Australia wins last-ball thriller
Australia beat Pakistan by 2 wkts on the last ball, end India's campaign

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting lavished praise on Pakistan bowlers for making life difficult for his batsmen and said they were lucky to restrict their rivals at a low score on Wednesday.

Defending champions Australia pulled off a dramatic last-ball victory over Pakistan in a low-scoring thriller to romp into the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy and bring a pre-mature end to India's listless campaign.

The Australians had to rely on their tail-enders to achieve the two-wicket victory in the very last ball in a nail-biting contest which saw fortune fluctuating from one team to the other till the very end. In a must-win encounter, Australia first restricted Pakistan to a modest 205 for six and then just about managed to scamper home on a spongy SuperSport Park track to knock India out of the eight-nation tournament. The Aussies were cruising along comfortably at 157 for three at one stage before five wickets fell in quick secession to completely change the complexion of the game. Needing four runs to win from the last five balls, Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz took the team home much to the relief of a tensed Australian dressing room.
http://player.video.news.com.au/theaustralian/?gh6DMew7jDxKe6G5v4L1R9KVJ9G_zOcU


India knocked out in last over

It was one of the most dramatic and heart-wrenching exits for India in recent cricketing history.

Fans around the globe let out a deep collective sigh and cursed under their breath as Ricky Ponting's Australia knocked MS Dhoni's men out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday.

But the two teams were not playing each other. The Indians were physically present at the Wanderers, going through the motions against the West Indies, while their spirits soared and sank with the captivating events unfolding a few miles away.

At Centurion, Australia's steely, nerve-wracking last-ball win over Pakistan knocked the wind out of India's sails and produced the most thrilling match of the event so far.

The Aussies now deservingly go through to the semis and a lacklustre India must pack their bags.

India needed Pakistan, who had already qualified, to win at all costs to have any chance of surviving and for a while, it looked it as if Dhoni & Co had been blessed with the devil's luck.

The team was quietly resigned to its fate, though, when it arrived for the day-nighter against the Windies after Pakistan had limped to a moderate 205 in the morning. Halfway through the WI innings, hope suddenly wafted in unannounced from Centurion as Australia, chasing a moderate 206, sank from 140/2 to 187/8.

It must have been difficult for the Indian players to focus on the task at hand at that stage. The swing in Australian and Indian fortunes blared through the PA system at the Wanderers and the action in the middle became incidental. Fans cheered or groaned, depending on whether an Australian wicket had fallen or a run had been scored. Ponting and Hussey were going strong but the collapse meant Australia were staring at the abyss. It looked like Mitchell Johnson's dismissal had firmly tilted the scales in Pakistan's, and India's favour, but there was to be another twist.

Six runs off the last eight balls with eight wickets down, and it became impossible to watch the meaningless action unfolding in the India game. Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir were out in the middle chasing a paltry score after the West Indies were dismissed early for 129 in 36 overs, but they would rather have been in the dressing room with their mates watching the TV.

Australia needed four runs off the last six balls to win or three runs to tie and qualify. Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz kept their nerve, the winning runs eventually coming in byes off the last delivery from Gul. A chill descended on the Wanderers.

It slowly sank in that India had been down on performance and out of luck throughout this event and Wednesday was no different. There were to be no turnarounds, only the tantalising whiff of a miracle that didn't transpire. The Pakistan loss sealed the team's fate. Yuvraj Singh's freakish injury was a cruel blow. The absence of Sehwag and Zaheer Khan meant the team lacked match-winning bite.
In keeping with the pattern, Sachin Tendulkar skipped India's last game because of an upset stomach.

Pakistan Gets Billions,
But What About Scrutiny?

The Pakistani government must be happy now, as they are able to get billions of dollars in aid, both from the United States and the international community of donors. The US Senate approved the Kerry-Lugar bill that will allow the disbursement of $7.5 billion dollars in civilian aid over the course of five years. The aid roughly translates to $1.5 billion a year.

The Zardari government, as expected, has welcomed this aid, though they are not satisfied with just $7.5 billion; they want billions more and are expecting another aid package from the US. Additionally, they are also looking to their 'friends' in the "Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP)," a group created in September 2008 to help the nascent Pakistani democratic government to tackle extremist elements. President Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown participated in a recent meeting of the group on September 24th. Zardari was also in attendance.

The Brown government has pledged ₤50 million in assistance to Pakistan. Other members of the group have also pledged some help in this regard. Major donors to the FoDP include the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Japan and the Asian Development Bank. They initially pledged $5.1 billion in aid during a conference in Tokyo and the recent pledges represent a reassurance from the donors that they are eager to bring Pakistan out of its financial crisis.

But, do they need to do this while their own economies are badly suffering? This is a valid question being asked by Americans, as their country is donating the largest chunk of money to Pakistan. Critics also cite the incompetent governance and widespread corruption in Pakistan, which includes charges of financial embezzlement against Zardari (he was known as "Mr. 10%," for requesting that amount as a commission on every deal). Nawaz Sharif, another popular leader of Pakistan and now the main opposition leader, was also accused of corruption during his two-time premiership.

