Martial law not an option for Pak corps commanders

Pakistan top military commanders dont favour the option of martial law.

Islamabad, Aug 22 : Pakistan top military commanders don't favour the option of martial law.

Sources said that even during the peak of the judicial crisis and the Lal Masjid onslaught, not a single corps commander suggested this extreme step.

They said that Musharraf individually met all corps commanders to seek their views, and only a few recommended weighing the option of an emergency, but there was no suggestion for imposition of martial law.

The News quoted sources as also saying that the military commanders lent their full support to Musharraf.

There was a realisation within the army that public feelings against the institution had never been as strong as it were today.

"In such a situation, the possibility of martial law is zero," the source said, admitting, however, there was hardly anyone among the top commanders who could honestly tell the Army chief about their true feelings.

According to sources, the corps commanders meeting and the formation commander gatherings nowadays don't discuss "thorny" political issues in a frank and honest manner unless allowed by the chair because of a wide gap of seniority between the Army chief and the senior-most corps commanders.

These sources, however, admit that there are many in the government who realise that options like martial law are simply inconceivable at this stage as such an irrational step would lead Pakistan to a serious crisis.

ANI