Pakistan Information & News

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney was delighted after he scored the only goal to give Manchester United a vital 1-0 derby win over City.

The England striker put the Red Devils in front on 42 minutes before Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off in the 68th minute but the Blues could not capitalise.

The goal was Rooney’s 100th club career goal but he was more concerned with helping his team earn a valuable win which takes them to within five points of leaders Chelsea with a game in hand.

He told the club’s official website: “It was a massive win. Not necessarily because it was against Manchester City, but because three points are vital, especially with Chelsea and Liverpool playing after us.

“We simply had to win and I thought we produced a good performance.”

He believed United held their own after Ronaldo had been sent off.

Gul Panag

Gul Panag dropped an intellectual bombshell when we called her, surprising the nation with her vision and comment on the Mumbai bombings. She quoted, “I don’t know how my comments will be taken by you but this had to happen and is not a complete surprise. Me and you only take notice of terror when it enters the malls or the hotels. But if the same thing happens in the slums we are ok with it. This is a much larger issue than it looks. Have you ever taken into consideration the Islamic population of India? It’s in the region of 18 to 20%. The figures keep on varying. Do you know what percent of Islamic population is living below the poverty line? It’s 40%. I am not a fundamentalist but I am looking at a much bigger picture. There are certain segments of the society which have not got its due, whether you agree or not. But if you look at the demographics, you’ll understand. Whatever the population of Muslims in India, is that population proportionate and reflect in the jobs of this country? When people are poor and have no where to go, they have no choice but to turn into radicals. I hope my views and comments make people understand the broader picture”.

Gul’s comment ignited anger demanding an explanation to the above quote. While some demanded an explanation to her remark, others said it wasn’t enough, and some even agreed to what she said. One of the replies to her quote on Bollywood Hungama said, “I do agree with what Gul is trying to say, people are just taking it wrongly. Islam doesn’t teach violence and neither does it allow innocent killings and mass murders. When Muslims do something like this in terms of revenge, they are called terrorists but when Hindus, Jews and Christians do it, they are called Freedom Fighters”. Debashri, one of the surfers of Bollywood Hungama who thinks that Gul’s comment was a flaw, said, “It’s not because of poverty that some Muslims take the fundamentalist route. Then we would have had an equal number of Hindu terrorists too. I think we have made a habit out of making terrorists look like victims! It is fashionable to side with them. Do we then take out guns and start killing people? No. The trouble is the indoctrination that takes place”. Another surfer Roopa also disagrees. She said, “Poverty doesn’t justify the birth of radicalism. Many terrorists are rich and come from educated backgrounds (Osama). If people feel the government isn’t helping them, it is up to them to educate themselves and grow”. A surfer with the user id ‘Mamuh’ who sides Panag, said, “I like Gul’s view (as it) was very much well thought-out and accurate. We can’t stump terrorism, until we see the root of it. Injustice like Gujarat Riots or Orissa Riots need to stop. When significant politician(s) turn a blind eye and something drastic happens. India just sucks if you’re a poor or a minority”.

So when the actress got up this morning and logged on to Bollywood Hungama, she was taken by surprise to read comments posted by users on her quote. This got Gul to write even more. Within 10 minutes, the actress sent us what she thought of the above reactions and many more posted their views on the website. This is what she had to say:

“Poor and disenfranchised Hindus/Sikhs/Christians are not the ones being radicalized. There is no planned sustained movement in place to do so. India has the second largest population of Muslims in the world. Yet their representation in all walks of public life remains dismal (what ever the reasons). A disproportionate chunk of the Muslim population lives below the poverty line. These people are the ones the radicals target as their recruiting ground.

