MGPK01: SITREP 02, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: MUSHARRAF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 004694 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PK AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PINR AMGT SUBJECT: MGPK01: SITREP 02, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: MUSHARRAF SPEAKS; JUSTICES AND POTENTIAL DISSIDENTS ROUNDED UP Classified By: DCM Peter Bodde for reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Musharraf defended his decision to suspend the Constitution in an emotional speech aired on Pakistan Television; notably, he did not mention a schedule for elections or his plan to resign as Chief of Army Staff. The government continues to block cable distribution of most international and local TV news channels. Pakistan People's Party leader Bhutto returned to Karachi and said she was "bitterly disappointed" at Musharraf's action. Musharraf used his new powers to dismiss the Supreme Court and provincial high court justices and personally swore in a new Supreme Court justice. There are unconfirmed reports that approximately 80 anti-government lawyers have been arrested. The situation on the streets of Islamabad and all major cities remains quiet. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Musharraf defended his decision to suspend the Constitution in an emotional late-night speech aired on Pakistan Television. Notably, Musharraf did not mention a schedule for elections and did not reiterate his pledge to resign as Chief of Army Staff. Citing growing extremism, loss of confidence among the law enforcement community, growing public insecurity, judicial plots, undue interference of the courts, and court decisions to release terrorists, he explained his reasons for taking action. He outlined three stages of development for Pakistan -- from 1999-2002, he led the country; from 2002-2007, he gradually reintroduced democracy; then he claimed he was only months away from the final stage of moving back to democracy, which he would lead as a civilian head of state. The judiciary, he said, was endangering this last phase, and this demanded imposition of emergency rule. He broke off from Urdu to appeal in English to the West, especially to the U.S. He pleaded several times: "Bear with us." He quoted from an 1864 letter written by Abraham Lincoln in which Lincoln described his agonizing decision to suspend parts of the U.S. civil liberties. He described the Constitutional Order as being "precise" and said that democratic governance will happen, "inshahallah." ¶3. (U) Upon her arrival in Karachi at 2200, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto said "Unless General Musharraf reverses the course, it will be very difficult to have fair elections...I agree with him that we are facing a political crisis but believe the problem is dictatorship....It's a very difficult situation for the country. Instead of moving to democracy we are going backwards towards greater dictatorship..The public and I are bitterly disappointed." PPP Spokesman Farhatullah Babar went further and condemned Musharraf's actions. ¶4. (U) Media reports that the former Chief Justice and at least seven other justices have been detained; all the Supreme Court and provincial high court justices have been removed. Musharraf personally swore in Abdul Hameed Dogar as the new Chief Justice. According to post sources, unlike in 1999 when Musharraf demanded and received the loyalty of most high court justices, many of the judges on the provincial high courts today refused to take the new oath of loyalty. ¶5. (U) At 2230 local time, leader of the lawyers' movement Aitzaz Ahsan was being transferred from a police station in Islamabad to Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi. Ahsan's senior associate claimed that so far about 80 anti-government attorneys had been arrested. PATTERSON