IRAN
1. Pakistan and Iran have decided to set up 4 security stations at the border to stop illegal crossings. After 8th March, no person will be able to cross border without a visa. (Urdupoint)
2.Sources have said that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project has become a less controversial and a friendlier project now. Pakistani community, government, Foreign Office and PML-N played a vital role and the US accepted Pakistan’s opinions to some extent. Sources said that Pakistan will try its best to make the US a part of the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Indian pipeline. (Khabrain)
3.Nawa-i-Waqt and Daily Pak say that regional peace and development were the right of every nation and hence, no one should have any objection over the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. This project should be completed without hassles. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Daily Pak Edit)
4. Khabrain edit on Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline says US reservations should be rejected. Though the US bombed Japan in World War II, it is scared of Japanese economy today. Japan did not fight the US with weapons but carried out a jihad of economics. Pakistan must learn a lesson from Japan. (Khabrain Edit)
5.Jasarat refers to President Zardari’s Iran visit and his meetings with the Iranian President and spiritual leader Ayatollah Khamenei. It writes that the trio vowed that they will not succumb to pressure on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. Edit writes that America was a major hurdle in the completion of the project; it says that work should begin immediately on the project. Edit claims that if the project is completed by 2015, Pakistan will receive 1 million cubic feet gas daily, which would resolve the energy crisis and also open up the road for resolution of Pakistan’s economic crisis. (Jasarat Edit)
6.Daily Intekhab edit on Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project says as the pipeline would pass through Balochistan, it would be a testing time. It says that on similar grounds of security, the Gwadar Port has still not become functional. Edit writes that there was not much expectation that the Chinese company will be able to make Gwadar Port functional. Edit writes that despite threats, if the military and civilian leadership of Pakistan has decided to go ahead with the project, it could be disastrous. Edit writes that the presence of China in the Gulf and the waters of Balochistan will affect the balance of power and the situation could turn tense. If China and Iran come closer, there would be a formation of blocs in the Middle East. One bloc will comprise of America and its allies and the other will include their opponents. Edit writes that after the withdrawal of US from Afghanistan, there was a possibility of a civil war within Afghanistan and in that case, if China is present in these hot waters, it could create disturbances for India and the US; ultimately, Pakistan will have to bear the brunt. Edit writes that in this scenario, Balochis will suffer the most as they were less in number whereas their land is in the clutches of major powers. Edit demands that a proper strategy was required on the issue. (Daily Intekhab Edit)
CHINA
1.Chinese Defence Ministry has claimed that the decision to hand over Gwadar Port to China was important for both countries. The views expressed by some countries with regard to this agreement were falsified in order to impact relations between Pakistan and China. The Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Geng Yansheng said that relations between China and Pakistan were old and tested and both countries have stood by each other in difficult times. In the future, bilateral relations will only become stronger. An official of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry Louis Awai said that the handing over of the Gwadar Port to China was a step forward and it will be mutually beneficial. He added that China has already played a role in many such projects in Pakistan including the Karakoram Highway. (Daily Intekhab, Urdupoint)
TURKEY
1. Defence Minister Naved Qamar, on a visit to Turkey, met President Abdullah Gul who said that the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Turkey provided a good ground for joint defence industry projects. Qamar said that both countries could jointly manufacture defence products in their own countries. (Urdupoint)
INDIA
1. JI Deputy Secretary General Dr. Farid Ahmed Paracha said that Chuck Hagel’s statement on India was an eye-opener and was based on facts. He said that the Pakistan Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry have wasted opportunities to expose India in front of the international community. He said that Pakistani leaders were desperate to bestow MFN status on India to fulfil an international agenda whereas India was busy in construction of dams and spreading destructive activities in Pakistan. Paracha added that Pakistani leaders had put the Kashmir issue aside, which was tantamount to covering up India’s crimes. (Jasarat)
2.In his column, Saadi prays for Afzal Guru and writes that the Indian President Pranab Mukherji, who signed the orders for Guru’s hanging, will die a very painful death and his demise will be an example for others. Saadi narrates a story to state that the Kashmir jihad was a garden but it had dried up and Guru’s martyrdom had provided it with a new spring. Saadi writes that they shall not forget that at the root of this spring, Guru’s dead body had been laid. (Al Qalam Weekly, 1 March to 7 March)
UNITED STATES
1. The US will build Qaid-e-Azam International Airport building, the project has been initiated at Pakistan’s request, according to a statement issued by the US Embassy. Custom and Command operation system will be set up in Karachi. Further, the US military will not be involved in the project. (Jang, Urdupoint, Daily Intekhab)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Punjab Police has announced a bounty for information of 109 wanted terrorists and members of various defunct organizations. Rs. 1 crore bounty has been kept for LeJ’s Mutiur Rehman whereas bounties of Rs. 50 lakh each have been declared for LeJ’s Mansoor (Karachi), Qari Ahsanul Haq (Bahawalpur), TTP’s Rana Muhammad Afzal (Khanewal), Chief of Lashkar-e-Kharasan (TT) Qari Abdullah, and TTP Commander Tariq (Dera Adam Khel). Bounties are also announced for some other terrorists affiliated to JeM, Sipah-e-Muhammad and TTP. The JeM terrorists are Muhammad Haroon Akbar and Muhammad Tayyab, both of Sargodha. (Ummat)
2. Addressing students of various religious institutions at Jamia-ad-Darasaat-ul-Islamia, JuD Karachi Chief, Engineer Navid Qamar said that students could play a role in dousing sectarian and religious fires in Pakistan. He said that students of religious institutions should understand the conspiracies of non-believers and try to promote unity. He added that students should join the JuD platform to counter enemies of Islam. (Jasarat)
3. Ummat editorially said terrorists were gaining the upper hand in Karachi; earlier, terrorism was on the grounds of sectarianism, linguistics and regionalism but now, terrorists dared to attack security personnel and police chowkies. The intention behind such attacks was to create a sense of insecurity amongst the masses. (Ummat Edit)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. In his article, Zarar Pirzada writes that PPP’s tenure had made it clear that it wants only power. He says the people fail to understand why PPP is asking for Ishratul Ibad to return as Sindh Governor despite MQM sitting in the opposition. He says that PPP seems to be playing a double game as it wants MQM’s support for forming the caretaker government which would not be possible unless MQM sits in the opposition. Hence, it had to appease MQM by bringing Ibad back and also by passing a bill in the Sindh Assembly for a university in Hyderabad. The writer says similarly, it wasn’t clear if Sindhis would be benefitted in any way if all 22 parties come together against PPP and MQM. (Awami Awaz)
2. In his article, Sohail Sangi says that the SC has given indications that it will not allow a deferring of elections. He says that Nawaz Sharif seemed to be optimistic of winning and is leaving no stone unturned it that direction. Sharif has aligned with right-wing parties like JI and is also insisting on talks with Taliban which also reflect the kind of foreign policy he is likely to adopt if he came to power and also the mind-set that will be served in the country under him. Sangi says that at a federal level, Sharif has gone in for an alliance with JUI-F to improve PML-N’s chances in KP which could compensate to some extent, the PPP-PML-Q alliance and PTI in Punjab. He claims that for more than a year, Sharif has been trying to get his party accepted as a national party and has thus started alliance politics across the country – he went for an alliance with Sardar Mengal in Balochistan; also held meetings with different stakeholders in Sindh. He also talked to Sindhi nationalist leaders such as Qadir Magsi, Latif Palejo and Jalal Mehmood Shah. Sangi opines that a few developments may have weakened PPP in Sindh, but it had not weakened from the election point of view. He says Pir Pagaro’s party may bag a couple of seats but will not make a substantial difference to PPP’s tally. (Kawish)
3. Ummat editorial says there were hardly 15 days left for the government to complete its tenure but consensus had still not been built on the caretaker government. The government was neither interested in the formation of the caretaker government nor in resolving the crises of electricity and petroleum. Edit refers to the failure of the government at many levels and writes that it seemed even the next elections will not bring positive results. (Ummat Edit)
PUNJAB
1. PPP Punjab MPA Shamshir Haider Wattoo has decided to resign from his assembly membership and to join PML-N. PML-Q leader Yaqoob Sheikh has announced his resignation from PML-Q and he will be contesting elections on PML-N ticket. (Khabrain)
SINDH
1. An investigation report of the Human Rights Network claims that 470 people have been killed in Karachi in target killings in 2013. It states that 220 were killed in January and 250 in February. It states that the Police have claimed to have arrested more than a dozen target killers but no one has been punished yet. (Jasarat)
BALOCHISTAN
1. During a joint session of JUI Balochistan Executive Committee and Parliamentary Group, Senator Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani said that international forces were behind the riots and deteriorating law and order situation in the country. Sherani, who is JUI (Balochistan) chief and chairman of Islami Nazaryati Council, said that NATO and international forces did not want the bloodshed to stop and for this, they were using their resources and agents. He claimed that under US leadership, neighbouring countries were taking support of powerful elements of Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan to continue with the violence. Hazara killings in Quetta were result of this. Sherani said that these forces were providing resources to terrorists. He said that anyone who took up weapons, whatever the reason, was an enemy of peace and the enemy of the entire Muslim Umma (Daily Intekhab)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. Muslim Conference chairman Sardar Atiq Ahmed criticized the government for stopping zakat distribution to Madaris in AJK. (Daily Dharti)
2. Work on the Neelum-Jhelum hydro-electric project has been stalled as the tunnel boring machine has stopped working. The administration has asked for USD 15 million for 4 generators to run the machine. (Urdupoint)
3.Daily Dharti is critical of long hours of load-shedding in AJK. It says that there are ample opportunities in AJK for large and small hydropower projects, which have been neglected due to political reasons. There are reports of corruption in the Neelum –Jhelum project too. (Daily Dharti Edit)
3. An inter-faith harmony conference was organized in Gilgit-Baltistan which was presided over by Gilgit IG Osman Zakaria. Former JI Chief Inayatullah Shamali said that Gilgit-Baltistan has great geographical importance and has been made a part of the great game by the US and China in a bid to ridicule each other. IG Zakaria said that peace was a requirement for everyone and that a united effort was necessary to end communalism. The conference was attended by politicians, Ulema, analysts, as well as the Additional Chief Secretary as the Home Secretary Faisal Zahoor convened the programme. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Baad-e-Shimal has welcomed the decision to makeg Kharmang and Shigar districts, and Diamir and Gilgit divisions. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
5. In another edit, Baad-e-Shimal says that the Gilgit-Baltistan government should concentrate over the plight of MS district hospital, Skardu, and create proper facilities at thehospital. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
