NEWS

• PTI Chairman, Imran Khan, has accused that PML-N has planned to win Punjab by-elections by manipulation. He said that if the rulers go to the people, they will hear shouts of thieves and traitors. We will defeat them. ML-N is tearing the constitution to pieces. The government wants to put me in jail under any case so that my campaign will stop. But my campaign will not end even if they put me behind the bars. Peaceful protest is the right of every citizen. A government of thieves is imposed on us by a conspiracy. (Intekhab Daily)

• Federal Minister of Housing Maulana Abdul, said that Imran Khan is responsible for the prevailing worst ever economic crisis the country is facing. The present government is taking practical steps at every level to end inflation. “We will not compromise on solving the problems of the people and protecting their rights. Power is not our target. We believe in the politics of principles. We are striving to make our country a real Islamic Welfare State”, said Wasai, who is also the Balochistan Chief Jamiat Ulema e Islam. (Intekhab Daily)

• Security forces have killed four terrorists in two separate operations. According to ISPR, security forces conducted an operation in the Hassan Khel district of North Waziristan on a tip off. Two terrorists were killed in the exchange of fire. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the slain terrorists. The second ops was held in the Prod Hills area near Noshki in Balochistan. When the troops were combing the area, the terrorists tried to flee from their hideout and opened fire on the security forces. Two terrorists belonging to BRA, Nadeem and Shehzad Alam, were killed in the exchange of fire. The slain terrorists were involved in recent terrorist violence in and around Kharan. (Nawaiwaqt, Ummat, Daily Jinnah)

• The Central Majlis-e-Shura of Jamaat-e-Islami in a resolution has hailed the Taliban government, which is completing one year, and called upon the international community to end economic and diplomatic boycott of the war-ravaged country of 40 million people. If Afghanistan is not economically stabilized, and its seized assets are not restored, there will be a negative impact on the region. (Jasarat)

• Swat National Jirga has demanded restoration of separate constitutional status of Malakand Division. It also asked the government to build Expressway on the banks of river Swat. It condemned the installation of section-4 on people’s lands at other recreational places including Kalam. (Jang)

• The federal government has allotted Rs.900 bn for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha Dam besides other big projects of water conservation in the current budget. (Daily K2)

• JUI member of Balochistan Assembly for minority affairs Mukhi Shyam Lal Lasi said that Hindu community has a vital role in the progress of Balochistan and JUI is taking all effort to provide all facilities to Hindu community. (Qudrat)

• A Kuwait Firm has agreed to invest USD 1 bn in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Enertech Holding will construct two green hydrogen plants in Mutaltan and Lavi. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan attributed the development to participation in Dubai Expo and said that the provincial government had signed 44 MoUs worth 8 billion at the Expo. (Daily Pakistan, Aeen, Aaj)  

• Teaching at the International Islamic University was suspended for a second day due to student protests. The students are demanding an investigation into the alleged corruption in the university. (Urdu Point)

• Special Judge Anti-Terrorism Court Sahiwal Muhammad Zahid Ghaznavi sentenced Maulvi Abdul Rauf Farooqi of a banned organization, to three years in jail and a fine of Rs 30,000. (Urdu Point)

• A protest was organized in Lahore Chowk against load shedding by Awami National Party Lahore Ward. (Urdu Point)

• The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended the stay on the accountability court proceedings against former president Asif Ali Zardari to stop from proceeding in the suspicious transaction reference of Rs 8 billion. A division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amir Farooq heard the Zardari petition seeking annulment the case. (Jasarat)

• Balochistan government has lifted the ban on inter-district trade in fertilizer, sugar and flour Advisor for Home Affairs Mir Zia Ullah Langue announced this, admitting that the ban has created hardships to farmers, and households alike.  The restriction on the transfer of wheat will however continue, he said. (Intekhab Daily)

COLUMNS

• In cricketing times, Imran Khan surprised opponents with his googlies and bouncers. He has adopted the same strategy in politics. His political rivals just do not know as to what will be Imran Khan’s next move. Apparently, this is a good strategy but at times such strategies are   difficult to put into action. Imran Khan should know that adopting such strategies vis a vis the establishment can end up dangerously for him. (Ibrat, Pir Makram Al Haque) 

• Political and religious parties mobilize people in pursuit of their demands. But mobs composed of uneducated people do not help these political and religious groups to achieve their targets and their problems remain unresolved. In our country, nobody (no party or group) speaks on peoples’ issues like price rise, unemployment, police high-handedness and other livelihood related issues. That is the reason mob politics has been failing in our country. On the other hand, religious parties and groups instigate mobs with religious sentiments so that enlightened and educated sections get scared. Pakistan society is known for its backward identity and mob culture is just one manifestation of this identity. Hence, whenever mobs get little leeway, they do not miss the opportunity to go on rampage or take to stealing. (Ibrat, Dr. Mubarak Ali)

• Somehow Pakistan has managed to survive and remain afloat one or other way. The worst part of the situation is that our real power wielders (that is the establishment) still refuse to mend their ways or take any lessons to make the coming times better and brighter for the country. They have perhaps come to the conclusion that their way is the right way to run the show. But, this much carelessness with regards to country’s future cannot be acceptable. (Sindh Exp, Omar Qazi)

• Both ruling and the opposition must remember that Pakistan’s economy is in a very bad shape. If nothing is done to revive the economy, it can have disastrous times ahead. For Imran Khan, the biggest challenge right now is to re-energize his movement and pack off the Shahbaz-led government. The challenge for PM, Shahbaz, is to live up to his image as a politician who delivers. If he thinks that his real challenge is handling of Imran and not getting relief to people, then Shahbaz is making a big blunder. (Sindh Exp, Adil Shahzeb) 

• Karachi gets water through three sources…from Indus, Hub dam, and sea. Hub dam gets filled only during monsoon; it cannot be filled without rains. Once it is filled, its water can last for three years. There have been no rains for the past five years and hence the burden was shifted to Indus. Desalination of sea water costs Rs. 600 to Rs. 800 per gallon as against Rs. 60 to Rs. 80 for fetching water from the Indus. In other words, more reliable and more economical is drawing water from the Indus. The K-4 project is for fetching 1200 cusec from Indus. This much water will first be brought from K B Feeder from Kotri barrage near Yamashiro and will be released into Keenjhar lake and from there it will be pumped to Karachi. We have to note that Karachi’s population will not rise all at once. Hence, this 1200 cusec requirement for Karachi has been divided in three parts. First phase is 260 million gallons per day, that is 480 cusec, second phase will be 260 million gallons a day, that is 480 cusec and third phase is of 130 million gallons a day, that is 240 cusec a day. The chief minister entrusted the work to FWO, the Frontier Works Organization of the army. It is learnt that the K-4 project is in its first phase. Work progress is sluggish. The federal government has since decided that WAPDA should look after the project. WAPDA should expedite the works or else Karachi people, who are already hard-pressed with erratic water supply, will have tough times. (Pahenji, Mohamad Idrees Rajput, June 7)   

EDITORIALS

• General Nadeem Raza, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Armed Forces, assertion that there will be no compromise on the nuclear program is timely. Pakistan’s nuclear program has not been acceptable to the United States, the Western powers, and India. To this day, they are trying to wrap it up in some way. Some foreign media outlets continue to spread rumors in this regard. But for the first time, an objectionable statement by a former prime minister from within the country was answered by the relevant highest authority. Many other politicians have spoken on the subject in the past, but Imran Khan is the first former prime minister to say negative things about Pakistan’s integrity, its nuclear program and its armed forces and his statements are not worth repeating. (Edits- Jasarat, Jang, Daily Pakistan, Jehan Pakistan, Naibaat)

• These days politicians are making indecent and objectionable statements. One PTI member of national assembly has even gone to the extent of saying that he would commit suicide if Imran Khan were arrested. What kind of politics is this where no respect is being shown to the laws of the land. We think such statements from a PTI leader falls under what we call terrorism or militancy. It is naked and brazen violation of the laws and constitution of the country. Political parties should not thrust such people on the nation.   (Pahenji, Edit, June 7)   

• In its 75-year long history as a sovereign nation Pakistan has seen many political murders. The first Prime Minister Liaqat Ali Khan was killed in the Company Baugh of Rawalpindi on the stage. The killers are still unknown. Benazir Bhutto, the two-time Prime Minister, also was killed in the same city. The killers were never caught. Her husband did not allow post-mortem of her body though everyone knows that post-mortem is very important to ascertain the cause of death. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged just a few furlongs away from Liaqat Baugh. It was considered a judicial murder. After nine years General Zia ul Haq died in a plane crash. Some circles suspect it was a murder. And now it is feared that plans are finalized to kill former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In our neighbouring county Iran, nuclear scientists are being killed in mysterious ways. It is commonly understood that America removes all those people who stand against it or who pose a threat to it. Imran Khan had shown a letter of threat from America in a public meeting just as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had shown such a letter in a public meeting in Rawalpindi. A possible threat to the life of Imran Khan can’t be ignored. (Edit-Intekhab Daily)

• We appreciate the PM’s proposal for a grand dialogue more so since the nation is passing through tough times.   If the PTI also desires well-being of the people, it too should set aside its mindset of vendetta and hatred. No matter how much complicated be the issues, ultimate way out can be found only through talks, that is through grand dialogue amongst all stake holders. (Kawish, Edit, June 7)   

• Despite every government’s claim that power cuts will be reduced, load shedding is getting longer and for longer durations. This puts the common man to lot of inconvenience and adds to day- to -day hardships. Besides, electricity has become too costly and un-affordable to the common man. Government is again making announcements that efforts are being made to cut down durations of power cuts and that power cuts will be reduced to three- and half-hour duration. There is also talk of limiting power cuts to just one hour from June 30. More than government’s sympathy, what people need a solution to the problem of power cuts. Let alternate sources be tapped to provide power at subsidized rates. (Sindh Exp, Edit)

• People of Pakistan humbly request the power corridors to not only control load shedding but also control increasing inflation which is making life miserable for the poor. Pakistan should follow the no money-interest system as it is against the Islamic Sharia. The government should also ban Cricket and Cigarettes for at least five years as both are harmful for the economy and health. Pakistan should demand Coalition Support Money from United States as a matter of its right for being the front-line ally of America in the war on terror. If this money come in Pakistan will not need more loans. (Edits – Baad-e-Shimal, Daily K2, Aeen, Asas, Aaj Qudrat)   

• The Federal government has satisfied the IMF by taking difficult decisions but would these difficult decisions take Pakistan out of whirlpool of difficulties? At present, it is very difficult to crystal gaze. Finance Minister Miftah Ismael is confident that he had managed the economic crisis after increasing the prices of petrol and diesel. “We received Pakistan in its worst economic condition but we will leave it in a better condition”, he said. There is nothing new in the statement; every finance minister echoed the same line but Pakistan is still groaning under the weight of foreign loans. (Edit-Dunya Daily)

• The National Assembly has approved four bills including Rahmat-ul-Alamin Khatam-un-Nabiyyin Authority Bill 2022. The aims and objectives of the Bill include observing and monitoring the anti-Pakistan and anti-Islamic activities of Qadianiyyah, Ahmadiyyat, Lahoriyat, Judaism, and other such religions, organizations, and institutions.  Earlier, a bill was passed by the Imran Khan government in the name of the Rahmat-ul-Alamin Authority. The scope of this bill will be extended to the whole country and will come into force immediately. The end of prophethood is a fundamental part of the faith of Muslims (Edit Nawaiwaqt)

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