OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Islamabad: President Pervez Musharraf declared on Thursday he intended to lift Emergency rule and restore the Constitution on December 16 and asked the Opposition to participate in the January 8 general election, but the Nawaz Sharif-led All Parties Democratic Movement ignored the call and announced that it would boycott the election.

“After thorough discussions, the APDM reiterates its principled decision of boycotting the election,” Mr. Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League (N), announced after a four-hour meeting of the group. The Opposition alliance, which does not include Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party, is however keeping its options open. The APDM said a final decision would be taken at a conference of all parties that would include the PPP.

Meanwhile, the grouping will hold talks with Ms. Bhutto, and with the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami, the other Opposition party that has announced it will participate in the election, to convince them to boycott the poll.

The APDM’s announcement came minutes after General (retd.) Musharraf appeared on state television to announce the date for rolling back the November 3 emergency and called on the Opposition to take part in the election.

“It is my full intention to lift the emergency on December 16, remove the PCO [provisional constitutional order] and elections will be held, Inshallah, under the Constitution in a fair and transparent way,” General Musharraf said, in a 20-minute address to the nation hours after he was sworn in for a new five-year term at a glittering ceremony.

However, he warned that while the Emergency would be lifted, there should be no attempt to “destablise” Pakistan, and called on the Opposition not to boycott the election.

“I would like to say that in a democratic atmosphere no one will be permitted to do anything destabilising or place any obstacles. Elections will be held under the Constitution on January 8, and no one should try to obstruct it. To those who are talking of boycott, I will only say they should drop such ideas, move into the campaign and participate fully in the election,” he said, speaking in Urdu.

The APDM had demanded a rollback of the emergency as one condition for participation in the election, but also wants the reinstatement of the judges of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary, sacked after the imposition of Emergency.

General Musharraf made it plain that will not happen. He accused Mr. Chaudhary of attempting, through a “well-thought-out conspiracy,” to derail his efforts at guiding Pakistan to a full democracy. He said the Emergency had thwarted the “conspiracy” and put the country back on the rails.

Source: The Hindu