AFGHANISTAN
The Ministry of Border Affairs has decided not to extend the stay of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. It said that 10 lakh unregistered Afghan refugees have become a security threat for Pakistan. (Baad-e-Shimal)

Ummat has editorially criticised the Afghan Parliament for disqualifying Internal and Defence ministers; both were sacked for their failure to convince Pakistan to stop cross border attacks inside Afghanistan. The daily said blaming Pakistan for everything has become fashionable. Edit states that involving the ISI and the Pakistan Army in such attacks was a matter of concern.   (Ummat Edit)  

UNITED STATES
 Nawa-i-Waqt editorial is on Wall Street Journal’s report that the ISI Chief and CIA Chief considered joint operation against the Haqqani Network The daily says in the past, the Pakistan Army has taken a firm stand against any possibility of action or operation against the Haqqani Network, but this time the Army’s statement has kept its stand vague. Hitherto Pakistan Army has taken the stand that Haqqani network is active in Afghanistan and Pakistan cannot afford to open a new front. Edit said the Haqqani Network could emerge as powerful party in Afghanistan, after the US exit; hence it would not be wise for Pakistan to open an operation against it. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

Jasarat’s edit says DG-ISI has returned from the US but after his meeting with CIA chief there was no media briefing which indicates that there were disagreements between the secret agencies of both countries.  But the American media was claiming that Pakistan has yielded to US   pressure and that it will launch an operation ‘Tight Screw’ against the Haqqani Network  . Edit writes that if the report was true, then it will be considered a betrayal to the nation. (Jasarat Edit)
 
INDIA
Addressing a meeting in I–Block in North Nazimabad, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed alleged that India was trying to make Pakistan barren under the guise of friendship. He added that construction of dams by India on Pakistan’s national rivers could not be stopped by talks. He added that Pakistani youth were ready to do anything for the safety of Pakistan and the US could not stay in the region. Speaking at a seminar organized by Al-Hamdiya students, he said that the decision to restore the NATO supply is against the aspiration of Pakistanis. He added that without resolving the Kashmir issue, peace cannot be established in South Asia.  He said that the Pakistan and Kashmir wars are being fought in Afghanistan. He urged the youth to play role for Difa-e-Pakistan. (Ummat, Nawa-i-Waqt)

India has threatened to release flood waters. High level floods have been threatened at Mirala and Khanki on the Chenab River. (Ausaf, 5 August)

Daily Dharti welcomed the efforts of AJK President Sardar Yaqoob Khan that helped to reduce load shedding in Poonch Division. One reason for electricity shortfall was not constructing dams. Pakistan still has the time to start a 20 year plan to construct small dams for power generation or else if India was able to capture the Jhelum, AJK would go into darkness. (Daily Dharti)

TERRORISM/EXTREMISM
Qadiyanis have demanded 107 more licenses for weapons for the security of their places of worship. (Khabrain)

People in Neelum have decided to start a protest against the activities of banned terrorist outfits.  (Daily Dharti)

The Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council said that it would not be possible to continue with the DPC as the leadership did not stand firm on its decision. Sahebzadah Fazal Karim said that the SIC would start a train march in the first week of October and only groups complying with the Barelvi School of Thought would be invited to join the long march.  He added that the DPC remembered NATO supplies a few month ago whereas the SIC has been voicing against it for a long time. (Ummat)

JuD spokesperson Muhammad Yahya Mujahid rejected a British news agency report that quoted Hafiz Saeed saying that JuD activists would be free to cast their votes in next election. He asserted that Saeed gave no such interview and that what he had said during an interaction with some journalists during an iftar dinner in Karachi were quoted out of context. (Urdupoint)   

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
ANP is planning to leave the ruling coalition as many of its party leaders are in favour of parting with the PPP. (Ummat)

A 10 member team from the Senate has been reportedly formed to assess the violation of 18th Amendment. PPP Senator Jahangir Badar will head the committee. (Urdupoint)

Shaukat Mahmood Basra, PPP leader in Punjab, who is also the deputy opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, said that the Supreme Court’s annulment of the recent amendments and legislations concerning the contempt of court laws clearly indicate that the judiciary has now become a party against the government. He said one more long march will have to be undertaken to send back the Chief Justice. (Ibrat)

