Islamabad, Nov 18 : Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed has said that emergency rule should be lifted before general elections, and added that his party did not need a state of emergency to win the vote.

"We do not need emergency to either contest the election or win the election, " a foreign news agency quoted Mushahid, as saying.

"Lifting the emergency would create a positive atmosphere. The emergency has a negative impact at home and abroad, " he said.

"I personally feel that it would be appropriate and internationally welcomed to lift the emergency before elections, " Mushahid added.

Ending the state of emergency imposed by Musharraf two weeks ago would lead to "less conflict, less polarisation" before the country goes to the polls, he said.

Mushahid said that no one would accept the results of the elections if they were held under emergency rule.

He also made it clear that the end of the emergency would not affect the war against terrorism, adding that security forces were conducting operations against them with full strength.

Mushahid said that the decision to shut down Geo News and the ARY TV was very wrong, and demanded Musharraf lift the restrictions placed on the media as soon as possible.

He pointed out that freedom of expression had been a hallmark of Musharraf and the PML-Q’s government, the Daily Times reported. (ANI)