Use of CNG in public transport banned

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has clamped immediate ban on the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) in public transport vehicles to prevent deadly accidents, ease gas shortage and improve gas pressure.

The decision was taken in a meeting headed by the chairman Ogra here on Friday. The buses that have cylinders on roofs and underneath will be banned. Ban has been imposed after dialogue with the CNG Association.

Ogra further directed All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) to immediately stop refuelling vehicles - buses, cars and wagons with cylinders installed beneath the passenger seats or on roof tops as such installation is in violation of the Safety Code.

The directions were given by Ogra Chairman Sabir Hussain here in a meeting which was also attended by representatives of APCNGA, Relevant officials of Hydrocarbon Institute of Pakistan (HDIP), Ogra and the Explosives Department to discuss various preventive measures to avoid occurrence of fire incidents in CNG fitted public transport.

During the meeting APCNGA submitted its plan for certification of vehicles at authorised workshops/CNG Stations to eliminate refuelling of unauthorised/substandard CNG converted public transport vehicles ie buses, mini-buses, vans, mini-vans, etc.

The meeting was informed that OGRA has already disconnected 13 CNG Stations today, which were found violating the refuelling procedure/Standard Code of Practice as a part of ensuring public safety at large.

Ogra directed APA to immediately nominate their diploma holders for one week training at HDIP as conveyed to APA by HDIP vide HDIP’s letter dated 29-12-2011.

Taxing times: CAA imposes new airport taxes for 2012

The CAA and the Sindh government have sent notices to airlines informing them about the upcoming levies.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has doubled the airport tax for international and domestic passengers with effect from January 1, 2012.  In specific terms, the tax for the economy class passengers has been increased from Rs500 to Rs1,000 per head whereas for the business class passengers the tax has been spiked from Rs1,000 to Rs2,000 per person. The CAA has also imposed Rs540 and Rs180 per person as Infrastructure Development Tax and Security Tax. However, it has not been decided whether the two taxes would be included in tickets or received from passengers in cash at airports.

The airlines are of the view that both these taxes will increase their cost of operations. Another concern of airlines is the levy of taxes on airport services in Sindh province through the Sindh Sales Tax on Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2011 issued by SBR.

Chairman Board of Investment (BoI) Saleem H Mandviwalla also wrote a letter to Federal Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar on December 20, 2011 in which he pleaded the case of airlines.

When contacted, the spokesperson of CAA Pervez George said that ‘meetings between the stakeholders are under way’ and that this was all he had to say on this matter.

International Air Transport Association (IATA), on December 3, 2011, wrote a letter to DG CAA, Air Marshal (retd) Khalid Choudhry saying that such ‘revisions should not have been implemented without prior consultation with the airlines’.

CAA officials say that Pakistan is already three to four times cheaper than regional airports and that the new taxes on airlines will not even cover half of the annual rate of return on CAA’s equity.

Transporters observing strike against CNG closure

KARACHI: Transporters are observing strike in Karachi against closure of CNG stations on Saturday, Geo News reported.

Talking to 'Geo News' President Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) Irshad Bukhari said their business is badly affected by two-day weekly CNG closure, adding that transporters would register their protest by observing strike today.

CNG stations would remain close in Sindh on Saturday following the gas load management program. Due to CNG closure and transport strike, commuters are facing severe difficulties as no public transport is available on roads. 

Pakistan Open golf tees off today

The event carries a lucrative purse of Rs3 million which will be great attraction for the professional golfers gathering here from all over the country.

Pakistan number one Mohammad Shabbir Iqbal will be leading the pack of golfers in the 72-hole event.

Other prominent golfers competing are Matloob Ahmed, Mohammad Munir, Mohammad Tariq, Shahid Javed Khan, Imdad Hussain, Mohammad Siddiq, Waheed Baloch, Amjad Yousuf and Mohammad Afsar.

The winner of the professional category will be grabbing around Rs525,000.

The runner-up will pocket Rs480,000 while the third-position holder will get Rs450,000.

Besides the professionals and amateur categories, senior professionals will also be battling for Rs500,000 prize money.

The details of the event were unveiled at a news conference at the venue of the event by Pakistan Golf Federation secretary Taimur Hussain.

Tournament director Mehmood Aziz and chief referee Mohammad Irfan were present on the occasion.

