Conflict

Gen Musharraf imposes emergency rule, triggering condemnation from leaders around the world. He says the reaction is a response to Islamist militancy and to the 'paralysis of government by judicial interference'. Judges and lawyers are arrested and television and radio stations taken off the air.

Pakistani police launched a sweeping crackdown on opposition to military ruler President Pervez Musharraf yesterday, thrashing protesters and arresting thousands as western powers stepped up pressure for an early end to emergency rule.

The first big street protests since Gen Musharraf assumed wide-ranging powers on Saturday were swiftly crushed. Riot police fired teargas, baton charged crowds and flung bloodied lawyers into prison vans. The interior ministry said at least 1,500 people had been picked up; opposition groups estimated over twice as many arrests.

NEWS FROM THE WMW:

today(5/11) we protested against Govenment Action in front of Press Club, Majority of women from different walk of life,Political workers, Journalists and Lawyers were
there, we shouted against Govenment action. A large numbers of Police and Army men surrounded us and
beated very brutedly us by sticks. After that they locked us in the Press club, refused to release us. We
shouted in side the club, they started to arrest the protesters. I am safe, but we do regularly.