VZCZCXRO7554
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKP #0627/01 3381410
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 031410Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL KARACHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0823
INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0286
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0187
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1775
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 2610
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4493
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KARACHI 000627 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER SOCI PK
SUBJECT: ETHNIC VIOLENCE SHAKES KARACHI 
 
REF: ISLAMABAD 3690 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY ACTING CONSUL GENERAL CATHERINE RODRIGUEZ 
FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d). 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary:  Up to 50 people have been killed in 
violent ethnic riots between Pashtuns and Mohajirs since 
November 27.  While the specific action that sparked sporadic 
attacks is unclear, the ruling Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) 
movement has been warning for months of the increased 
'talibanization' of the city from a growing number of 
Pashtuns fleeing military operations in the northern 
Federally Administered Tribal Areas.  Both the Pashtun-based 
Awami National Party (ANP) and the MQM, which have been 
arming in preparation for a confrontation, blamed each other. 
 Layoffs and ten-hour power shortages have exacerbated 
existing ethnic tensions.  To calm the situation the 
government cancelled schools and gave newly assigned Rangers 
shoot-to-kill orders; the Governor has appointed a "peace 
committee" and hopes this will also help defuse tensions. 
Meanwhile, President Zardari pressed Ambassador and UK 
Ambassador on November 23 to pressure London-based MQM leader 
Altaf Hussain to order MQM to stop the violence.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  A confrontation that began on November 27 between 
Mohajirs (descendents of Muslim immigrants from India) and 
Pashtuns accelerated on November 29 despite  a joint press 
conference by leaders of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), 
the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakistan People's 
Party (PPP) calling for calm.   Over 50 have been killed in 
the violence thus far, which finally appears to be subsiding. 
 The violence has been centered in districts that have a 
mixture of Pashtun and Mohajir residents, such as Karachi's 
Orangi, Baldia and Site Townships. 
 
Sindh Government Takes Action 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  On November 30, Sindh Home Minister Zulfiquar 
Mirza issued orders to shoot rioters "on sight."  On that 
same day, the provincial government called for a December 1 
school "holiday."  On December 1, universities postponed 
exams until after December 3.  Police and Rangers have 
reportedly moved into the hardest hit areas. 
 
Political Parties Concerned 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C)  Sindh ANP President Shahi Syed told PolOff on 
December 3 that he believed MQM incited the violence to 
counter ANP's growing political power in Karachi.  According 
to him, the majority of those killed have been Pashtuns, 
which make up the core of his party's base, and accused the 
MQM of unfairly profiling all Pashtuns as Taliban.  Syed 
claimed that over 137 Pashtun businesses had been targeted 
and many in the Pashtun-dominated transport industry were 
afraid to take to the streets. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Sindh PPP Secretary General Nafees Siddiqui blamed 
"those elements who were threatened by Pashtuns" and their 
new assembly seats, an obvious reference to MQM.  (Note: The 
Pashtun dominated ANP won two Sindh Provincial Assemble seats 
from Karachi in the February 18 election.  This was a first 
for the party.  End note.) 
 
MQM's Version 
------------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  MQM Nazim (Mayor) Mustafa Kamal told PolOff on 
December 1 that his party has been exercising restraint and 
trying to prevent the violence from spreading.  He claimed 
that rioters have targeted MQM party members and said that 
party leadership ordered party workers to stay indoors.  He 
blamed the violence on a third party, the Taliban, since ANP, 
PPP and MQM were coalition partners and could gain nothing by 
destabilizing the city. 
 
¶7.  (C)  Deputy MQM Provincial Assembly leader Faisal 
Sabzwari, a participant in the November 29 press conference, 
warned  that ethnic violence could escalate.  He predicted 
that the Mohajirs would start "fighting back" soon if the 
police don't take the situation more seriously.  According to 
him, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP)run Home Ministry is 
not taking the situation seriously enough despite repeated 
 
KARACHI 00000627  002 OF 002 
 
 
MQM requests to coalition partner PPP for assistance. 
 
¶8.  (C)  Sabzwari said, the PPP has dragged its feet in 
restoring order because these areas are partially MQM 
dominated.  He had similar concerns about ANP's willingness 
to halt Pashtun violence.  Sabzwari described Pashtuns firing 
from hillsides onto Mohajirs in Orangi Township, resulting in 
a number of fatalities.  He recalled a similar incident in 
1986 that resulted in over 350 Mohajir deaths and said his 
party could not allow a repeat.  He requested USG assistance 
to get action from the GOP. 
 
¶9.  (C)  In Islamabad, President Zardari asked Ambassador and 
the UK Ambassador in a joint meeting on November 23 for help 
in convincing London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain to step 
in and control the violence.  The UK Ambassador agreed that 
someone from his government would get in touch with Hussain 
(reftel). 
 
Governor Steps In 
----------------- 
 
¶10.  (C)  Sindh Governor Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad (MQM) told PolOff 
that leaders of ANP, MQM, PPP, Sunni Terek (ST), Jamaat 
Islami (JI), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) agreed on 
December 1 to form a "Peace Committee" that will help law 
enforcement personnel maintain order in areas affected by the 
disorder.  He said that the situation in Karachi had begun to 
ease and that he expected a significant improvement over the 
next few days.  Ibad blamed the violence on criminal elements 
not related to any political party. 
 
Police Raid Refugee Camp 
------------------------ 
 
¶11. (C)  December 3 media reports prominently featured the 
arrest of a number of Pashtuns during a December 2 police 
raid on an Afghan refugee camp in Karachi's Sohrab Goth area. 
 Police officials claimed they had caught several important 
suspects.  However, Inspector Irfan Ahmed Khan, a Karachi 
police official, told RSO on December 3 that the raid was 
more show than substance.  According to him, the police 
arrested 28 refugees and confiscated six pistols.  Khan said 
the detainees were not involved in the recent violence and 
predicted they would be released in a few days. 
 
¶12.  (C)  Comment:  Karachi is a city famed for its 
Machiavellian politics and its ethnic violence.  Ultimately, 
it may be impossible to blame the riots on any one source. 
The recent inflow of Pashtuns fleeing military operations in 
the northern Federally Administered Tribal Areas has prompted 
MQM leaders to warn of the 'Talibanization' of Karachi for 
several months now.  Karachi is also suffering from ten-hour 
power outages every day, a problem that has led to declining 
industrial productivity and layoffs just as food and fuel 
prices have escalated.  The Governor, widely known as a 
peacemaker, appears cautiously optimistic that the tension in 
the city will soon abate.  End comment. 
RODRIGUEZ