15 January 2004 Thursday 22 Ziqa'ad 1424 Rashid asked to make public Nawaz exile accord ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The central information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Mohammed Siddiqul Farooque, has challenged the federal minister for information, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, to produce in public the "so-called agreement on Nawaz Sharif's exile." ... No room for renegades in party, says Jahangir ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The secretary-general of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Jahangir Badr, has said there is no chance for any member of the Patriots group being welcomed back into the party. ... Saarc Summit to bring peace to region: PM ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said the recently concluded 12th Saarc Summit will lead to peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia. ... HR wing in interior ministry soon ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The government has decided to form a human rights wing in the interior ministry to deal with human rights issues, Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat said. ... Mansoor challenges conviction KARACHI, Jan 14: Former navy chief Mansoorul Haq on Wednesday challenged his conviction by an accountability court in a reference involving purchase of ships for the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation. ... SC to hold full court references for judges ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The Supreme Court has decided to revive the tradition of holding full court references for the retiring judges where the lawyers are given opportunity to speak out their mind. ... Punjab police have nothing to do with missing of minister: IG RAWALPINDI, Jan 14: Inspector-general of police (IGP) Syed Masood Ahmed Shah said here on Wednesday that the Punjab police had nothing to do with the missing of sports and culture minister Naeemullah Shahani as the incident had occurred in the NWFP. ... JSQM, Jalal disagree on holding joint moot HYDERABAD Jan 14: Talks between the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and the heirs of G.M. Syed on holding a joint public meeting on Jan 17 in Sann to celebrate his birth centenary failed in Sann on Tuesday. ... UNDP initiates HRD, species' protection projects ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday initiated two projects worth $3.1 million in collaboration with the Pakistan government for human resource development and species' protection in Balochistan. ... ADB offers help for road links with India ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has offered Pakistan and India its assistance to develop their interconnection road infrastructure, border processing facilities and exchange of energy resources as part of its sub-regional financing strategy. ... Task force on poverty seeks assurance on funds ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The prime minister's task force on poverty reduction and employment generation is likely to recommend to the government to ensure the national accounts clearly reflected the diversion of 10 per cent of proceeds from privatization to poverty reduction programmes. ... LRBT gets Rs0.7m from UK KARACHI, Jan 14: The British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, David Pearey, has lauded the Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT) for its 'noble cause' of providing free and comprehensive start-of-art eye care to the poor and destitute. ... Resources being used fairly: CM LAHORE, Jan 14: The Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive programme of reforms in health, education and other sectors to increase the literacy rate and improve the living standards of people. ... Govt's IT university plan in limbo LAHORE, Jan 14: The Punjab government's plan to set up an information technology university is in the doldrums following the withdrawal of offer by the science and technology ministry to hand over its COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) to the province. ... US to help improve Balochistan schools QUETTA, Jan 14: United States Ambassador to Pakistan Nancy Powell has said that under the USAID programme her country will provide assistance for improvement in the schools of the four districts of Balochistan. ... 700 more teachers being sent abroad: Zobaida ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The education ministry will soon send as many as 700 more teachers to the developed countries for training, Education Minister Zobaida Jalal said. ... WTO regime not to help manufacturers FAISALABAD, Jan 14: Manufacturers will be the main losers in the new World Trade Order regime. The WTO is dominantly a commercial trade related agreement hinging on trade aspects of the international business and not manufacturing exporters. ... Neelum valley returns to normality AUTHMUQAM, Jan 14: With the silence of guns along the Line of Control (LoC) after the ceasefire, reconstruction work is picking up and normal life is returning fast with the resumption of transportation service on the Neelum road ... Labour laws, policies need review: speakers ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The existing charter of duties of the ministry of labour and manpower needs to be reviewed through a consultative process to make it worker-friendly. ... Hearing of APNS plea adjourned ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing of an All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) petition challenging the constitution of the Wage Board till last week of January. ... UNHCR sacks 160 workers amid budget reduction PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has sacked its 160 staffers in Pakistan amid a budgetary cut, officials said. ... Body formed to improve nursing education ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan on Wednesday announced setting up of a committee to consider long-term reform measures, especially to improve nursing education. ... Sea intrusion devastating Indus Delta KARACHI, Jan 14: Sea intrusion is affecting the ecosystem, making agricultural lands barren, contaminating aquifers and causing degradation of land and water resources, which has seriously affected fishing and agriculture sectors ... Gold-enriched copper deposit found ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Pakistan has found substantial gold-enriched copper porphyry outside the already known mineral reserves, which could rank its undeveloped Reko Diq Copper-Gold Project in Balochistan as one of the largest copper resources in the world. ...

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