Saturday, November 10, 2007

Bhutto resumes protest campaign

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has resumed her campaign against emergency rule, following the lifting of a detention order against her.
Commando troops guard Benazir Bhutto's motorcade
Ms Bhutto has been moving through Islamabad under tight security

She joined a rally by journalists against a partial news blackout, and called for a fresh wave of protests.

But the former PM was stopped from meeting the dismissed chief justice, who remains under virtual house arrest.

On Friday she was briefly detained at home herself, and prevented from leading an opposition rally.

President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency a week ago, blaming militant violence and interference by the judiciary.

Under the measures, the Pakistani constitution was suspended, opposition supporters arrested, Supreme Court justices replaced, and mass public gatherings banned.

Curbs on the media

Ms Bhutto has strongly condemned the state of emergency.

She called on Gen Musharraf to step down as army chief of staff by 15 November, and to hold elections by mid-January as planned.

Benazir Bhutto addressing journalists in Islamabad 10-11-07
I request all segments of the population to join us in the struggle for democracy
Benazir Bhutto

On Saturday the opposition leader was allowed to leave her home - although the detention order she received on Friday was initially due to remain in force for three days.

She met officials of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and briefly joined journalists protesting against media restrictions.

Ms Bhutto said she was pressing ahead with plans to lead a protest march from Lahore to Islamabad, beginning on Tuesday.

"I request all segments of the population to join us in the struggle for democracy," she said.

Ms Bhutto also tried to reach the Islamabad home of dismissed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry - which is surrounded by police - but officers turned her away.

The BBC's Chris Morris in Islamabad says his role remains significant and lawyers are continuing to hold demonstrations demanding his reinstatement.

'Too vague'

Meanwhile attorney general Malik Mohammad Qayyum said emergency rule could be lifted within a month, as the security situation in the country was improving.

General Musharraf initially imposed emergency rule because he feared the Supreme Court might uphold objections to his re-election as president, our correspondent says.

On Thursday Gen Musharraf pledged to hold parliamentary elections by 15 February - a month later than they were due.

He also renewed a promise to quit as head of the army, if and when the Supreme Court validated his recent re-election as president.

But Ms Bhutto dismissed the general's words as "vague" and "generalised".

The authorities placed her under house arrest on Friday to stop her from travelling from Islamabad to nearby Rawalpindi to lead a protest.

The government banned the rally, citing fears of suicide attacks.


Main Source : BBC News


Have your say.


Can we still survive in our native land Pakistan ?



Dear Friends,
After our dear President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf imposed EMERGENCY RULE in the state, and many of the private channels and digital media went off-air, people of the nation were remained rioting on the streets. Was it really necessary to impose this evil, or it was just an act to secure his personal status.

It is time to awake, please do tell me what you think ?


I really don't know what is really going on ? please have your say.