THE bicycle rickshaws that weave through New Delhi's narrow lanes have long been scorned by authorities here for congesting the city's already fierce traffic. The creaking carriages crawl alongside luxury sedans, book hawkers, horse-drawn carts, hulking buses and cows, said a report published in The Washington Post. In this city and the other quickly modernizing capitals of South Asia, governments have called the rickshaws backward, embarrassing symbols of the Third World.

Acute power and water crisis continued in Sukkur despite many protests of people as frequency and duration of loadshedding has increased making life more difficult for public. Power crisis which started three months ago has been translated into an acute water shortage in the city especially for thickly populated New Pind, Shah Khalid colony, Bihar colony, New Goth, Neem Ki Chari, Jillani road, Islam Ganj, Queens road, Ayub Gate, Takkar Muhalla areas. Residents of these areas fetch water from hand pumps in low lying areas.

Decline of home production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 300 ton, caused addition in the price of LPG by two rupees per kilogram. According to a private television channel, LPG Distributor Association Chairman Abdul Hadi Khan said that the fresh hike was caused by the imbalance found in supply and demand. Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2008

The liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) marketing companies have again increased its price by Rs 1.50 per kg, to Rs 56.50 after a period of 15 days. LPG distributors on Friday said that the companies had raised LPG price by Rs 10-15 per 11.8-kg cylinder to Rs 595-600, and 45.4-kg cylinder to Rs 2251. The raise in LPG prices has been effective from Friday.

Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi offered his Nigerian counterpart Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC) of Pakistan services for exploration and laying oil/gas pipelines as the organisation has vast skills, technology and trained manpower to undertake such projects, says a statement released by foreign office about FM visit to Kampala.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf on Tuesday said that all necessary measures would be taken to provide fiscal relief to farmers to boost agriculture productivity. In a meeting with parliamentarians from Punjab, the minister said that agriculture is the backbone of our economy and due consideration would be given to promote it.

The Director General (DG), Wapda, Tahir Basharat Cheema has said that government, using coal as fuel, is planning to set up 5000 MW power generation plant within the next few years. He said this while speaking at a ceremony arranged by Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said that the country's survival largely depends on proper use of its coal reserves. '184 billion tonnes of coal reserves were available in Thar area alone', Cheema said. He expressed concern over the fact that Pakistan was generating only 0.1 percent electricity from coal.

Japan and Saarc member states have decided to make sincere efforts to promote public awareness on the need for regional energy cooperation, energy conservation and find ways to improve energy efficiency taking the advantage of technical help and assistance from Japan. It was agreed at the conclusion of two-day Japan-Saarc symposium on energy and connectivity, held at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI) on June 10 and 11 under the joint auspices of Japan and the ISSI.

The government has prepared an

About 8,000 ha in the restricted area along the India-Pakistan border has been sold to unknown buyers from across the country in the past five years. The bought land in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts belongs to the residents of the area and the Border Security Force. The deals were struck through agents in Jaisalmer and the buyers are listed from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, among other places. But their addresses and names are incomplete.

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