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21 April 2005 Thursday 11 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426 WELCOME TO DAWN, PAKISTAN'S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER Updated round-the-clock, with a major update before 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)

to return to the regular issue please click here. President for purging society of terrorism, sectarianism ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 - President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday urged the nation to shun terrorism, sectarianism and communal confrontation to make Pakistan a real Islamic, moderate and enlightened country. "This is also enshrined in the teachings of Islam and obligatory upon us to promote harmony and make Pakistan a real Islamic Welfare state," the President said in his message on the eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi ( Peace Be Upon Him) falling Friday (April 22). (APP) (Posted @ 17:10 PST) KASHMIR: Hurriyat leader Firedous Shah released SRINAGAR, April 21 - In occupied Kashmir, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar has issued release orders of Hurriyat leader and Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Political Movement, Firdous Ahmad Shah, after sixteen months of his captivity, reports Kashmir Media Service. Shah was arrested on December 21, 2003 from his residence, Abi-Guzar, Srinagar, under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) and sent to Kot Bhalwal jail, in Jammu. (PPI) (Posted @ 17:00 PST) Musharraf to lay foundation stone ISLAMABAD, April 21 - President Pervez Musharraf will lay the foundation stone of the New Islamabad International Airport near Fatehjang in the second or third week of May, it is learnt. The new airport which will be one of the most prestigious projects of Pakistan will cost several billions of rupees for which the relative plans are being finalized. The decision to construct the new airport was made last month by Prime Minister Mr. Shaukat Aziz. The foundation stone will be laid next month after the farmers whose land has been acquired will harvest their winter crop. The new airport which will be completed within a period of four to five years will provide the most latest civil aviation facilities. (PPI) (Posted @ 16:45 PST) Indian BSF delegation in city LAHORE, Apr 21 (APP)- A 17-member Indian Border Security Force delegation led by Inspector General BSF, G.S.Gill arrived here Thursday through the joint checkpost Wagah to attend the bi-annual meeting between the two forces. The aim of the meeting, which will last upto April 24 at Sindh Rangers Headquarter, Karachi, is to discuss and solve border related matters and to work for the welfare of the border area population. (Posted @ 16:15 PST) NA passes FPSC (Second Amendment) Bill-2005 ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (APP): The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Federal Public Service Commission (Second Amendment) Bill-2005 to amend the Federal Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977.Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Sher Afgan Khan Niazi moved the bill in the House. The House also adopted a motion also moved by the Minister Parliamentary Affairs regarding report of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on the Bill.The purpose of the present Bill is to validate the actions taken and appointments made in BPS-11 to 15, by FPSC after May 28, 2003. (Posted @ 16:15 PST) Thirty Vietnamese war veterans die in bus accident HANOI, April 21 (APP/AFP) - Thirty Vietnamese veterans of the Vietnam War died in a bus accident Thursday while on their way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the victory over US-backed South Vietnamese forces, police said. The accident took place at 8.00 am (0100 GMT) while the bus was traversing the Lo So peak in the central province of Kon Tum province. The bus was transporting 33 persons, all war veterans from Hanoi bound for Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, for the celebrations scheduled for April 30. (Posted 16:15 PST) Jakarta supports Pakistan's bid for full dialogue partnership with ASEAN JAKARTA, April 21 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf and his Indonesian counterpart Susillo Bamgbang Yothoyono agreed Thursday on augmenting their economic and trade relations through a joint business council with the host leader also supporting Pakistan's bid for full dialogue partnership with Association of South East Asian Nations. The two leaders, meeting at the Indonesian President's House, also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern including the situation in Afghanistan, developments in South Asia and the fight against terrorism. Responding to President Musharraf's expression of Pakistan's desire for full dialogue and subsequent summit level partnership with the ASEAN and participation in other forums including East Asia Summit, Susillo Yothoyono assured of Jakarta's wholehearted support for the realization of that objective. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) NA passes Members of Parliament Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (APP): National Assembly on Thursday passed the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances Amendment Bill 2005, further amending the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act 1974. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Sher Afgan Khan Niazi moved the bill in the House. Section 14 (B) of the Member of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act 1974 provides that the salaries, allowance and privileges of the Members shall automatically be revised alongwith the revision of the emoluments of the civil servants. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) President lays foundation of new Pakistani embassy complex in Jakarta JAKARTA, April 21 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf Thursday laid foundation stone of Pakistan's new embassy complex, expressing the hope that it would serve to build up a stronger partnership with Indonesia in the years ahead. "The laying of the foundation stone on the auspicious occasion of 12th Rabi ul Awal, will augur well in further cementing the close bonds of relationship between Pakistan and Indonesia through enhanced economic and trade cooperation", he said. The new embassy complex, situated in the golden triangle area of the Indonesian capital, is to be completed by the end of year 2006. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) NA adopts joint resolution to condemn Brussels incident ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (APP): The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a joint resolution against the indecent attitude of the Belgian government towards the Pakistan Senate delegation in Brussels. "The House strongly condemns the Brussels incident in which the government of Belgium rendered indecent attitude to the Pakistan Senate delegation and cancelled their scheduled meetings with the delegation", said a joint resolution moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi, which was unanimously adopted by the House. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) UNSC reforms should be linked with solution of Kashmir issue: Mushahid LONDON, Apr 21 (APP): Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed has called for linking UN Security Council reforms with the solution of Kashmir issue. "India which is obstructing the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir should not be rewarded by the world body," he expressed these views at a dinner hosted by Information Secretary of Muslim Conference UK Hussain Sarwarin in the honour of the visiting Senate Parliamentary delegation at a local hotel here Wednesday. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) Food Technology Lab to be set up costing Rs 51.728 mln KARACHI, April 21 (APP) - The Advisor to Chief Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mir Murtaza Khan Jatoi has said that a Food Technology Laboartory will be established at a cost of Rs 51.728 million. Presiding over a meeting of Agriculture department here Thursday, Murtaza Jatoi said the establishment of this laboratory will greatly help in the packing and canning of juices from fruits and vegetables, squashes, prickles, jam, jelly, marmalade, frozen foods, etc. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) New rail, road links to be opened between Pakistan, Afghanistan: PM ISLAMABAD, April 21 (APP): The bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan will touch US $ one billion mark this year and will be further enhanced by opening new rail and road links, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on ThursdayHe was speaking at a ceremony to hand over first batch of 35 brand-new Hino-Pak buses and 20,000 school bags to Afghanistan's Minister for Public Works, Sohrab Ali Safri here at Pakistan Sports Complex. Shaukat said about 50,000 Pakistani personnel were engaged in development projects in Afghanistan adding that completion of Torkham-Jalalabad Road by Frontier Works Organization will further boost bilateral trade and provide a trade transit for Central Asian Republics Chaman-Spinboldak rail project would be completed by December next year and Gwader port project would be completed in a few months. (Posted @ 14:50 PST) National Assembly prorogued ISLAMABAD, Apr 21 (APP): The National Assembly was prorogued here on Thursday after the conclusion of its business. Deputy Speaker, Sardar Muhammad Yaqub read out the prorogation order issued by the President. (Posted @ 14:50 PST) Qaddafi cancels Indonesia trip after rebuff on planned sermon JAKARTA (DPA) - Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi has cancelled his visit to Indonesia for this week's Asian-African Summit after his request to deliver a religious sermon during Friday prayers at Jakarta's grand mosque was denied, local reports said Thursday. "We deeply regret that Libyan president cannot come to the Asian African Conference," Muhyiddin Junaidi, a Qaddafi's advance man, was quoted as saying by the state-run Antara news agency. "His main reason is the Indonesian government does not give him permission to deliver a sermon during the Friday prayers at the Istiqlal mosque," he said. (Posted @ 14:50 PST) Indian troops kill five Islamic militants in Kashmir SRINAGAR, India, April 21 (AFP) - Indian troops shot dead five militants Thursday in two separate clashes in Indian Kashmir, a police spokesman said. He said the five were killed during two fierce gunbattles in the central district of Budgam and northern Baramulla districtwhen Indian troops raided the two militant hide-outs. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Philippines forces free kidnapped schoolgirls; policeman killed MANILA, April 21 (AFP) - One policeman was killed as government forces on Thursday rescued a group of at least 19 schoolgirls and two men abducted by unknown gunmen in the southern Philippines, the military said. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Zambia's mine blast toll passes 50 as rescue work intensifies LUSAKA, April 21 (AFP) - Rescuers intensified a search for bodies on Thursday, a day after a blast in a Zambian copper mine killed more than 50 people. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Russia against regime change in Belarus VILNIUS, April 21 (AFP) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday Moscow opposes any attempts at regime change, after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was "time for change" in Belarus. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Second Pakistani bus departs for Indian Kashmir MUZAFFARABAD, April 21 (AFP) - The second service of a historic bus rolled out from here early Thursday carrying 25 passengers towards the Indian side, officials said. The bus is carrying 11 people from the Pakistani zone -- six men, four women and an 11-year-old girl. Fourteen returning residents of Indian held Kashmir who came to Muzaffarabad on the first bus a fortnight ago are also on board. Five others who came over with them have obtained a two-week extension of their stay in Pakistan. Two buses have also started off from Srinagar with some 30 passengers on board. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) NATO signs accord with Russia in ex-Soviet first VILNIUS, April 21 (AFP) - NATO signed a landmark military cooperation accord with Russia on Thursday, highlighting progress in strengthening their ties at a first-ever ministerial meeting of the alliance on ex-Soviet soil. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov inked the deal with his NATO counterparts including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at talks in Lithuania, one of three ex-Soviet republics to join the alliance last year Other key items on the menu of the two-day informal talks include the future of alliance missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo -- as well as reflection on a possible NATO role in the Middle East. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Fresh fighting in Sri Lanka kills five COLOMBO, April 21 (AFP) - At least five people were killed in fresh fighting among Tamil rebel factions in eastern Sri Lanka even as a top US official and a Norwegian peace envoy left the region, officials said. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Iraq bomb kills two on airport road BAGHDAD, April 21 (Reuters) - A bomb targeting Western contract workers exploded on Thursday on the road to Baghdad's airport, killing two people, Iraqi police said. The bomb blast hit a car carrying the contractors, but the nationality of those killed was unknown, a police spokesman said. Three foreign contractors were killed in an attack on the same road on Wednesday. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) US says kills at least 12 insurgents in Afghanistan KABUL, April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. forces blasted rebel positions with bombs, rockets and artillery, killing at least 12 insurgents, after rockets were fired at a U.S. base in southeastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said on Thursday. Helicopters, aircraft and artillery were used to respond to the four rockets fired without effect at the Salerno base in Khost province on Tuesday night, the U.S. military said in a statement. "We were able to see the launching point of the rockets and we brought everything we had to bear on it," U.S. army Major J.R. Mendoza said in the statement. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Iraq's al Qaeda claims assassination attempt on PM-Web DUBAI, April 21 (Reuters) - Iraq's al Qaeda wing said on Thursday it had tried to assassinate caretaker Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, according to a statement posted on the Internet. (Posted @ 13:30 PST) U.S. seeks passenger lists for overflights – WPost WASHINGTON, April 21 - The U.S. government plans to require foreign airlines to provide passenger lists before flying over the United States in an effort to keep terrorists out of U.S. airspace, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. (Reuters) (Posted @ 11:45 PST) U.S. Muslims sue government for racial profiling NEW YORK, April 20 - Five Muslim-Americans sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday alleging racial profiling when they were detained and fingerprinted by border agents after returning from a religious conference. Court papers said that on their way back from the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) conference in Toronto in December 2004, the plaintiffs were detained for up to six hours with other Muslim-Americans and searched, photographed and fingerprinted, the lawsuit said. (Reuters) (Posted @ 11:45 PST) Iran passenger plane crash lands, several injured TEHRAN, April 20 - An Iranian plane carrying 157 passengers crash landed and caught fire at Tehran's main airport on Wednesday night leaving several people injured, officials said. Officials said all but one child were accounted for. The child died, the official IRNA news agency said based on eyewitness accounts. Earlier Dubai-based Al Arabiya television quoted Iranian state television as saying 50 people were killed in a plane crash at Tehran's Mehrabad International airport. (Reuters) (Posted @ 10:30 PST) Many feared killed in Indian Gujarat train crash AHMEDABAD, India, April 21 - A passenger train collided with a stopped goods train in western India on Thursday, killing at least 11 people but authorities said dozens more are feared dead. "Eleven bodies have been recovered. Not more than 20 are feared dead," state police chief A.K. Bhargava told Reuters. But another police officer said dozens were feared killed in the crash and state Chief Minister Narendra Modi told NDTV television news more than 80 may have died. National Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said "the goods train was parked on the track when the Varanasi-Ahmedabad Express hit it," (Reuters) (Posted @ 10:30 PST) Ecuador president ousted, accused of abuse of power QUITO, Ecuador, April 20 - Ecuadorean President Lucio Gutierrez was ousted by Congress on Wednesday after a week of increasingly violent protests in which he was accused of abusing his power by meddling with the country's top court. Gutierrez, the third president of the Andean nation to be toppled amid popular unrest in eight years, was replaced by his vice-president after escalating clashes between opposing protesters in which two people were reported killed. (Reuters) (Posted @ 10:20 PST) Kashmir buses set off quietly despite rebel threat SRINAGAR, India, April 21 - The second bus run linking Indian and Pakistani Kashmir, a major symbol of revived hopes of peace between South Asia's nuclear rivals, began quietly and peacefully on Thursday despite threats of violence. Twenty-two Indian Kashmiris and 11 Pakistanis who arrived on the inaugural service on April 7 left for the 170-km (105-mile) drive to Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani Kashmir, officials said. The two buses that left Srinagar on Thursday were escorted by police under tight security. (Reuters) (Posted @ 10:20 PST) Karachi Stocks up 71.00 points: KARACHI, April 21: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 7101.83 , up 71.00 points from Wednesday's close. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:30 PST) Forex update: KARACHI, April 21: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 59.93 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:30 PST) Founder: Quaid-I-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Editor: Tahir Mirza The DAWN Group of Newspapers Haroon House, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Karachi 74200, Pakistan. Phone:+92 (21) 111-444-777   Fax: +92 (21) 569-3995 webmaster@dawn.com Note: Make sure to reload these pages so you're viewing the current version.

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