Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD3790
2008-12-08 08:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR TAHIR-KHELI HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN'S

Tags:  PGOV WE PREL PK 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 003790 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV WE PREL PK
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TAHIR-KHELI HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN'S
EMPOWERMENT IN PAKISTAN

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 003790

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV WE PREL PK
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TAHIR-KHELI HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN'S
EMPOWERMENT IN PAKISTAN

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


1. (C) Summary: Senior Adviser to the Secretary for Women's
Empowerment Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli visited Islamabad
on November 24 and 25 to discuss women's empowerment issues
and the Women Against Terrorism Initiative. Ambassador
Tahir-Kheli met with National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali
Durrani who spoke about Pakistan's economy and efforts to
counter terrorism. She also met Minister of Information
Sherry Rehman, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Fehmida
Mirza, and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir. End Summary.


NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MAHMUD ALI DURRANI
--------------


2. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli and the DCM called upon
National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani. Durrani
highlighted the various steps that Pakistan has taken to
empower women, including special reserved seats for women in
Parliament, the formation of the Women,s Caucus, and women
enlisted in the military. He stressed that the new Women,s
Caucus in the National Assembly is an important network to
unite women parliamentarians.


3. (C) When asked about the political wing of the ISI being
disbanded, Durrani explained that the political wing had
originally been set up by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto. Recently, Prime Minister Gilani has asked in a
friendly and non-confrontational manner, "why should the ISI
be involved in politics?" Durrani credited Pasha with the
decision to take ISI out of politics. Durrani explained that
ISI is basically a good institution, but it is dependent on
how the political leadership decides to use it.


4. (C) Durrani explained that Pakistan is going through a
very difficult time, both economically and security-wise. He
said the primary role of the IMF was to "plug holes" and to
improve Pakistan,s economic health. The IMF would help get
rid of subsidies, corruption, and help with budget
development - all necessary to get Pakistan on "the straight
and narrow." Durrani emphasized that Pakistan needed to
expand its tax base, especially in the commerce sector. In
his opinion, the Pakistani economic base is so narrow that it
cannot withstand serious shocks.



5. (C) In his discussion of security, Durrani mentioned the
recent military success in Bajaur. The difference this time
around, in his mind, was that the military was following
things through to their logical end. Durrani said that
before in South Waziristan, the military had to halt
operations and then go in to sign a peace agreement. This
time they were in a better position. He described the
formation of lashkars as a major development. However, he
cautioned that lashkars are a short term solution for a
specific task. The lashkars are made of normal people with
real jobs, so they are more a moral support for the community
for military operations in the long run than a fighting
force. Durrani also commented on the critical juncture
between military operations and enforcing the writ of the
government. He said the GOP can not delay the transition,
that law and order must be provided through a civilian
government as the military pulls out. This requires
civil/military cooperation and follow-up. If the transition
is delayed, the militants come back and the local populace is
defeated.


6. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli asked Durrani about statements
by Prime Minister Gilani that the US may be contributing to
suicide attacks. Durrani commented that while such
statements were counterproductive, the drone attacks were
also not helping at all. He said that Gilani is a politician
and since public opinion is anti-drone, he made such
statements. Durrani regretfully described how Peshawar and
the NWFP had changed for the worse.


7. (C) Describing the Friends of Pakistan, Durrani commented
that it was not a replacement for the donor,s conference,
but a forum to ensure good governance practices in Pakistan.
Durrani also highlighted the Benazir Bhutto Income Support
Fund as a means to avoid cutting back on development while

ISLAMABAD 00003790 002 OF 003


upholding the IMF agreement. Within the Friends of Pakistan,
Durrani cited the U.S., the UK, and the UAE as the prime
movers. The National Security Adviser stressed the need for
good governance and told an anecdote about a common man
describing to him the basic needs in Pakistan. He outlined
them as a fair wage, protection of life and property, access
to justice, and basic dignity. Durrani stressed that good
governance should be able to deliver these demands.


