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TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 03, 2008 
 
SUMMARY:  Reports of a bomb blast outside the Danish Embassy in 
Islamabad killing eight people dominated headlines in all newspapers 
on Tuesday.  Also front-paged was the White House statement 
condemning the incident and urging Pakistan "not to allow terrorists 
to maintain safe havens on its soil."  Newspapers also reported that 
President Musharraf and Prime Minister Gilani "valued ties with 
U.S." during their separate meetings with the U.S. Defense 
delegation led by Under Secretary of Defense Eric S. Edelman. 
Newspapers also highlighted that Pakistan Defense Secretary told the 
visiting American Defense delegation that "there are no al Qaeda 
training centers in the tribal areas."  Some newspapers also quoted 
the Deputy Commissioner of Skardu as denying the "presence of Osama 
bin Laden in K-2 Mountain's range." 
 
Most major dailies ran editorials on the Islamabad bomb blast 
outside the Danish Embassy.   The English daily, "The News," noted 
that "those seeking some kind of twisted vengeance on the Danes have 
in fact succeeded merely in bringing immense suffering to the 
families of Pakistanis and ignominy to the name and image of their 
company."  Another English daily, "The Nation," observed that "the 
Danish Embassy in Islamabad had been the center of public resentment 
and ire on account of the cartoon controversy and there have been 
concerns about its security."  The Urdu daily, "Ausaf," wrote: 
"There is likelihood that the Indian intelligence agency RAW or 
Israeli secret outfit MOSSAD is to blame for this explosion.  As, 
public resentment was there in Pakistan against the publication of 
the derogatory cartoons, someone has exploited the charged 
situation, and targeted the Danish Mission to earn a bad repute for 
Pakistan." Another Urdu daily, "Mashriq," observed that "there is no 
obvious reason to link this act of terror with the volatile 
situation in South and North Waziristan.  However, it can be a 
reprisal of publication of blasphemous caricatures in the Danish 
newspapers, or it might be retaliation for killing of dozens 
innocent civilians in the aerial attacks of the NATO troops inside 
Pakistan."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
¶1.  "Blast Rocks Danish Embassy In High-Security Area: 8 Killed" 
"Dawn" (06/03) 
 
"A car-bomb exploded outside the Danish Embassy in Islamabad in one 
of the most high-security residential districts on Monday, killing 
eight people and injuring more than 25 others." 
 
¶2.  "Terrorism Remains A Real Threat, Says US" "Dawn" (06/03) 
 
"The White House urged Pakistan on Monday not to allow terrorists to 
maintain 'safe havens' on its soil as a car bombing outside the 
Danish Embassy in Islamabad killed eight people and wounded many 
others.  'It does serve as a reminder to the government of Pakistan 
and to all governments that terrorism is real, that it cannot be 
allowed to have safe haven, they must be dealt with and confronted,' 
said White House press secretary Dana Perino.  'We condemn the 
terrorist attack, there is no justification for it,' she said." 
 
¶3.  "Islamabad Blast Condemned" "Dawn" (06/03) 
 
"President Musharraf, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have 
condemned Monday's bomb explosion outside the Danish Embassy and 
said it has fortified Pakistan's resolve to fight terrorism." 
 
¶4.  "US Advocates Caution In Light Of Danish Embassy Blast" "Daily 
Times" (06/02) 
 
"The United States Embassy on Monday urged Americans living in 
Pakistan to avoid the site of the blast that occurred at the Danish 
Embassy in Islamabad, following the explosion of a large bomb in the 
area.  In a Warden Notice released on its website, the US reminded 
'all Americans to use extra precautions when traveling throughout 
the city." 
 
¶5.  "President, Prime Minister Value Ties With US" "The News" 
(06/03) 
 
"Pakistan and the United States on Monday agreed to further enhance 
their bilateral cooperation in the fields of defence and security 
matters, especially in intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism 
efforts.  This was decided in a meeting when US Under-Secretary of 
Defence Eric S. Edelman called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza 
Gilani in Islamabad at the Prime Minister Secretariat.  In his 
separate meeting with US Under-Secretary for Defence Eric S. 
Edelman, heading a six-member delegation, President Pervez Musharraf 
said the stable and broad-based relationship between Pakistan and 
United States was in the interest of both countries and also vital 
for a lasting peace in the region." 
 
¶6.  "No Al-Qaeda Centers In Tribal Areas, US Told" "The News" 
(06/02) 
 
"Pakistan on Monday made it clear to the US that there were no Al 
Qaeda training centers in the tribal areas, emphasizing that 
cooperation with the US on the war in terror will continue.  This 
was stated by Defence Secretary Kamran Rasool while talking to a 
ten-member US defence delegation led by Under-Secretary of Defence 
(policy) Eric Edelman which called on him in Islamabad." 
 
¶7.  "Presence Of Usama In K2 Mountains Denied" "The News" (06/02) 
 
"Deputy Commissioner of Skardu strongly denied presence of Usama bin 
Laden in K2 Mountains' range and termed the report as concocted and 
baseless." 
 
¶8.  "CJCSC For Re-adjustments In Terror War Policy" "The News" 
(06/03) 
 
"Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen. Tariq Majid 
has said the cumulative effect of happenings in the Middle East, 
sledge-hammer approach of the coalition forces in contiguous Pashtun 
areas of Afghanistan, cross-border missile strikes causing civilian 
deaths in Fata and tendency of some of the western countries to 
micro-manage our counter-terrorism policies have created a 
perception that the global war on terrorism is directed at Muslims. 
He was addressing participants of the 7th Shangri-La Dialogue 
organized in Singapore by the London-based International Institute 
of Strategic Studies (IISS)." 
 
¶9.  "Admiral Mullen Due Today" "The News" (06/02) 
 
"Chairman of the US Joint Chief of Staff Committee Admiral Michael 
Mullen would be arriving in Islamabad for a two-day official visit 
on Tuesday.  During his visit, Admiral Mullen would hold talks with 
his Pakistani counterpart General Tariq Majid, besides meeting key 
military officials." 
 
¶10.  "Taliban Running Parallel Judicial System In Swat" "The Nation" 
(06/03) 
 
"Contrary to what the government claims that Taliban would not 
establish parallel administration, Maulana Fazlullah and his 
associates have set up 'Islamic Courts' in most of Matta region, 
Swat district." 
 
¶11.  "US Lawyer Asks Pakistan To Help Free Gitmo Inmate" "The News" 
(06/03) 
 
"An American lawyer pleaded on Monday for the Pakistan Government to 
intervene on behalf of a prisoner being held at the US detention 
center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba." 
 
¶12.  "Pakistan, India Fail To Bridge Differences" "Dawn" (06/03) 
 
"Pakistan and India will hold the next round of talks on the 
Kishan-Ganga project in the third week of July and if the talks fail 
the issue may be referred to a third party for arbitration.  The 
second round of talks between Indus commissioners of the two 
countries concluded in Islamabad on Monday without any progress on 
objections to the project raised by Pakistan." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
¶13.  "Deadly Business," an editorial in the English daily, "The 
News" (06/03) 
 
"Those seeking some kind of twisted vengeance on the Danes have in 
fact succeeded merely in bringing immense suffering to the families 
of Pakistanis and ignominy to the image and name of their country. 
This latest blast proves that it lives on in our midst, and that 
suicide bombers can strike at random virtually anywhere in our 
country." 
 
¶14.  "A Condemnable Act," an editorial in the English daily, "The 
Nation" (06/03) 
 
"The Danish Embassy in Islamabad has been the centre of public 
resentment and ire on account of the cartoon controversy and there 
have been concerns about its security.  The police chief rightly 
confessed that it was a security lapse.  Certainly, there is a lot 
more to be done to make our cities safe from the threat of such bomb 
attacks." 
 
¶15.  "Bomb Blast At Danish Embassy," an editorial in the Urdu daily, 
"Ausaf" (06/03) 
 
"It is not possible to ascertain at the moment that who is behind 
the bomb blast near the Danish Embassy in Islamabad, however, there 
is likelihood that the Indian intelligence agency RAW or Israeli 
secret outfit MOSSAD is to blame for this explosion.  Since public 
resentment was there in Pakistan against the publication of the 
derogatory cartoons, someone has exploited the charged situation and 
targeted the Danish Mission to earn a bad repute for Pakistan." 
 
¶16.  "Bomb Blast In Islamabad," an editorial in the Urdu daily, 
"Mashriq" (06/03) 
 
"There is no obvious reason to link this act of terror with the 
volatile situation in South and North Waziristan.  However, it can 
be a reprisal of publication of blasphemous caricatures in the 
Danish newspapers, or it might be retaliation for killing of dozens 
innocent civilians in the aerial attacks of the NATO troops inside 
Pakistan." 
 
¶17.  "Bomb Blast In Islamabad," an editorial in the Urdu daily, 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (06/03) 
 
"The bomb blast proves that the security arrangements were 
insufficient and the strategy was unsatisfactory.  When the 
government knew about the possibility of Denmark Embassy being a 
target because of the blasphemous sketches then why did it not take 
appropriate steps for the security of the embassy?" 
 
¶18.  "Bomb Explosion Near Danish Embassy," an editorial in the Urdu 
daily, "Waqt" (06/08) 
 
"It appears that some hidden forces want to sabotage the 
government's efforts for peace [in tribal areas].  Terrorism almost 
ended after the dialogue process to establish peace started. Why did 
it start again? Some circles opine that Americans have reservations 
over the Pakistani government entering into dialogue with militants 
and that America does not want progress in the talks, which is why 
it can make plans to derail the process." 
 
¶19.  "Islamabad Blast," an editorial in the English daily, "The 
Post" (06/03) 
 
"It is clear from the blast that there are still loopholes in the 
security system of the highly sensitive area as the car that was 
used in the blast was seen roaming the area for about an hour or so. 
 Looked at from another angle, the blast could also be aimed at 
destabilizing the federal government at a time when it has adopted a 
policy of making peace deals with the Taliban in FATA and Swat." 
 
¶20.  "Aid And Distrust," an op-ed by Syed Mohammad Ali in the 
English daily, "Daily Times" (06/03) 
 
"The Congress, the State Department, and the US Office of Management 
and Budget all seem to favor tying future aid to specific 
counterterrorism programs, rather than general military support to 
Pakistan.  Given these ongoing contentions, one wonders what the 
reaction of our own government should be, which is itself not new to 
such speculations.  Instead of waiting for a US decision, our 
government should try for once to be more proactive in demonstrating 
the utilization of incoming funds.  This vigilance could be 
coordinated with the US Embassy within Pakistan itself.  If the US 
authorities lack the capacity for undertaking this responsibility 
until the accounting procedure has reached a stage and location 
where no real verifications can take place, then let the burden of 
accountability rest on the US, instead of Pakistan." 
 
¶21.  "Coalition Partners Start Withdrawing From Iraq," an editorial 
in the English daily, "Pakistan Observer" (06/03) 
 
"Coalition forces led by the mighty United States instead of 
providing freedom to the people have virtually destroyed the entire 
country and people are now suffering more than they were under the 
regime of Saddam Hussain.  It would be advisable for President Bush 
and may be his successor to realize that resistance by the Iraqi 
people to foreign occupation cannot be defeated by the use of force 
and he should work for finding a solution that enables an honorable 
exit of American troops from Iraq." 
 
Patterson