Emergency rules in Country
—PAF bus attack ultimate cause —Private TV channels put off air— Foreign Media continues misreporting —Constitution held in abeyance —Govt, assemblies remain intact
By Makhdoom Babar

ISLAMABAD—Continuous suicide bombing, increasing violence, extremism and judiciary's hostile attitude towards executive and Government finally prompted President General Pervez Musharraf to proclaim state of emergency, suspending the Constitution and issuing Provisional Constitution Order.
The Daily Mail has learned that Wednesday's deadly suicide bombing on Pakistan Air Force bus in Sargodha emerged as the ultimate cause of the proclamation of emergency as the authorities obtained some clues that foreign hand was involved in this deadly bomb attack. It is pertinent to mention here that PAF base Sargodha is Pakistan Air Force's main striking base and the Headquarters of PAF jet fighters F-16s. Sources have revealed that this development was very seriously considered and reviewed at top defence level and it surfaced a very vital factor for proclamation of emergency.
It is also learned that the court orders regarding the release of militants and terrorists arrested from Lal Masjid and other localities were also considered as factor and element that not only blocking country's efforts to curb and crush terrorism and extremism but were also enhancing terrorism and encouraging terrorists and militants. It is learned that a cold war, which was continuing between the top judges of the country and executive and administration officials as well as police was also thoroughly reviewed and discussed at the top level and it was concluded that this state of affairs was only jeopardizing country's solidarity and national sovereignty but was also putting the nation into acute state of disappointment and depression vis-à-vis strongly harming the national economy and foreign investment.
The Government also directed that the cable operators to put all the local and foreign news channel off air. When contacted relevant authorities said that the move was initiated in order to avoid sensational and baseless reporting and prevent state of panic in the country, which often occurs due to irresponsible and non-factual reporting on such channels. The sources said that such moves are very much in accordance with the powers given to Government in state of emergency.
Chief of the Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday promulgated the Provisional Constitution Order.
The Order, promulgated by General Musharraf in exercise of powers under the Proclamation of Emergency of November 3, 2007, may be called the Provisional Constitution Order No. 1 of 2007, which extends to the whole of Pakistan comes into force at once. Under the PCO, the Fundamental Rights under Articles 9, 10, 15, 16, 17,19 and 25 of the Constitution shall remain suspended. Vice Chief of the Army Staff, General Ishfaq Pervaiz Kayani and Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed met with President General Pervez Musharraf here in Presidency on Saturday evening.
During the meeting they discussed important National matters. Sources said that Gen. Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and Gen. Tariq Majeed assured President Musharraf of their full cooperation in maintaining law and order situation and to ensure civil rights of citizens of Pakistan after the declaration of emergency in Pakistan.
President General Pervez Musharraf said that government would not compromise in maintaining law and order situation in Pakistan. Armed forces will utilize all the resources for the integrity and solidarity of Pakistan. He also thanked the high level leadership of Pakistan for endorsing his policies by understanding the delicacy of situation. Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf has set aside the 1973 constitution and announced a new Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has been removed from his office. A seven-member bench of the Supreme Court has rejected the imposition of the PCO. The emergency bench consists of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Mir Shakirullah Jan, Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Ghulam Rabbani. The SC bench has given verdict that the emergency cannot be imposed and the PCO cannot be issued.
Chief of Army Staff has set aside the 1973 constitution and announced a new Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO). Chief Justice of Pakistan has been informed that his services were needed no more. President Pervez Musharraf will address the nation at 11:00 pm tonight, an announcement said.
The president will address the nation after declaration of emergency and will take the nation into confidence on the decision. Various political parties have condemned the imposition of the new PCO while chairperson PPP Benazir Bhutto has delayed her returning home. The PML (N) leader, Ahsan Iqbal told a foreign news agency that the entire nation would protest against the action of the suspension of the constitution.
He said that the imposition of the PCO is the extremely condemnable step. Spokesman of the PPP in the middle-east, Zubair Bashir told that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto would not go to Pakistan from Dubai under the newly scheduled programme after the imposition of emergency.
Benazir Bhutto has refused to comment on the present situation. Former chief of the Pakistan Army, General ( R ) Mirza Aslam Baig told Geo News that this emergency has been imposed by the Chief of the Army Staff and not by the President. He said that it cannot be immediately said that what would be the impact of such imposition of the emergency.
Senior advocate Ahmad Raza Kasuri, who is in New York as a member of Pakistan delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, on Saturday welcomed the imposition of state of emergency, saying it was in the interest of stability of the country.
“President Gen, Pervez Musharraf was exercising restraint all through the last six months because he was keen and honest to usher in complete civilian democracy in the country, but forces hostile to democracy and those who were planning to destabilize the country were active in placing impediments and obstacles in the culmination of a democratic order,” he said in a statement.
Kasuri said judicial activism was a welcome development, but such a course without judicial restraint could be fatal for the stability of the country. The courts, he said, have a bounded responsibility towards the stability of the state, and any instability caused by judicial activism could result in serious consequences.
“The president has taken this initiative in the interest of the country, good governance and to tackle the growing acts of terrorism in the country,” Kasuri added.