Musharraf rules out emergency, postponement of parl elections

Islamabad, Jul 18 (UNI) Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf today ruled out imposition of state of emergency in the country and declared that parliamentary elections will be held on time.

"I will not impose emergency in the country", he told a group of local newspaper editors in his camp office in Rawalpindi.

His remarks came against the backdrop of speculation that the government was planning to declare emergency in the country after a deadly suicide attack in Islamabad last evening and a series of attacks on country's security forces in the tribal regions by pro-Taliban militants during last one week, which left more than eighty people including paramilitary troops killed.

At least 16 people were killed and 45 injured in a suicide attack outside the district courts in Islamabad where suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was to address a rally yesterday night.

Militants fired rockets and automatic weapons on paramilitary troops in the troubled North Waziristan region that left 17 soldiers and 17 militants killed. The exchange of fire continued till this afternoon with media reports suggesting possibility of a full-scale military operation against the militants in the region even though local Taliban had revoked a peace deal with government three days ago.

Musharraf has been facing the worst crisis of his eight year military rule since March 9 when he had shown the door to judge Chaudhry on charges of misconduct.

The situation further compounded after a recent military operation on the Lal Masjid in Islamabad, which turned into a war zone with the killing of 102 people including deputy administrator of the mosque Abdul Rashid Ghazi and security officials.

Elections will be held on time under a caretaker government, Musharraf told editors while dismissing possibility of any delay.

He urged the moderate political forces to join hands to effectively combat the danger of extremism and terrorism facing the country.

We are in direct confrontation with the extremists, he said and vowed to fight out terrorists amid reports that the United States, his main backer in the anti-terror war, has asked Pakistan to take stern action against militants hiding in the tribal regions.

Some military action is necessary and some elements will have to be dealt with weapons, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said in Washington.

Musharraf said he firmly believed that the solution lied in the continuation of democratic process in the country, adding that he wanted to take Pakistan on the road to moderation.

It is imperative for the future of Pakistan that moderate political forces get together to meet the challenge of extremism, especially in the post election scenario, he stressed.

The President emphasized that he does not support misinterpretation of Islam or an extremist interpretation of Islam.

The fight against extremism and terrorism is not only for the sake of the country but it also happens to be in the interest of the global community, he stated.

He said the backers and financers of terrorists are also being tracked down.

UNI