Mush hasn't 'abandoned the idea of Emergency'

Islamabad: Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf's decision not to impose Emergency was for the time being and he has not abandoned the idea, the chief of ruling PML-Q, Shujaat Hussain, said.

Hussain also rejected media reports which claimed Gen Musharraf decided against declaring Emergency after receiving two telephone calls from US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

"Who is she to interfere in our affairs? Gen Musharraf takes decisions in accordance with our interests," he was quoted as saying by the media as the Foreign Office acknowledged on Friday that the issue of Emergency figured during the telephone talks between Gen Musharraf and Rice.

Admitting that he was one of those who advised Gen Musharraf to declare Emergency, mainly to deal with a spate of suicide bombings in the country, Hussain said the idea has not been abandoned.

According to him, the President had turned down the advice, saying that such a step would benefit former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a directive for the authorities not to obstruct his return home from exile.

Hussain said if Emergency is imposed at a later stage, it would be well within the Constitutional parameters and that he would support it.

Hussain said he was among some 'well-wishers' of the government who had suggested imposition of partial emergency to confront the challenges of terrorism and extremism faced by the country.

It was Hussain who had set off speculation about emergency on August 8. The next day he, however, denied having suggested the measure and even criticised those who advised the President, saying they were not well-wishers of Musharraf.

Hussain now says that he did propose the option of Emergency to deal with the spate of suicide bombings as well as the attacks on Chinese nationals in different parts of the country, besides the overall political turmoil.

He said had his advice been approved and Emergency imposed earlier, the Lal Masjid raid and suicide bombings, which followed it, would not have taken place.

Senior leaders of PML-Q said the party preferred Emergency because it provided the option to legally extend the tenure of the present Assemblies by one more year. Such a move would help avoid General Elections to be held later this year, they said.