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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002226 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: SEPTEMBER 15, 2009 
 
Summary:  President Zardari's statement disclosing that "former 
President Musharraf had resigned as part of a negotiated settlement 
guaranteed by 'international and local' stakeholders" dominated 
headlines in all newspapers on Tuesday.  Reports and photographs of 
the "death of 20 women in a free flour queue stampede in Karachi" 
received front page coverage.  Newspapers also highlighted reports 
that "five people, two of them believed to be foreigners, were 
killed in a U.S. drone strike in North Waziristan."  Pegged to the 
story were reports highlighting that "149 suspected militants 
surrendered in Swat."  Several major newspapers ran a statement 
attributed to Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden quoting him as saying 
that President "Obama is 'powerless' to halt wars in Afghanistan and 
Iraq and must rethink his policy on Israel." 
 
Most major newspapers ran editorials on local political and social 
subjects.  In an editorial on the "rights for Bagram prisoners," the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn," 
praised it as a "move in the right direction."  In its editorial, 
the center-right national English daily "The Nation," criticized 
former President Musharraf's "damaging confessions" about using the 
"U.S. aid and weapons to bolster Pakistan's defense against India," 
and noted that "he of all people should understand the implications 
of such a confession when the Pakistani state has all along been 
denying this in the face of constant U.S. assertions to the 
contrary."  Commenting on the recent protest demonstration in 
Washington D.C. against President Obama's policies, the pro-Taliban 
Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam," observed that "President Barack Obama, 
who had come to power with a slogan of change, has been badly 
entangled in various issues during the first year of his 
presidency."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Musharraf's 'Safe Exit' Deal Confirmed by Zardari" "Dawn" (09/15) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardai confirmed on Monday that the 'safe exit' 
of former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was the result of a 
'deal' arranged by international powers with interests in South 
Asia. He didn't name the international players but said that they 
were 'guarantor.'" 
 
"Crushed By Poverty; 20 Die In Free Ration Queue Stampede In 
Karachi" "Dawn" (09/15) 
 
"An act of charity turned into a tragedy near Karachi's Khori Garden 
on Monday when a stampede caused the death of 20 women and girls who 
had thronged an outlet where a wholesaler was giving out food items 
for free.  Fifteen people were injured." 
 
"Drone Strike Kills Five In Waziristan" "Dawn" (09/15) 
 
"Five people were killed and three others injured when missiles 
fired from a drone hit a car in a village in Mirali tehsil of North 
Waziristan on Monday.  AFP news agency quoted a local government 
official as saying that those killed in the strike were militants 
belonging to Al Qaeda and two of them were believed to be 
foreigners." 
 
"149 Militants In Swat Surrender" "Dawn" (09/15) 
 
"Six bullet-riddled bodies, believed to be of militants, were found 
in Charbagh, Matta and Khwazakhela areas of Swat on Monday.  At 
least 105 suspected militants surrendered in Kanju and 44 in Matta, 
according to the ISPR." 
 
"U.S. Avoids Direct Comments on Musharraf's Statement" "The Nation" 
(09/15) 
 
"The United States on Monday deflected a question about former 
President Pervez Musharraf's statement that he could have deployed 
U.S. military assistance in defense against an Indian threat, saying 
it is not aware of any specific instance of that kind. 'Not that I 
am aware of,' State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said when asked 
if the U.S. knew of any instances in which Pakistan deployed U.S. 
military aid equipment against neighboring India." 
 
"Obama Has No Power To Halt Afghan War: Usama" "The News" (09/15) 
"Usama bin Laden, in his first message for three months, warned 
President Barack Obama that he is 'powerless' to halt the wars in 
Afghanistan and Iraq and must rethink his policy on Israel.  The 
message, which accused 'neo-conservatives' of maintaining a grip on 
the White House, was released on Sunday, two days after the United 
States marked the eighth anniversary of September 11 attacks." 
 
"16 Militants, 2 Soldiers Killed In Operation" "The News" (09/15) 
 
"Sixteen militants were killed and two soldiers embraced Shahadat in 
the ongoing operation Rah-e-Rast on Monday.  Eight militants were 
killed during a fierce clash with security forces in Tarai area of 
Dheri Jolagram early in the morning." 
 
"Al Qaeda Terrorists Fleeing Country" "The News" (09/15) 
 
"Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has disclosed that the 
terrorists belonging to Al Qaeda and other banned organizations are 
fleeing to Yemen, Sudan and Somalia from Waziristan because of 
military operation Rah-e-Nijat against them." 
 
"Army Given Go-Ahead In Waziristan: Athar" "The News" (09/15) 
 
"In an interview with BBC Radio, Director General Inter-Services 
Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas on Monday said the 
government has directed the security forces to start operation in 
Waziristan and the troops are looking for a suitable time for 
launching the offensive." 
 
"Up To 5,000 Uzbeks Militants Present In FATA, Says Official" "The 
News" (09/15) 
 
"Habibullah Khan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Federally 
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), has said the government had 
received information through informal channels that 500 to 5,000 
Uzbek militants were currently present in the tribal areas." 
 
