WASHINGTON, May 2: The White House on Thursday withheld praise for President Pervez Musharraf’s victory in the referendum, saying it looked forward to “free and fair” elections in October.
“We look forward to the holding of free and fair national and provincial elections in October as ordered by Supreme Court and agreed to by President Musharraf,” White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
Describing the referendum and future elections as “matters for the Pakistani people”, Fleischer said the United States “stands squarely behind the establishment of democratic, civilian rule under constitutional means”. —AFP
