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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 16, 2009 
 
Summary:  Reports and photographs of Army Chief General Kayani's 
inspection of military offensive zone onboard an F-16 dominated 
headlines in all newspapers on Tuesday.  His "vow to defend the 
nation 'at all cost'" also received front page coverage.  All 
newspapers highlighted reports that "President Zardari to hold talks 
with Indian Prime Minister Singh today (Tuesday)" on the sidelines 
of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Yekaterinburg 
(Russia).  Also garnering front page attention was news that the 
"security forces claimed to have killed 50 Taliban in operations in 
Mohmand, Bajaur, Malakand and Bannu."  Foreign Minister Qureshi's 
statement that the "Taliban could spread beyond its (Pakistan's) 
borders to India and as far as the Persian Gulf, unless it receives 
international aid to help battle militancy on its soil" received 
prominent display.  Several newspapers highlighted U.S. Embassy's 
announcement to "host weekly live web chat series" to share 
information about the U.S. on different themes. 
 
Most major newspapers ran editorials weighing the pros and cons of 
the impending military operation to eliminate TTP (Tehrik Taliban 
Pakistan) chief Baitullah Mehsud and dismantle his network.  The 
center-right national English daily "The Nation," warned that 
"compared to Swat, a military operation in South Waziristan could 
turn out to be more expansive in both human and material terms." 
Terming the "deals with Taliban" as "utter folly," the populist, 
often sensational national English daily "The News" wrote: "The time 
has come to go for the final kill, so we can all reclaim a country 
that has, village by village, town by town, been stolen away from 
us."  Commenting on the growing terror incidents, the liberal Urdu 
daily "Express," noted that "countering this (threat) is possible 
only if the operation against militancy continues until militants 
are completely defeated."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Kayani Inspects Operation Area Onboard F-16" "Daily Times" (06/16) 
 
"Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kayani co-piloted an F-16 over Swat 
on Monday, and vowed to defend the nation 'at all costs.'  During a 
visit to the PAF operational base, he told airmen Operation 
Rah-e-Rast had been the last resort after all peaceful options had 
been exhausted.  He said the Pakistan Air Force and the Pakistan 
Army were united, and were participating in Operation Rah-e-Rast 
shoulder-to-shoulder." 
 
"Zardari To Hold Talks With Singh Today" "Dawn" (06/16) 
 
"Leaders of India and Pakistan will hold talks in Russia on Tuesday, 
raising expectations their first meeting since the Mumbai attacks in 
November last year will ease tension between the two country. 
Russian officials said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and 
President Asif Ali Zardari would meet on the sidelines of the 
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Hekaterinburg." 
 
"50 Taliban Killed In Military Operations" "Daily Times" (06/16) 
 
"Security forces personnel on Monday claimed to have killed 50 
Taliban in operations in Mohmand, Bajaur, Malakand and Bannu during 
the past 24 hours....  Security forces also consolidated their 
positions and continued search operations in Godhand Banda and Arkot 
in Swat, Matta and Aligrama." 
 
"Taliban Can Spread To India, Persian Gulf: FM" "The Nation" 
(06/16) 
 
"Pakistan has warned that the Taliban could spread beyond its 
borders to neighboring India and as far as the Persian Gulf, unless 
it receives International aid to help battle militancy on its soil, 
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the Financial Times on 
Monday." 
 
"U.S. Embassy Islamabad Hosts Live Web Chat Series to Discover 'US'" 
"Pakistan Observer," "The Statesman," "Jang," "Express" (06/16) 
 
"The U.S. Embassy Islamabad will host a series of weekly live web 
chats with American diplomats to share information about the U.S. on 
different themes and topics of interest to the people of Pakistan. 
The web chats take place every Thursday from 3:00 to 4:00 pm local 
time." 
 
"Offensive Against Baitullah Begins Today" "The News" (06/16) 
 
"The government will launch a full-scale military offensive against 
Baitullah Mahsud-led Taliban in South Waziristan today (Tuesday) in 
which besides regular armed forces, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet 
fighters would also be used in a decisive action.  Sources told 'The 
News' that the decision about military operation was taken at a 
high-level meeting held with Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez 
Kayani on Monday." 
 
"Mehsuds Hedge Their Bets As Game On To Isolate Baitullah" "Dawn" 
(06/16) 
 
"When jets of the Pakistan Air Force struck Makeen - a key trade 
centre of Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan - last week, ostensibly 
to avenge the suicide bombing in Lahore that killed religious 
scholar Dr. Sarfaraz Naeemi, it was the culmination of a two-month 
long in-house debate within the military establishment on how to 
deal with Baitullah Mehsud.  It was, perhaps, the first significant 
indication that the military establishment - long derided for 
avoiding taking the Chief of Pakistani Taliban head-on - had had 
enough.  'He has a hand in virtually every terrorist attack in 
Pakistan,' Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had said recently. 
'We wanted to deliver a message to Baitullah.  If he carries out a 
suicide bombing, then there will be a response and that he can't get 
away with these attacks.  There will be a quid pro quo,' a senior 
military officer said." 
 
"Janikhel Area Of FR Bannu Cleared" "Dawn" (06/16) 
 
"Security forces cleared FR Bannu's Janikhel tehsil, set up 
checkpoints and started action against the Gorbaz tribe on the 
Miramshah Road on Monday morning.  Militants had used the area to 
cross into Waziristan after kidnapping students of the Razmak Cadet 
College early this month." 
 
"Zardari Urge World To Support Pakistan In Anti-Terror War" "Dawn" 
(06/16) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the international community to 
fully support Pakistan's efforts in war against terrorism and help 
it in overcoming the multitude of challenges, including winning 
hearts and minds of people.  'This is a challenge of our times and a 
challenge for the world.  We have two wars.  One is physical against 
militants, other is to look after the internally displaced people. 
World has to come forward to support us,' Mr. Zardari said in an 
interview with Russia Today.  The President Zardari, who is in 
Russia to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 
Summit." 
 
"PM Urges U.S. To Waive Debts" "Pakistan Observer" (06/16) 
 
The Prime Minister was talking to Pugwash Conference on Science and 
World Affairs delegation headed by Prof. Paolo Cotta-Ramsunio, 
Secretary General Pugwash Conferences which called on him at the 
Prime Minister's House Monday morning....  The Prime Minister while 
briefing the visitors over the success of ongoing military 
operation, the relief efforts being undertaken to cater to the needs 
of the influx of displaced persons and the ramification of the 
situation on Pakistan's economy called upon the U.S. to write off 
Pakistan's debt, fast track the Kerry Lugar and ROZ's bills' passage 
through the Congress and to enhance the level of intelligence 
sharing with Pakistan to help his government to bring the present 
campaign against militants to its logical end." 
 
"Extremists Buying Children To Use As Bombers: Malik" "The News" 
(06/16) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said the government is 
determined to continue the war against terrorism till the Taliban 
are flushed out of the country. He said that the terrorists were 
using children for their barbarous terrorist activities, adding a 
suicide bomber was paid Rupees 500,000 to Rupees 2.5 million from 
terrorist outfits.  He was speaking at an award distribution 
ceremony for martyred and other police officials at the National 
Library Auditorium in Islamabad on Monday." 
 
"Terrorists Getting Arms From Afghanistan: Malik" "Pakistan 
Observer" (06/16) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik said here on Monday that terrorists 
operating in Pakistan are being supplied sophisticated arms and 
ammunition from neighboring Afghanistan and the matter has been 
taken up with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.  He was speaking at an 
award distribution ceremony for martyred and other police officials 
at the National Library Auditorium in Islamabad on Monday." 
 
"U.S. Lawmaker For Quick Launch Of ROZs In Pakistan" "The News" 
(06/16) 
 
"Congressman Chris Van Hollen, a leading proponent of the just 
passed reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) program in the U.S. 
House of Representatives, has called on the Senate to approve the 
plan urgently to help Pakistan secure its restive northwestern 
regions. 'With this bill, we are taking steps to forge a true 
strategic partnership with Pakistan and its people, strengthen its 
democratic government, and help Pakistan to be a force for stability 
in this volatile region,' he said, appreciating Islamabad's military 
offensive to oust the Taliban insurgents from Swat and tribal 
areas." 
 
"Pakistan, Russia Vow New Chapter In Ties" "The News" (06/16) 
 
"Pakistan and Russia on Monday vowed to open a new chapter in their 
relationships with joint efforts to boost their economic ties and 
fight terrorism and extremism.  This promise was made in 
Yekaterinburg in a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and 
his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the 
six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"A New Offensive," an editorial in the center-right national English 
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/16) 
 
"The announcement of the launching of a comprehensive and decisive 
operation to eliminate TTP Chief Baitullah Mehsud and dismantle his 
network, should come as no surprise....  Compared to Swat, a 
military operation in South Waziristan could turn out to be more 
expensive in both human and material terms.  It is an area where 
moving supplies and troops requires tying up thousands of troops to 
picket hilltops and valleys to avoid ambushes....   One hopes the 
government has weighed all the pros and cons of the operation. 
Governor Owais Ghani's statement accusing the Mehsud tribe of 
ignoring the repeated warnings to put an end to their 'miscreant' 
activities indicates the government wants to take on the entire 
tribe.  Many would advise it to consider the dangers behind this." 
 
"The Baitullah Mission," an editorial in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"There are many implications and many things that need to be 
pondered carefully while devising a strategy.  But the fact also is 
that at the present, a very real momentum against terrorism has been 
built.  People everywhere are increasingly united in their stance 
against militancy....  These factors mean it may therefore be wise 
to carry through with the tide and finish of the work that has been 
begun.... There seems to be little sense in allowing the Taliban 
time to re-group and re-organize....  The time has come to go for 
the final kill, so we can all reclaim a country that has, village by 
village, town by town, been stolen away from us." 
 
"Decision To Start Operation Against Baitullah Mehsud," an editorial 
in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/16) 
 
"Growing terrorist incidents are once again posing a challenge to 
the writ of the state.  Countering this is possible only if the 
operation against militancy continues until militants are completely 
defeated; the government should not succumb to any pressure at all. 
It is encouraging that we are heading in the right direction and 
that there is complete harmony between the army and the government 
in this regard." 
 
"Militancy's HQ," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"What is not clear though at the moment is what exactly the security 
forces' plan is.  Will they only go after Baitullah Mehsud and his 
network or will they try and clean up both South and North 
Waziristan Agency of all militants?...  But remains to be seen how 
far the state is willing to go, the losses it is willing to accept, 
the cost it is ready to impose on the local populations and to what 
extent it is ready to disrupt the various networks of militants that 
are intertwined.  Just as importantly, the state must be careful 
about who it sees as its allies.  Baitullah Mehsud has many rivals 
and enemies among the Mehsud tribe, but defeating him with the help 
of others only to see those others become the next menace - that 
must not be allowed to happen." 
 
"Attacking Baitullah's Den," an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/16) 
 
"South Waziristan is a stronghold on many counts.  Baitullah and his 
friends of the FATA region in varying degrees of strength....  There 
are reports not only that the Taliban are cornered but that Al Qaeda 
too is squeezed for resources and is appealing internationally for 
funds.  This could be the time to strike....  There is no doubt that 
the operation in South Waziristan, if it materializes, will have to 
be well-coordinated at the international level.  As for inside 
Pakistan, the national consensus against the Taliban is intact and 
will favor the war being taken to the enemy instead of waiting for 
the enemy to continue to strike at will." 
 
"Chasing Mehsud," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English 
daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (06/16) 
 
"Pakistan army is once again set to apply force to capture the 
militants, especially Baitullah Mehsud, who is alleged of harboring 
foreign troops on the Pakistani soil.  The use of military force is 
an important element in dealing with an insurgency.  The government, 
belatedly realizing the need to capture or kill Baitullah Mehsud and 
other Taliban leaders after their activities against the peaceful 
religious leaders, including Maulana Sarfaraz Naeemi.  To cope with 
a precarious internal and external situation, the government has 
done well to make a coordinated effort to address this issue, which 
surely is central to Pakistan's survival as an independent state. 
This endeavor should be taken to its logical end, as leaving it 
halfway could prove disastrous." 
 
