24 March 2004 Wednesday 02 Safar 1425 KARACHI: Pakistan Day observed KARACHI, March 23: Pakistan Day was observed in the Sindh metropolis on Tuesday with traditional zeal and fervour and a resolve to make the country a strong, progressive, enlightened and moderate Muslim state. ... KARACHI: Quaid's niece, family members visit mazar KARACHI, March 23: Family members of the Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah living in Pakistan and India visited Quaid's mausoleum on Pakistan Day. They offered fateha and laid wreaths ... KARACHI: Maximum funds for rural uplift pledged KARACHI, March 23: Maximum funds are being provided for development projects in the province's rural areas, says Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar. He was speaking at a function organized by MPA Bano Saghir here. ... KARACHI: Training school for midwives opened KARACHI, March 23: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has said that a training course for midwives has been started for the first time in Karachi after which midwives of the city would be discharging their professional duties according to international standards. ... KARACHI: NCSW report on Hudood laws termed misleading KARACHI, March 23: Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (women's wing) chief Dr Farida Ahmad Siddiqui has said that the Hadood Ordinance has provided protection to women and as such it should not be repealed in any circumstances. ... KARACHI: Ulema slam move against religious text in books KARACHI, March 23: Sindh President of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Maulana Asadullah Bhutto has said that due to the government's certain measures, integrity and security of the country was facing a threat. ... KARACHI: Federal govt stops financing NGOs - Environment-related projects KARACHI, March 23: In view of the reservations made by the Sindh Environment Department, the federal government has stopped financing environment-related projects undertaken by some non-governmental organizations ... KARACHI: No respite from power failures KARACHI, March 23: Hundreds of power breakdowns occurred on Tuesday despite the fact that mercury came down to 36 degrees Centigrade from Monday's 38.5 degrees Centigrade. ... KARACHI: Infant victims of barbarism KARACHI, March 23: Collecting mutilated bodies of infants, killed in a variety of gruesome ways and at times eaten away by stray animals, from garbage dumps of the city is all in day's work for Edhi volunteers. ... KARACHI: KESC told to curb power fluctuations KARACHI, March 23: Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Waseem Akhtar has asked the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation to minimize the voltage fluctuations in the city. ... KARACHI: Govt employees to get homes on retirement KARACHI, March 23: The Sindh government has decided to provide housing facility to all government servants on their retirement and to purchase 272 flats from the Pakistan Housing Authority to overcome the housing problem faced by government officials. ... KARACHI: Boy found dead in manhole - Youth drowns KARACHI, March 23: Mohammad Rizwan, 18, drowned off Sonehra Beach, 26 kilometres from Hawkesbay, on Tuesday afternoon. He had come to the beach with his classmates and teachers from the Middle East Coaching Centre in Mahmoodabad, Block 6. ... KARACHI: City govt-KBCA issues being complicated KARACHI, March 23: Some people trying to give an impression that the Karachi Building Control Authority is defying orders by complicating issues between the authority and the city government, KBCA's chief Brig A.S. Nasir said on Tuesday. ... KARACHI: Car dealers occupy footpaths, roads KARACHI, March 23: Encroachers have grabbed almost entire space meant for pedestrians along the New M. A. Jinnah Road. Most of the encroachers appeared to be car dealers ... KARACHI: Census of educational institutions on 31st KARACHI, March 23: The department of Education and Literacy, Sindh, would conduct the annual census of schools on March 31, it is officially learnt. The major parameters of the census ... KARACHI: PPP criticizes unannounced load sheddings KARACHI, March 23: The Pakistan People's Party on Tuesday strongly condemned unannounced load sheddings in Sindh, including Karachi, and termed the government silence over the issue deplorable. ... FAISALABAD: Fireworks explosion leaves two dead FAISALABAD, March 23: Two people, including a woman, were killed while nine others, including five children, sustained injuries in a fireworks explosion in Makuana, about 20 kilometres from here on Faisalabad-Jaranwala Road, on Tuesday. ... ISLAMABAD: Kishwar, Sheema and Teena enthral audience ISLAMABAD, March 23: Three internationally-known ladies, gifted with the eloquence of expression, enthralled a big crowd in the vast hall of a local hotel late Monday night. ... SUKKUR: Four policemen arrested SUKKUR, March 23: Four police officials of the Ghauspur police station were arrested following the escape of two criminals from