01 September 2004 Wednesday 15 Rajab 1425 Aziz pledges measures to solve major problems ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that he will take effective measures to resolve major political and economic problems of the country. Talking to Dawn on telephone, he said: ... MMA to take opposition along: Qazi KARACHI, Aug 31: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has said that alliance's future strategy will be formulated in consultation with the joint opposition to maintain unity of the opposition. ... NA speaker meets MQM leaders KARACHI, Aug 31: National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said on Tuesday that demands of all the provinces should be addressed to strengthen national unity. ... Benazir seeks opinion on Lahore PPP chief LAHORE, Aug 31: PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has sought the opinion of party's federal council secretary-general Khalid Kharal on who should be appointed president of the Lahore organization after Mian Misbahur Rehman's decision to go on leave. ... PPP worker's suicide pains Benazir ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Former prime minister and Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party Benazir Bhutto has constituted a four- member team of senior party leaders to visit the PPP worker, Asif Buledi ... PPP criticizes defamation law HYDERABAD, Aug 31: The leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khuhro, has said that the freedom of expression has been curbed by the new defamation law. ... Khuhro calls for lecturers' appointment KARACHI, Aug 31: The leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly and President PPPP Sindh, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has urged the provincial government to employ youths who were cleared by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) for the post of lecturers in various faculties. ... Hearing on Asif's appeal in Steel mill case adjourned ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on an appeal of jailed PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari till the third week of September in the Pakistan Steel mills corruption reference ... Assembly session requisitioned PESHAWAR, Aug 31: The combined opposition in the NWFP Assembly has submitted a requisition with the speaker's chamber here on Tuesday for summoning a fresh session to discuss a nine-point agenda. ... Balochistan people can go to 'any extreme': Baloch leader warns against govt policy KARACHI, Aug 31: Balochistan National Party President Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal warned on Tuesday that the people of Balochistan could go to 'any extreme' if the government continued with the policy of denying their rights and 'pushing them to the wall'. ... 'Terrorist camps in Makran eliminated' QUETTA, Aug 31: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yusuf said on Tuesday that his government would not allow re-establishment in the province of training camps for subversive activities, that had been eliminated by law-enforcement agencies. ... Clarification ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The local office of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has clarified a story appearing in Dawn on Tuesday which quoted its Country Director Marshuk Ali Shah. ... Swabi MPA parts ways with MMA government SWABI, Aug 31: Swabi Qaumi Mahaz MPA Dr Mohammad Salim has parted ways with the MMA-led government in the province and said that he would support the opposition parties in the NWFP. ... Paracha seeks pre-arrest bail PESHAWAR, Aug 31: A former MNA of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Haji Jawed Ibrahim Paracha, filed on Monday a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court, requesting it to restrain the government from arresting him. ... China most trusted friend, says PM ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that Pakistan considers China its best and most trusted friend. In a letter sent to Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on Tuesday ... Continuation of reforms emphasized ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called for moving forward with the National Reconstruction Bureau's reforms agenda in police, judiciary and the local government system, says NRB chairman Daniyal Aziz. ... Musharraf for timely completion of Fata plans ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said that all ongoing development projects in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) should be completed on schedule. ... Parc accused of fudging figures ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Senate standing committee on agriculture accused the top management of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) of fudging the figures to paint a rosy picture of research achievements while ground realities belied such claims. ... EOBI invested Rs3bn without guarantees, Senate told ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) has invested Rs3 billion of worker's pension fund in the stock market on the directives of finance ministry without any sovereign guarantees of the government to compensate the people in case of a loss. ... Senate body criticizes ministry's 'inaction': Fake recruitment ads for Malaysia ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Senate standing committee on labour manpower and overseas Pakistanis took a serious notice of lack of action by the ministry against employment promoters issuing fake advertisements to recruit people for Malaysia. ... US to upgrade aid programme KARACHI, Aug 31: The United States is planning to upgrade its aid programme in Pakistan to $300 million annually in development assistance. The US Consul General Douglas C. Rohn said on Tuesday that half of the amount, ie $150 million would be for USAID development. ... Khurshid hopes trained envoys will boost bilateral ties ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Ambassador at large Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Tuesday complimented the Pakistan Foreign Service Academy for maintaining and enhancing friendly relations with the countries whose diplomats had been trained there. ... 8 jails to have separate units for dangerous prisoners RAWALPINDI, Aug 31: The federal government has decided to build separate barracks in eight central jails for high-profile convicted and under-trial prisoners, an official source said. ... FIA stops its two crime wings from prosecution - New role for NAB LAHORE, Aug 31: The Federal Investigation Agency restrained on Tuesday its anti-crime and economic crime wings from prosecution. ... US using Pakistan for own benefit: ex-envoy KARACHI, Aug 31: Former ambassador Karamatullah Khan Ghori said the US-Pakistan relations are that of "a master and a client" whereas Washington's dealings with New Delhi were long-term, perhaps aimed at countering China in the future. ... UNDP to provide Rs34m for two environment projects ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday agreed to provide Rs34 million ($0.564 million) to the Ministry of Environment for carrying out two projects to control desertification and ozone depletion in Pakistan. ... PTV, Suparco sign agreement ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Monday signed an agreement to use PakSat-1 9MHz space segment for AJK TV, says a press release. ... PIA flights to improve ties with Russia, says envoy ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: The resumption of PIA flights to Moscow will usher in a new era of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Russia, especially in the fields of trade, culture and tourism. ... Gohar urges forward movement in dialogue process NEW DELHI, Aug 31: The ongoing composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India must show some forward movement, especially on the Kashmir issue, says former foreign minister and member of Pakistan's parliamentary delegation Gohar Ayub Khan. ... Indian scholars visit Bulleh Shah's shrine KASUR, Aug 31: A 50-member delegation of Indian scholars and literati reached Kasur on Tuesday evening to participate in the Punjabi Mehfil-i-Mushaira at the shrine of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah. ... Employees housing society accounts defreezed ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Senate standing committee on interior has decided to defreeze the accounts of National Assembly Secretariat Employees Cooperative Housing Society to benefit its members who had invested their money in the society. ... 835 held for travelling on forged documents LAHORE, Aug 31: The FIA immigration authorities claimed on Tuesday to have arrested 835 people for travelling abroad on forged documents during 2004. Officials said the passengers were caught while trying to leave for the developed countries of Europe and the US. ... N. Waziristan tribesmen observe strike MIRAMSHAH, Aug 31: Tribesmen observed a strike in North Waziristan on Tuesday to protest against the killing of four people during a military operation in the Bangi Dar area last week. ... Govt policy on refugees criticized ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: PPP MNA Zamurad Khan on Tuesday said his party would extend cooperation in proceeding with the bill for amendment to Foreigners Act, already drafted and to be tabled in the National Assembly in collaboration with Parliamentarians' Commission for Human Rights. ...

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