Yes, there are rich who also get involved. The percentage is small. The machinery in place that goes about recruiting these people is very advanced and unscrupulous. They are highly motivated by people whose full time job is to mislead these people. Their modus operandi is to show videos of Muslims being tortured /killed/women being raped, and other forms of propaganda. In Punjab ( I am a Sikh from a village in Punjab called Mahadian, Distt Fategarh Sahib), many youngsters from well to do families after seeing their relatives/ kin burnt alive by mobs, tortured and raped by the forces were badly shaken up. Psychologically numb. And were ready when extremists came knocking on their doors to garner support. As for the security lapses, I am sure there are many loop holes. We apart from being a booming economy are also a country of the poor and homeless, (who’s primary focus is two square meals). We are NOT the United States, where we can single mindedly pursue security). But having said that, it’s important to understand, that not even the best trained force in the world can be prepared for someone who is ready to kill himself. The terrorist wins by not losing/dying (for whatever short period he wreaks havoc) and the forces “lose” by not winning immediately (ultimately they do in a Mumbai like scenario, but not in J&K, Iraq). And how can I be biased? Because I am in Indian and believe that the same set of rules must apply to all? So Muslims who kill people are terrorists but Bajran Dal/RSS activists who burn Christian homes, rape nuns are “angry misguided youth”?? My father is a serving army officer; he has 40 years of service to the nation and is currently posted as Army Commander Central Command, at the very tip of the army pyramid. He also served as Northern Army Commander. I have been brought up in the most secular way possible, where I have observed at close quarters what the army does for the Nation. And it pains me to read about people pointing fingers at the forces being “inefficient” when they constantly give away their today for us to be able to blog like this, sleep peacefully and enjoy life as we know it.”

Rajesh Khanna

Actor-politician Rajesh Khanna, who was perhaps Bollywood’s first superstar, will make a comeback bid next year with “Wafaa” in which he will be shown courting a much younger actress.

In spite of the poor box-office performance of his last movie “Janaa - Let’s Fall in Love” in 2006, Khanna has signed as many as eight movies, of which “Wafaa” will be the first to be released.

The movie has been directed by Rakesh Sawant - actress Rakesh Sawant’s brother - who last made “Hot Money”, a B-grade box-office dud.

Khanna’s role in “Wafaa” is that of an elderly man who is married to a young girl, played by 20-year-old newcomer Laila Khan. How the odd couple tries to save their marriage is what the movie is about.

“At my age, this is the fit role for me. I am taking it as a challenge for myself to prove that the actor in me is still alive and kicking, whatever may be the film’s fate at the box office,” Khanna, who is in his 60s.

He served as a Congress MP during 1991-1996.

In “Janaa…”, he shared screen space with his colleague from the past, Zeenat Aman. Directed by Shahrukh Mirza, it turned out to be a damp squib and neither Khanna nor Aman could benefit from it.

While Aman seems to be on a sabbatical from movies, appearing only in public functions occasionally, Khanna has chosen to pick up the gauntlet once again.

Barack Obama

WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama plans to proclaim longtime advisers and supporting foes alike as his picks for peak management jobs at a Monday news meeting, nominating one-time political vengeance Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state.

Obama’s announcements take in members of his nationwide security team and further than, implementation the nominations for one-third of his Cabinet as he moves rapidly to bring together the country’s new leadership in times of war and a troubled economy.

His selections consist of some of his most faithful campaign advisers and particularly some who were not, including Democratic primary rival Clinton and President Bush’s protection secretary, Robert Gates, staying in his current post.

Obama also intended to name Washington lawyer Eric Holder as legal representative general and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary, according to Democratic officials. He also planned to announce two senior foreign policy positions outside the 15-member Cabinet: campaign foreign policy adviser Susan Rice as U.N. ambassador and retired Marine General James L. Jones as national security adviser.

The Democratic officials disclosed the plans on a condition of anonymity Sunday because they were not authorized for public release ahead of the news conference.

Those names had been discussed before for those jobs, but the officials confirmed Sunday that Obama will make them official Monday in his hometown.

Last week, he named key members of his economic team, including Timothy Geithner, president of Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as treasury secretary. Obama is not yet ready to name his intelligence advisers, one Democratic official said.

Clinton’s nomination is the latest chapter in what began as a bitter rivalry for the Democratic presidential nomination. After Obama defeated her, Clinton backed his general election campaign against Republican Sen. John McCain, and she now has agreed to give up her Senate seat to be his top diplomat.

