08 February 2005 Tuesday 28 Zilhaj 1425 Kalat prince warns govt against operation: Balochistan issue KARACHI, Feb 7: The prince of the defunct Kalat state in Balochistan has urged rulers to desist from carrying out any armed action in the province, as he feared that external forces might interfere in the matter. ... Balochs' viewpoint heard: Soomro LAHORE, Feb 7: Senate chairman Muhammadmian Soomro has said Baloch leader Akbar Bugti's representatives have been given due opportunity to give their point of view before the parliamentary committee constituted to resolve the Balochistan issue. ... 'Yes! I am a rebel' ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The top leadership of the ARD will gather on February 13 at Lahore - this time not to chalk a strategy against the government but to pay tributes to their jailed president Javed Hashmi ... SC serves notice on PPP leader ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The Supreme Court on Monday served notice on PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badar on a petition of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for cancellation of his bail ... Verdict on Badar's case deferred LAHORE, Feb 7: An accountability court on Monday deferred its decision on a reference against Pakistan People's Party secretary-general Jahangir Badar till Feb 12 because his counsel Sardar Mohammad Latif Khan Khosa was not available. ... Graft charge against MMA levelled MARDAN, Feb 7: A convention of Pakistan Peoples' Party (Sherapo) was held at the Mardan Press Club (MPC) in which Syed Kamal Shah was nominated president and Saddique Bachaa general secretary of the PPP-S provincial constituency PF-24. ... Statements recorded in lady doctor case QUETTA, Feb 7: A judicial tribunal probing into the criminal assault on a lady doctor of the Sui hospital resumed hearing on Monday. ... Stress laid on continuity of economic policies ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that continuity and sustainability of economic policies of the government have made the country an attractive destination for investors. ... Organ transplant bill to be tabled in parliament soon LAHORE, Feb 7: Senate chairman Muhammadmian Soomro has said a bill on human organs transplant has been cleared by the standing committee of the National Assembly and will soon be tabled in parliament for adoption. ... MPs' interaction to benefit Pakistan, Canada: Soomro ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro on Monday expressed the hope that exchange of parliamentary delegations between Canada and Pakistan would go a long way in promoting interaction and mutual understanding ... Coal authority clarification KARACHI, Feb 7: A spokesman for the Sindh Coal Authority has clarified that the authority will charge $150,000 for bankable feasibility report about Thar Coal Mining and not $1,500 as stated in a news item published on Monday.-APP ... Decision on Kalabagh dam not taken yet: CM JACOBABAD, Feb 7: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said it will make no difference if assemblies pass resolutions in favour of or against the Kalabagh dam because a decision on the issue will be taken by the federation. ... SAB demands Rs150bn package for Sindh HYDERABAD, Feb 7: Expressing surprise over President Gen Pervez Musharraf's statement that Sindh has used water share of the NWFP and Balochistan, the Sindh Abadgar Board called upon the president to order an inquiry into the matter to ascertain facts. ... NFC: nomination of Sindh soon LARKANA, Feb 7: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said thata suitable person would be nominated in a couple of days to represent the interests of Sindin the National Finance Commission. ... 'Islamic banking to help bridge gap with West' ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Islamic Banking and Financing can provide opportunity to the West to learn more about Islam and Islamic civilization. It can bring western nations closer to the Muslim world. ... Airlines yet to pay Rs3.85bn to CAA ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The defence ministry has intervened to ensure payment of Rs3.859 billion owed by the national carrier (PIA) and other airlines to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), officials told Dawn. ... Legislators asked to take interest in ministry's affairs: Population welfare ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Parliamentary Secretary for Population Welfare Dr Donia Aziz on Monday impressed upon the members of the parliament's standing committee to take interest in the affairs of the ministry concerned ... 'Screen blood before marriage' LAHORE, Feb 7: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool said the blood screening of would-be couples before marriage could be helpful in bringing down the incidence of thalassemia in the country. ... New marriage rule comes into force in UK ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The British High Commission on Monday said a new marriage rule had come into force in the United Kingdom from February 1. ... Jirgas being held against SHC order: HRCP KARACHI, Feb 7: Though the Sindh High Court has imposed a ban on holding jirgas, these symbols of parallel judicial system are regularly being held in different parts of the province, says a report ... Postal museum yet to be established KARACHI, Feb 7: The Pakistan Post Office has failed to establish a postal museum about which an announcement was made almost two years ago. ... 1,100 reported police torture during 2004 KARACHI, Feb 7: As many as 1,100 cases of police torture were reported in the country during 2004, of which 828 victims of such atrocities were men, 180 women, 65 boys and 27 were girls ... One dental surgeon for 26,000: report KARACHI, Feb 7: There are only 5747 dental surgeons, including 326 with foreign qualifications, currently registered in Pakistan for 151 million people with 67 per cent of them living in rural areas. ... Research vital for progress: adviser SWABI, Feb 7: Special adviser to the prime minister and former chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, has said that modern scientific knowledge, not war weapons, make a nation great. ... Human smuggling in garb of sports teams alleged PESHAWAR, Feb 7: The Norwegian Embassy in Islamabad has asked the Federal Investigation Agency to check human smuggling that, it alleges, is being carried out in the garb of sports teams, notably tae kwondo and judo. ... Newsmen end boycott ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: Journalists covering the senate session on Monday staged a walkout from the press gallery to protest against registration of a case against two Karachi-based journalists under the official secret act ...

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