Nation & States  

Pakistan asks US to review
body search methods

What is India News Service, July 17, 2004, 1700 hrs IST

Pakistani has asked the United States to review body search procedures recently introduced at major US airports for Pakistani visitors.

Foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri told his country's senate  that he had made the demand to US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage during a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, and that he would also take up the matter with US lawmakers to urge them to change the law allowing such procedures. 

Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader in the upper house Raza Rabbani called the search procedures "most shameful" and a virtual stripping of Pakistani visitors. 

"Certainly, what he said is right," Kasuri. said about Mr Rabbani's objection. "It is a wrong order, it is violation of human rights." 

He said he had told Armitage that it was wrong and harmful even to American interests, particularly when the move was directed against a particular community, and that the procedures must be reviewed.
 
Indian sets up visa drop box: The Indian high commission in Islamabad said on Friday that a visa drop box facility had been introduced through two courier companies for all Pakistani and foreign visa applicants to facilitate visas for bona fide travellers to India. 

Rocket attack: District police lines in Tank area came under a rocket attack in the early hours of Friday. 

The attackers fired three rockets, one of which exploded. They escaped when policemen returned fire. No casualty or damage was reported. 

Elsewhere in Pakistan, the site of the under-construction Mirani dam was rocked  in the early hours of Friday when over a dozen rockets exploded in the residential area of the project, some 50 km from the Turbat city. 

School tragedy toll goes up to 90: With two more children succumbing to burn injuries in the government general hospital, the toll in Friday's devastating fire at a private school in Kumbakonam rose 90.

Police have arrested five persons, including correspondent of the school 'Pulavar' Palanichamy, and three noon meal workers. More children were undergoing treatment in the hospitals. 

Kohli pleads innocence:  : Legal formalities are likely to delay the extradition of Maninderpal Singh Kohli, the prime accused in the killing of British girl Hannah Foster, from India to England.

SC rejects plea on 'tainted' ministers: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a petition challenging the inclusion of four \93tainted\94 ministers in the UPA government, saying it would wait for parliament to debate the issue and come to a conclusion before making its opinion known.
 
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