RUSSIA
1. Russian President cancelled his visit after getting annoyed with the Pakistani bureaucracy’s conventional attitude of delaying projects. He held the view that enhancing bilateral relations does not mean just holding meaningless talks; there should be some action. After his visit was cancelled, Pakistan’s bureaucracy woke up and the MoUs between the two countries got signed, after which the Russian Foreign Minister’s visit was scheduled. (Daily Pak Edit)

2. Jasarat editorial welcomes the Russian Foreign Minister’s Pakistan visit and writes that it isn’t clear why the Russian President postponed his visit. If the cancellation was due to Indian and American pressure, even the Russian Foreign Minister would not have visited Pakistan. It admits that the Russian Foreign Minister’s visit alleviates the tension that had been created when Putin postponed his visit. Edit writes that COAS Kayani was also going to Russia which indicates that the two countries wanted to develop ties. Edit refers to Pakistan’s role in defeating USSR in Afghanistan at US behest and writes that now the equation had changed as India, which was earlier a friend of USSR, had shifted its allegiance towards the US. Edit says that the US had betrayed Pakistan and therefore it was better to tilt towards Russia more so since Russia’s policies are different from USSR. (Jasarat Edit)

3. The visit of the Russian Foreign Minister has removed the negative impression created by the postponement 0f Russian President’s visit; credit for this goes to successful diplomacy on the part of Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

AFGHANISTAN
1. Afghanistan has deployed thousands of troops along the Pakistan border and our Jalalabad Consul General has been warned by the Kandahar Governor that if shelling from Pakistan continued, Afghan forces would infiltrate Pakistan. Afghanistan and NATO are increasing pressure on Pakistan as Taliban attacks had increased.  (Ausaf Edit)

2. Afghanistan blames Pakistan at the behest of its master, the US.  As Afghan and NATO forces are deployed at the insurgency from Pakistan’s side is not possible. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
3. A foreign media report claims that Taliban have hanged 5 tribals in North Waziristan’s Miranshah on allegations that they were spying for US secret secrete agency. (Urdupoint)

INDIA
1. JUI (F) Chief and Kashmir Committee Chairman Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that India should confer Kashmiris their right to self-determination as per the UN resolution. He added that    India, which claims to be the biggest democracy in the world, should give Kashmiris their democratic right.  (Daily Dharti, Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Speaking at a function to mark the golden jubilee of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation League, Luton, President (Retd.) Justice Abdul Majid Malik said that no formula on the division of Kashmir would be accepted. He alleged that India was turning Pakistan into a desert by stealing its waters but the Pakistani leadership has no time to look to into the crucial issue. (Jang)

TERRORISM/EXTREMISM/ANTI-ISLAM FILM
1. JuD central leader Saifullah Khalid has said if disrespect of the Prophet Mohammad continues,   Muslims will wage jihad. He said Muslims want to see every person involved in insulting the Prophet be hanged. He was addressing a Hurmat-e-Rasool conference at Shah Faisal colony. (Tehreek Hurmat-e-Rasool)

2. JuD leader Hafiz Abdur Rahman Makki said that conspiracies against Islam will be countered and demanded that the US stop playing with the emotions of Muslims as Islam was emerging as a power. Speaking at a ‘Hurmat-e-Rasool Conference’ in Hyderabad he also said that the Jewish lobby was trying to push Muslim towards sectarianism, whereas JuD chief Hafiz Saeed was uniting them on one platform. (Jasarat)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. President Zardari and MQM chief Altaf Hussain have agreed to contest elections together. The two leaders agreed to set up committees for this purpose. After this meeting, Hussain told the media that they discussed issues related to the new local government system and dual citizenship also. (Awami Awaz)

2. PPP and PML-Q will hold talks today in Lahore over seat adjustment for the upcoming elections. (Kawish)

3. Acting president Nayyar Bukhari has issued the Presidential Ordinance Services of Pakistan 2012, under which officers will be recruited from the provinces to the federal government. The report says that the purpose of the ordinance is to ensure that there are representatives from FATA and Balochistan, and not just Punjab. (Jinnah)

4. Because the situation in tribal areas is bad, if the government and security agencies ask Imran Khan to cancel his rally considering the risk factors, he should accept it in the interest of innocent people. (Jang Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Dr Asim Hussain, Advisor to PM for Petroleum and Natural Resources, has that in the Padra block, huge gas reservoirs were found and by the next year, 1 billion cusec feet of gas will be added to the system. 60 new blocks will be opened up for auction for gas and oil exploration. He also stated that they had requested Afghanistan to let Pakistan take up gas and oil in exploration in Afghanistan and that talks were in early stages about purchase of shell gas reserves in the US. (Jasarat, Urdupoint)

2. A team of Pakistani investors, led by Sindh CM, will visit Turkey shortly. The delegation will participate in the investors’ conference to be held in Istanbul. Sindh Investments Board chief Zubair Motiwal said that there were investment opportunities in Sindh, but they needed to be showcased to international investors. He said Pakistan’s priorities included sectors such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture and agro-processing. Several Turkish companies, including the FIBA Group and ZORLU Energy, have already invested in Pakistan’s wind power projects. (Ibrat)

SINDH
1. Nationalist parties demonstrated in front of PPP MPAs and ministers who voted in favour of the local government ordinance. There were no Police around while these demonstrations were taking place. Such protests were reported from Shahdadkot and Badeen, Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Larkana. (Awami Awaz)

2. PML-F’s Yam Madad said Local Government Ordinance bill is anti-Sindh and would therefore oppose it from every platform. (Awami Awaz)

3. Protests were staged for the second day against the Local Government Ordinance bill. Sindh Tariqui Pasand’s Qadir Magsi led the protest at the national highway. Protestors also fired at several place, resulting in injuries. Police and protestors clashed in Sindh’s interiors in which 18 protestors were injured; protestors burn 7 vehicles. (Kawish, Jasarat)

4. Sindhi nationalist groups are planning an agitation against the local government ordinance bill. They will also protest the killings of Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz activists. Lawyers were boycotting court proceedings. Members of Sindh’s civil society including teachers sat on a hunger strike in front of the Hyderabad Press Club. (Ibrat)

5. Jiye Sindh Tehrik will protest against the Local Government Ordinance from October 3rd to November 3rd; on October 14th, thousands of Sindhis will stage a protest march in Karachi. (Jasarat)

6. EDIT wonders at the haste with which the controversial Local Government Ordinance bill was passed in the Sindh Assembly despite protests from other coalition members. Edit says that though the government has been very eager to list benefits of the new bill, the happenings so far show that the bill falls short and is not in accordance with democratic values. It criticizes the government for dismissing protests as propaganda which only added to the frustration felt by the public. Edit says that the government may view this ordinance as beneficial, but it had no right to impose it on people when they have been emphatically opposing it. Edit warns that though MQM and PPP are congratulating each other on this bill being passed, they don’t know the consequences. Edit advises PPP to respect people’s wishes as the power ultimately lies with the public. (Ibrat Edit)

7. PPP got the Local Government Ordinance passed in the Sindh Assembly only to please MQM, despite the opposition of all the coalition parties in the Sindh government. MQM solely depends on the local government system in Sindh. If the bill was passed in public interest by going against all political parties, then it is good but if it was passed just to please a particular party, then it will have detrimental consequences. PPP has created an opposition front for itself, and this might endanger its future. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. Waziristan administration has not given Imran Khan’s PTI the permission to carry out its peace march in Kotkai of Jandola border area. The administration has turned down PTI’s request on grounds of intelligence reports that claim PTI march could be attacked by terror elements. The local tribal people have objected to this rally and hence, the administration could not ignore threats. The Waziristan administration has clarified that no political party could be given permission for a rally in any part of South Waziristan. (Kawish, Ausaf)

2. Additional Chief Secretary of FATA Dr. Tashfain has said Imran Khan’s peace rally is creating trouble in South Waziristan and the federal government has been made aware of this. (Jinnah)

3. Federal government has banned foreign journalists from visiting Waziristan without a NOC. If journalists didn’t follow guidelines, they will be deported and action could also be taken against them. (Urdupoint, Nawa-i-Waqt)

4. Dr Ejaz Rabbani has stated that 122 branches of the Rajput community in the region are trying to be united. (Daily Hazara News)

BALOCHISTAN
1. JI Chief Syed Munawar Hassan said that murderers of Nawab Akbar Bugti will have to be brought to justice to defeat US ambitions in the region. He admired Talal Bugti’s efforts for peace. He alleged that the government was deliberately creating an atmosphere of sectarian violence in Karachi and Balochistan. (Jasarat)

2. Baloch Republican Party Chief Brahamdagh Bugti said that the six point charter given by Sardar Akhtar Mengal was not the solution to the Balochistan problem. He added that he would continue his struggle from outside Pakistan as there are threats to his life in Pakistan from the enemies of the Baloch community. He suggested an open referendum for addressing the Baloch problems. (Daily Intekhab)

3. PM Ashraf has instructed agencies to cooperate with the Balochistan government in the missing persons case; this was the result of the meeting between the PM and the Balochistan CM. It indicates that agencies were not cooperating with the provincial government so far and that the CM was ignorant of their games. Talal Bugti has declared that if the Army is removed from Balochistan, disgruntled leaders would return to mainstream. Even PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said that if FC is removed from Balochistan, the situation would improve. This demand should be tested and if unrest took place after the removal of the Army and FC, top Baloch leadership will be responsible for it. (Ausaf Edit)

4. Federal government and secret agencies could not simply detach themselves from the missing persons’ case. If agencies claim that they had no missing person in their custody, their responsibility increases as providing security of life and property was a responsibility of the federation and departments working under it. Missing persons’ issue was very serious and neglecting it would create serious problems for the nation. All political parties were just exploiting the issue for partisan ends. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

POK NEWS
1. JKPP has prepared a draft of suggestions for amendments in the provisional Act 74. (Daily Dharti)

2. AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan had a meeting with PPP Joint Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and discussed issues like Kashmir and reorganizing the party. Bilawal assured him that PPP would continue full support for the Kashmir cause. (Daily Dharti, Jang)

3. Sources have said that Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary had a detailed discussion with Spain’s Ambassador to Pakistan Javier Carbajosa 0n the Kashmir issue. Requesting Spain and EU to play a role in resolving the Kashmir problem Barrister Chaudhary told him that the international community should not leave two atomic powers alone on this serious issue as any small problem could trigger a big war. Carbajosa said that the EU would do its part for resolving the Kashmir issue as peace in the region depends on resolving this very issue. (Daily Dharti)

4. JI-AJK Chief Abdul Rashid Turabi said that if problems of AJK were not resolved a call to march towards Islamabad would be given along with Tehreek-e-Tamir-e-Nav (Re-development Movement) and the Contractors’ Association. He urged other parties to join the sit-in on 18th October and demanded that the Public Accounts Committee should conduct an audit of the re-development funds. (Daily Dharti)

5. MQM has asked for more seats in the AJK Assembly and for women members in the Kashmir Council. It said that Mangla Dam affectees in Pakistan should also be allotted two seats in the AJK Assembly. (Daily Dharti)

6. GB Finance Minister Mohammad Ali Akhtar informed Baad-e-Shimal that following the Prime Minister’s instruction, applications for vacant posts have been invited. He said that the federal government’s restriction on new appointments is not applicable to GB. He said that the financial position has improved and all bounced checks will be honoured soon. Opposition leader Naji alleged that jobs are being sold. The federal finance department has sent written notification to all provinces including GB regarding a ban on new employment and purchasing new vehicles. (Baad-e-Shimal)

7. Nawaz Khan, chief of Balwaristan National Front and MPA in Gilgit-Baltistan, said that international powers were behind the ‘great game’ and that there will be riots and bloodshed in future. He said that the people will have to unite for their rights and freedom. He demanded a set-up like AJK for Gilgit-Baltistan and stated that the performance of government was regrettable. (Ausaf)

8. Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly has taken notice of reports continuously appearing in news papers that MLAs are taking bribes for recruitment for vacant posts. (Ausaf)

9. Weapons were recovered from 2 persons at the KIU check-post (Gilgit-Baltistan) during a search. (Ausaf)

10. Senior minister Mohammad Jaffer has criticised that the Jaglot-Skardu road was sacrificed on account of the personal vengeance of a former joint secretary. The construction of this road is part of a 2009 package and the Chinese government is willing to provide 94 % loan for the project. So how a project could fail just because of one bureaucrat when other senior officers and the GB government could have intervened? Jaffer also said that if this project is delayed further, then the people of Baltistan along with other districts will march towards Islamabad.. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)