Musharraf Declares Martial Law

Breaking news out of Pakistan today.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule, state-run TV has said, amid reports that police have surrounded the Supreme Court.

Judges are believed to be inside the building in Islamabad, reports say.
Troops have been deployed inside state-run TV and radio stations, while independent channels have gone off air.

Gen Musharraf is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on whether he was eligible to run for re-election last month while remaining army chief.

Pakistan has been engulfed in political upheaval in recent months, and the security forces have suffered a series of blows from pro-Taleban militants opposed to Gen Musharraf's support for the US-led "war on terror".

Just yesterday the US made it clear through Secretary of State Rice and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen that the we opposed this sort of action. While we have be displeased with this development, it’s not like we are looking forward to what might come after Musharraf, unless it involves working out a power sharing with Benazir Bhutto, but she’s apparently out of the country and not likely to return soon.

This type of action isn’t new to Pakistan, it’s how our ‘friend’ Musharraf originally came to power in 1999, Now mix in all the post 9/11 issues, the rise of militant Islamists Pakistan and of course their nuclear arsenal, this is somewhat uncharted territory.

UPDATE

From Hot Air (which has continuing coverage):

Bhutto did return from Dubai despite the earlier article but she’s apparently being held on her plane while the government decides what to do with her.

posted by DrewM. at 11:01 AM

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