24 July 2004 Saturday 06 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 KARACHI: Two rival groups to contest FCS polls KARACHI, July 23: Two powerful groups have emerged as the main contestants in the forthcoming elections of the Fishermen Cooperative Society being held on August 4 through secret ballot. ... KARACHI: Notices issued to AG on detention plea KARACHI, July 23: The Sindh High Court on Friday issued pre-admission notices to the home secretary, advocate-general Sindh for July 30 on two identical petitions challenging the detention of Mohajir Qaumi Movement leaders ... KARACHI: Zakat Council to disburse Rs2 billion this year KARACHI, July 23: The Sindh Zakat Council has been tasked to disburse over Rs2 billion among the needy in the current financial year. "The number of people who receive zakat funds, which were Rs600 million only a couple of years ago, has risen ... KARACHI: Operation creates water shortage in Lyari areas KARACHI, July 23: Valve operation in certain densely populated localities of Lyari Town has almost become ineffective owing to the continued siege of Jehanabad by police since July 16 ... KARACHI: 50pc cut in Edhi ambulance fares KARACHI, July 23: The Edhi Foundation has announced almost 50 per cent reduction in its ambulance fares to facilitate the poor and needy people of Sindh and Balochistan. ... KARACHI: Childless women at risk of cancer KARACHI, July 23: Majority of women with ovarian cancer do not come to doctors for early consultation, which is the major cause of deaths among the female patients. ... KARACHI: Maternity homes lack trained staff: report KARACHI, July 23: Poor sanitary conditions, lack of equipment and untrained staff at majority of maternity homes are posing great threat to human lives. ... KARACHI: KU to publish Abro's remaining work KARACHI, July 23: The vice-chancellor, University of Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, has announced that the varsity will publish all unpublished works of renowned Sindhi writer and intellectual Jamal Abro ... KARACHI: PMA, Edhi Foundation launch campaign against quacks KARACHI, July 23: A campaign against quackery has been launched jointly by the Edhi Foundation and Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), it was learnt on Thursday. ... KARACHI: 800 buildings under review for commecialization KARACHI, July 23: The city government's master plan group of offices has received 800 cases pertaining to commercialization from the KBCA. Stating this at a meeting with officials of the group, EDO Atique Baig asked them to expedite the matter ... KARACHI: Action against illegal blood banks ordered KARACHI, July 23: Sindh chief minister's advisor on Health Faisal Malik on Friday said stern action will be taken against un-registered blood banks, besides conducting audit of foreign-funded health programmes. ... KARACHI: Training of midwives stressed KARACHI, July 23: Midwives can help reduce maternal mortality rate drastically but the government does not attach enough importance to the education, training and development of midwives. ... KARACHI: 290 illegal structures removed KARACHI, July 23: In a major anti-encroachment operation, the Liaquatabad Town Administration on Thursday demolished the illegal structures, raised by the owners of 290 shops at Gulbahar sanitary market. ... KARACHI: Young man shot dead by robbers KARACHI, July 23: A young man was shot dead near New Sabzi Mandi on Friday morning. Police said that Keweal Ram, 24, was going to New Sabzi Mandi when some armed men intercepted him and demanded cash. ... LAHORE: University status for KEMC LAHORE, July 23: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Friday announced university status for the King Edward Medical College (KEMC). The chief minister announced the upgradation of the college at the foundation-stone laying ceremony ... LAHORE: Pervaiz for jail reforms LAHORE, July 23: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Friday the government was committed to bringing about positive change in jails with special emphasis on reformation of prisoners and checking overcrowding. ... LAHORE: Naib Nazim bound to convene session - Recall motion LAHORE, July 23: The LHC has ruled that it is mandatory for the Naib Nazim to convene a council session on receiving a recall motion notice, and he has no authority to determine the validity of the notice ... LAHORE: Nine cases of theft, robbery in Lahore LAHORE, July 23: Robbers and thieves on Friday struck nine times in various parts of the city. Two gunmen held Karim Haider at gunpoint at his shop in Badami Bagh and deprived him of Rs150,000 in cash. They thrashed him when he put up resistance. ... LAHORE: Second phase of payments to Taj Company victims LAHORE, July 23: Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry kicked off the second round of payments to Taj Company victims with the distribution of cheques among some of them at a ceremony here on Friday. ... LAHORE: Two underpasses across canal LAHORE, July 23: The government has finally decided to construct two underpasses connecting hostels to academic blocks of the Punjab University.... LAHORE: Kazakh cyclist on peace mission LAHORE, July 23: On a peace mission from Islamabad to New Delhi, a Kazakh cyclist arrived here on Friday. Tugelbek Kassymov, 59, has been making international solo cycle trips to various countries of Europe ... PESHAWAR: Administrative cadre for health department PESHAWAR, July 23: The NWFP health department has decided to introduce an administrative cadre in the health