China among world's top three investors in 2012: govt

BEIJING: China became one of the world's top three investors for the first time last year as its foreign investment soared to a new record, the government said Monday.

The Asian giant's overseas direct investment rose 17.6 per cent last year from 2011 to $87.8 billion, according to a statement jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce, the National Bureau of Statistics and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Globally, outbound direct investment fell 17 per cent, it said, and the contrasting developments made China one of the world's top three investors, said the statement.

Last year's increase represented an acceleration from 8.5 per cent in 2011, when the global economic recovery was weak in the face of continuing financial turmoil in Europe and the United States.

Beijing has been encouraging Chinese companies to “go international” as the country's economy steams ahead, with its appetite expanding for both resources and global market share.

The government has set goals of increasing overseas direct investment at an average annual rate of 17 per cent through 2015 to $150 billion.

By the end of 2012, China's total outstanding overseas direct investment stood at $531.9 billion, the 13th highest in the world, said the statement.

The figure was small compared with developed countries as “China's outbound direct investment took off rather late”, the statement said, noting that US overseas investments were 10 times larger and Britain's more than three times the size.

“The sectors (China) has invested in are broad and comprehensive, although (the value) is rather concentrated in some industries,” it said.

The top destination for overseas Chinese investment last year was Hong Kong, while the US rose to second place with $4.05 billion invested, surging 123.5 per cent from 2011.

By end of 2012, Chinese companies employed 1.49 million staff overseas, about half of whom foreign citizens, the report added.

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Militant attack in Kohat kills two policemen, injures several

KOHAT: At least two policemen were killed and several persons injured during an attack at the District Police Officer's (DPO) office in Kohat on Monday, DawnNews reported.

Security sources told Dawn.com that militants hurled a hand-grenade at the DPO's office in Kohat after which an exchange of fire took place between policemen and the attackers. Two policemen and as many militants were killed whereas seven persons were injured in the attack.

Later, security forces' personnel sealed the area and a search operation went underway during which two suicide jackets and nine-hand-grenades were recovered and defused.

The source added that the situation of the area was now under control.

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Nawaz urges leaders to shun politicking on terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday urged all political forces in Pakistan to shun politicking on issues of national importance such as terrorism and the energy crisis, and to join hands to address them unanimously.

Sharif was chairing the All Parties Conference (APC) aimed at evolving consensus on a counter-terrorism strategy as well as a plan to cope with the law and order situation of Karachi.

“We have to rise above politics on some issues and develop a national consensus for the sake of this country,” the prime minister told the political leaders.

Nawaz Sharif said a solution to address the problem of terrorism and extremism would be sorted out with consensus after thorough deliberations with the participants.

The fight against militancy has resulted in the loss of lives of thousands of innocent civilians and military troops, said Sharif. It also caused major financial setbacks as the businessmen were reluctant to invest in the economy, he added.

Sharif said he considered dialogue as the priority option to curb terrorism.

The prime minister said it was a test for democracy to deliver results in shape of peace and a strong economy. “If we will continue to take decisions with consensus, the people will have greater trust in democracy.”

He said that he had also directed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to extend cooperation to provinces to ensure their better coordination with the federal government on security issues.

Later, Director General ISI Lt.Gen Zaheerul Islam and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani briefed the participants of the APC on security situation in the country.

The meeting was being attended by Army Chief Kayani, DG ISI Zaheerul Islam, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, all four provincial chief ministers and governor, and the leaders of all mainstream political parties of Pakistan.

Political leaders attending the conference include Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PT) chief Imran Khan, Jamat-i-Islami (JI) chief Syed Munawar Hasssan, head of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam- Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) senior leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar, Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) chief Pir Pagara, Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Adeel, Balochistan National Party- Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chudhry Shujaat Hussain.

Prior to the conference PTI chief Imran Khan held a separate meeting with COAS Gen Kayani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

During the meeting Imran presented his party’s stance over the issue of terrorism and said the issue of terrorism in Pakistan was the result of drone strikes in the country's territory. He added that any attempt to eliminate terrorism would not succeed without an end to drone attacks in the country.

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Muslim rebel attack shuts down Philippine city

ZAMBOANGA: A group of 100 heavily-armed Muslim rebels opposed to peace talks launched a major attack that shut down a bustling southern Philippine city Monday, authorities said.

Followers of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari entered the coastal area of Zamboanga city by boat at dawn, triggering clashes that left at least one soldier dead and six wounded, the military said.

Fighting later spread to the city itself, with the rebels taking 20 civilian hostages to thwart government forces.

“The main target by the MNLF in encroaching Zamboanga City is to raise their banner of independence at city hall,” city mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said.

“As of now there are an estimated 20 people that have been held hostage,”she said.

The long-running Muslim insurgency in the Philippines has left more than 150,000 dead, and led to a proliferation of armed groups that have left parts of Mindanao in a constant state of lawlessness.

