BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
Last Updated: Friday, 10 August 2007, 15:16 GMT 16:16 UK
Media relief at Musharraf move
Pakistani press


Most are suspicious of the motives that could have prompted President Pervez Musharraf to consider such a move, with one paper saying it would have been "a recipe for disaster".


Pakistan's The News

Even a lay observer can tell that the real motive behind imposing the emergency would be to give the president some breathing space and to fend off any legal challenge to his plans for re-electing himself... The decision to impose an emergency in the country cannot be justified on any ground - moral, legal or constitutional - and would only serve to destabilise the country.

Pakistan's Daily Times

The timing of the move is wrong... It suggests that Gen Musharraf is putting his own mundane personal interest above the national interest... The way out is not an emergency but free and fair general elections that return the mandate to the people to whom it belongs.

Pakistan's Dawn

The threats facing the nation are grave, and only a government armed with a mandate from the people - a mandate secured through a fair and free election - can stem the tide of extremism and meet the threats to Pakistan's sovereignty.

Pakistan's The Nation

Better sense prevailed... [A state of emergency] would not only have met with resistance but also proved to be a recipe for disaster.

Pakistan's Nawa-i-Waqt


Pakistan's Ausaf

If the president imposes a state of emergency in the country, the political confrontation will intensify... President Musharraf needs to avoid taking such a decision, or his image both inside the country and abroad will be damaged.

Pakistan's Jang

If there is any need to impose emergency rule for some particular purpose, it should be confined to those reasons so that the process of stabilising democratic institutions... is not impeded.

Pakistan's Islam

The imposition of a state of emergency would prove to be a final blunder on the part of the government... It is better for the government to take the nation into its confidence through parliament before going ahead with any such step. If it exacerbates the situation even further, the government itself will be the main loser.

India's Navbharat Times

President Musharraf had decided not to impose a state of emergency after extensive deliberations. However, he decided to defer it. It can be deduced from this decision that he finds himself on shaky ground at present... The domestic situation in Pakistan is likely to get out of General Musharraf's control, even if a state of emergency is not imposed. This is a matter of equal concern for India.

India's Hindustan Times

The emergency route is unlikely to calm things down in Pakistan. All this talk of emergency / no-emergency does nothing to enhance Mr Musharraf or Pakistan's image... The sooner he paves the way for a return to democracy, the better for Pakistan and the entire region.


Country profile: Pakistan
09 Jan 07 |  Country profiles
Musharraf's emergency rule dilemma
10 Aug 07 |  South Asia
Musharraf rejects emergency rule
09 Aug 07 |  South Asia
Bush urges fair Pakistan election
09 Aug 07 |  South Asia

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

Has China's housing bubble burst?
How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire
Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit


Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific