Karachi project: LNG terminal poses health hazard

ISLAMABAD: Alarm bells are ringing in Islamabad over a $160 million dollar project to develop a floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal adjacent to Karachi.

As the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) starts public hearing on the project from Tuesday, certain officials feel that safety measures for such a project would need to be extra tight. The hearing seeks to give formal approval to Pakistan Gasport Limited (PGL) to set up the LNG terminal.

This multi-million-dollar deal was approved in 2007. Ogra granted a provisional licence to PGL on May 14, 2009, to complete the formalities for importing LNG. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) also immediately gave its ex-post facto approval to the implementation agreement.

After three years, the project is being launched and Ogra has announced that it will conduct a public hearing today. However, Ogra has advertised the announcement about the hearing in only one English newspaper.  An official said that this could be an attempt to avoid public debate on this sensitive project as the paper in which the advertisement appeared was not widely read in Karachi. He said that many people in Karachi would be unaware that their fate was being decided in Islamabad at a public hearing.

Eid-ul Fitr on Saturday

KARACHI: Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Munibur Rehman has announced that Shawwal moon has not been sighted and Eid-ul Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday.

He made the announcement while addressing the media after the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting for the sighting of Shawwal moon.

The meeting was held at the Pakistan Meteorological Department Building in Karachi. Zonal and District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees also held meetings in their respective areas.

Saudi Arabia to celebrate Eid on Friday

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon are set to celebarte Eid-ul Fitr on Friday. The Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia ruled that since the Shawwal moon was not sighted on Wednesday, Eid would fall on Friday.

Most of the Gulf countries follow the lead of Saudi Arabia to set the day of the Eid feast.

Egypt’s Darul-Ifta, the body that issues Islamic edicts, also announced Thursday to be the end of Ramazan for the country.

Following suit, Lebanon’s Dar al-Fatwa, the country’s highest Sunni authority, likewise said that Eid-ul Fitr would be celebrated in Lebanon on Friday.

PCB pledges aid for flood victims

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket on Tuesday pledged more than $133,000 for flood victims and said it was working to drum up further funds through an international exhibition match in England.

Pakistan has been devastated by massive flooding that has affected 20 million people in the country’s worst ever natural disaster.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it felt duty-bound to support the victims and pledged 11.42 million rupees, or $133,440, to the prime minister’s flood relief fund.

The donations were made by PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, PCB staff and players in the national team, who are currently on tour in England.

The PCB said it was in talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board about holding an exhibition match in England with international stars to raise further funds.

Pakistan one-day captain Shahid Afridi has also launched a campaign and is touring flood-affected areas to distribute funds and food. Running a separate campaign is Pakistan’s international cricket umpire Alem Dar.

By hook[ah] or crook

KARACHI: Frail Sadori Mai may have survived the loss of all her possessions when the flood hit her hometown but she could not overcome the loss of her hookah.

All the survivors gathered at Razzaqabad relief camp in Karachi have their own grievances but Sadori is unique in her sorrows. Her family lost all their earnings in the flood but the loss of Sadori’s hookah was too much to bear for the 60-year-old.

However, her wrinkled face broke into a smile when she got a new one. “I bought this for Rs200,” boasted Sadori, pointing to her newly acquired hookah. “I can survive without roti but I cannot live without hookah,” she claimed.

According to Sadori, she has been smoking hookah ever since she can remember and cannot imagine having to live without it. Even her family is immune to the gurgle of the hookah. “We lost everything in the floods but my mother told us in Jacobabad that if she did not get a hookah she would kill herself,” recalled her son Ahsan Ali.

Over the years, Sadori has seen many tough times and she is saddened by the floods that have made her homeless. But she is hopeful that these times will pass and she will be able to return home. It is this hope that allows Sadori Mai to sit back and relax with a puff or two as she hangs out outside her tent with her neighbours and old friends from Jacobabad.

Out of sight, but still in their minds

KARACHI: As the second wave of floods threaten Sindh, some solace can be drawn from the fact that relief efforts are being made across borders and oceans.

The Muslim Students Association at Columbia University, New York is part of this struggle to help those affected thousands of miles away. Even though school is closed, students rallied to raise $15,000 (nearly Rs1.2 million) from different fund-raising activities, including going door-to-door, in Muslim communities, mosques and churches in New York city.

“This money will be donated to the great work being done by the Rural Support Programme and the Armed Forces of Pakistan, while the goods we have received will be air shipped,” Taimur T Malik, president of the Columbia Muslim Students Association told The Express Tribune via email.

Across the ocean, in London, four people, Adil, Fatima, Naz and Hammad, decided that they would hit 10 tube stations for donations and collections on Aug 19 at 8:00 am and Aug 20 the same time. The effort, aptly named ‘Tube Collections for the Pakistan floods’, will ultimately benefit the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) Relief Fund. They can be contacted on facebook or at allforpakistan@gmail.com. Meanwhile on the home front, Iqra University (IU) is also stepping up its game. University management held a meeting with students to discuss relief efforts for people across the province. “We need to play our part as students,” said IU Registrar Akif Hasan. “We have a platform from where we can gather and make efforts to help those in distress.”

Bilawal… or Bakhtawar?

KARACHI: Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari has decided to start practical politics in Pakistan very soon.

“Bakhtawar’s decision to enter into the politics of the country is a laudable act, which will bring a new socio-economic development for the democracy loving people, particularly women,” Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqui said in a statement issued from her office on Thursday.

Farooqui said that Bakhtawar, by following the philosophy and wisdom of her mother Benazir Bhutto, would become the beacon of light for the downtrodden women and would struggle to ensure them a high status in society. Farooqui said that she will work parallel to the PPP government for the welfare of the people.

“Bakhtawar will revive her mother’s commitment and struggle for providing justice, freedom, social rights to the people besides raising the flag of her mother’s mission,” the advisor said.

Farooqui said “the time is not far when the daughter of a great mother Benazir Bhutto will rule the hearts of the Pakistani people by following her mother’s struggle to provide rights to the down-trodden people, strengthen democracy and lead the country towards real progress.”

No need for seniors on the England tour: Afridi

KARACHI: Pakistan One Day International and Twenty20 captain, Shahid Afridi has asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to continue to rely on the current team’s youngsters for the remaining England tour saying that they have shown satisfactory performance on the sojourn so far.

The former Test captain, who retired after Pakistan lost the first Test against Australia, feels that the inclusion of the senior players would not do any wonders but instead disturb the winning combination.

“Youngsters should be given preference as they have managed to impress us all with their performance. There is no need for the seniors in the remaining England tour,” said Afridi after his return to Karachi on Tuesday night.

He believed the youngsters, especially Azhar Ali have proved that they have a bright future and that dropping them will dismantle their confidence.

Retirement decision taken  for the team

Eclipse fever hits Pakistan

KARACHI: Karachi’s Universe Cineplex was flocked with teenagers – currently on summer vacation – to see the first show of Eclipse on Friday afternoon.

Cineplex’s lobby was packed with girls eager to get their hands on coveted tickets to the third film in The Twilight Saga, which stars actors Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner.

Hamna Ali Khan, at Cineplex with a bunch of girlfriends said, “I’m a big Twilight fan. I have seen Twilight around 15 or 16 times and I saw New Moon a couple of times. I hope this one is going to be the best.”

Mahnoor Shah was accompanied by a family member and her best friend. When asked what attracted her to The Twilight Saga, she said, “The characters. The story. Everything!”

Musharraf’s political party launched

KARACHI: With self-exiled retired General Pervez Musharraf as its chief, the All-Pakistan Muslim League was launched by his close aides here on Tuesday.

Equating the present situation with that of 1906 when the All-India Muslim League was launched, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, a central leader of the new party, said that as the AIML overcame hurdles on its way to success, “God willing, ours would also become a popular political party and play its role in Pakistan’s progress.”

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club with retired Major-General Rashid Qureshi, another central leader of the party, Mr Saif said the party was against hereditary politics and would carry out its politics in a democratic manner to serve the people.

Wake Up Pakistan, Wake Up

Attn: Dear All Pakistanis,

Please don’t stop this e-mail.
Thanks

We want Electricity in Pakistan, Electricity now
@11 Rs. per unit, and it will be increase after every two months regarding American IMF policies.

IRAN is agree to give the Electricity on urgent basis to Pakistan very cheap Rates Rs. 1.18 per unit.

Also CHINA offers to Pakistan for Electricity just 300 Rs. Monthly Bill and Unlimited Usage of Electricity but our government is not taking seriously.

NOW THIS IS OUR TIME TO SHOW THE GOVERNMENT OUR STRENGTH.

PLZ SPEARED THIS MESSAGE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, BECAUSE OF THIS MESSAGE MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE TRUTH.

Read & Think about yourself

Electricity produced in Pakistan is from three main sources.

1). Hydal
2). Thermal (Gas/Steam/Furnace Oil)
3). Nuclear