Experts said yesterday that they were uncertain where the fault lines lay in the Pakistani military after the army takeover.

Almost as soon as Thailand's currency lost its grip against the dollar last summer, Bangkok filled with rumors of an imminent army takeover.

"They could have made enough money without a coup," he said, referring to the 1991 army takeover.

No US politician of her seniority has visited since an army takeover in 1962.

A pedestrian said that most people had remained in their homes today as much in protest of the army takeover as in fear.

But "Pakistan's beaten-up constitution has been molested yet again," and the army takeover could inflame tensions with India.

Popular activists were said to be resentful of the army takeover, expressing fears that the achievement of multiparty democracy might be further delayed.

An army takeover might serve American interests in the short run if it leads to continued support of the cause of Afghan rebels.

As a result, residents of the zone fear that an army takeover there will bring an invasion of the right-wing militiamen.

Soekarno supported this proposal to arm the communists, the army opposed it, and rumours of an army takeover became rife.