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
Taking cue from PIA’s Business Plus the Leader of The Enlightened and Moderate has imposed Emergency Plus on Pakistan. The man has no shame (Bay Haya in Urdu) and I guess when you have no shame you can pretty much lie too millions of your Aziz Hum Watano and go to sleep every night.
His Army (since he is the COAS) surrenders by the hundreds without firing a shot, his government (he is President) attacks unarmed Lawyers and journalists.
Musharaf now has the distinction of imposing emergency twice and the first person to actually impose emergency against the policies of his own government.
Inflation is out of control, the rich poor gap is expanding, there is a major shortage of electricity and water, the constitution and judiciary are…. well you know.
Musharaf must GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One get the impressions that they are talking about
an unknown group of militants active in the media,
journalism (electronic and written), this group is visible
now , what will happen to them as they are accused of
creating confusions and dysinformations. ??
@Gumnam, (version :Iqbal Bano)
fajjah banaam Mushy : before Emergency
Ulfat ki naii manzil ko chala,
tu bahain dal kay bahon main
dil tornay walay dekh kay chal,
ham bhi to paray hein rahon main, ham bhi to……….
BB Banaam Mushy: the day Emergency declared
Jab chandni raton main tonay
khod ham say kia iqrar-e-wafa
Khod ajj hein kiun ham beganay
teri bereham nigahon main dil tornay walay………
Opposition+Medias+journalist Banaam Mushy:
during and after PCO
Ham Bhi hain wohi tum bhi ho wohi, ( uttam)
Ye appni appniiiiiiii Qismat haaaaaaaay ( Pancham)
Tum khail rehay ho khushiaun say,
Hum doob gaiy hain Ahon main, dil tornay waly………
Mr. T.Shabbir:
You are making too many generalizations as is true of these “overseas Pakistanis”, who think of themselves as “holier than thou” and in their arrogance look down upon the resident Pakistanis as if they are the scum of the earth. I have lived both in the USA and the UK and have lived most of my life in Pakistan, yet I don’t consider the resident Pakistanis to be any less intelligent than the overseas variety. For once leave your arrogance aside and try to fathom why people in Pakistan don’t support the IDIOTS like the Generals and their cronies. In fact they should be banished to save the country and not the exalted Lordship.
I guess “General” Musharraf can’t see it coming, but he is walking on the same path that Saddam Hussein took a few years ago in Iraq.
Is he so selfish for power and presidency that he is willing to stop an entire country from functioning and also arrest people at will?
He in a single act of foolishness has taken Pakistan back by atleast a decade.
Wishing all the Pakistanis in this hour of crisis good luck and hoping the situation in Pakistan comes back to normal as soon as possible.
Khuda Hafiz…
Incognito!