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Pakistan says no state of emergency

Pakistan's military ruler said he will not declare a state of emergency or delay elections amid a growing crisis over his removal of the Supreme Court's independent-minded chief justice.

In a television interview, President Pervez Musharraf defended his suspension of Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on March 9 over unspecified allegations that the judge had abused his authority.

Critics claim Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup and serves as both army chief and president, sought to remove the strong-willed Chaudhry ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections because legal challenges to his rule could have been brought to the Supreme Court.

The government denies his suspension was politically motivated.

The move has angered lawyers and opposition political groups and the crisis has deepened as six judges have resigned in protest.

In an interview with Pakistan's Geo TV channel broadcast late on Monday, Musharraf said he has handed Chaudhry evidence of complaints the government has received against him.

Musharraf also condemned a police crackdown against protesters and acknowledged the government had mishandled the situation.

But he said in taking Chaudhry's case to a judicial complaints council, the government has followed "all norms of justice."

The Supreme Judicial Council, a panel of top judges that handles complaints of wrongdoing in the higher judiciary, can either confirm or throw out the alleged complaints against Chaudhry.

The council is scheduled to resume hearing Chaudhry's case today. Lawyers have announced they will stage more countrywide protests today.

"[The] Supreme Judicial Council will do justice. We don't want anything from them other than justice and I am sure they will do that," Musharraf said.

Musharraf said he is committed to hold "fair, transparent" elections after the current parliament completes its term later this year, and will not declare an emergency or postpone the vote.

"We will go forward on the course, which is elections this year when the five-year tenure of assemblies is completed. I am firmly resolved to do that and I will do it," he said.

Musharraf is likely to seek approval for another term as head of state from the outgoing parliament under provisions of the constitution amended in 2003 that enables him to be president as well as army chief.

Musharraf was unclear in the TV interview whether he will accept demands by opposition groups and step down as chief of the powerful army.

"I will follow the constitution. It is enough for the nation to know that we will follow the constitution," Musharraf said when asked about his future as army chief.

In 2002, Musharraf held parliamentary elections. The same year he won support to be the head of state in a controversial referendum in which he was the only candidate. In 2004, Parliament endorsed him as president.

Musharraf denied as "absolutely wrong" suggestions in the media that the government removed Chaudhry after he repeatedly pressed authorities to give information on the whereabouts of people whose relatives say they disappeared into the custody of intelligence agencies over suspected militant links.

Chaudhry's suspension has sparked a nationwide lawyers' strike and angry protests by lawyers and opposition activists, drawing a forceful police response and the arrests of hundreds, including lawyers and opposition activists.

Five judges submitted their resignations on Monday, following another who quit last week to protest police manhandling of Chaudhry.
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