BANGLADESH
1. Leaders of JI and other religious parties have condemned the capital punishment awarded to JI leaders in Bangladesh. They said that this was a violation of human rights; they claimed that they will protests against Bangladeshi embassies across the globe if atrocities are committed against those who fought for survival of Pakistan. JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan said that they delayed raising a voice over this issue as they had been meeting with ambassadors of various countries; he claimed that governments of Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt have taken notice of situation and stated that the Pakistan government and the Army should also not avoid the issue. (Jasarat, Ummat)
CHINA
1. Chief of National Party Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch said that Balochistan was used as a sacrificial goat for the Sino-Pak friendship. Malik said that they were not taken into confidence over the handing over of the Gwadar Port to China. Malik claimed that the federal government had agreed to hand over the Gwadar Port to the provincial government. (Daily Intekhab, 10 March)
UNITED STATES/ AFGHANISTAN
1. NATO officials are giving preference to alternate routes for taking back goods from Afghanistan instead of choosing the Pakistan route. After July, 20 containers were sent via Pakistan, but 28,000 containers were sent via other routes. (Urdupoint)
2.Taliban Commander Mullah Aalim has been targeted along with 2 companions by an air attack carried out by the US in Helmand. (Ummat)
INDIA
1.In his column, Irfan Hussain writes about the history of Muslims in India and concludes that apart from Kashmir, where the struggle did not reflect religious or nationalist sentiments, Indian Muslims were more at peace today than Muslims in Pakistan. He says that Indian Muslims were not targeted in sectarian terrorism like their brothers in Pakistan. Hussain refers to the recent incident of blast in Hyderabad and says though Indian Mujahidin’s role was alleged, it did not trigger any sectarian violence. Referring to 2011 census, Hussain says that the Muslim account for 14.6% of the population. he adds that despite the Gujarat carnage, now Muslims were merging into the national mainstream. (Roznama Duniya)
2. Nawa-i-Waqt says that PM Ashraf should not have visited India at this time of tensions between the two nations. It says that he could have visited the Sufi Shrine in Ajmer later. Edit says that though his visit was personal, it was taken as official by the media. Being PM, the entire expenses were made from the national treasury which is public money. The people now had full right to question Ashraf about how he would reply to the threats and warnings made by Indian Army Chief Bikram Singh. Edit says that as a PM of a nation, Ashraf did not get the appropriate respect from India for which he should blame himself. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1.According to secret agency sources, terrorists have changed names of cities in their communications so that security institutions are not able to trace them on the basis of records of their calls. For instance, the terrorists have named Karachi as Nawab Shah, Lahore as Gilgit, Multan as Khanpur, Rawalpindi as Mardan, Islamabad as London, Peshawar as Karachi, Sialkot as Faisalabad, Faisalabad as Bahawalpur and Hangu as Quetta. This was revealed during interrogation of a terrorist who said that this was done to confuse security officials. (Ummat, Jang)
2. Mudassir Jamal Tonsvi advocates jihad by citing verses of Quran and interpretation of Quran by famous religious scholars. Tonsvi states that when the US, an enemy of Muslims, had begun to withdraw from Afghanistan, Muslims should feel fresh vigour and keep an eye over enemy conspiracies. He writes that understanding enemy psychology and appropriate attacks on enemy were the best war strategy. Tonsvi writes that the enemy was afraid of jihad; he claims that abandoning jihad makes the enemy fearless. Tonsvi advocates that the enemy should be chased until it loses control. (Al Qalam Weekly, 8 March to 14 March)
3.TTP has released a video of former police inspector’s brother Sher Zaman Mehsood’s killing, also a TTP member. The government had fixed a Rs. 20 lakh bounty on Sher Zaman’s head. He was killed by TTP for treachery. (Roznama Dunya)
4. Reacting to violence against the Christian community in Lahore, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed said that radical elements were trying to destabilize Pakistan by creating such nuisance and demanded a high-level inquiry. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Pak)
5. 30 muftis of Sunni Ittehad Council, in a Fatwa, termed the arson of Christian homes as un-Islamic. (Daily Dharti)
MUSHARRAF
1. Former President Musharraf said that he would return to Pakistan between March 16th and 26th and that no one could stop him from returning. He said that All Pakistan Muslim League could form the government. (Ausaf)
2. Saudi Arabia played an important role in Musharraf’s return plans. It assured Musharraf that PML-N will not create any obstacles for him. (Khabrain)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. PML-Q chief Chaudhary Shujaat said that the Election Commissioner of Pakistan must have administrative powers similar to the Election Commissioner of India. It was wrong to say the Chief Election Commissioner didn’t have any administrative powers. He claimed that the Lahore attacks could be a ploy to postpone elections. (Kawish)
2. Chief of ASWJ Allama Muhammad Ahmed Ludhiyanvi announced that candidates of ASWJ will contest elections across Pakistan and that the decision of seat adjustment in Jhang will be taken after evaluation of the opponent. Ludhiyanvi alleged that a situation of civil war was being created in Pakistan to postpone elections. (Jasarat)
3.Sources claimed that Abdul Hafiz would be the PM of the caretaker government. (Khabrain)
4.Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that neither a judge nor a General would be the caretaker PM. He said that the caretaker PM could be either from the media or be a technocrat. (Kawish)
5. Deadlock between the government and the Election Commission continues over the 17 modifications made by the Election Commission in the nomination form. The deadline for President’s approval is today. (Daily Intekhab)
6. Former COAS Gen Mirza Aslam Beg rejects the possibility of bloodshed during elections. He said that these elections will be free from interference of the US, the Army, the judiciary, and opportunistic politicians. Beg claims that the Quetta and Karachi blasts were a part of an on-going conspiracy which was in existence even prior to the decision on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. He writes that these blasts were aimed to increase Shia-Sunni strife and says that when the Islamic revolution took place in Iran, the US and secular powers thought it may affect Pakistan and hence, they promoted enmity between Shias and Sunnis; as a result, organizations like Sipah-e-Sahaba, Sipah-e-Muhammad and LeJ emerged. Beg writes that unfortunately, the governments in Pakistan were a part of formation and patronizing of such organizations. He writes that declaring such sectarian organizations as defunct was another wrong decision due to which extremist elements adopted terrorism. Beg claims that elements of these organizations went across the border where there were people spreading terrorism in Pakistan and wanted to shift the war in Afghanistan into Pakistan. He insists on negotiations with all defunct organizations to bring them back into mainstream. Beg accuses the US and India of patronizing those who wanted to spread terrorism and sectarian tensions in Pakistan. (Jasarat)
7. JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that the APC called by JUI should not be taken as an election stunt as they supported the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. Rahman said that the decision of an electoral alliance with PML-N was an important one and that they had welcomed the hand extended by Nawaz Sharif. Rahman added that the Taliban have expressed their intentions for negotiations but the government was hesitant. He said that the government should play its role in difficult times. (Daily Intekhab, Baad-e-Shimal, Daily Pak, Daily Dharti, Khabrain)
8. Welcoming new people into PPP, including brother of one of Pir Pagaro’s advisors, federal Minister Khurshid Shah said that elections will take place by May 9th and the caretaker set up announcement will be made in the next 3-4 days. He hoped that PPP will be back in power. On this occasion, Sindh CM said that important decisions will be taken in the March 14th meeting of the Sindh Assembly which would include regularisation of employees. (Ibrat, Jang, Urdupoint, Daily Dharti, Khabrain)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Pakistan Economy Watch’s Murtaza Mughal said that 8 commercial institutions which were run on political bosses played the foremost role in bankrupting Pakistan. Mughal said that just Pakistan Railways, PIA, TCP, NHA, PASCO, PEPCO, and Steel Mills took debts from banks which were more than the entire private sector takes together. (Daily Intekhab)
2. 66 applications have been received for exploration of 50 oil wells all over Pakistan. (Urdupoint)
PUNJAB
1. While addressing the protest rally outside of the Karachi Press Club over attacks on the Christian community in Lahore, MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar demanded the resignation of Punjab government. He said the burning of Christian homes had affected image of Pakistan irreversibly at the international level. He criticized the Punjab government for being a silent spectator. Sattar said very soon Christians will overthrow the Punjab government. (Jasarat)
2. SSP Operations, Rawalpindi, Israr Abbasi said that security for Christian churches has been increased. He also claimed that there was no threat to the Christian community in Rawalpindi. (Jinnah)
SINDH
1. ASWJ has provided a list of 30 Shia terrorists to MQM and in a secret meeting between MQM leaders and the ASWJ leader Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqi, MQM leaders have ensured that they will oust target killers belonging to MQM mentioned in this list. ASWJ will give names of more terrorists in the second phase of the meeting. Tensions had increased in MQM over this meeting as a group within MQM was strongly opposed to it. MQM delegation was led by Wasim Aftab and the Karachi Party Committee in-charge Hamad Siddiqui. MQM delegation had sanctions for this meeting from Altaf Hussain. (Ummat)
2. In his article, Ibrahim Kumbar writes that while PPP has scoffed at PML-N’s proposal of Sindhi nationalist leader Rasool Palejo for caretaker PM and has called it a joke, others have admired the act. Kumbar says earlier Nawaz Sharif had tried to suggest the name of Baloch nationalist leader Attaullah Mengal, but Mengal refused. He says it was good Sharif was in touch with Sindhi and Baloch nationalist leaders. He also appreciates Sharif for taking along Talal Bugti and having close ties with Hasil Bazenjo. He says the Marris of Balochistan were close to PML-N these days and several others, Lashkari Raeesani have also recently defected from PPP to PML-N. According to Kumbar, even though Mehmood Khan Achakzai had proposed the name of Raza Rabbani for caretaker PM, everyone was aware of the fact that Rabbani will not be the caretaker PM. It is also being widely believed that Hafiz Sheikh (former Finance Minister) may become caretaker PM, but he didn’t seem to be in a mood to leave Islamabad. He says that even within PPP, there was debate on this issue. He says despite all this, there was a solid chance that Hafiz Sheikh will be the next caretaker PM as he was a classmate of an establishment official and hence, enjoys the establishment’s blessings. Kumbar says that if PPP recommends his name, the establishment may not say no. He says that though PML-N may not like Hafiz Sheikh, it will not be able to do much. He claims that with Hafiz’s appointment, there will be no need for any consensus as it will mean that forces who have been deciding caretaker PM for the past 66 years, can have a larger say this time round. (Kawish)
3. 50 more communities in Kherpur have formed an alliance convention against PPP. They have decided to approach more communities to defeat Qaim Ali Shah and PPP in elections. (Jang)
BALOCHISTAN
1. According to sources, Governor’s Rule will be ended in Balochistan in the next 48 hours and Sadiq Imrani will be appointed as the Chief Minister. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. According to an informed source, the federal government has cancelled the proposal to bring in a new CM and has decided to reinstate Nawab Raeesani’s government after the completion of Governor’s Rule. But Nawab Raeesani will have to vouch that he will dissolve the provincial assembly, along with all other assemblies at the appointed time. (Daily Intekhab)
3. Balochistan Interior Ministry has extended the police powers to FC for another 2 months. (Jasarat)
4. BLF has appealed to the people of Balochistan to boycott elections. BLF spokesperson Gohram Baloch said that elections in Balochistan were meant to strengthen the occupation and slavery of Baloch people. BLF warned that those who took part in the strengthening of slavery in Balochistan will not be pardoned. (Daily Intekhab. 10 March)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. 1.Municipalities Minister Engr. Ismael said that Gilgit-Baltistan had nothing do with general elections in Pakistan and that the current setup will continue till the Assembly completed its term. He added that the NAB had full authority to operate in Gilgit-Baltistan. (Baad-e-Shimal)
2. Sources have said that the flood-affected families of Ghizer and Ghanche will have to take personal interest for their compensation. Some elements were trying to push the people of Ghizer and Ghanche to the wall as flood-affected families of Astore, Gilgit, and Hunza Nagar had already received their payments. (Baad-e-Shimal)
3. PM Ashraf has approved the Timber Policy for Gilgit-Baltistan that would allow timber merchants to sell timber wood for 4 months from Diamir and Astore to other districts of Pakistan. (Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Baad-e-Shimal editorially said PML-N’s election manifesto did not have anything for Gilgit-Baltistan. It says this had sent a negative message to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. PML-N’s Gilgit-Baltistan provincial President Hafiz Hafizur Rahman said that PML-N had prepared 11 pages of recommendations for Gilgit-Baltistan which will be made part of PML-N’s constitution once approved. He also said that since Gilgit-Baltistan will not have ections, its programme would be issued at a proper time. Edit says that it was true that both Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif had never ignored Gilgit-Baltistan; hence, they should now clarify doubts in the minds of the people of this new-born province as they expected a lot from PML-N in the future. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
Afghanistan
5.Finance Minister Salim Mandviwalla said that the government had stopped the funding of Bhasha Dam and that it was working to provide Rs. 25 billion for the Neelum-Jhelum Project. He claimed that an extra Rs. 30 billion had been demanded for defence, on which the final decision will be taken by the ministry in April. (Daily Intekhab, 10 March)
