05 October 2004 Tuesday 19 Shaban 1425 PPP foresees polls in 2005 LARKANA, Oct 4: People's Party Parliamentarians leader Aftab Shahban Mirani is of the opinion that Gen Pervez Musharraf will leave the army post and announce general election for next year. ... Cooperation with MMA cannot be ruled out: PML-N ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Pakistan Muslim League-N Chairman Raja Mohammad Zafarul Haq has said the possibility of cooperation with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in future on the issue of uniform cannot be completely ruled out. ... MMA using religion for political gains: expert ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Former president Gen Ziaul Haq's Islamization programme was pursued in a complicated ideological framework and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) is following the same policy of 'manipulating' religion for political purposes ... MMA accused of betraying opposition, people QUETTA, Oct 4: People's Party Parliamentarians leader MNA Manzoor Ahmed has claimed that the issue of President Gen Pervez Musharraf's military post had been raised at the behest of the rulers to divert people's attention from the problems confronted by them. ... Nationalists urged to unite HYDERABAD, Oct 4: Sindh National Front chairman Mumtaz Ali Bhutto has said that the nationalist leaders of Sindh have done nothing except waging a war of words and have not been able to get a single of their demands accepted. ... MPs asked to submit assets statements ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan has again reminded the members of the Senate, National Assembly and provincial assemblies to submit their asset reports at their earliest. ... 'Durrani turned down PM's advice' PESHAWAR, Oct 4: Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has turned down Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's advice to restore the institution-based practice (IBP) in the NWFP, sources told Bureau Report. ... Darfur crisis: West accused of eying Sudan's oil reserves ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Anti-Sudan forces are playing up the Darfur crisis to destabilise the ruling party and install an Iraq-like puppet government in the country to capture its rich oil and uranium reserves. ... 120 judges to be appointed: minister RAWALPINDI, Oct 4: Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Wasi Zafar on Monday said more than 120 judges would be appointed to remove the prevailing shortage of judicial staff in courts. ... Muslims and Arabs express concern SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 4: The annual convention of the American Muslim Voice (AMV), a leading civil rights organization, on Monday highlighted the plight of Muslims and Arabs in America who have been under vigilance since Sept 11, 2001. ... Gujral to attend Lahore meeting NEW DELHI, Oct 4: Former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral will visit Pakistan next week to attend a meeting of the South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), a non-government organization to study problems confronting the region relating to human rights ... NA committee discusses NDFC repeal bill ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The National Assembly standing committee on finance and revenue on Monday considered the National Development Finance Corporation (NDFC) Repeal Bill 2004 which was referred to it by the Lower House. ... Attached depts told to improve services: Communications ministry ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Federal Minister for Communications Mohammad Shamim Siddiqui has asked all the heads of attached departments of the ministry to strive hard to achieve their targets within the scheduled time. ... Convocation of Comsats institute held ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Nauraiz Shakoor on Monday asked the students to excel in every field of education as economies had become knowledge-based in the modern world. ... Commission asked to devise plan to tackle floods ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Minister of State for Water and Power Amir Muqam has directed the Federal Flood Commission to devise a long- term plan aimed at avoiding flood situation in future. ... Call for giving preference to Kalabagh over Bhasha LAHORE, Oct 4: Irrigation and dam experts have urged the federal government to give preference to Kalabagh dam over Bhasha for various engineering and technical reasons. ... Seven officers supersede 37 major generals ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Thirty-seven major generals were superseded by their seven colleagues who were promoted to the rank of lieutenant generals in the ongoing top level military reshuffle. ... Ties between Pakistan, Afghanistan on education stressed ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: Speakers at a workshop here on Monday stressed upon the educationists of Pakistan and Afghanistan to exchange views to foster better cooperation and understanding for the development of education sector in both countries. ... Ministry told to evict illegal occupants: Govt accommodation in capital ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The Senate Standing Committee on Works, Environment and Urban Affairs has taken strong exception to the reports that 439 government flats, quarters and houses in Islamabad are still illegally occupied. ... 86,218 cusecs inflow recorded at rim stations ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The overall water inflow at various rim stations on Monday was 86,218 cusecs and outflow 85,636 cusecs. According to official sources, the water level at Tarbela was 1469.88 feet, 100 feet higher than the dead level of 1,369 feet. ... Indian novelist mourned KARACHI, Oct 4: The death of Dr Mulkraj Anand, who was author of widely-acclaimed English novels, 'The Coolie', 'The Untouchables' and around a dozen others, was mourned at a meeting held by the Irteqa Adbi Forum at the PMA House on Sunday. ... Aishwariya due for breast cancer drive LAHORE, Oct 4: Former Miss World and Indian film actress Aishwariya Rai will visit Pakistan by the end of this month as a goodwill ambassador to raise funds for the recently launched pink ribbon (breast cancer) awareness campaign. ... Rs14.18bn target for rabi credit ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The Zari Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) has set a target of Rs14.180 billion for disbursement as rabi credit to farmers under its one-window operation at reduced mark-up of nine per cent. ... Registration of Afghan voters completed PESHAWAR, Oct 4: An estimated 650,000 Afghans have been registered in Pakistan for the Oct 9 presidential elections in Afghanistan. ... Refugees warned against casting votes BANNU, Oct 4: As the polling day for the first direct presidential election of Afghanistan draws near, some elements have intensified campaign to keep refugees away from exercising their right to vote in a bid to sabotage the process. ... Voters not familiar with most candidates PESHAWAR, Oct 4: The Afghans go to polls in about a week from now, but many refugees are not familiar with the 18 candidates running for the office of the president of Afghanistan. ...

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