PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 26, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001409 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 26, 2009 Summary: U.S. National Security Advisor James Jones' Pakistan visit continued to garner extensive media coverage on Friday. Almost all major newspapers highlighted General Jones' meeting with senior Pakistani leaders and his remarks that the military "operation created goodwill for Pakistan in the U.S." Alongside the story, all newspapers also reported that President Zardari "renewed" demand for drone technology and PM Gilani "sought" U.S. help in resolving issues with India. Reports of approval of "Kerry-Lugar Bill" by the U.S. Senate tripling U.S. non-military aid to Pakistan, and that "President Obama signed into law a $106 billion supplemental bill making available $1.4 billion in economic and security aid for Pakistan" received prominent display. All newspapers highlighted reports that Army Chief General Kayani visited South Waziristan and directed troops "to go for precision strikes and avoid collateral damage even if they had to take risks." Most major English language dailies ran editorials on a host of subjects including ongoing military offensive, court-martial of 57 Pakistan Air Force personnel on their alleged links with terrorists. However, the Urdu language newspapers focused on the drone strikes. The second-largest, Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt," advocated that "if America does not stop the attacks, then Pakistan should defend its sovereignty and shoot down a drone to convey the right message to America." Likewise, the Lahore-based populist Urdu daily "Khabrain" wrote: "it is now time for Pakistan to adopt a clear stance on the drone strikes: that these attacks are unacceptable and that Pakistan will give a befitting response for any further interference." The liberal Urdu daily "Express," also maintained that "there is no justification for these strikes now that the Pakistan Army is fighting with full force against these enemies at more than one front." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Operation Created Goodwill For Pakistan In U.S.: Jones" "Dawn" (06/26) "US National Security Adviser Gen. (Retd) James L. Jones exchanged views with the Pakistani civilian and military leadership on Thursday on operational details and timing of the intensified counter-insurgency operation in Afghanistan and its synchronization with the military offensive against extremists in Pakistan. 'Gen. Jones' visit was for discussing current challenges confronting Pakistan and coordinating efforts with the Pakistan government in implementing the new shared comprehensive strategy,' said a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy on the conclusion of his two-day visit during which he met President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other government officials.... Apart from Washington's keenness to engage with Islamabad, sources said, Gen. Jones' visit bore all marks of a 'micro-management model' which hitherto was missing from the relationship between the two allies. The top U.S. security official praised Pakistan's military operation against militants as 'tremendous confidence-builder for the future.' He indicated that Pakistan's renewed resolve against militancy infused great optimism in Washington about the success of the fight against militancy. He said the action had generated goodwill for Pakistan in the U.S., adding that terrorism was a shared threat." "Zardari Renews Demand For Drone Technology: Gilani Seeks Us Help In Resolving Issues With India: "Daily Times" (06/26) "Pakistan urged the U.S. and the rest of the world on Thursday to facilitate the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and water issues between New Delhi and Islamabad, and called on America to provide drone technology. The resolution of issues between India and Pakistan would 'help us focus on fighting extremism and terrorism on the western border,' said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at a meeting with U.S. National Security Adviser General (R) James Jones. Gilani also "called for stopping drone attacks ... to ensure success of Pakistan's strategy", said a statement. The U.S. official assured Gilani that his government would do everything possible for the resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue. The appeal for the U.S. to provide Pakistan drone technology came at a separate meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and General Jones. A U.S. Embassy spokesman said Jones had completed two days of scheduled meetings with the Pakistani leadership." "U.S. Vows Support For Indo-Pak Talks" "Daily Times" (06/26) "U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake vowed on Thursday the U.S. will continue to back Pakistan-India dialogue to promote regional stability. The timing, scope, and content of any such dialogue are strictly matters for Pakistani and Indian leaders to decide, he said." "Resumption Of Dialogue Not A Favor, Pakistan Tells India" "Dawn" (06/26) "Pakistan has plainly told India that resumption of dialogue is not a favor by one country to the other, but is in the interest of both the countries. 'The composite dialogue is in our mutual interest. It is also unavoidable should we want viable peace and stability in the region,' Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at his weekly media briefing on Thursday." "U.S. Senate Approves Bill To Triple Aid" "Dawn" (06/26) "The Senate on Wednesday approved tripling U.S. aid to Pakistan to about $1.5 billion a year for each of the next five years, part of an American plan to fight extremism with economic development. The $1.5 billion in annual funding includes money for Pakistani schools, the judicial system, and parliament and law enforcement agencies. 'This legislation marks an important step toward sustained economic and political cooperation with Pakistan,' said Senator Richard Lugar, the senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee." "Obama Signs Into Law Aid Bill For Pakistan" "The News" (06/26) "President Barack Obama signed into law a huge $106 billion war supplemental bill on Wednesday, making available $1.4 billion in economic and security aid for Pakistan as the country grapples simultaneously with economic and military challenges in the high-stake region for U.S. interests." "New White House Aide For Region" "Dawn" (06/26) "U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday appointed Dennis Ross, a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Central Region with overall responsibility to look after Afghan-Pakistan affairs at the White House." "Troops Told To Avoid Civilian Deaths: COAS" "Dawn" (06/26) "Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visited South Waziristan on Thursday and spent the day interacting with the Field Commanders and troops. The visit indicated that the stage was set for a full-scale operation against Baitullah Mehsud and his group. Gen. Kayani urged local tribes to support the government and the armed forces in their campaign to isolate and eliminate terrorists. He said the security forces had been asked to go for precision strikes and avoid collateral damage even if they had to take risks. Military sources said troops and equipment had been positioned and more troops were available in reserve." "Baitullah To Be Killed, Says Rehman Malik" "The News" (06/26) "Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Supreme Commander Baitullah Mahsud would be killed whenever and wherever the security forces found him. Talking to a private TV channel, he said Baitullah Mahsud would be killed even if he tried to flee to Afghanistan." "Forces Dismantle Militant Sanctuaries In Mingora" "The News" (06/26) "Security forces on Thursday continued search and sweep operation, demolishing two hotels in Mingora and a Hujra and a house in Makanbagh area on suspicions that it was being used as sanctuaries by the militants, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said." "Fazlullah's Deputy 'Killed' In Swat" "The News" (06/26) "Shah Doran, the deputy to Taliban Chief in Swat Maulana Fazlullah, has been killed Geo TV reported on Thursday. The TV channel said the killing of Shah Doran had been confirmed by government sources." "Qari Hussain Is Alive, Claim Taliban" "Dawn" (06/26) "The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has denied reports about the death of Qari Hussain, one of its key leaders, in a missile attack. TTP spokesman Mufti Waliur Rehman said on Tuesday that reports about the death of Qari Hussain in the U.S. missile strike on a funeral procession of another Taliban leader in South Waziristan were not correct. Qari Hussain is considered to be the deputy of Baitullah Mahsud and a trainer of suicide bombers." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Pakistani Rulers Should Either Get The Drone Strikes Stopped Or Shoot Them Down," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/26) "About 80 people were killed in the drone strikes the other day, of which only 4 or 5 belonged to extremist groups while the rest were innocent citizens.... In the past, Pakistan officials and American scholars had recognized that every drone attack created more suicide bombers and undermined government's effort to eliminate terrorism.... Even Holbrooke recognizes the sensitivity of the people vis-`-vis drone attacks.... The American administration should stop the drone attacks in consideration of Pakistan's protest. However, if America does not stop the attacks then Pakistan should defend its sovereignty and shoot down a drone to convey the right message to America." "Drone Attacks: Pakistan Should Adopt A Strong Stance," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (06/26) "If the U.S. has information about terrorists' presence, it should be shared with Pakistan. Pakistan can act better on this information. However, it is now time for Pakistan to adopt a clear stance on the drone strikes: that these attacks are unacceptable and that Pakistan will give a befitting response for any further interference." "War On Terror Is Historic," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/26) "There was some justification for drone attacks when our previous government was not serious in its efforts against extremists. However, there is no justification for these strikes now that the Pakistan Army is fighting with full force against these enemies at more than one front. The martyrdom of our officers and soldiers is proof that this march will not stop until the operation is completed.... The Pakistan Army needs to hold its flag high as it marches on victoriously in this war, and needs to make this a final and memorable war against terrorists and extremists." "The Demand To Stop Drones Strikes And Its Reality," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (06/26) "We feel that American officials are correct when they say that not only have Pakistani officials --in private meetings with U.S. officials - never demanded a halt to the drone strikes, but may also have acknowledged their (strikes) efficacy. This seems true as our officials' statements reveal that such remarks are made only to fool the nation. The question now is: why would drone attacks stop if our rulers have actually not demanded that they be stopped?" "A Difficult Road Ahead," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/26) "Dislodging the Baitullah Mehsud network in South Waziristan may lead to militants fleeing across the border to the Afghan provinces of Paktika, Khost and Paktia. Meanwhile, the impending American push against militants operating in southern Afghanistan, particularly in the province of Helmand, may cause militants to flee towards Pakistan. On the Afghan and Pakistan sides, then, a double whammy of militancy may be looming.... If there has ever been an occasion for the three main parties, Pakistan, the U.S. and Afghanistan, to cooperate to the fullest extent possible this is it, and it should not be squandered." "The Enemy Within?," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/26) "The existence of the enemy within the ranks of those intended to protect us against militants poses to all of us a very real threat. The fact that they exist is a consequence too of past policies during which 'Jihad' was promoted actively as a cause worth dying for. In some materials circulated among the armed forces this line remains unchanged. The policy in this respect needs to be reviewed. If we are to build a safer country, we need to rid ourselves of the extremism that has crept in and stolen large chunks of our country away.... There is a possibility that adherents to it watch and wait elsewhere too. They need to be weeded out. While the suggestion that militants could seize nuclear assets is in many ways absurd, the reality is that some may indeed be based in powerful places. They must be removed if our country is to be made a safe place for all of us to live in." "Air Force Scandal Should Be An Eye-Opener," an editorial in Hyderabad based liberal and independent Sindhi daily "Ibrat" (Cir. 80,000) (06/26) "The report of some Pakistani Air Force personnel's links with terrorists and extremists is a very sensitive issue, and it shows us that since General Zia era, the extremists had made inroads in sensitive agencies and they remained successful in maintaining their contacts for a long period of time, however time is now changed." "Why the 'Friends' Don't Help Pakistan," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/26) "In a Washington statement the U.S. special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, said on Wednesday that he was struck by the fact that the U.S. was the only major contributor to aid to help Pakistan overcome its crisis of the internally displaced persons (IDPs). He specially mentioned Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in this regard and said that the U.S. government had appealed to them to do their bit too.... Some quarters see negative Arab reaction to the finalization of the gas deal between Iran and Pakistan. Unfortunately President Ahmadinejad has not only threatened Israel but also indirectly caused fear among the Arab regimes of Iranian hegemony in the region. Whatever the reason, the turning away of our Arab friends at this crucial juncture is something that should grieve us." "Do Burqas Threaten Western Culture Or Is This A Conspiracy To Erase Islamic Identity?," an editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (06/26) "If according to the French President, the burqa is a symbol of slavery, not Islam, what are his views on the nuns' veil and the Jewish skull -cap?... In Islamic countries, there is no hurdle for people of other faith in how they practice their religion or what they wear. Aren't such limitations and prohibitions by western countries generating extremism and religious prejudice? The fact is that it is not just France, but the entire west that is working on different levels to obliterate Muslims' identity." "What Are Our Soldiers Dying For?," an op-ed Ayaz Amir in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/26) "If the present fight against the Taliban leads to a new Pakistan, it is worth fighting and winning. But if our ways don't change, if our ruling elites remain as corrupt and self-centered as they have always been, then doubts will arise whether the blood being shed was worth anything. The Taliban are a threat to our way of life. But the Taliban, it bears remembering, were the product of our folly.... American folly and narrow self-interest was also an ingredient in this witches' brew. But there was no divine command that we had to follow American orders. That we did ourselves, our ruling generals from Zia to Musharraf - all too willing instruments of American policy. No one forced Zia to become an American surrogate. No one compelled Musharraf to become an American puppet. They followed this path out of pure self-interest. Blaming the U.S. for all our ills has become a national industry. We must look more closely at our own doings. Yes, the Americans will do what they perceive to be in their self-interest. But what stops us from looking out for ourselves? So unless the nation goes through a process of re-education, unless the military mind purges itself of the follies embraced in the name of 'Jihad,' Pakistan's soul will remain troubled and the fight against the Taliban will remain unfinished business." "What Are We Up Against?," an op-ed by Ayesha Siddiqa in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/26) "Those who stress the 'fight against a foreign occupying force' theory forget two things. First, the Afghan Taliban might be fighting the U.S. but do not necessarily represent a force of resistance to foreign occupation.... So, the Taliban fighting in Afghanistan and their partners in Pakistan are the ones who have a taste for expansion. Second, invasion as a concept is not foreign to the region.... But what we are witnessing at the moment is an internal expansion which is aimed outwards on the basis of ideology. So, the Taliban as a group are not just about resistance. They also represent a regional expansionist force which makes them different from other insurgents. Unless we begin explaining this to the people, instead of using terms borrowed from abroad, we might never be able to win the battle for hearts and mind that is necessary to make gains in the military conflict." "Sovereignty At Stake," an op-ed by Dr. Farooq Hassan in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/26) "The continued touting of the now worn-out mantra, which is really embarrassing for any sovereign state, particularly one of a nuclear capacity, that seeks and accepts getting more and more money, presumably for the country, for fighting this current war against terrorism. Many in Pakistan are now alarmed that it has effectively become a mercenary establishment. Whether or not this war is of Pakistan's choice or in its long-term interests or is it simply the inability of the current leadership of Islamabad to speak up to the powers that may be external or internal. This last point is really reaching scandalous proportions when one sees the articulations of several key members of the U.S. Congress; it is maintained by leading Congressional members, particularly of the Republican Party that it is naive for Washington to hand-over a billion plus dollars to the incumbent Pakistani government." "Strong Case For Nuclear Autarky," an editorial in the country's premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (06/26) "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has asked the United States to help Pakistan develop its civilian nuclear technology.... Gilani is correct in concluding that Pakistan needs to fill its yawning electricity production-consumption gap by making peaceful use of nuclear technology. But he may not be right in asking the United States to come forward and help Pakistan develop its civilian nuclear potential. The response the Pakistani protest received, to Washington's nuclear assistance to India, should make us believe that this chapter is closed at least for now.... That however, does not mean that all doors are shut on Pakistan; China is there.... The dream to increase nuclear power generation capacity to 8800 MW by 2030, with an increasing share of indigenization, is realizable, provided civilian nuclear co-operation with China is further institutionalized and put on stronger footing." "How Does Muslim World See Obama's Speech?," an op-ed by Zahida Hina in Hyderabad based liberal and independent Sindhi Daily "Ibrat" (cir. 80,000) (06/26) "President Obama's speech gives hope to Muslim world that in even in these hard times dialogue can take place. America, which is a country if immigrants, for sake of its own unity have relied on creating powerful mighty enemies, first Japan, then Communist Russia, which was later replaced with Muslim World. But no doubt the speech was a fundamental change in American policy towards the Muslim world after the 9/11 incidents." (All circulation figures are based on estimation) Patterson