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Musharraf pledges ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistani coup leader General Pervez Musharraf, ...more
Coup was to be expected, BERLIN, Oct 13: A former Pakistan Chief of Staff said General Pervez..more Pak PM ousted ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in ....more Pakistanis wake to quiet morning after coup ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistanis awoke to a veneer of normality today, with .....more |
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US Congman
for not WASHINGTON, Oct 13: Republican Congressman Benjamin Gilman, who is.....more Near stand-off preceded ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 : The Army takeover in Pakistan yesterday could have ....more Sharif given options ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan’s deposed Premier.....more
Pak Army keeps ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan’s Army has once.....more |
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Gen Musharraf pledges policies soon ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistani coup leader General Pervez Musharraf, hours after seizing power in an apparently bloodless coup, today said that he acted to save the country from ruin and would very shortly lay out his policies. Gen Musharraf, the Army Chief of General Staff, was fired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday without warning, but within hours had turned the tables as his troops swiftly took control of strategic points throughout the country. Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz, Chief Minister of Punjab province, were taken into "protective custody", a military spokesman said. Also in custody was Intelligence Chief Lieutenant-General Ziauddin, who had been named by Mr Sharif to succeed Musharraf. "I wish to inform you that the armed forces have moved in as a last resort to prevent further destabilisation," Gen Musharraf said in a speech over state television. "For the moment I only wish to assure you that the situation in the country is perfectly calm, stable and under control," he said. Pakistanis kept guessing Gen Musharraf did not provide any details on the Army’s plans for Pakistan, nor did he say what would be done with Mr Sharif. "I do not wish to make a lengthy policy statement at this moment. I shall do that very soon," he said. But a former Pakistan Chief of Staff said Gen Musharraf would set up an interim Government which would be in a position to sort out Pakistan’s problems and last about two years. Aslam Baig, on a visit to Germany, said the coup was only to be expected because Mr Sharif’s Government had mistreated the Army. "Musharraf will announce an interim Government which will last two years or so," Baig said. "It will examine the accountability of many of the leaders who are known to be corrupt and who must be called to account." Gen Musharraf was sacked while he was flying back from an official trip to Sri Lanka. He said the airliner, short of fuel, was ordered to be diverted to anywhere outside Pakistan, putting the lives of all passengers at risk. "Thanks to Allah, this evil design was thwarted through speedy Army action," he said. Troops stormed State television centres, closed major airports, seized other Government buildings and surrounded Mr Sharif’s official residence and homes of some Cabinet Ministers. Bewildered Pakistanis took to the streets in droves in Islamabad and elsewhere, but the scenes were peaceful. Shots were heard in an Islamabad suburb, but there was no confirmation of any clashes. The showdown capped months of tension with the military and political turmoil, and exiled Pakistani Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto blamed Sharif for provoking the coup. Mr Bhutto said Mr Sharif — her long-time bitter rival — sought to politicise the Army and the Army had therefore risen against him. "He has sought to dismantle democracy, he has been sacking everyone — the Chief Justice, the President — attacked the press, the foreign investors, the Opposition," she said. Mr Sharif gave no reason for firing Musharraf, but there has been tension between him and the military since the Prime Minister bowed to US pressure and called for the withdrawal of guerillas from the Indian side of disputed Kashmir in July. India, Pakistan’s neighbour and arch-rival, put its armed forces on high alert as word came in of the moves against Mr Sharif. The two nuclear-capable arch-foes and neighbours stood on the brink of their fourth war this year after armed intruders occupied strategic heights in Indian-held Kashmir. Other countries, including the United States, were quick to express concern over the situation in Pakistan, which has spent about half of its 52 years under military rule. Market analysts said Pakistan now risked losing billions of dollars in foreign loans which had only recently been revived. Speaking to reporters in London, Ms Bhutto said she would return to Pakistan if free and fair elections were allowed. Ms Bhutto, who has twice governed Pakistan since 1988, called for elections in three months and did not rule out taking part in an interim administration leading up to elections if the military rulers adopted a "moderate agenda" before a poll. Ms Bhutto praised Gen Musharraf, who served as Director General of Military Operations when she was in power, as a "moderate". The United States said Washington would seek a prompt return to democracy and there could be no "business as usual". "The situation is clearly fluid in Pakistan and it is clear that there are credible reports that Pakistan is now in political crisis," State Department spokesman James Rubin told reporters. Just three weeks ago, US officials expressed concern about a possible military coup