PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 12, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000307

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Summary: Reports of the assassination of NWFP Assembly member
Alamzeb Khan (Awami National Party) in a remote-controlled blast in
Peshawar dominated all front-pages on Thursday. Several major
dailies reported that "President Zardari, and Prime Minister Gilani
condemned the incident," and the NWFP government announced
"three-day mourning" in the province. All newspapers also
front-paged President Obama's phone call to his Pakistani
counterpart President Zardari to "start an active engagement for the
resolution of problems facing the region through a holistic
strategy." Reports and photographs on a "Taliban raid on Afghan
government offices in Kabul killing at least 26 people just ahead of
a planned visit of the U.S. envoy to the region" received prominent
coverage.

All major dailies ran in-depth analytical editorials and
opinion-articles on various aspects of the ongoing visit of U.S.
Special Envoy Holbrooke. (PAS has drafted a special Media Cable
today covering this portion of editorials). The leading mass
circulation Urdu daily, "Jang," while commenting on the impending
threat of Taliban attack on Islamabad, cautioned that "this is not
the time to get entangled in petty issues, trivial differences,
meaningless rhetoric, mudslinging on one another, and to keep or
kick out the incumbent governments." In its editorial on the Mumbai
episode, the English daily, "The Nation," noted that "New Delhi
would have to accept the fact that crimes of this nature cannot be
unraveled with an attitude of dictation; they call for honest
cooperation not only by any one party supposed to be involved but
the other also that proffers the charges." End Summary.

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News Stories
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"Bomb Kills ANP MPA In Peshawar" "The Nation" (02/12)

"Member of Provincial Assembly Alamzeb Khan was killed while eight
others including two children were injured when a remote control
bomb went off in Momin Town, Peshawar on Wednesday.... Condemning
the cowardly act of terrorism in strongest terms the President and
the Prime Minister said that those playing with the lives of
innocent people would be brought to justice."

"Obama, Zardari Agree On 'Active Engagement'" "Dawn" (02/12)

"U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari
on Wednesday, a day after his special envoy met the Pakistani leader
with a message from his boss urging Pakistan to be a 'stalwart ally'
in the fight against terrorism. After the telephone call, the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs issued a statement in Islamabad saying
the two leaders agreed on the need for a strategy to try and resolve
the region's problems."

"U.S. To Review Pak-Afghan Policy Sooner Than Later" "The News"
(02/12)

"The State Department on Wednesday said the review of U.S. policy on
Pakistan and Afghanistan, ordered by President Barack Obama, would
be 'expeditious' and completed 'as quickly as possible,' spokesman
Robert Wood said."

"Reformulated U.S. Pak Aid Bill Within Days" "The Nation" (02/12)

"The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is reformulating a massive
U.S. development assistance program for Pakistan, including at least
$1.5 billion annually for the next five years, most of it focused on
development aid for the tribal areas, according to a leading
American newspaper 'The Washington Post' reported on Wednesday."

"Afghanistan Could Be Obama's Vietnam" "Dawn" (02/12)

"Unless the insurgents' advance is halted, Afghanistan will become
President Barack Obama's Vietnam, fears Col. John Nagl, a
consultant. A Daily Telegraph report (War against Taliban 'will be
lost by autumn' unless strategy changes) datelined Washington and
published on Wednesday quoted Col. Nagl, an Iraq veteran who helped
devise the strategy, as saying that gains made by the Taliban needed
to be reversed by the end of the fighting season, around late
September or early October, or else the Taliban would establish a
durable base that would make a sustained Western military presence
futile."

"Taliban Raid Afghan Government Offices, Kill 26" "The News"
(02/12)

"Eight Taliban gunmen wearing suicide vests attacked three Afghan
government buildings on Wednesday in a coordinated assault that
killed 26 people in the heart of Kabul just ahead of a planned visit
of the new U.S. envoy to the region."

