A daily pick of news events that happened on this day in history from the pages of Gulf News dated April 15, 1979.
PNA withdraws from Pakistan Government
The Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) met to finalise plans to withdraw from the Government of military ruler General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq following last week's execution of former Premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Alliance President Maulana Mufti Mahmud has said the six parties in the grouping feel they have achieved their objectives of introducing Islamic reforms and obtaining a date for new elections. The Alliance would continue to support the army regime even after withdrawing from the Government formed last July, he said.
Minor roads for pedestrians
Dubai Municipality is to build a network of minor roads and paths in residential and industrial areas of the city. The project is designed primarily for the benefit of the pedestrians who now have to use desert tracks. The network of minor roads projected under this scheme will provide safe and comfortable surfaces for people to walk on.
IMF probes Zaire's big cobalt deals
The West monetary authorities are investigating allegations that cobalt, copper and uranium was bought from Zaire for $50 million in secret export deals, according to the Zaire Opposition in Exile. The Secretary General of the Organisation for the Liberation of the Conco (OLC) Joseph Nbeka-Makosso said, the investigations were being made by the IMF and the World Bank which are studying ways of solving Zaire's severe financial and economic problems. The IMF was earlier reported to be investigating the secret sale of 200 tonnes of cobalt, in a deal said to have brought an unaccounted for profit of about eight million dollars for the Zairean authorities.
