NEWS

• PPP has won in 20 out of 23 civic bye polls in Sindh. It succeeded in retaining posts of mayor and deputy mayor in Karachi and deputy mayor, Sukkur. The party also registered victories in Kashmor, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Tando Ahiliyar, Tando Adam and Ghambat. (Sindh Express)

• It has been revealed that American weapons were recovered from the terrorists killed in the attack on the Mianwali Airbase. The sensational revelations about the Mianwali Air Base attack came to light. The American-made weapons include RPG-7, AK-74, M-4, and M-16/A4. Experts said that weapons manufactured by the US are being sold openly in Afghanistan and the terrorists have easy access to them.  US-made weapons are in abundance in Afghanistan and are being used by terrorists against Pakistan. US-made weapons and equipment were used in the Zhob cantonment attack earlier. The Afghan government must prevent its territory from being used by terrorists. (Dunya Daily) 

• Former Prime Minister and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has explained the reason for not being called to today’s important party meeting. Speaking to a private TV, he said that he is not a party functionary and hence he was not invited to the meeting. “I resigned from the post of senior vice president in January. I have not attended any meetings since then. He said that being in the party is to limit to oneself and as long as I am in the party, I am a part of the party. If my words are not acceptable, then expel me from the party”. (Qudrat Daily) 

• Police have arrested a group who have made fake identity cards for Afghan citizens. DPO Nisar Ahmad Khan said in a press conference that the group of 14 members were making Pakistani identity cards for foreign Afghans. The arrested include the village secretary and NADRA official. The DPO said that police are on the lookout for eight more persons involved in making fake identity cards for Afghans. This gang was charging 8 lakh rupees per I- card from   Afghanis. (Qudrat Daily) 

• Unidentified people have thrown hand grenades at a security forces’ camp at Pinjore in Balochistan. The assailants escaped and no casualties were reported. (Sindh Express)

• Speaking to media persons at Dhabeji in Sindh, Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz Chief, Sanna Qureshi said that lawlessness is on rise in Sindh. Dacoities and robberies have become routine. Priya Kumri has been missing for 26 months and the government is not doing anything for her release. Priya Kumari’s family members are restless. He also said that we are not against others but Sindhis are not getting jobs in local factories. We are talking about rights and demand everybody should be given rights without any discrimination. In reply to a question, he said that all illegally staying foreigners should be sent back to their countries as directed by the Supreme Court.  He also said Sindh people continue to be homeless after the recent floods. (Sindh Express)  

• Anti-terrorism court has approved the bail of the Awami Muslim League leader Shaikh Rasheed in the May 9 riots. According to a private TV channel, former Home Minister Shaikh Rasheed appeared before the Anti-Terrorism Court of Judge Malik Ijaz Asif. His lawyer Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan said that Shaikh Rashid has nothing to do with the events of May 9. There is no evidence against Shaikh Rasheed’s involvement in the events of May 9. The court granted the bail and ordered Shaikh Rasheed to submit a bond of 50 thousand rupees. (Himalya Today Daily) 

• Former MPA Iftikhar ul Hasan Gilani has joined the Istehkam e Pakistan Party. IPP leaders Jahangir Tareen and Abdul Aleem Khan met Gilani, and invited him to join their   party.  Tareen said on this occasion that all parties should participate in the general elections. I and Abdul Aleem Khan worked hard for PTI, but we faced disappointment. So, we separated from PTI. I was disqualified illegally in the Panama cases, and now my disqualification along with that of Nawaz Sharif has ended, due to the 5-year limit of disqualification. IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan said that the biggest problem of the country is the economy. A long-term policy should be made for the economic recovery. We will serve the public from the platform of IPP. More surprises are waiting with the participation of many more important personalities in the coming days. (Qudrat Daily) 

