Perceptor Security & Governance Report (9-14 April 2012)

2.      National Desk

a.      Desperate rescue efforts at Siachen – COAS visits site; 8 members US experts team arrive for help

b.      US gives Afghans control in deal on night raids

c.      Armed Forces should not object over good relations with India: PM (NW)

d.      COAS to preside 2-days Formation Commanders Conference starting from today

e.      Two ANF officials probing Rs 7bn scam involving illegal sale of chemical removed, son of PM is reportedly involved in the case

f.       Sacked Def Secretary made FFC head

g.      Curfew continues in Gilgit – Kidnappers free 34 hostages

h.      Pak is to deploy specially trained Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) forces at 820 border posts along the Pak-Afghan border: ET

i.        ISI chief Lt Gen Zahir plans Europe visit, accompanied by Gen Pasha: Dawn

j.       Pak spending $2.5b on nukes annually: Hindustan Times (The News)

k.      No change in Siachen policy: FO

l.        Iranian Counsel Gen Offers 5,000 MW electricity on cheap rates

3.    Intl Desk

a.      A Stable Afghanistan Is Still Possible, Michael O'Hanlon And Bruce Riedel (WSJ)

b.      Pak Clears Way to Reset U.S. Ties, By Tom Wright (WSJ)

c.      Pak Reveals Soft Side to India With Trade Show (NYT)

d.      Pak Parliament Approves Proposals on US Ties (NYT)

e.      Pak calls for end to U.S. drone attacks, By  Richard Leiby (WP)

f.       Pak human rights campaigners demand Siachen inquiry after avalanche, Rob Crilly (Telegraph)

g.      India Offers to Discuss Kashmir With Pak, Tom Wright And Matt Murray (WSJ)

h.      Putin Calls NATO 'Relic of the Cold War': (NYT)

i.        The Fate of India’s Strategic Restraint, Sunil Dasgupta (Brookings Institution)

j.       U.S. talks of ‘strategic partnership’ with Afghans, Kristina Wong (WP)

k.      Bad weather hampering attempts to rescue 135 Pak avalanche victims , Rob Crilly (Telegraph)

l.        India, Pak Détente Still an Uphill Battle , By Tom Wright (WSJ)

m.    Gunmen kill 6 Shiite Muslims in apparent sectarian attack in Pak (WP)

n.      As hopes fade for avalanche survivors, questions over Pak deployment to frozen heights (WP)

o.      US offers help to Pak as hopes of finding any avalanche survivors fade, Jon Boone (Guardian)

4.    Governance Alerts

a.            ECP:

·                     ECP officer ‘promoted’ twice in two years. (News)

b.            Corruption:

·                     A case of a ‘law-abiding’ narcotics producer? accused given clean chit after allegedly benefiting from illegal quota and using it for illicit purposes. (Express Tribune, Express)

·                     Unauthorized appointment of Director Marketing in PCB; post was filled without advertisement; Director start receiving Rs. 4 lac as salary. (Khabrain)

·                     Theft of thousand of liters of diesel from government departments in Islamabad per day has been unearthed. (Ausaf)

c.            Food: 

·                     The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has neither its own building nor funds, reports. (Ausaf)

d.            Interior Ministry:

·                     25 lac Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia face severe hardships as the Interior Ministry in Pakistan has fixed 31 July as a deadline for renewal of manual passports. (Nawa-e-Waqt)

e.            Tourism:

·                     PTDC employees awaiting salaries for months; MD enjoys foreign trips from special grant, report by Israr Ahmed. (Nation)

·                     Around 560 employees PTDC who have not been paid their salaries for over 7 months have finally decided to launch a weeklong protest campaign from Monday (April 16) for resolution of their grievances. (News)

f.             Radio Pakistan:

·                     Radio Pakistan is likely to stop functioning as the Ministry of Finance has refused to provide budget for the next financial year.

g.            NADRA:

·                     NADRA has failed to trace out those government servants who are drawing double salaries in the Sindh government. (Jang)

h.            Health:

·                     Popular representatives devour life saving medicines worth Rs. 12 crores meant for the poor from polyclinic Islamabad. (Khabrain)

Comments:

• 
  Security: The overall security situation shows continuous improvement. The main concern of the week on security is of Karachi however situation in rest of the country provides an opportunity to consolidate.

• 
  Governance: The handling of governance issues by government is a huge issue and mainly requires will than any advise as perceived in public.