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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000612 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 20, 2009 
 
Summary:  Prime Minister Gilani's remarks, made during an interview 
with "The Wall Street Journal," dominated headlines on Friday.  All 
major dailies quoted him as saying that "he would seek to tip the 
balance of power back toward the Parliament."  In a Washington 
dateline story, the English daily, "Dawn," reported that U.S. 
Defense Secretary Gates expressed "concern" over the activities of 
the Taliban's 'Quetta Shoora' in Balochistan, but "disagreed" as 
well with the suggestion to use drones against them.  Reporting the 
likely arrival of U.S. CIA chief to Pakistan on Friday, several 
major dailies noted that he would "hold talks with the top Pakistani 
officials."  Newspapers highlighted reports that Ambassador 
Patterson met with Balochistan Governor and other security officials 
in Quetta and "discussed efforts being made to rescue kidnapped 
UNHCR official John Solecki." 
 
Most major dailies ran scathing editorials on the likely drone 
attacks on Balochistan province as reported in the U.S. media 
recently.  The center-right nationalist daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," noted 
that "our elected rulers chose to remain subservient to America like 
their predecessor General Musharraf and thus encouraged America. 
That is why America now wants to widen the scope of drone attacks to 
Quetta and other areas of Balochistan."  The centrist national 
daily, "The News," advised the Pakistan government to ensure that 
"U.S. is made aware of the risks and does not embark on a strategy 
that adds to the problems already being faced by Pakistan."  The Pro 
Taliban Jihadi daily "Islam," warned that "if Pakistan does not 
resist this move at this moment, there is a possibility that the 
next target will be Karachi, as a propaganda drive has been 
unleashed there that Taliban leaders are present in Karachi too." 
End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"PM Vows Powers Shift To parliament; Says He will Cooperate With 
Nawaz" "The Nation" (03/20) 
 
"In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Thursday, 
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said he would seek to tip the 
balance of power back towards Parliament and away from President 
Asif Ali Zardari as he made an offer to the Pakistan Muslim League-N 
to rejoin the governing coalition." 
 
"Gates Against Strikes In Balochistan 'Taliban 'Quetta Shoora' New 
U.S. Headache" "Dawn" (03/20) 
 
"U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that the United States 
was concerned about the activities of the Quetta shoora in 
Balochistan but disagreed with the suggestion to use drones against 
them as well.  At a regular briefing at the Pentagon, Mr. Gates also 
vowed to catch Osama bin Laden no matter how long it takes." 
 
"CIA Chief Due Today" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"CIA Chief Leon Panetta will arrive in Islamabad today (Friday) to 
hold talks with the Pakistani top officials about the war on terror, 
situation in Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) and the 
Mumbai attacks, sources said." 
 
"Pakistan Will Raise Issue With CIA Chief" "The Nation" (03/20) 
 
"Perturbed over reports in a section of the U.S. media about the 
possible drone attacks on Balochistan, Pakistan's security circles 
will raise the issue today (Friday) with the new CIA Chief Leon 
Panetta when he arrives here on a two-day visit from India." 
 
"JI Criticizes New U.S. Drone Attack Plan" "Dawn" (03/20) 
 
"The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has expressed its concern over reports 
that the United States is planning to expand drone attacks to 
Balochistan.  He said U.S. policies in the region disregarded 
people's sentiments as expressed in a resolution adopted by 
Parliament on October 22 last year." 
 
"Efforts For Solecki's Release Discussed" "Dawn," "The Nation," "The 
News," "Pakistan Observer," "The Statesman" (03/20) 
 
"U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson met Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and 
security officials at the Governor's House, Quetta on Thursday and 
discussed efforts being made to rescue kidnapped UNHCR official John 
Solecki.  Patterson also held a meeting with FC Inspector-General 
Maj-Gen. Saleem Nawaz at the Headquarters of Frontier Corps. 
Informed sources said that Maj-Gen. Saleem Nawaz informed her about 
measures being taken by his force to check the movement of Taliban 
insurgents in areas along the Pakistan-Afghan border." 
 
"Solecki Likely To Be Freed In 24 Hours" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"The kidnapped official of United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 
John Solecki, is expected to be released within next 24 hours, a 
private TV channel reported on Thursday." 
 
