14 yrs’ jail term for Nawaz
Barred from politics for 21 years
ATTOCK (Pakistan), July 22 — A Pakistani court today sentenced ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 14 years’ hard labour after convicting him on corruption charges.

Maharashtra borrows forces
Firm on Thackeray’s arrest
NEW DELHI, July 22 — Security forces from neighbouring Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh are being rushed to Maharashtra following the Centre’s refusal to send additional security forces to tackle any law and order problem that may arise in the event of the arrest of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Cricketers lose shine
NEW DELHI, July 22 — ‘‘Palmolive da jawab nahin’’. These words from Kapil Dev a few years ago were enough to spur thousands of 15-year-olds to try their father’s razor. Sachin had to just say that he likes Action shoes and thousands of tiny tots could be seen wearing them to school.

Raids provide ‘tangible’ proof
NEW DELHI, July 22 — The raids on leading cricketers, administrators and bookies have provided ‘‘cogent’’ evidence of amassing of wealth which has ‘‘direct nexus with match-fixing’’, the government said today even as the Income Tax authorities prepared to open over 60 bank lockers sealed during the two-day operations.

Kapil asks IT Dept to end rumours
NEW DELHI, July 22 — Cricketer Kapil Dev today asked the Income Tax Department to clarify the raids on those in the cricket world so that “rumours and baseless statements” could be avoided.

Farooq briefs Krishan Kant
NEW DELHI, July 22 — The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who returned here yesterday after his visits to Hyderabad and Chennai, met the Union Home Minister, Mr L K Advani, again today on the autonomy issue.

Cotton growers’ hopes washed away SANDOHA (Bathinda), July 22 — Mr Gurnam Singh, a farmer of this village, paid Rs 68,000 to get 8.5 acres on lease to grow cotton with the hope that he would make a handsome profit. He also spent Rs 2,500 per acre more to grow cotton.