Pakistan Media

Pak Urdu Media Digest -Dec 21

Sharif-Mengal meeting is seen as a welcome development. Editorials are quick to point out that though the Baloch leader sees Army as a Punjabi bogey, has held cordial talks with Nawaz as true representative of Punjab. Some sections of the media opined that Nawaz met Mengal at the behest of the army. Most commentators have warned that Balochistan would go the East Pakistan way unless the powers that be wake up to the crisis in Quetta and do something to retrieve the ground lost to angry Baloch youth.

INDIA
1. Daily Dharti editorial says Pakistan government should emulate the example of India in providing daily necessities to the poor at subsidised rates. (Daily Dharti Edit)

2. Ausaf editorial on the Food Security Bill before the Indian parliament says India deserves praise for taking initiatives to provide subsidised food to the poor. This is a historical step which will propel India towards a welfare state. The editorial says soon India will also pay attention to health. All this is possible in India because it is wedded to democracy and also because there is no clash of institutions in India. (Ausaf Edit, 20 December)

3. JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that agreements made by former President Pervez Musharraf with America and on Kashmir are national crimes and those responsible should be brought to justice. Kashmir Committee will hold a conference on 29th December in which the Ministry of Trade will be asked to present the advantages and disadvantages of giving India the MFN status. (Urdupoint)

AFGHANISTAN/UNITED STATES
1. Addressing a rally of JI’s Women Wing, Abdul Ghafoor Aziz, director of JI’s Foreign Affairs cell said that if NATO supply was resumed, then JI activists would agitate strongly. (Jasarat)

SECURITY/ARMY/POLICE
1. Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that once there was joint statement from the Army Chief and the PM, there was no need for a separate explanation from the Army Spokesman on the telephone conversation between the Army Chief and President Zardari. (Kawish)

2. Allah Bux Rathod writes in Awami Awaz that threats of a coup are far from over. National and global media continued to remain apprehensive of a coup in Pakistan, despite the return of the President. US had been behind all the coups in Pakistan. He states that rumours of the rift between the government and Army persisted, and if the government was ousted, a mindset would arise in Sindh that the Sindh mandate was not being respected.  The writer believes that differences would arise between the civil society in Punjab and the Army. (Awami Awaz)

3. During the current year, District and Session Judges freed 8587 people held in 32 jails for minor offences. (Daily Pak)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Ulemas from all sects have condemned Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s statement that the government would pull down all unregistered Madaris in the country.  Mufti Muhammad Naeem warned Malik that he would meet the fate of Pervez Musharraf if he persisted with his ill-advised plans. Mufti Munib clarified that there was no talk of razing Madaris, but said that all Madaris should get registered with any of the five boards by December 31, 2011; otherwise the Madaris would be considered illegal. (Ummat)

NAWAZ – MENGAL MEETING -BALOCHISTAN
1. Shaq Mugherio writes in Ibrat that Baloch anger against the government is chronic. The writer believes Nawaz Sharif has called on Baloch leader, Ataullah Mengal, at the instance of the establishment. Their meeting assumes importance for the reason that Balochistan has often resented Punjab and the Army. Nawaz Sharif is seen as a true representative of Punjab. Nawaz being an emissary from Punjab will help pacify Balochs who are angry with Punjabis. The writer states that instead of going deep into what Ataullah Mengal said while talking to Nawaz Sharif, the media is harping on useless issues like the Army spokesman’s press note about a one-minute talk between the President Zardari and COAS Kayani. (Ibrat)

2. Ibrat editorial on Nawaz Sharif – Ataullah Mengal meeting says it was strange that Nawaz was busy raising slogans of "jag Punjabi jag" just yesterday and today he was trying to woo the Baloch youth. Anger on the part of Baloch leaders was not misplaced, and that if Nawaz was sincere in addressing Baloch grievances, he should see to it that the government renewed measures to hold talks with Baloch leaders. (Ibrat Edit)

3. Daily Pak editorial is on Nawaz-Mengal meet and on the allegations levelled by Ataullah Mengal. It says some of the allegations are true like for instance the allegation that Balochistan is being neglected by the government despite it being the largest province and rich in natural resources. Edit writes that however Mengal’s allegation against the Pakistan Army is not true. What had happened during 1970s was not the Army‘s responsibility and indeed at that time Akbar Bugti had supported Z.A. Bhutto. Edit is also criticised that Baloch youths are killing Punjabis in Balochistan. (Daily Pak Edit)

4. Nawa-i-Waqt editorially commented on PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s joint press conference with Baloch nationalist leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal. While Nawaz promised to fight for Balochistan, Mengal said that the situation has gone out of his hands now and as such the government will have to talk to youths who have fled to mountains. Mengal also threatened that if the Army is not be reined in, then Balochistan will opt to separate from Pakistan. He alleged that the Pakistan Army is in fact the Punjab army. The editorial says the situation in Balochistan is comparable to that obtained in East Pakistan in 1971. It means that government has not learnt any lesson from the separation of East Pakistan. Edit however states that it is a wrong to blame Punjab for the Army’s high handedness; Punjab has too equally suffered at the hand of generals like other provinces. Edit further says that Indian agency, Raw is supporting Baloch Liberation Army just like it supported Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan, and is furthering anti-Pakistan movement in Balochistan. The daily adds that with  PPP taking over, it was hoped that President Zardari being Baloch will take up the Baloch case seriously and will bring Akbar Bugti’s killer Musharraf to court, but he did not; he only made verbal promises. PM Gilani announced a Balochistan package, whereas Balochs wanted justice for Bugti’s murder. Edit hopes that with Nawaz Sharif vowing to fight the Balochistan case, there will be some positive outcome. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

5. Jasarat editorial is on Nawaz Sharif- Mengal meeting which took place in Karachi. It notes that Nawaz Sharif has promised to fight the case of Balochistan and says till the murderers of Akbar Bugti are brought to justice, these promises are mean nothing. Edit compares the situation of Balochistan with that in Eastern Pakistan before the fall of Dhaka and writes the split of Pakistan was a political defeat. It adds that though a majority of Balochs are still not in the favour of separation from Pakistan they are powerless in the face of armed struggle. It is time that all political parties sit together to find a solution to the Baloch issue and for this help should be taken from religious organization of Balochistan including that JI. (Jasarat Edit)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. President Zardari became angry at federal Interior minister Rehman Malik and shouted at him. Malik who had come to meet Zardari without prior appointment left within few minutes. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Nawaz Sharif said if elected to power, he will bring back three lakh Biharis stranded in Bangladesh back to Pakistan. He said that since Bengalis have identity cards, there would be no problem in issuing them passports. (Awami Awaz)

3. Nazir Naji in his column is a critique of Zardari’s policies and remarks that his return home from Dubai hospital has spoiled the dreams of all those angling for his seat. He further writes that slogans against corruption were quite attractive but corruption could not be ended by the hands involved in it. Naji opines that the whole process demands patience and a long wait. Naji concludes saying that Pakistan’s defence, safety and security lies in democracy and whatever the enemies of democracy would do, President Zardari could be removed only through democratic process and therefore those trying undemocratic ways should stop wasting their time. (Jang)
Punjab Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah said that the establishment was behind PML-Q members joining Imran Khan’s PTI. He said that only elections could bring about a change in the country. (Awami Awaz)

4. More than 200 MQM activists have announced that they are joining PTI. (Jinnah)

5. Barrister Zamir writes in Kawish that only Parliament can remove President Zardari and that too with a two-third majority vote. There is no binding (constitutionally) on the President to stay in the country for medical treatment. The establishment can put pressure on PM Gilani to seek dissolution of the House but chances for that look very bleak. The writer opines that right now constitutionally, there is no threat to the government, but some hidden forces at home and abroad could influence the political system. (Kawish)

6. Ummat editorial says Imran Khan’s Kasur Rally was one of its kind, where the audience went away with chairs, tables, planks, and carpets at the end of the rally. This kind of mess had never happened in political rallies and it should worry Imran Khan. Imran Khan wanted to show a new face of Pakistan to the world and what happened in his rally was not at all presentable. Though PTI had emerged as a powerful party, it should also concentrate on training its activists to behave properly, or else such shameful acts would send a negative impression of Pakistan to the world. (Ummat Edit)

7. Jang editorial says PM Gilani has been talking about democratic values and parliamentary democracy these days but his very government has failed to do anything visible in resolving the problems faced by people of Pakistan. While it is true that Parliament is a respectable institution, t all other institutions are no less important. Therefore the government should show equal deference to institutions. It is also the responsibility of the government to let each institution work independently as per its profile. (Jang Edit)

8. Jinnah editorial terms as positive the assertion of PM Gilani that there is no chance of martial law or a caretaker government. The daily however avers that because of the failure of political parties, the Army would take power. (Jinnah Edit)

9. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial doesn’t agree with President’s spokesman’s view that since the AG had filed a written statement in the Supreme Court there is no need for the President to file his separate affidavit in the Memogate scandal. The Presidential spokesman’s contention is wrong and it amounts to contempt of Court. President is party to the case and therefore he should file a separate written affidavit. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

10. Election Commission’s ban on persons having dual citizenship to contest elections is a welcome step. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Daily Pak Edit)

11. Chairman, All Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, Lord Nazir Ahmad said that barring eight million Pakistanis in foreign countries from voting in and standing for elections in Pakistan without taking their opinion was a form of cruelty. He said that Pakistanis across the globe send 13-14 billion dollars to Pakistan and hence they should be respected and given representation in Parliament with at least 10 seats reserved for them. He further said that everything was going wrong in Pakistan as thieves and criminals were made President, Premier and Ministers and loyal Pakistanis had no place. (Jang)

12. Pakistan Center Willesden Green Chairman Tariq Dar has condemned the ECP’s decision to bar citizens with dual citizenship from participating in elections. He said snatching their voting rights was like challenging their loyalty to Pakistan. He regretted that the government, which always requests money from the overseas Pakistanis, has no shame in stabbing them. (Jang)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Power cuts may go up to 10 hours a day in Pakistan from December 31st due to gas shortage and other reasons, according to reliable sources. (Kawish)

2. Water level in the Tarbela dam is fast declining. It has touched by 74 feet by now and this has affected power generation. Inflow into Tarbela is 18900 cusec and outflow is 35000 cusec. (Daily Pak)

3. Life has become difficult for people as prices of LPG and wood have gone up with the onset of winter even as load shedding continued. In Bagh district, due to poor arrangements, children and senior citizen were falling sick. (Ausaf, 20 December)

4. Editorials on SBP Annual Report 2010-11 said it is important to make the Pakistan economy stable. (Khabrain Edit, Ummat Edit, Jang Edit)

SINDH
1. Members from Sindh staged protests in the National Assembly against the killing of Hindu doctors at Chak and against theft of Sindh waters by Punjab.  (Awami Awaz)

2. Cases have been registered against 1000 activists of Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz including its chief Bashir Qureshi, for holding demonstrations at Kandiaro on December 18th. (Awami Awaz)

3. Khabrain editorially expressed concern over reports that 43 women in Sindh were murdered in honour killings in a month. It underlined the need for laws to protect women. (Khabrain Edit)

POK NEWS/ G-B NEWS
1. AJK Transport Minister Tahir Khokhar said that transporters sucking the blood of the people were not eligible for any concessions and they should reduce the fares wherever roadways were in better condition. (Daily Dharti)

2. JKLF has warned the government to end the unwarranted load shedding in AJK. Load shedding for 6 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night has paralyzed the whole system. (Daily Dharti)

3. Traders have ended their strike over the issue of Intra-Kashmir Trade after an agreement was reached between the Chief Secretary of AJK, President of Joint Chamber of Commerce and the Chairman FBR. No vehicle would be detained until the new list was given in April. (Daily Dharti)

4. Sophisticated machinery worth billions of rupees is rusting at Sheikh Zaid Hospital due to the government’s failure to run the hospital properly. The posts of specialist doctors are vacant and technicians are not available to operate the new machines. Poor patients are suffering as a result. (Daily Dharti)
 
5. Unskilled Employees Union has organized a rally at the Services Department’s ground in Muzaffarabad to protest against American and NATO attacks on a Pak border post and to express solidarity with the Pakistan Army. Many employees attended the rally, chanting that they were the unsalaried troops of Pakistan Army and were ready to make sacrifices for the cause. (Daily Dharti)

6. Sadia Danish, Deputy Speaker in the Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly said the appointment of men of one district in another should end as this practice has reduced chances of employment to local people. (Ausaf, 20 December)

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