Musharraf: Pakistan on 'Verge of Destabilization' (1/2)

Hours after security forces blocked off key streets near government buildings and shut down phone lines and independent news stations, Mr. Musharraf appeared on state television to explain his decision. "Kindly understand the criticality of the environment inside Pakistan and around Pakistan, Pakistan is on the verge of destabilization."

The president cited rising violence from Islamic militants and a series of judicial decisions in recent months that he said have demoralized law enforcement officials, set known terrorists free and undermined his efforts to move the country toward democracy.

Mr. Musharraf - who spoke wearing civilian clothing, not his military uniform - said ever since he seized power in a military coup in 1999, he has been following a plan to return Pakistan to democratic rule. But he said the courts have undermined the transition. "Therefore I had to take this action in order to preserve the democratic transition which I initiated eight years back."

The Supreme Court was expected to deliver a verdict in the coming days in a case that could overturn President Musharraf's unofficial re-election last month.

参考译文：

在防卫部队封锁政府大楼附近的主要街道并关闭电话线路及非公立新闻台数小时后，穆沙拉夫总统出现在国立电视台解释他的决定。请敬请理解巴基斯坦国内及周边的危急形势，巴基斯坦已处在动乱的边缘。

总统提到最近几个月伊斯兰武装分子不断升级的暴力事件及一系列法院的裁决已挫败了司法部门的官员，他们放走了一些知名的恐怖份子并破坏了他对该国民主化的努力。

穆沙拉夫先生身着便装而非他常穿的军装说到自他在1999年的军事政变后执政来，他一直遵守着巴基斯坦民主体制回归的计划。但是他说法院破坏了这个民主过渡进程。因此，为了维护我于8年前就开始的民主过渡，我不得不采取这些行动。

最高法院原本可能在随后几天就一项可能会推翻穆沙拉夫上月的非官方重选的案件公布裁决。