VOA常速英语2007年-Pakistani Court Dismisses Final Challenge to Mu

By Barry Newhouse
Islamabad
22 November 2007

Pakistan's newly appointed Supreme¹ Court has dismissed the final legal challenge to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election victory, clearing the way for him to step down as army chief in the coming days.  VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad that political analysts³ say many Pakistanis will welcome the restoration of a civilian⁴ presidency⁵, but there are larger unresolved issues in the political crisis.

The widely expected decision by General Musharraf's hand-picked court clears all legal challenges to his October re-election victory.

Pakistan's attorney general, an ally of General Musharraf, said once the court allows the election commission to certify⁶ his victory, the president could step down as army chief as early as Saturday.

General Musharraf has headed Pakistan's government and military ever since he relied on the armed forces to seize power in a bloodless coup⁷ in 1999.

Political analyst² Shafqat Mahmood says the creation of a purely⁸ civilian president would be a significant development.

"The significance of his taking off the uniform is that he loses the command of the army which is the most powerful institution in the country," Mahmood said. "If the chips are really down as they have been for some time - he may not be able to command the same support in the armed forces as he has so far been able to do."

Pakistan's security forces continue to enforce strict emergency laws used to round up thousands of political activists⁹ and protesting lawyers and prevent mass demonstrations¹⁰ against the suspension of the constitution.

Authorities have released hundreds of prisoners in recent days, including some top opposition¹¹ leaders such as former cricket star Imran Khan, but many remain in jail.
 
Political analyst Ayaz Amir says Pakistani opposition groups are now deciding whether they will participate in the country's upcoming polls.

"The crisis that Pakistan is in has now entered another phase: the election set for January 8," Amir said. "And what really now has to be seen is: will the political parties participate in them - and if they do, they will lend credibility and some measure of respect to what General Musharraf has done."

Boycotting¹² the polls risks leaving the opposition parties unrepresented in a new government and strengthening President Musharraf's political allies.  But by campaigning on General Musharraf's deep unpopularity, opposition parties could become a significant political force.

Shafqat Mahmood says the stakes in the election are high, because with a two-thirds majority, parliament can officially exonerate¹³ or prosecute¹⁴ General Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule.

"That is why many observers are saying that free and fair elections are very doubtful because he cannot get the two-thirds majority otherwise," Mahmood said.
 
President Musharraf has pledged the elections will be free and fair, but he has refused to say if he will end emergency laws before the polls.  Western diplomats¹⁵ and Pakistani opposition parties say no free elections are possible under the laws.  

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

3 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

4 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

7 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

8 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

13 exonerate   

v.免除责任，确定无罪

参考例句：

• Nothing can exonerate her from that.任何解释都难辞其咎。
• There is no reason to exonerate him from the ordinary duties of a citizen.没有理由免除他做公民应尽的义务。

14 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

15 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》