Pak moves to consolidate hold

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (Reuters, PTI) — Pakistan was today calm as the world awaited the next move by General Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup and vowed to save the country from ruin.

The army after deposing the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to consolidate its hold on the country by sacking all four provincial governments and its top brass reportedly opening contacts with certain politicians in an apparent move to set up a caretaker government.

Military sources said army Generals were huddled in talks at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in nearby Rawalpindi for most of the day, pondering on how to run the country after a bloodless coup yesterday.

General Musharraf met President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar today. His meeting with Tarar, the first since the army seized power yesterday, lasted about an hour at the presidency in Islamabad, the sources said.

Meanwhile, army sources said a policy statement, promised by the General in a nationally televised statement after the army moved in, was now expected tomorrow.

Earlier, there had been indications the statement might be issued later today itself.

The Pakistani army today dismissed three provincial governments in the country. However, the assemblies of Punjab, Baluchistan and North Western Frontier Province, all ruled by Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League, have not been dissolved.

‘‘The governments of the provinces have been suspended but the assemblies are intact, a spokesman of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ICPR), the army's publicity wing, said here.

The Sharif government had earlier placed Sindh under Governor's rule.

Meanwhile a former Chief Justice of Pakistan Sajjad Ali Shah's dash for Islamabad just hours after the military took the helm has ignited speculations over his being installed as interim Prime Minister a UNI report said.

Noted economist and former premier Moeen Quereshi is another favourite with the army, political observers here said.

Mr Justice Shah was brought to the federal Capital late last night in a special plane from Karachi. It is likely he might be appointed interim Prime Minister, the observers said.

Mr Quereshi, on the other hand, had already served as Pakistan's interim Prime Minister in 1993. He is said to have tided the country over its economic crisis during his three-month stay in office.

Musharraf, Army Chief of General Staff, was fired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday without warning, but within hours had turned the tables as his troops took control of strategic points throughout the country and placed Mr Sharif in "protective custody".

Billions of dollars in soft international loans, the future of democratic government in Pakistan and relations with South Asia's other nuclear power, India, and the west are at stake.

Musharraf's likely options are though to be a limited period of military rule followed by new elections or the installation of a hand-picked government to oversee a return to democracy.

Unlike the previous military interventions in 1958, 1969 and 1977, General Musharraf did not declare martial law, which would have dissolved Parliament and abrogated or suspended the country's Constitution which does not allow for a military takeover.

Mr Sharif can go to court to challenge his ouster, political observers say.

Few troops were visible on the roads of the Capital, except those guarding buildings and strategic installations. Troops held key provincial government offices in Karachi and were still in control of the port's airport.

State media said a bank holiday had been called, and the chairman of the Karachi Stock Exchange told Reuters the share market would not open.

Earlier General Musharraf declared that the armed forces had to take the action as a "last resort to end uncertainty and turmoil" in the country but gave no indication whether he would impose martial law or order elections.

In a much-awaited broadcast to the nation early this morning, General Musharraf said "For the moment I only wish to assure you that the situation in the country is perfectly calm, stable and under control".

In a veiled warning to India, which has put its armed forces on full alert following the developments in Pakistan, General Musharraf, (58) said "let no outside forces think that they can take advantage of the prevailing situation".

The Pakistan army in a statement today said the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after he "sacked" General Musharraf was "very swift" without any "ugly" incident in any part of the country.

In his address to the nation on Pakistan Television and Radio, General Musharraf said: "I do not wish to make a lengthy policy statement at this moment. I shall do that very soon."

"I request you all to remain calm and support your armed forces in the re establishment of order to pave the way for a prosperous future for Pakistan," the army chief said.

Claiming that the armed forces were firmly behind him, General Musharraf said, "Your armed forces shall never let you down".

He said the army had told Mr Sharif in no uncertain terms not to meddle with the army as the armed forces "were the last remaining viable institution in Pakistan". "Despite all my advice, Mr Sharif turned to interference in the army," he said.

In a veiled threat, the army chief warned "no outside forces" should try to take advantage of the "prevailing situation in Pakistan."

"We shall preserve the integrity and sovereignty of our country to the last drop of our blood," he said.

Western diplomats said General Musharraf was a pro-western pragmatist concerned over Pakistan's slow slide to bankruptcy, the erosion of civilian institutions and strains within the four provinces.

A former Pakistan Chief of Staff, Aslam Baig, on a visit to Germany, said General Musharraf would set up an interim government that would last about two years. ‘‘It will examine the accountability of many of the leaders who are known to be corrupt and who must be called to account,’’ he said.

Intelligence chief Lt-Gen-Ziauddin, who had been named by Sharif to succeed Musharraf was in custody.

Mr Sharif had given no reason for firing General Musharraf who had been on his way back from Sri Lanka, but there has been tension between him and the military since the Prime Minister bowed to U.S. pressure and called for withdrawal of Guerrillas from the Kargil in July.

MULTAN (AFP): Public gatherings, processions and demonstrations were banned today in a wide swathe of Pakistan's largest province of Punjab after the army took power, officials said.

The two-month ban was imposed by the local administrations in Multan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahimyar Khan and some other areas in southern Punjab they said.

Meanwhile, most of Pakistan's mainstream political parties reacted cautiously today to the military ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government.

One of the main leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Iftikhar Gillani, cautioned today against delay in the return to democracy.

The removal of Mr Sharif had been ‘‘right’’, Mr Gillani told the DPA here, but ‘‘as democrats we cannot support the means adopted for that’’.

The fundamentalist Jamaate Islami party expressed gratitude to the armed forces for ridding the country of Mr Sharif who it said had been out to damage the integrity of Pakistan.

In an emergency meeting, the party called for the formation of an interim government that could launch an "across-the-board accountability of politicians and high-ranking officials to purge the political arena of corrupt people before holding free and fair elections".

Hussein Haqqani, chairman of Urban Democratic Front also supported what he called a "clean-up operation" within the country.

Pakistan's military government today closed offices of various federal ministries to take into possession certain records to investigate charges of alleged corruption by the Nawaz Sharif Government.

Officers and staff of the ministries of finance, interior, the National Assembly Secretariat, Senate Secretariat and the Ehtesab Bureau were not allowed to enter their workplaces.

Other countries, including the USA, were quick to express concern over the situation in Pakistan, which has spent some half of its, 52 years under military rule.

The USA said Washington would seek a prompt return to democracy and there could be no "business as usual".

The coup could also endanger plans by President Bill Clinton to visit South Asia next year.

The European Union condemned the military takeover and urged an immediate return to civilian rule. "The EU can in on circumstances approve extra-constitutional and non-democratic means in any country and therefore urges the Pakistani military to respect democracy and the Parliamentary process," it said.

China, one of Pakistan's best friends, said it was very concerned and was monitoring developments in Islamabad.

Coup that was like Hollywood thriller

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (PTI) — It was like a Hollywood thriller — plenty of suspense and action. Except that it was for real.

The story of the army coup in Pakistan yesterday, as pieced together from media reports here, has all the ingredients of a hit movie.

Having decided to fire the defiant army chief, Gen Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took into confidence the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieut-Gen Khwaja Ziauddin. He decided to strike while the powerful General was away in Sri Lanka.

But the army top brass got to know about Mr Sharif’s intentions around 1000 hours. Lieut-Gen Mohammed Aziz, second-in-command and Musharraf loyalist, got in touch with his chief in Colombo first and then spoke to the civilian government urging it not to carry out its plans.

At the same time, General Aziz discussed the explosive situation with the head of the vital Rawalpindi Corps Lieut-Gen Ahmed Mahmood whose cooperation was the key to any army action in the national capital. General Mahmood immediately alerted his 111 Brigade to be ready for any emergency action.

While the army was planning its moves, the beleaguered Prime Minister kept the impression of business-as-usual by attending a political meeting at a village near the capital.

After lunch, he summoned Lieut-Gen Ziauddin to the Prime Minister’s house at 1540 hours and formally appointed him army chief after signing the orders of General Musharraf’s dismissal.

While these major moves were on in his country, General Musharraf boarded a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Colombo to Karachi, apparently unaware that his sack order had been signed by the Prime Minister with whom he had shared a tense relationship in recent months.

While General Musharraf was mid-air, somewhere between Male and Karachi, the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) made the dramatic announcement at 1600 hours that he had been dismissed from his powerful position.

The response of the army was swift and strong. General Aziz called an emergency meeting of the available Corps Commanders and Principal Staff Officers at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

After deliberating for an hour, the army decided to strike back. At 1730 hours, the 111 Brigade was assigned the task of securing key buildings, including the Prime Minister’s residence where Mr Sharif was reportedly closeted with the General whom he had appointed the new army chief.

As General Aziz gave the go-ahead for the operation, army vehicles belonging to the brigade moved into Islamabad. Trucks carrying troops descended on the Prime Minister’s residence at around 1800 hours, taking complete control of the building and cutting it off from the outside world.

Simultaneously, troops moved to other crucial government installations, including the PTV and radio buildings, residences of key ministers and the National Assembly building. The television went off the air.

Some 3,000 army officers and jawans were involved in the operation as darkness fell over Islamabad. General Aziz and other top commanders monitored the situation from the army headquarters, awaiting the return of General Musharraf.

As the General’s flight approached Pakistani shores around 1830 hours, the pilot was told that he did not have permission to land at Karachi. Instructions had been issued not to allow the plane to land at Lahore either.

At this point General Musharraf took a decision that had a vital bearing on the future course of events.

As the PIA plane flew over the town of Nawabshah, 200 km north of Karachi, General Musharraf entered the cockpit and asked the pilot to head back towards the Karachi airport, reportedly telling him, "I will see who stops the plane from landing in Karachi."

The pilot obeyed and flew back towards the biggest city of Pakistan. As the plane approached the airport, a stern General Musharraf told the Karachi control tower; "This is the Chief of the Army Staff and I am ordering you to allow the plane to land since it is running short of fuel."

The control tower yielded, allowing the aircraft to land around 1945 hours after a delay of an hour. General Musharraf was received at the airport by the Karachi Corps Commander Lieut-Gen Muzaffar Usmani. By that time the army had taken positions around the airport.

General Musharraf was immediately taken to the Corps Headquarters in Karachi without meeting his family members who were at the airport. He got in touch with General Aziz in Rawalpindi.

At this point, General Musharraf took personal charge of the operation, giving instructions from the Corps Command Centre in Karachi.

While this drama was being played out in Karachi, troops in Islamabad had put Mr Sharif under a virtual house arrest. A near clash occurred outside PTV headquarters when security forces, apparently the police, tried to take back the control of the building from the army.

At 1820 hours, additional troops led by a Colonel to establish full control over the PTV building were sent. Before they could do so, the news of General Musharraf’s dismissal had been announced.

Most telephone lines in Islamabad were shut down around 1915 hours. There was substantial movement of troops, but the situation on the streets was calm.

At 2000 hours, senior military commanders closeted at the headquarters in Rawalpindi held consultations with General Musharraf who was still in Karachi.

The transmission from PTV and Radio Pakistan was restored by the army at 2215 hours. Fifteen minutes later, PTV announced the Sharif government had been dismissed and General Musharraf would address the nation.

General Musharraf stayed put in Karachi and even recorded his address to the nation there. He flew to Islamabad only in the early hours today, just before his address to the nation went on air at 0250 hours.

By that time, the Pakistani army had taken control of the country. Mr Sharif, who had secured a massive popular mandate less than three years ago, was a helpless prisoner in his mansion.

PM concerned over Pak developments
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 13 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today expressed concern over developments in Pakistan. In a statement here, the Prime Minister said India was monitoring the situation and keeping itself fully informed. Stressing the country’s commitment to develop friendly and cooperative ties with Islamabad, Mr Vajpayee said, "India’s policy towards Pakistan is consistent and principled".

"We wish the people of Pakistan well. We remain committed to developing friendly and cooperative ties with Pakistan based on mutual trust and confidence, for which the Government of Pakistan needs to create the right environment", Mr Vajpyaee said.

Meanwhile, the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, said the military takeover in Pakistan did not pose a threat to India but the armed forces were on "extra alert".

"We do not visualise any threat except that at this point of time there is extra alert", Mr Fernandes said shortly after being sworn-in as Cabinet Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

In a reaction to developments in Pakistan, the Chief of the Army Staff, General V.P. Malik, said political instability in the neighbourhood "is not a good thing for our security".

"We have to watch the situation and have to be vigilant," General Malik said in reply to a question on military take-over in Pakistan.

When asked if he visualised any enhancement of military activities along the border, General Malik said " I don’t anticipate any serious development".

Air Chief Marshal A.T. Tipnis said the armed forces were keeping a watch on the developments and there was no cause for concern over the country’s security.

"We are on the watch. There is nothing to worry about", he said before going to attend a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The CCS was scheduled to meet after a meeting of the newly appointed Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said the situation was fluid and "let us see how the situation develops over there".

Asked why India was not condemning the military takeover in Pakistan, the spokesman said Mr Vajpayee’s statement was "self-evident".

"We are in touch with our missions in different world capitals including in Islamabad", the spokesman said adding that "everyone in our mission in Pakistan is well and they are monitoring the developments".

Asked about Mr Vajpayee’s reference to "right environment" in his statement, the spokesman said that in terms of cross-border terrorism, "our concerns are there".

CCS reviews situation
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 13 — The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today reviewed the developments in Pakistan in the wake of the military take-over following the ouster of the Nawaz Sharif government.

"We are concerned over the developments (in Pakistan) but there is no cause for alarm or anxiety", Cabinet Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters after nearly two-hour meeting of CCS at Prime Minister's residence.

The meeting, the first after the new government assumed office, was attended by Mr L.K. Advani, Mr George Fernandes, Mr Yashwant Sinha, Mr K.C. Pant, besides chiefs of the three defence services. Asked about the prospects of resumption of the stalled bilateral dialogue process with Pakistan, Mr Jaswant Singh said "it depends on how the situation there evolves.

Let it stabilise. We hope that the process of normalisation will take place at the earliest". The minister termed as "erroneous" reports in the media that the defence forces had been put on high alert. "There is no question of this".