July, 15 2010
ISLAMABAD: As parliamentarians face the fake degrees scam, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Education has announced he will get degrees of all government servants verified to cleanse the civil services as well. PML-N MNA Abid Sher Ali has vowed to verify the degrees of all the civil servants, from Grade 17 and above, including doctors, engineers and educationists of both the government and private sectors. Analysts, however, said it was not clear whether the MNA could verify degrees of people working in the private sector, as it was basically the responsibility of the private company managements to ensure that they hired genuine professionals. Talking to The News from London, Abid Sher Ali said he had initiated the process of verifying all the degrees and had started with parliament but it would not stop until the degree of every responsible person in the country was verified. He mentioned that the judiciary was an independent institution, therefore, the verification of degrees of the judiciary would be left to the judiciary itself, However, he would write to the Ministry of Defence to get the degrees of army men verified. It is worth mentioning here that Abid outsmarted the Election Commission and parliament, including his own party the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, in which many fake-degree holders were sitting, by initiating the battle against the fake degree holders on his own. He was criticised not only by the government but also by his own party members. Even one powerful federal minister threatened Abid of severe consequences if he did not stop the verification process of the degrees of parliamentarians. “I am returning on July 22 and as soon as I reach Pakistan, I will take the task of verifying the degrees of all the civil servants of Grade 17 and above wherever they are posted,” said Abid, adding: “We will also verify the degrees of doctors, engineers, employees of the National Assembly and the Senate, all commissions and of educational institutions.” He also mentioned that his visit to the UK was planned much before he initiated the process of verification of degrees and there was no other reason behind his tour. He held that the NA body would ask the Higher Education Commission to verify the degrees of all the educationalists, from vice-chancellors to lecturers, and of public and private sectors both. While talking about the verification of the degrees of parliamentarians Abid Sher Ali said that the duty of NA committee had finished and now it was up to the HEC and the Election Commission. “We have finished our job and the HEC will compile the report of fake degrees by 18-19 July,” Adid added. He once again intimated that he would countercheck the verification of degrees and if any university was found verifying a fake degree, its vice chancellor and Registrar would be sent to jail for cheating the nation. “We (parliamentarians) are the role models and should present ourselves as role models, therefore, there is no room for those who have cheated the nation by submitting fake degrees and we have initiated this process ourselves as we should not leave all the things to the judiciary,” said Abid Sher Ali.
July, 15 2010
MIRANSHAH: US missiles destroyed a compound used by militants in the tribal belt on Thursday, killing at least 10 militants in the first such attack for two weeks, officials said. A US drone fired at least two missiles into the compound in the village of Sheerani Mada Khel in the district of North Waziristan, a Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked stronghold heavily targeted in a covert US drone war this year. "At least 10 militants were killed," a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Another security official said up to 14 militants were killed when three missiles slammed into the compound. The area, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, is a stronghold of Pakistani warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur. He is reputed to control up to 2,000 fighters in the region who stage attacks over the border against foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan. It was not immediately clear whether there were any high-value targets among the dead. Neither could officials confirm their nationalities. The missiles were fired at around 6:30 pm (1330 GMT) and militants quickly surrounded the site, barring access to local residents, officials said. Around 960 people have been killed in more than 100 drone strikes in Pakistan since August 2008, including a number of senior militants. However the attacks fuel anti-American sentiment in the country.
Updated at: 1827 PST, Thursday, July 15, 2010
KARACHI: A clash between the land grabbers and police claimed two lives in Ittehad Town area of Baldia Town.
According to the details, elements belonging to the land encroachers resisted stiffly and opened fire on the police when the government team reached the area. Police resorted with tear gas shelling.
The city government has recovered the encroached land while the miscreants have climbed the nearby hills from where they were reported to have been attacking government team.
Updated at: 0933 PST, Thursday, July 15, 2010
DUABAI: The Sanjay Dutt-Bipasha Basu film by National Award winning director Rahul Dholakia, Lamhaa, that is to open worldwide on July 16 has been banned in the Middle East.
The news was communicated to the film’s producer, Bunty Walia, after prints subtitled in Arabic had been dispatched. The film will not be allowed to screen in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, in and Oman because the UAE National Media Council Censorship Board believes it is a highly objectionable and controversial subject.
The idea for the film came from a remark by a Kashmiri student at a screening of Parzania, describing Kashmir as a “beautiful prison”.
It reportedly touches on the nexus between politicians, the intelligentsia, the military and the militants that leads to the killings of innocent idealists.
Dholakia has described this decision as “outrageous” and believes the censor board in UAE needs to watch the film in “totality” before taking such stringent action.
“The Indian censor board has passed the film which proves that we have not crossed any lines,” he argues.
The film had run into problems with the Indian censors too who rejected the first promo. It was passed by the revising committee after sabse (most) from the line “Duniya ki sabse khatarnak jagah Kashmir” (The world’s most dangerous place Kashmir) was deleted. The word farzi (bogus) had to be edited while referring to the elections.
The film was later passed with an A certificate, a decision that has aggrieved Basu who believes this is a film children need to see. The actress in response to the recent decision has tweeted: “Ban on an honest film?? What happened to the freedom of expression??”
Walia has reacted with disappointment. “First the special premiere in Srinagar was cancelled because the authorities feared backlash from the locals. Since there are no theatres in the state now, my film that is about Kashmir and its people and was filmed there, will not play there. And now, this ban in the Middle East that is the third biggest overseas market for Hindi films. We stand to lose between Rs 3-5 crore.”
Updated at: 2349 PST, Thursday, July 15, 2010
LONDON: Salman Butt scored his second fifty of the match and remained unbeaten at the close of the third day here on Wednesday to give Pakistan hope of a record-breaking win in the first Test against Australia at Lord's.
Butt was 58 not out and Test debutant Azhar Ali 28 not out at the close with Pakistan needing a further 326 runs to reach their imposing goal of 440.
That would surpass the highest total ever scored in a fourth innings to win a Test of 418 for seven made by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.
Pakistan's equivalent best is the 315 for nine they made against Australia at Karachi in 1994 while the Lord's landmark was set by the West Indies when compiling 344 for one against England in 1984.
However, conditions were transformed on Thursday as previously overcast, swing-bowler friendly skies, gave way to bright sunshine, with the pitch still a good one on which to bat.
It would still be a remarkable victory but at least Pakistan were putting up a fight after being dismissed for just 148 in their first innings.
But a first-wicket stand worth exactly 50 was broken when Imran Farhat, miscued a pull off a Steven Smith long-hop to Shane Watson at mid-wicket to give the jubilant debutant his first Test wicket.
However, Pakistan vice-captain Butt, playing pace and spin with equal assurance, scored nine boundaries in his 86-ball fifty.
Australia, bowled out for 334 in their second innings, set Pakistan a formidable target thanks to a second score in the 80s from Simon Katich, also a left-handed opener and tailender Hilfenhaus's Test-best 56 not out.
Debutant wicketkeeper Tim Paine (47) also made his highest score at this level and shared a ninth-wicket stand of 74 with fellow Tasmanian Hilfenhaus.
No 11 Bollinger also chipped in with a Test-best 21 before he was bowled by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to end a last-wicket partnership worth 52.
Australia saw their lunch score of 188 for five become 188 for seven as Katich and fellow left-hander Marcus North were both caught behind off Umar Gul and Mohammad Asif respectively.
Katich though had made 83, to add to his valuable first innings 80, after four hours at the crease.
Paine and Hilfenhaus kept the runs coming before the keeper was bowled by the leg-spin of Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.
The seamer, whose previous best was 20 against England at Edgbaston last year, reached fifty in 81 balls with a six, struck high over extra-cover off Asif, and six fours.
This two-Test series is being played in England because of security concerns in Pakistan.
