(AFP)
Pakistani police clash with activists of the fundamentalist party Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) during an anti-Musharraf demonstration in Peshawar
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President Musharraf of Pakistan today pledged to hold elections in February and give up his military uniform, in a fresh attempt to head off international condemnation of the massive internal crackdown he declared last week.
In a statement, coming hours after a telephone ultimatum from President Bush, the Pakistani leader pledged to hold a poll on February 15 and added that, if the Supreme Court validates his election to serve a second term, he would also remove his Army uniform.
However, despite the statement, there was no let-up in the curbs placed on General Musharraf's opponents today as the country's state of emergency continued.
The opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP), headed by Benazir Bhutto, claimed that at least 800 activists had been rounded up and arrested ahead of a mass-demonstration scheduled for tomorrow, which the Government has declared to be illegal.
In addition, it emerged today that three Pakistani politicians and a union leader have been charged with treason for making anti-government speeches in the southern port city of Karachi. The maximum penalty for those found guilty is death.
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