This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7099372.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Musharraf pours scorn on Bhutto | Musharraf pours scorn on Bhutto |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has hit out at opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and dismissed her hopes of coming to power in elections. | Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has hit out at opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and dismissed her hopes of coming to power in elections. |
| He said Ms Bhutto in fact feared the polls, set for January, because her party was unpopular and she would lose. | He said Ms Bhutto in fact feared the polls, set for January, because her party was unpopular and she would lose. |
| General Musharraf has been criticised after seizing emergency powers. | General Musharraf has been criticised after seizing emergency powers. |
| But he told the BBC it was judges and opposition politicians - not himself - who were trying to derail the political and democratic process in Pakistan. | But he told the BBC it was judges and opposition politicians - not himself - who were trying to derail the political and democratic process in Pakistan. |
| In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Gen Musharraf demanded an explanation for his portrayal in the Western media in recent months. | In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Gen Musharraf demanded an explanation for his portrayal in the Western media in recent months. |
| "Did I go mad..? Or suddenly, my personality changed? Am I Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?" he asked. | "Did I go mad..? Or suddenly, my personality changed? Am I Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?" he asked. |
| "Have I done anything constitutionally illegal? Yes, I did it on 3 November," he said, referring to his imposition of emergency rule. "But did I do it before? Not once." | "Have I done anything constitutionally illegal? Yes, I did it on 3 November," he said, referring to his imposition of emergency rule. "But did I do it before? Not once." |
| "Who is trying to derail the political and democratic process? Am I? Or is it some elements in the Supreme Court - the chief justice and his coterie... and now some elements in the political field?" | "Who is trying to derail the political and democratic process? Am I? Or is it some elements in the Supreme Court - the chief justice and his coterie... and now some elements in the political field?" |
| 'Agitation' | 'Agitation' |
| He criticised former Prime Minister Bhutto, despite recent efforts by the two to form an alliance. | He criticised former Prime Minister Bhutto, despite recent efforts by the two to form an alliance. |
| Gen Musharraf said she was "the darling of the West" but that "she would not like to go into an election because her party is not in a state to win at all". | Gen Musharraf said she was "the darling of the West" but that "she would not like to go into an election because her party is not in a state to win at all". |
| Benazir Bhutto was placed under house arrest on Tuesday | Benazir Bhutto was placed under house arrest on Tuesday |
| "Therefore, I will certainly go for the election, in spite of any agitation by her. We will not allow her that," he said. | "Therefore, I will certainly go for the election, in spite of any agitation by her. We will not allow her that," he said. |
| He also warned darkly that if other "elements" came to power, the country's nuclear arsenal might fall into the wrong hands. | |
| "As long as the military is there, nothing happens to the strategic assets," he asserted. | |
| Ms Bhutto, who was released from house arrest on Friday, has said that she will meet other opposition leaders to discuss a boycott of January's assembly elections. | Ms Bhutto, who was released from house arrest on Friday, has said that she will meet other opposition leaders to discuss a boycott of January's assembly elections. |
| Gen Musharraf is due to meet US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on Saturday to discuss the deepening political crisis. | Gen Musharraf is due to meet US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on Saturday to discuss the deepening political crisis. |
| Mr Negroponte arrived in Pakistan on Friday and spoke on the telephone to Ms Bhutto, telling her "moderate forces" should work together to get Pakistan back to democracy. | Mr Negroponte arrived in Pakistan on Friday and spoke on the telephone to Ms Bhutto, telling her "moderate forces" should work together to get Pakistan back to democracy. |
| Hours earlier the former prime minister had been released from house arrest, imposed on Tuesday to stop her from leading a march to Islamabad. | Hours earlier the former prime minister had been released from house arrest, imposed on Tuesday to stop her from leading a march to Islamabad. |
| The move was part of a huge clampdown that has seen thousands of people arrested since emergency rule was introduced on 3 November. | The move was part of a huge clampdown that has seen thousands of people arrested since emergency rule was introduced on 3 November. |
| Ms Bhutto renewed her calls for President Musharraf to end emergency rule, and condemned the interim government sworn in on Friday to oversee polls. | Ms Bhutto renewed her calls for President Musharraf to end emergency rule, and condemned the interim government sworn in on Friday to oversee polls. |
| "This caretaker government is an extension of the [governing PML-Q party] and is not acceptable," she said. | "This caretaker government is an extension of the [governing PML-Q party] and is not acceptable," she said. |
| 'Dashed hopes' | 'Dashed hopes' |
| Washington had been hoping for Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf to work together to give his government more support in its fight against pro-Taleban extremists. | Washington had been hoping for Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf to work together to give his government more support in its fight against pro-Taleban extremists. |
| Some opposition supporters do not welcome Mr Negroponte's visit | Some opposition supporters do not welcome Mr Negroponte's visit |
| But Ms Bhutto again appeared to rule this out. | But Ms Bhutto again appeared to rule this out. |
| "I can't see how I can team up with somebody who raises hopes and dashes them... He talked to me about a roadmap to democracy and imposed martial law," she said. | "I can't see how I can team up with somebody who raises hopes and dashes them... He talked to me about a roadmap to democracy and imposed martial law," she said. |
| The US administration has made repeated calls for the emergency to be lifted and for Gen Musharraf to return the country to civilian rule. | The US administration has made repeated calls for the emergency to be lifted and for Gen Musharraf to return the country to civilian rule. |
| Gen Musharraf says he will resign as head of the army once the Supreme Court has ratified his next term as president. | Gen Musharraf says he will resign as head of the army once the Supreme Court has ratified his next term as president. |
| Apart from Ms Bhutto, some other leading figures were released from detention on Friday. | Apart from Ms Bhutto, some other leading figures were released from detention on Friday. |
| They include the country's most prominent rights activist, Asma Jahangir, head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. | They include the country's most prominent rights activist, Asma Jahangir, head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. |