IRAN PIPELINE
1.Pak-Iran gas pipeline project may be affected by funds crunch. Due to non-payment of bills and unnecessary expenditure of the former government, Pakistan is facing extensive economic problems and this might affect the project. (Khabrain)
CHINA
1.Chinese Consul General called on Chief Secretary of Sindh Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhury. The report states that Chaudhury informed the Chinese diplomat that institutions are being established to impart Chinese language and stated that Chinese language will be promoted across Sindh including in rural areas. (Jasarat)
UNITED STATES/AFGHANISTAN
1. Brussels talks between US, Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed. There is discord on the issue of negotiations with Taliban amongst the stakeholders. (Jasarat, Urdupoint)
2. Ummat edit on negotiations between US, Afghanistan and Pakistan says Pakistan cannot be conditioned to play any role to establish peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan is well aware of its geographical position and importance. if America tries to give any important role to India in Afghanistan or tries to impose the supremacy of India over Pakistan, the situation in Afghanistan will deteriorate. The daily says for peace in Afghanistan it is necessary to keep away America, Israel and India once NATO withdraws as these countries don’t share borders with Afghanistan. (Ummat Edit)
INDIA
1. The Friendship Bus left for Amritsar via Wagah border under strict security cover, with 16 Kashmiri passengers. But for the return journey, it had no passengers, so it had to return empty. (Jinnah)
DEFENCE
1.Crisis Management Cell says terrorists groups have completed their recce in Islamabad and Rawalpindi and now they are waiting for orders from their leadership. On 7th April TTP held a session in Waziristan’s Sararoga area in which an assessment was done of attacks on Pervez Musharraf and foreigners. TTP’s central leadership was not satisfied with the performance of its groups in Islamabad and Rawalpindi and hence it has decided to launch two more groups. CMC report states that Taliban groups have planned to attack foreigners in Peshawar while the TTP and groups of South Punjab have been instructed to carry out better strikes very soon. An important commander of Ghazi Force toured Islamabad and Shahzad Town and he has spoken with members of the group too. This has disturbed security institutions which are trying to maintain peace till the election. (Ummat)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Chief of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek Muhammad Sarwat Qadri said that incidents of terrorism are increasing as the date of election was approaching. He said strict action needs to be taken against terrorists. Despite threats, PST candidates are taking part in the election. (Jasarat)
2. MQM has stepped up efforts to term itself as a victim of terrorism by using the media to escape from raids of Rangers and to protect its terrorists. It has exploited the blast at People’s Chauranghi as an attack on MQM. But fact of the matter is that there is no office of MQM at Chauranghi and no activist of MQM was killed. (Ummat)
MUSHARRAF
1. Musharraf who had tightened the noose around the Islamists is now isolated. The US and UK have not responded to his pleas while the Saudi Arabia government has excused itself saying it cannot provide any help. Dubai is however ready to provide non-permanent stay facility since it thinks that the Pakistani government and judiciary can be annoyed if Musharraf permanent is allowed to stay in Dubai. Musharraf team is establishing contacts with Qatar. (Ummat)
2. According to sources, a country friendly with Pakistan has pressurized the government to let Musharraf return to Dubai. (Khabrain)
3. Former Army Chief, Gen (rtd) Mirza Aslam Beg said that targeting Musharraf was a conspiracy to antagonise the army in order to postpone the elections. He criticized that the Election Commission has no right to say that religion should not be involved in the election. This is against Pakistan’s ideology and that is why the Army Chief had to make a statement at Military Academy that Islam cannot be separated from Pakistan. Mirza asks if Husain Haqqani could leave Pakistan with the Court’s permission then why Musharraf cannot leave. (Roznama Dunya)
4.Saadi is overjoyed at the humiliation suffered by former President Pervez Musharraf saying that Musharraf’s major crime was that he played a role in abolishing the first ever Islamic government formed in Afghanistan after 400 years with the blood of 20 lakh martyrs. Afghanistan is a land for pious souls but Musharraf surrendered to the US threat and bloodied Afghanistan. (Al Qalam Weekly, 26 April-2 May)
5. Hamid Mir in his column is critical of the preferential treatment meted out to Musharraf. He points out that the former army chief is allowed to travel to the court in a bullet proof jeep and his farm house has been turned into a sub jail. Mir compares his case to Z.A. Bhutto who was insulted in court and his family members were treated badly and jailed; similar was the case with Nawaz Sharif and the Taliban are labelled as terrorists for breaking the law but Musharraf is spared such ignominy. (Jang)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Jang Jang editorially endorsed Imran Khan’s invitation to Nawaz Sharif for a debate on TV. Such debates will provide a good democratic platform to reach out to people especially in view of threats to major political parties and suicide attacks on their election rallies. (Jang Edit)
