1. A highly sophisticated secrete system called ‘Blue Force Technology’, developed by America ,is being installed at the American Embassy in Islamabad to monitor the movement of special people and vehicles across Pakistan, reports the Washington Post.(Ummat, Jang, Nawa-i-Waqt, Baad-e-Shimal)
2. Pakistan has abstained from fostering relations with certain neighbouring countries and Middle East countries because of its close relationship with the U.S. American withdrawal of aid and the cessation of funds from the IMF will affect Pakistan in the long-run even if it doesn’t affect it in the short-run. So, Pakistan should ally itself with countries like Iran and China that have offered the country support in trying times. (Editorial in Awami Awaz, 18 July)
3. Khabrain’s editorial comment on President Zardari’s visit to Iran says Iran and Pakistan should work together and should not fall prey to American pressure. (Khabrain Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Pakistan has established links with all groups in Afghanistan through back door diplomacy in view of the withdrawal of U.S. forces and to ensure its own security. Secrets talks continue with Afghan groups, especially linguistic groups, in which two important personalities of Afghanistan – Younus Qanuni and Abdul Karim Khalili – are playing a key role. The two men have already called on the top political leadership of Pakistan. (Jasarat, Ummat)
2.Several editorials have appeared on Interior Minister Malik’s statement that Israeli weapons have found their way to Karachi. ‘It is not as easy for Israel to carry out such acts in Pakistan as it is for the U.S. and India and the Interior Minister should not try to hide these facts from the public. The issue needs a thorough investigation. A pile up of illegal arms is not possible without the knowledge of higher-ups. (Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Ummat, Jang, Khabrain, Nawa-i-Waqt, & Daily Pak)
3.Writing in Al Qalam Weekly, Naved Hashmi criticizes Pakistani leaders who had agreed with former President Pervez Musharraf to provide logistic support to America in its war against terrorism. He says ‘Today Pakistan is under pressure from America and the U.S. has refused to vacate the Shamsi Airbase but this same America is facing defeat in Afghanistan. Wars can not be won by the superiority of technology but rather by having full faith in Allah. America has not been able to suppress the Taliban but it desires to suppress Pakistan and establish bases in Afghanistan to promote chaos in Pakistan. (Al Qalam Weekly, 15-21 July)
ARMY-NAVY -ISI
1.The Navy has bought six (6) state of art submarines from China. It is considering the purchase of two (2) war ships from China. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
2.After the meeting between ISI Chief Shujaa Pasha and the CIA deputy director Michael Moral, ISI has agreed to provide 87 visas to CIA officials provided the CIA provides information about its agents in Pakistan and their activities to the ISI. At the meeting, U.S. also brought up the release of Dr. Shakeel Afridi who ran vaccination drive in Abbottabad; another issue that was discussed was Saleem Shahzad’s murder. (Jasarat, Nawa-i-Waqt)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1.The JI has termed the return of MQM to the ruling alliance as the worst example of opportunistic politics. The JI will be staging a protest in Karachi and Quetta today in support of Balochistan’s demands. (Jasarat)
2.The JI Secretary Liyaqat Baloch has asked the government to end the deprivation of Balochs. (In a column in Jasarat)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. Prime Minister Gilani will meet MQM Chief Altaf Hussain when he visits London shortly. (Khabrain)
2. Editorial in Ausaf on corruption in judiciary says “CJP Iftikhar might have put an end to corruption in the Supreme Court but it still prevails in the lower courts and this needs to be addressed. (Ausaf Edit, 18 July)
3. Jasarat’s editorial says MQM’s return to the ruling alliance indicates that the PML-Q has achieved the task entrusted to it. (Jasarat)
WATER & ENERGY
1.According to former IRSA Chairman Fateh Gandapur, four major problems concerning water in Pakistan are: lack of proper management to control super floods, failure to build hydel power projects, shortage of water in the irrigation system and silting at existing dams. He wants the Pakistan government to construct three dams – Attock, where the Indus River has about 93 MAF, Bhasha and Katzara. (Qurban Baloch in Kawish, 18 July)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWAH (NWFP/FATA)
1. Vice Amir of JI KP said that 28,000 people were killed in armed operations in FATA in the past few years. 30,000 homes were destroyed and almost 2.5 million people were displaced (Daily Intekhab)
SINDH
1. The World Sindhi Congress has expressed concerns about the situation in Karachi. It has also concerned with the situation in Hyderabad after the restoration of the Commissionerate System and Zulfikar Mirza’s statements holding Urdu-speaking people responsible for all the troubles. (Awami Awaz, 18 July)
On receiving information that Sindh is short of 1,000 policemen, President Zardari has decided to make crash recruitment to fill the vacancies. The President also granted a better deal to the police as a part of beefing up the security in the province. Under the decree, there will be 10,000 more police, salary at par with the policemen of other provinces, and 30,000 flats for police families. (Kawish, 18 July, Ibrat)
2.Residents of Hyderabad have taken to the streets to protest against water shortage in the city for the past three days. (Ibrat)
3.The case relating to the acquittal of Mohajir Quami Movement chairman, Afaq Ahmad, is back in cold storage following the return of Ishratul Ibad as Sindh Governor. (Kawish)
4. MQM activists have set several stalls of Pakhtun traders ablaze and 500 Pakhtun traders have been asked to leave Gulistan Johar in Karachi. (Ummat)
ECONOMY
1.PM Gilani has accepted the resignation of State Bank Governor Shahid Qardar who resigned following disagreement over government’s economic policies. (Ibrat)
2.Federal Minister for Railways, Ghulam Ahmed Bilor, said that funds worth Rs.11 billion had been approved by the cabinet but had not been released pushing the railways into dire straits. He pointed out that while India has 8,300 locomotives, Pakistan has only 150 out of which many are not working. Ahmed also said that the railways have to pay a daily fine of Rs.1.5 lakh to a foreign company due to the delay in a court decision about the purchase of locomotives. (Urdupoint, Kawish, Ummat, Khabrain, Baad-e-Shimal, Nawa-i-Waqt, Jinnah, Daily Pak)
POK NEWS
1.India and Pakistan may agree historical trade roads between Kargil (Ladakh) and Baltistan. Nationalist parties have approved the proposal, saying it will have positive impact throughout South Asia. (Baad-e-Shimal)
2.Ch. Abdul Majid will be appointed as AJK PM and Ch. Latif Akbar will be made the Speaker, PPP sources indicated. (Daily Dharti, Baad-e-Shimal)
3.National Parties in AJK will observe the 19th of July as a black day, against the celebration of Solidarity with Pakistan Day. Sardar Sagheer said that Kashmiri people have nothing to do with the 19th July Resolution and no conspiracy to divide Kashmir would succeed. (Daily Dharti)
4.Contractors who had used their own money to help people affected by the Attaabad Lake floods have not been reimbursed by the government. Many projects are incomplete and people are facing hardships. (Ausaf, 18 July)
5.Officials of the Contractors Association (Gilgit Baltistan) have told ‘Ausaf’ that the PWD gives contracts to unprofessional contractors and that they have complained against the practice. (Ausaf, 18 July)
Mirpur Development Authority is reportedly allotting land to influential people even as the people displaced by the Mangla Dam are waiting for allotments of their plots for last 20 years. (Ausaf, 18 July)
6.Population of Denver in Gilgit-Baltistan has crossed 35,000 but it has no proper drinking water facility, health facilities or police stations; dacoities have become widespread in the district. (Ausaf, 18 July)
7.Daily Dharti editorial says: “Local government department in G-B divert the funds allocated by Kashmir Council and donor agencies to satisfy the needs of assembly members and their subordinates. The government should put in place correctives. (Daily Dharti Edit)
8.Baad-e-Shimal’s editorial has criticised the delay in payment of compensation to the victims of last year’s floods. ‘ The Federal government had promised to pay Rs. One lakh to the flood affected under the Watan Card scheme but only Rs.20, 000 per family was paid. It appears that either the federal government does not have the resources or it is not interested in providing the promised monetary relief. Whatever aid articles were distributed to the flood affected were by the NGOs rather than by the government. If the provincial government fails to repair roads and build protective bunds, slightest rain will cause greater havoc. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
