China minister says yuan set by need for stability

* Commerce minister says economy must "stabilise first"
MONROVIA, April 23 (Reuters) - China's decision on whether or not to revalue the yuan will be determined by its own economic situation and the need for stability, not politics, Vice Commerce Minister Fu Ziying told Reuters on Friday.
Beijing has pegged its currency against the dollar for the last 21 months, despite criticism from Washington and elsewhere that it is holding down its appreciation in order to boost its exports.
"China must do things according to its own economic situation, its own road map. The financial crisis has brought up lots of uncertainties for the Chinese economy so we have to stabilise first," Fu told Reuters while on a trip to Liberia.
Markets are expecting some move on the peg but the timing and form of the change are unknown.
"It's a hot topic that has been over hyped," Fu told journalists earlier. "I don't know since when many congressmen have all become experts on this issue ... Our friends should not be led by the nose by politicians and congressmen."
China is under mounting international pressure to let the yuan resume its appreciation against the dollar after a pause of close to two years. U.S. Congress members are pressing for legislation to allow retaliatory duties on imports from China if Beijing fails to alter its currency policy.
Western leaders complain the currency is undervalued, giving China an unfair edge in export markets and skewing global trade. Fu dismissed this as scapegoating and said China was in no position to manipulate the yuan like this.
"I don't think it's possible for us to manipulate our currency to achieve our economic development while resolving the trade imbalances of other countries," he said.
Raising the value of the yuan would cut the cost of China's imports of dollar-denominated commodities such as oil, copper and iron ore, but would make Chinese exports dearer.

GM unviels Chevrolet Volt MPV5 at China Auto Show

General Motors (GM) is rolling out the Chevrolet Volt MPV5 concepts at the Beijing Auto Show. The Volt combines the Volt’s series-hybrid powertrain with the small cross over and what you ultimately get is the cross over utility vehicle based on ChevyVolt range extended electric vehicle called the Volt MPV5.  This new baby from GM differs from other Volts in size and many more features.

Volt MPV5 is bigger and more stretched and is designed to accommodate five people comfortably providing more space for the luggage as well. It uses the same grille as theVolt sedan that sports active openings for a smooth airflow over the car. The closed grille and the lower air dam make it the most aerodynamic crossover and also helps improve its fuel efficiency. The Volt MPV5 borrows the design concept and aerodynamic details from Chevrolet Volt.

Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group said, “GM is committed to finding and adopting solutions, which include the electrification of the automobiles. The world premiere of theVolt MPV5 concept in Beijing demonstrates GM’s desire to make China a global focus of its advanced technology strategy.”

The new concept Volt MPV5 has a stretched wheelbase which is 0.6inch more than the Volt sedan and longer at 180.5 inches and almost three inches wider than the Volt sedan. The Volt MPV5 is powered by a 1.4 L engine and 16 kilowatt-hour-lithium-ion battery that can propel the Volt for almost 32 miles. The engine can power a generator to extend the range up to 300 miles. The top speed of MPV5 is 100mph.

The gas-and-tailpipe emission-free electric driving utilized by Volt MPV5 boasts of an exterior which is also as appealing as the efficiency features of the car. The Sonic Blue Metallic paint and its dual skylight panels just add to its sporty looks. TheVolt MPV5 will be available in China in 2011.

Doug Parks, Global Vehicle Line Executive and Global Vehicle Chief Engineer for Electric Vehicle said, “The Volt MPV5 concept demonstrates the flexibility of the Voltec propulsion system, which can produce enough electric power to propel a range of vehicles.”

China removes Xinjiang party chief

The Hindu The Erdaoqiao market in Urumqi, once a bustling centre of Uighur tourism, bears a deserted look this week as fears of ethnic violence keep customers away. Photo: Ananth Krishnan 

 

The Chinese government on Saturday removed the powerful head of its western Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, in the first indication yet that the central government was rethinking its policies that many say have led to ethnic unrest.

The decision comes amid a tightening of security in the region's capital Urumqi, where local officials and residents told The Hindu this week there were growing fears of a recurrence of last July's ethnic violence.

Riots in Urumqi between the native Uighur ethnic group and China's majority Han Chinese who have migrated to the region claimed at least 197 lives according to government figures, though residents of both ethnic groups say the number is far higher.

The violence led to increasing criticism of the region's powerful Party Secretary, Wang Lequan, who had been directing Xinjiang's policies since 1994.

Following a meeting of the Communist Party's Central Committee in Beijing late on Friday, the state media said in a brief statement that Mr. Wang would be replaced by Zhang Chunxian, who served as party boss in Hunan. The reasons for the change were not mentioned.

Mr. Wang was transferred to the influential Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the Party's Central Committee, which controls the police as well as the courts. His move, one political analyst said, could not be termed a demotion but suggested a new approach to governing Xinjiang.

Mr. Wang is known for his hard-line policies and is regarded as a close ally of President Hu Jintao. His removal, analysts noted, signalled a blow to Mr. Hu, who faced criticism from opposing factions within the Party following last July's violence.

Both Uighur and Han residents told The Hindu in interviews last week that they blamed government policies for last year's violence, though for different reasons. The Chinese government, however, says the violence was orchestrated by exiled Uighur separatist groups and has defended its policies.

Uighurs say economic policies have not benefited both groups equally and that there is rising unemployment among Uighurs even as Xinjiang's development has boomed this past decade.

Much of the growth is driven by industries built around the region's vast oil and mineral resources. But inflation and fuel shortages in Urumqi have led to resentment among the locals, and perceptions that Xinjiang's resources were being “stolen” by big industry. “We cannot understand how Xinjiang is so rich in resources but why we are so poor,” said one Uighur taxi driver, requesting anonymity for fear of retribution by the authorities.

Hans, on the other hand, accuse the government of failing to protect them from violence unleashed by Uighur mobs last July, and say the government is “too soft” on Uighurs. In an unprecedented protest in September, thousands of Han Chinese marched on the Party's headquarters in Urumqi, demanding Mr. Wang's sacking. In response, the government then sacked Li Zhi, the city's party chief, but retained Mr. Wang.

Mr. Li's removal has done little to ease tensions in Urumqi.

This week, squads of riot police, heavily armed with rifles and batons, were seen patrolling the city's Uighur neighbourhoods. Security has been tightened, officials said, and police are now on 24-hour patrols.

In the Erdaoqiao marketplace, at the heart of last July's riots, shops were deserted. Once a thriving hub of Uighur business and the city's tourism, many businesses now face bankruptcy, while the tourism industry has crumpled.

Rumours of a fresh outbreak of violence, fuelled by the dismantling of a number of security cameras by miscreants last week, has kept Han customers away from the Uighur neighbourhood. Many Hans have already moved out of Erdaoqiao, further dividing an already segregated city.

“There are always fears of another riot, and rumours are creating panic” a Uighur shopkeeper said. “We don't know what to believe. But after what happened last year, we do know anything can happen in Urumqi.”

