M A I N   N E W S

US seeks release of political prisoners
Quit as army chief, Musharraf told

Islamabad, November 18
In a strong message to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the USA has asked him to lift emergency and release all political prisoners, asserting that this alone would ensure a free and fair general elections due in January.

Washington’s message was conveyed to the military ruler by deputy secretary of state John Negroponte, who also asked Musharraf to quit as army chief “as soon as possible” and stop the suppression of the media and arrests of political and human rights leaders.

“Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and credible elections, which require the active participation of political parties, civil society, and the media,” Negroponte told an early morning press conference here, winding up his visit to Pakistan.

The second highest ranking American diplomat, who held talks yesterday with the military ruler and Gen Asfaq Pervez Kiyani, who is tipped to succeed Musharraf as army chief, said, “Recent police actions against protesters, suppression of the media, and arrests of political and human rights leaders could undermine Pakistan’s transition to a moderate and democratic nation.”

“I urged the government of Pakistan to stop such actions, lift the state of emergency, and release all political detainees,” he said. “If these steps aren’t taken, it will undermine the government’s ability to conduct satisfactory elections.”

Negroponte said he had “encouraged reconciliation between political moderates as the most constructive way forward”, but indicated the scenario in Pakistan had “polarised somewhat” due to recent developments like the arrest of thousands of people and former Premier Benazir Bhutto being placed under house arrest twice in five days.

Noting that the best way to counter extremism was to “develop and nurture a moderate political centre”, he said. “In the current circumstances, engagement and dialogue — not brinkmanship and confrontation — should be the order of the day for all parties.” Negroponte, the first senior US official to visit Pakistan after the imposition of emergency on November 3, also met national security adviser Tariq Aziz, former foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri and Inter Services Intelligence chief Lt-Gen Nadeem Taj. He also spoke on phone with Bhutto. During Negroponte’s talks with Musharraf, the General repeated in “categorical terms” his commitment to hold polls in January.

“(Musharraf) also repeated his commitment to retire from his army post before commencing his second presidential term, and we urge him to do so as soon as possible,” Negroponte said. But he had not set a date for ending emergency and even said the measure was needed to facilitate free and fair polls. — PTI

Pak assemblies dissolved
Elections on Jan 6
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

The provincial assemblies stood dissolved at midnight today and the next general elections for the national and provincial assemblies will be held on January 6, officials here confirmed.

Provincial chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have advised their respective governors to dissolve the assemblies. The NWFP House was dissolved last month. The Election Commission has convened a meeting of all political parties to finalise the code of conduct for the elections on November 19 and will announce the election schedule on November 20.

The commission has proposed that nomination papers will be received from candidates between November 20 and 25. The election schedule will be announced at a news conference on November 19 by the chief election commissioner.

“The Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan assemblies are going to be dissolved tonight. The three governors will dissolve the assemblies on the advice of the chief ministers,” an official said.

The official said the returning officers would receive nomination papers from candidates up to November 25-26 and would take seven days for the scrutiny of papers in the presence of candidates or their nominees.

He said appeals against the rejection or acceptance of nomination papers would be received in four days and the returning officers would decide on appeals a week after the last date of receiving appeals.

“After decisions on appeals, only one day will be given for the withdrawal of nomination papers and the next day the returning officers will issue the final lists of candidates and according to which ballot papers will be printed,” the official said.

“The election campaign will start around December 10 and polling will be held on January 6 (Sunday) in all provinces,” he added.

The official said arrangements for the general elections had been finalised and 430,000 ballot boxes, imported from China, were being sent to provinces.