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US questions legitimacy of Musharraf presidency post-elections

Raising questions for the first time on the legitimacy of Gen Pervez Musharraf continuing as the self-appointed president of Pakistan even after elections scheduled for October this year, the United States has said that constitutional mechanism allowing him to do so remains unclear.

"On August 14, the government announced that elections at the national and provincial levels are scheduled to take place between October one and 11, 2002. However, President Musharraf announced on several occasions that he intends to continue in office after the elections are held. The constitutional mechanism allowing Musharraf to do so remains unclear," the state department said in its annual human rights report.

It also said that corruption and inefficiency remained acute despite the reforms initiated by the Musharraf government. However, it said, these reforms have had some effect on officials in the higher levels of government.

The suspended constitution, it noted, provided for an independent judiciary. "However, the judiciary was subject to executive branch and other outside influences, and suffers from inadequate funding, inefficiency and corruption."

"The supreme court demonstrated a degree of independence. However, the overall credibility of the judiciary remained low, and President Musharraf has taken steps to remove his government from judicial oversight."

"During the year, the government undertook a donor-funded programme to reform the lower levels of the judiciary and minor improvements were evident by the year's end," the report said.

The Pakistan government's human rights record remains poor, it said.

"Although there were some improvements in a few areas, particularly with regard to protection of religious minorities from intimidation from extremists, serious problems remained," it said.

Police, the report said, committed numerous extra-judicial killings. However, It said the total number of such killings has declined in recent years.

In Karachi, there were fewer killings between rival political factions during the year but there was an increase in violence and killings between rival religious sects, it said.

"Police abused and raped citizens. While the officers responsible for such abuses sometimes were transferred or suspended for their actions, no officer has been convicted and very few have been arrested. Prison conditions remained extremely poor and life-threatening," the report said.

The press was able to publish relatively freely but several journalists practised self-censorship, especially on sensitive issues related to the military, it said.

Significant numbers of women were subjected to violence, abuse, rape and other forms of degradation by spouses and members of society, it said.

PTI

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