Churches call for Pakistani Government to lift state of emergency

The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and the United Reformed Church have issued a joint statement calling on the Pakistani Government to lift the state of emergency.

Pakistan has been in constitutional crisis since President Pervez Musharraf invoked the emergency rule two weeks ago. He has since announced that a general election will be held before January 9 and there are expectations that he will relinquish his role as army chief and run as a civilian president.

In a joint statement, the Church leaders welcomed the January general election but pressed the Pakistani Government to go further by carrying through "an immediate lifting of the current state of emergency".

The Churches' faith-based partners in Pakistan have, over the past year, reported their "increasing anxiety over damage to democratic process and the independence of the judiciary", the Churches said.

The Churches went on to express their support for the restoration of democratic process in Pakistan and the reinstatement of the Supreme Court judges.

They also urged General Musharraf to step down as the chief of the Army staff, and for measures to be put into place to ensure the impartial oversight of elections for the release of political prisoners, as well as an end to harassment of journalists.

The statement read: "Security can only be achieved in an environment in which people are able to exercise their democratic rights and we call on the UK Government and international community to urge the Government of Pakistan to take all measures necessary to enable free and fair elections.

"We continue to hold the situation in our prayers and listen carefully to many in Pakistan who earnestly desire peace, security and stability."

The Churches' call came one day before US envoy John Negroponte met President Musharraf on Saturday to put pressure on him to revoke the emergency rule and agree a deal with opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Negroponte is expected to press for an end to emergency rule as a precondition for a "free and fair" election in January, as well as the release of thousands of lawyers, opposition and rights activists.

Bhutto indicated earlier in the week that she would not serve as prime minister under Musharraf's presidency, and told America's Public Broadcasting Service television's "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" that he should quit "if it's in Pakistan's best interest".