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.

SURGICAL STRIKE
1. Sheikh Abdul Rasheed, POK Assembly Member commented that the Indian claims of a surgical strike are farcical. Claims were made about surgical strike few days back in his constituency though no firing incident has taken place in his constituency since 20 days. These claims about surgical strike are nothing but Indian government’s attempts to distract attention from its atrocities in Kashmir. If India has genuinely made this surgical strike, then India should take global observers for visit to this site and everyone will come to know truth behind surgical strike. (Awami Awaz)
2. The claim of a ‘surgical strike’ has become an indigestible issue in India and there are reports that a fake video is shot to justify the operation. (Jasarat)
INDIA-KASHMIR
1. Several edits have appeared on PM Nawaz Sharif’s address to Jt Parliament session on National Security. He spoke about India’s claim of surgical strike against Pakistan. The UN and the US accepted that there is no evidence to prove true Indian claim and the Indian National Congress party is demanding evidence from the Modi government. It is a victory of Pakistan’s stance. India will not conduct firing on the LoC since Pakistani Air Forces are monitoring areas linked with the border. The international community is unable to play a role in resolving the Kashmir and Palestine issues. The UN, US, and veto countries should play a role to resolve the Kashmir issue. The rejection of anti-Pakistan bill represented in the US Congress is a diplomatic failure of India. This Joint Session is a good omen but it will be meaningful only when the government of the day implements the suggestions given in the session and when they all walk the talk on the Kashmir issue. (Ausaf Edit, Awami Awaz Edit, Ibrat Edit, Jang Edit)
2. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s unequivocal speech and the speeches of other Pakistan’s political parties during the joint session of parliament has given a message that despite differences all parties are united against India’s aggressions and on the Kashmir issue. The US has also rejected India’s claim of the surgical strikes against Pakistan as there is no evidence to be found to prove it true. Pakistan should convene meeting of the international diplomats and sensitise them about India’s aggressions in Jammu and Kashmir and about violation of the borders. Provide the international community evidence of India’s involvement in Balochistan and the detention of Kulbhushan Yadav. The Indian PM should understand that if he is really serious in ending poverty from the region, peace efforts should be given priority instead of war. (Khabrain Edit)
2. J&K Assembly Member Engineer Rashid said that the Indian Army is busy in making fake videos of surgical strike for the past three days. (Urdu Point)
3. Central leaders of Difa-e-Pakistan Council have announced that a march will be organized from Muzaffarabad to Chakothi on 27 October against the Indian aggression and state terrorism in Kashmir. On 28 October a massive conference will held in Islamabad; similar conferences and marches will be organized in different parts of the country. DPC leaders applauded China for stopping water of Brahmaputra and stated that joint military drills of Pakistani and Russia’s Armed Forces is a result of successful policy of the Army. (Ummat)
4. Munir Ahmad Baloch in his column said Pakistani leaders just delivered routine speeches on the Kashmir issue at the UN. India has also banned ‘Al Jazeera’ for five days as a punishment for showing Kashmir as part of Pakistan. Similarly India pressurized Google and Facebook but the Prime Minister’s house and PML (N)’s media cell remained busy trying to discredit PTI’s Chairman Imran Khan. Pakistan should also take stand that if Kashmir will be shown as part of India it too can take similar action. (Roznama Duniya)
5. JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that the government and Parliament should make a policy and roadmap for the liberation of Kashmir. The policy should provide constitutional safeguard so no Army General could change it in the future. (Jasarat)
6. Defence analyst Brigadier Mehmood Shah says now, the situation is favourable to Pakistan and if the rulers take correct measures they will bring India on table of negotiations. (Khabrain)
7. Opposition leader Khurshid Shah commented that due to Pakistan’s weak foreign policy, it is suffering from isolation and Muslim countries are cutting off relations with Pakistan. (Ausaf)
CHINA-CPEC
1. Government is making serious efforts to ensure security of the CPEC projects and of the Chinese engineers engaged in their execution. India is not happy with the CPEC. As Gilgit-Baltistan is the gateway of the CPEC, ensuring tight security in this region is imperative. (Daily K2 Edit)
2. Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy has clarified that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project is for the whole of Pakistan. It will benefit all people of Pakistan including its Western region. Reservations of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwah on the project are misplaced. Work is continuing vigorously on 16 projects in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, 12 in Punjab and 8 in KPK. He further said that China has set up a strong system of communications and coordination on CPEC. (Daily Intekhab)
UNITED STATES
1. Pakistan has submitted dossiers on the Indian cruelties in Jammu and Kashmir and the US should convince India to do more for peace in the region by starting talks on Kashmir. (Daily Pak Edit)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. The attack on Hazara women is not the first such attack on the Hazaras in Balochistan. But its significance lays in the fact that the attack took place when security has been tightened across the country in view of Moharram. It gives rise to several apprehensions. The law and order conditions in Balochistan have not been good a since long time and if disturbances are not checked, it can lead to more threats to the law and order during Moharram across country. Things can improve only when intelligence network is strengthened. It is the need of hour for every province that it tones up and prepares for emerging threats during the Moharram month and share intelligence with other provinces. The Sindh government is advised to keep a strict watch too because Sindh has more threats this time compared to last year. These threats also include apprehensions of suicide attacks. The National Action Plan needs to be reviewed periodically with regards to strategies against militants. (Sindh Express Edit)
BALOCHISTAN
1. At a rally organized in Dera Bugti, speakers stated that in case of aggression, the people of Balochistan will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Army. (Ummat-Roznama Dunya)
