Pak News Wire

New stats spur rivalry between airports

New stats spur rivalry between airports

Look out. The bragging war between two of the world's busiest airports just got more intense.

Ronchi, Elliott record stand sets up New Zealand win

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826324/ronchi-elliott-record-stand-sets-up-new-zealand-win/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826324-nz-1421995348-987-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			DUNEDIN: A record batting blitz by Luke Ronchi and Grant Elliott set New Zealand up for an overwhelming 108-run win over Sri Lanka in their fifth one-day international in Dunedin Friday. In a stunning display of power hitting, Ronchi (170 not out) and Elliott (104 not out) bludgeoned an unbeaten 267 to lift New Zealand from 93-5 to 360-5 in their 50 overs in a world record sixth-wicket stand. Sri Lanka had their own century-maker in Tillakaratne Dilshan and looked to be in with a chance as long as he was at the crease. But when Dilshan fell for 116 it sparked a spectacular collapse in which Sri Lanka lost eight wickets for just 41 runs in eight overs. The end came with more than six overs remaining as, for the second game in a row, Sri Lanka showed little fight in the lower order to let New Zealand go 3-1 up in the series. In the fourth ODI in Nelson on Tuesday, their last six wickets were whittled out for just 31 runs. Faced with a daunting target of 361 to win in Dunedin, Sri Lanka confidently progressed to 93 before losing their first wicket when stand-in captain Lahiru Thirimanne was removed for 45. After Kumar Sangakkara went cheaply for nine, Mahela Jayawardene (30) joined Dilshan to lift the momentum as the tourists reached 211 in the 36th over. But the game turned when strike bowler Trent Boult was brought back into the attack with immediate success bowling Jayawardene to start the slide. Four balls later Mitchell McClenaghan claimed the prized wicket of Dilshan and the Sri Lankan fight was over. Dilshan had posted his 20th ODI century and the third in his past five innings in an unflustered display until he mistimed a drive on a slower delivery and was well held by Nathan McCullum at extra cover. Boult was New Zealand’s chief destroyer with four for 44 while McClenaghan, Elliott and Tim Southee took two wickets each. Thirimanne, deputising for skipper Angelo Mathews who sat out the game with a slight calf strain, won the toss and sent New Zealand to bat with immediate reward. On a green-tinged seaming wicket, Martin Guptill was gone first ball and the rest of the New Zealand top order followed quickly as the hosts fell to 93-5. Enter Ronchi to partner Elliott and they mounted an aggressive assault on the Sri Lankan attack. Ronchi whacked his 170 from 99 balls, smacking nine sixes and 14 fours while setting several milestones along the way. In addition to the world-record partnership with Elliott, his unbeaten 170 was his maiden ODI century and the highest ODI score by a number seven batsman. Elliott, who took 96 balls for his 104 – his second century – showed more restraint at the crease, and like Ronchi he offered few chances. Thirimanne had the best figures for Sri Lanka with two for 36 off seven overs. 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.

Ronchi, Elliott record stand sets up New Zealand win

DUNEDIN: A record batting blitz by Luke Ronchi and Grant Elliott set New Zealand up for an overwhelming 108-run win o...

Small victory for families of air crash victims

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826166/small-victory-for-families-of-air-crash-victims/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826166-airbluecrashreuters-1421994452-624-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: For the first time in its history, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has publicly released investigation reports into fatal passenger aircraft accidents. Over the past nine years, families of 324 passengers and crew killed in accidents, involving aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Airblue and Bhoja Air, have led a bitter and painful struggle to make this happen. Public disclosure would not have been possible without the civilian-run Aviation Division, which has been overseeing the industry since its formation in 2013. As long as aviation affairs remained with the defence ministry, investigation reports were treated as a national secret in contradiction with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules, which call on governments to release the findings at the earliest. Abdul Razzak, a lawyer, fought the longest of these battles for release of one such investigation.  Razzak lost his brother when the PIA Fokker went down in 2006 on the outskirts of Multan with 45 people on board. All passengers were killed. “My application for its release was pending for seven years even though  the report was completed in 2007.” he said Every time he approached the government to make that happen, he was told that the decision was awaiting approval of competent authority – the prime minister. The families of 152 people killed in the Air Blue’s ill-fated crash in 2010 went through a similar ordeal. However, they still generated enough pressure for a censored-version of the report to be released in 2012. The same report is now available on the CAA website. Experts say public disclosure of investigations helps in accountability of responsible departments and ultimately contributes towards improving air safety. But Razzak says the disclosure has come a little too late for families who wanted to sue aircraft manufacturers and airlines in international courts. While nothing can make up for the loss of a human life, financial compensation can potentially help families, but airlines and their insurers get away with paying minimum compensation, said Razzak. “We could have dragged these airlines in US courts and proved that it was the collective fault of the airline and supplier of the aircraft and its components that resulted in loss of life.” As per general legal precedent, this should have been done within two years of the accident. “I suspect everyone gets a cut to hush up the truth.” Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.

Small victory for families of air crash victims

KARACHI: For the first time in its history, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has publicly released investigation re...

Unusual twist: Court recalls warrants for ECP secretary

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826176/unusual-twist-court-recalls-warrants-for-ecp-secretary/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826176-bogusvotesAFP-1421992348-341-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>LAHORE:  The Lahore High Court on Thursday recalled bailable arrest warrants for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary after the poll body’s reply to a petition seeking fresh security for all parliamentarians was submitted.   </div> A worker of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Javed Badar, filed the petition, claiming that the poll body in a report submitted before the apex court admitted that the returning officers had not carried out scrutiny of the candidates of the 2013 election in terms of Articles 62 and 63. The petitioner said that the commission had taken the plea that the scrutiny of the candidates could not be held due to “non cooperation of government institutions”. According to him, many ineligible candidates were elected to the assemblies due to inefficiency of the ECP. The court had sought a reply from the ECP secretary. But even after it had issued four notices, there was no response from the ECP secretary. Subsequently, the court issued bailable arrest warrants for the ECP secretary.  However, later, a law officer submitted the reply on behalf of the poll supervisory body and sought an apology.  As a result, the court recalled the arrest warrants and adjourned the matter till February 10. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.

Unusual twist: Court recalls warrants for ECP secretary

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday recalled bailable arrest warrants for the Election Commission of Pakistan (...

Korean teen fled to join ISIS?

Korean teen fled to join ISIS?

A 17-year-old South Korean promised his mother that he would study hard for his exams in exchange for a trip to Turkey.

Details released for King Abdullah’s funeral

Details released for King Abdullah’s funeral

Saudi officials have released details for the funeral of the deceased King Abdullah. CNN's Becky Anderson reports from Abu Dhabi.

