UNITED STATES
Nawa-i-Waqt edit on reported intelligence sharing between the US and Pakistan and the report that last week’s drone attacks were a joint operation by the two countries. The daily is concerned that any support to the US will be at the cost of national pride and sovereignty. It warns that if the government goes ahead cooperating with the US, it will face stiff resistance. The daily asks the  military leadership to clearly spell out its defence policy. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

DEFENCE
DG ISI has advised Pervez Musharraf to drop the idea of returning to Pakistan, sources said. (Ummat)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
Some speeches at the Dafa-e-Pakistan rally indicated that Sheikh Rashid, Gen. (retd) Hamid Gul, Ejaz ul Haq, and few others want Dafa-e-Pakistan to be made into a political platform and contest in the next election. (Daily Pak)

Jinnah’s editorial seconds Dafa-e-Pakistan Council’s ultimatums to the Pakistan government and suggests that Pakistan distance itself from the US war on terror. (Jinnah edit)

Jasarat edit on the Dafa-e-Pakistan conference held in Rawalpindi notes that the speakers at the meet had held out a threat of burning NATO containers in case the NATO supplies were resumed. This is an important message since it is reported that deals were being worked out behind the scenes to restore NATO’s supply-line. The daily opines that the speakers at Dafa-e-Pakistan conference were also right when they said that leaders working for the interests of America are threats to Pakistan. (Jasarat Edit)

PAK SCENE- MEMOGATE
Mansoor Ijaz has cited security concerns for his non-appearance in Pakistan but in reality his decision followed a deal with him to resolve the issue out of the court, since the implications of Memogate would hurt the pride of Pakistan. (Jasarat, Urdupoint)

A secret deal between PPP and the establishment was reached and the refusal of Mansoor Ijaz to return to Pakistan is a part of same deal. (Jinnah)

Ambassador Hussein Haqqani will escape from the Memo issue and he may be given an important post. In the month of March, the extension of ISI Chief Gen. Shujaa Pasha will end and he refused to accept a further extension. It is learnt that Shujaa Pasha will be appointed as envoy to an important nation. Karachi Corp. commander Lt Gen Retd Zahir-ul Islam or Lahore Corp. Commander Lt. Gen. Rashid Mehmood will be appointed as a DG ISI. (Jinnah)

The wife of Pakistan’s former envoy to the US, Hussein Haqqani, Farah Naz Asfahani has denied her reported remarks against the ISI in an interview to the Times.  She clarified that they respected the ISI and Pakistan’s armed forces and some elements were creating rift between organizations. (Jinnah)

Jasarat editorial opines that the authorities would breathe with ease now that the main witness in the Memogate controversy has decided against coming to Pakistan. (Jasarat Edit)

Nawa-i-Waqt edit on Mansoor Ijaz’s refusal to come to Pakistan for security reasons, says Memogate is a conspiracy and this conspiracy can be exposed only after thorough investigation. If Mansoor Ijaz cannot come to Pakistan then the court should reach out to him wherever he is to record his statement. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
The new Pir Pagara, Sibgatullah has become active in efforts to unite all factions of the Muslim League before the general elections. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

Senate opposition leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor said that enemies were eyeing Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. He further said that he would try to bring all parties on one platform. (Jang, Ummat)

Ummat editorial compliments PM Gilani for appearing before the judiciary on 19th January in the contempt of court case. The daily criticises PM’s counsel, Aitzaz Ahsan, for changing his stand in favour of writing a letter to the Swiss Government in the hidden Zardari assets cases. The learned counsel is now defending his party line that there is no need for such a letter.  The daily asks the Judiciary to take serious note of the flip-flop.(Ummat Edit)

Ausaf editorial agrees with Chief Justice of Supreme Court Iftikhar Chaudhary that corruption is the main hurdle in the way of justice in Pakistan and that the judiciary should have to stop deliberate misuse of institutions. Edit writes that corruption has spread like a cancer in all institutions and looters were provided safeguards in the name of NRO. Now, when the SC has delivered a verdict against those who had benefited from the NRO, the government is active to protect them. (Ausaf Edit, 23 January)

Nazir Naji in his column writes about the step-brother attitude of media and other political parties towards PPP since its formation. He recalls that PPP freed 90,000 Pakistan Army troops from India when Bangladesh was formed and PPP recaptured the 5000 sq. metre area occupied by India. Naji writes that when everything was done Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was killed and till today the media and other political parties continue their intolerant attitude. He forecasts that PPP along with its two allies would get another chance to rule Pakistan while all Mullahs, Imran Khans and Muslim leagues would remain spectators. (Jang)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) will provide USD 28.2 billion to Pakistan by 2020 for completion of water and hydel power projects. FODP’s task force’s report has suggested USD 12 billion for Diamer Bhasha dam, USD 14 billion for Karam Tangi, Munda, Waso, Kohala, Golan, and Bunji dams and other projects in PK, FATA and AJK. The Kalabagh dam has been removed from the project list. (Daily Pak)

Islamic Development Bank will provide a loan of USD 3 billion to Pakistan by 2015. (Daily Pak)

Chairman of Thar Coal Project Board, Dr Samar Mubarakmand said that if Rs. 2 billion was not allotted within two weeks, the Thar Coal Project would be closed. (Urdu Point, Ummat)
Nawa-i-Waqt editorial pooh-poohs Government’s plan to produce one lakh MW electricity from Pakistani rivers and says it is a false hope. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

Daily Intekhab editorially commented on Pakistan’s apex bank’s recommendation for tax on agricultural income, implementation of reformed GST, and step-up in taxes in proportion to GDP. Edit states that that this is a sign of breaking out of autocratic influence; there is no other way than to end tyranny in Pakistan. (Daily Intekhab Edit, Jang Edit)

PUNJAB
IGP, Punjab Javed Iqbal has given additional charge of Punjab Police Sports Board to Sohail Ahmed Khan, DIG, Operations at the Police HQ. (Daily Pak)

Ausaf editorial notes the statements of CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif that he has vowed to change the despondency of villages into prosperity through farm exports. Shahbaz Sharif said that the time was not far when Pakistan will be number one in exporting food items. This is a welcome move, the daily says. (Ausaf Edit, 23 January)

Ummat has voiced concern over the use of fake drugs at the prestigious Punjab Institute of Cardiology. 30 patients have died of drug reaction, and the death toll may go up as many as 26,000 patients were administered these fake drugs.  (Ummat Edit)

SINDH
Weapons made in tribal areas are reaching Sindh and then landing in Punjab. These weapons are made at the Kabila areas of Peshawar and are sent to Punjab through Kohat and the Indus highway. On the highway, the vehicles carrying these weapons change their number plate five times to escape the notice of authorities. Taking arms from Kabila to Peshawar is a very easy because there is no checking en route. During first two weeks of January, 38 vehicles carrying weapons were seized but several more passed through checking undetected. (Awami Awaz, 23 January)

Nationalist groups of Sindh have condemned moves to spilt Sindh. They will announce a massive strike on January 28, according to Jalal Mahmood Shah, chairman, Sindh United Party, who is also the convenor of the Sind Bachao Committee. (Kawish)

An all party conference at Kunri decided to take out protest rallies against giving jobs to outsiders in the Thar Coal Project. (Awami Awaz, 23 January)

Barrister Mustafa Mahesar writes that ever since MQM moved its 20th amendment bill for creating the provinces of Hazara and Saraiki, analysts are surprised as to how MQM has turned so sympathetic towards the people of these belts. The writer contends that there are certain foreign forces behind the chaos in the region. (Kawish)

POK NEWS
Chaudhary Tariq Farooq, Central leader of PML-N AJK has said that Muslim youth in London will have to penetrate the local political system to check anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan propaganda and to obtain support for the Kashmir movement. (Ausaf, 23 January)

PM of AJK Abdul Majid said that in the base camp of the freedom movement, an accountability system will be introduced and good governance will be established. Speaking with various delegations, he also appealed to the international community to take notice of the human right violations in J&K (Ausaf, 23 January)

Daily Dharti criticises the dismal performance of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in Rawalakot. It says unqualified staff and insincere work had destroyed NADRA’s performance and it failed to discharge its duty of registering persons under 15 years of age and issuing ID cards to persons above the age of 18 years. (Daily Dharti Edit)

G-B NEWS
Nizamuddin, Chief of JI Gilgit Baltistan, said that JI has always played a role in ending sectarianism in Gilgit. He stated that the city cannot be left to the mercy of terrorists. He said that those Ulema who have been accused of flaring up sectarianism should come out and give lessons of unity. (Ausaf, 23 January)

AJK University has decided to open an Engineering Campus in Gilgit Baltistan. (Daily Dharti)