US stepping up fight on Afghan smuggling

Janet Napolitano, the United States homeland security secretary, said Saturday that her department planned to triple the number of agents in Afghanistan to train border and customs workers an effort that is partly aimed at curbing the smuggling of cash out of the country.

The department is sending 52 former agents, who will work on contract, to reinforce the 25 agents currently in Afghanistan. Ms. Napolitano was visiting the country for two days to inspect border crossings and meet with government leaders, including President Hamid Karzai. The US Embassy estimates that $10 million a day leaves Afghanistan by plane bound for Dubai, United Arab Emirates some of it the proceeds from illegal activities.

Zulqarnains contract with Lashings depends on residential status

The chances of Zulqarnain Haider signing for Lashings receded this week, after the clubs owner David Folb said bureaucratic red tape had put a possible move for the Pakistan wicketkeeper on hold.
Folb met with Zulqarnain on Sunday night after returning from Abu Dhabi, where he was finalising details of the Kent clubs 2011 tour.
Although the Lashings chairman says the meeting was positive, he is concerned about the wicketkeepers residential status.
Zulqarnain applied for asylum in the United Kingdon after fleeing from the Pakistan squad during the series with South Africa in the United Arab Emirates last month, claiming he had been threatened by a match-fixing ring.
Lashings immediately offered Zulqarnain a place in their squad for 2011, but Folb now admits the situation has become complicated.

Indian president opens counseling centre for workers in UAE

DUBAI: Indian President Pratibha Patil opened on Tuesday in Dubai a counseling centre for Indians working in the United Arab Emirates, a day after a rights group urged her to address the “abuse” of migrant workers in the Gulf country.

“I am happy to launch today the Indian Workers Resource Centre (IWRC) which apart from assistance including counseling will provide a 24-hour helpline for workers,” said Patil at the launch.

The centre will also manage a shelter for the runaway housemaids and deserted housewives in the UAE, where an estimated 1.7 million Indians work.

It will be the first of its kind outside India and aims “to serve the Indian workers community in the United Arab Emirates,” officials at the centre have said.

On Monday the New York-based human rights watchdog urged Patil to “address the systematic abuse of migrant workers in the UAE and

Turkish rental power plant inaugurated in Karachi

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Turkish rental power plant has been officially inaugurated in Karachi on Sunday (today). This is the most expensive rental power plant of the world; it will start power supply to Karachi within a month.

This floating power plant was built by a Turkish company Kiyabe and it was commissioned in 1982. After commissioning, for a long time it generated power at a dockyard of United Arab Emirates and now it has been docked for next five years at Ibrahim Hyderi Dockyard of Karachi.

This power plant contains five units which can generate electricity through gas and furnace oil both.

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has refused to provide gas supply and now this rental power plant will generate electricity by using 1200 tons of furnace oil daily. Trend Pk

Crisis-hit Pakistan face tough South Africa test

DUBAI: Pakistan will hope to put a series of on- and off-field problems behind them and build under new captain Misbah-ul-Haq when they play the first Test against South Africa starting here on Friday.

Pakistan’s last Test against England at Lord’s in August has been a subject of separate inquiries from Scotland Yard and the International Cricket Council (ICC) after a British newspaper report claimed several of its players accepted money from match-fixers.

Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer — accused of contriving deliberate no-balls during that match — were provisionally suspended by the ICC.

Misbah replaced Salman as captain for the two-Test series, shifted to the United Arab Emirates after South Africa refused to tour Pakistan over security fears.

Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi Stadiums will host a Test for the first

ICC hearing for suspended cricketers resumes

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council resumed hearing an appeal by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer against suspensions for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal.

The ICC is expected to issue a ruling Sunday, with the pair hoping their suspensions are lifted and they are able to join the Pakistan team in the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing series against South Africa.

The team has lost all its matches in the absence of Butt, Aamer and Mohamad Asif, who is not challenging his suspension because he is banned from entering the United Arab Emirates due to a previous offense.

The ICC suspended the trio after a British tabloid sting alleged money was paid for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a Test against England to fix spot betting markets. Trend Pk

ICC hearing for suspended cricketers resumes

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council resumed hearing an appeal by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer against suspensions for their alleged involvement in a betting scandal.

The ICC is expected to issue a ruling Sunday, with the pair hoping their suspensions are lifted and they are able to join the Pakistan team in the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing series against South Africa.

The team has lost all its matches in the absence of Butt, Aamer and Mohamad Asif, who is not challenging his suspension because he is banned from entering the United Arab Emirates due to a previous offense.

The ICC suspended the trio after a British tabloid sting alleged money was paid for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a Test against England to fix spot betting markets. Trend Pk

ICC hearing for suspended duo begins

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council has begun hearing an appeal by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir’s against suspensions for their involvement in a betting scandal.

The ICC hearing was set down for two days, with the pair hoping their suspensions are lifted and they are able to join the Pakistan team in the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing series against South Africa.

The team has lost all matches in the absence of Butt, Amir and Mohamad Asif, who is not challenging his suspension as he’s banned from entering the United Arab Emirates due to a previous offense.

The ICC suspended the trio after a British tabloid sting alleged money was paid for bowling no-balls at prearranged times in a test against England to fix spot betting markets. AGENCIES

Pakistan win toss and bat in second Twenty20

ABU DHABI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and decided to bat in the second and final Twenty20 match against South Africa at the Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Wednesday.

Both teams made no changes from the sides which played the first Twenty20 here on Tuesday, a match South Africa won by six wickets.

The two teams also play five one-day internationals and two Tests in the series shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to security fears in Pakistan.

The first one-dayer will be played here on Friday.

Teams:

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi (capt), Shahzaib Hasan, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar

South Africa

Johan Botha (capt), Graeme Smith, Loots Bosman, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, David Miller, Albie Morkel,

Smith ready for Pakistan challenge

ABU DHABI: South Africa batsman Graeme Smith is expecting a tough challenge when they take on Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Pakistan, who are ‘hosting’ the series which also includes a second T20 game, five one-dayers and two Tests in the United Arab Emirates because of security concerns in their own nation, have endured a turbulent few months both on and off the field.

But Smith, playing strictly as an opener in the first two games with Johan Botha now at the helm in 20-over cricket, said: “They’re a dangerous team to play. They have a lot of talented players, good fast bowlers and good spinners, so we’re going to have to play our best cricket to do well on this tour.”

The Proteas will head into the game less than 48 hours after touching down in the UAE following a season-opening series clean-sweep against Zimbabwe -

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