PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: APRIL 13, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000779

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: APRIL 13, 2009

Summary: Local political developments dominated headlines in all
newspapers on Monday. All newspaper front-paged reports that
"President Zardari forwarded the Nizam-i-Adl regulation to Prime
Minister Gilani for a parliamentary debate." The English daily,
"The News," reported that "President Zardari decided to let all the
political parties share the burden of signing the controversial deal
with the Taliban by throwing the ball in the court of the
Parliament." According to a front-page story in daily, "Dawn,"
Taliban from Swat "started recruiting youth in Buner." In another
story the same paper reported that "cracks are beginning to appear
in strategic relations" between Pakistan and the United States "over
India's enhanced role in Afghanistan." Newspapers also quoted
Pakistan Foreign Minister Qureshi as saying that "ISI is in the
process of being restructured and cleansed." Also prominently
displayed were the reports about the arrival of Senator John Kerry
to Pakistan.

Major dailies ran editorials on the current state of Pak-U.S.
relations. The English daily, "Dawn," noted that "the systematic
pressure being exerted on Pakistan is souring relations with America
by the day. America, apparently, has come to see South Asia through
the eyes of India." Another English daily, "The Nation," observed
that "it is a pity that the U.S. has been allowed to take liberties
with Pakistan since 9/11, and drone attacks are one such
manifestation." End Summary.

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News Stories
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"Adl Regulation Goes To parliament; ANP Threat To quit Govt." "Dawn"
(04/13)

"The government has announced that it will table the Nizam-i-Adl
regulation 2009 in the National Assembly on Monday to seek
legislators' opinion if it should be approved by President Asif Ali
Zardari. According to a handout, the President forwarded the
regulation to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani with the advice that
he might consider placing it before Parliament for debate."

"Zardari Throws The Taliban Deal In Nawaz Camp" "The News" (04/13)

"Resisting pressure from the establishment, President Asif Zardari
in a dramatic move, has decided to let all the political parties
share the burden of signing the controversial deal with the Taliban
by throwing the ball in the court of Parliament. Zardari does not
want to be held responsible for any negative fallout if this deal
backfires in future, as then Parliament will be responsible."

"MPs Opposing Bill Will Be Considered Infidels: Taliban" "The
Nation" (04/13)

"Amir Izat Khan and Haji Muslim Khan, the spokesmen of
Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) and Tehreek-e-Taliban
(TTP),Swat Chapter, respectively, on Sunday said that those members
of the Parliament who would oppose the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation bill
would be considered as apostates."

"Uncertainty About Swat Judicial System Growing" "The News" (04/13)

"Uncertainty about the future form of judicial system in Swat valley
is fast growing among people as the old courts have stopped
functioning while the new legal system - a hybrid of traditional and
Islamic laws envisaged in Nizam-e-Adl Regulation - still awaits
approval of the president to become operational."

"Taliban Start Recruiting Youths In Buner" "Dawn" (04/13)

"The Taliban from Swat, who have taken a number of areas in Buner,
are converting mosques in Buner into recruitment centers to urge
youths to join their ranks."

"Pakistan-U.S. Ties Under Severe Strain" "Dawn" (04/13)

"Cracks are beginning to appear in strategic relations between
Pakistan and the United States over India's enhanced role in
Afghanistan. Background interviews show that strains in relations
are more serious than meet the eye, requiring the two allies to
address the issues seriously. The ties are in a very delicate
condition. 'There are very few options left for the two allies - if
neither conceded some ground, they will enter into an all out
confrontation,' a diplomat said."

"Foreign Minister Says ISI Being Restructured" "The Nation" (04/13)

"Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said the ISI is in the
process of being restructured and cleansed in the wake of
suggestions that elements of the agency allegedly have links with
the Al-Qaeda and Taliban, he told CNN-IBN in an interview."

"Senator John Kerry Arrives Today" "The Nation" (04/13)

"A top U.S. Senator John Kerry arrives in Islamabad today (Monday)
on a two-day visit to discuss various bilateral, regional and global
issues with top Pakistani leadership with focus on future civilian
and military aid to Islamabad from Washington."

"U.S. Lawmaker Urges Cooperation With Pakistan" "The News" (04/13)

"President Obama is engaged in cleaning up the consequences of bad
political and economic policies of his predecessor. He needs good
advice and capable advisers in his historic role as President of the
U.S. in these troubled times, a veteran U.S. Congressman told a
select group of Pakistanis at a dinner. Chairman of the House
Government Reforms & Oversight Committee Rep Edolphus Towns said
that he will fully support the bills introduced in the U.S. Congress
for U.S. aid to Pakistan."

"U.S. Plans Go Beyond Pak Existence" "The News" (04/12)

"Two former top American officials have said that if the U.S. failed
over any important issue in Pakistan and subsequently Pakistan
dismembered, then Washington will have to either hand over Pakistan
and Afghanistan to terrorists and extremists or fight against them
with or without world help. Former U.S. National Security Adviser
Zbigniew Bryzenski and former American Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger expressed these views during Dr Shahid Masood's program
Mairay Mutabiq of Geo News, Saturday."

"U.S. To Respect Pakistan's 'Red Lines': Holbrooke" "The News"
(04/12)

"U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard
Holbrooke has made it clear that the U.S. would respect Pakistan's
'red lines' about American combat troops, adding that elimination of
terrorism and militancy from Pakistan was the top priority of the
new U.S. strategy. 'Pakistan is at the centre of our strategic
concerns,' Holbrooke said in an exclusive chat with U.S. newspaper
Wall Street Journal."

"Qazi Links U.S. Aid To Capping Of Nuclear Program" "The News"
(04/13)

"Former Chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmad claimed
on Sunday that the U.S. had linked its $1.5 billion aid to an access
to Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and capping of Pakistan's nuclear program.
'The U.S. has never been our real friend and strategic partner,
rather it wants the Indian hegemony in the region against China,'
Qazi Hussain Ahmad told a public meeting in Mansehra."

"Attack on NATO Depot Leaves One Dead, 10 Trucks Gutted" "Dawn"
(04/13)

"A worker was killed and two others were injured in a pre-dawn
attack on terminals for trucks transporting supplies to NATO forces
in Afghanistan, a police officer said."

"7 injured In Copters Shelling" "The News" (04/13)

"Three militants and four civilians were injured when the security
forces shelled militants' hideouts through gunship choppers in Hangu
and Lower Kurram area on Sunday."

"Strike Paralyzes Balochistan" "Dawn" (04/13)

"Riots continued across Balochistan on Sunday amid a strike against
the killing of thee Baloch nationalist leaders. Security forces
used teargas and fired shots in the air to disperse the mobs
blocking national highways."
E
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Editorials/Op-eds
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"Ominous Conditions," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (04/13)

"The systematic pressure being exerted on Pakistan is souring
relations with America by the day.... In an ill-advised departure
from practical politics, the bill contains India-specific clauses
that are bound to raise yet more hackles in Islamabad and the GHQ.
It seems the Obama administration has bought the Indian line on
Pakistan hook, line and sinker. America, apparently, has come to
see South Asia through the eyes of India.... Pakistan is supposed
to be America's front-line ally in the war against the Taliban and
Al Qaeda. Yet Washington seems to repose greater trust in New Delhi
than in Islamabad. This mindset will not deliver the desired
results. The more tangled the web we weave, the greater the chance
that neither Islamabad nor Washington - or New Delhi, for that
matter - will emerge on the winning side."

"Unacceptable," an editorial in the center-right national English
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/13)

"Nevertheless, there is urgent need for Islamabad to take up the
matter at the highest diplomatic level to make it emphatically clear
to the Obama administration that the conditions mentioned in the
proposed legislation on the subject ought to be deleted if there
were to be smooth sailing in relations between the two countries,
something that is of fundamental relevance to the success of U.S.
objectives in the region.... It is a pity that the U.S. has been
allowed to take liberties with Pakistan since 9/11, and drone
strikes are one such manifestation. This encouraged the American
policymakers and media to assume that U.S. troops could enter
Pakistan to deal with terrorist elements."

"Rejecting American Aid?," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal
English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (04/13)

"The direct reference to India, despite the fact that Pakistan has
bilaterally assured India that it will not allow any terrorism in
India from its soil, may have offended Islamabad, but the next
indirect reference to Dr. A.Q. Khan is certainly going to create
hurdles in the U.S.-Pak cooperation in the coming days. Of course,
the sub-clause will bite only after Washington has made a move on
Dr. Khan and Pakistan has thwarted it. Sub-clauses 'H' and 'I' ask
Pakistan to get rid of the 'Taliban and Taliban-affiliated groups in
Pakistan that support insurgents in Afghanistan.' If Pakistan sees
these conditions as being hostile to its interests, it can turn the
U.S. assistance down."

"Misplaced U.S. Notions About Pakistan," an editorial in the
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (04/13)

"No one needs to worry about the survival of Pakistan and a few
hundred so-called militants certainly cannot run over our Armed
Forces and the masses. Therefore misplaced notions from the United
States must come to an end. Policy makers in Washington need to
stop dreaming and realize sooner the better that people of Pakistan
have the capacity to get out of difficult situations as they did in
the past and would not accept strings with meager aid or through
propaganda campaign questioning its very survival."

"Relations With The U.S.," an op-ed by Talat Masood in the centrist
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/13)

"Misunderstanding has arisen due to differences in perception about
the nature of threat with Pentagon having its own set of priorities
and the GHQ insisting on its own. Washington wants the Pakistan
army to be fully focused on the western border and robustly engaged
in counterinsurgency operations. The there are differences about
ISI maintaining links with militant groups in the tribal belt and in
Afghanistan. These links of ISI are not meant to support these
groups but to obtain information about their activities and using
its influence to weaken one group against the other.... One thing
is however clear that despite United States pervasive influence over
Pakistan it will not be possible for it to act and political leaders
and no amount of U.S. pressure will compel it to sever relations
with them."

"Obama Threatens Pakistan," an op-ed by Roedad Khan in the centrist
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/13)

"The Obama administration's program for Afghanistan and Pakistan is
rash to the point of folly. I foresee a perilous voyage for the
Americans. One thing is for sure. With more Americans in combat,
there will certainly be greater losses. Obama is sending
conventional troops to do an unconventional job in Afghanistan. He
is bound to fail.... All our major problems stem from the American
invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. It has turned our tribal
area into a protracted ulcer, a quagmire - a place where Pakistan is
spending blood and treasure to protect American interests.... If
you want to know what happens to an ill-led and ill-governed, small
country, which attaches itself to a powerful country like the United
States, visit Pakistan."

"Games People Plan," an op-ed by Shahzad Chaudhry in the
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir.
10,000) (04/13)

"Messrs Holbrooke and Mullen's visit last week has left the Af-Pak
scene even more confused. More specifically, Pakistanis have
clearly betrayed unease on how the entire spectrum of security and
geo-politics is aimed to play out according to the revised American
strategy for the region. Pakistan exhibited irritation and
impatience on how the American envoys placed their case.... One
thing is certain: Obama doesn't like being boxed in anywhere, and
certainly not in Afghanistan. He will not let Afghanistan be
another Vietnam - certainly not under another Democratic
government."

"India: Major Problem In S. Asia," an op-ed by M. Ashraf Mirza in
the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (04/13)

"The United States should see the ground realities in the South
Asian region realistically and take a holistic view of the situation
rather than persisting with its single track policy of pressuring
Pakistan to do more. India and the U.S. should not be unmindful of
the consequence of Washington's inability to bring home to India the
imperative need of shunning its doctrine of interference in the
internal affairs of its neighbors especially Pakistan. If Pakistan
fails, India and the U.S. will not be safe from terrorists and
militants. It's, therefore, time to act with prudence rather
sheltering behind crafty moves in the name of diplomacy."

"Nizam-i-Adl Regulation And The Swat Peace Deal: Parliament Should
Decide According To National Aspirations," an editorial in the
second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt"
(cir. 125,000) (04/13)

"This development [of presenting the Nizam-i-Adl regulation in the
parliament] has come at a time when the U.S. has started opposing
the Swat deal like it did in the case of the Wana and Shakai deals,
and Sufi Muhammad has dismantled the Swat peace camp.... There
should be no delay in debating the regulation and deal
comprehensively if they are presented in the parliament today. By
approving [the regulation] immediately, the President must be
compelled to support the NWFP government's sincere efforts; the
parliament should not worry at all about U.S. pressure in this
regard."

"Decision To Present The Swat Peace Deal In The Parliament," an
editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (04/13)

"All reservations and objections will be laid to rest once this
[Swat] deal is approved by the Parliament, as it would be a joint
and unanimous decision. However, if there is no agreement on the
issue, the parliament should suggest an alternative solution for
peace in Swat and other areas. We hope that discussion on Swat in
the parliament will lead to an improvement in the situation and the
area would again become a peaceful haven."

"Decision To Present The Swat Deal In The Parliament," an editorial
in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (04/13)

"The parliament must approve the deal immediately so that this state
of uncertainty in Swat can come to an end. There is no need to give
too much importance to the hue and cry raised by elements known as
the civil society because approval or rejection will not affect
them. However, we must remember that the deal has a fundamental role
for peace in the area."

"Deal In The Doldrums?," an editorial in the center-right national
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/13)

"The peace agreement has been in the doldrums for some time as both
sides continue to stick to their respective stance: the government
asking the TTP activists to lay down their arms before asking the
President to sign the Shariat Regulation and the TTP insisting that
it should be other way round.... Rather than pussyfooting around
the issue for so long the best course for the government could have
been to use the peace agreement to get a foothold in the troubled
region and gradually establish the writ of the state."

"Life In Swat After The Peace Deal," an op-ed by Farhat Taj in the
centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/13)

"There are several new training camps in Swat where the Taliban
train teenage boys for militancy. The boys belong to the schools
that have been destroyed by the Taliban. Lack of occupation and the
Jihadi preaching of the Taliban turn Swati young men to Jihad.
Their schools are destroyed. The Taliban have banned TV and music
and playing of cricket. The young men have no activity and the
Taliban constantly invite them to Jihad. Hundreds of boys have
joined the training camps, most of them without the permission of
their parents. According to the Taliban's version of Jihad,
parents' permission is not needed at all. The helpless parents have
nobody to ask for help in order to stop their children from joining
the Taliban. The Taliban threatens parents who stop their children
from joining the so-called Jihad."

"Situation In Balochistan," an editorial in the second-largest,
center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000)
(04/13)

"Merely apologizing for past mistakes and forming a superficial
committee is not enough to satisfy the Baloch nation which has been
deprived of its own resources; especially at a time when the U.S.
and India are engaged in supporting extremist and anti-federation
elements in the province thus taking the situation towards further
deterioration. In this situation, the government must get to the
root of facts surrounding the killing of 3 Baloch leaders and
uncover elements involved in this crime, whether they are local or
foreign."
Patterson