NEWS

• Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Spokesperson of the Foreign Office, said Pakistan considers China as a partner and friend in all seasons. At her weekly briefing she also said that Pakistan delegation led by Defense Minister visited Kabul and discussed steps for  prevention of terrorism in general and checkmating TTP in particular.  Both countries agreed to deal with terrorism together.  (Ummat, Nawaiwaqt)

• Afghanistan has assured Pakistan cooperation in the ops against the banned TTP. A delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif visited Kabul. A statement issued by the Foreign Office said both sides have agreed to take effective steps to curb terrorist activities. The delegation asked the Afghan government to rein in TTP, saying that Pakistan has enough proof that TTP leaders are present in Afghanistan.  (Intekhab Daily)

• Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials said that six alleged TTP terrorists were killed in an operation in Dadiwala area of Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Ammunition and explosives were recovered from them. In a statement issued on Thursday, Lakki Marwat Police Spokesperson Shahid Hameed said security personnel received a tip-off that terrorists were planning an attack on the Abbasiya police post. When the security teams reached the hideout of the terrorists, they fired at the police personnel from several directions. The police also retaliated. According to CTD, (Nawaiwaqt, Daily Jinnah, Ummat, Daily Express, Jang)

• In Orangi Town area of Karachi, Police raided the bus stand area and recovered a number of weapons and arrested two smugglers. The accused brought weapons from Peshawar to Karachi by bus, for terrorist acts in the city. The intelligence and the police acted on the secret information. The terrorists have also disclosed about their other accomplices who are being raided in different areas of the city to arrest them. (Ummat, Daily Express)

• Terrorists attacked the convoy of security forces in Kech area of Balochistan and eight terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire. According to ISPR, the convoy of security forces was attacked on the evening of February 22. The security forces foiled the terrorist attack without any loss of life. According to ISPR, weapons and ammunition were also recovered from them. (Daily Express)

• According to the notification issued by the Punjab Home Department, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was detained for 30 days. On the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner Lahore, the Punjab Home Department issued the detention order. (Ummat, Nawaiwaqt, Daily Jinnah)

• PTI’s Jail Bharo turned into a flop show in Peshawar as only a few came to surrender and some leaders returned after photo session. The Police kept calling PTI Activists to surrender but no leaders dared to go ahead. (Aeen)

• A virtual meeting was held between Pakistan and the IMF in which efforts were made by Pakistan to complete the staff level agreement. According to sources, Pakistan is facing constant pressure to take advance measures, and the IMF has insisted on tightening the monetary policy. Tightening monetary policy is likely to increase interest rates. State Bank’s base interest rate is currently 17 percent, with the IMF calling for another 2 percent rate hike. The IMF is pushing for a tightening of monetary policy based on inflation. (Urdu Point)

• A nine-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court Suo Motu is hearing issues relating to delay in holding elections for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies which have been dissolved. The CJ said the court will look into who has the right to decide the poll date. We want that the elections are held according to the constitution. He said that the violation of the constitution will not be tolerated. (Islam daily)

• PML-N Chief Organizer Mariam Nawaz has said that a gang of four judges and one military man are responsible for the present situation in Pakistan. When the establishment threw the bucket of filth, the judges picked it up. Addressing a public meeting in Sargodha she said that the retired General Faiz Hamid was the leader of the gang that destroyed Pakistan. She displayed the pictures of five persons on a big screen – they were General Faiz Hamed, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, Justice Aijaz Al-Ahsan, Saqib Nisar, and Azmat Saeed Khosa. When the 2014 dharna failed, the corrupt judges were selected who disqualified ML-N leaders one -by- one. She alleged that General Faiz transferred billions of rupees outside the country and built-up plazas worth billions. Chief Justice Saheb can’t you see the real picture? You have decided to judge the responsibility of governors. Why can’t you look at your own responsibilities? (Islam Daily) 

• The Anti-Terrorist Court has issued an arrest warrant for the Federal Home Minister Rana Sanaullah in a case registered against him in the thana industrial state of Gujrat. The police are asked to arrest and present him in the court on the 7th of March. The case was filed against Rana on 5th August 2022 by the leader of ML-Q, Shah Aslam under the clauses of the Anti-Terrorist Act. He was alleged to have threatened to kill Chief Secretary and his family. Gujrat police had dismissed the case and submitted its report to the court, but the judge rejected the report and issued an order to arrest and present him in the court. The court has also issued show-cause notices to the investigation officer, DSP, and SP and ordered them to be present in court on 7th March. (Dunya Daily)

• Gul Islam, President, United Workers Union Baldia Sharqi, General Secretary Chaudhry Waris Gulnaz and others stated that 1100 sanitary workers working on contract in Hyderabad, Latifabad, since 2007 are still to be made permanent. They are not paid salaries for the past three months.  (Urdu Point)

• Jamaat-e-Islami will hold a nationwide protest today against the Barkhan tragedy, the party’s Secretary General, Amir-ul-Azeem announced.  In a statement issued from Mansoora, he said we cannot remain silent over oppression of women and Wadera-Shahi in Balochistan. He said that the culprits of this tragedy should be punished.   Even after 75 years of independence, Wadera-Shahi is still prevailing. It is a stigma on the face of the nation. (Jasarat)

• The pregnant woman Nazia Bibi Khoso and her innocent daughter Kausar Khoso who were abducted by the armed men of the Bhangwar tribe 16 days ago, could not be rescued by the police. The family members and the Khosa community staged a dharna at the Indus Highway Gola Mor junction. The police have registered cases under Terrorism Act against protestors for blocking the road. The case is against 25 known and 300 unknown persons. (Jasarat)

• Naeem Ahmed Baloch, organizer of Pakistan Revolutionary Party, Sindh province, has strongly condemned the Barkhan tragedy and stated that this incident is the worst example of terrorism. (Urdu Point)

• Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami has condemned Barkhan deaths and asked why the government and administration are silent, why no action has been taken against the guilty. All the private prisons in the province should be closed and prisoners should be rescued. (Urdu Point)

• Under the sponsorships of National Party and BSO Pujar Dalbandin, a protest was organized in front of Press Club Dalbandin against the Barkhan tragedy. (Urdu Point)

• Sardar Ghulam Sarwar Chana, a well-known tribal figure of Lasbela, has stated that the traditions and “Sardari Nizam” of Balochistan have been trampled by the tragedy of Barkhan. (Urdu Point)

EDITORIALS

• The government of Pakistan repeatedly convinced the interim government of the Taliban in Afghanistan that the elements doing terrorist operations in Pakistan using Afghan land are causing problems not only for Pakistan but also for Afghanistan. A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif visited Kabul on Wednesday to discuss the issue once again. The delegation met with senior leadership of the interim Afghan government, including Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Defense Minister Maulvi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. It is a welcome development that there has been a high-level communication between the leadership of the two countries. The Afghan government had discussed such issues with Pakistan in the past as well, but the problems remained the same due to the lack of concrete steps by Afghan Taliban. Pakistan should make the Kabul realize that the world will not recognize their government until they rein in the subversive elements within them. (Edit, Nawaiwaqt)

• During the visit of Pakistani delegation to Kabul, Afghanistan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar urged Pakistan not to allow political and security concerns to influence business dealings and economic affairs. However, the delegation clearly insisted on removing the concerns about TTP’s presence in Afghanistan as a first step for progress in bilateral relations. (Edit Jang)

• The austerity drive launched by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is long overdue. Nevertheless, it is better late than never. (Edits – Baad-e-Shimal, Daily K2, Aeen, Daily Pakistan, Naibaat, Jehan Pakistan) 

• We appreciate the PM’s announcements on austerity and the rollback of perks and other privileges to its ministers and advisors   but these steps are not enough to make our economy self-reliant.  The government will have to take other such measures like shutting down all such opportunities that help loot the government treasury. And, the government should take back all such concessions, or hefty expenditure in protocols and withdraw expenditure for unproductive pursuits. Also, the government should take some steps to attract more investments and give a boost to productivity for creating job opportunities. Once we do all this, then only we can say we are moving in right direction that can later get people some relief in true sense of word. (Edits-Pahenji, Edit, Kawish, Feb.23)   

• It is not people who can be blamed for the current economic crisis in the country. People on the contrary have been bearing burden by way of paying taxes. But our rulers are scared of taxing those who are actually behind big economic crisis in the country. Or, it is ruling section that itself is behind the looting of people and therefore ruling class fails to see how the country’s economic fundamentals are getting weaker day after day. The solution of this crisis lies in making people-friendly economic policies; there should be reforms too in agricultural and industrial sectors; feudal set-up should be done away with and all that is unwanted should not be imported in future. (Sindh Exp. Edit)  

• What tragedy can be greater than this that the political matters are being solved in Courts instead of Parliament? The government could not decide for more than one month who has the right to announce the date for elections after the dissolution of two provincial assemblies. The doors are opened for unconstitutional interference in a country where politicians are unable to understand their constitution. The unconstitutional interference is going on in Pakistan for the last 70 years, due to this one drawback of our politicians. In all civilized countries, the supremacy of law and constitutions is observed. If the ruler lies then he has to leave his post. But for the rulers of Pakistan lying and politics are the same thing. They lie blatantly. And everyone in Pakistan from street vendors to big traders is aware of these lies. Now the time has come for the politicians to pay for their lies. That is why they are afraid to face elections. Now the decision of the Supreme Court will make them work according to the Constitution. (Edits- Intekhab Daily, Dunya Daily)

• The recovery of the bodies of a woman and a boy from a well in a remote area of Barkhan in Balochistan shows that our system has failed to take care of people trapped in the feudal and tribal systems. A provincial minister is accused of this shameful incident. And he has been arrested due to public pressure, but there is no hope that the oppressed will get justice and that the oppressors and murderers will be punished. (Edit Jasarat)

COLUMNS

• Sindh’s fight for its water rights began with Kalabagh movement. These days, Dasu dam is in news. This is largely a run of the river project. Big problem with this project is that right from beginning no global lending agency was ready for funding it. However, work began on this dam in 2014. Last week, one exercise was done by opening up first tunnel of Dasu project. Hopefully, other remaining works too will be completed soon. Once this is over, it will help cut down cost of power generation in country. Power generation through water is the cheapest. Water shortage is serious issue for Sindh. Right distribution of water by federal authorities and internal water allocation will have to be set right. These days, the irrigation department looks more like a feudalist private chamber than technical office. Though the Sindh has always been short of water, more and more sugar mills have been coming up since 20 years. Why do we fail to realize that banana and sugarcane crops use maximum water. Yet, these two crops keep rising. Modern systems and technology have reached every field, but our water- using ways and water storage facilities for agriculture continue to be old and outdated. These days we have completely failed in safeguarding Sindh’s political and economic rights as there is zero allocation for Sindh’s water and other projects in federal programs. As and when disputes crop up, matters start with statistics and fight comes to an end with heated exchanges. There is no solution to the problem. Nobody tells us why we are not prepared to evolve and why we do not use modern systems and modern technology in tackling water disputes. The irrigation department should take remedial measures every six months when there is so much slit and when sea-bed level keeps changing continuously. Nothing seems to be going in the right direction, nor we do anything sensible. When powers that be (establishment) plays partisan role (against Sindh), and when we start losing any hope from our legal forums (courts), history will repeat itself in Sindh. (Kawish, Zulfikar Halipato, Feb.22)   

• More than 72 per cent population in Sindh live under poverty line. Access to education is also limited in Sindh especially for girls due to social, religious and cultural reasons. Parents too can play their role in helping their children identify symptoms. Educating youth on mental issues can bring down mental stress in youth. We also need to have more mental health centers in interiors to address such issues in these parts. (Pahenji, Mansoor Aabroo, Feb.23)   

• Today is the ninth day of padayatra from Sukkur to Karachi undertaken by Zen Shah. This padayatra seeks to create awareness amongst people in Sindh. People should be made aware so that they can be assertive for their rights. I appeal to everybody in Sindh to participate in Zen Shah’s padayatra to make it a big success and thereby also prove that we all are true lovers of our Sindh. (Unsigned, Pahenji, Feb.23) 

• The constitutional crisis seems to be in the making on the issue of polls in KPK and Punjab. Though President has given election date for both provinces, the election commission does not seem to be in a mood for polls there. (Pahenji, M B Soomro, Feb,23)    

• Those who are taking risk of ruling the country even in these difficult times, their one and only mission is to remain in corridors of power. If objectives behind entering politics are serve people, then there would have been no unrest in Balochistan and Sindh people would not have lived with un-ending uncertainties. Even the Afghanistan borders would not have been used against KPK. All this is because of politicians disconnect with people. Politicians are connected with people only for their votes. Now this disconnect is mutual. People also show no interest in political parties. The only sad part about people’s disconnect with or dis-interest in political parties is that people just remain quiet instead of coming out on roads to show their anger against parties or the system. Result of all this is peoples’ simmering anger goes waste and rulers are busy passing on more and more burden to people because rulers know very well that people are not going to rise. Rulers know we, the people, are living in Pakistan and not in France. We have not seen any revolution nor we will ever get to see it in Pakistan because that is not in our peoples’ mood. Now that PM has made announcements about austerity measures and also withdrawal of perks being enjoyed by ministers and their staff, we can only say: It is better late than never”. (Kawish, Ali Zahid, Feb.23)   

                                                                                                        ………………………