Musharraf lifts emergency

President Pervez Musharraf lifted emergency rule and restored the constitution in Pakistan, meeting a key opposition demand for free and fair parliamentary elections next month.

The provisional constitutional order was repealed and the constitution of 1973 was restored through presidential orders released in Islamabad today, Law Minister Afzal Haider said in a phone interview. Musharraf is scheduled to address the nation in a televised speech at 8 pm local time. The restoration of the constitution may curb opposition to Musharraf from former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.