Given here are a selection of news and views from May 13 Pakistan Urdu dailies

NEWS

1. Vice President of PML-N Mariam Nawaz has said that a general election is the only solution for all the problems of the nation. A coalition government cannot take big decisions, she said addressing the media in Islamabad.  All institutions were very nice to Imran Khan but as soon as he lost power, he started targeting the institutions and calling them traitors, she remarked. She said that NAB could not prove any case against her. If NAB has any proof then it must punish me but should not harass me. (Islam Daily)
2. Islamabad High Court has ordered that blasphemy cases should not be filed against PTI leaders over the Masjid e Nabawi incident. The Deputy Attorney General told the court that people’s sentiments were hurt   and they had filed the cases. PTI leader and lawyer Fawad Chaudhary said that the blasphemy law was never used by any government in such a way. What is the purpose of these cases? People can start killing on the basis of these cases. The law-and-order situation can be disturbed. The political use of blasphemy law is deplorable. Chief Justice said “I agree with you. It is wrong to use religion for political purposes. It is a violation of basic human laws”. (Islam Daily)
3. After the bomb attack in Karachi University, students are forced to stand in long queues at the entrance of the University and after checking their bags they are allowed to enter. A majority of the students are ladies, who have to stand in queues for a long time in intense heat. The long queues of cars are also disturbing the traffic on the university road. Why Karachi University students are being punished for the bomb attack? Many students are made to disappear from the University. Two Baloch students Irfan Baloch and Qamar Baloch have disappeared yesterday from the University. The students have asked the authorities to stop harassment and provide some relief to the students. (Intekhab Daily)
4. Balochistan National Party Central Secretary for Human Rights and Member Balochistan Assembly Mir Ahmad Nawaz Baloch while expressing deep sorrow and grief over the murder of party leader and local body candidate Nadeem Ahmed Badini in Jaffarabad. The killing of   two-party leaders in just under a week is a matter of concern and the party will not remain silent. (Urdu Point)
5. PPP has made a formal offer to MQM to join the Sindh government. MQM delegation will soon call on Zardari and Bilawal in this connection. They are likely to discuss the MQM draft on the local body system, and the issue of new governor for the province. (Sindh Express)
6. Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has said that the services rendered by the Pakistan Army under the leadership of General Qamar Javed Bajwa to eradicate terrorism in the country and raise the prestige of the country at the international level are unforgettable. Therefore, the elements who are waging a poisonous and baseless campaign against the army and General Qamar Javed Bajwa are really trying to destabilize the defense of the country. Army and army chiefs are not separate. PML-N is using Imran Khan’s statements against the army under a well-thought-out plan. Imran Khan has clearly said that the army is the only guarantor of Pakistan’s security and integrity, added Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. (Nawa-i-Waqt)
7. Chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq warned the government that trade relations with India are not acceptable.   He also blamed the ruling alliance parties for the water crisis in the country.  Delays in the construction of dams, mismanagement by the government, and the problem of water theft by landlords, are equally responsible for the water crisis. The present parties have been in power before, nothing has been done to solve the water problem and revive agriculture. The government should accept the demands of the farmers. If the problems of farmers are not resolved, then Jamaat-e-Islami will start a full-scale protest. (Daily Express, Ummat, Jasarat)
8. Chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced that demonstrations will be held at hundreds of places across the city on Friday, 13th May against load shedding and non-supply of water. If the load shedding is not stopped within 48 hours, a sit-in protest will be called at the K Electric head office. And the Give Rights to Karachi movement will be further intensified. (Ummat, Daily Express, Jasarat)
9. Quetta is facing a shortage of clean drinking water as the filtration plant is not working. ISPR has expressed concern over increasing water shortage in Balochistan. (Qudrat)
10. Turkey is not happy with some nasty activities by illegal Pak immigrants.  There is a demand to expel them following a spurt   in murder, dacoity, rape, and abductions. (Jang)

EDITORIALS

11. Politicians are not paying heed to the Army’s repeated warnings that the Khakis should not be dragged into politics   The words our politicians are using for the army are very improper and disgraceful. They say on public stages and in press conferences what others can’t say even in private conversations. Early general election only can end these outbursts. PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has agreed to talk with the government on the issue of electoral reforms if the government announces the date of the election. Political parties should set aside their differences and sit together to find solutions. (Edit-Dunya)
12. Election Commission has given a unanimous decision against Imran’s plea for disqualification dissidents in his PTI. The Commission is a constitutional body, and it has judicial powers. The Chief Election Commissioner and other members hold constitutional positions. Anyone with any objection to their decision should knock at the Supreme Court instead of criticizing the rulings in a way that hurts the credibility and sanctity of the institution. Such criticism cannot be supported. (Daily Pakistan Edit, Daily K2 Edit)
13. The PPP and PML-N are of the view that election reform should precede elections. Poll reforms should take on board all parties and stakeholders. (Jehan Pakistan Edit)
14. As a matter of fact, blaming only Imran Khan for political mess in the country is not fair and the real onus must rest on the two families, which have been at the center of politics in the country for decades. The PTI has been calling for fresh elections and now Mariam Nawaz has also accepted the fact that fresh elections are the solution to end the prevailing chaos. (Edits – Jang, Jasarat, Khabrain)
15. PPP cannot absolve itself of the responsibility to find way out from acute water shortage in Sindh.  It should be seen that Chashma Jhelum Link canal is shut this season. The water treaty 1991 will also be implemented. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, May 12)
16. Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khurshid Shah has said that power projects need to be expedited for lifting the country out of darkness and for industrial development. The construction of dams will not only increase power generation but also increase agricultural production through better irrigation.   Unfortunately, no significant irrigation system or hydel power generation has been planned for the last 50 years to save the country from an agricultural and energy crisis. Many attempts have been made in every government to satisfy the people by inaugurating projects in oral submission and paperwork but to date, no plan has been put into practice, which is why the country is facing the worst crisis today. Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change in the world. Where the effects of this change are beginning to show. Glaciers melting due to global warming and heavy monsoon rains are causing severe floods in Pakistan and as a result of these changes, floods are being declared the number one threat to Pakistan. To deal with all these dangers, it is necessary to build dams on an emergency basis. The hint of which was also given by the Federal Minister for Water Resources Khurshid Shah yesterday. Statements should not be limited to scoring political points. Now dam-building statements should also be put into practice because only by building dams can India’s water terrorism be countered and by increasing agricultural and power generation, the country can be pulled out of these crises. (Edits – Nawa-i-Waqt, Express Daily)
17. PPP and PML-N have joined hands to defeat the PTI Government in Gilgit-Baltistan and get back to power. This mission has become easier for the united opposition considering the clear divide within the PTI. Many PTI members in Gilgit-Baltistan are in favor of removing the chief minister Khalid Khurshid and hence a no-confidence going against him is quite likely.   (Baad-e-Shimal Edit)

COLUMNS

18. All experiments that are being done in the aftermath of the ouster of the Imran Khan government seem to be failing. Both the political and the security establishment are equally responsible for disrespect shown to the constitution and the way it is being torn into pieces. Because the constitution is being openly challenged, the country is heading to political bankruptcy. We need to make the country truly democratic, multicultural, secular and genuinely federal. Let political and security establishment admit that their experiments have failed. The fascists seem to be out to fan out anarchy in the country. It is time we do something to rid of such elements; peoples’ larger good lies in reconstructing country afresh. (Dr. Abdul Majeed Chandiyo in Pahenji Akhbar, May 12)
19. Current crisis in the country is the result of artificial ways adopted to run affairs in the country since the formation of the country. Politics is no longer seems to be in the hands of politicians with principles, and it has become a plaything in hands of crafty people.  Everyone wants to exploit and take advantage of the current mess.  Now that PML(N) is weak faction-ridden, Zardari wants to bring Shehbaz to his side. But the games being played by Zardari can take a toll on the Sindh government too. One can very well see that Zardari has not succeeded in his game plan of becoming President again. The larger takeaway from developing scenario is that early polls look almost certain now. Also, Shahbaz is still not able to muster courage to revolt against elder brother, Nawaz Sharif. (Aijaz Mungi in Sindh Express)
20. It will be in the national interest if next polls are held transparently and power is handed over to whoever secures the mandate. There is a view that Imran Khan will not accept the result if PTI loses. And, in such a situation, he will once again head to Islamabad with his Long March, dharna and protest program. But, all this campaign against Imran is done to misguide people and divide the country; it cannot go on for long. Right now, Imran Khan is fighting for his political survival. (Akhtar Hafeez in Sindh Express)
21. The role being played by the President of the country, Arif Alvi, is anti-national and hence objectionable. He never raised a voice against Imran Khan’s brazen highhandedness. Not just once. But when the Shehbaz -led federal government formally removed the Punjab Governor, he has put his foot down. the President turned/rejected the federal government’s action against the Punjab Governor. By and large, one gets the feeling that President Alvi’s acts are more of an anti-national type. Recently, the federal government has passed a resolution against President alleging that President House has been abused through unconstitutional orders issued from there. People should start campaign to remove the him formally. (Mohamad Khan Sial in Sindh Express)
22. The 13-party coalition government in Islamabad can play its role to bridge ethnic and racist differences in Sindh by making Nasreen Sindh the Governor. Sindh CM is an engineer and Nasreen is sister of a construction expert. Sindh faces problems on both fronts – engineering and construction. Nasreen is a mild-tempered. The day announcement was made about making her Sindh Governor was Mother’s Day. Sindh Governor House is now being handed over to a Mother. (Mahmood Sham in Ibrat.)
23. What will be your reaction if I tell you that the Prime Minister of Britain has summoned his cabinet to Lahore to discuss some important national matters? Definitely, you will call me a mad or idiot. If I tell you that Amir of the Taliban in Afghanistan   has given a call to his cabinet to hold a session in Quetta then what will you say? Again the same thing, mad, idiot, fool. No leader of any country can have his cabinet meeting in any other country. But if I ask you the Prime Minister of which country with his ministers goes to London to discuss the matters of his country and issue a press release after the meeting, then you will say without hesitation that only one country can do so and that the honour goes to Pakistan. I am still unable to understand what forced the government to hold huddle in London. If Shehbaz Sharif goes to London to see his brother there is nothing objectionable. But if a Prime Minister with his ministers goes to London for consultation with his party leader, then it is an insult to the post of Prime Minister and it something to be concerned about.  (By Habib Akram in Dunya)
24. Thanks to the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, Imran Khan has been constantly shouting that he has been deprived of power by the United States and not by his local opponents. Due to the American reluctance to be with us for many years, an effective number of Pakistani observers will also refrain from outright rejecting Imran story. Personally, I would probably be willing to endorse him but I find that the United States is not providing warm support to the Shahbaz Sharif, who has succeeded Imran Khan. In this context, the attitude of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deserves special attention. Every decision of the IMF is based on the American instructions. If the US had really been happy with the Shahbaz government replacing Imran government through a conspiracy, they would have found a way to save our people from the sudden increase in petrol and diesel prices. But this is not happening. The Shahbaz government, however, does not bother to explain to the people that the attitude of the United States towards it, like that towards the Imran government, is not friendly, nor full of compassion. The taunts of imported government are being tolerated by Shehbaz. (Nusrat Javed – Nawa-i-Waqt)