PAKISTAN`S Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Ghulam Mohammad, who returned to Karachi last week from Quetta where he had gone to discuss with the Quaid-i-Azam matters connected with the relief of refugees, in an interview ...

described reports, appearing in the western foreign Press, that the Quaid-i-Azam was seriously ill as `malicious propaganda based on falsehood calculated to harm Pakistan`.

Mr Ghulam Mohammad added: `I had long discussions with the Quaid-i-Azam in Quetta.

He is in good health.

[Meanwhile, it was also reported that] Karachi citizens will have to go without cakes and pastries from Sept 1. The preparation of these delicacies has been banned by the Karachi administration ... to save wheat.

Individual rations of wheat will be reduced from 3 chhataks to 2½ chhataks but the basic quota of 6 chhataks of foodgrains will not be touched, Mr J.G. Kharas, Controller of Food Rationing, Karachi, told Dawn on Monday [Aug 30]. The wheat quota allotted to restaurants, hotels and bakeries will be reduced to half. The ban on cakes and pastries has been imposed to make more flour available for bread. The supply of suji and maida for household purposes will be stopped or completely stopped after Sept 1 as these have been considered `rich men`s food`.