Lee applauds Pattinson

Australia's cricketer of the moment, James Pattinson. Photo: Pat Scala
BRETT Lee, who famously engaged in shaking up tail-enders, has implored Australia's latest pace sensation, James Pattinson, to continue his combative, intimidatory approach and not to be deterred from using his mouth as a weapon against India.
Pattinson, 21, was man of the match in Australia's 122-run first Test win at the MCG and made waves for his use of aggression as well as the exquisite bowling that claimed Indian run machines Rahul Dravid and V. V. S. Laxman among others.
The Victorian was warned for bouncing tail-ender Zaheer Khan on the fourth and final day and earlier in the Test match was involved in a heated stoush with Virender Sehwag in the middle.

Army and Punjab win in opening matches of National Baseball Championship

KARACHI: Army and Punjab registered big wins on the first day of the National Baseball Championship, which got under way at the Iqbal Park Sports Complex on Thursday.

Army outclassed Police 11-0 as the match lasted until the fifth innings.

For Army, Arshad scored three with one grand-slam home-run. The other scorers for Army were Imtiaz, Zafar Junior, Iftikhar Ahmad, who scored two runs each. Obaidullah and Omar added one run apiece.

In the second match of the day, Punjab earned 21-2 win against Islamabad. The match also lasted till the fifth innings.

Mudassar and Zaman batted well for the winners, contributing four runs each. Aqeel and Ali scored three runs each.

Aasim, Faisal, and Ali Raza hit two runs each while Azeem made one run. For Islamabad, Tauheed and Mudassar could only score one run each, just to reduce the margin of the defeat.

Microsoft Recognized Teen Prodigy On Life Support

Arfa Karim Randhawa, now 16 years old, was named one of the youngest Microsoft Professionals at age 9 after meeting founder, Bill Gates. After suffering from cardiac arrest on December 22, Randhawa is now in critical condition, and doctors say that she has no hope for survival. 

“Only a miracle will allow my brilliant, genius daughter to live now,” says father Amjad Karim Randhawa who told  that her cardiac arrest was caused by an epileptic attack, which also caused brain damage.

Beginning to show an interest in computers at age 9, Arfa passed a very rigorous Microsoft certification test in 2004, which made her a worldwide celebrity. Arfa’s prodigious actions gave her global media attention, attaining such a credential at such a young age. “Everyone thought the result was wrong,” Randhawa told. 

Also in 2006, Arfa was invited by Microsoft to a keynote session in a Tech-Ed Developers conference in Barcelona, Spain. The theme of this event was “getting ahead of the game” and Arfa was used as an example of such a notion. 

She was also invited by the IT Professionals of Dubai to attend a dinner event where she was presented with several medals and awards for her outstanding achievements. 

Our hearts go out to her family during this difficult time.

Facebook Vs. Google: The Battle For Internet Dominance

Google and Facebook will continue to duke it out over the top spot in the display ad market. Mark Zuckerberg’s social network remains one of the main competitive risks to Google’s absolute dominance of the Internet.

“Facebook has posed serious problems for Google, most notably by walling off the social network’s content from Google’s search engine,” explained Baird’s equity research analysts in a note on Friday.

The problem, for Google, is that its business model relies on its ability to “index the web.”  Thus, when Facebook walls-off its site, it’s essentially blocking a significant, and growing, portion of the web.  “Google’s index has been faced with an ever-increasing blind spot for search,” wrote the analysts.

Google remains the undisputed king of the Internet.  It clearly dominates search advertising, with over 65% of the U.S. market and more than 50% of the global market (Yahoo has 16% share in the U.S. whileMicrosoft’s Bing has been growing fast and now accounts for 14%).  It has one of the fastest growing mobile operating systems, Android, where its share is even larger than in PCs and growing faster thanApple’s iOS.  In 2012, Google will rake in more than $36 billion in revenue.

But Facebook is creeping up.  Mark Zuckerberg’s social network has risen to become the second most important online property, behind Google.  Facebook reaches about 43% of the web over the last three months, according to Alexa, and counts with more than 5% of global page views.  It makes the difference in engagement, though: users spend an average of 24 minutes and 45 seconds on Facebook, compared with 11 minutes and 52 seconds on Google.

LG teases an 84-inch 3D Ultra Definition TV ahead of CES

It appears that LG can’t wait for CES to begin. The brand already previewed a range of 3D monitors and more recently a 55-inch OLED TV, which is the first of its kind. They are at it again and this time giving a preview of the rest of their product line-up for the event. Again previewing what they have lined up for CES, which is another ‘first of its kind,’ LG will unveil an 84-inch ultra definition (UD) 3D TV. With this monstrous television, LG have combined their 3D technology and Smart TV functionality with UD technology.

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SC declares petitions on memogate hearable

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared petitions on memogate hearable and ruled that a four-member commission would decide the issue within four weeks. The nine-member bench of the apex court gave ruling on the initial hearing of the memogate, an issue that has been roiling the country and plunged the relations between civilian and military leadership to new low. Moreover, the apex court ordered a three-member judicial commission, based  three high court judges, to be formed to further investigate the issue. The commission will be headed by the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court.

PAKISTAN, DEATH TOLL FROM CAR BOMB IN QUETTA RISES TO 15

(AGI) Quetta - The death toll from yesterday's attack in Quetta, capital of Baluchistan province in Pakistan, has risen to 15. Police spokesman, Nazir Ahmad Kurd, reported the discovery of seven more bodies among the rubble left by the explosion of a car bomb. About fifty people were hurt, only ten of whom have as yet been discharged from hospitals. The car packed with explosives, went up in front of the house of the son of Naseer Mengal, former head of the provincial government and ex Federal Minister of Labour. The bombing could have been even worse, as bomb defusal experts had previously managed to defuse a rudimentary 8-kilo bomb planted alongside seven hand grenades.

No chance of early elections in Pakistan: Gilani

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has dismissed any chance of early polls and said the general elections would be held after the country’s parliament completes its tenure.

Gilani said Friday that the demand for early elections was the “old technique of the have-nots to become haves”, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

“However, we will act according to the constitution,” the prime minister said.

On cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party that was drawing huge crowds at political rallies, Gilani said: “Such parties are made overnight and come to their end overnight.”

He said the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was an “ideological” party and would not be affected by parties such as the PTI.

The prime ministers said the hue and cry for early polls was aimed at sabotaging the upcoming elections to the senate—the upper house of parliament—in March.

Karachi: Thousands converge for Imran Khan's rally

Karachi: Thousands of people, including women and children, converged in Karachi on Sunday for Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's massive rally seeking a "change" in the country, with the organisers dubbing it as a "tsunami".

All roads leading to the Quaid-e-Azam Park, the venue of the rally adjacent to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, were jammed with buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles and pedestrians who were eager to reach the place.

Mindful of the response to Imran's call for Karachiites to attend the rally in large numbers and show their support for a change in the country and against corruption, the organisers had set up giant video screens outside the park for people who could not find a place inside.

A sea of of people, including women, children and even disabled persons, stood shoulder-to-shoulder braving the afternoon heat as they listened to Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders' speeches, but waited for Imran to make his much-awaited appearance.

Imran, who was yet to reach the venue, was the notable absentee at the main centre stage set up for the rally as other leaders of the party started their speeches, with crowds singing and raising slogans like "Imran Khan Zindabad", "Tehreek-e-Insaaf Zindabad" and "Pakistan Zindabad."

The Quaid-e-Azam park was swamped by people carrying the red and green Tehreek-e-Insaf flags and wearing party caps. People had started converging at the venue since morning, hours before the rally was to begin.

"We are here because of Imran Khan. We believe he can make a better Pakistan and bring changes," shouted Maleeha, a hijab-clad woman who had come with her fiance to the rally.

Pakistan army chief denies coup plan

Pakistan’s army chief on Friday said that the military strongly dispelled speculation that it planned a coup, as tensions escalated after the country’s prime minister warned a conspiracy was under way to oust the civilian government.General Ashfaq Kayani, Pakistan’s army chief, was quoted on Friday in a military statement saying the “army has and will continue to support democratic process in the country.”

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Meanwhile, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister, on Thursday evening told youth party members in Islamabad that the nuclear-armed nation risked the return of military rule.

“I want to tell you clearly that conspiracies are under way to remove this elected government,” said Mr Gilani. “Now people have to decide whether you want elected people or dictatorship.”

“There cannot be a state within a state ... every institution of this country, including Ministry of Defence, is under the prime minister of Pakistan,” the premier added.

Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary, Supreme Court Chief, played down the risk of a military coup. “There is no question of a takeover. Gone are the days when people used to get validation for unconstitutional steps from the courts.”

