General elections including the national assembly and the
provincial assemblies would be held simultaneously before Jan. 9,
said Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad on
Sunday.
At his first press conference in the presidential palace since
the imposition of emergency eight days ago, Musharraf said that he
made the announcement to refute rumors that he would delay the
polls by one month.
He announced that Pakistan would dissolve the National Assembly
on Nov. 15 at the end of its five-year term and provincial
assemblies on Nov. 20.
Musharraf said that he would ask the chief election commissioner
to begin preparations for the elections.
"I've committed to hold elections in time and today I have
fulfilled the pledge," he said, adding that 60-day time would be
given for the election campaign and all parties would have equal
opportunity to take part in the election process.
However, Musharraf refused to give a date as when to lift the
state of emergency imposed on Nov. 3.
As for his re-election, Musharraf said that the Supreme Court of
Pakistan had ordered not to announce the results of the
presidential election and the matter was now with the Supreme
Court.
He said whenever the court would allow for the notification of
results, he would take oath as a civilian president.
(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2007)
