28 May 2004 Friday 08 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 KARACHI: Consumer rights law soon: Ibad KARACHI, May 27: Regional conference on "Role of Accreditation and Standards in Protecting Consumers in Developing Countries" concluded on Thursday after adopting a declaration underlining the need to ensure that the standards are enforced in order to protect the consumers from substandard ... KARACHI: CM visits blast victims in hospitals KARACHI, May 27: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar on Thursday visited Jinnah, Liaquat National and Aga Khan hospitals to inquire about the well being of the victims of Wednesday's bomb blasts. The chief minister met the blast victims, inquired about their condition and prayed for their early recovery. ... KARACHI: No clue yet to bombers KARACHI, May 27: Police on Thursday failed to find a clue to the perpetrators of the Wednesday car bomb explosions near PACC. A police guard was killed and at least 33 people, including police personnel and media men ... KARACHI: KWSB drive causing hardship to people KARACHI, May 27: At a time when various parts of the city are experiencing an acute water shortage, the KWSB's new recovery drive is causing hardship to even those who have already cleared their water charges. ... KARACHI: Power failures getting on consumers' nerves KARACHI, May 27: People in the city braved yet another day of power breakdowns as the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) continued with its unannounced power load shedding in many localities in the city on Thursday. ... KARACHI: SHC allows mother to meet child: Custody case KARACHI, May 27: The Sindh High Court asked its nazir on Thursday to ensure that a petitioner mother was allowed to see her 18-month-old son, who is in the custody of her estranged husband. ... KARACHI: Shopping bag with explosive material recovered KARACHI, May 27: Police on Thursday recovered a shopping bag containing four kilograms of explosive material near a petrol station in Clifton. ... KARACHI: Safety measures for rains reviewed KARACHI, May 27: A high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of City Nazim Naimatullah Khan on Wednesday reviewed safety arrangements in the wake of possible rains and floods in Karachi during the coming monsoon season. ... KARACHI: Four Muttahida workers acquitted KARACHI, May 27: An additional district and sessions court acquitted on Thursday four workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in a murder case. ... KARACHI: Arrangements made for teachers' exams KARACHI, May 27: All arrangements have been finalised to conduct the written examination of candidates who have applied for the posts of PST, GST and HST. ... KARACHI: Doctors seek ban on tobacco advertising KARACHI, May 27: Medical experts on Thursday urged the government to impose a complete ban on tobacco promotion in print and electronic media and its sale in all forms, including cigarette, pan, gutka ... KARACHI: Saeeda for addressing issues of rural women KARACHI, May 27: Sindh Women Development Minister Dr Saeeda Malik has said that backwardness among women, particularly those in rural areas, needs special attention, as they were denied education. ... KARACHI: People using mobile phone while driving to be fined KARACHI, May 27: Sindh government, through an amendment in the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance-1965, has provided for imposing fines of Rs500 and Rs250 for using mobile phone ... ISLAMABAD: Health ministry under fire for irregularities ISLAMABAD, May 27: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has severely criticized the health ministry for various irregularities in its accounts and for its failure to spend Rs560 million on development sector ... LAHORE: Over Rs35bn likely for Punjab ADP LAHORE, May 27: The size of the Punjab Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the year 2004-05 is likely to be fixed somewhere between Rs35 and Rs40 billion and not Rs28 billion as indicated by the federal government. ... LAHORE: PBCC decision on marks LAHORE, May 27: The Punjab Boards Committee of Chairmen's decision to ban private candidates from appearing in science subjects and those papers requiring practical examinations will be implemented during the next 2005-07 academic session. ... LAHORE: Rain makes weather pleasant LAHORE, May 27: Light rain early on Thursday morning made weather a little pleasant in the provincial metropolis. The showers began to fall at 6:30am after dark clouds covered the city skyline, leaving a cooling effect on the city. ... PESHAWAR: Farmers want construction of canal PESHAWAR, May 27: Farmers have asked the government to construct the Left Bank Chashma Canal to divert water for irrigating barren lands in the southern districts of the province. ... PESHAWAR: Proposal for medical varsity approved PESHAWAR, May 27: The provincial development working party (PDWP) has approved a proposal for the establishment of Khyber Medical University and a