Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISLAMABAD4776
2007-11-08 09:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
MGPK01: SITREP 11, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: ISOLATED
how-toVZCZCXRO1191 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #4776/01 3120923 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 080923Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3077 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7718 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2151 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7927 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3959 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 2488 RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY 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 SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 004776
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: AEMR AMGT CASC KFLO PGOV PINR PK PREL
SUBJECT: MGPK01: SITREP 11, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: ISOLATED
PROTESTS CONTINUE ACROSS COUNTRY
REF: ISLAMABAD 4766
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 004776
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: AEMR AMGT CASC KFLO PGOV PINR PK PREL
SUBJECT: MGPK01: SITREP 11, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: ISOLATED
PROTESTS CONTINUE ACROSS COUNTRY
REF: ISLAMABAD 4766
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: The National Security Council is meeting to
discuss the current political/security situation. The
National Assembly November 7 voted to approve the State of
Emergency. In a meeting yesterday with Ambassador, PPP
leader Bhutto said she is ready to work with Musharraf if he
schedules elections and resigns from his post in the Army,
but would otherwise take the PPP to the streets. Musharraf
did not commit to an election timetable in a speech to
National Assembly members yesterday. Standard and Poor's
downgraded Pakistan's credit ratings. Pakistan press report
President Bush yesterday called Musharraf and asked him to
hold elections and resign from Army post. Isolated protests
continue throughout country. Mission offices continue to
operate normally. End summary.
2. (U) The media reports that, for the first time since the
state of emergency was declared, the National Security
Council is meeting to discuss "post-emergency" plans, the
internal security situation (especially in Swat) and plans
for elections.
3. (C) The National Assembly met November 7 and voted to
approve the State of Emergency and congratulate Musharraf on
his reelection. The Pakistan People's Party boycotted the
session, and other opposition parties had already resigned,
so this was a rump session of pro-government parties only.
Before the session Pakistan Muslim League parliamentarians
met with President Musharraf and lunched with Prime Minister
Aziz. Contrary to press reports, Musharraf did not/not
promise to hold elections on schedule. Post sources indicate
Musharraf said the state of emergency was not a long-term
solution to existing problems. Because "terrorism is getting
out of hand, I have no idea how long it will take" to
schedule elections.
4. (C) Ambassador met 7 November with Pakistan People's Party
(PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto (reftel). Bhutto told Ambassador
she is ready to work with Musharraf after he schedules
elections and resigns from the Army. Bhutto said she would
take PPP to the streets if Musharraf did not honor his
commitments. Bhutto plans to continue with a PPP rally
tomorrow in Rawalpindi and said that she would organize a
march November 13 from Lahore to Islamabad if Musharraf did
not fulfill his commitments by November 9. GOP is trying to
stop the PPP from renting buses to bring PPP supporters to
Rawalpindi, according to mission contacts. The PPP held a
party leadership conference in Islamabad today.
5. (C) Ambassador met 7 November with Attorney General Malik
Qayyum (reftel). AG Qayyum said Musharraf would not schedule
elections until the newly reconstituted Supreme Court ruled
on the pending petition challenging Musharraf's presidential
candidacy. Qayyum was still working on expanding the number
of justices on the court, which he expected would begin to
hear Musharraf's eligibility case next week. He predicted
elections would be postponed until February and that
Musharraf would resign as Chief of Army Staff, but not on
November 15. Qayyum said that press restrictions would be
lifted and that anti-government lawyers and human rights
activists would be released within the next few weeks.
(Embassy notes that it heard three different election
scenarios from three different cabinet members the evening of
7 November.)
6. (U) Standard and Poor's Rating Services revised its
outlook on Pakistan's long-term foreign and local currency
sovereign credit ratings from stable to negative. S&P's
announcement comes after Moody's Investor Services downgraded
Pakistan's B1 and B2 local currency government bonds from
stable to negative. Prior to announcing its ratings decision,
a team from S&P's cut short its evaluation trip to Pakistan
after the imposition of the state of emergency.
7. (U) All newspapers and private TV news stations (that can
be seen through satellite dishes) highlighted President
Bush's statements following his phone call to Musharraf and
the NSC statement that "U.S. patience is not unlimited." The
government has restored access to one local private TV news
station, the local affiliate of CNBC, which broadcasts
ISLAMABAD 00004776 002 OF 002
business (i.e., not political) news.
8. (U) The GOP is taking action to block the sale of
satellite dishes, according to Pakistani press. In Karachi,
police confiscated dish antennas; in Islamabad, Lahore, and
Rawalpindi, police have told shopkeepers not to sell
satellite dishes, according to the Pakistani press.
Lahore
9. (U) Police yesterday tolerated student protests at the
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS),the National
University of Computer and Emerging Studies, and the Punjab
University. Students at the Beaconhouse National University
today are scheduled to observe a "black day" against the PCO.
Police yesterday beat several reporters trying to cover the
LUMS protests.
10. (U) Lahore CG also said that the GOP set up six sub-jails
because of over-crowding in prisons. In a conversation with
mission, Punjab Home Secretary said they are running out of
prison space, but do not want to mix political detainees with
the criminal population.
11. (C) Jamaat-i Islami (JI) leader Liaqat Baloch told Lahore
CG that there is a (MMA) coalition meeting scheduled today to
"mend fences between the JI and JUI-F."
Karachi
12. (U) Karachi CG legal community continues to boycott the
Sindh High Court and the city courts; a leader in the
Balochistan Bar Association was yesterday arrested in Quetta
after addressing a press conference and calling for
demonstrations. Students and teachers at multiple
universities yesterday observed a "black day"; small student
protest reported near Consulate. The Sindh Taraqi Pasand
Party (STPP) announced a protest throughout Sindh for 8
November and a strike for 9 November.
Peshawar
13. (U) Peshawar CG received reports of more lawyers arrested
and demonstrations by the legal community throughout the NWFP
on 7 November. Students yesterday observed a "black day" in
Peshawar and Charsadda by boycotting classes and organizing
demonstrations. Peshawar CG said the JI is planning protests
in Peshawar today; lawyers at the High Court continue their
hunger strike.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: AEMR AMGT CASC KFLO PGOV PINR PK PREL
SUBJECT: MGPK01: SITREP 11, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD: ISOLATED
PROTESTS CONTINUE ACROSS COUNTRY
REF: ISLAMABAD 4766
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) Summary: The National Security Council is meeting to
discuss the current political/security situation. The
National Assembly November 7 voted to approve the State of
Emergency. In a meeting yesterday with Ambassador, PPP
leader Bhutto said she is ready to work with Musharraf if he
schedules elections and resigns from his post in the Army,
but would otherwise take the PPP to the streets. Musharraf
did not commit to an election timetable in a speech to
National Assembly members yesterday. Standard and Poor's
downgraded Pakistan's credit ratings. Pakistan press report
President Bush yesterday called Musharraf and asked him to
hold elections and resign from Army post. Isolated protests
continue throughout country. Mission offices continue to
operate normally. End summary.
2. (U) The media reports that, for the first time since the
state of emergency was declared, the National Security
Council is meeting to discuss "post-emergency" plans, the
internal security situation (especially in Swat) and plans
for elections.
3. (C) The National Assembly met November 7 and voted to
approve the State of Emergency and congratulate Musharraf on
his reelection. The Pakistan People's Party boycotted the
session, and other opposition parties had already resigned,
so this was a rump session of pro-government parties only.
Before the session Pakistan Muslim League parliamentarians
met with President Musharraf and lunched with Prime Minister
Aziz. Contrary to press reports, Musharraf did not/not
promise to hold elections on schedule. Post sources indicate
Musharraf said the state of emergency was not a long-term
solution to existing problems. Because "terrorism is getting
out of hand, I have no idea how long it will take" to
schedule elections.
4. (C) Ambassador met 7 November with Pakistan People's Party
(PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto (reftel). Bhutto told Ambassador
she is ready to work with Musharraf after he schedules
elections and resigns from the Army. Bhutto said she would
take PPP to the streets if Musharraf did not honor his
commitments. Bhutto plans to continue with a PPP rally
tomorrow in Rawalpindi and said that she would organize a
march November 13 from Lahore to Islamabad if Musharraf did
not fulfill his commitments by November 9. GOP is trying to
stop the PPP from renting buses to bring PPP supporters to
Rawalpindi, according to mission contacts. The PPP held a
party leadership conference in Islamabad today.
5. (C) Ambassador met 7 November with Attorney General Malik
Qayyum (reftel). AG Qayyum said Musharraf would not schedule
elections until the newly reconstituted Supreme Court ruled
on the pending petition challenging Musharraf's presidential
candidacy. Qayyum was still working on expanding the number
of justices on the court, which he expected would begin to
hear Musharraf's eligibility case next week. He predicted
elections would be postponed until February and that
Musharraf would resign as Chief of Army Staff, but not on
November 15. Qayyum said that press restrictions would be
lifted and that anti-government lawyers and human rights
activists would be released within the next few weeks.
(Embassy notes that it heard three different election
scenarios from three different cabinet members the evening of
7 November.)
6. (U) Standard and Poor's Rating Services revised its
outlook on Pakistan's long-term foreign and local currency
sovereign credit ratings from stable to negative. S&P's
announcement comes after Moody's Investor Services downgraded
Pakistan's B1 and B2 local currency government bonds from
stable to negative. Prior to announcing its ratings decision,
a team from S&P's cut short its evaluation trip to Pakistan
after the imposition of the state of emergency.
7. (U) All newspapers and private TV news stations (that can
be seen through satellite dishes) highlighted President
Bush's statements following his phone call to Musharraf and
the NSC statement that "U.S. patience is not unlimited." The
government has restored access to one local private TV news
station, the local affiliate of CNBC, which broadcasts
ISLAMABAD 00004776 002 OF 002
business (i.e., not political) news.
8. (U) The GOP is taking action to block the sale of
satellite dishes, according to Pakistani press. In Karachi,
police confiscated dish antennas; in Islamabad, Lahore, and
Rawalpindi, police have told shopkeepers not to sell
satellite dishes, according to the Pakistani press.
Lahore
9. (U) Police yesterday tolerated student protests at the
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS),the National
University of Computer and Emerging Studies, and the Punjab
University. Students at the Beaconhouse National University
today are scheduled to observe a "black day" against the PCO.
Police yesterday beat several reporters trying to cover the
LUMS protests.
10. (U) Lahore CG also said that the GOP set up six sub-jails
because of over-crowding in prisons. In a conversation with
mission, Punjab Home Secretary said they are running out of
prison space, but do not want to mix political detainees with
the criminal population.
11. (C) Jamaat-i Islami (JI) leader Liaqat Baloch told Lahore
CG that there is a (MMA) coalition meeting scheduled today to
"mend fences between the JI and JUI-F."
Karachi
12. (U) Karachi CG legal community continues to boycott the
Sindh High Court and the city courts; a leader in the
Balochistan Bar Association was yesterday arrested in Quetta
after addressing a press conference and calling for
demonstrations. Students and teachers at multiple
universities yesterday observed a "black day"; small student
protest reported near Consulate. The Sindh Taraqi Pasand
Party (STPP) announced a protest throughout Sindh for 8
November and a strike for 9 November.
Peshawar
13. (U) Peshawar CG received reports of more lawyers arrested
and demonstrations by the legal community throughout the NWFP
on 7 November. Students yesterday observed a "black day" in
Peshawar and Charsadda by boycotting classes and organizing
demonstrations. Peshawar CG said the JI is planning protests
in Peshawar today; lawyers at the High Court continue their
hunger strike.
PATTERSON