30 September 2004 Thursday 14 Shaban 1425 Musharraf urged to quit army post PESHAWAR, Sept 29: Representatives of various civil society groups have asked President Gen Pervez Musharraf to quit the army post by Dec 31 as it was vital for the promotion of democracy in the country. ... JI invites Musharraf, Aziz to attend 'Ijtema' ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: The Jamaat-i-Islami has invited President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to attend its three-day annual congregation (Ijtema-i-Aam) starting at Azakhel Park on the outskirts of Peshawar from Oct 1-3. ... ARD, MMA yet to find ground for cooperation LAHORE, Sept 29: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy have yet to find a common ground for mutual cooperation, their desire to join forces against President Pervez Musharraf notwithstanding. ... Opposition apprehends new pro-uniform resolution QUETTA, Sept 29: Leader of opposition in Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali Baloch has said that the provincial government would again table a resolution in the provincial assembly session on Oct 5 asking President Musharraf to retain the post of army chief. ... PPP refuses to meet CEC on Thar by poll KARACHI, Sept 29: The Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians has refused to meet the Chief Election Commissioner on Thursday because it considers the EC invitation as "belated". ... Lawyers to work out strategy against uniform LAHORE, Sept 29: The Pakistan Bar Council has convened for Oct 2 a meeting of representative lawyers across the country to work out a campaign against President Gen Pervez Musharraf's retaining the office of the chief of the army staff. ... All-party conference in Karachi next month QUETTA, Sept 29: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy will hold a round-table conference in October in Karachi to chalk out a programme against the 17th Constitutional Amendment and the president's military post ... NA motion on fertilizer prices submitted ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Wednesday submitted an adjournment motion in the National Assembly secretariat against increase in fertilizer prices. ... Railways told to improve service ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Railways Ministry to expedite the process of converting railways into a corporation and to make it an efficient, viable and service- oriented corporation ... NWFP failed to utilize billions of ADP funds PESHAWAR, Sept 29: The NWFP government failed to implement its annual development programme (ADP) for the 2003-04 financial year and billions of rupees remained unspent, official sources said. ... ADB approves highway plan KOHAT, Sept 29: The Asian Development Bank, after completing preliminary surveys in the area, has approved the construction of national high way which will connect Punjab with Afghanistan through Kohat and Parachinar, it has been learnt. ... US envoy meets CM, governor PESHAWAR, Sept 29: Outgoing US Ambassador Nancy J. Powell held separate meetings with Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah here on Wednesday. ... Call to build Kalabagh dam LAHORE, Sept 29: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have been urged to announce the construction of Kalabagh dam to save the country from the impending food and water crisis. ... JKLF defends third option on Kashmir RAWALPINDI, Sept 29: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Amanullah Khan has said Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had declared on many occasions that the state of Jammu and Kashmir had the constitutional right either to accede to India or Pakistan or remain independent and that the two-nation theory did not apply on the state. ... 18 journalists to visit held Kashmir, New Delhi ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: A group of 18 senior journalists from Muzaffarabad and other places will visit Jammu, Srinagar and New Delhi from October 3 to 9 on the invitation of the Indian chapter of the South Asian Free Media Association (Safma). ... Pakistan, US to work on 18 S&T projects ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Pakistan and the US have agreed to undertake 18 projects costing $3 million in various fields of science and technology, says a press release. ... Islamabad: PAF to take part in exercises in Turkey ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: A contingent of six multi-role F-16s of Pakistan Air Force reached Turkey on Wednesday to participate in a multi-air force exercise code-named "Anatolian Eagle". ... Nominated councils for Fata opposed PESHAWAR, Sept 29: Two civil society leaders the Kurrum Agency on Tuesday rejected the formation of nominated tribal councils by the federal government and urged Islamabad to extend its devolution plan to tribal areas. ... Aziz chairs meeting on HIV/AIDS today ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called a special meeting on Thursday for a detailed briefing on reported abnormal increase in cases of HIV/AIDS, especially among the drug addicts. ... FDE told to enhance IT literacy ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Minister for Education Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Wednesday directed the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to keep open its computer labs from 9am till 9pm to enhance computer literacy in the capital territory. ... Promotion of biotechnology stressed ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Promotion and commercialization of biotechnology can contribute towards economic development of the country. This was said by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman here on Wednesday. ... Govt to privatize Haj services LAHORE, Sept 29: The federal government has decided to privatize its Haj services and utilize resources and manpower of the religious affairs ministry "for highlighting real identity of Islam in the world". ... Rs3bn system strengthening project added to K-III KARACHI, Sept 29: In order to plug leakages in water lines and upgrade the water distribution network, a 'system strengthening project' (SSP) has been made part of the K-III project. ... Minister vows full support to overseas Pakistanis ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar Khan held a meeting in Dubai with his UAE counterpart Matar Huamid Al Tayer. ... Media asked to play role in highlighting child labour ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Participants of a workshop on Wednesday stressed the need for more powerful role of print and electronic media in highlighting child labour-related issues. ... APNS petition: SHC issues notices KARACHI, Sept 29: A division bench of the Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to a federal attorney and the secretaries of the ministries of information and labour and manpower for a date in office ... Hearing in $345m lawsuit adjourned ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Civil Judge Aamer Saleem Rana on Wednesday adjourned hearing into a $345 million lawsuit of infringement of intellectual property rights filed by Dr Syed Iqbal Raza against Siemens AG Germany and others till October 7. ... Refugees asked to vote for Karzai QUETTA, Sept 29: An election campaigner for Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday urged refugees in Pakistan to cast their votes in favour of peace, stability and progress in their home-land. ... Govt 'stopping' people from attending JI congregation LAHORE, Sept 29: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Wednesday alleged that the government is preventing people from attending its three-day congregation at Nowshera, NWFP. ... Muttahida MNA criticizes attack on Gurdwara ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus has expressed concern over the recent attacks on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Sheikhupura and demanded the federal and Punjab governments take action ...

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