SOURCE:Ausaf, Ummat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Urdu Point, Daily Jinnah, Awami Awaz, Daily Dharti, Jasarat, Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Daily Times, Jang, Ibrat, Khabrain, Roznama Dunya, Hizb Media, Al Qalam Weekly, Baad-e-Shimal, Bang-e-Sahar.

POST-MANSOOR KILLING
1. Taliban leaders’ meeting continued for the second day to select the new chief out of five in the reckoning. The strongest candidate is believed to be Mullah Omar’s son, Mullah Yaqoob; another strong contender is Haqqani Network’s Sirajuddin Haqqani. Even Abdul Qayyum Zakir is believed to be in the running. (Jang, Roznama Dunya, Urdu Point, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Ummat)
2. Senior analyst, Najam Sethi in comment on the death of Mullah Mansour, said that the US violated red lines in carrying out drone attack. He further suggested that it is possible that the US or the US and Pakistan together had jointly killed him in order to support a Taliban leader who would join peace dialogue Pointing out that Mansour was a weak commander and that he had faced many challenges from other Taliban leaders, Najam Sethi did not agree with the view that Mullah Mansour had a fake Pakistani passport. He could not have got a Pakistani passport without official approval. (Jang)
3. Former Pakistan Army Chief, Gen. (Retd) Aslam Beg, says the killing of Mullah Mansour’s death in a US drone attack is a part of the US’ great game plan to malign Pakistan and Pakistan Army and promote its own agenda in the region. The Americans are aware that Taliban are the real obstacle in promoting their interest in the region. Beg added that the Taliban would not give up their struggle irrespective of who the commander was. He also held the handing over of the Angora base as dangerous for Pakistan’s security. (Roznama Dunya, Ummat)
4. Special Russian Envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, has said that killing of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansoor Akhtar in Pakistani territory was a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and regional security. He added that Sirajuddin Haqqani would be a dangerous Taliban leader for all. (Jasarat)
5. Commentator Zia Shahid has criticised US for pressuring Pakistan for holding peace talks with Taliban even after killing the Taliban leader on Pakistani soil. He also raised doubts about how and why was Mullah Mansour was travelling like a commoner without any security. Former foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said that there was a difference between informing PM about the strike and taking him in to confidence over the attack. (Ausaf)
6. An audio message of Mullah Akhtar Mansour was released to prove that he was alive. (Ausaf)
7. Commentator, Muzammil Saharwardi writes: Taliban chief Mullah Mansour’s death in an American drone attack in Balochistan has created a furore across the globe. Pakistan is still hesitant in confirming the report as Taliban has not confirmed the same; the Taliban could do now what they did with Mullah Omar’s death; they delay the confirmation to save the group from falling into disarray. It is Mullah Mansour who had given the green signal to peace talks in Murree; he was not against peace talks but actually it was the CIA that was pulling the strings from behind. Tension between the CIA and Taliban paved the way for Hizb-e-Islami chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s entry in the Afghan Peace process. Killing of Mullah Mansour and involving Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the peace talks with Afghan government is a conspiracy to end Pakistan’s involvement in Afghanistan, as Hekmatyar is against Pakistan and is pro-Iran; the US is trying to bring forth a faction from Taliban that is anti-Pakistan and hence it is important that Pakistan should be extremely careful before taking any decision henceforth. Indian PM Narendra Modi was in Iran currently with the Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and all of them were on the same page whereas Pakistan was alone. Iran is against Taliban from the beginning and is supporting Gulbuddin. The US too has straightened its relations with Iran and it has since accepted Hekmatyar. US has been given constant signals of its discontent to Pakistan; India, Iran, Afghanistan and US are all trying to bring Pakistan under immense pressure. Stopping the F-16 deal and aid highlight the pressure. The killing Mullah Mansour in Balochistan is a message that this fight was between CIA and ISI because Mansour was an admirer of the ISI which had brought the Taliban under Pakistan’s grip. Everything would remain uncertain till the new chief of Taliban is appointed. It seems the ISI was busy in this very crucial process. Hence the Pakistan Government’s reluctance to react to the Mullah’s killing. (Daily Pak)
8. Columnist Arif Bahar writes: after the USSR’s defeat, Hizb-e-Islami Chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar was demanding elections in Kabul but the US was interested in handing over the reins of power to Zahir Shah. Hekmatyar was the most pro-democracy leader with a better vision for peace in Afghanistan but America’s wrong policies had disheartened him and hence he had taken self-exile in Iran for few decades. Now in the changed scenario, Hekmatyar has again emerged as an important figure in Afghanistan but again like a principled man, he has not joined the government in spite of peace deal saying that till there would be presence of NATO forces Hizb-e-Islami wouldn’t take part in government. (Jasarat)
9. Former COAS Gen Mirza Aslam Beg, in his column, writes that the US has invaded Afghanistan to avenge 9/11 and that within a year the objectives of war had been attained. After government was formed in Afghanistan, the Allied forces strayed from their aims of war and that caused them defeat. On the other hand Taliban united and struggled to liberate their country. Beg claimed that in the end Taliban would be victorious and Taliban would also eliminate Daesh from Afghanistan. (Jasarat)
10. Most Urdu dailies have taken the stand that Mullah Mansour’s presence in Pakistan and his getting killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan can again derail the Afghan peace talks, and that it can also affect Pakistan’s relations with Iran, US, and Afghanistan. Pakistan needs get out of ‘Good- Bad Taliban’ syndrome and adopt a clear policy on militancy and terrorism if Islamabad wants end the distrust that the world community has towards it.
Jang said: “Pakistan and Taliban have not yet confirmed the news of Mullah Mansour’s death. However, as the death of Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar did not help in resolving the issues, even Mullah Mansour’s death will not help in any way; rather it will cause more hardship for Afghanistan. Mullah Mansour had a softer attitude but his successor may prove to be a hardliner. Further, this act might further aggravate Pak-US relations”.
Roznama Dunya says: “It is now clear that the US has no intention of leaving Afghanistan, nor does the Afghan government want peace. Even earlier the news of Mullah Omar’s death had divided, but not eliminated the Taliban, and they resurfaced with greater force later. Instead of wasting energy in trying to eradicate Taliban, efforts should be made to include them in the national mainstream, as the US will never succeed in making Taliban surrender. The purpose of such (drone) attacks is also to pressurise Pakistan. In fact US is disturbed with the CPEC project as this will affect US plan to establish Indian supremacy in the region. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah have a hand in sabotaging Pakistan’s efforts to bring Taliban to the negotiation table, as Afghanistan’s NDS has close links with RAW”.
Daily Pak and Nawa-i-Waqt express concern over the peace process in Afghanistan after Mullah Mansour’s reported death. “Now all will depend on the new chief. Pentagon clarified that Mullah Akhtar Mansour was a threat to the US and was against the peace process but if the new chief also remained on the same line, then peace will only be a dream. This incident will be used negatively by such circles that are already against Pakistan, and the Indian lobby will try to cash on this issue to create further problems for Pakistan”.
Ausaf Editorial holds that the US drone targeting Mansoor on Pakistan soil is a result of Pakistan’s weak foreign policy and avers that peace process in Afghanistan was sabotaged through a planned strategy. Because of weak Pak foreign policy, the US thinks it can carry a drone attack in Pakistan whenever it wants. Earlier India also warned Pakistan of a surgical operation. (Awami Awaz Edit, Jang Edit, Roznama Dunya Edit, Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Ausaf Edit)
UNITED STATES
1. Former Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, has alleged that former President Musharraf had given oral permission to US for the attack on Pakistani soil. (Khabrain)
INDIA
1. In retaliation to India’s opposition to Pakistan’s Hydro Power Project in AJK, Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, has instructed Pakistan’s Executive Director in ADB to strongly protest India’s Sonmarg Tunnel way in Srinagar at the next board meeting. (Jang)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Islamic Lawyers’ Movement in Lahore High Court organized Shuhada-e-Wafa Conference to pay tribute to JI leaders executed in Bangladesh. JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that if the US demanded Shakeel Afridi, Pakistan should demand for Dr. Afiya Siddiqui in exchange. He added that PM too was accountable for the execution of Muti-ur-Rahman by Bangladesh Government since the Bangla leaders loved Pakistan and his execution was akin to hanging Pakistan. PTI senior leader Chaudhary Sarwar said that the UN should be involved in this issue. PML (N) leader Saad Rafiq said Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina would be pressurised to stop such inhuman acts against innocents. (Daily Pak, Jasarat)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. As per a new political plan formulated in London (where the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is at present), general election would be held in 2017 instead of 2018, when the next ballot is due. Sources said all political parties would agree to the plan and added that the life of Parliament will be reduced from five years at present to four years under the new scheme. (Khabrain)
2.Naseem Bukhari writes that though it was difficult to predict which party would form the government in 2018 it looked like the parties had already started thinking seriously about the polls and its outcome in 2018. He adds that if the PML (N) could somehow manage to hold on and continue in power for the next two-three months, it would survive the full term. (Ibrat)
3. Daily K2 criticises the opposition for focussing exclusively on the Panama Leaks issue ignoring all other problems. “It is important that the opposition should concentrate on other more important issues and stop playing dirty politics to target PM Sharif. ’’ (Daily K2 Edit)
4. Use of substandard material and negligence on the part of government officials resulted in the collapse of the Jhelum Bridge. (Jang, Roznama Dunya)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Commander, Southern Command, Lt. Gen. Amir Riyaz presided over a high level meeting to discuss the Balochistan situation. Balochistan’s Interior Minister, IG-FC, IG- police and Interior Secretary also attended the meeting. (Jang)
2. Trade Minister Khurram Dastagir said that there would be prosperity in Balochistan once the Gwadar Mega project was completed. He added that the main portion of CPEC budget is earmarked for electricity projects. (Daily Pak)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Two AJK ministers, Abdul Majid Khan and Mohammad Hussain Sargala, have resigned as they were unhappy with the party’s attitude. (Khabrain, Ausaf)
2. PML (N) AJK President, Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider Khan, has complained that rigging took place in the Kashmir council election. He announced that he would approach the court and also raise this matter in all constitutional and political forums.
(Daily Dharti)
3. Gilgit-Baltistan Speaker Fida Nashad said that work on the Skardu Road would start in the next three to four months. In all eleven companies have bid for the project. Of them five are foreign companies. (Daily K2)
4. Gilgit-Baltistan CM Hafiz-ur-Rahman said that those not sending their children to school would not get wheat subsidy. He promised free education to the poor. (Daily K2)
5. Gilgit-Baltistan CM Hafizur Rahman said that a committee under Defence Minister Khawaja Asif would soon make recommendations on new electricity projects in the province. He added that Asian Development Bank would take steps for investments in Thak, Chilas, Shigar, Thung, Henzel, Attabad power projects. (Baad-e-Shimal)
6. Baad-e-Shimal has criticised Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Speaker for putting the Skardu Road project to retendering. “Now this game of tenders should be stopped and actual construction should start to provide relief to the people”. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)