UN chief calls on Pakistan to end emergency rule

Brasila, Nov 12: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the Pakistani government today to lift emergency measures imposed earlier this month.

''I would hope that the Pakistani government would do more, including the lifting of emergency measures as well as release detained political leaders,'' Ban told reporters after meeting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia.

Pakistan's military president, Pervez Musharraf, imposed emergency rule on Nov 3. He has sacked most judges, locked up lawyers, rounded up thousands of members of the political opposition, and closed private television channels.

Ban was asked for his reaction to Musharraf's announcement on Sunday that a general election would be held by Jan. 9.

Reuters
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