America Urges Bhutto’s Release
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CRAWFORD, Texas — America urged Pakistan to end the house arrest of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto today as Defense Secretary Gates voiced concern that the political turmoil there will undermine the Pakistani army’s fight against terrorism.
“We remain concerned about the continued state of emergency and curtailment of basic freedoms, and urge Pakistani authorities to quickly return to constitutional order and democratic norms,” a spokesman for the National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe, said in a statement.
“Former Prime Minister Bhutto and other political party members must be permitted freedom of movement and all protesters released,” Mr. Johndroe said.
The administration said it is important for Pakistan’s future that moderate political forces be able to work together to put Pakistan back on a path to democracy.
Mr. Gates, speaking to reporters earlier today on his plane en route home from a weeklong visit to Asia, said that the longer the political turmoil in Islamabad continues, the greater the risk that it will distract the battle against insurgents.
Mr. Gates thus voiced for the first time concerns that President Musharraf’s emergency declaration and the protests and arrests that it spawned could impact operations in Afghanistan.
“The concern I have is that the longer the internal problems continue, the more distracted the Pakistani army and security services will be in terms of the internal situation rather than focusing on the terrorist threat in the frontier area,” Mr. Gates said.
Today, Pakistani police detained Ms. Bhutto at her Islamabad home and reportedly rounded up 5,000 of her supporters to block a mass protest against emergency rule.
To date, the Pentagon has said the unrest has had no effect on American military operations. But Mr. Gates comments underscore the nervousness of the Bush administration, even as it continues to voice support for General Musharraf as a critical ally in the war on terror.
General Musharraf imposed emergency rule last weekend and suspended the constitution, triggering widespread protests in his own country, and setting off a flurry of diplomatic efforts in Washington to get him to restore democratic rule.
After nearly a week, General Musharraf yielded somewhat to pressure from America yesterday and said Pakistan would hold parliamentary election by mid-February — a month later than originally planned.
However, he has shown no sign of relinquishing his military post as chief of the army — another key demand of opposition leaders and the Bush administration.
Mr. Gates, in his meeting with reporters traveling with him, echoed White House views that General Musharraf has been a staunch ally, and praised his move to set a new date for elections.
“We said from the very beginning it’s important to move back to constitutional processes as quickly as possible,” Mr. Gates said. “I think that there is building pressure for him to take off his uniform if he continues as president. But I think that setting the date for the elections was certainly an important first step.”