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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 03, 2009 
 
Summary:  Reports on national political developments dominated 
headlines in all newspapers on Tuesday. News of a suicide attack on 
a seminary in Pishin (Balochistan) killing five people received 
front page coverage in all dailies.  Newspapers highlighted the NWFP 
Chief Minister Hoti's remarks that the "anti-state forces were out 
to derail Swat deal."  The English language daily, "Dawn," in a 
Washington datelined story reported that the "U.S. plans $5 billion 
help to boost Pakistani economy."  Senator Raza Rabbani's statement 
that the "Parliamentary Committee on National Security will present 
its initial report on stopping U.S. drone attacks soon" received 
prominent display. 
 
Most major dailies ran in-depth editorials on the government's 
decision to set up "mobile courts" in the country and discussed its 
implications.  However, the centrist national daily, "The News," 
commented on the peace deal in Swat and noted that "any hope of a 
lasting peace that allows people to resume normal lives can come 
only when the militants are vanquished and their leaders punished 
for the crimes they have committed."  Whereas, the Islamabad-based 
daily, "Pakistan Observer," observed that "it is quite understood 
that the decision-makers in Islamabad changed their mind under 
foreign pressure but now that peace has been established it can 
sustain only if the Government delivers on its pledge..."  The 
Peshawar-based Urdu daily, "Mashriq," raised a question that "if the 
government can promulgate the Mobile Courts Ordinance recently, why 
could not it move forward on the implementation of the 
'Nizam-e-Adal' in Swat as well?"  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Five Killed In Suicide Attack on Pishin Madarassa" "Dawn" (03/03) 
 
"At least five people were killed and five others injured when a 
suicide bomber hit a Madarassa in Killi Karbala in the Pishin 
district (Balochistan) on Monday." 
 
"Anti-State Forces Out To Derail Swat Deal: Hoti" "Dawn" (03/03) 
 
"Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that some foreign 
forces and anti-Pakistan elements who do not want peace in Swat are 
conspiring to sabotage the accord the government has reached with 
TNSM Chief Maulana Sufi Mohammad." 
 
"U.S. Plans $5 Billion Help To Boost Pakistani Economy" "Dawn" 
(03/03) 
 
"Providing economic assistance to Pakistan is high on the priority 
list of the U.S. administration and lawmakers who also are 
considering a proposal to give a one-time assistance of $5 billion 
to help stabilize the Pakistani economy, diplomatic sources to 
'Dawn.'" 
 
"Drone Attacks Report Soon: Rabbani" "The News" (03/03) 
 
"Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Senator Raza Rabbani on 
Monday said the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has 
agreed to present to the current session of the National Assembly 
its initial recommendatory report on stopping U.S. drone attacks and 
ensuring peace in tribal areas." 
 
"PM Vows To Back NWFP Government On Swat Peace Deal" "The News" 
(03/03) 
 
"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday expressed his 
resolve to fully back the NWFP government on the peace deal in Swat 
and assured the complete support of his government for the early 
rehabilitation of the internally displaced people." 
 
"Taliban To Lay Down, Not Surrender, Their Arms" "Dawn" (03/03) 
 
"The NWFP government has been trying to persuade the 
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan-Swat to merely 'lay down their arms' 
rather than 'surrender' them, Haji Adeel, a senior Vice-President of 
the Awami National Party, said in an interview to Dawn News TV said 
on Monday." 
 
"NATO Troops To Stay Away From Pakistan" "The News" (03/03) 
"NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Monday NATO 
troops would not enter Pakistan under any circumstances at the 
Pak-Afghan border, not even in self-defence or carrying out hot 
pursuit. Speaking at a special briefing for Pakistani editors at the 
NATO headquarters, Brussels, the Secretary-General said the NATO 
forces were operating inside Afghanistan under a UN Security Council 
mandate and this mandate did not include Pakistan." 
 
"Musharraf For U.S.-Taliban Talks" "The Post" (03/03) 
 
"Former President Pervez Musharraf has stated that increasing 
American marines in Afghanistan is not the solution of the matter 
and in the end America has to seek dialogue process to restore peace 
in the region.  Talking to BBC, he said that America has to sign 
agreements with Afghan chieftains on the norms as were committed 
centuries ago and it could be sole solution for the Afghan issue." 
 
"Gates Convinced Of Pak Resolve Against Militancy" "The News - 
website" (03/03) 
 
"U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said he is convinced of 
Pakistan's recognition of the importance to address militancy along 
its Afghan border.  He declared in an interview that the key to 
enforcing stability along the tribal areas is the United States' 
enabling Islamabad to deal with the problem on its own sovereign 
territory." 
 
"U.S. Mortars Hit Pak Border Village" "The News" (03/03) 
 
"At least 17 mortar shells were fired by the U.S.-led coalition 
forces at Ghulam Khan village in North Waziristan Agency on 
Pak-Afghan border on Monday evening." 
 
"Sealing Of Capital Planned To Stop Lawyers' Protest: Govt." "Dawn" 
(03/03) 
 
"The government has decided to use all its resources to scuttle the 
lawyers' long march, including the sealing of the capital.  The 
decision was taken in a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari 
and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the President' House." 
 
"Mush Exists In Zardari: Nawaz" "The News" (03/03) 
 
"Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif said on 
Monday that the spirit of former President Pervez Musharraf had 
possessed Asif Ali Zardari who had violated the mandate of the 
people of Punjab by imposing governor's rule there." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Peace Deal In Swat Must Not Spoiled By Misunderstanding," an 
editorial in the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 
55,000) (03/03) 
 
"Sufi Mohammad while expressing his distrust over the government's 
insufficient actions regarding the imposition of the 'Nizam-e-Adl' 
(Shariat laws) in Swat valley gave a deadline of fifteen days for 
substantial progress in this regard...  It seems that the government 
is not taking the peace deal in Swat seriously, otherwise if it can 
promulgate the Mobile Courts Ordinance recently, why it could not 
move forward on the implementation of the Nizam-e-Adl in Swat as 
well?" 
 
"Don't Let Anyone Destroy Peace Now," an editorial in the 
second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" 
(cir. 125,000) (03/03) 
 
"The Frontier government and local Taliban should keep a strict 
vigil on elements wanting to sabotage the Swat peace agreement.  The 
Frontier government should ensure establishment of Shariah based 
justice system before the expiry of Maulana Sufi Muhammad's 
deadline." 
 
"Shaky In Swat," an editorial in the centrist national English daily 
"The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/03) 
 
"There are indications that Sufi Muhammad is under immense pressure 
from more hard-line militants led by his son-in-law to step up 
demands on the government.  It is increasingly clear that the truce 
in Swat cannot hold.  Any hope of a lasting peace that allows people 
to resume normal lives can come only when the militants are 
vanquished and their leaders punished for the crimes they have 
committed.  Until this happens, we will see, at best, only temporary 
solutions in Swat while the hold of militants grows steadily 
stronger as a result of the failure to decisively crush them." 
 
"Let Swat Deal Not Slip Out Of Hand," an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (03/03) 
 
"The attitude of the Federal Government is highly lamentable and 
this could become the cause for failure of the nicely devised 
arrangement....  It is quite understood that the decision-makers in 
Islamabad changed their mind under foreign pressure but now that 
peace has been established it can sustain only if the Government 
delivers on its pledge....  Unnecessary delay in this regard under 
foreign pressure and that too at this critical juncture would be 
unforgivable." 
 
"Strains In Swat," an editorial in the center-right national English 
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (03/03) 
 
"The arrangement in Swat is not acceptable to Washington, which is 
keen to resolve the issue of militancy through military means alone. 
It is now clear that Pakistan's delegation has failed to effectively 
plead its case during the ongoing review of the Obama 
Administration's regional policy....  perception is also being 
formed that the government has bowed to U.S. pressure to continue 
the military operation in Swat.  Unless Islamabad takes a stand in 
support of the Swat accord, it is likely to be accused by the 
opposition of bartering away the country's interests for small 
gains." 
 
"Atrophy Of Muslim Utopia," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (03/03) 
 
"If the idea was to buy peace with shariah in Swat, it is not 
working so far....  Meanwhile, the Taliban have not stopped 
attacking convoys and kidnapping soldiers to use as bargain 
counters....  A much bigger damage is being done, however.  The 
people of Pakistan were hoping that Shariah would bring about the 
Islamic utopia in Swat which strangely fulfils the requirements of a 
set-piece city state where conditions of the ideal state could be 
created." 
 
"Drone Attacks - U.S. doesn't Want Peace In Region," an editorial in 
the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 
15,000) (03/03) 
 
"No sooner Foreign Minister Qureshi and Army Chief Kiyani returned 
back to Pakistan from the U.S., American drones hit the South 
Waziristan another time.  With this attack, the U.S. has sent a very 
clear and loud message that it is not going to stop drone attacks. 
And it also shows that the U.S. administration does not trust the 
Pakistani government and its army." 
 
"For How Long Pakistan Will Tolerate These Strikes?," an editorial 
in the Karachi-based center-right sensationalist Urdu daily "Ummat" 
(cir. 33,000) (03/03) 
 
"The latest U.S. missile attacks killed about 12 people in the area 
of South Waziristan, which as usual dubbed by the western media as 
foreigners. Such claims on various occasions in the past proved 
false, as people claimed to be killed showed up later on.  For how 
long Pakistan will tolerate these strikes?  There are several steps 
that Pakistan can take to stop this violence: first, stop 
cooperation in the global war on terror, and second, discontinue 
logistic support to the NATO troops in Afghanistan.  Pakistan 
Government must understand that unless it convinces the Obama 
administration to end these attacks, law and order situation will 
remain unchanged." 
 
"Need For All Possible Steps For Release Of John Solecki," an 
editorial note in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu 
daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (03/03) 
 
"The United Nations did not play any commendable role for the 
release of Solecki.  Whatever the reality, the kidnappers should 
release the hostage in the name of humanity and the government 
should use all the resources to recover him." 
 
"Rein In The Kidnappers," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (03/03) 
 
"Given the image of the country as one of the most dangerous places 
on earth projected in large part because of the accusation that it 
is a nursery of militants and a threat to the life of foreigners, 
the kidnapping of Mr. Solecki, who happens to be a U.S. citizen, has 
proven to be another source of disgrace.  The PM's Interior Adviser, 
rather than wasting his time on errands which do not fall in his 
purview, ought to gear up to secure his release and improve the 
security situation of the country in general." 
GFeierstein