2. According to a WikiLeaks cable dated Feb 19 2010, Pakistan PM Gilani had put forth certain conditions to US Senator John Kerry for resuming talks between Pakistan and the US. Reportedly, Pakistan had asked the US to reduce India’s involvement in Afghanistan and to end India’s interference in Balochistan. (Daily Intekhab)

3. In his column, Naved Masood Hashmi writes that India, USA and UK have invested a lot of money and created a network of spies in Pakistan. These spies were working against madrassas, mosques and jihadi organizations.  Well-known journalist Saifullah Khalid had prepared a report on this and quotes Saifullah’s article that after the US, it was UK that had invested in a spy network in Islamabad and that this network was using the media to mine for data related to people affiliated to jihadi organizations, madrassas and mosques. British High Commission had started a secret project titled ‘PUBLICIS’ in April 2010. The spy agents were called ‘drivers’ and were primarily given the task to collect data about Jihadi camps in AJK. 32 NGOs including ROSE90 radio work on similar projects under the British High Commission. Al Qalam had received names of these 32 NGOs and the work of these NGOs will be exposed. (Al Qalam Weekly, 26 August to 1 September)

DEFENCE
1. President Zardari would announce the name of a new Naval Chief this month. (Jang)

 2. In an interview, ISPR spokesman General Athar Abbas said that the army was very concerned about the Karachi situation. He denied reports of kids being kidnapped from the Bajaur Agency; according to him the kidnapping took place on the Afghanistan side. He said the Mohmand tribe was living on both sides of the border and they freely travelled across the border. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Khabrain)

TERRORISM- EXTREMISM
1. 7 people died in a US drone attack on North Waziristan; all of them belonged to the Haqqani Network. (Jasarat, Urdupoint)

2. 4 people were killed in the clashes between Sunni Tehrik and Sipah-e-Sahaba in New Karachi. (Jasarat)

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
1. PM Gilani said that conditions in the country are not conducive for local body elections and said those who were demanding mid-term polls, should first try conducting local body elections in their provinces. Gilani said that the Election Commission had informed him that the computerized voters’ list would be ready by April 2012 and that elections could be held only after that. He also said that he respected Zulfikar Mirza for taking a stand and that those who did not accept government’s decisions should first resign and only then give their opinions. (Ibrat)

2. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said that the current federal government is not democratic. He also said that army deployment in Karachi is no solution but the government can take the army’s help to improve the situation in Karachi. Sharif said that the situation in Balochistan had become grim and blamed the previous army regime for this. (Awami Awaz, 4 September)

3. Government has decided to restore contact with MQM and plans to invite it to join the government. On instructions from President Zardari, Khurshid Shah will hold talks with the MQM delegation today. MQM has been offered the ministries of industry, trade, hygiene, forest, planning, construction and services. (Nawa-i-Waqt, Daily Pak, Jinnah)

3. In a TV interview, Zulfikar Mirza said that Asif Zardari seems to be getting over his pro-Rehman Malik state of mind; this is evident from Zardari’s choice of Khurshid Shah for talks with MQM. Mirza said that MQM shouldn’t be PPP’s alliance partner and that its anti-national activities should be investigated. He also said that PPP activists would come out on the streets against a PPP-MQM alliance. (Awami Awaz, 4 September)

4. Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz’s chief, Bashir Qureshi said though former Sind minister Zulfikar Mirza had spoken the truth about MQM, his statements may not yield anything as long as the MQM’s ‘friends’ were more powerful than Mirza and even the ISI. Qureshi wondered why Zulfikar Mirza has become suddenly ‘pro-Sindh’. (Awami Awaz)

5. According to an analyst Zia Shahid, political changes brought about by Zulfiqar Mirza would affect his wife Dr. Fehmida Mirza’s career. She is the Speaker of Parliament. He alleged that through Zulfikar Mirza, the PPP wanted to pressurize MQM and nationalist parties. (Khabrain)

6. JI chief Munawar Hassan said that agencies were abducting nationalists and were spreading anarchy. He also claimed that preparations were underway for an army operation in Karachi and that his party would oppose such an operation. He pointed out that though the COAS had said that the Balochistan operation would be called off, it has not been done so far. (Jasarat, Awami Awaz, Jinnah)

7. JUI (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that dividing Pakistan into more provinces on linguistic grounds is tantamount to a dangerous conspiracy against the country. He blamed the establishment for the bloodshed in Karachi and KP. He also accused the establishment of trying to suppress JUI (F). He warned that if the establishment did not change its attitude, a movement would be initiated against it. (Daily Pak, Khabrain)

8. In Jang, columnist Hamid Mir writes that  Zulfiqar Mirza had given him a file which claimed that MQM, the Abdul Wali family, Akhtar Mengal, Akbar Bugti and Bashir Qureshi were RAW agents.  Mirza might not have read this file; otherwise he would have realized that those who had prepared the file would not only target MQM, ANP, Baloch nationalists but also Sindhi nationalist groups. Plotters got Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza pitted against MQM and that after some time, they would pit someone else against ANP. (Jang)     

9. President Zardari has asked PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain to conduct political ‘coaching’ of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. (Jang)

SINDH
1. A high-level meeting of the Sindh Education department was held at the CM’s office; a decision was taken to include Chinese as a compulsory language in all education institutions in the province with effect from 2013. Children, who study Chinese in 12th grade, would be given special incentives including scholarships for study abroad and internships. (Kawish, Ummat, Jang)

2. The Sindh Home Ministry has amended the Arms Act in order to increase jail term for illegal possession of weapons to ten years from seven years at present. (Nawa-i-Waqt)

3. PPP and MQM have buried their differences and that MQM may re-join the Sindh government in the next 48 hours. MQM is likely to get four ministries in the Sindh government. (Ibrat)

4. Chairman of the Sindh National Front, Mumtaz Bhutto said that he will meet Zulfikar Mirza in Karachi shortly and seek his views on the Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto assassination cases. (Ibrat)

5. Sindh CM has said that the federal government will request to approach the UN for aid for the Tando Allahyar district that
has been declared a calamity-hit region. (Ibrat)

6. A high alert is sounded at Sindh’s barrages and canals in view of heavy rains and due to the weather department’s forecast of moderate floods at the Sukkur Barrage in next 48 hours. The Gudu Barrage is already witnessing moderate floods. (Ibrat, 4 September)

7. Heavy rains continue play havoc in the province with 39 more reported dead in rain-related accidents. The embankment protecting Tando Jan Mohammad city has breached. Residents of the Sindh-Balochistan border areas are worried as rain waters have started moving from Balochistan towards Sindh. Farmers in Sindh have sustained losses of over Rs. 200 billion due to damages to their crops. (Ibrat, Awami Awaz)

BALOCHISTAN
Nawa-i-Waqt‘s editorial on flood havoc in Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab said torrential rains and Indian perfidy of releasing its water into rivers flowing into Pakistan has brought about the seasonal misery. Had Pakistan built more dams all over the country, this tragedy could have been avoided. Pakistan should warn India not to release water in the River Sutlej. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

ECONOMY/ENERGY/WATER
1. Ausaf editorial is on the Kishenganga fiasco and a letter written to CJP Iftekhar Chaudhary by former MNA Marvi Memon alleging that Pakistan’s legal team to the court of arbitration on Kishenganga was inefficient.  The edit says the issue should be taken seriously and that appropriate steps be adopted to counter Indian water aggression. It notes with approval Memon’s criticism that the present Water Commissioner is not aware of the Indus Water Treaty and the complexity of water disputes with India. (Ausaf Edit, 4 September)

POK NEWS
1. The GB minister for rural development, Hajji Mohammad Ismail said that the Chinese government will invest in power and other key sectors in the province. Talks were being held on Chinese help for the Diamir Bhasha and Bonji dams. He also said that Chinese companies will cooperate in building the Gilgit-Skardu highway. (Baad-e-Shimal)

2. Work on the expansion of the Karakoram Highway in the Hunza section has been stepped up but it is stalled on the Gilgit-Raikot section.  (Baad-e-Shimal)

3. The Shia Ulema Council-Gilgit held an important meeting at the divisional secretariat where they condemned terrorist attacks during Ramzan. (Baad-e-Shimal)

4. Daily Dharti’s edit has welcomed Indo-Pak foreign ministerial decision to allow trade across the border in Kashmir twice a week. It was imperative that the list of trade items should not be restricted to 16 items and that markets should be constructed in all three divisions of Kashmir so that the people benefit from this endeavour. (Daily Dharti Edit)