UPDATE 1-Delphi shopping for China acquisitions: CEO

* CEO says expects to outpace growth in China market
BEIJING, April 24 (Reuters) - U.S.-based auto parts supplier Delphi Corp is on the lookout for acquisitions in China as it expects to outpace revenue growth in the booming Chinese auto market, Chief Executive Rodney O'Neal said on Saturday.
"Obviously we're looking," O'Neal told Reuters on the sidelines of the Beijing auto show. "We've got a great balance sheet right now and we're out looking."
O'Neal said privately held Delphi posted recent revenue growth that outpaced sales growth in China and would continue to do so as the market evolves toward more safety and fuel-saving technology in vehicles.
"We know that based on government policy and what the consumer wants, the market will move in our direction," he said. "We should continue to outperform the market quite easily."
The Chinese auto market grew at more than 45 percent in 2009 to become the world's largest. In the first three months of 2010, industry sales increased more than 70 percent.
In October, Troy, Michigan-based Delphi, the former parts unit that General Motors spun off in 1999, emerged from four years in U.S. bankruptcy in which it slashed about 80,000 workers and divested or dropped many of its businesses.
The restructuring corresponded with a steep downturn in U.S. auto sales that tipped both GM [GM.UL] and Chrysler into bankruptcy in 2009 under U.S. government support. GM also bought back units from Delphi, including a steering business.
Delphi is now focused on providing safety equipment, hybrid and fuel-saving technology and components that allow vehicles to be connected to communications networks.
"Our last four years have been a transformation and contraction, and now it's about top line and expansion and growth. We're a growth story now," O'Neal said.
Any acquisition in China would have to complement that strategy and bring Delphi business that otherwise would take longer and cost more to cultivate on its own, O'Neal said.
"We would probably look at an acquisition if it would fill some very specific strategic gaps that would otherwise take us longer organically to do," O'Neal said. "That could be partnerships."
O'Neal said he met on Friday with nine Chinese automakers that represent 80 percent of the output by domestic car manufacturers in China. The point was to lobby for new parts business from the fastest-growing segment of the Chinese car market, he said.
Delphi derives about 40 percent of its sales in China from parts and technology sold to Chinese automakers, but expects that ratio of business with the companies to rise, O'Neal said.
China's auto market is highly fragmented with more than 80 brands, but the government has indicated it wants fewer and stronger carmakers in a more consolidated manufacturing base.
O'Neal said there was no timing set for an initial public offering for Delphi that would make it a listed company again.
"My job is to run this company and make it as valuable as possible," he said. "I think the owners working with our board will look at this monetization issue, but that's for another day and another time. The markets will help dictate that."

Sensex leads the pack

A strong rupee, a reasonably resilient economy and improved corporate earnings are some of the factors that have helped the Indian stock market outperform other global markets.
Closely pegged to global trends. Rajalakshmi Sivam

Just as it did in the previous bull market, Indian stocks have outperformed most global peers in the recent stock market rally. While the Sensex gained 114 per cent from its March low, China's Shanghai Composite (up 47 per cent), Brazil's Bovespa (92 per cent), Taiwan's Taiex and South Korea's KOSPI indices haven't managed to match Sensex's return. MSCI Barra's World index reported a 74 per cent gain in this period. Developed markets have underperformed too, with the US bellwether Dow Jones Industrial up only 66 per cent.
Multiple factors have driven India's outperformance of other global markets: A strong rupee which made investments more lucrative for foreign investors, a reasonably resilient Indian economy and an improved earnings report from corporates.
Support factors
In the three quarters between March and December 2009, India Inc.'s earnings numbers have seen a sharp recovery. While the stimulus measures of the Government helped demand revive and supported sales; profits rose at a higher rate due to lower interest and input costs.
Every quarter, sequentially from March 2009, CNX 500 companies reported a double digit growth in PAT, at 20 per cent and above.
In the December 2009 quarter, companies of the same basket reported a 37 per cent growth in PAT against a 27 per cent fall in the same period last year (first signs of an earnings slowdown came in December 2008 quarter).
This was underpinned by India's strong economic growth, with GDP growth averaging 6.6 per cent between the June-December quarters. Its counterparts in the BRIC — Brazil, Russia and China — showed a mixed picture, with only China doing better.
India's growth also came on a fairly large base, as the respective quarters of the previous year saw GDP growth averaging 9.7 per cent. Corporate and economic fundamentals apart, the rupee factor too has played no small role in attracting fund flows into Indian stocks.
Between March last year and end-March 2010, the rupee moved from 51.88 to 44.9; giving more in return to FIIs than domestic investors who invested in Indian equities in this period. Dollar-denominated Sensex returns for this period stand at 146 per cent.
In recent months, a renewed debt crisis has shaken the European economies and China's efforts to cool its overheated economy too have seen investor preference for the Indian market. Lower Chinese demand also creates uncertainties for the commodity price outlook, which curtailed the rally in commodity-reliant economies such as Brazil and Russia.
Where valuations stand

Indian stocks may have outperformed other markets for good reasons.
But where do valuations stand today, relative to other global markets? If one looks at data from Bloomberg, based on their own estimates on earnings, Indian valuations do seem justified by growth prospects. But there are no doubt other cheaper markets to invest in.
The Sensex is trading at a PE of 17.2 with its earnings projected to grow by 20 per cent in the next year. China's Shanghai Composite index is trading at a PE of 18.5, much closer to the expected earnings growth of 19 per cent. European markets, as reflected by CAC 40, DAX and FTSE, are all much cheaper. They trade in a PE band of 12.5-13.5 with earnings growth projection at around 20 per cent. The US Dow Jones' PE is at 14, a discount to India for a 16 per cent estimated earnings growth in the next year.
Though the earnings outlook for Indian companies appears to have a more solid foundation than for many of the others above, India's high relative valuations do call for caution on the part of investors.
The outperformance by Indian stocks in fact suggests not a ‘decoupling' from global markets, but a reiteration that it is a high beta market, that is closely pegged to global trends.
Remember the last bull market? Between January 2007 and January 2008, the MSCI India index was up 47 per cent; higher than both the MSCI EM (19 per cent) and MSCI BRIC index (32 per cent).
But as the credit crisis unfolded with Lehman Brothers going bust, India was at the bottom of the pile — leading the losers. Given the persisting high correlation between the Indian stock market and the other global ones, investors should keep in mind that Indian stocks will not be immune if the global stock markets launch into a fresh correction.

Colours of love and hate

One of the largest exhibitions of India's best known modernist, Francis Newton Souza, held at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi recently, traced his journey — personal and artistic — from being an expelled student to an angry iconoclast. ANOOTHI VISHAL

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Of the 400 works in the Jain family's private possession, 200 have been picked and chosen...

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Photos Courtesy: Dhoomimal Gallery, Delhi

Unique lines: Woman Bathing Boy, 30x24 inch Oil on Board, 1949;
A large portrait of a couple, oil on canvas, catches your eye as you enter the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi for what surely is one of the largest and most comprehensive exhibitions in India of the works of Francis Newton Souza — the Goa-born artist of whom art historian and critic John Berger once famously said that he “straddles many cultures, but serves none”. Eight years after his death, Souza, of course, remains one of the best known Indian modernists abroad, his trademark nudes and (distorted) faces being much sought after by collectors abroad. But in India too, in recent years, the prolific painter's energetic landscapes and other experimental work have found renewed following. On the other hand, the portrait that catches your eye is at once quintessential Souza and un-Souza-like, contradictory, perhaps much like the artist himself.
Done on a Holi day, after the Roman Catholic-, Left-leaning- (at least in his early days) artist had celebrated the festival of colours with his hosts and friends Uma and Ravi Jain of the Dhoomimal gallery in Delhi, one of the city's oldest, the painting is undoubtedly a gentler, perhaps happier, Souza. The lines are strong as are the colours (of Holi) that he captures but there is none of the angst — and thus distortions of the human face and form — that we may have come to expect of the artist. “My mother was expecting me at that time, and after Souza presented it to my parents he explained that he had tried to capture her from a particular perspective that he had been observing her from,” says Uday Jain, who, along with his mother, has now put up this mega show to celebrate the man and the artist and promote a deeper understanding of the iconoclast.
Intensely personal

22x15 inch Acrylic on Paper, 1995.
But while the painting naturally occupies pride of place in the huge Dhoomimal collection — of the 400 works in the family's private possession by the artist, 200 have been picked and chosen for display by curator Yashodhra Dalmia — it is also illustrative of the fact that despite his larger concerns for the society and his fellow men, Souza's art, at its core, remained intensely personal. It is common knowledge that people that he was close to at that particular time — including the women in his life — made an appearance on his canvasses, and often the distorted heads, violently emotional faces, were indeed his own.
In fact, an arresting work in the exhibition was the “Birth of Francis Patrick”— Souza's only son, done in pen and ink and dated October 27, 1971, “Roosevelt Hospital”. The work indeed captures almost the very moment of his son's birth in the hospital and it would be interesting, says Uday Jain, to find out whether it was actually done “on the scene, live, since Souza was so prolific and was always sketching and doodling.” According to Jain, who was very fond of “Souza uncle”, growing up around him, the artist was very generous and would often complete these pictures and present them to his subjects, a fact that is also borne out by artist Jatin Das who knew Souza in Mumbai and remembers the latter gifting a bunch of 15-20 works to his son, saying, “Gift them away to your friends… sell them… you are free to do with them what you want.” This, in the 1990s, when the artist was at the very pinnacle of success, According to Jain, the artist, so mercurial and vitriolic otherwise, could be equally large-hearted with students and, well, “fans”. At the Kala Mela, an annual art occurrence in the 1980s, a young Subodh Gupta, then a student of art in Patna who had journeyed to the capital, observed the iconic artist at work and sketched him. He then took the sketch to Souza, who in turn did a sketch of Gupta's with an encouraging note tagged on!

