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.
AFGHANISTAN
1. Afghanistan has stopped the trade in flour with Pakistan under the pressure of India. It has levied heavy taxes on Pakistan flour. Result: Over 70% of Afghan flour mills are shut. (Jasarat)
2. Senior US General in Afghanistan, John Nicolson has said causality rate among the Afghan troops has increased to a record high in the current year. Most casualties took place in Taliban’s attack on the Afghan security posts. (Jasarat)
3. The Afghan President Ghani is blaming Pakistan to cover his government’s failure. He should be reminded that Pakistan has played a major role in his appointment as President. At India’s behest he is charging Pakistan with distinguishing between good and bad terrorists. Such allegations by Afghanistan impacts the image of Pakistan negatively in the international community. (Roznama Dunya Edit, Khabrain Edit)
4. The attitude of the Afghan President is polite before visiting Pakistan but when he is at home or in some other country he turns aggressive on Pakistan, which is committed to its Afghan peace. Close cooperation between the two countries is the need of the hour. Afghanistan should cooperate with Pakistan on the issues of war on terror, eliminating hideouts Pakistan’s rivals on Afghan soil and border management. (Ausaf Edit)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. Jamiat Ahle Hadith’s Chief Senator Professor Sajid Mir has asked the Prime Minister to send the Army to Saudi Arabia to protect the holy mosques. The ISIS is a pawn of the satanic powers and calling it Islamic is no more than abusing Islam and Muslims. (Pk Voices)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. A US drone attack on the Pakistan-Afghan border has claimed three lives. (Awami Awaz)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. The Sindh and KP Chief Ministers have decided to take on the Federal government jointly to end the raw deal to the provinces. Meeting at the Sindh CM’s house in Karachi, both leaders felt that the Federal government is taking away the electricity share of Sindh and KP. The Centre is stealing upto 1500 Megawatts of our power, they said and decided to seek a special meeting of Council of Common Interest (CCI) to discuss the problems faced by the provinces. These issues range from a reasonable share in the allocation of funds to power distribution and representation provinces in the Federal bodies (Ibrat)
2. Sheikh Rashid, the Chief of Awami League says the next seven days are going to be very crucial for Pakistan. Rule of law must prevail in the country. The Panama Papers must be looked into. This time, decisions should be taken for once for all. (Awami Awaz)
3. Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s Tahir Qadri is returning to the UK tomorrow. He will lecture at the Bradford’s Islamic centre and at the Scotland Yard. These engagements were fixed six months ago. There is no possibility that he will meet Imran khan during his UK sojourn. (Kawish)
4. PM Nawaz Sharif and the Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif discussed the issues of the terms of reference for Panama papers probe even as Pakistan Awami leader Tehreek Tahir-ul-Qadri and Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid have hit upon a new strategy to corner the Sharifs. It seems the government and the opposition parties have only a job of making TORs on the Panama Leaks. The government has failed to provide food, shelter, clothing and employment to the people even three years after coming to power. It also has failed to implement the National Action Plan. (Khabrain Edit)
5. Political commentator, Samad Mansoor, writes anti-PM protests are in cold storage at present because of Eid. These protest will return to the streets after Ramadan with full force. PTI members will participate in the protests. Bilawal Bhutto and his PPP cadres are also gearing up to be a part of the protests. Whether the protests will put the government under a scrutiny will be known soon. For the present however the hue and cry has made a special Pakistani airlines flight to bring back the PM from London. Media reports said a special plane was sent to London which must have cost the nation a whopping Rs. 30 crores. PML –N received sympathy from the people because the PM was ill. Now we have to wait and see whether he will receive the same level of sympathy and support. Times will show whether Imran Khan and Bilawal Bhutto will come together against the government. On its part the government needs to bear in mind that if it continues to be adamant on the Panama issue, it will only not pay the price but will jeopardise democracy also since the establishment may take over. (Ibrat)
ECONOMY/ENERGY
1. Pakistan is deep in power crisis. Only a few days ago the Sindh government had threatened to gheraro the Federal government on the issue. The power crisis is being created to make a case for the construction of Kalabagh dam. Such attempts to construct the Kalabagh dam will fail because the people of Sindh along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwah and Balochistan have rejected the Kalabagh idea and passed resolutions against the construction of the dam. (Ibrat Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Munir Ahmed Baloch says Balochistan is neglected by the civilian and military governments alike. He laments that political corruption is on the rise. Development funds are misused. An estimated Rs.65 crore was found in Balochistan’s Finance Secretary Mushtaq Raisani’s house. (Roznama Dunya)
SINDH
1. The Sindh Minister, Manzoor Wassan has reiterated opposition to Kalabagh dam project. As long as the PPP is around, there will be no Kalabagh dam, he asserted. (Ibrat)
POK/G-B NEWS
1.The AJK Premier Chaudhary Abdul Majeed has said that the federal minister for Kashmir Issues Barjees Tahir should not mistake AJK for Gilgit-Baltistan. (Daily K2)
2.The Army was called in Azad Kashmir as clashes between the PPP and PML (N) workers left three dead and injured eight. Angry protesters have burnt dozens of shops. Two cases of firing were registered in Thana Kahota, naming 50 persons for arson and firing. People have remained indoors. All commercial establishments are closed. Special Assistant of the Prime Minister Asif Kirmani said that the PPP has resorted to aggressive actions. (K-2)
3.Political and social leaders of Baltistan have strongly taken Minister for Kashmir Issues Barjees Tahir to task for his announcement that plans are afoot to make GB a separate province. They said the Minister’s announcement should be an eye opener. (K2)