Pakistan’s Musharraf Declares State of Emergency
BBC
Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule and suspended the country’s constitution. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has been replaced and the Supreme Court surrounded by troops, who also entered state-run TV and radio stations. Gen Musharraf defended his actions in a national address, saying he was curbing a rise in extremism in Pakistan.
Well not entirely, just major parts of the Constitution.
The left will love this part:
The moves come as the Supreme Court was due to rule on the legality of Gen Musharraf’s October election victory.
AP -
Seven of the 18 Supreme Court judges immediately condemned the emergency, which suspended the current constitution. Police blocked entry to the Supreme Court building and later took the chief justice and other judges away in a convoy, witnesses said.
…
Sounds like what needs to be done with some in the 9th Circuit and elsewhere.
A copy of the emergency order obtained by The Associated Press justified the declaration on the grounds that “some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive” and “weakening the government’s resolve” to fight terrorism.
That too could be said of the judiciary and political parties in at least a few other countries.
SkyNews
He said: “Pakistan is at the point of destabilization. I personally with all my conviction and with all the facts available to me consider that inaction at this moment is suicide for Pakistan and I cannot allow this country to commit suicide.
“Therefore I had to take this action in order to preserve the democratic transition I initiated eight years back.”
The Bush and Brown administrations says they are “deeply concerned”, providing the understatement of the day. I have to wonder if some aren’t some quietly relieved.
The PakistaniTribune has more details on the Provisional Constitutional Order, and what articles of the 1973 Constitution have been suspended. Looking up a few of those listed gave me this list:
Equality of citizens
Freedom of speech
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of association
Freedom of movement
Safeguards as to arrest and detention
Security of person - (No person shall be deprived of life or liberty save in accordance with law)
What about articles 2 and 31 that deal with the Islamic nature of the nation? Those stay of course.
— KnightHawk