November 3, 2007

General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, has imposed emergency rule in the country.

State-run television reported on Saturday that the country's constitution has been suspended.

Reuters news agency also said that Iftikhar Chaudhry, the supreme court chief justice, has been told his services are no longer required.

Musharraf is to address the nation later on Saturday, a presidential aide said.

The decision to impose emergency on Saturday came after an extraordinary meeting chaired by Musharraf which was attended by senior government and security officials.

'Cracking the whip'

Pakistan Television said General Musharraf, who is also chief of army staff, had issued a provisional constitutional order declaring emergency.

Justice Chaudhry and eight other judges of the supreme court refused to endorse the provisional constitutional order issued by the president, and Chaudhry was then told his "services are no longer required", private news channels said.

Private Geo TV said the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association has been arrested.
Several Pakistani television channels earlier reported the move to impose emergency, before being taken off the air.

Witnesses said paramilitary troops had been deployed at state-run television and radio stations.

They also reported seeing dozens of police blocking the road leading to the supreme court where judges remain inside.

Residents said all telephone lines have been cut in the capital Islamabad.

The Pakistani cabinet is scheduled to meet at 7.00pm (1400 GMT) and is expected to ratify Musharraf's decision.

Benazir Bhutto's husband has meanwhile said that the former prime minister was on her way back to Pakistan from Dubai where she had gone to see her family.

"[She's flying back] tonight, yes of course," Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari said.
A spokesman for Bhutto's Pakistan's Peoples' Party (PPP) had earlier said that she would not return to the country from Dubai.

'Black Day'

Kamal Hyder, reporting for Al Jazeera from Islamabad, said the imposition of emergency rule would dismay Pakistanis.

"There will be a sense of gloom tonight across Pakistan. People will not be happy because they were looking forward to a smooth transition towards democracy," he said.

"Instead what they will see is more draconian measures from a government which is losing support among ordinary people and the legal fraternity."

Amjad Malik, member of the Supreme Cour Bar association, told Al Jazeera that the imposition of emergency showed Musharraf's desperation to hold on to power.

"I think this shows how General Musharraf is willing to extend his rule. Since the military coup [in 1999] he has tried to intimidate the judiciary.

"He has now resorted to emergency which will mean human rights will be suspended and there will be further attempts to intimidate the judiciary. I think it is another black day for Pakistan."

The development comes amid increasing violence across Pakistan by pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters and growing political uncertainty over Musharraf's continued rule.

Large sections of Pakistani society, including lawyers, are opposed to Musharraf's rule and want him to step down.

His recent re-election has also been challenged in the supreme court.

Emergency rule could lead to the postponement of national elections, which are scheduled to take place in January.

Talat Massoud, retired Major General in the Pakistani military, said the emergency ruling would harm relations with other political groups in the country.

"What he has done today has destabilised Pakistan. We need dialogue as there is too much polarisation."