Pakistan Urdu Press: December 29, 2009 - January 4 2010
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  • Jang, opinion, January 1, 2010

    Times of India and Jang’s campaign for peace, a welcome step: Shafqat Mahmood

    In his new year musing, Columnist Shafqat Mahmood praises The Times of India and Jang’s effort to provide impetus to Indo-Pak peace process. Mahmood opines that “the time has come to bury our past hatchets.” He argues that despite differences in India-Pakistan relations many things are common such as their culture, language and history. Against this background, he says, India’s Times of India group and Pakistan’s Jang group have joined hands to provide fresh impetus to the peace process, which is a welcome step. The joint mission of both the media groups is to put pressure on the establishments of both the countries to restore peace and normalcy. The columnist says that this is the first instance in the history of South Asia when media groups of both the countries have joined hands with the true intention to create ambience for peace in the region which would make the peace process successful in the near future.

    The columnist opines that this is important that the media groups have not ruled out possibilities of involvement of establishments in their “Amn ki Asha” campaign. The Jang group has already had detailed negotiations with the government of Pakistan, the PML, the MQM and other political parties. All the parties have welcomed the step and have supported the movement. On the other hand the Times of India has also started detailed discussions with the ruling Congress Party.

    The columnist writes that the campaign by the media groups will be widened in three months to get people’s support and to create a level playing field for the peace process. But it is the governments who have to take final call.

    In conclusion, he says that “gift of peace is being offered by the Times of India and the Jang groups. Let us together pray for the success of peace. Happy New Year.”
    http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/jan2010-daily/01-01-2010/coll.htm

    Ausaf, opinion Column, January 1, 2010

    Karachi Incident: Former City mayor and Provincial Interior minister enter into blame game, Sarfaraz Syed

    A bomb blast and arson during Muharram Procession in Karachi in which 45 people were killed and several shopping complexes were burnt to ashes has generated a lot of debate in the Pakistani media. Columnist Sarfaraz Syed writes in Ausaf daily that Sindh’s Interior Minister Zulfiqar Mirza and city mayor Mustafa Kamal have accused each other for the “heinous crime” and “deliberate negligence”. The columnist writes that Mustafa Kamal has blamed the provincial government for not involving him in the management of Muharram preparations and has questioned the interior minister as to why police remained mute spectators while miscreants were setting the shops ablaze? Hitting back the Provincial Interior Minister has questioned the city mayor on why the fire tenders were not sent to the scene? The columnist quotes representatives of Zulfiqar Mirza as saying that Mustafa Kamal has an old dispute with traders of Bolton Market (which is now burnt to ashes) as he has approved a project to build a park at the site.
    http://www.dailyausaf.com/edi_detail.php?id=1818&art_id=14

    Ausaf, opinion Column, January 1, 2010

    Pakistan’s all time enemy behind the Karachi blast: Raza Irfan

    Another Columnist in Ausaf Urdu daily assumes that Karachi blast was an act by an all time enemy. He says that the “Taliban has announced its non-involvement in the blast,1 but one thing is sure that this attack was a pre-planned and coordinated one… Our all time enemy could be behind the act which after the act destroyed the whole sale market in an effort to weaken our economy.” The Columnist, Raza Irfan Khwaja also questions the ineptness of security forces and asks how the ambulance, laden with explosives was allowed to sneak into the procession? He also says that identifying the persons involved in arson in markets would help solve the mystery behind the blast.
    http://www.dailyausaf.com/edi_detail.php?id=1816&art_id=19

    Nawa-e-Waqt , Editorial, December 30, 2009

    Agents of enemies’ intelligence agencies must have entered Muharram procession: Nawae Waqt

    The Nawa-e-Waqt Urdu daily commenting on the Karachi incident stated that the government should have kept a close watch on the activities of RAW and Black Water in view of Muharram, which only encouraged them to use the event as an opportunity to rattle national harmony. The paper assumes that the agents of enemies’ intelligence agencies must have entered the procession in the guise of mourners to execute their plans. The editorial suggests in view of intelligence reports which found that the incident was a planned conspiracy against national integration, the political leadership should stop the war against terrorism which they are fighting in “others interest”.

    http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-urdu-online/Opinions/Editorials/30-Dec-2009/7148

    Azkar, Editorial, December 31, 2009

    Properties worth 3 billion gutted in fire: Azkar

    Taking stock of the economic loss the Azkar Urdu daily says that as per preliminary speculations properties worth 30 billion rupees has been destroyed in the arson following the Karachi blast. The daily states that when every body was trying to save his or her life there were some people who were burning the markets. These were the elements which want to disintegrate the country. They should be found and destroyed. The paper says that some of our own greedy people are acting at the behest of our enemies to earn money and involved in these terrible acts.

    Nawae Waqt, Editorial, December 28, 2009

    Sindh Interior Minister needs political training: Nawae Waqt

    Pakistani media took strong exception to Sindh Interior Minister Zulfiqar Mirza’s revelation that he has decided to break Pakistan when Benazir was assassinated but Zardari stopped them from using the slogan of “Pakistan Khape”, when they were about to bring out a march from Naudero House,-Benazir’s residence. The Nawa-e-Waqt in its editorial writes that “ Zulfiqar Mirza is not a political leader but suffers with “linguistic and regional disorder (sickness)”. The daily advises President Zardari to give him political training and provide him books written by Benazir Bhutto to change his mind.
    http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-urdu-online/Opinions/Editorials/28-Dec-2009/7131

    Ausaf, opinion Column, January 1, 2010

    Mirza’s statements spit venom against Pakistan: Naved Masood Hashmi

    Columnist Naved Masood Hashmi, in Ausaf Daily also criticises Zulfiqar Mirza’s act during and after the Karachi blast. He quotes Provincial Interior Minister Zulfiqar Mirza as saying that he does not care if people die in the city or markets are burnt to ashes. He asks President Zardari who said that “those disturbing peace in Qaed’s city will be dealt with an iron hand” to take note of the statements of the provincial interior minister who stated in his speech at Nodero: “ when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated we had decided to break Pakistan but Zardari stopped us … when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was in jail we had planned to hijack a plane to get him released then Mumtaz Ali Bhutto stopped us…” The author opines that neither the Prime minister nor the President has taken notice of his statement. The columnist asks that if statements of a person are so venomous against Pakistan how destructive will his government be?
    http://www.dailyausaf.com/edi_detail.php?id=1815&art_id=17


    Pakistan Pulse: Online opinion Poll by Asas Urdu Daily

    A poll conducted against the backdrop of the blast during the Muharram procession in Karachi says that majority of Pakistani citizens believe that a foreign hand is involved in the blast .An online opinion poll conducted by Asas Urdu daily asked its readers whether they believe involvement in Karachi blast, a majority of 7261 respondents replied in “Yes” while 2648 thought that it is not so.

    Q Whether Foreign hands are involved in Karachi blast? (Poll conducted on December 30, 2009)

    Yet another poll suggests that the Pakistanis are not satisfied with the performance of the government. An online opinion poll conducted by Asas Urdu daily asked its readers whether the government’s performance meets their expectations, a majority of 8410 respondents replied “No” while only 2381 replied in “Yes”.

    Q. Are you satisfied with the performance of the government? (Poll conducted on December 28, 2009)

    And when the daily posed another related question, majority of them favoured a mid term election.

    Q. Should the government go for a mid-term election? (Poll conducted on December 30, 2009)

    http://www.dailyasas.com.pk/poll_answer.html

    • 1. An editorial in Nawae Waqt, however, has quoted Ismatullah Shaheen, a Taliban commander, of owning responsibility of Karachi and warning such more attacks in few days.

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