Nov 18 (Reuters) - Here are the latest developments in
Pakistan on Sunday:
HEADLINES
* U.S. envoy John Negroponte says he urged President Pervez
Musharraf to end emergency rule, warning it was "not compatible"
with free and fair elections due by early January.
The U.S. deputy secretary of state, who met General Musharraf
on Saturday, also called on Musharraf to release thousands of
opposition figures who have been rounded up and imprisoned, and
to stick to his word to quit as army chief.
Negroponte says reconciliation between moderate political
forces -- apparently referring to a public rift between Musharraf
and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto -- is "very desirable".
* Musharraf, defending emergency rule, says Pakistan's
nuclear arms will not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands
while the military is in control of them.
* The New York times reports that for the past six years the
Bush administration has had a multi-million-dollar programme to
secure Pakistan's nuclear weapons.
* Two leading private television stations say they have been
forced to shut down.
* At least 30 people have been killed and more than 100
wounds in clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in a
Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border
QUOTES
"Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and
credible elections.
"Recent political actions against protesters, suppression of
the media and the arrests of political and human rights leaders,
runs directly counter to reforms that have been undertaken in
recent years ... I've urged the government of Pakistan to stop
such actions, to lift the state of emergency and release all
political detainees.
"If steps were taken by both sides to move back towards the
kinds of reconciliation discussions that they have been having
previously, we think that that would be very positive."
- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
"They cannot fall into the wrong hands, if we manage
ourselves politically. The military is there -- as long as the
military is there, nothing happens to the strategic assets, we
are in charge and nobody does anything with them."
- Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.
"President Pervez Musharraf put tremendous pressure to
silence a media outlet which had refused to bow down to his
dictates"
- Geo TV's Web site (www.geo.tv) after Pakistan's biggest
television network was forced to close down.
"Pressure by Gen. Musharraf, a notorious press freedom
predator, on the Dubai authorities constitutes outrageous
interference."
- Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, urging Dubai to
reverse the decision to shut down Geo TV and ARY One World, which
broadcasts news from Dubai Media City.
* * * * *
For related stories please click within the square brackets:
NEWS
> U.S. envoy warns Pakistan emergency undermines poll [nCOL23152]
> U.S. helps Pakistan protect nuclear arms - NY Times [nB162233]
> Pakistan's private TVs say forced to shut down [nL1634292]
> Musharraf: army will keep control of nuclear arms [nL17225498]
> Sectarian clashes in tribal area; 30 killed [nL17195871]
MARKETS
> Pakistani money market tight; more discounting [nISL32274]
> Pakistan closing rupee rates in the kerb market [nISLAKRUP]
> Pakistani stocks rise in listless trade [nISL337224]
FACTBOXES, NEWSMAKER AND CHRONOLOGY
> Chronology-Pakistan in crisis [ID:nL13550080]
> Facts about Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf [ID:nL04384506]
> Judges,militants bring out authoritarian nature [ID:nISL211810]
> Pakistan President Musharraf's highs and lows [ID:nB270515]
> Facts on Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto [ID:nL03600226]
> TEXT-Key excerpts of emergency rule [ID:nCOL207023]
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(World Desk, Singapore, +65 6870 3817)
Keywords: PAKISTAN/SNAPSHOT AT 0800 GMT