"People's Army Formed At Peochar To Hunt Militants" "The Nation" 
(09/15) 
 
"The people in Peochar formed a local Lashkar comprising 400 
volunteers and joined the security forces in the ongoing fight 
against the militants." 
 
"Thousands Displaced By Khyber Clashes" "Dawn" (09/15) 
 
"Between 56,000 and 100,000 people have fled their homes since 
troops launched a new anti-Taliban offensive in the tribal Khyber 
Agency, UN and Pakistani officials estimated on Monday." 
 
"Haqqani Seeks U.S. Economic Opportunities In FATA" "The News" 
(09/15) 
 
"Ambassador Hussain Haqqani has asked the United States of America 
to step up effort toward creating jobs in the militancy-hit areas 
along Pak-Afghan border.  That's the best way to gain masses favor. 
If U.S. cannot get the people on its side, then any number of 
bombings from high altitude is not going to change ground reality, 
Haqqani told a think tank in Washington." 
 
"Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) To Intensify 'Go America Go' Movement" "The 
News" (09/15) 
 
"Expressing concern over increasing American interference in 
Pakistan's internal affair, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Monday 
announced to intensify 'Go America Go' movement, said JI Amir Syed 
Munawar Hasan, while terming the U.S. interference as root cause of 
all problems faced by the country." 
 
--------------------- 
Editorials/Op-eds 
--------------------- 
 
"Rights For Bagram Prisoners," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(09/15) 
 
"Barack Obama is clearly more popular among Muslims than his 
predecessor.  Still, the road ahead is bound to be tortuous but 
every small step will help.  Washington's decision to frame new 
rules allowing prisoners at Afghanistan's Bagram air base to 
challenge their detention is one such move in the right 
direction....  Legal and moral considerations demand that the new 
policy be put in place at the earliest and cases expedited. 
Moreover, difficult as it is, Mr. Obama needs to meet his January 
2010 deadline for shutting down the notorious Guantanamo Bay 
detention centre." 
 
"Damaging Confessions," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/15) 
 
"Following the self-confessional mode of baring all before the 
media, he (former President Pervez Musharraf) has 'admitted' that 
U.S. aid and weapons intended for use against militants were in fact 
used to bolster Pakistan's defence against India.  He of all people 
should understand the implications of such a confession when the 
Pakistani state has all along been denying this in the face of 
constant U.S. assertions to the contrary....  So why would such 
statements be coming from a man who occupied the highest position in 
the country?  What possible purpose can be served by such remarks, 
beyond bolstering American doubts about Pakistan?  It is a sorry 
state of affairs to have retired military personnel of all ranks 
making a public spectacle of themselves with scant regard for the 
interests of the state.  But it is even more disturbing to know that 
laws like the Official Secrets Act are being ignored at great cost 
to Pakistan." 
 
"Protest Demonstrations Against President Obama In U.S.," an 
editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily 
"Islam" (cir. 15,000) (09/15) 
 
"President Barack Obama, who had come to power with a slogan of 
change, has been badly entangled in various issues during the first 
year of his presidency. On the one hand, differences have emerged in 
his administration on the issue of sending more troops to 
Afghanistan, while on the other, a chain of demonstrations has begun 
in protest of the domestic policies of the President, particularly 
on health and taxation issues. Experts are of the view that an 
ordinary citizen would be badly affected by his new tax policy.  An 
American economist has maintained that it appears that President 
Obama would be hardpressed to complete the first year of his tenure. 
In the light of all these assumptions, it can be said that, once 
again, the U.S. is bracing to undergo some possible change." 
 
"Women's Voices," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/15) 
 
"The brave Radio Khyber FM Station based in the town of Jamrud has 
made history by employing three women as journalists, to present its 
chatty mix of news and infotainment.  This in itself constitutes a 
revolution in the tribal areas where women lead restricted lives. 
The space available to them had in many ways diminished under the 
Taliban, who of course ruthlessly used illegal radio stations to 
drive home their message.  Ironically, one of their prime targets 
was women within homes....  The presence of the women on air marks a 
huge stride forward....  As such there is a possibility that the 
example set by Radio Khyber will encourage the women of the tribal 
areas to take up more unusual careers and to provide a voice for 
those who are themselves hardly ever heard." 
 
"Action Against Foreign Journalists," an editorial in center-right 
Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10, 000) (09/15) 
 
"According to a news report attributed to reliable sources, 
Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Hussain Haqqani has written a 
letter to the Foreign Ministry protesting the blacklisting of 
certain American journalists and NGO staffers....  There has 
recently been a spate of news reports on the extraordinary increase 
in U.S. activities in Islamabad....  However, we must also remember 
that Pakistan has accepted the role of a U.S. partner in the war on 
terror....  This means that both sides need each other and want to 
move ahead together.  In this situation, differences need to be 
resolved with wisdom and patience. Ambassador Haqqani is right when 
he asks how we [Pakistan] can improve our image when we start 
putting restrictions on those very people [U.S. journalists] who can 
improve our image." 
 
