ICC Women’s World Cup: Hotels refuse to accommodate Pakistan team

CUTTACK - In the wake of protests and threats by radical outfits, the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) was forced to arrange separate accommodation for the Pakistan women’s team inside the Barbati Stadium in Cuttack, after five-star hotels showed reluctance to provide hospitality.

“The Pakistani players would have faced trouble while travelling from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack for the matches,” said OCA secretary Asirbad Behera. “So we have arranged for their accommodation on the Barabati Stadium premises.”

The women cricketers reached Cuttack from New Delhi on Sunday to participate in the ICC Women’s World Cup. The women cricketers, led by Sana Mir, were escorted by a heavy deployment which took them to the stadium.

According to the report, as most hotels in Bhubaneswar refused to host the Pakistani players under immense pressure and threats, the team will remain confined to the stadium throughout the tournament. However, the remaining group B teams playing their matches in Cuttack – Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – will stay in hotels in Bhubaneswar.

Right-wing outfits had warned hoteliers in Bhubaneswar against offering “hospitality to the Pakistani players”, following which posh hotels in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack withdrew, forcing the decision to house the players on the stadium premises.

However, the OCA promised the best lodging for the team at the stadium. “Accommodation for the Pakistan team became a headache,” an OCA official told The Times of India before adding that the decision was taken to ensure safety for the visitors.

“We will provide five-star facilities to the players at the Club House in the stadium. The Club House is equipped with a world class gymnasium and swimming pool", the official said. Nearly 600 security personnel, including officials, Special Security Battalion and Odisha police were deployed during the team’s arrival to ensure their safety on the way to the stadium.

Director General of Police (DGP) Prakash Mishra visited the stadium to review the security set-up and held discussions with OCA officials about the arrangements. Meanwhile, Pakistan team manager Ayesha Ashar said her side was well-prepared to put up an exciting performance in the World Cup. 

“I am grateful for receiving a warm welcome from all the fans,” said Ayesha after her arrival in Cuttack. “I will ask Indian fans to come in numbers to watch our matches.”

"The arrangements are more like we get in Pakistan," Ashar was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency. "We are happy with the facilities provided to us by the organisers." Pakistan open their campaign against Australia at the Barabati Stadium on Friday.

The Barabati Stadium Club House was chosen by the International Cricket Council for the Pakistani women cricketers.  "The ICC considered all options and the best security for the teams," the ICC said in a statement.  Cuttack was added as a venue only this month to accommodate Pakistan, and remove it from Mumbai, where the entire tournament was to have been staged. The Women's World Cup starts on Thursday. Pakistan's move also forced organisers to shift fellow Group B teams Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to Cuttack, as well as some Super Six and playoff games. However, the final will be in Mumbai on Feb 17. (Nation)

Maa Kay Chor - Thieves of Mother

محمد حنیف

بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، کراچی

آخری وقت اشاعت:  جمعـء 9 مارچ 2012 ,‭ 14:58 GMT 19:58 PST

 ایک تھے بزرگ ٹھیکیدار، سرکار کے ٹھیکوں سے جو چرا سکتے تھے چراتے تھے۔ سیمنٹ، سریا، پیٹرول، چوکیداروں کی تنخواہیں چراتے تھے، ہوا میں سڑکیں اور سکول بنا کر خوب مال بناتے تھے اور ایسے تمام ٹھیکیداروں کی طرح جب اپنی کوٹھی بنائی تو اس پر بڑے خوش خط الفاظ میں ہذا من فضل ربیّ لکھوایا۔

راقم کو اس وقت کرپشن اور بدعنوانی جیسے بھاری بھرکم الفاظ نہیں آتے تھے۔ میں نے جب ایک دفعہ انہیں پائپوں کے ٹرک فیکٹری سے نکلوا کر شہر میں بچھانے کی بجائے بازار میں بیچتے پایا تو ڈرتے ڈرتے پوچھا کہ یہ تو چوری لگتی ہے۔

بزرگ ٹھیکیدار نے مجھے بڑی شفقت سے پوچھا کہ بیٹا کیا کوئی اپنی ماں سے چرا سکتا ہے؟ راقم کی سٹپٹاہٹ دیکھنے کے بعد انہوں نے مزید شفقت فرمائی اور سمجھایا کہ بیٹا حکومت ہماری ماں کی طرح ہے جو اس کا ہے وہ ہمارا ہے، تو اگر میں نے ماں کی جیب میں ہاتھ ڈال کر چار آنے نکال لیے تو اسے چوری سمجھنا زیادتی ہے۔

یونس حبیب نے اپنی وہیل چیئر سے سیاست دانوں، جرنیلوں اور صحافیوں کی فہرست پڑہ کر سنائی تو مجھے لگا یہ سب لوگ بھی یہی سمجھ رہے ہوں گے کہ اپنی والدہ ماجدہ کا پلوّ کھول کر اس میں سے چار چار آنے نکال رہے ہیں اس میں چوری ، بدعنوانی، جرم و سزا جیسے الفاظ کہاں سے آگئے۔ آخر اعلیٰ عدلیہ اس معمولی سے گھریلو تماشے پر اپنا وقت کیوں برباد کر رہی ہے؟

کیا نواز شریف کو واقعی پینتیس لاکھ روپے کی ضرورت تھی؟ اتنے میں تو ایک شوگر مل کی چار دیواری بھی کھڑی نہیں ہوتی اور عابدہ حسین کو دس لاکھ رپے میں کوئی خرید کر سکتا ہے؟ اس سے زیادہ پیسے تو انکے گھوڑوں کی خوراک پر خرچ آتے ہیں۔

اور جیسا کہ معروف سیاسی تجزیہ نگار مکرمی عمیر جاوید نے فرمایا کہ عابدہ حسین کے عمدہ آداب کی تعلیم سوئٹرز لینڈ میں ہوئی ہے، جہاں غالبا اخلاقیات کی کلاس نہیں پڑہائی جاتی، ویسے بھی ان پر تنقید کرنامناسب نہیں کیونکہ وہ انگریزی بہت اچھی بولتی ہیں اور پاکستان آکر کرپشن پر کڑھنے والے گورے صحافیوں کی میزبانی میں بھی ان کا کوئی ثانی نہیں ہے۔

اور جماعت اسلامی جو ساٹھ سال سے پاکستان میں چوروں کے ہاتھ کٹوانے کے لیے سرگرم ہے، کیا اس کے ایمان کو پچاس لاکھ رپے میں خرید کیا جاسکتا ہے؟

آپ نے اکثر ٹی وی پر جنرل اسلم بیگ کو اپنے گھر سے شستہ اردو میں انٹرویو دیتے ہوئے دیکھا ہوگا ان کے پیچھے سنگ مرمر کے قیمتی گلدان دیکھ کر یہ مت سمجھ لیجیے گا کہ وہ چوری کے پیسے سے آئے ہیں۔ کیا اس ملک کو ضرب مومن کا تحفہ دینے والا سپہ سالار چوری یا چوروں کا یار ہوسکتا ہے؟

یونس حبیب نے اپنی وہیل چیئر سے سیاست دانوں، جرنیلوں اور صحافیوں کی فہرست پڑہ کر سنائی تو مجھے لگا یہ سب لوگ بھی یہی سمجھ رہے ہوں گے کہ اپنی والدہ ماجدہ کا پلوّ کھول کر اس میں سے چار چار آنے نکال رہے ہیں اس میں چوری ، بدعنوانی، جرم و سزا جیسے الفاظ کہاں سے آگئے۔

اور پاک فوج کے عالمی شہرت یافتہ جاسوس اسد درانی جو آج کل دفاعی مذاکروں میں شگفتگی بھکیرتے ہیں، کیا ان کے بارے میں یہ کہنا صحیح ہوگا کہ وہ اصل چوروں کے ایک ٹولے کے سرخیل تھے؟

