Following the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, a number of Urdu-language Pakistani newspapers wrote editorials commenting on the new situation confronting Pakistan and expressing concern that a similar unilateral action could also be carried out against the Pakistani nuclear facilities.
The editorials also noted that Pakistan's earlier assertions that Al-Qaeda leaders are not hiding in Pakistan will now be rejected internationally. Some of these newspapers also argued that Pakistan's role in the future of Afghanistan could be diminished as a result of Osama bin Laden's presence and killing in Pakistan, while neighboring countries like India could exploit the situation for their own purposes.
Below are editorials from three Urdu-language Pakistani dailies. Roznama Jasarat is a newspaper that belongs to the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. Roznama Islam is a pro-Taliban newspaper, and Roznama Ummat is also a right-wing daily. The three newspapers articulate the Pakistani national interest, though Roznama Jasarat is unlikely to support Pakistani army's role in politics.
"The Operation Against Osama bin Laden... Clearly Shows that the U.S. Marines can Attack Any Area, At Any Time, on Their Own"
Following are excerpts from the Roznama Jasarat editorial:[1]
Criticizing the Pakistani military and civilian leaders for their lack of awareness of the U.S. operation in Abbottabad, the Urdu-language daily Roznama Jasarat wrote an editorial titled "Osama's Killing, Pakistan's Unawareness," stating:
"Osama bin Laden, the symbol of fear for the U.S. for a long time, has been killed. The killing took place at Bilal Town in Abbottabad, but its information was released by U.S. President Barack Obama, and all of the U.S. is celebrating this victory. It can be termed as the success of Obama and it has also been termed as 'a great success' by Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. But whose success?!
"According to the reports, it was a U.S. military operation, of which the Pakistani military and [intelligence] agencies were kept unaware. The U.S. marines entered this sensitive [i.e. military] area by helicopters at midnight between Sunday and Monday [May 1 and 2] and attacked the building in which Osama was hiding with his wife and children. Although Bilal Town is a residential area, it is situated hardly about 1.5 kilometers away from the Kakul Military Academy. There are many military installations in Abbottabad besides the headquarters of the Frontier Force regiment. It is astonishing that Osama was residing at a big compound in this area for three years without the knowledge of Pakistani intelligence agencies. Only a few days ago Pakistani Army chief General [Ashfaq Pervez] Kayani had visited Kakul Academy and the area must have been searched thoroughly but this building remained unnoticed.
"The operation against Osama bin Laden and his associates was carried out hundred percent by the U.S. Marines, and this is a big question mark on Pakistan's security. This clearly shows that the U.S. Marines can attack any area, at any time, on their own and can safely get back as well. Abbottabad is no tribal area. The U.S. administration and military did not take anyone into confidence from Pakistan. After the completion of the operation President Obama informed Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari about his success. In Pakistan, the military, the ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence], the civil administration, all were sleeping."
"If Such an Operation is Carried Out against Pakistani Nuclear Installations, Then What would the People Responsible for [Pakistan's] Defense Do?"
"If such an operation is carried out against Pakistani nuclear installations, then what would the people responsible for [Pakistan's] defense do? The Pakistani Prime Minister [Yousuf Raza Gilani] says that he had no information, and ISPR [Inter-Services Public Relations], which is the public relations institution of the military, has not released any clarification [for several days after the Abbottabad operation]. The Foreign Office spokesperson has said that Pakistan had no role in it. This ignorance is not distressing but disgraceful.
"U.S. President Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have been saying for a long time that the shura of Mullah Omar is present in Quetta [capital of Pakistan's Baluchistan province] and it is working freely from there. Now we must get ready to hear news that the U.S. Marines attacked Quetta and got out comfortably after doing another operation. Why were U.S. helicopters not noticed flying into the semi-military area of Abbottabad and the Kakul [Military] Academy? These are criminal lapses on the part of all the defense and security agencies, and liable for accountability.
"The proof of the presence of Osama in the country is in itself a slap on the face of the government and intelligence agencies. Whenever there came an announcement from the U.S. that Osama was hiding somewhere in Pakistan, it was either refuted or at the most it was asked that if there was any tip-off about him, it must be given to them and they would take the action themselves."
"This Unawareness of the Pakistani Institutions [about the Abbottabad Operation] Might Bring Great Troubles [for Pakistan]"
"[Former Pakistani military ruler General] Pervez Musharraf as the president had doubt about such information, for he thought that he [Osama] had been killed and that it was impossible for a person of such stature to keep hiding among the masses. There was also the news that Osama's kidneys were not working properly and he needed regular dialysis, so he could not live in remote hilly areas. Pervez Musharraf is now presenting his opinion in a different way. Federal Interior Minister Rahman Malik also kept saying with great enthusiasm that if there was any information about Osama, it should be given to them.
"But the U.S. is not ready to rely upon ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] or other agencies. According to the reports, the U.S. had information about his presence in Abbottabad for at least one year and it continuously kept watching through satellites. After the confirmation, it was ordered to carry out the operation a week ago. During this period Pakistan was kept totally unaware, but this unawareness of the Pakistani institutions [about the Abbottabad operation] might bring great troubles. Had the Pakistani agencies done this operation, there would have been some honor in it.
"Now the home minister of India [P. Chidambaram] and the puppet president of Afghanistan [Hamid Karzai] have this opportunity to say that terrorists receive shelter in Pakistan. Karzai says that the center of terrorism is Pakistan and not Afghanistan, and it has come to the fore regarding the new CIA chief [General David Petraeus] that he would fight the war in Pakistan. Blackwater, the mercenaries of the CIA, all will get a free hand to do whatever they want [inside Pakistan] because locating the hiding place of Osama would be credited to them only. Very many people should be made accountable for this serious lapse; but who will do this?"
"Now, No One will Believe Pakistan that There is No Taliban or Al-Qaeda Leadership in Pakistan"
"Now, no one will believe Pakistan that there is no Taliban or Al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan. But a more serious question is this: what is the limit of American wilfulness [in Pakistan], and who would decide it? Obama has said that the United States can do anything, and that Osama was the killer of thousands of innocent people and that the process of justice was completed. But when will the killers of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine be brought to justice? When will they get justice?
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"According to the reports, the body of Osama was buried in the sea. If this is true, then there arise many doubts. Why such urgency? Obama may get political mileage by killing Osama before the elections ,and can tell the American people that a big success was achieved and that billions of dollars spent in the fight against terrorism were not wasted. But will Al-Qaeda, which has by now spread into many countries, be finished with the killing of Osama? It's a fact that Osama was only a symbolic figure, and the real control was in the hands of Ayman Al-Zawahiri; and those who commit to their goal with all conviction do not get derailed by the death of one leader or another.
"Some others will come forward to take responsibility. Now Pakistan will have to face all the brunt of the reaction of the killing of Osama. Pakistan is already amid destruction and sabotage. Now it needs to be more vigilant that the story of Osama has come to an end, and not that of Al-Qaeda."
"The U.S. and Its Allies have Been Defeated in Afghanistan; The Mission for Which Osama has Sacrificed His Life has Almost Been Completed"
In an editorial titled "The American Claim Regarding the Martyrdom of Osama bin Laden," the pro-Taliban Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Islam wrote:[2]
"U.S. President Barack Obama, in an address to the nation, announced that the brave U.S. soldiers have killed the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, in Abbottabad city of Pakistan. Although the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and some Afghan Taliban are claiming that Osama was not killed, the way the U.S. and the Western governments are attesting, the killing of Osama could be more shocking for them than 9/11 if it is proved wrong. It will be a nightmare for them if the news of his death was wrong.
"If Osama was really killed, then it will be a great achievement of the U.S. and its allies from their perspective and a setback for all the resistance movements against the U.S. polices. Some analysts believe that it could be an important success for the Obama administration, which has been facing pressure from public for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. Also, the thought of defeat in Afghanistan was a matter of great concern for his administration.
"But, as far as the war in the region and the U.S. position in this war is concerned, the martyrdom of Osama came 'very late' for them, because everyone knows that the U.S. and its allies have been defeated in Afghanistan. The mission for which Osama has sacrificed his life has almost been completed, because the likeminded of Osama, the Taliban, are now in the driver's seat in Afghanistan and no one can reject their role now, not only in Afghanistan but also in deciding the future of the entire region. They are now chasing the fleeing allied troops and displayed their mettle recently when they engineer the Kandahar jailbreak in an historic action."
"The Joy of the Elimination of ... [bin Laden] Could Be Temporary for the West, as They will Have to Hear Very Horrible News from the Afghan Battlefield"
"Looking at the whole scenario, the joy of the elimination of the most wanted person could be temporary for the West, as they will have to hear very horrible news from the Afghan battlefield, with the start of the summer as well as with the beginning of withdrawal of forces.
"They will not be able to enjoy the celebration for a very long time, which they are celebrating now. The U.S. and the West must have perceived that Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda were just the symbol of anger which is prevailing in the Muslim world about the cruel policies of the U.S. and West.
"These figures are just the manifestation of this anger about the policies and action of the West regarding the Muslim world. The environment of hatred in the Muslim world will remain ifl the West and the U.S. continue the anti-Islam policies and until the disputes of the Muslim world are resolved accordingly."
"The Impediments in the Way of Resolving Disputes of the Muslim World are the U.S. and Its Western Allies; The U.S. is a Direct Party to the Palestinian Dispute"
"The impediments in the way of resolving disputes of the Muslim world are the U.S. and its Western allies. The U.S. is a direct party to the Palestinian dispute and has vetoed around 60 resolutions in the UN against the Israeli atrocities, thus proving its pro-Zionist and anti-Islam attitude.
"It is also supporting India over the Kashmir dispute. It has directly intervened in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has occupied these two countries. Everyone across the world knows about the U.S. role in waging a media and intellectual war against the Muslims.
"While continuing such policies, if the U.S. thinks that it will influence the Muslim world by eliminating a few individuals and organizations, it is mistaken. Such kind of thinking will be illogical on their part. The West and the U.S. should now rethink their double standards in dealing with the Muslim world, and must resolve their long-standing disputes.
"The international community is aware of the fact that the Muslims have not occupied an inch of any other country's land. Wherever they are struggling, they are fighting for freeing their own land. They are struggling for right to rule their own lands and want to have power over their own resources.
"Also, according to a UN resolution, they have the right to have power over their resources and land. The Kashmiris, Palestinians, and Chechens want freedom in the same manner that the West granted to the Christians of the East Timor and Christian population of Sudan. Why don't they raise voice for the rights of Muslims?"
"If the West Thinks They will Subdue the World's One-Fourth Muslim Population Through Their Superior Military and Economic Power, It Will be Their Mistake"
"If the international community could not support the freedom struggle of these suppressed nations, they should at least stay away from supporting the countries that are suppressing these ethnic or religious minorities. Without addressing the miseries of Muslims, they could not crush their movements by sheer use of force. If the West thinks they will subdue the world's one-fourth Muslim population through their superior military and economic power, it would be their mistake.
"If permanent and lasting peace in the world is their objective, then a permanent system of justice must be put in place to settle all the international disputes as justice demands. Peace and injustice had neither co-existed nor will it in the future, especially in the modern world when a few individuals could destroy a powerful and imperialist country [e.g. the USSR]. It is important to stop injustices and brutalities against less powerful countries which compel them to resort to violence.
"If the news of Osama bin Laden's martyrdom is true, then with this a chapter of imperialist atrocities and the resistance against them has ended. For the coming generation, it has a message that if the injustice and brutalities of a people sharing a unique mindset [against Islam] are not eliminated, then retaliation against such exploitation and atrocities will also continue to be waged in different unpleasant forms."
"Such an Action Could Also be Carried Out Against the Sensitive Pakistani Installations [i.e. Nuclear Weapons Facilities]"
In an editorial titled "Osama's Killing, Some Questions for the Government," the Urdu-language daily Roznama Ummat observed the following:[3]
"U.S. President Barack Obama... said that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by the U.S. forces. He termed his killing as the biggest achievement of the American nation and added that this operation was carried out by a team of the U.S. forces in Abbottabad city of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province [of Pakistan], where Osama was hiding in a house...
"The international media has termed Osama's killing as a good omen for America and the Obama administration. But what will be its implications for Pakistan? In this regard, it is natural to raise some questions; and it is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to answer them. It is being said that the operation was not a joint one [with Pakistani security forces]; the U.S. forces carried out the operation by directly crossing the border into Pakistan.
"The question is: where were the Pakistani security forces deployed on air defense when the U.S. forces intruded into our country? This question is important also due to the fact that such an action could also be carried out against the sensitive Pakistani installations [i.e. nuclear weapons facilities]."
"Osama's Killing in a Very Important City will Now Justify Before the Entire World the U.S. Allegations that Pakistan is Supporting Terrorists"
"Pakistan has constantly denied the presence of Osama bin Laden on its soil. Now what answer will they give regarding his presence in Abbottabad? Osama's killing in a very important city will now justify before the entire world the U.S. allegations that Pakistan is supporting terrorists. They will say that Pakistan is a sanctuary for those elements against whom the U.S. is fighting. What answer will be given in response to this?
"[P.] Chidambaram, the interior minister of India, the eternal enemy of Pakistan, has immediately declared that the Al-Qaeda leader's death in Pakistan proves that the country is a safehaven for terrorists, and that those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks are also hiding in Pakistan and should be handed to India.... Afghan President [Hamid Karzai also] has told a press conference in Kabul that 'we have been claiming that the war against terror should be fought outside our borders, and this has been proved once again.'
"The tension between the U.S. and Pakistani troops existed before this incident. Will this tension go down or flare up now? The terror attacks in Pakistan could increase after this incident. Those wanting to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden can do anything... Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan has warned that they will avenge the Al-Qaeda leader's killing by targeting Pakistani security forces."
"Pakistan was Already Under U.S. Pressure; How will It Get Out of This Pressure?... There is A Danger of Pakistan's Role in the Future of Afghanistan Being Curtailed"
"Pakistan was already under U.S. pressure. How will it get out of this pressure? If Pakistan was not included in this operation, then what will be its role in the future of Afghanistan? For, there is a danger of Pakistan's role in the future of Afghanistan being curtailed after this incident. Apparently, the credibility of Pakistan is at stake on both sides, especially at a time when the U.S. is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
"The relatives of Osama have been arrested. To which country will they be handed over - the U.S., Saudi Arabia, or Yemen? It is possible that Osama's killing will minimize the threat of terror attacks in Europe and the U.S., but its repercussions will be negative in Pakistan. How will the government deal with the repercussions of this incident?
"The [lack of] preparedness of the government could be judged from its inability to issue any statement even after eight hours of the incident, and the one, when issued, was not satisfactory. Already faced with a serious crisis, the Pakistani nation is quite troubled and worried by this situation. However, if the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is assured soon as a result of this incident and peace returns to Pakistan, then the fears and difficulties of the [Pakistani] nation can be eliminated.
"It appears that Obama needed impressions of victory and face-saving before withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, which has come to him in the shape of Osama's death. Now he can present the argument before the American nation that the U.S. forces achieved the target for which they had been deployed."
