Pak News Wire

Disenchanted militants in Pakistan, Afghanistan eye Islamic State with envy

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825705/disenchanted-militants-in-pakistan-afghanistan-eye-islamic-state-with-envy/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825705-image-1421911322-713-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			PESHAWAR: Splits within the Taliban, and doubts over whether its elusive leader is even alive, are driving a growing number of militant commanders in Afghanistan and Pakistan towards Islamic State (IS) for inspiration. Security and intelligence sources believe there are no operational links yet between IS and South Asia, and that the region is not a priority for a group that occupies areas of Syria and Iraq and is focused on the Arab world. But regional leaders worry that a new ultra-violent movement bent on toppling governments could be born from the stubborn Taliban insurgency that carries out frequent attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, one militant commander said many have turned to IS, or Daish as it is also known, because they are frustrated at the lack of leadership by Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Afghan Taliban chief who has not been seen in public for years. “Look, we have been fighting for years but we don’t have an inch of land in our possession in Afghanistan,” said the senior commander, who spoke from the Afghan province of Kunar. “On the other hand, Daish, within limited time, captured vast areas in Iraq and Syria and established Sharia. This is what is being discussed all the time in our circles.” “We have serious doubts about whether he (Omar) is alive at all … Abu Bakr al Baghdadi is visible and is leading his people,” the commander said, referring to the IS leader. He is one of several disgruntled militant leaders who belong to the so-called Khorasan chapter, an umbrella IS group covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and other South Asian countries.  IS ideology gaining ground Pakistani intelligence sources said the Khorasan chapter appeared to have no specific base in the region, and there was no evidence of direct financing of its activities by IS in Syria and Iraq. Security experts agree that it owes its existence mainly to the fragmentation of the Taliban and faces opposition from rival groups, notably the Taliban itself and al Qaeda. Yet there is no doubt extreme IS ideology is gaining traction. In Afghanistan’s Helmand province, long a Taliban stronghold, former Taliban commander Mullah Rauf Khadem has recruited about 100 men and declared the Helmand branch of Islamic State, a security source and local elders said. “There is a rift between senior Taliban and Mullah Rauf Khadem,” said Abdul Ahad Masoomi, a tribal elder in Kajaki district where the group has become particularly active. “He has told other commanders and fighters that Mullah Omar has died, due to sickness, in Pakistan.” The group has been riding around on motorcycles brandishing black flags similar to those used by IS, but otherwise they have not been involved in major fighting, according to locals. “Khadem has given them shelter in Kajaki and they go around trying to recruit villagers, but the villagers are afraid of Taliban reprisals,” said Haji Naseem, another tribal elder. The Taliban, who like al Qaeda are wary of the rise of a rival force, deny the Helmand group’s existence. “There is no such group there, it is state propaganda,” said Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesperson for southern regions. “State troops have suffered heavy losses and they are trying to create rifts among the Taliban to conceal their failures.” For Afghanistan, splits within the Taliban could be welcome as government forces try to prevent insurgents from taking advantage of the recent departure of most foreign combat troops. But the rise of IS is a worry in a region where radical new ideas can catch on among a vast unemployed population of young and well-armed men. “The existence of IS supporters is a big concern for us and we will do whatever we can to stop it in Helmand before it spreads to other provinces,” said a senior Afghan security official. Copycat killing IS ideology goes beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, police have arrested eight men for alleged links to IS in the past year, including a man they identified as a regional coordinator and a British citizen accused of recruiting people in Bangladesh to fight in the Middle East. India, with the world’s third-largest Muslim population, last month banned IS, days after detaining an engineer for running a popular Twitter account extolling the militant group. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825636/is-commander-arrested-in-lahore/" target="_blank">RELATED POST: IS commander arrested in Lahore</a> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> In Kabul, a group of students formed an underground IS support group. In Pakistan, graffiti praising IS have been spotted in some areas. Security forces also arrested the man they believed was the IS commander in the country and two accomplices involved in recruiting and sending fighters to Syria. But the examples are isolated. Islamic State competes with al Qaeda, which is affiliated with the Taliban, to lead the global jihad, and has expanded its network beyond Iraq and Syria in recent months. Yet neither Afghanistan nor Pakistan has featured in its leaders’ speeches. “The threat of (IS) in Pakistan is definitely something to watch out for and everyone should be vigilant, but it seems hugely exaggerated as of now,” said one Western diplomat in Islamabad. “Wall chalkings in support of a particular group do not, in and of themselves, suggest real presence of that group.”

Disenchanted militants in Pakistan, Afghanistan eye Islamic State with envy

PESHAWAR: Splits within the Taliban, and doubts over whether its elusive leader is even alive, are driving a growing ...

Creating deterrence: CII for criminalising three pronouncements of divorce at a time

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825582/creating-deterrence-cii-for-criminalising-three-pronouncements-of-divorce-at-a-time/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825582-MaulanaSheraniONLINEx-1421909626-912-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a top constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, has proposed the government criminalise three pronouncements of divorce at a time. </div> “Pronouncing Talaq, or divorce thrice in quick succession is un-Islamic and against the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (pbuh),” said CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani. “Anyone seeking divorce is supposed to make the three pronouncements over a period of time.” Pointing to the increasing trend of divorces in the country, Maulana Sheerani said much more care should be taken while ending a ‘sacred relationship’ like marriage. He added that the CII proposed the government make legislation to declare pronouncement of three divorces at once a punishable offence. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/1414.jpg" /> CII member and chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council Allama Tahir Ashrafi said that the proposal has been made to create deterrence against divorce. “The divorce rate in Pakistan is estimated to have gone up by 150 to 200 per cent,” Ashrafi told The Express Tribune. According to Ashrafi, the proposal has been sent to the federal law ministry so that it could be translated into legislation. “The law minister assured me that the government will not create any hurdles for legislation. I hope the government will soon introduce a law [for this purpose],” he added. In Wednesday’s meeting, the CII also discussed whether Islam allows women to become judges or not. Although the council agreed that women could perform as judges, it asked female judges to observe hijab. Talking about the matter, Ashrafi said that since unlike the past judges today only issue verdicts and are not responsible for their implementation, “there is no harm for women to become judges.” He added, however, that a woman could not be a judge in cases of Hudud or Qisas. Asked about the CII’s instructions about hijab, Ashrafi said they asked both men and women to follow the code defined in the Islamic Sharia. Last year several rights activists condemned a report of the CII declaring the law requiring consent from first (second or third) wife for another marriage un-Islamic. The CII had said that Islamic Sharia did not bind a husband to seek permission from any of his wives before contracting another marriage. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015.

Creating deterrence: CII for criminalising three pronouncements of divorce at a time

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a top constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or n...

Yemeni rebels hold president captive

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825555/yemeni-rebels-hold-president-captive/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825555-reuterspresident-1421906773-746-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			SANAA: Yemen’s minority Houthi fighters took up guard at President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s home on Wednesday but said they had not toppled him, after two days of fighting which left little doubt that the enfeebled leader was now at their mercy. The Houthis, friendly to Iran, swept into the capital four months ago and have emerged as the dominant force in the country. For now at least they appear to have decided to stop short of overthrowing Hadi, possibly preferring to exert control over a weakened leader rather than take on the burden of power. Their defeat of the presidential guards in gunbattles and artillery duels in recent days adds to disarray in a country where the United States is also carrying out drone strikes against one of the most powerful branches of al Qaeda. After clashes at the president’s office and home on Tuesday, the Houthis’ leader threatened in a speech overnight to take further “measures” unless Hadi bows to his demand. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015.

Yemeni rebels hold president captive

SANAA: Yemen’s minority Houthi fighters took up guard at President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s home on Wednesday but sai...

24 captives freed from Boko Haram, Cameroon officials say

24 captives freed from Boko Haram, Cameroon officials say

A military operation in northern Cameroon has freed 24 of 80 people kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram militants, according to Cameroonian of...

Photos: Inside Guantanamo Bay

Photos: Inside Guantanamo Bay

Expelled: AJK expels scores of Afghan families

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825627/expelled-ajk-expels-scores-of-afghan-families/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825627-image-1421902092-562-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>MIRPUR:  A grand operation to evict illegal immigrants, mostly Afghans, is in full swing in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and hundreds of such families voluntarily moved out from various parts of AJK including Mirpur district  till Wednesday, official sources said. </div> Around 100 families of the illegal immigrants left Mirpur sub division, 197 from Thothal, 140 from Mangla, 155 from Afzalpur, 97 from New City and 128 families  moved till today, DSP Raja Azher Iqbal told APP. In Dadayal sub division, over 280 illegal immigrants voluntarily moved out, Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Ayub said. “Operation to deport the illegal immigrants  comprising mostly Afghan refugees will continue till evacuation of the unlawful settlers”, the AC said. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015.

Expelled: AJK expels scores of Afghan families

MIRPUR: A grand operation to evict illegal immigrants, mostly Afghans, is in full swing in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ...

ISIS gains ground in Yemen, competing with al Qaeda

ISIS gains ground in Yemen, competing with al Qaeda

The Syria-based terror group ISIS is active and recruiting inside the Middle Eastern state of Yemen, already a hotbed of terrorist activity,...

Lawsuits, laughter used to knock down ‘no go’ claims

Lawsuits, laughter used to knock down ‘no go’ claims

Remarks that women are unwelcome and police won't patrol European cities with large Muslim populations have caused some to react with an...

Real Madrid tops world’s clubs for 10th straight year

Real Madrid tops world’s clubs for 10th straight year

Yemen chaos threatens U.S. anti-terror campaign

Yemen chaos threatens U.S. anti-terror campaign

As sectarian chaos consumes Yemen, a pillar of President Obama's global anti-terrorism strategy is in peril.

France boosting anti-terror spies

France boosting anti-terror spies

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announces"exceptional measures" to tackle the terrorist threat.

Think before sharing that link …

Think before sharing that link …

CNN's Lisa France explains why you should stop believing everything you see online. From Facebook privacy fakes to Twitter death hoaxes,...

Is ISIS captor ‘Jihadi John?’

Is ISIS captor ‘Jihadi John?’

The ISIS militant shown in a video demanding a $ 200 million ransom for two Japanese citizens looks and sounds familiar.

Yemen chaos threatens White House anti-terror campaign

Yemen chaos threatens White House anti-terror campaign

Tentative deal gives Yemen rebels new power

Tentative deal gives Yemen rebels new power

Rebels agree to releasing the President's chief of staff and withdrawing fighters in return for more political power, a Yemeni official ...

Inmate’s book exposes horrors of Gitmo

Inmate’s book exposes horrors of Gitmo

Inmate’s book exposes horrors of Gitmo

Inmate’s book exposes horrors of Gitmo

In Guantánamo Diary, current detainee Mohamedou Slahi paints a horrifying picture of life at the hands of interrogators in the notorious U.S...

Colleague thrashed: FESCO workers give police 24 hours to arrest attackers

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825341/colleague-thrashed-fesco-workers-give-police-24-hours-to-arrest-attackers/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825341-shutterstock_-1421873799-676-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			FAISALABAD: “If the police do not arrest the ten men, who attacked  Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) Sub-Divisional Officer Muhammad Arif, in 24 hours, we will suspend electricity supply to the entire region,” Central Labour Union Samundri subdivision secretary Hafiz Yousuf warned on Wednesday. Hundreds of Fesco employees from Tandlianwala, Mamu Kanjan and Samundri sub-divisions went on strike and staged a protest demonstration in front of their offices on Wednesday. They demanded that the police arrest the men who had attacked Muhammad Arif, the SDO of the Rehmay Shah Subdivision, at his office on Tuesday. Central Labour Union Samundri subdivision chairman Rana Muhammad Aslam said 10 men had barged into Arif’s office and requested an “illegal favour”. When he refused, the men started shouting and beat up Arif. Aslam said that they snatched Arif’s mobile phone and wallet and trashed the office. “Arif called police and they registered a complaint against the men,” Aslam said. “However, the men are influential and the police seem reluctant to arrest them.” Union divisional secretary Yousuf said it was a pity that the miscreants had not been arrested. “If police do not arrest the men in the next 24 hours, we may use the option of suspending electricity supply to the entire area,” he said. Addressing protesters at Tandlianwala subdivision, All Pakistan Hydro Labour Union Tandlianwala divisional chairman Waheedul Hasan Baloch said the assailants had not only attacked the SDO, but had also terrorised other Fesco workers at the office. “Police must prosecute the attackers under terrorism charges and arrest them as soon as possible.” Khadim Hussain, chairman of the Wapda Hydro Electric Central Labour Union in Mamu Kanjan, said they would continue to protest till the attackers were arrested and made an example of. The Tandlianwala Saddar SHO said the police had registered a case against the attackers on the complaint of SDO Muhammad Arif. The SHO said that the police had constituted a team to trace the suspects. “They are at large but we will hopefully arrest them in the next 24 hours,” he said. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015.

Colleague thrashed: FESCO workers give police 24 hours to arrest attackers

FAISALABAD: “If the police do not arrest the ten men, who attacked Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) Sub-Di...

‘Golden opportunity’ for China

‘Golden opportunity’ for China

The Chinese are coming -- to European football -- and billionaire Wang Jianlin hopes his decision to invest $ 52 million for a 20% stake in...

Australian Open doubles: Aisam, Zimonjic win opening round

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825199/australian-open-doubles-aisam-zimonjic-win-opening-round/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825199-AisamulHaqAFP-1421874744-543-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Serb partner Nenad Zimonjic advanced to the second round of the Australian Open after defeating Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili and Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin in their men’s doubles match yesterday. The eighth seeds took one hour and 53 minutes to beat their opponents 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the year’s first Grand Slam. The pair, who had kicked off 2015 with one win and two losses, will next face the Spanish duo of Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd,  2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EtribuneSports">Sports on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETribuneSports">@ETribuneSports</a> on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

Australian Open doubles: Aisam, Zimonjic win opening round

Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Serb partner Nenad Zimonjic advanced to the second round of the Austra...

800-pound bull charges man

800-pound bull charges man

An Oregon man is recovering after being charged by an 800-pound bull on the loose in his neighborhood. CNN affiliate KOIN reports.

Maria Sharapova survives major scare

Maria Sharapova survives major scare

It was the second round of the Australian Open, so Maria Sharapova should have known there would be some drama.

Paying for freedom

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825355/paying-for-freedom/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825355-ChrisCorkNew-1421857629-150-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			The freedoms enjoyed by the French — though not all of them and certainly not those out of the French population who are Muslim — come at a price, and not only for the French. It cost Nigerian Christians several of their churches and it cost a veteran anchor at CNN his job. After 34 years <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823690/cnn-anchor-quits-after-row-of-tweets-on-charlie-hebdo-attack/">Jim Clancy resigned</a> in the last week after a series of tweets that he posted to a Twitter account that was quickly closed — but the damage was done and the tweets had been quoted on websites such as Gawker and Mediaite. They were out in the world and the immortality bestowed on everything by the internet saw Clancy walk away from his job. The Nigerian Christians<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824231/45-churches-torched-during-niger-cartoon-demos-police/"> lost their churches as a part of the global reaction</a> to events in Paris, the reverberations of which are going to be echoing for months and years to come. The two events are widely separated but linked by the issue of freedom of speech. And the reality is that there is no such thing. Anywhere. We may think that we can say whatever we want and wherever we want to say it, but not so. There are the personal limitations, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/819585/cartoonists-tread-fine-line-in-land-of-blasphemy-laws/">the handbrakes that we apply ourselves</a> as we choose not to offend friends or relatives or the wider world; then there are the handbrakes applied by organs such as this or any other newspaper anywhere in the world. Those are the limitations of libel, of publishing an untruth about an individual who may then have recourse to law, and sue. Then there are the limitations applied by the state, and here we run up against the buffers of culture and national identity. Limitations in the freedom of speech at the same time define what can be said as well as what cannot. Thus it is an offence in some countries to deny the Holocaust, but not an offence to satirise any religion. One man’s — or magazines’ — freedom to do just that has become another man’s burning church and unemployment for another. Enter stage left Sam Huntington and his argument that the world is increasingly polarised, that the Age of Ideology was behind us and that henceforward the world would revert to its “<a href="https://www.princeton.edu/wwac/academic-review/files/561/9.1b_HuntingtonCh2.doc">natural state</a>” which was characterised by cultural conflict. Different cultures have different normative values when it comes to freedom of speech, with what is acceptable in one culture being inimical to another, and here we start to discern the clash of civilisations that Huntington spoke of over 30 years ago. As much as the clash of arms it is the clash of cultural values that is the engine driving real-time armed conflict. Economics and ideology are no longer the primary source of conflict; it is the cultural divisions of humankind characterised by nation-states that occupy opposing cultural positions. That cultural divide is coming to dominate the political narrative around the world, and the political glue that holds nation-states together and provides their ‘voice’ — pours an accelerant on the fires of ‘difference’ and ‘the other’ as it does. As Huntington wrote in 1993 — “The fault lines between civilisations will be the battle lines of the future.” Back in Pakistan in 2015, the fault lines are on daily display, as are the tensions caused by an asymmetric aspiration to some of the cultural values and freedoms espoused by — for want of a better term — the West. People do not leave Pakistan to live in other countries because they admire the scenery. They go because they are looking for a better life and indeed many of them find one. Yet not all of them are happy in their country of choice, especially if their cultural sensitivities are at odds with the prevailing culture of their hosts, the asymmetry of their aspirations clashing with their fundamental beliefs. Little surprise then that not everybody is able to contain — control — the emotions that flow from that. The price of freedom of speech increasingly appears to be paid in units of warfare. Thus far those units have not coalesced, but they are convergent — and converging at an accelerating rate — and Sam Huntington may prove to have been right all along. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

Paying for freedom

The freedoms enjoyed by the French — though not all of them and certainly not those out of the French population who a...

The cricket hero who bounced back

The cricket hero who bounced back

President’s Cup Gold league: SBP chase down 257 for the loss of one wicket

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825333/presidents-cup-gold-league-sbp-chase-down-257-for-the-loss-of-one-wicket/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825333-INP-1421857318-696-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: Centuries by openers Babar Azam and Mukhtar Ahmed guided SBP to their second victory of the President’s Cup Gold league as they defeated Lahore Lions by nine wickets at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Chasing 257, the bankers made light work of a potentially tricky target, making 262-1 in 45.3 overs as Azam made 129 off 130 balls and Ahmed scored 111. Earlier, Lions scored 256-9 in their allotted 50 overs, with the help of Saad Nasim’s 72 and Muhammad Ikhlaq’s 67. Zafar Gohar was the pick of the bowlers for SBP, taking 4-52 runs. In another match, Muhammad Hassan’s century helped Karachi Dolphins win their first match by seven wickets over ZTBL, who were given a walkover in their first match against Peshawar Panthers. Chasing 279 in a match reduced to 45 overs, Dolphins reached their target in just 41.2 overs as Hassan smashed an unbeaten 131 off 117 balls, while Fazal Subhan and Rameez Raja Junior made 25 runs apiece. Batting first, ZTBL made 278-5 in their 45 overs with the help of four half centuries — with Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq and Yasir Hameed all crossing the 50-run mark. At the South End Club in Karachi, SNGPL embarrassed Rawalpindi Rams by dismissing them for just 53 before reaching the target in 10.1 over to win by 10 wickets. All SNGPL bowlers were on the money as Atif Jabbar took 3-13 and Asad Ali, Imran Khalid, Hussain Jalat took two; each giving away just 14, 18 and four runs respectively. Haseeb Azam was the Rams’ highest scorer with 12. Meanwhile, Peshawar Panthers won their first match by 24 runs over NBP as Taj Wali took 3-40 runs and Jibran Khan 2-20 to dismiss NBP for 195 in 37.3 overs, who were unable to chase down a modest target of 220. Panthers had scored 219-7 in 38 overs with the help of Akbar Badshah’s 42 and Israrullah’s 37, while Muhammad Asghar took three wickets. At the National Stadium of Karachi, KRL won by seven wickets against Islamabad Leopards as they reached the 238-run target in 44.3 over with the help of Zain Abbas’s 85 off 115 and Muhammad Yasin’s 72 off 66. Earlier, batting first, Leopards were restricted to 237 in 48.3 overs as Sadaf Huassin took four wickets, giving away 40 runs, while Imad Wasim made 89 off 95 balls. Khurram Manzoor guided PQA to an eight-wicket win over Karachi Zebras. Chasing 201, PQA reached their target in 36.2 overs as Manzoor struck 83 off 85 balls and Khalid Latif scored 59. Earlier, Zebras made 200-8 in 50 overs as Muhammad Altaf dismissed four batsmen with Azam Hussain dismissing two, while Saud Shakeel’s 57 made him the top scorer for the Karachi side.   Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EtribuneSports">Sports on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETribuneSports">@ETribuneSports</a> on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

President’s Cup Gold league: SBP chase down 257 for the loss of one wicket

KARACHI: Centuries by openers Babar Azam and Mukhtar Ahmed guided SBP to their second victory of the President’s Cup ...

Glitter of enriched incompetence

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825357/glitter-of-enriched-incompetence/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825357-FahdHusainNew-1421857685-140-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Is this what it looks like when a government begins to dig its own grave? The signs are unmistakable, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824592/serious-failure-on-ogras-part-led-to-petrol-shortage-pm-told/">petrol crisis</a> being the latest example. A team boasting of a deep batting line-up is unable to stay on the crease. The ‘I’ for incompetence is replacing the ‘N’ in PML-N as stalwarts run helter-skelter like plucked chickens. The House Sharif is being ravaged by its own ineptitude. The damage can be immense. Make no mistake: there is a gradual but definitive erosion of civilian authority underway. This erosion does not seem deliberate, or planned, or perhaps even intentional, but a series of events have triggered this process and it is unfolding beyond a shadow of doubt. The government is the obvious loser, but clearly not the only one. Public confidence in their representatives is taking a daily hit as the nation fights an existential war for its future. If optics alone were a barometer, General Sharif is clearly the man in charge, while his civilian namesake struggles to deliver the very basics of governance. The army, it seems, is not just fighting the war against terrorists, it is also planning it, coordinating it and even ‘marketing’ it. The <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822168/peshawar-school-attack-ispr-honours-victims-in-melodic-tribute/">emotionally-drenched blockbuster anthem</a> “Bara dushman bana phirta hai jo bacchon sey larta hai” should have been produced by the information ministry, but it is the super-efficient ISPR which dominates the communication strategy now. Yes, the prime minister does chair meetings on the National Action Plan, but beyond that it is not really clear what he and his team have achieved in concrete terms since the Black Day of December 16. There has been a <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825072/national-action-plan-high-level-meeting-commences-in-pm-house/">flurry of meetings</a>, garnished with photo-ops and reams of press releases and official statements. There has been a pretense of activity with prisoners hanged, clerics booked and places raided. There’s talk of developing a national anti-terrorism narrative and dispensing with dual-faced policy on militant groups. However, these are, at best, tactical moves that have been attempted in the past, and then abandoned with ease once the pressure receded. The new normal is looking nauseatingly like the old one. But new sentiments are nothing like the old ones. Pakistanis have been scared — and scarred — into action. Grief unites. The <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824739/politicians-should-rise-to-the-challenge/">old way of doing things will just not cut it any more</a>. Radical and transformational decisions need to be taken by the men and women elected to do so. And they need to be taken now. This is where it gets scary. The petrol crisis is alarming not just because of the immense disruption of life it caused, but more so because it has exposed the horrendous way this government governs. A completely avoidable situation ballooned into a massive disaster simply because the men mandated to do a certain job a certain way failed to do so. Three powerful ministers — the famed experienced team of the House Sharif — messed up the fuel supply chain because they did not plan, did not foresee, did not coordinate and did not make payments and place orders in time. What happened next is even more shocking. Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi should be have been severely and publicly rebuked by the prime minister for this disaster; and then at least one should have been thrown under the bus. Instead, a massive cover-up was launched to save ministerial skins. <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823325/pm-suspends-officials-over-petrol-crisis/">Lowly heads were chopped off</a> and presented to Mr Sharif on a silver platter, while the three ministers whistled back to their cushy offices. Post-December 16, the nation was expecting a chastened government that was ready and willing to not just talk the talk, but walk it too. Sharif the civilian was now the leader of a nation at war. And not just any war, but a war that will define the future course of Pakistan; a war that will set or re-set our ideological moorings and exorcise the demons we have been nurturing for nearly four decades. In his third — and possibly final — stint as prime minister, Mr Sharif had found himself in a position that statesmen dream of: to be on the cusp of a truly transformational moment. Such a moment is seized not by a snap decision, or a slick policy statement, or even by a grand symbolic gesture — but by a strategic shift in direction on the back of sweeping reforms. Instead, we got a deluge of deeply enriched incompetence flowing through the nozzles of petrol dispensers. Pakistan is a patient oozing blood from multiple wounds which are beyond the healing powers of aspirin and Band-Aids. A stitch here, a bandage there is just not sufficient. Governments could never focus on the larger canvas, or prioritise policies in the right order. The war on terrorism has, however, knitted all the problem areas together in one coherent chain. If only someone notices. So to fight this war, the education sector has to be reformed. This reform requires a complete overhaul of the madrassas and the curriculum taught across the provinces. To fight this war, the judicial system needs to be reformed. This reform requires an overhaul of the prosecution procedures as well as the capacity of the courts to clear backlogs. To fight this war, the police have to be thoroughly reformed because they are the first line of defence. This reform will require depoliticising the force, training it on modern lines, transforming the thana culture, making the policemen service-oriented, providing them with latest weapons and modern investigation skills that can produce evidence that holds up in courts. To fight this war, mosques have to be reclaimed, militant groups have to be defanged, and hate literature has to be eradicated. This requires an acute level of clarity, and capacity within government institutions to execute policy with ruthless efficiency. In essence then, if this war is fought the way it should be fought, the victory can truly transform Pakistan into a modern nation-state at peace with itself and the rest of the world. But to fight this war this way requires a leadership that has the skill, the will and the capacity to wage total war. But when this leadership cannot even manage to supply petrol, we should be scared. Very scared. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

