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KARACHI: Pakistan’s World Cup captain Shahid Afridi has withdrawn from next month’s tour to West Indies, a source at the national cricket board told Reuters on Thursday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source, who declined to be identified, said the all-rounder had made himself unavailable for the tour which starts on April 18.

“He will not be going to West Indies as apparently he wants to take a break from the game,” said the source.

Afridi retired from test cricket in 2010 but had been expected to play in the one-dayers and Twenty20s in West Indies.

Pakistan were knocked out of the World Cup when they lost by 29 runs to rivals India in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

The flamboyant Afridi has appeared in 320 one-dayers, 27 tests and 42 Twenty20s for his country.

He has been captaining Pakistan in limited-over matches since last year.

Pakistan will play one Twenty20, five one-dayers and two tests in West Indies.

ISLAMABAD: A new media policy is being formulated and efforts are underway to give it a legal cover before June this year, stated Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday.

Speaking during question hour in Senate, Awan said that members of both the parliamentary committees on information and broadcasting, representative of media, civil society and all stakeholders would be taken on board for their inputs on the new policy.

She said that the new policy would help ensure the supremacy of national interests by the media and further improve image of the country across the globe.

Awan said that TV channels were not following the current code of conduct and stressed that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) needed to be strengthened.

“Everywhere in the world a regulator functions independently but in Pakistan they have been put under the ministries. We have to make PEMRA an autonomous body so that it could take action against any violators without making sense that the government is behind it,” she said.

The information minister also stated that all channels were bound to submit five per cent of their gross income to the national exchequer and no payments were being made, and that the non-payment was causing a loss of billions to the exchequer.

The government has so far received 2,445 complaints against media.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) disposed off a petition on Thursday seeking the removal of 37 million bogus votes from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)voters list.

The petition was submitted to the Supreme Court to reconsider the 37 million votes that were cast in the 2008 election.

With the petition disposed off, the 2008 elections have now come under strict scrutiny by the Supreme Court and could be declared invalid.

Justice Sahir Ali observed that such a large number of fake votes have cast doubts on the entire system.

The Chief justice asked the petitioner’s counsel to understand consequences of his petition and observed that the ECP failed in its constitutional commitment to come up with a fair voters list.

The Election Commission Secretary has said that National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has confirmed 37 million bogus voters.

During the hearing of the case on registering bogus voters, Election Commission Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed said that a door-to-door campaign would be initiated in June.

The Chief Justice took notice that there were bogus voters included in the voting lists and resolved that the names were enlisted without verification that created the problem.

Chief Justice commented that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure fairness in voting lists.

The Supreme Court on March 16 asked for fake voter’s confirmation from NADRA & Attorney General within 10days.

The Supreme Court rejected the review plea of two people against conviction under the Army Act in the Musharraf attack case Thursday.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry headed the bench which heard the review petition.

The petition was filed against awarding of punishment to eight civilians on charges of instigating and plotting a suicide attack on former President Pervez Musharraf.

During the hearing, two of the convicts Khalid and Mushtaq asked the apex court to reverse their death sentence on the grounds that they could not be tried under the Army Act but the court refused to do so.

The court asked Defense Counsel Hashmat Habib to produce the record of the trial of two other convicts by the army court.

Habib said that civilians cannot be prosecuted under Army Laws.

The hearing was adjourned till April 6.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it would provide consular access for Indonesia to identify a suspect of the 2002 Bali bombing arrested by its security agencies.

A security official had said Wednesday that a man thought to be Umar Patek, an alleged mastermind of the bombing that killed more than 200 people, was in Pakistani custody.

“I can confirm the arrest of an individual, who could be the Bali bombing suspect,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua told a press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, adding that “consular access will be given to the Indonesian mission and it will be for them to determine who exactly the person is”.

Patek, who has a $1million bounty on his head, was the alleged field coordinator for the Bali nightclub attacks, which placed mainly Muslim Indonesia on the front lines of the global battle against militancy.

ISLAMABAD: A report has quoted Pakistani security officials as saying that a tip-off from the CIA led to the arrest of the Indonesian suspect in the 2002 bombing of Bali nightclub.

Pakistan security officials confirmed the capture and stressed that the arrest was a “solely Pakistani operation”, adding however that the the CIA had tipped them off that he may be travelling in Pakistan.

It is not clear, however, whether the Americans will get access to the militant.

The officials did not say where or when Umar Patek who is claimed to be a commander of  al Qaeda’s affiliate Jemaah Islamiyah was detained.

“I can confirm the arrest of an individual, who could be the Bali bombing suspect,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Tehmina Janjua told a press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, adding that “consular access will be given to the Indonesian mission and it will be for them to determine who exactly the person is”.

A US official familiar with the operation confirmed that the CIA worked with foreign intelligence agencies to capture Patek.

On Wednesday, Indonesian officials confirmed that an alleged extremist  believed to be one of the masterminds behind the 2002 Bali bombings had been arrested in Pakistan.

Indonesia’s counter-terrorism police have been tracking Patek for years. He has a $1.0 million bounty on his head under the US government’s “Rewards for Justice” programme.

Kazmi was brought before senior civil judge Muhammad Aslam Gondal amid tight security, as dozens of his supporters gathered outside the court and chanted slogans in his favour.

During the hearing, FIA Assistant Director (Legal) Khalid Naeem Butt requested the court to send the former minister on a 14-day judicial remand after the completion of a 14-day physical remand.

He also said that during investigations, the FIA found out that the former minister’s family owned 14 plots worth Rs4 million in the Sliver Housing Society, Multan.

Defence counsel Syed Wajid Ali Gilani said FIA investigators still lacked evidence against his client, adding that Kazmi was cooperating with the investigators.

