UNODC PLANS BIG FOR PAKISTAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 UNVIE VIENNA 000304 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (DELETED SPACE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM PREL PTER SNAR EAID UN AF PK CA RU IR UK SUBJECT: UNODC PLANS BIG FOR PAKISTAN UNVIE VIEN 00000304 001.3 OF 002 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: At a June 15 meeting, UNODC Deputy Director for Operations Bernard Frahi shared with us the terms of reference for his recent mission to Pakistan and UNODC's plans for its program there. (Mission report and terms of reference were emailed to the Department - IO/T, INL/PC, and SCA.) Based on meetings in Islamabad and Lahore with Pakistani officials, key donor representatives and UN officials, Frahi and his colleagues identified four areas in which UNODC could play a meaningful role; (i) counternarcotics, (ii) strengthening civilian police, (iii) criminal justice reform, (iv) counter-terrorism. More particularly, Frahi and others at the UNODC have concluded that improving security, including strengthening civilian police and the justice system, should be an area of focus for UNODC. Frahi is developing a concept paper for an UNODC work plan, which he will use to solicit contributions from donors, primarily through the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group. He estimated that the plan would require USD 19 million, although the immediate needs, to staff up UNODC's Islamabad office, are estimated in the USD 700,000 to USD 900,000 range. Our AFPAK Strategy and new donor interest in Pakistan have encouraged UNODC to increase its engagement in Pakistan, and we believe that it is moving in the right direction. END SUMMARY. -------------- Whom They Met -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Frahi travelled on UNODC mission to Pakistan June 1-6, along with UNODC Integrated Programming Unit Chief Mark Shaw and Terrorism Prevention Branch Expert Ilias Chazis. He described his mission, intended to identify both priority areas of donor interests and available bilateral resources, as "positive" and "terrific." He and his colleagues met with the Pakistani Ministers of Interior, Finance, and the Planning Commission. In addition, they met senior officials from a spectrum of agencies, including Foreign Affairs, Law, Justice and Human Rights, Narcotics Control, Economic Affairs, and National Reconstruction. They also met the Supreme Court Registrar, and heads of law enforcement agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigation Authority, National Police Bureau, National Crisis Management Cell, and National Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Authority, as well as General Syed Jaffery, head of Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). During a day visit to Lahore, they met the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of Prisons for Punjab province. Furthermore, they met with representatives of the embassies of U.S., Canada, UK, Italy, Japan, European Union, France, Germany, and Greece. They also met with UN officials Jean Arnault from UN's Department of Political Affairs, who is Special Adviser of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Group, and Fikret Akcura, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan. -------------- -------------- Four Pillars for a Pakistan Strategy: Counternarcotics -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) According to Frahi, his mission helped him refine four main areas for UNODC intervention; (i) counternarcotics, (ii) strengthening civilian police, (iii) criminal justice reform, (iv) counter-terrorism. For counternarcotics, UNODC would continue to foster regional cooperation already underway through the Triangular Initiative and the Dubai process. UNODC would facilitate joint operations among Pakistani law enforcement groups by improving Pakistani law enforcement intelligence collection and sharing. He noted the support of the Finance Ministry for a revised version of the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA),expected to be signed in mid-September, which will allow the inspection of cargo between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He remarked that while ANF head Major General Jaffery had been cooperative, UNODC would need to establish border liaison offices in sensitive parts of Pakistan, such as Quetta (Pakistan) and Chaman (Afghanistan),in order to implement the Triangular Initiative. Furthermore, Frahi believes that UNODC would need to work with local authorities to resolve the security issue in Baluchistan before it can tackle drug trafficking through that region. -------------- Strengthening Civilian Police -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Frahi described the police as fragmented and lacking in equipment and training. Pakistan has brought former military UNVIE VIEN 00000304 002.3 OF 002 officers out of retirement to serve as police in the Northwest Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Frahi observed, but they lack training in civilian police work. He cited the need to train the police to gather forensic evidence for investigations of crimes such as kidnapping (which he claims to occur at the rate of one every 36 hours),to conduct organized crime threat assessments, improve police service and civilian oversight. Frahi said that the UNODC had already provided some training to Pakistan to help them set up a forensic lab in Islamabad, but such centers need to be replicated in the provinces, e.g., in Punjab. Frahi acknowledged that the population distrusts the civilian police. -------------- Reforming the Criminal Justice System -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The third pillar of the proposed strategy is to strengthen the criminal justice system, including the restoration of law and order in the Northwest Frontier Provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. More specifically, Frahi described the prisons as being overcrowded, without separation and proper control of women prisoners. He referred to the view of the Punjab Director of Prisons that his province needs many more than the existing 36 prisons. Frahi advocated an assessment of such needs. -------------- Counter-Terrorism -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Frahi noted that UNODC's Terrorism Prevention Branch is already doing work in this area - helping member states to draft legislations to meet the requirements of UNSC resolutions. In Frahi's view, UNODC could work with Pakistan's National Coordinator of the Counter-Terrorism Authority to draft legislations for a national counter-terrorism strategy for Pakistan. -------------- Next Steps for UNODC -------------- ¶7. (SBU) To follow up on his visit, UNODC will hold an offsite to prepare a "concept note" that will translate the priorities identified on Frahi's mission into concrete projects. He estimated UNODC's new Pakistan program would cost USD 19 million. (Note: For comparison, UNODC's program in Afghanistan costs USD 20 million. End Note.) The most immediate need would be to strengthen the UNODC office in Islamabad for USD 700,000 - USD 900,000. This will cover the addition of one or two experts and the development of a program. UNODC would seek a "real doer" with the "proper profile" to fill the top position, someone who can formulate projects and upgrade them as needed. The concept note, which Frahi planned to complete by June 29, would become a project document to be circulated among donors. It is unlikely to include any UNODC office in the Northwest Frontier Province because of the poor security situation. ¶8. (SBU) Frahi noted that Canada had expressed interest in UNODC's work in Pakistan, viewing it as a tool for advancing the Dubai Process. (Note: This is the Canadian initiative to promote cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. End Note.) Frahi asked what the UK and U.S. could contribute to UNODC's work in Pakistan. Counselor promised to relay his question to Washington. The upcoming July 1 UNODC Major Donors meeting would be a venue to offer some preliminary USG reactions. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) To date UNODC has had a meager program in Pakistan. Our new AFPAK strategy, followed by expressions of interest in Pakistan from major UNODC donors, such as Japan and Italy, has encouraged UNODC to look for ways to expand its Pakistan activities within the constraints of security limitations. Its mission to Pakistan, on the heels of its participation in the Tokyo meeting of the Friends of Pakistan, has helped the Secretariat to focus on how UNODC could supplement existing bilateral and multilateral assistance programs to the country. Improving security is a good start, and we look forward to learning the specifics of its program for the country. END COMMENT. PYATT