SRINAGAR: The proposed joint conference between Pakistan and India and the UN Commission for India and Pakistan, scheduled to be held in New Delhi next week, has now been abandoned, says a PTI [Press Trust of India] message. It was announced today [Aug 18] that in view of replies received from Pakistan and India to the Commission’s proposals, the Commission has decided to give up the idea of holding the conference for the present. — News agencies

[Meanwhile, according to news agencies from Lahore,] Uninsured property valued at about rupees five lakhs is reported to have been destroyed in a big fire … this morning [Aug 17] on McLeod Road. The Lahore Fire Brigade which rushed to the spot … brought the flames under control after about half an hour and the fire was completely extinguished within about two hours. While the cause of precise origin of the fire is not known … the flames … rapidly engulfed two buildings on opposite sides of a gully housing the Friends Film Services and the Pakistan Printing Press respectively. Loud explosions followed … as 135 films belonging to the former are stated to have blown up.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024