Behind the show: Uday Jain.
It is easy to develop a sense of voyeurism towards Souza and his personal life. After all, so much of his art was rooted in it — right from the time he was expelled from St. Xavier's, Bombay, for drawing pornographic sketches in the toilets! His love-hate relationships with women, the church and the lands to which he travelled far and wide, after all, are the genesis of much of his art. But it is equally interesting to trace the artist's development in terms of his emotions, his personal state of being over those years. And the Dhoomimal exhibition gives one a chance to do just that, what with the works being displayed chronologically — from the 1940s, when he started painting as a raw, young boy, to his very last, when he almost held on to his easel battling illness as perhaps a metaphor for life.
The artist has been much chronicled, including by his own self ( Words and Lines). Expelled from the JJ School of Art in Mumbai before he could complete his diploma, the artist describes his transformation from an expelled student to a professional painter:
On the day I was expelled from JJ School of Art in 1945, I marched home indignantly, told my astonished mother what had happened — I was 21 years old then, had grown an Errol Flynn moustache and I smoked cigarettes from a holder like Robert Donat — and started furiously painting in oil with a palette knife on a large piece of plywood my mother had bought to use as a cutting table-top for her dressmaking. I painted an azure nude with a still life and landscape in the background. I finished the painting in an hour or two of white heat.
The “Blue Lady”, as this was to be called, was soon exhibited and bought by Dr. Hermann Goetz for the Baroda Museum. Souza's journey had begun. Through the 1940s, Souza's rebellion and aggression come out in his art in his vigorous strong lines of pen and ink sketches. There is a sense of raw energy even to the landscapes and water colours of a Portuguese Goa that he does. The preoccupation with human form and anatomy is evident too — the artist apparently even studied surgical tomes and practised dissection on cadavers — with one sketch reminiscent of a biology diagram. By the late 1940s, it wasn't just a post-Independence society in tumult that Souza may have faced and been artistically inspired by but his own personal tensions and restlessness. The move to London was fraught by these, his first marriage was apparently falling apart, and all this becomes a trademark of his work in that period.

Curator Yashodara Dalmia.
The late 1950s-1960s, on the other hand, see a much more confident artist, points out Uday Jain. This was a period when he had found international success and was personally happier. His resulting works are thus more confident, his heads softer, but the strokes stronger, and the trademark Suza is now emerging. Interestingly, works such as “Birth” or “Lovers”, auctioned for famously high prices at Sotheby's and elsewhere, belong to this mid-1950s period with (inexplicable) international market trends having favoured the artist's works from 1950s and 1960s.
By the 1960s, however, the artist was once again restless personally — and something that inevitably found its way on to his canvasses. His first marriage had broken down and he was about to shift to New York, at once loving the city's energy as questioning its commercial spirit. Consequently, it may be possible to see the angry lines of even his landscapes and distorted heads — distortions in self image — that were to become his trademark in this context.
“I have made my art a metabolism. I express myself freely in paint in order to exist…” wrote Souza of his credo as a painter in the 1940s. “… When I press a tube I coil. Every brush stroke makes me recoil like a snake struck with a stick. I hate the smell of paint. Painting for me is not beautiful. It is ugly like a reptile…” he adds. And these are words that may help us understand the artist and the process of creation better. What it underlines is the passion, the self that Souza puts into each of his works.
Gentler themes
By the 1970s, the artist was again in a happier frame of mind with another marriage and the birth of a child and his numerous “mother and child” softer themes reflect that. In the 1980s, however, the artist is now at the peak of his authority. His strokes seem less angry and the distortions may be a way of stylising figures. He seems to be in a “been there, done that” frame of mind, points out Jain and figures on thrones often adorn his works. From the mid 1990s, death becomes a concern. It is a time in his life when he is very ill. And he paints many versions of The Last Supper. Pieta, from 1993, shows deep anguish in every line, Christ's body being carried away by a group of women. It is ironical that the rebel could never free himself from religion. But Goa and Catholicism, no doubt, were him, however much the distance he traversed.
Curated show

Intense: Francis Newton Souza

The exhibition, titled Volte-Face, Souza's Iconoclastic Vision, one of the largest and most comprehensive Souza showings in the country, was held between April 9 and 18, 2010 at the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.

It was curated by Yashodhara Dalmia with over 200 paintings and drawings from the Dhoomimal Gallery Personal Collection. It was also accompanied by a film screening, a poetry session, art workshops for children, talks on Souza by Kishen Khanna and Ebrahim Alkazi, and curated tours.

GM India eying 100% growth in sales

With products like Chevrolet Spark and Beat already filing record numbers month after month in the domestic market, the company believes that it will be able to achieve almost a 100% growth in 2010.

However, a large part of this ambitious target also comprise of the additional commercial vehicles that the company plans to begin making with its joint-venture partner, China's SAIC.
According to Tim Lee, President of GM's international operations the company is doing an impeccable job with its passenger cars in the domestic market.
Lee further highlighted the fact that the company is going to double its volume this year. It has been learned that the company is eying a target of more than 130,000 cars from near 70,000 that the company sold in the last year.
After the company launched a companion to its best-selling Spark in the entry level segment in the form of Beat, the unit sales registered by the company have more than doubled in the past few months. In fact, the Beat recorded a whopping 10,000 units in the first month of its launch.

V&A in India

‘Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: Paintings and Drawings from the V&A 1790 1927’, is a travelling show; it has already been to five different cities (Mumbai/ Jodhpur/ Delhi/ Kolkata/ Hyderabad) before reaching its final destination in Bangalore.

