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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 003790 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2018 
TAGS: PGOV WE PREL PK
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR TAHIR-KHELI HIGHLIGHTS WOMEN'S 
EMPOWERMENT IN PAKISTAN 
 
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b), (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Senior Adviser to the Secretary for Women's 
Empowerment Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli visited Islamabad 
on November 24 and 25 to discuss women's empowerment issues 
and the Women Against Terrorism Initiative.  Ambassador 
Tahir-Kheli met with National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali 
Durrani who spoke about Pakistan's economy and efforts to 
counter terrorism. She also met Minister of Information 
Sherry Rehman, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Fehmida 
Mirza, and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.  End Summary. 
 
 
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER MAHMUD ALI DURRANI 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli and the DCM called upon 
National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani.  Durrani 
highlighted the various steps that Pakistan has taken to 
empower women, including special reserved seats for women in 
Parliament, the formation of the Women,s Caucus, and women 
enlisted in the military.  He stressed that the new Women,s 
Caucus in the National Assembly is an important network to 
unite women parliamentarians. 
 
¶3. (C) When asked about the political wing of the ISI being 
disbanded, Durrani explained that the political wing had 
originally been set up by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali 
Bhutto.  Recently, Prime Minister Gilani has asked in a 
friendly and non-confrontational manner, "why should the ISI 
be involved in politics?"  Durrani credited Pasha with the 
decision to take ISI out of politics.  Durrani explained that 
ISI is basically a good institution, but it is dependent on 
how the political leadership decides to use it. 
 
¶4. (C) Durrani explained that Pakistan is going through a 
very difficult time, both economically and security-wise.  He 
said the primary role of the IMF was to "plug holes" and to 
improve Pakistan,s economic health.  The IMF would help get 
rid of subsidies, corruption, and help with budget 
development - all necessary to get Pakistan on "the straight 
and narrow."  Durrani emphasized that Pakistan needed to 
expand its tax base, especially in the commerce sector.  In 
his opinion, the Pakistani economic base is so narrow that it 
cannot withstand serious shocks. 
 
¶5. (C) In his discussion of security, Durrani mentioned the 
recent military success in Bajaur.  The difference this time 
around, in his mind, was that the military was following 
things through to their logical end.  Durrani said that 
before in South Waziristan, the military had to halt 
operations and then go in to sign a peace agreement.  This 
time they were in a better position.  He described the 
formation of lashkars as a major development.  However, he 
cautioned that lashkars are a short term solution for a 
specific task.  The lashkars are made of normal people with 
real jobs, so they are more a moral support for the community 
for military operations in the long run than a fighting 
force.  Durrani also commented on the critical juncture 
between military operations and enforcing the writ of the 
government.  He said the GOP can not delay the transition, 
that law and order must be provided through a civilian 
government as the military pulls out.  This requires 
civil/military cooperation and follow-up.  If the transition 
is delayed, the militants come back and the local populace is 
defeated. 
 
¶6. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli asked Durrani about statements 
by Prime Minister Gilani that the US may be contributing to 
suicide attacks.  Durrani commented that while such 
statements were counterproductive, the drone attacks were 
also not helping at all.  He said that Gilani is a politician 
and since public opinion is anti-drone, he made such 
statements.  Durrani regretfully described how Peshawar and 
the NWFP had changed for the worse. 
 
¶7. (C) Describing the Friends of Pakistan, Durrani commented 
that it was not a replacement for the donor,s conference, 
but a forum to ensure good governance practices in Pakistan. 
Durrani also highlighted the Benazir Bhutto Income Support 
Fund as a means to avoid cutting back on development while 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003790  002 OF 003 
 
 
upholding the IMF agreement.  Within the Friends of Pakistan, 
Durrani cited the U.S., the UK, and the UAE as the prime 
movers.  The National Security Adviser stressed the need for 
good governance and told an anecdote about a common man 
describing to him the basic needs in Pakistan.  He outlined 
them as a fair wage, protection of life and property, access 
to justice, and basic dignity.  Durrani stressed that good 
governance should be able to deliver these demands. 
 
 
MINISTER OF INFORMATION SHERRY REHMAN 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Pakistan,s Minister of Information Sherry Rehman 
hosted a working lunch to discuss the Women Against Terrorism 
initiative.  In addition to Ambassador Tahir-Kheli, 
participants included Special Adviser to the Greek Foreign 
Minister on Women,s Empowerment Dr. Kalliopi Bourdara, the 
Greek Ambassador to Pakistan Petros Mavroidis, and Political 
Counselor Candace Putnam.  Minister Rehman opened the meeting 
by highlighting the steps taken by the Pakistani government 
on women,s empowerment issues, including the new Women,s 
Caucus and a planned new ombudsman in the National Assembly 
for women,s affairs. 
 
¶9. (C) The lunch served as a preparatory meeting for the 
upcoming Women Against Terrorism conference, a joint 
Greece-Pakistan initiative that grew out of the Secretary's 
Women Leaders' Working Group.  The initiative was publicly 
launched on the sidelines of the Organization for Security 
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Helsinki (December 
4).  During the lunch, the procedures to set up the 
conference were finalized and an interim planning session was 
set.  An International Women,s Conference Against Terrorism 
will be held subsequently in Athens (Spring 2009) under the 
auspices of the Greek Government and in the context of the 
Women,s Leaders Working Group.  The attendees also decided 
on the topics for the conference workshops, the dignitaries 
and scholars to be invited, and the focus of the conference. 
 
¶10. (C) Minister Rehman stressed the particular vulnerability 
of women to terrorism and that terrorism had no religion. 
For the international conference the following model was 
adopted: a brief opening plenary with two key note addresses, 
followed by workshops, and a closing plenary.  Other 
suggestions for the conference included using a short film to 
raise awareness, including journalists and media 
representatives, and also ensuring diverse geographic 
representation. 
 
 
SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DR. FEHMIDA MIRZA 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶11. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli and the Political Counselor 
met with Speaker of the National Assembly who that day was 
also Acting President.  Dr. Mirza discussed several new 
initiatives she has led within the National Assembly.  She 
has used the Speaker's Relief Fund to help displaced women of 
Bajaur.  All parliamentarians contributed one month's salary 
to the fund and Dr. Mirza sought donations from Chambers of 
Commerce and other political donors.  On September 14, the 
Speaker, various parliamentarians, and representatives from 
NWFP visited the displaced persons camps in Peshawar and 
distributed 2 million PKR (25,000 USD).  Additionally, the 
fund is giving 5 million PKR (62,500 USD) to orphans from the 
recent Balochistan earthquake.  Dr. Mirza was very encouraged 
by the response from the Speaker's Relief Fund - with the 
President and other leaders giving both financial and moral 
support.  She also commented that President Zardari was very 
supportive of women,s empowerment, championing programs 
where land titles would be awarded in women,s names. 
 
¶12. (C) Dr. Mirza recently helped to establish the Women,s 
Caucus in the National Assembly.  The focus of the caucus is 
capacity building of female parliamentarians across party 
lines.  The caucus will interface with NGOs and activists on 
women,s issues, specifically harassment, access to justice, 
and violence against women.  Additionally, the Women,s 
Caucus will be able to champion legislation, such as the 
proposed Sexual Harassment at the Workplace legislation.  The 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003790  003 OF 003 
 
 
female members of the National Assembly have agreed to work 
above party lines, and make decisions based on consensus. 
The Women,s Caucus plans to expand eventually to the Senate 
and then to the Provincial Assemblies - forming a National 
Women,s Caucus.  The Women's Caucus first fact-finding event 
will be a trip on November 29 to visit female police stations 
and receive briefings from the Inspector General of Police. 
Dr. Mirza commented that the Caucus is a great network to 
gain best practices and technical knowledge from 
international women's networks such as Secretary Rice's One 
Woman Initiative.  Dr. Mirza is planning to visit the United 
States in March 2009 and plans to talk to Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi in March as well. 
 
 
FOREIGN SECRETARY SALMAN BASHIR 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli met with Foreign Secretary 
Salman Bashir to discuss the Women Against Terrorism 
initiative being co-sponsored by Pakistan and Greece.  In 
discussing women,s empowerment, Secretary Bashir noted that 
making 50% of one's population non-players only makes the 
economy suffer.  Bashir agreed with Ambassador Tahir-Kheli 
that on the front of women,s empowerment, Pakistan has 
regressed and lost focus.  Bashir also noted that the 
cultural context was important, and hoped there is more 
optimism with the new PPP government.  He stressed the most 
important thing for Pakistan is to engage with the US closely 
at the institutional level.  Pakistan, in his view, is 
suffering from institutional decay and that causes many areas 
to suffer, including women,s affairs.  Bashir stated that 
the world has changed and the Pakistani system needs 
updating, especially in the area of governance. 
 
¶14. (C) Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli has cleared this cable. 
PATTERSON