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Pak-India Dialogue
Pakistan held fifth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process in Islamabad on December 8-9. Highlight of this conference was talks between Pakistan and India in which both the countries decided to resume dialogue process to sort out all their outstanding issues under a new name, “Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue Process.” According to joint statement issued by the Foreign Office following the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, both the countries agreed to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue Process. Issues to be discussed in the meeting will include peace and security, confidence building measures (CBMs), Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Economic and Commercial Cooperation, Counterterrorism, and People to People Exchanges.
Meanwhile US has also welcomed the “normalisation of relations” between Pakistan and India and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Pakistan. State Department spokesperson announced US support to any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to reduce tensions, engage in dialogue, and forge closer relations.
Global Terrorism
Involvement of a female Pakistani, Tashfeen Malik, in a recent shooting in California has led Pakistan government to start investigation into this. Pakistan has already condemned the incident in strong words and expressed grief over this tragedy. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan responded on question regarding California attack in a press conference and said that the act of an individual does not represent that of a country or a religion. He termed the shooting as an attempt to malign Islam and the Muslims and said that ‘such incidents are making life difficult for Pakistanis living abroad.
Meanwhile in a bid to eradicate terrorism from the region Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States expressed their full commitment to enable an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned political reconciliation process that promotes a dialogue between the Afghan government and groups of Taliban. Following a trilateral meeting at Prime Minister House in Islamabad on the sidelines of Heart of Asia conference Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States also expressed their commitment to accelerate diplomatic and political efforts to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan. Meanwhile the head of Afghanistan’s main intelligence agency has resigned over disagreements with President Ashraf Ghani. The resignation of Rahmatullah Nabil follows a series of setbacks in recent months including the fall of the northern city of Kunduz to the Taliban and an insurgent raid on Kandahar airport in which 50 civilians, police and security personnel were killed.
Local Politics
Law and order situation of Karachi has been a prime focus this week. Both, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif were in Karachi to sort out the issue of Rangers’ deployment in the provincial capital city as the term of the paramilitary force’s operation expired this week.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also chaired a high- level meeting at Governor’s House in Karachi and said that government won’t make compromise on law and order situation in the metropolitan city. He also said that targets of the ongoing operation were clear, adding that all out efforts would be made to maintain peace in Karachi. Meanwhile Army Chief General Raheel Sharif termed the Karachi operation apolitical and impartial and said that operation in the city was not being carried out against any political party.
Meanwhile Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and former minister Dr Asim Hussain, who was arrested last month told an anti-terrorism court that he had been mentally tortured in the custody of the security forces and that he feared for his life. He was arrested over the charges against him for allegedly treating and harbouring terrorists at his hospital at the behest of MQM and PPP leaders.
Other News
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