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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 003131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 31, 2009 
 
SUMMARY: Prime Minister Gilani's remarks reiterating his resolve to 
restore the 1973 Constitution during an address after the signing of 
the National Finance Commission Award dominated front pages on 
Thursday. Coverage of the aftermath of Monday's suicide attack in 
Karachi continued, with newspapers reporting the Taliban's claim of 
responsibility. Newspapers also reported that the police arrested 
the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan's Punjab Chief, believed to be the 
mastermind behind the Moon Market attacks earlier this month in 
Lahore. Pakistani media carried news of a suicide attack in 
Afghanistan's Khost province that killed eight American civilians. 
Reports that ten militants were killed during clashes with security 
forces in Mohmand Agency also received prominent coverage. An Urdu 
daily published a report that "secret agencies have forewarned of 
the preparation of 15 suicide bombers to attack American diplomats 
and foreign food chains in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore." The 
English daily, "Dawn," reported that the "Pakistan Army is likely to 
seek U.S. Foreign Military Financing to acquire 20 SuperCobra 
helicopters to reinforce its fleet of ageing Cobra attack 
helicopters."  The Urdu daily, "Nawa-i-Waqt," reported that 
"Pakistan and the United States have signed a preliminary agreement" 
requiring a "security clearance and the strict observance of rules 
and regulations" for the issuance of American visas.  End summary. 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: 7th NFC Award Signed In Gwadar; Contest Polls And Check 
Your Worth, PM Tells Mush; Wants Mush To Pay For Killing Bugti, 
Abrogating Constitution - "The News" (12/31) 
 
"The historic signing ceremony of the 7th National Finance 
Commission (NFC) Award was held in the port city of Gwadar on 
Wednesday as the four provincial finance ministers signed the 
consensus document. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Federal 
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and members of the federal cabinet 
witnessed the historic event.... Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza 
Gilani has said the assassins of Nawab Akbar Bugti will be brought 
to justice as no one is above the law.... Prime Minister Gilani said 
dictator Pervez Musharraf now claims that he was very popular and 
the people of all provinces were looking towards him for the 
solution of their problems. He challenged him to contest a 
by-election to evaluate his popularity." 
 
News Story: Taliban Own Karachi Ashura Carnage - "Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"The Taliban claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the suicide 
attack on an Ashura procession which killed 44 people in Karachi and 
injured 60 others. The terrorist organisation threatened more 
attacks over the next 10 days, Asmatullah Shaheen, a top militant 
commander based in South Waziristan, told news agencies by telephone 
from an undisclosed location." 
 
News Story: Punjab Chief Of Tehrik-I-Taliban Pakistan Arrested - 
"Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"With the help of intelligence agencies, police have captured 
Khalilullah, the Punjab chief of the proscribed Tehrik-i-Taliban 
Pakistan, and a young man trained for suicide bombing. Khalil, who 
was said to be the right hand of late Baitullah Mehsud, allegedly 
masterminded the twin suicide bombings at Iqbal Town's crowded Moon 
Market." 
 
News Story: 10 Militants Killed In Mohmand - "The News" (12/31) 
 
"Ten militants, including commander Shahabuddin, have been killed 
and 18 others injured in a clash between security forces and 
militants in Chamar Kand, Tehsil Safi, Mohmand Agency. According to 
a spokesman, security forces also destroyed a hideout of the 
militants." 
 
News Story: Army To Seek 20 SuperCobra Helicopters From U.S.  - 
"Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"The Pakistan Army is likely to seek U.S. Foreign Military Financing 
(FMF) to acquire 20 SuperCobra helicopters to reinforce its fleet of 
ageing Cobra attack helicopters, which are being extensively used in 
operations against terrorists in tribal regions. According to the 
Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report published by the U.S. State 
Department, the army envisions acquiring the SuperCobra 
helicopters." 
 
News Story: Eight U.S. Civilians Killed In Afghanistan - "Daily 
Times" (12/31) 
 
"Eight American civilians have been killed in an attack in eastern 
Afghanistan, an Embassy official and NATO said on Wednesday. The 
attack in Khost province was believed to be a suicide bombing, a 
Western military official told AFP." 
 
News Story: Issuance Of Visas To Americans Made Conditional To 
Security Clearance, Observance Of Law; Agreement Signed - 
"Nawa-i-Waqt" (12/31) 
 
"Pakistan and the United States have signed a preliminary agreement 
which makes the security clearance and the strict observance of 
rules and regulations conditional for the issuance of visas to 
Americans. In the first phase, visas would be issued on the pending 
applications of the DynCorps officials. According to a Foreign 
Office source, currently about 150 applications of the U.S. citizens 
for extension in the visas are being held in abeyance. He said that 
these applicants are suspected to be involved in dubious activities 
in Pakistan. The officials belonging to the Inter-Services 
Intelligence (ISI) and other departments, which have reservations on 
the suspicious activities of the Americans in Pakistan, were also 
present in the negotiations held between the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, the source added." 
 
News Story: U.S. Diplomats, Foreign Restaurants May Be Attacked: 
Intelligence Reports - "Aaj-Kal" (12/31) 
 
"The latest intelligence reports have revealed that 15 suicide 
bombers have been prepared who might target American diplomats and 
the foreign restaurants in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. 
According to letter issued the Punjab police high-ups, terrorists 
having code names, Ejaz, Rafique, Hafeez, Zulfiqar and Haider have 
been assigned the target to attack the U.S. diplomats and foreign 
restaurants in these cities." 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: U.S. Wants Pakistan To Act Against Afghan Taliban: WSJ 
- "Dawn" (12/31) 
 
 
"The success of the troop surge in Afghanistan hinges to a 
significant extent on whether U.S. officials can persuade Pakistan 
to crack down on Afghan insurgents on its side of the border, the 
Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday, citing senior U.S. officials. 
The American officials also seek strong military action against what 
they call the Quetta Shura of Taliban which Pakistan has not 
acknowledged so far." 
 
News Story: Obama Cites Security Flaws Amid Yemen Strike Reports - 
"Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"Barack Obama lashed out at systemic intelligence failures over an 
attempted attack on a U.S. jet amid reports on Wednesday that 
Washington was planning reprisal strikes against targets in Yemen. 
The U.S. president was told on Tuesday there had been warnings of 
possible Christmas holiday attacks, and information that the 
Nigerian would-be bomber was a threat, but the data was not properly 
distributed." 
 
News Story: Same Forces Behind May 12 Carnage, Ashura Tragedy: JI - 
"The News" (12/31) 
 
"Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Syed Munawar Hasan said that 
the same elements were involved in the May 12 carnage and Ashura 
tragedy whereas the involvement of RAW and Blackwater could also not 
be ruled out. The JI Chief has also urged the Supreme Court Chief 
Justice to take suo motu of the Karachi tragedy and expose the real 
culprits through a judicial probe." 
 
News Story: Drone Attacks Sabotaging War On Terror: FO  - "The News" 
(12/31) 
 
"The United States has repeatedly been conveyed that the persistent 
drone attacks in tribal areas are damaging the ongoing war against 
terrorism, the Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said. Talking to 
a TV channel on Wednesday, he said, 'Drone attacks are not playing a 
positive role in the ongoing war against terrorism.'" 
 
News Story: 19 Militants Nabbed In Swat - "The Nation" (12/31) 
"The security forces have apprehended 15 suspected terrorists while 
four others surrendered in Swat and Malakand division, says an ISPR 
press release issued in Islamabad on Wednesday." 
 
News Story: RAW Behind Unrest In Balochistan, Says Malik - "The 
News" (12/31) 
 
"Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that Indian 
Intelligence Agency RAW is involved in creating unrest and 
terrorists activities in Balochistan, while talking to media persons 
in Gwadar on Wednesday, adding that investigation into this effect 
is underway." 
 
News Story: Two NATO Tanker Drivers, Nazim Killed In Balochistan - 
"Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"Two drivers of tankers returning after delivering oil to NATO 
forces in Afghanistan were shot dead in Mangochar, near Kalat, on 
Wednesday evening, according to police. Meanwhile, a Union Council 
Nazim and a motor mechanic were killed in Khuzdar by attackers 
riding motorcycles." 
 
News Story: Mehsuds Asked To Hand Over 378 Men - "Daily Times" 
(12/31) 
 
"The government on Wednesday handed a list of 378 wanted Mehsud 
tribesmen to the elders of the Mehsud tribe. It asked for their 
unconditional surrender with seven conditions, including respecting 
the law of the land, assuring to live in peace and not providing 
shelter to anti-state elements. Speaking at a grand Jirga held at 
the Political Compound Tank, winter headquarters of South 
Waziristan, the elders of the Mehsud tribe sought time until January 
20 to thoroughly review the seven point conditions handed over by 
political authorities." 
 
News Story: Terror Incidents Claimed 3,300 Lives This Year - "Dawn" 
(12/31) 
 
"Over 3,300 people, including personnel of law-enforcement agencies 
and armed forces, were killed this year in terrorism-related 
incidents across the country. Suicide bombers struck every fifth 
day. Data compiled through newspaper reports. On average nine lives 
were lost daily." 
 
News Story: U.S. Pledges $16 Bn For Training Afghan Security Forces 
- "The News" (12/31) 
 
"The United States has pledged $16 billion to spend on training and 
equipping Afghanistan's army and air force, but the country needs 
more to build a force that can guarantee stability, an Afghan army 
official said on Wednesday." 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: Third-Time PM Bar To Go, Says Gilani - "Dawn" (12/31) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reiterated his government's 
resolve to restore the 1973 Constitution in its original form and 
vowed to do away with the restriction on a person becoming prime 
minister for the third time, while speaking at a ceremony held in 
Gwadar on Wednesday for the signing of the 7th NFC Award." 
 
ECONOMY/ENVIRONMENT 
 
News Story: Vendors To Get Rs Three Billion: Zardari Announces 
Initial Help - "Business Recorder" (12/31) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari has assured business community that a 
relief package will be announced for affected businessmen and 
shopkeepers of December 28th incident. Zardari also assured business 
community that government would provide Rs 3 billion as initial help 
for affected shopkeepers. The president was talking to a delegation 
of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at Bilawal House 
on Wednesday, he said that entire nation is mourning the said 
incident of bomb blast on the occasion of Ashura procession in which 
more than 43 innocent lives were lost and business community 
suffered huge losses in the hand of terrorists who torched a large 
number of shops and buildings." 
 
News Story: No Data Available On Volume Of Smuggling Under ATTA - 
"The News" (12/31) 
 
"The Ministry of Commerce is not aware of existing data or record of 
re-export of goods to Pakistan under the Afghan Transit Trade 
Agreement (ATTA) and the quantity of items smuggled through this 
facility. The ministry made this revelation before the National 
Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, which met with Khurram 
Dastgir, PML-N Parliamentarian, in the chair to take up the recently 
concluded talks on Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement 
(APTTA).... To a question about U.S. or any third party role, 
Khurram Dastgir told the reporters that the Ministry has assured the 
Committee, 'There will be no role either for U.S./World Bank or 
third party role in architecting new draft on APTTA.'" 
 
News Story: 13.6% Power Tariff Hike From Tomorrow - "Daily Times" 
(12/31) 
 
"In accordance with the conditions set by the International Monetary 
Fund (IMF), the government is likely to issue a notification 
declaring a 13.6 percent increase in electricity tariff on January 
1, sources told 'Daily Times' on Wednesday." 
 
News Story: Protest Against Gas Load Management, Proposed Price 
Hike: Potohar Region CNG Stations Go On Indefinite Strike - "Daily 
Times" (12/31) 
 
"The twin cities' CNG filling stations on Wednesday went on an 
indefinite strike on the call of All Pakistan CNG Association 
(APCA).... While talking to 'Daily Times,' APCA Central President 
Ghayas Abdullah Paracha said 691 CNG Filling Stations Potohar Region 
including Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum were on 
strike on the call of APCA against the government's gas load 
management plan and proposed increase in gas prices from January." 
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
News Story: Afghans Vent Anger At Civilian Deaths; Protesters Burn 
Obama Effigy - "The Nation" (12/31) 
 
"Protesters took to the streets in Afghanistan on Wednesday, burning 
an effigy of the U.S. President and shouting 'death to Obama' to 
slam civilian deaths during Western military operations. Hundreds of 
university students blocked main roads in Jalalabad, capital of 
eastern Nangarhar province, to protest the alleged deaths of 10 
civilians, mostly schoolchildren, in a Western military operation on 
Saturday." 
 
News Story: U.S. Consulate General Karachi Launches Facebook Fan 
Page - "The Frontier Post" (12/31) 
 
"Karachi's active and growing community of online networkers and 
social media enthusiasts will be joined this week by the U.S. 
Consulate General in Karachi, with the launch of its Facebook fan 
page (http://www.facebook.com/karachi.usconsulate/ ). The Facebook 
fan page aims to provide members information about the United States 
and activities of the American Consulate General in Karachi in order 
to promote bilateral and cultural ties between the United States and 
Pakistan." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: 2009: An Intense Year, an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (12/31) 
 
"As 2009 draws to a close, it leaves the Pakistani nation 
emotionally and physically drained.... Pakistanis have also suffered 
death and destruction as never before as a result of our partnership 
with the U.S. in its misguided "war on terror", which has created a 
most violent fallout for Pakistan.... The latest terrorism and its 
aftermath in Karachi showed the planned nature of the entire 
episode, meant to seem like a spontaneous angry fallout. All this 
has added to the ever present mistrust that defines the reality of 
the Pakistan-U.S. relationship, especially with the discovery of 
U.S. covert operatives and mercenaries like Blackwater and Dynacorp, 
all defying the law in Pakistan." 
 
Editorial: The 'Hidden' Hand, an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/31) 
 
"It would be tempting, and perhaps in accord with past practice, to 
blame the ubiquitous 'foreign' hand. But cooler reflection would 
indicate that the 'hidden' hand is very much indigenous and the 
injury suffered the result of self-inflicted wounds stemming from 
the past myopic policies of nurturing extremist militants for the 
export of jihad in the neighborhood. Wisdom may have dawned late 
regarding the fallout of such past misadventures, but painful as the 
present is, better later than never. An inherently difficult task of 
crushing these enemies of the people and the state can only be 
successfully conducted by mobilizing the citizenry and beefing up 
intelligence work to disrupt the terrorists' plans from within." 
 
Editorial: Somebody Is Breaking Karachi's Backbone, an editorial in 
the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (12/31) 
 
"It is quite clear that somebody is trying to steel glitter of the 
city that is rightly described as economic nerve centre of the 
country. It is also worth mentioning that the attack and violence 
came at a time when due to efforts of the Government and the Army 
the situation in Swat and FATA was limping back to normalcy and 
anti-Pakistan elements were now fomenting trouble in new spots to 
keep the pot boiling." 
 
Editorial: Wriggle Out Of Afghan Web Net, an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (12/31) 
 
"Pressure is still being exerted on Islamabad to move in more troops 
on the border to check movement of Taliban. In our view that is no 
solution to the problem as Pakistan has to keep in view its own 
security upper most. While Islamabad is confronting the militants on 
its side of the border, it is the responsibility of Afghan and 
coalition forces to take care of militants escaping or entering the 
Afghan territory.... Additionally with advance air surveillance 
system, the U.S. can track the movement of militants and target them 
from the ground and the air." 
 
Opinion: Holding The Consensus Against Militancy, an op-ed by Syed 
Talat Hussain in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily 
"Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/31) 
 
"All nations at war need leaders who rise above and outdo themselves 
in countering skeptical sentiments. Here in Pakistan, we have a 
strange situation. As soldiers and civilians get blown away in 
mortal combat or in heinous terrorism, the leadership is engaged in 
a bitter struggle for political survival. This insecurity at the top 
combined with rising urban terrorism is what has begun to slice away 
at the national consensus on how to deal with militants in 
Pakistan." 
 
Opinion: A Year Of Living On The Edge, an op-ed by Dr. Maleeha Lodhi 
in the populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" 
(cir. 55,000) (12/31) 
 
"At the close of the year the military operation had expanded to 
Orakzai and Khyber, but concerns about whether the militants had 
been dispersed rather than defeated suggested that Pakistan's 
counterinsurgency efforts would be a long haul. The danger that 
these efforts could be jeopardized and the army overstretched by the 
demands of the new regional strategy announced by President Obama 
became a key question as the New Year approached. The military 
escalation signaled by Washington's troop surge and the expansion in 
drone-launched missile strikes in the tribal areas heightened fears 
of further destabilization of the country." 
 
Opinion: For Stemming The Rot, an op-ed by I.M. Mohsin in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(12/31) 
 
"A Reuters report from Kabul over the weekend highlights that the 
Taliban have 'governors' in 33 provinces out of 34. This revelation 
was made, on condition of anonymity, by a senior NATO intelligence 
official stationed there. He rightly concludes: 'So he (the Taliban) 
has a government-in-waiting.'... This should cause no surprise to 
those who know the ground realities in the war zone. As the 
U.S./NATO try to swell their forces, they know that force is not the 
solution to the Af-Pak problem. Unlike the past, the present 
commanders are said to be highly educated. The woeful experience of 
the eight years resulting from the indiscriminate use of air power, 
killed many frequently. At times, even a puppet like Karzai had to 
protest openly. Such foolhardy tactics actually helped the Taliban 
tremendously. As per the traditions, the surviving kin are honor 
bound to avenge such killings.... In the interest of the U.S. and 
world peace, Obama should reach a viable settlement in Afghanistan 
with Pakistan's help." 
 
Opinion: The Obama Year, an op-ed by Tariq Fatemi in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (12/31) 
 
"A year in the White House and Obama is already a diminished figure 
compared to what he was when elected to the presidency.... In 
foreign policy, Obama enunciated his priorities of restarting the 
Middle East peace process, initiating a meaningful dialogue with 
Iran, ensuring a smooth wrap-up of the U.S. engagement in Iraq and 
achieving some success in Afghanistan to claim victory and leave.... 
On Afghanistan, the administration no longer talks of 'nation 
building'. The objective now is narrow: to weaken the Taliban and Al 
Qaeda within the next 18 months and to restore some semblance of 
order to that country to enable the U.S. to claim victory and pull 
out. Since the success of this strategy is dependent on Pakistan's 
cooperation, we can expect more of the carrot and stick in the 
coming months. But the President has to guard against his own 
Generals who want him to go down the same route that led to the 
destruction of the Johnson administration." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson