In Pakistan, Grip Tightens as U.S. Protests

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 4, 2007 — -- The tension in Islamabad is rapidly increasing. Hundreds of opposition leaders, lawyers and activists have been rounded up across Pakistan, as President Pervez Musharraf tightens his grip on power.

Independent Pakistani media is still off the air, and international media, including ABC News, was not allowed to transmit from local media installations. Satellite transmissions using a videophone were used as a backup.

There were also reports of cell phone and computer blackouts for lengthy periods of time.

The U.S. embassy issued the following statement: "The government of the United States is gravely concerned about orders by the government of Pakistan to suppress the news media and to detain lawyers, politicians, human rights activists and others during the proclamation of emergency. Such extreme and unreasonable measures are clearly not in Pakistan's best interest, and contradict the progress Pakistan has made toward becoming a fully democratic society. We urge the government of Pakistan to quickly lift the detention orders and immediately permit broadcasters to resume their programming, thereby ensuring that all citizens can take a constructive role in peaceful progress toward democratic elections."

The presidential palace and all government buildings in downtown Islamabad were off limits, with barriers and police keeping people hundreds of yards from the facilities. But the police seemed relaxed, with riot gear thrown into nearby piles as the officers lounged in the sun.

There have been no major demonstrations in Pakistan's capital city, which may be in part due to the fact that many of the opposition leaders have been detained.

Today, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz echoed what President Musharaff said in his address last night, saying, "These extraordinary measures, which are limited in certain ways, are to ensure effective governance. They are there to ensure the right of the government to maintain law and order and security, to contain extremism, and to bring harmony amongst the various pillars of the state -- pillars being the executive, thejudiciary, and the legislature."

Aziz would not say how long the state of emergency would last.

Musharraf told U.S. officials that elections would still be held in January, and that he would resign his post as army chief in November. But he made no mention of that in his televised address.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration was upping the pressure, as well, today. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Jerusalem that the United States would review its financial aid package to Pakistan. The United States has given more than $10 billion in aid since 2001, but with the declaration of the emergency and the suspension of the constitution, Rice said, "Obviously we are going to have to review the situation with aid, in part because we have to see what may be triggered by certain statutes."

But a spokesman for Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today military aid would not be cut off to Pakistan. And no wonder: The administration is in an extremely difficult position. Pakistan provides key supply routes for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and has been a key ally in the war on terror.