Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD2344
2007-05-26 07:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
POLITICAL PARTIES WORRIED ABOUT MQM VIOLENCE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 002344
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PK
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTIES WORRIED ABOUT MQM VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2193
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 002344
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PK
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTIES WORRIED ABOUT MQM VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2193
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Embassy contacts from opposition political parties are
mourning their losses in the May 11-14 violence in Karachi.
They tell us they are both angry at the lack of effective
police response and fearful that the MQM political party may
be returning to its previous violent tactics. The MQM, on
the other hand, reportedly is engaged in high level
discussions on ways to repair the damage to its reputation
(reftel).
2. (C) On May 16, Awami National Party Leader Asfandyar Ali
Khan had tears in his eyes as he described to us the events
of May 12. (Note: According to press reports, the ANP lost
more supporters on May 12 than any other party. End Note.)
Asfandyar said he felt somewhat responsible for the deaths of
13 of his party members, as he had approved the ANP's
participation in the pro-Chief Justice rally that day. He
stressed his instructions to his members had been to remain
completely non-violent, and that he was convinced his
followers had followed those instructions, at least until MQM
supporters began firing at them. Asfandyar reportedly is
engaging in negotiations with senior MQM leaders in hopes of
soliciting an apology from the MQM. Asfandyar fears that, if
none is forthcoming, the Pashtun honor code might motivate
some ANP followers to seek revenge.
3. (U) Pakistan People's Party Chairman Benazir Bhutto has
publicly condemned the government for the violence, which she
says claimed 14 People's Party workers. (The MQM is a partner
in the national and Sindh coalition governments.) Bhutto has
called for the Supreme Court to take suo motto notice of the
violence and to prosecute those responsible for it.
4. (C) Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) Information
Secretary Ahsan Iqbal has told us he blames the MQM for the
SIPDIS
killing of PML-N Joint Secretary (Sindh) Asghar Ali Shah on
May 11. (Note: Media reports indicate that unidentified
gunmen shot and killed Shah and a security guard and injured
two others as they were erecting a welcome banner for the
Chief Justice in anticipation of his arrival in Karachi. End
Note.) Iqbal is not confident that those resorting to
violence will be brought to account. He worries the MQM is
returning to ruling Karachi through intimidation. Iqbal
reports that, after the killings of opposition party workers,
MQM party members visited the homes of the deceased and
warned their families not to file reports with the police or
to reveal the deceased's party affiliations.
5. (C) Comment: Senior MQM officials in Pakistan (MQM leader
Altaf Hussain lives in exile in London) have worked hard in
recent years to convince the public that the MQM is a
reformed, peaceful, middle class party. The events of May
11-14 greatly damaged the MQM's reputation, and repairing it
will be difficult. The MQM's senior most leader in Pakistan
recently informed us that MQM's hopes of doing well in Punjab
and the Northwest Frontier Province in the next election are
dead. The party's new goal is merely not to lose ground in
Sindh.
6. (C) Comment, cont'd: Some members of the ruling Pakistan
Muslim League also recognize the potential damage to
President Musharraf's political position because of the
purported actions of one of his coalition partners. A number
of PML-Q members are advising the President to try to repair
the damage by convening a neutral commission to investigate
ISLAMABAD 00002344 002 OF 002
allegations of government negligence. Meanwhile, our PPP
contacts tell us that, while they are angry and saddened over
May 12, the highest levels of the party are still open to
negotiating with President Musharraf on possible future
cooperation between the two parties. End Comment.
BODDE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PK
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PARTIES WORRIED ABOUT MQM VIOLENCE
REF: ISLAMABAD 2193
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Embassy contacts from opposition political parties are
mourning their losses in the May 11-14 violence in Karachi.
They tell us they are both angry at the lack of effective
police response and fearful that the MQM political party may
be returning to its previous violent tactics. The MQM, on
the other hand, reportedly is engaged in high level
discussions on ways to repair the damage to its reputation
(reftel).
2. (C) On May 16, Awami National Party Leader Asfandyar Ali
Khan had tears in his eyes as he described to us the events
of May 12. (Note: According to press reports, the ANP lost
more supporters on May 12 than any other party. End Note.)
Asfandyar said he felt somewhat responsible for the deaths of
13 of his party members, as he had approved the ANP's
participation in the pro-Chief Justice rally that day. He
stressed his instructions to his members had been to remain
completely non-violent, and that he was convinced his
followers had followed those instructions, at least until MQM
supporters began firing at them. Asfandyar reportedly is
engaging in negotiations with senior MQM leaders in hopes of
soliciting an apology from the MQM. Asfandyar fears that, if
none is forthcoming, the Pashtun honor code might motivate
some ANP followers to seek revenge.
3. (U) Pakistan People's Party Chairman Benazir Bhutto has
publicly condemned the government for the violence, which she
says claimed 14 People's Party workers. (The MQM is a partner
in the national and Sindh coalition governments.) Bhutto has
called for the Supreme Court to take suo motto notice of the
violence and to prosecute those responsible for it.
4. (C) Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) Information
Secretary Ahsan Iqbal has told us he blames the MQM for the
SIPDIS
killing of PML-N Joint Secretary (Sindh) Asghar Ali Shah on
May 11. (Note: Media reports indicate that unidentified
gunmen shot and killed Shah and a security guard and injured
two others as they were erecting a welcome banner for the
Chief Justice in anticipation of his arrival in Karachi. End
Note.) Iqbal is not confident that those resorting to
violence will be brought to account. He worries the MQM is
returning to ruling Karachi through intimidation. Iqbal
reports that, after the killings of opposition party workers,
MQM party members visited the homes of the deceased and
warned their families not to file reports with the police or
to reveal the deceased's party affiliations.
5. (C) Comment: Senior MQM officials in Pakistan (MQM leader
Altaf Hussain lives in exile in London) have worked hard in
recent years to convince the public that the MQM is a
reformed, peaceful, middle class party. The events of May
11-14 greatly damaged the MQM's reputation, and repairing it
will be difficult. The MQM's senior most leader in Pakistan
recently informed us that MQM's hopes of doing well in Punjab
and the Northwest Frontier Province in the next election are
dead. The party's new goal is merely not to lose ground in
Sindh.
6. (C) Comment, cont'd: Some members of the ruling Pakistan
Muslim League also recognize the potential damage to
President Musharraf's political position because of the
purported actions of one of his coalition partners. A number
of PML-Q members are advising the President to try to repair
the damage by convening a neutral commission to investigate
ISLAMABAD 00002344 002 OF 002
allegations of government negligence. Meanwhile, our PPP
contacts tell us that, while they are angry and saddened over
May 12, the highest levels of the party are still open to
negotiating with President Musharraf on possible future
cooperation between the two parties. End Comment.
BODDE