ROUND-UPS UNDERWAY IN PUNJAB

S E C R E T LAHORE 000671 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/4/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PINR AMGT PK SUBJECT: ROUND-UPS UNDERWAY IN PUNJAB CLASSIFIED BY: Bryan Hunt, Principal Officer, US Consulate Lahore, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (S) Summary: Normalcy still prevails in Lahore and throughout the Punjab in the wake of the suspension of the constitution. Reports are surfacing, however, that the police are conducting sweeps against key opponents of the government. Punjabi opposition leaders, lawyers and civil society elements are pledging to unite to protest the government's imposition of martial law; nevertheless, key pragmatic opposition figures at least partially fault the Supreme Court justices for fomenting this crisis. They added, however, that the political climate could be pacified if the government refrains from a heavy-handed crackdown and mass detentions while announcing elections would be held as scheduled in January or, alternatively, establish a broad based national consensus government to govern the country for up to a year. End summary. ¶2. (S) PPP Secretary General Jehangir Bader, PPP Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Qasim Zia and PML-N Leader Pervez Malik (who recently resigned his MNA seat) besides condemning the suspension of the constitution expressed unease and dismay over the implications of the political crisis. In separate meetings, all expressed frustration that the Supreme Court justices were fomenting a crisis at a critical moment in Pakistan's transition to democracy. Although all objected to the emergency measures, they did at least sympathize to an extent with Musharraf's predicament. If Musharraf's primary objective were to simply disarm a Supreme Court overplaying its hand, Bader and Zia saw no reason why their party could not continue the process of reconciliation as long as free and fair elections were to be held on schedule in January or if a broad based national consensus government would be established for up to a year. ¶3. (S) All three of them, however, warned that if the actual intent of the emergency rule was to consolidate Musharraf's hold on power it would threaten the reconciliation process. Bader and Zia stated that their party has other options and that they would consider forming a new alliance to restore democracy in close coordination with the PML-N. This change in thinking is notable as they have been vehemently opposed to such cooperation in the past. Malik was especially concerned on the implications for domestic stability in the wake of the declaration. ¶4. (S) Throughout Sunday post has received numerous reports of lawyers, opposition leaders and civil society leaders being detained or put under house arrest. Originally the reports indicated it might have been limited to key specific individuals but as the day wore on reports of detentions multiplied and it now appears that an earnest round-up is underway. Numerous PPP and PML-N politicians are reporting detentions or even that they have been detained themselves. Arshad Ghurki, a PPP member and former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) even expressed disgust that Benazir Bhutto had negotiated with the government and even took her sign of returning to Pakistan on Saturday evening as another deal with Musharraf. Other post contacts are reporting that they are joining hands with the lawyers and will go out in mass to protest on Monday. ¶5. (S) Post will continue to keep in contact with its interlocutors and to monitor the situation as it unfolds. JORDAN