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| Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08ISLAMABAD1655 | 2008-04-23 14:30:00 | SECRET | Embassy Islamabad |
Cable title:
PAKISTAN'S NEW HEARTS AND MINDS CAMPAIGN
how-to|
1. (S) Summary. There are multiple initiatives, some old
and some new, underway in Pakistan to negotiate an end to violence with militants or separatists in the tribal areas as part of a hearts and minds campaign. Many of these initiatives involve a prisoner exchange/release of some kind, but the true numbers and identities of those who may be released remain unclear. Post has repeatedly stressed to GOP officials our strong opposition to the release of al Qaeda/Taliban detainees. We have been equally emphatic that any new South Waziristan peace agreement must be enforceable. We are not yet persuaded that this hearts and minds campaign will succeed but agree that the new government believes it is a necessary first step in formulating its own anti-terrorism policy. Pakistani leaders continue to insist that they will not release the 27 Taliban detainees the U.S. has identified as problematic, but it is difficult to see how the GOP can implement a peace deal without offering the release of some militant detainees. End Summary. The New Hearts & Minds Campaign -------------------------- 2. (C) Many Pakistanis believe that a newly elected government with a popular mandate has an opportunity to successfully convince the militant "reconcilables" to cease supporting terrorism and extremism. The Pakistanis continue to insist to us that they will not negotiate with al Qaeda or the Taliban/Baitullah Mehsud and that their reconciliation initiative is aimed at the tribal leaders who form the support network for militants. Pakistan People's Party Co-Chair Asif Zardari has made a conscious decision to hand over implementation of this hearts and minds campaign to Pashtun-based Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfundyar Wali Khan. If Wali Khan fails, Zardari has said "we have other options." But there is a clear desire to try negotiations first. Chief of Army Staff General Kayani believes he needs political support to renew military operations against the militants and has endorsed the outreach strategy. 3. (C) The new coalition government led by Prime Minister Gillani is proceeding with a number of initiatives under this campaign. Some of these are new proposals; some are a continuation of negotiations begun by the Musharraf government. Overall, the new government sees a political need to distance itself from the Musharraf era agenda, which has been popularly characterized as a military-focused approach implemented at the behest of the United States. Because Musharraf did not regularly brief the parliament or the general public on activities related to the war on terror, the plans/rhetoric of many new ministers are not based on full knowledge of the anti-terrorism agenda that Musharraf tried, with varying success, to implement. Multiple Initiatives: -------------------------- 4. (S) Post has repeatedly stressed our strong opposition to the release of al Qaeda/Taliban detainees. We have been equally emphatic that any new South Waziristan peace agreement must be enforceable (reftels). It may be helpful to describe the several, often confusing, overlapping initiatives now underway. Kidnapped Pakistani Ambassador -------------------------- 5. (S) On February 11, Tariq Azizuddin, the Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan, was kidnapped in Khyber Agency while driving from Peshawar to Kabul. It appears this began as a simple crime for ransom, but the kidnappers may have turned the Ambassador over to al Qaeda/Taliban terrorists. Azizuddin appeared in a video April 19 conveying the kidnappers' demands, which included the release of Taliban leader Mullah Obaidullah and five or six others. We have conflicting reports on where this negotiation stands and which, if any, hostages would be released in exchange for the ISLAMABAD 00001655 002 OF 003 Azizuddin. Ladha Fort Negotiations -------------------------- 6. (S) The Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have been negotiating for months with Baitullah Mehsud following the militant attacks on Ladha Fort on January 10 and 22. This negotiation includes a possible prisoner exchange to free the approximately 60 captured Frontier Corps personnel from the Fort. 27 Taliban Militants -------------------------- 7. (S) The Army and ISI also appear to have been considering the release of 27 Taliban militants in connection with the Ambassador's kidnapping and/or the Lahda Fort negotiations. Zardari, PM Gillani and President Musharraf have now assured us (Refs C, D) that these 27 militants will not be released. However, we believe that a prisoner exchange of some Baitullah Mehsud personnel is still under discussion. New South Waziristan Agreement -------------------------- 8. (S) COAS Kayani April 2 briefed the new government on the status of a new South Waziristan accord, which the Pakistanis insist is not with Baitullah Mehsud, but with tribal leaders. It, too, involves a prisoner exchange of an indeterminate number of militants. This initiative had been underway for months before the election; Zardari appears to have embraced it to prevent a clash with the military and because it fits the government's new strategy in general. Zardari has been at great pains to ensure the U.S. was pre-briefed on the initiative, that it does not include a prisoner swap and that it has enforceable conditions. (Refs B, C) Sufi Mohammad Released -------------------------- 9. (S) On April 21, with the support of the new coalition, the leaders of the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) released Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammmadi (TNSM) leader Sufi Mohammad (Ref A). Despite having once led forces across the border to attack the U.S.-led coalition, he is now considered by Pakistanis to be in the "reconcilable" category. Upon release after six years in jail, the aging Sufi renounced militancy and pledged to continue to support enforcement of Sharia law, but through peaceful means. He said he would respect the government and would not launch attacks against government and security personnel. The NWFP government is attempting to use his release to split the support base of his son-in-law, Swat TNSM warlord Maulana Fazlullah. (Ref A) Balochistan Outreach -------------------------- 10. (C) Separately, Zardari is also reaching out to separatist extremists, mostly based in Balochistan, who for years have been fighting government forces. The sanctuary fleeing Baloch leaders reportedly have received in Kabul has undermined Pak-Afghan relations. On April 22, the Sindh provincial government dropped treason and other charges against the President of the Balochistan National Party, Sardar Akhtar Mengal. Zardari also announced formation of an All Parties Committee to address ongoing Baloch concerns, including revenue sharing over the region's coal and gas reserves. A simmering insurgency has persisted in Balochistan for several years, but the Baloch may not yet be ready to be reconciled. The Baloch Liberation Army, which has repeatedly targeted Punjabi-speaking professionals, claimed credit for the April 22 assassination of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Balochistan. 11. (S) Comment: We are not yet persuaded that the government's hearts and minds campaign will succeed but agree that they believe it is a necessary first step in formulating their own anti-terrorism policy. To roll back a growing insurgency, the GOP will need popular support, and if this initiative creates the groundwork required for more robust ISLAMABAD 00001655 003 OF 003 military action in the future, it may be worth the effort. However, we remain deeply concerned that militants will continue to use the lull in military operations to regroup and launch attacks into Afghanistan. We are even more skeptical over the merits of another South Waziristan peace deal and have made these concerns clear to the new GOP. PATTERSON |