• The Sindh High Court has summoned the head of the provincial task force and the JIT on the petitions related to the non-recovery of missing persons. A bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and comprising Justice Amjad Ali Sahito heard the case. The father of the missing citizen said that Arslanuddin went missing from the Sharifabad police station area five years ago. “I am sick of going around the courts for 5 years”. The court was angry with the police and other institutions for the non-recovery of the missing persons. The court cautioned the police and said either fulfill the hopes or end them- one way or the other. Justice Amjad Ali Sahito asked Police: Why you are harassing the families of the missing persons. Tell us who has taken them and accept that you can’t do anything about it. Let the relatives go and take them. Why are you making these poor people cry by forming JITs and Task Forces? For 5 years, this old man has been looking for his son. If he has died then show his body. Why don’t you tell everyone the truth, so that these people lose their false hope? The court summoned the head of the provincial task force and the JIT and also sought a report from the provincial Home Secretary. (Qudrat Daily) 

• The Lahore Bar Association went on strike over the arrests of lawyers and blocked the entry of the police in the session court. Lawyer Afzal Pahat and his son were arrested by the police in connection with May 9 riots. Lawyers closed the doors of the Sessions Court and did not allow police and civilians to enter the courts. (Daily Pakistan)

• The leaders of the Grand Islah (Reform) Jirga Tehsil Dargai have stated that they will start a peaceful protest movement if they do not control crimes including drug trafficking within a week. Grand Islah Jirga Patron-in-Chief Maulana Khurshid Ahmad Siddiqui, Jamaat-e-Islami Malakand Deputy Amir Maulana Jamaluddin, Grand Islah Jirga President Haji Akram Khan and General Secretary Mukram Khan Saba spoke at the press conference. (Urdu Point)  

• Students studying in hundreds of Government schools across the Sindh are deprived of free textbooks despite the passage of three months. There is a wave of concern in the civil and social circles over shortage of free text books. (Urdu Point)

• The trawler mafia and the local fishermen came to blows in the sea of Pisni.  Around 20 trawlers surrounded the local fishermen, who resisted. The trawlers fled leaving their nets worth millions of rupees. The Pisni fishermen protested and took out a rally.  Head of Haq Do Tehreek Maulana Hidayatur Rehman reached Pisni and led the rally. (Urdu Point)

• The family of missing Balochistan Student Leader Zakir Majeed Baloch will hold a protest rally from Balochistan University to Quetta Press Club on Wednesday, November 8, according to Nasrullah Baloch, Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP). The rally will start at 11 am, against Zakir Majeed Baloch’s prolonged forced disappearance. He has appealed to the people of all schools of thought including political parties and student organizations to ensure the safe recovery of all the missing persons by fully participating in the protest rally and support them in their efforts to prevent enforced disappearances. (Urdu Point)  

• The universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are suffering from a severe financial crisis, due to which there is a fear of closure of 20 universities of the province. The deficit of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa universities has increased to more than 1.78 billion rupees while the liabilities have exceeded 6 billion rupees. (Urdu Point)

• Unidentified terrorists attacked the Roori police check post in Kalachi Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan with heavy weapons. The terrorists escaped after the retaliatory action of the police. A police officer was injured in the attack. (Roznama Intekhab)

• The Chinese Consul General Zhao Shirin said that the return of Nawaz Sharif is an internal matter of Pakistan. China has a clear policy; we do not interfere in the internal affairs of Pakistan. In an interview to private TV, he said that we definitely wish that elections of Pakistan are transparent and free. Every political party and stakeholder should be taken on board and brought on the same page. This will further develop China-Pakistan relations. Chinese consul general Zhao Shirin said that we know CPEC is facing some challenges and difficulties, and CPEC needs more coordination in planning, policy and implementation. It is not understood why some external elements oppose CPEC. Some elements are also not happy about the good relations between Pakistan and China. We know, some external and some internal elements are not happy. But I believe all this criticism and campaign is baseless and based on misunderstanding. (Roznama Intekhab)

• Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Secretary General Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari has said that the agriculture of Balochistan is suffering. While talking to the media, he said that the farmers of Balochistan are not being provided with electricity. The government should focus on solving the problems of the farmers. Otherwise, there will be a complete protest by the farmers of Balochistan. (Roznama Intekhab)

• The federal government has decided to launch an operation against drug abuse among students. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar discussed the issue at a high-level meeting attended by Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Islamabad administration officials. Sarfraz Bugti will personally oversee the operation against drug trade and peddler in educational institutions. (Roznama Intekhab)

EDITORIALS

• When the Supreme Court is out to find out the mastermind behind Faizabad dharnas, politicians have started saying let him be excused this time, and are giving “forgive and forget” lectures. PPP leader and former Speaker Raza Pervez Ashraf has made statements to the above effect saying, “Let us forget the matter and move ahead”. If we keep forgetting and forgiving every wrong doing, then there will be no end to wrong-doings in the country. The havoc being wrecked in the country because of wrong decisions will keep continuing till perpetrators of wrong acts are not made accountable and made to pay for their misdeeds.  No one should be above accountability just as there is a saying which says: Laws of land should be death-like from which no one has any immunity”. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, Nov.6)  

• The developed nations and UN should take note of Israeli attacks on Palestinians.   Israel should be compelled for a ceasefire. Or else if any other country in the region interferes in this Israel-Hamas war, then it can pave the way for a big third world war. This can bring world to brink of collapse. (Kawish Edit, Nov.6)  

• The Israeli army has reached heights in its beastliness as it continues turning blind eye to appeals from across the world and this kind of arrogance will one day result in Israel’s big downfall. If Israel continues with its aggression in this way, then one day Muslim world too will have to join hands against it. If any such thing happens, then the end- loser will be Planet Earth, it is time Israel and its sympathizers and supporters come to senses   and stop the massacre of innocent children and adopt policies of ‘Live and let others too live’ policy. If Israel does not mend its ways, then it is heading for self-destructive times. (Ibrat Edit)

• PPP has won a majority of seats in civic bye polls at Karachi, Shikarpur, Khairpur and Ghambat. PPP leadership should tell its winning candidates to address civic issues at above places without any discrimination, especially ones being faced by people in Karachi. (Sindh Express-Edit)

• The martyrdom of four soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, in an exchange of fire with terrorists in Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is another proof of the eternal sacrifices of Pakistan’s forces for the country. Unfortunately, these days there has been an increase in the incidents of terrorism, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Just yesterday, militants targeted two police posts in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This was the fourth terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan within 48 hours while two people were killed in a bomb blast in Lucky Marwat. Although the country has been suffering from the menace of terrorism for the past two and a half decades and the Pakistani forces are always engaged in action against the terrorists, the recent terror strikes are a cause for concern. After the announcement of the general elections, the political activities have intensified and at the same time the daily terrorist incidents are taking place after the threatening statements made by the Afghan Taliban in the context of the evacuation of unregistered Afghans. It is important that not only the Afghan Taliban should be reminded of the promise made in the Doha Agreement, but the entire nation should stand behind Pakistan’s forces against the terrorist and militant elements so that these elements cannot take advantage of any political division. (Edit-Dunya Daily) 

• On Sunday too, brutal terrorists bombed a police post in Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, as a result of which two brothers were killed. A police constable was also injured. Five members of the same family were hit by the blast, out of which two were martyred and three were injured. Terrorists attacked the check post in Kalachi police station limits with heavy weapons. There is no room for any doubt that the new wave of terrorism in the country has started after the irrevocable decision of the National Apex Committee to send the illegal Afghans back to their country. According to this decision, it has been decided to evict all illegal residents, including Afghans, but the response to this came only from the Taliban government of Afghanistan and the illegal Afghans. Of course, Afghan refugees have been granted asylum in Pakistan for the last 45 years under an agreement with the United Nations, but under their guise, Taliban extremists also illegally crossed the border and made their safe havens in Pakistan. Along with illegal business here, they are involved in terrorist activities.  The incidents of terrorism started one after the other in KPK, Punjab and Balochistan. In Mianwali, there was an unsuccessful attempt to attack Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base. The bomb attack in Lakki Marwat, DI Khan’s check post is certainly a link in this chain. Therefore, there is a need to defeat the terrorists under a new commitment and a solid strategy.   (Edit Nawaiwaqt)