Malaysia

MANILA: Malaysia withdrew its remaining 12 peacekeepers from the southern Philippines on Sunday but said they may return if there is progress in the peace process in the troubled region.

A Malaysian army C-130 plane picked up the peace monitors at an airport on the southern island of Mindanao.

Malaysia, which has been brokering the peace talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has expressed frustration at the slow pace of talks to end four decades of conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people.

First Admiral Amzah Pahlawan bin Sulaiman, the head of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team, said his government was not turning its back on a commitment to help end the conflict in the south of the mainly Catholic state.

“We hope the Philippines and the MILF can resume peace talks as soon as possible,” Amzah told reporters. “We’re willing to come back and participate in another capacity to bring peace and stability here.”

The remaining 17 members of the peace monitoring team — 10 troops from Brunei, five from Libya and two aid workers from Japan — would remain in the south as the government and the rebels negotiate to extend the mandate of the peace monitors.

Bangkok Airport

Tension is growing in the Thai capital Bangkok as thousands of anti-government protesters occupy the city’s two main airports for a seventh day.

Police said they were negotiating with the group as experts warned of soaring economic losses from the blockade.

Some 100,000 passengers remain stranded in Bangkok while efforts are being made to find alternative airports.

Meanwhile, thousands of government supporters held their first rally in the capital since the blockade began.

The opposition wants the government to resign, accusing it of being corrupt, hostile to the monarchy and in league with exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Fears of clashes between pro- and anti-government groups have grown since a new grenade attack on opposition supporters in Bangkok on Saturday night, which injured about 50 people, three of them seriously.

So far the two sides have not encountered each other but there are fears of serious violence if they do, the BBC’s Jonathan Head reports from Bangkok.

Bedding down

There is little sign that the tens of thousands of tourists stranded in Bangkok will get home any time soon, the BBC’s Quentin Somerville reports from Bangkok’s international airport.

The check-in desks are empty and on the concourse floor lie hundreds of anti-government protesters, settling in for another night of occupation.

They have bedding and plentiful supplies of food and water.

Televisions and radios blast out speeches calling for Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down.

He says he will not go but he has been unable to dislodge the protesters.

The army is against him and the police have so far proved ineffective, our correspondent says.

The protesters from the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are a loose alliance of royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class.

“Obviously it hurts the economy, but it’s the only way we can push out this government,” PAD supporter Prathan Tandavanitj, 60, told Reuters news agency at the airport.

Police say they want to avoid any violent confrontation and will not use weapons against the protesters at the capital’s international and domestic airports.

An opposition spokesperson said talks with the police were not about ending the protest but about “improving security”.

In Bangkok, red-shirted pro-government demonstrators condemned the airport blockade and accused the protesters of economic sabotage.

One banner read: “We love Thaksin. He is our hero.”

Trying to leave

Some travellers have been trying to get to smaller airports around the country, but these are being overwhelmed.

A few airlines have been using an airport at the U-Tapao naval base, about 140km (90 miles) south-east of Bangkok.

But the authorities there are said to be overwhelmed with hundreds of passengers cramming into the small facility.

“There was only one X-ray of foreign tourists arriving next year may halve,threating one million jobs.                                                                                                                                      

karachi

Due to the incidents of firing and violent behavior, 28 people have so far been killed and 100 including 19 women continued injuries while unknown persons torched over two dozens vehicles, six shops, one warehouse and a marriage hall in different areas of the metropolis.

Dead bodies and wounded persons were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Qatar Hospital.

Situation is still anxious in assorted areas as well as Banaras Colony, Orangi Town and North Nazimabad.

A lot of miscreants have so far been seized by police from different areas of the city while observance the law and order situation under control; rangers have been put on high alert across Karachi.

