Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD2469
2007-06-04 13:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

CHIEF JUSTICE RALLY IN ABBOTTABAD DRAWS LARGE CROWD

Tags:  PK PREL PGOV ASEC PHUM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002469 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV ASEC PHUM
SUBJECT: CHIEF JUSTICE RALLY IN ABBOTTABAD DRAWS LARGE CROWD

Classified By: CDA Peter Bodde, For Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002469

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2017
TAGS: PK PREL PGOV ASEC PHUM
SUBJECT: CHIEF JUSTICE RALLY IN ABBOTTABAD DRAWS LARGE CROWD

Classified By: CDA Peter Bodde, For Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (SBU) Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry addressed a large
crowd of lawyers and political activists on June 2 in
Abbottabad, about 120 miles Northeast of Peshawar in the
Northwest Frontier Province. Reports of crowd numbers ranged
from 15,000 to 25,000, and media contacts stated it took the
Chief Justice over fourteen hours to reach Abbottabad from
Islamabad. (Note: The Chief Justice's party stopped several
times to meet with supporters along the way. End Note.) The
Pakistan Peoples Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the
Awami National Party, and the Tehrik-i-Insaf were in
attendance; each party reportedly set up receiving areas for
members and potential recruits. As always, the Jamaat-Islami
party was the best organized.


2. (C) Comment: Abbottabad is a garrison city and home to
Pakistan's military academy. That the Government allowed the
rally to proceed - and even provided security support -
indicates that a predicted clampdown on freedom of assembly
has not materialized. The Abbottabad rally distinguished
itself from recent Chief Justice demonstrations for two
reasons: It was better attended, and it was not broadcast
live on cable television across Pakistan. The rally's
attendance numbers confirm that the anti-government movement,
though far from unified, is not slowing down. Post is
closely following reports of the Government's decision to ban
live broadcasting of the rally.

BODDE