AFGHANISTAN
1. Taliban have shot 2 US helicopters whereas 8 tanks and 4 vehicles were destroyed in Maidan, Wardak, Zabil, Helmand and other areas. 250 government troops had surrendered in front of Taliban in Nangahar. In recent attacks, Taliban killed 82 allied forces. (Al Qalam Weekly, 22 March to 28 March)
INDIA/ UNITED STATES
1. Roznama Dunya hails President Zardari’s meetings with Turkmenistan and Afghanistan presidents on cooperation in the energy and trade sectors. This visit indicates that Pakistan has decided to rely on regional cooperation rather than depending on the West.. (Roznama Dunya Edit)
DEFENCE
1.Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen. Asim Salim Bajwa said that the Army will provide all possible security for May 11th elections. (Jang)
2. Deputy Secretary Gen. of PPP Senator Raza Rabbani criticised the appointment of serving army officers to the PIA. The deployment of Army officials in commercial institutions was a failed experiment; not only have these commercial institutions suffered losses but they had to pay a heavy price for it. (Jasarat)
3. Karachi police has arrested 3 terrorists belonging to LeJ and TTP and has seized weapons from them. (Jang)
4. Peshawar Police sources claim that the Jalozai camp blast could be a result of in-fighting between terrorist organizations. Other sources disputed this. There has been information that some foreign elements have been active as the ‘third force’; these elements have been provided facilities by Afghan NDS. Prior to elections, this ‘third force’ is getting active. (Ummat)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Addressing the ‘Pakistan Election- Challenges and Solutions’ Seminar, JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed said that political leaders could try a referendum to find out the fact that Pakistan was formed on the basis of Islam and not secularism. He added that the Quran was their constitution and by uniting the Muslim community under the banner of Islam, India, America and their allies could be defeated. Saeed argued that those who talk against Nazarya-e-Pakistan should not be allowed to flourish in Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2. An initial strategy has been formed to make the study of Quran compulsory in Sindh’s schools from standard 4th to 10th for Muslim students. The chairman of experts committee Anwar Ahmedzai said that students will read translations of Quran. He said they will consult with all educational boards in the province in order to include the study of Quran in the examination schedule. (Jasarat)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. In his column, Munir Ahmed Baloch gives importance to Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif’s presence in Riyadh at the same time and terms it as the ‘Samjhauta Express’ running from Dubai to Karachi. Baloch then discusses the last minutes steps taken by Zardari and terms them as ‘smart moves’. His handing over Gwadar Port to China and making the gas pipeline accord with Iran indicate that either he has secured his own future or his own politics. Baloch says that as per his analysis, Zardari has submitted himself to military leaders with his full consent. Baloch terms the Gwadar agreement as ‘Pak-China silent defence agreement’. Instead of leaving this issue for the next government, at military’s behest, Zardari has given his government’s gift to the military. Baloch writes Zardari knew that on making these agreements, the US and other neighbouring countries will hate him and will try to promote their own candidates, so that like India, Pakistan itself will start objecting to the Iran gas pipeline project. The US will also not approve that after US troops’ pull-out from Afghanistan China would have control over the region’s economic hub at Gwadar. Baloch writes that even Arab countries will not like that Iran enhance its relation with nuclear Pakistan and hence, their interference in elections has begun. Baloch writes that from the 1970s, China has decided to give preference to economic strength over military interference and getting control over Gwadar will make Asia, Central Asia and Middle East depend on China for important political decisions; at that time, Iran will be its ally in the region. Iran has proved its importance in the region by signing the gas deal with Pakistan; he claims that Iran knew that India will have to look up to Iran in the future in case of an energy crisis. Baloch writes that earlier, Iran had objections to the construction of the Gwadar Port but now Iran is satisfied that China’s presence in Gwadar will deter other countries’ attacks on Iran. Baloch comments that by handing over Gwadar to China, Pakistan has fulfilled China’s wish to surround India. (Roznama Duniya)
2. In his column, Irfan Siddiqui criticizes Imran Khan for being elected as the party Chairman and Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the Vice Chairman. He writes that though Imran Khan claims he was elected unopposed, he was, in fact, elected due to rigging. Imran Khan had failed to give any ideological identity to his party. He predicts that Imran Khan’s claim about his March 25th rally being significant enough to change the political scenario in Pakistan will prove false. (Jang)
3.Differences between PPP and PML-Q have increased making poll tie-up difficult for them. (Jang)
4. Musharraf is likely to meet Saudi King Shah Abdulla bin Abdul Aziz. Experts have given significance to Gen. Kayani’s meetings with the Saudi leadership during his Umra, as he must have discussed security issues for Musharraf after his return to Pakistan. (Urdu point)
5. Former ISI Chief Gen (R) Hamid Gul said that a change was unlikely in Pakistan even after the elections. He added that a new setup could not be expected from old faces. (Bang-e-Sahar, Khabrain)
6.Former Election Commission Hassan Muhammad has written a book, ‘General Elections in Pakistan: Some Untold Stories and Personal Experiences’, about the history of elections in Pakistan and how they have been rigged. Former EC said that the elections in 1977 were rigged and elections in 1985 were a joke. Muhammad said that he had written in book that ISI played role in the 2002 election. He claimed that this book was based on research and he has tried to write history of democracy from 1947 to 2012. He said that elections till 1970 could not be even be termed as elections; elections in 1988 were comparatively fair. (Ummat)
ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Dr. Samar Mubarakmand said that yearly, 536 million tonnes of coal would be used from Thar reservoirs to produce 10,000 MW of electricity. (Daily Pak, Kawish)
2. Nawa-i-Waqt has welcomed President Zardari’s interest in the TAPI Gas line project. It says that after the Iran-Pakistan Gas project, the TAPI project would open the door to economic stability in Pakistan and hence the future Government should keep this project on its priorities. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
3. Pakistan will take a Rs. 50 crore loan for the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project. A meeting will be held on Monday, March 25th at WAPDA House to form a consortium of national and international banks. China has already announced a loan of Rs. 50 crore on easy instalments. (Jang)
PUNJAB
1. Ccheques issued to 265 affectees of the Joseph Colony incident by the Punjab government have bounced. (Urdupoint)
SINDH
1. MQM was preparing a list of illegal weapons owned by opponents particularly Sunni Tehrik, ANP, Aman Committee and Mohajir Quami Movement. This list will be submitted at Nine-Zero and will later be provided to Police and Rangers. (Ummat)
2. Shahid Nadeem Baloch has been appointed as the IG Sindh. He is a former director of FIA. (Jang, Kawish)
3. IG Sindh Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh presented to SC bench a list of target killers and extortionists arrested since 2011. According to it, 224 target killers were arrested during this period including 81 from MQM, 38 from Sunni Tehrik, 27 from TTP, 17 from Lyari gang war, 13 from ANP, 6 from the defunct Peoples’ Aman Committee, 9 from PTI, 2 from LeJ, 4 from Mohajir Quami Movement, and 4 from Sipah-e-Muhammad. (Jasarat)
4. Sind Tariqui Pasand’s Qadir Magsi says those trying to sell out Karachi’s two islands will be beaten. He also said his group has gone in for alliance with Sindh’s 10 groups, in order to defeat PPP and its allies easily. (Ibrat)
BALOCHISTAN
1.BNP Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has officially announced his return to Pakistan on March 25th. BNP will welcome him at Karachi airport. The standing president of BNP Jahanzeb Jamaldeni has called a session of the Central Committee on March 26th which will be presided over by Mengal; at this session, issues of unlawful arrests, disappearance of people, mutilated dead bodies and violation of human rights will be discussed and a final decision will be taken about elections. According to some reports, Mengal may not take part in the elections. But some other reports said Mengal faction of the Balochistan National Party has decided to contest elections. (Jasarat, Bang-e-Sahar, Nawa-i-Waqt, Awami Awaz)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Many water and power contracts worth crores have been cancelled and the Chief Secretary has ordered an inquiry over such contracts made on the recommendation of an influential person of Gilgit-Baltistan. (Bang-e-Sahar)
2. Sources said that CM Mehdi Shah has announced the formation of Shigar as a new district and assured the functioning of the DC, SP and other Departments in a month’s time. (Bang-e-Sahar, Baad-e-Shimal)
3. Lack of funds has resulted in the Pakistan Red Crescent Society issuing a notification to close its Anjuman Hilal Ahmer Rawalakot branch from 31st March. (Daily Dharti)
