PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 10, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000511 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 10, 2009 Summary: No newspaper was published today (Wednesday) on account of a local holiday yesterday which celebrates the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. This Media Reaction Cable is based on newspapers published on March 10, 2009. Prime Minister's Advisor on Interior Malik's remarks accusing "Nawaz Sharif of committing sedition by giving a call for revolt against the government" dominated headlines in several major dailies. All newspapers also front-paged Nawaz Sharif's statement that "some people like President Zardari were busy conspiring against assemblies and removing representative governments." Newspapers reported that "Pakistani security forces killed 35 militants in Darra Adam Khel." Several dailies highlighted report that the "Mamond tribe gave an undertaking to the government to end militancy." Yesterday major dailies editorialized various subjects ranging from the negotiations with Taliban, ongoing war on terror, current political standoff to the possible military. The prestigious English daily, "Dawn," observed that "there should be no deal from a position of weakness, and that peace should not mean a license for the Taliban to establish virtually autonomous regions." Commenting on the "Nizam-e-Adl" in Swat, the centrist national daily, "The News," noted that the "ushering in of a separate code of law there of course sets up a dangerous precedent which will only aggravate the difficulties." The mass circulation daily, "Jang," opined that "it is commendable that President Obama has hinted at initiating dialogue process with the moderate Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "Nawaz Accused Of Committing Sedition" "Dawn" (03/10) "The Adviser to the Prime Minister on the Interior, Rehman Malik, has accused Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif of committing sedition by giving a call for revolt against the government. Mr. Malik threatened Nawaz Sharif and former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that an FIR would be lodged against them in case of any loss of life and property during the lawyers' long march." "Asif Speaks With A Forked Tongue: Nawaz" "The News" (03/10) "PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif on Monday said they could only realize the aim of a prosperous Pakistan through a revolution and the people seemed ready to change the country's fate as some other people like President Asif Zardari were busy conspiring against the assemblies and removing representative governments." "Zardari's Gamble In Critical Phase" "Dawn" (03/10) "President Asif Ali Zardari seemed to be coming under renewed pressure from political friends and foes alike against the backdrop of fast-paced political developments on Monday." "Zardari Trying To Buy Time" "The News" (03/10) "President Asif Ali Zardari is said to have quietly made a new offer to the Sharif brothers to wait for the detailed judgment of the Supreme Court in their disqualification case and then he would send a reference to the apex court seeking reversal of the decision, a top-level source confirmed to 'The News.'" "Foreign Envoys Active To Defuse Political Tension; Ambassadors Meet Zardari, Gilani, Sharif Brothers To Mediate Between Rival Parties" "Daily Times" (03/10) "Diplomats of leading western countries are deeply concerned over the recent political instability in Punjab and have initiated separate moves to mediate between the rival parties, sources told 'Daily Times' on Monday. Envoys of the U.S., the U.K. and Australia had a number of 'on-the-record and off-the-record' meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Sharif brothers on Monday. U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson met Prime Minister Gilani and Shahbaz Sharif. 'The ambassador discussed the Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relations, the forthcoming Friends of Pakistan meeting in Tokyo as well as matters of mutual interest,' a statement from the Prime Minister's House said." "Kayani Warns Zardari Against Unrest" "Business Recorder" (03/10) "India's 'TimesNow' has claimed that Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, who has so far kept a low profile, has asked President Asif Ali Zardari to 'clean up the mess' soon. Quoting 'well-placed military sources in Islamabad,' 'TimesNow' also claimed that Kiyani has been asked by the United States to bring 'some order' in the region." "Army Has To Do Something: Musharraf" "Dawn" (03/10) "Former President Gen. (R) Pervez Musharraf on Monday stopped short of urging the military establishment in the country to take matters into its own hands, but warned that when internal and external threats became too acute the army had to do something 'one way or another.'" "Major Crackdown Planned To Head Off Long March" "The News" (03/10) "The government is contemplating a major crackdown on political opponents on Friday (March 13) as part of an aggressive strategy that includes the option of putting under house arrest Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shahbaz Sharif and other top leadership of PML-N, Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehrik-e-Insaf and other opposition parties as well as the lawyers fraternity to pre-empt massive participation of people in the lawyers' long march." "Rawalpindi, Capital TO Be Sealed Off" "Dawn" (03/10) "The government has decided to seal of the twin cities ahead of the next week's long march, while the capital police have prepared a list of political leaders, who are likely to be arrested to forestall a fierce political showdown, 'Dawn' has learned." "Troops Kill 35 Militants In Darra Adam Khel" "Dawn" (03/10) "Pakistani security forces killed at least 35 militants in Darra Adam Khel after a two-day military operation, a senior security official said on Tuesday. 'Several militant hideouts and their training facilities were destroyed during the operation,' the official said." "Bajaur Tribe Pledges To End Militancy, Respect Government Writ" "Dawn" (03/10) "A major tribe straddling the Pak-Afghan border in the restive Bajaur tribal region on Monday gave an undertaking to the government to end militancy, refuse shelter to foreign militants and respect state authority. Mamond, the largest and most strategically placed tribe in Bajaur, signed a comprehensive 28-point undertaking to surrender key figures of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Bajaur, lay down arms, disband militant groups and stop militant training camps." "Taliban Kill Three U.S. 