LAHORE, April 4: US Consulate principal officer Bryan D Hunt has said the PPP, PML-N and other allied political parties should revisit their political manifestos and implement them to change the socio-economic condition in Pakistan.

"These political parties should make the changes, what they demanded before elections, in their true letter and spirit," he added.

Mr Hunt was speaking after a special lecture on `Pakistan's Elections 2008: Transition to Democracy’ by Prof Dr Muhammad Waseem, organised by the Pakistan Study Centre, Punjab University, on Friday.

The US Consulate principal officer said the entire election process was credible and now there was a need to strengthen institutions, including parliament.

Mr Hunt also hoped that the new government would strengthen the local government system instead of eliminating it.

He said the US was committed to working with the Pakistan government as well as its all tiers, including provincial and local governments. "The US and Pakistan need to work closely because it is in the interest of both the countries," he added.

During a question and answer session, Mr Hunt said, "I don't think that restoration of judiciary is an issue for the US. It is an internal issue of Pakistan".

He said the US Deputy and Assistant secretaries of State had visited Pakistan to discuss and understand each other's stand.

Earlier, delivering his lecture, Prof Dr Muhammad Waseem said diplomatic crisis as well as rise of civil society, judges and lawyers, fully supported by the media, led to the holding of free and fair elections in Pakistan.

He said the civil society as well as lawyers’ community had seriously reacted to President's constitutional violations, including deposing of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Saying that the civil society had started gaining popularity, Prof Waseem added that Musharraf had really come "in the line of fire".

According to him, shedding of uniform, the arrival of international observers as well as Pakistan Army's stance not to interfere in elections left Musharraf helpless. Consequently, he said, the elections were not manipulated on the polling day though pre-poll rigging was committed.

Referring to Musharraf's present situation, he said the President was weak but still equipped with the constitutional powers. He said Musharraf could still dissolve the assemblies, appoint armed forces chief and governors in all four provinces and continue or discontinue the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCRs).

On the other hand, he said the new government was facing formidable challenge of governance as there still existed the judiciary crisis, war against terrorism, acute scarcity of food and electricity coupled with unbridled price-hike, Balochistan issue as well as civil-military relations.

Prof Waseem also compared the Pakistan elections held in year 2002 and 2008 and discussed public's suspicion and fear about the legitimacy of the voting exercise before 2008 elections.

Pakistan Study Centre director Prof Dr Massarat Abid and PU history department chairman Prof Dr Qalb-i-Abid also spoke on the occasion.