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.
CHINA
1. Gilgit-Baltistan CM Hafizur Rahman has assured protection to Chinese engineers and investors engaged in the power sector in Gilgit-Baltistan. (Daily K2 Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Security forces have seized a truck carrying Euro 6.25lakhs to Afghanistan at the Torkham border. (Pk Voices)
IRAN
1. Iranian police has claimed arresting 7 terrorists near the Pakistani border. (Roznama Dunya)
UNITED STATES
1. Khabrain’s edit is on Láffaire Haqqani. The daily says US has been considering Pakistan its frontline ally but the recent US statements on the Haqqani factor reflect that the US has no trust in Pakistan. The Indian lobby is responsible for the recent US decision to refuse aid to Pakistan for the purchase of F-16s. Some analysts believe that this is a US tactic to put Pakistan under pressure. It is a fact that India wants to isolate Pakistan at the international level, while Pakistan’s actions in highlighting Indian ploy to sabotage the CPEC, detention of RAW agent and Indian intervention in Pakistan have been unsuccessful. The daily should earn from Nepal’s decision to re-call its High Commissioner from India and the cancel Nepali President’s visit to India charging Delhi with intervention in Nepal’s national matters. Pakistan should use these issues to make its case strong against India at the international level. (Khabrain Edit)
INDIA
1. The intelligence agencies have arrested one Indian person, named Arshad, from an area called Jamshed Quarter. He was picked up on the suspicion of being a RAW agent. After checking his mobile number, passport, and other documents when nothing could be established against him being in touch with RAW, a case had been registered against him under the foreign act on charges of staying illegally in Pakistan. (Kawish – May 8)
2. Ummat blames Indian buses for the death of 80 Afghan passengers in a road accident. It terms Indian buses as useless. (Ummat)
3. OIC’s high level delegation has arrived in Islamabad on invitation from Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to PM on foreign affairs. The delegation will be given a briefing on the human rights violations in J&K. (Jang, Roznama Dunya)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Hizb ut Tahrir has begun pressurising Pakistani embassies abroad, for release of their imprisoned members in Pakistan. A list of their imprisoned members, who were highly qualified and had remained in contact with important personalities, had been sent to embassies. (Jang)
2. 500 Ulema of Ahl-e-Sunnat have signed a memorandum to the Government calling for the imposition of Nizam-e-Mustafa in Pakistan. Allama Riyaz Shah Mazhar Kazmi said that the government should end the interest system and allow Islamic economic practices. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Jasarat have welcomed the call of Amnesty International and Saudi Religious Scholar, Allama Yousaf Al-Qarzavi to Bangladesh Government to stop the execution of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders on “fake” allegations of war crimes. (Edits in Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Jasarat)
4. Munir Ahmed Baloch criticises that some NGOs only to receive external funds without having any real interest in welfare of the community. (Roznama Dunya)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. A decision was taken at a meeting of Sharif brothers that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would have a medical check-up after 20th May in London. While in London, he would also meet former Pakistan President, Asif Ali Zardari. (Daily Intekhab)
2. PM’s closest sources have said that the government was considering the possibility of holding elections to reduce Opposition pressure. (Ausaf)
3. Javed Abroo writes: there is a lot of talk these days about looking into corruption that had happened right from the formation of Pakistan. Such demands are nothing but tactics to prolong investigations with a larger aim of protecting those involved in the probes. Competent authorities, should ignore such demands. Instead they should go ahead with their investigations and make the guilty accountable without any discrimination. (Ibrat)
4. In his address at Sukkur, Sindh, Mustafa Kamal, who has floated his own party, has said that Pakistan leaders had only been treating each other with hatred and enmity over the last 30 years. He said RAW agents were misguiding the youth in Pakistan. Additionally, he stated that once in power, the political leaders forgot their assurances made to the people of the country. (Awami Awaz)
5. Hamid Mir doesn’t agree with the general perception that the new London mayor must have got the votes from Pakistani Muslims. He writes: Sadiq Khan got support from homosexuals since he supported them; he also won the support of many Indians and Bangladeshis. Imran Khan had in fact supported Goldsmith against Sadiq. Local government must be made strong to strengthen democracy in Pakistan. Time to elect a non-Muslim mayor to establish true democracy in Pakistan. (Jang)
6. Ibrahim Kumbhar writes in Kawish: the government has made many mistakes in the Panama leaks issue; it is necessary that the government makes amends before moving ahead. The first mistake was that the PM took the matter lightly and just addressed the nation soon after the leaks came to light, and in this address he talked about a judicial commission; however, the next day the government said that there would be no judicial commission. In the following days the government was hesitant to discuss this matter in Parliament, and that was also a major mistake on the part of the government. The media was free only in name but not so in its actions, and similarly, other departments were also said to be under the government but the fact was that they were the establishment’s “extensions”. Short term strategies do not succeed against militancy and corruption because there was no clear and well-worked out vision. Since Pakistan largely functions in an adhoc manner, the need of the hour is not to run the country on an experimental basis. Finally, he writes that the PM needed to be careful of the advice he gets lest he lands in some fresh crisis. (Kawish)
7. Roznama Dunya criticises Nawaz Sharif for refusing to give any clarification on the Panama Leaks issue in Parliament. In a democracy, Parliament is the highest authority and all controversial issues should be settled on its floor. (Roznama Dunya Edit)
8. Several edits have appeared on Supreme Court Chief Justice’s observation that everybody seems to be blaming each other, while not talking about their own responsibilities and duties. VIP culture is at its peak in Pakistan and it manifested recently when one former Senate Chairman slapped a police man outside a court in Islamabad. Irrespective of who might be at fault, the fact remains that the system in Pakistan is very weak because of VIP culture. The elite consider this country as their personal fiefdom and treat the poor as their slaves. SC Chief Justice is right and as long as everybody in the society does not realise and discharge his/her role in society, the system will show no improvement. Related Editorials (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Jasarat) added that the negative mentality will not resolve problems and hence it is necessary that the basic issues should be solved first with positive mentality and with everyone’s cooperation to bring about changes in the country. (Ibrat Edit, Jang Edit, Roznama Dunya Edit, Ummat Edit)
9. Awami Awaz and Jang note that after NAB searches at the residence and offices of Balochistan Finance Secretary and seizure of large amount of cash, gold, and other valuables, former Balochistan CM, Abdul Malik, has now offered himself to be examined. Both dailies observe that Pakistan’s corrupt elements’ greed has no limit. And lament that like many such cases in the past, this case will also be buried after a few days of big hue and cry. (Awami Awaz Edit, Jang Edit)
ECONOMY/WATER
1. Idris Rajput writes: Federal Minister of State for Water, Abid Sher Ali told a press conference in Islamabad on April 19 that if there was no consensus on constructing big dams in Pakistan, there could be civil disobedience across the country. Big dams are must for the country and the lack of consensus was resulting in greater discord amongst provinces. Kalabagh Dam is a case in point. There is no consensus on this dam because of issues like distribution of water, reservoir level and opening of the Rabta canal. Time to restore the trust amongst provinces, and that trust could be built by taking some measures like building the Bhasha Dam immediately, and water distribution to provinces strictly as per the treaties, Provinces should be consulted for fixing norms with regards to filling of Mangla Dam reservoir and opening of Rabta canal could also be discussed with provinces. There should be no canal from Kalabagh Dam. (Kawish – May 7)
SINDH
1. Kawish edit is on recent spurt in violence in Sindh that saw killing of Khurram Zaki, a social activist, and a hand grenade explosion in Lyari. It observes that no doubt operations are in progress in Karachi but it is time the Sindh authorities gave more thought on how to bring about lasting peace and restore law and order in Karachi. There should be no leniency unto those disturbing peace and they need to be given a clear message that enough is enough. (Kawish Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. A key BLAs commander, Ahmed Nawaz, has surrendered before the security forces and announced joining the national mainstream. (Roznama Dunya, Ummat)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Islamabad Chambers of Small Traders has demanded that Gilgit-Baltistan should be made a constitutional province of Pakistan. (Daily K2)
2. In a press note issued by the Federal Home Department, it was stated that 140 names from Gilgit Baltistan had been included in the Fourth Schedule. (Daily K2)
3. Hydro-electric projects are essential for ending the electricity shortage in Gilgit-Baltistan. No government has given due attention to this core issue; it is expected that at least the present regime with the help of the federal PML (N) government will take some initiative in this regard. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)