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, Sindh Express.

QUETTA ATTACK
1. Though ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack on Quetta’s police training centre, Frontier Corpse (FC) authorities say the perpetrator was Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). The assailants got directions from Afghanistan, according to them. Religious groups were promoted to crush nationalist movements in Balochistan and this has made it easy for them to become big. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s Alami faction is said to be behind the latest Quetta attack. This faction of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi came up following disintegration of the LeJ. Other fundamentalist groups that emanated from LeJ include: Asian Tigers Jundallah and Jindal Hafaz. Terror and fundamentalist groups have held law and order and peace hostage from Karachi to Khyber Pakhtunkhwah, yet the networks of these militant and religious groups keep getting stronger be it in Balochistan or Sindh or even in other parts of the country. Major factors playing a contributory role for more terror and fundamentalist acts in Pakistan are factors ranging from CPEC, growing Indo-Pak tensions, growing Pakistan-Afghanistan tension and worsening internal conditions. On the one hand it is claimed that a lot is being done against militancy in Pakistan and on the other hand, these terror and fundamentalist elements strike back with such power that all efforts of law keeping machinery just go in vain. It is time to call spade a spade; there cannot be a good or bad militant. When the country is in a state of war, operations are going on how terror attacks can keep taking place from Peshawar to Karachi and Quetta and on school children, advocates and the Ismaili community. These matters must be thoroughly investigated and findings should be made public. (Awami Awaz Edit)
2. The latest Quetta attack brings up front the Indian PM’s threat that Pakistan will be wounded where it feels more pain. The Pakistan government apart from its efforts at controlling terrorism should do more to stop India’s anti-Pakistan conspiracies. (Khabrain Edit)
3. From the new Quetta attack, it appears that terrorism cannot be rooted out properly from Balochistan. Pakistani forces should take more effective steps to control terrorism. The police and other security officials are engaged these days in the security of political leaders than sensitive places like police training centres, and hospitals. A thorough search and combing operation should be conducted in Balochistan. India is providing training and money to banned outfits in the Saryab region. (Ausaf Edit)
4. Unfortunately Balochistan is entangled in several problems at the same time. Angry Baloch rebels have gone into hiding in the mountains, and have locked horns with the government. Sectarian violence is also on the rise with Hazara community as the major target. The latest terror strike gives the impression that there is no sense of safety and security in Balochistan. Only two months ago, several advocates had paid with their lives following the terror attack on them. Militants want to implant fear phobia among the youth and discourage them from joining the Army. Militants will not succeed in their mission. The way Peshawar public school attack had created a mass awareness against the militants, the attack at Quetta police training centre will also create awareness and hatred against militants. The only reason militants succeed is because of some lacunae in the security arrangement, which must be plugged. (Ibrat Edit)
5. Every time there is an attack, high level meetings take place and the decisions are taken to step up security and vigil as it happened this time around too in the aftermath of the attack on Quetta training school. Has the government ever tried to know how do people react to these meetings? All that the government does in the aftermath of such tragedies is hold meetings. It seems people do not seem to be much important to the rulers because they just keep holding meetings. We are writing this with heavy heart because we do not know if all that is being written in the edit has any importance and meaning for the government? Whatever it is, how long can authorities keep blaming others for every attack taking place in the country? This time, it is being said that the militants who were behind the attack at the Quetta centre were controlled from Afghanistan. Does it make any difference as to from where these terrorists come and who controls them? Enemy is enemy, be it within the country or from across the borders. All that matters and that makes the difference is how much are we alert and vigilant in safeguarding our own people. Was there any security arrangement, be it at its walls or within the centre to meet with any sudden attack? If we look at these aspects, we get sad reply saying no such arrangements were made at this centre for any sudden attack. Hence, most of all we need to check if we lag behind on any security related aspect. We need to also ask if there is any need to change our strategies in the fight against terror. If we honestly look into these aspects, all truth will be before us and it will help us check repeated attacks from enemies of the country. (Sindh Express Edit)
6. Terror attack in Quetta was the work of RAW and NDS; the neighbouring country tries a big act of terror every three months. Stern action is the only way to end the terrorism. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
7. Military analysts say the attack on Quetta police training centre is a conspiracy of the Indian and Afghan agencies. Former Lieutenant General Amjad Shoib, Brigadier (Retd) Asif Haroon and Brigadier (Retd) Sayyad Nazir have said that India has made a heavy investment in anti-Pakistan groups in Afghanistan. There is clearly an Indian hand which is using Afghanistan against Pakistan and even the US is a part of the conspiracy to get hold of Pakistan’s nukes. On the other hand Former Brigadier Sayyed Nazir said that Afghan agency is supporting base camps of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Ahrar-e-Hind and other groups in Afghanistan. India had carried out indirect surgical strike upon Pakistan and this is an effort to divert the attention from Kashmir. India is taking revenge on General Raheel Sharif for foiling India’s plan in Kashmir. (Ummat)
8. JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed has accused the Indian government and its secret agencies of involvement in the Quetta attack. India is conspiring to divert the attention of the international community from its own aggression in Kashmir. (Ausaf)
9. Daesh owing the responsibility of PTC attack is an effort to mislead the investigations. Reliable sources have said that CIA and RAW official are using the TTP groups in Afghanistan against Pakistan. The main purpose of this attack is to sabotage the CPEC. (Ummat)
10, ISI Commander Brigadier Khalid Fareed said that the terror attack on Quetta Police Academy was planned in New Delhi. RAW used NDS to give the task to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). He added that the NDS is running a terror training camp in Spin Boldak. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)
11. A high level meeting attended by the PM and the Army Chief at Balochistan Governor’s house discussed the attack on the police training centre in Quetta. The meeting decided to take effective action against a banned group. India meddling in Balochistan affairs will be taken up with India and Afghanistan at the Foreign Ministry level. Senior officials were reprimanded for not taking strong and effective security measures at the police training centre. PM Nawaz Sharif fumed over CM of Balochistan for not putting CCTV cameras in city to make it safer. When it was known that a major terrorist incident would take place, why strict steps were not taken, he asked the Balochistan CM. (Ummat, Jasarat, Roznama Dunya, and Sindh Express)
12. Spokesperson of the Balochistan government, Anwar-ul-Haq Kakad, has admitted that the security at the Police Training Camp was not exemplary. In view of prevailing situation, security should have been extraordinary. High alert was sounded during Muharram. Afterwards security became normal which the terrorists took advantage of and attacked the PTC. (Daily Intekhab)
13. Hassan Askari, a defence expert, says though militancy has come down during the past two years in Balochistan, the Quetta PTC strike shows militants are still around looking out for soft targets. There is need to find out who are the supporters of the militants, who is funding them and who trains them. (Sindh Express)
14. The Difa-e-Pakistan Council Chairman and JUI-S Chief Maulana Sami-ul-Haq has condemned the Quetta attack. He said the government is unable to unmask Pakistan’s rival’s agents involved in terrorism. (Ausaf)
15. Zulfikar Bugiyo in his article, titled ‘why police training centres are unsafe?’ says it is indeed surprising that three militants sneak into police training centre with about 700 police men undergoing training, and created mayhem. Just one policeman was guard duty. He has talked to several police officers about security related issues. One officer said what happened in Quetta can happen in Karachi. During his training at Karachi police training centre, he found safety wall was too short and he and his friends used to jump the wall easily with no one noticing their movements. Even now safety walls of the police training centres at places like Larkana and Shahdadpur are not high. There is no barbed wire fencing around them. One journalist asked what are the agencies responsible for security doing and what full proof policies are made by them? It is becoming crystal clear now that it is the white collar criminals who are facilitators for current bloodshed. (Ibrat)
16. C4 chemical was used in the terror attack at the police training college in Quetta, government sources said. (Sindh Express)
CHINA
1. The Supreme Court has rejected the plea of a Chinese company to participate in the construction of Dassu dam. A three – judge bench headed by the Chief Justice delivered the ruling. The advocate for the Chinese company told the bench that WAPDA rejected their bid under the influence of the World Bank. (Kawish)
INDIA
1. JKLF Chief Yasin Malik’s wife Mishal Malik had a meeting with the Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah and demanded that her husband should be given treatment in some other country as per the Geneva Convention. She also claimed that Yasin Malik was given wrong injections deliberately to make his condition critical. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. United Jihad Council Chief Syed Salahuddin says Pakistan should close its embassy in India and snap all ties with its traditional enemy. He added that mujahideen will make Kashmir a graveyard for Indians. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Talhe As-Saif writes in his column that politicians want to make Pakistan a colony of India to protect their business interests. This country belongs to Muslims and the nationalists. (Al Qalam Weekly 21 -27 October)
4. JuD Karachi Chief Dr Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi said that Indian consulates in Afghanistan are the centres of terrorism. Destructive elements are being controlled from these centres. India is unhappy with increasing role of Pakistan in the region and hence it is trying to destabilise Pakistan. (Jasarat)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. The Commission set up by the Government of Pakistan to recover missing persons began its hearing in Quetta. Sixteen cases were heard on the first day. Of these cases, ten were from Quetta, four from Khizdar one from Qila Abdullah and one from Khairpur. At the end of the first day, four cases were removed from the list with the Commission headed by former Judge of Sindh High Court, Justice (Retd) Mohammad Gaus, saying that they did not come under the purview of missing persons. (Daily Intekhab)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. One police officer died and another injured in a remote controlled bomb blast planted at Charsadda road in Peshawar. (Sindh Express)
SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. Javed Langa in his article ‘Why Quetta is repeatedly being attacked?’ says every time, big or small attack takes place in Quetta it is Balochistan government that has to bear the brunt. Balochistan government is so weak that it after every attack it blames the neighbouring country. At the time of attack on advocates, Balochistan Chief Minister claimed that he had evidence about it. He might have evidence or not but the media has evidence about what Balochistan CM had said on September 6. The CM had said that he would construct safety wall at the police centre, Quetta. A month and a half after his statement, militants are jumping into the centre to target hundreds of policemen. The fact of the matter remains that the elected governments in Balochistan are too weak to take any stand. That is the reason they do not have any stand of their own and every time there is failure, they repeat the same narrative. This attack is an addition to list of government’s failures. An impression has started gathering momentum that the enemy countries and their agencies are behind these attacks in Quetta. It is current rulers’ soft attitudes towards the enemy country that they are losing their moral right to remain in the power. (Kawish)
2. Pildat survey states that Punjab leads other province in good governance while Sindh lags behind. 55 per cent people said country is not going on the right track; militancy, price rise and power crisis are amongst the major problems. On peoples’ trust in army, the report states that people continue to repose trust in the Army. People are not happy with the government measures to fight unemployment. (Sindh Express)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Former President General Parvez Musharraf says he wonders at the mishaps taking place every time Nawaz Sharif is in midst of troubles. Terrorists being handled by Afghanistan, India having good influence over Afghanistan, Nawaz Sharif continuing to remain in touch with the Indian Prime Minister and Sharif never taking name of Kulbhushan Yadav leads up to several doubts against Nawaz Sharif. Musharraf also said that it is shameless act on Nawaz Sharif’s part, to sacrifice national interests and future for petty personal business considerations. (Kawish)
2. Hafiz Hamdullah, JUI leader said Imran Khan and Khwaja Asif are ‘suicide bombers’. Both are doing politics over martyrdom of others. (Awami Awaz)
3. Opposition leader Khursheed Shah has warned the PTI Chief Imran Khan and PM Nawaz Sharif that they would be responsible if the military takes over power in Pakistan. (Khabrain)
4. Shuhada Foundation of Pakistan (Lal Masjid) has announced support to PTI’s Islamabad lockdown on 2nd November. PM Sharif has become a threat and getting rid of this government has become an obligation now. (Daily Pak)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. Gilgit-Baltistan government plans to invite foreign investors. It has decided to offer full proof security to investments in hydro projects, minerals, energy and other sectors. The plan has been well received and appreciated. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
2. Recommendations of the Committee on the Constitutional Status of GB are a big let-down. Without making GB a duly constituted province of Pakistan, the committee is offering lollypops. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan cannot be lured with lollypops. They will not accept anything less than constitutional status. (Daily K2 Edit)
3. Speaker of Gilgit Baltistan Assembly Haji Fida Mohammad Nashad said representation in the National Assembly and Senate is a big success. But this is not the final aim. GB should get representation in the National Assembly and Senate equal to other provinces. If this does not happen, it will be injustice to them. (K-2)
4. PTI leader Justice Sayed Jafer Shah said that recommendations of the Constitutional Committee are a joke. People will never accept them. He rejected representation to GB in the National Assembly and the Senate. He challenged the PML (N) to give Gilgit Baltistan a constitutional status if it is sincere in giving its people their rights. (K-2)
5. Government is considering consulting the International Conflict Committee on the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is said that giving Gilgit-Baltistan representation in the National Assembly or the Senate is possible. It can be done but only as observer and not as a member. It has been also decided that the Gilgit-Baltistan Council will continue functioning and the departments like minerals; forest, electricity and tourism will be under the control of the local government. (Baad-e-Shimal)
6. Sost Dry Port has been handed over to the trust after negotiations with a Chinese Firm failed. The Court ruled that the Sost Dry Port should be under the control of the trust. (Daily K2, Baad-e-Shimal)