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.

PAK SCENE- KASHMIR
1. Asif Gilani writes: it was the bitter truth that the Pakistani government refused to understand and appreciate the Kashmiris’ emotions and their nationalism. He states that the people in Pakistan and also its leadership had been “blinded” with the belief that Kashmir was an integral part of Pakistan – as Kashmir was connected with Pakistan; most of Pakistan’s rivers were based in Kashmir; and, the majority in Kashmir was Muslim. Gilani further writes that Pakistani selfishness had blinded them and therefore they could not see the Kashmiris’ emotional and sentimental feelings, and was not sensitive to the Kashmiris’ nationalist feelings for freedom. According to him, when Kashmiris looked up to Pakistan out of desperation, Pakistanis thought that Kashmiris wanted to integrate with Pakistan. If Pakistan thought that these Kashmiris wanted to live being a part of Pakistan’s fifth province after making huge sacrifices while fighting the Indian Army, then Pakistan was living in a fools’ paradise. Giving some historical perspectives, the writer concludes that it was the bitter truth that not only India but even Pakistan was equally responsible for denying Kashmiris their right to self-determination and freedom. (Kawish)
2. JuD chief Hafiz Saeed said that the Pakistani government should not forget the sacrifices given by Kashmiris to strengthen the name sake friendship with India. He criticised India’s plan to construct separate colonies for the Indian Army and Kashmiri Pandits and settling Hindus from other areas of India to change the Muslim identity of Kashmir. (Daily Pak)
3. Speaking at the Mirpur Press Club, JuD Chief Hafiz Saeed, said that JuD rejected the verdict of Indian court on the Gulberg massacre; he said the main culprit of the massacre was Narendra Modi. Hafiz Saeed further said that the Chahbahar project was being developed to sabotage the CPEC. (Jasarat)
4. JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that they were backing Kashmiris and that support would continue and that government of Pakistan should raise the Kashmir issue at the UN and other international forums. (Jasarat)
CHINA
1. Pakistan will set up the biggest nuclear power plant in Chashma with the support of China. (Daily Pak, Daily Intekhab)
AFGHANISTAN
1. Jang and Ausaf have upheld Pakistan government’s decision to impose restriction on transit between Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Torkham border saying the free passage permitted now is enabling armed militants to enter Pakistan. It is also promoting drug smuggling. Ausaf says if Afghan government has full faith in India, then it should send its refugees to India. (Jang Edit, Ausaf Edit)
2. Arif Bahar writes that the Baloch provincial leader, Sarfraz Bugti, had withdrawn his statement in which he had said that Afghan refugees who had been living in Pakistan for decades should be kicked out. He writes that some of these Afghan nationals were working on the behest of Afghan Secret Agency, NDS, to carry out destructive activities in Balochistan and Pakistan. Afghanistan refugees were coming under propaganda that Pakistan was responsible for all problems that the Afghan people were facing. (Jasarat)
UNITED STATES
1. Ausaf says Pakistan should take the drone attack issue to the War Crime Tribunal, International Court of Arbitration, and other international forums. (Ausaf Edit)
INDIA
1. Member of Foreign Relations Committee and American Democrat Senator, Ben Cardin, said that India would have to pay attention on extra-judicial killing, religious intolerance, human trafficking, and human rights abuses in the country. (Jasarat)
2. PTI spokesperson told a TV program that during Imran Khan’s India visit, PM Modi had asked him that instead of wasting Indus River water into the sea, change the river course towards Gujarat. (Urdupoint)
ARMY/SECURIY FORCES
1. Several edits have appeared hailing COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif’s statement that the US drone attacks were not acceptable and should be stopped. The dailies also complimented COAS for the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Civil and Military leaderships should be on one page with regard to defence policies, the dailies said. (Editorials)
2. Former COAS Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg has said that it would be in the interest of Pakistan to keep distance from the US; General Raheel Sharif’s statement over the US drone attack in Balochistan was an expression of the people’s feelings. He further said that the Chahbahar port would not reduce the importance of Gwadar. Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran and Afghanistan should form a new alliance. He said the US had thought that by killing Mullah Mansour it would weaken Taliban; however, Taliban were not of short of leaders and that now Taliban’s attacks would intensify and America won’t be able to bear it. Beg said that according to his information there were five people with Mullah Mansour including Wali Muhammad; that there were other vehicles in the convoy too in which there were other Taliban; immediately after the attack, Taliban had taken the dead bodies to Afghanistan including body of Mullah Mansour, where the last rites were performed. Beg questions if Pakistan handed over the bodies of Wali Muhammad and Mullah Mansour to Afghanistan, then who were those people whose dead bodies Taliban had taken to Afghanistan. Beg said that there was ambiguity in claims made by Pakistan. (Ummat)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Muttahida Sunni Mahaz has supported the idea of reviving the Difa-e-Pakistan Council. It said that the time had come for everyone to come on one platform to save the country from external and internal challenges. (Daily Pak)
2. Nationalist organisations like Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz are likely to be banned during the Ramzan month. Their bank accounts are also likely to be frozen apart from putting other restrictions on them. In all 60 such organisations are likely to face the ban – including LeT, TTP, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Millat-e-Jafria, Islam Al Ansar, Muslim Students Organisation (Gilgit Baltistan), Peoples Amaan Committee, Balochistan Liberation Front, Jamaat Al Dawa, Al Akhtar Trust, among others. (Awami Awaz, Roznama Dunya)
3. JuD (Karachi) has announced that during the month of Ramzan it would facilitate over 2000 Sehri and Iftar; and it had formed teams which would promote religious knowledge during the Ramzan. (Jasarat)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Nazir Naji justifies the demand for a full time Foreign Minister and says he considered Sartaj Aziz to be most suitable for the job. (Roznama Dunya)
ECONOMY/WATER
1. Federal government should treat all the four provinces equally without discrimination. Backward provinces in fact should be encouraged. But Federal government is just neglecting small provinces. It will be in the national interests to end this sense of alienation amongst small provinces. (Ibrat Edit)
SINDH
1. For the first time, some Karachi’s media persons face the charges of helping militants/terrorists. These journalists represented noted media houses like Express, DAWN, ARY and Dunya News. According to joint investigation report, MQM’s target killer, Minhaz Qazi, has confessed that several electronic media reporters used to work along with him, and that they used to use the media card to find him a way out from any difficult situation. He also said that these media persons used to charge heavy amounts for that (service). The names of journalists involved included Muhammad Ali Hafiz of Samaa TV, DAWN TV’s Muhammad Imran, Naeem Khanzada of Express News, among others. The media houses had so far not denied these charges. (Awami Awaz)
BALOCHISTAN
1. After persistent demands of opposition parties, Balochistan Assembly had decided to constitute a Parliamentary Committee to control cases of abductions for ransom. Home Minister has said that four groups were involved in the cases of abductions. Taliban were trying to get a stronghold in Quetta and Balochistan. After the announcement, opposition ended its boycott of the Assembly proceedings. (Daily Intekhab)
POK/ G-B NEWS
1. It is definitely the result of CM Hafizur Rahman’s efforts that President Mamnoon Hussein spoke about Gilgit-Baltistan in the course of his address to parliament. Now efforts should be made to provide all out relief to Gilgit-Baltistan besides elevating it as the fifth province of Pakistan. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)
2. AJK President, Sardar Yaqoob Khan, has announced the granting of an honorary Doctorate to APHC chairman Syed Ali Geelani. (Roznama Dunya)
3. Gilgit-Baltistan Development Minister, Dr. Iqbal, said that April rain and floods had caused huge damage but no restoration work was carried out as yet. Captain (Retd) Shafi of Islami Tehreek said that no one had idea where the crores of funds for affected families were used. Haji Shah Beg said that relief funds were distributed amongst the relatives of ruling party members and employees of grade-5 were directly promoted to grade-18. Speaker Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Fida Nashad said that Assembly members boast a lot in absence of the CM but keep mum during his presence. (Daily K2)
4. Gilgit-Baltistan Speaker Fida Nashad has rejected the plea by MWM to unseat its Assembly member Kachu Imtiyas for ignoring the party whip during the GB Council elections and casting his vote in favour of an independent candidate. Nashad clarified that there was no provision of floor crossing in Gilgit-Baltistan and hence no reason to cancel the membership of Kachu Imtiyaz. The decision was appreciated by opposition parties as well. (Daily K2)
5. CM Hafizur Rahman said that Babu Sar Road would be made an all-weather highway and the work on Skardu Road would start by July. (Daily K2, Baad-e-Shimal)
6. Tourists visiting all the four district of Baltistan region are facing security risk as there are no sufficient police men on guard duty. Police officials from Baltistan are kept in Gilgit permanently; this is injustice to the people of Baltistan. (Daily K2)
7. Federal Minister for AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, Barjees Tahir, said that the federation did not want to displease people by imposing income tax. He added economic condition in GB is not so strong that people could bear further burden of taxes. (Baad-e-Shimal)