Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAHORE318
2006-06-27 04:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lahore
Cable title:
MNA ALLEGES ABUSE AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL
how-toVZCZCXRO1101 RR RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHLH #0318 1780412 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 270412Z JUN 06 FM AMCONSUL LAHORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2601 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2530 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1200 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 0997 RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY 0009 RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 0011 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0012 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0028 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0038 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0075 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0030 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0324 RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0011 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 0030 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0032 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0049 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 2801
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAHORE 000318
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PK
SUBJECT: MNA ALLEGES ABUSE AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL
REF: LAHORE 140
CLASSIFIED BY: Brian Heath, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate
Lahore, U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAHORE 000318
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PK
SUBJECT: MNA ALLEGES ABUSE AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL
REF: LAHORE 140
CLASSIFIED BY: Brian Heath, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate
Lahore, U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) On May 22 a Lahore anti-terrorism court released PML-N
MNA Saad Rafique on bail after more than three months in jail.
Accused by the government of inciting the violent February 14
anti-cartoon protests in Lahore, Rafique was originally taken
into custody outside the National Assembly on February 17 and
charged under the anti-terrorism law (reftel). He was granted
bail on the charges stemming from the cartoon protests on May 5,
only to be immediately detained on new anti-terrorism charges
brought by the government. The new charges alleged Rafique
inspired violence with a fiery speech he made on the occasion of
Shabaz Sharif's attempted to return to Pakistan in May 2004.
2. (C) During a recent meeting with consulate officials Rafique
claimed he was tortured while in custody. When pressed to
elaborate, Rafique backpedaled somewhat and added the torture
was not "to the third degree." According to Rafique, jail
officials would routinely make him stand blindfolded and
handcuffed for up to six hours while verbally abusing him. He
made no allegations of beatings or any other physical abuse.
Rafique expects continued harassment by the government. He and
his brother were recently contacted by National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) officials and asked to provide details about their
finances, leading Rafique to believe a NAB investigation is soon
to come. Additionally, Rafique expressed concern that his bail
could be revoked at any time or that yet more charges could be
brought against him.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Rafique is a rising figure in the provincial
PML-N hierarchy, a fact widely attributed to his charisma as a
public speaker and willingness to use provocative rhetoric to
attack political opponents. However Rafique may have reached
too far when, about a month prior to the cartoon protests, he
directly accused Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and his
family of corruption during a live call-in television news
program that featured both men. Rafique's arrest and
imprisonment are viewed by many to be retribution for those
comments. END COMMENT.
HEATH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PK
SUBJECT: MNA ALLEGES ABUSE AFTER RELEASE FROM JAIL
REF: LAHORE 140
CLASSIFIED BY: Brian Heath, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate
Lahore, U.S. Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) On May 22 a Lahore anti-terrorism court released PML-N
MNA Saad Rafique on bail after more than three months in jail.
Accused by the government of inciting the violent February 14
anti-cartoon protests in Lahore, Rafique was originally taken
into custody outside the National Assembly on February 17 and
charged under the anti-terrorism law (reftel). He was granted
bail on the charges stemming from the cartoon protests on May 5,
only to be immediately detained on new anti-terrorism charges
brought by the government. The new charges alleged Rafique
inspired violence with a fiery speech he made on the occasion of
Shabaz Sharif's attempted to return to Pakistan in May 2004.
2. (C) During a recent meeting with consulate officials Rafique
claimed he was tortured while in custody. When pressed to
elaborate, Rafique backpedaled somewhat and added the torture
was not "to the third degree." According to Rafique, jail
officials would routinely make him stand blindfolded and
handcuffed for up to six hours while verbally abusing him. He
made no allegations of beatings or any other physical abuse.
Rafique expects continued harassment by the government. He and
his brother were recently contacted by National Accountability
Bureau (NAB) officials and asked to provide details about their
finances, leading Rafique to believe a NAB investigation is soon
to come. Additionally, Rafique expressed concern that his bail
could be revoked at any time or that yet more charges could be
brought against him.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Rafique is a rising figure in the provincial
PML-N hierarchy, a fact widely attributed to his charisma as a
public speaker and willingness to use provocative rhetoric to
attack political opponents. However Rafique may have reached
too far when, about a month prior to the cartoon protests, he
directly accused Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and his
family of corruption during a live call-in television news
program that featured both men. Rafique's arrest and
imprisonment are viewed by many to be retribution for those
comments. END COMMENT.
HEATH