O R 150732Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL LAHORE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3853
INFO AMCONSUL CHENNAI 
CIA WASHDC
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY KABUL 
AMCONSUL KARACHI 
AMCONSUL KOLKATA 
AMCONSUL MUMBAI 
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 
AMCONSUL LAHORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAHORE 000320 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  12/13/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL EFIN PK IN
SUBJECT: CHIEF MINISTER SHAHBAZ SHARIF PLEDGES TO CONTINUE STRONG JUD 
CRACKDOWN 
 
REF: A. A. Lahore 318 
     ¶B. B. Lahore 314 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Bryan Hunt, Principal Officer, Consulate Lahore, 
U.S. Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif told 
Principal Officer December 13 that he intended to follow the 
directive to shut down Jamaatud Dawa (JUD).  While he planned to 
take over JUD schools and hospitals, the madrassah network posed 
a challenge, he admitted.  Pushed to cooperate with the Pakistan 
People's Party (PPP), Sharif responded that President Asif 
Zardari should replace Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who has 
constantly interfered in provincial governance.  Asked whether 
the U.S. government could question Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Hafez 
Saeed, currently held in house arrest, Sharif said he would look 
into the matter.  Sharif requested that the U.S. provide 
information that could help implicate Saeed and other LeT and 
JUD leaders in the coming court cases.  End Summary. 
 
- - - 
Sharif Plans To Take Over JUD Schools and Hospitals 
- - - 
 
¶2. (C) In a December 13 breakfast meeting, Punjab Chief Minister 
Shahbaz Sharif told Principal Officer (PO) that he intended to 
completely shut down Jamaatud Dawa (JUD) (Ref A).  He related 
that he will preside over a meeting with provincial officials to 
formulate a plan to take over the hospitals and schools 
previously run by JUD.  He expected that taking charge of the 
JUD's three hospitals in Punjab would occur easily.  "We will 
use trained doctors to charm the patients with long beards and 
caps," he joked.  While he expected to install trained 
government teachers in the JUD schools, which number in the 
hundreds, he admitted that assuming control of the schools will 
pose a greater challenge.  Moreover, asked how he will deal with 
the extensive madrassah network, he had no substantive response. 
 
¶3. (C) Sharif noted that the other provincial governments have 
also followed the federal government directive to shut down JUD. 
 While the police in other provinces have taken responsibility, 
he related that in Azad Kashmir the Pakistan Army has acted to 
close JUD offices. 
 
- - - 
Cooperation with PPP Requires Action Against Governor Taseer 
- - - 
 
¶4. (C) PO pushed Sharif to cooperate with the federal 
government.  Sharif pledged to give his full support to the JUD 
crackdown, but he complained bitterly that Punjab Governor 
Salman Taseer has interfered excessively in the governance of 
the province by refusing to appoint an ombudsman and questioning 
the Chief Minister's decisions in public (Ref B).  He noted that 
while Prime Minister Gillani has apologized and promised to 
avoid public criticisms of the provincial government, the 
Governor has persisted.  "He is impossible to deal with," Sharif 
stressed. Taseer's instructions to intrude likely come from 
another PPP leader, Sharif surmised.  He also recalled that the 
PPP has not fulfilled the terms of the Charter of Democracy, 
particularly the complete restoration of the judges.  Asked how 
the PPP can help reconcile with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz 
(PMLN), Sharif suggested that Governor Taseer be replaced. 
 
¶5. (C) Sharif recounted that he kept his brother, former Prime 
Minister Nawaz Sharif, from issuing what could have been a 
troublesome statement December 12.  Nawaz Sharif had planned to 
complain that "anti-democratic agencies" have created the 
current problem faced by the government, but Shahbaz intervened 
and explained that such a statement would prove unhelpful, he 
detailed. 
 
- - - 
Prosecution of JUD Leaders Needs Information 
- - - 
 
¶6. (S) Sharif said that he welcomed the deep involvement of the 
U.S. in calming the tension between Pakistan and India after the 
Mumbai attacks.  In order to prosecute the JUD leaders currently 
in three-month detention, Shahbaz explained that he will require 
evidence implicating their involvement in the Mumbai attacks. 
He noted that proof that originates with the U.S. would have 
greater credibility than proof produced by India.  Any 
information that he can use in the courts would be very helpful, 
he appealed. 
 
- - - 
Sharif To Look Into Hafez Saeed Access 
- - - 
 
¶7. (S) PO asked if the U.S. government could question 
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafez Saeed.  Sharif said that he 
will look into the request and respond soon. 
 
- - - 
Comment: Shahbaz Remains Strongly Supportive of JUD Crackdown 
- - - 
 
¶8. (C) The unwavering attitude displayed by Shahbaz Sharif in 
shutting down the JUD bodes well for the crackdown.  However, he 
faces a huge challenge in taking over the JUD schools and 
confronting the madrassah network; teacher training could help 
ease the burden as he attempts to place government teachers in 
schools that taught extremist curriculum last week.  Moreover, 
by providing assistance with the prosecution of the JUD leaders, 
we could help mitigate the possibility that a lack of evidence 
results in their release.  We will continue to work closely with 
the provincial government to ensure an irreversible shutdown of 
the JUD. 
 
 
HUNT