The Bush administration again extended its full support to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf as it stated that he is the right person for killing his own people. The people of tribal areas described this latest action of the United States as the Bush form of democracy. In this form of democracy the people do not matter. If George W. Bush desires something it will certainly happen. As far as the war on terror is concerned, President Musharraf has US support to continue deceiving the world.
According to Reuters, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday pressed President Pervez Musharraf to hold free and fair elections next month and urged him to boost counter-terrorism cooperation with the US and Afghanistan.
Rice met Musharraf on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, their first meeting since the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto and the imposition of emergency rule in the country.
“They talked about the current situation and the importance of the coming elections, and that they need to be free and fair,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Rashid Qureshi, a spokesman for Musharraf, told AP the meeting with Rice “went very well.”
Rice reiterated her country’s support for Pakistan’s endeavours to stop terrorism and transition towards complete democracy. She expressed confidence that moderate political forces would emerge as a result of the elections on February 18.
President Musharraf said Pakistan remained firmly on the democratic path despite the recent troubling events.
Stable, honest government
Earlier, President Musharraf, addressing the Pakistani community in Paris, said he was looking forward to a progressive, stable and honest government in Pakistan that could put the country on the road to economic prosperity and bring an end to the political unrest.
The president said the new government would be required to strengthen the reconciliation process and move forward with unity to meet major challenges, such as the fight against terrorism, and providing security to people, according to APP.
He said Pakistan was the only Muslim country having nuclear technology and the country’s nuclear potential was being gradually increased.
He assured the audience that Pakistan would continue to develop and strengthen its nuclear capability and would not succumb to pressure to stop the nuclear development process.
Musharraf said he hoped the new government would be able to sustain the growth rate achieved during the last seven years and concentrate on the reduction of poverty and unemployment.
He agreed that inflation was a major cause of concern for the people and said the price-hike was affecting the whole world. He said he was visiting European countries to project Pakistan’s position on various issues in its true perspective. He deplored that Western media distorted facts relating to Pakistan’s human rights and democratic situation and its fight against terrorism.
Expressing shock over the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Musharraf said the foreign media had painted a wrong picture of the tragedy, going as far as accusing Pakistan’s intelligence agencies for the incident.
