What observers have feared since President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan declared a State of Emergency on Saturday has come to pass. Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has called for a mass protest of her followers, the largest opposition party in the country, for Friday in a direct challenge to Musharraf's authority:The threat of mass protest by Ms. Bhutto, the most powerful opposition politician in the country, represents an escalation in the opposition to General Musharraf. Until now, Pakistani lawyers have led the challenge to emergency rule, carrying out small protests, and many hundreds have been beaten or arrested. But Ms. Bhutto’s party, the biggest opposition political party, is widely seen as the only force capable of bringing large numbers of protesters onto the streets. The authorities have said they will not allow Friday’s demonstration, which is scheduled to take place in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, close to Islamabad. “We will ensure that they...(Read Full Post)