Pakistan Media

Pak Urdu Media Digest- Nov 24

L’affaire Hussain Haqqani, which is threatening the Zardari regime, is a topic for comment and analysis. General opinion is that the Memogate is short on details still and a transparent probe alone can bring out the truth. Editorials have appeared welcoming the TTP ceasefire and asking the government to avail the window for peace talks with or without US support.

CHINA
1. Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmad Khodu said that Chinese companies would invest 8-10 billion dollars on power projects. (Jang, Ibrat)

2. Nawa-i-Waqt editorially commenting on attack on Chinese engineers at Sui gas fields, said the satanic troika of India Israel and USA did not like the Sino-Pak friendship and was always trying to harm these ties. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

IRAN
3. Nawa-i-Waqt edit is on Petroleum Secretary’s assertion that the sanctions on Iran will not affect the gas pipeline project with Iran. The daily said the West was worried that Iran would become a nuclear power. When countries like India and Israel begin their nuclear programs they are supported, but when an Islamic country takes up such a program then it is condemned.  (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

INDIA
4. Speaking after the Juma prayers, Jud Pakistan Political Affairs Chief, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, opposed MFN status to India saying, “We will not be able face our future generations if we give the MFN to an enemy like India.”. He made it clear that Pakistan could not accept trade with India at the cost of Kashmiri blood. He also stated that a nationwide movement would be started across Pakistan against the enemies of Pakistan and people would be made aware about Indo-American conspiracies against Pakistan and Islam. (Jinnah)

5. JI Pakistan (women wing) said the decision to give India the MFN status was taken under American pressure and demanded that its rollback. (Ummat)

6. AJK president Sardar Yaqoob Khan said that trade with India would not affect the Kashmir issue. Increasing people-to-people contact would pave the way for resolving the Kashmir issue. (Baad-e-Shimal)

MEMOGATE
7. A top official of the Pakistan Army will go to America to talk with top American Army officials on issues related to the Memogate controversy, a TV report said. (Jasarat)

8. Saadi writes in Al Qalam weekly that ambassador Husain Haqqani was an open spy for America and India and was always in opposition to religious Madaris and Jihadi groups. Husain Haqqani wrote a book by sitting in America against Pakistani Muslims and the Army and hence American termed him their close friend. Secularist classes are in power and the religious class has been made a slave…In police files religious people are suspicious and it is difficult to build a mosque in Pakistan but not a cinema hall in Pakistan. (Al Qalam Weekly, 25 November-1 December)

9. Commenting on the memo scandal, the political analyst Talat Masood has said that this was just the beginning. He said that the opposition would try to use the scandal to force the government to conduct premature elections. He said that Haqqani had resigned under military pressure. He hinted at Zardari’s involvement. Two other commentators, Imtiaz Gul and Hasan Askari, however, are of the opinion that at present the opposition will not try to topple the government. (Khabrain)

10. Hamid Mir in his column writes that the real game had started now as Hussein Haqqani’s resignation was accepted. There were three opinions about Haqqani – one he was trapped and the ISI used Mansur Ijaz; two Mansur Ijaz was used by Indian Agency RAW to cement the misunderstanding between Pakistan and America; three Ijaz was used by the CIA to disturb the unity between Pakistan’s political and Army leadership. Mir writes that it was true that Mansur Ijaz had relations with ISI, RAW and CIA and he had exploited other journalists for their cause. He states that a judicial inquiry would be ideal to bring out the truth. Not only Hussein Haqqani but also Mansur Ijaz should be interrogated for his secret meetings with political leaders. He writes that it was important to find out why some retired ISI officers kept his company in Islamabad despite their knowledge of the open conspiracies against Pakistan’s atomic program, Kashmir, and ISI. Mir opines that it could be possible that Mansur Ijaz did this under a contract and started blackmailing for not getting his part. Rumours were high that martial law would be imposed as Pir Pagara had said November would bring good news but the judiciary, free media, and important political parties would never welcome Army’s rule and no one should remain under this wrong impression that Imran Khan would do what PML-Q did during the reign of Musharraf. Free and fair elections alone throw up a leadership to address Pakistan’s problems. (Jang)

EXTREMISM-TALIBAN TALKS
11.  Army will not have dialogue with extremists said Corp Commander Peshawar General Asif Yasin Malik. He said such a dialogue is the responsibility of government. He stated that terrorists had safe havens in Afghanistan from where they entered Bajaur, Swat and Mohmand Agency to carry out destructive activities. Arrested militants would be produced before Anti-Terrorism Court in the first half of next year. (Urdupoint, 23 November)

12. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial welcomes the ceasefire ordered by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. It says the US was holding peace talks with the Taliban and at the same time forced Pakistan to attack them. Edit criticizes Rehman Malik’s condition that Taliban should surrender arms first, stating that when they had already declared a ceasefire since October, this condition was meaningless. The daily Edit urges the Government to hold dialogues with TTP and stop military operations saying that this is in the national interest. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

13. Between January 2008 and 22 November 2011, 220 persons including children had been kidnapped and 19 killed. (Daily Pak)

14. Most of the Imam Bargahs (mourning rooms) fear terrorist attacks during Muharram and have no faith in the police. Trustees of such places have employed armed guards in Karachi and other places. (Ummat)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
15. Government has obtained loans of Rs. 711 billion for budget support during the current FY, up to November2011, whereas last year during this period Rs.305 billion was earned through the banking system, figures released by the State Bank show. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
16. Security forces in Mohmand Agency have arrested three suspects and seized three rockets and bullets in a search operation. (Khabrain)

17. People of Malakand Division are demanding a separate province. (Khabrain)

SINDH
18. Public Accounts Committee of the Sindh Assembly has taken action on reports of Rs 2 billion corruption in the Department of Irrigation. (Jasarat)

19. A private bank, Metropolitan, was looted of Rs.40 lakhs in Karachi. (Ibrat)

20. Members of Karachi chamber of commerce staged a dharna at Karachi Press Club against prolonged power cuts of 6 to 8 hours in residential and commercial areas of the city. (Kawish)

21. Kawish says editorially that it was a matter of grave concern that the Sindh government was not serious about law and order. The government must act to end lawlessness and work to free the kidnapped persons released. (Kawish)

BALOCHISTAN
22. Government has decided to refuse permission to Baloch students to go to UK and US universities. The government’s scholarship fund for the purpose has been cut by Rs.40 crores. Earlier, a capacity-building program was introduced during Musharraf’s time and a loan amount of Rs. 2 billion was taken from the World Bank for this program. Several bureaucrats had availed of this scholarship to do their courses at Oxford and Harvard universities and now these scholarships are being denied to Baloch students. (Awami Awaz, 23 November)

23. Baloch human rights organisations have organized a protest rally after finding decomposed bodies of Baloch nationalist activists in Balochistan. They have threatened more protests in if such acts continued. The protesters also asked international organizations to raise their voice and demanded investigations into the matter. (Awami Awaz, 23 November)

24. Shah Zen Bugti, chief of Jamhoori Watan Party, said that Balochs would not rest until the killings of their people stopped, and till Bugti muhajirs were rehabilitated. He said his convoy carrying relief for Bugtis was stopped from going to Dera Bugti and false cases were filed against him and his party men. He said that a programme had been organised at Amaldar Road on November 25th to apprise people of Balochistan’s issues. (Awami Awaz, 23 November)

25. Ausaf editorial on the attack on FC personnel in the Chamalang area of Balochistan says the Baloch Liberation Army has accepted responsibility for the attack which claimed 15 FC personnel. People feel that the natural resources of Balochistan were exploited; there was an unseen force behind the unrest in Balochistan which uses Balochis against Pakistan. Edit advises such people to think that who was their friend and enemy. (Ausaf Edit, 23 November)

POK/G-B NEWS
26. Baad-e-Shimal editorial is on the recent terrorist attack in Gilgit city in which an employee of the Chief Justice Court was killed. The police made just one arrest and the real killers are still at large. Chief Minister speaking in the assembly said people’s representatives were afraid of the terrorists and refused to expose them. Edit urges the Ulema to play their role to establish peace especially during Muharram. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

27. Baad-e-Shimal is critical of fare hike by PIA.  It points out that people of G-B depend on air travel as the Karakoram High is in a bad shape and asked PIA management to cut air fares. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

28. Daily Dharti editorial is on dacoits on passenger and goods trains running between AJK and Pakistan. Such attacks occur inside Pakistani especially during festival days. AJK Government should take up the matter with the Punjab government to ensure proper security for AJK travellers. (Daily Dharti Edit)

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