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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001528 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 08, 2009 
 
Summary:  Reports of a U.S. drone attack on a militant training 
center in South Waziristan that killed 16 militants received 
prominent front page coverage in all Pakistani newspapers on 
Wednesday.   Newspapers also widely covered a meeting between the 
Pakistani President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, and Chief of the 
Army Staff Kiyani who met the "third time in a week to discuss 
internal and external threats."  President Zardari's statement that 
"militants and extremists have been deliberately created and 
nurtured as a policy to achieve some short-term tactical objectives" 
was also highlighted by all newspapers.  Newspapers also gave 
front-page coverage to the visit of British Foreign Secretary 
Miliband who, they reported, urged "long-term security relations 
with Pakistan." 
 
Most major dailies ran analytical editorials on the recently-inked 
U.S.-Russia accords. The English daily, "Dawn," noted that "supplies 
through Russia should take some pressure off Pakistan in terms of 
fuel supply and other materials for the coalition forces. However, 
Islamabad's role in the war on terror will continue to remain 
crucial."  Another English daily, "The News," observed that the 
"cordial note" struck between U.S. President Barack Obama and his 
Russian counterpart Medvedev during their first summit meeting at 
the Kremlin has important implications for Pakistan, noting that "in 
past decades, decisions taken in Washington and Moscow have altered 
the fate of our country."  The Urdu daily, "Express" wrote: "As a 
result of several issues having been resolved between the two 
countries, now it will be easy for the world - and these two 
countries in particular - to emerge from the effects of the Cold War 
era."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"U.S. Drone Kills 16 Militants In South Waziristan" "Dawn" (07/08) 
 
"A suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles at a militant training 
centre in Laddha subdivision of South Waziristan on Tuesday, killing 
16 militants and injuring 10 others.  Five foreigners were among the 
dead, security officials said.  The camp allegedly run by militants 
loyal to Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was in Chenakai area of the 
Shabikhels, a sub clan of Mehsud tribe." 
 
"Court Dismisses Petition Against Drone Attacks" "Dawn" (07/08) 
 
"The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition 
seeking halt to drone attacks on the tribal areas of the country by 
America and asking under what law the government had permitted the 
attacks." 
 
"Troika Meets For Third Time In A Week" "Dawn" (07/08) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and 
Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani met on Tuesday 
for a third time in seven days to 'discuss internal and external 
threats.'  Though an official press release maintained that the 
three discussed matters concerning national security, it did not 
mention any specific threat to the security of the country." 
 
"Militants Nurtured For Short-Term Objectives: Zardari" "Dawn" 
(07/08) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that militants and 
extremists had been deliberately created and nurtured as a policy to 
achieve some short-term tactical objectives.  'They did not emerge 
because the civil bureaucracy was weak or demoralized.  Let us be 
truthful and make a candid admission of the reality,' the President 
said." 
 
"U.K. Has Long-Term Security Relations With Pak: Miliband" "Dawn" 
(07/08) 
 
"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Tuesday his 
government shared Pakistan's concern and realized fully the 
difficulties it faced because of the large number of people 
displaced by the military operation in Malakand division.  During a 
visit to a camp of the internally displaced persons in Chota Lahore 
tehsil, Mr. Miliband said his government was committed to providing 
assistance for the IDPs.  Mr. Miliband arrived in Islamabad earlier 
in the day on a three-day official visit." 
 
"U.S. Seeks No Pak Bases: Obama" "The Nation" (07/08) 
 
"President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that we seek no bases, nor 
do we want to control these nations - Afghanistan and Pakistan. 
Instead, we want to work with international partners, including 
Russia, to help Afghans and Pakistanis advance their own security 
and prosperity.  Neither America nor Russia has an interest in an 
Afghanistan or Pakistan governed by the Taliban.  It is time to work 
together on behalf of a different future." 
 
"Pak Army Capable Of Defeating Militants, Says Mullen" "Dawn" 
(07/08) 
 
"The operations in Swat and other areas of the NWFP have encouraged 
the United States to believe that Pakistan is capable to conducting 
a similar offensive in South Waziristan, America's top military 
official Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
told a briefing in Washington on Tuesday." 
 
"Pakistan Opposes Any conditions To U.S. Aid" "The News" (07/08) 
 
"Pakistan on Tuesday strongly opposed any moves to attach strings to 
U.S. aid for it....   Senator Dr. Babar Awan, who met with Obama 
Administration officials in Washington on Monday, spoke in the 
backdrop of recent proposals on the Capitol Hill to condition future 
American assistance for the key South Asian country." 
 
"Kerry Says U.S. Aid For Pakistan Also In Indian Interest" "The 
News" (07/08) 
 
"Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the influential Foreign Relations 
Committee, on Tuesday said U.S. expansion in aid for Pakistan under 
a bipartisan legislation - recasting relationship between the two 
countries - is also in India's interest." 
 
"U.S. Can Help Reduce Tensions Over Kashmir, Says Diplomat" "Dawn" 
(07/08) 
 
"President Barack Obama's choice for Ambassador to India says he 
will support a resumption of talks between India and Pakistan.  Tim 
Roemer told a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he would 
encourage the two countries to improve communications to ease 
tension in case of future terrorist attacks." 
 
"Three Militants Killed, 34 Detained, Says ISPR" "Dawn" (07/08) 
 
"Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday that three 
militants had been killed and 34 terrorists captured in Swat and 
Bannu since Monday.  During a search operation in Shukdara area of 
Swat, local terrorist leader Muhammad Rasool, brother of Ibn-e-Amin, 
and 'commander' Akram were killed.  Eight sub-machine guns, two 
pistols and four 7mm rifles were seized." 
 
"44 Schools Damaged In Maidan Operation" "Dawn" (07/08) 
 
"Forty-four government schools in the Maidan tehsil of Lower Dir 
have been damaged since the military operation was launched in the 
area, sources in the education department told 'Dawn' on Monday. 
Most of the schools, including 16 for girls were either blown up or 
set on fire by militants after the operation against them began." 
 
"Obama Denies Giving Israel Green Light To Hit Iran" "The News" 
(07/08) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday strongly denied that the 
United States had given Israel a green light to strike Iran's 
nuclear facilities, in an interview on CNN television." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"U.S.-Russia Accord," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (07/08) 
 
"Supplies through Russia should take some pressure off Pakistan in 
terms of fuel supply and other material for the coalition forces. 
However, Islamabad's role in the war on terror will continue to 
remain crucial because of the dual nature of Pakistan's 
responsibilities: it has to crush insurgency within its borders as 
well as coordinate with forces across the Durand Line to stop the 
Taliban's two-way movement....  The series of agreements, especially 
the accord on the sensitive nuclear issue, should serve to remove 
mistrust between the two countries, reflecting as they do President 
Obama's continued search for a new image for his country - an image 
that will be in sharp contrast to the jingoism that characterized 
the policies of the Bush era." 
 
"Friends, Not Foes," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/08) 
 
"The cordial note struck between U.S. President Barack Obama and his 
Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev during their first summit 
meeting at the Kremlin has important implications for Pakistan.... 
The latest decisions mean the U.S. involvement and its offensive in 
the region seem set to continue.  This somewhat complicates the 
picture as far as the war against terrorism goes for Pakistan.  We 
all know that militancy and the sometimes subtle support for it we 
find in quite unexpected places is spurred on by the widespread 
hatred for the U.S. and its policies.  There are many who will argue 
militancy will end only if the US pulls out of the region.  But the 
talks in Moscow indicate the pace of the war may accelerate.  This 
then is the reality Pakistan must live with." 
 
"New Beginning Of America, Russia Relations," an editorial in 
liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (07/08) 
 
"According to a news report, the Russian and American Presidents 
have agreed to reduce nuclear weapons....  We should welcome this 
start of a new era of America-Russia cooperation...  As a result of 
the several issues being resolved between the two countries, it 
would now be easy to bring out these two countries in particular and 
the entire world in general from the effects of the Cold War era." 
 
"NATO Gets Its Supply Route From Russia," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (07/08) 
 
"The transit route issue has clearly forced the Obama administration 
to step back from the Russia policy of the Bush administration, 
signaled by the Monday summit....  Will this mean a reduction of 
Pakistan's leverage in any way?  Islamabad remains important because 
of the land route it provides for NATO supplies.  If there is any 
reduction it will be bought by the U.S. only at a big financial 
cost. But far more than that is the developing consensus in the 
neighborhood of Pakistan behind the NATO presence in Afghanistan and 
the success of its mission against terrorism.  This development will 
affect Pakistan's policy of assistance to this mission conditional 
to rolling back the Indian encroachment in Afghanistan and resultant 
interference inside Pakistan.  No one at the international level 
seems to worry about Governor NWFP Owais Ghani's warning about 
'dangerous' American activities across the Durand Line." 
 
"Mending U.S.-Russia Ties," an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (07/08) 
 
"No doubt, Moscow is as much as concerned about terrorism as 
Washington but this gesture of allowing its air space for 4,500 
flights a year would prove of great help to the U.S. actually 
engaged in the fight against militants.  One would like to hope that 
the agreement to cut the number of nuclear warheads in the arsenals 
of each country to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years would 
 
ultimately pave the way for a complete global nuclear disarmament." 
 
 
"U.S.-Russia Accord," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (07/08) 
 
"Being Obama's first ever visit to Russia as President of the U.S., 
the agreements will have a noticeable impact on not just the 
relations between the two countries but also on entire Asia, 
especially the South Asian region." 
 
"It Is Something More Than Just N. Weapons," an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (07/08) 
 
"In our view, despite all the pious intentions, it is a symbolic 
gesture as the maintenance of a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons was 
an extra burden and liability.  If the purpose is to promote world 
peace, something more is required and that is to bring an end to the 
hegemonic designs, aggressive postures and occupation of territories 
for economic and political gains....  So the need is that American 
and Russian leadership must move forward from just reduction of war 
heads to total elimination of WMDs to make the world secure and 
peaceful." 
 
"America's Nuclear Games," an op-ed by Shireen M. Mazari in the 
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (07/08) 
 
"Obama is certainly stretching his global goodwill to its limits.... 
 The U.S. and Russian leaders declared in a grand fashion that they 
have agreed to reduce their existing nuclear stockpiles but failed 
to tell the world that most of these reductions would be of 
redundant weapons which will create space for the new ones.  After 
all, neither side avowed to stop adding to their arsenals!...  The 
U.S. pushing its nuclear agenda globally that we must raise our 
voices of concern over what seems to have become a covert official 
U.S. policy - to allow Israel to deal with Iran's nuclear 
facilities....  So a new and threatening pattern is emerging even as 
Obama seeks to woo the world with what is now becoming his glibness 
rather than a serious intent to alter the course of U.S. policies on 
security issues." 
 
"Fanatic India's Defense Budget; And Anti-Pakistan Designs," an 
editorial in the second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (07/08) 
 
"India has increased its defense budget by 34 percent....  seven 
times more than Pakistan....  Indian government has recognized that 
due to steps taken by Pakistan the infiltration [into Indian 
Kashmir] has stopped and the situation in the Indian held Kashmir 
has improved from Indian point of view.  Present Pakistani 
government's friendliness toward India is no secret; so much so that 
under U.S. pressure President Asif Ali Zardari has even said that he 
did not feel threatened from India....  One third increase in the 
Indian defense budget is a manifestation of India's dangerous 
designs....  We should be alarmed over the increase in the Indian 
defense budget." 
 
"Massive Increase In Indian Defense Budget," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 
50,000) (07/08) 
 
"The [34 percent] increase in Indian defense budget shows its 
aggressive ambitions....  Pakistan adopted  a policy of putting 
pressure on India to coax it into negotiations, but this policy 
failed as the U.S. President announced that he is not ready to put 
any pressure on India; in fact [he said] that India and Pakistan 
should resolve their disputes themselves.  However, there is a need 
to remain vigilant about India's aggressive designs." 
 
"IDP Woes," an op-ed by Zofeen T. Ebrahim in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/08) 
 
"Despite urgent calls for $543 million through Pakistan Humanitarian 
Response Plan for assistance of the IDPs, they have so far received 
$166 million (31 per cent)....  And if the money does not come 
through fast, relief organizations warn, the host families will not 
be able to sustain the IDPs much longer.  And it is this 'fatigue' 
of the host families that is indeed worrying, if the international 
community continues to ignore calls for help.  If relief does not 
come soon enough, the 90 per cent of the IDPs living with relatives 
and friends may become so desperate as to come into the 21 IDP camps 
strewn across the five districts in NWFP....  However, if the 
international community does not respond to the appeal, there is 
likelihood that the 'Jihadists' will take advantage of the situation 
like they did in 2005 and 2008 earthquakes in AJK and Balochistan, 
respectively, offering immediate relief and succor." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson