UNITED STATES
1 JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan has said that the US could not be pardoned for killing 24 Pakistani troops at a check post on the border with Afghanistan. He said that the attack was deliberate and hence, stopping supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan was the appropriate decision, which was also in accordance with the resolutions passed by parliament after the APC. He demanded that the government break-off from the US-led war on terror saying that the US is neither a friend nor a well-wisher of Pakistan. (Jasarat, Khabrain)

2. Ausaf editorial says: US government has said that it will continue its aid to Pakistan and has refused the demand of a Republican Party Senator to review relations with Pakistan. After Pakistan’s strong reaction, the US is scared that if Pakistan stops cooperating in the war on terror, all efforts so far as well as the money invested, would be wasted. If the US wanted to continue relations with Pakistan then these should be based only on mutual respect. Editorial advises the political and military leadership to take decisions carefully in this regard. (Ausaf Edit, 8 December)

DEFENCE
1. Pakistan has decided to increase the number of contact posts at the Pak-Afghan border. As per this decision, check-posts have been updated and anti-aircraft guns will be installed there. (Daily Pak)

2. Pakistan Army will not take part in NATO investigations into the attack on the check-posts in Mohmand Agency, according to military sources. The military has no expectations from such investigations, the sources added. (Urdupoint, 8 December)

3. Abbotabad Commission chairman, Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal, said that they were intimidated during the investigation process. (Jinnah)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Militants fatally shot a functionary at a human rights’ group in Khyber Agency. The victim has been identified as Latif Khan. An outfit by the name of the Abdullah Azam Brigade has claimed the responsibility for the act. (Ibrat)

2. Law enforcement agencies have arrested 5 terrorists in Islamabad; they are identified as Ali, Idris, Ghulam Rasool Khan, Nadir Khan and Dil Aram; these men, said to be from Afghanistan, were reportedly involved in attacks on military convoys in Swat and Mingora. (Daily Pak)

3 Rangers were killed in a blast near Chaurangi in Karachi. (Daily Pak)

MEMO GATE
1. President Zardari went to Dubai to consult his American and British friends on the future strategy. He was under pressure due to judicial reference over the NRO case and the memo scandal. His mentors in Dubai were the very people who had brokered an agreement between Benazir Bhutto and the Army under which the Army was convinced not to interfere with the democratic government for a 5-year term. Zardari went to Dubai after feeling pressure from the Army; medical treatment was a secondary issue. (Ummat)

2. In his article Aijaz Jamali talks about the debate on whether President Zardari is on his way out. According to him, the good thing for PPP is that the allies continue to be with the party; however, it will be the court decision that will be crucial. He says that if for any reason, the government has to pack off right now it will not be good for the future of democracy in Pakistan. Jamali is of the opinion that if the government is ousted, it will win people’s sympathy. Hence, it should be allowed to complete its term and then let the people decide. (Ibrat)

3. In his article, Zarar Pirzada wonders what could have led to President Zardari fleeing to Dubai soon after the phone call with US President Obama. He says some TV reports suggest that Obama wanted Zardari to make changes in the Army leadership and as that was not possible for Zardari, he has fled to Dubai on the pretext of ill-health. (Awami Awaz)

4. Jang editorial appreciates the concern voiced by opposition parties over President Zardari’s health problem and wishing him a fast recovery. Edit writes political differences should never be mixed with human relations and thus, entire Pakistan wants their President recover quickly. It says that in this situation fraught with rumours, PPP should work with responsibility and sincerity and let Pakistanis know the facts about every doubtful situation. (Jang Edit)

5. AML Chief Sheikh Rashid said that the Army had an idea about some secret understanding between the government and the US and that the memo scandal only confirmed their doubts. He added that Army had asked the government to give a satisfactory clarification which put President Zardari under great pressure and Hussain Haqqani was called back. Rashid said that Haqqani would reveal everything to save himself (Ummat)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. PTI Chief Imran Khan has declined a request by former external minister Khurshid Ahmad Kasuri to form an alliance with the PML-Q (Like-minded). Khan asked him to join PTI instead. PML-Q (Like-minded) spokesperson said that Kasuri went against the party decision to invite Imran Khan to join their party. (Ummat)

2. Mariam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, is being seen to be active in politics. (Awami Awaz)

3. Imdad Soomro writes in Ibrat that one can only imagine the future of the people of a country where its elected government is not allowed to complete its term. Pakistan has seen its worst over the past 4 years. Soomro quotes a tweet from columnist Nadeem Paracha who says that if anybody is being hounded by the establishment and its chosen few in the media, after Sheikh Mujib Ur Rehman, it is Zardari. (Ibrat)

4. Abdul Basat, spokesperson for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that a conference has been convened on December 12th in Islamabad for reviewing Pakistan’s foreign policy. This conference will be attended by Pakistan’s diplomats and high commissioners abroad. He said that the Bonn boycott was in national interests. He also said that if Afghanistan had any evidence on the Muharram blasts, it should be handed over to Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)

5. Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan could not tolerate martial law again; he asked people and the media to join hands against any such attempt. He said that supplies to ISAF in Afghanistan should remain suspended until an apology is duly given to Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)

6. President Zardari will be back in Pakistan by Sunday, according to sources in PPP. (Kawish)

7. Daily Intekhab’s edit criticizes PTI Chief Imran Khan for giving rights to newly appointed Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi for selecting his own candidates for 25 seats in Punjab. Imran Khan used to say that he would not tolerate the feudal system in his party and that election tickets would be given on merit only by the parliamentary committee under the supervision of Justice (r) Wajihuddin.  Qureshi has recently said that many PPP assembly members wanted to join PTI, which means that the same faces would enter the assemblies again, only under a different party. The daily says though Imran Khan took no credit for all the people joining PTI, he has given no proper programme for a change that the people are looking forward to. Edit says that it seems Khan has changed his policy with regard to the feudal system and that he too wanted to save the status quo. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

8.  edit refers to PPP senior leaders’ conference in PM house, chaired by Bilawal Bhutto where there was pressure to review Pakistan’s policies in the upcoming joint parliament sessions. It is important that Parliamentary autonomy is ensured; senior experts who are capable of framing internal and external policies should be involved. (Khabrain Edit)

9. Ummat edit says that though the PPP government was able to complete 4 years in power, it failed to do anything good for Pakistan. Edit criticizes the government for not paying heed to the sufferings of poor Pakistanis which have increased due the various crises that Pakistan is facing. (Ummat Edit)

10 .Awami Awaz edit says that all this propaganda against the government, when it is left with just one year of its term, is not fair. It says that instead of packing off the government right now, it should be allowed to complete its term and then the people should decide if this government should be re-elected. (Awami Awaz Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. GN Mughal says the economy is in disarray with the railways in bad shape, threat of closure of big industries like Pakistan Steel Mills and the erratic power and gas services. He says that the situation may get worse as is visible from attempts being made to destabilize the Zardari government by certain quarters. He says that the conditions in the country are not good, with Balochistan looking the other way and with terrorists making life miserable in KP. Mughal says no one can even imagine reactions in Sindh if Zardari were to be ousted. He tells the establishment not to stab the government in the back at a time when Pakistan is in a bad shape, both internally and internationally. (Awami Awaz)

2. A team of Asian Development Bank discussed with WAPDA chairman Shakeel Durrani issues related to the financing of the Diamir-Bhasha dam project. USAID officials were also present at the meeting. The delegation was informed that the Diamir-Bhasha Dam project, being built at a cost of USD 12 billion, was a multipurpose project to provide water for agriculture, to control floods and to produce low-cost, environment friendly hydel power. On completion, the dam will store 8.1 MAF water and produce 4500 MW of electricity. This project will provide 20 billion units of electricity to the national grid annually and will yield USD 2.3 billion profit annually. Rs.18 billion was allocated for the project in the current development budget. (Baad-e-Shimal, Jinnah)

3. WAPDA officials have demonstrated against the privatization of PEPCO and other electricity companies. They threatened more agitations if authorities went ahead with their sale programme. (Jinnah, Ibrat)

SINDH
1. PTI chief Imran Khan has said that he will hold the meeting in Karachi, with or without permission. In a statement at Lahore airport, he also said that fresh elections should be held under judicial supervision. (Kawish, Awami Awaz)

2. Sind CM has announced that a major programme would be held on occasion of Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary at Garhi Khuda Bux on Dec 27 (Ibrat)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Baloch Republican Party Chief Brahamdagh Bugti has dissolved his party’s central committee and in its place formed a new 11-member organizing committee. (Daily Intekhab)

POK NEWS
1. AJK government spokesperson has said that there was no bar on Lord Nazir entering AJK; he claimed that Lord Nazir was defaming the AJK government by saying that the government had banned him from entering AJK. (Ausaf, 8 December)

2. AJK Bar Council and bar associations have adopted a resolution in which they have condemned the AJK assembly’s resolution against Lord Nazir. They demanded that the assembly must withdraw the resolution.  The bar council decided to approach the High Court in the matter. (Ausaf, 8 December)

3. AJK President Sardar Yaqoob said that Kashmir would be made a symbol of development with the help of NGOs. Addressing a seminar, he said that the PPP government had constructed 2 medical colleges and very soon, a third would be set up. (Daily Dharti)

4. Sheikh Zaid Hospital management has stopped giving free medical aid to poor patients and are giving this facility only to government employees. (Daily Dharti)

5. Daily Dharti’s edit talks of unscheduled load-shedding and the problems faced by people. Power cut is carried out directly from Mangla and that the electricity department has no information about it. If load-shedding is inevitable, a schedule should be prepared and the electricity department should control the cuts. (Daily Dharti Edit)

G-B NEWS
1. PML-N leader Hafiz-ur-Rahman has said that steps are being taken to give the right to vote to people from G-B staying in other provinces, similar to the rights given to people of AJK.

2. There are around 15,000 Kalashnikovs in the Gilgit city, says PML-N leader Hafiz-ur-Rahman. According to him, 80 per cent of these Kalashnikovs are being kept for personal security and the rest for criminal purposes. He said that so far, 11 clean-up operations had been carried out and all of them had failed. He advised that the federal government should give a package of Rs. 10 crores and purchase all these weapons from the owners, on assurance for their protection. (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. On Ashura, Agha Syed Rahat Hussain Hussaini, a Shia leader from Gilgit-Baltistan said that the government should remove sections from school syllabus which negatively affect the faith of other sects. (Ausaf, 8 December)

4. Baad-e-Shimal’s editorial sees nothing wrong in G-B construction minister Bashir Ahmed criticism of his officers at the inauguration of a development project; the minister has rightly pinpointed the flaws in the department, holding corrupt officers, as well sluggish contractors responsible for the delays. Edit points out that due to contractors’ indifferent attitude, the medical centre and school buildings have remained incomplete. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

5. Baad-e-Shimal editorially commenting on a van accident has blamed the poor condition of the roads for frequent accidents in the state. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)