Pakistan's Musharraf warns on nuke weapons

updated 6:43 a.m. ET Nov. 17, 2007

LONDON - President Pervez Musharraf, defending his decision to declare emergency rule, has said Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall into the wrong hands if elections led to disturbances.

The comments, in a BBC interview broadcast on Saturday, come as U.S. envoy John Negroponte visited Pakistan to put pressure on Musharraf to revoke the two-week-old emergency, make peace with opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and hold fair elections.

Musharraf said that if elections were held in a "disturbed environment," it could bring in dangerous elements who might pose a risk to control of Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

"They cannot fall into the wrong hands, if we manage ourselves politically. The military is there -- as long as the military is there, nothing happens to the strategic assets, we are in charge and nobody does anything with them," he said.

Musharraf, who took power in a coup eight years ago, cited rising Islamist militancy and a hostile judiciary as reasons for declaring emergency rule. He has said a general election will be held before January 9 and he expects to step down as army chief and be sworn in as a civilian president beforehand.

Bhutto's chances of winning dismissed
In the interview conducted on Friday, Musharraf dismissed opposition leader Bhutto's chances of winning elections.

He blamed Bhutto, who has called for him to relinquish power, for ruining chances of a deal which would see her serving as prime minister under his presidency.

Slide show   Street fury View images from the protests by lawyers and students against Pakistan’s government. more photos

"She disturbed the entire environment. She comes on a total confrontationalist approach," Musharraf said of Bhutto, who returned from eight years of self exile last month to lead her Pakistan People's Party in elections.

Bhutto, who was freed after three days of house arrest shortly before Negroponte's arrival, has said she does not trust Musharraf to allow her party a clear run and wants the Election Commissioner replaced.

But Musharraf, who referred to Bhutto as "the darling of the West," said it was the opposition and judges who had been interfering with the democratic process.

"It is she actually who may not be wanting elections in Pakistan and it is she who may want to go on to the agitational mode because her party is not in a state to win at all," he said.

"Therefore I will certainly go for the election despite of any agitation by her."

He promised that political opponents would be released from house arrest "in a few days" but said he was considering all options regarding holding elections under emergency rule.

More from msnbc.com Brownstein: The risk of Obama rapture New IVF dilemmas make old fears seem quaint Which storm pounded Texas? Take our news quiz T-Mobile sued over 'mandatory' text fees Analysis: No sign yet of a bottom in home prices Showdown over carrying guns in national parks

More from msnbc.com Brownstein: The risk of Obama rapture New IVF dilemmas make old fears seem quaint Which storm pounded Texas? Take our news quiz T-Mobile sued over 'mandatory' text fees Analysis: No sign yet of a bottom in home prices Showdown over carrying guns in national parks

MORE FROM SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA

South & Central Asia Section Front

Bombs in India's high-tech hub kill two Plane catches fire on takeoff in India 2 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan Rescued Italian climbers recall ordeal Military warned over fatal military vehicle Judge: Girl can't be called Talula Does The Hula South & Central Asia Section Front   Add South & Central Asia headlines to your news reader: