PM: no change of date of general elections in Pakistan yet

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz gesture during a news conference at prime minister house in Islamabad Nov. 4, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Monday that the general elections would be held according to the schedule.

    Asked whether elections would be held in January as stated by him previously, Aziz told to a group of journalists here Monday that so far there was no change in the schedule.

    He said that it was the desire of the government that the democratic process would be consolidated and that no hindrance would occur in the process of general elections.

    He said there was a need to take legal and constitutional casesto their logical conclusion. The election process would gain momentum when the Supreme Court fixed the date for hearing such cases, he added.

    Aziz said that the national assembly was to meet in Islamabad Wednesday afternoon, adding that the house would adopt resolutions on the prevailing situation and debate the issues involved.

    He said the federal cabinet meeting would be held Tuesday in which the situation prevailing in the country and other national issues would be discussed.

    Aziz said the life remained normal throughout the country. He said that the new judges of the superior courts performed their duties and that four judges including Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court took oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order(PCO).

    Responding to a question, Aziz said that there would be no censorship on the electronic media and the press. However, he said, they had to act within the parameters of the code of conducts prepared in consultation with all the stakeholders. He said that the media should keep the national interest supreme that will bring betterment to society.

Situation remains calm in Pakistani capital

     ISLAMABAD, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Life remained absolutely calm in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad Monday and no untoward incident was reported in the wake of proclamation of the emergency order, according to the official APP news agency.

    Routine hustle and bustle of the citizens was witnessed and the markets also remained open with great rush of shoppers there, said the APP in a report. 

PM: Pakistan to maintain strong defense for peace

     ISLAMABAD, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan is a peaceful country and believes in maintaining a minimum credible defense to ensure peace and stability in the region, said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here Monday.

    Aziz made the remarks while chairing the meeting of the cabinet defense committee at the PM House. 

Lawyers in major Pakistani cities rally against emergency rule

     ISLAMABAD, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Lawyers in major Pakistani cities Monday staged protest demonstrations against the imposition of emergency in the country and some of them were arrested.

    According to local press reports, the biggest protest was in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, where a number of lawyers were injured and arrested after police launched teargas shells at around 1,000 protesters outside the high court.