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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001421 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JUNE 29, 2009 
 
Summary:  Reports of fierce clashes between security forces and 
militants in North Waziristan that resulted in the deaths of twelve 
Pakistani soldiers and ten militants dominated headlines in all 
newspapers on Monday.  All major newspapers highlighted reports and 
photographs of U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Petraeus' meeting with 
Pakistan's Army Chief General Kayani.  Assistant Secretary of State 
Robert O. Blake's remarks that "U.S. will support dialogue between 
India and Pakistan to promote regional stability" received prominent 
display.  Several newspapers published a report originally carried 
by the Foreign Policy Journal that "Pakistan remains among the top 
10 failed states." In addition, a front page story in the English 
daily, "Dawn," reported that the "U.S. is helping Pakistan modernize 
its nuclear arsenal in hopes of making them safer."  Prime Minister 
Gilani's statement that the "time for dialogue with militants was 
over, as a decisive action against them was under way" received 
extensive coverage.  Weekend newspapers carried a short report that 
the "U.S. provided 600 digital English Language Teaching programs to 
Pakistani public schools."  Reports of the appointment of Farah 
Pandith as U.S. Special Representative to the Muslim world also 
figured prominently. 
 
Most major newspapers ran editorials on a host of subjects that 
included the prevailing water and power crises in the country, 
national security situation, rebuilding lives of IDPs and 
post-election situation of Iran.  Commenting on the scope of the 
military operation, the second-largest newspaper and center-right 
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" noted that the escape of up to 
7,000 extremists towards South Punjab is setting off alarm bells. 
South Punjab has uranium reserves, "which have to be protected from 
Americans."  Recounting the menace of sectarianism in Kurram Agency, 
the Lahore-based liberal English daily, "Daily Times," noted that 
"the local population (of Kurram Agency) has virtually given up on 
Pakistan during the two years that have seen all roads going to 
Pakistan cut off and the federal government ditching them after 
promising to come to their help 'within a fortnight.'"  The 
prestigious English daily, "Dawn," observed that "one must welcome 
the realism shown by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Afghanistan 
and Russia in recognizing drug trafficking as a major source of 
funding for terrorists."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Twelve soldiers killed in Waziristan attack; Gun-Battle Leaves 10 
Militants Dead" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"Twelve soldiers were killed after militants reportedly aligned with 
the Baitullah Mehsud group ambushed a military convoy in North 
Waziristan on Sunday. Ten militants were killed in the ensuing 
gun-battle.  Security forces and militants were engaged in fierce 
clashes till late night.  According to local people, helicopters 
were bombing militants' positions." 
 
"Top U.S. Commander Petraeus Meets Gen. Kayani" "The News," (06/29) 
 
"David Petraeus, the Commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and 
Iraq, who is on a daylong official visit to Pakistan, on Sunday, met 
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at the General 
Headquarters.  According to ISPR, matters of mutual interest were 
discussed during the meeting.  'General Petraeus arrived in 
Islamabad today (Sunday) for scheduled meetings with senior 
Pakistani officials,' said U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor.  'He 
will discuss topics of mutual interest.'  U.S. officials have voiced 
strong support for a current Pakistan military offensive to clear 
the Taliban militants from swathes of the northwest, with the 
military currently readying for an assault on the northwest border 
region." 
 
"U.S. To Support Indo-Pak Talks But Refuses To Mediate" "The News" 
(06/29) 
 
"The United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and 
Central Asia Robert O. Blake has said the U.S. will support dialogue 
between India and Pakistan to promote regional stability.  Briefing 
the U.S. Congress he, however, made it clear that the U.S. will 
leave it to both the countries to chalk out their own course of 
action in this regard." 
 
"Pakistan Among Top 10 'Failed States': Report" "The News" (06/29) 
 
"Pakistan, split down the middle with terrorist attacks and facing 
an economic crisis, remains among the top 10 failed states, says an 
index prepared by the renowned Foreign Policy journal.  IANS 
reports, the country, placed ninth among all countries last year in 
terms of its overall achievement, has improved its position only by 
a notch - it is placed 10th in the index for 2009 published in the 
July-August issue of the journal." 
 
"U.S. Helping Modernize Pakistan's N-Arsenal" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"The United States is helping Pakistan modernize its nuclear arsenal 
in hopes of making them safer, says a report released on Sunday. 
Andrew Cockburn, a renowned author who has written several books on 
security issues, says that the official aim of U.S. technical 
support, at an estimated cost of $100 million a year, is to prevent 
accidents and to ensure that they are out of the extremists' reach. 
But in pursuit of this objective, 'it is inevitable that the U.S. is 
not only rendering the warheads more operationally reliable, we are 
also transferring the technology required to design more 
sophisticated warheads without having to test them', the report 
adds." 
 
"Time For Dialogue With Militants Over: PM" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said in Lahore on Sunday 
that a decisive action against terrorists in parts of the NWFP and 
FATA was under way and the time for dialogue with the militants was 
over now.  'The operation will reach its logical conclusion very 
soon,' the Prime Minister told journalists at Jamia Naeemia where he 
had gone to offer condolences over the death of Dr. Sarfaraz 
Naeemi." 
 
"U.S. Embassy Provides Digital English Language Digital Teaching 
Programs For Public Schools In Pakistan" "Daily Times, "The Nation," 
"Jang" (06/27) 
 
"The United States provided 600 digital English Language Teaching 
(ELT) programs for distribution to Pakistan's public schools during 
a ceremony hosted at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).  The 
digital programs, on CD-ROM, are funded through a $41,000 grant to 
AIOU by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad.  The one-year digital course is 
designed for students in grades 6 to 10 and will be used in 
approximately 1600 public schools across Pakistan." 
 
"Baitullah Now Carries Head Money From Both U.S., Pakistan" "The 
News" (06/29) 
 
"Baitullah Mehsud has become the only Pakistani with a head-money 
separately announced by both the Pakistan government and the U.S. 
However, the head money placed on him by the U.S. is far larger than 
that announced by Pakistan.  It is offering $5 million for his 
capture.  In comparison, the Pakistan Government offer of rupees 50 
million for credible information that could lead to his capture.... 
Requesting anonymity, one intelligence expert, said the two 
governments should pool their efforts not only in terms of the head 
money they are offering for Baitullah Mehsud, or BM as he is called 
by officials of the intelligence agencies, but also getting him 
killed or captured through a coordinated strategy.  The belated 
announcement of head money by the Pakistan government for Baitullah 
Mahsud and 10 other Pakistani Taliban commanders was made through an 
advertisement carried by newspapers on Sunday.  All 11 of them are 
affiliated to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and belong to 
FATA." 
 
"Two Commanders, Bombers' Trainer Arrested In Swat" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"Security forces on Sunday claimed arrested two local militant 
commanders and a suicide bombers' trainer in Swat Valley.  Local 
militant commanders, identified as Akbar and Saleem and a suicide 
bombers' trainer Abdul Rehman." 
 
"8 More Die In Kurram Clashes" "The News" (06/29) 
 
"Eight more people were killed and several others injured during the 
ongoing clashes in various parts of the troubled Lower Kurram Agency 
on Sunday, sources said.  The sources told 'The News' that armed men 
of the warring tribes were sporadically trading fire and targeting 
each other's positions in Balishkhel, Sangeena, Khar Killay, Sadda 
city and Mingak areas of the agency." 
 
"'Mastermind' Of Shrines Bombing Nabbed" "The News" (06/29) 
 
"The police on Sunday claimed to have arrested the mastermind of the 
bombing of shrines in the NWFP, along with his companion.  The 
mastermind, identified as Qari Roohullah, a resident of Tarha 
village in Battagram." 
 
"It's A Long Battle: TTP" "The Nation" (06/29) 
 
"Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has declared they would never give 
up their fight.  'We'll continue our fight until we achieve our 
goals, TTP spokesman, Muslim Khan, said by telephone.  Muslim Khan, 
who said he was speaking from Swat, said Taliban leaders were alive 
and determined to fight on.  'We retreated according to our plan. 
We'll carry out guerrilla attacks ... It's a long battle,' he said." 
 
 
"Great Game Afoot In South Asia: Owais Ghani" "Daily Times" (06/29) 
 
"There is a 'great game' being played in the region, and 
Afghanistan, and to some extent Pakistan, are its victims, NWFP 
Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said on Sunday.  He told a private TV 
channel Pakistan would emerge stronger than ever from the crises 
currently plaguing it.  He said some world powers were trying to 
divide Pakistan, adding that if he were not a governor, he would 
have exposed them. Concerning his statement that NATO forces and 
Afghan militants were attempting to weaken Pakistan, he claimed 
there was a difference between their [NATO] stated objectives and 
their actions, which were undermining Pakistan.  The governor said 
he had told several American officials, including General Petraeus, 
Richard Boucher and Richard Holbrooke, that they would have to talk 
to Afghan leaders such as Mullah Omer if they wanted to resolve the 
Afghan issue." 
 
"Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Hold Anti-U.S. Rally" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"Members of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) (Karachi chapter) lambasted the 
U.S. for 'interference in Pakistani affairs' during a rally on 
Sunday, and demanded that Pakistan's leaders 'shun the U.S. agenda. 
They said 'the root cause behind all of Pakistan's problems' was 
'U.S. meddling.'" 
 
"Talks Without Kashmir Won't Bring Peace: Gilani" "Dawn" (06/29) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that talks with 
India would not contribute to a durable peace in the region unless 
the issue of Kashmir was addressed. 'Kashmir is a core issue and its 
resolution is necessary for durable regional peace. Ignoring it in 
dialogue with India will not help to sustain the talks process,' the 
prime minister told journalists in Mansoora." 
 
"Pak Embassy In U.S. Clarifies Lobbying Report" "The News" (06/29) 
 
"The Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Sunday clarified a report on 
lobbying firms hired by Pakistan and other Pakistani organizations. 
It said: "Neither has Pakistan hired 11 lobbying firms and nor are 
the dollars flowing out on account of lobbying for Pakistan. 
Currently, Pakistan has hired only two firms - Locke Lord 
Strategies-LP and Cassidy & Associates.  It's unfortunate that the 
write-up listed names of 11 companies and gave an impression as if 
all these companies have been hired by the current government." 
 
"Lobbying Dollars Flowing Out At Super Speed" "The News" (06/28) 
 
"At least 11 big and small, known and unknown, lobbying companies 
have been hired by Pakistan and state-owned Pakistani organizations 
in the U.S., paying them hundreds of thousands of dollars every 
month, some of them having mysterious names and almost dubious 
credentials.  Although lobbying is a legal profession in Washington, 
the way it is conducted has earned it the nickname of 'officially 
certified corruption' and what the Pakistan government, Pakistan 
Embassy and Pakistani organizations are doing may come close to this 
unofficial definition, analysts say.  The information about these 
lobbying firms is public record and is available on official 
websites of U.S. government agencies and organizations.  But somehow 
Pakistani clients of these lobbying firms have tried to camouflage 
their widely spread activities under different names and different 
categories so that at one time not more than two or three companies 
could be officially acknowledged as government lobbyists." 
 
"Special U.S. Representative For Muslim World" "Dawn" (06/27) 
 
"The Obama administration has appointed a woman of Kashmiri origin, 
Farah Pandith, as America's special representative to the Muslim 
world.  Her appointment, announced by Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton on Thursday afternoon, however, has raised eyebrows in 
India.  Ms. Pandith's task will be to advise Secretary Clinton on 
dealing with Muslim communities around the world, in keeping with 
the Obama administration's efforts to improve relations with the 
Muslim world." 
 
"Stop Drone Attacks, Zardari Tells U.S. Envoy" "The Statesman" 
(06/27) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday again made it clear to United 
States to stop drone attack on Pakistan's soil, urging a negative 
impact is being created in the minds of the people.  President 
Zardari expressed these views while talking to U.S. Ambassador in 
Pakistan Anne W. Patterson on Friday.  President hosted a luncheon 
for the U.S. Ambassador.  Host of issues came under discussion with 
special focus on war against terrorism and drone attacks, sources 
told Online." 
 
"U.S. Buildings, Envoys In Pak Under Threat" "Daily Times" (06/27) 
 
"Terrorists have plans to attack the American embassy, consulates 
and diplomats, according to an intelligence report.  Sources told 
Urdu daily 'Aaj Kal' that the National Crisis Management Cell of the 
Interior Ministry had already notified all provincial home 
departments of the threat.  According to the intelligence report, a 
target has been assigned to a man named Muhammad Ayub, a resident of 
Quetta.  Also, law-enforcement agencies have been directed to put 
security on high alert in light of the threat.  'Aaj Kal' report." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"The Need To Limit The Duration And Scope Of The Military Operation" 
an editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu 
daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (06/29) 
 
"The escape of up to 7,000 extremists towards South Punjab is 
alarming.  South Punjab has uranium reserves, which have to be 
protected from Americans....  The government should pay attention to 
limiting the scope of the operation and to eliminate the actual 
causes of the conflict....  Expansion of the military operation 
against on American pressure is not prudent.  America, India and 
Israel are after our nuclear power and they want to steal the 
same." 
 
"Is South Punjab Next After Swat?," an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (06/29) 
 
"Insurgents are making inroads into Punjab not only for safe havens 
but also to seek revenge against Islamabad for its operations in 
Swat and FATA, which led to the killing of over two thousand of 
their comrades....  The militants know that to remove pressures in 
Swat, Malakand and FATA, they need to hit back and Punjab could be 
their target....  Taliban in FATA and Malakand have money, training 
sites and suicide bombers and with availability of sanctuaries in 
southern parts of the country, they could play havoc." 
 
"The Long Wait In Kurram," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (06/29) 
 
"As Kurram Agency on the border with Afghanistan waits for the 
return of the writ of the Pakistani state for the past three years, 
the Taliban depredations in the guise of sectarianism continue 
around the headquarters of the Parachinar agency....  The local 
population has virtually given up on Pakistan during the two years 
that have seen all roads going to Pakistan cut off and the federal 
government ditching them after promising to come to their help 
'within a fortnight.'...  The people of Kurram have waited a long 
time for the state of Pakistan to rescue them.  Now as the state 
asserts itself for sovereignty in South Waziristan and the TTP and 
Al Qaeda terrorists are on the run, the time may have come for the 
Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, to fulfill his pledge that Pakistan 
would come to the rescue of Kurram 'within a fortnight.'" 
 
"Money For The Taliban," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(06/29) 
 
"One must welcome the realism shown by the foreign ministers of 
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia in recognizing drug trafficking as 
a major source of funding for terrorists....  The various Taliban 
factions run billion-dollar empires.  They need - and manage to get 
- big money for sustaining military operations, which require not 
only an uninterrupted supply of sophisticated weapons but also a 
modern logistics system, besides an underworld that runs 
recruitment, brainwashing and training centers.  The point to note 
is that not all this money comes from the drug trade, for there are 
other sources of funding available to the Taliban, including from 
those who have misguided concepts of philanthropy....  While the 
tripartite cooperation is welcome, the onus perhaps is on us in 
Pakistan because of the subtlety of the challenge and its effect on 
the current military operations against the Taliban." 
 
"Kurram Killings," an editorial in the center-right national English 
daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/29) 
 
"Kurram Agency, which has seen sectarian strife in the past, has 
once again erupted into violence....  The situation has turned 
frightening for half a million people living in the region bordering 
Afghanistan....  Both sides are trying to consolidate their 
positions while accusing each other of seeking help from the 
outsiders....  The fact that the security forces have not so far 
acted to curb the violence is disconcerting....  Those in authority 
need to rise from slumber and take appropriate measures to curb 
violence in the region that is prone to sectarian strife, lest the 
worsening law and order situation there should turn into another 
humanitarian crisis." 
 
"A Welcome Prospect," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (06/29) 
 
"Mr. Holbrooke's anxiety for the IDPs is quite appreciable but one 
cannot accept the liberties he so often takes with matters that are 
purely of Pakistan's internal concern.  As Pakistani authorities are 
expressing the view that the militants in Swat have been dealt a 
deadly blow, the operation is in the final stages and will soon be 
over, he tells Reuters that it is too soon to declare victory.  His 
apprehension about the safety and security of these people against 
militants' inroads in the future is shared by Pakistanis and, 
indeed, by the world.  The answer lies in using U.S. influence in 
securing assistance adequate enough to start their lives afresh and 
in the supply of military equipment to Pakistan army to meet the 
menace." 
 
"Need For Joint Efforts Against Terrorism," an editorial in liberal 
Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (06/29) 
 
"G-8 countries' assurance of lending all-out support and cooperation 
to Pakistan in the war on terror shows that the western countries 
are slowly becoming aware of Pakistan's difficulties in this bloody 
war. How these countries actually help Pakistan in controlling these 
difficulties remains to be seen.  For now, we will have to be 
satisfied with their statements." 
 
"A Successful March Against America," an editorial in the 
Karachi-based right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat" 
(cir. 3,000) (06/29) 
 
"By holding a massive rally in Karachi against Americans this 
Sunday, Jamaat-e-Islami has proven that it truly represents people's 
aspirations. On the contrary, the pro-American forces are creating 
chaos and anarchy in the country, and support to these elements is 
coming from Afghanistan which is occupied by Americans along with 
troops of about 40 countries.  The rally also demonstrates that the 
military operation in Swat is not supported by public in general, 
and the national resources are failed to influence the Pakistani 
nation." 
 
"Government's Concern To Introduce Contemporary Subjects In 
Madarassas," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi 
Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (06/29) 
"The Interior Ministry's announcement of forming a regulatory 
authority for Madarassas and the Interior Minister's desire to add 
modern subjects to the curriculum is not only surprising but 
meaningful as well. It is either the Ministry of Education or the 
Ministry of Religious Affairs that could have taken up these 
matters; the Interior Ministry is not directly linked with these 
matters, especially regarding the curriculum....  If the teaching of 
engineering is not compulsory for a medical student, and if computer 
science students cannot be compelled to study medicine, how can 
Madarassa students be forced to study irrelevant subjects?" 
 
"Reporting War," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (06/29) 
 
"A balance has to be made between the public need to know, the 
military ability to provide enough detail to satisfy the public, and 
a better-developed awareness of the particular skills necessary for 
good war reporting by journalists in the field.  It is time that we 
had a trained cadre of reporters who can do this difficult job, who 
have the skills to remain objective and fact-led under the most 
trying of circumstances.  Until we do then the military are going to 
remain suspicious and keep the media at arms length.  Our 
institutions of higher education which offer training in journalism 
are predominantly print oriented. If our 'new media' is to mature 
they need to be recruiting from a graduate pool that has the 
appropriate skills." 
 
"Restrictions On Movement," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(06/29) 
 
"Security and freedom are bad neighbors.  To create a sense of 
safety and security, the authorities often put restrictions on 
people's movement....  Popular reaction to such security measures 
becomes all the more negative when they are meant to block access to 
the government itself....  The government's standpoint is that its 
offices and residential buildings are obvious targets for terrorists 
and, therefore, should be safeguarded no matter what.  But the 
citizens might be forgiven for thinking that a government obsessed 
with its own security can do little to maintain public safety. 
People also fail to understand why one area needs more securing than 
all others and see it as an attempt to differentiate between the 
rulers and the ruled.  That they should see their freedoms 
compromised thus, without raising an outcry, beats and imagination" 
 
 
"The Stakes In Waziristan," an op-ed by Syed Mohammad Ali in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (06/29) 
 
"Militancy in the NWFP is sustained by competing powers seeking to 
secure their strategic and energy interests in the complex milieu of 
South and Central Asia.  The question arises that if this insurgency 
happens to survive a few more years, will Islamabad be able to keep 
the Pakhtun nationalist elements on its side against the religious 
militants....  The government will have to draw up a comprehensive 
political and economic strategy to isolate TTP leadership before it 
launches a military operation in Waziristan....  Taliban by engaging 
Pakistani military forces are diverting its resources into an 
internal war rather than let it be prepared against any potential 
external threat.  Today the stakes of this conflict in FATA and the 
NWFP are higher for Pakistan's security than they have ever been 
before.  This could be the decisive battle for the identity and 
future of our nation and like 1965 or 1971 we should not totally 
depend on the U.S. alone for winning it." 
 
"Karzai's Gimmick," an editorial in the Peshawar-based, independent 
regional daily "The Frontier Post" (cir. 7,000) (06/29) 
 
"The reports emanating from the world capitals in wide circulation 
that Americans, backed up by their western and Arab allies, are 
contemplating to install a chosen satrap to run the country with 
Karzai sitting atop as a mere figurehead.  Given Afghanistan's 
dependence on foreign dole to subsist and survive, Karzai will 
perforce again be playing just a valet.  Talking peace with Taliban 
will be none of his charge.  Others will be in charge, if at all 
some such move is ever undertaken by the powers in control of the 
Afghans destiny.  So if he goes down in the history not as a 
national hero but as a betrayer, he will have himself to blame." 
"India's Water Aggression Must Be Stopped," an editorial in the 
popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 10,000) (06/29) 
 
"A few days ago, during his meeting with U.S. National Security 
Advisor James Jones, PM Gillani asked the U.S. to play a role in 
helping with the Kashmir and water disputes with India.  This shows 
that our government has finally realized the importance of the water 
issue with India.  However, if we do not take timely action and seek 
the international community's help in stopping India from its 
dangerous plan, we will regret it." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson