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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 001600 

SIPDIS 

SIPDIS 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PTER
SUBJECT: CODEL CAPUANO MEETS WITH NEW GOP 

Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b), (d) 

¶1. (C) Summary: Codel Capuano visited Islamabad April 13-14, 
meeting with Pakistan's new Prime Minister, Interior Minister 
and Deputy National Assembly Speaker. The delegation 
included U.S. Representatives Michael Capuano (D-MA), William 
Pascrell (D-NJ) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), as well as House 
Sergeant at Arms Wilson Livingood. In each meeting, 
Congressional members voiced continued support for the 
U.S.-Pakistan relationship and stressed the need for the 
newly elected Pakistani government to show immediate 
achievements on the War on Terror. All three Pakistani 
officials countered that the fight against extremism required 
dialogue and development, as well as military/police action, 
and that only through education and employment would this 
national problem be solved in the long-term. End summary. 

Prime Minister Gillani 
---------------------- 

¶2. (C) Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gillani launched his April 
14 meeting with Codel Capuano, committing to "broaden 
Pakistan's relationship with America" and to visit the U.S. 
soon. While Gillani admitted that his Pakistan People's 
Party (PPP) received a "split mandate," winning just a 
plurality in the February 18 parliamentary elections, he 
called the overall win by moderate, secular parties "a ray of 
hope." Gillani said that the PPP could have controlled 
Pakistan's federal and provincial governments with much 
slimmer margins, but preferred, instead, to build broad-based 
coalitions and to allow regional parties to take the lead at 
the provincial level. 

¶3. (C) Replying to the Codel's warning that the American 
public would expect to see quick achievements from the new 
GOP on the War on Terror, Gillani noted that his party had 
lost its leader, Benazir Bhutto, to terrorism, and "would not 
hesitate to use military options" in this war. Coalition 
partner Awami National Party (ANP), with its political base 
of support in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), "should 
also be able to achieve results," Gillani promised. The 
Ambassador noted that the USG had high hopes for the new 
coalition and that the Embassy had begun to brief the 
political parties on USG programs. 

¶4. (C) Gillani stressed that the new GOP would remain "united 
with the U.S. against the curse of terrorism." He advocated 
a three-prong strategy to fight extremism in the Federally 
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA): (1) economic development; 
(2) social development; and, (3) military strength. Gillani 
pushed for quick action on U.S. legislation to establish 
Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ) and named textiles as 
a potential growth industry. He also noted that all of the 
National Assembly members from FATA were educated and 
enlightened. The delegation agreed that this kind of social 
and economic development was "more important than military 
aid." 

¶5. (C) The fight against extremism would require joint, 
concerted and long-term efforts by Pakistan and the U.S., 
Gillani stressed. He thought the bilateral fight against 
illicit drugs was a model for cooperation. During his tenure 
as National Assembly Speaker (1993-1996), the two countries 
cooperated to end poppy production in Pakistan; his country 
now accounted for just a small percentage of global supply. 
Similar cooperation was required for the fight against 
extremism, and Gillani appreciated the Codel's recognition 
that Pakistan's sovereignty and dignity must be respected in 
that fight. 

¶6. (C) When asked pointedly where he thought Osama bin Laden 
was hiding, Gillani replied, "The intelligence agencies have 
no idea, but he is not in Pakistan." Afghanistan-Pakistan 
cross-border movements were impossible to stop, he added. 
When asked how the U.S. could help Pakistan address the root 
causes of extremism, Gillani repeated that the FATA populace 
needed social development, employment, education and health 
care. 

¶7. (C) Gillani blamed Musharraf's government for the current 
wheat (and thus, bread) shortage and for not constructing new 
energy plants during its eight-year tenure. The Ambassador 
noted that a food subsidy by the U.S. was unlikely, but 

ISLAMABAD 00001600 002 OF 003 


American private investment in energy generation was more 
promising for all sides. Gillani ended by mentioning that, 
after new Finance Minister Ishaq Dar returns from visiting 
the World Bank, the GOP will be able to present a concrete 
proposal on which areas the U.S. can help. The Ambassador 
noted that the U.S. was accelerating payments from Coalition 
Support Funds. 

Interior Minister Malik 
----------------------- 

¶8. (C) Meeting the same day, Interior Minister Rehman Malik 
stated to Codel Capuano that the PPP-led government would 
continue the "same counterterrorism policies started by 
President Musharraf." He added that the new GOP would leave 
"no stone unturned" in expelling terrorist cells from 
Pakistan. In the War on Terror, Pakistan was grateful for 
U.S. assistance, both expert personnel and funding, Malik 
added. 

¶9. (C) Noting the terrorist assassination of PPP leader 
Benazir Bhutto, whom he served as a senior security advisor, 
Malik promised the new GOP would continue to fight extremism 
"so long as Pakistan continues to have the support of the 
international community." Reacting to the Codel's emphasis 
for the new GOP to get quick results along the 
Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Malik argued Pakistan's Frontier 
Corps required enhanced capabilities, including its own 
intelligence unit. He complained that actionable information 
was not shared in a timely manner by Pakistan's intelligence 
agencies. 

¶10. (C) "We will enforce the writ of the government" in the 
frontier, Malik insisted, "come what may." However, the new 
GOP would give dialogue a chance in order to gain the 
confidence of the local populace. Malik believed they, more 
than anyone, were "fed up" with the road blocks and 
electricity outages. The GOP would: (1) work with the 
locally-elected representatives; (2) collect intelligence on 
"most wanted," particularly foreign fighters; and, (3) 
conduct sting operations and other direct hits. On this last 
point, Malik emphasized, "we won't hesitate to act." 

¶11. (C) Malik had a number of reforms in mind, starting with 
the abolishment of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), the 
colonial era regulations that govern law and order in the 
FATA. These were "draconian" criminal laws, and he said a 
newer code would be put in place, reflecting popular 
participation. Malik also advocated for a works program in 
the FATA, to gainfully employ thousands of young men on 
development projects. And he floated the idea of a 
"terrorist victims program," in which those families who lose 
loved ones and/or property due to a terrorist act would 
receive compensation. Distribution of funds would be handled 
by an NGO, and international donors would be encouraged to 
contribute. 

Deputy National Assembly Speaker Kundi 
-------------------------------------- 

¶12. (C) Codel Capuano also met April 14 with Deputy National 
Assembly Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi. He pointed to his own 
recent electoral victory over Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) 
leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman as proof of popular rejection of 
extremism. The February 18 general elections had been free 
and fair, Kundi added. 

¶13. (C) Kundi stressed that Pakistanis had suffered most from 
terrorist attacks over the last six years. Not just 
Pakistani soldiers, but the general population faced 
increased suicide attacks, he said. And while more 
international aid would be needed for the FATA and bordering 
areas (like his own D.I.Khan district), Kundi also pleaded 
for a greater share to "grassroots Pakistan" and for more 
accountability of expenditures. "Lack of accountability 
leads to a lack of trust." 

¶14. (C) Kundi reiterated Prime Minister Gillani's earlier 
point that fighting terrorism was a government priority. The 
GOP would attempt dialogue, Kundi explained, but would not 
hesitate to use the Army. The PPP enjoyed popular support, 
he claimed, and had built broad-based coalitions at the 
national and provincial levels. The ANP in the NWFP "enjoy a 

ISLAMABAD 00001600 003 OF 003 


particularly good relationship with Afghanistan," Kundi 
commented. 

¶15. (C) Terrorism had to be tackled before the new GOP could 
move on to equally pressing economic problems, Kundi said. 
Coalition partners had been given key ministries and (nearly) 
all parties were being consulted on how to address these 
problems. "This is our last chance," referring to elected 
government. For both extremism and financial woes, education 
was the silver bullet, Kundi argued; "the U.S. cannot wait a 
generation," the delegation responded. 

¶16. (C) The Codel did lend its support to the ROZ legislation 
before Congress, and Kundi concurred that increased foreign 
investment and trade could help average Pakistanis in the 
short-term. He complained, however, that the State 
Department's travel advisory on Pakistan unnecessarily 
hampered travel by American businessmen. 

¶17. (U) Codel Capuano did not clear on this message. 

PATTERSON 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================