PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 09, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000499

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 09, 2009

Summary: National political stories on the current row between the
ruling PPP and the main opposition party PML-N, and the possible
coalition setup in Punjab, dominated headlines in all newspapers on
Monday. Federal Minister Pervez Ashraf's statement announcing that
the "time for reconciliation (with PML-N) was over" was highlighted
by all major dailies. Newspapers reported that the "PPP and PML-Q
have worked out modalities of power-sharing in Punjab" in case they
succeed to muster up the required number of supporting members in
the Punjab Assembly that are need to their government. Reports on
killing of "14 kidnapped security men" by Taliban in Mohmand Agency
received extensive display.

Most newspapers ran editorials on the security situation in the
region with special reference to the peace in Swat and FATA. The
leading Urdu daily, "Jang," advised the government to "deal
effectively with all those elements who want to thwart the peace
deal by resorting to continuous terror activities in other areas."
The second-largest Urdu daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," noted that "had
President Obama announced withdrawal of American troops from
Afghanistan in his first presidential address, the foundation of
permanent peace in the region would have been laid." Likewise, the
Peshawar-based Urdu daily, "Mashriq," observed that "if the U.S.
initiates dialogue with the moderate Taliban in Afghanistan to
resolve the issue, it is for sure that situation will definitely
improve." End Summary.

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News Stories
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"PPP Launches All-Out Attack On PML-N; Time For Reconciliation Over:
Pervez Ashraf" "Dawn" (03/09)

"Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf launched a
frontal attack on the PML-N leadership on Sunday and announced that
the time for reconciliation was over. Addressing a news conference
at the Chief Minister's Secretariat in his capacity as PPP's Deputy
Secretary-General, he said the PPP would not remain quiet on the
character assassination of President Asif Zardari."

"Power-Sharing, Formula 'Agreed'" "The Nation" (03/09)

"In anticipation of any future alliance between the PPP and the
PML-Q, the two parties have reportedly worked out modalities of
power-sharing in Punjab in case they succeed to muster up support of
required number of Punjab Assembly members to form their
Government."

"No Objection To Peaceful Long March" "The Nation" (03/09)

"Terming peaceful demonstration and rallies as democratic right of
every person, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday said that
the government had no objection to the proposed long march of the
lawyers if it would be peaceful and within the ambit of law."

"March To Be Stopped Outside Capital" "Dawn" (03/09)

"The government finalized on Sunday its plan to seal Islamabad and
bar the lawyers-led long march from proceeding towards the
Parliament House, but decided to show some flexibility by offering
two alternative venues if the march remained peaceful."

"14 Kidnapped Security Men Found Murdered" "Dawn" (03/09)

"Security forces claimed killing 15 militants after the bodies of 14
Khasadar men were found on Sunday. Some of the Khasadar men had
been kidnapped on Saturday night after their convoy was ambushed in
Mohmand tribal region."

"U.S. For Multifaceted Effort To Stabilize Pakistan; Obama To Work
With Islamabad To Eliminate Safe Havens" "The Nation" (03/09)

"US President Barack Obama has pledged to work closely with
Pakistan's government to eliminate militant safe havens along its
Afghan border. 'At the heart of a new Afghanistan policy is going
to be a smarter Pakistan policy,' Obama said in an interview
published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times."

"Obama Hints At Talks With Afghan Taliban" "Dawn" (03/09)
"President Barack Obama opened the door to a reconciliation process
in which the American military would reach out to elements of
Taliban in Afghanistan like it did to Sunni militants in Iraq, the
New York Times said in a report based on exclusive interview with
the President...."

"New U.S. Afghan Policy Next Month" "The News" (03/09)

"New U.S. Afghan policy would be announced within three weeks as new
U.S. administration is favorably disposed towards reconciliation
course in international disputes. This was revealed by the U.S.
Ambassador to Pakistan Ms. Anne W. Patterson in an exclusive chat
with 'The News' at the Prime Minister Secretariat on Sunday, where
she had turned up to attend the National Convention on International
Day of Women."

"World Concern About Pak Situation Grows" "The News" (03/09)

"U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson has arrived in
Islamabad from her capital after having extensive consultations with
the senior officials, and she is commencing meetings with stalwarts
of the political divide in Pakistan from today (Monday). The U.S.
Ambassador had initial meetings with the Foreign Office high ups for
making an assessment of the situation."

"LeT Now Biggest threat To U.S.: Report" "Dawn" (03/09)

"The next major attack on the U.S. soil may come from militants
associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and not Al Qaeda, say American
terrorism experts. Juan Zarate, the Deputy National Security
Advisor for counter-terrorism in the Bush administration, told the
Chicago Tribune that even before the Mumbai terrorist attacks last
November, the FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies were focusing
on LeT as the next beg threat to U.S. Security."

