Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD2546
2007-06-07 13:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
IMRAN KHAN TAKES ON THE MQM IN THE UK
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 002546
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PK
SUBJECT: IMRAN KHAN TAKES ON THE MQM IN THE UK
REF: A. ISLAMABAD 2378
B. ISLAMABAD 2344
C. ISLAMABAD 2193
D. ISLAMABAD 2175
E. ISLAMABAD 2157
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter W. Bodde, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 002546
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PK
SUBJECT: IMRAN KHAN TAKES ON THE MQM IN THE UK
REF: A. ISLAMABAD 2378
B. ISLAMABAD 2344
C. ISLAMABAD 2193
D. ISLAMABAD 2175
E. ISLAMABAD 2157
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter W. Bodde, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On June 3, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief
Imran Khan held a press conference in the UK and submitted a
petition to the British government asking it to hold
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Husain
accountable under UK anti-terror laws. (Note. The MQM is a
coalition partner in the government and its stronghold is in
Karachi. Its leader, Altaf Husain, is a British citizen and
lives in self-imposed exile in London. End note.) After an
hour-long demonstration by 300 people, PTI leaders also
presented a memorandum to 10 Downing Street alleging that
Altaf Husain was responsible for numerous incidents of
torture and murder in Pakistan. Khan met with important
British legislators and called upon them to investigate the
charges within 90 days and hold Husain guilty for terrorism
abroad. Khan's legal team is also preparing a civil suit to
be filed in London against Husain.
2. (C) Background. Reftels desribe the May 12 armed clashes
between political gangs in Karachi that left over 40 people
dead. In the aftermath of the violence, all opposition
political parties have been calling on Musharraf's government
to take action against the MQM, whom they believe planned and
executed the violence. Many in both the opposition and the
government have called for an independent inquiry into the
events. The government has not yet taken any serious actions
to hold parties accountable for the May 12 violence. End
Background.
3. (C) Imran Khan's fight against the MQM is deeply personal.
Khan's Political Secretary Saif Niazi told PolOff that nine
PTI party members were wounded by gun fire during the May 12
violence. More recently graffiti slurs against Khan appeared
all over Karachi and on May 26 the MQM-dominated provincial
government banned the PTI leader from Sindh for one month.
Niazi shared PTI's two-pronged legal strategy against Husain
in the UK: first that Altaf Husain materially supported and
ordered terrorism in Pakistan and second that Husain made his
wealth from ill-gotten extortion gains from his gangs in
Karachi.
4. (C) Niazi said that Imran Khan's leadership on this
emotional issue has caused a ground swell of support for him
abroad and also in Pakistan. He suggested that some undecided
voters may turn to the PTI in the upcoming elections because
of the events of May 12, but noted that it will be a
challenge to transform general support into actual electoral
support. Niazi outlined PTI's platform as focusing on an
independent judiciary, transparent political systems, and aid
for the disenfranchised. Additionally, he hinted that
negotiations were ongoing between PTI and Nawaz Sharif's
Pakistan Muslim League faction (PML-N) for seat adjustments
in the next general elections.
5. (C) PML-N and religious coalition Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
(MMA) leaders publicly announced their support for Khan's
actions in London. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) contacts
tell PolOff that they support Khan's action against Altaf
Husain, but do not support the rest of his platform.
6. (C) Comment. PTI is a minor party. They hold only one seat
in the National Assembly and one seat in NWFP's provincial
assembly. It is unlikely that they will gain significantly
more seats in the upcoming elections. Khan's personal
popularity as a former cricket star endears him to many
ISLAMABAD 00002546 002 OF 002
Pakistanis and he is media-savvy, but he enjoys far more
support by expats than by actual voters. A deal with the
PML-N would be attractive to Khan, as it would allow the PTI
to distance itself from the religious party Jamaat-e-Islami
(JI). (Note. PTI currently depends on its affiliation with
the JI for votes. End note.) Although Khan's case against
Altaf Husain has gained some degree of international media
attention, it caused only a ripple in Pakistan's domestic
political scene. The credible and independent continuation of
the Sindh High Court's inquiry into the May 12 incidents
would be a more effective means of healing the emotional and
political wounds of the Karachi violence. End comment.
BODDE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PK
SUBJECT: IMRAN KHAN TAKES ON THE MQM IN THE UK
REF: A. ISLAMABAD 2378
B. ISLAMABAD 2344
C. ISLAMABAD 2193
D. ISLAMABAD 2175
E. ISLAMABAD 2157
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Peter W. Bodde, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On June 3, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief
Imran Khan held a press conference in the UK and submitted a
petition to the British government asking it to hold
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Husain
accountable under UK anti-terror laws. (Note. The MQM is a
coalition partner in the government and its stronghold is in
Karachi. Its leader, Altaf Husain, is a British citizen and
lives in self-imposed exile in London. End note.) After an
hour-long demonstration by 300 people, PTI leaders also
presented a memorandum to 10 Downing Street alleging that
Altaf Husain was responsible for numerous incidents of
torture and murder in Pakistan. Khan met with important
British legislators and called upon them to investigate the
charges within 90 days and hold Husain guilty for terrorism
abroad. Khan's legal team is also preparing a civil suit to
be filed in London against Husain.
2. (C) Background. Reftels desribe the May 12 armed clashes
between political gangs in Karachi that left over 40 people
dead. In the aftermath of the violence, all opposition
political parties have been calling on Musharraf's government
to take action against the MQM, whom they believe planned and
executed the violence. Many in both the opposition and the
government have called for an independent inquiry into the
events. The government has not yet taken any serious actions
to hold parties accountable for the May 12 violence. End
Background.
3. (C) Imran Khan's fight against the MQM is deeply personal.
Khan's Political Secretary Saif Niazi told PolOff that nine
PTI party members were wounded by gun fire during the May 12
violence. More recently graffiti slurs against Khan appeared
all over Karachi and on May 26 the MQM-dominated provincial
government banned the PTI leader from Sindh for one month.
Niazi shared PTI's two-pronged legal strategy against Husain
in the UK: first that Altaf Husain materially supported and
ordered terrorism in Pakistan and second that Husain made his
wealth from ill-gotten extortion gains from his gangs in
Karachi.
4. (C) Niazi said that Imran Khan's leadership on this
emotional issue has caused a ground swell of support for him
abroad and also in Pakistan. He suggested that some undecided
voters may turn to the PTI in the upcoming elections because
of the events of May 12, but noted that it will be a
challenge to transform general support into actual electoral
support. Niazi outlined PTI's platform as focusing on an
independent judiciary, transparent political systems, and aid
for the disenfranchised. Additionally, he hinted that
negotiations were ongoing between PTI and Nawaz Sharif's
Pakistan Muslim League faction (PML-N) for seat adjustments
in the next general elections.
5. (C) PML-N and religious coalition Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
(MMA) leaders publicly announced their support for Khan's
actions in London. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) contacts
tell PolOff that they support Khan's action against Altaf
Husain, but do not support the rest of his platform.
6. (C) Comment. PTI is a minor party. They hold only one seat
in the National Assembly and one seat in NWFP's provincial
assembly. It is unlikely that they will gain significantly
more seats in the upcoming elections. Khan's personal
popularity as a former cricket star endears him to many
ISLAMABAD 00002546 002 OF 002
Pakistanis and he is media-savvy, but he enjoys far more
support by expats than by actual voters. A deal with the
PML-N would be attractive to Khan, as it would allow the PTI
to distance itself from the religious party Jamaat-e-Islami
(JI). (Note. PTI currently depends on its affiliation with
the JI for votes. End note.) Although Khan's case against
Altaf Husain has gained some degree of international media
attention, it caused only a ripple in Pakistan's domestic
political scene. The credible and independent continuation of
the Sindh High Court's inquiry into the May 12 incidents
would be a more effective means of healing the emotional and
political wounds of the Karachi violence. End comment.
BODDE