RAWALPINDI: Commuters are facing severe difficulties in Rawalpindi due to transporters strike against cancellation of revised fares.

The administration had cancelled the revised fares after two-day violent protests by students. The transporters having view that chief commissioner Islamabad has no authority to cancel the fares and only Rawalpindi administration is eligible to do so.

Muttahida Transport Mahaz leader Sultan Awan while talking to Geo News said that vehicles will be bring back to roads only when law and order situation will be improved.

RAWALPINDI: The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani left for United States of America today on an official visit, Geo News reported Saturday.

According to a statement issued here from Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), he is visiting USA on the special invitation of Commander United States Military Central Command, General David Petraeus.

During the visit COAS is scheduled to meet senior Military and Government officials of USA in Tampa and Washington. He will also participate in Pak–US Strategic Dialogue.

Earlier, COAS was seen off at Lahore Airport by the Acting Corps Commander and other senior military officials.

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani will perform the foundation stone laying ceremony of Red Chilies Processing Centre today at Kunri, district Umar Kot, Geo News reported Saturday.

This project is being set up at a cost of Rs.192.93 million by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority.

According to a SMEDA press release issued here Friday, the centre will provide mechanical dehydration technology to enhance the quality of dried red chilies and increase profitability of growers offering them a prompt drying solution during the monsoon season.

The facility will be equipped with 20 dehydration machines at Kunri with a combined input capacity of processing 30 tones of chilies per day. The project also proposes to dehydrate onions and garlic. Mr. Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, Federal Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production, Mr Shahid Rashid, CEO SMEDA and a number of businessmen from the sector will attend the ceremony.

SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said investigation report of UN commission probing Benazir Bhutto’s murder will be unveiled later this month.

He was speaking to media after presiding over the Sindh PPPP Council meeting.

Qaim said PPP will continue struggle to fulfill Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s mission to bring prosperity for poor, farmers and laborers. He said strict security measures will be taken on the death anniversary of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on April 4.

Chief Minister said President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani are taking measures on urgent basis to curb poverty, inflation, unemployment and terrorism. Replying to question, Qaim said Sindh government will present its two-year performance report in the assembly on April 11.

KARACHI: A person succumbed to burnt injuries when three shops, meant for storeroom of second-hand clothes, caught fire in Light House – a bazaar in Karachi, on Friday evening, Geo news reported.

The man was identified as Nawab (50).

Following fire eruption incident, two fire tenders were dispatched to area but due to presence of nylon material in clothes, the fire blazes had engulfed three shops in no time, injuring a persons critically and gutting clothes worth millions of rupees, witnesses and shop owners claimed.

The person was late shifted to hospital where he succumbed to injuries, sources added.

Fire brigade sources said the incident occurred due to short-circuit.

KARACHI: Amid a joint search operation carried out by police and rangers’ officials in Quaid-e-Azam Colony, at least three suspected persons were rounded up while heavy caches of arms and ammunitions were also seized from their possession, Geo news reported.

According to police sources, crackdown was prompted following clashes between two groups in Quaid-e-Azam Colony late on Friday night.

On approaching on the crime scene, police personnel were not only beaten but their weapons were also be snatched which prompted police and rangers to launch a joint search operation, aiming at arrest of miscreants and recovery of hoarded weapons, sources told media.

Subsequently, a door-to-door search operation was conducted in the area, which resulted in arrest of three suspected persons and seizure of heavy amount of arms.

All the entrances and exits were kept closed. Vehicles and every individual were searched out thoroughly during which non-residents of the area were not allowed entry while all streetlights were kept off.

Arrested gunmen have confessed guilty of killing innocent persons who were later rushed to unidentified place for investigation, sources said further.