Sunday, November 18, 2012

4Pakistani.com

4Pakistani.com

G-B govt to study up Punjab’s insurance model for its employees

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 01:17 PM PST



ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah has said that like the other four provinces, group insurance for the public servants would be provided in the region.

Shah said this while presiding over a meeting with senior officials of Punjab government and State Life Insurance officials at a local hotel on Saturday.

A detailed and comprehensive presentation was presented by State Life officials to guide the meeting participants about various insurance proposals that they had drawn up for government servants of GB.

Presently, no insurance package has been given to GB and Azad Kashmir government employees.

Former additional chief secretary Punjab, Mian Khuda Baksh gave details about the insurance package being extended to Punjab government servants. He said he will also visit G-B by November 9, where he will hold a meeting with the cabinet members in this regard.

It was decided in the meeting that G-B government will study the Punjab government group insurance model.

Chief Secretary GB Sajjad Saleem Hotiana, former additional chief secretary Mian Khuda Bakhs, Asfar Hayat, Director State Life Insurance, Secretary Environment Saeed Iqbal Wahlah, DG Rescue 1122 Dr Rizwan Naseer, and senior officials were also present on this occasion.

 

Film review: Son Of Sardaar

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 12:16 PM PST



The romantic comedy Son Of Sardaar — presented by joined collaboration of Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Eros International, Ajay Devgn Films, and YRV Infra Media — opened in theaters November 13, 2012. The Ajay Devgn, Sunjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Juhi Chawla starrer, despite its huge budget, managed to earn only two stars from author, journalist and film critic Anupama Chopra.

According to Chopra, the film was "exhausting, painfully loud and way too long, with too few laughs", reports the Hindustan Times.

The Ashwni Dhir direction is an adaptation of Buster Keaton's directed, 1923 delightful comedy, Our Hospitality, about a multi-generational family feud. The plot revolves around the last descendent of one family, who returns to his native village after many years. The rival family wants to kill him but they have a rule about not harming house guests. So as long as he is in their house, he's safe.

Chopra considers the movie one of those high-decibels, low-IQ masala movies that hit the screen every few months. These aren't so much as series of running gags, interspersed with action sequences, instantly forgettable songs and nonsensical dialogues.

Chopra says, "Ajay Devgn as the buffoonish and burly Jassi has some moments of genuine comedy, but Sanjay Dutt, playing the ferocious Billu Paaji, is just large and lumbering. The one bright spot here is Juhi Chawla as Billu Paaji's mooh-boli biwi — she sparkles in every scene she has."

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.          

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Fibbing away: Carpets worth Rs38 million recovered after robbery

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 11:15 AM PST



BAHAWALPUR: 

A truck load of carpets stolen on November 3 was recovered by police on Friday night. Six men have been arrested, including the truck driver, for faking a robbery.

DPO Sohail Habib Tajik told a press conference that truck driver Roshan Zameer reported that a truck carrying carpets worth Rs38 million had been stopped by around 10 men in a wagon.

He said Zameer had told police he had plotted to steal some bails from the truck with help from Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Jameel and Hannan. Zameer had claimed that the plan was to unload the truck at the Mushtarka Mianwali Hotel at Musafirkhana. He said he could not do so due to the crowd. He claimed that they took the truck to Khanqah Sharif and parked it in a bounded empty plot near Al-Samad CNG Station. He had said they had only taken out five of the carpet rolls when 10 people got off a wagon and attacked them. Zameer had claimed he was blindfolded and tied and abandoned in a sugarcane field with three or four people for watching over him.

DPO Tajik said they had suspected the driver was involved in the heist and had kept him under surveillance.

"Yesterday, we received a report that Zameer had been given some carpets… We conducted a raid and arrested him," he said.

He said Zameer then admitted to telling a false story and being part of the gang that stole the carpets. He said the police got the names of other gang members from him.

He said Dhanot police arrested then Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Jameel, Abdul Hannan, Abbas Ali Shah and Muhammad Aslam were looking for Asghar Shah and Muhammad Sadiq. The entire consignment of carpets had been recovered and a 0.222 bore rifle and four 0.30 bore pistols were seized.

