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

HUMAN RIGHTS
1. Political and social activists have voiced concern over more cases of missing persons surfacing every day. Speaking in a Geo TV programme, Farhat Allah Babbar and others said that the missing persons issue is beyond political gains. There are some forces that do not want Parliament and political parties to function. Amina Masood Janjua of the Defence of Human Rights said that the government’s attitude is negative. They have received 179 missing people’s cases so far. Former Balochistan Chief Minister, Abdul Malik Baloch said that some persons are being abducted on the charge of being informers for Baloch organisations. (Awami Awaz)

2. Vice chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Mama Qadir Baloch said that Balochis’ rights are violated since many years. Their organisation has protested against that through various means but their voice is not being heard. He urged that human rights organisations should raise their voice against the genocide of the Balochs. (Urdupoint)

CHINA
1. Tariq Fatemi, PM’s special aide, has clarified that no contact has been made with Russia for joining the CPEC. He also stated that Pakistan will continue political and moral support of Kashmiris. (Jasarat)

US/UK/RUSSIA
1. President Barack Obama in his farewell speech said the US is safer after 9/11. It is true that no incident like 9/11 has happened but the entire world has come under the fire of terrorism and the US is responsible for it. (Daily Pak Edit)

AFGHANISTAN/SAUDI ARABIA
1. Surprising indeed is the allegation by Afghanistan and US that Pakistan is responsible for the Kandahar attack. The attack took place shortly after the dialogue between Pakistan, China and Russia held in Moscow. Pakistan and other countries are making a new and comprehensive roadmap for peace in Afghanistan. The US does not want formation of new grouping; hence it did not attend the Moscow conference. If peace prevailed in Afghanistan, there would be no need of the NATO forces. In this situation the timing of the Kandahar attack is not an ordinary thing. The Afghan leadership should remember that 12 Indian consulates are established in Afghanistan to provide training to spread terrorism. The heads of banned outfits of Pakistan are living on the Afghan soil. Pakistan should review its foreign policy, give priority to its national interest and make Afghanistan aware that fighting against terrorism is not the work of Pakistan alone. (Khabrain Edit)

2. Taking part in a Dunya program, defence analysts, Lt. Gen. (retd) Talat Masood and Maj. Gen. (retd) Mohd Mansha said Taliban are becoming more powerful in Afghanistan with Afghan government pampering Indian terrorist agencies. The Afghan government and the army are getting weaker. (Roznama Dunya)

INDIA
1. For the first time in many years, India wants to import wheat from Pakistan. Indian traders have made contacts with Pakistani traders and they in turn, made contacts with Department of Food for sale of 5 to 10 lakh tons of wheat to India through Wagah.. They also sought permission to offer at $165 per ton. But the Department of Food has turned down this request saying it will consider a reasonable price which will not hurt Pakistani consumers and economy. (Jinnah)

2. For the third time China has vetoed India’s resolution in the UNSC against JeM Chief Maulana Masood Azhar. This was done on technical grounds and since then Indian officials have continued their rant against China. Indian Home Ministry and External Affairs Ministry have stated that the stance of China is equal to patronizing ‘terrorism’. India has not been able to provide any concrete evidence supporting its allegations against Masood; hence it has not got a decision in its favour. In contrast, there is no need to prove violation of basic human rights by India in Kashmir and India’s effort to suppress demand of right to self-determination by use of force. The international organizations have repeatedly notified atrocities of India on people of Kashmir. In addition, a major region between China and India is also disputed on which they had fought a war. (Al Qalam Weekly, 12-18 January)

INDIA – WATER
1. Sindh National Movement would start a protest against India’s water terrorism and will agitate against India constructing dams on Indus River despite the Indus Water Treaty. (Baad-e-Shimal)

ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
General (Retd) Raheel Sharif has accepted the Command of 39 Nations Islamic Army Alliance. Under Article 259 (1), no Pakistani citizen has a right to accept any title outside the county without a NOC from the Pakistan Government. Raheel Sharif did not make any application to the government for a NOC. Though he is a revered Army General for Pakistan, he is not above the law and he should follow due process of law. Raheel Sharif’s acceptance of the command of the Islamic Army Alliance is not a matter confined to him alone; it could directly affect Pakistan’s foreign policy. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

2. Jamiat-e-Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan Chief and Senator Prof. Sajid Mir said that there is a need of an Islamic NATO. Those who talk against the Islamic military alliance are quiet on barbarism of the NATO forces. Saudi Arabia is the actual target of attack under the guise of criticising General (retd.) Raheel Sharif. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)

3. The office of the spokesman for Pakistan Army has come out with a statement on the Army Chief’s recent visit to central command headquarters and also to Rangers’ office at Para in Jhelum. On this occasion, the COAS was given a briefing on the operational preparedness. The army officers at Jhelum raised the issue of delay in the findings of the enquiry into controversial Dawn newspaper leak about a meeting on national security presided by Nawaz Sharif during former COAS’ time. They also raised the issue of Punjab Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah’s comment that the performance of army courts was not satisfactory. The COAS gave detailed replies on both these issues, the statement said but gave no details of what the Army Chief’ had said in his replies. (Sindh Express)

3. Possibility of tensions in the relations between the civilian government and the Army has arisen because of the delay in the investigation of Dawn leaks case. The reservations of army over statements of few ruling party politicians have also come to light. This issue was raised for the first time during COAS tour of Jhelum where army official questioned him as to why investigation have not been completed till now. Army officials also complained against the statements of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on military courts. COAS Bajwa said that the pride and honour of army will be protected. (Ummat-Jasarat)

4.Pakistan’s Naval Chief, Admiral Zakaullah, on a visit to Qatar, met Qatar’s state minister for defence, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad-ul-Atiya and discussed defence cooperation and joint collaboration. (Urdupoint)

5. Sunni Ittehad Council Chief Hamid Raza said that without extension of the Military Courts controlling terrorism is not possible. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

6. PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan, who is also a leading jurist, strongly rejected any extension to army courts. The government has earlier promised to bring reforms in the justice system but has failed to fulfil it. (Awami Awaz)

7. Nuclear scientist Samar Mubarak has said as a result of Babur-3 missile test Pakistan has become capable of responding to atomic attacks through sea routes. In an interview to channel- 5, he said in case Pakistan’s opponents destroyed its atomic weapons, they will be attacked back through sea routs. (Khabrain)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. JUI-S Chief Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said that he regards Taliban as his children and he is proud of Jihadis in Afghanistan. He was addressing Tahfuz-e-Ulema Madaris conference at Parda Bagh (Peshawar). (Khabrain)

SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. The federal Home Ministry has pushed the ball back into the Sindh government court on the question of banning some more madrasas. In a communication the Ministry told the Sindh government that the list of madrasas provided for banning was incomplete. Neither complete address of such madrasas was provided nor were reasons for the ban offered. The Sindh government is either trying to hide its own failures vis-à-vis the National Action Plan or has some political agenda behind the list. (Sindh Express)

2. Hanif Manjothi in a special report writes: Following the federal Home Ministry’s dissatisfaction with Sindh government’s report on madrasas whose names it had sought to be included in the Fourth Schedule for indulging in negative activities, Sindh Home Ministry has asked the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) to prepare a fresh list madrasas and people indulging in nefarious activities. One of focal officer appointed for this task stated that earlier Sindh police used to include suspected persons’ names in their respective areas, but notification issued by Home Ministry has now empowered the CTD to monitor the Fourth Schedule and recheck the names. Following these directions, the CTD has written a letter to the Home Ministry seeking files giving details of the Fourth Schedule and also on the controversial madrasas. These files have now been received by the CTD and the department has now set up its teams to proceed with the assignment given to it. Mazhar Mushwani is in charge of the CTD unit for Karachi. (Sindh Express)

3. As long as class-based education is not done away with, and education in rural and urban parts is standardised, children across country in general and in Sindh in particular will continue to be neglected. And society will not make any progress. Right from traffic laws to laws relating to literacy should be implemented and anything coming in the way should be fought against. Things can change for the better only when something practical is taken up. Once upon a time, youth in Sindh were getting killed at the hands of militants; now they are getting killed in road rage and reckless driving. (Awami Awaz Edit)

POLITICAL SCENE
1. The PPP may hit the roads on the Panama issue. The party senior and Senator Farhat Allah Babbar said whatever PPP does now in pursuit of Bilawal’s four demands will be carried out inside and outside Parliament. He asked what is wrong if Nawaz Sharif makes someone else the PM in his place (Awami Awaz)

2. Senior politician Hussain Haroon says: the plight of Sindhis will be akin to Palestinians’ if they do not close ranks and stand up unitedly. The condition of Sindhis is worsening day- by – day. If Sindhis do not get wise now, they will be lost in the influx of outsiders heading to Sindh and such a situation will be worse than conditions of Palestinians. Militancy in Karachi has come down because the establishment is taking action. If the establishment goes soft, militancy will rear its head again in Karachi. (Sindh Express)

3. During his Balochistan visit, JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed met JWP Chief Shah Zain Bugti. He convinced Bugti that he himself would take the message to every corner of Pakistan to end all the misconceptions about Balochistan and the Baloch community. Pakistan is in a state of war and unity amongst all sects of Pakistan is essential to face external aggressions. Saeed further said that JuD would continue to support CPEC and all other developmental projects in Balochistan and Balochistan should get its rights. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

POK/G-B NEWS
1. Parliamentary Law Secretary Aurangzeb said that Gilgit-Baltistan is not a part of Kashmir and Federal minister Barjees Tahir’s comment in this regard is of no importance. (Daily K2)

2. Gilgit-Baltistan Government has failed to get approval for 500 strong counter terrorism force from PM Secretariat and Finance Division despite much hue and cry. CTF was already functioning in all the four provinces of Pakistan. (Baad-e-Shimal)