ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday said the state will now take action against those calling others kafir (non-Muslim), adding that the government had already tackled hate speech and glorification of terrorists in the first phase.

Briefing the media after the government’s talks with representatives from Tanzeemul Madaris, which includes office bearers from different seminaries across the country, the interior minister said both sides had agreed to take the madressah reforms process further, adding there was consensus on major issues.

Nisar said the clerics had condemned terrorism and vowed to eliminate the menace from the country in coordination with the government.

He said it was agreed in the meeting that any individual or organisation involved in terror will be dealt with according to the country’s laws.

He said there was no conflict on the registration of madressahs, with the clerics agreeing it was essential. “But the process should be made easier and a committee will be formed by the interior ministry to prepare a registration form for seminaries so that all ends can be achieved.”

Nisar said the clerics had also agreed to present audit reports of their funds, adding that the government will come up with a process to regulate foreign funding.

“Lawmaking on seminaries should be done after taking into confidence the Tanzeemul Madaris and there was a consensus on this.”

He said both sides agreed that force alone was not enough to eliminate terrorism, with efforts on an intellectual level equally important.

Nisar said a committee representing all sections of society will be formed by the interior ministry to review madressah curriculum and present recommendations.

Nawaz urges for madressah reforms

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called for immediate reforms in curriculum of religious seminaries in order to provide students with a world view which may help the nation counter extremism.

Presiding over a session on Monday, attended by religious scholars from different school of thoughts and representatives of seminary boards 'Ittehad-e-Tanzeemul Madaris', the premier stressed upon the need for voluntary reforms in the curriculum of madressahs (seminaries) — both for imparting better education and countering extremism.

He told the religious scholars that it was necessary to consult them to effectively execute the national anti-terror plan.

“Religious seminaries are a valuable source of religious education but spreading hate against other sects, religions shall not be allowed”, Nawaz told the session.

He said consultation with management of religious seminaries was necessary for meaningful implementation of National Action Plan.

The religious scholars assured their full cooperation with the government in the reforms process.

The prime minister said the nation would jointly eliminate terrorism from the country and the war being fought in North Waziristan has achieved success.

All stakeholders should cooperate with each other for implementation of the NAP and the government would extend full cooperation to the seminaries in this regard, he said.

Nawaz expressed the resolve to implement the NAP regardless of politics and in the larger national interest.

The prime minister assured the Ulema that government was ready to assist seminaries to introduce reforms in their education system.

He said the seminaries might play their role to discourage sectarianism and terrorism and a joint campaign should be launched to eliminate such tendencies.

Religious scholars belonging from different sects including Mufti Muneebur Rehman, Maulana Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Muhammad Hanif Jalandari, Sajid Mir, Syed Muhammad Najfi and Maulana Ataur Rehman attended the session.

Federal Minister for Interior Chaudary Nisar Ali Khan, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman and senior government officials were also present on the occasion.

COAS speaks at Kalam Festival

General Raheel Sharif while speaking at the concluding ceremony of Kalam Festival appreciated the people of Swat for playing a vital role in support of Security forces' efforts of bringing durable peace in the valley making such festivals possible.

According to ISPR, the the army cheif maintained that Malakand valley was submerged into the darkness of terrorism until a few years ago.

"Sacrifices and firm commitment of the valiant soldiers of Pakistan Army, civil forces and the local people has eliminated terrorism from Malakand Division and we would not allow terrorists to enter the area again", remarked General Raheel.

Expressing the hope that tourism will flourish in the beautiful land of Swat, General Raheel assured that army will always stand by people of Swat and help build capacity of civilian institutions.

LAHORE: Former National Assembly Speaker and PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq approached the Supreme Court against the election tribunal’s NA-122 case verdict which deseated him as the NA Speaker and parliamentarian.

In an appeal filed at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry on Monday through counsel Khawaja Saeeduz Zafar, the former NA Speaker said “election tribunal's impugned order was against facts and relevant laws”.

Sadiq said the tribunal failed to decide the issue of maintainability of Imran Khan's election petition even after recording evidence despite his interim orders in this regard.

Know more: NA-122 election tribunal deseats Ayaz Sadiq, orders re-polling

He said the tribunal also failed to note that the election petition was not verified as mandated in Section 55 of Representation of Peoples Act (ROPA) 1976 and thus deserved to be dismissed under section 63 of the ROPA.

Ayaz Sadiq further said that the tribunal found no evidence of corrupt or illegal practices. “But despite it, the tribunal did not hold that no case had been made out”.

“The tribunal noted that a number of (alleged) procedural lapses on the part of polling staff but did not even attempt to determine how such lapses materially affected the election result. The tribunal could not therefore, declare the election to be void as a whole in terms of section 70 (1) of ROPA 1976,” he added.

The former lawmaker submitted that the impugned order was based on misreading and non-reading of relevant evidence, incorrect appreciation of the local commission report as well as NADRA reports and the law applicable in this regard.

He pleaded the court to set aside the verdict and dismiss Imran Khan's election petition with costs.

Punjab election commission's tribunal had ordered re-polling in NA-122, declaring the election in the constituency null and void – accepting PTI Chairman Imran Khan's petition challenging the 2013 election result.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had defeated Imran Khan in the 2013 general elections from NA-122 after which PTI had challenged the results.

