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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: SEPTEMBER 04, 2009 
 
Media Reaction Summary:  September 4, 2009 
 
Summary: The ongoing media spate about the alleged presence of 
security company Blackwater settled a bit on Friday when Prime 
Minister Gilani described the reports on the "presence of Blackwater 
commandos in Pakistan as disinformation" and Interior Minister Malik 
declared that "Blackwater is not operating in Pakistan."  Newspapers 
also highlighted the Pakistan Foreign Office's statement dispelling 
the "U.S. concerns" about nuclear proliferation as "uncalled-for, 
unwarranted and baseless."  Also in an exclusive story, the English 
daily, "Dawn," reported Assistant Secretary Crowley as saying that 
"Pakistan has agreed to hold inspection of Harpoon missiles in its 
arsenal." 
 
Most major newspapers ran in-depth editorials on the recent 
assassination bid on a Federal Minister in Islamabad and its 
ramifications. In its editorial on the subject, the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News," anticipated that the 
"Taliban may be preparing for a new offensive that is fiercer still 
than those that have come before."  Likewise, the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation," observed that "no one believes 
that with the reverses suffered by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in 
Swat, the threat of militancy has vanished from the country." 
However, the pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam," while 
editorializing the impact of the Afghan war on the United States, 
noted that the "latest surge in the killing of foreign troops in the 
war-torn country (Afghanistan) have resulted in widespread unrest 
among the American masses."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Reports on Blackwater's Presence in Pakistan Are Disinformation: 
Prime Minister Gilani" "Express" (09/04) 
 
"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday declared that 
reports on the presence of American security company, Blackwater, in 
Pakistan were disinformation. To a question about the reduction in 
the US aid for defence, the prime minister said the finance minister 
was talking to US authorities on this issue." 
 
"Blackwater Not Operating In Pakistan: Malik" "Daily Times" (09/04) 
 
"Blackwater is not operating in Pakistan, we have our own system, 
rules and regulations and will not allow any body to operate from 
here, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Thursday.  Talking to a 
private TV channel, he said the government would not compromise on 
the country's sovereignty and reports regarding the increase in 
number of US marines were baseless." 
 
"US Concerns About Nuclear Proliferation Uncalled For:FO" "Daily 
Times" (09/04) 
 
"Pakistan on Thursday rejected US concerns on proliferation in the 
region and said such concerns were 'uncalled for, unwarranted and 
baseless" Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at his weekly 
briefing on Thursday." 
 
"Harpoon Inspection Allowed" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
"Pakistan has agreed to hold inspection of US-made Harpoon missiles 
in its arsenal to dispel allegations that it has modified them to 
target India, says a senior American official. 'We have raised the 
issue with the Pakistani government.  The (Pakistan) government has 
responded with an agreement in principle for mutually agreed 
inspections,' US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs 
P.J. Crowley told reporters." 
 
"U.S. Funds Help Taliban; Charges Being Probed" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
"The U.S. administration and Congress are investigating allegations 
that their funds and food sent to Afghanistan end up in the hands of 
the Taliban. 'The idea that American taxpayer dollars are ending up 
with the Taliban is a case for grave concern,' says Congressman Bill 
Delahunt, a Democrat member of the House Foreign Affairs 
Committee." 
 
"U.S. Lawmaker Seeks Obama Role For N-Test Ban" "The Nation" 
(09/04) 
 
"A key American lawmaker, who unsuccessfully opposed the Indo-U.S. 
nuclear deal, has expressed concern over the nuclear arms race in 
South Asia, and urged the Obama administration to encourage India 
and Pakistan to sign the treaty banning all nuclear tests and halt 
production of nuclear-weapon fissile material.  'U.S. should 
encourage both countries to abide by their current nuclear test 
moratoria and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban 
(Treaty)', Democratic Congressman Edward Markey said in a letter to 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday." 
 
"U.S. Consensus On Afghansitan Crumbling" "The Nation" (09/04) 
 
"Weeks from Paresident Barack Obama expected move to send more 
troops to Afghanistan, the consensus behind the U.S. comitment there 
is crumbling as some raise the spectre of a new Vietnam. A growing 
number of experts doubt that the war can be won, while even Obama 
who has already dispatched an additional 21,000 reinforcment there, 
contemplates a further troop's increase and completes a stretegic 
review." 
 
