DEFENCE/SECURITY
1. JI leader Rao Javed said that media should be allowed to go to areas where military operations are going on. (Khabrain)
2. Defence budget was presented at a meeting of the Finance Ministry for approval. It was agreed to allocate Rs. 627 billion for defense in the next financial year. For the current year, the defense budget was Rs. 545 billion. Rs. 8.80 billion was allocated for defense division expenses and for development funds, Rs. 4 billion has been allocated. For defence production Rs. 58.70 crore and for development programme, Rs.2.30 billion has been allocated. (Roznama Duniya)
3..Terrorists attacked a security check-post in the Dabori area of the Orakzai Agency. Security forces retaliated and killed eight mutants.
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1.In his column, Saadi writes that the interim government is neither Islamic nor un-Islamic. If somebody delivered a fatwa that democracy was Kufr (rejection of Islamic system and falsehood), this fatwa was also not appropriate. Sometime back, some hard-line Arab authors lived in Peshawar who had links with an Egyptian organization; these people propagated that democracy was Kufr and the mujahideen followed this without thinking over it. Saadi writes that once he discussed this issue with a senior religious scholar who told him that a system which manages affairs cannot be Kufr or Un-Islamic. This opened his eyes and he states that though democracy has its own weaknesses; it cannot be termed ‘Un-Islamic’. Saadi writes that some people think that the way the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ changed the government in Egypt by votes; they will follow the same route and come to power. Saadi writes that these people should not forget that founder leaders of ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ had offered great sacrifices and suffered atrocities of the government but never compromised; many of them were even hanged. Saadi writes that though the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ was not fortunate enough to take part in a practical jihad, it had always supported the causes of jihad. (Al Qalam Weekly)
2. Volunteers of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniyat have continued humanitarian work in earthquake hit Mashakhel area of Balochistan. JuD set up its main supply base at Dalbandin from where edible items, medicines and other necessities are supplied to the affected people. (Jasarat, Ummat)
3.Women activists of Jamia Hafsa tore down posters and banners of Musharraf in various areas across Islamabad. They wrote slogans on walls against Musharraf. These women were headed by Um Hassan, the wife of Lal Masjid’s principal cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz. (Jasarat, Ummat)
4.Chief of Sunni Tehrik Muhammad Sarwat Ijaz Qadri demanded that murders of Sunni activists should be arrested immediately. He said that that if the government could not protect their activities, it should admit the same. He said that they didn’t want to take law in their own hands and that they shouldn’t be forced to do so. (Jasarat)
5. The ECP issued a warning that there will be a 3-year imprisonment for seeking votes on the basis of religion or creed, or for bribing for votes . (Roznama Duniya)
6. Jang, Jasarat, Ibrat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Roznama Duniya have voiced concern over terrorist attacks in Peshawar and Balochistan and ask the government and political parties to face the challenge with determination Roznama Duniya held the view that these incidents indicate that some more powers have joined to sabotage elections. It did not identify who those powers are. Jasarat said destructive forces are active from Karachi to Quetta and asked what the ‘institutions’ were doing to root out terrorism. Ibrat noting that the situation now brings to mind the uncertainties that prevailed after Tahirul Qadir landed in the county, said whatever was happening now is based on the same script to postpone elections. Daily Pak and Nawa-i-Waqt said political parties must close ranks to defeat conspiracies to sabotage elections. (Jang, Ibrat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waq, Jasarat and Roznama Duniya Edit)
7,Jinnah says on a single day, candidates of four parties- ANP, PML (N), JUI (F) and PPP were attacked with bombs, killing 21 people and injuring more than 70. If such incidents continue, nobody will dare to vote, and all rules and arrangements will become useless. The daily asks the government to act immediately to assure safety and security of people and candidates. Otherwise, votes will have to be collected from each voter’s door. (Jinnah Edit)
8. Ausaf expresses concern over terrorist attacks on ANP in Peshawar and PML-N in Khuzdar. It writes that 3 armed groups – Taliban, LeJ and BLA – were active in Pakistan. BLA attacks gas pipelines and sometimes, it plants bombs on a bicycle and injures a few persons. Since many other nationalists parties were contesting elections with PML-N BLA it will not attack PML-N. Taliban knows that PML-N has a soft-corner for it; hence, they will not attack PML-N. Edit concludes by saying that the ECP should increase security for politicians in order to foil the plans of elements wanting to delay elections. (Ausaf Edit)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1.Due to the ongoing terrorist attacks on politicians, political leaders and important personalities are thinking about casting votes via postal ballots. The ECP has received a thousand applications for postal ballots. (Khabrain)
2. A cold war broke out between PM Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat after the Supreme Court took suo-moto notice of PM releasing Rs. 47 billion towards development funds. (Roznama Duniya)
3. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that PPP Senior leader Amin Fahim would also soon leave Zardari’s group. (Bang-e-Sahar)
4. Nissar Sarbaz has been the given the Ministry of Electricity and Water and Deedar Ali will be given another important ministry. Ali Sher Madad will continue to hold additional charge of law ministry. (Baad-e-Shimal)
5. Musharraf wore a bullet-proof jacket when he appeared at Lahore High Court’s Peshawar Bench but he became nervous when lawyers raised slogans against him, he became nervous. A helicopter was hovering in the sky to keep security vigil. (Ummat)
6. Chief Syed Munawar Hassan has demanded that the caretaker PM should convene an all-party meet to establish peace. (Jasarat)
Central Shura of Tehrik-e-Islami has announced support to JI candidates. (Jasarat)
7. An embezzlement of Rs. 81 lakhs was discovered in the National Bank of Pakistan in Rawalakot; two employees – Mohammad Aftab and Mufid Khan – were arrested. (Daily Dharti)
8. Peshawar Commissioner Sahabazada Anees headed a session of top-level officials in which Commissioners of Naushera and Charsadda, the Deputy Commissioners, Chief Capital Police and officials of law enforcement agencies took part. They decided to permit election rallies at only selected places due to security threats in the Peshawar division. The security plan for candidates was also assessed. And a decision was taken to provide extra security to candidates facing threats. (Jasarat)
9. Asif Jelani writes that elections in Pakistan are headed for violent times. Another commentator Ashfaq Azar wonders how the elections could possibly be peaceful given the situation in Sindh and Balochistan. (Kawish)
10. Awami Awaz writes that there should be no double standards following the orders on disqualification of Pervez Ashraf and Pervez Musharraf as all eyes are on what happens next against Musharraf. Edit says though the federal government is avoiding taking action against Musharraf, if the courts do not take suo moto notice of Musharraf’s violation of the constitution and killing innocents in Balochistan, then this will send the wrong signal to the world. Edit states that an impression has gone out that every institution in Pakistan suffers from double standards. (Awami Awaz Edit)
11.In his column, Irfan Siddiqui criticized Imran Khan for favouritism while distributing party tickets. (Jang)
12.Monir Ahmed Baloch says imprudent distribution of tickets has destroyed PTI and shattered the dreams of lakhs of youth who had joined PTI with high expectations. (Roznama Duniya)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. The caretaker government has taken Rs. 89 billion as debt within a week of coming to office. In the current financial year so far, the foreign debt has increased by Rs. 691 billion. According to State Bank’s statistics, government debts have increased to Rs. 942 billion from banking sectors. (Ummat)
2. Qurban Baloch reports that the World Bank has identified reasons like unsteady economic scenario, failure on security scenario, failure to meet energy and power shortfall and political tensions for the sluggish growth of Pakistani economy. The Bank report for the year 2013 stated that Pakistan is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets with regards to education and health by 2015. Baloch writes that Pakistan spends the least compared to other countries in the region on health and education. (Kawish)
3.Despite assurances from the caretaker government and WAPDA about ending of unannounced load shedding, rural areas are experiencing 18-22 hour load shedding daily. (Daily Dharti, Khabrain)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. In his column, Hamid Mir praises the daring attitude of ANP. On invitation from Haroon Bilour, he visited Peshawar to attend a closed-door meeting of the party. Mir writes that ANP members are very religious and God-fearing people; hence, they do not fear Taliban. He praises ANP for being a secular party and says that party members have become more loyal to the party leadership after Taliban attacks. Mir writes that in 2009, when ANP began dialogues with Taliban, Taliban put forth a condition that ANP should facilitate Taliban for attacks in Punjab; when ANP refused this deal, Taliban attacks in Punjab reduced and increased in KP. (Jang)
SINDH
1. 7 members of the defunct organization Aman Committee will contest elections on PPP tickets in Karachi -0ne NA seat and 6 provincial assembly seats. All these constituencies are PPP strongholds. (Ummat)
2. Accountant General of Sindh has denied reports of halting the release of development funds just because the Sindh government has run into overdraft. (Jang)
3. 60% of polling stations in Karachi’s southern district have been declared as extremely sensitive and it has been decided to deploy the Army there. 40% of polling stations have been declared sensitive where Rangers and FC will be deployed. (Jang)
4. Kawish editorial has voiced concern over the thriving kidnapping business in Sindh and laments that the police have not checked the menace. (Kawish Edit)
PUNJAB
1. The appointment of Najam Sethi as caretaker CM of Punjab has been challenged in the Lahore High court; the petition says that Sethi has been appointing people of his choice on high positions and he had increased his security cover, adding burdens on the national treasury. (Urdupoint)
BALOCHISTAN
1.The attack on Sanaullah Zehri has been denounced by all. The Governor said this is an attempt to sabotage elections. Bhotani brothers, Abdul Qader Gilani, Rauf Sasoli, Akhtar Mengal, Malik Baloch Aali Bugti and other leaders said attempts are being made to spoil the election environment. Protest marches have been announced to agitate against the attack on Nawab Zehri and PML (N) called for shutter down protest in Hub. (Daily Intekhab)
2. Many important political players are reportedly out of the electoral process in Balochistan. Election Tribunal has held 17 candidates unworthy to participate in elections. (Daily Intekhab)
3. Jang editorial has criticised the Disaster Management Authority’s failure in promptly in providing relief to the earthquake victims. Roznama Duniya also criticised the DMA saying that in the past too the agency had failed to help flood affected people. It asked the government to intervene and help the victims.( Jang edit and Roznama Duniya Edit)
4. Students in Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA will get free higher education. The caretaker PM Mir Hazar Khan Khoso has approved of payment of the fees from the Prime Minister’s Tuition Fees Payment Scheme for students desirous of studying masters, M Phil and PhD courses. (Daily Intekhab)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Former AJK Premier Raja Farooq Haidar has asked President Asif Ali Zardari to form Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK as one single unit. He criticised that all the provinces of Pakistan obtained many resources but the share of GB and AJK was reduced. (Bang-e-Sahar)
2. Sohail Khan has been appointed as the Deputy Press Secretary of AJK President. (Daily Dharti)
3. Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO) took notice of cutting of trees in the perimeter of the Secretariat in Muzafferabad.. (Daily Dharti)
4. Due to efforts put in by the Peace Jirga of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Supreme Appellate Court released three people awaiting capital punishment. Peace Jirga convinced both the parties in Zaman and Rafiq murder case to compromise and withdraw cases against Alam Sardar Hussein and Shujaat against the blood-money. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)
5. GB Police has arrested Suhail Raza alias ‘Circuit’ on charges of killing an FC personnel last year, sources said. (Bang-e-Sahar)
6. Bang-e-Sahar has alleged that Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Mehdi Shah has led the corruption mafia from the front and has supported his men in mercilessly looting of public money. Many contracts have been given to inexperienced people and contractors have been paid full money without completion of even 10% of the work. Edit says that Chief Secretary Sajjad Salim stood up firm against the system without fearing CM Mehdi Shah’s power. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit)