NA-122 was among the four controversial constituencies — the other three being NA-110 (Sialkot), NA-125 (Lahore) and NA-154 (Lodhran) — where PTI had demanded for voters’ thumbprint verification in the hopes of finding a solution that might be acceptable to all concerned.

It is to be mentioned here that proceedings of Imran Khan’s petition remained suspended for a year. The Lahore High Court on Nov 4, 2013, had granted a stay to the NA speaker against the proceedings before the tribunal. The court on Nov 20, 2014, recalled the stay order and allowed the tribunal to proceed with the case.

KARACHI: A key witness in the murder case of prominent rights activist and co-founder of social forum, The Second Floor (T2F), Sabeen Mahmud, was shot dead in a suspected targeted attack Monday evening, officials said.

Ghulam Abbas, a police constable, who used to work as a part-time driver for Ms Mahmud, was gunned down in Korangi area of the city. He was a key witness to the killing of Ms Mahmud in April 2015 – just after she had organised a seminar on Balochistan's missing persons at T2F.

Take a look: Director T2F Sabeen Mahmud shot dead in Karachi.

“The victim, Ghulam Abbas, was an important witness of the case and his murder underlines the urgency of protecting the remaining witnesses,” said Counter-Terrorism Department official Raja Umer Khattab.

Mr. Khattab was instrumental in arresting five accused who were also allegedly involved in killing over 40 members of the Shia Ismaili community near Safoora Goth, among other cases.

According to Mr. Khattab, Sabeen Mahmud's driver's murder was an act of targeted killing.

Khattab said Ghulam Abbass was sitting on the rear seat of the car when Sabeen Mahmud was attacked as she was driving herself.

The late Ghulam Abbas had identified the accused in the murder case before a magistrate, recalled the CTD official.

On Monday, Abbas was returning home after offering prayers when he was attacked by armed pillion riders; he sustained two bullet wounds fired from a 0.9mm pistol.

“Ghulam Abbas was an important witness in the Sabeen Mahmud murder case but his killing would not affect the case since the identification parade had already taken place,” opined the CTD official.

However, Mr. Khattab suggested that the murder underlined the importance of protecting the remaining witnesses in the case.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, two of his cabinet members and senior leader Faryal Talpur left for Dubai on Monday to meet Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to finalise a strategy in the wake of an anti-corruption drive launched mainly by federal institutions.

Besides Mr Shah, Murad Ali Shah and Sohail Anwar Siyal, the finance and home ministers, respectively, also left for Dubai.

While the agenda of the meeting was not clear, background interviews with senior PPP leaders suggested that the Dubai sitting was not called to reach any immediate decision and its main purpose was to discuss and formulate a future strategy.

“Definitely the resignation from parliament can’t be an option,” said a senior leader. “You see it’s the PPP which persuaded the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement when they opted for resignation from parliament only because we believe that parliament is the right forum to raise our voice.”

He said that the CM had recently met the Rangers director general and the corps commander to discuss the ongoing operation in Karachi and its progress.

“Similarly, he also met the Federal Minister for States and Frontier regions, Abdul Qadir Baloch, a few days ago to raise his concerns about the actions of the federal institutions in Sindh without taking him on board,” he said.

“The chief minister has a lot to share with the PPP co-chairman. So I would not call it summoning the chief minister and other party leaders to Dubai, as it is also possible that these ministers or leaders are willing to meet Mr Zardari to brief him about the recent developments on political and other fronts in the province.”

It would be the first meeting of Mr Zardari with his provincial aides after he broke silence over the recent arrests of fellow party members and accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of “repeating the politics of the 1990s”.

In a hard-hitting statement issued from London last week, Mr Zardari had alleged that the steps being taken by the government “clearly indicated” that the rulers were “dividing” the nation in an attempt “to save their natural allies Taliban and the terrorists” and to “weaken” the war against terror.

Many observers also called it his first reaction over the arrest of his close aide and former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain by Rangers.

“It’s not the debate what the federal government can do or what it can’t in the recent situation,” said another leader when asked about any expected decision from the PPP after the Dubai meeting that reflected in the statement from London.

“We don’t know how helpless it is and if they [PML-N government] are they should declare their helplessness. How one can exempt the PML-N from the actions being taken by the federal agencies, including the FIA?”

He said the Dubai meeting was not called to decide on a final move but it was more of a consultative sitting, which the people would witness more often due to Mr Zardari’s stay in the United Arab Emirates.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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LAHORE: Punjab University’s Institute of Education and Research (IER) Assistant Professor Dr Abida Nasreen has been suspended from service for three months for publication of wrong map of Pakistan on a flex.

PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran on Monday took notice of the publication of wrong map of Pakistan on a flex in which Azad Kashmir was not shown part of the country. The map was related to a workshop recently organised by the Department of Secondary Education.

The VC suspended Dr Nasreen from service with immediate effect and ordered a departmental inquiry to be headed by Prof Abid Hussain.

Dr Kamran also presided over an emergency meeting of IER’s Board of Governors that authorised him to initiate action against Dr Nasreen under PEEDA (Punjab Employees Efficiency Discipline and Accountability) Act.

According to a PU spokesman, a workshop was organised at IER’s Waheed Shaheed Hall on Sept 4 by Department of Secondary Education. “In a flex which was printed according to the theme of the workshop, wrong map of Pakistan, without showing geographical boundaries of Kashmir, was mistakenly published,” he said, adding no posters or pamphlets were distributed regarding the map in question in the workshop.

He said action would be taken against negligent officials soon and inquiry would be completed at the earliest.

Dr Parveen did not respond to Dawn’s call over the issue.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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LAHORE: A year after leading major street protests aimed at toppling the Pakistani government, populist preacher Tahirul Qadri says he has turned back to religion, but remains prepared to re-launch his "revolution" when the time is right.

Weeks of sit-in protests by supporters of Qadri and opposition politician Imran Khan reached a climax in early September 2014 as protesters clashed with police and stormed the state broadcaster.

For a few hours it looked as if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government might fall, but the crisis abated and eventually the protesters went home.

Qadri, a mercurial figure who also brought Islamabad to a standstill with mass protests in early 2013, wanted Sharif to resign and demanded sweeping changes to the country's political and welfare system.

The protests fizzled out and Qadri left Pakistan for medical treatment.

Earlier this year he quietly returned, this time to lead not rumbustious street protests but a 10-day prayer vigil during the month of Ramazan.

'Exercise in discipline'

Thousands of his followers of all ages gathered in two vast compounds in Lahore to pray, fast, sleep and eat together.

The 64-year-old began leading the annual vigil in Lahore three decades ago and it formed the basis of his Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) political movement, founded in 1989.

He describes the event as "an exercise to discipline the followers for a revolution to run the country in the lines of the system introduced by the holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) 14 centuries ago."

But when AFP interviewed him at the event in Lahore, Qadri refused to answer questions about his 2013 and 2014 protests and what the future might hold for him politically.

When the protests were going on, some — including members of Sharif's ruling PML-N party — accused him of being a puppet, working on behalf of the powerful military to try to destabilise the elected civilian government in a bid to increase the generals' influence.

Qadri would not address the allegation directly but condemned his critics in general terms.

"There have always been opponents...The opponents always propagate negatively and I can't come to their level to answer their propaganda," he told AFP.

His reticence now stands in stark contrast to the vehemence with which he lambasted the government last year in daily speeches to his followers outside parliament from the top of a shipping container that served as a podium.

Military rumours

Despite his denials, the rumours of army backing linger around a man whose only spell as a lawmaker came during the rule of military strongman Pervez Musharraf.

"Qadri always wanted to get a top political office in the country with the support of the powers who themselves stay behind the curtain," said Tahir Ashrafi, another cleric and chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, a representative body of the country's religious scholars.

Senior political analyst Rasul Bakhsh Rais said Qadri's ability to summon large, disruptive street crowds at short notice had made him an attractive ally for murky forces — even if he did not necessarily share their agenda.

"He has his ambitions but he is used by the secret forces without him being known," Rais told AFP.

"He decides about his political movements himself but gets political and other allies when he starts it."

Last year's protests may not have brought down Sharif's government but they were seen by many observers as weakening it and boosting the military's influence, particularly in the policy areas it has traditionally dominated — defence and foreign affairs.

Qadri's supporters still have confidence he will lead the country to a bright new future and say they are ready for the next round of their struggle, whenever it comes.

"We still stand for our mission and will stand for it until the end. The revolution doesn't come with one, two or five sit-ins," said Shamsur Rehman Mehsud, 19, a follower from South Waziristan tribal district on the Afghan border.

And while Qadri may be guarded in discussing what his future tactics might be, he is no less fervent than before when rousing his followers.

"We won't forgive the blood of martyrs of our struggle to bring revolution in this country," he said in one of his Ramazan addresses.

"Be ready and prepare for the next round of struggle when I will call you again."

LAHORE: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced on Monday ending the politics of reconciliation towards the ruling PML-N, saying his party is a “party of resistance, not reconciliation”.

The PPP chief, who is here on a weeklong visit along with his sister Bakhtawar, met party leaders and workers from Vehari and Lodhran districts at the Bilawal House in Bahria Town.

Facing strong comments of PPP workers that the party was still going ‘soft’ on the PML-N despite legal actions against its leaders, Mr Bilawal was quoted by a participant as having said: “The PPP is a party of resistance and not reconciliation. We will give tough time to the PML-N in the local bodies elections.”

Also read: Bilawal’s choices

An old worker said PPP could not be revived in Punjab unless the chairman came on the front and challenged his opponents, especially the PML-N leaders. “The policy of reconciliation has already cost us dearly. Please give up the policy of reconciliation and rekindle a new spirit in the party,” the old guard said.

Most of the leaders and workers who got the opportunity to speak out their mind requested the chairman to ‘adopt the politics of confrontation’ towards the PML-N, saying the PPP was being labelled as ‘B-team’ of the PML-N’s Sharifs.

After the arrest of Dr Asim Hussain, a close aide to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the former president recently accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of “repeating the politics of the 1990s”.

“The PPP’s reconciliation policy towards the PML-N is almost over. However, Mr Bilawal will take on the Sharifs at the right time after the approval of his father,” a leader told Dawn.

Mr Bilawal said that PPP Jialas should not be disappointed because he would strengthen the party along with them. “I will visit every district in Punjab and interact with the workers,” he said.

He said that Election Commission’s provincial members should resign without delay for having failed to hold free and fair elections in 2013, otherwise the PPP would hold protests. He said PPP would not hesitate in taking to streets for the rights of the poor.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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http://www.dawn.com/news/1205509/govt-urged-to-appoint-qualified-people-to-run-pia

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court directed advocates general of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday to submit reports on steps taken for welfare of minorities and also a plan for their security.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and comprising Justice Dost Mohammad Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa also ordered the two provinces to file a progress report on implementation of its decision of June 19 last year.

Representatives of various minority communities informed the court that the Karak district administration had failed to get their land vacated from land-grabbers and requested that orders be issued in this regard.

Know more: SC asks KP govt to get Hindu temple rebuilt

Dr Ramesh, a representative of the Hindu community, informed the court that implementation of its directives relating to protection of minorities’ rights was comparatively slow in Sindh, Balochistan and KP.

The Chief Justice remarked that the “Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam wanted religious harmony in the country and after creation of Pakistan first legislation was enacted for the rights of minorities”.

The court adjourned the hearing till the first week of next month.—APP

Kalbe Ali adds: Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council, alleged that the KP government had failed to implement the Supreme Court’s orders for the protection of minorities living in the province.

Talking to media personnel on Monday, he said influential people continued to occupy land belonging to the Hindu community but the provincial government was doing little to get it vacated.

He said that out of a cumulative area of 1,604sq-ft, only 184sq-ft had so far been handed over to the community.

He said the actual area of Krishan Dawara Temple was 1,204sq-ft while Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Ji Maharaj was spread over 400sq-ft. He alleged that 250sq-ft were occupied by one Shaista Mir and 1,070sq-ft by Mufti Iftikharuddin.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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LAHORE: A member of a proscribed organisation, convicted for sectarian killing by a military court, has challenged his death sentence before the Lahore High Court.

The military court had awarded death sentence to Muhammad Sabir Shah for abetting murder of a lawyer, Syed Arshad Ali, in Lahore.

The chief of army staff confirmed his death sentence last week.

Laila Bibi, mother of the convict, filed the appeal through Advocate Zia Ali Bajwa and stated that her son was a juvenile (below 18 years) and was not given the right to fair trial.

She said neither was he allowed to meet his family members, nor given a chance to engage counsel to plead his case.

She asked the court to set aside the military court’s verdict for being “unjust and unfair”.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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CHARSADDA: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq on Monday said the government shouldn’t hold talks with India until Kashmir issue was resolved.

“Kashmiris are our brothers, who need our moral support to get right to self-determination,” he told a function organised by Al-Khidmat Foundation here.

The JI chief said India along with Israel was continuously hatching conspiracies to harm Pakistan but such intrigues would be thwarted by Pakistani people.

He said the Pakistan Army with the support of the entire nation defeated India in the 1965 war and that the time had come to teach India a lesson again.

Haq said Pakistan should strongly react to Indian aggression against its people.

About PTI chief Imran Khan’s demand for resignation of four Election Commission of Pakistan members, he said instead of seeking exit of the four members, there should be a call for the change of the entire electoral system. The JI leader demanded that the government take all political parties into confidence and initiate electoral reforms.

He appreciated the role of Al-Khidmat foundation in social welfare activities, especially during disasters.

He urged the people to come forward and participate in welfare activities.

Later, around 150 unemployed and poor people were given documents of rickshaws and loans.

ANP district president Arshad Abdullah, QWP district president Arshad Khan Umarzai, MPA Khalid Khan Mohmand and Charsadda tehsil nazim Khalil Bashir Umarzai were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, a man on Monday killed his sister-in-law and her alleged paramour in Gulabad area here.

The police said they had registered a case and started investigation.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: The top civilian and military leadership – in a rare meeting with representatives of religious seminaries – made it abundantly clear on Monday that the government intended to register and streamline their working at all costs.

According to those present in the meeting, both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif were willing to listen to the legitimate concerns of members of the Tanzeem Ittehadul Madaris (TIM). However, neither one of them minced words in getting the message across that no madressah would be spared if found involved in any kind of extremism or terrorism-related activities.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is the point person for the implementation of the National Action Plan, had a two-hour brainstorming session with TIM leaders, after which another two-hour session followed, where the prime minister and army chief responded to queries of religious scholars.

In both the meetings, a senior government official who is actively involved in the registration of madressahs, said that the interior minister, the prime minister and army chief took pains to explain that the government had launched an indiscriminate operation against all madressahs who were suspected of having links to terrorists.

At one point, the government official said, the prime minister told the participants that if somebody had any doubts that the government was going easy on madressahs based in Punjab, they were absolutely wrong.

Talking to Dawn, Sahibzada Abdul Mustafa Hazarvi – one of the clerics present in the meeting – said that the TIM had issues with the registration form and the ongoing ‘reckless’ crackdown on seminaries.

He said, “Both the army chief and the prime minister assured us that in the future no such crackdowns will take place.” However, he said, “The army chief categorically said that if someone was found guilty of any wrongdoing as enshrined in NAP, the madressah concerned and its administration would have to face the consequences.”

Mr Hazarvi said that the participants were told that provincial governments were conducting these raids on their own. However, “We have been assured that in the future, the federal government will play the role of a coordinator if the need to raid a madressah arose.”

Dr Syed Mohammad Najfi, another participant of the meeting, said that unlike during the General Pervez Musharraf and the PPP government, this time it seemed the leadership was serious in taking the registration and restructuring of madressah education to its logical conclusion.

He said the questionnaire the government had first prepared was too complicated as it carried scores of irrelevant queries. “In response to our complaints, the government has agreed to redesign the registration under the leadership of Mufti Muneebur Rehman.”

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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MANSEHRA: The disgruntled leaders and workers of PTI Batagram chapter on Monday blocked the Karakoram Highway for over two hours to demand expulsion of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Senator Azam Khan Swati from the party for what they claimed defying party in the recent nazim elections.

“Now the days of dirty politics and conspiracies of Mr Khattak and Swati are over. They should be expelled from the party as both caused the party’s defeat in nazim and naib nazim elections in many districts of the province during the final electoral round,” PTI Batagram leader Naeem Shaheen told protesters.

Saeed Khan and Ajab Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Holding banners, shouting slogans and carrying coffins of the chief minister and Azam Swati, protesters marched through streets.

Threaten sit-in outside Imran Khan’s house if demand not met

They later burnt effigies of Pervez Khattak and Azam Swati and demanded that PTI chairman Imran Khan expel them.

They warned they would continue protesting until their demand was met.

“We won’t tolerate the black sheep in party anymore. If they’re not expelled from the party within 10 days, we’ll stage a sit-in outside the house of Imran Khan in Islamabad,” Naeem Shaheen said.

The PTI leader said party workers in Batagram were denied tickets in the recent nazim and naib nazim elections leading to the party’s defeat in many districts, including Mansehra.

“All tickets in wards were awarded to local elders instead of party workers in Batagram district. And when workers protested, the tickets of district and Allai and Batagram tehsils were also awarded to elders. Now, we have no option but to protest,” he said.

Speaking on occasion, Saeed Khan said the people of Batagram had buried the ‘politics of Khans’ but such people were dominating local policies due to the ‘dirty politics’ played by Pervez Khattak and Azam Swati.

“We had opposed the awarding tickets to so-called elders for elections but our voice was ignored. Now, we will not sit calmly and raise voice against Pervez Khattak and Azam Swati at all available forums,” he said.

Another PTI leader Ajab Khan said Imran Khan was the only role model for party workers, who would continue following him.

He said workers were in streets to expose so-called party leaders.

MPA’S SON DIES IN ACCIDENT: Ramiz Ibrar Tanoli, youth son of MPA Mohammad Ibrar Tanoli, died here on Sunday night after his car plunged into a deep ravine.

The accident occurred as Ramiz lost control of his car on the way home.

The local residents pulled the youngster and his two friends accompanying him from the ravine and shifted to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital.

However, Ramiz, who passed FSc examination lately, succumbed to his injuries.

The condition of his friends was stated out of danger.

The MPA is currently in Qatar.

On Monday, the funeral prayer of Ramiz was offered in Gujrain Purhanna area, where people from different walks of life showed up in large numbers.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) on Monday to ensure a complete blackout of all activities of MQM chief Altaf Hussain in both electronic and print media.

A full bench of the court headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi issued the order on three identical petitions seeking a ban on media coverage of Altaf Hussain’s speeches for his alleged remarks against state institutions, including the army and Rangers.

They also sought proceedings against the MQM chief under Article 6 of the Constitution and disqualification of legislators of the party. The petitions filed by Advocate Aftab Virk, Abdullah Malik and others argued that Mr Hussain was a British national and no foreign citizen could head a political party in Pakistan under the Political Parties Act. He has no right to deliver speeches on television channels in Pakistan.

Pemra’s legal adviser submitted to the court on Monday a May 1 notification issued under Section 27 of the authority’s ordinance asking all television channels to stop airing hate speeches.

The petitioners’ counsel contended that the video clips presented before the court contained sufficient material to establish that Mr Hussain’s speeches were hazardous to the integrity and sovereignty of the country. By making speeches against the armed forces and other law-enforcement agencies, the MQM chief had tried to ridicule the entire nation in the eyes of the international community, he said.

The counsel argued that the Pemra directive was of a general nature and did not contain any specific reference to Hussain’s speeches and, therefore, served no purpose.

The court observed that there was sufficient material on record to order a complete blackout of the activities of Altaf Hussain, including hate speeches, news regarding his activities as well as display of his picture on the electronic media.

The court directed the additional attorney general to convey the order to the PCP chairman for its immediate compliance by the print media.

The court adjourned the hearing to Sept 18.

The law officer said the requisite report and comments would be submitted in the light of the court’s previous order.

At the last hearing, the court had sought a report on the status of Altaf Hussain’s nationality.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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http://www.dawn.com/news/1205213/spotlight-in-the-eye-of-the-storm

This year's crop of films have played their part in putting Pakistani cinema on the map. As our films prepare to hit the festival circuit and some gear for international release, their directors and actors travel and tell the world what Pakistani cinema is all about. Ayesha Omar is one such actor.

After the Hollywood premiere in Los Angeles of her debut film Karachi Se Lahore, she spoke to Gulf Times about her views on where Pakistani stands.

Talking about the difference between Pakistani cinema and Bollywood, she said that what Pakistani cinema lacks in investment, it more than makes up in content.

“Our production budgets are nothing compared to Bollywood," Ayesha said, "People are investing their own money and trying to make movies. We are seeking help from a lot of brands, but if there is anything we can compete at, it is content.”

“Our content is very strong," she continued, "I feel we know how to play with the script, and have some amazing script writers. That’s why our drama is getting rave reviews across the border, in India. Our characters are very deep as well and we keep them real — something people can relate to.”

Ayesha Omar with the rest of the Karachi Se Lahore team at the film's Hollywood premiere in LA — Publicity photo

While Pakistani content is being greatly appreciated in India, political tensions prevent it from being shared readily with our neighbours.

Also read: Na Maloom Afraad won't release in India: Fizza Ali Meerza

“Pakistani movies are being banned in India," Ayesha said, "They want their own industry to prosper, of course, but we’re the same people with the same culture and interests. I think people are scared right now because of the political situation. Otherwise, people in both the countries love each other.”

Talking about her own love for Bollywood, Ayesha said that she was a big fan of Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh and Naseeruddin Shah, but doesn't plan on moving into Bollywood just yet.

“Frankly, I’d be very honoured and humbled, but I want to work in Pakistan because my country needs us right now. The Indian industry is very lucrative and it’s easy to go there — rather everyone who’s getting even a whiff is going there. It’s great because it’s a huge industry with a global reach, but I want to stay back for a few years and work here. I might however, do a really good project if it comes my way — only if I don’t have to compromise values and feel there is substance in it.”

KARACHI: A police constable, who worked as driver of slain social activist Sabeen Mahmud and was a witness to her killing in April this year, was shot dead in the city’s Korangi area on Monday.

According to officials, 48-year-old Ghulam Abbas was attacked outside his home in Bhitai Colony.

Two men on a motorcycle opened fire at him and escaped. He suffered three bullet wounds and died on the spot, said area DSP Rao Iqbal. “The victim was currently posted at the anti-corruption establishment. We have collected four spent bullet casings from the crime scene,” he added.

The DSP said the attackers had been identified by two witnesses and initial findings suggested that they had come to see him a few days ago.

Sabeen Mahmud, a social media campaigner and human rights activist, was shot dead on April 24 minutes after the end of an interactive discussion ‘Unsilen­cing Balochistan’ she had organised at her social forum — T2F. It was attended by journalists and rights activists, including the founder leader of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Abdul Qadeer Baloch.

In June, police claimed to have busted a gang of militants which had attacked a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community near Safoora Goth. The militants had also confessed to killing Ms Mahmud because of “her views about Lal Masjid’s cleric Abdul Aziz, Valentine’s Day and Burqa (veil)”.

The killing of her driver is a major setback to investigations into her murder, though police are not sure if the two killings are linked.

“Ghulam Abbas used to work as Sabeen Mahmud’s part-time driver. The witnesses insisted that the attackers knew him personally so we can’t reach any conclusion with authority about the motive behind the killing,” DSP Iqbal said.

But for SP Raja Umer Khattab of CID’s counter-terror unit it might be an attempt to eliminate the key witness who had identified the suspected killers of Ms Mahmud in court during the trial of the case.

“At the time of the attack Sabeen Mahmud was driving the car with Ghulam Abbas sitting on the rare seat,” he said, adding that it would not affect the case because Ghulam Abbas had already identified Sabeen’s killers and his role in the case was already closed.

But, he said, it’s now crucial to secure the lives of other witnesses.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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DES MOINES: The parents of a girl who reported being inappropriately touched by a man, later identified as a Pakistani citizen, while flying alone from New York to Iowa have sued the man and American Airlines, saying the airline failed to protect the girl.

Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, 57, was arrested after the July flight on charges including engaging in sexual contact with a victim between the ages of 12 and 16. The Pakistani citizen, who has denied the accusations, has since been released on bond.

The lawsuit alleges that Chaudhry moved to an empty seat beside the girl. The girl texted her mother, who had just arrived at work in Iowa, saying she was woken up by a man inappropriately touching her with his foot and later his hand.

"I can't move cause the seat belt sign is on and I want to get away," the girl said in texts turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), according to the lawsuit. She began another text, "Mommy, I'm scared...," and said a man tried to touch her genitals. The family's attorney, Brett Beatty, said the mother was so stunned by the texts that she fainted.

When Chaudhry left the seat to use the restroom, the girl alerted a flight attendant, who moved her to a vacant first-class seat. The airline reported the girl's complaint to authorities, and an FBI agent met Chaudhry when the flight, the first leg of her trip, landed in Chicago.

"American cares deeply about our young passengers and is committed to providing a safe travel experience for them," spokesman Josh Freed said in a statement Friday, a day after the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Des Moines. "We take these matters very seriously and have cooperated fully and immediately with law enforcement's investigation of the suspect."

Chaudhry denied touching the girl, according to the FBI. The girl gave the investigating agent a cellphone photo she had taken with Chaudhry's leg across her lap, the agent said, according to the documents filed by the agent in Chaudhry's criminal case.

Chaudhry told the FBI he was in the US on vacation and to visit family in Oklahoma. He was released on bond after relatives helped pay his $100,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday in Chicago.

"I'm not allowed to talk. My friend will talk to you later," Chaudhry said when reached by phone Monday by The Associated Press.

His attorney didn't respond to messages seeking comment that were left at his office Friday and Monday, a holiday.

Beatty, the attorney for the girl's family, said American Airlines should have placed the girl in a seat where she could be monitored. American Airlines charges $150 extra for minors traveling alone.

Similar incidents have been reported in recent years, including a Pennsylvania man's arrest this summer after a 16-year-old girl reported being awoken by a man inappropriately touching her. A New Jersey man was sentenced to more than eight years in prison in January 2014 for putting his hands in a woman's shirt and shorts while she was sleeping during a flight in 2012.

Entrance to Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park - Photo courtesy Zofeen T. Ebrahim.

Some 400,000 solar panels, spread over 200 hectares of flat desert, glare defiantly at the sun at what is known as the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park (QASP) in Cholistan Desert, Punjab, named after Pakistan’s founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

The 100MW photovoltaic cells (PV) solar farm was built by Chinese company Xinjiang SunOasis in just three months, and started selling electricity to the national grid in August.

This is the first energy project under the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key part of China’s ‘new silk road’, linking the port at Gwadar in southern Pakistan with Kashgar in China’s western region of Xinjiang.

The 100MW plant is the pilot stage of a more ambitious plan to build the world’s largest solar farm. Once completed in 2017, the site could have capacity of 5.2 million PV cells producing as much as 1,000MW of electricity – enough to power about 320,000 households. Construction of the next stage is already underway, led by another Chinese company Zonergy.

One of the main access roads inside QASP - Photo courtesy Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd.

Eighteen months ago, the site was nothing more than wilderness. Now a mini city has emerged in the middle of the desert, with over 2,000 workers accompanied by heavy machinery, power transmission lines, blocks of buildings, water pipes and pylons.

Reducing emissions, providing livelihoods

The Cholistan desert is an ideal spot for solar power, said Muhammad Hassan Askari, operating manager of the solar park. The area gets 13 hours of sunlight every day while the huge expanse of flat desert is ideal for a large commercial project like this one.

The big advantage of solar power, he said, is that a large park can be completed faster than thermal or hydropower projects, which take much longer and require a lot of maintenance.

The solar park will also shrink Pakistan’s carbon footprint, said Najam Ahmed Shah, the chief executive officer of QASP, displacing about 57,500 tonnes of coal burn and reducing emissions by 90,750 tonnes every year.

An aerial view of QASP. - Photo courtesy Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd.

Pakistan aims to reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons, especially imported coal, oil and gas, to around 60 per cent by 2025 from the present 87pc. The country has a target to produce 10pc of its total energy mix from renewable sources (excluding hydro-power, which already constitutes 15pc of the total energy mix). The current generation from renewable energy is around 1-2pc.

While Pakistan contributes less than 1pc to global Green House Gas (GHG) output, the country’s carbon emissions are growing by 3.9pc a year. By 2020 it will spew out 650 million tonnes of Co2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) if the current trend continues, said climatologist Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, the UN secretary general’s special advisor for Asia with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

The solar park will also eventually generate 15,000 to 33,000 jobs for locals and attract investment to the region.

Unprecedented scale

Some experts worry the project is too ambitious. Former director general of WWF-Pakistan Ali Hassan Habib, who now runs a company providing rooftop solar solutions, welcomed the project but was uneasy about the government “jumping into untested scale”. The plant will be double the size of the existing largest solar PV generating facilities worldwide, he said.

“It may have been better to build the equivalent remaining 900MW closer to where electricity is consumed — on say the rooftops of large parking lots — rather than installing it in remote locations,” he said.

Environmental impact of clean energy

Because solar energy is still finding a foothold in the energy mix and technologies are evolving, not enough is known about the park’s impact on the environment and natural resources.

An aerial view of QASP. - Photo courtesy Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd.

Some negative impacts have already become apparent. For example, solar power consumes lots of water. PV panels may require little maintenance, according to QASP, but they need to be kept squeaky clean. An estimated one litre of water is used to clean each panel. Water consumed to clean the eventual 5.2 million panels built will be colossal for a country that is fast becoming water stressed. Currently, 30 people take 10 to 15 days to clean the 400,000 cells.

“This year we’ve been very lucky as there have been unprecedented rains and so panels were cleaned automatically,” said Askari, who said they were looking for more efficient ways to clean panels.

At the same time, increasing human activity will disturb the arid region’s rich biodiversity and wildlife, such as the Indian gazelle, caracal cat and houbara bustard.

The construction of a new road network and supporting commercial activities associated with large solar PV projects do leave a substantial “footprint” on the land, agreed Habib.

Shah justified the project, saying it was built on “uninhabited” “waste” land. “An Initial Environmental Examination was carried out and we got a nod from the Environment Protection Department before embarking upon the project,” he explained.

To offset any negative impact, Habib suggested the government set up an “environment and social fund”.

Environmentalists are also concerned about the fate of the millions of PV panels which will wear out within 25 years. The panels will have to be recycled to extract the silicon used to make them, and then replaced.

Pakistan’s energy crisis

Pakistan has been in the grip of severe energy shortages for many years with some rural areas left without power for up to 20 hours a day. There has been little local or foreign investment in the industrial sector because of the extensive power cuts, and a number of factories have had to close down.

An aerial view of QASP. - Photo courtesy Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd.

With an installed electricity generation capacity of 22,797MW, the country’s total production stands at just 14,000MW. In recent years, demand has risen to 19,000MW.

While the 1,000MW of solar energy will help ease energy constraints, Askari said government investment in several other hydropower and coal projects should also help alleviate power shortages.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised power cuts would end by 2018 at the inauguration ceremony of 100MW solar project in May, earlier this year.

Not everyone is happy

But some critics say it is the investors who will get rich from the solar project, while consumers will have to pay more in the long run.

“Hydropower can produce energy for less than half the price of solar and about the same as wind so why a fixation on solar?” said an Islamabad-based energy expert working with the government, who spoke to thethirdpole.net on the condition of anonymity.

He is sceptical of solar for a number of reasons.

First, the solar farm will actually produce far less than the much touted 1,000MW of electricity. “On average, solar power plants deliver only about 20pc of installed capacity, and the peak production is during the day, while the peak demand is in the evening when the plant does not produce anything,” the expert pointed out.

Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park - Photo courtesy Zofeen T. Ebrahim.

Alternative arrangements have to be made to draw upon hydro or thermal sources at an “extra cost”. But the project’s owners say the 100MW solar plant could produce near to capacity at 85MW at its peak.

Second, solar energy is more expensive than other energy sources. QASP claims it is selling solar power to the grid at $0.14 per unit. Sources within the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) say they have signed a deal to buy electricity at $0.24 per unit, which will drop later to perhaps $0.17 per unit after a period of seven years when loans are paid off. In either case, this price is far higher than the $0.07 for hydropower, $0.11 for fuel oil and $0.12 for imported LNG.

“And these figures are only for generation; another 25pc must be added to it for cost of delivery to be borne by the consumer, accounting for losses and theft,” he pointed out.

“The financial justification for solar was approved when oil prices were at $110 a barrel,” he said, lamenting that the government refused to heed to advice that oil prices would drop.

Others argue that solar prices will fall over time, making it competitive. Vaqar Ahmed, deputy executive director at the Islamabad-based think tank, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, said: “For every new technology the fixed costs are higher in the initial years and diminish over time as economies of scale are achieved.” And learning from China, efficiency will rise and prices for solar cells will continue to fall, he said.

Wind could be a much bigger contributor to Pakistan’s energy need, said WWF’s Habib, given its potential of 120,000MW. “Unlike solar, wind energy maintains production at night,” he pointed out.

Political risks

With just a little over two years left in his term, the success of the solar project is important for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“The project has huge political implications for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N),” said Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) M Hassan Malik, who is responsible for the security arrangements of the entire QASP area.

An aerial view of QASP. - Photo courtesy Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power (Pvt) Ltd.

”Through this project the government also wants to send out the message to the outside world that it has the capacity to undertake mega projects and will provide foolproof security to investors.”

Working in an area known as a hotbed of criminals and extremists, Malik’s job is challenging. “Not only is the park a national asset, we have foreign nationals working at the plant, so the sensitivity is two-fold,” he said.

There are 800 to 900 men guarding the site, where around 400 Chinese workers and over 2,000 labourers work at any given time.

Cultural shock

For Alexander Halbich, a German engineer who has been at the park for over a year, getting used to “gun-toting” security men following him around was most disconcerting aspect of his new job. “The food is good, the people are extremely hospitable and we do go out to the city once in a while tailed by armed guards, but there is little to do after dark,” he added.

“There isn’t much to do in the evenings,” agreed Muhammad Hasan Askari, who heads the technical team. Hailing from Lahore, he keeps himself busy with work and looks forward to going home at the weekends.

Foreign workers get to go home less often. “I go every three months for ten days or more,” said Zhang Ting, a young Chinese engineer. “I’m quite ready to go home by two months but when I do go back, I miss Pakistan and the work,” she added.

Ting had to deal with a language barrier and hostile weather when she arrived to work at the site. The Chinese engineer also had to adjust to a “whole new work culture”.

“We resolved the issue by getting more Pakistanis on our design team to crease out the differences and conflicts,” she said.

View of the infrastructure developed alogside the solar park to connect it to the national grid. -Photo courtesy Zofeen T. Ebrahim.

This article was originally published on The Third Pole and has been reproduced with permission.

In a surprising first, the Sindh Censor Board has spoken against the running of a film not for objectionable content, but for its poor production quality. The film in question is Swaarangi, and its release has already been a contentious matter.

Fakhre Alam, Chairman of Sindh Censor Board, spoke on behalf of the whole board on his official Twitter account that Swaarangi shouldn't be released because it's poorly made. He added that the board has the interests of Pakistan's cinema revival in mind, and Swaarangi's inadequate production may deter future investment in Pakistani cinema.

Although the board has requested the distributors to voluntarily withdraw the application, Alam also said that the board will issue a U-certificate to the film if they do not do so.

As of now, Swaarangi has been banned by the Central Board of Film Certification, which bars its screening in Islamabad and cantonments across the country, but has got the green light in Punjab.

The decision of Swaarangi's release in Sindh now rests with its distributor.

The film, which marks the comeback of Resham and stars veteran Ayub Khosa, delves into a real-life story of a drug addict and his family in rural Punjab. It is the director Phida Hussain's first feature film and boasts a soundtrack by Sahir Ali Bagga.

The film is slated to be released on September 11.