20 January 2004 Tuesday 27 Ziqa'ad 1424 Soomro asked to take notice of ministers' absence ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The opposition in the Senate on Monday asked Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro to pass strictures against the ministers who were absent from the House proceedings despite having business on the agenda. ... SC urged to take notice of planes' diversion LAHORE, Jan 19: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the diversion of a couple of planes to prevent various opposition legislators from participating in the joint session of parliament addressed by Gen Musharraf. ... PML-N for NA session on scientists issue LAHORE, Jan 19: The PML-N would advise the ARD to requisition a session of the National Assembly to discuss the arrest of various scientists, a party leader said on Monday. ... Ponam calls moot to discuss 17th amendment KARACHI, Jan 19: The Pakistan Oppressed Nations' Movement (Ponam) has called an all-party conference in Islamabad for Feb 22 to deliberate on the 17th constitutional amendment and devise a strategy to safeguard the rights of small provinces. ... Bhutto World Foundation formed LAHORE, Jan 19: People's Party leaders Aslam Gurdaspuri and Rana Shaukat Mahmood on Monday announced the establishment of Bhutto World Foundation, a forum they said would acquaint the younger generation with the political philosophy of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. ... MMA split over NWFP situation LAHORE, Jan 19: Differences among the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal constituents are the major cause of rift in the NWFP where the dominant sect is damaging worship places of other sects, it is reliably learnt. ... MQM slams operation against its workers KARACHI, Jan 19: Mohajir Qaumi Movement has appealed to President Gen Musharraf and superior judiciary to take suo moto notice of unjustified operation against the party, demanding justice and restoration of the occupied party offices from the "terrorists" of Muttahida Qaumi Movement. ... Held Al Qaeda man identified KARACHI, Jan 19: One of the seven suspected Al Qaeda persons, arrested recently, was identified as Ameer Hussain Abdullah Al-Misri, an Egyptian national, the intelligence sources claimed on Monday. ... Police get remand of blast case suspect KARACHI, Jan 19: A worker of the outlawed group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who is suspected to be involved in the recent bombings near the offices of Pakistan Bible Society, was handed over to the police on Monday for interrogation in two separate cases. ... LHC moved for release of Qadeer's assistant ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, was approached on Monday by the wife of Islamul Haq, principle staff officer to nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, for the release of her husband from the custody of the Inter-Services Intelligence. ... Scientists' relatives show up at FO ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Family members of two of the five senior officials of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) picked up from their residences on Saturday night by anonymous security agencies made a surprise appearance at the Foreign Office here on Monday ... Lawyers threaten to go on strike on 23rd: Scientists' arrest LAHORE, Jan 19: Lawyers will observe a country-wide strike on Jan 23 to protest the arrest and interrogation of nuclear scientists. ... Musharraf's Turkey visit to boost defence ties ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf's visit to Turkey on Tuesday at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet promises to boost anti-terrorism and defence cooperation between the two countries, foreign ministry and military officials say. ... Search for Shahani remains fruitless PESHAWAR, Jan 19: The scope of operation to trace Punjab's missing minister for sports and culture Naeemullah Shahani has been extended to the entire Waziristan tribal region ... WB to give Rs3bn to NWFP for infrastructure plans PESHAWAR, Jan 19: The NWFP government and the World Bank would shortly sign an agreement under which the latter would provide Rs3.1 billion to the province for the implementation of the second phase of the Community Infrastructure Project (CIP-II). ... Environmental Improvement Project ADB extends deadline for technical survey RAWALPINDI, Jan 19: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended the deadline of an ongoing technical survey being conducted by a state-run engineering and consultative organization, Nespak ... 'No major policy changes required to meet WTO challenges' RAWALPINDI, Jan 19: Pakistan will not have to make major changes in its policies to meet the challenges after implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) regime. ... Departments told to avoid non-ADP schemes PESHAWAR, Jan 19: The provincial departments have been instructed not to consider new development schemes not covered under the present Annual Development Programme during the current financial year, officials said here on Monday. ... NCHD to set up 16 IT training centres ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), with Rs15 million financial assistance of Microsoft International, will set up 16 community technology and capacity- building centres at as many under-developed districts all across the country. ... Bosnian envoy, IT firm chief meet Soomro ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The president of Microsoft Corporation, Emre Berkin, said the Pakistan government had created an investment- friendly environment in the country for the foreign investors. ... Varsities to have new tele-engg curriculum ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has started preparation of a new curriculum of Telecommunication Engineering for graduate and post-graduate level in the public sector universities. ... Pakistan may attain 6pc growth rate: IMF official LAHORE, Jan 19: Pakistan is heading for higher growth rate because of the macro-economic stability brought about by the wide range of economic and structural reforms introduced over the past few years. ... Land cannot be de-acquired: SC ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The Supreme Court on Monday accepted seven appeals filed by Dewan Salman Fibres and its allied companies regarding a land dispute in the NWFP, suspending the Peshawar High Court's decision in this regard passed on Nov 10, 1997. ... 'Tawana Pakistan working in 650 girl schools' ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Tawana Pakistan Programme is successfully working in about 650 schools to improve educational as well as nutritional status of girls in poverty-ridden areas ... Prices of 250 USC items reduced ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Prices of 250 items available in the Utility Stores Corporation have been reduced between one and 17 per cent with immediate effect, says Minister for Industries and Production Liaqat Ali Khan Jatoi. ... A Boeing 777 to join PIA fleet next month KARACHI, Jan 19: The first of the eight Boeing 777 aircraft, which the Pakistan International Airlines is buying, will join its fleet on Feb 15. The delivery of the second such aircraft is expected to be made in the first week of March. ... International Customs Day on 26th KARACHI, Jan 19: The Pakistan Customs will celebrate International Customs Day on Jan 26 - the day on which the first session of the Customs Cooperation Council, now known as World Customs Organization (WCO), was held in 1953 at Brussles. ... Drive against polio launched KARACHI, Jan 19: The 42nd round of anti-polio campaign was opened by representatives of international agencies and Sindh's health department here on Monday. A walk was also held near the Government Dispensary Sultanabad to mark the occasion. ...

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