Fazl sees plot to fan sectarian riots in Pakistan

Staff Reports

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-I-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has alleged that Awami National Party (ANP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) are doing politics on the dead bodies of Pakhtuns and Mohajirs.

Interacting with media persons here on Friday, he said the MQM has pushed back the religious powers. The Army too is raising fingers at the statement of Altaf Hussain, he said.

To a question, Rehman said his party is trying to revive the MMA, a political alliance of religious parties, despite being part of the coalition government.

“The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) wanted us to quit the government for the revival of MMA,” he said, adding that the demand has now been withdrawn.

The JUI-F chief noted that attempts are being made to fan sectarian riots in the country.

He commented that continuation of policies of

Aamer, Ajmal put Pakistan in command

LONDON: Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Aamer combined to spark a dramatic England collapse that left Pakistan contemplating victory in the third Test at The Oval here on Friday.

From 194 for three at tea, England lost six wickets for 26 runs to be 221 for nine when bad light forced an early close on the third day.

That left England, looking for a 3-0 lead in this four-match series, just 146 runs ahead with one second innings wicket standing.

Off-spinner Ajmal, who bowled 30 overs unchanged, had four wickets for 71 runs and left-arm quick Aamer four for 51.

Stuart Broad was six not out and Steven Finn nought not out.

Earlier, opener Alastair Cook ended a poor run of scores with an innings of 110 but that was all but eclipsed by England’s final session slump.

Ajmal started the collapse with a clever piece of bowling.

From around the

Pak win toss, choose to bat in second test

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan won toss and elected to bat first in second test against England in Birmingham on Friday.

Pakistan win toss, bat against England

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan captain Salman Butt won the toss and elected to bat against England in the second Test at Edgbaston here on Friday.

England were unchanged from the team that beat Pakistan by the huge margin of 354 runs in the first Test of a four-match series at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

Pakistan made two changes. They dropped experienced wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who missed several chances at Trent Bridge and was twice out for nought, and gave a Test debut to 24-year-old gloveman Zulqarnain Haider.

Teams

England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Steven Finn

Pakistan: Imran Farhat, Salman Butt (capt), Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider (wkt), Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Asif

Flour to be sold at Rs 20 per kg during Ramzan in Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh government will make special arrangements for the sale of flour at Rs 20 per kilogram under Ramzan Package.

This decision was taken at high level meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at CM house here on Friday.

Food Minister Mir Nadir Magsi, Minister for Prices and Supplies Shoaib Bukhari, Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed and secretary Food, Finance, Local Governments and Home also attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that special stalls will be set up outside flour mills all over the province to sell 10 kg bags at concessional rates of Rs 200 per bag.

The meeting was told that Food Department will supply of 120,000 metric tons of wheat to flour mills in Karachi and 100,000 MT of wheat for flour mills in other parts of Sindh. Sindh government will pay a subsidy of Rs 2 billion for this purpose.

Addressing the meeting Chief Minister asked concerned departments to take steps against hoarding of wheat and other necessary food items. Sindh government will provide wheat to flour mills, he added.

The meeting was told that a package for the supply of sugar and oil and ghee at concessional rates will also be considered in next couple of days.

The meeting was told that flour was selling at Rs 28 per kg in the open market.

UBL declares 10% dividend

KARACHI: United Bank Limited (UBL) has posted a record consolidated profit before tax of Rs 5.125 billion for six months ending June 30, 2010 and declared 10 percent cash dividend.

According to financial results sent to KSE here on Friday, the pre-tax profit of the bank also surged to Rs 8.509 billion in six months of 2010 against Rs 4.597 billion during same period of 2009.

The earning per share also improved to Rs 4.22 during the period under review compared to Rs 3.75 in 2009.

Pakistan still eight runs to avoid follow-on with one wicket left

NOTTINGHAM: James Anderson marked his 28th birthday with five wickets as Pakistan slumped to 147 for nine on the second day of the first Test against England at Trent Bridge here on Friday.

Anderson, in overcast conditions ideally suited to his swing bowling, took five wickets for 49 runs in 20 overs as Pakistan were left 207 runs behind England”s first innings 354 when bad light forced an early close.

It was the ninth time in his 49 Tests that Anderson had taken five or more wickets in an innings and he was well supported by Middlesex quick Steven Finn, who took three for 20 in 11 overs.

Pakistan were in dire straits at 47 for six but at close of play they were just eight runs shy of avoiding the follow-on thanks to tail-ender Umar Gul”s defiant unbeaten 30, which included a six off Anderson, and a seventh-wicket stand of 58 between Shoaib Malik (38) and Mohammad Aamer (25).

Anderson refused to be drawn on whether England would enforce the follow-on on Saturday should the opportunity arise.

England had lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs earlier on Friday in an Mohammed Asif-inspired slump.

England resumed on 331 for four but Asif then took four wickets for eight runs in 13 balls — all lbw — on his way to five for 77 in 27 overs.

His haul included maiden Test century maker Eoin Morgan (130) and Collingwood (82), whose stand of 219 was a new fifth-wicket record for England against Pakistan, as well as an out-of-sorts Kevin Pietersen for nine.

England”s total, however, always looked like being too much for a novice Pakistan top order missing former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, omitted following disciplinary proceedings after the team”s 3-0 series loss in Australia earlier this year.

Before lunch, Pakistan lost captain and in-form opener Salman Butt, caught behind off Anderson.

And the Lancashire seamer, from around the wicket, produced a superb delivery to Imran Farhat that saw the left-hander, aiming to mid-on, bowled off-stump as the ball moved away late.

Finn, playing his first England match since the early season Tests against Bangladesh after undergoing a strength programme, then had Umar Amin (two) caught at second slip by Graeme Swann to make it 35 for three.

Azhar Ali fell to Anderson, edging through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, although replays suggested the ball had actually brushed Ali”s back leg.

The Decision Review System (DRS) is being used in a Test in England for the first time but Ali — in only his third match at this level — decided against a referral after consulting with Umar Akmal, the non-striker.

Malik, in for over an hour and a half, was caught by Strauss although the England captain needed two grabs at the first slip chance before holding on one-handed.

Swann then held his third catch to end the 18-year-old Aamer”s admirable 87 minutes of resistance.

England 354 all out against Pakistan

NOTTINGHAM: England, after winning the toss, were bowled out for 354 on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at Trent Bridge here on Friday.

Mohammad Asif took five wickets for 77 runs as England lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs in 51 balls following a fifth-wicket stand of 219 between Eoin Morgan (130) and Paul Collingwood (82).

This is the first of a four-Test series.

Pakistan beaten by 150 runs against Aussies in first Test

LONDON: Australia beat Pakistan by 150 runs to win the first Test at Lord”s here on Friday and go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

Victory gave Australia a record 13th straight successive Test victory over the same opponent, although Sri Lanka”s run of 12 wins in a row over Bangladesh is also still ongoing.

Pakistan, chasing what would have been a new world record fourth innings victory total of 440, were bowled out for 150 as Australia, in the first ”neutral” Test played in England since 1912, won with more than a day to spare.

Part-time off-spinner Marcus North was Australia”s bowling hero with a Test-best six wickets for 55 runs – the first time he”d taken five or more wickets in an innings – on the fourth day here on Friday.

Unheralded medium-pacer Shane Watson had earlier exploited the overcast, swing-friendly conditions to take a Test-best five for 40 as Pakistan were bowled out for a meagre 148 in their first innings.

Australia were also indebted to opener Simon Katich for scores of 80 and 83 in a match where batsmen on both sides struggled.

Pakistan”s Salman Butt, like Katich a left-handed opener, scored his side”s only two fifties. But having made 63 in the first innings, his dismissal by North for 92 on Friday was the catalyst for Pakistan”s final collapse.

The second and final Test starts at Headingley on Wednesday.

Brief scores:
Australia 1st Inns 253 (S Katich 80, M Hussey 56 no; Mohammad Aamer 4-72,
Mohammad Asif 3-63)
Pakistan 1st Inns 148 (Salman Butt 63; S Watson 5-40)
Australia 2nd Inns 334 (S Katich 83, B Hilfenhaus 56 no; Umar Gul 4-61,
Mohammad Asif 3-77)
Pakistan 2nd Inns 289 (Salman Butt 92; M North 6-55)

Result: Australia won by 150 runs

India wasn’t ready for talks: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said Indian officials were not mentally prepared for the talks. As a result, the talks ended without any development.

Addressing a news briefing here on Friday, Qureshi said the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and FM S.M Krishna were ready for the talks a night earlier, but the whole scenario has been changed in the morning.

He said that he did not have to contact anyone during the dialogues while the Indian FM S.M Krishna was taking instructions from New Delhi on regular basis. This attitude shows that India was not mentally prepared for the talks, he added.

Qureshi said Pakistan is ready for meaningful dialogues; however, open mindedness is needed for the success of dialogues and progress.

It was said unlikely Pakistan, the Indian delegation was inflexible and refused to discuss issues of core concern to Pakistan including Kashmir dispute.

FM Qureshi said India will always find Pakistan positive and constructive but it is not possible for Pakistan to neglect national interests.

FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna ended almost seven hours of talks in Islamabad on Thursday with no common ground but reiterating their known positions on thorny issues such as Jammu and Kashmir.

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