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| Pak unrest culminates into emergency | | | Islamabad | Nov 03
After months of speculation, President Musharraf has declared emergency in Pakistan. The decision was taken at a high level meeting attended by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The decision comes in the wake of growing attacks by extremists and a speculated breakdown of understanding with Benazir Bhutto. Musharraf is likely to address the nation later tonight.
The government has dismissed Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary saying his services were no longer needed. All opposition lawmakers have resigned and a caretaker government will take over after seven days.
All judges, who were holding a separate meeting in the Supreme Court along with the Attorney General, were being escorted out by the Army, which has entered the court premises. Several lawyers and political leaders have been taken into custody.
It is believed that an eight-member bench had termed the decision to impose emergency as illegal and declared it null and void.
All local news channels have been pulled off air. Mobile phones are being jammed and internet connections have been severed. Army has come out in full force in Islamabad and Karchi. Major roads have been barricaded and there is intense patrolling.
Big security build up has been reported in Peshawar and the Governor's house has been reinforced. Army pickets have been set up at important points across Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Benazir Bhutto is believed to be returning from Dubai for Pakistan. She had earlier stated that she lacked confidence in President Pervez Musharraf.
Reports suggest that the decision may have been provoked by an adverse judgement by the Supreme Court against Musharraf. It is suggested that a written judgement that invalidated Musharraf's eligibility to run for the post of President was signed and ready.
This would have forced Musharraf to step down as President and make a way for another candidate and thereby ending his tenure at the helm of affairs.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has refused to comment on the development. She is believed to have spoken to the President in wee hours of the morning trying to dissuade him from taking the extreme step but has clearly failed.
Benazir Bhutto, speaking from Dubai, has said that the emergency would not benefit the poor. She has also called for all the political parties to unite against the emergency.
Nawaz Sharif has condemned the emergency in Pakistan. He said that it is quite clear that Musharraf is trying to perpetuate his personal rule and called for all political parties to join in the fight. He termed the current crisis as the gravest situation in the 60 years of Paksitan history. He has also said that he would try to get back to Pakistan again. He said that the country is heading towards 'chaos' as he had never seen something like this in his entire political career.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has regretted the difficult time that Pakistan is passing through and expressed the hope that conditions of normalcy will return to Pakistan.
The European Union has condemned the imposition of emergency in Pakistan. |
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