Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD3994
2007-09-15 09:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PPP ANNOUNCES BENAZIR'S RETURN ON OCTOBER 18
how-toVZCZCXRO8459 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #3994 2580905 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 150905Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1737 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7518 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1757 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7349 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3413 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 1865 RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2958 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003994
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PPP ANNOUNCES BENAZIR'S RETURN ON OCTOBER 18
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003994
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PPP ANNOUNCES BENAZIR'S RETURN ON OCTOBER 18
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) At a press conference September 14, Pakistan People's
Party (PPP) President Makhdoom Amin Fahim announced that
Party Chairman Benazir Bhutto would return to Pakistan on
October 18, three days after the window for presidential
elections closes. Fahim announced that on October 18, Bhutto
will land in Karachi and immediately visit Mohammed Ali
Jinnah's grave. (Note: Jinnah is the founder of Pakistan and
is referred to as Qaid-e-Azam -- "the great leader." End
Note.)
2. (U) Bhutto has lived in self-imposed exile in London and
Dubai since 1999. She faces corruption charges in Pakistan
and abroad from her two previous terms as Prime Minister
(1988-90, 1993-96). Information Secretary Tariq Azim said
prior to the press conference that -- unlike the treatment
former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif received earlier this week
-- Bhutto would not be deported on arrival.
4. (SBU) According to a recent International Republican
Institute poll (to be released publicly next week),public
support for President Musharraf and his proposed alliance
with Bhutto has been dropping. Some officials in both the
Pakistan Muslim League and the People's Party continue to
question the political wisdom of this alliance, but the PPP
will be celebrating Bhutto's return. "Deal or no deal, our
leader is coming home" said one PPP official.
5. (C) Comment: By carefully choosing a return date that will
not interfere with Musharraf's re-election plans, Bhutto is
leaving the door open to continued negotiations on their
alliance. The decision to announce her return on the first
day of Ramadan and Bhutto's plan to immediately visit
Qaid-e-Azam's grave are deliberately targeted to appeal to a
broader segment of the population than just PPP's moderate,
secular base. With Nawaz Sharif marginalized in exile,
Bhutto clearly sees and wants to exploit an opportunity to
increase PPP's share of votes in the upcoming parliamentary
elections. End Comment.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PPP ANNOUNCES BENAZIR'S RETURN ON OCTOBER 18
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) At a press conference September 14, Pakistan People's
Party (PPP) President Makhdoom Amin Fahim announced that
Party Chairman Benazir Bhutto would return to Pakistan on
October 18, three days after the window for presidential
elections closes. Fahim announced that on October 18, Bhutto
will land in Karachi and immediately visit Mohammed Ali
Jinnah's grave. (Note: Jinnah is the founder of Pakistan and
is referred to as Qaid-e-Azam -- "the great leader." End
Note.)
2. (U) Bhutto has lived in self-imposed exile in London and
Dubai since 1999. She faces corruption charges in Pakistan
and abroad from her two previous terms as Prime Minister
(1988-90, 1993-96). Information Secretary Tariq Azim said
prior to the press conference that -- unlike the treatment
former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif received earlier this week
-- Bhutto would not be deported on arrival.
4. (SBU) According to a recent International Republican
Institute poll (to be released publicly next week),public
support for President Musharraf and his proposed alliance
with Bhutto has been dropping. Some officials in both the
Pakistan Muslim League and the People's Party continue to
question the political wisdom of this alliance, but the PPP
will be celebrating Bhutto's return. "Deal or no deal, our
leader is coming home" said one PPP official.
5. (C) Comment: By carefully choosing a return date that will
not interfere with Musharraf's re-election plans, Bhutto is
leaving the door open to continued negotiations on their
alliance. The decision to announce her return on the first
day of Ramadan and Bhutto's plan to immediately visit
Qaid-e-Azam's grave are deliberately targeted to appeal to a
broader segment of the population than just PPP's moderate,
secular base. With Nawaz Sharif marginalized in exile,
Bhutto clearly sees and wants to exploit an opportunity to
increase PPP's share of votes in the upcoming parliamentary
elections. End Comment.
PATTERSON