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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000178 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JANUARY 28, 2009 
 
Summary:  All newspapers highlighted as their lead story, Defense 
Secretary Gates' remarks before the Senate panel that "U.S. would 
continue drone strikes inside FATA and has conveyed the decision to 
Pakistan."  Also front-paged were reports that "President Zardari 
sought the help of international community for stopping the U.S. 
from carrying out drone attacks inside Pakistan."  Reports on 
President Obama's interview with Al Arabiya TV network telling the 
Muslim world that "Americans are not your enemies" was also 
prominently displayed.  All dailies gave coverage to the activities 
of former President Musharraf's engagements in the U.S. including 
his address at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and his 
interview to CNN.  Ambassador Patterson's meeting with the NWFP 
Chief Minister Hoti in Peshawar was prominently covered. Also 
highlighted were reports that Pakistan and the U.S. signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding to support the Pakistan's clean drinking 
water project. 
 
Most newspapers ran editorials on the Vice President Biden's 
reported remarks about the continuation of drone attacks inside 
Pakistan.  The second-largest Urdu daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," questioned 
"will the armed forces continue to wait for government's order if 
the government does not fulfill its responsibility of defending the 
country due to expediency?"  The English daily, "The Nation," noted 
that "it is clear from Vice-President Biden's statement that 
President Obama lays greater stress on assuring the American people 
that he can go on fighting the War on Terror, rather than on 
bringing it to an end."  The rightist English daily, "Pakistan 
Observer," wrote: "The statement of the Vice President implies that 
the nature, scale and intensity of attacks would increase and even 
ground attacks cannot be ruled out.  This effectively means 
escalation of the tension, destabilization of the region and 
creating more difficulties for the new democratic Government in 
Pakistan."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Decision Conveyed To Islamabad; Drone Attacks To Continue: Gates" 
"Dawn" (01/28) 
 
"U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a U.S. Senate panel on 
Tuesday that the United States would continue drone strikes at 
suspected terrorist targets inside FATA and has conveyed its 
decision to the government of Pakistan." 
 
"Pakistan Seeks World Help" "Daily Times" (01/28) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday sought the international 
community's help for stopping the United States from carrying out 
drone attacks inside Pakistan.  The President told foreign 
Ambassadors at a dinner that Pakistan had joined the anti-terror war 
for its own security but the U.S. drone attacks were proving 
detrimental to its efforts." 
 
"Parliamentary Body Wastes Its Breath On Drone Attacks" "The News" 
(01/28) 
 
"The Parliamentary Committee on National Security in Islamabad on 
Tuesday condemned the U.S. drone attacks in the tribal areas and 
demanded of the new American government to stop violation of the 
Pakistan's airspace." 
 
"Obama Asked To Halt Drone Attacks In Pakistan" "The News" (01/28) 
 
"A group of Pakistani-American organizations urged U.S. President 
Barack Obama to pursue a 'partnership of peace' with Pakistan that 
should begin with respect for 'statehood and sovereignty' of its 
longtime South Asian ally." 
 
"Pakistan Should Exploit U.S. Missile Strikes; Analysts Say 
Expectations Of Policy Change Unrealistic" "Daily Times" 01/28) 
 
"Pakistan should stop protesting against United States missile 
strikes in its territory and instead focus on extracting concessions 
for what it sees as a violation of sovereignty, analysts said.... 
Political analysts stress that expectations of a policy change are 
unrealistic despite Washington's appointment of a new special envoy 
for Afghanistan and Pakistan." 
"We Cannot Afford A Dictator Who Makes Peace Agreements With 
Taliban: President Obama" (Jang) (01/28) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama has said that the U.S. will have to 
change its policies regarding Pakistan.  'The U.S. cannot afford a 
dictator and grant him hundreds of thousands of dollars that makes 
peace agreements with Taliban,' added the U.S. President in a 
message for a dialogue program on Geo News TV.  U.S. former Deputy 
Secretary of State Richard Armitage, General (R ) David L. Grandige, 
Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee's Chairman Mushahid Hussain, 
former Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, and Federal Minister for 
Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan also participated in the digital 
video conference between Islamabad and Washington." 
 
"Pak Army's Tolerance For U.S. Raids Decreasing; IISS Says Strikes 
Harming Zardari's Position" "The Nation" (01/28) 
 
"U.S. strikes against Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets in the tribal 
areas of Pakistan risked undermining the position of President Asif 
Ali Zardari, according to the International Institute for Strategic 
Studies (IISS).  'To effectively pursue the campaign on terror, he 
will need to balance growing U.S. pressure for military strikes in 
the tribal areas with the Pakistani Army's decreasing tolerance for 
such attacks,' the British defence think-tank said in its annual 
'Military Balance 2009' survey of armed forces around the world, 
released on Tuesday." 
 
"Afghanistan, Pakistan Bear The Brunt of Bombings; Iraq No More Main 
Target" "Dawn" (01/28) 
 
"A significant shift in the incidence of suicide bombing has taken 
place away from Iraq and towards Pakistan and Afghanistan over the 
last three years, according to a newly published report by 
'Combating Terrorism Centre,' an independent research institute at 
the West Point military academy in the U.S." 
 
"Troops Launch Fresh Operation In Swat" "Daily Times" (01/28) 
 
"The authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in the main city 
of Swat, said a statement by the army's media centre in the valley 
on Tuesday - hours after the security forces launched the third 
phase of a military operation in the valley." 
 
"Two More Schools Blown Up In Swat" "The News" (01/28) 
 
"As security forces intensified the operation in Swat, the Maulana 
Fazlullah-led militants on Tuesday blew up two more boys schools in 
Kabal.  Official sources put the number of the torched or destroyed 
schools at 188, most of them girls schools." 
 
"Swat Turmoil - Taliban Courts Prove State Failure: HRCP" "Dawn" 
(01/28) 
 
"The summoning of politicians and citizens to Sharia courts in Swat 
is further testimony to the absence of the states' writ and the 
growing boldness of militants, says the Human Rights Commission of 
Pakistan." 
 
"16 Militants Killed In Darra" "Dawn" (01/28) 
 
"Security forces have claimed killing more than 16 militants in 
Darra Adamkhel on Tuesday." 
 
"Five Drones Intrude Into NWA" "The News" (01/28) 
 
"Five American CIA-operated spy planes on Tuesday intruded into the 
North Waziristan Agency and flew over various villages of the 
restive border area.  The flights of drones in such a large number 
over the tribal region terrified the already-panicked tribesmen, 
especially women and children." 
 
"Obama Extends Diplomatic Hand To Muslim World" "The Daily Times" 
(01/28) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama told the Muslim world that 'Americans 
are not your enemy,' as he urged Israelis and Palestinians to return 
to the negotiating table and offered a diplomatic hand to Iranian 
leaders if they 'unclenched their fist.'  In an interview with the 
Al Arabiya satellite television network on Monday, Obama also 
renewed his pledge to travel to make an address in the capital of a 
major Muslim nation." 
 
"Dr. Khan Hero Of Common Man; Musharraf Says U.S. Must Force India 
To Resolve Kashmir Issue" "The Post" (01/28) 
 
"Former president Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday underlined that 
undoubtedly nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan is a hero of 
common man in Pakistan and any action against him would need 
considerable thought.  Former president expressed these views during 
his address at Franklin Institute in Philadelphia....  " 
 
"Probe Report To Be Shared With India Soon, Says Zardari" "Dawn" 
(01/28) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that India would be 
informed in two to three days about the report of a preliminary 
investigation prepared on the basis of information provided by the 
Indian government in connection with the Mumbai attacks." 
 
"Pakistan To Respond To Indian Dossier On 29th" "The News" (01/28) 
 
"Pakistan is expected to respond to the Indian dossier on the Mumbai 
attacks on Thursday after wrapping up its investigation, extending 
the earlier deadline set by it to complete the probe by two days.  A 
local TV channel quoted an official source as saying that Malik had 
extended the deadline for completing the probe till January 29." 
 