Death exposes Gitmo chief’s affair

Death exposes Gitmo chief’s affair

Fundamental right: Free education still a pipedream

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825979/fundamental-right-free-education-still-a-pipedream/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825979-SchoolEducation-1421983680-443-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  Five years since <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpakistanconstitutionlaw.com%2Farticle-25a-right-to-education%2F&ei=bb_BVKjPKsT8UqH4g9AP&usg=AFQjCNG5RpOERogT_SIGJmF_voeYp0JEuQ&sig2=ZGIuBeVtWrMb24Otysbd5g">Article 25-A</a> became part of the constitution, successive governments have failed to formulate rules of business for its implementation. </div> The clause was part of the 18th Amendment, passed in 2010, and promises free and compulsory education in Pakistan for every child between the ages of five and 16 years. Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh have integrated the clause, but have yet to formulate rules of business for its implementation. On the other hand, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) assemblies have yet to even integrate the clause. This was highlighted at a discussion titled “National Conference-Right to Education and Pakistan: 5 years on”, organised by Pakistan Coalition for Education at a local hotel on Thursday. Arif Yousaf, special assistant for Law and Parliamentary Affairs to the K-P Chief Minister, accepting that the provincial government had not been able to pass the corresponding bill, saying, “We have been lagging behind, but now that it has been vetted by the law division, it will soon be forwarded to the cabinet for approval.” Yousaf said there were several problems, including the role of private educational institutes in passage of the bill and its implementation. Ghulam Nabi, senior programme manager of the Government of Sindh Sector Reforms Unit, urged participants not to simply blame the government, explaining that “deeply-entrenched structural issues and issues of governance” are interrelated. He also urged the need for solutions for retention of students, addressing ghost schools and teachers, and improving infrastructure at the educational institutes. Punjab Education Sector Reform Programme Deputy Director Coordination Kashif Muhammad Ali said that the provincial government was mulling over promulgation of a law and forming a body to regulate private educational institutes and bind them to provide at least 10 per cent of students with free education. He said that 100 per cent enrollment was a priority along with strict curbs on teacher absenteeism through a ‘high-tech’ attendance registration system. “We have already piloted it in five districts of Punjab,” Ali remarked. According to a press release, a panel discussion featuring lawyers, senators and civil society experts the afternoon was also held in the afternoon. “The issue with education is that studying at a government school is akin to not studying at all. The quality of education is very poor and our students aren’t aware of their rights,” said Gulalai Ismail, an activist and chairperson of Aware Girls. Senator Afrasiab Khattak remarked that Pakistan was only spending two per cent of its gross domestic product on education and must increase the investment. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 2015.

Fundamental right: Free education still a pipedream

ISLAMABAD: Five years since Article 25-A became part of the constitution, successive governments have failed to form...

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah in pictures

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah in pictures

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud has died, according to an announcement on Saudi state TV on Thursday, January 22. He ...

Mystery meth drone crashes

Mystery meth drone crashes

A drone crashed south of the U.S.-Mexico border carrying more than six pounds of crystal methamphetamine. CNN affiliate KSWB reports.

How do incredible women bounce back?

How do incredible women bounce back?

Many women at the top of their fields say that setbacks can be a great source of strength.

Saudi King advocated tolerance in conservative state

Saudi King advocated tolerance in conservative state

CNN's Nic Robertson looks back on the life and legacy of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

‘Paper classes’ lawsuit: UNC and NCAA broke promises

‘Paper classes’ lawsuit: UNC and NCAA broke promises

Saudi Arabia’s ‘reformer’ King Abdullah dies

Saudi Arabia’s ‘reformer’ King Abdullah dies

Mourners gather in Mecca as the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud is announced on Saudi state TV.

UK Prince addresses sex claims

UK Prince addresses sex claims

Britain's Prince Andrew was expected to make his first public appearance on Thursday since he was accused of having had sex with an Amer...

Diary notes from the frontline

Diary notes from the frontline

Dr. Rick Sacra is an Ebola survivor now returning to Liberia. He agreed to keep a journal and share it exclusively with CNN

Even President questions foe’s death

Even President questions foe’s death

Argentina's President changes her mind and now thinks the death of one of her political enemies -- who accused the country's most po...

Video shows man shot by police

Video shows man shot by police

A little more than a minute.

Triangular series: Hamstrung Watson to miss England ODI

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826001/triangular-series-hamstrung-watson-to-miss-england-odi/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/826001-image-1421946964-544-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			HOBART: All-rounder Shane Watson joins a long list of absentees from Australia’s top batting line-up to face England in the tri-series ODI at Hobart today. Explosive opener David Warner is officially being rested for the one-day game, although he has also been told by Cricket Australia to ‘stop looking for trouble’ after his latest sledge saw him demand that India’s Rohit Sharma ‘speak English’. Michael Clarke is trying to regain fitness after hamstring surgery and stand-in skipper George Bailey has been suspended for a slow over rate against India in Melbourne on Sunday. New skipper Steve Smith said Watson felt hamstring tightness while bowling in the nets in Hobart yesterday. “I don’t think it’s anything too major, more of a precautionary measure to make sure he’s right for the World Cup,” said Smith. Moises Henriques, 27, will take over from Warner. Shaun Marsh and Cameron White, who replaces Bailey in the middle order, have been drafted into the squad for today’s match. The Tri-series final will be played at the WACA in Perth on February 1.  Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd, 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.

Triangular series: Hamstrung Watson to miss England ODI

HOBART: All-rounder Shane Watson joins a long list of absentees from Australia’s top batting line-up to face England ...

