Musharraf says : 'I have full resolve to lift the emergency and withdraw the PCO ...'But Musharraf warned political parties hostile to his rule against making attempts to derail Pakistan from what he termed a track to 'real' democracy. "I have a full resolve to lift emergency, withdraw provisional constitution order on December 16 and elections will be held on time under the constitution," Musharraf said towards the end of his brief 17-minute address.
"I expect it will not happen. No body will be allowed to destabilise and hinder (the process)," he said and promptly added: "Those who are thinking to boycott polls should leave (the idea). They must take part (in elections) with full force."
The announcement that partially meets the demands of anti-Musharraf politicians including former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif comes when both opposition leaders were consulting their allies to decide whether to boycott polls jointly.
Benazir wants him to suspend the local government system ahead of polls and Nawaz threatens he will not accept lifting of emergency without the reinstatement of judges.
Several judges including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry were suspended after they refused to take oath under the provisional constitution order Musharraf issued on November 3. Musharraf urged the parties of Benazir and Nawaz Sharif and all others to take part in the elections for what he thought steer Pakistan towards prosperity.
"Now it is the responsibility of these (of Benazir and Nawaz) and all other parties to take part in elections. It will bring betterment in the situation," he said. The president said he believed a national consensus, political reconciliation and good governance were imperative to guide Pakistan to a better future.
"We will have to understand challenges to Pakistan through a national consensus, tackle them through political reconciliation and help economy flourish through good governance," he added. "It will take further the journey of prosperity," Musharraf remarked in an upbeat tone.
This, the president claimed, was a thinking he allowed both Bhutto and Sharif come back home and decided to provide them a level playing field in elections. To give a justification for why he declared emergency, Musharraf said it was imperative to save the country.
He proudly claimed that the emergency had not only put Pakistan back onto the democratic track but also helped troops fighting militancy in Swat achieved their objectives. Growing militancy and judiciary's interference into administrative affairs were two reasons he cited for the proclamation of the emergency early this month.
APP ADDS: He said the decision to impose emergency was "unavoidable," but was taken in consultation with the government, political figures, military commanders, scholars and business community and keeping in view his prime objective of "Pakistan First".
"My election has been validated legally, I have taken oath of the office of the president, election for January 8 has been announced, I have retired from the post of the Chief of Army Staff, as I promised," the president said. He said the new COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was a highly capable officer and he wished him well.
Musharraf said he served in the Pakistan Army for 46 years and was proud to be part of this family, which is a guarantor of peace, security and integrity of the country. Referring to the ongoing military operation in Swat he said the army faced a serious threat from the terrorists that has extended into the settled areas of the NWFP.
However the president said now the operation was meeting success and hoped that peace in this area will return soon. He was appreciative of the co-operation of the people of Swat, Mingora and the adjoining areas for extending assistance to the Pakistan Army in countering the terrorists.
President Pervez Musharraf said there was a vital need for building national consensus through political reconciliation and good governance as it would ensure continuity in the way of progress of the country.
He said under his vision for national reconciliation, both the former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have returned to the country and a level playing field has been provided to all the political parties.
"Now it is the responsibility of all the political parties to abide by the laws of the Election Commission and fully participate in the electoral process," Musharraf said. The president mentioned the three phases of transition to democracy in which the first two had been completed and now the final phase was in progress.
"I am very happy today that I have taken oath as a civilian president and the promise to the nation for complete democracy has been fulfilled." He said in the past there was no real democracy, but it was he who brought its essence into play. He said during the first two phases; first from 1999 to 2002 and the second from 2002 to 2007 when his role was limited to supervisory nature and the final phase of transition to complete democracy with a civilian head of state.
President Musharraf however regretted that under a "well thought out conspiracy" attempts were made by certain elements to derail the third phase of transition to democracy.
He said the media was given complete freedom and dozens of private channels were allowed. However he regretted that some in the media played a negative role on many issues confronting the country. Musharraf lauded the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, his cabinet and chief ministers and their cabinets for their successful running of the government and bringing economic prosperity to the country.