29 October 2004 Friday 14 Ramazan 1425 NSC will politicize armed forces: Qazi - Fazl, Durrani not to attend meeting MARDAN, Oct 28: Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussein Ahmed has ruled out the possibility of the participation of both NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman in a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) ... Drive against Musharraf to be 'calculated' LAHORE, Oct 28: Any movement against Gen Musharraf will be calculated so that desired results could be achieved, says MMA MNA Hafiz Salman Butt. Mr Butt, who has been elected Lahore chapter's chief of Jamaat-i-Islami, the second largest constituent of the MMA ... More parties to join ARD LAHORE, Oct 28: Alliance for Restoration of Democracy chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim says the incumbent system will go along with Gen Pervez Musharraf. ... No end to crisis without democracy: PML KARACHI, Oct 28: The Pakistan Muslim League-N will continue its struggle until true democracy is restored in the country and the 1973 Constitution is revived in its original form. ... Musharraf behaving like emperor: PML-N ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Chief Coordinator Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Ahsan Iqbal has said President Gen Pervez Musharraf is behaving like an emperor and his recent off the shelf pronouncement on Kashmir has stunned every patriotic Pakistani. ... LG elections: CEC for joint electorate system ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hasan Khan on Sunday proposed that the next year's local government elections should be held on the basis of joint electorate system in order to ensure national unity. ... Hashmi ends hunger strike in jail ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: President of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Makhdoom Javed Hashmi ended his protest in Adiyala Jail after getting back the manuscript of the book, being written by him, from the jail officials on Thursday, a source told Dawn. ... Musharraf's proposal questioned LAHORE, Oct 28: Muslim League leader Ahmad Saeed Kirmani has termed the three-point formula proposed by Gen Musharraf regarding Kashmir harmful to the interest of both the Kashmiris and Pakistan. ... Lawyers reject Kashmir formula LAHORE, Oct 28: Bar leaders on Thursday rejected what they said "the Musharraf formula" on Kashmir saying that this would negate the right of Kashmiri people for self-determination and Pakistan's old principled stand on the core issue. ... Seniority list of SC, LHC judges presented in Senate ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The government informed the Senate on Thursday that Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqi, would complete his tenure of appointment on June 29 next year after serving a five-year term as a judge of the Supreme Court. ... Ibad praises passage of bill on Karo-kari KARACHI, Oct 28: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan said here on Thursday that the passage of the bill on honour killing would have a reformative impact on the social fabric of Sindh ... Consensus on construction of dams must: Arbab SUKKUR, Oct 28: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said construction of dams is necessary because the country, especially Sindh, is facing acute water shortage. ... Doctor brothers' bail plea rejected KARACHI, Oct 28: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the Anti- terrorism Court No-2 rejected on Thursday the bail application of the doctor brothers, facing charges of financing, harbouring and treating the activists of the Jundullah group. ... Petition challenging CNICs dismissed KARACHI, Oct 28: A division bench of the Sindh High Court dismissed on Thursday a writ petition challenging issuance of computerized national identity cards on payment of excessive fees and cancellation of old cards. ... President criticized for 'bailing out' PIA ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The opposition senators on Wednesday raised serious financial irregularities in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and criticized President Gen Pervez Musharraf for "bailing out" the national carrier. ... US, Pakistan launch 18 science projects WASHINGTON, Oct 28: The United States and Pakistan have launched 18 cooperative projects to build Islamabad's science and technology capacity and create technical links between the two countries, a briefing in Washington was told. ... ADB concerned over unused funds: Aid for judicial reforms ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) conveyed its concern to the government on Thursday over under-utilization of a $350 million aid given for judicial reforms in Pakistan. ... New PTCL calling card for travellers ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company on Wednesday launched the "Apna Des" calling card for Pakistanis travelling abroad. ... IT officials told to start e-hiring from February ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Federal Information Technology Minister Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Thursday directed officials of his ministry and all its 16 subsidiary departments to start e-hiring from February next year, said an official statement. ... Rs35m scheme to promote sports in varsities okayed ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved a scheme worth Rs35 million to promote sports activities in universities. ... HEC ignores medical degrees for appointment LAHORE, Oct 28: The Higher Education Commission has ignored the universities degrees - MS/MD/MDS/M.Phil - having clinical and research components and made only FCPS, MRCP ... WB wants PR to do more in freight business LAHORE, Oct 28: The World Bank is not satisfied with the Pakistan Railways freight business. Talking to the PR general manager here on Thursday, World Bank's Daleel Essa Quli said the PR performance in freight business was not satisfactory and needed to be looked into. ... 'Youth can help UN fight Aids, illiteracy' ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Youth can help the UN fight HIV/Aids, illiteracy and gender discrimination. This was said by one of the speakers at a declamation contest arranged by the United Nations system in Pakistan in connection with the 59th anniversary of the world body. ... Iran ready to provide power QUETTA, Oct 28: Iranian Consul-General to Quetta Hossein Keshmiri has said that Iran is ready to provide electricity to border areas of Pakistan if the Pakistan government makes a request to that effect. ... 'Balochistan's overdraft converted into loan' QUETTA, Oct 28: The State Bank has converted the overdraft of the Balochistan government into a loan, to be paid back in instalments on lenient terms, a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yusuf was informed on Thursday. ... PMAP plans drive against drought-like situation QUETTA, Oct 28: The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has decided to launch a protest movement against the government's silence over the drought situation which has caused heavy losses of orchards and livestock in the northern districts of the province. ... Volume of Afghan transit trade grows manifold PESHAWAR, Oct 28: The volume of goods transported from Peshawar to Afghanistan under the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) has grown manifold in the recent years as a result of Islamabad's decision to liberalize its trade policy towards the war-torn country, according to official sources. ... Khokhrapar rail link discussed ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Railways Minister Mian Shamim Haider on Wednesday informed the Senate that a proposal for opening the rail link between Pakistan and India via Khokhrapar had been discussed. ... Three killed in held Kashmir SRINAGAR, Oct 28: A Muslim civilian, a freedom fighter and an Indian trooper were killed and six houses damaged in two clashes between Mujahideen and security forces in occupied Kashmir, police said on Thursday. ... Lunar eclipse observed KARACHI, Oct 28: The last lunar eclipse of 2004 was observed on Thursday morning. A sighting of the eclipse was also made from the University of Karachi's astronomical observatory at the Institute of Space and Planetary Astrophysics. ...

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