PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JANUARY 16, 2009

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000098 CAPTIONS: SIPDIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JANUARY 16, 2009 Summary: Reports of India's agreement to "accept a 'fair trial' of Mumbai terror suspects in Pakistan" dominated headlines in all newspapers on Friday. Also receiving front page coverage was Pakistan Army Chief General Kayani's statement that the "Pakistan Army was fully prepared to meet any challenge" in reference to a potential military conflict between Pakistan and India. British Foreign Secretary Miliband's remarks indicating that the "resolution of Kashmir dispute would help deny extremists in the region one of their main calls to arms" was also highlighted in many newspapers. Interior Minister Rehman's disclosure that "Pakistan had shut down five training camps of the outlawed Jamaatud Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba, banned their seven publications and blocked all their website" received wide coverage. Finally, President Zardari's statement that "defeat was not an option in war on terror" also figured prominently. Most major dailies continued to run editorials on the state of Pak-India relations in the wake of statements being issued from both sides of the border. The leading mass circulation Urdu daily, "Jang," noted that "the manner in which India launched an aggressive drive of accusations and pressure tactics against Pakistan in the wake of Mumbai attacks on November 26 confirmed the perception that Indian leadership was waiting for such sort of episode to convey a particular reaction." The second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," wrote: "India wants military and economic sanctions to be imposed on Pakistan while the Indian Army Chief has also made war threats. Hence there is no justification [for Pakistan's] silence and weakness anymore." End Summary. -------------- News Stories -------------- "India Ready For Trial Of Mumbai Suspects In Pakistan: Mukherjee" "Daily Times" (01/16) "India is ready to accept a 'fair trial' of Mumbai terror suspects in Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday. The statement, made in an interview with a Hindi news channel, was seen as a softening of the earlier Indian stance that Islamabad must hand over the suspects to New Delhi." "Army Ready To Meet Any Challenge: Kayani" "Dawn" (01/16) "Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Thursday the Pakistan Army was fully prepared to meet any challenge. In what appeared to be a tit-for-tat response to a statement by the Indian army chief that New Delhi was keeping all options open, General Kayani said at the 62nd Formation Commanders' Conference that the threat could best be defeated through a comprehensive national effort." "Miliband Urges Settlement Of Kashmir: Dispute Resolution To Deny Militants 'Call To Arms'" "Dawn" (01/16) "Foreign Secretary David Miliband who is currently visiting India believes that the resolution of Kashmir dispute 'would help deny extremists in the region one of their main calls to arms.' In an article in Thursday's Guardian, Mr. Miliband distanced Britain from the terror doctrine of the outgoing Bush administration declaring that the use of the phrase 'war on terror' as a western rallying cry since the September 11 attacks had been a mistake that might have caused 'more harm than good.'" "India Rejects U.K. Minister's Remarks On Kashmir" "Dawn" (01/16) "British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's quest for a political rather than military approach to weed out terrorism may have been welcomed in Indian administered Kashmir but the prescription was dismissed by India's Foreign Ministry as intrusive. 'Mr. Miliband is entitled to his views, which are clearly his own and are evolving,' India's foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said." "124 Held In Massive Crackdown: Five Camps And 20 Offices Of Dawa, Let Closed; Publications And Websites Banned" "Dawn" (01/16) "The government said on Thursday that it had shut down five training camps of the outlawed Jamaatud Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba, banned their seven publications and blocked all their websites. The authorities have detained 124 people, several leaders and officials of the organizations among them. Addressing a news conference, the Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Affairs, Mr. Rehman Malik, assured India that Pakistan would do its utmost to bring the people involved in the Mumbai attacks to justice. Unveiling details of a massive crackdown, Mr. Malik said that training camps had been closed down in Punjab and Azad Kashmir." "Defeat In War On Terror Not An Option: Zardari" "The Nation" (01/16) "President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said that defeat in the war against terrorism and militancy was not an option and forces of moderation would have to triumph to protect and defend their way of life. President Zardari said this while addressing the members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Islamabad at the Aiwan-e-Sadr." "Pakistan Probing LT Role In Attacks: FO" "The Nation" (01/16) "Pakistan on Thursday said that it was investigating the alleged involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai attacks and inquiry was underway in this regard, Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said." "U.S. Helped Change Indian Position On Mumbai Suspects" "Dawn" (01/16) "The lack of U.S. interest in pushing Pakistan to hand over Mumbai terror suspects to India helped convince New Delhi to accept Islamabad's position that the suspects be tried in Pakistan, diplomatic sources told 'Dawn.'" "Pakistan Shares Arrested People's List With U.S." "Dawn" (01/16) "Pakistan has shared with the United States the list of people arrested in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks and related information. The U.S. confirmed that it had received the list, a source quoted a U.S. diplomat as having told him. The list is reported to have been handed over to the U.S. by security agencies without involving the Foreign Office." "Cooperation Key To Success In Eliminating Terror: Boucher" "The News" (01/16) "Richard Boucher, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, is of the view that the Pakistan government will have to make sure that the ISI is de-linked completely and effectively from terrorist groups in the country. 'At this point it is a work in progress,' he told the Indian magazine Outlook." "26/11 Mumbai Attack Witness Says She Was Taken To U.S. For Questioning" "Daily Times" (01/16) "A witness who claimed to have seen the gunmen involved in the November 26 terror attacks get off a boat in Mumbai, on Thursday said she was taken by investigating agencies to the United States for questioning, Anita Uddaiya said in an interview." "Obama Hints At Closer Ties With Pakistan" "The News" (01/16) "President-elect Barack Obama has expressed his resolve to forge a closer American cooperation with Pakistan towards dealing with the problem of violent extremism along Pak-Afghan border as part of a regional approach that his administration intends to pursue after taking charge next week. Interacting with the media upon Vice-President-elect Joseph Biden's return from a visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, Obama described al-Qaeda as number one threat for the United States. 'As Joe (Biden) indicated, we have to take a regional approach, we are not going to solve the problem just in Afghanistan, we are going to have to address issues in Pakistan as well,' said Obama, who will take oath as US president on Tuesday (January 20). He said: '(Usama) Bin Laden and al-Qaeda are our number one threat when it comes to American security.'" "Biden Tells Obama Afghanistan War Will Get Worse" "Daily Times" (01/16) "Freshly returned from a tour of war zones and global hotspots, United States vice-president-elect Joe Biden told president-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday that 'things are going to get tougher' in Afghanistan." "2 Policemen Die In Action; Security Forces Crack Down On Terror Plot, 35 Arrested" "Daily Times" (01/16) "Two policemen were killed and 11 injured in the early hours of Thursday when security forces raided a hideout of suspected terrorists including local Taliban involved in the kidnapping of an Iranian commercial attach, as part of a crackdown on terror. Around 35 suspects - four members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and others from banned religious outfits such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - have been arrested, sources told 'Daily Times.'" "Military Claims Killing Several Militants In Swat" "The News" (01/16) "The security forces on Thursday claimed to have killed and injured 'a large number of hardcore militants' including their operation commander in Manglawar when an attack was repulsed, said a spokesman for the ISPR-run Swat Media Centre (SMC)." "U.S. Drones Seen Over Bannu" "Daily Times" (01/16) "Suspected U.S. drones were seen over Bannu, causing locals to panic, a private TV channel reported on Thursday." "Taliban Kill 'U.S. Spy' Abducted From North Waziristan" "Daily Times" (01/16) "The Taliban on Thursday shot dead a man accused of spying for U.S. forces across the border in Afghanistan, said officials." "400 Private Schools In Swat Shut Down Girls' Classes" "The News" (01/16) "About 400 private schools in Swat have announced to abandon girls' education in their institutes in the wake of the deadline (Jan 15) given by the militants to discontinue the practice, depriving more than 40,000 students of their basic right to get education. In addition, 84,248 girl students of state-run schools are unlikely to attend schools due to the fear of militants despite the resolve by the local administration to reopen the schools on March 1. Maulana Fazlullah-led militants had asked all the government and private schools on December 24 to stop imparting female education by January 15." "Rulers Brought U.S. War To Pakistan, Says Qazi" "The Nation" (01/16) "Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said in Lahore on Thursday that the real problem of Pakistan is present rulers and the nation needs leadership that represents aspirations of people.... Qazi said that ceasing cooperation with the U.S. in the so-called war on terror, ending military operation in tribal areas, provision of justice and relief to the poor was necessary, to put the country on right path." "Israelis Destroy UN Offices, Food Stock In Gaza" "Dawn" (01/16) "Israel shelled the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, engulfing the compound and a warehouse in fire, destroying thousands of pounds of food and humanitarian supplies intended for Palestinian refugees and triggering world condemnation and protests at the attack." "Zardari Was In The Know About Durrani's Ouster" "The News" (01/16) "Contrary to public and media perceptions, it was President Asif Ali Zardari who had given green signal to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to get rid of Mehmud Durrani, after a furious Gilani contacted the President on telephone from Lahore before sacking his National Security Advisor." -------------- Editorials/Op-eds -------------- "True Face Of India Must Be Exposed," an editorial in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (01/16) "The way India launched an aggressive drive of accusations and pressure tactics against Pakistan in the wake of Mumbai attacks on November 26 confirmed the perception that Indian leadership was waiting for such sort of episode to convey a particular reaction. Despite the fact that several countries including the U.S. and Britain have ruled out any involvement of Pakistan as a state in this carnage, the Indian Army Chief held a press conference to intimidate Pakistan. His remarks are nothing but to serve the purpose of Indian politicians for the forthcoming elections." "Indian Army Chief Beats The War Drums; Our Responsibility," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (01/16) "India wants military and economic sanctions to be imposed on Pakistan while the Indian Army Chief has also made war threats. Hence there is no justification [for Pakistan's] silence and weakness anymore. We should contact the UN Security Council before India does and ask for the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir, and demand an end to the threat to Pakistan's security caused by Indian war mongering. Until then we should stop trade with India to make it understand that we are silent because we are a peace-loving nation, not because we are involved in the Mumbai blasts." "And Now A War Threat From The Indian Army Chief," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (01/16) "Improving the economic situation is a major and grave challenge for the new U.S. administration. This can be handled effectively if Hillary Clinton's proposal is implemented: that the Obama administration wants to emphasize the importance of diplomacy. The U.S. must also inform its strategic partner India of the importance of diplomacy. The U.S. must urge India to stop talking about [the possibility of] war." "India's Threat Of War," an editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (01/16) "There should be no doubt that India is clearly exploiting the Mumbai violence to intensify pressure on its long-time regional rival so as to enlist international support, particularly from the U.S. and European countries to isolate and discredit Pakistan and make its position weak internationally." "Indian Army Chief's Press Conference Demonstrates Nervousness," an editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (01/16) "It seems that Indians have really gone panic-stricken, as their war-hysteria is defused by the international community steadily. British Foreign Minister David Miliband gave the final verdict, which has disheartened the Indians utterly. And if India decides to discontinue trade with Pakistan, it won't affect Pakistan a lot, as we are exporting a few products to India. On the contrary, Indian list of exports for Pakistan is very extensive. Likewise, if India makes its mind up to shelve comprehensive dialogue process, it will be a blessing for Pakistan too, as it never resolved any outstanding issues including Kashmir and Siachen glacier disputes. Nevertheless, General Kiyani must pay his Indian counterpart back in his own coin." "Mixed Signals," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (01/16) "We must hope that soon the apparent confusion in the Indian capital will give way to a more rational and, even more important, consistent approach to the whole issue. Signs that Indian peace activists and sections of that country's civil society and media have begun to demand this is a good sign. What we need most of all is genuine cooperation against terrorism, rather than angry finger pointing which will eventually lead nowhere and will solve no problems at all." "Delimiting Responses In South Asia," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (01/16) "War is not an option, not because the world is biased in favor of Pakistan but because war is what the terrorists want and it also distracts from the larger project of which Mumbai was just one manifestation. Unfortunately, India's Army Chief managed to please the terrorists on Wednesday by threatening war as one of the options open to India, even if that means that the subcontinent is subjected to nuclear conflict. This is the sequence of policy that the Indian leadership has decided to follow. One can repeat endlessly that this policy of escalation is linked to national politics, but the fact is that it arouses equally negative reactions in Pakistan. Every time a threat materializes, opinion in Pakistan stiffens and the 'obligation' of investigating and punishing 'the culprits' is put in jeopardy.... But for this to happen, India and Pakistan must be seen to cooperate. Public opinion in Pakistan will be moulded in favor of bringing the terrorists to justice if India is seen not in the posture of war but working in tandem with Pakistan against a common enemy." "The Misbegotten War," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (01/16) "As the clock winds down on the Bush administration, allies have begun to publicly speak about deficiencies in the U.S. campaign to fight the rise of terrorism and militancy. The latest critique has come from David Miliband, the U.K. Foreign Secretary.... Whatever the deficiencies of the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan, the country is on the edge of a precipice because of the failure of the promised nation-building process.... Old rivalries, be they between Pakistan and India or Afghanistan and Pakistan, are being fought with new forms of terrorism and militancy in the region. Ignoring the cause of violence will ensure no one wins in the long term." "Responding To Dossier," an editorial in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (01/16) "Of course, armies are maintained to fight wars when they become inevitable, but a statement of the type coming at a time when tensions between the two countries are high, is liable to be met by similar statements. This would foil the attempts being made by countries friendly to both Pakistan and India, to bring down the temperature." "Hillary Clinton's Policy Statement," an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (01/16) "If Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton feels that the Bush administration used force excessively; then the wise thing for the Obama administration would be to withdraw troops immediately from Iraq and Afghanistan as the use of force has neither ensured peace in these areas nor helped safeguard American interests. On the contrary, this war has presented gifts of U.S. troops' coffins to the American nation. It is also a result of America's use of force that the trend of militancy and suicide attacks has increased, subsequently Pakistan too, like Afghanistan, is turning into a land of conflict." "Insecurity In Swat," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (01/16) "The deteriorating security situation points to the government's inability to contain the terrorists within a limited area and confine their activities there. The Taliban were able in Swat district to impose a ban on female education and warned teachers of 'severe consequences' if any girl was seen going to school after the 15-day deadline. During the past one year the Taliban have destroyed more than 125 girls' schools in the area." "Afghanistan And Pakistan," an op-ed by Najmuddin A. Shaikh in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (01/16) "The Americans are preparing for a long stay with new facilities being created not only for additional troops and for the expanded Afghan National Army but for a longer period. One can hope that with more boots on the ground, the Americans will be able to restrict the use of air power and thus restrict the 'collateral damage' which has probably been one of the best recruiting tools for the Taliban. Also, an expanded Afghan army will be able carry out operations against the Taliban without offending local traditions." "Israeli Aggression And The International Community's Responsibility," an editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (01/16) "Circumstances demand that efforts must be intensified to resolve the Israel-Palestinian issue on a permanent basis because the threat of Israeli aggression will remain as long as this issue remains unresolved." Patterson