20 November 2004 Saturday 07 Shawwal 1425 Opposition parties yet to finalize plan: Anti-Musharraf movement ISLAMABAD Nov 19: Opposition parties which had announced to launch a country-wide anti-Musharraf movement after Ramazan appear to be undecided on their line of action and the schedule of campaign. ... Movement for democracy soon: Khuhro DADU, Nov 19: Opposition leader in the Sindh assembly, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has said that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy will launch a movement against the Musharraf government and for the restoration of democracy in the country. ... MMA urges president to quit army post before Dec 31 SUKKUR Nov 9: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Maulana Asadullah Bhutto has said that the scheduled MMA public meeting in Karachi on November 28 will strengthen the alliance's movement against President Gen Pervez Musharraf. ... PPP for end to Musharraf rule SARGODHA, Nov 19: The PPP Parliamentarian is least concerned about the uniform of Gen Musharraf as its main objective is to end his illegal rule. This was stated by party's Punjab information secretary Naveed Chaudhry while talking to newsmen at the residence of MPA Dr Nadia Aziz here on Friday. ... PPP fails to evolve consensus: Cooperation with MMA ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Due to differences within the party, a joint meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the Federal Council of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on Friday failed to evolve a consensus on the issue of cooperation with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in the forthcoming anti-government protest movement, sources told Dawn. ... ARD may announce protest plan today ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: A meeting of the heads of the component parties of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy will be held here on Saturday to chalk out strategy for its anti-government protest movement. Sources told Dawn that the heads of the ARD component parties would also finalize the strategy for the possible cooperation with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the anti-government protest. ... Kashmiris asked to accept talks offer LONDON, Nov 19: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain on Friday welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's offer to all groups of Kashmiris for talks and described it as "a good omen". ... BMW case hearing on 22nd ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: The Supreme Court will hear a bail application of former senator Asif Ali Zardari in the BMW reference on next Monday (Nov 22). The bail petition has been fixed before a three-member bench. ... JI wants meeting permission by 25th LAHORE, Nov 19: The Jamaat-i-Islami said on Friday the MMA should be accorded permission at the most by Nov 25 for its Nov 28 public meeting planned for Karachi or the religious alliance would give a two-day strike call and hold protest rallies across the country. ... Govt told to respect people's aspirations KARACHI, Nov 19: Reiterating Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians' position against the proposed Kalabagh dam, leader of the opposition in the Sindh assembly, Nisar Khuhro warned the government against taking a decision against the wishes of the people of Sindh. ... PPP leader survives attempt on life: Guard, three others hurt GUJRANWALA, Nov 19: Advocate Chaudhry Muhammad Younis Mehr, the provincial president of the Asif Ali Zardari Freedom Movement, survived attempt on life while his body guard and three other people were injured in an assault at his house in Maraliwala village on Friday. ... Mumtaz Bhutto supports jirga system DADU, Nov 19: The chairman of the Sindh National Front, Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, has said that if someone kills a woman after getting solid proof of her illicit affair with someone else, it is not a big problem.Talking to newsmen here on Friday, he said if someone killed an innocent woman on the pretext of karo-kari, then the government should punish that man.... BNP-M, BSO warn govt against 'illegal arrests' QUETTA, Nov 19: The Balochistan National Party (Mengal) and Baloch Student Organization (United) have cautioned the government that "illegal arrests" of political activists by agencies would sabotage the negotiation process between the government and the Baloch leadership. ... Durrani calls for party-based polls PESHAWAR, Nov 19: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that the next local bodies elections if held on the party basis will strengthen democracy and democratic institutions in the country. ... CEC for more women participation in polls: US$3.7m agreement signed ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retired) Irshad Hassan Khan on Friday underscored the need for promotion of female literacy to check low participation of women in the elections. ... Body discusses Kashmir, relations with India ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Kashmir cause, relations with India and other aspects of Pakistan's foreign policy should not be made part of biased politics. This suggestion was made in a meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, presided over by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed here on Friday. ... President calls for presenting true face of Islam RAWALPINDI, Nov 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Friday called for promoting true face of Islam as an enlightened, moderate and forward-looking religion to overcome obscurantism and extremism and to steer the Muslim world out of the current turmoil. ... Commercial court to be set up in capital ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday that a federal commercial court would be established in Islamabad to deal with disputes relating to business, federal taxes and investment. ... SAFMA meeting begins today LAHORE, Nov 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf is inaugurating today (Saturday) the fourth SAFMA conference on media and reconciliation processes in South Asia. More than 250 leading editors and journalists from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan would attend the two-day conference. ... Ring Road work to start on Monday LAHORE, Nov 19: President Pervez Musharraf will perform the ground-breaking ceremony of the Rs18 billion Lahore Ring Road on Monday, a project which promises to change the outlook of the city of some seven million people where traffic jams are a common phenomenon. ... Top priority to safeguarding child rights: Musharraf ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Pakistan has reaffirmed its determination and commitments to safeguarding the rights of children..... Call to bring forth proposals to reform Muslim society ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Prof (Dr) Attaur Rehman has urged Muslim scholars to recommend internal reforms for the Muslim society to remedy problems and face challenges emerged after 9/11 events. ... Turkish choir enthrals audience ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: The renowned 'Orfeon Chamber Choir' from Ankara, Turkey, gave a charismatic performance at the Turkish embassy auditorium on Thursday evening to mark the 66th anniversary of the directive issued by Quaid-i-Azam to observe November 18 as 'Kemal Day' throughout the subcontinent. ... ADB approves $300m loan for NWFP roads PESHAWAR, Nov 19: The Asian Development Bank has approved a loan of US$301.2 million for improving the road network in the North-West Frontier Province. The NWFP Road Development Sector & Sub regional Connectivity Project will increase the access of rural population to economic opportunities and services. ... 3.6 tons of explosives seized in Waziristan ISLAMABAD, Nov 19: Authorities have recovered a huge cache of explosives and ammunition from an area near the Afghan border, an official said on Friday..... AJK vehicles not returned MUZAFFARABAD, Nov 19: Former AJK chief secretary is yet to return two official vehicles of the state even two weeks after his transfer from here, it was learnt on Friday. ... US troops leave Jacobabad today SUKKUR, Nov 19: The last batch of US troops is leaving the Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad on Saturday. They will be leaving behind their luggage and used goods for auction. The final bidding of the articles is estimated to be around a million dollars. ... Bridges can be built between Europe, Ummah KARACHI, Nov 19: The German commissioner for the dialogue with Islam, Dr Gunter Mulack, has said that 9/11 is a symbol of declaration of war by a certain group of Muslims against US domination. ... Protests held against US offensive in Fallujah KARACHI, Nov 19: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has deplored the silence of the government of Pakistan over the massacre of innocent Muslims in Iraq and Thailand and the massive destruction of mosques in Fallujah by US forces. ... Russian CG condemns aggression against Iraq KARACHI, Nov, 19: The Consul-General of Russian Federation, Vladimir Mikhaylov, on Friday called for collective efforts to tackle the threat of terrorism the world over and said that aggression against Iraq was condemnable. ...

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