05 May 2004 Wednesday 14 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 KARACHI: Sindh govt finally devolves KBCA - Years-long row ends KARACHI, May 4: The Karachi Building Control Authority has finally been merged into the city district government as its Building Control Group of Offices with the city nazim heading it as the chief executive, the advocate-general informed the Sindh High Court on Tuesday. ... KARACHI: Hopes rise for better working relations KARACHI, May 4: The lingering tussle between the Sindh government and the city district government over the control of KBCA seems to be over with a declaration by the former that a 'Building Control Group of Offices' has become the 16th group of offices of the city district government. ... KARACHI: Most areas hit by power breakdowns KARACHI, May 4: A major power breakdown occurred in the city on Wednesday when two circuits of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation receiving electrical power from the Water and Power Development Authority broke down near Jamshoro. ... KARACHI: Eid Milad celebrated KARACHI, May 4: Eid-i-Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated here on Monday with religious fervour and solemnity and a renewed pledge by the people to uphold and promote Islam. ... KARACHI: Rs1bn projects being implemented: MQM KARACHI, May 4: With less than a week to go for the May 12 bye-elections, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Tuesday presented on record about a billion-rupee development package for the province ... KARACHI: Non-release of funds delays work on mega projects KARACHI, May 4: Pace of work on at least two, out of seven mega-city projects, has suffered during the last few months owing to non-release of funds to the CDGK by the contributing agencies. ... KARACHI: Violations of ombudsman's order criticized - Sabzimandi affairs KARACHI, May 4: The Malir Fresh Fruits Merchants Association has drawn attention of the concerned authorities to the predicament of the stakeholders of the New Sabzimandi ... KARACHI: Fishermen hit hard by unregulated fishing KARACHI, May 4: Fishermen living in coastal areas of Karachi and Sindh have urged the government to provide them alternative sources of income as fisheries sector is under tremendous pressure and could hardly meet their economic needs. ... KARACHI: Bus terminus causing traffic jams KARACHI, May 4: Presence of an upcountry bound bus terminus and frequent movement of tankers on main University Road have become a major source of traffic jam on either side of the road, particularly near Edhi centre and Busy Bee Restaurant. ... KARACHI: Drug firms urged to cut inhaler prices - World asthma day observed KARACHI, May 4: Experts on Tuesday termed lack of knowledge and understanding about diseases as one of the major problems in management of asthma. They said smoking and environmental pollution were the two main causes, which were giving a rise to incidence of asthma in Pakistan. ... KARACHI: PPP alleges pre-poll manipulation KARACHI, May 4: The Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians on Tuesday accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of planning to manipulate the May 12 bye-elections to its advantage by allegedly using unfair means. ... KARACHI: SC upholds high court decision KARACHI, May 4: A bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan, comprising Justice Rana Bhagwandas and Justice Syed Deedar Hussain Shah, on Tuesday dismissed a leave to appeal seeking cancellation of the bail granted to four persons accused in a murder case. ... KARACHI: 3 shot dead at Liquatabad flyover KARACHI, May 4: Three young men were shot dead by unknown assailants at the Liaquatabad Flyover early Monday morning, police officials said. They were later identified as Tariq Aziz, Zubair Ahmed and Imran - all friends. ... KARACHI: Schools warned against extortion KARACHI, May 4: Provincial Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat on Tuesday warned of action against managements of those private schools which were charging exorbitant fees and demanding extra money from parents for holding extra-curricular events. ... KARACHI: Asthma in children increases KARACHI, May 4: Asthma prevalence among children in Pakistan has increased from nine to 20 per cent during last five years. However, children who take fruits and vegetables regularly in their diet have decreased chances of developing this deadly respiratory disorder later on in life. ... ISLAMABAD: 'Innovative steps helped PSM overcome crisis' ISLAMABAD, May 4: The worst crisis faced by the Pakistan Steel Mills has been surmounted through adoption of innovative measures. This was stated by the Pakistan Steel Mills chairman, Lt-Gen (retired) Abdul Qayyum ... KARACHI: Journalists praised for exposing Karo-kari KARACHI, May 4: A survey conducted by the Karachi Union of Journalists to mark Press Freedom Day has praised journalists working for the Sindhi-language press for exposing customs like karo-kari and honour killings despite threats from feudal lords. ... MITHI: Appeal for justice MITHI, May 4: Members of three Meghwar families, who have been staging a sit-in outside the local press club for three days to protest against alleged excesses of some influential people, have urged the government to provide them with justice. ... LAHORE: Hoarders told to surrender 50pc of stocked wheat LAHORE, May 4: The Punjab food department on Tuesday started issuing notices to wheat hoarders to either surrender 50 per cent of their stocks or risk total confiscation. ... LAHORE: LHC stays Jhang by-election LAHORE, May 4: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday stayed by-election to a National Assembly seat from Jhang (NA-89) upon Punjab government's expressed inability to ensure peaceful polling. ... MULTAN: Tribesmen's relatives call for judicial inquiry MULTAN, May 4: Relatives of the eight Dulani Mazari tribesmen, who were killed in an 'encounter' with Rajanpur police on Saturday last, have demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident by a high court. ... LAHORE: Entrance test weight age reduced to 35pc - Medical colleges LAHORE, May 4: The Punjab government has amended the policy for admission to medical colleges by reducing the weightage of entrance test from 50 per cent