PAKISTAN: Pakistan's Bhutto readies for mass democracy protest

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto arrives in Lahore for Tuesday's "long march" aimed at putting pressure on President Musharraf. Chanting supporters welcomed Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto to the city of Lahore on Sunday (November 11), ahead of a mass protest she plans against President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule. Waving the black, red and green flags of her Pakistan People's Party, hundreds of frenzied activists shouted "Benazir Prime Minister!" and "Long live Bhutto", thrusting their arms in the air and making V for victory signs. Bhutto intends to lead a procession of vehicles to Islamabad on Tuesday (November 13) to demand Musharraf quits as army chief,the emergency rule he imposed a week ago, restores the constitution and frees thousands of detained lawyers and opponents. After the enthusiastic reception at the airport Bhutto paid homage at the shrine of "Datta Darbar" (shrine) where she also was surrounded by supporters. Bhutto said later in a news conference that full-fledged democracy could ensure the "stability and survival" of the country as she arrived in the city of Lahore ahead of a mass protest she is planning against President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule this week. "The survival of Pakistan is lies in democracy and democracy means people. And the purpose of the people is, under which system we should move forward. We had been done so far was that chief justice was arrested and leader of the opposition (in the senate) Raza Rabbani was also arrested. President of the supreme court Bar Association has been arrested. And that the president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association has been apprehended. Media has left with no freedom. It (media) is either intimidated privately or expelled," said Bhutto. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf said on Sunday a general election would be held by January 9 but under a state of emergency he imposed eight days ago. Musharraf, under pressure from rivals and Western allies to put nuclear-armed Pakistan back on a path to democracy, said the National Assembly and provincial assemblies would be dissolved in coming days, upon completion of their terms. The army chief also told a news conference he would quit the military and be sworn in as a civilian president as soon as the Supreme Court struck down challenges to his October 6 re-election. He said he hoped that would happen as soon as possible. Earlier, as she arrived Pakistan People's Party, hundreds of frenzied activists shouted "Benazir Prime Minister!" and "Long live Bhutto", thrusting their arms in the air and making V for victory signs. Bhutto intends to lead a procession of vehicles to Islamabad on Tuesday to demand Musharraf quits as army chief,the emergency rule he imposed a week ago, restores the constitution and frees thousands of detained lawyers and opponents. Police have vowed to block the convoy, just as they stifled a planned protest rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Friday -- when Bhutto was held under house arrest for most of the day. Punjab province's elite police unit, with "No Fear" printed on their tracksuits, stood guard. She vowed even if the Punjab government tries to create hurdles the would go for our long march on Nov. 13. Bhutto, who the United States had hoped would end up sharing power with Musharraf after elections, described nuclear-armed Pakistan as a "pressure cooker" about to explode on Saturday. However, Musharraf -- who is waiting for a Supreme Court ruling to endorse his October election win while still serving as army chief -- has not yet given a date for lifting emergency rule, or removing his army uniform. Many Pakistanis expect Musharraf to go back on his promise to give up his uniform, as he did in 2004.

ITN Source | November 12, 2007

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