Sand in the supply chain of oil

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825917/sand-in-the-supply-chain-of-oil/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825917-DrPervezTahirNew-1421944136-316-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Let me at the very outset dismiss the theory that the current petrol crisis is a conspiracy against the government. All the actors here are from the inner circle of the government — kitchen cabinet members, trusted bureaucrats, lame-duck regulators and a public-sector entity on the privatisation list. It was all in the family and, therefore, a case of collective incompetence. A minister’s claim about a <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824482/fuel-shortages-petroleum-minister-accepts-blame-for-crisis/">sudden spurt in demand</a> is nonsense. Forecasting oil prices is doubtlessly a hazardous business. No global forecaster worth its salt was able to predict the free fall in oil prices. However, a rise in demand after falling prices is simple economics and did not happen while the minister was asleep. Whether the petrol price in Pakistan was reduced to deflect attention from the dharnas, is another matter. At any rate, the rise in demand was not so much that it would trigger a crisis. The problem lies on the supply side. This <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825013/fixing-responsibility-ogra-pso-blamed-for-petrol-crisis/">supply chain</a> is uniquely complex. It is a sellers’ market, dominated by cartels. Contracts require careful advance planning and unfettered access to liquidity. This is the role that Pakistan State Oil (PSO) must perform as a business concern, but is disabled by a procrastinating bureaucracy and intrusive ministers. Oil is Pakistan’s largest consumer of foreign exchange and a major source of revenue. Unable to meet its fiscal deficit and net reserves commitments with the IMF through normal tax and export measures, the finance ministry drags its feet in paying the power producers the subsidy bill. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Whether-the-petrol.jpg" /> The water and power ministry fails to ensure that the technical and transmission losses are within reasonable bounds and outright theft does not take place. Power producers must have the spine to collect their bills, from the federal as well as provincial governments. The fact is that the <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823186/petrol-crisis-oil-companies-govt-trade-accusations-of-culpability/">power producers defaulted on payments to PSO</a>. These payments relate to furnace oil used to produce power, not petrol, the payments for which do not involve the government. But the liquidity constraints imposed by the receivables due to furnace oil adversely affect the overall liquidity position of PSO. This time round, PSO was not only on the receiving end of the problems caused by the circular debt, it was also hit hard by the finance minister’s mad pursuit of pushing the dollar down vis-a-vis the rupee. Stopped from buying dollars and unable to realise receivables, even the handpicked management of PSO let it be known to everyone early enough that it simply had no cash to import petrol. Once the lack of cash disrupted import, other factors exacerbated the crisis. These included the failure to maintain the stipulated strategic reserves, closure of an oil refinery, transport bottlenecks caused by fog in Punjab, overcharging at the station level and petty attempts at hoarding by a panicky public. Speculators may have attempted to make a fast buck in league with officials. Management of reserves of a volatile commodity like petrol is not easy. Fluctuating prices impose costs that are higher than the costs of ordinary inventory management. To prepare PSO for eventual privatisation, the size of the strategic reserves was reduced during the rule of General Pervez Musharraf. It is now enough for 20 days, with about two-thirds maintained by PSO. A professionally weak and arbitrarily run Ogra, with an <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824881/who-is-responsible-government-gave-omcs-two-years-for-building-oil-storages/">extended deadline granted to complete storages</a>, failed to ensure reserves for 20 days. All leads point towards the supply chain. As ministers pass on the buck, a judicial inquiry may be necessary. Meanwhile, the government should resist the temptation to deregulate petrol pricing and privatise PSO. The cure can be worse than the disease. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

Sand in the supply chain of oil

Let me at the very outset dismiss the theory that the current petrol crisis is a conspiracy against the government. Al...

Exacerbation of Islamophobia

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825934/exacerbation-of-islamophobia/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825934-SyedMohammadAliNew-1421944151-861-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			While the deadly attack on the French magazine, <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/818560/terror-in-paris-12-dead-in-gun-attack-at-french-magazine/">Charlie Hebdo</a>, was widely condemned, the magazine’s subsequent decision to carry yet another illustration of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) on its front cover has sparked controversy within the Western world, alongside triggering indignation across much of the Muslim world. Charlie Hebdo’s decision to bring out a ‘<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/821738/charlie-hebdo-sold-out-selling-for-thousands/">survivor issue</a>’ which carried another illustration of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) on its front cover was apparently meant to signal defiance to its attackers, a move that has been endorsed by an exponential growth in demand for the publication’s latest issue. Subsequently, several Western media outlets have also decided to reproduce the new Charlie Hebdo images to express solidarity with the magazine, although many major media outlets also decided not to reproduce the image realising that it would needlessly offend Muslims. Charlie Hebdo’s stance has certainly sparked renewed outrage across many Muslim countries against what is perceived as a conscious and continued Western attempt to hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims under the guise of free speech. Muslims are not alone in making such an appeal; the Pope himself is <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822219/pope-says-cannot-insult-other-peoples-religion/">calling for limits to offending</a> and ridiculing the faiths and beliefs of others. The renowned academic Mahmood Mamdani has aptly described such satirical illustrations as being a sign of Western bigotry. He cites examples of bigoted images being used to demean other marginalised communities in the past including the Jews and African-Americans. For example, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043175/">Amos and Andy</a>, a popular US television show during the 1950s, used the garb of humour to justify racist caricatures of African-Americans. It was not until the race riots of the mid-1960s that the show was taken off air. Jews suffered similar prejudices through Nazi propaganda. It was thus poignant when the Nobel Prize winning German novelist Gunter Grass compared the earlier Danish caricatures of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to anti-Semitic cartoons in the Nazi-era German magazine Der Sturmer. Allowing the right of freedom of expression in secular societies to be used to ridicule the Muslim faith undermines prospects of conciliation between Islam and the West. It serves to anger many moderate Muslims, and such caricaturisation provides more opportunity to extremist groups to portray the West as being hell bent upon desecrating Islam. The argument that Western values of freedom of expression must not submit to Islamic censorship demands is not constructive. It is the imperative of preventing bigotry on the basis of which such caricatured portrayals of Muslims, especially the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), need to be discouraged in the West. The fallout of the controversy unleashed by injudicious expressions of freedom of expression is also creating widespread fear of <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/823648/moroccan-man-stabbed-17-times-in-islamophobic-attack-in-france/">reprisals against Muslim</a> minorities in the West, in general, which are already facing the challenges of ghettoisation and social exclusion. Storming embassies of Western states in Muslim countries is not the answer either, as that will also fuel more Islamophobia in the rest of the world, and make life more difficult for Muslim minorities in the West, which already have problems adjusting into the mainstream of multicultural societies. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

Exacerbation of Islamophobia

While the deadly attack on the French magazine, Charlie Hebdo , was widely condemned, the magazine’s subsequent decisi...

An open letter to the West from a Muslim

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825844/an-open-letter-to-the-west-from-a-muslim/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825844-DrDawoodAhmedNew-1421943936-744-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			This week, the British Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wrote a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/396312/160115_Final_Draft_Letter_to_Mosques_PDF.pdf">letter</a> to Muslim leaders in Britain urging them to do more to combat radicalisation. This article is a response to the letter.  Dear Rt Hon Pickles and Lord Ahmad, Peace be upon you too, or, Waalaykum Asalam. Thank you for your letter to Muslims living in Britain. In this difficult climate, where violence and extremism has been testing bonds of inter-communal harmony and tolerance, your letter reaching out to us means a lot. In particular, we appreciate that you acknowledge that “acts of extremism are not representative of Islam”. We also wholeheartedly agree that “there is more work to do” and that “integration and radicalisation cannot be solved from Whitehall alone. Strong community-based leadership at a local level is needed”. We share your concerns: we are also alarmed and concerned about the rise of fundamentalism and extremism within the Muslim community. The <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/818560/terror-in-paris-12-dead-in-gun-attack-at-french-magazine/">Paris incident</a> shocked Muslims as much as it shocked non-Muslims. As a religious community, we fully recognise that if individuals within our community are inciting hatred or depriving others of rights — whether that be the right to life, to freedom of expression, to speech or any other right — we as leaders and indeed the community must help discourage such actions, in particular by persuading youth vulnerable to commit such acts to refrain from them and express their disagreements in peaceful ways. Yet, we cannot do this without your help. Indeed, until you share our burden and take concrete steps to defeat the root causes of radicalisation, I am afraid we will just be pointing fingers at each other and will achieve little. That is, the challenges of radicalisation cannot be solved in mosques alone; the British government has a much larger role to play than you seem to acknowledge. Let me explain. As experienced British politicians, you must know that in order to persuade anyone to do anything differently, one must have credibility. That is, we must not come across as Janus-faced or hypocritical when we talk about “values” and “rights”. And therein lies the problem. British politicians and government continually deploy the rhetoric of ‘British values’, ‘human rights’ and ‘freedoms’ internationally to do precisely what the extremists do; that is, ‘destroy’ the freedoms of those who look or talk and believe differently to us. Britain has <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825011/amnesty-calls-on-european-countries-to-admit-cia-cooperation/">violated international norms and human rights</a> on multiple occasions. Indeed, we have seen terrible things committed in the name of ‘British’ or ‘Western’ values. Such actions are an affront to the greatness of Britain. How then can we persuade others that we are serious when it comes to, as you say, “free speech, the rule of law and democracy”? Here is what we think you can do to change things. You, as persons in power in Britain, are in a unique position in British society. You have a precious and historic opportunity, and an important responsibility. We believe that together we have an opportunity to demonstrate the true nature of British values and demonstrate that we actually believe our own rhetoric about rights and that we will not apply them selectively and with discrimination. Accordingly, we have a few simple suggestions. First, you must assure us that you will not drag Britain or its values down by continuing to invade weaker countries in the name of ‘self-defence’ causing immense destruction. Around 350,000 people have been killed by the wars started by Britain and its ally, the United States, since 2001 alone. At the very least, 174,000 of these were civilians who never attacked nor harmed Britain. You may craft interesting theoretical arguments to justify why British violence was somehow different or justifiable; you may say that the attacks of 9/11, which killed around 2,753 innocent people motivated these “necessary” invasions but that is precisely the kind of causal logic that terrorist groups deploy to justify attacks against British or Western interests; the difference lies in their choice of words — they use the rhetoric of ‘Islam’ and you invoke the rhetoric of ‘Western values’. The bottom line does not lie: 174,000 innocent people have been killed. Simply because we do not see 350,000 dead or hear their stories on television does not erase the enormous magnitude of destruction that Britain has participated in. Next, you must promise us that Britain will not aid or abet or participate in illegal and aggressive wars: yes, by this, we mean Iraq; it was not so long ago that a government of Britain acted in concert with George W Bush to invade a country that had not attacked any other country, on false pretexts, such as the existence of “weapons of mass destruction” or because, as Tony Blair felt “Saddam was a “monster”. Today, Iraq is a broken country with hundreds of thousands of families devastated. Can you promise that Britain will <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825853/anti-is-coalition-talks-focus-on-militant-threat/">never again take actions that tear a country apart</a> and rob people of the right to life? Moving on, you must put systems in place so that Britain does not continue to violate or help others violate humanitarian law. Will you commit that Britain will never again help other countries (by for example, providing intelligence) or act on its own, in bombing and killing women and children as they sleep or attend weddings and funerals several thousand miles away from the British border, through drone attacks or otherwise? We know European lives matter, but so do the lives of children and women in Pakistan. The United States says it miraculously only targets the guilty, but surely we in Britain do not believe in being judge and executioner on such a large scale? Further, it is now common knowledge that “in recent years a number of people who have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment in Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Morocco and elsewhere have alleged that UK officials knew of their ill-treatment and not only did nothing to prevent it but actively assisted their abusers”. Can you promise that Britain will not be complicit in violating the right not to be tortured or engage in ‘extraordinary rendition’ again? We must also not be two-faced when we talk about the ‘rule of law’ and ‘free speech’ whilst quietly aiding regimes abroad that believe in the precise opposite of such values: one need not look any further than the Middle East to see how Britain beds itself with regimes that have little regard for “British values”, lest we forget that the “monster” Blair referred to (Saddam) was a friend of Britain, even as he gassed the Kurds. Indeed, “£2.35billion of loans [were] handed out to foreign … countries much of [which] has been spent on British-made arms, which are then used to control citizens of repressive regimes.” Finally, in the same way that Muslims in Britain have been asked to identify vulnerable persons who are at risk of radicalisation, it is only fair that you do precisely the same by invoking the rule of law and punishing those in positions of power who ended up wrecking countless non-European lives and countries. We are confident that if we together work by taking steps to truly and visibly signal that freedom and human rights matter, we can be successful and treat the cancer of ideological radicalism and overcome those who wish to spread war and destruction, whether in the name of ‘Islam’ or the ‘West’. We welcome your thoughts, ideas and initiatives on how to ensure that Britain’s true message of peace triumphs over those who have tortured British values in recent times. Yours faithfully, Muslim leaders. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

An open letter to the West from a Muslim

This week, the British Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wrote a letter to Muslim leaders in Br...

