Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XIX, South Asia

386. Situation Report Prepared by the Pakistan Working Group¹

No. 3

Washington, November 22, 1979

Situation in Pakistan as of 0400 EST, November 22, 1979

At mid-day, Islamabad was reported calm and adequate security protection appeared to be in place. Martial law authorities had reportedly denied a student request for permission to hold a procession in protest for the deaths of demonstrators at the Embassy. The Embassy had, however, received unconfirmed reports that crowds were gathering again in Lahore and that some American residences might be under attack. The Ambassador has contacted martial law authorities and the MFA and received assurances of adequate protection. At last report the MFA had told the Embassy that all Americans were safe.

During a search of the compound, a badly charred body was found in the apartment of Warrant Officer Brian Ellis, who had earlier been identified as the only remaining missing Amcit. Positive identification may be impossible in the absence of dental records which we have not yet located. The strong presumption is that the body is that of Ellis, and a wire service is carrying the story of his death.

The bodies of two Pakistani employees were found in the basement of the Chancery. Funeral services will be held later in the day.

After a thorough check, the Embassy has determined that there was no compromise of classified material. All safes remain locked. The compound remains under Pakistan Army guard, and the Officer-in-Charge denied access to a Soviet Embassy vehicle earlier in the day. The RSO has requested TDY assistance to support his efforts to secure and dispose of classified material. The Consulate in Lahore was not entered by the mob and as of COB November 21 the building remained secure.

The Secretary has ordered an evacuation of dependents and non-essential personnel. A Pan Am commercial charter 747 is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad Friday morning local time to pick up those departing. Evacuees from Lahore will arrive in Islamabad on a chartered Fokker aircraft Thursday evening. Evacuees from Peshawar plan to drive down in the early morning hours Friday. The Pan Am charter will refuel in Karachi and pick up additional Americans. It is scheduled to arrive at Dulles at 10:00 p.m. Friday, November 23. Some private Amcits have requested space and may be accommodated at the Ambassador’s discretion. Some personnel from Karachi will be departing by commercial aircraft.

Ambassador Hummel has drawn up a list of non-essential personnel and will be transmitting it through British Embassy channels. At this point, we do not know the numbers.

The remains of Sgt. Crowley may be transported on the charter aircraft to Frankfurt where embalming and mandatory formalities will require a minimum delay of 48 hours. The remains will be flown to the U.S. no earlier than Monday on a military aircraft. The family has not yet decided on the place of burial. We are in touch with the White House on ceremonial arrangements.

The Ambassador has set up temporary office quarters in the A.I.D. building. Present plans are to relocate the Embassy in these quarters, which housed the Embassy before the new Chancery was constructed. An emergency communications package which had been pre-placed in Athens for use in Tehran will be flown in for installation in these temporary quarters.

The Ambassador has briefed the eight or ten American correspondents in Islamabad. He limited his comments to a factual discussion of events and avoided speculation on GOP motivations or of the adequacy and speed of the government’s response. He warns, however, that these correspondents will be filing articles very critical of the GOP’s performance. The Time/Washington Star correspondent, Marsha Gauger, was in the vault during the seige and heard the repeated radio calls for reinforcements. The Embassy has prepared a full report on this aspect of the events and will forward it by immediate cable along with a summary of the Ambassador’s comments to the press.²

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (the FRG Ambassador) plans to convene a meeting of his colleagues today or tomorrow to consider a joint demarche. The expectation is that the Diplomatic Corps will register a strong protest over the lack of protection of American facilities.³

• Robert Peck
  Pakistan Working Group
• George Becker
  Senior Watch Officer

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily CIA Brief File, Box 23, 11/29/79–12/4/1979. Confidential. Carter initialed “C” in the upper right-hand corner of the report. The report was repeated in telegram 302839 to all diplomatic and consular posts, November 22. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790538–0002) The Pakistan Working Group was established in the State Department Operations Center on November 21 under the direction of Saunders. (Telegram 302263 to all Near Eastern, South Asian, and European posts, November 21; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790536–0647)
2. Not found. According to telegram 13238 from Islamabad, November 29, the report with Hummel’s comments to the press was entitled “Islamabad No. 8” and dated November 22. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790549–0467)
3. See Document 389.