Download Vol 10 No 116 Monday 10 February , 2014 Rs. 2 10 February 2014

Vol 10 No 116 Monday 10 February , 2014 Rs. 2 10 February 2014
Why entire Pakistan including Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif
COAS General Raheel Sharif, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq
Hussian Jillani and PTI Chief Mr. Imran Khan is worried about Indian Held
Kashmir and why the entire world needs to look into it?
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 9,
(APP) : Braving bitterly cold
weather, a large number of people
staged a rally in front of the U.N
building in New York demanding
the implementation of Security
Council resolutions under the
Kashmiri people are to exercise
their right to self-determination.
The rally was organized by the
Kashmir Mission, USA, which is
headed by Capt. (rtd) Shaheen
Butt, to mark the Kashmir
Solidarity Day. A large crosssection of the Pakistani and
Kashmiri Diaspora in New York
and
surrounding
areas
participated. The demonstrators
carried anti-India placards and
raised slogans calling for the
freedom of Kashmiri people from
India’s yoke. “Self-determination
our birth right,” they shouted.
Wrapped up in woolies, speakers
at the rally denounced India for
thebrutalities let loose on the
Kashmiri
people
since
its
occupation of the state more than
six decades ago. They called on
the United Nations and the
international
community
topressurise India into ending its
repression of Kashmiri people and
honour its pledge to allow a U.N
sponsored plebiscite in Kashmir to
determine
their
wishes.
In his speech, Capt. (rtd) Shaheen
Butt urged Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon to take practical to
implement the UN resolutions on
Kashmir in the interest of peace
and stability in South Asia, Sardar
Imtiaz Khan, a Kashmiri activist,
demanded
that
India’s
membership of the United Nations
should be suspended because New
Dehli was in violation of the
world
body’s
mandatory
reslutions.
Other
speakers
included Sardar Mohammad Taj
Khan, Chaudhry Ghulam Jilani
and Afzal Butt. Kashmir as the
world knows not only a territorial
dispute but is a matter of self
determination and is related with
entire nation of the people of
Kashmir who are subject to severe
kind of human rights abuses by
the Indian government, a situation
that is not only a ‘living’ serious
question seeking answer from the
entire community of nations but
also is a strange situation in 21
century that is perceived as the
century of freedom, human rights
and a no to any kind of
suppression and discrimination
but is this so in case of people of
Kashmir is something very
serious? It is a fact that newly
elected government of Pakistan
lead by Prime Minister Mian
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on all
forums national or international
clarified that in the past few years
because of the presence of those
groups in Pakistani government
those were against Two Nations
Theory that is the foundation
stone of Pakistan’s ideology, it
was wrongly conveyed and
propagated that Kashmir is a mere
territorial
dispute
between
Pakistan and India rather the
matter of Kashmir is pure
humanitarian issue related with
the Indian Occupation of the
valley of Kashmir against the UN
resolutions and against the will of
people of Kashmir those are living
like slaves in their own lands due
to the illegal occupation of Indian
troops those have converted
paradise of Kashmir into a hell by
using force against innocent
people women and children
violating and putting aside all
human values and violating all
international
human
rights
standards because of their
discrimination against the people
of Kashmir.
Such critical
situation in the valley of Kashmir
is a matter of serious concern for
entire Pakistan because all
Kashmiris are followers of Islam
that is an official religion of
Pakistan so on humanitarian an
religious grounds Pakistan is
offering all kinds of help to the
state of Azad Jummu and Kashmir
for more than last 60 years. Now
the situation in Pakistan is that
every Pakistani he may be Chief
Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad
Sahbaz Sharif, Chief of Army
Staff General Raheel Sharif Chief
Justice of Pakistan Justice
Tassaduq Hussian Jillani or Mr.
Imran Khan of PTI or an
unnoticed Pakistani all equally not
only love Kashmir but also
conscious of the sufferings of the
people of Kashmir and Pakistan is
an atomic power and situation in
Kashmir is a constant source of
concern for entire Pakistan and
UNO resolutions demand the
solution of Kashmir as per the
aspirations of the people of
Kashmir so the entire world that is
concerned with the humanitarian
values needs to consider Kashmir
as it deserves.
SIALKOT (Head Marala), Feb 9
(APP): Development work on
Head Marla Hydro Power Project
is in full swing and it would be
completed at estimated cost of
Rs.3049.74
million.
Official
sources told APP here Sunday the
pace of development work on the
construction of spillway and
power house had been further
accelerated and hopefully the
spillway would be completed in
April this year. The experts of a
Chinese firm “SINOTEC” are
supervising the development work
of the project. Sources further
said, Kaplan type turbines of 4X2
would be installed to generate
electricity and after completion
this power project will generate
7.64
megawatt
electricity.
Besides, the construction of two
dams on Upper Chenab Canal had
already been completed and this
Hydro Power Project after
completion will generate 50.50
Geggawatt
hours
(GWh)
electricity per year sources added.
ISLAMABAD Feb 9 (APP):
Power consumers are likely to get
relief this year as 3,367 mw power
is set to be added in the national
grid, said an official of Ministry of
Water and Power.Talking to APP,
he said 186 mw hydel power
would be added in the system
after completion of 130 mw
capacity Duber Khawar, 17 mw
capacity Gomal Dam, 17 mw
Satpara and 22 mw capacity
Jabban Hydro Power Project this
year.Yet other 3,181 mw power
would be added in the system this
year including 425 mw power
through
Nandidipur
Power
Project, 525 mw Chichoki
Mallian, 750 mw Guddu, 320mw
UAE gifted Power Plant at
Faisalabad, 496 mw Lower
Spatgah and 665 mw Lower Palas
Valley. The installed capacity of
country is 20,841 mw while
dependable capacity is 18,713
mw, however the availability of
generation from all sources
depends upon availability of water
in reservoirs, supply of gas, fuel
(oil gas to the thermal power
plants of GENCOs and IPPs)
Independent Power Producers.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP):
Ministry
of
Information
Technology
and
Telecommunications (MOIT) is
initiating projects with universities
and industry to promote e-learning
among
the
youth.
The
implementing Body of the
Ministry, National ICT Research
and Development Fund is initially
focusing on providing training
material for learning English
language and mathematics at high
school level. Official sources on
Sunday said the Department plans
to develop e-health related
systems and applications that use
mobile phones and expert systems
to impart continued education and
better advice to citizens in rural
areas.Similarly, the sources said
research
and
development
initiatives are being supported
with focus on increasing the
effectiveness of services delivered
by Lady Health Workers (LHW)
in rural areas. They said the
wealth of information available on
Internet
is
empowering
individuals and organizations
throughout the world, adding that
unfortunately, for majority of our
population
most
of
the
information is in English language
and we are supporting efforts to
make it easier to develop content
in local languages. The sources
said to empower young citizens
through Internet connectivity and
to promote social networks, the
Department would impart training
in high schools on creating
content in local languages. This
training will be followed by a
sequence of competitions for
young minds on developing web
pages and content that can be of
great value to their peers.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP): The
marble city being established at
Loralai, Balochistan to process
marble and granite, is expected to
generate more than 10,000 direct
and indirect jobs. The concerned
authorities, as part of its measures
to enhance production of minerals
from Balochistan, would also
introduce one-common facility
and training center. Official
sources on Sunday said Pakistan
Stone Development Company
(PASDEC)
has
introduced
mechanized
quarrying
of
marble/limestone in Balochistan
and
also
established
one
machinery pool and five quarrying
projects in collaboration with
private lease-holders.
Giving
details about mineral exploration
projects launched in Balochistan
province during last five years, the
sources said these included public
sector project namely Balochistan
Copper-Gold project at Reko-Diq
area, district Chagai while about
95
prospecting/exploration
licenses were granted in private
sector for different minerals.
