A misguided approach from PTI

Hakimullah Mehsud who remained a symbol of tyranny and cruelty throughout his life, is still haunting Pakistan after his death. Though, in his last days he gave few signs of making peace with the states on his own ‘unknown’ terms.

But as he got droned by the US, the right wing parties who always had their reservations on the use of force against the TTP, came out of the shell and termed Hakimullah’s killing as a great loss to peace-process.

The peace process with those forces who don’t accept they system and constitution of our country but some forces are openly supporting TTP  and asking federal government to take stern actions against drones. Some right wing parties like JI, PTI and JUI who have never condemned the brutality and barbarism of Taliban, raised so much hue and cry on the killing of TTP militants that even the new TTP chief couldn’t hold himself back from thanking Imran Khan, Munawer Hassan and Maulana Fazlur Rehman for their strong stance against drone attacks.

PTI and JI who are ruling KPK, and JUI which is the leading opposition party in KPK, all seem to be on one page when it comes to blocking NATO supply routes from KPK in order to build pressure on the US to stop drone attacks.

But we don’t see any demand of actions against TTP will who slaughtered armed personals and  killed innocent Pakistanis from Khyber to Karachi, and shamelessly accepted the responsibility of all the actions. Recently they claimed the responsibility of Ancholi twin blasts which claimed 8 precious lives, just before a day when PTI, JI and JUI were holding a sit in to block NATO supplies.

This is a crucial time when Pakistan’s sovereignty is on the stake from both the external and the internal front and we can’t afford any sort of adventurism. all the liberal parties mainly (MQM); which has always kept a firm stand against increasing religious extremism as well as drone strikes ;has come up with a reasonable idea.

MQM Chief Altaf Hussain in his most recent statement urged all the parties protesting against drone strikes to hold sit-ins until government issues the directives to shoot down drone, which is a reasonable demand because if they are sincere with the cause then they should remain committed to it, until some sort of result comes out of it.

If we will revisit the past we’ll see that despite condemnation, protests and sit-ins, the drone strikes are continuously carried out in Pakistan’s tribal areas and the time has come to take practical steps against these attacks.

In spite of political differences with parties holding sit-ins against drone strikes, Altaf Hussain said in national interest that if those political parties who are holding sit-ins against drone strikes also announce jihad against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda and other banned outfits who have killed 40,000 innocent Pakistanis and have blood of Pakistani soldiers on their hands, his party MQM would also participate in their protest.

Altaf Hussain has also asked Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to stage protests outside the Prime Minister House, the Presidency, the GHQ and the embassies of US, Britain and other NATO countries, until the federal government orders Pakistan Air Force to shoot down the unmanned aircraft.

Some analysts may disagree with MQM chief ‘s last suggestion but to me this suggestion seems to be the one solution for all problems because once there will be no drone strikes in Pakistan, no political party would be able to misguide the nation on TTP issues.

It will give an impetus to the nation as well, and the nation will be able to differentiate between who is loyal to the country and who is loyal to the enemies of Pakistan like Al-Qaeda and TTP etc.

Putting an end to the drone strikes will also automatically eradicate the widespread excuse that TTP kills innocent Pakistanis in order to avenge for their members who got killed in drone attacks. Then government of Pakistan will be able to take stern action against those groups who are challenging the writ of government without any pressure TTP apologists.Till today are misleading the nation by justifying TTP’s horrific killings as reaction of drone attacks.

China to launch moon rover on Monday

The Long March II-F rocket loaded with Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft flies over the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province. PHOTO: REUTERS

BEIJING: China will launch its first ever moon rover mission on Monday, state media said, as Beijing embarks on the latest stage in its ambitious space programme.

A rocket carrying the vehicle, named “Jade Rabbit” in a nod to Chinese folklore, will blast off at 1:30 am local time.

“The Chang’e 3 is set to be launched for its moon mission from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Dec 2,” state broadcaster CCTV said on its verified Twitter account on Saturday.

Official news agency Xinhua also confirmed the launch date, citing officials at the satellite launch centre.

If successful, the launch will mark a major milestone in China’s space exploration programme, which aims to create a permanent space station by 2020 and eventually send someone to the moon.

But its technology currently lags behind the expertise of the United States and Russia.

Beijing sees its military-run space programme as a marker of its rising global stature and growing technological might, as well as the ruling Communist Party’s success in turning around the fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation.

China has previously sent two probes to orbit the moon, with controllers sending the first of them crashing into the lunar surface at the end of its mission.

Early in November, Beijing offered a rare glimpse into its secretive space programme when it put a model of its six-wheeled moon rover on public display.

The rover was later named ‘Yutu’, or jade rabbit, following an online poll in which more than three million people voted.

The name derives from an ancient Chinese myth about a white rabbit that lives on the moon as the pet of Chang’e, a lunar goddess who swallowed an immortality pill.

Ouyang Ziyuan, head of the moon rover project, told Xinhua earlier this week that the ancient beliefs had their origins in the marks left by impacts on the lunar landscape.

