Shoaib asked Rs 3.5 cr for media rights

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik has reportedly demanded a whopping Rs 3.5 crore for the rights to cover his reception and 'walima' ceremony in his hometown Sialkot after his wedding to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

Shoaib asked his private security guards to keep the media away from both ceremonies as none of the TV news channels had agreed to cough up the huge amount demanded by the cricketer and any deal was not yet struck, 'Dunya News' channel reported.

The channel claimed it had obtained an invitation card for the 'walima' to be hosted by Shoaib in Lahore's Pearl Continental Hotel on April 27 by paying Rs 10,000 (about $125) to a relative of the cricketer.

On the other hand, the administration of Pearl Continental Hotel has asked journalists to leave the premises.

Dozens of reporters, especially those from TV news channels, have been thronging the hotel since the couple arrived there two days ago.

"The hotel administration took the step on behalf of Shoaib," journalist Hina Farooq claimed.

Shaoib has already requested the government of Punjab province to provide the couple and his guests from India "foolproof" security.

Shoaib and his brother-in-law Imran Zafar have criticised the media after Sania and her mother Nasima Mirza were jostled and pushed by an unruly crowd after reaching the Pearl Continental Hotel.

The incident brought tears to Sania's eyes.

"Please spare us," was the request from both Shoaib and Zafar.

"For God's sake, leave us alone. You are trying to fix cameras in our rooms," an angry Zafar shouted at the media.

Before leaving for Sialkot, Shoaib, Sania and her parents and relatives visited the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajvary Data Ganj Bakhsh and offered prayers.

Meanwhile, Sialkot district police chief Waqar Ahmed Chohan said an official order on serving only one dish at wedding receptions will be enforced in letter and spirit.

"We will not allow even Shaoib to violate the ban," he said.

The Punjab government introduced the one-dish rule for weddings and receptions last year as part of a series of austerity measures.

Situation in Haryana, Punjab limping back to normalcy

The situation in violence-hit parts of Punjab and Haryana was limping back to normalcy on Tuesday with para-military forces personnel conducting flag marches in sensitive areas following Saturday’s violence by supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh protesting against registration of a fresh murder case against him.

The situation in Punjab and Haryana was peaceful and under control, top police officers of the two States said here.

Security personnel conducted flag marches in areas of Baghapurana, Moga and its adjoining places in Punjab, officials said here.

Top police brass in the two States reviewed the security arrangements with officers of para-military forces and asked them to deal sternly with miscreants to ensure peace at all cost.

Tyres of a bus were burnt by miscreants late last night near the residence of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh in Punjab, police said adding timely intervention of security forces personnel saved the situation.

The paramilitary forces and contingents of policemen in the two states continued to maintain a tight vigil at the troubled spots where the followers of the Dera chief had set afire trains and buses and damaged public property, he said.

Dera rampage: Tension prevails in Punjab, Haryana

Tension on Sunday prevailed in various parts of Haryana and Punjab, hit by violence following filing of a fresh murder case against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, as authorities stepped up security measures to restore calm.

Four companies (nearly 400 personnel) of central paramilitary forces have reached Haryana for deployment in the violence-hit areas, including Fatehabad, Sirsa and Ambala, police officials said.

The situation in the affected areas in Punjab, including Moga, Bhatinda and Sangrur districts, was tense but under control, they said.

They said patrolling has been intensified while security has been beefed up at public places like railway stations, bus stations and shopping malls.

There was a report of fire in a bus early this morning in Panipat, though the police maintained that it was not related to the Dera violence.

Resenting the filing of a murder case against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the CBI, sect supporters last evening went on a rampage setting ablaze four trains and around 37 vehicles, including 27 buses, and vandalising property in several places in Punjab and Haryana.

Dera’s chief spokesman Aditya Insaan had said the sect followers were not behind the violence which erupted in Punjab and Haryana after the registration of the fresh case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Last week, the CBI had booked the Sacha Sauda chief for the murder of sect Manager Faqir Chand in 1991. Besides the sect head, four others were booked by the CBI in the case.

The sect head also faces three other cases including one of sexual exploitation and two of murder of another sect Manager and a Sirsa-based journalist.

The protesters yesterday set afire a compartment each of the Ferozepur-Ludhiana Sutlej Express, the Narwana-Kurukshetra train and two local trains after asking the passengers to disembark. They also vandalised railway property at Tapa, Moga and Kalaiyat in Punjab, he said.

The mobs had torched and damaged 37 vehicles, 27 of them buses, including an air—conditioned one, in Bathinda, Mansa, Talwandi Sabo, Bhagapurana and other places in Punjab and at Kaithal, Sirsa and Fatehabad in Haryana.

In Moga, the protesters had tried to set ablaze the District Administration Complex, housing among others the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP, prompting police to fire in the air to disperse them.

Shivraj Patil sworn in as Punjab Governor

Shivraj Vishwanath Patil was sworn-in as the Governor of Punjab on Friday in place of S. F. Rodrigues whose term had expired in November last year.

Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Moudgil administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Patil at Punjab Raj Bhawan here. He will also be the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his Deputy Sukhbir Badal, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia, Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda were among those present.

Mr. Patil was the Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha and also served in the Manmohan Singh cabinet as the Union Minister of Home Affairs.

He had resigned from the post of Home Minister on November 30, 2008 following widespread criticism after the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

Born on born on October 12, 1935 in Chakur village of Latur district of Maharashtra, Mr. Patil had studied in Osmania University, Hyderabad earning a graduate degree in Science. He studied Law at Bombay University.