'Spies': Security Official" "The News" (03/10) "Taliban militants gunned down three men in Pakistan's restive northwest tribal belt after filming them confessing to spying for the United States, officials said on Monday." "Counter-Terror Naval Drill In Second Phase" "Dawn" (03/10) "An international peace-keeping and counter-terror naval exercise in the Arabina Sea entered the second phase on Monday." "Zardari Leaves For Iran Today To Attend ECO Moot" "The News" (03/10) "President Asif Zardari is all set to leave on a two-day visit to Tehran on Tuesday during which he will hold talks with Iranian leaders on a host of bilateral issues and also attend the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) Summit." "Zardari, Karzai, Ahmadinejad Hold Trilateral Talks" "Dawn" (03/10) "President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mehmood Ahmadinejad had a trilateral meeting in Tehran on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 10th Economic Coordination Organisation summit meeting. During the meeting, the leaders of the three neighborly countries discussed issues of mutual interest and concern including the security situation in the region." "LHC Extends Hafiz Saeed's Detention For 60 Days" "The News" (03/10) "A review board of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday extended the detention of the Chief of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD),Hafiz Saeed, and three other of its top figures for 60 days while releasing two leaders." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "Obama's Approach," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (03/10) "Until recently, Pakistan was being harshly criticized by the American government and media for talking to the militants. The Americans were right up to a point, for one has to admit Islamabad's own mistakes in the war on terror.... What Pakistan and America must both remember is that there should be no deal from a position of weakness, and that peace should not mean a license for the Taliban to establish virtually autonomous regions where they enforce their own concept of religion which violates basic norms of civilized behavior." "Afghan Dispute: Decision To Open The Door To Reconciliation," an editorial in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (03/10) "According to a New York Times report, President Obama has decided to open the door to reconciliation in Afghanistan.... Taliban should also bring some flexibility in their stance so that occupation forces do not have justification to remain in the country. The Taliban must also move forward to end the Afghan war. This long drawn out war has produced nothing but blood and tears." "Life And Law," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/10) "The Chief Minister of NWFP has signed the 'Nizam-e-Adl' regulation, which will now be forwarded to the Governor of the Province so that it can be formally enforced in Swat.... We need to create a situation where every citizen can live under a uniform code of law. The multiple dichotomies in the rights and liberties available to people must end. Their existence has created chaos. The sense of national unity and harmony we so badly need is possible only if people are brought closer together, made subject to the same laws and treated as equals who enjoy an access to the same justice.... The ushering in of a separate code of law there of course also sets up a dangerous precedent which will only aggravate the difficulties we already face on this front." "Indication To Negotiate With Taliban," an editorial note in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (03/10) "It is commendable that President Obama has hinted at initiating dialogue process with the moderate Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Surprisingly, Americans had always opposed the Government of Pakistan's moves to engage Taliban in dialogues and peace deals and throughout these parleys, the U.S. always enhanced its attacks. Notwithstanding, the U.S. must not delay talks with Taliban, and handover all powers to the people of Afghanistan after negotiations." "Swat And Saving Pakistan," an op-ed by Zafar Hilaly in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/10) "It now appears that the Taliban were bought off by the government for a sum ranging between $6 and $10 million. What was essentially a bribe was labeled as compensation for losses and damage suffered during the fighting. On the other hand the destruction, executions, rape and pillage wrought by the insurgents have been condoned; so too the continuing abductions of district officials and military personnel. It seems that if the insurgents wish to talk to an official, the latter has no option but to either present himself or be abducted. Even military patrols have to obtain the prior clearance of the Taliban before setting out. Nowhere else in the world does a national army have to obtain the permission of outlaws to patrol their own territory." "If The Army Is Compelled To Step In," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (03/10) "The army is incapable of providing any political solutions as we have learnt from our bitter experience time and again. But if this does come to pass, this time too the politicians would be to blame.... If the army steps in, the PML-N may think that this will realize its hidden desire for mid-term elections. But given the genuinely abnormal conditions prevailing in the country - complete with many 'failed state' symptoms - that won't happen; or it may happen but with long-term damage to the prospects of both parties. The game will go to the terrorists, after which the world might step in, leaning on the desperate military measures that Pakistan has been warding off so far." "Internal Shminternal! What's Mine Is Yours," an op-ed by Mosharraf Zaidi in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/10) "The firing of Shahbaz Sharif, and the imposition of Governor's Raj in Punjab is not 'an internal matter for Pakistan.' Not when American engineers are playing Missile Command in Jalalabad, as they navigate Predator drones, and drop bombs on Pakistan, with their remote-control joysticks. Once you penetrate something the way those drones have penetrated Pakistan, you are internal to Pakistan. Therefore, Pakistan's internal matters are America's matters. The most gripping, most urgent, and most dangerous matter for American foreign policy is the continued free fall of Pakistan from a country that can fake it well, to a country that can't tell what time of day it is." Patterson