Pakistan denies rumours of emergency

Islamabad, Aug 9: Pakistan today strongly denied rumours that the military regime planned to impose emergency in the country in the wake of civil unrest and recent terror attacks in different parts of the Islamic nation. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani said there was no justification for such a step.

''President Pervez Musharraf, after hectic consultations with his colleagues, has decided that emergency should not be declared in the country,'' he told PTV.

The main objective of the government was to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country and the President was determined to make the atmosphere congenial for the polls and to take the country forward, he said.

''The President is very clear that steps like emergency can hinder the democratic process and should, therefore, be avoided,'' the Minister said.

Mr Durrani said that to cope with the menace of terrorism, consensus would be evolved in the country by taking political parties on board.

Earlier, ruling Pakistan Muslim League President and former Prime Minister Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain ruled out the imposition of emergency.

Talking to reporters at the Parliament House, he also denied the impression that martial law was being imposed in the country.

The Associated Press of Pakistan, Pakistan's official news agency, quoted Mr Hussain, considered a confidant of Gen Musharraf, as saying that the elections would be held on schedule and would not be delayed.

The speculation that the Islamic nation might witness a spell of emergency gained ground when President Musharraf pulled out, at the last minute, from a major tribal council in Afghanistan, the Pak-Afghan Loya Jirga, aimed at ending Taliban and Al-Qaeda-sponsored terrorism, which starts today, citing ''security reasons.'' Though, government sources have denied that any such measure is being contemplated, media reports quoted ''high-level'' sources said the ''decision whether or not to impose a state of emergency in the country hangs in the balance and is expected any time.'' ''It is now a matter of days,'' they cited a senior Muslim League leader, reportedly close to the President, as saying.

''The president's kitchen cabinet deliberated on the issue last night and his advisers pressed him to impose emergency in view of the current political situation in which certain unexpected decisions on various constitutional petitions including the one related to his uniform are expected,'' he was quoted as saying.

The private Geo TV also said that a high-level meeting presided over by the President decided last night to declare emergency in the country for one month that could be extended for three months, quoting ''well-placed sources.'' The meeting reviewed current political situation and various options regarding changes in the political set-up came under discussion, they said.

However, the channel cited government sources as denying the reports about the declaration of emergency.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called up General Musharraf early this morning, and spoke to him at length, reports said. It is learnt that the call came after 0200 hrs (Pakistan Standard Time) last night, and the two leaders spoke for over 15 minutes, though there was no information of what they talked about.

The Opposition reacted sharply to the reported moves.

Renowned lawyer and Pakistan People's Party (Parliamentarians) leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said there was a ''state of confusion among the government circles over the promulgation of emergency, as it was corroborated by Federal Minister Sher Afghan and repudiated by (Minister of State for Information&Brodcasting) Tariq Azeem.'' Asked to what was the reason for the government mulling over promulgating a state of emergency, Chaudhry Aitzaz told Geo News that it was due to the Supreme Court hearing the petition regarding former Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif's return home.

The channel also quoted Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Shahbaz Sharif as saying he saw no justification for emergency in the country, and asserting that in case it was promulgated, they would challenge it in court.

Speaking from London, he said an emergency would be aimed at stopping ''two pillars of the country, two citizens of the country'' from coming back.

''This will be another blunder by Musharraf. There is no justification, no basis for emergency,'' he said, seeking to know why emergency had not been imposed when Lal Masjid operation was underway and attacks were taking place in the country.

UNI