24 June 2004 Thursday 05 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425 Musharraf likely to meet Muttahida MNAs today ISLAMABAD, June 23: A meeting of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement MNAs and President Pervez Musharraf is expected to take place on Thursday, said MQM parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar. ... 'Solution to crisis lies in fresh polls' LAHORE, June 23: Former PML-Q president Mian Azhar says the ruling party leaders, who have been linking their politics with Gen Musharraf and his uniform ... 'PML wings being re-organized' ISLAMABAD, June 23: All wings of the Pakistan Muslim League are being re-organized with the active participation of workers to strengthen the party at the grassroots level, says PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. ... Govt scores easy victory in NA ISLAMABAD, June 23: The opposition on Wednesday did not create any difficulty for the treasury benches and gave a virtual walkover to the government when the National Assembly began discussion on cut motions during the budget session. ... Opposition sees threat not discernible to Jamali LAHORE, June 23: While Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali insists that his government faces no threat as President Musharraf, the ruling party and other coalition partners are fully supporting him ... Opposition for reduction in defence budget: Political role of army criticized ISLAMABAD, June 23: Opposition members belonging to the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have once again criticized the government for increasing defence budget and called for its reduction. ... President urges women MPs to contribute to development ISLAMABAD, June 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf urged women parliamentarians on Wednesday to use their unprecedented political empowerment both within and outside the Parliament ... Asif asked to appear before Swiss court ISLAMABAD, June 23: The government on Wednesday served a notice, issued by Swiss Magistrate Christine Junod, on Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Ali Zardari to appear before her in Geneva on June 30 for hearing in the SGS case. ... Govt criticized for federal transfers - Budget debate KARACHI, June 23: As discussion on the provincial budget finally got under way in the Sindh assembly on Wednesday, the government faced criticism from the opposition on the issues of federal transfers, bad governance, and unemployment. ... Opposition terms budget anti-people KARACHI, June 23: The government was castigated for failing to provide relief to the common man and ensuring proper utilisation of funds for non-development expenditures. ... Budget debate continues in assembly PESHAWAR, June 23: Heated debate continued on Wednesday in the NWFP Assembly on the 2004-05 provincial budget. Dr Salim Khan of the Swabi Qaumi Mohaz, a district-level organization, said it was a balanced and development-oriented budget. ... Pandemonium mars Balochistan budget speech QUETTA, June 23: Protests by opposition members caused a pandemonium during the budget speech of Balochistan Finance Minister Syed Ehsan Shah in the provincial assembly on Wednesday as they tore up the budget documents and threw those towards the minister. ... Pakistan eligible for anti-terror technology: MNNA status ISLAMABAD, June 23: Pakistan's designation as the Major Non-Nato Ally of the United States makes it eligible for funding to procure explosives detection devices and other counter-terrorism technology ... No headway in talks with tribesmen in Waziristan: Blockade continues WANA, June 23: Talks between deputy administrator and tribal elders ended without any result in the South Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday after authorities linked removal of the ongoing economic blockade with the handing over of two wanted militants, sources said. ... Broadband policy in a couple of weeks: Awais LAHORE, June 23: Federal Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said on Wednesday that a broadband policy would be announced in a couple of weeks. ... Most of superior judiciary judges appointed from bar ISLAMABAD, June 23: Judges appointed to the superior judiciary from among the bar surpassed the number of career judges who joined judiciary through competitive examinations. ... Fertilizer sector to get maximum incentives: Jatoi ISLAMABAD, June 23: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Liaqat Ali Jatoi on Wednesday assured the fertiliser manufacturers that the five-year period for concessional gas supply for balancing, modernization, rehabilitation and expansion (BMRE) of existing fertiliser plants would be increased to encourage investment in the sector. ... WB okays $90m SAC loan for NWFP BERLIN, June 23: The World Bank has approved $90 million structural adjustment credit (SAC) in continuation of its financial support to implement economic and structural reforms in the NWFP. ... Role of academia in policy-making stressed: Farm development ISLAMABAD, June 23: The viability of economy depends on the development of scientific infrastructure in an era of rapid globalization and competition that is possible only by involving universities in planning and policy-making. ... Railway schools handed over to private firm, NA told ISLAMABAD, June 23: Pakistan Railways has handed over its schools under a "contract" to a profitable private limited company with major financial stakes of the next of kin of the foreign minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri. ... Pervaiz, Tong discuss trade, uplift projects LAHORE, June 23: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi called on Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong at the State Guest House here on Wednesday. Matters of mutual interest and development projects in the province were discussed at the meeting. ... Singapore minister lauds Nadra system ISLAMABAD, June 23: Singaporean Home Minister Wong Kan Seng has lauded the efforts of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and said the data collected by it would help in eradicating crimes. ... Vision 2020 far from reality, PA told LAHORE, June 23: Parliamentary secretary Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan stole the show on Wednesday, as he did not find the chief minister's team capable of materializing their leader's 'Vision 2020.' ... PPO delivered Rs2.4bn as remittances KARACHI, June 23: The Pakistan Post Office distributed Rs2.4 billion as remittances - or the amount of foreign exchange sent back home by overseas Pakistanis - from March 2003 to March 2004. ... Legislators support journalists KARACHI, June 23: Legislators, representing the ruling coalition as well as the opposition, extended full support to the journalists who marched on the Sindh Assembly building on Wednesday ... FAP welcomes lining of watercourses LAHORE, June 23: The Farmers Associates Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed lining of 87,000 watercourses in the next four years at the cost of Rs21 billion. ... KBP finds fault with lining project LAHORE, June 23: The Kissan Board Pakistan has criticized the government for allocating Rs66 billion for lining of watercourses, which they claim is "a conceptually flawed and economically tragic project." ... Farmers confused about budget LAHORE, June 23: Farmers' community is confused about the incentives provided in the federal budget and finds certain measures ambiguous. ... 'Ruling clique always misused curricula' ISLAMABAD, June 23: Curriculum has always been designed to promote a violent mentality presenting a strong one-sided world view that produces angry narrow-minded individuals. ... European Union reiterates stand on Kashmir NEW DELHI, June 23: Reiterating its support to the peace efforts in Kashmir and between India and Pakistan, Francisco Da Camara Gomes, Ambassador and Head of European Union Delegation of European Commission ... Iran wishes peace in Pakistan: diplomat HARIPUR, June 23: The Director-General of Khana-i-furhang, Peshawar, Mr Raees-us-Sadaat, has said that Iran and Pakistan have been enjoying cordial relations for decades and efforts are being made to strengthen these relations. ... Power supply for whole of Azad Kashmir planned MUZAFFARABAD, June 23: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) electricity department will shortly kick off two projects to provide power supply to the whole of Azad Kashmir and improve the distribution network, an official said on Wednesday. ...

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