By IANS
Islamabad : The Pakistani government should come clean on its purported threat to impose an emergency in the country as rumours of the move had “caused great uncertainty and instability”, newspaper editorials Saturday said.
“Reports, speculation and sometimes even planted information spread all over the media about a possible threat of imposition of martial law or an emergency in the country have caused great uncertainty and instability which is not only hurting the economy but could well bring the whole country to a standstill,” The News said in its editorial titled “Clear the confusion”.
“The fact of the matter is that it would be a very wrong step because the ground realities are not all that extraordinary for the government to impose a state of emergency and were it do so it would be seen as the last step of a desperate regime clinging on to power,” The News said.
According to the newspaper, the spate of suicide bombings in recent months “hardly justifies the need to suspend the forthcoming general elections and impose emergency or martial law”.
“If anything, the fight against terrorism and militancy will be better fought if a truly representative government led by a civilian is in place because chances for widespread public support of such a policy will be greater in a democratic dispensation rather than one ruled over by a military dictator,” The News maintained.
At issue is a clutch of petitions the Supreme Court is hearing on President Pervez Musharraf’s eligibility to contest the Oct 6 election for a second term in office, which he won with an overwhelming majority. The court had permitted the balloting to take place but had ordered that the result be withheld till it decided on the petitions against Musharraf.
The court was to have delivered its verdict by Nov 2 but this has been delayed, as arguments by the two sides have taken inordinately long. The court will not sit all of next week as one judge in the 11-member bench has taken leave in view of his son’s wedding.
The hearing will resume Nov 12, while Musharraf’s term expires Nov 14. Pakistan’s constitution provides for the president to remain in office till his successor takes oath. Faced with such a situation, there have been veiled hints that Musharraf would not only remain in office but also continue to wear the army chief’s uniform that he had promised to shed before beginning his second term.
At least two federal ministers have dropped broad hints that Musharraf would impose martial law or an emergency if the court verdict went against him.
“No wonder then that the government is being accused of using the emergency card of trying to intimidate the court,” The News noted.
Daily Times hoped the Supreme Court would rise to the occasion.
“If an early verdict is not given, it will not be good for the country. The court must…be able to provide the decision the nation needs. Let the opinion be split, but let it be offered.
“After that, it should be incumbent on both sides of the case to accept the verdict and get down to the task of holding the January (general) elections in a free and fair manner,” Daily Times said.
Its editorial was headlined “Supreme Court and President Musharraf”.