INDIA
1. Khwaja Welfare Association (UK) President Khwaja Suleman said that the Taliban were not Pakistan’s enemies; Pakistan’s real enemies were Indian agents who had spread terrorism throughout Pakistan. He said that India was the real enemy of Pakistanis and Kashmiris and that India’s records had proved that it wanted to remove Pakistan from the world map. Suleman said that India was carrying out terrorism in Pakistan so that Pakistan stops supporting Kashmiri jihad but India should accept the fact that the Kashmir freedom struggle was based on rights. (Jang)

2. Jinnah’s edit on ADB offer of technical support for the Bhasha Dam, says the offer is welcome, and now there is a possibility that if sufficient funding is mobilised, ADB may extend a loan of USD 3 billion – USD 4 billion. India has violated the Indus Waters Treaty and constructed many illegal dams on rivers flowing into Pakistan but Pakistan has not built any big dams on these rivers. (Jinnah Edit)

AFGHANISTAN
1. Taliban have shot down US helicopter Chinook CH 74 in Southern Afghan province of Zabil in which 18 troops were killed; ISAF has declined to comment on the report.  Taliban also rained rockets at Ismail Khan area of Wardak in which 15 American troops were killed. Taliban spokesperson has claimed that American and allied forces will remember their defeat in Afghanistan as they were chased out humiliatingly. (Al Qalam Weekly, 15 October – 18 October)

2. Nawa-i-Waqt editorially commented on Afghan President Karzai’s letter to leaders of various political and religious parties over the attack on Malala Yusufzai. The daily said Karzai should realize that as long as NATO forces remained in Afghanistan, the terrorism issue could not be tackled and peace could not be restored. Karzai should join hands with Pakistan to push NATO forces out of the region. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

UNITED STATES/NATO
1. Federal Communication Minister Arbab Alamgir informed the National Assembly, that national highways had suffered damages to the tune of Rs. 100 billion due to NATO containers’ movements. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Baad-e-Shimal, Urdupoint)

DEFENCE
1.Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila said that the commissioning of modern radars and guns in Pakistan Marines Battalion was an important milestone and had proved effective during Spark-2012 drills. Commander Mohammad Ashraf took charge of the Second Marines Battalion which is equipped with radar-controlled guns and low-level defence radars in order to strengthen the defences of important installations such as Karachi Port and Port Bin Qasim, and to make land and air defence more effective. Second Marine Battalion has been given the additional responsibility of security of ports including Port Qasim and naval installations. (Urdupoint, Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Hazara News, Daily Pak, Jinnah)

2. Jasarat editorial says evidently Army is being provoked into launching an operation in North Waziristan through the attack on Malala Yusufzai.   Army has clarified that the government will take the decision about the operation in North Waziristan and federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that they didn’t need an excuse for carrying out an operation. The US is also exerting pressure, just as Altaf Husain was advising the Army to carry out the operation against Taliban; if Hussain means an operation at US behest, then it would be dangerous as it would affect Pakistan’s sovereignty. (Jasarat Edit)
    
3. Ausaf’s editorial notes the Army Spokesperson, Major General Asim Saleem’s comment that the decision on operation in North Waziristan would have to be taken by the political leadership and that it could not be taken overnight. This statement was significant and any decision about the operation in North Waziristan should be taken consciously as Pakistani forces were already busy at various fronts. Situation in Balochistan and Karachi has already become a challenge, and in such a situation, opening up a new front in North Waziristan will not be in the interests of the nation. (Ausaf Edit, 15 October)

TERRORISM/EXTREMISM
1. Interior Minister Rahman Malik has announced a bounty of USD 1 million on TTP Spokesperson Ahsanullah Ahsan. He said that Maulana Fazlullah had sent 4 attackers from Afghanistan to kill Malala Yusufzai. (Ummat)

2. Interior Minister Rahman Malik claimed that terrorists have planned to target media houses and even some TV anchors; he also said that concrete intelligence input was yet to be collected on this. (Jasarat)

3. TTP has claimed to attack a check-post in KP. (Jinnah)

4.  Jamiat-e-Ittehad-e-Ulema has decided to call a convention on Sunday to address the warnings issued by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain. Mufti Hanif Qureshi said Altaf Hussain was working on Jewish agenda to appease the US. (Ummat)

5. Law enforcement agencies have arrested 2 terrorists, Khalid and Abdullah, of banned organizations in Hanjarwal for their involvement in terrorist activities.  (Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Pak)

6. Daily Hazara News editorial says that with the Taliban accepting  responsibility for attack on Malala Yusufzai, the entire Pakistani community has been united against the Taliban. Now Taliban has less than 10% of support. (Daily Hazara News Edit)

7. Khabrain’s editorial on Altaf Hussain’s concern on Malala Yusufzai and Taliban warns that the government should not act rashly but take every move with calibrated restraint as the country is facing many external and internal challenges. (Khabrain Edit)

8. Jang and Daily Intekhab commenting on attack on Malala say since everyone wanted an end to terrorism, a common national agenda should be chalked out; the government and the opposition should handle this situation cautiously so that the democratic process is not disturbed. Summoning a party conference would be a positive move. The editorials said the difference in the stands of the United States and Pakistani Army should be clarified to the public and all doubts should be cleared before taking any decision. This is necessary because even though the people are against terrorism, they would not accept American tyranny. (Jang Edit, Daily Intekhab Edit)

9. Jihad is the best weapon against blasphemy at the present juncture say several leaders affiliated with JeM while speaking on blasphemy cases in Pakistan. JeM is active on all fronts to protect Islam and Ummat under the leadership of Maulana Muhammad Azhar Masood.  Al Rahmat Trust has organized sessions – the Shahid Conference in Kohat;  conference on the ‘Introduction of Organization and Jihad’ in Dera Ghazi Khan’s Taunsa Sharif, and conferences on ‘Jihad and Session of Verses of Quran’ in South Punjab’s Karod Laal area, Balochistan’s Qalat, Lasbela, Mangchar and Quetta areas. (Al Qalam Weekly. 15 October – 18 October)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan said that UK and US loyalists are ruling Pakistan. He said that seat-adjustment was possible with all parties except MQM and PPP. (Jasarat)

 2. Advisor to PM on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim has decided to resign from the Senate over the issue of dual nationality since he has Canadian nationality also. (Jasarat, Urdupoint)

3. 80% of the children in rural areas do not attend schools and under the ‘Wasila-e-Taleem Programme’, 30 lakh children would be enrolled in schools this year, NA was told.  (Urdupoint)

4.  JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that the government should show the same courage for Dr. Afiya Siddiqui as it had done for Malala Yusufzai. He added that this so-called war on terror came to Pakistan due to Musharraf’s wrong policies. (Jang)

5. Irfan Siddiqui writes that it was natural to feel sad over the Malala Yusufzai tragedy, but it should not be made into an excuse to instigate an army operation in North Waziristan. But because of the prevailing situation, it is possible that on its own either government would give permission to the Army to start the operation; or the Army itself would inform the government of the operation. More over the masters at the White House could have intimated Pakistan that elections were close by in the US and hence, it was necessary to ignite North Waziristan. He says that if the operation was started, its effects would be far reaching and then, conducting general elections in Pakistan  would be out of question; this would give the current government an excuse for extending parliament’s term for another year and to re-elect President Zardari until 2018. Otherwise the democratic process could end and interim government of revolutionaries could be formed for a long period. (Jang)

ECONOMY/ENERGY/WATER
1. Nawa-i-Waqt’s editorial on TAPI project says while Pakistan is in urgent need of gas to over come gas shortage, inclusion of India in TAPI that would be commissioned by 2017 may not be acceptable to Islamabad on account of the pending Kashmir issue. Instead of TAPI, it may be advisable to accept Iran gas pipeline offer, without conceding to any other pressure. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. Under orders from Balakot Chief Justice, 20 kanals of land was released by carrying out an operation against mafia groups.  (Daily Hazara News)

2. 30 students of the Jamia Siddiqa were arrested during a police raid on the Abbotabad University but were later released. (Daily Hazara News)

SINDH
1.  PPP MNA from Naushahro Feroze in Sindh, Syed Jafar Ali Shah opposed the new local government ordinance in the NA.   PPP had not taken him into confidence over this ordinance and that the electorate in his constituency was against it. He also said that the people in cities were also against it. (Kawish)

2. Sindh Tariqui Pasand’s Qadir Magsi said that Sindhis had given a proof of their unity by staying away from PPP’s meeting in Hyderabad. He said that Sindh Tariqui Pasand salutes this great act. He said that the government used its entire machinery, and even pressurized government employees to attend the Hyderabad meeting. Magsi said that Sindhis staying away from this meeting is actually a referendum against the controversial local government system. (Ibrat)

3.  MQM has completed its work in Karachi to stop other groups from collecting animal hides during Eid. It says that MQM activists were threatening locals to give the hides to them. (Ummat)

4. All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat Leader Kishen Chand Pirwani, former MPA Seth Lachchaman Das Pirwani, Kishen Kumar, Lal Malhi Isar Das, Dr. Mewaram and others addressed a big convention of Hindus in Mirpur Khas and vowed that they were Pakistanis and will not go anywhere in the world but would die in Pakistan. (Jang)

5. Zarar Pirzada says PPP may have succeeded in staging a grand event in Hyderabad in support of the controversial local government ordinance, but across rest of Sindh, it was the Sindh Bachao Committee that observed a ‘black day’ against the ordinance. PPP may not accept the fact that their popularity graph is on a decline, but it will have to admit that it came across several horrifying ‘lessons’ yesterday while gearing up for this event. (Awami Awaz)

6. In his article, Yam Chandiyo talks about PPP’s gains and losses due to politics of reconciliation. He says that unfortunately, there were no daring leaders in PPP anymore, who would stand up to the party high command against something wrong. (Kawish)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Bodyguard of Asfandyar Kakda, PPP minister in Balochistan, was killed when the minister’s house was attacked in Quetta.  In retaliation, two  attackers were also killed.   At time of the attack, the minister was not at home. (Jasarat)
 
2. PPP Balochistan President and Minister Mir Sadiq Imrani said that since the provincial government had failed to establish its writ in the province, it had lost its constitutional identity. He said that Aslam Raisani’s government should be dismissed and a new government should be formed. (Daily Intekhab)

G-B NEWS
1. JI-AJK chief Abdur Rashid Turabi has demanded that different units of Kashmir be united. He said that AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan should have a common President, Prime Minister and Supreme Council. (Baad-e-Shimal)

2. Talking with ‘Baad-e-Shimal’, Assembly Speaker Wazir Beg, said Gilgit-Baltistan should be given representation in Pakistan’s National Assembly and added that once Gilgit-Baltistan is made a Pakistan province, all issues will be resolved. He added that linking Gilgit-Baltistan with the Kashmir issue had deprived Gilgit-Baltistan of its constitutional rights for the last 65 years. He insisted Gilgit-Baltistan Council should be dissolved.   (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. Abdul Qamar Shahzad has taken over as Baltistan Commissioner. (Baad-e-Shimal)

4. Finance Minister has criticised that Gilgit-Baltistan has bloated bureaucracy and said this makes it difficult for the government to pay salaries to employees. He said that in 3 years, 17000 employees had been recruited and that in order to pay salaries to them, the government needs Rs. 3 billion. (Baad-e-Shimal)

5. Gilgit-Baltistan Minister of Information and Education, Dr. Ali Madad Sher said that 1000 more teachers will be appointed by December-January. He said that in the current year’s budget, 6000 more vacancies had been created in the education sector.   (Baad-e-Shimal)

6. Politicians are canvassing the transfer of top level police officers, it is learnt.  SP Skardu is likely to be transferred to Gilgit and SP Tanveer-ul-Hasan is to be transferred to Skardu. More police officers are expected to be transferred after the CM’s return from his foreign tour. (Baad-e-Shimal)

7. Top officials of the Kohistan and Diamer administrations held a joint consultation session to improve the security arrangements at the Karakorum Highway. (Baad-e-Shimal)

8 Illegal appointments have been made in Gilgit-Wildlife Biological Department.  (Baad-e-Shimal)

9. Baad-e-Shimal editorial has welcomed the efforts of Aman Committee to establish peace in Gilgit. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)