06 March 2004 Saturday 14 Muharram 1425 More powers for provinces sought ISLAMABAD, March 5: Renowned jurist senator S.M. Zafar of the ruling PML-Q on Friday asked the government to give more responsibilities to the provinces by reviewing the Constitution's Concurrent List ... Five PML groups, SDA unify this month LAHORE, March 5: The unification of five factions of the PML and the Sindh Democratic Alliance will be completed by the end of the current month, a senior leader involved in the process said on Friday. ... Nominations for by-election BAHAWALPUR, March 5: A large number of candidates filed their nomination papers on Friday to contest by-polls on 102 vacant seats of union council nazims, naib nazims, general and reserved seats of councillors ... Straw didn't focus on nuclear proliferation: FO ISLAMABAD, March 5: A Foreign Office spokesman on Friday dispelled the impression created by a section of the press that the visit of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was primarily about non-proliferation. ... HRCP lashes out at political parties LAHORE, March 5: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned mainstream political parties for their reported agreement to disallow women to vote in local body elections in upper and lower Dir. ... 10 nominated in Quetta killings QUETTA, March 5: The Shia Conference of Balochistan and the people of the Hazara tribe, including heirs of the Quetta killings victims, jointly lodged a report on Friday with the City police station ... Rs1.2bn to be given to capital police ISLAMABAD, March 5: The annual budget of the capital police is being increased by about 100 per cent to improve their performance in providing better security to the president, prime minister, foreign dignitaories ... Extradition treaty to be signed with UK in April ISLAMABAD, March 5: Pakistan and the United Kingdom will shortly sign extradition treaty for exchange of people wanted in criminal and money laundering cases and related information, secretary interior Tasneem Noorani told Dawn on Friday. ... Rs185bn recovered, says NAB ISLAMABAD, March 5: The National Accountability Bureau has so far recovered Rs185 billion through plea-bargain and other deals, the NAB chairman Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez said in a statement issued here on Thursday. ... Sikandar, Attique told to patch up MUZAFFARABAD, March 5: Polarization in the Muslim Conference persisted on Friday but there were signals that it could wind down in a couple of days in the wake of repeated 'advice' by the powers ... Trade with Kabul to boost econom - Governor sees benefits for NWFP PESHAWAR, March 5: Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has stressed the need for boosting land route trade with Afghanistan, saying that the trade between the two countries through the land route is booming and will soon cross one billion rupees. ... Pakistan calls for efforts to eliminate terrorism UNITED NATIONS, March 5: Pakistan on Thursday called on the international community to address the root causes of terrorism, including "conflict, poverty, occupation and extremism." ... CJ may give six names for posts of judges LAHORE, March 5: The chief justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry, is likely to submit to the Punjab governor six names for the posts of judges. ... Pakistan, India urged to ease visa curbs LAHORE, March 5: Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) President Balbir S Mayal has said the governments of Pakistan and India should ease visa restrictions to boost travel and tourism, which will ultimately strengthen their economies. ... Sikandar Malhi passes away LAHORE, March 5: Sikandar Malhi, one of the founder members the PML-Q, died of cancer at his Gulberg residence on Friday. He was 62. ... Tasman's aft section being removed today KARACHI, March 5: The aft section of the broken oil tanker Tasman Spirit would be removed from the KPT channel on Saturday for its removal to Gadani, said a maritime source. ... Turkish ambassador for people-to-people contact ISLAMABAD, March 5: Turkey wants close people-to-people contacts between Islamabad and Ankara with the establishment of direct airlinks between the two capitals as a first priority. ... German govt invites women activists ISLAMABAD, March 5: As many as six Pakistani women activists have been invited to Germany under the official visitors programme of the German government and its parliament. ... Straw visits madressah PESHAWAR, March 5: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw visited a religious seminary, or madressah, here on Friday. ... Powell to visit India, Pakistan WASHINGTON, March 5: United States Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Pakistan, India and Afghanistan begining from March 15-16, State Department announced on Friday. ... PTA issues 80 licences in one year ISLAMABAD, March 5: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued 80 licenses for different value added services and collected Rs474 million on account of annual fee and royalty during financial year 2002-03. ... Petition filed against Pemra KARACHI, March 5: Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt) Limited have filed a constitutional petition against the Federation of Pakistan and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) before the Sindh High Court ...

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