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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000659 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: MARCH 27, 2009 
 
Summary: All newspapers front-paged President Obama's phone call to 
President Zardari and his Afghan counterpart Karzai to "discuss new 
strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan."  Reports of suicide attack 
on a restaurant in Jandola (NWFP) that killed 12 people dominated 
front pages on Friday.  U.S. General Eikenberry's remarks that he 
made during the confirmation hearing in the Senate that the 
"Pakistan Army and ISI have had a 'very ambiguous relationship' with 
the Taliban" received extensive coverage.  The statement by Foreign 
Office spokesman that the "drone attacks are counterproductive and 
the U.S. will review its position" also garnered attention. 
 
Newspapers ran editorials on a host of subjects concerning national 
politics and the regional security situation.  The prestigious 
daily, "Dawn," underlined the need of "better trade ties" between 
Pakistan and the U.S. to "help provide an alternative to young, 
jobless Pakistanis otherwise drifting towards militancy and 
extremism."  Commenting on the drone attacks, the populist Urdu 
daily, "Khabrain," advised the U.S. to "help build the capacity of 
Pakistan's intelligence agencies and law enforcement departments." 
The mass circulation Urdu daily, "Jang," noted that "it is ironical 
that whenever the local populace expresses its resentment over these 
(drone) attacks, they are labeled as terrorists."  End Summary. 
 
---------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Obama Discusses New Strategy With Zardari, Karzai" "Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"US President Barack Obama called President Asif Ali Zardari and his 
Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on Thursday to tell them Washington 
had completed a review of its new strategy for Afghanistan and 
Pakistan, officials said." 
 
"12 Killed In Suicide Attack On Restaurant" "Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"Suicide bomber struck a restaurant in the frontier region of 
Jandola on Thursday morning, killing 12 people, including a pregnant 
woman who was passing by. Twenty-two people were injured." 
 
"Sufi Discusses Swat Peace With Fazlullah" "Daily Times" (03/27) 
 
"Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammadi chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad met 
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Chief Maulana Fazlullah in Matta tehsil 
of Swat on Thursday, a private TV channel reported. It said the 
meeting was in connection with the establishment of peace in the 
valley." 
 
"US General Claims Army, ISI Playing Ambiguous Role" "Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"The Pakistan army and the ISI have had a "very ambiguous 
relationship" with the Taliban over the last 15 years and some 
within the two institutions may still support them, a US general 
told a Senate panel on Thursday." 
 
"Pakistan Wants Review Of US Drone Attack Policy" "Daily Times" 
(03/27) 
 
"Pakistan on Thursday urged the United States to discontinue 
unilateral drone strikes inside Pakistan, saying the attacks harmed 
Islamabad's efforts to defeat terrorism through popular support, 
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at a weekly press 
briefing." 
 
"Pakistan In Serious Talks With US Over Drone Attacks: Kaira" "The 
News" (03/27) 
 
"Pakistan is in serious negotiation with US over drone attacks on 
the country's tribal regions, Minister for information and 
Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Thursday." 
 
"Force Alone Won't Work, Pakistan Tells US" "Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"Pakistan cautioned the United States and its allies in the war on 
terror on Thursday against increasing the use of force in 
Afghanistan and said the strategy would not work." 
"FATA officials deny North Waziristan missile strike" "Daily Times" 
(03/27) 
"The FATA Secretariat on Thursday denied there had been a US missile 
strike in North Waziristan that is said to have killed five 
people." 
"Kerry Pledges To Re-Introduce Pakistan Aid Bill" "Daily Times" 
(03/27) 
 
"Influential US Senator John Kerry pledged on Thursday to 'soon' 
reintroduce a bill on expanding economic assistance for Pakistan, 
and said strengthening the civilian Pakistani government is vital to 
helping the country rein in terrorists in the border region with 
Afghanistan." 
 
"Pakistan May Get $700m From WB, ADB" "Daily Times" (03/27) 
 
"Pakistan is likely to get $700 million from the World Bank (WB) and 
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) by the end of March, a Finance 
Ministry official has said." 
 
"Zardari Asks Baloch Resistance Groups To Enter Into Talks" "Dawn" 
(03/27) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari moved on Thursday to grapple with a 
violent nationalist movement in the province, wooing angry Baloch 
groups to enter into talks with the government to remove their 
grievances." 
 
"Despite Cash Crunch, All Needs Of Military To Be Met: Gilani" 
"Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that any threat 
to the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty would be 
countered with full force." 
 