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bangalore was inaugurated in February 2009 and it has taken more than a year for it to organise an international exhibition. ‘Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists: Paintings and Drawings from the V&A 1790 1927’, is a travelling show; it has already been to five different cities (Mumbai/ Jodhpur/ Delhi/ Kolkata/ Hyderabad) before reaching its final destination in Bangalore. The exhibition was developed in collaboration between the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (V&A) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum), Mumbai. The works displayed in the exhibition have been culled out of the collection of the V&A. “The show has evoked good response in all the cities. More than half a million people have already seen this exhibition at these venues,” says Mark Jones, director of the V&A. In Kolkata alone, there were about 250,000 visitors. ‘Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists’ has 93 small-format works of 30-odd western artists depicting the architecture, landscape and people of India. The show is dominated by four artists — William Carpenter, William Simpson, and the uncle-nephew duo: Thomas and William Daniell — who together make up for almost half of the works on display. Divided into four sections, the exhibition offers a glimpse of the country during the British Raj thereby evoking a sense of nostalgia and romantic vision of a bygone era. Old forts, palaces, tombs, ponds, places of worship, and birds eye view of cities are captured by artists; people at work, rest and leisure are also featured, alongwith street scenes of both big and small cities. The section titled ‘A Picturesque tour of India’, includes some fine pen and ink drawings and watercolours of the two Daniells. While pictures like ‘Eastern Gate’ of the Jummah Musjid at Delhi (Thomas Daniell / aquatint on paper/1975) present a grand view, wash drawings like ‘View of South India’ and ‘Ruined Temple’ offer a more subtle feel. Among the other striking images in this section is an aquatint on paper by Thomas Daniell titled ‘Hindu Temple’ at Agouree on the River Soane, ‘Bahar’ (1796) which intriguingly composes a temple amidst twisted roots of a gigantic banyan tree. The section also includes some neat but not necessarily exceptional watercolours by William Orme (1795 1819), George Chinnery (1774-1852), and Francois Balthazar Solvyns (1760-1824). Solvyns, one may note, was a Flemish artist who arrived in Calcutta in 1791; he made a series of drawings of local inhabitants and in 1799 officially published as ‘A Collection of Two Hundred and Fifty Coloured Etchings Descriptive of the Manners, Customs and Dresses of the Hindoos’. According to the catalogue entry, Solvyns had decided to return to Europe in 1803. His dramatic journey saw him captured by the French, mistaken as an Englishman, imprisoned in Mauritius, and shipwrecked off the Spanish coast before eventually reaching Paris in 1804. Miraculously, Solvyns managed to save his collection of original drawings which are now in the V&A. The second section of the exhibition ‘The Amateur Artist’, has a set of not very distinguished works. There are some noteworthy exceptions like the oil painting by Chales DOyly, ‘Lalita Ghat on the Ganges at Benares’ (about 1840). The section ‘Romanticism in India’ is also a mixed bag. Renowned painter William Carpenter (1818-99) is the leading artist here and some of his portraits and street scenes draw attention. The section also has some eye-catching watercolours by William Simpson (1823-1899) featuring mountain ranges and Buddhist sites. ‘A woman holding a fish on her head, Bombay’ (watercolour / 1872) by John Griffiths and ‘Filling the gunni-bag with cotton, Khamgaum’ (pencil, pen and ink with wash) by John Lockwood Kipling are among the interesting works in the section on realistic paintings. Kipling (1837 1911) and Griffiths (1838 1918), one may recall, taught in Bombay and encouraged their students to particularly study and depict local people and scenes in a realistic manner. The not-to-be-missed exhibition will be open till May 23 (Closed on Mondays).

ABI Research: UK, France and India among cheapest for mobile broadband

ABI Research is answering the simple question – where are the best deals for mobile broadband? The three countries that are on the list are the UK, France and India. India is especially interesting as operators there offer an unlimited download plans for just over $17 per month.
India may proven to be just a tip of an iceberg, according to the research company’s analyst Bhavya Khanna. It is expected that carriers in emerging markets with low Internet penetration price mobile broadband aggressively to drive usage. On the other hand, in developed markets the widespread use of data dongles has created strains on mobile networks, which has prompted some operators to limit data usage to 3-5 GB per month, even for their most expensive plans.
ABI’s VP of forecasting Jake Saunders notices the problem of consumers’ confusion on overage charges for data plans. As a nice example, he points to operators in Singapore which have a fixed “cap” on overage costs per month, ensuring that users do not get “bill-shock.”

Kawasaki floats new Indian arm

GROWING BIG: Rajiv Bajaj (right), MD, Bajaj Auto, with Hiroshi Takata, President, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, at a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday. Photo: Paul Noronha 

 

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has launched a new Indian subsidiary, India Kawasaki Motors Pvt. Ltd. (IKM), specialising in motorcycle imports and sales. Kawasaki entered into a technical assistance agreement with Bajaj Auto Ltd. (BAL) in 1984 under which BAL has produced and sold motorcycles in collaboration with Kawasaki.

Kawasaki's new imports and sales subsidiary, IKM, will consign the production of the completely knocked down (CKD) or imported kits to BAL's Chakan plant. The locally made motorcycles will then be sold together with imported complete motorcycles through BAL's Probiking shops. IKM plans several supersport, sport and cruiser models of motorcycles in the 250cc plus class to drive sales to around 1,000 units in 2010.

In 2009, total motorcycle sales in India were about 7.8 million units, making it the second largest motorcycle market after China. The Indian market for mid to large size motorcycles in the 201cc plus class is about 30,000 units per annum and growing.

Addressing the media, Hiroshi Takata, President, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, said, “We started sales of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R in India from October 2009. In future, we expect that the market in India for the 201cc plus category will go up to 50,000 units and the following year to 60,000 units. We are studying the option of localisation but as of now, have no plans.” Eric Vas, Head, Probiking and President, New Projects, BAL, said, “there has been a fairly large investment in spare parts and sales and service for the Ninja covering 32 cities with exclusive retail space and service stations and this could go up to 35-40 this fiscal.”

Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, BAL, said there was no major investment by BAL and the only investment had been around Rs. 5 crore by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. “Kawasaki's strength is bigger bikes and before the Ninja 250R launch six months ago, the big bike market in India was around 10 units a month. Ninja alone is doing 80-100 units a month now and Kawasaki is planning the launch of bigger bikes going forward,” said Mr. Bajaj.

On whether BAL was planning to make larger bikes, Mr. Bajaj said the company had a two-pronged approach for the bigger bike market. “For the on-track bikes, we tied up with Kawasaki for the Ninja and for off-road bikes, we have KTM with the Duke and Adventure.

Mumbai tops, followed by Delhi in cyber crime in India: Symantec report

According to the Symantec Internet Security Threat Report, India is one of leading countries featuring in malicious activities. India is placed at the 5th position just behind USA, China, Brazil and Germany. The report consists of around 100 pages, includes Executive Summary, and Highlights pages.

In India, Mumbai was found to indulge in largest malicious activity, which is just behind Delhi and Hyderabad. India was also found to serve 788 malicious bots (automated entity) per day during 2009, which resulted in 62,623 distinct bot-infected computers.

The Symantec Internet Security Threat Report releases its annual overview including the analysis of internet threat activity, malicious code, spams and phishing. In addition, it suggests preventive measures that you can implement for extra protection and security.

This time the report certainly takes to the conclusion that the emerging countries are a big victim. For example the report clearly clarifies the deep indulge in malicious activity of Brazil and India. The more developed countries like China seems to be much more aware regarding the Internet.

Targeted attacks like the "Aurora" incident, which led to conflict between Google and China stands on top as far as malicious activity is concerned. In addition, there were significant hacking attacks to retrieve personal information. The report claims that about 60% of exposed identities resulted due to hacking attacks. One of it included a single successful attack against a credit card processor.

Among the sites, Internet Explorer and Adobe Reader were the major victims of web attacks. There has been a sudden growth in PDF attacks from 11% of attacks in 2008 to 49% in 2009.

Symantec thus wants the highly affected nations to go for policies that are more serious on cyber security.

Clean up IPL, but remember it reflects young, emerging India

The intervention of a section of politicians and social commentators has added a new, mainly retrogressive, dimension to the continuing controversy over the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Even as the focus remains on suspected shady deals, the resignation of Shashi Tharoor as minister of state for external affairs and the abrasive working style of IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, a group of politicians and commentators has tried to link the cricketing extravaganza to the pitfalls of modernism and consumerism.

While Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has turned his ire on cricket itself, describing it as a 'videshi' (foreign) game which has distorted the sporting scene in India, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury has accused industrial magnates of exploiting the popular passion for the game to make money.

Forever on the lookout for issues, Bal Thackeray of the parochial Shiv Sena has also entered the fray to call for saving the "gentleman's game" although the acts of his followers in digging up cricket pitches can hardly be included in the category of graceful conduct.

Clearly, the scam-tainted atmosphere enveloping IPL has given these critics of Western influences and neo-liberal economics an opportunity to air their views with renewed vigour. They had been lying low till now following their defeat in the last general election, which was seen as an endorsement of the government's forward-looking policies and market-oriented attitude.

Since the IPL was interpreted as a manifestation of the spirit of free enterprise with its intermingling of sporting talent, business acumen and uninhibited entertainment, exemplified by the introduction of attractive young women as cheer leaders for the first time in India, its fall from grace has been grist to the mill of its detractors.

While the Communist Party of India's (CPI) Gurudas Dasgupta described the frenetic Twenty-20 format as a "caricature" of cricket and favoured a return to five-day Test matches, social commentators are moaning over the huge expenses for the gala events even as the poor suffer in silence.

