ISLAMABAD: A 2007 US diplomatic cable detailing a meeting between then-US Ambassador to Pakistan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has resurfaced on social media, renewing interest in the political discussions held at the time.
According to the cable, the US ambassador met Fazlur Rehman over lunch on November 20, 2007, with discussions focusing on Pakistan’s political situation, the upcoming general elections, the state of emergency and the roles of various political parties.
The document states that the US supported efforts to end the emergency in Pakistan and measures aimed at holding free and fair elections. Fazlur Rehman agreed with the need for free and transparent elections and said his party would not boycott the polls.
The cable also records Fazlur Rehman discussing the possibility of becoming prime minister and seeking US support if he assumed the office.
The meeting also touched on former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. According to the document, Fazlur Rehman said he had not yet decided whether he could work with Bhutto again, citing her recent remarks concerning religious leaders.
The diplomatic cable also discussed the deteriorating security situation in the tribal areas and the then-North-West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Fazlur Rehman expressed concerns that security problems could disrupt elections in some districts and potentially affect his party’s vote bank.
In an assessment included in the cable, US diplomats described Fazlur Rehman as a potential “kingmaker” in the upcoming elections.
The meeting was also attended by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Talha Mahmood, Senator Azam Swati and Malik Sikandar Khan, among others.
The document is a 2007 US diplomatic cable containing observations, assessments and reporting by American diplomats at the time. The claims and assessments recorded in the cable relate to the political circumstances of that period and should not be interpreted as statements made in the present political context.
