RUSSIA
1. Jasarat terms as historical the forthcoming visit of COAS Gen. Kayani to Russia is historical. Had President Putin come to Pakistan as planned it would have been a historical step since American and NATO forces were in the region to accomplish a ‘Great Game’ and Russia was also a target of that game. It is unclear why Putin visit was postponed. (Jasarat Edit)

2. Daily Intekhab editorial has welcomed COAS Gen. Kayani’s visit to Moscow, saying it would be the first visit by any Pakistan Army chief to Russia. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

3. A Russian company has shown interest in joining the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. (Jang)

AFGHANISTAN
1. A Taliban spokesperson said ending of the joint operations by NATO with Afghan troops was a victory of the Taliban. It is also the beginning of the defeat of the West in Afghanistan. (Al Qalam Weekly, 28 September-4 October)

INDIA
1. Sources have indicated that Nawaz Ali, a Pakistani fisherman, died after 13 years of imprisonment in an Indian jail. It was said that jail authorities were hesitating to send his body to Pakistan. (Ummat)

2. AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Ahmad Khan met with Pakistani Ambassador to the US Sherry Rahman and Permanent Envoy to the UN Masood Khan in New York and discussed the Kashmir problem. He expressed concern that if the Kashmir problem is not resolved peacefully, extremist forces would be successful in instigating a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. Sherry Rahman assured AJK President that Pakistan would continue to support the right to self determination for Kashmiris and would continue to provide consular support to Kashmiris to resolve the issue as per UN resolutions. (Daily Dharti, Jang)

3. Member of the British House of Lords, Lord Nazir, talking to AJK radio, FM93 on Sunday, said that for peace in the world, a solution to Palestine and Kashmir issues is necessary. He said that if the civilized world does not take notice of the aggression in Kashmir and Palestine, then terror-causing countries will destroy the entire world. He said that they were ready to struggle for 1000 years for the freedom of Kashmir. (Baad-e-Shimal)

4. Ministry of Environment has claimed that Pakistan’s share in global pollution was only 8.5% and alleged that fog in the skies of Pakistan during the winter is caused by factories in India. This issue will be raised at international forums. (Urdupoint)

TERRORISM/EXTREMISM/ANTI-FILM FALLOUT
1. Despite the invitation of the APC on Tahafuz-e-Hurmat Rasool given to PML-N, PTI, PPP and ANP leaders, they did not attend the APC. PM Raja Ashraf accepted the invitation but did not attend because of his busy schedule. Political and religious leaders complimented Hafiz Mohammad Saeed for holding an APC. (Tehreek Hurmat-e-Rasool, 26 September)

2.  On 21 September, JeM held a meeting at Green Town, Faisalabad on the topic of ‘Namoose-e-Risalat’; Maulana Abu Jindal and Maulana Ilyas Qasimi said JeM will continue fighting on every front for the supremacy of Islam and to protect the honour of Prophet Muhammad. (Al Qalam Weekly, 28 September-4 October)

3. Mufti Munib Ur Rahman suggestion that an OIC session should be called on anti=film issue deserves careful consideration. The OIC can frame the demands of Muslims that the EU and US should enact laws against blasphemy failing which oil supply should be  stopped.  Incidents of blasphemy are a part of the crusade against Islam and hence the emotions of Muslims should be given concrete shape by the respective governments. (Jasarat Edit)

4. Shahryaar Khan writes that due to the war against terrorism, in tribal areas innocent people have died and infrastructure has been damaged. Hospitals, bridges, roads, schools and colleges have been badly hit. Mohmand Agency is the worst sufferer; greatest number of schools were damaged in Mohmand Agency. More than 500 educational institutions have been destroyed by extremists in the last five years and studies of more than 5 lakh students’ were affected. Alternate places have been found for schools; some have been shifted to local people’s homes; at some places classes are being held under the trees. Around 100 alternate schools have been started and Saudi Arabia and UAE have supported them. Khan claims that due to the support of these countries, 50% of the students have resumed their studies whereas the other 50% were still deprived of education. (Urdupoint)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Senior legal experts have opined that PM Ashraf has no other option but to write to Swiss authorities to reopen the money laundering case against President Zardari. (Jang)

2. President Zardari is likely to meet MQM leadership during his UK visit. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has already reached London on Zardari’s directives. Zardari and Altaf Hussain are likely to discuss the new local Government Issue in Sindh and also about Zardari’s plans for Zulfikar Mirza. (Ibrat)

3. JI Chief Munawar Hassan said that they did not want a revolution that would give Maulana Fazlur Rahman the chairmanship of Kashmir Committee. He said that the West was insecure and defeated and hence, it was committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. Addressing a rally organized by Shabab Milli, he also said that some channels don’t cover the protests in order to appease the US and stated that soon, an Islamic revolution will take place in Pakistan. (Daily Intekhab, Jasarat)

4. JUI-F central leader Hafiz Hussein Ahmad in a telephonic conference with journalists said that if the elections are monitored by the Army, then they would make a deal with the government before the elections. (Jinnah)

5. Nuclear Scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan has accused former PM Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Zardari of giving permission to drone attacks. (Urdupoint)

6. Pakistan Press Foundation’ s Free and Fair Election Network Report indicates that in the past four and a half years, performance of MNAs and MPAs was dismal as a majority of them did not attend assembly sessions. Approaching these public leaders was very difficult and they seemed interested only in creating their own properties. (Ummat Edit)
6. Pakistani leaders should follow the example of the Iranian President and avoid the misuse of national funds and avoid extravagancy. (Daily Pak Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Pakistan Railways have pushed under the carpet the scam in purchasing engines. Railways are suffering a loss of Rs. 50 lakhs monthly. (Ummat)

2. NAB chairman, Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari speaking on the Waqt program said that as the Navy Chief he wanted to improve relations with India. He held that the Lahore Accord with India was a great achievement. He said that President Musharraf wanted an operation in Kashmir. He (Bukhari) wanted to link nuclear testing with the Kashmir issue, since nuclear tests were not beneficial for Pakistan. He informed that a briefing regarding Kargil operations were held at GHQ where the then PM Nawaz Sharif was not present; it was a briefing just for the Army. He praised Gen Kayani for having learnt lessons from the past, and maintaining positive thinking. He criticized Musharraf for using the NAB for political purposes. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

3. Nawa-i-Waqt editorial on NAB chairman, Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari’s interview with Waqt News. It disagrees with Bukhari’s statement that instead of putting an end to corruption, Pakistan is arresting the corrupt. NAB is not taking any efficient action in arresting corrupt elements. Edit is critical that the NAB Chairman is not supporting the Supreme Court but is opposing the Court’s work in tackling corruption. As NAB chief, he should take suo moto notice against the ruling class for violating merit, practicing nepotism, and favouring friends and relatives in allotting contracts, if he believes that there should be no political interference in government departments. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

4. Japan has expressed interest to investment in Karachi’s development projects. The heads of more than 20 Japanese companies will visit Pakistan this week to carry out feasibility survey for investments. (Jang)

SINDH
1. Though Saturday was a holiday, Sindh government issued four notifications under the ordinance on local government to set up 5 metropolitan corporations and 18 district and sub-district councils as well as union councils. The Karachi metropolitan corporation will have one district and 18 towns; Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and Mirpur Khas have been given the status of cities. (Awami Awaz, 30 September)

2.  Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has termed as drama Nawaz Sharif’s announcement of sending five trucks of relief goods to Sindh’s rain-affected areas. He advised the former prime minister to concentrate his attention on Punjab. He added Sindhis knew Nawaz Sharif only too well and PML-N would not win a single seat in Sindh in the elections. (Ibrat)

3. PML-Q chief Shujaat Chaudhary has failed in his attempts to win back PML-F to the fold of PPP-led alliance in Sindh.   PML-F chief Pir Pagaro ruled withdrawal of the resignations of his party’s ministers unless the government rolls back its LG ordinance. (Ibrat)

4.  Sindhi nationalist groups took out a huge rally in Thatta and raised sloganst against the controversial ordinance on local government. Sindh Bachao Committee, Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz and other Sindhi nationalist groups have given a state-wide strike call today. (Ibrat, Jang)

5. Why is the Sindh government not paying attention to the public’s resentment against the LG ordinance? The Sindh government hastily issued notifications on the ordinance on a holiday but fact of the matter is the ordinance has alienated the government from the masses in Sindh; on their part the Karachi Police has notified separate police administrative units for the city, on a holiday. Under the new police decree, 20 divisions have been set up, each headed with 1 SP. Additional IG has been named as the CPO. This marks the return of the Police administration which used to be during the Musharraf days. (Awami Awaz Edit)

6. Ibrat says instead of bowing to threats from just one political ally, PPP should take into account the wishes of its other allies as well. (Ibrat)

PUNJAB
1. PML-N member of the Punjab Assembly, Allah Rakha Chaudhry, said that Turkish companies have invested USD 6 million, in transport, solid waste management and other sectors in Punjab, which has increased job opportunities. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
Unwarranted political interference has destroyed the education department in Mansehra affecting teachers and students alike (Daily Hazara News)

BALOCHISTAN
In his column, Hamid Mir writes about BNP Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal appearing before the SC in the missing persons’ case. He says Mengal made a difficult decision to visit Pakistan, as over the last 4 years 53 BNP activists have been killed and hundreds have been abducted. Mir says that the majority in BNP was not happy with Mengal’s decision as it put his life in danger. Mir says that when he met Mengal on 26th September in Islamabad, Mengal appeared hopeful, even though Sanullah Baloch and Rauf Mengal had been cautious. Mir says that in the court room, he observed Raja Irshad Kayani, who had played an important role in the escape of CIA spy Raymond Davis from Pakistan under the guise of blood-money, gossiping with Attorney General Irfan Qadir. Mir says that Raja Kayani, the Deputy Attorney General during Musharraf’s reign, has been a counsel for ISI and MI in the missing persons’ case; Mir criticizes him and says he had never heard him speak the truth in this matter. Mir comments that the mindset of these powerful departments had not changed. He appreciates Mengal for his conduct in the court-room and comments that Mengal had no intentions to get political mileage out of the situation. He criticizes the attitude of the Attorney General when the CJP asked Balochistan Chief Secretary to read Mengal’s 6 demands out aloud and get an answer from the government. He says his perception was correct as by the next evening, the Chief Secretary informed the court that secret departments had no missing persons and that there was no death squad in Balochistan. Mir says that Interior Minister, Attorney General and Information & Broadcasting Minister, all criticized Akhtar Mengal for his demands; Mir says this must have ended all of Mengal’s positivity. Mir says that Rahman Malik should ban Benazir Bhutto’s books where she clearly mentioned ISI’s and Army’s intervention in national politics. Mir asks the Interior Minister to take action against his party’s federal minister Changez Jamali who accepted in media that the government had no control over FC in Balochistan. Mir says that such critics only forced Mengal to term his six points as being similar to the six points by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, even though this hurt many people. Mir writes that every nationalist should think whether these 6 points given by Mengal were beneficial for Pakistan’s integrity. Mir claims that a Qadiyani had filed a case through ISI Counsel Raja Kayani that Akbar Bugti had killed himself in 2006 but the petitioner had no idea that suicide was considered a shameful act in Baloch society and that Akhtar Mengal never accepted this. Mir says that a former DIG Pervez Zahoor informed him in person that he had been given the task by ISI to kill Akhtar Mengal in a fake encounter and that, upon his refusal he had been removed from service. The mindset of Pakistan’s secret departments was the same as it had been in 2006; Mir hopes that this time, even though the BNP chief left Pakistan with a bitter heart, he would return if the SC did justice. Mir says that the SC would definitely punish liars and that it would expose the real faces of those involved in the missing persons’ conspiracy. (Jang)

2. JWP Chief Talal Bugti said that his party will not contest elections if the role of agencies is not ended in Balochistan. He is ready to meet anyone except PML-Q as a solution to problems is not possible with fake leadership. (Daily Intekhab, Ummat)

3. JI Secretary General Liyaqat Baloch said that it seemed Balochistan’s problems were nearing a solution. He hailed the six points proposed by Akhtar Mengal and said that the government should take practical steps instead of talking about rights. (Daily Intekhab)

4.  Security forces on a tip off raided a house in Chaman on Sunday and seized a large number of weapons but no arrests were made. In Quetta, Frontier Corps arrested 4 suspects and seized a large number of weapons from them. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

5. While Akhtar Mengal was discussing dead bodies issue with Imran Khan, the Khuzdar Press Club General Secretary Abdul Haq Baloch was shot dead killed in firing. He is the fifth journalist killed this year. Naturally many journalists are considering migrating from Balochistan. All sections of the society should in one voice defend the right of freedom of speech and protest against such killings. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

6. While presenting his 6- point charter Akhtar Mengal hinted at the possibility of separation of Balochistan, which means the break-up of Pakistan; before it can happen, political leaders should sit together and find a solution. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

7. Homecoming of Sardar Akthar Mengal and his showing faith in the federation and Islamabad indicates that all doors have not yet closed. The deprivation of Balochistan should be resolved.  Amy operations are not the solution to the deprivation of the Baloch people. The Supreme Court asked the President, PM, COAS, ISI and IM to clarify their stand about missing people and death squads; all institutions have replied that nobody was missing and there was no death squad. But the Baloch leadership is not impressed. The court should form a fact finding commission. (Ausaf Edit, 30 September)

POK NEWS
Daily Dharti editorially commended Pakistan Army’s role in promoting education in AJK., GOC Murree Major General Syed Najmul Hassan told the annual function of Army Public School and College in Rawalakot  that the Army would start 6 new education centres in AJK which would be in addition to the 14 education centres already set up. There is no doubt that these education centres run by Army were competitive in all aspects and at par with private education centres. According to a report, 80% of students in AJK studied in private schools due to pathetic conditions in government schools; politicians were responsible for this apathy. Edit asks the government to spell out its policy on private schools to stop education from becoming a business. (Daily Dharti Edit)

 G-B NEWS
1. Unknown people fired upon and injured a police constable at Shahid Millat Road in Gilgit Baltistan. (Ausaf, 30 September)

2. During his visit to Gilgit Baltistan PM Pervez Ashraf said that the federal government will deal strictly with those who disturb the peace. PM Ashraf said that to ensure law and order good officials will be provided to the GB government. (Ausaf, 30 September)

3. In a survey conducted by Ausaf, residents of Gilgit said crores of rupees were spent on PM Ashraf’s visit which was very short. The USD 2 billion aid package was far too little for GB which is under financial crisis. People demanded that President Zardari should also come to GB and announce a package. (Ausaf, 30 September)

4. Gilgit-Baltistan MLAs have PM has won the hearts of the people by announcing a Rs. 2 billion package. (Ausaf, 30 September)

5. G-B Information Minister, Dr. Ali Madad Sher said that during the PM’s visit all demands by GB could not be discussed at length due to shortage of time. He said that the PM was briefed on all issues. However the GB Chief Minister’s meeting with the PM on Thursday in Islamabad will be important as he will demand that the GB financial issues and the status of province be addressed. (Baad-e-Shimal)

6.  District Hospital Skardu is facing financial crisis for the last three months. No medicines are available even for OPD patients. (Baad-e-Shimal)

7. A passport office in Diamer and opening of the Kargil-Ladakh road are welcome developments. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)