(b)(1) (b)(3) APPROVED FOR RELEASE DATE: 16-Sep-2009 SUBJECT: EUROPEAN BRIEFI IFOR 18 AUGUST 1988. PAGE 5L CONTENTS CRASH KILLS PAKISTANI PRESIDENT, US AMBASSADOR PAGE 6 PRESIDENT ZIA-UL-HAQ AND US AMBASSADOR ARNOLD RAPHEL WERE KILLED YESTERDAY WHEN THE PAKISTANI C-130 TRANSPORT THEY WERE ON EXPLODED IN THE AIR SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM BAHAWALPUR, ABOUT 530 KILOMETERS (330 MILES) SOUTHWEST OF ISLAMABAD. A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAID 30 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE CRASH, INCLUDING TWO OF PAKISTAN'S TOP MILITARY LEADERS--AKHTAR ABDUL REHMAN KHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE, AND LT. GEN. MOHAMMAD AFZAAL, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF. PRESIDENT ZIA WAS RETURNING FROM OBSERVING A DEMONSTRATION OF US M1A1 TANKS. PRESS REPORTS ATTRIBUTE THE CRASH TO SABOTAGE, AND THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED A FORMAL INVESTIGATION INCLUDING THE INDIANS, THE AFGHANS, AND DOMESTIC SHIAGROUPS. GHULAM ISHAQ KHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE, HAS BEEN NAMED PAGE 7 c E C F E T ACTING PRESIDENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAKISTAN'S CONSTITUTION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND APPEALED FOR CALM. THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TO ELECT A PRESIDENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS. ELECTIONS PAGE:0096 HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR 16 NOVEMBER, AND ISHAQ KHAN SAID IN A SPEECH COUNCIL OF SENIOR MINISTERS AND GENERALS TO ADVISE HIM ON GOVERNING THE COUNTRY. ISHAQ KHAN APpnTMTFn IT. GEN. ASLAM BEG TO SUCCEED ZIA AS CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF. NO TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN SET FOR THE STATE OF EMERGENCY. DESPITE ISHAQ KHAN'S ASSURANCES, THE ELECTIONS MIGHT WELL BE POSTPONED TO ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TIME TO REGROUP. STUNNED. MAJOR CITIES ARE QUIET, BUT PRESS REPORTS SAY ARMY TROOPS PAGE 8 ARE PATROLLING THE STREETS OF KARACHI, A PERENNIAL CENTER OF UNREST. BENAZIR BHUTTO, THE OPPOSITION'S CHIEF LEADER, TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE OPPOSITION WILL DO WHAT O MAINTAIN PAKISTAN'S STABILITY AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION . ENAZIR AND OTHER POLITICIANS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE NO HOPE OF GAINING POWER IF ELECTIONS ARE PUT OFF INDEFINITELY. THEY WILL NOT WANT TO GIVE THE MILITARY ANY PRETEXT FOR STEPPING IN. IF STABILITY IS THREATENED, HOWEVER, THE MILITARY WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ZIA'S POLICIES. HE ADDED THAT ALL TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS WOULD BE ADHERED TO. (C NF) THE LOSS OF ZIA AND JCS CHAIRMAN AKHTAR DEPRIVES THE /****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 002 ******/ PAGE THE AFGHAN RESISTANCE PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE COHESION, BUT ITS PAGE 6 Oe fl fl T NR /****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 003 ******/

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EUROPEAN BRIEF xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx FOR 18 AUGUST 1988 PAKISTAN: SITUATION REPORT CRASH KILLS PARKISTANI PRESIDENT, US AMBASSADOR