"Why Not Reflect, Consult Before Opening New Fronts?," an editorial 
in the leading mass circulation populist, often sensational Urdu 
daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (06/16) 
 
"NWFP Governor Awais Ghani has announced a decisive military 
operation against TTP Chief Baitullah Mehsud and his associates.... 
Expanding the scope of the operation will lead to more death and 
destruction and new problems for the government....  It is also 
imperative that the government should take parliament's approval 
before launching the operation.  The discussion in the parliament 
should be utilized to garner support of political parties....  We 
want to say once again that only dialogue for the sake of national 
interest and not the use of excessive force can bring a lasting 
solution to the problem.  Use of force never solved any problem." 
 
"Announcement For Decisive Operation By NWFP Governor," an editorial 
in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/16) 
 
"NWFP Governor Awais Ghani has announced decisive action against 
banned TTP and militants....  As a reaction to the ongoing 
operation, the entire country is in the grip of worst terrorism and 
suicide attacks.  If the military operation was expanded further the 
possibility of more terrorism and more suicide attacks can't be 
ruled out.  Although the Frontier Governor talked of decisive 
operation, immediate results of the operation are not in sight. 
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is now admitting that this is 
guerilla warfare and the gun cannot solve every problem." 
 
"Decisive Action Against Baitullah," an op-ed by Rahimullah Yusufzai 
in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" 
(cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"No military operation against Taliban militants in NWFP could be 
decisive without taking on and defeating the Tehrik-e-Taliban 
Pakistan (TTP) head, Baitullah Mehsud....  The major threat was none 
else but the TTP founder and the main battlefield was always going 
to be Waziristan....  Baitullah Mehsud is the most powerful Pakistan 
Taliban commander.  He is capable of carrying out suicide bombings 
and terrorist attacks in all major cities of Pakistan, kidnapping 
important people and using them as bargaining chip, and activating 
fighters from TTP units all over NWFP and his Jihadi allies in 
Punjab and Sindh to put pressure on the government to once again 
seek peace with him.  He has done this in the past and will try to 
do so again." 
 
"A Hand Moving Towards Nuclear Capability," an op-ed by Ayaz Khan in 
liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/16) 
 
"Our security and intelligence agencies have often complained to the 
U.S. that it has avoided taking any action against Baitullah Mehsud. 
[U.S.] has made claims of having killed several persons linked to Al 
Qaeda and terrorists in drone attacks -- one person who has not been 
targeted is Baitullah Mehsud.  In the past, Baitullah Mehsud was 
also seen entering and exiting the U.S. Embassy....  Now that the 
NWFP Governor has announced a military operation against Baitullah 
Mehsud, the first voice raised in opposition has come from the U.S. 
American scholar Nicholas Schmidle has said that the time is not 
right for an operation in South Waziristan...  The U.S. has also 
announced a reward for help in capturing Mehsud, but it would not 
want an important pawn like Mehsud to be targeted. Soon you will see 
that the U.S. will oppose, at the official level, an operation in 
South Waziristan.  And then visitors from the U.S. will start 
pouring in. An operation against Baitullah Mehsud during Pervez 
Musharraf's time was stopped just when the noose was being tightened 
around him. It now remains to be seen how our political and military 
leadership will face up to U.S. pressure this time." 
 
