'Pakistan election by January 9'

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf said yesterday a general election would be held by January 9 but under a state of emergency he imposed eight days ago.

General Musharraf, under pressure from rivals and Western allies to put nuclear-armed Pakistan back on a path to democracy, said the National Assembly and provincial assemblies would be dissolved in coming days, upon completion of their terms.

The army chief also told a news conference he would quit the military and be sworn in as a civilian president as soon as the Supreme Court struck down challenges to his October 6 re-election. He said he hoped that would happen as soon as possible.

Fresh violence erupted between police and supporters of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto with four people hurt when police fired to break up protests in Mrs Bhutto's home province of Sindh, and many people detained, a party official said.

Mrs Bhutto, who has been demanding an end to emergency rule and a speedy poll, said the announcement on the vote was positive.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also welcomed the announcement but called for an end to emergency rule.

The US is worried the turmoil will hamper its ally's efforts against terrorism. Pakistani forces are battling a growing Islamist insurgency along the Afghan border - where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

President Musharraf, who said last week the election would be held by mid-February, said it was up to the Election Commission to decide on the date of the vote but added it had to be within 60 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.

He said the elections should be held before January 9, ahead of the start of an annual Shi'ite Muslim period of mourning when sectarian violence often rises in Pakistan. Before Mr Musharraf declared emergency rule on November 3, sparking a storm of criticism, polls had been expected by mid-January.

Since suspending the constitution, Mr Musharraf has sacked most judges, locked up lawyers, rounded up most of the political opposition and rights activists, justifying his steps by saying the judiciary was hampering the battle against militants and interfering with governance.

Diplomats say Mr Musharraf's main objective was to stop the Supreme Court ruling his re-election invalid, upholding rivals' protests that he was ineligible to run while army chief.

President Musharraf declined to say when the constitution would be restored or emergency lifted. He said the decision to impose the emergency had been the hardest he had ever taken but said it reinforced the battle against militants and ensured fair polls.