The saga of coup and emergency By Amir Wasim | - TopicsExpress

The saga of coup and emergency By Amir Wasim | 6/25/2013 12:00:00 AM ISLAMABAD, June 24: The country witnessed a number of dramatic events after former military ruler Pervez Musharraf called Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to the Army House and made him dysfunctional on March 9, 2007. This act of Musharrafsparked an unprecedented lawyers` movement and subsequently imposition of emergency on Nov 3. On July 20, a 13-judge full bench of the SC reinstated CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry, sparking celebrations across the country. The lawyers observed a Thanksgiving Dayon July 23 and vowed to continue their struggle till the removal of President Pervez Musharraf. The following is the chronology of major events that took place after Gen Musharraf`s takeover on Oct 12, 1999 and imposition of emergency on Nov 3, 2007.Oct 12, 1999, coup and after... October 12, 1999 • Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sacks COAS Gen Pervez Musharraf. Appoints ISI chief Gen Khwaja Ziauddin as new army chief. • The army topples Nawaz govt. Seizes power. Nawaz, Shahbaz, other government leaders in detention. • Gen Musharraf returns from Sri Lanka trip. Justifies coup as the last resort to `prevent any further destabilisation`. Declares himself chief executive of Pakistan. Oct 13 • Gen Musharraf meets President Rafiq Tarar. Oct 14 • Assemblies, Senate suspended. Constitution put in abeyance. Whole country given under the control of the army. • President Tarar to continue in office. Oct 30 • Musharraf hints at holding referendum to legitimise his rule. Nov 1 • Nawaz, Shahbaz, many others booked for hijacking Musharraf`s plane, terrorism. Nov 25 • Nawaz accuses Musharraf of being vindictive, having personal vendetta. Feb 6, 2000 • Nawaz, Benazir never to be given power again: Musharraf Feb 22 • Judiciary will continue to work independently: Musharraf March 8 • Nawaz tells anti-terrorism court that his ouster was linked to differences on Kargil crisis. April 6 • Nawaz convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment in Musharraf plane hijacking case. June 25 • Musharraf government unveils constitutional amendment package. Parliament`s powers curtailed. President`s powers under 58-2(b) restored. • Gen Musharraf issues Provisional Constitution Order (PCO). All judges to take fresh oath under PCO. June 26 • Eighty-nine of 102 superior court judges take fresh oath. • Chief Justice of Pakistan, Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, among those who refuse to take fresh oath under PCO. • All four high court chief justices, Justice Rashid Aziz Khan (LHC), Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui (SHC), Justice Mian Mohammed Ajmal (PHC), and Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry (BHC) among 89 who take oath under PCO. Justice Irshan Hasan Khan installed as the new CJP June 27 • Deposed CJP Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui declares fresh oath as violation of constitution June 20, 2001 • Gen Musharraf forces President Tarar to step down. Takes over as the President of Pakistan. Dissolves all the assemblies.November 2007 emergency November 3, 2007 • President Musharraf, in his capacity as the COAS, imposes a state of emergency in the country. • New Provisional Constitution Order issued, putting constitution in `abeyance`. Seven articles of constitution relating to fundamental rights suspended. • President says he acted after consultations with the PM, corps commanders. • Lawyers, opposition declare the move `virtual martial law`. Many leading lawyers arrested. • Local and foreign news channels go off air on government`s order. • Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was reinstated on July 20, removed along with several other judges. All placed under house arrest. • Before their detention, CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry and a 7-member bench headed by him issue an order to reject PCO and restrain COAS, president, PM and corps commanders from any unconstitutional action. Nov 4 • CM Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi justifies emergency rule. Nov 5 • Benazir Bhutto condemns emergency, rules out talks with Musharraf. • Newly appointed CJP Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar says no restraining order issued by any SC bench. Nov 6 • PM Shaukat Aziz justifies emergency rule; says elections will be held on time. Nov 12 • Minister Sheikh Rasheed says Article 582(b) to remain forever. Nov 14 • COAS asks Supreme Court to validate emergency, PCO. Nov 15 • COAS Musharraf authorises President Musharraf to lift emergency. Nov 22 • An SC bench headed by CJ Dogar rejects petitions challenging Musharraf`s candidature in presidential elections. Nov 28 • Gen Musharraf doffs military uniform, takes oath as civilian president. Dec 14 • Emergency lifted, PCO withdrawn. Dec 15 • President Musharraf further amends constitution through Article 270(AAA) to indemnify his emergency order.