US presses Mush to fix date for elections, giving up uniform

WASHINGTON: Stepping up pressure on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the US has asked him to set firm dates for quitting as army chief and holding general elections in the country reeling under emergency rule.

"President Musharraf should roll back the state of emergency, schedule a fixed date for elections coming up," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, adding the General had also 'recommitted' to taking off the uniform.

"He (Musharraf) should make that commitment publicly and fix a date for the Pakistani people so that they have an expectation that they are going to return to constitutional rule and a pathway to democracy," McCormack added.

Speaking after the Pakistan government freed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto from house arrest, several hours after the police suurounded her Islamabad residence to prevent her from taking part in a party rally, the spokesman said all sides should desist from resorting to or provoking violence.

"We understand from the government spokesman that she's (Bhutto) going to be allowed to leave, we believe it's important for those moderate forces within the Pakistan political system, to work together to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy and constitutional rule."

"They are under a threat from violent extremists, who seek to undermine the gains that have been made prior to the imposition of the state of emergency. So we believe that it is positive."

The spokesman said Bhutto should be allowed to move out of her house, travel freely, as should other members of Pakistani political party leaders and civil society leaders and they should be able to express themselves peacefully.

At the moment, McCormack said, the US counsel 'is that the best interest of the Pakistani people are served by quickly getting back to constitutional rule, rolling back the emergency decree, rolling back the restrictions on press freedoms and releasing those people who are merely expressing their political views, their opinions in a peaceful manner'.

Asked if Bhutto has been responsible in calling for a major rally after the bombing of her homecoming procession killed nearly 140 people, the State Department spokesman said, "They're (political leaders)going to have to do what they think is in the best interest of their country."

"They had benefited over the past years from President Musharraf's programme of political and economic reform, prior to the imposition of this state of emergency. That's the kind of pathway Pakistan should return and the kind of pathway that is going to benefit the Pakistani people," he said.

McCormack said the US had an interest in Pakistan 'that has an interest in fighting terrorism.'

"They have an interest in that as well, because it's as much a threat internally to Pakistan as it is to Pakistan's neighbours and ultimately to us," he said.