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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: SEPTEMBER 02, 2009 
 
Summary: Reports on national political developments continued to 
dominate headlines on the second consecutive day in all the 
newspapers.  Reports and photographs of the visit of the U.S. 
Congressional delegation lead by Senator Carl Levin received 
prominent media coverage in several major dailies.  Newspapers 
highlighted reports that President Zardari "urged the United States 
to expedite reimbursement of outstanding $1.6 billion Coalition 
Support Fund (CSF)."  The English language daily, "Dawn," reported 
that the U.S. senators "expressed concern over the law and order 
situation in Balochistan."  Newspapers highlighted reports that an 
unnamed State Department official declared Dr. A.Q. Khan as a 
"serious proliferation risk."  Reports of the "killing of at least 
40 suspected militants in a new military offensive in the Bara area 
of Khyber Agency" received prominent display.  Along with the story, 
all major dailies also reported that "105 Taliban militants laid 
down arms in Swat valley." 
 
Most major Urdu language dailies ran editorials on national 
political themes and issues.  However, some English language dailies 
penned editorials on issues of international concern. Commenting on 
the recent remarks of the U.S. General McChrystal, the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation," noted that his "tacit admission 
that the occupation is a failure should be heeded both in foreign 
capitals and by his bosses."  Likewise, the prestigious English 
language daily, "Dawn," observed that "America is on the horns of 
dilemma. The more troops it sends to Afghanistan the more it gets 
bogged down in Afghanistan and suffers high casualties."  End 
Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Zardari Asks US To Fulfill Commitments" "The News" (09/02) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday called upon the United States 
to expedite work on the reimbursement of $1.6 billion outstanding 
payments in Coalition Support Fund (CSF), passage of the Kerry-Lugar 
Bill, legislation to set up Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (RoZs) 
in the war affected areas, assistance in energy sector, the $2.5 
billion plan for the rehabilitation of IDPs and reconstruction in 
the militancy-hit areas." 
 
"US Senators Raise Balochistan Issue" "Dawn" (09/02) 
 
"Three US senators called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday 
and expressed concern over the law and order situation in 
Balochistan. According to sources, Senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed 
of the US Senate's Armed Services Committee and Edward Kaufman of 
the Foreign Relations Committee stressed the need for complete peace 
in Balochistan and asked the government to settle all outstanding 
issues with the Baloch people." 
 
"A. Q. Khan Still Poses Risk: US" "Dawn" (09/02) 
 
"Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan 'remains a serious 
proliferation risk,' a US official said on Tuesday after the 
scientist gained freedom of movement." 
 
"Restrictions Lifted: AQ Khan" "Daily Times" (09/02) 
 
"Nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan on Tuesday said restrictions on 
his movements had been lifted." 
 
"40 Killed In Bara Operation" "Dawn" (09/02) 
 
"At least 40 suspected militants were killed and 43 others captured 
in a new military offensive in the Bara area of Khyber tribal region 
on Tuesday." 
 
"105 Lay Down Arms In Swat" "Dawn" (09/02) 
 
"One hundred and five militants, a number of local Taliban 
commanders among them, laid down arms and surrendered while 15 
militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Swat on 
Tuesday." 
 
"Troops Take On Militants In Bara" "The News" (09/02) 
 
"At least nine suspected militants were confirmed dead as security 
forces launched a massive operation in the Bara sub-division of 
Khyber Agency on Tuesday." 
 
"Lack Of Assault Choppers Hampering Pak Efforts" "The Nation" 
(09/02) 
 
"Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts are seriously hampered by lack of 
assault helicopters such as Cobra and Apache and the United States' 
inability to ensure adequate supply of spare parts to Islamabad's 
existing choppers fleet. 'The US has provided some Cobra helicopters 
to Pakistan which it has used effectively in the tribal areas and 
Malakand division in fight against the aliban militants but 
Islamabad has asked for more choppers from Washington as the 
existing ones are insufficient to carry on the war on terror 
successfully,' said an official desiring not to be named." 
 
"Envoy Review Situation In Afghanistan, Pakistan Today" "Dawn" 
(09/02) 
 
"International special envoys for Pakistan and Afghanistan are 
meeting in Paris on Wednesday to review current situation in the two 
countries, the US State Department said." 
 
"NA Committee Asks Govt To Re-Examine Blasphemy Law" "Daily Times" 
(09/02) 
 
"National Assembly's Standing Committee on Human Rights urged the 
government to re-examine the blasphemy law and improve its 
procedure." 
 
"Pak 'terror infrastructure' intact: India" "Daily Times" (09/02) 
 
"India claimed on Tuesday the terror infrastructure used to carry 
out the Mumbai terror attacks last year is 'intact across the 
border' - a reference to Pakistan. 'That is my complaint against 
Pakistan and that is my disappointment with Pakistan,' Indian Home 
Minister P Chidambaram told a press conference. He also accused 
Pakistan of not being serious in punishing the perpetrators of the 
Mumbai attacks." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"The Mcchrystal Report," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/02) 
 
". . . General McChrystal's tacit admission that the occupation is a 
failure should be heeded both in foreign capitals and by his bosses. 
The only real solution to the problems of Afghanistan comes from 
ending the current foreign occupation, not increasing it, as General 
McChrystal will propose. Though General McChrystal pays lip service 
to the Afghan people, he does not pay any attention to their 
untrammeled desire for freedom to live their lives as they wish, a 
desire which does not seem to have been broken by the US 
occupation." 
 
