Sindh nationalist parties in protest over 20th amendment

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KOTRI: Nationalist parties of Sindh are observing strike today in protest against the proposed Twentieth Amendment Bill in Parliament in various cities of the province, TrendPK reports Saturday.

Cities including Hyderabad, Kotri, Jamshoro, Matiari and Tando Muhammed Khan are witnessing complete strike with thin traffic on roads.

All the commercial hubs are closed in various Hyderabad areas including Qasimabad, Bhittai Nagar, Naseem Nagar, Gari Khata and Market Tower.

Public transport is marked by its absence with government offices, courts and educational institutions are low in attendance. TrendPK

US bunker-buster not powerful enough against Iran

WASHINGTON: The US military has concluded its largest conventional bomb is not capable of destroying Iran’s most heavily fortified underground facilities suspected to be used for building nuclear weapons, The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday.

But citing unnamed US officials, the newspaper said the military was stepping up efforts to make it more powerful.

The 13.6-tonne “bunker-buster” bomb, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, was specifically designed to take out the hardened fortifications built by Iran and North Korea, the report said.

But initial tests indicated that the bomb, as currently configured, would not be capable of destroying some of Iran’s facilities, either because of their depth or because Tehran has added new fortifications to protect them, the paper noted.

In a report issued in November, the International Atomic Energy Agency said intelligence from more than 10 countries and its own sources “indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device”.

It detailed 12 suspicious areas such as testing explosives in a steel container at a military base and studies on Shahab-3 ballistic missile warheads that the IAEA said were “highly relevant to a nuclear weapon programme”.

Iran, which has come under unprecedented international pressure since the publication of the report, with Washington and the EU targeting its oil sector and central bank, rejected the dossier as based on forgeries.

Meanwhile, doubts about its bomb’s effectiveness prompted the Pentagon this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb’s ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding, the Journal noted.

The Defence Department has spent about $US330 million ($A312 million) so far to develop about 20 of the bombs, which are built by Boeing, the report pointed out.

The Pentagon is seeking about $82 million more to make the bomb more effective, The Journal said.

Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, in an interview with the Journal on Thursday, acknowledged the bomb’s shortcomings against some of Iran’s deepest bunkers.

He said more development work would be done and that he expected the bomb to be ready to take on the deepest bunkers soon.

“We’re still trying to develop them,” Panetta said.

No retirements as India look to forget defeats

ADELAIDE: Charges of complacency aimed at India are only likely to intensify after they fell to a crushing 4-0 series defeat in Australia and an eighth successive loss in overseas tests on Saturday.

The news conference after a fourth emphatic defeat in the series, this time by 298 runs, opened with the team’s media manager denying reports back home that a “senior player” – namely Rahul Dravid – would be retiring.

It continued with stand-in captain Virender Sehwag suggesting that all teams suffer poor runs of form and India should just put the humiliating reverse by behind them.

“If you look at the Australian team, they were struggling as well in the Ashes last year and they got out for 47 in South Africa, so it happens with every team so we have to rebuild the team,” he said.

“There are experienced players in our team, they are well aware of that and they are working on that, one bad series doesn’t make any difference for them, so they are working hard on their batting skills and they’ll find a way.

“The best way out is to forget what happened and concentrate on what we will do in coming matches and coming series and practised hard and plan well and execute your plans in the game,” he added.

By saying the team needed to be rebuilt, Sehwag made it clear that would not mean the retirement of some of the golden generation of batsmen who arrived in Australia hopeful of winning a first test series Down Under.

“I don’t think (changes) are due because the same team played in the last couple of years when we became the number one team in the world with the same batting and bowling lineup,” he said.

Sachin Tendulkar had a reasonable series despite failing to capture his 100th international century but Dravid, VVS Laxman, captain Mahendra Singh Doni and opener Sehwag himself were all huge disappointments.

The inexperienced Virat Kohli was the only Indian batsman to score a century in any of the four tests.

Sehwag understood the frustration of fans but said it was at moments like these, not just successes like the 50-over World Cup triumph last year, that the support of the fans was necessary.

“When we won the World Cup everyone was happy and cheering for Team India, and now the time we need the support of the fans and everybody, they should back their own team,” he said.

The 33-year-old, who averaged 24.75 runs over the series, said accusations the India team simply did not care enough about losing a test series were well wide of the mark.

“It’s very unfair,” he said. “I think everybody cares about their performances, about India losing the game.

“We are very passionate about our game and passionate about our team and it’s a shame that people are talking about that.

“If you lose the game you should work it out what went wrong and come back and perform well in our next games. We are trying that, but it’s not happening and it doesn’t mean that we are happy to lose here.” — AGENCIES

Five hurt in Karachi grenade attack

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KARACHI: Five people sustained injures in a hand-grenade attack in Karachi’s Liaqat Abad market on Saturday, TrendPK reports.

Police said unknown bike riders hurled grenades at a shop situated in busy market place of Liaqat Abad No.2, injuring five people.

