"Am I therefore become your enemy,because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH...?"
(Galatians 4:16)

Bhutto insists 'no power-sharing deal'

Benazir Bhutto has insisted there is "no deal" for a power-sharing arrangement with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf.General Musharraf has been under intense international pressure since he suspended Pakistan's constitution on Saturday ahead of a Supreme Court ruling expected to state that his recent re-election was illegal. Demonstrations and clashes between lawyers and the police have ensued, leading to the detention of up to 2,000 protesters, while leading opposition figures, including former cricketer Imran Khan, have been put under house arrest.Protests are continuing as thousands of lawyers took to the streets to protest against attacks on the judiciary.Ms Bhutto - the country's former prime minister who returned last month from eight years abroad after General Musharraf gave her immunity from previous graft charges - flew to Islamabad to meet other opposition leaders but said she would not meet let alone negotiate with him.In an interview, Ms Bhutto said there are "no discussions on the table". She added: "We have tried to negotiate in the past...and General Musharraf promised that he would take the country towards democracy. Instead, we have martial law."Ms Bhutto said he did not consult her on his plans to declare a state of emergency, stating: "No, he did not consult with me. Had he spoken to me on this issue, I would have told him not to do it."There is a core group within the ruling administration that has an interest in preserving dictatorship and by wrongly advising General Musharraf, they have put Pakistan in greater danger."She added: "General Musharraf must implement the restoration of the constitution and if he doesn't, then I believe that the international community must choose between the people of Pakistan and ... him. It is the people of Pakistan that I hope they choose, and advise him then to step down."Anti-government protests are continuing over the move to impose emergency rule. The weekend decision to suspend the constitution sparked demonstrations and there are fears that planned elections will not go ahead.The US says it is deeply disturbed by the events with President George W Bush calling for elections.Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, said he hoped the situation would soon be resolved.

As in the days of Noah....