President Musharraf’s decree

Why did President Pervez Musharraf declare a state of emergency?

The Pakistani leader cited the threat posed by Islamic militants who have staged a campaign of suicide bombings in cities and have been fighting government troops in the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan. In addition, Musharraf accused the judiciary of “working at cross-purposes with the executive and legislature in the fight against terrorism.”

Critics, however, said the emergency was imposed because Musharraf believed the Supreme Court was about to void his election last month to another term as president.

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What are the provisions of the decree?

The constitution is suspended. Musharraf has removed unsympathetic judges, including the chief justice, from the Supreme Court. Judges are required to take a new oath of office, swearing loyalty to the government, or face loss of their jobs. Fundamental rights are suspended, including freedom from unlawful arrest and detention, and freedom of movement, assembly and speech. Media organizations must adhere to a code of conduct that prohibits “ridicule” of the government or the armed forces.

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What will be the effect on elections?

Government officials initially said a parliamentary vote scheduled for mid-January could be put off as long as a year. Musharraf said Thursday that the vote would take place by mid-February. Critics question whether the Pakistani leader will stick to that timetable, and also say candidates cannot campaign freely while the emergency decree is in place.

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What is the prospective deal between Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto?

The two have not formally come to any terms, and Bhutto says she will not engage in power-sharing negotiations while the state of emergency is in effect. However, the broad outlines of the deal are as follows:

Musharraf was to have renounced his post as head of the army. Bhutto has received an amnesty against past corruption charges, though it was challenged in court before the emergency was declared. Bhutto wanted Musharraf’s support for a constitutional amendment that would allow her to serve a third term as prime minister. Musharraf would gain legitimacy through his association with Bhutto, whose Pakistan People’s Party is the country’s largest.

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What is the U.S. position on the unfolding situation?

U.S. officials brought Musharraf into their orbit after the Sept. 11 attacks by providing billions in aid to fight terrorists and beef up his armed forces, while urging him over the years to move toward democratic rule.

In the week after the emergency decree was imposed, President Bush and his top aides have exhorted Musharraf to reverse course, but also have consistently praised the Pakistani leader as a valuable ally. And although the U.S. has begun reviewing its aid, administration officials have defended their support for Musharraf and said there is no legal requirement to discontinue the assistance to Islamabad.

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What is the likely effect on the administration’s “war on terror”?

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said last week that the administration fears that the longer the internal problems continue, the more likely it will become that the Pakistani security forces will be distracted from the fight against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants. Defense Department officials said they had seen no sign of a letup of counter-terrorism efforts in the country’s rugged northwest region.

But even before the emergency decree, U.S. officials expressed exasperation with the Pakistani government’s fight against the militants. A 2006 pact between Musharraf and tribal leaders in the region had the effect of easing the clampdown on the extremists, and subsequent efforts by Pakistani paramilitary units have been ineffective.

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Compiled by Times staff writers Laura King and Peter Spiegel.