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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION TO SEYMOUR M. HERSH STORY 
- NOVEMBER 09-10, 2009 
 
Summary:  All Nov 9 media highlighted a Seymour Hersh's article 
published in the November 9-16 'New Yorker' claiming that the "U.S. 
has been negotiating highly sensitive understandings with the 
Pakistani military about the security of Pakistan's nuclear 
arsenal."  Along with the story, all dailies covered the U.S. 
Embassy's refutation of the story as "completely false." Pakistan 
Foreign Office's rejection of the report also received front page 
coverage. In its editorial, daily, "Dawn," raised a question that 
"how can there ever be any meaningful trust between the two states 
if one side routinely, and publicly, raises the alarm over something 
that is fundamental to the security of the other side?" 
 
The story continued to lead the press Nov 10 for a second day, as 
Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General 
Majid dismissed the report as "absurd and plain mischievous." In its 
editorial, titled, "Nuclear Fables," the "Daily Times," called 
Hersh's scenario as "inconceivable."  "The Nation," asked "why do we 
continue to give so much access to U.S. journalists when we know 
their intent?"  (Note: "Nation" has lately expended its vigorous 
anti-American bias to malicious slander against American 
journalists.) The Urdu daily "Khabrain" maintained that "all 
American guns were first pointing towards Iran, but when it refused 
to bow down, America shifted its focus towards Pakistan's nuclear 
program."  End Summary. 
 
News Story: U.S. Seeking To Secure Pak Nukes In Case Of 'Crisis' 
"Daily Times" (11/09) 
 
"The U.S. has been negotiating highly sensitive understandings with 
the Pakistani military about the security of Pakistan's nuclear 
arsenal, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported in the 
latest issue of 'The New Yorker magazine.' The journalist wrote that 
during meetings with current and former officials in Washington and 
Pakistan, he was told that the agreements would allow specially 
trained American units to provide added security for the Pakistani 
arsenal in case of a crisis. The principal fear was that 'extremists 
inside the military might stage a coup, take control of some nuclear 
assets, or even divert a warhead,' notes Hersh." 
 
News Story: U.S. Embassy Denies Hersh Story "The News" (11/09) 
 
"In response to allegations published in the press that the United 
States has been negotiating "understandings" with the Pakistani 
military about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, U.S. 
Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson issued the following 
statement: "These allegations are completely false. The United 
States has no intention to seize Pakistani nuclear weapons or 
material. Pakistan is a key ally in our common effort to fight 
violent extremists and foster regional security. We work 
cooperatively on a wide range of security assistance initiatives, 
including significant efforts focused on strengthening 
counterinsurgency capacities to foster stability. The United States 
has confidence in Pakistan's ability to protect its nuclear programs 
and materials, as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during her 
recent visit to Pakistan." (Story also covered by 'The Nation,' 
'Dawn,' 'Daily Times,' 'The Post,' 'Business Recorder,' 'Jang,' 
'Express, 'Mashriq,' 'The Statesman,' 'Pakistan Observer,' 'Ausaf, 
'Khabrain,' 'Aaj-Kal,' 'Al-Akhbar,' 'Islam') 
 
News Story: No Deal With U.S. On Security Of N-Arsenal: FO "Dawn" 
(11/09) 
 
"The Foreign Office has said that Pakistan will never allow 'any 
country to have direct or indirect access to its nuclear and 
strategic facilities.' 'No talks have ever taken place on the issue 
of the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal with U.S. officials,' 
a spokesman said in a statement issued on Sunday in response to 
assertions made in an article in 'The New Yorker magazine.'" (Story 
also covered by 'Dawn,' 'The Nation,' 'Daily Times,' 'The Post,' 
'Business Recorder,' 'Pakistan Observer') 
 
News Story: Report On Pak Nukes 'Absurd, Mischievous': No Foreign 
Entity Allowed To Cross 'Red Lines': CJCSC "Daily Times" (11/10) 
 
"No foreign entity is allowed to cross the 'red lines' and gain 
intrusive access to strategic assets, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Tariq Majid said on Monday. 
Commenting on an article about Pakistan's nukes by Pulitzer Prize 
winning journalist Seymour M. Hersh, which was published in 'The New 
 
Yorker' - Gen. Majid said Pakistan had operationalized a very 
effective nuclear security regime, which had incorporated 'very 
stringent custodial and access controls.'" 
 
News Story: No Compromise On N-Assets, National Interests: PM "The 
News" 11/09) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that no compromise would 
be made on national interests, security and the nuclear program of 
the country, while talking to reporters on Sunday." 
 
News Story: Musharraf Calls Zardari 'A Criminal, A Fraud' "The News" 
(11/09) 
 
"Former president General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf is very bitter 
about President Asif Zardari and in an interview with known 
journalist Seymour Hersh called him a 'criminal,' a 'fraud' and a 
'third rater.' Hersh, reported in the latest issue of 'The New 
Yorker magazine.' 'Asif Zardari is a criminal and a fraud. He'll do 
anything to save himself." 
 
Editorial: Nuclear Fables, an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (11/10) 
 
"It is quite surprising that a credible journalist like Seymour 
Hersh could come up with something so inconceivable. Pakistan cannot 
contemplate such an agreement and neither should the US. Pakistan 
has already taken proper measures to secure its nuclear weapons. The 
US did help Pakistan in formulating an accidental use risk reduction 
plan, but that is as far as the Americans were allowed to go.... 
There is no denying the extremist threat but to think that the 
nuclear weapons might end up with the Taliban or al Qaeda is too 
far-fetched to be dignified with serious consideration." 
 
Editorial: Ringing The Alarm, an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(11/09) 
 
"In all the recriminations over the 'mixed signals' that the 
Pakistani security establishment sends to the U.S. in the fight 
against militancy, what is often overlooked is that the U.S., too, 
sends highly damaging signals to Pakistan and its people. The 
obsession with the 'safety and security' of Pakistan's nuclear 
program is as counter-productive to U.S.-Pak relations as any issue 
can get. No doubt nuclear weapons require the highest level of 
caution and protection. But how can there ever be any meaningful 
trust between the two states if one side routinely, and publicly, 
raises the alarm over something that is fundamental to the security 
of the other side?" 
 
Editorial: The Truth Please!, an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (11/10) 
 
"This is not the first time such revelations have come from U.S. 
official and journalistic sources. Periodically, the news erupts of 
some secret understanding between the U.S. and Pakistan regarding 
our nukes. Nor will this cycle ever end, unless there is a total 
reversal of policy relating to dealings with the U.S. The first 
issue that needs to be dealt with is that of access. Why do we 
continue to give so much access to U.S. journalists when we know 
their intent? The Foreign Office now claims that Hersh revealed his 
well-known anti-Pakistan bias. If that was the case, why was he 
given a visa?" 
 
Editorial: Nukes - Again, an editorial in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (11/10) 
 
"As a responsible nuclear power we owe a duty to the rest of the 
world, and part of that duty is the protection of our assets for the 
safety of all. Talk of their 'insecurity' is at variance with ground 
reality and perhaps made with mischief in mind - and perhaps not a 
million miles from the 'insecurity' in the minds of others attendant 
upon a Muslim nation being nuclear-armed." 
 
Editorial: Nuclear Safety, an editorial in the Lahore-based liberal 
English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (11/10) 
 
"Hersh rings the alarm bells saying the 'extremists inside the 
military might stage a coup, take control of some nuclear assets, or 
 
even divert a warhead.' U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. 
Patterson has called the report 'false and baseless,' saying the 
U.S. had no intention of seizing Pakistan's nuclear arsenals. 
Patterson said Pakistan was capable of securing its nuclear 
weapons....  This is not the first time that the U.S. print media 
has raised the specter of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal falling into 
the hands of the terrorists.... Pakistan's credentials as a 
responsible nuclear state have been proved over the years.... The 
U.S. media must show responsibility in tackling such sensitive 
issues." 
 
Editorial: Political Parties Must Join Hands to Solve People's 
Problems, an editorial in the leading mass circulation populist, 
often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (11/10) 
 
"The simmering differences between the government and the opposition 
parties on petty issues and our rulers' indifference to the people's 
problems have seriously damaged the credibility of the politicians 
in the eyes of the masses. Meanwhile, a sensational report published 
in The New Yorker regarding our nuclear assets has also created 
serious concerns in the nation. Though the Foreign Office and the 
U.S. Ambassador in Pakistan have rejected this story, but the 
political leadership has badly failed in coming up to the 
expectations of the masses." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Propaganda Against Nuclear Assets of Pakistan, an 
editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 
10,000) (11/10) 
 
"The sensational reports by Seymour Hersh, published in the New 
Yorker, seems the continuation of the  propaganda against Pakistan's 
nuclear assets. Historically, the conspiracies against our nukes had 
begun on the very first day when we laid the foundations of our 
nuclear program but no Pakistani ruler, including military and 
civilians alike, ever compromised on this issue of our national 
security. The Americans are accustomed to employ cheap tactics after 
their conspiracies fail and, resultantly, their propaganda machinery 
begins to fabricate false stories. As Pakistan toughens its stance 
on the nuclear issue, the U.S. hullabaloo regarding the 
vulnerability of our nukes gains momentum. The glorious success of 
the military operation against al Qaeda and the Taliban in our 
tribal areas, especially Waziristan, provides an ample testimony 
that these terrorist forces are no match to the operational 
capabilities of the Pakistan army. Hence, to say that these 
terrorist organizations may take over our nuclear assets is nothing 
more than propaganda aimed at the vested interests." 
 
Editorial: Pakistan Falling Victim to Journalistic Terrorism, an 
editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily 
"Islam" (cir. 15,000) (11/10) 
 
"The synchronization of the Seymour Hersh's report in the New Yorker 
regarding the safety Pakistan's nuclear assets and incessant attacks 
on our senior military officials points towards a very dangerous 
conspiracy being hatched against our country. It seems that India is 
behind all this propaganda aimed at destabilizing Pakistan. Though, 
a statement from the U.S. Ambassador in Pakistan has helped lessen 
the concerns regarding Pakistan's nuclear assets, Hersh claimed that 
former President Musharraf had already shared nuclear secrets with 
the U.S. government. We demand the government to take serious notice 
of this report in order to counter such venomous propaganda against 
Pakistan in future." 
 
Editorial: Security Of Nuclear Assets: U.S. Propaganda And Heinous 
Designs, an editorial in the second largest, nationalist Urdu daily 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (11/10) 
 
"During General Musharraf's tenure,  reports  were published 
purporting that certain equipment was imported from the U.S. to 
safeguard the nuclear weapons, but the Musharraf government always 
denied these reports. Even now, the manner in which Americans have 
brought Blackwater into Pakistan, and the way they want to impose 
their own security system in Kahuta and elsewhere in the name of 
safeguarding  the nuclear assets, seems to be part of a bigger 
conspiracy  aimed at paralyzing Pakistan and turning it into fodder 
for India. This was also the objective behind conditions in the 
Kerry-Lugar bill and the New Yorker article. Hence, PM Gillani 
should give an unequivocal denial of such reports on the floor of 
the National Assembly." 
 
 
Editorial: Security Of Nuclear Assets: U.S. Journal's Claim And 
Foreign Office Denial, an editorial in the liberal Urdu daily 
"Express" (circ, 25,000) (11/10) 
 
"The U.S. administration should adopt a clear strategy to stop such 
provocative reports [as the one in New Yorker] from being published 
because freedom of expression and press freedom do not mean that 
panic should be created through such baseless stories.... Moreover, 
there will be no apprehension of Pakistani or any other country's 
nuclear assets landing in terrorists' hands once terrorists are 
eliminated; such stories will also die their own death when this 
happens.  Instead of keeping the U.S. administration focused on the 
real issue [of terrorism], American journalists keep on raising hue 
and cry about only one aspect and possible danger [related to the 
nuclear assets], thereby complicating matters rather than resolving 
them." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Magazine's Revelations And Pakistan's Nuclear 
Assets, an editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu 
daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (11/10) 
 
"All American guns were first pointing towards Iran but when it 
refused to bow down, America shifted its focus towards Pakistan's 
nuclear program.  Like Iran, Pakistan should also adopt a strong 
stance instead of being flexible." 
 
Opinion: U.S. Media's Hostility, an op-ed by Zahir Kazmi in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (11/10) 
 
"The fresh wave of the media attack reinforcing the misperception 
that Pakistan's nukes are unsafe came in the backdrop of last 
month's militant assault on GHQ. One wonders why Washington-based 
journalists didn't squeak about the safety and security of the 
American nuclear arsenal when the Pentagon was attacked on 9/11... 
On the contrary, relatively informed people in the United States and 
even in India endorse Pakistan's claim that the initial 
vulnerability of Pakistan's strategic assets is over and nuclear 
weapons are fully secure under multi-layered safeguards. The people 
and leadership of Pakistan should not go for a knee-jerk reaction to 
such media offensives. Pakistanis can bear with Seymour Hersh and 
David Sanger for occasionally demonizing Pakistan and learn from 
American administrations that have come under the former's fire many 
times." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson