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| Pakistan court debates emergency | Pakistan court debates emergency |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's revamped Supreme Court is due to begin hearing a legal challenge to the state of emergency. | Pakistan's revamped Supreme Court is due to begin hearing a legal challenge to the state of emergency. |
| President Pervez Musharraf's lawyers will say the emergency is the only way to ensure free and fair elections. | President Pervez Musharraf's lawyers will say the emergency is the only way to ensure free and fair elections. |
| But Gen Musharraf faces two key legal challenges - one contesting the emergency's legality and the other opposing his re-election as president. | But Gen Musharraf faces two key legal challenges - one contesting the emergency's legality and the other opposing his re-election as president. |
| But opponents expect him to win both cases as several Supreme Court judges have been replaced in the emergency. | But opponents expect him to win both cases as several Supreme Court judges have been replaced in the emergency. |
| However, if the court does sanction his position as president, Gen Musharraf has said he will then step down as chief of the army and hold elections in January. | However, if the court does sanction his position as president, Gen Musharraf has said he will then step down as chief of the army and hold elections in January. |
| Political opponents say they will boycott the polls if they go ahead as planned, with the state of emergency still in place. | Political opponents say they will boycott the polls if they go ahead as planned, with the state of emergency still in place. |
| Politicians pledge | |
| In a series of interviews with the foreign media on Wednesday, Gen Musharraf insisted he was not a dictator and that he was the man to lead the country back to democracy. | In a series of interviews with the foreign media on Wednesday, Gen Musharraf insisted he was not a dictator and that he was the man to lead the country back to democracy. |
| The emergency rule was necessary in order to hold "peaceful, free and fair elections", the president said in an interview with the French newspaper, Le Monde. | The emergency rule was necessary in order to hold "peaceful, free and fair elections", the president said in an interview with the French newspaper, Le Monde. |
| He went on to say that politicians in detention in Pakistan would be released to take part fully in elections. | He went on to say that politicians in detention in Pakistan would be released to take part fully in elections. |
| But he warned that if they caused trouble or broke the law, the authorities would act against them. | But he warned that if they caused trouble or broke the law, the authorities would act against them. |
| Opposition politician Imran Khan was arrested on Wednesday after making his first public appearance since emergency rule was declared. | Opposition politician Imran Khan was arrested on Wednesday after making his first public appearance since emergency rule was declared. |
| The former cricketer was detained after going to the University of Punjab in Lahore to address a protest by students against Gen Musharraf. | The former cricketer was detained after going to the University of Punjab in Lahore to address a protest by students against Gen Musharraf. |
| On Tuesday, Mr Khan said there should be no negotiations with Gen Musharraf. | On Tuesday, Mr Khan said there should be no negotiations with Gen Musharraf. |
| He told the BBC he had agreed with ex-PM Benazir Bhutto, who is under house arrest, that the parliamentary election due to be held by mid-January would be meaningless if the state of emergency was not lifted. | |
| Earlier, Ms Bhutto called for the president to step down, saying the Pakistani people had lost confidence in his ability to steer the country towards democracy. | Earlier, Ms Bhutto called for the president to step down, saying the Pakistani people had lost confidence in his ability to steer the country towards democracy. |