نہیں یہ سب اپنی ماں کے پرس سے اپنا اپنا حصہّ وصول کر رہے تھے۔

جس بات کی تحقیق ہونی چاہیے وہ یہ ہے کہ مادر وطن نے اپنے کچھ بیٹوں کے ساتھ سوتیلوں جیسا سلوک کیوں کیا؟

اردو ڈائجسٹ والے الطاف حسین قریشی جو نصف صدی سے نظریہ پاکستان کی تبلیغ کر رہے ہیں اور ہماری تاریخ کو شرفّ اسلام کر رہے ہیں ان کے لیے صرف پانچ لاکھ؟

اور کیا یہ تین لاکھ پانے والے وہی مولانا صلاح الدین ہیں جو ساری عمر قلمی جہاد کرنے کے بعد شہید ہوئے؟

کیا کوئی ماں اتنی بے انصافی کرسکتی ہے کہ جام صادق جیسا شریر بچہ تو پچاس لاکھ لے اڑے اور محمد خان جونیجو جیسے معصوم بیٹے کو صرف ڈھائی لاکھ کی ریزگاری ملے۔

کاش ان سب چوروں کی ماں غلام اسحاق اگر زندہ ہوتے تو اس بات پر روشنی ڈالتے کہ آخر مادر وطن نے اپنے کچھ بچوں کے معاملے میں اتنی بخیلی سے کام کیوں لیا؟

جب غلام اسحاق خان حیات تھے اور ملک کے صدر تھے تو راقم کو ان کے گاؤں جانے کا اتفاق ہوا تھا۔ ان کے گاؤں والوں نے ان کے بارے میں جس طرح کی زبان استعمال کی اسے سنسر کراکے جلد آپ کی خدمت میں پیش کرں گا۔

Pakistani Microsoft Professional Girl Arfa Karim Randhawa Passes away in Lahore

World Youngest Microsoft Professional Arfa Karim Randhawa Passed away in Lahore. She got Microsoft Certificate at the age of 9 years.

Arfa Karim Randhawa (born 1995), in Jatt Randhawa family is a student from Faisalabad in Pakistan, who in 2004 at the age of 9 years, became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) in the world, a title she kept until 2008. She was invited by Bill Gates to visit the Microsoft Headquarters in USA. The vice president of the Software Development Division Mr. S. Somasegar wrote about it in his blog.

On returning to Pakistan, Arfa had numerous interviews on almost all of the country’s known television channels and newspapers. In August 2005, Arfa Karim received the Fatimah Jinnah Gold Medal in the field of Science and Technology, presented by the Prime Minister of Pakistan at that time. She also received the Salaam Pakistan Youth Award again in August 2005 by the President of Pakistan. Arfa Karim is also the recipient of the President’s Award for Pride of Performance. This is a very high level civil award granted to people who have shown excellence in their respective fields over a long period of time. Arfa is till now the youngest recipient of that award ever.

Arfa Karim has also represented Pakistan on various international forums, she was invited by the IT Professionals of Dubai for a stay of two weeks in Dubai. A dinner reception was hosted for her there, which was attended by the diagnostics of Dubai including the Ambassador of Pakistan. During that trip, Arfa was presented with various medals and awards. She also flew a plane in a flying club in Dubai at the age of 10, and received the first flight certificate.

In November 2006, Arfa was invited by Microsoft to be a part of the keynote session in the Tech-Ed Developers conference held in Barcelona. The theme of the conference was “Get ahead of the game” and Arfa was presented as a true specimen of being ahead of the game. She was the only Pakistani among over 5000 developers in that conference.

As of 2011, at the age of 16, Arfa Karim is studying at Lahore Grammar School Paragon Campus in her second year of A Levels. She suffered from a heart attack after an epileptic seizure on December 22, 2011 and was admitted to a hospital in critical condition. Rumours were being spread of her death on December 31, 2011.

Ay Quaid-e-Azam tera Ahsaan

Yun di hamain azadi k duniya hui hairan
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Tera ahsan hai, tera ahsan
Har tin pe Musalmano pe chaye thi tabahi
Mulk apna tha aur ghairon k hathon main thi shahi
Aise main utha deen e Muhammad ka sipahi
Aur Naara e Taqbeer say di tune gawahi
Islam ka jhanda liye aaya sar e maidan
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Dekha tou jo Iqbal ne ik khawab suhana
Us khawab ko ik roz haqeqat hai banana
Ye socha jo tune tou hansa tujh pe zamana
Har chaal say chaha tujhe dushman ne harana
Mara woh tune dao k dushman bhi gaye maan
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Larne ka dushmano say ajab dhang nikala
Na top na bandooq ka talwar na bhala
Sachai k anmol asoolon ko sambhala
Jinnah tere paigham main jadoo tha nirala
Iman wale chal pare sun ker tera farman
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Naqsha badal k rakh diya is mulq ka tune
Saaya tha Muhammad ka Ali ka tere sir pe
Duniya say kaha tune koi humse na uljhe
Likha hai is zameen pe shaheedon ne lahoo say
Azad hain azad rahain ge ye Musalmaan
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Yun di hamain azadi k duniya hui hairan
Eh Quaid e Azam tera ahsan hai ahsan
Tera ahsan hai tera ahsan

Beating up protesters is not the answer: HRCP

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has censured the merciless beating and ill-treatment of nurses protesting for their rights by police in Lahore on Thursday and called upon the government to be more imaginative and less heavy-handed in dealing with the people’s peaceful demands for their rights.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Commission said: “HRCP notes with concern and much distress the manner in which nurses protesting for their rights outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore were beaten up on Thursday. It is a matter of grave concern that police used batons without restraint to disperse the protesters and it matters little whether the attackers were policemen or policewomen. The police action was manifestly ruthless and disproportionate to any ‘hazard’ the nurses were deemed to be causing. But this is not an isolated incident confined to any particular city or province of the country. Protesting teachers in Balochistan, and employees of the country’s biggest telecommunication company as well as gas department employees, among countless others have been dealt with in a similarly harsh manner even when they were not posing any threat to public security. The government must find a better method of dealing with these things and try listening to the people’s demands rather than focusing on the use of force to disperse those who come out on the streets to demand their rights.

USE OF PRESSURE TACTICS AGAINST AAISHA AHAD AND HER FAMILY IS A STATE TERRORISM: ALTAF HUSSAIN

Chief of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has made an SOS appeal to Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Governor of the Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa to take serious notice of the unlawful confinement of Aaisha Ahad Malik, her parents, brothers and sister by the Punjab government. Mr Hussain said that justice should be done to the unfortunate family.

Mr Hussain said that Aaisha Ahad Malik and her family had been kept in unlawful confinement in their home, and serious threats were being given by the son of a big political personality to take back the case.  

Mr Hussain strongly demanded of the Federal Interior Minister and governor of the Punjab to give protection to Aaisha Ahad Malik and her family, and it should be ensured that the Punjab government does not keep the oppressed family in the illegal confinement. It should also be ensured that the Punjab government does not exert illegal and unconstitutional pressure on the family to change their principled stance directly or indirectly.  

Mr Hussain said that the illegal pressure being brought to bear on the family of Aaisha Ahad Malik was equal to unmitigated terrorism and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Notice should be taken of the illegal tactics of the Punjab government, and it should be proceeded against according to the law.

KARACHI CITY GOVT. WILL HONOR OUTSTANDING STUDENTS. DCO MOHAMMAD HUSSAIN SYED

DCO Karachi Mohammad Hussain Syed has said that in order to encourage the talented and outstanding youth, city government will hold a ceremony in honor of position holders in matric and intermediate examination. He expressed these views while speaking at the prize distribution ceremony for programs held as part of the Independence Day festival held in Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi. 

He said we have lot of expectations from our younger generation as they were not only highly talented but also engaged with the information technology. Our youth must pay full attention on acquiring quality education in whatever field they are. Later he distributed certificates and cash award among the students who took part in various events of Independence Day Celebrations. Arts Council President Ahmed Shah and Secretary Aijaz Farooqui also spoke on this occasion.