AFGHANISTAN
2. In recent Taliban attacks in Afghanistan, 37 ISAF personnel were killed at various places whereas 7 tanks have been destroyed. (Al Qalam Weekly, 23 December to 29 December)

INDIA
3. Plans of US and India to make the Indian Army a part of NATO forces in Afghanistan are in  final stages. Next month the Indian PM will sign a deal with the US in Washington, after which India will play its role in the war against terrorism in Afghanistan. Indian forces will also train Afghan military institutions along with supporting various operations of NATO forces. (Al Qalam Weekly, 23 December to 29 December)

UNITED STATES
4. In his column, Abdul Hafiz Amirpuri writes that since the US has announced its withdrawal from Afghanistan, nothing has gone in its favour and in fact, the situation has worsened. The US has blamed Pakistan for this and at present, there is a standoff between NATO forces and the Pakistan Army at the border. Amirpuri writes that the US has become habituated to blame others for its own failures and uses the example of Vietnam and Iraq. American troops are scared of ground battles, which is real war. Amirpuri refers to decisions of the government in response of NATO attacks on Pakistani check-posts in Mohmand Agency and advises that similar tough decisions needed to be taken against the US. (Al Qalam 23 to 29 Dec)

5. Ummat editorial says US is conspiring to stop fertilizer production and destroy Pakistani agriculture, and that the US allegations of smuggling in Calcium Ammonium Nitrite (CAN) to Afghanistan for making domestic bombs was baseless. Edit writes that America has stopped USD 700 million aid to increase the pressure on Pakistan and if the US succeeds in this, Pakistan will have to import USD 2.5 billion worth of fertilizer. (Ummat)

DEFENCE
6. Karachi Commissioner has formed a 5-member committee to present a report in 15 days regarding the allotment of 50000 acres of land to Pakistan Army in Dhabeji, Sindh, as claimed by the Army. (Jang)

7. COAS Gen. Kayani visited Kurram and Mohmand agencies, where he was given a briefing about the operation Koh-e-Safed against terrorists. (Jinnah, Kawish)

8. In his statement submitted to the SC, DG ISI Ahmed Shujaa Pasha said that investigations needed to be carried out in the Memogate case, according to how the court deems fit. He also rejected news published in a British newspaper that he had a meeting with Arab leaders. (Jasarat)

9. Army was taking initiatives in public health along with development work. It was said that the Army Southern Command decided to start antiviral spraying to combat the dengue virus in Khasdar and adjacent areas. (Daily Intekhab)

10. The extraordinary meeting of Senate‘s standing committee for Defense and Defense production will be held on December 27th. At this meeting, the DG-ISI Lt Gen. Shujaa Pasha  and other officers will give a briefing to the Senate members, on ISI’s mission, functions etc. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
11. Former Amir of JI Sindh Asadullah Bhutto said that Jamaat-e-Islami would bring an Islamic revolution in the country. He said it was time that religious, honest and courageous leadership be given the mandate to change the fate of the people. (Daily Intekhab)

12. Lal Masjid Imam Maulana Muhammad Abdul Aziz said that Jamia Hafsa that was destroyed by Musharraf would be reconstructed at the same place as per court orders and that he would lay the foundation stone today. He added that the Islamabad administration was creating hurdles in development works but they will not succeed. He said that a country like India also supported religious activities and gave aid for education in religious institutions but Pakistani leaders’ attitude was upsetting. (Ummat)

13.Sabiha, who is under attest on terrorism charges, said that they carried the bomb to the Karachi University and she prepared the last meal for attackers of the PNS Mehran base, according to a TV report. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

14. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that banned groups like LeJ and Taliban are involved in bank robberies. (Awami Awaz, 22 December)

15. Al Rahmat Trust has organized an annual congregation at the Markaz-e-Osman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur in which thousands of Mujahideen participated on occasion of the latest book release of Maulana Muhammad Azhar Masood ‘Munajat-e-Sabari’. The congregation was in two sections- in first section, the Mujahideen from north Punjab, AJK and KP participated, and in second, Mujahideen from south Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan participated. The concluding lecture for both sessions was given by Maulana Mufti Abdul Rauf, the younger brother of Azhar Masood. Rauf said that prayers and jihad were the main message of their Jamaat and those who have full faith in Allah get drawn towards jihad and happily embrace martyrdom. He asked each participant to add 10 new members to the Jamaat within three months. (Al Qalam Weekly, 23 December to 29 December)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
16. Hamid Mir writes that between December 6th and 9th, the real faces of many politicians and journalists have been revealed; even the story spread by secret agencies that Zardari would fly from Dubai to London and would never return to Pakistan, has been proved completely wrong. He says that it is clear that Zardari would be under great pressure till March 2012 and due to this, his speech on December 27th at Garhi Khuda Bux would be extremely important. Zardari has been under the impression that the Memogate issue was an American conspiracy but he has now understood that many internal actors have been playing a double game with him. …Nawaz Sharif and the judiciary had objected to extension of the tenures of COAS and ISI DG, but Zardari had gone ahead with it and today, Sharif seemed to stand with the Army whereas a cold war was on between Zardari’s government and the Army. Mir says people should know the real facts behind the Musharraf-America-NATO deal and how Musharraf offered Pakistan to foreigners under a written agreement in the year 2002. (Jang)

17. In his column, Nazir Naji says that during 1997 elections, he had told PTI chief Imran Khan that winning elections required traditional politicians who have their own constituency and that unless some basic changes occur in the society, no one could get to power without following the traditional political system. Naji says that though Imran Khan’s popularity graph was very high, his party would draw only people who had not been given a ticket by PPP and PML-N. Imran Khan should know that his personal popularity could not win elections for his candidates and hence, the current scenario might change as elections get closer. Imran Khan will have to accept many other wrongs if he wanted to sit on the throne. (Jang)

18. A commentary in Nawa-i-Waqt claims the government has struck up another clash with Army and the agencies, in the name of supremacy of the parliament, at a very wrong time. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

19. Political circles are giving importance to Gilani’s questioning security agencies on Osama bin Laden being discovered in Pakistan, as this is a direct attack on the security establishment. Political circles feel the PM and President have realized the threat to their government from security agencies. A few circles feel that since the government does not have any solution to the present issue, it wants to quit, posing as martyr. In this regard, PM’s last two addresses indicate that next few weeks are very crucial. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

20. The government has planned to dissolve the assemblies after Senate elections in March. Sources have said that the announcement of fresh elections would be made either in March or April. It is said that the government will blame the opposition and other powers for not letting it complete its term. Sources have said that the purpose of such a tactic is to restore the deteriorating image of the PPP government. (Khabrain)

21. PM Gilani may take PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and coalition parties (MQM, PML-Q, ANP and others) into confidence to come up with a strategy to deal with the changing scenario. (Khabrain, Nawa-i-Waqt)

22. AML chief Sheikh Rashid said that PM Gilani’s outburst against the Army was part of the master plan that was prepared in the Karachi meeting and that the next 24 hours were very crucial. PM Gilani and his whole family were corrupt and only one power would remain as departments were moving towards confrontation and very soon the situation would get clear. Rashid also said that Hussain Haqqani has played the role of Sarbajit Singh. (Ummat, Kawish)

23. PML-N has demanded Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar’s resignation over his contention that the ISI is not under the control of the ministry. (Jinnah, Kawish)

24. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has accused the establishment of suppressing PML-N. (Jinnah)
PML-N leader and spokesperson for the Punjab government, Senator Parvez Rashid has expressed concern over threats to TV anchor and columnist, Hamid Mir and said that PML-N has given assurance to Mir of  providing security to him. (Daily Pak)

25. PTI Chief Imran Khan said that he has declared ceasefire with Altaf Hussain to improve relations and to form a good society. (Jang)

26. Former Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s brother, Murid Qureshi, has joined PTI. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

27. PML-N leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi met PTI chief Imran Khan in Islamabad two days ago. Imran Khan invited him to join PTI. (Daily Pak)

28. Mansoor Ali Raja, a member of the Central Executive Council of PPP (UK) has said that the EC decision to bar individuals with dual nationality from contesting elections was an injustice to the expat community who had worked hard for Pakistan. (Ausaf, 22 December)

29. JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan said the government should concede its failure and resign. He said that fresh elections were mandatory for the continuation of democracy. (Jasarat, Daily Pak)

30. JI Dothan President Sardar Dawood Khan said that the Memogate scandal was a fact and that JI would stand alongside the Army. He added that the Mohmand Agency attack was a well-planned conspiracy. (Daily Dharti)

31. PTI leader Azam Swati has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to stop President Zardari’s exit from country until the verdict on the Memogate issue is delivered. He alleged that Haqqani, Wajid Shamsul Hassan and Salman Farooqui were helping PPP leaders in misappropriation and that he would approach the court with evidence against every one of them. (Jasarat, Kawish, Urdupoint, Ummat)

31. Sindh National Front chairman Nawab Mumtaz Ali Khan Bhutto said that people were tired of tolerating the cruelties of the current leadership and wanted to get rid of it. He also said that PM Gilani’s recent statements show that the government is on shaky grounds. (Daily Intekhab, Ibrat)

33. Railways Minister Bashir Bilour has said that he was not responsible for the Railway crisis as the Cabinet had approved Rs. 11 billion but had paid nothing to the department. (Jang)

34. In his article, Sohail Memon says that it is not possible that Imran Khan can break the monopoly of MQM in Karachi and that of PPP and PML (F) in the rest of Sindh. Imran does not seem interested in Balochistan. If the government goes ahead with the Saraiki plans, Imran Khan may get some foothold in south Punjab; in the rest of Punjab, PML-N still reigns supreme. Unless the Hazara province is made, Imran Khan cannot beat ANP and PPP in KP. In view of all this, Memon says it does not seem like the establishment will be successful in bringing Imran Khan to the forefront; the only thing left for the establishment to do is to usurp powers directly from the current government. Memon says that the establishment is on the lookout for an excuse to topple the government. (Kawish)

35. Jasarat editorial on Memogate says all the parties have made their submissions in the Supreme Court, which is set to start hearing from today. It is not clear as to what stance would President Zardari adopt in the SC. Since the issue a serious one, it is the government’s responsibility to conduct transparent investigations and come clean. (Jasarat Edit)

36. Daily Intekhab’s editorial says: PML-N MNA Mir Barjis Tahir has asked PM Gilani to dissolve the Parliament on the issue of gas and load-shedding. So far, PML-N has been maintaining that the government should be allowed to complete its term, but now, with the increasing PTI popularity, PML-N decided to change its strategy. PML-N should bring a no-confidence motion against the PM and bring about a change in a democratic way. PML-N and other political parties should understand that Pakistanis have obtained the democratic system after many sacrifices and hence, these parties should not fall prey to the undemocratic forces in order to pull down the government. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
37. Development Committee of the AJK cabinet has sanctioned 5 projects of Rs 14 billion. Out of these, 2 are related to the energy sector. A hydel project of 35 MW will be constructed within 4 months in the Neelum district for which Rs 7488.127 million have been sanctioned. Another hydel project, the ‘Doriyal Hydel Power Project’ which is also in the Neelum district, would generate 40 MW of electricity and Rs 6236.96 million has been sanctioned for it. Rs. 394.722 million has been sanctioned for 52 big nurseries for the forest department and that this project will be completed in five-years. Rs. 109.786 million has been sanctioned for the continuation of the development and follow-up programs of the AJK Community Development Programme. (Ausaf, 22 December)

PUNJAB
38. Ausaf editorial says PM Gilani has taken notice of the protests in Rawalpindi and has given instructions to increase gas supply. Secretary of Petroleum has also said that gas supply will be restored in Rawalpindi and Islamabad from today.  Edit says that the Ministry of Petroleum was not supplying gas with full pressure to the twin cities due to pressure from influential industrialists. (Ausaf Edit, 22 December)

SINDH
39. Sindhi nationalists have strongly opposed Nawaz Sharif’s proposal to bring back 3 lakh Biharis; Sindhi nationalists claimed that outsiders who have come to Sindh have formed their own groups and have caused hardships for Sindhis. They maintained that this was no time for bringing more outsiders into Sindh. (Awami Awaz, 22 December)

40. Sindh Food Minister Nawabzada Nadir Magsi said that under the 18th constitutional amendment, provinces have the right to decide the pricing of wheat and other agricultural produce. He said that from next year, Sindh would decide its own prices after consulting with other provinces. (Daily Intekhab)

41. In his article, GN Mughal says that Nawaz Sharif’s statements on his recent visit to Sindh may end up hurting his way in Sindh. His calls to bring back Biharis and issue of passports to Bengalis have offended Sindhis and this may take a toll on PML-N’s performance in Sindh. Mughal opines that with his recent visit to Sindh, Sharif seems to have once again become the darling of powerful lobbies. It is also possible that  a reconciliation has taken place between Sharif and the establishment. (Awami Awaz, 22 December)

BALOCHISTAN
42. Pashtun National Movement chief Rafiq Pashtun said that thousands of educated youth in Balochistan are unemployed and that Pashtuns in Balochistan live like slaves. (Daily Intekhab)

43. In his column, Irfan Siddiqui talks about the plight of Balochistan since the inception of Pakistan. He notes that the Balochs, like people in East Pakistan, consider Pakistan Army and Punjab to be the same entity. Though they have been targeted by the Punjabis, when Balochs were asked who they would trust, majority had named Nawaz Sharif. He says that recently, Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi visited Balochistan and he heard similar opinion. Siddiqui says even Nawaz Sharif is aware of this and that is why he has maintained his relations with the province. Siddiqui appreciates Sharif meeting Baloch leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal with a proposal to nominate him as the Presidential candidate from PML-N, which Sardar Mengal refused. Sharif then requested him to allow Akhtar Mengal to contest the presidential elections. Siddiqui says that the PPP government seems totally unconcerned about Balochistan. Siddiqui says that the real problems were still in place, and if the Balochs look up to Nawaz Sharif as their last hope, he should keep his doors open and do everything possible. (Jang)  

POK NEWS
44. Central Bar Association (AJK) has decided to protests in front of the office of Inspector General to force him to nab the culprits who had attacked Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal. (Ausaf, 22 December)

45. AJK PM Ch. Abdul Majid has given instructions that Benazir Shahid medical college (Mirpur) and Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq medical college (Muzaffarabad) should start their classes from January 1st.  He has also given instructions for reserving seats for G-B students in medical colleges on merit basis. (Baad-e-Shimal)

46. Daily Dharti in its editorial says that the AJK government has failed to make an impression even after five months of being in power. It says that the government has failed to decide its own priorities and that it is working just to appease President Zardari, Faryal Talpur, PM Gilani, Manzoor Wattoo and others. (Daily Dharti Edit)

G-B NEWS
47. Government is conspiring to give WAPDA to the private sector by creating a fake electricity crisis and terming WAPDA as inefficient. WAPDA has a capacity to produce 23 KMW of electricity whereas the requirement of the whole of Pakistan is only 18 KMW. (Daily Dharti)

48. Baad-e-Shimal has learnt that the federal government has decided to set up a committee in order to give representation to G-B in Senate and National Assembly. The AJK PM, G-B CM, foreign minister, law minister and other related officials will be included in this committee. (Baad-e-Shimal)

49. Talking to Baad-e-Shimal, PM’s advisor and JUI G-B’s secretary general Maulana Ataullah Shahaab said Gilgit-Baltistan would be made into a separate province, but for making it into a province and getting representation in the NA, consultation with Kashmiri leaders from both sides would be necessary. (Baad-e-Shimal)

50. Akhtar Hussain Sahar, Information Secretary of PML-N (Ward-3), Gilgit-Baltistan, has warned the Water and Power Department of protests if the load-shedding is not stopped. (Ausaf, 22 December)

51. At a meeting of high-level committee set up under PM’s instructions, it was decided to allow the timber cut legally from G-B’s forest (Diamir forest) to be sold in other districts of Pakistan. It was decided not to allow sale of illegally-cut timber in order to discourage the timber mafia. (Baad-e-Shimal)

52. Chief Engineer of G-B electricity department, Hajji Mohammad Ali informed Baad-e-Shimal that the new government has formulated a composite policy to utilize natural resources to provide electricity to all areas. He said that the government has sanctioned Rs.1.5 billion for the 7 ongoing schemes in Skardu and Ghanche and Rs.2.5 billion for 9 news schemes, which will provide 18 MW of electricity to both districts.  Further, the project of Ghwari Power house costing Rs. 8 billion is also under consideration. (Baad-e-Shimal)

53. IRA chairman Hamid Yar Heraj in his meeting with G-B chief minister Mehdi Shah informed that an IRA office will be opened in G-B soon.  (Baad-e-Shimal)