2. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani’s firm stance against the US has hailed refusal to allow US special envoy, Marc Grossman to visit Pakistan and not allowing the US to carry out drone attacks within Pakistan’s limits. The daily says Musharraf had made Pakistan a US colony and the present government until now continued his policy. Edit urges that Pakistan should get out of the US war and continue to block supplies to NATO. It asks the government to shoot down any US drone flying over Pakistani territory. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

INDIA
1. Dafa-e-Pakistan council members have said Pakistan could be made impregnable by ending friendship with India, which they alleged is depriving Pakistan of its share of common rivers. Hafiz Masood, Central Secretary Information JuD Pakistan, Maulana Yusuf Shah, Central Translator JUI-S, Mufti Tanvir Alam, President Ahl-e- Sunnat Wal Jamat, Rawalpindi, and Asif Khurshid Secretary, Information, JuD Pakistan, and other  members of the  Dafa-e-Pakistan council accused the government of pushing Pakistan to brink of destruction through its internal and external policies. They have warned of nation-wide demonstrations if NATO’s supply was restored. (Jinnah)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Akif Saeed chief of Tanzeem-e-Islami said that the Pakistan media blocked news of the desecration of bodies of slain Taliban activists by American troops and the death of three girls during a music concert in Lahore which exposed the true face of the Pakistani media. He alleged that Pakistani media is controlled by secular people. (Jasarat)

2. Navid Qamar, chief of JuD, Karachi, said that the Pakistan Defense Conference would be held on 12 February and that it would be a historic event. He said the JUD activists have begun preparations for the conference in a big way and are mobilising people through street level campaigns. (Jasarat)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Large-scale changes have been made in federal bureaucracy involving officers in Grade 21 and 22. Several new appointments have also been made. Secretary IPC Amjad Ali Khan is appointed as Secretary-Privatization; Secretary-Production Mohammad Javed Iqbal Aiwan will be the new Secretary-National Harmony where as Secretary National Harmony Anis-ul Hasan Mosovi will take over as Secretary IPC. Federal government promoted Grade 21 officer Gul Mohammad Khan to Grade 22 and appointed him as Secretary-Production. (Jinnah & Kawish)

2. ANP has cancelled its rally planned for the 29th of January due to some possible tension between the activists of JUI and ANP. (Ummat)

3. According to PPP leader and noted jurist Aitzaz Ahsan, PM Gilani’s stance on the military leadership’s statements in the Memo case was wrong. (Khabrain)

4. Former chief justice Syed Al Zaman Siddiqui has said PM Gilani seeking a pardon from the SC will not resolve the matter. He said that the matter can only be resolved if the SC gives a pardon. Speaking to a TV channel, he said if Aitzaz Ahsan can prove his contention that there can be no contempt of court case against the PM, then it depends on the whether the SC accepts the arguments from Aitzaz. He said the courts will have to be convincingly told as to why letters were not sent to Swiss authorities on the NRO matter. Another legal expert, Athar Mannallah said the SC has now given its decision and writing of letters to Swiss authorities has nothing to do with presidential immunity. Barrister Farooq Naseem said in the modern judicial system, the president has no immunity in civil and criminal matters. (Ibrat)

5. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that the enemy would have gulped down Pakistan if it was not a nuclear power. He said that he supported President Zardari in the interest of Pakistan and stated that he wants Pakistan to be the tiger of the world, not just of Asia. (Urdupoint)

6. Jang editorial said judicial respect should be maintained by everyone and political parties should remember CJP Iftikhar Chaudhary’s observation that democratic system would not run if the judiciary was not respected. (Jang Edit)

7. Daily Pak editorial on MQM bill for new provinces tabled in the assembly says the bill for Saraiki province might get the majority of votes but the demand for Hazara province in KP will be opposed by ANP.  While creation of more provinces is a welcome move, it should not be made an election issue. (Daily Pak Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Daily Pak editorially welcomed the offer of a three-company consortium to invest $10 billion on coal projects in Pakistan. It asked the government to take up the officer since no progress has been reported in the Thar Coal gasification project under the guidance of Dr. Samar Mubarak. (Daily Pak Edit)

2. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on Pakistan’s water and energy crisis makes a strong case for taking up the Kalabagh Dam pointing out even according to the World Bank, Pakistan is suffering a loss of Rs.560 billion every year due to non-execution of the project.  Pakistan has initially spent Rs.80 billion on the Kalabagh dam project and then scrapped it; projects like the Bhasha Dam did not proceed farther than inauguration and now there is the talk of buying electricity from India at the rate of Rs.30 per unit, whereas from the Kalabagh dam, Pakistan could have got power at the rate of Rs.1 per unit, besides getting 65 lakh acre water for irrigation to cultivate 70 lakh acres of land. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. 2 terrorists were killed in a clash with the forces in Khyber Agency.  (Khabrain)

SINDH
1. Former Sindh interior minister Zulfiqar Mirza has quietly returned to Pakistan. (Kawish)

2. PML-N and PTI have become very active in Sindh even as politicians are busy defecting from one party to another.  Maqbool Shaikh, former Sindh minister, after assuring Shah Mahmood Qureshi of support to Imran Khan’s party, went to talk to PML-N leaders in Sindh. Leaders like Maqbool in Sindh are now busy making hay in this fast changing political scenario and they are in touch with several parties exploring which amongst them suit their interests most. In such a situation, future looks bleak for parties like Sind Awami Alliance because a majority of its leaders have already quit. (Ibrat)

3. Sindh National Front’s Mumtaz Bhutto says he wonders how people tolerated Zardari for more than four years. (Ibrat)

BALOCHISTAN
1. Ausaf edit on Balochistan scene recalls that when PPP formed the government it claimed that through the Aghaz-e-Balochistan package, it would try to end the deprivation of the people of Balochistan and wants to know what had happened to that package. The daily says today Talal Bugti, the son of slain Baloch leader Akbar Bugti, is not ready to have faith in the government but he considers PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif trust worthy. This is an indication that the government has not fulfilled its promises made to the people of Balochistan. (Ausaf Edit, 18 January)

2. Daily Intekhab edit on Balochistan situation notes that America and human rights organizations have shown interest in the situation and their stance has been welcomed by nationalist parties and separatists. Though nothing can be predicted about America’s interest in Balochistan, facts mentioned in their report are quite true; hence people of Pakistan and those suffering from the situation should stand against the system and stop the dictators from exploiting them. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

POK NEWS
1. Abdul Rashid Turabi has called for changes in AJK’s constitution and administrative structure; he said the present constitution was not fulfilling needs of the base camp. (Ausaf, 18 January)

G-B NEWS
1. PPP (Gilgit Baltistan) spokesperson Rana Tanzeem has thanked Shia leader Agha Rahat Hussain Al Hussaini for his support to the development package. He said those who oppose the package deserve to be condemned since the region has got this package after 63 years. Rana said those who say that GB was a part of Kashmir were wrong and they have no relation with Kashmir and they cannot forget their identity. (Ausaf, 18 January)

2. General Secretary of JUI (Gilgit district) Muhammad Mujahid said that Gilgit district should be divided into three divisions to address the problems of the people. (Ausaf, 18 January)

3. Travellers, sick people and children are facing difficulties since people entering Gilgit city are being subjected to checking. (Ausaf, 18 January)

4. The spokesperson of GB Council secretariat, Mohammad Shakil Malik, informed Baad-e-Shimal that GB has been given 50% quota as per the wishes of the people in the Council. He said that earlier GB was getting only 2-3 seats, but now out of 28 seats from grade 3 to 15, GB has got 13 seats in the council. (Baad-e-Shimal)

5. Daily Dharti voices concern over thefts in Rawalakot and asks the authorities to take suitable steps to end the menace. (Daily Dharti Edit)