WASHINGTON, Nov 20: The White House on Tuesday welcomed Pakistan’s decision to release political prisoners but said that was not enough as Islamabad also needed to lift the state of emergency as well.

“Obviously that would be a positive development. Let us get a little bit more detail on it,” said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino when informed that Islamabad has released 3,000 detainees while 2,000 more will be released soon.

But she said President George W. Bush still wants the emergency order to be lifted.

Ms Perino also indicated that Washington believes Pakistan was moving towards the lifting of all the curbs imposed on Nov 3.

“As the situation evolves, we are getting closer, hopefully, to when that emergency order would be lifted, the elections would be held, and that President Musharraf would take off the uniform and be a civilian president, rather than trying to be both,” she said.