UNITED STATES
1. Deputy Chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban (Mullah Nazir Group), Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, said that the US will not dare to attack the Haqqani network in North Waziristan; however if US does attack, then they were prepared for a counter attack. He added that under the current situation, if US will attack Pakistan then they would not blindly support Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt/Khabrain/Jinnah/Ummat/Jang)
2. US had surveillance on the APC and the resolutions passed at the conference were drafted in consultation with the US; Rehman Malik and Hussain Haqqani played a role. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial is critical of President Zardari’s article in the Washington Post wherein he suggested that the US should hold dialogue with Pakistan instead of hurling allegations. Edit is also critical of PM Gilani for stating that after APC, USA’s aggressive attitude towards Pakistan had changed. “Even if the US has softened its attitude, it is temporary, as the US continuing its efforts to harm Pakistan’s interests. It is with US support that Afghanistan is accusing Pakistan and with US support even India has not only continued its allegations but begun exhibiting its war weapons and deployed 16 fighter jets near the Pakistan border. Pakistan should establish economic trade, and defence cooperation with Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey instead of building any hopes for USA’s support. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Taliban have shot down a NATO helicopter and a drone, killed 96 allied forces and destroyed 9 tanks. The helicopter was shot down at Sarpal province. The Taliban have got control of the Wanat area of Nuristan province. (Al Qalam Weekly, 30 September-6 October)
2. Afghan president Hamid Karzai has tried to put the blame of the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani on Pakistan and by showing maps and pictures he tried to claim that the Quetta Shura had planned the assassination. …Pakistan considered Rabbani a friend. …it is the US and President Hamid Karzai who have benefited by the assassination (of Burhanuddin Rabbani). (Ausaf Edit, 2 Oct/Khabrain Edit 3 Oct)
INDIA
1. Federal Minister Ameen Faheem on his return from India said that Pakistan would accept India as the most likable state by next month. (Ummat)
2. For the first time India has allowed Pakistan to inspect two water projects on the Sindh River in J&K. A Pakistani delegation has reached Kargil to inspect these projects. (Jasarat/Nawa-i-Waqt/Daily Pak)
DEFENCE
1.Former Army Chief Gen (r) Mirza Aslam Beg claimed that former US official Richard Armitage visited his house this year in February for talks between Taliban and America and he had called Col. Imam for help. He claimed that America wanted to remove President Zardari and has also decided to change the Pakistani government. He added that very soon people would call for the Army. (Jang)
TERRORISM-EXTREMISM
1. Tehrik-e-Tahfuz Huqooq Ahele Sunnat Pakistan has taken out rallies against the death sentence of Mumtaz Qadri. (Khabrain)
2. Ulema have decided to start a full movement against the death penalty for Mumtaz Qadri. (Ummat)
3. Editorials have appeared glorifying Mumtaz Qadri and saying that lovers of the Prophet Muhammad have been angered by the court verdict against Qadri. The edits said such verdicts would create anarchy in Pakistan. (Jasarat Edit/Ummat Edit)
4. Ausaf editorial on verdict against Salman Taseer’s killer, says: the situation today is similar to that before partition when Ghazi Alim Din was awarded the death sentence for murdering a blasphemer Raj Pal. The lovers of the prophet have never denied their acts in court and they have accepted the verdict of the courts. The Qadri verdict will be probably challenged in the higher court; nobody can know how much time it will take for a final decision. (Ausaf Edit, 2 October)
5. Khabrain’s editorial on death sentence awarded to Mumtaz Qadri says the government should take notice of the factors that made people commit crimes like assassinating Salman Taseer. The government should consult with Ulemas and address the situation with their advice. (Khabrain)
5 major centres were carrying well managed relief works for flood victims. These centres distributed commodities worth Rs. 82.50 lakh the families of flood victims. (Al Qalam Weekly, 30 September-6 October)
6. Al Rahmat Trust has established a medical centre in Badin where 2255 patients have been treated so far. (Al Qalam Weekly, 30 September-6 October)
7. 500 Muftis affiliated with the Sunni Ittehad Council have issued a fatwa against the court verdict on Mumtaz Qadri, who had killed former governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, as it was against Sharia law and the Quran. (UrduPoint, 2 October)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Samiullah Husanini General Secretary of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba said that more than 1 lakh students will participate in its congregation to be held in October. (Jasarat)
2. Pakistan Railway has decided not make salary payments this month due to financial constraints. In a report, the Railway Administration has admitted that due to the failure of 144 engines, train services had come to a standstill and the department was incurring a substantial loss as a result. Thus far, the railway deficit has reportedly touched Rs. 50 billion. (Awami Awaz, 2 October)
3. Daily Pak editorial notes that National Assembly officers who have failed to submit their educational certificates have been suspended. Some of them have reportedly gone on leave which indicates their guilt. (Daily Pak Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Daily Intekhab editorial: The present federal government has vowed to settle the Balochistan issue but even after three and half years in power, it has failed to make any progress to redeem the pledge. Leaders of many Balochistan based parties did not attend the recent All Party Conference (APC) held to discuss the standoff with the US, saying that they could not sit with their killers. It is the responsibility of all political parties in Pakistan to play their part in solving the Balochistan problem and to let the Balochis take their own decisions. (Daily Intekhab Edit)
PUNJAB
1. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial notes that the addressing a rally in Multan, the Prime Minister had promised to create a separate province of South Punjab and tells him to keep off Punjab. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
SINDH
1. Protests were held across Sindh over the failure of elected representatives to support the flood affected. (Awami Awaz, 2 October)
2. A meeting of the Sindh Taraqi Pasand has voiced concern over increasing corruption and lack of governance in the country. The meeting chaired by party chief Qadir Magsi felt that the country should be reconstituted along the lines of the 1940 resolution. (Awami Awaz)
3. Ibrat editorial has supported the court verdict of death for the killer of Salman Taseer. (Ibrat Edit)
4. Awami Awaz edit: Karachi was an essential part of Sindh and any attempt to divide it should be prevented. (Awami Awaz Edit)
WATER- EMERGY- ECONOMY
1. By next month Pakistan would be in complete darkness due to the electricity shortfall. The electricity shortfall has reached 50% whereas load shedding was scheduled up to 70%. Lahore had 16 hours and Faisalabad has 18 hours load shedding; textile mills had been asked to remain closed for three days in a week. (Ummat)
2. Tarbela Dam Hydro power station will have a fourth generating unit that would take the installed capacity to 1410 MW, Engineering design has been prepared. (Jinnah)
3. GN Mughal writes in Awaz: Anti-Sindh and pro-Punjab bias are pronounced in IRSA and the 1991 treaty on water distribution in Pakistan. A Friday’s meeting of IRSA, the IRSA chief, who hails from Punjab, was opposed to releasing water from Kotri and championed the demand for Kalabagh dam. (Awami Awaz, 2 October)
4. Dealing with water issue in Kawish, columnist Qurban Baloch says: IRSA chairman, Rao Irshad Ali Khan, who hails from Punjab, has said that water from Kotri was being wasted and demanded a water reservoir of 22 MAF be built. IRSA has also indicated that provinces will get water during Rabi not as per the 1991 treaty but as per their requirements. The IRSA chief also told the media that water availability for rabi will be 34 MAF while the requirement was of 36 MAF; and of this 22 MAF will be taken from rivers/sea and 12 MAF from dams. He also told media between agriculture and power generation, IRSA gave priority to agriculture. During the Kharif season only one lakh cusec of water was used for hydel power. There has been less generation of hydel power (1500 MW less), and there are likely to be more power cuts now. Noor Mohammad Baloch, former IRSA chief, said that IRSA statistics were cooked up and all this was aimed at making a case for building the Kalabagh dam. He said when just 10 MAF water was not being released into Kotri, where was the question of water being wasted? Farmers’ representative bodies said that due to floods, there was less water in Sindh during the Kharif season and this should be compensated by doing away with any water cuts for Sindh during Rabi. Sindh Abadgar’s board chief said that dam waters were used only when needed for agricultural purposes and if water was drawn for hydel purposes, this would surely to lead to water shortage during Rabi. (Kawish, 1 October)
POK NEWS
1. UJC Chief Syed Salahuddin said the Kashmir freedom movement would enter its decisive period after the US pulled out from Afghanistan. (Ummat)
GILGIT-BALTISTAN NEWS
1. Shop keepers’ mafia has got control of all the roads connecting to Gilgit City which has made it difficult for public transport to ply. (Ausaf, 30 September)
2. Gilgit Baltistan is the only part of Pakistan, where all of the government staff is involved in corruption; this has affected development projects. The CM’s inquiry commission had prepared a report on the issue and submitted it to the government. (Baad-e-Shimal)
3. Baad-e-Shimal editorial welcoming the move to impose taxes in Gilgit Baltistan says: So far GB has depended on grants from the federal government for all its development projects. Now the time had come when it should generate its own resources. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
