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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: KERRY-LUGAR BILL, PAK-CHINA, 
F-16S, TERRORISM, INDIA-PAKISTAN - OCTOBER 14, 2009 
 
Summary:  Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi's Washington visit to 
"convey" Pakistan's concerns over Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill garnered 
extensive media coverage on Wednesday.  All newspapers highlighted 
remarks attributed to Senator Kerry that "if there is a 
misinterpretation, it simply has to be clarified."  In an exclusive 
story from its Washington-based correspondent, the English language 
daily, "Dawn," reported that a "President Obama signing statement 
may dilute impact of the U.S. aid bill's clauses."  However, some 
news reports gave an impression that Foreign Minister Qureshi "may 
return empty handed" from Washington.  Editorializing the "future of 
Kerry-Lugar Bill," the Islamabad-based English language daily, 
"Pakistan Observer," advised the Pakistani government to "know that 
with its insulting conditions the bill would become a political 
liability and inflict more harm than any perceived benefit." 
 
In other news,  Prime Minister Gilani's China visit received front 
page coverage in all newspapers.  Reports and photographs of his 
meeting with Chinese President Jintao were highlighted.  Several 
major newspapers reported that the "first Block-52 F-16D aircraft of 
Pakistan Air Force rolled out at a ceremony held in Dallas."  Some 
newspapers quoted a USAID economist as saying that Ambassador 
"Holbrooke is micro-managing a giant package to Pakistan in a 
'shockingly counterproductive' way." 
 
Most major newspapers continued to run in-depth analytical 
editorials about the terror attack on the Pakistan military's 
General Headquarters (GHQ) and the various facets of the ongoing war 
on terror.  Commenting on the Taliban raid on the GHQ, the populist, 
often sensational national English daily "The News," observed that 
"however the event is dressed up by the government and the military 
itself, this is a huge embarrassment that is not going to fade 
quickly."  Whereas, the Lahore-based liberal newspaper, "Daily 
Times," maintained that the GHQ attack was "only for the 
'psychological recovery' of the Taliban movement."  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
Kerry-Lugar Bill 
----------------- 
 
"No Change In Kerry-Lugar Bill, Qureshi Told" "The News" (10/14) 
 
"U.S. lawmakers and the Obama administration sought on Tuesday to 
allay Pakistani concerns over conditions tied to the Kerry-Lugar 
Bill, but made it clear that the legislation would not be changed. 
Democratic Senator John Kerry, who co-sponsored the aid bill, sought 
to soothe anger in Pakistan over the proposed multibillion-dollar 
U.S. aid package, saying lawmakers would prepare an explanatory 
statement to accompany the bill for President Barack Obama's 
signature into law. The statement would 'set the record absolutely 
straight' and correct misinterpretations about the bill, Kerry told 
reporters after his meeting with Qureshi.  'If there is a 
misinterpretation, it simply has to be clarified.'  Foreign Minister 
Shah Mehmood Qureshi is in Washington to convey Pakistan's concerns 
over the U.S. aid bill." 
 
"Qureshi, Kerry To Thrash Out Discord On Bill" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"Pakistan and the U.S. Congress agreed on Tuesday to work on a joint 
statement addressing all issues linked to the Kerry-Lugar-Berman 
bill.  The decision to issue such a statement was taken after a 
series of meetings in Washington between the visiting Pakistani 
Foreign Minister and senior U.S. officials and lawmakers, Foreign 
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters after a meeting with 
Senator John Kerry, who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign 
Relations." 
 
"Obama's Statement May Dilute Impact Of Bill's Clauses" "Dawn" 
(10/14) 
 
"The U.S. Constitution does allow President Barack Obama to attach a 
statement to dilute the impact of those clauses of the 
Kerry-Lugar-Berman that Pakistan finds objectionable.  Such a 
statement is called a signing statement and is a written 
pronouncement issued upon the signing of a bill into law." 
 
"Qureshi May Return Empty Handed From U.S." "The News" (10/14) 
 
"U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson and other U.S. 
diplomats have expressed shock at the reaction to the Kerry-Lugar 
 
Bill in Pakistan.  They were responding to questions of Pakistani 
journalists at a dinner hosted by PPP Senator Enver Baig in 
Patterson's honor on Monday night. The purpose of the dinner was to 
enable both the American diplomats and Pakistani journalists to 
exchange views on the Kerry-Lugar Bill.  Deputy head of the U.S. 
mission Gerald Feierstein, head of the political section Byran Hunt 
and head of the press section Richard Snelsire also attended the 
dinner.  A diplomat said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi 
might not be able to convince the top guns of Washington at this 
stage when both houses of parliament had already passed the bill." 
 
"Holbrooke Accused Of Micro-Managing Aid" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"An economist at the US international aid agency has protested that 
Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke is 
micromanaging a giant package for Pakistan in a 'shockingly 
counter-productive' way, according to a memo.  In a memorandum to 
State Department officials, C. Stuart Callison, a senior economist 
at USAID, complained that Mr. Holbrooke was insisting on personally 
approving every funding decision, usually made by the agency's local 
mission." 
 
"Opposition Quizzes Qureshi's Sudden Visit To U.S." "The News" 
(10/14) 
 
"The opposition in the National Assembly on Tuesday questioned the 
sudden departure of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to 
Washington while parliament was still debating the Kerry-Lugar Bill 
(KLB).  Though Tuesday was the private members' day yet most of the 
speakers spoke on the KLB, saying parliament was unaware of the 
message the Foreign Minister took with him to Washington as the 
decision was made in a meeting at the Presidency in which civil and 
military leadership was present." 
 
"Rumpus In Nation Assembly Over Kerry-Lugar" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"A rumpus marked by abusive language marred the National Assembly 
proceedings on Tuesday as members wondered about the fate of the 
so-called Kerry-Lugar bill for U.S. Aid to Pakistan a day after 
Islamabad sent to Washington possibly a revised view on the issue." 
 
 
"Senators Oppose Kerry-Lugar Bill" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"Senators taking part in a debate on the Kerry-Lugar bill in the 
upper house of parliament on Tuesday asserted the bill in its 
present form could not be endorsed.  Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs Malik Ammad Khan said the government would not go against 
the wishes of the political leadership on the issue." 
 
"Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Asks Parliament To Reject Aid Bill" "Dawn" 
(10/14) 
 
"Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Syed Munawar Hasan has asked the parliament to 
turn down the Kerry-Lugar bill.  Speaking at a seminar entitled 
'Kerry-Lugar bill aid or slavery' in Mansoora on Tuesday, the JI 
chief said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's statement describing 
the bill as good was 'against' people's sentiments." 
 
"USAID Suspends Uplift Projects Over Kerry-Lugar Bill Controversy" 
"The News" (10/14) 
 
"The USAID has scrapped certain ongoing development projects worth 
millions of dollars in Pakistan, which were running with the help of 
partner organizations till resolution of controversy on the 
Kerry-Lugar Bill, it is learned." 
 
"Haqqani Helped Remove Lacunas In KLB: Minister" "The News" (10/14) 
 
"Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad Khan on Tuesday 
came to defend Pakistan Ambassador in Washington Husain Haqqani 
saying that undue criticism was being unleashed on the envoy on the 
issue of the Kerry-Lugar Bill (KLB), said Malik Ammad, while 
speaking in the Senate during the debate. 'As far as Haqqani is 
concerned, he worked for removing lacunas in the bill,' said the 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs while extending his full 
support to the envoy." 
 
"Future Of Kerry-Lugar Bill," an editorial in the Islamabad-based 
 
rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 5,000) (10/14) 
 
"In any case, if the objective of the bill was to assist Pakistani 
people and create goodwill for the United States then the piece of 
legislation in its present form has done the quite opposite. 
Therefore, it is in the interest of the United States itself to drop 
those conditionalities that impinge upon the sovereignty of 
Pakistan. The Government should also know that with its insulting 
conditions the bill would become a political liability and inflict 
more harm than any perceived benefit." 
 
"The Cost Of Conditionalities," an op-ed by Shireen M. Mazari in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(10/14) 
 
"The Kerry Lugar Bill has woken Pakistanis up to the realities of 
debilitating conditionalities that accompany U.S. aid.  The 
Americans love to claim, 'there is no free lunch,' but no one in 
Pakistan thought that the cost of supporting the U.S. in its War on 
Terror would be so high for the nation.  Apart from the human lives 
lost of Pakistanis, there have been the economic costs of becoming a 
front line state with all that that implies in terms of foreign 
investment and export orders lost, higher costs of insurance and 
related matters.  However, the most lethal cost has been in terms of 
the destruction of our society's social fabric with the 
polarization, the violence and the extremism....  The irony is that 
with all these costs, has the U.S. shown an iota of understanding 
for the Pakistani nation's predicament?  The simple answer is 
'No.'...  Somehow there is a feeling within the U.S. decision makers 
that if they drag us down the road of their failures we will become 
as entrenched in a quagmire and more vulnerable to their imperial 
diktat.  The KLB is in a way a culmination of their neo-imperialist 
approach to Pakistan which ironically increased in pace after the 
Obama takeover." 
 
"Not So Helpful, This Aid!," an op-ed by Dr. Manzur Ejaz in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (10/14) 
 
"Given how a big chunk of the aid money goes back to American, the 
U.S. needs a new approach if it really means to change the economic 
situation in this troubled region.  No project will become feasible 
if it is managed by U.S. NGOs." 
 
"Carry on, Loo Gerbil!," an op-ed by Munir Attaullah in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (10/14) 
 
"The government, knowing full well the proclivities of an 
overwhelmingly antagonistic media, should have anticipated this 
furore, and prepared and briefed its own spokesmen accordingly. But 
it did not do so. This oversight has cost it dearly.  By the time it 
woke up and tried to inject some rational commonsense into the 
debate, it was already too late.  The herd instinct had prevailed 
(why bother to read the bill when media pundits have already given 
their authoritative verdict?).  The damage was done.... 
Additionally, were viewers told that the USD 1.5 billion per annum 
civilian aid was unconditional, and that the 'offensive' clauses 
(mostly, no more than a re-hash of the publicly declared policy of 
our government anyway, and also enshrined in the Charter of 
Democracy) applied only to the military aid that is additional to 
the civilian aid?  Don't be silly!  Why volunteer information that 
might dilute the government bashing exercise?" 
 
"Kerry-Lugar Concerns," an op-ed by Anees Jillani in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"We as a nation can at least do one thing.  We can refuse the aid. 
We can accept assistance that comes without conditions, and politely 
decline the portion with the stipulations.  This does not mean that 
Pakistan disagrees with the principles and issues raised through the 
conditions in the Bill.  Pakistan should remain committed to 
eliminating terrorism, whether domestically or externally in any 
country, including India.  There should not be any terrorist base in 
the country, whether in Muridke, Quetta or Wana.  The military 
should desist from interfering in the country's political process. 
But dictation from any quarter cannot, and should not, be accepted. 
This hurts our ego, dignity and sovereignty, and is an insult to 
 
millions of Pakistanis." 
 
---------- 
Pak-China 
---------- 
 
"China Vows Support For Efforts To Boost Security" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"Chinese President Hu Jintao has advised Pakistan to review its 
security policy and offered his country's complete support in the 
endeavor.  Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who met the 
Chinese president at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 
Tuesday, described the outcome of the talks as a way forward in the 
multi-faceted friendship." 
 
----- 
F-16s 
----- 
 
"PAF To Get F-16D Aircraft From June Next Year" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"The First Block-52 F-16D aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) 
rolled out on Tuesday at a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin 
Aeronautics facility at Dallas.  Chief of the Air Staff PAF Air 
Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman attended the ceremony as chief 
guest.  The F-16s will bolster PAF's fleet of high-tech combat 
aircraft and will enable it to undertake a variety of missions 
across its entire spectrum of operations. 
 
---------- 
Terrorism 
---------- 
 
"Jets Pound Militant Hideouts In South Waziristan" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"Aircraft bombed militants in the South Waziristan region on the 
Afghan border on Tuesday as government forces prepare for a ground 
offensive against the militant hub, security officials said.  The 
military says it is awaiting government orders to give the final 
push to the militants in the Waziristan agencies." 
 
"12 Killed In Bajaur, Waziristan Air Strikes" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"A Taliban 'commander' and 11 other militants were killed when 
military planes bombed suspected locations in South Waziristan and 
Bajaur on Tuesday, sources said." 
 
"Military Operation In South Waziristan Agency (SWA) Decided: Malik" 
"The News" (10/14) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday said the government had 
decided to embark on a decisive military operation in South 
Waziristan Agency (SWA) to abolish terrorist outfits having links 
with al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and miscreants 
belonging to banned militant groups active against the sovereignty 
of Pakistan." 
 
"5 Militants Killed, 31 Surrender In Swat" "The News" (10/14) 
 
"The security forces claimed to have killed five insurgents during 
search and clearance operation in Kabal and Barikot areas of Swat 
Valley, while 31 militants surrendered on Tuesday." 
 
"TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) Claims Responsibility For Shangla 
Suicide Attack" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for Monday's 
suicide attack in Shangla.  A spokesman for TTP, Azam Tariq, told 
Dawn on phone in Laddah tehsil of South Waziristan that the attack 
was carried out by a member of the 'fidayeen wing' of Swat Taliban. 
He warned of such attacks in other cities of the country." 
 