Husain Haqqani submits statement to Abbottabad commission

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani on Monday submitted his written reply to the Abbottabad commission.

After the statement’s submission, the commission directed Haqqani to appear before it again.

Moreover, a statement from Sheikh Rashid, president of the Awami Muslim League, was also submitted during of the commission.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was also hearing petitions on the memo affair filed by PML-N president Nawaz Sharif and others.

Earlier, the commission’s head, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, had said that the former ambassador was being summoned because the panellists wanted to find out the details of the visas issued by Pakistan’s embassy in Washington during his service.

Haqqani had resigned from his position of ambassador days after Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz accused him of being behind the memo that said the military was plotting a coup and appealed to the Pentagon to help ward it off. Haqqani has denied any connection with the memo.

Nadir Magsi clinches desert challenge

Nadir, the favourite to win the rally, did not disappoint his home crowd and completed the 194-kilometre track in two hours, three minutes and 40 seconds.

JHAL: Nadir Magsi, driving a 4.5litre Land Cruiser, clinched the A category of the Jhal Magsi Desert Challenge 2011 followed by Qasim Saidhi and Ronnie Patel.

Nadir, the favourite to win the rally, did not disappoint his home crowd and completed the 194-kilometre track in two hours, three minutes and 40 seconds — the fastest time across the four categories. Saidhi recorded a time of two hours, three minutes and 40 seconds while Patel took two hours, six minutes and 35 seconds.

There were few surprises as the three drivers, top in qualifying, completed the podium in their category that saw six of the 13 participants getting a Did Not Finish (DNF) including the Turkish duo of Burcu Cetinkaya and her navigator Cicek Guney.

The B category was won by Rana Sumair Noon with a 3.0litre Toyota Vigo with a time of two hours, 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Syed Asif Imam finished in second place while Abbas Akbar came in third. Four of the 10 drivers in the category failed to finish.

Hasan Ali Magsi topped the times in the C category followed by Mukesh Chawla and Mahmood Majeed while 6 of the 13 participants recording DNFs. Mohammad Rafiq finished first followed by Aminullah Khan and Muhammad Hasnain Haider to complete the winners of the D category, which featured the 1.3litre Jimny, and saw eight DNFs in a total of 15 drivers.

Samsung Files New Patent Dispute Against Apple

Samsung said on Monday that it has filed new patent disputes against Apple in Germany.

The company said that the claims filed on December 16 relate to alleged infringement of patents including those for Samsung’s telecommunications standard technology and user interface.

“(Samsung) made four more claims; two are standard-related patents and the other two are utility patents. And a court said it would make these claims separate from the April lawsuit,” a Samsung spokesman said in a statement.

Both Samsung and Apple have been intertwined in legal disputes involving dozens of cases around the world as they struggle for leadership in the tablet and smartphone market.

Apple accused Samsung in April of copying its iPhone and iPad designs.  Samsung accused Apple of technology patents infringement, rather than design.

An Australian court decided to lift a ban on Samsung’s Galaxy on December 9, allowing the tablet computer to be sold in the country for the first time for Christmas.

A San Jose, California court denied a request by Apple in December to ban the sale of three Samsung smartphones and a tablet computer in the U.S.

The latest dispute with Samsung and Apple is over the way the iPhone maker implements the WCDMA 3G telecom standard.

Aussie bats must get into the swing

GRAHAM Yallop says Australia must scrap like cage fighters against the kings of swing.

And skipper Michael Clarke must prove he's a true leader by filling a No. 3 slot in the four-Test series against No. 2-ranked India that Usman Khawaja isn't ready for, is beyond Ricky Ponting and eluding injury-plagued Shaun Marsh.

Former Test skipper Yallop said there was no way Australia's batting camp, starting today in Melbourne, would rectify issues against the moving ball that have resulted in five sub-150 totals in less than two years - and it didn't have to.

"Obviously some guys have lost their way but they need to learn how to stay at the crease and survive - it's not purely the swing that's getting them," said top-order technician Yallop, who averaged 41.1 over 39 Tests for Australia from 1976-84.

Shakib and Nafees prop up Bangladesh

Shakib Al-Hasan cracked a career-best 108 not out and Shahriar Nafees hit a solid 97 to lead Bangladesh's recovery on the opening day of the second and final cricket Test against Pakistan here on Saturday.

Bangladesh was struggling at 43 for four following paceman Aizaz Cheema's three-wicket burst in the morning before reaching 234 for five in its first innings at stumps, thanks to Shakib and Nafees.

The left-handed pair denied Pakistan any success for 51 overs as they added 180 runs, Bangladesh's highest stand for the fifth wicket in Tests.

Nafees looked set to complete his second Test century before falling in the last session, caught behind off his gloves off paceman Umar Gul after hitting 12 fours in his 177-ball knock.

Former captain Shakib moved from 89 to 100 in one over off Gul and completed his second Test hundred when he cut the paceman for a single.

His previous best was 100 against New Zealand in Hamilton last year.

Shakib has so far hit 14 fours in his 168-ball knock.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on five when bad light stopped play.

Nafees, who swept and pulled off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for two fours in an over, reached his seventh Test half-century when he fluently drove Gul through the covers for a boundary.

Pakistan Mulls Terms Of Future NATO Cooperation

Islamabad is preparing turn a new page in its relationship with NATO, meaning the days of verbal agreements and secret arrangements appear to be over.

Top government officials have been consulting with two parliamentary committees established to help define "rules of engagement" that lawmakers familiar with the discussions have said could include taxes on NATO supply convoys and a strict ban on drone strikes on Pakistani territory. Committee are expected to become official government policy upon parliamentary approval, expected in the coming days.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said after briefing a joint session of the two committees on December 15 that Pakistan's collaboration with NATO in the "political, diplomatic, military and intelligence" spheres will be addressed.

​​"It will be a partnership which will be on a clearly defined mandate," she said. "It will be a partnership -- which has less gray areas -- which has a clear mandate [from] the public and parliament of Pakistan. And therefore, we will be able to pursue this partnership much more vigorously."

Zardari returns to Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari, who was treated for a heart condition in Dubai, returned to Pakistan on Sunday night.

The 56-year-old President returned to the port city on a special flight amidst heavy security, putting an end to rumours about his health and the future of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party government.

His return to the country comes just one day after a significant meeting between Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani and Army chief, Pervez Ashfaq Kiyani.

Mr. Zardari’s abrupt departure for Dubai on December 6 to seek treatment for a heart condition triggered speculation that he might be facing pressure from the powerful military to resign following the emergence of a secret memo sent to the U.S. military.

The memo had sought U.S. help to prevent a coup in Pakistan in the wake of the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.

The government dismissed reports that Mr Zardari had suffered a stroke and that he would step down.

Shakib Al Hasan keeps Bangladesh in contention against Pakistan

The Bangladesh batsman Shakib Al Hasan leaves the field in Mirpur after being dismissed for 144. Photograph: Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan finished day two of their second Test against Bangladesh on 87 for one, leaving the match in Mirpur evenly poised. A superb innings of 144 from Shakib Al Hasan – his best first-class score – helped Bangladesh to a total of 338 and the dismissal of the Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez for 14 raised their hopes of levelling the series.

Hafeez had hit 143 in Pakistan's innings victory in the first Test at Chittagong, but after the was out, edging a Nazmul Hossain delivery behind to Mushfiqur Rahim, Pakistan were able to steady the ship. Taufeeq Umar reached 44, with eight fours, and Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 26.

Shakib helped his team add 51 in a shortened first session – thanks to fog – to reach lunch at 285 for five. He was out following a mix-up with Mushfiqur which enabled Taufeeq to throw down the stumps at the non-striker's end. Mushfiqur was out next ball for 40, gloving a Umar Gul delivery behind to Adnan Akmal.

Memo petition filed on demand by taking dictation: Awan

ISLAMABAD: Senator Babar Awan on Monday said that recent petition in Supreme Court on memogate issue was not constitutional but filed on the demand by taking dictations and suggestions.
Speaking to media representatives at the parliament, he said he could even produce evidence that all six petitions were written by a single person.
He said the petition was filed by the political party (PML-N) which did not dare to file petition against the dictator when their own government was toppled in 1999.
Babar Awan said nobody could frighten Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from fighting for democracy, freedom of speech and expression. He urged the media to tell nation the truth on every issue and speak against all as nobody is “sacred cow.”
He said after incorporation of clause 2 in the Article 6 of the constitution, the courts could not indemnify any unconstitutional step, adding now Bangladesh and Burma model would not be implementable and acceptable.