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.

CHINA
1. China has warned India that it should restrain from making border issues complicated. The warning followed permission by Delhi to a Tibetan leader to visit Arunachal Pradesh which China claims as its territory. (Ummat)

UNITED STATES
1. Munir Ahmad Baloch says it is improper on the part of Government of Pakistan to leak the conversation between the US President- elect Donald Trump and PM Nawaz Sharif. This has caused humiliation to Pakistan and Pakistanis living in abroad. (Roznama Dunya)

2. US embassy’s vehicles entered the security route formed for federal Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan when he was returning to his home from the Kashmir highway. Nisar Ali Khan has warned the US embassy against such violations. (Khabrain, Ausaf)

3. Arif Bahar in his column writes: US Army Commander General John Nicolson said at Pentagon that Haqqani Network is a major threat even today and that it is getting nurtured in Pakistan. The US’ policy has failed in Afghanistan but it is not ready to review it. The US is shifting the blame to Pakistan rather than increasing the role of Pakistan to end the crisis in Afghanistan. The government in Kabul is not having any credibility. Last 16 years have caused only destruction in Afghanistan. (Jasarat)

AFGHANISTAN
1. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani is a former professor of Colombia University. He was on the pay roll of CIA. Hence Pakistan will have to look beyond him. There is the option of setting up an ‘Interim Taliban government’ in Afghanistan to break Delhi -Kabul alliance. At the initial stage, this government can be established in some Afghan areas. If there is a friendly government in the neighbourhood, it will help the CPEC also. China will have to be convinced of this requirement. (Ummat)

2. From January 1st 2017, passport will be compulsory for going to and coming from Afghanistan, according to a banner at the Pak-Afghan border. Only ID card will not be sufficient. (Jang)

HEART OF ASIA MEET
1. In a Geo News program, senior analyst Najam Sethi said that India has failed to isolate Pakistan at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference, as Iran and Russia did not support India against Pakistan. He added that Sartaj Aziz will not take any step without consulting the PM Sharif and ISI. There are many problems at the Western and Eastern borders for the Army Chief. (Jang)

2. Amjad Shoeb, Imtiyaz Alam, Shehzad Chaudhry, Babar Sattar, Hasan Nisar, Niyazi, and other analysts term as positive step Pakistan’s attendance at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference in Amritsar. Not attending the Conference would have conveyed a negative message that Pakistan is not serious for peace. Sartaj Aziz could have said a lot more but he did not do his homework. The Amritsar declaration is a charge sheet against Pakistan. It is now clear that Pakistan is isolated. (Jang)

3. Afghanistan PM Ashraf Ghani talked against Pakistan at the Heart of Asia Conference only to please Modi. India targeted Pakistan as expected. India should be given jaw breaking reply. Foreign Advisor Sartaj Aziz had a constructive talk but India continued its destructive attitude. (Daily K2 Edit, Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

4. India has violated diplomatic norms by not allowing Pakistan’s foreign advisor Sartaj Aziz visit the Golden Temple and address a press conference while in Amritsar to attend the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. Indian attitude compelled Sartaj Aziz to return before schedule. Russia’s support to Pakistan in this regard indicates the possibility of a new bloc emerging in South Asia. Despite India’s continued aggressive attitude, Pakistan attended ‘Heart of Asia’ conference as an effort of bringing peace. Pakistan needs a strong foreign policy to face current challenges. The world community should be taken into confidence over India’s interference in Karachi and Balochistan. The arrested Raw spy Kulbhushan Yadav should be presented as a case study before the international media. (Khabrain Edit)

5. ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference was used by India and Afghanistan with support from the US as platform to hurl allegations against Pakistan. Their effort did not succeed though. Indian PM and Afghanistan President levelled terrorism charges against Pakistan but Sartaj Aziz very patiently avoided counter allegations. (Jang Edit)

6. India’s actual face was exposed at the ‘Heart of Asia’ Conference. India violated Geneva Convention by not giving permission to Pakistan’s Foreign Advisor for a press conference. Sikh community protested at this regional conference. There were demands for action against the culprits of Samjhauta Express, to stop state terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. (Ausaf Edit)

7. Shah Mahmood Quereshi, PTI Vice Chairman and former Foreign Minister, said Pakistan’s foreign policy has failed and it came to the fore at the ‘Heart of Asia’ meeting. Pakistani officials could not bring forth strong defence against the charge that we are giving shelter to the militants. If such a scenario continues for long, then Pakistan may suffer an image loss. There is not much awareness about the Kashmir issue in the country because of the Sharif government’s flip-flop foreign policy. (Awami Awaz)

7. Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul Haq has criticized Foreign Advisor’s visit to India. He said the visit has caused damage to Pakistan’s image. (Ausaf, Khabrain)

INDIA
1. A private TV Channel has reported that frustrated with the unfolding success story of CPEC project, Indian agencies have once again become active. And have made plans to create disturbances and spread unrest in Balochistan. They have also planned destabilisation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwah. (Daily Intekhab)

2. JuD Karachi Chief Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi said that demolition of Babri Mosque was a blot on the face of so called democracy of India. If India cannot tolerate Muslims, then Muslims should be given freedom. Muslims cannot forget tyranny of lunatic Hindus who had demolished Babri Mosque. Hashmi said that after Modi has come to power, terrorism has increased in India. One cannot expect any humility from extremist Hindus. (Jasarat)

3. Javed Hafeez writes: the jail break in Indian Punjab shows that Khalistan movement is alive in India. For any separatist movement mass support and foreign help are required, which is lacking for the Khalistan movement. There are many small separatist movements from Odisha to Kashmir. India’s capacity to counter these separatist movements has increased in the past few decades. (Roznama Dunya)

4. The National Security Advisor advised the Indian PM to keep heads of the three armed forces away from the Amritsar Conference. (Jang)

ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. COAS General Qamar Bajwa will soon visit Saudi Arabia for performing Umra. He will utilise the occasion to meet top civilian and military leadership. (Ummat)

2. Chief of Pakistan’s Navy, Admiral Zakaullah met Pakistan’s PM and discussed Navy’s professional affairs. (Urdupoint)

3. China’s PLA Commander met Pakistan’s Army Chief, who assured him of full security to the CPEC. Both discussed regional security issues. (Urdupoint)

4. Pakistan has handed over four Super Mushtaq jets to Nigeria at a special ceremony held in Abuja. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Jang, Urdupoint)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. CTD raided Qadiyani Jamaat office in Chenab Nagar and seized two computers and various magazines. Office of Qadiyani Jamaat’s daily newspaper, Al Fazal, has been sealed. Three persons were arrested after the search on the charge of spreading religious hatred through newspapers, magazines and internet. (Jang)

2. Daniyal Pirzada, a third year student in Sociology was picked up by the intelligence officials in plain clothes who had come on motor cycle to the Arts Faculty of Sindh University, Yamshero. Pirzada was coming to the university at that time to take his third year examination. He has been whisked away to some undisclosed place. Pirzada is believed to be the Press Secretary of student wing of Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (one of the Sindh nationalist organisations). He is charged with distributing handbills/pamphlets of banned nationalist organisation Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz along with two friends. Pirzada’s family told the media that he has nothing to do with Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz. His father said the police and the intelligence officials can check with the university that his son Pirzada is rank holder. (Sindh Express)

3. Body of a MQM activist Waseem was found hanging in the police lock-up at Pak Colony Station in Karachi. Police claim that he was picked up around 12 in the night by a patrol team for keeping illegally acquired pistol. He was kept in the lock up and later committed suicide around 4 in the morning using handkerchief. But MQM sources said he was picked some time ago. (Sindh Express)

ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1. Big fire at a Karachi hotel yesterday killed 12 people and injured about 100. There is need for strict laws that make it mandatory for high rise structures to have necessary measures to deal with such emergencies and accidental fires. Thorough investigations have never been held into such mishaps by not even those who often claim to have heavy mandate from Karachi (dig at MQM). (Kawish Edit, Ibrat Edit, Khabrain Edit)

2. Confusion continues at Thar against the proposed Ghorano dam, which is a small dam. People from Islamkot right up to Karachi are agitating against the dam for over a month. But the government is still not listening to the protestors nor is it taking the locals into confidence on Thar development. No development project that ruins centuries old socio-economic and cultural and civilizational landscape at Thar cannot be proper or even reasonable from any standards. Keeping the future concerns and apprehensions of the locals in view, the government should review the program. (Sindh Express Edit)

THAR PROJECT
1. Bhisham Kotak’s article, ‘Who is going to benefit from black gold at Thar?’ says: Samples of water from coal mines collected at Ghorano have been tested by world’s reputed laboratories. The findings show that the water is not dangerous but it is hard and saline. Its TDS quantity is about 5000 PPM. The test report has been put on a Facebook page by a Karachi laboratory, Global Environmental Laboratory Private. Ltd. Waters should have been tested at truly global reputed laboratories like SGS and other equally known laboratories. Despite the protests, if basic parameters of a very important element are not available, who can say with certainty that the chemicals and other dangerous elements in the water are not beyond permissible limits. (Kawish)

2. About ‘Thar coal project’, Dilip Doshi writes: Right now about 300 Chinese engineers are working on the Thar project. Besides 1400 technically trained workers, 3000 others are working on Block 2 of Thar coal. Most of these workers are from Thar and have been working on daily wage of Rupees 200. Rest of the officials are from outside Thar. About 135 meters deep digging is being done for coal extraction. Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) system is not working in most of parts of the world. Soil patterns at Thar are different from patterns in other parts of the world and therefore it takes about 10 to 15 gallons of water to extract one ton of coal. It will take 35 million gallons of water annually to extract 3.5 million tons of annual coal. This means about 100000 gallons a day. Sindh government has assured Chinese company that 300000 gallons of potable water will be provided every day. Most of the deep underground water at Thar is hard and saline. Hundreds of RO plants are used to make Thar water potable enough. Asia’s largest RO plant installed at Thar headquarters in Mathi city has failed. People and the cattle in this belt somehow have learnt to survive with whatever quality of water they get. If any tampering is done with quality of available water, then there will be civil unrest. People will fight with each other for water. Dreams of making “Dubai” at Thar is ruining life for locals. Common man’s life is being put out of gear. This is just the beginning of the troubles for locals. There is lot to happen in times ahead. Problem due to developmental works here can become a big threat to the entire region. It can pose serious threat for the survival of the people. The need of the moment is that there should be organised, strong and durable socio-political movement to protect the natural resources at Thar. (Sindh Express)

SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. Anticipatory bail granted to former Sindh Police Chief stands extended from Dec 5 to December 10.The High Court gave this decision yesterday. NAB prosecutor, in a written reply submitted that the former Sindh Police Chief’s petition against NAB is not admissible in the court because NAB is investigating 2800 employees’ illegal and unlawful recruitments in the Sindh police. (Kawish)

2. Sindh Chief Minister has expressed displeasure over the functioning of the civil defence system that failed to handle the Regent Plaza hotel. He directed all Deputy Commissioners to appoint heads of civil defence committees in their areas. He also called for modern training to the civil defence personnel. If the civil defence body is revived and made functional, it can save several mishaps. It can also help several lives too. (Awami Awaz Edit)

3. Naseem Bukhari, in his article ‘Why PPP is becoming confrontationist?’ says: There is limit to everything but the Sindh government has crossed all limits with regards to irregularities and nepotism. The party is increasingly under flak for poor governance and irregularities. There is corruption in every department. Displaced Sindhis from the interiors, who had come to Karachi during 2010 floods are not getting regular accommodation. Yet there are reports that Sindh government is regularising over hundred colonies of Bengalis in Karachi. PPP has been picking up fights with the judiciary. Attempts are also being made to get rid of Sindh advocate general. It is trying to get rid of the Sindh Police IG. It is trying to replace Karachi additional IG too. There is no reason behind such madness. Probably Sindh government is doing all this deliberately to give reasons to the Court to suspend the Sindh government. If this happens, PPP can later present itself as victim of judiciary’s highhandedness. The sole intention is winning sympathy votes in the coming elections. PPP has not done anything good to get re-elected in the polls and hence the party is doing everything it can think of to get re-elected in the next polls. (Ibrat)

POLITICAL SCENE
1. Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Siraj-ul Haq said that the rulers are trying to suppress dissent. These rulers have been nurtured by dictators and therefore are dictatorial in their style of functioning. PM seems to have forgotten that when his party men had deserted him, it was the media that stood by him. Entire channel cannot be blamed for mistake of just one person. The Dawn cannot be blamed for the mistake of its one reporter. Let this suppression of media channels stop or else there will be protests against the government. (Awami Awaz)

2. Newly elected independent law maker, Molana Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi has announced joining JUI (F). (Urdupoint)

POK/G-B NEWS
1. The government has finally cleared decks for the Diamer Bhasha dam, and accorded the necessary sanctions. Now it must ensure that the dam is as per the schedule. (Jang Edit)

2. Former GM chief minister Mehdi said that if we don’t get its share of the CPEC benefits, the corridor project will not be allowed to pass through Gilgit-Baltistan. (Jasarat)