Misuari's faction of the fractured MNLF, which he founded in the early 1970s, has made a renewed call for an independent Islamic state in the mainly-Catholic Philippines.

The government has been mired in troubled peace negotiations with rebel groups — last month Misuari again declared he was breaking away from the government because he believed they were sidelining his group.

While some within the divided MNLF respect the peace process others, including Misuari's wing, are opposed to it.

Loud shots could be heard Monday around Zamboanga, a former colonial Spanish port with a population of nearly a million and one of the busiest commercial hubs on southern Mindanao island.

The military said that the hostages in the city were being used as human shields to prevent an army attack.

Streets were deserted and shops were shuttered. Heavily armed private security personnel as well as troops were guarding the airport, hotels, banks and other institutions, according to an AFP reporter on the ground.

Footage on local ABS-CBN television showed armoured personnel carriers speeding around empty streets at dawn, while road blocks were set up everywhere.

The civil aviation authority in Manila said all flights to and from Zamboanga had been temporarily suspended.

“We can still hear sporadic gunshots. We don't know if this is from the government forces or from the MNLF,” city hall employee Ramon Bucoy said from his home nearby.

Soldiers and policemen in full battle gear took positions along a highway as they searched for the gunmen.

Misuari, a charismatic former university professor signed a peace deal with the government in 1996.

The MNLF dropped its bid for independence and settled for autonomy, although his followers had not totally disarmed.

The group also splintered into several factions, although Misuari remained as the acknowledged leader.

The government later said that autonomy was a “failed experiment” with many areas remaining in deep poverty.

Armed forces spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala said the government remained in control of the area, with about 800 troops now securing key installations.

“We are trying to contain them, so that this will not spread elsewhere,” he told AFP. “Our forces are guarding the city so they could not advance.”

The government is currently negotiating with an MNLF offshoot group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is to take over a new autonomous region by 2016.

“To the Philippine government, I think our message is already quite clear — that we don't like to be part of the Philippines anymore,” Misuari said in his message last month, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

In the message, he called on his forces to “surround and secure all military, police and all other installations, airports, seaports and all other vital government and private institutions”.

This is the not the first time Misuari had caused trouble in Zamboanga.

In 2001, Misuari and his followers also launched a similar attack to sabotage local elections.

They took dozens of hostages and left dozens more dead in Zamboanga and in nearby Jolo island, his home base. The MNLF later freed all the hostages after several days, in exchange for free passage out of the city.

Misuari fled to neighbouring Malaysia, where he was subsequently arrested.

He was detained in police camps near Manila until 2008, when the government dropped all charges against him.

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Serena Williams wins fifth US Open title

NEW YORK: Serena Williams' big lead in the US Open final suddenly was gone.

Her serve was shaky.

Her hard-hitting opponent, Victoria Azarenka, was presenting problems, and so was the gusting wind. A couple of foot-fault calls added to the angst.

As a jittery Williams headed to the sideline after dropping a set for the first time in the tournament, she chucked her racket, which ricocheted onto the court.

When play resumed, in the crucible of a third set, Williams put aside everything and did what she does best: She came through in the clutch to win a major match. Facing her only test of the past two weeks, the No 1-seeded Williams overcame No 2 Azarenka 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-1 on Sunday for her 17th Grand Slam championship.

''When you're always trying to write history, or join history in my case, maybe you just get a little more nervous than you should. I also think it's kind of cool, because it means that it means a lot to you. It means a lot to me, this trophy,'' Williams said, pointing her right hand at her fifth silver cup from the US Open, ''and every single trophy that I have.''

That collection keeps growing. Williams has won twice in a row at Flushing Meadows, beating Azarenka in three sets each time, and four of the past six major tournaments overall.

Her 17 titles are the sixth-most in history for a woman, only one behind Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, and the same total as the men's record-holder, Roger Federer.

''It feels really good to be in that same league as him,'' said Williams, who earned $3.6 million in prize money.

This one did not come easily, even though it appeared to be nearly over when Williams went ahead by two breaks at 4-1 in the second set. She served for the match at 5-4 and 6-5, only to have the gutsy Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open winner, break each time.

Williams is 67-4 with a career-high nine titles in 2013, but two of those losses came against Azarenka.

A year ago, they played the first three-set women's final in New York since 1995.

This time, they went the distance again, a total of 2 hours, 45 minutes, because Azarenka was superior in the tiebreaker. ''I got a little uptight, which probably wasn't the best thing at that moment,'' Williams said. ''I wasn't playing very smart tennis then, so I just had to relax and not do that again.''

So after the second set, Williams gave herself a pep talk.

She regrouped and regained control.

''In the third set, Serena really found a way to calm down and restart from zero and quickly erase what happened,'' said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.

Azarenka helped a bit, with two of her seven double-faults coming when she got broken to trail 3-1 in the third.

That pretty much sealed it, because Williams was not about to falter again.

''She's a champion, and she knows how to repeat that. She knows what it takes to get there. I know that feeling, too. And when two people who want that feeling so bad meet, it's like a clash,'' Azarenka said, pounding her fists together.

At the outset, though, the 15 mph wind that swirled in Arthur Ashe Stadium bothered Williams as much as Azarenka did.

''It wasn't pleasant,'' Azarenka said. Williams caught service tosses. She grabbed at her skirt to keep it from flying up. Most troubling, she was thrown off by balls that danced oddly.

Six of the first 16 points ended with unforced errors by Williams, which allowed Azarenka to go ahead 2-1.

Looking hesitant at times, Williams did not show the same dominance she had while dropping only 16 games during six victories through the semifinals.

''The wind was unbelievable today,'' Williams said. ''It just got worse and worse. It just never let up.'' She needed to adjust, and she did.

Her serve, as usual, made a big difference: Williams hit nine aces, one at 126 mph.

Still, four times, Azarenka was only two points from taking the opening set.

At one such moment, with Williams serving at deuce after a double-fault, she was called for a foot fault, erasing what would have been a 121 mph ace.

There was another foot-fault call in the second set, too.

They brought back memories of the American's loss to Kim Clijsters in the 2009 semifinals, when Williams was docked a point, and later fined, for a tirade against a line judge over a foot-fault call.

There was no such outburst directed at officials this time, although there was that racket toss.

After the call in the match's 10th game, Williams simply put a hand to her face, composed herself, and won the point with a down-the-line backhand she celebrated with a fist pump, some foot stomping and a yell of ''Come on!''

Williams wound up holding there with a 104 mph ace, part of what seemed to be a match-altering stretch. She won five consecutive games and 16 of 18 points to take the first set and go up a break in the second.

''You could see she clicked,'' Mouratoglou said. ''She realized she was not aggressive enough. She was letting Vika dictate too much, and all of a sudden, things completely changed.''

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KP reluctant to enact law on free education

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government is reluctant, at least for the time being, to enact a law for providing free and compulsory secondary education to children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“If we pass law for providing free and compulsory secondary education, it will not be fruitful in the present scenario as the education department is short of financial and infrastructural resources,” Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Mohammad Atif Khan told Dawn on Sunday.

However, he said, that the provincial government would definitely pass the law as it was a constitutional requirement. He was not sure about the specific time for the passage of the law.

Article 25A of the Constitution, inserted through the 18th Amendment, says that state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to 16 years in such manner may be determined by law.

Besides the Sindh government, the law about providing free and compulsory education has already passed by the federal governments for schools in Islamabad while the rest of the provinces are yet to follow suit.

After passage of 18th Amendment, the elementary and secondary education department during the previous Awami National Party-led provincial government had presented a proposed bill in 2010 to the provincial cabinet regarding free and compulsory education for approval. However, the draft law couldn’t be tabled in the assembly for passage.

The then provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain had also told Dawn during the last days of the previous government that they couldn’t implement the law owing to financial constraints. “Only passage of law is not sufficient rather its important phase is implementation, which is not possible,” he had told Dawn.

Mr Hussain had said that it would be a violation of law if they couldn’t implement it after its passage from the provincial assembly.

Atif Khan said that elementary and secondary education department was already facing multiple problems owing to shortage of funds. He said that once the relevant law was passed then its implementation was obligatory. The implementation of the law would be difficult for the resources-starved Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

Keeping in view the criteria of setting up a primary school within a radius of 1.5 kilometre or two kilometres area, there is need of 22,000 more schools, according to sources.

According to a rough estimate, additional funds of Rs138 billion were required to provide free and compulsory secondary education to children in the province, sources said.

The education department fulfilled its responsibility by drafting law for providing free and compulsory secondary education that was also referred to the cabinet in 2010 during the ANP government, they said.

The cabinet had also formed a committee, headed by additional chief secretary, regarding passage of the law and its implementation but the issue was pushed under the carpet till end of the tenure of the ANP government.

According to the proposed bill, parents are bound to enroll their children in the schools till the completion of secondary education.

However, the law is not applied to a child if he/she is incapable of attending school by reason of sickness, infirmity on mental incapacity or it is not desirable that the child should be compelled to carry on his education further on account of peculiar circumstance.

Also, a child, receiving instructions equivalent to education otherwise than in school, which in the opinion of the relevant authority are sufficient, is exempted from getting compulsory education.

Similarly, children of an area where there is no school within a radius of two kilometres from their residences, are also exempted, states the draft law.

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Nothing to do with chemical weapons attack, says Assad

WASHINGTON, Sept 8: Syrian President Bashaar al Assad told a US television channel on Sunday that he didn’t have anything to do with a chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus last month.

US President Barack Obama, however, insists that the Syrian regime ordered the Aug 21 strike that killed hundreds of civilians and is determined to launch punitive military strikes on Syria.

Separately, US Secretary of State John Kerry told The Huffington Post that he believed President Obama had the right to order air strikes even if Congress refused to authorise him to do so.

In another interview, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said that resistance in the United States to the proposed military strikes was ‘understandable’.

Secretary Kerry made a similar statement, acknowledging that the vast majority of American lawmakers remained undecided on this issue.

President Assad rejected President Obama’s allegations against him in an interview he gave to a US television anchor Charlie Rose on Sunday morning in Damascus.

The Syrian leader warned that “there would be, among people that are aligned with him, some kind of retaliation if a strike was made”. Mr Assad, however, “would not even talk about the nature of the response,” Mr Rose said while previewing the interview for CBS.

“He does accept some of the responsibility” for the Aug 21 attack but rejected the suggestion that he ordered the strikes, the interviewer said.

“I asked that very question: ‘Do you feel any remorse?’ He said, ‘Of course I do,’ but it did not come in a way that was sort of deeply felt inside,” Mr Rose said.

“It was much more of a calm recitation of anybody who’s a leader of a country would feel terrible about what’s happened to its citizens.”

President Assad also had a message for the American people, reminding them “that it had not been a good experience for them to get involved in the Middle East in wars and conflicts ... that the results had not been good”.

Excerpts of the interview will be aired on Monday morning on CBS and the entire interview on Monday night on The Charlie Rose Show on PBS.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration considered its campaign to persuade American citizens and Congress to support military action against Syria.

President Obama will conduct six television interviews on Monday to make his case, and on Tuesday he will address his nation.

But despite these efforts, Secretary Kerry acknowledged that “the vast majority of members of Congress, House and Senate, are undecided” on this issue.And the US media reported on Sunday that the lawmakers were receiving hundreds of calls a day from their constituents, “a large majority urging them to vote against a military strike”.

President Obama’s chief of staff said he understood why people were opposing the strikes.

“That’s an absolutely understandable sentiment, given all the sacrifice and investment the United States has made, and our armed forces have made in the last 11 and 12 years, Mr McDonough said on Fox News Sunday.”

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SSGC board to reconsider LNG project on 19th

ISLAMABAD: Amid a raging controversy, a meeting of the board of directors of Sui Southern Gas Company has been reconvened on Sept 19, to reconsider the decision it took last month with majority, cancelling the result of bidding for the 500 million cubic feet Liquefied Natural Gas Retrofit Project.

With stakes involving up to $2.2 billion, 4Gas Asia – the lone bidder – has written to the prime minister, complaining about what it called frivolous objections raised by a board member, Shahid Sattar.

The complaint is reported to have questioned Mr Sattar’s role and alleged that for more than five days he kept on raising objections over definitions and legalities of the issue which should have been resolved at an earlier stage instead of forcing the board to examine bid prices and implementation schedule. It was important because both the government and the SSGC wanted to bridge the energy gap at the earliest to save on money spent on expensive furnace oil imports.

Mr Sattar, former member energy, Planning Commission, on his part has written to the chairman and members of the SSGC’s board and raised questions about not only the bidding results but also non-circulation of minutes of the board’s meeting that had rejected the bidding results on Aug 17.

A government official told Dawn that Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also did not like the manner in which the board had handled the matter. He is reported to have told the board chairman to examine all legal implications of the majority decision and keep in mind that tolling charges offered by 4Gas Asia at 80 cents per MMBTU would be considered as benchmark and if future bids were on the higher side, he and his supporting members would be held responsible.

The cost of the project, which will utilise an LPG terminal the SSGC purchased from a private firm two years ago for LNG handling, is put at $163 million. After including all variable charges like transportation, etc., the total fixed value of the project is estimated at between $1.8bn and $2.2bn over the 20-year life of the project.

Mr Sattar in his letter to the board said the “board voted to cancel the retrofit LNG process in its last meeting based on input and documents provided by the management” but deplored that minutes were still pending in contravention of rules and Company Law. “The decision of the board was duly dictated to the company secretary by you not only once by twice,” he reminded the board chairman.

Mr Sattar said the board was now being asked to revisit the project in its next meeting despite the unambiguous decision and repeated statements of the managing director that unless a conditional letter of intent was given the project was dead in view of “drop dead date” in terms of bid extension.

He claimed that the board had not considered the commercial proposal as the project did not even meet fundamental requirements of transparency and adherence to the PPRA. Nevertheless, he said, the quoted price of 0.8 dollars per MMBTU for gas without nitrogen ballasting which the bidder (4Gas) suggested be supplied to KESC’s Bin Qasim plant even though the proposed facility could not use un-ballasted gas.Hence the quoted price with nitrogen ballasting was 0.88 dollars per MMBTU and claimed that QED (the project consultant) had calculated the capacity tariff representing a 10-year rate of return of 48 per cent on the investment of $163m which was very high rate of return resulting in a payback period of only two years.

He pointed out that the board had decided with majority to shelve the bidding due to lack of a valid bid bond, non-completion of procedure and absence of bankable credentials of the lone bidder following a detailed presentation by legal consultants.

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Judicial system facing new challenges, says CJ

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said the judiciary is facing new challenges due to technological advancements and the resulting changes in people’s behaviour.

Presiding over a meeting of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) here on Sunday, he said the existing laws were too old-fashioned to deal effectively with the emerging situation.

“We are in an evolutionary period where, with each passing day, our judicial system is confronted with new challenges posed by the changing social values. Our existing procedural laws are old-fashioned and incapable to respond to various situations and expectations.”

Chief Justice Chaudhry said the rapid advancements of the internet, technological devices and change in social behaviour had raised new challenges which required new legislation and simplification of existing laws.

He was of the view that legal reform was a multi-dimensional subject as it involved reforms in the administration of justice as well as procedural changes in the laws to address the changing needs of the time.

Opposition to reforms was natural in a society but the ones which were capable of debating and discussing contentious issues succeeded eventually.

The chief justice said the justice system needed to be constantly updated to keep pace with the constant evolution of modern society and ensure substantial, inexpensive and speedy justice as enshrined in the constitution.

He said the LJCP had been mandated to keep under review the statutes and other laws of the country with a view to making recommendations to federal and provincial governments for improvement, modernisation and reform thereof.

The commission was required to send recommendations to the government for reforms in the system of administration of justice to ensure inexpensive and expeditious dispensation of justice.

The commission had so far approved 126 reports on law reforms and had submitted the same to the government for implementation, he added.—APP

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Nisar hopeful of consensus at APC

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has expressed the hope that the All Party Conference, to be held here on Monday, would adopt a resolution on a plan to cope with the problems of terrorism and extremism.

“We are committed to giving peace to the people of the country and expect the conference to adopt a unanimous resolution,” he told journalists on Sunday.

He said that in the first part of the conference Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam would brief the political leadership on security situation. This will be preceded by introductory remarks by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Chaudhry Nisar thanked political leaders for agreeing to attend the conference and said that four important leaders who were scheduled to go abroad put off their trips at his request. Despite some differences and bitterness, all the leaders demonstrated their love for the country, he added.

The conference has been delayed for a few months for various reasons. At one stage the government wanted to hold it on July 12 but could not do so. The government said it was because of non-availability of some political leaders, but it is learnt that non-preparation of a draft of a counter-terrorism plan which was to be shared with the political leadership was the reason for postponement.

PTI chief Imran Khan had sought a separate meeting with the prime minister and the army chief before the conference and sources in the party claimed a few days ago that the government had promised to meet the demand.

In the middle of August the interior minister indicated that a framework of the national security policy would be ready by the end of the month.

When asked if a separate meeting of Imran Khan with the political and military leadership had been held, Chaudhry Nisar only said: “All political leaders will meet the prime minister and the army chief at the conference.”

He was not forthcoming when his attention was drown to media reports that PPP-Parliamentarians Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim had not been invited to the conference and, therefore, the PPP might stay away from the event if the matter was not resolved.

The leaders of about a dozen political parties represented in parliament are expected to attend the conference. Besides Chaudhry Nisar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will be the only federal minister to attend the event. All provincial governors have also been invited.

The interior minister said the government had been trying to plug the gaps in counter-terrorism activities. The National Counter-Terrorism Authority is being activated and the process for merit-based inductions in the authority has already been started with advertising for the vacant positions.

He said there was a plan to set up a joint intelligence secretariat and a rapid response counter-terrorism force which would also have night-vision helicopters. He expressed the hope that the situation would improve and peace would open up new avenues of development.

About the situation in Karachi, Chaudhry Nisar said a number of identified extortionists and target killers had been arrested during dozens of Rangers-led operations over the past three to four days and a large quantity of arms and ammunition — bombs, repeaters and guns — had been seized.

He said most of those arrested claimed political affiliation, but it was a positive development that no political party reacted to their arrest.

He said the decision to give powers to paramilitary Rangers was completely in accordance with the law. Their powers to arrest terrorists were already there and now they had also been given a role in investigation, he said, adding that police were part of the targeted operations.

The interior minister said the army was already overstretched and it would be inappropriate to involve it in Karachi.

He said the complex law and order problem in Karachi could not be solved overnight. “It is not a twenty-20 match. It required a long overhaul which may take months if not years.”

Chaudhry Nisar dismissed as baseless reports that many people had managed to flee to South Africa and Dubai and said the director general of Rangers said nothing of sort when he briefed the prime minister. He said the inspector general of Sindh police had been asked to take steps to revamp the force in one month. Steps are also being taken to strengthen Rangers.

He said ordinances would be promulgated at the federal and provincial levels to give more powers to security agencies. A legal committee headed by Zahid Hamid and comprising the prosecutor general of Sindh and Barrister Farogh Naseem of the MQM has been set up to prepare proposals in this regard.

The committee will meet on Monday.

He said that because of the heavy responsibility it had been decided that there would be no-off days in the interior ministry. Officers and staff in the ministry will work on rotation to clear the backlog.

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NP to initiate dialogue for resolving Balochistan issue

QUETTA: The National Party (NP) has decided to initiate dialogue with all stakeholders for resolving the Balochistan issue and take political parties into confidence for creating an atmosphere conducive to the process.

A two-day meeting of the party’s central committee which concluded on Sunday evening reviewed the situation in the province and the performance of the provincial government.

The meeting was presided over by NP president and Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and attended by the party’s senior vice-president Mir Hasil Bizenjo, secretary general Mir Tahir Bizenjo, Dr Ishaq Baloch and members of the committee and councillors.

The meeting expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and the poor performance of the education and health departments.

Mir Jan Muhammad Buledi, a spokesman for the chief minister, said the meeting was of the opinion that the Balochistan problem was of political nature and it should be solved through political dialogue with all the stakeholders. It held that the situation had worsened because of wrong polices of the past governments which had not made any serious efforts to solve the problem. The committee underlined the need for holding local government elections in the province to solve people’s problems at the grassroots level. “Democracy cannot flourish without holding local body elections,” it observed.

The meeting also discussed the issue of rehabilitation of the people who migrated from the province because of various reasons, including targeted killings and operations in different areas, and decided to utilise all available resources to settle them in their own areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr Baloch said he would make all possible efforts to resolve the Balochistan issue through political dialogue. “We will consult all political forces for developing a conducive atmosphere before initiating the dialogue in the larger interest and prosperity of Balochistan.”

He appealed to the military and the political leadership to play their role in this regard.

The chief minister said his government was trying to control lawlessness and restore peace in the province. The development process and business activities have been badly affected while the education and health sectors have reached the brink of disaster.

He said the provincial government had good understanding with the centre and was trying to resolve the Balochistan issue with the help of the federal government.

Dr Malik said the implementation of constitutional quota for jobs in federal government departments and other institutions would help minimise unemployment in Balochistan and a large number of educated youths would get jobs.

He said a number of committees had been set up to prepare policies for improvement in different sectors, including education, health, fisheries, labour, media, local bodies, culture, mining and woman and youth affairs.

The National Party also decided to hold seminars and meetings in connection with the death anniversaries of Ayub Buledi, Mir Maula Bakhsh Dashti, Dr Nasim Jhangyan and Fida Baloch.

A public meeting in this connection would be held on Nov 22.

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Mamnoon Hussain takes oath today

ISLAMABAD: President-elect Mamnoon Hussain will take oath of office on Monday as the 12th head of state. The oath will be administered by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at a ceremony to be held at the Presidency.

It will be a rare event as former president Asif Ali Zardari, who stayed in the Presidency for five years till Sunday, will also attend the ceremony along with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, members of the federal cabinet and heads of parliamentary parties.

Even though the PPP had boycotted the presidential election, Mr Mamnoon Hussain was felicitated by Mr Zardari who wished him well in the discharge of his responsibilities as the head of the federation.

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Clarke sets up Australia ODI win over England

MANCHESTER: Michael Clarke led from the front with a century as Australia overwhelmed England by 88 runs in the second one-day international at Manchester's Old Trafford on Sunday.

Victory saw Australia take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series following Friday's washout in Leeds on the ground where they suffered a 4-0 ODI campaign loss to England last year.

Australia captain Clarke's 105, only his eighth hundred in 229 matches at this level, was the cornerstone of a total of 315 for seven and came after he'd made 187 at Old Trafford in the drawn third Test against England last month.

Man-of-the-match Clarke received good support from vice-captain George Bailey (82) in a fifth-wicket stand of 155 as Australia made their highest one-day international score against England in England, surpassing their 302 for six at Nottingham's Trent Bridge in 2009.

England, having only twice before made more than 300 to win an ODI, slumped to nine for two as Mitchell Johnson took two wickets in three deliveries and were dismissed for 227 with 34 balls to spare.

“It's nice to get a win and it's a good start to this series for us,” said Clarke at the presentation ceremony.

“To make over 300 was a really good score and all our bowlers executed.”

He added: “I'd like to play the next three one-dayers and every Test at Manchester, it's a nice batting wicket.”

Earlier, Ashes-winners England, resting James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann ahead of the return series 'Down Under' starting in November, appeared to be at least one bowler 'light'.

However, stand-in England captain Eoin Morgan said: “I don't think we were a bowler short... I'm not concerned by the balance of the side.”

Australia seemed set for a total well in excess of 300 but former Ireland paceman Boyd Rankin (two for 49) checked Australia's progress with two wickets in two balls including that of Clarke.

But the tourists made a determined effort to get after the often economical James Tredwell and the off-spinner's eight overs cost an expensive 60 runs.

England, after winning the toss, needed just four balls to reduce Australia to nought for one when fast bowler Steven Finn had Shaun Marsh edging to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

Aaron Finch and Shane Watson kept the scoreboard ticking over before Bailey upped the tempo, completing a 47-ball fifty, and raising a century partnership too, with his third six, off all-rounder Ben Stokes (none for 66).

But Bailey fell when he pulled medium-pacer Ravi Bopara to Tredwell at short fine leg.

Clarke's largely stylish 102-ball innings, featuring 14 fours, ended in ugly fashion when he edged a swipe off Rankin to Buttler.

England, in the absence of rested opening duo Alastair Cook, their regular captain, and Ian Bell, entrusted first-wicket duties to Kevin Pietersen and Michael Carberry.

But Carberry had made just four when he cut left-arm fast bowler Johnson straight to Clarke at backward point.

Johnson then produced a brute of a rising delivery that Jonathan Trott could only nick to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade as he went for nought.

And when Joe Root was bowled by James Faulkner, England were 38 for three.

Morgan walked out, having rescued England from an even worse position of 25 for three with an unbeaten century in a six-wicket win against his native Ireland in Malahide on Tuesday.

Pietersen swept leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed for six.

But he exited for a 66-ball 60 after driving medium-pacer Watson to Faulkner at short extra-cover.

Bopara, who like Morgan also scored an unbeaten hundred against Ireland, was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Adam Voges for one.

When left-hander Morgan holed out for 54 off Clint McKay (three for 47), England's already fading hopes of victory went with him at 154 for six.

Buttler made 75 off 65 balls, his maiden fifty in 16 ODIs, but he never threatened to alter the result, merely Australia's winning margin.

The series continues at Birmingham's Edgbaston ground on Wednesday.

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Kerry pursues diplomatic offensive for Syria action

PARIS: US Secretary of State John Kerry continued a diplomatic offensive in Europe on Sunday to win support for military action in Syria, as CBS television reported that President Bashar al-Assad denied being behind last month's deadly chemical attack.

After talks with Arab League ministers in Paris, Kerry said they had agreed that the Assad regime had crossed a “global red line” with the alleged attack on August 21.

“All of us agree, not one dissenter, that Assad's deplorable use of chemical weapons... crosses an international global red line,” Kerry said.

Kerry said a number of Arab countries were willing to sign a statement agreed by 12 countries of the G20 that called for a reaction to the alleged attack, and that they would make announcements in the next 24 hours.

“Today we discussed the possible and necessary measures that can be taken,” he said.

He said Saudi Arabia, which participated in the talks along with officials from the Arab League and eight other Arab countries, was among those who had signed on. “They have supported the strike and they have supported taking action,” Kerry said.

US television network CBS meanwhile reported that Assad was denying being responsible for the alleged attack on August 21, which Washington says killed some 1,400 people.

“He denied that he had anything to do with the attack,” CBS veteran correspondent Charlie Rose said, speaking after interviewing Assad in Syria.

The interview is due to be shown early Monday in the United States.

Washington is heading into a crucial week on Syria, with Congress returning from its summer break on Monday to consider President Barack Obama's plans for strikes and UN inspectors due to release a report into the alleged chemical weapons attack by the weekend.

A top White House official said Sunday the Obama administration is planning “for every contingency” in case of any fallout from US military strikes.

But Chief of Staff Denis McDonough refused to be drawn on whether Obama would go ahead with strikes if Congress refuses to give military action a green light.

“We have to obviously be very careful and very targeted and very limited in our engagement so we do not get dragged into the middle of this. And then there's obviously risk of reaction and retaliation against our friends,” McDonough said on CNN's State of the Union, as Obama prepares to address the nation on Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that the Pentagon was preparing for three days of attacks on Syria, longer than originally planned.

War planners now aim to unleash a heavy barrage of missile strikes to be followed swiftly by additional attacks on targets that may have been missed or remain standing after the initial launch, the newspaper cited officials as saying.

A US defence official told AFP the scale and purpose of the operation against Syria has not changed in recent weeks, although US forces would adjust as needed.

“We will continue to review our targeting and targeting options as the Syrian government adapts over time,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Obama is facing an uphill battle to convince a sceptical Congress, and a war-weary US public, of the need for action.

On Saturday, Kerry and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius insisted that international support for military action was increasing, after the EU issued a statement calling for “strong” action against Assad's regime.

But Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javed Zarif on Sunday slammed the potential strikes against Syria as “illegal”, saying such military action was barred under the United Nations charter.

“Civilised countries, 65 years ago, took the options off the table when they rejected in the charter of the United Nations resort to force as an illegal practice,” Zarif told journalists during a visit to Baghdad.

“Why (do) they (countries supporting a strike) call themselves civilised nations and continue to insist on all options being on the table?” he said.

'Bigger than Syria'

After his meeting with Arab League officials in Paris, Kerry flew to London for talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Sunday and to meet British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Monday morning.

Hague on Sunday said although the British parliament had rejected military action against Syria, he backed US-led air strikes against the regime.

“I do believe very strongly that the world must stand up against the use of chemical weapons. The risks of not doing so in my view are greater than the risks of doing so,” Hague told BBC television.

“This issue is about chemical weapons, which is a bigger issue than Syria.”

Fighting continued to rage inside Syria meanwhile, with reports that rebel forces, including militants linked to al-Qaeda, had taken control of the historic Christian town of Maalula, north of Damascus.

The Syrian conflict, which began in March 2011, has left more than 100,000 dead, according to the United Nations.

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Four dead, 11 injured in Balochistan violence

QUETTA: Four people were killed on Sunday, including two policemen, in two seperate incidents of violence in Balochistan, officials said.

In one incident, at least two people were killed and another ten injured in a powerful blast on Sariab road area of Quetta, police said.

Muhammad Riaz, a police official told Dawn.com unknown militants had planted an improvised explosive device on a cycle, which was parked on the road side.

The strength of blast damaged shops and windows of nearby homes and moving vehicles on Sariab road.

"The loud and powerful sound of blast was heard far and wide", he said.

Riaz said that six to seven kilogram of explosives were planted in the cycle.

All ten injured were rushed to civil hospital Quetta for medical treatment. Emergency was imposed in civil hospital, doctors and para-medics were called to treat the injured.

"All dead and injured were civilians", Riaz said. He said it was yet to be confirmed as to the target of the blast. However, frontier corps and policemen were quick at the scene.

They cordoned off the area and started investigation into the incident.

The blast resulted in blockade of Sariab road and long queues of vehicles were witnessed on the road.

Muhammad Idrees, a paramedic in civil hospital told Dawn.com that the condition of two injured people was serious.

Sariab road is one of the sensitive and troubled parts of Quetta city.

Militants continue to target security forces, railway tracks and other national installations in the area. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

In another incident, armed militants killed two policemen and injured another in Loralai, 260 km north of Quetta.

A police officer, who requested not to be named, told Dawn.com militants in a vehicle and a motorcycle opened fire at police mobile checkpost in Zangwal area of Loralai.

He said two policemen were killed on the spot whereas one was injured. The assailants escaped unhurt from the spot.

Police and levies reached the spot and have started an investigation into the incident.

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Syrian rebels take control of Maalula town

BEIRUT: Syrian rebels, including jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda, took control of the Christian town of Maalula, north of Damascus on Saturday.

The clashes first erupted on Wednesday, when Al-Nusra Front fighters, who have pledged allegience to Al-Qaeda, and other rebels attacked a regime checkpoint at one entrance to the town.

Maalula, home to around 5,000 residents, is of strategic importance for the rebels who are trying to tighten their grip around Damascus. It would add a northern post to existing bases in the south and west of the city.

Capturing the town, which lies around 55 kilometres north of the capital, could also help rebels threaten the nearby highway between Damascus and Homs, a supply route used by the regime.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 17 rebels were killed and more than 100 wounded overnight in the ensuing battle.

Dozens of regime forces and pro-militia members were also killed or wounded in the fighting.

“Overnight, Syrian regime troops moved into the village, but rebel forces sent reinforcements and were able to take control of the entire town,” said the Observatory director, Rami Abdel Rahman.

He added that “fierce fighting broke out between regime forces and rebel fighters overnight, and the soldiers withdrew to the outskirts of the town.”

A Maalula resident, reached by phone, confirmed that regime forces had withdrawn from the area and rebel forces were now in control. He said the situation on the ground was quiet.

“The rebels are inside Maalula, all of Maalula. The government troops have pulled out of Maalula,” the resident said, requesting anonymity.

However, troops were still stationed around the town, raising the possibility of renewed fighting.

Maalula lies under a large cliff and is considered a symbol of the Christian presence in Syria.

Wednesday's advance raised fears of attacks against churches or Christians in the town but on Friday, the opposition Syrian National Coalition said rebels had withdrawn from the area.

On Saturday, the Observatory said rebel forces were fighting pro-regime militias in the west of the town, and were also engaged in clashes with Syrian troops on the outskirts of Maalula.

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