Nawa-i-Waqt edit is on Chief Justice of Pakistan’s observation at a Multan High court function that the judiciary has to take action when the government fails to follow the constitution. He said that apart from the inefficient government, the weak judiciary was also responsible for the dictatorship in Pakistan in the past.   (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

ECONOMY-WATER- ENERGY
Qurban Baloch writes in Kawish that working on recommendations from the Planning Commission, the government is now considering recovering expenditures from the beneficiaries of projects instead of spending any more on canals and other new projects of the Irrigation Department. The government is contemplating implementing these recommendations which also say that it is becoming more of a ‘white elephant job’ to maintain water availability. According to the commission, one litre of fresh water by private companies is now costing Rs.30 while Punjab’s growers give just Re.1 per 60,000 litres taken from Indus and hence there is a need to recover expenditures used on these projects from stakeholders. He writes that as a first step in this direction, recoveries should be made from beneficiaries of these projects and there should be also legal agreements between the government and stakeholders to this effect. The Planning Commission has also recommended that in light of fact that expenses on underground water will be brought down, the tariff for canal waters should be cut down. According to the Commission, the blame game vis a vis water theft and taking matters to IRSA must stop now and provinces should be given rights to sell or purchase water. The Commission has also sai
d that provinces should immediately start pilot area water boards to make canal management effective enough for growers’ organizations. The Commission has also contended that if land, seeds, fertilizers, workforce and machinery can be purchased at prevailing market prices, then water too should be purchased at market prices. The Commission says that the government’s policymakers are facing many challenges   on the budget deficit, security requirements, and energy demands; hence the Commission has stressed on changing the mindsets of water managers to make the irrigation system financially viable and stable and has emphasized on making recoveries of expenditures from beneficiaries of irrigation projects. (Kawish )
 
Awami Awaz has editorially cautioned that no robbery of Indus waters would be allowed. (Awami Awaz Edit)

Daily Pak complains about administration’s failure to make arrangement for a rain water drainage system, as a result of which many areas were flooded in last weekend’s heavy rains. (Daily Pak Edit)

SINDH
Officials of the Karachi Transport Action Committee have condemned the government’s decision to close CNG stations twice a week and demanded the end to the ban in public interest.  (Jasarat)

The person in-charge of Jamia Binoria Almia (Karachi) Mufti Muhammad Naim said that the government has failed to establish peace in Karachi and stated that traders and the business community were forced to leave Karachi due to terrorism and extortion. He said that traders migrated to other countries or other cities and urged all political parties to work together to establish law and order in Karachi. (Jasarat)

Wazirmal, the chief of the Hindu organization, ‘Hindu Sujag Teherike’ was kidnapped and later killed near Halani. (Awami Awaz)

Factionalism has come to the fore in the Sindh unit of PML (N). Gaus Ali Shah, the Sindh unit chief, is angry with the party leadership. Sources say Gaus is now in touch with Imran Khan’s PTI and Pir Pagara’s ML (F). Pagara has offered not to field any candidate against Gaus Ali Shah in the coming polls. Gaus   has however denied these reports and said some people want to weaken PML (N) in Sindh. (Ibrat)

Liaqat Jatoi, senior PML (N) leader in Sindh, said if any attempt is made to extend parliament’s tenure, his party will oppose the move. (Ibrat)

 Abdulwahid Munshi in Awami Awaz speculates whether Pir Pagara’s party will emerge as an alternate power centre in Sindh. (Awami Awaz)

Wahid Paras in Ibrat says election campaign has started in Sindh though no election schedule has been released. (Ibrat)

In Awami Awaz, Asad Chandiyo writes about conditions of Hindu Sindhis and also on the so-called sympathizers of Hindu Sindhis in Sindh’s nationalist groups. (Awami Awaz, 4 August)

The Karachi police have arrested 3 persons from Sohrab Goth (Karachi) who are accused of firing on a UN vehicle. The police claim that the accused belong to TTP and a cache of weapon has been recovered from them. (Urdupoint)

