Wikileaks diplomatic documents concerning meetings between Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and US officials have revealed details that raise questions about his political strategy and diplomatic contacts in pursuit of power.
According to a US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks, US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson met Maulana Fazlur Rehman on November 20, 2007. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Talha Mahmood, Senator Ijaz Swati and Malik Sikandar Khan also attended the meeting. According to the documents, Maulana Fazlur Rehman hosted a dinner in honour of the US ambassador and other members of her staff, seeking to cultivate closer ties with American officials.
According to the diplomatic document, Maulana Fazlur Rehman directly asked the US ambassador whether the American government would be willing to work with him if he became Pakistan’s prime minister. The question raised questions about the importance of US support in his political strategy. The documents also reportedly reveal that Maulana Fazlur Rehman wanted American backing for his bid to become prime minister and wanted the United States to support him for the office. He reportedly said he would not disappoint the Americans.
The diplomatic cable concerning the meeting also recorded a significant observation by US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson. She wrote that Maulana Fazlur Rehman appeared to relish the prospect of playing a potentially decisive role in the elections and had made it clear that the considerable number of votes at his disposal were available for sale.
These words reflected the ambassador’s own political assessment. The diplomatic document does not mention any specific financial payment or a proven agreement to sell votes. Nevertheless, the ambassador’s observation raised significant questions about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s electoral politics and potential political bargaining.
According to the same diplomatic record, Maulana Fazlur Rehman also expressed a desire to secure support for his party through a visit to the United States and contacts with the US Congress and think tanks. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, who was present at the meeting, also spoke about the need to expand contacts with the American government.
According to another WikiLeaks diplomatic document, Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Richard Boucher, the US Assistant Secretary of State, on March 28, 2008. During the meeting, he offered to help convey a message of political engagement to the Taliban through US officials. This account indicates that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also seeking to position himself as a potential intermediary in diplomatic contacts with American officials.
The events recorded in these diplomatic documents highlight an aspect of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s political strategy in which electoral strength, the possibility of becoming prime minister, questions about American support and contacts with US officials featured prominently.
The US ambassador’s description of his votes as “available for sale” is the most prominent and debatable part of the record. The article argues that this suggests Maulana Fazlur Rehman was prepared to meet American demands in pursuit of power. His reported overtures for the premiership, it further argues, appear inconsistent with his public image and ideological stance.
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