2. The UK High Commissioner Adam Thomson has denied reports that any restrictions have been placed on MQM chief Altaf Hussain. (Ibrat, Khabrain)

AFGHANISTAN
1. Daily Intekhab’s editorial on terrorist attacks on Chitral says  Maulvi Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqeer Muhammad Groups, who were ousted from Swat and Bajaur during the army operation were behind the attack that resulted in the death of 40 Pakistani Army personnel. There is no doubt that foreign agencies like CIA, RAW and Mossad are involved in all such big terrorist activities inside Pakistan. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

POLITICAL SCENE- L’AFFAIRE MIRZA
1. Zulfiqar Mirza has been invited to join Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and work as Pakistan’s Anna Hazare. (Jang)

2. Chief of the Jamhuri Wattan Party Talal Bugti has invited Zulfikar Mirza to visit Balochistan. The two leaders discussed the situation in Karachi and Balochistan on the telephone. Bugti will be holding a reception in honour of Mirza. (Ibrat, Daily Intekhab)

3. Zulfikar Mirza has made a few more incendiary remarks against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain and Interior Minister Rehman Malik in a TV interview. He dubbed Malik as an agent of MQM, which, he termed as a terrorist organization. He also said that he doesn’t trust the Rangers in Sindh or the DG either. (Ibrat)

4. Sindh Tarqui Pasand’s Dr. Qadir Magsi recalled that he had termed MQM as a terrorist organisation some fifteen years ago, and said Zulfikar Mirza’s statements against MQM only validate his contention. He demanded a ban on MQM, and sacking of both Rehman Malik and the Sindh governor, who according to him should be put behind the bars straightaway. (Ibrat)

5. Chairman of the Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz said Qureshi’s group never had any plans to target Zulfikar Mirza as he is a son of the soil. (Ibrat)

6. President Zardari said Zulfikar Mirza’s policies are unacceptable as the PPP is following policies of reconciliation. He has been removed from PPP for this reason. (Ibrat, Jang)

7. Legal experts have said that if Zulfiqar Mirza fails to prove his charges against Rahman Malik, he will face music under Pakistan’s Penal Code and the Defamation laws. The punishment will be a seven year sentence and fine. (Daily Pak)

8. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on L’affaire Mirza says Mirza’s statements have reflected very badly on the PPP and several PPP ministers are considering handing in their resignations. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

9. In a TV interview, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the national budget will be impacted by the deteriorating conditions in Karachi. He said the problem in Karachi is no longer political crisis and the very survival of the country is now at stake. (Ibrat)

BALOCHISTAN
1. The Central Spokesperson for the BNP said that security agencies aren’t conducting operations against terrorists and target killers but are searching Baloch dominated areas to harass our people.  (Daily Intekhab)

SINDH
1. Interior Ministry has assured MQM’s London Leadership that only some small fish will be targeted for action during the course of on-going drive in Karachi.  On its part, the MQM has given a list of some not so important terrorists to the Interior Ministry for this purpose. (Ummat)

2. Awami Tehreek’s Latif Palejo said that the surgical operation in Karachi is targeting Sindhis, Balochs and Pashtos. (Awami Awaz)

3. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that six joint investigation committees have been set up to look into the menace of target killings and other crimes in Karachi. He said that the land mafia is very active in Karachi and a drive has been launched to remove encroachments. He also said that all Pakistanis, including Altaf Hussain, are patriotic. He added he admired Altaf Hussain. (Ibrat)

4. Maj. Gen. Aijaz Ch. was reappointed as DG, Rangers, Sindh. (Jinnah)

WATER & ENERGY
1. US $ 90 crore worth of aid received for rehabilitation of flood affected people has been misappropriated, says National Disaster Authority Chief Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadri. Religious right and banned outfits like the LeT and the JeM were in the forefront of the relief effort masquerading as NGOs. Iqbal Qadri has blamed 200 NGOs for the relief mess. (Jang)

POK NEWS
1. Daily Dharti editorial has expressed concern that during every Eid, many people of AJK returning home for the festival are way laid and looted of whatever gifts they were carrying. It noted that Eid vacations were cancelled for police officials to ensure that such incidents do not happen. (Daily Dharti Edit)