KARACHI: Veteran journalist and Group Editor Sports The News Gul Hameed Bhatti passed away on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday said that Pakistan Peoples Party would continue to pursue its agenda of socio-economic development and will not be distracted from it under any circumstances.

Addressing a meeting of the elected Nazims, Councilors and office bearers of the party from Rawalpindi district in the Presidency today he said the government was determined to pursue a larger agenda and not bogged down in petty political squabblings.

The President said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had given nuclear technology and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave the country missile technology and made strong the defenses of Pakistan and at the same time embarked upon a massive socio-economic development program.

He said that the present government had decided to make Pakistan a welfare driven state where the welfare of the poor and downtrodden masses was given precedence over every other thing.

In this context, the President said the government has launched Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to extricate the poor from below the poverty line, reinstated the sacked workers, gave 12 percent shares in state-run enterprises to the workers and devised plans to give state lands free of cost to poor women in the command areas of the twelve new dams that will be built in the country in the next three years.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday said that Pakistan Peoples Party would continue to pursue its agenda of socio-economic development and will not be distracted from it under any circumstances.

Addressing a meeting of the elected Nazims, Councilors and office bearers of the party from Rawalpindi district in the Presidency today he said the government was determined to pursue a larger agenda and not bogged down in petty political squabblings.

The President said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had given nuclear technology and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto gave the country missile technology and made strong the defenses of Pakistan and at the same time embarked upon a massive socio-economic development program.

He said that the present government had decided to make Pakistan a welfare driven state where the welfare of the poor and downtrodden masses was given precedence over every other thing.

In this context, the President said the government has launched Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to extricate the poor from below the poverty line, reinstated the sacked workers, gave 12 percent shares in state-run enterprises to the workers and devised plans to give state lands free of cost to poor women in the command areas of the twelve new dams that will be built in the country in the next three years.

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly passed on Thursday the Local Government Amendments Bill 2010 for the appointment of administrators in place of nazims in local government bodies.

The PML-Q staged a walkout against the bill.

Earlier before the start of session, the PPP?s Parliamentary Party held a meeting and decided to back the bill.

The Punjab Assembly session was held with the Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal in chair.

The government presented drafts of three bills in the house including Local Government (Amendment) Bill, Mineral Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill and Punjab Privatization Board (Amendment) Bill in the house.

During the debate on Local Government (Amendment) Bill but, opposition members presented 22 amendments, which were rejected by treasury benches.

Later the opposition members boycotted the assembly proceeding and staged a walkout from the house.

Opposition Leader Ch Zaheer-ud-Din talking to reporters outside the assembly premises said that the government has over ruled their amendments.

He said government was showing undemocratic attitude and if it wants to save the democracy the local government elections should immediately be held and caretaker Nazims instead of administrators be appointed.

He said that the government was not sincere to hold fair and free local government elections and they were appointing administrators for this purposes.

In absence of the opposition members PML-N and PPP members passed the Local Government (Amendment) Bill and Mineral Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill with majority.

Following the approval of the LG bill, Local Bodies Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa issued a handout saying ?Muk Gya Tera Show Musharraf, Go Musharraf Go?.

Later the session was adjourned till Friday, February 5 at 9.00 am.

BAHAWALPUR: Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif Thursday alleged that the missile attacks in Pakistan are being executed with the government?s consent.

Addressing a press conference in Bahawalpur, Nawaz Sharif said: ?We believe in peaceful struggle,? adding ?We will praise every good action and criticize every wrong one.?

He said the government is not running the affairs in a true democratic manner as it was expected from it.

Regarding violent incidents in Karachi, Nawaz Sharif said these events could have been avoided if there had been an inquiry into May 12, 2007 incident and the culprits arrested. He called for a suo motto action against the May 12 incident.

He said no efforts will be spared for brining about a repeal of the 17th amendment and implementation of the Charter of Democracy.

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Salman Tasser said Thursday that he had never interfered in the affairs of provincial government.

Speaking to media after attending the annual convocation of University of Education here, he said: ?I will stop speaking truth if Punjab government stops lying.?

Taseer said the Punjab government had not written any letter to the Prime Minister against him.

?I have very good relations with the Prime Minister,? he said, but added he was appointed by the President, not Prime Minister.

The governor said that President and Prime Minister clearly stated that there should be no delay in conducting the local government elections in all four provinces.

Responding to a question, he said that Pakistan Peoples Party alone had not benefited under the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

In another question about Rana Sanaullah, the governor said he doesn?t want to talk about him.

KARACHI: Pakistan?s permanent representative to the United Nations Abdullah Hussain Haroon said that the UN Commission probing assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had refused to arrive in Pakistan due to security fears.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he expressed the concerns that the government?s assurance to provide proper security to the UN team was not being implemented, As a result the UN inquiry team has refused to visit the country, he said.

?A game is being played against Pakistan in the name of Mullah Omar, al-Qaeda and Taliban,? Haroon opined, continuing our internal situation would further worsen if operation moved to Balochistan after NWFP.

?We need to rethink what we got after fighting for the cause of United States for 35 years,? he commented.

ISLAMABAD: India has formally proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, an Indian TV reported Thursday.

Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir will fly to New Delhi on Feb 7 for resumption of bilateral talks.

Responding to India’’s proposal, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Thursday said that Pakistan would welcome if the talks lead to the resumption of full dialogue.

The foreign minister said: ?There are now signals emanating from India that they are willing to talk bilaterally. We welcome this if it leads to resumption of the composite dialogue?.

ISLAMABAD: India has formally proposed foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, an Indian TV reported Thursday.

Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir will fly to New Delhi on Feb 7 for resumption of bilateral talks with India.

Responding to India?s offer, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Thursday said that Pakistan would welcome if the talks lead to the resumption of full dialogue.

The foreign minister said: ?There are now signals emanating from India that they are willing to talk bilaterally. We welcome this if it leads to resumption of the composite dialogue?.

KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik Thursday said that Pakistan People?s Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement will work in unison and that people found involved target killing will be awarded severe punishment.

Talking to media persons after attending Sindh Assembly meeting, Rehman Malik said target killings will not be tolerated at any cost.

?The anti-state elements are conspiring against the country and we are geared to crush them completely,? he said.

The Interior Minister said PPP-MQM alliance will continue to remain intact.