MINISTER OF INFORMATION SHERRY REHMAN
--------------


8. (C) Pakistan,s Minister of Information Sherry Rehman
hosted a working lunch to discuss the Women Against Terrorism
initiative. In addition to Ambassador Tahir-Kheli,
participants included Special Adviser to the Greek Foreign
Minister on Women,s Empowerment Dr. Kalliopi Bourdara, the
Greek Ambassador to Pakistan Petros Mavroidis, and Political
Counselor Candace Putnam. Minister Rehman opened the meeting
by highlighting the steps taken by the Pakistani government
on women,s empowerment issues, including the new Women,s
Caucus and a planned new ombudsman in the National Assembly
for women,s affairs.


9. (C) The lunch served as a preparatory meeting for the
upcoming Women Against Terrorism conference, a joint
Greece-Pakistan initiative that grew out of the Secretary's
Women Leaders' Working Group. The initiative was publicly
launched on the sidelines of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Helsinki (December
4). During the lunch, the procedures to set up the
conference were finalized and an interim planning session was
set. An International Women,s Conference Against Terrorism
will be held subsequently in Athens (Spring 2009) under the
auspices of the Greek Government and in the context of the
Women,s Leaders Working Group. The attendees also decided
on the topics for the conference workshops, the dignitaries
and scholars to be invited, and the focus of the conference.


10. (C) Minister Rehman stressed the particular vulnerability
of women to terrorism and that terrorism had no religion.
For the international conference the following model was
adopted: a brief opening plenary with two key note addresses,
followed by workshops, and a closing plenary. Other
suggestions for the conference included using a short film to
raise awareness, including journalists and media
representatives, and also ensuring diverse geographic
representation.


SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DR. FEHMIDA MIRZA
-------------- --------------


11. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli and the Political Counselor
met with Speaker of the National Assembly who that day was
also Acting President. Dr. Mirza discussed several new
initiatives she has led within the National Assembly. She
has used the Speaker's Relief Fund to help displaced women of
Bajaur. All parliamentarians contributed one month's salary
to the fund and Dr. Mirza sought donations from Chambers of
Commerce and other political donors. On September 14, the
Speaker, various parliamentarians, and representatives from
NWFP visited the displaced persons camps in Peshawar and
distributed 2 million PKR (25,000 USD). Additionally, the
fund is giving 5 million PKR (62,500 USD) to orphans from the
recent Balochistan earthquake. Dr. Mirza was very encouraged
by the response from the Speaker's Relief Fund - with the
President and other leaders giving both financial and moral
support. She also commented that President Zardari was very
supportive of women,s empowerment, championing programs
where land titles would be awarded in women,s names.


12. (C) Dr. Mirza recently helped to establish the Women,s
Caucus in the National Assembly. The focus of the caucus is
capacity building of female parliamentarians across party
lines. The caucus will interface with NGOs and activists on
women,s issues, specifically harassment, access to justice,
and violence against women. Additionally, the Women,s
Caucus will be able to champion legislation, such as the
proposed Sexual Harassment at the Workplace legislation. The

ISLAMABAD 00003790 003 OF 003


female members of the National Assembly have agreed to work
above party lines, and make decisions based on consensus.
The Women,s Caucus plans to expand eventually to the Senate
and then to the Provincial Assemblies - forming a National
Women,s Caucus. The Women's Caucus first fact-finding event
will be a trip on November 29 to visit female police stations
and receive briefings from the Inspector General of Police.
Dr. Mirza commented that the Caucus is a great network to
gain best practices and technical knowledge from
international women's networks such as Secretary Rice's One
Woman Initiative. Dr. Mirza is planning to visit the United
States in March 2009 and plans to talk to Speaker Nancy
Pelosi in March as well.


FOREIGN SECRETARY SALMAN BASHIR
--------------


13. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli met with Foreign Secretary
Salman Bashir to discuss the Women Against Terrorism
initiative being co-sponsored by Pakistan and Greece. In
discussing women,s empowerment, Secretary Bashir noted that
making 50% of one's population non-players only makes the
economy suffer. Bashir agreed with Ambassador Tahir-Kheli
that on the front of women,s empowerment, Pakistan has
regressed and lost focus. Bashir also noted that the
cultural context was important, and hoped there is more
optimism with the new PPP government. He stressed the most
important thing for Pakistan is to engage with the US closely
at the institutional level. Pakistan, in his view, is
suffering from institutional decay and that causes many areas
to suffer, including women,s affairs. Bashir stated that
the world has changed and the Pakistani system needs
updating, especially in the area of governance.


14. (C) Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli has cleared this cable.
PATTERSON