Jalandhar, March 27
Taking serious note of clashes at Phagwara in the past two days, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the local bodies minister, Manoranjan Kalia, the DIG (Jalandhar range) and the deputy commissioner, Kapurthala, to look into the matter.

Though the administration tried to strike peace between the two sides today, the peace process went haywire as both the groups clashed. Several activists of Sikh organisations blocked traffic in protest against the permission given to the Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan by the administration for holding congregation in the town.

Phagwara peaceful Following protests on Sunday and Monday by some Sikh organisations to demand a ban on the religious meeting by the Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, no untoward incident took place in Phagwara town on Tuesday. Almost a complete strike was observed in the town today following a bandh call by the Sikh organisations. Earlier in the day local bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, along with several BJP and SAD leaders and DIG N.P. Singh, held a meeting with representatives of the Sikh organisations and persuaded them to maintain law and order.

While appealing people to maintain peace, Badal, who was in Jalandhar to participate in a religious function, said he had asked Kalia,the DIG and the DC to find out a solution to the problem.

“Some forces are out to disturb peace and harmony in the state. I am sure people of Punjab would not allow to do so,” said the CM.

Talking about impending summer season and apprehension among people about frequent power cuts, Badal said: “We are going to buy power from other states.”

He said the education system would be revamped so that the poor, who could not afford education, could attain benefit of education.

“We are going to make education more people friendly. As a first step, the government is going to fill 30,000 posts in the education department,”he added.

Jalandhar, March 27
For constructing a basement parking, the Municipal Corporation dug up a 15 feet deep trench almost one and a half years back in front of Narinder Cinema in Jalandhar. But instead of completion, it is getting bigger day by day.

Although no untoward incident has happened so far but there is an urgent need of strong action on the part of the Municipal Corporation.

Today another huge portion of land caved in because the soil there has become loose owing to recent rainfall. This caused a momentary panic among the visitors.

H.S. Bawa, ward councilor, reached the spot and said that he had asked the corporation to take up the matter seriously.

But neither the corporation officials nor contractors have paid any heed to scaffold the edges. As a result the trend is widening everyday.

This has resulted in the narrowing of the lane that leads to the entry points of the Narinder Cinema and the HDFC Bank. These two places witness hundreds of visitors on daily-basis.

With owners of tea stalls, kulcha-channas and other eatables standing along all corners, there is every chance of risk to human life.

The Tribune has brought this problem to MC’s notice but to no avail. 

Jalandhar, March 27
Core issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved once and for all by adopting a give-and-take policy in order to strengthen the relations between the two countries.

This was stated by member of Pakistan national assembly Rai Aziz Ullah Khan. The MP was part of a 51-member Pak delegation which came to India on a 10-day visit.

Khan said that serious discussions should be held between the two countries to resolve the core issues like Kashmir.

Pakistan Muslim League MP said steps should be taken for improving economic ties as it would benefit the people of both the countries.

However, Khan refused to say anything about the controversial suspension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Khan merely said that the matter was sub-judice as the Supreme Judicial Council was handling the same.

At the same time, he did not hesitate to admit that democracy could not flourish in Pakistan as it should have been, especially as compared to that in India.

Earlier speaking in the function, he attributed the present better relations between the two countries to efforts of organisations like Hind-Pak Dosti Manch. “The relations between the two countries were so bitter that people used to hesitate to talk about friendship. But despite this members of the manch light candles on the Wagah border every year to strengthen the ties. Their efforts have bore fruits,” said Khan who had first visited the country in 1981.