ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on Steel Mill Project met for the first time today [Nov 9] in the office of the Finance Minister at Islamabad Secretariat.

The meeting, which lasted for about an hour, was attended by Mr Altaf Husain, Minister for Industries and Natural Resources; Mr N.M. Uquaili, Minister for Finance; and senior officers of Industries and Finance Ministries.

The Committee made a preliminary examination of the two projects submitted by Messrs Industrial Managements Ltd, and Messrs National Steel of Pakistan. While taking note of the comparative preliminary review carried out by the Ministry of Industries, the Committee decided that a more detailed, technical, physical and financial appraisal of the two schemes should be carried out. The Cabinet Committee also directed that the Submission of the Kalabagh Steel Mill Scheme in all its details should be expedited by the WPIDC.

The Committee further decided to strengthen the organisational structure in the Industries Ministry to provide expertise for competent processing of Steel Mill projects.

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Cape Kennedy, USA,] America’s giant Saturn-5 rocket, designed to send men on a round trip to the Moon by 1970, was launched here today [Nov 9] on its first unmanned test flight.

The huge rocket blasted off with a tremendous roar into the clouds overhead. The vibration from the engines rocked a stand where 500 newsmen were gathered. The second stage ignited and all appeared to be going without a hitch, a Space Agency spokesman said. The third-stage ignited in space and placed the mooncraft in orbit.

There was great jubilation among Space Agency personnel as the rocket vanished into the sky. The rocket was to place an Apollo mooncraft in an eight-hour and 45-minute orbital flight of the Earth to test its propulsion system and the heat shield, that is, to protect the astronauts during their return to earth from the lunar trip.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2017