By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Elections in Pakistan could be delayed due to a state of emergency, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz indicated Sunday, even as he said no decision had been taken on the poll schedule.
“We are committed to making sure that elections are held and that democratic process flourishes in Pakistan,” Aziz told journalists at his official residence.
Flanked by Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani and State Minister for Information Tariq Azim, the prime minister said some 500 people were arrested to maintain the law and order situation.
“As a result of what has happened there could be some timing differences but no decision has been made,” Aziz said while replying to a question about the general elections that are due by Jan 15.
Asked whether the emergency could be compared with and called martial law, the prime minister did not give a direct answer saying, “It’s emergency.”
Defending President General Pervez Musharraf’s move, Aziz said emergency would be “as short as possible”.
Despite repeated questions he did not give any date for the elections or for how long the emergency will last. Aziz, however, said parliament was entitled to delay elections for a year under a state of emergency, but added that the government had not yet made a decision.
Some government officials said the general elections might be delayed and the present parliament may continue for another year.
Aziz said the decision to proclaim a state of emergency was to ensure writ of the government and maintain harmony among three pillars of the state.
“These measures are to ensure writ of the government, improve law and order situation and maintain harmony among the judiciary, the executive and the legislature, so that the government could function smoothly,” he said.
Aziz said the government, through extra measures, wanted to have an ability to act effectively and protect the lives of people, which could not be done with ordinary laws.
He hoped the measures would bring normalcy in the situation prevailing in the country, adding that it would deal with the militants in a better way.
Aziz requested the information minister to reply when asked about curbs on media. Pakistani television and radio channels cannot be accessed in Pakistan as cable operators have been asked not to air any news channel including international ones.
“We have called a meeting of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association tomorrow (Monday) and would discuss this issue with them,” Durrani said, adding that the ban on media would not be “very long”.
He said that members of the journalists associations were also asked to participate in the meeting. The minister said the information ministry will hold a separate meeting with members of the All Pakistan Newspaper Society.
“We want media independence but with responsibility,” Durrani said but did not answer a question if the international channels were irresponsible.