WASHINGTON, Dec 3: The government of Pakistan has established a cell, headed by a former ISI official, for rigging the forthcoming elections, The Washington Post claimed on Monday.

An article by influential Washington journalist Robert Novak says a retired brigadier is heading the alleged cell.

The writer claimed that the retired brigadier would play a key role in any election rigging.

The article claims that even Washington’s lukewarm support for democracy has annoyed the Pakistani establishment which has launched a proxy war against the United States with the help of pro-establishment journalists, The media campaign against the United States, Mr Novak claims, blames Washington for using democracy as an excuse to weaken the Pakistani military.

The article claimed that Benazir Bhutto, although backed by the US, is unacceptable to the Pakistani establishment. Accord-ing to Mr Novak, the Pakistani administration prefers Nawaz Sharif to Ms Bhutto and at a meeting with Saudi officials in Riyadh on Nov 25, they approved Mr Sharif’s return to Pakistan.

Washington, however, does not like Mr Sharif and his return to power “would be a nightmare for US interests because of his Islamist ties.”