ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson on Tuesday urged Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Qazi Mohammad Farooq to announce election schedule as soon as possible.

She said the people of Pakistan and the international community should be reassured that the government remained committed to holding polls on schedule.

Talking to reporters after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner, the ambassador said the US remained committed to supporting free, fair and credible elections in Pakistan.

The US expected Gen Musharraf to step down as Chief of Army Staff and begin his promised transition to civilian democratic rule, she said.

“As of November 20, we plan to have our long-term independent election observers on the ground,” she added.