UK gravely concerned by Pakistan's emergency rule

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) Britain said today it was gravely concerned by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule and urged him to hold elections on schedule.

''We recognise the threat to peace and security faced by the country but its future rests on harnessing the power of democracy and the rule of law to achieve the goals of stability, development and countering terrorism,'' British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in a statement.

''I am gravely concerned by the measures adopted today which will take Pakistan further from these goals. It is vital that the governance acts in accordance with the constitution and abides by the commitment to hold free and fair elections on schedule,'' he said.

REUTERS AM KP2242