23 June 2004 Wednesday 04 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425 Musharraf should quit, says Abida LAHORE, June 22: Former federal minister Begum Abida Husain has appreciated her daughter Sughra Imam's decision to quit the Punjab cabinet, saying Gen Musharraf should also take a similar decision in the larger national interest. ... No change in formula for cabinet seats: CM KARACHI, June 22: Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim has pointed out that there will be no change in the sharing formula of the provincial cabinet with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement - whose strength is 41 against 47 of the PML - and said the new cabinet will have more ministers soon. ... Altaf calls for arrest of PPP, JI leaders KARACHI, June 22: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has held leaders of the Pakistan People's Party and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal responsible for the murder of an MQM activist. ... Active CM augurs well for Sindh: Ibad KARACHI, June 22: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad returned from London on Tuesday and resumed his work, quashing all rumours about a change in the Governor's House. ... Change in set-up internal matter of Pakistan: EU ISLAMABAD, June 22: The European Union delegates view any possible change in the political setup of the country as an internal matter of Pakistan and express hopes that democratic principles will be adhered to in any eventuality. ... Jamali being ignored in speeches and official documents? LAHORE, June 22: Is there any member on the treasury benches of the Punjab Assembly who has supported Prime Minister Jamali or appreciated his policies? Perhaps none. And if there's any, he's yet to come out of the veil. ... Nasim Wali calls for strong parliament QUETTA, June 22: Poverty, illiteracy and lack of development are not the Pakhtuns' fate but are the results of the exploitation of their resources by usurpers, says leader of the Awami National Party Begum Nasim Wali Khan. ... Jhang by-polls: PML bags anti-Sipah votes JHANG, June 22: PML-Q candidate Sheikh Waqas Akram was unofficially declared successful in the by-election for NA-89, held here on Sunday. Mr Waqas Akram polled 51,419 votes while his closest rival Maulana Alam Tariq of the Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan (MIP) got 41,549 votes. ... Supreme Court upholds MPA's disqualification ISLAMABAD, June 22: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a decision of the Punjab Election Tribunal of disqualifying Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) candidate Sheikh Amjad Aziz from being elected provincial assembly member from the constituency PP-156 for not being a graduate. ... PPP seeks EC's intervention LAHORE, June 22: The Lahore Coordination Committee of the PPP on Tuesday urged the judiciary and the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the unlawful means being used by the ruling party to win by-election to four provincial assembly seats. ... PPP leaders criticize lawlessness FAISALABAD, June 22: The local leaders of the PPP have alleged that the MQM is directly responsible for deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. ... Decision to attend NSC meeting today PESHAWAR, June 22: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's (MMA) president Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that the alliance's supreme council would make final decision regarding participation of Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the inaugural meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). ... PML-N leader criticizes Haj policy ISLAMABAD, June 22: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) information secretary Siddiqul Farooque has criticized the new five-year Haj policy announced by the government, and said tour operators have been given a free hand to loot people. ... PPP criticizes NWFP budget MANSEHRA, June 22: Former MNA and NWFP Pakistan People's Party President women wing Mehrun Nissa Afridi has said the present regime has failed to solve the problems of the people. ... MMA accused of toeing WB line: Property tax exemption PESHAWAR, June 22: Opposition lawmakers in the NWFP Assembly on Tuesday criticized the MMA government for suspending its decision on exempting five-marla houses of property tax and accused the provincial government of toeing the World Bank guidelines on the issue. ... PPP proposes amendments to IRO-2002 HYDERABAD, June 22: People's Party Parliamentarians legislators have submitted a bill before the National Assembly secretariat, suggesting amendments to the Industrial Relations Ordinance-2002. ... Mud-slinging continues in provincial assembly KARACHI, June 22: The Sindh Assembly failed to debate on the new budgetary proposals on Tuesday due to unprecedented, and to some extent, "planned disorder", which reflected the nation wide polarisation vis-a-vis Wana military operation and terrorist killings in the city. ... Disgruntled MPA slams MMA's inconsistencies LAHORE, June 22: MMA legislators washed their dirty linen in the open on Tuesday when its parliamentary leader Asghar Gujjar and disgruntled MPA Fayyaz Chohan clashed on the alliance stance on Kalabagh dam. ... 'In-house' change in PA budget documents LAHORE, June 22: The treasury benches watched spellbound, as PPP's Samiullah Khan pointed out an 'in-house' change of leadership in the provincial budget documents on Tuesday. ... CII asked to work for fostering tolerance ISLAMABAD, June 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has asked the Council of Islamic Ideology to work pro-actively for fostering tolerance and harmony in the society. ... Balochistan to receive 0.1m tons of wheat QUETTA, June 22: Punjab has agreed to provide 100,000 tons of wheat to Balochistan. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf discussed the issue with Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday. ... Rs30m economics dept okayed: Urdu varsity ISLAMABAD, June 22: The Higher Education Commission's Departmental Development Working Party has approved a project worth Rs30 million to establish department of economics at the Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology. ... Singapore PM visits IIUI, Taxila museum ISLAMABAD, June 22: Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has said the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) is a great seat of learning with a modern touch and a combination of attraction for people having interest in Islam and Muslims. ... Case against 15 PPP activists Blocking of Shaukat's car MULTAN, June 22: Police have reportedly rounded up four PPP activists on Tuesday after registering a case against 15 people for blocking the motorcade of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz. ... Omar Asghar remembered ISLAMABAD, June 22: A meeting called to pay tribute to Omar Asghar Khan, former federal minister for labour and manpower, on his second death anniversary turned into an occasion for a critical examination of the circumstances that culminated in the death of a romanticist. ... Replacement of Fokker aircraft reviewed ISLAMABAD, June 22: The Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) on Tuesday discussed the details of a presentation by a committee on the replacement of F-27 aircraft with turbo-prop planes, a PIA press release issued here said. ... Rocca lauds Pakistan's anti-terror campaign WASHINGTON, June 22: The US Congress was told on Tuesday that the moderates and extremists in Pakistan were engaged in a battle for "the soul" of their country and there's no easy solution to this conflict. ... Kashmir issue: China's support appreciated QINGDAO, June 22: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri expressed thanks to the Chinese leadership for their consistent support to Pakistan for resolution of its disputes with India. ... JWP sees govt hand in Sui attacks QUETTA, June 22: The Jamhoori Watan Party has held the government responsible for bomb blasts and rocket attacks in Sui and said that they were meant to pave the way for taking punitive action against the people of Dera Bugti. ... Children of journalists stage protest ISLAMABAD, June 22: A number of children of journalists held a demonstration outside parliament here on Tuesday to protest against non-implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award for newspapers employees. ... Rs15.7 billion AJK budget presented MUZAFFARABAD, June 22: AJK finance minister Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan presented the state's tax free but deficit budget for the fiscal year 2004-05 in the Legislative Assembly here on Tuesday. ... Three dozen Africans arrested LAHORE, June 22: Law-enforcement agencies on Tuesday arrested another three dozen black Africans on the charge of violating immigration laws. ... Cooperation among Saarc states stressed: Women's issues ISLAMABAD, June 22: The adviser to prime minister on women development and social welfare, Nilofar Bakhtiar, on Tuesday stressed the need for more active cooperation among Saarc member countries on the issue of women rights. ... Sikh pilgrims impressed NANKANA SAHIB, June 22: A delegation of Sikh pilgrims was greatly impressed with the maintenance of their religious places in Pakistan, especially in Nankana Sahib which has seven gurdwaras built in the memory of their spiritual head, Baba Guru Nanak. ...

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