7/28/2019 PML-N Swears by Anti-terror Policy Deccan Herald (India), May 13, 2013

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LONDON:Queen Elizabeth IIshould step down from theBritish throne and allow herson Price Charles to becomeking if ill-health prevents herfrom performing her publicduties, a survey has revealed.

While a majority 53 percent of voters still believe the87-year-old monarch shouldrule for life, only a minority of43 per cent said she shouldcontinue even if she was too illto continue.

The gueen has been rulingsince 1952.

Significantly, a solid 48 percent believed she should standdown in those circumstancesand allow the throne to pass toher heirs, The Sunday Timessurvey conducted by YouGovthis week found.

The latest figures mark a

turnaround from March when51 per cent thought she shouldcarry on even if she were illand other members of the roy-al family had to take overmany of her duties.

The poll comes in the wakeof an announcement earlierthis week that the Queens sonand heir, Prince Charles, willtake her place at this yearsCommonwealth Heads ofGovernment meeting in SriLanka a biennial conferenceshe has not missed since 1973.

She has also cancelled a fewother official engagements af-ter being briefly hospitalisedin March for a stomach bug.

Public opinion also seemsto simultaneously indicate asurge in popularity for PrinceCharles, as 50 per cent ofthose polled said he would

make a good king a 13 percent increase since May lastyear. Only 23 per cent stillhave doubts about his abilities,considerably lower than 37per cent last year.

However, there still seemsto be very little support for hiswife Camilla, the Duchess ofCornwall.

Only 16 per cent believe sheshould become Queen, 46 percent prefer the title of PrincessConsort and 11 per cent be-lieve she should have no titleat all.

The younger generation ofroyals remain largely popular,with 85 per cent saying PrinceWilliam the second in line tothe throne makes a positivecontribution to the royal fami-ly.

His wife Kate, the Duchess

of Cambridge, was also rated ahigh 79 per cent in terms ofher contribution since the roy-al wedding while colourfulyounger brother Prince Harrymanaged a decent 72 per cent.

YouGov questioned 1,945adults on May 9 and 10 for itslatest sample survey.PTI

ISLAMABAD: Many stalwartsof Pakistani politics, including

former Prime Minister RajaPervez Ashraf, bit the dust inthe polls that saw a large num-ber of people exercising theirvote for a historic democratictransition.

The biggest upset was ofPakistan Peoples Party (PPP)Ashraf, who suffered a humili-ating defeat in Rawalpindi-II(National Assembly-51), GeoNews reported.

As per unofficial and initialresults, Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz (PML-N) can-didate Raja Mohammad JavedIkhlas won the seat.

Other top leaders of the PPPalso lost their seats. Those whowere defeated included formerinformation ministers QamarZaman Kaira and FirdousAshiq Awan, Punjab presidentof PPP Manzoor Ahmad Wat-too, former Public Account

Committee chairman NadeemAfzal Gondal, and BushraAitzaz, wife of BarristerChaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan.

PPPs central leader and for-mer federal minister NazarMuhammad Gondal andTasleem Qureshi were alsoamong the losers.

Similarly, both of Gilanissons, Ali Musa and AbdulQadir, lost in polls from theirMultan constituencies. Abdulwas kidnapped by suspectedTaliban terrorists last weekwhile he was campaigning.

In a shocking result, AwamiNational Party (ANP) chief As-fandyar Wali Khan suffered anupset defeat in CharsaddasNA-7 constituency at the handsof Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazlcandidate Maulana M GoharShah, who won with 53,492votes. Chaudhry Anwar AliCheema, a veteran politicianwho has been winning elec-tions since 1985, ran out of luckthis time. Contesting on a

PML-Q ticket, Cheema lost the2013 election to PML-N candi-date Zulfikar Ali Bhatti.

Cricketer-turned-politicianImran Khan, in a setback, lostfrom a Lahore constituencyagainst PML-N candidate Sar-dar Ayaz Sadiq. Khans loss inLahore was seen as a major up-set and a psychological defeatfor the party.

However, the PakistanTehrik-e-Insaf chief won fromMianwali in Punjab province,Peshawar and Rawalpindi.PTI

ISLAMABAD, PTI: The Pak-istan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N), which is set toform the next governmentin Pakistan, will frame a na-tional policy to counter ter-rorism after consulting allpolitical parties and stake-

holders, a close associate ofparty chief Nawaz Sharifsaid on Sunday.

We have to make Pakistana secure nation. This is theduty of the government and ofall state institutions. A nationalpolicy will be made on (terror-ism) after consultations withall parties and stakeholders,said Pervaiz Rashid, a memberof the Senate, or the upperhouse of parliament.

The PML-N will implementthis national policy, he told re-porters after a meeting of thePML-Ns leadership in Lahore.

Rashid said it was too earlyto talk about the PML-N form-ing a coalition at the centre.

Let the final results comein. After that, we will work withevery political party, whatevertheir number of seats (in par-

liament), to solve Pakistansproblems.Let the final results come

in. Once the results are final,the government will automat-ically be formed, Rashid said.

Analysts said that the PML-N was expected to form thegovernment at the centre withthe support of independentsand smaller rightist parties likethe Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, set-ting the stage for a third stintas premier for Nawaz Sharif.

Rashid said the PML-N wasprepared for talks with otherparties on all issues confrontingPakistan. We were in contactwith these political parties ear-lier and these contacts will con-tinue, he said. The PML-N re-spects the mandate of all partieselected to the parliament andwill accept whatever role theywant to play in national politics,he said. The PML-N is ready totake all elected political partieson board to transform Pakistaninto a developed country, headded.

World at a glance

Bangladesh toll nears 1,200

More than two weeksafter an eight-storey

building collapsed in theBangladesh capital, thedeath toll approached 1,200Sunday, said officials, re-ports agencies from Dhaka.

Tarekul Alam of the Dha-ka district administrationscontrol room told Xinhuathat the confirmed deathtoll stood at 1,126 at 3 pm.The control room was setup near the building site atSavar on the outskirts ofDhaka to coordinate rescueoperations. He said 63

corpses were still at a near-by school ground for identi-fication. We are preservingtissue suitable for DNA testsof the unidentified bodies,many of which have alsobeen buried, he said. Res-cuers say the stench of de-caying bodies was stillstrong in the rubble of theRana Plaza that crumbledApril 24. Rescuers havepulled out alive 2,438 peo-ple, including a female gar-ment worker named Resh-mi, a seamstress buried for16 days in the debris.

Indian killed in Malaysia

An ethnic Indian waskilled by unidentified as-

sailants on Saturday nightin Malaysias Kedah state,PTI reports from KualaLumpur.

Kulim district policechief, Supt. Ghuzlan Sallehsaid the victim, identified asK Thangaraja, 31, was driv-ing his car on Saturdaynight, when two men, be-lieved to be armed with a

pistol, fired several shots atthe victim hitting his faceand right arm. This causedthe victim to lose control ofthe car, which skidded forabout 70m to the left roadshoulder where he died, hesaid. Thangaraja worked asa shop assistant for a usedgoods business. Ethnic Indi-ans comprises eight percent of Malaysias 28 millionpeople.

Israel PM rapped for bed

Officials close to Israelsprime minister says he

will use alternate sleepingarrangements when travel-ing after receiving a sky-high bill for installing a cus-tomised bed on a recentflight to London, reportsAP from Jerusalem.

Channel 10 TV said Ne-tanyahu spent $127,000 ofpublic funds during a five-hour flight to attend Mar-garet Thatchers funeral.

Netanyahus office initiallydefended the decision, say-ing that the prime ministerhad a busy schedule aheadof the flight and needed tobe fresh for importantmeetings in Britain. Butfollowing a public uproar,officials close to Netanyahusaid he had been unawareof the cost, and once in-formed, he ordered thebed be cancelled on allfuture flights.

9 arrested over attacks inTurkey near Syria border

Authorities detainednine Turkish citizens

believed to have links to theSyrian intelligence agencyin connection with two carbombs that left 46 peopledead in a Turkish border

town, officials said on Sun-day, as Syria rejected allega-tions the country was be-hind the attack, reports APfrom Ankara.

The bombings markedthe biggest incident ofcross-border violence sincethe start of Syrias bloodycivil war and have raisedfear of Turkey being pulled

deeper into the conflict.Harsh accusations fromboth sides signaled a sharpescalation of already hightensions between the twoformer allies. This incidentwas carried out by an or-

ganisation which is in closecontact to pro-regimegroups in Syria and I saythis very clearly, with theSyrian mukhabarat, saidInterior Minister Muam-mer Guler. Among the ninepeople detained overnightwas the mastermind of theattack and more were ex-pected, Guler said.

Singer Britney Spears attends 102.7 KIIS FM's WangoTango 2013 held at The Home Depot Center on Saturdayin Carson, California, United States. AFP

World

MARVIN By Tom Armstrong

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francison Sunday proclaimed as saintssome 800 Italians killed in the15th century for refusing toconvert to Islam, and saidmany Christians were still be-ing persecuted for their faith.

He made his first appeal aspope against abortion, sayinglife must be respected fromthe moment of conception

and throwing his support be-hind an Italian group pro-moting legal protection forembryos.

The Vatican seemed at painsnot to allow the first canonisa-tions of Francis two-month-oldpapacy to be interpreted asanti-Islamic, saying the deathsof the Otranto Marytrs mustbe understood in their histori-cal context.

The Italians were killed in1480 during the siege of Otran-to, on the southeastern Adri-atic, by Ottoman Turks whosacked the city, killed its arch-bishop and told the citizens tosurrender and convert. Whenthey refused, the Ottomancommanding officer orderedthe execution of all men aged15 or older, most by beheading.

While we venerate the

Otranto Martyrs, we ask Godto sustain the many Christianswho, today, in many parts ofthe world still suffer violence,and give them the courage tobe faithful and to respond toevil with good, Francis said be-fore more than 70,000 peoplein St Peters Square.

He did not mention anycountries, but the Vatican hasexpressed deep concern re-cently about the fate of Chris-

tians in parts of the West Asia,including Coptic Christianswho have been caught up insectarian strife in Egypt.

A booklet handed out to par-ticipants said the sacrifice ofthe Otranto Martyrs must beplaced within the historicalcontext of the wars that deter-mined relations between Eu-rope and the Ottoman Empirefor a long period of time.Reuters

NEW YORK: A four-year-oldUS boy, who hasnt evenpassed kindergarten yet, iscalling the shots as mayor in asmall town in Minnesota.

Robert Tufts was selectedmayor last year of Dorset, atown in Minnesota, which hasa population of a mere 22people.

Residents say that Tufts is a

ball of fire, and while the kidmay not have the academiccredentials for the job, theyclaim hes got the chops andthe mouth to run the town,reported New York Dail yNews.

Hes amazing. Hes justcompletely amazing, saidKathy Schmidt, whose familyhas lived in the area for fourgenerations.

Hes right in your face andwell-spoken. You cant imaginewhat a ball of fire he is, saidSchmidt.

According to a radio station,the mayor can sing and dancewith the best of them, heguides his citizens safely acrossthe street, big stick in hand.

He is also an expert fisher-man, and knows how to doleout advice about the best baitto use.

Tufts was chosen as themayor at last years Taste ofDorset festival. The smalltown selects its leader througha draw during the popularevent.

Campaigns dont cost muchin Dorset just $1 will get yourname in the hat. You donteven have to live there.

At one point, a five-year-oldfrom Chicago was running thetown.

Dorset became a dot on themap nearly a century ago,sprouting up around a railroadthat passed through the area.

The community allegedlylost its town status years agowhen they took away the zipcode, said Schmidt.

Decisions about Dorset aremade by the businesses thatoperate there meaning thatthe mayor does not have toomany responsibilities, said thereport.

Dorset describes itself theRestaurant Capital of theWorld because it has the mostrestaurants per capita.PTI

Britons want queen to step down if she is too illVox populi

In this May 1, 2013, photo, client Danny Thomas, left, hugsAnthony Cymerysin Hartford, Connecticut, United States.For 20 years, Cymerys has cut hair for the fee of a hug. AP

Queen Elizabeth II

PML-N swears by anti-terror policyPromises on priority: Party says it wants Pakistan to be secure

IN NAWAZS NAME:Supporters of former Pakistani prime minister and head of the PakistanMuslim League-N Nawaz Sharif celebrate the partys victory a day after landmark generalelections, in Lahore on on Sunday.AFP

Several big-ticketleaders bite the dust

ISLAMABAD, PTI: NawazSharif, called the Lion of Pun-jab who has promi sed torestart peace process with Indiaand is set to be elected for a thirdstint as Prime Minister, is seenas someone who can fix Pak-istans bleeding economy but isconsidered soft on the Taliban.

A steel tycoon-turned-politi-

cian, Sharif has made an as-tounding comeback after beingtoppled in a 1999 coup, jailedand exiled for seven years.

While votes from Saturdayselections were still being count-ed on Sunday, he declared vic-tory at the Pakistan MuslimLeague-Nawaz headquarters.

He managed to navigate

cricketer-turned-politician Im-ran Khans tsunami as hisPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf hada projected win of only 34 seats.

The 63-year-old has prom-ised to transform the countryseconomy, end graft in state-owned enterprises, build a mo-torway from Lahore to Karachiand launch a bullet train.

Sharifs last term as PrimeMinister ended in 1999 whenthen Army Chief PervezMusharraf carried out a blood-less coup.

In a dramatic fall from grace,Sharif ended up in jail, convict-ed of hijacking charges for try-ing to stop a plane carryingMusharraf from landing.

The Lion of Punjab has a lot to live up to

Former Pakistan PM RajaParvez Ashraf and cricketer-turned-politico Imran Khan

Pope Francis declares 800Italian martyrs saints

LAUDED LADY A church is decorated with a poster of MotherLaura Montoya at her hometown in Colombia on Sunday asPope Francis beatified her at a ceremony in Rome. AP

US town has4-year-oldas a mayor

JERUSALEM: Israeli PremierBenjamin Netanyahu is fullydetermined to try to haltsales by Russia of advancedmissiles to Syria when he vis-its Moscow for talks withPresident Vladimir Putin, aminister said on Sunday.

A reported Russian plan to

sell Damascus S-300 missilebatteries worries us at thehighest level and the primeminister is fully determinedthat this contract should notbe fulfilled, Energy and Wa-ter Minister Silvan Shalom, amember of the security cabi-net, told public radio.

Such a sale to Syria wouldalter the balance of forces inthe region and these weaponscould fall into the hands ofHezbollah, the Lebanesemilitia ally of Syrian PresidentBashar al-Assad and Israelsarch-foe Iran, Shalom said.

Should Syria obtain the ul-tra-modern Russian weapons,which can destroy aircraft orguided missiles, action bycountries seeking change inSyria would become muchmore difficult, he added.

Russian and Israeli officialshave said the two leaders areto meet shortly, with RussiasInterfax news agency quotingPutins spokesman DmitryPeskov as saying the visit wasbeing planned for next week.

Netanyahu and Putin willdiscuss the Russian arms

sales to Syria, in particular thesale of advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, Is-raelsHaaretznewspaper re-ported on Friday, adding thatthe Israeli premier would alsoseek to raise the Iranian nu-clear issue.

Israel twice last week car-ried out air strikes near Dam-ascus, attacks a senior Israelisource said were aimed at pre-venting the transfer of sophis-ticated weapons to Hezbollah.

US Secretary of State JohnKerry has warned that thesale of S300s to Damascuswould be potentially desta-bilising for the region.

Russia however refuses torule it out however, sayingthat it has to honour existingcontracts.AFP

Israel looks to stopRussia from sellingmissiles to Syria

Monday, May 13, 2013 B DECCAN HERALD13

IT plans to earn morewith fewer techies. P14

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US hails resultsUS President Barack Oba-ma has congratulated Pak-istan on completion ofpolls, and said his adminis-tration is ready to work asequal partners with thenew government, reportsPTI from Washington.

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