AFGHANISTAN
1.Taliban have killed 106 allied forces in Afghanistan, destroyed 7 tanks and 2 oil tankers. After taking 11 allied troops hostage when a NATO helicopter made an emergency landing near Bagram, Taliban set the helicopter on fire. The Taliban have also shot down a spy plane in Sabari district. (Al Qalam Weekly, 26 April to 2 May)
AFGHANISTAN/UNITED STATES
1. Roznama Duniya in its comment on Pak-Afghan-US tripartite meeting in Brussels says contrary to Kerry’s claim that the meeting was successful, it ended with the Pak-Afghan differences remaining unresolved. Though Pakistan has sacrificed so much in the war against terror, all countries including the US and Afghanistan always doubt Pakistan’s sincerity instead of acknowledging its role and sacrifices. (Roznama Duniya Edit)
2. Nawa-i-Waqt and Daily Pak editorials on Brussels tripartite talks say though the Secretary of State John Kerry deemed the talks to be positive, only Pakistan was asked to stop terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. US should also understand the need for restoring peace in Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Daily Pak Edit)
3. Nagma Habib says terrorism has increased after the US occupation of Afghanistan. She says that the war has affected the entire world financially, including the US. She says the US has talked of reconstruction of Afghanistan, but it has hardly been able to construct a few miles of roads, a few schools, and a couple of dams, which may not last two years; such work could have been done by any NGO as well. (Jinnah)
4. Brigadier (Retd) Asif Haroon writes that difficulties of America and Karzai are increasing as the date for US withdrawal is fast approaching where as Taliban and Pakistan are non-pulsed. He avers that COAS Kayani attended the Brussels Conference since the caretaker government has no mandate to take any decision on security to international forces during the withdrawal period. Haroon states that Karzai is losing ground in Afghanistan and hence, he was alleging that Taliban were sponsored by Pakistan. According to him, Pakistan believes that Afghanistan has given shelter to Fazlullah who is behind the attacks on Pakistani forces at the borders and Afghanistan has helped the infiltration of suicide attackers into Pakistan who have been trained by Indian intelligence agencies. Haroon states that COAS Gen. Kayani has conveyed these complaints to the US. He claims that the US has understood that it had made a mistake by targeting Pakistan. The US doesn’t want to give an impression to the world that it has lost the war in Afghanistan and doesn’t want a civil war soon after its withdrawal. Haroon opines that the US has lost faith in Karzai and now, it has no option but to have more faith in Pakistan. (Ummat)
5. Jang expects a positive outcome from the tripartite meeting between Gen. Kayani, John Kerry and Karzai. It writes that if Indian interference in Afghanistan continued, it will affect the possibility of establishing peace locally and there will be a threat to widening terrorist activities in Pakistan. (Jang Edit)
6. Kher Mohammad Kolachi writes that nationalists in Sindh and Balochistan have been hoping for a long time that the US will succeed in disintegrating Pakistan but the US may choose to disassociate itself from the region once its interests are met. Kolachi says that the US would need Pakistan’s Defence machinery’s help once it leaves Afghanistan. Hence, the US keeps supporting Pakistan’s civilian government with the larger aim of pressurizing the defence institutions of Pakistan. This section has played their game against the US by handing over Gwadar Port to China; those who think this was Zardari’s doing are mistaken. Kolachi is disappointed that instead of being the common man’s party, these days PPP is busy wooing feudals to contest elections so that it could win. He laments that Sindhis were depending on just one party for their future, even though they know the result of such dependence. (Awami Awaz)
INDIA
1.Secret agencies have arrested 3 spies belonging to India and Bangladesh, from Sheikhupura and Lahore cities in Punjab as they were trying to collect information about religious leaders. All the three have been sent to an unknown place for interrogation. (Bang-e-Sahar)
DEFENCE
1. Working on a tip-off, CID police have arrested 4 TTP members in Karachi, all of whom have taken jihadi training. CID also arrested 4 targeted killers belonging to a political party. (Jang, Kawish)
2. Caretaker governments in Balochistan and KP are not paying attention to intelligence inputs though the aim of recent terrorist attacks is to spread fear. No defunct organization has accepted responsibility for these incidents. (Ummat)
3.Qurban Baloch reports that the Corps Commanders are empowered to deploy Army during elections in consultation with provincial governments. He quotes the Defence Secretary saying that two lakh Army men would be deployed in Waziristan and another one lakh along the Pak-Afghan border. As many as two lakh personnel will be made available for deployment elsewhere. He said that it will be better to deploy Rangers and Police on election duty but the Army will remain on stand-by in case of an emergency. (Kawish)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. TTP has distributed pamphlets in Karachi, saying that anyone voting in the election will face threat to their lives. Such pamphlets have also been distributed in Peshawar, Malakand, Buner and other areas. (Roznama Duniya, Kawish)
2. A report by the US-based Combating Terrorism Center says that LeT does not consist of illiterate youth; in fact, many LeT members are from non-jihadi schools and are from families of the Army and intelligence personnel. The Pakistani establishment trusts LeT like jihadi organisations. A military official in Rawalpindi has however rubbished the report while JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid has asserted that Hafiz Saeed has no connection with LeT. (Jang)
3. Terrorists have adopted the guise of media and they are targeting various national installations, sources said. (Jang)
4. LeJ has carried out the recent attack on MQM office in Karachi. (Jinnah)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Gen (Retd) Mirza Aslam Beg said that some forces were trying to sabotage elections by spreading anarchy in Pakistan. if elections were sabotaged, the Army could not be stopped from taking control of the nation. Beg criticized the Election Commission for its remarks that religion should not be used for votes. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. A Saudi diplomat in Pakistan has denied reports that a Saudi personality is likely to visit Islamabad.. He said that cases against Musharraf were Pakistan’s internal issue and the Saudi government will not interfere. (Jang)
3. PML-N and PTI are the only two major parties who are into election campaigning full throttle. PPP is almost absent from the election scene. Some candidates are getting threats and terrorists are carrying out attacks on some political parties. The current scene is a curious mix of positive and negative and the administration doesn’t seem to have control over the happenings. Police force seems to be working half-heartedly. (Jinnah)
4. MQM candidate of NA-245 has kidnapped 10 JI activists and has allegedly tortured them; later, he handed them over to police. (Jasarat)
5. Mili Yakhjati Council and DPC have declared their support for Liyaqat Baloch from NA-126. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
6. Nawa-i-Waqt and Daily Pak say that as President Zardari had left his political post, no one should doubt his intentions to conduct elections on 11th May; they should stop targeting him for political benefits. Pakistan’s future is in democracy and the main fight is between democratic and undemocratic forces and hence, it is necessary that all loyal citizens of Pakistan should understand their responsibility and vote for the right candidates. The government should make special arrangements in sensitive areas and ensure fool-proof safety during elections. (Edit in Nawa-i-Waqt and Daily Pak)
7.Ausaf editorially disagreed with the contention of Gen (Retd) Mirza Aslam Beg that the military has been making aggressive moves to delay election with the help of Musharraf. The daily however supports Musharraf’s plea to take all his cases under one roof. He should be given protection as there is threat to his life, and also because he is a former army chief. (Ausaf Edit)
8. Jasarat writes that Western countries and some Arab nations are reportedly worried about Musharraf. Diplomats of Saudi Arabia, UAE, the US and UK have taken up his cause with Islamabad. An important Saudi personality met Musharraf’s relatives in Dubai and assured them that Musharraf would be taken out of Pakistan. Some quarters are trying to make judges controversial by issuing various statements; such politicians wanted to ensure Musharraf’s release. Edit writes that if Musharraf is taken out of Pakistan, it will be confirmed that Pakistan is not an independent state. (Jasarat)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. AJK PM Chaudhary Abdul Majid has spoken of plans to set up a Kashmir centre in Faisalabad to address all issues related to rehabilitating Mangla Dam affected people. (Khabrain)
2.While electricity generation has come down to 8000 MW due to steep fall in water level in hydro-electric projects, demand for power has increased to 15000 MW. In Lahore alone, load-shedding is for 17 hours daily, whereas in rural areas, there is no power supply for 20 hours daily. (Roznama Duniya)
PUNJAB
1. Lahore High Court has ordered the Election Commission to take action against 14 tax defaulters in the poll fray. (Jang, Urdupoint, Roznama Duniya)
SINDH
1. Sindh government has decided to call an All Parties Conference to discuss security arrangements and code of conduct during elections. (Jasarat)
2. Sindh government has issued a notification for the transfer 44 officers. (Jang)
3. Except for Karachi, DSPs in Sindh have been transferred. On one single day more than 100 DSPs have been changed. (Kawish)
4. The people in Lyari agitated for the second day yesterday against Rangers’ operations which killed 3 youth. (Kawish)
5. Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz has taken out a huge rally on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of GM Syed. Chairman Muhmmad Shafi Barfat said that the establishment was gearing up for an operation against Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz. He warned that the party was capable of retaliating. He called for the elections to be boycotted and said that these elections were just a ruse to keep Pakistan alive and that they will not be good for Sindhis; instead, even more of Sindh’s resources would be looted. World should take notice of the oppression in Sindh and Balochistan; he claimed that Sindhi activists were still being abducted. (Awami Awaz)
6. A private laboratory report on the cause of death of Sindhi nationalist leader Bashir Qureshi said that he died of ‘rise in nicotine levels and closure of heart valves’. However, Qureshi’s relatives rejected the finding, saying it is fabricated. Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz also said it does not accept the report. It gave a call for general strike on April 30 to protest against what they dub as fabricated report on Qureshi’s death. (Awami Awaz)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Chief Election Commissioner has expressed confidence that elections will be held on time in Balochistan and tribal areas. He said that no attempts to sabotage elections will be tolerated. (Daily Intekhab)
2.National Party Vice President Senator Mir Hasil Khan said deliberate efforts are being made to create a civil war in Balochistan but the government is paying attention to the issue. He said armed groups are not paying heed to the democratic right of people to participate in elections and they are indulging in terrorism and torture to intimidate people. (Jasarat, Daily Intekhab)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Public Accounts Committee Chairman Syed Raziuddeen Razi said that investigations would be carried out as per suggestions given by the Auditor General’s report about corruption in the Mehdi Shah government. He added that the CM was a threat to Gilgit-Baltistan. (Bang-e-Sahar)
2. Gilgit-Baltistan Speaker has alleged that funds were embezzled in the past three years. He said there is no development in Gilgit-Baltistan. (Bang-e-Sahar)
3. Interim PM Khoso has no idea about the existence of Gilgit-Baltistan Council. And interim federal minister for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs has not yet been appointed; the Gilgit-Baltistan Governor Peer Karam Ali Shah has also failed to meet the PM on Gilgit-Baltistan Council and other issues. Members of the Council have isolated themselves and the Secretariat is completely deserted. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Bang-e-Sahar has criticised chief minister Mehdi Shah for boycotting the Assembly session on 24th April called by Speaker Wazir Baig at the requisition of 15 law makers to discuss corruption charges against Shah and other ministers. The CM asked his ministers to remain absent from the assembly. By such a childish act Mehdi Shah has proved that allegations against him are not incorrect. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit)
