Dawn reports that “In what is seen as a major shift from her earlier stance, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called upon General Pervez Musharraf to step down as president, saying there is little possibility now of her working with him even if he hangs up his uniform.” Musharraf refuses to relinquish his grip on power, with The Guardian reporting that “Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf vowed on Wednesday not to quit until the country’s political turmoil was over, strongly defending his decision to impose a state of emergency.”
Story Transcript
ZAA NKWETA, PRESENTER/PRODUCER: The political crisis in Pakistan continues to spin out of control. The Dawn newspaper reports that,
“In what is seen as a major shift from her earlier stance, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called upon Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down as president, saying there is little possibility now of her working with him even if he hangs up his uniform.” —Dawn, 14 November 2007
Musharraf refuses to relinquish his grip on power, with the Guardian newspaper reporting that,
“Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf vowed on Wednesday not to quit until the country’s political turmoil was over, strongly defending his decision to impose a state of emergency.” —Guardian, 14 November 2007
(START CLIP)
GEN. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: We’ll ensure balance and stability in Pakistan. That is the best time that I would like to quit. Okay? And I’m seeing that. I’m looking at that. Now, if my requirement is there to ensure that turmoil is avoided, and we go into elections, and elected government comes in, that is the best way of handling it. The best way of handling it, the issue is of (pause), transition to democracy, which is my uniform issue. Okay? That must be handled. The second issue is we must have elections and an elected government, because the elected—I have already declared that. So we must have elections. I must handle the uniform issue. I cannot be a president in uniform. Now, the choice after that is whether I should stay at all. That option is available to me. But should it be given up now and we will have better Pakistan, a stabler Pakistan, and we can have very good elections without me? Very good. Maybe I’ll take that decision. Okay?
(OFF-CAMERA): Have you thought of it?
MUSHARRAF: Well, I think of everything when I sit alone.
(OFF-CAMERA): You’ve actually considered it recently?
MUSHARRAF: No. I think of every option. I think of every option, and I discuss every option. —14 November 2007
(END CLIP)
Story Transcript
ZAA NKWETA, PRESENTER/PRODUCER: The political crisis in Pakistan continues to spin out of control. The Dawn newspaper reports that,
“In what is seen as a major shift from her earlier stance, Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has called upon Gen Pervez Musharraf to step down as president, saying there is little possibility now of her working with him even if he hangs up his uniform.” —Dawn, 14 November 2007
Musharraf refuses to relinquish his grip on power, with the Guardian newspaper reporting that,
“Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf vowed on Wednesday not to quit until the country’s political turmoil was over, strongly defending his decision to impose a state of emergency.” —Guardian, 14 November 2007
(START CLIP)
GEN. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: We’ll ensure balance and stability in Pakistan. That is the best time that I would like to quit. Okay? And I’m seeing that. I’m looking at that. Now, if my requirement is there to ensure that turmoil is avoided, and we go into elections, and elected government comes in, that is the best way of handling it. The best way of handling it, the issue is of (pause), transition to democracy, which is my uniform issue. Okay? That must be handled. The second issue is we must have elections and an elected government, because the elected—I have already declared that. So we must have elections. I must handle the uniform issue. I cannot be a president in uniform. Now, the choice after that is whether I should stay at all. That option is available to me. But should it be given up now and we will have better Pakistan, a stabler Pakistan, and we can have very good elections without me? Very good. Maybe I’ll take that decision. Okay?
(OFF-CAMERA): Have you thought of it?
MUSHARRAF: Well, I think of everything when I sit alone.
(OFF-CAMERA): You’ve actually considered it recently?
MUSHARRAF: No. I think of every option. I think of every option, and I discuss every option. —14 November 2007
(END CLIP)
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