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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 001732 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JULY 29, 2009 
 
Summary:  U.S. Special Envoy Holbrooke's remarks, made in Brussels, 
that "Taliban were receiving more funding from their sympathizers 
abroad than from Afghanistan's illegal drug trade" dominated 
headlines in all major newspapers on Wednesday.  His appeal to the 
international community to "help Pakistan deal with refugees 
uprooted by the fighting in its Swat valley" also received prominent 
coverage.  Some major dailies highlighted the report that Pakistani 
investigators found "substantial evidence directly connecting 
Lashkar-e-Taiba" to last year's Mumbai terrorist attacks.  Reports 
of the arrest of seven men in North Carolina by FBI agents on terror 
charges also received extensive coverage.  Newspapers also reported 
that two security personnel were killed in a suicide attack in North 
Waziristan. 
 
Most major dailies ran editorials on the new trade policy announced 
by the government the other day.  However, several dailies 
editorialized the recovery of some children from a militant camp, 
who were brainwashed to carry out suicide attacks.  Commenting on 
the subject, the center-right national English daily "The Nation," 
noted that "this episode should also serve to give a moment of 
reflection to the religious parties of all stripes.  The state of 
affairs calls for an immediate response from them to denounce these 
designs of militants."  Likewise, the center-right Urdu daily 
"Pakistan," also urged the "religious scholars to take a bold stand 
on this concept of 'jihad' and guide the nation."  The Lahore-base 
liberal English newspaper, "Daily Times," observed that these 
"children should be kept in quarantine and reintegrated into a 
society that they should view as benign."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Funds For Taliban Largely Come From Abroad: Holbrooke" "Dawn" 
(07/29) 
 
"Taliban militants were receiving more funding from their 
sympathizers abroad than from Afghanistan's illegal drug trade, the 
U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan said on Tuesday. 
Richard Holbrooke also urged the international community to help 
Pakistan deal with refugees uprooted by the fighting in the Swat 
Valley because the region is a vital staging area for militant 
operations in neighboring Afghanistan, while talking to journalists 
at the NATO headquarters in Brussels." 
 
"70% Taliban Not With Qaeda: Holbrooke" "Daily Times" (07/29) 
 
"U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke 
has said at least seventy percent of Taliban do not share the 
philosophy of Taliban and Al Qaeda, 'Dunya News' reported on 
Tuesday.  Holbrooke said less violent Taliban, those who had 
renounced extremism, should be included in the political 
mainstream." 
 
"Investigations Link Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Men To Mumbai Attack" 
"Dawn" (07/29) 
 
"Pakistani investigators have found substantial evidence directly 
connecting Lashkar-e-Taiba to last year's Mumbai terrorist attacks 
which killed 166 people.  The findings provided the basis for the 
trial which started last week of five arrested LeT operatives by an 
anti-terrorism court inside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.  It is the 
first time that Pakistanis are being tried inside the country for 
carrying out terrorist attacks on foreign soil." 
 
"Seven U.S. Men Charged As International 'Jihad' Group" "The News" 
(07/29) 
 
"A father who led an unobtrusive rural life as a drywall contractor 
had militant roots dating back to 1980s Pakistan and Afghanistan and 
secretly led a U.S. group plotting international terrorism, federal 
prosecutors said.  Daniel Patrick Boyd, 39, was arrested on Monday 
with his two sons and four other North Carolina men.  Prosecutors 
accused them of military-style training at home and plotting 
'violent Jihad' through a series of terror attacks abroad." 
 
"Suicide Attack Kills 2 In NWA" "The News" (07/29) 
 
"A suicide car bomber rammed his vehicle into a checkpoint in North 
Waziristan on Tuesday, causing an explosion that killed two 
personnel of security forces and wounded five others, officials 
said." 
 
"U.S. Seeks Peace With 'Good Taliban' Before Congress Election" 
"Dawn" (07/29) 
 
"Washington is abuzz with speculations that U.S. President Barack 
Obama would like to make some arrangements with saner elements in 
the Taliban movement before next year's congressional elections. 
Diplomatic observers in Washington say that Pakistan and Afghanistan 
have already submitted a proposal to the Americans, defining what 
they believe would be a sensible way for approaching the Taliban." 
 
"Pakistan In Covert Talks With Baitullah" "Daily Times" (07/29) 
 
"The military has delayed a full-scale ground operation in South 
Waziristan Agency against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Chief Baitullah 
Mehsud as the two sides have covertly reached an understanding, the 
Telegraph claimed on Tuesday.  A report in the U.K. daily said 
details are still not known, but the military had deliberately 
delayed launching the attacks against Baitullah after "having 
corralled his stronghold in South Waziristan." 
 
"Mehsud Allies Warned Of Large-Scale Operation" "The Nation" 
(07/29) 
 
"Pakistan's security forces will launch a large-scale military 
operation against all the Taliban commanders in Waziristan along 
with the ongoing air offensive against Baitullah Mehsud if they 
failed to accept the government's demand for their detachment from 
the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief, said a well placed 
source asking for anonymity." 
 
"High-Profile Terrorists To Be Nabbed Soon, Says Malik" "The News" 
(07/29) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday said that hideouts of 
high-profile terrorists were being pursued by armed forces and they 
would be nabbed soon.  In a telephonic interview with a private TV 
channel from Dushambe, he said the terrorists would be arrested or 
eliminated in the ongoing operation." 
 
"Nine Houses Demolished In Mohmand Agency" "The News" (07/29) 
 
"In a joint action, the political administration and security forces 
demolished nine houses and arrested an many tribal elders for their 
failure to hand over wanted persons to the authorities in Gandhab, 
Halimzai subdivision in the troubled Mohmand Agency on Tuesday." 
 
"Three Decapitated Bodies Of Security Men Found" "Dawn" (07/29) 
 
"Decapitated bodies of two personnel of Frontier Crops were found 
buried in a graveyard in the Ambar tehsil of Mohmand tribal region 
on Tuesday.  The two FC men had been kidnapped in May, according to 
sources." 
 
"Beheaded Body Of Police Constable Found In Swat" "Dawn" (07/29) 
 
"Police say the decapitated body of a Pakistani police constable has 
been discovered in a town in Swat Valley on Tuesday.  The find was a 
sign that Taliban militants have not given up the fight for the 
northwestern region, despite a nearly three-month-old army 
offensive." 
 
"Forces Kill Youth In Batkhela" "The News" (07/29) 
 
"A youth was killed and two others critically wounded when the 
security forces fired at a passenger vehicle at Batkhela, Malakand 
Agency, on Tuesday.  Local people condemned the incident, adding 
that such incidents would increase public hatred for the security 
forces." 
 
"Suicide Vests, IEDs Seized In Lakki Marwat, Several Held" "Dawn" 
(07/29) 
 
"Law enforcement agencies continued a joint search operation against 
militants in parts of Lakki Marwat and recovered a huge cache of 
arms and ammunition, including suicide vests, on Tuesday.  Sources 
said that the law enforcers also arrested several suspects and 
shifted them to an undisclosed location for interrogation." 
 
"4 Teenage Would-Be Bombers Held" "The News" (07/29) 
 
"Thirteen suspected terrorists, including four teenage suicide 
bombers, were rounded up while suicide jackets and explosives were 
recovered during a raid on a coal godown in Civil Quarters in 
Peshawar on Tuesday." 
 
"Boy Killed In Blast, 3 Cops Hurt In Attack" "The News" (07/29) 
 
"A young boy was killed and two other minors wounded in a 
hand-grenade explosion at Zangli while three cops were wounded in an 
attack on police patrolling car in Regi area (Peshawar) in the wee 
hours of Tuesday." 
 
"Top Taliban Operative Arrested In Islamabad" "Dawn" (07/29) 
 
"A top Taliban operative was arrested on Tuesday when he was about 
to leave the city's suburbs of Tarnol after delivering explosives 
and weapons to a terrorist cell for carrying out attacks in 
Islamabad.  The 32-year-old suspect is from Swat's Matta area and is 
said to be working for Ibn-i-Amin, an important commander of Taliban 
who carries a Rupees 10 million head money announced recently by the 
government." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Mind-Controlling Monsters," an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (07/29) 
 
"The recovery of 200 children, aged six to 13, from a militant camp 
in Swat, who were brainwashed for the purpose of carrying carry out 
suicide attacks, underlines the terrorists' sinister designs.  There 
is urgent need to rehabilitate these boys of impressionable age as 
mentally healthy citizens.  These boys must be given proper 
schooling so that they never stand a chance of reverting to the 
militant mindset....  This episode should also serve to give a 
moment of reflection to the religious parties of all stripes.  The 
state of affairs calls for an immediate response from them to 
denounce these designs of militants." 
 
