BBC : Musharraf defends emergency rule

Musharraf defends emergency rule

November 4, 2007

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has defended his decision to declare emergency rule, saying he could not allow the country to commit suicide.

In a televised address he said Pakistan had reached a crisis brought about by militant violence and a judiciary which had paralysed the government.

The chief justice has been replaced and the Supreme Court surrounded by troops.

The moves came as the Supreme Court was due to rule on the legality of Gen Musharraf's October election victory.

The court was to decide whether Gen Musharraf was eligible to run for re-election last month while remaining army chief.

The BBC's Barbara Plett reports from Islamabad that fears had been growing in the government that the Supreme Court ruling could go against Gen Musharraf.

It is not clear whether the parliamentary elections due in January will go ahead. Gen Musharraf made no mention of them in his speech, but he insisted he wanted to restore democracy.

Suicide warning

Pakistan has been engulfed in political upheaval in recent months, and the security forces have suffered a series of blows from pro-Taleban militants opposed to Gen Musharraf's support for the US-led "war on terror".

In a lengthy televised speech late on Saturday, Mr Musharraf said the situation had forced him into making "some very painful decisions".

"I suspect that Pakistan's sovereignty is in danger unless timely action is taken," he said.

He insisted his decisions were made for the benefit of Pakistan.

"Extremists are roaming around freely in the country, and they are not scared of law-enforcement agencies," the president said.

As well as defending emergency rule to the Pakistani people, Gen Musharraf also appealed directly to his Western allies for patience.

"Kindly understand the criticality of the situation in Pakistan and around Pakistan. Pakistan is on the verge of destabilisation," he said.

"Inaction at this moment is suicide for Pakistan and I cannot allow this country to commit suicide."

Condemnation

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who recently returned to the country after years of self-exile to lead her party in planned parliamentary elections, was in Dubai on a personal visit when news of the declaration broke.

However, she immediately flew back to Karachi where she condemned Gen Musharraf's decision, saying emergency rule had been imposed so elections could be avoided.

"We the political parties are calling for the restoration of the constitution, and for the holding of the elections under an independent election commission," she told the BBC.

She said the international community should use its influence with Gen Musharraf to "press him on the restoration of the constitution, the reinstatement of the judges and the release of the political prisoners".

Another politician, former cricketer Imran Khan, said he had been placed under house arrest.

He blamed the increasing extremism in Pakistan on Gen Musharraf, saying: "When you stop all legal and constitutional ways of people challenging [the president], then the only ones who challenge him are people with a gun".

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the declaration of emergency rule was "highly regrettable" and called upon Pakistan to have free and fair elections.

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband also expressed concern, saying it was vital Pakistan's government "abides by the commitment to hold free and fair elections on schedule".

New chief justice

Gen Musharraf's address echoed the text of the declaration of emergency rule, which opens with a reference to the "grave threat" posed by the "visible ascendancy in the activities of extremists and incidents of terrorist attacks".

It ends by saying that the constitution is in "abeyance" - which, according to our correspondent, in effect means that martial law has been imposed, although there is not a heavy security presence on the streets.

The political and judicial core of Islamabad has been shut down, but the rest of the city is functioning normally, our correspondent says.

Shortly after emergency rule was declared, all private news channels were taken off the air and tough restrictions have been imposed on the media.

Statements that defame Gen Musharraf, the military or the government are prohibited and statements or pictures from Islamist militants are banned from broadcast or publication.

Our correspondent says it is clear from reading the emergency proclamation that the main target is the judiciary which is accused of interfering in government policy and weakening the struggle against terrorism.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and eight other judges refused to endorse the emergency order, declaring it unconstitutional, resulting in Mr Chaudhry's dismissal.

A new chief justice has been appointed, officials say. He is Supreme Court judge Abdul Hameed Dogar, a supporter of Gen Musharraf who was a member of the special tribunal appointed to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Mr Chaudhry.

Ms Bhutto's return from self-imposed exile last month came about with the co-operation of Gen Musharraf.

Our correspondent says that in the changed circumstances she will have to decide whether she is returning to lead the opposition against the president, or should wait on the sidelines in the hopes of securing an agreement with him.

Daily Times : Musharraf’s move ‘unprecedented’: Nawaz

Musharraf's move 'unprecedented': Nawaz

agencies | November 4, 2007

KARACHI: Exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that President General Pervez Musharraf’s move to proclaim an emergency in the country was ‘unprecedented’.

“Never in the 60 years of Pakistan’s history has any president done this. The situation in the country is alarming,” PPI quoted him as telling Indian news channel CNN-IBN in an interview.

Nawaz said that Pakistan was heading towards anarchy and described President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to invoke emergency powers as a form of martial law, Reuters reported.

“We are heading towards a chaotic situation, heading towards anarchy,” he said.

Oppose Musharraf:

He said Musharraf’s action would bring more hardships for the people of Pakistan, and appealed to the people to “rise against the dictator”.

He said Musharraf had taken away the rights of the 160 million people under the guise of the emergency.

“The people of Pakistan should rise. It’s time for the people to rise. They must respond to the call of duty. This is a great opportunity. If we let it go, a similar opportunity will never come,” he said.

Nawaz said Musharraf was “terrorising” and “threatening” the courts.

“His action speaks volumes about his fear that the Supreme Court might rule against him in a case challenging his eligibility to run for a second presidential term.

He took this action to prevent the SC from giving its verdict,” he said, adding that Musharraf’s action was another form of terrorism.

“The decision to impose an emergency is unprecedented. Never in history has such treatment been meted out to judges. Musharraf should step down today and pave the way for fair elections,” AFP quoted him as telling Geo television.

Daily Times : Lawyers will protest tomorrow

Lawyers will protest tomorrow

Staff Report | November 4, 2007

KARACHI/LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Lawyers’ associations said on Saturday that lawyers would observe a strike on Monday, November 5, to protest the imposition of an emergency in the country.

Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Aziz Akbar Baig said the lawyers would hold meetings and rallies to condemn this “unconstitutional step”.

Punjab Bar Council Vice Chairman Tariq Javed Warraich said the emergency had put the country in danger and lawyers would resist it at any cost.

Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) President Ahsan Bhoon said the whole nation would resist the emergency and the lawyers would never accept judges taking oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order.

Separately, the Sindh High Court Bar Association hosted a meeting in Karachi after the proclamation of the emergency. The meeting passed a resolution stating that lawyers were concerned over the proclamation of emergency in the country at a time when the nation was preparing to elect its representatives and the Supreme Court was about to decide petitions challenging Gen Musharraf’s eligibility to run for a second presidential term.

Lawyers elsewhere in the country hosted similar meetings and resolved to resist the president’s step.

VOA : Musharraf: Pakistan on 'Verge of Destabilization'

Musharraf: Pakistan on 'Verge of Destabilization'

By Barry Newhouse | Islamabad | November 3, 2007

Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf has declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution. In a nationally broadcast address, he partly blamed the judiciary for bringing Pakistan to what he called "the verge of destabilization." VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad that Mr. Musharraf's critics say the move undermines democracy and will inflame militants.

Hours after security forces blocked off key streets near government buildings and shut down phone lines and independent news stations, Mr. Musharraf appeared on state television to explain his decision. "Kindly understand the criticality of the environment inside Pakistan and around Pakistan," he said. "Pakistan is on the verge of destabilization."

The president cited rising violence from Islamic militants and a series of judicial decisions in recent months that he said have demoralized law enforcement officials, set known terrorists free and undermined his efforts to move the country toward democracy.

Mr. Musharraf - who spoke wearing civilian clothing, not his military uniform - said ever since he seized power in a military coup in 1999, he has been following a plan to return Pakistan to democratic rule. But he said the courts have undermined the transition. "Therefore I had to take this action in order to preserve the democratic transition which I initiated eight years back," he said.

The Supreme Court was expected to deliver a verdict in the coming days in a case that could overturn President Musharraf's unofficial re-election last month. Mr. Musharraf has sworn in a new group of senior judges, including a new Supreme Court chief justice. He issued a provisional constitutional order that suspended some fundamental rights. And a new press ordinance bans publication of news about terrorist bombings and material that disrespects the head of state.

Mr. Musharraf's critics accused him of seizing power because he feared the Supreme Court would rule against him. "What is going to happen in Pakistan is that it's going to head towards anarchy," said Imran Khan, leader of the Movement for Justice opposition party. "There will be more militancy in the country, there will be more people picking up arms because he's blocked the legal and democratic channels through which people could express their views."

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who abruptly returned to Pakistan Saturday after visiting family in Dubai, said Mr. Musharraf was imposing martial law, and Pakistanis would protest against it.

News reports indicate several of Mr. Musharraf's critics and political opponents, including Supreme Court justices and opposition leader Khan, were detained or placed under house arrest.

On Saturday evening in front of the President's House, about 50 protesters gathered at the police barriers, repeating a phrase frequently uttered by Pakistanis who are eager for the president to step down: "Go Musharraf Go. Go Musharraf Go. Go Musharraf Go."

Nearby security forces stood idle as the protesters chanted.

Daily Times : Opp vows to resist emergency

Opp vows to resist emergency

staff report | November 4, 2007

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The combined opposition on Saturday slammed President General Pervez Musharraf for declaring a state of emergency in the country and holding the Constitution in abeyance, and vowed to resist the “unconstitutional move taken by him to prolong his rule”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal denounced the imposition of emergency as “high treason” by the president and said it had been declared to stop the Supreme Court from annulling Musharraf’s presidency.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Liaquat Baloch also denounced the proclamation of emergency and the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), saying the move was destructive for the country. He said the president had taken the step to clip the judiciary’s powers. Tehrik-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan said the declaration of emergency would not help the country fight terrorism, but would push it towards a situation similar to civil war. He said the president had committed “treason” and usurped the rights of 160 million people for his personal gain.

He appealed to the public to come out onto the streets to defy a “military dictator’s unconstitutional act”. He urged political forces to forget their differences and rise as one against Musharraf. Babar Awan of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) strongly criticised President Musharraf for declaring emergency in the country and termed it an extra-constitutional move. “It is martial law in the garb of emergency, which has abrogated the Constitution,” he said.

Daily Times : Musharraf cites Lincoln to justify emergency

Musharraf cites Lincoln to justify emergency

Sunday, November 4, 2007

LAHORE: President General Pervez Musharraf cited an extract from a letter by 19th century US president Abraham Lincoln to justify extra-constitutional measures, during his address on Saturday.

Gen Musharraf quoted Lincoln as writing that though he had pledged to uphold the Constitution, he had to first preserve the nation, for without the nation the Constitution was not much use. Speaking in English and saying he had a message for Pakistan’s “friends in the United States, European Union and Commonwealth, he said: “Kindly understand the criticality of the situation in Pakistan ... Inaction at this moment is suicide for Pakistan and I cannot allow this country to commit suicide.”

Canada Watch : Martial Law

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