"Evaluating The Orders," an op-ed by Kamran Shafi in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"It has been decided that a comprehensive and decisive operation 
will be launched to eliminate Baitullah Mehsud and dismantle his 
network....  The conspiracies range from an American plot to push 
more Taliban into Pakistan so as to tie up the army in FATA while 
they 'take out' our nuclear weapons and missiles, and thence to 
break up Pakistan.  Here is one published in a daily on May 28, 
2009, verbatim: 'Once Pakistan is denuclearized the U.S. would 
encourage Pakistan's Balkanisation into a Baloch U.S. satellite, a 
city state of MQM in Karachi, a Pakhtunistan badly bombed and in 
tatters and a Punjab stripped of nuclear potential, kicked and 
bullied by India.  A Northern Area republic which is a U.S. lackey 
unless China decides to call the U.S. bluff by occupying the 
Northern Area.  'What is the answer to this: an immediate clean 
break with U.S./NATO and closing all NATO/U.S. supply lines to 
Afghanistan; mining and barbed wiring the Afghan Pakistan border; 
allowing the Fata agencies to import goods for Afghanistan duty free 
and scrapping the old Afghan Transit Trade Accord thus economically 
boosting the FATA.  A military alliance with China with a Chinese 
naval base at Gwadar; rapprochement with Russia and offering the 
Russians free port facilities at Gwadar; creation of a maritime 
province in Gwadar and Lasbela districts insulating these areas from 
the Baloch Sardars on payroll of U.S. intelligence; creation of a 
Pashtun province in the Pashtun districts of Balochistan with Quetta 
as its capital.' I ask you.  These brilliant thoughts end thus: 
Everything is not inevitable in history." 
 
"Dilemmas Of Expanding The War," an op-ed by Dr. Maleeha Lodhi in 
the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" 
(cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"The decision to take the fight to Waziristan has come in the wake 
of a mounting reign of terror unleashed by militants....  Improved 
tactics, higher morale and greater confidence to fight insurgency 
are all important elements of this military momentum.  As important 
is the momentum of public opinion.  The public support that has been 
building up for a decisive crackdown on militants provides a crucial 
enabling political environment to expand the military operation.... 
Factoring into future strategy the lessons learned from past 
mistakes is the only way to avoid repeating them." 
 
"This Is A Long War," an op-ed by Raza Rumi in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/16) 
 
"The military operation is just the beginning.  It is going to be a 
war, if the consensus is further deepened and nurtured, for the next 
few years given the way it is spilling into big cities, engulfing 
sectarian and ethnic tensions germane to Pakistan's society.  It has 
to be fought not just militarily either.  It has to be waged within 
the media, within the education system and above all with a credible 
ideological alternative to suicidal anti-Americanism and vague 
notions of tribal justice founded on misogyny....  But the 
misleading currents of analyses that this is an American war, and 
somehow the Taliban have public support in pockets of Pakistan, are 
inherently dangerous propaganda tools deliberately cultivated to 
suit certain interests." 
 
"Anti-Terrorism Force," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(06/16) 
 
"The methods pursued by the extremists at work in Pakistan resemble 
a form of urban warfare where it is not easy to tell a terrorist 
from a civilian.  All a militant has to do to pass for a 
non-combatant is to temporarily abandon his weapon.  This allows 
terrorists to melt at will into the civilian population, making the 
countering of possible attacks doubly difficult....  There is, 
therefore, a need to constitute a new security force trained 
specifically to counter terrorism....  The ability to tell a 
terrorist from a non-combatant will depend on local knowledge and 
require an ear-to-the-ground approach." 
 
"Ambassador Rebuts The FM," an editorial in the Islamabad-based 
rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (06/16) 
 
"There was yet another drone attack by the United States killing at 
least five people in Ladha region of South Waziristan Agency on 
Sunday.  Echoing feelings of the people, Foreign Minister Shah 
Mahmood Qureshi has resented these attacks saying that the 
Government has told Washington in clear terms that these were 
counter-productive and must be stopped forthwith. However, the 
country's representative in the U.S. capital Hussain Haqqani, who is 
understandably very close to some of the policy-makers has claimed 
that drone attacks were very much productive as many of the top 
leaders of Al-Qaeda had been killed in these attacks.  It seems that 
during his intensive interaction, the Ambassador, instead of 
influencing the thinking of the U.S. policy-makers, has himself 
fallen victim to American point of view as his remarks give an 
impression as if he was speaking for the U.S. and not for 
Pakistan....  The entire nation is one in condemning the persistent 
violation of the country's sovereignty by the arrogant 
superpower.... A dispassionate assessment of what is happening in 
FATA and Swat would reveal that each drone and missile attack has 
contributed to increase in militancy." 
 
