World | Pakistan
Musharraf addresses nation
President Pervez Musharraf addressed the nation, hours after imposing emergency rule, and said terrorism and extremism had reached their limit and Pakistan's sovereignty was at stake.
- Reuters & AP
- Published: 20:57 November 3, 2007
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Musharraf addressing the nation last night hoursafter imposing emergency rule.
Islamabad: President Pervez Musharraf addressed the nation early today, hours after imposing emergency rule, and said terrorism and extremism had reached their limit and Pakistan's sovereignty was at stake.
Military ruler Musharraf, whose emergency rule proclamation cited rising militancy and a hostile judiciary, said Pakistan's system of government had become paralysed by judicial interference and he had imposed emergency rule to complete a transition to civilian-led democratic rule.
"Pakistan has reached a dangerous point, and is undergoing an internal crisis," he said in a pre-recorded televised address wearing a traditional Sherwani coat. "Whatever is happening is because of internal disturbances.
"I fear that if timely action is not taken, then God forbid there is a threat to Pakistan's sovereignty. I cannot allow this country to commit suicide."
Musharraf, whose decision drew strong expressions of disappointment from the United States and Britain, appealed to the international community to understand the "criticality" of the situation and accept Pakistan needed time to reach the level of democracy enjoyed in the west.
"Please do not expect or demand your level of democracy which you learned over a number of centuries. Please give us time," he said.
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Musharraf said he hoped democracy would be restored following parliamentary elections. "But, in my eyes, I say with sorrow that some elements are creating hurdles in the way of democracy," said Musharraf. "I think this chaos is being created for personnel interests and to harm Pakistan."
Musharraf, who seized control in a 1999 coup, has seen his leadership threatened by an increasingly defiant court and rising Islamic militancy. His emergency order accused some judges of "working at cross purposes with the executive" and "weakening the government's resolve" to fight terrorism.
"I want to ask the whole nation why this situation has come about. I think it is because of the judicial activism," added Musharraf.
"Extremists are openly roaming," he said, claiming that 61 terrorists have been freed on order from the court — an apparent reference a case that has been spearheaded by Pakistan's now-deposed chief justice to press authorities over suspects held without charge by intelligence agencies.
"And no one knows whether any of the these freed men were behind recent bomb attacks."
The country has been hit by a series of suicide bombings, the most deadly on the October 18 homecoming procession of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after eight years in exile. More than 140 people died.
Musharraf also said some independent TV channels, which were removed from the air after emergency rule was imposed, had contributed to the atmosphere of uncertainty in the country.
As part of the emergency rule, Musharraf imposed tough curbs on the media, barring material that defames him, the armed forces or the government, state media said.
He criticised the Supreme Court for failing to make a ruling yet on whether to validate his contentious victory in a presidential election, and criticized it for punishing government officers, including police. He said this had left the government system "semi-paralysed." "Now the time for the action has come. I have carefully examined the situation to see how to stop this downslide. We have to create harmony among judiciary, legislative and executive.
"This is how we will be to ensure good governance. This is how we would tackle the issue of terrorism in a better way," he said.
He said there would be no change in the government and its top offices, and parliament — due to dissolve by November 15 — would complete its term.
He promised to complete the transition to democracy, but did not say when parliamentary elections - due by January — would be held.
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