PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: APRIL 15, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000797 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: APRIL 15, 2009 Summary: Reports pertaining to the recently ratified Nizam-e-Adl regulation for some parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) dominated headlines in all newspapers on Wednesday. Newspapers highlighted White House statement that the Swat deal "infringes human rights and democracy." Afghan presidential spokesman's statement that "Afghanistan's security could be affected adversely by a deal between Pakistan and Taliban militants" also figured prominently. Remarks by the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi chief asking Taliban "to lay down arms" also received wide coverage. Newspapers also highlighted report that the Director General of ISI, Lt- Gen. Shuja Pasha "is arriving in the United States on a two-day visit for talks on intelligence cooperation." Senator Kerry continued to garner extensive coverage in the Pakistani media. Newspapers quoted him as urging Islamabad "to ratchet up terror fight." Also front paged were reports that the "U.S. financial assistance to Pakistan would not come without benchmarks." Most major dailies ran analytical editorials on the implementation of Islamic laws in certain parts of the NWFP. The leading mass circulation Urdu daily, "Jang," in its editorial titled "one country, several judicial systems," noted that "undoubtedly the situation in Swat changed a great deal after the peace deal. Given this perspective it would not be wrong to say that while the elected government was unable to establish its writ, the Taliban succeeded in establishing theirs." The second largest Urdu daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," noted that "after the Swat deal becomes successful, the government can go for such deals in FATA and other tribal agencies, even to the extent of changing the laws for the provision of cheap justice." The English daily, "The News," wrote: "Already, calls to impose Shariah have been heard from Bajaur. The same demand will, no doubt, come in from other places too - and one day our parliament, as it attempts to legislate for a state spinning out of central control, may have to face up to the consequences of what their action has led to." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "U.S. Says Swat Deal Infringes On Rights" "Dawn" (04/15) "The White House said Tuesday that an accord signed by Pakistan's President putting part of the country under Islamic law in a bid to combat the Taliban went against human rights and democracy. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that the Obama administration believed that 'solutions involving security in Pakistan don't include less democracy and less human-rights." "Kabul Fears Swat Deal May Affect Security" "Dawn" (04/15) "Afghanistan said on Tuesday it was concerned its own security could be hurt by a deal between Pakistan and Taliban guerrillas to impose Islamic law on a Pakistani valley, presidential spokesman Humayun Hamidzada told a news briefing in Kabul." "Sufi Says Disarm, TTP Says Enforce Sharia First" "Daily Times" (04/15) "Tehreek Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Muhammad asked the Swat Taliban on Tuesday to lay down arms after President Asif Zardari approved the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation, but Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said in a tepid response his men would surrender arms only after they see Sharia enforced in Malakand." "ISI Chief Arriving In U.S. For Talks; Mullen Sees Rise In Afghan Violence" "Dawn" (04/15) "Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha is arriving in the United States late Tuesday on a two-day visit for talks on intelligence cooperation, as the U.S. military Chief Admiral Michael Mullen warned that violence in Afghanistan is set to rise in the coming months. Official sources in Washington said that Gen. Pasha is expected to meet the CIA Chief and other U.S. intelligence and security officials." "Kerry Urges Islamabad to Ratchet Up Terror Fight" "Dawn" (04/15) "A top U.S. Senator on Tuesday urged Pakistan to 'ratchet up' its sense of urgency in battling the spreading militancy in its north-west, even as the government defended a deal to impose Islamic law in a swath of the region to achieve peace with the Taliban." "Kerry Assures Help In Swat IDPs' Rehabilitation" "The News" (04/15) "During a meeting with NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti in Peshawar on Tuesday, the visiting U.S. Senator John Kerry has assured the NWFP government of all possible financial assistance in rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Swat, sources told 'The News.'" "Kerry Terms Drone Attack A 'Complex' Issue" "The News" (04/15) "U.S. Senator and Chairman U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs John Kerry said that drone attack on tribal areas in Pakistan was a complex issue. But added that a careful approach was being adopted in this connection." "Terror Attacks Are Planned In Pakistan" "The Post" (04/15) "Worldwide terror attacks are being planned in Pakistan, visiting U.S. Senator John Kerry said while giving a briefing to foreign media in Peshawar." "No Aid Without Benchmarks: Washington" "Dawn" (04/15) "U.S. financial assistance to Pakistan will not come without benchmarks, the State Department said on Tuesday, adding that the conditions will be set to ensure that Washington was getting its money's worth." "Militants Enjoy Immunity From Law: TNSM" "Dawn" (04/15) "The Chief of Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi came up with an audacious interpretation of the Nizam-i-Adl regulation on Tuesday, asserting that the law would protect militants accused of brutal killings from prosecution. The assertion highlights the dilemma facing the government as it seeks to halt 18 months of bloodletting in the Swat Valley while convincing the nation, and the West, that it is not capitulating to militants." "Sharia For Other Parts Of Pakistan Also: TNSM" "Dawn" (04/15) "The Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) said on Tuesday that after Swat and Malakand, Sharia will be implemented in other parts of the country as well. While talking to the media in Batkhela, the TNSM Chief Sufi Mohammad said that the Taliban and TNSM will work alongside the government for the implementation of Sharia and will maintain peace in the region." "Swat Deal May Mean More U.S. Strikes In Pakistan" "Daily Times" (04/15) "Stratfor, the U.S. private intelligence agency, believes that Islamabad's peace deal with the Swat Taliban despite strong objections from Washington may heighten tensions between the two countries. It said the Obama administration could even move to expand its unilateral airstrikes in the Tribal Areas." "ANP Spurns American Reservations" "The News" (04/15) "The Awami National Party (ANP) has rejected any foreign concern against the implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in Malakand Division and said that the step was purely aimed at bringing peace in the region." "U.S. Out To Destabilize Pakistan: Minister" "The News" (04/15) "Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati on Tuesday said the United States has planned to target Pakistan's nuclear assets and it is better for Islamabad to part ways with Washington today than tomorrow." "Taliban Ban Display Of Weapons In Swat" "Dawn" (04/15) "The Swat Taliban have imposed a ban on display of weapons in market places, urban areas and even the Imamadheri center, saying there is no need of taking arms if the Islamic Shariah has been enforced in letter and spirit. The decision was taken on the appeal of Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said." "Pak-U.S. Intelligence Ties At 'Lowest Level'" "Daily Times" (04/15) "The U.S. and Pakistan are at the 'lowest level' of intelligence-sharing, cooperation and coordination against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the Tribal Areas, a senior official told 'Daily Times' on Monday." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "One Country, Several Judicial Systems," an editorial in the mass circulation center-right Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (04/15) "Undoubtedly the situation in Swat changed a great deal after the peace deal. Given this perspective it would not be wrong to say that while the elected government was unable to establish its writ, the Taliban succeeded in establishing theirs.... The implementation of Nizam-i-Adl in Swat has created a separate judicial system there. The Qazis of these courts will be answerable to the TNFM leaders instead of the Peshawar High Court or the Supreme Court. Hence we can ask: are we moving ahead or backwards..." "Approval Of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation: Appreciable Step By Parliament And Government," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (04/15) "After Swat deal becomes successful, the government can go for such deals in FATA and other tribal agencies, even to the extent of changing the laws for the provision of low-cost justice.... Subsequent to the establishment of Qazi courts and acceptance of Maulana Sufi Muhammad's other demands, it is collective responsibility of the Maulana, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government to establish peace and provide conducive atmosphere for state institutions in Swat and rest of the Malakand Division." "Collective Wisdom?," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/15) "The Nizam-e-Adl, establishing Qazi courts and enforcing Sharia, is now the law in Malakand Division. A region making up the state of Pakistan has moved beyond the established law of the land, as laid down in the Constitution. The extremist militants who threaten every aspect of our way of life have succeeded in having their demands fully met. The tactics of blackmail and coercion, and the open threat to MNAs who opposed the regulation from the Taliban, have paid off. It also seems likely that the overwhelming success of the Swat militants will encourage others to follow their lead. Already, calls to impose Shariah have been heard from Bajaur. The same demand will, no doubt, come in from other places too - and one day our parliament, as it attempts to legislate for a state spinning out of central control, may have to face up to the consequences of what their action has led to." "Where The Buck Stops," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/15) "President Asif Zardari did the right thing by signing the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation after the National Assembly had approved it with a majority vote on Monday.... But it deserves guarded appreciation, since Maulana Sufi Muhammad made it clear that his party would keep an eye on the steps to be taken by the government to enforce Shariah and would cooperate with it only if the regulation was implemented in letter and spirit." "Nizam-e-Adl: Democratic Way Out," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (04/15) "Adoption of the Nizam-e-Adl Resolution by the Assembly means that the decision has complete backing of the nation and the Government, we are glad that it took a sovereign decision in the national interest of Pakistan, ignoring arms-twisting of some of our so-called friends. We hope that the accord would be implemented in letter and in spirit by the two sides and irritants, if arise, would be resolved through negotiations." "Nizam-i-Adl Regulation: Both Sides Must Fulfill Their Obligations," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (04/15) "The dream of peace in Swat will remain unfulfilled if even one side does not meet its responsibilities with respect to the deal. Simultaneously, it is imperative to take solid steps to break the onslaught of extremists, establish the writ of the state, and improve the law and order situation in the country so that the need for such deals does not arise again." "Nizam-i-Adl Regulation - An Analysis," an op-ed by Nasim Zehra in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/15) "The Adl Regulation within the context of a non-functioning or absent civilian, political and security state apparatus raises serious questions regarding the implications that this regulation can have. In a context controlled by militias, a context where ideological and sectarian-prompted killings are taking place, where the social practices are being forcibly inflicted on the local population, where the Constitutional protection is proving element, this Adl Regulation is seen as one that will further weaken the will of the state to reclaim its space." "For The Sake Of 'Justice'," an op-ed by Sameer Khosa in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/15) "The Nizam-e-Adl has done nothing to solve the problem and much to worsen it. The pressure has been taken off the Taliban and they are free to rearm and re-establish control in the area so the next time they will fight even harder. The group that has bombed our cities and terrorized our populace in the name of Allah continue to solidify themselves and we are all set to ignore that under the guise of this regulation. Much as one desperately hopes that one is wrong on this - the men in black will be back." "Another 'No' To U.S.," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (04/15) "The reports trickling in from Washington indicate that the proposed aid is being tied to conditions that impinge upon the sovereignty and self-respect of Pakistan. We fully endorse the position adopted by the Government and it is also a fact that no Government can accept such humiliating conditions at any cost. And if the Government did not take into account the sensitivities of the people then it would be doing that at the cost of its popularity and obvious consequences. We think that it is time that the United States should demonstrate its sincerity, shun duplicity and review its policies that are stoking unrest in Pakistan." "Aid And Terror," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (04/15) "There is weight in the argument that if the aid comes with strings attached, coupled with drone attacks; it may not help in putting out the flames of the war on terror.... The Obama administration should understand that it should place its trust in the democratic government of Pakistan." "Decision Not To Accept Conditional U.S. Aid," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (04/15) "The U.S. should change its views [about making aid to Pakistan conditional] and provide unconditional and increased assistance so that it can perform better in the campaign against terrorism. However, at its own end, the government must also ensure proper utilization of foreign assistance so that no one can complain about this issue again." "Fling American Aid Back On Its Face," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (04/15) "Having suffered $35 billion losses in the war for American interests, we are now begging America and its handmaiden IMF in the hope of getting $7.5 billion and that to after accepting harsh conditions that are not in our interest.... We should extricate ourselves from this war of American interest and save the nation from further losses. The government should at least heed its State Minister Azam Khan Swati's statement that NATO forces have become a threat for the region including Pakistan.... It is better for the government to accept the State Minister's advice and fling the American aid back on its face." "Senator Kerry's Visit," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/15) "However, two things Senator Kerry did not agree to. First, there was no mention of an end to the drone attacks which have caused such an upsurge in militancy in the tribal areas. Second, he did not agree that the aid was to be without conditions, which did not gel with his statements about Pakistan fighting its own war. It seems that the Senator has not changed his mind, already formed before he landed." "Kerry's Visit," an editorial in the Peshawar-based independent regional daily "The Statesman" (cir. 3,000) (04/15) "In his meaningful asides to the media, Senator Kerry vowed to communicate to the new administration in Washington the concerns of the NWFP government regarding the implications of the drone attacks in various parts of NWFP. John Kerry made it clear that Pakistan needed foreign aid worth billions of dollars to make up for its losses suffered during the war on terror and to cope with the threat of militancy. Of all the four Chief Ministers in Pakistan, Kerry chose to have a meeting only with the NWFP CM, which partly revealed not only his set of priorities, but also the degree of seriousness with which the new Obama administration viewed the ground realities." "Senior U.S. Leaders' Visit To Pakistan," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (04/15) "We have stated in these lines before that the war on terror has now entered its final round and defeat is staring the U.S. in the eye. The U.S. is trying to do whatever it can to save itself from failure. It wants an easy scapegoat on which to heap all the blame for this failure. Hence the Pakistani government needs to be cautious in all its decisions." "Asking For Too Much," an op-ed by Mazhar Qayyum Khan in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/15) "It is good, however, to hear Senator John Kerry, who is Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is currently on a visit to Islamabad, hold out the assurance to Pakistani authorities, which had taken exception to the wording of the bill, that the assistance would not have any strings. It raises the prospect of the deletion of these clauses when the bill is debated in the Senate." "How Many Times Will We Be Fooled By The U.S.," an op-ed by Shireen ¶M. Mazari in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/15) "So Senator Kerry has come to do the usual doublespeak to the Pakistani people through its already confused leadership! Like the other U.S. leaders before him, his understanding of Pakistan ran skin deep at best as he tried to justify the drones by declaring that terrorism existed in Pakistan before these attacks. Oh what a revelation Senator; but we all know qualitative difference between the pre- and post-9/11 status of terrorism in Pakistan. And, while some elitist part time residents and drawing room analysts of the capital may see drones as merely red herrings, the fact is that drones have killed almost 900 innocent Pakistanis between 2006 and 2009 and only 10 Al Qaeda targets. The growing instability in the country as well as the IDPs from the drone-hit areas are testimony to the fact that drones create space for future militants; as well as to the fact that the military option has not only failed to stabilize the area but also failed to deny space to the militants." "Are We A Sovereign Nation?," an op-ed by Mohammad Jamil in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/15) "Last week was momentous in more than one respect. FM Qureshi in a quid pro quo told Obama's envoy Holbrooke that no blank check would be given to the U.S. vis-`-vis War On Terror. And PM Gilani said 'no' to the U.S. aid with conditionalities detrimental to Pakistan's interest. Meanwhile, the Parliament has ratified peace agreement with elders of Swat, which is against the wishes of the U.S. and the West. These bold steps were possible with the support and backing of the people and of course the armed forces. But this can only be described as a humble beginning and a lot has to be done to unite the nation to safeguard integrity and sovereignty of the country." "Foreign Policy And 'Wishes Of The People'," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (04/15) "The government needs to adopt an uncompromising attitude to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. Elsewhere, it recommends using forceful diplomacy in dissuading the U.S. from carrying out its drone attacks. In this rather vague phrasing, it seems to be hinting at taking physical counter-measures to stop the drones from flying over Pakistan, including asking the air force to go up and intercept. It will not, of course, recommend what action to take if this escalation leads to any of our aircraft being shot down." "Beyond The 'War On Terror'," an op-ed by Dr. Maleeha Lodhi in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (04/15) "The strategy review announced for Afghanistan and Pakistan still seems to place principal reliance on military means while pledging to give greater emphasis to diplomacy and development, negotiating with the Taliban, and building national capacities. The real test of how much of a policy shift the change in language signals lies ahead when this broad brush review is translated into an operational plan. It is not clear whether such a plan will, for example, engage in the battle of ideas to isolate the ideology advocated by the terrorist network that the U.S. aims to defeat.... There is persisting reluctance at the political level in the U.S. to recognize and accept that its foreign policy conduct has over the years profoundly influenced Muslim perceptions and created an antagonistic and radicalizing effect in the Islamic world." "War On Terror - Some Critical Questions," an op-ed by Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (04/15) "The Northern Areas of Pakistan, FATA, Waziristan, and Swat have historically been known as peaceful areas where religious-minded but simple people reside.... What revolution has struck these regions in a period of last three years that these people have turned against their country and started confronting army and other security forces? From where have arms and ammunition come in large quantities and who is providing people with expertise to take on a state and its army? Who is providing training, weapons and money to terrorists?" Patterson