"Attackers Contacted Pakistan, Says Afghan Intelligence Chief"
"Daily Times" (02/12)

"Five attackers who targeted the Afghan Justice Ministry building
amid a wave of coordinated suicide attacks on Wednesday had
contacted Pakistan shortly before being shot dead, the Afghan
Intelligence Chief said. Mobile phones found at the scene showed
the attackers had "sent three messages to Pakistan calling for the
blessings of their mastermind" as they entered the building, Afghan
intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh said."

"TTP Threatens To Destroy Schools" "Dawn" (02/12)

"The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) threatened on Wednesday to
destroy all educational institutions in Bajaur if the government did
not withdraw security forces stationed in government schools in the
region within three days."

"New Zealander Held At Check-Post In South Waziristan" "Dawn"
(02/12)

"A New Zealander was arrested at the Manzai Fort checkpost in South
Waziristan on Wednesday. He was taken to Tank police station and
handed over to personnel of a secret agency. Investigators suspect
that Mark Taylor may have links with Al Qaeda and Taliban."

"5 Militants, Soldier Killed In Bajaur" "The News" (02/12)

"Six more people, including five suspected militants and a soldier,
were killed and several others injured in clashes and bombing by
Pakistan Air Force jet fighters in Bajaur."

"Six 'Taliban' Arrested Near Quetta" "Dawn" (02/12)

"Security personnel raided a house on the outskirts of Quetta on
Wednesday and arrested six suspected Taliban, officials said."

"Three Soldiers Die In Swat" "The News" (02/12)

"Three soldiers were killed and several others injured in fierce
clashes between security forces and the militants in Charbagh area
of troubled Swat Valley on Wednesday."

"Check-Post Blown Up In Essa Khail" "The Post" (02/12)

"Unidentified militants blew up a newly-constructed check-post in
the area of Kacha Kandal, some 15 kilometers away from Essa Khail
city in Mianwali tehsil but no loss of life was reported as no one
was present in the check-post."

"Indian Official Says Al Qaeda Involved In Attacks" "Dawn" (02/12)

"The head of India's elite National Security Guard (NSG) that
spearheaded the counter-attack in Mumbai's terror nightmare seems to
have sown confusion in New Delhi by claiming on Wednesday that Al
Qaeda was among the groups involved in the attacks."

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Editorials/Op-eds
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"Bell Is Ringing," an editorial in the leading mass circulation
centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (02/12)

"The local Taliban have decided to send their militants to Islamabad
in reaction to military operations in Darra Adamkhel and Swat
valley... It is a matter of serious concern and now we all should
work together for the survival and national integrity of Pakistan.
This is not the time to get entangled in petty issues, trivial
differences, meaningless rhetoric, mudslinging on one another, and
to save or kick out the incumbent governments. In fact, people are
upset over these insurgencies, but we must find out those causes and
reasons that force them to support Taliban and militants at the end
of the day."

"Wise Counsel," an editorial in the center-right national English
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/12)

"The Pakistani response, seeking more information on the Mumbai
episode, has not pleased India.... New Delhi would have to accept
the fact that crimes of this nature cannot be unraveled with an
attitude of dictation; they call for honest cooperation not only by
any one party supposed to be involved but the other also that
proffers the charges."

"Who Are Taliban And What Do They Want?," an editorial in the
Karachi-based right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat"
(cir. 3,000) (02/12)

"It is becoming more difficult with each passing day to identify who
actually is a Taliban, as it seems that every militant is now
calling himself as Taliban, and he is imposing self-righteous Sharia
in the name of religion. Kidnapping foreigners, and beheading them,
is not in conformity with the teachings of Islam. Likewise, imposing
restrictions and curbs on people is not a commandment of Islam. In
that case, who are these people that are defaming the faith, it is
quite natural to see them with suspicions as what their real
objectives are?"

"No Polish Joke," an editorial in the centrist national English
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/12)

"The people of Poland have obviously been left in a state of shock
by the gory murder of a national who was beheaded by Taliban
militants.... It is possible people in Warsaw have got their facts
confused. But what is clear is that many around the world simply do
not trust Pakistani leaders any more.... Islamabad must wake up to
the fact that all this is inflicting on it a great deal of damage."

Patterson