Pakistan 'could declare state of emergency'

A state of emergency could be declared in Pakistan because of “external and internal threats” and deteriorating law and order in the volatile north-west near the Afghan border, the government said today.

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 US military action against al Qaida in Pakistan “has started alarm bells ringing and has upset the Pakistani public.”

But it appeared the motivation for an emergency declaration would be the domestic political woes of embattled Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, a key ally in the US 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 Musharraf’s bid to seek a new five-year presidential term.

The government’s comments on a possible emergency declaration came hours after Musharraf abruptly announced he was cancelling a planned trip to Kabul, Afghanistan, today to attend a US-backed tribal peace council aimed at curtailing cross-border militancy by the Taliban and al-Qaida.

During a state of emergency, the government can restrict the freedom to move, rally, engage in political activities or form groups and impose other limits such as restricting the parliament’s right to make laws or even dissolving parliament.

“These are only unconfirmed reports although the possibility of imposition of emergency cannot be ruled out and has recently been talked about and discussed, keeping in mind some external and internal threats and the law and order situation,” Azim told The Associated Press.

“We hope that it does not happen. But we are going through difficult circumstances so the possibility of an emergency cannot be ruled out,” he said.

Azim referred to recent Pakistani military action against militants in north-western border areas that he said had resulted in the deaths of many soldiers.

No announcement had been made by daybreak today. Legal experts and security officials began arriving at Musharraf’s office in the capital, Islamabad, at midmorning local time for meetings on the issue, a presidential aide said. Attorney General Malik Abdul Qayyum said he had been summoned to meet Musharraf later today, but he had not been told the reason.