Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
98ISLAMABAD3977
1998-05-29 04:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:  

RELIGIOUS DELEGATION TO IRAN, SHIA POLITICAL LEADER IS

Tags:  PTER PREL MNUC PK IR 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 290406Z MAY 98
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7021
INFO AMCONSUL KARACHI 
AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 
AMCONSUL LAHORE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003977 


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/08
TAGS: PTER PREL MNUC PK IR
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS DELEGATION TO IRAN, SHIA POLITICAL LEADER IS
SURE OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM

REF: ISLAMABAD 3198 (LAHORE 244)

CLASSIFIED BY LAHORE PRINCIPAL OFFICER GEOFFREY R. PYATT. REASON:
1.5(D)

THIS IS LAHORE 320

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 003977


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/26/08
TAGS: PTER PREL MNUC PK IR
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS DELEGATION TO IRAN, SHIA POLITICAL LEADER IS
SURE OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM

REF: ISLAMABAD 3198 (LAHORE 244)

CLASSIFIED BY LAHORE PRINCIPAL OFFICER GEOFFREY R. PYATT. REASON:
1.5(D)

THIS IS LAHORE 320


1. (C) QAISER BOKHARI, THE LAHORE CHIEF OF THE SHIA TEHRIK-E-
JAFARIA-E-PAKISTAN (TJP) TOLD POLOFF MAY 26 THAT HE WAS HEADING A
RELIGIOUS DELEGATION TO IRAN ON MAY 27 FOR ONE WEEK. THE TRIP OF
THE MILLI YAKJETI COUNCIL (NATIONAL SOLIDARITY COUNCIL) COMES AT
THE INVITATION OF THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT. LIAQAT BALOCH, THE
DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE JAMAAT-ISLAMI, PAKISTAN'S LARGEST ISLAMIST
PARTY, WILL ATTEND. MOHAMMAD KHAN LEGHARI, PUNJAB SECRETARY
GENERAL OF THE BRELVI JAMIAT-E-ULEMA-E-PAKISTAN (NOORANI FACTION)
(JUP) AND PIR EJAZ HASHMI, HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISOR TO THE PRIME
MINISTER, ALSO OF THAT PARTY, WILL JOIN THE DELEGATION. MUHAMMAD
NAQSHBANDI AND MAULANA NAEEM ULLAH FAROOQI WILL RESPECTIVELY
REPRESENT THE FAZL-UR-REHMAN AND SAMI FACTIONS OF THE DEOBANDI (AND
TRADITIONALLY ANTI-SHIA) JAMIAT-E-ULEMA-E-ISLAM (JUI). AN UNNAMED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WAHABBI-STYLE JAMAAT AHLE HADITH WILL ALSO
ATTEND, BUT THE SIPAH-E-SAHABA-E-PAKISTAN, TO WHOM SHIISM IS
ANATHEMA, ARE NOT GOING. THE GROUP WILL MEET WITH IRANIAN
RELIGIOUS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WILL COMMEMORATE THE DEATH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE AYATOLLAH KHOMENI ON JUNE 3. THE TRIP SUGGESTS
THAT THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING TO PROMOTE SHIA-SUNNI
HARMONY HERE, RATHER THAN DISCORD, AS THE GOVERNMENT HAS SUSPECTED
PREVIOUSLY.


2. (C) BOKHARI DOWNPLAYED POLITICAL CONFLICT IN IRAN,
CHARACTERIZING THE KHAMENI-KHATAMI SPLIT AS "MINOR." HOWEVER, HE
FRANKLY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM. HE
BELIEVES THE PROGRAM IS PROCEEDING QUICKLY, THANKS TO FORMER SOVIET
SCIENTISTS "PURCHASED" FROM RUSSIA, UKRAINE, AZERBAIJAN AND
UZBEKISTAN. WHILE HE SAID HE HAD NEVER MET SUCH SCIENTISTS, WHO
ARE KEPT HIDDEN AWAY IN RESEARCH FACILITIES, HE SAID LEADING
IRANIAN POLITICIANS HAD TOLD HIM THEY WERE PERFORMING WELL.


3. (C) FOUR TJP ACTIVISTS HAD BEEN KILLED (TWO IN MUZZAFFARGARH
DISTRICT AND TWO IN MULTAN) SINCE OUR LAST MEETING WITH BOKHARI ON
APRIL 21. HOWEVER, BOKHARI BELIEVES THAT ONLY ABOUT 20 DANGEROUS
SUNNI LASHKAR-E-JHANGVI TERRORISTS REMAIN AT LARGE. BASED ON HIS
CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADING LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, HE IS
OPTIMISTIC THAT THE KILLERS CAN SOON BE CAPTURED OR GUNNED DOWN.
BOKHARI DID NOT REPEAT ASSERTIONS (REFTEL) THAT THE USG SUPPORTED
OR SUPPORTS THE LASHKAR-E-JHANGVI.

SIMONS