A recent report by Transparency International has raised serious questions about the competency of the Pakistani government. While financial embezzlement is not a new thing in Pakistan, and the Pakistani government would be ready to enjoy the great 'financial feast' offered by the US, American taxpayers might not be ready to accept this deal. Although there is news about tight scrutiny of the aid package, the US government needs to ensure that the aid goes to the right people and not to the corrupt government agencies or fake non-governmental organizations.

The case of Pakistan is a complex one and needs international attention. If the US wants to gain a positive feeling among common Pakistanis, it has to ensure direct aid to the masses instead of spending taxpayer money on corrupt government agencies. The importance of scrutiny and accountability has increased further as donor countries are facing deep recessions. The aid is good but needs to be spent thoughtfully on the right organizations. Only then can the US government achieve some of its strategic goals in the region.

Why India want Pakistan to win?

India need a miracle to survive

India approach Today's game against the West Indies with a prayer on the lips that Pakistan would somehow prevail over Australia by a big margin in the day's first game in Centurion.

India go into their crucial Champions Trophy match against an under-strength West Indies in Johannesburg on Wednesday (today) requiring little short of a miracle to avoid elimination.

Centurion: Indian cricket team having given a very dismal performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy will be praying that neighbours and arch rivals Pakistan win their match today against Australia.

The only hope for India to stay in the ICC Champion trophy is if Pakistan manage to defeat the Aussies in their game today.

However, this maybe a daunting task as Pakistan skipper plans to rest his key players owing to a much more important impending game in the next few days.
Nevertheless all Indian fans will be praying and supporting Pakistan today just to see their Indian team continue their tour of South Africa for the ICC Champions Trophy. An unusual possibility!

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team are forced to rely as much on other sides' performances as their own after having earned just one point in two matches in the four-team Group A.

India's slim hopes rest first on a Pakistan victory over formidable Australia in a day match at Centurion on Wednesday and then beating the West Indies in a day-night game in Johannesburg just hours later.

Australia have lost just one of their last nine one-dayers.

Pakistan have already made it to the semi-finals after securing four points from two wins, while defending champions Australia are strongly placed to join them in the last-four with three points from two games.

Even if Australia lose to Pakistan and India beat the West Indies, the second semi-finalist will be decided on net run-rate. Australia (+1.000) are currently well ahead of India (-1.080) on net run-rate.

Dhoni said India would be keeping an eye on the Pakistan-Australia match before deciding the team combination.

They are playing a day game and we are playing a day-nighter. By the time we start our game, we will be knowing where we stand and what we actually need to do. Accordingly, we will decide the playing eleven," said Dhoni.

"This is one of those games where you have to achieve everything. First of all, you want Pakistan to win and Australia to lose. Then you want to win against the West Indies and you have to better your run-rate."

India can blame a below-par bowling performance, especially against Pakistan in the opening match, for their present plight. Their batsmen were always under pressure after the bowlers had conceded 302 runs.

After losing to Pakistan by 54 runs, India shared points with Australia in the second match which was abandoned due to rain at Centurion on Monday, but their bowlers again performed much below expectations.

Pakistan in semi-finals after rain spoils India-Aussie game

Rain hits India’s hopes of Champions Trophy semi-final

Pakistan qualified for the Champions Trophy semi-finals after the India-Australia match was abandoned due to rain here on Monday. Pakistan have already secured four points after winning both of their matches in the four-team Group A, while Australia have three points and India one after two games. The West Indies have lost both of their games.

The top two sides advance to the semi-finals.Defending champions Australia were on course for a big total before the play was called off due to heavy rain in the day-night match. They posted 234-4 in 42.3 overs after winning the toss on a good batting track, with Michael Hussey (67), skipper Ricky Ponting (65) and Tim Paine (56) all making the most of a mediocre Indian attack. Cameron White was unbeaten on 35 and Callum Ferguson on two.
India, needing a win to boost their hopes of making it to the last-four, bowled inconsistently, failing to keep pressure on Paine, Ponting and Hussey.

Pakistan cricket team’s victory against India : Jubilant youth crowd streets in celebration.

Pakistani cricket team’s resounding 54- run victory in the Group A match of the ICC Champions Trophy at Super Sport Park, Centurion, South Africa against arch rival India brimmed the streets with jubilation as a large number of people, especially youth came out of their houses to celebrate this great occasion.

The match that finished at around 2:30am on Saturday night was an unprecedented day of celebration for the people of Pakistan, as it was the second victory of Pakistan against India in ICC fixtures.Hundreds of youths came on the roads as soon as Saeed Ajmal, the off break spinner, bowled out Indian last batsman Harbhajan Singh. The youngsters, majority of them on motorbikes, thronged the wide roads and other prominent places all around Pakistan to celebrate the much-awaited victory. They were dancing to the drumbeat and chanting slogans “Pakistan Zindabad” (long live Pakistan). A few teenagers were found wheeling as no traffic police were on roads at that time. Youngsters with honking cars, motorbikes and even on cabs remained on the roads and streets till 5am being weekend.

Besides, Islamabad, the wave of jubilation was evident throughout Pakistan. Thousands of people poured onto the streets of Lahore and Karachi waving Pakistani flags, flashing lights, lighting crackers, whistling, singing and chanting slogans “Pakistan Zindabad”.

Pakistan vs India, Champions Trophy, Centurion
Pakistan chops India

An electrifying battle at Super Sports Park in Centurion wrapped up by Pakistan after reducing Indian batting line-up at 248 leaving the opponent 54 runs short. Shoaib Malik smashed a brisk century to set up Pakistan's a much needed victory over arch-rivals India. The victory led Pakistan to the top of Group A with four points from two matches ahead of Australia on two with India and West Indies have no points.

The middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik 128 for his seventh hundred in one-dayers as Pakistan posted a challenging 302-9 before restricting India to 248 in a pressure match to boost their hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.

India plays Pakistan on a Super Saturday

The SuperSport Park will be a blaze of colour on Saturday 26th September.

In what promises to be a celebration of the game, India meets Pakistan in a Group ‘A’ match of ICC Champions Trophy.

The tension leading to the match has been palpable. But at the end of the day, the contest will be no more than a cricketing duel between two neighbouring countries with oodles of talent.
Pakistan enters the match with a hard-earned win over the West Indies. India will be playing its first match of the tournament.

With much at stake, sparks could fly and heroes might emerge.

The temperament of the cricketers will be under scrutiny.

Pakistan captain Younus Khan, nursing a hairline fracture on his finger, said he would play through pain in a big game.

Opener Imran Nazir could make way for his skipper; this also means Shoaib Malik could open the innings with Kamran Akmal.

Major blow

India was dealt a major blow ahead of the competition when the aggressive Yuvraj Singh was ruled out with a fractured finger. Already missing Virender Sehwag, India will be without another match-winner.

________________________

India v Pakistan classic matches factfile

Eight classic matches between India and Pakistan ahead of their Champions Trophy clash on Saturday:

India

March 4, 1992, Sydney

India win by 43 runs

At the World Cup, Javed Miandad was a photographers' delight when he jumped up and down in imitation of Indian wicket-keeper Kiran More's constant appealing. The 43-run defeat at Sydney did not affect Pakistan's chances as they rallied from the brink to win the Cup under Imran Khan's inspirational leadership.

March 9, 1996, Bangalore

India win by 39 runs

Pakistan's 39-run defeat in the World Cup quarter-final had been preceded by captain and Wasim Akram pulling out with an injury. Chasing a 288-run target, Pakistan were 113-1 before Aamir Sohail was bowled for 55 to become one of Venkatesh Prasad's three victims.

June 8, 1999, Old Trafford

India win by 47 runs

World Cup match at Old Trafford took place amid the 1999 Kargil conflict in Kashmir. Prasad tormented Pakistan again claiming five wickets to help India win by 47 runs in a Super Sixes fixture.

March 1, 2003, Centurion

India win by six wickets

The 2003 Cup match was dubbed as a duel between Sachin Tendulkar of India and Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar. Tendulkar smashed a robust 98 before becoming the paceman's lone victim. Shoaib conceded 72 in 10 overs in his team's six-wicket defeat.

Pakistan

April 18, 1986, Sharjah

Pakistan win by one wicket

Javed Miandad hit a last-ball six off Chetan Sharma and finished on 116 not out off 114 balls. He simply anchored the innings as Pakistan chased a stiff 246-run target in 50 overs. India's 245-7 were built around a masterly innings of 92 by Sunil Gavaskar, supported by Krish Srikkanth's 75 and a steady 50 by Dilip Vengsarkar.

April 12, 2005, Ahmedabad

Pakistan win by three wickets

The match was dominated by India until the last few overs when Inzamam-ul-Haq played a captain's knock to help his team square the ODI series 2-2. India made 315-6 in 48 overs which included 123 by Sachin Tendulkar who then had to bowl the final over with Pakistan needing three to win. Tendulkar bowled four dot-balls but Inzamam took two off the fifth, leaving one off the last ball for victory. The final ball was steered towards point and Inzamam ran to complete victory.

March 11, 1978, Sahiwal

India concede

India conceded the match in protest at short-pitched bowling by Sarfraz Nawaz. Pakistan had made 205-7 before India managed to reach 183-2, needing just 23 off the last three overs. Sarfraz's four deliveries in the 38th over were all out of reach of the batsmen, but not called wide. Indian captain Bishen Bedi called his batsmen Anshuman Gaekwad and Gundappa Viswanath back and conceded the match. The series was the first between the rivals for 17 years.

September 19, 2004, Edgbaston

This Champions Trophy win was Pakistan's only victory against India in an ICC event. Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan shared eight wickets between them to bundle India out for 200. Rahul Dravid fought well during his 67 and in the final overs Ajit Agarkar played a handy knock of 47 to help India reach the second hundred-mark. Pakistan had to rely on the experience of Inzamam-ul-Haq, who made 41 and Mohammad Yousuf 81 not out to guide them to a last-over victory.

‘Treating jihadis as moral equivalents of George Washington destroys civilisation'

America’s erstwhile policy of referring to jihadi leaders in Afghanistan as the “moral equivalents of George Washington” was a policy that allowed warlords and criminals to destroy civilisations in the name of religion, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Friday.

He told the world leaders ttending the United Nations General Assembly that Pakistan had suffered greatly from terrorism and religious extremism. “Terrorism and extremism was not (previously) known to our society and culture. Religious extremism entered into our society and the region when all of us in the free world decided to confront the rival ideology. The policy was based on the exploitation of religion to motivate Muslims around the world to wage jihad,” he added. app

For the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history, men attending a university north of Jeddah will have special classmates – women.

Saudi Arabia’s new university to let women unveil and study with men

The King Abdullah Science and Technology University opened Wednesday is meant to break ground on Saudi Arabia’s scientific learning and gender norms.

For the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history, men attending a university north of Jeddah will have special classmates – women.

The conservative country unveiled on Wednesday its first ever fully coed university, the King Abdullah Science and Technology University (KAUST). In the past, women in the notoriously gender restrictive kingdom were only allowed to take classes separately from men.

The inauguration of KAUST is meant to signal two important developments: a lauded, if politically volatile, softening of hard-line rules, and the kingdom’s rising ambitions of being a hub of scientific learning. Both aims, Saudi Arabia’s rulers hope, will help blunt the impact of extremism.

The university’s lavish inauguration on Wednesday met with glowing praise, according to this description from Arabnews.com:

Pakistan seek title

Having already won the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan are targeting a second major 2009 title at the Champions Trophy which begins on 22nd September despite a less-than-impressive history in the competition.

Hosts South Africa will bowl off the tournament in a match against Sri Lanka.

"Our past performance in Champions Trophy is not that much encouraging, but the way we have trained for this year's tournament, I'm sure we can perform well," Pakistan's coach Intikhab Alam told reporters.

Tough tournament

Pakistan have not reached the final in any of the five previous editions of the Champions Trophy - the biggest 50-over tournament behind the World Cup.

"It's a tough tournament, but we are in South Africa with a target to win it," Alam said.

Pakistan played two warm-up matches and will take on the West Indies in their first group game tomorrow.

Pakistan, which have never beaten India in a major ICC tournament, take on their neighbours and arch-rival on September 26 before rounding off their group matches against defending champions Australia on September 29.

Top-two teams

South Africa, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka form the other group, with the top-two teams from each qualifying for the semi-finals.

India and Australia both have hit peak form ahead of the Champions Trophy. India won a triangular series over Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while Australia hammered England 6-1 in their seven-match one-day series.

Pakistan and England are the only teams in the eight-team competition which have not won a Champions Trophy.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has announced that the Shawwal moon has been sighted, therefore the faithfuls has celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr across the country on Monay 21st September.

For Muslims all over the Globe, Eid Ul Fitr, or Meethi Eid as it is known in Pakistan, is one of the favourite celebrations of the Muslim calendar.

Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning “festivity”, while Fitr means “charity” and so the holiday symbolises the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

Typically, Muslims wake up early in the morning and have a small breakfast with their family, before attending a special Eid prayer (salah) that is performed in congregation at mosques or open areas like fields, squares etc. Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothes, new clothes if possible, for the occasion. No Adhan or Iqama is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two raka’ahs.

The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a supplication (dua’) asking for forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings across the world. The khutbah also instructs Muslims as to the performance of rituals of Eid, such as the zakat. It is then customary to embrace the persons sitting on either side of one, whilst greeting them.

The traditional Eid greeting is “Eid Mubarak” followed by an embrace. Eid is celebrated in different ways across the globe, but the overall feeling of joy and happiness is shared by everyone.

In countries like Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh Children receive new clothing and families visit relatives and friends. The night before Eid is called Chand Raat, which means, night of the moon. People often visit bazaars and shopping malls, with their families and children, for last minute Eid shopping. Women, especially young girls, often paint each others’ hands with traditional “henna” and wear colourful bangles.

Sweets are made and “mithai” is usually given out to family members and friends. Eid cakes and desserts are also very popular items to be gifted to relatives.

In recent years the practice of sending Eid cards has increased considerably.

In India and Pakistan Henna is applied to women’s hands of all ages, and children receive “Eddi” which can be a small amount of money or sweets.

In the United Kingdom due to the large amount of resident Pakistanis and Indians, Eid is celebrated with much fervor.

Eid ul-Fitr is not a recognised public holiday in the United Kingdom but in a large ethnically Muslim area, normally schools and local businesses give exemptions to the Muslim community to take three days off. In the rest of the UK it is not recognised as the date of Eid ul fitr is based on the Lunar calendar and the sighting of Shawwal’s moon and it is not a fixed date.

People cook traditional food for their relatives. Dishes such as Samosas, biryani or pulao Rice and handi are particularly popular.

In North America, That is The USA and Canada, the end of Ramadan is announced via e-mail, postings on websites, or chain phone calls to all members of a Muslim community. Working persons usually attempt to make arrangements for a lighter work day on the days that may possibly be the Eid day, but many North American Muslims are often noted to not be able to take the entire day off.

In Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Eid is also commonly known as Hari Raya. Hari Raya literally means ‘Day of Celebration’ i.e. ‘The Day’. Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world. It is the biggest holiday in Indonesia and Malaysia and is the most awaited one. Shopping malls and bazaars are filled with people days ahead of Hari Raya, causing a distinctive festive atmosphere throughout the country. Many banks, government and private offices are closed for this holiday, which usually lasts a week

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Turkey Eid celebrations are all abound, with sales and festivals starting in the holy month of Ramadan and all night festivals going up to Eid. In Saudi Arabia the influx of people from all across the Globe is immense and the Holy Mosque in Mecca is packed full. Ramadan is the month of prayer and forgiveness, so all who can afford it, to try to perform Umrah in this holy month, and some try to stay until Eid.

Eid in Muslim countries is a beloved public holiday, where schools and government offices are generally closed for the entire period of the celebrations.

It is a time for people to attend prayer services, put on their best clothes often purchased just for the occasion, and to visit all their loved ones such as friends, relatives and neighbours and pay their respects to the deceased with organised visits to cemeteries.

In Pakistan Eid is a much loved and much celebrated holiday. Eid ul fitr is especially a favorite as it comes after a month of fasting and prayer.

May you all have a blessed and wonderful Eid. *

Local cars selling at premium on strong demand

At a time when 20 women died in free ration queue stampede and millions are still making lines for procuring 10-kg flour bag at Rs100, many cash rich people are on a hunt to purchase new locally made cars even at premium prices.



The demand for local cars has surged ahead of Eidul Fitr and authorised dealers are charging premiums on spot buying.



Around 80 per cent of the local cars are now sold through cash while bank and leasing finance holds 20 per cent share. Due to 19-21 per cent mark-up people are not opting for car financing.



After having reaping bumper rice and wheat crops, growers have also joined the race to get locally made new cars at any cost.



Overseas Pakistanis remitted record $780.5 million in August while the country had received $7.811 billion remittances in 2008-09. These inflows usually find way into some investment avenues like property, stocks, currency, gold etc. Now many investors have also entered in the car business thus creating an artificial demand.



Market sources said that authorised dealers were charging Rs15,000-Rs20,000 premium on Toyota Corolla XLI and Rs50,000 on its GLi model. Premium on Suzuki Mehran ranged between Rs10,000-15,000 while on other models it hovered between Rs25,000-30,000. Premium on Honda Civic Oriel was Rs60,000-Rs70,000. On Daihatsu Cuore dealers were demanding Rs10,000-15,000 premium.



As the delivery period for Corolla Xli and Gli is one month and two months respectively, buyers are paying on-money for ready delivery.



The old cars have also become a hot item before Eid. Due to massive decline in imports of used cars, people have gone wild for very old model cars especially from 1986 onwards.



There is a marked difference in the price of car models from 1986 to 2008 models if compared with earlier this year. Steep rise in prices of locally made cars can also be blamed for pushing up price of used cars.



Used car dealers are demanding Rs375,000-400,000 for 2005 Alto AC/CNG while it was available at Rs350,000 earlier this year. Alto 2003 is available at Rs370,000 as compared to Rs320,000-340,000. Alto 2001 is selling at Rs320,000-325,000 as compared to Rs290,000-300,000. Mehran 2006 AC/CNG is available at Rs325,000 which was easily selling at Rs275,000.



Dealers were demanding Rs325,000-340,000 for Suzuki Khyber 1997-1998 model which was available at Rs300,000 earlier this year. The 1992 Khyber is being sold at Rs190,000-200,000 while it was sold at Rs160,000-170,000. They were demanding Rs150,000 for Mehran 1992 as compared to Rs120,000-130,000. Suzuki Cultus 2004 is sold at Rs450,000-475,000 as compared to Rs400,000-425,000.

Islam encourages art: Ghamidi

Religious scholar says Muslims used to be peerless in calligraphy, painting

Islam has always encouraged art and creativity, and Muslims should learn and practise such subjects as art to promote the message of God, renowned religious scholar Prof Javed Ahmad Ghamidi said on Friday.

He was delivering a lecture on ‘Art and Islam’ during the opening ceremony of an exhibition of calligraphic paintings at the Ejaz Art Gallery. He said Muslims had created masterpieces of art and civilisation in the past and they were peerless in subjects like calligraphy and paintings along with other subjects related to fine arts and sciences. Ghamidi said Islam only forbade such knowledge that promoted vulgarity and unethical practices. He said such vulgar art forms were harmful for all humans.

The exhibition will remain open until Eidul Fitr. The work of 14 artists is being displayed in the show.

‘Halal’ search engine for Muslims

A new search engine, called ImHalal.com, filters out X-rated Web sites and other content that is “haraam” or forbidden by Islam.The search technology developed by AZS Media Group, a Dutch Internet company, has a two-layer filter.Sex sites are blocked outright while other topics that are less dicey, such as “drugs,” “beer” or “pork” are restricted but not as tightly. When users do a search and get a haram rating of level one or two out of three, they are advised to choose another keyword to search, but they can still continue their search if they believe the results fetched will be clean, said Reza Sardeha, founder of the media group in a published interview.Words like porn and rape are considered to be at a rating of three, and are blocked, Sardeha told PC World. Terms like beer and pork, however, get a haram rating of one because users cannot consume them off the Internet.The site has received more than 400,000 unique visitors since it was launched earlier this week, Sardeha said in the interview.“We got the feeling that a lot of people in the Middle East, a lot of Muslims, really avoided the Internet and prevented their children from accessing it because they were afraid of what they might come across,” Sardeha said after ImHalal.com debuted this week.Mainstream search engines have come in for criticism in many parts of the world for displaying content that is offensive to the local culture, and even against local laws. ImHalal.com’s promoters are considering using advertising as a revenue stream for the site, Sardeha said.

ImHalal we trust?
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:54am
Today even most ardent cyber-skeptics will agree that most of our Internet experiences are defined by Google: whether you are in Cairo or in Caracas, chances are your daily surfing starts with Google's simple home page. What's even more remarkable is that users in both Cairo or Caracas are very likely to get similar search results for similar search queries: Google's link-driven taxonomy of knowledge doesn't really leave much space for accomodating the cultural heritage of its users.
It's, perhaps, only the Chinese who get different search results, as Google has had to modify what it displays when Chinese users search for sensitive terms like "democracy" or "human rights". But politics - as in the Chinese case - is not the only factor that may influence search results. Culture and, above all, religion could also reshape the Internet in ways that are very similar to how they have reshaped economic relations. The rise of interest-free Islamic banking compliant with Sharia tradition is a case in point here: if the banks can modify their lending practices to better suit their customers, why can't search engines? That's the premise behind the Netherlands-based ImHalal.com, a new search engine that is supposed to protect the sensibilities of Muslims by filtering out content that is considered "haram" (i.e. forbidden) by Islam. In its basic form, the search engine will issue warnings to users before displaying "haram" search results. All search content on ImHalal.com is given a "haram" rating of "one", "two", and "three"; users will be warned that their search results might yield content of ratings "one" and "two" but they may still decided to proceed (beer and pork are ranked "one", as they cannot be consumed off the Internet - an interesting explanation). Content of ranking "three" - porn, for example - will get a rating of "three" and would thus be blocked from search results. What I find most curious about this service is that when users' searchers are likely to generate content ranked "1" or "2", they will be asked to consider searching for terms that would not generate the offensive content. I am curious to see if ImHalal's idea truly takes off in the Muslim world. Atheists may be baffled by the fact that anyone might want to use a deliberately censored search engine when uncensored alternatives are available for free. However, religious belief doesn't lend itself to easy rational analysis, so no great surprises here. Thus, if ImHalal does fare well with Muslim users, it would deliver yet another blow to the cyber-utopian theories that predicted we are all going to live in a tolerant global village, where technology and new media would offer a way to bypass religious restrictions and prejudices. As the proliferation of sites like ImHalal demonstrates, the advent of the Internet may further - rather than undermine - one's religious commitment.

Musharraf saved Pakistan from isolation: Sethi

India could have allied with the US if former president Pervez Musharraf had refused to join the war on terror after the September 11 attacks, Daily Times Editor-in-Chief Najam Sethi said on Friday.

Talking in a Dunya News programme, Sethi said Musharraf’s decision to join the international coalition against terrorism had saved Pakistan from being isolated. He said the former president had also rescued the country’s nuclear programme by sacrificing Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan over the issue of illegal nuclear proliferation. He said Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden wanted to liberate Palestine by defeating the US.He said Bin Laden had to set up his camps in Afghanistan after the Sudanese government expelled him. Sethi said the Al Qaeda leader knew about Pakistan after his stay in Peshawar as well as his participation in the Afghan jihad. Sethi said that Osama also had links with Pakistani politicians. After 9/11, the US had asked Musharraf to inform the Taliban to abandon Al Qaeda, as the international militant network had a clear hand in the attacks.

“Tell us are you with us or not,” former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage had asked then Inter-Services Intelligence director general Mahmood Ahmad. Sethi said Musharraf had sent a delegation of religious scholars to Afghanistan in an attempt to convince the Taliban to expel Al Qaeda and its leadership. But Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar had refused to expel Al Qaeda from Afghanistan.

Pervez Musharraf, the former President of Pakistan who is living in London, is being protected by Scotland Yard at a cost to taxpayers of approximately £25,000 a day. Mr Musharraf has been using it as his base for about four months and is said to enjoy dining at the Dorchester Hotel and playing golf. Although he pays for a small team of retired Pakistani commandos to protect him.

The worry for Scotland Yard is that any attempt on Mr Musharraf’s life could lead to injury for innocent civilians if he is targeted in public.Over the years Britain has been home to dissidents, dictators and princes, many of whom have had protection provided by the Government.

Defence Day today

The Defence of Pakistan Day will be celebrated across the country, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir today (Sunday) with great zeal and fervour. The day will dawn with special prayers after Fajr at mosques for the integrity and prosperity of the country. Qur’aan Khawani for the martyrs of 1965 will also be held in the unit mosques. The Pakistan Air Force has also organised an elaborate ground and air show of its aircraft at its Masroor base on Sunday morning.

The nation is observing this day every year with a renewed pledge to sacrifice everything to defend the geographical and ideological frontiers of the country.Newspapers will bring out special supplements while radio and TV channels will beam special programmes to mark the day. Highlighting the significance of the day, Defence analysts said the Day reminds us of the indomitable courage of the people and armed forces of Pakistan in thwarting nefarious designs of the enemy.

They said the supreme sacrifices rendered by the Shuhada and Ghazis served as a beacon of light and source of strength for us and the nation could rightly be proud of the outstanding courage of the defenders of the motherland. At a time, when the country was facing internal and external challenges, the need of the hour is to forge national unity to thwart these designs, they said.

“Ride 2” by Hamra Abbas, based on the Prophet Muhammad’s horse; in the background is “My love plays in heavenly ways,” a painting by Faiza Butt.

Contradiction Remains Vital to Pakistan and Its Art

As a crew of riggers finished hoisting a big taxidermied water buffalo onto its surreal perch the other day at the Asia Society Museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, there was a certain logistical satisfaction for those who looked on. “Watch the tail, guys, the tail!” one rigger yelled as the beast was pivoted into place atop a tall Ionic column, where it seemed to have climbed in its confusion.

But the sense of symbolic accomplishment in the feat was much greater. The water buffalo is a ubiquitous presence in many areas of Pakistan, where its tail is often painted red with henna. And the ascension of one onto a pedestal — to create a comically eerie sculpture by the artist Huma Mulji — was an apt metaphor for the larger exhibition being installed around it that morning in several of the museum’s galleries.

“Hanging Fire,” which opens next Thursday, is the first major survey of contemporary art from Pakistan to be presented by an American museum. And for many artists and curators who have long worked in relative obscurity in Pakistan’s contemporary art world — one that has been thriving since the 1980s despite and perhaps in some ways because of the country’s instability — it is a highly anticipated event.

“I think it’s difficult for people outside Pakistan to understand what this kind of recognition on an international stage means within the country,” said Melissa Chiu, the museum’s director. “It’s a big moment.”
The exhibition features the work of 15 artists, almost all of whom live and work in Pakistan. Most have passed at one time or another through the National College of Arts in Lahore, an influential force in the country’s artistic life, where the show’s curator, the painter and writer Salima Hashmi, taught for many years. (In the exhibition’s catalog the novelist Mohsin Hamid lovingly describes the school as a microcosm of creative Pakistan; many of his friends went there, and he remembers it as a place where “people who prayed five times a day and people who escaped from their hostels late at night to disappear on sexual adventures in the city could coexist.”) Pakistan’s reputation in the contemporary art world has often suffered from a simplistic conception that it is a society inhospitable to free expression. And certainly during several periods in the country’s 52-year history, its visual arts, theater and film have been hemmed in by restrictions imposed under sharia, or Islamic law, and under military rule.
But even amid the country’s poverty and recent turmoil — an increase in bombings and kidnappings, the deep inroads made by the Taliban insurgency even as Pakistan has become enmeshed in the United States’ strategy in Afghanistan — a network of commercial galleries, art schools and studios has flourished. And work is being made that deals head on with difficult issues like religion, political oppression and the status of Muslim women.

Hamra Abbas, a 33-year-old artist who was educated in Lahore but spent several years working in Berlin, said in a recent interview at the Asia Society that when she moved back to Pakistan from Germany, her work grew more sophisticated, in part because she was able to find the kind of resources artists everywhere need: affordable space, a tight-knit artistic group, a network of friends and colleagues to collaborate with and help her.

Ms. Abbas’s piece in the exhibition is a huge purplish-red winged fiberglass rocking horse based on the popular imagery that has grown up over centuries of the Buraq, Muhammad’s steed. While the horse is “a culturally loaded icon,” as Ms. Hashmi, the curator, notes, it is also seen everywhere in Pakistan, like a brand logo or cartoon character, and seems to be particularly popular as a way to beautify the sides and backs of trucks. Ms. Abbas, who has given the traditionally human female face of the steed some of her own features, imagines it as a kind of life-size toy, one she has climbed up on and ridden herself, though doing so too publicly in Pakistan could court dangerous misinterpretations.

“You have to be careful,” she said. “The smallest things can end up being big things — you never know. And the big things no one seems to notice.”

Though her work has dealt openly with sexual imagery and has been displayed cautiously within Pakistan — like much other contemporary work there — in private showings at galleries, she said that her reasons for sometimes pulling back from making work that might be too confrontational are mostly personal.

“There are things I have thought of doing and did not do, in part because I didn’t want to offend my parents,” she said.

Why do Muslims hug like that? As per tradition, Muslims hug once, then move heads to the opposite shoulder, then back to original shoulder again. Onlookers are puzzled when they see Muslims hugging like this in public.

To me, it’s a nice brotherly or sisterly hug. Things only get puzzling when the hug starts breaking up and complications arise in the midst of hugging. There are several ways for a hug to get messed up. One, there is the hazardous “BEAR HUG” where one guy (usually a bigger, wider person) squeezes the smaller person into a state of agony and anguish.

Another problematic part of the 3-way hug is that sometimes a miscommunication erupts and the hugger and huggee start on the same side. As a result, the hugging turns into a little more than a hug and left-wing people become happy. This is obviously not part of Islam.

Lastly, another problematic kind of hugging are the complete Haram ones… they look something like this:

I don’t think it can get anymore wrong than that. Unless it’s a combination of the above two which I would probably get sinned for illustrating.

US Ramadan Iftar for Non-Muslims

Capitalizing on the holy fasting month's spirit of sharing and seeking to enhance understanding of their faith, American Muslims in South Jersey region organized a collective iftar that joined them with their non-Muslim neighbors.
"The idea is just to share with our non-Muslim community the meaning of Ramadan," Rafey Habib, a member of the Islamic Center of South Jersey, told the Courier Post Sunday, August 30.
"It's a time of giving and it's a time of sharing."
Celebrating the advent of Muslims’ holy month, the Center opened its doors to the area’s non-Muslims to share iftar banquets with members of the Muslim community.

When the sunset fell, guests watched as Muslims gathered for Maghreb prayer, the fourth of the five daily Muslim prayers.
After the prayer, everyone gathered on the banquet for the meal by which Muslims break their day-long fast.
Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, started on Saturday, August 22, in South Africa, where Muslims make up to 1.5 percent of a 44-million population.
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Most dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through self-restraint, good deeds and prayer.

Non-Muslim visitors were greeted at the mosque with a brief introduction to Islam's holiest month, which marks the time when the Noble Qur’an was revealed to prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Badat said many non-Muslims also felt related to the aspect of Ramadan fast because fasting is practiced by many of the world's largest religions.

Halal Ads Hit French TV — And France Eats Them Up

Even though people have to fast during the day, Muslims tend to eat more — and better — when they can eat during Ramadan, which is why it is traditionally a period of peak consumer activity.

A pack of shoppers swarm supermarket shelves, cheerfully snapping up packages of prepared lasagna, ravioli, and paella as they sing the products' praises. Sounds just like a normal evening TV ad. And it is, only this one features ethnic Arab actors in a commercial for halal food in France. A first in its own right, that ad is already a remarkable sight on French TV. But even more surprising is the reaction it's gotten — or, rather, hasn't gotten. In a country that's usually quick to burst into outrage over the spread of Islam into secular society, these halal food ads have been playing without a peep from the public.

French Muslims currently purchase around $5.7 billion worth of specialized foodstuffs and related products — a market that's been increasing by around 15% annually for nearly a decade. Solis has also found that nearly 94% of all Muslims in France with North African roots — by far the largest group of Muslims in the country — buy exclusively halal food. A recent poll by the Ifop agency found that 70% of Muslims in France are observing Ramadan this year — leaving little doubt as to the thinking behind the timing of Zakia Halal's ground-breaking ad campaign.

Behind the U.S.-Pakistan Missile Spat: The Indian Threat

The spat between Washington and Islamabad over allegations that Pakistan illegally modified U.S.-supplied missiles to improve its ability to target India reveals a deeper schism in the relationship: Pakistan's military establishment remains unmoved by Washington's best efforts to persuade it that the Taliban, rather than India, is the primary threat facing Pakistan — and that's bad news for the U.S. effort in neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Aug. 31 "categorically rejected" charges made by unnamed Obama Administration and Congressional officials quoted in the New York Times the day before that new missiles enabling Pakistan's navy to strike targets on shore were modified from stock supplied by the U.S. during the 1980s. Officials in Islamabad insist that Pakistan produced the new missiles itself.

Some Pakistani experts believe the official claims. "It's nothing extraordinary for Pakistan," says Talat Masood, a retired lieutenant general who headed Pakistan's largest ordnance factory. "Pakistan has a very comprehensive missile program and is fully capable of producing a wide range of missiles: surface-to-surface, ballistic, anti-air, anti-tanks, etc."

"This is what happens in countries that are dependent on foreign technology," says Ayesha Siddiqa, a military expert and author of Pakistan's Arms Procurement and Military Buildup, 1979-99. Much of Pakistan's military modernization has come about from U.S. arms sales in the 1950s and '80s. "In Pakistan, we have not really gone beyond license production and reverse engineering." Siddiqa adds that this is not the first time that Pakistan has been accused of reverse engineering or modification. A U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile that had strayed into Pakistani territory during strikes on al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan in August 1998 and was recovered intact by Pakistan is widely believed to have provided the basis for its Babur cruise missile. Pakistan spends "a very small amount of defense production on research and development," says Siddiqa. The Ghauri missile — Pakistan's much-vaunted medium-range ballistic missile, capable of traveling up to 1,500 km and carrying a payload of 700 kg — is simply a renamed Nodong-1 missile imported from North Korea. Drawing on the technology of the North Korean imports, Pakistan is continuing to develop its own longer-range variants — all pointed at India.