24 April 2004 Saturday 03 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 ISLAMABAD: SC upholds verdict on closing down steel plants ISLAMABAD, April 23: The Supreme Court has upheld Sindh High Court's order of closing down steel fabrication plants near residential buildings, school, a church and a hospital in the vicinity of Eidgah Police, Karachi. ... KARACHI: Changes likely in HSC exam schedule KARACHI, April 23: The schedule of HSC annual examinations is likely to be disturbed considerably due to May 12 by-elections and 12th of Rabi-ul-Awal. ... KARACHI: All children to be enrolled in schools by 2010 - Mahar KARACHI, April 23: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar has said that the government was striving to ensure enrolment of all children of school-going age by the year 2010 as per the Dakar Declaration of Education for All. ... KARACHI: Ad hocism dents BIE's credibility, says SPLA KARACHI, April 23: The Sindh Lecturers and Professors Association has stated that contractual appointments of retired government employees and politically motivated people at intermediate educational boards had turned them almost ineffective. ... KARACHI: Coordinated planning for Vision Karachi stressed KARACHI, April 23: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has stressed upon implementation of a coordinated plan for 'Vision Karachi'. He was speaking at a meeting at Governor's House on Friday. ... KARACHI: Overcrowded women prison needs govt attention KARACHI, April 23: The Special Prison for Women is housing almost two-and-a-half times more prisoners than its normal capacity. Sources said that the special prison had a capacity of 105 prisoners ... KARACHI: City govt to restore frozen residential plots soon KARACHI, April 23: A review meeting, presided over by the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, on Friday discussed the problems confronting the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) and civil contractors. ... KARACHI: Lower-grade employees suspended to calm protest: Tree-cutting in Saddar KARACHI, April 23: At least nine low-ranking government employees have been suspended for chopping down the old and huge trees from Abdullah Haroon Road, it is learnt. ... KARACHI: Lyari Expressway plan reviewed KARACHI, April 23: Federal Communication Minister, Senator Babar Ghouri, said on Friday that no hinderance in the construction of multi-billion rupees Lyari Expressway would be tolerated. ... KARACHI: Traffic ASI fined for disobeying court instructions KARACHI, April 23: A traffic sergeant was fined Rs10,000 by the Sindh High Court on Friday for not returning the driving licence of a lawyer despite a judicial magistrate's order. ... KARACHI: Two women brutally killed in Korangi KARACHI, April 23: Two women were killed in separate incidents in Korangi on Friday. A woman was set on fire by her husband inside their house in Gilgit Colony within the limits of Zaman Town police station. ... KARACHI: Arrest of inspector's killers ordered KARACHI, April 23: The Sindh government has ordered the arrest of the killers of Inspector Taufiq Zahid, who was shot dead in a firing incident in a mosque in F. B. Area on Friday. ... KARACHI: Water crisis persists in Baldia, Orangi KARACHI, April 23: Water supply position has started deteriorating in various parts of the city. It is adding miseries to residents of the affected localities in this hot and dry weather, besides giving a boost to the sale of water by private tankers. ... KARACHI: SHC orders settlement of forest land KARACHI, April 23: The Sindh High Court directed the chief secretary on Friday to settle the claim of the provincial forest department over 1,850 acres of farmland in taluka Jati, district Thatta, and demarcate the area earmarked for afforestation. ... KARACHI: UC nazims resent KBCA's activities KARACHI, April 23: Nazims of various union councils of the city have strongly condemned the alleged illegal demolition activities of the Karachi Building Control Authority. ... ISLAMABAD: Parliament body directs CDA to overcome water shortage ISLAMABAD, April 23: The chairman of Standing Committee on Interior, Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai, has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to evolve a comprehensive strategy to overcome the looming threat of water shortage in the capital ... ISLAMABAD: Suspension of work on road criticized ISLAMABAD, April 23: A large number of people of the Mastuj union council, about 100km north of Chitral town, have gone on a hunger strike against suspension of work on a major road project in the area. ... LAHORE: Hundreds found absent during surprise check LAHORE, April 23: Hundreds of officers and employees, including guards of the district Nazim and SSP offices, were found absent during a surprise checking of attendance at the district government offices ... LAHORE: Aziz Zia laid to rest LAHORE, April 23: Veteran journalist Ahmad Aziz Zia, who died after a protracted illness here on Thursday, was laid to rest at the Mian Mir Graveyard on Friday afternoon. ... LAHORE: Ban on private practice from July 1 - Tahir LAHORE, April 23: Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has directed principals of all medical colleges and the attached teaching hospitals to make arrangements for re-introduction of institutional private practice by June 30. ... LAHORE: Drivers using cell phones on highways to be fined LAHORE, April 23: The National Highways and Motorway Police will book drivers who use cell phone while driving on highways from May 1. This was stated by DIG (N-5) Dr Wasim Kausar while talking to Dawn here on Friday. ... PESHAWAR: NWFP govt's grant for Peshawar University PESHAWAR, April 23: The provincial government has agreed to give an annual grant to Peshawar University for salaries of 40 teachers and construction of 12 rooms in its schools. ... PESHAWAR: Wheat movement ban criticized PESHAWAR, April 23: All Pakistan Flour Mills Association President Malik Niaz Ahmad has termed the ban imposed by the Punjab government on inter-provincial transportation of wheat unconstitutional and demanded that it should be revoked. ... PESHAWAR: Stress on IT to ensure transparency in exams PESHAWAR, April 23: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Friday stressed the need for expediting the work to introduce information technology in all intermediate boards to ensure complete transparency in examinations and to help candidates. ... PESHAWAR: Joint ventures planned in hydropower sector - CM PESHAWAR, April 23: The provincial government has decided to empower the Small Hydel Development Organiza-tion (Shydo) to conclude agreements with financial institutions and Wapda to exploit the perennial water resources and develop hydro projects in the NWFP. ... PESHAWAR: Gas consumers told to deposit security PESHAWAR, April 23: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), Peshawar Region, has given a June 30 deadline to commercial consumers in the city to deposit money under the head of additional security. ... PESHAWAR: Gambling on prize bond numbers continues PESHAWAR, April 23: The NWFP government has failed to stop gambling on prize bond numbers despite the expiry of a deadline three days ago. Most of the outlets of prize bond numbers in Qissakhwani and Saddar markets have stopped displaying these numbers in their shops ... PESHAWAR: Health workers face excess workload PESHAWAR, April 23: The workload in city hospitals is affecting the performance of health workers, hospital sources said. Patients admitted to a hospital are being advised all kinds of routine tests ... PESHAWAR: Doctors seek raise in stipend PESHAWAR, April 23: The Democratic Doctors Forum on Friday threatened that house job doctors would observe a strike if their monthly stipend was not increased. ... PESHAWAR: Action urged against extortion PESHAWAR, April 23: Coaster owners on Friday demanded that the government should take action against extortion at the general bus terminal. ... PESHAWAR: Musicians prepare to leave Dabgari Bazaar PESHAWAR, April 23: Musicians at the Dabgari Bazaar have begun packing to shift to other areas of the city to avoid the wrath of some people of the locality. ... HYDERABAD: Police stations without own buildings HYDERABAD, April 23: A majority of police stations in Hyderabad district is either working in rented buildings or those belonging to other government departments with the government taking no interest in providing police department their own buildings. ... HYDERABAD: Nazim inaugurates roads, schools HYDERABAD, April 23: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman inaugurated eleven schemes of link roads and two of school buildings completed under the ADP and the Sugar Cess Development Fund in Tajpur ... HYDERABAD: SHC issues notices to DCO, EDO HYDERABAD, April 23: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Friday issued notices to the DCO and the EDO revenue of Badin district ... QUETTA: 308 vacancies for doctors created QUETTA, April 23: The provincial government has created 308 vacancies for medical officers and dental surgeon. A cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf ... QUETTA: Kidnappers' gang busted: minister QUETTA April 23: The Balochistan Home Minister, Mir Shoaib Nausherwani has said that law-enforcement agencies have eliminated the gang of Jalil Jaffar, which had kidnapped 15 passengers from Loralai. ... QUETTA: Land allotment in Gwadar criticized QUETTA, April 23: Leaders of the National Party have stated that government policies causing population influx in the province will not be accepted and urged progressive and nationalist forces to struggle jointly against the oppressors. ... SUKKUR: 39pc water shortage at Sukkur Barrage SUKKUR, April 23: Twenty-nine per cent shortage of water was recorded at the Sukkur Barrage on Friday due to which it is badly affecting early wheat and sugarcane crops. ... SANGHAR: Procurement of wheat hits snags SANGHAR, April 23: The food department may fail to achieve wheat procurement target of 1.5 million bags in the district as it has purchased only 150,000 bags while 90 per cent of the crop has been harvested. ... KOHAT: Refugees begin vacating Naryab camp KOHAT, April 23: About 200 Afghan refugee families started vacating the Naryab camp on Thursday to leave for their native Khost and Kandahar provinces under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees repatriation programme ... SHEIKHUPURA: Another child killed near Murid ke Third murder in 5 days SHEIKHUPURA, April 23: Terror gripped the helpless residents of Daoke village near Muridke with a fresh gory incident in which a six-year-old boy was found butchered after Friday prayers. ... DERA GHAZI KHAN: No crackdown on illegal petrol shops DERA GHAZI KHAN, April 23: The district government has failed to crack down on the illegal sale points of petrol in several populous areas here. ... FAISALABAD: Costly tract sold out at 'throwaway price' FAISALABAD, April 23: In a clear-cut violation of the Punjab government's ban on sale of land through private treaty (negotiations), the revenue department officials have allegedly sold out a costly three-kanal tract at a throwaway price ... GUJRANWALA: Smuggling attempt foiled, 15,000 wheat bags seized GUJRANWALA, April 23: A joint raiding team of police and food officials seized over 15,000 wheat bags laden on 75 trucks which were being smuggled to tribal areas on GT Road here on Friday. ... VEHARI: Four 'dacoits' shot by police VEHARI, April 23: Four 'dacoits' were killed by police at Mujahid Colony in Burewala early Friday morning. A constable was injured. Three of the deceased were family members. ... BAHAWALPUR: Nawab Sadiq's heirs want auction postponed BAHAWALPUR, April 23: Some of the legal heirs to the property of late Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi have demanded postponement of the auction of the left-over articles and Rolls Royce cars. ... SAHIWAL: Case against three ASIs, 15 constables SAHIWAL, April 23: Kassowal police registered on Friday a case on direction of the district and sessions judge against three ASIs, 15 constables and three farmers on the charges of unlawfully detaining four minors and committing a dacoity. ... FAISALABAD: Unification of parties an eyewash, says Fakhar FAISALABAD, April 23: Former National Assembly speaker Syed Fakhar Imam has said the unification of different political parties will prove an eyewash after the fall of the Musharraf government. ...

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