Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD398
2008-01-26 07:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PAKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER STEPS UP
how-toVZCZCXRO1864 OO RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #0398 0260723 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 260723Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4675 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 8085 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 7117 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2701 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 8758 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 4672 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 3345 RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000398
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER STEPS UP
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000398
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN: ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER STEPS UP
¶1. (U) On January 23, the Election Commissioner of Pakistan,
retired Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq, publicly flexed his
pre-election muscle and ordered the current acting president
of Pakistan to suspend his campaigning. Chaudhry Amir
Hussain, the current National Assembly Speaker and acting
President during President Musharraf's European travels, was
ordered to refrain from visiting his constituency in Sialkot,
north of Lahore, and to suspend all campaigning for the
upcoming elections given his current appointment by
Musharraf. The Elections Commission of Pakistan ruled that
these actions posed a conflict of interest.
¶2. (U) Chaudhry contends that he willing suspended his
campaign while being dual-hatted and his only visit to
Sialkot was for a relative's funeral, which was the same day
as the Commissioner's charge.
PATTERSON