PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 30, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001435 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 30, 2009 Summary: Reports of about 18-hour power outage in several towns and cities across the country caused by a technical fault that triggered violent protests dominated headlines in all newspapers on Tuesday. All newspapers highlighted news that the Taliban miscreants from North Waziristan "scrapped" a peace deal they had signed with the government 16 months ago. The security forces' claim to "have killed at least 13 militants in attacks on their hideouts in Khyber Agency" received prominent display. Newspapers also highlighted the Pakistan Foreign Office's statement repudiating as 'malafide' some media reports, which claimed U.S. money was being used to secure Pakistan nukes. Prime Minister Gilani's remarks that the "terrorists bearing head money would soon meet their nemesis" also received prominent coverage in all major newspapers. Reports and photographs of jubilation in Iraq as the U.S. troops pulled out of Baghdad received extensive media coverage. Some major dailies ran in-depth analytical editorials on the national security situation including the sectarian clashes in the restive Kurram Agency, and others editorialized the Foreign Policy Journal's report that placed Pakistan on 10th in a list of 'failed states.' The populist, often sensational national English daily "The News," wrote: "Indeed, while the government has essentially stood by and watched, twiddling its' thumbs, there has been what amounts to a genocide in Kurram - the only tribal agency that houses a significant non-Sunni population." Commenting on the 'failed state' issue, the second-largest Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt," observed that "such pieces of information usually surface when Pakistan hesitates from accepting a new American aspiration.... We should ponder as to what America wants this time around." However, the Lahore-based liberal English daily, "Daily Times," noted that that "if there is a hope quotient, Pakistan is more upbeat about survival than it was six months ago. That should count as something." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Mangla Goes Off Grid, Power Deficit Up By 1,100MW" "Dawn" (06/30) "All control and power cables of Mangla Dam Power Station were burnt early on Monday morning, taking the dam off line and widening the power deficit by an incredible 1,100MW. Up to 18-hour load shedding was reported from different urban and rural feeders of the country, triggering violent protests in Lahore, Gujranwala, Shuja Abad and Mianwali." "Taliban Scrap N. Waziristan Peace Deal" "Dawn," "The News" (06/30) "Clashes between security forces and militants intensified in North Waziristan on Monday and the Taliban scrapped a peace deal they had signed with the government 16 months ago. Previously known as pro-government, militants, Taliban led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region on Monday formally trashed the peace deal with the government in what they termed 'as a protest over U.S. Drone attacks.'" "13 Militants, Seven Civilians Killed In Khyber Blitz" "The News" (06/30) "Security forces on Monday claimed to have killed at least 13 suspected militants in attacks on their hideouts in Bazaar Zakhakhel area of Landikotal, Khyber Agency, while seven members of a family were killed and four others injured when an artillery shell struck a Hujra in Sra Shaga area in Jamrud Tehsil, the FC sources claimed but without giving the names of the dead militants." "U.S. Money Not Being Used For Nuke Safety: FO" "Pakistan Observer" (06/30) "Pakistan has rejected as 'malafide' reports that U.S. money was being used to enhance safety and security of country's nuclear program, and categorically reiterated that its command and control systems were completely indigenous. Foreign Office spokesman emphasized that Pakistan is fully capable of looking after the safety and security of its strategic assets itself." "Terrorists Carrying Head Money Will Meet Their Nemesis: PM" "Daily Times" (06/30) "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said that the terrorists bearing head money would soon meet their nemesis. Welcoming the family members of the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam to the National Assembly, Gilani expressed the confidence that the ongoing military operation in Swat and Malakand would soon free the country of the scourge of terrorism. Gilani said that the second and third tier of the militant leadership had been eliminated and those carrying head money would soon meet their nemesis." "Iraqis Celebrate As U.S. Troops Leave Baghdad" "Dawn" (06/30) "Invading U.S. troops pulled out of Baghdad on Monday, triggering jubilation among Iraqis hopeful that foreign military occupation is ending six years after the invasion to depose Saddam Hussain." "Zardari Praises Soldiers: Operation To Continue Till Militants Eliminated" "Dawn" (06/30) "President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that the military operation in Malakand division would continue till the elimination of militants. 'Either the militants have to lay down arms, give up militancy and accept state's authority or they have to be exterminated. Let there be no doubt or mistake about it,' said the President while addressing MNAs and Senators of the Pakistan People's Party." "Pullback From Eastern Border Ruled Out" "Dawn" (06/30) "Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has ruled out the withdrawal of troops from the eastern border for deployment at the western border. 'We cannot and will not do it,' he said at a press briefing along with military spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas in Islamabad on Monday." "Army Facing Tough Choice After NWA Ambush" "The News" (06/30) "The Army high command is required to make a tough choice whether to extend its military operation from South Waziristan to North Waziristan following the provocative attack by the Taliban militants on a military convoy in North Waziristan's Madakhel area on Sunday despite the existence of a peace accord. The priority for now is South Waziristan where the military campaign against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) head Baitullah Mehsud is gaining momentum. But the military cannot ignore the deadly ambush on the 250-member convoy in which a significant number of soldiers were killed and injured. A senior government official said such attacks could demoralize the troops if punitive measures aren't undertaken." "Dir Villagers Kill 2 Afghan Militants; 30 Houses of Militants, Supporters Torched" "The News" (06/30) "After days of hiatus in fighting, thousands of armed villagers in the mountainous Doog Darra area of Dir Upper district launched an intensified offensive against the holed up Taliban and killed two Afghan militants besides torching 30 houses of Taliban and their supporters in Shatkas and Bar Doog villages on Monday." "18 Injured In Buner Blast" "Dawn" (06/30) "A bomb blast in Swari bazaar (Buner) on Monday left at least 18 people, including two policemen, injured. According to officials, the timed device with five to eight kilograms of explosives had been placed on the roof of a traffic post at the College Chowk." "Fierce Clashes Kill 25 In Kurram Tribal Region" "Dawn" (06/30) "Clashes between rival groups continued in the Kurram tribal region on Sunday night leaving another 25 people dead. Reports of fierce clashes have been received from Mangek, Makhzai, Jindari and Tangi areas of Lower Kurram where warring groups attacked each other with heavy weapons. A senior official in Peshawar told 'Dawn' that violence subsided on Monday after security forces had dislodged armed men from two important positions." "8 Taliban Shot Dead In Swat" "The News" (06/30) "Security forces on Monday claimed to have killed eight militants in Khwazakhela area of the Swat Valley. An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said security forces conducted a raid on a compound in Khwazakhela, killing eight militants. Weapons and explosive devices were also recovered in the raid, it added." "2 Militants Killed In Darra Operation" "The News" (06/30) "The security forces on Monday claimed killing two militant during a search operation in Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel on Monday. Sources said the security forces, backed by gunship helicopter, launched a search operation following an exchange of gunfire with the militants in Akhorwal area and pounded the hideouts of the militants." "7 Terrorists Nabbed In Lahore, Explosives Seized" "The News" (06/30) "CIA police Lahore claimed to have arrested seven terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Muhammad and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and recovered explosive material and illicit weapons from their custody." "Pakistan Starts Production Of JF-17 Thunder Jets Today" "Pakistan Observer," "The Post" (06/30) "Pakistan will formally start the serial production of JF-17 'Thunder' warplane with collaboration of China from today (Tuesday) at Kamra. Pakistan and China signed an agreement for the production of 42 JF-17 fighters. Launching ceremony of JF-17 sub assemblies would be held at Pakistan Aeronautical complex Kamra today." "Iran Starts Recount Of Disputed Vote" "The Post" (06/30) "Iran's top election body on Monday began a partial recount of the fiercely-disputed presidential election but the move is unlikely to placate the opposition which is insisting on a new vote." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Kurram Clashes," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "Indeed, while the government has essentially stood by and watched, twiddling its' thumbs, there has been what amounts to a genocide in Kurram - the only tribal agency that houses a significant non-Sunni population.... While the region has a long history of sectarian tensions, the recent increase in violence is attributed to the influence of the Taliban, and their orthodox, Sunni ideology.... The location of Kurram makes it strategically important as far as the wider fight against terrorism goes. It is said that some key crossing points into Afghanistan, which have been used by militants, are located within it. If the authorities are serious in their desire to clean up the northern areas and flush out the militants, now is the time to move in." "Kurram Agency Violence," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "Unless tackled with all the seriousness the bloodletting demands, the situation in Kurram Agency could get out of hand and have wider repercussions. More menacingly, the Taliban have made their deadly presence felt.... One can understand the government's reluctance to open another front at a time when Swat cannot be said to have been fully cleared of the Taliban and the operation in South Waziristan has just begun. But given the people's misery, the government has no choice but to make its presence felt meaningfully and ensure peace." "Is Nuclear Pakistan A Failed State? Absolutely Not," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/30) "American magazine, Foreign Policy Journal has placed Pakistan at number 10 in the list of failed states.... The failed state mantra against Pakistan began when this Muslim state continued to move forward honorably despite American sanctions imposed under Pressler and Symington amendments. And then in 1998 Pakistan proved its scientific and technical excellence by conducting nuclear tests.... Such pieces of information usually surface when Pakistan hesitates from accepting a new American aspiration.... We should ponder as to what America wants this time around." "The 'Failed State' Syndrome Again," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/30) "Looking from Pakistan, Al Qaeda seems to be ensconced inside Afghanistan, most probably in the province of Khost. Looking from Afghanistan, it seems hiding somewhere in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) although its operatives have been arrested from all the major cities of Pakistan in the past. In the middle of these two observation points, it is safe to say that Al Qaeda is on the Pak-Afghan border even though the border is just a line and Al Qaeda can't stay perched on the line. What is meant is that it could be anywhere in Pakistan and/or Afghanistan.... Joined at the hip with the Taliban, it extends the 'ungoverned space' far into the non-tribal areas.... But if there is a hope quotient, Pakistan is more upbeat about survival than it was six months ago. That should count as something." "Pakistan A Failed State. Ridiculous," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (06/30) "A thorough analysis of the index prepared by the Foreign Policy Journal indicates that Pakistan is better off among 177 countries and the real purpose behind the report was arms twisting so as to make it dance at the tune of the Western countries. It is ridiculous to describe a country as a failed State.... A failed State cannot be asked by others to extend support in fighting out terrorism.... It would be advisable for the so-called think-tanks or the journals preparing reports on different countries to be objective in their assessment rather than taking dictations from their financiers to target a particular country for the attainment of certain objectives." "The Issue Of Lobbying Firms And The Failed States List," an editorial in the Lahore-based independent Urdu daily "Din" (cir. 10,000) (06/30) "If we analyze the outcome of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobbying firms, we will realize that the firms' performance is nil. Pakistan's rating in the list of failed states shows that Pakistan's efforts in the war on terror, and economic planning, are being ignored by the U.S. and the international community. In these circumstances, it is important not only to scrutinize funds being given to dubious lobbying firms and to end contracts with lobbying firms with below par performances, but to also take action against individuals who are filling up their pockets in the process." "Long Drawn-Out Battle," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/30) "What has been achieved in Swat is the downgrading of insurgency to the level of simple militancy. The Army has pushed the militants out of the towns and cities of Swat, Buner, Malakand, and Upper and Lower Dir. What it has failed to do is to nab the principal leaders. What is more, avoiding a head-on clash with the Army, the TTP managed to save hundreds of its armed supporters who are now lying low waiting for a chance to regroup and strike back.... Baitullah Mehsud changed all that by physically eliminating the tribal elite and replacing them with local commanders loyal to him. The Army faces a hard task in the region where the TTP leadership reportedly enjoys the support of thousands of battle-hardened militants drawn from a number of countries, where they cannot hope to go back for fear of being imprisoned or hanged. The foremost aim of the Army should be to deprive Baitullah Mehsud of his capacity to orchestrate terror attacks in the rest of the country." "Hard Fighting," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "Fighting the Taliban in their heartlands - the Waziristan agencies - is going to be a very different matter to fighting them in Swat or Buner.... This is going to be no 'sweeping up' of a few raggle-taggle 'remnants'; this is going to be a hard-fought bitter battle against a force which is no less able, and perhaps better equipped, than our own.... The Prime Minister said last Sunday that the war against anti-state elements had entered its final phase and the military operation would be completed 'soon.' 'Soon' is a very elastic concept. The general public on hearing 'soon' may reasonably think 'days and weeks' - whereas the reality is that the fight we are now engaged in is more likely to last many months, perhaps years, and in real terms may never - ever - have a defined ending. Terrorism is going to continue in Pakistan - even if we 'win' the war in the Waziristans - and elsewhere in the world as there always be those who wish to challenge the writ of the state by violent means." "Who Is Providing Modern Arms To Taliban?," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (06/30) "It has now been revealed to the world that the [local] Taliban fighting the Pakistani forces have the latest weapons, which are only possessed by the U.S. and NATO forces. There is also evidence that the Taliban are being provided the latest weapons from Afghanistan. Analysts have also found proof that a large number of Indian and Israeli agents are present in the Tribal areas disguised as Taliban... The need is to intensify the operation against militants so that the nation can breathe a sigh of relief because suicide attacks and bomb blasts by the militants have created unrest in the country." "Decisive Action Needed To Eliminate Terrorism," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/30) "The U.S. administration must pay attention to the Army Chief's statement that the war on terror cannot produce desired results until the supply to Taliban from Afghanistan, as well as Taliban's cross-border infiltration into Pakistan is stopped. Hence the U.S. needs to take positive measures to stop Taliban's movement into Pakistan [from the Afghan side]." "Window Of Consent," an op-ed by Dr. Maleeha Lodhi in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "Taking advantage of the window of consent provided by public backing for the anti-militancy campaign, the military has been ramping up the drive against Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan.... A more calibrated strategy now seems to be in play. This has involved holding back on an all-out ground assault to first concentrate on targeting the leaders of the TTP and gradually ratchet up pressure on the militants' redoubt, while trying to minimize the military's vulnerabilities in a challenging theatre of combat.... The aim of the new offensive is to isolate Baitullah Mehsud and deny space to him and his network to respond once the ground has been prepared for a decisive assault.... Neutralizing the TTP and its leader is described by the authorities as striking at the heart of the militant threat. If successful, this blow could leave the militant network in disarray and lead to its possible disintegration, unleashing a domino effect across FATA and sending a powerful signal beyond." "Do These Lives Matter At All?," an op-ed by Rahimullah Yusufzai in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "Attacking weddings, funerals, caravans and weekly village fairs with its deadly arsenal of missiles and killing civilians isn't something new for the U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan. In fact, this is a major reason for the rising sentiment against the U.S.-led foreign forces in the country.... The same practice that has made the Afghan war unwinnable for the U.S. is now being gradually extended to Pakistan. On June 23, the funeral of a Pakistani Taliban commander, Khwaz Wali, in South Waziristan was attacked by the U.S. drones in the hope of getting someone important like Baitullah Mehsud. Instead, up to 70 people, mostly non-combatants were killed and scores of others were injured.... The U.S. and its allies should have learnt their lessons in Afghanistan where the defeated Taliban have become resurgent primarily due to the growing animosity towards the presence of foreign forces. Instead, they are repeating their mistakes in Pakistan's tribal areas and pushing the common people further into the arms of the militants. And by not taking effective steps to make the U.S. realize its blundering mission in the region, the Pakistan government is making its own task of stabilizing its turbulent tribal borderlands even more difficult." "The Media-Savvy Taliban," an op-ed by Faizullah Jan in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/30) "One way to see the Taliban defeated is to deny them access to the media through which they threaten the terrified people. As a tool of power, the media has the capacity to lionize or demonize characters, making non-entities into larger-than-life figures. If shunned by the mass media many negative characters would lose their constituency. The media should concentrate on the agonies of the people. When people hear their voices and see their faces on the media they own it, which gives journalists and their organizations acceptability in society. It is this acceptability that the mass media draws its strength from. The role of the media is to give hope to the people, not to make them despair." "Suppressing Dissent," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/30) "As if suppressing public dissent against the disputed presidential election was not enough, the Iranian authorities further hurt the electorate by declaring the June 12 vote as the 'cleanest' the country has ever had.... It bears repeating that the Establishment should not remain oblivious to the people's democratic aspirations that became obvious from the countrywide protests coming on the heels of the official announcement of the election results.... Public is outraged. It is an implicit rejection of the system where Parliament is subservient to the un-elected body of jurists and clerics." (All circulation figures are based on estimation) Patterson