By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Under attack from within and abroad, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Sunday justified the imposition of emergency saying it was needed to fight terrorism. But he promised to hold general elections by Jan 9.
Addressing his first press conference after he imposed the widely criticised emergency Nov 3, Musharraf ridiculed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto for the first time after her return to the country last month and also hit out at deposed Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
He announced a new code of conduct for the already gagged Pakistani media, which has given widespread coverage to continuing street protests against the military strongman over his decision to jail rights activists, lawyers as well as opposition leaders under emergency regulations.
In remarks clearly aimed at the West, his chief backer in the so-called war on terror, Musharraf sought to emphasise that what he had done was in the interest of democracy and not meant to derail it.
Describing the emergency as a “bitter pill to swallow”, the president said he had “national interest foremost” in imposing it.
Musharraf, under intense criticism within and outside Pakistan, said he would take oath as a civilian president when the Election Commission lifted the bar on the declaring the result of the opposition-boycotted Nov 6 presidential election that he won by a huge margin.
The national and provisional assemblies would also be dissolved on completing their terms Nov 15 and fresh elections would be held as scheduled by Jan 9, the president added.
Musharraf, who seized power in 1999 in a bloodless coup, went on to explain at some length why he imposed emergency. He spoke of rising terror actions in areas bordering Afghanistan, blamed on Islamist groups linked to a resurgent Taliban, and civil unrest spearheaded mainly by Pakistani lawyers.
“After the destabilisation that had taken place, the country was in a state of turmoil and (in) shock and confusion. I had to take drastic measures to save the democratic process.
“This (democratic process) would have been derailed had I not taken action. The government was in a state of paralysis and needed a state of rejuvenation.”
Musharraf, however, underlined that he was not the only one to blame for the emergency.
“These were dangers… I personally took (the decision) after consultations and discussions with everyone in the society. I discussed with politicians, individually and in groups, I discussed with the prime minister and the cabinet, individually and in groups, with the civil society and industrialists and businessmen, individually and in groups, with the military, individually and in groups.”
Musharraf had harsh words for ousted chief justice Chaudhry, who was originally sacked in March but was taken back after widespread street protests. After the emergency was imposed, he was sacked and is now under house arrest.
“I won’t say the whole judiciary (is to blame), but only one individual in the judiciary, or maybe very few in the judiciary, clashing with the legislature and the executive.
“The government found itself in a state of paralysis, the government was not functioning. It was being humiliated in the courts. The law enforcement agencies were totally demoralised and shattered. Terrorists were being encouraged and those fighting against terrorism were demoralised.”
Musharraf declined to say how long the emergency regime will continue, saying it was necessary to fight terrorists.
“The emergency reinforces the war on terror. It has reinforced our hands to use the army in the lead role in the frontier (area). The emergency contributes to better law and order.
“I do understand that emergency has to be lifted, but I cannot give a date. We are in a grave situation, so we cannot give a date.”
Musharraf ridiculed Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan last month after eight years of exile, when a foreign journalist claimed that her popularity was on the rise.
“This is a country of 160 million. Seventy percent of them live in rural areas… Go into the Punjab and see whether she has gained popularity because of some actions,” the president said mockingly.
“Who gave you the impression that she is going to be the prime minister? We are going to have a fair and transparent election and it is the political parties who will decide who will be the prime minister.”
It was Musharraf’s harshest criticism of the Bhutto since she returned home. Bhutto was in power sharing talks with Musharraf before she flew in from Dubai but called off the discussions after the emergency was declared. She has said that she does not trust the military strongman any more.
Musharraf singled out the domestic media for criticism, saying he believed in its independence but with adequate checks and balances.
“If the media is going to make heroes of the terrorists, god save the battle against terrorism.
“I am for the independence of the media, and I am using the word I because it was I who gave independence to the media in Pakistan despite opposition from many.
“I still stand by this. But all that I desire, all that the government desires, is responsibility.
“What is responsibility? It is not you should not criticise the government. Do please criticise the government, do please criticise me. But there have to be checks on distortion of facts, on projecting non-truths, on the humiliation (of the bureaucracy and security forces),” he said.
“There is the issue of vulgarity, and I know there are complaints about this. So we have made a code of conduct, and I would like you to see this code. You must read the code of conduct.
“If everyone shows responsibility, we have no problems whatsoever with the independence of the media. But please also play a role in fighting terrorism.”