13 January 2005 Thursday 02 Zilhaj 1425 Rabbani takes charge of opposition leader ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Parliamentary leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Mian Raza Rabbani on Wednesday formally assumed the charge of the opposition leader in the Senate ... Return of Benazir, Nawaz only way out, says Khar KARACHI, Jan 12: Former strong-man of Punjab Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar was on Wednesday provided PPP platform from where he called for national unity and reconciliation ... MMA wants to misuse power: PPP leader PESHAWAR, Jan 12: The proposed separate prosecution department will pave the way for the Hasba bill which is being opposed by opposition parties in the assembly, said sources. ... Capitalism to die like socialism, says Qazi LAHORE, Jan 12: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President and Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Husain Ahmed has said that Islamic movements and workers will defeat the US capitalism like the Russian socialism. ... 65,000 polling stations to be established for LB elections ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: As many as 65,000 polling stations and 0.24 million polling booths would be set up during the April local government elections to be held in 6,025 union councils ... Call to find political solution to Balochistan ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: PPP Senior Vice-President and former minister Mir Baz Mohammad Khan Khetran has said Balochistan issue cannot be resolved by army generals at gunpoint. ... Mengal, Marri warn against army action QUETTA, Jan 12: Baloch nationalist leaders, expressing anger over President Gen Pervez Musharraf's warning to Balochistan tribes to stop attacks on oil fields, have warned the government that brutal force cannot suppress national movements. ... Measures taken to restore peace: Jam QUETTA, Jan 12: Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf has said that the government has taken measures not only to restore peace in Sui, but also to protect the life and property of the people, and important installations in the area. ... Mairaj urges dialogue on issues in Sui KARACHI, Jan 12: Senior politician Mairaj Muhammad Khan has expressed concern over the sequence of events initiated by the reported gang-rape of Dr Shazia Khalid by law enforcement personnel in Sui ... Increase in gas prices likely ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The consumer prices of gas are likely to increase by up to nine per cent this month (January) to meet about Rs5 billion revenue shortfall of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) ... Gas supply to KESC, PSM, FFC curtailed KARACHI, Jan 12: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has curtailed the gas supply to coastal power plant, KESC Bin Qasim, Wapda, Pakistan Steel and Fauji Fertilizer at Bin Qasim as a temporary measure ... Peace process to continue: PM ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said during the last five years Pakistan has succeeded in turning around its economy and building strong democratic institutions starting from local governments. ... PM to visit AHQ today ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The Pakistan Air Force has become the first regional air power to receive the Rolls Royce certification for starting overhaul of the C-130 engines, officials told Dawn. ... Bureaucracy against direct funding to district govts: Education sector ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Federal Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi on Wednesday underlined the need for better coordination with donors for effective utilization of funds in the education sector. ... Wireless telephone service launched KARACHI, Jan 12: Pakistan entered into a new phase of modern telecommunication technology with the operation of wireless local loop telephone service (WLL) in the private sector. ... PAC directs NHA not to overstep authority: Increase in pay, allowances ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly has constituted a sub-committee under the convener ship of Kunwar Khalid Younis MNA to look into different audit paras pertaining to increase in the pay ... Defence submits list of 17 witnesses: Doctor brothers' case KARACHI, Jan 12: The defence counsel for doctor brothers filed on Wednesday a list of as many as 17 defence witnesses, including Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed, federal information minister and Douglus Matthews, US consul-general in Karachi. ... AG argues against plea's maintainability: Doctor brothers' case in SHC KARACHI, Jan 12: A division bench of the Sindh High Court heard arguments against maintainability of a petition challenging the confinement of 'doctor brothers' and adjourned further proceedings to Thursday. ... 'Majority of suicide bombers are educated' ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: Suicide bombers are not necessarily uneducated, poor and psychopaths but are as much economically well-off as their surrounding population. ... US$34m loan accord signed for expressway ISLAMABAD, Jan 12: The government here on Tuesday signed a 10 million Kuwaiti Dinar (US$34million) loan agreement with Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for the construction of Lyari Expressway, Karachi. ... Chinese delegation meets Soomro KARACHI, Jan 12: A delegation of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Council (CPPCC) called on the Senate Chairman, Muhammadmian Soomro, at his residence on Wednesday. ... Stranded tourists evacuated GILGIT, Jan 12: The Northern Areas administration on Wednesday evacuated over a dozen stranded Korean tourists and traders from the border town of Sust in upper Hunza to down country during a two-hour break in curfew ... Mengal slams murder of BIT leader KARACHI, Jan 12: Balochistan National Party chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal said on Wednesday that the killing of Baloch leader Anwar Bhaijan, was a conspiracy against the Baloch people in Karachi. ... Millers want equal quota for import of raw sugar LAHORE, Jan 12: The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has demanded equal distribution of the quota for import of 200,000 tons of raw sugar among 78 mills in the country. ... National flag 'not being misused' LAHORE, Jan 12: An additional advocate-general submitted in the Lahore High Court on Wednesday that the national flag was not being misused and only authorized persons were using it on their residences and cars. ... Tribesmen to be released before Eid PESHAWAR, Jan 12: Military authorities have decided to release tribesmen before Eidul Azha, who were arrested during action in Shakai valley of the South Waziristan Agency last year. ... Afghan Haj pilgrims' fate hangs in the balance PESHAWAR, Jan 12: Hundreds of Afghan Haj pilgrims are in a fix to proceed to the holy city of Makkah due to non-availability of flights from Peshawar. ... Corruption rampant in medical community KARACHI, Jan 12: The health sector is in disarray for which situation the president and the prime minister are directly responsible. ...

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