PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 29, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001421

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 29, 2009

Summary: Reports of fierce clashes between security forces and
militants in North Waziristan that resulted in the deaths of twelve
Pakistani soldiers and ten militants dominated headlines in all
newspapers on Monday. All major newspapers highlighted reports and
photographs of U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Petraeus' meeting with
Pakistan's Army Chief General Kayani. Assistant Secretary of State
Robert O. Blake's remarks that "U.S. will support dialogue between
India and Pakistan to promote regional stability" received prominent
display. Several newspapers published a report originally carried
by the Foreign Policy Journal that "Pakistan remains among the top
10 failed states." In addition, a front page story in the English
daily, "Dawn," reported that the "U.S. is helping Pakistan modernize
its nuclear arsenal in hopes of making them safer." Prime Minister
Gilani's statement that the "time for dialogue with militants was
over, as a decisive action against them was under way" received
extensive coverage. Weekend newspapers carried a short report that
the "U.S. provided 600 digital English Language Teaching programs to
Pakistani public schools." Reports of the appointment of Farah
Pandith as U.S. Special Representative to the Muslim world also
figured prominently.

Most major newspapers ran editorials on a host of subjects that
included the prevailing water and power crises in the country,
national security situation, rebuilding lives of IDPs and
post-election situation of Iran. Commenting on the scope of the
military operation, the second-largest newspaper and center-right
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" noted that the escape of up to
7,000 extremists towards South Punjab is setting off alarm bells.
South Punjab has uranium reserves, "which have to be protected from
Americans." Recounting the menace of sectarianism in Kurram Agency,
the Lahore-based liberal English daily, "Daily Times," noted that
"the local population (of Kurram Agency) has virtually given up on
Pakistan during the two years that have seen all roads going to
Pakistan cut off and the federal government ditching them after
promising to come to their help 'within a fortnight.'" The
prestigious English daily, "Dawn," observed that "one must welcome
the realism shown by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan
and Russia in recognizing drug trafficking as a major source of
funding for terrorists." End Summary.

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

"Twelve soldiers killed in Waziristan attack; Gun-Battle Leaves 10
Militants Dead" "Dawn" (06/29)

"Twelve soldiers were killed after militants reportedly aligned with
the Baitullah Mehsud group ambushed a military convoy in North
Waziristan on Sunday. Ten militants were killed in the ensuing
gun-battle. Security forces and militants were engaged in fierce
clashes till late night. According to local people, helicopters
were bombing militants' positions."

"Top U.S. Commander Petraeus Meets Gen. Kayani" "The News," (06/29)

"David Petraeus, the Commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and
Iraq, who is on a daylong official visit to Pakistan, on Sunday, met
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at the General
Headquarters. According to ISPR, matters of mutual interest were
discussed during the meeting. 'General Petraeus arrived in
Islamabad today (Sunday) for scheduled meetings with senior
Pakistani officials,' said U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor. 'He
will discuss topics of mutual interest.' U.S. officials have voiced
strong support for a current Pakistan military offensive to clear
the Taliban militants from swathes of the northwest, with the
military currently readying for an assault on the northwest border
region."

"U.S. To Support Indo-Pak Talks But Refuses To Mediate" "The News"
(06/29)

"The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and
Central Asia Robert O. Blake has said the U.S. will support dialogue
between India and Pakistan to promote regional stability. Briefing
the U.S. Congress he, however, made it clear that the U.S. will
leave it to both the countries to chalk out their own course of
action in this regard."

"Pakistan Among Top 10 'Failed States': Report" "The News" (06/29)

"Pakistan, split down the middle with terrorist attacks and facing
an economic crisis, remains among the top 10 failed states, says an
index prepared by the renowned Foreign Policy journal. IANS
reports, the country, placed ninth among all countries last year in
terms of its overall achievement, has improved its position only by
a notch - it is placed 10th in the index for 2009 published in the
July-August issue of the journal."

