AFGHANISTAN
Jasarat editorial: Karzai’s government in Kabul is not stable. His regime will fall with withdrawal of American forces. Karzai should remember that the US and its cronies would leave Afghanistan but Pakistan would not since it is its next-door neighbour. Despite all the help Pakistan has given Afghanistan time and again, it is sad that Kabul is levelling all sorts of allegations against Islamabad. (Jasarat Edit)
INDIA
1. In a telephonic address to the Pakistan Paendabad Conference at Mirpur, Nawa-i-Waqt Editor-in-Chief Majid Nizami said Pakistan needed to free Kashmir at any cost. If Pakistani had to use nuclear weapons to get Kashmir, it should do it. The conference was organized by the Nazarya-e-Pakistan Forum, Mirpur. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. Ausaf’s editorial says: Now India is pursuing a major role in Afghanistan by trying to take advantage of the declining ties between the US and Pakistan. India is not trust worthy. It played a role in the American game and whenever it gets a chance, it trys to show Pakistan as a major threat to the world. Edit says that. (Ausaf Edit, 4 October)
3. Ummat’s editorial is on Indian Army’s war exercises in Rajasthan. “India is getting aggressive in its defence approach and if provoked by the US, could take a foolish step against Pakistan….. While the Indian Army is increasing its capabilities, the Pakistan Army is facing problems with the Railways in transporting men and material to its bases. Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour should understand that more than trade between India and Pakistan, it is important that the Pakistan Army gets all its ‘goods’ transported by rail without any delay. ….Pakistani leadership is not concerned about the country’s security. It seems the leadership has decided to destroy national assets. Today’s youth is getting distanced from Islamic Sharia and instead of getting education, they are learning from a culture of agitations and protests. (Ummat Edit)
4. Jinnah’s editorial accuses CIA, Mossad and RAW of hatching a conspiracy to break-up Pakistan…They have released a new map of Pakistan. Altaf Hussain also showed this map to the media. To achieve this mission, they are sending their agents to create chaos in Pakistan. … ISI has been countering Pakistan’s opponents’ conspiracies. Pakistan’s Supreme Court should foil the agenda of Pakistan’s enemies and expose them. (Jinnah Edit)
5. Nawa-i-Waqt criticizes Minister of Trade Amin Fahim for praising India and agreeing to increase trade volume with India to USD 6 billion. Until the Kashmir issue is resolved, there should be no business with India even if it is profitable. The government will do well to remember that India had never accepted Pakistan’s existence and in 1971, India bifurcated Pakistan. Moreover, the Indian Air Force has plans to turn the Kargil runway into a full-fledged airbase; the purpose of India’s war exercises along the Pakistan border is to abolish enemy’s defence and capture its strategic assets. Pakistan would do well to be in a state of preparedness as these war exercises are a declaration of war. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
6. Khabrain editorial refers to Minister of Trade Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s India visit and says: local industries in Pakistan cannot compete with Indian goods. Hence, without resolving fundamental issues with India, the relationship cannot move forward just by trade. (Khabrain Edit)
DEFENCE
1. Saudi Army Chief Lt. Gen. Prince Khalid Bin Bandar has arrived in Islamabad on an invitation from COAS Gen. Ashfaq Kayani. He would observe Pak-Saudi war exercises at Jhelum. Bandar has reportedly played a vital role in easing tensions between the US and Pakistan. (Ummat)
2. In a meeting with the Uzbek Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Diev Kabul Raimovich, Defense Minister Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar offered the shortest sea route for Uzbek goods through the Gwadar and Karachi ports. (Jinnah)
3. Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Noman Bashir will retire on October 7th. Defense minister Ahmed Mukhtar said that the new navy chief will be appointed soon. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Four Major Generals have been promoted to the rank of Lt. General. They are Commander Logistic Gujranwala Major Gen. Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhary; Dy Chief of General Staff Major Gen. Nassir Khan Junjua; Gen. Officer Commanding Sargodha Major Gen. Syed Tariq Nadeem Gilani and Major Gen. Naved-uz-Zaman. Already three Lt Gen Posts are vacant. Fourth vacancy has arisen with the superannuation of Corps Commander Quetta and POF chairman. (Baad-e-Shimal, Jinnah, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)
5. Abbotabad Commission recorded statements of senior ISI officers. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
6. Former AJK PM Sardar Atiq Ahmed Khan, who also heads AJK Muslim Conference, said those who spoke against the country’s Army could not be nationalists. (Ausaf, 4 October)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Tehrik-e-Taliban has welcomed PM’s offer of talks with all militant groups; however, it has put two conditions for direct talks with the government: 1) government should review its policy with America and 2) impose Sharia rule in Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. Government sources have claimed that PM Gilani had agreed to hold peace talks with Pakistan Taliban without asking them to lay down their weapons first. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Ausaf has editorially welcomed Prime Minister Gilani’s statement that the government doesn’t differentiate between Taliban groups and that they are ready to have a dialogue with them. Before the US invasion, Afghan Taliban was one group and they were not terrorists. Since the US opened a war front against the Taliban, they are only fighting back against American occupation. (Ausaf Edit, 4 October)
4. Tehrik-e Taliban North Waziristan has warned of suicide-attacks on high government officials if the issue of load-shedding in North Waziristan is not resolved within 48 hours. The administrator of Madrassa Noor-e-Alam in Miran Shah, Maulana Abdul Khaliq Haqqani, who is also the local Taliban Commander, said that if the problem of load shedding is not resolved, then they would first kidnap regional electricity chief Pervez Khan and engineer Jamshed Ali Khan. If the plan doesn’t succeed, they would send suicide attackers to assassinate these officials. (Jinnah, Jasarat)
5. Abdullah Soomro, the district chief of Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz, said that the government is a supporter of terror networks. He claimed that party activist Bashir Khaskheli had been abducted in order to appease these terror networks. He also said that innocent people are being taken into custody in the name of ‘operation’. He warned that if Bashir Khaskheli is not traced and released, there would be more protests at a district-level (Qambar Shahdadkot) on Oct. 9th. A general strike will also be observed there. (Ibrat)
6.Nawa-i-Waqt editorially commented on Sirajjuddin Haqqani’s interview wherein he said that many countries including the US had asked them to join the Afghan government and that they did not have any contacts with ISI. Haqqani also said that his interview had exposed American hypocrisy. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
7. Sunni Ittehad Council would organize a rally on October 7th in Rawalkot against the Lahore High Court verdict in case of Mumtaz Qadri. (Daily Dharti)
8. In Al Qalam weekly, Naved Hashmi says the Al Rehmat Trust is better than many NGOs that were receiving funds from European countries. In times of crisis like the current floods, these NGOs vanish but Al Rehmat Trust comes to people’s rescue. People should therefore strengthen the hands of the Al Rehmat Trust. (Al Qalam Weekly, 30 September to 6 October)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. If PM Gilani accepts resignations of PML-Q ministers, the government will lose its majority as MQM has already withdrawn its ministers. In the numbers game, Gilani will be left with 166 members compared to 175 members with the opposition. (Jinnah)
2. MQM Rabta Committee will meet today in Karachi to take stock of load-shedding and inflationary pressures on the economy. (Jasarat)
3, Sindh Information Minister Sharzeel Memon has appealed to the SC to take up pending cases against Nawaz Sharif that range from charges of money laundering and Rs. 5 billion debt write off. (Awami Awaz)
4. Aisha Ahmad Malik, wife of Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, son of Punjab CM, was arrested in connection with kidnapping of her employee. According to TV reports, she has been remanded to the custody of Defence police, Karachi for 10 days. (Awami Awaz)
5. Writing in the Jang, columnist Nazir Naji says: this time, America, Saudi Arabia and China have not sent relief items for the flood-affected people. The reason for this is clear; these nations have understood that most of the aid money is misappropriated in Pakistan. The political and military leaderships of Pakistan have been lying to the people and today, no one is willing to trust Pakistan. It is clear that the real decision making power is with the establishment which is under the Army’s influence. From the Kerry Lugar bill to the Abbotabad Operation, there have been many incidents where the Army has shown its supremacy by rejecting the government’s decisions. Yet, the situation is not really bad. If the government and judiciary closed ranks, Pakistan would easily get USD 500 billion aid but unfortunately, courage is at a premium. (Jang)
6. In his column, Irfan Siddiqui writes that despite its poor show in office, PPP believes that the people would take it to victory stand in the next elections since they love Bhutto. (Jang)
7. Federal Bureau of Statistics’ 2010-11 report claims that the literacy rate in Pakistan has reached 58.5%. It estimates the number of students at four crore. There are 132 universities and more than 1. 55 lakh primary schools. The male literacy rate in rural areas is 64.5 % whereas in urban areas it is 80.5%; the female literacy in rural areas is 35.6 % whereas in urban areas, it is 66.5%. Overall national male literacy rate is 70% and female literacy rate is 46%. (Jasarat)
ECONOMY-ENERGY-WATER
1. A meeting of the Steering Committee for New Dams, presided over by the Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation, has decided to build 6 news dams in Punjab and selected the sites for these dams. Chahan Dam will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1150 million in the Rawalpindi district; this dam will irrigate an area of 12,000 acres. Mari and Sohara dams in Attock will cost Rs. 450 million and Rs. 350 million respectively and these will irrigate areas of 1700 and 900 acre respectively. In Chakwal, the Digar Dam will be built at a cost of Rs. 450 million which will irrigate an area of 2000 acres. The Pindori Dam will be built on the Jhelum at a cost of Rs. 350 million and it will irrigate an area of 1500 acres. (Daily Pak)
2. Auditor General Report has claimed that there has been a Rs. 5 billion embezzlement in the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project. This report claims that there has been Rs. 9 billion corruption in WAPDA and that the officials purchased luxury cars worth Rs. 29 crores, which is Rs. 17 crores more than the actual price. It also claims that contractors were given Rs. 22 crores as insurance claims against contract norms. The report also said that water storing capacity has been reduced in Tarbela and Mangla dams due to collection of sand and if ignored, these dams would lose water storage capacity by 36% in 2015 and would remain only 40% by 2020. (Daily Dharti, Jang)
3. Daily Pak editorially welcome the G-B chief minister’s open invitation to build new dams on rivers in Gilgit-Baltistan. The rivers in the province can generate 50,000 MW electricity. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. While hearing the Mustang killings case, the Balochistan High Court Chief Justice ordered a ban on the printing, publishing or broadcasting of statements made by banned militant outfits. He warned of action against media groups that violated the order. If the channels are scared of these militant groups they should wind up their channels and shut down their newspapers. (Awami Awaz)
2. Daily Pak EDIT is critical of the Balochistan CM for saying that the death of just 40 people in densely populated Balochistan is not a big issue. (Daily Pak Edit)
SINDH
1. Mobilink Foundation and its volunteers provided food articles to over 3500 flood-affected people in Mirpurkhas in Sindh. Mobilink has recently started its services in cooperation with the Pakistani Navy. (Daily Pak)
2. According to experts, the dengue virus spread could be a work of CIA and if no action is taken to control it, lakhs of people would die by next year. This report goes on to say that the CIA had targeted many countries with the help of such weapons. (Ummat)
POK NEWS
1. Pakistan PM Gilani would visit Muzaffarabad, AJK on October 8th. (Daily Dharti)
2. Barrister Sultan Mehmood met AJK President Sardar Yaqoob and apprised him of his recent visit to J&K; both discussed raising the Kashmir issue at international forums. (Baad-e-Shimal)
3. National Liberation Conference leaders Shaukat Maqbool, Arif Shahid and others have said that the representative status of the AJK government was killed as a result of a conspiracy and that now it has become a puppet of the federal government. They said that the ‘base camp’ members had been sidelined by getting them embroiled in the Srinagar unrest. (Daily Dharti, Jang)
4. AJK Minister for Higher Education IT Board Muhammad Matlub Inquilabi, who is also PPP Central Media Secretary, said that the current government would change AJK’s culture; a socialist reform would be brought about under the leadership of PPP President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. (Daily Dharti)
5. Daily Dharti editorial: Anjuman-e-Tajirian (Traders Group) held a hunger strike in Rawalkot yesterday to protest against the delay in developmental projects especially the Ghaiz-e-Millat Highway, and King Abdullah University. This group has warned authorities that they would go on an indefinite hunger strike on October 6th if no action is taken. Such an action should have been done by political parties and civil society. Ghazi-e-Millat Highway project was not allowed to be completed as the authorities were heavily bribed and didn’t take any action against the builder- company. (Daily Dharti Edit)
G-B NEWS
1. Senate’s Standing Committee for the Interior has expressed concern over the increasing use of drugs in G-B and the smuggling of drugs from China along G-B road. In a meeting, it was decided to deploy paramilitary teams in areas adjacent to China and departments concerned have been asked to crackdown against drugs. (Baad-e-Shimal)
2. G-B CM Syed Shah Mehdi ordered the withdrawal of G-B Scouts from Hunza, and said that the people of Hunza were peace loving people. (Ausaf, 4 October)
3. People of Gilgit-Baltistan are confused due to conflicting statements about new taxes. Some politicians have been opposing taxes but have not given any reason for their opposition. Educated people in G-B are in favour of these taxes since collection of more tax revenue would mean a better revenue share for G-B. (Ausaf, 4 October)
4. Mohsin Industries have announced that they will celebrate November 1st as the Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan. The country President of Mohsin Industries, Hajji Abid Ali Beg said that they will also provide monetary help wherever required. (Ausaf, 4 October)
