Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KARACHI91
2008-02-07 09:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Karachi
Cable title:  

PASHTUN POLITICAL LEADER KILLED IN KARACHI

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER PK 
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VZCZCXRO1558
PP RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKP #0091 0380919
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 070919Z FEB 08
FM AMCONSUL KARACHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0275
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 3938
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 2442
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 4324
C O N F I D E N T I A L KARACHI 000091 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PK
SUBJECT: PASHTUN POLITICAL LEADER KILLED IN KARACHI

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L KARACHI 000091

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PK
SUBJECT: PASHTUN POLITICAL LEADER KILLED IN KARACHI

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


1. (C) Summary: On February 6, gunmen killed the Sindh
Deputy President of the Awami National Party (ANP),Fazlur
Rehman Akakhel. Almost immediately after, Pashtuns in
Karachi took to the streets, creating mayhem in certain
neighborhoods and traffic jams everywhere. In a separate
incident, the Karachi President of the Punjab-Pakhtun Ittehad
Party (PPI) was shot and killed the same day. The police
responded quickly to quell the violence. Pashtuns, (aka
Pathan) long-time political rivals Muttahida Quami Movement
(MQM) are assumed to be the killers. There is no evidence
that Al Qaeda or the Taliban are involved. The closer we get
to elections on February 18, we expect to see more
Pashtun-MQM rivalry in Karachi and Sindh. End summary.


2. (C) In the late afternoon of Wednesday, February 6,
gunmen killed the Deputy President for the Awami National
Party (ANP) in Sindh, Fazlur Rehman Akakhel. The ANP is the
party for Pashtuns, of whom there are more than 2 million in
Karachi, making this the largest Pashtun community outside of
Peshawar.


3. (C) Akakhel was in his vehicle in the Sohrab Goth
(Pashtun dominated) area of Karachi when a gunman on a
motorcycle rode by and shot Akakhel dead. As soon as the
word spread of Akakhel,s murder, stores began to close. The
result was traffic jams and gridlock in many parts of the
city, even those that saw no violence.


4. (C) Violence did indeed flare in those Karachi
neighborhoods with large Pashtun populations. It included
aerial firing of weapons, and some vehicles and motorcycles
were stoned or burned. In one shooting incident, three
persons were shot by a mob; two of them later died.


5. (C) Unlike in December after Bhutto,s death, the police
responded quickly to quell the violence and reportedly used
tear gas on the mobs to make them disperse. As a result, the
violence was much less than it could have been.


6. (C) In a separate incident, at almost the same time,
Zakir Khan, Karachi President of the Punjab-Pakhtun Ittehad
Party (PPI),was shot and killed in Baldia Town (in the west
part of the city). The method was similar ) men on
motorcycles.


7. (C) Earlier on Wednesday, in an unrelated meeting, the
Nazim (Mayor) of Karachi told the Consul General that
Pashtuns and other tribal groups from the northern areas of
Pakistan were moving in large numbers to Karachi. He claimed
these people have stashed arms and ammunition in the city,
and had put MQM leaders and workers on a hit list. According
to the Nazim, the Pashtuns had already submitted a request to
their religious leaders for a fatwa against the MQM. As soon
as the fatwa is given, the Pashtuns would start killing MQM
leaders. The rumor mill in Karachi is also saying that the
MQM has advised its workers to have a week,s supply of food
and weapons and ammunition (for protection purposes) in case
of violence before, during and after the election.


8. (C) Comment: The economically powerfully Pashtun
community in Karachi and the politically powerful MQM have
been feuding in Karachi since the 1980s. The MQM have
managed to keep the ANP * indeed any Pashtun * out of
political office in Karachi and Sindh despite the Pashtuns
significant population in Karachi. Many observers believe
that these latest killings were the work of MQM, a reminder
to the ANP of who is in charge of politics in Sindh.


9. (C) Comment continued: At the same time, the MQM are
very aware that the Pashtuns control virtually all means of
transport in Karachi and can easily block the main routes in
and out of the city. The Nazim,s comments to the Consul
General * no matter how far-fetched they may seem - reflect
the level of hostility between the two groups, particularly
leading up to the February 18 elections. End comment.
ANSKE