R 061448Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL LAHORE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3924
INFO AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 
AMCONSUL KARACHI 
AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 
AMEMBASSY KABUL 
AMCONSUL KOLKATA 
AMCONSUL MUMBAI 
AMCONSUL CHENNAI 
NSC WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHDC
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
AMCONSUL LAHORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAHORE 000027 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  2/6/2019 
TAGS: PTER PINS PGOV PK
SUBJECT: BLAST IN DERA GHAZI KHAN LINKED TO SECTARIAN CONFLICT 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Bryan Hunt, Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate 
Lahore, U.S. Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) An alleged suicide attacker killed 33 people in the 
southwestern Punjab district of Dera Ghazi Khan February 5. 
According to press and consulate contacts, the blast targeted a 
Shia procession converging on the imambargah, or house of 
worship, in the middle of Dera Ghazi Khan city.  "It is a 
terrorist attack aimed at Shias to create unrest," Inspector 
General of Punjab Police Shaukat Javed told the Daily Times. 
 
¶2. (C) Additional Secretary for Internal Security Usman Anwar 
told Poleconoff February 6 that government officials would meet 
in Dera Ghazi Khan to determine the nature of the blast since no 
group had yet taken credit for the attack.  He noted that 
observers had at first claimed that the October 6, 2008 blast in 
Bhakkar District, just north of Dera Ghazi Khan, had sectarian 
underpinnings, but that a later investigation confirmed a 
political vendetta lay behind the Bhakkar blast.  The Home 
Secretary and others would discuss the incident in Dera Ghazi 
Khan later on February 6, he said. 
 
¶3. (C) Udman Buzdar, the nazim (elected representative) of the 
Tribal Areas Tehsil in the District, told FSNoff that he doubts 
the incident has a sectarian purpose.  Buzdar noted that most 
victims of the explosion came from the Wadanys, a "fierce" 
sub-tribe of the Khosas, whose many business dealings throughout 
the city have provoked resentment. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment: The incident in Dera Ghazi Khan has all the 
markings of an attack by Sipah-e-Sahaba or Lashkar-e-Taiba, 
terrorist groups that have hit Shia processions in the past. 
The hesitation to attribute the attack to sectarian conflict 
could reflect an attempt to avoid tit-for-tat attacks and 
retribution.  While Shia leaders have indicated that they will 
avoid retaliation, the incident provides an opportunity for 
violent outliers to ramp up recruitment, increase activity, and 
seek funds from supporters in Iran.  The big mainstream leaders, 
however, intend to maintain a moderate stance and ally 
themselves with similarly minded Sufi/Barelvi (Sunni) groups. 
 
GROUT