During the period, the sources
said Geological Survey of
Pakistan conducted geological
mapping/mineral investigation in
different districts of Balochistan.
Moreover, new mineral
occurrences of copper, manganese
and iron have been identified in
Lasbela, Khuzdar and Chagai
areas. These mineral showings
require detailed exploration for
proving as economic deposits
while
Geoscience
Advance
Research Lab, Islamabad was
upgraded through procurement of
scientific
equipment.
Moreover, the Federal and
Provincial Governments took
numerous measures to enhance
mineral production in Balochistan
which included updation of
National Mineral Policy to
facilitate investment in mineral
sector
and
enhance
its
international competitiveness with
consensus of all provinces and
approval of Council of Common
Interests
(CCI).
Pakistan Mineral Development
Corporation (PMDC) regularly
carried out development works to
maintain and enhance coal
production. The Corporation is
also working in a joint venture
with a Chinese Company for
exploitation of Duddar-Lead Zinc
Deposit (District Lasbela), which
is presently under trial production.
Moreover, the sources said a
Marble City at Hub has been
established to introduce modern
mechanized mining, cutting and
polishing of stone of international
standard.
By
Shahid
Ali
Butt
ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP): It is
a widely recognised reality that
broadband
infrastructure
contributes towards economic
growth of a country and
significant amount of job creation.
Pakistan without 3G services was
left with aging copper media to
cope with broadband needs of the
country while WiMAX operators
could not fill the gap while EvDO
technology can be termed as
smooth enough to entirely replace
the fixed broadband technology.
This whole proposition resulted
into mere around 3 million
broadband connections in last one
decade against 129 million
cellular subscriptions during the
same
duration.According
to
Pakistan
Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) data, the number
of Broadband Internet users in
Pakistan increased from less than
27,000 in 2005-06 to around 2.72
million subscribers and 30 percent
growth during 2012-13.
The
penetration level remains low at
1.52 percent. However, the
remarkable growth of wireless
technologies is an encouraging
sign for the sector as major player
Pakistan
Telecommunication
Company
Limited
(PTCL)
invested a lot and it is currently
leading the broadband market by a
long margin with its EvDO
services.With
upcoming
3G
spectrum auction a large
population will be able to
transition towards broadband
services
through
high-speed
wireless data networks. This is a
trend that is followed in various
markets as well.According to
different reports, 3G broadband
penetration has exceeded fixed
line broadband in almost every
market. A recent report by Plum
Consulting
anticipates
that
Pakistan is set to achieve at least
10 percent broadband penetration
(or
20
million
broadband
connection) by 2018 if 3G is
auction in 2014.These estimates
are based on low-demand forecast
while with high demand forecast,
broadband penetration in Pakistan
can go up to as high as 16 percent
or
30
million
broadband
connections by 2018 if 3G is
auctioned in 2014.With regard to
positive
impact
on
GDP,
economic studies have proven the
fact that there is a positive
relationship between broadband
penetration and GDP growth. This
is true for both developed and
developing
markets.Different
researches have established that
impact of a ten percentage point
increase in broadband penetration
on GDP growth rates range from
0.1-1.5 percentage points, with
higher impacts found in lower
income countries like Pakistan.
If we carry a conservative
estimate of 0.5 percent impact on
GDP and assume that impact will
last for 3 years then Pakistan’s
current GDP will increase by Rs.
40 billion in one year after 3G
auction, while another Rs. 105
billion increment after second
year of 3G auction and Rs. 210
billion during the third year of 3G
auction.The estimates suggest
next generation networks are
expected to add Rs. 380 billion to
Rs. 1,180 billion to national GDP
during next few years till 2020.
Not to mention, these figures
exclude the auction money that
Pakistan is going to generate
through 3G.Regarding increased
employment, same report and
experts opinion indicate that over
900,000 new jobs will be created
if 3G is auctioned right away.
These jobs will span around
various sectors including telecom,
services, advertising, outsourcing
and others.The increased taxes
arise as a result of the general
stimulus to economic activity i.e.
they derive from taxes paid by all
sectors of the economy, especially
the data services.The estimates
also suggest that government
would be able to generate addition
taxes of at least Rs. 29 billion and
at most Rs. 71 billion from
various sectors after 3G auction.
If we talk about socio-economic
benefits, Broadband is an enabler
which will enhance the provision
of
education,
health
and
government services in Pakistan
by reducing delivery costs and
improving service availability.
A senior official at PTA said with
access to broadband will entirely
change the way we do our
business, financial and private
transactions, adding that the way
“We interact with each other or
the way we find our addresses,
everything will be reshaped.”
Moreover, smartphones with
increased computing abilities are
going to lessen the efforts and
hardships we come across in our
daily routines.“From the way we
pay our bills to the way we
register our complaints with utility
companies will all go digital,” the
official addedThe official said in
addition, low cost and flexible
access to IT resources, such as file
storage, software and databases,
can be accessed using cloud based
services. Assume a system with
centralized database and reporting
of corruption or registration of
complaints from general public
will make the lives easier, simpler,
efficient and more productive.
Access to broadband technology
and the internet would provide
specific benefits to women
enabling access to education and
health resources and ways of
generating income within their
homes.Many of the benefits from
using broadband to deliver health
and education services are not
reflected in GDP estimates
mentioned above as they occur
over a long timescale (e.g. the
benefits of better primary and
secondary education can take 10
or more years to be realised in
labour force productivity) and
because they are about improving
aspects of quality of life which are
not captured by GDP measures.
More outsourcing opportunities
will surface. With higher rate of
access to broadband will mean
more resources available for
servicing the world. More services
to export and more revenue
inflows, just that everything will
be reshaped.A telecom expert said
all of the above benefits will be
reaped if one condition is met - we
do the 3G rightly as a deeper and
proper planning is what we
require at this point in place.
Only setting the auction price
rightly, taxing the services
rationally and regulating the
operators finely will yield all the
benefits that we have mentioned.
Governments naturally would
want to make more money with
the spectrum auction, which is
fine and understandable. But there
is a very thin line between getting
the maximum out of auction
money and going over-priced. The
authorities will have to be very
accurate in terms of determining
the bread limit of telecom
companies to make sure they are
left with enough resources to
enable the consumers will services
too. Same goes for taxing on
telecom sector.
Shipping
activity
at
Port
Qasim
KARACHI Feb 09 (APP): Three
ships arrived at port to
load/offload containers at QICT,
diesel oil at FOTCO, chemical at
EVTL on Saturday. Berth
occupancy was maintained at 29
percent at the port. where a five
ships namely M.V KPS-I Alican
Bey - Powership, M.V MSC
Didem, M.T Al-Salam - II, M.T
Atlantic Glory are currently
occupying berths to load/offload,
containers, diesel oil chemical.
Cargo handling operations were
carried out smoothly at the port
where a cargo volume 94237
tonnes comprising 66427 tonnes
import, 28810 tonnes export and
(2543S) Tues was handled at the
port during last 24 hours. M.V
Day U Xia, M.V Mearsk Chicago,
M.V Nala Delmas at QICT,
arrival on 9th February 2014.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP): Site
and topographical surveys for
Gadani Power Park have already
been completed while master plan
and feasibility study are being
prepared to launch the project to
meet energy needs of the country.
According to a Ministry of Water
and Power here on Sunday, the
coal will not be imported for the
said project during the current
fiscal year. Approximately 20
million tonnes of coal will be
imported per annum after
commissioning of 6600 MW coalfired complex to be completed
with the cooperation of China.The
National
Electric
Power
Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is
also in the process of working on
upfront tariff of Gaddani power
projects.The source said only two
units of 660 MW each at Gadani
would be installed in public sector
on imported coal, which would
contain less than 1% sulfur. The
plant would not cause any harm to
human health and the marine life
as the following emission control
technologies would be applied on
these
units.Electrostatic
precipitators (ESP) particulate
matters
(PM),
Flue
Gas
Desulphurization (FGD) to control
Sox and Low Nox burners with
overfire Air Ports and selective
Catalytic
Reduction
(SCR)
system. A stack height of 210
meter is proposed for wider
dispersion of emission and
thereby dilution. A higher stack
will also effectively disperse the
normal pollution from the stack.
Properly designed wastewater
treatment system will also be
employed at Power Station to treat
the wastewater before its disposal.
Besides, the source said the
government had also launched
various hydro power projects of
20,000 MW and it was for the first
time that Rs. 250 billion had been
allocated in Annual Development
Programme for development of
the power sector.
Faisalabad 9 Feb(Gen Sec) A
Committee has been formed
headed by President Faisalabad
Chamber of Commerce &
Industry (FCCI) Engr Suhail Bin
Rashid for the upgradation of
Faisalabad Airport project to
launch international flights, said
President FCCI in a statement
issued here today. Giving details
he said that it has been decided in
a joint meeting held at FCCI on
the visit of Air Marshal Khawar
Hussain, Director General Civil
Aviation where other stake
holders also participated. The
members include Mian Abdul
Manan MNA, Chairman PTEA,
Chairman APTMA, Chairman
PHMA, representatives from Civil
Aviation Authority, PIA and Mr.
Akram Khan of Travel Agents
Association, he added. He said
that the Committee will take into
consideration almost all aspects of
the
Faisalabad
Airport
upgradation project to make it
feasible for international flights in
the perspective of air traffic load
owing to Faisalabad’s future
economic
potential.
The
Committee is to forward its report
shortly which will later on be
submitted to Prime Minister of
Pakistan. He said that Faisalabad
business community is specially
indebted to the Prime Minister
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif
for deputing Civil Aviation
Authorities for a meeting on the
project. Mian Abdul Manan MNA
said that PML(N) leadership has
due care to the mandate given by
peoples and business community
of Faisalabad and all resources are
being
channelized
for
development of the city. On the
occasion Ch. Muhammad Asghar,
Vice President FCCI, District
Manager PIA, Director Airports
Civil Aviation Authority, Airport
Manager
Faisalabad,
former
President Mian Javed Iqbal,
Shakil Ansari, Ch.. Muhammad
Boota, Mr. Jamil Ahmad, Akram
Khan and others shared their
views.
Faisalabad: 9 Feb, (DPR/DDPR/
Mr. Liaqat Ali/ Furrukh) The
Water and Sanitation Agency
(WASA)
Faisalabad
has
constituted a special task force for
making the sewerage system
efficient and well-organized in the
trouble areas in the city for
which JICA has granted the most
advanced machinery and vehicle
to WASA worth of Rs. 924.534
million.
DCO Noor-ul-Amin
Mengal, MNA Haji Akram
Ansari, MPA Haji Ilyas Ansari
visited the parking yard of WASA
at Ghulam Mohmmadabad to see
the modern machinery and vehicle
donated by people of Japan to
WASA Faisalabad. MD WASA
Syed
Zahid
Aziz
gave
details of the machinery and
informed the JICA had donated
seven dumper vehicles, two crane
mounted vehicles, two section
machines, 8 jet machines, two
mini backhoe, two wheel backhoe,
nine pumps of 25 cusec. DCO
said that the now WASA had been
equipped with most modern
machinery for maintaining the
sewerage system and now it
should come up with the
expectations of the people. He
advised
that
a
calendar
should advised pertaining to the
problematic and trouble areas with
regards to the sewerage system
each and every area should be
made most effective for the flow
of the sewerage water. He said
that the all machinery and vehicle
should properly be maintained
with periodical service for their
durability. The parliamentarian
expressed their satisfaction over
raising the capacity and resources
of the WASA and said that entire
machinery should be used for
cleaning
the
sewerage
system in the selected areas so
that sewerage hazards should be
removed in one go. Later the
DCO and MNA Haji Akrm Ansari
visited the under completion Expo
centre at Agriculture University
and directed the contractor to gear
up the construction work and
parking area should also be
developed at this site. VC
Agriculture
University
Dr.
Iqrar Hussain informed the latest
pace of work of Expo centre and
said that it would be made a state
of art project. Later the DCO
alongwith the MNA Haji Akram
Ansari and VC Agriculture
University
inspected
the
main gate of agri university
adjacent to district jail for its
redesigning. The DCO said that
the jail road should be widened
and the main gate of agri
university would be reconstructed
at the slightly back place and the
district jail authority would be
taken
into
confidence
for
acquiring some land from them.
FAISALABAD 9 Feb (PRO
Bukhari) : The Finance and
Planning Committee, University
of Agriculture Faisalabad has
approved
setting
up
the
Agricultural Policy Centre to
provide recommendations based
on research to the government.
The meeting was chaired by UAF
Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar
Ahmad Khan while Additional
Secretary Social Service Finance
Dept Umar Usman and Deputy
Secretary Planning Agri Dept
Muhammad Naeem Khalid, UAF
Registrar Ch Muhammad Hussain,
Treasurer Umar Saeed Qadri and
other high ranked officers of the
UAF were present on the
occasion. The meeting also gave
nod to establish the Neuro
Cognitive Centre; University
Museum and launch of BSc in
Energy System Engineering. The
meeting agreed that the Agri
Policy Centre will help the policy
makers address the issues of the
agriculture effectively and to
ensure the food security in the
country. The centre will focus on
water scarcity issues, climate
changes and ways to avert its
impact
on
agriculture;
biotechnology, and the Precision
Agriculture. The Vice Chancellor
said that the country was under
the grip of the food insecurity,
demanding
the
collaborated
efforts on the part of the all
stakeholders, scientists and policy
makers. He vowed to take every
tangible step by the UAF to
overcome the issue in the term of
the manpower, quality research
and awareness among the farming
community, advocacy etc. The
Energy System Engineering will
train manpower specialized in the
field in order the combat the
energy
crisis
in
the
country. Treasurer Umar Saeed
Qadri presented the financial
overview.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 9 (APP):
UKS in collaboration with
National Commission on Status of
Women (NCSW) would lauch
Pakistan
Women’s
Media
Complaint Cell (PWMCC) on
February 12 at 11 am at NCSW
office. The cell is being launch in
connection with National Women
Day falling on November 12, said
a news release issued here on
Friday. PWMCC would be an
independent body which will hear
the concerns and complaints of the
public regarding print and
electronic news media. The Cell
shall follow the guidelines
outlined by Uks’s Gender
Sensitive Code of Ethics, for the
self-regulation of the news media.
Srinagar, February 09 (KMS): In
occupied Kashmir, three-day
protest strike has commenced to
mark the martyrdom anniversaries
of martyred liberation leaders,
Muhammad Maqbool Butt and
Muhammad Afzal Guru.Call for
the shutdown has been given by
pro-freedom
leaders
and
organizations and is aimed at
pressing the demand for transfer
of mortal remains of the martyred
leaders from New Delhi’s Tihar
Jail to the occupied territory for a
decent burial.Muhammad Afzal
Guru was hanged in Tihar Jail on
this day, last year, while
Muhammad Maqbool Butt was
sent to gallows on the 11th
February in 1984. Both the leaders
remain buried in the premises of
the jail.The occupation authorities
have imposed undeclared curfew
across the occupied territory and
deployed heavy contingent of
Indian troops and police personnel
to prevent people from holding
anti-India
demonstrations.
Stringent restrictions have been
put in place in Srinagar to thwart
people’s march towards the Lal
Chowk, call for which has been
given by the Jammu and Kashmir
Liberation Front. All roads
leading to Lal Chowk have been
sealed and people are not being
allowed to proceed towards the
area.The authorities have placed
the veteran Hurriyet leader, Syed
Ali Gilani, Muhammad Ashraf
Sehrai, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza and
Altaf Ahmed Shah under house
arrest. Indian police during
massive crackdown in last few
days have arrested hundreds of
people including pro-liberation
leaders, Shabbir Ahmad Shah,
Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaqul-Islam, Zafar Akbar Butt, Hilal
Ahmed War, Bashir Ahmed Butt,
Showkat
Ahmed
Bakhshi,
Muhammad Yousuf Naqash,
Hakeem Abdur Rasheed, Firdous
Ahmed Shah, Shabbir Ahmed
Dar, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo,
Muhammad Shafi Reshi and
Sheikh Khalid. The actions have
been taken to foil conducting of
various programmes in connection
with the martyrdom anniversaries
of Muhammad Maqbool Butt and
Muhammad Afzal Guru.
Srinagar, February 09 (KMS): A
group of prominent academicians,
writers, journalists, filmmakers
and social activists from different
countries have launched an online
petition seeking a series of
measures, including release of
Kashmiri political
prisoners,
return of mortal remains of
Muhammad Maqbool Butt and
Muhammad Afzal Guru, besides a
sincere and time-bound political
process to resolve the Kashmir
dispute.The open petition “Free
Kashmiri Political Prisoners, End
the Occupation of Kashmir” has
been moved on change.org – the
world’s
largest
petition
platformThe signatories include
prominent academicians from the
US, Europe, Middle East and
South
Asia.
Among
the
signatories are Waheed Mirza,
journalist and the author of
critically acclaimed novel ‘The
Collaborator’;
Nitasha
Kaul,
Visiting Fellow at the Center for
the Study of Democracy at the
University of Westminster, UK;
Dibyesh Anand, Head of the
Department of Politics and
International Relations, University
of Westminster, UK; Sanjay Kak,
independent filmmaker, New
Delhi; Mona Bhan, Associate
Professor of Anthropology,
DePauw University, Greencastle,
Indiana, US; Huma Dar, Lecturer,
Asian
American
&
Asian
Diasporas
Studies
Program,
Department of Ethnic Studies,
University of California at
Berkeley, CA, US; Rochelle
Davis,
Associate
Professor,
School of Foreign Service,
Georgetown
University,
Washington DC, US; Haley
Duschinski, Associate Professor
and Director, Center for Law,
Justice
&
Culture,
Ohio
University, US; Rafiq Kathwari,
social entrepreneur/writer, NY,
US; Ather Zia, doctoral candidate,
PhD program in Anthropology,
University of California at Irvine,
CA, US; Mohammad Idrees
Ahmad, Lecturer, University for
the Creative Arts, UK; Priya
Kandaswamy, Assistant Professor
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality
Studies, Mills College, Oakland,
CA, US; Suvir Kaul, A. M.
Rosenthal Professor of English,
University of Pennsylvania, PA,
US; Deepa Kumar, Associate
Professor, Journalism and Media
Studies, Rutgers University, NJ,
US; and others.
Washington 9 Feb, U.S. President
Barack Obama says too many
Americans are "working harder
than ever," but are just getting by.
Obama said in his weekly address
Saturday that trend must be
reversed to develop an economy
that "works for everyone, not just
a
fortunate
few."
The U.S. leader said he wanted to
work with Congress on this
agenda, but would take "take steps
without legislation" to expand
opportunities for more American
families.He said he has already
ordered "across-the-board reform"
of training programs, insuring that
people learn the skills employers
need, and match trainees with
employers to jobs that need to be
filled immediately.The U.S. leader
said he has also directed the
Treasury Department to create a
"my-RA," a new way for working
Americans to start their own
retirement savings.
Braving
bitterly
cold
weather, a large number of
people staged a rally in front
of the U.N building in New
York
demanding
the
implementation of Security
Council resolutions under
the Kashmiri people are to
exercise their right to selfdetermination. The rally was
organized by the Kashmir
Mission, USA, which is
headed by Capt. (rtd)
Shaheen Butt, to mark the
Kashmir Solidarity Day. A
large cross-section of the
Pakistani and Kashmiri
Diaspora in New York and
surrounding
areas
participated.
The
demonstrators carried antiIndia placards and raised
slogans calling for the
freedom of Kashmiri people
from India’s yoke. “Selfdetermination our birth
right,”
they
shouted.
Wrapped up in woolies,
speakers at the rally
denounced
India
for
thebrutalities let loose on
the Kashmiri people since
its occupation of the state
more than six decades ago.
They called on the United
Nations
and
the
international
community
topressurise
India
into
ending its repression of
Kashmiri people and honour
its pledge to allow a U.N
sponsored plebiscite in
Kashmir to determine their
wishes. In his speech, Capt.
(rtd) Shaheen Butt urged
Secretary-General Ban Kimoon to take practical to
implement
the
UN
resolutions on Kashmir in
the interest of peace and
stability in South Asia,
Sardar Imtiaz Khan, a
Kashmiri activist, demanded
that India’s membership of
the United Nations should
be suspended because New
Dehli was in violation of the
world body’s mandatory
reslutions. Other speakers
included Sardar Mohammad
Taj
Khan,
Chaudhry
Ghulam Jilani and Afzal
Butt. Kashmir as the world
knows not only a territorial
dispute but is a matter of
self determination and is
related with entire nation of
the people of Kashmir who
are subject to severe kind of
human rights abuses by the
Indian
government,
a
situation that is not only a
‘living’
serious question
seeking answer from the
entire community of nations
but also is a strange
situation in 21 century that
is perceived as the century
of freedom, human rights
and a no to any kind of
suppression
and
discrimination but is this so
in case of people of
Kashmir is something very
serious? It is a fact that
newly elected government
of Pakistan lead by Prime
Minister Mian Muhammad
Nawaz Sharif on all forums
national or international
clarified that in the past few
years because of the
presence of those groups in
Pakistani government those
were against Two Nations
Theory
that
is
the
foundation
stone
of
Pakistan’s ideology, it was
wrongly conveyed and
propagated that Kashmir is a
mere territorial dispute
between Pakistan and India
rather the matter of Kashmir
is pure humanitarian issue
related with the Indian
Occupation of the valley of
Kashmir against the UN
resolutions and against the
will of people of Kashmir
those are living like slaves
in their own lands due to the
illegal occupation of Indian
troops those have converted
paradise of Kashmir into a
hell by using force against
innocent people women and
children
violating
and
putting aside all human
values and violating all
international human rights
standards because of their
discrimination against the
people of Kashmir. Such
critical situation in the
valley of Kashmir is a
matter of serious concern
for entire Pakistan because
all Kashmiris are followers
of Islam that is an official
religion of Pakistan so on
humanitarian an religious
grounds Pakistan is offering
all kinds of help to the state
of Azad Jummu and
Kashmir for more than last
60 years. Now the situation
in Pakistan is that every
Pakistani he may be Chief
Minister
Punjab
Mian
Muhammad Sahbaz Sharif,
Chief of Army Staff General
Raheel Sharif Chief Justice
of Pakistan Justice Tassaduq
Hussian Jillani or Mr. Imran
Khan of PTI or an unnoticed
Pakistani all equally not
only love Kashmir but also
conscious of the sufferings
of the people of Kashmir
and Pakistan is an atomic
power and situation in
Kashmir is a constant source
of concern for entire
Pakistan
and
UNO
resolutions demand the
solution of Kashmir as per
the aspirations of the people
of Kashmir so the entire
world that is concerned with
the humanitarian values
needs to consider Kashmir
as it deserves. Kashmir
settlement as UN proposed
would provide suitable
environment for Western
communities including Jews
Christians and others to
flourish in the region as it is
needed in global village of
21st century.