08 January 2004	Thursday	15 Ziqa'ad 1424

LAHORE, Jan 7: The Punjab government has disallowed shifting of Islamic relics of the Badshahi Mosque to the Lahore Museum, ordering proper security measures for them.

This was decided in a meeting presided over by chief secretary Kamran Rasool here on Wednesday. Twenty seven relics have been exhibited in the historic mosque since 1883 and the plan to shift them to the museum was made after the theft of the slippers of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) last year.

It was decided to keep the relics in the mosque because of the interest of the people, as a large number visited the place only to see them. The meeting was informed that the security of the relics had been improved. Special locks had been imported for the caskets whose glass had been replaced with unbreakable plastic sheets.

The chief secretary directed the auqaf secretary to further enhance the security which would be evaluated after a month. He said a six-member committee comprising notables of the city would be formed for periodical inspection of the security and condition of the relics.

GAS SUPPLY: During another meeting with the chief secretary, officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) expressed their inability to immediately provide gas to the government and LDA housing schemes because of the lack of capacity.

They said the company was enhancing its capacity and would be able to provide gas to six LDA schemes by the end of June, 2005. The meeting was told that the LDA had already paid Rs125 million to the company for the provision of gas to Johar Town, Sabzazaar, Gujjarpura, Mohlanwal, Tajpura and Mustafa Town.

The provincial government had also deposited millions of rupees in the account of the company for the provision of the facility at its schemes all over the province.

The company officials said work in Johar Town and Gujjarpura was in progress and it would be started in Sabzazaar within a couple of weeks. The chief secretary asked them to prepare a schedule for the provision of gas to the localities so that the job could be completed within a stipulated time.