2. Former Balochistan Chief Minister Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch accompanied by Federal Minister for Border related matters and Retired Lieutenant General Abdul Qadir Baloch had called Brahamdagh Bugti in Geneva, says columnist Wassehat Allah Khan. He writes that during the talks both of them had succeeded in convincing Bugti to accept Pakistan’s Constitution and not to put any challenges to the national security. Abdul Malik Baloch recently said that Islamabad lost opportunity to pursue dialogue with Bugti and now things have started deteriorating. Waseehat Allah Khan recalls that even Brahamdagh Bugti in one of his BBC interviews had said that he was ready for talks with the Pakistan’s establishment. Bugti had said that the ball is now in Establishment’s court. Generations to come without knowing such backgrounds will only say that Brahamdagh Bugti was a traitor. (Awami Awaz)
3. Five RAW agents were killed in Turbat and Quetta in FC operation and FC foiled their plan of destruction in Balochistan. (Ausaf)
SINDH/KARACHI
1. It is possible that the weapons recovered from Karachi may belong to the NATO forces that were used in Afghanistan. As many as 300 NATO containers had disappeared in transit when Babar Ghauri of MQM was the Federal Minister for Port and Shipping. (Khabrain)
2. The Counter Terrorism Department has intensified its operations in different parts of Karachi and arrested three target killers having links with MQM secretariat in London. Rana Naved, one of them, has confessed to 20 target killings. (Awami Awaz)
3. AIG Karachi informed that all the weapons recovered from Karachi are assets of the MQM and action is taken on the instructions provided by detained crucial MQM leader. The names of other crucial leaders of MQM appeared during the purchase and selling of the weapons. MQM London and South Africa network had planned to attack in Karachi during Muharram. RAW people in London and South Africa network were involved in purchasing these weapons. (Ausaf, Khabrain)
4. After the big arms cache from a house in Karachi, it has been decided to undertake operations by the Army and other agencies again. 500 suspected houses, marriage halls and parks in Karachi will be raided after Muharram and preparations for the new ops have already started. The Chief Minister of Sindh has announced rewards and promotions for the police team who had seized this huge cache at Azizabad in Karachi. During the time when Babbar Gauri of MQM was the Shipping Minister ten NATO containers that were on way from Karachi to Peshawar were suddenly declared missing. Gauri was included in the investigations against the missing arms containers but he had used his clout to suppress the matter. (Ibrat)
5. Afaq Ahmad Chief of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (rival group of the MQM) said that the huge seizure of weapons by the Sindh Police is indeed a matter of concern. This shows the extent of risks the people of Karachi are exposed to. Seizures are still being made in Karachi despite tall claims about the arrest of more than 6000 people including 848 target killers. Instead of confusing the people with large caches, let the people of Karachi be told the genuine details of Karachi’s operations. Pakistan unnecessarily blames India and other countries for threats to Karachi’s peace, law and order. However fact remains that the federal government itself is very keen for alliance with persons like Altaf Hussain and others from whose headquarters these huge arms caches are being made. Be it MQM or Pak Sarzameen Party, both are equally responsible for ruining Karachi. People in Karachi continue to suffer even as the government and other institutions are making show of having no connections and raising slogans of traitors like that of Altaf Hussain and MQM. (Ibrat)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA
1. Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly debated the CPEC project and decided to resign enmasse if the Federal government does not protect KPK province’s rights. According to the PTI member Shah Mahmood the government has changed plans of the CPEC project. Mairaj Himayun of Quami Watan Party said there is no use sitting in such an assembly whose resolutions have lost importance, and when the Federal government continues to lend a deaf ear to the KPK assembly. Sardar Hussain of ANP recalled that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had assured that the western route would be part of CPEC project but there is no mention of this route in the budget. (Awami Awaz)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. The need of the hour is a strong and effective Foreign Minister who has expertise to win Pakistan’s case abroad. It is not just about the Kashmir issue that is at stake; there are other political upheavals right now in the region. It is unclear why the PM continues to take things lightly foreign policy issues and in fact the key portfolio of Foreign Ministry. The joint parliamentary session also discussed the issue at large and house was told at this critical juncture that there is need for a Foreign Minister who has good global clout and can earn Pakistan a better and higher place in the diplomatic corridors. The government needs to give immediate thought on as to how to strengthen Pakistan diplomacy. However strong is Pakistan’s case on the Kashmir issue Pakistan’s diplomacy is not strong enough. As long as it remains so, Pakistan cannot take up the Kashmir issue at the global level. (Kawish Edit)
2. JUI (F) Fazal-ur-Rehman said Pakistan should consider giving a thought about as to what is the root cause of militancy. How does militancy reach homes of Pakistan? Pakistan should also think as to why India is doing whatever it keeps doing? The US wants to weaken China and therefore using India to create issues. (Awami Awaz)
3. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousuf Raza Gilani said that there can be no lasting peace in the region as long as the Kashmir issue is not resolved. Pakistan should stay away from aggression because the Pakistani Army is capable of protecting country’s borders. (Ibrat)
4. Imran Khan didn’t participate in the joint parliamentary session as he believes that such participation amounts to accepting Nawaz Sharif’s leadership. The absence of Imran Khan didn’t affect the session though as the entire civilian and military leadership is united on Kashmir issue (Ummat Edit, Jasarat Edit, and Roznama Duniya Edit)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. Azad Jammu and Kashmir government should allow telephone and mobile phone companies giving advance facilities of 3G and 4G services in the region. (Daily Dharti Edit)
2. Despite of tensions at the LoC trade continued between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad. 13 goods trucks have crossed the Chakothi-Uri Aman Bridge. (Roznama Dunya)