Haji Riaz, the carpet trader and a resident of Lahore, said he had announced cash rewards for police for their performance. "This includes Rs150,000 for the Saddar DSP, Rs120,000 for the Musafirkhana SHO, Rs80,000 for SI Rafiq and Rs30,000 for the five constables.

DPO Tajik said police officials had refused to accept the cash awards.

Riaz said he would request the Punjab IG to allow the policemen to accept the awards as a token of his appreciation and to make the presentation in Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.

Women to Pakistan’s rescue

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 10:14 AM PST



Often, it is not realised by those who study Pakistan that the women in the country may be in a position to come to its rescue. Even without any assistance by the state, they will be contributing more than a full percentage point a year to the rate of economic growth in about five years. They have made some extraordinary progress in the last decade. Female literacy has improved, albeit from a low base. Women are doing particularly well in institutions of higher learning. There are now more female than male students in colleges and universities. By 2015, a million well-educated and trained women will be ready to join the workforce. A number of these will get married and start families. But many will also take up jobs in modern sectors of the economy. Even many of those who are not formally in the workforce will be using their time productively, adding to family income by the part-time application of skills they have acquired. Also well-educated mothers are good in bringing up children.

Women now have a significant presence in the national and provincial legislatures. This is one area where General (retd) President Pervez Musharraf should be given full credit. It was as a result of the changes he made in the political order that women were able to increase their number in the legislatures. Women have entered the legislatures not only by being elected to reserved seats but many have won elections from open constituencies. Pakistan is one of the very few countries to have a woman as the speaker of the National Assembly. In a conversation a couple of months ago, with Dr Fehmida Mirza, she proudly pointed out to me her successful initiatives. She has organised a 'women's caucus' in the National Assembly that includes legislators from all political parties. "They have been able to work together, unmindful of the fact that they come from different political organisations", she said. They have introduced a number of bills aimed at improving women's welfare.

Women are also occupying leadership positions in non-governmental organisations, especially those dealing with social issues. Combining this work, with what they have begun to do in politics, has made it possible for women to address some of the problems they face in the country. In addition, women have become entrepreneurs in many businesses.

What is impressive about the remarkable progress made by women is that it has resulted mostly from their own initiatives. Women are doing well in education, in large part because several female entrepreneurs established educational institutions which could be conveniently attended by girls with some comfort. Some of the largest school systems in the country, such as the Beaconhouse Schools, City Schools and Grammar Schools are products of women's entrepreneurship and the business and pedagogical models for these schools were conceived by them. They provided the initial funding and are also being managed by women. Not only have women worked hard to improve the quality of education girls receive. It is women who are now also at the forefront of the fight against extremists who are dead set against female education. A brave teenager, Malala Yousafzai from Swat, has become the symbol of the struggle being waged by women in a country that is increasingly moving towards an extremist interpretation of Islam. The defiant campaign launched by almost cost her her life. Having survived the attack, she will be a beacon of hope for the Pakistani women.

Pakistan, although headed in that direction, is different in many ways from conservative Islamic societies. Saudi Arabia is a country many Pakistani citizens admire and would like to follow, in terms of its professed moral rectitude. However, it remains hostile towards women exercising their rights. It has failed to accommodate the very women in the work place that the state has paid to educate in foreign universities. There are 17,000 Saudi women studying in American colleges and universities. According to a report, "Saud Arabia has sharply reduced female illiteracy, virtually eliminating it among women ages 15 to 24." But educated women, even those with foreign degrees are unemployed. "Unemployment among Saudi women who want to work is 34 per cent — almost five times as great as the seven per cent rate for men."

Pakistani women have better opportunities compared to those in such conservative societies as Saudi Arabia. They are readily able to find jobs. They have also been able to become successful entrepreneurs. Well-educated women don't come up against the brick wall that others face in several Muslim countries of the Middle East. Pakistani women are doing well in the work place and in the business world. They have established both formal as well as informal firms, in sectors such as education, communication, fashion and microfinance.

The contribution that women have already begun to make to the economy, and are likely to make even more significantly, applies mostly to the urban areas. In the above referred conversation with Dr Fehmida Mirza, she emphasised that women remain economically and socially distressed in the poorer districts of the country. She used Badin, her district in southern Sindh, as an example of how much work women do both inside and outside their homes but in spite of that their economic situation remains poor. Women are advancing but still have a long way to go. Once they achieve their full potential, they will be able to lend a helping hand to rescue Pakistan from its current economic travails.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.

Herath spins SL into supremacy on opening day

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 09:13 AM PST



GALLE: 

Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath took five for 65 to help dismiss New Zealand for 221 on the opening day of the first Test yesterday.

The left-armer’s effort was his fourth five-wicket haul in eight matches at the venue and means 40 of his 159 Test wickets have come there. New Zealand struck back late with Tim Southee dismissing Sri Lanka debutant Dimuth Karunaratne leg-before wicket for nought, as the home side reached nine for one at close.

“I like it here in Galle,” said Herath. We’ve done well today. If we can get runs tomorrow we are well ahead in the game."

Herath was the man who dismissed New Zealand’s top-scorers Brendon McCullum (68) and Daniel Flynn (53), and was well supported by seam bowlers Shaminda Eranga (three for 51) and Nuwan Kulasekara (two for 31).

McCullum, who opened the innings, hit eight fours and two sixes in an innings which mixed positivity with watchful defence, while Flynn passed a half-century for the first time in Tests in more than three years, facing 152 balls and hitting seven fours.

“It was not the batting performance we were after as you win the toss in Galle and hope to get more than 400,” said McCullum. “The pitch was good. It turned more than you might expect on day one but you also expect that in the sub-continent. We have to look forward to tomorrow and it is a big first hour for us to try and expose the Sri Lanka middle-order."

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.

No Hollywood, no politics for Shahrukh

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 08:11 AM PST



NEW DEHLI: Many Bollywood actors are making their way into Hollywood as well as politics but superstar Shahrukh Khan says he is happy acting in Indian movies and doesn't consider himself fit to be a part of politics.

"First of all, I have not been offered any Hollywood roles; I know a lot of people working in the production of Hollywood films. There are a lot of studios, so we keep meeting studio heads, but I don't feel like I possess any uniqueness to stand out in Hollywood," Shahrukh told reporters on Friday.

The actor was speaking at the HT Leadership Summit with his Jab Tak Hai Jaan co-star Katrina Kaif.

Shahrukh, who has completed two decades in the Hindi film industry, feels Hollywood has enough actors of his age and that he wants to dedicate his future to Bollywood.

"I don't know kung fu, I'm not the greatest dancer, and I'm not like a cool guy. I think Hollywood has enough actors my age. My desire is to work in Indian films and be a part of Indian cinema in any way that I can. I would dedicate my years to come to Indian cinema," he said.

When asked if he plans to join politics in the near future, Shahrukh said: "For many years, people have asked me this question. I know many politicians and have huge amount of respect for them and we speak often, but politics is not a part of my job description."

"My job is to entertain people and make films. For people that are fed up with the continuous ups and down in the political world, I just want them to relax and be entertained through my films," he added.

However, if he gets the chance to play a politician on-screen, Shahrukh says he would love to play the role of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.          

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Corporal punishment: Seminary teacher booked for beating student

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 07:10 AM PST



HARIPUR: 

A seminary teacher was accused of subjecting a student to corporal punishment for being absent from class on Monday. The victim's mother, Fakharun Nisa of Alooli village, told the police and newsmen that her son Abdul Hameed, 12, a fifth grader, was memorising the Holy Quran from a local seminary at Telian Mohalla for the last one year.

On Saturday, he went to attend a relative's marriage ceremony without taking leave from the teacher. When he returned to class on Monday, Qari Tahir, the seminary teacher , subjected him to severe corporal punishment, she said. He beat him with a stick repeatedly for some time, due to which his body bore torture marks, Nisa added. The boy was taken to Women and Children Hospital Haripur, where his medical examination was carried out and the duty doctor confirmed that the boy was badly bruised and his right arm also developed a hairline fracture.

The police have registered a case and started investigation. The boy, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the teacher reacted to minor mistakes and beat the students daily.

The victim refused to go to the seminary again, adding that he had learnt the first paara by heart and would get admission in some other seminary to complete the rest.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2012.

Firefighters battle factory inferno

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 06:09 AM PST



LAHORE: 

Several houses at Street 136, Shalimar, were evacuated on Saturday night as they were threatened by a blaze at a nearby factory. Firefighters were still trying to put out the fire when this report was filed at around 10:15pm.

Fire Safety Officer Sifwat Sajjad said that the factory was made up of two adjoining houses in a residential area and had caught fire at around 6:45pm due to a short circuit. He said that the first floor of the building had collapsed due to the high intensity of the blaze.

Sajjad said that the factory was closed at the time, so fire fighters were hoping there would be no casualties. "We don't know if any one was trapped inside," he said.

He said that nearby properties had been vacated as a precautionary measure. He said that the factory was located in a dense residential area and could not be approached by fire truck as the streets were too narrow.

He said that he could not say how long the fire would continue. He said that the factory produced bags, but could not say what kind. He said that nearby residents were also hindering the fire fight.

A large number of locals held a protest against the city administration for failing to stop the setting up of factories in residential areas. They accosted District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal and MPA Waseem Qadir when he arrived at the scene, leading to an ugly exchange. They also hindered journalists and cameramen trying to cover the fire.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2012.

Bilawal Bhutto to step into electoral politics from Larkana on Dec 27

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 05:07 AM PST



KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will begin his electoral politics career and public relations campaign from Larkana on the date of his mother Benazir Bhutto's death anniversary – December 27, this year.

Starting January 2013, Bilawal will tour several districts across the country along with party's central leadership and will hold meetings with party leaders and members.

His tour will begin from the Lyari area of Karachi, said PPP sources who added that President Asif Ali Zardari has been holding meetings with party's senior leadership regarding country's political situation and other party affairs.

The president also held extensive talks during his Multan visit, after which he directed Bilawal to take responsibility of party's crucial matters.

A committee, consisting of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Jahangir Badar, Amin Fahim, Khurshid Shah, Naveed Qamar, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Manzoor Watto, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Faryal Talpur and eight other senior party members, has been constituted to assist Bilawal.

The committee, along with the party chairman, will decide on the strategy to be adopted during the upcoming elections.

All party leaders have been directed to initiate public relations campaign immediately and all federal and provincial ministers, MNAs, MPAs and senators have been directed to ensure their presence at least two days in offices in all cities, districts, tehsils, towns and wards. They were directed to contact the people and try to solve their problems.

According to sources, the PPP government will also issue a report on the party's performance during the past five years in power. The central party leadership has issued directives to the information department in this regard.

The original story was published in Roznama Express on November 18, 2012.

Cheaper alternates: In G-B, landa bazaars thrive as winter approaches

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 04:06 AM PST



GILGIT: 

As winter approaches, markets in Gilgit selling used winter clothes and bedding are beginning to thrive.

The markets, commonly known as landa bazaars, are spread across the valley and sell all sorts of home and daily use items. But with the onset of winter, these markets are sprouting at every nook and cranny, providing a range of items at affordable rates.

The bazaars have been set in nearly all major markets, including Jamat Khana Bazaar, Kashmiri Bazaar, Gari Bagh, NLI market and on Airport Road, Shaheed Millat Road and Hospital Colony. Markets in remote areas have also started selling items from these bazaars, but at slightly higher rates in order to absorb the transportation costs.

"Landa bazaars are a blessing for us," said Tajdar Hussain, who works for a courier company in Gilgit. "All the clothes, shoes and quilts that we so desperately require for the winters are available here at cheap rates," he explained.

A retired government official who purchased a second-hand blanket from the market said, "At times I wonder what we would do if we didn't have these bazaars."

Nestled along the feet of the Himalayas, Gilgit receives much of the cold southerly winds from the snow-capped mountains, at times plummeting temperature in the valley 10 degrees below freezing point. And given that nearly 85 per cent of the population of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) lives below the poverty line, buying used winter clothes and bedding seems a better option for the price-conscious buyers.

Tufail Ahmed, a vendor at a landa Bazaar in Gilgit city, said that from the beginning of November scores of people from all walks of life have started coming to the market to buy quilts, blankets, jackets, sweaters and warm socks and shoes.

"This isn't unusual, as the markets thrive during the winters, which usually last from November to April," he said.

Almost all of the items available at these markets are transported from Peshawar and Karachi, he added.

But with so many people opting to buy used clothes and bedding for winter, shops selling new ones witness a slump in their business. Locals say they only buy new items for winter when they are not available at landa bazaars.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2012.
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