2. Wajahat Masood has criticised Gen Kayani’s contention that Pakistan was made in the name of Islam an no one can remove Islam from Pakistan. The Kayani –speak will make a certain circle think that a government of religious leaders should be set up in Pakistan in the name of Islam and that in turn will lead to sectarianism and that will wipe out the concepts of equality and, democracy. Wajahat says that in Pakistan there has always been political debate over democratic and theocratic state and military leadership should not be party to such arguments. (Jang)
4. Irfan Siddiqui in his column writes that an experienced foreign diplomat came to him last week to discuss the election. The diplomat thought that PML-N would be the front runner while the PPP would come second, MQM third and PTI fourth.. Siddiqui asked him why he thought that PPP would be number two despite its poor performance. The diplomat replied that PPP has very smartly divided PML-N’s vote using PTI in Punjab. (Jang)
5. Directorate of Immigration of Passport has confirmed that from tomorrow onwards 15000 passports will be printed per day to ease the eight-month-old Passport crisis. So far only 2 to 3 thousand passports were being printed per day and number of pending passports has reached 7 lakh. (Jang)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Jang laments that unlike in other countries IMF loans are wasted in Pakistan on paying salaries to government staff. The daily has commended the caretaker government’s decision not to take any fresh loan from IMF and leave the decision to the government formed after elections. (Jang Edit)
2. WAPDA has demanded a three times increase in the tariff for hydel power saying the hike will yield Rs.111 billion in the next financial year to cover its activities. (Urdupoint)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. Under instructions from the Election Commissioner, including IG, over 200 police officers have been transferred in KP. (Jang, Roznama Dunya)
SINDH
1. JI Karachi Chief Muhammad Husain Mehanti called on Federal Interior Minister Malik Habib in a local hotel along with a delegation and discussed the law and order situation in Karachi, election campaign, and how to keep the election free, fair and unbiased. Mehanti said that Karachi was sensitive and demanded that army personnel be deployed at every polling booth. He blamed MQM for the unrest in Karachi. (Jasarat)
2. JI has alleged that MQM goons have torn off posters and banners of its candidate from B-36 in Landhi Town and threatened JI activists on the ground due to the increasing popularity of its candidate Abdul Jamil Khan. (Jasarat)
3. People have taken to the streets agitating against water shortage in eight water courses of Kherpur, Sindh. (Ibrat)
4. The chemical analysis report on examination of parts of Bashir Quereshi who died last year under mysterious circumstances was sent to the Sindh Health Department. (Awami Awaz)
BALOCHISTAN
1.Caretaker CM of Balochistan Nawab Barozai has said that certain forces are trying to postpone the election. He said that some political parties are getting threats for participating in elections from internal and external detractors. But, he said, elections will be held on time. He said that overall environment of the state is stable though in some pockets, the situation is bad. He was speaking to media persons after a meeting held in connection with the elections. (Daily Intekhab)
2. Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal said asked why those shouting against injustices in Kashmir and Afghanistan are silent over Balochistan. He was speaking to party workers and office bearers of the party in Vadh. (Daily Intekhab)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Auditor General Gilgit-Baltistan has submitted his report for 5 departments to the Assembly Speaker. It shows embezzlement of billions rupees in Civil Supplies, Works, Water and Power departments. (Bang-e-Sahar)
2. One police constable was killed and one passer-by injured in a remote controlled bomb blast at Batgram Check post. (Daily Dharti)
3. CM Mehdi Shah and his cabinet boycotted the Assembly session called by Speaker Wazir Baig on 24th April. It is said that the CM wanted the session in the third week of May; it is for the first time in the history of Pakistan a CM boycotted the assembly session. Speaker Baig has warned action against the CM and the Cabinet. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Bang-e-Sahar and Baad-e-Shimal have criticised CM Mehdi Shah’s claim that giving employment to people was not corruption since there are no job avenues and unemployment is high. The two dailies point out that while providing jobs is not a corrupt practice, ignoring rules and regulations, and merit is. Such practice should be stopped. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit, Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