"Sufi Asks Militants To End Blockades" "The News" (03/09)

"TNSM Chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad, along with a large number of his
black-turbaned activists, forced the Taliban fighters on Sunday to
end their blockade of the Takhtaband Road and open the bypass for
traffic on a day when a convoy of the security forces carrying
ration came under attack in a village known as militants' stronghold
in Swat."

"Swat Taliban Agree To Remove Check-Posts" "Daily Times" (03/09)

"The Taliban on Sunday agreed to remove all check-posts across Swat
district following the successful completion of talks between the
NWFP government, the banned Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi
(TNSM) and the defunct Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP),a private
TV channel reported."

"Taliban Warn Government Against Issuing NICs To Women" "The Nation"
(03/09)

"The Pakistani Taliban in the troubled Khyber Agency have warned
authorities not to issue national identity cards to women, saying
the practice is 'un-Islamic.'"

"Indian Surgical Strikes May Spark War: Musharraf" "The News"
(03/09)

"Former President Pervez Musharraf has cautioned war can erupt if
India resorts to surgical strike. He said this in his interview
with a private TV channel in New Delhi on Sunday."

"Mumbai Attack Suspects - Interpol Chief Asks India To Provide DNA
Profiles" "Dawn" (03/09)

"Interpol has asked India to provide DNA profile of terrorists
involved in the Mumbai attacks, including Ajmal Kasab so that their
international links may be ascertained, while addressing a press
conference in Islamabad on Sunday, Interpol's Secretary General
Ronald K. Noble said."

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Editorials/Op-eds
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"Swat Peace Deal - An Encouraging Development," an editorial in the
leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000)
(03/09)

"The successful progress on the deal between the NWFP government and
the TSNM in Swat is encouraging on the one hand, but the bomb blasts
in Peshawar, Darra Adamkhel and Khyber Agency that resulted in death
of 17 people including eight personnel show alarming situation in
other parts of the NWFP too. It is imperative for the government to
deal effectively with all those elements who want to thwart the
peace deal by resorting to continuous terror activities in other
areas."

"Obama'a Positive Approach," an editorial in the second-largest,
center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000)
(03/09)

"President Barack Obama has said that America is not winning the war
in Afghanistan, which is why talks could be held with moderate
Taliban. According to him, the Taliban gained strength in the last
two years while the Karzai government could not win the confidence
of Afghans.... Had President Obama announced withdrawal of American
troops from Afghanistan in his first presidential address, the
foundation of permanent peace in the region would have been laid.
Now that he has realized the importance of dialogue with moderate
Taliban, he should frame his new Pakistan, Afghanistan policy in
keeping with this realization."

"Positive Approach Of President Obama," an editorial in the
Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) (03/09)

"President Barack Obama has admitted that the Afghan war cannot be
won, and the fighting in Iraq is a good example of this fact. If
the U.S. initiates dialogue with the moderate Taliban in Afghanistan
to resolve this issue, it is for sure that situation will definitely
improve there. However, a favorable atmosphere must be created to
achieve something before kicking off the dialogue process."

"A Common Threat," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English
daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (03/09)

"The battle to purge Pakistan's tribal areas of foreign militants
has not only gathered momentum; the induction of tribesmen is also
proving helpful in isolating militants in the area. The
continuation of talks is the only solution to this sensitive issue.
The monster of terrorism is not only engulfing Pakistan and
Afghanistan, but the whole world. It is the responsibility of
Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. to collectively fight this common
enemy."

"Progress For Peace In Swat," an editorial in the center-right Urdu
daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (03/09)

"This is good news that talks between the Frontier government and
TNSM succeeded as a result of which 12 Taliban prisoners were
released.... In order to achieve peace in Swat the people of the
region should be assured that rebellion is not the way to get their
demands accepted. They should be told that peaceful political
struggle could yield positive outcome."

"Another Few Funerals," an editorial in the centrist national
English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/09)

"Our leaders continue to insist we are winning the war on terror.
But there is little real evidence of this. The fact is that the
terrorists have succeeded in changing countless aspects of life
across our cities and towns. This, for them, is an immense victory.
It is obvious they are now in control of many areas of the
Frontier. The terrorists wish to take over our country and our
lives. The war on terror is not one that the authorities can win
alone. New tactics are needed and these can be devised only with
the fuller involvement of people."

"Downing Of The Drone," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist
English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (03/09)

"Though such planes fly at a height beyond the range of small arms
yet if it was shot down, it was the result of hatred of the local
people who lost their near and dear ones by such drones attacks....
Though downing or crashing of the spy plane will be of no value to
the super power in financial terms a clear message lies for the U.S.
to reconsider its policy, share intelligence and let Pakistani
forces fight them out."

"Now They Are Targeting Pakistan," an op-ed by Dr. Samiullah Koreshi
in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer"
(cir. 5,000) (03/09)

"Her (Lady Clinton) proposal was 'to call a high level international
conference on Afghanistan to be sponsored by the United Nations and
attended by wide range of countries including Pakistan and possibly
Iran.' This proposal is aimed at targeting Pakistan as an
international culprit and as a patron of the terrorists. This is a
double-edged proposal.... If this is so, Pakistan should keep
itself away from the proposed conference and be vigilant about its
independence and sovereignty if these words convey any sense to the
powers that be in Pakistan."

"Peering Into Pakistan's Predicament," an op-ed by Dr. S.M. Rahman
in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir.
20,000) (03/09)

"The United States urgently needs a new strategy. Washington must
get over the idea that it can and should micromanage political
outcomes in countries like Pakistan. Trying to produce governments
that both uncritically accept all U.S. security requests and also
pass our democracy litmus test is hopeless given the fact that the
overwhelming majority of voters in Pakistan are hostile to U.S.
strategy in the region."

"How We Lost Swat," an op-ed by Nasir Abbas Mirza in the
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir.
10,000) (03/09)

"We lost Swat the day we made discriminatory laws based on sectarian
and religious divisions.... We lost our way when we set up parallel
systems with all kinds of Islamic councils and courts.... The loss
of Swat is not the end of it. It is just another battle lost by us.
This battle, and the many more to come, can only be won with more
liberties, more freedom and more rights. And a state with a will to
protect these at all costs. That's the real battlefront of this war
against terror and extremism."

"Reviving the Peace Process," an op-ed by Talat Masood in the
centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/09)

"The terrorist attack in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team once again
exposed the weakness of the Pakistani state. The ease with which
the terrorists committed the crime and melted away in the population
reaffirms the international concern that Pakistan is a safe haven
and a victim of terrorism. It is apparent that terrorist network
and infrastructure has expanded in every province and that these
elements have evolved over time in shifting political environments.
It is not only confined to FATA, NWFP and Baluchistan but has crept
into Punjab and other parts of the country. The Lahore incident
also demonstrates that radicalism is moving eastward at a fast
space.... War on terror climate has given terrorists an unwanted
leverage. "

"Clutching At Staws," an op-ed by Shaheen Ali in the Karachi-based
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000)
(03/09)

"Words along will not distance the federal government from a deal
with non-state actors on Pakistani territory. At the end of the
day, the buck stops with the federal government. Hoping that these
Pakhtuns in the back of beyond can take all the 'blame' will simply
not work. We cannot have our cake and eat it; we either have an
honest peace accord and give it our best or we don't. Delaying
tactics in signing the Nizam-i-Adl regulation 2009 will not absolve
the federal government. It will only make matter worse."

"Kidnapping As A Political Tool," an editorial in the country's
premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000)
(03/09)

"Nothing exposes the absurdity of our political culture as
succinctly as the kidnapping of foreign guest workers on the
Pakistani soil to settle score or extract concessions otherwise
denied by the government. So it shocked every thinking person when
the heretofore unknown Baloch Liberation United Front (BLUF)
kidnapped John Solecki... But equally shocking, perhaps more, was
the kidnappers demand which revealed the bizarre dimensions of
high-handedness to which the people of Balochistan have been
subjected by the state.... His kidnappers should realize that
keeping him incarcerated is an insult to the human cause he is
engaged in, as representative of the UN refugee agency. It is for
their own good that they should not cross the red line that
separates a just struggle for rights from terrorism."

"Kashmir Dispute And Pervez Musharraf's Confused Thoughts," an
editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (03/09)

"Former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf has suggested
elimination of the Line of Control in Kashmir followed by more
autonomy to Kashmiris. He made the remarks addressing a seminar in
New Delhi.... Instead of presenting national standpoint on disputes
between Pakistan and India, Musharraf went for statements that will
increase Kashmiris disappointments and might be welcomed in
India.... The government of Pakistan should ask Musharraf to avoid
giving statements on Pakistan-India disputes without proper
permission and briefing by the Foreign Ministry."

"LoC Is Not Berlin Wall!," an editorial in the center-right national
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (03/09)

"Lest there should be any doubt about the crying need for the two
nations (India and Pakistan) to resolve old contentious issues to
end mutual acrimony and forge reconciliation in the interest of a
securer and more prosperous life for nearly 1.25 billion people, it
must be stated that unless the spirit of justice rules in the
settlement of these disputes, the precondition of durable peace for
ending the Subcontinent's problems, would not have been met."
Patterson