Islamabad(IANS) : The emergency imposed in Pakistan will not last more than three weeks, says the head of country’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).
“I’m sure it will end in two to three weeks as President Pervez Musharraf is aware of the consequences of long emergency rule,” Shujaat Hussain told Dawn.
“Nobody is in favour of emergency. It was promulgated reluctantly by the chief of the army staff (Musharraf’s other hat),” Hussain added, rejecting the view that Pakistan was under “virtual martial law”.
Asked if general elections would be held as scheduled in January, he replied enigmatically: “Postponing the elections may favour some individuals or parties but not us.”
Hussain also ruled out the possibility of a pre-poll arrangement with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), as has been speculated for the last few weeks.
“This could be considered after the general elections in which we will be rivals,” he said.
“But we are ready to meet Bhutto and her aides to discuss steps which may help improve the political climate and ensure transition to full democracy,” he added.
Hussain rejected the opposition’s allegation that the polls would not be held in a free, fair and transparent manner under Musharraf and that the ruling party would be given a free hand to rig them.
“Gone are the days when elections could be easily manipulated,” he said, adding that after the lifting of the state of emergency, political parties would launch full-fledged election campaigns.
According to Hussain, the army was fully behind Musharraf and, there was therefore no question of his ouster as army chief.
“This could be a wishful thinking of some people but I can assure you that Musharraf is not going anywhere.”
The rumour mill had it Monday that the president had been arrested.
Musharraf described this as a “joke”.
Hussain said speculators had spread the rumours. As a result, investors lost Rs.186 billion ($3 billion) after the stock market crashed.