VZCZCXRO8821
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1321 1080619
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180619Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7596
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3972

UNCLAS KABUL 001321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT, 
EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF
SUBJECT: PRT JALALABAD: KARZAI SKIPS OPPORTUNITY TO 
CRITICIZE PAKISTAN 
 
 
¶1.  (U) President Hamid Karzai visited Jalalabad in Nangarhar 
province April 14 to inaugurate the Baacha Khan Complex 
honoring the leader of the non-violent independence movement 
in British India's Northwest Frontier.  The event was 
noteworthy for the fact that Karzai attended but did not take 
the opportunity to criticize President Musharraf as many 
thought he might do. 
 
¶2.  (U) The Afghan president paid rich tribute to Khan Abdul 
Ghaffar Khan, commonly known as Baacha Khan, a spiritual and 
religious leader who had worked tirelessly to organize and 
raise the consciousness of his fellow Pushtuns.  He died in 
1988 and was buried in Jalalabad per his wishes. Karzai 
announced the initiation of the Baacha Khan Peace Award to be 
given to those working for peace and non-violence across the 
world.  He said that the Pakhtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan 
were not involved in terrorism, though certain elements were 
depicting them as terrorists to the world.  Karzai did not 
criticize President Musharraf in his remarks, only commenting 
that "relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan could be 
improved, if the former brings reforms to its policy and 
stops throwing dust in the eyes of the world." 
 
¶3.  (U) In contrast, Asfandyar Wali Khan, Pakistani 
politician and President of Pakistan's secular and Pashtun 
nationalist ANP party (Awami National Party), did mention 
Musharraf by name during the speeches, saying the "fire 
torched by imperialist forces of the world" was now spreading 
to the tribal belt and the rest of Pakistan.  He added that 
the Pashtuns were being killed on their own soil in a "war of 
aliens".  He commented that it was time for Pashtuns to shun 
their differences and forge unity, otherwise they would 
"perish from the screen", as conspiracies were being hatched 
to eliminate their identity. "I am Afghan by nationality," he 
declared. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  The event was a celebration of the 
Pashtun tribe.  Rumor in Jalalabad was that Karzai attended 
out of concern for his support among Pashtuns, his principal 
constituency.  A similar rumor was that Karzai might be 
considering moving Nangarhar Governor Gul Agha Sherzai, a 
fellow Pashtun and avid supporter of the President, to 
another province where he could help shore up support for 
Karzai. 
 
WOOD