Emergency to be lifted on Dec 16: President
By Makhdoom Babar

ISLAMABAD—President Pervez Musharraf Thursday announced that emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order would be lifted from the country on Dec 16, while the Jan 8 election would be held under the Constitution. “I have full resolve to lift the emergency and withdraw the PCO on Dec 16,” he said in a televised address to the nation after taking the oath of office for a second five-year term.
The President said the decision has been taken in view of the improved overall situation in the country, since Nov 3, when the proclamation of emergency and PCO were issued. He said the democratic process was moving ahead according to program and the back of terrorists has been broken to a great extent.
“But I hope that no obstacles will be created to destabilise the process, as was done in the past,” President Musharraf said. The President said the January election will go ahead as per schedule and no one would be allowed to create hinderance in the transition to democracy.
Those elements who are talking of boycotting the general election should go ahead with the electioneering according to the rules of the Election Commission. President Pervez Musharraf said the decision to impose emergency was “unavoidable,” but was taken in consultation with the government, political figures, military commanders, scholars and business community and keeping in view his prime objective of “Pakistan First”.
The President said by taking this difficult decision, the country was put back on the track of democracy. “My election has been validated legally, I have taken oath of the office of the President, election for January 8 has been announced, I have retired from the post of the Chief of Army Staff, as I promised,” the President said. He said the new COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was a highly capable officer and he wished him well.
The President said he served in the Pakistan Army for 46 years and was proud to be part of this family, which is a guarantor of peace, security and integrity of the country. Referring to the ongoing military operation in Swat he said the army faced a serious threat from the terrorists that has extended into the settled areas of the NWFP.
However the President said now the operation was meeting success and hoped that peace in this area will return soon. He was appreciative of the cooperation of the people of Swat, Mingora and the adjoining areas for extending assistance to the Pakistan Army in countering the terrorists. President Pervez Musharraf said there was a vital need for building national consensus through political reconciliation and good governance as it would ensure continuity in the way of progress of the country.
He said under his vision for national reconciliation, both the former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have returned to the country and a level playing field has been provided to all the political parties. “Now it is the responsibility of all the political parties to abide by the laws of the Election Commission and fully participate in the electoral process,” the President said.
The President mentioned the three phases of transition to democracy in which the first two had been completed and now the final phase was in progress. “I am very happy today that I have taken oath as a civilian President and the promise to the nation for complete democracy has been fulfilled.” He said in the past there was no real democracy, but it was he who brought its essence into play. He said during the first two phases; first from 1999 to 2002 and the second from 2002 to 2007 when his role was limited to supervisory nature and the final phase of transition to complete democracy with a civilian head of state.
President Musharraf however regretted that under a “well thought out conspiracy” attempts were made by certain elements to derail the third phase of transition to democracy. He said the media was given complete freedom and dozens of private channels were allowed. However he regretted that some in the media played a negative role on many issues confronting the country. The President lauded the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, his cabinet and Chief Ministers and their cabinets for their successful running of the government and bringing economic prosperity to the country.
President Musharraf has formally announced the lifting of emergency from Country and dissolution of interim constitutional order on 16th Dec. While addressing the Nation after taking oath as President on Thursday evening, he sternly warned that no one would be allowed to distract the process of democracy and advised the political parties to eschew threats of boycotting the elections and rather prepare to contest them. He expressed his great joy at taking the oath of a civilian President, and have thus managed to fulfill his promise to Nation. He said that democracy never existed in its true spirit in the Country. He said that a full-fledged review of the situation was undertaken 8 years ago, and three phases were discerned to launch the implementation of the democratic process.
“In the first phase, I held four posts, and all the powers were centered around me” he said. During this phase I gave the gift of LB system to the Nation, while the rest of democratic norms were restored in the second phase, which emanated in 2002 and carried on until 2007” he briefed. He further elaborated that power to masses was transferred, while local body representatives were empowered, alongwith women representation, whose seat quota was also increased, and also cited dozens of private TV channels that were allowed to operate for the freedom of media.
He said that during the past five years he had two posts, while the third phase was ongoing. He added that the issue of his uniform was quite critical, and he was bound to fulfill his promise of timely elections, but unfortunately efforts were made to sabotage this phase by a well-planned conspiracy. “Parliament elected me within legal and constitutional parameters by casting 57 percent votes in my favor but attempt was made to snatch this right from me”, he observed.
He went on to say a dangerous chapter has been started from tribal areas. “We had to face terrorism at massive scale. Suicide attacks were conducted and countless precious lives were lost. I regret to say media exaggerated it. Therefore, I had to take extraordinary steps in these circumstances”, he noted. He went on to say “ I decided to impose emergency rule under democratic process after consultation with political leadership and people from all walks of life”. This decision was taken under the vision “ Pakistan first, he added.
President said Pakistan was in his view when he decided to promulgate emergency. “I could not see Pakistan growing weaker. When the country has been put back on track of democracy my election has been declared valid”, he remarked.