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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 24, 2010 
 
Summary:  Reports and photographs of the arrest of militant outfit 
Jundallah's chief Abdolmalek Rigi in Iran dominated headlines in all 
major English language newspapers on Wednesday morning.  However, 
Urdu newspapers preferred to highlight political stories including 
the ongoing controversy of reopening of the Swiss cases against 
President Zardari, and the much-debated issue of the 17th 
constitutional amendment. Statements of U.S. military and civilian 
officials received extensive coverage in all papers. Nearly all 
newspapers reported that CENTCOM chief General Petraeus visited Swat 
valley, and lauded Pakistan's fight against militants as "quite 
impressive."  Media reported Defense Secretary Gates' remarks that 
Pakistan is making "real progress" against Taliban, and Lt. Gen. 
Paxton's claim that "Taliban (are) relocating to Karachi from 
Quetta." In regards to the upcoming Pak-India dialogue, Assistant 
Secretary of State Blake was quoted as urging both the countries to 
"revive composite dialogue" while terming the foreign 
secretaries-level talks a "significant breakthrough."  Several 
newspapers published U.S. Mission's condemnation of the suicide 
attacks in Mingora, and Adezai. They also reported that the U.S. 
diplomatic presence in Peshawar has been elevated from Consulate to 
Consulate General. Almost all newspapers reported that a tribal 
militia, Lashker-e-Islam, publicly executed a tribesman on charges 
of murder in Khyber Agency. Commenting on the recent suicide attack 
in Mingora, "Dawn," called it a "grim reminder" that while the 
nation's attention has turned elsewhere, Swat still poses a "serious 
challenge."  Similarly, "Daily Times," observed that it should be 
"enough to open our eyes to the threat that still persists in the 
areas declared as 'cleared' by the military." However, "The News," 
raised serious questions that "would matters really improve, if 
every foreigner left Afghanistan tomorrow? Or if America packed its 
bags and left Pakistan completely - taking its aid money and 
military support (and Blackwater) with it? Probably not in either 
case." End Summary. 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: Iran Captures Jundallah Leader After Intercepting 
Aircraft   - "Dawn" (02/24) 
 
"Iran seized a top rebel leader on a flight from Dubai on Tuesday 
just 24 hours after claiming he was in Afghanistan at a U.S. 
military base, in what it hailed as a defeat for its Western 
arch-foes. State television aired footage of a handcuffed Jundollah 
leader Abdolmalek Rigi, wearing a white shirt and khaki trousers, as 
masked Iranian agents led him off an aircraft at an unknown 
location." 
 
News Story: Rigi's Arrest A Godsend For Pakistan - "Dawn" (02/24) 
 
"Arrest of Jundallah leader Abdolmalek Rigi and his deputy Hamza 
during a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan marks a lucky break for 
Pakistan, which has been long accused by Iran of hosting the terror 
group's ringleader, and offers an opportunity to ease the tense 
relations between Tehran and Islamabad." 
 
News Story: Gen Petraeus Visits Swat - "The News" (02/24) 
 
"The U.S. CENTCOM Chief General David Petraeus visited Swat on 
Tuesday where he was briefed about the latest situation in the area 
by the military officials. . . . General David Petraeus praised 
Pakistan's fight against militants as 'quite impressive'." 
 
News Story: Gen Petraeus Hails 'Breakthroughs' In Pakistan - "Daily 
Times" (02/24) 
 
"U.S. Central Command Commander General David Petraeus on Tuesday 
hailed 'important breakthroughs' and detentions in Pakistan, 
following the capture of Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul 
Ghani Baradar and reports of other arrests." 
 
News Story: Petraeus Calls On Gen Kayani- "Daily Times" (02/24) 
 
"Commander U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) General David H Petraeus 
called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani on 
Tuesday to discuss security and professional issues. Inter-Services 
Public Relations (ISPR) said the meeting was held at the General 
Headquarters." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Making Real Progress In War Against Terrorism: 
Gates - "Daily Times" (02/24) 
"Pakistan has made some 'real progress' in the war against terrorism 
and it is committed in securing its long border with Afghanistan, US 
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday. Gates said this 
while addressing a press briefing at the Pentagon." 
 
News Story: Taliban Relocating To Karachi, U.S. Senate Told - "Dawn" 
(02/24) 
 
"A senior U.S. general told a Senate committee on Tuesday that 
Taliban militants were relocating from Quetta to Karachi, making it 
more difficult to apprehend them." 
 
News Story: U.S. Hopes Pakistan And India To Revive Composite 
Dialogue - The News" (02/24) 
 
"Calling up coming up resumption of Pakistan-India talks a 
'Significant breakthrough' the United States has expressed hope that 
the two regional powers would be able to revive the composite 
dialogue process, derailed since 2008. . . . Assistant Secretary for 
South Asia Robert Blake told BBC in an interview" 
 
News Story: India, Pakistan Urged To Think Of Restarting Composite 
Dialogue -"Dawn" (02/24) 
 
"The United States has urged India and Pakistan to think about 
restarting the process of composite dialogue as the two nuclear 
armed nations prepare to meet in New Delhi to cool off 
temperatures." 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: U.S. Hails Pakistan's Arrest Of Taliban Leaders  - 
"Dawn" (02/24) 
 
"The recent arrests of Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan were the 
result of intelligence breakthroughs and none was involved in 
reconciliation talks with the Afghan government, the US general who 
oversees the war in Afghanistan said on Tuesday." 
 
News Story: Nato, Russia To Jointly Combat Taliban, Says Hillary - 
"Dawn" (02/24) 
 
"The NATO military alliance and Russia face a common threat 
emanating from the Pak-Afghan border and have agreed to make joint 
efforts to deal with it, says US Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton." 
 
News Story: Chemical Arms Inspectors Due Today - "Dawn" (02/24) 
 
" International inspectors are reaching here on Wednesday to 
determine if the country's largest fertilizer factory has taken 
adequate safety and safeguard measures to prevent terrorists from 
gaining access to all its products." 
 
News Story:U.S. Diplomatic Presence Elevated From Consulate To 
Consulate General - "Daily Times," "Jang," "Express," "Aaj Kal," 
"Ausaf," "Pakistan," (02/24) 
 
"The U.S. diplomatic presence in Peshawar has been elevated from 
Consulate to Consulate General status underlining Washington's 
growing interest in this part of the world said a statement issued 
on Tuesday." 
 
News Story: U.S. Condemns Terrorist Attacks In Mingora & Adezai - 
"Jang," "Express," "Ausaf," (02/24) 
 
"The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan condemns the terrorist attacks 
targeting innocent people on February 22 in Mingora and in Adezai." 
 
 
News Story: Army Ready To Respond To Misadventure: Kayani - "Dawn" 
(02/24) 
"Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said the 
army is fully prepared to give a befitting response to any 
misadventure from the eastern border and there is no possibility of 
the adversary catching Pakistan unawares." 
 
News Story: Five Taliban Killed While Planting Bombs In Kurram - 
"Daily Times" (02/24) 
 
"Five Taliban were killed and four others were injured on Tuesday 
when the explosives that they were planting around their hideout 
detonated accidentally in Ali Sherzai Dar village, Kurram Agency, 
officials said." 
 
News Story: LI Publicly Executes 'Murderer' In Khyber - "Daily 
Times" (02/24) 
 
"The militant outfit Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) organized the public 
execution of a tribesman in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, after 
pronouncing him guilty of double murder at a self-styled Islamic 
court, tribesmen said on Tuesday." 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: Pakistan Wants Meaningful Talks With India: Qureshi - 
"The News" (02/24) 
 
"Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday 
"Pakistan would welcome any role (to bridge the gap between India 
and Pakistan) given to China because of the trust and confidence we 
enjoy among each other." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Bows To Indian Dictates On Delegation's 
Composition - "Daily Times" (02/24) 
 
"India enjoyed a diplomatic triumph before the start of the foreign 
secretary-level talks with Pakistan when it forced Islamabad on 
Tuesday to change the composition of its proposed delegation. 
Diplomatic sources said Islamabad had planned to include one 
official from the Ministry of Water and Power and Interior Ministry 
each, but was asked by India to drop the two officials." 
 
News Story: NAB Stopped From Contacting Swiss Govt Directly - "Dawn" 
(02/24) 
 
"The ministry of law stopped the National Accountability Bureau on 
Tuesday from directly approaching the Swiss government for reopening 
of money laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in 
compliance with the Supreme Court order." 
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
News Story: Govt Has Not Issued License To Blackwater -"Daily Times" 
(02/24) 
 
"The government has not issued any license to Blackwater to operate 
in the country and all reports in this regard are speculative, 
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani said on 
Monday." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: Swat Attack , an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(02/24) 
 
"The Mingora bombing is a grim reminder that while the nation's 
attention has turned elsewhere, Swat still poses a serious 
challenge. In the days leading up to the bombing, it is believed 
that a former militant commander of Mingora had sneaked back into 
the area along with several associates and was planning fresh 
strikes. . . . Without such counter-terrorism capabilities, the 
country will struggle in its long war against militancy." 
 
Editorial: Violence revisited in Mingora , an editorial in the 
Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 
10,000) (02/24) 
 
"The attack on a military convoy in Mingora, the capital of Swat, 
should be enough to open our eyes to the threat that still persists 
in the areas declared as 'cleared' by the military. . . . Conceded 
that the force of the militants in Swat has been eroded 
considerably, and the writ of the government has been 
re-established, but the militants have gone back to subversion 
tactics, which fritter away the resolve of the fighting force as 
well as the people. Hence, premature claims of victory and the 
triumphalism of the military were premature. Make no mistake: the 
Taliban are here to stay for a long time and we had better not let 
our guard down." 
 
Editorial: Endless Terror , an editorial in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/24) 
 
 
". . . . So would matters really improve if every foreigner left 
Afghanistan tomorrow? Or if America packed its bags and left 
Pakistan completely - taking its aid money and military support (and 
Blackwater) with it? Probably not in either case. The war we fight 
has its genesis in our classrooms, the grinding poverty and 
disillusion of millions, and the serial failure of government after 
government to break the mould of feudal dynastic politics and truly 
emancipate the people. The butchery is inexcusable, but against such 
a backdrop perhaps we might dimly discern the mindset that produces 
it. And even in the midst of this darkness, if we are to hold the 
ground we have so recently won back, we need to do more to 
consolidate the peace. Winning the battle is the easy part - winning 
the peace infinitely harder." 
 
Opinion: Incessant Targeting Of Pakistan, an op-ed by Shireen Mazari 
in the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 
20,000) (02/24) 
 
"The U.S. duplicity in its dealing with Pakistan continues unabated 
and I have always maintained that the scale of their enterprise in 
destabilizing Pakistan can only be understood by finding linkages in 
seemingly unconnected events and publications. Just when the 
Pakistani military has taken a strong position on its military 
operation in Fata and the pull towards dialogue with the tribal is 
becoming more evident, the U.S. subversive activities against 
Pakistan are becoming more overt, and old CIA connection are taking 
centre stage again including so called expert on Pakistan, let us 
look at some recent development and see the link. . . . As always, 
Selig Harrison is playing his questionable role. Nor is this the 
only targeting of Pakistan and Iran together. In the coming days we 
should gear up for a new nuclear related hype building up in U.S. 
media. Unfortunately Dr.Khan's letters have been purchased by a 
leading U.S. newspaper and will be used to target Iran." 
 
Opinion: Chemical Weapons Being Used In Drone Attacks, an op-ed by 
Prof. Shamim Akhtar  in the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu 
daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (02/24) 
 
"The U.S. drone attacks in Waziristan are not only killing innocent 
people, but are also poisoning the surroundings by using chemical 
and biological weapons. Resultantly, a large number of the local 
residents have fallen prey to Scabies, and other fatal diseases such 
as cancer. Doctors and medical experts practicing in the area say 
that the local populace will be wiped out, if drone attacks 
continue. It seems that the real objective of the drone attacks is 
the genocide of our Pashtun brethren, and the U.S. is committing 
this crime with the tacit support, and in connivance with our 
reckless rulers. Under these circumstances, the Pakistani masses 
should follow the footsteps of the peoples of Panama, and Nicaragua, 
and file a case against the Obama administration in the 
International Court of Justice." 
 
Editorial: Minibudget On The Way , an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/24) 
 
"The government must not make the taxpayer pay for a war that is not 
Pakistan's, and which the people of Pakistan oppose anyway. If that 
means revising its relationship with the USA to preclude blind 
obedience, then it should take that step. If the IMF program is 
thereby endangered, that is a step which the government must take. 
There must be no minibudget, especially with so much of the current 
financial year past." 
 
Opinion: Decisions Should Be Taken Now , an op-ed by S. M. Hali in 
the center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(02/24) 
 
"India may have endeared itself to the Northern Alliance and some 
Afghan citizens through participation in the reconstruction phase 
there at the cost of Pakistan, which was embroiled in combating 
terrorism. Nevertheless, for the sake of future stability, as well 
as peace in the region, Pakistan must not only secure its 2,640 
kilometers western boundary with Afghanistan, but also endeavor for 
peace and tranquility in Afghanistan, since the ramifications of the 
events in its neighborhood affect it the most. Any help to 
Afghanistan must be on the basis of non-interference to gain the 
confidence of the Afghanis. Decisions that are taken now will have 
far-reaching effects for the region." 
Editorial: Unite Against Indian Water Terrorism, an editorial note 
in the second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 
150,000) (02/24) 
 
"It is encouraging that after the NFC(National Finance Commission) 
award issue, Punjab and Sindh have resolved the water issue 
amicably... It is now the responsibility of our provincial and 
federal governments to jointly counter Indian conspiracies to stop 
our water... We must prepare a strong case against India's water 
aggression and present it to the World Bank and other concerned 
international bodies.  We must not give up even a drop of water from 
our share. If this cunning enemy of ours does not listen to words, 
then it should be treated the way it deserves to be treated." 
 
Editorial: Blast In Swat: The Operation Must Intensify And Should Be 
Targeted, an editorial note in the liberal Urdu daily "Express" 
(cir. 25,000) (02/24) 
 
"An analysis of Swat reveals that the military operation dislodged 
the terrorist network, but as the resistance [from terrorists] 
decreased, perhaps the operation also starting becoming lax. This is 
a point that the terrorists have used to their advantage in the past 
as well. Hence, whether the resistance is weak or stiff, the 
operation should not slacken; in fact with the passage of time it 
should be intensified." 
 
Editorial: Water Resources And Indo-Pak Talks, an editorial in the 
Lahore-based independent Urdu daily "Din" (cir.5000) (02/24) 
 
"Pakistan's water crisis is getting worse and our agricultural lands 
are becoming barren due to lack of water... Meanwhile, in utter 
violation of the Indus Waters Treaty, India is busy building several 
small dams on rivers flowing out of Kashmir. On the other hand, 
Pakistan has expressed its intent to raise the issue at the 
international level. However, even now India is just trying to buy 
time by signaling talks, but will fool us again [by walking out of 
talks under one pretext or the other." 
 
Opinion: Persecuted By All, an op-ed by Rafia Zakaria in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (02/24) 
 
 "At least one of three Sikhs who were abducted for ransom about a 
month ago by the Pakistani Taliban was killed on Sunday, Feb 21. The 
murdered man, Jaspal Singh, and his fellow kidnap victims were 
Pakistani citizens who lived in Khyber Agency's Tirah Valley. . . . 
The blasphemy laws have in effect become legal tools allowing the 
religious majority to persecute minorities or the weak under pre 
textual charges of having defamed the Quran or the Prophet. . . . At 
the heart of the problem lies the assurance that the lives of 
minorities who are crushed between the barbarity of the Taliban and 
the corruption of the state are ultimately expendable and unworthy 
of protection. The recent beheading reflects in gruesome detail the 
tyranny of the Taliban. But the continued existence of the blasphemy 
laws is perhaps equally damning indictments of the Pakistani state." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson