Pakistan committed to elections: PM

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's government is committed to holding national elections but is undecided when, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday, a day after it imposed emergency rule to deal with rising militancy and a hostile judiciary.

Pakistan had been due to hold a general election by January, but military ruler President Pervez Musharraf's decision to impose emergency rule and suspend the constitution has left Pakistan in limbo and drawn criticism from the international community.

"We are committed to making sure that elections are held and that the democratic process flourishes in Pakistan," Aziz told a news conference. "As a result of what has happened there could be some timing differences but no decision has been made."

He said the emergency, which Musharraf imposed as he was waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on whether his October re-election bid while army chief would stand, would last for as short as possible and as long as necessary.

Musharraf has since purged the court, and dismissed the Chief Justice with whom he had locked horns.

"This was extra-constitutional, but if you look at Pakistan's constitution, when you have an emergency, the parliament could give itself more time, up to a year, in terms of holding the next elections," Aziz said.

He said 400-500 people were being held under preventive detention after the government rounded up political opponents and opposition lawyers -- including a leader of exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's party. Police also placed cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan under house arrest but he escaped later.

Asked whether any decision had been taken on when Musharraf would take the oath of office as president and if he would take off his army uniform afterwards as promised, Aziz said: "I think this matter is in the honorable court and sub judice. Let's see what the court decides and then we will comment on it."

Musharraf won an October 6 re-election vote by parliament, but the Supreme Court had stopped the election commission from notifying the result until it had ruled on challenges to Musharraf's election while still army chief.

Musharraf had promised to stand down as army chief if he was re-elected.

The court decision was expected next week and there was strong speculation that Musharraf declared emergency rule to pre-empt a possible adverse ruling, and so hold on to power.

(Additional reporting by Augustine Anthony)