BBC news 2007-11-04 加文本

BBC 2007-11-04


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BBC News with Nick Kelly.

The President of Pakistan, General Musharraf, has declared a nationwide state of emergency, saying he can not allow the country to commit suicide. In a late night televised address, he said Pakistan had reached crisis point through a rise in militant violence. But he insisted he wants to restore democracy and that his decision had been taken in Pakistan's best interests, not for his personal benefit. From Islamabad, Barbara Plett reports.

Pakistan is in effect under martial law. The military leader has suspended the constitution for the second time during his 8-year rule. Security force is deployed in the centre of Islamabad. But so far, the country is quiet. In a national television address, General Musharraf said Pakistan risks falling apart. He said the government had been paralyzed by judicial interference, which was hindering the fight against terrorism and threatening his own plans for a peaceful transition to democracy.

Before General Musharraf made his address, the chief justice of the Supreme Court was dismissed. It was the Supreme Court which had been due to rule on the legality of the general's recent re-election while still head of the army. Pakistan's former Prime Minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto says President Musharraf's decision has moved the country towards a dictatorship. She said she plans to meet other political leaders to decide what to do. Ms. Bhutto had been in negotiations with General Musharraf about a possible power-sharing deal since returning to Pakistan two weeks ago after eight years in exile. Another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, criticized General Musharraf's move as being tantamount to treason.

"We've never seen or heard of a crisis like this. For the first time in the 60-year history of Pakistan, I've seen today what the president of Pakistan has done, and what the chief of army staff of Pakistan has done. He's taking certain actions using both his offices. In my opinion, both offices, the office of the president as well as the office of the chief of army staff, are involved in treason against Pakistan. "

United States has called the developments in Pakistan "very disappointing". From Washington, James Coomarasamy reports.

The Bush administration has described the state of emergency as "highly regrettable", and stressed that free and fair parliamentary elections must take place in Pakistan in January as planned. A White House spokesman also called on General Musharraf to step down as army chief of staff before retaking his presidential oath of office. But there was little in the general's televised address to reassure the United States about his commitment to holding the elections as planned.

The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was gravely concerned by events in Pakistan. In Delhi, an official spokesman said India regretted the difficult times Pakistan was going through. A spokesperson for the Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he was closely monitoring developments.

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BBC News.