“There are several black spots on the moon’s surface. Our ancient people imagined they were a moon palace, osmanthus trees, and a jade rabbit,” he said.

The rover’s designer, Shanghai Aerospace Systems Engineering Research Institute, claims several technological breakthroughs with the vehicle.

The Shanghai-based institute, a unit of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, which is linked to the military, says the advances include its “autonomous” navigation system and the way the wheels are able to grip the powdery surface of the moon.

It can climb inclines of up to 30 degrees and travel up to 200 metres per hour, according to the institute.

Consistency key to perfect skin: Cate Blanchett

Actor Cate Blanchett. PHOTO: AFP

LOS ANGELES: Actress Cate Blanchett says she always strives to ensure that the products she uses to wash and cleanse her face are always the same.

She believes the consistency in the skincare products one uses, is vital to have a glowing face.

“Being an actress, you have a lot of different products on your skin, and that’s one thing for beauty, but for skincare, I find that the consistency has really paid off for me,” contactmusic.com quoted Blanchett as saying.

She says her persistence has paid off as it means she can skip some base products when she is short on time.

“Working with really great make-up artists, I realised that they prime your skin like a canvas, and I had never thought of that before. So the moisturiser you put underneath has to work with the foundation.

“I am pretty time poor like everyone, so often I won’t put the foundation on – I will just prepare the skin,” said the 44-year-old.

Bonanza makes a play for the big-time with Satrangi

Stunning new campaign by NKF films and Maha Burney takes the brand’s image to new heights. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: 

Bonanza has just launched its Satrangi winter collection and boy, has it been done in style. An uber-stylish shoot and TV commercial by NFK films, styled by Maha Burney, announces that Bonanza is upping the ante. Smaller players like Fifth Avenue and Crossroads may rely on dull shoots of models in coats but Bonanza has shown that its winter gear can make a very chic style statement.

The rustic ski-lodge setting, the luxurious layered looks and the overall up-scale feel of the shoot give you Bonanza as you’ve never seen it before. Bonanza is a high-street brand that caters to a very wide spectrum of customers but it is rapidly establishing itself as a brand with serious fashion credentials. With lines by Maheen Karim and Sanam Chaudry, and now a shoot styled by Maha Burney, this is a brand that’s aiming at the high fashion end of the high street.

Maha Burney is Karachi’s stylist of choice particularly for Western or fusion wear. She has an A-list pedigree, having worked in New York with the likes of DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger and Ted Baker. She is known for her very sophisticated aesthetic and modern style sense. In Pakistan, she’s styled shoots for many leading designers including Shehla Chatoor, Sania Maskatiya and Nida Azwer.

For this shoot, Maha has sourced materials from everywhere. High street leather tights, smart belts, elegant boots and Sunday bazaar finds are layered with rather gorgeous knits by Bonanza. With this collection, Bonanza has channeled international fall/winter 2013 trends like long cardigans, fluffy jumpers and cool modern twists on animal prints. With clever layering and savvy styling, Maha has given the brand a high-end luxe feel.

The muted neutral palette with only an occasion pop of red/maroon, the use of plaid and the designer interior, all add to a very sophisticated look.  The rustic location was purposely chosen to give the shoot relevance in the Pakistan market, as it was felt that customers would relate better to this then to a glassy modern environment. The fact that the knitwear is styled exclusively with Western wear is irrelevant. Only the younger urban crowd will easily slip from Eastern wear to Western wear, but there’s something about knitwear that begs a Western touch.  The majority of Pakistanis may actually wear their cardigans and jumpers on shalwar kameez but, judging from many campaigns by a host of different brands, they like to see the knitwear styled with jeans and the like.

This particular shoot, with its outdoor/indoor scheme, presented various technical challenges. Despite the rural snowbound setting, the commercial was actually shot entirely on set in tropical Karachi. The snow-filled wood was actually built in-house and the team experimented with dozens of materials to achieve just the right type of flyaway snow.

The team behind this ad campaign is a very strong one. The project was masterminded by husband-wife team Nadir Firoz Khan and Maha Burney, who own NFK films. They brought in talented event planners Amina & Anisa Rashid Khan of RAK Associates who helped design the set. Zoe Viccaji and Zohaib composed original music for the commercial. This was a campaign where every detail was designed to fit the concept. Beautifully conceived and shot, it’s a campaign that has raised the bar in the advertising industry. The cinematography, the styling and the ambience are simply top notch. Just think what this team could do if let loose on a film or drama serial. Maha has previously been responsible for styling serials but that has been little more than a costuming job. Just think what could be achieved if this team were put in charge of the entire look of a serial or film.

With this campaign, the NFK team has firmly placed Bonanza’s winter collection centre stage. Bonanza has a certain prestige in the Pakistan market when it comes to sweaters and other winter woolies. Their sweaters are known for their quality, style and durability. The collection remains accessible to Bonanza’s core mass market including cardigans that can be worn as jackets and plenty than would look great with shalwar kameez. What this campaign does is project a luxurious image for the brand. For those who do wear Western clothes, the campaign gives a template for chic international look. It shows that Bonanza’s knitwear can compete with international chains in terms of style. Bonanza and NFK are great advertisement for Pakistani talent.

Energy, Sc & Tech, Education: Govt ready to implement 38 developmental projects worth 244b

ISLAMABAD – The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development & Reform.

The meeting considered 42 development projects and approved 38 of them costing Rs. 244.5 billion with Foreign Exchange Component of Rs. 68 billion covering Energy, Water Resources, Education, Governance, Science & Technology, Social Welfare and Agriculture sectors.

Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal directed that all project proposals should be put up on website for scrutiny by experts and citizens to bring transparency in development programmes. He directed Ministry of Water & Power, and Chairman WAPDA to set up Expert Advisory Group for helping provinces to prepare small hydro power projects.

He asked Ministry of Water & Power to expedite investment policy for private sector to invest in small hydro power projects, as the availability of fund in public sector is limited and constrained. Therefore, we must promote private sector in energy sector. If there is pro-private sector policy, we may harness more than 30000 MW by developing small dams in Northern Areas of Pakistan.

He directed the NCHD to develop key performance indicator in development to achieve universal primary education, as achieving 100% literacy is critical for Pakistan’s future. He said, in the past, we have ignored human and social capital and today are paying a big price for this mistake. Knowledge, energy and infrastructure sectors are critical for our future development.

He directed Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform to ensure discipline in project management and a committee was formed with representatives of all provinces, AJ&K and Gilgit Baltistan to make recommendations on eliminating wastage in development projects and streamlining the procedure in developing sector.

Pakistan China Economic Corridor feasibility study for rail track to connect Gwadar to Karachi through 700 km, rail track from Gwadar to Basima and Basima to Jacobabad via Khuzdar measuring 1048 km were approved. Feasibility study for new rail from Havelian to Pak.China border was also approved. Feasibility study for Karachi – Lahore 1160 km motorway, and Muzaffarabad-Mirpur-Mangla N-5 express way were also approved.

A project costing Rs.400 million to upgrade Larkana Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (LINAR) was also approved. Project costing Rs. 880 million for construction of Abbas Institute of Medical Science, Muzaffarabad AJ&K (Phase-II) was also approved.

Three (03) projects for construction of Barracks for Gilgit Baltistan Scouts were approved. In water resources, project feasibility study of small dams in KPK costing Rs.128 million, Chao Tangi Small Dam in South Waziristan Agency (FATA) costing Rs.798 million, construction of Palai & Kundal Dam District Charsadda, KPK costing Rs. 999 million, flood protection on river Chenab  at Muzaffargarh-Khangarh Bund costing Rs. 395 million, feasibility study for construction of Bhimber Dam project, AJ&K with the cost of Rs. 86 million, Construction of Shadi Kaur Storage Dam with cost of Rs. over 6 million, Revised Project of Kachhi Canal costing 57 billion rupees which will irrigate 100,000 acres of land in Dera Bugti were approved.

In energy sector, Harpo Hydro Power Project costing Rs. 11.6 billion, Dubair Khawar Hydro Power Project costing Rs.27 billion, Distribution Rehabilitation Energy Loss Reduction Project (ELR) of PESCO with the cost of Rs. 7.8 billion, Power Distribution Expansion (DOP) of PESCO, Rs. 17 billion Land Acquisition Project for Dasu Hydro Power Project, establishment of Hydro Power Training Institute (HPTI) at Mangla costing Rs. 568 million, Refurbishment and Up-gradation of generating units of Mangla Power Station enhancing the capacity from 1000 MW to 1310 MW costing Rs. 50 billion, Power Distribution Enhancement Investment Programme LESCO, GEPCO, PESCO, IESCO, FESCO & HESCO over 160 million dollars, Construction of 35 MW Nagdar Hydro Power Project costing Rs.7 billion, construction of Dowarian Hydro Power Project Neelum Valley were approved. Project for establishment of Federal Government College of Home Economics, Management Sciences, and a project for improving Human Development Indicators and literacy through NCHD for Rs.13 billion were also approved.

Project to improve agriculture growth in Sindh costing Rs. 9 billion and project of Nutrition Support for Sindh with the cost of Rs.4 billion were also approved by the CDWP.

Murree Brewery soon to brew in India

Company franchises Bangalore-based entrepreneur to bottle and sell its brand in India. PHOTO: murreebrewery.com

AMRITSAR: Pakistani beverage company Murree Brewery has given a franchise to a Bangalore-based entrepreneur to bottle and sell its brand  in the Indian market, The Economic Times reported on Friday.

Murree Brewery CEO Isphanyar Bhandara told The Ecnomic Times that ”it was not permissible to export to India through the Wagah-Attari border so we decided to offer our company’s franchise to an entrepreneur in Bangalore to brew, bottle and market Murree in India.

“This will also strengthen trading ties between India and Pakistan. The product will hit the market soon.”

Bhandara said Murree Brewery produces a range of beverages.

He said under the Pakistani law, Muslims are prohibited from consuming alcoholic drinks, whereas non-Muslims and foreigners require consumption permits.

