22 February 2004 Sunday 01 Muharram 1425 Nation urged to shun sectarianism ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has asked the nation to shun sectarianism and adopt the principles of tolerance and harmony for the prosperity of the country. ... PML factions to sort out legal issues ISLAMABAD Feb 21: The organising committee for the unification of the five PMLs plus the Imtiaz Sheikh faction of Sindh Democratic Alliance (SDA) will meet in Lahore on Sunday to sort out legal ... PPP rejects MQM's allegations KARACHI, Feb 21: The Pakistan Peoples Party has rejected the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's allegations that it did nothing for the betterment of people of Sindh ... JUI-S may part ways with MMA PESHAWAR, Feb 21: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Samiul Haq) has called upon the Speaker National Assembly not to count its three party members in the Parliament with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal while electing the leader of the opposition for the Lower House. ... Benazir Bhutto condemns baton-charge on PPP men ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned police firing and baton-charge on a procession of PPP activists in Azad Kashmir on Friday. ... By-poll for NA-190 on April 12 ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan on Saturday announced by-election in NA-190, Bahawalnagar-III, on April 12 ... JSQM continues hunger strike: Disputed water projects DADU, Feb 21: Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz activists continued hunger strike across Sindh on Saturday in support of their colleagues observing a hunger strike unto death in Karachi against the construction of Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal. ... Altaf proposes US-style federation KARACHI, Feb 21: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has said that provinces should be given the status of 'states' as is the case in the United States. The federal government, he added, should retain defence, currency and foreign policy only. ... Ulema urged to help prevent religious discord KARACHI, Feb 21: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar has said that Muharram-ul-Haram is equally sacred for all Muslims during which there should be demonstration of religious harmony, understanding, unity and brotherhood. ... Pervaiz urges ulema to promote harmony LAHORE, Feb 21: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday urged ulema of all schools of thought to promote religious harmony and eradicate sectarianism from the country. ... Govt asked to maintain law and order in Muharram RAWALPINDI, Feb 21: The government should implement the Anti-Terrorism Act in letter and spirit and maintain law and order in the country during Muharram. ... Political school for women councillors to be opened LAHORE, Feb 21: President Gen Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the political school for women councillors and address their national convention at Islamabad on March 20. ... Jamali urges Nazims, MPs to bury the hatchet: Mass wedding of 100 couples held OKARA, Feb 21: Lending support to the local government system, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday asked Nazims and parliamentarians to set aside their election rivalries and join hands to solve public problems. ... Mangla Dam raising to start on schedule ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: Mangla Dam raising project, costing about Rs63 billion, will begin on schedule from May 2004 after completion of all necessary requirements, says Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao. ... Interest rate will be cut: Shaukat - Provinces' loan PESHAWAR, Feb 21: The Federal government would revise the rate of interest on loans it extended to the provinces in the next year's budget in fulfilment of the provinces demand. ... Govt policies result in progress: Sherpao PESHAWAR, Feb 21: Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Sherpao has said that prudent policies of President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali have put the country on the development track. ... Front portion of Tasman wreck removed KARACHI, Feb 21: After some cutting work on its lower parts, the front portion of the grounded and broken oil tanker, Tasman Spirit, was finally removed from the Karachi Port Trust channel on Saturday for its onwards journey to Gadani. ... Islamabad, Tehran, Kabul agree to control smuggling PESHAWAR, Feb 21: Federal finance minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have agreed to mutual cooperation to control the growing menace of smuggling and take stringent measures to help their economies grow in the right direction. ... Branches imported for olive grafting PESHAWAR, Feb 21: The Pakistan Oilseed Development Board has purchased olive branches worth Rs1 million from Afghanistan which will be grafted into wild olive plants in the NWFP and Punjab's Potohar region to make them produce oil, sources told Dawn. ... 4,861 reserved seats for women lying vacant in local govts ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: As many as 4,861 seats out of a total of 36,066 seats (both general and peasant-worker) reserved for women are lying vacant in different tiers of the local government ... CBR officials asked not to harass taxpayers ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Justice (retired) Saleem Akhtar has asked the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to direct the tax officials not to harass the taxpayers. ... Govt, Unido to work for industrial development ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The government will work with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido) to prepare technology for rapid industrialization and development of the country. ... ADB asks civic agencies to strengthen working RAWALPINDI, Feb 21: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has demanded of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) ... Suspects won't be handed over to US: ISPR ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The government said on Saturday that it would not hand over to the United States those arrested in the country. ... India-Pakistan formation commanders meeting held NEW DELHI, Feb 21: Indian and Pakistani formation commanders held a flag meeting near Chorbat La in Kargil sector to discuss some local issues, army officials were quoted as saying by media on Saturday. ... Data on Khokhrapar route sought KARACHI, Feb 21: Sindh government has started preparations for opening the Khokhrapar route for the visitors from both sides of Pakistan-India border. ... Talks on Kashmir proposed THATTA, Feb 21: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad has said relations with India are improving and stressed the need for a dialogue on the contentious issues. ... Maleeha meets Archbishop of Canterbury LONDON, Feb 21: Pakistan's High Commissioner to UK Dr Maleeha Lodhi called on the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams here on Thursday and they agreed on the need to intensify and broaden the dialogue between civilizations. ... New UNHCR representative arrives ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The new representative for the UN's refugee agency in Pakistan, Guenet Geubre-Christos, arrived to here ahead of the beginning of the 2004 voluntary repatriation programme for Afghan refugees. ... Infected water termed possible cause of avian influenza KARACHI, Feb 21: The recent outbreak of avian influenza among chickens might have been caused by the supply of infected water to the poultry farms in and around Karachi. ... Amendments to Pharmacy Act to be made soon KARACHI, Feb 21: Amendments to the Pharmacy Act of 1967 will be formulated and finalized within three months following deliberations during the meetings of a committee that will be formed especially for this purpose. ... Customs, excise officers promoted ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: The government has notified promotion of five officers of the customs and excise group to the next grade permanently while 27 have been promoted on acting charge basis. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2004