24 February 2005 Thursday 14 Muharram 1426 ARD, MMA 'agree' to launch joint movement ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The top leaders of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Wednesday held a detailed meeting to discuss the modalities for cooperation between the two alliances ... Introduce 'undiluted' democracy: ANP urges Musharraf LAHORE, Feb 23: The Awami National Party has urged Gen Pervez Musharraf to introduce 'undiluted' democracy to eliminate extremism to foil international conspiracies and avert pressure on country's nuclear assets. ... Suo motu action sought on CM-minister row KARACHI, Feb 23: The Pakistan People's Party, Sindh chapter, on Wednesday urged superior judiciary to take suo motu notice of the charges of corruption traded between the Sindh chief minister and his former revenue minister ... Senior PML office-bearer resigns KARACHI, Feb 23: Senior Vice President of the PML Al-haj Shamimuddin on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from several party offices he is holding. ... PTI for effective LG system ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: An effective local government system could bring the decision-makers closer to people, making it more responsive and accountable and the ultimate goal of development must be to build capacities of people. ... MMA terms upward trend in indexes 'artificial' KARACHI, Feb 23: Senior leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Wednesday criticized the government for citing 'artificial increase' in the indexes of local stock exchange that indicated economic progress ... PPP criticizes MMA govt's performance PESHAWAR, Feb 23: A leader of the NWFP chapter of Pakistan People's Party has criticized the performance of the government of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the province. ... JI to make seat adjustment with any party KOHAT, Feb 23: The central leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami has allowed its followers who aspire to contest local bodies elections to form alliances with any political party, including ANP, PPP or PML-N, but give preference to the component parties of MMA. ... Rs119m for ministers' perks, privileges ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The National Assembly was informed here on Wednesday that the government had allocated Rs119 million in 2004-05, for perks and privileges of 33 federal ministers, 26 ministers of state, 33 parliamentary secretaries and advisers to the prime minister. ... FAO team to assess losses caused by rain, snowfall PESHAWAR, Feb 23: A UN agency is sending a mission to the hardest-hit districts of the Frontier province to assess the devastation caused to crops and livestock by the recent rains and snowfall. ... Qayyum for negotiated Kashmir solution LAHORE, Feb 23: Azad Kashmir former president and prime minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan says any solution to the Kashmir dispute worked out as a result of talks between Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri leaders ... About 300 Pakistanis to attend Delhi moot KARACHI, Feb 23: The seventh joint convention of the Pakistan-India Peoples Forum will be held from Feb 25 to 28 in New Delhi. ... Infiltration reduced, admits BSF LAHORE, Feb 23: Indian Border Security Force DIG Pramjeet Singh admitted on Wednesday that infiltration into Kashmir had reduced. ... UK could have prevented Kashmir dispute: envoy ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The Kashmir issue would not have arisen had the British government taken right decisions at the time of partition of the subcontinent. ... 'High fuel cost hit PIA profit' ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday informed the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence that despite the government's injection of Rs23.9 billion ... Sugar millers, govt to meet today LAHORE, Feb 23: The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and the government are holding a meeting on Thursday (today) in Islamabad amid rising fears among sugar millers about future of the industry ... EU-funded plan to improve amenities introduced SHIKARPUR, Feb 23: Assistant technical coordinator of the European Union, Berry Clerk, has said that with the technical and financial assistance of the union, the government has introduced a special programme to improve administrative work ... Pakistan Day parade ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: A parade will be held here at the Constitution Avenue on March 23 in connection with the celebration of the Pakistan Day. President Gen Pervez Musharraf will take the salute and review the parade. ... 'Population house' to be built in Islamabad ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The federal ministry of population welfare will construct a 'population house' in Secretariat area, said the population welfare minister, Chaudhry Shehbaz Hussain. ... Calamity-hit status for rain-affected areas sought ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Leader of Opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Wednesday asked the government to declare the rain and flood-affected areas in the NWFP and Balochistan as calamity-hit areas. ... NCHD gets $6.5m for health project ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The National Commission for Human Development in Pakistan has received a grant of $6.5 million from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its primary health programme. ... Rules notified for power distribution companies ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has notified Performance Standard (Distribution) Rules, 2005, making it mandatory for power distribution companies to guarantee a minimum overall standard of quality service to its consumers. ... Ten more telecom firms set to begin operation KARACHI, Feb 23: At least 10 more telecoms companies offering international calls at highly economical rates will begin operation within 45 days. ... Afghan census in NWFP delayed by a day PESHAWAR, Feb 23: The nation-wide census of Afghans, which was to begin in the NWFP and adjacent Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) on Wednesday was deferred for one day due to delay in the supply of required material. ...

© The DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2005