Brown,Common wealth welcome lifting of emergency in Pakistan
Musharraf lift emergency and restore the Constitution.
http://www.nowpublic.com/politics/musharraf-lift-emergency-and-restore-constitution
http://nksagar.indiainteracts.com/2007/12/15/browncommon-wealthwelcome-lifting-of-emergency-in-pakistan/
Pakistan lifting of the State of Emergency can see a return to the
freer media climate, restoration of constitution that has been a
positive feature of Pakistan in recent years.More welcome messages
will be received by President Musharraf but the Pakistanis perceive
that elections will be rigged and extremist acts will make the balance
tilt to President Musarraf and political parties will again form a
group against the military-turned politician.
Western nations hope lifting emergency will stabilize the nuclear-
armed state amid chaos and commotion a level play ground for free and
fair elections as expressed by various head of states.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed the lifting of Pakistan"s
state of emergency as a "significant step" Saturday.fter a telephone
call with President Pervez Musharraf, Brown also called for a "level
playing field" in next month"s parliamentary elections.This is another
significant step towards the return of full constitutional order,"
Brown said in a statement. "I also told President Musharraf that the
international community sup****ts his wish -- and that of the people of
Pakistan -- to hold free and fair elections on 8 January.As President
Musharraf has said, and I have full confidence in his assurances to
me, these must offer a level playing field to all political parties.
"Concrete measures should include increased transparency of the
electoral process, prevention of local government abuse, a non-
partisan election commission, release of remaining political detainees
and the lifting of all restrictions on the media."Brown added that he
had offered Musharraf his condolences after a suicide attack earlier
Saturday, which killed five soldiers.
"Britain will continue to work with Pakistan and the Commonwealth to
ensure stability, security and democracy," he added.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, welcoming the
development, said: "With just over three weeks to go before Pakistan
goes to the polls, the lifting of the State of Emergency is an
im****tant step in the process of creating the conditions for the
holding of the elections." Mckinnon said, "This follows the earlier
relinquishment by President Musharraf of his position as Chief of Army
Staff, which had been a longstanding demand of Commonwealth Heads of
Government, reiterated most recently at their meeting in Kampala."
The Secretary-General said he was encouraged by these developments and
the fact that most political parties had announced their intention to
participate in the elections.Appreciating the release of political
detainees and human rights activists, he expressed the hope that all
remaining political detainees would also be released soon.
He called upon the Election Commission of Pakistan to do all in its
power to ensure that the elections are conducted in a fair and
transparent manner.
McKinnon expressed concern over the continuing restrictions on private
media broadcasters. He expressed the hope that the lifting of the
State of Emergency can see a return to the freer media climate that
has been a positive feature of Pakistan in recent years.
The Secretary General also reaffirmed the Commonwealth's commitment to
continued engagement with Pakistan, as a valued member, and to work to
sup****t its return to democratic government.
People of Pakistan,Political Leaders,experts and intellectuals feel
that country will be divided in between three nodal forces Military
runs politics management,the Political parties expressing their
solidarity with restoration of ouster of Judges,freedom of Media,
third is Islamic conservatives puts the the people of Pakistan divided
into such fractured state may result to fractured mandate which may
bring more chaos and furore as fundamentalist will have free hand.
Imran Khan cricket turned politician,Former P M"s Sharif and Benazir
Bhutto opposition parties have said the government has the power to
rig votes.The legislatures will be rubber stamped ones with little or
no freedom.


|