Bhutto Criticizes Martial Law In Pakistan - NBC (With Video)

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Bhutto criticizes martial law in Pakistan
Former prime minister talks with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell

NBC News
updated 2 hours, 22 minutes ago

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NBC News' Andrea Mitchell speaks with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, from her home in Karachi, Pakistan. Bhutto had just arrived in Pakistan after the imposition of martial law by President Pervez Musharraf.

MITCHELL: Prime Minister Bhutto, tell me what your latest information is about what President Musharraf has done, and your reaction to it.

BHUTTO: General Musharraf has suspended the constitution of Pakistan, so it's really a declaration of martial law. But he's calling it an emergency. An emergency sounds more palatable to international opinion. But the proclamation says that the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan shall remain in abeyance, and that's very worrying. My party and I would like to see the constitution restored.

MITCHELL: Is there any justification that you know of for him declaring this suspension of the constitution?

BHUTTO: Well, General Musharraf has tried to justify the imposition of martial law or emergency claiming that there has been an ascendancy in the activities of extremists. I agree with him that there has been ascendancy in the activities of the extremists, but I don't believe in the solution. In my view, dictatorship fuels extremism. The extremists feed off dictatorship, and dictatorship feeds off the extremists. The dictatorship needs the extremists to justify its existence, and the extremists need dictatorship to expand and spread. So I believe the solution lies in respecting the constitution, respecting the rule of law, and investing in the people, trusting the people, and allowing the people to determine their future.

MITCHELL: What are you planning to do?

BHUTTO: I returned to Pakistan to give moral support to the people of my country and to tell them that they were not alone in the struggle for the restoration of our constitution. I plan to meet with leaders of other political parties and discuss with them the policies we should make in trying to seek a restoration of our constitution.

MITCHELL: At this point, given what General Musharraf has done, have you abandoned any plan to work out a political agreement where you would run, and become prime minister, and work with him in a government?

BHUTTO: Well, it's very difficult for me to work with a military leader. General Musharraf has committed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and he has personally assured me, that he would retire as Chief of Army Staff. But now he has declared martial law in this capacity, as Chief of Army Staff. The constitution gives our president emergency powers, but the constitutional articles for emergency have not been utilized. Instead General Musharraf has said that in his capacity, that "I, General Pervez Musharraf, Chief of the Army Staff, proclaim emergency." So he has actually said that he will continue as Chief of Army Staff, and that makes for a very difficult situation. Of course, if he was to restore the constitution and retire as Chief of Army Staff, that would be a totally different situation. It would lend confidence that he was once again considering the democratic route. But not while he remains Chief of Army Staff and suspends the constitution.

MITCHELL: And what do you think you and your supporters can do now, politically or in any other fashion?

BHUTTO: Well, we would like to protest the imposition of martial law, and we would like to raise our voices for the restoration of democracy. So we're going to be meeting together to discuss the most effective ways of doing that. We are calling upon the international community to use its enormous leverage with General Musharraf to persuade him that this is a regressive step, it's a violation of the promises and the commitments that he made to the people of Pakistan and to the international community. And that if he really wishes to fight extremists, then the best way to do that is to trust the people, restore the constitution, establish an independent election commission, and hold fair, free and impartial elections.

MITCHELL: Have you had any communication with Secretary Rice or any American officials?

BHUTTO: Not yet. I just came to Pakistan. But before, earlier, yesterday I heard that there were efforts being made to stop the imposition of emergency. And I also planned to come back to Pakistan so that I could also contact the people in the regime here and tell them not to take this step. But by the time I left, they had already taken this step.

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Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21612806/

She's one brave lady.