PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 19, 2008

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 003886 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 19, 2008 Summary: Newspapers highlighted report that the "Pakistani Foreign Office summoned Indian deputy high commissioner and conveyed 'concern' over last week's violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian Air Force jets." The latest Pakistan Policy Working Group's report stating "Pakistan may be the single greatest challenge for the next American president" got front-page coverage in several newspapers. Most newspapers ran remarks by Ambassador Patterson that she made while talking to a TV network that the "U.S. gave Pakistan $1.2 billion for the war on terror in a year." Also underscored by newspapers were reports that President Zardari was informed by security officials that the "government would be in a position to exercise complete control over Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies by the end of December." Today's Urdu and English newspapers differed in their choice of editorials. In Urdu papers "the rejection of the U.S. Ambassador's offer to brief the National Security Committee, dominated the editorial pages." On the contrary, the post-Mumbai scenario continued to grab attention of English editorialists. Criticizing the decision of the NSC, the Urdu daily "Jang" observed that "it is not in our national interest to send message to the international community that we as a nation aren't ready to be acquainted with different facets of truth." In contrast, Urdu daily, "Ausaf" noted that the "members of the parliamentary committee have demonstrated guts by rejecting the U.S. Ambassador's offer for briefing." In reference to the State Department spokesman's remarks the English daily, "Dawn" suggested that "Americans can certainly boost the civilian set-up with aid, institution-building and a firm commitment to democracy." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "'Concerns' Conveyed To India over Airspace Violation" "Dawn" (12/19) "The Foreign Office summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner on Thursday and conveyed 'concerns' over last week's violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian Air Force jets, said Foreign Office Spokesman Mr. Muhammad Sadiq." "New Delhi Calls It Disinformation" "Dawn" (12/19) "India on Thursday dismissed as disinformation Pakistan's protest that Indian planes had violated its airspace but said that Islamabad's claim would be examined nevertheless and appropriately responded to, India's foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said." �A; "Pak Civilian Oversight Of ISI, Army Proposed; Report 'The Next Chapter: The United States And Pakistan' Launched" "The Nation" (12/19) "Pakistan may be the single greatest challenge facing the next American President as the U.S. interests in this country are more threatened now than at any time since the Taliban were driven from Afghanistan in 2001. Pakistan Policy Working Group, an independent, bipartisan group of leading American experts on U.S.-Pakistan relations, said this in a report, 'The Next Chapter: The United States and Pakistan' formally launched here on Thursday." "U.S. Think Tank Shows Dismal Scenario For Pakistan" "Daily Times" (12/19) "A report by an independent bipartisan think tank of U.S. experts on Pakistan - shared with journalists, politicians and analysts in Islamabad on Thursday - depicted a dismal picture of the country, saying Pakistan may be the single greatest challenge for the next American president." "U.S. Has Given $1.2 Billion Aid To Pakistan In A Year" "Daily Times," "The Post," "The Statesman" (12/19) "U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson said on Thursday that the U.S. has given Pakistan $1.2 billion for the war on terror over a year - with a grant of $400 million to Pakistan continuing quarterly - and America has no intention to block the aid. Talking to a private TV channel, Patterson said it was necessary for Pakistan to rid itself of terrorism." "Anne Patterson Calls On Qaim Ali Shah" "The Nation" (12/19) "U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson on Thursday called on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at Chief Minister House, Karachi. The Chief Minister while welcoming the U.S. Ambassador to Karachi apprised her of prevailing situation as well as law and order in the province and the measures being taken to keep it under control." "Full Control Over Bajaur, Mohmand By End Of December" "Dawn" (12/19) "President Asif Ali Zardari continued his meeting with elders from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) for the second day on Thursday and the participants were informed that the government would be in a position to exercise complete control over Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies by the end of the current month." "No Dictation From U.S., India: Zardari" "The Post" (12/19) "President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday told the tribal elders that the government was not taking any dictation from the United States or India regarding operation against terrorists." "Bajaur Operation To End By Winter's End, Says Owais" "The