President Musharraf Declares Emergency to Safeguard Sovereignty of Pakistan and People

Amidst his own dislike, struck with grief, pain and sorrow, the Chief of Army Staff President General Musharraf on Saturday declared state of emergency in Pakistan, promulgating the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), and holding the Constitution in abeyance. This, he had to do, there being no other option to save the people of Pakistan from being dismembered.

Army Chief had to take this step to check worsening of law and order, and intensification of violence to an unprecedented level in Pakistan. The gravity of situation presented gravest threat to the life, property and repute of the people of Pakistan. Everything of this great nation was at stake: safety and security, human resources; gender equity; food, water and energy supplies; conciliation for democracy; unity and consensus; good governance; infrastructure; economy; health and education; peace and stability; independence and sovereignty; the very existence of Pakistan.

Pakistan is the second largest contributor of UN peacekeeping troops. It is dynamically involved in the activities of the United Nations, ensuring peace during conflicts and the post conflict situation in various countries. Pakistan has taken a lead role in piloting reforms at the country level, establishing one window UN operations.

Pakistan as the Chairman of G-77 group played pivotal role in ensuring that the UN activities reflect the aspirations and wishes of the developing countries.

Pakistan achieved record fastest growth of 7 per cent in the FY 2006-7. During his recent visit to Pakistan, Robert Zoellick, the World Bank President expressed his happiness with economic progress in Pakistan, and stressed the the need for consistency in reforms to help Pakistan compete world market.

Pakistan has also done remarkably for the implementation of the decisions of the UN reforms meeting of the high-level panel, co-chaired by Prime Minister Aziz, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Norway, and Luisa Dias Diogo, the Prime Minister of Mozambique.

In an extraordinary move, which many termed as supra-constitutional, the Army Chief promulgated emergency and thus foiled the conspiracy of some to dismember the nation of Pakistan.

President Musharraf, one of the most popular statesman globally, also referred to the “working of some members of the judiciary at cross purposes with the executive and the legislature, and thereby jeopardizing his government’s campaign for peace in the region, adversely affecting the economic growth of the country in particular; “overstepping” of some judges of their limits of judicial authority, making the Supreme Judicial Council entirely irrelevant, and “humiliating treatment” meted to government officials by some members of the judiciary on a perpetual basis. Though emergency, the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies, and the judiciary shall continue to function as before.

“No judgment, decree, writ, order or process whatsoever shall be made or issued by any court or tribunal against the president or the prime minister or any authority designated by the president,” said Section 3(2) of the PCO issued here in the supreme interest of the country and its people. The PCO Section 1(3) says: “Subject to clause (1) above and the Oath of Office (Judges) Order, 2007, all courts in existence immediately before the commencement of this Order shall continue to function and to exercise their respective powers and jurisdiction, provided that the Supreme Court or a High Court or any other court shall not have the power to make any order against the president or the prime minister or any person exercising powers or jurisdiction under their authority”.

According to the proclamation of emergency “gravity of the situation and the threat to security of Pakistan has been reviewed at meetings with the prime minister, the governors of the four provinces, and with the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee, chiefs of the armed forces, the vice chief of army staff and the corps commanders”.

In Pakistan the life is normal, people have heaved a sigh of relief, and the nation in unison is resolutely with President General Musharraf in his campaign for peace, conciliation and consensus inside Pakistan and in the region.

The global community needs to look at the happenings in Pakistan with a sense of brotherhood, understanding and cooperation; and not that of a burden of dislike, as the nation is passing through a transition period of progress towards democracy.