to 35 per cent. ... LAHORE: EDOs asked to finalize land distribution process LAHORE, May 4: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has asked all the EDOs (revenue) to complete arrangements for the distribution of the government land among landless tillers and homeless people by May 15 or face action. ... LAHORE: Institute of Handloom made college LAHORE, May 4: Governor Khalid Maqbool approved on Tuesday the upgradation of Institute of Handloom and Home Textile Technology, Multan, as a constituent college of the Bahauddin Zakariya University. ... PESHAWAR: NWFP has wheat only for 8 days - Minister PESHAWAR, May 4: The NWFP has only eight days' wheat stock because of ban imposed by the Punjab government on inter-provincial transportation of the commodity, NWFP Food Minister Fazl-i-Rabbani told a Press conference on Tuesday. ... PESHAWAR: 14 Nazims of union councils resign PESHAWAR, May 4: Fourteen union council Nazims tendered resignations on Tuesday in protest against alleged non-cooperative attitude of Town-III Nazim Yasin Khan Khalil. ... PESHAWAR: Govt denies knowledge of detention of four men PESHAWAR, May 4: The NWFP government on Tuesday told the Peshawar High Court that it did not know about the alleged illegal detention of four people by the army for nearly two months. ... PESHAWAR: 'Changes to reverse police reforms' PESHAWAR, May 4: Amendments proposed to the Police Order 2002 would reverse the entire police reforms started under the Asian Development Bank's funded Access to Justice Programme ... PESHAWAR: Press Freedom Day observed PESHAWAR, May 4: Speakers at a seminar on freedom of press have urged the government to withdraw all laws which curtail media freedom and rights of newspaper workers in Pakistan. ... PESHAWAR: Cancer patients not seen by oncologists PESHAWAR, May 4: Most of the cancer patients in the NWFP are not seen by oncologists because of lack of facilities for the treatment of the disease, doctors told Dawn on Saturday. ... PESHAWAR: Kidnapped boy recovered PESHAWAR, May 4: The city police with the help of political administration of Orakzai Agency on Tuesday recovered a three-year-old boy kidnapped last week from Sheikhabad locality and arrested the accused woman. ... HYDERABAD: Concern over shortage of water in channel HYDERABAD, May 4: Growers of the Basra-II waterway of Khairpur-Ganbo sub-division have expressed concern over the shortage of water in the waterway for the last 45 days. ... HYDERABAD: Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrated HYDERABAD, May 4: Eid Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated with religious fervour here on Monday. Processions were taken out in different parts of the city. All main roads, streets and places were decorated with colourful lights and flags. ... HYDERABAD: Amenity plot issue debated in district council HYDERABAD, May 4: The issue of conversion of an amenity plot - Ayesha Park - into a commercial plaza dominated proceedings of the district council on Tuesday. ... HYDERABAD: Sida seeks record of water flow HYDERABAD, May 4: Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority managing-director Ali Mohammad Baloch has instructed directors of the Left Bank Canal Area Water Board ... HYDERABAD: Official defends ban on Gutka HYDERABAD, May 4: The health EDO has informed the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, that licences of manufacturers of Mainpuri and Gutka can be renewed only after a laboratory certifies samples of products are not injurious to consumers' health. ... NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: PPP assails policies of district nazim NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, May 4: People's Party Parliamentarians MNA Syed Zafar Ali Shah has accused the district Nazim of carrying out development works only in Moro and Naushahro Feroze talukas. ... QUETTA: Sardar Barozai passes away QUETTA, May 4: The first speaker of the Balochistan Assembly and a former chief minister, Sardar Mohammad Khan Barozai, died in Sibi on Sunday night after suffering a heart attack, family sources said. He was over 80. ... HARIPUR: 3 brothers gunned down HARIPUR, May 4: Three brothers were gunned down by unidentified assailants near Talokar village in the jurisdiction of the city police station on Sunday morning. Police lodged a triple murder case on the report of Mohammad Iqbal, father of the victims. ... KHAIRPUR: PPP foresees rigging in Khairpur by-polls KHAIRPUR, May 4: People's Party Parliamentarians MPA Qaim Ali Shah has said that Election Commission seems to be unable to fulfil its constitutional obligations hence they are sure that forthcoming by-elections will be rigged. ... SUKKUR: 30,300 bags of hoarded wheat seized SUKKUR, May 4: A food department task force recovered some 30,300 bags of wheat during raids in different areas of the province on Monday which, according to the task force, had been hoarded for black-marketing. ... WANA: Boy killed as shell explodes WANA, May 4: A young boy was killed and two children injured when an unexploded shell burst in the Sheen Warsak area here on Monday evening. The children were playing when they found the shell lying at the house of one Khan Gul Karmuzkhel Wazir. ... SIALKOT: Five of family killed in roof collapse SIALKOT, May 4: Five members of a family were killed as the roof of their room caved in at Mohallah Badiana of Pasrur tehsil on Monday morning. ... GUJRANWALA: Seven injured as cylinder explodes GUJRANWALA, May 4: Seven workers sustained injuries when a gas cylinder exploded in a steel mills here on Tuesday. Sabir Husain, Abdul Latif, Liaquat Ali, Abid and Abdul Ghafoor etc. ... FAISALABAD: Plan to be sent for govt's approval - Facilities for police FAISALABAD, May 4: The district council has finalized a plan for the provision of motorcycles and wireless sets to police, amid objections by some councillors as well as audit officials of the district government. ... OKARA: 'Transporters asked not to provide wagons' - Shahbaz's return OKARA, May 4: The office-bearers of the PML-N's local chapter and youth wing have accused the district administration of pressuring the transporters not to provide the wagons for the reception of party president Mian Shahbaz Sharif. ...

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