because of political turmoil and Opposition demands for the ouster of Sharif after he ordered the withdrawal of the militants from Kashmir. Commonwealth secretary-general chief Emeka Anyaoku warned Pakistan could be suspended from the 50-strong grouping of mainly former British colonies if the coup reports were correct. Japan, which is Pakistan’s biggest bilateral aid donor, said it hoped the coup would be resolved peacefully. Pakistan recently persuaded international banks to renew 877 million dollars in lending, and the Paris Club of Western Donors to roll over 3.3 billion dollars in credits. But neither deal has been formally ratified and could now easily unravel, political analysts said. Also in doubt is receipt of a third tranche of a 1.56 billion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund. A spokesman said the IMF was watching the situation closely. (REUTERS) |
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Coup was to be expected, says Ex-Pak Army Chief BERLIN, Oct 13: A former Pakistan Chief of Staff said General Pervez Musharraf, who led an Army coup yesterday, would set up an interim Government which would be in a position to sort out Pakistan’s problems and last about two years. Aslam Baig, on a visit to Germany, also said the coup was only to be expected because Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Government had mistreated the Army. "Musharraf will announce an interim Government which will last two years or so," he said. "It will examine the accountability of many of the leaders who are known to be corrupt and who must be called to account." Sharif was toppled in a military coup earlier and Musharraf announced on state television that the army had moved in to save a deteriorating situation and had declared martial law. "What happened was not good for democracy in Pakistan, but the move was precipitated by the Government’s dismissal of Musharraf," Baig said. Baig, who is leader of the small Awami Qiadat Opposition Party, said he had spoken to colleagues in Islamabad and the situation was calm. "There is perfect peace all over the country. The present Government has not been treating the army well and the reaction of the army was not unexpected," Baig said. Baig was chief of staff from 1988 to 1992. He received a medal from then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto for restoring democracy after the death of military ruler General Zia-Ul-Haq in a plane crash in August 1988. Earlier this year, Baig withdrew his group from an opposition alliance in which Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party is the main force. The Indian army was put on a state of alert earlier but Baig said this was not necessary. "There is no threat from Pakistan," he said. (REUTERS) |
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Pak PM ousted by army, in custody ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in a lightning military coup and the Army’s chief told the country early today that his troops acted as a last resort to save a deteriorating situation. Sharif, his brother Shahbaz, who is Chief Minister of Punjab Province, and intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Ziauddin, were all taken into "protective custody", a military spokesman said. Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf swung into action against Sharif shortly after he was fired without warning by Sharif and replaced by Ziauddin. "I wish to inform you that the armed forces have moved in as a last resort, to prevent further destabilisation," Musharraf said in a speech over state television early today. "For the moment I only wish to assure you that the situation in the country is perfectly calm, stable and under control," he said. Musharraf did not provide any details on the Army’s plans for Pakistan, nor did he mention what would be done with Sharif. "I do not wish to make a lengthy policy statement at this moment. I shall do that very soon," he said. The General’s speech came at the end of a chaotic — but peaceful — 10-hour period that began with a Government announcement that Musharraf had been sacked while flying back from a trip to Sri Lanka. "I was in Sri Lanka on an official visit," Musharraf said. "On my way back the PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) commercial flight was not allowed to land at Karachi but was ordered to be diverted to anywhere outside Pakistan despite acute shortage of fuel, imperilling the life of all the passengers. "Thanks to Allah, this evil design was thwarted through speedy army action. Troops move fast. Troops stormed state television centres, closed major airports, seized other Government buildings and surrounded Sharif’s official residence and homes of some Cabinet ministers. Bewildered Pakistanis took to the streets in droves in Islamabad and elsewhere, but the scenes were peaceful. Shots were heard in an Islamabad suburb, but there was no confirmation of any clashes. The showdown capped months of tension with the military and political turmoil, and exiled Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto blamed Sharif for provoking the coup. Ms Bhutto said Sharif — her long-time bitter rival — sought to politicise the Army and the Army had therefore risen against him. "He has sought to dismantle democracy, he has been sacking everyone — the Chief Justice, the president — attacked the press, the foreign investors, the opposition," she said. While Sharif gave no reason for firing Musharraf, there has been tension between him and the military since the Prime Minister bowed to U.S. pressure and called for withdrawal of guerillas from the Indian side of disputed Kashmir in July. India put its armed forces on high alert as word came in of the moves against Sharif. The two nuclear-capable neighbours stood on the brink of their fourth war earlier this year after armed intruders occupied strategic Kargil heights on the Indian side of the military control line in Kashmir. Other countries, including the United States, were quick to express concern over the situation in Pakistan, which has spent some half of its 52 years under military rule. Market analysts said Pakistan risked losing billions of dollars in much-needed foreign loans resuscitated earlier this year due to the coup. Speaking to Reuters and other news organisations in London, Ms Bhutto said she would return to Pakistan if free and fair elections were allowed. She called for elections in three months. Ms Bhutto, who has twice governed Pakistan since 1988, did not rule out taking part in an interim administration leading up to elections if the military rulers adopted a "moderate agenda" while arrangements were made for a poll. "I have further heard that the ruling parliamentary party had contacted the Army Chief and offered him their support because they feel that Mr Nawaz Sharif was turning the country into a police state. "I don’t think the army has any choice but to revert to civilian rule because Pakistan is financially bankrupt, we’ve got a tense situation with India and we cannot afford an internal front," Ms Bhutto said. Bhutto praises Musharraf. Rejecting suggestions that Musharraf was an Islamic fundamentalist, she said: "he is a professional soldier. He is very courageous and brave. He is not a cleric." Ms Bhutto said that when she was in power Musharraf was her Director General of Military Operations, and she praised him as a "moderate". A professional commando and veteran of two wars with India, Musharraf was born in New Delhi in August 1943, migrated to Pakistan with his family, and joined the army in 1964. The United States said that if the military had staged a coup, Washington would seek a prompt return to democracy and there could be no "business as usual". "The situation is clearly fluid in Pakistan and it is clear that there are credible reports that Pakistan is now in political crisis," State Department spokesman James Rubin told reporters. Just three weeks ago, U.S. officials expressed concern about a possible military coup because of political turmoil and opposition demands for the ouster of Sharif after he ordered the withdrawal of the militants from Kashmir. Commonwealth secretary-general chief Emeka Anyaoku warned Pakistan could be suspended from the 50-strong grouping of mainly former British colonies if the coup reports were correct. The impoverished South Asian country finalised agreements with international banks earlier this summer for renewal of 877 million dollars in commercial loans and struck a deal with Western Governments to roll over 3.3 billion dollars in credits under the umbrella of the Paris Club. But none of the agreements has been formally ratified and they could easily unravel in the absence of an elected Government, analysts warned. Also in doubt is disbursement of a third installment of a 1.5 billion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund that was under scrutiny even before the coup attempt. A spokesman said the IMF was watching the situation closely to see how it affects loans and economic plans. (REUTERS) |
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Pakistanis wake to quiet morning after coup ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistanis awoke to a veneer of normality today, with the streets of the Capital quiet only hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in a lightning military coup by the Army Chief. Hardly any troops were visible on the roads, except those guarding the buildings and strategic installations seized on yesterday evening shortly after Mr Sharif sacked military Chief General Pervez Musharraf. Troops stormed State television centres, closed major airports and other Government buildings and surrounded Mr Sharif’s official residence and the homes of some Cabinet Ministers. But today calm prevailed. A few policemen were seen on the roads in Islamabad, where traffic was lighter than usual. "Everything was normal except for Army troops in front of the Redco building," said a witness who drove through the main commercial district of the spacious Capital. The Redco Building is owned by Senator Saifur Rehman, a close aide of Mr Sharif who is also in custody. Mr Sharif’s residence was still surrounded by troops. A crowd of 150 people, mostly employees, gathered outside the Cabinet building which houses some of the sections of the Prime Minister’s Office, but the gates were closed. A handful of soldiers stood guard inside. Waiting for more news small crowds formed at newstands. "There is still a great deal of confusion," one Government employee said after reading Gen Musharraf’s overnight statement, which gave no details of the Army’s plans for Pakistan. Gen Musharraf said he had acted to save the country from ruin and would very shortly lay out his policies. In Karachi, Pakistan’s main industrial and commercial hub, troops were guarding the main gate of the Karachi Stock Exchange, where trading was suspended today. A Civil Aviation authority official said international flight departures remained suspended after the airport was sealed off by the Army last night, but domestic flights resumed this morning. "A Jeddah-bound PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) flight was delayed for over three hours last night and finally the passengers were shifted to a hotel," he said. Officials at Islamabad airport said clearance had been given for incoming international flights. But services were heavily disrupted and it was unclear whether any aircraft had landed. (REUTERS) |
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US Congman for not resuming military assistance to Pak WASHINGTON, Oct 13: Republican Congressman Benjamin Gilman, who is Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, has said that the US Congress should not give President Bill Clinton the authority to resume military assistance to Pakistan, particularly in light of the military coup in which the democratically-elected Government had been dismissed. In a statement here last night, he drew attention to the fact that the House of Representatives might discuss later in the day today a report, submitted by representatives of the House and Senate, containing language which provides broad authority to the President to waive sanctions imposed against India and Pakistan for their May 1998 nuclear detonations. "Today’s events clearly indicate that Pakistan is not in the position to resume a full and complete military relationship with the United States," Mr Gilman remarked. He said he was concerned that these actions by Pakistan’s military, in addition to the recent Pakistan-backed militant incursion into India, would lead to further instability in South Asia. Mr Gilman he said Congress should not provide authority to the President which allows for the resumption of military assistance to Pakistan. The FY 2000 defence appropriations conference report on the subject should be modified to delete this language before the house considered the measure. "I am concerned that the resumption of US defence sales to Pakistan would only serve to assist those who are supportive of today’s possible military coup," Mr Gilman added. In a separate statement, Democratic Congressman Sherrod Brown denounced the Pakistani military’s ousting of Prime Minister Sharif, and called for the immediate elimination of a proposal to lift the current embargo on US arms sales to Pakistan. He said, the Pakistani military’s coup was a complete mockery of the rule of law. While hundreds of millions of people in India just completed their national democratic elections, the people of Pakistan had their Government stripped away without casting a single vote, he added. Mr Brown complained that American policy toward Pakistan had long been to maintain strong ties with its military "to guard our interests in South Asia." Just last week conferees to the FY 2000 defence spending bill quietly approved a measure that grants the President the green light to conduct future arms sales to Pakistan. "I agree with Prime Minister Vajpayee that this provision would indirectly reward the Pakistani military for its invasion of Kashmir last spring," Mr Brown said. "If we’ve learned nothing else from the cold war, arms sales to dictators do not benefit American interests or those of our allies, including India. Congress must not give the President permission to sell weapons to Pakistan or any other nation that denies its people the right to choose their Government," he said. (UNI) |
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Near stand-off preceded takeover of PTV: report ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 : The Army takeover in Pakistan yesterday could have turned out to be a bloody operation when a stand-off between security forces loyal to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Army was averted at Pakistan Television (PTV) building, a media report said today. A near-clash between a contingent of Punjab Elite Force led by the Military secretary of the Prime Minister and a battalion of Punjab regiment led by a Major was staved off when the first attempt by the Army to take over the PTV headquarters was foiled, English Daily, The Nation said quoting eyewitnesses. The report said a convoy of 15 soldiers led by Major Nisar stormed the PTV headquarters just before the 1800 hrs (1930 IST) English news bulletin and brandishing an automatic gun entered the news control room ordering PTV officials not to telecast the news of Gen Pervez Musharraf’s dismissal. PTV chairman Pervez Rashid, on being informed of the situation, rushed to the control room along with Prime Minister’s chief security officer Pervez Rathore and an altercation followed with the army officer. Rathore asked Maj Nisar not to interfere in PTV affairs as it was unconstitutional but he dismissed the plea saying he was simply following orders, the report said. At that moment, Sharif’s Military secretary Javed Malik came rushing into the control room and put a pistol on Major Nasir’s chest saying disarm yourself immediately, the report said. Jawans accompanying both men also aimed their weapons at one another and the situation looked getting out of hand but Major Nasir, sensing the gravity of the situation, handed over his gun to Malik. Other jawans with Maj Nasir were also disarmed and locked in a room and as soon as the PTV chairman took back the control of PTV hqs, the news of Gen Musharraf’s dismissal was included at the end of the 1800 hrs bulletin. The PTV management had hardly settled down when a bigger Army contingent forced its way into the building and immediately occupied it freeing their colleagues and ordering the shutdown of transmission, the report said. The transmission remained suspended for three hours and around 200 PTV employees were not allowed to move out of the building and were released only after Gen Musharraf’s address was telecast at 0250 hrs (0420 IST). |
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Sharif given options before being overthrown ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan’s deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif was given the option of recommending the dissolution of Parliament and announcing fresh elections under an interim set-up before his Government was overthrown by the Army in a coup yesterday, a leading newspaper said today. After the Prime Minister’s house was surrounded by troops, the Army top brass told Sharif that in the changed circumstance he should resign, withdraw his notification dismissing Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf and allow a new Government to be formed under a different leadership, Urdu daily Nawa-e-Waqt said quoting official sources. But Sharif not only refused to accept any of these offers but also refused to withdraw his constitutional decision to dismiss Gen Musharraf and insisted that after the issuance of his order, the sacked officer had no right to issue orders as an Army Chief. Sharif’s refusal to either resign or recommend the dissolution of Parliament led to the Army takeover and the dismissal of his Government, the report said. The newspaper also said Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) party was contemplating challenging the Army takeover at the Supreme Court and had already started spadework for it. Quoting official sources, the newspaper claimed after Army personnel took position inside and outside the PM’s house, all telephone lines were disconnected and mobile phones of the PM’s staff were seized in a swift operation. (PTI) |
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Pak Army keeps country guessing ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: Pakistan’s Army has once more seized control of the country in the name of stability, but a bankrupt economy and no hope of new cash will make it hard for the military to reestablish longer-term control. The nation’s Generals have ruled Pakistan for about half of its 52-year history, but this time they have not yet said how long they plan to stay at the helm, and significantly they have not yet dissolved Parliament. Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf, who led the coup on yesterday, after he was sacked by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said in a speech on State radio and television today that he would make a lengthy policy statement very soon. Billions of dollars in soft international loans, the future of democratic Government in Pakistan and relations with South Asia’s other nuclear power, India, and the West are at stake. Pakistan recently persuaded international banks to renew 877 million dollars in lending, and the Paris Club of Western Donors to roll over 3.3 billion dollars in credits. But neither deal has been formally ratified and could now easily unravel, political analysts said. Also in doubt is receipt of a third tranche of a 1.56 billion dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund. The third disbursement was under scrutiny even before the coup. But the Army has to do much more than soothe creditors. India has already put its armed forces on high alert and expressed grave concern about the events in Islamabad. The coup will thwart a resumption of peace talks between the two countries, Indian political analysts said. Only a few months ago, the neighbours stood on the brink of their fourth war after armed intruders occupied mountain-tops in Indian-held Kashmir. The coup in Pakistan is also likely to set back relations with the United States, its cold-war ally. At home, analysts also voiced doubts about the Army’s ability to tackle an acute economic crisis, a wave of sectarian violence and Opposition demands for fresh elections. The main Opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto appeared to welcome the end of Mr Sharif’s strong-arm Government midway through its five-year term. But she called for elections to be held within three months. "I fear that if elections are not held within three months the economic chaos will increase and the threat to Pakistan’s territorial integrity (from India) will increase with the economic chaos," she told reporters in London. But a former Pakistan Chief of Staff said Gen Musharraf planned to set up an interim Government that would last about two years. "Musharraf will announce an interim Government which will last two years or so," Aslam Baig told reporters on a visit to Berlin. The coup appeared to end a power struggle between Mr Sharif and his top brass. Mr Sharif had sacked Musharraf while the General was returning from a visit to Sri Lanka yesterday. Gen Musharraf took several hours after his flight home to make a broadcast and tell Pakistanis that the Army had acted as "a last resort" to save a deteriorating situation. But he kept the nation guessing on his immediate plans. Unlike Pakistani military interventions in 1958, 1969 and 1977, Gen Musharraf did not formally declare martial law, which would have dissolved Parliament and abrogated or suspended the country’s constitution, which does not allow any Army takeover. Mr Sharif could go to court to challenge his ouster, analysts said. He won a previous challenge to his sacking in 1993 by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan on disputed charges of misrule and was restored by the Supreme Court. But Mr Sharif later resigned in an Army-brokered deal for fresh elections, won by Ms Bhutto. A Pakistani President then had the constitutional power to sack a Prime Minister, but Mr Sharif successfully argued that the President had failed to cite convincing grounds for the sacking. But the Presidential power to sack a Prime Minister was removed from the constitution by an amendment Mr Sharif got through Parliament after he was elected for a second term in 1997. Political analysts said it would be difficult for the Army to get court approval of the toppling of Mr Sharif, when the constitution allows no such intervention. But Gen Musharraf can count on a campaign Opposition parties mounted in recent months to force Mr Sharif to step down. "The PPP expresses the hope that the military intervention will be only brief and steps will be taken to revert Pakistan to civil rule and democracy," Ms Bhutto’s party said in a statement. (REUTERS) |
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