Red Carpet round-up: 2015 Life OK Screen Awards 2015

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825990/red-carpet-round-up-2015-life-ok-screen-awards-2015/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825990-mix-1421947453-165-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Hosted on January 14 in Mumbai, Bollywood glitterati attended the Like OK Awards in full flow. Offering up the top shots of Indian cinema, it was quite the demonstration. Dazzling on the red carpet, the stars sported a gamut of silhouettes. From floor-grazing lehengas and embroidered saris to glinting gowns, we saw an amalgam of tradition and charm. Here are the looks that had our attention. Deepika Padukone <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Deepika-Pdukone-copy.jpg" /> The Happy New Year star wore a black lehenga-styled sari from Jade. The outfit boasted intricate ivory-hued embroidery featuring a peacock design at the pallu. Sporting a very time-honoured look, the star went for ethnic jhumkis from Amrapali and a black bindi. Tucking her jet locks in a neat bun, the diva carried a gold toned Bottega Veneta knot clutch that helped complete her engaging look. Kajol <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Kajol-copy.jpg" /> The hushed gold gown on the Fanaa beauty made her one of the best dressed at the occasion. The mother of two carried off the shimmering Rocky S ensemble with precision. Cinched at the waist, the gown excelled at accentuating her newly-slimmed bod. Styling her hair back in a middle part, and going for grey smokey eyes and a nude lip, the actor emitted a muted-glam appeal. Talk about a gold vision! Jacqueline Fernandez <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Jacquiline-Fernandes-copy.jpg" /> The Kick actor dared to look different in a distinctive noir ensemble but didn’t quite hit bull’s eye. The Fall 2013 Giorgio Armani black velvet gown which featured an over-sized butterfly bow seemed more fit for a solemn theatrical than a prestigious awards night. Cinched at the sternum, the exaggerated pattern on the chest was embellished with a big button in the centre that gave the edgy star a tacky look. Sonam Kapoor <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Sonam-Kapoor-copy.jpg" /> Opting for a vivid fuchsia lehenga by famed designer Rohit Bal, Sonam captivated the hearts of many. A well fitted sleeveless gold bodice paired with the gold-embossed voluminous lehenga, the actor nailed the bridal effect. The Dolly Ki Doli diva ornamented herself in a chunky ethnic kundan maatha-patti and traditional-vintage gold bangles. Going for heavily lined eyes, she kept the rest of her make-up modest. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

Red Carpet round-up: 2015 Life OK Screen Awards 2015

Hosted on January 14 in Mumbai, Bollywood glitterati attended the Like OK Awards in full flow. Offering up the top sho...

Fawad continues to fly the flag in Bollywood

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825991/fawad-continues-to-fly-the-flag-in-bollywood/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825991-mix-1421947460-329-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Fawad Khan seems to be on a roll after his banging Bollywood debut in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3554418/" target="_blank">Khoobsurat</a>. Following recent reports that he was approached for a role in Madhur Bandarkar’s Madamji opposite Priyanka Chopra, rumour has it that he has been roped in for the upcoming Kareena Kapoor Khan-starrer Udta Punjab, reported <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/fawad-replaces-ayushman-in-udta-punjab-five-actors-whose-replacements-were-controversial/" target="_blank">Indian Express</a>. If the talks materialise, then Fawad will feature opposite Kareena in Abhishek Chaubey’s film, replacing Ayushmann Khurrana of Vicky Donor fame. The film will also star Bebo’s former beau Shahid Kapoor and his Shaandaar co-star Alia Bhatt. The film caught headlines shortly after news broke that the once happening couple will star in the same film after a four-year-long hiatus. But to their fans’ disappointment, the two, who were last seen together in the film Milenge Milenge, are not expected to share screen space. The film also created a buzz as it was rumoured that Kareena is responsible for Ayushmann’s exit from the film, as she refused to work opposite a relatively new actor. The actor recently commented that he has become “immune to rejections.” But, according to Deccan Herald, Ayushmann declined the role due to scheduling conflicts. Fawad is also expected to reunite with his Khoobsurat team, Rhea Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Shashanka Ghosh, once again for the movie Battle for Bittora, reported Times of India. According to a source, Fawad will essay the role of Zain Altaf Khan, a scion of a North Indian royal family, known for his idealism and political ambitions. The Pakistani heartthrob has also been nominated for a Filmfare Award in the category ‘Best Male Debut’ for the film Khoobsurat. This is the first instance of a Pakistani actor being nominated in the said category at the prestigious annual award ceremony, reported indiaglitz.com. Pakistanis to have previously won Filmfare Awards include Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in the category ‘Best Male Playback Singer’ for the film Ishqiya, and late singer Nazia Hassan, who holds the record for being the youngest recipient of a Filmfare Award for ‘Best Female Playback Singer’. The Filmfare Awards are scheduled to be held on January 31, 2015, at the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai. Fawad, whose Bollywood debut shows great promise, rose to fame in Pakistan through his performances on popular television serials, such as Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai. He made his feature film debut in the country with the movie Khuda Kay Liye, and also performed in the telefilm Armaan (2013), opposite Aamina Sheikh. Prior to this, Fawad was the frontman of rock band Entity Paradigm (eP). The actor left the band a few years ago to pursue a career in acting. Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

Fawad continues to fly the flag in Bollywood

Fawad Khan seems to be on a roll after his banging Bollywood debut in Khoobsurat . Following recent reports that he wa...

Yasir Nawaz takes a creative detour

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825988/yasir-nawaz-takes-a-creative-detour/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825988-___ncopy-1421947457-313-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>KARACHI:  Model-turned-actor and now director Yasir Nawaz aims to be an all-rounder. With major productions lined up to release this Eid season, he aims at exhibiting his debut feature film Dekh Magar Pyar Say on the cinema screens by March end. </div> Discussing his novice project as a filmmaker, he says, “It’s a cinema feature film. It is tentatively titled Dekh Magar Pyar Se and will be a commercial film. Naach gaana hona chahiye.” He feels that the entertainment quotient of the Pakistani film industry is low. “We have already dealt with mainstream issues and serious subjects in our movies. Now, it’s time to stress on entertainment,” he comments. He attempts to change that with his film. “My film is a romantic comedy with dance and excitement.”  The film’s cast includes Danish Taimoor, Sohai Ali Abro, Janita, Javed Shiekh and Shafqat Cheema. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Yasir-Nawaz.jpg" /> While Yasir lauds the efforts being made towards reviving Pakistani cinema, he feels there is room for improvement. “I think it will take six more years to declare that we are on to the road to revival,” he stated. “Our cinema must make a place for itself internationally. I would earnestly urge the crowds to support local movies.” Of his television debut in the mid-1990s, he shares, “Besides TV, I didn’t have another option to start with. One of my brothers had become an engineer and another was pursuing a medical degree. At that time, TV used to offer less money because we only had two channels at the time, the state-run PTV and the private STN.” Yasir’s father, the late actor Fareed Nawaz Baloch, wanted him to pursue a career in the police force, but realised his son had the aptitude for acting. The multi-talented Yasir is driven by his knack for adapting to changing trends of the industry and credits his success to it. “I was confident about my observational skills and I believed that they, alone, would hone my acting ability,” he states. “I started getting work quickly and it kept progressing over the time.” Yasir belongs to a family of television luminaries; his brother Danish often plays comic characters on the screen, his wife Nida is an actor and a morning-show host, and his father-in-law is known director-producer Kazim Pasha. But he never depended on his family to give him a shot at stardom. “The best thing about this field is that if you have talent, you shine on your own. A talented person needs no one’s support.” He wishes to impart liberal arts education to his children if they wish to pursue a career in the field. “When I was young, parents didn’t think it was suitable for us to be taught media studies. But now, I want my children to be trained in media sciences from abroad. They must study filmmaking from a foreign country if they are interested in the subject,” he says. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/nida-yasin-in-zainab-sajid-with-yasir-nawaz-copy.jpg" /> <blockquote>Yasir with wife Nida</blockquote> Yasir, who has previously worked with Nida and Danish, states that working with family is no easy feat. “When we work together, we fight a lot. So, I prefer working separately.” Proud of his family’s accomplishments, he states, “There is no competition between us since we are family. Also, we excel at diverse genres. Nida is primarily a host, Danish is into comedy roles, and I’m involved with directing plays.”  Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  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.

