November (16-30) 2016 PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST A Selected Summary of News, Views and Trends from Pakistani Media Prepared by Dr Ashish Shukla & Nazir Ahmed (Research Assistants, Pakistan Project, IDSA) PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST NOVEMBER (16-30) 2016 A Select Summary of News, Views and Trends from the Pakistani Media Prepared by Dr Ashish Shukla & Nazir Ahmed (Pak-Digest, IDSA) INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSES 1-Development Enclave, Near USI Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi-110010 Pakistan News Digest, November (16-30) 2016 PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST, November (16-30) 2016 CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 0 ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................... 2 EDITOR’S NOTE ....................................................................................................... 3 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................. 4 NATIONAL POLITICS ....................................................................................... 4 THE PANAMA PAPERS .................................................................................... 6 PROVINCIAL POLITICS .................................................................................... 8 EDITORIALS AND OPINION .......................................................................... 9 Floppy and sloppy, Cyril Almeida, The Dawn, November 20 ...................... 9 FOREIGN POLICY .................................................................................................. 10 EDITORIALS AND OPINION ........................................................................ 11 MILITARY AFFAIRS .............................................................................................. 12 EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS ...................................................................... 14 ECONOMIC ISSUES .............................................................................................. 15 CHINA-PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR ............................................ 16 EDITORIALS AND OPINION ........................................................................ 17 SECURITY SITUATION ........................................................................................ 17 TERRORISM ....................................................................................................... 17 KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA AND FATA .................................................... 18 BALOCHISTAN................................................................................................. 18 SINDH ................................................................................................................. 19 EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS ...................................................................... 20 RELATIONS WITH INDIA................................................................................... 21 EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS ...................................................................... 24 EXCERPTS FROM URDU MEDIA & SELECT JIHADI LITERATURE ...... 26 STATISTICS ............................................................................................................. 30 BOMBINGS, SHOOTINGS AND DISAPPEARANCES .............................. 30 IDSA, New Delhi 1 Pakistan News Digest, November (16-30) 2016 ABBREVIATIONS ADB: Asian Development Bank AIIB: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ANP: Awami National Party APC: All Parties Conference ATC: Anti-Terrorism Court CPEC: China- Pakistan Economic Corridor CTD: Counter Terrorism Department ECP: Election Commission of Pakistan IED: Improvised Explosive Device IHC: Islamabad High Court IMF: International Monetary Fund ISI: Inter-Services Intelligence ISPR: Inter Services Public Relations JI: Jamaat-i-Islaami JuD: Jamat-ul- Dawa JUI-F Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) KP: Khyber Pakhthunkhwa LHC: Lahore High Court MQM: Muttahida Qaumi Movement NAB: National Accountability Bureau NADRA- National Database and Registration Authority NAP: National Action Plan PAT: Pakistan Awami Tehreek PML-N: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PPP: Pakistan People’s Party PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf QCG: Quadrilateral Coordination Group QWP: Qaumi Watan Party RRG: Rapid Response Group TTP: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan IDSA, New Delhi 2 Pakistan News Digest, November (16-30) 2016 EDITOR’S NOTE There seems to be no improvement in the atmosphere, as far as the relations between India and Pakistan is concerned. The cross-border firing and skirmishes have become a daily affair both sides blaming each-other for the provocation. On political front too, there is a hardening of positions. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently argued that every Indian war aggression would be responded instantly and befittingly. In response to the recent cross-border firing, Gen. Rahell Sharif stated that his soldiers had given befitting reply to Indians by killing around four dozens of their personnel. He did not stop here but went on argue that Modi had now come to know the capabilities of our armed forces. The apex court of Pakistan raised some vital questions regarding the quality of evidence submitted by PTI. The court stated that the 680-page submission had nothing to do with Sharif family’s properties in London. The court observed that the newspaper clippings were only good for selling snacks and could not be considered as evidence. The court made its displeasure known to PTI’s counsel. The court was also not happy to hear another explanation from Sharif camp regarding the purchase of London flats. The court also observed that both the parties were doing their best to ensure that in the end the court formed a commission itself to decide the Panamagate. The scope area and the total worth of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been widening ever since the two countries made a formal announcement for the first time. It has become a trend to include many new projects into the orbit of CPEC. Recently, Divisional Superintendent Railways Muhammad Anif Gul made it clear that the new railway track from Spanzan to Kuchlak would be part of the CPEC and five railway statins of Balochistan would also be upgraded. Members of both civilian and military establishment, who dominated the power centre, seem to be obsessed about the project and its success. It has become a routine for the leaders to issue the statements that the CPEC would transform Pakistani economy and Pakistanis would benefit out of it. Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri’s remark that CPEC would promote social contacts in the province is totally in sync with the claims made by federal government. Dr Ashish Shukla IDSA, New Delhi 3 Pakistan News Digest, November (16-30) 2016 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS NATIONAL POLITICS Two more militant outfits banned, The Dawn, November 191 The federal government has banned two more militant outfits for their involvement in terrorist activities across the country, it emerged on Friday (November 18). The move to proscribe the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Lashkar-i- Jhangvi Al-Alami came after recent attacks on sectarian grounds in different parts of the country were claimed by the two groups, said a senior official on Friday. A spokesman for the interior ministry confirmed the development and said that the decision was made only a few days ago. Referring to a revised list of banned organisations available on the website of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), a senior official in Sindh’s security establishment said: “The two organisations were added to the banned outfits’ list on Nov 11.” The updated list on Nacta website shows a total of 63 outfits that have been proscribed by the federal government. PTI, PML-N not serious: Khawaja, Daily Times, November 202 Pakistan Peoples Party's Senator Dr. Karim Khawaja has said that both Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) are not serious about fair investigation of Panama leaks scandal and thus the country is engulfed in political instability. In a statement issued by PPP Media Office Islamabad Senator Khawaja said that Nawaz Government has only one way out of this crisis and that is to accept all four demands by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He said that PML-N and PTI are ignorant of issues faced by the people of this country. Country has no clear foreign policy and economy is dwindling resulting in increasing problems for the masses. About PTI Chairman he said that Imran Khan has psychological problems and he does not trust anyone so he always treads alone. PAC powerless to eliminate graft: Shah, The Dawn, November 223 Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah on Monday (November 21) expressed frustration over parliament’s helplessness in recovering the public money stuck due to corruption and irregularities in various government departments. Mr Shah, the chairperson of the Public Accounts Com•mittee, presented three reports and called for a “drastic restructuring” of the PAC. Addressing the National Assembly, Mr Shah called for legislation to make the committee “independent”, more effective and useful. 1 http://www.dawn.com/news/1297314/two-more-militant-outfits-banned 2 http://dailytimes.com.pk/e-paper/2016-11-20/lahore/7917/50613 3 http://www.dawn.com/news/1297860/pac-powerless-to-eliminate-graft-shah-tells-na IDSA, New Delhi 4 Pakistan News Digest, November (16-30) 2016 ATC sentences five to death, The News,