US says it wants more from Musharraf
US insists that the General needs to fulfill his promise to doff uniform and roll back emergency.
Terming President Pervez Musharraf's announcement to hold elections before February 15 as a "positive step", the US has insisted that the General needs to fulfill his promise to doff uniform, roll back emergency and reinstate constitutional rule.
"President Musharraf has ordered that elections be held sometime prior to February 15. There are other actions that need to be taken. He needs to fulfill his pledge to take off the military uniform, roll back the state of emergency, reinstate constitutional rule and put Pakistan firmly back on that path to democracy," US state department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
He said the US government is also reviewing the supply of aid and assistance to Pakistan with respect to its legal requirements. "All legal obligations will be looked at carefully at the time of review," McCormack said.
"US will not do anything that jeopardies the ongoing war on terror. The channels of communication with Pakistani leadership will continue to fight global terrorism, he said.
"We are going to conduct a review based on the actions in Pakistan, what are the realities on the ground, and our law and our regulations. And of course we are going to comply with our laws and our regulations. We're not going to do anything that makes America less safe," McCormack said.
Musharraf on Thursday announced the general election would be held by February 15 and that he would quit as army chief before taking oath for a second presidential term after President George W Bush telephoned him and bluntly asked the General to give up military uniform and hold elections on schedule.