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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: FEBRUARY 25, 2010 
 
Summary:   Coverage of the defeat of a veteran politician, former 
Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid in a by-election to a National 
Assembly seat in Rawalpindi dominated headlines in nearly all major 
newspapers on Thursday morning.  Media published conflicting reports 
about the extradition of Taliban commander Mullah Baradar. Some 
claimed that the GOP refused to hand over Mullah Baradar to the 
U.S., while others reported that he will be extradited to 
Afghanistan. CENTCOM chief General Petraeus and FBI Director 
Muller's Pakistan visits received extensive coverage. Secretary 
Clinton's remarks that the State Department is seeking $3.2 billion 
for Pakistan during the next fiscal year, along with reports that 
Islamabad received $349.3 million as first installment of the 
Coalition Support Fund (CSF) received prominent display.  Newspapers 
reported killing of nine suspected militants from Punjab in a drone 
strike in North Waziristan.   All mainstream dailies reported that 
Taliban have beheaded three men in North Waziristan, on charges of 
"spying" for the United States.  Several newspapers carried reports 
that the U.S. Senate criticized a "reckless" Blackwater unit in 
Afghanistan.  The issue of the dramatic arrest of Jundullah's chief 
Abdolmalek Rigi in Iran continues to garner coverage and media 
quoted Pakistan's envoy to Tehran as claiming that "Pakistan helped 
Iran nab Rigi."  Commenting on the subject, the prestigious daily 
"Dawn," observed that "Jundallah's claim that Pakistani intelligence 
helped in Rigi's arrest should serve to remove some 
misunderstandings between Tehran and Islamabad."  Conversely, "The 
Nation," in its usual critical vein claimed that the "Americans have 
been exposed yet again for playing cloak and dagger games in the 
region targeting Muslim states."  End Summary. 
 
TOP STORIES 
 
News Story: Unofficial Results Show PML-N Candidate Beat AML Chief 
By 21,358 Votes: Sheikh Rashid Trounced - "Daily Times" (02/25) 
 
"The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz stamped its authority in 
Rawalpindi by retaining the NA-55 seat for the third time in less 
than three years as the party's candidate, Malik Shakeel Awan, 
trounced Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to a convincing victory in the by-poll, 
according to unofficial results." 
 
News Story: US Request To Hand Over Baradar Turned Down - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"The government refused on Wednesday to hand over to the US the 
commander of Afghan Taliban, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was 
recently captured in Karachi." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Agrees To Hand Over Baradar To Afghanistan' - 
"The News" (02/25) 
 
"A top Taliban leader picked up in Pakistan as part of a recent 
crackdown on insurgents will be handed over to Afghanistan, an 
Afghan government official said on Wednesday. Islamabad said, 
however, that it had received no formal request to turn him over and 
that he could be tried first in Pakistan. Mulla Abdul Ghani Baradar 
is one of at least three Afghan Taliban commanders, who have been 
captured in recent weeks in Pakistan." 
 
News Story: Petraeus Lauds Pak Efforts In War On Terror - "The 
News," "Experss," "Ausaf," "Aaj Kal," "Pakistan," "Khabrain," 
(02/25) 
 
"Gen. Petraeus praised Pakistan's efforts to confront violent 
extremists and honored the sacrifices being made every day by the 
Pakistan military, government and people in their fight to restore 
peace and stability." 
 
News Story: FBI Chief Attends US-Pak-Afghan Session - "Daily Times," 
"Dawn," "The News," "Express," (02/25) 
 
"Robert Mueller, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
(FBI), participated in the US-Afghanistan-Pakistan tripartite 
session in order to discuss various matters of security." 
 
News Story: US Seeks $3.2bn For Pakistan, Says Hillary - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Congress on Wednesday 
that her department was seeking $3.2 billion for Pakistan during the 
next fiscal year, which begins on Oct 1." 
News Story: US Pays $349.3 Million As CSF Against Bill Of $1.350 
Billion - "The News" (02/25) 
 
 "Against the total forwarded bill of $1.350 billion on account of 
military operation against the militants in the tribal areas, 
Islamabad on Wednesday received $349.3 million as the first 
installment during the ongoing financial year 2009-10 in the shape 
of reimbursement from the USA for Coalition Support Fund (CSF). 
 
News Story: US Drone Strike Kills Eight In North Waziristan - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"A US drone attacked a compound in the Dandy Derpakhel area of North 
Waziristan on Wednesday, killing eight suspected militants and 
injuring six others. According to sources, the unmanned plane fired 
three missiles, one of which hit a parked vehicle. The compound and 
the car were completely destroyed." 
 
News Story: Taliban Behead Three 'US Spies' - "Daily Times" (02/25) 
 
"The Taliban have beheaded three men, including two Afghans, in 
North Waziristan, accusing them of spying for the US, officials said 
on Wednesday." 
 
News Story: US Senate Slams 'Reckless' Blackwater Unit In 
Afghanistan - "The Nation" (02/25) 
 
"Military contractors in Afghanistan working for the security 
company Blackwater regularly carried unauthorised weapons and 
engaged in "reckless" behavior that included the accidental shooting 
of a fellow contractor, a US Senate investigation has found." 
 
News Story: US Embassy Offered Less Land At Higher Rate - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"The government has decided to reduce drastically the size of land 
to be sold to the US embassy and sharply increase the price, Dawn 
has learnt reliably. The embassy was initially offered 18.5 acres of 
land by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) at a price of 
Rs15,000 per square yard. Now the size of land has been reduced to 
8.5 acres and the embassy will have to pay about Rs85,000 ($1,000) 
per sq yd." 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: Pakistan Helped Iran Nab Jundallah Chief - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"Pakistan played a role in helping Iran arrest its most wanted 
Jundallah chief Abdolmalek Rigi who was seized onboard a flight from 
Dubai, Islamabad's ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Abbasi said on 
Wednesday." 
 
News Story: Afghan Taliban Fear Maulvi Kabir Captured In Pakistan - 
"The News" (02/25) 
 
"Afghan Taliban said on Wednesday that they had lost contact with 
their senior leaders, including Maulvi Kabir, in-charge of 
Afghanistan's important eastern zone, for the past several days. 
They feared Maulvi Kabir is being held in Pakistan. "I am sure now 
that Maulvi Sahib (Kabir) has been arrested in Pakistan," said a 
senior Taliban commander operating in Kunar province while 
requesting anonymity. He called The News from an undisclosed 
location and said he had not been able to speak to Maulvi Kabir for 
the past five days. 
 
News Story:  Nato Tankers Cause Annual Loss Of Rs50bn'  - "Dawn" 
(02/25) 
 
"Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan said on 
Wednesday that Nato containers and tankers had been causing a yearly 
loss of Rs50 billion to the National Highway Authority by damaging 
the road network in Balochistan." 
 
News Story: US Cites Secret Evidence - "The Nation" (02/25) 
"Prosecutors preparing to try a Pakistani-born Chicago businessman 
on charges he aided the 2008 Mumbai attackers invoked a secrecy law 
on Wednesday to control evidence disclosures in the case. Defendant 
Tahawwur Rana looked on during a federal court hearing where Patrick 
Fitzgerald, the US Attorney in Chicago, and other prosecutors asked 
the judge for a private hearing to lay out the government's 
 
 
classified evidence. The judge set the hearing for March 29." 
 
 POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: U.S. Hopes Talks Will Lead To Sustained Dialogue - 
"Dawn" (02/25) 
 
"On the eve of the New Delhi talks, a senior White House official 
expressed the hope that India-Pakistan dialogue would move towards 
more normalized relations between the two neighbors'." 
 
News Story: Swiss Cases Can't Be Reopened, PM Told - "The News" 
(02/25) 
 
"Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday was given a 
briefing on the Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and 
informed that these cases could not be reopened under the Swiss 
law." 
 
News Story: NAB Chairman Sends In Resignation, Asked To Continue - 
"Daily Times" (02/25) 
 
"National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Naveed Ahsan formally 
sent in his resignation on Wednesday, but has been asked by Prime 
Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to continue until the government finds a 
replacement." 
 
News Story: Pak Foreign Secretary Reaches India For Talks- "Daily 
Times" (02/25) 
 
"Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir arrived in the Indian capital on 
Wednesday for closed-door talks with his Indian counterpart, 
Nirupama Rao, today (Thursday). Addressing reporters at the airport, 
Bashir hoped for the talks to yield a positive outcome. 'It is good 
to be back here. I have come to bridge the differences, and I hope 
for a positive outcome,' he said." 
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
News Story: Swat: A Model For US Generals In Afghanistan - "Daily 
Times" (02/25) 
 
"From US National Security Adviser James Jones to Joint Chiefs of 
Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, no senior American military 
dignitary's visit to Pakistan is complete without a trip to the 
former Taliban stronghold of Swat. Less than 24 hours after a 
suicide attack ripped through Mingora, US Gen David Petraeus' visit 
to Swat on Tuesday is a testament to the importance Washington 
attaches to the "successful Swat model" of an operation against the 
Taliban." 
 
News Story: Obama To Consult Sarkozy On Pakistan, Afghanistan- "The 
Nation" (02/25) 
 
". . . .  A White House statement said Obama "looks forward to 
consulting with President Sarkozy on a broad range of issues of 
mutual concern including Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran, Middle East 
peace efforts, European security cooperation and global economic 
recovery. . . ." 
 
News Story: UN Commission Meets President, Prime Minister - "Daily 
Times" (02/25) 
 
"UN commission probing the assassination of former Prime Minister 
Benazir Bhutto met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on 
Wednesday ahead of finalizing its report, the president's spokesman 
said." 
 
EDITORIALS/OPINIONS 
 
Editorial: Rigi's Arrest , an editorial in the center-right national 
English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (02/25) 
 
". . . . The Iranian Interior Minister has confirmed that they are 
in possession of evidence which shows that Rigi was hand in glove 
with the US and UK to foment unrest in the country. They allege that 
he has an Afghan passport and had met with the NATO chief leaving no 
doubt of the US backing him up. Tehran also maintains that hours 
before his arrest, he was present in a US military base in 
Afghanistan. The Iranian charges seem to have an element of truth. 
Even US analyst Seymour Hersh had, in the past, hinted at the 
possibility of the Bush regime in cahoots with Jundullah to create 
trouble in Iran. . . . The Americans have been exposed yet again for 
playing cloak and dagger games in the region targeting Muslim 
states. On the one hand, they are trying to extend their hegemony to 
Iran in an outrageously highhanded manner and, on the other, 
enlisting the support of the Indian intelligence RAW to carry out 
acts of sabotage and bombings in Pakistan. Add to this the alleged 
unlawful activities of the Blackwater mercenaries and the US 
dangerous intent becomes clear. We must watch out for our so-called 
ally." 
 
Editorial: Jundallah Chief's Arrest , an editorial in the 
Karachi-based center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" 
(cir. 55,000) (02/25) 
 
". . . . Jundallah's claim that Pakistani intelligence helped in 
Rigi's arrest should serve to remove some misunderstandings between 
Tehran and Islamabad. Additionally, along with Mullah Baradar's 
arrest it may also mark a dramatically different, and welcome, 
approach by the Pakistani security set-up." 
 
Editorial: Surge In Extremism, an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(02/25) 
 
". . . . In recent weeks, there have been many reports from various 
parts of the country of'resurgence' in the ranks of the extremists. 
While the administration may be on the lookout for terrorists 
dispatched by militants from the tribal belt, it also needs to 
ensure that no local groups are allowed to function through violence 
and hate-mongering. . . ." 
 
Editorial: Killing Civilians ,an editorial in the populist, often 
sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (02/25) 
 
". . . . General McChrystal says the troops are there 'to protect 
the Afghan people' but the US and NATO forces use air power 
excessively and end up killing innocent civilians. Is there a way 
out? It is unlikely that the foreign troops will leave Afghanistan 
anytime soon. Obama's troop pullout deadline of July 2011 appears 
unrealistic as key managers of the war have feared that the fighting 
is likely to continue for years. And as long as the war continues, 
so will death and destruction." 
 
Opinion: Governing The Governors Of Pakistan  an op-ed by Syed Talat 
Hussain in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily 
Times" (cir. 10,000) (02/25) 
 
". . . . In the last 62 years, except for the brief spurt of 
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's public diplomacy, much of the country's 
relations with the US have remained a complex network of deals and 
personal understandings the rulers of the day give to the American 
negotiators dangling short carrots on long knives. . . ." 
 
Editorial: Government's Responsibility After Successful Military 
Operation, an editorial in the leading mass circulation populist, 
often sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (02/25) 
 
"After the successful operation in South Waziristan, Swat, Malakand, 
and other tribal areas, the military leadership has asked the 
civilian authorities to assume control of these places. We think 
that the rehabilitation of displaced people and compensation of the 
damage caused to their properties during the war against extremists 
should be the first and foremost priority of the government. This 
will ensure full cooperation from these people if terrorists 
challenge the government's writ in the future." 
 
Opinion: Afghanistan: The Initial Salvo, an op-ed I.M.Mohsin in the 
center-right national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) 
(02/25) 
 
". . . . Pakistan has been actively helping in the new U.S. 
strategy. The cost of it is rising, as is indicated by the latest 
bombing in incidents in Swat and Chilas. . . .At the same time the 
regional countries have to realize that they must pool their 
resources to find a local solution as even the U.S. power appears to 
be giving a stalemate in nine years. . . . We have already paid a 
heavy price in the last 30 years due to the old game rejuvinated by 
the U.S./Soviet Empire of the yore, The U.S. has varied interests 
but it too can not walk away." 
Editorial: Indo-Pak Foreign Secretaries Talks: Nothing Except 
Kashmir And Water Should Be Discussed, an editorial in the 
second-largest, nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) 
(02/25) 
 
"Now that the Pakistani delegation has been sent to India, it should 
be told in categorical terms that both the countries cannot have 
good neighborly relations without resolving the Kashmir dispute in 
keeping with UN resolutions on Kashmir....  If India keeps occupying 
Kashmir and does not stop its conspiracies to push us into a drought 
by stopping our water, then Pakistan knows how to protect its 
security and sovereignty." 
 
Editorial: Delhi talks: why was Pakistan's delegation changed? , an 
editorial in the center-right Urdu daily "Pakistan" (cir. 10,000) 
(02/25) 
 
"Pakistan has changed the composition of its delegation to India by 
replacing water and power and interior ministries representatives 
with two directors of the foreign office....  Did someone have a 
dream just before the departure on Pakistani delegation that two 
important members of the delegation were replaced with two directors 
of the foreign office...?  By removing the two water and power and 
interior ministries delegates what message is Pakistan sending. 
Does it want to say that it would not raise water and terrorism 
issues in the talks and will discuss only the Kashmir issue?  But 
India does not even want to have Kashmir on the agenda of talks, 
meaning thereby that the talks will fail before starting....  And if 
India wants to discuss terrorism then what prompted Pakistan to drop 
the representative of Interior ministry....  Anyway, Pakistan's 
altered delegation has reached Delhi and we might see the 'fate' of 
the dialogue soon." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
 
Patterson