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. Pakistan should seal the Afghan border at the Torkham post in the wake of recent clashes. The US and its allies should enhance support to Pakistan in this connection. India doesn’t want Pakistan and Afghanistan to improve their relations. The Research and Analysis Wing is running a local terrorist network through Indian consulates in Afghanistan. (Ausaf Edit)
2. Military experts are of the view that Afghanistan was firing at Torkham border at the behest of the US which, with the help of India, wants to create a fragile situation as an excuse to prolong its presence in the region. Moreover, with pro-India Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Vice President Rashid Dostum in Kabul, chances of peace are slim in Afghanistan. In addition to this, the US is patronizing anti-Pakistan forces in Afghanistan to undermine CPEC. (Ummat Edit)
3. That human and drug trafficking takes place through the Pakistan-Afghan border cannot be denied just as it cannot be denied that both countries have common descent and language. Therefore leaving the border posts unmanned is unsafe; it is in interests of both countries to bring border under some control. So much so instead of the Afghan government taking objections to the raising of the gates at Torkham border, it should co-operate with Pakistan. Even if Afghanistan does not co-operate, Pakistan will have to go ahead with its plans since we cannot afford to leave the borders open to smugglers and militants. (Ibrat Edit)
4. Commenting on the Torkham border issue at Dunya program, analyst Najam Sethi said that including the Taliban, none of Afghan governments have ever accepted the Durand Line as the border. Whenever Pakistan has tried to secure its border, Afghanistan has objected. Pakistan’s forces could give a befitting reply to Afghanistan, but finally they will have to the accept ceasefire. The issue should be resolved through diplomacy as soon as possible as if relations are spoiled both Pakistan and Afghanistan will suffer and India will benefit. He added that a full time Foreign Minister is not really necessary. If the military chief considers peace process with India to be a threat to national security, then the peace process with India will not happen, since the power to spoil the situation lies with the Army Chief and not with the Prime Minister. For Pakistan, national security is more important than democracy. Sethi said that according to his information some people want to change the Defence Secretary but that this will not happen. (Jang)
5. Gen (retd) Ziauddin Butt, Gen (retd) Rahat Latif, former Ambassador Mia Sanaullah and other military and foreign affairs experts told a Dunya forum that the CPEC project is the main reason for Pakistan-US tensions. Afghanistan is taking advantage of tense Pakistan-US relations. MI6, CIA, Mossad, RAW and NSD have planned to create conflict between the Pakistan Army and public, which did not succeed. (Roznama Dunya)
6. Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat leader Allama Ahmad Ludhianvi has blamed the US for the Torkham border attack. He said that the US does not like that Pakistan is a nuclearized Islamic nation. (Ausaf)
UNITED STATES
1. Columnist and analyst Nazir Naji terms as most ridiculous Sartaj Aziz’s threat of using nuclear weapons if the US and India tilt the power balance in the region. Pakistan does not have any such enemy against whom nuclear bomb could be used. It can only be used against terrorists present within Pakistan. (Roznama Dunya)
2. Senate’s Defence and Foreign Affairs standing committees discussed Pakistan-US relation and felt that Pakistan should not give an undue importance to the US. Both panels have suggested that Pakistan’s foreign policies should be based on its national interest. This is a welcome development. (Jang Edit)
3. Pakistan Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif has strongly reacted against the US drone attack in Balochistan. Talking to a visiting US delegation, he demanded that the US should instead conduct drone attacks on Afghanistan- based Mullah Fazlullah and other Taliban elements who are responsible for terrorism in Pakistan. (Khabrain)
4. Senior Analyst, Haroon-Ur-Rashid avers that Pakistan-US relations have become tense due to the CPEC project. Taking part in a Dunya program, he said the entire Army is fed up with the US. The government is not ready to work. PPP leader Dr. Babar Awan said that the Supreme Court has ordered the government to form the Terms of Reference for Panama Leak probe and if government fails, Article 204 can be invoked for contempt of court. Analyst Mazhar Abbas criticized the Government’s foreign policy. (Roznama Dunya)
INDIA
1. Against the backdrop of bitterness in the Indo-Pakistan relations, Pakistan should adopt a policy of non-interference instead of being part of a proxy war, and use the country’s resources judiciously instead of looking for doles. This is necessary as Pakistan’s foreign policy regarding its involvement with the US has boomeranged. Except China there is no country in the region now that can be called as a friend. Pakistan must revaluate its relation with its neighbours and end hostilities. (Awami Awaz Edit)
2. Pakistan is aware of changing international scenario and the conspiracies that are being hatched against its interests. US is using India against China and is hailing New Delhi as its natural defence partner. The US and India will go to any extent to foil the CPEC project. Sartaj Aziz is right when he says Pakistan-China friendship is bringing together US, India and Iran. (Khabrain Edit)
3. India has failed to get a membership of the NSG in the first meeting despite having open support by the US; yet it seems that India would make it to the NSG because America wants to promote India as a big power in South Asia. Though China has voted against India’s inclusion in the group with some other nations, the selection of any member depends on the consent of the majority of the 48 members. Pakistan will have to increase its efforts to get a maximum number of countries in its favour to stop India from winning the membership of the NSG. (Daily K2 Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
4. The Islamabad High Court will hear the petition of Mumbai terrorist attack accused Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi after summer vacations over the findings of the judicial commission which had toured India. The petitioner demanded that reports of commission should not be made part of legal proceedings in Pakistan. (Jasarat)
5. Former President Pervez Musharraf says India could be behind the provocation of Afghan forces and firing at Torkham border. (Baad-e-Shimal, Nawa-i-Waqt)
6. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed said Indian ports and airbases going under the control of America is good news for Pakistan and bad news for India. Speaking during an Iftar dinner, he added that all political and religious parties under the banner of Difa-e-Pakistan Council should think seriously about the defence of Pakistan and keep aside political differences. Military should shoot down drones violating Pakistani air space without any hesitation as the US is trying to avenge its humiliating defeat for the so-called war on terror. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Jang)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif said that the Army will not allow terrorists to come back again. Army will concentrate on border management. Operation Zarb-e-Azb is in its final stages. Many areas are yet to be cleared of terrorists and extremists. The Army is also concentrating on infrastructure development in the region and constructing a two lane Makeen-Razmak-Miranshah road. He said that the Pakistani Army has completed 567 social, communication, infrastructure and power projects. (Daily Intekhab)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. During an operation in Swat, three TTP terrorists are killed and suicide jackets and explosives are recovered. (Roznama Dunya)
2. Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation has been running blood donation camps across the country. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Hakim Baloch, a PML (N) member of the National Assembly from Sindh has decided to resign from the PML (N) and join PPP. (Ibrat)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Weather experts have claimed that 2500 lakes have been formed out of the Glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan. Of them, 52 in the lower areas are highly dangerous. If immediate action is not taken to address climate changes it would be disastrous for the agricultural land and residential areas. (Daily K2)
2. Skardu Road tender due to be opened on June 16th has been once again postponed. The new date for the tender is 29thJune. (Daily K2)
3. 950 vacancies in the G-B education Department would be filled soon, says Education Minister Ibrahim Sanai. (Daily K2)