03 February 2005 Thursday 23 Zilhaj 1425 MNAs involved in rowdyism may face suspension: Changes in rules proposed ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The government has moved to introduce new rules of discipline in parliament proposing certain punitive actions against legislators involved in rowdyism. ... Kidnapping for ransom on the rise, Senate informed ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The Senate was informed here on Wednesday that more than 30,000 Frontier Constabulary (FC) troops were performing duties in different parts of Balochistan costing the national exchequer an amount of Rs11.314 billion ... PC, ministry asked to evolve criteria: Status of underdevelopment ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas has called upon the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to evolve a comprehensive and measurable criteria ... Solidarity with Kashmiris expressed Karachi, Feb 2: Leaders of various political parties on Wednesday expressed solidarity with Kashmiri people, supported their struggle for independence and said they have right to get independence from Indian occupation ... Party is united in Chitral: PPP CHITRAL, Feb 2: A committee, constituted by PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto to diffuse the tension in the party ranks in Chitral, held interviews with the party workers who had gathered in hundreds from all over the district. ... Probe into death of fisherman demanded ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Chairperson Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto has expressed her grief over the death of a 70- year-old fisherman in Kimari allegedly due to torture by a Navy official and demanded a judicial probe into the incident. ... President's stand on dams criticized HYDERABAD, Feb 2: The Sindh Water Committee has criticized the stand of President Pervez Musharraf on Kalabagh Dam, saying that the propaganda campaign launched in favour of big reservoirs was tantamount to rubbing salt into the wounds of the people of Sindh. ... Postponement of summit: PM talks to Khaleda ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has expressed disappointment over the postponement of the Dhaka Saarc summit and called for working out new dates so that the cause of regional cooperation could be taken forward. ... 2005-06 to be year of capital development: Sherpao points out faults on highway ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao says the government has given complete financial and administrative autonomy to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to generate more funds for the development of the city. ... Comments filed in Sherpao case PESHAWAR, Feb 2: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) on Wednesday informed the Peshawar High Court that Aftab Sherpao had not been exempted from payment of customs duty on the import of a Mercedes car when he was chief minister of the NWFP. ... HRCP calls for ending Ehtesab courts, ATCs ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: A report on the state of human rights in 2004 has asked the government to abolish the accountability and anti-terrorism courts (ATCs), as these have lowered public confidence in the judicial system. ... NICVD chief, other witnesses summoned: Doctor brothers' case KARACHI, Feb 2: Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the Anti-terrorism Court No 2 issued on Wednesday summons to seven defence witnesses, including Dr Azhar Farooqui, chairman of the National Institute of Cardio-vascular Diseases, in the doctor brothers' case. ... Federal court may take away judiciary's powers LAHORE, Feb 2: The Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights is set to move an amended bill to the National Assembly to enact the federal court to adjudicate commercial, financial, industrial, trade, banking and insurance issues ... Baitullah accepts peace deal PESHAWAR, Feb 2: A mujahideen commander on Wednesday endorsed the six-point draft peace agreement with the government clearing the last major hurdle to restoring peace and cleansing the restive South Waziristan tribal region ... Fresh notices to SBP, finance ministry - Issuance of currency notes LAHORE, Jan 2: Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday served notices on the State Bank of Pakistan and the finance ministry in an amended writ petition moved by Advocate M.D. Tahir ... South Asian journalists' meeting put off ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: A conference of South Asian journalists which was to be held on February 4-5 in Bangladesh has been put off, a press release issued by the South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) said here Wednesday. ... PIA defers decision to sell aircraft ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Pakistan International Airlines is reported to have deferred till March its decision to sell six Airbus A- 300B4 aircraft as they are still in use in the Haj operation. ... Accreditation of labs must to secure market, says official ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Accreditation, calibration, certification and testing have assumed strategic importance not only to cut high costs of product testing abroad ... Increase in POL prices criticized ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The unprecedented increase in petrol prices within a short span of time has met severe criticism from people, particularly those belonging to the lower middle class. ... Fresh hike in petroleum prices widely condemned KARACHI, Feb 2: Leaders of various political parties have condemned the fresh increase of Rs2 per litre in petroleum prices, saying that it will add to miseries of not only the poor but also the middle class, particularly the middle-class. ... Increase in POL prices 'a blow to economy' LAHORE, Feb 2: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Pakistan Industrial and Trade Associations Front have described the continuous increase in POL prices as disastrous for the economy and a serious blow to the industrialisation process. ... Govt urged to withdraw increase in oil prices PESHAWAR, Feb 2: The NWFP assembly called upon the federal government on Wednesday to withdraw immediately the fresh increase in POL prices announced on Tuesday by the Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC) and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). ... US intervention in educational affairs criticized KARACHI, Feb 2: The Karachi University Teachers' Society on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the revealing statement of US President George Bush that the so-called reforms in the educational sector in Pakistan had been possible because of his directives. ... More snowfall and rain forecast ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The Met Office here on Wednesday forecast widespread rains with snowfall on the hills in the coming days. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005