EUROPEAN BRIEF FOR 18 AUGUST 1988PAKISTAN: SITUATION REPORTCRASH KILLS PARK

Created: 8/18/1988

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1. PAKISTAN: SITUATION REPORT

1. PAKISTAN: SITUATION REPORT

CRASH KILLS PAKISTANI PRESIDENT. US AMBASSADOR

T

-JiAQ AND US AMBASSADOR ARNOLD RAPHEL HERE

KILLED YESTERDAY WHEN THE PAKISTANI TRANSPORT THEY WERE ON EXPLODED IN THE AIR SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM BAHAXALPUR. ILOMETERS JO MILES) SOUTHWEST OF ISLAMABAD. OREIRK MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAIDEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE CRASH, INCLUDING TWO OF PAKISTAN'S TOP MILITARY LEADERS--AXHTAR ABDUL REHMAN KHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OP STAFF COMMITTEE, AND LT. GEN. MOHAMMAD AFZAAL, CHIRP OF GENERAL STAFF. PRESIDENT ZIA WAS RETURNING FROMEMONSTRATION OF US MIA! TANKS. PRESS REPORTS ATTRIBUTE THE CRASH TO SABOTAGE, AND THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAS ORMAL INVESTIGATION

|THE PAKISTANIS PROBABLYIST OF SUSPECTS, t INDIANS, THE AFGHANS, AND DOMESTIC SHIA GROUPS.

THE SUCCESSION

GHULAMAQ KHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE. HAS RSEX NAMED

7

OROOH-NGFOPN NOCOHTRAGT -PROP IN WJIi^=L

ACTING PRESIDENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAKISTAN'S CONSTITUTION. THE GOVERNMENT HASTATE OP EMERGENCY AND APPEALED FOR CALM. THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TORESIDENT WITHINAYS OP NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS. ELECTIONS

orcon norom Noeo*TRAC? pkopin wniktki.

HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR IS NOVEMBER. AMD ISHAQ KHAN SAID IN A^ LAS, NIGHT THAT THEY MILL BE HELD AS SCHEDULED. ^

THE COUNTRY. ASLAM DEG TO

SHAQ KHAN HAS FORMED AN EMERGENCY

" TO ADVISE HIM ON GOVERNING

:SHAO KHAN APPOINTED LT. QBN.

2IA AS CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF.

JnO TIKE LIMIT HAS BEEN SET FOR THE STATE OP EMERGENCY

DESPITE tIAO KHAN'S ASSURANCES, THE ELECTIONS MIGHT HELLTO ALLOW THEB TO REGROUP. '

DOMESTIC REACTION

LwSbbbbbbwwBbbbbwN^SS REPORTING INDICATES THAT PAKISTANIS ARE STUNNED. MAJOR CITIES ARE OUIET, BUT PRESS REPORTS SAY ARMY TROOPS

ARE PATROLLING THE STREETS OP KARACHI, ERENNIAL CENTER OP UNREST BENAZIR BHUTTO. THE OPPOSITION'S CHIEF LEADER. TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE OPPOSITION MILL DO WHAT IT CAN TO MAINTAIN PAKISTAN'S STABILITY AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION ammmmmmmmmmm

JBENAZIR AND OTHER POLITICIANS UNDERSTAND THATNO HOPE OF GAINING POWER IP ELECTIONS ARB PUT OFF HAKT TO dVE THE MILITARY ANY PRETEXT FOR STEPPING STABILITY IS THREATENED. HOWEVER. THE MILITARY WILLMARTIAL LAW.

ZIA'S POLICIES TO CONTINUE

_ISHAO KHAN SAID PAKISTAN HILL

CONTihUK TO FOLLOW ZIA'S POLICIES. HE ADDED THAT ALL TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS WOULD BE ADHERED TO. F)

OF ZIA AND JCS CHAIRMAN AKHTAR DEPRIVES THE

T

THE ITS

BUT

:hw rstance cf two gf its km

tfILL CONTINUE TO LOSE COHESION, MILITARY STRATEGY WILL PROBABLY NOT CHANGE.

NINTEL

Original document.

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