Coup leader named chief authority in Pakistan, declares state of emergency

October 15, 1999
Web posted at: 10:08 a.m. HKT (0208 GMT)

In this story: Army: Democracy still 'intact' Former president urges reform RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Two days after ousting the government, Pakistan's army declared a state of emergency early Friday, suspending the constitution and legislature and appointing army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf top authority of the nation.

"The whole of Pakistan will come under the control of the Armed Forces of Pakistan," said a proclamation released shortly after midnight. The document stopped short of formally declaring martial law.

Within minutes of the announcement, fighter planes were heard overhead in the capital, Islamabad. Elsewhere in the country there was no outward reaction to the announcement.

ALSO Text of the military emergency decree Who is Pervez Musharraf? World reaction to coup in Pakistan Pakistanis in America wait, wonder about future of homeland Text of Musharraf's address     RESOURCES TIME: Q&A With Amen Rais 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. Pervez 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 on the declaration of military rule in Pakistan Windows Media 28K 80K Correspondent Nic Robertson reports that despite uncertainty in the wake of the military coup, Pakistan's capital is calm (October 13) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

The state of emergency suspended Pakistan's lower house, the National Assembly, as well as the Senate and four provincial assemblies. It also dismissed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his Cabinet and advisers, leaving only President Rafiq Tarar -- whose duties are largely ceremonial -- still in office.

The proclamation said that fundamental rights had not been suspended and that the courts would continue to operate, but it made clear that the courts would not have the authority to challenge Musharraf's position as chief executive or to contest the state of emergency.

The move is seen as a key step for Musharraf in legitimizing his military takeover, clearing the way for Pakistan's Supreme Court to rule that his actions in deposing Sharif were legal. Many legal experts had said the action the general took in removing Sharif was unconstitutional.

It also puts the legal position of Musharraf a step closer toward appointing leadership for the country.

On Thursday, the army sealed off the stately parliament building in an apparent effort to stop a session of the parliament's lower house, scheduled for Friday.

The troops cleared out staffers and the few legislators who had shown up, then locked the gates. "They just told us to leave," without explanation, said one worker who refused to give his name.

In Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, dozens of protesters from Sharif's party, the Muslim League, held a short-lived protest to show support for the ousted government. But heavily armed police broke up the demonstration, arresting most of the protesters.

Legislator Ijaz Shafi of the Muslim League said most of the party's leaders had been jailed. The party "does not want a showdown with the army," he said.

The military has ruled Pakistan for 25 years of the country's 52-year existence, but it handed over power to a democratically elected government in 1985.

Pakistan's army said democracy was "intact" despite Tuesday's bloodless military coup. But the military said it was not yet ready to make a statement outlining its plans for restoring Pakistan's government.

"Important decisions do take time," said army spokesman Brig. Rashid Qureshi.

In Washington, senior officials said President Clinton was sending his ambassador in Islamabad to meet Musharraf to urge a quick return to civilian rule and to hear his intentions.

"We don't like it when military leaders forcibly displace elected governments," Clinton said Thursday at a White House news conference.

Sharif drew the military's ire in July when he ordered Islamic militants to withdraw from a disputed region of Kashmir claimed by both India and Pakistan. India claimed Pakistani troops aided in the incursion and the two nuclear neighbors nearly came to war over the border clash.

The last straw came Tuesday when Sharif announced he had dismissed Musharraf while the decorated general was out of the country. Within two hours of the announcement, the military had effectively taken control of the government, and Musharraf was back in Pakistan to take command of the overthrow.

Sharif was held under house arrest at his official residence in Islamabad immediately after the coup, but was transported to his hometown of Lahore under military guard on Thursday, domestic media reported.

An army spokesman said the military had amassed evidence proving the prime minister was engaged "in conspiracies against the military."

Pakistani life was essentially back to normal Thursday, with banks and the stock market open for business. The stock marked dipped 100 points early, but rebounded somewhat as the day went on.

World reaction continued to be largely negative toward the coup. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon warned that the action could jeopardize Pakistan's economic development, while his New Zealand counterpart, Don McKinnon, called the coup "a step backwards for democracy."

The human rights groups Amnesty International and The International Federation of Human Rights added their voices to the chorus of condemnation. Amnesty called for a thorough evaluation of Pakistan's human rights situation so that "all people in Pakistan can enjoy the full range of human rights free from discrimination and fear."

Former Pakistani President Farooq Leghari, who resigned in 1997 after a months-long power struggle with Sharif, called for the military to appoint a caretaker government charged with cleansing the country of corruption, followed by democratic elections.

"The military has an opportunity now to restore the institutions of state in accordance with the constitution and swiftly carry out accountability and return to good governance," said Leghari, who now heads his own political party. "I hope they would follow this agenda because that is what people want."

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

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