17 June 2004 Thursday 28 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 Opposition stages token walkout: Soldiers in Parliament House ISLAMABAD, June 16: The government on Wednesday claimed that unprecedented security measures were taken in and around the Parliament House in view of terrorist threats while the opposition protested the presence of soldiers there. ... Uproar in NA over 'property of Musharraf' ISLAMABAD, June 16: An uproar was witnessed in the evening session of the National Assembly on Wednesday as the opposition leaders pointed fingers at the president and accused the government of robbing the national exchequer through financial manoeuverings. ... 'Fazl should attend jirga' PESHAWAR, June 16: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has asked the federal government to allow opposition leader in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman to attend a jirga to be organized in the troubled South Waziristan. ... Jehangir asks PPP activists not to commit self-immolation ISLAMABAD, June 16: The secretary-general of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Jehangir Badr, has urged the party workers not to resort to the extreme steps like self-immolation as a protest against detention of former senator Asif Ali Zardari ... PA witnesses uproar during budget speech KARACHI, June 16: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday in its budget sitting witnessed an uproar for about 10 minutes, during the finance minister's speech, followed by a token walkout staged by the opposition. ... Notice issued to EC, federal attorney on MQM's plea KARACHI, June 16: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the federal and provincial attorneys and other respondents for June 28 in a writ petition moved by three Muttahida Qaumi Movement candidates ... By-election campaign to end tomorrow ISLAMABAD, June 16: The Election Commission of Pakistan has directed that the election campaign for the June 20 by-polls in Jhang would come to an end from midnight falling between Friday and Saturday. ... Arrest warrants for PML-N activists issued SUKKUR, June 16: District and Session Judge Jacobabad Syed Faiz Rasool on Wednesday re-issued non-bailable warrants against 20 leaders and activists of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) after dropping the names of Senator Akram Zaki and Balochistan minister Abdul Rehman Jamali. ... Chattha, Shujaat head NA bodies ISLAMABAD, June 16: Member of the National Assembly Hamid Nasir Chattha, who has been elected the chairman of Special Committee on Kashmir, has sought all parties co-operation on Kashmir issue. ... PML-Q lawyers call off strike GUJRAT, June 16: Over hundred PML-Q lawyers have decided to call off their strike against DPO Raja Munawar Hussain and will resume courts from Thursday (today). ... MMA's 'peace rally' on 27th KARACHI, June 16: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) will take out a peace rally on June 27 from Mazar-i-Quaid to Tibet Centre. This was decided in a meeting headed by president MMA Karachi and leader of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) Hafiz Muhammad Taqi held at Idara Noor-i-Haq on Wednesday. ... President, Rashid discuss media issues ISLAMABAD, June 16: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday called on President Gen Pervez Musharraf and discussed matters relating to the national media. ... Lawyers to protest setting up of mly courts ISLAMABAD, June 16: The lawyers community on Wednesday vowed to resist with full force any attempt to establish military courts in the country. ... SC judges to work during vacation ISLAMABAD, June 16: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, issued an order on Wednesday directing all the judges of the Supreme Court to continue hearing cases at least for six weeks during the three-month summer vacation. ... Bill for raise in Punjab ministers' perks presented LAHORE, June 16: The opposition walked out of the provincial assembly on Wednesday when the chair refused to withdraw the Punjab Ministers (salaries, allowances and privileges) Amendment Bill earlier referred to the house standing committee. ... Opposition demands Tareen's removal Rs22m sugar cess default LAHORE, June 16: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday demanded dismissal of Jehangir Tareen from the office of adviser to chief minister for being defaulter of sugar cess to the tune of over Rs22 million. ... Kalabagh dam termed a threat to federation PESHAWAR, June 16: Awami National Party's Senior Vice President Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour said on Tuesday that the Kalabagh Dam project was a threat to the federation and it should be shelved forever. ... 'Millions of dollars paid for aircraft purchase' ISLAMABAD, June 16: The present government has paid almost 12 times more for an aircraft for PIA compared with the deals finalised by the previous government, the record placed before the National Assembly here on Wednesday revealed. ... Federal govt turns down NWFP plea on surcharge ISLAMABAD, June 16: The federal government has refused to increase hydel development surcharge to the NWFP from the existing Rs6 billion to Rs8 billion, saying the offer was limited in the context of the sixth National Finance Commission. ... Pakistan wants progress on Kashmir ISTANBUL, June 16: Pakistan is confident of establishing good ties with India's new Congress-led government and believes it is important to act quickly to resolve the Kashmir dispute, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said on Wednesday. ... Per capita water availability decreases - Report ISLAMABAD, June 16: The per capita water availability has decreased while provision of fresh water is at risk in many parts of the country, a study conducted by the ministry of environment says. ... ZTBL recovers Rs37bn loans ISLAMABAD, June 16: Zarai Taraqiati Bank (ZTBL) has made a record recovery of Rs37 billion given as loan to small and big farmers during the year 2003-04, a source told Dawn on Wednesday. ... CM undecided over home dept portfolio KARACHI, June 16: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that he had inherited the issue of National Finance Commission Award from the previous government and it was not advisable to delay presentation of the budget for the NFC. ... Code of ethics for print media proposed KARACHI, June 16: The Uks, a research, resource and publication centre on women and media, on Wednesday called upon newspapers owners and other stakeholders in the newspaper industry to adopt a gender-sensitive code of ethics for print media. ...

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