2. Jasarat’s editorial comment on the Taliban attack in Kabul that killed 17 allied forces is that since the US has not accused Pakistan this time round for the attack, it is possible that the US has signed an agreement with Pakistan on the Afghanistan issue. (Jasarat Edit)

3. Daily Intekhab’s edit on terrorist strikes in Afghanistan says the incidents of terrorism in Afghanistan prove that American and allied forces have failed but they are not willing to accept their defeat. It says that many leaders of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, who work for CIA against Pakistan, are hiding in Afghanistan and keep attacking Pakistani security forces at the Pak-Afghan border. Edit claims that they have been given protection by the Karzai government. It writes that it was common knowledge that the US was behind all the unrest in the region and hence, Afghan President Karzai and President Zardari should discuss in their forthcoming meeting these new conspiracies through which the US was trying to ignite a new fire between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

INDIA
1. Indian lobby was trying to convince the US that if Nawaz Sharif comes to power, he could play a role in reducing the influence of the Army and the ISI; he could also improve Indo-Pak relations and work against reducing terrorism. After the APC, Nawaz went to Dubai and after getting a green signal, he agreed to toe the US line. The outcome of this development is visible through his recent statements against Asif Zardari. (Ausaf, 30 October)

2. US Foreign Department has considered the act of Pakistan releasing the Indian helicopter, as positive. (Khabrain)

UNITED STATES
1. In his column, Saadi writes the US is pressurizing on Pakistan for doing more in Waziristan. He is of the opinion that the US will leave its agents in Afghanistan, who will later start clashes between Tajiks, Uzbeks and Pakhtuns, so that they shift towards Pakistan.  (Al Qalam Weekly, 28 October to 3 November)

2. Al Qalam Weekly in its edit on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s call for action against the Haqqani Network says Pakistan’s reaction was not strong enough, in fact, it was even suspicious. Edit advises the government not to accept the dictum of America. (Al Qalam Weekly Edit, 28 October to 3 November)

3. Ummat editorial on PM Gilani’s latest reiteration that drone attacks were being carried without the government’s consent asks why the government is reluctant to protest against the drone strikes to the US, even after passing a resolution in the parliament; it wonders why the government is not allowing the Army to shoot down these drones. Edit says that on the one hand, the government was insulting Parliament and on the other hand, it was forcing people to bear losses of life and property. Edit says that this was creating a rift between the people and the government. (Ummat Edit)

4. Daily Pak editorial says the US does not take Pakistan into confidence on its Afghan policy but whenever it wants to negotiate with the Taliban, it wants Pakistan’s support. Edit claims this shows that the US was influenced by an Indo-Israel conspiracy on Pakistan and Afghan-Taliban links. (Daily Pak Edit)

DEFENCE
1. While speaking in a grand Jirga of Kotkai area in South Waziristan, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Asif Yasin said that 6500 families which were affected by operations had now returned home; he said that all efforts would be made to rehabilitate them. He also praised the Mehsood tribe for its sacrifices and handed over keys of newly built shops to locals in Kotkai and Karanji. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Ausaf edit on the successful test of Hatf-7 missile which cannot be traced by radars states that the Pakistan missile system was better than that of India as many Indian missile tests had failed. It writes that since Pakistani missiles were successful, it indicates that Pakistan’s scientists were better than their Indian counterparts. Edit claims that Pakistan has a powerful defence system, and that was why Pakistan has remained safe from imperialist forces that have destroyed Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. (Ausaf Edit, 30 October)  

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. JuD Chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said that the US was trying to shift the Afghan war to Pakistan and hence, the political and military leadership should reject American demands. He added that JuD would continue helping flood-affected people. (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid said that PTI chief Imran Khan had won hearts with his massive Lahore rally. Rashid said that Khan’s rally should be taken seriously; he also said that he had been saying for the past few days that new political alliances were in the pipeline after Eid and that even a PPP-PML-N alliance could not be overruled. Rashid also said that originally Lahore was PPP’s stronghold, and later, it became PML-N’s stronghold; he claimed that Imran Khan’s rally has proved that he too has influence in Lahore. (Kawish)  

4. In his article, Akash Santosh Rai says that popular opinion amongst the media is that Zardari was strong enough to contain Nawaz Sharif; they believe that despite Zardari’s shortcomings, he has stood up strongly against the establishment. He says that though the Sindh media persons believe that Sindhis may not vote for PPP this time, a section of Pathan media supports Zardari as under him, NWFP’s name was changed to KP. This section is also confident that the next KP government will be formed by ANP and PPP. (Ibrat)

5. A prominent analyst and senior journalist Zia Shahid has said that Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif’s speech at Lahore rally was revolutionary and not political. He said that there was a difference in the way Nawaz and Shahbaz spoke. (Khabrain)

