Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD2193
2007-05-16 11:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
ALL QUIET IN KARACHI; NO ONE YET HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR VIOLENCE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002193
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: ASEC, PGOV, PK, PREL
SUBJECT: ALL QUIET IN KARACHI; NO ONE YET HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2175 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002193
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: ASEC, PGOV, PK, PREL
SUBJECT: ALL QUIET IN KARACHI; NO ONE YET HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2175 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) According to Consulate Karachi, Karachi is back to
normal as of 1400 May 16. The ports are open and pedestrian
and vehicular traffic are back to typical levels.
2. (C) Media contacts report that rumors that the Sindh and
Karachi governments sanctioned the weekend's violence are
spreading. According to the contacts, the government's
failure to arrest anyone involved in the violence or to
investigate police officers accused of impropriety or
dereliction of duty is fueling the speculation. (Note: Such
rumors will likely further damage President Musharraf's
public image, as his ruling PML-Q party and the MQM party are
coalition partners at the provincial and national levels.
End Note.)
3. (C-NF) The British High Commission has informed us that,
on May 9, British diplomats attempted to convince MQM
parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar to postpone the MQM's May
12 pro-Musharraf demonstration so that it would not compete
with the Chief Justice's rally in Karachi. Sattar refused,
but assured the diplomats that the MQM demonstrations would
not be violent. Sattar stressed at the time that violence
was not in the party's interest. An Embassy contact reported
on May 15 that Sattar had had no foreknowledge of plans for
violence. Sattar reportedly told government officials that
the decision to go ahead with the demonstration was "not his
recommendation." He hinted that he was overruled by MQM's
leader-in-exile, Altaf Hussain. (Note: On May 14 and 15,
Sattar apologized to journalists for armed attacks on Aaj
television's Karachi office on May 12. Sattar has not
acknowledged any responsibility for the broader breakdown in
law and order. End Note.)
BODDE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: ASEC, PGOV, PK, PREL
SUBJECT: ALL QUIET IN KARACHI; NO ONE YET HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2175 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) According to Consulate Karachi, Karachi is back to
normal as of 1400 May 16. The ports are open and pedestrian
and vehicular traffic are back to typical levels.
2. (C) Media contacts report that rumors that the Sindh and
Karachi governments sanctioned the weekend's violence are
spreading. According to the contacts, the government's
failure to arrest anyone involved in the violence or to
investigate police officers accused of impropriety or
dereliction of duty is fueling the speculation. (Note: Such
rumors will likely further damage President Musharraf's
public image, as his ruling PML-Q party and the MQM party are
coalition partners at the provincial and national levels.
End Note.)
3. (C-NF) The British High Commission has informed us that,
on May 9, British diplomats attempted to convince MQM
parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar to postpone the MQM's May
12 pro-Musharraf demonstration so that it would not compete
with the Chief Justice's rally in Karachi. Sattar refused,
but assured the diplomats that the MQM demonstrations would
not be violent. Sattar stressed at the time that violence
was not in the party's interest. An Embassy contact reported
on May 15 that Sattar had had no foreknowledge of plans for
violence. Sattar reportedly told government officials that
the decision to go ahead with the demonstration was "not his
recommendation." He hinted that he was overruled by MQM's
leader-in-exile, Altaf Hussain. (Note: On May 14 and 15,
Sattar apologized to journalists for armed attacks on Aaj
television's Karachi office on May 12. Sattar has not
acknowledged any responsibility for the broader breakdown in
law and order. End Note.)
BODDE