Police parties and rescue teams arrived at the scene and shifted those injured to hospitals. Police said cracker was used in the blast, sowing panic and fright in the vicinity.

The incident prompted shopkeeper to shutdown their shops and close all business activities in the market.

Similar attacks on mobile companies’ franchise and other shops have taken place in Karachi which law enforcement agencies said were carried out by some elements of banned outfits.

Meanwhile, in recent targeted killing spree in Karachi, some unidentified miscreants shot to death a 60-year doctor in Gulberg area this morning outside his home. TrendPK

Sindh Nationalist parties strike in progress

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KARACHI: Nationalist parties of Sindh are observing strike today in protest against the proposed Twentieth Amendment Bill in Parliament in various cities of the province including Karachi, TrendPK reports Saturday.
Traffic on roads is less than the usual in the province. Also, tires were set ablaze during demonstrations in some areas.

Karachi areas including Malir, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Pipri, Bin Qasim and Steel Town are witnessing strike on call by Sindh Bachao Committee against the proposed 20th Amendment moved by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Additional contingents of police and the Rangers have been appointed in various areas to avert any untoward incident. Also, a bus was torched in Bin Qasim area of Abdullah Goth.

The second largest city of the province Hyderabad is also witnessing all the commercial hubs closed in various areas including Qasimabad, Bhittai Nagar, Naseem Nagar, Gari Khata and Market Tower. Public transport is marked by its absence with government offices, courts and educational institutions are low in attendance.

Kotri, Jamshoro, Matiari and Tando Muhammed Khan are witnessing complete strike with thin traffic on roads.

The business areas are closed in most Khairpur areas with demonstrations held and tires set on fire. Gambat, Ranipur, Kot Diji, Sobo Dero are also wearing deserted look with no transport on roads.

Complete strike is underway in Dadu with roads deserted amidst nationalist parties’ workers raising slogans against division of Sindh.

The commercial activities are suspended in Mirpur Khas areas including Baldia Complex, Mirwah Road, MA Jinnah Road, Post Office Chowk with petrol pumps also shut in the areas. There are no business activities going on in Kandhkot owing to strike. Tires were set ablaze in areas as well.

There is partial strike in progress in Sanghar amid heavy presence of police.

Petrol pumps and other market areas are closed in Noushehro Feroz. The protest activities are being witnessed in other areas as well including Moro, Bhirya City, Mahrabpur, Bhirya Road, Tharo Shah, Kandyaro, Padidan and Ghotki with no commercial activities in sight in these areas. TrendPK
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Shujaat apologizes Sindh CM over Mehr statement

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KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Saturday called up Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and extended to him apology over the statement of a party member Sheharyar Mehr.

Talking to the Sindh CM Shah, Shujaat condemned the statement of his party member meant against the Chief Minister Shah, adding Mehr has been warned not to give any such statement in future.

The PML-Q President said he had not received as yet Mehr’s resignation from the ministry. TrendPK

Dacoit beaten to death in Karachi

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KARACHI: Enraged people captured two dacoits and beat to dead one of them in Godhra Colony in New Karachi area, TrendPK reports Saturday.

Police and eyewitnesses said the two dacoits were nabbed by residents of Godhra Colony after a failed robbery bid in the area.

“People lynched one of them and beat another nearly to death,” a police official told TrendPK.
 
Earlier today, five people sustained injures in a hand-grenade attack in Karachi’s Liaqat Abad market, and a 60-year doctor was shot dead by miscreants in Gulberg, in what police called a fresh target-killing spree in the city.

CNG halted across Sindh

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KARACHI: The supply of CNG to the stations is going to be suspended across Sindh including the business hub Karachi for as many as 24 hours with effect from 9am today (Saturday), reports TrendPK.

The decision was made in line with the Gas Load Management Plan (GLMP) by Sui Southern Gas Company in order to quell ongoing CNG crisis in the country.

After the restoration of CNG supply to stations all over Sindh on Sunday morning, the industrial unites in Balochistan and Sindh are going to observe the same plan for 24 hours till Monday morning. TrendPK

MQM doesn’t want Sindh partition: Sattar

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SUKKUR: Senior MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar says his party doesn’t want a partition of Sindh.

Interacting with journalists at Sukkur Airport today, He said Altaf Hussain’s message is to turn the country into Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Pakistan.

“Rulers will have to be changed to change the country,” he emphasized.

Dr. Farooq Sattar also led an MQM delegation to Pir Jo Goth where they condoled with Pir Sibghatullah over the demise of his father Pir Mardan Ali Shah.

MQM delegation comprised of Babar Ghauri, Raza Haroon and Dr. Saghir Ahmed. SAMA

10-15% CNG stations of Karachi to be closed

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KARACHI: The Ministry of petroleum and gas has decided to close 10-15% of CNG stations of the city, TrendPK reported on Saturday.

The decision has been made to control the gas crisis.

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), under load management program, has announced to keep CNG supply closed weekly.

The ministry has written to the CNG dealers that the process of checking the CNG stations will start from January 23^rd. TrendPK

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