30 March 2004 Tuesday 08 Safar 1425 PML factions meet today ISLAMABAD, March 29: The PML factional heads will meet here on Tuesday to hammer out the differences that have kept the unification/merger process from being accomplished during the last seven months, sources said. ... Concession for investors sought ISLAMABAD, March 29: President of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Monday said the country could make progress in the field of economy by giving concessions to Pakistani investors. ... PML-N softens attitude towards MMA? LAHORE, March 29: While the PPP is determined to keep itself away from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, the PML-N is likely to review its relationship with the religious alliance. ... No decision taken about long march, says PPP ISLAMABAD, March 29: The Pakistan People's Party has denied that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy has taken any decision to undertake a long march on the Wana issue. ... Call for repeal of Hudood laws ISLAMABAD, March 29: People's Party Parliamentarians member of National Assembly Sherry Rehman on Monday demanded of the government to repeal Hudood ordinances which discriminates against women. ... 'Wana operation to have serious repercussions' HYDERABAD, March 29: People's Party Parliamentarians central secretary-general senator Raza Rabbani, while criticizing the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, has warned that the Wana operation will yield very serious repercussions. ... PPP for judicial probe into LB polls rigging ISLAMABAD, March 29: Pakistan People's Party has condemned what it termed "massive rigging" in the local body polls held on Sunday in different parts of the country and demanded a judicial inquiry into it. ... ARD leaders to defy ban on Wana march: Saad LAHORE, March 29: ARD leaders will visit Wana on Wednesday (March 31), as decided earlier by the coalition, defying the ban imposed by the government on political activity there, an alliance leader said here on Monday. ... Jhagra to meet Ashraf LAHORE, March 29: ARD Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra is meeting PPP-Parliamentarians Secretary-General Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in Islamabad on Tuesday (today) to discuss whether the ARD leaders should postpone their visit to Wana, scheduled for March 31. ... JI says MQM indulged in worst kind of rigging: Local body by elections KARACHI, March 29: The deputy chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, senator Ghafoor Ahmed, said on Monday that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement indulged in worst kind of rigging in Sunday's local body byelections. ... Victory in LB polls a blow to feudalism, says Altaf KARACHI, March 29: Celebrating his party's victory in the local body byelections, founding chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf Hussain, said on Monday that the victory was a manifestation of the trust reposed in the MQM by the people. ... Laleka's widow retires from NA-190 race BAHAWALPUR, March 29: Mrs Shahida Sattar, widow of Abdul Sattar Laleka, has announced her retirement from the NA-190 (Bahawalnagar III) bypolls. ... Z.A. Bhutto's anniversary programme finalized LARKANA, March 29: The People's Party Parliamentarians has finalized the programme for observing the 25th death anniversary of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh. ... Ex-MNA given in judicial remand RAWALPINDI, March 29: Special anti-terrorism court No 1 here on Monday ordered judicial remand of former MNA Nawab Amanullah Khan Sial in Maulana Azam Tariq murder case. ... SC holds reference ISLAMABAD, Mar 29: The Supreme Court on Monday held full court reference to pay tribute to three prominent jurists, late Justice Aslam Riaz Hussain, senior lawyers late Ijaz Hussain Batalvi, and late Khalid M. Ishaque. ... Sindh contributed 56pc of national revenue, NA told ISLAMABAD, March 29: Sindh has contributed about Rs1.085 trillion or 56.7 per cent to Pakistan's Rs1.9 trillion revenue collected during 1998-2003 but it got only Rs221.3 billion or 26.7 of the total Rs826.8 billion disbursed to the four provinces. ... President okays Bab-i-Pakistan construction LAHORE, March 29: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Monday approved the construction of Bab-i-Pakistan on Walton Road, a monument being built to commemorate the sacrifices rendered by the Muslims of the subcontinent during their struggle for a separate homeland for themselves. ... Musharraf's meeting with Maqbool LAHORE, March 29: President General Pervez Musharraf and Governor Punjab Khalid Maqbool during their one-on-one meeting at Governor's House on Monday discussed various national issues, says an official handout. ... JSQM warned against blocking roads SUKKUR, March 29: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has said activists of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz will be dealt with an iron hand if they took out protest processions and blocked roads between Sindh and Punjab on March 30. ... Ruling MPs protest against organizers: Invitation to SAF Games ceremony ISLAMABAD, March 29: Ruling party members National Assembly on Monday protested against the organizers of the 9th SAF Games for not inviting them to witness the opening session of the event. ... Mismanagement mars SAF inaugural ceremony ISLAMABAD, March 29: Mismanagement on the part of the authorities marred the inaugural ceremony of the 9th South Asian Federation (SAF) games held on Monday. ... World Bank team inspects canal HYDERABAD, March 29: A World Bank team has recently inspected some sites on the bank of the Akram Wah where unauthorized pipes were sealed two months back. ... ADB refuses to fund two Pindi dam projects RAWALPINDI, March 29: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has refused to include the much-awaited two small dam projects in the forthcoming Rawalpindi Environment Improvement Project (REIP), Dawn has learnt. ... Zhob tribal elders assure govt of cooperation QUETTA, March 29: Leaders of tribes living in the Zhob district along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have assured the government to cooperate in arresting terrorists and foreigners in their respective areas. ... Eight troops of president's escort injured RAWALPINDI, March 29: Eight armymen escorting President Pervez Musharraf's motorcade were injured, two of them critically, when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned near Convention Centre in Islamabad on Monday. ... Eight killed in held Kashmir SRINAGAR, March 29: Eight people were killed in overnight violence in occupied Kashmir as Mujahideen fired on Monday at the motorcade of the state's ruling party chief, police said. ...

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