Pakistan, world await signal from coup leaders

October 14, 1999
Web posted at: 8:10 a.m. HKT (0010 GMT)

In this story: World calls for return to democracy Takeover 'a last resort' RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani troops and riot police stood on alert in Islamabad on Wednesday, but the city remained quiet as the nation waited to hear what steps the military would take to restore the government in the wake of a coup that deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The army, however, delayed release of a statement outlining its plans for Pakistan's immediate future, leaving the country without an official administration.

ALSO Who is Pervaiz Musharraf? World reaction to coup in Pakistan Pakistanis in America wait, wonder about future of homeland Text of Musharraf's address     RESOURCES TIME: A Strongman Shaken TIME: Can't Stop the Madness TIME: Nawaz Sharif on Pakistan and India MESSAGE BOARD: Pakistan today     INTERACTIVE WHO'S WHO?: Get more details on these key players in our interactive profile.   Launch it. Or, choose a quick profile below:  Nawaz Sharif  Gen. Parvaiz Musharraf  Benazir Bhutto Choose a key player above. GALLERY: Images from Pakistani military coup An interactive flashback to key dates in Pakistan's history    VIDEO Correspondent Nic Robertson reports that despite uncertainty in the wake of the military coup, Pakistan's capital is calm (October 13) Windows Media 28K 80K CNNfn's Lisa Barron discusses Pakistan's economy in the wake of the military coup (October 13) Windows Media 28K 80K India is worried about the coup next door in Pakistan. CNN's Satinder Bindra reports (October 13) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K CNN's Riz Khan describes how the coup took place (October 13) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     AUDIO Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Pervaiz Musharaf explains his reasons for the coup 267K/24 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto blames Prime Minister Sharif for provoking the military coup 216/20 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

"There will be no statement today," an army official said. Earlier, a spokesman had said a policy outline would be issued later Wednesday.

The Pakistani army swiftly took over Tuesday just hours after Sharif tried to sack his powerful army chief, Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf.

Late Wednesday, Musharraf met with Pakistani President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, whose post is largely ceremonial. The two discussed "matters of national importance," the state media said, without elaborating. Musharraf also met with military leaders, who had said the army was not prepared for the sudden changes resulting from Tuesday's coup.

Bureaucrats sat in their offices in most government departments but without their ministers, some of whom were under army detention. Some ministries, including planning and finance, were shut under army orders, government sources said.

The capital was calm Wednesday, although banks, the stock market and government offices were closed.

Nayyar Zaidi, chief correspondent of the Pakistani newspaper Daily Jang, told CNN that Musharraf's meeting with political leaders indicated military rule would not last long.

"I think that the news is they are consulting the politicians and the civilians," Zaidi said, "because one thing that General Musharraf carefully avoided yesterday in his speech was to use the word martial law ... which is normally used for such operations. So I think he wants to install a civilian government as soon as possible."

Malik Zahoor-Ahmad, a spokesman from the Pakistani Embassy in the United States, said the army's action was not really a coup.

"The constitution is still intact, the parliament is still intact, and ... if there were a coup the military would have imposed martial law," he told CNN. "The martial law has not been imposed and I think the military is operating within certain constitutional provisions. And there's a possibility we'll get back to a civilian rule very soon."

On the streets of Islamabad, many said they did not care exactly who ran the country, but wanted to know they could count on stability during any transition period.

"This was the only way to remove this government," said one man. "It was essential for the people, for the welfare of the country, for the welfare of the institutions."

Governments and non-governmental organizations around the world reacted to the coup with deep concern, with most urging Musharraf and his military advisers to quickly return Pakistan to democratic rule.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan condemned the takeover, and urged the military to restore civilian rule.

The International Money Fund warned that the Islamic nation could lose millions of dollars in desperately needed loans if democracy is not quickly restored.

The United States announced that relations with Pakistan would not be "business as usual" so long as the military was in control.

Britain, France, Russia and Malaysia joined several other countries in urging a return to civilian rule.

In India, where relations with Pakistan are a top concern, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in for another term and then turned his attention to the crisis inside India's nuclear neighbor.

Vajpayee said India was "monitoring the situation" closely. The Indian military along the Pakistan-India border was on alert.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars in their joint 52-year history, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir where both countries claim overlapping territory.

The military takeover began Tuesday after an announcement that Sharif was firing Musharraf, who was the prime minister's military chief of staff. Within hours, the army had shut down radio and television stations, seized Islamabad's airport, and surrounded key government buildings, including Sharif's official residence.

Musharraf, who was in Sri Lanka when Sharif's announcement was made, quickly returned to Pakistan to take control. Sharif was taken into "protective custody," along with his brother Shahbaz and a number of other government officials, the army said.

Sharif and Musharraf were said to have been at odds since Sharif ordered Pakistani forces to withdraw from the Kargil region of disputed Kashmir where they had been fighting for more than two months with the Indian army.

In a televised speech to the nation in the early hours of Wednesday Musharraf accused the Sharif government of systematically destroying Pakistani institutions and pushing the country to the verge of economic collapse. The final insult, he said, was Sharif's interference with the military.

Correspondent Nic Robertson, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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