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OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #4713/01 3090931
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 050931Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2969
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 7690
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6610
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2099
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7854
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3909
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 2435
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3171
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 ISLAMABAD 004713 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2017 
TAGS: PREL AEMR AMTG ASEC CASC KFLO PINR PK
SUBJECT: MGPK01:SITREP 05, AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD; LAWYERS' 
PROTESTS GROW 
 
REF: A. ISLAMABAD 4702 
     ¶B. ISLAMABAD 4695 
     ¶C. ISLAMABAD 4694 
     ¶D. ISLAMABAD 4693 
     ¶E. ISLAMABAD 4692 
 
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Despite growing scattered protests by 
lawyers, the streets in Pakistan remain largely quiet. The 
number of lawyers, human rights activists, and opposition 
figures detained by the Government of Pakistan continues to 
grow. During a briefing for the diplomatic corps, Musharraf 
appeared unfocused and defensive.  Ambassador raised human 
rights and press freedom issues and the UK High Commissioner 
pressed for an elections timetable. In response, Musharraf 
offered no assurances.  The GOP continues to block the 
transmission of some private TV news stations. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Musharraf spoke today at 1100 local time to the full 
diplomatic corps. The hour-long monologue was rambling and 
highly personalized, and focused more on his reasons for the 
12 March sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry than for 
his 3 November suspension of Pakistan's Constitution. 
Ambassador raised USG concerns about media freedom and 
detention of human rights activists. In response, Musharraf 
suggested that Asma Jahangir, the head of the Human Rights 
Commission of Pakistan, was mentally unbalanced and should 
learn some patience. Responding to the UK High Commissioner 
for dates on a parliamentary elections and doffing his 
uniform, Musharraf offered no assurances. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Lawyers, protests in Lahore and Karachi are 
growing, according to mission sources and broadcast media. 
Police used tear gas to break up protests of 100 lawyers in 
Lahore; they have now arrested approximately 300 lawyers.  In 
Karachi, police have reportedly arrested more than 100 
protesting lawyers.  In Rawalpindi, approximately 50 
protesting lawyers were arrested.  A demonstration of 
approximately 150 lawyers in Peshawar remained peaceful. In 
Balochistan, police stopped around 200 lawyers from 
protesting at the Balochistan High Court building in Quetta, 
and arrested thirteen lawyers, a representative from the 
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and a cameraman from the 
Associated Press. 
 
¶4. (U) An American citizen, Devin Theriot Orr, attending a 
Human Rights Commission meeting yesterday in Lahore, was 
detained along with up to 70 other human rights activists at 
approximately 1400 local time.  Mr. Orr has now been 
released. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Round-ups of political party activists continues. 
The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) reports that as many as 25 
district-level members have been arrested, as have a similar 
number of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) and Jamaat 
Islami (JI) district leaders. The Pakistan Muslim 
League-Nawaz (PML-N) reports that 500 party members have been 
detained in Lahore alone and that Javed Hashmi, the acting 
PML-N president, has been moved to Mianwali jail.  The leader 
of the Awami Nationalist Party (ANP) and other party 
activists have been arrested, as have leaders of the 
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP). 
 
¶6. (C) Some of the religious and nationalist parties are 
vowing to join protests, but the PPP and the JUI-F have not 
agreed on a plan of action.  The Union of Journalists met 4 
November and decided to hold off on protests.  It appears 
most players are waiting for a decision from the PPP on 
whether to join street protests by lawyers. We have been 
advised that Bhutto plans to come to Islamabad for a possible 
meeting with Musharraf to discuss a power-sharing deal, 
possibly as early as today. 
 
¶7. (C) Office of Defense Representative Major General and RAO 
met with Vice Chief of Army Staff General Kayani and 
expressed US concern over the heavy handed tactics used in 
implementing emergency measures. They expressed deep concern 
that Musharraf has not confirmed his commitments to resign as 
Chief of Army Staff and hold elections in January. They urged 
 
ISLAMABAD 00004713  002 OF 002 
 
 
that Pakistan avoid actions that could jeopardize the 
US-Pakistan relationship.  Kayani took the comments on board, 
but did not respond. 
 
¶8. (U) The GOP continues to block the transmission of some 
private TV news stations. Newspapers were distributed today 
with no problems. Phone service is working. 
PATTERSON