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Kumaratunga's ruling government loses majority

     Colombo: Sri Lanka's ruling coalition government reduced to minority with just 111 seats in the 225 member parliament, 2 short of 113 required for a working majority following the withdrawal of support by its key ally Ceylon Workers Congress. "We have resigned from the government," said R Yogarajan, a senior member of the ceylon workers congress which has 8 parliamentarians. According to Yogarajan, the decision to quit was caused by "the government's failure to implement certain agreements and programmes." The CWC's eight parliamentarians had provided the Kumaratunga's ruling government with parliamentary majority. Another key partner, the Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP) with its 39 lawmakers has also threatened the government that it would also withdraw if the government continued with its approach of carrying peace process with the LTTE. The ruling coalitions allies are at loggerheads with President Kumaratunga's party over the government's proposed power-sharing agreements with the Tamil Tiger rebels. Earlier, Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga had warned her main coalition partner Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) that it could leave her government if it continued to obstruct her politically. She had said that her coalition partners are fighting over this letter, that word, and she can't achieve any lasting solution if they continued pulling her legs like this. She had openly lambasted "some coalition partners" in her government for obstructing her efforts to find a political settlement to the island's ethnic conflict. With thirty nine MPs, the JVP holds the key to her coalition government. If the JVP goes, Kumaratunga has to either form a national government with the opposition or run a shaky minority government or go for fresh elections.

Indo-Pak series: Rs 15 set as visa fee (Go To Top)

    Islamabad: The Indian high commission in Pakistan has set Rs. 15 as a visa fee each for Pak-India cricket series, whilst Pakistani fans will have to pay about Rs 400 extra as services charges. Spokesman the Indian high commission told Geo TV as to those intending to file their visa applications would be required to pay Rs. 15 as visa fee to see the match. The visas will be issued to those possessing tickets of the match obtained by the BCCP from India and put on sale at the counters established in Lahore at the Qadafi Stadium. The visas applications are also being entertained by the American Express for submission to the Indian High Commission. Majority of the Pakistanis cricket fans visiting Mohali will cross border via Wagha. Nominated by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) the American Express is charging lum sum Rs. 2500 for ticket, visa processing fees and its services from the applicants, whereas only Rs. 15 would go to the account of the Indian high commission as visa fees. When contacted the spokesman PCB Abbas Zaidi said it was correct that although the visa fee per application was set Rs. 15 but the American Express has to charge its fees for its services.

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