02 November 2004 Tuesday 18 Ramazan 1425 Musharraf accused of misusing state institutions ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Parliamentary leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has accused President Gen Pervez Musharraf of using national institutions for fulfilling his personal political ambitions. ... Opposition stages token walkout in Senate: Refusal to allow Sharifs to attend burial ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Opposition members on Monday staged a token walkout in Senate to protest against the government's decision of not allowing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif to come to Pakistan ... Govt 'didn't bar' anyone from going to funeral LAHORE, Nov 1: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi announced minutes before the funeral prayers for Mian Sharif that the government would not bar anyone from attending them at Data Sahib's shrine or at Raiwind. ... 'Sensitive event handled carefully' LAHORE, Nov 1: Tight security arrangements were made on Monday for the burial of Mian Muhammad Sharif, the father of former premier Nawaz Sharif. ... ARD criticizes Musharraf LAHORE, Nov 1: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) on Monday criticized Gen Pervez Musharraf for not allowing the Sharifs to attend the last rites of their family head in Lahore. ... SCBA chief criticizes uniform bill ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: The newly-elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Qazi Jameel, on Monday said holding of two posts by President Gen Pervez Musharraf ... Pakistan a state for people of all faiths: Altaf KARACHI, Nov 1: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on Monday said the practice of branding non-conformists as infidels or kafirs should end now as Pakistan was meant for people belonging to all religions and sects. ... Balochistan must get its rights: JWP QUETTA, Nov 1: Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) secretary-general Agha Shahid Bugti has said that Islamabad has no option but to give Balochistan its constitutional rights. ... 'CM stopped tenders on opposition's objection' QUETTA, Oct 31: Leader of the opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali Baloch has claimed that the chief minister had withheld the tenders for development projects advertised for Nov 2 ... Hashmi case adjourned until 11th LAHORE, Nov 1: Two prosecution witnesses were on Monday cross-examined by the counsel of ARD president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi. The PML-N leader from Multan is accused of purchasing property through 'ill-gotten' money ... ATC puts off hearing in mosque blast case KARACHI, Nov 1: An anti-terrorism court put off on Monday the hearing of the Haideri Mosque bomb blast case against a worker of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi after recording the statement of a prosecution witness. ... Number of cases pending with courts alarming LAHORE, Nov 1: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Nazim Husain Siddiqui said at the Punjab Bar Council dinner recently that litigation in the country was on the increase mainly because socio-economic justice and rule of law were more or less absent. ... Army's unusual drill baffles people KARACHI, Nov 1: The Special Services Group of the armed forces carried out a 'routine exercise' inside an under-construction housing complex in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, said an army official who also denied arrest of any key suspect of Al Qaeda network or the Taliban. ... USC asked to set up more outlets ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: The Senate standing committee on industries and production has directed the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to ensure supply of quality items at reasonable rates with a view to providing relief to the masses. ... Telecom depts told to start e-procurement ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Monday directed corporations and attached departments of his ministry to begin electronic procurement from January next year for more transparent and efficient process. ... $6m US-funded plan for farmers launched QUETTA, Nov 1: United States ambassador to Pakistan Ms Nancy Powell here on Monday launched a $6 million project to help small farmers of Balochistan increase their earnings by improving farm practices. ... 'Poll system un-Islamic' case hearing adjourned ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned appeal of the federation in a case about "Election System Un-Islamic" for the next session. ... Kasuri for involving Kashmiris in talks ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said on Monday that involvement of the Kashmiris in the ongoing Indo-Pakistan dialogue process "sooner rather than later" was vital for both the countries as it would ensure durable peace in the region. ... Minister stresses need for more dams SUKKUR, Nov 1: The Federal Minister for Water and Power, Mr Liaquat Ali Jatoi, has said that there is enough water in dams and barrages for power generation and for Rabbi and Kharif crop irrigation. ... Row over appointment of chief arbitrator: Payment of hydel profit PESHAWAR, Nov 1: The NWFP government is in disagreement with the federal government over its decision to appoint chief arbitrator for the up-coming arbitration between the province and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) ... Swedish, Danish teams briefed on foreign policy ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri Monday briefed delegations from Denmark and Sweden on Pakistan's foreign policy with special emphasis on the peace process in South Asia including Kashmir issue. ... Extraordinary security for Sikh pilgrims LAHORE, Nov 1: Following the recent spate of terrorism in the country, the government has decided to take strict security measures for about 5,000 Sikh pilgrims expected to arrive here on Nov 21 ...

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