PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 03, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000231 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 03, 2009 Summary: Reports and photographs of the "abduction of a top UN official and killing of his driver by unidentified militants in Quetta" made front-page headlines in most major dailies on Tuesday. Also receiving extensive coverage was President Zardari's reiteration to a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation that the "U.S. financial support is must to defeat terrorists." All newspapers highlighted President Obama's remarks that "his administration wants to make sure that Afghanistan is not a safe haven for al-Qaeda and that the insurgency-hit country does not destabilize its nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan." In an exclusive story from the Washington-based correspondent the daily, "Dawn" reported that "President Obama ordered three more brigade combat teams for Afghanistan." Most major dailies ran editorials on the perilous situation in Swat, and the possible outcome of the military operation that is underway to rout militancy and fanaticism from the valley. The English daily, "Dawn," observed that "if the Pakistan Army fails the Swat litmus test, any notion of the sovereignty of the state will be destroyed." The Lahore-based liberal daily, "The Post," noted that "with the increase in military operations in Swat another problem of mass exodus is confronting us." The leading mass circulation daily, "Jang," advised that the "scholars from all schools of thoughts, spiritual figures, intellectuals and academicians must come forward to contain the growing 'Talibanization' of Pakistani society." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Gunmen Kidnap UN Agency Official In Quetta; Driver Killed In Ambush" "Dawn" (02/03) "A top UN official was kidnapped and his driver was killed after his vehicle was ambushed in Quetta on Monday. An American national, John Solecki, head of the UN refugee agency in Quetta, was going to office from his nearby residence in the Chaman Housing Society when the gunmen in a white car opened fire on his vehicle." "UN Chief Condemns Quetta Attack" "The News" (02/03) "UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned 'in the strongest terms' the attack in Quetta on Monday in which a senior UN official was abducted and his driver was killed, his spokesperson Marie Okabe said in a statement." "U.S. Financial Support Must To Defeat Terrorists, Says Zardari" "The News" (02/03) "President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday stressed the need for financial support from the United States and said that that the war against terrorism could not be won without the financial support of the U.S. The President was speaking at a luncheon meeting hosted by him for a U.S. congressional delegation at the Presidency. The delegation members discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation with the President...." "Militancy To Be Eradicated. Zardari Tells U.S. Lawmakers" "Dawn" (02/03) "President Asif Ali Zardari said on Monday that terrorists would not be allowed to hold the country hostage and the government was determined to root out militancy. During a meeting with a U.S. congressional delegation, the President expressed the hope that the Obama administration would help Pakistan in the war on terror and make policies on the basis of ground realities." "U.S. Afghan Objective Is To Save Pakistan: Obama" "The News" (02/03) "U.S. President Barack Obama has said his administration wants to make sure that Afghanistan is not a safe haven for al-Qaeda and that the insurgency-hit country does not destabilize its nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan. Obama told NBC in an interview aired on Monday that his administration is for having clear objectives in Afghanistan and wants to fix the drift that occurred there over the last two years." "Obama Orders Additional Troops For Afghanistan" "Dawn" (02/03) "U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday ordered three more brigade combat teams for Afghanistan. The decision was announced after a meeting of America's three most powerful men - President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Defence Secretary Robert Gates - met at the White House earlier on Monday. The three reviewed a new strategy for dealing with the insurgency in Afghanistan and FATA." "U.S. Wasted Billions In Iraq, Afghanistan - Congressional Report" "Dawn" (02/03) "The United States has wasted billions of dollars in Iraq and is making the same mistakes in Afghanistan, warns a Congress-mandated report released on Monday. The report by a Congress-auditor, known as Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, blames both fraud and lack of planning for the waste." "NATO Not Involved In Drone Attacks, Kayani Told" "The News" (02/03) "NATO Commander in Afghanistan General David McKiernan held an important meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday and discussed the ambit of issues pertaining to war on terror, situation in tribal areas and Afghanistan and to make NATO supply route safer. According to sources, General David McKiernan while talking on drone attacks in Pakistan's territory clearly stated that NATO is not involved in such attacks and it has a clear position in this regard." "U.S. Cops To Train National Highways & Motorway Police" "The Nation" (02/03) "A team of American Police professionals will impart training to the officers of National Highways & Motorway Police (NH&MP) to combat crime and terrorism. In this respect, the Regional Security Officer Stephen F. Smith and Robert A. Clark, Program manager on Anti-Terrorism visited the headquarters of NH&MP, where they were briefed in detail about the working of the motorway policy." "Japan Plans Conference To Mobilize Aid For Pakistan" "Dawn" (02/03) "Japan is inviting key nations to a conference to drum up aid to stabilize Pakistan in what it hopes would be one of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's first foreign trips, a senior official said on Monday. Japan is eager to build ties with President Barack Obama's administration, which has vowed to focus on fighting extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan." "Nine More Die As Swat Continues To Bleed" "The News" (02/03) "Nine more people were killed and 11 others injured during shelling and incidents of violence in the Swat Valley on Monday while internally displaced people continued to face problems." "Growing Number Of People Standing Up Against Militants" "The News" (02/03) "Though the price of opposing militants is quite high, yet several tribes and a few individuals have now decided to offer maximum resistance to the powerful attackers in their areas and not to give in.... There seems no government or security agency to give any hope to the public of improvement in the law and order situation. This is why the public has either preferred to rely on self-defense instead of police or have shifted to safer places." "Swatis Run For their Lives" "The News" (02/03) "Caught between the Pakistani military and their Taliban militant foes, thousands of civilians are fleeing from fighting in Swat Valley. 'We have been punished for no fault of our own,' said a man, Ikramullah on Monday." "U.S.-Spy Plane Hovers Over Chitral" "The News" (02/03) "Extending violations of Pakistan's air space, a CIA-operated U.S. spy plane flew over Chitral at a very low altitude for more than one hour and returned to Afghanistan without taking any action, causing panic among the locals." "Qazi Demands Halt To Swat Military Operation; Asks Govt. Sever Ties With U.S." "The Nation" (02/03) "Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad, has demanded the government break off its alliance with the United States in war on terror and halt the ongoing military operation and drone attacks in FATA and other parts of the NWFP, while addressing a press conference in Karachi on Monday." "U.S. Sees Kashmir Amongst Major Issues: Schaffer" "The Nation" (02/03) "The former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Teresita Schaffer, has said policy-makers in the U.S. see the India-Pakistan dispute as one of the world's major unresolved issues and Kashmir as part of this problem." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Will It Be Any Different?," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (02/03) "If the Pakistan Army fails the Swat litmus test, any notion of the sovereignty of the state will be destroyed. Maulana Fazlullah will not stop at conquering Swat; logically, he will move on to other parts of the Malakand division and soon arrive at the doorstep of Peshawar. Moreover, if the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan continues to defy the Pakistan Army in Swat, the international 'do more' brigade urging Pakistan to fight the militants may reconsider its options on the pretext that we cannot win the battle on our own. From there the unraveling of the state as we know it may be a rapid affair." "Swat Crisis," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (02/03) "With the increase in military operations in Swat another problem of mass exodus is confronting us. People are finding it difficult to move to safer places because of perpetual curfew and escalating clashes in the area. Even ambulances are not safe as they too are caught in the crossfire. People are forced to stay indoors and are facing severe food shortage. No relief camp has been set up for the internally displaced persons by the government." "Terrorism - Scholars Should Come Forward To Win Hearts And Minds," an editorial in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (02/03) ". . . As far as the military operation is concerned, it must be confined to the establishment of peace and the protection of the lives of common people. However, the scholars from all schools of thoughts, spiritual figures, intellectuals and academicians must come forward to contain the growing 'Talibanization' in Pakistani society, and to show the path of peace and harmony to our new generations." "Military Operation Isn't Solution Of Swat Problem," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (02/03) "Prime Minister Gilani while talking to the international leaders in Davos has reiterated that mere military operations aren't the solution of FATA and Swat problems. Now question is that when the Prime Minister is convinced right from the beginning that the military option isn't a solution, then why has his administration resorted to this option in those areas like his predecessor? Why did he not take other steps to improve situation in the NWFP? The best solution of the menace of extremism is negotiations." "Mr. Prime Minister! Step Into Practical World," an editorial in the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) (02/03) "No one can fail to notice the initial successes of the Pakistan Army in Swat and FATA against the foreign militants and their operatives, but the U.S. demonstrated duplicity and provided safe passage to the foreign militants from Afghanistan into Pakistani border areas, and now it is targeting Pakistan's local population in the garb of hitting foreign militants. Our military rulers had not taken notice of this state of affairs owing to the U.S. support to their unlawful regime, and their hunger for the U.S. dollars. But why is the incumbent democratic government not taking steps to stop the U.S. drone attacks now?" "People In Flight," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/03) "Over 50 per cent of the valley's 1.8 million people are said already to have fled. More now follow them and with fears of intensified fighting over the coming days these numbers could increase. The people of Swat, caught between the bombs of militants and the bullets of the military, are in no way responsible for what has happened. They must then not be made to suffer.... One must hope the fierce operation now on will end in a decisive victory against militants, ending the reign of terror they have unleashed in Swat." "Mounting Civilian Losses," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/03) "Part of the reason for the civilian losses is the type of weapons being used, artillery, mortars, and helicopters. The Army has no precision weapons system at its disposal. While the operation is being conducted in settled civilian areas, the U.S., which compelled Pakistan to pursue its anti-terrorism agenda militarily, has these precision weapons. Unless it decides to hand over this technology to Pakistan, the rate of casualties will continue to mount. This would also hurt the long-term interest of the U.S." "Injured Swat," an op-ed by a women rights activist Amar Sindhu in Hyderabad-based liberal and independent daily "Kawish" (Cir. 105,000) (02/03) "The children in Swat now dread even the word of 'Taliban,' and the images of the war-planes and the armed Taliban haunt them even in their naove slumber. The demolition of schools has put an end to their schooling, and they are not aware of the phenomenon of the global war on terror. The important thing to them is that their schools are ruined, and they may perhaps not be able to go to a classroom ever again." "U.S. Dollars In Exchange For National Sovereignty And The Blood Of Muslims?," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (02/03) "The U.S. has reportedly signaled giving political and financial assistance to Pakistan in exchange for continuing drone attacks.... The present government is already being accused of permitting drone attacks; and [it is said that] the protest at the diplomatic level is only meant to befool the public. Now if the drone attacks continue and the Army also increases its operations, the nation will be forced to believe that this is a result of [U.S.] political and financial assistance, and that the present government is protecting U.S. interests even more than General (retd) Musharraf did. Pakistani nation rejects any aid given in exchange for their Muslim brothers' blood, and in exchange for violation of their soil and sovereignty." "Pakistan Should Announce Dissociation From The War On Terror," an editorial in the Lahore-based Urdu daily "Din" (cir. 5,000) (02/03) "The losses Pakistan has faced in the last several years in the fields of tourism, culture, entertainment, economy and defense are the outcome of active participation in the war on terror. Even if the Obama administration gives us a few U.S. dollars, the price extracted from us will be much more. Hence, the best stance would be for Pakistan to make arrangements to completely stop any movement between the Pak-Afghan border, and to announce a dissociation from the war on terror. The immediate effect of this would be a cessation of insurgency in Pakistani areas, and a halt to U.S. interference in our domestic matters. If today Pakistan announces separation from the war on terror, the U.S. would not only stop drone attacks, but would also be willing to give more concessions." "Obama's Approach In The Region," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (02/03) "President Barack Obama wants to try a different approach in the region that includes Central Asia, Iran and South Asia. The latest move is to try some lateral thinking on Iran which keeps on harping on the theme of a 'new footing' to U.S.-Iran relations. He wants to begin the process of thawing with Syria, persuading it to relent in its opposition to Israel, and thus discourage Iran in its anti-Israel policy. But more importantly, it wants to align policy with Iran to isolate the Taliban in Afghanistan. Needless to say, it wants to help Pakistan more in its effort to fight terrorism and re-establish its writ in the Tribal Areas." "CIA's Plan To Divide India," an editorial note in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (02/03) "[Indian] Colonel Purohit, involved in the Malegaon bomb blasts, has revealed that the CIA is working on a plan to divide India into smaller states by 2015. He was present in a meeting where this plan was discussed.... The fact is that America cannot digest any non-white country becoming a nuclear power. Hence, it wants to dismember India as well as Pakistan.... It would be appropriate if both countries jointly counter the state that wants to break them up.... There is only one hurdle in the way of Pakistan-India cooperation against the U.S. - Kashmir issue. If India resolves this issue according to UN resolutions, both countries could be saved from conspiracies by countries like the U.S." "Terrorism: Need For Joint Indo-Pak Efforts," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (02/03) "There are now reports that CIA has started work on a plan to divide India into several small states by 2015, and that this plan has the support of several intelligence officials including Indian Col. Purohit, involved in the Malegaon blasts.... This threat demands that India stop making false allegations against Pakistan and join forces with Pakistan to uproot terrorism from the region and counter such conspiracies." "Tale Of A Dossier," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/03) "The important thing is that some progress is being made. Pakistan must take pride in its professional handling of the investigation, with even a hostile India now lauding its efforts. One must hope that as the process continues it will lead towards a definite conclusion and that there will be a willingness to act on this." "Khuda Ki Kasam" [By God], an op-ed by Anjum Niaz in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/03) "It's no state secret that the Zardari government is aimless and adrift and the Sharifs a smokescreen manufactured in the U.S. With the brand name 'Democracy' the Americans have a copyright on this trademark. Ambassador Anne Patterson has worked hard to plug the democracy package to the Pakistani people for over a year. It's been a hard sell. Why? Because the product is poor.... The political laboratories in Washington under the Obama administration are carrying out new experiments - tweaking presidential powers; decreasing Sharifs' efficacy; vitamanizing Altaf Hussain and Asfandyar's political impotency. Still all actors fall short of the man-meets-the-moment mix. 'You never want a serious crisis to go to waste,' says the wiseacre Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff. Their shake-and-bake recipe has therefore been repackaged and floated anew on our airwaves to test its salability. The 170 million Pakistanis are America's guinea pigs. We've been trapped into becoming political junkies." Patterson