Pakistan May Declare Emergency Says State of emergency possible

[EV_Ares]

Updated 50m ago

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The government of embattled Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf said Thursday it may impose a state of emergency because of "external and internal threats" and deteriorating law and order in the volatile northwest near the Afghan border.
Tariq Azim, minister of state for information, said some sentiment coming from the United States, including from Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama, over the possibility of U.S. military action against al-Qaeda in Pakistan "has started alarm bells ringing and has upset the Pakistani public."

But it appeared the motivation for a declaration of an emergency would be the domestic political woes of Musharraf, a key U.S. ally in the war on terrorism who took power in a 1999 coup.

His popularity has dwindled and his standing has been badly shaken by a failed bid to oust the country's chief justice — an independent-minded judge likely to rule on expected legal challenges to the Musharraf's bid to seek a new five-year presidential term this fall.

The decision to cancel the trip appeared linked to the government's deliberations over declaring a state of emergency.

(((rest of article @ link below))))

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-08-08-pakistan-afghanistan_N.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I hope I am wrong but this is starting to smell

like hunkering down to try to prevent a coup

And if there is a coup...

It is a nightmare scenario

[KellyW]

2. more here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1547484

It is not that a coup is brewing. Musharraf is maybe facing a restoration of democracy in Pakistan-that must be stopped. And the court may try to block his "reelection".

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. takes me to this thread