C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 004761

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PK AEMR AMGT CASC KFLO PINR
SUBJECT: MGPK01: SITREP 09, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: HUMAN
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS RELEASED; PARTIES PLAN PROTESTS; ARRESTS
CONTINUE

REF: ISLAMABAD 4754

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d)


1. (C) Summary: Following Mission and Department
intervention, 54 members of the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan were released November 7 morning from house arrest,
and charges against them have been dropped. People's Party
(PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto, upon arriving in Islamabad
November 6, has called for her party to protest the state of
emergency and reportedly called off plans to meet with
President Musharraf. There were protests in several
provincial capitals late November 6, resulting in more
lawyers' and politicians' arrests. It is calm in most cities
but additional lawyer and political party demonstrations are
scheduled for Islamabad and other cities. Media curbs remain
in place. The UK has echoed our call on Musharraf to
schedule parliamentary elections and to resign as Chief of
Army Staff (COAS). Mission offices continue to function
normally. End summary.


2. (C) With Mission and Department intervention, CG Lahore
reports that all 54 members of the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan, who were arrested November 4, have been released
from house arrest. The government has dropped all charges
against the activists.


3. (C) People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto November 6
returned to Islamabad for the first time since she ended her
self-imposed exile on October 18. She has called on party
supporters to gather in front of the Parliament at 1600 today
to protest Musharraf's imposition of emergency. Despite
earlier indications she would meet with Musharraf upon
arrival, Bhutto announced upon arrival that such a meeting
would not/not take place. Following Bhutto's announcement

that the November 9 Rawalpindi rally would be an opposition
rally, the GOP banned the rally.


4. (C) PPP National Assembly member (MNA) Syed Nayyar Ali
Bokhari confirmed that Bhutto ordered her members to boycott
the legislative session called for 1700. The Ambassador is
scheduled to meet with Bhutto at 1900.


5. (U) The opposition All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)
has called for country-wide demonstrations for November 9.
All associated parties are set to participate, including
Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), according to its Senator Rahat
Hussain. The demonstrations would commence in all district
capitals after Friday prayers. APDM party leaders will
confirm these plans at their November 8 meeting in Islamabad.


6. (SBU) In some cities (Gujranwala, Multan, Sargodha,
Nowshera), lawyers continue to be arrested.


7. (C) Opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf coordinator
Saifullah Khan Nyazee confirmed press reports that his
party's leader Imran Khan "escaped" from police custody.
Khan was being kept at a house deputized as a "sub-jail."
Khan is now in hiding but is giving TV interviews.


8. (C) A new 9-justice Supreme Court met yesterday for the
first time and overturned the November 3 decision declaring
the emergency law illegal. The November 3 decision had been
made hastily by the former Chief Justice and six other
justices just before they were arrested. Today, the Supreme
Court heard routine cases. According to a Court source, the
petitions by presidential contenders Wajihuddin Ahmed and
Makhdoom Amin Faheem challenging Musharraf's re-election will
be taken up (again) on November 12. The hearing, set to last
two days at most, will likely end in a "dismissal of the
petitions." Post is watching this carefully since it may be
used as a possible reason to delay elections. No date has
been set for the reconstituted bench to hear arguments
against the October 5 National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Peshawar
--------------


9. (C) Late November 6, CG Peshawar reports about 200

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supporters of the Pashto nationalist parties marched through
Peshawar and burned Musharraf in effigy. (The parties claim
upto 700 protested.) The crowd was dispersed, according to
Awami National Party (ANP) sources, by baton-charging police.
Several ANP leaders were arrested.


10. (U) Today (November 7), approximately 15-20 lawyers have
set up camp inside Peshawar's High Court, reportedly on a
hunger strike.

Karachi
--------------


11. (C) The Sindh Home Secretary reported to CG Karachi that
489 lawyers and political workers have so far been arrested
across the province for maintenance of public order; 336 of
these were arrested in Karachi alone on November 6.


12. (C) CG Karachi also reports that a number of lawyers,
including Balochistan Bar Association president, were
arrested late November 6 in Quetta during a protest against
the imposition of emergency.

Media Freedoms
--------------


13. (C) Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi informed
CG Lahore late Nov 6 that cable operators will be permitted
to retransmit international news channels "in the next few
days." Pakistani news channels, however, will reportedly
only be permitted back on the air if they agree to abide by
the new Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority
(PEMRA) code of conduct.

International Actions/Reactions
--------------


14. (C) UK High Commissioner Robert Brinkley advised the
Ambassador late Nov 6 that UK Foreign Secretary David
Miliband had called Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Foreign
Minister Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, and former Prime
Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Miliband's
message reportedly mirrored that of the USG: schedule
elections and make the transition to civilian democratic
rule. Brinkley was set to see Bhutto on November 7 in
Islamabad.

PATTERSON