'Pak to hold polls for transition to democracy'

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday said elections would be held for a complete transition to democracy though he did not set a date for the polls.

Emergency had been imposed because the superior judiciary had paralysed various organs of the state and created impediments in the fight against terrorism, he said while briefing diplomats at the Aiwan-e-Sadr or presidency in Islamabad.

Pakistan was facing challenges because certain decisions of the superior judiciary had created "a state of dysfunction of vital pillars of the state" and such a situation was "not acceptable", he said.

The law enforcement authorities and provincial governments were facing obstacles in maintaining internal security and "sustaining the fight against terrorism," Musharraf said.

The beleaguered military ruler, who suspended the Constitution and key fundamental rights on Saturday, reaffirmed his commitment to a "complete transition to democracy" and said elections would be held, state-run APP news agency said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had said on Sunday that Parliament was allowed to put off elections for up to a year in the event of an emergency.

Musharraf also said "a number of decisions and deliberations have to be taken in view of the new legal situation very soon", but did not give details.

The military ruler's decision to impose emergency has been widely condemned by the world community and major powers like the US have urged him to withdraw the measure and ensure the holding of the general election as scheduled by mid-January.

Musharraf, however, urged the global community to "understand the ground realities in Pakistan and the decision taken to stabilise the situation in the country."

He assured the diplomats that efforts were being made in a phased manner to move towards complete democracy since 1999.

In the first phase of this process during 1999-2002, he was in full control of the government.

This was followed by the second phase during 2002-07 when an elected Parliament functioned along with provincial assemblies and local governments and his role was confined to "advising the government on various issues of national importance," Musharraf said.

He also referred to the role of the media, saying that in some cases it "seemed to be helping the cause of extremists and terrorists by showing gory scenes of suicide bombings", which "encouraged these elements to carry on with their heinous acts."

Musharraf also said difficult decisions had to be taken in the national interest for "ensuring effective governance, maintaining writ of the government, law and order, security in the country and averting a decline in economic growth."

The new measures, he said, would ensure that there was harmonious functioning between the main pillars of the state and the armed forces.