2. Aijaz Mungi and Zarar Pirzada have written about the Bonn Conference, over whether it will yield results, and whether it is right to boycott the Conference altogether. (Awami Awaz, 6 December)

3. Hamid Mir in his column writes that two days prior to the Bonn Meet, Afghan Civil Society Forum’s conference was organized and was attended by 36 Afghan NGOs’ representatives as well as the External Affairs Ministers of Germany and Afghanistan. Mir states that in a session during the conference, the Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Michael Steiner had a dialogue with eight journalists of Pakistan, Iran, and   Afghanistan. Mir writes that Afghanistan and Iran’s biggest problem was hypocrisy and this insincerity had disturbed America’s relation with Pakistan and Iran. Mir writes that Pakistan had been jolted with western drones but had tolerated the loss of many lives. He writes that the Pakistan Army had become a target, and when Pakistan boycotted the Bonn Conference to protest the Mohmand attack by NATO, the Afghan National Army Chief told the American media that this was the best job done by America in the last 10 years. Mir further states that while talking to German Envoy, Michael Steiner, Dr. Hussein Yasa, the Chief of Afghanistan’s biggest media group said that the Afghan President had no control over Afghanistan or even his nominated ministers and generals. Mir states that Karzai failed to maintain good relations with both Taliban and Pakistan and thus Karzai and Afghanistan together could not go further. Mir writes that Michael Steiner was the main organizer of the Bonn Conference and he had understood that the Pakistan and Afghanistan media had no expectations from the conference but was stunned to hear anti-Karzai sentiments from Afghans. Mir states that Mullah Omar would never talk with Hamid Karzai but only with America and once again Pakistan would be a key factor in this dialogue. Mir writes that Pakistan never wanted to have a pro-Pakistan government in Afghanistan but the Afghan locals should decide who their leader will be. Mir writes that meaningful talks between Taliban and America were possible only if America pulls out its army and drops the idea of having permanent army bases in Afghanistan. Mir ends stating that during the Bonn Conference he observed many locals protesting NATO’s presence in Afghanistan and though Europe wanted to pull out from Afghanistan at all cost, America had no clear intentions though it too would also have to leave one day. Mir concludes stating that Afghanistan could not be left at the mercy of Taliban alone post the withdrawal of allied forces but to save Afghanistan from another internal disorder it was essential to get the Northern Alliance on table with Taliban and America (Jang)

INDIA
1. 35 Hindu families have migrated from Ghotki district of Sindh to India.  Hindu families from Balochistan are also said to be relocating to India. (Awami Awaz, 6 December)

2. Navid Masood Hashmi writes in Qalam Weekly: last week, the Pakistan Defence Council organized an All Party Conference in Islamabad. Maulana Sami-ul Haq presided. Former ISI chief Hamid Gul, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, JI chief Syed Munawar Hasan, and 40 leaders from political and religious parties attended. The decision of the government to give the MFN status to India was discussed. At the end of the debate, a joint stand was taken that this decision would be fatal and dangerous for Pakistani industries, agriculture and trade. The decision was against the two nation theory and crimes of India were counted including dividing Pakistan, controlling Pakistan’s rivers and atrocities on Kashmiris. Navid writes that he had advised in the conference that if religious and political parties opposed the move of government, they should come out on the streets. He writes that this will restore the confidence of the people of J&K as giving the MFN status to India was equal to betrayal of the Kashmiri people. Navid advises that they should foil the conspiracies against the Kashmiri liberation movement as the security of Pakistan was at stake. (Al Qalam Weekly, 2-8 December)

UNITED STATES
1. A website reports that America has expressed concern over the failure to contact NATO posts on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The US has held Pakistan responsible for jamming the signals. (Jang)

DEFENCE
1. Federal Minister for the Interior, Rehman Malik, has thanked the Taliban for maintaining peace during Muharram. He requested Taliban to give up arms. He informed media that 21143 prayer sittings were held and 5000 rallies were taken out on the day of Ashura in the country.  (Daily Pak, Jang)

TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. A clash between security forces and terrorists in Kurram Agency left two security personnel dead. 10 terrorists were also killed. (Daily Pak)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
2. President Asif Ali Zardari has been admitted to a Dubai Hospital, sources said. (Jang, Daily Pak)

2. Foreign Policy Magazine’s reports on President Zardari’s health and says that there are rumours that he might be forced to resign over the Memogate issue. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

3. Talhe As-Saif writes in Al Qalam Weekly that Imran Khan is impatient for elections as his mentors have imagined him becoming the PM of Pakistan. PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif is confident that gradually PPP would lose its credibility and hence he is enjoying the crisis faced by PPP. Now, however, PML-N is disturbed by the emergence of Imran Khan as a potential threat. PML-N is in competition with TIP now. (Al Qalam Weekly, 2-8 December)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
1. Due to flood havoc early this year, Kharif crops are affected. Rice production may see a three per cent shortfall; and cotton yield may be 11% less.

PUNJAB
1. Hakim Ali Zardari, a guard of President’s Zardari was stabbed to death in Lahore. His body has been taken to his village in Sindh. (Awami Awaz, 6 December)

SINDH
1. Sindh minister Manzoor Wasan has clarified that his calling President Zardari ‘Chor’ chairman was a slip-up and he was actually referring to Zardari co-chairman. (Awami Awaz, 6 December)

2. A high level enquiry has begun into a major land scam in Karachi. The Sindh government has handed over the case to the Anti-Corruption Department.
  As far back as 1973, huge plots of lands were being acquired in posh areas with the help fake certificates and fabricated applications which cumulatively would have caused losses worth billions of rupees to the exchequer. (Awami Awaz, 6 December)