Seven Pak. Army officers forced to retire

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, MAY 14. Seven senior Army officers, including a Major General, have been sent on forced retirement as punishment by the military Government in Pakistan, for allegedly causing losses to the tune of 28 million rupees to the state exchequer in the purchase of a helicopter for Pakistan Rangers in 1993.

According to reports, the Interior Secretary, Mr.Tasnim Noorani, told the Public Accounts Committee that those who were sent on forced retirement, included one Brigadier, one Colonel, two Lt. Colonels and two Majors, beside the Major General.

Mr. Noorani told the Committee that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has also initiated action against these officers from the April 10 for the recovery of this amount. This is perhaps for the first time that so many senior military officials have been taken to task during the Musharraf regime.

Industrialists' meet

Captains of industry and business from India and Pakistan would be meeting here on May 22 to discuss various issues related to trade activities among the SAARC countries.

The meeting is organised by the SAARC chapter of the Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and 40 prominent industrialists from India would participate in the deliberations.

It would be followed on May 23 by a conference on `regional economic cooperation in SAARC-key issues'. To be inaugurated by the Pakistan Finance Minister, Mr. Shaukat Aziz, eminent economists from the region would address it.Along with the conference on `regional economic cooperation', the 21st Executive Committee of the SCCI would be held.

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Section  : International
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