16 May 2004	Sunday	25 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

BAHAWALPUR, May 15: The Punjab food department will resume on Monday the issuance of permits for wheat purchase to the flour mills.

It is learnt here on Saturday that the provincial government had taken this decision under the pressure of political circles and millers.

Earlier on May 1, the government had suspended permits of the mills to enable the food department to achieve its target of 35 million tons in the province.

However, the provincial food department could not make any difference to the purchase pattern and it had achieved only 50 per cent of its target so far.

According to official figures, the Bahawalpur division has so far achieved slightly above 50 per cent of its target of 550,000 tons of wheat.

Meanwhile, the district administration has constituted a raiding team, headed by judicial magistrate Tariq Javed, to recover wheat.

CRITICIZE: The PML-Q workers criticized on Saturday the party higher-ups and the government for overlooking their grievances.

Speaking at a convention, some of the party office-bearers, mainly of the labour wing, complained that the district police did not pay heed to their genuine complaints.

RESULTS: The Islamia University announced on Saturday the results of MA economics second annual examination, 2003.

According to a notification, some 48 candidates have passed the examination, out of 132.

BURNT: A furniture factory at Chikanwala chowk was burnt in a fire on Saturday.

The owners claimed that they suffered heavy losses due to fire, which was brought under control after two hours by three fire brigades.

The cause of fire is stated to be short-circuit.