President Pervez Musharrafs decision to not declare a state of emergency in Pakistan was apparently taken following the intervention of the United States.
Washington, Aug 10 : President Pervez Musharraf's decision to not declare a state of emergency in Pakistan was apparently taken following the intervention of the United States.
According to the Dawn, Washington played a key role in steering Musharraf away from imposing emergency, and the acknowledgement of this role came from US President George W. Bush.
"My focus in terms of the domestic scene there (Pakistan) is that they have a free and fair election, and that's what we've been talking to him (Musharraf) about and hopeful they will," Bush said at a press conference.
Bush said he had seen media reports about an "emergency declaration," but he had "seen no evidence that he (Musharraf) has made that decision."
After reports started making the rounds that Islamabad was considering imposing a state of emergency, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Musharraf and discussed with him Pakistan's internal political situation.
"They talked about the ongoing political developments in Pakistan. They had a good conversation," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
According to sources, Rice made two telephone calls; the first at 5 p.m. Washington time on Wednesday and the second on Thursday morning.
The two leaders discussed about the possibility of declaration of emergency and Musharraf's refusal to attend a tribal jirga in Kabul, the sources said.
Responding to a query whether Rice's telephone call influenced Musharraf not to declare emergency, McCormack said: "I'll leave it to Pakistani officials to describe President Musharraf's thinking and how that thinking may have evolved."
McCormack added that the US wants Pakistan to go on the pathway "to greater economic openness and freedom and reform, greater political openness and freedom."
ANI