On Saturday, President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency on Pakistan, claiming that militant violence and an unruly judiciary had created a crisis. Today, protesters in several cities have been tear-gassed and beaten as police arrested thousands of opposition leaders and shut down some media. The worsening situation complicates the US relationship with a country President Bush calls a vital ally in the war on terror. Since September 11, the US has poured billions of dollars into Pakistan, supposedly for help in controlling al Qaeda. Pakistan also provides bases and routes for US military supplies going into Afghanistan. We hear how Musharraf's state of emergency is creating a delicate problem for US diplomacy.
Bloody Unrest for a Crucial American Ally
Credits
Guests:
- Shahan Mufti - Correspondent, Christian Science Monitor
- Peter Spiegel - Financial Times - @SpiegelPeter
- Paula Newberg - Georgetown University
- Talat Masood - former General, Pakistani Army