Musharraf rules out state of emergency in Pakistan

Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, has decided not to impose a state of emergency, a government spokesman said on Aug. 9, cooling frenzied speculation that an authoritarian crackdown was imminent. "There will definitely be no emergency imposed," said Tariq Azim, the deputy minister for information. "It had been considered but now it will not happen." His statement was echoed by several of Musharraf's political lieutenants -- even those who had started the rumors earlier in the day. The night before, Azim said the beleaguered president was considering emergency rule to counter a range of "internal and external threats" ranging from Islamic fundamentalist militants to hawkish statements by the United States. The ensuing wave of speculation alarmed Pakistanis and the government's foreign allies. The Karachi stock market tumbled as ordinary Pakistanis apprehensively read newspaper headlines such as "Emergency looms on the horizon." The news headlined international news channels. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Musharraf at 2am Pakistani time for a long conversation on the issue. But by evening, government ministers were scrambling to pour cold water on the speculation. After speaking to Musharraf by phone the information minister, Muhammad Ali Durrani, said there had been "suggestions from the ruling coalition and other political entities" to impose a state of emergency. But, he said, "ultimately it was decided that this is not the time." Speculation about a state of emergency was first sparked by Musharraf's absence from a landmark peace conference in Kabul, which he was supposed to open with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, on the morning of Aug. 9.