MGPK02: SITREP 3: BHUTTO'S FUNERAL; PROTESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 005380 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2017 TAGS: PGOV PK PREL AEMR ASEC CASC PINR KFLO MARR AMGT SUBJECT: MGPK02: SITREP 3: BHUTTO'S FUNERAL; PROTESTS EXPECTED AFTER PRAYERS REF: ISLAMABAD 5359 Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOP transported the body of slain Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto to Larkana, where funeral services are taking place as of 1430 hours December 28. Violent sporadic protests occurred throughout the country well into the night of December 27. Pakistan was relatively quiet the morning of December 28, but violence and demonstrations, particularly in Karachi and other areas of Sindh, resumed after Friday afternoon prayers. Caretaker Interior Minister Nawaz said there would be no new state of emergency declared; Punjab's Caretaker Chief Minister has appointed two separate committees to investigate the Rawalpindi attack. Caretaker Prime Minister Soomro announced that elections would be held as scheduled on January 8, but Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party has declared it will boycott. Post is appealing the decision of the International Republican Institute's board to cancel its elections monitoring mission because of security concerns. The European Commission's observation mission may follow suit on December 31. All mission personnel are safe and accounted for. End summary. Funeral -------------- ¶2. (U) The GOP provided a C-130 and helicopters to transport the body of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto from Rawalpindi to her home in Larkana (Sindh). Bhutto's funeral is taking place as of 1430 hours (local) December 28. PPP members on the scene and live TV coverage reported general chaos as grief-stricken mourners surrounded the house, grounds and family mausoleum. ¶3. (C) Security and logistical concerns prevented the Ambassador from attending the funeral. The Ambassador plans to travel to Larkana as soon as possible to convey condolences to the family. No Emergency/Investigation -------------- ¶4. (U) Caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz said publicly that "there is no possibility of imposition of emergency again in the country." Meanwhile, Punjab provincial Caretaker Chief Minister Ejaz Nisar appointed two committees to investigate Bhutto's assassination: one led by a Lahore High Court justice and the other led by the province's Additional Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department. All media are reporting that al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the attack. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador called Chief of Army Staff General Kayani to urge the GOP to provide the maximum security possible for the Bhutto family. Protests -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Throughout the night of December 27, PPP supporters across the country conducted spontaneous violent demonstrations, burning select government buildings, banks and shops, as well as transportation links and vehicles. Pakistan's cities were relatively quiet the morning of December 28 as the GOP had declared a three-day mourning period and government offices, shops, banks and the stock exchange were closed. However, more demonstrations are expected after Friday afternoon prayers. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) parties have called for a general strike nationwide. ¶7. (C) CG Karachi reports continued looting in some Karachi neighborhoods (including near the consulate) and protests by funeral mobs in Larkana. The Pakistan Army has been called out in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana. At least six people have been killed; the Sindh Rangers have been given permission to shoot to kill to control mobs. The Indus ISLAMABAD 00005380 002 OF 002 Highway between Hyderabad and Larkana has been blocked at several places by mobs. Karachi Airport is closed except for international flights by foreign-flag carriers. A "wheel-jam" strike has been called for Sindh province; this means mobs will prevent any vehicles from moving in areas where the strike is being observed. Eighteen Toyota trucks purchased by State/INL for the Frontier Corps were destroyed when the train carrying them was attacked near Larkana. ¶8. (C) CG Peshawar reports angry demonstrations in several parts of Peshawar, including around the old city, and in Dera Ismail Khan district. Crowds have set fire to the offices of the ruling PML and MQM parties. ¶9. (C) CG Lahore reports isolated, small demonstrations in various parts of the city. Elections -------------- ¶10. (C) Caretaker Prime Minister Soomro announced elections will be held as scheduled on January 8. Nawaz Sharif announced that his Pakistan Muslim League-N party will boycott the elections. Contrary to some press reports, ruling coalition partner Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) in-country leader Farooq Sattar stressed December 28 that his party had not yet decided whether to boycott the elections. ¶11. (C) The International Republican Institute's (IRI) Pakistan office reported to Post that its Washington-based board of directors has decided to withdraw from country their 22 long-term observers and will cancel the full 65-person election observer mission. Their primary concern was security. Post has appealed this decision, arguing that the security situation should be evaluated over and after the next three days of mourning. ¶12. (C) The European Commission's Chief Election Observer met with EU countries' chiefs of mission December 28 morning, when the U.K., the Netherlands, Sweden and France were able to postpone a decision on canceling the observation mission until December 31. Some European countries may now be advocating a delay of the January 8 general elections. ¶13. (C) CG Lahore met with Pakistan Muslim League leader Pervez Elahi, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahbaz Sharif, and Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan (septels) to urge that elections proceed as scheduled with full participation of the parties. Other -------------- ¶14. (U) The Karachi Stock Exchange closed today. It, along with all banks and most other businesses throughout Sindh, will remain closed ("shuttered down") until December 31. MarketWatch reported that Standard & Poor's Ratings Services announced that Pakistan's sovereign credit ratings could be lowered "if the assassination of Benazir Bhutto precipitates heightened levels of violence and political turmoil." ¶15. (U) Codel Specter departed this morning. PATTERSON