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, Sindh Express, Pk Voices.

 
UNITED STATES

1. Columnist Journalist Hamid Mir has questioned Henry Kissinger’s claim (in an interview to the Atlantic) that, Pakistan president Yahya Khan had promised in 1971 to give independence to East Pakistan the following year. Yahya’s son, Ali, had tried to prove that his father was against the separation of East Pakistan by producing various statements and taped interviews of his late father. Citing recorded evidence in various works, he asserts that there is no proof to substantiate Kissinger’s claim. If the former US secretary of state fails to produce any proof to support his allegation against Yahya Khan, it will be taken as a new political gimmick. (Jang)

AFGHANISTAN
1 Condemning the Afghan President Ghani’s speech at the Heart of Asia event, PPP leader, Rehman Malik said he was speaking the language of Indian PM Modi. Pakistan has heaped lot many favours on Afghanistan but Ashraf Ghani has forgotten all of the favours. The Afghan President has failed before Afghan Taliban and is now speaking against Pakistan to hide his failures. It is because of India’s insistence that Afghanistan gave shelter to Mullah Fazlullah and others of his ilk. (Awami Awaz)

2. Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Aizaz Chaudhry, said that there is no distinction between good and bad Taliban. In an interview, he also stated that no country including India would be allowed to use Afghan soil against Pakistan, nor will Pakistani soil be used against any country. Pakistan has given a clear message to TTP and Haqqani Network to avoid creating disturbances in Afghanistan and has increased pressure on them. He said that it is wrong to say that Pakistan has a hand in creating problems in Afghanistan. India suspended the dialogue with Pakistan; as such India will have to take the initiative to resume the dialogue process. (Jang)

INDIA

1. Sartaj Aziz returned without addressing a press conference after the Heart of Asia meet it Amritsar. He was not allowed to come out of hotel citing pretext of security and because of such a treatment, Sartaz Aziz abandoned the press conference. All diplomatic traditions were violated and Pakistani delegation was made to wait for half an hour at the Amritsar airport. (Kawish)

2. After his return from Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, said that Indian media raised the bogey of terrorism to pressurise Pakistan. Tensions between Pakistan and India should not have been allowed to over shadow the conference. A combined strategy is needed for peace in Afghanistan. Ashraf Ghani should desist from blame game. He attended the Conference in spite of Indian hostilities on the Line of Control and Working Boundary. This participation is proof of Pakistan’s determination for a stable peace in Afghanistan.  He complained about the security arrangements at the hotel where his delegation was put up, saying they were not even allowed to speak to the Pakistani media. The hotel Security Officer did not allow anyone to meet the either. (Daily Intekhab)

3. India and Afghanistan spewed venom at Pakistan at the ‘Heart of Asia’ meet in Amritsar. In response, Foreign Affairs Advisor, Sartaj Aziz stated that regional cooperation is the only way out to resolve all disputes in the region. Pakistan wants to send a message to the world that solution to Pak-Afghan or Pak-India disputes lies only in talks. India should understand that all the disputes including Kashmir can be resolved only through talks across the table. Putting any preconditions for these talks will serve no purpose. Pakistan has always been supportive of the composite talks but India is always busy finding some escape route from these talks. By any standards, this is not in the interest of the region. (Ibrat Edit)

4. BBC says Heart of Asia Conference has become a platform not to establish peace in Afghanistan but a forum for Indo-Pak conflicts. India appears to be preparing to use the Heart of Asia Conference to promote its strategy against Pakistan. In fact law and order situation in Kashmir is a result of Indian policies and on-going war in Afghanistan is a result of US policies. These powers are blaming Pakistan for their own failure. Pakistan was and is always ready to hold talks with India to resolve the Kashmir issue. Peace in the region is not possible without good relations between India and Pakistan. (Jang Edit)

5. Former President Musharraf said that India is not a well-wisher of Pakistan and Pakistan should not sent have a delegation to the Heart of Asia conference in India. India will not change its attitude and will need jaw breaking reply. He criticized India for stopping the Pakistan delegation at the airport and not giving permission to organise a press conference.  (Daily Pak, Khabrain) 

6. Chief of AJK Jamaat-e-Islami and MLA Abdul Rashid Turabi said that PM of India Modi is pushing the sub-continent towards destruction. It will be a big mistake on the part of India, if it thinks that by firing on civilians at the LoC and continuing terrorism against people in Kashmir, it will be able to spread fear among the people of Kashmir. (Roznama Dunya)

ARMY/SECURITY FORCES

1. Former Army Chief Raheel Sharif was offered the command of Saudi forces and Islamic forces but no decision has been taken till now. (Khabrain)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM

1. JuD-Islamabad will send relief goods worth Rupees 80 lakh for the people affected by India’s shelling at the LoC. This will be distributed among 3000 affected families. (Roznama Dunya)

ECONOMY/POWER/WATER

1. Smuggling of gold and currency notes has increased at the Pakistan airports. About 200 kilograms of gold and 6 lakh dollars were seized at different airports in the country, according to chief collector, Pakistan customs. He added that soon all Pak airports would have “cash dogs” to sniff out gold and currency. (Awami Awaz)

2. The National Accountability Bureau has sought Interpol’s help to bring back Kamran Kayani, brother of former army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, to face corruption trail. Kamran Kayani is embroiled in a Rs 10 billion DHA land scandal. (Awami Awaz)

SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB

1. Rehman Bhola, the main accused in Badliya town garment factory fire of 2012 that had claimed over 200 lives has been arrested in Thailand. The Bangkok police said that Bhola Rehman was taken into custody on Interpol warrant.  A Karachi police team is heading for Bangkok to take over the custody of Bhola Rehman.  The case was sought to be closed initially saying that the fire was ‘accidental’ but following Rangers’ operations in 2015 and arrest of one Rizwan Quereshi, a MQM activist, for possessing pistol illegally, startling revelations came that the factory was set afire as  extortion money was not paid. (Sindh Express)

2. The anti-terror court in Islamabad has issued arrest warrants against Kashif Khan Kamran and two other MQM London leaders in connection with Imran Farooq murder case. The documents presented before court by FIA say Kamran was directly involved in the murder and court issued arrest warrants against Kashif and two others. Earlier, three persons are already behind bars jail in connection with this murder. Next hearing is kept on December 8. (Kawish)

3. Milli Yekjahti Council has staged a protest demonstration demonstrated against the Sindh bill banning conversion of minors to other religions. (Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt)

POLITICAL SCENE  

1. Speaking in Lahore, the new PPP mascot Bilawal Bhutto said that the PPP will make an alliance of progressive forces against fundamentalists. This is a timely statement from Bilawal because only such alliance of progressive forces can take the country ahead on the road to progress. Religious and fundamentalist inclinations in Pakistan have brought Pakistan a bad name and now conditions are looking in favour of liberal, secular and progressive forces. Hopefully Bilawal will be firm and committed to what he has said on formation of progressive forces’ alliance and will lay foundation for progressive politics in Pakistan. (Awami Awaz)

2 Opposition leaders in Punjab assembly Mian Mehmud-ur-Rashid and Shirin Mazari have criticised Sartaj Aziz for attending dinner hosted by Indian PM during the Heart of Asia conference in Amritsar. Khabrain)

3. Columnist Zia Shahid has criticised Sartaj Aziz’s participation in the Heart of Asia Conference in India when tension is prevailing at LOC, Indian PM is threatening to stop water to Pakistan, and some five to seven Indian spies were sent back home. He also ticked off India for not allowing Aziz to hold a press conference. He poked fun at Sartaj Aziz statement that he did not get the opportunity to meet Modi but he had talks with Iran and Turkmenistan Foreign Ministers on the side-lines of the conference. Zia also angrily reacted to the outbursts of Afghan President against Pakistan saying that if the Afghan border were to be sealed for four days, a famine situation will occur in Afghanistan. (Khabrain)

4. Pervez Musharraf says he is working to float a political party that will lessen ethnic and sectarian chasm in the country. The party would be ready by June 2017 in time to enable him to contest the next general elections. Rejecting rumours that the new party would be formed after the merger of MQM and Pak Sarzameen Party, he said both these parties are confined only to Urdu speaking people. His party would however have a substantial base of Urdu speakers. The current political leadership of Pakistan is not capable of meeting internal and external challenges. He wants to give the people a better leadership. He is ready to present himself before the court in order to clear the charges against him but he should be allowed to stay freely in Pakistan. (Kawish)

5. Tahir-ul Qadri said that the passage is being cleared for new rulers in Pakistan. On arrival in Karachi from Canada he said by 2018, there will be clear nexus between the politicians and fundamentalists who are getting protection in Punjab. Terrorists too get safe havens in Punjab. He warned if militancy is not dealt with firmly, it can spread across the nation. (Ibrat)

POK/G-B NEWS

1. PM has given consent for Diamer Bhasha dam. Funds will be provided from PSDP. WAPDA will also collect funds from power generation companies. Diamer Bhasha dam will generate 4500 MW electricity. (Urdupoint)

2. Former PM of AJK Barrister Sultan, who also heads AJK PTI said that Russia should support Kashmiris. Russia is a member of UNSC and hence it can play role in implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir. (Roznama Dunya)