Bhutto urges all Pakistanis to protest

LAHORE – Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto yesterday urged Pakistanis of all shades to join a motorcade protest against President Pervez Musharraf’s emergency rule and vowed it would go ahead even if police try to block her.

Musharraf set off a storm of criticism when he imposed emergency rule on November 3 and has come under pressure from Western allies and rivals to set the nuclear-armed country back on the path to democracy. He was likely to face more calls to restore democracy when the 53-nation Commonwealth group of mostly former British colonies held a special meeting in London yesterday to discuss Pakistan.Two-time former prime minister Bhutto plans to lead a 3-4 day long procession of vehicles from the city of Lahore to Islamabad on Tuesday to demand General Musharraf quits as army chief, ends emergency rule, reinstates the constitution and frees thousands of detained lawyers and opponents – including many from her own party.Police have warned Bhutto could face a suicide assassination bid, like the one at a rally last month to welcome her back from eight years in self-imposed exile which killed 139 people.”I know it is dangerous,” Bhutto said during a visit to the tomb of renowned 19th century poet Mohammad Iqbal during an impromptu foray into Lahore in her bullet-proof Landcruiser.”I don’t want to take a dangerous path, but I ask myself, what is the alternative and how can we save our country?” “We appeal to all people, including from other parties and minorities, women and children, to take part in this long march,” she said of the motorcade.Police initially said they would block the convoy, just as they stifled a protest rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Friday – when Bhutto was held under house arrest for most of the day.But a senior police official in Lahore said he had no orders to stop the convoy.Musharraf justified the emergency by saying the judiciary was hampering the battle against militants and interfering with governance.However diplomats say his main objective was to stop the Supreme Court from ruling invalid his Oct.6 re-election by assemblies his supporters dominated.Musharraf said on Sunday a general election would be held by Jan.9 but declined to say when the emergency would be lifted and the constitution restored.He also said he would step down as army chief and be sworn in as civilian president as soon as the Supreme Court – where new judges seen as friendly to the government have been appointed – ruled on challenges to his election.Nampa-ReutersHe was likely to face more calls to restore democracy when the 53-nation Commonwealth group of mostly former British colonies held a special meeting in London yesterday to discuss Pakistan.Two-time former prime minister Bhutto plans to lead a 3-4 day long procession of vehicles from the city of Lahore to Islamabad on Tuesday to demand General Musharraf quits as army chief, ends emergency rule, reinstates the constitution and frees thousands of detained lawyers and opponents – including many from her own party.Police have warned Bhutto could face a suicide assassination bid, like the one at a rally last month to welcome her back from eight years in self-imposed exile which killed 139 people.”I know it is dangerous,” Bhutto said during a visit to the tomb of renowned 19th century poet Mohammad Iqbal during an impromptu foray into Lahore in her bullet-proof Landcruiser.”I don’t want to take a dangerous path, but I ask myself, what is the alternative and how can we save our country?” “We appeal to all people, including from other parties and minorities, women and children, to take part in this long march,” she said of the motorcade.Police initially said they would block the convoy, just as they stifled a protest rally in the city of Rawalpindi on Friday – when Bhutto was held under house arrest for most of the day.But a senior police official in Lahore said he had no orders to stop the convoy.Musharraf justified the emergency by saying the judiciary was hampering the battle against militants and interfering with governance.However diplomats say his main objective was to stop the Supreme Court from ruling invalid his Oct.6 re-election by assemblies his supporters dominated.Musharraf said on Sunday a general election would be held by Jan.9 but declined to say when the emergency would be lifted and the constitution restored.He also said he would step down as army chief and be sworn in as civilian president as soon as the Supreme Court – where new judges seen as friendly to the government have been appointed – ruled on challenges to his election.Nampa-Reuters