GILANI STILL TRYING FOR RECONCILIATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 000546

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PK
SUBJECT: GILANI STILL TRYING FOR RECONCILIATION

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (C) Summary. In a March 13 meeting with Ambassador,
Prime Minister Gilani reiterated his views that the Pakistan
People's Party should end governor's rule and allow formation
of a government in Punjab by any party that had the votes.
Going further than he had before, Gilani said that because
Zardari had pushed Nawaz Sharif in to the lawyers' camp,
public pressure was building for some resolution of the
judges issue. Looking toward the political future, Gilani
expressed concern that he and his Pakistan People's Party
were being compared to former President Musharraf. He
confirmed that Zardari had rejected the idea of giving the
Pakistan Muslim League (PML) either the positions of Senate
leader or Chief Minister of Punjab in exchange for joining a
PPP government in Punjab. Gilani, who was en route to a
meeting with Zardari, said he was not opposing President
Zardari but felt he should "use his power and influence to
effect a political reconciliation. It does not appear March
14 that Gilani has yet succeeded. End Summary.


2. (C) In a meeting with Ambassador and Polcouns March 13,
Prime Minister Gilani reviewed his efforts, which so far had
been unsuccessful, to press President Zardari to compromise
with the Sharif brothers before the lawyers' march reached
Islamabad. It was time, said the PM, to end political
debates, start governing and face the problem of militancy.
Gilani repeated that he did not support governor's rule in
Punjab and felt that any party that could form a coalition
should be allowed to, even if that meant his Pakistan
People's Party (PPP) ended up in the opposition. If we
haven't "done our homework" in terms of accurately counting
votes in Punjab, then why prolong the crisis. However,
Gilani confirmed that Zardari had refused to offer Pakistan
Muslim League (PML) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain the
position of leader of the Senate in exchange for joining a
PPP coalition government in Punjab. Ambassador raised
Shujaat's idea (reftel) of a "unity" government comprised of
all three parties; Gilani said Zardari did not want to offer
the PML the slot of Chief Minister Punjab either.


3. (C) Pointedly aligning himself with Benazir Bhutto and
noting that the PPP should not be bracketed with former
President Musharraf, Gilani expressed concern about ongoing
arrests of protesters. During the meeting, Information
Minister Sherry Rehman called to complain that Geo TV News
had been taken off the air in some areas without her consent;
Gilani said he had not been informed of any decision on Geo
and would raise the issue with Zardari. Gilani went further
than he has before in saying that "the tide has turned" and
the government had to address the issue of the deposed
judiciary.


4. (C) Ambassador asked if there had been any progress on
the idea of having the government appeal the Supreme Court
decision disqualifying the Sharifs. Gilani said he had
discussed the issue with Zardari but had come to no
understanding. He repeated his view that the issue should be
resolved by agreeing to adopt the Charter of Democracy (COD)
formula. This would remove all judges who took the oath of
office under martial law. With these judges removed, argued
Gilani, the Sharifs could make their own appeal to a court
they recognized. Gilani voiced concern that Zardari
continued to believe he could use the issue of extending
current Chief Justice Dogar beyond retirement age as a quid
in negotiations with Nawaz Sharif. Dogar, said Gilani, was
controversial and had to retire; raising this issue with
Nawaz was like "waving a red flag at a bull."


5. (C) Gilani said that Pakistan needed a long-term
political solution. Like Chief of Army Staff General Kayani,
with whom he had met earlier in the day, Gilani said Pakistan
needs to find a permanent solution to the political crisis.
Even if PPP were able to form a government with PML, it would
not be stable, so the question is "what do we do next?"


6. (C) In Gilani's view, the solution required the two
major parties (PPP and Nawaz) finding a way to compromise.
PML would have to make up its mind about which way to jump,
but it was a minor player. Zardari had pushed Nawaz towards
the lawyers, and now he needed to find a solution for the
judges' issue. Time was running short for resolution before

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the planned sit-in in Islamabad, and "it was time to face
political reality."


7. (C) Gilani said he had no "rift" with Zardari; his role
was one of diminishing tensions. However, all parties had to
look forward to the next election. He was not against the
President, but he was being called upon to use his power and
influence. It was "hard" to sit in parliament and defend
decisions to restrict democratic demonstrations.


8. (C) Comment: Gilani was more focused, analytical and
empowered than we have seen him in the past. His basic
political instincts tell him that Pakistan needs a political
solution to the Zardari-Sharifs showdown, but whether he can
actually effect a reconciliation remains unclear. Certainly,
it did not appear March 14 that Gilani has been able to make
any headway with Zardari.
PATTERSON