"Al Qaeda - After 9/11," an op-ed by Saleem Safi in the leading mass 
circulation populist, often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 
300,000) (09/15) 
 
"The tragedy of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which jolted the 
entire world, was not only an incident of terrorism, but it also 
proved to be a black day for Muslims all over the world, from 
Afghanistan to Kashmir and from Washington to Chechnya.  It also 
provided the U.S. a pretext to run over Afghanistan and Iraq, set up 
military bases in the natural resources-rich Central Asian states 
and enhance its influence over Pakistan.  It also fully availed the 
opportunity to defame Islam and Muslims throughout the world.  But 
the highhandedness and the naked force, which America used to 
safeguard its strategic interests, have not only increased the 
number of its enemies in the world, but also enhanced the power and 
operational capabilities of Al Qaeda, which has become more 
formidable than at the time of the 9/11 attacks.  After the U.S. 
invasion of Afghanistan, Al Qaeda mobilized thousands of its trained 
and highly-motivated agents in their native countries and made a 
mockery of the claim of former U.S. President Bush in which he had 
vowed to make the world safe from terrorists. Consequently, the 
world is a more dangerous place to live in now than it was eight 
years ago.  The post-9/11 U.S. policy has also legitimized Bin 
Laden's mission in the eyes of young Muslims and, thus, provided Al 
Qaeda a golden opportunity to recruit thousands of more committed 
fighters from all over the world.  Resultantly, it has not only 
created difficulty for the U.S. in Afghanistan, but it has also come 
to shock other countries, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, at 
will.  If the U.S. and its allies fail to revisit their policies, 
the power of Al Qaeda will increase manifold within a few years." 
 
"Graveyard Of Empires," an op-ed by Rasul Bakhsh Rais in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (09/15) 
 
"While American planners think more about the surge, dump more 
weapons and launch more operations, they must also think about what 
they have achieved so far through war.  If the purpose was to defeat 
the Taliban, they have not accomplished this task beyond removing 
them from power.  All indications are that the Taliban are a rising 
force.  People, particularly in the Pashtun-dominated regions, are 
alienated, insecure and unwilling to risk their lives by supporting 
foreign forces....  The United States is the third great power that 
has invaded Afghanistan, though for very different reasons and under 
different circumstances as compared to what confronted the British 
in the 19th century and the Soviet Union in the 1980s.  There is no 
hope that Washington will succeed where others failed." 
 
"Necessity Or Choice?," an op-ed by Shahid Javed Burki in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (09/15) 
 
"The United States has reached a point where it has to take 
important decisions on Afghanistan.  Will the American political 
system allow Obama to lose more American soldiers in Afghanistan 
without clearly defining what Washington expects to achieve in that 
difficult country?  The sentiment against the continuous involvement 
of the U.S. in Afghanistan is growing and while the President is 
fighting on a number of other fronts - especially trying to get 
Congress to reform the health system at home - he may not have much 
political capital left.  Already his approval rating has fallen 
precipitously, faster than that of any other president in the first 
six months of his tenure.  What are then the choices for Obama in 
Afghanistan?" 
 
"They Are Sick In Mind!," an op-ed by Mohammad Jamil in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (09/15) 
 
"The jihadist threat bred in Afghanistan would be a cakewalk in 
comparison.  The threat would be almost unfathomable.  The 
implications would be literally felt around the globe.  American 
options for dealing with such a state would be limited and costly. 
Such statements from former CIA officials and think tanks appear to 
be in line with the previous U.S. administration and now Obama 
administration.  However, the U.S. should understand that 
destabilization of Pakistan on the basis of ruses and conjectures 
would have a devastating effect on the region and the world at 
large." 
 
"U.S. Naivet," an op-ed by Javid Husain in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (09/15) 
"It is a strategic imperative for the U.S. to bring its foreign 
policy objectives within the reach of its power by lowering its 
sights, by emphasizing the use of political means over the use of 
military for their realization and by carrying the international 
community with it rather than working in defiance of its will. 
There are some signs that the Obama Administration may be in the 
process of absorbing these important lessons.  Until, however, it 
does so, the U.S. and the international community will continue to 
stumble from crisis to crisis." 
 
"Weapons For A Few," an op-ed by Shamshad Ahmad in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(09/15) 
 
"Partial efforts at arms reduction and arms limitation do not amount 
to disarmament.  Such measures only take away the focus from Article 
VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  The real problem is the 
rhetorical stance on the part of the NPT-5, especially the U.S. and 
Russia.  What they are really saying is that they can have their 
weapons forever but that everyone else should do without them. 
Unless they change their view of global security, there is no 
prospect for a global consensus on disarmament in pursuit of a 
nuclear weapon-free world." 
 
"The Need To Talk Firmly With India," an editorial note in the 
liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 50, 000) (09/15) 
 
"The Indian Interior Minister has once again said that the threat to 
India from Mujahideen operating on Pakistani soil has not 
diminished....  Such non-state actors are present in India also; the 
various separatist movements in India are a proof of that. Instead 
of making allegations against Pakistan, India must join forces with 
Pakistan in battling this specter.  Pakistan should talk firmly with 
India on this issue so that these allegations come to an end." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson