04 April 2004 Sunday 13 Safar 1425 MMA opposes NSC LAHORE, April 3: MMA vice-president Prof Sajid Mir says the alliance shall never vote for the National Security Council (NSC) bill, fearing that it will pave the way for dictatorship. ... PML-Q senator calls NSC a safety valve LAHORE, April 3: Q-League senator Kamil Ali Agha says the National Security Council (NSC) will work as a safety valve to avert imposing of martial law and unforeseen dangers to the democratic system. ... Badr-Zia rift surfaces BAHAWALPUR, April 3: Differences between PPP secretary-general Jahangir Badr and Punjab president Qasim Zia surfaced when they separately reached here from Lahore on Friday night along with their supporters. ... MNA says govt harassing him FAISALABAD, April 3: PML-N MNA Rana Asif Tauseef has accused the government of harassing him in a bid to make him shift his loyalties. ... MQM-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed arrested KARACHI, April 3: Afaq Ahmed, chief of Mohajir Qaumi Movement, was arrested in a house in Defence Housing Authority in the small hours on Saturday, police said. ... Viewpoint of provinces be considered: Mahar LAHORE, April 3: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Mahar urged here on Saturday the need for considering the viewpoint of all provinces to amicably resolve all inter-provincial issues like the NFC Award and the Kalabagh Dam. ... Z.A. Bhutto's death anniversary today LARKANA, April 3: Sindh People's Party Parliamentarians president Nisar Ahmad Khuhro has said it has been confirmed that party chairperson Benazir Bhutto will address the main function in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto on the midnight of April 3 and 4 ... 'PML-N against Wana operation' HYDERABAD, April 3: Pakistan Muslim League-N chief organizer Aijaz Shafi has said the country is facing crisis but President Gen Pervez Musharraf is least bothered about integrity and solidarity of the country and his objective is to prolong his rule. ... Wana action to help Bush in polls: JI PESHAWAR, April 3: Jamaat-i-Islami general secretary Syed Munawar Hassan has accused President Gen Pervez Musharraf of facilitating George Bush's election campaign by launching a military action in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the name of flushing out Al Qaeda elements. ... Aliens given one-month deadline: Surrender or leave the area PESHAWAR, April 3: The predominant Ahmadzai Wazir tribe has given a one-month deadline to foreign militants either to surrender or leave the South Waziristan tribal region. ... Tribesmen's warning LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), April 3: The Khyber Union, a political organization of Khyber Agency, has demanded of the government to give decision-making powers to tribal jirgas in the proposed reforms to be carried out in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). ... SC to hear appeal against Sherpao ISLAMABAD, April 3: The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui will take up the appeal of National Accountability Bureau against the acquittal of sitting federal minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao, on Thursday. ... Women's rights to be protected: adviser PESHAWAR, April 3: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Affairs Nilofer Bakhtiar has said that elections in those areas where women were stopped to participate in the electoral process should be declared void. ... Govt sensitive to plight of Biharis: Kasuri ISLAMABAD, April 3: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said on Friday that Pakistan considers the problem of Biharis and non-Bengalis in Bangladesh as a humanitarian issue and remains sensitive to their plight. ... Chinese to invest $500m in textile sector LAHORE, April 3: Chinese investors would launch joint projects in the textile sector by investing $500 million in the Punjab. This was stated by Punjab Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema on Saturday after a meeting with an eight-member Chinese trade delegation here. ... Govt wants to save culture: minister ISLAMABAD, April 3: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Liaquat Ali Jatoi has directed the Thread Line Gallery of Pakistan to participate in the national and international trade fairs and exhibitions to display the country's handicrafts. ... Study on bonded labour based on assumptions: Brick kilns ISLAMABAD, April 3: A study carried out by the Bonded Labour Research Forum to explore the situation in the brick kilns is based on assumptions ... 1,788 cases of child abuse reported in 2003: report RAWALPINDI, April 3: The reported cases of child sexual abuse in the country jumped to 1,788 last year from 679 in 2002, which shows that every day about five children were subjected to sexual assault. ... British-Pakistan law body launched KARACHI, April 3: The British-Pakistan Law Council (BPLC), a new body that aspires to bring the legal communities in Britain and Pakistan closer together, was launched here on Saturday. ... Provinces told to utilize uplift funds ISLAMABAD, April 3: The federal government has directed the provinces to utilize their development funds "effectively" to qualify for more resources under the 6th National Finance Commission (NFC) award. ... Five-fold rise in inductions from Balochistan: Army QUETTA, April 3: The number of youth recruited from Balochistan had registered a five-fold increase, says Vice-Chief of Army Staff Gen Muhammad Yusaf Khan. ... Workshop highlights Geneva conventions QUETTA, April 3: A two-day workshop for journalists organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross on Geneva Conventions concluded here on Thursday. ... Ban on religious processions slated QUETTA, April 3: Balochistan Jaafaria Alliance Chief Allama Maqsood Ali Domki has rejected the provincial government's ban on religious processions, stating that no-one could restrict religious processions of Eid Miladun Nabi and Aashura. ... Steps taken to check Indian lobbying in US SAN FRANCISCO, April 3: The Pakistan-American Alliance, a leading Pakistani-American group, has launched a campaign to counter the US-India Political Action Committee's drive to stop Pakistan from being designated as a "major non-Nato US ally." ... Vajpayee to get sherwanis by end April, says designer KARACHI, April 3: A top fashion designer said here on Saturday he has stitched a wardrobe of traditional outfits to be presented to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee after Indian polls. ... Lawyers leave for India today LAHORE, April 3: A delegation of lawyers is scheduled to leave for India on Sunday. Headed by Arif Chaudhry, a former vice-chairperson of the Punjab Bar Council, the delegation is visiting the Indian Punjab on an invitation by the Punjab-Haryana Bar Council and association. ... Indian judge for relaxing visa policy KASUR, April 3: Justice H.R. Malhotra of the Delhi High Court said on Saturday that a relaxed visa policy between Pakistan and India would also boost up economic condition of both the countries. ... Elections no substitute for plebiscite, says APHC ISLAMABAD, April 3: Elections are no substitute for Kashmiris' right to self-determination, says a leader of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference in Indian-occupied Kashmir. ... PFUJ condemns victimization ISLAMABAD, April 3: Senior vice-president of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Fauzaia Shahid, general secretary C.R. Shamsi, chairman of All-Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (Apnec) ... Tourism picks up in N. Areas GILGIT, April 3: Tourism in Northern Areas has started gaining momentum with the onset of spring as hundreds of the Japanese tourists have thronged Hunza valley for celebrating Cherry Blossom Festival. ...

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