"Innocent Boys Prepared For Suicide Bombings," an editorial in the 
center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (07/29) 
 
"Security forces have revealed that they have recovered 200 boys who 
were being trained for suicide attacks.  According to Geo TV, the 
ages of those recovered range from 6 to 13 years....  Those 
responsible for bloodshed and terrorism must stop, and ponder the 
image of Islam they are portraying to the world.  We also urge the 
Ulema to take a bold stand on this concept of 'Jihad' and guide the 
nation." 
 
"National 'Mind Damage' By Taliban," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (07/29) 
 
"Generally speaking, Pakistani children are ripe for the plucking. 
Poor and deprived, they are primed with religious instruction, as 
embodied in our syllabi, and succumb to Taliban trainers willingly 
because of the orthodox views inculcated in them by our school 
system....  The 'mind damage' at the national level is being 
gradually healed as 'intimidation' under the control of Taliban is 
less and less possible.  But those who have been roped into becoming 
suicide-bombers are a special case.  And if they are children they 
should be kept in quarantine and reintegrated into a society that 
they should view as benign." 
 
"Suicide Alert," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/29) 
 
"The discovery of around a dozen young suicide bombers in Mingora, 
who have now been taken into custody, exposes just how widespread 
such recruitment and training is.  There are, no doubt, other such 
would-be-bombers in Waziristan, southern Punjab and possibly in 
other places as well....  This all must be stopped - but to do so 
effectively we will need to go beyond the recovery of young bombers 
from the hands of the militants.  We must ask why and how they 
landed up there.  The answers lie in issues of economic deprivation, 
social injustice, unemployment and desperation." 
 
"What About Academy Of Suicide Bombers?," an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (07/29) 
 
"One shudders to think in which direction we were heading with 
militants training children and young people in camps like 
academies, digging up tunnels, setting up ammunition depots, 
possessing huge quantities of arms including sophisticated ones and 
latest communication gadgets and getting lavish funding from local 
and foreign sources.  It is quite evident that with the passage of 
time the militants had organized themselves on scientific lines and 
if timely action was not taken they would have posed serious threat 
to the integrity and solidarity of the country besides lives and 
properties of the citizens." 
 
"Maulana Sufi Muhammad's Arrest: An Important Development," an 
editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (07/29) 
 
"The question that still remains unanswered is: where is the central 
leadership of the terrorists?  Since the public does not know the 
answer to this, it is looking towards the government.  While the 
IDPs are slowly returning to Swat, Buner and other areas, it needs 
to be ensured that no one can take the law into their hands." 
 
"Talks In Afghanistan, Operation In Pakistan -- Dual Policy Of The 
U.S. And U.K.," editorial in the second-largest, center-right 
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (07/29) 
 
"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has warned that in future 
Pakistan should not enter into any treaty with the extremists. 
However, he stressed upon the Afghan Government to hold dialogue 
with the Taliban....  America and Britain hold dialogue with 
militants in Afghanistan and Iraq in order to save the lives of 
their delicate soldiers while they are totally against Pakistan 
government holding dialogue and having agreements with militants.... 
 Miliband's statement strengthened the impression like America 
Britain too is following a dual and discriminatory policy.  Britain 
does not like Pakistan to follow what it considers right in 
pursuance of its interest....  The government of Pakistan should try 
to understand the real conspiracy and without caring about the anger 
of America and Britain it should start dialogue process in Pakistani 
tribal areas." 
 
"British Order For Pakistan," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
right-wing pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Urdu daily "Jasarat" (cir. 3,000) 
(07/29) 
 
"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has ordered Pakistan not 
to seek alliance with Taliban, and on the other hand, he advised the 
Afghan government to hold negotiations with Taliban.  Such 
conflicting statements expose the predicament of the British 
policymakers.  We are concerned that the scared Pakistani rulers 
will implement this new 'order' of the Jewish David Miliband, as the 
Swat peace deal was broken by the government under the U.S. 
pressure." 
 
"Negotiation Process Should Not Be Abandoned," an editorial in the 
Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) (07/29) 
 
"British Foreign Secretary David Miliband while speaking in 
Brussels, has said that Pakistan should not strike a deal with 
militants, however, Afghan administration should initiate dialogue 
with militants. For the last six decades Britain had always followed 
the U.S. policies blindly.  It is an ally of the U.S. in the war on 
terror, and here too it supported the U.S. strategies stanchly.  Now 
both the Americans and British officials admit that they cannot win 
this war.  The reason is clear that both the big powers aren't able 
to decide whether they want to wipe out the terrorism, or the 
terrorists.  This is the time that they should resort to 
negotiation, as this is the only strategy through which terrorists 
as well as terrorism can be controlled." 
 
"Nuclear Submarines," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (07/29) 
 
"The real danger India's nuclear submarines pose to Pakistan, then, 
could well be their capacity to lure us into an arms race we simply 
cannot afford.  Launching the INS Arihant was clearly aimed at 
sending Pakistan a message.  But we must not react to provocations, 
only genuine threats.  And it's not clear yet if the INS Arihant and 
its siblings will in fact pose a dangerous new threat." 
 
"A New Arms Race?," an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal English 
daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (07/29) 
 
"The latest increase in the budget and the launch of the nuclear 
submarine questions India's sincerity in having peaceful relations 
with Pakistan....  Moreover the U.S.-India nuclear deal further 
tilts the balance in favor of India, raising concern among the 
neighboring states, especially Pakistan and China....  Unless India 
mends its ways and put a stop to the insane weapon development, 
there is a high probability that the entire region will be drawn 
into an arms race, the result of which can be unimaginable." 
 
"India's Arihant - Upping The Psychological Ante," an op-ed by 
Shireen M. Mazari in the populist, often sensational national 
English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (07/29) 
 
"India has put its prototype nuclear powered submarine, INS Arihant, 
into the waters....  So at the moment Arihant is more of a symbolic 
reflection of where India is headed in terms of its nuclear arsenal. 
Nevertheless, the development has signaled the nuclearization of the 
Indian Ocean by a littoral state....  Now that India has also moved 
towards nuclear militarization of the Indian Ocean, it will be 
difficult to see any revival of the zone of peace proposal for this 
region in the future.  With the launching of the Arihant, India has 
moved still further away from being a proponent of nuclear 
disarmament to being a projector of nuclear force.  Strategic 
rationality makes it incumbent on Pakistan to seek to restore the 
nuclear balance for the future...." 
 
"Hillary's India Visit," an op-ed by Rizwan Ghani in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (07/29) 
 
"America's denial of advance technology to Islamabad to secure 
country's borders is a ploy to sustain its so-called war against 
terrorism to protect its vested stakes in the region....  the world 
must condemn Indo-U.S. deal, which is a continuation of Bush 
imperialistic policies.  The deal is Obama's failure to bring change 
in America.  Hillary should serve Obama administration instead of 
following establishment's agenda to serve individual goals.... 
Islamabad instead of relying on America should forthwith buy 
surveillance technology from rest of the world to end foreign 
interference in the country and protect its national interests." 
 
"Cooperation On Security," an op-ed by Nasim Zehra in the populist, 
often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) 
(07/29) 
 
"There is now a realization that without substantive steps to 
resolve the Kashmir issue, terrorism and militancy will survive, if 
not thrive, in the region....  Even if Obama, the president, was 
forced because of political expediency and diplomatic correctness to 
not publicly reiterate the terrorism-Kashmir link there is 
realization within the Obama administration that the unresolved 
Kashmir issue will sustain autonomous and perhaps even 
state-patronized militancy within Pakistan....  The Obama 
administration has been instrumental in getting the Indians back to 
the negotiating table....  Significantly, the regional and global 
environment and players now appear more ready than before to 
substantively address the twin problem of Kashmir-terrorism.  Given 
the havoc terrorism has wreaked in sheer death and destruction 
within Pakistan, and increasingly in the shape of communal violence 
within India, the interest of the two neighbors to jointly fight 
terrorism now conflate." 
 
"The Caux Dream," an op-ed by Zubeida Mustafa in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(07/29) 
 
"It clearly emerged from the exercise at Caux that there are quite a 
number of people who are genuinely convinced that the survival of 
India and Pakistan depends on their mending fences.  The resistance 
comes from the establishment.  Even public opinion can be easily 
mobilized to recognize the need to change swords into ploughshares." 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Feierstein