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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 22, 2010 
 
Summary:  Reports of political significance, particularly Prime 
Minister Gilani's remarks hinting that "all undesirable amendments 
introduced in the Constitution by dictators would be revoked before 
President Zardari's address to the joint session of parliament in 
March" this year dominated headlines in all newspapers on Monday 
morning.  "Dawn," reported that the Obama administration had 
selected a career diplomat Cameron Hume to replace Ambassador 
Patterson in Islamabad.  Several major newspapers highlighted 
reports that the CIA seeks custody of Taliban military commander 
Mullah Abdul Ghani Bradar, who was captured in Pakistan last month. 
Newspapers highlighted General Petraeus' remarks made in an 
interview with NBC, describing Pakistan's anti-militancy steps in 
recent months as "impressive," and that the current battle around 
Afghan town of Marjah is the "opening battle in a long campaign." 
Reports of the ongoing military offensive against Taliban continued 
to garner media coverage.  Media also highlighted reports that the 
security forces hoisted the national flag in the Damangi area for 
the first time after clearing it of the Taliban militants, and 
police arrested Maulvi Kabir, one of the top 10 most-wanted Taliban 
leaders and a former governor of Afghanistan's Nangahar provice. The 
likely increase in Pakistan's defense budget by130 billion Rupees in 
the wake of ongoing military operation in tribal areas were also 
reported. Assistant Secretary Robert Blake's statement that U.S. is 
keen to see stable Pak-India ties received prominent display. 
Continuing its drive against Americans in Pakistan, "The Nation," in 
its Sunday edition front-paged a report and photographs claiming 
that "mystery of U.S. personnel's entry into Lahore Cantt solved." 
The report further asserts that their activities really caught on 
only recently when they acquired Houses 87 and 88 (Sarwar Colony,) 
ostensibly for the U.S. embassy staff relocated from Peshawar to 
Lahore!  Commenting on the abduction of four Mercy Corps officials 
in Baluchistan, "The News," observed that it is "another reminder of 
how unsafe Pakistan is becoming for international groups carrying 
out work for impoverished people in remote areas."  On the recent 
arrests of some Taliban leaders, "Daily Times," noted that "Pakistan 
still exercises great influence over the Afghan Taliban, which is 
why most of its leadership is hiding out here.  Some of Al Qaeda's 
top leaders have also been arrested in Karachi, underscoring the 
point that the nexus between the Taliban and Al Qaeda is as strong 
as ever."End Summary. 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: All Dictatorial Amends To Go - "The Nation" (02/22) 
 
"Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said the nation would 
be getting good news in March this year when all undesirable 
amendments introduced in the Constitution by the dictators would be 
revoked." 
 
News Story:  Hume Tipped As Next US Ambassador - "Dawn" (02/22) 
 
"The US administration is thinking of sending another career 
diplomat Cameron R. Hume to Islamabad to replace Ambassador Anne 
Patterson who completes her three-year tenure in May. 'She deserves 
a less demanding job after three excruciating years in Pakistan,' a 
diplomatic source told Dawn while confirming that the Obama 
administration had selected Mr Hume to replace Ambassador 
Patterson." 
 
News Story: CIA  Seeks Custody Of Taliban Leader Mulla Baradar - 
"The News" (02/22) 
 
"Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was 
captured in Pakistan last month. U.S. officials say he is not 
revealing useful information and want him transferred to Bagram air 
base." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Has Taken Impressive Anti-Militant Steps: 
Petraeus - "Daily Times" (02/22) 
 
"Gen David Petraeus, chief of the US Central Command, on Sunday 
described as "impressive" Pakistan's anti-militancy strides in 
recent months as he noted a widespread backing in the key South 
Asian country for the fight against extremism." 
 
News Story: Marjah First Salvo In Long Campaign: Petraeus - "Daily 
Times" (02/22) 
 
"The top US general in Afghanistan and Iraq said on Sunday that the 
current battle around the southern Afghan town of Marjah is the 
'opening battle' in a long campaign." 
 
News Story: 'Baradar's Arrest Shows Pak Committed To Fighting 
Terror' - "Dawn" (02/22) 
 
"The arrest of the Taliban military chief in Karachi should be seen 
in the context of Pakistan's overall commitment to fight religious 
extremists, the commander of the US Central Command said in an 
interview with NBC television on Sunday." 
 
News Story: Mystery Of U.S. Personnel's Entry Into Lahore Cantt 
Solved - "The Nation" (02/21) 
 
"The Mystery of U.S. Personnel being constantly caught entering into 
the sensitive area of Lahore Cantonment and thereby getting caught 
by Military Police has finally been resolved. . . . Their activities 
really caught on only recently when they acquired Houses 87 and 88 
(Sarwar Colony,) ostensibly for the U.S. embassy staff relocated 
from Peshawar to Lahore." 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: Army Hoists Pak Flag In Damangi- "Daily Times" (02/22) 
 
"The security forces and the political administration, in a joint 
search operation, arrested 80 suspected Taliban, while 20 Taliban 
including a key commander surrendered in the Bajaur Agency, 
officials said." 
 
News Story: Top Afghan Taliban Leader Arrested From Nowshera - 
"Daily Times" (02/22) 
 
"Police in Nowshera arrested Maulvi Kabir, one of the top 10 
most-wanted Taliban leaders and a former governor of Afghanistan's 
Nangahar province, Fox News reported on its website on Sunday." 
 
News Story: Defence Budget Likely To Go Up By Rs 130 Bn - "The News" 
(02/22) 
 
"Pakistan's defence budget is all set to increase by, at least, Rs 
130 billion in the wake of the ongoing military operation against 
the militants in the tribal areas as well as on account of increased 
salaries of military personnel, paving the way for achieving a 
broader consensus with the IMF for jacking up the fiscal deficit 
target up to 5.1 per cent of the GDP from the earlier envisaged 
target of 4.9 per cent." 
 
News Story: US Keen To See Stable Pak-India Ties - "The News" 
(02/22) 
 
"As India and Pakistan prepare for foreign-secretary level talks in 
New Delhi next week the Assistant Secretary of State for South and 
Central Asia Robert Blake has said the US is keen to see the two 
countries reach a stable realtionship on their own terms at the 
appropraite time." 
 
News Story: Outgunned Taliban Putting Up Tough Fight In Marjah - 
"Daily Times" (02/22) 
 
"Outnumbered and outgunned, Taliban fighters are mounting a tougher 
fight than expected in Marjah, Afghan officials said on Sunday, as 
US-led forces converged on a pocket of militants in a western 
section of the town." 
 
News Story:  Eight Militants Killed In Darra Clash - "The News" 
(02/22) 
 
 "Eight militants were killed and two soldiers sustained injuries in 
a clash during a search operation in Darra Adamkhel on Sunday, 
official sources said. The sources said security forces carried out 
a search operation in Turk Ismailkhel, Jawakai and Shindhand areas 
where the militants opened fire on security forces. In retaliation, 
security forces killed eight militants whose identity could not be 
established while two soldiers reportedly sustained injuries. 
 
News Story: Two More Schools Blown Up In Mohmand - "The News" 
(02/22) 
 
"Militants blew up two more schools in Safi Tehsil of Mohmand Agency 
early Sunday, tribal sources said. The sources said a group of 
militants first placed explosives at various points in the building 
of the Government Boys' High School in Sandokhel, Safi Sub-division. 
As a result, the structure was destroyed." 
 
News Story: Kidnapped Sikh Beheaded In Tirah Valley  - "Dawn" 
(02/22) 
 
"Militants have beheaded a kidnapped Sikh in Tirah valley of Khyber 
Agency after his relatives failed to pay ransom, according to his 
family." 
 
News Story: US lawmaker promises help over Aafia case - "The Nation" 
(02/22) 
 
"US Congressman and former joint Chairman of President Obama's 
Campaign in Chicago Danny Davis has assured that he would join any 
group in the Congress to obtain justice for Dr Aafia Siddiqui and 
suggested that Sheila Jackson Lee, a member of Congress from Euston, 
should be contacted as she is a great supporter of Pakistan and 
fights for the protection of liberties." 
 
News Story: Americans Terrorise Their Neighbours - "The Nation" 
(02/21) 
 
"The disclosure of undercover agents of foreign spy agencies 
residing in the most sensitive locality of the Punjab Capital is an 
eye-opener for those sitting at the helm of affairs as their 
mysterious activities are worrying every one residing in the colony. 
The residents of Sarwar Colony, situated a few hundred meters away 
from the Fortress Stadium in the Cantonment area, are terrified as 
they frequently notice mysterious activities taking place inside and 
outside Houses 87 And 88." 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story:  Outcome Of Talks Depends On India: FM  - "Dawn" 
(02/22) 
 
"Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday that 
he was optimistic about the outcome of foreign secretary-level talks 
with India, slated for Feb 25. Talking to representatives of Chinese 
print and electronic media here, he made it clear that the outcome 
depended on the response from the Indian side." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Hopes To Make Most Of Feb 25 Talks - "Dawn" 
(02/22) 
 
 
"A seven-member Pakistani delegation leaves for New Delhi on 
Wednesday to attend the foreign secretary-level talks with India, 
slated for the next day. The Pakistani side would approach the talks 
'positively and constructively to make the most out of the renewed 
engagement', a senior official said on Sunday." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Is Our 'Most Important' Neighbour, Says 
Chidambaram - "Daily Times" (02/22) 
 
"Pakistan is India's 'most important' neighbouring country, and 
politics should not hinder bilateral trade between the two 
countries, Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Sunday." 
 
News Story: NAB Chief Seeks Advice On Swiss Cases - "Dawn" (02/22) 
 
"National Accountability Bureau Chairman Navaid Ahsan has sent a 
letter to the law ministry seeking advice on how to reopen the Swiss 
money laundering cases in compliance with a Supreme Court order." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: No Mercy, an editorial in the populist, often sensational 
national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/22) 
 
"The kidnapping of four officials of the international humanitarian 
NGO, Mercy Corps, on their way from Quetta to Zhob is another 
reminder of how unsafe Pakistan is becoming for international groups 
carrying out work for impoverished people in remote areas. The 
kidnapping comes soon after several other similar incidents in 
Balochistan. Already a number of international groups, including the 
UN agencies, have pulled out or reduced work in the country's least 
developed province. This of course works against the interests of 
people who urgently need all the assistance they can receive." 
 
Editorial: Of Arrests And Negotiations, an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (02/22) 
 
". . . . Washington is not satisfied with Baradar's interrogation 
and wants to take charge, but Interior Minister Rehman Malik has 
said that until and unless the investigation is completed, Baradar 
would not be sent to Afghanistan. This can also be seen as an 
indication that Pakistan wants to be the sole mediator when it comes 
to negotiations with the Afghan Taliban. The West and the Afghan 
government do not approve of this 'offer' by the Pakistani 
establishment due to the obvious trust deficit and our past record. 
. . . Pakistan still exercises great influence over the Afghan 
Taliban, which is why most of its leadership is hiding out here" 
 
Opinion: On An Upward Curve, an op-ed by Talat Masood in the 
populist, often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 
55,000) (02/22) 
 
"The military to military relations between the US and Pakistan 
seems to be gradually improving. There is a greater level of mutual 
confidence and less talk of "do more". This has been achieved by 
enhanced cooperation at operational and intelligence level and is 
benefiting both sides. It seems sharing is taking place even at the 
planning stage to ensure greater synergy and to make sure that the 
operations undertaken by the US on the Afghan side do not have a 
negative fallout on Pakistan or vice-versa. . . ." 
 
Editorial: The Austin Terrorist , an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/22) 
 
". . . . The lawmakers have no hesitation in not just blaming 
Muslims, but also invading Muslim countries, on the basis of 
suspicion of involvement in terrorism, but where US non-Muslim 
citizens are involved, the reluctance is noticeable; it is almost as 
if the word 'terrorism' has now been reserved for criminals who 
happen to be Muslim. CAIR has been asking the US to end its 
anti-Muslim bias. Being a Muslim, even if not necessarily a very 
believing or practising one, means being labelled a terrorist in the 
USA. . . ." 
 
Opinion: Wages Of Misconception, an op-ed by Shahzad Chaudhry in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (02/22) 
 
". . . . Current American thinking is rather defensive; having 
blasted the Taliban for all this time, it is only a sheepish return 
to integrating the same elements into the mainstream Afghan fabric. 
Still, the Americans prefer to call any such attempt or a change of 
policy as 'integrating' rather than 'conciliating'. Their refuge in 
verbal obscurantism can be best understood if one remembers it is 
the 'superpower' that is being made to change a strategy that it has 
executed for all these years. . . ." 
 
Opinion: Helmand Hullabaloo, an op-ed by Khalid Iqbal in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(02/22) 
 
". . . . One wonders whether the Americans are treating Pakistan as 
an ally or as a whipping boy; indeed both of these are being 
orchestrated in a typical Machiavellian spirit. Recent arrest of 
Mullah Barader and two "shadow governors" of Taliban indicate that 
Pakistan is making a sincere effort to fight extremism; and is not 
shy to act when there is credible intelligence input from the 
allies. . . ." 
 
Opinion: Saray-Raah [In Passing], a regular satirical column in the 
second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) 
(02/22) 
 
"Full text -- The mystery of Americans' repeated arrests in Lahore 
has been solved. However, the mystery is: who gave Americans the 
permission to live in such a sensitive area, where they are involved 
in suspicious activities and where their Pakistani neighbors are 
also scared of this situation? If the same had happened to 
Pakistanis in America they would have been meted out the same 
treatment that was given to Aafia Siddiqi, who was treated cruelly 
and tortured on the basis of a fictitious story. In contrast, 
American saboteurs are running amok in Lahore like pigs. Moreover, 
they have rented houses in the cantonment; and their activities are 
suspect because mysterious Americans keep coming and going there. 
Government of Pakistan's Interior Ministry is not taking any notice 
of this free movement of Americans in Pakistan. The mystery will be 
solved when America departs from Pakistan and when Afghans would be 
allowed to form an independent government in Afghanistan. Allowing 
Americans full freedom in Pakistan, and letting oneself [Pakistanis] 
go through humiliating screening - but then again, when the husband 
and wife [Pakistan government and the U.S.] are willing, what can 
the priest do? Tourists used to come to Pakistan earlier too, but 
not to take houses on rent in sensitive residential areas. We must 
now undo measures taken by Musharraf --End full text." 
 
Opinion: Mossad's Use Of European Travel Documents , an op-ed By 
Shireen Mazari in the center-right national English daily "The 
Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/20) 
 
 "A new and dangerous trend for the Muslim states has now surfaced 
in the form of Israel's murderous intelligence agency, Mossad's 
access into these countries through the use of American and European 
passports. . . . For Pakistan these startling revelations pose a 
very serious threat, given how Israel has been targeting Pakistan's 
nuclear programme and has evolved an extremely strong strategic 
partnership with India. While the US has been pressing Pakistan to 
ease visa procedures for Americans, under the new developments 
Pakistan will have to scrutinise American and European visa 
applicants even more closely. It now becomes critical for the 
Interior Ministry to identify how many Americans were given 
Pakistani visas in the last few years and where exactly these 
Americans are now based." 
 
Opinion: Secularism Vs Islamism, an op-ed by Iqbal Akhund in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (02/22) 
 
". . . . The average Pakistani is devout and religion is an 
important part of his being. Islamic signs and symbols are 
everywhere but Pakistanis are not willing to be ruled by clerics and 
do not vote for the religious parties. Yet a rightwing Islamism (the 
Shariat Court calling land reform un-Islamic, for instance) coupled 
with an exhibitionist religiosity has been making headway in the 
country's politics and hearts and minds. The Islamists care little 
for votes and elections but rely on sympathisers in the 
administration, the education system and the military to promote an 
agenda concerned with ritual and revival rather than welfare and 
progress." 
 
Editorial: Indian Intransigence On The Talks Agenda, an editorial 
note in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" 
(cir. 150,000) (02/22) 
 
"Indian Interior Minister P. Chidambram has said that on top of the 
Indo-Pak talks agenda would be issues related to terrorism, Mumbai 
blast investigation, cross-border infiltration and handover of 
Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed... If India wants to limit the 
upcoming talks only to terrorism, will our Foreign Secretary 
participate in talks only to get dictation from India?...Kashmir 
should be the focus of Indo-Pak talks, and these talks should pave 
the way for implementation of UN resolutions. Otherwise, Pak-India 
talks cannot be productive." 
 
Editorial: Chinese Economic Zone, an editorial in the Lahore-based 
populist center-right Urdu daily "Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (02/22) 
 
"Chief Minister Punjab has said that a Chinese investment group will 
establish a Chinese economic zone in Punjab spread over 100,000 
acres. The CM has signed a memorandum of understanding to this 
effect... China is our trusted friend and has come to our help at 
all trying times....We have  no objection to land being given to 
Chinese investors in the Punjab, but the local investors must also 
be encouraged. China is very strong economically, and will destroy 
our local industry. The government must also ponder over these 
issues." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
 
Patterson