6. Khabrain editorial notes the Opposition leader Nissar Chaudhary’s statements that government’s faulty policies were PML-N’s target and not President Zardari. It remarks that the opposition parties have raised their voices against the government too late. It says that opposition parties were supporting the people with an eye on the elections. (Khabrain Edit)

7. In his column, Arif Bahar says PML-N leaders were confused despite their massive ‘Go Zardari Go’ rally in Lahore; he says PML-N leaders have no clear answers to media on how Zardari would be ousted. (Jasarat)

8. Former ISI DG Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Hamid Gul has accused PML-N of trying to save its political image by coming out on the streets. (Jinnah)

9. According to unofficial sources, PPP-supported candidate Yasin Azad has won the SCBA annual election. (Khabrain)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Jasarat EDIT endorses the statement of the chief Amnesty International, Pakistan, Suhail Zafar that USD 100 billion in Swiss banks belonged to Pakistan and that the government should sign an agreement with the Swiss government and bring back USD 20 billion. Edit is of the opinion that this would resolve Pakistan’s financial crisis. (Jasarat Edit)

2. Eminent scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand said that not constructing the Kalabagh Dam was unfortunate. He said that the Diamir Bhasha Dam would be costly and it will not be easy to get electricity from it in winters.  Dr. Mubarakmand said that for 2% royalty, Pakistan’s natural resources were being handed over to foreign countries. He said that there was about 175 billion tons of coal in Thar and they could achieve a target of 8-10% GDP growth. (Urdupoint, Jinnah, Oct 30)

3. An all party conference convened by the Tharparkar Coal Action Committee on issues like forcing locals to flee from the coal area, denial of jobs to locals and the federal government’s attempts to usurp Sindh’s rights over Thar coal,  has announced a stir from November 10th; this will include dharnas and strikes. The committee has said that Sindh has first right over jobs at Thar Coal and has demanded that 400 jobs given to outsiders be cancelled immediately. (Ibrat)

4. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial agrees with Dr. Samar Mubarakmand’s opinion that the Diamir Bhasha dam would be a costly affair and that Kalabagh dam not getting constructed was unfortunate. It says that Dr. Mubarakmand’s opinion should be taken seriously. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. Government has banned 10,000 foreigners and Pakistanis, suspected of involvement in illegal activities, from visiting KP and tribal areas. Over 2000 names from KP and FATA have also been put into the Exit Control List for their involvement in illegal activities. According to government reports, in all, 44827 people have been blacklisted; more than 3000 of them were from Afghanistan, about 2000 from Africa, and around 5000 are from KP and the tribal areas. (Kawish)

SINDH
1. In the past six months, 247 people have committed suicide in Sindh due to poverty and unemployment.  (Jasarat)

2. Only 43% of Sindh’s population gets clean drinking water through an outdated water supply system. 34% of Sindh’s population gets water through hand pumps and motor pumps; 4% gets water through wells and 7% gets water through other means. (Kawish)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Dr. Ishaq Baloch of the Baloch National Party said that the commission set up to look into the Akbar Bugti case has done nothing. He said that the party made a huge blunder by boycotting elections. He said that Musharraf and his party had offered to make an alliance with his party.  (Awami Awaz, 30 October)

2. Balochistan provincial capital was being shifted from Quetta to Gwadar for the winters. CM said that from now, this would be done every winter. In a statement issued by him, it says that the capital of Balochistan stands shifted from Quetta to Gwadar from October 21st, 2011 to March 3rd, 2012 due to winters. (Kawish, 27 October)

POK NEWS/KASHMIR
1. Speaking at the Kashmir Conference, chief of JI Punjab Dr Syed Wasim Akhtar said the Indian Army was abducting and killing Kashmiri youth and raping Kashmiri women while Pakistani leadership wanted to give India MFN status. He said that JI had played the role of first front in the jihad in Afghanistan and Kashmir. Chief of Muttahida Jihad Council Syed Salahuddin said that if Kashmiri protests are neglected in order to pursue trade with India, it will have negative repercussions throughout the world. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. AJK CM Chaudhary Abdul Majid said that PPP will win majority in the next general elections which will be fought under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto. Majid also said that Pakistan was the goal of Kashmiris and that Kashmiris on both sides were fighting a war for the stability of Pakistan.
(Ausaf, 30 October)

G-B NEWS
1. Speakers at a seminar organized by the Parbat Educational Society and Welfare Association, Diamir said that the Diamir district is educationally backward and neglected. Gilgit-Baltistan Health Minister Hajji Gulbar said that the ratio of female literacy was very low in Diamir. (Ausaf, 30 October)

2. Contractors Association in Gilgit-Baltistan has announced a strike from November 2 due to non-payment of bills for past three years. The association said that claims made by G-B CM and Development Minister were untrue and that the government was facing extreme financial problems. (Baad-e-Shimal)