NEW YORK, May 23: Noting that “a succession of uniformed dictators has misruled Pakistan for more than half of its 60-year history,” the New York Times in an editorial on Wednesday said that “the United States belongs on the side of Pakistani democracy.”

Commenting on the recent upheaval in Pakistan since General Pervez Musharraf “arbitrarily suspended Pakistan’s independent-minded chief justice,” the NYT chided the Bush administration for its unquestioned support for the army general.

Saying that “there is no security with General Musharraf,” the newspaper charged: “It seems the more unpopular Pakistan’s military dictator, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, becomes at home and the less he is willing to fight the Taliban, the more the Bush administration clings to him.”

While acknowledging that “Washington is afraid, and entirely not without reason, that nuclear armed Pakistan’s next ruler could be even worse,” the NYT, however, said “the answer is not to stand by while the general cranks up his repression. That only feeds the fundamentalist and anti-American passions that Washington fears.”

“Instead of propping up the general, Washington should use the leverage it gets from roughly $2 billion a year in aid to encourage an early return to democratic rule,” the newspaper asserted. It observed that “Washington’s uncritical support has also reinforced the general’s arrogance and insularity, which are at the heart of his current political problems”.

The editorial recaps that “in March, he arbitrarily suspended Pakistan’s independent-minded chief justice, setting off protest demonstrations which have continued ever since.

The suspension came as the court was preparing to hear challenges to the general’s schemes to keep himself in power — as both army commander and president — with his presidential candidacy ratified by the current, submissive Parliament, not the new one due to be elected later this year.”

The newspaper noted that “members of the general’s ruling party are now urging him to reach a compromise. Some are even calling on him to open up the election to other serious contenders, including two former prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, now living in exile.

Both governments were badly stained with corruption. But there can be no meaningful return to democracy without the free participation of Pakistan’s two most popular political leaders. General Musharraf is resisting this good advice, but could change his mind if Washington added its voice to the call for free elections.”