In a crowded press conference, president of Pakistan General Parvez Musharaf announced: that general elections will be held in Pakistan before the 9th of January 2008, the existing National Assembly will be dissolved on 15th of November, and provincial assemblies will be dissolved on 20th of November 2007. Musharaf said, ‘elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner and international observers will be allowed to watch the elections.’
The president maintains that the state of emergency was imposed to ‘save democracy.’ And now in Swat, district of Pakistan Army is in a leading position. ‘To end terrorism all government institutions shall work in coherent manner,’ says Musharf
The president has said that no final date regarding the end of emergency rule can be given at this point; ‘in order to maintain peace, emergency is required, and all objectives of the imposition of emergency rule have not yet been achieved.’
He says that the amendment to the Army act is ‘not Draconian, and common people will not be arrested under it.’ ‘The route cause of the problem was judiciary, so steps were taken to resolve this problem. I do not take dictation from anybody regarding internal problems of Pakistan, and I do take all decisions by myself,’ Musharaf affirms.
Musharaf has also said that he is waiting for the Supreme Court decision regarding his election for third term, which after receiving, ‘he may take oath as civilian president of the country.’ The current crisis was started when a reference against Chief Justice of Supreme Court was filed on 9th of March 2007. “I was having no grudge against him, he used to come to my office occasionally, but the case against him has certain merits, the court has not considered those merits while taking up impeachment proceedings against him, he had appointed judges of his own liking, he has forcefully appointed chief justice of Shariat Court, in medical and TA bills corrupt practices were done by him, all these issues were mentioned in the reference against Chief Justice Mr. Iftikhar Chaudhary, he is not above the law the court should have taken action against him,” says the president.
Musharaf insists that, ‘we are fighting against extremism and terrorism with full vigor, terrorists are moving towards settled areas from tribal areas, and they are a big danger to Pakistan. Army Police, FC and citizens shall fight together the menace of extremism.’
The president urges that if media will portray images of terrorists as heroes and government as villains it will become difficult to achieve success in war against terrorism. “I want to see free media in Pakistan, despite of opposition from certain quarters I have provided complete freedom to the media, some private TV channels are misusing their freedom, and they shall avoid such practices,” said the leader
Submitted by
Abdur Raziq
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