News" (12/19) "NWFP governor Owais Ahmad Ghani on Thursday said military operation in Bajaur Agency would end by the end of this winter after which the displaced people would return to their homes." "Zardari To Visit Afghanistan" "Dawn" (12/19) "President Asif Ali Zardari will visit Afghanistan for the first time on Friday (Today) for talks with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on ways to jointly combat terrorism, the Foreign Ministry said." "New Strategy To Tackle Latest Security Threats; Foreign Models Being Studied, NA Told" "Dawn" (12/19) "The government on Thursday hinted in the National Assembly at the possibility of formulating a new national security policy to meet present-day challenges about which it said foreign models were being studied and opposition views would be welcome." "U.S. Involved In Mumbai Attacks; LHC Bar Says America, India Spreading Terrorism To Destabilize Pakistan" "The Nation" (12/19) "The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on Thursday unanimously carried a resolution to blame America for spreading terrorism in Pakistan and noted that the U.S. was involved in Mumbai attacks." "We Are Not Involved In Terrorism, Reject U.S. Allegation: Jamaatud Dawa" (Nawa-i-Waqt," "Express" (12/19) "Jamaatud Dawa has rejected the U.S. Secretary of State's allegation of JuD's involvement in terrorism. Jamaatud Dawa spokesman Abdullah Muntazir said that instead of accepting the facts, the U.S. is safeguarding Indian interests." "JI Stages Rally To Protest NATO Supplies Via Pakistan" "The News" (12/19) "Over 10,000 activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami protested here [where??????]on Thursday against allowing the U.S. forces to ship supplies through Pakistan into Afghanistan. The protesters called for the government to block the vital supply routes for the Western forces in Afghanistan in response to the US missile strikes on al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan." "NWFP Assembly Showers Praise On Muntazer Al-Zaidi" "The News" (12/19) "The NWFP Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution, praising Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi for tossing shoes at outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush and demanded immediate release of the newsman." "India Tests Cruise Missile" "Dawn" (12/19) "India successfully tested a supersonic cruise missile from a moving ship for the first time on Thursday, in what officials said was a major boost for the South Asian nation's defence capabilities." "Delhi To Build Missile Defence Shield With U.S. Help" "The Nation" (12/19) "India is soon to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States to boost its missile defense system, reports the Indian TV channel Times Now. The MoU is aimed at giving India the state of the art technology that will allow it to intercept any threat from ballistic missiles." "Gates Orders Plan For Closing Guantanamo" "Dawn" (12/19) "U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has ordered aides to draw up plans for closing the 'war on terror' prison at Guantanamo, a declared priority for president-elect Barack Obama, a spokesman said on Thursday." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Rebuff Briefing - Insistence On Ignorance," an editorial in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (12/19) "It is not in our national interest to send message to the international community that we as a nation aren't ready to be acquainted with different facets of truth, and that we insist on our stand based on assumptions without seeing the whole picture. It is surprising that some countries demand access to some of our individuals and institutions to solicit information whereas we are losing such opportunities on serious issues like that of drone attacks." "NSC Rejection To U.S. Envoy's Offer For Briefing," an editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (12/19) "According to diplomatic norms, the U.S. Ambassador isn't supposed to give a briefing to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security Affairs. If diplomats have a message of their governments, they should contact the Foreign Office of the host country. The members of the parliamentary committee have demonstrated guts by rejecting the U.S. Ambassador's offer for briefing." "Baseless Allegations On Pakistan," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (12/19) "National Security Committee's rejection of the U.S. offer for briefing about the situation arising out of the U.S. intrusions should be interpreted as demonstration of the popular sentiments of the people of Pakistan. Like the U.S. policy makers, the U.S. officials in Islamabad are also aware of the fact that the U.S. policy on Pakistani tribal areas and its missile attacks are raising problems for the national security of Pakistan, and perhaps that is why the U.S. Ambassador sought to offer briefing. This bid should be termed as a straightforward attempt to twist facts and realities." "Principled Stand Of NSC," an editorial in the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) (12/19) "Despite the FBI report that bails out both the Government of Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI from involvement in Mumbai attacks, the Indian and the western media go on with their malicious propaganda against Pakistan. It seems that Pakistan has been fated to be treated as wrongdoer and to be condemned." "National Security Committee's Refusal To Take A Briefing From The U.S. Ambassador," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (12/19) "It would not be wrong to say that refusing to attend the [U.S. Ambassador's] briefing is a kind of protest against U.S. attitude.... Circumstances demand that instead of trying to convince the Pakistani authorities, the U.S. Ambassador should inform the Bush administration about the anti-U.S. sentiments these drone attacks are fanning in Pakistan so that the administration can review its decision on the strikes." "Army And Civilians," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (12/19) "Clearly there is some way to go yet in the quest for civilian supremacy in Pakistan. How to facilitate that quest is what should be on the minds of the incoming officials who will handle president-elect Obama's policy towards Pakistan. What must be clear is that civilian supremacy in the civil-military relations cannot be imposed from outside, no matter how powerful the force. But the Americans can certainly boost the civilian set-up with aid, institution-building and a firm commitment to democracy." "Absence Of Evidence," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/19) "The risk is that the contrary lines taken by New Delhi and Islamabad over the issue of Pakistani involvement will lead to the existing tensions lingering on and perhaps even worsening.... The trading of allegations and counter-allegations must give way to a more constructive effort to determine which elements were involved in the Mumbai attacks. This is vital for the future security of both nations." "Post-Mumbai Scenario," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (12/19) "It is quite obvious that the terrorists, who ransacked Mumbai and took the lives of over 170 persons last month, had at least one objective in view. They wanted Pakistan to divert its attention to the eastern front to give the terrorist elements active on the Pak-Afghan border a freer hand." "Engaging India After The UN Ban," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/19) "If the Congress government is not willing to take the cue from Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to send a delegation to Pakistan to map out the next steps for the two countries to take on the Mumbai attack, it should present its own road map on how to proceed.... What is needed is immediate engagement, not gradual distancing." "Unjustified detention of Jamaatud Daawa people" an editorial note in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (12/19) "Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar has said that the government is not carrying out a trial against the 90 arrested persons of Jamaatud Dawa. He has also said that the government has not received any evidence against the detainees of involvement in the Mumbai attacks.... What is the justification of keeping Jamaatud Dawa leaders under detention if there is no evidence against the Jamaatud Dawa? Keeping an individual under detention without justification is not only illegal but is also against the government's interests. This would only complicate the matters further, which the present government cannot afford. Hence it is in national interests that the detained Jamaatud Dawa persons be released immediately." "Not For Sale, Now And Never," an editorial in the country's premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (12/19) "Pakistan is not a nation of merchants that it should sell its nukes.... What can be more absurd than to proclaim that only a few members of the international community have the right to possess nuclear weapons? If threat perception is the admitted basis of legitimacy of nuclear weapons program, then which country is more qualified than Pakistan?" "Pakistan Must Not Scum To Blackmail," an op-ed by Dr. Mubashir Hasan in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (12/19) "Following the Bombay carnage, Indians for domestic reasons, and the USA for its strategic objectives have joined hands to pressure Pakistan's weak-minded rulers. Notwithstanding the internal weaknesses, Pakistan can take a stand and hold its own even against the combine of USA with other nations." "Coming To Terms With December Blues," an op-ed by Shafqat Mahmood in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/19) "For Americans and the West in general, all our assets are negative. Help them because they are an unstable nuclear power. Give them aid so that they fight against the Taliban and not with them on the Afghan front. Pour money into their education system because their Madarassas are breeding terrorists. Do not abandon them because they are a failing state, and if they fail, the extremists will take over and create a nuclear holocaust. And so it goes. We are variously being described as Obama's greatest foreign-policy challenge or the next place from where the U.S. will be attacked. There was a time one would yearn for a mention of Pakistan in the foreign media; now it makes us cringe. What new level of ghoulish nightmare are we now going to be saddled with?" Patterson