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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: JANUARY 04, 2010 
 
Summary:  Media coverage of the U.S. in the new year began with 
reports in all major English language dailies of Thursday's signing 
of an implementation letter worth $55 million for FATA 
infrastructure.  Media also carried reports regarding the closure of 
a U.S. training facility at Sihala and the Foreign Office's 
statement that Pakistan has an extradition treaty with the U.S. 
Reports that U.S. drone strikes killed a top militant leader also 
garnered coverage, while "The News" ran the headline, "44 U.S. drone 
hits killed 700 civilians, 5 al-Qaeda men in 2009." A suicide 
bombing at a volleyball match in Lakki Marwat dominated headlines on 
Saturday.  Nearly all newspapers covered the attack on a CIA base in 
Afghanistan's Khost Province, reporting that the base may have been 
used to launch drone strikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. 
 On Sunday, all major English dailies carried the U.S. condemnation 
of the Lakki Marwat attacks, quoting statements from Secretary 
Clinton and Embassy Islamabad.  Prime Minister Gilani's statement 
that the "delay in the implementation of Charter of Democracy, 
signed between Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League, 
was 'the biggest mistake' (of his government) dominated headlines in 
all major dailies on Monday.  The closure of the U.S. and UK 
embassies in Yemen owing to security threats also figured 
prominently.  Reports and photographs of the killing of a former 
provincial minister of NWFP in a bomb blast in Hangu (Kohat) 
received prominent front-page coverage.  All newspapers reported 
that the five U.S. nationals arrested last month "will be indicted 
under different sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act" today.  Remarks 
by the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Brennan that "CIA is on 
the front line in war along Pak-Afghan border" garnered wide 
display.  Also front-paged were reports that "three foreigners among 
five" were killed in a "CIA-operated" drone strike in North 
Waziristan Agency. End Summary. 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: U.S., U.K. Close Embassies In Yemen  - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"The United States and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen on 
Sunday after receiving information that Al Qaeda is planning attacks 
at American and British targets in that country, President Barack 
Obama's top counter-terrorism Adviser John Brennan told journalists 
in Washington." 
 
News Story: CIA On The Front Line In War Along Pak-Afghan Border  - 
"Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"The CIA is on the front line in the war along the 
Pakistan-Afghanistan border and will continue to play this role 
despite a temporary setback, U.S. President Barack Obama's top 
counter-terrorism adviser said on Sunday. Last week, a Taliban group 
attacked the spy agency's main base in Afghanistan, killing eight 
Americans, including the CIA's station manager and six agents. John 
Brennan, the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser for Homeland 
Security and Counter-terrorism, told reporters that the CIA was 
looking very carefully at the circumstances surrounding the Khost 
attack and was trying to make sure that such incidents didn't happen 
again." 
 
News Story: U.S. Increases Resources In Region  - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama has said that his country has 
dramatically increased its resources in the Pak-Afghan region 
because this was where Al Qaeda was actually based. In his Saturday 
radio address, Mr. Obama drew a direct link between an Al Qaeda 
group and a foiled attempt to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner." 
 
News Story: American Nationals To Be Indicted On Terror Charges  - 
"Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"The five U.S. nationals arrested last month will be indicted under 
different sections of Anti-Terrorism Act on Monday (today) when they 
will be presented in Sargodha District and Sessions Court. Waqar 
Hussain Khan (22), Virginia, Ahmed Abdullah Mani (20), Virginia, 
Ramay S. Zamzam (22), Egypt, Iman Hasan Yamar (17), California and 
Omar Farouk (24), Virginia, were arrested in Sargodha on Dec 9 for 
'plotting terror attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.'" 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: 44 U.S. Drone Hits Killed 700 civilians, 5 Al Qaeda Men 
In 2009 - "The News" - (01/01) 
"Of the 44 Predator strikes carried out by the American drones in 
the tribal areas of Pakistan in 12 months of 2009, only five were 
able to hit their actual targets, killing five key al Qaeda and 
Taliban leaders, but at the cost of around 700 innocent civilians 
lives." 
 
News Story: 90 Killed In Lakki Marwat Bombing - "Daily Times" 
(01/02) 
 
"At least 90 people were killed after a suicide bomber detonated an 
explosives-laden pickup truck in the middle of a volleyball game in 
the village of Shah Hasan Khel, in Bannu division of Lakki Marwat on 
New Year's Day. 'It's just a disaster. I can see flesh, bodies and 
wounded all around,' Fazl-e-Akbar, a witness, told Reuters by 
telephone. 'It's dark. Vehicles' headlights are being used to search 
for victims.'" 
 
News Story: Top Militant Leader Killed In Drone Attack - "Dawn" 
(01/02) 
 
"Two people were killed and four others injured when a U.S. drone 
fired two missiles on a car parked outside a residential compound in 
Hakimkhel area of North Waziristan on Friday. According to sources, 
militant leader Haji Mohammad Umar was among those killed in the 
attack." 
 
News Story: Clinton Condemns Suicide Bombing - "The News," "Dawn," 
"The Nation," "Pakistan Observer" (01/03) 
 
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced the suicide car 
bombing Friday of a volleyball game in Pakistan that left at least 
88 people dead. 'The United States strongly condemns today's 
terrorist attack on civilians in Pakistan, and we offer our 
condolences to the families of the victims and all the people of 
Pakistan,' Clinton said in a statement." 
 
News Story: Travellers From 14 Nations Will Face Additional 
Screening In U.S. - "The Nation" (01/04) 
 
"Travelers from 14 nations including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria 
and Saudi Arabia flying into the United States will face additional 
screening starting today, U.S. officials have said." 
 
News Story: 3 Arabs Among 5 Killed In Drone Attack  - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
 
"Five people, three of them Arabs, were killed when a drone fired 
two missiles on a house in Mosaki village of North Waziristan on 
Sunday night, official sources said." 
 
News Story: Militants' Bomb Kills Ex-Minister In Hangu  - "Dawn" 
(01/04) 
 
"Former provincial irrigation minister Ghani-ur-Rehman and his 
cousin were killed when an improvised explosive device, believed to 
have been planted by militants, went off on the Bagato road in Hangu 
district on Sunday." 
 
News Story: 12 Terrorists Killed In Swat, SWA - "The Nation" (01/04) 
 
 
"At least 12 terrorists were killed and one soldier embraced 
martyrdom while scores of soldiers and terrorists were injured in 
encounters between the security forces and terrorists in South 
Waziristan and Swat-Malakand region, ISPR reported on Sunday." 
 
News Story: Fazlullah's Driver Surrenders  - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"The driver Khadim Hussain of Swat Taliban Chief Maulana Fazlullah 
along with a companion surrendered to security forces in Kabal 
tehsil of the district while seven suspected militants were arrested 
in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency on Sunday, officials confirmed the 
surrender of Khadim Hussain." 
 
News Story: Karachi Violence A Pre-Planned Conspiracy? - "Daily 
Times" (01/04) 
 
"A private TV channel has claimed violence and a fire that erupted 
after a blast targeting a Muharram procession in Karachi on December 
28 were 'thoroughly pre-planned.' Basing its claim on CCTV footage, 
the channel said police and Rangers deployed in the area had 
'started leaving their positions in a hurry,' as no security 
personnel were visible in footage taken one minute and 12 seconds 
after the blast. The 'pre-planned arson' began 39 minutes after the 
blast, when 'suspicious people' started arriving at the site. 
Showing a CCTV grab taken 39 minutes and 23 seconds after the blast, 
the channel said, 'There were well-equipped people with ringleaders 
distributing phosphorous packets, petrol and gloves.'" 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: Pakistan Has Extradition Treaty With U.S., says FO  - 
"Dawn" (01/01) 
 
"Weeks after denying that Pakistan had an extradition treaty with 
the United States, the government said on Thursday that the two 
countries had an accord for return of fugitives as per a 1973 
notification, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at a media 
briefing." 
 
News Story: Ignoring CoD Biggest Mistake, Admits PM - "The News" 
(01/04) 
 
"Admitting for the first time that his government had committed a 
serious mistake by not implementing the Charter of Democracy (CoD) 
immediately after taking over the reins of power, Prime Minister 
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday vowed to expeditiously correct the 
'big mistake.'" 
 
News Story: Gilani, Nawaz Discuss Accountability Law  - "Dawn" 
(01/04) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-N 
chief Nawaz Sharif discussed on Sunday salient features of the draft 
of a new accountability law which the government plans to introduce, 
a spokesman for the Prime Minister's House told 'Dawn.'" 
 
News Story: Kayani Backs Democracy: Gilani - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
"In an interview with Al Jazeera television, Prime Minister Yousuf 
Raza Gilani has said that Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is a 
highly professional soldier and ardent supporter of democracy." 
 
ECONOMY/ENVIRONMENT 
 
News Story: U.S. To Release $1.2 Billion In January Under CSF - 
"Daily Times" (01/01) 
 
"U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson on Thursday announced that 
Washington would release $1.2 billion in January 2010 as part of the 
Coalition Support Fund (CSF). The release had been delayed due to 
non-availability of responsible personnel in the U.S. Embassy to 
process the case, she told reporters after signing an agreement for 
$55 million Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Construction Program 
in South Waziristan." 
 
News Story: U.S. To Fund Rebuilding In SWA - "Dawn" (01/01) 
 
The U.S. will support a $55 million infrastructure rehabilitation 
and construction program in the South Waziristan Agency. This was 
announced by U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson at a ceremony held in 
Islamabad on Thursday." 
 
News Story: IMF OK With Pakistan, Miffed With Donors - "The News" 
(01/04) 
 
"Key members of IMF's Executive Board have criticized the Fund for 
allowing Islamabad to use its augmented resources for budgetary 
purposes, stating that it resulted into 'relaxing' those donors who 
pledged at Tokyo conference to provide $5.3 billion within two years 
to Pakistan. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) official based in 
Washington D.C. shared contents of speeches made by the members of 
the Executive Board of the Fund with 'The News.'" 
 
News Story: OGDC Blamed For Oil, Gas Output Decline - "Dawn" (01/04) 
 
 
"The oil and gas production in the country has significantly 
declined over the past two years mainly because of the inability of 
the state-run Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) to 
meet its drilling targets, resulting in increased outflow of foreign 
exchange for imported fuels, informed sources told 'Dawn' on 
Sunday." 
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
News Story: Hundreds of Afghans Rally Against NATO Forces - 
"Pakistan Observer" (01/04) 
 
"Hundreds of people, mostly students rallied in central Kabul and 
eastern Nangarhar provinces against the killing of civilians in 
foreign forces operations.... Activists of youth branch of Jamiat 
Eslah (Afghan Society for Social Reform and Development) staged a 
demonstration in Kabul, condemning the airstrikes and demanded 
withdrawal of the troops." 
 
U.S. Mulling Stiffer Curbs On Tehran: NYT - "The Nation" (01/04) 
 
"Growing political opposition in Iran may present an opportunity for 
the United States to strike hard with sanctions, The New York Times 
reported Sunday, citing unnamed American officials. The Obama 
administration is considering sanctions that would specifically 
target the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which plays a key 
role in the nuclear program and in repression of anti-government 
demonstrations, the newspaper said." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: Control & Reciprocity, an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (01/03) 
 
"The Interior Ministry's decision to take back the facilities 
provided to the so-called US trainers at Sihala Police Academy is a 
welcome development but it needs to be implemented. At the moment 
the decision has not been conveyed in writing and all the U.S. 
equipment remains in Sihala. But the Interior Ministry's decision 
also shows that effective public pressure through protests and the 
media does have an impact on the government. This is simply a first 
hesitant step and the government needs to do a lot more to rid the 
country of the threat from covert U.S. operatives.... Clearly, there 
is a need to restructure the whole relationship with the U.S. at all 
levels and to regain our lost space within our own country.... 
Unless the Pakistani state can re-establish its authority on its own 
soil, it will continue to see its citizens victimized by external 
powers." 
 
Editorial: Another Massacre, an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English daily "The Post" (cir. 5,000) (01/04) 
 
"Another massacre and this time it has taken place in unlucky Lakki 
Marwat, a part of the Frontier region which is the special - and 
easy - target of terrorists and bombers.... Suicide bombers have 
kept attacking us everywhere across Pakistan but we have not yet 
been able to find a way to stop them.... Clearly, the security 
arrangements have failed to cope with the terrorist challenge to our 
existence. The militants are capable of hitting us anywhere and 
everywhere and we are unable to defend ourselves. The time has come 
to review and revise the entire gamut of our security policies and 
strategies to make them really effective against the menace of 
terrorist attacks." 
 
Editorial: Self-Inflicted Fear?, an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (01/04) 
 
"If there is a threat of "undemocratic forces" - from wherever - the 
politicians should inform the people with some proof. Yes, in terms 
of the US and India, the President has genuine concerns but he can 
act to counter these. But at a time when the military is doing the 
political government's bidding it makes no sense to deliberately 
provoke a conflict through unfounded accusations and efforts to 
undermine military institutions. At present, the President's daily 
dose of imagined threats is itself undermining the political process 
and making stable governance impossible. That is where the present 
threat to the system and the state is coming from." 
 
Editorial: A Beleaguered Karzai, an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (01/04) 
 
"There must be little doubt, however, that a lot of Mr. Karazai's 
headaches are directly related to failure of the U.S.-led occupation 
forces to beat the insurgency. The swelling of the ranks of 
insurgents follows from the Afghans' age-old spirit of resistance to 
any alien rule, and a Pushtun figurehead, widely and rightly 
perceived as an American puppet, cooped up in the Presidential 
Palace and living at the mercy of foreign forces, would have little 
respectability and influence in the eyes of the independent minded 
people." 
 
Editorial: President Zardari's Aggressive Manner: He Should Avoid 
Undermining The System Himself, an editorial in the second-largest, 
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (01/04) 
 
"President Asif Ali Zardari and his party do not so far face a 
threat to their government.  Those who could be dangerous for their 
rule have resolved to save the system....  According to the 
President he does not have any threat coming from the Army, then, on 
may ask, who is posing a threat to his government.  If some state or 
non-state actors are posing a threat to the system then he should 
clearly identify them.  He should abstain from himself destabilizing 
the system on the basis of some self created danger." 
 
Editorial: Indian Army Chief's Statement And Pak Army's Reaction, an 
editorial in liberal Urdu daily "Express" (cir. 25,000) (01/04) 
 
"Indian Army Chief said recently that Indian Army is preparing to 
wage a war with Pakistan and China simultaneously wherein it will 
get indirect help from America and Russia....  The Indian Army Chief 
and his government should better reconsider the statement and their 
policy and should talk about peace instead of destruction....  The 
Indian leadership should abstain from the policy of creating water 
scarcity for Pakistan, for this issue can lead to a war between the 
two countries." 
 
Opinion: The Year In Retrospect, an op-ed by Talat Masood in the 
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (01/04) 
 
"The ultimate success against militancy would depend on economic 
development, and the strengthening of political and social 
institutions which is far too slow. The militants in tribal 
agencies, though linked by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have 
different motives and dynamics. The army will have to devise a 
strategy that is different for each group. The Jihadi and sectarian 
elements are also posing a serious threat to our integrity. No 
serious effort was made to harness and bring them back to the 
mainstream. The danger is if they are not dealt firmly, they could 
further strengthen nexus with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. There is 
also ambiguity regarding whether or not the army is fully on board 
in abandoning its past policy of relying on militant proxies as a 
strategic tool for India." 
 
Opinion: Replicating The Vietnam Finale!, an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal 
in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 
20,000) (01/04) 
 
"The faulty American strategy in Afghanistan has had tremendous 
negative fallouts in Pakistan. In fact most of Pakistan's woes of 
these days are a direct and indirect outcome of American follies in 
Afghanistan. So after perceiving this reality the hard way, the 
Pakistani public has evolved almost a nationwide consensus on 
several cardinal aspects of this war.... As of now, Americans are 
most likely to gate crash into a Vietnam like finale. Post-U.S. 
occupation of Afghanistan is destined to resemble its post-Soviet 
era model. It is indeed painful for the well-wishers of Pak-U.S. and 
Pak-Afghan relations to predict this gory scenario. Out of 
stubbornness, the Americans are in a denial mode. Therefore, 
Pakistan needs to take corrective and preventive measures to avoid 
the inevitable fallout." 
 
Opinion: West Ignores Pakistan Sacrifices, an op-ed by Sajjad 
Shaukat in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan 
Observer" (cir. 5,000) (01/04) 
 
"Whenever any terror-incident takes place or any plot is foiled in 
Europe and America, their high officials deliberately links it with 
Pakistan on one or the other way.... Quite contrarily, U.S. and 
European leaders only want to use Usama Bin Laden as a scapegoat to 
target and destabilize Pakistan because it is the lonely nuclear 
country in the Islamic World.... However, these false allegations 
are part of a conspiracy against our country. Particularly U.S. 
which tactically favors anti-Pakistan campaign of India has been 
playing a double game with Islamabad.... Although fact remains that 
in the last eight years, unlike other countries, Pakistan has borne 
the brunt of major losses during war on terror, yet America and its 
western allies ignore the sacrifices of our country." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson