WASHINGTON, June 21: The United States is confident that the Pakistani government does not plan to declare a state of emergency in the country, says the US ambassador-designate to Islamabad, Anne Woods Patterson.
Ambassador Patterson was speaking at her first confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which turned into a debate over the current political situation in Pakistan.
Several US lawmakers urged her to use her influence to promote democracy in the country.
Asked if she thought Pakistan was on the verge of a state of emergency, Ambassador Patterson said that both President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had assured the international community that “no state of emergency is intended or planned.”
“The administration, rest assured, is sending the right message on this. I would be fairly confident to predict that no state of emergency is going to be imposed,” she said.
“Our policy is to push for free and fair and transparent elections before — February of 2008. And if I’m confirmed, I will pursue that vigorously.”
The ambassador said that it was for the people of Pakistan to decide whether they want President Musharraf to retain both the civilian and military leaderships. And if the forthcoming elections in Pakistan were free, fair and transparent, the people of Pakistan will have several opportunities to address this dispute, she added.“Certainly they can take this into account (while voting) and if they don't like his decision, they can vote for parties that have a different view,” she said. “Our policy is to push for a civilian elected government in Pakistan, but the timing of that is up to the Pakistanis,” she said.
