PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 08, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001528

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 08, 2009

Summary: Reports of a U.S. drone attack on a militant training
center in South Waziristan that killed 16 militants received
prominent front page coverage in all Pakistani newspapers on
Wednesday. Newspapers also widely covered a meeting between the
Pakistani President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, and Chief of the
Army Staff Kiyani who met the "third time in a week to discuss
internal and external threats." President Zardari's statement that
"militants and extremists have been deliberately created and
nurtured as a policy to achieve some short-term tactical objectives"
was also highlighted by all newspapers. Newspapers also gave
front-page coverage to the visit of British Foreign Secretary
Miliband who, they reported, urged "long-term security relations
with Pakistan."

Most major dailies ran analytical editorials on the recently-inked
U.S.-Russia accords. The English daily, "Dawn," noted that "supplies
through Russia should take some pressure off Pakistan in terms of
fuel supply and other materials for the coalition forces. However,
Islamabad's role in the war on terror will continue to remain
crucial." Another English daily, "The News," observed that the
"cordial note" struck between U.S. President Barack Obama and his
Russian counterpart Medvedev during their first summit meeting at
the Kremlin has important implications for Pakistan, noting that "in
past decades, decisions taken in Washington and Moscow have altered
the fate of our country." The Urdu daily, "Express" wrote: "As a
result of several issues having been resolved between the two
countries, now it will be easy for the world - and these two
countries in particular - to emerge from the effects of the Cold War
era." End Summary.

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News Stories
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"U.S. Drone Kills 16 Militants In South Waziristan" "Dawn" (07/08)

"A suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles at a militant training
centre in Laddha subdivision of South Waziristan on Tuesday, killing
16 militants and injuring 10 others. Five foreigners were among the
dead, security officials said. The camp allegedly run by militants
loyal to Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was in Chenakai area of the
Shabikhels, a sub clan of Mehsud tribe."

"Court Dismisses Petition Against Drone Attacks" "Dawn" (07/08)

"The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition
seeking halt to drone attacks on the tribal areas of the country by
America and asking under what law the government had permitted the
attacks."

"Troika Meets For Third Time In A Week" "Dawn" (07/08)

"President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and
Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met on Tuesday
for a third time in seven days to 'discuss internal and external
threats.' Though an official press release maintained that the
three discussed matters concerning national security, it did not
mention any specific threat to the security of the country."

"Militants Nurtured For Short-Term Objectives: Zardari" "Dawn"
(07/08)

"President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that militants and
extremists had been deliberately created and nurtured as a policy to
achieve some short-term tactical objectives. 'They did not emerge
because the civil bureaucracy was weak or demoralized. Let us be
truthful and make a candid admission of the reality,' the President
said."

"U.K. Has Long-Term Security Relations With Pak: Miliband" "Dawn"
(07/08)

"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Tuesday his
government shared Pakistan's concern and realized fully the
difficulties it faced because of the large number of people
displaced by the military operation in Malakand division. During a
visit to a camp of the internally displaced persons in Chota Lahore
tehsil, Mr. Miliband said his government was committed to providing
assistance for the IDPs. Mr. Miliband arrived in Islamabad earlier
in the day on a three-day official visit."

"U.S. Seeks No Pak Bases: Obama" "The Nation" (07/08)

"President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that we seek no bases, nor
do we want to control these nations - Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Instead, we want to work with international partners, including
Russia, to help Afghans and Pakistanis advance their own security
and prosperity. Neither AMERICA nor Russia has an interest in an
Afghanistan or Pakistan governed by the Taliban. It is time to work
together on behalf of a different future."

"Pak Army Capable Of Defeating Militants, Says Mullen" "Dawn"
(07/08)

"The operations in Swat and other areas of the NWFP have encouraged
the United States to believe that Pakistan is capable to conducting
a similar offensive in South Waziristan, America's top military
official Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff,
told a briefing in Washington on Tuesday."

"Pakistan Opposes Any conditions To U.S. Aid" "The News" (07/08)

"Pakistan on Tuesday strongly opposed any moves to attach strings to
U.S. aid for it.... Senator Dr. Babar Awan, who met with Obama
Administration officials in Washington on Monday, spoke in the
backdrop of recent proposals on the Capitol Hill to condition future
American assistance for the key South Asian country."

