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

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AFGHANISTAN
1. While fighting with Taliban 88 allied forces have died in Kandahar, Wardak, Herat and Farah. Taliban have cut down connectivity of Kabul Kandahar Highway and 76 government troops have given up weapons in Tarinkot and Daykundi. Taliban killed four US troops who had raided the residence of a religious scholar in Nangarhar. In addition, Taliban have conquered seven chowkies and took away two military vehicles, 25 American guns, six heavy machine guns, two anti-aircraft guns, mortar artillery and other weapons as bounty. Report claims that in the last six months Afghan Taliban have killed 5523 Afghan and allied forces and injured 9655 of them. (Al Qalam Weekly 4-6 November)
2. ‘Pakistan Study Centre’ at the Punjab University organized a seminar on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations in Lahore. Professor Dr. Masarrat Abid said that by avoiding interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs Pakistan will help in restoring lasting peace in Afghanistan. He added that Pakistan had always tried to improve relations with the fellow Muslim country Afghanistan but due to interference from India relations remained strained. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
INDIA
1. The Indian Embassy staff members are busy working against CPEC and they are in contact with networks in Afghanistan under diplomatic cover. The latest task they are entrusted with is creation of instability in Pakistan by toppling the government. The Indian Embassy staff member Balbir Singh is directly taking instructions from India’s NSA Ajit Doval. (Ummat)
2. In the context of prevailing situation in Kashmir it is necessary that Pakistan extend its support to the Kashmiris. India is not only continuing its aggression at the LoC but is planning to send back Pakistan Consulate officials. As RAW network has been bust in Pakistan, Indian consulate officials should also be sent back home. Pakistan should take all the possible measures to foil India’s conspiracies against Pakistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
3. Hundreds of schools have been closed on both sides of the LoC because of increased tension. According to AFP, 14 Indian civilians have been killed in the last two days. (Roznama Dunya)
4. Advisor to CM of Sindh on Information, Maula Bux Chandio has expressed concern over the expose of Indian spy networks and said this is cause for concern for national security. Chandio said that entire nation is distressed but the government is sleeping. The Indian conspiracies should be exposed in front of the world. (Ummat)
5. PPP leader Sheri Rahman said that the silence of government over spying by Indian Embassy staff is beyond comprehension. (Ummat)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch said that the Army Chief will not seek any extension of his tenure. He had worked with Musharraf and Raheel Sharif in Karachi and Quetta and hence he knows them personally. He said that Raheel Sharif is a gentleman officer and does not believe in seeking extension. Baloch denied any rift between the Sharif government and the Army. He added that he does not support Governor’s rule in Balochistan on account of recent terror incident in Quetta. (Kawish
2. The police and other law keeping machinery have seized huge cache of arms following crackdown at Pakistan Colony area in Karachi. A statement from DIG said that bombs, 5 light machines guns, 3 pistols, a 7mm rifle, 6 rounds of magazines, 2 repeaters, 17 SMG magazine and other small weapons were recovered. (Awami Awaz)
3. Nine militants having connections with Al Qaida were shot dead and five others escaped during the operations by the Counter Terror Department in Multan, Punjab. The authorities also claim to have seized six kilos of explosives, 4 rifles, five motor cycles and other weapons. (Sindh Express)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. Bazm-e-Yousufi Al Murabitun Pakistan has announced dates and topics of elocution competition for madrasa students. Bazm-e-Yousufi was established by Maulana Masood Azhar in commemoration of martyr for Islam, Maulana Muhammad Yousuf Ludhianvi. It has branches across the country and works under the aegis of Al Murabitun. Al Murabitun was active to revive and promote the ideology of jihad and the emotion of jihad in the students and teachers of madaris and other contemporary educational institutions. Every year the elocution competition is held first at the divisional level and later at the national level. This year the topic for the divisional level is the ‘Battle of Ahzab: Introduction and Lessons’ whereas the topic for national level is the ‘Battle of Hudaybiyyah: Introduction and Lessons’. Both battles were fought during the time of Prophet Muhammad. (Al Qalam Weekly 4-6 November)
ECONOMY/POWER/WATER
1.Sindh’s Thatha district has a capacity to produce over 50KMW wind electricity and by 2018 over 1000MW would be added to national grid using wind energy. (Daily Pak)
2. Kuwait’s firm will establish ten power plants of 50 MW in Balochistan. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
3. Due to decrease in the water levels in the Tarbela Dam, six power units of the Dam have been closed. Load shedding is likely to increase. (Urdupoint)
SINDH/BALOCHISTAN/KP/PUNJAB
1. According to Frontier Corps spokesperson seven terrorists have been killed in Gwadar and Haiderpur. They had connections with defunct organizations. (Roznama Dunya)
2. Sindh Home Ministry has declared as red zone some parts of Karachi. It has imposed section 144 banning rallies and assembly of more than five persons in these areas. The notified red zones include Governor’s house, Sindh Chief Minister’s house, Assembly Building and Coroner coast guard mess. (Sindh Express)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Khursheed Shah of PPP, said that Imran is a bowler. After throwing ball, he made ‘out’ appeal but the ‘umpire’ i.e. the establishment said no. Imran made tall claims that 10 lakh people would take part in his agitation; but even 10,000 were not seen in action. Agencies i.e. establishment have rejected him by remaining silent. (Awami Awaz)
2. Khyber Pakhtunkhwah Chief Minister, Pervez Khattak denied that Imran Khan has not taken a U turn. On the contrary, Imran has won today. That is the reason there was a huge turnout in the thanksgiving gathering. The party workers were attacked at Swabi, as if a Hindu army was attacking in Kashmir. Shahbaz Sharif was behind these attacks. (Awami Awaz)
3. Writing under the heading ‘Imran’s taking back Islamabad Bandh call, is it Imran’s failure?’ Shahnawaz Rind says Imran Khan is not a mature politician and he treats politics like cricket. Several times in the past he was found taking U turns. He does not give any serious thought before making announcement and once he makes an announcement, he does not implement the agitational plan but backs out. However if, there is anything important that has cropped up behind the curtain and resulted in withdrawal of Imran’s bandh it will come out in open in the next few weeks. The Army Chief is retiring this month and Imran has been indirectly demanding extension to Army Chief. If getting the ToRs filed in the Supreme Court was the only reason for withdrawal of the agitation, it is surely Imran’s failure because the SC has already offered to accept these ToRS for investigation. It is likely that the agitation was called off on getting government’s assurance to extend Army Chief’s tenure. In any case the Army Chief is getting an extension, it will be clear soon. If that happens, then we can conclude that Imran has taken back the bandh call only on the assurance of giving extension to the Army Chief’s tenure. (Ibrat)
4. PTI’s U-turn on locking down Islamabad and accepting Supreme Court’s Commission on Panama leaks is a step that brings much relief. It is now necessary that both the sides should strive for a consensus over the ToRs and let the SC do the rest. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
5. Mohammad Khan Saiyal in his article titled ‘let there be political solutions to political impasses’ says courts are ultimate hopes in a country like Pakistan. The courts should not be compelled to look into political issues. Courts’ basic job is to resolve legal issues. It is for the political leaders to find a way out political issues or else Courts too will be politicised. (Sindh Express)
6. Zahid Hussain in his article ‘Why tensions are suddenly tamed?’ says now that the Islamabad bandh has been called off, all eyes are on the Supreme Court in the Panama paper case. The Government and the Opposition had failed to find a way out of the impasse for the past seven months. Now, as the Supreme Court has started hearing this matter, political temperatures are down in the country. Imran sees this as his victory because he was demanding transparent investigation. It is likely that PTI strategies might have succeeded in this pursuit but the battle is not yet over. Especially as lot of questions are making rounds over government’s measures and indiscriminate use of force to control the political (mainly PTI) activists. Prime Minister had every reason to take strict measures because his stronghold that is Punjab looked like slipping away from his control. Nawaz was angry with Imran and his PTI party because Imran was trying to create spilt in the Punjabi establishment, which has been the backbone for Sharif’s political strength for past three decades. It is possible that some people in the establishment might not be happy with Imran because of his continuing agitations and attacks on the government institutions. Nonetheless, Imran still has sufficient number of sympathisers in the establishment and that is the reason he could get one more opportunity to invade Islamabad. The growing bitterness between civilian and military ties over Panama issue could also be another reason. However, this time Imran’s activists were not given free hand (as they were in 2014) and instead the government cracked down on the activists. Nawaz Sharif was also busy in resolving dispute emanating from the leaked Dawn report and had to sacrifice his Information Minister Pervez Rashid and assure the investigations against others involved. If Nawaz Sharif had not done this, the impasse over the leaked Dawn report would have lingered on and added to Sharif’s discomfort. Likely change of guard in the Army Chief’s post is also giving some self-confidence to Sharif. Though political temperatures have come down a little political feuds remains intact. Sharif is still passing through testing times. The future of several leaders including that of Nawaz Sharif still remains undecided. (Awami Awaz)
7. Arif Bahar, in his comment on PTI protests, says the situation might have become dangerous if the Supreme Court had not intervened. The political class has invited this danger at a time when the US, India and Afghanistan are conspiring to fail the CPEC project. Even terrorism in the tribal areas is part of such conspiracies. Imran Khan’s thirst for power and desire to become the Prime Minister is in fact making ways for the Army to intervene. (Jasarat)
8. Ashfaq Azar’s in his article ‘Wish there were no crisis in the country’ says the Supreme Court order in the Panama leaks case has come in time as face saving for all. The apex court was quiet all these seven months because it was of the view that the Panama case matter was basically a political issue and politicians should resolve it. When matters started worsening, the Supreme Court intervened. PTI, which did not give much importance to the judiciary in the past, had to bow down before bar of the judiciary this time. Crisis is not yet over for the government led by Nawaz Sharif. It is still in the fix over the Dawn ‘leak’ report. Resignation by Pervez Rashid does not end the controversy; instead it marks the beginning of long agonizing probe into the issue. Imran’s withdrawal from Islamabad bandh program might have come as transitory relief but the Dawn report and the new Army Chief’s appointment still are big worries for the Nawaz Sharif government. It is too early to say that the government of the day will complete its term. (Kawish)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz-ur-Rahman said that PPP by organising against CPEC has broken the CPEC law. Action will be taken against those who will try to fail the CPEC. (Ausaf)