"Troops Retaliate After Attack On Base; Six Killed" "Dawn" (03/20) 
 
"Six people were killed and 26 others injured when security forces 
resorted to heavy fire and shelling after militants attacked an army 
base in Landi Kotal on Thursday evening." 
 
"Power Pylons Blown Up In Peshawar" "Dawn" (03/20) 
 
"Suspected militants blew up a transmission line, disrupting power 
supply to major parts of the Peshawar city early on Thursday 
morning." 
 
"War On Terror Shifted To Pakistan: Report" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"Observing that the 'war on terror' has now shifted to Pakistan, an 
American think-tank has said the United States now needs to make 
harder choices in dealing with Islamabad, the Center for Strategic 
and International Studies (CSIS) said in its latest report." 
 
"IDPs Jirga Demands Shariah" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"A Jirga of the displaced families from Bajaur Agency Thursday said 
they would not leave the relief camps till the government enforced 
Sharai Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in the agency on the patterns of Swat. 
 The participants of the Jirga, held at the Katcha Garhi camp, 
Peshawar, rejected the announcement by Bajaur political agent that 
the IDPs could return to the agency and the administration would 
also hand them relief goods on their return to their respective 
hometowns." 
 
"Taliban To Honor Ceasefire In Bajaur" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"Leading Taliban commander in Bajaur Agency and deputy head of the 
banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Maulvi Faqir Muhammad has said the 
ceasefire announced by the militants on February 20 would be honored 
at all cost so that peace could prevail in the region and the 
internally displaced persons return home." 
 
"Darra Militants Announce Ceasefire Till 30th" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"The Darra Adamkhel-based Taliban militants, affiliated with the 
Baitullah Mehsud-led banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on 
Thursday agreed to a ceasefire in Darra Adamkhel, Frontier Region 
(FR) Kohat, till March 30." 
 
"TNSM Demands 220 Talibans' Release" "The Nation" (03/20) 
 
"Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) in peace dialogue with 
the Provincial Government on Thursday handed over a list of 220 
Taliban detainees.  The detainees are presently imprisoned in 
various jails and Taliban militants have been demanding for their 
release." 
 
"Militants Turn To Dir Districts After Swat" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"Militants have shifted their area of activity from Swat - almost 
reduced to debris by the 20-month militancy - to the twin-districts 
of Dir, making their intention clear that they would not lay down 
arms despite provincial government's flexibility to bring peace to 
the Swat valley." 
 
"Security Forces Arrest 14 Taliban In Swat" "Daily Times" (03/20) 
 
"Security forces arrested 14 Taliban at the Gammon check-post in 
Khawazakhela tehsil of Swat district on Thursday, official sources 
told 'Daily Times.'" 
"Five Aides Of Baitullah Mehsud Arrested In Lahore" "Daily Times" 
(03/20) 
 
"Intelligence agencies on Thursday arrested five aides of Baitullah 
Mehsud and seized detonators and explosive material from their 
possession.  Sources in the agencies said the suspects were 
identified as Sasta Gul, Sher Ali Gul and Mahar Zad Gul Khan while 
the other two could not be identified." 
 
"Drones Hover Over Kurram" "The Nation" (03/20) 
 
"U.S. unmanned drones on Thursday hovered over lower and upper 
Kurram Agency, causing panic among the residents but did not fire 
any missile during this time, a private TV channel reported." 
 
"U.S.  Donates Four Life-Saving Ambulances For Federally 
Administered Tribal Areas" "Daily Times" (03/20) 
 
"The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 
Public Health Advisor Mr. William Conn, on Thursday handed over four 
ambulances to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) 
Secretariat, Government of Pakistan for Khyber and Kurram Agencies 
and Frontier Regions Kohat and Peshawar." 
 
"Pak Land Being Used Against Iran, Says Envoy" "The News" (03/20) 
 
"Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri has asked the 
Government of Pakistan to take action against 'Jandullah 
Organization' that is involved in negative activities against Iran 
by using Pakistan's land." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Drone Attacks: Foreign Minister's Stance," an editorial in the 
second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" 
(cir. 125,000) (03/20) 
 
"This is strange that while Foreign Ministry finds U.S. drone 
attacks detrimental to the war against terrorism, Foreign Minister 
Shah Mahmud Qureshi says that drone attacks had some utility. 
According to Qureshi, America has assured review of the drone attack 
policy in May.  The fact of the matter is that our elected rulers 
chose to remain subservient to America like their predecessor 
General Musharraf and thus encouraged America.  That is why America 
now wants to widen the scope of drone attacks to Quetta and other 
areas in Balochistan." 
 
"Bombing Balochistan," an editorial in the centrist national English 
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/20) 
 
"The problem is that the issue of defeating the militants must go 
beyond the mere aim of bombing them out of existence.  We must 
concede that the drone attacks seen in the tribal areas all through 
the last year have resulted in the death of at least some militants 
- possibly some important figures in the movement.  But what they 
have also done is create immense anger and resentment among ordinary 
people, who have also been among the victims of the bombs and 
missiles that flatten homes and kill indiscriminately." 
 
"Plan To Extend Drone Attacks To Balochistan," an editorial note in 
the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 
15,000) (03/20) 
 
"It seems that the U.S. has decided to implement its plan to launch 
drone attacks on Balochistan.  And now to justify this strategy, the 
NATO supply convoys are being targeted, as the U.S. is making a case 
to materialize its plan.  If Pakistan does not resist this move at 
this moment, there is a possibility that the next target will be 
Karachi, as a propaganda drive has already been unleashed that 
Taliban leaders are present in Karachi too." 
 
"New Threat Of Strikes," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(03/20) 
 
"American strikes in Pakistan violate the country's sovereignty and 
give those who are fanning anti-western and anti-Islamabad 
sentiments even more ammunition.  At the same time, the civilian 
deaths caused by such strikes not only alienate but enrage ordinary 
tribal people without whose cooperation the war against militancy 
can never be won.  Certain home truths need to be driven home. 
Pakistan rightly condemns violations of sovereignty but also needs 
to accept its own shortcomings...  Targeting Al Qaeda and the 
Taliban may be important but it is also critical that America not 
lose its few friends in this part of the world." 
 
"Danger Of Adventurism," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (03/20) 
 
"If the latest 'New York Times' report foreshadows new US policy, it 
will mean a dangerous escalation of a very unpopular and 
controversial policy.  It will not only create new strains in 
Pak-U.S. relations but it will spoil the Pakistan government's 
efforts to control militancy by signing peace agreements with the 
Taliban....  If there is the slightest element of truth in the 'New 
York Times' report, then it is right to say that the U.S. will be 
repeating another serious blunder and further inflaming the tribal 
areas of Pakistan." 
 
"Extending Killing Fields," an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (03/20) 
 
"The fact is that since the first pilotless plane struck at 
Damadola, South Waziristan, in early 2006, there have been hundreds 
of deaths of innocent people but only a smattering of them were 
militants.  Instead of scoring any meaningful gain for Washington, 
these strikes create more enemies." 
 
"And Now Drones For Balochistan?," an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (03/20) 
 
"No one in Pakistan will support the reported plans in Washington to 
extend American drone attacks from the Tribal Areas to the already 
disturbed province of Balochistan....  Coping with drones in 
Balochistan will present Pakistan with another challenge, perhaps 
more dangerous than the one faced by the collateral damage already 
being caused in the Tribal Areas." 
 
"Pak Sovereignty To Be Eroded Further," an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (03/20) 
 
"We believe that it is not fair on the part of the Foreign Office or 
the Government to dismiss the report as mere newspaper speculation. 
This is because it is track record of the United States to leak such 
reports through media leaks or statements by Congressmen ahead of 
practical implementation of the plans....  We would also propose 
that pro-Taliban elements, if any, in or around Quetta should be 
given a warning to leave the area and after the deadline action 
taken for their forcible ejection." 
 
"Drone Attacks And Duty of National Leadership," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based Urdu daily "Waqt" (circ. 5000) (03/20) 
 
"It is becoming clear that the increasing intensity in drone attacks 
is aimed at nothing but sabotaging the peace deals with local 
Taliban...  However, the Foreign Minister's statement that he has 
convinced American officials to review the drone policy has created 
hope that now the drone attacks would lessen gradually." 
 
