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.

HUMAN RIGHTS
1. Another nationalist activist has been abducted from Sukkur. Shaharyar Chachar, activist of Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz, has told the media that his brother, Gazi Khan Chachar, was taken away by the intelligence agency officials in their vehicle from a scrap shop. The Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz activists say Gazi khan is a businessman and is not involved in any anti-social or anti-national activities. About 10 days ago, Liaquat Chinu of Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz too was abducted but there is no information about him. (Sindh Express)

2. Samar Abbas, a social activist of Karachi, has gone missing in Islamabad. Qambar Ali, speaking to BBC, said Samara had gone to Islamabad in connection with some work on January 3 and he was in touch with his family on mobile and through internet. Last contact with him was on Saturday. His mobile was shut next day noon. Samar worked with Jaffriya disaster cell in Karachi and with Insar Barni and Progressive Alliance since three years. His brother informed the BBC that apart from lodging police complaints, application will also be given to the court. Like Salman Hyder, Samar too might have been abducted by intelligence agency officials. Talib Abbas of Progressive alliance said Samar Abbas was very active after army public school terror attack. Samar was also active against banned fundamentalist organisations along with Khurram Zaki. (Sindh Express)

3. The Home Minister, Nisar Ali Khan has said that the present government neither encourages abductions by intelligence agencies as a matter of policy nor tolerate such abductions by intelligence officials. Well, there used to be such a policy in vogue is till 2008. The people have been raising voice against abductions from Day One. The ruling party has now started admitting all that people have been charging from time to time. (Awami Awaz Edit)

4. Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan is not right in differentiating between right wing terror groups and those fighting on sectarian issues. If the ultimate intention is to bring peace in the country, such distinction cannot be considered wise because both the groups are involved in extremism that eventually leads to violence and terrorism. If the Interior Minister’s dogma is only to target hard-core terrorist groups and to let the fanatics continue their lawless acts, he has no right to continue as a minister as it is against the spirit of NAP and Operation Zarb-e-Azb. PM Sharif should seek clarification from Nisar Ali Khan and take suitable action or else bringing peace back to Pakistan will never be possible. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

5. Senior analysts taking part in a Geo TV program said disagreed with the Home Minister’s assertion that sectarian organizations should not be linked with terrorism. They said such statements will benefit extremist groups. The Home minister does not even consider Lashkar-e-Jhangvi as terrorist group. (Jang)

6. Senior analyst, Najam Sethi, says Nisar Ali Khan’s issue is presented as though he does not want crackdown against banned outfits. Speaking in a Geo News program, he pointed out that in the past the banned outfits were used by National Security Establishment. Musharraf decided that time for Jihad was over as Kashmiris did not want to join Pakistan. Since Kashmiris wanted freedom, Musharraf wanted such a solution which would please Kashmiris as well. When Musharraf stopped Jihad, some elements joined the Taliban and some began attacks on their own and some sectarian organisations formed a nexus with Daesh. Taliban are also joining Daesh now. Najam further said that Gen. (rtd) Raheel Sharif will not accept the position of chief of Islamic countries’ military alliance in the wake of adverse reaction the appointment has invited. (Jang)

CHINA
1. Irfan Siddiqi reports from Tokyo: Without any formal intimation to Japan, Karachi circular railway project has been assigned to China, which is against the ethical code. (Jang)

US/UK/RUSSIA
1. In the past, the US used to ask Pakistan to make efforts to establish peace in Afghanistan, but now there is total silence from the US in this regard. Maybe it is due to the fact that the government is going to change in Washington. Whenever Taliban gets an opportunity they carry out blasts to show their presence and to display their power. It is essential to cut down Indian interference in Afghanistan. In the name of development projects, India is strengthening terrorists in Afghanistan. (Roznama Dunya Edit)

2. PPP President Asif Ali Zardari will attend the oath taking ceremony of the US President Elect Donald Trump. (Khabrain)

AFGHANISTAN/SAUDI ARABIA/GULF
1. General Bajwa has condemned the terrorist attacks in Kabul and Kandahar and said that the Pak Army is with Afghan people and Afghan forces in the fight against terrorism. (Roznama Dunya / Daily Intekhab)

2. A delegation led by Chairman State Council of Oman, Dr. Yehyah bin Mehfooz bin Salim met Pak president, who told the visitors that Oman’s civil and military officers could benefit from Pakistani military and civil training institutes. (Urdupoint)

3. Nazir Naji on the book ‘Durand line prisoner’ by journalist, Faiz ullah Khan: the author had crossed the border mistakenly while taking interview with Taliban at the border; he was arrested and put in jail. He saw Taliban hold court in Afghan jails; jail officials were aware of these jirgas as Taliban courts are known. Their decisions are respected and accepted by parties to the dispute. Faiz ullah met leaders of Al-Qaida, Afghan Taliban and TTP in the jail. Al-Qaida leader SK Jafar was highly respected in the jail; he had contacts with various Taliban groups in Waziristan, including Tehrik-e-Taliban, Mulla Nazir, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Uzbek militants. Many a times he settled their differences. Al Qaida has its own judicial system which is called “Lajnah”. Maulvi Abdur Rahman who was also in the jail belonged to Haqqani Network, and he was arrested as a result of his finger prints found on a vehicle used in an attack, that is why Taliban began practice of injuring their fingers to avoid their finger prints being spotted. Many Pakistani prisoners in the jail belonged to various groups of TTP, some Pakistanis were brought to Afghanistan by Afghan Taliban to fight, and there were also Pakistanis who had both Afghan and Pakistani ID cards. Faiz ullah has written about the corruption and appalling condition of the jail. (Roznama Dunya-Column)

4.Afghan Taliban have released a 13 minute video of abducted foreigners in which the victims appealed to the US President- elect Donald Trump and the US government to negotiate their release with the Taliban. (Ummat)

5. Police Chief of Kandahar General Abdul Razzak said they received reports two months ago that Haqqani Network is planning to target a top military official and many suspects were arrested. However, those who were involved in the Guest House blast had fixed a bomb in a Sofa and it seems that terrorist might have come in the guise of labourers. (Ummat)

6. Afghan Taliban have got control of 12 chowkies in Zabul province and reportedly killed 12 security forces when they attacked a check-post. Taliban got hold of 7 Kalashnikov, 2 heavy machine guns, a rocket launcher and other military weapons. (Ummat)

INDIA
1. India is distressed by successful launch of Babar-3 cruise missile. And Indian media and military analysts have begun negative propaganda against Pakistan by expressing doubts over the very test. (Jasarat)

2. JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed says that Jihad is the only solution for the Kashmir dispute. Azad Jammu and Kashmir was not liberated by any government but the mujahideen and the occupied Kashmir will also be liberated by the mujahideen. JuD is not a party to electoral politics but a party to spread the message of religion. Hafiz Saeed said that India is disturbed by the Kashmir Conference held on 15 December in AJK. India must experience distress and when India feels distressed it makes the people of Kashmir happy. While addressing a training session at Markaz Um Al Qara in Nalochi, he further said they will liberate Srinagar the way Prophet got victory in Mecca. (Jasarat-Ausaf)

3. Indian secret agency RAW has taken the command of Lyari groups and many commanders of the groups are hiding in India, Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, Iran, Kenya, UAE and South Africa. Many commanders have received training of terrorism under the supervision of RAW in military camps. One of those who had received training in India is SSP level official in Karachi who is holding an important position. (Ausaf)

ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar has voiced serious reservations over the appointment of former COAS Raheel Sharif as head of the Islamic army. Speaking in the Senate he said the appointment could have a bearing on Pakistan’s foreign policy. (Ummat)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Hanif Majothi in a special report says: On the directives of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NECTA), the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has started compiling data on jihadi individuals, their family members, and their accomplices. Today, one of these teams under SSP Omar Shahid is leaving for Sukkur (Sindh) to meet the family members of these jihadis who had gone to Afghanistan for jihad. Another team, under SSP, Juned Shaikh, under the instructions of the police Chief, Sindh has started meeting jihadis in Sindh jails. One senior CTD official said NECTA has sought details like family background, major reasons for joining jihad and the training received right from childhood. Other details sought include criminal records, activities of family members, accomplices and their activities. The compilation of this data has begun from Karachi and several teams are on the job. The CTD has prepared one report based on its investigations. This report states that following the operations in Karachi, militants’ activities have gone up in areas adjoining Sindh-Balochistan border. Right now too, different jihadi networks are active in these border areas. The jihadi networks recruit from this area and other places and send the new recruits to Afghanistan and other countries for jihad. According to the CTD, there are 10 families in Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Sukkur (all in Sindh) whose members have gone for jihad in Afghanistan. Sometimes when a person returns from jihad, he takes his friends, other family members and like-minded persons along with him for jihad. That is how the recruitment process for jihad is going. (Sindh Express)

ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1. Dr. Asif Shahid in his article, ‘CPEC project or an emerging fight over this cake?’, writes: With an eye on the next polls, the ruling party leaders are taking credit for the launching of CPEC but the opposition wants to discredit the ruling party by accusing that small provinces are being side-lined under CPEC. So we need to look into questions like who started the project. What were real objectives behind it? And is China really doing Pakistan a favour through this project? The Chinese economy is witnessing a kind of crisis. There is abundant production in China and that in itself is a big problem for China because it has to explore more markets. This over-production seems to be making China a sinking ship economically. Besides its ‘one road and one belt’ policy, the CPEC also aims at boosting China’s foreign policy and boost its military strength. The larger objection against the CPEC is what is the source for funds for this project? And what are the terms and conditions? It is being said that the funding for this project is in fact a debt that amounts to Rs. 3.54 billion every year. After questions were raised on the CPEC, the Chinese diplomats were busy defending their affairs in Islamabad on social media. Chinese diplomats are pained over the allegations that prisoners from China are being brought to work on the CPEC projects in Pakistan. The Chinese diplomats say those who level such charges have some hidden agenda. Pakistan authorities should also see that Pakistan’s national interests are addressed. (Ibrat)

SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. When will Sindh reap dividend of its rich natural resources? The issue of locals getting benefit of the Sindh resources has remained unresolved from Day One. The 18th Amendment had revived hopes that the provinces would get their rights but nothing as such has changed till today. The federal government’s loot of provincial governments’ resources is beyond tolerance. The population is growing and this has led to a rise in provincial government’s needs. Hence, provinces can no longer tolerate getting neglected by the federal government. Not only entire Sindh should get the gas but also all the benefits from the natural resources of the province so that there is no more poverty in Sindh. This will help remove the sense of alienation in Sindh. (Sindh Express Edit)

2. Sindh Chief Minister has opposed federal government’s proposal to recover 7 per cent from the annual National Finance Commission’s (NFC’s) allocations to provinces. Of this seven percent, 4 per cent is meant for CPEC security and 3 per cent is to be utilised on developmental works at FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. The Sindh Chief Minister, spoke to the Punjab Finance Minister, said all provinces must join to object to this proposal, which he termed as unreasonable and unconstitutional. Punjab Finance Minister assured him that the Punjab government will co-operate with Sindh on this issue. (Sindh Express)

3. PPP has announced a protest rally from Lahore to Faisalabad on January 19. Bilawal said that the PPP wants to give priority to winning polls in Punjab so that the injustice that is being meted to Punjab is redressed. (Sindh Express)

POLITICAL SCENE
1.Munir Ahmed Baloch writes: Speaking at Garhi Khuda Bukhsh on Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary, Asif Ali Zardari said the PML (N) had not won the election, but the PPP handed it over to them. This is what Imran Khan has been saying since the time Nawaz Sharif came to power, but faced flak. Nawaz Sharif came to power as per deal made between PML-N and PPP under Charter of Democracy. Earlier Zardari had overlooked many irregularities by the government, but now he senses that Nawaz Sharif has changed his intentions, hence he has begun issuing warnings. (Roznama Dunya)

POK/G-B NEWS
1.Federal minister for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Barjees Tahir said that Gilgit-Baltistan would become the economic hub of Pakistan. Work on Skardu Road has been started and people of Gilgit-Baltistan would get the maximum benefit from CPEC. (Daily K2, Baad-e-Shimal)