PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 23, 2010

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000426

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Summary: Coverage of a suicide attack in Swat valley's main town of
Mingora, killing 13 people including a soldier dominated headlines
in all newspapers Tuesday morning. All newspapers highlighted Prime
Minister Gilani's meeting with PML-N chief Nawaz Shairf, and his
hinting at implementing the Charter of Democracy by March 23, and
repeal of the controversial 17th constitutional amendment. Media
reported unanimous approval of a resolution in the Senate urging GOP
to secure Dr. Aafia's release. U.S. CENTCOM commander General
Petraeus' visit, his meetings with senior Pakistani officials, and
assurance to get release the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) soon also
figured prominently. Some major newspapers reported 27 civilians
killed in NATO strikes in Afghanistan. Urdu language dailies
reported that the United States allegedly refused to issue visas to
seven NWFP parliamentarians because the provincial assembly approved
a resolution against enhanced screening at U.S. airports.
Commenting on criticism by certain U.S. quarters that termed the
arrest of Taliban commander Mullah Baradar as "Islamabad's plan to
sabotage the ongoing reconciliation process with insurgents in
Afghanistan," "The Nation," maintained that "to all intents and
purposes, the Americans are never happy, no matter whatever we do.
One day, they are slinging mud on Islamabad for not doing enough in
the anti-terror war and when it responds to the call, they chastise
it for having ulterior motives." End Summary.

TOP STORIES

News Story: 13 Die In Mingora Car Bomb Blast - "The News" (02/23)

"Thirteen people, including a soldier, four women were killed and 42
others sustained injuries in a suicide blast at the busy Nishat
Chowk in Mingora city in the troubled Swat Valley on Monday. The
militancy-scarred valley was once again soaked in blood when a
bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a convoy of security
forces driving through the bazaar."

News Story: PM Swears By CoD, Promises Package By March 23 - "Dawn"
(02/23)

"After a breakfast meeting with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif at his
Raiwind residence, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters
in Lahore on Monday he would ask the parliament's constitutional
reforms committee to complete its report on amending the
Constitution before March 23."

News Story: Senate Urges Steps For Aafia's Release - "Dawn" (02/23)


"The Senate called upon the government on Monday to take political
and diplomatic measures for immediate release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui
and her repatriation to Pakistan from the United States. The
resolution, originally moved by JUI-F's Talha Mahmood, was amended
at the request of the Leader of the House and Leader of Opposition.
It was jointly moved by both sides and unanimously adopted."

News Story: World Has Obligation To Support Pakistan, Zardari Tells
U.S. - "The News" (02/23)

"President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday said the U.S. should realize
that a stable and democratic Pakistan was necessary for peace and
for that the international community had a great role to play with a
well-structured economic development agenda for Pakistan. He was
talking to Commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) General
David H Petraeus, who called on him, at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other members
of the visiting delegation were also present during the meeting."

News Story: Zardari Reiterates Call For Transfer Of Drone Technology
To Pakistan - "Daily Times" (02/23)

"President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday reiterated Pakistan's call for
transfer of drone technology to be used by its own security forces
against the Taliban for wider public acceptability. The president
expressed these views during a meeting with General David H.
Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM),who
called on him at the Presidency."

News Story: Gen. Petraeus Meets Gilani, Kayani - "Dawn" (02/23)

"U.S. General David Petraeus arrived in Pakistan to bolster the
relationship with a key regional ally, as a suicide bombing claimed
nine lives in the country's northwest. Gen. Petraeus met Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief of the Army Staff General
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, after arriving in Pakistan on Monday, a
statement issued by the PM's office said.'"

News Story: Progress Slower Than Expected In Afghan Offensive:
Mullen "Dawn" (02/23)

"The U.S.-led offensive in southern Afghanistan is progressing at a
slower pace than expected due to Taliban resistance and deadly
roadside bombs, U.S. Defense Chiefs said on Wednesday. The chairman
of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and Defense
Secretary Robert Gates also expressed condolences over the deaths of
Afghan civilians in a NATO air strike, saying it underlined the
risks associated with any allied military action."

News Story: 41 Afghans Die In Violence - "Dawn" (02/23)

"A NATO air strike killed up to 27 Afghan civilians, including women
and a child, sparking fresh anger from Kabul on Monday against
U.S.-led forces pressing a major offensive to defeat the Taliban. In
a further blow to efforts to quell the eight-year conflict, a
suicide bomber killed an influential Afghan leader and 13 other
people in a relatively peaceful eastern province on Monday, police
said."

News Story: 7 Members of NWFP Assembly denied U.S. Visas - "Aajkal,"
"Khabrain," "Express" (02/23)

"In retaliation to the passage of a resolution in NWFP Assembly
against the controversial enhanced screening, the U.S. government
has refused to issue visas to seven members, including three
provincial ministers. Meanwhile, the assembly has sent its
resolution against body screening regulations, applicable to the
nationals of 14 Muslim states including Pakistan, to the U.S.
Consulate in Peshawar. According to the sources, seven members had
applied for U.S. visas before the passage of this resolution, and
had passed mandatory interviews. But, when they contacted the U.S.
Embassy on Monday, they were denied visas."

News Story: FBI Chief Likely To Visit Pakistan On 24th - "Daily
Times" (02/23)

"Federal Bureau of Investigation chief Robert Muller is likely to
visit Pakistan on February 24 to discuss various issues with his
Pakistani counterparts, sources told Daily Times on Monday.
According to sources, he will raise the issue of the arrest of five
U.S. nationals who were caught by Pakistani security personnel
during a raid on a house in Sargodha's Aziz Bhatti Town."

News Story: Holbrooke Alive And Kicking - "The News" (02/23)

"Rumors that Special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan,
Ambassador Holbrooke has become a persona non grata with Afghan
President Hamid Karzai and is not in fabulous standing with corners
of the Obama White House, appeared to have subsided. Ambassador
Holbrooke was back in Islamabad and Kabul on his recent 7th trip to
the region last week. As a diplomat observed, with diverging degree
of admiration and regret, 'Never, ever count Holbrooke out.'

News Story: Pakistan Goes To Delhi Talks With Enhanced Image In U.S.
- "Dawn" (02/23)

"As Pakistan goes to New Delhi on Thursday for crucial talks with
its larger neighbor, there's a realization in the U.S. capital that
India alone cannot bring stability to South Asia. The change in
Washington's attitude happened slowly but by the time India signaled
its willingness to resume talks with Pakistan, it had become obvious
that the Americans had once again developed a new respect for
Islamabad."

TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES

News Story: Militant Leader Claims He Rejected Offers To Explode
Bombs In Pakistan - "The News" (02/23)

"A known Taliban commander, Qari Ziaur Rehman, who has been engaged
in fighting against security forces in Bajaur, claimed on Sunday
that he had rejected lucrative offers and financial support offered
to him by Afghanistan's Northern Alliance for fighting against the
Pakistani military and carrying out bomb blasts in the country."
News Story: Elders Asked To Hand Over Militants To Bajaur Admin -
"The News" (02/23)

"The political administration arrested 16 tribesmen of Mandal tribe
and set a three-day deadline for the tribal elders to hand over
militants and miscreants or face the consequences."

POLITICAL ISSUES

News Story: Generals On Extension Never Considered For Top Slots -
"The News" (02/23)

"No three-star general either on extension or on ROR (retirement on
return) will be considered either for the top slot in the Army as
chief of the Army staff or for the office of chairman Joint Chiefs
of Staff Committee (CJCSC) when the incumbent generals retire after
serving their tenure."

News Story: India Will Talk, But Pakistan Must Curb 'Terror': Patil
- "Dawn" (02/23)

"India said on Monday that any meaningful relationship with Pakistan
required Islamabad to crack down on "terrorism" -- as the rivals
prepared for their first official talks since the Mumbai attacks. In
a speech to the opening session of Parliament, President Pratibha
Patil left the door open for improved relations between the two
countries."

ECONOMY/ENVIRONMENT

News Story: Extension Of Market Access To Pakistan: EU Likely To
Seek Waiver Of WTO's Condition - "Business Recorder" (02/23)

"The European Union is likely to seek a waiver from the World Trade
Organization's condition in a drive to extend additional market
access to Pakistani products in the EU markets. This issue was
extensively discussed at recent meetings held in Brussels between
Pakistan and the EU officials. Secretary Commerce Ministery, Zafar
Mahmood, who returned from Brussels on Monday, told Business
Recorder."

News Story: EDB Seeks Establishment Of Exim Bank In Pakistan -
"Daily Times" (02/23)

"Stakeholders of engineering sector on Monday have underlined the
need of establishment of Exim Bank in Pakistan for increasing export
of their products. This was suggested in a meeting held Monday at
Engineering Development Board (EDB) in connection with formulation
of National Engineering Export Development Strategy (NEEDS)."

MISCELLANEOUS

News Story: Tehran To Respond Strongly To Any Attack Against It -
"The News" (02/23)

"Iran said on Monday it is considering plans to start building two
new uranium enrichment plants from next month, with the sites
concealed in the mountains to avert air strikes. The announcement
from Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi came soon after top U.S.
General David Petraeus warned that Washington would now pursue
'pressure track' against Iran to thwart its galloping nuclear
program."

News Story: Presidency's Drivers Slip Away In U.S. - "The Nation"
(02/23)

"Five official drivers of the Presidency, who had been sent on a
special training program last year, have managed to slip in the
United State (U.S.),'The Nation' has learnt reliably."

EDITORIALS/OPINIONS

Editorial: A Reality Check, an editorial in the center-right
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/23)

"The arrest of a high profile Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani
Baradar by Pakistan is being questioned by certain U.S. quarters in
a negative vein and they have leveled the charge that the move is
part of Islamabad's plan to sabotage the ongoing reconciliation
process with the insurgents in Afghanistan.... To all intents and
purposes, the Americans are never happy, no matter whatever we do.
One day, they are slinging mud on Islamabad for not doing enough in
the anti-terror war and when it responds to the call, they chastise
it for having ulterior motives. This is inevitable when the
relationship between both the countries remains that of
master-slave."

Editorial: Militants Feel The Heat And Surrender, an editorial in
the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir.
5,000) (02/23)

"In the wake of successful operations Rah-e-Nijat and Rah-e-Raast,
the menace of terrorism, which was assuming dangerous proportions,
is now under effective check and the situation in the affected area
is fast returning to normalcy.... Though there are still instances
of terrorism and militants continue to strike targets in various
parts of the country, their frequency has dropped and it seems that
their strength is dying down.... We hope that with effective
coordination and continued pressure, the law enforcing agencies
would soon be able to restore normalcy in all the troubled areas."

Editorial: Pakistan Should Play Its Role In U.S-Taliban Talks, an
editorial note in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (02/23)

"According to the American channel Fox News, police in Pakistan have
captured another most wanted Taliban commander Maulvi Kabeer....
According to latest reports, the U.S. has expressed reservations on
Taliban leaders' arrests in Pakistan. America's stand is that they
are in talks with the Taliban leadership,talks that would pave the
way for [U.S.] withdrawal from Afghanistan and restore peace and
that arrests would worsen the situation once more.... Arresting
Taliban leaders conducting talks with the U.S. is like adding fuel
to the dying fires of unrest.... Instead of capturing these Taliban
leaders, the government of Pakistan should treat them as guests and
play a positive role in their talks with the U.S."

Editorial: Israel's Concern On Pakistani Nuclear Assets: An Alarm
Bell, an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu
daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (02/23)

"Expressing concern on Pakistan's nuclear assets, Israeli President
has said that the international community will have to consider this
danger seriously. Apart from incessantly attacking neighboring Arab
countries, and massacring unarmed and innocent Palestinians, the
Zionist state also destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor. In fact, being
incapable to attack Pakistan on its own, Israel is trying to create
global consensus against our nuclear assets. We think that Pakistan
is more prone to recently-tested Israeli drone aircrafts than Iran.
In coming days, Israel may resort to some aerial adventure against
Pakistan by using our neighboring countries. It is high time for
the Muslim countries to forge unity and use all available diplomatic
resources to counter Zionist conspiracies."

Editorial: Be Prepared, Whether There Is A War Or Not, an editorial
note in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt"
(cir. 150,000) (02/23)

"The country's renowned scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan has said
that Pakistan has the capability to inflict irreparable damage on
India.... Talking with the Indian newspaper Asian Age, Dr. Qadeer
further added that in case of a nuclear war India can neither
destroy Lahore nor damage Pakistan in any way.... Besides Dr.
Qadeer, Air Chief Rao Qamar Salman has also warned that Pakistan
would retaliate with speed and force if anyone [reference to India]
gets adventurous.... However, a federal minister has said that
Pakistan does not need missiles with a range of thousands of miles
as it does not plan to attack the U.S. It is not only for war that a
country acquires weapons or modernizes them; weapons also act as
deterrents. And how did the minister know that there would not be a
war with the U.S.? Did Iraq and Afghanistan ever think they would be
at war with America? The reality is before us today. Hence, war or
no war, we must remain prepared."

Opinion: Turning The Tide Of Militancy, an op-ed by Dr. Maleeha
Lodhi in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The
News" (cir. 55,000) (02/23)

"Have the military operations in South Waziristan, other tribal
areas and Swat helped to create a strategic moment in the country's
struggle against militants? Will 2010 be decisive in reversing the
tide of militancy after a deadly year that saw a record number of
terrorist attacks and killings? Has military action scattered the
local Taliban or irrevocably weakened the movement? There are no
easy answers to these questions in a fluid and fraught situation
gravely affected by border volatility that is being heightened by
the escalating war in Afghanistan. The consolidation of gains made
by military offensives will depend on overcoming a sobering number
of hurdles and resolving critical governance issues. This means a
greater role for political rather than military actors in the
transition to the post-conflict phase.... The key question is
whether a capacity can be generated for such a 'civilian surge' even
as the various law enforcement agencies take sustained steps to
dismantle the syndicate of terror that still operates in the
country. In the longer run the neutralization of this network will
also rest on bringing to an end the conflicts and disputes in the
region that have motivated and nourished the forces of militancy."

(All circulation figures are based on estimation)
Patterson