Egyptians’ ultimatum to Mubarak: Go by Friday

crossed 150.

Anti-Mubarak sentiments reached a feverish pitch,as thousands of protesters converged on Tahrir or Liberation Square — the hub of the protests in the heart of Cairo to make the call for a “million man march” tomorrow.

They waved placards that the time had come for the Army to choose between “Egypt or Mubarak” as they defied assembled tanks and armoured carriers backing heavily armed contingents of Army,police and secret police.

The call by so called ‘April 6 Shabab Movement’ came as an indefinite countrywide strike gripped the nation paralysing all essential services,including government offices,banks and trading centres.

As the oust Mubarak campaign gained strength,American and other world leaders ramped up pressure calling for an-orderly transition in the violence rocked country.

The ‘Shabab’ movement which has been formed of all opposition groups and the leaders declared that the march would start from Tahrir or Liberation Square and was aimed at forcing Mubarak to step down by Friday.

The opposition also enforced a countrywide general strike today with most of major Egyptian cities,including the capital Cairo,Alexandaria observing a total shutdown.

As the confrontation between the protesters and the embattled President entered what appeared to be a decisive stage,thousands of foreigners began a beeline to leave the country,with nations scrambling to send planes to fly their citizens out of Cairo’s international airport,where complete choas existed.

On his part,82-year-old defiant Mubarak told his new Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq to bring in immediate reform to stem the tide. His instructions to Shafiq were read out on state tv but had no discernible effect on protesters who vowed to continue their demonstrations until Mubarak steps down.

Terming the reforms as “too little and too late,” the protesters continued their sit-in at the Tahrir Square saying they would not budge till Mubarak resigns,with indications that Egyptian strongman’s fate now hangs on the military.

As the focus shifted on the influential army for a

smooth transition of power,protesters enforced a countrywide

general strike.

Pro-democracy activist and Nobel Laureate Mohammad ElBaradei,who defied house arrest to join the protesters at the Tahrir Square last night,asked the embattled president to “step down today itself.”

“It is loud and clear from everybody in Egypt that Mubarak has to leave today,” ElBaradei said in an interview aired on CNN.

“He needs to leave today… to be followed by a smooth transition (to) a national unity government to be followed by all the measures set in place for a free and fair election.”

Army positioned tanks around the square and were checking the identity papers,but were letting protesters in.

Egyptian judges and scholars from world’s prestigious Islamic seminary Al-Azhar joined mass protests,calling for an end to Mubarak’s 30-year rule.

France 24 Television channel quoted a senior US official as saying that President Barack Obama’s national security aides believe “Mubarak’s time had passed”.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday called for an “orderly transition” to democracy in Egypt,saying the legitimate grievances of the people will have to be addressed.

In a desperate move to cling to power,Mubarak yesterday visited the military headquarters and met the newly appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman and top commanders after which more troops and armoured vehicles moved on to the streets.

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera channel put the death toll at 150 and said 4,000 people had been injured since protests began,while some other reports said over 100 had been killed.

Ahead of the march,the Egyptian authorities halted all trains criss-crossing the country to stop movement of people as the embattled President carried out a reshuffle of his newly appointed cabinet.

All trains have been cancelled after organisers of a week of anti-regime protests said they would organise a ‘march of a million’ to get Mubarak to quit,state television said.

“Train traffic has been stopped,” the presenter said as deadly protests against Mubarak’s regime raged into their seventh day. Organisers said they would stage a “march of a million” as part of Cairo protests on Tuesday.

Mubarak named a new Interior Minister and a new spy chief,state-owned press said today,as he faced the biggest challenge to his 30-year-rule with anti-government protest raging into the seventh day.

A retired police general Mahmoud Wagdi was named as the new Interior Minister,who controls police forces in place of Habib al-Adly. Another top General Murad Mowafi,who was a former north Sinai governor,was made the new head of Egyptian intelligence,Al-Ahram reported.

The move came after former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman was sworn in as vice president on Saturday,the first such post held in Mubarak’s 30-year-presidency.

Mubarak,who is facing a seventh day of demonstrations calling for him to go has shown no signs he is willing to step down.

State TV said Mubarak visited the central military command where he met his newly appointed vice-president Omar Sulaiman.

The new vice-president ordered the police and military back onto the streets as fears of insecurity were rising with thousands of convicts including hardline Islamists fleeing jails after overwhelming guards.

Meanwhile,authorities claimed the turmoil in the country had not affected the passage of traffic through the famous Suez Canal.

The Canal,the strategic waterway that connects Europe to Asia,is functioning at “full capacity”,a canal official told state media,as oil prices soared on fears supplies could be disrupted by the turmoil in Egypt.