separate campus of the Khyber Medical College for girls with an allocation of Rs270.08 million ... PESHAWAR: Health Endowment Fund gets Rs50m PESHAWAR, May 27: The finance department has released the first tranche of Rs50 million for the Health Endowment Fund (HEF) out of the Rs100m allocated for the financial year 2003-04. ... PESHAWAR: Officials called for comments on habeas corpus pleas PESHAWAR, May 27: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday summoned the officials concerned of the ministries of defence and interior in two identical habeas corpus petitions challenging the alleged detention of four cousins by the Pakistan army for the last 75 days. ... PESHAWAR: Sewage getting into water line PESHAWAR, May 27: A large population of Nauthia locality in the city is facing serious health problems due to the supply of contaminated water to their homes. The main water supply line at Mohallah Fazlur Rehman in Maskeenabad on Pir Langot Baba Road is broken at several points. ... HYDERABAD: Wasa blamed for water crisis HYDERABAD, May 27: The Sindh irrigation secretary on Thursday submitted his statement before the chief secretary, holding the Water and Sanitation Agency responsible for supply of contaminated water to residents of the district. ... HYDERABAD: 'Water has high salt, algae content' HYDERABAD, May 27: The professors of Dr M.A.Qazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, have cautioned the people of Latifabad that the water being supplied to Unit No.4 should not be considered safe for human consumption. ... HYDERABAD: Education minister criticized HYDERABAD, May 27: The Ustad Dost Ittehad has accused Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat of destroying the education system of the province. ... GILGIT: Two girls degree colleges for Northern Areas approved GILGIT, May 27: Two degree colleges for girls will be constructed at Hunza and Skardu in Northern Areas at a cost of over Rs31 million this year, sources told Dawn on Wednesday. ... CHARSADDA: Funds not released for public safety body CHARSADDA, May 27: Chairman Public Safety Commission Charsadda Sajid Khan urged media men to enlighten the masses about the role of the public safety commission. ... BAHAWALPUR: Polio case detected in Bahawalpur - EDO denies reports BAHAWALPUR, May 27: A fresh polio case has been detected at Chak 55-DB near Yazman, about 30 kilometres from here. Reports said seven-month-old Naqqash, the son of labourer Muhammad Riaz ... FAISALABAD: Wagon-owners plan protest for June 1 FAISALABAD, May 27: Wagon owners and their staff will protest on June 1 outside the offices of the district Nazim and the DCO against the imposition of ban on plying of wagons on urban routes. ... SHEIKHUPURA: Inquiry ordered against police - Lawyer implicated SHEIKHUPURA, May 27: District and Sessions Judge Khan Talib Husain Baloch ordered on Thursday an inquiry against Nankana Sahib police officials ... MULTAN: Gang-rape victims stick to stance MULTAN, May 27: The victims of the New Multan police station gang-rape case iterated while deposing before a judicial inquiry officer on Thursday that they were criminally assaulted on May 14 last by six men, four of them in police uniform. ... FAISALABAD: Traders resent police 'apathy' FAISALABAD, May 27: Traders and industrialists have threatened to go on strike for an indefinite period in protest against the police for its failure to control crime in the city. ... GUJRAT: NHA to file Rs5m claim against Kharian TMA GUJRAT, May 27: The National Highway Authority has reportedly decided to file a claim of over Rs5 million with the Kharian Tehsil Municipal Administration. ... DADU: Oil firm promises facilities to villagers DADU, May 27: More basic facilities including education, sweet drinking water, health and development projects would be provided to the local people in the western part of Dadu district. ... NAWABSHAH: Irrigation system needs repair, says Nazim NAWABSHAH, May 27: The existing irrigation system including Nusrat Canal has collapsed and needs immediate repair, District Nazim Faryal Talpur told the District Council session at Darbar Hall here on Thursday. ... KHAIRPUR: Police excesses decried KHAIRPUR, May 27: People's Party Parliamentarians MPA Nawab Wassan has alleged that party workers, Awam Dost nazims and councillors are being victimized by the government through police. ... THATTA: Water crisis - Road blocked in protest THATTA, May 27: Activists of the People's Party Parliamentarians on Thursday took out a procession in Sujawal town and blocked the Thatta-Badin highway for about two hours to protest against the supply of contaminated water to the district. ... NAWABSHAH: 240kgs of charas seized NAWABSHAH, May 27: Excise police recovered 240kgs of charas from a Sanghar-bound truck, near here, on Thursday and arrested two persons. On a tip-off, inspector Aijaz Awan intercepted a truck at the Sanghar road and, on searching, recovered 240kg of charas. ...

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