Pakistan Media

Pak Urdu Media Digest – May 8

Gilgit-Baltistan is in turmoil over special package issue. People in both Gilgit and Skardu towns are going without safe drinking water, says local dailies. Pakistani and Afghan terrorist groups have a new on-line magazine, ‘Azaan’.

AFGHANISTAN
1. . Afghan President Hamid Karzai telephoned JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and condoled the attack on the JUI rally in Kurram Agency. both leaders discussed issues of mutual interest. (Roznama Duniya)

2. In his column, Arif Bahar refers to the statement made by Afghan President Karzai that Pakistan wanted Afghanistan to recognize the Durand Line as a permanent border by using border skirmishes but no government in Afghanistan will accept it. Karzai said that Pakistani leaders tried to talk to him on the issue but he refused to talk. Bahar writes ISPR clarified that the Durand Line was an already resolved issue and writes that after Pakistan’s formation, at India’s behest Afghan leaders have tried to keep this issue alive. Bahar writes that Karzai has confessed of receiving money from CIA and writes that he was a mouth-piece of America and India. Bahar writes that Karzai had stuck to power due to support of America and India and states that the day these countries withdrew support, Taliban will enter in Kabul like a flood. He says that this issue has been flared up to keep Pakistan busy on the western border. (Jasarat)

3. Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Jang have come down heavily on Afghan President Karzai for what they see as his anti-Pakistani rhetoric, and for the attacks by the Afghan Army on Pakistani border posts. These dailies say Pakistan too reserves the right of safeguarding its boundaries; hence the international community should take notice of such aggression by Afghanistan. Though Afghanistan is a like a brother of Pakistan, Kabul has links with New Delhi and thus India has been conspiring to spread anarchy in Pakistan. The editorials  ask Pakistani authorities to address the issue with full force and take necessary action in defence. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Jang Edit)

INDIA
 1. JuD (AJK) Chief Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi condemned the attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanullah Khan and stated that this attack exposed India’s dirty face. Alvi said that Indian terrorists attacked the Dosti bus and demanded that the government close down the Dosti bus as India cannot be a friend. (Roznama Duniya)

2. JI (AJK) Chief Abdul Rashid Turrabi said that  Kashmir issue was not being raised during Pakistani elections despite the Kashmiri leadership meeting Pakistani leaders. (Roznama Duniya)

3. Nawa-i-Waqt EDITORIAL says continuing its water terrorism, India has stopped 15000 cusec water of Chenab River due to which the thousands of acres of agricultural land in Punjab were being affected. Edit says that Pakistani leadership had never been seriously interested in taking action against India’s illegal dam construction spree or at least constructing the Kalabagh and other such other important dams. Edit says that Pakistan even failed to fight the Neelum-Jhelum Dam case and it seems that the leadership has decided to destroy Pakistan as per India’s wish. Edit requests that Pakistani leadership should understand the importance of water for Pakistan and take serious action against India’s water terrorism. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

UNITED STATES
1.Azhar Masood says elections in Pakistan are taking place in the shadow of the upcoming US withdrawal from Afghanistan. He opines that after the US’s failure to achieve any significant gains, its dream of utilizing Afghanistan as a cockpit to control the region had also failed; he says that now, the US is only left with one choice – to control Pakistan as a conduit. Masood says that with its vast resources, and the ones that will be released after leaving Afghanistan, the US is definitely going to pull strings and install forces which could help it achieve what it could not in Afghanistan. (Jinnah)

DEFENCE
1. In a meeting chaired by COAS Gen. Kayani, it was decided to deploy 1, 04,000 security personnel in Sindh. In Karachi, 10,000 men have been posted for election duties, and the Army is not deployed at any polling station. Helicopters will be used to supervise law and order. Kayani has asked security agencies to ensure peaceful elections. He said that the Army will watch the situation until after elections and will then return. (Jinnah)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan have a new jihadi magazine by the name ‘Azaan’. The first issue of 80 pages has been released and Muslims across the world have been asked to develop a technology to challenge American drones. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Twenty-one politicians in Punjab have received threats from Taliban (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. Ummat and Roznama Duniya are concerned over the attacks on political rallies and offices of JUI-F, JI and PML-N. The impression that TTP was trying to stop only PPP, MQM and ANP from taking part in elections was wrong. There was a second attack within 24 hours on a JUI-F rally in Hangu. After trying to hamper election process the terrorists are attacking all political parties, without any discrimination. The edits lament that security arrangements made by the government had proved to be insufficient and ineffective. It is possible, that on Election Day, the terrorists will try to carry out more attacks; hence, security needed to be reviewed as per the changing situation. (Ummat Edit, Roznama Duniya Edit)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1.  JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan reiterated that liberals and secularists have no place in Pakistan and that they are welcome to go to their guru Altaf Hussain. He said that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and no system, other than the Islamic one, will work here. He claimed that other systems had failed and that peace for humanity was in Islam. Hassan said JI will establish Sharia in Pakistan to soothe the wounds of the masses. Addressing rallies in Peshawar, Hassan said that Islamic revolution had taken place in Turkey, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco and that very soon, agents of America, India and Israel will have no place in Pakistan.  (Jasarat)

2. In his column, Nazir Naji writes that an expert inquiry was necessary into the incident of Imran Khan’s fall from 14 feet high rally platform. There was no ambulance where the incident took place and advises Imran Khan to pay attention to his security. (Roznama Duniya)

3. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif said that if they come to power, they will hold negotiations with Taliban. (Roznama Duniya)

4. PML-N, MQM, PPP, JI and APML have postponed election rallies for today to express empathy with PTI Chief Imran Khan. (Roznama Duniya)

5. Chief of Gallup Pakistan Dr Ijaz Shafi Gilani said that very few independent candidates will win the election and approximately 59% of Pakistanis will cast their votes. He said that 29% of voters feel that there would be violence on election day. Gilani said that there will be no tensions between PML-N and PTI after elections and a stable government will be formed in Pakistan. Gilani claimed that smaller parties will have a major role in the formation of government. He claimed that according to a 2012 survey, 41% of voters for PML-N and 14% of voters for PTI have increased. (Ummat)

6. Pakistan Awami Tehrik Chief Dr. Tahirul Qadri expressed dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s governing system and announced a sit-in on 11th May. He said no demonstrations will be held near polling stations. (Ausaf)

7. Columnist Asif Jelani says unrest in the country is unlikely to end after the elections as whichever party comes to power, the other parties are going to protest and will not accept the result. He also states that no one party seems to have a clear lead and the country could be headed to a hung parliament. (Kawish)

7. Pakhtunkhwah Mili Awami Party chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the security of the nation depended upon improving relations with neighbouring countries. (Daily Intekhab)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Sindh continues to reel under water shortage even as IRSA opens canals under Punjab’s pressure. The water deficit has now reached 33% in Sindh. Despite five letters written by the Sindh Irrigation Department to IRSA, the Chashma-Jhelum Link canal and Taunsa-Pinjad canal continue to receive waters from the Tarbela Dam thus leaving only a water level of three feet now in the Tarbela. (Awami Awaz)

SINDH
1. Schools in Sindh are shut down from today until after the elections. (Kawish)

2. During violence and firing in Karachi, a PML-F office bearer was killed along with two other persons. (Urdupoint)

3. Kher Mohammad Kelachi’s commentary recalls all the irregularities perpetrated in Karachi by ruling alliance partners.. He alleges that crime rates kept rising in Karachi and surprisingly none of allies or the government could check land grabbing, which was perpetrated on a large scale. Quite often activists of the ruling coalition parties were behind these irregularities and the government, instead of controlling them, gave them a free hand. (Awami Awaz)

4. Zarar Pirzada says it is surprising that despite the presence of Rangers in Karachi there are still ‘no go’ areas in the city. He writes that Sindh nationalists are suffering the most due to this. (Awami Awaz)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Bomb blasts took place in Mustang, Noshki, Notal, Kohlu, Turbat and Gwadar. Bombs were also hurled at security forces. The home of PML-N election candidate Zubaida Jalal was attacked by hand grenades which resulted in 4 security personnelbeing injured. 3 polling stations set up in schools in Gwadar, Noshki and Kohlu were destroyed in extremist attacks. In Mustang, an FC post was attacked with rockets from nearby hills. Powerful blasts were triggered under a bridge in Mustang while a convoy of 3 FC vehicles was passing by. (Daily Intekhab)

2. Caretaker Balochistan CM said that they could not guarantee peace on Election Day. He said that they would try to ensure there was no major terror incident. He said that the international border in Balochistan had been sealed due to elections. He also said that he expected a voter turnout of 40 to 50%. (Jasarat, Jinnah)

3. Separatist Baloch organizations have collectively appealed to all Baloch people not to come out of their homes from the night of 10th May to the night of 11th May, and to show the world that they will not become a part of electioneering and will not sacrifice their right for geographical and national identity. On a proposal by Hair Biyar Marri, Baloch National Voice, Baloch Liberation Struggle, Baloch Liberation International Forum Bahrain, World Baloch Women’s Forum, Baloch Bar Association and leaders Prof. Naila Qadri, Bashir Zeb Baloch,  Mir Abdul Wadood Raisani, Shabbir Baloch and Mohammad Sadiq Raisani approved the suggestion after consultations. (Daily Intekhab)

4. Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has appealed to the public to come out fearlessly and vote on 11th May, to bring about a change. Mengal said that if the people did not vote, the same old forces will return to power, who have blood of Baloch youth on their hands. (Daily Intekhab)

POK/ G-B NEWS
1. People came out on the street due to a strike call given ASWJ in Gilgit-Baltistan against the ongoing package. Thousands marched to Karakoram Highway and blocked the traffic chanting  slogans against the government and the package in Gilgit, Diamer, Astor, and Ghizer. Mobile phone services were jammed by the administration. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)

2.  Chief of Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamat, Gilgit-Baltistan Qazi Nissar said that their ancestors sacrificed their lives to free this region from the Dogra Dynasty and agreed to an association with Pakistan only for constitutional rights. He said that unfortunately the current political package has tainted the Kashmir cause and gifted corruption, sectarianism, terrorist and communal disharmony to the region. Qazi demanded that GB should be made a part of Kashmir  and whoever was interested in making it a province could do so with Chitral, Dir and Kohistan. He further demanded that the current package should be revoked. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)

3. JI AJK Chief Maulana Abdul Sami said that the GB Package has served a great shock to the Kashmir Cause. He added that agitations and protest would continue unless the current package was revoked. (Bang-e-Sahar)

4.Bang-e-Sahar editorial has criticised ASWJ for coming out to protest against the Gilgit-Baltistan Package at a time when Pakistan is going to conduct the next general elections. ASWJ had reservations over this package since from the beginning but never thought to raise its voice for the past three years; suddenly it has become intolerant. The main culprit was CM Mehdi Shah who did no homework to take the people and political parties into confidence over the package and did nothing to cater the benefits of this package across GB. Edit says that it was easy to understand that the package was being beneficial only for some sections and the majority had no advantage. Edit further goes on to so that above all, the federal government was also responsible for the turmoil in GB and hence it should understand the sentiments and will of the people of GB and save it from further disaster. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit)

5. Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary has alleged that a group of four including AJK President Sardar Yaqub Khan and AJK Premier Chaudhary Abdul Majeed were involved in grave corruption plans and embezzlement of billions of rupees. He added that President Zardari had been informed regarding such malpractices and AJK’s people would soon get some good news. (Baad-e-Shimal, Nawa-i-Waqt)

6. After Gilgit, it is the turn of Skardu to go thirsty as the water filtration plant is shut down for want of repairs. The authorities are not ordering the repairs as they donot have the requisite funds.  People in the meanwhile are deprived of clean drinking water. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

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