KARACHI, Nov 3: Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has termed the promulgation of emergency and the PCO yet another martial law and called for reversal of the order and restoration of the Constitution.

Addressing a late night press conference at Bilawal House upon her arrival from Dubai hours after the proclamation, Ms Bhutto argued that the Chief of the Army Staff had no powers under the Constitution to clamp an emergency.

This power, she added, was vested in the president. Therefore, she asserted, it was a martial law and against the people of Pakistan and democracy.

Earlier, an Emirates Airlines flight, the first available after the proclamation, brought Ms Bhutto back home after a three-day stay in Dubai, where she had gone to meet her children and husband.

At the press conference she said that during emergency only certain rights were suspended and a PCO was never issued. But in the present case, the decision of one man, and not of the president on the advice of the prime minister, amounted to martial law and an act of self-preservation.

Ms Bhutto described the imposition of emergency as a violation of the commitment Gen Musharraf had given to the Supreme Court and the PPP that he would quit as army chief after Nov 15 . “It is a dangerous development for the country.”

She said Gen Musharraf had taken the decision after realising that the Supreme Court would rule against him in the eligibility case.

The PPP chief was confident that the nation would resist the move and appealed to the international community to take note of Gen Musharraf’s “undemocratic step” and the “fresh assault” on the judiciary.

The former prime minister said the PPP would stand by the people, but at the same time she said her party did not want confrontation. “We are looking for a peaceful transition to democracy.”

She called for restoration of the Constitution, reversal of the emergency proclamation and transparent elections. “Free elections are, however, not possible under martial law.”

Ms Bhutto said she would get in touch with other political parties for working out a strategy to “get rid of this martial law”. “I urge all political parties to shun differences for restoring democracy.”

She stressed the need for dialogue to eliminate terrorism and extremism by addressing the root cause.

RETURN FROM DUBAI: The former prime minister was whisked away to Bilawal House from the airport by the party’s security officials and a heavy contingent of police force. She was not allowed to talk to the media.

Aftab Shahban Mirani, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Naheed Khan, Zulfiqar Mirza, Qaim Ali Shah, Nafees Siddiqi and others were present at the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport to greet Ms Bhutto.

Before leaving for Dubai on Thursday, Ms Bhutto had told a press conference that she had postponed her earlier visit to the UAE “due to rumours of a possible imposition of emergency”.

Sources in the PPP said Ms Bhutto would chair a meeting with senior leaders to thrash out the party’s stand on the proclamation of emergency.

Her arrival has given rise to speculations about the end of the reconciliation process she had initiated with the government.