The Political Inquirer

The “we’re facing terrorism” statement made by Musharaff in Pakistan this week is disturbing. George W. Bush has been known to say the same thing for invasion of privacy, endless war, and bigger government. Could this be his excuse for some sort of mini-martial law in the future? Time will tell.

Sky News

President General Pervez Musharraf told reporters his decision to dissolve parliament on Thursday confounded critics who said he would not be observing the constitution.

The leader, who repeated his plan to take the presidential oath as a civilian, said the specific date will be decided by an electoral commission.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed the move but called for the state of emergency to be lifted.

Sky News’ Stuart Ramsay in Islamabad said the January date was earlier than expected but there had been no formal announcement of an end to the current state of emergency.

He said the president was blaming the courts and senior judges for bringing paralysis to Pakistan.

Ramsay pointed out that General Musharraf, as army chief as well as the country’s ruler, had been under pressure from the United States to return to a path of democracy.

General Musharraf also defended the decision to remove the chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, accusing him of corruption.

Meanwhile, opponents of the military rulers could be tried for treason in army courts under sweeping new powers introduced by the regime.

The changes to the Pakistan Army Act allow military courts to try people accused of treason, sedition, or “giving statements conducive to public mischief”.

That could include opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who has said she will defy a ban on public gatherings and lead supporters on a march from Lahore to the capital Islamabad.

The president said he had imposed the state of emergency to help fight Islamic militancy.

The main targets of his crackdown so far have been his most outspoken critics, including those in the judiciary and media.

Thousands of people have been arrested, TV news stations taken off air, and judges removed.

:: Three Daily Telegraph journalists have been expelled from Pakistan because of comments made in the paper about the president.