30 April 2004 Friday 09 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 KARACHI: CM resents inefficiency of food dept staff - Wheat crisis KARACHI, April 29: Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar has expressed his dissatisfaction over the performance of Food Department, and ordered action against its inefficient staff. ... KARACHI: Newsmen told to highlight people's sufferings KARACHI, April 29: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammed Mahar has said that journalism is a sacred profession and journalists should render their professional functions with responsibility ... KARACHI: High Court rejects appeal in ransom case KARACHI, April 29: The Sindh High Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal of a man filed against his conviction in a kidnapping for ransom case. Liaquat Khan alias Nadeem was sentenced to life imprisonment with the attachment of his movable and immovable properties by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on March 20, 2003.... KARACHI: Six Bengalis and two Iranians sentenced KARACHI, April 29: Two Iranian nationals have been awarded a two-year term for illegally entering the country. Additional district and sessions judge, South, Ms Sher Bano Karim, sentenced Ali Musa and Raza Musa, the two brothers, as they did not have valid travelling documents. ... KARACHI: Water supply to Lyari areas to remain closed for 36 hours KARACHI, April 29: Water supply to some areas of Lyari will remain closed for 36 hours between 8am on May 4 and 8pm on May 5 as a new 24-inch dia water pipeline is being laid in view of construction of Lyari Expressway. ... KARACHI: Builder restrained from violating land's status KARACHI, April 29: The Sindh High Court restrained a developer on Thursday from constructing a commercial building on a plot initially earmarked for hospital in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. ... KARACHI: Traffic jams cause immense hardship KARACHI, April 29: Commuters and pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, experienced immense hardship due to massive traffic jams elsewhere in the city owing to the closure of major thoroughfares and diversion of vehicular traffic to alternative routes on Thursday. ... KARACHI: 30 students injured as DCET rally suppressed KARACHI, April 29: Police resorted to severe baton-charge and teargas shelling on Thursday against the students of Dawood College of Engineering and Technology (DCET) at Numaish Chowrangi. ... KARACHI: Rs3.9m looted from bank KARACHI, April 29: Armed men looted Rs3.9 million from a bank branch on main Rashid Minhas Road on Thursday morning. According to the police, four armed men entered the United Bank Limited, Rashid Minhas branch, located opposite Lal Flats in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and after overpowering the guard ... KARACHI: Police submit charge-sheet against Harkat men KARACHI, April 29: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC-III) Karachi on Thursday accepted the charge-sheet against nine activists of banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Alami ... KARACHI: Overcrowded HSC exam centres irk staff, students KARACHI, April 29: Overcrowding of HSC candidates at some of the examination centres is becoming a source of concern, not only for duty staff but also for the students as well, sources in educational circles said. ... KARACHI: 72 pregnant women die every day KARACHI, April 29: Dr. Sher Shah said on Thursday that 72 mothers die and 1200 get disabled during pregnancy everyday in Pakistan. He was speaking at a prize distribution ceremony of a poster design contest ... KARACHI: Shaikh Zayed Centre to initiate new courses KARACHI, April 29: The Shaikh Zayed Islamic Centre (SZIC), University of Karachi, is planning launching of courses in Islamic Economics with Banking and LLB in Shariah and Law. ... KARACHI: Ad hoc lecturers' list shortly KARACHI, April 29: The first list of candidates who emerged successful in interviews for the appointment of ad hoc lecturers in Sindh colleges would be released shortly, said sources in the Sindh Public Service Commission. ... KARACHI: Senior citizens seek perks, tax relief KARACHI, April 29: Senior citizens have urged the government to enhance the taxable limit of their income from the current Rs200,000 to Rs400,000. ... KARACHI: Fraud in procurement of hospital equipment KARACHI, April 29: The authorities in the city district government Karachi have unearthed several cases of fraud in the procurement of medicines for health care units of the CDGK. ... KARACHI: Two Edhi volunteers wounded in attack KARACHI, April 29: Two relief workers at the Edhi Foundation's New Karachi centre were attacked and injured by two unidentified assailants in the small hours of Thursday, the foundation's spokesman said. ... RAWALPINDI: Notices issued on plea against franchise routes deal RAWALPINDI, April 29: A single bench of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, on Thursday issued notices to the administration of a private transport company ... ISLAMABAD: Environment body opposes CDA plan - Recreational facilities at Rawal Lake ISLAMABAD, April 29: Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pepa) has opposed the Capital Development Authority's plan to provide recreational facilities in and around Rawal lake ... SIALKOT: Bomb blast in Sialkot kills boy SIALKOT, April 29: A teenaged boy was killed and 12 people injured in a bomb blast at Naikupura Bazaar near Pul Aik on Thursday night. Sources said a one-kilogram bomb, which had been planted in the congested market, exploded at around 8pm. ... ISLAMABAD: Unauthorized structures demolished ISLAMABAD, April 29: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday demolished a Madressah and unauthorized structures of a mosque situated in F-9 park. A CDA official said the mosque was constructed some years ago at a 1,000 sq-ft area. ... ISLAMABAD: Rain lashes Punjab, NWFP, NAs ISLAMABAD, April 29: Widespread rain with thunder and duststorm lashed different parts of the country on Thursday, while the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi received intermittent rain, Meteorological office sources told Dawn late Thursday. ... ISLAMABAD: SBP told to pay up in two months - Golden handshake scheme ISLAMABAD, April 29: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the State Bank to pay post-retirement benefits to its employees, who had opted for the voluntary golden-handshake scheme by calculating all benefits from Dec 15, 1997 instead of counting the same from Nov 22, 1997. ... LAHORE: Students assail changes in curriculum LAHORE, April 29: Hundreds of students organized on Thursday the "Tahafuz-i-Nazaria-i-Pakistan March" to protest against changes in curricula and a move to affiliate educational institutions with the Aga Khan board. ... LAHORE: Co-op victims to get full refund LAHORE, April 29: The Punjab Cooperatives Board for Liquidation has decided to make 100 per cent payment to victims of the National Industrial Credit Finance Cooperatives (NICFC) and the National Industrial Credit Cooperatives (NICC). ... PESHAWAR: CM opposes use of force in resolving problems PESHAWAR, April 29: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that mutual discussions can resolve problems while use of force may further complicate them. He was talking to 25 under-training officers of NIPA, Lahore, at the Chief Minister's Secretariat. ... PESHAWAR: Environmental officers have no cases to hear PESHAWAR, April 29: Environmental magistrates notified by the Peshawar High Court some two years back have not heard any cases so far due mainly to ineptness on the part of the concerned agencies of the provincial government ... PESHAWAR: Ministries of defence, interior put on notice - Petitions against detention PESHAWAR, April 29: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday put on notice the ministries of defence and interior in two identical habeas corpus petition challenging the alleged illegal detention of four persons by Pakistan Army for the more than 45 days. ... PESHAWAR: Governor urged to extend law on juveniles to Pata PESHAWAR, April 29: The Juvenile Justice Network has called upon Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah to extend the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000 to Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata). ... PESHAWAR: Restrictions on DPs' movement sought PESHAWAR, April 29: City district Nazim Azam Afridi has asked the federal government to restrict the movement of Afghan refugees to their camps, citing security reasons for the action. ... PESHAWAR: Four entertainers die in accident PESHAWAR, April 29: Four members of a musical group were killed and one was injured when their car fell into a canal on Pajaggi Road, early on Thursday morning. ... HYDERABAD: 10,000 acres of fertile land rendered barren - Non-availability of water HYDERABAD, April 29: Some 10,000 acres of agricultural land in the command area of the Shah Awais Canal have been rendered barren due to non-release of water. ... HYDERABAD: 'Law enforcement agencies accused of stealing power HYDERABAD, April 29: Power supply to offices of several law-enforcement agencies was disconnected on Thursday when they were found to be stealing electricity. ... HYDERABAD: SHC decision against Jirga welcomed HYDERABAD, April 29: The Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party and the Sindh National Party have hailed the Sindh High Court judgment against the functioning of tribal jirgas. ... HYDERABAD: Action urged against people responsible for altering textbooks HYDERABAD, April 29: The district council demanded action here on Thursday against the authorities responsible for bringing about changes in school textbooks that were aimed at subverting the Islamic and ideological basis of Pakistan. ... RAWALPINDI: '7,000 women subjected to violence' RAWALPINDI, April 29: As many as 7,797 women were subjected to various kinds of violence during the year 2003, which also included killing of 2,888 women, says the data collected by the Progressive Women Association (PWA). ... RAWALPINDI: TMA, town Nazim at loggerheads over park's leasing RAWALPINDI, April 29: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and the Satellite Town Nazim have locked horns over the leasing out of a pubic park to an advertising agency. ... QUETTA: Duststorm disrupts flights QUETTA, April 29: All Quetta-bound Pakistan International Airlines' flights were cancelled and life was badly affected in the city on Thursday because of a severe duststorm. ... QUETTA: Massive migration from drought-hit areas feared - Severe shortage of food, water QUETTA, April 29: A possibility of displacement of people on a massive scale from the drought-stricken districts of Balochistan cannot be ruled out if the government does not take timely steps to cope with the situation ... ABBOTTABAD: Abbottabad college tops contest in Lucknow ABBOTTABAD, April 29: The Abbottabad Public School and College (APS) has won the championship trophy in the "Geofest 2004" competition held in Lucknow, India, in which 93 teams from India and other countries took part. ... LARKANA: Call to simplify CNIC procedure - Panel formed to prepare proposals LARKANA, April 29: Describing the procedure for obtaining computerized national identity cards as complicated, the district council, Larkana, constituted on Thursday a four-member committee to suggest proposals to simplify the method. ... DADU: Fishermen assured of financial help DADU, April 29: District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar has said that the district government will provide financial assistance to fishermen of Manchhar Lake and rebuild houses destroyed by floods last year. ... NAWABSHAH: Govt to improve communication system - Minister NAWABSHAH, April 29: The government is determined to provide transport infrastructure to improve communications between the villages and towns. ... SHEIKHUPURA: Girl missing for 19 months still untraced SHEIKHUPURA, April 29: Police have failed to trace an 18-year-old girl who went 'missing' 19 months ago. According to a police report, Ambreen had gone to the college on Sept 9, 2002, but she didn't return. ... GUJRAT: Lawyers observe strike to seek DPO's suspension GUJRAT, April 29: Members of all Bar associations in the former Gujranwala division observed strike on Thursday to demand suspension of DPO Raja Munawar Hussain from service. ... DERA GHAZI KHAN: DCO under fire in council meeting DERA GHAZI KHAN, April 29: The zila council, in its 30th session on Thursday, discussed two resolutions and some other matters. The session was presided over by convener Javed Iqbal Qaisrani, while district Nazim Jamal Leghari was not present. ... BAHAWALPUR: 'No cause of alarm' over wheat issue BAHAWALPUR, April 29: The Punjab has procured 1.05 million metric tons of wheat so far (by Thursday), which is about 35 per cent of its target of 3.5 million metric ton. ... VEHARI: Windstorm leaves six hurt in Vehari VEHARI, April 29: At least six people sustained injuries in a windstorm which lashed the city on Thursday morning. They suffered injuries in roof and wall collapse incidents in Chak 9-11/WB, Pir Murad Colony ... LAHORE: Seminary management accused of torturing youth LAHORE, April 29: The management of a religious school in a Toba Tek Singh village has been accused of torturing a Christian youth to force him to convert to Islam. ... TOBA TEK SINGH: Charges denied TOBA TEK SINGH, April 29: The management of Jamia Hassan Bin Murtaza at Chak 323-JB (Toba-Gojra Road) has rejected the allegation of Javed Anjum's uncle as baseless. ... DADU: Health workers undergo training DADU, April 29: The first batch of 180 male and female health workers of taluka Juhi completed their training here on Thursday. The training was imparted under a programme organized by an oil and gas exploration company. ... MUZAFFARABAD: AJK gets minister for education MUZAFFARABAD, April 29: The charge of education, the largest department in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has at last been given to a cabinet minister, more than 33 months after the formation of the government of Sardar Sikandar Hayat. ...

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