US wants free and fair Pakistan election

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-16-2008 09:29

The US says it will look for next week's elections in Pakistan to "produce a government in which the Pakistani people can have confidence".

The US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the final election result should be up to Pakistan's  citizens.(CCTV.com)

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif led a rally on Friday to shore up support ahead of the vote.

The US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the US wants candidates "to have access to media" and to "be able to freely express themselves in a peaceful manner, free from threat of violence". He says the final election result should be up to Pakistan's citizens.

Sean McCormack, US State Department spokesman, said, "The Pakistani people should have a reasonable degree of assurance that their ballot will in fact be reflected in the results and the overall will of the Pakistani people is reflected in these results."

McCormack's comments came as three senior US senators travelled to Pakistan to observe next week's elections.

The lawmakers say their presence will send a message to Pakistan's political leaders and people that the US wants an election free of fraud, intimidation and vote tampering.

The Bush administration hopes that close scrutiny will encourage a more honest vote. And US Embassy workers will serve as observers across the country.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have threatened to gather in the streets if they believe Monday's vote is being rigged.

Pakistan opposition leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif addressed thousands of supporters at rallies.

This came a day after Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf warned opposition parties not to immediately claim election fraud and stage demonstrations after the vote.

Sharif has rejected Musharraf's warning, saying his opposition party would stage nationwide protests if it believes the election was manipulated.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei