Air Blue Plane crash in Islamabad 140 Killed

A passenger plane has crashed in Islamabad, killing more than 140 people on board and six crew members. The Airbus A330 crashed near Islamabad airport after a flight from Karachi. The plane was on its way from Turkey to Islamabad via Karachi.
Five people have been rescued from the wreckage of a private airliner crashed at Margalla Hills early on Wednesday.

One hundred and forty-six people including 139 adults, five kids and five crewmembers were onboard whereas 12 are those lucky people who missed the flight.




According to sources, an airbus 320 bound for Islamabad departed from Karachi at 7:50 am. The local residents said plane made low flight before the crash.

Rescue operation is underway despite difficulties because of hilly location of the incident site.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said five wounded being shifted to hospital whereas rescue operation and search for black box is underway. The airport control tower had signaled landing approach to the plane when it was just eight kilometers away from the airport, reports said.
ISLAMABAD: Five people have been rescued from the wreckage of a private airliner crashed at Margalla Hills early on Wednesday.

One hundred and forty-six people including 139 adults, five kids and five crewmembers were onboard whereas 12 are those lucky people who missed the flight.

According to sources, an airbus 320 bound for Islamabad departed from Karachi at 7:50 am. The local residents said plane made low flight before the crash.

Rescue operation is underway despite difficulties because of hilly location of the incident site.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said five wounded being shifted to hospital whereas rescue operation and search for black box is underway. The airport control tower had signaled landing approach to the plane when it was just eight kilometers away from the airport, reports said.

The relief teams have rushed to Margalla hills. The airplane lost contact with the control tower of Islamabad airport just before the crash. It is worth mentioning that lack of visibility due to rainy weather might have caused the incident.

SC orders by-poll on three seats in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission on Monday to hold by-elections within two months in three constituencies of Punjab. They are NA-123, Lahore; PP-82, Jhang; and PP-284, Bahawalnagar.

The three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhmmad Chaudhry, Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Justice Ghulam Rabbani issued the order on a petition filed by Syed Manzoor Gillani.

The Punjab Chief Secretary and a candidate had approached the Lahore High Court, seeking postponement of elections in the three constituencies and NA-55, Rawalpindi, citing law and order in the province.

A single-judge bench of the LHC had delayed by-polls in these constituencies, citing the volatile situation in Swat valley and upheld the stance of the provincial government that the ECP could not issue a notification for re-scheduling the by-polls in the province without hearing the provincial government’s viewpoint.

Disposing of the petition on Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the ECP to allow filing of fresh nominations by new candidates willing to contest the by-elections. It clarified that nominations already filed by candidates would remain intact.

The decision is similar to the Supreme Court judgment ordering the ECP to hold by-election in NA-55, Rawalpindi, on a petition filed by Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The Supreme Court, while deciding the matter relating to NA-55, had held that the ECP was an independent constitutional body and not subservient to any executive authority which was bound to assist the commission in holding elections.

Khawaja Haris, representing the chief secretary of Punjab, said that the polls had been postponed because of the serious law and order situation in tribal areas of the country.

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Row in NA over ‘fightback’ by President Zardari

ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition crossed swords over a perceived political fightback by President Asif Ali Zardari at the start of a National Assembly session on Monday after both sides agreed to put off a debate on Karachi violence until Wednesday.

Strangely, at least two members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from Karachi walked out of the house to protest over the handling of the situation in the country’s commercial capital where more than 35 people had been killed in four days of violence until Sunday.

Opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan initiated the move to postpone the debate because of the absence of Interior Minister Rehman Malik due to his prolonged presence in Karachi, to which he objected, after Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi had fixed the last two hours of the sitting to discuss the situation as demanded by two opposition adjournment motions.

But Mr Khan later used a point of order to lash out at what he saw as the president’s talk of danger to him from undemocratic forces, alleged threats for the use of the so-called “Sindh card” in his defence and recent resolutions passed by the provincial assemblies of Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan expressing confidence in Mr Zardari.

However Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan came out with an equally rhetorical rejoinder to the opposition leader’s tirade against recent speeches made by the president in an apparent move to counter a hostile propaganda campaign against him and alleged threats from unspecified non-parliamentary sources.

The minister particularly defended the resolutions of the provincial assemblies which he said had supported an elected leader rather than a dictator or somebody like the ancient Roman emperor Nero to whose fabled fiddling (when Rome was burning) Mr Khan had referred while speaking of the president’s moves. “There is a difference between Nero and a hero.”

Mr Awan dismissed allegation that the president sought to use “Sindh card” in his defence, saying the PPP had no such desire and pointed out that the party not only led the coalition governments in the centre and Sindh and Balochistan but was also a coalition partner in Punjab and the NWFP.

The opposition leader said his Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) would not be a party to any move for confidence resolutions in the Punjab Assembly, where it is the majority party, or in the National Assembly and the Senate, where it sits on opposition benches. But he said he would be the first person to support the president if he came to parliament to expose the alleged “danger from undemocratic forces” and “if it were true what he said”.

Mr Awan did not say if Mr Zardari would make such a disclosure, but told the house that president would come to parliament and “take you into confidence” in a mandatory address at the start of the new parliamentary year on March 16.

Earlier, the chair allocated the last two hours of the day to discuss the Karachi situation after Mr Awan announced “no objection” to the adjournment motions moved by PML-Q’s Marvi Memon and PML-N’s Birjees Tahir and said that the debate could be wound up by the interior minister on his return due on Tuesday.

But the opposition leader, disagreeing with his own party member Birjees Tahir for an immediate debate, said his side would agree to it if Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani could sit through the two-hour proceedings, otherwise the house must wait for the presence of the interior minister.

After Mr Babar’s consultations with leaders of all parliamentary groups and a suggestion from the prime minister that the house must wait for an inquiry report in possession of the interior minister, the debate was put off to Wednesday because it could not be held on a private members’ day on Tuesday.

PPP MEMBERS’ IRE: Later speaking on points of order, PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel surprised the house by staging a walkout after alleging a discriminatory operation by Rangers in Lyari area and saying it would be wrong to portray all Pathans as Taliban, Baloch as drug mafia and Sindhis as land-grabbers and demanding action against all those against whom first information reports (FIRs) had been registered.

He questioned the interior minister’s right to decide “who is a PPP member and who is not” in Karachi as he was not the party chairman.

He was followed by party member Sher Mohammad Baloch who complained that PPP MNAs from Karachi were excluded from and those of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were invited to a PPP-MQM meeting held on Sunday to discuss the issue.

Another PPP member from Sindh, Nawab Yousuf Talpur, also went out of the house in apparent sympathy with the walkout, but returned afterwards, although, despite the chair’s request to some ministers to bring them back, his other colleagues were not seen in the house before it was adjourned until 10am on Tuesday.

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Miliband reiterates Britain's support to Pakistan

SLAMABAD: Pakistan has offered to supply Pakistan-made ammunitions to coalition forces in Afghanistan, Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced after his meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Saturday.

Pakistan welcomes the initiative and will participate positively and constructively, said Qureshi.

The British foreign secretary assured his counterpart of UK's participation in the public and private partnership meeting under the FODP through the private and corporate sector.

Miliband said Britain will support Pakistan's initiatives in the education sector, and announced that the Pak-UK Taskforce on education will meet on Monday to decide areas of progress and development.

He also said Pakistan's relations with the European Union are underdeveloped and the UK will play its role in this regard.

Foreign minister Qureshi said Pakistan is passing through a difficult phase and the Friends of Democratic Pakistan or FODP should come forward with solid initiatives.

Foreign Secretary Miliband assured his counterpart that the UK will extend every possible support in improving bilateral trade, rehabilitation of all IDPs and the infrastructure and development of Pakistan.

Qureshi also raised the issue of UK visas and the difficulties faced by the Pakistani community in Pakistan and the UK. He stressed that the UK visa office should be shifted back to Islamabad.

The two ministers agreed on establishing a Pak-UK foundation to bring the people of both countries closer and to enhance existing bilateral and cordial relations.

The ministers also discussed the upcoming London conference on Afghanistan, set to take place on the 28th of this month.

Earlier, on his arrival at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Miliband said that Pakistan is a country of enormous potential and Britain is very much looking forward to strengthen the ties with Pakistan. Britain values the sacrifices Pakistan has made in the war against terrorism, he stated.

“I'll be discussing how Pakistan is rising to the challenge against terrorism and addressing the dangers that it faces,” he added.

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Shehzad helps Pakistan clinch series

Pakistan Under-19 clinched the three-match warm-up series against New Zealand Under-19 2-1 with a tight three-wicket win in the decider in Blenheim. Opener Ahmed Shehzad starred with a run-a-ball 76, striking 11 fours and a six, and was supported by the middle and lower

orders as Pakistan chased down their target of 233 with seven balls to spare. They were dented early in their reply, as two wickets fell for 36, but important contributions from captain Azeem

Ghumman (31), Mohammad Naeem (46), Hammad Azam (27) and Usman Qadir (22 not out) took them over the line

Plane bomb suspect joined al-Qaeda in London: Yemen

SANAA: A Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a US-bound plane on Christmas Day was recruited by al-Qaeda in London and met a radical American Muslim cleric in Yemen, a senior Yemeni official said on Thursday.

“The information provided to us is that Umar Farouk (Abdulmutallab) joined al-Qaeda in London,” Rshad al-Alimi, Yemen’s deputy prime minister for security, told reporters.

Abdulmutallab, son of a prominent Nigerian banker, is believed to have embraced extreme religious views during trips to Yemen to study Arabic and Islam. He also studied engineering at University College London between 2005 and 2008.

Alimi said that, during his time in Yemen, Abdulmutallab had met Muslim preacher Anwar al-Awlaki — a US-born cleric linked to the gunman who ran amok at a US army base in November.

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Plane bomb suspect joined al-Qaeda in London: Yemen

SANAA: A Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a US-bound plane on Christmas Day was recruited by al-Qaeda in London and met a radical American Muslim cleric in Yemen, a senior Yemeni official said on Thursday.

“The information provided to us is that Umar Farouk (Abdulmutallab) joined al-Qaeda in London,” Rshad al-Alimi, Yemen’s deputy prime minister for security, told reporters.

Abdulmutallab, son of a prominent Nigerian banker, is believed to have embraced extreme religious views during trips to Yemen to study Arabic and Islam. He also studied engineering at University College London between 2005 and 2008.

Alimi said that, during his time in Yemen, Abdulmutallab had met Muslim preacher Anwar al-Awlaki — a US-born cleric linked to the gunman who ran amok at a US army base in November.

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Six killed in explosion in Karachi

KARACHI: Six people were killed Friday when an explosion flattened a house being used by militants in Pakistan's economic hub Karachi, police said, adding that the blast appeared to have been accidental.

Gun, grenades and suicide vests were recovered from the house in a western Karachi neighbourhood, and police said they were working to determine the exact cause of the blast and the circumstances surrounding it.

“There was a blast in a house in Baldia Town in which six people were killed. The house collapsed,” said senior police official Abdul Majeed Dasti.

He said hand grenades, a Kalashnikov rifle and suicide vests were also found at the scene, while city police chief Waseem Ahmad told AFP that the explosives appeared to have been detonated unintentionally.

“It seems that explosives which were stored in the house caused the explosion in which six people were killed,” he said.

“It seems that the house was being used by terrorists. We are taking utmost care in removing the rubble. Bomb disposal officials have arrived at the scene to determine the exact nature of the explosion.” Police could not immediately say whether all six people killed were in the house at the time or were passers-by.

Forty-three people were killed in Karachi -- Pakistan's largest city -- in a bombing blamed on militants during a religions procession last month.

Suicide bombings and attacks by the Taliban and other militant groups have intensified in recent months as the military pursues an aggressive offensive to quash insurgent strongholds along the Afghan border.

Nearly 2,900 people have been killed in attacks in Pakistan since the militant violence intensified in July 2007, with the Taliban increasingly hitting big cities and civilian targets.

Karachi, a cosmopolitan port city far away from the troubled northwest, had largely been spared the bloodshed, but there are fears that militants are using the cover of a city of about 14 million people to regroup and plan attacks.

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US offers Rs1 billion for arson-hit traders

KARACHI: US ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson on Wednesday announced a support grant of Rs1 billion ($12 million) through an American Business Council (ABC) initiative to help the traders who were hit by the violence that erupted following the bomb blast at the Ashura procession on Dec 28.

At a press conference at the ABC secretariat, she expressed her grief over the Ashura tragedy in Karachi and urged the people of Pakistan to cleanse their society of the Taliban who, she said, were bent upon destroying their lives and livelihood and threatening the nascent democracy in the country.

She said that the Taliban wanted to destroy Pakistan and would exploit any fissure in society to attain their goals. Ms Patterson said that the business leaders of Pakistan could not remain on the sidelines and they must play a constructive role to strengthen the country.

“In this new democratic framework, Pakistan’s business leaders need to roll up their sleeves and pitch in,” she added.

She said the Boulton Market losses went beyond damage to property and businesses and targeted peace and harmony in Karachi. She told the media that her office was approached after the tragedy by ABC executives seeking capital support for an initiative to assist in rebuilding of Boulton Market by affected traders.

“The US government response was prompt and it agreed to chip in Rs1 billion initially for the said initiative,” she said.

She said the violence and destruction that occurred after the attack on the Ashura procession multiplied the tragedy many times as the businesses, livelihoods and savings of so many people were destroyed.

Responding to a question regarding a method of the aid disbursement to affected traders and families, Arif Usmani, who heads the ABC, said that the council’s executive committee was yet to finalise a programme.

“We are actively considering multiple options such as providing a guarantee cover to local commercial banks to extend speedy loans to the people of the area for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their businesses.”

He observed that some of these small businesses would face difficulty in obtaining the credit they required to start anew. “We may provide insurance cover to lenders to arrange for easy accessibility of loans,” he said.

OICCI to bolster FDI

Earlier in the day, the US ambassador visited the Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and urged the influential business community to join hands with the governments of Pakistan and the United States to help meet Pakistan’s long-delayed hopes for a stable democratic government and economic development.
She said she wanted her staff also worked with the council for an assessment of the damage to help facilitate a speedy mobilisation of US funds and other support to the victims of the tragedy.

Ms Patterson discussed the previous year and outlined the agenda for 2010 during her visit, according to an OICCI press release.

US Consul-General in Karachi Stephen Fakan and Economic Officer at the consulate Mary Elizabeth Madden were among the others present.

The ambassador appreciated the overall investment climate in Pakistan despite the current law and order situation, and said that the US government was keen to work with the country towards making it an investment-friendly destination.

“Recognising our shared interests and concerns, our two governments have proclaimed a desire at the very highest levels to build a balanced, deep and broad partnership. The decisions and actions we take this year will have long lasting implications for the future of this partnership; we need help from you — the business community — and everyone else in Pakistan if we are to succeed,” she added.

OICCI President Farrukh H. Khan expressed willingness to play a significant role in increasing investment and achieve economic growth despite the challenging times.

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Indian troops storm hotel, end siege in central Srinagar

SRINAGAR: Commandos stormed a hotel in Indian-administered Kashmir on Thursday where two militants had been holed up for nearly 24 hours, killing the gunmen and bringing an end to the siege.

The four-storey hotel in Srinagar, the summer capital of the volatile Himalayan region, was on fire before police announced both extremists had been killed in a morning assault by security forces.

The gunmen – one a Pakistani and the other an Indian Kashmiri, according to police – had taken refuge in the hotel on Wednesday after throwing grenades and opening fire in Srinagar’s main market area.

One police officer was killed in the attack and one bystander succumbed to his injuries Thursday.

“The operation as far as we are concerned is over,” Kuldeep Khuda, the state police chief, told reporters at the scene.

A militant group, Jamiat-ul-Mujahedin, claimed it was behind the assault, which left five police and four civilians injured. Police pointed the finger at the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

Overnight in Srinagar, police fired teargas to disperse scores of anti-India and pro-militant youths who threw stones at security forces, chanting “Kashmiri Mujahedeen, we are with you” and “We want freedom”.

Khuda said the police had cleared the building from the top floor before encountering and killing the first militant early Thursday.

“The other terrorist tried to set the building on fire... and he tried to make his escape but he was shot down,” he said.

Wednesday’s assault came as Indian Kashmir’s chief minister marked his first year in office by pledging to slash the security force presence in the region if violence continued to decline.

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Taliban base hit twice by drones; 17 killed

MIRAMSHAH: A US drone aircraft twice attacked on Wednesday a Taliban training base frequented by foreign militants in a North Waziristan village, killing 17 insurgents and injuring seven others.

A senior government official in Peshawar confirmed the attacks and said that reports reaching his office indicated that 17 militants had been killed in the missile attack on the camp in the village of Sanzalai. The death toll was likely to increase to between 20 and 25, he said.

“Whenever a drone attack takes place, foreign militants are among those killed,” he said. “We are waiting for details.” He said the target of the attacks was a base frequented by foreign militants.

Missiles fired by the drone struck the base in the mountainous village, some 35 kilometres from Miramshah. The area is adjacent to Afghanistan’s Paktia province.

The first strike came at around 3.30pm when two missiles hit the compound.

The other attack took place an hour later when militants were retrieving bodies and helping the injured, a resident of the village said.

He said the area had been under the control of the Taliban and those killed in the first strike were ‘guests’, a term locally used for foreign militants.

The United States stepped up drone attacks after a suicide bomber struck a CIA base in Khost, just across the border, killing seven CIA agents.

Agencies add: The attack flattened a fort used by the Taliban for training militants.

Just over an hour later, a suspected drone slammed another missile into a group of militants sifting through the wreckage, searching for survivors and picking out dead bodies, security officials said.

The area is a stronghold of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who fought with the Taliban when US-led troops invaded Afghanistan and is reputed to control up to 2,000 fighters.

“It was a huge, fort-like mud-house. They were using it as a training centre and the training centre belonged to Hafiz Gul Bahadur,” a Pakistani intelligence official said.

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Salman ka funda

Like his character in the film WANTED, Salman Khan has his own fundas in life. Be that about love, films or education. Salman Khan seems to have got all the answers. Recently, while promoting his film VEER, Salman Khan had a word of advice for kids who take extreme steps like thinking about suicide in case of poor academic performance. The funda of this Khan is simple. "Live life to the fullest because it`s a rare gift. Don`t panic if you underperform, you will always get a second chance." Talking at length about his poor academics, the moody Khan was feeling bad about the recent reports of kids committing suicide owing to parental and peer pressure. Salman`s BEING HUMAN is thinking of taking up such issues and spreading awareness to stop kids from taking such extreme steps. Salman, who was trying to put across the message of being VEER in real life had a special message for kids. The macho Khan wants all kids to take up challenges like his character in the film and not bow down to societal pressures. With Salman sharing his self belief with kids, let`s hope these fundas work equally for the young brigade as it has worked in the stars` personal life

Committee agrees to clip powers of president

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms has agreed to abolish presidential powers to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner.

Sources told Dawn that the committee, which has been reviewing the Constitution article-by-article for almost the past five months, in its meeting here on Tuesday discussed articles relating to the appointment of the CEC (Article 214 to 218).

The committee, the sources said, had also agreed to extend the term of office of the CEC from three years to five.

The committee, which met under Senator Raza Rabbani, agreed that appointment of the CEC would be made through a joint parliamentary committee, as envisaged in the Charter of Democracy.

According to clause 27 of the charter, there “shall be an independent, autonomous, and impartial election commission. The prime minister shall in consultation with leader of opposition forward up to three names for each position of chief election commissioner, members of election commission, and secretary to joint parliamentary committee, constituted on the same pattern as for appointment of judges in superior judiciary, through transparent public hearing process. In case of no consensus, both prime minister and leader of opposition shall forward separate lists to the joint parliamentary committee for consideration. Provincial election commissioner shall be appointed on the same pattern by committees of respective provincial assemblies”.

Article 214(1) of the Constitution states: “There shall be a Chief Election Commissioner who shall be appointed by the President (in his discretion).” This clause was inserted through the 8th Amendment during the regime of Gen Ziaul Haq.

The sources said the issue of the ban on becoming prime minister for the third time also came up for discussion during the meeting.

However, majority of the members said that there was no need for a constitutional amendment to do away with the ban imposed by former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

It was decided in the meeting that the matter could be resolved through a simpler legislation and it should not be discussed at the committee level.

Talking to a group of reporters after the meeting, Senator Rabbani refused to give any timeframe for finalising the draft package.

Mr Rabbani said that amending the Constitution was a very “complicated matter”, but the committee was working at a fast pace and whatever they had achieved was through consensus. The committee, he said, would meet again on Wednesday.

During an informal chat with reporters, Naveed Qamar criticised the PML-N for threatening to launch a ‘long march’ on the issue of the repeal of the 17th Amendment and said that the announcement of the package would be made in a matter of “days and not months”.

“Constitutional issues can only be resolved through talks and not through long marches,” he said.

Mr Qamar urged all political forces, including the PML-N, to help the government in its efforts to resolve constitutional matters quickly, adding that no one should take credit for it.

Without naming PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, the minister said everybody knew who would benefit from the lifting of embargo on becoming prime minister for the third time.

However, he said, the government was keeping an open mind and taking all democratic forces on board on all issues through consultations.

Ahsan Iqbal, PML-N spokesman and a member of the committee, said his party had been calling for an early repeal of the 17th Amendment, adding that Mr Qamar’s words were welcome and very reassuring.

He denied that his party had threatened to launch a long march over the 17th Amendment, recalling that at a press conference he had only said that his party would adopt the same strategy it had adopted during the movement for the restoration of the judiciary.

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Australia secure stunning 36-run win

Pakistan erased 77 of the 176 run victory target, but Australia claimed three top-order wickets as this gripping Test match threatened to go down to the wire. Both sides will be satisfied with their progress after lunch, although Australian can lay claims to having had the better of the day following a morning session that witnessed Michael Hussey and Peter Siddle add 123 runs for the ninth wicket.

Nathan Hauritz picked up five wickets as Australia took the series with a remarkable 36-run victory over Pakistan at the SCG

Imran Farhat and Salman Butt began the second session in an aggressive mood, taking the attack to the Australians - and Siddle in particular - as they sought a quick kill. Siddle went within centremetres of having Butt caught at gully by a diving Hussey, but thereafter was guilty of over-pitching and was punished to the tune of 27 runs from his four-over spell.

A change of bowler brought a change of fortune, however. Doug Bollinger proved troublesome for both openers with his full length, and was rewarded with the wicket of Farhat, caught by Mitchell Johnson at midwicket attempting to drive on the up. Johnson then sent shivers through the Pakistani dressing room by removing Faisal Iqbal and Butt within the space of three deliveries to reduce the tourists to 3 for 51.

Iqbal was drawn into a drive by a full-pitched Johnson delivery, only to edge to Brad Haddin. The Australian wicketkeeper was immediately called back into action with the spectacular, diving catch of Butt down the legside, a grab that might have been the best of his international career. Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal ensured there was no further damage before the tea break, moving the Pakistani second innings total to 3 for 77 with a trio of boundaries off Nathan Hauritz.

Earlier, Hussey took full advantage of Yousuf's oddly defensive captaincy and a placid SCG pitch to restore Australia's victory prospects in the second Test. Hussey and Siddle carried their bats through the first session and at one stage looked set to break the 116-year-old ninth-innings Australian partnership record set by Syd Gregory and Jack Blackham also at the SCG.

Australia's revival was assisted greatly by the timid tactics of the Pakistanis who, as a result, were faced with a testing fourth-innings chase. Yousuf's defensive field configurations - which included eight men on the fence for Hussey, who was not in the business of dealing in singles as he sheltered Siddle from the strike - did little to enhance his own reputation as a leading tactician and played into the hands of the Australians.

Hussey has made more fluent centuries, but few as important as that completed on Wednesday. Having watched on from the non-striker's end as Australia lost 5 for 40 the previous day, Hussey seized control of the Australian innings on a flat batting surface and, in the process, relieved any lingering doubt that may have been hanging over his position in the team.

Hussey declined the charity singles being offered by Yousuf and instead looked to pierce the boundaries with drives that seldom left the carpet. He entered the nineties with back-to-back cover driven fours off the bowling of Danish Kaneria and sealed his first ton of the summer with a glorious straight drive off Umar Gul. Hussey punched the air in delight upon reaching the milestone, acutely aware of the innings' importance in the context of the match. Siddle, meanwhile, batted with tremendous discipline and restraint to raise his highest Test score.

Mohammad Asif and Kaneria claimed the final two Australian wickets six overs after the lunch break, but not before the hosts had added 95 runs on the fourth morning. Asif ended the obstinate stand of Hussey and Siddle by removing the latter to a shorter delivery gloved to slip. Kaneria then completed the innings and a personal five-wicket haul by bowling Doug Bollinger with a delivery that ricocheted off the batsman's elbow and foot. Hussey remained unbeaten on 134.

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Shahrukh described as George Clooney & Brad Pitt

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan is extremely excited about his next project, the much touted big-budget action film RA.ONE. Reportedly Shahrukh plays a software engineer Shekhar, who as a video-game hero takes on his self-created techno-monster Ra-1. Bollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor plays the female lead in the film. Shahrukh`s wife Gauri Khan is the producer and Anubhav Sinha (TUM BIN) is director of this film, which will be produced by Bollywood Hollywood Production and Red Chillies Entertainment. Cinematography is by Ueli Steiger (The Maiden Heist), while David Benullo (Shadow Man) is screenwriter. This superhero film, which goes on floors from next month, has finalized Miami as its location. This will be the second Bollywood shooting in Miami in less than a year. Just around nine-ten months back, shooting was held for Abhishek-John-Priyanka starrer DOSTANA. The makers of RA.ONE are planning to close parts of an avenue for a car chase, which will also extend to various other parts of Miami. Whilst Shahrukh these days is being described in the media as Hollywood stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt mixed into one. For More Bollywood News Click here

Wishing Deepika Padukone Happy Birthday

One of the most sought after lady of B-town, the leggy lass, Deepika Padukone celebrates her birthday today on 5th January 2010. Her dazzling smile, hard-to-miss dimples & a sporty attitude what makes her the outstanding personality of Bollywood and simply irresistible. As the doe-eyed lady turns 24 lets shower her with all the good wishes, happiness & blessings and a long-lasting career. For More Bollywood News Click Here

A new frontier in civil liberties

Transgender rights represent a relatively new frontier in civil liberties activism. In Pakistan, eunuchs have historically been disregarded and marginalised by mainstream issue advocates. The discriminations against eunuchs reveal our petty-bourgeois mentality that is mostly reluctant to recognise gender deviance.

Over the years, the complete isolation of eunuchs from the very fabric of our society has denied them access to education, employment and health care – a direct violation of fundamental rights. Instead, they are forced to beg, dance, and enter prostitution as the only means of livelihood. Forms of discrimination impacting them include housing discrimination, discrimination in public accommodations, and violence, rape and forced prostitution. Discriminatory behaviour has also forced eunuchs to resort to living in isolated colonies, shunned by society.

To demystify the shrouded lives of eunuchs here, we must begin with an understanding of our society. Ours is a society with a blatant male privilege – the patriarchal orientation reigns supreme as an institution that organises much of life, exhibiting a natural preference for sons over daughters. While we battle against gender discrimination, transgendered children have little or no space in the social set-up.

In fact, when it comes to analysing the life of a eunuch, we find ourselves immensely confused owing to gender-role socialisation which is rampant in our society. It’s safe to assume that our understanding of genders is not only discriminatory, but we are also clearly confused about the spectrum of gender. It is this unfortunate condition that has led to the marginalisation of the eunuch community and forced them in to the world of sexual exploitation.

Despite years of discrimination, the eunuch community has survived the taunts, humiliation, and savagery, and continues to fight back. Islamist jurist Dr Mohammad Aslam Khaki joined their struggle as he filed the petition for the welfare of the unfortunate and vulnerable community abandoned by society. Dr Khaki’s activism led to the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the protection of eunuch rights.

Dr.Khaki researched the conditions in which eunuchs live and discovered them to be the most oppressed and deprived segment of society, subjected to humiliation and molestation.

Responding to a query, he told the court that there are about 80,000 eunuchs in Pakistan. Parents give their gender-confused children into the care of gurus (leaders of eunuchs) at a very tender age. They get no opportunity to study and are instead trained to beg, dance or become prostitutes.

The court order thus requires the social welfare authorities to register and research the particulars of the eunuchs, and the circumstances in which parents hand over their children to gurus. The court has further ordered an evaluation of the offence such parents commit as they willingly give their children away to eunuch leaders at the time of birth.

At this point, it is difficult to ascertain the future of the eunuch community in Pakistan. While we laud the stupendous effort of the Supreme Court to ensure every Pakistani citizen’s human rights, we must acknowledge that the issue is far more complex and will take a lot more than surveys and court rulings. No doubt, the survey is a step forward in recognising the existence of the mostly ignored factions of our society. It is also bound to face critical issues, such as how to differentiate between eunuchs, cross-dressers and sexually ambiguous or androgynous people who don’t identify with any gender or sexual orientation.

The fact is, surveys cannot be the only route to justice because they cannot account for the psychological aspect of sexuality and transgender issues. Whether the Pakistani judicial system – and, more importantly, the public at large – is ready to come to terms with the findings of the survey and the complexity of transgender issues remains to be seen.

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SC directs officials on missing persons’ recovery

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench hearing the missing persons’ case on Tuesday warned the country’s top security officials against failing to recover hundreds of missing persons despite court directions.

The court directed the Attorney General to consult the Interior and Defence ministries’ secretaries as well as heads of intelligence agencies for the missing persons’ recovery.

The missing persons’ case has dominated court proceedings for more than four years now.

The missing persons’ relatives allege their loved ones were picked up by intelligence agencies and were never produced before the court.

Human rights groups across the country have also been taking out rallies on a regular basis to keep the issue alive.

However, so far very few of the missing persons have been recovered.

The majority of the missing was reported in the Balochistan province during the military operation conducted by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

The government has repeatedly assured the relatives of the missing, but nothing has materialised regarding their recovery.

Now the apex court has once again warned top security officials against inaction saying no agency is above the law.

Zardari calls for national commitment against terror

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said Pakistan needs a united national commitment in order to successfully eliminate terrorism from the region.

Speaking at the 92nd passing out parade at the Pakistan Naval Academy, the President also expressed confidence in the country’s armed forces and said the military is capable of countering any external or internal threats to Pakistan.

Zardari also warned that Pakistan's peaceful policies should not be considered a weakness and that the country is perfectly capable of defending itself.

Being a peaceful country, Pakistan does not want get into a regional arms race with any of its neighbours, he further said

2009: The year in quotes

January:
“Why would she leave it to me if she didn’t think I was fit enough?”

President Asif Ali Zardari in an interview with journalist Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto bequeathing control of the PPP to him in a controversial 17-page will.

February:

“It’s not a judicial decision, it’s an edict….It amounts to stabbing me in the back.”

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif alleging that the Supreme Court’s decision to make him and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, ineligible to contest elections or hold public offices was ordered directly by President Zardari.

March:

“I restore the deposed chief justice and others according to the promise made by me and the president.”

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announces the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary who was deposed by former President General Pervez Musharraf.

April:

“We direct that till final disposal of the main petitions under review, the operation of February 25, 2009 shall remain suspended and the petitioner (Shahbaz Sharif) shall assume the chief minister’s office with immediate effect.”

The Supreme Court restores Shahbaz Sharif as Chief Minister of Punjab.

May:

“The medical board has reported that Shoaib Akhtar was suffering from genital viral warts and the wound needs further care and treatment for a minimum 10 days for the purpose of healing and to achieve skin cover.”

The PCB on why cricketer Shoaib Akhtar was dropped from the Twenty20 team.

June:

“I’m not in favour of American broadcasting, I am in favour of strong broadcasting by independent stations like [Radio Buraq]…. There’s not going to be an American radio station in western Pakistan.”

US Special envoy Richard Holbrooke on how the US intends to win the information war against the ‘FM mullahs’ in the Frontier province.

July:

“So long as Article 6 (high treason) is part of the Constitution, parliament is debarred from even condoning unconstitutional acts of (a) usurper, what to talk of validating, affirming and adopting the same.”

The Supreme Court declaring General Musharraf’s November 2007 emergency rule and any future endorsements of military takeovers illegal and unconstitutional.

August:

“This is one hundred per cent. We have no doubt about his death…..he is dead and buried.”

Pakistani official announcing the death of the chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed by a US Predator drone attack.

September:

“Mujhay yeh pata hai, mainay kamaskum Heera Mandi se nahi shura kiya tha. Itna mujhay pata hai…. Mera career as a prostitute start nahi howa tha. Mujhay is baat ka fakhr hai.”

[I know that, at least, I didn’t start from Heera Mandi. I know this much: my career didn’t begin as a prostitute. I am proud of this fact.]

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan in a heated on-air argument on a televised talk show with PML-Q member Kashmala Tariq who previously had called the PPP minister a ‘lota’ in reference to her defection from the PML-Q to the PPP.

October:

“No security-related assistance may be provided to Pakistan in a fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification (that) … the Government of Pakistan has made progress on matters such as ceasing support, including by any elements within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency, to extremist and terrorist groups, particularly to any group that has conducted attacks against United States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, or against the territory or people of neighboring countries.”

Conditions stipulated in the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (the Kerry Lugar bill) on limitations of military aid to Pakistan.

“Pakistan is a sovereign state and has all the rights to analyse and respond to the (terrorist) threat in accordance with her own national interests…. The forum expressed serious concern regarding clauses impacting on National Security.”

Statement issued by the public relations wing of the Pakistani military on the Kerry Lugar bill in a meeting held by Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Perwez Kiyani.

November:

“We will be the back after right… we will be the back after right short break… ye toilet kitna duur hai… can we rehase… reharse… rehearsal.”

Secret footage showing Pakistani actress Meera attempting to speak English in an interview she’s conducting with fashion photographer Tapu Javeri.

December:

“We would again become Pakistan’s brother if Pakistan ends its support for America.”

Pakistan Taliban commander Walilur Rahman

“Corruption peh hamara haq nai hai? Auron ka hai. Yeh to culture ban chuka hai. Agar jo nai karta wo nuksaan karha apna. Hazaar meh se ek admi corruption nai karta, wo to apna nuksaan karta hai.”

[Don’t we have a right to corruption? Others do. This has become a culture. Whoever doesn’t do it, they’ll find they’re ruining themselves. In a thousand, if one man doesn’t do corruption, he’s ruining himself.]

PPP minister Sardar Abdul Qayum Jatoi in a current affairs show interview.

We invites our readers to submit their favourite quotes from 2009.