Rashid Latif quits as NCA wicket-keeping coach

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif resigned as wicket-keeping coach for the National Cricket Academy on Tuesday after he was asked by the PCB to explain his comments on the spot-fixing scandal.

Latif had been working as a wicket-keeping coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) but quit the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent him a stern notice regarding his comments on the on-going spot-fixing scandal involving Pakistani cricketers.

“I have taken the decision to resign after being issued a notice by the board (PCB) for having given statements on a television talk show on the spot fixing issue,” the former captain said in a statement.

The former wicketkeeper recently appeared on a television show where he criticised PCB for their handling of allegations against three players on their tour of England.

Test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir are under investigation by British police for their role in the scandal, which has also led to their suspension by the International Cricket Council.

“I have sent my resignation today to the board which did not like my speaking on this important issue as I am employed with them in the academy,” Latif said.

Latif has been known to be outspoken on matters of corruption and match-fixing in cricket.

“I would like to make it clear here that while it is an honour to serve Pakistan cricket in any position I can't remain quiet on a key cricket issue that could determine the future of Pakistan cricket,” he added.

“As a former player and captain, people look up to me and expect me to speak honestly and without bias and that I have done without meaning anything personal against anyone.”

Latif played 37 tests and 166 one-day internationals for Pakistan.

Postmortem of Sialkot lynching victims postponed

LAHORE: The Civil Court on Tuesday postponed the re-postmortem of the two brothers killed in Sialkot.

The family of murdered brothers, Mughees and Muneeb, said that it did not trust the medical board formed to perform the second post mortem.

The re-postmortem of the victims of a mob lynching incident, was to be conducted today in Imam Sahab cemetery on the orders of the Supreme Court.

A request-petition had been put forward by the family in Civil Judge Sialkot Abu Bakar Siddique’s court. The family proposed induction of a senior surgeon from Lahore into a newly formed medical board. The judge agreed to the request and a new date for the postmortem will be announced in few days.

Police issue shoot on sight orders in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Indian police patrolled the streets of Kashmir on Tuesday, threatening to shoot anyone defying a rigid curfew imposed on the region a day after troops battled protesters in the streets in violence that killed 19 people.

The region has been wracked by anti-India protests throughout the summer, but the chaos Monday —exacerbated by reports of a Quran desecration in the United States —was the deadliest here since large-scale demonstrations began in June.

In an attempt to prevent another round of violence, police and paramilitary soldiers drove through the deserted streets of the main towns of Indian-administered Kashmir, using loudspeakers to announce that curfew violators would be shot on sight.

But scores of demonstrators took to the streets of Baramulla and hurled rocks at police.

Soldiers retaliated by firing shots in the air and launching tear gas shells, wounding three protesters, said a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

In overnight protests, demonstrators set fire to a police vehicle in Charar-e-Sharief, 30 miles (45 kilometers) southwest of Srinagar, police said.

The region has been roiled for months by separatist protests that often descend into clashes with government forces.

The violence has killed at least 88 people this summer —mostly teenage boys and young men in their 20s.

The anti-India protests turned into rare anti-America protests Monday as reports of a Quran desecration in the United States intensified the anger of demonstrators, with activists chanting ''Down with America'' and burning an effigy of President Barack Obama.

The protesters burned government buildings and Christian missionary school and threw rocks at troops, who responded by firing into the crowds.

The death toll from that violence rose to 19 on Tuesday, including 18 demonstrators and one police officer.

Two patients die of suffocation in hospital fire

LAHORE: Two patients on a ventilator died due to suffocation when fire erupted in the ICU ward of Jinnah Hospital early Tuesday morning.

According to hospital management, a short circuit caused the fire. Although evacuation started right away, the two patients could not be saved as the ICU ward was filled with smoke.

The management claimed that the ICU became operational again right after the fire was extinguished early in the morning, however, later they retracted their statement and said that the ICU will be functional within the next 12 hours.

Ten killed in North Waziristan drone attack

MIR ALI: Suspected US missiles hit a house in North Waziristan early Tuesday, killing 10 alleged militants in the 10th airstrike in the region this month, intelligence officials said.

The two officials said the missiles from an unmanned plane destroyed the home in the northern part of Shawal village, which is dominated by the Haqqani and Hafiz Gul Bahadur networks of militants fighting US troops across the border in Afghanistan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to talk to the press. They say Taliban militants dug 10 bodies from the rubble of the house.

A unrelenting series of US missile attacks this month have pounded North Waziristan.—AP

Journalist gunned down in Hangu

HANGU: Unidentified men gunned down a journalist in the volatile town of Hangu in the northwest early Tuesday, police said.

Haji Misri Khan had received threats from militants after publishing stories about their activities.—Reuters

Clinton arrives in Egypt for Middle East peace talks

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived here early Tuesday for renewed US-brokered talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Clinton will oversee the second round of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, after direct negotiations were launched in Washington on September 2.

The parties are scheduled to continue their talks in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians threatening the success of the talks centre on the thorny issue of Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Nadal completes career grand slam

NEW YORK: Rafa Nadal sealed his place among the tennis greats on Monday, beating Novak Djokovic to win the US Open and complete his collection of grand slam titles.

With eight grand slams already under his belt before this tournament began, the Spaniard was already assured a spot in the sport's elite, but conquering New York elevated him to a whole new level and left no doubts about who is the number one player in the world.

Nadal overcame the distraction of a two-hour relay delay and losing his first set of the tournament to beat the brave but ultimately outclassed Djokovic 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2 after three hours and 43 minutes of unrelenting tension at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“That's more than what I dreamt,” Nadal said at the trophy presentation. “It's just amazing to be here in this final, just to arrive in this final. To have this trophy here in a few seconds, with my hands, is gonna be unbelievable.”

Djokovic, who had beaten Roger Federer in an exhausting five-set semi-final Saturday, expelled any doubts about his fighting qualities with a courageous performance, fending off an astonishing 20 break points during the course of the match, but the pressure eventually wore him down.

“I would like first like to congratulate Rafa and his team for an amazing tournament,” Djokovic said. “Right now he's the best player in the world and he absolutely deserves this title. Well done again.”

After losing the second set on a sloppy service game, Nadal ran away with the last two -- clinching the victory when Djokovic hit a forehand wide -- and collapsed on court as the enormity of his achievement sank in.

He warmly embraced Djokovic at the net then dropped to his knee as the centre court rose as one to applaud him. When he was handed the trophy, he raised it above his head, as thousands of flashbulbs lit up a perfect New York night.

Nadal had already won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon singles titles and by adding the US Open he joined Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer as the only men to win the four majors.
At 24, he was the third youngest to achieve the feat and his best may be still to come.

Nadal became the first man since Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year and he now has the chance to hold all four concurrently if he can add the Australian Open in January.

With nine grand slam titles in total -- five French Opens, two Wimbledon, one Australian Open and now one US Open, he climbed to seventh place on the all-time list and Federer's record of 16 could be within his reach if he stays healthy.

The US Open, played on hardcourt, had always been Nadal's biggest hurdle because of the wear and tear it puts on his troublesome knees. His great rival Federer had won five times but has come up short in each of the last two years and at 29, his stronghold on the event appears to be slipping.

Nadal arrived in New York this year, fresher than ever and armed with a new and improved serve that enabled him to sail through his opening matches without fuss.

Djokovic has always been at his best on hardcourts. He made the final at Flushing Meadows in 2007, losing to Federer, then won the Australian Open the following season.

He fought off two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals Saturday and got a lucky break when rain washed out Sunday's final, giving him an extra day to rest.

Mother Nature helped him out again on Monday when the final was halted as a thunderstorm arrived midway through the second set, forcing the players, officials and more than than 20,000 spectators to run for cover.

Djokovic lost the first and then gave up a 4-1 lead in the second but battled back to 4-4 when play was halted.

When they returned to perfect conditions, he caught Nadal napping and snatched the second but it was never going to be enough against a man with destiny in his sights.

Flight delays cause inconvenience to hundreds

LAHORE: Hundreds of Pakistani passengers remained stranded, some of them for up to 39 hours, at Jeddah and Riyadh airports of Saudi Arabia during Eid days because of delay in PIA flights.

Because of delayed flights, several passengers who were returning home after performing Umra not only faced inconvenience but also could not celebrate Eid with their loved ones back home.

“My husband and I got reserved seats for a Lahore-bound PIA flight on the second day of Eid after failing to get the booking before Eid. However, it was not less than an ordeal to wait for over 16 hours at Jeddah airport to catch our flight,” Samia Ahmad of Silakot told Dawn by phone.

She said first “we were told that the flight is three hours behind schedule, then the airport authorities continued adding hours”.

A PIA spokesman, Sultan Hasan, told Dawn that Jeddah airport did not have enough capacity to accommodate a large number of flights coming from countries like Indonesia, Turkey, India and Pakistan to collect Umra pilgrims. Besides, the Jeddah airport remained closed for eight hours after a quarrel between two groups.

According to officials, PK-7326 Jeddah-Islamabad was delayed by 29 hours, PK-7296 Jeddah-Karachi by six hours, PK-7326 Jeddah-Islamabad eight hours, PK-746 Jeddah-Sialkot by 16 hours, PK-732 Jeddah-Karachi seven hours, PK-7434 Jeddah-Lahore by 11 hours, PK 7298 Jeddah-Islamabad by eight hours, PK-7328 Jeddah-Karachi by 16 hours, PK-760 Jeddah-Lahore by 39 hours, PK-7354 Jeddah-Islamabad by six hours, PK-7384 Jeddah-Lahore by 20 hours, PK-7316 Jeddah-Karachi by 9 hours, PK-7402 Jeddah-Lahore by 22 hours, PK-725 Lahore-Riyadh by 16 hours, PK-726 Riyadh-Lahore by 17 hours, PK-7406 Jeddah-Lahore by 12 hours and PK-736 Jeddah-Peshawar by five hours.

ADB holds ministry, Nepra responsible for power woes

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has held two major power sector stakeholders — the Ministry of Water and Power and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) — responsible for most of the ills Pakistan’s power sector is facing today, including loadshedding, system losses and high tariffs.

This puts a serious question mark on the performance of the two public sector institutions designed and set up to solve electricity problems and remove consumers’ sufferings. They have been blamed for stalling or delaying reforms launched by the government more than two decades ago.

In its “Technical Assistance Completion Report” on creation of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), the ADB said there had been setbacks to its technical assistance because of lax attitude of Pakistan authorities; it provided another opportunity to the lender to sell another technical assistance for strengthening the regulatory regime.

Because of delays in obtaining internal approval within the government, several milestones, including the establishment of CPPA, could not be achieved. “There were significant delays encountered i.e. converting the market rules guidelines into formal statutes; the incorporation/registration of CPPA and finalisation of its budget; and the nomination of its chief executive officer and senior management. The CEO still remains to be appointed by government after nearly 18 months of its inception,” ADB’s principal energy specialist F.C. Kawawaki said on Monday.

“The weak capacity of Nepra to formulate market rules delayed the implementation process and the ADB was requested to process a follow-up technical assistance to help Nepra in developing market rules,” he added.

Since 1998, the government has been implementing a strategic power sector restructuring and unbundling plan to end the persistent power crisis through increased investments to address longstanding fiscal, technical and fiscal deficits.

The ADB report said that the reforms process had been slow and power supply and infrastructure requirements did not keep pace with the rising demand, thereby constraining growth potential and the country’s competitiveness.

“The current generation shortfall is close to 40 per cent of the installed capacity and coupled with the overstressed power infrastructure results in eight to 10 hours of forced power outages. The inter-circular debt to the tune of Rs250 billion, which is nearly 40 per cent of the sector’s annual revenues, accentuates the situation,” it said.

The CPPA is a key organisation to look after contractual obligation between the government and power producers and between the producers and purchasers.

Although the power sector in Pakistan is mature enough to graduate towards formation of an independent CPPA, “a lack of thrust in political will impeded its implementation in true spirit”. Although consultants have submitted deliverables within agreed timeframes, “the weak capacity of the executing agency and political will of the water and power ministry have stalled the full establishment and operations of the CPPA”.

The ADB said that a lot apparently had been contingent in resolving major structural, technical, fiscal and governance gaps and implementing reform agenda on the part of the government: Nepra’s capacity to initiate the policy reforms that could convert the guidelines on market rules for electricity trading into formal industry regulations and solve circular debt problems had been marginal.

It said the government was also not ready to institutionalise the CPPA model because of exogenous factors like severe power shortages and emergency of ballooning circular debt.

“The creation of an effective CPPA without addressing or restructuring the past financial and fiscal deficits of the sector as well as without providing adequate safety valves to avoid such future recurrences has not been an effective exercise,” the bank said, adding that prior to CPPA creation, the government should have laid emphasis on resolving systemic, structural and fiscal constraints in the sector that had led to circular debt.

On its part, the ADB has learnt the lesson that experiences in one market cannot be directly replicated into another. A thorough plan based on ground realities is critical for success of any new institutional arrangement, particularly of the already challenged power sector.

The report said the ADB should not allow its international consultants to avoid travelling to Pakistan on security excuses.

Shootout leads to traffic jam on Sharea Faisal in Karachi

KARACHI: A fierce shootout between two political groups caused panic and led to a traffic gridlock on the Sharea Faisal on Monday night.

Police said workers of a party in the ruling coalition came under an armed attack while they were hoisting flags on electricity poles on the Natha Khan bridge.

Panicked drivers tried to turn back from the bridge, causing a traffic jam at both ends.

According to police, the shootout lasted over 30 minutes, keeping the traffic on a patch of Sharea Faisal suspended.

“No casualty was reported,” Shah Faisal Colony SP Tanvir Alam Odho said.

“A brief traffic gridlock was handled after deployment of police backed by Rangers in the area.”

He said the activists were hoisting flags on electricity poles without any police security and no reason for the clash had been ascertained.

Kayani visits camps in Sindh and Balochistan

THATTA: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday visited Makli where he was briefed by General Officer Commanding (GOC) Hyderabad, Major General Shoukat Iqbal about condition of the IDPs and facilities extended by the government, army and national and international institutions.

The COAS landed at Army Public School and visited the medical camps established by Saudi Arabian government and the Pakistan Army.

Later, the COAS left for Kandhkot to inspect work on plugging of Tori breach.

Our staff correspondent adds from Quetta:

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited Jaffarabad to inspect flood-hit areas.

Speaking to media persons in Dera Murad Jamali, he said: “Pakistan Army and other institutions are making their efforts for rehabilitation of flood victims.

“Army rescue and relief operation to provide relief assistance to the flood survivors will remain continued in all flood-affected parts of the country”.

Chief Justice to greet Musharraf on return: PM

MULTAN: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that if former president Pervez Musharraf returns to the country he will be received by the chief justice because a lot of cases have been lodged against him.

Talking to journalists here on Monday after meeting PML-N leader Javed Hashmi and inquiring after his health, he said political forces would not allow derailing of democracy. He said both PPP and PML-N had offered a lot of sacrifices for democracy.

“We are in favour of democracy and Nawaz Sharif also supports democracy.”

The prime minister said there was no threat to democracy in the presence of a powerful Constitution.

He said donations of over Rs4 billion had been made to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund and the government would pay Rs100,000 to each affected family.

He said the government had asked the provinces to hold judicial inquiries into breaches in dykes and the probes were under way.

The prime minister said new provinces and administrative units could be set up only in accordance with the proper process and not by issuing statements.

Addressing a gathering at the Circuit House, the prime minister said that only political parties could resolve all the issues the country was facing.

He said the parties could help the flood-affected people with the politics of reconciliation.

The prime minister urged parliamentarians to spend their development funds for reconstruction of houses destroyed or damaged by floods.

He said efforts would be made to ensure supremacy of the Constitution and strengthen parliament.

He said there was need to strengthen institutions to overcome big challenges because individuals could not solve problems.

He said the government stood for a fair and transparent system with strong institutions.

The prime minister said he wanted everyone, including the opposition, to be consulted on all important issues because harmony among political forces was important for solving problems.

He said Pakistanis being a brave nation would help the affected people to reconstruct their houses and build a new Pakistan.

FARMERS:

On Sunday, talking to delegations from Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad, the prime minister said the government would provide seed and fertiliser to flood-hit farmers owning less than 25 acres of land.

He said the government had collected Rs10 million through the SMS and payment of Rs20,000 to each affected family would be completed in a month.

Multan Corps Commander Lt-Gen Shafqat Ahmad briefed Mr Gilani and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on relief activities being carried out by the army in southern Punjab.

He said the army would provide resources to rebuild and renovate over 100 schools and as many health facilities.

He said almost 80 per cent of the displaced people of Layyah, 75 per cent of Taunsa Sharif, 60 per cent of Muzaffargarh, 60 per cent of Jampur and 20 to 25 per cent of Rajanpur and Rojhan had returned to their homes.

He said up to 83 per cent of the telecommunication, electricity and gas network had been restored in Layyah, 95 per cent in Dera Ghazi Khan and 90 per cent in Rahimyar Khan.

Overflowing lake floods towns, villages

DADU: Water overflowing from the Manchhar lake inundated two towns and 70 villages in Sehwan and Johi talukas on Monday.

After flooding Jhangara town, the water from the lake has entered Bajara town and is now gushing towards adjoining villages of Sehwan.

The water level in the lake rose to 119.7 RL (reduced level) on Monday night, surpassing the danger level of 116 RL.

The irrigation authorities have decided to make a cut and widen the head of Aral canal regulator to reduce the water level in Manchhar lake. More than 1,000 cusecs will be discharged into the Indus from a cut at the canal in the north of Sehwan town. A small bypass was made to release the lake water into the Indus.

Following the decision of a committee set up by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to give way to the water from Tori bund breach coming from Qambar-Shahdadkot district, irrigation officials have started work on widening the Aral head canal by 15 to 20 feet.

Provincial Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, a member of the committee, told reporters that after visiting several flood-affected areas, the committee had decided that gates of regulator of the Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain in Hamal lake would be closed temporarily to reduce pressure on the drain and the lake.

Over 5,000 people of various villages in Johi and Sehwan, near Manchhar lake, are stranded on Neheng-Jhangara road and over 20,000 in Jhangara town. They were facing difficulties in shifting their families to safe areas because of shortage of vehicles.

Jamshoro DCO Samiuddin Siddique stopped on Monday supply of drinking water to Sehwan from Indus water schemes after the release of Manchhar water into the river. He warned the villagers not to consume the river water because it was contaminated and could cause diseases.

People in Bubak, Pakka Channa and Dal areas complained about shortage of vehicles and high fares.

Idrees Rajput, an irrigation expert, said the water was exerting pressure on embankments of Manchhar lake. He called for strengthening the embankments to avert a disaster.

He said that pressure was high at the Zero Point in Manchhar and stones should be dumped at the site.

Mr Rajput said the situation would not have worsened if 5,000 cusecs had been released into the Indus through its link some 15 days ago.

The high pressure of water washed away iron and steel plates installed to stop embankments of Manchhar lake and the MNV drain from eroding. The floodwater continued to erode the Zero Point.

Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah visited Manchhar lake on Sunday evening. He told reporters that pressure on embankments along the lake was high, but it could sustain the pressure for six or seven days.

The water from MNV drain has damaged the main bridge between Johi and Dadu, in Chandan town. The bridge has been closed to traffic and its repair started.

A breach in the flood protective embankment at Mian-Ji-Kandi has been plugged. However, seven breaches in Khuda Wah and one in the FP bund at Maroo-Ja-Tulah have yet to be plugged. The water from the breaches was moving towards Mehar and Khairpur Nathan Shah towns.

Reuters adds:

Waters pouring into the Manchhar lake are threatening several towns and forcing tens of thousands of people to flee, officials said on Monday.

As floodwaters make their way to the Arabian Sea, new towns in Sindh are being inundated as embankments constructed to protect cities and towns in the flood plains are now channeling water into new areas, including Manchhar lake.

Tens of thousands of people have fled towns in Dadu district, and officials said more were asked to leave after water, flowing from a breached embankment, reached a dangerous point in the lake.

“Our entire concentration is now on Dadu as the water is just a few inches from overtopping the Manchhar lake that could threaten many towns,” Additional Relief Commissioner Riaz Ahmed Soomro said.