PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 22, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001371 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 22, 2009 Summary: Reports and photographs of Pakistan's "historic win in the World Twenty-Twenty Cricket Cup" in London and Pakistani nation's "jubilation across the country" dominated headlines in all newspapers on Monday. At the same time, several weekend dailies highlighted President Obama's exclusive interview to the Dawn Media Group (broadcast in Pakistan on Sunday evening) that "Pakistani state is strong enough to win the military offensive against the extremists." Security forces' claim that "46 Taliban were killed in the military operation in the tribal areas and Swat" received prominent display. Secretary of State Clinton's statement urging "generous help for Swat IDPs" received extensive coverage. President Zardari's remarks vowing to "give every sacrifice to defeat terrorists and anti-state elements" were also highlighted. Newspapers also reported that "U.S. provided six water trucks to Pakistan Army" to assist the distribution of water to various IDPs camps. Drawing from President Obama's exclusive Dawn TV interview, most major Urdu language newspapers ran in-depth, editorials. They praised the President's acknowledging Pakistan's efforts to secure its nuclear arsenal but criticized what they termed his "sharp turn" from his "clearly articulated" stand on Kashmir. Populist Urdu daily "Ausaf," noted that "U.S. President Obama has expressed satisfaction over the safety measures of Pakistan's nukes, however the U.S. government should take notice of the international media's propaganda regarding the vulnerability of Pakistani nukes to extremists." The liberal Urdu daily "Express," noted that "Mr. Obama should be asked: how is it that the U.S. considers it fair to interfere [in Indo-Pak matters] in the case of Mumbai attacks, yet when it comes to an issue [Kashmir] that threatens regional peace, the U.S. insists that the two countries work it out on their own?" The second-largest, Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt," observed that "President Obama is duty-bound to play his role for the implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir instead of stressing dialogue while refusing to mediate on Kashmir." Whereas its sister newspaper, the English daily "The Nation," wrote: "If he (President Obama) gives up on persuading the Indians to give the promised deal to Kashmiris, how would he accost the Israelis, with their strong lobby and entrenched promoters in his administration, to come forward and recognize the rights of the Palestinian people?" End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Feel-Good Gift For Nation" "Dawn" (06/22) "Pakistan won their first major cricket title in 17 years when they stunned Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the World Twenty-Twenty final at a sell-out Lord's in London on Sunday. Captain Younis Khan dedicated the win to the nation. The win gave Pakistanis back home reason to cheer as the cricket-mad nation has been deprived of international tours because of security concerns. "Beat Extremists You Can, Says Obama" "Dawn," "Daily Times," "The Nation," "Pakistan Observer," (06/21) "U.S. President Barack Obama, in an exclusive interview to 'Dawn,' has said that he believes the Pakistan state is strong enough to win the military offensive against the extremists. In this first-ever one-on-one interview by any U.s. President to the Pakistani media, Mr. Obama assured the Pakistani nation that he has no desire to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons or send U.S. troops inside the country. The U.S. President also emphasized the need for resuming the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, which was stalled after the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November last year. The interview covered a wide-range of subjects - from the controversy involving the Iranian presidential election to Mr. Obama's speech in Cairo earlier this month in which he called for a new beginning between the Muslim and the Western worlds." "U.S. Neither Has Any Intention To Capture Pak Nukes, Nor Will Send Troops To Pakistan: President Obama" "Islam," "Aaj Kal," "Din" (06/22) "U.S. President Barack Obama has said that the U.S. has no intention to capture Pakistan's nuclear arms, nor U.S. forces will be sent to Pakistan. In an interview with a private TV channel, he said that Pakistani security forces and Pakistan Army are conducting the military operation against terrorism very effectively. Pakistan has been overcoming difficulties courageously since Jinnah's era, therefore, we are convinced that Pakistani nation can successfully sort out its differences, and deal with the menace of militancy and extremism through democratic process, he added." "46 Taliban Killed In Military Operation" "Daily Times" (06/22) "At least 46 Taliban were killed in various strikes during the military operation against the Taliban in the Tribal Areas and Swat on Sunday. Military jets and artillery pounded suspected Taliban hideouts in Bajaur Agency, officials said." "Baitullah's Men Hit By Troops" "Dawn" (06/22) "Troops are reported to have set on fire shops and other commercial property in the town of Mauli Khan Serai in the campaign against supporters of Baitullah Mehsud, chief of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. Local people said that three restaurants, a petrol pump and several shops had been torched in the town on the WanaJandola road on Saturday night. The administration has also taken action against Mehsud tribesmen under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, arresting several elders and sealing their property." "Hillary Urges Generous Support For Pak IDPs" "The News" (06/22) "With Pakistan looking to rehabilitate millions of displaced people from Swat after expelling Taliban from 95 per cent of the valley, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for generous support to help make a difference in the lives of millions of displaced people from Swat. 'Supporting refugees is not only the purview of governments and NGOs. It's a job for all of us.'" "Terrorists, Anti-State Elements Will Be Defeated: Zardari" "Dawn" (06/22) "Terming terrorism and militancy a big challenge for the country, President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday vowed to render every sacrifice to defeat terrorists and anti-state elements. 'This is not a small challenge ... this is not a small war, this is a war of ideologies. Those people are involved in it, who are against the very existence of Pakistan,' the President said while addressing party workers and leaders at an event marking the 56th birth anniversary of Benazir Bhutto." "Gilani Asks Terrorists To Surrender Or Face The Music" "The News" (06/22) "Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday warned the terrorists and extremists to lay down arms or they would be wiped out. 'It is my message to the terrorists and the militants that they should lay down their weapons otherwise they should get prepared for a dreadful end,' he said while addressing a function in connection with the birthday celebrations of late Benazir Bhutto and the stone-laying ceremony of her memorial at the Convention Centre in Islamabad on Monday." "Blood Donation For Security Personnel - Benazir's Birth Anniversary" "Dawn" (06/22) "The Pakistan People's Party marked the 56th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Sunday with a countrywide blood donation campaign for security personnel fighting militants in Malakand and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other party leaders and workers donated blood at camps set up at different places." "United States Provides Water Trucks to Pakistan Military" "Daily Times," "Dawn," "Jang," "Express" (06/21) "In response to a request from the government of Pakistan, the United States provided six water trucks to the Pakistani Army, a U.S. Embassy press release said on Saturday. The trucks, each with a 4500-liter capacity and pumping unit, are intended to assist the distribution of water to various displaced persons camps operated by the government. The total value of the trucks, which were purchased in Pakistan, is over $179,000." "CIA Chief Due In Few Days With Heavy Agenda" "The Nation" (06/22) "Chief of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Leon E. Panetta will visit Pakistan in the next few days with plans seeking an important role for India in the U.S. counter-terrorism efforts for the region. Though there has been no word from the U.S. Embassy, credible diplomatic sources told 'The Nation' on Sunday that Panetta in line with U.S. Af-Pak policy for Afghanistan and Pakistan would discuss these proposals with Pakistani authorities during his upcoming visit." "Aid To Pakistan Vital To U.S. National Security: Haqqani" "Daily Times" (06/22) "Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, on Sunday urged continued U.S. support and understanding to help Pakistan become a bulwark against extremism, arguing that assistance for the people of Pakistan would be an investment in U.S. security. 'Pakistan is going through a transformation by mobilizing the public opinion against the Taliban who had dominated Pakistan's discourse since the war against the Soviets in 1979,' he said in a U.S. public affairs program." "War On Terror Causing Balance Of Payment Problem" "Dawn" (06/22) "Pakistan will face a serious balance of payment problem next year, partly because the United States has not reimbursed over $1.2 billion the country spent on the war on terror. A source in the Finance Ministry told 'Dawn' on Sunday that the government had received $447 million since September 2008, leaving a balance of over $1 billion (Rs80 billion). Under the Coalition Support Fund, the U.S. reimburses Pakistan for terrorism-related operations, particularly those undertaken by the army and air force." "7 Held Militants Killed In Dir Upper" "The News" (06/22) "In an alleged clash the armed villagers striving to flush out Taliban militants from Doog Darra area of Dir Upper district, killed seven militants arrested on Friday from Chitral district and injured another in Patrak town." "Iran Points The Finger At U.K., U.S. As 10 More Die In Unrest" "The News" (06/22) "Iran accused Britain and the United States on Sunday of meddling in its affairs, amid an international outcry over its crackdown on protests over the result of last week's presidential election. It hammered home its message by ordering the expulsion of BBC correspondent Jon Leyne just two days after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenai accused Britain of adopting an 'evil' position in the face of a week of deadly protests. At least 10 more people were killed in the latest unrest to shake Tehran, state television said on Sunday, as the opposition stepped up its defiance of Iran's Islamic rulers over the disputed election." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "U.S. New Stand On Nuclear Weapons And Kashmir Dispute," an editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (06/22) "U.S. President Obama has expressed satisfaction over the safety measures of Pakistan's nukes, however the U.S. government should take notice of the international media's propaganda regarding the vulnerability of Pakistani nukes to extremists. The rumors and fictitious reports about any threats to Pakistani nuclear arsenal must be stopped without delay." "Mr. Obama, Do Not Avoid Kashmir Resolution!," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/22) "In a letter to PM Gillani, President Obama has said that the U.S. cannot mediate on Kashmir and that India and Pakistan should resolve the issue themselves.... He has also written in his letter that the U.S., however is ready to assist in helping India and Pakistan resolve their differences. Mr. Obama should be asked: how is it that the U.S. considers it fair to interfere [in Indo-Pak matters] in the case of Mumbai attacks, yet when it comes to an issue [Kashmir] that threatens regional peace, the U.S. insists that the two countries work it out on their own? Mr. Obama, if this is not injustice, what is? The U.S. needs to understand that it is not possible to eliminate terrorism in the region until the Kashmir issue is resolved. Sooner or later, the U.S. will have to play the mediator." "Kashmir Dispute And America: Implementation Of UN Resolutions Required, Not Mediation," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/22) "President Barack Obama said that America will not be an arbitrator for resolving Kashmir dispute.... Pakistan or the people of Kashmir never asked America or any other country to mediate the Kashmir dispute. Pakistan did not even lay claim on Kashmir like India and never said that Kashmir was its integral part. Pakistan, like Kashmiri leaders and people, had always asked for holding of plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir in keeping with UN resolutions on Kashmir that were passed on Indian request.... American President Barack Obama is duty-bound to play his role for the implementation of the UN resolutions on Kashmir instead of stressing on dialogue while refusing to mediate on Kashmir." "Sidetracking Kashmir," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/22) "The shift in policy puts Washington's own interests in jeopardy, Mr. Obama loses the high moral ground he had attained by giving expression to his true feelings that struck the right chord with Kashmiris' aspirations, and the peace-loving people in the region who had at last seen some hope of better times ahead find themselves betrayed at the hands of someone who sounded so genuinely committed to a new and just world order.... If he (President Obama) gives up on persuading the Indians to give the promised deal to Kashmiris, how would he accost the Israelis, with their strong lobby and entrenched promoters in his administration, to come forward and recognize the rights of the Palestinian people? The U.S. President needs to do serious introspection about the reasons for this shift if he were to revive the hope that his much-applauded words had raised. Unless he recaptures the courage Candidate Barack Obama had displayed his wonderful speeches would be dumped into the unenviable category of mere rhetoric." "President Obama's Statement On Kashmir Dispute," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (06/22) "Since the Presidential election and even after being elected, President Obama has stated that he will help resolve the Kashmir issue. But these statements have never materialized. A few days ago, in his address at the Cairo University, he did not even mention the Kashmir issue, which surprised many informed circles.... It is this U.S. duplicity due to which there is so much unrest in the world.... It is in the U.S. interests to resolve the Kashmir issue. We hope that President Obama will put his words [on Kashmir made earlier] into action." "President Obama On Kashmir," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-right sensationalist Urdu daily "Ummat" (cir. 33,000) (06/22) "In an interview to a Pakistani English TV channel, the U.S. President Obama has said that his country would not mediate between India and Pakistan for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. President Obama's stand on Kashmir is not new, it just reinforces opinion that U.S. is no more interested in Kashmir issue. How can one consider President Obama as a friend of Pakistan, when he called for resuming dialogue with Indian without address the Kashmir issue. President Obama, by remaining indifferent to this core issue has actually supported the Indian position." "President Barack Obama's Interview," an editorial in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (06/22) "President Obama's statement that the U.S. does not harbor aggressive designs regarding Pakistan's nuclear assets is a source of satisfaction for Pakistanis.... About Kashmir, President Obama has said that we want to cooperate with India and Pakistan in the dialogue process but cannot mediate. It is obvious that mediation is possible only when both parties agree to it. However we expect that the U.S., being a superpower, should not hesitate to play the kind of role it can." "U.S. Pressure," an editorial in the country's premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (06/22) "What seems to be the immediate trigger for the stepped-up U.S. moves to nudge India into a co-operative mode with Pakistan as Pakistan Army's decisive action against the Taliban? Secretary of State Clinton acknowledged this in her speech saying 'as Pakistan now works to take on the challenge of terrorists in its own country I am confident that India as well as the United States will support those efforts.'... But it should not be forgotten that roots of terrorism go very deep as it grows out of the issues that remain unresolved. The American pressure that is said to be nudging India to coming to the negotiating table should not end with a battle victory over the Taliban; it should persist till genuine peace is obtained in South Asia by resolving all principal disputes for which the Composite Dialogue is the appropriate forum." "The Way Forward," an op-ed by Talat Masood in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "Islamabad wants U.S. to push India to move on the resolution of the Kashmir conflict and resume dialogue. United States clearly wants India to seek rapprochement with Pakistan so that it could focus on the western front. Whereas U.S. is giving India a major role in South and the Central Asia but the real agenda is being articulated and managed by it in a classic role of a super power. This heightens insecurities in Pakistan.... It is indeed unfortunate that India and Pakistan both view each other as enemy to reinforce the sense of national cohesion." "Battling On," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "The multi-faceted war against the Taliban develops new faces - and fronts - almost daily.... We battle on fighting a complex war with guns and bombs in the one hand, humanitarian aid in the other and a vision for the future somewhere in the dust at our feet. There is still no unified strategy for winning all the battles we currently fight and the various actors only occasionally all read from the same page of the script together. We are closer to getting the unity, we have got the faith but a little more discipline would not go amiss." "IDPs: No Solution In Sight," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "The government claims that some areas have been cleared of the militants and is sending out appeals for the IDPs to return.... But the government must offer more than mere assurances of safety. It must demonstrate the administrative resolve to reconstruct the battle-ravaged areas, which includes setting up education and health facilities and creating employment opportunities.... Most importantly, the government must show the political will to change policies that allowed the creation of the militant-Taliban nexus in the first place. Otherwise, Pakistan risks adding the IDPs issue to the Afghan refugee crisis which remains unresolved despite the passage of three decades, and of continuing to create circumstances that stoke extremism." "Military's Significant Success In Swat," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (06/22) "While security operation is still going on in a few pockets of Swat and Malakand, army has announced that 95% of the scenic valley has been secured from the militants.... This is a very encouraging development and people across the country in general and those of Malakand and Swat in particular would be pleased with the success of Pakistan Army in rooting out the terrorists who had made the lives of the locals miserable.... The morale of the IDPs has been lifted with the success of the army and what they need now is to stand-up against anyone who tries to disturb peace in the area." "Empty Pockets," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "The scale of the international response to this calamity in no way matches its size. The need is obvious, there is no dispute, yet there seems to be an unwillingness to fill the pockets of the agencies that can and do deliver the aid which is so desperately needed.... Civic amenities are not yet restored in Mingora; and nobody is going to want to go home unless there is power, water, petrol and diesel and the other wherewithal's of daily necessity. We are staring a catastrophe full in the face and unless money to support work with the IDPs is quickly forthcoming we are perhaps going to see a lot of people dying very soon. Dig deep, dig fast and dig big." "Why U.S. Interference?," an op-ed by Huma Yousuf in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "The winds of American military rhetoric have shifted again. Last week, Gen. David Petraeus repeatedly hammered home the idea that the U.S. army had little do with the Pakistan military's war against militants in the Frontier province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).... On a trip to Mardan earlier this month to visit people displaced by the military operation, U.S. Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke toed a similar line. When asked about the U.S. role in Pakistan's humanitarian crisis, Holbrooke insisted that the U.S. was merely donating money to the UN and other international aid agencies to boost their capability to address the plight of refugees in Pakistan. The U.S., he claimed, had no direct role in Pakistan's problems. This new line of rhetoric indicates that the U.S. has finally realized that their explicit involvement in the affairs of other countries is counterproductive.... These debates indicate that although the U.S. is cognizant of the pitfalls of backseat driving, it doesn't know how to stay silent and let Pakistan - or Iran or Afghanistan - take the wheel. The only way we can dictate the extent to which U.S. interference is appropriate is by charting our own course." "Defanging Extremism," an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/22) "Eradication of extremism is a tall order; it requires a mammoth effort encompassing a multi-discipline and multi-dimensional approach.... The whole process needs careful execution by taking into consideration the local socio-cultural sensitivities; lest the extremist breeding restarts!" "The Media, The Military And The Swat Operation," an op-ed Aasim Sajjad Akhtar in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/22) "Notwithstanding the claims being made by a variety of experts and government functionaries about the broad public consensus on the military operation, it is impossible to expect that there will be definitive agreement across the political and intellectual spectrum on this most emotive of issues. However, what can and must be asserted without any hesitation at all is the establishment's responsibility for bringing us to where we are today. The media's role in cleaning up the military's image by invoking war propaganda must be subject to criticism in this regard. Those who argue that it does not matter how we got here but where we go from here are going down a very dangerous path which will culminate in more 'unavoidable' military operations." "Iran's Political Crisis," an editorial in the Karachi-based right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat" (cir. 3,000) (06/22) "A week after the presidential elections in Iran, it seems that the political crisis is not going to be over in near future. The defeat of the reformist leader has caused uproar and street agitation across the country. The crisis is deepening with the passage of each day, and it would be very bad for this region. Now Iran will have to face on the one hand growing external pressure, and it will have to deal with domestic crisis on the other hand. It is yet to be seen that how Iran will come out of this crisis." "Iran's Post-Election Problems," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/22) "Change in Iran will not affect its stance on its nuclear program. Iran will also not change its policy, even under any new leadership, on the Middle East in general and Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, in particular. What the protesting leaders demand is moderation in the style of President Ahmadinejad. They think his dramatic statements threatening Israel and challenging the United States and the European Union are not really needed. They don't think Iran as a regional power should constantly vituperate and provoke." (All circulation figures are based on estimation) Patterson