Islamabad: Keeping up the pressure, the US today asked embattled Pakistan President Pervez Musharaff to end emergency saying it was "not compatible" with holding free and fair polls and prodded him to restart dialogue with main Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, who had a two-hour-long meeting with Musharraf here yesterday, told reporters here that he had asked the military ruler to lift emergency, step down as army chief "as soon as possible" and free all political prisoners and human rights activists. "Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and credible elections, which require the active participation of political parties, civil society, and the media," Negroponte told an early morning press conference here winding up his visit to Pakistan.

"Recent police actions against protesters, suppression of the media, and arrests of political and human rights leaders" could undermine Pakistan's transition to a moderate and democratic nation, he said. "I urged the government of Pakistan to stop such actions, lift the state of emergency, and release all political detainees," said Negroponte, the first senior US official to visit Pakistan after imposition of emergency on November 3.

"If these steps aren't taken, it will undermine the government's ability to conduct satisfactory elections." There was no indication that Musharraf would heed to US advise. The General during his talks with Negroponte had made it clear that he needed the measure to fight extremists and conduct free and fair elections. During the talks, Negroponte warned Musharraf that the US would review its military aid to Pakistan unless emergency was ended, AFP quoted diplomats as saying.

Negroponte appealed to Musharraf and Bhutto to reach a compromise and restart power-sharing talks they had been holding before the emergency was imposed. "If steps were taken by both sides to move back towards the kind of reconciliation discussions they had been having previously, we think that could be very positive," he said. Such a dialogue would "improve the political environment and pull the political actors back from the atmosphere of brinksmanship and confrontation," said Negropnte, who had spoken to Bhutto before he met Musharraf.

The second highest ranking American diplomat held talks yesterday with the Gen Asfaq Pervez Kiyani, who is tipped to succeed Musharraf as Army Chief. Meanwhile, Musharraf asked Bhutto to end "agitational politics" and focus on electioneering so that the upcoming general election can be held in a "peaceful atmosphere".

By indulging in agitation, Bhutto, the leader of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is "strengthening the impression that she is sure of her party's defeat in the elections", Musharraf said at a farewell meeting with members of the outgoing assembly of Punjab province. Expressing his commitment to hold the polls on schedule in early January and in a free, fair and transparent manner, Musharraf said: "The politicians, including Benazir Bhutto, who are pursuing agitational politics should do away with it and focus on electioneering so that elections could be held in a peaceful atmosphere."

Source : PTI