INDIA/ UNITED STATES
1. JuD chief professor Hafiz Saeed has accused the US of undermining Pakistan’s security and encouraging in-fighting among Muslims because it had been defeated in Afghanistan. He said that the Americans have sponsored communal fights and regional wars in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. He asked people to be aware of foreign conspiracies and said the need is propagation of Islam. (Khabrain)
2. Dr.Aman Memon commenting on regional scene says India has sensed China’s growth in the region and has started putting pressure on Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Bangladesh. He states that India has created hurdles to Chinese naval bases in these countries. He claims that since India could not pressurize Pakistan, it used the US to do so. Since Pakistan has come out of US influence, it was able to hand over the Gwadar port to China. He states that this is also the reason it was able to sign the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline deal. This has made the US angry. The writer says worsening conditions in Afghanistan and growing tensions amongst India-china and America has not only created more unrest and tensions in the region but has impacted internal conditions in Pakistan too. He says growing tensions in Sindh, particularly Karachi and also conditions in Balochistan can be understood in the backdrop of the aforesaid tensions amongst China, India, the US and Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)
DEFENCE
1. Amir Mir writes that for the first time, the military leadership’s changed military doctrine and identified on Mar 19 Taliban and militants as biggest threat to Pakistan, whereas India was always seen as posing a great threat to Pakistan. Joint Chief of Staff Committee meeting chaired by Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne announced that the forces would continue the war against terrorism. Army Chief Gen Kayani, Naval Chief, Admiral Asif Sandilla, Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafiq Butt , Defence Secretary Lt. Gen. Asif Yasin Malik, Chief of General Staff, DG Joint Staff, DG-ISI , DG-Strategic Plans Division, and senior officers of all three armed forces attended the meeting. As per an official announcement, Armed Forces will focus on biggest threat to Pakistan that is terrorism. (Jang)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Hafiz Saeed said that Muslims will have to become firm believers so that non-believers will know that Islamic tenets cannot be refused. He further said that Muslims are not sent into this world to indulge in pleasures and enjoyment, their philosophy is a life of jihad. He said that enemies of Islam have joined hands to finish Islam, and therefore we need jihad as much as we needed it during its early days. (Jinnah)
2. It has come up during the investigation in Abbas Town blast that an explosive laden vehicle was prepared in Hub. 11 people were involved in the planning and the police have arrested 6 of them and raids were on-going to arrest the remaining. (Ummat)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1.Hamid Mir in his column writes that the government and opposition have not reached agreement on the caretaker Prime Minister; even if once they agree on the caretaker PM’s name, other issues will crop up. Mir believes there may be no such problem in Balochistan. Nawaz Sharif may bring up the so-far forgotten issue of political governors. Other politicians like Imran Khan will object to holding election under Asif Zardari and there is no end to contentious issues. (Jang)
2. Nazir Naji says Pervez Musharraf plans to return home to contest elections but the prime ministers he had appointed will not support him. It is heard that Musharraf will start his political activities from Sindh; if he can win national assembly seat from Sindh, Nawaz Sharif will welcome him more warmly than he will Arbab Rahim. Naji says that Nawaz Sharif welcomes any politician belonging to Sindh. If Musharraf could join Nawaz Sharif’s party then he could get a position worthy of him or else he could become his political ally. (Daily Dunya)
3.Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, Punjab President Shadab Raza Naqshbandi said that Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline and Gwadar Port were two important projects for Pakistan and would improve Pakistan’s fiscal condition. He added that talks with Taliban were not in favour of the nation and those who support such things should correct their wrongs. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
4.President of All Pakistan Muslim League (Sindh) Sardar Ghulam Mustafa said that on 24 March former President Pervez Musharraf will land at Karachi airport. Malik Muhammad of Hazara Qaumi Ittehad, Al Hajj Ahmed Hussain of Garib Ittehad Party and Syed Muhammad Iqbal of Malbari Alliance said that they will welcome Musharraf. Reports in circulation said a threat has been held out that if anybody tried to disrupt the return of Musharraf, their legs would be broken. (Ummat)
5. Pervez Musharraf said that he would be happy with a security profile equal to that of Benazir Bhutto. He added that the Supreme Court would do justice to him and he will contest the election from all the four provinces. (Baad-e-Shimal)
6.. JI chief Syed Munawar Hasan in an interview said that no party in the country seems to be winning a majority in all four provinces. He added that JI could do seat adjustment with PML-N or PTI in Punjab, and in KP could do seat adjustment with JuI, PML-N or PTI. (Daily Dunya)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1.National Database and Registration Authority has blocked more than 30,000 identity cards obtained illegally by Afghan migrants in tribal areas of KP. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
SINDH
1.Sindh CM has started investigations in the matter of sale of 126 schools in Karachi. The Sindh High Court has also taken note of this. Mafia groups working in Sindh’s Education Department were in nexus with builders’ lobby and together they had declared some functioning schools as ‘dangerous structures’ and had sold them. The sale fetched around Rs. 2.5 billion. The sale took place on one single a day and within a month, new buildings had come up on these plots. (Awami Awaz)
2. Bashir Aresar, leader of Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, along with other leaders have warned the Badin Police chief that the abducted girl should be freed; otherwise there would be strong protests on 28 March. (Awami Awaz)
3. Two Hindu Sindhi youth were abducted as they were returning from Shikarpur. (Awami Awaz)
4. Jasarat editorial says that on last Monday, a Shia teacher and author Sibt Jafar, was killed in Karachi and next day, a Sunni Doctor and MLO of Abbasi Hospital was killed along with his bodyguard. Though Shia and Sunni community leaders have jointly failed the conspiracy to spark sectarian violence, violence itself had become routine in Karachi and the government and the security establishment seemed unable to protect people. (Jasarat Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. Well known tribal leader Mir Dashti Khan Jatak, Muhammad Hussain Muhammad Husni, Haji Muhammad Alam have joined PML-N along with leaders of PPP and JUI (F). Addressing a press conference, Chief of Jhalawan and provincial President Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zahri said that PML-N has a solution to the Balochistan issue. Nawabzada Lashkar Raisani was also present. (Ummat)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Cold war has intensified between CM Mehdi Shah and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary; this could create problems for PPP. With the dissolution of the National Assembly, relations between the Gilgit-Baltistan Provincial government and the bureaucracy had strained. (Baad-e-Shimal)
2. Population Welfare Department employees have been deprived of payments for the past 6 months. (Daily Dharti)
3. The Karakoram International University was able to enrol 1400 students in various courses. Its Vice Chancellor said that 915 students took admission at the main campus whereas 470 students were admitted to the Skardu Campus. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)
4. Bang-e-Sahar editorial says the most important feature of the PML-N (Gilgit-Baltistan) Convention was presence of both Sunni and Shia Ulema who spoke about unity in diversity. PPP had failed to conduct any such political meeting. Edit goes on to say that it was necessary that communal harmony be promoted through positive political activities; instead of working on political point-scoring, bringing peace to the region should be the priority. (Bang-e-Sahar Edit)