"Pakistan Asks India To Maintain N-Test Moratorium" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
 
"The Foreign Office has urged New Delhi to continue to observe 
moratorium on nuclear tests and said Pakistan is concerned over 
reports about India planning new nuclear tests. 'We hope that the 
unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing effective since 1998 in the 
region will continue to be observed. We are obviously disturbed by 
media reports that India might be considering to conduct additional 
nuclear tests,' Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at his 
weekly briefing on Thursday." 
 
"Two Security Men Killed In Clash With Militants" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
"Two security personnel and a militant were killed and three 
security men were injured in a clash with militants in the Tump area 
of Turbat district on Thursday. According to sources, a convoy of 
Makran Scouts, a wing of Frontier Corps, was going from Mand to 
Turbat when four people on motorcycles opened fire, killing two men 
on the spot." 
 
"TNSM Chief Patron Surrenders" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
"At least three militants were killed in a clash with a lashkar near 
Mingora on Thursday and the chief patron of the outlawed Tehrik 
Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi, Maulana Safiullah, surrendered along with 
two supporters." 
 
"18 Held, Militants Houses Destroyed In Bara" "The News" (09/04) 
 
"Security forces continued demolition of houses owned by militants 
or their supporters in Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency on the 
third day of the military operation on Thursday.  Thirteen houses 
were destroyed with the help of explosives and heavy machinery in 
different parts of Bara, including Shlobar, Malikdinkhel, Kamarkhel 
and Sipah. Eighteen tribesmen described as suspects were arrested 
during the operation." 
 
"Swat Lashkar Kills Three Militants" "The News" (09/04) 
 
"A Qaumi Lashkar killed three militants in an exchange of fire in 
Kabal Tehsil of the Swat Valley, while seven militants were 
apprehended in the area during a search operation by security forces 
on Thursday." 
 
"Maulvi Nazeer Group Bury The Hatchet With Ahmadzai Wazirs" "The 
News" (09/04) 
 
"After months of tension in the militancy stricken South Waziristan 
tribal region, the Taliban militants led by Maulvi Nazeer signed 
accord with Ahmadzai Wazir tribes on Thursday in which the growing 
militants promised to cooperate in the restoration of peace in the 
region." 
 
"No Favourites In Pakistan: Saudi Ambassador" "Dawn"(09/04) 
 
"Saudi Arabia does not want Pakistan's political parties to fight 
each other, but will intervene to reconcile them only if asked to 
play such a role, the country's envoy said on Thursday. 'Political 
wrangling between parties in Pakistan is the country's internal 
matter. But if our brothers ask us to intervene, our doors will 
always be open for them,' Ambassador Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Al Ghadeer 
told Dawn." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Close Shave," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/04) 
"The minister for religious affairs has been extremely fortunate. He 
narrowly escaped death in what was apparently a determined 
assassination attempt in Islamabad.  The immediate conclusions are 
predictable. The minister, an outspoken critic of the Taliban, had 
been on the hit list of extremists. His status as a scholar, opposed 
to the orthodox, hard line view of Islam taken by the Taliban, also 
made him unpopular with them. We have been seeing the Taliban enter 
a new phase. . . The Taliban may be preparing for a new offensive 
that is fiercer still than those that have come before. This is 
ominous." 
 
"Assassination Attempt," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(09/04) 
 
"Since the death of the TTP leader Baitullah Mehsud in a drone 
attack last month the Taliban under their new leadership have 
mounted an offensive that has caught our security forces on the 
wrong foot. The latest to fall victim to an assassination attempt is 
the religious affairs minister, Hamid Saeed Kazmi.  He suffered 
bullet injuries but the driver of his car was killed and his guard 
seriously injured. This is shocking especially because the incident 
comes after the government had been reassuring the people that 
security had been beefed up.  Moreover, the Taliban have clearly 
indicated that the present strategy is a no-holds-barred one.  Two 
suicide bomb attacks took dozens of lives in three days last week in 
Torkham and Mingora, followed by Wednesday's incident in Islamabad. 
. . What is more worrying is that complacency seems to have set in 
lately due to the let-up in suicide bombings in the past few months. 
 This is dangerous because the Pakistan Army's war against the 
Taliban is only one prong of the security strategy. The trickier one 
calling for greater skills is the pre-emption of suicide attacks. 
This involves efficient intelligence-gathering as well as 
precautionary measures at vulnerable points." 
 
"Not By Force Alone," an editorial in the country's premier business 
newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (09/04) 
 
". . . Ideally, the government should widen the scope and 
participation of the national debate on militancy, extremism and 
terrorism, by involving non-government interest groups and show 
readiness to embrace the reality on the ground that the use of 
force, alone, is no more a viable option." 
 
"AQ Khan Should Beware Of Taliban," an editorial-note in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (09/04) 
 
". . . Dr Khan is a prime target for the Taliban who kidnap 
important people for ransom. If he gets 'lifted,' his price will be 
very high, higher than any the Taliban have received for diplomats 
and film directors so far. And the ransom will be demanded not only 
from Pakistan but from the U.S. as well.  And he will go to the 
highest bidder. Even in normal circumstances, Dr Khan would be a 
very attractive victim, but given Islamabad's security, he is under 
more threat than any other person living in the country. Both the 
media and Dr Khan should pause to consider this point 
dispassionately." 
 
"Persistent Failure," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/04) 
 
"No one believes that with the reverses suffered by the 
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Swat, the threat of militancy has 
vanished from the country.  However, everyone expects that the 
security lapses in the past, which have cost Pakistan dearly both in 
terms of life and property, should have brought home a [stronger] 
message of alertness and security consciousness. . . There is urgent 
need to fill these gaps, put the security personnel through a course 
of rigorous training and make available to them the right kind of 
equipment.  At the same time, we as a nation and especially these 
personnel have to develop a sense of security consciousness." 
 
"The Taliban Challenge," an op-ed by Qazi Hussain Ahmed, former 
chief of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), in the leading mass circulation 
populist, often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) 
(09/04) 
 
"There is consensus among the Pakistani public with regard to the 
real motives of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. Whether they are a 
single and homogeneous entity fighting for the same cause, or an 
agglomeration of heterogeneous and religiously conflicting groups? 
And are they mere mercenaries being used by foreign powers to 
promote and pursue their respective agendas in the region? No doubt 
the Taliban are getting foreign support in the shape of money and 
weapons, but it would be wrong to say that all Taliban and their 
tribal backers do not have their own objectives and are merely 
playing the game of our enemies.  The Taliban are archenemy of the 
materialistic and immoral Western civilization and openly vow to 
counter its inflow into their homeland. Our ruling elite can appease 
the Taliban, or at least manage to curtail the popular support for 
them, if it gives up the policy of turning Pakistan into a secular 
state and honestly takes some concrete steps to make the country an 
Islamic, democratic and welfare state." 
 
"Does U.S. Want To Get Rid Of The Afghan Quagmire?" an editorial in 
the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 
15,000) (09/04) 
 
"The ongoing war in Afghanistan has given rise to countless 
difficulties for the U.S. and its allies. The fast-declining economy 
and the galloping surge coupled with an exponential increase in the 
unemployment rate and the latest surge in the killing of foreign 
troops in the war-torn country has resulted in widespread unrest 
among the American masses. Consequently, the opposition to the 
Afghan war in the U.S. society is growing with the every passing 
day. With an aim to withdraw its own troops from Afghanistan, the 
U.S. is raising an Afghan army which would be used as a proxy to 
guard the American interests in the region.  According to analysts, 
the U.S. is now fully concentrating on Pakistan and the expansion in 
its embassy in Islamabad and the deployment of Blackwater commandos 
provide an ample proof in Washington's new strategy which serves as 
a toxin for the security and integrity of Pakistan." 
 
"Developments In Afghanistan," an op-ed by M. A. Niazi in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(09/04) 
 
"Three developments came in Afghanistan in August, all pointing in 
the same direction, that of a lack of American achievement.  First 
was what might prove to be the first of a two-round Afghan election. 
 Then came the revelation that August had proven to be the bloodiest 
month for the Americans since they had first invaded that country in 
November 2001.  With all this happening, the US commander in 
Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal made his long-awaited 
report, which said in milspeak (military language) what many had 
been saying in plain English for years: that the invasion had 
failed, or at least not yet succeeded.  The earlier developments 
buttressed that conclusion. . . Therefore, the Pakistan government 
should be preparing itself for the eventuality it believed could not 
happen, and the reason why the American alliance was pursued not 
just by the government and armed forces, but also by the political 
parties: the Americans departing from this region. Those who do not 
believe in such a departure have not followed historical precedents, 
when the US did depart even though the Afghans had just given them 
victory in the Cold War.  US assurances that it wishes to build a 
permanent relationship with Pakistan and Afghanistan may be 
discounted, because the USA follows only its own interest." 
 
"U.S. Expansionist Designs On Our Soil," an editorial note in the 
second-largest, center-right nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" 
(cir. 150,000) (09/04) 
 
"Obama administration wants to spend the U.S. assistance under 
Kerry-Lugar bill using its own channels, not letting government of 
Pakistan utilize the aid.  America will not leave any stone unturned 
in making Pakistan its colony if it happened to spend the money 
independently....  Tehrik-i-Insaf's Dr. Shireen Mazari has disclosed 
that 3000 APCs for Blackwater have already been offloaded at Port 
Qasim.  According to her the U.S. interference in Pakistan has 
become intolerable....  In order to further the interference, 
America has expanded its embassy and the reports of 1000 Blackwater 
operatives' deployment have already been published....  These 3000 
APC's will be enough to say 'hands up' to the corridors of power. 
This situation is tantamount to making Pakistan a pawn in the U.S. 
hands....  The nation was upset with drone attacks and now even its 
soil will not be safe from its [U.S.] access....  If America can 
show Balochistan on world map as an independent country then it can 
erase Pakistan from the same." 
 
"Feeling Insecure In Islamabad," an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (09/04) 
 
". . .  Islamabad is not a secure city.  Foreign diplomats who live 
here feel endangered.  Many Pakistanis who seek honour in 
isolationism draw comfort from the fact that 'foreigners' are uneasy 
coming to Islamabad.  The truth is that the city has become 
"Talibanised" among the lower classes that outnumber the rest of its 
population.  Anyone who has held a discussion among the lower middle 
class student community there would bear witness to this fact. Yet, 
those Pakistani circles that are endangered would rather focus on 
how the Americans and other foreigners have made Islamabad unsafe by 
beefing up their own security arrangements.  Sadly, the TV reporter 
is querulous in tone when he reports on the 'hundreds of barriers' 
erected by Islamabad police to minimise incidents of terrorism in 
the city.  The media message is: Islamabad is suffering because of 
the security barriers and the Americans.  But this message goes in 
favour of the Taliban and Al Qaeda who would like nothing more than 
the removal of all obstacles in Islamabad." 
 
"Swat On Edge," an op-ed by Dr. Masooda Bano in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/04) 
 
"The initial calm in Swat and surrounding areas that were the focus 
of the last few months' military operations is proving short-lived 
again. Reports of dead bodies being found on the streets of Swat are 
frequent. The possibility that this time these bodies are those of 
the Taliban militants targeted by the military forces is no 
consolation.  Firstly, because there is no proper investigation of 
these cases to know for sure who the victims or the killers, are, 
secondly, if someone belonging to the Taliban mindset does not allow 
the state to kill them ruthlessly and put the bodies in mass graves. 
 There is something very horrifying about the mass graves being 
discovered in Swat in recent weeks.  The facts and figures behind 
who the victims are and how they got there need to be discovered. 
At the same time, the number of militant attacks is again on the 
rise after a relative calm. After the attack on the police station 
in Swat that killed young trainees this week, there is now the 
attack on Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi. Clearly, 
the problems are continuing. . ." 
 
"Less than Alive," an editorial in the Peshawar-based, independent 
regional daily "The Frontier Post" (cir. 7,000) (09/04) 
 
". . . In these times, the military has definitely dealt crippling 
blows to the terrorist syndicate, sequestering its thugs, scurrying 
hither and thither.  And it is for the civilian law-enforcement and 
intelligence apparatus to build upon this advantage by mopping up 
the fleeing thus and hunting down their lairs and demolish their 
hideouts.  But on that score the administration doesn't appear as 
intent and as active as it should have been. . . " 
Patterson