ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that fair and free elections in Pakistan are not possible so long as Pakistan’s Constitution remains suspended and the nation remains under emergency rule.

In a reaction to the Sunday’s press conference of President Gen Pervez Musharraf, the HRW said Gen Musharraf’s announcement of holding elections was a cynical sop to the international community meant to deflect attention from his ongoing power grab.

There can be no transition to democracy or genuine elections with thousands of Musharraf’s opponents imprisoned, the media muzzled and the continued slandering and detention of the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges of the superior courts.

“Pakistan’s human rights situation is rapidly growing worse,” it observed.

The human rights monitoring body said it was particularly concerned about wide-ranging powers granted through presidential decree to the Army on November 10 to court-martial civilians.

Under the amendment to the 1952 Army Act, the Army could now try civilians on charges ranging from treason, sedition and attack on army personnel to “assaulting the president with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power” and “giving statements conducive to public mischief”.

The amendment will be deemed to have taken effect retrospectively from Jan 2003.

“These measures are illegal under international law,” says the watch.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Asian Civil Society groups and organisations said they opposed the imposition of emergency rule and suspension of the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan. General Musharraf’s use of the situation in the country and justifications for the imposition of emergency rule violated the inalienable rights of the citizens, and therefore are in contravention of the international law.

“We strongly condemn the arrests of the members of civil society, lawyers and citizens, all of whom can be considered human rights defenders,” the group observed.

The organization said protesters had been badly beaten, arrested and detained. The freedoms of expression, assembly and association had been severely curtailed by the general, and all private media channels were unable to relay their news and bring the facts to the people of Pakistan and the international community.

It has also rejected the statement of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who was quoted as saying, “We do not want to disrupt the election process. We want a free election”.

A statement has also been issued by the Pakistan Institute of National Affairs (Pina), saying it was deeply distressed over the imposition of emergency.