Daily Times : End of emergency vital for fair polls: Patterson

End of emergency vital for fair polls: Patterson

November 25, 2007

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson said on Saturday that efforts of her country to hold fair elections in Pakistan were underway, and President General Pervez Musharraf’s government had been apprised repeatedly that the release of political activists and an end to emergency rule was vital in this respect.

Talking to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) acting President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Patterson said that the Bush administration was trying its level best to ensure fair elections.

The overall political situation in the country, general elections, return of former premier and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif were among the issues discussed during the meeting, Online reported.

“We have urged President Musharraf to release all political workers, lift curbs on the media, restore civil rights and end emergency rule in the country because the US favours a sustainable democracy,” she said.

Hashmi told the US ambassador that opposition parties would boycott the elections as they were being pushed to the wall and hundreds of political activists and lawyers were still languishing in jails.

Appreciating the US’ role in the release of political activists, Hashmi said fair elections were not possible under Musharraf’s rule.

The state of emergency and the restrictions on the media were clear evidence of the elections being rigged, Online reported Hashmi as saying.

“I have conveyed to the US ambassador that fair elections are not possible under President Musharraf,” Hashmi told reporters after the meeting.