LAHORE: Punjab Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has lauded the vision of President Pavez Musharraf in connection with bringing police reforms.

On a website of Punjab police, the Punjab Chief Minister in his message said: ?The present government has wholeheartedly embraced President Musharraf?s vision to revamp the police and make it responsive to the needs of the people of Pakistan.?

The message further read, ?Public Safety is one of the top-most priorities of my Government. Mahfooz (Safe) Punjab is a goal that has been built upon the greatest police reform effort in Punjab since independence.?

LAHORE: Punjab Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has lauded the vision of President Pavez Musharraf in connection with bringing police reforms.

On a website of Punjab police, the Punjab Chief Minister in his message said: ?The present government has wholeheartedly embraced President Musharraf?s vision to revamp the police and make it responsive to the needs of the people of Pakistan.?

The message further read, ?Public Safety is one of the top-most priorities of my Government. Mahfooz (Safe) Punjab is a goal that has been built upon the greatest police reform effort in Punjab since independence.?

NEW DELHI: In yet another blunder by government departments, an advertisement issued by the Indian Railways has placed New Delhi in Pakistan and Kolkata in the Bay of Bengal.

The Easter Railway issued the advertisement to newspapers during a flag off ceremony of the “Maharaja’’s Express.”

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was to flag off the Maharaja”a Express trail at Kolkata Station on Saturday.

A box inside the advertisement panel showed the train route from Kolkata to New Delhi via Gaya, Varanasi, Bandhabgarh, Khajuraho, Gwalior and Agra.

As the faded background of the outline of a small map of India showed Kolkata in the Bay of Bengal and Delhi in Pakistan.

Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Samir Goswami accepted the mistake and apologised for the same.

He also informed that the Easter Railways has suspended the advertising agency.

Meanwhile, the advertising agency claimed that the route alignment had been given for the benefit of passengers.

“The map and the alignment are an artist’’s impression and not to scale. It is never our intention to create a controversy,” the advertising agency said.

In January, the Union Women and Child Welfare Ministry had issued an advertisement containing former Pakistan air force chief’’s photograph.

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik Saturday announced to scrap all the arms licenses obtained fraudulently.

The decision was made at a meeting held at the Ministry of Interior here.

Rehman Malik directed to initiate action against the people involved in the issuance of arms licenses in a fraudulent manner.

He ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to cancel bails of 3 section officers.

Secretary Interior, DG FIA, DG National Crisis Management Cell and other officials attended the meeting.

PESHAWAR: Fourteen militants including two commanders in an exchange of fire between Taliban and local residents in Kurram agency, Geo News reported Saturday.

Those killed include two militants? commanders Jungal Badshah and Ayub.

Armed militants attacked the houses of peace committee members, who were working against Taliban, Friday night. In the attack, two people were killed and three injured.

In a counter attack from peace committee members, 14 militants were killed and seven injured.

During the Jirga (tribe council meeting) in Kurram agency Thursday, some pro-government tribesmen opened fire on a group of Pakistani Taliban, leaving 21 militants dead and several others injured.

Meanwhile, seven militants were killed in a military action backed by gunship helicopters targeting militants? positions in Orakzai Agency. A training camp and two hideouts were destroyed.

LAHORE: Punjab Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif Saturday said India is reluctant to resume composite dialogue with Pakistan and if the people failed to unite on water issue it would become a death warrant for all.

He expressed these views on the occasion of distribution of gold medals among workers of Tehreek-e-Pakistan their children in Lahore.

Speaking on the menace of terrorism, Shahbaz Sharif said in order wipe out terrorism it is imperative to ascertain its root causes, such as, poverty and injustice.

HARIPUR: Chief of NWFP police Malik Naveed Khan Saturday said 38,000 bullet-proof jackets have been distributed among policemen and all the police personnel given 50,000 Kalashnikovs to tackle the terrorists.

Addressing police officers and jawans at a Darbar of Police Line Haripur, Malikd Naveed Khan said the NWFP police personnel embraced martyrdom to stop the suicide bombers from hitting the targets, rubbishing the impression that a suicide bomber cannot be frustrated.

The entire world has acknowledged the bravery of NWFP police, he added.

He said police lines, police stations and patrolling police posts, equipped with modern facilities are being established in different districts of the province under Project Coordination Unit.

RAIWIND: Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif Saturday said any more delay in the abolishment of the 17th amendment is intolerable.

He was talking to a 13-member delegation of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) at Raiwind.

Nawaz Sharif said the future of the country may be threatened if indifference is shown towards government policies and people?s problems.

?Politics of corruption, ineligibility and inaction will not be tolerated,? he asserted, adding, the appointment of judges in superior judiciary should be made in a transparent manner and according to merit. He stressed that these appointments should be made by the independent judicial commission and approval of the parliament and not by the government itself.

The PML-N Chief said the people who achieved the goal of judiciary?s independence should now stand together against corruption and inaction.

Emphasising the supremacy of the parliament, he said an individual should not discharge the government affairs but job should be done through mutual consultation.

President SCBA Qazi Anwar, on the occasion, said some forces are still at work in hatching conspiracies against the judiciary.

Mar 20, Colombo: A toddler who was rescued after being thrown into the Kalu Ganga by his mother died today after being on a life-supporting system for ten days at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo.

Mar 20, Jaffna: Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party commencing its election campaign in Jaffna yesterday (19) promised to set up an effective resettlement program in the North.