"US General's Views," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (09/02) 
 
"America is on the horns of a dilemma. The more troops it sends to 
Afghanistan the more it gets bogged down in Afghanistan and suffers 
high casualties. . . Hamid Karzai is not the man who can pull 
America's chestnuts out of the fire and lead Afghanistan to peace. 
His regime has corrupt warlords and Afghanistan is the world's 
leading drug producer.  This means that Washington must seriously 
probe the possibility of talking to moderate Taliban and prepare a 
credible exit strategy." 
 
"Proposal To Change American Strategy In Afghanistan," an editorial 
in center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) (09/02) 
 
"Coalition forces commander in Afghanistan General Stanley 
McChrystal has stressed upon the western world to change its 
Afghanistan strategy if it wants to win the war against 
militants....  America appears puzzled because on one hand NATO is 
not willing to send more troops to Afghanistan and on the other the 
bid to expand military and police force in Afghanistan hasn't been 
successful.  In such a scenario, initiation of talks with 
Afghanistan's real forces should be considered. . . Pakistan should 
also continue efforts for talks with the Taliban." 
 
"Will The US Leave Afghanistan," an op-ed by Irfan Asghar in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(09/02) 
 
". . . The US must not be oblivious of the fact that it will be 
impossibly difficult for it to prolong its stay in 'the Graveyard of 
Empires' as its costs are going through the roof in Afghanistan 
whereas the outcome remains uncertain.  Everybody knows that war is 
an uncertain business.  Between 2001 and 2009, military operations 
in Afghanistan have burned $200bn of the US treasury. Additionally, 
if the number of deaths rises, the American public will run out of 
patience.  Resultantly, Obama's job will become harder. In the wake 
of launching a major operation in recent months in the Helmand, the 
US has suffered the highest casualties of the eight-year-old war. 
Obama must not lose sight of the point that Afghanistan could be for 
him what Iraq was for Bush or even what Vietnam was for Johnson. It 
is high time for Obama to lift a major step, reverse the course and 
leave Afghanistan otherwise it will be next to impossible to save 
the day." 
 
"Afghanistan's Electoral Gridlock" an op-ed by Asif Ezdi in the 
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (09/02) 
 
". . . Tensions between the U.S. authorities and Karzai could 
escalate after the election if, as expected, Washington increases 
pressure on Karzai to take steps to improve government effectiveness 
and fight corruption. Washington has been emphasising the importance 
of good governance in waging a successful counterinsurgency campaign 
and would like to see such institutional reform measures as the 
creation of a post of Prime Minister and the appointment of civilian 
advisers in important ministries. But Karzai and his supporters are 
said to be resisting these changes. . . Either way, Karzai will be 
without the strong public mandate he needs to become the head of an 
effective government and to pursue reconciliation with the Taliban. 
He will also find the Americans breathing down his neck harder than 
ever." 
 
"Vile Propaganda Against Armed Forces," an op-ed by Sajjad Shaukat 
in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" 
(cir. 5,000) (09/02) 
 
"Pakistan's armed forces have achieved a landmark victory by 
dismantling the command and control system of the Taliban in Swat, 
Dir and Buner and other adjoining areas. This fact was witnessed in 
the recent weeks, when renowned militant commanders were captured, 
and most of them surrendered.  But our misfortune is that some 
external and internal elements have always acted upon a deliberate 
propaganda campaign against the security forces under one or the 
other pretext.  As regards external elements, the U.S. and some 
western countries who had been criticizing Pakistan's armed forces 
in the past, underestimating its capabilities by remarking that the 
Taliban insurgents would occupy Islamabad took a u-turn. In this 
respect, quite contrary to their previous misperceived approach, 
American and western high officials have been highly appreciating 
Pakistan's forces, donating million of dollars for the IDPs. 
Besides high officials of UK and other European countries, U.S. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Special Envoy for Afghanistan 
and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke and US Central Command (CENTCOM) 
Chief Gen David Petraeus admired the determination of Pakistan's 
armed forces in achieving quick success against the insurgents." 
 
"Ramazan In The U.S," an op-ed by Tanveer Qaiser Shahid in the 
liberal national Urdu daily "Express" (circ. 25,000) 
 
"It is due to the ever increasing Muslim population that every year 
at the onset of Ramazan, the U.S. President sends out a message of 
felicitation and also holds an Iftar for a select group of Muslims. 
You can well imagine what a [wonderful] scene it must be to hear 
Allah and the Prophet's name resounding in the White House. The U.S. 
President also does not forget to greet Muslims at the time of Eid. 
In fact, the U.S. government has even issued a beautiful stamp 
bearing the words 'Eid Mubarak' in beautiful calligraphy. We feel 
that such acts by the U.S. leaders deserve praise." 
Patterson