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