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November 2016
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10:38 AM

 Balochistan moot organisers deported from Thailand

Balochistan moot organisers deported from Thailand

LONDON: Thailand’s government has deported and revoked the visa of a nationalist Baloch activist who had announced holding a conference in Thailand’s capital on Balochistan without allegedly getting permission from the authorities.
Munir Mengal, Baloch Voice Association’s head and Bilal Baloch, a journalist based in Paris, both of whom carry French passports, were deported on Sunday by the Thai authorities for allegedly holding a conference on Balochistan while being on the “tourist visa” and “without having permission from the government about the conference”.
The sources told The News that the conference titled “Balochistan Geo-politics and Baloch Identity” was set to be held at the Asian Institute of Technology Conference Center – AIT and Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand from 28th to 30th November 2016 and several nationalist figures were sent invitations for the conference.
However, on Saturday night, the local police entered the hotel where the conference participants were staying and told the organisers that they were violating the law by holding a conference of a sensitive nature without seeking permission.
At the time of filing of this report, both Munir Mengal and Bilal Baloch were unavailable to comment because they were at the detention centre in Bangkok waiting to be deported to Paris but one of the main guests at the event and renowned activist Baseer Naveed told The News that the local authorities used “heavy-handed tactics to sabotage the conference”.
The invitations sent out to various participants said that the conference would discuss the “Construction of a new deep sea port at Gwadar”, “Pakistan’s relations with China” and “Pak-China Economic Corridor, Gwadar Deep Sea Port, Pasni Naval Base, TAPI and IPI pipelines”.
Many nationalist figures, based in Europe, told The News that they were invited to the conference but they declined the invitation because of the distance factor and the very questions about the nature and aim of the conference. Pictures showed police officers entering a small room and speaking to around five people sitting in the room.
Asian Human Rights Commission’s Baseer Naveed told The News that orders were received on Saturday evening by the authorities informing them that the conference could not be allowed. “We were gathered at a private event of a few individuals when it was disrupted. We told the police and immigration officers that no law was violated but the visas of Munir and Bilal were revoked.”
He said the immigration officers produced deportation orders and told the two activists to pack up and leave, telling the guests that the conference would not go ahead.He claimed that the Baloch activists were issued “conference visas” and not “tourist visas” but a Thai govt source said that the tourists could not be allowed to play with the local laws.Baseer Naveed alleged that the Thai government might have taken action to please “the Chinese and Pakistani governments”.
On Monday after reaching in Paris, Bilal Baloch told this scribe that he had entered Thailand on a journalist visa and Munir had “conference visa” with him. “Its not true that the local immigration laws were broken. We were told by the police that the conference will not be allowed to go ahead because of extreme political pressure.”
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10:36 AM

Pak-India cricket officials to meet next month in Colombo


Pak-India cricket officials to meet next month in ColomboKARACHI: Cricket officials of Pakistan and India will meet on December 17 in Colombo to discuss the strained and suspended bilateral cricket ties between the two neighbor countries, according to an official source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
It said that the meeting would be held during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meet in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan, who is also the Chairman of the ACC will be accompanied by Najam Sethi and Subhan Ahmad in the meeting, the source said.
Recently, Sethi met with the President of the Indian cricket board Anurag Thakur in Capetown during the ICC executive board meeting. There he discussed to plan a  triangular or quadrangular series but Thakur said it was not possible for them to play Pakistan in a bilateral series as their government didn't support this .
However, the BCCI chief had floated an idea where instead a multi nation tournament could be organized in India or at any neutral venue in which Pakistan and India could play against each other.
The source said that Sethi had reminded Thakur that although he was floating such an idea but at the moment India was even talking about not playing Pakistan in the group stages of the ICC Champions Trophy.
Later, the PCB decided to wait until December 17 to see in which direction Indo-Pak cricket relations are heading before using legal recourse to seek compensation from India or ICC due to the BCCI's refusal to play bilateral series with Pakistan since 2007.
It was at the Capetown meeting that Pakistan asked the ICC to give a ruling on India's refusal to send its women's team to Dubai for the ICC cricket league to play against Pakistan.
However, after ruling that India has forfeited the series which was to be hosted by Pakistan, the ICC technical committee has now awarded six points to Pakistan for the series.
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6:01 AM

President hosts farewell dinner for Gen. Raheel Sharif

President hosts farewell dinner for Gen. Raheel Sharif

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain Friday said that Pakistan Army under the leadership of General Raheel Sharif in coordination with all state institutions courageously confronted the internal and external challenges faced by the country during the last three years.
The President expressed these views while speaking at a farewell dinner he hosted for Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The dinner was attended among others by services chiefs, federal ministers and parliamentarians.
The President congratulated General Raheel Sharif on the successful completion of his tenure as Chief of the Army Staff with honor and dignity.
He also appreciated Gen. Raheel for his leading role in the fight against terrorism and extremism through an effective strategy under the National Action Plan.
He said that Gen. Raheel Sharif during his term as COAS served the country as a true professional soldier and set an excellent tradition of moving ahead in mutual harmony with all state institutions.
As bravery professionalism and best discipline were the hallmark of Pakistan’s armed forces, General Raheel Sharif further strengthened this identity of the armed forces during his term in service, he added.
The President appreciated the valour with which the internal and external challenges were tackled during the last three years.
He said that unity and harmony among all the state institutions was a must for the betterment of country and masses, adding the welfare of masses should be the focal point in state affairs.
The President wished General Raheel Sharif success in his future endeavors and prayed for his as well as his family’s health, happiness and prosperity.
Earlier, the President and the Chief of Army Staff had a farewell meeting during which General Raheel Sharif thanked the President for his guidance and cooperation during his tenure as COAS.
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5:01 AM

 China to stand by Pakistan if India imposes war: Defence Minister

China to stand by Pakistan if India imposes war: Defence Minister

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that China would stand by Pakistan if India imposed war on the latter.
In an exclusive interview with Saleem Safi in Geo News programme, ‘Jirga’, Khawaja Asif said, “China is supporting Pakistan in its all affairs related to country’s defence.”
Eleven civilians were martyred when Indian forces targeted an ambulance and a passenger bus near the Dhudnial town in Neelum Valley along the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday. At least seven people have been injured in the attack.
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations have been on the rise, ever since the Uri attack took place in Indian occupied Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 17 Indian soldiers.
India, without a proper investigation into the attack, blamed Pakistan for having a hand in the terrorist attack. Pakistan vehemently denied accusations and instead, took the issue of India's human rights violations to the United Nations General Assembly.
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4:51 AM

Gen Qamar Bajwa is new army chief

Gen Qamar Bajwa is new army chief

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nazwaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lt. Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff and Lt. Gen. Zubair Hayat as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee.
Lt. Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa was previously Commander of important Rawalpindi Corps and is presently employed as Inspector General Training and Evaluation, at GHQ, a position General Raheel Sharif held before becoming the army chief.
Normally, commanding a corps carries huge weightage before being considered for promotion to the four-star general.
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7:19 AM

How PM picks army chief

How PM picks army chief

ISLAMABAD: This was a dull morning of November 27, 2013. Khawaja Asif and Pervez Rashid were asked to rush to the prime minister house. Neither of them knew why they had been summoned.
They exchanged notes to determine the probable reason. The situation that unfolded later proved all their guesses wrong. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met them in the porch. He was visibly composed and relatively quiet. He had made important decisions that nobody from the cabinet knew. A car approached them. The PM and his confidants boarded it and the cavalcade moved towards Punjab House.
Nawaz Sharif was going to share his best-kept secret: the new army chief. However, before doing that, he thought to start from what he had decided about the accompanying colleagues. He turned to Khawaja Asif sitting in the back seat, “Khawaja Sahb: I have appointed you the defense minister.” It was quite surprising for the both cabinet members travelling with him. Khawaja Asif already had the portfolio of the water and power.
How this decision would be interpreted by the stakeholders was the most important question. Incidentally, weeks before, Khawaja Asif had been put off the camera telecasting the coverage of a military parade he had attended along with the PM.
However, before the wisdom behind the PM decision could be ascertained, another announcement came. Senator Pervez Rashid was the person being addressed this time. “Pervez Sahb, I have given you the additional portfolio of the Law Ministry,” the PM said.
Neither Khawaja Asif nor Pervez Rashid had any previous experience of the newly assigned ministries. The defense assignment was critical due to the political reasons. The portfolio of law and justice had its own challenges. A lawmaker of legal background is allotted this assignment.
Neither of them asked why they’re picked. The question-answer session had yet to start. The PM then answered the million dollars question: “Who will replace Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani? Rahil Sharif will be the next army chief,” the PM told his colleagues.
This was the first time any cabinet member had come to know about the new chief and it was the most surprising decision he had shared with his colleagues. One of them had heard his name for the first time.
Incidentally, all three of them had suffered terrible ordeals after the military takeover of Gen Pervez Musharraf. They had spent the worst times of their lives together in the Attock Fort. Questions were many and the answers were awaited.
Here they broke the silence. “How did you come to this decision,” one of them asked. “We want to know the plausible reason to our satisfaction,” he continued. And the PM was ready to answer.
“I had interviewed three generals for this slot,” Nawaz Sharif told his colleagues. The interviews with two of them followed by lobbying through strong but notorious references who would approach me for pressing on the selection of their favourites, he further explained. If the people with tainted background are their referees, the PM wondered, what kind of these generals would be.
The situation was different in the case of Gen Rahil Sharif. He didn’t either flatter me or promise anything beyond the call of his duty during the course of interview, the PM told his colleagues. Also, no person had approached me for recommending his candidature, he further explained. Rahil Sharif’s family background further convinced me to conclude the selection process, the PM said, adding the decision was made purely on merit.
Meanwhile, they reached Punjab House where Shehbaz Sharif, Ch Nisar, Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Ahsan Iqbal were present. The PM shared these decisions with them too.
As the hunt is on for new army chief and hectic lobbying is in progress, there are several three-star generals in the race. What will be the merit this time depends on the experience that Nawaz Sharif has had with Gen Rahil Sharif. Sincerity with the civilian administration will take precedence over the seniority list. This is what has been the consideration of every PM; they faced different consequences though.
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7:16 AM

 Magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes in northeast Tajikistan 

Magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes in northeast Tajikistan 

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck northeastern Tajikistan, close to the borders with China and Kyrgyzstan, at 1424 GMT on Friday, the US Geological Survey said.
The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.8, struck at a depth of 75 kilometres.
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7:13 AM

Delusional Modi makes hollow threats against Pakistan again

Delusional Modi makes hollow threats against Pakistan again

BHATINDA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Singh Modi on Friday made what seemed to be hollow threats against Pakistan, warning that he would provide the water from Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers to Indian farmers. 
Addressing a public gathering held to inaugurate an AIIMS hospital, Modi stated that the water from Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers was India's by right and that it was not being used by the Indian farmers. 
"India's water is flowing into Pakistan," he said. "This water is not reaching to the fields of Indian farmers," he added. 
Modi said that the water that was flowing into Pakistan would be provided to Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Indian farmers. 
"Water from all three rivers flows into the Pakistani sea," he said. 
Modi stated that Pakistan was still in shock after India's alleged surgical strikes and said that Pakistan knew now what the Indian army was capable of. He urged the people of Pakistan to tell its rulers to fight corruption and fake money. 
"When the school in Peshawar was attacked, every Indian was sad," said Modi. 
The previous day, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif warned India that if Pakistan conducted a surgical strike inside India, it would be teaching about the episode to their schoolchildren in their books. 
India's surgical strike remains a claim till this day as no country in the world has confirmed it took place. Neither has the Indian army supplied proof, in the form of pictures or footage, of the surgical strike it claims it carried out in Pakistan.
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8:09 AM

Goodbye Gen Raheel, who’s next?

Goodbye Gen Raheel, who’s next?

COAS pays farewell visits to Lahore, Gujranwala; to hand over army’s command to new chief on Nov 29; new CJCSC will also take command on same day; Gen Raheel says he is proud of leading the best army; no one can dare cast an evil eye on Pakistan; accomplishment of peace, stability were no ordinary tasks; our sacrifices helped us achieve success
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Monday began farewell visits starting from the Lahore Garrison, thus burying speculations about an extension in his illustrious three-year tenure which saw the successful Zarb-e-Azb Operation in North Waziristan. He will hand over the command of Pakistan Army to the new army chief on Nov 29.
“Operation Zarb-e-Azb has resulted into a more secure and stable Pakistan with a sense of greater hope and direction,” General Raheel Sharif said, while addressing a huge gathering of soldiers of army and Rangers at the Lahore Garrison.
The army chief talked about accomplishment of peace and stability, saying these were no ordinary tasks. “Our sacrifices and joint national resolve helped us in offsetting all odds against the country,” General Sharif said.
He emphasised that they were fully prepared to respond to any challenge and no one could dare cast an evil eye on Pakistan. He said the Pakistani people are the most resilient and brave in the world who have always persevered in adverse conditions. He urged the troops to follow the norms of their rich military tradition with even greater vigour and continue serving their people with utmost dedication, resilience and greater sense ofGeneral Raheel said that he was proud of leading the best army of the world.
On the second leg of his farewell visits, the COAS arrived in Gujranwala and addressed officers and troops of Mangla and Gujranwala Corps.
In his farewell address, General Raheel paid rich tributes to the professionalism, dedication and sacrifices of troops while defending motherland at Line of Control and Working Boundary. The COAS also appreciated the Mangla Corps for successfully undertaking the task of capacity building and imparting anti-terrorists training to troops of the three services and law enforcement agencies.
Lt Gen Umer Farooq Durrani, Commander 1 Corps and Lt Gen Ikramul Haque, Commander 30 Corps received the Army Chief at the venue.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJSC) General Rashad Mahmood also held farewell meetings with the Naval Chief Admiral Zakaullah and the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman. His successor will also take command same day – Nov 29.
The start of farewell visits by the COAS and CJCSC, however, has kicked off a new debate for next few days as to who would be successors of the two four-star generals, both retiring on November 29.
The position of CJCSC is ceremonial but it is senior to the slot of the COAS. In the past, this slot also belonged to Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force.
Top on the seniority list is Chief of General Staff Lt-Gen Zubair Hayat followed by Corps Commander Multan Lt-Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed.
There are two other three-star generals between Lt-Gen Zubair and Lt-Gen Ishfaq. They are: Chairman Heavy Industries Complex Taxila Lt-Gen Syed Wajid Hussain and Director General Joint Staff Lt-Gen Najibullah Khan, but they have not commanded a corps.
Lt-Gen Zubair Hayat hails from the artillery and is senior most in the list. As a three-star general, he was previously posted as Director General of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD).
During his tenure as a major general, he was General Officer Commanding (GOC) Sialkot and later headed the Staff Duties (SD) Directorate.
Lt-Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed before taking over command of the strike corps was appointed as Chief of General Staff by General Raheel Sharif after assuming prestigious slot of the COAS.
As Major General, General Ishfaq who led Swat operation as General Officer Commander enjoys experience of operating in the conflict zone and later as DG Military Operations. He was also Chief of Staff of strike Corps Mangla as brigadier. General Ishfaq completed Royal Military Academy Camberley, the UK, and was an outstanding officer with exceptional grades.
Lt-Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday is now Commander Bahawalpur corps and was previously president of the National Defence University in Islamabad. He served as GOC Swat during the operation there. In 2011, he was injured by sniper fire on his helicopter by militants over the mountainous terrain of Swat. He also served at National Defence University (NDU), first as commandant and chief instructor, and then as president.
Lt-Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is currently serving at the GHQ as Inspector General of Training and Evaluation. He had also commanded the 10 Corps. As a Major General, he led the Force Command Northern Areas.
Lt-Gen Maqsood, although senior amongst all three-start generals but he is already on extension and as such would not be considered for promotion.
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8:08 AM

How does PM Nawaz select his army chief?

How does PM Nawaz select his army chief?

ISLAMABAD: When it comes to the most sensitive appointment of the new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Nawaz Sharif, the third-time prime minister, has learnt to keep his cards close to chest until the final moment. So he is following what he has learnt during the last three-and-half decades in politics. Probably this is the lesson number 1 due to his bitter experiences.
“We have given all the input but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not yet shown his tilt towards any candidate for the slot; however, it is clear that he would announce the new name at the last minute,” a close aide of PM divulged to The News.
The capital is abuzz and anxiously waiting for the selection of new army chief. Who in the power palaces is either in the guess game or some are silently campaigning for their favourites.
Due to the weak democratic history and long uninterrupted tenures of four military dictators, this slot has become very important, particularly because of the civil military imbalance in the country. Nawaz Sharif is trying silently but with very tiny steps is trying to turn the pendulum in favour of the civilians.
The most circulated question in the power corridors is that who would be the new COAS? Whereas this is actually linked to the question how Nawaz Sharif selects his COAS, as he has become the person who has worked with eight out of 15 different army chiefs starting from Gen Zia down to Gen Raheel Sharif.
Out of these seven, Gen Pervez Musharraf, Gen Ziauddin Khawaja (was appointed by the PM but later was court expelled from the army) and Gen Raheel Sharif were directly appointed by him. In the appointment of two army chiefs – Gen Asif Nawaz and Gen Abdul Waheed Kakar – Nawaz Sharif had key but a limited role due to the powerful President Ishaq Khan at that time.
Out of these 15, he has directly chosen Gen Musharraf, Gen Raheel whereas his selection of Gen Ziauddin on October 11, 1999 could not see implementation.
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1:48 AM

Beat me: Pakistani female celebs deliver powerful message in latest video

Beat me: Pakistani female celebs deliver powerful message in latest video
ISLAMABAD: Actresses, athletes, journalists and musicians; Pakistan's female celebrities joined hands to relay a powerful message challenging men to 'beat me' in their latest video for UN Women Pakistan's anti-violence campaign. 
The women's protection bill in Pakistan became quite controversial a couple of months ago when it was seen by some as too liberal and anti-men. A debate stirred whether husbands were entitled to beat their wives or not. However, Pakistan's female celebrities which include (to name a few) Sana Bucha, Sarwat Gillani, Aamina Sheikh and Momina Mustehsan made it quite clear which side of the fence they were sitting on, in their latest 'beat me' video which is a part of UN  Women Pakistan's anti-violence campaign.
"Beat me with your voice," chants a defiant Meesha Shafi, followed by Sana Bucha who says, "Beat me with your words."
Aamina Sheikh chimes in by saying,"Aagay barho (move forward)" as Samina Baig urges the opposite gender to 'beat me to the top of the mountains'.
The video ends with a pregnant woman saying an emotionally captivating and powerful line,'Beat me at life'.
The 'beat me' video is a cleverly crafted video with an important message for the opposite gender; to not subject women to harsh treatment. It also urges men to compete with women in various fields such as education, entertainment and sports rather than consider them inferior.
"In a compelling paradox, the campaign showcases a woman inviting a man to beat her - but at things she is good at. The campaign, aims to inspire women to reaffirm that they are stronger than they are made to believe, and aims to shatter the perception that a woman is weak, taking her from someone who is ‘beatable’ to being ‘unbeatable’," reads a post on the UN Women Pakistan's website. 
The video bears a stark resemblance to Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone's 'My Choice' video released last year. However, Padukone's video was slammed for equating feminism with bashing males. 
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1:45 AM

Defence exhibition IDEAS 2016 opens in Karachi

Defence exhibition IDEAS 2016 opens in Karachi
KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the ninth International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2016, Pakistan’s biggest defence exhibition today, at the Expo Centre, Karachi.
The prime minister reached the Expo Centre along with Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain.
The route leading to the Expo Centre from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, has been decorated with national flags and buntings and welcome banners have also been placed along the route for the participants of the exhibition.
Elaborate security and traffic arrangements have also been made for the occasion. The four-day (Nov 22-25) biennial event inaugurated by the prime minister is expected to draw 90 delegations representing 43 countries of the world.
Addressing the attendees, PM Nawaz said that terrorism in Pakistan had declined significantly and the country had also improved as far as the energy sector was concerned.
"In Pakistan, the energy crisis has significantly diminished," he said. "By the year 2016-2017, Pakistan's GDP is expected to grow and reach the mark of 5 percent," he added.
These delegations would be led by their respective countries’ defence ministers, defence secretaries, chiefs of defence staff and other senior officials. A total of 418 companies from 34 countries, including 157 Pakistani firms, are showcasing their products in this mega defence event.
This year nine new countries are participating in the exhibition because of the successful marketing by the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO). These countries include Luxembourg, Denmark, Belarus, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, Nigeria and Romania. DEPO Director Media Commodore Tahir Javed told a news conference that overwhelming response from the companies from across the world has boosted our confidence and it proves the success of this mega event.
The DEPO Media Coordinator informed that indigenously built defence products which include tanks fighter jets missile boats Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other military equipment will be showcased at the IDEAS 2016. He pointed that several high-level meetings will also take place between the foreign delegations to promote cooperation in defence production.
Another important feature of the IDEAS-2016 is the International Defence Seminar which will be held on Tuesday evening at a hotel here. The occasion will be graced by President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain.
Besides the exhibition conferences will also be held on Nov 23-24 at the Expo Centre. The IDEAS 2016 will conclude on Nov 25.

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