American Official Involved in Pakistan Shooting Identified Posted by naila , Friday, January 28, 2011 at 2:47 PM, in Labels: Pakistan

Though the U.S. State Department and Pakistani officials are at odds over the identity of a U.S. consular employee accused of killing two Pakistani men, private security officer Raymond Davis was involved in the incident, sources told ABC News today.Davis, a "technical adviser" to the U.S. government whose record shows experience in the U.S. Special Forces, is accused of shooting two men who were apparently attempting to rob him Thursday in Lahore. A third Pakistani man was killed when a vehicle struck him while reportedly racing to the American's aid.

Pakistani officials named Davis as the accused American to ABC News, in reports and in court documents Thursday, but State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the name had been misreported.

A source close to Davis told ABC News today he was involved in the incident.

Court documents filed in Lahore list Davis as charged with murder. A trial will determine whether the killing was intentional, accidental or in self-defense.

After denying the man's name is Raymond Davis, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley would not say who accused government employee is, in what capacity he worked for the embassy or why he was apparently carrying a firearm.

"I can confirm that an employee at the U.S. consulate in Lahore was involved in an incident today," Crowley said Thursday. "It is under investigation. We have not released the identity of our employee at this point."

Davis runs Hyperion Protective Consultants, LLC, a company that provides "loss and risk management professionals."

Since it is not known in what capacity Davis was working for the government, it is not clear whether he is entitled to diplomatic immunity.

The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this report.

Salman to host Bigg Boss 5 Posted by naila , Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:26 PM, in Labels: Entertainment

Mumbai: Breaking its tradition of not repeating a host in their show, the organisers of controversial reality show have roped in the Bollywood brat Salman Khan yet again for their upcoming season of ‘Bigg Boss.’
Salman Khan drew enough mileage in terms of TRP generation by hosting the last season of ‘Bigg Boss’, thereby helping it become one of India’s most popular reality shows.

Celebrity astrologer, Bejan Daruwala predicted on the grand finale of ‘Bigg Boss 4’ of what now is but official. Daruwala’s exact words were, “Mujhe lagta hai ki yeh baba phir se ayega,” repeating it twice. And sure enough, Daruwala`s prophecy has turned out to be true.

A source close to Salman Khan told, "He is extremely happy with the way the show turned up and the response he received. This was his second time as a television host after ‘10 Ka Dum’, He is now looking forward to another stint with ‘Bigg Boss 5’."

The broadcasters of ‘Bigg Boss’ are very happy with the way Sallu connects with the viewers.

Meanwhile, a source close to the channel said, "Actually, it was a two-year-long contract but it was a well concealed secret."

Well, not any more. 

Nabeel Gabol quits Cabinet Posted by naila , at 2:19 PM, in Labels: Pakistan

In an apparent failure to takeover the control of the ministry of ports & shipping in wake of the resignation tendered by MQM Minister Babar Khan Ghauri, the PPP's Karachi-based leader and minister of state for ports and shipping Nabeel Gabol on Wednesday tendered his resignation to the Prime Minister.

Since Ghauri had tendered resignation as per the policy of his party some three weeks back, Gabol wanted to takeover the affairs of the ministry of ports and shipping being the minister of state, a source confided to APP.

"But Gabol was stunned to note that there was no change in the ministry's affairs. So he was denied his right to exercise the powers of the minister. In protest to the resistance, Gabol decided to step down as he did not want to remain a ceremonial minister," added the source.

In his two-line letter sent to the prime minister, Gabol said he was stepping down as minister of state "due to personal reasons". "He also thanked the prime minister for extending him support and said it was a wonderful experience of working under the prime minister," another source informed APP.

However, Gabol told the media that he was unable to resolve the issues of the people of his constituency. Gabol, clarified that he had no political differences with his party - the Pakistan Peoples Party.

