3 SC judges opt out of emergency hearing
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Mushahid Hussain Syed has demanded President General Pervez Musharraf to lift emergency rule and curbs placed on media immediately. No one will accept the results of elections if they are held during emergency rule, he said this in an interview with Private TV Channel following meeting with President PML-Q Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain here on Saturday.
The President should lift emergency rule before elections otherwise neither the elections can be held nor anyone will accept the results, he said. The senior leadership of PML-Q will soon hold talks with President General Pervez Musharraf for end of emergency rule in the country. Syed Mushahid Hussain made it clear that the end of emergency rule will not affect the war against terrorism and extremism, adding that, security forces were conducting operation against them with full strength.
Commenting on closure of Private TV Channels, he said, the decision to close Geo and ARY was very wrong, demanding President to lift restrictions placed on media as soon as possible. The freedom of expression was the hallmark of President General Pervez Musharraf and PML-Q Government, he pointed out.
The Secretary General of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal Maulana Fazal-Ur-Rehman Saturday called for an immediate end of emergency in the country. Addressing party workers here, he said that holding of free and fair elections is not possible in emergency. He was of the view that the emergency was proclaimed to impose restrictions on judiciary and media and it was not aimed at curbing terrorism and extremism. He also demanded immediate release of political leaders and workers.
To make a final decision regarding the All Parties Conference, All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) will meet here on Monday (tomorrow). Earlier, leadership of APDM and PPP had agreed upon to call the meeting of APC on an impartial platform. The meeting would also be informed regarding the matters discussed between the leadership of APDM and PPP.
During their earlier contacts, leadership from both sides had accepted each others opinion to launch a common move against the suspension of constitution and the imposition of emergency in the country.
In addition to this, Chairperson Pakistan People Party Benazir Bhutto had already talked with Qazi Hussein Ahmad, Presidnet Jamat-e-Islami, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and President of PML (N) Nawaz Shrif and suggested them to challenge the imposition of emergency and arrestment of political leadership of various political parties from one platform. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Qazi Haussain Ahmad, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Asfandeyar Wali Khan, Mahmood Khan Atchakzai, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and others nationalists leadership would attend the meeting.