I had no option but to delay polls: Musharraf

Asserting that there was no option but to postpone Pakistan's general election due to the law and order situation created by former premier Benazir Bhutto's assassination, President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that the army would be deployed across the country to ensure fair and peaceful polls.

Musharraf described the postponement of the polls by the Election Commission, from January 8 to February 18, as 'reasonable and appropriate'. He added that the army and the paramilitary troops would remain deployed, even after the balloting, to maintain peace.

"I had always wanted the polls to be held as per schedule on January 8. But the Election Commission said that there was so much disruption in its preparations, especially in Sindh, that it was not possible to hold the polls as scheduled. The new date is absolutely reasonable," he said in an address to the nation.

The army and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers will be deployed across the country to ensure free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections, he said.

"The deployment of the army and Rangers across the country has now become vital to ensure the holding of peaceful elections," Musharraf said.

Earlier, Musharraf said, he had not intended to deploy the army to protect the force from any sort of allegations. But in the prevailing law and order situation, it was critical to deploy the army and Rangers across the country during and beyond the elections so that people intending to disturb the peace can be dealt with sternly, he said.

Pakistan had witnessed widespread violent protests in the aftermath of Bhutto's assassination in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi on December 27. Sindh province, a stronghold of her Pakistan People's Party, witnessed the fiercest protests.

Appealing for calm among the people, Musharraf said his mission was the same as that of Bhutto. He said it was also time for political parties to focus on "political reconciliation and not confrontation" and to think of Pakistan first.

"Brothers and sisters, especially those of the PPP and Sindh, Benazir Bhutto's mission was to usher in democracy and fight terror. I assure you that my mission is exactly the same. I want to usher in democracy and end terrorism and this will remain my mission, god willing," Musharraf said.

"It is my conviction that this alone will lead to Pakistan's progress and security. The government will not allow any agitation or disruption of the election process. "We will not allow any agitation or disturbance. If anyone has such intentions, the army, Rangers and police will tackle them," he said.

After the polls, a constitutional and democratic government will come to power and put the country on the path of progress and prosperity. The country needs to stand united in the fight against terrorism and extremism, he said.

"If we do not succeed in this fight, Pakistan's future will be bleak," Musharraf said.

"I appeal to the nation and the media to support the government, army and law enforcement agencies in this fight," he said.