Khan also echoed the complaints of the PPP delegation, led by Bhutto's close friend and confidante Sherry Rehman, which is also visiting Washington. He alleged that Musharraf and his regime were planning on rigging the elections and hence his party was boycotting the February 18 elections.
Addressing the European Union Parliament, Musharraf said, "We are as concerned with democracy as you are. I assure you that elections will be fair and peaceful".
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has ruled out any possibility of rigging in the upcoming general elections and said his government has made "fool-proof" arrangements to put Pakistan on the path to "true democracy".
Asserting that there will be no further delay in the February 18 parliamentary elections in the country, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf rejected the allegations of pre-poll rigging and setting up ghost polling stations.
"Musharraf has become highly controversial and elections would not be free and fair under him," Sharif told a news conference after chairing a meeting of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party to chalk out its strategy for the February 18 parliamentary polls.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has conceded for the first time that a gunman may have shot former Premier Benazir Bhutto.
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. "I had always wanted the polls to be held as per schedule on January 8. But the new date is absolutely reasonable," he said in an address to the nation.
At least 13 people were killed in violent protests in various parts of the country that erupted after Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi on Friday evening.
'There is no way what is happening, in terms of stopping me from taking private cars or using tinted windows or giving jammers or four police mobiles to cover all sides, could happen without him.' After the October bombing, she accused elements in the government and security services of trying to kill her and asked President Musharraf for 'basic security.'
Benazir Bhutto had too many elements against her -- anti-US, pro-Al Qaeda jihadi elements, the Zia-ul Haq loyalists, junior members of the Pakistan army and, possibly, the Pakistan air force.
The US defence secretary's visit comes ahead of the visit by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
Much is being made of Kayani's attempt to surround himself with his own men. That is only partially true and in many ways legitimate too. However, it does not seem that he would have unnecessarily pushed Lt-Gen Taj out of the ISI in less than a year of the latter's having taken charge of the agency if internal and external actors had not begun to cast doubts over the agency's internal and external conduct
The lone Hindu to reach the highest echelons of Pakistan's judiciary, Bhagwandas refused to endorse the emergency and was dismissed by Musharraf along with other judges. He was the second highest ranking apex court judge after deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
The environment has shifted towards a peaceful resolution, and progress was being made in dialogue process with India but at the same time more work need to be done towards its consolidation, Musharraf said.
Pakistan allowed the US to conduct limited operations in its territory against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants during the reign of former president Pervez Musharraf, ex-foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said. "Pakistan had allowed the US to conduct limited operations," Kasuri, a close confidant of Musharraf, told Geo News channel in an interview.
According to a statement issued by the law ministry, an amendment was made to article 41 to allow the election of the President before the completion of his tenure of five years. Article 44 was amended to change the grounds for the disqualification of the President.
Musharraf also underlined the need to seize the historic opportunity before the two countries to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Pakistan on Monday said there was "no contradiction" between President Pervez Musharraf's proposal of demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir and the relocation of troops by India.
A committee formed by former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and her political rival Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party has completed 80 per cent of its work on drawing up the charter of demands, which is expected to be completed on Thursday.
Musharraf briefed the Hurriyat delegation on his proposals to resolve the Kashmir issue and his recent talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Addressing the caretaker Cabinet led by Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro at his camp office in Rawalpindi near Islamabad, Musharraf said the government's priority should be the holding of "free, fair and transparent elections and the peaceful transfer of power to the elected government."
President Pervez Musharraf is expected to lift emergency in Pakistan in next the 48 hours, the Dawn news channel reported on Wednesday.
"What is the matter with these Commonwealth guys, why can they not trust me when I say maybe I will take off my uniform in a few days; I might remove the emergency after the elections, within a few days I intend to free the judges, lawyers, human rights activists, that I am the only true democrat in all of Pakistan," said one satirical post at thespoof.com.
Will Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf meet the fate of the Shah of Iran, another "unpopular" leader that the United States tried to prop up?
Abdullah said there was an urgent need to take steps which would provide relief to the people, like opening of more trans-LoC routes, simplifying travel procedure and starting of trade between the two sides of the Line of Control.
Musharraf said the two 'important' countries in South Asia should work jointly for the cause of peace and stability in the region.
President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday sought to defend imposition of emergency in Pakistan, saying that foreign militants based in the country were planning terrorist strikes all over the world.
Asking Pakistanis to desist from militant acts outside the country, President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday fixed the blame of a number of recent blasts and suicide strikes in the country on foreign terrorists.
Unfazed by the demands from the estranged ally PML-N and the influential lawyers movement, Pakistan's ruling PPP has decided against re-instating deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry to his previous post and said he will have to work under the incumbent if re-appointed.
Pakistan journalist Hamid Mir on issues like Musharraf's compulsions in resorting to this extreme measure, conducting elections and restoring democracy in Pakistan, whether its nuclear weapons are in danger of falling into extremists' hands and what the ramifications for India would be.
By indulging in agitation, Bhutto, the leader of Pakistan People's Party, is "strengthening the impression that she is sure of her party's defeat in the elections", Musharraf said at a farewell meeting with members of the outgoing assembly of Punjab province. "The politicians, including Benazir Bhutto, who are pursuing agitational politics, should do away with it and focus on electioneering so that elections could be held in a peaceful atmosphere," he said.
The ceremony was attended by former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, members of his Cabinet, National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, governors and provincial chief ministers, services chiefs, senators, federal secretaries, political leaders, diplomats and high civil and military officials.
The resolution was introduced on Thursday by Congressional panel on the Middle East and South Asia Chairman Gary Ackerman, a senior Democrat. Ackerman said the Bush Administration had, for too long, relied on one man to achieve the US anti-terrorism objectives in Pakistan. The President (Bush) has ignored democratic development there and turned a blind eye as General Musharraf has manipulated the political process to ensure his continued tenure in office.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday appointed the Chairman of the Senate (Upper House) Mohammad Mian Soomro as the caretaker prime minister of the country.
The Commonwealth on Monday gave an ultimatum to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf asking him to repeal the emergency provisions.
Amidst concerns expressed by India over the military operation in Balochistan, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said the action against tribals and nationalists in the province, who were agitating for more autonomy, would continue.
It was mayhem at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) this week with foreign investors withdrawing around $185 million from equity and $50 million from government bonds on four trading days after imposition of emergency by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
Speaking to a television channel over phone from Saudi Arabia, he said, "If Benazir abandons her negotiations with Musharraf, we can work together and launch a joint struggle."
Undeterred by the government's ban on public meetings under emergency rule, former premier Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan People's Party on Wednesday vowed to go ahead with a planned rally in the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi on Friday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has lauded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for responding positively to the proposals made by President Pervez Musharraf to resolve the Kashmir issue.
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