"Internal Threat Has Weakened Pakistan, Weakness May Prompt Indian 
Attack: Gilani" "Daily Times" (03/27) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday warned that any 
internal weakness might prompt India to attack Pakistan. Addressing 
a conference at the National Defense University, the prime minister 
stressed the need for an effective strategy to deal with both 
external and internal threats facing the country." 
 
"US May Open Consulate In Quetta" "The News" (03/27) 
 
"The United States is thinking of establishing its consulate in 
Quetta on an urgent basis. The US diplomats are engaged in 
consultations with important officials with regard to the 
proposition. Three of its consulates are already working in Karachi, 
Lahore and Peshawar. It has robust diplomatic presence in Pakistan 
with the largest diplomatic mission in the federal capital." 
 
"Iran, India May Join US War In Afghanistan" "Dawn" (03/27) 
 
"A key US senator said on Thursday that the United States and Iran 
might begin their cooperation for stabilizing Afghanistan after a 
meeting between officials of the two countries in The Hague next 
week. We also need to reach out to Afghanistan's other neighbors, 
including India, China, and Iran,' Senator John Kerry told the 
confirmation hearing for the new US ambassador to Afghanistan." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"A New Strategy," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (03/27) 
 
"The rise of militancy correlates critically to economic conditions. 
So what is the single most important thing America can do to help 
Pakistan's sliding economy and, at the same time, restrain 
militancy? The answer in a nutshell: help build our industry. . . 
Investors and producers in the US would also benefit by accessing a 
growing consumer market of more than 170 million people in Pakistan, 
and other markets beyond its western borders. On the political 
front, better trade ties should help provide an alternative to 
young, jobless Pakistanis otherwise drifting towards militancy and 
extremism, and bring about peace and stability in the region. Such 
economic measures, and not drones, can win the war against 
militancy." 
 
"Another Drone Attack," an editorial in the Lahore-based populist 
center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (03/27) 
"The reality is that drone attacks are fanning anti-U.S. sentiments 
among the Pakistani public, and this act by the U.S. government is 
leading to an increase in extremism and terrorism instead of curbing 
them. A U.S. think tank's suggestion that missile attacks are not a 
long-term solution to combat militancy is accurate. Instead of 
carrying out attacks itself, the U.S. should help build the capacity 
of Pakistan's intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies." 
"U.S. Drone Attacks And Responsibilities Of Government," an 
editorial in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" 
(cir. 300,000) (03/26) 
 
"Despite Pakistan's continuous protest, there is no halt of the U.S. 
drone attacks on the Pakistani border areas.  And now there are 
understandable indications that Balochistan too will be hit by the 
drone predators.  The U.S. authorities have always claimed killing 
of alien militants as a result of these attacks, but on the 
contrary, the local inhabitants of the affected areas tell totally 
different stories.  Furthermore, it is also ironical that whenever 
the local populace expresses its resentment over these attacks, they 
are labeled as terrorists." 
 
"Expansion Of War Theatre," an op-ed by Imtaiz Gul" in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (03/27) 
 
"In an interview with The Washington Post, Kilcullen warned that if 
Pakistan went out of control, it would 'dwarf' all the crises in the 
world today. This warning comes days before Richard Holbrooke, 
special envoy for the region, formally unveils his report to 
President Barrack Obama. President Obama is searching for a new 
strategy that will change the course of the Afghan conflict by 
taking the following steps: helping Afghanistan and Pakistan become 
self-sufficient in countering extremism; providing some hope that US 
military commitment there will eventually end; gradually shifting 
the burden for the country's security away from the US and Nato; 
neutralizing Al Qaeda wherever its leaders are. . . Is Pakistan in 
the eye of the storm? US is about to unleash a two-pronged strategy 
on Pakistan; based on the presumption that Al Qaeda has fanned out 
in the country and is using smaller hideouts in places like Quetta, 
Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat and Karachi. The CIA is gradually extending 
its drone attacks into areas where it finds traces of Al Qaeda. Come 
what may, we will eradicate them, is the message. . ." 
 
"Drone Attacks Will Continue, "an Op-ed by Air Marshal Ayaz Ahmed 
Khan," in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 
20,000) (03/27) 
"The drone attack policy has been continued by President Barack 
Obama, with threats to bomb Quetta and suspected terrorist hideouts 
in Balochistan. Underlining the urgency in Washington to step up 
cooperation with Islamabad to contain the deteriorating security 
situation in South and West Asia CIA Director Leon Panetta's visit 
to Islamabad to meet Pakistani authorities, signifies the great 
importance accorded by the Obama Administration to engage Pakistan 
on the serious issues of terrorism, extremism, and militancy, 
especially kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners. . . . The 
already existing sense of despair, frustration and anger on 
continuing drone attacks will accentuate, and will create 
instability and insurgency in Balochistan." 
 
