Pakistan 'facing emergency rule

[Ret10Echo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6937907.stm
BBC


Reports from Pakistan say the country's president, Pervez Musharraf, is considering imposing emergency rule.
Pakistani Information Minister Tariq Azeem said the issue was being discussed, given external and internal threats to the country.

However the head of Mr Musharraf's Pakistan Muslim League later said there was "no possibility" of such a move.

The reports came after Gen Musharraf abruptly called off plans to attend a tribal peace conference in Afghanistan.

Emergency rule would limit the role of the courts, restrict civil liberties and curb freedom of expression.

The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says opposition and media figures believe such a drastic step would be related more to domestic politics, particularly Gen Musharraf's desire to be re-elected for another term as both president and head of the army.

This would almost certainly trigger legal challenges, she says

"In addition, the situation on the borders and the suicide attacks are also a concern," Mr Azeem added.

[Ret10Echo]

By Zeeshan Haider
47 minutes ago (11:03Z)

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - President Pervez Musharraf rejected calls to declare emergency powers and wants elections to take place in Pakistan, a spokesman said after widespread reports that the beleaguered leader would opt for authoritarian rule.

Private television channels and newspapers had reported that General Musharraf was poised to take a step that would probably delay elections due by the turn of the year and could result in restrictions on rights of assembly and place curbs on the media.

"In the president's view, there is no need at present to impose an emergency," Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said.

"The president was under pressure from different political parties to impose an emergency, but he believes in holding free and fair election and is not in favor of any step that hinders it," Durrani added, without specifying which parties.

The ruling coalition parties have most to lose at the polls, and Musharraf's own popularity has plunged since he vainly attempted to oust the country's most senior judge.

A government spokesman had suggested the government could justify emergency rule by citing mounting insecurity after a spate of attacks -- many of them suicide bombings -- by Islamist militants allied to the Taliban and al Qaeda over the past month.