18 September 2004 Saturday 02 Shaban 1425 President to retain both the offices: Rashid 'optimistic' LAHORE, Sept 17: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed "hopes" that President Pervez Musharraf will retain both offices as the 17th constitutional amendment doesn't require him to quit one. ... Benazir contests legality of cabinet's statement: Uniform issue ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has questioned the legality of the announcement made by the government that President Gen Pervez Musharraf will continue as president and chief of army staff. ... Musharraf raising settled issues, says PPP KARACHI, Sept 17: The chief of Pakistan People's Party, Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, accused Gen Musharraf of deliberately creating confusion by raising the settled issues with a view to undermine the basic character of the Constitution and the republic. ... PPP asks Musharraf to quit one post QUETTA, Sept 17: Balochistan PPP has said that President Musharraf's retaining the posts of the president and the chief of army staff would create a political crisis in the country. ... Qazi hardens stance on uniform issue GUJRANWALA, Sept 17: Mutahida Majlis Amal (MMA) president Qazi Husain Ahmad has said that President Gen Pervaiz Musharaf is bound to do away with his uniform by Dec 31 under the Seventeenth Amendment. ... Tariq Gujjar of PPP is ARD nominee for by-poll GUJRANWALA, Sept 17: The PML-N nominee for by-election to Punjab Assembly constituency PP-93 withdrew his nomination paper on Friday following a decision of ARD leaders who fielded a PPP aspirant on Thursday night. ... Hurling threats while retreating LAHORE, Sept 17: Was the Jamaat-i-Islami serious in holding its annual congregation in Lahore on the first three days of October? Perhaps, not. This has been deduced from what a JI MPA from Rawalpindi said in the Punjab Assembly on Friday. ... Tribal leaders ask govt to restrain operation KARACHI, Sept 17: The Muttahida Qabail Ittehad Pakistan has appealed to President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for immediately halting the ongoing army operation in South Waziristan ... Paracha's pre-arrest bail plea dismissed PESHAWAR, Sept 17: The Peshawar High Court on Friday dismissed a pre-arrest bail petition filed by a former MNA of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Jawed Ibraheem Paracha, in a case alleging that he hatched a conspiracy ... ANP to contact nationalists on Kalabagh dam PESHAWAR, Sept 17: The Awami National Party (ANP) will establish contacts with leaders of nationalist political parties of Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab to evolve a joint strategy against the Kalabagh dam project, ANP leaders told Dawn here on Friday. ... Jirga supports agency council KHAAR, Sept 17: A jirga has approved the nominated Agency Council and said that the proposed system conformed to customs and traditions of Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). ... NAB asks FIA not to transfer officials PESHAWAR, Sept 17: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) not to transfer its officials until the process for the transfer of cases and assets are completed, official sources told Dawn here. ... Privilege motion admitted against two newspapers ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The Speaker National Assembly on Friday referred a privilege motion tabled by an opposition member against two Urdu newspapers to the privileges committee. ... Minister snubbed for not answering query ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The National Assembly speaker, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, on Friday warned Minister of State for Interior Dr Shahzad Waseem to restrict himself to answering questions. ... Development package for Thar being finalized: Aziz MITHI, Sept 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that a comprehensive development package for Tharparkar district is being prepared to ameliorate sufferings of its people. ... Lawmakers urged to address social issues ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Parliamentarians must play their due role for the development of democratic institutions, besides addressing social issues like education, health and human rights ... 18 non-career diplomats posted abroad ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: With the designation of General (retd) Jehangir Karamat as ambassador to Washington, the number of non-career diplomats posted abroad has risen to 18, the National Assembly was informed on Friday. ... PRM vows to join PTCL workers' struggle RAWALPINDI, Sept 17: The People's Rights Movement (PRM), an umbrella of political movements, has vowed to join the ongoing struggle of the Pakistan Telecommunications Company (PTCL) workers against what it called the government's anti-worker policies. ... Laws for special persons await implementation ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Laws concerning physically and mentally- challenged people, approved by the government, are yet to be implemented. This was stated by assistant manager planning and development of a welfare department Nasir Nawaz here on Friday. ... Sindh govt should be 'result-oriented' - PM KARACHI, Sept 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that his government's priorities are to provide good governance, ensure stability in prices of essential commodities, and provide justice to everyone. ... Nasir criticized for providing incomplete data ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Federal Minister for Health Mohammad Nasir Khan on Friday faced severe criticism from both opposition and treasury senators for presenting wrong data on the number of patients suffering from different diseases in the country. ... Army leased out forest land, PA told LAHORE, Sept 17: The Pakistan Army took over around 7,000 acres of land in the Khanewal district for developing a model forest but leased it out to tenants instead. ... 'Rehabilitation centres for disabled soon' PESHAWAR, Sept 17: The NWFP government would set up rehabilitation centres for people suffering from orthotics and prosthetic problems in the province, Health Minister Inayatullah. ... 341 vehicles re-registered in Islamabad, NA told ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The record pertaining to 341 vehicles of other districts re-registered by the Excise and Taxation Officer in Islamabad during the last five years was placed before the National Assembly by the interior minister on Friday. ...

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