PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 08, 2010

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000310

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 08, 2010

Summary: Coverage of reports that U.S. and NATO forces are set to
launch a "major offensive," in southern Afghanistan this week and
that Taliban are "ready to fight to the death," dominated front
pages in several major newspapers on Monday morning. Some papers
focused on the Chief Justice of Pakistan's comments linking speedy
and effective justice to judges' being at full strength.
Newspapers also highlighted Secretary Clinton's statement, in an
interview with CNN, that "Al Qaeda threat to United States is graver
than nuclear-armed Iran." Media reported Ambassador Holbrooke's
remarks that Washington is not in "direct contact" with the Taliban,
as part of its efforts to re-integrate insurgents in Afghanistan.
"The News," and its mass-circulated Urdu daily, "Jang" front-paged a
report that the U.S. lodged a strong protest with the GOP on the
arrest of some U.S. Embassy employees and impounding of their
vehicles. Reports of an explosion at a power plant in Connecticut
that resulted in killing of up to 50 people received extensive
coverage. Assistant Secretary Crowley's statement welcoming the
Indian offer to resume talks with Pakistan, saying that dialogue
between South Asia's two nuclear neighbors would help bring
stability to the entire region received prominent display on
Saturday. The issue of Blackwater agents in Pakistan reverberated
over the weekend as a NWFP minister Bashir Bilour claimed that
Blackwater guards are present in the province to provide security to
U.S. officials, and today (Monday) several newspapers reported
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Chief Fazlur Rehman as claiming that
9,000 Blackwater personnel are present in Islamabad. Commenting on
the subject, "Pakistan Observer," noted that "one thing stands
confirmed that this organization working as an extension of the CIA
is quite active in the province (NWFP),whereas another
Islamabad-based daily, "Ausaf," urged the GOP to "investigate that
who gave permission to this infamous agency to conduct its
operations in the country." End Summary.

TOP STORIES

News Story: U.S., NATO Plan Big Offensive In Helmand - "Dawn"
(02/08)

"U.S. and NATO forces are set to launch in southern Afghanistan this
week a major offensive being described as the biggest assault of its
kind since Vietnam four decades ago. 'Our basic strategy is, is to
reverse the momentum of the Taliban; to deny them control of
population centers and production centers,' said U.S. Defence
Secretary Robert Gates."

News Story: Taliban Getting Ready For Major Fight - "Dawn" (02/08)


"Taliban militants are digging in ahead of a major NATO operation in
Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. 'The Taliban are not going
to leave Marjah. We have seen them preparing themselves. They are
bringing in people and weapons. We know there is going to be a big
fight,' said Abdul Manan, a man from Marjah. 'The Taliban are very
active in Marjah. They are planting mines there and in the
surrounding areas,' said villager Abdul Khaleq after arriving in
Lashkar Gah."

News Story: CJ Links Quick Justice To Judges' Full Strength - "The
News" (02/08)

"Linking speedy and effective justice to the elevation of judges
against vacancies, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad
Chaudhry has said the Supreme Court has no designs to weaken the
nascent democratic system as the judiciary had rendered sacrifices
to put the country on the path to democracy. He was talking to local
lawyers on Sunday at the Supreme Court registry during his maiden
visit to Peshawar after being restored as top adjudicator of the
country on March 16, 2009."

News Story: Al Qaeda Threat To U.S. Graver Than Nuclear Iran:
Hillary - "Daily Times" (02/08)

"The threat of a nuclear-armed Iran is "real" for the U.S., but Al
Qaeda poses an even greater danger, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said on Sunday. 'A nuclear-armed country obviously poses a
potential threat,' Clinton told CNN's 'State of the Union,' while
making it clear that the Iranians do not yet possess an atomic
weapon."

News Story: America Not In 'Direct Contact' With Taliban: Holbrooke
- "Daily Times" (02/08)

"Washington is not in 'direct contact' with the Taliban, as part of
its efforts to re-integrate insurgents in Afghanistan, United States
special envoy Richard Holbrooke said on Sunday. 'The press, since
the London conference in January, has been kind of obsessed with the
idea that there are all sorts of secret talks going on with the
Taliban. So I want to state very clearly that our nation is not
involved in any direct contacts with the Taliban,' Holbrooke said at
an international security conference in Germany."

News Story: U.S. Lodges Protest Against Police Actions - "The News"
(02/08)

"The United States has lodged a strong protest with the Government
of Pakistan on the arrest of some U.S. Embassy employees and
impounding of their vehicles in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Reacting to the 'strongly-worded' complaint formally lodged by the
U.S. Embassy with the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister has ordered
setting up a top-level inquiry committee, headed by the Interior
Minister, and comprising three Federal Secretaries as well as the
Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)."

News Story: 50 Feared Dead In U.S. Plant Blast - "The News"
(02/08)

"As many as 50 people are said to have been killed in an explosion
on Sunday at a U.S. energy plant in Connecticut, a hospital
spokesman told AFP, adding a search and rescue operation was under
way."

News Story: Foreign Operatives Providing Security To Us Officials:
Bilour "Dawn" (02/07)

"NWFP's Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour has said that foreign
operatives are present in the country for providing security to the
U.S. Embassy, Consulates and Diplomats, the Minister said at a press
conference in Balambat on Saturday."

News Story: Blackwater-Type U.S. Security Contractor In NWFP: Bilour
"The Nation" (02/07)

"Senior NWFP Minister Bashir Bilour has confirmed the presence of
Blackwater in the province and has said that the company is here to
provide security to U.S. firms and other non-government
organizations, reported a private TV channel."

News Story: Blackwater Goes Underground - "The Post" (02/08)

"Notorious U.S. security agency Blackwater have shifted to an
undisclosed place after the debate started in NWFP Assembly about
its presence and activities in Peshawar. According to details,
during recent session of the Provincial Assembly, members strongly
protested over presence of Blackwater in the province. Senior
Provincial Minister Bashir Bilour admitted that Blackwater is
present in the province but later he revoked his statement."

News Story: 9,000 Blackwater Personnel In Islamabad: Fazl - "Daily
Times" (02/08)

"Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman alleged on
Sunday that as many as 9,000 personnel of the U.S.-based security
firm Blackwater are present in Islamabad, a private TV channel
reported on Sunday. According to the channel, Fazl alleged that
Blackwater was responsible for carrying out Taliban-like terrorist
activities in Pakistan."

News Story: Pak-India Talks To Stabilize Region: U.S. "Dawn"
(02/06)

"The United States has welcomed the Indian offer to resume talks
with Pakistan, saying that dialogue between South Asia's two nuclear
neighbors would help bring stability to the entire region. 'We
certainly have been encouraging steps that both Pakistan and India
could take to address mutual concerns,' Assistant Secretary of State
Philip J. Crowley told a briefing at the State Department."

TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES

News Story: School Bombing Exposes 'Obama's Secret War Inside
Pakistan' - "Daily Times," "The Post" (02/08)
"The death of three American soldiers in a suicide bombing at the
opening of a girls' school in Lower Dir last week has re-ignited the
fears of many Pakistanis that Washington is set on invading their
country. While Barack Obama has banned the Bush-era term 'war on
terror' and dithered about sending extra troops to Afghanistan, a
British newspaper (Sunday Times) claims that the U.S. President has
'dramatically stepped up' the covert war against extremists in
Pakistan."

