GILANI: "WE'RE ACHIEVING OUR TARGETS."

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 001167 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS EAID PHUM PK SUBJECT: GILANI: "WE'RE ACHIEVING OUR TARGETS." Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani met May 25 with the Ambassador and Codel Leahy -- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT),Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI),and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). Gilani was uncharacteristically assertive, confident of the Pakistan military's success against the Swat militants and in the public's support for the operation. He claimed credit for having rallied all political parties behind this military action once the taliban had broken the Swat peace deal. Militants would be charged under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act and could face sentencing within three months. The government had expected two million displaced Pakistanis (IDPs),and he had formed a "special support group" of GOP interagency representatives to provide IDPs with basic needs (and more). Gilani predicted, however, that public support would wane in a few months, depending on how these IDPs were treated; opposition parties would start to criticize the government within months too. The Prime Minister specifically asked for U.S. military and intelligence support, but also pushed the U.S. to be prepared for the post-combat phase, which would entail aid to Pakistan's law enforcement agencies. End summary. A War-Time PM - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) PM Gilani launched his lunch-meeting with Codel Leahy by noting that the senators were visiting Pakistan "during a time of war." While obviously concerned with the number of displaced Pakistanis (IDPs),the Prime Minister seemed more confident than ever in his political position, declaring "We're achieving our targets." He took full credit for the political decision behind the current military offensive in Swat, Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP),saying he convinced coalition partners, then opposition parties, then international and local media, and finally the Pakistani people. Religious leaders were also coaxed to support the Army action. Because of his yeoman's work, normally hostile parties, like the religious Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI),felt public pressure to fall in line at the recent All Parties Conference (APC). ¶3. (C) Gilani requested U.S. troops hug the border with Pakistan to keep fleeing Swat militants from escaping into Afghanistan or filtering back into Pakistan. "You must stop their reinforcements." He estimated about 70,000 civilians were "trapped" in Swat. He claimed the GOP had an exit strategy for the current operation in which law enforcement officers and civil administrators would consolidate the writ of the state in those areas militarily won back. ¶4. (C) Answering Senator Warner, Gilani further claimed the military expected the two million IDPs before operations began. He had immediately formed a "special support group" of GOP interagency representatives to address IDPs' needs for temporary housing, health care, and education. The IDP camps had been provided with electricity (exempted from loadshedding suffered in the rest of the country),water (potable and for showering/laundry),ice coolers, and community areas. Without identifying a funding source, he said each family would receive about USD 400 to help them resettle and rebuild their homes. IDPs were free to move anywhere in the country, Gilani confirmed. The Political Deadline - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. (C) Gilani thought opposition parties would continue to support the Army offensive for only another three months. He hoped for quick Army action before the opposition reverted to past criticism of his government. Gilani would not say if the GOP or Army was planning for other operations or where those target areas might be, instead promising that force would be used "wherever the writ of the state is challenged." For now, Peochar was the Army's main operational challenge; Mingora was already being cleared and would be secured within days, he predicted. He insisted that "only a couple thousand fighters" remained, most coming from Afghanistan, he claimed. ¶6. (C) Captured militants would be charged under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, Interior Secretary Kamal Shah informed the delegation. Sentences could come within three months; defendants then would have one appeal to the provincial high ISLAMABAD 00001167 002 OF 002 court. Gilani was confident the recently restored judiciary, known for its activism, was "ready to cooperate" on these cases (septel). ¶7. (C) Gilani asked the U.S. to help complete urgently the facilities for special forces training, increase intelligence sharing, provide precision-targeting technology, and upgrade the military's rotary wing fleet. The Ambassador noted her recent one-on-one conversation with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Kayani regarding the latter request. The U.S. also needed to help with the post-combat phase of the current operation, Gilani pressed. He admitted law enforcement agencies were weak; officers needed training, equipment, and better salaries and benefits. The Ambassador noted that the U.S. was prepared to rebuild many of the police stations in Swat's main city of Mingora. The Economic House - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (C) The Prime Minister thought the country's economic woes less daunting than the security challenge. He noted the federal government's budget would be passed by the National Assembly on/about June 13. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had vouched for Pakistan, he added; "We have made difficult decisions," claiming all subsidies had been stopped. He noted that a Pakistani-American Foundation had been set-up to harness private donations; remittances appeared steady. Gilani complained that donor pledges had not yet materialized as actual disbursements. Neighbors - - - - - ¶9. (C) Gilani was pleased with the Congress Party's win in the recent Indian elections. He noted that in both countries, progressive forces, like his own Pakistan People's Party (PPP),had received broad electoral support. With the Indian elections settled, "it is time to resolve Kashmir," Gilani said, noting President Obama's similar statements. Both India and Pakistan were together as victims of terrorism, he concluded. ¶10. (C) Gilani requested the release of Pakistani citizen Dr. Aafia Siddiqi, arrested in Afghanistan but now jailed in the U.S. on charges of assaulting U.S. law enforcement officers. He argued her return to her family in Pakistan would improve the U.S. image. The Ambassador assured the Prime Minister that Siddiqi would receive all due process and a fair trial in the U.S.; a prisoner exchange after any sentencing would be looked into by Washington. ¶11. (U) This cable was not cleared by Codel Leahy. PATTERSON