Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD4290
2007-10-03 14:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PAKISTAN: UPDATE ON OPPOSITION RESIGNATIONS
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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 004290
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UPDATE ON OPPOSITION RESIGNATIONS
REF: ISLAMABAD 4271
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 004290
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UPDATE ON OPPOSITION RESIGNATIONS
REF: ISLAMABAD 4271
1. (U) Eighty-six members of the opposition alliance All
Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) resigned October 2 from
the National Assembly, according to Speaker Chaudhary Amir
Hussain. The speaker's office has not yet formally accepted
the resignations, but Hussain announced that he would consult
a legal expert on whether they could be accepted before the
October 6 presidential election.
2. (U) Also on October 2, opposition politicians resigned
from three of the four provincial assemblies - Balochistan,
Sindh and Punjab. Speakers of Balochistan and Sindh
Assemblies have already accepted their colleagues'
resignations. The Punjab Assembly Speaker has not yet
formally responded to the 46 assembly members who filed
resignations there.
3. (U) Two members of Mutihidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA),the main
component of APDM, have already retracted their resignations
of yesterday from the Balochistan Assembly. In the Sindh
Assembly, another member of MMA refused to resign, defecting
to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam Group).
NWFP: Pro-Government Forces Stall Assembly's Dissolution.
4. (U) In the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP),the
pro-government minority bloc preempted dissolution of the
MMA-controlled assembly by launching a no confidence vote
against NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani. If the
assembly is eventually dissolved, the APDM hopes to undermine
Musharraf's political legitimacy, although such an action
would have no effect on his re-election. In its October 3
session to debate and vote on the no confidence motion, media
reported "a rumpus in the house," causing the assembly's
speaker to adjourn the session until October 4.
5. (SBU) Comment: Despite these resignations, the GOP is
confident of the final count on October 6, secure in the
knowledge that Musharraf has the votes for re-election
regardless of the opposition's political maneuvers. Rampant
reports of a Musharraf-Bhutto deal in the form of a "National
Reconciliation Ordinance" also seems to have buoyed the
pro-Musharraf camp. The GOP is hoping that the opposition
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will keep its members in the
assemblies and simply abstain, legitimizing the process and
not recording a vote against Musharraf. End comment.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: UPDATE ON OPPOSITION RESIGNATIONS
REF: ISLAMABAD 4271
1. (U) Eighty-six members of the opposition alliance All
Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) resigned October 2 from
the National Assembly, according to Speaker Chaudhary Amir
Hussain. The speaker's office has not yet formally accepted
the resignations, but Hussain announced that he would consult
a legal expert on whether they could be accepted before the
October 6 presidential election.
2. (U) Also on October 2, opposition politicians resigned
from three of the four provincial assemblies - Balochistan,
Sindh and Punjab. Speakers of Balochistan and Sindh
Assemblies have already accepted their colleagues'
resignations. The Punjab Assembly Speaker has not yet
formally responded to the 46 assembly members who filed
resignations there.
3. (U) Two members of Mutihidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA),the main
component of APDM, have already retracted their resignations
of yesterday from the Balochistan Assembly. In the Sindh
Assembly, another member of MMA refused to resign, defecting
to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam Group).
NWFP: Pro-Government Forces Stall Assembly's Dissolution.
4. (U) In the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP),the
pro-government minority bloc preempted dissolution of the
MMA-controlled assembly by launching a no confidence vote
against NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani. If the
assembly is eventually dissolved, the APDM hopes to undermine
Musharraf's political legitimacy, although such an action
would have no effect on his re-election. In its October 3
session to debate and vote on the no confidence motion, media
reported "a rumpus in the house," causing the assembly's
speaker to adjourn the session until October 4.
5. (SBU) Comment: Despite these resignations, the GOP is
confident of the final count on October 6, secure in the
knowledge that Musharraf has the votes for re-election
regardless of the opposition's political maneuvers. Rampant
reports of a Musharraf-Bhutto deal in the form of a "National
Reconciliation Ordinance" also seems to have buoyed the
pro-Musharraf camp. The GOP is hoping that the opposition
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will keep its members in the
assemblies and simply abstain, legitimizing the process and
not recording a vote against Musharraf. End comment.
PATTERSON