"New York Times' Concocted Report," an editorial in the Lahore-based 
independent Urdu daily "Din" (circ. 5000) (03/20) 
 
"It is an open secret that the U.S. wants pave the way for 
occupation of Balochistan's ports and resources through drone 
attacks....  As far as the reports of Mullah Umar's or Al Qaeda 
leaders' presence in Balochistan go, these are all American 
concoctions. The basic purpose of such reports by U.S. officials in 
Afghanistan, or papers like the New York Times is to spread 
disinformation and to malign Pakistan at the international level." 
 
"U.S. Designs And The Need For Political Stability," an editorial in 
liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (03/20) 
 
"If there is any deficiency on our part in the war on terror, the 
reason is political instability in the country.  The government and 
the opposition have not been able to establish coordination, hence 
we have not been able to give the kind of attention needed to stem 
extremist activities in country.  This has not only strengthened the 
extremists, it has also enhanced American administration's 
dissatisfaction [at Pakistan's efforts]." 
 
"Threat Of Drone Attack On Balochistan," an editorial in the 
Karachi-based right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat" 
(cir. 3,000) (03/20) 
 
"The New York Times' story seems to be a deliberate 'leak' by the 
U.S. administration to put more pressure on Pakistan. This is the 
latest U.S. threat to Pakistan that comes at a time when the U.S. is 
facing hard time in Afghanistan, and we are witnessing peace in 
Swat." 
 
"Preparations Underway To Make Balochistan A Battleground," an 
editorial in Hyderabad based liberal Sindhi daily "Ibrat" (Cir. 
80,000) (03/20) 
 
"The issue of drone attacks on Balochistan is of global 
significance, as Afghanistan is bordered with the province, and the 
Gwadar port is also situated there. And one can see two big powers 
China and the United States are contending to safeguard their 
interests in Balochistan. In this scenario, the U.S. drone attacks 
on Balochistan will certainly make matters worse in this part of the 
world." 
 
"Kidnapped Canadian," an editorial in the centrist national English 
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/20) 
 
"The fact that our agencies have been unable to determine which 
forces are behind these abductions is appalling, given that we 
maintain so huge a network of intelligence outfits. The past 
failures of law enforcers have only emboldened militants who launch 
ever-more audacious attacks....  We must make an all-out effort to 
act against groups involved in such kidnappings otherwise we will 
only see more such abductions in the days ahead." 
 
"Reviewing Afghanistan," an op-ed by Najmuddin A. Shaikh in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (03/20) 
 
"There are sound reasons for being skeptical about the success of 
the new Afghan policy.  But the one element which we should 
recognize and must cooperate on is the fact that the Afghan Taliban, 
their protestations notwithstanding, have ties with our own 
extremists and that their presence on our soil represents as much of 
a danger to us as it does to the NATO forces in Afghanistan." 
 
"Hillary's Hat-Trick," an op-ed by Anjum Niaz in the centrist 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/19) 
 
"Are women better negotiators?  Where Ambassador Holbrooke and COAS 
General Kayani failed to rope in Zardari, Hillary Clinton succeeded. 
 She played her trump card last....  Nawaz Sharif's breaking through 
the police pickets to come out and lead the march in Lahore bound 
for Islamabad was a defining moment.  He could have been killed. 
One heard of sharpshooters sent to Punjab to bump him off.  Amidst a 
sea of thousands, Nawaz Sharif would have gone the way of Benazir 
Bhutto and embraced martyrdom.  His heroic defiance in the face of 
death drew the fury of Lahore out on the streets.  Hillary Clinton 
too must have held her breath as did millions glued to their TV 
sets.  It was then that she decided to pick up the phone and 
threaten the President with halting all American aid if he did not 
restore Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.  Only one problem: 
shouldn't our rulers now ban the word 'sovereignty?'  Not only will 
we be spared its mispronunciation by many; we'll stop pretending we 
are sovereign.  Our masters won't have to make nutty excuses about 
drone attacks anymore." 
Patterson