Zardari rebuffed
Who can trust the Prez, asks Nawaz
Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said he was ready for reconciliation but somebody would have to underwrite President Asif Ali Zardari’s pledges. “There can be no dialogue with Mr Zardari,” Sharif told senior journalists in Lahore adding,”The problem is who will guarantee Mr Zardari’s commitments, which he breaks with impunity.”

World page: Zardari drifts away from ‘BB baggage’

Pakistani anti- government lawyers and political activists march during a protest rally in Rawalpindi on Saturday. — AFP

Army on standby, long march on
Islamabad March 14
Pakistan Muslim League on Saturday rejected the government’s offer to move a review petition on the supreme court verdict debarring Nawaj Sharif and his brother from holding public offices. “ We do not recognize the court; it is unconstitutional,” said a PML ( N) spokesman. Mounting pressure earlier had forced the Pakistan President to seek a reconciliation.

Chennai-based consultant for Commonwealth Games
Bharatbala roped in to organise the opening and closing ceremonies
New Delhi, March 14
Patriotism rocks! Perhaps that is why the UPA government has chosen well-known Chennai-based ad and feature filmmaker Bharatbala to organize the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Andhra DGP under EC scanner
Commission to decide on oppn complaint 
against him soon
Hyderabad, March 14
The Election Commission (EC) would take a decision in a couple of days on the opposition parties’ complaint against Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police SSP Yadav for alleged violation of poll code of conduct. “We will examine the CD and other documents submitted by the opposition parties and take a decision,” the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy told a press conference here today.

Mayawati’s Dinner
Left to raise pre-poll deal possibility
with BSP
New Delhi, March 14
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati may not be in a position to push her personal agenda when the Third Front partners occupy her dinner table tomorrow to share some food for thought. Already, Mayawati’s new residence in the capital — along the famous Gurdwara Rakabganj Road — is being refurbished for the mega political event, which will be keenly watched by all, the Congress and BJP included.

	PUNJAB: Rs 60 cr can uplift rural students: Study
	HARYANA: ‘Rainwater harvesting need of hour’
	J&K: PDD fails to replace damaged meters
	HIMACHAL: MCI team to visit Tanda college next week
	CHANDIGARH: P’kula heist kingpin held
	LUDHIANA: 4 of family shot at over water
	DELHI: Lecturers refuse to mark papers
	OPINIONS: Manifesto of an unborn party
	BUSINESS: SEBI mulls major reforms for mutual funds
	NATION: IAF not to ground MiG-29
	WORLD: Zardari drifts away from ‘BB baggage’
	SPORTS: India come a cropper in Auckland

HOROSCOPE

WEEKLY

Punjab website dishes out stale information
Bathinda March 14
Punjab government, if not Punjab, loves to live in the past. That is the impression one forms following a cursory glance at the state government’s official website. Incomplete, incorrect and irrelevant and often outdated information are provided at the website punjabgovt.nic.in. The site, somewhat curiously, opens with the bio data of the deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was installed in office in the second half of January.

Standoff in TN continues
Chennai, March 14
Madras High Court Chief Justice H.L. Gokhale warned today that cases would be disposed off on merit from Monday onwards if lawyers in Tamil Nadu continued to stay off work.

Chand says ‘talaq’ to Fiza over phone Mohali, March 14 The inevitable has happened. As was being anticipated, former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan, alias Chand Mohammed, has “officially” divorced (talaq) his estranged lady love and second wife Fiza, alias Anuradha Bali. In a phone call made to Fiza last night, the sitting Kalka MLA uttered “talaq, talaq, talaq” and sent her an SMS, blaming her of defaming him and his family. She reacted by saying that legal separation in this manner was not acceptable.