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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 003084 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 24, 2009 
 
Summary:  The NRO verdict continues to shape media content.  Nearly 
all major dailies led with the State spokesman's comments that the 
Supreme Court ruling on the NRO is an "internal matter for the 
Pakistani government" and that the U.S. continues "to work closely 
with the government of President Zardari."  Many papers also 
front-paged President Zardari's pledge to General Kayani to continue 
to provide necessary resources for the fight against militants, 
calling it an important meeting given the current political 
atmosphere.  Statements by Special Representative Holbrooke received 
wide coverage.  Highlighting his interview with Charlie Rose, 
several papers quoted Holbrooke's statement that the U.S. is 
watching carefully as the "major [NRO] political drama" unfolds in 
Islamabad.  The lead headline in Nawa-i-Waqt today misquoted 
Holbrooke, declaring that he has admitted the presence of American 
intelligence and special operations forces in Pakistan. 
[Holbrooke's assertion that no U.S. troops are in Pakistan, although 
U.S. intelligence forces operate in all countries, including 
Pakistan, were widely covered yesterday.] The Nation reported on an 
accident involving a speeding U.S. Consulate Peshawar vehicle that 
yesterday injured one person.  Economic reporting headlined the 
IMF's approval of a $1.2 billion payment to Pakistan.  Several 
papers published reports and photos of Ambassador Patterson's 
reception with Pakistani women economists who received USAID-funded 
scholarships to pursue a Master's degree in economics in the United 
States. End Summary 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: U.S. Not To Interfere If Zardari Goes "The News" (12/24) 
 
 
"The United States further distanced itself from the beleaguered 
Zardari government on Wednesday when the State Department stated 
clearly that if there was a legal judgment that changes the status 
of the government, 'it is really an internal matter for Pakistan.' 
State Department spokesman Philip Crowley was asked, at a press 
briefing about the U.S. opinion or concerns if the government of 
President Zardari were to be deemed unconstitutional and, therefore, 
illegitimate." (Story also covered in all newspapers) 
 
News Story: NRO Dispute No Threat To U.S. Interests: Holbrooke 
"Dawn" (12/24) 
 
"The United States views the NRO dispute as a 'tremendous political 
drama,' which has so far not affected U.S. national security 
interests but has caused Washington to watch it 'very carefully,' 
says Richard Holbrooke. Mr. Holbrooke, America's special 
representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, also acknowledged in an 
interview to a private U.S. television channel that the Obama 
administration faced a dilemma in dealing with Pakistan as unlike 
Afghanistan it could not send its troops there to fight Al Qaeda and 
Taliban in Fata and needed to find other means to tackle them." 
(Story also covered in all newspapers) 
 
News Story: Holbrooke Denies Working on Indo-Pak Ties "The News" 
(12/24) 
 
"Recognizing inter-connectedness among Afghanistan, Pakistan and 
India in the context of current regional challenges, a senior U.S. 
diplomat said Washington will support improvement in Islamabad-New 
Delhi relations as it would be good for South Asia.  Richard 
Holbrooke, Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, 
however, denied that he was working on India-Pakistan relations, 
saying it is not included in his portfolio." 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: U.S. Troop Surge; Kayani Conveys Concerns To Asif, 
Gilani "The Nation" (12/24) 
 
"Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Wednesday 
updated both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed 
Yousaf Raza Gilani, separately, about the ongoing army operation in 
south Waziristan.... Officials privy to these meetings told 'The 
Nation' that the Army Chief also explained to both the leaders about 
the concerns regarding the deployment of additional 30,000 U.S. 
troops in Afghanistan.... According to the officials, the President 
assured Gen. Kayani that the Government would meet financial, 
logistic, and professional requirements of the Army for the ongoing 
war against terrorism." 
News Story: VVIP Security Ordered For Press Clubs: Key Terrorist 
Leaders Have Fled Country: Malik; Interior Minister Denies Having 
Influenced Release Of U.S. Nationals; Musharraf Govt. Signed 
Agreement On Movement Of U.S. Nationals - "Daily Times" (12/24) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday praised the role of the 
media and clerics in the war on terror, and - citing intelligence 
reports - said all key terrorist leaders have fled the country. 
Addressing reporters at the National Press Club, Malik condemned 
Tuesday's suicide attack targeting the Peshawar Press Club, and 
ordered VVIP security for press clubs across the country.... The 
minister denied that he influenced the release of U.S. nationals who 
were apparently detained on charges of carrying illegal weapons. He 
also claimed that an agreement on the movement of U.S. nationals in 
Pakistan was inked during former president Pervez Musharraf's 
tenure. Malik challenged the presence of U.S. private security 
agency Blackwater in the country, and said, 'I can confirm on the 
basis of reports filed by the three elite intelligence agencies that 
there is no Blackwater in the country.'" 
 
News Story: Thousands Of Taliban Sent To Afghanistan, Claims Wali 
"Dawn" (12/24) 
 
"'Thousands of Taliban fighters' have been sent to Afghanistan to 
join the war against U.S.-led NATO troops, according to the South 
Waziristan Chief of Taliban, Waliur Rehman. Talking to reporters in 
the Shaktoi area, he said the move was consistent with Taliban 
strategy of 'waging a guerilla war' against Pakistani forces and a 
small number of 'our fighters are sufficient to engage the troops in 
Waziristan.'" (Story also covered in all newspapers) 
 
News Story: 12 Militants Killed In Bajaur "The News" (12/24) 
 
"Security forces killed 12 militants and destroyed their three 
hideouts during action in various areas of Bajaur Agency on 
Wednesday, official sources said." 
 
News Story: Taliban Acquire Capability to Hack U.S. Drones?  "The 
News" (12/24) 
 
"some of the militant groups in Iraq and Afghanistan have become 
capable of intercepting live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, 
potentially providing them with information they need to evade or 
monitor U.S. military operations, Senior U.S. Defence and 
Intelligence officials said." 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: Trial Of Civilians In Military Courts: NA Body Rejects 
Amendments "Daily Times" (12/24) 
 
"The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence on Wednesday 
rejected amendments related to trial of civilians in military courts 
- introduced during the Pervez Musharraf's regime - in the Pakistan 
Army Act." 
 
ECONOMY/ENVIRONMENT 
 
News Story: IMF Approves Release Of $1.2 Billion "Dawn" (12/24) 
 
"The International Monetary Fund approved a $1.2 billion tranche for 
Pakistan on Wednesday after concluding a review of the country's 
economic performance. 'It is of course important that Pakistan has 
full support from donors because they've had shocks to their economy 
over the past year,' Carline Atkinson, IMF's Director for External 
Affairs, told an earlier briefing." (Story also covered in all 
newspapers) 
 
News Story: U.S. Scholarships For Female Economists "The News," "The 
Frontier Post," "The Statesman," "Ausaf," "Aaj Kal," "Pakistan" 
(12/24) 
 
"U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson at a reception in Islamabad on 
Wednesday congratulated recipients of the 2009 Women's Leadership 
Training in Economics (WLTIE) scholarship awards, as they prepare to 
start a two-year master's degree program in the United States in 
January. The program, funded by the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, seeks to develop a new generation of women economists, 
who will become leaders in economic policy-making and serve as role 
models for the future generations." 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
News Story: 'U.S. Consulate' Vehicle Leaves Man injured "The Nation" 
(12/24) 
 
"An over speeding vehicle carrying officials of U.S. consulate and 
Intelligence Operators in Peshawar on Wednesday rammed into another 
car and resultantly the driver of the latter vehicle received 
serious injuries." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: Peshawar Press Club Attack, an editorial in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (12/24) 
 
"Words are not enough to condemn the suicide bomb attack on the 
Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday. The attack has grave implications 
for the media and its role in fighting militancy in Pakistan.... 
This is the first time such an attack has taken place and it appears 
that the militants are now desperate and realize that they are 
perhaps losing support of even those sections in the media that had 
at times been accused of boosting Taliban efforts to propagate 
extremism. It is about time the government tightened security for 
journalists and their institutions." 
 
Editorial: Press In The Crosshairs, an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/24) 
 
"The timing of the terrorist attack is of significance. It seems 
that the terrorists now believe that they have lost the battle in 
the media. When the war on terror began, large parts of the media 
were sympathetic towards the Taliban, dubbing the war as the United 
States' and not our own.... It is time we recognize that the media, 
education and democracy are the prime targets of the terrorists' 
ideology. We must fight them collectively in a united manner and not 
let ourselves be fooled by the 'good Taliban, bad Taliban' refrain 
any longer." 
 
Editorial: Media Under Attack, an editorial in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (12/24) 
 
 
"It seems obvious that the militants are determined to slay others. 
Mercifully the bomber carrying a large load of explosives was unable 
to enter the club. There is no guarantee that the next time around 
media people will be as fortunate. All that can be done is to put as 
much security as is feasible in place, act with vigilance and hope 
the bombers will never succeed in their purpose of stopping 
professionals from bringing the truth before people." 
 
Editorial: In Peshawar, Press Club Now A Terrorist Target, an 
editorial in the country's premier business newspaper, "Business 
Recorder" (cir. 25,000) (12/24) 
 
"What sets apart the bombing of the Peshawar Press Club from 
prevalent anti-media violence is that the militants have targeted 
 
the very base of a free media, which never shirked from giving space 
to their point of view. But for the courageous reporting by 
journalists who suffered extensive casualties in conflict zones as 
collateral damage, the Taliban would have been nothing but bandits 
in the thick jungle or distant mountains. By attacking the Peshawar 
Press Club, the militants have sent out the unmistakable signal that 
they have nothing left to sell to the people. That's an admission of 
their defeat in the face of the security operations. Therefore, it 
would be a fatal mistake to think that they are done with the 
murderous attack on the Peshawar Press Club, they can attack others 
as well." 
 
Editorial: Pakistan's 'Decision' To Say No To Expansion In Drone 
Attacks, an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu 
daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (12/24) 
 
"Foreign Minister Qureshi has said that Pakistan would neither allow 
any expansion in the U.S. drone attacks nor would it accept foreign 
troops on its territory. This statement is nothing less than a cruel 
joke with the nation because it means that currently the U.S. is 
conducting such attacks after obtaining permission from the 
government. In fact, Washington does not bother to seek permission 
from Islamabad to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Under these 
circumstances, Mr. Qureshi's utterance seems devoid of any 
significance. We think the Pakistani nation will have to decide for 
itself how long it will continue to bear the U.S. interference in 
our internal affairs?" 
 
Editorial: America's Afghan Policy And Pakistan's Suggestions, an 
editorial in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) 
(12/24) 
 
"[Addressing the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee], 
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi has clearly  told the U.S. that 
Pakistan will not tolerate expansion of the drone attacks to Quetta 
and foreign troops intervention in any Pakistani area.... Committee 
members stressed that America and Afghanistan must be told that 
using Afghan soil against Pakistan would have dangerous 
consequences. According to the committee, the U.S. must also be 
informed about Indian conspiracies against Pakistan and its 
interference in Balochistan. It seems that the U.S. administration 
is not willing to listen. Pakistan should increase pressure on the 
U.S. through its other friends. France, Britain and other countries 
need to be informed that measures taken blindly would be detrimental 
for the war on terror." 
 
Editorial: Pakistan's Reservations At The New U.S. Afghan Policy, an 
editorial in the liberal Urdu daily "Express" (circ. 25, 000) 
(12/24) 
 
"Briefing the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, Foreign 
Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi has said that Pakistan would neither 
tolerate drone strikes in Quetta nor foreign troops on its soil.... 
Afghan affairs experts say that if the U.S. changes its strategy in 
Afghanistan instead of increasing troops, it would have better 
results. NATO troops should launch an operation against extremists 
in Afghanistan just as Pakistani troops have conducted the operation 
against terrorists.  But the situation is such that the moment 
Pakistan started an operation in South Waziristan, U.S. removed its 
posts along the Durand Line, due to which lots of people got the 
chance to flee into Pakistan. No one has tried to ask why these 
posts were removed; nor did Pakistan complain to the U.S. about it. 
President Obama must try to improve the situation if he wants 
success in Afghanistan." 
 
Editorial: Occupied Kashmir: India Must Accept That It Is A Disputed 
Area, an editorial note in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu 
daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (12/24) 
 
"[According to the Times of India] the World Bank has refused to 
accept Occupied Kashmir as a part of India.... This decision by the 
World Bank has indeed sent shivers down the spines of the Indian and 
Occupied Kashmir governments. Pakistan and other countries of the 
world frequently remind India that Pak-India relations cannot come 
on the track until the resolution of Kashmir issue. The region 
cannot see peace until this core issue is resolved. International 
powers and the UN must strive to get UN resolutions on the issue 
implemented." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson