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, Pk Voices.

CHINA –CPEC

1. Frustrated with the progress of the CPEC project, Indian agencies have once again become active, reports a private TV Channel. They have made plans to create spread unrest in Balochistan. They have also planned destabilisation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwah. (Daily Intekhab)

UNITED STATES

1. US embassy’s vehicles entered security route formed for federal Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan when he was returning home from Kashmir highway. Nisar Ali Khan took notice of the incident and warned American embassy against such breach. (Khabrain, Ausaf)

2. Munir Ahmad Baloch has criticised that Government of Pakistan has leaked the conversation between US President- elect Donald Trump and PM Nawaz Sharif. This has caused humiliation to Pakistan and to Pakistanis living abroad. (Roznama Dunya)

3. Arif Bahar writes: US Army Commander General John Nicolson dubs the Haqqani Network as a major threat and claims that this terrorist group is getting nurtured in Pakistan. The US’ policy has failed in Afghanistan but it is not ready to review it, much less confess the failure. But the US is doing anything for increasing Pak role to end the Afghan crisis. The government in Kabul is not having any credibility amid the people of Afghanistan. Last 16 years have seen only destruction in Afghanistan. (Jasarat)

 AFGHANISTAN  

1. A Pakistani banner posted at Pak-Afghan border says fromJanuary 1^st 2017, Passport will be compulsory for going to and coming from Afghanistan. Only an ID card will not be sufficient. (Jang)

2. It is wrong on the part of Afghanistan PM Ashraf Ghani to speak against Pakistan at the Heart of Asia Conference. He did this only to please his Indian friend Modi. India targeted Pakistan as expected. India should be given jaw breaking reply. Foreign Advisor Sartaj Aziz had a constructive talk but India continued its destructive attitude. (Daily K2 Edit, Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

3. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani is a former professor of Colombia University. He was on the pay roll of CIA. Hence Pakistan will have to look beyond him. To break Delhi- Kabul alliance, one option is formation of an ‘Interim Taliban government’ in Afghanistan. To begin with such a government can be established in some Afghan areas. If there is a friendly government in the neighbourhood, it will also help the CPEC. China will have to be convinced of this proposition. (Ummat)

INDIA

1. India did not allow Pakistan’s foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz to visit the Golden Temple and address a press conference during his visit to Amritsar for the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. India thus violated the ‘Vienna Convention’. The international community should take notice of it. Indian attitude compelled Sartaj Aziz to return home before schedule. Russia’s support to Pakistan for opposing India’s biased attitude indicates possibility of formation of a new bloc in the future in South Asia. Despite India’s continued aggressive attitude, Pakistan attended ‘Heart of Asia’ conference; this is an effort to bringing peace. Due to the US’ support, no one is opposing India, despite a large number of separatist movements within India. Pakistan should adopt a strong foreign policy to meet the current challenges. Afghan President made allegation against Pakistan. The government of Pakistan should make him aware that terrorism in Pakistan is linked with Afghanistan. Kulbhushan Yadav should be presented as a case before the international media. The world community should be taken into confidence over India’s interference in Karachi and Balochistan. (Khabrain Edit)

2. China and Russia have rejected the charges of India and Afghanistan against Pakistan. PM Modi tried to deceive the world by warmly greeting Sartaj Aziz at his dinner to delegates of ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. India violated the Geneva Convention by not giving permission to Aziz to hold a press conference. India’s actual face was exposed at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. (Ausaf Edit)

3. ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference was used by India and Afghanistan with support from the US as a platform to hurl allegations against Pakistan. Their effort did not succeed though. Sartaj Aziz very patiently avoided counter allegations. (Jang Edit)
4. Karachi JuD Chief Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi said that demolition of Babri Mosque was a blot on the face of so called democratic India. Muslims cannot forget tyranny of lunatic Hindus who had demolished Babri Mosque. Those who talk a lot about peace have forgotten diplomatic niceties’ in Amritsar at the time of ‘Heart of Asia’ conference. If India cannot tolerate Muslims, then Muslims should be given freedom. After Modi came to power, terrorism has increased in India. One cannot expect any humility from extremist Hindus. (Jasarat)

5. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Quereshi says Pakistan’s foreign policy has failed and it came to fore at the ‘Heart of Asia’ meeting. Qureshi, who is a former Foreign Minister, Pakistan officials had put up a weak defence of the country even as India and Afghanistan had launched a frontal attack on Pakistan. If this scenario continues, Pakistan might lose its image in the region. There is not much awareness about the Kashmir issue because of the flop foreign policy of Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)

6. Javed Hafeez writes: the jail break in Punjab shows that Khalistan movement is alive in India. For any separatist movement mass support and foreign help are required which is lacking for the Khalistan movement. Pakistan has never directly helped the Khalistan movement in past. When in 1981 Khalistani militants had hijacked Indian plane and landed in Lahore, the Pakistani commandoes had entered in the plane in the guise of cleaners and arrested all the militants. India had thanked Pakistan then. Later Pakistani court had given life imprisonment to all the militants involved in the hijack. There are many smaller separatist movements within India that are spread from Odisha to Kashmir. Simultaneously India’s capacity to counter these separatist movements has also increased in few decades. (Roznama Dunya)

7. At GEO News program, senior analyst Najam Sethi said that India failed to isolate Pakistan at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference, as Iran and Russia did not support India. He added that Sartaj Aziz will not take any step without consulting the PM Sharif and ISI. There are many problems at the Western and Eastern borders for the Army Chief. (Jang)

8. According to Amjad Shoeb, Imtiyaz Alam, Shehzad Chaudhry, Babar Sattar, Hasan Nisar, and Niyazi, and other senior analysts said not attending the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference could have conveyed a negative message that Pakistan is not serious for peace. Declaration of ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference is a charge sheet against Pakistan. It is now clear that Pakistan is isolated. Sartaj Aziz could have said a lot more but he did not prepare fully for the conference. (Jang)

9. Zia Shahid says Sartaj Aziz should have represented Pakistan’s views openly in India. Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul Haq also criticized that Aziz’s visit has dented Pakistan’s image. (Ausaf, Khabrain)

10. Retired Air Marshal Shahid Latif said that India does not leave any opportunity to malign Pakistan at any conference. It did the same thing at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. Relying on pack of lies, India is spreading propaganda against Pakistan. (Urdupoint)

11. JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed said that the relief is being provided for the people affected by India’s firing at the LoC. Relief worth Rs 1 crore has been sent from Islamabad to benefit 3,500 families. He termed Sartaj Aziz’s visit to India as an insult to Pakistan. Instead of going to Muzaffarabad and addressing the people there, the PM shouldwork for the uplift of Kashmiris. Instead of trade with India, relief aids should be sent from Chakothi.  (Khabrain, Ausaf)

12. AJK PTI has stayed a demonstration against Indian atrocities and asked Pakistan to scrap the ‘Shimla Pact’ which has lost its importance. (Daily Dharti)

13. Thousands of Kashmiris led by Barrister Sultan Mehmood held protest demonstration in Islamabad to express solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They shouted slogans like, ‘India quit Kashmir’, and ‘We will achieve freedom’. Sultan Mehmood said that their protests coincide with the protest call APHC has given in Srinagar. Pakistani government should give up meek attitude and express bold support for the Kashmiris. It should declare ending of ‘Simla Agreement’. Next year, in the Million March, we will break the ceasefire-line. (Urdupoint)

14. AJK President Sardar Masood Khan visited Kotli, the area which frequently comes under attack by Indian forces. He met former Prime Minister and senior Vice President of PML (N) Sardar Sikandar Hayat at his residence. The President agreed to give sustenance allowance to those affected by Indian attacks on the LoC. He announced that Prime Minister Sharif would announce a package for war affected in Muzaffarabad on 7^th December. (Daily Dharti)

ARMY/SECURITY FORCES

1. COAS General Qamar Bajwa will soon tour Saudi Arabia for performing Umra. He will meet top civilian and military leadership. (Ummat)\

2. Pakistan has handed over four Super Mushtaq jets to Nigeria at a special ceremony in Abuja. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Jang, Urdupoint)

3. China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) Commander met the Pakistan’s Army Chief at Rawalpindi. . Both discussed regional security issues. General Bajwa assured him that the CPEC project would be provided with complete security. (Urdupoint)

4. Navy chief Admiral Zakaullah met PM and discussed Navy’s professional matters. Nawaz Sharif praised Navy’s services to the nation. (Urdupoint)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM

         1. CTD has raided Qadiyani Jamaat office in Chenab Nagar and seized two computers and various magazines. Three persons were arrested on the charge that they were spreading religious hatred through newspapers, magazines and the Internet. Office of Qadiyani Jamaat’s daily newspaper, Al Fazal, has been sealed.  (Jang)

2. Daniyal Pirzada, a third year student in Sociology, was picked up by the intelligence officials in plain clothes who had come on motor cycle to the arts faculty of Sindh University, Yamshero. He was whisked away to some undisclosed place. At that time Pirzada was coming to the university to appear for his examination. He is believed to be press secretary of student wing of Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, one of the banned Sindh nationalist organisations. He is charged with distributing handbills/pamphlets along with his two friends. But Pirzada’s family told the media that he has nothing to do with Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz. His father is a farmer. He said his son is a rank holder and added that police and the intelligence agency officials can check the fact with the university. The family said it will be injustice to hold Pirzada for no reason. (Sindh Express)

3. Al-Khidmat Foundation distributed wheelchairs to 400 disabled persons. (Urdupoint)

4. Al-Khair Foundation distributed winter packets to over 3000 deserving families. (Urdupoint

ECONOMY/POWER/WATER

1. Confusion continues at Thar against the proposed small dam, Ghorano dam. People from Islamkot to Karachi are agitating against the dam for over a month. Yet, the government is not listening to the protest because of its commitment to Thar coal project. Keeping in view the future requirements and local apprehensions, the government should review the program. (Sindh Express Edit)

2. Bhisham Kotak in his article, ‘Who is going to benefit from black gold at Thar, says protests have begun from the very day the locals were made ready to receive compensation and leave their ancestral homes. Water in the area is hard and saline as tests conducted at reputed labs abroad showed. Its TDS quantity is about 5000 PPM. The test report has been put on a Facebook page by Global Environmental Laboratory, a local lab of Karachi. Despite protests, if basic parameters of one very important element are not available, who can say with certainty that the chemicals and other dangerous elements in the water are not beyond permissible limits. (Kawish)

3. Dilip Doshi on ‘Thar coal project’ says: the Thar Project on which about 300 Chinese engineers are working, is located in a water scarcity area. The project needs as much as 35 million gallons of water to extract 3.5 million tons of coal annually. It means about 100000 gallons a day. Sindh government has assured Chinese company of 300000 gallons of water every day. Since the ground water is hard and saline, several RO plants have been set up to meet the requirements. The RO plant at Mathi city (Thar), which is Asia’s largest, has failed. People in this belt somehow have learnt to survive with whatever quality of water they get. If any tampering is done with quality of water, there will be civil unrest. People will fight with each other for water. This is just the beginning of troubles for the locals. The development works can become a big threat to the entire region. There should be organised, strong and durable socio-political movement to protect the natural resources at Thar. (Sindh Express)

SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB

1. Anticipatory bail to the former Sindh Police Chief has been extended from Dec 5 to Dec 10 by the Sindh High Court bench which s hearing a case of irregularities in police recruitment and fund mutualisation. This followed the absence of advocates from both the sides. NAB is investigating the case. The charge is that 2800 persons were recruited illegally in the Sindh police. (Kawish)

2. Sindh Governor’s condition is critical and he is on a ventilator.. His lungs are increasingly unable to produce oxygen. The doctors have advised transplant. Since he is about 80 year old, transplant is rather risky. Moreover, Pakistan has no lung transplant facility. It can be done only in the US, UK or India. (Awami Awaz)

3. Naseem Bukhari says poor governance record of Sindh government and the flak it has received from the court has made the PPP confrontationist. There is limit to everything but the Sindh government has crossed all the limits with regard to irregularities and nepotism. PPP’s good times under Bhutto’s are a record of the past. There is corruption in every government department. Displaced Sindhis from the interiors, who had come to Karachi during 2010 floods are not getting regular accommodation. Yet the Sindh government is reportedly regularising over hundred colonies of Bengalis in the city. Sindhis have no good leader to address their grievances. PPP is trying to get rid of the Sindh Police IG for no reason. Attempts are also being made to get rid of Sindh advocate general. It is trying to replace Karachi additional IG too. However there is no reason for the Sindh Government to do so.   Probably Sindh government is doing all this deliberately. It may be thinking that the judiciary may find its act reason enough to suspend the Sindh government and thus enable the PPP to present itself as victim of judiciary’s highhandedness. A sympathy wave can sweep the party in the next elections. But the fact is PPP has not done anything good to get a new. (Ibrat)

4. Big fire at Karachi hotel yesterday killed 12 people and injured about 100. There is need for strict laws that make it mandatory for high rise structures to have facilities to deal with such emergencies. (Kawish Edit, Ibrat Edit, Khabrain Edit)

POLITICAL SCENE 

1. Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul Haq said that the rulers are trying to suppress dissent. PM seems to have forgotten that when his party men deserted him, it was the media that stood by him. These rulers have been nurtured by dictators and therefore are dictatorial in their style of functioning. Entire channel cannot be blamed for mistake of just one person. The Dawn cannot be blamed for the mistake of its one reporter. Let this suppression of media channels stop or else there will be protests against the government. (Awami Awaz)

POK/G-B NEWS

1. Former CM of Gilgit-Baltistan, Mehdi said that if we don’t get its share of benefits, CPEC will not be allowed to pass through Gilgit-Baltistan. (Jasarat)

2. The government has done the right thing by giving to sanction for Diamer Bhasha dam. It is now necessary to complete the dam as per schedule. (Jang Edit)

3. Newly elected independent candidate, Maulana Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi has announced joining JUI-F.  (Urdupoint)