PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: AUGUST 02-04, 2008

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002608 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: AUGUST 02-04, 2008 SUMMARY: Reports and photographs on the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leadership summit in Colombo dominated front pages in all newspapers on Monday. Newspapers reported that a pact was signed to combat terrorism and fight hunger. Prime Minister Gilani's meeting with Afghan President Karzai in Colombo, in which both leaders agreed to resume talks, figured prominently. Assistant Secretary Boucher's press statement in Colombo highlighting the need for focused and good intelligence services in Pakistan received front-page coverage. Secretary Rice's remarks indicating the use of some U.S. power along with full Pakistani power in the FATA also garnered front-page coverage. Also highlighted were reports that a Pakistani female neuroscientist is alive and is in U.S. custody in Afghanistan. President Musharraf's statement that plots were being hatched against the ISI received prominent coverage. Some major dailies continued to run editorials on the western media onslaught on the role of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) while the others reviewed various aspects of the just-concluded SAARC summit. An op-ed in leading mass circulation Urdu daily "Jang" pointed out that ISI and other Pakistani intelligence agencies are "our national assets." To protect them from external conspiracies, the columnist said, it is imperative to make them answerable to the Parliament. Another Urdu daily, "Islam," argued that the U.S. media claim to be independent, but in fact, they always publish and broadcast whatever the CIA and the Zionist lobby feed them. End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- ¶1. "SAARC Accord To Curb Terror, Fight Hunger" "Dawn" (08/04) "South Asian leaders signed a legal cooperation pact on Sunday to combat terrorism and agreed to set up a food bank to fight hunger in the face of rising food prices in one of the world's poorest regions. But the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC),a forum of eight nations, made little progress on trade, the central theme of the group formed in 1985." ¶2. "Gilani, Karzai Agree To Re-Engage, "The News" (08/04) "The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed on Sunday to "re-engage" in the fight against Islamic extremism, a joint statement said. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met in Colombo on the sidelines of a Saarc summit and agreed after their 'cordial' breakfast meeting that their foreign ministers would meet over ways to build 'close and constructive engagement' between the neighbors, the statement said." ¶3. "U.S. Wants 'Focused' Intelligence Services" "Dawn" (08/04) "The United States has said it will like to see 'focused and good' intelligence services in Pakistan working on the agenda of reining in terrorism that has become a cause of concern for the country's neighbors. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said at a press conference here on Sunday that his government would want Pakistan to have a 'good intelligence service' that worked single-mindedly and in 'close step' with other institutions of the country, implying that the current mechanisms could be pursuing an agenda different from that of the government." ¶4. "U.S., Pakistan Need To Combine Powers To Beat Militants: Rice" "Dawn" (08/04) "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that only a combination of U.S. and Pakistani powers can improve the situation in Fata, where the militants appear to have gained an upper hand. "It's going to take all elements of Pakistan's power, national power, as well as some of ours, to improve that situation," said Ms Rice while talking to Aspen Institute President and CEO Walter Isaacson, in Colorado, Aspen." ¶5. "Peace Talks With FATA Militants Have Failed, Says Rice" "Daily Times" (08/04) "Peace talks with militants in the Tribal Areas have failed to produce any positive result and the situation in FATA can only be improved if Pakistan and the United States use their forces in this area, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday." ¶6. "Rice Hints At U.S. Action In FATA, "The News" (08/04) "Underscoring the need for immediate military action in Fata and areas adjacent to the Pak-Afghan border, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has indicated that use of some U.S. power along with the full Pakistani power may be on the cards to eliminate the terrorists groups there." ¶7. "FBI Concedes Aafia Siddiqui In U.S. Custody: lawyer" "Dawn" (08/04) "Five years after her mysterious disappearance in Karachi, the FBI has finally conceded that an MIT-trained Pakistani neuroscientist is alive and is in U.S. custody in Afghanistan. Aafia Siddiqui, 36, disappeared with her three children while visiting her parents' home in Karachi in March 2003, around the same time the FBI announced that it wanted to question her over her alleged links to Al Qaeda." ¶8. "Musharraf Smells A Rat Against ISI, "The News" (08/04) "President Pervez Musharraf has said that plots were being hatched against the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),adding weakening this premier intelligence agency was tantamount to weakening the country and the armed forces. He said a dangerous situation was brewing and suggested a roundtable conference of politicians to tackle issues of national interest." ¶9. "No ISI Involvement in Afghanistan: Rehman" "The Nation" (08/04) "Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik on Sunday categorically denied American accusations that the Pakistani intelligence agency is aiding Taliban in Afghanistan. 'There is no involvement by the ISI of any form in Afghanistan,' he told the Sunday Times. 'We requested evidence which has not yet been given.'" ¶10. "U.S.-Trained Pakistani Commandos To Move Into FATA" "Daily Times" (08/04) "A Pakistani Special Service Group (SSG) unit, trained by Americans, is to be deployed in the Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan to take quick and effective action against insurgents, a report in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday said." ¶11. "Pakistan, U.S. To Jointly Address Security Concerns" "The News" (08/04) "Pakistan and the United States have agreed on a set of measures in tandem with one another to address their respective security concerns, Ambassador Husain Haqqani said in an interview telecast Friday evening. He made a strong case for better intelligence cooperation between the two countries to stamp out militants along with border with Afghanistan." ¶12. "Elahi Terms PM's U.S. Visit a Failure" "The News" (08/04) "Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Ch. Pervaiz Elahi has alleged that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's visit to the United States could not deliver objectives set by the government." ¶13. "Gilani Did Better in Private than Public" "The News" (08/04) "Although 'disappointing' has become a buzz word for Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's poor showing in Washington, knowledgeable officials say he relatively fared 'better in private than in public.' Background discussions with U.S. experts closely watching his visit say the Bush administration was quite pragmatic and well aware of his stature and limitations, therefore, was not pinning high hopes on him." ¶14. "PM's Visit To U.S. Put War On Terror On Solid Footing, Says Boucher" "Daily Times" (08/04) "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's visit to the United States has given impetus to the war on terror, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher said on Sunday. 'We all believe that his (Gilani's) visit to the U.S. was very successful as it put a solid footing to the fight against terrorism,' he said during a press conference." ¶15. "The Winking President Bush, "The News" (08/04) "Known for making grammatical mistakes in his speeches, President George W Bush showed another side of his interesting character recently when he winked to someone during Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani's statement to members of the press at the White House in Washington. Viewers who watched the live TV coverage of the event are still talking about the wink that the U.S. president gave to somebody sitting in the front rows meant for journalists. The winking Bush had a mischievous smile on his face as he made the strange gesture. The U.S. president looked amusing while winking. In fact, he would have thought that this was something funny. But it wasn't. The winking by President Bush was in poor taste...." ¶16. "Security Official, 30 Militants Killed In Swat Offensive" "Daily Times" (08/04) "A security official and around 30 militants were killed on the fifth day of the ongoing military operation in Swat on Sunday, sources told Daily Times." ¶17. "Swat Militants Burn Down 5 Girls Schools" "Dawn" (08/04) "Five girls schools and a government office were set ablaze in Swat while security forces claimed on Sunday to have killed 15 militants during an operation in the Sijband area." ¶18. "Girls School In Quetta Attacked" "Dawn" (08/04) "Suspected Taliban militants set on fire furniture, computers and records of a private girls' school in a suburb of the city on Sunday morning. Police officers of Sariab Police Station said that four rooms of the Babul Islam Model Public Girls School in Ghilji colony had been gutted." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- ¶19. "ISI Has Depth, Ability to Face Onslaught," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (08/04) "Americans are spearheading the venomous campaign against ISI despite the fact that their successes in war against terror in this part of the world are mainly because of the intelligence sharing by the ISI. Pakistan is also believed to have handed over close to one thousand hard-core elements to the United States. Those who are fully familiar with the nature and level of cooperation between Pakistan and the United States are convinced that Washington will have to pack up within weeks once Islamabad decided to cease its strategic cooperation. However, ISI being guardian of national interest cannot close its eyes to anti-Pakistan activities of foreign agencies and give them a free hand to play havoc with our interests...." ¶20. "Propaganda Against ISI," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (08/03) "The propaganda drive of the U.S. media against Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, is in full swing these days. What is the aim, who is behind this movement, and what are the sources of this disinformation? The answers to all these questions are no secret to those who are aware of the inner mechanism of the U.S. media. They (U.S. media) claim to be independent, but in fact, they always publishes and broadcast whatever is taught, and fed by the notorious CIA and the Zionist lobby. The U.S.-led war on terror is going to be a complete failure, and now the United States wants to hold Pakistan responsible for this crash." ¶21. "Intelligence Agencies and Parliament," an op-ed by Hamid Mir in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (08/04) "ISI and other Pakistani intelligence agencies are our national assets. To protect them from external conspiracies, it is imperative to make them answerable to the parliament. However, these spy agencies can be controlled by a parliament that itself is sovereign and powerful. A legislature whose chief (Prime Minister) looks at those elements who are sitting outside the parliament before making any decision cannot make these spy agencies responsible." ¶22. "What Is America's Real Agenda?," an op-ed by Iqbal Haider in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (08/04) "Much to our embarrassment, Pakistan has come to be regarded as a satellite state of America. No policy that goes against the wishes of America can be pursued by our military regimes.... The fact is that the policies and priorities of Washington and its ally, General Musharaf, have only contributed to a rise in terrorism and have served to strengthen the extremists and militants...." ¶23. "Dictation From U.S.?," an op-ed by Dr Muzaffar Iqbal in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (08/04) "It seems that the American political leadership has now determined to deal with Pakistan in a more substantial way. It is, therefore, important to understand the American agenda for Pakistan in greater depth in order to envision the state of Pakistani society if this agenda is successfully implemented. One easy way of closely examining the broad parameters of American agenda for Pakistan for the next decade would be to look at the sectors of society where the new aid package for Pakistan will pour money. This is because Americans understand very clearly that nothing can be accomplished unless resources are provided for the desired change." ¶24. "Consequences of Prime Minister Gilani's Failed U.S. Visit," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (08/04) "The outcome of PM Gilani's visit to the United States has established the apprehensions of the political analysts as true that this visit was a total failure, but it brought a bad name for the country as well. The sanction for the upgrade of the F-16s has been suspended, and both the United States and Britain have also blocked proposed assistance for training of the Frontier Constabulary. But our government is repeating the same mantra of success of the visit and U.S. friendship." ¶25. "Poking Fun at the Prime Minister," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (08/04) "The media is having a good time poking fun at Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for being terribly inarticulate during his U.S. visit. Criticism has been heaped on him for not 'answering back' to the Americans and, in particular, not conveying to them the sentiments of the Pakistani people.... Heads of government go abroad as an act of diplomacy, to use palliatives rather than stimulants of conflict, to protect the interest of the state. A visit therefore is an act of flexibility rather than challenge.... Mr. Gilani is inarticulate, but so was the Indian Prime Minister Shastri at Tashkent against our articulate General Ayub. Similarly, Muhammad Khan Junejo has been adjudged as our best prime minister because he defied General Zia-ul Haq and signed the Geneva Accords. But he was famously inarticulate in contrast to a garrulous General Zia. Thus there is no need to reiterate here the economic assistance which the U.S. has pledged to Mr. Gilani. It is equally unimportant to prove here that the visit was urgently needed because of the climaxing of a trend of developments on both sides of the Durand Line." ¶26. "SAARC Summit And War Against Terrorism" an editorial in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (08/04) "It is said that U.S. Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher paved the way for Gilani-Singh meeting in Colombo. According to Indian Foreign Minister Shiv Shankar, PM Gilani said he will conduct an independent probe into the attack on Indian embassy in Kabul.... Pakistan should reconsider its policies on the war against terrorism and Afghanistan. American policy shows that it wants to be in Afghanistan for at least 10 years. Any policy that is against the aspiration of a neighboring nation cannot be beneficial for Pakistan." ¶27. "Gilani-Manmohan Meeting: Possibility Of Decrease In Pak-India Tension" an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (08/01) "By playing a role for a meeting between Prime Minister Gilani and Prime Minister Singh, the United States has made an attempt to decrease tension between Pakistan and India, which certainly succeeded. We expect that the recent meeting between the two prime ministers will minimize the tension and create warmth in the relations between the two countries." ¶28. "Gilani-Manmohan Meeting: Government's incomprehensible attitude vis-`-vis terrorism" an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (08/04) "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani should have presented to Premier Manmohan Singh the evidence of (Indian Security Service) RAW's interference in Pakistan and asked him to end the same. PM Gilani should also have asked the Indian government to stop leveling accusations against Pakistan and Indian state terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Conversely, PM Gilani continued parroting the 'terrorism' buzzword and said the region has become hostage to terrorism.... Merely holding a meeting with PM Singh cannot be described as success, nor can the intent to probe ISI or seeking from India evidence against the intelligence agency. It rather was a diplomatic failure and tantamount to falling into an Indian trap." ¶29. "Karzai's Allegations and Pakistan's Forthright Stance," an editorial in the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) (08/04) "Afghan President Karzai has once again leveled charges that the terrorists' safe havens are becoming fortified in Pakistan yet again, and the bombings in Kabul, Bangalore, and Ahmadabad (India) are different episodes of the same series.... President Karzai must know that the SAARC is not a forum for bilateral issues. Instead of mudslinging on Pakistan, He should have called for the reconstruction and development of war-ravaged Afghanistan. But it seems that he is more interested in protecting the interests of his masters." ¶30. "Swat Operation: Rulers Should See Reason," an editorial note in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (08/04) "Regrettably, our forces are committing the same inhuman war crimes against our citizens for which American coalition forces are criticized. Our Prime Minister, on the other hand, assured crusading President Bush that the security forces operation against the militants in the tribal areas will continue. Our rulers should think why they are eager to spoil the peace in the country by partaking in the war of American interests." ¶31. "Indo-U.S. Nuclear Deal," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (08/04) "The Indo-U.S. deal has alarmed Pakistan because it draws together countries that have long been mutually suspicious of each other in a bid to offset China's growing regional power. Also, in a world where energy woes are set to grow, the deal will greatly improve India's energy security. One only hopes that our strategists will not succumb to grandiose notions of great power status for Pakistan and use the deal to trigger off a nuclear arms race in South Asia. What should be more worrying are the negative implications the agreement may have for global nuclear disarmament." ¶32. "A Wake-Up Call," an op-ed by Tarik Jan in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (07/09) "Right now in FATA, the federation has lost friends. Those who side with the federation are killed by dubious elements. Thus, it will be good politics if pro-state Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan is embraced by the Gilani administration for seven obvious reasons: One, it will be a step towards restoring the government writ. Two, it will bring much-needed peace. Three, it will bring order to a chaotic situation where the colonial set-up has already collapsed. Four, once the local Taliban are recognized as the rightful representatives of their people in their region of influence, they will be able to chase out miscreants from their jurisdiction. Five, they can also go after the blood of the agents' provocateurs. Six, the Taliban can also negotiate neutralization of the presence of foreign elements if due inquiry proves their presence. Seven, it will strengthen Pakistan as a nation and a state." Bodde