BALOCHISTAN
The United Baloch Army has accepted responsibility for the rocket attacks in Quetta to target FC Fort, CM House and other government buildings. A UBA spokesperson said that the group would target those who would hoist the Pakistani flag on 14th August and warned people to avoid attending Independence Day programs and travel by train as UBA activists could attack anywhere at any time. (Daily Intekhab)

The Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) has dissolved its organizing committee and cabinet (executive bodies) in all four provinces. It was said that party would celebrate its foundation day on 16th August and cabinet elections would conducted. (Daily Intekhab)

JUI (Nazriyati) Central Chief Maulana Asmatullah said that America was again trying to disturb peace in Pakistan by talking about joint operations against the Taliban and Haqqani Network. . (Daily Intekhab)

JUI (Nazriyati) Central Chief Maulana Asmatullah said  despite government assurances, the situation in Balochistan was getting more vulnerable. (Daily Intekhab)

Provincial Food Minister Asfandyar Kakar said that the establishment of South Pakhtunkhwah Province was inevitable. (Daily Intekhab)

Khabrain’s editorial has expressed concern over unemployed Chitral youth joining the Afghan military. It points out with equal concern Federal Minister Rehman Malik’s disclosure that people involved in the chaos in Balochistan have been offered USD 468 per person from a foreign country. Edit   wants the government to check unemployment. (Khabrain Edit)

Nawa-i-Waqt has welcomed editorially the Interior Minister’s invitation to Brahmdagh Bugti to return to Pakistan on whatever terms and date he likes. The local government elements   instead of spending time in Islamabad should stay in Balochistan and encourage local investors and local industries like the Gadani ship breaking industry. (Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)

Daily Hazara News has editorially criticised food adulteration particularly the practice of injecting water into animals to increase weight in Mansehra. (Daily Hazara News Edit)

POK/ G-B NEWS
Plans are finalised to replace the AJK President and the AJK Premier in a two-phase operation. In the first phase after Eid, the Prime Minister would go and in the second phase, the President would be replaced. President Zardari has reportedly given green signal to Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary to get support from PML-N while Kashmir Affairs minister Manzoor Wattoo was asked to convince the Muslim Conference to share power as per the consensus policy. (Daily Dharti)

A bomb blast in a passenger van going from Gilgit to Haramosh killed two and injured four. Security has been put on high alert in Gilgit. According to police cause of blast is not known so far. Another report claims that vehicle was blasted by remote control. (Baad-e-Shimal, Urdupoint, Ausaf)

Talking to Baad-e-Shimal, the GB Minister for Construction, Bashir Ahmed said that the government is facing a severe financial crisis. He said payment to contractors could only be made after receiving funds from the federal government.  (Baad-e-Shimal)

GB government has appointed Faisal Zuhur as the Interior Secretary and Saeed Ramzan as Baltistan Commissioner.  (Baad-e-Shimal)

Baad-e-Shimal has editorially commented on GB Information and Education Minister Dr Ali Madad Sher denying that
the PPP government has transferred power of Kashmir Affairs. He said  the PPP government has given an identity to GB.  Edit claims that he assured payment of salaries to WASA employees and B&R Division employees by Monday or Tuesday and also early payment to contractors whose checks have bounced. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

Baad-e-Shimal writes that the Legislative Assembly member, Nawaz Khan Naji in an interview with the daily complained about corruption in the government, and merit is disregarded.  He also    complained about the government forgetting the promise of abolishing unemployment and giving loans without interest to youth to start their own businesses. (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

Daily Dharti says in an editorial that Prime Minister Ashraf, who is also the Chairman of the AJK Kashmir Council, had sent another summary to the AJK President asking him to amend the Accountability Bureau Act 2008 in order to give immunity to the Kashmir Council. Along with the summary, the Law Ministry sent a letter that even if the AJK President did not act accordingly, the said amendment would take effect and no department of the AJK government would have a right to impeach the Kashmir Council. The edit points out that Kashmir Council got its funds from the taxes levied on people in AJK and hence the AJK government should take up this matter with Islamabad; The daily added that AJK government would get the support of groups that have been working on various forums to limit the rights of the Kashmir Council. (Daily Dharti Edit)