He went on to say that he would not keep the ministerial slot even if the prime minister does not accept his resignation

Farah, Shah Rukh patch up Posted by naila , Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 11:41 AM, in Labels: Entertainment

Shah Rukh Khan is happy that Karan Johar's "Koffee With Karan" episode of SRK's confessions and emotional outburst has brought friend Farah Khan back to him. Both had an emotional reunion at the Apsara Awards recently. Incidentally, Farah's and Shah Rukh's vanity vans were almost next to each other and Farah had to pass by SRK's van, that's when SRK's spot boy saw her and asked her to come in and meet Shah Rukh. A source informed that Farah went in and both hugged each other and chatted casually about their children. Farah is even said to have shown SRK pictures of her triplets - Anya, Czar and Diva. Since Priyanka Chopra was also in van, the two promised to catch up later. So get ready to be entertained with the two back together!
At the same time, SRK is upset with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan declining to dance with him to 'Kajra Re'. Ash says this is a family item song now. That is her reason for turning down Shah Rukh Khan's request. Shah Rukh had planned a gig around Bollywood heroines over the years and he wanted it to conclude with a dance with her to 'Kajra Re'. But she refused arguing that 'Kajre Re' was a family song and that she performed the number in 'Bunty aur Babli' only with her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and husband Abhishek and that she will not dance to that song with anyone else!

Taseer's assassin guarded Zardari too: Report Posted by naila , at 11:37 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

Islamabad:  The police guard who gunned down Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was assigned to protect key personalities, including Pakistan's President, Prime Minister and foreign delegations and has heightened security fears among the country's elite.

Self-confessed killer, Mumtaz Qadri, was detailed on protection duties on as many as 509 occasions in the past three years, including for US delegations who are prime targets, according to a media report today.

The reports attributed to police investigations have also cast suspicions that other elite bodyguards may have been radicalised.

The media reports said this could be alarming as the police force is part of the frontline in the war against terror groups, specially Taliban and al-Qaeda. The report highlights the dangers of radicals infiltrating into the security agencies of unstable and nuclear-armed Pakistan.

• has long worried about the loyalty of Pakistan's security forces, especially the powerful army, given the publicly known links with terror groups fighting in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

Qadri, who surrendered after gunning down Taseer in a market in Islamabad on January 4, has told police he was angered by the Governor's criticism of the blasphemy law.

Investigators are trying to determine whether Qadri had acted alone or was part of a conspiracy.

Qadri was assigned to protect VIPs and VVIPs on 509 occasions despite being declared a "security risk" in 2004 due to his extremist leanings, The News daily quoted a report compiled by intelligence agencies as saying.

The policeman was also part of a team that was used by Military Intelligence and Inter-Services Intelligence to conduct raids against terrorist groups in 2008.

Among the prominent personalities he was assigned to protect were President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He was also part of the security detail for a foreign delegation on two occasions last year.

Qadri had also been part of the security detail for several politicians, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of Opposition in parliameNT.

Gilani forms 5-member committee to work with PML-N Posted by naila , at 11:33 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday formed a five-member committee to liaison with political leaders and to bring them together for proposing solutions to national issues.

The committee comprises of Law Minister Babar Awan, Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Water and Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar and Senator Raza Rabbani.

The committee is expected to work with a similar committee formed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for resolving national issues.

Prime Minister Gilani called PML-N’s senior leader Ishaq Dar to give assurance that the government’s five-member committee would soon meet the PML-N body and begin functioning.

The PML-N committee comprises of Senator Ishaq Dar, Sardar Mehtab, Pervez Rashid and Abdul Qadir Baloch.

The formation of the committee comes after Gilani accepted the PML-N’s ten point national agenda earlier this month. The PML-N had demanded that the federal government implement a ten-point charter by February. The government now has 42 days to implement the charter.

Deferred ruling offers hope to suspended cricketers Posted by naila , at 10:30 AM, in Labels: Sports »

An ICC tribunal's decision to defer the spot-fixing verdict until next month will give renewed hope to suspended Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir, his lawyer said Thursday.
Shahid Karim, who represented Amir at the International Cricket Concil's anti-corruption tribunal in Doha, was confident the player will be exonerated when its decision is announced on Feb. 5.
"The last day of the [six-day] hearing was very positive," Karim said.
The three-man tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff, deferred its verdict as it wanted to deliberate after 45 hours of exhaustive hearings.
"It could be a silver lining for us," said Karim, who had also requested a delay of the ruling on Tuesday.
Three Pakistan players — Amir, Mohammad Asif and former captain Salman Butt — were suspended last September after a British tabloid alleged they accepted payments for bowling prearranged no-balls in a test against England.
The latest spot-fixing case against the Pakistan trio has been described as the biggest in cricket over the last decade, an the player could be banned for life if found guilty.
Karim said the tribunal had exonerated Amir from the spot-fixing charges in the Oval test against England, with only the spot-fixing charge from the Lord's test remaining.
If the players are found guilty, they could challenge the ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but Karim was not looking that far ahead.
"I haven't yet thought about that, I hope he [Amir] will be exonerated next month when the verdict will be announced," he said.

Read more: 

6 suspects arrested during search operation in Karachi Posted by naila , at 10:26 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

KARACHI: Police and Rangers have arrested six suspects and recovered arms from their custody during a search operation conducted in Pehlwan Goth, Gulistan-e-Jauhar on Thursday.

Police and Rangers conducted search operation against terrorists and criminal elements this afternoon in the area.



Police sources told media that three persons were killed in last two days in the area in clash between two groups. The forces conducted the operation after those killings. 

Despite Pubic Pledges Of Cooperation, Key Differences Remain Between US, Pakistan Posted by naila , at 10:24 AM, in Labels: TOP STORIES

U.S. and Pakistani leaders publically praised each other and renewed pledges of cooperation during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visit to Islamabad on January 12. 

But despite the displays of good faith, long-time observers of U.S.-Pakistani relations say that the two sides have a long way to go to overcome their significant differences.

Biden traveled to Pakistan with the goals of securing Pakistani public support for U.S. diplomatic and military efforts in the region, and to urge the country's leaders to stay the course in the fight against religious extremism.

But his talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, and General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani revealed little in the way of real progress in the fight against extremists, how a negotiated settlement might be reached in Afghanistan, or how to jump-start stalled dialogue between Washington and Islamabad.

Speaking to journalists after their official meeting, Gilani and Biden labeled extremists as their common enemies. Biden attempted to dispel widely-held perceptions in conservative Pakistani media that Washington has imposed a war on Islamabad in pursuit of its strategic goals. He said that the U.S. was indeed helping Pakistan in restoring its control over the regions now controlled by extremist groups including Al-Qaeda and its Pakistani Taliban allies. 

"The United States and Pakistan have forged an enduring partnership, as you referenced, Mr. Prime Minister, against extreme ideologies, a partnership based, as you pointed out, on our common interest and our mutual respect for one another," Biden said.

Biden arrived in Islamabad following a two-day stay in Kabul, where he urged Pakistan to step up its help in combating the Taliban and allied extremists to facilitate the planned U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan, which will begin in July. 

$3 Billion In Military Aid

Pakistan is a key global recipient of U.S. assistance. It is expected to receive up to $3 billion in military aid this year. In the past, as chairman of the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, Biden backed the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation under which Islamabad receives $7.5 billion in civilian aid over five years. 

Biden reiterated during his trip that a close partnership with "Pakistan and its people are in the vital self-interest of the United States of America." Washington has given Islamabad nearly $20 billion, mostly in military assistance, since the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York and Washington.

Islamabad's pressing worry now is to preserve its interests and future influence in Kabul after the U.S. withdrawal begins, and Gilani's diplomatic comments put the country's willingness to cooperate on display.

"Our discussion today on combating terror, issues of regional stability, and promoting reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan were extremely useful. Mr. vice president, I assure you that we intend to work on practical solutions and answers to many difficult issues," Gilani said.

But observers suggest that while Pakistani leaders' public stance is to see an orderly transition in Afghanistan unlike the chaos in early 1990s, they also seek to minimize influence by their arch-enemy India and to see a friendly government in Kabul. 

Biden's meeting, held away from the media's glare, with the head of Pakistan's powerful military had the potential to reveal more about the true state of cooperation.

A brief statement from the military's Inter-Services Publish Relations Office offered little, saying only that the two discussed "matters of mutual interest." Pakistani media, however, was full of contradictory speculation about the discussions. 

The U.S. is urging Pakistan to do more to clamp down on extremists

The English-language daily "Dawn" reported that Biden warned Pakistani leaders that Washington's patience was running thin over Islamabad's indecisiveness in acting on U.S. requests that it take on militants ensconced in North Waziristan. But quoting unnamed official sources, the daily "Express Tribune" characterized the Biden-Kayani meeting as "very positive and constructive." It reported that Washington toned down its demands on the North Waziristan offensive as both moved to a closer understanding on Afghanistan's future.

Marvin Weinbaum, a former U.S. State Department analyst for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said ahead of Biden's visit that Washington is aware that Islamabad is not going to mount a major military offensive in North Waziristan. 

Weinbaum suggests that Washington would be happy with continued Pakistani cooperation in its strategy of using unmanned drones to target extremist bases in North Waziristan. Pakistani officials publically condemn such attacks, although there has been evidence to suggest -- including in diplomatic cables released recently by WikiLeaks -- that they privately support such attacks.

Getting Rid Of Extremists

Weinbaum, currently scholar-in-residence at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based think tank, says Biden visit to Kabul and Islamabad was also aimed at shoring up the efforts toward a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan by reconciling with Taliban leaders.

"There has been a lot of talk here about a regional approach. You have to see this in the sense that all of this talk is not because necessarily there is any progress that is being made. But many people in the area, many actors in the area, want to be part of any process that takes place. They are afraid of the process of which they are going to be left out of," Weinbaum said.

Marvin says that keeping its relations with Islamabad on an even keel is in the best interests of Washington, which means it is likely to continue to provide Pakistan with much-needed aid.

The view from Islamabad is different. Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to London and Washington, noted ahead of Biden's visit that it was taking place against the backdrop of growing political and economic instability in Pakistan. She says it was intended to show that continued good relations with Islamabad are of high importance despite Washington's burgeoning relationship with New Delhi. 

Lodhi predicted that Biden would urge Pakistani leaders to help in creating conditions which would help the beginning of planned U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. But she also noted that the strategic dialogue Islamabad and Washington began last year is in a stalemate, and said that relations are not helped by a very skeptical public mood in Pakistan.

Lodhi says that Islamabad would not be able to help in a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan until that turns into a key policy goal in Washington. 

"I don't think we are going to be looking at conversations prior to the U.S. making up its mind that this is the road it wants to take. For now the road the U.S. is taking is just a lot of kinetic activity in Afghanistan and the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan," Lodhi said.

Away from Biden's visit, the United States made clear on January 12 the importance it places on helping Pakistan eradicate extremist networks on its soil. 

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Admiral Mike Mullen, the commander of all U.S. forces, told foreign journalists in Washington. "It [Pakistan] is the epicenter of terrorism in the world right now, and it deserves the attention of everybody to do as much as we can to eliminate that threat."

The Verizon iPhone Is Too Late Posted by naila , at 10:20 AM, in Labels: business

Apple's phone would have snuffed out the Android a year ago, but now Google's device has become an unstoppable juggernaut....link

Pakistan recalls Akmal for New Zealand ODI series Posted by naila , at 10:17 AM, in Labels: Sports »

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, left, was recalled Wednesday by Pakistan for six upcoming ODIs against New Zealand.(Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was recalled by Pakistan for the six one-day internationals against New Zealand but experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf was overlooked on Wednesday.

Akmal was one of three cricketers, reportedly asked by the Pakistan Cricket Board, to submit details of bank accounts and assets from the last three years with the integrity committee, to remove themselves from any suspicion of spot-fixing.

Akmal was then included in the preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup, but former captain Shoaib Malik and legspinner Danish Kaneria missed out.

All three haven't played for Pakistan since the midyear tour of England.

Yousuf, included in the preliminary World Cup squad last week, was left out.

The PCB retained Shahid Afridi as the ODI captain in the 16-man squad while Misbah-ul-Haq will be vice-captain.

Misbah, leading Pakistan in the test series against New Zealand, featured in just two ODIs in 2010.

He was dropped from the ODI team after the Champions Trophy in 2009 but competed in two one-dayers against South Africa in October.

After scoring 14 and 17 in Abu Dhabi, he was again dropped.

Experienced fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul will be supplemented by three other pacemen Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir and Tanvir Ahmed.

Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad, 19, who played the last of his four ODIs against Australia in 2009, has also been recalled by the selectors with next month's World Cup in mind.

The six-match ODI series begins at Wellington on Jan. 22.

Pakistan:

• Shahid Afridi (captain)
• Mohammad Hafeez
• Ahmed Shehzad
• Kamran Akmal
• Younis Khan
• Misbah-ul-Haq
• Asad Shafiq
• Umar Akmal
• Abdul Razzaq
• Abdur Rehman
• Saeed Ajmal
• Shoaib Akhtar
• Umar Gul
• Wahab Riaz
• Sohail Tanvir
• Tanvir Ahmed

Obama to meet Pakistan president on Friday Posted by naila , at 10:10 AM, in Labels: WORLD

President Obama will hold a closed-door meeting Friday with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs announced today.

The Oval Office meeting takes place just two days after Vice President Joe Biden met with Zardari and other Pakistani officials, seeking a crackdown on Afghanistan insurgents who base operations in neighboring Pakistan.

In exchange, the U.S. is offering increased aid to Pakistan.

Zardari will be in Washington for a memorial service honoring Afghanistan/Pakistan envoy Richard Holbrooke. Neither president is expected to meet with reporters after their meeting.

During his trip to Pakistan, Biden told Pakistani President Yousuf Raza Gilani that the U.S. is not engaged in a "war on Pakistan," but is instead fighting violent extremists who "have found refuge in some of the most remote parts of your country."

It is the extremists who "violate Pakistan's sovereignty and corrupt its good name," Biden said.

Tunisia Rioters Overwhelm Police Near Capital Posted by naila , at 10:09 AM, in Labels: WORLD

Hedi Ben Salem/AP People walked past a burned building after riots in the Ettadhamoun district of Tunis on Thursday. By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and J. DAVID GOODMAN HAMMEMET, Tunisia - Protesters swarmed this beachfront tourist destination near the newly ...link

The Concept of Engro Excellence Award is better than Nobel Prize Posted by naila , Friday, January 7, 2011 at 6:51 AM, in Labels: Entertainment

Instep Today: How are you dealing with the situation in the country and how does it affect your business?

Frieha Altaf: We make it a priority not to disclose when or where an event will be held. We have events by invitation only and tickets are not sold to the public. We keep a low profile and secure venues, fashion weeks are held in hotels and they are usually secure. We have to protect the people who are working and the individuals that are invited, it’s important to have a secure location. A controlled guest list is important so you know who is coming.

Instep Today: Will the Lux Style Awards be bigger this year and what do you say to its detractors?

FA: LSAs had to move back a bit with security issues in 2009 and a smaller event in 2010 but this year will be better. One has to make adjustments; when you have water problems you have to get a tanker and so on. You have to survive and find an alternative by making events smaller. The city has to keep going and keep generating work for big brands. Move to the studios for televised events, it might not have the energy of a large outdoor event but you go with the times that are dictating your next move.

There are always critics, they don’t realize how damaging what they say can be. People have a lot of time on their hands and they talk too much and gossip too much. The adversity and times were facing everyday is very discouraging. One has to deal with the limitations where a vendor is not savvy; working with opposition to make anything happen is credible.

Instep Today: You’ve been working on the LSAs for so many years how has putting together the Engro Excellence Awards been different?

FA: The genre is different. LSA is all about stars and glamour. It concerns drama, fashion, music, films, and entertainment. The look of the show is different and there are 27 awards. At the Engro Excellence Awards, there are three awards and they have monetary benefits. However, it’s all hard work. We are still in the process of finalizing the Engro Excellence Awards Ceremony. As per the brief from the client, we have to ensure transparency; we’ve researched extensively and are preparing an “Awards Management Structure”.

 Instep Today:  What constitutes the make-up of a ceremony such as this?

FA: Work on this project started early this year. Research started on it in April. As per the brief, we wanted an award that was equivalent to the Nobel Prize and that’s what we’ve worked towards, to create a new event that upholds the bar for excellence.

Instep Today: Will the Engro Excellence Awards be televised?

FA: Yes, they will be though they will not be live but recorded and aired at a later date. Every awards show is different and has its own unique selling point. At Engro one will see more documented montages, literature, but it will be more theatrical and have music but no fashion. Fashion is something that people readily associate me with but we will not be avoiding it. This is the first Engro Excellence Awards and they have asked me to tell them what to do; it will be an awards show that will have its own unique standing.

Instep Today: Tell us a bit about what you plan to do for the Engro Excellence Awards? And what it means to you to be a part of it.

FA: I am privileged to be a part of the Engro Excellence Awards. It’s a different field. I am getting an opportunity to be part of an award honouring the pride of Pakistan in the fields of humanities and social science, physics and applied sciences, and literature. We hope to make it an annual feature. I don’t want to give away too much except that there are going to be memorable performances. The award ceremony is going to be a night to remember!

Instep Today: In your opinion, do you see award shows becoming a trend in Pakistan?

FA: No, we have had many awards. Some gain respect and credibility while others fizzle out. Some are monetary. However, the credible ones remain. After all, there is one Oscar, one Grammys, one Tony, one Nobel Prize and one Pulitzer, to name a few. However, considering the ambitions for the Engro Excellence Awards, we’re confident that these awards are going to be around for the long run.

Instep Today: The Pakistan Fashion Design Council shows in both Karachi and Lahore, is this a sign of friendship with the Karachi Pakistan Week council?

FA: PFDC had decided to go be in both Karachi and Lahore prior to the start of any fashion weeks. Fashion weeks can be in any city but the market is still Pakistan and all of its cities must be highlighted.

Instep Today: What do you feel about the upcoming Islamabad and Peshawar fashion weeks?

FA: In Islamabad it’s very important to have a fashion week since they suffer without entertainment. Islamabad has Mélange and they will get more exposure through fashion week. You have to have cities develop their own fashion weeks and film festivals.

Mayank Shekhar's Review: No One Killed Jessica Posted by naila , at 6:49 AM, in Labels: Entertainment

Rajkumar Gupta’s NOKJ is based on the Jessica Lall case and Alankrita Shrivastava’s Turning 30 is about an independent female protagonist, Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf is an adaptation of Ruskin Bond’s Susanna’s Seven Husbands, in which the lead actress kills her seven husbands, one by one. Given the nature of the subjects, there are a number of scenes and a lot of dialogue, which would have to be edited to get a ‘U/A’ or ‘U’ (Universal) rating. But the filmmakers chose to go with the ‘A’ rating.

Conceding that he expected an A rating, Gupta says, “I think the committee found my film to be too powerful and didn’t want to cut anything from it, lest it affect the overall impact.” Although he’s unwilling to divulge the scenes which got an ‘A’ rating for his realistic film, he “lauds” the board for their “changing perceptions.” He says, “If this is because of the change in the mindset, then I’m happy about it.”

Shrivastava attributes it to the new regional officer, Pankaja Thakur.  Initially, the director had major issues with the Board for not clearing the film’s promos that showed Gul Panag’s character saying that she can’t marry a man just because she’s slept with him. “After I had a discussion with Pankaja, things got sorted out. I didn’t get any reply when I asked them how can the word ‘sexy’ be deleted from my promos when it is cleared in the song Sheila Ki Jawani. There was no consistency,” she recalls.

While she enjoys item songs, Shrivastava asserts that she couldn’t understand the double standards of the board. She feels the Board needs to do some serious rethinking, she praises the committee for finally clearing her film without any cuts. According to her, they are vulnerable to verbal attacks by filmmakers: “I hope this not a flash in the pan and the change is for the better.”

However, Thakur maintains that there is no change in the guidelines. “We recommend cuts only when the filmmakers want a ‘U/A’ or ‘U’ rating. We aim to not compromise the director’s creativity,” she says, adding, “Sometimes we go the extra mile to be able to do something for a film. Filmmakers were not so forthcoming about talking well about the Censor Board earlier.”

New Zealand pair hold up Pakistan Posted by naila , at 6:46 AM, in Labels: Sports »

New Zealand and Pakistan will begin a two-Test series on Friday, which has been sandwiched between and almost eclipsed in importance by three Twenty20 and six one-day internationals.

The Twenty20 series, won 2-1 by New Zealand, satisfied the appetite of fans for the shortest form of the game and the extended one-day series will cap the teams’ preparation for the World Cup which starts on the sub-continent in February.

Crammed between the limited-overs contests the Test series, shortened from three to two matches, seems an afterthought, though both teams have important points to make after the troubles of the recent past.

New Zealand most recently drew two Tests with No. 1-ranked India before being heavily beaten in the third Test of a three-match series. It takes a sense of confidence into its home series on the basis of those matches, in which it showed an ability, particularly through ex-wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, to make large scores in favourable conditions.

Captain Daniel Vettori said his players’ ability to build long innings would not be compromised by their recent diet of Twenty20 matches.

“I think the nature of cricket these days is that you change from format to format, and good players make sure they can switch and that’s what we have to do,” he said.

“We competed in India because we scored big first innings runs and were able to stay in the game, so that’s our first goal and bring as much penetration as we can with the ball.”

McCullum’s double century in the second Test against India was the New Zealand highlight of that series and a vindication of his decision to put down the wicket keeping gloves -- Reece Young will make his Test debut behind the stumps -- and to play as a specialist batsman.

McCullum said there was pressure on all New Zealand batsmen, especially its traditionally vulnerable top order, to perform.

“Individually each batsman has got to be accountable for their own game and make sure their performances stack up. That’s where my focus is,” he said. “I know what my job is at the top of the order. It’s to score runs, bat time, and make it easier for the stroke makers we’ve got to follow.

“We’ve got some quite brilliant stroke makers in our line-up. Given the right conditions to express their talent they’re as good as anyone in the world.”

New Zealand will attempt to overturn the perception that it is in a slump in all forms of the game after its losing streak of 11 matches in one-day internationals. It has also dropped to eighth place on world Test rankings, two places below Pakistan, and both teams see the series as a chance to prove they merit higher ranking.

Pakistan recently drew a two-Test series 0-0 with No. 2 South Africa and is battling problems of perception and reputation which are much larger than New Zealand’s.

The match fixing scandal which engulfed the team in England last year, resulting in the suspension and investigation of captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, has dogged it even to New Zealand.

The loss of those front-line players and of wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and batsman Mohammad Yousuf appears to have weakened the team which will be led by Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s fourth captain in the past year.

The team was further hit this week by the loss of spinner Saeed Ajmal who returned to Pakistan after the death of his father. That leaves Umar Gul and left-armers Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir to lead the bowling attack while Abdur Rehman is the tourists’ only spin option.

Line-ups:

New Zealand (from): Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Brent Arnel, Chris Martin, James Franklin, Daryl Tuffey.

Pakistan (from): Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz.

Aizaz puts PIA within sight of final Posted by naila , at 6:38 AM, in Labels: Sports »

KARACHI: The Division Two final of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy National Cricket Championship between Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) and State Bank has been extended for a day at least after foggy conditions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium yet again curtailed play on Tuesday.

The five-day final, which originally set to end on Tuesday, will continue on Wednesday until either team takes first innings lead to be declared the champions.

KRL, who were 12-1 at stumps on Sunday in reply to State Bank`s first-innings total of 303, managed to reach 74-2 on a day when just 17.1 overs were possible. The only casualty being Zulfiqar Jan who was bowled by paceman Mohammad Rameez for 30, the nightwatchman`s 49-ball knock featuring seven boundaries.

Former Pakistan batsmen, Ali Naqvi and KRL skipper Mohammad Wasim who both ironically scored century on their respective Test debuts in the 1990s, were at the crease.

The winning side will earn the right to play in Division One segment of the prestigious first-class competition next season. Abbottabad who finished third on the points` table have already qualified as the best finishers among the regional outfits.

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), who finished last among department teams in Division One, and bottom-placed Multan region will move down to Division Two tournament next season.

Scoreboard

STATE BANK
(1st Innings) 303 (Naved Yasin 77, Shoaib Khan 76, Jalat Khan 45, Afsar Nawaz 31; Yasir Arafat 9-108).
KRL
(1st Innings, overnight 12-1 from Sunday):
Saeed Anwar Jr b Naved 7
Ali Naqvi not out 24
Zulfiqar Jan b Rameez 30
Mohammad Wasim not out 8
EXTRAS
(NB-5) 5
TOTAL
(for two wkts, 19.2 overs) 74
FALL OF WKTS:
1-8, 2-62.
TO BAT:
Bilal Asad, Mohammad Idrees, Ali Khan, Yasir Arafat, Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Rameez 10-3-35-1 (2nb); Mohammad Naved 4.2-0-27-1; Rizwan Haider 5-1-12-0.

Pentagon faces big cuts in budget Posted by naila , at 6:31 AM, in Labels: WORLD

WASHINGTON: The US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, plans to cut $US78 billion from the Pentagon's budget over the next five years, despite ordering the despatch of 1400 more marines to Afghanistan...link

Factbox: Obama staff shakeup in full swing Posted by naila , at 6:29 AM, in Labels: WORLD

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US President Barack Obama's appointment of Treasury aide Gene Sperling as his new top economic adviser is the latest in a flurry of changes marking his biggest staff shake-up since taking office two years ago.

Obama to name Sperling head of National Economic Council

Taliban bomb expert captured by NATO Posted by naila , at 6:26 AM, in Labels: WORLD

Afghan and NATO coalition forces have captured a Taliban leader, reported to be an expert in using improvised explosive devices, in southern Afghanistan, a NATO statement said Friday...link

ANP offers full support to govt Posted by naila , at 6:23 AM, in Labels: TOP STORIES

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday said that Awami National Party (ANP) will extend full-fledged support to the beleaguered government.

Talking to the media outside the assembly building here, he said his party did not suggest to the government to dissolve the federal cabinet.

It was ANP's leadership which played a positive role for reconciliation of the political scene,

Pakistani party to rejoin coalition Posted by naila , at 6:18 AM, in Labels: TOP STORIES

Jan 7 (Reuters) - Pakistan's MQM party said on Friday it will rejoin the ruling coalition, restoring its parliamentary majority, after the government put off reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the second largest party in the coalition, defected to the opposition on January 2, depriving the government, a strategic U.S. ally, of its majority and sparking a political crisis.

"MQM in a gesture of goodwill, for the promotion of democracy and in the face of critical condition of the country, will again sit on the treasury benches," Raza Haroon, a top party leader, told reporters as he stood with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

But Haroon said the MQM would not immediately rejoin the federal cabinet, indicating the party was holding out for more concessions.

The MQM, which dominates the country's financial capital Karachi, cited a new year fuel price increase as the main reason for its defection.

Thursday, the government cancelled the fuel price rise, prompting sharp criticism from both the IMF and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In another blow to a reform program agreed in exchange for an $11 billion IMF loan, Gilani said Friday a reformed general sales tax would be put off until a political consensus could be reached.

"We have deferred ... We will not go forward until consensus is evolved," he said.

The MQM had strongly opposed the tax, calling it regressive.

Assassin says killed Salman Taseer over blasphemy law statement Posted by naila , Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 2:35 AM, in Labels: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was allegedly assassinated by a gunman of Punjab Elite Force Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters here on Tuesday.

The minister said the alleged killer had made confession statement of killing the Governor over late Taseer's statement billing the Blasphemy Law as a "black law.

The killer after attacking the governor with his weapon has surrendered to the security forces moments after shooting the governor dead.

Qadri was immediately arrested and police were interrogating him", he added.

Late Salman Taseer, he said, have had lunch along with one of his friends at a cafe in Kohsar Market of Islamabad. When he came out to ride his waiting car, he was shot dead.

Earlier, the Governor had visited the President House and met Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira at the Parliament House.