27 October 2004 Wednesday 12 Ramazan 1425 Govt willing to have meaningful talks: PM ISLAMABAD Oct 26: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday reiterated the government's resolve to engage the opposition in meaningful dialogue and said it was ready to initiate talks with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on all issues. ... Noisy Senate session likely ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: The Senate is set for a noisy session as it discusses the bill enabling Gen Pervez Musharraf to hold offices of the president and the army chief beyond Dec 31 on Wednesday. ... ANP for joint struggle against government PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The Awami National Party (ANP) has called upon political forces in the country to join hands against the Musharraf government and struggle for restoring the supremacy of the constitution and parliament. ... Restoration of constitution in original form urged DADU, Oct 26: Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has demanded that the 1973 Constitution should be restored in its original form and President Gen Pervez Musharraf should shed is uniform by Dec 31 in line with the promise he had made with the people. ... Citizens' body points out lacunas in 'honour' killings bill ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: A citizens group working against 'honour' killings has welcomed the passage of a bill on 'honour' killings by the National Assembly on Tuesday. ... HRCP rejects bill on honour killing LAHORE, Oct 26: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Tuesday the bill on "honour" killing passed by the National Assembly and bulldozed amid opposition's objections and absence ... Benazir calls for struggle against IRO 2002 ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Former prime minister and Chairperson of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto has said October 26 is being observed as Black Day by the working classes throughout the country. ... Independent legislator joins PML in N.Areas GILGIT, Oct 26: The Pakistan Muslim League has emerged as the largest party in the Northern Areas Legislative Council after another (ninth) independent member, Himayatullah, who won the NA-1 (Gilgit) seat, joined the party. ... PPP MNAs for withdrawal of Rangers from coastal belt ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: The People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) MNAs have demanded withdrawal of Rangers personnel from the coastal belt of Sindh and condemned them for their "brutalities" against the poor fishermen. ... Options criticized by leaders in AJK MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 26: Reacting to President Gen Pervez Musharraf's statement on options to resolve the Kashmir issue, Kashmiri leaders were almost unanimous that no lasting solution could be achieved without the consent and involvement of the basic party to the dispute. ... Musharraf 'backing out of stand on Kashmir' LAHORE, Oct 26: Opposition leaders of politico-religious parties have criticized Gen Pervez Musharraf for backing out of the established stance of the country on Kashmir. ... Aziz, Rahim discuss projects ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Chief Minister of Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here on Tuesday at the Prime Minister's House here on Tuesday. The chief minister was accompanied by Krishan Chand Parwani. ... CM given powers to sack public servants: Ordinance amended KARACHI, Oct 26: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan on Tuesday promulgated the Removal from Service (Special Powers) Sindh Ordinance- 2004, empowering the chief minister to remove public servants from service. ... ARD blames agencies for terror wave LAHORE, Oct 26: Various religious and political leaders have held local and international secret agencies responsible for the recent terror wave in the country. ... 2m phone connections in Punjab soon: Awais ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Federal Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Tuesday said with the launch of Wireless Local Loop (WLL) telephone system, two million new connections would be offered under served areas. ... SC withdraws judicial powers of magistrate: Wahabul Khairi case ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday withdrew judicial powers of a magistrate, Nasir Javed Rana, for granting ten-day remand of a senior lawyer in violation of the law and directed the Lahore High Court to take further action against the official. ... Tourism to boost Pakistan's ties with ECO states ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Developments in tourism activities can strengthen ties between the peoples of Pakistan and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) countries. ... Law, media varsities to be set up: HEC chief ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Prof (Dr) Attaur Rahman on Tuesday said the government would set up a law university to meet legal education requirements in the country. ... Japanese envoy for 'concession spirit' to resolve Kashmir issue ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Pakistan and India need to show a "spirit of concession" to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute, Japanese Ambassador Nobuaki Tanaka said here Tuesday. ... World Bank wants end to farm subsidies ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: The World Bank has asked Pakistan to "properly price" water and power and gradually withdraw "all subsidies for fuel and power use" in the agriculture sector, sources in the water and power ministry have told Dawn. ... 'Old passports will be replaced by June 2006' ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Machine-readable passports (MRPs) will replace all existing passports by June 2006, says President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He said this after receiving a comprehensive briefing on the MRPs at the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) headquarters here on Tuesday. ... 4,700 workers to be sent to Kuwait: minister ISLAMABAD, Oct 26: Kuwait has requested Pakistan to send 4,700 skilled and unskilled labourers, Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said on Tuesday. ... PIDC role to be redefined LAHORE, Oct 26: The federal government has decided to redefine the role of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) to use it for establishing new industrial estates ... Workers stage demo against IRO-2002 KARACHI, Oct 26: The anti-worker IRO-2002, imposed by the regime two years ago, brought a large number of political and trade union activists on the road on Tuesday, who were protesting against the law. ... Call for curbing HR violations UNITED NATIONS, Oct 26: Pakistan on Monday called on the international community to curb countries engaged in systematic and blatant violation of human rights. ... Black day in AJK today MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 26: Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control would observe a "black day" on Wednesday to condemn the invasion of Kashmir by Indian troops this day in 1947 on the pretext of accession of the Himalayan region by the then Dogra ruler to New Delhi. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2004