07 January 2005 Friday 25 Ziqa'ad 1425 PPP, PML-N yet to agree on candidate: NA-127 by-polls ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The Pakistan Muslim League-N and People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP), have so far not agreed on a joint candidate and decided to field their men separately for the February 27 by-election ... Demand for restoration of religion column PESHAWAR, Jan 6: Aalami Majlis-i-Tahaffuz-i-Khatam-i-Nabuwwat Pakistan has adopted a unanimous resolution, calling upon the government to restore the religion column in the machine readable passports. ... MMA protest today ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Thursday gave a call for observing countrywide protest on Friday against President Pervez Musharraf's decision not to shed his military uniform. ... Shujaat, Mushahid visit MQM HQ KARACHI, Jan 6: Amid government plan for early local government polls, former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who heads the ruling PML, visited headquarters 'Nine Zero' of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Wednesday ... Uniform issue dominates PA proceedings LAHORE, Jan 6: There was a pandemonium in the house on the first day of 18th session on Thursday when the opposition leader took the floor on a point of order to protest "breaching of promise" by Gen Musharraf on his military dress. ... Repeal of Hudood Ordinance sought HYDERABAD, Jan 6: The deputy Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Makhdoom Jamil-uz-Zaman, and MPA Sassui Palijo have submitted two separate resolutions to the secretary of the Sindh Assembly for the repeal ... Govt accused of delaying execution of schemes PESHAWAR, Jan 6: The combined opposition in the NWFP Assembly has accused the provincial government of delaying the execution of development schemes identified by opposition lawmakers six months ago. ... PPP rejects division of Hyderabad HYDERABAD, Jan 6: The People's Party Parliamentarians has opposed the proposed bifurcation of the Hyderabad district and supported proposal of the district nazim, seeking creation of 17 towns and its elevation as the city district. ... Notification for land acquisition 'illegal' LAHORE, Jan 6: Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Shaukat Mazari on Thursday kept pending an adjournment motion moved by PPP members - Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan and Samiullah Khan - regarding issuance of a notification for acquisition of 2,900 kanals ... NA committee discusses ABL restructuring ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatization met here on Thursday to discuss the restructuring of the Allied Bank (ABL) by the State Bank of Pakistan. ... 'Provincial rights key to resolving Balochistan issue' QUETTA, Jan 6: The issue of Balochistan's national rights can be resolved to some extent if the 1973 Constitution is restored and implemented, says the provincial president of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Haji Lashkari Khan Raisani. ... Country on path of prosperity: Aziz ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The country is on the path of prosperity and people will soon feel the results of the government's successful economic policies, says Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. ... Stranded families' repatriation urged KARACHI, Jan 6: The issue of the stranded Pakistanis' repatriation could not be resolved over the past 33 years owing to the successive governments' insincerity and this is hurting our pride as Pakistanis. ... Sindh seeks Rs404 million from centre: Upgrading AEMC, SIUT ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Sindh has sought additional Rs404.8 million from the federal government to upgrade the Atomic Energy Medical Centre and modernize the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation in Karachi. ... Pakistan, Syria to promote cooperation in S&T ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Pakistan and Syria here on Thursday agreed on mutual cooperation and exchange of experts in the field of science and technology. ... Army team leaves for Indonesia ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Another batch of Army troops comprising seventy engineers, doctors and paramedical staff left Chaklala air-base on Thursday to form part of the task force for the tsunami-hit areas in Indonesia. ... Pakistanis hit by tsunami be traced: Ijaz LAHORE, Jan 6: Foreign Office and the interior ministry must make efforts to trace the whereabouts of Pakistani tourists affected by the Asian tsunami, says Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq. ... New weapons and equipment for Creeks Battalion ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The Creeks Battalion of the Pakistan Navy has been reinforced with new weapons and equipment for combat patrolling, anti-aircraft defence, anti-terrorism and anti-smuggling operations, officials told Dawn. ... PM to visit POF on Monday TAXILA, Jan 6: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is scheduled to visit Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah Cantonment on Monday. Mr Aziz is undertaking the visit on the invitation of Minister for Labour and Manpower Ghulam Sarwar Khan. ... Pakistani-American files lawsuit SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 6: A Pakistani-American who formerly worked for a Chicago manufacturer has filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired after he complained of harassment by co-workers and supervisors following the September 11 terrorist attacks. ... 'Kashmiri children worst victims of repression' MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 6: Ieuan Wyn Jones, Leader of the Opposition in Wales (UK), has said that the settlement of Kashmir dispute can ensure a better future for Kashmiri children. ... Strategy devised to check benami phone connections ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The government has evolved a strategy to check issuance of 'benami' cellular phone connections to avoid their misuse by terrorists and criminals. ... Seven more Haj pilgrims die ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Seven more Pakistani pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia during the last couple of days, taking the death toll to 24, Secretary of Ministry of Religious Affairs, Vakil Ahmed Khan, said on Thursday. ... Senate body exposes new linkages of EOBI scam ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: The probe by a Senate body into the Rs1.04 billion Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) scam on Thursday exposed new linkages of the financial crime as the bureaucrats spilled beans ... Changes in LG ordinance opposed ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: A group of civil society organizations has rejected the proposed changes in the Local Government (LG) Ordinance and announced that they would launch a protest campaign against the government's plan ... 'Aim to de-politicize police force nullified by police order amendment' PESHAWAR, Jan 6: Senior Police officials at a forum on police reforms said that recent amendments to the Police Order 2002 had deprived it of true spirit before its implementation. ... Over 1,200 women killed in name of honour in 2004: adviser ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: As many as 1,250 women were killed in the name of honour in the year of 2004, Prime Minister's Adviser on Women Development Nilofar Bakhtiar said here on Thursday. ... Administrative reshuffle before local elections LAHORE, Jan 6: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday asked the PML and allied parties' MPAs to prepare for the local elections, hinting at an administrative reshuffle at the district level. ... FIA wings formally merged into NAB KARACHI, Jan 6: The Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption Wings of the FIA were formaly merged into National Accountability Bureau Sindh at a ceremony held here on Thursday. ... 45 ambulances donated to Afghanistan ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Pakistan has donated 45 ambulances to Afghanistan as part of its rebuilding process. Foreign Secretary Riaz H. Khokhar handed over the vehicles to Afghanistan Ambassador Dr Nanguyalai Tarzai ...

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