PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 14, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002987

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 14, 2009

Summary: Matters involving the troubled U.S. - Pakistan
relationship dominated the headlines in most media this weekend,
with many different stories converging around the theme of
relentless U.S. pressure on Pakistan -- and the trend continues
Monday morning. News that Congress passed the 1.5 billion dollar
aid package for Pakistan received relatively limited coverage.
Rather, front pages dramatized President Obama's call for Pakistan
to "do more" against al Qaeda in a CBS interview. The headlines
coincided with reports that a drone strike killed a top al Qaeda
operative and al Qaeda's statement that it is not behind Pakistan
attacks. The Frontier Post anticipated that upcoming visits by
Admiral Mullen and General Petraeus would push Pakistan to "do
more," extending drone attacks to Balochistan. Monday headlines
carried General Petraeus' call for Pakistan to increase pressure on
the Afghan Taliban. Reports covered Secretary Clinton's remarks in
New York that the U.S. is Pakistan's "partner, not patron", helping
Pakistan to counter extremists in "new and vigorous" ways, along
with Ambassador Holbrooke's assertion that the U.S. is coordinating
the Afghan troop surge with Pakistan. Several newspapers covered
Defense Secretary Gates' praise for the Pakistani military in
forcing al Qaeda out of South Waziristan and back to Afghanistan.
Despite these affirmations, newspapers widely reported Brig General
Michael Linnington's citing "lack of coordination" on U.S troop
repositioning on the Afghanistan - Pakistan border "unfortunate."
Ambassador Patterson's meeting with President Zardari received
wildly speculative and inaccurate coverage. The Post reported that
in the meeting, Zardari asked the U.S. to respect [Pakistani] laws.
These reports came in the midst of extensive coverage of suspected
Blackwater activities. While some papers reported the CIA cancelled
its Blackwater contract, the New York Times story affirming
Blackwater involvement in CIA operations was also highlighted. The
harassment of US Mission vehicles in Lahore continued to make news,
often run side-by-side with Blackwater stories. Against a
background of fictitious stories proliferating around the
incarceration in Sargodha of alleged American Jihadis, headlines
like The Nation's, "Americans continue mocking Pakistani law," are
gaining traction. End Summary.

TOP STORIES

News Story: Obama Repeats 'Do More Mantra' "Dawn" (12/13)

"U.S. President Barack Obama has said there are people in
Afghanistan who want Americans to stay there forever, but the
American people are against such an open-ended commitment. In an
interview to CBS to be broadcast on Saturday night (Sunday in
Pakistan),Mr. Obama also described FATA as the epicenter of violent
extremism and urged Pakistan to do more to uproot Al Qaeda from the
tribal belt."

News Story: Pakistan Must Pressurize Afghan Taliban: Petraeus "Dawn"
(12/14)

"Pakistan needs to put pressure on the leadership of the Afghan
Taliban operating inside its borders for long-term progress to be
made in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus said on Sunday. '(To
make) the really significant progress in Afghanistan that will be
necessary over time... it would be very helpful if additional
pressure could be put (by Pakistan) on the leadership of the
elements that are causing problems in Afghanistan,' the head of the
U.S. Central Command told reporters on the sidelines of the sixth
Manama Dialogue security conference." (Story also covered in all
newspapers)

News Story: U.S. Helping Pakistan In New, Vigorous Ways: Hillary
"Dawn" (12/14)

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the United States
is supporting Pakistan in 'new and vigorous' ways to ensure that it
wins the war against extremists. In an interview to Al Jazeera
television, Secretary Clinton insisted that the wars against
extremists in both Afghanistan and Pakistan were interconnected."
(Story also covered in all newspapers)

News Story: U.S. Coordinating Troop Surge With Pakistan: Holbrooke
"Daily Times" (12/13)

"The US is working aggressively with Pakistan to prevent a spillover
effect of an American troop surge in Afghanistan, US special envoy
Richard Holbrooke has said. According to a Bloomberg report,
Holbrooke also said that while pressure on Al Qaeda had intensified
under U.S. President Barack Obama, the capture or killing of Osama
Bin Laden should not be a 'single factor' in fighting terrorism."

News Story: Gilani Calls For Pak-U.S. Coordinated Strategy "Dawn"
(12/14)

"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said in Multan on Sunday that
Pakistan and the United States needed to adopt a coordinated
strategy to win the war against terrorists. Talking to reporters at
the airport, he said the U.S. had consulted Pakistan while
formulating its new Afghan strategy." (Story also covered in all
newspapers)

News Story: U.S. Congress Approves Spending Bill "Dawn" (12/14)

"The U.S. Congress on Sunday sent President Barack Obama a giant
spending bill that includes annual foreign aid packages, mild
sanctions aimed at Iran, and money for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The
Senate by a vote of 57 to 35 approved the legislation, which now
will go to Mr. Obama for his expected signature. The package, which
had already cleared the House of Representatives, includes $447
billion in annual expenses, plus more than $600 billion in health
care expenditures."

News Story: U.S. Aid Package To Focus On Water, Power Projects
"Daily Times" (12/14)

"Power and water projects would be an early priority for nearly $1.5
billion a year in new U.S. non-military aid for Pakistan, which was
to be passed by the Senate on Sunday, senior U.S. officials said....
Congress has pushed for strict safeguards for the money and the
State Department is due to file a report on Monday to key committees
on Capitol Hill, outlining how the aid will be spent and detailing
controls to curb wastage."

News Story: No Blackwater In Pakistan, Insists Malik "The Nation"
(12/14)

"Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday again maintained
that Blackwater is not operating in Pakistan rather it is active in
Afghanistan and Iraq only, while talking to journalists in
Gujranwala."

News Story: Row Between Interior Ministry, U.S. Embassy "The Nation"
(12/14)

"Interior Ministry and the U.S. Embassy are at the loggerheads over
use of non-registered vehicles with different number plates by the
Embassy. Well-placed sources told 'The Nation' on Sunday that a
serious row has erupted between the Interior Ministry and the U.S.
Embassy after the Lahore incident on Saturday in which Lahore Police
had impounded a non-registered vehicle which the U.S. Embassy
claimed was its property."

News Story: 17 Top Officials Supporting U.S. Interests In NWFP "The
Nation" (12/14)

"Seventeen officials serving in NWFP on various important posts are
active members of the notorious American Khyber Club (AKC) that is
believed to be a hotbed of conspiracies against Pakistan, highly
placed sources informed 'The Nation' on Sunday. These officials are
facilitating American diplomats, operatives of CIA and mercenaries
of Blackwater in their activities stretched across the province and
FATA. In reciprocation, the local officials get full support in
getting lucrative postings, transfers and getting away with
inquiries, etc, sources disclosed and added they are taken care by
Americans who have tones of money on their disposal."

TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES

News Story: Qaeda Operative Killed By U.S. Missile "Daily Times"
(12/13)

"A U.S. drone strike in FATA is believed to have killed a senior Al
Qaeda leader responsible for plotting attacks beyond the
Afghan-Pakistan region, a U.S. counterterrorism official said on
Friday."

News Story: U.S. Mounts Pressure On Govt. For Drone Attacks On
Balochistan "The Frontier Post" (12/13)
"United States has decided to mount pressure on Pakistani government
to permit them for extending their drone strikes against alleged
terrorists' hideouts in Balochistan province. The Frontier Post
learned. Sources privy to the Ministry of Interior said that the top
U.S. military command due to Pakistan by next week including Admiral
Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff and General David
Petraeus, chief of the U.S. Central Command would try to FORCE
government to grant the permission for the extension of drone
attacks to Balochistan to reportedly target the suspected Al Qaeda
and Taliban hideouts in the province in account of new U.S. Afghan
policy."

News Story: Al-Qaeda Fleeing SWA, Says Gates "The News" (12/12)

"U.S. intelligence shows militants linked to al-Qaeda and other
groups have been fleeing South Waziristan in the face of a Pakistani
military offensive, Defence Secretary Robert Gates told U.S. troops
during a visit to Kirkuk, Iraq. on Friday.... Gates praised what he
called 'significant military operations by Pakistan that have only
increased in size and tempo' in recent months. 'The Pak forces are
doing a good job of putting pressure on their side of the border and
we are obviously going to do an even better job of putting pressure
on the Afghan side of the border,' Gates said."

News Story: Lack Of Coordination With Pakistan Unfortunate: U.S.
General "The News" (12/13)

"A senior U.S. military official Saturday termed lack of
coordination with Pakistan army over 'repositioning' of its troops
along the Pak-Afghan border 'unfortunate.' Brig General Michael
Linnington, the chief planner at the ISAF Joint Command (IJC)
Headquarters, Kabul, did acknowledge that 'three U.S. border posts
were re-positioned for more effective coordination' in the recent
past.

News Story: Respect Laws, Says Asif "The Post" (12/13)

"President Asif Ali Zardari has made it clear that the decision to
deport arrested U.S. national terror suspects would be taken after
completion of investigation, adding U.S. visitors in Pakistan should
collaborate with Pakistani security departments for security
reasons. He said this during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to
Pakistan Anne W. Patterson in Islamabad at Awan-e-Sadr on Saturday."


News Story: CIA Terminates Contract With Blackwater "Daily times"
(12/13)

"The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has cancelled a contract
with a security company - formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide -
that allowed the company to load bombs on CIA drones in Pakistan and
Afghanistan, The New York Times reported on Friday."

News Story: U.S. Unsure About Status Of Suspects Held In Sargodha
"Dawn" (12/14)

"The U.S. State Department seems reluctant to define the five
American Muslims arrested in Pakistan even as suspects and says that
questions about their possible return to the United States should be
directed at their families as there are no charges against them so
far. The department's spokesman Ian Kelly told a briefing in
Washington that a U.S. consular officer recently visited the
Americans detained in Pakistan, checked on their welfare, provided a
list of attorneys, and offered to facilitate communication with
their families.... But when the State Department official was asked
to explain their position, he said: 'We confirm that all six of the
detainees have U.S. citizenship.'"

News Story: No Terror Charge Against Six U.S. Citizens Yet "Dawn"
(12/14)

"The question of extradition of the six U.S. nationals held in
Sargodha on December 9 will only arise after Pakistani authorities
manage to establish their alleged involvement in terror activities
in the country, legal experts say."

News Story: Troops Kills At Least 22 Militants In Kurram "Dawn"
(12/14)

"Troops killed at least 22 militants in Pakistan's Kurram tribal
region, officials said on Sunday. Troops backed by artillery and
fighter aircraft attacked militants in Kurram late on Saturday and
on Sunday and destroyed 10 of their hideouts, administration
officials and intelligence agents said."

News Story: U.S. Exporting Terrorism To Pakistan: Marvi "Daily
Times" (12/14)

"Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) parliamentarian Marvi Memon on
Sunday accused the U.S. of exporting terrorism to Pakistan. A
statement issued by Memon said the U.S. had contradictory policies
in the war against terror. 'There is major contradiction in the
statements of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the
transgression of U.S. citizens in Pakistan. If the U.S. does not
wish to act as a patron, then it has no business exporting terrorism
to Pakistan in the form of U.S. nationals recently caught in
Pakistan planning terror attacks along with Al Qaeda,' she said. She
demanded the government provide parliament with complete details of
the 9,236 visas issued by Pakistan to U.S. nationals during the last
four months."

News Story: JI Blames Terrorism, chaos in Pakistan on U.S. "Daily
Times" (12/14)

"Floating the idea of a change in the Pakistani society,
Jamaat-e-Islami's (JI) top leadership at a congregation of the
Jamaat-e-Islami's workers unanimously blamed the United States'
agencies for terrorism, chaos and anarchy in Pakistan, said JI's
Chief Munawar Hassan at a one-day training congregation held at
Nishtar Park, Karachi on Sunday."

News Story: India Behind Terrorist Attacks, Says Qureshi "Dawn"
(12/14)

"Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan was
not involved in Mumbai terror attacks. However, Islamabad has
substantial evidence to prove India's involvement in terror
activities in the country. In an interview with an Arab television,
Mr. Qureshi said the international community supported Pakistan's
stand that it was not involved in the Mumbai attacks."

EDITORIALS/OPINIONS

Editorial: Widening Offensive, an editorial in the Lahore-based
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/14)

"The military's operations have been steadily widening to other
agencies from South Waziristan. Actions against militants are
ongoing or being planned in the following agencies: Kurram, Khyber,
Bajaur, Mohmand, and in the Lower Dir area. This is an indication
that the militants, to escape the military's onslaught, are
dispersing to other agencies and carrying out attacks in those
areas, partly to divert the main thrust of the military's offensive
by forcing a dispersal of troops, partly to keep the impression of a
live and active movement intact."

Editorial: U.S. Demands To 'Do More', an editorial in the liberal
Urdu daily "Express" (circ.25, 000) (12/14)

"In an interview, President Obama has once again asked Pakistan to
take more steps against Al Qaeda.... Let it be remembered that on
Saturday, 2 U.S. Consulate vehicles with fake number plates were
stopped for checking in Lahore. The persons in the vehicle refused
to [let the vehicle be checked]. The government must find out what
mysterious activities the Americans are engaged in, and what their
objectives are. On the other hand, the Blackwater issue has
resurfaced.... According to a British newspaper, Blackwater was
hired to load missiles on the drones in Pakistan.... All these
issues paint a very complicated scenario, which is causing concern
among the Pakistanis. Circumstances demand that the government stop
dubious activities [of the Americans] and also give an appropriate
response to [U.S.] demands to do more."

Editorial: Bridging Trust Deficit?, an editorial in the center-right
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (12/14)

"For all the risks that Pakistan has taken and the sacrifices it has
made in toeing the American line in the war on terror, it is hard to
find any U.S. official uttering a word of unqualified praise for
it.... One expected that the Obama Administration, having been
actively involved in the region for so long, would by now have known
the political as well as military limitations beyond which it would
be difficult for Pakistan to go in pursuit of the war in FATA; yet
the U.S. expects more help from us than what we are doing for it....
The Pakistan authorities must remain wary of further American
demands like extending the military operation, involving Balochistan
and southern Punjab, as well as the threat of the U.S. acting on its
own, if Pakistan would not."

Editorial: Vanishing Trick, an editorial in the populist, often
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/14)


"The government has for as long as anybody can remember denied the
existence of the Quetta Shura (QS). Presidential spokesmen and
government ministers are all on record to the effect that the QS is
a figment of an overheated media imagination and the Americans.
Conversely, the Americans appear never to have any doubt as to its
existence and have recently hinted that unless Pakistan addressed
the problem of the QS then Uncle Sam may decide to address it
himself - an option we would prefer he did not take up. Enter our
esteemed Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar appearing on a private TV
channel last Friday. Tapping the table with his magic wand to get
our attention he announced that the QS is no longer a threat to
Pakistan as our security forces have 'significantly damaged it.'...
All levity aside, the institutionalized denial of manifest realities
does no more than make us look like fools rather than magicians, and
yet those who lead and govern us are unable to understand this
simple fact."

Editorial: A Clandestine Affair, an editorial in the Lahore-based
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/14)

"The whole Blackwater affair is proving to be quite intriguing,
especially for Pakistan. Every other day, vehicles bearing
foreigners (read Americans) are being stopped at check-posts, yet
they refuse to let the security forces search the cars. Despite the
fact that these foreigners have diplomatic immunity, their
uncooperative attitude with the law enforcement agencies has led to
a lot of speculation. Even if we concede that there is nothing worth
searching for in these vehicles, considering the amount of suspicion
against the U.S. it would be advisable that the Americans do not
make such a hue and cry when stopped at security check-posts.
Instead, they should let themselves be searched to silence their
critics. By pressuring the government to let the Americans go
scot-free after violations of security arrangements, the U.S. itself
is eroding its stance on Pakistan being a sovereign country. This
weakens the alliance in the war against terrorism. The very presence
of Americans anywhere can act as an open invitation to terrorist
attacks. This poses a serious threat to Pakistan's security."

Editorial: U.S. Must Respect Pak Laws, Sovereignty, an editorial in
the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (12/14)

"President Asif Ali Zardari during a meeting with Ambassador Anne
Patterson has made it clear that the decision to deport U.S.
nationals arrested in Sargodha for their terror related activities
would be taken after completion of investigations.... In this
perspective the President has done well by strongly raising the
issue with Ambassador Patterson yet we are of the firm opinion that
if the violation of our laws continues, he raises the matter with
President Obama. Side by side the political leadership, civil
society and media should also join hands against this unethical
practice of violating Pakistani laws and oppose it forcefully. At
the same time it would be advisable for the United States to listen
Pakistan's view point, respect its laws and sovereignty and give up
the attitude of a colonial power if it wants to work as a partner in
the war on terror."

Editorial: Dubious Activities Of American Diplomats, an editorial in
the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir.
15,000) (12/14)

"In his meeting with U.S. Ambassador Patterson, the other day,
President Zardari has said that the foreign diplomats should abide
by the law of the land. According to reliable sources, the U.S.
diplomatic facilities in Pakistan have become strongholds of the
Blackwater agents. Despite the repeated denials of our rulers, the
American media has exposed the covert links of the CIA with this
infamous security agency. We think that it is high time that the
government take some visible and effective steps to counter the
anti-Pakistan activities of the foreign powers."

Editorial: Mysterious Activities Of American Nationals In The Garb
Of Diplomats; Interior Minister's Logic, And Demands Of National
Interest, an editorial in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (12/14)

"According to a report in the New York Times, Blackwater personnel
are deputed at the Shamsi airbase in Balochistan, which has also
been confirmed by CIA Director Leon Panetta.... Any American or any
other foreigner should not be allowed to indulge in any activity
that harms our national interests or integrity. Strict action in
accordance with national and international laws must be taken
against any Americans involved in such activities and they must be
deported immediately."

Editorial: Admission Of Blackwater Activities, an editorial in the
center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (12/14)

"According to a New York Times report, CIA has cancelled a contract
with Blackwater Worldwide security agency, under which it had been
deputed to load bombs on drones for attacks in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. The surprising aspect of this issue is that up until
yesterday, the U.S. government was constantly denying that
Blackwater Worldwide was carrying out war operations in Pakistan....
This revelation by the New York Times also shows that private
companies using mercenaries are operating on some Pakistani bases
along with U.S. army. In recent days, some vehicles were spotted in
Lahore and Islamabad whose movements were suspect. These vehicles
also had tinted glass. The vehicle [occupants] resisted when asked
to stop by the police, but were later on released at U.S. diplomats'
request. Such mysterious activities and reports are a cause of
extreme concern for the Pakistani nation. The government must
direct the parliamentary committee on security to immediately inform
the nation of the real situation."

Editorial: Violation Of Pakistani Laws: Government Should Take
Notice, an editorial note an editorial in the Lahore-based populist
center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (12/14)

"A few days ago, when U.S. personnel were stopped [in Lahore] they
were filming some sensitive areas. Would these diplomats not have
been blamed directly if a tragedy had taken place in that area?
There is a need to determine the limits of U.S. diplomats.... It is
extremely condemnable that American personnel threatened the police
that they would fire if they were stopped again or tried to be
checked.... According to Geneva Conventions, diplomats have to obey
the laws of the host country. Hence, the Americans' statement that
they are not bound by Pakistani laws is wrong. They are bound to
abide by Pakistani laws, as well as to cooperate with the local
administration."

Editorial: Porous Indeed, an editorial in the populist, often
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/14)

"The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is almost invariably
described as 'porous' - as in allowing a constant flow of people,
goods, contraband and arms to pass between the two. There is a
difference between having a border which is porous and leaving a gap
in your border through which anybody and anything may freely pass,
yet this is what appears to have been the case at the Torkham
crossing.... It is beyond comprehension that this has been allowed
to continue as it has for as long as it has. No doubt money has
changed hands to ensure this laissez faire continued and no doubt we
as a populace have suffered, and suffered terribly, as a result of
this misguided and dangerous policy of free movement. Let us hope
that our common border is from today a little less porous."

Editorial: Operation Against Terrorists: Take Parliament On Board
Once Again, an editorial in the leading mass circulation populist,
often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (12/14)

"It goes without saying that extremists are hell-bent to impose
their agenda upon the whole of Pakistan; that is why they have sped
up their terrorist activities in response to the military operation
in tribal areas. But everybody knows that the militancy cannot be
uprooted through military means alone, and the government must also
address the causes which give rise to this menace. We think that the
rulers must take the elected Parliament on board in order to
formulate a broad-based strategy to eliminate terrorism from the
country."
Opinion: New U.S. Strategy And Pakistan's Response, an op-ed by
Munir Akram in the populist, often sensational national English
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/14)

"There are good reasons to conclude that the 'new' U.S. strategy for
Afghanistan and Pakistan announced by President Obama on 1 December
will fail. But it could have serious consequences for Pakistan and
the region.... From Pakistan's perspective, it would be unwise to
agree to a blanket escalation of military and police action
simultaneously against all Taliban and militant groups. Pakistan's
priority must be to finish the job of putting down the anti-Pakistan
TTP militants. Pakistan must also display determined opposition to
wider, unilateral U.S. AIR strikes on its territory and insist on
joint control of all strikes against jointly determined Al Qaeda
targets."

Opinion: Anti-Americanism, an op-ed by Talat Masood in the populist,
often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000)
(12/14)

"Anti-Americanism continues to rise unabated in Pakistan. It is not
confined to fringe elements alone but is spreading in the
mainstream. A few recently retired military officers and politicians
have gone as far as accusing U.S. for abetting and supporting acts
of terror that have engulfed the country.... Cynicism and dislike
for America has reached a point of no return among a certain class
in Pakistan, and from their point of view nothing that U.S. does can
possibly be good for the country. And they cling to the mantra,
despite repeated assurances, that Washington's interest only lies in
taking out our nuclear assets.... Any major power, when it adopts a
security or foreign policy, always weighs the flip side of
everything. If Washington were to destabilize Pakistan as a
deliberate policy, then the ensuing chaos will create a vacuum that
would surely be filled by the Taliban and Jihadi forces, posing a
far greater danger to the U.S., India and the rest of the world. It
would be absurd for the U.S. to simultaneously fight the militants,
be it the Taliban or Al Qaeda, and support them."

Opinion: U.S. Withdrawal And Thereafter!, an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal
in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir.
20,000) (12/14)

"America is lucky to have Pakistan as a suitable partner for
developing Afghanistan. This arrangement will be acceptable to the
common Afghan as well. Undoubtedly, Pakistan will be able to carry
on these development tasks even after the departure of Americans.
What the Americans need to do is open up their coffers, and be rest
assured that the investment is worth it. If a composite plan for
rebuilding Afghanistan starts concurrently with the military surge,
a bulk of outlined tasks can be completed prior to total withdrawal
of the U.S./NATO forces, which President Obama will be under
pressure to complete before kicking off his re-election campaign."

(All circulation figures are based on estimation)
Patterson