TWO PAKISTANI ULEMA GROUPS CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003499

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PK PHUM KISL
SUBJECT: TWO PAKISTANI ULEMA GROUPS CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBINGS

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (C) Summary: However haltingly, the GOP has begun work on
its own strategic information campaign to convince civil
society to take ownership of the fight against extremism.
The pro-secular Pakistan People's Party recognizes it must
bring the religious right, which thrives on anti-Americanism,
on board if it hopes to change public attitudes. They may be
making some progress. Two groups of Pakistani Islamic
scholars recently condemned the suicide bombings in Pakistan
as un-Islamic. Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who likely
prodded at least one of the groups into action, welcomed the
comments and expressed his hope the statements would
discourage further suicide attacks; President Zardari has
invited the imam of the Kabaa in Mecca to preach his message
of moderation at Islamabad's Faisal Mosque. The ulema's
condemnations were laced with the requisite jabs at U.S. and
GOP policy but were a welcome sign that Pakistanis have begun
to push back on militants who kill fellow Muslims. End
summary.


2. (U) On October 14, in Lahore, the Muttahida Ulema Council
(MUC) - an umbrella organization comprised of scholars from a
variety of Muslim denominations - issued an edict declaring
suicide bombings haram, or forbidden within Islam. That
message was tempered by statements blaming the GOP and the
U.S. for fostering a conspiracy against Pakistan. Hafiz
Saeed, the leader of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, considered the
parent organization of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, was also present
at the October 14 meeting. The MUC is not a permanent forum,
but rather meets periodically to engender member consensus on
national issues.


3. (C) On October 15, at its inaugural meeting in Lahore, the
Muttahida Ulema Board of Punjab (MUBP) also issued a
declaration condemning suicide bombings and calling on the
GOP to rectify "the root causes of terrorism." The MUPB is
subordinate to the Muttahida Ulema Council and works with the
GOP on issues concerning controversial religious
publications.


4. (U) Similar previous efforts have resulted in retaliation
by extremist groups. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F)
political party convened an ulema convention and issued a
similar edict on April 16, 2007. In response, Maulana Hassan
Jan, a prominent signatory of that declaration, was murdered
by unknown gunmen in September 2007. His death caused a
chilling effect within the religious community as many
leaders refused to pursue the enforcement of the edict or
speak out against the taliban.


5. (C) With the election of a civilian government resolved
to combat a growing string of suicide bombings aimed at
Pakistanis, however, it appears that some Islamic scholars
are now more willing to confront the taliban. Behind the
scenes, Interior Minister Malik and Information Minister
Rehman have been meeting with groups of scholars and media
representatives to press civil society to take ownership of
the fight against extremism. President Zardari has asked the
imam of the Kabaa in Mecca to repeat his extremely popular
2007 sermon touting moderate Islam at Islamabad's Faisal
Mosque; Zardari wants to distribute CD copies of the sermon
widely across Pakistan.


6. (C) Comment: The pro-secular Pakistan People's Party
knows it has to bring the religious right, which thrives on
anti-Americanism, on board if it is to convince the public to
take ownership of the fight against militants. It is
dropping "war on terror" phraseology associated with the U.S.
and, during recent parliamentary debates, focused on how
un-Islamic militant actions have become. No one expects the
recent ulema condemnations to change militant policy, but
they are a welcome sign the GOP and Pakistan's civil society
are pushing back on militants who kill fellow Muslims.
PATTERSON