SHUJAAT'S HEALTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002435 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINR PK SUBJECT: SHUJAAT'S HEALTH Classified By: Charge Peter Bodde 1.5 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) During a June 1 meeting, Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain told us that, because of the political problems facing Musharraf, the President had insisted Shujaat cancel a recent trip to Germany, where he was to receive his regularly scheduled Botox treatment for his health problems. (Note: We have heard Shujaat has Parkinson's disease, though he has not bluntly told us this. End Note.) Shujaat said he had postponed his Germany trip until mid-June, after the budget vote. Perhaps because of the lack of treatment, Shujaat could not keep one eye open during the meeting and demonstrated tremors we have not seen recently. He also walked stiffly. ¶2. (C) Shujaat will attend an unspecified medical convention in Istanbul next week, despite the President's request he not go. We note the 11th International Conference on Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders will be held in Istanbul June 3-7. ¶3. (C) His health problems and obvious discomfort notwithstanding, Shujaat's kindness and courtly manners were on display. He walked from the second floor to the first to greet us when we arrived, and he insisted on walking us downstairs to say good-bye. BODDE