Glitter of enriched incompetence

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Ronaldo blitzes through break-up with Shayk?

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825263/ronaldo-blitzes-through-break-up-with-shayk/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825263-image-1421851463-409-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t seem to have dropped back and punted following his recent split from girlfriend of five years, model Irina Shayk. Shortly after their break-up, which was confirmed this weekend, Ronaldo has reportedly moved on to dating Spanish TV reporter Lucia Villalon, reported the Daily Mail. The 26-year-old sports journalist was pictured celebrating with the Real Madrid player after his third Ballon d’Or win at the annual event on January 12, which Shayk was absent from. Ronaldo, 29, was first linked to Lucia when she posted a photo of the two on her Twitter account, shortly after he received the soccer trophy in Zurich, Switzerland. “There are three! Golden ball congratulations! Zurich 12/01/15,” she captioned the photograph. Ronaldo’s alleged new flame, who is an avid follower of his career trajectory, is a state broadcaster who graduated with law and journalism degrees. She braved the dipping temperatures and sat in the stands at Ronaldo’s game against Getafe CF on January 18, cheering on the world famous star with a couple of girlfriends. However, their romantic relationship is conjecture till either of the parties makes an official statement. Shayk’s spokesperson previously stated, “We can confirm Irina Shayk has ended her relationship to Cristiano Ronaldo of five years.” Ronaldo also spoke about parting ways with the Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret model. The football icon wished her with happiness as they both move on with their respective lives, reported The Mirror. “After dating for a long time, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end,” Ronaldo said in a written statement. “We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now. I wish Irina the greatest happiness.” Ronaldo insisted that he has managed to shift from being lovers to friends with Shayk post the split, stating he is still on good terms with her. There were reports claiming that the former couple had an argument when she refused to attend his mother’s birthday celebration. Shayk’s representative quashed negative reports and clarified that the pair parted ways harmoniously. Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ETLifeandStyle">Life & Style on Facebook, </a>follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETLifeandStyle">@ETLifeandStyle</a> on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Ronaldo blitzes through break-up with Shayk?

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t seem to have dropped back and punted following his recent split from girlfriend o...

How it played on social media

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For Mikaal, home is where the heart is

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825238/for-mikaal-home-is-where-the-heart-is/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825238-Mikaal-1421850865-750-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>KARACHI:  The past few years have seen many Pakistani actors such as Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar and Humaima Mallick jump onto the Bollywood bandwagon and make their feature film debuts in the neighboring country. However, none of these actors hold the distinction of starring in an action film with an ensemble cast like Mikaal Zulfiqar. </div> These days the actor is gearing up for the release of his upcoming movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3848892/" target="_blank">Baby</a>. Zulfiqar described his role as being “short and sweet” in the action-thriller directed by Neeraj Pandey and starring renowned actors Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa and Kay Kay Menon. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Mikaal Zulfiqar said that he had received the call from an Indian casting director to star in the film and was game for the project as soon as he heard details about it. “I committed to the film when I was told that I was going to be starring alongside talented actors such as Kher and Kumar,” said Zulfiqar. The film has been directed by Neeraj Pandey who has previously directed movies like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1280558/" target="_blank">A Wednesday</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2377938/" target="_blank">Special 26</a>. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/187.jpg" /> Known for his work on television and Television Commercials (TVCs), the actor said that making a transition from television to film was not difficult for him. Zulfiqar has previously starred in Bollywood films such as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038915/" target="_blank">Shoot On Sight</a> (2008) and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1847736/" target="_blank">U R My Jaan</a> (2011), and was accustomed to their style and approach to filmmaking. Zulfiqar said, “As an actor I had to up my game as I was acting alongside performers such as Kher and Kumar. Plus in film you have to always be at to be at your best as the margin for error is close to negligible.” Despite having done a handful of Bollywood films, Zulfiqar has no aspirations to establish himself as an actor in India. “As an artiste or as an actor there is nothing better than doing a film in your own country and I obviously would always give first preference to my local industry,” he said. Zulfiqar mentioned that he was supposed to star in a couple of Pakistani films towards the end of last year but the project didn’t materialise. Zulfiqar attributed the decision to not pursue a career in Bollywood due the nature of the audience and the constantly changing political climate between the two countries. “Indian audiences are a little bold, and Pakistani audiences are a little sensitive. So, I would not want to do anything that offends people of my homeland,” exclaimed Zulfiqar. “In 2008, after my first film in Bollywood I was adamant on pursuing other Bollywood projects and had declined offers from Pakistan, but then the relationship between the two countries took a hit due to the Mumbai attacks and I was left stranded,” he said. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/baby.jpg" /> Zulfiqar was hopeful that the controversy surrounding Baby pertaining to its content would “settle down” so that people can enjoy the film on the basis of entertainment. Regarding his upcoming projects the actor stated that he has always considered himself as an “entertainer” and would love to do a comedy project if he is approached with the right script. The actor-cum-model who has previously starred in notable comedy projects such as the Telefilm Abhi Tau Main Jawan Hun and the immensely popular Ufone advertisements said “I always enjoy doing comedy and would love to act in a comedy film if I am approached with the right story, but unfortunately there are very few good quality comedies being done in the country at the moment.” Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ETLifeandStyle">Life & Style on Facebook, </a>follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETLifeandStyle">@ETLifeandStyle</a> on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

For Mikaal, home is where the heart is

KARACHI: The past few years have seen many Pakistani actors such as Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar and Humaima Mallick jump on...

Obama’s SOTU silence speaks volumes

Obama’s SOTU silence speaks volumes