a lockup on Tuesday. ... LAHORE: 'Greater harmony' between provinces LAHORE, March 23: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Tuesday the government was striving for achieving the real objectives of the creation of Pakistan. ... PESHAWAR: Health Day on April 17 PESHAWAR, March 23: The World Health Organisation will observe April 17 as the World Health Day to raise public awareness regarding prevention of road accidents. ... PESHAWAR: Wapda bills to closed units being probed PESHAWAR, March 23: The provincial authorities concerned are investigating instances in which Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) charged for electricity 'supply' against some of the closed down development schemes, Dawn learnt on good authority. ... PESHAWAR: Dist govts fail to use KPP funds PESHAWAR, March 23: The provincial government has asked the district governments to ensure utilization of funds, provided under the Khushal-i-Pakistan Programme, by the end of June. ... PESHAWAR: Rs16bn needed to enhance literacy PESHAWAR, March 23: The NWFP government will need about Rs16 billion to raise the literacy rate by 50 per cent, from the existing level, by the year 2015 as part of its recently-formulated programme entitled "Education for All" (EFA). ... HYDERABAD: Banks asked to provide loans to growers HYDERABAD, March 23: State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussain has directed the agriculture advisory committees to visit all the district headquarters and hold meetings with bank representatives to ensure timely and smooth flow of financial credit to the agriculture sector. ... NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Police involved in drug peddling: DPSC NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, March 23: District Public Safety Commission chairman Mir Mohammad Solangi has alleged that the local police are involved in running drug dens and other crimes whereas the traffic police is also creating problems for the people. ... MITHI: Construction of dams in Parkar urged MITHI, March 23: Speakers at a seminar held here on Monday on the occasion of the World Water Day urged the government to construct dams on rain-fed rivulets of the Karoonjhar hills in Parkar. ... RAWALPINDI: 'Postal services being improved' RAWALPINDI, March 23: Necessary steps are being taken to provide better postal services to the people, said federal secretary communication Iftikhar Rashid during a visit to the Rawalpindi General Post Office (GPO). ... RAWALPINDI: New airport project put on back burner RAWALPINDI, March 23: The new airport project has been put on the back burner, as the government is in two minds about the mode of its construction, sources said. ... LANDI KOTAL: Protest demo held against action in tribal areas LANDI KOTAL, March 23: Political and religious organizations in Khyber Agency on Tuesday organized protest demonstrations against the on going operation in Wana, South Waziristan. ... LANDI KOTAL: Power outages annoy people in Khyber Agency LANDI KOTAL, March 23: Various areas in the tribal agency experience electrical problems, including load- shedding and low voltage, consumers complained on Tuesday. ... FAISALABAD: Traders call for taxes withdrawal FAISALABAD, March 23: Over two dozen trader bodies threatened on Tuesday to protest on roads if the district government and the tehsil municipal administration failed to withdraw various new taxes imposed on shopkeepers and cottage industries. ... SARGODHA: Free books Limited stocks in Sargodha schools SARGODHA, March 23: Under the Punjab government plan of distributing free books among all primary students, a limited stock has been made available to the district. ... VEHARI: Six killed in separate incidents VEHARI, March 23: Six people were killed in separate incidents in Mailsi and Khairpur Tamianwali during the last 24 hours. Four labourers - Zulfiqar, Rab Nawaz, Zahoor and Bashir - were working on a well in Mauza Qutabpur Wagi when its wall collapsed. ... BAHAWALPUR: No gas supply for six hours BAHAWALPUR, March 23: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company stopped the gas supply to thousands of consumers without any prior announcement on Tuesday. ... OKARA: Two perish in road accident OKARA, March 23: Two persons were run over and killed by a wagon at Amli Moti bus stop on the Deepalpur-Pakpattan Road on Tuesday. Reports said Muhammad Aslam and Muhammad Subhan were waiting for a transport when a Pakpattan-bound bus (E-5838) ... GUJRANWALA: Tight security in jails ordered GUJRANWALA, March 23: The district and sessions judge, Riazul Hassan Alvi, has directed the jail authorities to install scanners and detectors in all the lock-ups to avoid any misadventure. ... SIALKOT: Case against policemen for releasing drug-pushers SIALKOT, March 23: The Head Marala police have registered a case against its additional SHO and two ASIs for releasing two drug traffickers allegedly after taking bribe. ...

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