Pakistan on Monday rejected as 'regrettable' a European Parliament resolution calling upon President Pervez Musharraf to lift the emergency rule. "It ignores the ground realities and fails to show understanding of the extraordinary situation that necessitated emergency for maintaining political stability and preserving the on-going political process in the country," a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
General Musharraf, who took over in a bloodless coup in 1999, proclaimed a state of emergency on November 3, citing rising Islamic militancy and 'meddlesome' judiciary as the prime reason. Opposition parties, however, say the move was aimed at sacking the apex court judges to confirm a ruling in his favour on petitions against his controversial re-election in early October.
Their opinion was substantiated on Monday when a hand-picked Supreme Court dismissed five out of six such challenges to his rule. But the statement said an institutional breakdown and internal crisis that had paralysed the government necessitated the extreme measure to keep democratic and economic reforms on the track.
"The continuation of that situation would have constricted the ability of the government to counter militancy and terrorism that pose a grave threat to Pakistan and the world," it added.
Criticising the move, the European Parliament on Saturday called on Musharraf to 'put an end to martial law' and stop 'grave human rights abuses and mass arrests of innocent citizens and prominent leaders.' It also urged the General Musharraf to respect the 'verdict of the Supreme Court - once it is reinstated - on the constitutionality of his election as President'.
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