25 February 2005 Friday 15 Muharram 1426 PML crisis may put govt on the defensive: PA session today KARACHI, Feb 24: The requisition session of the Sindh Assembly is being held on Friday amid allegation of serious irregularities and land grabbing having been levelled against government functionaries. ... PM's emissary meets Shaikh brothers KARACHI, Feb 24: Maj-Gen Farooq Ahmad, the investigator appointed by the prime minister to look into the controversy involving the Sindh Chief Minister, Dr Arbab Rahim, and the sacked revenue minister, Imtiaz Shaikh, held a meeting with Mr Shaikh at the State Guest House on Thursday. ... Row not to harm party, says Dar KARACHI, Feb 24: There is no crisis in the PML except the row between Dr Arbab Rahim and Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, President and Secretary General, respectively, of the party's Sindh chapter, ... Arbab-Imtiaz row PML's internal matter: MQM - Rs20m relief package for rain victims KARACHI, Feb 24: Commenting on the situation emerging out of the sacking of provincial revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh, parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar said that such an action was the right of a political party ... No deal struck with govt, says Qaim DADU, Feb 24: President of PPP Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that dialogue between the government and the People's Party was going on but the party had not struck any deal with the former. ... Hashmi's bail plea dismissed RAWALPINDI, Feb 24: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench on Thursday dismissed a bail application of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi who was jailed for 23 years for abetting mutiny. ... Differences in PML-N over party posts FAISALABAD, Feb 24: Differences have been cropped up between the local PML-N leadership over the selection of party office holders. ... PML (N) demands early elections KHAIRPUR, Feb 24: A convention of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) here on Thursday demanded that general elections be immediately held under an impartial election commission. ... Former MNA quits PPP HYDERABAD, Feb 24: People's Party Parliamentarians leader and former MNA Abdul Sattar Sirewal has tendered his resignation from the basic membership of the party due to what he termed indifferent attitude of leaders. ... Govt defends hike in PoL prices in NA ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: The government defended recent increase in the domestic prices of petroleum products when the matter was raised by the opposition members in the National Assembly on Thursday. ... Ministers criticized for absence from NA ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: The government faced repeated embarrassments on Thursday when the National Assembly speaker censured some ministers and state ministers for remaining absent from the lower house to answer the questions. ... CM asks parties to solve people's problems QUETTA, Feb 24: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf on Wednesday asked all political parties in the province to join hands with the government to help implement the agenda of people's wellbeing. ... Serious rift in ANP over posts PESHAWAR, Feb 24: The Awami National Party is facing a serious internal rift after four of its senior office-bearers, including the provincial senior vice-president, resigned on Thursday ... Demand for royalty on gas pipeline QUETTA, Feb 24: The leader of the opposition in the Balochistan Assembly, Mr Kachkol Ali, has taken serious exception to the sidelining of the provincial government ... No questioning of Dr Khan by foreigners ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the international community is much concerned about nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea which, some time create problems for Pakistan. ... Change of guard at the foreign ministry ISLAMABAD: Mr Riaz Mohammad Khan's taking over charge as Pakistan's 25th foreign secretary almost coincided with talks between India and Pakistan that led to the agreement on starting a Kashmir bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad. ... Qazi slams IJT stance on education reforms ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Religio-political parties are criticizing various initiatives taken by the education ministry just to gain political mileage, Education Minister Lt-Gen (retired) Javed Ashraf Qazi said. ... Timeframe for Kashmir settlement sought MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 24: A militant leader turned peace activist on Thursday said if the Indian government gave a timeframe to resolve the Kashmir issue and the world powers, mainly the US, stood guarantors to it then Kashmiri fighters ... Communist leaders from India arrive LAHORE, Feb 24: Leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party (CPI-M), Harkishan Singh Surjeet and A. B. Bardhan, arrived here on Thursday evening. ... Govt asked to reopen Dhaka fall case ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Chief of National Democratic Front (NDF) Air Marshal (retired) Asghar Khan has asked the government to reopen the Dhaka fall case and bring all those to justice who had brought about dismemberment of the country. ... Rs430 million Wapda dues outstanding against army ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Army is the biggest defaulter of Wapda with Rs430 million outstanding dues, according to an official record placed before the National Assembly on Wednesday. ... Trade attaches lack know-how about jobs ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Most of the trade attaches posted at Pakistani missions abroad during the last three years seem to be lacking know-how about their jobs, an official information available with Dawn revealed. ... APNS voices concern over Senate resolution KARACHI, Feb 24: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has expressed dismay over a senate resolution on the Seventh Wage Board Award, saying the matter is subjudice in the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court. ... Judges urged to expedite court proceedings ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: Chief Justice of Pakistan Nazim Hussain Siddiqui here on Thursday urged civil judges and judicial magistrates to minimize the agonies of litigants by curtailing delays in court proceedings. ... WB may finance water and sanitation programmes KARACHI, Feb 24: World Bank's country-director John Wall here on Thursday indicated that the bank's water and sanitation programme for South Asia can become a potential partner in helping finance and implementing programmes ... Peace activists denied visa PESHAWAR, Feb 24: Many members of the Pakistan-India Friendship Forum for Peace and Democracy could not leave for India for a joint convention due to refusal of visas to them. ... Pragmatic approach to child labour issue urged KARACHI, Feb 24: A humanist and pragmatic approach was suggested towards the elimination of child labour in the country, as though a manifestation of poverty it further aggravated unemployment among the adult population. ... Equal opportunities for special citizens urged KARACHI, Feb 24: Physically handicapped persons, especially deaf and blind and their instructors urged the government to officially recognize Braille (script used by blinds for communication and learning) ...

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