"Kerry Says U.S. Aid For Pakistan Also In Indian Interest" "The
News" (07/08)

"Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the influential Foreign Relations
Committee, on Tuesday said U.S. expansion in aid for Pakistan under
a bipartisan legislation - recasting relationship between the two
countries - is also in India's interest."

"U.S. Can Help Reduce Tensions Over Kashmir, Says Diplomat" "Dawn"
(07/08)

"President Barack Obama's choice for Ambassador to India says he
will support a resumption of talks between India and Pakistan. Tim
Roemer told a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he would
encourage the two countries to improve communications to ease
tension in case of future terrorist attacks."

"Three Militants Killed, 34 Detained, Says ISPR" "Dawn" (07/08)

"Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday that three
militants had been killed and 34 terrorists captured in Swat and
Bannu since Monday. During a search operation in Shukdara area of
Swat, local terrorist leader Muhammad Rasool, brother of Ibn-e-Amin,
and 'commander' Akram were killed. Eight sub-machine guns, two
pistols and four 7mm rifles were seized."

"44 Schools Damaged In Maidan Operation" "Dawn" (07/08)

"Forty-four government schools in the Maidan tehsil of Lower Dir
have been damaged since the military operation was launched in the
area, sources in the education department told 'Dawn' on Monday.
Most of the schools, including 16 for girls were either blown up or
set on fire by militants after the operation against them began."

"Obama Denies Giving Israel Green Light To Hit Iran" "The News"
(07/08)

"U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday strongly denied that the
United States had given Israel a green light to strike Iran's
nuclear facilities, in an interview on CNN television."

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Editorials/Op-eds
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"U.S.-Russia Accord," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (07/08)

"Supplies through Russia should take some pressure off Pakistan in
terms of fuel supply and other material for the coalition forces.
However, Islamabad's role in the war on terror will continue to
remain crucial because of the dual nature of Pakistan's
responsibilities: it has to crush insurgency within its borders as
well as coordinate with forces across the Durand Line to stop the
Taliban's two-way movement.... The series of agreements, especially
the accord on the sensitive nuclear issue, should serve to remove
mistrust between the two countries, reflecting as they do President
Obama's continued search for a new image for his country - an image
that will be in sharp contrast to the jingoism that characterized
the policies of the Bush era."

"Friends, Not Foes," an editorial in the populist, often sensational
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/08)

"The cordial note struck between U.S. President Barack Obama and his
Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev during their first summit
meeting at the Kremlin has important implications for Pakistan....
The latest decisions mean the U.S. involvement and its offensive in
the region seem set to continue. This somewhat complicates the
picture as far as the war against terrorism goes for Pakistan. We
all know that militancy and the sometimes subtle support for it we
find in quite unexpected places is spurred on by the widespread
hatred for the U.S. and its policies. There are many who will argue
militancy will end only if the US pulls out of the region. But the
talks in Moscow indicate the pace of the war may accelerate. This
then is the reality Pakistan must live with."

"New Beginning Of America, Russia Relations," an editorial in
liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (07/08)

"According to a news report, the Russian and American Presidents
have agreed to reduce nuclear weapons.... We should welcome this
start of a new era of America-Russia cooperation... As a result of
the several issues being resolved between the two countries, it
would now be easy to bring out these two countries in particular and
the entire world in general from the effects of the Cold War era."

"NATO Gets Its Supply Route From Russia," an editorial in the
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir.
10,000) (07/08)

"The transit route issue has clearly forced the Obama administration
to step back from the Russia policy of the Bush administration,
signaled by the Monday summit.... Will this mean a reduction of
Pakistan's leverage in any way? Islamabad remains important because
of the land route it provides for NATO supplies. If there is any
reduction it will be bought by the U.S. only at a big financial
cost. But far more than that is the developing consensus in the
neighborhood of Pakistan behind the NATO presence in Afghanistan and
the success of its mission against terrorism. This development will
affect Pakistan's policy of assistance to this mission conditional
to rolling back the Indian encroachment in Afghanistan and resultant
interference inside Pakistan. No one at the international level
seems to worry about Governor NWFP Owais Ghani's warning about
'dangerous' American activities across the Durand Line."

