PAKISTAN COMMITS TO GETTING OFF TIP WATCH LIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 001408 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2019 TAGS: KTIP PGOV PREL PHUM ELAB SMIG PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN COMMITS TO GETTING OFF TIP WATCH LIST REF: STATE 60559 Classified By: A/DCM Elizabeth Richard for reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Tariq Khosa called in A/PolCouns and PolOff June 17 -- the day after the 2009 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report placed Pakistan on the Tier 2 Watch List (WL) -- to commit Pakistan to those measures which would result in a better ranking next year. Similar statements of resolve were earlier given when PolOff delivered June 15 reftel demarche to MFA U.S. Affairs Director Imran Ali and repeated said points June 16 to FIA Immigration Additional Director General Mohammad Manzoor and Director Captain (ret) Zafar Iqbal. End summary. ¶2. (C) Speaking with A/PolCouns, Khosa noted Pakistan had come off the WL in 2005 during his own tenure as Immigration Additional Director. He pointed to the achievement as one of the reasons for his rise to lead the respected FIA. Though his organization was dealing with growing terrorist challenges and high-profile cases -- its offices being attacked as well -- he insisted TIP was "still a high priority" for the GOP. The FIA had "failed to convey" its successes (e.g., establishing FIA provincial- and district-level anti-TIP offices),Khosa believed; the FIA would "renew its efforts," he promised. ¶3. (C) Khosa noted the FIA was the national rapporteur (quasi-coordinator) for Pakistan's federal and provincial interagency on TIP. He had been informed only the evening before about the WL ranking and had already dispatched to the interagency his marked up copy of the Report. FIA would continue to chair a quarterly meeting of stakeholders, and further committed to collect from both federal and provincial authorities monthly updates. The minutes of these meetings and the data from monthly reports would be shared with Embassy, he added. ¶4. (C) Khosa was certain Pakistan's progress would be borne out with a more detailed analyses of the law enforcement information. He welcomed any suggestion from the USG on what data fields would be most demonstrative. He welcomed the USG's mid-year report on Pakistan's efforts and offered to provide information on a quarterly basis instead, noting the first quarter was about to conclude. PolOff said Embassy would provide a list of questions that would likely be the basis for that mid-year and next year's reports. Khosa focused on the Report recommendations; he offered additional areas in which the GOP hoped to improve. ¶5. (C) Comment: Pakistan's response -- by MFA and FIA -- to the WL ranking has thus far been completely professional, demonstrating political will and commitment. However, the task at hand is difficult, particularly in light of the other grave challenges Pakistan faces. Post will follow-up on FIA's offer of quarterly reports and areas for improvement. Post additionally recommends an early Fall visit by the appropriate Washington offices to provide clear, detailed guidance to GOP interlocutors on our expectations for Pakistan to be removed from the WL. End comment. PATTERSON