This combination of regressive politics - Mulayam Singh is not only against cricket but also against computers and the English language - and socialistic concern for the underprivileged is not new in India. One aspect of this attitude is the belief that Maoists are really fighting for the poor and deserve sympathy rather than being seen as an internal security threat.

Another is the condemnation of anything foreign and flashy like the IPL. The subtext of this outlook is the conviction that any event which is so glitzy violates the country's traditions of sobriety and restraint. Since such a display of conservative preferences is expected to touch a chord in the Indian heart, it is not surprising that the line-up of critics ranges from the rural hinterland of north India's cow belt to city-based trade union leaders.

India open 2011 Asian Cup campaign against Australia

NEW DELHI: India will open their 2011 Asian Cup final round campaign with a match against formidable Australia on January 10 in Doha, Qatar.

Bob Houghton's men will then take on Bahrain on January 14 in their second Group C match before facing South Korea on January 18 in their last group match.

The opening match of the tournament will be played between hosts Qatar and Uzbekistan in a Group A game on January 7.

The quarter-finals will take place on January 21 and 22, while the semifinals will be played on January 25.

Third place play-off will be held on January 28 and the grand finale will take place on January 29.

Two top sides from each of the four-team group will qualify for the quarterfinals, an AIFF release said today.

India had been clubbed in a tough group featuring Australia and South Korea -- two sides who have qualified for 2010 World Cup from Asia -- and Bahrain, who just missed out the showpiece event in South Africa via a play-off against New Zealand.

Australia are Asia's highest FIFA-ranked side at 19th while South Korea are third highest at 49th besides finishing third in the earlier edition of Asian Cup in 2007.

Bahrain, who lost to New Zealand in a World Cup play-off, are ranked 67th in the world.

India, who qualified for the Asian Cup after 26 years by winning AFC Challenge Cup at home in 2008, are the lowest FIFA ranked side among the 16 participating teams at 132nd.

Warning Notice: Diffusion of drugs through stationary

Srinagar, April 24 (Kashmir Watch): It has come to the notice that a stationary item namely "Correction"  (Fluid/ Whitener) is being used  in Kashmir as drug by teenagers especially students.

Kashmir Stationers Association has issued a warning in this regard and has appealed to save the future of young generation.

The association has further issued a guideline as below to counter the diffusion immediately:

1.  Stationers & Book Sellers are requested not to sell Correction (Fluid/ Whitener) to person under 18 years of age which is illegal and only sell it when assured that it is not being used for drug.

2.  Parents as well as Educational Institutions are requested to take care of their wards.

3.  Concerned Agencies created by the Government are requested to check the illegal use of the product.

A meeting of Kashmir Stationers Association  has decided to announce the future programme after brief consultation with other stationary shop owners.

Delayed Indo-Pak talk benefiting militants: Zardari

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Friday urged India to respond positively to the Pakistani road map for the restoration of the peace dialogue as only 'extremists and anti-state elements' are benefiting from the delay in the process.

Asserting that Pakistan wants to solve all outstanding issues with India, including the Kashmir dispute, in an amicable manner, Zardari said both countries must come to negotiations table soon, otherwise extremists and anti-state powers would benefit out of it.

He hoped that the Indian government must give a positive response to Pakistan's offer as negotiations are the only tool that can bring both the countries together and bitterness can be ended, Online news agency reported.

Zardari's statement came during his meeting with Population and Welfare Minister Firdaus Ashiq Awan, who called on him to brief him about her visit to India and meeting with the ruling Congress' chief.

Awan also mentioned her meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, stressing both Pakistan and Indian parliamentarians must work together for the welfare of both countries.

Asserting that talks were the only way to remove 'misconceptions' between India and Pakistan, she stressed the need for the resumption of composite dialogue, suspended after the Mumbai terror attacks.

4th Food, Agri & Livestock Asia 2010, Int’l Exhibition & Conference inaugurated

KARACHI: Sharmila Farooqui, Advisor to Chief Minister, Sindh, inaugurated the 4th Food, Agri & Livestock Asia 2010, Int’l Exhibition & Conference on Saturday, at Karachi Expo Centre. The 3-day Event is organized by E-commerce Gateway Pakistan the only UFI (Paris) Approved Event Organizer of Pakistan.

The Inauguration was performed as a Multiple Ribbon Cutting Ceremony where alongwith the Chief Guest, CEO Ecommerce Gateway Ozair Ahmed Hanafi; Ambassador of Argentine Rodolfo J. Martin Saravia; Ambassador of Libya Ibrahim Elabad M. Hentish; and Foreign Delegates were also present.

The Chief Guest visited the exhibition halls and specially welcomed the foreign participants and assured them all the support on behalf of the Government of Sindh. She appreciated the holding of series of International Exhibitions & Conferences by Ecommerce Gateway focusing on most important sectors of economy and said that the participation of foreign investors/exhibitors here shows their interest in Pakistan’s potential.

Prior to the Inauguration, the Conference on "Food Processing, Value Addition and Quality Standards" was also conducted in conjunction with the Exhibition.

The Speakers of Conference include Farukh Mazhar, Managing Director, SGS Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd.; Muhammad Umar Qasim, Chief Executive, Lal Qila Restaurant; Dr. Gleyn E. Bledsoe, Professor, The Institute of Int’l Agriculture, Michigan State University; Anjum Iqbal Varsy, Director Operations, SGS Agricultural Services; Habib Shah, Head of Sales Retail & Agriculture, Habib Bank Ltd; Dr. Syed Asad Sayeed, Professor & Chairman, Dept. Food Sciences & Technology, University of Karachi; Mujeeb Maqbool, Food Safety Coordinator, (Aga Khan University Hospital); Babar J. Siddique, Quality Assurance Manager, Shangrila (Pvt) Ltd; Imran Ahmed, GM Product Quality & Development, Engro Foods Ltd.; Faisal Nadeem, Manager, Nestle Pakistan; Jorge Lemos, MD, Grupo Gen, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Irfan Sohail, Technical Manager & Arif Laiq, Food Safety Auditor, S & SC Division, SGS Pakistan; Saeed Bhombal, CEO, Bhombal & Co. and shared their views and presentations with the audience.

Food, Agri & Livestock Asia is a unique show in South Asia, which proudly represents theme of "Pakistan - The Halal Kitchen of the World". The Event provides an exclusive opportunity to see what the entire South Asian industry has to offer and to check out the latest products & innovations in the regional market. This year the Forum will feature development forecasts for regional markets of food products, major trends in trade & food policy, and trends & development prospects of demand for food and agricultural products.

4th Food, Agri & Livestock Asia 2010 is being organized by Ecommerce Gateway Pakistan with the support of Ministry of Food Agri & Livestock, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Ministry of Dairy Development, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan Food Association (PFA), Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company (PHDEC), Agro Food Research & Resource Centre (AFRRC), Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Board of Investment (BOI), Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA), Jamal’s Yellow Pages of Pakistan. The Show is endorsed by Pakistan Food Association (PFA), while, the Platinum Sponsor is ULKER. The sponsors are, Peak Freans (English Biscuits Manufacturers), Student Biryani, Habib Bank Ltd (HBL), SGS and Adamjee Insurance.

There are 200 stalls in the Exhibition where more than 160 international & domestic exhibitors are showcasing their products and services. A number of foreign participants are also gracing the Event from more than 10 countries including China, Turkey, Argentine, Indonesia, Russia and Malaysia. Since the theme of the Event is The Halal Kichen of the World, it will also be open for Families from 3 - 8 PM daily. While, 10 - 3 PM will remain exclusive for Trade/ Corporate Visitors. More than 40,000 visitors are expected to visit the Event during the 3 days.

Food, Agri & Livestock Asia has become an annual meeting place for representatives of food business, experts and analysts around the region. The key goal of the exhibition is to highlight development trends and prospects and provide a platform for dialogue between experts engaged in international food analysis, specialists in various fields of the industry, and representatives of ministries and related departments.

Energy conservation: All Pakistan CNG Association issues guidelines

ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association has issued guidelines for power saving campaign here on Saturday.

According to circular issued by All Pakistan CNG Association here on Saturday, CNG owners have been directed to use lightning conventionally after 8 pm.

Ghayyas Paracha Chairman of the Association said that the Association would cooperate with the government but the government would have to take immediate steps for resolution of problems faced by CNG sector

He said that the government should take steps for non-stop and provision of cheap fuel to the residents.

PTI to turn country into Pakistan of Jinnah: Imran Khan

PATOKI: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has said that if PTI got an opportunity to form its government in Pakistan, "We will transform Pakistan according to Quaid-e-Azam’s dreamed Pakistan".

Addressing to a massive gathering here on Saturday, he termed presidency of Asif Ali Zardari as unfortunate for the masses in the country adding that the public have no access to electricity and are facing problems of unemployment and inflation.

He also pointed out that the country’s political system has been run by feudal, who were carrying politics of police station and courts, while the common men were being humiliated at every level.

PTI Chairman reiterated that if PTI got an opportunity to form its government in Pakistan, the country would be transformed according to the dreamed Pakistan of the founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He also urged on the masses to support PTI to transform the fate of the country towards betterment as time has changed for the incumbents and the masses have to come on roads to gain their rights.

Implementation of 18th amendment an uphill task; Pak nuclear assets are safe: Gilani

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani describing the passage of 18th amendment as a big achievement towards strengthening the parliament has said its implementation is an uphill task .

The 18th amendment envisages provincial autonomy and establishment of council of common interests and several other uphill tasks but the government with the cooperation of the nation is determined to implement it on war footing, the prime minister said in an interview with PTV news on Saturday.

He said that Senator Raza Rabbani has been entrusted the task to work towards the implementation of the amendment to promote democracy and strengthen institutions.

He said a consultation process with the political parties has been started to strengthen the implementation committee and he has already made contacts with the PML (N) Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman in this regard. He said he has requested the two leaders to nominate their members for the committee in order to ensure its implementation forthwith.

Describing the implementation of the 18th amendment as an uphill task, the prime minister said it envisages provincial autonomy and establishment of council of common interest, expressing the confidence to implement it with the cooperation of the people.

The prime minister said the government is pursuing the politics of reconciliation and all the political leadership is united on one platform to resolve all the confronting challenges. He said the government respects the mandate of all the parties and consensus on different matters was not imposed on us rather the result of goodwill. He said the reconciliatory politics have also brought different political parties close to each other and now they trust each other more than ever before. Mr. Gilani said that we would move forward in accordance with the constitution

Responding to a question, the prime minister said that the 18th amendment comprising of 102 clauses has been adopted unanimously however there were reservations of some quarters on two of its clauses. He said the nomenclature of the NWFP has been changed keeping in view the voice of the majority of the people. We respect the mandate of each party and province’s name was changed as Khyber Pakhtunkhawa after the adoption of a resolution by the provincial assembly, he added.

The Prime Minister said that dialogue would be held with the people of Hazara division to remove their grievances and sense of deprivation, as it is the prime responsibility of the government to take care all parts of the country without any discrimination. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa government would also be taken on board on the matter in order to resolve their issues. He said the government regards the opinion of the comman man as the era of dictatorship has been replaced by a democratic system.

Mr. Gilani said that Pakistan Peoples Party has always been struggling for the rights of the comman man and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had also waged his struggle for the people and not for the sake of power. He said our great leader Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for the rights of the people and the strengthening of institutions including the judiciary and the media.

To a question regarding intra-party elections, Mr. Gilani said that Political Party’s act already exists under which all the parties are bound to hold elections within the party. There is no provision of intra party elections in the 1973 constitution, but we are conducting the elections within the parties, he maintained, adding he government has no objection over making the Political Party’s act more effective.

Mr. Gilani said we are pursuing the path of democracy as the President who is also Co-Chairman of PPP has voluntarily surrendered his powers to the parliament, which is an ample proof that the party is against the dictatorship.

Responding to a question, the prime minister said the country is facing many challenges and we should work jointly to consolidate and strengthen the country. To remove the grievances of the past sixty-three years, he said the government has taken steps to ensure provincial autonomy and decisions in this regard will be implemented so that people could get their rights at their doorsteps.

Responding to a question, Mr. Gilani said that all institutions are passing through an evolution process and gaining strength but they should work within constitutional ambit. He said he does not see any confrontation among the institutions. He said that the parliament is no longer a rubber stamp and taking decisions independently.

He said there is unprecedented political stability in the country and all the political parties are working hand in hand for the resolution of problems. He said he is focusing on the political stability as it is vital for the economic progress of the country.

Referring to the dividend of the consensus politics, he said the four chief ministers and other political leadership sat together in the energy conference and put forward their recommendations to overcome the electricity shortage. He said the recommendations will be implemented by the government.

Answering a question regarding steps taken by the government to cope with energy crisis, Mr. Gilani said that the government is working on short and medium term measures to overcome the problem. He said coal, solar and nuclear sources will be exploited to provide cheap electricity to the people. He said the present government is delivering and has the goodwill to resolve their problems, appealing to the masses to demonstrate patience.

He said that a Gas Conference would also be organized on the pattern of energy conference.

To a question regarding UN commission’s inquiry report, Mr. Gilani said that Benazir Bhutto was a leader of international stature but she was not provided sufficient security on her return home by the then government. He said a fact-finding team comprising personnel of Army and Police has been constituted to determine the facts behind the hosing down of assassination site. He said the team would submit its report within a week.

About the war against terrorism, Mr. Gilani said the whole nation like a rock wall has supported the government in anti terrorist operations in Swat and Malakand division that produced good results, forcing militants to flee.

He said there is realization in the world that Pakistan is a frontline country in the war against terror and had sacrificed both in terms of human and material. He expressed the confidence that the world community will be more forthcoming in assisting the Pakistan . He said Pakistan does not need aid but trade and wants greater market access to Europe .

The Prime Minister to a question replied that the governance mean to provide justice, provincial governments should ensure law and order and security situation. He said however, the total implementation of good governance is the responsibility of the provinces.

Answering another question about Pak-India relationship, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said that dialogue is the only way forward for resolution of all outstanding issues between the two countries. The talks held at the secretary level are different of those should be held with the political leadership.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan ’s participation in the World Nuclear Summit in the United States speaks for itself that it is responsible country and its nuclear assets are in safe hands.

Pakistan PM hosts dinner for Shoaib-Sania

Islamabad, April 24 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has hosted a dinner for newlyweds Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza, a media report Saturday said.
The dinner was on Friday, Online news agency reported.
Gilani expressed his best wishes for the newly wedded couple and presented them with gifts, which they accepted with thanks.
The couple, accompanied by Sania’s mother Naseema Mirza, arrived here Thursday night with the federal government according them the status of state guests.

No clash of institutions if all work within Constitution: PM

ISLAMABAD, Apr 24 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said he does not see any clash of state institutions if all of them work within the ambit of Constitution and do not go beyond. “All institutions should do their work within the ambit of Constitution. I do not see any clash, if the institutions do not go beyond (the Constitution),”Gilani said in an interview with PTV News telecast on Saturday night.
“There is an evolution going on. Be it judiciary, media, parliament or others, the institutions are in the process of evolution and are strengthening. We cannot criticize anyone, because it is their right. If anyone does something to strengthen their institution, they have the right, they should do it, but it should be within the ambit of Constitution”, the Prime Minister responded when asked if the 18 Amendment has stopped the path of unjust intervention from any quarter.
He said after the February 18, 2008 elections, the political parties showed maturity and coalition governments were formed in the center as well as provinces through political reconciliation.

The Prime Minister referring to the resignation of former President General Pervez Musharraf said it was the dialogue which led to the resignation of a President (Musharraf). “It never happened in the history of Pakistan,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister said it was said that parliament is a rubber stamp. “Now I want to question, is it a rubber stamp”, he remarked.
About the implementation of 18^th Amendment, Gilani said he has already talked with PML(N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif and JUI(F) leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman and asked them to give their representation so that implementation of the 18^th Amendment can be started immediately.
The Prime Minister further said that “keeping in view our reconciliatory politics, we will try to tackle all issues. Insha Allah we will emerge as a nation and we are determined to implement it (the 18^th Amendment).
About trust deficit among the provinces on various issues like energy, the Prime Minister said, the government intends to move and settle all issues in accordance with the Constitution.
He rejected the assumption of trust deficit and said, “we have moved forward to such an extent that we trust each other.
Prime Minister Gilani said changing the name of NWFP to Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa through the 18^th Amendment was in line with the wishes of the majority in the province as well as the resolutions adopted by the provincial assembly.
He, however, stressed that respecting the wishes of majority does not mean that the government was not in favour of the people of Hazara, adding, the government was fully cognizant of the sense of deprivation of the people of Hazara and would address their grievances by taking the provincial government on board
About holding of elections within political parties, the Prime Minister said, the political parties act, which is still in place, provides for holding of such elections, adding, if there was any need of improvement in the act, it can be done through political consultations.
Prime Minister Gilani, however, rejected the assumption of any political dictatorship and mentioned that President Asif Ali Zardari transferred power to the Prime Minister and parliament at a ceremony in the presence of the Opposition leaders, Speaker National Assembly, Chairman Senate and others, which is unprecedented.
I do not see any evidence of political dictatorship in the country”, he remarked.
To a question, the Prime Minister said Pakistan Peoples Party has always been fighting and struggling for the rights of people, independence of judiciary and provincial autonomy, adding, PPP leader Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed lost her life for the rights of people.
He said the country has never witnessed the kind of political stability that it currently has, adding, it was due to this political stability and harmony that the whole leadership including the chief ministers of four provinces sat together at a three-day energy conference to find solution of power shortage in the country.
The Prime Minister said the focus of his government was on political stability, which is vital for economic stability.
To a question, he said, the country was reaping the fruits of IPPs concept, given by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed in 1994, adding, “if the IPPs were not brought into country at that time, today we would have been living in stone age.”
The Prime Minister was critical of the failure and neglect of General Musharraf, who did not give any policy to tackle the emerging energy crisis and said his government is now focussing on short term, medium term and long-term strategies to deal the problem.
All sources of power generation including hydel, coal, nuclear and solar are being focussed to address the energy issue, he said and mentioned that the present government which inherited the problem alongwith a Rs 400 billion circular debt has cleared the debt during the last two years including the latest Rs. 116 billion announced the other day.
The Prime Minister said the government had also initiated village electrification programmes and electricity was provided to thousands of villages and cities.
To a question about the UN probe of killing of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, he said, the National Assembly and all the four Provincial Assemblies passed resolutions asking the United Nations to probe the killing of Benazir Bhutto.
The killing of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was a colossal loss as she was not only the leader of the PPP and Pakistan but a leader of international stature, the prime minister said.
After a suicide attack on PPP rally in Karachi, Mohtarma wrote letters to the government to provide her security, the prime minister said, adding, it was the responsibility of the government to provide her fool-proof security.
The Prime Minister said that today he had constituted a fact finding committee to probe the hosing of the crime scene soon after the suicide and gun attack on Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27, 2007.
A three-member high powered committee headed by Cabinet Secretary will submit its report to him within seven days, the prime minister said.
About the war on terror, he said, it is our own war as protection to life and property is responsibility of the government.
“The government got united the whole nation against the war on terror and the successful military operations in Swat, Malakand and South Waziristan have a lot of success stories where the strong hideouts of terrorists were destroyed and they are now on the run and hitting the settled areas,” the prime minister said.
He said the successful return of 2.5 million Internally Displaced Persons to their hometown in Swat and Malakand was appreciated by the world which is unprecedented in the world history.
Gilani said there is a strong realization and consensus in the world that Pakistan has given a lot of sacrifices in the war against terror both physically and economically.
“The world wanted to help us, the Friends of Democratic Pakistan have assured us to resolve the issue of rehabilitation of the IDPs,” he said.
But, the prime minister added, “we should concentrate on our own resources as we don’t need aid, we need trade and access to foreign markets to improve our economy and resolve the problems of our people.”
About the energy crisis, he said, besides short term measures, the government is also devising long term plans to resolve energy crisis of the country to improve the economy.
The Prime Minister said that after the energy conference, gas conference will soon be held to resolve this issue also.
The Prime Minister said, “I appeal to the nation to show patience as the entire world is recognizing our sacrifices and efforts and all the issues including the energy crisis will be resolved through the policy of reconciliation.”
About nuclear programme and its security, the prime minister said Pakistan has a better image and the world has appreciated our nuclear programme and its security.
He said the US President Barack Obama in the recently held nuclear security conference gave a categorical statement about our nuclear safety.
About Pakistan-India relations, the prime minister said, “We are persuading India to sit on the table and resolve our issues through dialogue.”
About any meeting with Indian Prime Minister at the upcoming SAARC summit in Bhutan, he said, at the moment nothing is planned and I can’t say any thing about it.
To a question about main achievements of his government, the prime minister said, the policy of reconciliation and passage of 18^th Amendment are the big achievements of the government and all  political forces.

He said Pakistan has emerged as a nation and there is political maturity in the country.
About any message to the youth, the prime minister said, the entire nation is united and the whole leadership wanted to put the country on the road to progress and our youth should have trust in their leadership.
“No imported people would come to resolve our problems, we would have to resolve our problems by ourselves,” the prime minister concluded.

Pakistan to extradite Kasab from India

ISLAMABAD, Apr 24 (APP): Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik Saturday said Pakistan’s court has issued arrest warrant of Ajmal Kasab and Islamabad will request New Delhi to hand over Ajmal Kasab to Pakistan. “Kasab’s statement is of paramount importance in Mumbai Attack case which is an important document and our courts need it,” he said while talking to media after his meeting with Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan.

“We will also request India to allow RV Saw and Wagul Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates, Shri Ramesh Mahal, Chief Investigation Officer DCB, CID Mumbai to appear in Pakistani court and testify that the statements of Ajmal Kasab was recorded by them, so that we could proceed further,” he added.

He said the trial in Pakistan is moving in right direction and the presence of three Indian officers would further make it stronger.

“They must have to come Pakistan to make the case stronger, we have requested India and are hopeful that they would consider our request for justice.”

Malik said that the Interior Ministry would hand over the request to the Foreign Office in next few days so that it could be conveyed to India.

He said Ansari and Kasab have not been declared proclaimed offender so far, despite the fact that their arrest warrants have been issued.

However, he said that the meetings between the two countries regarding Mumbai attacks were positive and the cooperation was also expanding.

He said India has so far given 10 dossiers in Mumbai case to Pakistan and Islamabad have timely replied to all of those, adding that the 11th dossier of Pakistan regarding handing over of Ajmal Kasab would shortly be handed over to New Delhi.

The Minister said that India positively provided maximum details in Mumbai case as requested by Pakistan authorities and it was presented in the court.

He, however, said that Hafiz Saeed was released on bail duely granted to him by the court because India provided only leads regarding him and not evidences.

“We have moved to Supreme Court over the release of Hafiz Saeed and whatever the decision would be we will follow.”

He said Pakistan banned Jamat-ud-Dawa as its name had been placed in watch-list by UNO.

“We have frozen 16 bank accounts of Jamat-ud-Dawa, closed six websites, cancelled all arms licenses issued to the outfit, detained 71 activists, placed names of 64 activists on ECL, handed over 63 Madaris of the Jamat under government control and confiscated all its publications and papers,” he told.

The Minister informed the media about the details of all the 10 dossiers and the response of Pakistan.

Regarding his meeting with Indian High Commissioner, he said he requested various information and we responded to those.

“We feel Pak-India cooperation have been improved and we are going towards peace, friendship and cooperation.”

He said the two countries understand that terrorism is a heinous crime and anti state elements are involved to bring the two countries face to face.

“Anti state elements brought Pakistan and India at the wage of war but the leadership of two countries averted the war by their wisdom.”

He said the leadership of the two countries have frustrated the nefarious designs of anti state elements. “We hope the relation between the two countries would improve in future.” he added.

India must respond positively to Pak’s road map: President

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday again made it clear that only anti state elements are benefiting from the delay In Pak-India dialogue process urging India to respond positively on Pakistani road map for the restoration of Pak-India peace dialogue.
Undoubtedly Pakistan is playing a positive and durable role for restoration of peace in the entire South Asia, President expressed these views while talking to the Federal Minister of Population and Welfare Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan at the Presidency on Friday.
Sources say that host of issues came under discussion. During the course of the meeting, Federal Minister for Population Welfare Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan took President in confidence on her fruitful meeting with Head of the Congress Party Sonia Gandhi besides she delivered Pakistan’s well wishes and high hopes to the Indian government on behalf of Pakistani government during her short stay in India.
She also briefed President on her meeting with Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Meena Kumar stressing both Pakistan and Indian Parliamentarians must work together for the welfare of both the countries.
Asserting that talks were the only way to remove "misconceptions" between India and Pakistan, she stressed the need for the resumption of composite dialogue, suspended after the Mumbai terror attacks.
President said that Pakistan wants to solve all outstanding issues with India including thorny Kashmir dispute in an amicable manner with India.
Both countries he said that must come on negotiation table soon otherwise extremists and anti state powers will be benefit out of it.
He further hoped that Indian Government must give a positive response to Pakistan’s offer under the pretext of Pakistani road map as negotiations is the only tool that can bring both the countries together and bitterness can be ended

Shoaib Malik, Sania Mirza in Pakistan: Week of fantastic wedding parties for newlyweds

Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza are the latest celebrity newlyweds who have not gotten away from the spotlight. Not only in India and Pakistan but around the world eyes are watching every detail of this couple. Right now they are in Pakistan readying for family and friends parties to celebrate their union.

The relationship between the two countries, Pakistan and India have been cold after political affairs have stepped in the way. However this high profile has warmed things up for the two countries and their citizens. Everyone seems particularly excited about the marriage and the two counties have even talked a bit which is amazing.
This week the couple arrived in Pakistan to crowds of thousands who wanted to welcome the two home. They are in Pakistan for a week of celebrations and then will be heading to Islamabad to finalize visa's.


This highly anticipated arrival was met with some disappointment as the couple could not be seen by everyone in the crowd. While dignitaries did welcome the two, it appeared they were avoiding everyone else before the celebrations began later in the week.
Do we have Malik and Mirza to thank for that? Yes, we do. Take a peek at the pictures!

Possibility of Gilani, Manmohan meet at SAARC, hints Pakistan

File photo of Manmohan Singh with Pak PM Yousuf Raza Gilani at the Nuclear Security Summit. PTI Photo

Islamabad, Apr 24 (PTI) Pakistan has said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from regional countries during the SAARC summit in Bhutan, leaving open the possibility of an encounter between him and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Though the Foreign Office had earlier said that no meeting between Gilani and Singh had been scheduled on the sidelines of the SAARC summit to be held in Thimphu during April 28-29, an official statement said the Pakistani premier would meet his counterparts in Bhutan.

Though the statement issued by the Foreign Office did not specifically name the Indian premier, it said Gilani "will be holding bilateral meetings with his counterparts as well as representatives of observer states.

Pakistan favours SAARC linkages with observers and international institutions to promote project-based development cooperation.

Sohail Abbas favorite to lead Pakistan in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey

KARACHI: Less than six weeks after failing to inspire Pakistan in what turned out to be a catastrophic World Cup campaign, the country's drag flick ace Sohail Abbas has emerged one of the favorites to take over as national team captain for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament scheduled for the following month.

But Sohail needs to convince national selectors that he could still be an asset for Pakistan and should be retained in the team, which will be announced on April 28.
With Zeeshan Ashraf - the experienced defender who led Pakistan to a humiliating last-place finish in last month's World Cup in New Delhi opting out of the Azlan Shah Cup, the Pakistan Hockey federation (PHF) will have to name a new captain in a week's time.
Ashraf has informed the PHF that he needed rest and wants to be excused from national duty for the Azlan Shah Cup to be played in Ipoh (Malaysia) from May 6-16. Influential midfielder Wasim Ahmed and striker Akhtar Ali are the other two players who want to skip the Ipoh assignment due to exhaustion.
PHF secretary Asif Bajwa told Arab News that he is yet to receive the players' request in writing, adding that PHF president will take a decision on it only after he gets it in black and white.
It is unlikely that the PHF, which is looking forward to blooding youngsters in the national team, will force the senior trio to take part in the Azlan Shah Cup. Hence, Pakistan will not only need to find three good replacements but will also have to appoint a suitable captain.
Bajwa refrained from commenting on the possible captaincy candidates but said that the PHF will make a call on it after getting sufficient inputs from national selectors and team officials.
"It's up to the PHF to name the captain but we would consider the input from the selectors and coaches before deciding who will be leading the team in Malaysia," said Bajwa, a former Olympian who was sacked as team manager after the World Cup debacle.
But Bajwa was quick to add that the PHF will respect seniority while naming the new captain. "We will keep the seniority of players in mind as far as a decision on a new captain is concerned," he said.
Seniority-wise, Sohail appears to be the best candidate for captaincy. He has been around for a while and has the most international caps among the current lot of players. The fact that he also holds the world record for most international goals adds to his reputation as the best-known Pakistani hockey player these days.
But the problem with Sohail is that there is a question mark over his international future after a below par showing in the World Cup.
Sohail was supposed to spearhead Pakistan's campaign in New Delhi but failed to live up to the expectations.
However, he bounced back from the World Cup disappointment and played a pivotal role in WAPDA's successful title campaign in the recently concluded National Hockey Championship in Karachi.
According to sources, the other leading candidate to replace Zeeshan is his deputy Mohammad Imran. The experienced fullback is a former national junior team captain and will certainly be considered for captaincy when the PHF think-tank meets here next week.

Pakistan team flies to West Indies for World T20

LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younus said they hoped their countrymen would get behind the World Twenty20 team which left for the West Indies on Saturday.

"We hope the whole nation backs us in our campaign," said coach Waqar as most of the team left for St Lucia.
Pakistan, which won the title in England last year, is placed in Group A of the 12-nation event which starts on April 30 and finishes on May 16. They face Bangladesh in the opening match on May 1.
Two teams from each of the four groups will qualify for the next stage of the tournament.
Waqar, who replaced Intikhab Alam as coach after team's dismal tour of Australia in February this year, said all matches are tough.
"We will not take any match easy and put best efforts to achieve the target, which is to successfully defend our title," said the former fast bowler. "We have trained well and are confident of success.
"We have a very balanced team in all departments and if we bat to our plan, bowl accurately and field well then there is no reason why we should not win again, but we also need prayers from the people."
Waqar said Pakistan has an edge with their spinners.
"Our spinners are good and West Indian pitches will suit them," said Waqar of Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Rehman - four regular spinners in the team.

U.S. Missile Strike Kills 7 Militants in Northwest Pakistan, Officials Say

A U.S. drone fired three missiles into a militant compound in Pakistan's tribal area near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing seven militants, security officials said.
The strike took place at 9pm local time (1600 GMT) in Marsikhel area, 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, which is known as a hub for Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked militants.
The nationalities of the seven dead militants were not immediately clear, a senior Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Another security official confirmed the strike and the death toll and said, "We don't know yet if any high-value target was present in the area at the time of attack."
U.S. forces have been waging a covert drone war against Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked commanders in the country's northwestern tribal belt, where militants have carved out havens in mountainous areas outside direct government control.
More than 870 people have been killed in nearly 100 drone strikes in Pakistan since August 2008.
Washington calls Pakistan's tribal belt the global headquarters of Al Qaeda and the most dangerous region in the world. Islamist militants in the area are believed to be fueling the nearly nine-year insurgency in Afghanistan.