"U.S. Helping Modernize Pakistan's N-Arsenal" "Dawn" (06/29)

"The United States is helping Pakistan modernize its nuclear arsenal
in hopes of making them safer, says a report released on Sunday.
Andrew Cockburn, a renowned author who has written several books on
security issues, says that the official aim of U.S. technical
support, at an estimated cost of $100 million a year, is to prevent
accidents and to ensure that they are out of the extremists' reach.
But in pursuit of this objective, 'it is inevitable that the U.S. is
not only rendering the warheads more operationally reliable, we are
also transferring the technology required to design more
sophisticated warheads without having to test them', the report
adds."

"Time For Dialogue With Militants Over: PM" "Dawn" (06/29)

"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said in Lahore on Sunday
that a decisive action against terrorists in parts of the NWFP and
FATA was under way and the time for dialogue with the militants was
over now. 'The operation will reach its logical conclusion very
soon,' the Prime Minister told journalists at Jamia Naeemia where he
had gone to offer condolences over the death of Dr. Sarfaraz
Naeemi."

"U.S. Embassy Provides Digital English Language Digital Teaching
Programs For Public Schools In Pakistan" "Daily Times, "The Nation,"
"Jang" (06/27)

"The United States provided 600 digital English Language Teaching
(ELT) programs for distribution to Pakistan's public schools during
a ceremony hosted at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). The
digital programs, on CD-ROM, are funded through a $41,000 grant to
AIOU by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad. The one-year digital course is
designed for students in grades 6 to 10 and will be used in
approximately 1600 public schools across Pakistan."

"Baitullah Now Carries Head Money From Both U.S., Pakistan" "The
News" (06/29)

"Baitullah Mehsud has become the only Pakistani with a head-money
separately announced by both the Pakistan government and the U.S.
However, the head money placed on him by the U.S. is far larger than
that announced by Pakistan. It is offering $5 million for his
capture. In comparison, the Pakistan Government offer of rupees 50
million for credible information that could lead to his capture....
Requesting anonymity, one intelligence expert, said the two
governments should pool their efforts not only in terms of the head
money they are offering for Baitullah Mehsud, or BM as he is called
by officials of the intelligence agencies, but also getting him
killed or captured through a coordinated strategy. The belated
announcement of head money by the Pakistan government for Baitullah
Mahsud and 10 other Pakistani Taliban commanders was made through an
advertisement carried by newspapers on Sunday. All 11 of them are
affiliated to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and belong to
FATA."

"Two Commanders, Bombers' Trainer Arrested In Swat" "Dawn" (06/29)

"Security forces on Sunday claimed arrested two local militant
commanders and a suicide bombers' trainer in Swat Valley. Local
militant commanders, identified as Akbar and Saleem and a suicide
bombers' trainer Abdul Rehman."

"8 More Die In Kurram Clashes" "The News" (06/29)

"Eight more people were killed and several others injured during the
ongoing clashes in various parts of the troubled Lower Kurram Agency
on Sunday, sources said. The sources told 'The News' that armed men
of the warring tribes were sporadically trading fire and targeting
each other's positions in Balishkhel, Sangeena, Khar Killay, Sadda
city and Mingak areas of the agency."

"'Mastermind' Of Shrines Bombing Nabbed" "The News" (06/29)

"The police on Sunday claimed to have arrested the mastermind of the
bombing of shrines in the NWFP, along with his companion. The
mastermind, identified as Qari Roohullah, a resident of Tarha
village in Battagram."

"It's A Long Battle: TTP" "The Nation" (06/29)

"Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has declared they would never give
up their fight. 'We'll continue our fight until we achieve our
goals, TTP spokesman, Muslim Khan, said by telephone. Muslim Khan,
who said he was speaking from Swat, said Taliban leaders were alive
and determined to fight on. 'We retreated according to our plan.
We'll carry out guerrilla attacks ... It's a long battle,' he said."


"Great Game Afoot In South Asia: Owais Ghani" "Daily Times" (06/29)

"There is a 'great game' being played in the region, and
Afghanistan, and to some extent Pakistan, are its victims, NWFP
Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said on Sunday. He told a private TV
channel Pakistan would emerge stronger than ever from the crises
currently plaguing it. He said some world powers were trying to
divide Pakistan, adding that if he were not a governor, he would
have exposed them. Concerning his statement that NATO forces and
Afghan militants were attempting to weaken Pakistan, he claimed
there was a difference between their [NATO] stated objectives and
their actions, which were undermining Pakistan. The governor said
he had told several American officials, including General Petraeus,
Richard Boucher and Richard Holbrooke, that they would have to talk
to Afghan leaders such as Mullah Omer if they wanted to resolve the
Afghan issue."

"Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hold Anti-U.S. Rally" "Dawn" (06/29)

"Members of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) (Karachi chapter) lambasted the
U.S. for 'interference in Pakistani affairs' during a rally on
Sunday, and demanded that Pakistan's leaders 'shun the U.S. agenda.
They said 'the root cause behind all of Pakistan's problems' was
'U.S. meddling.'"

"Talks Without Kashmir Won't Bring Peace: Gilani" "Dawn" (06/29)

"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that talks with
India would not contribute to a durable peace in the region unless
the issue of Kashmir was addressed. 'Kashmir is a core issue and its
resolution is necessary for durable regional peace. Ignoring it in
dialogue with India will not help to sustain the talks process,' the
prime minister told journalists in Mansoora."

"Pak Embassy In U.S. Clarifies Lobbying Report" "The News" (06/29)

"The Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Sunday clarified a report on
lobbying firms hired by Pakistan and other Pakistani organizations.
It said: "Neither has Pakistan hired 11 lobbying firms and nor are
the dollars flowing out on account of lobbying for Pakistan.
Currently, Pakistan has hired only two firms - Locke Lord
Strategies-LP and Cassidy & Associates. It's unfortunate that the
write-up listed names of 11 companies and gave an impression as if
all these companies have been hired by the current government."

"Lobbying Dollars Flowing Out At Super Speed" "The News" (06/28)

"At least 11 big and small, known and unknown, lobbying companies
have been hired by Pakistan and state-owned Pakistani organizations
in the U.S., paying them hundreds of thousands of dollars every
month, some of them having mysterious names and almost dubious
credentials. Although lobbying is a legal profession in Washington,
the way it is conducted has earned it the nickname of 'officially
certified corruption' and what the Pakistan government, Pakistan
Embassy and Pakistani organizations are doing may come close to this
unofficial definition, analysts say. The information about these
lobbying firms is public record and is available on official
websites of U.S. government agencies and organizations. But somehow
Pakistani clients of these lobbying firms have tried to camouflage
their widely spread activities under different names and different
categories so that at one time not more than two or three companies
could be officially acknowledged as government lobbyists."

"Special U.S. Representative For Muslim World" "Dawn" (06/27)

"The Obama administration has appointed a woman of Kashmiri origin,
Farah Pandith, as America's special representative to the Muslim
world. Her appointment, announced by Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on Thursday afternoon, however, has raised eyebrows in
India. Ms. Pandith's task will be to advise Secretary Clinton on
dealing with Muslim communities around the world, in keeping with
the Obama administration's efforts to improve relations with the
Muslim world."

"Stop Drone Attacks, Zardari Tells U.S. Envoy" "The Statesman"
(06/27)

"President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday again made it clear to United
States to stop drone attack on Pakistan's soil, urging a negative
impact is being created in the minds of the people. President
Zardari expressed these views while talking to U.S. Ambassador in
Pakistan Anne W. Patterson on Friday. President hosted a luncheon
for the U.S. Ambassador. Host of issues came under discussion with
special focus on war against terrorism and drone attacks, sources
told Online."

"U.S. Buildings, Envoys In Pak Under Threat" "Daily Times" (06/27)

"Terrorists have plans to attack the American embassy, consulates
and diplomats, according to an intelligence report. Sources told
Urdu daily 'Aaj Kal' that the National Crisis Management Cell of the
Interior Ministry had already notified all provincial home
departments of the threat. According to the intelligence report, a
target has been assigned to a man named Muhammad Ayub, a resident of
Quetta. Also, law-enforcement agencies have been directed to put
security on high alert in light of the threat. 'Aaj Kal' report."

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

"The Need To Limit The Duration And Scope Of The Military Operation"
an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu
daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/29)

"The escape of up to 7,000 extremists towards South Punjab is
alarming. South Punjab has uranium reserves, which have to be
protected from Americans.... The government should pay attention to
limiting the scope of the operation and to eliminate the actual
causes of the conflict.... Expansion of the military operation
against on American pressure is not prudent. America, India and
Israel are after our nuclear power and they want to steal the
same."

"Is South Punjab Next After Swat?," an editorial in the
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (06/29)

"Insurgents are making inroads into Punjab not only for safe havens
but also to seek revenge against Islamabad for its operations in
Swat and FATA, which led to the killing of over two thousand of
their comrades.... The militants know that to remove pressures in
Swat, Malakand and FATA, they need to hit back and Punjab could be
their target.... Taliban in FATA and Malakand have money, training
sites and suicide bombers and with availability of sanctuaries in
southern parts of the country, they could play havoc."

"The Long Wait In Kurram," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal
English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/29)

"As Kurram Agency on the border with Afghanistan waits for the
return of the writ of the Pakistani state for the past three years,
the Taliban depredations in the guise of sectarianism continue
around the headquarters of the Parachinar agency.... The local
population has virtually given up on Pakistan during the two years
that have seen all roads going to Pakistan cut off and the federal
government ditching them after promising to come to their help
'within a fortnight.'... The people of Kurram have waited a long
time for the state of Pakistan to rescue them. Now as the state
asserts itself for sovereignty in South Waziristan and the TTP and
Al Qaeda terrorists are on the run, the time may have come for the
Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, to fulfill his pledge that Pakistan
would come to the rescue of Kurram 'within a fortnight.'"

"Money For The Taliban," an editorial in the Karachi-based
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000)
(06/29)

"One must welcome the realism shown by the foreign ministers of
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia in recognizing drug trafficking as
a major source of funding for terrorists.... The various Taliban
factions run billion-dollar empires. They need - and manage to get
- big money for sustaining military operations, which require not
only an uninterrupted supply of sophisticated weapons but also a
modern logistics system, besides an underworld that runs
recruitment, brainwashing and training centers. The point to note
is that not all this money comes from the drug trade, for there are
other sources of funding available to the Taliban, including from
those who have misguided concepts of philanthropy.... While the
tripartite cooperation is welcome, the onus perhaps is on us in
Pakistan because of the subtlety of the challenge and its effect on
the current military operations against the Taliban."

"Kurram Killings," an editorial in the center-right national English
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/29)

"Kurram Agency, which has seen sectarian strife in the past, has
once again erupted into violence.... The situation has turned
frightening for half a million people living in the region bordering
Afghanistan.... Both sides are trying to consolidate their
positions while accusing each other of seeking help from the
outsiders.... The fact that the security forces have not so far
acted to curb the violence is disconcerting.... Those in authority
need to rise from slumber and take appropriate measures to curb
violence in the region that is prone to sectarian strife, lest the
worsening law and order situation there should turn into another
humanitarian crisis."

"A Welcome Prospect," an editorial in the center-right national
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/29)

"Mr. Holbrooke's anxiety for the IDPs is quite appreciable but one
cannot accept the liberties he so often takes with matters that are
purely of Pakistan's internal concern. As Pakistani authorities are
expressing the view that the militants in Swat have been dealt a
deadly blow, the operation is in the final stages and will soon be
over, he tells Reuters that it is too soon to declare victory. His
apprehension about the safety and security of these people against
militants' inroads in the future is shared by Pakistanis and,
indeed, by the world. The answer lies in using U.S. influence in
securing assistance adequate enough to start their lives afresh and
in the supply of military equipment to Pakistan army to meet the
menace."

"Need For Joint Efforts Against Terrorism," an editorial in liberal
Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/29)

"G-8 countries' assurance of lending all-out support and cooperation
to Pakistan in the war on terror shows that the western countries
are slowly becoming aware of Pakistan's difficulties in this bloody
war. How these countries actually help Pakistan in controlling these
difficulties remains to be seen. For now, we will have to be
satisfied with their statements."

"A Successful March Against America," an editorial in the
Karachi-based right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat"
(cir. 3,000) (06/29)

"By holding a massive rally in Karachi against Americans this
Sunday, Jamaat-e-Islami has proven that it truly represents people's
aspirations. On the contrary, the pro-American forces are creating
chaos and anarchy in the country, and support to these elements is
coming from Afghanistan which is occupied by Americans along with
troops of about 40 countries. The rally also demonstrates that the
military operation in Swat is not supported by public in general,
and the national resources are failed to influence the Pakistani
nation."

"Government's Concern To Introduce Contemporary Subjects In
Madarassas," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi
Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (06/29)
"The Interior Ministry's announcement of forming a regulatory
authority for Madarassas and the Interior Minister's desire to add
modern subjects to the curriculum is not only surprising but
meaningful as well. It is either the Ministry of Education or the
Ministry of Religious Affairs that could have taken up these
matters; the Interior Ministry is not directly linked with these
matters, especially regarding the curriculum.... If the teaching of
engineering is not compulsory for a medical student, and if computer
science students cannot be compelled to study medicine, how can
Madarassa students be forced to study irrelevant subjects?"

"Reporting War," an editorial in the populist, often sensational
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/29)

"A balance has to be made between the public need to know, the
military ability to provide enough detail to satisfy the public, and
a better-developed awareness of the particular skills necessary for
good war reporting by journalists in the field. It is time that we
had a trained cadre of reporters who can do this difficult job, who
have the skills to remain objective and fact-led under the most
trying of circumstances. Until we do then the military are going to
remain suspicious and keep the media at arms length. Our
institutions of higher education which offer training in journalism
are predominantly print oriented. If our 'new media' is to mature
they need to be recruiting from a graduate pool that has the
appropriate skills."

"Restrictions On Movement," an editorial in the Karachi-based
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000)
(06/29)

"Security and freedom are bad neighbors. To create a sense of
safety and security, the authorities often put restrictions on
people's movement.... Popular reaction to such security measures
becomes all the more negative when they are meant to block access to
the government itself.... The government's standpoint is that its
offices and residential buildings are obvious targets for terrorists
and, therefore, should be safeguarded no matter what. But the
citizens might be forgiven for thinking that a government obsessed
with its own security can do little to maintain public safety.
People also fail to understand why one area needs more securing than
all others and see it as an attempt to differentiate between the
rulers and the ruled. That they should see their freedoms
compromised thus, without raising an outcry, beats and imagination"


"The Stakes In Waziristan," an op-ed by Syed Mohammad Ali in the
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (06/29)

"Militancy in the NWFP is sustained by competing powers seeking to
secure their strategic and energy interests in the complex milieu of
South and Central Asia. The question arises that if this insurgency
happens to survive a few more years, will Islamabad be able to keep
the Pakhtun nationalist elements on its side against the religious
militants.... The government will have to draw up a comprehensive
political and economic strategy to isolate TTP leadership before it
launches a military operation in Waziristan.... Taliban by engaging
Pakistani military forces are diverting its resources into an
internal war rather than let it be prepared against any potential
external threat. Today the stakes of this conflict in FATA and the
NWFP are higher for Pakistan's security than they have ever been
before. This could be the decisive battle for the identity and
future of our nation and like 1965 or 1971 we should not totally
depend on the U.S. alone for winning it."

"Karzai's Gimmick," an editorial in the Peshawar-based, independent
regional daily "The Frontier Post" (cir. 7,000) (06/29)

"The reports emanating from the world capitals in wide circulation
that Americans, backed up by their western and Arab allies, are
contemplating to install a chosen satrap to run the country with
Karzai sitting atop as a mere figurehead. Given Afghanistan's
dependence on foreign dole to subsist and survive, Karzai will
perforce again be playing just a valet. Talking peace with Taliban
will be none of his charge. Others will be in charge, if at all
some such move is ever undertaken by the powers in control of the
Afghans destiny. So if he goes down in the history not as a
national hero but as a betrayer, he will have himself to blame."
"India's Water Aggression Must Be Stopped," an editorial in the
popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (06/29)

"A few days ago, during his meeting with U.S. National Security
Advisor James Jones, PM Gillani asked the U.S. to play a role in
helping with the Kashmir and water disputes with India. This shows
that our government has finally realized the importance of the water
issue with India. However, if we do not take timely action and seek
the international community's help in stopping India from its
dangerous plan, we will regret it."

(All circulation figures are based on estimation)
Patterson