President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has declared a state of emergency in Pakistan on Saturday. It has now been announced at PTV. The emergency decision comes ahead of a crucial Supreme Court decision on whether to overturn his recent election win.
The news caster at PTV didn’t give any reasons for emergency but read the following text:
The chief of army staff has proclaimed a state of emergency and issued a provisional constitutional order.
Earlier, Pakistan’s private TV channels had suddenly gone off-air amid speculations that emergency was going to be imposed.
An earlier Reuters report which was among the first to break the news read:
Private television channels Geo News and Dawn News both ran reports quoting unnamed sources as saying the government had made its decision. Speculation has been rife that Musharraf, who is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on whether he was eligible to run for re-election last month while still army chief, might impose emergency rule or martial law
This has not been the first time that government thought about imposing emergency. The idea has been flirted with from time to time. Rumors kept appearing from time to time from as early as August 8, 2007. We also had a post on this topic then.
According to CNN:
The Supreme Court has declared the state of emergency illegal, claiming Musharraf had no power to suspend the constitution, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry told CNN.
People were already sensing something was about to happen when Benazir suddenly left the country two days ago without even going to other provinces of the country except Sindh. It may be true that she indeed left Pakistan to be with her ailing mother but it never stops people from speculating. Also the earlier news where Government circles were advising Benazir not to come to Pakistan before Supreme Court decision now seem to put missing links to a continuum.
According to Washington Post news:
The United States had tried to pressure Musharraf on Friday to avoid declaring emergency rule or martial law. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday sent a warning to Musharraf not to take authoritarian measures to hold on to power. “I think it would be quite obvious that the United States would not be supportive of extra-constitutional means,” Rice said. “Pakistan needs to prepare for and hold free and fair elections.” That message was followed by a previously scheduled meeting between Musharraf and Adm. William J. Fallon, chief of the U.S. Central Command.
Complete text of emergency declaration can be read here
@Najam,
Today people who are calling Pakistani Army “Kutti-Army” will be begging the COAS tomorrow to rid them of BB, NS and the like if they ever come to power again. What does that tell you about the nature of our people?
Another reality check. The power hungry general has given the system of local government that gives democracy to the grass root level. That made a middle class man a leader and chance to change things in his area and lot of them did made the change. The so called democratic champions like BB is asking to roll back the whole system. Who is more dictating and power hungry, you decide.
Today is a sad, sad, day for Pakistan. But we will make it worse if we start fighting amongst ourselves and doubting each other’s intentions.
Also, please do not talk badly about the army at large; the majority of the army is composed of men from poor backgrounds who have the guts to defend our country. Just because they are commanded by power hungry generals doesnt mean that it’s their fault.
It’s a disgrace for the 1st time in life to receive a SMS calling the Paki Army a Kuti-Army. But I think our fauj now diserves this.
The political parties demand for constitution like they are the most law abiding people in the world. They blame Pervaiz Musharraf for power hunger as if there motives are any different. There is not a single major party that do not have a life chairmanship in place. Even the chief justice was so out of his mind that he was asking Islamabad IG everyother day on somoto. Why we are not crying about CJ abuse of power if all we care about is rule of law.
Atleast, with President Musharraf’s power hunger, I saw many development work in Karachi. How many flyovers and road were constructed in the so called democratic days. What was the activity in Karachi stock exchange in 90’s. What was the education budget in democratic days of NS and BB.
The anti-musharraf people (politician, Judiciary and Taliban)) are so dumb that with only 15 days left in shedding his uniform and 2 month in election, they made such direct confontration with the government that it gave them the excuse to impose emergency. I even doubt there intentions when they call for dfemocracy. They themselves create situation of emergency.