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Islamabad: Pakistani police braced for more lawyers' protests against President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule on Tuesday, a day after officials said an election will be held early next year in the face of mounting US pressure.
Protests have also erupted around the world, with demonstrators holding rallies in the United States and Hong Kong.
In Karachi, troops manned razor wire checkpoints near the presidential palace, parliament and Supreme Court in Islamabad, while police vetted lawyers trying to enter the High Court.
US President George W. Bush, who values Musharraf as an ally in his battle against Al Qaida and the Taliban, on Monday urged Musharraf to lift the emergency rule he imposed on Saturday, hold elections and quit his military post.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a spokesman for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on Musharraf to hold the parliamentary elections in January as planned.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said general elections due by mid-January would be held "on schedule" despite the emergency.
In a sign of the uncertainty gripping the country, the government was forced to deny swirling rumours that Musharraf had been placed under house arrest by his own armed forces. "It's nonsense, sheer baseless rumour," Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi said.
The UN rights chief criticised the state of emergency while the United States suspended key defence talks with Pakistan.
With additional inputs from agencies
Your comments
I think the people of Pakistan will not tolerate the emergency rule, and Musharraf will not be able to control the situation.
Nur
Khulna,Bangladesh
Posted: November 06, 2007, 07:50
What Musharraf is doing is totally wrong. What he has done is only creating violence in the country. He should be reminded that the army is meant for civilian protection, not for ruling over the country.
Amer
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: November 06, 2007, 07:33
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