ISLAMABAD, 1 April 2005 — The United States yesterday credited President Gen. Pervez Musharraf with making efforts to promote “real democracy” in the country.
“President Musharraf is taking Pakistan toward a real democracy,” Pakistan’s private Geo TV quoted the US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker as telling a select group of newspaper editors in Islamabad.
He said there is no dictatorship in Pakistan and the media is completely free with no curb on freedom of speech.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had told reporters during her visit to Islamabad early this month that her country looked forward to free and fair elections in Pakistan, slated for 2007. Crocker said the holding of elections is not linked with the issue of Pervez Musharraf holding the dual offices of president and army chief.
Despite sharp criticism by leading opposition parties including the six-party religio-political alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Ammal (MMA) and the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), Musharraf announced last December he would continue as army chief.
Days before his announcement, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) had legislation approved from Parliament amid a boycott by the MMA and ARD to enable Musharraf to hold both offices “in the service of Pakistan”.
On the Pakistan-India peace process, Crocker urged Islamabad and New Delhi to take Kashmiris along with them while determining ways to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
