Pakistan's media slams Musharraf's "second coup"

By Simon Gardner

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Hours after Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule to the horror of many Pakistanis and the international community, the headlines said it all.

"General Musharraf's second coup."

"It is martial law."

"Draconian step."

Pakistan's broadsheets laid into the military ruler after he purged the Supreme Court and imposed sweeping reporting curbs that ban any coverage "that defames, and brings into ridicule or disrepute the head of state" on pain of up to three years' jail.

"Hopes that saner counsel might succeed in forestalling the extra-constitutional actions that had been hinted at ... were obviously groundless," leading newspaper Dawn said in an editorial.

"One wonders about the nature and size of the risk taken by volunteering for a pariah's role in the comity (sic) of nations," it added. "Wisdom demands the courage to withdraw an action that will embarrass the whole country for ages."

Private television channels were blacked out on Saturday and Sunday, leaving only state television on air showing re-runs of Musharraf's late night address to the nation and advertisements promoting the government.

While Musharraf cited rising militancy and "interference" by the judiciary as the reasons for opting for emergency rule and suspending the constitution, his October re-election still awaited approval by a hostile Supreme Court -- which he has now replaced.

"November3 will go down as another dark day in Pakistan's political and constitutional history," said The News. "This is one of General Musharraf's greatest errors of judgment and a sorry indication that nothing has been learnt from the mistakes of the past."

"Such acts are indefensible at any time, more so in this day and age."

Musharraf came to power in a bloodless 1999 coup, and his current term as President was due to end on November 15. The Supreme Court was still deciding whether he was eligible to run for reelection in October while still serving as army chief.

"He has sent the country into a tailspin just to save his job," the Nation said in an editorial.

The Daily Times went further.

"We have a state of martial law, whatever the government may say and however long it may last," it said.

"We should expect the lawyers, civil society groups and most, but not all, the opposition parties to launch a spirited protest on the streets and boycott the courts," it added. "We should also expect a surge of terrorist activities and bomb blasts by Taliban and al Qaeda elements to take advantage of the situation."