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. Chinese Foreign Ministry clarified that two naval ships were not gifted to Pakistan but were given under mutual army cooperation. It said that the East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement is a big security threat for the countries of the region. (Daily K2)

2. China has said that India’s entry into NSG is not something that the US President Obama can give to India as a farewell gift. India cannot join NSG because it has not signed the NPT. (Ummat)

US/UK/RUSSIA
1. The United States has threatened to stop coalition support funds to Pakistan ignoring the sacrifices of Pakistan in the war on terror are reiterated. Pakistan forces’ achieved success in the war on terror which could not be achieved even by 52 nations’ force. Pakistan’s leadership should strengthen the lobbies for improving ties with the new US administration. Washington should not listen to India’s false allegations about Pakistan. On its part, Pakistan should take decisions based on its national interest without succumbing to external pressure. (Khabrain Edit)

AFGHANISTAN/SAUDI ARABIA
1. Afghan Taliban is considering to appoint a special envoy for Russia. After the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan, Taliban will provide security to Russian gas pipelines. Russia wants to increase trade with Pakistan, Iran, India and China with the help of Taliban. (Ummat)

2. Pak Army Chief, General Qamar Bajwa, has firmly resolved to end terrorism and improve relations with Afghanistan in countering terrorism. It is necessary that both sides should stop the blame game and concentrate on effective monitoring of the borders to stop infiltration of terrorists. Afghanistan also needs to take serious steps just as Pakistan has done against terrorists. Pakistan has asked Afghanistan to sort out the differences amicably but Afghanistan has not responded positively because of Indian influence. (Daily Pak Edit, Roznama Dunya Edit)

3. Taliban have killed Safa Sanai advisor and security in-charge of provincial Governor of Pool Khamri district in Baghlan province. (Ummat)

4. At the Dunya forum, the foreign policy and military experts held that the Indian influence in Afghanistan is responsible for the worsening Pak-Afghan relations. Former Pakistani ambassador in Afghanistan, Rustam Shah Mohmand criticized that the Pakistan government neither has any vision nor possesses a road map on the Afghan policy. Former Foreign Minister, Sardar Asif Ahmed Ali pointed out that there are two serious issues between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Firstly, Afghanistan blames Pakistan for supporting Haqqani group, whereas Pakistan complains that Mulla Fazlullah is carrying out anti-Pakistan activities from Afghanistan. Secondly, Indian influence in Afghanistan is increasing. Afghanistan gets funds from India; hence they talk what India wants. Gen. (retd) Talat Masood said that new COAS sincerely wants to improve relations with Afghanistan, but first Indian influence in Afghanistan needs to be countered. Analyst Hasan Askari said that misunderstanding between Pak-Afghanistan is very high at present. Hence, the situation should be left as it is for now. (Roznama Dunya)

INDIA
1. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has said that India will forget its fake surgical strike if it will get a true response from Pakistan. (Ummat)

2. The statements of PM’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz indicate that Islamabad will not accept dialogue on Indian conditions without including Kashmir issue. Pakistan will not accept US dictation. Improving Pakistan’s foreign policy and responding to India at every diplomatic level are essential. Holland has expressed a wish to join the CPEC. Soon, the whole of Europe would express its wish to join the CPEC and Indian act of isolating Pakistan would fail. (Ausaf Edit)

3. In an interview, Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan will not accept Indian supremacy in the region under any circumstances. He said the reason for Pakistan-India tensions is the political atmosphere in India. There, you cannot get votes unless you oppose Pakistan. On the Afghan issue, he said terrorism is a common enemy of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Pakistan is ready to help Afghanistan to end terrorism. (Jinnah)

4. JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed said Kashmir conferences will be resumed from Karachi to Peshawar. In addition he said a Solidarity Week with Kashmiris will be observed from 1 to 7 February. (Ummat, Khabrain)

5. PM Nawaz Sharif has set up a committee for lifting the ban and for clearance to Indian films. A notification has been issued from the PM’s secretariat. Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, advisor to the PM Irfaan Siddiqui, the Censor Board Chairman, Hassan are among the panel’s members besides representatives of intelligence agencies. (Awami Awaz)

6. India has begun the construction of two 1800 MW power projects on the Chenab river in J&K, thus violating the Indus Water Treaty. After these projects are completed, water flow to Pakistan from River Chenab will stop. (Jang)

7. There are reports that Indian medicines were being supplied to Daesh and terrorist are using it. (Ummat)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. 17 criminals including 5 dangerous terrorists have been arrested from different areas in Karachi. (Roznama Dunya)

2. The Home Ministry spokesman has asserted that Difa-e-Council Pakistan was formed during PPP’s rule. He also said that President Zardari and PPP leaders used to meet members of the banned groups. Photos of such meetings can be shown if demanded. Rejecting PPP leader Farat Allah Babar claims in this regard, the Home Ministry asked: if Difa-e-Council Pakistan is a controversial body, then why didn’t the PPP raise objections in 2009. (Sindh Express)

3. An NGO, National Commission for Peace and Justice has termed as biased many articles based on Islamic faith and about history of Pakistan, particularly the role of India in the split of Pakistan, taught in primary and secondary schools. It said such material promote hatred which includes (Ummat)

ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1. Petrol price hike is adding to common man’s woes, and is pushing up inflation. The government should have stood by common man instead of supporting the business community. Unfortunately, the government is favouring only a selected class- industrialists and business community. The government so far has no clear policy on the issue of hike in salaries of its staff or doing anything for the poor of the society. Now that the preparations are afoot for next polls, the government should have brought some relief packages but it has not done so. (Awami Awaz Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

SINDH
1. A question is posed as to how long will the federal government continue to ignore Sindh and its people? The federal government officials just shrug off the charges and claim that Sindh has a habit of making such charges against the federal government. Be it on water distribution, fund distribution or job quotas, Sindh feels discriminated against and it has given statistical evidence as to how Punjab is being favoured. Because of such an attitude from the federal government, a sense of alienation has been building up in the small provinces including the Sindh. On the one hand, Sindh’s resources are being usurped and on the other hand Sindh is not being given its due share from those resources. The Sindhis do not get jobs in the federal government even after working hard and acquiring good degrees. A major part of the bureaucracy is from Punjab. A large chunk of Punjab bureaucracy is placed not only in federal offices in Islamabad but also in the Sindh government offices. This is an injustice to Sindh. The Ministry for Overseas Pakistanis has also been sending Pakistanis for overseas jobs. In a period of three years it has sent 3438 Pakistanis abroad and out of those, 2294 are from Punjab and just 529 from Sindh, 438 from KP and only 41 from Balochistan. Such discriminatory behaviour on the part of the federal government is not at all right. It will only add to a sense of dismay amongst the provinces. (Sindh Express Edit)

2. Sheikh Israr reports: Census Commission has announced that enumeration will be done only in respect of those staying out of the refugee camps. The Sindh CM has also demanded that foreigners and those staying illegally in refugee camps should be not enumerated. The Sindh Assembly also resolved that before the census surveys start, people staying in Sindh will be given identity cards. For verification purpose, identity card of any member of family will be enough and it is not necessary that it should be the head of the family. The Census Chief said the 29 districts of Sindh have been spilt into 146 census zones. The survey will be done in two phases and each phase will last for 30 days. Each enumerator will be accompanied by one army jawan. (Sindh Express)

3. Sindh Chief Minister has still not signed papers for extending Rangers’ powers in Karachi. This means that as of now Rangers have no policing powers in Karachi. As per earlier powers vested with Rangers, they had powers to do checking, patrolling, conduct raids and make arrests. (Sindh Express)

BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. Balochistan Government has agreed to purchase a new MI17 helicopter from Russia for Rs. 1.62 billion. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

2. Muslim League (Q) member of Balochistan Assembly and former Speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bazanjo said that no census operations should begin in the province as long as Afghan refugees are present in Balochistan and all Baloch people who had to leave their ancestral homes for whatever reason, are not resettled in their original homes. (Jinnah)

3. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan who had migrated to Afghanistan have begun to return. The first group of 200 families have reached Ghulam Khan. According to political administration, 5424 registered families had gone to Afghanistan. Some 30000 families had migrated without registration. Pakistan has set up temporarily camps at Ghulam Khan where IPDs will halt before going back to their locations. (Ummat)

POLITICAL SCENE
1. Jamaat-e-Islami’s Siraj-ul-Haq said that the government’s manipulations in the Supreme Court cannot save Nawaz Sharif now. It is beyond doubt that Nawaz Sharif’s statements before the Court are based on total lies. PM’s speech in Parliament and his address to the nation are taking a toll. BBC reports have proved beyond doubt that PM’s statements are based on total fabrication. The only way out for the government is to accept the reality. Jamaat-e-Islami has filed one more petition in the apex court saying that the new disclosures coming to the fore everyday only strengthen the charges against the PM and his family. (Awami Awaz)

2. A National Assembly Standing Committee was told that funds worth Rs. 25 crore allocated for forming a lashkar against Taliban were embezzled. (Roznama Dunya)

3. Senate chairman, Raza Rabbani said the UK and the US have no right to speak on abduction of people in Pakistan, which is Pakistan’s internal issue. He asked why these two countries are quiet on what is happening over the years in Kashmir and Palestine. (Sindh Express)

4. Following apprehensions of poisoning of the crew of PK -661 flight that had crashed killing all the 48-passengers on board, it has now been decided to exhume bodies of the crew members. A notification has also been issued asking the PIMS hospital administration to set up a medical board comprising women and men medical officers. The hospital has also been asked to do post-mortem on all five members of the crew to establish if they were poisoned. The plane was flying from Chitral to Islamabad when the crash took place. (Sindh Express)

POK/G-B NEWS
1. Associate Force would be formed to tackle terrorism in Ghizer. In the first phase 200 retired personnel would be employed for patrolling sensitive areas. (Daily K2)