Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD504
2008-02-04 12:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
DETAINED LAWYERS RELEASED AND DETAINED AGAIN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 000504
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: DETAINED LAWYERS RELEASED AND DETAINED AGAIN
REF: ISLAMABAD 481
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 000504
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: DETAINED LAWYERS RELEASED AND DETAINED AGAIN
REF: ISLAMABAD 481
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Summary: On February 2, days after they were released
from 90 days of house arrest, Aitzaz Ahsan, Supreme Court Bar
Association President; retired Justice Tariq Mehmood, a
Supreme Court lawyer; and Ali Ahmed Kurd, Supreme Court
lawyer and National Assembly candidate, were placed back
under house arrest in Lahore, Islamabad, and Quetta,
respectively. End Summary.
2. (U) On February 2, the government of Punjab detained
Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan for
another 30-day period in Lahore after he was stopped at the
airport on his way to Sindh to visit the grave of Benazir
Bhutto. This detention came shortly after Aitzaz's address to
a crowd of lawyers, calling for the resignation of President
Musharraf, and two days after his release from his 90-day
house arrest following the proclamation of emergency on
November 3. According to a statement from Aitzaz, he has
also been banned through a restraining order from entering
Sindh province. (As critical of Musharraf as Aitzaz is, he
has also spoken publicly against the USG and the policies
implemented in Pakistan.)
3. (U) Retired Justice Tariq Mehmood was placed under
"preventive custody" on February 2, one day after he was also
released from a 90-day detention following the November 3
emergency. Under orders of the Islamabad administration,
police were deployed to his home to pre-empt Mehmood's
alleged plans "to create unrest in the capital." According
to the order served on Mehmood, the government claimed that
he had established contacts with individuals who intended to
hold gatherings in violation of the law and that his
"presence" would invoke a threat to the maintenance of law
and order.
4. (U) On January 31, Supreme Court lawyer and National
Assembly candidate, Ali Ahmed Kurd, was released from his
90-day detention at his home in Quetta. According to a local
sources, Kurd was to travel to Lahore after his release to
address the various Punjab bar associations and to meet with
Nawaz Sharif, but he was also stopped by police at the
airport and served with another 30-day extension to his
detainment. From his home again in Quetta, Kurd told the
media that the lawyers' movement will not back down.
5. (C) Comment: Post is working with SCA/PD on a statement
from Washington condemning this renewed detention and will
follow up with the GOP to protest yet another
counter-productive action.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PK PREL
SUBJECT: DETAINED LAWYERS RELEASED AND DETAINED AGAIN
REF: ISLAMABAD 481
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (U) Summary: On February 2, days after they were released
from 90 days of house arrest, Aitzaz Ahsan, Supreme Court Bar
Association President; retired Justice Tariq Mehmood, a
Supreme Court lawyer; and Ali Ahmed Kurd, Supreme Court
lawyer and National Assembly candidate, were placed back
under house arrest in Lahore, Islamabad, and Quetta,
respectively. End Summary.
2. (U) On February 2, the government of Punjab detained
Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan for
another 30-day period in Lahore after he was stopped at the
airport on his way to Sindh to visit the grave of Benazir
Bhutto. This detention came shortly after Aitzaz's address to
a crowd of lawyers, calling for the resignation of President
Musharraf, and two days after his release from his 90-day
house arrest following the proclamation of emergency on
November 3. According to a statement from Aitzaz, he has
also been banned through a restraining order from entering
Sindh province. (As critical of Musharraf as Aitzaz is, he
has also spoken publicly against the USG and the policies
implemented in Pakistan.)
3. (U) Retired Justice Tariq Mehmood was placed under
"preventive custody" on February 2, one day after he was also
released from a 90-day detention following the November 3
emergency. Under orders of the Islamabad administration,
police were deployed to his home to pre-empt Mehmood's
alleged plans "to create unrest in the capital." According
to the order served on Mehmood, the government claimed that
he had established contacts with individuals who intended to
hold gatherings in violation of the law and that his
"presence" would invoke a threat to the maintenance of law
and order.
4. (U) On January 31, Supreme Court lawyer and National
Assembly candidate, Ali Ahmed Kurd, was released from his
90-day detention at his home in Quetta. According to a local
sources, Kurd was to travel to Lahore after his release to
address the various Punjab bar associations and to meet with
Nawaz Sharif, but he was also stopped by police at the
airport and served with another 30-day extension to his
detainment. From his home again in Quetta, Kurd told the
media that the lawyers' movement will not back down.
5. (C) Comment: Post is working with SCA/PD on a statement
from Washington condemning this renewed detention and will
follow up with the GOP to protest yet another
counter-productive action.
PATTERSON