BBC reports that President General Pervez Musharraf has declared a state of emergency in Pakistan Saturday evening and issued a provisional constitutional order. Under the order, the constitution remains suspended, the federal cabinet ceases to exist and judges will have to take oath afresh.
It is being said that military and paramilitary troops were deployed at all government buildings including those of Pakistan Television, Radio Pakistan and the Supreme Court. It is also learnt that the judges colony, where almost all Supreme Court judges reside, was surrounded by paramilitary troops.
Well, Pakistan is indeed a strange country!
Here is an excerpt from the news report;
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who condemned the moves, has been replaced and is being confined to the Supreme Court with 10 other judges. It comes as the court was due to rule on the legality of Gen Musharraf’s re-election victory in October. The court was to decide whether Gen Musharraf was eligible to run for election last month while remaining army chief. It is reported that fears have been growing in the government that the Supreme Court ruling could go against Gen Musharraf.
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 military actions.
While we’re on the topic of Pakistan’s Politics, why not enjoy this Video.
Read more on BBC about the State of Emergency in Pakistan.
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