News:  The Taliban took away the passports of the Pakistanis returning from Afghanistan at the Torkham border. A passenger stranded in Torkham contacted Pakistani journalists and told them of their plight, adding that they were not allowed to go to Pakistan. He said that hundreds of Pakistanis are stranded on the Afghanistan side of the Torkham border since their passports were   seized on the orders of the official of the Islamic Emirates at Torkham customs. He said that we are laborers and demanded that we should be given permission & passports to go to our country. It is being said that an affidavit of not returning back to Afghanistan will be taken from them, after which they will be permitted reach Pakistan. (Ummat)  

• The evacuation of Afghan refugees from Iran has also taken momentum. The number of Afghan refugees returning home from Iran has doubled in the past month. So far, the 14,480 Afghans crossed the border at Islam Qila. This was disclosed by a senior border official Abdullah Qayyum on Wednesday. The busy corridor is located near the city of Herat in Afghanistan. Rush of those returning from Pakistan has also increased on the eastern border of Afghanistan. The government of Pakistan has ordered 17 lakh Afghans to leave the country. (Jang) 

• Deportation of illegal immigrants was suspended for a day on Tuesday as the Sindh government decided to send them to Chaman border by train instead of by buses.  According to a report, DIG South Syed Asad Raza said that around 80 illegal Afghan citizens were brought to the Afghan Transit Center in Sultanabad, but they were not sent to the Chaman border by buses. (Ausaf)

• Officials said 15 undocumented Afghan prisoners imprisoned for minor crimes were also deported to Afghanistan. Afghan refugees living in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan without legal documents were also leaving through Chaman through the voluntary repatriation program under the United Nations Refugee Agency. In addition, officials say that despite being allowed to stay legally, many registered Afghan refugees are choosing to return to their homeland. (Dawn Daily) 

• Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has responded to caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar’s criticism of Kabul stand vis-à-vis terrorist menace in Pakistan, saying that “We do not allow anyone to use our land against Pakistan”. The Islamic Emirate is not responsible for maintaining peace in Pakistan. They have to solve their own problems, he remarked. He went on to say: Just as the Islamic Emirate wants peace and stability in Afghanistan, it also wants peace and stability in Pakistan. Emirate of Islamia is not responsible for peace in Pakistan, they have to solve their own problems and Afghanistan should not be held responsible for their failures. In a social media post, the spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban said the alleged increase in incidents of unrest in Pakistan after the victory of the Islamic Emirate is not proof that Afghanistan is behind them. He said that Afghanistan wants to have good relations with Pakistan as a brother and neighbor, and the Pakistani side should also understand the goodwill of the Islamic Emirates. (Dawn Daily) 

• Sindh High Court judge, Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto has said that the court cannot interfere in the policy of the state in any case. He made the remark while   hearing petitions of Shema Kirmani and other civil society against the deportation of Afghan citizens.  Justice Phulpoto who was heading a two-member bench, said no foreigner can stay in any country even for a day after the visa expires. How can one live in Pakistan illegally? Pakistani law provides protection only to Pakistanis. The court refused to issue notice to the federal and provincial governments on the petition. The court remarked that the eviction of illegal residents is a policy of the state and the court cannot interfere. (Jang) 

• In the Gallup Survey, 84% Pakistanis supported evacuation of illegal foreigners including Afghans. More than 750 people from all the four provinces were questioned over the issue. 69% expressed the hope that Afghan nationals would go back to their homeland. 64% opined that law and order and peace would improve with the return of Afghan nationals. 55% thought that evacuation of Afghan nationals would improve Pakistan’s economy. (Nai Baat) 

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarian (PTIP) Chairman, former defence minister, Pervez Khattak, has accused Imran Khan of having deceived people. Addressing a party rally in Azakhil Park, Nowshera, he said that the PTI Chairman fooled people.  After coming to power in the name of bringing change, Imran Khan started walking on another path. His colleagues parted ways because he had chosen the wrong path. He said that Maulana Fazal ur Rahman should stop worrying about us and think about himself because Maulana’s seat in DI Khan seems to be in danger. (Qudrat Daily) 

• The federal government has set a minimum salary of Rs 32,000 per month for civil servants. The Ministry of Finance has issued a notification that the minimum monthly wage will be applied from July 1, 2023. The decision will not apply to the civil employees of the federal government posted abroad. (Qudrat Daily) 

• PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is likely to visit Balochistan next week to join hands with Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) ahead of the upcoming general elections. He is also expected to meet some electable persons during his visit and a formal alliance with BAP will be announced. Nawaz Sharif is keen to get a significant number of seats in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which he considers very important to form the new government after elections. A party leader said that the alliance of PML-N with JUI-F led by Maulana Fazal ur Rahman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is almost certain. However, PML-N seems reluctant to contact the PML-Q led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) of Jahangir Khan Tareen. (Dawn Daily) 

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has introduced an online app, ‘Dastak’, for arms license. According to KP Home Department, users will be able to get licenses after online payment of the prescribed fee. (Daily Ausaf)  

• Talking to media in Karachi, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said with the support of the people, they will form a government in the Federation and Sindh. For the first time the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Chief Minister of Sindh and the Mayor of Karachi will be from PPP. He said PPP never got a level playing field. In 2008, despite the martyrdom of workers and the lack of a level playing field, PPP won the election with the power of the people. We have no complaints about the alliance of PML-N and MQM but they will suffer at the hustings. Bilawal said PPP has parted the company of PML N as its narrative changed. (Daily Khabrain)

• A 4-hour long meeting was held at Punjab Governor House under the chairmanship of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, in which Governor Baligh ur Rehman, former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, party chief organizer Maryam Nawaz and other leaders participated. And discussed political situation and the election strategy including distribution of tickets in South Punjab. Nawaz Sharif is also likely to visit Balochistan on 13th November, where he will meet important political leaders, and finalise seat sharing deal with Balochistan Awami Party. (Daily Khabrain)  
• The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) increased the cost of electricity for the consumers. According to a notification, the cost of electricity for consumers has been increased by 40 paise per unit due to the September fuel adjustment, The hike will not apply to Lifeline and K Electric customers. Earlier, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) hiked gas prices. (Daily Khabrain, Roznama Intekhab)  

• Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said Pakistan does not supply weapons to war-torn regions, nor does it intend to sell weapons to Ukraine. She denied any discussion regarding supply of arms during the telephonic talk between the defense ministers of Pakistan and Ukraine yesterday. She said that Pakistan has always emphasized the need for a negotiated solution to the Ukraine conflict. (Daily Khabrain)  

• In the Geo TV program “Report Card” the host asked: Should the President write a letter to the caretaker Prime Minister on the concerns of a political party? Responding, analysts said that if any party other than PTI had complained to President Arif Alvi about injustice towards them, he might not have raised his voice. Mehmal Sarfraz said that it is right for the President of the country to write a letter to the caretaker Prime Minister on the concerns of a political party. If any political group is not getting a level playing field it should have written a letter to the President. As the President of the State, he must have written a letter to the Caretaker Prime Minister. He is the same President who brought such an ordinance of PECA which affected the basic rights of the common citizen. During the presidency of Arif Alvi, revenge was taken in the name of accountability, but he never wrote any letter. Shahzad Iqbal said that the President did not do anything wrong by writing a letter to the Caretaker Prime Minister on the complaint of PTI not getting a level playing field. There is nothing surprising in the letter written by the President. (Jang) 

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has set up a committee for political contacts. The five-member committee comprises Senator Barrister Ali Gohar, Senator Dr. Humayun Mohmand, Ali Mohammad Khan, Ali Asghar Khan and Rauf Hassan, according to PTI General Secretary Umar Ayub Khan. (Daily Khabrain, Roznama Intekhab)

• Sugar and other essential commodities seized during the anti-hoarding and smuggling drive to utility stores at 50% of the minimum prices fixed by the provincial government, it was officially stated today. In case of non-interest by the Utility Stores Corporation in purchasing the seized items, they will be put up for public auction as per the Customs Auction Rules. (Daily Khabrain)

• Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami Balochistan, Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, has appointed a prominent educationalist, and a member of the party from Dera Allah Yar, Professor Muhammad Ayub Mansoor, as Deputy Amir. (Urdu Point)

• The Garden Town police station in Lahore has registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other serious provisions against around 150 students of Punjab University for torturing 2 policemen and tearing their uniforms during a protest. (Urdu Point)

• During an intelligence-based operation of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Kanak area in Quetta, 3 terrorists Hamza alias Phalu, Abdullah alias Master, Aftab alias Shahmeer were killed. Explosives, 2 SMG with rounds, one pistol with rounds, 3 hand grenades and one magnetic IED were recovered. (Urdu Point)

• Terrorists attacked the Khurram police station of Kirk district with rockets in the night, but the Police foiled the attack. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kirk stated that the Kirk police station building was partially damaged due to rocket attack, but there was no casualty. The police are on high alert; more personnel have been called and the search operation is on  (Urdu Point)  

• The Sindh High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the report of the Federal Ministries of Interior and Defense on the recovery of missing persons and ordered to trace them anyway. A two-member bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto heard the petitions for the recovery of missing persons. The court rejected the reports submitted by the police authorities as conventional reports. The court also expressed anger at the JIT authorities for not tracing the missing persons. Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto remarked that if the missing persons cannot be traced by the JIT, it is futile effort. The court ordered to trace the missing persons from every angle. The court warned that action will be taken against the investigating officer if they fail to trace missing persons. The court also summoned the JIT chief and the provincial task force chief. (Jang) 

• President of Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Aqeela Sambal has said that electricity and gas load shedding have made people’s lives miserable. Concerned authorities should take notice of peoples’ plight and initiate relief measures, she said   while talking to media representatives at the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. (Urdu Point)
• The government has decided to give the management of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) to the private sector instead of the provinces. According to a plan framework prepared for electricity distribution companies, the ownership of the companies will remain with the government but the management will be handed over to the private sector for 20 to 25 years. The approval of the plan will be taken from the federal cabinet. According to the officials of the Energy Ministry, electricity distribution companies are making losses of Rs.590 billion annually; recoveries of more than 1200 billion rupees are pending. (Jang) 

• Pakistan’s oil reserves decreased by almost 50% in 9 years. In 2014, the crude oil reserves in the country were 3. 87 billion barrels. This year, local oil reserves have decreased to 1.92 billion barrels. (Jang) 

• Due to difficulties in imports, increase in taxes and devaluation of currency, the market demand for vehicles in the country decreased by 65% during the last financial year. Taxes on vehicles increased by 24%. Collectively the auto industry had produced 3.7 lakhs vehicles last year, which came down to only 1.2 lakh this year. Indus Motor Company invested Rs.10 crores for the production of hybrid vehicles in Pakistan. Soon locally produced hybrid vehicles will enter the market. CEO Ali Asghar Jamali said in a special talk that the main reason for the increase in the prices of local vehicles is the depreciation of the currency, the increase in LC and taxes, but Indus Motor has increased the prices of the vehicles as soon as the value of the currency improves. Reduced, sustainable import policy is needed for the growth of the local auto industry as imported used cars are having a negative impact on the industry, as the difficulties of opening LCs are now over even though the sales of vehicles are still down by 26% on an annual basis. (Jang) 

EDIORIALS

• The biggest issue of the day in the country is the return of the terror wave. The caretaker governments, at central and provincial levels, should sit together and work out effective strategies to fight the threat of   terrorism looming over the country. Right now, Pakistan army and people at large are committed to crush terror threats and government will have to take decisions for some effective operations on emergency basis. (Kawish Edit, Nov.8)  
• The Sindh caretaker government should not only take note of poor law and order conditions in the province, but should also take some such measures which give people a sense of protection to their lives and belongings. The lawlessness needs to be checked also for the fact that country will soon go for polls. (Kawish Edit, Nov.8)  
• The worsening state of law and order in the country is not only giving rise to several uncertainties but triggering fears on multiple fronts also. It is ironic that security forces are suffering losses even   in operations against terrorists. It can be made out from such incidents that terror elements are powerful enough and hence authorities should use all resources at their disposal to improve law and order scenario. The need of the hour is tough measures against militants which will also help ensure peace poll, and to enable political parties to reach out to people to woo them with their promises. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, Nov.8)  
• It is for the first time in Pakistan’s history that establishment who had kept empowering foreigners to weaken natives and turn locals into a minority, are out to oust these foreigners because these foreigners never   treated Pakistan as their own country. Foreigners’ every act gave the impression that they were out to take revenge against locals and in their craze, they took to every kind of criminal and extremist activities including peddling in narcotics or killings. These foreigners hoisted national flags of their countries fearlessly in the streets of Karachi just as winning forces hoisted flags atop high-rise places   announcing their triumph. Sindh people kept voting for PPP considering it as a party of martyrs and Sindh people never questioned PPP as to what progress and development it had brought into Sindh during their rule. That is one of key reasons that PPP never got weak in Sindh and this made PPP consider Sindh as its stronghold. Now reacting to alliance between MQM and PML(N), PPP leaders say fearlessly: ‘welcome to those coming to Sindh for electoral fight’. But will Sindh always be a PPP stronghold as people in Sindh have started questioning its performance? In the years to come, the PPP might have to come out to seek peoples’ votes. But, will people vote for it in the days to come because so far PPP has been getting votes in the names of its martyrs. Sindh people might tolerate betrayals and political deceits and manipulations, but when it comes to protecting Sindh interests, they are very sensitive.  Sindh people are out to deport foreigners. The statements being made by PPP leaders in support of foreigners hurt not only Sindhis but are also go against the establishment’s narratives. PPP’s statements must be hurting establishment and this can affect PPP in coming elections. (Awami Awaz Edit)  
• It is the primary duty of police and the administration to ensure law and order in Larkana. Hence, every legal action should be taken to check incidents disturbing law and order scenario in Larkana. The forces and elements behind disturbing law and order should also be exposed and this is possible only when police discharge its duty honestly. (Sindh Express Edit)  

• Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar presented the government’s position on the evacuation of illegal immigrants at a press conference yesterday, where he mentioned Pakistan’s long-standing tradition of sacrifice for Afghan refugees, and also the problems created by Afghanistan for Pakistan. Pakistan had positive hopes from the establishment of the interim government of the Taliban in Afghanistan. In the past, as the Afghan land was left open to the forces hostile to Pakistan, it was hoped that the new Afghan government would take effective and satisfactory measures in this regard and that the land of Afghanistan would not be used against anyone. But after August 2021, what actually started to emerge was contrary to these expectations. This change in Afghanistan proved to be encouraging for TTP and the people associated with this terrorist group who were in the prisons were released as soon as the interim government of the Taliban was formed. A significant increase is seen in the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan after August 2021. Negotiations with TTP were attempted, but the Afghan government, instead of taking a position in favor of Pakistan, actually stood with TTP. This attitude of the interim government of Afghanistan was a cause of severe disappointment for Pakistan. The statistics presented by the caretaker Prime Minister in yesterday’s press conference are quite shocking. For example, after the establishment of the interim government of the Taliban in Afghanistan, there was a 60% increase in terrorist incidents and a 500% increase in suicide attacks in Pakistan, and during this time 2267 people died in Pakistan. During the last two years, extremists of Afghan origin were found involved in several terrorist incidents. Taking advantage of the facilities in Afghanistan, the TTP increased its activities to a great extent and allied with other extremist groups. It has created serious threats to the security of Pakistan. Whenever this situation was brought to the attention of Kabul, there was no positive response. The blatant disregard of Pakistani grievances by the Afghan Taliban is unacceptable. The serious threats posed by Afghanistan are a logical justification for the evacuation of Afghan citizens residing illegally in Pakistan. In these situations when Afghanistan is proving unable to fulfill its obligations, Pakistan must protect its national security. There is a need to deport individuals whose information is not in our national system and who pose a constant threat of terrorism and facilitation of terrorism. (Edit-Dunya Daily) 
• Pakistan has shared with the IMF a plan to close the external financing gap. The economic team of Pakistan has informed the International Monetary Fund about the arrangements, details, and new proposals to meet the external finance gap. According to the Ministry of Finance sources, the caretaker government expects a large increase in foreign investment in the current financial year and the external finance gap will be filled by direct foreign investment. Sources said that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar are deeply interested in investing in Pakistan, while Arab countries will invest heavily in energy, aviation, minerals, and agriculture. Arab companies will invest in increasing the efficiency and operation of airports. The outsourcing of Islamabad Airport is likely to happen this month. Apart from this, a free trade agreement has been signed with the Gulf Cooperation Organization and now a mutual investment agreement is being made. France, Germany, and South Korea are interested in long-term contracts with the management control of the DISCOs. At the same time, consultations are ongoing on giving the management control of the International Finance Corporation to the private sector. According to sources, foreign direct investment will increase in energy, aviation, minerals, and agriculture from January. (Qudrat Daily) 
• The IMF’s demand to end the electricity subsidy for tube wells is very sad because despite being an agricultural country, there is a demand to end the subsidy on agriculture. It is obvious that when the farmers are provided with expensive electricity, fertilizers, sprays and poor seeds instead of facilities and incentives,   agriculture suffers instead of getting any benefit, to farmers, who refrain from growing   crops. Shortage of commodities like wheat, rice, cotton has become a norm therefore. Instead of improving the ground situation, the government is working with zigzag policies.  It is necessary for the government to provide relief to its people, especially farmers by keeping in mind the ground realities instead of surrendering to the demands of the International Monetary Fund. (Edit, Daily Khabrain)  
• The formation of the electoral alliance between Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) has added to the confusion that has been visible since the announcement of election dates for holding the National and Provincial Assemblies. PML-N decided to form an alliance with all parties including GDA, and JUI in Sindh which are not with PPP. After the ouster of the PTI Government, PDM formed  government with PPP as a member of the ruling alliance. But now, the situation is different and for the new elections political parties have to make new alignments according to their own priorities, the process of which has already started. An election is credible only when all political parties participate in it. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has highlighted the need for PTI’s involvement in the election. Now prominent politician Aitzaz Ahsan has said that without the involvement of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the election will have no credibility. PTI Information Secretary Rauf Hasan talking to “The News” said that his party will not fight with any state institution. He distanced the party from the statement of PTI lawyer Barrister Gauhar Khan that PTI will come with the narrative of civilian supremacy against the establishment in the upcoming elections. It should be noted that transparent elections are the soul of a democratic system. Efforts should be made to ensure that the February 8 election is free from all kinds of doubts. (Jang Edit) ####