UNITED STATES
1.JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan has alleged that on US assignment, Nawaz Sharif was working on saving the Zardari government. (Jasarat, Daily Pak)
2.US Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper held a meeting with Pakistani Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, DG ISI Ahmad Shujaa Pasha and Intelligence Bureau director Javed Noor, on his return from India. Sources said some military issues that have been causing a rift in the US-Pak relations were discussed. Clapper reiterated the US demand for Pakistan to do more and also said that the US was concerned over Pakistan limiting the number of US intelligence centres in Pakistan, providing visas to US intelligence officials and movement of US nationals within Pakistan. He also gave a brief clarification on US drone attacks. Sources say that the Pakistan military leadership rejected US stance on drone attacks. The Pakistani army chief also pressurized the US for intelligence sharing on an equal level. (Khabrain, Nawa-i-Waqt)
3.Jinnah editorial is on the statements made by Hillary Clinton and Gen. Petraeus. It asks why the government needs US funds when the military has said that they will fight the war on terror with their own funds. It says by rejecting US aid, Pakistan could get rid of US dictation, terrorism and drone strikes. (Jinnah Edit)
4.Editorial in Ummat on Hillary Clinton’s India visit say the US intent to secure India’s role in Afghanistan. The pressure on Pakistan to do more clearly indicates American enmity against Pakistan. (Ummat Edit, Jang Edit)
5. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial says: after the Abbottabad operation, the drone attacks and making US aid more stringent, there is no justification for Pakistan to continue its support for the US war on terror. The statement made by the US Secretary of State in India clearly indicates that the US did not trust Pakistan and that it could carry out other, more severe attacks within Pakistan. Terming Pakistan as a safe haven for terrorists is US propaganda. Pakistan should get out of the US war, stop operations in tribal areas and roll back CIA network from Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
6. Jang editorial says the US is simply using Pakistan to corner China and Pakistan should wake up to this reality. More importantly, China’s Think Tank ‘Center for Counter -Terrorism Studies’ has said that America’s inclination towards India will affect the war on terror in Pakistan. (Jang)
SAUDI ARABIA
1. Khabrain editorial on Zardari visit to Riyadh says Pakistan should promote its relations with Saudi Arabia, China and other friendly nations. It accuses the US of alienating Pakistan in its hour of need. It cites the example of Iran targeting US drone and wants Pakistan to do the same. (Khabrain Edit)
2. The Gulf News has reported that the purpose of President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to Saudi Arabia is to reduce tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Daily Intekhab)
3. Daily Intekhab editorial on Zardari’s visit to Saudi Arabia and Russia says it is important to ensure regional cooperation to cater to the situation after the US and NATO pull out from Afghanistan. (Daily Intekhab Edit)
4. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on Zardari meetings with the Saudi king says there is an urgent need for building an Islamic block. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Jasarat writes that the Afghan war has entered a decisive mode and therefore Pakistan is the main target of Indo-US strategic talks. (Jasarat Edit)
2. Jasarat columnist Arif Babar writes: US has not learnt a lesson from Afghanistan’s history and USSR’s failure in Afghanistan; the US went on a war against Afghans and now it is frustrated; the US is trying to vent its frustration on Pakistan. (Jasarat)
FAI ARREST
1. Pakistani embassy in Washington has adopted the stance that Dr Fai was an Indian Kashmiri who had taken asylum in the US to protect himself against action in India. (Ausaf, 21 July)
2. Speaking to the media about Dr. Fai’s arrest, PM Gilani said that Fai was a J&K civilian and that his detention in the US had no connection with Pakistan’s policy on Kashmir. (Khabrain)
3. Gen (Retd.) Hamid Gul said that the arrest of Fai has been carried out to pressurize Pakistan. (Khabrain)
4. President of Tehrik-e-Kashmir Scotland Hanif Raja said Dr. Fai’s arrest was the result of the current conflict between CIA and ISI and that CIA wished to create pressure on Pakistan, after Pakistan limited the movement of US Special Forces within Pakistan. (Ausaf, 21 July)
5. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed said Dr Fai had been arrested at India’s behest for raising his voice in support of Kashmiris. He said that by making an excuse of dialogue, India has intensified work on building dams on Pakistani rivers. (Daily Pak)
6. Ausaf edit on Fai arrest says he was arrested when the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was visiting India; this indicates that the arrest had been carried out at the behest of India and that the main target was ISI as the US was intolerant of ISI. It seems ISI chief Pasha’s US trip has not been successful; otherwise the US would not have accused ISI. (Ausaf Edit, 21 July)
7. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on Fai’s arrest says that the US does not want the Indo-Pak dispute to be resolved and only wants to strengthen India against Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
INDIA
1. Addressing the Pakistan Paendabad Conference in Rawalpindi, Nazarya Pakistan Trust chairman, , Majid Nizami said that accused India of making dams on Pakistani rivers to flood as well as to dry up Pakistan whenever it pleases.(Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. Chairman of Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, Dr. Shahid Siddiqui said that without resolving the Kashmir issue, starting large scale trade across the LoC would be dangerous. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. On account of Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the National Kashmir Conference, which was to be held on July 28th, has been postponed. (Daily Pak, Jinnah)
4. Nawa-i-Waqt criticizes the Pakistani PM of forgetting all promises made during election campaign, of standing firm on Kashmir. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
DEFENCE
1. Former Army Chief Gen. (Retd) Aslam Beg has said that he has not written COAS Kayani any letter. (Ummat)
2. The commanding Officer in South Waziristan, Rizwan Akhtar has said that there are no foreigners in most parts of the tribal belt now and that a third force was behind this as they did not want Pakistan and Afghanistan to come closer. (Awami Awaz)
3. The National Party President and Senator, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, said that the ‘establishment’ wanted Balochistan to remain in a crises situation and the PPP didn’t want to displease the establishment because then it would be difficult for the government to continue. (Daily Intekhab)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. In an interview to Daily Pak, the chief of Islami Tehrik, Allama Sajid Naqvi said that the restoration of MMA was his priority. He urged JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman to address reservations amongst religious parties pertaining to his political role and give a written assurance that he would not contest the next elections on his own. (Daily Pak)
2. A heated debate took place in the National Assembly on the law and order situation in Karachi. JuI-F, PML-N and MQM staged a walk outs as the government did not consult the opposition (Ibrat)
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that power games in Karachi will have to stop and that the law and order situation was the provincial government’s responsibility. Referring to Balochistan he said that dialogues will not be conducted with those who set national flags on fire. (Kawish)
ECONOMY
1. Dr. Jaffar Qamar, the only economic advisor left with the government has tendered his resignation. This is the third resignation in the government’s economic advisory team. The others to quit are state bank governor and auditor general of Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)
2. Tax recoveries made in Sindh during the last three years aggregates to more than the remaining three provinces. Even though Punjab is the largest province, tax collection during the last three years has only amounted to Rs.752.922 million; while Sindh contributed Rs.1,935.503 million, KP and Balochistan reported a revenue yield of roughly Rs.63 and Rs.25 million respectively. (Ibrat)
3. Pakistan railways are facing very critical times. Out of 500 engines with railways, about 300 are taken out for repairs and repairs will cost Rs. 5 crore for each of these engines. The railway standing committee of the National Assembly has emphasized the need to tone up the administration and check irregularities before financial aid is provided for railways. (Kawish)
WATER & ENERGY
1. The Sindh Assembly Standing Committee for Local Government has reiterated the need to institute the K-4 project to bring another 1,200 cusecs to Karachi. (Ibrat)
2. The IRSA Chairman has stated that there might be water shortages in the Rabi season and the shortage can result in a 40-45% cut in the regular amount of water received. He reiterated the need for more dams to store roughly 22MAF of water. (Ibrat)
3. Finance Ministry has agreed to provide Rs. 90 crore for Thar Coal Gasification Project. He said that approximately 100MW of electricity would be generated from the project. (Jasarat, Jang)
BALOCHISTAN
1. China has agreed to establish a 300MW power plant in Balochistan and the provincial government has assured them full cooperation and security. (Daily Intekhab)
2. Ketch District’s Deputy General Secretary, Muhammad Sharif Baloch, said that the Irrigation department has been misappropriating funds allocated by the federal government; he asked the government to issue a white paper on the funds disbursed to the department immediately. (Daily Intekhab)
3. Southern commander of the Pakistan Army, Lt. Gen. Javed Zia said that if abductions and finding of decomposed bodies in Balochistan do not stop then Pakistan’s sovereignty will face irreparable damage. He said army, intelligence agencies and FC have nothing to do with these deplorable acts. (Kawish)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. A policeman was killed and two others injured including a woman police constable in an attack by unidentified militants in the Regi area of Peshawar. Two suicide bombers were shot dead while trying to assassinate the Peace Lashkar head. (Ibrat)
2. Chief of the People’s Unity Syed Kamal was shot dead along with his driver in KP. (Awami Awaz)
PUNJAB
1. As per Aurat Foundation survey, during the first 6 months in 2011, there were 3,035 incidents of torture against women in Punjab. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif has given consent to forming Punjab Disaster Response Force. This force would work under the provincial disaster management commission and the provincial management authority. (Khabrain)
SINDH
1. The Sindh Tarqui Pasand nationalist group has threatened agitation on the 24th of July if nothing is done to bring the abductors of two Hindus in Hyderabad to justice. The groups also said that they condemn the targeting of Hindus across Sindh. (Awami Awaz)
2. Sindh government has assured the MQM that the recently revived Commissionerate System and the new police system will be reviewed; it has also been decided to set up a committee in this regard. (Kawish)
3. Four employees of a gas company were killed in Jacobabad and three others were injured when militants blew up their jeep with a remote controlled device. But the case was not registered with the police. (Ibrat)
4. People from the coastal belt in Thatta have warned of protests against the new planned city of Zulfikarabad stating that it is a conspiracy to snatch their lands and give it to multi-national companies. The money to build the city should be used to help the people affected during the floods. (Ibrat)
5. Residents of Sunn and Manjhand came out on the roads and agitated against no supply of water for the last 10 days. (Ibrat)
6. The Sindh Minister for Irrigation has assured the public that a flood-like situation would be met more effectively this time. (Ibrat)
POK NEWS
1.Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) legislative assembly passed a resolution asking that the Northern Light Infantry should be christened as the Gilgit-Baltistan Regiment. (Baad-e-Shimal)
2. Baad-e-Shimal editorial on Gilgit-Baltistan CM’s meeting with Pakistani President and PM says the out come was very positive. Most important part of the meetings was NFC award for GB approved by the President. Other important achievements were subsidy on wheat and permission to recruit 4500 youth for jobs in different sectors. If these sanctions are implemented, then most of GB’s problems will be solved. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
