London-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder-leader Altaf Hussain was reserved while commenting on the imposition of emergency in Pakistan.

He said no political party could express pleasure and the MQM also regretted the decision. He urged General Pervez Musharraf [Images] to lift the emergency as soon as possible and restore the Constitution.

Quite influential in Karachi, the MQM has been part of the ruling coalition. MQM has enjoyed power during Musharraf's regime and that was evident in the press release that commented on emergency.

Addressing the people of Pakistan, Hussain said that they should closely examine the reason behind the imposition of emergency. He said that certain judges belonging to the judiciary, a group of lawyers and certain elements of the media should not have exceeded their rights, traditions and etiquettes; and they should not have adopted biased and
prejudicial attitude.

For the record, Hussain said for the past 60 years, be it a democratic government or martial law rule -- in every rule of government -- no head of government or military ruler could absolve himself of taking extra-constitutional decisions.