19 October 2004 Tuesday 04 Ramazan 1425 MMA not to attend NSC meeting ISLAMABAD Oct 18: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Monday decided that Maulana Fazlur Rahman, in his capacity as leader of the opposition and chief minister of the NWFP Akram Khan Durrani will not attend the National Security Council (NSC) meeting convened on Oct 22. ... Lawyers ask CJP to save state, constitution LAHORE, Oct 18: A general house meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Association on Monday beseeched the chief justice of Pakistan to save the state and the constitution by taking a suo motu notice of a recent National Assembly ... Poll results for Skardu, Ghangche notified SKARDU, Oct 18: According to an official statement issued by the election commissioners of Skardu and Ghangche here on Saturday, the Pakistan Muslim League has emerged as the largest party in the two districts by winning six seats out of nine. ... Sami's reluctance to quit MMA fuels discontent PESHAWAR, Oct 18: A decision taken nine months ago by the central council of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Sami) to leave the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal is yet to be implemented. ... People being terrorized: JI LAHORE, Oct 18: The Jamaat-i-Islami on Monday expressed its concern over the failure of the government to take steps to ensure that rice and cotton growers get the minimum support price for their produce. ... Assembly demands higher job quota for Balochistan QUETTA, Oct 18: The Balochistan Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution asking the federal government to fix the province's quota in the civil superior services (CSS) on the basis of the 1998 census, i.e. 5.4 per cent. ... Asif's bail plea in BMW case adjourned ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned for Thursday the hearing of a bail application of Asif Ali Zardari in a BMW reference case. ... PM orders export of 100,000 cotton bales ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday directed authorities concerned to immediately arrange for export of at least 100,000 bales of cotton. ... Ministry told to introduce new irrigation methods ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) has been directed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to introduce high efficiency methods to increase fruit and vegetable production in Balochistan. ... Bill to amend press laws tabled in NA ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: A bill to amend the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002, was presented in the National Assembly here on Monday. ... State minister provides incorrect figures in NA: Foreign grants for education reforms ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar on Monday failed to account for almost $100 million grant from the United States for the education sector ... Ministry told to prepare alternative energy plan ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources has directed the Ministry of Petroleum to prepare an alternative energy plan and ensure effective use of available resources. ... Legal system reform planned: minister ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The government is examining hundreds of draft laws to reform the legal and judicial system to provide speedy justice to litigants. ... Water purification plants for districts ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The government has finalized a plan to provide clean drinking water to the people by establishing 106 purification plants in all districts of the country. ... 'Govt responsible for flour shortage' ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The scarcity of flour and increase in its price with the advent of Ramazan is a self-evident proof of the incompetence of the government, said the PML-N information secretary, Siddiqul Farooque. ... Subsidized diploma courses to be launched soon ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) has decided to start subsidized diploma courses in civil, electrical, mechanical and computer technology with admission fee as low as Rs500 per semester. ... Speaker defers Afgan's motions against opposition ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Sher Afgan faced another bad day in the National Assembly when the speaker deferred his privilege motions against opposition members. ... AJK approves Rs5.7bn development schemes: Cabinet committee meeting MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 18: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet Development Committee approved on Monday development schemes worth Rs5.795 billion. ... Chinese to maintain full strength on uplift plans: Minister says... KARACHI, Oct 18: The Chinese government has indicated that it will not scale down the presence of its personnel working across Pakistan at various development projects following the death of a Chinese engineer in a rescue shootout in South Waziristan. ... Fishermen given in judicial custody KARACHI, Oct 18: Judicial Magistrate East Irshad Hussain remanded 60 Indian fishermen to judicial custody till Oct 31 here on Friday. Rakesh, Rakka, Baboo, Kaloo and 56 others were produced before the court and were charged with offence of entering Pakistan's territorial waters ... Rocca to visit education ministry today ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The United States assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca, will call on Federal Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Tuesday to discuss education sector reforms, official sources told Dawn. ... Census plan for refugees hit by fund shortage PESHAWAR, Oct 18: The Population and Census Organization of the Federal Ministry of Population is yet to begin the head-count of Afghans living in the country owing to non-availability of funds, officials said. ...

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