BAHAWALPUR July 29: Balochistan Health Minister Ainullah Shammas demanded at a press conference on Tuesday that the government immediately halt army operation in his province.

Mr Shammas denied that Balochs were targeting the Punjabis in Balochistan, saying that if it happened, it would be secret agencies’ ploy to defame the Balochs.

He said the Balochs always kept the national interests supreme but when anyone thought of country’s interests, he was allegedly murdered.

The late Akbar Bugti never issued any statement against Pakistan and its institutions and even then he was brutally killed.

He alleged some “other” forces and not the political and democratic ones were running the country.

He said America had access to all parts of the country and Nato forces could attack Pakistan at will.

PROMOTIONS: Up to 190 employees from BPS-1 to 15 of the Islamia University have been promoted in the past three years. This was said at a function organised in the honour of low grade employees at the auditorium of Baghdadul Jadid Campus.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Belal A. Khan gave promotion letters and prizes to employees.

DROWN: Two motorcyclists Muhammad Nawaz and

Peer Baksh drowned in the Abbasia canal when their bike skidded into the canal near Yazman. Their bodies were fished out after six hours by the people.

FUNDS: District Nazim Tariq Cheema has complained about withholding of the development funds by the government due to which the work on the uplift projects came to a standstill in the district.

The district nazim said the Punjab government created hurdles in the smooth functioning of local councils despite the court’s orders.

He alleged the government was bent upon registering false cases against its opponents.