Kate Winslet

The next time Kate Winslet is asked to strike a come-hither pose in nothing but stockings and high heels while sprawled on a wooly throw, she might want to check the label to find out the pelt’s origins. The anti-fur actress has found herself in a — warning, bad pun ahead — hairy situation over her Catharine Deneuve -inspired derriere shot in the pages of December’s Vanity Fair. Seems she was told the fur she was lounging on sans clothes was faux, only to learn later it was genuine, PETA-riling silver fox. “She thought it was false,” her rep tells the London Daily Mail. “There was apparently false fur there and real fur there, and she definitely understood it was false. Kate never wears fur. She’s very, very firm on that.” The magazine, which already defended the “furious” actress over airbrushing allegations, has offered a mild mea culpa over the fur kerfuffle. “Although there were both real and fake furs on set, the fur used in the photograph is real,” a mag mouthpiece said in a statement. “We thought Miss Winslet was aware of this and we’re sorry for the miscommunication.” At least all is forgiven with PETA, which reportedly clued Kate in that she had posed on a bona fide hide. “PETA has heard from countless celebrities that sneaky stylists at photo shoots can be rather coy when it comes to fur and whether it’s real or not,” says the up-with-animals group. “So it seems Kate was duped — and with so many convincing fakes out there nowadays, it is easy to mistake real animal skins for the fakes.”

It’s been a while since Joe Simpson said something that really squicked us out, a la “She’s got double-Ds — you can’t cover those suckers up!” in reference to daughter Jessica’s ample chesticles. But with youngest progeny Ashlee set to make him a grandpa any second now, he’s come through in the clutch, telling People, “The day she found out she was pregnant, she became a woman.” He says the 24-year-old Mrs. Pete Wentz is “concerned about what she eats and how she prepares for the child and [details like], is the baby’s room ‘green’ enough? It’s a transformation you never expect as a parent — you pray for it, but never expect it. She’s ready for this baby!” And so is the Fall Out Boy father, who presumably became a man the day he knocked up Joe’s little girl. “Pete is the king of details, so he wants to make sure the baby’s room is just right: the right colors, the right sheets, the right look,” gushes Papa Joe (that is actually the name he wants the baby to call him). “He’s a great parent.”

In other baby news, Gavin Rossdale is experiencing poopie-pantsed placidness thanks to 2-month-old son Zuma. “He’s super mellow,” he tells People, “and at the moment very Buddha-like.” But mom Gwen Stefani doesn’t necessarily agree with his assessment and is convinced 2-year-old son Kingston was the more serene offspring. “Apparently Zuma’s more trouble, but I thought that he was perfect all the way,” kvells the rocker, who also ruminates on what parenthood has meant to him. “What I’ve found from having children is that they just want to make you be better,” says Rossdale, who was spotted over the weekend enjoying a Hawaiian sojourn with his wife and kids. “Beforehand, without children, I think that I was probably more reckless and thinking a bit less about the consequences, and now I want to make sure I’m good for them when they check me out.”

Asif Ali Zardari

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari rejecting the claims of Pakistan’s involvement in Mumbai terrorist attacks, said Friday Pakistan could neither gain anything not the democratic government believed in such tactics.

“Currently, India was also facing security challenges on domestic front”, the President said while talking to German Ambassador Dr. Michael Koch, who called on him here.

President Zardari condemned the incident and informed the Germany envoy that he had spoken to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh over telephone to offer Pakistan’s assistance in the investigations, according to a foreign office statement issue here.

The German Ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s efforts and sincerity towards normalizing relations with India and in this regard referred to the President’s courageous interview to the Indian media as well as the mature and constructive statement of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is in India, in the wake of Mumbai terrorist incidents.

The President informed about Pakistan’s efforts towards building bridges with Afghanistan and in this regard highlighted his upcoming visit to Afghanistan and visit to Turkey to attend the trilateral Summit.

The President and the German envoy exchanged views on the state of bilateral relations, terrorism and extremism in the region and Pakistan-India relations.

In the context of terrorism, the President reminded that the roots of the current situation lay in the efforts of some countries to militarily defeat the Soviet forces in Afghanistan without an exit strategy.

He emphatically mentioned that the germs of terrorist elements were not produced in security agencies’ labs in Pakistan but they were created overseas and transferred to this region.