Mush tightens grip on power before lifting Emergency

New Delhi: A day ahead of his promised date for lifting Emergency rule, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Friday issued a constitutional amendment order to consolidate his position and prevent legal challenges to his action of sacking judges of the superior judiciary.

Musharraf, who had proclaimed Emergency on November 3, has finalised the order to withdraw the measure on Saturday, when he will issue a formal declaration restoring civil liberties and ending the ban on citizens petitioning the courts.

The President will also address the nation on television and radio at 2000 hours on Saturday.

After the Constitution amendment, no petitions challenging Musharraf's actions since the declaration of Emergency will be allowed. The restrictions on the assembly and demonstrations will also remain, so will be the curbs on live broadcasts by TV channels.

Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif said the lifting of the Emergency will be largely symbolic.

The Constitution amendment is the first move towards the lifting of the Emergency. Explaining the Constitution amendment order, Attorney General Malik Qayyum said: "The President has promulgated some amendments in the Constitution, including one which says that all those judges who did not take oath under Emergency rule cease to hold their offices."

Qayyum is a close aide of Musharraf and is believed to be the man who played a key role in drafting the order to end the Emergency.

By his order, Musharraf amended six articles of the Constitution to consolidate his grip on power ahead of the January 8 parliamentary polls.

According to 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.

Article 270C of the Constitution was amended to provide that the judges of the superior judiciary who did not endorse the Emergency and take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order would "cease to hold office with effect from" November 3. The judges who took oath under the PCO will continue to hold office.