06 April 2004 Tuesday 15 Safar 1425 Opposition stages walkout from NA ISLAMABAD, April 5: The combined opposition on Monday staged a token walkout from the National Assembly to protest against the speaker for not issuing production orders of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in the house. ... MMA says NSC will perpetuate army rule SUKKUR, April 5: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal president Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that the National Security Council bill is aimed at perpetuating military rule and it will make parliament subservient to the establishment. ... PPP terms NSC bill a move to undermine parliament ISLAMABAD, April 5: The political secretary of the PPP chairperson, MNA Naheed Khan, has criticized, what she termed, the regime's efforts to undermine the parliament by introducing the National Security Council bill by force. ... Qazi meets JUP leader KARACHI, April 5: The acting president of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Qazi Hussain Ahmed, met the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i- Pakistan, Prof. Shah Faridul Haq, in his residence here on Monday. ... NSC bill: JUP to launch contact-MPs campaign LAHORE, April 5: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) will soon launch a contact-MPs drive to change their opinion against voting for the National Security Council bill, which it takes as an insult to the National Assembly, democracy and public opinion. ... Passes for entering SC building ISLAMABAD, April 5: The Supreme Court office announced on Monday that only persons possessing valid entry passes issued by the court will be allowed to enter the Supreme Court building on April 7 (Wednesday) ... PML-N women for Shahbaz's return LAHORE, April 5: Some PML-N women workers protested at the Charing Cross on Monday to press for the return of party president Shahbaz Sharif. They were scheduled to demonstrate near the Masjid-i-Shuhada, but changed the venue as a matter of strategy. ... PM wants next budget investment-oriented ISLAMABAD, April 5: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has directed Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to ensure that the next budget is growth and investment-oriented in order to improve people's standard of living. ... New policy for remote areas soon, NA told: Satellite telephone system ISLAMABAD, April 5: Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Monday told the National Assembly that a new policy for the introduction of satellite telephone system in difficult and remote areas would be announced soon. ... ANP blamed for capping hydel-profit at Rs6 bn PESHAWAR, April 5: The Pakistan People's Party (Sherpao) has said that the previous PML-N government had fixed the net hydel profit (NHP) at Rs6 billion, when the Awami National Party was its power-partner in the province and at the centre. ... Governor rules out Wana-style action: Balochistan border areas peaceful QUETTA, April 5: Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that the government has no plans to launch a Wana-like operation in the border areas of the province. ... Dam issue should not be politicized - Ibad SANGHAR, April 5: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has said that construction of dams is necessary to meet water requirements. He was talking to journalists in Tando Adam where he had come to inaugurate the Al-Haj Suleman Roshan Medical Centre on Monday. ... N. Areas cabinet reviews law and order situation ISLAMABAD, April 5: The Northern Areas Cabinet on Monday reviewed the decisions taken in its last meeting held on December 24, 2003. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao ... Extraordinary security marks SAF Games ISLAMABAD, April 5: The SAF Games took three years to take off, but the elaborate planning has been an ongoing process. Revisions have been continuously incorporated in view of the changing current affairs scenario. ... Kashmir bus service talks this week NEW DELHI, April 5: Officials from India and Pakistan would meet this week in Islamabad to revive the defunct road link between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar, diplomatic sources said here on Monday. ... FST has one bench for 4,000 cases LAHORE, April 5: The Federal Service Tribunal has only one bench here for hearing more than 4,000 pending cases and even that is not functioning properly. ... WHO to focus on road safety on health day LAHORE, April 5: As road traffic accident injuries are on the rise globally and the situation is expected to get worse in the coming years, the World Health Organization has decided to observe the World Health Day based on a theme - "Road safety is no accident" this year. ... SC asked to entertain APNS petition ISLAMABAD, April 5: A Supreme Court bench, seized of APNS's constitutional petition challenging the Seventh Wage Board award, was requested by the petitioner's counsel on Monday ... TMA, Wasa agree to implement reforms: $60m ADB loan for Pindi environment plan RAWALPINDI, April 5: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) have accepted to implement institutional reforms as demanded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for providing a $60 million loan ... Iran to issue 6,000 business visas ISLAMABAD, April 5: Iran will issue business visas to 6,000 Pakistanis this year in conformity with its policy to extend trade relations with this country. ... AKRSP to be presented as case study at conference ISLAMABAD, April 5: The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) will be presented as a case study in poverty reduction before the international conference on poverty to be held at Shanghai, China, next month. ... Resolutions on Kashmir still valid, says leader KARACHI, April 5: The AJK People's Party leader, Sahibzada Ishaq Zafar, said on Monday that Kashmiris would not allow any individual to impose a settlement of their problem ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2004