1. Nawa-i-Waqt editorially urged all Pakistanis to prepare to oppose India, in the light of the Kashmir Committee’s decision against declaring India as MFN. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

UNITED STATES/AFGHANISTAN
1. Talking to “Nawa-i-Waqt”, the US ambassador Cameroon Munter said that he was hopeful that the US-Pak relations as well as NATO supplies would be restored soon. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Jang edit on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani’s visit to Kabul says good relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan would be a beginning of regional cooperation. Edit also says that trade passage would bring prosperity to other Asian countries. (Jang Edit)

3. Ummat edit condemns the NATO report that the Pakistan Army had direct relations with Taliban and that it had an idea about all Taliban bases. Edit says that the fact was that despite all efforts, America and NATO were not able to rid people of their love for Taliban. Since the US has been defeated in Afghanistan, they were trying to put all the blame on Pakistan in order to create an excuse to attack Pakistan.  (Ummat Edit)

4. Al Qalam Weekly’s editorial says the American media has claimed that Taliban have rejected the ceasefire option. The war was forced by the US and if the US is fed up with the war due to its defeat, it would have to accept Taliban’s demands that occupants of Afghanistan should leave it.  Until America withdraws its forces from Afghanistan, the demand for a ceasefire was pre-mature.  Until then, jihad and resistance against occupant forces will continue. (Al Qalam Weekly Edit, 3 February to 9 February)

5. Nawa-i-Waqt’s editorial while rejecting the NATO’s secret report alleging Pakistan supporting Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, says that both Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered in America’s war. Though Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbours, Afghan leaders, including Karzai and excluding Taliban, have always conspired against Pakistan. Karzai is enhancing relations with India, the edit notes and goes on to say that a dozen and a half Indian consulates in Afghanistan are factories producing terrorism against Pakistan. It says that 15,000 Indian soldiers will provide training to Afghan soldiers. Edit suggests that Afghanistan should turn towards Pakistan instead of India for trade purposes and if they carried out trade sincerely, then by 2015, the trade volume would increase beyond USD 5 billion. It writes that the US wanted to blame Pakistan for its defeat in Afghanistan and strongly criticizes reports about the Pakistan government being ready to restore supplies to NATO with Parliament support. It says that after NATO’s secret report alleging Pakistan, there was no reason to supply goods to NATO. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

DEFENCE
1. German Special Envoys for Af-Pak Michal Steiner met with COAS Gen. Kayani. (Jinnah)

2. An Israeli TV report claimed that as per a secret agreement with Pakistan, Israel has provided equipment to PAF. The apparatus was sent to Pakistan via Turkey. (Urdu point, 2 February)

3. In his column, Irfan Siddiqui says that even if Pakistan is considered a state, in terms of the definition of a state, it is not a well administered state. The situation has never been as bad as it has been under this democratic government, not even during Musharraf’s regime; things were going out of control and this may force people to stand up against the system. Siddiqui says that he does not want to blame the Army or the security agencies, but the Army should conduct a complete investigation into target killings; it is important that all security and law enforcement agencies work within their limits. He writes that COAS Kayani should take immediate steps to maintain the Army’s honour. (Jang, 2 February)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. FC raided a school in Landi Kotal in Khyber agency and detained 8 suicide attackers. FC recovered 200 kilograms of explosive material, suicide jackets, wireless sets, and timers.  2 terrorists were killed during this operation and the School principal was also arrested. The school principal was an expert bomb maker. (Jinnah)

2. Anti-narcotic force has claimed to have foiled terror bids in Punjab. Its officials said that the force had seized a truck with 32 pistols and 7000 cartridges.  2 persons with connections to a banned group have been taken into custody. In another incident reported from Bahawalpur, the force claims to have seized 7 bags full of bullets and 3 pistols from an auto rickshaw near a bus stand. The force claims to have foiled a terror bid at Faisalabad. (Kawish)

3. Defence of Pakistan Council Chief Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said that agitations would be held if NATO supplies were restored. He added that members would stage protest in front of the Parliament on 20th February. Sami-ul-Haq said that the agenda of the Defence of Pakistan Council was to defend Pakistan’s security. He said that Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan should join their agenda. Haq was accompanied by JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan, JI Secretary General Liyaqat Baloch, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan chief Sahabzada Abul Khair, chief of Tehreek-e-Ittehad-e-Pakistan, General (Retd) Hamid Gul, chief of AML Sheikh Rashid and others. Another report says that Sahabzada Abul Khair, and Liyaqat Baloch were also there. (Jang, Jasarat, Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Pak)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Following SC summons to PM Gilani, President Zardari has convened a key meeting with allies of the government in the next 24 hours; in this meeting, the March 2nd Senate elections and the 20th amendment bill as well as other issues would be discussed at this meeting. (Kawish)

2. According to legal expert S M Zafar, if PM Gilani writes a letter to the Swiss court, he can get judicial pardon. (Khabrain)

3. PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal said that President Zardari made PM Gilani a sacrificial goat to protect his own corruption. (Jasarat, Jinnah)

4. JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that PM Gilani should fight back, instead of tendering his resignation in the contempt of court case. (Jang)

5. Opposition leader in NA Chaudhary Nissar Ali Khan raised the issue of deaths of abducted youth from the Adiala jail; Khan demanded that the officers of the concerned agency should be called to the NA. PM Gilani should see to it that these agencies are restrained and the COAS should see to it that the Army image is intact. He said that COAS Gen. Kayani protects the Army’s honour as it was not mafia. Khan said that PM Gilani should give an answer to the family members of the people killed by agency. (Jasarat, Ibrat)

6. Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rashid said that with regards to the timing of the next elections, the time frame given by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman should be given importance. (Khabrain)

7. Sindh High Court has adjourned indefinitely, a petition demanding to declare Gilani a misfit to hold the position. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

8. In his column, Hamid Mir talks about the Mahran Bank Scandal case in 1994 where it was alleged that former Army chief Gen. Aslam Beg had distributed Rs. 14 crores among anti-PPP party leaders but as usual, the SC was unable to decide anything in this case; Nawaz Sharif was also saved from allegations as the decision was reserved. Mir talks about the Memogate case. He says that the common thread linking these two cases is that in both, the ISI tried, unsuccessfully, to gain political mileage. Mir says that ISI should stop trying to interfere in politics and should confine itself to its duties. (Jang, 2 February)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Petroleum Minister Dr. Asim Hussain said that the rise in petroleum prices was inevitable. He has warned that if the government was not serious about resolving the country’s energy crisis, the country will head to doom. (Kawish)

2.  Secretary, Punjab Irrigation department Irfan Elahi said that the government had given permission to build 18 small dams under the annual developmental programme to make barren lands of Pothohar cultivatable. Savera Dam will come up over the Swan River at a cost of Rs. 350 million and will have a storage capacity of 2680 acre feet water. He said that this dam will help irrigate 2200 acres of land. Reacting to this, Sindh irrigation experts say that the construction of this dam will affect the release of waters from the Swan River into the Indus. (Kawish, 2 February)

3. No water was released from Kotri last week following Punjab’s protests. IRSA has also admitted that Sindh was given 10,460 cusecs less water. There were apprehensions about how this may affect crops in Sindh. This has also affected the supply of drinking water in the Indus River delta. (Awami Awaz, 2 February)

SINDH
1. Interior Minister Rahman Malik said that there was a conspiracy for the deteriorating situation in Karachi. He said that a particular community is targeted so that it can protest and then, the situation would turn critical. (Urdupoint, 2 February)

2. 87% of water sources in Sindh do not have potable water. 85% of people in Sindh were deprived of potable water following recent floods; floods had also affected the drainage system. These facts were released to the media at the Karachi Press Club in a meeting organized by People’s Accountability Commission (Kawish, 2 February)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Baloch human rights organizations demonstrated in front of the Karachi Press Club against the killing of the family members of Balochistan Assembly member Bakhtiyar Domki. They claimed that the killers were a part of the continuing state oppression of the Balochs. (Awami Awaz, 2 February)

2. Baloch nationalists have threatened to close down TV channels in Balochistan as these channels did not address the province’s real issues. Baloch nationalist leaders have written to cable operators to stop transmissions. The Balochistan cable operators’ chief Babrak Khan confirmed that BSO and BNP have threatened to destroy their network. (Awami Awaz, 2 February)

3. Daily Intekhab edit on the attack on Balochistan Assembly member Bakhtiyar Domki, says that the killing of his wife, daughter and driver had increased concerns in Balochistan. Government should get serious regarding Balochistan, otherwise this problem would not get resolved. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

4. Sardar Sanullah Zehri said that agencies were behind the killing of the sister and niece of Brahamdagh Bugti. He charged that ISI was behind the attack that killed Bugti’s relatives. Zehri also said that there should be investigations to find out if national or foreign elements were involved in the matter. He said that the Bugti family was now being targeted. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that a team had been set up to look into the matter and submit its report into a week. Malik also ruled out personal vendetta as Baloch never attacked women. (Awami Awaz, 2 February)

5. JUI leader Hafiz Hussain said that  Rehman Malik and Babar Awan be made party to Benazir Bhutto assassination investigations as the truth will come out then. He said that conditions were worsening every day in Balochistan. He demanded that the agreement between the government of Musharraf and Akbar Bugti be made public. He asked that if the SC could take suo-moto notice of the Memogate issue, why it can not do the same for Balochistan. (Awami Awaz, 2 February)

POK NEWS
1. A new foundation, British Kashmir Foundation (BKF), has been established in UK. Maulana Mohammad Bostan Qadri is its President as well as General Secretary. The BKF will raise the Kashmir issue and human rights violations and search for a solution to the Kashmir dispute. Shahzad Iqbal (a Liberal Democrat) was selected to contest the 2015 elections in UK. (Ausaf, 2 February)

2. In his column, Irshad Mehmood is angry that the present PPP government is not taking any interest in the Kashmir cause. All previous heads of state, including Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Musharraf went to Muzaffarabad to address rallies on ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ but PM Gilani is satisfied in holding a small function in Islamabad itself, which was an insult to the Kashmiris. Mehmood is also critical that Pakistan TV deleted Kashmir from its programmes and now even the print media in Pakistan hardly publishes reports on Kashmir. (Baad-e-Shimal)

G-B NEWS
1, G-B government is divided on the issue of hoisting Kashmiri flag on Kashmir Solidarity Day. The G-B Finance Minister Mohammad Ali Akhtar did not support hoisting the Kashmiri flag. Former Education Advisor and President of PML-Q (GB) women’s wing, Noor-ul-Ain said that hoisting the Kashmiri flag in G-B was a conspiracy against the government. She said that G-B is the fourth party to the Kashmir issue but it was not a part of Kashmir. (Baad-e-Shimal)

 2. While speaking to ‘Ausaf’, CM Gilgit-Baltistan Mehdi Shah said that 5000 vacancies had been generated to reduce unemployment and soon, another 6000 vacancies would be generated. (Ausaf 2 Feb)

3. Former member of Union Council Askar Das, Muhammad Hussain said that the government should stop discriminating against Sass Valley (Gilgit-Baltistan). Hussain said that due to negligence of the bureaucracy and elected representatives, all development projects were incomplete and issues related to education, and healthcare have mounted. (Ausaf, 2 February)

4. Baad-e-Shimal edit on corruption in the sale of land in the Thore district says that many consumers were cheated and the culprits had already left for Islamabad. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)