Among the rumours swirling during the broadcasting blackout was one that President Musharraf himself had been putunderhousearrest by subordinates, but this was strenuously denied by the government.
He was released in 2005 and putunder strict housearrest, but months later was arrested under immigration rules and moves began to deport him to Jordan to face retrial on the charges he had been convicted of six years earlier.
Before Musharraf's plane touched down, soldiers had taken control of the airport and the radio and television stations, and put a number of cabinet ministers underhousearrest.