06 March 2005	Sunday	24 Muharram 1426

GUJRANWALA, March 5: Around 56 activists and leaders of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, including Allama Ghulam Rasool Rashadi, were booked for taking out a procession and chanted slogans against the government here on Saturday.

The MMA activists had protested against the elimination of religion column from passport and observed black day on Friday. Their leaders, including Maulana Muhammad Ayub Safdar Tufani, Babar Rizwan, Hafiz Hamiduddin Awan and Hafiz Saquib, also delivered provocative speeches against the government. However, no arrest has so far been made by the Kotwali police in this respect.

At least five cases have already been registered against the MMA activists on similar charges during the last two months.

civic conditions: The ruling party parliamentarians and citizens have expressed their dissatisfaction with the performance of local bodies at tehsil and district levels.

They pointed out that the condition of roads, sewerage and other municipal services had turned dilapidated in the city.

Former mayor Muhammad Aslam Butt, ruling party MPA Muhammad Ashraf Butt, EX-MPA S.A. Hameed, councillors and citizens in their joint statement said all roads except GT Road had pit holes.

They said residents of Shaheenabad, Model Town, Satellite Town, Ferozewala Road, Gondlanawala Road, Deputy Commissioner Road, Jinnah Road, Hafizabad Road, Sialkot Road, Khiali-Sheikhupura Road had to face a great deal of inconvenience owing to pathetic condition of roads. They alleged that the local bodies institutions had failed to resolve problems of the people.

ELECTROCUTED: A truck driver was electrocuted when his vehicle touched with an overhead transmission line in Naushera Virkan on Saturday. Muhammad Aslam of Khanpur was on his way to Gujrat when the incident occurred.