Yasir Nawaz takes a creative detour

KARACHI: Model-turned-actor and now director Yasir Nawaz aims to be an all-rounder. With major productions lined up t...

Asian Cup: Australia ride into semis on Tim’s bicycle

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825872/asian-cup-australia-ride-into-semis-on-tims-bicycle/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825872-AsianCup-1421942967-283-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			BRISBANE: Tim Cahill’s brilliant double strike, including a bicycle-kick for the opener, sank China and took Australia into the Asian Cup semi-finals yesterday as Son Heung-Min defied illness to lead South Korea into the last four. Hosts Australia had the upper hand against China without making the breakthrough, until 35-year-old Cahill pulled out a stunner just after half-time. The latest wonder-goal by Cahill, whose World Cup volley against the Netherlands was short-listed for goal of the year, was followed by a trademark header by the former Everton man for the 2-0 win. Australia’s victory ended an encouraging tournament for China, who won all three group games for the first time to end their 11-year absence from the knock-out stages. The Socceroos will now face either Japan or UAE at Newcastle’s modest Hunter Stadium, the smallest of the Asian Cup venues, on January 27. “This is a big win for us, it’s something that I knew deep down was going to happen before the game, because I believe in this team,” said Cahill. “I had to wait for my chance and I took two of them tonight out of three and I’m pretty happy.” Son rises to see off Uzbekistan Earlier in Melbourne, Bayer Leverkusen’s Son Heung-Min fought off the lingering effects of a flu bug to strike twice in extra time and see off Uzbekistan — before being stretchered off due to sheer exhaustion. The man dubbed ‘Sonaldo’ by his team-mates scored with a diving header after 104 minutes and slammed home a second moments before the final whistle, leaving on a stretcher with exhaustion as the Koreans set up a meeting against either Iran or Iraq in the last four. “There was big pressure on us,” South Korea coach Uli Stielike told reporters after coaxing his team of walking wounded to a fourth straight win. “If we’d lost, we would have been on the plane home and face a lot of criticism.” Injuries had already ruled out winger Lee Chung-Yong and midfielder Koo Ja-Cheol, while superstar Son has yet to fully regain fitness after being floored by a flu bug earlier in the competition. “No other team has had to show such mental strength and sacrifice as our boys,” added Stielike. “To lose two of their leaders and still pick them themselves up. I nearly didn’t pick Son because of his illness — he’s still not 100 per cent.”   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.

Asian Cup: Australia ride into semis on Tim’s bicycle

BRISBANE: Tim Cahill’s brilliant double strike, including a bicycle-kick for the opener, sank China and took Australi...

Former prosecutor: ‘No good reason for Guantanamo’

Former prosecutor: ‘No good reason for Guantanamo’

CNN's Hala Gorani speaks to former Guantanamo Bay prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis about efforts to shut down the detention camp.

Australian Open: Serena picks up steam after sluggish start

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825928/australian-open-serena-picks-up-steam-after-sluggish-start/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825928-Lede-1421943914-192-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			MELBOURNE: Serena Williams was slow to get going before finding her groove to bulldoze into the Australian Open third round on Thursday, joining rampant fellow world number one Novak Djokovic and comeback queen Victoria Azarenka. With the temperatures again sizzling around 33 Celsius at Melbourne Park, the American 18-time Grand Slam champion took time to adjust to the sauna-like conditions against Russian veteran Vera Zvonareva. She had to save two set points before exploding into action in the second set to easily win 7-5, 6-0 and keep alive her dream of a sixth Australian title. Serena said she only started finding her range when she relaxed. “She [Zvonareva] started out really well, she was really aggressive and I was a little too passive,” said the top seed. “Once I got down I thought, ‘Serena, you’ve done so well here you’ve got nothing to lose, just have fun and enjoy yourself’ — then I started to play a lot better.” While the old guard of Serena and Maria Sharapova are safely into the third round, the new generation of Eugenie Bouchard and Simona Halep have looked more impressive in the early rounds. Sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska is also in ominous form after hiring former great Martina Navratilova as her coach. The Pole, a semi-finalist last year, took just 44 minutes to brush aside Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-0, 6-1 and has only lost four games in two matches. Serena faces a tricky third round match against another of the new young guns in Spanish world number 24 Garbine Muguruza, who beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 0-6, 6-1. Her sister Venus also progressed, as did Czech fourth seed Petra Kvitova. In a blockbuster evening clash, two-time champion Azarenka crushed close friend and eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2 as her comeback from injury gathers steam. Azarenka, ranked just 44 after an injury-marred 2014, again showed why she is the most dangerous unseeded player at this year’s tournament after upsetting Wozniacki. The win keeps her on track to meet Serena in the quarter-finals. Djokovic, Wawrinka, Nishikori also through Djokovic, gunning to be crowned champion a fifth time, was on fire in his showdown against Andrey Kuznetsov, crushing the hapless Russian 6-0, 6-1, 6-4, while defending champion Stan Wawrinka had to work hard to get past Marius Copil. The Romanian took the fourth seed to two tiebreakers before the Swiss star triumphed 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. “The court was quite fast and he was really aggressive on serve and I was happy to get through in three sets,” said Wawrinka. Fifth seed Kei Nishikori was forced to four sets by Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, digging deep to keep his dream of a maiden major title alive with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (7/0) win in front of a noisy pro-Japanese crowd. Others who progressed in Melbourne included Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic, Spain’s ninth seed David Ferrer and 12th seeded compatriot Feliciano Lopez.   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: Serena picks up steam after sluggish start

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams was slow to get going before finding her groove to bulldoze into the Australian Open third...

