State of emergency for Pakistan?
Updated on 09 August 2007
Is Pakistan's military leader about to declare a state of emergency as he did when he seized power eight years ago?
In 1999 Musharraf suspended the constitution and banned the Supreme Court from challenging his authority. Rumours today say that the General is considering a repeat performance given the external and internal threats to the country.
Last month's siege of Islamabad's red mosque exacerbated the volatile political and security situation. The government could explain a state of emergency by citing growing insecurity because of the threat posed by Islamist militants allied to the Taliban and al-Qaida.
General Musharraf sent troops in to the the red mosque - more than 100 people died. and there've been a series of attacks since, many of them by suicide bombers.
General Musharraf last night abruptly pulled out of today's meeting of tribal leaders in Kabul - sending his prime minister instead - raising questions about his plans.
The peace jirga aiming to combat the Taliban and al-Aaida as fighting continues on the Afghan/Pakistan border.
Last month - to great celebration - Pakistan's supreme court reinstated the top judge the president had sacked. Many speculate that general musharaff intends to use a state of emergency to shore up his flagging presidency - and that he may have american backing for a plan to delay national elections due by the end of the year.
