PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: AUGUST 28, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002067 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: AUGUST 28, 2009 Media Reaction Summary: August 28, 2009 Summary: Reports of the "killing of 22 border guards in a suicide blast near Torkhum along the Afghan border" dominated headlines in all newspapers on Friday. All newspapers also highlighted report of a "U.S. drone attack that killed ten suspected militants in South Waziristan." Ambassador Patterson's briefing on the proposed expansion plan of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad received extensive and prominent coverage. All newspapers highlighted her remarks repudiating "massive posting of marines at the U.S. Mission in Islamabad." Finance Minister Tareen's statement made during an interview with the Financial Times, that the "administrative costs may account for as much as half of the assistance pledged by the U.S. to Pakistan" received prominent display. Local themes of political significance dominated editorials and op-ed articles. End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Pre-Iftar Suicide Blast Kills 22 Border Guards" "Dawn" (08/28) "Twenty-two Khasadars were killed when a suicide bomber struck a security post near Torkham along the Afghan border on Thursday evening. According to witnesses, the bomber blew himself up when the tribal policemen gathered at the checkpost and were about to break their fast." "10 Dead In US Drone Attack In SWA Village" "The News" (08/28) "Ten suspected militants were killed and five others injured in a US drone attack on an alleged militant compound at Ragh village of Kaniguram town in the South Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Thursday afternoon." "US Envoy Denies Massive Posting Of Marines" "The News" (08/28) "The US envoy in Pakistan Ms Anne Wood Patterson has conceded that the impression about her country in Pakistan is 'very bad' and it is because of the poor public relations and the undue US bashing by Washington's critics here. She said, 'We all are responsible for this bad image and are making efforts to remove this perception.' There is a need to promote people-to-people contact to improve the trust between the two countries. Ambassador Patterson who is about to complete her third year here despite its being a non-family station said that the number of US marines will be less than 20 even after the completion of the expansion project six to seven years down the line. She emphatically denied the reports of a frightening increase in the number of US marines in Pakistan's capital." "Marine House To Cost Only $5m, Says US Embassy" "Dawn" (08/28) "The United States embassy said on Thursday the Marine House to be constructed on its premises would be a $5 million bomb-proof facility to accommodate less than 20 guards and the $112.5 million figure quoted from the US budget documents was a 'misinterpretation.'" "US General Calls On General Kayani" "Daily Times" (08/28) "US Defence Intelligence Agency Director Lt General Ronald Burgess on Thursday called on Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani at the General Headquarters." "Enemy in Pakistan Not Yet Defeated: Says Petraeus" "The Nation" (08/28) "Noting that the recent success of Pakistan military against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda has been encouraging, a top US army general has said that the enemy in Pakistan has been far from defeated. 'These encouraging developments notwithstanding, however, the enemy in Pakistan is far from defeated, and many extremist elements have yet to be engaged, particularly those that typically operate outside Pakistan's borders,' Commander of the US Central Command General David Petraeus said." "Administrative Costs Could Halve US Aid: Tareen" "Daily Times" (08/28) "Administrative costs may account for as much as half of the assistance pledged by the United States to Pakistan, Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen has said. In an interview with the Financial Times, the minister urged the US to channel the funds assistance through Pakistani agencies to save high intermediation costs." "12 Taliban Killed, Six Seized In Siege: Nato'"Dawn" (08/28) "A fierce fight involving US helicopter fire paralysed a district in eastern Afghanistan after Taliban forced their way into a clinic seeking treatment for their leader, Afghan officials and Nato said on Thursday." "New TTP kingpin Waliur Rahman studied in Faisalabad Madrassa" "The News" (08/28) "Maulana Waliur Rahman, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander, who has emerged as the pivotal figure in the banned organization following the death of Baitullah Mahsud, is a 35-year old cleric who studied at a madrassa in Faisalabad. Taliban sources said Waliur Rahman graduated from the Jamia Islamia Imdadia, Faisalabad in 1994. He had studied at local madrassas in his native South Waziristan before seeking admission in the seminary in Faisalabad." "A Young Turk Takes Over TTP, Ringing Alarm Bells" "The News" (08/28) "The selection of Hakimullah Mehsud as the new Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Ameer has set alarm bells ringing in the Pakistani security establishment given the fact that he is the same person who had taken hostage over 300 security personnel in South Waziristan in August 2007, compelling the Musharraf regime to release 25 hardened militants. Baitullah Mehsud's successor is famous in the TTP circles for his cruelty and is well known as a rash strutting fighter who has led dozens of major terrorist operations not only against the Pakistani security forces but also against the Nato supply trucks. Well-informed TTP circles say despite his comparatively young age, the battle-hardened Hakimullah has been unanimously elected the new TTP chief due to a unique combination of characteristics his proximity with Baitullah Mehsud, extraordinary military skills, personal charisma and proven leadership abilities." "7 Taliban Killed In Clash With Buner Police" "Daily Times" (08/28) "Seven terrorists have been killed and four others arrested in a clash with police in Buner, a private TV channel quoted a local police official as saying on Thursday." "Swat Police Arrest Sufi's Sons From Peshawar, Forces Claim Killing Two Militants, Arresting 10" "The News" (08/28) "Security forces claimed killing two militants in the Kanju Dheri area of the Swat Valley on Thursday, while the Swat police arrested three sons of Maulana Sufi Muhammad, chief of the Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM),from the premises of the Peshawar Central Prison." "Benazir Assassination: UN Not Asked To Probe Into Musharraf's Involvement: AG" "Dawn" (08/28) "Attorney General Latif Khosa said on Thursday he had no idea if former president Pervez Musharraf was a suspect in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and that the government had never asked the UN probe commission to include him in its inquiry." "Returnees Helping Govt To Hunt Taliban: Official" "Dawn" (08/28) "More than 80 per cent of the 2.3 million Pakistanis who fled their homes after a military offensive against the Taliban have now returned home, the government's top relief official said on Thursday. He dismissed concerns from aid workers who said that returnees were at risk while the army conducted mopping up operations, and said that people were helping the army hunt down remaining militants." "1.6m IDPs have returned to their homes: UN official" "Dawn" (08/28) "About 1.6 million of the 2.3 million people displaced after the Malakand military operation have returned to their homes. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator Martin Mogwanja said the government was maintaining a high level of security, but sporadic attacks by militants in certain pockets was a major concern for returning people." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "India And Hafiz Saeed" an editorial note in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (08/28) "Indian Foreign Minister has demanded the extradition of Hafiz Saeed to India... In the case of Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan has repeatedly asked India to provide proof against him if he is a suspect. But instead of providing evidence, India is constantly harping on Hafiz Saeed's extradition. India should provide proof if it actually believes that Hafiz Saeed masterminded the Mumbai attack." "Interpol's Red Notice," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (08/28) ". . . Instead of trying to internationalise the issue, New Delhi would do well to further assist Islamabad in producing solid evidence as opposed to statements of the lone surviving gunman that Hafiz Saeed was indeed the mastermind behind the Mumbai carnage of November 2008. The Pakistani investigation needs to pick up pace and be taken to its logical conclusion. It is imperative that all guilty parties are charged and brought to trial at the earliest. Equally if not more importantly, the trials must be open and seen to be fair. Justice would be served and India's demand for extradition of the accused could lose steam. Both countries would be winners." "Time to Get Serious," an op-ed by Dr Masooda Bano in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (08/28) ". . . It is important to remember that militancy cannot be eliminated purely on the [basis] of force in a country where there continues to be widespread deprivation and the state continues to fail to fill that gap. It is not just the economic deprivation but more importantly the frustration that emerges from the recognition that the powerful groups capturing the state are not concerned about the plight of the ordinary people that leads youth to join violent groups, be they organized on [the] basis of religion, sectarian or ethnic affiliation, or crime. . . It is therefore critical that the government as well as the donor agencies regain their primary focus on channelling their efforts towards meeting the long-term development needs of the country. Fighting militancy has to become a part of these long-term development goals; it should not be allowed to become an excuse for the state to stall progress on a long-term development programme." Patterson