Nov 13: The stormy nights are not yet over for Benazir Bhutto, as in a fresh order by Pakistan authorities on Monday, Bhutto will be kept in detention for seven days.
This step has been taken to stop her from leading a planned protest rally this week from Lahore to the capital Islamabad.
Tariq Azim Khan, the government spokesperson, gave intelligence data in favour of the detention that Bhutto could be a target of militant. He added that she will be prevented from leaving home if she will try to defy the government order to lead the protest.
After Generals announcement to go with the election earlier in January, Bhutto said the announcement to be positive but in a harsher tone she said that her negotiation with General has come to an end.
She said, “We cannot work with anyone who has suspended the Constitution, imposed emergency rule and oppressed the judiciary”.
She also conveyed her decision, “We are saying no to any more talks.”
Raza Zafarul Haz, Chairman of Pakistan Muslim League said that emergency has to be lifted for free and fair election, and also suggested to call back the judges who were fired during emergency.
He said that his party will decide in coming days whether to take part in election or not.
This is the second bid to stop Bhutto in organising a protest march, earlier she was stopped from leading a protest in Rawalpindi against Musharraf regime.
America ’s woes
The remote controller Bush has made it clear that he is not satisfied with his plan to go for election in January before lifting the emergency decree.
It also raised a question on the legitimacy of the election when all the political leaders are detained and when the whole nation is under the ambit of martial law.
Bush administration is trying hard to reach for an understanding between Musharraf and Bhutto.
America is also worried about General’s eroding base and increasing unpopularity of Musharraf.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “This is about the Pakistani people. And the United States has been dedicated to helping the Pakistani people come to a more democratic path.”
US has been supporting Musharraf for his support in a war against terrorism specially al Qaeda. But the distance seems to be increasing between Musharraf and Bhutto which is disturbing America as if they duo failed there could be upsurge of Islamic fundamentalist on the soil of Pakistan, which America has been fighting.
Commonwealth gives ten days to revoke emergency
In an another bid to save Pakistan, the Commonwealth Countries on Monday gave a ten days time to revoke emergency to restore the constitution and to step down as Army Chief or face suspension from its 53 member nations.
The other demands of Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) were immediate release of political leaders, human rights activists, lawyers and journalists, immediate removal of all curbs imposed on private media broadcast and create conditions for holding free and fair elections.
Michael Frendo, Foreign Minister of Malta who chaired the meeting, said, “The CMAG agreed that at its next meeting on November 22 if, after review of progress, Pakistan has failed to implement these necessary measures, it will suspend Islamabad from the Councils of the Commonwealth”.
" Pakistan will not be able to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGAM) on November 23 at Kampala,” Frendo added further.
This will be the second suspension after Musharraf coming to power in 1999; it was reinstated in 2004 but has remained in the watch list of Commonwealth Ministerial Group.
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