31 December 2004	Friday	18 Ziqa'ad 1425

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'No surprise' for opposition parties LAHORE, Dec 30: Opposition parties have reacted sharply to the address of Gen Pervez Musharraf to the nation in which he announced that he would keep both the offices till 2007. ...		MMA rules out possibility of talks with govt RAWALPINDI, Dec 30: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Thursday ruled out the possibility of reconciliation talks with the government and said it would mobilize people to force Gen Pervez Musharraf to resign. ...
PML-N rules out deal with govt PESHAWAR, Dec 30: The PML-N on Thursday ruled out any deal with the government and pledged that the party would continue its struggle for the restoration of the 1973 Constitution and revival of real democracy. ...		Talks on Balochistan likely next month KARACHI, Dec 30: Talks between the federal government team and a dialogue committee representing a four-party alliance to sort out issues relating to Balochistan are expected to be held sometime in January ...
MQM chief favours Seraiki province MULTAN, Dec 30: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement will make part of its manifesto the demand for creation of a new province comprising Seraiki speaking areas. ...		Average performance by Sindh PA KARACHI, Dec 30: The Sindh Assembly's performance between November of 2003 to November of 2004, in terms of the legislation work done, was neither great nor poor. ...
NA body for boosting local arms production ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence Production here on Thursday asked the Ministry of Defence Production to strengthen its research and development (R&D) organizations ...		Aziz Khan calls on Shujaat LAHORE, Dec 30: Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmad Khan called on PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence here on Thursday. ...
People-to-people contact stressed: Removal of misunderstandings ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Peace between India and Pakistan should not be held hostage to the sole issue of Kashmir and people-to- people contact should be further strengthened to remove misunderstandings among the masses on both sides. ...		Govt failed to achieve tree plantation target ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The government failed to achieve tree plantation target set for the monsoon 2004 campaign as only 31.945 million saplings were planted against the target of 62.960 million. ...
Ibad orders separate camp for Afghan DPs KARACHI, Dec 30: The Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, has issued instructions on Thursday to set up a separate camp for Afghan nationals living in Karachi, besides giving them adequate incentives for returning home. ...		Talks held with China on frigates ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Pakistan and China discussed details of transfer of new weapons system to the Pakistan Navy at the Naval Headquarters here on Thursday. ...
Drainage plan to be completed on time, says Jatoi ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The National Drainage Programme would be completed on time and maintained properly to save agricultural land from getting waterlogged and saline so that bumper crops of different commodities could be harvested. ...		Leaguers 'perturbed' over transport issue: Musharraf's visit to Gujrat GUJRAT, Dec 30: Leaguers of almost all the 117 union councils of the district seem 'perturbed' over the non-provision of transport to carry the party activists to the Nat House, the site where General Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to arrive on Jan 1 (tomorrow). ...
Qazi reiterates support for private exam board ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Federal Minister for Education Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Thursday reiterated his resolve not to succumb to the pressure of the religio-political parties on the setting up of a private examination board. ...		Wasim's plea for acquittal rejected KARACHI, Dec 30: The judicial magistrate, South, Rubab Fatima, dismissed on Thursday an acquittal application of Wasim Akram, former cricket star, in a forgery case. ...
CBR chief for steps to curb smuggling ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Central Board of Revenue (CBR) Chairman M. Abdullah Yousuf on Thursday said administrative solution had failed to reduce the menace of smuggling causing great loss to the national exchequer. ...		Religious parties to punish revellers PESHAWAR, Dec 30: Vigilantes of religio-political parties have announced they are determined to stop revelry on the new year eve. ...
Kalabagh dam opposed KHAIRPUR, Dec 30: The general secretary of the Awami Tehrik, Dada Qadir Ranto, has said that the government is bent upon building the Kalabagh dam which will wreak havoc on Sindh's agricultural-based economy. ...		Law to protect interests of child labour urged PESHAWAR, Dec 30: Speakers at a seminar here have stressed the need for legislation for domestic child labour as many of the children were neither paid proper amount nor have any medical or legal cover. ...