CODEL TIERNEY MEETS WITH PAKISTAN'S FIRST FEMALE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 001449

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL KWMN
SUBJECT: CODEL TIERNEY MEETS WITH PAKISTAN'S FIRST FEMALE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER

Classified By: Peter W. Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary. On March 27, Codel Tierney met with Dr.
Fehmida Mirza, Pakistan's first female National Assembly
speaker. She stressed that women's rights, especially in the
areas of healthcare and education, would be her top
commitment while in this historic position. The Speaker also
eagerly awaited a better relationship between the Parliament
of Pakistan and the U.S. Congress, given that both Assemblies
are led by women. End summary.


2. (C) Codel Tierney (Representatives John Tierney, Keith
Ellison, Jim Moran, Betty McCollum, Maurice Hinchey, and
Barbara Cubin),accompanied by Polcouns, met March 27 with
Pakistan's first female National Assembly speaker, Dr.
Fehmida Mirza, and congratulated her on her new position and
third election to the Assembly.


3. (C) Mirza noted that this meeting was highly important
because it was the first time, to her recollection, that a
U.S. delegation visited the Parliament and had a meeting with
any member, let alone the Speaker. She viewed this meeting
as being extremely important to U.S./Pakistan relations and
hoped that this meeting would be the first of many to come
between the two legislative bodies.


4. (C) Because of the unprecedented number of women now
serving in the National Assembly (76 total women now serving
- 60 in reserved seats and 16 elected),both the Codel and
Mirza felt that this was the time in Pakistan's history to
truly advance the interests of women for the country.

Healthcare
--------------


5. (C) Representative Cubin asked the Speaker about her plans
to address the infant mortality rate and women health
concerns. As a medical doctor who used to practice in women
health centers, Mirza explained that healthcare, especially
the quality of and accessibility to healthcare for the women
and children of Pakistan, was one of her major platforms for
her office. She planned to address the issues of the lack of
centers for women and children, the accessibility to proper
vaccinations, along with a bigger push for better maternal
healthcare to reduce the infant mortality rate in question.
She also planned to work very closely with the Health
Committee within the National Assembly.

Education
--------------


6. (C) When Representative Tierney asked about the Speaker's
other goals, she immediately addressed the lack of focus the
previous governments have had on the concept of education
reform. Mirza noted that over the years, training for
teachers has significantly decreased, "ghost" schools and
teachers have increased (where schools and teachers exist
only on paper),and the drop-out rate continued to grow as a
lack of mandatory education levels persists. She also would
like to address the lack of girls primary schools.


7. (C) Representative McCollum suggested a teacher exchange
program between the U.S. and Pakistan be created to
culturally benefit U.S. teachers while providing quality,
hands-on training for the Pakistani educators. In addition,
the Codel also suggested that more American English teachers
be encouraged to travel to Pakistan to assist with improving
the English training for both the teachers and the students.


Judiciary Reform
--------------


8. (C) Representative Ellison questioned Mirza on her plans
for the judiciary. She noted that, unlike the U.S. Speaker,
her role is to be non-partisan. However, she noted that her
party, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP),strives for an
independent judiciary, pointing to the first speech of the
Prime Minister (and fellow PPP member) in which he requested
to release the judges under house arrest. She also referred
to the Murree Declaration, a non-mandatory resolution
proposed by the ruling coalition for the restoration of the

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judges within the first 30 days of the current Assembly
session. She stressed the need for a strong judiciary,
noting that only its independence will truly be able to
tackle the corruption and terrorism plaguing Pakistan.

War on Terror
--------------


9. (C) Representative Moran also requested for the Speaker to
expound upon her ideas on the current fight against
extremism. In continuing to support the visions of her
former party leader Benazir Bhutto, Mirza said that talks
between the terrorist factions and the government must not
only continue but to increase in number. Through constant,
thoughtful talks, the Speaker felt certain that a better
understanding of the root causes of militancy would be
identified and solutions could be found.


10. (U) Codel Tierney did not have the opportunity to clear
this cable.
BODDE