SOURCE: Ausaf, Ummat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Urdu Point, Daily Jinnah, Awami Awaz, Daily Dharti, Jasarat, Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Daily Times, Jang, Ibrat, Khabrain, Roznama Dunya, Hizb Media, Al Qalam Weekly, Baad-e-Shimal, Bang-e-Sahar, Sindh Express, Pk Voices.
CHINA
1. The Pak government has decided to form a Special Security Division (SSD) for the security of CPEC projects and Chinese Workers. The SSD would consist of 9 Battalion of the Pak Army along with 6 Civil Wings. SSD strength would be increased as and when required. (Daily Pak)
2. Water crisis continues to grip Gwadar. Water shortage has also hit Gwadar port and surrounding areas for the past one month. Due to a drought, Ankara dam is drying up. The city is supplied Mirani dam water through tankers. Provincial government has not sanctioned any funds for meeting water crisis in Gwadar. (Jang)
3. Under a new Chinese job policy, foreign students studying in Chinese Universities would get jobs in local Chinese companies once they complete studies and get a work permit. This decision will benefit 14000 Pakistan who are studying in China. The work permit is subject to conditions like good health, no criminal background, and excellent educational performance. (Pk Voices)
US/UK/RUSSIA
1. The new US President Donald Trump’s ideology is considered as a threat to world peace. If he doesn’t change his attitude and if he does not use his office to resolve the Kashmir and Palestine issues, China will get an opportunity to become a superpower. (Khabrain Edit)
2. Notwithstanding what new American president Donald Trump has said in his inaugural address on Islam, it is the US and its lobbies that have encouraged terror groups directly and indirectly and now they are conspiring to defame Islam. A look around will tell that it is only the Muslim countries that have been facing war-like conditions, economic disarray, poverty, and unemployment. In these very Muslim countries, the Western forces are spreading hatred amongst the people. The new US President, Trump, should better keep this fact in mind that terror has no religion and hence there is no prudence in connecting terror to any religion or to any country. The likes of Trump should be example for Pakistan’s leaders even if they are non-Muslim rulers, to work for the country’s prosperity, instead of investing their funds abroad. (Ibrat Edit)
3. Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Shirin Mazari, said Pakistan might face problem with the advent of Trump era on nuclear issues. Trump’s views might cause harm to the CPEC. The Pakistan government should give as much as space to the US diplomats as they offer Pakistan in in the US. (Ausaf)
AFGHANISTAN/SAUDI ARABIA
1. Afghan Taliban have told the UAE that the Kandahar blast in which five UAE diplomats were killed was targeted to undermine the offer to Gen Raheel Sharif to take over the Islamic Army alliance. And provided evidence on the involvement of Kandahar police chief, Indian agency RAW and NDS to UAE in the Kandahar blast. (Ummat)
2. Pakistan will soon reach an agreement with Afghanistan over using Kabul River Water. The objective behind seeking the agreement is to avoid any tension between the two nations over Water in future as India is planning to gift a dam to Afghanistan on the Kabul River. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
INDIA
1. A delegation under JeM’s department of promotion (Tabligh) toured Malakand district and held ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, (battle against India) conferences in memory of martyrs at 11 places. Maulana Iliyas Qasimi, Maulana Abdul Rashid and other speakers said jihad against India is termed as ‘Ghazwa’ in Hadiths which increases its reverence. Namaz and Zakat (charity) are the ways of Prophet Muhammad. Similarly, jihad is the method of the Prophet. In the current situation, ideals and principles of Islam cannot be defended without jihad. Thousands attended these conferences. (Al Qalam Weekly, 26-30 January)
2. Pakistan has handed over to India its soldier, who had been held for the past four months. He was disgusted with his superiors’ attitude. This is not the first time that an Indian soldier has expressed disgust against his superior military officers and this is also not the first time that Pakistan has returned Indians back to India. This is however a fresh example of Pakistan trying to forge friendship with India. According to the ISPR and the Foreign Ministry this step reflects Pakistan’s determination to ensure peaceful LoC. Earlier too, Pakistan had handed over thousands of Indian fishermen but India is not ready to send back Pakistani prisoners who have completed their jail term. Pakistanis prisoners are treated badly in Indian jails. The experience of Maqbool Husain is a case in point. (Jang-Edit, Roznama Dunya Edit)
3. Columnist Arif Bahar writes: PM Nawaz Sharif met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Davos and appealed to him resolve the Kashmir and water disputes between India and Pakistan. Antonio promised to play a positive role saying that he is aware of the sensitivity of these disputes. Currently, India, Israel and the US are expressing their disappointment with the UN though the US had used the world body for justifying its invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a litmus test for the UN to stand for fundamental issues. Otherwise Muslim countries will get disappointed with the UN and then its fate will become that of the League of Nations. (Jasarat)
4. JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed says PM Nawaz Sharif and federal ministers should stage a dharna at the UN to promote the Kashmir cause. He also avers that Pakistan should link CPEC with the freedom of Kashmir. Speaking with senior journalist, the JuD chief said pressure should be increased upon India through China and Russia to stop state terrorism. There should be no trade with India till Kashmir dispute is resolved. From 26 January to 5 February JuD will observe Kashmir solidarity. An all-party conference will be held on Jan 26 in Islamabad; rallies, and conferences will be held at districts level as JuD is observing 2017 as the Year for Kashmir. (Jasarat)
5. The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) sponsored All Party Conference on Kashmir in Islamabad on Jan 26 will sensitise the world opinion to the movement of independence of the Kashmiris, according to Shafiq-ur-Rehman, the coordinator of Islamabad. (Daily Dharti)
6. Though Taliban has accepted responsibility for the Parachinar terrorist attack, RAW’s activities in the region cannot be overlooked, more so as facilitators and abettors of terrorists are present in the society. Afghan intelligence agency, NDS is also supporting RAW against a fellow Muslim country. RAW is active in FATA, Balochistan and Karachi with support from the NDS and banned terrorist organizations. RAW has only one agenda and it is that no development projects should take off in Pakistan and foreign investors should not enter Pakistan. (Roznama Dunya Edit)
INDIA – WATER
1. Gulam Nabi Yousufzai reports: Pakistan government has set up a task force on the Indus Water Treaty for legally confronting India. It is headed by the Attorney General; it will prepare strategies to enforce implementation of the treaty in case India violates it. The task force will submit its report to the PM by January 25 and the matter will be taken up with the Vice President of the World Bank who is arriving in Islamabad on January 26. Pakistan government wants the World Bank, as guarantor on Indus Water Treaty, to take note of violations by India and bound India to implement the treaty in toto. Sources said the task force is primarily of the view that the World Bank should make India commit itself to inform Pakistan before taking up any energy or irrigation project on Chenab, Sutlej and the Indus. Also, the project design should be provided to Pakistan or the World Bank so that in case of any IWT violation, the World Bank takes suo moto notice and prevents India from proceeding with the project. In case India still does not take stop the project, the World Bank should refer the matter to the tribunal. (Sindh Express)
NUCLEAR BOMB
1. Renowned atomic scientist Dr. Abdul Qader Khan said Pakistan had acquired nuclear capability in 1983 but General Zia-ul-Haq had postponed its testing due to due to the war in Afghanistan. When India successfully carried out a nuclear test in 1973, the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto called him from Holland and entrusted him with the task of making Pakistan bomb. He did not succeed due to some reasons. General Zia-ul-Haq asked him to take up the task once again. He returned with his family and picked up the pieces again. This time he kept all the authority and controls with himself, as he was apprehensive of some bureaucrats. The pace was very slow but he completed the task and placed the report on General Zia’s table. Zia asked him to hold back its experiment due to the on-going war in Afghanistan. But when India carried out its second explosion, in 1998, we also declared our intentions. They were under tremendous pressure to desist from any such venture. They were offered dollars along with threats from the US and other European nations. But they were firm on experimenting. They also had tremendous pressure from the people of Pakistan. Finally, they conducted the N-test on 28th May 1998. He feels sorry that Pakistan could not achieve many benefits in spite of becoming an atomic power. The nation is sunk by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Foreign exchange earned by overseas residents has been saving us from becoming bankrupt. (Daily Dharti)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Pakistani Taliban has uploaded a picture of a suicide bomber named Saifullah who had carried out the Parachinar blast. However, the officials have not reacted on this claim, yet. (Ummat)
2. After Parachinar massacre, intelligence agencies have issued an alert that terrorists may target educational organizations. The terrorists want to make their presence felt and have decided to put schools and colleges on their hit list instead of religious places. Terrorists appear to think that their attacks on religious places only affect a section of the society. But if the attacks are carried out on schools, colleges and other educational institutions, the whole society will be affected and will raise a hue and cry. Intelligence agencies have told the government to make security arrangements around educational institutions. They also wanted emergency gates at all schools to facilitate evacuation in case of emergency. Intelligence agencies also wanted removal of all illegal encroachments, stalls and shops near schools. (Daily Intekhab)
3. Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council Hamid Raza said that banned outfits were working in the country without any fear. He added that Al-Qaeda and Daesh have caused a great loss to Islam and benefited the disbelievers. Raza stated that an honest leadership is required for establishing a just and fair system in the country. (Daily K2)
4. The terror strike at Parachinar is a grim reminder of the fact that though there is noticeable decline in terrorism following army operations, the country is not free of militancy. Liberal and enlightened forces continue to find the going tough in the country. That is the reason that sometimes attacks take place on educational places and at shrines of Sufis and children and enlightened women are killed. If Pak society is to get rid of fundamentalism, free itself from militancy, ensure religious freedom to all and march on the road to economic progress, it must to come out of mind-set of likes and dislikes. (Awami Awaz Edit)
5. Ahl-e-Hadith Youth Force Pakistan leaders said that Pakistan was not made for liberalism or secularism but for establishing and following Islamic Sharia. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1. According to Iranian media Iran wants to help Pakistan to overcome its electricity crisis. Iran currently supplies Pakistan 74 megawatts and it may be increased to 104 megawatt. Both countries want to gradually increase the supply to 1000 MW. Iranian government is setting up a new grid station in Sistan to supply electricity to Pakistan. (Jasarat)
2. Iran and Dubai have stopped purchase of Rice from Pakistan. This resulted in a big drop in Pakistan’s rice exports. For the first time this quarter rice exports were down to US $ 16 crore, which is 20 per cent less than the corresponding period last year. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. Farooq Sattar, the MQM Pakistan leader, warned that Sindh civic bodies would move the apex court if they do not get powers and funds. Talking to the media at the Hyderabad Press Club, he said MQM has prepared a document on powers and financial resources of civic bodies under Article 140. The document will be submitted to the Sindh government. If the PPP provincial government does not concede the demand, the MQM will approach the Supreme Court. Sattar also targeted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying that ever since Nawaz came to power, the government’s priority is only Punjab. This is not good for Pakistan’s future. (Ibrat)
2. Shahzeb Bugti, the head of Jamhoori Watan Party, has denied having forgiven Musharraf for Akbar Bugti’s killing. He is convinced that one day that Musharraf will be tried. Shahzeb Bugti also denied any major Baloch leader having surrendered before the government till day. His party will not have any political alliances with any political party in coming polls but will have seat adjustments in all provinces. He also said that after coming to power, Nawaz Sharif has forgotten about Balochistan. One look at Lahore will make Balochistan’s backwardness distinctly clear. Balochistan has not been benefited either from Gwadar or from the CPEC. Balochistan gives 70 per cent gas to the entire country but yet people do not have any benefit of this gas and use wooden logs for their fire-place. Balochs oppose Pakistani citizenship being given to Afghans. Pakistan has received gun and narcotics culture from Afghans. (Kawish)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Asad Shur reports: Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwah continue to get neglected in the CPEC. Only one out of three projects from Sindh is included in the CPEC. The plan to set up industrial zones at Larkana and Kherpur been dropped now. Sindh was given false assurances of building roads from Keti Bandar to Sanghar and Kherpur. The Chief Ministers of Sindh and KP have sent a message to the PM through the Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal that political parties in Sindh and KP are unhappy over not getting due share of the CPEC. And sought an immediate all party meeting to address these apprehensions. The message has been delivered to the PM who in turn has assured that all party meeting will be convened as soon he is free from some of his engagements. (Sindh Express)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. PM Sharif will declare Gilgit-Baltistan as an interim province of Pakistan during his next visit to Gilgit. The Committee headed by Sartaj Aziz had submitted its recommendations to the PM’s Office on various aspects of the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan. (Daily K2)
2. The government has decided to take advice from German Experts to prepare the feasibility report on an Economic Zone in Gilgit-Baltistan. The German team would visit the province soon to study the impact of industrialisation on local environment. (Baad-e-Shimal)
3. A separate department of Azad Kashmir Police proposed to look into complaints of overseas Kashmiris has to be shelved when a high level meeting could not agree on the proposal. AJK Prime Minister made the proposal as several hundred complaints have been received from Overseas Kashmiris. On his request, the Inspector General of Police selected able personnel, summoned them to Mirpur and briefed them on the new proposal and their duties. After completing the home work, he moved the government with a formal proposal. He suggested that the central office of the new department be set up at Mirpur. But alas, a high level meeting called by Prime Minister at the Kashmir House, and attended by Inspector General, Chief Secretary, Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners could not agree on the proposal. Reason: bad experience of forming such separate departments in the past. Hence, the proposal was shelved. (Daily Dharti)
