pressure from PPP to rejoin the govt but the party has so far not reached any decision. ‘At the same time we have public pressure to not to rejoin govt as situation in Karachi is fast worsening day by day’, he said ,adding, that normalising the Karachi situation was the first priority of the party and other matters come after it.

Girls shine again in Matric results

LAHORE – Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Lahore, on Monday declared the results of Matriculation, with three girls standing top of list. The Chairman Board BISE declared the positions at a press conference at a college in Township. Besides appreciating the computerized system, the Chairman said the female students have again grabbed the first top positions as the girls have almost beaten the boys in both groups of Science and Humanities. 

According to the overall result sheet, Larabe Farrukh (Roll No-744499) from KIPS High School for Girls, Johar Town, has topped and obtained 1022 marks, Saman Habib (Roll No-751497) from LDA Model Girls High School, Jahanzeb Block in Allama Iqbal Town, grabbed second position with 1021 marks while a girl namely Arfa Tahir (Roll No-744580) Divisional Public Higher Secondary School for Girls, Model Town, and Taimoor Jaffar Ali (Roll No-776018) from Crescent Model Higher Secondary School for Boys Shadman mutually obtained third position with total 1020 marks each. 

According to result sheet of Science Group for Boys, Taimoor Jaffar Ali has obtained first, Muhammad Faiz Ali Chaudhary from Crescent Model Higher Secondary School for Boys, Shadman Colony, got second position with 1019 marks whereas Muhammad Fareed Khalid of The Punjab School for Boys Sector C-1, Township, remained on third position with 1018 marks. 

Whereas the Girls Science Group result cards show, Larabe Farrukh remain on top with 1022 marks, Saman Habib on second while Arfa Tahir got third position. The mark sheets of Humanities Group for Boys show that Abdul Rehman from Pakistan Model High School for Boys, Raiwind Road, topped with 946 marks, Usman Sadiq of Pakistan Model High School for Boys, Raiwind Road gained second position with 938 whereas Muhammad Saif remained on the third position with total 931 marks. According to the announced results of Humanities Group for Girls, one Bushra Shafiq from the Punjab School for Girls, Block-2, C-1, Township, got first position with total 980 marks, Fatima Ashraf from Farooqi Girls High School, Karim Park, Ravi Road, remained on second position with 977 marks whereas Rabia Shehzad from Farooqi Girls High School, Karim Park, Ravi Road and Sumaira Zia of A.V Girls High School, Ittefaq Colony at Millat Road, Sandha, mutually obtained third position with total 975 marks each.  

Benazir assassinated in broad daylight, no one took interest in exposing her killers: CJP

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had remarked Benazir Bhutto was murdered ruthlessly in broad daylight and neither any inquiry commission was constituted nor any one took interest in exposing her assassins.

CJP gave these remarks while presiding over a 3-member bench of Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing of petition seeking registration of fresh FIR in Benazir Bhutto assassination case here Monday. The other members of bench were Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.

The petition was filed by Chaudhry Aslam former protocol officer of Benazir Bhutto. The petitioner informed the court that Lahore High Court (LHC) had rejected his application in connection with registration of a fresh FIR, therefore, he had to resort to SC.

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Angelina Jolie receives Heart of Sarajevo award

A tearful Angelina Jolie has received the Heart of Sarajevo award in Bosnia for her "active engagement in the complexities of the real world".

Celebrities join PPP rally for peace

All political forces and civil society organisations joined the peace rally that ruling PPP had sponsored to give a message of peace in the violence-stricken metropolis on Saturday. 

Hundreds of PPP supporters and workers of MQM, ANP, JI, PML-F, Sunni Tehreek and other major and minor religio-political parties, civil society activists, traders and common citizens carrying national flags, party and white flags marched hand in hand from Bagh-e-Ibn Qasim (helipad) to Teen Talwar to show solidarity and send a message of peace to all segments of city.

Though the message was strong loud and clear yet unfortunately the killing continued in some of the areas of city and according to unconfirmed reports, at least 13 people lost their lives in separate and different incidents.

Provincial Information Minister and PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon led the rally, while other political personalities including Muhammad Raza Haroon and Nasreen Jalil of MQM, provincial leader of PML-F and Sindh Minister for Youth Affairs Jam Madad Ali Khan, PPP’s Senior Minister for Education Pir Mazhar-ul- Haq, ANP’s General Secretary of Sindh Bashir Jan, chief of Jamaat Islami Karachi chapter Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, PPP’s provincial ministers including Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Minister for Power Shazia Marri, Minister for Revenue Jam Mahtab Dahar, Minister for Social Welfare Begum Nargis ND Khan, party lawmakers, civil society activists and others attended the rally. Besides former cricketer Javed Miandad, former squash champion Jehangir Khan and others also participated in the rally. 

The peace rally was part of the Peace Campaign launched by the ruling PPP with aimed to spread the message of peace and tolerance and restore the normalcy in the violent-hit city. The ruling party’s move has been backed by the chief of MQM Altaf Hussain, other opposition parties and civil society organisations.

Salman Khan to be highest paid actor

With his recent hits at the box office, Salman, just like co-stars Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan has now decided to demand a whopping Rs 50 crore for his next project.

So far, Salman used to charge nothing less than Rs 40 crore but now with his current position at the box office he too has plans of making more big bucks.

Two filmmakers who have recently signed on Salman have confirmed the news of the hike in his fee. Sources say that along with hiking his fee, the star also recommends directors for these films. He also has insisted on casting Sonakshi Sinha for ‘Kick’.

But filmmaker Bhushan Kumar said that the star re-negotiates and restructures his price. "When Salman bhai did Ready, the film industry was facing a huge financial crunch. But he agreed to cut down his price from Rs 40 crore to Rs 17 crore”, he said.

End.

Punjab govt withdraws FA condition for yellow cab scheme

Punjab government ended the condition of FA and one year driving licence to get yellow cab. According to a statement issued by the Punjab government, now matric-pass men or women with valid driving licence can apply under the scheme and its date has also been extended till August 15. Earlier, the government had imposed condition that only FA pass male and female having licence before July 2010 could apply under the scheme.