Mush ends Emergency, opposition unmoved

New Delhi: President Pervez Musharraf has lifted the Emergency he had imposed on Pakistan, on Saturday.

The Emergency was expected to be lifted at 12 noon but the signing of the order had been delayed.

Musharraf signed three Presidential orders to end the Emergency, to withdraw the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) that had suspended the Constitution and fundamental rights, and the third to revive the Constitution of 1973.

A presidential address to the nation will follow at 8.30 PM (IST).

Though civil liberties have been restored, it was not expected that the Constitution will be completely reinstated.

"What we are hearing that it's not going to be the exact Constitution as on third of November," said PTI correspondent Rezaul Lashkar, "It's not exactly clear."

Lashkar said that it did not seem as though the deposed judges would be coming back.

"One thing we heard last night that the deposed judges are not going to be coming back," he said.

On Friday, Musharraf had also amended six articles of the Constitution to consolidate his power.

The lawyer fraternity is expected to continue their protests for deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry is still under house arrest.

It is also improbable that Musharraf would lift restrictions on the media.

His critics point out that restrictions on the media and the judiciary would allow Musharraf to rig the general elections that have been slated for January 8.

Musharraf had imposed a state of emergency on November 3 and had suspended the Constitution and civil liberties. He had also deposed Supreme Court judges and replaced them with hand-picked judges. The judges have taken fresh oath under the 1973 Constitution.

The allied opposition parties have, however, given mixed reactions.

PPP President Benazir Bhutto welcomed the lifting of the Emergency.

"This is a vital step in transformation to democracy. I welcome the move but I have some reservations," Benazir admitted.

PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif does not consider lifting the Emergency to be of any import when the state of the judiciary is not addressed.

"Lifting of Emergency is meaningless," said Sharif. "The real crime against the real judiciary hasn't been undone."

Tehreek-e-Insaaf President Imran Khan does not think anything has changed, either.

"The whole idea of Emergency was to destroy the judiciary," he said, adding, "He (Musharraf) has got pocket judges in their place now.

Imran expressed the fear that the President has clearly set the stage for voting himself into power legitimately.

"Elections have been rigged. Musharraf can do whatever he wants, even now. These elections will legitimise Musharraf," he asserted.