November 4, 2001	Sunday	Shaba’an 17, 1422

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SARGODHA, Nov 3: Director-general immigration and passport has enforced a revised policy regarding issuance of passports.

The duration of preparation and delivery of a passport has been reduced to 10 days from 15 on ordinary fee throughout the country while passports on urgent basis will be delivered within 24 hours.

This was disclosed by Sargodha regional passport office head Muhammad Iqbal Shahid Warriach while talking to newsmen here on Saturday.

He said duration of passport delivery would further be reduced to eight days by the efforts of Immigration and Passport director-general Khalid Saeed Haroon.

He maintained his office had been renovated with a new reception counter and furniture provided to facilitate the passport seekers.

He said he had directed the officials concerned to ensure maximum facilities to the people desirous of achieving passport.

PRICE HIKE: A number of shopkeepers and black marketeers have not only increased the prices of essential commodities but also withheld the supply to be sold in the open market just before Ramazan.

The survey conducted by the correspondent revealed that sugar dealers had increased the price of 50kg-bag from Rs970 to Rs1,070. Similarly, the price of ‘atta’ bag had been increased by Rs7 per bag of 20kg.

Price of grain flour has been increased from Rs32 to Rs38 per kg within a couple of days while the price of white gram to Rs38 from Rs33 per kg.

The date is yet to be brought to the market for sale.

The prices of these commodities were still expected to rise as there was no check under the new system, it was learnt.

WHEEL JAM: Transportershave unanimously decided that they will not participate in the wheel-jam strike on Nov 9.

They made this assurance in a meeting which was attended by district Nazim Malik Amjad Ali Noon, in charge of district supporting team Col Farooq Ashraf, Sargodha SSP Dr Arif Mushtaq, tehsil Nazim Tasneem Ahmad Qureshi and others.

The representatives said they took the decision to maintain peace in the country and urged the government to provide complete security to them.

Meanwhile, Nazim and SSP assured them that no body would be allowed to work against peace and extremists would be dealt with iron fist.