FORMER RSS CHAIRMAN ISHWARIMAN SHRESTHA DEAD Kathmandu, 12 Sept.: Senior journalist and former manager at Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Ishwariman Shrestha, passed away at his residence in Syuchatar, on Tuesday night, RSS reports. He was 72. A diabetic since long, he had also been suffering from liver-related disease since sometime back. Born at Naradevi in the capital, Shrestha had started his career in journalism as an RSS correspondent in Sindhupalchok district. He also served as the RSS' Mechi Zonal Office chief for nearly 20 years. He worked as a reporter and as the office manager for some years at the RSS Central Office. Nnnn PAKISTAN FACTORYFIRE KILLS 80 PERSONS Kathmandu, 12 Sept.: A fire raced through a garment factory in the Pakistani city of Karachi overnight killing up to 80 people, while another fire in a shoe factory in Lahore killed at least 25 people, police and government officials said on Wednesday, Reutersreports from Karachi.. "People started screaming for their lives," said Mohammad Asif, 20, a worker at the Karachi factory. "Everyone came to the window. I jumped from the third floor." The fires could raise fresh questions about Pakistan's industrial safety. Critics say the government is too corrupt and ineffective to tackle an array of problems, from struggling industries to suicide bombings in the South Asian nation. Senior Superintendent of Police Amir Farooqi told Reuters that police were raiding parts of Karachi to search for the factory owners. Farooqi said 35 people were injured in the garment factory fire and bodies were still being recovered from the facility which employed about 450 people. The latest death toll was up to 80, according to Provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon. The cause of the garment factory fire was not clear. "Within two minutes there was fire in the entire factory," said factory worker Liaqat Hussain, 29, from his hospital bed where he was being treated for full-body burns. "The gate was closed. There was no access to get out we were trapped inside." nnnn