03 January 2005 Monday 21 Ziqa'ad 1425 2005 year of stable Pakistan: PML KARACHI, Jan 2: PML Secretary General Mushahid Husain Saiyed has said that the year 2005 will be 'the year of take off' for Pakistan and realization of President Musharraf's policies. ... 'Black day' a complete failure, says Sherpao PESHAWAR, Jan 2: President of his own faction of the Pakistan People's Party and Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has termed the opposition's drive against the president's uniform a complete failure. ... PML-N rejects Musharraf's claim on economy LAHORE, Jan 2: A PML-N leader who was deputy chairman of the Planning Commission in 1999, on Sunday, rejected President Musharraf's claim that the country was on the brink of default when he had toppled the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif. ... Govt claim of stable economy contested ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Sunday criticised the government for failing to control inflation, saying 2005 would be the last year of General Pervez Musharraf's rule ... 'Holding of two offices violative of constitution' ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: President Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision to retain two offices has violated Article 244 of the Constitution, Jamaat-i-Islami Islamabad chapter Ameer MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam claimed here on Sunday. ... MMA ministers urged to quit QUETTA, Jan 2: Pakistan Workers Party president Nasrullah Khan Kakar has said that if the MMA is sincere about launching a movement against President Musharraf then its ministers in the NWFP and Balochistan should quit their offices. ... ARD to continue struggle: Shah KHAIRPUR, Jan 2: Sindh People's Party Parliamentarians president Syed Qaim Ali Shah has observed that the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy will play its role for restoration of democracy. ... Rising stars of Sindh politics KARACHI, Jan 2: The year 2004 turned out to be a mix of achievements and setbacks for most politicians and almost all major political parties in Sindh. ... Gillani vows not to succumb to govt's pressure RAWALPINDI, Jan 2: The government under the control of an army general cannot browbeat the workers and supporters of Pakistan People's Party through its witch-hunt. ... JUP wing convenes all-party talks LAHORE, Jan 2: The JUP-Nifaze Shariat has announced convening of an all-party conference to take up a five-point agenda on Jan 16. ... 'Country can't afford confrontation' PESHAWAR, Jan 2: Opposition leaders must reciprocate the goodwill gesture made by the president in his televised address because the country cannot afford the politics of confrontation and agitation ... Rs1.45bn spent on 2002 polls, says report ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: The October 2002 general elections cost the Election Commission Rs1.45 billion compared to Rs1 billion spent on 1997 polls, recording an increase by 39.8 per cent, a report on the General Elections 2002 said. ... Separate electoral rolls for local polls ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Separate electoral rolls for Muslims and non-Muslim voters have been prepared for the April 2005 local government elections, Secretary to Election Commission K.M. Dilshad said here. ... PA speaker urged to convene session MULTAN, Jan 2: Outspoken opposition member in Punjab Assembly Dr Javed Ahmed Siddiqi urged the governor and the speaker to convene an assembly session as only one meeting of the house had been held in the last six months. ... Kasuri hails president's decision KASUR, Jan 2: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri lauded on Sunday the decision of the president to retain his two offices, and said it was the need of the hour in the present national and international scenario. ... Mushaira focuses on uniform KARACHI, Jan 2: Leading humour poets focussed on the uniform issue of President Pervez Musharraf at a mushaira organized by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company on Saturday night in a local hotel. ... PMAP urges new constitution QUETTA, Jan 2: The Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party's provincial executive committee on Saturday stressed that the country's constitutional issues could be resolved ... Govt urged to drop Kalabagh plan HYDERABAD, Jan 2: The project of Kalabagh dam is a violation of water accords as there is no mention of any dam in them. This was stated at a meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Board here on Saturday. ... Bifurcation of foreign secretary post planned ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: A plan to bifurcate foreign secretary's post has raised question about successor to the present Secretary Riaz Khokhar who is supposed to relinquish charge by Jan 31. ... Police Order leaves much to be desired LAHORE, Jan 2: The Police Order 2002 will take a long time in its implementation in the country even after the recent amendments made to it. This was the impression given by several senior government officials, who talked to Dawn on Sunday. ... Progress on uplift projects to be reviewed PESHAWAR, Jan 2: Slow execution of development projects funded by the Asian Development Bank will be discussed during a meeting between development planners of the NWFP government and a delegation of the bank here on Monday. ... Unesco seeks data on 3 archeological sites KARACHI, Jan 2: Hectic efforts are under way to gather complete information regarding three archeological sites in the country, so that these could be considered by Unesco for the status of the World Heritage Sites, it is learnt. ... Envoy visits Gilani SRINAGAR, Jan 2: Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmad Khan visited APHC chairman, Syed Ali Gilani, in New Delhi on Saturday to inquire about his health. ... Six more pilgrims die in S. Arabia ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Six more Pakistani pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia, reports Pakistan Haj Mission. According to a message received here on Sunday from the Directorate-General of Haj in Makkah ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005