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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 003161 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS, 
TERRORISM (INDO-PAK CONTEXT, GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS; NEW 
DELHI. 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi 
reports on English-language media via email in the daily 
"Early Edition."  USG customers please write to Geeta 
Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early 
Edition." 
 
------------------------ 
INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. "ZARDARI'S EXCUSES," editorial in December 15 right- 
of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Pakistan is 
refusing to hand over the terrorists wanted by India and 
denying that the sole terrorist captured in the Mumbai 
terror attacks is a Pakistani national. Despite the 
international pressure, it has adopted a negative and 
tenacious attitude. Now the U.K. is also saying openly 
that Pakistani elements were behind the Mumbai strikes 
and the Pakistan government will have to take serious 
action against them. Pakistan's so-called democratic 
government is still not affected. On the contrary, 
Pakistan is making false allegations against India of 
violating its airspace and of the Indian Minister of 
External Affairs threatening its President. It is the 
height of shamelessness that despite the irrefutable and 
sufficient evidences it is denying the Lashkar-e-Taiba 
links to the ISI. Now the Indian Government will have to 
firmly clarify that it will+QllQ.9 
MQaQEY(?QQA SAHARA Hindi daily: "What U.K. 
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said during his India- 
Pakistan visits has further strengthened India's position 
at the international level. It is clear from his 
statements that his strategy was totally based on 
pressurising Pakistan to initiate, by itself or jointly, 
an anti-terrorist campaign. It was, certainly, a message 
for India also that its anger is justified, but it should 
not take military action against Pakistan. His saying 
that there is enough evidence of Lashkar-e-Taiba's 
involvement in the Mumbai massacre must have increased 
pressure on Pakistan. President Zardari had no option but 
to agree to his suggestion that it is the time for action 
and the terrorists should not get shelter on Pakistan's 
soil. The U.S.-U.K. strategy is quite clear now with the 
visit of the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State followed by 
Brown's visit. But, our motive is the complete 
destruction of Pakistan-based anti-India terrorism. It is 
in the interests of the entire world." 
 
¶3. "PAKISTAN'S NATIONAL CHARACTER IS BASED ON VIOLENCE 
AND FALSEHOOD"  editorial in the December 16, 2008 
centrist Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA.  "Pakistan perhaps 
is the only nation possessing a temperament of violence 
and falsehood.  Leaders starting from Jinnah, the founder 
of Pakistan, to the present President Zardari have 
 
NEW DELHI 00003161  002 OF 004 
 
 
nurtured extremism and terrorism there.  Terrorism 
emanating from Pakistan has reached such epidemic levels 
that it now threatens global security.  Basically, 
Pakistan's aggressive behavior is a result of its 
inferiority complex arising out of a feeling of ill-will 
toward its neighbor [India].  Besides, the entire 
international community is sneering at Pakistan for its 
alleged links to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. 
Despite all this, Pakistan continues to trumpet that 
India should provide hard evidence of 26/11 terror 
strikes before jumping to conclusions.  India forgets 
that it is dealing with a nation that thrives on 
falsehood.  What the world forgets though is the fact 
that Pakistan is the epicenter of global terrorism and 
the world cannot heave a sigh of relief until it is 
eliminated from the root...." 
 
¶4. "TIME FOR PAKISTAN TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTION"  editorial 
in the December 16, 2008 multi-edition right-of-center 
Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR.  "Despite the global 
community upping the ante against Pakistan, the latter 
continues to be in a state of denial and refuses to take 
concrete action against those involved in the Mumbai 
terror plot....  What Pakistan needs to be reminded of is 
that, if it doesn't rein in radicals, extremists and 
fundamentalists operating on its soil, then the global 
community, including America and Britain, will set the 
house in order in Pakistan....  Only time will tell whether 
Pakistan takes concrete actions against all the rogue 
elements or forces India and other nations to adopt an 
aggressive approach." 
 
¶5. "A DIGNIFIED REMARK ON AN UNDIGNIFIED COUNTRY", 
editorial in December 15, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily 
"HAMARA SAMAJ" New Delhi: "For the last 60 years, India 
has been tolerating the undesirable activities of its 
neighbors with great patience and forbearance. For the 
first time, we complained to the Security Council, which 
in turn castigated Pakistan and asked it to take 
immediate action. These are some initial stages. The way 
our Prime Minister tackled this stage, shows that he will 
accomplish the forthcoming stages with the same 
diligence. He knows that better relations with neighbors 
are a must for progress and development. That is why he 
never looks down upon any of the neighboring countries. 
In his statement, instead of accusing Pakistan directly, 
he said in an effective manner: 'Terrorists came from 
Pakistan to invade Mumbai.' This sentence mirrors the 
political wisdom of Dr. Manmohan Singh, and is worthy of 
a dignified Prime Minister of a great democratic 
country." 
 
¶6. "MEDIA AND WAR ATMOSPHERE", editorial in December 15, 
2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "The 
outgrowth of tension and acrimony between India and 
Pakistan after the Mumbai incident is natural. But 
electronic media of both countries failed to play their 
expected roles in mitigating the atmosphere of tension 
and conflict. It is the responsibility of Pakistan to 
completely subdue the terrorist elements, and not give 
 
NEW DELHI 00003161  003 OF 004 
 
 
its neighboring country India any room to complain. As a 
major country, India always demonstrated magnanimity in 
this regard. Pakistan itself is a victim of terrorism. In 
fact, religious intolerance is the fundamental reason for 
terrorism. Terrorist organizations of Pakistan are 
misinterpreting various religious terminologies. In a 
nutshell, media of both countries should exercise extreme 
patience, tolerance and realism in the situation borne 
out of the Mumbai attack." 
 
¶7. "EVEN MORE DANGEROUS FOR PAKISTAN" editorial in 
December 16 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA 
PRATIDIN.  "...Pakistan is going to face a fate similar to 
Somalia's, Iraq's and Afghanistan's where religious 
fundamentalist and terrorist forces brought about wars on 
their soil...  These forces are using the innocent and God- 
fearing tribal people in Pakistan...as their weapon... To 
maintain its control over Asia, the U.S. is bent on 
fighting a decisive battle to wipe out terrorist forces 
indoctrinated in religious fundamentalism... Pakistan's 
common people may face dangerous consequences from the 
anti-terror war unless its leadership stops aiding and 
sheltering Laden's Al Qaida... The sooner Zardari takes 
Rice's and Brown's warnings seriously the better it is 
for Pakistan." 
 
¶8. "IF WE OBSERVE PAKISTAN FROM A PAKISTANI STANDPOINT," 
editorial-page article in December 16 independent Kolkata 
Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by Assistant Editor 
Semanti Ghosh.  "...How Islamabad has retained power by 
transforming all its administrative and societal failures 
into an anti-India tirade has few parallels in the world. 
America too eagerly supported it in its obsession with 
the Cold War... Consequent to constant brainwashing over 
the past six decades, the Pakistani society has undergone 
considerable changes... People's anger against India is so 
pronounced now that...if Islamabad wants to fight 
terrorism, it is not the Army, but the masses who will 
overthrow the government. It is from this perspective 
that Delhi will have to evolve its diplomatic 
relationship with Pakistan. No doubt, India will have to 
maintain its pressure on Islamabad, but excessive 
pressure may boomerang... So, it will really be a tightrope 
walk for India." 
 
¶9. "PAKISTAN'S FALSEHOOD," editorial in the December 16 
left-of-center Kolkata Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN. 
"Let Pakistan stop telling lies. This is not befitting of 
a neighbor. The way Pakistan has been trying to spread 
canards against India is absolutely unjust. Pakistan is 
trying to build a war-like situation in a planned manner. 
Under these circumstances, the Indian government must 
take a strong posture. There is no room for showing any 
weakness." 
 
---------------------------- 
TERRORISM (INDO-PAK CONTEXT) 
---------------------------- 
 
¶10. "TERRORISM: LEARNING A LESSON FROM PAKISTAN", 
 
NEW DELHI 00003161  004 OF 004 
 
 
editorial in December 15, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily 
"URDU TIMES", Mumbai: "Everyone says that terrorism is 
not related to any religion. But it is also true that 
terrorists have impressions of different religions and 
faiths. That is why terrorists have different colors 
(ideologies). In India, there are red, saffron and green 
colors of extremism and terrorism. Such groups grew out 
of proportion in Pakistan due to political instability. 
As a result, terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamaat- 
ud-Dawah etc. became a burden for Pakistan. Nobody is 
ready to oppose them and control them. Now, under the 
pressure of America and the entire world, Pakistan is 
taking actions against these non-state players. Similar 
is the attitude of India with respect to saffron 
(Hindutva forces) terrorism. Here in India, the same 
mistake is being committed. However, if the saffron 
terrorism is given a free hand, the day is not far off 
when it may defame us within and outside the country." 
 
----------------------- 
GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS 
----------------------- 
 
¶11. "GLOBAL RECESSION AND INDIAN INDUSTRIAL SECTOR", 
editorial in December 15, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily 
"RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: "To what extent the global 
financial crisis may affect India can be assessed from 
the fact that the growth rate in the Indian Industrial 
Sector further decreased to 5.45%. Economists are taking 
it as the most crucial negative tendency in the last 15 
years. This growth was 12.2% in October 2007, dropping to 
5.45% in September of the current year. Most probably, 
the downfall is due to the tremendous decrease in 
exports. The decrease is because of lesser demand for 
export goods from Europe and America. These impacts on 
India are due to the global economic and Banking System 
crisis, and recession in economic markets." 
MULFORD