MQM WORRIED ABOUT POST-ELECTION MANUEUVERING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KARACHI 000141

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PK
SUBJECT: MQM WORRIED ABOUT POST-ELECTION MANUEUVERING

REF: ISLAMABAD 745

Classified By: Kay Anske, Consul General, reason 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is
concerned about any coalition formed by the Pakistan
Peoples, Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz
(PML-N). With PML-N publicly stating that it will not talk
with the MQM, the MQM is crying foul and wants &respect8.
It also claims that PML-N,s issues/demands would only lead
to confrontation with Musharraf, instead of focusing on the
economy and insurgency. They fear that this desire for
confrontation could lead to confrontation with the MQM as
well, resulting in unrest in Karachi. The MQM is asking the
USG to bring their concerns to Zardari,s attention. End
summary.


2. (C) The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is concerned about
any coalition formed by the Pakistan Peoples, Party (PPP)
and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The PML-N has
publicly stated that it will not talk with the MQM. PPP
Co-Chair Asif Zardari stated that he is willing to work with
the MQM but that &certain people8 in Karachi had great
reservations about working with the MQM. According to the
Governor of Sindh (an MQM-er) in a meeting with the Consul
General (CG) on February 23, the &certain people8 included
PPP Sindh Executive Secretary Nafees Saddiqui.


3. (C) In a conversation with the CG later in the same
evening, Karachi Nazim (Mayor) Mustafa Kamal (an MQM-er)
repeated that Nawaz Sharif refused to talk with the MQM. The
Nazim asked how could the MQM be part of a coalition that
included PML-N if PML-N refused to talk with the MQM. Even
if the PPP wanted a coalition with the MQM, it would be
impossible in any government that included PML-N.


4. (C) Both the Governor and the Nazim stated that any
coalition of the PPP and the PML-N would be short-lived as
the two parties were polar opposites. The Governor mentioned
that General Zia-ul-Huq had proclaimed Nawaz Sharif his
&son8. How could the PPP work with the &son8 of the man
who killed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto? The Nazim calls Nawaz a
&mullah without a beard8 and that any government that
included Nawaz would be opening the door to Islamic
fundamentalists.


5. (C) The MQM is concerned that Nawaz Sharif wants only
confrontation with Musharraf and any person or party that had
been allied with the President. The Governor stated that by
focusing only on confrontation, Pakistan would lose sight of
bigger issues, such as the economy and terrorism. The
Governor feared that Sharif will speak out against the MQM
and/or the PML. Such harsh words would cause great
&trouble8 in Sindh and Balochistan since the MQM is a
significant presence in Sindh and the PML won the provincial
government in Balochistan.


6. (C) Both the Governor and the Nazim declared that
confrontation with the MQM would lead to problems and
violence in Karachi. Since Karachi is the engine driving
Pakistan,s economy, any prolonged trouble in Karachi would
have direct negative impact on the country,s economy.


7. (C) MQM rank and file workers are upset about the
statements made by Sharif. They are also upset that while
MQM leader Altaf Hussain immediately congratulated the PPP on
its win, Zardari took several days before speaking to
Hussain. (The two did not speak until the night of Friday,
February 22.) The workers felt &dissed8 by such actions.


8. (C) The message is that the MQM wants to have &good
relations8 with the PPP. It is not asking to be part of any
coalition. In fact, the MQM might decide to be in the
Opposition. The MQM asks only that the relationship between
the PPP and the MQM be one built on mutual respect. This is
particularly the case in Sindh where any confrontation would
result in deadlock in the Assembly and spill over into the
streets. The MQM through the Governor and Nazim asks the USG
to raise their concerns with Zardari.


9. (C) Comment: The MQM seems truly worried about the
maneuvering that is occurring as political parties form
governments at both the national and provincial level. It
fears that if the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif himself continue to
refuse to talk to the MQM and persuade the PPP to adopt the

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same attitude, then tempers will flare and old hatreds could
resurface. The very real fear by everyone in Karachi, not
just the MQM, is that such an attitude will lead to violence
in Karachi. According to the MQM, violence will cripple
Pakistan,s economy, be a great distraction from large issues
such as the fight against terrorism, and provide cover for
terrorists to gain a foothold in Karachi and Pakistan,
results that no one wants to see. While the fear of the
&dark times8 returning to Karachi is very real, the MQM is
seeking through the USG to persuade the PPP to include their
party in the negotiation.
ANSKE