The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had suspended activities run from Karachi and Peshawar, while it reviewed its operations after the killing of Khalil Rasjed Dale, who ran a health programme in Quetta.

The move puts on hold activities at all facilities run by the ICRC apart from a physical rehabilitation centre in Azad Kashmir.

The 900 national staff members of the Red Cross have been placed on paid leave, and 80 foreign staffers have been flown to Islamabad, CNN quoted ICRC spokesman Christian Cardon as saying.

“The recent attack against the ICRC compels us to completely reassess the balance between the humanitarian impact of our activities and the risks faced by our staff,” said Jacques de Maio, ICRC’s head of operations for South Asia. The mutilated body of 60-year-old health worker Dale was found outside Quetta on April 29, nearly four months after he was abducted, with a note that said the Red Cross’s failure to pay ransom was the reason he was killed.

Dale is the third Westerner to be beheaded by militants in Pakistan. The others include Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002 and Piotr Stanczak, a Polish geologist, in 2009.

ICRC froze its activities in Quetta in the aftermath of Dale’s death, said the aid group, which had about 100 foreign staff in Pakistan at the end of 2011.

“We are currently analysing the situation and the environment with a view to setting out a clear and sustainable way forward,” said Paul Castella, head of the ICRC delegation in Pakistan. “In the coming weeks, the ICRC will announce a decision on its future presence and set-up in Pakistan.”

Some of the expatriate staff recalled to Islamabad will work on the review process, while the majority of local staff in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar will go on paid leave, ICRC said.

The suspension in three of the country’s four provinces affects hundreds of thousands of people, spokesman Christian Cardon said in Geneva.

“We are painfully aware that these measures are having a severe and far-reaching impact on wounded, sick, physically disabled and other vulnerable people,” said Castella.

Despite Thursday’s announcement, ICRC said it would continue to offer remote support to centres it runs in cooperation with local organisations, including a physical rehabilitation centre in Peshawar.

The neutral humanitarian agency, which rarely suspends its work even in war zones, was providing mainly health and physical rehabilitation for victims of violence and natural disasters in Pakistan, many of whom have lost limbs.

ICRC, headquartered in Geneva, has been working in Pakistan since 1947 and last year almost 12,000 people were treated at its 120-bed hospital for weapons injuries in Peshawar and three clinics it supports in Quetta. More than 400,000 people visited 14 health clinics backed by the ICRC in Pakistan’s northwest.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2012.

MADRID: Serena Williams staged a recovery at the expense of Caroline Wozniacki as the American reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Masters with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win in the battle of former number-one players.

The comeback win in one hour and 42 minutes put Williams into a showdown with second-seed Maria Sharapova, who earned her last-eight place when opponent Lucie Safarova withdrew before their match with stomach illness.

Williams, the ninth seed, came back from a set down to hit a blistering 43 winners past the Dane to reach the last-eight in the Spanish capital for the first time with her 10th straight victory on clay this season.

With the sliding roof open over the sun-drenched Manolo Santana centre court, Wozniacki saved a first match point with a fizzing cross-court shot, but was helpless at the second as the American wrong-footed her with another powerful drive.

In the men’s third round on the blue clay of the Caja Magica, Czech sixth-seed Tomas Berdych ended the injury comeback effort of Frenchman Gael Monfils, the number 12, with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 victory. Roger Federer sweated out a tough win in his first match, holding off Canada’s Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6.

“I was trying to weather the storm,” said the Swiss. “I don’t know where my game is at now and I don’t care. I’m happy to train well and be playing some matches.”

Second-seed Rafa Nadal spent 80 minutes in winning his first match against Nikolay Davydenko since 2009, earning a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Fifth-seed Ferrer dismissed Czech Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2012.

LAHORE: Punjab won the PSB Inter provincial youth U-14 boys volleyball championship as K-P finished second while Fata finished third. Punjab beat K-P 3-0 in the final that was held at the Iqbal Park Sports Complex. Fata beat Balochistan 3-0 to win third position. Punjab’s Nasir Mehmood was declared the best player and was given the Rs 10,000 prize-money. Meanwhile, the Fata Governor awarded Rs 40,000 to every participant and announced a dinner for their team.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2012.

BARCELONA: Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is aiming to lead a Ferrari fight-back to boost their title bid at his home Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. The 30-year-old Spaniard has admitted that Sunday’s opening round of the ‘European’ season could be critical to the season ahead. “Clearly, having limited the damage in the first four races this year, we must turn things around,” he told the Ferrari website before adding that Formula One drivers need to turn back the clock and show each other more respect like they did in the past when motor racing was much more dangerous.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2012.

NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Tuesday on Pakistan to do more to crack down on violent extremism, a day after she said al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri was believed to be hiding there.

“Combating violent extremism is something we all agree on. We look to the government of Pakistan to do more,” Clinton said during a press conference at the end of a trip to India.

“It needs to make sure that its territory is not used as a launching pad for terrorist attacks anywhere, including inside of Pakistan because the great unfortunate fact is that terrorists in Pakistan have killed more than 30,000 Pakistanis.”

Clinton said that the US was “cooperating closely with India regarding the threats that emanate against them.”

Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna also stressed “the need for stronger action from Pakistan on terrorism, including on bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.”

As well as saying Zawahiri was in Pakistan, Clinton on Monday had pressed Islamabad over the presence of the Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed who is wanted over the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The United States last month offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the conviction of Saeed.

Speaking in Kolkata, Clinton said she was “well aware” that the Pakistani government had not yet taken steps to help secure Saeed’s conviction.

“We’re going to be pushing that,” she said.

Reacting to Clinton’s claim about the presence of Zawahiri in Pakistan, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar had asked Washington on Monday  to share with Islamabad if it knows the whereabouts of the al Qaeda kingpin.

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Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said the population of its giant neighbour offered his country’s exporters a “billion-plus market”, adding normal trade relations were vital to Pakistan achieving its economic potential.

Trade between the countries has been hampered by restrictions and tariffs — even now, direct cross-border traffic accounts for less than one percent of their global commerce.

But Gilani said: “We want to start a new era of economic collaboration with India… so that we leave behind a legacy of peace and prosperity for our future generations.”

He told delegates there were many areas and sectors with huge trade potential, from information technology to engineering, education and health.

“Our textiles, I am told, have a huge market across the border,” he said, adding that India could find a market in Pakistan for goods including chemicals, pharmaceuticals and engineering products.

The premier also said Pakistan is committed to resolving all outstanding issues with India through dialogue.

“We want all our core issues settled through dialogue on equitable basis,” Gilani said while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day ‘Aman Ki Asha Business Conference’.

Underlining the commitment shown by the business communities of both countries, the PM said peace and normalization of relations between the two countries towards a peaceful and prosperous future was the only way forward.

“The world is marching on and it is time for us to shed the baggage of the past and grab the opportunity at hand and act with urgency to build relations of mutual trust.”

Adi Godrej, the Confederation of Indian Industry president who is leading the Indian delegation, said: “By 2015, we should be able to achieve the target of $10 billion mutual trade between India and Pakistan,” adding that matters pertaining to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), non-tariff barriers, energy trade, and opening of air and land trade routes between the two countries needed greater focus.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Business Council (PBC) Chairman Asad Umar also wished for improved trade ties with India and looked forward to ‘a meaningful relationship’ between the neighbours. However, Umar expressed concern about India’s inattention to Pakistan’s textile products, since India was more focused on textile exports from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan has decided to grant India ‘most favoured nation’ trading status by the end of the year, ending strict curbs on what New Delhi can export across their border.

At present, Pakistan maintains a list of 1,945 items allowed to run from India to Pakistan — but only 108 can be transported directly by road through the Wagah crossing in Punjab.

India now also says it is ready to end a ban on investment from Pakistan and the countries are planning to allow multiple-entry business visas to spur exchanges — a key demand by company executives.

Last year India exported goods worth $2.33 billion to Pakistan, while imports from its neighbour were worth $330 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.

The private school was identified as Chiraghia Gulshan Itfaal School, located at Kollhu Wali Street, Shakargarh, about 77km from Sialkot.

According to senior police officials, it was just like any other routine day at the school, when out of nowhere the wood-made and weak roof of the classroom caved in with a bang. Resultantly, four of the girls were crushed to death on the spot, while over 30 students were seriously wounded. One of the injured girls succumbed to her injuries on the way to Mayo Hospital Lahore.

The dead students, aged between 7 and 10 years, were identified as Mariyam Azam, Khadija Tahir, Laiqa Khursheed and Aysha Baseerat. The fifth victim remained unidentified.

A number of people rushed to the spot following the incident. They, along with police and Rescue 1122 personnel pulled out the bodies from the debris and rescued the injured from underneath the rubble. The wounded were shifted to Shakargarh THQ Civil Hospital for treatment, where the condition of six students was stated to be critical.

Police said that the roof was in a dilapidated condition. They added that the material for the construction of a new residential building next to the school was stored on the roof of the school, which included cement bags, bricks, sand and iron rods. The wooden roof was unable to hold the weight of the material and collapsed.

The news of the tragedy spread like wildfire. An emergency was declared at Shakargarh THQ Hospital to cope with the situation. Local people have announced a two-day mourning period. Police later handed over the bodies to their families following the autopsies. They were laid to rest in their native graveyards. Emotional scenes were witnessed at their funerals, which were attended by hundreds of mourners.

Police claimed to have taken the school owner Hafiz Faisal Rafiq into custody and were interrogating him, but no case was registered against him till the filing of the report. Further investigations were under way.

Zardari condoles with families

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the death of five students killed by the roof collapse. He directed the authorities concerned to ensure the best medical treatment for the injured.  He prayed for the souls of the deceased children.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shabaz Sahrif has taken serious note of the incident and ordered a thorough inquiry by the district administration.

Expressing grief on the tragedy, he also ordered that the injured be provided with the best medical facilities.

(With additional input from our correspondent in Lahore)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.

PARIS: Scenes of jubilation were witnessed across France on Sunday as Socialist Party’s François Hollande won the presidential race, defeating Nicolas Sarkozy who spent one term in office. Sarkozy was beaten by a clear margin according to projections by pollsters.

Joyful crowds gathered in Hollande’s adopted hometown of Tulle and in Paris to celebrate his victory. “We are rid of a poison that was blighting our society. A normal president! It gives us a lot to dream about,” said Didier Stephan, a 70-year-old artist who was among throngs of supporters at Paris’s Place de la Bastille.

Average projected results based on initial counts of ballots cast from polling institutes stated that Hollande won 51.9% of the votes while Sarkozy managed to grab 48.1% of the votes. Sarkozy conceded defeat within half an hour of the last polling stations closing.

“I have just spoken to him on the telephone to wish him good luck,” Sarkozy said, as polling institutes projected Hollande would win the election with between 51.8 to 52% of the vote, based on initial counts of ballots cast. Sarkozy told his supporters that he took responsibility for his defeat, saying: “It’s the number one who takes responsibility.”  He also said he would not lead his right-wing UMP party into June’s parliamentary polls.

Hollande will join a minority of left-wing governments in Europe and has vowed to renegotiate a budget discipline treaty signed by 25 European Union leaders in March, to add growth measures. Berlin has made the pact a pre-condition of aid for struggling states.

Hollande is France’s first Socialist president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2012.

Yossi Benayoun’s opener in the second minute had seemed to put Arsene Wenger’s side on course for an easy afternoon. But with Norwich having gone ahead through Wes Hoolahan and Grant Holt, a double from Robin van Persie seemed to have won it for the hosts before substitute Morison stunned the home crowd five minutes from time.

Van Persie, the league’s top scorer, took his tally for the season to 30 with the two goals in the 72nd and 80th minutes. Arsene Wenger’s side now has 67 points with one game left to play this season. Fourth-placed Tottenham, at Aston Villa, and fifth-placed Newcastle, at home to Manchester City, play their games in hand today. City and Manchester United are locked on 83 points.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2012.

“It’s been a long hard season but we’ve finally done it and I just hope it’s the first of many with this young squad,” said captain Iker Casillas.

Gonzalo Higuain, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo scored the goals to give Jose Mourinho a record-breaking four titles in four different countries and the victory required with two games remaining. Mourinho’s first Spanish league title ended Barca’s run of three successive league titles in his second season at the club.

“We’re very happy,” said Sergio Ramos, who last Wednesday had experienced vastly different emotions when he missed a penalty in the Champions League semi-final shootout defeat by Bayern Munich. “It’s been a tough league and Barca were an extraordinary rival, we’ll enjoy it now and celebrate it with our fans.”

Mourinho again refused to face the Spanish press after the game but spoke to Real Madrid TV.

“It’s been a great title for us, no-one has given us anything all season, we’ve fought from start to finish, the players have been fantastic and deserve it,” said the 49-year-old. “I’ve won titles before in Portugal, Italy and England but this has been the most difficult of all. I think even Barca, after they’ve won three titles in a row, know that we deserve this one.”

La Liga was the toughest: Mournho

Mourinho believed that winning La Liga was the toughest of the seven league titles he has sealed in coaching stints in his native Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.

“It was the most difficult. Up until the final moment nobody gifted us anything. Bilbao put out their best team, the stadium was full and the team wanted to win and fight, which is the way it should be.”

Getting the better of Barca, where he was an assistant under Bobby Robson in the late 1990s, will be a particular source of satisfaction for Mourinho, who has made a habit of needling his former employers during his two years in the Spanish capital.

He could not help taking a dig at the Catalans, suggesting one of the penalty’s they had been awarded in their 4-1 home win over Malaga earlier on Wednesday was ‘soft’.

“Barca won a lot of games and tried to push the league as far as possible. I think that they themselves, champions and a club with a great tradition, know that we deserve this league title.”

Messi hat-trick in vain

Earlier, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick that saw him break Gerd Mueller’s record for goals in a single European season and inspired Barcelona to a 4-1 win over Malaga.

Messi’s tally of 68 is one better than that mustered by Mueller while playing for Bayern Munich in the 1972-73 season but his joy was short-lived after Real sealed the title later on that evening.

Iker Casillas

“It has been a long hard season but we have finally done it and I just hope this title is the first of many titles we win with this young but talented squad.”

Sergio Ramos

“We’re very happy. It’s been a tough league and Barcelona were an extraordinary rival, we’ll enjoy it now and celebrate it with our fans.”

Jose Mourinho

“It’s been a great title for us, no-one has given us anything all season, we’ve fought from start to finish, the players have been fantastic and deserve it.”

Cristiano Ronaldo

“It’s great. It’s my first league here in Spain and I’m very happy. It’s mission accomplished and to win the league is great. It gives you a lot of joy.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2012.