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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000351 
 
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: PAKISTAN, INDIA-PAKISTAN 
RELATIONS/ WAR AGAINST TERRORISM; NEW DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
-------- 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶1. "PAKISTAN'S MILITARY WAR PLAN AND UNSTATELIKE 
CHARACTER", editorial in the February 23 right-of-center 
Urdu daily URDU TIMES, Mumbai: "It is of course not a 
concealed fact that the formation of terrorist outfits 
has always been a special ingredient of Pakistan's 
military strategies. Pakistan has been keen on making 
these outfits a part of its war plans. In the aftermath 
of the 9/11 incident, when a concerted plan of action was 
undertaken against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and Pakistan 
severed its government-level links with the Taliban out 
of necessity or fear, the terrorist organizations reacted 
by turning against the policies of Pakistan. Since 
General Musharraf was the head of Pakistan at that time, 
they all turned against him; that is why he came was 
subjected to murderous attacks several times, attacks 
which were ultimately unsuccessful. On several other 
occasions, the security forces and army personnel bore 
the brunt of such attacks. However, the military in 
Pakistan (including the much-denounced ISI) never saw the 
terrorist outfits as being against them." 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS/ WAR AGAINST TERRORISM 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶2. "PAKISTAN IN GRIP OF TALIBAN" editorial in the 
February 25, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi 
daily SAKAL. "The ceasefire that the Pakistan government 
and the Taliban have arrived at has put the global war 
against terror on the wrong footing. Pakistan is 
justifying this truce by saying that it is trying to 
alienate the Taliban from Al-Qaeda. But these claims are 
really false, as all that Pakistan has done is release 
its army from constant fighting. Whether its army was 
wholeheartedly fighting the cause or not is a big 
question. Under American pressure t seemed as if the 
Pakistani army was fighting with borrowed motivation. But 
it was too difficult for them to face the Tehrik-E- 
Taliban in Pakistan. So by enforcing sharia law in the 
region, the Pakistan government has done nothing 
exceptional. The law was already in force and Taliban 
gangs were calling the shots in the area well before the 
Pakistan Government took these steps. 
 
¶3. "THE PHASE OF ADMISSIONS!"  editorial in the February 
25, 2009 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily 
GUJARAT SAMACHAR.  "The Mumbai terror episode now seems 
to have entered the phase of admissions.  After Pakistan, 
another Indian neighbor, Bangladesh, has admitted that 
terrorists might have used its soil in the planning 
stages.  However, the question the Indian investigating 
agencies seem to ignore is: did the 11/26 perpetrators 
 
NEW DELHI 00000351  002 OF 002 
 
 
also receive local help? While it is known that both 
Pakistan and Bangladesh have become sanctuaries for 
terrorists, the Indian government needs to admit that 
these attacks happened primarily because of our own weak 
security apparatus.  Our leaders display their expertise 
in carrying forward the dialogue with Pakistan, but 
surrender to Pakistan's whims when it comes to taking 
stringent measures against terrorists to secure the lives 
of innocent civilians.  Mere admission by Pakistan or 
Bangladesh won't make much difference until our own 
government accepts the moral responsibility for such 
vicious crimes and adopts a tough approach in bringing 
the guilty to justice." 
WHITE