Musharraf to end emergency
The country's president will address the nation later today amid speculation that he may lift the state of emergency currently in place
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Thursday, 29, Nov 2007 07:08
Pakistan's state of emergency is to be lifted by December 16th, Pervez Musharraf has said.
Mr Musharraf made the announcement in a television announcement after being sworn in as the country's president for a second time earlier today.
He said he was "determined" to lift the emergency, which has seen normal civil rights and the Pakistani constitution suspended, by December 16th to allow elections to take place on January 8th.
Opposition leaders Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto were warned against boycotting the election in the address, which Mr Musharraf insisted would occur on a "level playing field".
He committed to lifting the state of emergency after taking the oath of office at the presidential palace in Islamabad, pledging to serve the nation as a civilian head of state.
Yesterday Mr Musharraf ended weeks of speculation by finally resigning from his position as head of the military, formally handing over military power to nominated successor General Ashfaq Kiyani.
Critics have suggested he only did so after his second term as president was approved by the supreme court, whose make-up was changed dramatically in the wake of the emergency.
The newly-constituted bench had dismissed petitions questioning whether he could be re-elected by parliament while holding two positions.
Mr Musharraf now looks likely to meet key demands of western allies in the west, restore democracy in the country and lift the state of emergency.