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

AFGHANISTAN
1. As a part of ‘Omari Operation’, Afghan Taliban has attacked the Bagram airport with heavy weapons, and claimed it has inflicted multiple casualties. They also attacked a convoy and killed two American troops. In addition, Taliban had gained control of various chowkies in 10 villages of Badakhshan province and killed 15 Afghan troops in another part of Afghanistan. Taliban had claimed that they had used anti-aircraft and other weapons. (Ummat)

2. Afghan government official has confirmed that at least 30 Afghan Policemen had joined Taliban in the Baghlan province and that the defectors had also taken away 25 rifles with them. (Ummat)

3. Speaking with ‘Ummat’, former COAS, Gen. (Retd.) Mirza Aslam Beg, said that Mullah Mansoor had to seek apology from the Taliban leadership after having initiated talks last year with the Afghan government, i.e. indirectly with the US, as the acceptance of negotiation was disobedient to the instructions of former Taliban chief Mullah Omar. Taliban’s policy has changed now as they would continue jihad till the complete exit of the occupation forces. In addition, Taliban also wants to remove the UN-imposed sanctions on them, and only then they could think about negotiations. Now there are no differences in Taliban and they are united under the leadership of Mullah Mansoor, with Mullah Omar’s son, Mullah Yaqoob, being the head of the military wing. (Ummat)

UNITED STATES
1. In an interview with ‘Ummat’, former COAS, Gen. (Retd.) Mirza Aslam Beg said: American’s focus has shifted from Central Asia to East Asia, as China’s influence in Central Asia increased after reduction of US presence in Afghanistan and in view of the CPEC. The US wanted to counter Chinese influence and Panama leak was brought into the media for the same reason. COAS Raheel Sharif has been trying to expose Indian conspiracies against Pakistan since the last 8 years, but after the arrest of the Indian agent it had now been verified that India had established its networks in Afghanistan and that agencies of the allied forces were working and supporting the Indian agency. (Ummat)

INDIA
1. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, has rejected Indian propaganda that minorities are not safe in Pakistan. He said all minorities in Pakistan are protected. Speaking at the central ceremony of Baisakhi festival, Yousuf further said that Pakistan is the second home for the Sikhs. (Ummat)

2. Arif Bahar refers to the ‘Logistic Exchange Agreement’ which was scheduled to be signed between India and US, and says, India has become a close ally of the US from the time the two had signed the Strategic Partnership agreement. He writes that after Israel, Indian interests were important for US policy. Bahar writes that India was afraid of China’s increasing power in the South China Sea and the IOR and this deal was made to increase India’s might to counter Chinese objectives. According to him, while this deal is a cause for concern for China, it is also alarming for Pakistan. (Jasarat)

ARMY/SECURIY FORCES
1. Daily Pak has welcomed COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif’s determination to make Karachi peaceful. The daily urged people to support the good cause. (Daily Pak Edit)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed has said that those blaming Islam for terrorism did not know the real spirit of Islam. The ISIS was created to avenge the West’s humiliating defeat in Afghanistan and that the satanic powers were trying to create anarchy in the entire Muslim world. In addition, he also claimed that due to the JuD and Falah-i-Insaaniyat’s relief activities in Balochistan, the people were organising rallies in favour of Pakistan. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Ummat)

POLITICAL SCENE –PANAMA PAPERS
1. Ausaf Editorial says Prime Minister Sharif left for London just a few days after he addressed the nation. People wants to know about his illness which could not be treated in Pakistan. The PPP decision of neither demanding PM’s resignation nor joining the PTI-led sit-in in Raiwind is no more than diplomatic. (Ausaf Edit)

2. Khabrain takes the opposition to task for not playing a responsible and constructive role in the Panama Leaks issue. Instead of criticising and underlining government’s mistakes, they are only trying to derail the government. The daily asks the Opposition to make meaningful and suggestions to unravel the truth. (Khabrain Edit)

3. More than three dozen TV channels in Pakistan have continuously been telecasting reports and stories on the Panama leaks and related matters. Gravity of the matter is evident from the fact that there are serious doubts about the involvement of the Sharif family, which has led the government to be defensive. The way the government and ministers look scared and highly charged on this issue only speaks volumes about the fact that there is a lot more than meets the eye. The question now remains as to whether this matter will die out like previous such instances or will it set some new precedents. (Ibrat Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Khabrain Edit, Ausaf Edit)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Release of Dr. Asim was conditional on the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Zardari. (Khabrain)

2. Nazir Naji criticise the high-handedness of the ruling party, and says the likes of PML (N) and Chottu gang had the licence to make money by any means. Even the JI is free to label anyone an infidel at its own sweet will. (Roznama Dunya)

PUNJAB
1. Roznama Dunya notes with regret the death of police men in the operation against the criminal gang in South Punjab. The operation initially started as a joint ops of the Police, Rangers, and Army but soon it became an enterprise of the Punjab police on the insistence of Punjab administration. Lack of experience coupled with absence of preparation required for such an ops have resulted in the tragedy. (Roznama Dunya Edit)

SINDH
1. There is no doubt about the Rangers operations yielding results in Karachi, as crime in the city has more or less been contained now. Yet it is too early to say that there is total control over law and order in the city. Although the life has started getting back on track, there is still some need for effective mechanism to deal with the issue of outsiders illegally migrating to Karachi. Additionally, ethnic and sectarian bias also needs to be handled and crushed. Since Karachi is the hub of economic activity, law and order is a must and therefore Karachi operations must continue without any let up and discrimination. (Awami Awaz Edit, Kawish Edit)

2. Naseer Memon writes that if the government’s priorities include making only the chosen few rich instead of focussing on developmental projects for the larger population, then conditions were bound to be as poor as were being witnessed across Sindh. He states that according to all the indicators of human progress, Sindh was on the decline when compared to other provinces (except Balochistan), and that corruption and the worst form of governance had added to Sindh’s woes. (Kawish)

POK/ G-B NEWS
1. As Gilgit-Baltistan government has been strictly adhering to jobs on merit principle, unemployment has increased. It is necessary therefore to create more vacancies and relax the recruitment rules. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

2. Central leader of Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen, Allama Ameen Shaheedi, said that separatist movements would strengthen if Gilgit-Baltistan was not given constitutional rights. He added that G-B people are fighting for their rights for the past 68 years and their desperation is increasing day by day. (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Khurshid Shah, said the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan is worsening due to natural calamities. He asked the government to declare a food emergency in the province due to the closure of the Karakoram Highway. (Baad-e-Shimal)

4. Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Speaker Fida Nashad said that any member of the assembly selling his or her vote votes would be barred from Council Elections. (Baad-e-Shimal)

5. Deputy Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, Jafar ullah Khan, said that PML-N would hold talks with the Islamic Tehrik for seat adjustments in the Council elections. He said that the Islamic Tehrik understood the politics of conciliation. If talks were successful, then PML (N) would get five seats while the Islamic Tehrik would get one seat. He said that the Chief Minister has taken all members into confidence in the selection of PML-N candidates for the council poll. (Daily K2)