Update today: Massive crackdowns on demonstrators in Pakistan
Yesterday:
One of my friends came to me this morning and asked if I knew what had just happened in my country. Then I realized he had just mistaken me for a Pakistani.
Anyways, Pakistani president Pervez Musharaff has declared a state of emergency [click here for full text of official proclamation] Saturday night after suspending the country’s Constitution and firing the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhry has officially been replaced by Abdul Hameed Dogar and Pakistani troops have surrounded the Supreme Court and state-run TV and radio stations have been taken over. Benajir Bhutto has already flown out to Dubai.
Although Musharaff has claimed that the move has been made to curb rising extremism in the country, the New York Times article clearly mentions this is his effort to reassert his fading power in the face of growing opposition.
Pictures coming out from Pakistan show that the police has been deployed in large numbers in the streets and people have gathered outside to support and criticize the president’s move.
SAJAFORUM is posting news and updating them. Here is another constant update from a Pakistani blog.
Also, read Newsweek’s powerful cover story from last week in which it called Pakistan the most dangerous nation in the world.
Two years ago, then king of my country declared a similar state of emergency. I almost thought it happened again before I realized my friend had mistaken me for a Pakistani.
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