“We sell our alcoholic products in five-star hotels only. Pakistan also prohibits export of alcoholic products. For now we are interested in finding distributors for our products in India,” Bhandara said while explaining his company’s business plans.

Bhandara, who is a Parsi, said Murree beverages will be made in India in the brewery of an Indian actor under their brand (Murree) and formulation.

“Murree Brewery was established in Ghora Galli (a tourist mountain resort town in the Galiyat area of northern Pakistan) in 1860 in response to demand for beer by the British officers. It is the oldest running enterprise in Pakistan,” he proudly stated.

“Indians may import onions and tomatoes from us but they are sceptical about buying beverages from Pakistan since there is no dearth of fizzy drinks in India,” said Bhandara.

He said they were keen on finding distributors for their brand in India, especially in Punjab.

Twitter users in Arab world increase by 85%

The number of Twitter users in the Arab world has leapt by 85 percent to 3.7 million in the last year, with over half of all active users of the site based in Saudi Arabia, according to new research.

The Arab Social Media report, released on Saturday by the Dubai School of Government (DSG), also reveals that the kingdom is also the source of 47 percent of all tweets in the region.

Twitter has gained huge popularity in the kingdom as it allows Saudis a public forum in which to debate a range of issues, including politics and religion.

In March, local media reported that the Saudi government could attempt ban anonymity for Twitter users in the country.

The number of Arabic-language tweets sent has risen sharply in the previous year, reaching 74 percent of the total, up from 64 percent.

Kuwait was the most penetrated country in the region in terms of Twitter usage. Nearly 8 percent of the population is an active user of the website, compared to 6.4 percent for Saudi Arabia.

Facebook has also seen a strong rise in regional take-up, with active users increasing by 22 percent to 55 million over the course of the year.

The UAE is the largest market for Facebook in terms of penetration; 41 percent of the population are active users of the site. Egypt constitutes one quarter of all regional Facebook users in the region.

The report also revealed that there are 4.7 million active LinkedIn users in 22 countries covered by the DSG survey, a  10 percent gain on the previous year.

Nakheel eyes 'sustainable' projects prior to Expo

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah.

Dubai developer Nakheel has pledged to deliver a range of "innovations, sustainable destination developments" in the run up to Expo 2020, giving more details about its main project to resume work on Deira Islands.

Nakheel, the company behind the Palm Jumeirah and The World, said in a statement that its new projects will bring a "host of new, world-class tourism, cultural, business and residential facilities to Dubai".

Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: "We will be honoured and proud to play our part in the delivery of World Expo 2020, which will promote and celebrate innovation, creativity and cultural diversity while encouraging global co-operation to introduce effective solutions for the challenges facing society."

Among Nakheel's pipeline of projects is Deira Islands, a four-island, mixed-use waterfront development that will add more than 40km to Dubai's existing coastline and provide infrastructure for the development of dozens of hotels and resorts, serviced apartments, retail centres and individual homes.

The project will contribute significantly to the Government of Dubai's tourism strategy, with Nakheel offering special payment plans and incentives for hotels to develop on the islands, the developer said.

Nakheel itself will develop the whole of the south island, creating a unique creek side destination, it added, saying the island will include a night market in the style of an Arabic souk; a 250-room hotel; an amphitheatre for 30,000 people; and a marina that can accommodate large yachts. The island will also have a number of waterfront plots for hotels, resorts and serviced apartments.

The other three islands will feature hotels, resorts and residential, commercial and retail units. Nakheel will master plan and complete infrastructure work ready for third party development on each island.

Nakheel said it is also continuing to enhance its flagship project - Palm Jumeirah - with several new projects underway or in the pipeline including Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk; Palm West Beach; Nakheel Mall and Hotel; The Pointe and a number of residential units on the world-famous island.

* Nakheel no longer responds to media enquiries from Arabian Business, nor does it grant Arabian Business access to any of its media events or announcements.

Kuwait seen awarding $24bn contracts during 2014

Kuwait looks set to achieve a record breaking year in 2014 as far as contract awards are concerned, according to a report.

More than $24 billion in contracts could be awarded next year, double the value compared to the total this year.

Many of the opportunities will be found in Kuwait's oil and gas sector, with bids due to be submitted over the next three months for the two largest projects - the estimated $16bn Clean Fuels Project (CFP) and the $7bn Lower Fars heavy oil scheme.

"Oil and gas is not the only sector of interest. Kuwait is embarking on one of the region's most ambitious hospital expansion programmes as it seeks to double the number of beds over the next decade," said Edmund O' Sullivan, chairman, MEED Events, organisers of Kuwait Projects 2013.

Kuwait is also pushing development in education, with construction work ongoing on the $3bn-plus Sabah al-Salem new university campus.

Tenders are also expected to be issued soon for the long-awaited $3.2bn new Kuwait International Airport terminal, while there are long-term ambitions for a multi-billion-dollar rail and metro network.

Over the long-term, MEED said it sees a more robust projects market in Kuwait, with over $100 billion worth of contracts to be awarded and implemented over the next 10 years.

Kuwait's budget surplus fell to KD12.7bn ($44.8 billion) - equivalent to 24.7 percent of gross domestic product, still one of the highest levels in the world - for the fiscal year that ended in March. Its current account surplus stood at KD22.2bn in 2012.

The IMF has forecast Kuwait's fiscal surplus will come in at 27.4 percent of GDP in 2013/14 after 33.4 percent in 2012/13, higher than the finance ministry's estimates

Retail plan revealed in $5.5bn Doha Downtown project

Msheireb Downtown Doha, the flagship project of Msheireb Properties, will feature extensive retail outlets including a mall, its CEO said on Sunday.

The Galleria will comprise approximately 100 stores set across four levels of shopping and entertainment space.

Spanning approximately 48,000 square metres of gross leasable space, the Galleria will comprise an anchor supermarket on the lower ground floor, and a six screen cinema.

Sikkat Al Wadi, the development's largest pedestrian street, running the entire length of Downtown Doha will also provide a wide range of shopping options, including flagship stores in addition to fashion boutiques, restaurants, and cafes, a statement said.

Abdulla Hassan Al-Mehshadi, CEO at Msheireb Properties, said: "What sets the project's retail offering apart from traditional malls is that it will integrate well-known international brands with smaller local brands or boutiques which will provide an authentic town centre atmosphere whilst keeping alive unique Qatari characteristics, traditions and heritage.

"In this way we hope to offer a more personal and appealing shopping experience than the massive shopping malls that are everywhere across the Gulf."

The development will also host the region's largest shaded open-air square, Al Baraha - a family destination with restaurants and cafes featuring events and large scale shows, he added.

Msheireb broke ground on the $5.5bn Downtown Doha project in 2010, with development set to be completed in four phases. Phase two of the project was awarded last year to Dubai builder Arabtec, while phase one went to Brookfield Multiplex Medgulf.

When complete in 2016, the 31-hectare site will include more than 100 buildings offering housing, workspace, cultural and community facilities, while preserving key heritage buildings.

Photographer wins $1.2m from media firms that took pics off Twitter

(Photo for illustrative purpose only)

A federal jury on Friday ordered two media companies to pay $1.2m to a freelance photojournalist for their unauthorised use of photographs he posted to Twitter.

The jury found that Agence France-Presse and Getty Images wilfully violated the Copyright Act when they used photos Daniel Morel took in his native Haiti after the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 250,000 people, Morel's lawyer, Joseph Baio, said.

The case is one of the first to address how images that individuals make available to the public through social media can be used by third parties for commercial purposes.

"We believe that this is the first time that these defendants or any other major digital licensor of photography have been found liable for wilful violations of the Copyright Act," Baio said in an email.

Lawyers for AFP and Getty did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

US District Judge Alison Nathan, who presided over the trial, had ruled in January that the two companies were liable for infringement.

An editor at AFP discovered Morel's photos through another Twitter user's account and provided them to Getty. The photos were then widely disseminated to Getty's clients, including several television networks and the Washington Post.

The trial was held solely to determine the amount of damages for Morel, based on whether the jury found that AFP and Getty wilfully infringed on Morel's copyrights.

The $1.2m was the maximum statutory penalty available under the Copyright Act, Baio said. AFP had asked for the award to be set at $120,000.

Several news outlets that published Morel's images previously settled with the photographer for undisclosed amounts, including the Washington Post, CBS, ABC and CNN.

During the trial, Marcia Paul, a lawyer for Getty, said Morel was asking the jury "to make him the best paid news photographer on the planet."

Joshua Kaufman, a lawyer for AFP, blamed the infringement on an innocent mistake and said the Twitter user who posted Morel's photos without attribution bore responsibility for the error. The AFP editor, Kaufman said, believed the pictures were posted for public distribution.

AFP filed the lawsuit in 2010 against Morel, seeking a declaration that it had not infringed on his copyrights, after Morel accused it of improper use. Morel then filed his own counterclaims.

AFP had initially argued that Twitter's terms of service permitted the use of the photos. But Nathan found in January that the company's policies allowed posting and "retweeting" of images but did not grant the right to use them commercially.

Etisalat said to stall $800m Pakistan payment

Etisalat has told Pakistan it will not the pay the $800 million it owes the government from buying a stake in the country's state telecom operator until a property dispute is entirely resolved, two senior finance ministry sources said.

The money owed, which dates back to last decade, would provide vital funds for Pakistan's cash-strapped government, but Etisalat will not pay up until affiliate PakistanTelecommunication Co Ltd (PTCL) receives ownership of the final 10 properties out of about 3,000 it is due, the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Etisalat, the United Arab Emirates' top telecom company, did not respond to requests for comment. PTCL's chief executive Walid Irshaid could not be reached for comment.

An Etisalat consortium bought a 26-percent stake in PTCL for $2.6 billion in 2005 that also gave Etisalat majority voting rights.

The UAE firm paid an initial 6.6 billion dirhams ($1.80 billion) as per the deal terms, which also included transferring ownership of the properties to PTCL from the government.

Etisalat was to pay the remaining $800 million it owed in six twice-yearly installments of $133 million, but has withheld payment as the transfer of some of these properties stalled.

The dispute continues while PTCL's mobile unit Ufone, the country's No.3 operator, waits to hear if its bid for smaller rival Warid has succeeded.

The UAE firm has been working with various ministries including those for finance and privatisation since July to resolve the dispute, the two sources said.

The government had hoped to reach a final agreement by November-end, but this was now unlikely.

"It is being carried out on a fast track basis and being followed up at the highest level," said one source.

PTCL's current market value is $858 million, according to Reuters data, a little more than what Etisalat owes the government.

Etisalat owned 90 percent of the acquiring consortium, giving it a 23.4 percent stake in PTCL. The consortium's bid was $1.2 billion more than the next highest offer and Etisalat took an impairment of 2.37 billion dirhams on PTCL in 2012.

Profits at PTCL, which is majority government-owned, have slumped since Etisalat took management control and the sector was opened up for more competition.

In the financial year ending June 30, 2005, the Pakistani operator made a net profit of 27.3 billion rupees ($257.78 million), according to Reuters data, but seven years later its annual profit was 11.4 billion rupees.

Ufone had 24.8 million subscribers as of Sept. 30, giving it a market share of 19 percent, data from Pakistan's telecom regulator shows.

Etisalat rapped over bid to block du's ad campaign

The UAE’s telecoms regulator has issued a ruling against Etisalat for blocking a campaign run by competitor du to highlight the ability of customers to change mobile operators without having to amend their telephone number.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said that it had instructed Etisalat to remove a block on a short code number last Thursday (22 November), but that the telco had failed to do so, resulting in a violation decision being issued against Etisalat by the regulator.

In October, the TRA said that long-delayed plans for mobile number portability (MNP) would be introduced by December.

To highlight the announcement, du has been running a media campaign that invites consumers to send an SMS to a short code number. Consumers who sent the message would then receive an SMS from du containing information relating to MNP.

“It came to the TRA’s attention that the Short Code 3553 had been blocked by Etisalat,” the TRA said, in a statement issued on Monday. “This meant that Etisalat mobile subscribers who sent a message to the short code did not receive a response from du.  It is understood that this block has been in effect since around 21 November 2013.”

In a separate statement, du called Etisalat's action "an unfortunate turn of events", adding: "We are pleased to inform UAE residents that the SMS short code has been now restored by Etisalat following the TRA’s intervention."

The TRA initially aimed to introduce mobile phone number portability back in mid-2008, but it and the country’s operators have missed numerous deadlines in the years since.

In July this year, Etisalat and du failed to agree on a deal that would allow them to compete on fixed line services after more than four years of negotiations.

The providers, which are both majority owned by government entities, offer fixed-line, broadband and television packages, but in different territories within the UAE.

According to the TRA, mobile phone penetration in the UAE is one of the highest in the world, at over 200 percent.

UAE firm brings salmon farming to Abu Dhabi desert

(Photo for illustrative purposes only)

After golf courses in the desert and a ski slope in a shopping mall, the UAE is now turning its hand to farming cold water fish such as salmon.

That's the goal of one Abu Dhabi company which plans to farm the fish in chilled onshore pools at prices that can compete with imports flown in from Norway or Ireland.

Asmak, which already runs offshore fish farms, is harnessing technology honed in Scandinavia to set up the Middle East's first onshore fish farm in a bid to provide affordable alternatives to popular local fish such as grouper.

"Within six to eight months you will be able to eat salmon that is locally produced here," Tamer Yousef, its marketing and business development manager, told Reuters in an interview.

While Gulf companies are used to taking on the elements for projects such as golf courses and even an indoor ski slope in Dubai, Asmak's plans pose a new challenge - keeping water at a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius in a region where sea water temperatures can go up to 40 degrees.

The project, with a price tag of 100 million dirhams ($27.2 million), involved building what is dubbed a land-based recirculation aquaculture system (RSA) farm on an area of 500,000 square metres, which essentially takes sea water, chills it and then re-uses it.

"The advantage of having the farm onshore is that I will be able to control the environment so I won't have to deal with issues like high tides or acid rain effects and most importantly the elevated temperature levels," Yousef said.

While fish farming typically relies on tanks built offshore, this new onshore farming technique has been making headway in Europe and North America as it causes less harm to wild fish since there is no likelihood of spreading diseases into the sea or of farmed fish escaping into the wild.

And while some critics see the new technology as too expensive, Yousef believes the project makes financial sense.

"Even when you factor in the cost of keeping the tanks cooled, the price of locally produced salmon will be competitive with the imported salmon now available in the market," he said.

Salmon available in local markets now is flown in chilled at temperatures between -5 degrees and 0 degrees Celsius. The cost of flying the salmon from mostly Norway and Ireland is around $4 to $5 per kilogram.

Experts from these two countries will work closely with a team of local fishermen to constantly update them on international practices, Yousef said.

Still, although local salmon is set to be on the menu in a few months' time, it will take longer for the project to produce salmon of a size that would generate large revenues.

"We need at least two years to be able to harvest a salmon that is around 4 kilograms in size, which is the size that would bring the highest revenues," Yousef said.

Asmak exports its fish to over 40 countries and has offshore fish tanks across the coasts of the region in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman.

Hamour, the name given to the widely fished grouper of the Gulf region, will not be completely left off the table though.

The onshore farm, which will produce around 4,000 tonnes of fish a year, will also include Hamour, sea-bream and other varieties.

Saudi Aramco denies suffering another cyber attack

Saudi state oil company Saudi Aramco said it had shut some of its computers for an upgrade and denied it had suffered a cyber attack similar to one it experienced last year.

Posts earlier on the Twitter social network said some or all of Aramco's computers were down, possibly because of a cyber attack.

"Saudi Aramco confirms its electronic network is completely safe and speculations of an electronic breach are completely untrue and we point out that the shutdown that took place is a temporary shutdown of a limited number of personal computers at the company that was the result of an update of some electronic applications of the network," the company said.

In August 2012, Aramco suffered an attack on 30,000 computers, which Saudi Arabia said was aimed at stopping oil and gas output of the world's biggest crude exporter. It did not say who organised the attack, which had no impact on production.

Saudi's Mobily inks $650m Nokia, Ericsson deals

Saudi Arabia's Mobily has signed memorandum of understandings with Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson to fund the purchase of $650m of equipment from the firms, the telecom operator said on Sunday.

Mobily, also known as Etihad Etisalat, said it would work with the Finland and Sweden export credit agencies to finalise the 10-year sharia-compliant facilities.

The operator, an affiliate of the United Arab Emirates' Etisalat, said the deal would be the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia's telecom sector and would boost the company's free cash flow.

Mobily has mandated Credit Agricole and Deutsche Bank to structure and arrange the facility.

Saudi's Mobily extends talks in bid to buy Atheeb stake

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Saudi Arabia's second-biggest telecoms operator, Mobily, has extended talks with four shareholders in Etihad Atheeb until January 30 as it seeks to buy their stakes in the loss-making fixed-line operator.

If completed, it would give Mobily majority control of Atheeb and enable it to provide fixed-line services directly, helping it retain customers and draw new ones with bundled packages of Internet, television and phone calls.

In August, Mobily said wholly-owned subsidiary Bayanat al-Oula had signed a memorandum of understanding with four Atheeb shareholders - Atheeb Trading Co, Al Nahla Group, Traco Group for Trading and Contracting and Saudi Internet Co - to acquire a majority stake in Atheeb.

The memorandum set a November 30 deadline to get the necessary regulatory approvals and complete commercial, financial, technical and legal due diligence but this has now been pushed to January 30, according to a statement to Saudi Arabia's bourse.

Talks between the various parties are no longer exclusive, as per the terms of the amended memorandum, the statement said, a change requested by the Atheeb shareholders.

Mobile operator Mobily, also known as Etihad Etisalat and an affiliate of the United Arab Emirates' Etisalat, does not have a fixed-line licence and bought data provider Bayanat Al-Oula for SR1.5bn ($399.98 million) in 2008 to offer fixed-line Internet services.

Atheeb Trading Co holds a 16.4 percent stake in Etihad Atheeb, Al Nahla has 13.9 percent and Traco Group 5.9 percent.

Saudi Internet Co holds an undisclosed stake in the company, which is part of the 49 percent of Etihad Atheeb's shares that are publicly listed, according to data from Thomson Reuters company Zawya.

Bahrain Telecommunications Co (Batelco) also has a 15 percent stake in Atheeb, which made a loss of SR42.8m ($11.41 million) in the three months to Sept. 30 and has yet to make a quarterly profit since launching services in 2010.

The Bahraini firm has not stated whether its plans to sell its Atheeb holding. Batelco and Mobily did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Global energy giants back on Saudi oil, gas boom

Global energy service giants are banking on a boom in Saudi oil and gas drilling over the next few years to revive profits that are being squeezed by overcapacity in the North American market.

Schlumberger, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have all singled out Saudi Arabia as a major growth market for next year as they search the globe for better returns than the saturated U.S. and Canadian markets offer.

Dozens of offshore and onshore rigs are being lined up for drilling in Saudi Arabia in 2014, and service companies are expanding their Saudi operations to meet buoyant demand.

"We have a very close relationship with Saudi Aramco, and the plans that we see for next year are talking about 200 rigs," Gabriel Podskuba, area manager for the eastern hemisphere at steel pipe maker Tenaris SA, told analysts earlier this month.

Industry sources in the Gulf said at least 160 rigs are currently deployed in Saudi territory and that the world's top oil exporter plans to raise its rig count to 210 by the end of 2014. Aramco declined to comment.

Sources said earlier this year that Aramco was planning a sharp rise in rig use to look for unconventional gas, while increasing oil drilling to help keep its spare production capacity at comfortable levels.

The rigs will be used for exploration, development and maintenance work across the kingdom, the sources said. Aramco is also ramping up drilling in offshore oilfields such as Safaniyah, along with the Arabiyah and Hasbah offshore gas fields.

It is not clear where all the rigs will be deployed because Aramco has yet to issue the tenders.

Aramco is still appraising unconventional gas prospects in the southeast of the kingdom but has already announced plans for a shale-gas-fired power plant in the north.

To rebalance its crude supply mix and extend the lifespan of mature fields, Aramco also plans to increase light sour crude output from two fields - Shaybah and Khurais - by 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2016-2017.

The world's largest oil exporter has been pumping over 9 million bpd since early 2011 to make up for supply disruptions in other countries, and production has exceeded 10 million bpd since July, according to official government figures.

Under pressure to make up for supply losses from Libya, Iran, Nigeria and Yemen over the past few years and to meet growing domestic demand, Aramco is investing heavily to preserve the world's largest spare oil production capacity cushion at more than 2 million bpd.

Saudi Arabia is the only country able to produce much more oil than it needs to. The size of that capacity cushion, which helps dampen price volatility, is a frequent subject of speculation in the global oil market.

"In the past two years alone, we have swung our production by more than 1.5 million bpd in order to address market supply imbalances," Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Khalid al-Falih told the World Energy Congress in South Korea in mid-October.

Saudi government officials fear that very high oil prices could destroy long-term demand for their biggest export product. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi reiterated last month that the kingdom has an oil production capacity of 12.5 million bpd.

While Saudi Arabia is already a significant market for many oilfield services companies, the latest ramp-up in activity has caught the attention of the biggest players.

Baker Hughes Inc forecast an "exceptionally strong" year ahead for the Middle East, underpinned by new contracts from the Gulf OPEC heavyweight. It forecasts the international rig count overall to increase by 5 percent to average 1,300 rigs in 2013.

By contrast, it expects the US rig count to fall 9 percent from 2012 to 750 as the oil industry drills about 6 percent more wells per rig.

Halliburton Co. recently won a three-year contract to drill and complete new wells in an existing Saudi field, while rival Schlumberger Ltd. said last week it was transferring more people and equipment toSaudi Arabia to keep pace with the extra workload.

Last Wednesday, drilling contractor Nabors said it had been awarded deals to build 11 new rigs for deployment in the kingdom next year, increasing its Saudi fleet to 43 rigs.

In offshore drilling, Rowan, which already has nine rigs leased to Aramco, said last month it believed the Saudi offshore fleet would expand.

Rival Ensco Plc also announced that one of its rigs currently off the Indian coast would head to Saudi Arabia next year on a three-year job.

Roger Hunt, a veteran marketing executive at offshore contractor Noble Corp, said the industry should watch Aramco closely in the coming months, because it was in the market for contracts of up to 10 years for shallow-water rigs.

"That alone sends an interesting signal," Hunt said. "They have always been opportunistic consumers of rig time."

Solar plant opens new era in Oman energy industry

US-based company Astonfield and Omani Rural Areas Electricity Company has signed the first agreement to generate electricity from renewable energy resources in the Sultanate in what has been branded a turning point in the Sultanate’s energy industry.

Under the deal, Astonfield, in co-operation with local firm Multitech, will establish a pilot solar power plant in the state of Al Mazyunah in the Dhofar Governorate, the Times of Oman reported.

It will begin commercial operation in mid-2014 with a 303KW capacity.

The power purchase agreement has been described as a turning point in electricity generation in Oman.

Experts say Oman has one of the highest potentials for turning solar radiation into energy, with the pilot project set up to determine the specific advantages and challenges of operating in the Sultanate.

As part of the deal, Astonfield will install two different types of solar energy generation technologies to evaluate the best method for energy production.

The final form of the solar power plant will then be tailored to Oman's specific environment

Saudi utility inks $453m deal for Riyadh power plants

Saudi Electricity Co (SEC) signed two contracts worth around SR1.7bn ($453 million) with General Electric for maintenance of gas turbines at new power plants in Riyadh, SEC said on Sunday.

The deal, which would run for 25 years split between 8 basic years and 17 optional years, would cover maintenance work on the 12 gas units for the combined-cycle power plants, SEC said.

This follows a previous deal signed on Wednesday in which GE will supply SEC with 12 gas units and four steam turbines for the planned Riyadh Power Plant 13 (PP13) and PP14.

Each plant would have a capacity of between 1,600 and 1,950 megawatts, an industry source has said.

Petrofac says it has won $2.1bn Oman refinery deal

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Petrofac said a joint venture with South Korea's Daelim Industrial Co had won a $2.1 billion contract for a refinery project from Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (ORPIC).

The three-year contract includes engineering, procurement, construction, start-up and commissioning services at a refinery in the Sohar Industrial Area, 230 kilometres northwest of Muscat, Petrofac said on Monday.

The deal includes improvements at the existing facility and the addition of new refining units, it said.

Shares in Petrofac, which fell more than 15 percent last week after it gave a cautious two-year outlook, were up 2.3 percent at 1,218 pence at 0901 GMT, outperforming a 0.5 percent rise in the FTSE 100 index