Musharraf gives army courts more power

Islamabad: Pakistan's military ruler has amended a law to give army courts sweeping powers to try civilians on charges ranging from treason to inciting public unrest, officials said on Sunday.

The decision to amend the Pakistan Army Act—confirmed by Attorney General Malik Mohammed Qayyum on Sunday—is likely to raise fresh concerns. The amendment would allow military courts to try people accused of treason, sedition, or "giving statements conducive to public mischief."

The move came one week after President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency, which he said was necessary to fight Islamic militancy.

But the main targets of his crackdown so far have been his most outspoken critics, including the increasingly independent judiciary and media.

That could include opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who said she would defy Musharraf's ban on public gatherings and lead supporters on a march from Lahore to Islamabad on Tuesday.

Many critics say the main goal of Musharraf's emergency was to pre-empt a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of his victory in a presidential election last month. Under the constitution, public servants cannot run for office.