sector, sources told Dawn. ... PESHAWAR: Steps urged to boost female literacy rate PESHAWAR, July 23: The Society for Protection of the Rights of the Child hasasked the government to take practical steps for bringing girls enrolment in educational institutions on a par with boys'. ... PESHAWAR: Mineral sector's upgrading urged PESHAWAR, July 23: Speakers at a conference underlined the need for upgrading the mineral sector for sustainable development and making the mineral industry environment-friendly. ... SWABI: Water crisis in Gadoon SWABI, July 23: People of Gadoon are facing a severe shortage of drinking water. After the leakage of the sole supply pipeline at many places, women in many areas have to bring water from far off places in pitchers. ... HYDERABAD: Adviser orders surprise visits to hospitals HYDERABAD, July 23: Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister for Health Faisal Malik has directed health authorities to pay surprise visits to hospitals and personally monitor the facilities being provided by the hospitals. ... HYDERABAD: Nazims seek control over HDA, Wasa HYDERABAD, July 23: Taluka nazims of the district on Friday demanded that the Hyderabad Development Authority and the Water and Sanitation Agency should be devolved to the taluka level. ... HYDERABAD: Production of detainees in court urged HYDERABAD, July 23: Students of the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, belonging to the Jeay Sindh Students Federation staged a demonstration outside the press club ... HYDERABAD: Agriculture hit hard by water shortage HYDERABAD, July 23: The Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party central committee has expressed grave concern over consensus on building big dams reached in the parliamentary water committee meeting ... HYDERABAD: Resource centre for women planned HYDERABAD, July 23: In order to promote products of women artisans at national and international level, the Sindh government will provide more than Rs40 million for the establishment of a women resource centre in the city. ... RAWALPINDI: 'Rs12bn allocated for gas supply' RAWALPINDI, July 23: The government has allocated Rs12 billion for provision of gas to urban and rural areas without this amenity, the petroleum minister, Nauraiz Shakoor, said. ... QUETTA: 'Rare birds be protected' QUETTA, July 23: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf has called upon officials to ensure implementation on the law banning the hunting of endangered species, especially rare birds, in the province. ... QUETTA: Police official kidnapped in Sui QUETTA, July 23: An accused wanted by a law-enforcement agency kidnapped police officer Abdul Majid from the Sui bazaar on Friday and the local administration claimed that the abductor had personal enmity. ... GUJRANWALA: 56 acquitted in Phalia sectarian case GUJRANWALA, July 23: The anti-terrorism court No 2 acquitted 56 people involved in Phalia, Mandi Bahauddin, sectarian case after mediation between two sects here on Friday. ... SAHIWAL: Three killed, 29 hurt as bus overturns SAHIWAL, July 23: Three people were killed and 29 others sustained injuries on Friday when a speeding bus overturned on Noorshah-Faisalabad Road near Chak 48/GD. ... OKARA: 16 tenants held after 'clash' with police OKARA, July 23: Okara police on Friday booked around 100 tenants of Chak 15/4-L and arrested 16 of them under 16-MPO after skirmishes with the police on the premises of a local court. ... SIALKOT: Shortage of passport books persists SIALKOT, July 23: Passport seekers have protested against the shortage of blank copies in the regional office here. A large number of people said on Friday due to shortage of passport copies in Sialkot and Narowal districts ... GUJRAT: Nominated accused dies in 'encounter' - Madina Syedan killings GUJRAT, July 23: A nominated accused, who was declared a proclaimed offender in the Madina Syedan incident in which 16 people were murdered on May 15, was shot dead by Jalalpur Jattan police. ... MULTAN: COMSAT Institute in Multan MULTAN, July 23: COMSAT Institute of Information Technology will start working here from September 1. This was announced by Punjab Agricultural Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon at a press conference here on Friday. ... MANSHERA: Mansehra council approves budget MANSEHRA, July 23: The budget of the Mansehra tehsil council which was passed immediately after its presentation on July 20, was again presented and approved by a hurriedly-called session here on Thursday. ... MIRPURKHAS: Cotton, other crops badly affected MIRPURKHAS, July 23: There is an acute water shortage in the command area of Nara canal, badly affecting crops of cotton, sugarcane, chilli and onion. ... KHAIRPUR: Farmers continue protest KHAIRPUR, July 23: Tail-end growers of Khan Wah, Sadarang Wah and Shahnawaz Wah took out a procession in Thari Mirwah town on the second day of their protest on Friday against water shortage in their area. ... SUKKUR: Sindh facing unprecedented water shortage SUKKUR, July 23: Sindh will face an unprecedented shortage of water in next five days as the Indus River System Authority has cut supply to the province from 165,000 cusecs to 127,000 cusecs, according to official sources. ... LARKANA: Nazim seeks expansion of library LARKANA, July 23: The district nazim has urged the Sindh culture and tourism department for the construction of more reading halls in the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Memorial Library. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2004