The ISIS terror threat

The ISIS terror threat

U.S. naval ship grounded off Japanese coast

U.S. naval ship grounded off Japanese coast

Copa del Rey Barcelona take 1-0 lead at Camp Nou

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825886/copa-del-rey-barcelona-take-1-0-lead-at-camp-nou/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825886-messi-1421943242-207-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			MADRID: Lionel Messi struck five minutes from time to hand Barcelona a vital 1-0 lead in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final with Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou. Atletico right-back Juanfran was penalised for kicking Sergio Busquets inside the area late on and Messi was relieved to slot home the rebound after seeing his penalty saved smartly by Jan Oblak. The two sides will meet again at the Vicente Calderon in Madrid on January 28, with a draw enough for the Catalonians to progress, while an away goal would mean that Atletico have to score thrice in normal time if  they are to progress. However, despite the positive result, Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta stressed that the tie is only half finished but was happy that his side did not concede an away goal. “It’s a good result, but we’ve got the return leg to go and that will be another intense 90 minutes,” said Iniesta. “We’ve put in a great shift against a team that’s really difficult to overcome. We’re happy to win 1-0. Keeping a clean sheet is very important, but it doesn’t guarantee anything.” On the other hand, Atletico boss Diego Simeone remains confident that his side’s tremendous home form can see them turn the tie on its head. “We still have a chance against an opponent that played very well. The tie is still very open,” he said.   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.

Copa del Rey Barcelona take 1-0 lead at Camp Nou

MADRID: Lionel Messi struck five minutes from time to hand Barcelona a vital 1-0 lead in the first leg of their Copa ...

Boko Haram claim Nigerian massacre

Boko Haram claim Nigerian massacre

In a newly released video, a man purporting to be the leader of Boko Haram claims responsibility for a massacre in Baga, Nigeria. CNN's ...

Pakistan hockey team jumps back in the top ten

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825850/pakistan-hockey-team-jumps-back-in-the-top-ten/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825850-hockey-1421939138-287-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team grabbed the tenth spot in the recently published International Hockey Federation (FIH) rankings after their surprisingly good performance in the 2014 Champions Trophy. The World Rankings published were till December 2014 and Pakistan jumped to the tenth place with 1422 points to replace Spain (1374). The rankings include points from the Hockey World League Round One, the Champions Trophy and the Champions Challenge tournament. Meanwhile, at the top of the table, Australia (2534), the Netherlands (2422) and Germany (2187) are comfortably placed first, second and third. England (1989) are on the fourth position, while Belgium (1972) hold the fifth spot. Argentina (1828), New Zealand (1814) and Korea (1659) are placed sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, while India are on the ninth spot with 1644 points.   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.

Pakistan hockey team jumps back in the top ten

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team grabbed the tenth spot in the recently published International Hockey Federation (FIH) ...

Rare frilled shark caught

Rare frilled shark caught

It looks like something out of "Alien," but has more in common with "Jurassic Park."

Court says Srinivasan guilty of conflict of interest

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825825/court-says-srinivasan-guilty-of-conflict-of-interest/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825825-Srinivasancopy-1421930499-124-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court ordered Thursday world cricket chief Narayanaswami Srinivasan to give up his stake in the Indian Premier League if he wanted to be re-elected head of the country’s powerful board. The court found Srinivasan guilty of a conflict of interest for having commercial dealings in the sport while head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by owning an Indian Premier League franchise. “Srinivasan or any other administrator can’t contest elections [to the BCCI] [while] they have those interests,” the two-judge bench was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. The court was ruling on the findings of a panel it appointed last year to investigate betting and other scandals in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). Srinivasan, 70, is managing director of India Cements which owns the Chennai Super Kings franchise captained by India skipper Mahendra Dhoni. Srinivasan had asked the court to allow him to be reinstated as BCCI chief after the panel, headed by former judge Mukul Mudgal, cleared him of corruption charges in November. Although the court on Thursday absolved Srinivasan of any specific wrongdoing, it struck down an IPL rule which allowed BCCI members to own a team in the popular Twenty20 tournament. Srinivasan, appointed International Cricket Council chief last year, has not yet commented on whether he will run for the BCCI president’s post at elections in six weeks time for a second term or give up his stake in the Chennai Super Kings. The court had barred Srinivasan from carrying out his duties as BCCI president, a post he held since 2011, until it delivered its final verdict. The court also appointed Thursday a panel headed by a former chief justice of India to recommend changes to BCCI rules to avoid any future conflict of interest by its members. The court agreed with the Mudgal panel that Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan took part in illegal betting while a team official of the Chennai Super Kings, as did Raj Kundra, owner of the Rajasthan Royals. The court, however, recommended no punishment for the two franchises even though IPL rules state that a franchise can be suspended if any official indulged in unlawful activities. The sixth IPL season last year was mired in controversy after police launched legal proceedings against several officials and cricketers, including former Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, for illegal betting and spot-fixing. The IPL, a domestic tournament which began in 2008, features the world’s top players signed up for huge fees by companies and high-profile individuals in a mix of sport and entertainment. International news organisations including Agence France-Presse have suspended on-field coverage of matches hosted by the BCCI since 2012 after the board imposed restrictions on picture agencies. 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.

Court says Srinivasan guilty of conflict of interest

NEW DELHI: India’s Supreme Court ordered Thursday world cricket chief Narayanaswami Srinivasan to give up his stake i...

Sethi declines PSL Bids Committee nomination

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825831/sethi-declines-psl-bids-committee-nomination/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825831-NajamSethiAFP-1421932990-434-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has decided not to accept the board’s nomination of him as Chairman of the Bids Committee for auctioning Pakistan Super League (PSL) rights. “I am grateful to the Board of Governors for trust and confidence in me especially since I have personally worked hard to revive the idea and project of PSL, but I do not wish to get involved in financial matters and contracts”, said Sethi according to PCB press release. Sethi is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the PCB and honorary chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board, which functions as an advisory and non-decision-making body. He is scheduled to take over as President of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in July 2015, in an honorary post.   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.

Sethi declines PSL Bids Committee nomination

KARACHI: Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has decided not to accept the board’s nomination of...

