PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: March 26, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000644

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: March 26, 2009

SUMMARY: Reports of a "suspected U.S. drone attack killing seven
Arabs in South Waziristan" figured prominently on all front pages on
Thursday. The English daily, "Dawn," reported that "trade will be a
valuable part of the new U.S. strategy for fighting terrorism in
Pakistan." The U.S. announcement of "$5 million reward for
information on Baituallh Mehsud and Sirajuddin Haqqani" also
received prominent coverage. All newspapers also highlighted
reports that "one person was killed and several others injured
during a clash between police and people displaced from Bajaur in
Nowshera." Chief of Army Staff General Kayani's "meetings with
senior government and military officials" in London received wide
coverage in all dailies. Some newspapers also reported that the U.S.
Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, "will visit
Pakistan on April 7." Remarks by the State Department spokesman
Duguid that the "U.S. will continue to work closely with the
democratically elected Zardari government" also garnered media
attention.

All major dailies ran in-depth editorials on the restoration of the
deposed judges and the challenges confronting the nation towards the
goal of achieving independent judiciary in the country. End
Summary.

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News Stories
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"Drone Attack Kills Seven Arabs In SWA" "The News" (03/26)

"Seven militants, believed to be Arab nationals, were killed and
three others wounded when two vehicles they were traveling in, came
under attack from the U.S. drones near Makeen area of South
Waziristan Agency (SWA) on Wednesday afternoon."

"U.S. Report Urges Tariff Cut On Textiles" "Dawn" (03/26)

"Trade will be a valuable part of the new U.S. strategy for fighting
terrorism in Pakistan, says America's top business lobby which also
called for a cut in U.S. tariffs on Pakistani textiles. President
Barrack Obama is expected to announce the new strategy on Friday."

"$5 Million U.S. Reward For Information On Baitullah, Haqqani"
"Dawn" (03/26)

"The United States on Wednesday offered $5 million each fro
information leading to Baitullah Mehsud and for Sirajuddin Haqqani
and $ 1 million for Abu Yahya Al-Libi"

"One Killed, 8 Injured As IDP's Police Clash" "Daily Times" (03/26)

"A man was killed and eight others were injured during a clash
between internally displaced persons (IDPs) from of Bajaur Agency
living in the Jalozai Camp and police on Wednesday, officials
said."

"Holbrooke To Visit Pakistan On April 7" "Daily Times" (03/26)
"United States envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke
will visit Pakistan on April 7, a private TV channel reported on
Wednesday."
"Kayani Meets UK Officials" "Dawn" (03/26)

"Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has met UK
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs David Miliband and senior
government and military officials in London."

"UK stresses coop with Pakistan" "Pakistan Observer "(03/26)

"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has stressed the need for
international cooperation with Pakistan in the fight against global
terrorism because in his opinion the majority of terrorist incidents
that happen in the UK have links in Pakistan."

"U.S. Says It Will Continue To Work With Zardari Govt" "Dawn"
(03/26)

"The United States said on Wednesday it was working closely with the
democratic government led by President Asif Ali Zardari in areas of
common interest and that American officials maintained contacts with
opposition parties in Pakistan just as they did in other countries."

"Deposed Judges Restored To Keep Country Intact: PM Gilani" "The
News" (03/26)

"Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday the issue of
deposed judges threatened the integrity of the country and the
PPP-led government restored them to save the federation."

"Security Lapse Caused Attack On Sri Lanka Team" "Dawn" (03/26)

"Pakistan shared with Sri Lanka on Wednesday findings of preliminary
investigations into the attack on its cricket team in Lahore earlier
this month. Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik
handed over the report to Sri Lankan High Commissioner Jayalath
Weerakkody during a meeting at the interior ministry."

"Mastermind' Of Islamabad Suicide Attack Arrested" "Daily Times"
(03/26)

"The mastermind of Monday's suicide attack in Islamabad and eight
others have been arrested and shifted to an unknown location for
interrogations, according to sources."

"UN Remembers Solecki, Seeks Direct Contact With Kidnappers" "Dawn"
(03/26)

"The United Nations system in Pakistan remembered its kidnapped
official John Solecki on the International Day of Solidarity with
Detained and Missing Staff Members observed all over the world on
Wednesday. Reiterating its stand for a direct contact with the
kidnappers, the UNHCR said in a statement that it had no information
about Mr. Solecki who was kidnapped in Quetta on February 20."

"Meetings On Afghan Situation: Pakistan To Seek Broad Regional
Reconciliation" "Dawn" (03/26)

"Afghanistan will be in the spotlight when world leaders meet in
Moscow, Hague, Strasbourg, Kehl and Ankara over the next few days to
formulate a new strategy to address issues of governance, security
and reconstruction in the conflict-ridden country. As Foreign
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi left Islamabad on Wednesday to attend
international conferences in Moscow and Hague, Foreign Office
spokesman Abdul Basit told Dawn that Pakistan would propose a policy
of broader regional reconciliation to tackle militancy and terrorism
in Afghanistan."

"Pakistan Opposes 'Fixing Of Seats' In UNSC" "Dawn" (03/26)

"Pakistan warned on Tuesday that 'fixing seats for individual
countries' would defeat the objective of wider representation in the
expanded UN Security council saying they must be available to all
countries of the respective regions and groupings."

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Editorials/Op-eds
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"Britain, Al Qaeda And Pakistan," an editorial in the Lahore-based
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (03/26)

". . . Pakistan is in trouble today. Al Qaeda is embedded here and
Pakistanis are more busy hating AMERICA and its side-kick, the UK,
than paying attention to the consequences of allowing the terrorists
to win territory and then enforce their own laws on it. Pakistan may
have the will to fight them but lacks the material capacity to do
so. The British report is right in its diagnosis that Pakistan has
to be helped. Whether this will happen in these cash-strapped days
is another matter."

"Drone attacks; Acting President's reaction" an editorial note in
the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (03/26)
"Acting President Farooq H. Naek said that the world would see the
reaction of a sovereign state if the province of Balochistan was
subjected to drone attacks. Talking to newsmen in Karachi, he said
that President Asif Ali Zardari has made it clear to CIA chief that
drone attacks are not acceptable. The resolve demonstrated by the
acting President is appreciable. The tribal areas, where drone
attacks take place every now and them, are also part of Pakistan.
The rulers should defend Pakistan's sovereignty there as well."
"Don't let the Swat peace deal unravel," an editorial in liberal
Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (03/26)
"Undoubtedly, the Nizam-i-Adl deal between the NWFP government and
Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi helped peace return to Swat but a
recent press conference by Sufi Muhammad has caused some
apprehensions again. His stance is that the Qazis do not have any
authority and that the implementation of the deal is not up to his
satisfaction. Sufi Muhammad alone should not take all the
responsibility for Nizam-i-Adl, the government should also implement
promises that are part of the deal. Zardari's signature on the deal
should not be made an issue. However, it would bode well for peace
if President Zardari signs the deal so that the peace process can
continue to move forward gradually."
"Plan to turn Pakistan into a desert," an editorial in the
Lahore-based independent Urdu daily "Din" (circ. 5000) (03/26)
"Pakistan's water needs for agriculture are not being fulfilled, but
the leadership is busy in its own political squabbles. According to
sources, in utter violation of the Indus Basin Treaty, India is
stopping river water flowing into Pakistan from Occupied Kashmir by
building dams on it. In this manner, India is working on a plan to
turn hectares of arable land in Pakistan's four provinces into a
desert... Pakistan should pay immediate attention to building water
reservoirs and to contact the World Bank - a guarantor of the Indus
Basin Treaty - in case of violation by India."
"Obama's Omniscient Onset," an Op-ed by I.M. Mohsin
in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir.
20,000) (03/26)

"By being a statesman, he realizes that history, geography,
faith/tradition advocate against holding Afghanistan by force of
arms. It has been, therefore, a graveyard of Empires. . . Yet
another factor which militates against the U.S. interests in this
area is the drone-attacks which kill innocent civilians in far
bigger numbers than it does the 'suspects.' Apparently the current
Administration wants to carry on with such attacks which may prove
counter-productive in the long run. Their short-term effect erodes
U.S.' goodwill and tends to swell the ranks of the Taliban which
enables the aggrieved to be able to avenge the blood of their dear
ones. Apparently such a measure would work against the idea of
'winning hearts and minds' of the people in the area. One can hope
that the new policy would dictate a change of approach also on this
front so that the process of reconciliation is facilitated."

"Obama Wants Out," an Op-ed by Zafar Hilaly in the Lahore-based
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (03/26)

"It seems that Obama wants out. He wants a second term and come 2012
a Vietnam-like situation on his hands in Afghanistan is a big no...
The bad news for Obama is that the Taliban and Al Qaeda intend to
remain one, whole and united. For the U.S. to draw a distinction
where none exists smacks of intellectual duplicity. Besides, to
engage the Taliban in negotiations at this sensitive juncture of the
war would be foolhardy. In the words of a top military adviser to
General Petraeus: "If the Taliban sees we are negotiating for a stay
of execution or to stave off defeat, it will harden their
resolve."... Some also believe that a U.S. withdrawal would end our
differences with the Taliban. They are living in cloud cuckoo land.
The war in Afghanistan would intensify and spill over to Pakistan
with horrendous consequences for us."



Patterson