Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISLAMABAD20837
2006-10-23 13:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

PESHAWAR BOMBING UPDATE

Tags:  PGOV PK PTER 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 231327Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3546
INFO AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 
USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 020837 


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PK PTER
SUBJECT: PESHAWAR BOMBING UPDATE

REF: PESHAWAR 632

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 020837


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PK PTER
SUBJECT: PESHAWAR BOMBING UPDATE

REF: PESHAWAR 632

Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary and Comment: The October 22 explosion in
Peshawar's old city that killed at least seven people and
wounded 40 others is a reminder that, while much of the world
focuses on Pakistan's efforts to fight the export of terror,
the GOP is also combating domestic terror and many other
local challenges. Early speculation on motives for the blast
range from a message to the Frontier Corps, which has a base
nearby, to another chapter in the sectarian tensions that
plague the area, to an attempt by extremists to put the local
cinema out of business. Knee-jerk claims by some Northwest
Frontier Province (NWFP) officials that India and/or
Afghanistan were involved, while widely and sharply
discounted by the media, were unhelpful and irresponsible.
The NWFP's senior elected official, NWFP Chief Minister Akram
Durrani, was particularly disappointing when he insisted that
"a foreign hand" was behind the attack. AmConsul Peshawar
notes that public concern over the general law and order
situation in the NWFP is growing, and that the governing MMA
coalition that Durrani leads may be looking to deflect
responsibility for the blast onto forces beyond its control.
End Summary and Comment.



2. (U) NWFP law enforcment authorities are investigating
the October 22 IED explosion in a Peshawar market that killed
at least seven (reftel). The incident was the forth
explosion in NWFP in a month, but the first with casualties.
Local press editorials have noted the police's poor track
record in solving similar crimes throughout Pakistan.
According to the Dawn newspaper, there have been 33 terror
attacks in Pakistan this year, most of them bombings. At
least 230 people have been killed in the attacks, notes the
paper, but there have been few related arrests and almost no
trials of the accused.


3. (U) On October 24, most of the papers of record comment
on the need to confront domestic terror and admit that,
unless proven otherwise, it has been Muslim-on-Muslim, not
influenced by India. Many papers specifically criticize NWFP
politicians, most of whom represent religious parties, for
trying to blame India or Afghanistan while two of the most
discussed theories for the blast involve either extremists
wanting to put a cinema out of business or Shi'a-Sunni
tensions over control of a mosque in Orakzai Agency. NWFP
opinion leaders also ask why security in Peshawar had not
been tighter, given the series of September bombings and the
large crowds in the market preparing for Eid. (Note: While
the police have not identified the previous three bombings as
deliberate, military authorities publicly identified all
three as IED's. End Note.)


4. (U) The Eid holiday began Sunday evening in NWFP -- a
day before in the rest of the Pakistan. Amconsul Peshawar
will have additional updates on the explosion once the
holiday ends and officials are available for consultations.

CROCKER


NNNN