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Musharraf Declares State of Emergency, Dismisses Chief Justice

Musharraf Declares State of Emergency, Dismisses Chief Justice

Nov-3-07 05:14 pm

Ousted chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, has become a symbol of the pro-democraacy movement that opposes U.S.-backed dictator Pervez Musharraf's rule

Ousted Pakistani Chief Justice Chaudhry
Photo--Faisal Mahmood/Reuters

I'm not sure this is surprising. The New York Times reports this afternoon:

The Pakistani leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, declared a state of emergency on Saturday night, suspending the country’s Constitution, blacking out all independent and international television news reports and filling the streets of the capital with police officers.

* * *

After Pakistani news stations began reporting rumors of an emergency declaration, independent and international television news stations abruptly went blank in the capital, just after 5 p.m. Soon after, dozens of police forces surrounded the Supreme Court building, with justices still inside, as well as the chief justice’s home. Later, they blocked the main roads in the capital, surrounded some independent television stations and disconnected phone service to the justice’s homes.

Under the emergency declaration ordered by General Musharraf, the justices were ordered to take an oath to abide by a “provisional constitutional order” that replaces the country’s existing constitution. Any justice official who failed to do so would be dismissed.

Seven of the court’s 11 justices who were inside the court rejected the order, according to an aide to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The justices called the order “unlawful” and urged military officials to not abide by it.

By 9 p.m., Chief Justice Chaudhry and the other justices had gone to their homes, where they were surrounded by the police and had their phone lines cut. Police blocked journalists from entering the area.

Several hours later, state run media reported that three justices who were generally seen as supporting General Musharraf had taken an oath to uphold the emergency measure. A pro-government member of the Supreme Court bench, Abdul Hamid Doger, was appointed as the new chief justice.

So much for the rule of law.

Musharraf's Proclamation of a State of Emergency can be found here.

Tags: rule of law human rights

About the editor:

Anthony Clark Arend

Professor

Commentary and analysis at the intersection of international law and politics.

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