Dean Jones among PCB’s plans for key cricket roles: official

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalised the names for top positions in team management as Mohsin Hasan Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Dean Jones are most likely to be given key roles and Moin Khan has been ruled out for any key post.

A PCB official on condition of anonymity told APP on Wednesday that PCB will be appointing a foreign coach for the national team in May and most likely the responsibility will be given to former Australian cricketer Dean Jones.

Former Aussie batsman Tom Moody has also been named by few experts to assume the post of the national team’s coach.

PCB had appointed former Test cricketers Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja to help the board in finding the best possible coach for the national cricket team.

PCB has reportedly shortlisted a foreign and a local candidate for the post. The new coach’s first assignment will be the series against England in July.

The official said that former pacer Aaqib Javed was also interested in the job earlier however when he heard reports that PCB was more inclined toward appointing a foreign coach then he decided to pull out.

Mohsin Hasan Khan was also keen in becoming the coach but the PCB had offered him the job of the chief selector, he said.

“But Mohsin had rejected the offer to become chief selector therefore the PCB has decided to appoint him as the team manager.”

According to the official, the role of chief selector is likely to be given to Iqbal Qasim.

Responding to a question, he said currently former Wicket keeper and captain Moin Khan is not in PCB’s plans – APP/Geo

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Terror-free Karachi is ultimate aim of operation, says Army Chief

RAWALPINDI: Army Chief General Raheel Sharif said on Wednesday that economic progress and economic activity is directly linked with peace in Karachi and a terror-free and peaceful Karachi is the ultimate aim of the ongoing operation in the city by Rangers and Police.

According to a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who visited Corps Headquarters Karachi and chaired a security meeting today, said that all efforts must be directed with a focused approach to achieve the objective of restoring peace in the Sindh capital.

Corps Commander, DG ISI, DG MO, DG MI, DG Rangers were also present at the security meeting in Karachi. The Army Chief was briefed in detail regarding ongoing Karachi operation including intelligence based operations.

Expressing satisfaction over success and pace of the Karachi operation, Gen Raheel lauded efforts of Rangers, intelligence and other law enforcement agencies for their phenomenal achievements and sacrifices in improving security environment in Karachi.

The COAS also appreciated the people of Karachi for their unflinching support for the security forces. 

Earlier in the morning, he addressed the faculty, participants and allied officers of Air War Course. He dilated on the current global issues, regional security environment, and our fight against the menace of terrorism.

The Army chief expressed his resolve to take the fight to its logical end and help create environment to embark the country on the road to development.

Speaking on the occasion, Gen Raheel Sharif lauded Pakistan Air Force’s role and contributions in support of Army in Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Synergy achieved between Air and Land forces has been highly appreciable, he added.

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Turkey seeks to heal Muslim wounds at Istanbul summit

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a series of meetings on Wednesday ahead of a summit that will bring together Muslim leaders and heads of state.

Some 30 leaders are expected to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit, which is scheduled to start on Thursday in Istanbul.

They are expected to discuss a variety of subjects including conflicts in the Muslim world, extremism and Islamophobia, according to a written statement.

Some foreign ministers of the 57-member OIC have been holding talks for two days ahead of the leaders' gathering.

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Student who self-immolated after being barred from exam committed suicide: police

KARACHI: In its investigation report, police declared on Wednesday that the medical student who self-immolated had committed suicide.

“Basit committed suicide out of disappointment,” said DIG-West Feroz Shah.

Abdul Basit, 27, a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) final year student at the Hamdard University died at the burns ward of the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) in the wee hours of Tuesday.

“He went to the college’s vice principal to take permission to sit for the exam but was denied,” Shah explained, adding that on being denied permission, Basit took out petrol from his motorcycle and set himself on fire.

According to senior medico-legal officer Dr Nasir Shah, Basit had suffered about 86 percent burn injuries.

Basit’s family, friends and colleagues refuse to believe that he had killed himself and have demanded an investigation in the case.

“He wanted to be a doctor. He was an educated child. He could not commit suicide. He was killed,” his mother said on Tuesday.

“I have lived with my brother for 28 years. I know him. He couldn't commit suicide,” said Basit’s older brother Majid.

Taimuria SHO Irfan Ahmed said Basit’s family wanted to file a murder case against the management of the Hamdard University’s Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry.

He added that the family believed that it was not a suicide case and police needed more time to gather information and evidence before reaching a conclusion.

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Panama seizes Mossack Fonseca files, makes no arrests

PANAMA CITY: Panamanian authorities seized scores of digital files after a 27-hour raid on the offices of Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of the "Panama Papers" leaks scandal, but have made no arrests, officials said on Wednesday.

The government said it was seeking evidence of any illegal activities at the firm.

The leak of the papers has generated public outrage over how the rich and powerful can hide money to avoid taxes.

Javier Caraballo, the prosecutor in charge of the raid, said officials now had access to 100 "virtual servers" and some physical servers that hold the company´s records, and were working on analyzing them.

"We have not ordered a freezing of accounts for the moment," he told reporters, nor detained anyone.

"At the moment, we do not have any convincing elements that would allow us to make any decision." 

Mossack Fonseca, which specializes in setting up offshore companies, has said the company broke no laws and all of its operations were legal. "As we´ve always done over nearly 40 years of doing business, we stand ready, willing and eager to cooperate with authorities again on their latest investigations to ensure this situation is brought to a just conclusion," the firm said in a statement after the raid.

The leak of 11.5 million documents, spanning four decades, revealed how prominent figures, including the friends or relatives of leaders in Russia, Britain, Pakistan and China use offshore companies or other vehicles to hide wealth.

Governments around the world are now investigating possible wrongdoing by the rich and powerful, including money laundering and tax evasion.

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PM in London warns against taking advantage of govt’s tolerance

LONDON: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said the government tolerated with fortitude the sit-in of 2014 and still continues to do so but warned against taking undue advantage of the government’s tolerance.

Speaking to media representatives here, he said the time has proved that the Islamabad’s protest sit-in did not benefit anyone; not even the man who spearheaded it.

To a question about his health condition, Nawaz Sharif said he is here for a medical checkup.

When asked about how he plans to tackle the issue of Panama leaks, he said he had expressed his views on the subject in detail during his televised addressed to the nation. “I don’t even know what charge I am facing or what wrongdoing I have committed,” he added.

He said the incumbent government is serving the country with the best of its capabilities and intentions and making all out efforts for its progress and development.

PM Sharif said Pakistan is craving development and this person (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan) should not try to obstruct the country’s march towards progress.

“This person never misses the opportunity to create problems for the government but he will not succeed in his designs,” he added.

Responding to a question about the possibility of a meeting between him and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, he dispelled the impression that the government is in a spot where it finds itself in need to make such contacts.

However, he said that, he is supportive of such an interaction with Asif Zardari, adding he had enjoyed good relations with the PPP Co-chairman in the past.

Nawaz Sharif lauded PPP’s decision not to be part of PTI’s proposed sit-in in Raiwind.

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ممبئی: بالی ووڈ اداکارہ سوناکشی سہنا جنہوں نے فلم ’’تیور‘‘ اداکاری کے ساتھ ساتھ اپنی آواز میں ایک گانا بھی ریکارڈ کروایا ہے نے کہا ہے کہ وہ ایک اچھی باتھ روم سنگر ہیں اور مادھوری کی طرح رقص کرنا چاہتی ہیں۔

ممبئی: بالی ووڈ اداکارہ سوناکشی سہنا جنہوں نے فلم ’’تیور‘‘ اداکاری کے ساتھ ساتھ اپنی آواز میں ایک گانا بھی ریکارڈ کروایا ہے نے کہا ہے کہ وہ ایک اچھی باتھ روم سنگر ہیں اور مادھوری کی طرح رقص کرنا چاہتی ہیں۔

ان خیالات کا اظہار 27 سالہ اداکارہ نے اپنی آنیوالی فلم ’’تیور‘‘ کے ٹریلر کے لانچ کرنے کی تقریب کے موقع پر صحافیوں سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کیا۔ سوناکشی کا کہنا تھا کہ ہم فلم کی شوٹنگ میں مصروف تھے کہ عمران خان نے مجھے فلم کے لیے گانا گانے پر اصرار کیا ان کے کہنے پر ہدایتکار امیت نے بھی میرا حوصلہ بڑھایا اور میں نے اس موقع سے فائدہ اٹھانے کا سوچ لیا اور لیٹس سیلیبریٹ ( Let’s Celebrate ) گانے کو اپنی آواز میں ریکارڈ کروادیا۔ گانا ریکارڈ ہونے کے بعد سب نے میری تعریف کی اور پسند کیا اس کے باوجود میں خود کو ایک گلوکارہ نہیں سمجھتی میرے مطابق میں ایک اچھی باتھ روم سنگر ہوں اور مستقبل میں گلوکاری کا سلسلہ جاری رکھنے کے لیے تربیت ضرور لوں گی۔

فلم میں ڈانس کے سوال پر سوناکشی نے کہا کہ میں نے اب تک پربھودیوا سے بہت کچھ سیکھا ہے اور وہ بہت اچھے کوریوگرافر ہیں تاہم تیور میں اپنی کی جنگلی طرز پر رقص کا مظاہرہ کیا ہے ۔ فلم انڈسٹری میں مادھوری ڈکشٹ سے بہت متاثر ہوں اور میری خواہش ہے کہ ان ہی کی طرح رقص کروں ایک اور سوال کے جواب واضح رہے کہ امیت شرما کی ہدایتکاری میں بننے والی یہ فلم 2003 میں بننے والی تیلگو فلم ’’اوکاڈو‘‘کا ریمیک ہے فلم کی دیگر کاسٹ میں ارجن کپور، منوج باجپائی ‘ قدیر خان اور شروتی ہاسن شامل ہیں ۔بونی کپور ،سنجے کپور سنی لیولا،نریش اگروال اور سنیل منچند کی اس مشترکہ پروڈکشن کو آئندہ سال 9 جنوری کو سینما گھروں کی زینت بنایا جائے گا ۔

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