22 June 2004 Tuesday 03 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425 Cabinet finalizes budget strategy ISLAMABAD, June 21: The federal cabinet, which met here on Monday, finalized its strategy to handle the upcoming first reading of the fiscal 2004-05 budget, official sources told Dawn. ... Budget is not un-Islamic, decrees MMA leader LAHORE, June 21: While other opposition leaders criticized the new Punjab budget for its wrong priorities or failure to address people's problems ... Pandemonium stalls debate on budget KARACHI, June 21: Owing to pandemonium, a little discussion on budget could be held in the Sindh Assembly on Monday. The treasury benches also looked not keen enough. ... Opposition terms NWFP budget unbalanced PESHAWAR, June 21: Opposition lawmakers on Monday accused the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government of political discrimination, saying it had deprived opposition members of development funds in the new budget. ... Govt shy of debate on law & order, says Khuhro KARACHI, June 21: Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro on Monday slammed the government for running away from his proposal for a special slot during the current budget session to discuss the recent wave of terrorism and threats. ... PPP demands arrest of Suhrawardy's killers ISLAMABAD, June 21: The president of People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP), Makhdoom Amin Fahim, has expressed his deep concern over the law and order situation in the country and demanded immediate arrest of the killers of party activist Munawwar Suhrawardy. ... Opposition stages walkout over arrest QUETTA, June 21: Opposition members staged a walkout from the provincial assembly on Monday when the speaker did not allow them to raise the issue of the arrest of two leaders of the National Party and the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) ... Khokhar challenges conviction in LHC LAHORE, June 21: Former National Assembly deputy speaker Haji Nawaz Khokhar has moved the Lahore High Court with an appeal, challenging his conviction awarded by an accountability court last week. ... Pir Mukarram to be indicted on 29th RAWALPINDI, June 21: The accountability court No 2 will indict former managing-director Pakistan Printing Press, Pir Mukarramul Haq, on June 29 in a reference relating to misappropriation in the printing of directories for the Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL). ... Combating poverty a big challenge: Kasuri - ACD meeting in China held QINGDAO, June 21: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Monday said that Pakistan was prepared to play an active role in regional fora to achieve economic prosperity and improve the socio-economic life of people. ... Over 60pc army men inducted as Khuddam: NA informed about Haj policy ISLAMABAD, June 21: More than 60 per cent of Khuddamul Hujjaj sent to Saudi Arabia for the Haj 2004 comprised officials of the armed forces, civil armed forces and police, the National Assembly was told here on Monday. ... Freedom of Information Rules notified ISLAMABAD, June 21: The government has notified the Freedom of Information Rules 2004, requiring all public organizations to designate an official to provide information regarding public records to applicants. ... West blamed for low literacy rate in Pakistan RAWALPINDI, June 21: Politicians and educationists here at a students convention opposed the changes being made in the textbooks, alleging this was being done on US dictations aimed at weakening the ideological base of Pakistan. ... 'Industrial effluent being thrown into rivers' ISLAMABAD, June 21: The state minister for environment, Maj (retired) Tahir Iqbal, on Monday told the National Assembly that effluent from industrial units throughout the country was being ... Over 11,000 railway bridges unsafe ISLAMABAD, June 21: Over 80 per cent bridges of Pakistan Railways have lived their life and could cause a major disaster any day, Dawn has learnt. ... Rs10b subsidy demanded for farm sector LAHORE, June 21: Economic stability depends on political stability which does not come under one-man rule, says deputy opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Rana Sanaullah Khan. ... PFUJ, Apnec criticize ad campaign ISLAMABAD, June 21: In a joint statement issued here on Sunday, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation, criticized non- implementation or the Seventh Wage Board Award ... CM backs demands of journalists PESHAWAR, June 21: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has assured journalists that he will do his utmost to solve their problems, including implementation of the Seventh Wage Award. ... Work on 1,472 official housing units delayed ISLAMABAD, June 21: Delay in the construction of 1,472 housing units is exacerbating the residential problems of government servants in Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi, the National Assembly was informed on Monday. ... Call to improve remote areas infrastructure ISLAMABAD, June 21: The socio-economic conditions of the less developed areas need to be improved and brought on a par with that of developed areas of the country. ... 87 acres of govt land grabbed in city - NA told ISLAMABAD, June 21: The National Assembly was told on Monday that about 87.127 acres of government land are under illegal occupation in Karachi. The house was informed about this in response to a question by MNA Raja Muhammad Asad Khan ... Prosecutor faces action for failure to plead case MUZAFFARABAD, June 21: The AJK Ehtesab Bureau has served a show-cause notice to one of its prosecuting attorneys for his alleged failure to properly pleading a case in the High Court involving the son of AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Sardar Siab Khalid, Dawn has learnt. ...

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