October 05, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 22, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: The British High Commissioner, Robert Brinkley, on Thursday told the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that Britain wanted to see the holding of free and fair elections in Pakistan, in which all political parties should have an equal opportunity to participate.

The British High Commissioner stated this during a meeting with the PML-N chairman, Raja Zafarul Haq, secretary general, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and coordinator of the party’s foreign affairs, Mohammad Mehdi, at the party’s central secretariat. Political counsellor at the British High Commission, Thomas Drew, was also present in the meeting.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Jhagra said the British High Commissioner had come to the party’s central secretariat to pay a courtesy call and to exchange views on the current political situation in the country.

According to Mr Jhagra, the British High Commissioner expressed serious concern over the forcible deportation of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia on Sept 10 and said the UK had already condemned it.

He said Mr Brinkley had assured that the UK would play its role in ensuring a level-playing field for all political parties, in the forthcoming general elections in Pakistan.

The PML-N leaders apprised the British High Commissioner about the party’s stand on the issue of the re-election of Gen Musharraf.