I just don't see the story here. There's absolutely nothing in Islam about democrocy, why do we continue to insist in the West that muslims want democrecy when all the evidence is that they don't. Islamic goverment revolves around a single man (man not woman) dictatorship called a caliphite. If that what they want we should let them have it. Its much easier to deal with a single person then a whole goverment.

Peter, London, Surrey

k.j. kirmani, karachi, sind/Pakistan:

Don't worry about the "mankind"! Islamic extremists and terrorists nurtured, trained and dispatched to various nations from Pakistan are the major threats to mankind!

DKU, Mumbai, India

Its time that people stop blaming the u.s. for all the world's problems. Yes, it works with the country to fight terror, by providing funding, but has limited influence on internal affairs. While from the outside looking in, it appears to be a bad move on his part, but I don't live there, an his experiences apparently tells him this is what is necessary. Many thought that Saddam was a tyriant, but apparently he knew what was necessary to keep the country together and functioning, where now people are killing each other over religion. Maybe, he see's the same thing happening here. I think other countries should stay out of this, an allow them to sort this out themselves.

marc, new york,

Dictator Musharaf is a gift from West and USA. We as a nation have no say infront of money and weapons supplied to these generals to highjack the whole nation. I just want to quote one example of East Timor where west and USA pressurize Army Generals to restore democracy and now what is happening in my country. It is all for the sake of POWER. Suicidal Bombers are sponsored by the Generals to prolonge ....

Khalid, Lahore, Pakistan

Musharraf is alredy Chief Of The Army Staff,C IN C of the Armed Forces,Chairman National Securtiy Council and an absolutely powerful President.How will promulgation of virtual martial law help him in resolving the law and order situation in which large parts of territory have been ceded to Islamic Mujahideen in Waziristan and Swat?(These Mujahideen had been organized,trained and supplied by his army for providing styrategic depth in Afghanistan and bleeding India white in Kashmir.)
His real problem was the Supreme Court,which had been tenaciously pursuing the cases of human rights abuses,including diappearance of hundreds of political activists by his ISI etc.who denied that these unfortunate undesirables even existed.The Supreme Court was also about to announce its verdict on the legitimacy of Musharraf's qualification and eligibility to contest the office of President.
Such a pity that the West embraces tyrants like Hosni Mubarak and Musharraf throwing their people to the wolves.

Afzal A. Neseem, Lincoln, Nebraska

History has shown that a diverse tribalistic nation can only be ruled with an a 'stick' as opposed to a 'carrot in the form of democracy.

The so called 'democratically elected' leaders of Pakistan have only used their tenure as a tool to fill up their coffers with national assets vis a vie the corruption charges levied against bhutto and sharif.

It is a desparate act of a dwindling man however as a soldier and a true defender of the country he knows far better the quandry that can befall upon Pakistan than so called civvies, it is a very demanding balancing act that musharraf has had to do and this is the last play of his hand.

I fear for the country and the region if it gets even worse with his imminent departure as bhutto will only repeat her asset stripping execercises again and leave the country in an even worse condition than it currently is in.

Ishtaq Husssain, northants, england

Hope of democracy seems crumbling in most South Asian countries - Pakistan, Burma, Bangladesh etc. It only highlights how creditable has been India's perfromance to offer a near perfect (if not perfect) democracy in similar socio-cultural environment.

Add to it the 9% economic growth being currently achieved without the need for authoritarian regime like China and it seems to look like a great achievement.

Sat, London,

Less than century Ago , blacks didnt have equal rights and US and British who now claims to be buddy buddy killed each other..remember those red coats... but we seem to forget the past when its convenient... Point is that democracy that we injoy in the west took centuries and even to this day electoral college is disgrace to the real democracy yet we are too quick to pass judgements on other countries.. We need Musharraf for our national interests, but when he takes some action in their national interests, we dont like it 'caz it goes against our idealist beliefs... when we endorse torture in military prisons, its time of war and any thing goes so personally I believe that unless WE the civilized countries of the world get rid of double standards, we should not expect the real change in the world.. Situation is by no means the ideal in Pakistan but realities are always different the perceptions and all we need is lil bit of honesty and CONSCIENCE!! question is do we have any?

Alex, Chicago, USA

Nothing more than a tin pot despotic dictator, who has got it into his head, only he knows what is good got Pakistan. He let the militants rule for his own power, and now uses them as then excuse. The sooner he goes the better. He criticises the judges and media - the hall marks of despots. Go Musharraf go, and take Nawaz and Benazir and the Chaudharies with you. The General is going to create the break up of Pakistan.

Shaffiq Mahmood, Halifax, UK

The President has made the correct decision. Pakistan has been rapidly spiraling into anarchy over the past year. In the past few months, suicide bombings have been taken place regularly all across the country. Even the Red Mosque has been taken over again by Muslim militants who claim to be responsible for security at the mosque. The even have a website: www.lalmasjid.com (warning: graphic content). Pakistan must be a secular state in order to survive. Before we can have democracy, we must have separation of religion and state. Western governments are willing to criticize Musharaf for overthrowing the constitution, but they are unwilling to criticize the Pakistani constitution for failing to clearly separate religion from state instead of constitutionally enshrining Islamic law. Why Pakistan needs centuries to learn democracy but India did not? Because it will take centuries to separate the mosque from the political system of historically Muslim countries.

M.K Khan, Islamabad, Pakistan

Shocking exposeure of Gross Human Rights Violations by Indian Govt. by promoting abuse of Domestic Violence and Dowry Laws.
This is in Local Langauge but Contents of the same are ovbious by the tone of the talk.English Subtitles are there time and again!!
This is large fold undemocratic movement intiated by Ministry of Women enpoweremet and unscrupulos peoples are making millions out of that!!
Human Rights Group from abroad need to intervene and ask Indian Govt to explain all about it...
WATCH Video on this site.
http://majebal.org/humanrights.aspx
Zindagi Live has put efforts to expose legal terrorism. Many thanks.
The illegal possession of the AK-47 called 498A and its gross misuse should
immediately be acted upon for the well-being of innocent members of the
society. The misuse has engraved that a swingeing action against unsocial
elements supported by National Commission for Wives has become imperative.

www.majebal.org
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=H0Z7PT3V

vaghelasv, cardiff,

This needs to be considered in two parts. (1) Pakistan's leaders from Zia ul-Haq onwards (if not from earlier on) have flirted with Islamization and jihadism which they first used against Afghanistan and then against India. Perceptive observers were not lacking even in Zia's day - they had warned that such harking back to fundamentalism would eventually devour Pakistan's civil society and state. This has come to pass. (2) President General Pervez Musharraf was said to be in real danger of being knocked out of the presidency by an order of the Pakistan Supreme Court which was said to have signed, but had not yet delivered, an order setting aside his re-election in the vote of 6 October. The President General has shown which leg the shoe is on. This, though, is a short term victory. The losers will be the society and state of Pakistan. The chief sufferers will be the people of Pakistan who had hoped for a return to some kind of a rule of law. Unfortunately that was not to be.

V. C. Bhutani, Delhi, India

This is wrong and Pakistani Army and ISI always wants to rule the country in its way. Religious extremism has alway been fueled by ISI. Thery create conditions so that they can rule Pakistan and the west has buy in on it. I hope all western democricies must condemnt this Martial Law and withdraw its support from Musharraf govt because he is part of the problem

Ibrar khan, Seattle, WA

President Musharraf is doing what is necessary to control the extremism in Pakistan. I am a hardcore Republican, but I have to criticize the U.S. for thinking that it can go around the world handing out democracy as if it was some sort of candy. Not all countries are suited to adopt a U.S. style democracy for many different reasons. Pakistan is still a very tribal country where people still largely follow the dictates of their tribal elders. Voting as individuals has not yet permeated enough of the society to have a true democracy. Benazir Bhutto is certainly not the answer as her party does not even have internal elections. At one point, she even declared herself "chairperson for life." This is a country that has consistently looked to the army chief to either settle disputes between the president and the prime minister, or to take over to save the country from the detrimental machinations of the "elected" politicians. I believe he has the interests of Pakistan at heart.

CParker, Bronx, New York, USA

Pakistan is not ready for democracy. If free and fair elections were held today - there would certainly be a extremist elected as head of state. The vast majority of the country is illiterate and driven my sentiment and emotion - as seen in the last general election with the MMA (religous party) being elected as clear favourites in 2 of 4 provinces.

It is in my opinion vital that Musharaf remain at the helm.

For the sake of pure window dressing to help the US (as the US can not be seen to support dictators) allow elections so that Benazir Bhutto can assume the democratic face and whilst ensuring Musharaf remains in power, legitimately.

As for the supreme court - the chief justice behaved more like a celebrity/politician on a world tour - not to mention his antics cost lives (12th May KarachI).

The emergency declaration should have been done months ago.

F Hussain, London, UK

Pakistan is not fighting anyone else's war.

Pakistan has to decide its own future and no matter what the world says or thinks....this is the time for Pakistanis to make thier on way to the future.

Politics of Pakistan is same as any where else, so are the people in politics, including the army.

The seed and the soil under the roots of all the trouble has been and is the courruption!!!!

The real terrorist is the small to the highest courrupt civil and / or military officer like of whom has kept on the path to today be providing the prime conditions for the week to follow the extream options....

only economic growth and stability can save pakistan

all political parties and leading politicians are if not both courrupt and lacking this century's / reality awareness and intellect or plains fools

with all the good around, which is less than one tenth and no matter how many reasons they can give, there is no NO NO excuse the country's pathatic and dirty existance!!!

sami khan, lafayette,

No 60 years is not eoungh to learn how to do things in a way that is completely different to the way it's been done for centuries. 60 years is bearly 2 generations. The West is far to smug and up it self. It now takes what it's got so much for granted that it thinks we came by it overnight. The whole of the developing world is going to need time and lots of it, and the MTV generation (I want it and I want it now) had better get use to it. There are no easy solutions.

Susan, Barry, S Wales

The so called Islamic extremists will benefit the most from the new Musharaf order. In political terms, Musharaf is now weaker then ever before. He can not take action aganist the religious groups. The reasons cited for the emergency rule by him are of his own making. Who has been in power in the last seven years? The real blame lies with Musharaf. The only way forward for Pakistan is to down size its army so that it is not in a position to suspend the law in Pakistan.

Liaqat Hussain, Bradford, UK

Today is a very sad day for lots of Pakistanis all over the world. It seems that the country got to even lower level than where it was eight years ago. Because of all the newly imposed curbs on the civil rights, I am not sure how the media, civil society and the judiciary will react to these unconstitutional actions but it very clear so far that the Martial Law was only imposed to clip the wings of these institutions. It is very unfortunate that until Friday night, Musharraf and his PML (Q) cronies were bragging that they are the custodians of freedom to those institutions. However, I am still very hopeful about the future of Pakistan and I am sure, that the day is not very far away when Pakistan will be standing among the free, democratic and proud nations of the world, where law will rule not the Martial Law or the Emergency.

Misbah Azam, Ph.D., PHOENIX, USA

The talk of democracy by the US and allies in Muslim nations such as Pakistan and ME are pure hypothetical and expecting too much.

It is better to be realistic instead of floating in some theories.

For the US and allies, Gen Musharraf is still the best bet to fight Islamic extremists, terrorists, Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. The US has to goad him to sincerely fight these elements and eliminate them.

At the same time, the US and allies have to mercilessly bomb the terrorist safe havens in Pakistan creating havoc in Afghanistan.

There are literally no alternatives at present to Gen Musharraf. Some possible alternates are useless, incompetent, high corrupt or all combined.
Regards,

Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India

This should make the people of Pakastan feel good about the US silence on the little dictators latest power grab move! I guess you people in Pakastan do not fit in their agenda for democracy! For you Pakistani's, you must live a lifetime under a two bit self serving dictator who is sponsered by the US!

"John F. Tefft, Ambassador of the US to Georgia, hopes that confrontation between the government and opposition will not happen in Georgia and the differences will be settled via dialogue. Tefft told journalists at “Tbilisi Summit” that demonstration is a part of democracy and it is constitutional right of citizens. “In my country democracy is protected by the Constitution,” stated the Ambassador." Time: 2007.11.02 13:36"

What protects democracy in Pakastan? Do you expect the military dictator who is backed by the US neocons to care about you and your democracy?

"the Pentagon said military aid to Pakistan would not be cut."

Tim, Fredonia, Pennsylvania, USA

It is result of flawed policy of US and the west which are pursuing their own agendas in the region disregarding ground realities. Pakistan may not go long way to support west thereby ignoring/ destabalising own internal front. West is vehemently following design detrimental to the interests of the region in general and Pakisatn in particular. Its time that they should apply mid course correction to their policies and let the region stabalise else it has devastating remifications for we all including the West. All those who are busy in hatching conspiracies against Pakistan in collaboration with India are very much under our focus and will certainly be replied in kind if they dont stop sponsoring terrorim inside Pakistan. Kashmir is not far away in the region to become another tribal area. WAKE UP, all concerned.

Arshad, Islamabad, Pakistan

To georgelee,
Pakistan has learnt a lot but the UK needs to learn that the democracy and freedom it is enjoying should also be the right of others like the Pakistanis. At this moment, the UK should not endorse Musharraf's step and impress upon him to reverse his actions.
Anyway, I hope that soon the Pakistanis will make the situation overturn to their favour.

Dr Qaisar Rashid, Glasgow, UK

Given the timing of the assassanation attempt aimed at Bhutto and the fact that she wasn't killed, it makes me wonder if Musharraf wasn't behind the whole thing. For Musharraf to impose martial law is a reflection of his realiziation that he's running out of both time and options. Tick, tick, tick...Time goes on, General. He's in a panic. The last resort is always brute force.

Joe Dimaggio, Nome, USA / Alabama

George Bush, a.k.a., King George II, has finally squandered the prize of September 11 ... a Pakistan willing to crack down on Islamist extremists; Salafists; al-Qaeda types; and, most dangerously ... Pakistani Army and ISI professionals full of angst, anger & hatred for the U.S. & U..K. The fact that Musharraf has cracked down, & Benazir Bhutto has only made one significant appearance, & that one most likely a staged assassination attempt by Islamist extremists, so that would force or facilitate Musharraf's emergency decree has occurred, seems to just be one more nail in the coffin for American "power & influence."
Of all the worst case scenarios for the U.S. & U.K., a belligerent Pakistan, particuarly one where Musharraf is overthrown for more draconian leaders, this is it. The Pakistanis possess the only Sunni Islam Bomb. Bad news if we're trying to contain a Shi'i Bomb made by Iran. Bush, the Great Squanderer.

Jerry , Silver , USA/New Mexico

It is indeed a martial law even though the general says otherwise
the proclamation of emergency was not signed by the president but was signed by the army chief who under the constitution has no power to declare an emergency
We all know the governments of UK and US also know full well that it is a martial law and yet they keep on supporting the military dictator. These champions of so-called democracy, US, UK and EU all looked the other way when he tried to dismiss the Chief Justice his police attacked unarmed lawyers Now Chief Justice and seven other fellow judges were not even offered to take the oath. This is democracy in action in Pakistan No sanctions are being proposed on the contrary military aid will keep one flowing so that the deputy sheriff could kill with impunity. It is a shame that on one hand Burmah is singled out and sanctions are imposed but on the other this dictator is given a pat on the back
General Knows that his backers will back him to the hilt .

Akram Malik, Gympie, Australia/Queensland

Musharraf said in his national broadcast that the West had centuries of democracy. He forgot Pakistan has been independent since 1947. Is 60 years not enough for him (and Pakistan) to learn?

georgelee, london, uk

Had quaid-e-Azam not choosen to become governor general or the west not made him the governor general to suit their intrest. We donot have too see such a day. if western powers keep away from this under develop world area would be better for he mankind.

k.j. kirmani, karachi, sind/Pakistan

As the Chinese curse goes: May you live in interesting times. .Pakistan has been virtually ungovernable for a long time. Neither Bhutto nor Sharif are the answer - both twice deposed PMs for corruption and incompetence. Equally, military rule cannot be the answer lon term.

Sorry I do not have a sollution. The Pakistanis must work tjhat out themselves. They only have to look at their cousine the Indians for an answer.

oldasiahand, Guildford, UK