CHINA
1. China has clarified that its civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan was as per the regulations of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. A spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry Yang Lei confirmed that both countries were working for peaceful objectives, in accordance with the security instructions of IAEA. (Jasarat)
INDIA
1. An American ‘National Journal’ report that the Pakistan Army has not changed its nuclear policy against India and has simply acknowledged militancy as an additional threat. (Urdupoint)
UNITED STATES/ AFGHANISTAN
1. 1. COAS Gen. Kayani and US Secretary of State John Kerry met in Jordan and discussed the on-going reconciliation process in Afghanistan and security threats to South Asia. Tthey also discussed the situation post the American withdrawal in Afghanistan. According to diplomatic sources, Kayani warned Kerry that if CIA continued to plan and help anti-Pakistan forces to attack Pakistan’s defence installations, interests of the US and her allies in the region will be badly affected. Kayani called on Jordan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Lt. Gen. Mishaal Mohammed Al-Zaban; the leaders stressed on increasing brotherly ties between the two armies. (Jasarat, Ummat)
2. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in his address at the Ittehad-e-Ummat conference said that the US and its allies have been defeated in Afghanistan and now the US is fleeing from Afghanistan. He added that American and Indian scholars have made the US believe that Pakistan is responsible for the US’ defeat in Afghanistan. He added that the US was defeated through jihad. (Roznama Duniya)
DEFENCE
1. On Geo TV Kamran Khan said that COAS Gen Ashfaq Kayani’s role will be important in the transfer of power process. (Jang)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Terrorists have blown up a 24-inch diameter pipeline at Sui in Dera Bugti area due to which the gas supply to Karachi been affected. (Ummat)
2. Speakers at Khatm-e-Nubuwat Conference alleged that Qadiyanis were responsible for the change in education syllabus. They also claimed that Qadiyanis are involved in spreading terrorism, and unrest in the country. (Roznama Dunya)
3. Lal Masjid Chief Maulana Abdul Aziz has filed an appeal to include Pervez Musharraf’s name in the Exit Control List. (Bang-e-Sahar)
4. Al-Khidmat Foundation distributed rations to 800 widows under the Food Bank Project. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
PAK SCENE- MUSHARRAF
1.Despite reaching Karachi two days ago, Musharraf has been confined to his hotel and has been unable to achieve much. This is mainly due to security concerns; he has been asked not to have public meetings. (Kawish)
2. Personal security guards of Musharraf have been provided training by the US and that they have got modern weapons. This report states that many groups of Al Qaeda have reached Pakistan to target Musharraf and TTP has also been active. This report states that Musharraf has more threats in Islamabad and Rawalpindi than in Quetta and Karachi. (Ummat)
3. Sources have indicated that supporters of Musharraf have started moving to Karachi for a party meeting. It was said that President of All Pakistan Muslim League Musharraf would brief the activists over preparations for elections in Kareem Khan constituency and the role of the party in the next elections. (Bang-e-Sahar)
4. Musharraf has given the green signal to his party to contact anti-PML-N and PPP parties. His close confidants will be meeting Tahir ul Qadri in the next couple of days, Musharraf will also meet ex-military officers and retired bureaucrats. (Roznama Dunya)
5. Dr. Tahir ul Qadri showed a red signal to Musharraf for a possible alliance in the next elections. (Bang-e-Sahar)
6. Sources have said that Tehrik-e-Tahafuz-e-Pakistan Chief Dr. AQ Khan has been requested by the party to contest elections against Musharraf. (Bang-e-Sahar, Nawa-i-Waqt)
7. Ejaz Ahmed says that he has heard from various sources that with help of the US and Saudi Arabia, Musharraf met Nawaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia. Although both have denied it, business records, magazines, TV and other media confirm that they met. He says that the US could not win the war in Afghanistan despite all its power and superiority; the US is to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014 but still wanted its presence there. For this, it wants a leadership in Pakistan which would serve its interests and take its agenda forward. Ahmed says a lot of leaders were joining PML-N, who had earlier been critical of it; this is indication enough that the US and Saudi Arabia want Nawaz Sharif to attain power in Pakistan. He says there are indications that Nawaz Sharif will become the PM in the next government and that Musharraf would be given another important post. He says this is not difficult for PML-N. Ahmed says that after the killing of Akbar Bugti, the Lal Masjid operation and the removal of CJP Iftekhar Chaudhary, Musharraf could not have mustered the courage to return to Pakistan otherwise. (Jinnah)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Irfan Siddiqui points out that the President belongs to PPP, all 4 governors have been appointed by PPP, Sindh and Balochistan CMs have been appointed by PPP; hence it is going to be tough time for the 84 year old caretaker PM to do justice within 48 days. (Jang)
2. Columnist Abdul Hafiz Amirpuri says during PPP-led coalition’s 5-year rule inflation had gone up by 100% and load shedding was unprecedented. Amirpuri writes that due to increased poverty, over 58% of the people were now facing food insecurity. He claims that 50000 people had been killed since September 2008 whereas corruption worth Rs. 4 to 5 thousand billion was taking place annually. Amirpuri writes that due to the so-called policy of war against terror, Pakistan loses Rs. 3 billion on a daily basis. He claims that massive corruption and mismanagement was recorded in PIA, Railways, Pakistan Steel, OGRA and other institutions. (Al Qalam Weekly, 22 March to 28 March)
3. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif removed the bullet proof screen from his podium and declared that he did not need any protection as the people were also not safe. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
4. PTI chairman Imran Khan and Bahawalpur Awami National Party chief Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi have decided to merge Awami National Party into PTI. A formal announcement would be made today in Islamabad. (Khabrain)
5. PML-Q former president Chaudhary Pervez Elahi has decided to not to contest elections from NA-59 in Punjab. (Bang-e-Sahar)
6. Election Commission has taken the help of International Federation for Election System and ACI as well as other institutions to train more than 7 lakh Pakistanis as polling staff. (Jasarat)
7. Senate Standing Committee for Information and Broadcasting has instructed all national broadcasting institutions to give equal coverage to all political parties taking part in the elections. (Jasarat)
8. An American think-tank has reported that free and fair elections in Pakistan would be in favour of the US. (Baad-e-Shimal)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Embezzlement of Rs. 1 billion has taken place in motorway projects. (Jang)
2. Government will spend Rs. 3.78 billion on the construction of the Diamir-Bhasha dam. (Daily Pak)
3. US will provide a loan of $ 9.50 crores to Pakistan for wind energy projects. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. PPP was unable to appoint anyone with Sindh domicile to IRSA as a federal representative. This post has been vacant for 3 years and attempts are now being made to appoint a person from Punjab to the post. (Kawish)
5. Qurban Baloch says there is a possibility that water distribution to the provinces might be cut down 5-10% during kharif season. There may be 40% deficit in April, which may go down to 30% and 20% during the months of May and June respectively. Mangla and Tarbela dams will be fully filled only in August. (Kawish, Awami Awaz)
6. Fisher Folk Forum has announced that it will protest across Sindh on 27th March against the selling of two islands. A jirga of eminent citizens of the coastal zone of Ibrahim Haidari has been called on 29th March to form strategy of protests. (Jasarat)
SINDH
1. A writer with the pseudonym Vengus has written a column about the recent blast on the Sindh-Balochistan Highway, asking why blasts keep occurring in Northern Sindh. The writer claims that this matter could not be taken lightly as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has threatened to blow up places of significance in Sindh. (Ibrat, 25 March)
2. Illegal arms trade has gone up in Sindh, particularly in Ghotki and North Sindh after election process was set in. (Kawish)
3. In a meeting convened by Sindh-IG Shahid Nadeem Baloch at central Police office-Karachi, Sindh police was asked to have a separate website and an e-mail ID. (Jang)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Caretaker PM Mir Khoso assured AJK President Mohammad Yaqoob Khan of diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri community. (Daily Dharti)
2. Gilgit-Baltistan CM Mehdi Shah has ordered the formation of a Revenue Board to address the problems faced by the people. (Bang-e-Sahar)
3. Gilgit-Baltistan Election commission has no budget for the past 9 months. It was said that the EC has failed to pay the rent of the building and the owners were asking it to vacate the building. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. APML Ghizer activists distributed sweets over Musharraf’s return to Pakistan. (Bang-e-Sahar)
5. Bang-e-Sahar welcomes Chief Secretary’s courageous step to order investigations into appointments of teachers over the past three years.. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit)
6. Federal Interior Minister has asked Gilgit-Baltistan government to increase security at mosques, madrassas and for Shia Ulema, to save them from possible Al-Qaeda, LeJ and Ghazi Khas Group attacks. (Baad-e-Shimal)
