BANGLADESH
1. JI Sindh Shura has criticized Sheikh Hasina government of pushing her own people towards conflict and divide. The resolution said that it was the responsibility of Islamic nations to come forward to stop atrocities in Bangladesh and lamented Pakistan’s silence. It stated that the Police, secular section and the pro-India Awami League was inflicting atrocities against fellow citizens whose only crime was that they wanted to make Bangladesh an Islamic country. (Jasarat)
IRAN PIPE-LINE
1.The new government that comes to power after the May election will levy surcharge tax and raise revenue for completing the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. (Kawish)
2. An analytical report by Anjum Rashid says that the completion of this project appeared difficult. If this project was viable, Zardari should have inaugurated it at the start of his term. Even now, PPP appears to gain from it; if either Imran Khan or Nawaz Sharif comes to power, they may scrap the project, but they will suffer grave political losses as the country seemed very excited by this project. The report says that Pakistan chief of Asian Development Bank has said that Pakistan will need to take USD 9 billion loan from IMF by year-end and if the US imposed sanctions on Pakistan against this gas project, the US will direct IMF not to sanction the loan to Pakistan. The World Bank, whose head is always from the US, provides an annual aid of USD 2 billion to Pakistan. Further, Pakistan gets USD 1.5 billion from the US under the Kerry Lugar bill and USD 2 billion annually under the Collation Support Fund. Pakistan is also dependent on the US for F 16 fighter jets and other spare parts. Hence, it did not appear as if Pakistan will be able to initiate the pipeline project by neglecting the US. This project has also upset Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries; hence, Pakistan’s imports and exports may suffer as a result of this pipeline project. The report says that the US will not take any major steps against Pakistan until 2014 withdrawal and after that, it has decided on alternate routes of supply for US troops that remain in Afghanistan. This report writes that only those power projects that run on turbine currently can be shifted to gas; these account for only 20% of private power projects, besides most of WAPDA’s power projects. (Jang)
3. In his column, Rauf Klasar asks why the I-P pipeline is taken up now when everyone was opposing it, and when there was US pressure against anyone taking gas from Iran. He says Iran had made a deal with Pakistan at an increased rate when it had made a similar deal with a Central Asian country at a lower rate. (Roznama Duniya)
4. Daily Hazara News says that the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline was a historic agreement and the nation was proud of it. Edit says that such an important decision, right at the end of the government’s term, showed that this was not a serious effort as the 5-year term was more than sufficient to start such a project and to clear obstacles in its path. Edit says that the biggest obstacle in this project was its passage through Balochistan and the conditions presently prevailing in Balochistan. It says the issue of American pressure was not very significant. (Daily Hazara News Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. In the recent Taliban attacks, 60 allied forces had been killed in Afghanistan. American and allied forces were not carrying out an operation and that the Taliban have begun targeting barricades of foreign forces. Two military bases had been closed in Kandahar and Helmand (Al Qalam Weekly, 8 March to 14 March)
INDIA
1.In his column, Arif Bahar criticised PM Ashraf’s Ajmer visit saying that he should have gone for his pilgrimage once the government’s term ended. (Jasarat)
DEFENCE
1. COAS Gen. Kayani has reached Saudi Arabia for performing Umra. (Jang, Kawish)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. The third elocution competition for students of schools, colleges and universities was held in Bahawalpur in which 20 students participated. The competition was organized by Al Murabitun on the topic of ‘Jihad and life of Prophet Muhammad’. The winners were awarded swords and books. Maulana Talhe Assaif, who was the chief guest, spoke on jihad; his speech was punctured by the slogans of jihad. (Al Qalam Weekly, 8 March to 14 March)
2.Speaking at Shohda Conference in Karachi, the leader of Jafariya (Shia) community Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi said that peace could not be established until the backbone of the terrorist networks was broken. Naqvi accused the government of patronizing killers. (Jasarat)
3.Federal government has claimed that Pakistan has suffered a loss of USD 69 billion in the war against terrorism. (Jang)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Chief Election Commissioner has refused to meet Law Minister Farooq Naek over amendments to election rules. According to amendments, the candidate will have to submit in writing that he or his family members had not taken a loan of more that Rs. 20 lakhs. He will also have to provide details and expenses incurred on foreign education of children in his family. The Chief Justice of Supreme court has clarified that elections should be held as per new amendments only and that the Election Commission rules should be followed in toto. (Jinnah)
2. SC has taken note of the continuing differences between the government and the ECP with regards to the new nomination forms; in its initial orders, the SC has said that it fully stands by ECP’s decisions. (Awami Awaz)
3. PTI chief Imran Khan has alleged that the Punjab government was working on seat adjustment and election alliance with members of banned organisations. (Jang)
4. ‘Nawa-i-Waqt’ Group Chief Majid Nizami said that Nawaz Sharif, Shujaat Hussain and Pir Pagaro should put in efforts to bring together all Muslim League factions. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
5.In an exhaustive article, Iqbal Mallah writes that Pakistan has been in a state of war right from the times of partition and it will continue until the government mended its ways. He says that religion needs to be separated from politics in Pakistan. He says as long as secularism is not pursued, conditions will not improve in the country. Mallah says Pakistan has never formed its own foreign policy and uses the example of Americans using Pakistani jihadi forces in the Afghan war to defeat Soviets. He says no one knows when this ‘war on terror’ will end, but this war is being witnessed within Pakistan which was directly affecting the lives of Pakistanis. He says that according to political analysts, the US and Pakistan’s right wing are at present pitted against each other for the supremacy of their respective agenda in the region. He says that the right wing within the establishment has continued with its outdated mind-set and ideology and due to this, Pakistan was in chaos today. Mallah urges progressive and enlightened people to pressurize the government to change the policies and ideologies with time; otherwise Pakistan will face more isolation worldwide. He says that Pakistan’s policy makers and the right wing among them must bear in mind that instead of nurturing dreams of defeating Delhi, it should extend a friendly hand towards India. He says it must be noted that whenever there is some positive movement in talks with India, something major takes place to disrupt those talks, followed by a long lull. He says that even with neighbours like Afghanistan and Iran, relations must not be made keeping in mind American interests. He says political parties in Pakistan should take a cue from Bangladesh’s Awami League and write a new history for Pakistan. He also urges Pakistan’s right wing to adopt a more progressive outlook, instead of remaining in its dangerous games, as its outdated ideology had often led Pakistan to dangerous brink. (Awami Awaz)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. US representative water expert Jo Leslie Elmers met Managing Director of Karachi Water and Sewerage board and discussed global environmental changes and their effect on Pakistan. At this meeting, concern was expressed that by 2020, glacier melting will intensify and result in floods initially and then, in water scarcity. (Jang)
2. Sources said that President Zardari will inaugurate the fourth extension project for the Tarbela Dam. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Petroleum Advisor Dr. Asim Hussain said that the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project will generate 4000 MW of electricity. (Jang)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. The ruling party and opposition members are likely to select former WAPDA chairman Mian Iftekhar Hussain as the caretaker CM.. In case of no agreement, the Election Commission will nominate the caretaker CM. (Daily Hazara News, Kawish)
2. Hazara Awami Ittehad (Sindh) General Secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz said that the people of Hazara should understand the importance of the elections, because the upcoming elections were like a referendum for the formation of a Hazara province. He said that only nationalist parties could get the movement to its conclusion. (Daily Hazara News)
PUNJAB
1.Punjab CM has proposed 2 names for the caretaker CM – former Lahore High Court judge Amir Raza Khan and former federal Secretary Khwaja Zahee Ahmad Khan. The Punjab opposition leader from PPP has confirmed the receipt of these two names and said he will discuss them with other opposition leaders in Punjab as well as with PPP high-command. (Kawish
SINDH
1. MQM has decided to celebrate Foundation Day on 18th March at Mirpur Khas, for which sectors have been given the responsibility to collect Rs. 8 crores. (Ummat)
2. Spokesperson for Rangers Sindh Col. Shafiq Niyazi said that in the last 3 months, the Rangers had carried out 15 major operations and 97 raids, in which 39 target killers and extortionists had been arrested. Niyazi said that criminals were present in Karachi who carried out their activities from various areas and claimed that an indiscriminate targeted operation was going on in Karachi. Niyazi claimed that during raids, they had arrested 400 people, during patrolling and snap checking they had arrested 327 and 162 weapons were recovered. Since January 2013, Rangers have arrested 800 people in various operations in Karachi and recovered 760 small and big weapons. (Jasarat, Ummat)
3. Sindh Governor has hailed the act of sale of two islands of Karachi. He has been given briefings that a bridge will be built to connect these two islands with Defence Colony in Karachi. The foundation for this bridge will be laid in the next few days; estimates say that the project will be ready by 2016. The report says it was stressed that the project has fool-proof security from all sides. The Governor said the project will lead to growth, give jobs to hundreds of people and will turn the region into an economic hub. He said that President Zardari was taking special interest in it. (Kawish)
4. In separate statements issued by Sindhi nationalists and civil society members in Sindh, they have all rejected the sale of the two islands and have threatened protests against this decision. They claimed that PPP continued to make everything an ‘expendable’ commodity even in its last days of office and such high-handedness towards Sindh’s resources will not be tolerated. PML-F has announced an agitation against this decision at every platform. Sindhi Tariqui Pasand said that these islands were Sindh’s historical places and their sale was part of a conspiracy to invite outsiders into Sindh in order to reduce Sindhis to a minority. All these parties have given a call for a protest across Sindh on March 15th against this decision of the Sindh government. (Awami Awaz)
5.Awami Awaz has asked the Sindh government to roll back its decision to sell two islands of Karachi to American companies, according to which, they will later be handed over to their investors. It says that if the people of Sindh do not give their approval for these acts, it did not suit a democratically elected government to go ahead with these projects.. (Awami Awaz Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Quetta District Election Commissioner Ziaullah Qasmi killed by miscreants. He was going home when he was shot dead. (Jinnah)
2. An ordinance for free education for students from 5 to 15 years of age in Balochistan has been passed, which will be implemented with immediate effect. (Urdupoint)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. AJK PM Chaudhary Abdul Majid and AJK President Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan agreed on changes in the bureaucracy, especially the transfer of more than 10 department secretaries. (Daily Dharti)
2. Abdul Khaliq Wasi has become the Acting General Secretary of PML-N AJK. (Daily Dharti)
3. Members of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly discussed the escape of notorious criminals from different jails in Gilgit-Baltistan. They demanded that agencies investigate any conspiracy to disturb peace in the region as the killer of Agha Ziauddin had escaped. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. A notification for the oath taking of 4 AJK High Court judges may be issued today. These judges are Azhar Saleem Babar, Abdul Rashid Salharia, Sardar Abdul Hamid Khan Advocate and Chaudhary Jahandaad Khan Advocate. (Daily Dharti)
