Source:Ausaf, Ummat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Urdu Point, Daily Jinnah, Awami Awaz, Daily Dharti, Jasarat, Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Daily Times, Jang, Ibrat, Khabrain, Roznama Dunya, Hizb Media, Al Qalam Weekly, Baad-e-Shimal, Bang-e-Sahar.

AFGHANISTAN
1. Contrary to the claims of Afghan official that the Taliban were defeated in Kunduz, fierce fighting was reported from the area once again on Sunday; both sides were using heavy weapons. (Ummat)
INDIA
1. Habib-ul-Haq writes about a jihadi from JeM who went to Kashmir. “On a cold night in December 2000, a few people were sitting in a regional office of JeM listening to a speech by Maulana Azhar Masood over the topic of Babri Mosque’s demolition and the atrocities of the Indian Army on Kashmiri Muslims. Amongst them was a 17-18 year old boy, Zar Muhammad. He was in a highly intoxicated state. It is said boy became a drug addict after his father died. The next day Zar, in a sober state, visited the office again. He declared that he wanted to avenge the demolition of the Babri mosque and wanted to join the jihad. A day later he was sent along with two other youth to Madrasa Sayed Ahmad Shahid Balakot for training. After training Zar was sent to the border where he had to wait for seven months to cross into India. He along with five other youth entered Kashmir on April 25, 2002; following day Zar told his companion that he would hide somewhere and wait for targets; at night, Zar attacked an Indian Army convoy of four trucks, by hurling a grenade at one of the trucks destroying the truck and all the personnel inside the truck. Immediately Indian troops opened fire and Zar obtained martyrdom on the spot. (Al Qalam Weekly, 15-21 April)
2. PML (Q) leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said that the gangsters in South Punjab had Indian weapons, and this proves that RAW is active in the region. (Jasarat)
3. Munir Ahmed Baloch lists some recent events which made eye brows to rise. Here is the list: 1. Indian Prime Minster Modi paused for the Azan while speaking in Saudi Arabia; 2. Saudi King conferred highest award to Modi, who was responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid; 3. The Chinese government offended by the absence of Federal government’s representatives at Gen. Raheel Sharif’s address at Gwadar on April 12th; and 4. Pakistanis being least perturbed by their leaders’ involvement in money-laundering as exposed by the Panama leaks. (Roznama Dunya)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. A tribal head and Chief of Aman Lashkar escaped unhurt in a suicide attack in Khyber Agency, where two people died along with the bomber. It is reported that anti-Taliban tribal chiefs and heads of peace Lashkars had been on the hit list of the Taliban in Khyber agency for years. (Jasarat)
2. Zarar Pirzada, in Awami Awaz, writes that there were reports that the Swat University had put a ban on the interaction between boys and girls in the university. Swat University has a “Talibani mind-set” in the 21st century and if this face of the university is shown to the world community, the university would face much ridicule. (Awami Awaz)
3. ‘Muttahida Deeni Mahaz’ will meet on Tuesday in Islamabad in which heads of major religious parties would take part, including JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. The meeting will seek to create a united platform of religious organisations on a joint agenda. (Ummat)
POLITICAL SCENE –PANAMA PAPEERS
1. There is no need to make Panama Leaks a political football. No commission can stop the on-going or future corruption. This does not mean there is no urgent need to probe the Panama leaks. The government’s wait-and-watch policy might turn the situation against it. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Ausaf Edit)
2. Ibrat editorially said: A meeting, headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, was held at PM house where it was decided that the party would stand behind the PM and his family on the Panama leaks issue. Ishaq Dar taking the meeting is no ordinary matter because this gives some more credence to the rumours about the divisions in the Sharif family. This can take a toll on PML (N); other parties, including PTI, can take advantage of the situation. Political tensions in the country can give rise to any eventuality, but the political parties must keep in mind that the democratic system should not be disturbed for any reason as that will not serve the interests of the people. The need, needless to say, is a transparent and unbiased enquiry commission on Panama leaks. (Ibrat Edit)
3. Sikandar Ali Haliyo, in Kawish, writes: right now Nawaz Sharif was looking politically weak; handling the current crisis was beyond his daughter, Mariam’s capabilities; he could not count on his family for help, as there were differences, nor could he bank on Zardari. In such a circumstance, the only course for survival left for Nawaz is to cooperate with the Army, who may help him for a trade – not befriending India and offering an extension in Army Chief’s tenure. It remains to be seen as to how flexible Nawaz Sharif is willing to be. (Kawish – April 16)
4. A writer in Ibrat (with a pseudonym) states that hectic political activity is underway to save the PM’s office, with claims like the democracy in the country is under threat. The sad part of tale was that this democracy had not done any good to the common man in Pakistan and had only benefited a handful of elite in the country. The country was witnessing a rise of politics of reconciliation and compromises and it would further weaken the Pakistani politics, and that one could understand if these compromises were done for peoples’ good but the deplorable part was that these compromises were being done to promote the interests of a handful of elites. The writer adds: it remained to be seen if the reconciliatory politics would continue even on the issue of the Panama leaks or there would be an honest enquiry in the matter. And concludes that this issue could truly become a watershed moment in Pakistani politics provided there was no compromise or politics of reconciliation on this issue. (Ibrat)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq has said that Pakistan belonged to Islam and that the liberals and the secular people should go to Europe. He said that the day the Chief Justice of Pakistan has a Quran in his hands (while sitting on the bench), that day he would believe that there was a government working towards a Pakistan that the people who created it wanted it to be. (Jasarat, Ummat)
2. Ittehad-e-Ummat Conference organised by the Tanzeem Ittehad-e-Ummat Pakistan (Community Unity Group) will now held on 8th May instead of the scheduled date of 24th April. TIUP President Zia ul Haq Naqshbandi said that the unity of various sects under Islam was the biggest need of the hour and a proper way to resolve all the problems of the Muslim community across the globe. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Editorials in Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt and Khabrain have welcomed President Mamnoon Hussein’s speech at OIC meeting that despite Pakistan’s policy to resolve all disputes peacefully it will have to keep itself ready for any situation. The edits said that Pakistan is forced by India to enter the arms race. As India is not ready to change its aggressive attitude and madness for war it becomes compulsory for Pakistan to be prepared for its defence and thwart any conspiracy to destabilise the nation. OIC should also take up the Kashmir liberation matter at the UN as it could produce better results to curb Indian barbarism in Kashmir. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit, Khabrain Edit)
ECONOMY
1. Despite the reduction in oil prices, Hajj pilgrims have not been given sufficient discounts. The government must provide better facilities to pilgrims. (Roznama Dunya Edit)
PUNJAB
1. Political personalities and police did not want Chottu to be arrested alive, whereas Chottu was ready to surrender provided he was given an assurance that he would not be killed. As per Chottu’s close associate, political persons used him in the past for their vested interests, and that his arrest would expose many of those political facilitators. (Roznama Dunya, Urdu Point)
2. Local leaders and politicians have been supporting Chottu gang for their vested interest. It is learnt that some of the gang members were provided training in use of state of the art weapons in Afghanistan and RAW is using the gang to sabotage the CPEC project. (Jang Edit)
SINDH
1. An American organisation, “Global Religious Freedom” has hailed the Sindh Education Department’s removal of hate material from school text books. Other provinces, including KP, should follow the Sindh lead and take action to remove texts in the syllabus that can lead to more fundamentalism. Pakistani syllabus should present things in an all-inclusive manner and the Education Minister should be made accountable for inclusion of any such material in the syllabus that can lead to the rise any sentiment of intolerance. (Awami Awaz Edit)
POK
1.PML (N) AJK President, Raja Mohammad Farooq Haider Khan, has demanded that the Kashmir Council election should be deferred as only 120 days remained for general election in AJK. (Ausaf, Daily Dharti)
G-B NEWS
1. Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Assembly would elect the G-B Council members by a show of hands today. PPP G-B objected to the practice and called it unconstitutional. Victory of four PML (N) members seems to be assured. (Daily K2, Baad-e-Shimal)
2. Daily K2 welcomes Brig. Ahsan Mehmood’s call to check the spread of terrorism to beautiful and peaceful place like Gilgit-Baltistan. People of G-B are grateful to the Pakistani Army for providing relief to the flood and rain affected and for ensuring law and order in the province. The daily urges people to cooperate with the security forces, as everyone’s support is necessary for shaping a better future. (Daily K2 Edit)
3. Baad-e-Shimal draws Gilgit-Baltistan government’s attention to the bad state of the Skardu-Jiglot Road. Despite assurances that work would start immediately no progress has been made so far. This road is crucial and the people are facing great difficulties due to the pathetic condition of this road. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)