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Journalism of Courage
ISLAMABAD, OCT 15: Following the apparent refusal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to tender in his resignation, General Pervez Musharraf declared himself Pakistan’s chief executive and held the constitution in abeyance in effect putting the country under martial law.
Sharif is understood to have been shifted to Lahore from Islamabad, along with his brother, Shahbaz Sharif.
In an early morning announcement, the army chief declared a state of emergency, gave himself sweeping powers, suspended the constitution, dissolved the legislature and ended hopes of an early return to democratic rule in Pakistan.
“The whole of Pakistan will come under the control of the Armed forces of Pakistan,” said a proclamation issued early Friday on Pakistan Television and radio.
Musharraf held a meeting with top army brass today on establishing an efficient and impartial set-up’ for governance and ways to revive the country’s economy which is in shambles.
After declaring a state of emergency earlier this morning andassuming sweeping powers, Musharraf had wide-ranging talks with his top generals on measures which were being finalised for establishment of an efficient, impartial interim set-up which would ensure stability, credibility, transparency and accountability in running the affairs of the state,’ a military release said.
The bank accounts of all members of Parliament, “prominent politicians,” and their spouses, including Sharif and Benazir Bhutto have been frozen. Sharif’s son-in–law was arrested late Wednesday in his home town of Mansehra in the Northwest Frontier Province.
Friday’s proclamation said the country’s figurehead president would remain in office but be subservient to the army chief. Provincial and federal legislators were dismissed along with senior government ministers and the chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate.
While courts will continue to function, they will not be able to challenge the army chief’s position as chief executive or the state of emergency.Within hours of the armychief’s proclamation, key positions in Pakistan’s four provinces were being taken over by military officers. Official statements from the military carried in newspapers said army rule was “temporary” but there was no indication of when it might be lifted or how.
The new military regime has also rejected a plea by former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, currently in self-exile in London, for a safe passage home.The military high command rejected Benazir’s plea as a pardon for the former premier at this stage could harm its image of neutrality and credibility, army sources said.
The decision to impose full army control reportedly followed two days of attempts by the army chief to push Pakistan’s politicians to agree on an in-house change that would have seen the National Assembly or Lower House of Parliament vote on a new PM to replace Nawaz Sharif, ousted on Tuesday in a bloodless coup.
Musharraf met President Rafiq Tarar on three occasions to convince him of this move but with little success.
Thereasons varied from resistance from Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League to opposition politicians, who wanted Musharraf to promise to dissolve the legislatures and hold early elections.
Musharraf is said to oppose early polls amid newspaper reports that the chief is considering establishing an “accountability” panel to probe alleged corrupt practices of Pakistan’s politicians, particularly Sharif.The imposition of unfettered army rule came despite international appeals for a restoration of constitutional democracy.
Pakistan was generally calm on Friday with no protests or demonstrations.The public has generally welcomed the army’s move but observers say that the honeymoon period would be short as the generals have little breathing space thanks to the state of the economy.
In addition to international condemnation of the coup, the International Monetary Fund has suspended a $1.6 billion loan to Pakistan to press its demand for a return to democracy.
Economists say Pakistan’s battered economy canill-afford further delays in international funding. Its foreign reserves are roughly $ 1.5 billion.This is the first time in over 22 years that Pakistan has come under military rule. In 1977 Gen Zia-ul-Haq had dismissed the duly elected government of Premier Z A Bhutto and declared martial law.
Within hours of the army’s proclamation, army officers took over key posts in four provinces. There were, however, no indications how long this would last.
Meanwhile, deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his associates remained under detention for the fourth successive day today amidst reports that the army was contemplating taking action against those involved in large-scale corruption, in the first indication that sword was out for the former rulers.
Sharif is expected to stand trial alongwith former ISI chief Lt Gen Ziauddin Butt and PIA chief Shahid Abbassi for conspiring to physically liquidate army chief Musharraf while he was on his way back from Colombo on a PIA plane with 200 other passengers onboard.
As the PIA plane hovered over Karachi airport, it was initially denied permission to land despite an emergency with only seven minutes of fuel left.The others expected to be tried are Sind inspector general of police Maqbool Rana, Sharif’s principal secretary Saeed Mehdi and military secretary Brig Javed Malik. All three have been arrested.
Musharraf grabs all
