PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002226 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 Summary: President Zardari's statement disclosing that "former President Musharraf had resigned as part of a negotiated settlement guaranteed by 'international and local' stakeholders" dominated headlines in all newspapers on Tuesday. Reports and photographs of the "death of 20 women in a free flour queue stampede in Karachi" received front page coverage. Newspapers also highlighted reports that "five people, two of them believed to be foreigners, were killed in a U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan." Pegged to the story were reports highlighting that "149 suspected militants surrendered in Swat." Several major newspapers ran a statement attributed to Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden quoting him as saying that President "Obama is 'powerless' to halt wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and must rethink his policy on Israel." Most major newspapers ran editorials on local political and social subjects. In an editorial on the "rights for Bagram prisoners," the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn," praised it as a "move in the right direction." In its editorial, the center-right national English daily "The Nation," criticized former President Musharraf's "damaging confessions" about using the "U.S. aid and weapons to bolster Pakistan's defense against India," and noted that "he of all people should understand the implications of such a confession when the Pakistani state has all along been denying this in the face of constant U.S. assertions to the contrary." Commenting on the recent protest demonstration in Washington D.C. against President Obama's policies, the pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam," observed that "President Barack Obama, who had come to power with a slogan of change, has been badly entangled in various issues during the first year of his presidency." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Musharraf's 'Safe Exit' Deal Confirmed by Zardari" "Dawn" (09/15) "President Asif Ali Zardai confirmed on Monday that the 'safe exit' of former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was the result of a 'deal' arranged by international powers with interests in South Asia. He didn't name the international players but said that they were 'guarantor.'" "Crushed By Poverty; 20 Die In Free Ration Queue Stampede In Karachi" "Dawn" (09/15) "An act of charity turned into a tragedy near Karachi's Khori Garden on Monday when a stampede caused the death of 20 women and girls who had thronged an outlet where a wholesaler was giving out food items for free. Fifteen people were injured." "Drone Strike Kills Five In Waziristan" "Dawn" (09/15) "Five people were killed and three others injured when missiles fired from a drone hit a car in a village in Mirali tehsil of North Waziristan on Monday. AFP news agency quoted a local government official as saying that those killed in the strike were militants belonging to Al Qaeda and two of them were believed to be foreigners." "149 Militants In Swat Surrender" "Dawn" (09/15) "Six bullet-riddled bodies, believed to be of militants, were found in Charbagh, Matta and Khwazakhela areas of Swat on Monday. At least 105 suspected militants surrendered in Kanju and 44 in Matta, according to the ISPR." "U.S. Avoids Direct Comments on Musharraf's Statement" "The Nation" (09/15) "The United States on Monday deflected a question about former President Pervez Musharraf's statement that he could have deployed U.S. military assistance in defense against an Indian threat, saying it is not aware of any specific instance of that kind. 'Not that I am aware of,' State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said when asked if the U.S. knew of any instances in which Pakistan deployed U.S. military aid equipment against neighboring India." "Obama Has No Power To Halt Afghan War: Usama" "The News" (09/15) "Usama bin Laden, in his first message for three months, warned President Barack Obama that he is 'powerless' to halt the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and must rethink his policy on Israel. The message, which accused 'neo-conservatives' of maintaining a grip on the White House, was released on Sunday, two days after the United States marked the eighth anniversary of September 11 attacks." "16 Militants, 2 Soldiers Killed In Operation" "The News" (09/15) "Sixteen militants were killed and two soldiers embraced Shahadat in the ongoing operation Rah-e-Rast on Monday. Eight militants were killed during a fierce clash with security forces in Tarai area of Dheri Jolagram early in the morning." "Al Qaeda Terrorists Fleeing Country" "The News" (09/15) "Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has disclosed that the terrorists belonging to Al Qaeda and other banned organizations are fleeing to Yemen, Sudan and Somalia from Waziristan because of military operation Rah-e-Nijat against them." "Army Given Go-Ahead In Waziristan: Athar" "The News" (09/15) "In an interview with BBC Radio, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas on Monday said the government has directed the security forces to start operation in Waziristan and the troops are looking for a suitable time for launching the offensive." "Up To 5,000 Uzbeks Militants Present In FATA, Says Official" "The News" (09/15) "Habibullah Khan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA),has said the government had received information through informal channels that 500 to 5,000 Uzbek militants were currently present in the tribal areas." "People's Army Formed At Peochar To Hunt Militants" "The Nation" (09/15) "The people in Peochar formed a local Lashkar comprising 400 volunteers and joined the security forces in the ongoing fight against the militants." "Thousands Displaced By Khyber Clashes" "Dawn" (09/15) "Between 56,000 and 100,000 people have fled their homes since troops launched a new anti-Taliban offensive in the tribal Khyber Agency, UN and Pakistani officials estimated on Monday." "Haqqani Seeks U.S. Economic Opportunities In FATA" "The News" (09/15) "Ambassador Hussain Haqqani has asked the United States of America to step up effort toward creating jobs in the militancy-hit areas along Pak-Afghan border. That's the best way to gain masses favor. If U.S. cannot get the people on its side, then any number of bombings from high altitude is not going to change ground reality, Haqqani told a think tank in Washington." "Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) To Intensify 'Go America Go' Movement" "The News" (09/15) "Expressing concern over increasing American interference in Pakistan's internal affair, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Monday announced to intensify 'Go America Go' movement, said JI Amir Syed Munawar Hasan, while terming the U.S. interference as root cause of all problems faced by the country." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Rights For Bagram Prisoners," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (09/15) "Barack Obama is clearly more popular among Muslims than his predecessor. Still, the road ahead is bound to be tortuous but every small step will help. Washington's decision to frame new rules allowing prisoners at Afghanistan's Bagram air base to challenge their detention is one such move in the right direction.... Legal and moral considerations demand that the new policy be put in place at the earliest and cases expedited. Moreover, difficult as it is, Mr. Obama needs to meet his January 2010 deadline for shutting down the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention centre." "Damaging Confessions," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/15) "Following the self-confessional mode of baring all before the media, he (former President Pervez Musharraf) has 'admitted' that U.S. aid and weapons intended for use against militants were in fact used to bolster Pakistan's defence against India. He of all people should understand the implications of such a confession when the Pakistani state has all along been denying this in the face of constant U.S. assertions to the contrary.... So why would such statements be coming from a man who occupied the highest position in the country? What possible purpose can be served by such remarks, beyond bolstering American doubts about Pakistan? It is a sorry state of affairs to have retired military personnel of all ranks making a public spectacle of themselves with scant regard for the interests of the state. But it is even more disturbing to know that laws like the Official Secrets Act are being ignored at great cost to Pakistan." "Protest Demonstrations Against President Obama In U.S.," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (09/15) "President Barack Obama, who had come to power with a slogan of change, has been badly entangled in various issues during the first year of his presidency. On the one hand, differences have emerged in his administration on the issue of sending more troops to Afghanistan, while on the other, a chain of demonstrations has begun in protest of the domestic policies of the President, particularly on health and taxation issues. Experts are of the view that an ordinary citizen would be badly affected by his new tax policy. An American economist has maintained that it appears that President Obama would be hardpressed to complete the first year of his tenure. In the light of all these assumptions, it can be said that, once again, the U.S. is bracing to undergo some possible change." "Women's Voices," an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/15) "The brave Radio Khyber FM Station based in the town of Jamrud has made history by employing three women as journalists, to present its chatty mix of news and infotainment. This in itself constitutes a revolution in the tribal areas where women lead restricted lives. The space available to them had in many ways diminished under the Taliban, who of course ruthlessly used illegal radio stations to drive home their message. Ironically, one of their prime targets was women within homes.... The presence of the women on air marks a huge stride forward.... As such there is a possibility that the example set by Radio Khyber will encourage the women of the tribal areas to take up more unusual careers and to provide a voice for those who are themselves hardly ever heard." "Action Against Foreign Journalists," an editorial in center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10, 000) (09/15) "According to a news report attributed to reliable sources, Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Hussain Haqqani has written a letter to the Foreign Ministry protesting the blacklisting of certain American journalists and NGO staffers.... There has recently been a spate of news reports on the extraordinary increase in U.S. activities in Islamabad.... However, we must also remember that Pakistan has accepted the role of a U.S. partner in the war on terror.... This means that both sides need each other and want to move ahead together. In this situation, differences need to be resolved with wisdom and patience. Ambassador Haqqani is right when he asks how we [Pakistan] can improve our image when we start putting restrictions on those very people [U.S. journalists] who can improve our image." "Al Qaeda - After 9/11," an op-ed by Saleem Safi in the leading mass circulation populist, often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (09/15) "The tragedy of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which jolted the entire world, was not only an incident of terrorism, but it also proved to be a black day for Muslims all over the world, from Afghanistan to Kashmir and from Washington to Chechnya. It also provided the U.S. a pretext to run over Afghanistan and Iraq, set up military bases in the natural resources-rich Central Asian states and enhance its influence over Pakistan. It also fully availed the opportunity to defame Islam and Muslims throughout the world. But the highhandedness and the naked force, which America used to safeguard its strategic interests, have not only increased the number of its enemies in the world, but also enhanced the power and operational capabilities of Al Qaeda, which has become more formidable than at the time of the 9/11 attacks. After the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Al Qaeda mobilized thousands of its trained and highly-motivated agents in their native countries and made a mockery of the claim of former U.S. President Bush in which he had vowed to make the world safe from terrorists. Consequently, the world is a more dangerous place to live in now than it was eight years ago. The post-9/11 U.S. policy has also legitimized Bin Laden's mission in the eyes of young Muslims and, thus, provided Al Qaeda a golden opportunity to recruit thousands of more committed fighters from all over the world. Resultantly, it has not only created difficulty for the U.S. in Afghanistan, but it has also come to shock other countries, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, at will. If the U.S. and its allies fail to revisit their policies, the power of Al Qaeda will increase manifold within a few years." "Graveyard Of Empires," an op-ed by Rasul Bakhsh Rais in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (09/15) "While American planners think more about the surge, dump more weapons and launch more operations, they must also think about what they have achieved so far through war. If the purpose was to defeat the Taliban, they have not accomplished this task beyond removing them from power. All indications are that the Taliban are a rising force. People, particularly in the Pashtun-dominated regions, are alienated, insecure and unwilling to risk their lives by supporting foreign forces.... The United States is the third great power that has invaded Afghanistan, though for very different reasons and under different circumstances as compared to what confronted the British in the 19th century and the Soviet Union in the 1980s. There is no hope that Washington will succeed where others failed." "Necessity Or Choice?," an op-ed by Shahid Javed Burki in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (09/15) "The United States has reached a point where it has to take important decisions on Afghanistan. Will the American political system allow Obama to lose more American soldiers in Afghanistan without clearly defining what Washington expects to achieve in that difficult country? The sentiment against the continuous involvement of the U.S. in Afghanistan is growing and while the President is fighting on a number of other fronts - especially trying to get Congress to reform the health system at home - he may not have much political capital left. Already his approval rating has fallen precipitously, faster than that of any other president in the first six months of his tenure. What are then the choices for Obama in Afghanistan?" "They Are Sick In Mind!," an op-ed by Mohammad Jamil in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (09/15) "The jihadist threat bred in Afghanistan would be a cakewalk in comparison. The threat would be almost unfathomable. The implications would be literally felt around the globe. American options for dealing with such a state would be limited and costly. Such statements from former CIA officials and think tanks appear to be in line with the previous U.S. administration and now Obama administration. However, the U.S. should understand that destabilization of Pakistan on the basis of ruses and conjectures would have a devastating effect on the region and the world at large." "U.S. Naivet," an op-ed by Javid Husain in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/15) "It is a strategic imperative for the U.S. to bring its foreign policy objectives within the reach of its power by lowering its sights, by emphasizing the use of political means over the use of military for their realization and by carrying the international community with it rather than working in defiance of its will. There are some signs that the Obama Administration may be in the process of absorbing these important lessons. Until, however, it does so, the U.S. and the international community will continue to stumble from crisis to crisis." "Weapons For A Few," an op-ed by Shamshad Ahmad in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (09/15) "Partial efforts at arms reduction and arms limitation do not amount to disarmament. Such measures only take away the focus from Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The real problem is the rhetorical stance on the part of the NPT-5, especially the U.S. and Russia. What they are really saying is that they can have their weapons forever but that everyone else should do without them. Unless they change their view of global security, there is no prospect for a global consensus on disarmament in pursuit of a nuclear weapon-free world." "The Need To Talk Firmly With India," an editorial note in the liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 50, 000) (09/15) "The Indian Interior Minister has once again said that the threat to India from Mujahideen operating on Pakistani soil has not diminished.... Such non-state actors are present in India also; the various separatist movements in India are a proof of that. Instead of making allegations against Pakistan, India must join forces with Pakistan in battling this specter. Pakistan should talk firmly with India on this issue so that these allegations come to an end." (All circulation figures are based on estimation) Patterson