January 26, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 25, 1426

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BAHAWALPUR, Jan 25: The chief minister has approved a local government training academy here at a cost of over Rs120 million exclusively for the south Punjab. DCO Muhammad Ashraf told Dawn on Wednesday that the Punjab government has allocated Rs20 million in the first phase with which building for the academy would be constructed.

He said this would be the second academy in the Punjab for the training of local government staff and the elected representatives. The first academy has been functioning in Lala Musa, he added.

He said the need of opening another academy was felt because of pressure on the Lala Musa academy due to increasing number of officials and the councillors.

The academy would be either on state land near Baghdadul Jadid campus of the Islamia University or near Samasatta here. The two sites were inspected by the DCO on Wednesday along with local government director-general Col Muhammad Shahzad (retired) and other government officials.

INQUIRY: District and sessions judge Ijaz Husain Shah began the judicial inquiry into Shamshad Bibi gang-rape case of Uch Sharif.

The judge recorded the statements of Shamshad’s husband Allah Bachaya, mother Zainab Bibi, brother, uncle and a doctor.

When contacted, the inquiry officer declined to give details but said the witnesses endorsed their earlier stance.

However, it is learnt that Shamshad’s relatives accused police of depriving the victim of justice.

The inquiry officer said he would record the statement of victim Shamshad in hospital, where she was under-treatment.

STRIKE: Mobile phone sellers of Circular Road pulled down shutters of their shops in protest against raise in theft incidents in the area.

It is learnt that two shops were burgled on Tuesday night.

Kotwali police have registered cases.