The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Islamabad

President Pervez Musharraf said he wants a national election to be held in Pakistan on January 8, but despite pressure from the United States over the weekend he did not say whether emergency rule would be revoked beforehand.

"Inshallah (God willing), the general elections in the country would be held on January 8," the official Associated Press of Pakistan news agency quoted Musharraf as saying late on Sunday. The report said he had recommended the date to the Election Commission.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte warned Musharraf on Saturday that the election's credibility would suffer unless the state of emergency announced on Nov. 3 was rolled back.

Negroponte, who left Pakistan on Sunday, was careful not to undermine General Musharraf, a crucial ally in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban, while sticking to Washington's stated position that thousands of people detained in the last two weeks should be released and curbs on the media should be lifted.

"Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and credible elections," the United States' No. 2 diplomat told a news conference on Sunday at the end of his three-day visit to Pakistan.

"If these steps aren't taken, it will certainly undermine the government's ability to conduct satisfactory elections."