News Story: Suspect Accused Of Aiding Bombings: Afghanistan Senior
Police Officer Held By NATO - "Dawn" (02/08)

"NATO-led invading forces arrested a deputy provincial police chief
they accused of helping place roadside bombs north of Kabul,
officials said, in the latest sign of concerns about weaknesses in
Afghan security forces. The Interior Ministry, which oversees the
police, wasn't informed about the arrest in advance and is
contacting NATO to learn what happened, according to ministry
spokesman Zamary Bashary.... NATO did not identify the suspect but
said joint Afghan-coalition forces arrested an Afghan national
police commander on Friday for illegal activity and corruption in
Kapisa and the Bagram district - the site of the main U.S. military
hub - in the neighboring Parwan province."

News Story: NATO Chief Urges Better Ties With Pakistan, China -
"Dawn" (02/08)

"NATO should develop closer ties with China, India, Pakistan and
Russia and become the forum for consultation on global security, the
alliance's head said on Sunday, but a senior Russian politician
reacted with skepticism. The four countries all had interests in
stability in Afghanistan and could do more to help develop and
assist the country, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen
said."

News Story: NATO Chief Wants Alliance To Be Security 'Hub' - "Daily
Times" (02/08)

"NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Sunday called for
the alliance to boost contacts on global security issues with
countries like China, India and Pakistan. Drawing from flaws exposed
by NATO's mission in Afghanistan, where it is struggling to hold off
a Taliban and Al-Qaeda insurgency, Rasmussen said the alliance
should become the hub of a broader security coalition."

News Story: U.S. Far From Winning In Afghanistan' - "The Post"
(02/08)

"The commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, General
Stanley McChrystal, says the coalition forces are 'not winning' the
war in Afghanistan. McChrystal made remarks at a meeting of NATO
defence ministers in Turkey, reported private TV channel."

News Story: Pakistanis Doubt Taliban Leaders In Balochistan -
"Daily Times" (02/08)

"If Afghan Taliban fighters and their leaders are roaming around
this remote part of Pakistan as the U.S. alleges, the police chief
here says he hasn't seen them. 'Point them out to me and I will
arrest them,' Abid Hussain Notkani said. Interviews with residents
and officials in and around Quetta reveal widespread skepticism that
Pakistan's Balochistan province harbors Afghan Taliban commander
Mullah Omar, his aides or their foot soldiers."

News Story: Terrorists Planning To Hijack Plane, Train: Agencies -
"The News" (02/08)

"Intelligence agencies have warned all the institutions of the
government that terrorists, in-group form, could hijack any plane or
train or kidnap government official within the next few days to get
their demands fulfilled."

News Story: Taliban Kill 'U.S. Spy' In North Waziristan - - "Daily
Times" (02/08)

"The Taliban killed an Afghan refugee on Sunday for allegedly spying
for the U.S. in North Waziristan Agency. The body of Bakht Jan was
found on the roadside at Humzoni, 10 kilometers west of the agency
headquarters, on the Miranshah-Dattakhel Road. A note lying besides
the body read, 'Anyone spying for the U.S. will meet the same
fate.'"

POLITICAL ISSUES

News Story: All Issues To Be Discussed With India: Qureshi - "Daily
Times" (02/08)

"Pakistan will discuss all issues with India at the upcoming talks
between the foreign secretaries of the two countries in New Delhi,
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday."

News Story: Taliban Reject Karzai's Reconciliation Offer - "Daily
Times" (02/08)

"Afghanistan's Taliban rejected President Hamid Karzai's latest
attempt to reach out to them as "futile" and "farcical" on Sunday,
but said they were open to talks to achieve their goal of an Islamic
state."

ECONOMY/ENVIRONMENT

News Story: IMF To Release $125m Tranche To Pakistan Next Month -
"The News" (02/08)

"The IMF would release $125 million tranche to Pakistan next month
as formal talks in this regard are being held from February 10 to 16
in Dubai.... The delegation of the World Bank and the IMF will
review financial and economic performance of the government in the
first six months of 2009-10 financial year. The delegation will also
review the targets in connection with the recovery of taxes by the
FBR, prices of gas, electricity and petroleum and devaluation of
rupee."

MISCELLANEOUS

News Story: Iran Orders Higher Enrichment - "Dawn" (02/08)

"President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday ordered Iran's atomic chief
to begin higher uranium enrichment, raising the stakes in a dispute
with the West days after seeming to accept a UN-drafted nuclear
deal."

EDITORIALS/OPINIONS

Editorial: Killing of U.S. Soldiers, an editorial in the country's
premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000)
(02/08)

"It was a massive attack, possibly a suicide car-bombing, causing
huge carnage which included the deaths of the three American
soldiers, three school girls, a member of the local security
personnel and injuries to about a hundred girl students and
passersbys.... The killing of three American soldiers in Lower Dir
is indeed revealing, as to the nature of co-operation the United
States offers to Pakistan, as they jointly confront the Taliban-led
militancy in the tribal areas. But, more importantly, it brings out
the magnitude of the challenge, we, as a nation-state, are pitted
against."

Editorial: Bilour Confirms Presence Of Blackwater In NWFP, an
editorial in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan
Observer" (cir. 5,000) (02/08)

"Though there was no ambiguity about the presence of U.S. Security
Agency Blackwater in Pakistan, NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Bilour
has for the first time confirmed that it was in the Province
providing security to U.S. companies and NGOs. Earlier Interior
Minister Rehman Malik had been stating that if established about the
presence of the notorious Agency in Pakistan, he would resign. After
the statement of an important Minister of the NWFP, one has to see
the reaction of Rehman Malik yet one thing stands confirmed that
this organisation working as an extension of the CIA is quite active
in the Province."

Editorial: NWFP Senior Minister Admits Blackwater's Presence, an
editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir.
10,000) (02/08)

"Senior NWFP Minister, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, has admitted that
Blackwater is present in the province. During his recent visit to
Pakistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had also confessed
that this infamous security agency is operating in the country.
These statements from two responsible persons have removed any
ambiguity regarding this issue. We think that the time has come for
government to expel Blackwater agents from Pakistan, and also
investigate who gave permission to this infamous agency to conduct
its operations in the country."

Editorial: President's Conditional Offer For Negotiations With
Taliban, an editorial in the leading mass circulation populist,
often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (02/08)

"President Zardari has said that the government is ready to hold
dialogue with the Pakistani Taliban provided they lay down their
arms and accept the rule of the law. For the last few years,
responsible political and religious circles of the country have been
demanding the government to stop military operation in tribal areas,
resolve all the issues through jirgas (tribal assemblies) in order
to garner tribesmen's support against the militants infiltrating
into Pakistan from Afghanistan. Unfortunately, all agreements made
with the Taliban could not be implemented due to the government's
yielding to external pressure from the U.S. and other western
powers. We advise the government to make sure that this mistake is
not repeated."

Editorial: Security Forces' Control Over Damadola: An Important
Victory, an editorial in the liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir.
25,000) (02/08)

"Security forces have secured control of Damadola, a militant
stronghold in the Bajaur Agency. This area was under militant
control for the last 9 years where they had rejected the writ of the
government... It has also been learnt that Maulana Fazlur Rehman
held two one-on-one meetings with the President in the last 24
hours. He complained that the government was not taking his demands
seriously. Along with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, there are some other
people who ask the government to hold talks with the Taliban; but
these people never asked the Taliban to lay down their arms.
President Zardari has done the right thing by saying that talks are
possible only when these people surrender."

Editorial: Lord Nazir Writes To President Obama, an editorial note
in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir.
150,000) (02/08)

"British House of Lords member Lord Nazir Ahmed has written a letter
to American President Obama that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's trial was not
transparent.... Lord Nazir wrote in the letter that two British
citizens released from Guantanamo bay gave evidence that they had
seen Dr. Aafia at Bagram Airbase. It is height of injustice that
first Dr. Aafia was kidnapped and kept for five years and then CIA
agents constituted a false case against her.... We do not know what
impact the letter will make on the American government, but Lord
Nazir has fulfilled his responsibility of upholding human, religious
and democratic values."

Editorial: The Verdict's Fallout, an editorial in the center-right
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/08)

"The verdict in the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, convicting her of
attempted murder, has caused more problems for the U.S. than it has
solved. It finds itself held responsible for a poor woman, broken in
health, deprived of her children, imprisoned wrongfully before and
now facing more imprisonment, highly educated but forced to rot in
jail because of her views, which the U.S. has branded terrorist....
The case serves as a reminder that Pakistani citizens were betrayed
by their own government, and handed over to the U.S. For that
surrender of sovereignty combined with putting its own citizens at
risk of torture, no one has been punished so far. The recovery of
such persons has not happened, and though it has reached the Supreme
Court, only now has the Interior Minister ordered that FIRs be
registered. The government must put its citizens first, and must
review the relationship with the U.S., which at present does not
stop them being abused."

Opinion: Aid Incorporated, an op-ed by Zahrah Nasir in the
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000)
(02/08)

"The news that a $46 million American aid program for the tribal
regions of Pakistan has failed, miserably, since being launched with
much fanfare two years ago comes as no surprise as, word on the
ground, is and has been for a long time now, that residents of these
areas, have absolutely no reason to place any form of trust in a
nation which routinely bombs them into an untimely future.... It is
little wonder therefore, that the innocent 'victims' of American
'aggression' are more than a little wary of aid programs being
thrust in their faces by an American contractor, Development
Alternatives Inc., the aid arm of the American government itself. On
the face of things, perhaps, and this is possible, America is trying
to provide a total of $7.5 billion in development assistance over a
five year period in order to offset the damage they have and are
doing but, for a proud people to accept 'structural' payoffs for
irreparable damage to the fabric of their lives and culture smacks
of an additional insult to their traditional pride."

Opinion: Generating 'High-Value Targets', an op-ed by Dr. Khalid
Saifullah in the populist, often sensational national English daily
"The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/08)

"Everyone would agree that spotting and eliminating terrorists is
highly desirable in today's world of terrorism. Few would disagree
that this goal is inevitably linked with another task, and that is
the production of these high-value targets (HVTs).... Production of
HVTs is an absolute necessity, because on this depends our war on
terror - the most important war of our times.... Our present
collaboration with the Americans in indiscriminately killing whole
families - men, women and children - and destroying their houses,
with manned and unmanned machines is certainly a step in the right
direction: it assures continuity of their terrorism and our war on
terror. This will guarantee the production of HVTs for generations
to come."

Opinion: Afghanistan & Faulty U.S. Assumptions, an op-ed by Asif
Haroon Raja in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan
Observer" (cir. 5,000) (02/08)

"Irrespective of sinister designs against Pakistan, overall security
situation in Afghanistan has become so alarming that U.S. leadership
can no longer afford to sit back and keep pursuing its
single-tracked policy of subduing Al-Qaeda and Taliban through
military power and weakening Pakistan through covert operations. It
can neither afford to ignore rising power of Taliban and
demoralization set in among coalition forces and Afghan security
forces. Mounting anti-Americanism and public opposition against war
on terror in U.S. and western countries and fast diminishing
popularity of Obama are other factors of serious concern. Policy
makers inwardly know that troop surge would aggravate rather than
placate volatile situation. It has belatedly dawned upon them that
war has become un-winnable and unless Taliban are taken on board
Afghan imbroglio will never be solved and that exit has become the
leading option. Desperate to depart on a winning note, the U.S.
military leaders still naively perceive that overwhelming majority
of Taliban forces do not back Al-Qaeda or ideologically support
Mullah Omar."

Opinion: Iran-U.S. Nuclear Standoff, an op-ed by Afshain Afzal in
the Lahore-based liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000)
(02/08)

"Washington seems much worried about Iran's nuclear and missile
program and would resist allowing Tehran to restore old glory of
Persian Empire. Every other day Tehran is greeted with threats of
attacks and sanctions.... Specifically, focusing on nuclear Iran,
why the U.S. is silent and has not prepared an attack on North
Korea? What are the guarantees that the U.S. and the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can furnish to the masses around the
world that nuclear arsenal possessed by North Korea would not be
used against humanity? Why only Iran's nuclear program is threat to
the world?... When Washington talks of action against nuclear Iran,
can it give justifications of its ongoing attacks on Iraq and
Afghanistan.... It is the right time for the civilized nations of
the world to decide that either world bodies like the UN should be
told to windup or allowed it to perform their responsibilities as
instrument of peace, without fear and pressure from donors and
dictators."

Opinion: The Nuclear Question, an op-ed by Talat Masood in the
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir.
55,000) (02/08)

"It is envisaged that it is only when the US and Russia have reduced
their arsenals that Britain, France, China and lastly India, Israel
and Pakistan will correspondingly start reducing their arsenals. In
order to influence governments of nuclear-weapon states a worldwide
campaign for public awareness has to be started. Interest in
reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons must be revived in the
public consciousness. Young people are uniquely placed to take the
lead. In any case, nuclear weapons are more a weapon of the past
than of the future. The time has come for the idea to be concretized
to make our world a safer place. As Hans Blix put it aptly, the
world has to find ways of moving away from "mutually assured
destruction" to an age of "mutually assured stability," however
daunting the challenge may be."

Opinion: Fissile Material Puzzle, an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal in the
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000)
(02/08)

"Fissile material management is a complex task, its easier said than
done. It needs a comprehensive solution encompassing regional and
sub-regional dynamics. Once the cause and effect linkages are
established correctly, the objectives would be achievable as well as
sustainable. The framework of the new regime should essentially be
non-discriminatory, based on universal access to peaceful
applications of nuclear technology in fields like health care and
power generation, etc.
Owing to the prevalent world order, America is, certainly, in a
unique position to underwrite a viable fissile management regime.
However, it must neither arm twist other states to give up their
principled stance, nor rush for a half-baked, porous solution."

Editorial: Indian Water Aggression: Government Must Take Decisive
Measures, an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right
Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000)(02/08)

"Owing to the present water shortage in the county, IRSA's efforts
to work out a new water-sharing formula between the 4 provinces have
failed. The provinces have rejected the figures given by Wapda....
In 1952-53, when Pakistan faced a food shortage, it was also caused
by lack of water. Hence water is a life-and-death issue for
Pakistan which needs to be resolved on priority basis. India's
Water Commissioner is currently on a visit to Pakistan and will
survey several important locations including the Rivers Sutlej and
Ravi. Pakistan should be candid in telling him that India's water
aggression cannot be tolerated anymore. Pakistan must urge India to
abide by the Indus Water Treaty. If this does not happen, Pakistan
must consider extricating itself from the treaty as it is creating
more problems for Pakistan instead of making life easier."

Editorial: Indian Plan To Build Swalkot Dam: It Is Time To Take
Action, Not Just Protest, an editorial in the second-largest,
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (02/08)

"India has started building another dam on River Chenab with the
name Swalkot Dam. According to our investigation report, the dam is
646 feet high which means that it is higher than our Tarbela and
Mangla dams and its capacity to hold water is 13 times more than
Baglihar Dam.... Pakistani water experts say that if the
construction of the Swalkot Dam was not stopped then Pakistan's
economy, especially agriculture will be destroyed.... Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi should not harbor any illusion that
this brutal and crafty enemy of ours will agree to resolve Kashmir
and water issues in keeping with our desire and need.... This enemy
should be told in categorical terms that we will go to the extent of
waging a nuclear war if it continued with the policy of holding back
our share of water because this is a matter of life and death for
us."

(All circulation figures are based on estimation)
Patterson