"Doubts Over Indian Claims About Foiling Militant Attack On Delhi" 
"Dawn" (01/28) 
 
"Doubts have been raised about police reports of a foiled attack on 
India's capital blamed on Pakistani militants, with newspapers 
wondering if the whole episode might have been staged.  The 
controversy is an unwelcome distraction from India's efforts to 
bring to book Pakistanis it blames for November's attack on 
Mumbai." 
 
"U.S. Envoy Calls On NWFP Governor, CM" "Daily Times," "The 
Statesman" (01/28) 
 
"U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson called on NWFP 
Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani at the Governor House, Peshawar on 
Tuesday to discuss ways to bring positive changes to the affected 
people. Patterson, in a meeting with NWFP Chief Minister (CM) Ameer 
Haider Khan Hoti at the CM's Secretariat on Tuesday, assured the 
government of unfettered support to the affected." 
 
"U.S. And Pakistan Sign MOU To Support Clean Drinking Water" "The 
News," "Daily Times," "The Nation," "The Frontier Post," "The 
Statesman" (01/28) 
 
"The United States Government, through the United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID) and the Government of Pakistan's 
(GOP) Ministry of Special Initiatives, on Tuesday signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the Pakistani 
Government's Clean Drinking Water Project." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Raza Rabbani's Remarks And Joe Biden's Announcement," an editorial 
in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (06/24) 
 
"U.S. Vice President has talked of accelerated action against Al 
Qaeda and Taliban....  Will the armed forces continue to wait for 
government's order if the government does not fulfill its 
responsibility of defending the country due to expediency?" 
 
"No Change With Obama," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (01/28) 
 
"It is clear from Vice-President Biden's statement that President 
Obama lays greater stress on assuring the American people that he 
can go on fighting the War on Terror, rather than on bringing it to 
an end....  A more balanced view would provide for the adoption of a 
more nuanced approach, particularly leaving Pakistani forces to act 
on intelligence received.  Pakistan should also abandon its present 
posture, and go on the diplomatic offensive with reference to the 
killings by the Americans in the tribal areas, and play its due role 
in exposing the real face of the Obama Administration." 
 
"Joe Biden Humiliates Pakistan," an editorial in the Islamabad-based 
rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (01/28) 
 
"So far the attacks were limited to pilotless drones but the 
statement of the Vice President implies that the nature, scale and 
intensity of attacks would increase and even ground attacks cannot 
be ruled out.  This effectively means escalation of the tension, 
destabilization of the region and creating more difficulties for the 
new democratic Government in Pakistan.  In normal diplomatic 
parlance the tone of the threat amounts to declaration of war 
against Pakistan." 
 
"Swat's Solution: A Wholehearted Operation," an editorial in liberal 
Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (01/28) 
 
"During a debate in the National Assembly on the situation in Swat, 
the Interior Secretary had said that the government only has two 
options:  either hand over Pakistan to the Taliban or fight them to 
protect the country.  Those who challenge the writ of an elected 
government and try to set up a parallel government should not be 
spared at all; there cannot be two views about it. The solution lies 
in fighting them.  The government is taking suitable measures in 
this regard but these efforts need to be intensified." 
 
"Truth And Dare," an editorial in the centrist national English 
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (01/28) 
 
"Militants control almost all of Swat valley, including much of the 
principal town of Mingora.  There seems to be no evidence, despite 
the interior adviser's claims, that the militants are being driven 
back or even that a comprehensive strategy is in place to achieve 
this.  Indeed, the hold of the militants seems firmer than ever." 
 
"Wanted By Taliban Courts," an editorial in the country's premier 
business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (01/28) 
 
"It bears repetition that insurgency in Swat is not of the type that 
is rife in tribal areas adjacent to the Pak-Afghan border: it is 
entirely home-grown, patterned more on the valley's own historical 
movements than Afghanistan-centric militancy in the FATA.  Whatever 
the truth in claims of foreign interference the fact cannot be 
denied that militancy in Swat draws sustenance largely from domestic 
politics and happenings, including the unfortunate Lal Masjid 
incident." 
 
"D.I. Khan Bomb Blast," an editorial in the centrist national 
English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (01/28) 
 
"The unexplained incident is an example of the regular, almost 
constant violence that we now live amidst.  There seems to be no 
escape from it.  There have as yet been few studies of the impact 
this violence has on people.  The fact is though that fear is now a 
part of life.  Everywhere, people tend to avoid public places that 
they believe could be targeted by terrorists.  The kinds of lives we 
lead have changed." 
 
"Bane Of Sectarian Violence," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(01/28) 
 
"The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, which claimed the killing of the Quetta 
leader, is one such example of how sectarianism grew blatantly under 
the benign patronage of the state.  It is a pity that governments of 
the day, by relying on the crutches of religion, failed to 
anticipate the outcome of their flawed approach.  Sectarianism was 
inevitable when obscurantists were appeased and given a free rein to 
preach violence.  The need of the hour is that the government cracks 
down forcefully on banned religious groups before their violence 
spills into neighboring states and others compel us to act." 
 
"A Case Of Multi-Directional Terror," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (01/28) 
 
"Just as an element of Pakhtun nationalism within the Taliban 
movement is killing people in Afghanistan along with the citizens of 
Pakistan, Baloch nationalism threatens to cross the border and give 
E 
Iran a casus belli.  Again, the likely reaction from the neighbor 
will not indict Pakistan directly but plead Pakistan's incapacity to 
look after itself to infiltrate Pakistani territory.  Therefore 
those who think in Pakistan that Islamabad has isolated itself by 
accepting to participate in the war against terrorism led by the 
United States should look closely at where Pakistan's 
multidirectional terrorism is leading it." 
 
"U.S. Pro-India And Anti-Pakistan Policy," an editorial note in the 
Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) 
(01/28) 
 
"President Obama in his message to Indian people on their Republic 
Day said that no country could be a better friend of theirs other 
than the United States.  Also, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has 
said that the U.S. will not desist from attacking inside Pakistan if 
they found Al-Qaeda targets....  President Obama's liking for India, 
and the veiled message of Mr. Biden have exposed the U.S. designs 
more clearly." 
 
"Obama's Disappointing Start," an op-ed by Mazhar Qayyum Khan in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(01/28) 
 
"The stoppage of drone attacks and the exchange of intelligence 
about the movement of militants have been among the longstanding 
demands of the government here.  Their disregard by Washington hurts 
not only the sensitivities of the people of Pakistan on the issue of 
territorial sovereignty but also the Americans' own interests." 
 
"Afghanistan Security Not Without The Taliban," an op-ed by Nasim 
Zehra in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (01/28) 
 
"In the flow of events, which included the tragedy of 9/11 and 
Washington's devastating military attack on Afghanistan to punish 
the Taliban and Al Qaeda for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, men like 
Washington's Zalmay Khalilzad and the UN's Lakhdar Brahimi crafted a 
document, but not for power-sharing among Afghanistan's major 
political-military groups.  They, instead, prepared a victor's 
will--indeed, Washington's--which sought to ensure that the-then 
pro-Washington Afghan groups will exert full control over the 
vanquished, the Taliban....  It is most unlikely that credibility, 
security or peace will return to Afghanistan if the current approach 
of no genuine power-sharing arrangement with the Taliban will be 
worked out." 
 
"End The U.S. Romance Before It Destroys Us," an op-ed by Shireen M. 
Mazari in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (01/28) 
 
"The hard reality is that the U.S. is going to become an 
increasingly hostile state towards Pakistan under Obama.  So it is 
time to alter course.  We need to renegotiate the entire cooperation 
with this new U.S. administration, keeping in mind the 
now-established Indo-U.S. strategic partnership.  We need to find 
our own means of countering the drone attacks-rather than helplessly 
waiting for U.S. goodwill." 
 
"A Climate Of Change," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (01/28) 
 
"Welcome words were heard on Monday as U.S. President Barack Obama 
outlined his policy on tackling climate change and reducing his 
country's dependency on imported oil.  Until recently the laggard 
among industrialized nations on environmental issues, the U.S. under 
Mr. Obama promises a clean break from the policies of his 
predecessor....  Mr. Obama's stance is more clear-cut: it will be 
the interest of the American people and the welfare of the planet, 
not the influence wielded in Washington by lobbyists that will hold 
centre stage in his scheme of things." 
Patterson