Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD2505
2008-07-24 09:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 24, 2008

Tags:  KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK 
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O 240929Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
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ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002505 


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 24, 2008

Summary: The decision by the ruling coalition to pursue dialogue
rather than military operations in FATA dominated headlines in all
newspapers on Thursday. Newspapers reported that a meeting in this
regard, chaired by the Prime Minister Gilani, decided to let the
parliament evolve a greater consensus against extremism. In a
front-page report, the English daily "The News" quoted an unnamed
American official as saying that Pakistan portrays a worst-case
scenario in the present circumstances. Another story in the same
paper revealed that U.S. officials will deliver several key policy
messages next week to the Prime Minister Gilani during his upcoming
visit. Riyadh's denial that the bomber of the Danish embassy in
Islamabad was a Saudi national also figured prominently.

Several newspapers ran editorials on the situation in Afghanistan
and Taliban. The English daily "Dawn" observed that the sources of
Taliban funding must be destroyed and if ISAF is not going to do
this, it is Pakistan's job to move into Afghanistan and destroy
poppy fields and laboratories. The leading Urdu daily, "Jang,"
observed that the intention of the U.S. charges about the presence
of Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistani tribal areas is now
crystal-clear; it wants to hit these areas. Another Urdu daily,
"Ausaf," opined that it is now obvious that the United States will
not refrain from violating Pakistan's border and airspace on mere
weak protest or complaints; Pakistan will have to abandon
expediencies and bid adieu to U.S. financial help, and talk to the
U.S. administration straightforwardly. End Summary.

-----------------
News Stories
-----------------

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002505


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 24, 2008

Summary: The decision by the ruling coalition to pursue dialogue
rather than military operations in FATA dominated headlines in all
newspapers on Thursday. Newspapers reported that a meeting in this
regard, chaired by the Prime Minister Gilani, decided to let the
parliament evolve a greater consensus against extremism. In a
front-page report, the English daily "The News" quoted an unnamed
American official as saying that Pakistan portrays a worst-case
scenario in the present circumstances. Another story in the same
paper revealed that U.S. officials will deliver several key policy
messages next week to the Prime Minister Gilani during his upcoming
visit. Riyadh's denial that the bomber of the Danish embassy in
Islamabad was a Saudi national also figured prominently.

Several newspapers ran editorials on the situation in Afghanistan
and Taliban. The English daily "Dawn" observed that the sources of
Taliban funding must be destroyed and if ISAF is not going to do
this, it is Pakistan's job to move into Afghanistan and destroy
poppy fields and laboratories. The leading Urdu daily, "Jang,"
observed that the intention of the U.S. charges about the presence
of Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistani tribal areas is now
crystal-clear; it wants to hit these areas. Another Urdu daily,
"Ausaf," opined that it is now obvious that the United States will
not refrain from violating Pakistan's border and airspace on mere
weak protest or complaints; Pakistan will have to abandon
expediencies and bid adieu to U.S. financial help, and talk to the
U.S. administration straightforwardly. End Summary.

--------------
News Stories
--------------


1. "Coalition Leaders Go For Talks In FATA; Parliament To Evolve
Greater Consensus Against Extremism" "The News" (07/24)

"Leaders of the ruling coalition in their meeting here on Wednesday
resolved to pursue dialogue rather than military operation in the
militancy-hit FATA, saying force would be used only as the last
resort. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani. The coalition partners agreed that parliament would discuss
the formulation of a national policy to mobilize the public support
for greater consensus on Pakistan's battle against extremism and

militancy."


2. "Pakistan In A Worst-Case Mode, Says U.S. Official" "The News"
(07/24)

"Presently, Pakistan portrays a worst-case scenario because the
government in Islamabad instead of aggressively pursuing the
militants in the tribal areas was offering them sanctuaries in
return for a ceasefire, a top U.S. official has said in a deep
background briefing. The terror-related fatalities in Pakistan, the
official admitted, had increased three times since 2006, but the
government was unable to understand that the militants wanted to
destabilize the country."


3. "U.S. Overcomes Musharraf-Phobia To Back New Set-Up" "The News"
(07/24)

"Several key policy messages will be delivered next week to Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his coalition partners, including a
firm assurance that Washington had got over its Musharraf phobia and
was willing wholeheartedly to politically and economically support
the new government, a senior diplomat in Washington said on
Wednesday."


4. "Saudi Arabia Refutes Al Qaeda Claim About Bomber's Identity"
"Dawn" (07/24)

"Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Pakistan denied an Al Qaeda claim that
a suicide attacker who bombed the Danish Embassy in Islamabad last
month was a Saudi, in comments published on Wednesday."


5. "'Surrender' Of Taliban Commander Raises West Hopes" "Dawn"
(07/24)

"Western officials in the past have suspected the Pakistani security
services of turning a blind eye to the presence of Taliban leaders
in Quetta. Recent unpublicized arrests in Quetta, however, raised
hopes of a sea-change in Pakistan, a senior western official
said.... A statement issued by British forces in Afghanistan late
on Tuesday said Mullah Rahim, operational commander of the Taliban
forces in Helmand, had surrendered to 'authorities in Pakistan.'"


6. "300 People On Baitullah Mehsud's Hit List" "Daily Times"
(07/24)

"The intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been put on high
alert based on the news that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief
Baitullah Mehsud has prepared a hit list of around 300 high-profile
figures, including political leaders."


7. "Hangu Operation Halted: ISPR" "Dawn" (07/24)

"Army wound up its week-long operation in the troubled Hangu
district on Wednesday evening after flushing out militants and
taking control of the area, said the military spokesman
Director-General of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR),
Maj-Gen Athar Abbas on Wednesday."


8. "U.S. Expert Defends Pakistan Military Aid" "The News," "The
Post" (07/24)

"The United States and Pakistan currently have a relatively high
point of military relationship despite ups and downs, a noted
American defence expert said, while also strongly defending the U.S.
security assistance for Islamabad's conventional balance with India.
"Today, the relationship is a relatively high point," defence
analyst David Smith said."

--------------
Editorials/Op-eds
--------------


9. "Across The Durand Line," an editorial in the Karachi-based
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000)
(07/24)

"The biggest blot on the U.S.-led forces is their inability to cut
off the Taliban's sources of funding and arms supply.... The
sources of the Taliban's funding must be destroyed, and if ISAF is
not going to do this, do they think it is Pakistan's job to move
into Afghanistan and destroy those poppy fields and the
laboratories?"


10. "More U.S. Troops To Afghanistan," an editorial in the leading
mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (07/24)

"According to some media reports, the United States is planning to
dispatch 11,000 additional troops to Afghanistan next year. The
intention of the U.S. charges about presence of Taliban and Al-Qaeda
operatives in Pakistani tribal areas is now crystal-clear; it wants
to hit these areas. NATO's violations of Pakistani border and
airspace also make public their objectives. The visit of Democratic
presidential aspirant Barack Obama to Afghanistan and Iraq is also
making this perception stronger. Therefore, it is crucial that the
government open its eyes, discontinue military operations in FATA at
once, and opt to decide issues through nonviolent dialogue process."



11. "Need To Adopt Bold Stand To Stop Foreign Intervention," an
editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir.
10,000) (07/24)

"It is now obvious that the United States will not refrain from
violating Pakistani borders and airspace on mere weak protest or
complaints. Pakistan will have to abandon expediencies and bid
adieu to U.S. financial help, and talk to the U.S. administration
straightforwardly. The nation will certainly support the rulers on
that move, if they choose to talk to Americans decisively."


12. "American Desire To Take Action In Tribal Areas," an editorial
in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir.
15,000) (07/24)

"The recent statements of Asif Zardari, PM Gilani, and the NWFP
government show that now the government is not in a mood to talk to
the Taliban any further. And perhaps, it may launch a military
operation to wipe out 'terrorists' from FATA before PM Gilani leaves
for Washington. What will be the outcome of that military
adventure? It is not very difficult to figure out for the Pakistani
people, as they have been bearing the brunt of such exploits for the
last six or seven years."


13. "Taliban's Deadline," an editorial in the second-largest,
center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000)
(07/24)

"The Government hasn't taken note of the Taliban deadline and the
operation in Hangu and Swat continues. Even on the expiration of
the deadline, the Taliban have stressed the need for dialogue; the
Frontier government also wants dialogue. But which is the force in
Islamabad that is not letting the two sides hold talks? On the
other hand, who are the people raising arms despite the Taliban's
declaration of peace? The Taliban should expel such anti-peace
people from their ranks and support the government in bringing them
to justice."


14. "Rare Insight," an editorial in the centrist national English
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/24)

"The interview with Mustafa Abu Al Yazid, a senior Al Qaeda
commander who is believed to be third in its hierarchy, gives an
insight into the thinking of extremism. The charge that Pakistan,
more than any other country, had inflicted the most damage on Al
Qaeda is one that goes to prove Islamabad's consistent assertion
before Washington that it is locked in an all-out battle against
terrorists and is not, as has been alleged, colluding with them."


15. "Strained Talks," an editorial in the centrist national English
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/24)

"At present, Kabul and New Delhi seem to be batting on the same
team. The U.S. too appears to tilt towards them, and this leaves
Pakistan rather isolated. This is clearly undesirable. Improved
regional ties, particularly with India, are central to betterment in
Pakistan's economic situation. Analysts have also pointed out such
warmer relations could also help challenge militancy in the country,
by encouraging people to look eastwards, towards the multicultural
reality of the subcontinent and our roots within it, rather than
towards the west and the more militant, violent legacy of militancy
that has come from Afghanistan."


16. "The Threat Remains," an editorial in the center-right national
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (07/24)

"The government has reiterated its stance that it is committed to a
negotiated settlement of the conflict and has pointed out that the
situation in Hangu had compelled it to have recourse to force. The
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan should show willingness to accept the
offer and withdraw its ultimatum, realizing the fact that attempts
at violating the writ of the state would not be tolerated. The two
sides must work hard to make the talks successful so that peace,
once returned to the area, becomes durable."


17. "Political Equality For FATA," an editorial in the country's
premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000)
(07/24)

"To insist that the ongoing insurgency in the tribal areas is the
exclusive outcome of Afghan Jihad would not be fair; the fact is
these areas and their people have been treated differently, if not
discriminately, not only by the colonial power but Pakistan
governments as well. Under the Constitution, they have a different
status that tends to hinder their fuller political, social and
economic growth."


18. "The Afghan Odyssey," an op-ed by Ikram Sehgal in the centrist
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/24)

"Before venturing into FATA militarily we should have not only
war-gamed the consequences but trained our troops in the type of
counter-insurgency being faced by Coalition troops across the
border. Frontier warfare or guerrilla warfare as taught in Command
and Staff College is outdated. Air mobility and electronic
capability that the Coalition possesses is a critical necessity for
us, this we have only partially. In this type of terrain it is
virtually impossible to counter an insurgency without exploiting the
heliborne potential."


Patterson