Charlie Hebdo attack: Pakistani pens ‘apology’ for the world on behalf of Muslims

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825794/charlie-hebdo-attack-pakistani-pens-apology-for-the-world-on-behalf-of-muslims/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/825794-image-1421927884-528-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			A young Pakistani has penned a fitting apology for an attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for people world over from Muslims. Enough said, here it is: “After the tragic Charlie Hebdo shootings, there has been a call by some people to make all Muslims all over the world apologise for the incident. I completely agree with the sentiment. It is the only way to root out terrorism for once and for all. Nothing could make all the victims of terrorist attacks all over the world happier than watching every single Muslim in the world say ‘sorry.’ To really drive the point home, we can even send them greeting cards with our heartfelt apologies. I am sure the world would reciprocate in kind. We can start an apology trend. Once every single Muslim in the world apologises for Charlie Hebdo then we can move on to making every single Christian in the world apologise for Hitler. Hitler’s moustache is for the Christians what an unkempt beard is for the Muslims. I have no idea why mass murderers are so keen on making fashion statements too. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/822845/terrorism-will-never-win-luc-besson/" target="_blank">RELATED POST: Terrorism will never win: Luc Besson</a> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> The British can fly all Brits to all their previous colonies and make them all apologise to every single member of those countries. It might be much harder for the Americans to do the same considering the amount of things they have to apologise for. They can make a world tour out of it: Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam, Palestine, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, England. At this stage it is easier to just name the countries America does not need to apologise for. ‘Sorry’ should be the first word we should teach all future Muslim kids. We should roam around wearing shirts which say ‘sorry’, better yet maybe even permanently tattoo ‘sorry’ on our foreheads. I personally feel responsible for every single person of my faith who does anything. While I am at it, I want to say sorry to every person who got his slippers stolen at the masjid (mosque) but if and only if you can confirm that the person who stole your slipper was a Muslim. He must have been shouting ‘Allah o Akbar’ while stealing them for you to be sure. I now fully comprehend why our justice system has such a huge bottleneck of cases. If every single Muslim is responsible for every single thing done by any Muslim, I do not blame the judges for all the delays. The entire Muslim population of the world has to be included as defendants in every case. I hope Pakistan’s military courts are much more effective. I hope they can follow the efficient model of North Korea, who use the ‘three generations of punishment’ rule. It is the only way to ensure the collective responsibility for one’s actions. Clearly if a person commits a crime, then people who brought that person into the world must be guilty too. And any person a criminal brings to the world is obviously a criminal too. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/825787/thousands-protest-against-charlie-hebdo-in-karachi/" target="_blank">RELATED POST: Thousands protest against Charlie Hebdo in Karachi</a> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> Pakistan believes in having family businesses: an engineer’s son is an engineer, a politician’s son is a politician ergo a terrorist’s son must be a terrorist. Why should the unborn not suffer just because they do not exist yet? Every single Muslim that is yet to be born should be brought up being taught to apologise for everything. Why just limit it to Charlie Hebdo? Muslims should apologise for all the ills caused by Muslims to the world. To make life easier for all parents, I am drafting a generic apology that they can make their kids memorise. “My name is (Insert Islamically acceptable name here) and I was born into a Muslim family so that makes me guilty of all the things Muslims have ever done. Before you put me in Guantanamo Bay, I just want to say I am deeply sorry. I would like to apologise for inventing astronomy. The guilt of al Sufi naming all the visible stars in the 10th century and Abu Mahmud Khojandi calculating the tilt of the Earth’s axis in 994 AD is something that I still carry with me. It was because if their crimes against humanity that these terrorists are able to accurately calculate the dates for their attacks. I would like to apologise for Ibn al Haytham’s contribution to optical science. Had he not discovered all human beings actually see, how would these terrorists be able to see who they were killing? Clearly these Muslim terrorist organisations have been active since the 10th century. Had al Haytham not figured out that light travels in straight lines, we would not have the cameras of today that terrorists use to promote their organisations. Al Haytham was basically the first member of ISIS. I would like to apologise for al Jazari’s water-raising machines, his use of cranks to push water up helped agriculture and in turn fed all these terrorists: While I am on the subject, sorry about creating hospitals too. They are just a needless obstacle in the way of killing terrorists. I have no idea what 10th century Muslim civilisations were thinking providing free 24-hour universal health care to people. At least I am happy they were self-conscious of this insanity and also created the first hospitals for the mentally ill in the world. The use of the Al Jazari’s ideas lead to the creation of the bicycle giving the world the horrible form of terrorism called the Tour de France. If watching grown men cycling across a country wearing yellow jerseys is not torture, I do not know what is. I would like to apologise for the invention of windmills, guitars, the hookah and coffee. I would like to apologise for the role of Muhammad Ibn Musa al Khwarizmi in the development of algebra and algorithms. If he was alive, I am sure he would be selected for a random spot check in an airport relying on his work for their daily calculations. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/824706/paris-attacks-show-hypocrisy-of-wests-outrage-chomsky/" target="_blank">RELATED POST: Paris attacks show hypocrisy of West’s outrage: Chomsky</a> <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0-LINE-1420726462.jpg" /> I would like to apologise for al Jahiz’s theory of the ‘struggle for existence’. I am sorry for even mentioning it. I realise it is completely contrary to the Science and Islam binary narrative perpetuated freely by networks such as Fox News. How dare I mention that the theory of natural selection actually has roots in a 9th century book of animals called Kitab al Hayawan. I would like to apologise for the University of Al Karaouine, recognised as the world’s oldest university that granted degrees to individuals, way back in 859. I am sure they were just handing out degrees in terrorism anyway. Sorry about the Caliph Harun al Rashid founding the House of Wisdom in the 9th century. It was his ill intentions that led to the west being exposed to the works of the Greek philosophers. If it wasn’t for him kids in the west would not be terrorised by the works of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle throughout their school lives. I feel their pain. Sorry for all the art also. And the architecture. All the mosques were meant to be terrorist headquarters anyway so I am glad you took all the inspiration from them and took the techniques out of the religious context. I am not even interested in anything that happened before the Renaissance in Europe. If you tell me it happened out of nowhere then I have no need to trace the traditions back anyway. It is not like things happen in a historical context relying on all the traditions gone by. I sound like a crazy person even attempting to compare Andy Warhol’s techniques to the repetition of patterns and pictures prevalent in mosques and Islamic architecture so I am going to shut up about it. We all know Muslims hate art anyway. Trying to read calligraphy is also terrorism, so sorry about that too. Lastly, I would also like to apologise for the Arabs discovering how to distil water and create alcohol out of fermented fruits. All the Muslims should definitely apologise for all the drunk driving accidents caused around the world I could go on but I think you realise how sorry I am about everything. I hope you would be able to accept me as one of your own in a way that would make you feel that you are celebrating diversity but in reality you are promoting uniformity. Thank you for letting me retain my token identity while robbing me of my historical traditions. I hope all the future Muslim generations never get to learn about those traditions so that they find it much easier than me to simply associate all things Islam with merely terrorism. It would make it easier to apologise for them. Apologetically yours, (English name I have taken up to make you like me more.)” The letter first appeared on <a href="http://scroll.in/article/701150/Finally!--A-Muslim-apologises-for-everything" target="_blank">Scroll.</a> This article is satire.

Charlie Hebdo attack: Pakistani pens ‘apology’ for the world on behalf of Muslims

A young Pakistani has penned a fitting apology for an attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for people world ov...