"TTP Man Arrested In Karachi" "Dawn" (10/14) 
 
"The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Sindh police 
claimed on Tuesday to have arrested Ahmed Jan, an activist of the 
banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from the city's Korangi area. 
'Investigations are in a very early phase but they reveal that the 
TTP member hails from Matta tehsil of Swat,' said Fayyaz Khan, the 
 
SP Operations of the CID." 
 
"Series Of Attacks Show Taliban's Muscle" "Daily Times" (10/14) 
 
"The recent optimism in Pakistan, produced by the routing of the 
Taliban in Swat and Malakand and the death of their leader Baitullah 
Mehsud in a US drone strike, seems to be evaporating as the autumn 
sets in, with a series of Taliban attacks showing the muscle the 
group can still flex." 
 
"GHQ Attack Returns Focus On Nuclear Arms Safety" "Daily Times" 
(10/14) 
 
"The assault on the General Headquarters over the weekend has 
renewed fears of an insurgent attack on the country's nuclear 
weapons installation.  Analysts are divided on how secure these 
weapons are. Some say the weapons are less secure than they were 
five years ago, and Saturday's attack would show a 'worrisome' 
overconfidence by the Pakistanis.  While complex security is in 
place, much depends on the Pakistan Army and how vulnerable it is to 
infiltration by extremists, said a Western government official with 
access to intelligence on Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal.  A U.S. 
counter-proliferation official, meanwhile, said strong safeguards 
were in place and there is no reason to believe the nuclear arsenal 
is in imminent jeopardy of seizure by militants." 
 
"GHQ Attack - Govt., MPs Shy Of Seeking Probe" "The News" (10/14) 
 
"The PPP government is said to have learnt its lessons from the fall 
of the Junejo government in the aftermath of the Ojhri Camp tragedy 
in 1988, and has stopped short of ordering an inquiry into the 
stunning attack on the GHQ, which virtually shook the whole nation 
last Saturday.  One source said instead of calling an urgent meeting 
of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC), where three services 
chiefs are represented, to discuss this important issue, Prime 
Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani took a flight to China for a six-day 
trip." 
 
"No More Unchecked Comings And Goings For U.S. Officials" "The News" 
(10/14) 
 
"All U.S. officials and diplomats will now have to go through normal 
airport checks at the Islamabad Airport as the government has 
decided to withdraw the extraordinary concession offered to them 
after 9/11 by former president Pervez Musharraf.  On the direction 
of the Defence Ministry, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has 
issued orders for the withdrawal of this facility as of October 15. 
The decision has been taken after reports that this concession was 
misused in the past." 
 
"Another Resolution Passed Against Possible Drone Attacks" "The 
News" (10/14) 
 
"The Balochistan Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed another 
joint resolution against possible drone attacks in the province, 
demanding of the Federal Government to let the U.S. Ambassador in 
Pakistan know about the public reservations and to prevent the 
Americans from launching drone attacks in the name of terrorism." 
 
"Under Obama, Drone Attacks On The Rise" "Daily Times" (10/14) 
 
"Under President Barack Obama, the pace of strikes by 'drone' 
aircraft on insurgents in the country is rising and could pick up 
further after a White House review of its war strategy in the 
region. There have been 39 drone strikes in Pakistan since Obama 
took office not quite nine months ago, according to a Reuters tally 
of reports from Pakistani security officials, local government 
officials and residents." 
 
"The Detail," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"Gradually the complexity and boldness of the Taliban raid on GHQ is 
being exposed - somewhat quicker than usual for these events, which 
is a welcome relief from the smokescreen that usually surrounds 
them....  However the event is dressed up by the government and the 
military itself, this is a huge embarrassment that is not going to 
fade quickly.  A group of well-armed and well-trained men were able 
to fight and spoof their way into the heart of the military command 
 
structure.  They sowed confusion with their camouflage and exploited 
their knowledge of the layout of the building they were attacking. 
Their reconnaissance and intelligence were good enough for the job 
in hand and they had logistical support in place around the area of 
operations.  Once again we have to stress the competence of the 
enemy we face....  They have moved into higher education and created 
a cadre of highly-educated ideologues who will be their downstream 
planners, commanders - and scientists, the weapons developers of the 
future.  They have become the enemy that is both within and without. 
 Never underestimate them." 
 
"Blocking South Waziristan Offensive?," an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (10/14) 
 
"The suicide-bombing on Monday of Shangla, a district of Malakand 
Division, has killed 41....  It is clearly a part of the 'revival' 
of the Pakistan Taliban offensive following an eclipse suffered 
after the death of the earlier leader, Baitullah Mehsud.  There are 
two or three other ways of interpreting the spike that includes the 
massacre in Peshawar earlier, the attack on a UN office in Islamabad 
and the storming of the security barrier at the GHQ.  First, the 
spike is an act by the Taliban signaling an end to the shock of the 
Pakistan army's success in the Malakand-Swat region.  This is 
two-pronged.  It is a message to the foot-soldiers of the TTP 
clearly disheartened by the large-scale casualties suffered by them 
and the arrests made of TTP's mid-level leaders; and to the stricken 
population of the area that the war is far from over....  A very 
difficult operation was mounted against the GHQ only for the 
'psychological recovery' of the Taliban movement.  Secondly, the 
killing of the common citizen tells the 'army-liberated' communities 
that the Taliban aim to return and that their 'Taliban order' is not 
yet at an end.  The spike also seeks to bring the opinion in the 
rest of the country under pressure." 
 
"Wave Of Violence," an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"The new wave of violence unleashed by militants continues....  At 
present they seem to be running nowhere at all but firmly holding 
their ground.  It is becoming apparent that for all the claims, the 
operation against them cannot be termed the final triumph against 
militancy.....  Our government needs to act quickly to ensure 
triumph is not snatched away from us.  The militants have in recent 
months felt the weight of public opinion bear down on them.  The 
pressure must be kept up.  To ensure this, we need to see a 
continued demonstration of a will to defeat militancy.  Action in 
South Waziristan is one way of keeping up the momentum and moving 
forward." 
 
"More 'Deals'?," an editorial in the Karachi-based center-left 
independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"A report in this newspaper yesterday has suggested that the state 
has intensified 'back-channel efforts' to win the support of 
militants in North Waziristan against the Baitullah Mehsud network, 
now led by Hakeemullah Mehsud, in South Waziristan....  In an area 
as fraught with danger as the Waziristan agencies the state will on 
occasion have to hold its nose and strike 'deals' with at least some 
local elements.  However, here too problems are apparent.  The use 
of tribal elders and jirgas as mediators is not necessarily viable 
anymore." 
 
"Back With A Vengeance," an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (10/14) 
 
"Apart from the fact that the TTP put to rout in the Swat valley 
would understandably be trying to regroup and sneak back, certain 
sinister foreign designs are clearly at work that impinge upon 
Pakistan's endeavors to hold the terrorists at bay.  Obviously, the 
TTP continues to have some hidden pockets of support among the local 
people.  However, the sophisticated arms and equipment the 
terrorists are invariably found to possess; the caves (sanctuaries 
for housing and training militants) that could not have been dug 
into the mountains without the use of heavy machinery; the 
logistical support available to them; and the easy flow of finances 
needed to keep their dastardly activity going - all these are 
bewildering to the mind and raise the valid question as to what 
source or sources could be at their back." 
 
 
"Continuation Of Terrorism And The Demands Of National Security," an 
editorial in the Lahore-based Urdu daily "Waqt" (cir. 5000) (10/14) 
 
 
"With regards to terrorism, the U.S. needs to stop the increasing 
influence of its strategic partner India within the region; and it 
is Pakistani leaders' responsibility to make the U.S. aware of this 
need.  It is hoped that the Pakistani leadership will give up the 
Afghan policy of the former dictator, will change this attitude of 
acquiescing [to the U.S.] and will make it clear to the U.S. that it 
needs to act as an actual friend." 
 
"This Is Not Just Pakistan's War," an editorial in the Lahore-based 
populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (10/14) 
 
"The international community must realize that Pakistan's efforts in 
the war on terror are far beyond its capacity.  No corner of the 
world will be safe from terrorists if Pakistan is not strengthened 
at this juncture. It is only collective efforts against terror that 
can guarantee success in this war." 
 
"What Message These Suicide Blasts Are Conveying," an editorial in 
the leading mass circulation populist, often sensational Urdu daily 
"Jang" (cir. 300,000) (10/14) 
 
"While accepting the responsibility of attack on the GHQ, Taliban 
spokesman has said that the Black-water agents were involved in the 
suicide bombings in Khyber Bazaar and Peshawar Saddar area.  These 
incidents should be considered in the context of the analyses which 
legitimize U.S. drone attacks, and the statements regarding strikes 
on Al Qaeda sanctuaries throughout the world including Pakistan.  It 
is the high time for our leadership to give up their fighting on 
petty issues and join hands to safeguard our nuclear assets and cope 
with the dangers to our national security." 
 
"Foreigners' Investigation With Arrested Taliban," an editorial in 
the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 55,000) 
(10/14) 
 
"The local citizens have expressed serious concerns on the reports 
about the presence of foreigners during investigations with arrested 
Taliban.  We think that by allowing the foreign nationals to 
continue their activities, the NWFP government is not only weakening 
itself but also destroying the law and order situation in the 
province.  It is necessary to expel the Red Cross, Black-water and 
all other foreign agencies out of the province." 
 
"Our 'Own' People" a column by Abbas Athar in liberal Urdu daily 
"Express" (cir. 25,000) (10/14) 
 
"How nice is the advice that 'government should hold talks with our 
own people instead of having a dialogue with India and stop fighting 
others' war.'  Jamaat-i-Islami Ameer Syed Munawar Hasan gave this 
advice while addressing go-America-go rally at the time when the 
ringleader of GHQ attackers had already been wounded and 
arrested....  During the go-America-go rally no one condemned Khyber 
bazaar Peshawar bomb blast and GHQ attack, which was aimed at 
tarnishing the image of Pakistan Army.  No one from the rally 
praised Pakistan Army for foiling the attack by our own people.... 
ISPR spokesman told us that the GHQ attack was planned in Waziristan 
where Syed Munawar Hasan's loved ones live and some religious and 
political parties support them." 
 
"Drones & Suicide Attacks," an op-ed by Rafia Zakaria in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"If U.S. military commanders and political leaders continue to 
believe that sacrificing 10 civilians for the possibility of 
eliminating a handful of Al Qaeda or Taliban leaders is a fair 
bargain then little hope remains for the partnership.  While both Al 
Qaeda and the Taliban are existential threats to the Pakistani state 
and to the collective security of both nations the expectation that 
the casualties and political cost of fighting them should only be 
borne by Pakistan is destined for failure.  As the debate over the 
Kerry-Lugar bill amply demonstrates, the relationship between the 
United States and Pakistan is at a crossroads.  The revulsion most 
Pakistanis feel at being handed out pennies in exchange for 
 
absorbing the human and political cost of drone attacks points to an 
alienation that goes beyond questions of sovereignty and towards 
deeper issues of how many thousands of Pakistani lives must be lost 
to appease the American quest for security." 
 
"Forewarned May Not Be Forewarned?," an op-ed by Ejaz Haider in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (10/14) 
 
"South Waziristan has been blockaded by the army for two months now. 
The operation, technically, is already on.  Efforts to isolate TTP 
fighters have largely succeeded.  The organization's ground 
establishments, when identified, have been - and are - targeted from 
the air.  Intelligence assets have been embedded in the area and 
they are the primary reason for successful drone attacks meant to 
degrade the TTP leadership.  The ground is being prepared for a 
ground assault.  The GHQ attack has only firmed the army's resolve 
to expedite the ground assault in South Waziristan.  But what is 
important to remember is that the army should go in according to its 
own assessment of when the timing is right.  It mustn't react." 
 
"Establishment Conveys 'Enough Is Enough' Message," news analysis by 
Ansar Abbasi in the populist, often sensational national English 
daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (10/14) 
 
"Government's keeping mum over intrusive policies of a foreign power 
towards Pakistan targeting the Pakistan Army, its prime intelligence 
agency the ISI and the country's nuclear program, has left no option 
for the powerful establishment but to defend the national interest 
of Islamabad without much worrying about foreign or local 
reaction....   Asif Ali Zardari President of Pakistan would show the 
guts to resist foreign game plan to de-nuclearized Pakistan by 
weakening the ISI and hurting the military, those apprehensions 
could be subsided....  While at home we were facing a subtle 
flooding of Blackwater operatives, in Washington the Kerry-Lugar 
Bill was in the making.  No proper consultation was done with 
concerned quarters here to assess as to what final shape the bill 
would take." 
 
---------------- 
India-Pakistan 
---------------- 
 
"Bill Clinton's Offer To Resolve Kashmir Issue, And Responsibility," 
an editorial in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (10/14) 
 
"Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has said that he can give time 
for helping Pakistan and India resolve Kashmir dispute....  If 
Clinton really wants to do justice with the Kashmir dispute, and is 
not in favor of handing it over to India or turning it into a U.S. 
base, then he should arrange for a plebiscite in Kashmir, in keeping 
with the UN resolutions." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson