Phone Call Triggered Pakistan's State of Emergency
The Nation newspaper said a tapped phone call to a friend by Justice Chaudhry had led to the emergency.
The judge told the friend the Supreme Court would hand a verdict against Musharraf in the re-election case, the newspaper said quoting a government source. Chaudhry apparently said eight of the 11 judges were against Musharraf.
EDITORIALS FROM THE PAKISTAN PRESS
‘How will it help war on terror?’
Pakistan’s English language newspapers were unequivocal in criticizing President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to impose Emergency. The Nation called it a “draconian step”, the top selling News referred to it as "Black Saturday," and Dawn termed it a step towards "absolutism." Extracts from editorials:
"So we are back to square one. Back to October 12, 1999. All the gains over the years have gone down the drain. All this talk about the forward thrust towards democracy, about the impending ‘third phase’ of the political process and the lip service to the sanctity of judiciary turned out to be one great deception. The people have been cheated. In a nutshell, one-man rule has been reinforced, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel —- a tunnel that is dark and winding with an end that is perhaps blocked. The reports about emergency rule were denied umpteen times by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The denials were bogus. From now on it would simply be a waste of newspaper space and channel time if ever a denial by this government is printed or aired."
"In what way does the proclamation of emergency help in prosecuting the war on terror? Already, the President enjoys all the powers that a ruler could possibly hope to amass. We state emphatically that what has forced General Musharraf to declare emergency are doubts about the outcome of the Supreme Court’s judgment on his right to contest the presidential election. But we ask: can a general who does not enjoy the people’s mandate really carry the nation along and fight the terrorists alone?"
— Dawn Newspapers
'Gen’s gravest error of judgment'
"November 3 will go down as another dark day in Pakistan’s political and constitutional history. It can be safely said that this is one of General Pervez Musharraf’s gravest errors of judgment, and a sorry indication that nothing has been learnt from the mistakes of the past. The imposition of emergency rule and suspension of the 1973 Constitution announced on Saturday is only going to destroy the very institutions that this country crucially needs for evolving into a true democracy, particularly the judiciary, media and parliament. It will further fracture an already weakened federation, alienate those who have grievances against the Centre, such as the Tribal Areas and Balochistan, and push whatever little credibility the government had down a very deep abyss. Such a draconian step will also have little effect on our ability to fight terrorism and extremism. It would be fair to assume that the emergency has been imposed only to target two institutions —- the judiciary and the media —- but it may well have poisonous effects on another: i.e. parliament."
—The News
'Move to have serious consequences'
"General Musharraf has sent the country into a tailspin just to save his job as president by a process which the apex court was widely believed to declare ultra vires. The move came at a time when he was under immense domestic and foreign pressure to expedite the process of the country’s transition to democracy. This government having lost its focus on crucial issues should not ignore the serious consequences of the extra-constitutional measure it has finally resorted to. It needs to understand that despite numerous differences within the opposition ranks it is united on one point, i.e. any measures that are likely to lead to the postponement of the elections, suspension of fundamental rights or emasculation of the courts would be strongly resisted."
—The Nation
Thousands rounded up in Pakistan, elections under threat
President Pervez Musharraf tightened a state of emergency in Pakistan on Sunday, as police rounded up Thousands of opponents and the government warned it could delay key elections for a year.
Defying international condemnation, military ruler Musharraf on Saturday suspended the constitution, sacked the chief justice and imposed strict media curbs in the nuclear-armed nation of 160 million people.
Musharraf accused the judiciary and Islamic militants of destabilising the country, saying he had acted to stop Pakistan from committing "suicide" and appealing for understanding from his Western allies.
The government said Sunday that parliamentary polls scheduled for January could be put back, amid fears that Islamic militants may retaliate with further attacks and that tensions between Musharraf and the army could escalate.
"We are still deliberating. The parliament could give itself more time, up to a year, in terms of holding the next election," Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told reporters.
Aziz said up to 500 people had been detained across Pakistan in the past 24 hours. Officials said they included opposition leaders, rights activists and lawyers. However the BBC is reporting hundreds more have been detained.
"We are going to review aid," Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice told journalists during a trip to the Middle East.
"But we do have concerns, continuing counter-terrorism concerns, and we have to be able to protect American citizens by continuing to fight against terrorists," she said.
Earlier Musharraf, a key US ally in the fight against Al-Qu'aida and the Taliban, insisted he had no choice.
Police and paramilitary soldiers on Sunday set up barricades and unrolled coils of barbed wire to block access to the parliament, presidential residence and Supreme Court buildings.
Security forces fanned out nearby, setting up posts near the state-run radio headquarters, television stations and luxury hotels. Shops were open but traffic was thin and markets were quiet.
Pakistani media were incensed by the developments, with the Daily Times declaring: "It is martial law."
"We are heading for a very uncertain time because this coup will be challenged by political parties. This will also build strain between him and the military," political analyst Hasan Askari said.
Police arrested Javed Hashmi, acting chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-N party of former premier Nawaz Sharif, and leading rights activist Asma Jahangir after earlier detaining cricketer- turned- politician Imran Khan.
"It all depends on whether General Musharraf restores the constitution immediately and forms an independent election commission for the holding of fair, free and impartial elections," she told the BBC from Karachi.
Speaking later to US network CBS, Bhutto accused Musharraf of staging a "second coup" after first seizing power in 1999.
Musharraf's first decisive step after announcing the state of emergency was to replace outspoken chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, a thorn in his side since the general first tried to sack him in March.
The new chief justice, Hameed Dogar, cancelled Chaudhry's caseload.
Police on Sunday surrounded a compound where Chaudhry and other judges live. More than 20 of the 28 Justices have refused to take an oath to uphold the Constitutional Proclamation Order canceling the constitution.
Musharraf had pledged to step down as army chief by November 15 if he won the election and the court upheld it, but that now appears unlikely.
The White House called emergency rule "very disappointing." China, one of Pakistan's closest allies, voiced concern and said it hoped stability could be maintained. Pakistan's neighbour and nuclear rival India expressed "regrets."
Benazir Bhutto may head an interim government in Pakistan
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto currently holding intense negotiations with Pervez Musharraf to lead a caretaker government of national consensus, according to reliable sources.
Bhutto’s sudden dash to Karachi from Dubai soon after Musharraf promulgated emergency in the country on last evening, has mystified political circles here. On arrival she condemned it as a mini-martial law and asked Musharraf to reverse his order.
Knowledgeable sources here said both the Presidency and the PPP of Bhutto are engaged in intensive discussions on the terms of formation of the caretaker government. She insists it should be a government of national consensus involving other mainstream parties. She also wants its tenure to be flexible, depending on restoration of normalcy in the country that may take about two years, it is learned.
The talks are being held with the blessing of the Bush administration. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reportedly called Bhutto in Dubai soon after Musharraf declared emergency and reportedly advised her to return to Pakistan immediately.
Bhutto is conscious of the fact that her political position would be grievously compromised if she agrees to join Musharraf at this stage while he is wielding extra-constitutional powers. The emergency order has evoked strong reaction within and abroad. Lawyers and political parties plan protest demonstrations today from despite government warnings of deterrent actions.
Musharraf is also facing an embarrassing situation due to tough position taken by a large number of independent judges by declining to take fresh oath. The situation is very fluid in Karachi where more than 20 out of 28 judges have not taken oath and insist they cannot be removed because of annulment of the emergency by seven-member bench of the Supreme Court led by the Chief Justice within moments of announcement of the emergency on Saturday evening. With bar and the bench bracing to defy the government on Monday, a very dicey situation has been created.
Bhutto has decided to watch the evolving situation in the country before taking a final plunge in the proposed arrangements. She has expressed her intention to consult other political parties. In Dubai on November 2 she met with Senator Ishaq Dar, a top PML-N leader and close confident of exiled premier Nawaz Sharif, who is flying to Jeddah this week to meet Sharif. This was her first contact with an erstwhile ally since their rupture in July last.
Sources said the former premier was taken to departure lounge after landing at Karachi airport last night where a special plane was waiting to fly her to Islamabad. This was the time when Musharraf was bracing for his address to the nation that had to be delayed till about midnight because of hiccups in the talks between the two sides. In his address he was vague about future structure.
The PPP chairperson had flown to Dubai on November 1 while speculations of imminent promulgation of emergency were rife. PPP sources have confirmed that both sides had held preliminary talks on the contours of the caretaker government before she convened a meeting of the central committee of the party on October 31 evening after she was to leave for Dubai.
In fact she had to interrupt the meeting of PPP central committee to seek information from the Presidency that emergency was not being imposed that night. In the process the departure had to be delayed till next morning.