"Mending U.S.-Russia Ties," an editorial in the center-right
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (07/08)

"No doubt, Moscow is as much as concerned about terrorism as
Washington but this gesture of allowing its air space for 4,500
flights a year would prove of great help to the U.S. actually
engaged in the fight against militants. One would like to hope that
the agreement to cut the number of nuclear warheads in the arsenals
of each country to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years would

ultimately pave the way for a complete global nuclear disarmament."


"U.S.-Russia Accord," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal
English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (07/08)

"Being Obama's first ever visit to Russia as President of the U.S.,
the agreements will have a noticeable impact on not just the
relations between the two countries but also on entire Asia,
especially the South Asian region."

"It Is Something More Than Just N. Weapons," an editorial in the
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (07/08)

"In our view, despite all the pious intentions, it is a symbolic
gesture as the maintenance of a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons was
an extra burden and liability. If the purpose is to promote world
peace, something more is required and that is to bring an end to the
hegemonic designs, aggressive postures and occupation of territories
for economic and political gains.... So the need is that American
and Russian leadership must move forward from just reduction of war
heads to total elimination of WMDs to make the world secure and
peaceful."

"America's Nuclear Games," an op-ed by Shireen M. Mazari in the
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir.
55,000) (07/08)

"Obama is certainly stretching his global goodwill to its limits....
The U.S. and Russian leaders declared in a grand fashion that they
have agreed to reduce their existing nuclear stockpiles but failed
to tell the world that most of these reductions would be of
redundant weapons which will create space for the new ones. After
all, neither side avowed to stop adding to their arsenals!... The
U.S. pushing its nuclear agenda globally that we must raise our
voices of concern over what seems to have become a covert official
U.S. policy - to allow Israel to deal with Iran's nuclear
facilities.... So a new and threatening pattern is emerging even as
Obama seeks to woo the world with what is now becoming his glibness
rather than a serious intent to alter the course of U.S. policies on
security issues."

"Fanatic India's Defense Budget; And Anti-Pakistan Designs," an
editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (07/08)

"India has increased its defense budget by 34 percent.... seven
times more than Pakistan.... Indian government has recognized that
due to steps taken by Pakistan the infiltration [into Indian
Kashmir] has stopped and the situation in the Indian held Kashmir
has improved from Indian point of view. Present Pakistani
government's friendliness toward India is no secret; so much so that
under U.S. pressure President Asif Ali Zardari has even said that he
did not feel threatened from India.... One third increase in the
Indian defense budget is a manifestation of India's dangerous
designs.... We should be alarmed over the increase in the Indian
defense budget."

"Massive Increase In Indian Defense Budget," an editorial in the
Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir.
50,000) (07/08)

"The [34 percent] increase in Indian defense budget shows its
aggressive ambitions.... Pakistan adopted a policy of putting
pressure on India to coax it into negotiations, but this policy
failed as the U.S. President announced that he is not ready to put
any pressure on India; in fact [he said] that India and Pakistan
should resolve their disputes themselves. However, there is a need
to remain vigilant about India's aggressive designs."

"IDP Woes," an op-ed by Zofeen T. Ebrahim in the populist, often
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/08)

"Despite urgent calls for $543 million through Pakistan Humanitarian
Response Plan for assistance of the IDPs, they have so far received
$166 million (31 per cent).... And if the money does not come
through fast, relief organizations warn, the host families will not
be able to sustain the IDPs much longer. And it is this 'fatigue'
of the host families that is indeed worrying, if the international
community continues to ignore calls for help. If relief does not
come soon enough, the 90 per cent of the IDPs living with relatives
and friends may become so desperate as to come into the 21 IDP camps
strewn across the five districts in NWFP.... However, if the
international community does not respond to the appeal, there is
likelihood that the 'Jihadists' will take advantage of the situation
like they did in 2005 and 2008 earthquakes in AJK and Balochistan,
respectively, offering immediate relief and succor."

(All circulation figures are based on estimation)
Patterson