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.

CHINA
1. Jehangir Khatak, a scholar from a US Think Tank, has said Chinese diplomacy has given clear message to the major world’s powers that India’s monopoly in the region will not be accepted. If China sticks to its stand, it will become impossible for India to become a member of the NSG. China has done what Pakistan should have done. (Roznama Dunya)
UNITED STATES
In an interview to Jang, former Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, expressed a concern over the video clip of a Washington analyst that shows his determination to trifurcate Pakistan into three parts, Balochistan’s separation and opposition to Pakistan’s nuclear program. He remarked the Great Game against Pakistan has begun. The US has neutralized Iran against Pakistan through India. The result of Indo-Iran friendship is seen in the Pakistan-Afghan border controversy. (Jang)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Pakistan has completed the first phase of digging 1100 km trench along Pakistan-Afghan border. The project began in 2013 and has been completed in two and half years. (Jang)
2. There is no progress on the Pakistan-Afghan talks on the Torkham border issue but they have agreed to be in constant touch. The root of the discord is in the fact that Afghanistan has not accepted the Durand Line. Post 9/11 Afghanistan has created more problems for Pakistan. (Jang Edit)
3. Construction of a gate at Torkham is primarily aimed at checking the influx of influx of terrorists and Afghan refugees into Pakistan. So much so, Afghanistan should, instead of putting spokes, support Pakistan in the larger cause of peace. Even though both sides agreed on relaxing travel restrictions, the free for all tradition should end. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
INDIA
1. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India has invited around 30 Kashmiri leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq for an Iftar party on June 25. (Jang, Khabrain)
2. The army has busted a gang belonging to India, claims the ISPR Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa. The gang is behind terrorism and involved in the distribution of money. Some members of the gang were collecting sensitive information about Pakistan, the ISPR claimed. (Jasarat)
3. Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Affairs, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman, has asked Hurriyat leaders to unite on a single platform to continue struggle for right to self- determination of Kashmiris. Speaking to a delegation headed by AJK Hurriyat leader Zafar Bhat, he said the government of Pakistan will speed up its efforts for a resolution on the Kashmir dispute as per aspiration of the people of Kashmir and based on UN resolution. Bhat briefed Rahman about the current situation of J&K and said that India is trying to build separate colonies for Pundits on the Israeli pattern. (Jasarat)
4. The National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, said Pakistan will continue to highlight the Kashmir issue at all national and international fora. Speaking to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) delegation, which met him, Sadiq, reiterated that Pakistan would continue political, moral and diplomatic support for Kashmiris’ right of self-determination. “If India wants peace in the region, it will have to settle the Kashmir issue”, he remarked. The Chief of Jammu-Kashmir Salvation Movement, Zafar Bhat, who is leading the delegation, said India is bent upon making Kashmiri Muslims a minority in Kashmir and is therefore building special colonies for the Army and Pandits in the valley. (Jang)
5. At an Iftar hosted by Difa-e-Pakistan Council, JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed and other speakers charged that India is trying to create a rift between Pakistan and China. The US and its allies are facing a defeat in Afghanistan and in desperation want to target Pakistan’s nuclear program. The West is also trying to destabilize Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Saeed stated that Narendra Modi told the US Congress that India and the US are natural allies but India would do well to remember that Muslims are united against the US. He also said that India is engaged in a negative propaganda against the religious parties of Pakistan. (Roznama Dunya, Khabrain, Jasarat)
6. Dr. A. Q. Khan held the Indo-Pak dialogues as need of the day and said that by making Kashmir autonomous the pestering dispute can be resolved. (Roznama Dunya)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. The kidnapping of Chief Justice’s son is not only condemnable but is a big challenge for the law enforcing machinery in Sindh and the government cannot absolve itself of its responsibility. If this is the level of security for the family of a Chief Justice, one can imagine the plight of common man in the country. The Government says it is spending huge amounts on maintaining law and order in Karachi. Yet, kidnappings and the extortion threats have become an everyday occurrence and threaten life and security of the common man. It is worth noting that the vehicle used for kidnapping CJ’s son carried a government number plate and the kidnappers had three rifles. This raises doubts about the functioning of the police though it has demoralising effect on the police and other law enforcing machinery. No doubt, the police have made many sacrifices in the fight against militancy in Karachi, but the fact remains the sons of PM, Governor and the Chief Justice are being kidnapped; despite all-out efforts there is no breakthrough in sight. This failure has triggered a sense of panic. Needless to say daring acts like kidnapping can be done by someone who is very powerful. Within the police too, there are some black sheep; if they start discharging their duties honestly, the situation will improve. (Ibrat Edit, Kawish Edit)
2. Dr. Fahmida Hussain writes: in the present age of technology and science, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is an oxymoron. Life and times have changed with the passage of history. Organisations like the CII are outdated. There is no legal or constitutional validity and cannot frame any laws but they are busy giving “fatwas” in form of recommendations and suggestions. Provinces like the Sindh have no representation in the CII; there is neither a woman member and nor any well-educated Islamic scholar. People respect and hear Sindh’s Ulema like Maulana Sadiq and Ulema Ghulam Mustafa Qasim, who are the face of progressive Islam. Let us try to understand the messages of the Sufi saints of Sindh and spread their message for the betterment of the society. It is time to choose intellectual pursuits to get enlightened and it is time to change our mind-set to make our lives simple, successful and happy. (Awami Awaz)
3. Interrogation of the arrested Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorists indicated that they received training from Waziristan. (Roznama Dunya)
4. The Interior Ministry has warned of terrorist attacks in Islamabad on the occasion of Eid. (Jasarat)
POLITICAL SCENE
1.The government has adopted a rigid stand on the terms of reference for the parliamentary probe on Panama Leaks case involving the Prime Minister and his family. This It creates a suspicion that something is fishy; otherwise it is easy to finalize the ToRs. The government and the opposition should come to terms before issue goes to court, and the Army is called to control the situation. (Roznama Dunya Edit)
2. On political tensions, Javed Abro writes: Pakistan is facing a big political storm. The irony of the fact is that the very leaders and parties that claim to be champions and protectors of democracy are responsible for the democratic mess today. None of these parties and leaders is aware of common man’s life, quest and plight. Governance will improve only when politicians and parties realise that people do not matter only at election time and change their mind-sets accordingly. (Ibrat)
3. Nazir Naji writes: there is no issue from the Prime Minister’s side to begin an enquiry on the Panama papers from Sharif end. He is in the clear but problem is with people around him who are creating obstacles on acceptable TORs. It is because they fear that they would stand to lose if Sharif is unseated. (Roznama Dunya)
4 Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been made Vice Chairman of PTI; Jahangir Tareen is the General Secretary. (Khabrain)
ECONOMY
8000 daily-wage workers of Pakistan Steel Mills will be laid off by June 30, the government announced. They are working on contract basis. The decision is a sequel to the agreement with the IMF on PSM privatization. (Pk Voices)
NWFP/KP
1. Mazhar Abbas, Salim Safi, Babar Sattar, Shahzad Chaudhry and other analysts have criticized the Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) government for giving a grant of Rs.30 crore to Darul Uloom Haqqania. On the one hand military operation is in full swing against the Taliban and on the other hand the KP government sponsors a madrasa linked to the Taliban. The PTI, which is ruling the province is not a progressive but an opportunist party, they said and lashed at Fazal-ur-Rahman for supporting Sami-ul-Haq, who heads the madrasa. (Jang)
SINDH
1. Sultan Khawaja, the police officer investigating the kidnapping of Sindh Chief Justice’s son, said this kidnapping is akin to the kidnappings of sons of Salman Taseer (the slain Punjab Governor) and the former PM Gilani. No one has demanded ransom or claimed any responsibility for the kidnapping. Help has been sought from Punjab and Balochistan police as well. (Kawish)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. Doctors in the Gilgit government hospital, though are not punctual in their duties, have rejected the Gilgit-Baltistan government order on biometric system to check their attendance. (Daily K2)
2. CM Hafizur Rahman should focus his government’s energies not only to make people of Gilgit-Baltistan self-dependent but also to exploit all local natural resources, and to increase employment opportunities for the youth. Simultaneously, strong action should be taken to check corruption in all departments. (Daily K2 Edit, Baad-e-Shimal Edit)