27 February 2004 Friday 06 Muharram 1425 Opposition criticizes Senate's performance ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The senators belonging to opposition Democratic Alliance have expressed their dissatisfaction over the one-year performance of the Senate ... Second phase of ARD campaign in March ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) will launch the second phase of "Remove Musharraf Campaign" in the second week of March, sources said here on Wednesday. ... Politicians urged not to exploit issues ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali said on Thursday that the politicians living in exile are trying to get extra mileage from the sensitive national issues. ... ARD to set date for return of ex-PMs SAHIWAL, Feb 26: Punjab PML-N president Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, secretary-general MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq and women wing leader MNA Memona Hashmi have said that a date for the return of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif ... 'Bring Benazir' drive from next month LAHORE, Feb 26: The Punjab PPP has announced a "Remove Musharraf-Bring Benazir" drive from next month. At a meeting of party officials here on Thursday, provincial PPP president Qasim Zia said protest camps would be set up in all divisions one by one to mobilize party workers. ... Benazir, Altaf take govt to task over Gadap tragedy: Leaders attend girls' Soyem KARACHI, Feb 26: Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Benazir Bhutto, has deplored the brutal murder of two minor girls in Gadap and termed it a failure on the part of the authorities to protect the people's lives. ... MMA asked to move bill on student unions KARACHI, Feb 26: Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Muzzaffar Hussain Shah has regretted that irrelevant issues are raised and debated much of the time the House is in session ... PML-N decries govt's 'anti-people' policies ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Pakistan Muslim League-N Information Secretary Mohammad Siddiqul Farooque on Thursday said price hike, unemployment, lawlessness, increase in suicide incidents and shortage of flour in the country had exposed the poor policies of the government. ... SC judges' strength being reduced: PPP ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has sent a letter to Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui apprising him of the "government's efforts" to reduce the strength of the Supreme Court judges. ... Notice issued on Omar's shifting to Punjab KARACHI, Feb 26: The Sindh High Court issued on Thursday a notice to the attorney-general in an application questioning the shifting of murder convict Ahmad Omar Shaikh from the Hyderabad jail to Punjab. ... Legal aspects of Hasba bill to be reviewed PESHAWAR, Feb 26: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani on Wednesday formed a committee to review the legal aspects of the Hasba bill and its status. In a meeting at the Frontier House ... Feudalism 'deprives' people of basic rights LAHORE, Feb 26: People cannot get their basic rights unless there exists the feudal system in the country. This was stated by Seraikistan Qaumi Inqilabi Party president Manzoor Bohar ... Apology from TV channel demanded KARACHI, Feb 26: A central leader of the Jafaria Alliance, Senator Allama Abbas Kumaili, on Thursday demanded an apology from a publishing house also owning a TV channel, for hurting religious sentiments of the Shia community. ... Militants seeking new sanctuaries: officials PESHAWAR, Feb 26: Foreign fugitive militants are visiting mosques in search of sanctuary and trying to shore up support by appealing to the conscience of the local tribesmen in the South Waziristan Agency, officials said on Thursday. ... Refugees' relocation from Fata planned PESHAWAR, Feb 26: The Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR) is looking for sites in the province to settle about 263,522 registered Afghan refugees to be relocated from tribal areas, officials said. ... Cooperation of elders sought: Arrest of foreigners KOHAT, Feb 26: After tightening security along the Afghan border, the authorities are seeking cooperation of elders to control inter-tribal movement of foreigners and militants as the operation against remnants of Al Qaeda enters its final phase. ... Jirga to be convened on Fata reforms PESHAWAR, Feb 26: The Fata Reforms Committee, a body of tribal reformers, has decided to organize a Tribal Loya Jirga in the last week of March to get itsrecommendations implemented. ... Rights abuses by Indian forces criticized MIRPUR, Feb 26: Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Commission Humayoon Zaman Mirza has condemned the continuing fencing of the Line of Control by India besides criticizing the recent increase in human rights abuse in the occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces. ... No pressure on Pakistan, India for talks: Grant LONDON, Feb 26: UK High Commissioner to Islamabad Mark Loyall Grant said Wednesday the initiative to begin dialogue to sort out differences including the Kashmir issue came from Pakistan and India and is not an outcome of the international pressure. ... Foolproof security for cricket match RAWALPINDI, Feb 26: The local administration has made foolproof security arrangements for the day-night cricket match between India and Pakistan scheduled to be played on March 16 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. ... LoC fencing denounced ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The representatives of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Azad Kashmir and Pakistan chapter on Thursday denounced the LoC fencing and demanded immediate end to it. ... CPNE body calls for adherence to rule KARACHI, Feb 26: The Sindh Committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors at its meeting here on Wednesday considered the issue of accreditation of correspondents and photographers by the Sindh Information Department for 2004 ... Second phase of water, sanitation project starts RAWALPINDI, Feb 26: The second phase of the Asian Development Bank-funded Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (CWSSP) has entered into its operational stage, official sources told Dawn on Thursday. ... 70 PhD scholars to go abroad for research ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has started a programme entitled "International Research Support Initiative" under which 70 PhD scholars from public-sector universities and degree-awarding institutions of Pakistan will be selected to conduct their research abroad. ... Pakistan's effort to eradicate extremism lauded ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The Council of Arab ambassadors to Pakistan in their meeting on Thursday appreciated the recent efforts by the governemt to eradicate extremism, terrorism and sectarianism. ... HEC unwilling to listen to teachers on MUO LAHORE, Feb 26: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman seems to have backed out of his offer to facilitate the Federation of All-Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) ... PS meets 33pc domestic needs, says Gen Qayyum ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Pakistan Steel (PS) is functioning at 97 per cent production capacity, meeting about 33 per cent of the domestic needs, said Chairman Lt-Gen (retired) Abdul Qayyum Khan on Thursday. ... PTCL okays Rs40m R&D project ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The Pakistan Telecommunications Company (PTCL) Research and Development Fund Committee on Thursday approved Rs40 million for Thematic Research Grants Programme in the current fiscal year. ... Educators leave for US ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: A selected group of district school administrators, educators and representatives of non-governmental organizations left for the US on Thursday to attend a two-month training programme funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). ... Indo-Pakistan theatre festival from March 7 LAHORE, Feb 26: The first-ever India-Pakistan theatre festival titled 'Zanani' is being organized here at the Alhamra Arts Centre from March 7 to 13. The festival is being arranged by the Ajoka Theatre on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. ...

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