Gulf Times – Qatar’s top-selling English daily newspaper - Pakistan/Afghanistan

Gulf Times – Qatar’s top-selling English daily newspaper - Pakistan/Afghanistan

Is this guy's hair for real????

US and Britain welcome Musharraf vote pledge
Published: Monday, 12 November, 2007, 03:01 AM Doha Time
‘CYNICAL SOP’, SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
President Pervez Musharraf gestures during a news conference in Islamabad yesterday
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed yesterday Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s vow to hold parliamentary elections by January 9 but called for his state of emergency to be lifted. Interviewed on ABC television, Rice said the planned election and Musharraf’s latest pledge to quit as army chief were a “positive element.” “These have been both essential to getting Pakistan back on the democratic path,” she said, while urging Musharraf to lift emergency rule “as soon as possible.” Rice said the US was still reviewing its aid to Pakistan, “but no one would want the president (George W Bush) to do something that would compromise the counter-terrorism operation.” “The road to democratic development is not smooth and even. This is clearly a situation that is not perfect,” she said. “But if the suggestion is that we abandon a course that could lead to a path back to democracy in Pakistan, I think that would be mistaken.” Musharraf said the elections commission would fix an exact date for the vote and that parliament would be dissolved Thursday, with the country to be run by a caretaker government. The military ruler, who seized power in a coup in 1999, defended emergency rule as necessary for safeguarding the country’s interests, but said taking the step had been the hardest decision of his life. The new timetable effectively brings the elections process back to what it was before emergency rule, and meets a key demand of the embattled leader’s critics at home and abroad. Britain too welcomed Musharraf’s announcement of elections by January 9 but said it wanted “urgent action” on issues including restoration of the constitution. “We welcome the dissolution of the national assembly on schedule and confirmation of timetable for elections to take place before January 9,” a spokesman for the foreign ministry said. “But we still want to see urgent action to restore the constitution, release political prisoners, pursue reconciliation with the political opposition, honour the president’s commitment to step down as army chief and lift restrictions on the media.” Britain is due to take part in a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in London Monday where foreign ministers are expected to debate whether Pakistan should be suspended from the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch dismissed Musharraf’s promise of elections as a “cynical sop” designed to deflect criticism over his emergency rule. “Genuine elections in Pakistan are not possible so long as Pakistan’s constitution remains suspended and the country remains under emergency rule,” the New York-based rights group said in a statement. “Musharraf’s announcement is a cynical sop to the international community meant to deflect attention from his ongoing power grab,” it added. The group said there could be no proper transition to democracy or genuine elections when “thousands of General Musharraf’s opponents are imprisoned, the media remains muzzled, and General Musharraf continues to slander and detain the ousted chief justice, Iftikhar Mohamed Chaudhry, and Pakistan’s senior judiciary.” Officials in Pakistan say 3,000 people have been arrested nationwide since the state of emergency was imposed, although many have now been released. The rights group also expressed concern about a presidential decree issued on Saturday that grants wide-ranging powers to the army, including the ability to court-martial civilians accused of terrorism or other key offences. “These measures are illegal under international law,” Human Rights Watch said. Musharraf has said he declared emergency rule because of mounting militancy and interference by the judiciary in government affairs. - AFP
CJ will ‘never get his job back’ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf laid into the nation’s sacked chief justice yesterday, accusing him of corruption and illegal interference and saying he would never get his job back. Musharraf said Iftikhar Mohamed Chaudhry and the six other Supreme Court judges who refused to retake the oath of office under emergency rule had all forfeited their positions. “Absolutely, those who have not taken the oath are gone, they are no more the judges,” he told a press conference in response to a question. Musharraf declared emergency rule a week ago citing a meddlesome judiciary along with growing Islamic militancy as reason to suspend the constitution. It came amid government jitters days ahead of a Supreme Court ruling on the validity of his October 6 presidential election victory. He said he asked the justices to take their oath under a provisional order replacing the constitution, and seven—led by Chaudhry—refused. They were promptly sacked. Musharraf has long been engaged in a running battle with Chaudhry since he first tried to sack the chief justice in March. That failed attempt triggered nationwide street protests. The military ruler accused Chaudhry of illegal interference in court cases, “personal corruption,” harassment of civil servants and seeking influence in privatisation processes. “He wanted the best way he could for himself,” Musharraf said. “What would you do to achieve justice if these were the accusations against somebody? Is he above the law?” he asked. Chaudhry and other judges have been under virtual house arrest since last week, and the government has arrested scores of lawyers and senior Bar leaders to quell protests. - AFP