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.
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News Stories
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"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."
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Editorials/Op-eds
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"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