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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 003204 
 
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, OIL, PALESTINE; NEW DELHI-20-22 DECEMBER 2008. 
 
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. "PAKISTAN UP TO ITS GAMES," op-ed article in the 
December 21 right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by 
strategic columnist K. Subrahmanyam: "With its 
statements, Pakistan is trying hard to provoke India to 
take military action. Its objective is to blackmail the 
U.S. Pakistan wants to use it as an excuse for the non 
cooperation with the U.S. It has already intensified 
attacks on the supplies for U.S. troops in Afghanistan... 
The Pakistani generals have conspired to provoke India 
for taking military action and to begin proxy war through 
terrorism for forcing U.S. to leave Afghanistan. But, 
Pakistan may have to bear the consequences. If U.S. 
leaves Afghanistan, Pashtunistan Dari-speaking people can 
form a new state together with the Tajik and Uzbek areas 
with Iranian help. Russia and China should also be 
worried about Afghanistan's disintegration and 
Pashtunistan's surfacing. But, more than any other 
country it should be a grave concern for Pakistan. Indian 
and U.S. policy makers should make joint efforts to 
prevent Pakistan from succeeding in its plan." 
 
¶2. "UNSUCCESSFUL AND USELESS ZARDARI," editorial in the 
December 21 right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: 
"Former PM Nawaz Sharif's statement that the captured 
Mumbai militant Kasab is indeed a Pakistani has ripped 
the mask off President Zardari's face. This is the right 
time for India to warn the international community that 
trusting Zardari means overlooking the danger emerging 
from Pakistan. Zardari is not only denying the 
confirmation that Kasab is a native of Pakistan, and the 
irrefutable evidence presented by India, but also the 
assessment of international security experts... India 
should seriously consider how to handle a failed nation. 
It should take into account, while stepping up pressure 
on Pakistan, that Zardari may be the Army's puppet. He is 
either helpless or pretending to be feeble. In both 
situations, trying to put pressure on the Pakistani 
administration through him is a sheer waste of time. The 
way Zardari has failed in meeting the expectations of the 
world community, including India, is alarming for the 
global community." 
 
¶3. "FAILED STATE PAKISTAN," editorial in the December 20 
right-of-center AMAR UJALA Hindi daily: "Pakistan's 
leaders are giving contradictory statements. For 
instance, one says Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar is 
under house-arrest, and the other condemns it. Now former 
premier Nawaz Sharif has nailed Pakistan President 
Zardari's lie on Kasab, confirming that he is from 
Pakistan. Most importantly, Sharif said the functioning 
 
NEW DELHI 00003204  002 OF 004 
 
 
of the current government is making Pakistan look like a 
failed state. It seems Zardari has become a puppet in the 
hands of the Army and the ISI. Pakistan is a safe haven 
for terrorists. The chiefs of notorious groups like 
Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad have the 
government's support. Thus, it is meaningless to expect 
any cooperation from Pakistan. Since Pakistan is the 
creator of terrorists, it will also have to destroy them. 
The dilemma is, how will the Zardari government combat 
terrorists when the army supports them? And if it will 
not fight, then the world community will have to launch 
an attack over there." 
 
¶4. "WHAT COMES IN THE WAY OF DECLARING PAKISTAN A 
TERRORIST STATE?"  editorial in the December 22, 2008 
centrist Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA.  "Pakistan 
continues to be in a state of denial despite being fully 
aware that its soil has been used by terrorists to mount 
macabre attacks on 26/11 in Mumbai.  Not only has it not 
taken any action on the perpetrators of this attacks, but 
Pakistan has also trumpeted that India needs to provide 
proof of Pakistani involvement.  Even western powers have 
blown their lids over Pakistan's complicity, and have 
reprimanded it for not doing enough to nail down 
extremists on its soil....  India has been a victim of 
state-sponsored terrorism across the border for more than 
four decades now.  Despite this, India has not taken any 
concrete measures to crush these rogue elements.... 
Pakistan is characterized by cunning, deceit, and 
untrustworthiness.  The only way to rein in Pakistan is 
by declaring it a terrorist state...." 
 
¶5. "PAKISTAN CLEAN BOWLED"  editorial in the December 20, 
2008, multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily 
GUJARAT SAMACHAR.  "The Indian cricket board's decision 
to call off the Pakistan tour conveys the general mood of 
the Indian citizenry.  It is a clear indication that 
India will not make any compromises henceforth.  India 
has stated in no uncertain terms that ensuring cordial 
relations is a two-way endeavor.  If Pakistan doesn't 
respond positively, then India is not interested in such 
arts, culture and sports diplomacy.  India's decision is 
symbolic, as it conveys that Pakistan should be prepared 
for more sanctions if it doesn't come clean on its 
behavior." 
 
¶6. "PAKISTAN GETS BEATEN ON HOME GROUND" editorial in the 
December 20, 2008, Mumbai edition of right-of-center 
Marathi daily VRITTA MANAS.  "None other than Nawaz 
Sharif, a political bigwig from Pakistan, has challenged 
President Asif Ali Zardari's earlier assertion that there 
was no proof the arrested Mumbai terrorist (Ajmal Kasab) 
hailed from Pakistan's Punjab province. Sharif, the 
former premier, has said the suspect's village was 
cordoned off and his parents were not allowed to meet 
anyone. Sharif insists that the people and media should 
be allowed to meet Kasab's parents so that the truth can 
come out.  India should in fact thank Sharif for exposing 
Pakistani security agencies' cover-up operations in 
Kasab's village of Faridkot. Sharif has helped in 
stepping up the global pressure on Pakistan..." 
 
NEW DELHI 00003204  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶7. "IS AJMAL KASAB A STATE GUEST IN INDIA?" op-ed article 
by executive editor Sanjay Raut in the December 21, 2008, 
Mumbai edition of right-of-center Marathi daily SAAMNA. 
"There are some lawyers, and some members of the English 
newspaper media, very eager to hold a brief for Ajmal 
Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist from last month's 
attacks in Mumbai. The outburst and uproar of these 
lawyers and media is indeed shameful. They are more 
bothered about Kasab's rights than about the fundamental 
rights of the innocents who died in the attacks. They are 
making a martyr out of a terrorist and naturally this is 
doing no good to the cause of the global war against 
terrorism..." 
 
¶8. "WAR WITH PAKISTAN MAY BE UNAVOIDABLE" editorial-page 
article by veteran columnist Pabitra Kumar Ghosh in the 
December 21 pro-BJP Kolkata Bengali BARTAMAN.  "...The 
Pakistan government, except for reacting verbally, has 
done nothing to implement the U.N. resolution on the 
Pakistani terrorist outfits...  The U.S. is not ready to 
tolerate this...and, instead of Pakistan, they are now 
looking for alternate ways to supply resources to the 
NATO forces at war in Afghanistan.  They want Indian 
cooperation, and want India by their side in the Afghan 
war...  Since the situation is taking such a turn, a 
bloated conspiracy campaign involving Christians, Jews 
and the Hindus has been launched in Pakistan.  The main 
objective of this conspiracy is alleged to be destroying 
an Islamic Pakistan... It is further alleged that both the 
U.S. and Israel have targeted Pakistan, and India 
reportedly wants to join hands...  The main aim of Pakistan 
is to cripple India instead of fighting against this 
triumvirate...  The Indian government is not in favor of 
war, but Pakistan, as it had in 1965 and 1971, is getting 
ready to launch a preemptive attack.  War, therefore, 
cannot be averted even should anyone wish to." 
 
¶9. "TENSION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN", editorial in the 
December 20, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", 
Hyderabad: "Indo - Pak relations touched their nadir 
after the Mumbai incident. Consequently, the Indian 
cricket team's tour of Pakistan has been cancelled. Our 
neighboring country Pakistan, during this period, kept 
changing statement after statement, telling lie after 
lie. The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, himself 
kept changing his stand vis-a-vis the issue in question, 
leaving India with no option but to distrust it. At a 
time when the whole country is full of anger over the 
terrorist attack on Mumbai, their anger will not subside 
by playing cricket matches. What is needed most is to 
remove the atmosphere of terrorism. For this reason, 
first of all the Pakistan government will have to control 
extremists and terrorists ruling the roost in its land. 
However, it seems the Pakistan government is also feeling 
helpless before these elements. Pakistan and none other 
than Pakistan is responsible for the current situation. 
India has always followed the policy of 'forget and 
forgive', but Pakistan has never valued India's 
magnanimity." 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00003204  004 OF 004 
 
 
--------- 
TERRORISM 
--------- 
 
¶10. "OPPOSITION'S ROLE IN INDO-PAK TENSIONS", editorial 
in the December 21, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily 
"SIASAT", Hyderabad: "Border tension and diplomatic 
discords have hampered Indo - Pak bilateral relations. In 
this way, those conspiring minds, which planned to pit 
these neighboring countries against each other, may stand 
successful in their endeavors. A group of politicians 
tried to make the Mumbai terrorist attack a sentimental 
issue along communal lines. Why are the BJP and similar 
parties flying into a rage over Antulay's demand of 
investigations into Karkare's assassination? They should 
know that it was Hemant Karkare who was investigating not 
only the Malegaon (Maharashtra) Bomb Blast Case, but also 
certain other causes of terrorism. If his death is a part 
of some conspiracy, only an honest enquiry will reveal 
the hidden truth. The opposition is making an all-out 
effort to paint the picture according to their whims. 
What is disgusting is the ruling group is also 
thoughtlessly echoing the voice of opposition." 
 
--- 
OIL 
--- 
 
¶11. "POLITICS OF OIL", editorial in December 20, 2008 
right-of-center Urdu daily "URDU TIMES", Mumbai: "The 
current situation with oil prices is beyond any 
explanation. Experts agree that 2009 will be worse than 
the current year in two respects: the consumption of oil 
will not rise, and the world will not come out from the 
quagmire of global recession and the financial crisis. 
The only way out is to ban interest-based trade, and 
futures trading of consumer goods. Without such action, 
the economic condition of the world will not improve." 
 
--------- 
PALESTINE 
--------- 
 
¶12. "ISRAEL-PALESTINE CEASEFIRE", editorial in the 
December 20, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "HAMARA 
SAMAJ", New Delhi: "During a six - month ceasefire, 
Israel's activities are explicit proof that Israel is not 
sincere in matters relating to the ceasefire. Rather, it 
used this period to hatch conspiracies secretly. For 
example, during the ceasefire, it blocked all the roads 
to Gaza and stopped the replenishing of food and medicine 
stores. During this very period, American Don tried to 
destroy Palestinians, in the same ways his father did. 
Israel kept violating global laws. The whole world 
community criticized Israel, and the UNO appealed a 
number of times, but because of American protection, none 
of these efforts made any headway." 
MULFORD