Benazir Bhutto guardedly welcomed President Pervez Musharraf's announcement on Sunday of general elections by January 9 as a "positive step." "It is a positive step," Benazir told reporters here, but cautioned that the government must also lift the state of emergency it imposed a week ago.
She said the elections announcement alone would not defuse the political crisis engulfing Pakistan, as many other outstanding issues needed to be resolved. Benazir said Musharraf's government was sending out conflicting signals by announcing the elections timetable after Saturday amending an army act to give the military more powers over civilians, including possible court-martials.
"On the one hand, the government has given us the election schedule and on the other it has given the Army Act.
Our society has been given conflicting signals," she said.
"Free and fair elections are not possible under the Army Act and emergency rule."
Benazir pointed to curbs on the media and the sacking of chief justice and other judges. "A dictator never enjoys the support of the masses," she said. "There is danger to our country, and your sister has come here to share these concerns with you. "To strengthen democracy, we will have to organise people's power."