A leaked US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks has shed light on a November 2007 meeting between Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and then-US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, including a reported question about whether Washington would be willing to work with him if he became Pakistan’s prime minister.
According to the diplomatic cable dated November 20, 2007, Patterson met Fazlur Rehman in the presence of Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Talha Mahmood, Senator Ejaz Swati and Malik Sikandar Khan. Fazlur Rehman also hosted a dinner for the ambassador and other US officials.
The cable states that Fazlur Rehman directly asked the US ambassador whether the American government would be prepared to work with him if he became prime minister of Pakistan. The reported exchange raises questions about the role he envisioned for Washington in his political calculations at the time.
According to Patterson’s account, Fazlur Rehman appeared confident about his potential influence in the post-election political landscape. The ambassador wrote that he seemed to enjoy the prospect of playing a decisive role and indicated that the votes at his disposal were available for sale.
The description of votes being “for sale” was the ambassador’s assessment of the conversation.
The cable also records Fazlur Rehman’s interest in visiting the United States and engaging with members of Congress and think tanks to build support for his party. Haideri reportedly supported the idea of expanding contacts with the US government.
A separate WikiLeaks diplomatic cable dated March 28, 2008, records a meeting between Fazlur Rehman and US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher. According to the document, Fazlur Rehman offered to help convey messages between US officials and the Taliban through political contacts.
Taken together, the diplomatic records document discussions involving Fazlur Rehman’s political ambitions, his potential role in coalition-building, his question about working with Washington as prime minister and his efforts to maintain contact with American officials.
