Musharraf has more to do for free and fair vote: US

The United States on Monday welcomed President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to end emergency rule, but said he had more to do to ensure that elections set for January 8 are free and fair.

“It was good to see President Musharraf follow through on his pledge to lift that state of emergency,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said, as Musharraf’s critics said the six-week crackdown had effectively rigged the vote against them.

“Now that they move forward, towards the election season, it’s very important that the opposition parties, and everybody, have access to a free media so that they can have a free and fair election,” Perino told reporters.

The United States argues that Islamabad’s return to the path of democratic and constitutional rule will be the best defense against the extremism threatening Pakistan, a key Muslim ally in the US-led war on terrorism.

But Ali Dayan Hasan of US-based Human Rights Watch said “Musharraf’s so-called return to constitutional rule provides legal cover to laws that muzzle the media and lawyers and gives the army a licence to abuse.”