PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: NOVEMBER 23, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002827 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: NOVEMBER 23, 2009 Summary: The Sunday edition of all major dailies published reports and photographs of the memorial service held at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in commemoration of the four staff members killed when the Embassy was burned down in 1979. Politically significant headlines dominated all newspapers on Monday. Foreign Minister Qureshi's statement that India is supporting insurgents in Pakistan was highlighted. Some dailies also quoted Indian Prime Minister Singh as saying that Islamabad's objectives in Afghanistan were not necessarily those of the United States. Reports of the killings of 20 militants in Bajaur and South Waziristan and 13 Taliban in Hangu in fierce fighting also received prominent display. "The Nation," reported that "four armed Americans were detained at a checkpoint, and later released" in Peshawar. Commenting on the potential whereabouts of Al Qaeda leaders, "The News," noted that "logically speaking, for a number of reasons, Pakistan remains the most likely location." End Summary. TOP STORIES News Story: U.S. Embassy Staff Remembers Colleagues Killed In 1979 "The News" (11/22) "A memorial service was held at the American embassy here Saturday to remember their four colleagues who lost their lives during an attack by a mob at the Embassy three decades back on the same day. U.S. Ambassador in Pakistan Anne W. Patterson led the memorial service at the embassy lawns which was attended by the staff and U.S. Marine Guards. Floral wreaths were laid to remember the four embassy staffers including two Pakistanis who lost their lives in an attack by students at the embassy enraged by a radio report claiming that US had occupied Khana Kaaba in Mecca. (Story also covered in 'The Nation,' 'The Post,' 'Pakistan Observer,' 'Jang,' 'Express,' 'Ausaf, 'Jinnah, 'Aaj-Kal') News Story: Qureshi Accuses India Of Aiding Insurgents "Dawn" (11/23) "Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has accused India of supporting insurgents in Pakistan. Speaking to German news agency DPA, Mr. Qureshi claimed that Pakistan was 'compiling hard evidence of India's involvement and interference in Balochistan and FATA.'" (Story also covered in all newspapers) News Story: PM Singh Objects To U.S.-Pakistan Partnership "Dawn" (11/23) "Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived in Washington on Sunday as the Obama administration's first state guest, has questioned Pakistan's partnership with the United States, saying that Islamabad's objectives in Afghanistan were not necessarily those of the United States. Asked who he believed was running Pakistan, the Indian Prime Minister told CNN: 'It is not clear if the president (Zardari) is in charge of the army.'" (Story also covered in all newspapers) TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES News Story: 20 Militants Killed In Bajaur Attack "The News" (11/23) "At least 20 militants were killed in the security forces' action in different areas of Bajaur and South Waziristan tribal regions on Sunday. In Bajaur Agency, 15 militants, including two commanders and as many foreigners, were killed and eight others sustained injuries in jetfighters' blitz and clashes between the security forces and insurgents." (Story also covered in all newspapers) News Story: Troops Advance On Taliban Bastions In Hangu, Orakzai "Dawn" (11/23) "Thirteen terrorists and a soldier were killed in fierce clashes between security forces and the Taliban in Shahu Khel area of Hangu on Sunday. Sources said that seven security personnel were injured. Troops destroyed 17 installations, including a communications tower, an FM radio station and a training camp, of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Kasha and Darha Darh Mamozai areas in the Upper Orakzai agency." (Story also covered in all newspapers) News Story: Army Operation Likely In Khyber Agency "The News" (11/23) "Another full-fledged military operation is anticipated as scores of soldiers equipped with latest weapons and backed by artillery guns arrived in different areas of Bara subdivision in Khyber Agency on Sunday. Sources told 'The News' that over 1,000 personnel of security forces, equipped with artillery guns and rocket launchers, were stationed in different areas of Bara Tehsil.' (Story also covered in all newspapers) Editorial: Where Is Usama?, an editorial in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (11/23) "The question of the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and other key lieutenants of the man who has done so much to change the face of the world and inflict a series of ugly scars on it has of course haunted the world since the events of 9/11. There has been consistent conjecture that he was based along the Pak-Afghan border. There is of course absolutely no way of verifying this. It is indeed far from certain if Bin Laden today is indeed even alive. Al Qaeda has changed in nature from a single structure to a far more hazy entity which has almost no tangible form. It exists as much in minds as in reality. But this does not alter the fact that locating key leaders could still be significant.... The people the world seeks cannot simply have vanished into thin air. They must be based in one place or the other. Logically speaking, for a number of reasons, Pakistan remains the most likely location." Editorial: Action in Darra. Please Don't, an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (11/23) "Interior Minister Rehman Malik while talking to media persons has said that the Government would soon take action in Darra Adam Khel and Bara to flush out terrorists to prevent suicide bombings in Peshawar.... Such high sounding statements being given by the Interior Minister would be seen by the people as a submission to the demand of the U.S. that Pakistan should not limit the operation to Swat and SWA and expand it to North Waziristan and other agencies. In our view, further expansion of the scope of operation in Darra, Bara and North Waziristan would give new dimension and would be suicidal." Opinion: What Are We Doing For Waziristan?, an op-ed by Ayaz Wazir in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (11/23) "Operation Rah-e-Nijaat, or to use the so-called FATA experts' pet phrase 'the mother of all wars', has entered its fourth week. All indications are that it will soon be over.... The army's job, as we all know, is to destroy the enemy. Once that is done, it is then the job of the civil government to step in to sort out the problem on a permanent basis. It is so unfortunate that our civilian government has not taken that step and keeps on blaming the past rulers for the policies that it is still following.... Waziristan and Peshawar are burning, while life in other cities goes on unaffected. What kind of a nation are we? We are not agitating, expressing our concern, pressuring the members of Parliament to do what they are supposed to do, instead of wasting time and energies defending shady deals and bills such as the NRO. What are we up to?" Opinion: Fault Lines!, an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (11/23) "If one raises two cardinal queries regarding the war on terrorism in the context of our region, for instance which is the country that is putting in maximum resource effort and which is the country helping the sustenance of extremist fighters economically; ironically, the unanimous answer to both these queries would be, 'of course the United States of America is performing both feats simultaneously.'... A dangerous public perception is snowballing that the Americans are the problems of this region, which they profess to solve. So they are continuously loosing their friends in Asia. Their influence and hence leverage is shrinking at a pretty fast pace." MISCELLANEOUS News Story: Four Armed Americans Intercepted, Released "The Nation" (11/23) "NWFP Police intercepted four armed Americans in Peshawar at a police check-post on Sunday but let them go after the mighty guests (Americans) approached police high-ups to secure their immediate release. To the shock of police personnel, duty officer leading the team at the check-post received a call, perhaps from one of the higher authorities of NWFP Police, on his cell phone and let the American go with their illegal weapons." News Story: Kashmir Dispute Can't Be Resolved Unilaterally: FO "Daily Times" (11/23) "India does not have the right to decide the Kashmir dispute unilaterally and the issue must be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions, the Foreign Office said on Sunday. Responding to Indian Primer Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's interview with CNN, FO spokesman Abdul Basit said Kashmir was a pivotal part of the comprehensive peace dialogue between Pakistan and India." Editorial: Rehman Malik's Claim And Admission, an editorial in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (11/23) "Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that he will resign if Blackwater's presence in Pakistan is proved. In a statement before the Senate Standing Committee on Interior Affairs, he said Dyn-Corps agency is working for America inside Afghanistan besides working in Pakistan since General Pervez Musharraf's time. However, he said that we will not allow anyone work against Pakistani laws.... The nefarious activities of American non-government terrorist organization Blackwater in Pakistan, especially in Islamabad and around Kahuta, are known to all and sundry. The hideous face of this organization cannot be concealed behind the label of Xe; the world knows that Xe is the other name given to Blackwater.... Moreover, merely making a statement that American Dyn-Corps is working in Pakistan since the time of Pervez Musharraf cannot be taken as an excuse.... Instead of offering resignations the Interior Minister should fulfill his responsibilities of purging Pakistan of those foreign elements who have become a danger for our nuclear assets and are involved in promoting terrorism." Editorial: Talks On Kashmir, an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (11/23) "Kashmir remains a festering wound over which India and Pakistan have fought two wars since 1947. After 9/11, like all guerrilla movements, militancy in Kashmir was also lumped in the terrorist basket.... The two sides have held talks since January 2004 to resolve the Kashmir dispute, apart from other significant issues. India should realize that the Kashmir dispute is not only about territory, but also involves human lives and human emotions.... The world community should also lend its support to the issue of Kashmir so that the lives of the Kashmiri people, on both sides of the border, should become normal again. The bulk of resources of both the countries has been consumed by the conflict in Kashmir." Editorial: Karzai's Second Term, an editorial in the country's premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (11/23) "The uniqueness of President Obama's worldview isn't aptly reflected in the pattern of United States historical positions in its relations with other states. So, no wonder, his administration had taken a dim view of President Hamid Karzai's intention to stand for a second term.... Rightly then President Karzai doesn't feel beholden to the United States or the NATO countries for his victory.... To what extent the U.S. government is in sync with the emerging reality in Afghanistan we would know only when the Obama administration makes public its strategic review of its Afghan policy." Opinion: The Crucial Stage, an op-ed by Arif Nizami in the leading mass circulation populist, often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (11/23) "After concluding its deliberations on the new Afghan policy, it seems that Washington will soon decide either to send more troops to Afghanistan or not. But one thing is clear that pressure on Pakistan will become multifold. After the failure of its Afghan-Pak and Middle East policies, the Obama administration desperately needs a success story. Afghanistan is rapidly going out to control and to succeed there, the U.S. needs unlimited and unconditional Pakistani support. Washington wants Islamabad to launch a military operation in North Waziristan, but Pakistan army thinks that such an offensive would seriously harm its strategic interests. Now the U.S. is working to resolve the differences between Pakistan and India and later convince the two countries to jointly play their role in Afghanistan." Opinion: Obsolete Policies On Afghanistan, an op-ed by Saleem Safi in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (11/23) "The time is ripe for President Obama to exploit diplomatic and political channels for the resolution of the Afghanistan issue, rejecting the pressure put by the establishment for sending more troops to Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai should also lessen the burden of Obama, playing an important role in a fresh and meaningful dialogue with the Taliban leadership. A dialogue with the Taliban would be incomplete without taking Al Qaeda on board. Similarly, the Obama administration will also have to take all the neighboring states of Afghanistan on board on dialogue process and their concerns will have to be addressed. This is the only solution to Afghanistan quandary - otherwise, the US will be trapped in the terrains of Afghanistan, the region will keep burning and Obama will face the same end as was the fate of George W. Bush." Opinion: A Diplomatic Surge, an op-ed by Zaid Haider in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (11/24) "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's three-day visit to Islamabad and Lahore highlighted the ongoing challenge of conducting diplomacy in Pakistan. The fact that Pakistan's partnership is vital to U.S. security, and yet 64 percent of Pakistanis view the United States as an enemy, represents no small challenge for the Americans. As the White House reassesses its 'Af-Pak' strategy, it must clearly define U.S. interests in Pakistan and chart a new course in the relationship that places a greater emphasis on diplomacy. The U.S. has two vital interests in Pakistan. The first is to combat extremism. This includes Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and the associated domestic terrorist groups that threaten Pakistan's stability. The second is to ensure regional stability.... For now, a democratic and prosperous Pakistan, at peace with itself and its neighbors, is critical for U.S. national security. To this end, as in Afghanistan, the U.S. is essentially fighting a form of counter-insurgency in Pakistan - minus the troops. This further necessitates a surge in U.S. diplomacy toward Pakistan to secure a more willing and able partner." Editorial: The Palestine Tragedy, an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (11/23) "The Palestine tragedy, which began as far back as 61 years ago, has not yet played out, thanks to Israel's intransigent refusal to vacate the land it has usurped from the Palestinian people and the support of its Western friends, principally the U.S.... The hope, which Obama's overtures to the Muslims of the world and his specific utterances on the Palestinian issue had raised in the initial period of his presidency, has all but died out." Opinion: A Quantum Of Discomfort, an op-ed by Ahmad Faruqui in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (11/23) "The nuclear weapons have placed Pakistan in a quandary. They were supposed to help the nation survive an Indian invasion. And now the survival of the weapons themselves has become a priority. But there is controversy as to who poses the biggest threat to the weapons. The Americans say it is Jihadis and the Pakistani nationalists say it is the Americans." (All circulation figures are based on estimation) Patterson