‘No change' in way Egypt governed: PM - Probe sought of Mubarak family's purported fortuneCAIRO: Egypt's military leaders dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution Sunday, meeting two key demands of protesters who have been keeping up pressure for immediate steps to push forward the transition to democratic, civilian rule after forcing Hosni Mubarak out of power. In their latest communique, the military rulers who took over when Mubarak stepped down Friday, said they will run the country for six months, or until presidential and parliament elections can be held. The military leaders said they were forming a committee to amend the constitution and set the rules for popular referendum to endorse the amendments. Both the lower and upper houses of parliament are being dissolved. The last parliamentary elections in November and December were heavily rigged by the ruling party, virtually shutting out any opposition representation. The caretaker cabinet, which was appointed by Mubarak shortly after the mass pro-democracy protests began on Jan. 25, will remain in place until a new cabinet is formed — a step that is not expected to happen until after elections. The ruling military council reiterated that it would abide by all of Egypt's international treaties agreed in the Mubarak era, most importantly the peace treaty with Israel. Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, charged with running domestic affairs by Egypt's new military rulers, said Sunday the economy was solid and the country was being governed in the same way as under ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Trying to reassure Egyptians who rose up against Mubarak's rule, Ahmed Shafiq said government affairs were being presented to the higher council of the armed forces and its president, “as they were presented to the president of the republic”. “There is no change in form, or method, or the process of work. Matters are stable completely,” he told a news conference. “All matters are presented to the higher council, and the president of the higher council, as they were presented to the president of the republic,” Shafiq said, signalling no change yet to the system of rule that the protesters want to change. He pledged to fight corruption, another grievance that fueled the uprising. “I guarantee that this (cabinet) will return rights to the people and fight corruption,” he said. Shafiq also denied reports that Mubarak had fled to Germany or the United Arab Emirates, saying the former president remained in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. He went there soon after stepping down. Switzerland has, however, frozen whatever assets Hosni Mubarak and his associates may have there, and anti-corruption campaigners are demanding the same of other countries. But experts say hunting for the deposed Egyptian leader's purported hidden wealth — let alone recovering it — will be an enormous task. Meanwhile, troops took control of Tahrir Square, the fulcrum of protests that swept Hosni Mubarak from power, to allow traffic through central Cairo Sunday as military rulers struggled to get life in Egypt back to normal. There were heated rows in Tahrir Square on whether to keep up protests or comply with army orders to help put Egypt back on its feet. “The people want the square cleared,” one group chanted. “We will not leave, we will not leave,” replied another. Police officers, emboldened by the 18 days of protests that led to the overthrow of Mubarak's 30-year rule, gathered to demand higher pay and a security guard said warning shots were fired in the air. No one was hurt. Earlier, troops, some wielding sticks, pushed protesters aside to reopen Tahrir Square to traffic. — AgenciesCaption : Cleaning up Egyptian soldiers take down tents used by demonstrators, who camped out on Tahrir Square, Sunday, in an effort to allow traffic and normal life to return to central Cairo. (AP) __