"Hussain Haqqani: Whose Ambassador?," an editorial in the 
second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" 
(cir. 150,000) (06/16) 
 
"Pakistan Ambassador in the U.S. Hussain Haqqani said that drone 
attacks in tribal areas proved useful....  Our rulers do not have 
the courage to condemn the drone attacks, but each one of them 
expressed reservation on the attacks and asked for stopping them. 
But Hussain Haqqani describes them as useful.... In view of his 
statements people describe him as the American and not Pakistani 
Ambassador.  The government should appoint another ambassador to the 
U.S. who should be patriotic and a Pakistani." 
 
"Mere Eyewash," an editorial in the center-right national English 
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/16) 
 
"The Israeli Prime Minister has ruled out a complete halt to the 
Jewish settlements.  In reality, this shows that Israel is not at 
all serious about the peace process.  What Hamas calls the racist 
and extremist ideology of Netanyahu, who has lived up to his 
reputation of being a hawk, reflects the truth.  The U.S., with 
President Obama at the helm, would have to put more pressure on the 
Jewish entity.  A just settlement of the issue is central to winning 
the hearts and minds of Muslims. Peace will remain elusive until the 
formation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state." 
 
"Peace Process Scuttled," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(06/16) 
 
"The much-awaited speech went totally against President Barack 
Obama's clear-cut stance that Israel must halt all settlement 
activity and that his administration stood categorically for a 
two-state solution.  By insisting that Jerusalem would remain 
Israel's capital, Mr. Netanyahu ruled out the final status 
negotiations, and by demanding that Israel be recognized as a Jewish 
state he made it clear Palestinian refugees would not be allowed to 
return to their soil from where they were made to flee during the 
1948-49 fighting. More astonishingly, he not only rejected President 
Barack Obama's call for a settlements freeze, he said the 
settlements should be allowed to grow, saying the settlers were 'not 
the enemy of peace - they are our brothers and sisters.' The rebuff 
to President Obama's peace efforts is obvious, for Mr. Netanyahu has 
given the world an unabashed dose of his intransigence." 
 
"A New Beginning," an op-ed by Dr. Ahmad Rashid Malik in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(06/16) 
 
"The Palestinian Authority praised President Obama's remarks as 
'nice beginning.'...  A new chapter of U.S. Muslim world has been 
heralded by President Obama.  He went extra thousands of miles 
bringing the United States and the Islamic world closer.  There is 
nothing wrong if Muslims put expectations too high on President 
Obama's new diplomacy towards the Muslim world.  Let's be 
optimistic.  A ray of hope is beaconing and changes will follow and 
we expect that actions will be speaking louder than the words 
expressed by President Obama at Cairo University." 
 
"Uncalled For U.S. Concern Over Iran's Presidential Election," an 
editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/16) 
 
"Statements from the U.S. like 'we will wait for a public verdict' 
are tantamount to fanning unrest in Iran which could create a civil 
war-like situation in that country.  It is not necessary that a 
candidate supported by the U.S. should have won the election; it is 
the public that decides on who wins and that verdict should be 
accepted.  Moreover, this is Iran's internal matter and should be 
resolved domestically." 
 
"Iranian Polls: Ratification Of Ahmadinejad's Policies," an 
editorial in the Lahore-based independent Urdu daily "Din" (cir. 
10,000) (06/16) 
 
"International powers have made several attempts to create an 
opposition in Iran that can act as a tool in their hands.  Protests 
by the reformists during the last several presidential elections in 
Iran could be a result of this foreign interference.... 
Ahmadinejad's re-election is very encouraging for Pakistan. It is 
due to his efforts that Pakistan and Iran have signed the gas 
pipeline deal and cooperation in several other areas is also under 
consideration. U.S. and western countries' concern at the elections 
is of no importance to Iran. The U.S. and the west will come back on 
the track as soon as the reformists' protest ends." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson