Why only Musharraf and Why Now?

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is bent on trying the former military Chief Pervez Musharraf for high treason for subverting the Constitution twice. But Shahbaz Sharif has made it clear that he will only be tried for November 3^rd 2007 act in which he declared the emergency and suspended the constitution of Pakistan. On resistance, the 111^th Brigade of Pakistan Army entered the Supreme Court and arrest all the seven judges of that particular bench included Chief Justice Chaudry Iftikhar.

Prime Minister Sharif said to the parliament, “Musharraf’s actions came under the purview of “high treason”. In 1999 Musharraf overthrew Sharif’s government but before that, Sharif started the saga while Musharraf was in the air coming back from Sri Lanka. Sharif ordered the commercial airline not to land in Pakistan, according to reports; plane didn’t have sufficient fuel to divert the flight. Pakistan Army learned the order by then Prime Minister and seized Karachi airport and allowed the plane to land.

That was the beginning of Mushrraf’s time. On October 14^th 1999, he declared the state of emergency and issued Provisional Constitutional order (PCO). A large number of judges rejected to take oath under PCO but then Chaudry Iftikhar took oath and endorsed it with the order that Musharraf could only be allowed to remain in for three year. Because of that order Musharraf had to hold the referendum in 2002 which was strongly supported by Imran Khan, Fazul Rehman and Jamat-e-Islami.

Sharif has decided to try Musharraf under article 6, which says “Any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance, the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason”. Now 6(2) clearly state, “Any person aiding or abetting acts mentioned in clause (1) shall likewise be guilty of high treason.  6(2A) states “An act of high treason mentioned in Article 6 shall not be validated by any court including the Supreme Court and a High Court.” In the light of Article 6, if we analyze the situation of 1999 and its validation process by the Supreme Court then we can surely understand that why Musharraf is not being tried on 1999 act.

The whole institution of Army whose many officials are still serving the Army aided Musharraf in 1999 act then the person who endorsed the act and took oath under Mushrraf’s PCO is still the chief Justice of Pakistan and shall be guilty under Article 6(2A). Then Musharraf’s act of 2007; on which Sharif has decided to try him; had support of many politicians who are now sitting in the parliament under PMLN or PTI flags. If none of those politicians came forward with the resistance and resignation against the 2007 act means they were supporting it.

Then why were they accepted by the leaderships of those two parties and granted ticket to represent their voters in the parliament? Doesn’t this look like personal grudges against Musharraf by Sharif? Although opposition leader Khursheed Shah of PPP has supported the act with a fiery speech, then why didn’t they come forward with the action against Musharraf when they were sitting in the federal for last five year with the power in the executive branch?

Recently, Pakistan handed over the bodies of 10 foreign tourists to their homelands; which early investigation shows is the act of a terrorist group residing in mountain area. Jinnah’s residency was destroyed in Ziyarat and owned by BLA and on very next day of Ziyarat incident more than 10 female students were killed by terrorists in a blast which was owned by LeJ. KPK has badly hit by terrorism once again and Karachi is losing at least 10 lives everyday including the representatives of MQM. Country is facing the worse electricity shortfall with high inflation and unemployment rate, but before arrival in the office and after winning the election Sharif made it clear that country has no money in the account and load shedding can’t be controlled in months or even in year.

In such crises can Pakistan really afford the conflict among institutions like judiciary, Army and Parliament?  Now two questions arise; either Sharif government is not capable of resolving the real issues like economy and terrorism; or he is using government power for his personal vengeance?

The Facts, the Fictions, and the BBC

All Parties Conference (APC) to counter the terrorism situation in Pakistan was postponed due to Imran Khan’s visit to UK.  The terrorism situation has destroyed the economy and taken thousands of lives in Pakistan and KPK province is among the worst hit by terrorism. He attended the Ball party arranged by Prince and Mrs. Charles for some charity support. During his stay BBC2 aired a documentary on the investigation that involves MQM and its Chief, Altaf Hussain in London.

The documentary wasn’t balanced but mostly against Hussain and MQM, based on the allegations, which Khan is already talking about since he has lost the election in Sind and Punjab. He alleged Hussain for Zahra Shahid’s murder; a senior member of PTI who was working for the party for 17 year but was sidelined by PTI for junior members due to some internal party issues; which Fauzia Kasuri admitted. Two days before the documentary, PTI social media team was promoting it like they knew the whole story.

This is not the first time BBC has made documentary on Pakistani politicians or institutions. The documentary on Nawaz Sharif titled “From Pakistan to Park Lane” was about the money laundering cases.  The second most alarming documentary which BBC broadcasted was against Pakistan Army and its role in “war on Terror”. In the documentary called “Secret Pakistan: Double Cross” which alleged Pakistan Army as “deceiving the West and America by supporting Taliban through weapons”. One guest in the documentary alleges Pakistan Army of evacuating Taliban in their aircraft from Qandoos to Pakistan and accused them of causing deaths of NATO and US forces.

The recent documentary on Hussain aired on July 10^th 2013 on “News Night BBC” had no new material but some journalistic enthusiasm and wishful thinking, which weren’t expected from a responsible corporation like BBC. The investigation failed to mention anything about the killings of political workers in Karachi because we know that MQM has lost three MPAs by extremists’ organizations and Taliban and there are many MQM workers abducted by extremists’ organizations. It also failed to mention the overwhelming support it received by the people of Karachi in the last election even when TTP destroyed the political process for election.

Then the appearance of former MQM worker Naeem Ahmad is also a question mark on the investigative journalism of BBC. Naeem got political asylum in Belgium on behalf of MQM and now his stance against the party, is raising question on the validity of his asylum case. The BBC journalist was failed to inform the public whether the person left the party on his will or was expelled from the party because of disciplinary issues?  Again the journalist informed the people that Hussain was booked in 30 murder cases which is not new  but he didn’t tell the viewers that Hussain was  in London while then government booked him in those cases.

The main issue which was highlighted in the documentary was the money laundering in which BBC documentary alleged that Scotland Yard has recovered 400,000pounds from Hussain’s compound. But the point is that SLY hasn’t released any statement to the media nationally or internationally about the exact amount of money recovered.  The information of Hussain’s properties and money recovered which were speculated by Pakistani and British media does not match. One channel in Pakistan reported that there were 20 properties under the name of Hussain and they have acquired papers of some of his properties but BBC2 denied.

Again some UK government officials who are always been the part of Lobby against Hussain and been very vocal against him didn’t appear in the documentary which is a sign of non-credible materials showed in the documentary otherwise they wouldn’t have spare any chance against Hussain.

BBC is a global name in broadcasting organizations and such documentaries against Pakistan Army previously and now against MQM is shocking. Pakistan Army and MQM has been fighting against TTP, and Army has lost many soldiers while MQM has maintained a fundamental politically stance against extremists forces like TTP. While MQM has been the voice of millions of Pakistanis that are against terrorism and extremism, this documentary from BBC does not do justice and undermines the sacrifices that MQM and Pakistan Army has been making to fight terrorism. In the last election, MQM’s campaign was a clear threat to TTP because MQM has always proved that their agenda is to make Pakistan a tolerant society. Now the documentary against them which failed to prove any credible material will not damage MQM but the credibility of BBC worldwide.

Not to forget that News Night BBC has already apologized on misleading and unfair reporting to its viewers about two reports called “Help for Heroes” and “Child Abuse”.

Blame Game Never Brings Change

Let us not seek the PPP’s answer or the PML (N)’s stand , but let us all wait for the right one. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. PTI has won elections in KP and able to created their government. Now this is a time for PTI to deliver work they promised to deliver before the elections. Remember If you don’t do your part, please don’t blame others this time.

This is the mistake Imran Khan is making so far. Unfortunately, Imran Khan is still doing the politics of blaming others. PTI again did not accept election results. Even though during last elections campaigned, Imran Khan claimed that PTI supports like a big Tsunami which will wipe out everything.

It is obvious Imran Khan does not know what Tsunami is. If their support was equivalent to Tsunami, it would have wiped out all election results and just PTI, PTI everywhere.

 
In 2008, the people of Pakistan were witness to one of the most successful and fair elections in the history of Pakistan. The dominant parties who were against President Mr. Musharraf at the time of the election won and closest ally of President Musharraf lost the battle.

 
This election was also boycotted by PTI. Again PTI blamed Musharraf for it. They thought Musharraf would not hold fair elections.

 
In the last government we had seen a series of long marches, demonstration by PTI against Drone attacks, Bomb blasts especially in KP. They blamed past government for everything.

Now PTI is running the show in KP. But unfortunately we are seeing more bomb blasts and drone attacks in KP than before. However, PTI is not holding any demonstration or long march. Their workers are not stopping NATO supply. Remember they had stopped the NATO supply in past government. Was it only for the votes? Who they will blame this time?

Presently, instead of concentrating their government in KP as he should be, Imran Khan is attending parties in the UK. Imran Khan won the election from one of constituencies of Peshawar. Has Imran Khan ever stayed in Peshawar for more than two days? How will he solve the issue of general people of his constituency without meeting needy people of his constituency? He won the election from Peshawar now it is his responsibility to live in his constituencies or even meet the people of his constituency on regular basis. Imran Khan is a big fan of west; he should remember all elected representatives in west have to meet the people of their constituencies on regular basis.

This is a part of the constitution. It is his duty to live in his constituency. I humbly request the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan to make sure that all elected members meet people of their constituency on regular basis. They should have opened office weekly or at least on a monthly basis. I advised to PTI to concentrate on their performance in KP, the people of KP voted you to bring peace in KP.

It will take years to resolve power crisis: Khwaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Muhammad Asif Saturday said that it would take years and not months to resolve electricity crisis.

Addressing an Iftar party in Sialkot on Saturday‚ he said the Prime Minister is focusing his full attention on resolution of the electricity crisis.

Khawaja Asif further said that the present Government has increased supply of 3500-4000 MW to the national grid.

The Minister hoped that the situation would significantly improve in the power sector over the next three years.

Junaid Jamshed and the ‘maternal instinct’

Who would have thought that the pop-icon turned televangelist who irked women with the statement “it is better if women are not taught to drive” has invested the last ten years trying to save the lives of underprivileged women of Pakistan

Junaid Jamshed — the name brings to one’s mind an image of two juxtaposed pictures: one of a drop-dead handsome young Junaid, the other of a seasoned man with a long beard and a mellower face, beckoning people to come towards Islam.

Yet, there is a side to this man shrouded from the public eye. And that has to do with his work as a philanthropist whose focus is maternal health. Once known as the darling of female fans, Junaid is still very connected to women — he is helping save the lives of thousands of them in Pakistan. The man continues to surprise us and challenge stereotypes.

At the Muslim Charity fund-raising dinners in Manchester, Birmingham and London May 31 to June 2, 2013. PHOTO: MOHAMMED RAYAZ

Yet, he does not reveal this side to his life readily. The first of a series of interviews, as he agreed to talk to The Express Tribune, revolved around Vital Signs and his metamorphosis into the world of preaching. Sitting in Shahi Hasan’s studio, his fingers, a couple of times, delicately traced the contours of the guitar strings. But an inner commitment is stronger than the temptation. He hummed a few lines, but stopped. The darling of the Pakistani masses is no longer a balladeer. The passion has been channelised towards a higher love. His songs formerly talked about how to woo a beloved… his nasheeds and naats still do. But the Beloved has changed. JJ has evolved.

The second interview was hard to schedule. His travelling is incessant, more for philanthropic work and less for proselytising, contrary to popular belief. “I think I am ready to talk in detail. It is time people hear my side of the story. I may come across as someone who has something against women. I’m NOT!” he said on the phone while he was at the site of a model village of 200 houses near Rahimyar Khan built with his support for flood-hit people.

“Meray oopar bohat zimmedari hai. As a human, a Muslim, a Pakistani, a person whom people know. I cannot turn away from these responsibilities; that would be [ingratitude]. Being grateful increases blessings and being ungrateful sucks them away,” he said at the second interview, sitting in his comfortable home in DHA, Karachi. He had just returned from a trip to the UK to raise funds for charity.

A suitcase is forever ready for the globe-trotter. It is pertinent to wonder how he balances family life and his added responsibilities. “I try my best to balance. Whatever time I give to my family is quality time. Ayesha and the kids will vouch for it,” he said. Any conversation with him is incomplete without periodic mention of his wife Ayesha. But he does agree that there is a price to his philanthropy. “The life of this world and the Hereafter are like two wives of one man. If you please one, the other will be upset. It’s a choice you have to make. Fact of the matter is that when we struggle for the Hereafter, Allah is pleased. And when Allah is pleased the life of this world improves automatically. Theek hai na?” he said, smartly interspersing an element of preaching in the interview. He never lets go of that opportunity.

 Muslim Charity has established five hospitals in Pakistan in Jhang, Faisalabad, Mangani,  Rawalakot and in Lahore. PHOTO: MUSLIM CHARITY

“Pakistan’s women should not have to go through this.”

“The year was 2003. I remember reading somewhere that a woman travelling from Jhang to Faisalabad on a tonga in full-term labour died because no maternal health facility was close by. That story shook me,” said Junaid.

At the Muslim Charity fund-raising dinners in Manchester, Birmingham and London May 31 to June 2, 2013. PHOTO: MOHAMMED RAYAZ

Comparing it with the comfort and facilities which are available to women in the cities, like his wife at the birth of their four children, he felt deeply disturbed at why so many women in Pakistan had to go through this. “It was during that time that I came to know that this organisation called ‘Muslim Charity’ was working to improve the state of maternal health. I contacted them to ask how I could help in my small way. I have been affiliated with them since then.” Junaid now works as the vice president of Muslim Charity, and uses his public influence, talks and naats to raise funds for the causes.

Till now, with his support, the charity has managed to make five hospitals in Pakistan mainly focusing on maternal health. As a global initiative, the charity works on improving maternal health the world over.

The masjid schools

A fascinating project Junaid has been working on is an interesting attempt at consensus-building between the clergy in Pakistan’s rural areas and those who believe in literacy as the answer to Pakistan’s problems. “How we do this is simple. We identify impoverished rural areas and broken-down mosques. We then reconstruct mosques and construct small houses for the village imams. In return, we request them to allow use of the mosque from 8 am to 12 am,” he said.

Part of this project is to sensitise locals and persuade them to send their children to these schools. These are regular schools where the children have the option of also learning the Quran. “The idea is to get these kids off the streets. We make them realise that they have a responsibility towards themselves. With mentorship, they realise that education is their path to a better life. Our aim is to produce peaceful and responsible citizens.”

In Sindh alone, up till now, they are responsible for putting 3,500 children back in school, both boys and girls. “One of them recently sat his CSS exam. I had tears when I heard this,” he said.

On men, women and balance

“It is sad how women are objectified. Rights to women have been given by the Creator. There is no problem with women working. Didn’t Hazrat Khadija (RA) work?” he said almost defiantly when asked about his views on women and their rights, adding that limits have been defined by God for both men and women. “Women should not be coerced in any way. A man needs to be more sensitive towards his wife. A woman’s biggest insecurity is loss of control.”

A Muslim Charity tent city in Dadu in 2011. PHOTO: MUSLIM CHARITY

He admitted candidly that Pakistani society was, according to one view, chauvinistic and male-driven. It is a place where men often oppress women. “For the sake of family honour, Pakistani women continue to suffer. Divorce may have been considered an unsavoury thing in the time of the Prophet (PBUH) but [it] was not a taboo, unlike [in] today’s Pakistani society!” he said. “In a society where [the] male-child preference still exists and women are blamed for producing too many daughters, will men not stand up for them? I have always felt strongly about the rights of women.”

When asked why families seem to be falling apart, he has a simple formulaic solution. “Damage control lies in this: men should control their tempers and women [should] think before they speak.”

Junaid Jamshed and Ali Haider performing at the Spiritual Chords Nasheed concert held in South Africa in August 2011. PHOTO: MUSLIM CHARITY SOUTH AFRICA

So is Ayesha allowed to drive?

“I knew you’d ask this!” he said with a chuckle. “Before I got married, I was visiting my father-in-law with a friend. My father-in-law mentioned that my wife-to-be was learning how to drive, and I was happy to hear that. But my friend, a senior, advised me, as experienced friends do: ‘Don’t teach your wife how to drive’. That was what I mentioned light-heartedly in that show.”

Junaid Jamshed helped raise funds for the charity that was involved with the building of Doha village in Sanjarpur, Rahimyar Khan. PHOTO: MUSLIM CHARITY

After he got married, he tried to teach her to drive but couldn’t because of a paucity of time. “She never insisted and never learnt,” he added. “It never really was an issue for us.” Wary of calling himself a scholar, he is clear that he is in no position to pass a verdict about women who drive. “But my personal opinions, likes and dislikes are my own. I have a right to them.”

The crossroad and the road less traveled

It was around 1999 when his solo album Uss raah par was released. The main track of the same title was conceived metaphorically by Shoaib Mansoor. “He knew that something had changed in me,” said Junaid, recalling the lyrics: hum kyun chalain uss raah par jis raah par sub hee chalain. Kyun na chunain wo raasta jis par naheen koi gaya. In a very Robert Frost fashion, the song talked about the road less traveled, which, in JJ’s life, did make all the difference.

“The transition in me had started. That song was about my journey. But at that time we couldn’t have showed it in the video. People were not ready for it.” He had not gone public with his change then. But he had started visiting religious scholars for his own inner healing. “I had everything — fame, money. But I did not feel complete. Being in a masjid made me feel at peace. Masjids still have the same effect on me. It is the place where we discover humanity. I confess that I had no plans of leaving music at that time. But I could feel I was changing. I couldn’t run away from it.”

And does he miss his past life? “Naheen yaar. No withdrawal symptoms of my past life. I own and cherish my time with Vital Signs. I am happy that as a singer I contributed to my country in a positive way. I lived that part of my life to the fullest. But now that is the past,” he said, with a direct look, again defying the pre-conceived notion that he no longer talks to women directly or makes eye contact with the opposite sex.

Ramzan offering

This Ramzan he will be seen again on TV every day, all through the holy month, sharing what he knows. “It will be different,” he said, alluding to an approach that relies on more outreach as opposed to sermons. He agrees that people should be sensitised about civic responsibilities through religious shows. “Breaking a red signal, parking a car behind someone’s, evading taxes: I consider all of these major sins. Religion IS about being a better, more considerate human.”

While Junaid is armed with Islamic study and training, he stops people from calling him amaulana. “It is a compliment when people call me that but I don’t think I am worthy of that.” His pet peeve is “When people use the word mullah or maulvi in a derogatory way.” For now, it appears that he is neither and defies being pegged as one thing or another.

Making a difference

We highlight three other people who are acting much in the same way as Junaid Jamshed to help those around them

Sarfaraz Rehman

The CEO of Dawood Foundation smiles a guarded smile, instantly commands respect, has a command over literature and poetry, and completely owns the floor when he begins public speaking. He is best known for being associated with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). “Religion is more than just spiritual and ritualistic attainment. It is a code of life intertwined with a belief in Allah, which then helps one live in a fair, calm, equitable manner and makes the plank of value addition to the community a major goal,” says the man who uses religion to support his mentoring and academic activities. The Dawood Foundation just finished a city campus for the Karachi School for Business & Leadership, a graduate management school, established in strategic collaboration with the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School.

Hina Shamsi Nauman

With infectious energy, this mother of three wants to contribute to society. You can find her planting mangroves with her students to fight delta flooding, or selling hand-crafted environment-friendly stationery made by physically challenged people. She teaches Quranictafseer to groups of women, and teaches business ethics and what Islam says about that at university. From a traditionally religious family, she studied Islam in-depth by choice at a more mature stage, and feels that “a leap of faith is what it takes to discover oneself. But it was not easy coming out of the closet about it”. A teacher for the past seven years, this business grad decided to bring religion to her university students, breaking the taboo that religious discussions are only for the madrassas.

Aly Balgamwala

They call him “disco maulvi” and he fits the bill, happy with the description. He tweets incessantly, has his hand in a lot of social causes, and blogs. An entrepreneur by profession, the tech-savvy Aly’s niche is activism for social causes through social media, be it the cause of a better Karachi or raising civic awareness. As a founding trustee of Ihsaas Trust, a not-for-profit set up to provide Islamic Microfinance along with other charitable work, he and his team “use this platform to advocate husn-e-khuluq (good behaviour/ethics) as taught by Islam within the context of business and personal life.” Aly has been a volunteer teacher at “Active Saturdays”, a Saturday class for young men aged 10 to 15 years.

Spotlight: Fashion’s bulky weight problem

LAHORE: 

The idea of beauty today has become skewed, to say the least. With digital enhancement tools like Photoshop, beautiful has become synonymous with mythical and unreal.

In these times, the decision of 19 editors of Vogue’s global edition to use ‘healthy’ models and ensure that girls with visible signs of eating disorders are not selected, is significant. Spain and Italy have passed laws whereby models are hired based on their Body Mass Index (BMI), and Israel has told underweight models to pack on some pounds or get off the runway. But will this awareness ever catch on in Pakistan, where models on average have a BMI between 16 and 17.3 instead of the advised 18.5?

“I don’t think the BMI can be instituted here because our industry is too small and there are not enough models,” says Raheel Rao, editor of Diva Magazine. Editor of Xpoze MagazineAndleeb Rana concurs, adding that models are not seasoned enough either. “When I am selecting a model, my major concern is whether the model is over-exposed or if she has aged,” says Rana. “I need girls people can relate to.”

While the answer to the question ‘who is to blame’ will have everyone pointing fingers at one another, industry insiders argue that designers create unrealistic sizes that require skinny models. To be ahead in the rat race, models go through extreme measures to stay skinny. The motto in the fashion industry is: the skinnier, the better.

“You can’t [always] blame the models because there are certain designers who will not allow a model to wear their clothes if she is not super skinny,” continues Rao. “Many designers are sceptical of using Ayaan because they feel she is overweight.”

Rana reiterates that models in Pakistan cannot be selected on the basis of the BMI. “Our market is very different because of the clothes we have — if a model has a paunchy stomach, it will be hidden by a kameez,” she says.

Fashion photographer Shaani of Guddu & Shaani says, “Often, a model is perfectly fit and toned at the beginning of her career but gains weight and isn’t in shape once she gets some fame — most clients, editors and photographers don’t give such models priority. They avoid casting her.”

All editors and council members vow that adequate nutrition is provided to models during shoots and shows. “We spend almost Rs900,000 on food boxes for models and the organising committee during fashion weeks,” says Saad Ali of Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC). Shamaeel Ansari, Chairperson of Fashion Pakistan Week, adds, “Not only are two meals provided, smoking backstage is not allowed either.” While these measures are appreciated, there is still no regulatory body that ensures that models are healthy and drug-free. “We get all our models through Catwalk and they handle the hiring aspect of the Fashion Week,” she explains.

Iraj Manzoor, who has modeled for 23 years, speaks candidly about her experience. “Models need to work out for a couple of hours every day,” says Iraj. “While food is provided at fashion weeks and shoots, one can never know when one of the girls will go to the toilet and throw it all out.” She feels when it comes to taking responsibility for this obsession with being skinny, a vicious blame-game takes place which travels from one member of the industry to the next.

Iraj recounts instances where designers have yelled at models and made them cry for gaining weight. “When new girls enter the industry, it can be harsh. For them, fame means more than the profession, hence, they resort to various shortcuts to lose weight,” she says. “But one can’t just blame editors and designers either. You will often hear one model telling the other how she has gained weight just to put her down.”

This entire debate reflects the bigger problem of society’s distorted perception of beauty. Whether it’s models eating tissue paper to ‘feel full’ or H&M using computer-generated models to achieve a specific look, the truth is that the ‘emaciated’ look is en vogue.

“Regardless of what anyone says or what they believe, the skinniest model will be hired,” confirms Iraj.

First T20: Debutant Zulfiqar Babar seals dramatic win for Pakistan

ST VINCENT: 

Pakistan’s gamble in handing 34-year old spinner Zulfiqar Babar his debut paid unexpected dividends after left-arm bowler first secured three wickets for Pakistan and then managed to smash a six off the last ball of the Pakistan innings to secure a win for his team.

Set a daunting 153 runs target by the West Indies, Pakistan found themselves in deep trouble losing both openers Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad with just 10 runs on the board.

Pakistan continued to bleed wickets and it took Umar Amin, 47 runs off 34 balls, and Shahid Afridi, 46 off 27 balls, to steady the ship.

Afridi was looking set to take Pakistan all the way, but tried too hard to smash Gabriel out of the park in the penultimate over, and only managed to find Bravo at long-off.

The duo of Saeed Ajmal and Babar though managed to make the match secure for Pakistan, leveling the scores. Though, there was one last twist remaining. Ajmal, spotting a chance to win the T20 match, just as he had scored the winning runs in the fifth ODI earlier in the week, drove to mid-off and set off. But Simmons was quick on the ball and caught Ajmal short.

With the last ball of the match, Babar eclipsed history with a Miandad-esque six off the last ball, albeit over long-off, to hand his side the victory and an unassailable lead in the two match series.

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, the West Indies team scored 152 runs at the loss of seven wickets in the first Twenty 20 International between Pakistan and West Indies at St Vincent, in Kingstown.

As Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles walked out to open on a dry pitch at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, the West Indies wobbled at first, losing both openers to Mohammad Hafeez for a total of only 13.

Lendl Simmons was bowled by debutant spinner Zulfiqar Babar, Pakistan seemed to have their opponents in a tangle.

However, Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo both chipped in with 25 each to give the lower order something to work with.

Keiron Pollard hammered 49 runs off 36 deliveries, aided by a typically aggressive Darren Sammy, 30 runs off 14 balls, to help the Windies post a target of 153 for Pakistan.

From Pakistan’s side, Mohammad Irfan proved the most expensive, conceding 39 runs in three overs while taking one wicket. Junaid Khan went for 34 runs in three wicketless overs. While Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi failed to pick up any wickets as well, Mohammad Hafeez and Zulfiqar Babar managed much better figures. Hafeez took two wickets for just four runs in two overs. Babar, who is in his T20 international debut, managed to be the surprise package for Pakistan, claiming three crucial scalps, while conceding just 23 runs in four overs.

The West Indies line up for today features Samuel Badree and Shannon Gabriel. Darren Bravo is the notable absentee, who misses out with an illness.

Pakistan have made three changes to their side. Hammad Azam returns to the team with debuts handed to batsman Umar Amin and 34 year-old left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.

West Indies:

CH Gayle, J Charles, MN Samuels, LMP Simmons, KA Pollard, DJ Bravo, DJG Sammy, SP Narine, S Badree, TL Best, ST Gabriel

Pakistan:

Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Hammad Azam, Zulfiqar Babar, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

Violent clashes leave dozens dead in Egypt

CAIRO: 

At least 74 supporters of Egypt’s ousted president were shot dead during clashes with security forces, officials said on Saturday, as rival rallies were staged for and against Mohamed Mursi.

In the heaviest bloodshed since Mursi’s July 3 overthrow, Ahmad Aref, spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood, said 66 people died in the violence and another 61 were left ‘clinically dead’.

The health ministry gave a death toll of 65 in Cairo and another nine in Alexandria since late Friday.

An AFP correspondent earlier counted 37 bodies in a field hospital at Cairo’s Rabaa al Adawiya Mosque, and the emergency services said other hospitals received an additional 29 corpses.

In the wake of the Muslim weekend bloodshed, Egypt’s interior ministry insisted security forces had not used live fire, and blamed the clashes on Islamists. Interior minister Mohammed Ibrahim, for his part, warned that pro-Mursi demonstrations, which his supporters have vowed to keep up until he is reinstated, would ‘soon’ be dispersed.

The latest violence erupted at dawn on Saturday outside the mosque, where Mursi supporters have been camped since the week before the military ousted him. State media and the interior ministry said police fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters on the airport road, but witnesses told AFP that security forces fired live bullets.

By midday, medical workers began ferrying bodies wrapped in white shrouds to hospitals, carrying them on blood-soaked stretchers past a furious throng of Mursi loyalists.

Rival protests were likewise held on Friday in Alexandria, where the ministry said nine people were killed.

The Cairo violence was the deadliest since 53 Mursi supporters were killed outside the Republican Guard headquarters in the capital on July 8.

It prompted condemnation from Ahmed al Tayeb, the sheikh of Egypt’s key Muslim institution, al Azhar. He called for an ‘urgent judicial investigation’ and punishment of those responsible, “regardless of their affiliation.”

Mohamed ElBaradei, currently serving as vice president in a transitional government, condemned what he termed the ‘excessive use of force’.

International governments also joined the condemnation, with British Foreign Secretary William Hague urging “Egyptian authorities to respect the right of peaceful protest, to cease the use of violence against protesters, including live fire, and to hold to account those responsible.”

The EU urged ‘a rapid move to an inclusive transformation process’ that would include the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt’s interior ministry defended the actions of security forces, with spokesman General Hany Abdel Latif insisting that police ‘did not use more than tear gas’. He accused Mursi supporters of firing on the security forces, wounding 14 policemen, including two who were in critical condition after being shot in the head.

Interior minister Ibrahim said security forces would act to disperse the pro-Mursi demonstrations ‘in a legal fashion’ and ‘as soon as possible’. Security forces would seek to ensure ‘the minimum losses possible’, he said.

The bloodshed came hours after army chief General Abdel Fattah al Sisi called for a mass show of support for a crackdown on ‘terrorism’. Hundreds of thousands of anti-Mursi protesters obliged, thronging Cairo’s Tahrir Square and around the Itihadiya presidential palace.

But Mursi supporters said their turnout showed many “reject the bloody, military fascist coup that wants to set the wheel of history back.”

Project in limbo: Indus Refinery sponsor struggles to revive project

KARACHI: 

The majority shareholder in Indus Refinery Limited (IRL) is once again in talks with potential investors to revive the long-running project, which was one of Pakistan’s biggest casualties of 2008 global financial meltdown.

The deep-conversion oil refinery, which has capacity to process 93,000 barrels per day, has been dormant for the past five years as the main sponsor has struggled to woo suitable partners in the face of tough economic conditions, law suits and deteriorating security situation.

“I am now engaged with Germans who want to use IRL’s land and permits while financing a complete new refinery. We are looking at capacity of between 100,000bpd to 150,000bpd,” said Sohail Shamsi, the Chairman and CEO who holds 87% stake in IRL.

IRL was registered in 2004 after Shamsi and two of his foreign partners bought Oakville Refinery from Petro-Canada, which was gearing to meet more stringent sulphur content regulations.

What followed was a massive operation as the refinery was dismantled pipe-by-pipe. Around 100,000 cubic metres of components were tagged and numbered to be shipped to Karachi.

It was to be reinstalled along National Highway, 21 kilometres (km) away from FOTCO Oil Terminal and close to the White Oil Pipeline, which is used to pump petroleum products upcountry. IRL has 316 acres of land in the area.

By June 2007, when three shipments had already arrived with 65% of the plant and equipment, the project went into limbo.

“We have invested $185 million in the project up till now. Basically all my money has gone in this,” Shamsi said in an interview to Reporter.

The rest of the equipment is stuck in Canada and some of it has been auctioned to settle dues owed by IRL to transporters and other service providers. Shamsi insists all of those auctioned parts can easily be replaced.

Pakistan spends billions of dollars every year to import petroleum products, including diesel and furnace oil, because it lacks refining capacity. Consumption of oil is only going to increase with country’ gas reserves depleting fast, industry people say.

“Ten years back if you had vision, you could see that this country needed petroleum products. So it was a good business opportunity,” said Shamsi, who started off with trading in products that ranged from automobile parts, pulses to oil.

His foreign partners had made money in the property boom of Middle East after the first Gulf War. “But one of these partners was badly stretched as he had investments everywhere from hotels to drilling in different countries. So impact of financial meltdown was particularly disastrous.”

Issues with the project surfaced even before crash of world stock markets in 2008 as IRL’s investors were reluctant to commit more money following assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007.

Since then Shamsi has tried luck with Chinese, Arab and Pakistani investors but in vain. “Once we were so close bringing the Chinese but bombs started to go off at home and they pulled out at the last minute.”

At a time, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) stood ready to buy a 10% stake and some time after International Finance Corporation (IFC) was willing to finance the project. “We needed someone with deep pockets as a sponsor but no one was there for us.”

Interestingly, work on the IRL started around the same time when Amir Abbassciy of Byco was striving to establish country’s largest petroleum complex. He was able to bring in private equity investor Abraaj Capital to support his venture – something that Shamsi desperately needed.

Now, he needs just $50 million to pay various contractors and consultants who were involved in the dismantling process to bring back whatever equipment is stranded in Canada.

“I am ready to sell my stake, but I don’t want to be stabbed in the back,” he said. “My dream is to see this project go through.”

Resolution withdrawn: AJK premier gets ‘tainted’ trust vote

MUZAFFARABAD: 

In a bid to stave off the possibility of a no-trust motion for the next six months, the Pakistan Peoples Party on Saturday gave a vote of confidence to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed.

The PPP-forward bloc in the AJK Legislative Assembly had earlier tried to oust the prime minister by pressing for a parliamentary vote.

However, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday directed his party representatives in the legislature not to take part in any move to topple the AJK prime minister. The whole plot floundered after the PPP forward bloc withdrew the move before the Azad Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday.

The special session of the AJK Legislative Assembly, which was called by AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan to take up the no-trust motion, was attended by only 17 ruling party members. Neither the movers of the no-trust move, nor members of opposition parties attended the session.

The movers said they had already withdrawn the resolution on Friday.

They also claimed the session was unlawful as it was convened to create an impression that the no-trust motion was defeated and that no fresh move could be initiated for at least six months.

Apparently AJK Assembly Speaker Sardar Ghulam Sadiq asked members of the house to raise their hands if they supported the no-trust motion. In the absence of opposition members, Sadiq declared that the motion was unsuccessful as there was no vote in its favour.

‘Unlawful session’

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Azad Kashmir president and Leader of the Opposition Raja Farooq Haider Khan has termed the assembly session “unlawful and against the AJK Constitution.”

Khan talking to Reporter said the full bench of Azad Jammu Kashmir High Court (AJKHC) had stopped the AJK Assembly speaker from summoning and presiding over the session.

Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, according to him, failed to secure the simple majority for his vote of confidence, as there were only 17 instead of 25 legislators in the 48-member house.

He called upon the AJK prime minister to resign after losing majority in the house.

Majeed lauds PM Nawaz

“Our party doors are open for everyone except Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry,”  Abdul Majeed told a press conference.

Majeed hailed Nawaz Sharif for barring his party members from becoming part of the no-confidence move.

Meanwhile, the services and general administration has issued a notification of the removal of Law Minister Azhar Gilani, Minister for Industries Akbar Ibrahim, Minister for Revenue Ali Shan Soni, advisers to AJK PM Dewan Mohaideen, Sardar Raziq and Musadiq Hamid. “Three ministers were removed as they did not attend Saturday’s session,” sources told 

Race to the President House: PTI candidate likely to receive 42 votes from K-P

PESHAWAR: 

Though the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) presidential nominee is expected to land an easy victory on July 30, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate is set to win the electoral college in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The K-P Assembly’s total strength is 124 seats; presently it stands at 120 as four seats remain vacant before the by-elections on August 22. Since the Balochistan Assembly is the smallest with 65, its strength is used as a benchmark. The total numbers of seats in each assembly are divided by 65 to determine each assembly’s electoral college.

Technically, when voting for the presidential nominees, 1.9 K-P assembly seats will have the power of one vote. But as the current strength of the provincial legislature is 120, the seat-to-vote ratio will drop to 1.84.

Building numbers

The ruling party has the largest number of seats, occupied by 54 lawmakers.

With the coalition partners, PTI and its allies have 77 seats to play with – Qaumi Watan Party, 10, Jamaat-e-Islami eight and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad five.

The lone All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) MPA, Ghaulm Mohammad, and independent candidate from Dera Ismail Khan, Javed Akbar Khan, are also likely to support PTI candidate Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed. They set the precedent in the election for K-P chief minister.

Altogether, PTI and its allies commandeer 79 seats. Under the above mentioned formula, this gives Justice (retd) Ahmed at least 42 presidential electoral college votes.

Counter forces

The two opposition parties in the K-P Assembly – PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) – have 17 and 16 lawmakers respectively. The latter is throwing its support behind PML-N nominee Mamnoon Hussain. Combined, the two parties have 33 MPAs; a total of 17.93 votes for Hussain from the K-P benches.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which was being supported by the Awami National Party (ANP), is boycotting presidential polls. The PPP and ANP have four members each in the assembly. In case the PPP fielded a candidate, he would receive 4.34 votes. Senior ANP leader and former K-P information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain confirmed his party will also not participate in the elections as the ANP was backing PPP candidate Raza Rabbani till the PPP decided to boycott.