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Emergency cannot be lifted now: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Western diplomats here confirmed that the visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during their meeting on Saturday that it was essential he lift the emergency, have free and fair elections and move towards a democratic transition.

Quoting an unnamed Presidential aide, the AFP said Gen. Musharraf, who was in military gear during the 90-minute meeting, told the U.S. envoy that he would roll back the emergency only when the security situation improved.

Vice-Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, named as the next Army chief, was present at the meeting. Mr. Negroponte also met Gen. Kayani separately.

The U.S. official tried to push a rapprochement between Gen. Musharraf and Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto, speaking to the former Prime Minister on telephone soon after his arrival.

State department spokesman Sean McCormack said in Washington that Mr. Negroponte stressed to her the “importance of moderate forces working together in Pakistan.”

But in an interview with BBC, President Musharraf said there could no more negotiations with Ms. Bhutto as she “is coming on the confrontational approach.”

Dubai authorities, meanwhile, shut down two television networks, Geo and ARY, headquartered there.

Geo TV alleged that Gen. Musharraf had used his influence with the Dubai emir.

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