Saturday, March 25, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

PM offers peace treaty to Pakistan
Amritsar, March 24
To strengthen the current bonhomie in the region, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today launched a new peace initiative with Pakistan, offering a “treaty of peace, security and friendship”. “The peace making process must ultimately culminate in giving a meaning and substance to our quest for shared goals”, he said.
In video (28k, 56k)
World page: Leave or face death, Musharraf tells
foreign militants

PM flags off bus to Nankana Sahib

Amritsar, March 24 Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today flagged off ‘Punj-Aab’ (sym- bolising five rivers of joint Punjab of pre Partition) bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib, with a commitment to open more such links with neighbouring Pakistan.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, and Capt Amarinder Singh wave to crowd at Amritsar on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan Editorial: PM flags off peace offer

World page: Emotional scenes at Nankana Sahib
Punjab page: PM visits Golden Temple
PM’s wife keeps date with family
J&K page: Farooq hails bus to Nankana Sahib

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

Manmohan announces sops for Punjab
Amritsar, March 24
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced sops for Punjab, especially his hometown Amritsar, keeping in view the Assembly elections, scheduled for February next year. These included upgradation of the Attari railway station and the Wagah joint check-post. A total of Rs 570 crore has been announced for the overall development of Amritsar.

Congress MPs told not to resign
New Delhi, March 24
Looking to gain moral high plane and silence the Opposition from the decision of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to resign her Lok Sabha seat and NAC post following the office of profit controversy, the party leadership has conveyed to its MPs and MLAs not to send in their resignations lest it dilutes the impact of the top leader’s “sacrifice.”

Nation page: BJP sees drama in Sonia’s resignation and more
Punjab page: YC workers burn effigies of Vajpayee, Advani
J&K page: MLAs quit offices of profit
Himachal page: Rally in support of Sonia

Cement prices shoot up
Chandigarh, March 24
The construction sector has been hit hard as the cement manufacturing companies, which appear to have formed a cartel, have increased the price of cement by Rs 100 per bag in the past few months. In the retail market, the cement is available at Rs 225-230 per bag while in bulk it is available at Rs 220 per bag.

HC refuses to stay look-out notices in
Jessica case
New Delhi, March 24
The Delhi High Court today refused to stay the Delhi police “look out” notices against the accused and witnesses in the Jessica Lall murder case. Mr Justice Vikramjit Sen, while hearing the petition of socialite Bina Ramani, in whose restaurant Jessica was shot dead seven years ago allegedly by Manu Sharma, directed the police to submit their reply by April 5 to her petition.

Naxals raid jail, free 40 prisoners
Parlakhemundi (Orissa), March 24
In a pre-dawn attack, 200 armed Naxalites today broke open a jail at a town in Gajapati district, 65 km from here, killed three policemen and lost four to five of their own comrades in a gun battle before freeing 40 prisoners, including a few ultras.

Narang clinches gold Melbourne, March 24 Samresh Jung let go his chance of winning a record seven gold as he allowed his mind to waver in the 25m centre fire pistol tie-breaker and settled for bronze while Gagan Narang and Abhinav Bindra added to India’s bounty with a thrilling 1-2 finish in the 50m rifle 3 position of the Commonwealth Games shooting competition here today. (Details in Sports page) Medals tally