22 May 2004 Saturday 02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 Legislators threaten to court arrest in assembly: Leaguers' detention LAHORE, May 21: The PML-N parliamentary party in the Punjab Assembly urged the government on Friday to release forthwith all leaders and workers arrested or detained or the party legislators would court arrest during the assembly session, expected to begin on May 26. ... 'Hashmi's yes to C'wealth re-entry due to pressure' ISLAMABAD, May 21: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Friday said the statement of the acting president of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, opposing the PPP's move to block Pakistan's re-entry to the Commonwealth was due to pressure from the regime. ... PPP criticizes CM's statement LARKANA, May 21: Sindh People's Party Parliamentarians president Nisar Ahmad Khuhro has called upon the Election Commission to take notice of a statement of the chief minister about the change of loyalty of eight MPAs. ... Farooq hits back at MMA, PPP KARACHI, May 21: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Friday slammed the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Pakistan People's Party for "resorting to violence" and accused religious parties of trying to transform the metropolis into a new headquarters of the Al-Qaeda. ... State issued notice on Asif's plea KARACHI, May 21: A division bench of the Sindh High Court issued the state a notice in an application moved by Asif Ali Zardari, former premier Benazir Bhutto's spouse, for his treatment in a city hospital as ordered by a sessions judge. ... Altaf claims opposition fomenting sectarian, ethnic strife KARACHI, May 21: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Altaf Hussain, on Friday slammed the MMA and PPP allegedly for conspiring to plunge the province in another vicious cycle of ethnic and sectarian strife ... MMA rallies condemn killings, rigging KARACHI, May 21: Leaders and supporters of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) held protest demonstrations outside various mosques after Friday prayers to express their anger over the killing of nine of their colleagues ... Special cell for Haj, Umra set up ISLAMABAD, May 21: A special cell has been set up in the ministry of religious affairs for providing guidance to the general public regarding Haj, Umra and other religious matters. ... Pakistan enjoys bipartisan support in US: Kasuri WASHINGTON, May 21: A change of government in US will not affect Islamabad's relations with Washington, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said on Friday. ... Musharraf appreciates achievements of NCHD RAWALPINDI, May 21: President General Pervez Musharraf appreciated the achievements of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and stressed upon the need for achieving Universal Primary Education and literacy targets ... Jamali reviews Balochistan uplift projects ISLAMABAD, May 21: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali at a high-level meeting here on Friday reviewed the financial and development projects of Balochistan. ... Bandwidth rates to be cut drastically: Awais LAHORE, May 21: Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Leghari has said the government is coming up with a broadband policy that will drastically cut bandwidth rates in the country. ... Unmaintainable pleas criticized by court MUZAFFARABAD, May 21: AJK Shariat Court Chief Justice Syed Manzoor Hussain Gillani on Friday took strong exception to the practice of filing appeals on behalf of the government without bothering to look into their maintainability and justification. ... Grandeur of bazaar to be restored PESHAWAR, May 21: Directorate of Archaeology and Museums plans to launch a project soon to preserve and restore the Qissakhwani Bazaar for its cultural and historical significance and to boost cultural tourism in the NWFP. ... Tax ombudsman office working laudable, says BD minister ISLAMABAD, May 21: Bangladesh State Minister for Finance and Planning Shah Mohammad Abdul Hussain has said he is very much impressed by the institution of tax ombudsman in Pakistan ... Return of fishermen's bodies from India urged THATTA, May 21: Parents of three Pakistani fishermen, killed by the Indian navy, have appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to help return of their bodies. ... Reversing of braind rain taking place: Ata - Conference concludes ISLAMABAD, May 21: A two-day roundtable conference on "A new peace - a new war", organized by International Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IIPCR) of the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), concluded here on Friday. ... Committee to discuss water sharing on 25th ISLAMABAD, May 21: An important inter-provincial coordination committee meeting to be chaired by minister for water and power, Kashmir affairs and provincial coordination, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao is being held here next Tuesday. ... 'Facts about detainees not to be publicized' ISLAMABAD, May 21: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has access to prison cells in Kashmir, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, but it would not go public about its findings ... JKLF rejects proposal to divide Kashmir GILGIT, May 21: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Amanullah Khan has said they will go to any extent in resisting the divide of Kashmir. ...

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