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U.S. to work with Musharraf

Washington: Crediting President Pervez Musharraf for holding free and fair elections, the U.S. has said it would continue to keep in touch with him and pursue its interests for a stable and democratic Pakistan

“It was many, many months ago that I stood next to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan during a visit there and said there need to be free and fair elections in Pakistan,” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters here on the eve of her departure to a three-nation tour of South Korea, China and Japan.

“And we have had exactly that message and hammered home that message since that day. That was the message that we gave to President Musharraf — lift the state of emergency, take off the uniform, and guide your country toward free and fair elections,” she said in response to a query. “I believe he has done exactly that.”

The elections, she said, “were elections that I think instil some confidence in the Pakistani people that this was an outcome that moves them closer, further down the road back to not just civilian government, but to a democratic civilian government that is more broadly based.

“That is, to my mind, the best possible outcome, which is that the Pakistani people now have a chance for civilian government that is broadly based.” — PTI

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