SINDH - DISRICT NAZIMS CONCERNED OVER FUTURE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KARACHI 000471

USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT: SINDH - DISRICT NAZIMS CONCERNED OVER FUTURE OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Classified By: Classified by Consul General Kay Anske for reasons 1.4 b
and d.


1. (C) Summary: During a July 21-23 visit by the Consul
General (CG) to upper Sindh province, four district nazims
told her that they were concerned about dissolution of the
local government system by the new Pakistan People's Party
(PPP) led government. The nazims, all members of President
Musharraf's Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party, expressed
continued support for his leadership. One nazim told the CG
that, should the current government fail, Musharraf should be
returned to power and allowed to oversee a caretaker
government until the country can install a new democratically
elected government. End summary.


2. (C) The Consul General meet with the District Nazims
(locally elected district officials) of Sukkur (Nasir Hussain
Shah),Shikarpur (Arif Khan Mahar),Khairpur (Pir Syed Niaz
Hussain Shah),and Ghotki (Ali Gohar Khan) during a July 21
) 23 visit to upper Sindh province. All four nazims,
members of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party, were
concerned about the future of the local government system in
Pakistan, which allows for local election of district and
sub-district leaders. All of them expressed support for
fellow party member, President Pervez Musharraf.

Concern Over PPP Plans for the Local Government System
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Sukkur Nazim Nasir Hussain Shah told the CG that he
was concerned about recent talk by the federal government,
dominated by members of the rival Pakistan Peoples' Party
(PPP),about abolishing the local government system. He
acknowledged that the system was in need of change, but
opined that the PPP was simply maneuvering to oust PML
elected officials, who currently make up the majority of
elected district nazims.


4. (C) In a separate meeting in the city of Ghotki,
Khairpur Nazim Pir Syed Niaz Hussain Shah and Ghotki Nazim
Ali Gohar Khan voiced strong concerns about PPP attempts to
eliminate a system they claimed "had brought revolutionary
change to Pakistan." They described frustration among PML
elected officials who "allowed" elections to occur and then
accepted their outcome (in which PPP won the majority of
seats from Sindh to the national and provincial assemblies)
but have felt betrayed by the PPP since. Both called for
more devolution of powers to the district government.


5. (C) The Khairpur Nazim complained that the new
government had reduced funding to the local districts and
opened a number of corruption inquiries into the operations
of these districts, without uncovering evidence of any
misappropriation of funds. He felt this scrutiny was
distracting and uncalled for, particularly by representatives
of parties that, he said, were "thrown out for corruption" in
the past.


6. (C) At a July 22 meeting, Shikarpur Nazim Arif Khan
Mahar voiced concern about a large number of school employee
vacancies that he said the provincial government has been
slow to address, only recently lifting a ban on filling the
vacant positions. Mahar concurred that the local government
system needed reform, but not outright abolishment. For
example, he felt that that district governments should have
control over the police in their district, in order to
effectively address security issues.

Distrust of New Government
--------------


7. (C) During a private meeting with the CG, the nazims of
Khairpur, Sukkur, and Ghotki expressed unbridled frustration
with the new PPP and Pakistan Muslim League ) Nawaz (PML-N)
coalition government. They declared that this government has
overseen the worst economic decline "since independence (from
the U.K.)," causing foreign investors to leave Pakistan. The
three nazims claimed that the PPP and PML-N have used a
confrontational approach to stifle opposition.


KARACHI 00000471 002 OF 002


Support for Musharraf
--------------


8. (C) The Khairpur Nazim described the situation in
Pakistan today as "alarming," due to the declining law and
order situation, which has adversely affected the economy,
and declared that Musharraf was the only true leader in the
nation. He called for USG involvement in and funding for GOP
operations. The Nazim stated that if the current government
fails, the only solution would be to establish a caretaker
government lead by Musharraf for one to two years before
attempting to install a new democratic government.


9. (C) Comment: All four nazims, members of Musharraf's
PML party, are clearly at odds with the new PPP-led
government. This dissatisfaction likely comes as much from
being removed from the corridors of power after nine years as
from disappointment with the new government's performance.
Nevertheless, the nazims that the CG met with are all wealthy
and powerful overlords with enormous influence in upper Sindh.
Anske