2. Gen. Kayani’s visit to Russia and the Russian Foreign Minister’s visit to Pakistan are good gestures which will end the decade-old frost in bilateral relations. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

3. Imdad Ali Sodar writes in Ibrat that Gen. Kayani’s visit comes on the heels of the Russian President deferring his visit. Pakistan’s establishment is of the view that before Putin’s visit to Pakistan, Hina Rabbani Khar should not have visited the US; wrong signals had gone to Moscow since Rabbani has visited America just 13 days before Putin was to come here. Russia might have felt that Rabbani’s visit was aimed at taking America into confidence on Putin’s visit. (Ibrat)

4. Daily Intekhab, in an editorial, says, the bettering of ties between Russia and Pakistan must be worrying for those powers who had been relieved when Russian President Putin cancelled his Pakistan visit. This must also be surprising for people who had been disappointed with the government’s blind faith in the US that had ruined the country’s economy. The international community including Pakistan’s all time friend China have been upset with Pakistan and are not ready to trust Pakistani leadership.  China has been disturbed by the riots in Xingjian and has alleged that Chinese insurgents are being trained inside Pakistan. Edit says that recently, when the US tabled a resolution in the UN to put sanctions on Syria, both China and Russia used their veto power but Pakistan went with the US, which must have displeased them. Even today, the Pakistani leadership is not very keen to leave the US, but it has been forced to look towards regional powers. By relying more on regional powers, Pakistan could succeed in reducing its dependence on the US. (Daily Intekhab Edit)

5. Ausaf editorial on Kayani’s visit to Russia says Moscow would have a mixed reaction to Kayani’s visit as he is the head of an Army which had played a role in USSR’s break-up and was the main reason behind its defeat in Afghanistan.  Every conspiracy against Muslims and Islam was created by the US, EU and Scandinavian countries and not by Russia. Pakistan did wrong to USSR at US behest. Russian government knows that Pakistan is disappointed by the US, and that in today’s Pakistan, Russia is held in great respect.  Even the Ulema, who had brainwashed people in the past against USSR, will be surprised to know that Russians are not against Islam.  (Ausaf Edit)

IMRAN -WAZIRISTAN MARCH
1. TTP spokesperson Ahsanullah has denied that they had offered to provide security to Imran Khan’s march to Waziristan; he added that they had discussed this and other related issues at a high level meeting chaired by Hakimullah Mehsud. He declined to divulge the details and asked the media to await a formal statement which will be made in two days. Taliban Commander Maulvi Nazir has advised PTI chairman Imran Khan not to bring the peace march to Waziristan as they didn’t want any unpleasant incident in their areas. (Urdupoint, Ausaf)

2. Federal Interior Ministry has warned that TTP may carry out a suicide attack on PTI’s peace march in Waziristan. Intelligence inputs indicate that the TTP had prepared 9 suicide bombers and sent them to various places which fall on the march route, said a communication from the Ministry to KP Police and others. The peace march could be targeted at DI Khan, Tank and Jandola. (Urdupoint, Ausaf, Ummat

3. Imran Khan is understood to have decided to carry out the peace march after an assurance that there would be no drone attack. The area selected for the march inside Waziristan also was not targetted by American drones thus far. A safety plan for PTI Chief and 40 members of anti-war western groups is ready, but nothing had been decided for the safety of the locals. Imran Khan said that President Zardari would be responsible for any problems during the peace rally in South Waziristan. (Ummat)

INDIA
1. Indian Magazine, ‘Tehalka’, reports that more than 25,000 Indian soldiers had taken retirement from service. The magazine claims that over 1000 soldiers had committed suicide over the past ten years. (Daily Dharti)

2. Due to COAS Gen. Kayani’s Russia visit, Russia has postponed its negotiations with India which were to take place yesterday. (Ausaf)DEFENCE

TERRORISM/EXTREMISM
1. JI (Karachi) chief Muhammad Hussain Mehnati has urged people to participate in large numbers in the anti-blasphemy protest to be held on 7th October.  (Jasarat)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Former PM Gilani said that the government and the NA were just for namesake as the actual decisions were being made elsewhere. He said that the ‘Bangladeshi model’ was being followed even though it had not been declared so formally. Gilani said that when he was disqualified, the NA remained silent; it did nothing and likewise, there would be no benefit in lamenting the dual nationality of parliamentarians. He said his wings were cut by the judiciary and the bureaucracy and that now, he will fly on his own. (Jasarat)

BALOCHISTAN- GEN KAYANI
1. Nawa-i-Waqt’s editorial hails Army Chief Gen. Kayani’s statement that the Army supports any political solution to Balochistan issue within the constitutional framework; the daily says it is good that Gen Kayani is adhering to the Army’s traditional stand. It points out that under military rule, Balochistan had suffered more; it recalls that the military operation was initiated during Z.A. Bhutto’s regime. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

2. Kawish editorial points out that even the Balochistan leadership does not want an extra-judicial solution and this is clear from Akhtar Mengal’s 6 point plan. Parties like PTI and PML-N have always demanded a political solution; it is time the government addressed the issue politically, and as a first step in that direction curbs should be placed on FC  in Balochistan .(Kawish Edit)

3. Jasarat, while observing that it is the responsibility of political parties to resolve the Balochistan issue, notes that the Army chief has hinted that any solution considered ‘above the Constitution’ will not be accepted. (Jasarat Edit)

4. Jang commenting on the stand taken by the Army Chief, the judiciary and Sardar Akhtar Mengal says that despite all differences, the core agenda is same for every one and it is restoration of peace in Balochistan. Instead of calling an All-Party Conference (APC), an independent commission under the current CEC Justice (Retd.) Fakhruddin G. Ibrahim should be formed to study the issues and offer a road map. (Jang Edit)

5. Daily Pak editorial is on Nawaz Sharif’s call for pullback of FC from Balochistan and Federal Minister Kaira’s taunt that Nawaz should first take responsibility of the law and order in the state.  The daily says that instead of verbal duel, and polemics, all major political parties should jointly try to find a solution to the Balochistan issue.  (Daily Pak Edit, 4 October)

BALOCHISTAN -MENGAL PLAN
1. Talking to a private TV channel, Balochistan National Party (BNP) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal said that some people thought Balochistan was limited to the Serena Hotel and the CM House but if they wanted the real Balochistan, they should get out of Quetta and observe how miserable the people were. He said that the Baloch loved their children just as President Zardari loved Bilawal. Mengal added that he had invested more than Rs.1 billion on education in the province to improve people’s lives but when they realized their houses were not safe, they started guerrilla war and even today, people were being killed and abducted. He said that his 6 point agenda was similar to that of Sheikh Mujib but he had proposed these in the interests of Balochs. Mengal asserted that talks with the government were possible, if they agreed to work on his 6 point agenda. (Daily Intekhab)

2.Sources said that tribal and political jirga delegates met BNP acting president Dr. Jahaanzeb Jamaldini and invited him to start a joint struggle. They told him that they agreed with the 6-point agenda outlined by Sardar Akhtar Mengal. (Daily Intekhab)

3.Baloch leader Brahamdagh Bugti said Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s 6-point plan will not benefit the province, and that the plan is Mengal’s vehicle for electoral success. He said that no efforts had been made till date to understand the issue of Balochistan and claimed that they had raised voices for people at every level, but they had not been heard. He also said that the FC and the Army was involved in extortion in Balochistan. (Jasarat)

4. Talking tothe Dutch Ambassador Gajus Scheltema, Balochistan CM Nawab Aslam Raisani has clarified that no military operation was taking place in the province and all propaganda about military ops was untrue. He said that the democratic government has the ability to resolve the province’s problems. (Daily Intekhab)

5. Baloch human rights organizations staged a protest in front of the Karachi Press Club against the armed operation in Gadar, Sorab district. The group alleged that armed forces were using chemical and other destructive weapons and were bombarding houses. They claimed that so far, 2 people had been killed in the attack by security forces. Speakers at this meeting pointed at the grave human rights violations in the area and urged international human rights organizations to take immediate notice of this situation and help stop the Baloch genocide. (Daily Intekhab)

6. JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan alleged that some personalities in Balochistan were not allowing the Balochistan issue to get resolved. He said that the government should give up its stubbornness and implement demands made by Baloch leaders. Hassan said that peace in Balochistan was necessary for national security. If the Army was not involved in the province, why were the missing persons not being traced, he asked. He welcomed Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s presence in the SC and commented that Mengal had shown confidence in the judiciary and so the judiciary should find a solution to the Balochistan issue. (Jasarat)

7. In his column, Arif Bahar writes on the Balochistan issue and states that Supreme Court had generated hope amongst the people; he says that if other institutions also played their role positively, another situation like Balochistan will not take place in Pakistan. Bahar writes that if the SC could win the confidence of an annoyed Baloch leader and if the parliament improved its moral position and people actually got justice under the system, no one will take up weapons. Bahar writes that Sardar Akhtar Mengal was a ray of hope in himself and says that his appearance at the SC and his proposal of the 6-point agenda indicated that he believed in the system. Bahar writes that if Mengal is allowed to take part in the election and work independently, the mind-set in Balochistan will change. Bahar writes that the experiment of artificial leadership had been tested in Balochistan and claimed that it was time to test moderate leadership in Balochistan. He writes that that the 6 points presented by Mengal also indicated that he wanted to make the situation better in Balochistan. Bahar writes that this ray of hope should be protected as it was similar to protecting Pakistan. (Ausaf)

ECONOMY/ENERGY/WATER
1. In his article, Abdul Hafiz Amirpuri writes that the Rivers Department and the Irrigation Department were responsible for the annual floods in Pakistan. He says that the corruption and insensitivity of these departments were handicaps in the way of efforts to manage floods. Amirpuri writes that 80% of the industrial units were unregistered and their employees had no social security, no pension or medical facilities. Amirpuri writes that people worked for 12 hours but they were not paid sufficiently. He says that concerned officials and bureaucrats should be held responsible for lack of progress in the above-mentioned departments, only then will they pay attention to their responsibilities. (Al Qalam Weekly, 5 October to 11 October)

2. Rains have stopped but the flood-hit people in Sindh and Balochistan are still waiting for help. (Jasarat Edit)

3.  Due to politicking, foreign companies have exited the Thar Coal project. Because of bureaucratic hurdles and other controversies the project has not stuck at the feasibility stage. Even now it is not late to rescue the project and implement it to over come energy shortages in the country. (Ibrat Edit)

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. ANP-KP president, Afrasiyab Khatak has said that notification for Abaseen division, Tanawal district and Bafa district will be issued by the end of the current year. (Daily Hazara News)

2. Senior Deputy President of the Hazara Province Movement (Haqeequi), Iqbal Khan Swati has suggested the formation of 3 tehsils by assigning district status to Balakot. (Daily Hazara News)

SINDH
1. Several parts of Sindh are witnessing protests over the controversial local self government law which is tailor-made for MQM. Protests are also staged against the killing of nationalist activists. (Kawish)

2. Sindh government has transferred 50 bureaucrats facing corruption charges and initiated enquiries against them. The Co-operative Registrar’s office  is  amongst the offices affected in this drive. (Ibrat)

3. Hashma Raza Zaidi is now the new Commissioner, Karachi in place of Roshan Sheikh. (Ibrat)

POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Gilgit-Baltistan’s home department has handed over 75 bullet-proof jackets and vehicles to the forces deployed on the Karakorum Highway under Chief Minister’s instructions. Each Bullet-proof jacket costs Rs.60, 000/- (Baad-e-Shimal)

2. Gilgit-Baltistan Government has decided to lay off 85% of employees from the construction department including WASA and Water and Power departments. (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. People have been waiting for the Jaglot-Skardu road for the last 60 years.China has agreed to finance as well as construct this project. An agreement has also been signed.  But now Chairman Public Accounts Committee-GB Council, Hajji Mohammad Ibrahim alleges that the construction of the road is being deferred due to the construction department’s bias against PPP. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)