NAWAZ SHARIF TOUCHES DOWN AT LAHORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAHORE 000707

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PINR AMGT PK
SUBJECT: NAWAZ SHARIF TOUCHES DOWN AT LAHORE

CLASSIFIED BY: Michael T. Jordan, Acting Principal Officer,
AMCONSUL Lahore, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (C) Summary: Pakistani authorities permitted exiled former
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz
Sharif to enter Pakistan on Sunday November 25th, arriving at
Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport at approximately
6:30 p.m. local time via a personal aircraft of the Saudi royal
family. Senior PML-N party leaders in Punjab province largely
escaped political harassment although media reports and post
contacts reported that several hundred PML-N party workers were
detained the night before. There were also reports of scuffles
between PML-N activists and police at the Lahore airport
although the tense situation did not spiral out of control. End
summary.


2. (C) Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan from exile in Saudi
Arabia this evening. Unlike his previous attempt on September
10, government authorities did little or nothing to hinder his
arrival. He returned via a personal aircraft owned by the Saudi
royal family that touched down at approximately 6:30 p.m. In
contrast to the previous attempt, security forces did not
conduct a widespread political roundup of PML-N party leaders
although they did attempt to limit the size of the crowd
welcoming his return. PML-N sources told post that the
government agreed to permit 100 PML-N supporters to greet Nawaz
on the tarmac and another 8000 were permitted to be on or near
the airport grounds to catch a glimpse of him. In addition,
contacts stated the police did not permit PML-N party members
from nearby districts to depart to Lahore Sunday morning in an
attempt to contain the numbers descending there. In spite of
this, as soon as touchdown was confirmed droves of people
converged on the airport. PML-N and media contacts estimated
the crowd at least in the tens of thousands.


3. (C) Post sources stated, however, that several hundred lower
level PML-N members were detained overnight and throughout the
day in and around Lahore. Only two senior PML-N members,
however, were reported to have been detained on Saturday evening
although they were released Sunday morning. They were former
Punjab Member of the Provincial Assembly Rana Mushhood Khan and
former Federal Minister for Labor and Manpower Ghulam Dasspair
Khan. They informed post that they were released only after
pressure from the Saudi royal family. At one point at the
airport on Sunday afternoon, police baton charged and repulsed
PML-N supporters who attempted to breach a police line. There
were no serious injuries reported. In addition, minutes before
the plane landed some PML-N activists took over the airport
lounge. The police this time attempted to negotiate with them
to vacate the premises.


4. (C) After disembarking from the plane, Nawaz and Shahbaz
waved to their supporters and were carried off to their vehicles
by the enthusiastic crowd. At about 8:00 p.m. the Sharif
brothers attempted to leave the airport grounds but all roads
leading to the airport were clogged due to the spectacle. They
planned to first visit the Data Gunj Buksh Shrine in Lahore
before proceeding to their family estate Jati Umra, which is
located about 20 kilometers from downtown Lahore. PML-N
contacts predicted the entourage would not arrive there until
Monday morning due to the crowds and traffic jams.


5. (C) Currently the situation in Lahore is tense but remains
largely calm. In addition, there were no reports of media
censorship and limited reports of preemptive detention tactics,
at least in comparison to recent similar instances. The Saudi
royal family also had an armored car delivered to Lahore
yesterday for Nawaz's personal use. Post will continue to
monitor the situation and update the Department as the situation
develops.

JORDAN