On March 15, FIA arrested Kazmi after a special court rejected his pre-arrest application. On March 17, the court sent him on a four-day physical remand which was extended till March 30.

A case was registered against Kazmi under sections 409, 403,404 and 109 for his alleged involvement in the Hajj scam.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani demanded that Senate Chairman Farooq H Naik order a parliamentary probe into the alleged scam. The chairman had summoned Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour to answer questions about the sale on Wednesday but he did not turn up.

According to Durrani, the historic railway track in Bahawalpur was originally valued at Rs3.8 billion but sold for just Rs90 million to ‘Nawaz & Co’, a Lahore-based company, by the Punjab government’s fisheries department.

The senator said that the track was the only link between Ahmadpur and the Panjnad Headworks in Bahawalpur. He said that today, it would cost Pakistan Railways Rs95 million per kilometre to lay the railway track.

The divisional superintendent of Pakistan Railways, Multan, wrote two letters, the first on March 17 and the second dated March 21, asking the government not to proceed with the sale and to seek a no objection certificate from Pakistan Railways, he maintained.

Despite the Railways’ and parliamentarians’ reservations, the contractor had expedited the removal of the track.

Naik referred the issue to the standing committee concerned with directions to submit a report within a week. The senators expressed displeasure over the railways minister’s absence. Senator Zahid Khan, Bilour’s colleague in the Awami National Party, tried to appease the enraged senators.

He said senior Pakistan Railways officials should have been present in the house in case the minister was engaged. He also urged the chair to ask the Punjab government to stop the removal of the rail track.

The Senate extended a warm welcome to a visiting delegation of Afghan parliamentarians, giving them a standing ovation when they entered the guest gallery to witness the proceedings.

After a speech by the Senate chairman, PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badr
welcomed the Afghan parliamentarians on behalf of his party. He said the formation of the Pak-Afghan friendship association and a joint parliamentarians’ group would promote better ties between the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

The executive board of the World Bank approved the loan, of which $81 million will carry a concessionary interest rate of 0.75 per cent. The remaining $44 million will carry a 3.2 per cent interest rate. The loan is scheduled to be repaid over a period of 35 years.

The government has obtained the loan to provide the second tranche of cash hand-outs of Rs40,000 per household to over one million households under the Citizen’s Damage Compensation Programme, which is expected to cost a total of Rs39.5 billion ($460 million). The remaining amount is expected to be provided by the United States and Italy.

The programme as a whole is expected to cost Rs160 billion. The government had initially decided to provide Rs100,000 to every affected household but may reduce that amount to Rs80,000 owing to delays in disbursement as well as differences with the provincial government over who would finance the programme.

The government has already disbursed Rs20,000 each to 1.4 million households. The total cost of the first phase, Rs20 billion, was borne by the federal government.

It remains unclear why the government has sought a loan from the World Bank when it has cash on hand already allocated towards flood relief.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Rs6.9 billion remains unutilised due to the National Oversight Disaster Management Council’s (NODMC) inability to work out a mechanism for transparent use of money. The council has held five meetings on flood relief and not once has it discussed the unutilised funds.

The National Disaster Management Authority has, in the past, voiced its concerns over a lack of funds needed to buy tents to shelter the flood victims. NOMDC officials have adopted a policy of not commenting publicly about their work, though sources familiar with the council’s work say that the money in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund could be used for cash distributions through Watan Cards.

According to a Damage and Need Assessment report by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, the 2010 floods caused over $10 billion (Rs860 billion) in damages.

“The 2010 floods were a disaster of historic proportions that affected over 20 million people and created a massive recovery need,” said Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.

He said cash assistance to flood-affected households was essential to mitigate the adverse effects of income shocks besides addressing the issue of poverty and vulnerability. “The project will also assist in developing necessary capacities and systems to effectively handle the similar disasters in the future.”

Benmessaoud said that besides assisting Pakistan by financing the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment the WB was making available $300 million for fast-disbursing financing of critical flood-related imports and $20 million for highway reconstruction.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

The recovery is said to have been made by the joint inquiry committee, comprising members of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the NPF. The committee, headed by Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, the managing director of NPF and Additional Director-General of FIA, conducted the inquiry on the orders of the Supreme Court and the interior secretary.

According to the deal struck between FIA officials, NPF authorities and Anjum Aqeel, he would hand over the possession of a 2.75 acre commercial plot worth Rs2.2 billion located in Crystal Court Centre in Islamabad, besides taking on the liability of a 3.25 acre plot valued at Rs2.6 billion.

According to documents obtained by The Express Tribune, Aqeel had fraudulently obtained allotment letters of six acres of land from NPF. Later, he surrendered the allotment of a 2.75-acre plot.

However, he is still the legal owner of all six acres. If Aqeel sells the additional land, the NPF is responsible to give the land to the buyer. After the deal, the NPF’s liability would be waived off.

Aqeel has also pledged to give the possession of another 6,655 square yard plot valued at Rs240 million.

He will be bound by the agreement to deposit about Rs2 billion in NPF account against the price of a 25-acre plot within one year.

The price of said land would soon be assessed by the committee headed by the secretary interior, the sources familiar with the inquiry said.

Managing Director of NPF Zafar Ahmad Qureshi told The Express Tribune that the inquiry has almost finalised its recommendations and would be submitted before the apex court through the secretary interior.

He said that on paper, as many as 59 persons were allotted land, who did not actually exist, adding that if other people were also allotted 3.25 acres of land, then they would also be included in the victims’ list.

NPF’s Director Housing Shahid Iqbal said that over the next 24 hours, all land would be retrieved from the land grabbers.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

A press release said: “We strongly support the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of …Afghanistan.”

Highlighting the common threat of terrorism being faced by the two countries, Naek said: “Pakistan is against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

We are the biggest victims of terrorism … We have lost thousands of innocent civilians and valiant personnel of the armed forces. Terrorism has badly affected our economy and day-to-day lives. It is a common threat that requires a common response.”

The Senate chairman said: “Peace, security and stability in Afghanistan is vital for peace…in Pakistan. An independent, peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan, region and the world.”

Sayed Ishaq Gailani, the leader of the Afghan delegation, thanked the chairman and honourable Members of the Senate for their hospitality.

Expressing a strong desire and commitment to further enhance ties with Pakistan, members of the delegation said that Pakistan and Afghanistan “will make all possible efforts to enhance the relations between the two countries”.

Later, addressing a joint press conference, co-chairpersons of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Parliamentary Dialogue Sayed Ishaq Gailani, member of the Afghan Wolesi Jirga and Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, Chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan, said that parliamentary dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan “must continue to strengthen bilateral ties”.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

A five-wicket haul by Wahab Riaz, included ahead of Shoaib Akhtar as the team management chose mind over heart, restricted the hosts to a below-par 260. However, Pakistan’s batting crumbled in a chase under lights for the umpteenth time and, as Shahid Afridi puzzled all with his rigidness in delaying the batting Powerplay, the tourists were left needing a miracle.

Misbahul Haq, adapting a strange defensive strategy that allowed the asking run-rate to mount to unreachable heights, dreamt of a glorious end but poor planning and India’s effective death-bowling ensured Sachin Tendulkar plays his last World Cup match on home turf.

“I want to say sorry to my nation,” said captain Afridi who suffered a rare poor outing in the tournament with the ball, going wicket-less and contributing just 19 with the bat. “We tried our level best and we enjoyed ourselves at this

tournament.”

Afridi predicted his team to reach the last-four before the World Cup began – a notion shared by only a few – but the team’s dominance in the group matches, and the rise in confidence as it marched into the semi-final, gave birth to the dream of lifting the trophy.

However, four dropped catches reprieving man-of-the-match Tendulkar (85) allowed the hosts to scrape past the 250-mark and despite a reasonable start, Pakistan faded out, handing the screaming fans at the packed Punjab Cricket Association Stadium a perfect result.

Riaz, who would not have played the World Cup if it was not for the bans handed out to Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, grabbed a career-best five for 46, a haul that included the prized scalps of Virender Sehwag and India captain MS Dhoni. He dismissed Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh off consecutive deliveries with the latter bamboozled by a late-swinging yorker first-up. But the Pakistan batsmen failed to take cue from the left-armer and the momentum gained on the field was lost as they ended up agonisingly short of a dream finale against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

The two prime ministers found time for the talks during the ICC World Cup semi-final between Pakistan and India on Wednesday. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and Indian Parliamentarians also joined the two leaders at the talks which were held in a good atmosphere.

Later in his dinner speech, premier Singh said India and Pakistan should put ‘ancient animosities’ behind them and attend to their people.

“India and Pakistan should be working together to find cooperative solutions and need permanent reconciliation to live together in dignity and honour,” Singh said.

Nirupama Rao said the two leaders had agreed to exchange visits by delegations of lawmakers and deeper and wider cricketing ties, though she did not elaborate on whether this meant that Pakistan’s players would play in the next edition of the Indian Premier League.

Prime Minister Gilani also described his meeting with Singh as ‘positive’ where they discussed “all the core issues between the two countries”. Gilani told Pakistani journalists after the meeting that he invited the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to visit Pakistan.

The Indian foreign secretary said that the Indian premier has accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan and dates  would be announced soon.

Rao denied that the Indian premier had, by deciding to re-engage with Pakistan, put the Mumbai attacks behind India. She said Singh emphasised that both India and Pakistan should strive for an atmosphere free of terror and violence.

But the meeting between the two prime ministers took place against the background of the Saarc meeting at Thimphu and the ‘extremely positive meeting of the home secretaries’.

Rao said the two prime ministers agreed that issues of terrorism should be addressed in a ‘cooperative spirit, jointly’.

The two prime ministers had a substantive conversation for ninety minutes, but exchanges over dinner were related only to sport. Singh referred to the fact that Gilani’s forefathers made a substantial contribution for the building of the Golden Temple.

There will be a flurry of exchanges between the two sides this year, including talks between the surveyor generals of the two countries, commerce secretaries, foreign secretaries and foreign ministers.

In Islamabad, the United States embassy congratulated Prime Minister Gilani of Pakistan and his Indian counterpart for their leadership of ‘cricket diplomacy’ between their countries.

“We wish both nations continued success in expanding dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation.  We believe continued visionary diplomacy of this sort will lead both countries and the region as a whole to winning results for all sides,” a US embassy statement said.

With additional reporting by Sumera Khan in Islamabad

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

Another 20 people were also injured in the attack which took place on the Motorway near the Swabi interchange in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

A suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle detonated the explosives strapped to his body at a police checkpoint minutes before the Maulana’s bullet-proof Land Cruiser reached the spot, an eyewitness told The Express Tribune.

Police official Hayatullah Khan said the Maulana’s  convoy was set to enter the town when the blast hit. “We were lined up and party members came out from a nearby reception camp. Suddenly there was a huge blast amid welcome slogans by party workers. Shrapnel hit me and I received injuries to my head and leg,” he said.

A local JUI-F leader said the bomber wanted to target their chief, who was scheduled to address a public meeting in the Ambar area of Swabi. But he blew himself up when police tried to stop him.

“Our leader appeared to be the target, but he is safe,” said local JUI-F leader Maulana Fazle Ali.

Local police chief Abdullah Jan told the media that they have recovered the severed head and legs of the bomber from the site.

The bomber has been identified as Irshad Afridi, a teenage militant from the Khyber tribal region. Police said the bomber was identified with the help of an identity card recovered from his person.

Jan also confirmed the casualties. “Seven people died on the spot and three more succumbed to their injuries in the hospital,” he said. The injured were being treated at the Swabi district headquarters hospital, Shahmansoor Medical Complex and Khunda Civil Hospital.

District Health Officer Dr Gul Muhammad said that some of the injured with critical wounds have been shifted to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. He feared the death toll could rise further.

Witnesses said that the bomber detonated the explosives strapped to his body after having an altercation with police officials who stopped him at a checkpoint. The explosion took place as the vehicle carrying former chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Akram Durrani, who also belongs to the JUI-F, cruised past the site.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman was scheduled to address a public meeting in Swabi city as part of his campaign against the Western coalition’s air strikes on Libya.

Syed Abdul Jabar Shah, District Coordination Officer of Swabi, said that the bomber used an unregistered motorcycle to mislead investigators. However, he did not say that the JUI-F chief was the target.

It was the second attack on the JUI-F, which is considered ideologically close to the Taliban. Earlier on March 2, 2009, five persons were killed in an attack on an Islamic seminary in Pishin district of Balochistan, where JUI-F senior leader Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani was about to address a convocation.

Hours after the suicide attack, the JUI-F chief addressed a public meeting where he blamed the provincial government for its failure to provide security to people.  “The government did not take appropriate security measures despite the fact that local JUI-F leaders had sought strict security for the meeting,” he said.

He said that his party would not be cowed down by such cowardly attacks. “We will continue to move forward with our mission despite all obstacles.”

The Maulana also came down hard on the federal government for its ‘flawed policies’ which have provided the US a “licence to kill innocent people in Pakistan”.

Referring to Pakistan’s support in the war against terror, he said, “It is not our war. It’s a war for American interests in the region.”

The maulana, who has launched a campaign to mobilise support for Libyan dictator Col Qaddafi, told the gathering that the United States was instigating unrest in the Muslim world. “The Americans and their Western supporters want to see a weak political leadership in the region in the larger interest of Israel.”

Senate demands govt to bring perpetrators to justice

Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, leader of the House in the Senate, allowed the JUI-F senators to move the resolution, which was adopted unanimously.

Bokhari urged the country’s political leadership to join hands to defeat terrorism,  which he said was targeting every segment of society.

Senator Raza Rabbani, who is also minister for interprovincial coordination, assured the lawmakers that the government would take every step to unearth the culprits behind the incident.

Earlier, JUI-F Senator Haji Ghulam Ali informed the legislators about the attack targeting the convoy of Maulana Fazlur Rehman. A delegation of Afghan parliamentarians was also present in the house to witness the proceedings.

Another JUI-F Senator Rehmanullah Kakar, who was minister for housing before his party pulled out of the ruling coalition, came down hard on the country’s intelligence officials and demanded their accountability.

Senator Professor Khursheed Ahmed condemned the attack and reminded the government of an earlier resolution passed by the Senate on October 22, 2008 calling for a national counter-terror strategy. He regretted that no step has been taken since to implement the resolution.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.

India beat Pakistan by 29 runs in the second World Cup semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday.

India posted 260-9 and then returned to bowl out Pakistan for 231 in 49.5 overs.

Sachin Tendulkar was the highest scorer for India with 85 runs, Wahab Riaz took six wickets for 46 runs for Pakistan.

India will now meet Sri Lanka for the final in Mumbai on April 2.

End of live updates

50th over

Extreme pressure on Pakistan. Misbah refuses to take a run.

He lifts one up trying to get a big one and he is gone! Caught by Kohli for 56 runs.

Its over, India win the match by 29 runs.

49th over

Munaf Patel bowling to Misbah. Smacked for six straight down the ground.

Seven runs from the over. Pakistan are 231/9.

48th over

Zaheer Khan continues.

Misbah plays him on the offside for four.

Another four straight down the ground from Misbah!

Fourteen runs from the over. Pakistan are now 224/9.

47th over

Nehra bowls to Umar Gul. LBW appeal! Given out. Pakistan take review and the decision stays. Umar Gul goes for 2.

Saeed Ajmal comes in to play.

Just two runs from the over. Pakistan are 210/9.

46th over

Pakistan take the batting power play.

Zaheer Khan bowling.

Misbah smacks him away for four. Too late?

Eight runs from the over. Pakistan are 208/8

45th over

Nehra to Riaz. Two dot balls.

Two more dot balls. Riaz belts under pressure, he tries to smack one away and hits a skier which is caught by Tendulkar. Riaz goes for eight.

Pakistan are now 200/8.

44th over

Harbhajan Singh bowls.

Misbah gets another four playing a reverse sweep.

Seven runs from the over. Pakistan are 199/7.

43rd over

Nehra bowling.

Wahab Riaz is here to play savior. He plays Nehra for four, the fielder can’t make it to the boundary.

Eight runs from the over. Pakistan are 192/7.

42nd over

Harbhajan continues.  Why is Afridi not taking the power play?

Afridi is gone! Full toss from Harbhajan Singh and tries to hit that one away and is caught by Sehwag. He goes for 19 runs.

Wahab Riaz comes in.

Three runs from the over. Pakistan are 184/7.

41st over

Zaheer Khan continues.

Blogger  Imran A Khan discusses how Pakistan stands a good chance at beating India at Mohali. Read it here.

Four runs from the over. Pakistan are 181/6.

Twitter buzz:

gauravbatla Gaurav Batla Dear Afridi you will still remain the best.pakistani player in #cwc2011even if you don’t score in this. So please oblige

Balldinho Balldiñho™  Come on Afridi !!!! Its #BoomBoom timeeeee

40th over

Yuvraj Singh bowling his last over.

Misbah finally wakes up from his test match hibernation and plays a reverse sweep for four.

Close one there! Afridi lifted one and Nehra caught it. Honest Nehra says he isn’t sure if it carried. TV umpire says it hasn’t. Afridi stays.

Nine runs from the over. Pakistan are 177/6.

Pakistan now require 84 from 60 balls.

39th over

Zaheer Khan is back into the attack.

Afridi going for the doubles now.

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 167/6.

38th over

Yuvraj bowling his ninth over.

Afridi smacks Yuvraj for four on the offside.

Afridi really pushing for the runs. He doesn’t plan on giving up it seems.

Eleven runs from the over. Pakistan are 163/6.

37th over

Munaf Patel opens the over with a wide and helps Pakistan crawl to 150 runs.

Razzaq is clean bowled! Munaf Patel trying to wrap things up early. He goes for three runs.

Afridi comes in.

An Indian model has vowed to strip naked if her country wins the cricket World Cup. Read all about it here.

Four runs from the over. Pakistan are 152/6.

36th over

Yuvraj is back.

Nudging the singles here and there. Run rate nearing 8 now.

Two runs from the over, Pakistan are now 148/5.  113 needed from 14 overs.

35th over

Patel bowls to Misbah. Misbah is playing a test match out there.

Two runs from the over. Pakistan are 146/5.

34th over

Harbhajan Singh bowls Umar Akmal off the first ball of the over! Clean bowled, Akmal goes for 29.

Razzaq replaces Akmal.

Two runs from the over and a wicket. Pakistan are 144/5

Twitter buzz:

chamilaya chamila udukumbura  Imagine if pakistan had Asif & Amir too… dream bowling lineup!

andrewsam Andrew Sam  Misbah has got t20 world cup in his eyes. That steel-y calm determined look.

FaisalKhatib Faisal Khatib  Yuvraj is a part time bowler…he should know that and so should the Pakistan team

Drinks

33rd over

Dhoni brings in Munaf Patel to bowl. Just one run from the over. Pakistan are 142/4.

32nd over

Good start to the over, actor Amir Khan gives the crowd something extra to cheer about.

Yuvraj bowls. Six more from Akmal! Akmal teaching Yuvraj a thing or two about batting every over now. Straight down the ground!

Nine runs from the over. Pakistan are 141/4.

31st over

Nehra bowling his seventh over.

Another good over, just two runs from it. Pakistan are 132/4.

Twitter buzz:

lxasad Asad Gondal  Umar Akmal is thinking to return to dressing room as fast as he can. Yaar bat to rakh ball key aagey!

sougatabanerjee Sougata Banerjee  Misbah was a gonner, but Yuvi ensures that Pak are still with a chance to stay at the refurbished Taj Mahal Hotel!

tailenderSehwag TailenderSehwag  I wonder if this’ll all hinge on Mr Afridi – run rate mounting, something will give, Afridi will be in, and… then what?

alfishabs Shabbir Jadliwala  First six of the innings finally arrived in 80th over of the match..

30th over

Yuvraj Singh to Umar Akmal, smacked away for four! First boundary in a long time. Pakistan needs more of these.

Six!! Second is smacked away for four on the leg-side. Akmal is on fire and lets hope he doesn’t get too excited.

Twelve runs from the over. Pakistan are 130/4.

29th over

Nehra back into the attack.

Blogger RA Toori talks about how Pakistanis love to hate India and how this needs to be changed. Read it here.

India is piling up the pressure on Pakistan, just one run from the over. Pakistan are 118/4. The run rate is creeping up to 7 now.

28th over

Yuvraj continues.

Strange happenings in the field! Run out chance and an excited Yuvraj dismantles the wickets with his arm. Umar Akmal is safe.

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 117/4.

Twitter buzz:

zaheerahmed_pk ZAHEER AHMED  I think younas should now take retirement from one day cricket.

divzluvzlampard Divya Kapur  Yes. Yes. Keep that going. Let them lose more of their wickets.

rishijyoti Rishi Jyoti  I have a feeling that Pakistan are about to unravel

27th over

Harbhajan continures. Umar Akmal came in for Younis Khan. Pakistan crumbling under pressure now?

Six runs from the over. Pakistan are 112/4.

26th over

Yuvraj Singh fishing for more wickets. And he has one! Younis Khan goes Raina takes the catch! He is gone for 13.

Wicket maiden for Yuvraj. Pakistan are 106/4.

25th over

Harbhajan singh bowls to Younis Khan. Two dot balls.

Just three runs off the over. Misbah and Younis bringing things to a halt now. Pakistan are 106/3.

Pakistan require 155 from 150 balls.

Twitter buzz:

clarkyfanzine Andy Clark  India’s bowlers finally coming to the party. Batting was never gonna get them through every game. Atmosphere being cranked up now.

24th over

Yuvraj Singh bowling his third over.

Pakistan have really slowed it down now.

Yuvraj Singh cleans up Asad Shafiq, he is clean bowled! He goes for 30 runs.

Misbah replaces Shafiq.

Three runs from the over. Pakistan are 103/3.

23rd over

Zaheer Khan bowling to Asad Shafiq. Single

Younis Khan facing. Appeal for LBW, Zaheer Khan looks confident. Umpire says not out. No review taken.

100 runs up for Pakistan and Shafiq plays it on leg for two runs.

Six runs from the over. Pakistan are 100/2.

22nd over

Yuvraj Singh continues.

He bowls a tight over. Just one run from it.

Twitter buzz:

MsWardah W’ard- a  our butcher just called to ask what the score is .. God Help Us.

Farhaj Farhaj  Newbie, but this can’t be good for #Pakistan

MadMona mOna Lisa ”Serious sport amounts to war minus the shooting” ~ George Orwell

21st over

Zaheer Khan is back into the attack. Good over from Khan, just four runs from it. Pakistan are 93/2

Click here to read about how Pakistani’s have come up with creative ways to entice the public and unite the country for the match.

20th over

And Yuvraj Singh is going to bowl now. After his batting display, the Indian team is probably hoping he can take a few wickets (he has 11 in the tournament).

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 89/2. India were 119/2 at this point.

19th over

Harbhajan continues. Pakistan batsmen playing it safe, nudging the ball around for the occasional single.

Four runs from the over. Pakistan are 84/2.

18th over

Nehra bowling.

Blogger Khurram Baig takes a stroll down memory lane and discusses how Pakistan has never beaten India in a world cup match and whether they can change history today. Read it here.

Good over, just three runs from it. Pakistan are 80/2.

Twitter buzz:

GayanMW Gayan Malinda  I have a feeling it’s Afridi’s day. Its now ever never. It Boom or Booo time

seventhsamurai Vijay Venkataramanan  Cn we please hire Wasim Akram 2 b India’s bowling coach. At least we’ll hv a coach who dsnt ask bowlers 2 slow dwn.

ndnbhar Bharathi Rajendran  We’ll get quick wickets and low runrate! Come on india!!!

17th over

Asad Shafiq joins the party. He lifts one straight down the ground, it passes through Harbhajan’s hands and goes straight down the ground for four.

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 77/2.

16th over

Patel gets Hafeez! Very very stupid shot fro Hafeez, he went across the stumps and try to flick one over leg. Dhoni takes the catch. Haeez is gone for 43.

Younis Khan replaces Hafeez.

Drinks

Two runs from the over. Pakistan are 72/2.

15th over

Harbhajan to Hafeez. Single.

Asad Shafiq faces Harbhajan, smashed on the offside for four!

Seven runs from the over. Pakistan are 70/1.

14th over

Patel bowling to Shafiq.

Maiden over from Patel.

Pakistan are 63/1.

Twitter buzz:

kel_holbeck El Bastardo  Is 260 enough? If nz had scored 260 y’day it could have been them in final The answer is WHO KNOWS So stop guessing & stay watching

masoodalams Masood Siddiqui  I don’t know why m starts believing that 260 is a very good target OMG.

horizonskill Anish Varghese ♡  Dear Dhoni, I’m going to Qutab Minar area; when I return, I would like to see 3 wickets down. Thankyou!!

13th over

Harbhajan continues.

Blogger Said Chaudhry reminisces about the last time Pakistan played and defeated India at Mohali. Read it here.

Just four runs from the over. Pakistan are 63/1.

12th over

Patel bowling his fourth over now.

Hafeez flicks him down leg-side for four!

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 59/1.

Twitter buzz:

MalangChic Alishba Zarmeen  Oh baby, I’m conceiving the cup’s baby!! GO #PAKISTAN! GO GREEN! MAKE US ALL MOAN IN BATTING ECSTASY!

Ronssssss Rounak jain Dhoni will regret not picking ashwin today HIS ENTIRE LIFE !

LoshanARV Loshan ARVLOSHAN  See the amount of turn this pitch gives to Harbhajan.. Ashwin, You will be missed by India for sure.

11th over

Asad Shafiq faces his first ball as Harbhajan Singh comes into the attack.

Hafeez living dangerously. Drives one straight to Singh and the ball drops just short of him.

Two runs from the over. Pakistan are 54/1.

10th over

Patel is smacked away for four on his first ball. Hafeez is on fire!

Op-ed writer George Fulton talks about how Pakistan and India will go back to being neighbours at war after the match. Read it here.

Hafeez afain, smashes it to the leg, drops just short of the fielder and crosses the boundary for a four.

At this stage India were 73/1.

Eight runs from the over. Pakistan are 52/1.

Ninth over

Zaheer Khan is back into the attack.

Khan strikes! Kamran Akmal is gone and Yuvraj Singh makes up for his duck by taking the catch.

One run and the wicket from the over. Pakistan are 44/1.

Twitter buzz:

clarkyfanzine Andy Clark  300 Pakistanis visible, scattered around the ground. No more than that. A small minority, but vocal all the same

SaadMalik Saad Malik  Wow, we desis hate each other so much that we can’t even agree on a hashtag for the game. I see

Eighth over

Nehra stands there and watches Hafeez loft one away for four.

Five runs from the over. Pakistan are 43/0.

Seventh over

Munaf Patel returns after bowling a good first over.

Hafeez has had enough batting practice, he takes the aerial route and smashes Patel for four on the offside.

Another four, in the air again and this time its Akmal.

Nine runs from the over. Pakistan are 38/0

Twitter buzz:

msarosh M.Sarosh Ebrahim  Nevermind the odd good ever just stay on & keep batting runs will come anyway

iamtushar Tushar Suresh  Wow. Whatever happened to the Munaf Patel we know.

Sixth over

Nehra bowling the over. Very tight fielding from the Indians, Sehwag manages to save a few runs off the bat of Hafeez.

Nehra gets a touch on the ball and it hits the wicket! It goes to the third umpire for the review. And Akmal is safe!

Another good over from Nehra.

Op-ed writer Khurram Hussain talks about what would happen if Pakistan loses the match. Read it here.

One run from the over. Pakistan are 29/0.

Fifth over

Munaf Patel comes into the attack now. Dhoni mixing things up a little.

Short ball from Patel, Akmal tries to smack it away and it lands safely just outside the circle, no fielders around to catch that one.

Good over from Patel. Two runs from it. Pakistan are 28/0.

Twitter buzz:

WajihaSaid Wajiha Said rule of thumb: if the stadium is silent, #Pakistan is doing good

jmujtaba Mujtaba Ibrahim  Track is keeping it low…Im surprised! need a top class fielding today..boys have to be electrifying

bithack3r Osman  #Mohali is the venue for sure but There are+30,000 people in Qaddafi Cricket Stadium #Lahore, more then in there are in #Mohali

Fourth over

Nehra bowling his second. Hafeez drives it on the off side for four. Both openers a little edgy looking for the singles.

Six runs from the over. Pakistan are 26/0.

Third over

Zaheer continues. Akmal drives through cover, the fielders chase it to the edge of the boundary. He gets three runs for it.

Hafeez gets four! Beautifully played through mid-wicket.

Eight runs from the over. Pakistan are 20/0.

Second over

Ashish Nehra bowling the second over for India.

Nehra bowls a tight over, five runs from the over.

Pakistan are 12/0.

First over

Zaheer Khan opens the bowling for India. Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez open the batting for Pakistan.

Kamran Akmal smashes him away for four through cover point.

Straight drive from Akmal and he gets four for it.

Eight runs from the over. Pakistan are 8/0.

Second innings begin

MOHALI: The prime ministers of nuclear-armed foes India and Pakistan stood side by side on Wednesday at a World Cup cricket match and clapped to each other’s national anthems in a symbolic gesture aimed at rebuilding ties shattered by the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The leaders shook hands with the two teams in the northern Indian town of Mohali at a semi-final match between the South Asian neighbours that have gone to war three times since Independence in 1947.

Such is the fervour surrounding cricket in the two countries that scores of Pakistanis crossed one of the world’s most militarised borders to travel to the stadium while millions of Indians have taken the day off work to watch the game.

“Enjoy Cricket, It’s Not War!” was the front page splash of India’s Mail Today newspaper.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had invited his counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani to watch the game and discuss reviving a peace process, although “cricket diplomacy” will offer more gestures than  breakthroughs in a conflict that has lasted for more than 60 years.

In a major confidence-building measure ahead of the match, Islamabad agreed on Tuesday to let Indian investigators travel to Pakistan to probe the Mumbai attacks after a meeting of the countries’ respective home secretaries.

“As far as our relations are concerned, I’m happy our talks have resumed and interior (home) secretaries’ talks were held in a positive manner,” Gilani said.

“Dr. Manmohan Singh is very good politician. His approach is very positive and he wants to do something for peace and prosperity of this region so we both are committed that the environment should improve and we could serve people.”

For Prime Minister Singh, the match may be a way of regaining the policy initiative after his government has been battered by months of corruption scandals that could dent the ruling Congress party’s chances in upcoming state elections.

Both sides will hope to ride a wave of goodwill ahead of talks between their foreign ministers in July, but some were sceptical about “cricket diplomacy “, which was tried as long ago as far back as 1987, without bringing lasting peace.

“It facilitates resolution, it doesn’t lead to resolution,” former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told the Indian news channel Times Now. “Cricket diplomacy doesn’t mean that you can resolve disputes just because you attended a match together.”

Wednesday’s game pitted India’s world-class players, including Sachin Tendulkar, against a Pakistani side that has looked in devastating form.

There was a sea of Indian fans’ blue and red turbans in Mohali and the neighbouring city of Chandigarh, which were patrolled by the local Punjab police, with some 1,500 policemen being deployed around the team hotel alone.

Police conducted surprise midnight checks on hotels near the stadium to verify the identity of guests.

Thousands who had travelled to Mohali to queue for tickets were left disappointed, but at dusk on Tuesday some die-hards decided to wait in line even after organisers had hung up the “sold out” sign. Some Indians reportedly decided to give up their tickets in a goodwill gesture to Pakistani fans.

 

ISLAMABAD: A court in Islamabad extended former minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi’s remand in the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) physical custody for 14 more days on Wednesday.

Kazmi, who is one of the accused involved in the multi-million-rupee Hajj scam, was presented in the court of senior civil judge Aslam Gondal.

Speaking to the media outside the court, FIA official Khalid Naeem said investigations revealed further assets of the former minister including 14 plots worth Rs4 million.

The court has directed the FIA to present Kazmi in court on April 13.

Earlier, the Islamabad court had extended the physical remand of the former minister for four days so investigators could question him further.

Kazmi has been in the custody of the FIA for the past 14 days.

The premier will fly to India on Wednesday morning  and join his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in watching what promises to be a scorcher of a clash between the two sides.

Life has come to a standstill in cities and towns across the country, with educational institutions declaring a holiday in Sindh and Punjab and government offices making special arrangements to view the match. The excitement was palpable everywhere from Mohali to Lahore and from Karachi to Gujrat.

The mood is upbeat, more so after the extraordinary bonhomie generated by the agreement reached by the home secretaries on information sharing – not just about the Mumbai attack but also in the future.

The Indian team was at the stadium today practicing while the Pakistan team took over to familiarise itself with the grounds later at night.

The premier’s delegation includes seven ministers, their spouses and members of parliament drawn from several political parties, including the opposition. A few relatives of the premier are accompanying him on the trip such as Gilani’s brother (and provincial legislator) Ahmed Mujtaba and his wife, as well as his brother-in-law.

Gilani is not taking any top official of the Foreign Office with him, indicating that the two sides will not raise any mutual issues during their encounter at the Mohali cricket stadium. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will assist the prime minister during his talks with the Indian prime minister. The two prime ministers are expected to have a conversation on all issues of mutual interest on the sidelines of the match.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will reach the venue at 1:00pm. Gilani and Singh will have a spot of lunch and will watch the match together. The Indian premier is scheduled to fly back to New Delhi the same night at around 11:00pm while Gilani will stay on and leave the next morning. He will be bid goodbye by Governor Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will hold a press conference during the match.

To prevent any harm from coming to the Indian or Pakistani team the Taj Hotel, where the two teams are staying has been sequestered. Both ends of the road to the hotel are closed.

Gilani will leave Chaklala airbase at 10am and reach Chandigarh airport at 11.25am (Indian Standard Time), from where he will be taken to Mohali cricket stadium.

Gilani will spend Wednesday night at the beautifully appointed and scenic UT Guest House adjoining the Raj Bhavan and a lake (which is where most of the Pakistani delegation has been housed). Giant TV screens have been ordered by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao at the UT Guest House so that those members of the delegation who stay back can watch the match in the guest house itself.

The official delegation comprises Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar and Interior Minister Rehman Malik and their spouses,  Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, Haji Umar Gorgage, minister for postal services, Labour Minister Syed Khurshed Shah, Sports Minister Engineer Shaukatullah, Minister of State for  foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and her husband Feroz Gulzar, Senator Sughar Imam (PPP), MNA Afsandyar Wali Khan of the Awami National Party, former minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Lt Gen R MNA Abdul Qadir Baloch (PML-N), Munir Khan Orakzai (Fata), Laiq Mohammad Khan (PML), Sherry Rehman (PPP), Farooq Satar (MQM), Mrs Naheed Rashid, sister of Farooq Satar, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor (MQM), Riaz Hussain Pirzada, (PML), Kashmala Tariq (PML), Syed Ahmad Mujtaba, MPA, Itrat Bano, (wife of Ahmed Mujtaba), Sharmila Farooqi, Moinul Islam Bokhari, Nargis Moin, wife of Moin Bokhari, Mr and Mrs Faisal Butt, Mr and Mrs Zahid Rafiq, Badar Zia and his son Attaur Rehman, Kamran Kiyani and Safdar Kiyani, Mrs and Mrs Shahid Rafique , chief of protocol Ghalib Iqbal, principal secretary to PM Gilani, Khushnood Lashari, press secretary Shabbir Anwar, military secretary Nasir Dilawar, SSP Imran Mahmood and ADC to PM Shahzad Fatah.  Only six journalists PJ Mir, Rauf Klasra, Saleh Zafir, Nasim Zehra, Quatrina Hussain and Asma Sherazi have been invited to join the VVIP flight to India.

Govt’s gift: Half working day today

All federal government offices will close at 12 noon,a press release issued from the PM House stated.

Gilani is visiting India today at the invitation of Manmohan Singh to watch the match.

The SC has also made special arrangements. CJ Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has directed the court administration to install a big screen inside the auditorium.

Meanwhile Sindh High Court CJ Mushir Alam said that  courts in the province will be closed today.

With additional reporting by Aditi Phadnis in Mohali and by Sumera Khan in Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

JAKARTA: An alleged extremist believed to be one of the masterminds behind the 2002 Bali bombings has been arrested in Pakistan, an Indonesian counter-terrorism official said Wednesday.

“Umar Patek was arrested in Pakistan,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, without giving further details about where or how Tuesday’s arrest was made.

There has been no immediate confirmation from authorities in Pakistan.

Indonesia’s counter-terrorism police have been tracking Patek for years. He has a $1.0 million bounty on his head under the US government’s “Rewards for Justice” programme.

Born in 1970, he was the alleged field coordinator for the 2002 bombings of nightclubs in the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which killed 202 people including Australians and Americans.

Patek is a suspected member of Jemaah Islamiyah, an al Qaeda-linked militant group active in Southeast Asia, and Indonesian authorities believe that he has been hiding out in the Philippines.

Finance Ministry sources told The Express Tribune that the government will, as in previous years, table the budget directly in the National Assembly rather than place it before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue in May.

The sources said the government had to shelve the proposal because it lacked a simple majority in the Standing Committee on Finance, the second time this has come to haunt the treasury. The Reformed General Sales Tax bill also got stuck in the parliamentary committee.

The government is now planning to present the budget in the first week of June, giving the parliamentarians barely 20 days to debate the budget, a voluminous document that requires much time to read and comprehend.

“We are working on the budget calendar and will try to table the budget in the last week of May but nothing can be said with certainty,” Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said.

Last year there was much criticism from parliamentarians and the media of the fact that elected representatives are largely kept out of the budget-making process. The government announced it would table the budget in the standing committee, but that plan appears to have floundered.

The 17-member committee includes five members each from the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, three from the PML-Quaid, and one each from the ANP, MQM, JUI and Fata.

The PML-N has one member more than its share, which is determined by each party’s representation in the National Assembly. This extra representation was granted by the PPP when the two parties had a better relationship. The sources said the finance minister felt the PML-N’s extra representation had become a cause of concern for the PPP.

The parliament’s role in budget-making is limited to saying “aye” or “nay” during the budget voting exercise, as is evident from the billions of rupees in supplementary grants that the government spends without parliament’s approval each year.

In the last fiscal year, the federal government spent Rs370 billion above the budget approved by parliament. The extra spending was later approved by the NA.

The sources said another reason for dropping the proposal was to avoid discussion in the media about controversial tax proposals. The government is still committed to introducing Reformed General Sales Tax through the Finance Bill 2011, but does not have support in the standing committee due to MQM opposition.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.