US- AFGHANISTAN
- While Taliban has been gaining ground in Afghanistan, America is using ‘talks with the Taliban’ as a ruse to hide its defeat and its allies – UK, Germany and France – are busy planning on providing a safe exit for their troops from Afghanistan. (Al Qalam Weekly, 8 -14 July)
- Nawa-i- Waqt editorially commented on Gen Petraeus’ statement that the war-zone would be extended up to the Pak-Afghan border. It opines that the U.S. wants to avenge its defeat in Afghanistan by attacking Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
PAK ARMY
- Britain’s Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Sir David Richards held a meeting with CJCSC, General Khalid Shameem Wynne in Rawalpindi; they discussed regional peace. (Khabrain)
- Hamid Mir in his Jang column takes pot shots at the establishment and comments on its tensions with the media. He says ‘had the media been free in 1971, East Pakistan would not have broken away to become Bangladesh. Today those ‘serving’ Pakistan are calling the media terrorists and journalists warlords. How are these handful of people who keep the law of Pakistan chained under their feet in any way different from the Taliban?’ (Jang)
TERRORISM – EXTREMISM
- Masood Azhar, the founder of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), writing under the pen name Saadi in Al Qalam, says (Azhar Masood) writes that JeM has 40 mosques and 30 Madrassas. He adds that 2 lakh students have been trained in jihad and 1,700 have been martyred so far. (Al Qalam Weekly, 8-14 July)
- JuD AJK Chief Abdul Aziz Alvi announced, while speaking with journalists at a local hotel in Muzaffarabad, that they would organize free surgical camps. We are encouraged by the huge success of our free medical camps, he said. These Camps held at 45 places treated 26,210 patients and offered medicines worth lakhs of rupees, Alvi added that JuD’s free dispensaries, medical camps, water supply, ambulance services and other relief activities are an ongoing activity. (Ausaf, 6 July)
- Australian origin Commander Saifullah, who was an associate of Al Qaeda
- A former commander says that the Pakistan Army and ISI officials have been training terrorists to continue a proxy war in India and Afghanistan, NYT reported. Pakistan has prepared a reserve force consisting of 12-14,000 trained Kashmiris, the report said. (Jang, Daily Pak)
- JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan said at Jamiat Tulba’s Annual gathering that the U.S. is the real opponent of building dams in Pakistan. He also said that the government is raiding madrassas and hostels to please the Americans. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
- Religious and political leaders have criticized Nawaz Sharif’s plans for a Grand Opposition Alliance. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
- Grand opposition alliance plan initiated by Nawaz Sharif can pick up steam if the MQM and JuI-F close ranks with him, BBC said. (Awami Awaz, 6 July)
- JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that he has no schedule to meet with the MQM chief now y but a meeting is possible. He added that he has no conflict or disagreement with Nawaz Sharif and if the Grand Alliance is formed he will be able to accept Nawaz Sharif as a leader. Rehman also said that JI chief Sayyed Munawar Hasan was a hurdle in the revival of the MMA. (Jasarat, Jang, Ummat)
- Writing in Ibrat, Waheed Paras says it is alright if Nawaz Sharif forms a grand opposition alliance but he should not have a one-track agenda of overthrowing the government of the day; his agenda should be to serve the people. (Ibrat)
- Ummat editorial expresses disgust with the political situation and says all political parties are only concerned with their own vested interests and do nothing other than spiting at each other. (Ummat Edit)
- Jinnah editorial on the current political scene says: “The government still enjoys a majority on the floor of Parliament because of its alliance with the PML-Q. The government’s image will be tarnished by corruption, load shedding and issues related to peace and stability rather than the Grand Opposition Alliance. (Jinnah Edit)
- Former foreign minister S.M. Qureshi has held talks relating to the Grand Opposition Alliance with Nawaz Sharif and a former acting PM Balkh Mazari at the Sharif residence. (Ibrat)
- The World Justice Report states that Pakistan ranks at the bottom of 66 nations on the rule of law and delivery of justice. (Awami Awaz, 6 July)
ECONOMY -ENERGY
- Karachi business community are worried that terror acts and power cuts are taking a heavy toll of the city’ economy. Atiq Mohammad of the All Pakistan Karachi Tajar Ittihad has said that hardly 16-20% of business before the violence remains now in Karachi and businessmen are moving their investments out of the city. (Awami Awaz)
- Ausaf editorial has criticised the government clamp down on people protesting against load shedding in Mianwali and said it was brutal. If the PML-N forms a Grand Alliance in this atmosphere then it just might succeed in overthrowing the PPP government. (Ausaf Edit, 6 July)
SINDH
- Taj Haider and Asma Jehangir are being considered for the post of Sindh Governor. (Ibrat)
- ANP spokesperson Haji Adil has said that the army should be sent in to deal with terrorists in Karachi just as it was sent in to take care of terrorists in Swat. (Awami Awaz, 6 July)
- MQM is convening simultaneous meetings in Karachi and London today to discuss actions that it will take after its pull-out from the Sindh government. It might consider staging a strike. (Awami Awaz)
- MQM has been target killing Pakhtuns and Balochs in Karachi and police and rangers have failed to control the carnage. (Ummat)
- The Sindh CM has rejected the ANP’s demands for army deployment in Karachi. Police have found 90 hand grenades in a drum in New Sabzi Mandi. These must have been collected in order to launch an attack tomorrow. (Ibrat)
- Jasarat editorial says the security situation in Karachi is bound to worsen now that the MQM has pulled out of PPP led coalition. (Jasarat Edit)
- Daily Pak editorial voices concern over worsening law and order situation in Karachi. It says the findings of Human Rights Commission that 1,138 persons were killed in Karachi in the first 6 months of the current year and that 490 of them were victims of target killing highlights the gravity of the situation. (Daily Pak Edit)
- A Hindu businessman has been kidnapped from Shahdadkot. (Ibrat)
POK NEWS
- Muslim Conference will be asked to join the PPP government in AJK as per the Wattoo Plan. Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary has said that if he is denied premiership he will join the PML-N and the Muslim Conference. (Daily Dharti)
- The town of Sultanabad, adjacent to Gilgit, has been deprived of water for the past 15 days. Local people have held WASA responsible for the situation. (Ausaf, 6 July)
- Low lying areas between Miyon Gali and Oshkhandas have been submerged but authorities have maintained a criminal silence. (Ausaf, 6 July)
- Baad-e-Shimal editorial has welcomed Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister’s critique of government officers for indulging in corruption. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
