REP. JACKSON-LEE MEETS NA SPEAKER MIRZA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002351 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PHUM SUBJECT: REP. JACKSON-LEE MEETS NA SPEAKER MIRZA Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee met July 1 with National Assembly Speaker Dr. Fehmida Mirza. Mirza informed Rep. Jackson-Lee of her intention to visit the U.S. and women's advances in the current assembly. They also discussed President Musharraf's future. Rep. Jackson-Lee voiced concern about the coalition holding together and the potential for the judges' issue to sidetrack the government from governing effectively. She encouraged Mirza to promote women's leadership in the FATA and invited Mirza to meet with her during her Washington visit. End Summary. Women's Issues, U.S. Visit -------------- ¶2. (C) Mirza proudly informed Rep. Jackson-Lee that during the recent budget decisions 221 of 342 members, including members from the opposition, participated in the debate. Rep. Jackson-Lee, noting female literacy in the Frontier is 3%, suggested Mirza create a "big headline" by meeting with female leaders from the FATA. Mirza mentioned she would like to visit the U.S. in mid-September and meet with Speaker Pelosi. Rep. Jackson-Lee offered to host her visit and invited her to meet with the Congressional Women's Caucus and Pakistan Caucus, as well as the Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees. President Musharraf -------------- ¶3. (C) Mirza suggested that President Musharraf should exit gracefully and avoid prolonging his departure; Musharraf cannot have any other position within the government. She mentioned Pakistani people have a short memory and it may be possible for him to "go and come back after some time." She was not optimistic about passage of a proposed constitutional amendment that would transfer powers from the president to the prime minister and offer Musharraf immunity. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N),she said, was not yet supporting the package. Restoring Judges -------------- ¶4. (C) Rep. Jackson-Lee expressed concern the GoP's preoccupation with resolving the pre-emergency judges' issue prevented it from moving forward. Mirza replied the passage of the finance bill included a provision to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from 16 to 29 and effectively concluded the legal issue; only details remained to be ironed out. Mirza noted the PML-N wanted to restore the judges, the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) opposed it, and declared the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) tried to build a consensus. ¶5. (U) This cable was not cleared by Rep. Jackson-Lee. PATTERSON