Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD2852
2008-08-27 12:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
GOP BANS TEHREEK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN
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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002852
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: GOP BANS TEHREEK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 002852
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: GOP BANS TEHREEK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN
¶1. (U) Pakistan's Interior Ministry on August 25 banned the
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP),an umbrella group of
Taliban-associated militants. It also asked the State Bank of
Pakistan to freeze the group's accounts and ordered its
assets seized under the GOP's Anti-Terrorism Act. Interior
Minister Rehman Malik noted the TTP has killed over 1,200
people in a series of suicide attacks across Pakistan,
including the August 21 twin attacks on a government
ordinance plant in Wah Cantonment (near Islamabad) which
killed 78 people.
¶2. (SBU) Comment: While a welcome gesture, we do not expect
this move to have a significant impact on TTP operations. A
TTP spokesman downplayed the announced ban and called it
meaningless, noting the TTP is different from a political
party which lawmakers can ban. The media noted the TTP
maintains no offices and no bank accounts in the settled
areas of Pakistan.
FEIERSTEIN