"Shaping US Strategy," an Op-ed by Dr Masooda Bano in the centrist 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/27) 
 
". . The fact of the matter is that militancy in Pakistan can be 
checked much more effectively if the US was to stop its "war on 
terror" and stop making reform plans for Pakistan. Once the 
Pakistani state has no longer hopes of getting dollars to fight this 
war, it will find ways to deal with groups in the NWFP. People who 
are being called "Pakistani Taliban" were part of Pakistan prior to 
Sept 11 too, and so were the people in the tribal belt. . . It would 
be good if the Obama administration decides to direct aid towards 
the long-term development needs of Pakistan rather than coming up 
with yet another set of quick fixes to check the militancy, which as 
has been seen throughout the Bush administration, will never work." 
 
"Head Hunting," an editorial in the centrist national English daily 
"The News" (cir. 55,000) (03/27) 
 
". . . US has offered large cash rewards for terrorism suspects in 
the past, but until recently they regarded Mehsud mainly as a threat 
to Pakistan and unworthy of their attention. Previous US drone 
attacks had avoided targeting Mehsud's hideouts but this changed 
earlier this month when US drones also began to target Mehsud and 
his men. The US State Department has identified Mehsud as a key 
leader of the Pakistani Taliban and an Al Qaeda 'facilitator' in 
South Waziristan. He is also fingered as a suspect in the killing of 
Benazir Bhutto and the Marriott bombing, plus he has made no bones 
about his intention of attacking the US if he can - and he probably 
can. All of this should qualify him for an early visit by Mr 
Predator and Mrs Hellfire -- if only he can be found, that is. It 
should not be difficult to find Baitullah Mehsud, any number of 
media persons knows where he is and so do others. Five million 
dollars is a lot of money and head-hunting via a bounty has loosened 
tongues in the past, so the technique is proven and the five million 
is peanuts as far as the US is concerned. It remains to be seen just 
how long hiding in plain view is an option for the elusive Mr 
Mehsud." 
 
"Facing Challenges," an editorial in the Karachi based secular and 
pro-leftist Sindhi Daily "Awami Awaz" (Cir. 70,000) (03/27) 
 
"The Obama administration is reviewing its Afghan policy, and there 
is a possibility that the war that the U.S. is fighting in Iraq and 
Afghanistan could now be directed to Pakistan too. And if that 
happens, it will certainly add to problems for the government." 
 
"South Waziristan: U.S. Missile Strike," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based independent Urdu daily "Din" (circ. 5000) (03/27) 
"Winning a war, whether it is against terrorism or whether it has 
another objective, is possible only with the support of the local 
populace. God forbid, a civil war like situation could arise if the 
increasing U.S. drone attacks in the tribal and border areas are not 
stopped - making things much worse than they are today.  The 
country's intellectual circles are demanding that the government 
hold a strategic dialogue with the Obama administration instead of 
merely lodging protests." 
"U.S. Admission Of Nawaz Sharif's Popularity," an editorial note in 
the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (03/27) 
"New York Times has admitted in a recent report that after leading 
judges reinstatement movement Mian Nawaz Sharif has become most 
popular in Pakistan, which is why America might make him partner in 
the war against terrorism....  Nawaz Sharif had a good friendship 
with the U.S. ruling Democratic Party when he was Prime Minister of 
Pakistan.  In this backdrop, the Obama administration cannot ignore 
Mian Nawaz Sharif.  However, it does not mean that Nawaz Sharif will 
accept the role of frontline ally in the war against terrorism like 
General Musharraf and President Zardari....  Nawaz Sharif has earned 
this popularity on adopting a principled stand and he will not 
squander it for the sake of serving American interests." 
"Maulana Fazalur Rehman, What Else Constitutes Interference?" an 
editorial note in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu 
daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 125,000) (03/27) 
"Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that jihad could be announced if 
America tried to interfere in Pakistan's internal matter, which will 
be harmful for America....  American spy planes violate Pakistan 
airspace as a routine and kill innocent people....  God has given 
Maulana Fazal big eyes, but he does not seem to see this open 
interference by America." 
"The Need For An International Inquiry Into Iraq War," an editorial 
in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 100,000) (03/27) 
"British Foreign Minister Miliband has said that British troop 
withdrawal from Iraq would be complete by July 31, following which 
there will be an investigation into the war.... Since the Iraq war 
has resulted in wide-scale devastation and hundreds of thousands of 
deaths, the investigation should not be limited to Britain, answers 
must be found at the international level to the myriad questions the 
war has raised." 
 
 
Patterson