President Musharraf of Pakistan today pledged to hold elections in February and give up his military uniform, in a fresh attempt to head off international condemnation of the massive internal crackdown he declared last week.

In a statement, coming hours after a telephone ultimatum from President Bush, the Pakistani leader pledged to hold a poll on February 15 and added that, if the Supreme Court validates his election to serve a second term, he would also remove his Army uniform.

However, despite the statement, there was no let-up in the curbs placed on General Musharraf's opponents today as the country's state of emergency continued.

The opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP), headed by Benazir Bhutto, claimed that at least 800 activists had been rounded up and arrested ahead of a mass-demonstration scheduled for tomorrow, which the Government has declared to be illegal.

In addition, it emerged today that three Pakistani politicians and a union leader have been charged with treason for making anti-government speeches in the southern port city of Karachi. The maximum penalty for those found guilty is death.

Pakistan, one of the West's key allies in the battle against Islamist extremism, has witnessed a huge internal crackdown since General Musharraf imposed the state of emergency because of what he said was growing Islamic militancy and an interfering judiciary. He suspended the constitution, sacked the chief justice and clamped curbs on the media.

However, criticism of the move reached a head last night when President Bush personally telephoned the Pakistani President and urged him to hold elections.

"My message was that we believe strongly in elections, and that you ought to have elections soon and you need to take off your uniform," the President said, adding that General Musharraf was an "indispensable ally".

Today, in an apparent response to the international pressure, General Musharraf told state media: "General elections in the country will be held by February 15 next year. It was my commitment and I am fulfilling it."

He also renewed a pledge to quit as Head of the Army once the Supreme Court validates his recent election as president for another term. "When they allow this notification, that is the time when I can take the oath as president and remove the uniform," he said.

The Government added that a media blackout would also be eased soon, with channels like BBC News 24, Sky News and CNN to be allowed on air.

However any hope that the President's announcement would head off the chorus of international criticism appeared to be dashed today when PPP officials claimed that police had rounded up activists who they believed were preparing to join Ms Bhutto's protests tomorrow.

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