VZCZCXRO1808
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKP #0755/01 3021034
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 291034Z OCT 07
FM AMCONSUL KARACHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0145
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 3714
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0127
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1697
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 2398
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4273
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0006
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KARACHI 000755 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2017 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PINR PREL PTER PK
SUBJECT: SINDH GOVERNOR ON BHUTTO BOMBING AND INVESTIGATION 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  On October 23, the Ambassador and Consul 
General (CG) met with Sindh Governor Ishrat-ul-Ebad.  The 
Governor provided his official perspective on the security 
issues surrounding the October 19 attack on Pakistan 
People,s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto and the 
subsequent investigation.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Ambassador and CG met with the Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad, on 
October 23.  (Note:  The Sindh Governor is a member of the 
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM).)  The Governor provided his 
perspective on the issues surrounding security arrangements 
for Bhutto,s October 19 motorcade, as well as the ongoing 
investigation into the bombing attack on Bhutto. 
 
------------------------- 
BHUTTO ATTACK NO SURPRISE 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The Governor began by suggesting the attack on Bhutto 
was not wholly surprising given existing threats against her 
and previous attacks on the President, Prime Minister and 
Minister of Interior.  The Governor also noted that Bhutto 
had previously made some "injudicious8 remarks likely to 
arouse anger, such as speaking out on the Lal Masjid (Red 
Mosque) action; saying that American military forces would be 
allowed to enter Waziristan; and that A.Q. Khan could be 
questioned by the International Atomic Energy Agency. 
 
¶4. (C) The Governor dismissed Bhutto,s claims that people in 
the GoP were behind the attack.  He said a terrorist 
organization was clearly responsible; no political party used 
suicide bombers.  The challenge in preventing such attacks, 
he said, was that terrorists have blended into the local 
populace. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
SECURITY DISAGREEMENTS OVER BHUTTO,S LOGISTICS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶5. (C) The Governor stated that, after the GoP received 
threat information against Bhutto, a GoP security team worked 
directly with the PPP security team, sharing information and 
attempting to be cooperative where possible.  For instance, 
whenever Bhutto requested a particular police officer for her 
security detail, the GoP complied.  However, the Governor 
added that Bhutto,s request that she receive the same level 
of security as that provided to the President and Prime 
Minister was rejected because she no longer holds office. 
 
¶6. (C) The Governor confirmed that the GoP team had 
recommended Bhutto follow the standard security procedures 
for VIPs, i.e., unannounced routes and timing, fast movement 
of motorcade, unidentified vehicles, etc.  The Sindh Home 
Department had also suggested that the public rally be held 
at Terminal 1 upon her arrival at the Karachi airport.  After 
the rally, they suggested, she would move directly and 
quickly to Bilawal House (Bhutto,s home and PPP 
headquarters).  Supporters would then gather at the 
Mazar-e-Quaid (Mohd Ali Jinnah,s mausoleum) where Bhutto 
would greet them. 
 
¶7. (C) According to the Governor, Bhutto rejected all of 
these suggestions, noting that she had certain political 
needs.  Thus, her arrival time and motorcade route was 
published in the press; her vehicle was also featured in 
press coverage; and, the motorcade traveled very, very 
slowly.  Bhutto also insisted that her own security surround 
her vehicle, creating in effect a &human shield.8  The GoP 
would not allow these supporters, whom they saw as untrained 
and uncertified personnel, to carry firearms.  (The Governor 
added that the Sindh Home Secretary had finally given the 
GoP,s recommendations in writing to PPP officials.) 
 
------------------- 
THE INVESTIGATION 
------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) The Governor has asked the Sindh Home Secretary to 
consolidate the findings of the bombing investigation for 
public distribution.  He went on to address a number of 
questions surrounding the attack. 
 
KARACHI 00000755  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
-- Number of suicide bombers.  The Governor said that there 
was definitely one, and maybe two. 
 
-- Jammers malfunction.  According to the Governor, the GoP 
provided Bhutto with ECMs (&jammers8) but the PPP insisted 
on installing the devices on the vehicles.  He said the 
batteries of the jammers are re-charged by the vehicle's 
engine and that the convoy vehicles were moving too slowly to 
re-charge the jammers, batteries.  The Governor complained 
that this fact has not been mentioned by Bhutto,s security. 
 
-- Lights On.  The Governor ordered the Home Department to 
investigate whether street lights were off at time of the 
attack, as Bhutto,s camp alleged.  The Karachi Electric 
Supply Company reviewed tapes of that night and verified that 
the lights had been on.  The Governor stated that this report 
will be given to the press. 
 
------------------------------- 
BHUTTO,S INVESTIGATION CONCERNS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) Bhutto has stated that she wants foreign officials 
involved in the investigation.  The GoP has rejected this 
request, citing lack of familiarity with Pakistan, the 
culture and the city of Karachi.  Rather, the GoP has 
suggested that other countries could assist in checking the 
forensics or reviewing the report.  The Governor accused 
Bhutto of politicizing the issue by publicly asking for 
foreign investigators, instead of making the request quietly. 
 
¶10. (C) The Governor assured the Ambassador and CG that the 
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) is a moderate party like the 
PPP.  In fact, he noted, the MQM had been the first political 
party to rally publicly (April 2007) against extremism and 
terrorism. 
 
ANSKE