UNANIMOUS CT RESOLUTION FOCUSES ON DIALOGUE BUT AVOIDS

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 003359 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER MOPS EAID PK SUBJECT: UNANIMOUS CT RESOLUTION FOCUSES ON DIALOGUE BUT AVOIDS TIMELINE REF: ISLAMABAD 3349 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: After 15 days of an in-camera joint session of Pakistan's parliament, the legislative body late October 22 unanimously approved a 14-point resolution providing the principles under which the GOP is to implement its national counterterrorism strategy. Blaming former "dictatorial regimes" for pursuing "policies aimed at perpetuating their own power at the cost of national interest," the resolution calls for dialogue and focuses on the conditions for such, mentions the need for economic development in the frontier regions, and hesitates on the use of military force. Though it would appear the resolution's emphasis on dialogue was a win for the opposition, unnamed government sources have claimed victory, leaking to local press that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the small religious parties were originally pushing for an immediate ceasefire and an Army withdrawal from Pakistan's frontier regions. The parliament's resolution also reaffirmed that Pakistan's territory should not be violated by any other country nor used to launch terrorist attacks on any other country. A special committee of parliament is supposed to be created to "periodically review, provide guidelines for, and monitor" the resolution's implementation. End summary. 14 Points - - - - - ¶2. (U) A joint session of parliament unanimously passed late in the evening October 22 a 14-point resolution intended to serve as a policy guideline for the GOP's counterterrorism strategy. The non-binding resolution says (1) the government should urgently review Pakistan's national security and counterterrorism methods; (2) "the challenge of militancy and extremism" can be addressed through dialogue "with all genuine stakeholders;" but (3) the nation condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism. The document continues: (4) Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity shall be safeguarded against any incursions and invasions; and (5) Pakistan's territory will not be used for any kind of attacks on other countries, and all foreign fighters, if found, will be expelled. ¶3. (U) A military response to militants, however, is discouraged. Instead, (6) dialogue "must now be the highest priority, as a principal instrument of conflict management and resolution," if the parties are willing to abide by Pakistan's Constitution and laws; (7) "genuine stakeholders in peace" should be created through economic opportunities in less privileged areas of the frontier regions; (8) Balochistan's grievances are to be redressed through talks; (9) when the state has to use force, "caution must be exercised to avoid casualties of non-combatants in the conflict zone;" (10) a process of democratic pluralism, social justice, religious values and tolerance, and equitable resource-sharing is to be strengthened; and (11) the state will establish its writ through confidence building mechanisms based on local custom (jirgas) and by replacing the military with civilian law enforcement as soon as possible. ¶4. (U) The resolution concludes: (12) Pakistan's strategic interests should be protected by developing stakes in regional peace and trade, both on the country's western and eastern borders; (13) mechanisms for internal security should be institutionalized by paying compensation to victims of violence, rehabilitating those displaced from their homes, containing spillover effects of terrorism, and building public consensus against terrorism through media and religious participation; and (14) a special committee of parliament should be constituted to periodically review, provide guidelines for, and monitor the implementation of these points. PATTERSON