15 May 2004 Saturday 24 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 KARACHI: MMA strike affects life in Karachi: 3 wounded, 3 vehicles set on fire KARACHI, May 14: The strike call given by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) for Friday drew a positive response as major markets, bazaars, business centres and shops remained closed. ... KARACHI: Muttahida slams violence KARACHI, May 14: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has blamed the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for the acts of violence taking place on Friday which, according to it, were sponsored by the alliance of religious parties. ... KARACHI: Chinese firm, city govt sign accord on rail project KARACHI, May 14: The city district government and a Chinese group of companies on Thursday signed a preliminary implementation agreement for laying a 15.2 km-long double track for light-rail transit system in the city ... KARACHI: HSC exam held despite transport shortage KARACHI, May 14: The HSC annual examinations for Science and Commerce group candidates were held in a peaceful manner on Friday, the Board of Intermediate Education's examination controller said. ... KARACHI: Sindh Madressah mosques remain closed KARACHI, May 14: It was for the first time in hundred years or so that the muezzins from minarets of the two mosques on the premises of Sindh Madressatul Islam could not summon the faithful for Friday prayers. ... KARACHI: Relief package for payment of KESC dues unveiled KARACHI, May 14: The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation on Friday announced a relief package for payment of KESC dues against private sector consumers to facilitate payment of their arrears by June 30. ... KARACHI: History conference to open tomorrow KARACHI, May 14: A national history conference will open at a local hotel on Sunday morning, says a press release. It adds that Syed Nasir Abbas, Hidayat Hussain, Zahoor Ahmed Khan and Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal will deliver the welcome remarks. ... KARACHI: SBCO applies to kutchi abadis: SC KARACHI, May 14: The provisions of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, are applicable to kutchi abadis, the Supreme Court held in a recent judgment delivered at its registry here. ... KARACHI: Report sought KARACHI, May 14: Sindh chief minister's adviser on non- governmental organizations, Ali Nawaz Talpur, has asked the secretary of social welfare department to submit a report on the issues relating to the Sindh Paramedical Staff Welfare Association ... KARACHI: Shanti Nagar UC facing civic problems KARACHI, May 14: UC-7 Shanti Nagar in Gulshan Town, comprising 12 localities with a population of 1,00,000 people, is being neglected and the UC Nazim ... KARACHI: 'All about lifestyles' opens KARACHI, May 14: A three-day exhibition titled 'All about lifestyles' got under way at the Expo Centre on Friday afternoon. At least 102 companies are taking part in the exhibition organized by the Dawn Group of Newspapers. ... KARACHI: ATC told to dispose of murder case KARACHI, May 14: Justice Shabbir Ahmed of the Sindh High Court, who is also administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts in Karachi, directed the judge of ATC-V to dispose of killing case against six activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ... KARACHI: Two stabbed to death KARACHI, May 14: Two persons, including a 14-year-old girl, were stabbed to death in different areas on Friday. Police said that unknown persons barged into a house in Madina town, Quaidabad, on Friday morning. ... KARACHI: Loadshedding to be eliminated KARACHI, May 14: KESC MD Brig Tariq Saddozai has said that the completion of Hubco-KESC link in the next 18 months would help reduce the quantum of load-shedding by 40 per cent and another 30 per cent ... PESHAWAR: Psychiatric hospital being expanded PESHAWAR, May 14: The NWFP government has decided to build a 200-bed psychiatric hospital premises for the Government Sarhad Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases (GSHSD) for which financial allocation have been made ... KOHAT: Demand for oil, gas plant at Shakardarra KOHAT, May 14: The district council unanimously passed a resolution on Friday demanding that the government should construct a plant for the Shakardarra oil and gas fields in Kohat ... PESHAWAR: Monitoring of uplift projects urged PESHAWAR, May 14: Senior NWFP Minister Sirajul Haq has urged the elected representatives to monitor the ongoing development projects in their constituencies in order to ensure their timely completion and quality of work. ... PESHAWAR: Imposition of sale, income taxes in Fata opposed PESHAWAR, May 14: Tribal elders of Mohmand and Bajaur agencies have opposed the proposed imposition of income and sales taxes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and asked the government to reconsider its decision. ... PESHAWAR: Karachi killings condemned PESHAWAR, May 14: Provincial Senior Minister Sirajul Haq has accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of being a terrorist organization which creates lawlessness in the country. ... PESHAWAR: Action against FIA official ordered PESHAWAR, May 14: Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajab Ali Khan has directed the regional director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to take action against an official of the agency for repeatedly violating court's order. ... HYDERABAD: Police deny having detained three HYDERABAD, May 14: The DPOs of Badin and Mirpurkhas and the SHOs of Jhuddo and Pingrio, in their written statements before the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, here on Friday denied having detained three persons. ... HYDERABAD: Adabi Board surplus staff given jobs HYDERABAD, May 14: The Sindh Services and General Administration department issued orders on Friday under which 18 surplus employees of the Sindhi Adabi Board were provided jobs at the Hyderabad DCO office against suitable posts. ... HYDERABAD: Girl forgotten by family lands at Darul Aman HYDERABAD, May 14: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, here on Friday ordered the district and sessions judge of Shikarpur to hold a proper inquiry into the case of a teenaged girl who would be produced before him from Hyderabad. ... HYDERABAD: SHC orders production of detainee HYDERABAD, May 14: The Sindh High Court Hyderabad circuit bench directed the police on Friday not to shift a detained person out of the city and produce him before the court on May 18. ... HYDERABAD: Electricity for villages HYDERABAD, May 14: The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company has completed 160 electrification schemes in April 2004 under different development programmes. ... VEHARI: Vehari's oldest school being ruined VEHARI, May 14: Mismanagement, political interference and official neglect reign supreme at the Government Model High School, the oldest and the largest educational institution of the Vehari district. ... SIALKOT: 50,000 teachers denied special allowance SIALKOT, May 14: As many as 50,000 male and female science and mathematics teachers in the Punjab have been deprived of a 15 per cent special allowance and other increments for the last four years. ... VEHARI: 25 kiosks reduced to ashes VEHARI, May 14: At least 25 kiosks were burnt to ashes in Luddan, some 30 kilometres from here, on Friday as the fire brigade demanded bribe to extinguish the fire. ... TOBA TEK SINGH: Grocer kills wife, three children TOBA TEK SINGH, May 14: A grocer allegedly killed on Friday morning four members of his family in Chak 295-GB Barianwala. Police said Noor Din Jat suspected that his wife had illicit relations with a man of the same village. ... SAHIWAL: Dacoit shot by police SAHIWAL, May 14: A dacoit was killed and another injured by police on the Chichawatni-Burewala Road on Friday. An ambulance driver was also injured in the firing. ... OKARA: Okara well short of wheat target OKARA, May 14: The local food department is employing 'unusual tactics' to achieve the target of 1.9 million bags of wheat, which seems next to impossible keeping in view the market trend. ... SUKKUR: Four bandits killed, 30 arrested: police -Operation in Shah Belo forest intensifies SUKKUR, May 14: During a month-long police operation against dacoits in Shah Belo forest, four dacoits were killed, 20 injured, 30 arrested and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession. ... SUKKUR: Two children, two women killed SUKKUR, May 14: Two women and two children were killed and two men were injured by armed assailants in Chuttalabad village near Garhi Khairo, Jacobabad district, on Thursday night. ... MIRPURKHAS: Non-availability of textbooks affects primary education MIRPURKHAS, May 14: The primary education in the district is being adversely affected by non-availability of textbooks. ... SANGHAR: Case against minister registered SANGHAR, May 14: A case has been registered against federal communications minister Babar Ghouri and some other people for allegedly storming a polling station, attacking polling staff, tearing ballot papers and trying to take ballot boxes away. ... BAHAWALPUR: Auction of Nawab's valuables completed BAHAWALPUR, May 14: With the auction of the leftover articles of the Sadiqgarh Palace, the process of distribution of the late Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi's movable property completed here on Friday. ... LAHORE: Police may have three AIG-led regions LAHORE, May 14: The Punjab police has sought permission of the government for creation of three regions in the province that would be headed by additional IGPs. ... LAHORE: Lahore sizzles at 44.7 oC LAHORE, May 14: There was no let-up in the heatwave gripping the country since Monday with many cities recording the maximum temperature of 45 degrees C on Friday. ...

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